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This story begins "in medias res" -- in the middle of a situation.
Most of you have recently come to the small town of Longacre. Your reasons are your own, but for whatever reason, you have been looking for some kind of opportunity to make money, power, prestige, contacts or some kind of advantage. Individually, you have been approached by a local young woman, about 20 years or age, named Cimri Staelish, and she has recruited you to help with a nighttime raid of a local tannery.
Cimri Staelish: Bust image and full body image.
The Local Tough campaign trait character is highly familiar with Cimri, but to the rest of you, she is an unknown quantity who represents an interesting opportunity. You have just assembled as a group for the first time, and unless your backstories say otherwise, you are meeting each other for the first time.
The town of Longacre sits just outside the fringes of the Whisperwood. A few lights shine in the streets and windows, and the occasional snippet of conversation or laughter issues from open doors, but here on the outskirts of town, the night is quiet and dark. Sparse clouds scud across the sky, momentarily obscuring the dim light from the moon overhead. Across a scrubby field, barely distinguishable under the starry sky, a darkened, fortlike compound hunches in the distance.
Cimri points toward the dim structure. “That’s it -- Louslik Tannery. Here’s the job: We break in, sack Ol’ Louslik’s office, take whatever’s shiny, and get out before the sheriff shows up. If we get separated, meet back at the Ash House by dawn.”
Dull moonlight glints across her dagger as she flicks it in emphasis. “If you get pinched, remember: you’re mute. Keep your mouth shut, and I’ll handle things. I got assurances that we won’t take any blame if things go south. But get chatty and I’ll let you rot.” A beat passes and her usual crooked smirk appears. “If you don’t screw things up, we’ll all be drinking on Razelago’s coin come dawn. Let’s do this.”
Presumably, after such an out-of-the-blue introduction, you should have some questions, and now is the time to present them. Any questions that your character would want the answers to at this point: fire away. Similarly, some of you might have objections that you might wish to raise at this point.
Aevelyn looks over the rather attractive woman closely as she details the job she initially agreed to.
Why am I doing this? Because sometimes steps need to be taken in order to recover what has been lost...Still I do not like the looks of this woman. Could she be an Informant?
She turns to her companions and catches their own expressions. First her bodyguard, the oread Hellknight wannabe who has served her well, and she must admit, kept her and her other companion out of trouble for the most part. Stealing a glance at her 'lady-in-waiting' she has difficulty tearing her gaze away for a moment.
Ahhh...Shiloh...you are a cypher to me, and I shall unlock your secrets yet!
Turning her attention back to their employer she raises her hand, her delicate fingers slowly waving. "So, that is all to this...job? I hardly think you are telling us all you know. Still, we all did agree to this job, so the reasons behind it are of little import."
And if we should press the issue, you would simply lie to us anyway.
"I do have some questions for you that you should be able to answer for us." She continues here, ticking points off on her well-manicured fingers. "First, what guards are patrolling the area? Second, are any of the guards magic-wielders? Third, is magic used to guard the office?" Here she pauses, glancing to the others here, particularly the catfolk woman, and awaiting their input here.
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Some of you might have input into the outfitting of the Louslik Tannery that Aevelyn asks about. On your way to the meeting point, each character had an opportunity to perform a single check. The tannery is surrounded by a 10 foot high wooden palisade.
You may attempt one and only one of these (per character). Shiloh does not get two checks, but can decide whether Shiloh or Valrah attempts the check.
Disable Device
The catfolk's tail swished back and forth nervously. She took a quick look at the locking mechanism on the gate as the group laid out its plans. "The gate's no good. I could pick the lock easy enough, that's true, but that thing would swing open loud enough to alert everyone two villages over. We need to find another way in," she whispered to her friend Staelish.
She looked around at the others, waiting for me to prove their worth. Staelish was usually good at picking a crew for a crash and run job, but Breeze wasn't convinced of this lot, yet. Breeze needed coin, as always, but she wasn't about to get pinched if there was anything she could do about it.
Quietly tailing Shiloh and the other mortals on what Shiloh called a heist. Pulling her dark cloak tighter around herself she moves up to the palisade but notes nothing. Not that I know what I am looking for you wretched child!
When passing the tannery Shiloh does not even give it a glance over. That smell is vile! Taking a gloved hand and keeping it over her nose as they pass by.
Seemly smiling to herself as they walk in, Oh quit you b~+%&ing Val. Pulling her blue cloak tighter around herself and trying to ignore the shivers rolling though her.
