"Then I shall start." He nods politely to Owl, and lunges forward to strike at Kali!
=======================================================
Irian, it will take you rounds to catch up as you have to figure out which way they went in the forest and such.
No stranger to pain, Kali reacts with lightning speed. She's not fast enough to block, but she is fast enough to take advantage of his commitment to the attack. Unfortunately, she can't get past his armor.
This might end badly.
Damn, Owl thought. Despite Kali's comment on price, the resources of a multi-city guild was nice. But was it worth ruining the job now? He considered it a moment as the man turned to attack his partner. His gut told him to pounce on the opportunity but he analyzed that instinct a moment longer. He trusted his gut. It usually had the right idea. But he liked to know why. In this case, it was because their financeur was a wild card, a powerful one. His resources were still unknown. But magic was always a powerful friend to have. And he could probably get info or membership from the thieves guild sooner or later anyway. Better to get a reference from someone that hadn't messed up their mission. He might not earn points for this but he doubted the guild was big on failures.
He rushes up behind the man, weapon drawn. "She's right. And I doubt you'll be in any position to help me when this is over anyway."
"Pity, you would have done well in the thieves guild." You hear the man mutter.
He turns to strike at what he perceives as the easier target.
EDIT: He's attacking Owl to clarify.
Irian kept up his lumbering jog, irritated with himself to have not left sooner. Had he so quickly forgotten the man’s magical abilities? He hoped he wasn’t too late.
Irian charged up on the wild melee, finally engaging the perpetrator of the calamitous mess they had been dealing with. Being out of breath, he didn't seem particularly effective...
It's clear that the would-be kidnapper is vicious, strong, and is willing to fight to the death. Kali and Owl are able to keep up as the 2 v 1 continues on, but when Irian barrels into the fray, the tides change and the man is slaughtered. Just before dying, he chuckles as he drops his weapon.
"Vicous, the lot of you. Would have....made.. excellent...thieves."
He falls to the ground, the grass spattered with his blood.
=======A bit later========
"Yes, I recognize this man. Thoroughly respectable, apparently, a very good cover. I'll have some guards go arrest his wife as well, she's an alchemist who was selling wares at the carnival's market area. I'm not sure if she's involved yet..."
The Sheriff sighs. It's been a long, hard day.
"You have my word the carnival master Almara will not come to any harm, but I do suggest we strike at what I believe to be the rogue's hideout. But I've much of you already, and understand if you're eager to get on your way."
Irian held his hand up to forestall any further discouragements from the Sheriff. "I don't know about anyone else, but it would be my pleasure to help lead the charge against this criminal outfit. As long as there is a public apology to both Almara and the Sphinx, that is." The warrior is serious about the apology, but if the Sheriff seems too upset about it he is willing to wave it off as long as the two are safe and secure.
Where do you believe the hideout is?
For once, Tish goes along with the group's decision to help without bringing the discussion to a halt to first negotiate the price for her services, a red flag if ever there was one. To steal from thieves, hmm? If the Sheriff assumes Tish would be turning over the stolen goods they recovered, she clearly isn't aware with whom she is dealing. Still, there was no reason to get on her bad side before claiming the thieves' bounty as her own.
"Now now, let's dispense with the ultimatums, hmm Irian? The Sheriff was doing her best to keep the town's peace and I'm sure Almara and the... sphinx will be plenty happy just to keep their heads," Tish says in defense of the Sheriff. She gives a humorous little scoff as she shares a knowing look with the warrior. "And it isn't as if Almara couldn't have cleared the Carnival's name by divulging a certain secret, right?"
Following Median's line of inquiry, Tish likewise pumps the Sheriff for information about the thieves' organization. "What can you tell us about these Gilded Thieves? Their operations, other known branches in parts of Varisia, how many men strong you suspect this local cell is..."
Owl scoffs at the dying man's last words. I am an excellent thief when I need to be, he thinks. He wipes his blade on the thief's shirt and goes over his body looking for special items and clues. It'd be stupid of him to keep anything on him that might implicate the thieve's guild. But since he was dead that made him a stupid man. Once he's been relieved of possessions he heads back. Someone else could carry the body. It wasn't likely to go anywhere.
