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"Possibly, but then what happens when the real guards show up five minutes later? I'd prefer we had no connection anyone might make until after the jig is up. They are expecting guards to come from Lord Minovitas and pick up the crates. When those guards arrive it would be fishy if another set of guards acting on his behalf, or even the Lord himself had been there earlier... best they just come and go quietly" Percy thinks out loud, his brow then furrows "Were I a ruthless man I might suggest making sure the couriers failed to arrive at one destination or another, but these are innocent men of Taldor, not Aspis Consortium agents. Likewise a clever fellow might stage a daring break in, however I think we should try the deceptive plan rather than brazen robbery"
"Lets save that scroll for when we attend the slave auctions, we might find that situation entirely unsavoury and possibly quite violent - we know that one is laden with great danger"
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"Oh, I see!", mumbled Maeglin, "That's why they call you Professor. You really see all depth of things from different perspective. While I was thinking, how can we get in, you are thinking how will we get out and what might happen as well. Very well to have you on our side!"
Be-be-be, thought Maeglin. smartypants. I could think all of it by myself, if I got enough time to think about it.
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"A sound plan, Professor Percy. I think that it may very well be the best course of action. Let's proceed like this. But before we go, we must be ready to address the possibility of guards keeping watch over us when we visit the warehouse. How shall we distract them?"
Once the matter has found a solution, Rysalius will be ready to go. He will take time to take off his armor and weapons, wearing his traveler's clothes instead, so as to appear inconspicuous.
The warehouse is an extensive building, with a little courtyard to the north. Four guards wander around, somewhat disinterested, on this side of the building. A large set of double doors leads to the courtyard, and everybody that enters or leaves - not many at this time of the day - gets checked by the guards. The walls to the courtyard are about ten feet high, though outfitted with some obstacles that make them harder to climb. ()
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Rhanloi has been following along, thinking of how he might help in the current mission to infiltrate the warehouse. He had plenty of spells of power, but few of deception...he would have to remain the silent mage and be prepared to take swift action should events turn violent. He does have his raven familiar fly a scouting mission around the warehouse and report back what he saw.
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Bones comments to the others, "It wouldn't hurt to have a look around the building for a back entrance. As for entering past the guards if they let us in to store our goods, we don't need to bring anything out just a little time to cast the spells and switch paintings. Some sort of distraction while we are inside might work? Can someone summon rats or such?"
The warehouse does indeed have a back entrance: a single door on the other side. (). There aren't too many windows.
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Percy...
* checks the name of a nearby Inn and the name of its proprietor
* Percy casts message on all of the party
* Percy casts Light on a small pebble and hands it to Bones "No rats, but strange lights emanating from places they shouldn't be might draw attention"
* When about to approach, casts Guidance on himself and Rysalius.
There's a nearby inn 'The Wise Donkey', and Percy overheard some people call the owner 'Burt'.
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Speaking loudly as they approach, Percy seems in mid story to his fellow 'guardsmen'"...so yeah this looks like the place, do you think it looks very secure? Don't want to get nailed by the boss of these go missing... he'll be breaking our balls again and will take it out of our pay, I didn't even know you could cut a copper in half" Percy laughs to his comrades "Hey that's probably the guys that work here..." he gestures to the guardsmen and continues his approach, a bit more focused "Evening fellas, hey is the Owner about? We're in a bit of a tight one and we really need a safe warehouse... reckon you could be a friend and grab him? Its not too late and he's already gone home is it? Anyone else we could talk to?" Percy maintains the typical common accent and bearing of the common low priced man-at-arms, seeking to ingratiate himself...
Diplomacy
Yeah, yeah. the guard answers in a disinterested tone Owner's not here. You want something stored? You put in down the in first area, tag it, the clerk'll give you a ticket, and we take care of the paperwork tomorrow. Everything else is off-limits. Off you go.
The guards obviously aren't paid to ask questions. The 'first area' isn't a room as such, just a kind of transition area where good are delivered, and workers move them about. It's late, there aren't too many about. A single guy with a clipboard is probably the 'clerk' the guards referred to.
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While Percy was casting his spells, Maeglin got small bag, put piece of sugar in it and chanted a bit. Then he opened bag and small size celestial dire rat looked out of. Gnome put another piece of sugar in front of animal and casted speak with animals on himself and message on rat.
"My small friend cannot stay long with us, it will be just couple minutes, but I hope it will be a nice prank we play", he smiled.
While doing that, he noticed that Percy and Baron are already moving into storage, so he rushed behind them, trying not to be noticed.
"Try to stay unnoticed", whispered he to a rat.
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Bones looks dubiously at the small pebble with light on it "Hump, what do you want to do with this?" shaking his head the cleric put the stone in a pocket and cast guidance on himself before the group goes up to the guards.
