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Behind the door you see an ill-used hallway. The only other door is locked, but the hall ends at a set of crimson draperies hanging from the ceiling to the south. Whoever opened the door for you 'forgot' the set of keys. The keys include the key to the doors in this room, another regular door key, and an odd key that ends in the shape of an Asmodean cross.
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Vailis examines startled the keys on the door hole. "Seems our collegue is doing a good job here. What this Asmodean cross might mean, any ideas Sirs?" picking up the keys, he looks at the draperies "I guess our friend left to the Gala through those draperies, what means we only have one route to follow here".
Pressed by the time, Vailis darts towards the Eastern door and tries to see fit to the keys. He tries to unlock the door very quietly , then before trying to open the door, he suddenly stares at Eidi "We need a plan to explain our presence in these corridors. Maybe some of us must disguise with the scrolls, while the most stealthy of us can try to closely follow hidden. Eidi, you most probably will have to wait here.
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+ = 13
"Yes, it's highly advisable to allow me to check the doors briefly before we go through them. I've spent years honing my senses to detect clues and the cleverest of traps. Since we are on a severe timetable, I'll have to eschew my typical elaborate, but thorough examinations."
+1 to spot traps
"I have my own method for changing my appearance, so I will not require the use of magical devices our superiors gifted us with. However, it would appear they merely last for a short time so we should only utilize them when necessary."
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Hmmm, if this thing is being setup like other embassies. I think I might know a way to get where we're going. Did some work doing construction in my travelling days. Paid some decent coin.
Argus will quickly pull out his journal and sketch out how he believes the embassy is laid out and what the best route is.
As for the scrolls, I can't activate them myself and unfortunately I don't have much training in going stealthy. As for a story, I know enough about engineering and construction, if one of you can spin a good enough tail we might be able to convince people that we're here checking this for the reconstruction.
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"I can probably activate one of the scrolls, but still at risk. Although I agree we will have to save them due the short duration. Taking the aspect of Anstrella Trellax might work, it will make easy to explain she is taking us to the chambers of the Embassador, though it would be easier if we find an identity guards are not that familiar with" Vailis rushes in his explanation then asks "Eidi, can you open the door for us?
Eidi opens the door an has a look at the corridor.
Eidi gets a sudden shiver while he peers through the eastern door. Is this people using me to avoid traps? . This seems to be a huge embassy anyway and he gets surprised when Zac pushes him through the door.
He turn his head towards his companion and whispers Calm down, we need they not know we here
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"We can look over the curtines, in case we find somewhere to hide some of us, the others can take the disguise of some waiters and cross the kitchen on that way reaching the Eastern door. It might be some storage room, so better someone goes check it is the corridor we want to take". He thinks for a while, then he adds " mmmmmm..... maybe I can summon a rat or a snake in the other side of the kitchen, try to scare the chefs for them to go out. In case they remain in the kitchen we can go in with the excuse we heard the noise and came to help, ask them to go out, then take the Eastern door following the rat."
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Looking over at the half-elf, Argus smiles.
That sounds like a good plan. Create a little confusion and hopefully they won't go about talking about how some random rat got into the kitchen. They seem a little too wrapped around appearances.
Argus glances around, a bit of nervousness showing through.
But whatever we do, we need to hurry. We have some time, but a lot of ground to cover.
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Zac spots canapés, appetizers, fruits, cheese, sea-food...
Behind the curtain is a hallway. Servants use it to move food, dishes and other supplies between the kitchen and the ball room. Sebastian is able to find out that the servants are coming and going in specific time spans. Between the rushes you are able to reach the room behind the red curtains on the other side of the hallway, the other kitchen door and the double doors to the east and west withouth being noticed by the servants.
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OK, we'll need to settle on a plan and start moving.
I believe only Vailis and myself are capable activating the scrolls so that decides that. Zymir hands on of the scrolls to Vailis. While we can try and use the scrolls unfortunately they will not conceal my limp or Vailis' summoner mark so posing as a guard might not be that feasible. I like the idea of using a summoned creature as a distraction we must make sure we do not drive any of the staff into the hallway and our path further into the embassy.