Quietly listening to Cimri ramble on only half listening as the indignation voice in her head snarls at her over the smell is far more interesting. When she notes Aevelyn looking at her she offers a smirk and a wave of her gloved hand.
Most of this crew knows each other already. Staelish has never brought in a full crew before.. This was worrisome for the feline, but she didn't see any other option, as deep as she was in the plot. Theyd better pull their weight...I'm watching for anything tricky!
Cherry grins at Cimri's description of the job offer. "That seems straightforward enough. No tricks, hm?" She laughs even though it's not much of a joke.
She briefly beings an attempt to scale the palisade outside the tannery, but can't find the footholds necessary and slips down to the ground again. Giving a sheepish smile to the others, she says, "Heh, sorry. I promise I've other talents."
Looking at Breeze, she muses, Too bad I'm not as nimble as that one looks. She'd met the little catfolk not too long ago but found her quite fascinating.
"Keep your head, Cherry. You'll get it next time.". Breeze hadnt known the ifrit long, but she knew she could trust the girl. That meant a lot. Honor amongst thieves, and all that.
Breeze moved to the oread's side. "Mind showing me the way in you found? If there's no other way in, I'd like to give it a good searching before we commit fully. I'm not taking a chance on getting pinched out here."
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Breeze and Nyssene succeeded at checks and unlocked the Disable and Perception spoilers. Shiloh/Valrah and Cherry failed their checks. The Climb/Stealth and Knowledge (local) spoilers remain unopened. Aevelyn and Tavitha still have the opportunity to make checks if they desire.
The group assembled seems divided to two major camps, with Aevelyn, Shiloh and Nyssene being a group, and Cimri, Breeze and Cherry another, with Tavitha seeming a free agent in-between.
"Shouldn't be much of a guard presence", Cimri answers Aevelyn's first question. "Ol' Louslik's too stingy to hire much guards of his own, and unless we make a ruckus and dawdle, the sheriff's night watch should take its time getting here. I doubt the poor sod's got any magic, but it doesn't cost anything to be cautious, yah?" After a bit of a pause, she asks, "Everyone set, then, or you wanna gab some more?"
Tavitha arrived on the night of the heist, which was really more of a smash-and-grab from the sound of it. She wore a simple shirt of hide armor and carried a massive pickaxe by the haft, her equipment bag slung low to rest at the small of her back beneath a well-crafted basket papoose. Her beloved Gloom was newly fed and cleaned, occasionally peeking out with his milk-white eyes that matched his mother's. Tavitha cooed sweetly in her soft-spoken native tongue, but fell silent as she approached the rest of the group that Cimri had gathered.
Tavitha recognized some faces but knew little about anyone in Longacre. She was new in town, but it hadn't much convincing for her to join in the burglary. Gold was gold, and her pockets were growing light.
She nodded to Cimri. "Ready," Tavitha said. "I tried the wall on the way over, it's not the easiest climb. That gap may be the better way in, but not the fastest way out."
Aevelyn pauses, then nods as she recollects some of the scuttlebut she picked up from some of the lowly servants in town. "I have also heard only a small crew works nights at the tannery. However," She twirls her finger around in a circle to emphasize her next statement. "...the owner, Jabral Louslik, works well into the evening. We will need to wait until he has left before we proceed further. Also, there are a couple of elderly gong farmers who come and go throughout the night. Therefore, we will need to work quickly as well."
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"We got like ten people here", Cimri says, perhaps not impressing anyone with her math skills. "I'm sure there ain't gonna be nothing there to stop us, Louslik or not. But if you guys wanna wait it out, hey, no skin off my nose", she raises her hands up. "The longer we wait, the longer before that gold's in our pockets."
It's still early in the night, you might have to wait for hours. But that's a perfectly valid strategy too.
Still smiling but level her mix matched eyes at Cimri, We are seven not ten. Wouldn't bungling it keep the gold out of our pockets?
Shifting on her feet and tighten the cloak around her obscuring most of her form, Would it not be better to avoid all potential of conflict?
Tavitha reflexively tightened her hand on her pick at the mention of a night crew and the owner's late hours. Much like Cimri, she didn't like the idea of waiting -- but wasn't keen on leaving witness either. "No sense waiting. Let's just hope Loose-lick and his crew are daft." She chuckled, with a hint of eagerness. "I ain't leaving witnesses alive."
Shifting to look at the odd looking woman, Considering your bundle would you not rather avoid a fight?