=======A bit later========
Owl gives Laetitia a quick look of impatience. Could she stand to be a bit more professional? Note to self, she is not to be trusted with secrets. "It's a Thieve's Guild love. You know, with a 'u'," he says, mockingly. "We were paid to see this through and so we shall," he confirms to the sheriff. Plus the guild hideout was an excellent opportunity for info, items, maybe favors if they looked the other way.
"No need for the spelling lesson, darling," Tish drawls. "It just so happens that this guild, according to the Sheriff, is known as the Gilded Thieves. But if you're trying to be helpful, you can start by telling me something I don't know. Such as what you know of the Gilded Thieves thieves' guild, for instance?" she suggests with a smile that's too practiced to be come off as sweet.
"Unless..." she raises a slim, dark eyebrow and gives the half-elf an appraising once-over, "You'd rather I teach you a lesson." Whether such a lesson would be an enjoyable one or not is left deliberately ambiguous.
"Even I require some time in a new city to gather an information network," he says, ignoring her obvious bait. It took some effort to rein in the instinct to immediately engage in innuendo and witty banter. She was very close to giving away their client's information and that was something he could not abide by. Not unless someone was offering more. He had at least that much integrity. "And please refrain from speaking ill of our client. It's not professional. There's a free lesson."
Irian grudgingly remained silent at Laetitia's comment, since he couldn't really dispute it. Not that he wanted to argue with the woman, anyway...his way of battle was with swords, not tongues. She'd likely cut him to shreds. So the warrior just remained silent, waiting for the Sheriff to impart the location of the thieves so they could be scattered or eradicated for the good of the community.
The warrior rolled his eyes at the continued banter of Tish and Owl, but was a bit amused by it all. He guessed the verbal sniping was growing on him...as long as it wasn't aimed his way. And he was determined to keep a low profile to deflect most of it. Irian looked haplessly to Lia and Median, shrugging.
Feldane sighs and nods.
"You'll have my sincere apologies, though I can't speak for the townsfolk. But they're good folk at heart, so I wouldn't too worried."
As Owl and Laetitia have their normal back and forth, sort of comforting after the scrappy fighting, Feldane fills you in.
Your target is the shipping and receiving warehouse. There are an entrance and front desk, as well as large doors that lead to the main area, and even a small back door. to what the sheriff has told you are the quarters for the night watchmen.
The Gilded thieves themselves are a smaller group but have connections to larger thieves guilds, or so its rumored. Their number shouldn't be too many, but they have been known to deal with skulks and such. The warehouse itself might contain dangerous elements, so best be careful.
Relieved at having another enemy to fight (Irian wasn't exactly the best at intrigue and espionage), the warrior sheathed his sword, but was otherwise ready to go. He knew his fellows had expended some of their resources, however, so a short rest might be in order before the assault took place. He'd leave it up to them.
Median says that a short rest won't make a difference; unless they can wait until the next morning, she won't have any additional spells. If they don't have that kind of time, they should just go now.
Sheriff Feldane looks at the tattered an worn group...
Biting her lip, she says "You lot may not be in the best condition to launch an assault right now. I can station some men to make sure no one flees the premises, give you time to rest up, but then you'll have to strike at night, and they'll probably be ready for you..."[/b]
Irian shrugged at the Sheriff's words. "If you can secure the place, it would probably be best to rest up and get our resources full before we assault. I'd put my sword up against a thief's knife any day, but these others have tricks and magics far more valuable."
A faint smile crosses Tish's face at Irian's mention of tricks. Her first thought is of goading Owl by mentioning how he wore the Sheriff's face earlier, peeved as she is about not getting the last word in during their exchange. Thankfully, she is sensible enough to know that it is neither the time nor the place for stirring that particular hornets' nest. Instead, she settles for muttering "Some more valuable than others'" under her breath as her own petty form of revenge.
But during the discussion of whether or not to strike at the guild immediately, Tish is all business. "I don't relish the idea of doing anything when I'm not at my best, but we shouldn't give up the element of surprise lightly. We've seen that this is a group that works well together. And we... are not. Unless we can fix that within the next hour or so, then we'll have to postpone until we're rested."
