Zadim turns on his heels and begins heading in the opposite direction from the thief. The guard begins to follow, but Elemenar stops him in his tracks with a well-placed Daze.
Treble's keen eyes (and darkvision) spot the shadowy figure - and the more visible orange silk map flapping in the night breeze - as he runs around the far corner of the building. His well-timed shout is enough to point out the target to Ohm-Eran, and his Daze catches the thief by surprise. Stunned by the spell - and distracted by the voices coming from the second-story window - his momentum carries him forward a few more steps.
He careens head on into Zadim. The thief bounces off of the solid slayer's armor, and collapses to the ground. As the ancient silk map floats down to cover his face once more, the moonlight reveals your competition for the prize to be none other than your tour guide, Jianghong!
The dazed guard shakes off his torpor and rushes to the erstwhile student's side. Up close, Zadim is unsurprised to recognize him as Zheng.
Once the squat bodyguard has confirmed that Jianghong has no injuries worse than a few bruises and a bump on the head, he picks up the map with one hand and helps the young man to his feet with the other.
Zheng nods to Zadim, then looks up at the window at the rest of the Pathfinders. He calls up softly, in Tien,
"Better come down before somebody else sees you."
Treble, not the acrobatic type, makes his way back outside by means of the convenient stairs. Before he approaches, he casts guidance on himself, again. Joining the group, he sternly stares at the young man. "Tell us, young man. Just what were you planning on doing with this ill-gotten map?" [dice=sense motive+guidance]1d20+11+1
Before Ohm-Eran can more than begin his translation, Jianghong bursts into bitter laughter and answers angrily in Taldane.
"Ill-gotten map? You cannot be serious! You pretend to be scholars, you are guests, and you break down the door of a locked office in the middle of the night? You're just upset that I got there first!"
Zheng rolls his eyes and points to the door of the Main Hall. Counting on Ohm-Eran to translate, he says, "We should continue inside. The walls out here have ears, and eyes." He leads everyone back into the darkened building and closes the door, then cautiously lights the stub of a candle, holding it to shield the glow from windows with his body.
In the dim light, you can see that in addition to the map, Jianghong is carrying a haversack over his shoulder that appears to be stuffed with an assortment of items of various shapes.
You are shocked, shocked, to realize that he was robbing the school!
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Elemenar can't quite figure out what is going on between Jianghong and Zheng. It doesn't help that they are speaking Taldane and Ohm-Eran is not able to keep up with the translations. The wizard follows the group back into the building. He keeps trying to get a peek at the map but never can get more than a brief glimpse.
Jianghong smirks at Treble Tan.
"A 'shared' interest, you say? You do not mean that in the sense of a common interest towards a joint goal, surely, but in the sense of being interested in the same thing."
He mulls things over for a moment, then shrugs and thrusts the swath of orange silk towards you. "Here. All you care about is this old map, yes? Then take it. But - " he pulls it away again, "- you must never mention me or my actions here tonight to anyone. Are we agreed?"
Jianghong nods, serious for once. "You have done me and my family a favor. Perhaps someday, I will have the chance to repay you."
Pack and pockets bulging with, possibly with other purloined goods, he walks out the door and into the night. Zheng gives you a slight bow, and follows.
After a few minutes pass with no sign of activity on the school grounds, you return to the guest house and quietly assemble your gear. An hour before sunrise, there is a change of the guards' shifts; while the guards' attention is focused elsewhere, Zadim leads you silently through one of the gates and onto the road back to Shokuro.
On your return to Mai Chun's home in Ashima, Mai Chun is very pleased with your success.
"Well done, Pathfinders! You have returned this important map to its rightful nation. Rest now, because you will be leaving again soon to recover another relic of Lung Wa."