Tavitha shifted her blank eyes to Shiloh. "All the more reason to kill them quick." She half-shrugged, careful not to disturb Gloom, and turned her attention to the one who protested the baby's presence. "Crazy is a mother who who would trust their child to a sitter. The only place safer than on my back is in my arms, and I need my arms right now," she said, calmly. Her lips turned into an oddly pleasant grin. "Look, if they don't come poking around or get in our way, I won't have to drive a pick through their chests."
Breeze was moved beyond speech when she realized the bundle on the newcomer's back was actually a child. She and Cimri had been on several runs together, but for the life of her, she couldn't see what her old friend was thinking of with this one.
"So are we going in now, or are we waiting for a bit? I want the crew in agreement before we make a break. Once in go, we go all the way, no turning back."
Aevelyn's eyebrow raises up as her bodyguard voices what she herself felt in her heart. Seriously, she could not find a nanny to handle the child for a few hours? Still, the die is cast here...
Deciding to play peacemaker with the group here, she lays a hand upon her bodyguard's shoulder. "Please, Nysene, it will be OK. Miss Tavitha has shown herself to be competent here, and I trust her judgement here." She then gives the dark folk a meaningful look. "I would prefer no unnecessary bloodshed here. I do not wish to sully my hands on cleaning up your messes."
She turns her attention back to the catfolk. "I favor caution in all of my endeavors, yet as this is a new experience for me I would be willing to defer to your judgement."
Breeze couldn't help but think about he old human saying 'Curiosity killed the cat.' For that reason, Breeze favored waiting a bit. "Aevelyn, do you trust the source of that information? If so, I say we wait until Jabral leaves. The gold will still be there, whether or not we encounter anyone or not. Let's try to minimize that risk."
Aevelyn sniffs in reply, "I believe the information is as reliable as those who provided me that information." She cannot hide the note of disdain in her voice. "I happen to agree with you here, we should wait." She looks over the rest of the group, "Does anyone else object to waiting?"
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I'm going to go by simple majority here -- with seven of you present, that's four:
Methodical and careful wait and observe
Aevelyn
Shiloh
Nyssene
Breeze
Quick smash and grab
Cimri
Tavitha
Cherry can fall on either side, but regardless the majority seems to favor the more careful approach, so you wait at least an hour or two, watching the goings-on. As you do so, you see a cart exiting, going back to town, then returning, then going out again, driven by two people. Breeze and Cimri, being locals, both know that that's Longacre's gong farmers, an elderly couple named Shaul and Pippa Umbre. They take care of Longacre's sewage, making rounds during the night picking up bowls left in the streets and bringing them to the tannery in their cart. Observing their schedule, it will be easy for you to make your move when they are at the tannery or out picking up sewage, according to your choice.
Shifting on her feet, I still like the waiting idea. Her eyes stay glued to the bundle with Tavitha. There is no anger only curiosity.
"The next time they go out, I say we make our move!"
Aevelyn drums her fingers on the chair impatiently. "Yes, I agree with Breezy here. I grow tired of waiting here."
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You've watched the tannery for a few hours, and the only activity you've really seen is the gong farmers going in and out through the gate. Once more, they go out to gather the town's waste. You now have at least four people (Cimri, Tavitha, Aevelyn and Breeze) in favor of making your move, constituting a majority. Now it's just a question of how to go in. Do you want to push the gate open (Breeze feels confident about being able to open the mechanism) or sneak through the gap in the palisade spotted by Nyssene?
"There's nothing wrong with waiting, but let's not dilly-dally around here too long," Cherry says, looking slightly eager to get moving. "Breeze, you should go ahead and let us in."
Breeze suggests using the gap in the palisade. "No reason making any excess noise," she whispers as she leads the others through the gap. Once through, she looked around, making sure they hasn't been detected yet.
Stealth
Perception
After waiting a few hours Tavitha was eager to get moving. "The gap is fine," she said. "But take out the lock anyway. If we need to leave fast we got more than one way out."
Breeze nods at Tavitha's suggestion. "That's a good though. If we are running, who cares if we make just a bit of noise?!"
Disable Device
Agreeing with the motley group.That sounds reasonable. Then following after. Smiling when Valrah's voice hisses in her head Don't do something stupid.
Easily sliding though the gap with her thin frame but once through her foot gets caught and she lets out a small yep as she slams into the ground. Sighing into the ground and ignoring the cackling in her head. After a moment of sulking she stands back up. Offering no comment on the fall.
Aevelyn eyes the gap in the palisade dubiously, but once Shiloh has squeezed through (wincing at the noise she utters) she attempts to squeeze through...all the while looking for any signs their entrance have been observed...