... I don't get what you are saying, Tish. Are you saying we should strike now, within the hour, or wait? I'm up for either, and sort of agree we should take them by surprise; but if we go now, we should get a healing wand, if there is one to be had, or any healing items we can get, since I can't channel, and would only be able to heal people a couple of times otherwise.
Owl looked down at the gash in his armor and the red stain beneath. He also looked at the empty pouch of vials he prepared before hand for his personal potions. Median, Lia, and likely Laetitia were low on magic. There options were limited. A lot would be riding on Irian who seemed no worse for wear so far. Weighing the options, he declares, "We should go now. I don't know about you all but do not relish fighting skulks at night. They were hard enough to spot in the day. Give them time to find a good spot to ambush and..." He leaves the thought unfinished. Their imaginations would do better than he could in filling in the gaps.
As the consensus seemed to be a surprise assault, Irian prepared himself for the short trek to the place the thieves were holed up in. He took the point position unless the others wanted to sneak about. In his heavy armor he'd rattle like a pots and pans robot, so he'd stay near the back.
Assuming the group was just plowing forward, he leads the way, hoping his sword arm would be a difference maker in this fight.
"I'm saying that unless we can learn to work together more effectively, we shouldn't risk attacking the guild until we're rested. I won't walk into a den of thieves half-cocked and not knowing what to expect from my..." She breaks off, clearly at a lost as to how to describe the relationship between herself and the strange bedfellows she finds herself associating with. At last she settles on calling them "partners" before continuing on.
"Part of that entails knowing what everyone is capable of," she throws a pointed look Owl's way at this. "And not giving up a clear advantage for the sake of a risky gambit." Another look in Owl's direction. "Or splitting from the group to take on the enemy by yourself," she points out, her gaze swinging from the streetwise half-elf to Kali this time. "But it also means having a general plan of attack in place, and a fallback plan if things go south. You have some sort of military training, yes?" Tish looks to Irian expectantly.
"I know most of us are likely used to fending for ourselves and relying on our own wits to make do, but we won't last long together if we don't change that way of thinking. So, can we learn to work together?"
"Then you might as well just say we should wait, because our teamwork isn't going to be any better eight hours from now than it is right now," he says. "The problem is some of us don't seem to know their own capabilities."
He stands next Laetitia and looks at Irian, Lia and Median in particular. "I say we go and she says we shouldn't," he says indicating Laetitia. "I don't think the extra abilities and tricks we will recover in eight hours will out weigh the advantage we have right now. It's going to be a straightforward assault. Yes or no? Are you ready to handle that right now?"
Owl wasn't being difficult without reason. Despite the outward disagreement, he was almost certain they were not going to attack no. But one hour and eight hours of planning was going to make little difference because the problem with plans was that they never survived first contact. So one had to have the confidence that they could make it work despite any obstacles that should pop up. Did they have the stamina, resources, items, spells, and so forth, necessary to overcome everything. The others were straddling the fence. If they didn't have the confidence to say one way or the other that was effectively a vote for Laetitia, he just wanted them to say it. That's what he was fishing for.
If Laetitia, of all people, was getting serious about this camaraderie thing, he'd support it.
Irian nodded at Tish's question. "Limited, but yes. I just took orders, though, so no strategic training or anything. What you say has wisdom." He eyed the woman apprehensively, certain this was a verbal trap he had fallen into.
Irian looked between the wily man and clever woman and sighed. Well, this was about right, it seemed. If one said zig, the other would zag just to argue. He thought for a moment, then offered his opinion. "Tish's abilities on the inside were the difference maker, not my sword. Perhaps if you and Kali," the warrior paused long enough to address Owl directly, though his tone had no anger in it, hopefully conveying it was water under the bridge, "had not run off, perhaps it wouldn't have been necessary. I am the one least needing the rest, but I would rather wait, if I had my way. I shall bow to the group consensus, though."
To Tish:
I agree that the whole group suffered because Owl and Kali went off on their own. ... As did I, temporarily, thinking to get help. We almost died because we didn't stand together. I'm in, if that's what you are asking. I will stand.