Entering the warehouse, Bones loses track of Maeglin, and tries to blend in as a warehouse workers
Maaglin manages to skulk off into the shadows, while Bones takes on the role of box-mover in the warehouse.
---
Bones - Profession
Maeglin - Stealth
Rysalius
Percy
Rhanloi
Castien
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Bones looks around, but sees row upon row of storage crate...
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Percy and Rhanloi run interference...
Percy Assist Bluff Vs DC10 =
Rhanloi Assist Bluff VS DC10 =
"So yeah my friend isn't so sure about security because if we lose the goods our boss will take it out of our hides, yeah real ball buster but hey I get it am I right? Coin is always so tight these days, just trying to make ends meet... can be a struggle to pay the bills. We're lucky enough to get paid on a good day eh, you hearing me? Hey look we were down at the 'The Wise Donkey', and the owner... Bert? Yeah he seemed to be a sensible enough guy, all considered, and he said this area is safe enough and this warehouse is fiiiiiiine..." Percy and Rhanloi keep up the banter.
While percy and Rhanloi keep up the small talk, Castien manages to find several frames covered by sack cloth. Beneath it are, indeed, the paintings that lady Glorianna described. The coast is - for now - clear.
Rysalius replaces three of the paintings with the ones Lady Glorianna provided. The number of paintings is bit higher than expected, though, and the one showing Minovitas in full battle regalia is huge, too large to be replaced. It's particularly appalling as well, especially to those who actually fought in Mendev.
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"Ouch, guys, this one looks really huge. Please, give me a minute, brush and some pink tones and I put a nice nightgown over this guy."
Maeglin started drawing, mumblin a prayer to Shelyn.
"Dear God, please, don't be mad at me for doing that, I do know that it is bad. But not only traditional art is art, good joke is art as well, and what we are doing here is a great prank, with a noble idea behind..."
Suddenly, unexpected sneeze, caused by all the dust around the warehouse, was out to burst, and Maeglin decided to drop the paints on himself, than to spoil the secrecy of all the mission.
"Dear God, i understand, that was wrong, I won't do it again"
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Castien decides to try his hand at altering the painting. He studies the work briefly, then begins layering paint over the work already there. The end result, while not amazingly well done, is passable, and depicts Minovitas having his pants pulled down around his ankles by the fiend he was previously standing over, and Iomedae, instead of singing Minovitas' praises, can now be seen giggling in the background.
On one of the other painting, Bones will write a real history of what happed and where Minovitas really was during the war.
know history: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (12) + 7 = 19
profession scribe : 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (11) + 5 = 16
Maeglin splatters some pink paint on the painting, and mostly himself, while Bones finishes an essay on one of the other painting. Castien does some 'retouching' of the largest painting, and doesn't do half a bad job. Only a single painting remains that hasn't been touched...
Percy's conversation with the clerk goes smooth as silk, though the latter is slowly starting to look a bit bored. Say, didn't you come in with a whole group?
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"Hmm probably just ensuring the stuff is undamaged so the boss doesn't roast us later, can't be much longer" Percy turns to Rhanloi "Why did we let the dwarf do it? Bunch of ornery and pedantic badgers the lot of them, they quibble over the smallest dent"
"So hey if we're in town a while, whats the jobs situation like around here?..."
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Rhanloi continues looking around, watching everything while occasionally adding color commentary for Percy's witty banter. If at any point the guard seems to lose interest or patience, Rhanloi will change the conversation back to the security of the warehouse and specifically how they would prevent and put out a fire if it happened.
"So, with all of these valuable goods, you must have some means to quickly douse a fire if it started within or without, yes? It's one thing to guard against rats and moths and the town thief, but quite another to tame the flame-beast before it devours the contents of this place. Our master accepts no excuses and we must be thorough in our investigation..."
Well, if that is it, I just need to you to provide me with your name and signature on this form... the clerk says.
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Rysalius will use one of the erase Scrolls to destroy the last remaining painting, then use the opportunity to leave.
-Posted with Wayfinder
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Maeglin spend most time in warehouse, trying to clean paint from his suit. Suddenly, he heart that his friend Percy is talking about dangerous creatures, but notices that his rat companion already when back to home plan. He got small bag again and mumbled several words. This time it's black fiendish dire rat, that appear out of the bag.
"Run outside", is a mind command that it received from gnome upon arrival to Material World. Maeglin is not willing, rat to hurt anyone, it should just distract attention.
Well, regulations are regulations the clerk says, as the party gather us, Rysalius erasing the final painting before heading out. I need you to sign here, and then we'll keep your stuff safe. You'll get a receipt of course. Send Burt my regards.
The party manages to leave without further ado.
The silver raven is sent out to contact Lady Glorianna, and it promptly returns with a note.