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I should have just pushed the damn gate open, Breeze thinks to herself as two of the group decide to make like rampaging aurochs in heat. She keeps her head on a swivel, waiting for any defenses for the place to spring into action.
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I have uploaded a map: Louslik Tannery
A1. Palisade and Gate
A log palisade surrounds the tannery. In places, gaps between the gray, dry-rotted trunks are wide enough to pass a hand through. To the west, a muddy trail slips beneath a plank gate similar to a barn door. These barriers do absolutely nothing to block the heavy stench of chemicals and dung drifting from within.
Breeze makes sure the gate is unlocked, after which the group proceeds to the gap in the palisade (A1a on the map), entering the yard (A2) through there.
A2. Work Yard
Cart furrows and disturbing stains mar this muddy yard. Around the perimeter, murky water pools in rows of sunken tubs. Unspeakable muck encrusts each vat and half submerged skins float within. From these scabby concoctions drifts a sinus-assaulting reek -- a dizzying miasma of rotten eggs, lime, and far worse.
Roughly a third of the work yard is dedicated to the shipping of animal skins and leather. In the remainder, the disgusting process of preparing leather takes place. Numerous clay vats, buried in the mud, create reeking pools.
Characters without ranks in Craft (armor), Craft (leather), Profession (tanner), or similar related skills must succeed at a DC 12 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round, then sickened for 1 minute afterward, after which they acclimate to the tannery’s stench. Survival or Knowledge (nature) do not qualify.
It turns out there's a watchdog in the yard. It comes from the direction of the central yard and has no problem whatsoever noticing your group after the noises made. It will attack. There is no surprise round.
It has a fairly low initiative so you have a chance of doing something before it acts. Roll your own initiatives and if you beat the dog's you may post Round 1 actions.
I have placed tokens on the map for the dog and for each of you. I tried to use my best judgment based on your posting order and how melee you are to place you in some sort of sensible formation. The map's settings should be such that you can move things on the map, so if you're unhappy with my placement, feel free to adjust things. (And let me know if you can't move things, because that means I have some setting wrong somewhere.)
That smell hits her and after standing back up Shiloh doubles over and dry heaves.
I thought you nobles were supposed to be graceful. Grinning to herself at the mental growl she gets in response. Biting her tongue hard to stop the laugh that wanted to erupt when Shiloh starts to dry heave. With a grin she starts to move towards the gate to watch for anyone returning. You were warned. It told you it was bad.
Know local
Fort save
Init
Know local tough
Breeze was prepared for that awful scent. "Yep, everyone in town knows that dog. If anyone can knock it out, that'd be great.". Breeze had no way to try to do so, so she could only attack with her claws.
She readies an action to attack he dog if it moved into melee range.
Attack
Damage
Tavitha hadn't expected such an awful smell until it hit her. She vaguely understood that tanning was an unpleasant process, but clenched her gut and tried not to breathe once the foul fumes surrounded them. And then there was a dog...
Tavitha quickly ignored the malodorous air. Her grip tightened on her pickaxe, and she scowled at the catfolk. "If everyone knew about the dog then everyone should have warned us," she said.
Not one for waiting, Tavitha rushed the dog to quickly silence it...though merely knocking it out wasn't her intention.
Charge +2, no rage, no PA.
If attack succeeds.
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Moved Tavitha's token to melee range with the dog. Alas, Tavitha's attack is a miss.
Round 1 so far
22 - Breeze readies
17 - Tavitha charges, miss
09 - Nysene, nauseated
?? - Shiloh, nauseated
08 - Aevelyn, nauseated
05 - Dog, barks, attacks Tavitha
Cherry can post her Round 1 action retroactively. If her initiative goes before the dog, she may be able to prevent the dog's turn, but assuming she won't eliminate the dog, the following happens:
The dog begins barking loudly, then growls at Tavitha and tries to bite her!
Tavitha has no problem defending against the dog's attack, however.
Aevelyn is completely unprepred for the stench that assaults her delicate senses, and empties the contents of her stomach off to the side, barely managing to avoid dirtying her clothes. Wiping her mouth quickly she sees the readies herself for the charge of the mangy dog, drawing her blade while keeping an eye out for any other guards where her magic would be more useful.
Breeze charges to attack the dog as well.
Charging attack
Damage
Tavitha wasn't too upset at her poor swing or the dog's attempt to bite her. It was far better that it bit instead of barked. She was still eager to put the pooch down quickly, of course...
After glancing about for the presence of any other guards Aevelyn turns her attention to the dog. Realizing one of her spells would be inaudible to those around it, she unleashes a sonic scream against it.