To Owl:
I'm ready if you are asking me as an individual. I am only concerned about the group suffering since I can't channel. If *you* are willing to go in with that knowledge, as I said, I will stand, and do what little I can.
"Soooo that's a 'no' and a 'no'," Owl says looking at them like a teacher would, trying to probe an answer from a hesitant student. "Well there you go, three to one. No chance of victory there. Was that so hard? Keep shuffling like that and you'll never move forward. Besides, do I look the kind of person that can't take disappointment...or criticism? Yes, we both made a bad call. At least we're still around to learn from it." He pauses as he looks around for for Kali. "Or at least I am. Where did..." His sentence fades into a mumble as he looks around, confused. Where had she gone? How had she disappeared so quickly. That was...not quite sad but...disappointing. Hm.
Kali, without anyone notcing had slipped away. There was too much on her mind, and while she knew she was doing good here, she also knew she needed to adress her own problems if she was ever going to get past her past.
She returned to the Good Noodle, collected her things, and walked away. She would remember the good times and the bad, but she needed to move on. At least, for now.
Back with the party, the group decides after some quick conversation to take a rest and regroup. Kari is waiting for you all back at the inn, anticipating your return. A thoroughly prepared dinner waits for you on the table as well. Sheriff Feldane makes good on her word, and you soon hear the townsfolk disband to their own homes, and the carnival once again has their leader.
By the time you are thoroughly rested, night has come. Feldane returns with a lit torch in hand and informs you that the thieves have indeed seemed to shore up the defenses of their base. Feldane has formed a perimeter around the building so any caught fleeing would be swiftly caught.
The time has come.
Tish breathes in the chilly night air as she eyes the warehouse, projecting an aura of absolute, unshakeable confidence. Whether it is for show, possibly in an attempt to raise the morale of her team—especially considering the untimely and unfortunate disappearance of Kali—or she truly feels assured of their impending victory, even the canniest of observers might not be able to tell. The idea of raiding a well-organized thieves' guild was enough to make even a stalwart fighter lose their nerve, never mind attempting it with a group as prone to miscommunication as theirs is. Thankfully, Laetitia is nothing but supremely confident... in herself, at least, if not always in the others.
"They're likely expecting us by now..." Tish opens the discussion by stating the obvious as she loads her crossbow. "So how do we go about attacking them unexpectedly?" she asks, her dark eyes shifting over the group until coming to settle on Irian. She tilts her head as she regards him, studying him in a way reminiscent of how a great cat would look at something it is trying to decide is prey or not. Then, abruptly, she asks, "How would feel about being bait?"
Before the group can shout her down for suggesting such a thing after needling two of their own for splitting up, Tish elaborates on her scheme. "You would walk right through the front door, hopefully drawing everyone's attention and making them think we're attacking from the front. Meanwhile, we would slip around to one of the side entrances and start picking off the distracted stragglers as we make our way back to you." She lets the group think about it for a few moments, before adding, "And if somehow they manage to get through all that armor before we get to you, I could plant a suggestion in your mind beforehand," she taps a finger against her temple, "that would allow you to ignore whatever pain they might manage to inflict. And, it'll also allow me to keep tabs on you while we're separated."
After outlining her plan, Tish glances around at her companions with one slim eyebrow raised in a manner that—because she's Tish—comes across more imperious than curious. "Thoughts?"
"I'm sure Feldane can supply us a distraction," Owl comments. His eyes flit back and forth over the warehouse, the guards surrounding it, nearby building and more. He idly taps his foot as he considers. "And they don't even have to get within range. Just have some of the guard start bunching up in the front. Make a show of preparing to assault without actually doing it. They've been trapped in there for several hours. They are bound to be antsy. We'll be the real attack from the side or behind and drive them into her waiting arms. Thoughts," he says, not asking for theirs but indicating those were his.
He leaves out that there is a chance the building will be mostly empty with a few token traps. If he ran a guild like this he'd have a secret passage out. But they seem to small time to fund that and even if they had one, they don't know where it is so no reason to bring it up.
Tish taps a finger against her lips as she considers Owl's plan. Not that she needs long to consider; it is essentially her idea—or it accomplishes the same objective hers would, at least—only with a more disposable fodder filling in as the distraction. Glancing over her shoulder toward Feldane, Tish asks, "What do you think, Sheriff? Can you spare the men for that?"
