"That would cost us an element of surprise, but possibly, we could bluff our way past them, without actually lying. Tell them we're there as a result of Lomricks planning, to retrieve Reltanna, because someone is mounting a rescue operation, and our job is to transfer her to a new safe place.", Phai shrugs.
"That sounds good to me, though perhaps someone else should do the talking. Worst case, they refuse us and we have to force our way in. Let's get on with it then. I've already squandered enough of our time."
"Right." Child-of-Planes adjusted his head, and re-formed his armor. "I can talk, at least, as someone with a bit of local knowledge."and absurd +diplo
"Then do. I would prefer stealth, but it seems that is not really an option for all of us, so lets attempt deception. If they learned of Catrix distraction, they may just ignore certain facts in favor of what they wish to believe.", checking her weapons and equpiment once more, she nods towards the others, "But it's probably for the best if we not only come dressed for trouble, but expect it. Lets see how long our approach works-"
It took twenty seconds or so, but the door was answered by two humanoid figures (fairly normal-looking, truth be told), who looked extremely nervously at your weapons and kept the door mostly shut as an obvious defense.
"W-what is it?" one of them asked. "We don't owe anyone money!"
Sense Motive says that's true, if you were curious. XD
Child-of-Planes taps into the crystal located in the back of his armor, and begins talking, the soul of a dead hypnotist guiding him in speaking without actually lying.
"We're not debt collectors," he replies, holding up his bare hands. "This is purely a business matter, but the streets can get dangerous after dark, and we'd rather not take any chances with the safety of our cargo."
"My name is—no, I couldn't tell you if I wanted to. That's probably better. And these are my companions. We've been sent to retrieve a woman named Reltanna. This building has been compromised, and she needs to be moved to a safer location, before any part of Lomrick's household comes under attack—and I have it under the best authority that such an attack may well happen soon, if we don't get moving."
"Well, gentlemen, shall we?" He asks, as he takes a step forward, projecting a supernatural level of calm and authority.
Aid Diplomacy:1d20 + 4 ⇒ (2) + 4 = 6
Phai aims to add something sensible, but can't really think of anything to say, instead scanning the streets as if on the lookout for any attackers, something probably overlooked by the two humanoids most likely focused on Plany.
Isen watched the area, waiting at the rear of the group. He wasn't naturally gifted at diplomatic matters. And they seemed to be doing fine on there own. Better to make sure they weren't surrounded...
The two servants looked nervously at each other. "L-look, we don't want any trouble." one of them said. "We're only here so we can get money to feed out kids, all right? We just clean the place and cook stuff every now and then. I don't know what Lomrick does, and I don't want to know. Look, we'll be happy to get out of your way, no trouble at all." The speaker seemed quite sincere - they were obviously terrified at the thought of an attack happening, and had no desire whatsoever to get caught in the middle.
"Keeping your head down is probably the best way to go when working for him. Would you mind telling us where we can find Relstanna so we can keep our heads down and finish our job?" Vincent asked, patting one of the servants on the shoulder reassuringly as he walked in and glanced around the entryway.
Isen was somewhat surprised at the people's reaction. Either they were masterful actors, or this Lomrick was a true monster. Of corse, Jageldine were true monsters, but it seemed odd that they'd be so free with there violence. And if they were acting, they might alert someone or come for them from behind.
Phai keeps her eyes open to scan their surroundings, hoping to memorize the path if they needed to make a fast getaway. She also tries to read the guards, as well as any other "employs" they meet for inmediate signs of trouble.
Perception:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (3) + 12 = 15 Sense Motive:1d20 + 10 ⇒ (6) + 10 = 16
The two just shook their heads. "Couldn't say if anyone else was here." one of them explained. "If they are, though, they're probably in the basement. We've never been allowed to go down there - we're restricted to the main floor, and the guards don't let anyone through without permission... and we've, uh, never really wanted to test that."
Basement with extra guards, hu? Good thing we didn't climb up and enter forcibly through a balcony or the roof..., Phai ponders, as she wordlessly advances behind the others.
The two servants promptly took off running as you pushed into the house.
The stone floors of this front foyer are swept clean and polished. Four columns support each corner to provide support for the ceiling and a sense of ornamentation. Two sets of double doors lead east and west, while an open archway to the north reveals a curving staircase to the second floor.
Unfortunately, it didn't seem the hired help had ever actually been down the basement - the areas they could reach were very limited.
