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I have no better suggestion, I will go with you, only other choice would be for me to follow if you can find a way to clear the corridor. remove any observers that could raise an alarm.
White Eagle doe snot want to keep the misson held up. but want to be sure his concerns are noted.
As he was formulating the plan, his voice started to trail off. as though something has caught his eye.
Wait, stay put here only a few moments more, there will be a break in the traffic and we can pass easily. the servents have a set routine that we can take advantage of
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"It appears our shaman is capable of seeing patterns rather quickly. Be fast when he gives the word and move quickly so we won't be seen. Best no one knows of us being here."
Eldak stands in line behind White Eagle waiting word for when to pass through.
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White Eagle holds up his hand as he watches the servants walking back and forth down the corridor, in and out of doors. As if on cue, the corridor is suddenly void of servants. White Eagle gives the signal and the party quickly hurries east down the corridor through the double doors.
Pushing through into the next room reveals a second smaller corridor about thirty feet long. At the far end of the corridor are two doors, one to the north and one to the south, directly opposite of each other. Both doors are currently closed.
You get the feeling that you don't have long to stand here before one of these doors is going to open.
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Lukaas opens the door and gets ready to walk on, composing himself as if he had all the rights to be there
So far, so good.Don't get too cocky, Lukaas: we'll have to come back quickly too...And remember you have a secondary mission too. Wonder what THEIR missions are. After all, we all had a letter each before going, and if mine wasn't a lovestruck girl sending me a perfumed missive, there's no chance in hell THEIR letter was. Hell. How fitting thinking of Hell in a Chellish embassy. Try thinking like a Cheliaxan, Lukaas. Arrogant, remorseless, rigid, bad tastes but show off. Not much imagination, just patterns, as regular as possible.
Lukaas opens the door as if he had done so dozens of times. He takes a good look out into the open air and observes gardens that shine in the moonlight, but dark shadows hug the lower reaches of the bushes, topiary, and trees. Two marble staircases wrap around a balcony where revelers are silhouetted against the light shining from the ballroom’s stained-glass windows. A tall wrought-iron fence divides the garden from the city beyond and below. Small servant’s doors enter the garden from the north and the south. The gardens have an abundance of shrubs and other hiding places, but the open stretches are well lit from the ballroom and the balcony is amply peopled with potential observers.
The gardens have an abundance of shrubs and other hiding places , but the open stretches are well lit from the ballroom and the balcony is amply peopled with potential observers. On the other side of the garden is another staircase with a door. You can see other servants walking in and out. Observing the scene you immediately think of three options to cross the gardens:
1) You think you can slip from shrub to shrub while you take care to hide yourself. (Stealth).
2) You think you can dash across the dimly lit area, hiding in the shadows. (Increased DC Stealth).
3) Maybe you can try to pass yourselves off as fellow party goers (Bluff/Disguise).
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Lukaas smiles when he sees the garden, and instantly snaps into action, taking the lovely gunslinger's hand is his, kissing it gently before taking her by the waist for a stroll, picking a flower for her, looking all the part for a casual observer just like two lovers getting a moment of intimacy, even if they are followed by a bunch of ne'er do well of servants...
He tries to walks slowly towards the other staircase, speaking sweet nothings to Miss Bang Bang ear...
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Gaeldrung the Un-subtle strides across the garden like he belongs there. He isn't as good at this kind of thing as Lukaas, but he's better at it than sneeking about.
Edit: Or not. Gaeldrung sees that his compatriot's act is wearing thin. He growls at him and hisses You! His lordship the Ambassador's been looking for you. He grabs Likaas by the collar and shoves him toward the door. Lets go! And none of that squealing this time.
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"You're right White Eagle." Eldak follows the lead of Gaeldrung and Lukaas knowing that his abilities to sneak aren't very formidable, so he opts to attempt to blend into the crowd.
Unfortunately for himself and the party, Eldak blends in just about as well as an orc with a bloodied axe would. He attempts to move in a slower fashion to add to the belief that he belongs at the party.
As he is walking, Eldak begins mumbling under his breath while moving his left hand in a very deliberate fashion as he casts a spell in hopes of distracting the party-goers.