Irian thinks about the plan a moment, listening to Owl's redactions thoughtfully after Tish added her comments. "I'd be a liability to any kind of sneaking around, so I wouldn't mind going in the front door, if the good Sheriff can't spare the men. If she can, maybe I should still do so, so that you four can move more silently. Or maybe I can strip the armor and just wear leather. What do you all think?" Either way, Irian is amiable...he's a man of action, so the sooner there's agreement, the sooner things start rolling.
Feldane frowns as she thinks of it.
"My men are stretched too thin as it is guarding the carnival from a citizen's uprising and securing the perimeter around the storehouse. I myself was going to join the perimeter to make sure those who flee would be brought to justice..."
She sighs and shakes her head.
"I can't risk some rouge breaking through and getting to civilians in the town." She looks to Irian and gives him a respectful nod, indicating her agreement that one of your numbers should play decoy if that strategy is run.
"I would hurry though, as the shadows grow darker, they lend their strength to those that use them best."
Once everyone is ready to go, Irian gathered himself and marched off with them. He didn't mind the danger, really, but being on his lonesome until backup arrived was rather unnerving. He'd have to find a corner to fight from to avoid flanking. How he would do that, he didn't know. He had to hold, though.
As they approached the manor, he blew out a deep breath, then nodded to the others to signify he was ready. Giving them an appropriate amount of time to get to where they were going, he clanked up to the front door. He paused a moment, then attempted to push open the portal. Even if it wouldn't open, he tried to bash, hit, and pound on it. Anything to cause a ruckus and commotion.
Before Irian goes off, Median casts Magic Weapon on his sword (lasts 3 minutes/grants +1 on attack and damage rolls). Then she follows the others to attack from a different direction.
With a brief touch, Tish also bestows her own gift upon Irian, a small euphoric tingle that travels from her fingertips at the point of contact to settle warmly at the base of the fighter's skull. She hesitates afterward, as if she's going to give the man a few words of encouragement or perhaps compliment him on his bravery. And she does, in her own way. "Try not to die, alright?" she tells Irian, companionably patting the man on one armor-plated arm as she does. "I'll never get them to agree to another one of my plans if you do."
"My men are stretched too thin as it is guarding the carnival from a citizen's uprising and securing the perimeter around the storehouse. I myself was going to join the perimeter to make sure those who flee would be brought to justice..."
A few mannequins and some spare armor would do the trick, Owl thinks. But that might take too long and they were already way behind as it was. Better to treat this like a pond on a warm spring day. Just jump on in. Sometimes it was fun to indulge in a bit of chance. He gives Irian an overly formal salute and stalks off for separate ingress. As they circle the building, making sure to stay out of sight for the most part, Owl keeps an eye open for a way in and any movement inside.
Irian walks up to the cargo door, and proceeds to try and lift it, but it is locked. Then he switches to making a ruckus.
Lia tries to stay quiet, but reveals her position almost immediately.
Though the guards are wary, a bit of light scouting reveals that it did seem like there was movement on the inside. The front door leading to D2 remained unlocked under the guise of normal business hours. However, the door leading to the private security room of d6 was locked. Chancing a quick peek, Owl peers into the building, noting that the floor was as dark as ever, but in the dim light from the front area, he could see there were brutes in wait in the shadows.
Even with all the noise, it seems no one is coming outside.
Knowing that the gifts the two women had bestowed upon him likely were temporary, Irian shrugged and decided to just venture inside the already unlocked doors, sword out and ready. He opened them and went inside, wondering if the others would join him or continue to attempt stealth. He had heard the bookish sorceress over the sound of his clamor, if no one else, but maybe if he got the attention of those inside.
Seeing that the sneak-up-on-them plan doesn't seem to be going well, Median draws her sword and follows Irian in, careful to stay back and watch for the ambush that is surely waiting.
Of course the side door was locked. But that would hardly stop Owl. He stealth's up, careful to stay in the shadows, and crouch's near the door. He pulls out a few tools and gets to work cracking the lock.