The customs official looks at your group and holds up five fingers to Suny. He seems to be impressed with your equipment.
Suny nods and hands over seven gold.
"So's not ta' get any 'entanglements', hey?" She says in passing to the Customs person.
Wil continues to watch out for the ladies, grunting and growling at anyone who appears to have any funny idea's. While totally being oblivious of the exchange...
The agent looks at Suny with some curiousity and then waves her on.
As you emerge from the docks, the bordering commercial district with a single large warehouse across from the guardpost is quite conspicuous, and lacking in activity. The smaller surrounding warehouses seem to have some goods or packing crates nearby. In the twilight the city seems to winding down.
The two story guardpost seems too conveniently located 100 feet across the street from the target. There does not seem to be much activity at the guardhouse at this late hour. At the most, the guardhouse would muster 25 for a full shift, but more likely 15 to 20 guardsmen.
Seven of us against a possible score of them. If they aren't fairly skilled like last time we stand a chance, if they are newly trained militia we can defeat them easily. Silencing a distress call will be the challenge...
Wil makes sure no one is overhearing them before speaking to the others, using his low light vision to pierce the dimness around them with ease. "As much as I dislike underhanded attacks, I dislike these cultists more. So a possibility of a score of soldiers against us. Should we split up into two teams? One team assaults the warehouse while the other tries to keep the guardhouse quiet. Do we have a way to silence their horn calls?"
Suny frowns as she views the situation, listening to Wilaml's comments.
"Well, if those in the guard house don't actually notice anything happen in the ware house...Other than a regular patrol of the premises....why should we be worried if we sneak around and come at the villains from some other direction? Lets look for a 'back-door' or even a 'back window'. Failing that." Suny continues to look the building over, "We could try coming at them from the roof over the back, or even check if the sewers run under the target." She smiles at her friends.
"Living in the sea, one often thinks about things in three dimensions"
Your friend here has the right idea. Let us take a look at all approaches, checking the sewers and right around the building before making some kind of a plan. However, best we do this checking without being in a large group. Late night walkers will attract less suspicion than a whole horde of us
Eirel smiles and nods to Suny. She had a good brain on her.
The wood elves are supposed to attack, soon. Once they do, we can hope the barracks will empty, and we'll have a window in which to operate.
Let's keep our heads down for now, and look for a way to get in without getting the barracks emptied on us, instead. Eirel and Suny can skulk about a little, and we can all watch for signs of a battle.
Thalas stands ready, prepared to begin casting spells to aid them in the coming fight.
With his opinion dismissed so easily Wil merely nods and remains silent, prepared to do what he had to to ensure success.
"So, where do these woodsy folk be? We can warn 'em off an' turn this in't a 'Seek and pointy greet' type of affair, right?" Suny asks Seltyn.
"I be good ta go an' esplain things to 'em, y'know, deft like."
The warehouse is poorly lit. The activity at the guardhouse is quite low, so you feel the military installation is probably already been stripped to handle the threat of the wood elf band.
The large warehouse is three stories high and measures about three hundred feet on a side. There is a hundred feet of packed earth from the warehouse to its closest neighbors and the guardhouse.
With no prominent windows or doors, it appears the only entrance is a large set of double doors in the front. A large set of chains secure the double doors closed with a huge iron lock.
"Whelp! Looks like we be seekin' either a way under. Or a way in sneaky like." Suny comments, even as she looks around in the gathering gloom of evening.
"Of course, we could just sidle up ta tha doors and try gettin' in that way. Hopin' no one notices lil' old us in'a dark?"
Will looks at the far away entrance counting the steps it would take and trying to calculate in his mind what it would take to get over there, break open the door and get inside before anyone was the wiser.
Whispering. "Seltyn, do you think you can cast invisibility and some sort of silence on one of us? Do you think it would last long enough for someone to go over there and pick the lock and get the doors open?"
Let's find out.