Eldak directs the lights to move in direction opposite of the path the party is taking hoping that their appearance will be enough to distract the people at the party long enough to cross the gardens.
Zhoron and White Eagle slip out into the shadows. After just a moment Zhoron needs to pause to adjust his armor, but after a few minutes he makes it safely across without being spotted, just behind the shaman.
Lukaas starts out of the door with Pollet in his hand. As the pair is strolling across the garden a pair of servants begins to make their way over to them. Before they can arrive, Pollet slips into the shadows.
One of the servants stops pointing at Lukaas and says brashly, "Hey! You there, you don't--". He is interrupted by a loud growling command from a nearby half-orc.
" You! His lordship the Ambassador's been looking for you."
Gaeldrung grabs the man and hauls him off towards the far door. The servant lowers his hand and shakes his head at the pair and returns to what he was doing.
Up above, several party goers begin to whisper and point to something moving down in the gardens. Something looks out of place, and a group of five or six people begin to talk about a curious elf. Suddenly four spheres of light begin to swirl in large intertwining circles, changing direction and shooting off to the north. The lights shoot upward towards the sky and eventually wink out.
The group of observers on the balcony break out into applause and whistle at the entertainment. When the lights are gone, so was the strange elf. Or was it it an elf? Regardless, nice show! The party goers return to whatever it was they were doing.
As the party pushes into the next room they see what was likely used to be a side chapel is now in use as a staging area for the gala. Magnificent stained-glass windows and vaulted ceilings look down on the racks of platters, dishes, wine bottles, glasses and tablecloths are stacked neatly on long wooden tables.
This area is a hive of activity. The doors to the garden and to the south west on the other side of the room aren't seeing much use but the double doors are constantly opening and closing as platters of hors d'oeuvres and other gala necessities are shuttled through to the garden or ballroom.
After the party has shuffled in a female servant holding two bottles of wine in her hands looks up at the group quizzically. She looks over the group, her eyes lingering on their weapons, gear and clothes which causes her eyes to grow wide in return. "... can I help you?"
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"Yes m'lady. There have been some reports that there was a bit of disturbance in this area that had interrupted some of the preparations for the gala, so we are here to check them out. Since you likely have been going in and out of those doors there" Eldak says pointing to the double doors, "Perhaps you could tell us if you have seen anything that would have resulted in the reports mentioned previously? If not, the disturbance is likely through the door at the back of room, so we will just proceed so as to avoid interrupting you any further from your work."
Looking at the other members in the party, "Someone check the door to see if anything is on the other side, and do so quickly so the staff doesn't get any more suspicious."
Eldaak catches the woman off guard.
Interruption of the gala? Oh dear no! But it sounds like he is here to help thankfully!
She hunches forward slightly, eager to help prevent any interruption of the gala. "Oh yes-yes, of course. But... I've not seen nor heard of anything myself? But I can go fetch the one of the guards who may be able to provide additional assistance in this matter."
She makes a step towards the door but turns back to Eldaak, "But can it wait a moment or is it critical? I simply must get these out to the ballroom, I'm already running behind you see! I shall promise to return with the guard to assist you at my earliest convenience."
She takes another step towards the door, looking at back at Eldaak questioningly.
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"No need to fetch a guard, as I said we are here to help," Eldak says while offering the girl a smile.
"Please go about your business that you need to attend to, and we will be moving along." Eldak gives the lady a curt nod and walks to the door towards the back of the room.
Looking at the other members in the party, "Someone check the door to see if anything is on the other side, and do so quickly so the staff doesn't get any more suspicious."
The woman thanks Eldaak appreciatively and heads out the door on her way.
There are two sets of doors leading from this room. The servant that just left after speaking with Eldaak has exited from the double-door in the north west.
In the northwest of the room are two double-doors that open out (away) from you. In the southwest of the room is a single door that opens toward you (in).
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Let's get through the double doors, I've done quite a bet with myself and I'd like to see if I'm right: the embassy was surely done by a Chellish architect, and so should follow a mirroring pattern, as their mind are quite rigid. So the ballroom should be on our right now, with maybe another big curtain.