To the right inside the house, a polished wood desk sits parallel to the north wall, with a large chair behind it. A complicated brass orrery, no larger than a map globe, sits on one corner of the desk. Ornate rugs cover the floor and lend a more comfortable and luxurious ambiance. Paintings of strange, inhuman cities decorate the walls, their architecture suggestive of geometric insect hives. A few bookcases stand against the far walls.
"Let's take a quick look around while we're here. If we can find clues about what Lomrick is up to, it might help us avoid him or catch him later. Better check to see if the desk is trapped as well, since I wouldn't put it past him to use a nasty poison or two to deter infiltrators." Vincent looked around the room briefly, glancing behind the paintings before he paused a moment to inspect the orrery in a bit more detail.
When Vincent opened the door to a dead-end room, Child saw and carefully opened the door on the opposite side. "We can trash the place on the way out, maybe?" he whispered first.
"Some redecoration by fire? Possibly, but lets keep focused on our main objective. Also, may be too late, but neither would I put it beyond Lomrick to have a means of scrying on visitors left alone in the entrance hall...", Phai ponders as she readiers herself next to the door the servants used to leave, ignoring her question regarding directions.
The brass orrery is rather heavy-looking (25 lbs or so), and doesn't match any of your home systems. Fortunately, two semi-locals are present, and able to identify that the orrery shows the local solar system's... interesting... celestial arrangement.
Across the hall, a large, round table occupies the center of this room, low to the ground and with a hookah resting in its center. Floor pillows encircle it, while divans line the walls with small end tables to flank them. A window is set in the west wall with curtains pulled and crossbars in place to ensure no exterior access to the manse. The pungent, heady scent of smoke from an unknown plant lingers in the air.
"With his Servants as unhelpful as they were, one Door is as good as the other. I can't believe they simply run off without pointing us towards the Basement. LOMRICK WILL HEAR OF THIS!"(technically true ^_^), she says, the last part louder but not shouting, as she calmly follows Vincent.
A polished hardwood table runs down the center of this room, surrounded by comfortably padded chairs. Two large, barred windows reside in the western wall with the curtains drawn, and brass light fixtures decorate the corners of the room, as well as a small chandelier hanging above the table. Two doors exit east, while a third leads north.
"This is....irritating. Barred windows could suggest we're getting close, though.", Phai notes as she follows the others, instinctively keeping to the center of the rooms.
The center of the room had a table, but you could stand on top of that if you wanted to.
To the north, this room bears all the implements of a well-run kitchen, and includes an interior stone well in its northwest corner opposite a wood stove. A stained butcher’s block rests in the center of the room, and multiple shelves and a spice rack hang along the northeast wall. The strange scent of something sour mixed with brine lingers in the air.
Keeping to the center!=dead center. She's trying to keep lines of sight open if there's trouble, hoping to maximize the area she can see through the doors and control with her glaive. With the size of the rooms, it would technically be more correct to say "stay away from the walls"
Phai heads on over to the next door:"Ok, Kitchen, and this was the Dining Room. Shall we just continue clockwise? We are bound to run into stairs sooner or later."
Wondering what the smell was, and deciding he didn't want to know what the Jagladine ate, Isen nodded at Phai's plan, heading to the North East door in the dining room and, after listening to make sure nothing exciting lurked on the other side, slipped through.
Vincent didn't appear to be bothered by the smell in the slightest and only took a brief amused look through the kitchen before following Isen's lead and returning to the dining room. "Whole rooms dedicated to the preparation and consumption of food. I still find it strange that eating requires so much effort."
"It doesn't," Child replied. "Just a pot, and a fire. But try spending two years at the table of a camel-merchant, and this sort of thing doesn't feel as wasteful."
Yeah, but putting Phai on the table was funny. XD Also, there really aren't centers for some of the rooms, given furniture... but I know what you mean.
A set of polished hardwood stairs with handrails rises in the center of this chamber to a second floor above. Open archways lead north and south, while four doors exit east and west, two on each side.
Ignoring the stairs, as they were trying to head down, and the arch into the garden, Isen moved across the area to the door in the East wall, once again trying to determine if there was anything dangerous before opening it.
Oh, I would be all for being on the Table, enjoying High Ground in addition :) - but not before she s%&* hits the fan...while we're still in casing mode, I wouldn't want to draw that kind of attention-
With a silent Sigh at finding stairs, but one's going into the wrong direction, Phai follows Isen.
Elmar Thonsson
Male Dwarf Ranger 19, Lore Warden 2 (HP 279/279 | AC 32 T 22 FF 23 | Fort 27 Ref 28 (Evasion) Will 17 | Init 26 | Percp 42 (46 vs traps in stone) [darkvision, tremorsense 10])
played by
thunderbeard
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posts)
Raisse