If there's an alley or some place where we won't draw much notice, Seltyn will cast message, then he and Elorin will cast invisibility on whoever wants it, with scrolls or Elorin's own magic. I'd say Eirel and Suny for sure, maybe Elorin if she wants to go with. The rest of us aren't so quiet. We'll stay outside and keep a lookout.
If Eirel can open the door and have a quick look around, we'll go on in, knowing at least a little about what to expect. We'll get whatever goodies we can and exeunt. Maybe set a fire to liven things up.
Not to stomp on your idea, Wil, but we're pretty far from the boat. If we kill a few cultists on the way back to the boat, that would be nice. Fighting a lot of them here could make our escape difficult.
How about a little recon on the warehouse?
Bumpity~
A scouting process is exactly what we need to be getting on with. Two groups, one takes the left hand side, the other the right. Lets get moving before the dawn catches us.
Eirel makes a move to scout out the left, not waiting to see where the rest are going.
Thalas, as someone not adept at sneaking, stays back with Seltyn and the others and awaits the report back of the scouting members of the party.
Suny sighs and begins to walk out of the opposite end of the alley that the group is currently hole up in.
Eriel, wait. Let Elorin and I put some magic on you.
Seltyn will cast Blur, while Elorin casts Invisibility, from her spell slot.
The scouting turns up a featureless stone building of preassembled stone blocks and a sealant. No other apertures in sides or back. There is a 100 foot setback from the four surrounding warehouse lots and the main street. The building is at least three stories high and the sides would be difficult (DC20) to climb. The single large locked door seems the only entry.
As the group recons the area, the shadows continue to give ideal illumination for elves.
Wil points out that the guard post seems aware of your presence. A group of four guardsmen is seen exiting the front gate and moving into the courtyard of the guard post. They have chain and are carrying an exotic weapon Wil notes is a falchion with a tower shield.
Let's move like we're going somewhere. Let's at least go around where the rest of the guards can't see us.
To Eirel, via message: Try to get the door unlocked, then have a look around, if you can. Come around the guards from behind around back if it's too hot.
Hearing the message, Eirel returns swiftly, sticking to the shadows as much as he can. This was not a mission he was happy about. The enemy had too strong an advantage here. Even as he returns, he keeps an eye out for anything that might have spotted them. No point in being followed if you didn't have to be.
When he finally meets Seltyn, he motions that they should walk for a moment together.
There are no other ways in or out of that building. No doors or even windows that we can see. Are you sure that we actually want to try this thing from a surface entry? There might be a better chance looking to enter from the floor itself maybe. Think about it
Sunny nods in agreement.
"Asides which. How long is it a-tween patrols? T'is an awfully big building. Maybe we can sneak around tha' back and climb up on-ta' tha' roof?" She suggests.
Wil points out that the guard post seems aware of your presence. A group of four guardsmen is seen exiting the front gate and moving into the courtyard of the guard post. They have chain and are carrying an exotic weapon Wil notes is a falchion with a tower shield.
Wil's hand rested on the pommel of his hammer. As the four guardsman came out armed with Falchion's he grimaced before pointing them out to everyone. "Looks like they've seen us. They've got full cover with those shields and blades with the weight of an axe, not common for lesser soldiers..."
Azlain gives Wil a look full of dubiousness and apprehension, "This is a bad idea. Remind me again why this is necessary?"
Although the guards are well equipped, they are obviously not the best soldiers. Azlain and Wil spot one with a helmet buckled too tight, and they also notice one has a bulky cloak over his armor that would interfere with his shield arm.
Although elven spies say the bulk of the cultist shipments are moved into this building, they have been known to be wrong before.
The bannermaiden keeps the banner rolled up, and speaks.
"Maybe we should call this one off. Those soldiers are somewhat well equipped."
Eirel is moving completely undetected.
The lock holding the chain on the front door seems to be a large lock, but can be picked with the right tools.