Lukaas puts his ear to the northern double door
But he hears nothing, probably because he's speaking to himself
I've had nearly no contact with Chelish aristocracy, but I guess- nay, I hope- they don't go to the ambassador's ball with their capes and outside coats on. I 'd like to find the place when the servants put the visitor's outside clothes...Surely not too far from the ballroom, as they must be able to fetch coats in the least time possible so the noble guests don't wait...
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"I would surmise Lukaas is right and that the ballroom is through the double doors; however, I don't think it is best we go through those doors. If we go into the ballroom we are much more likely to be seen by someone that would be able to confirm we are not meant to be here."
Eldak looks over the rest of the group, "I say we go through the Southern Door based on what anyone can hear on the other side. We need to keep moving and keep out of sight as much as possible. We still have information to gather."
Eldak approaches the southern door and attempts to listen for anything on the other side.
"Unfortunately, though my powers of divination are formidable, I can't hear anything on the other side of the door. Someone else have a check so that we may continue to move."
Lukaas hypothesis is quit reasonable indeed.
As Lukaas and Eldaak discuss the lack of noise, another servant pushes open the double doors. Lukaas stands back so that the door does not smack him in the face. A middle-aged man in servants attire quickly makes his way to the racks and withdraws a tray of appetizers. Grabbing the tray he quickly makes his exit from the room back out the double doors without paying the party any attention.
As he throws the double doors open, you can see that the hallway here is similiar to the one on the north side of the building that White Eagle timed your walk though. In the distance you can see more servants heading this way.
Before the double doors shut the door the garden opens up and a younger male servant opens the door, but doesn't enter. He shouts loudly inside, "Can anyone get me a bottle of red please!?" and then sticks his hand in as he looks back out to the gardens.
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Eldak hears the request for wine and starts searching the room for a bottle to supply to the man. "We either find him a bottle of wine now or exit this room. Either way we need to make a decision."
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Eldaak relays the request back to the group and they all begin searching for the bottle of red. Fortunatey for the group the gala has been well organized and the rack contains a row of bottles that have been crudely marked as 'red'. Gaeldrung snatches a bottle from the rack and hurries to the door where he sticks the bottle through to the man waiting on the other side. Without looking he the man begins to walk away and says, "Thanks!".
The door closes and the room is quiet again, for now. You know that it's only a matter of time before they open up again.
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Eldak ponders the issue of which door to go through. "If no one else has anything to say, I think we should proceed through the single door at the back" Eldak says pointing to the door at the back of the room.
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Eldak nods to the shaman in approval and then follows him into the next room. While Lukaas may be onto something, we need to keep moving to avoid being seen, not to mention my own personal motives.
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White Eagle opens the door and confirms the coast is indeed clear. Once confirmed he leads the group though the south western doorway. He moves far enough down the hallway such that the entire party is able to make it out of the busy room behind them.
This short hallway is about forty-five feet long and dead-ends up ahead before turning north. On the north side of this hallway are three closed doors. The group listens at the doors and hears nothing beyond them. All three appear to be unlocked.
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Looking to Zhoron, "As long as we are moving, progress is always being made. To keep making progress, we either keep moving down this hallway or take one of these doors" he says pointing to the trio of doors on the north wall, "which appear to enter the room the servants were going into from the staging area."
Eldak looks over the rest of the party. None of us look like we belong at an event such as this, and we can't keep putting ourselves at risk to try and bluff our way through chance encounters. It's best we remain out of sight for as long as possible.
"With our large half-orc friend's menacing look, and White Eagle's noticeably inappropriate attire for such an occasion, it is best we stay out of sight. I say we go down this hallway and see what awaits us around the corner. Any suggestions?"
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I agree with Gaeldrung: speed is essential. The lady's bedroom is supposed to be on the southwest part of the embassy, don't bother with these doors, as they led to the north, and press on! Go west, young men! And milady Pollet, of course!
Lukaas smiles and winks at the pretty half elf, and urges White Eagle to continue farther on this corridor
The hallway turns north but dead ends and turns west after about fifteen feet. There is on door on the small northern hallway on the western side. Heading north the hallway continues for thirty feet before ending at a single closed door. There are two closed doorways on the southern side of the western hallway. Both hallways are empty. The three doors are all unlocked.