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Vailis listens attentively at Sebastian descriptions of the next room. "Ok, seems like someone has to go and check those Eastern doors before we take further steps."
The summoner takes the scroll Zymir is offering, then with a sign he unsummons Eidie. "Now my mark shall not be seeable. Thanks for your advise, Sir Zymir. Vailis stores the scroll in one of his cases, then he tighten his clothes in sign of preparation. "Ok, let's do this, you go check the Eastern doors in the room behind the curtains before we take a final decision on our route. I cross the last one, and will create a diversion summoning a rat if we get discovered. "
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Sebastian quaffs his extract of Disguise Self to take the look of one of the Chelish guards. "Allow me to make the check, I'm faster on my feet if necessary."
With that, he checks behind the curtain, then the east hall door in that order. If one room appears to be empty/safe, he waves the others toward it.
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Argus knows that the private rooms of Zarta are in the southwestern part of the building. The southeast part holds the servent's sleeping rooms. The middle part is the ballroom and a foyer, the embassy's garden is on the east side. The northern parts are the kitchen and common rooms for visitors (you already discovered that).
Sebastian is not very stealthy but in the few seconds the hallway is empty he is able to peek behind the curtain and makes it to the double doors. Behind the curtains is the Grand Ballroom, behind the double doors the hallway continues with two more doors in the left and right wall.
The hallway extension is empty and not used by the servants.
This enormous ballroom takes advantage of the building's vaulted ceilings to look even more extravagant than it otherwise would. Fluted columns carved in the shapes of various devils soar to the ceiling on the north and south ends of the room, hard up against the elegant crimson curtains through which servants continuously pass bearing food, drink or serving ware. Diplomats, merchants and nobles mingle as a chamber orchestra plays near the eastern wall, into which a beautiful stained glsass window and open double doors to a balcony are set. Two sets of open double doors lead west toward a well appointed foyer.
This ballroom is the center of the gala, and it is full of knots of the Absalom diplomatic upper crust discussing their shared business in terms subtle or frank, depending on their level of intoxication. Everyone in the room is dressed either in Chelish imperial livery or other extremely fine clothing. You can see Amara Li standing near the columns along the southern wall talking to the ambassador.
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Argus relays the info that he knows, pointing out that probably the best course would be circling around the perimeter of the embassy.
Seeing Sebastian's signal Argus rushes toward the doors, passing by Sebastian and into the hallway extension. Moving up to the southern door, he strains to hear if there is anything on the other side.
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As he sees is mates running towards the hallway extension, Vailis tries to activate the Alter Self scroll.
He seems disappointed for a while, but after some trial and error he finds the proper magic strings that activate the scroll's powers altering him into a pompous Chelish nobleman.
He then waits for the others to cross, and then looks for a good timing and reaches the hallway as well.
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These gardens 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 window. 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 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.
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Sebastian stops at the garden door, quickly examines the scene and turns to the two warriors, "Well, gentlemen, this is a good time for you to quaff the elixirs of hiding provided. They may be enough of a magical boost for you to sneak across the garden in that armor without being spotted."
After leaving Argus and Zac with an encouraging nod, he crosses the garden like he belongs there, following the summoner into the next room.
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Vailis, Zymir, Sebastian and Argus are able to get to the other side of the garden without being noticed by guests or guards.
What 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 and glasses stacked neatly on long wooden tables. This area is a hive of activity. The doors to the garden and to the servants' passage aren't seeing much use but the double doors to the s outh gallery are constantly opening and closing as platters of hors d'oeuvres and other gala necessities are shuttled through to the garden or ballroom.
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"what looks like those far sandy original regions of you?"
Sorry, but I have no idea what you mean?
As soon as Vailis opens the door to the staging area Zymir will attempt to stop the summoner from continuing much further. He nods at Sebastian's suggestion. We will need to wait for our two friends, and figure out how to get them through this room.
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Zac makes it through the garden although some guests were looking at him suspiciously.
This narrow hallway grants access to the servants ' quarters. The two ends of the hallway connect to the we stern edge of the s outh gallery and to the staging area, respectively. The hallway is deserted as all hands are on deck for the gala.