Wil doesn't back down, they'd come to far to turn back. If they had been seen then fine let the men come...
"We've come to far to turn back now. I'll stall them... Get Eirel inside that building." Without another word Wil walks from the shadows, tired of hiding and walks purposefully into the courtyard. However he walks in a direction that hopefully pulls the attention off the group and namely the door Eirel needs to break into. Even if this puts his back against a wall he knows that success in this mission is all that counts.
As the eyes of the soldiers follow the glint of his new field plate he barks in his strongest voice. Mimicking the voice of his instructor back home. A man that never repeated himself lest you wanted a blow upside the head...
"I DEMAND TO SPEAK WITH YOUR COMMANDER!" His voice carried the weight of obedience, he wasn't requesting to see the Commander and expected them to obey.
While their reeling at his brazen demand he points at the one with the helmet buckled too tightly. "You there! Loosen that helm! Or do you plan to choke before the fighting starts?!" Relying on poor training and their lack of knowledge of who Wil is, he presses what little advantage he has.
He points then at the one with the bulky cape. "Are you trying to die?! Discard that bed sheet and hold your shield properly!"
He voice carries the weight of disappointment as he looks pointedly from one guardsman to the next. "Your a sorry lot, whoever trained you should be ashamed... Now adjust you gear and stand at bloody attention!"
Casting his martial judgement at them wasn't the only thing he focused their way. As he waited for their response he attempted to search them for evil deeds, weighing his options in the fight that was obviously coming. But he wanted to strike first before they had a chance to rally...
Wil doesn't draw his blade nor make aggressive moves, his buckler is strapped to his shield arm and he stands ready. Radiating confidence despite standing outnumbered four to one and hoping that their poor training and his being unknown to them will possibly hold off a direct attacking from the four guardsmen.
Hearing Wil confront the guardsmen, Thalas begins casting Bull's Strength on Azlain in anticipation of the action that was sure to follow at any moment.
Seltyn moves closer to the men and readies an action to cast, if he can. He'll cast if they attempt to attack.
Eirel takes one looks at the lock and begins working as quietly as he can, but as quickly as he can also to get inside. If the lock opens, then he will get inside and then try to make it appear that the chain hasn't been tampered with.
Totally forgot about the stealth thing. Thanks Seltyn, you might have just saved my bacon.
Eirel opens the first tumbler, it takes a few seconds and there is one more to go.
The soldiers straighten up and take their dressing down with a stoic acceptance. The noise draws two more men from the guard post. Both men are well along in years with white hair and are armed similarly. The younger men continue to stand in formation, not moving.
The older men have on chain shirts and carry heavy steel shields. Wil detects no evil on any of the men.
Suny is halfway around, walking in the back of the structure. No other entrance is visible, and the structure appears somewhat borings squarish and bland in design and color.
The heavy lock is picked, and Eirel easily slips the lock from the chain and loops it through a single link. The quite heavy chain needs to be pulled off the large doors. The doors appear to open outward, and appear quite heavy.
The two older men look at Wil quizzically. "Who are you?"
Suny notices the occasional dried animal dropping in the rear yard of this area.
Wil was pleased to find none of these men carried a shred of evil in their being and upon being asked who he was he saluted the older men in a human fashion. Finishing his salute he opens his visor to reveal his face partially in the gloom of the evening. "My name is Wilaml, I wish to see no bloodshed this night and ask that you and your men surrender."
The eldest of the two men reply. "We can't surrender to a group smaller than ours. Our duty is to protect this town."
In the poor light it is obvious that the elven party isn't entirely visible. Suny and Eirel are out of sight.
The two older men seem capable, but the others are green recruits or militia unaccustomed to much fighting.
Suny notices the excrement is probably of large dog size in the rear. No secret doors are found. The four younger recruits are definitely intimidated by Wil's confidence, and back up to allow the interchange between their seniors to occur.