Shalastar lets the cat outside if it can't get out on its own. He always found such creatures rather interesting. Shadowcats and cats of the material plane mostly acted exactly the same.
The way forth is clear now. Excepting of course any unforeseen guards walking the grounds or up on high that might see us. Perhaps one of our sneakier fellows should venture out and ensure our intended path is free from trouble?
"If we find a pack of some kind, then it would be a good idea to come back here and tack the trail rations. I don't know if any among us can hunt, and I rather doubt we'll be served in most establishments."
"Hmmm, I never had that problem before. I was served wherever I went." Shalastar says, with a surprised glance at Sotha.
Tragen pulls out and stacks the trail rations, makes a separate pile for the meat, followed by another with some bread and beans "Meat for the dogs, bread and whatnot for the first leg of out journey, and rations for what remains. I believe it should suffice to make it to where our benefactor awaits. I'm afraid your days of being waited upon will be interrupted for a time," he says, looking at Shalastar.
Looking at Sotha, "There was a sack on the veil that was given to us." "I took it off Jack's unconscious body," he says pulling out the veil and looking at it. He then tugs off the sack to see what appears. "It seems there is also a lantern, a rope, some coins, and... a window?" he shrugs. "They may come in handy later." After looking in and organizing the sack, he will load it with the foodstuffs they had found, wrapping them separately, before hefting it again.
Malak nodded thoughtfully at Tragen's expedient use of their findings and grinned at the man having taking the useful veil from their drunken cohort...it was a shame to have to leave him but even I was not willing to wait for him to sleep it off...
Brilliant mister Tragen. So. will you scout the way Brother Todin? Or do we just roll the dice and risk being found out as a group?
"Yes, Father Jaedoom, I'll lead. Wait for my signal to follow."
Todin, with extreme caution, opens the door from the kitchen just a crack to observe the exterior.
Shalastar slips into the shadows, strangely merging with them for a brief moment before you can see his outline and the bright gleam of his unusual eyes.
Tragen stands by the door, ready to act, should it be necessary, and follow into the darkness should he receive an all clear signal.
When Todin signaled the way was clear; Malak followed along behind the others.
Staying in the shadows, Shalastar continues to move towards the Warden's tower. He briefly looks around the corner of the building, pressing against it to hide his form.
He is distracted by the coarse itch of the bricks pushing through his clothing, however, and moves back with a dissatisfied sigh. "Care to look yourself? I just can't stand this clothing!"
Todin, in that case, will move quickly and stealthily to the corner of the building closest to the warden's tower.
On his way, however, Todin stubs his toe on a stone hidden in the shadows. Letting out a rather unsavory curse word, he half-hops the rest of the way. The pain rather inhibits his perceptual acuity as well.
"Fine, I'll look! Must I do everything myself?"
Shaking his head at his brother of the faith's cursing; Malak stuck as close to the shadows as he could and waited while they checked the door to the warden's tower.
Lets not dally out here. Our burly friend will surely be spotted before too long and then the jig is up.
...still the breeze is soothing and under the night sky is perfect for sleeping...ah, I simply can not wait for a nap in a decent bed with no task awaiting me upon the morrow...
Sotha rolled his eyes at Todin's performance, he'd seen processions of goblins move with more grace and quiet. Deciding that any attempt at stealth had been ruined, he rushed from the keep to the warden's tower.
When he had made the trip, he turned to the others and exhorted them to be quick, as the guards might be alerted and converging on them as they spoke.
"Now, now, boys. Let's not get angry. Good things come to those with patience." Shalastar says.
Todin will listen at the door first, and then if he finds the results to be satisfactory, will try to open the door. If it is locked, he will attempt to pick said lock.
Sotha reacted to the owl with a start. He watched as it scooped up the mouse and flew away, watching carefully which way it went (). He turned to the guard Shalastar had enthralled with concern in his eyes and said, "Is the warden a would be wizard, or the actual thing? An owl is not an uncommon familiar, from what I've seen, so it's possible he knows we are here."
After gaining the interior of the tower; the Dark Prince's priest ws drawn to the tapestries and plaques. However he quickly dismissed them when he heard Sotha's observeration. With a raised eyebrow Malak pondered the implications of confronting a wizard that would be lying in wait for them.
That would be most unfortunate. I'm sure we'll hear alarms ringing forth into the night promptly if such is the case and then we'll be forced to make haste.
he sighed quite audibly at the thought of having to hurry up any more than they already were.
"I would welcome a little sport." Shalastar says. "Though nothing so harrowing as what we went through before. That was brutal."
"Wizards bleed, just like any man," Tragen says as he moves softly, yet quickly towards the staircase.
"And perhaps best of all, he might have some suitable clothing for me."
I concur. These guard uniforms are absolutely abhorent...and quite itchy if I do say so. I find myself second guessing the idea of wearing them. Then again, it is better than nothing considerng the situation.
Malak followed along but stayed near the back lest he give them away with the heft of his bulk creaking on the stairs.
"I don't really have a problem with wearing nothing. But I prefer not to be... a distraction."
Oh my, hahaha...
Malak chuckled at Shal's brashness.
...normally I would agree whole heartedly with you but I fear this is not the time to brandish those swords.
"Yes, brandishing swords comes later.... much later."
Sotha couldn't help but sigh in disgust. "I'm sure there is a time and place for such frivolous talk. I'm not sure when or where, but I'm sure it exists. Regardless, this is not that time, now is the time for slicing throats and making our escape"[b]
He paused to look up the staircase, and added, [b]"Speaking of which, do we wish to remain stealthy, or make a statement by hanging his corpse out the window?"
"It won't matter if this place is ashes," Tragen says as he quietly begins his ascent up the stairway, his shield strapped to his back, his glaive in hand, ready for an attack.
Sotha nodded and smiled, then said "Fair enough," as he followed Tragen up the stairs.
"A fire might make for quite the distraction."
"And here we are." Shalastar says, needlessly. He giggles a little to himself. "You might look around and see if your spellbook is here."
Malak heaved a sigh of relief to finally be up the firt flight of stairs and promptly..well, promptly for him anyways...found a chair upon which to rest. Shalastar reminded him of the search for the wizards spellbook...I couldnt imagine being bound to a book...not that I dont like books...but what servitude?...and he casually cast a spell to lend his aid.
What does your book look like Sotha?
Tragen looks around taking note of the lantern and the mass of paper before looking back at the group. "We can search the place after we have dealt with our problem," he hisses softly "and if this warden is truly a Wizard, then he will have such a book near his person. The more noise we make here, the less chance to catch the man unawares."
"This is probably a good place to start a fire!" Shalastar says with no small amount of glee. He looks like he could jump up and down and clap at the idea. "In the shadow plane, fires are just things to dance to. They don't give off heat."
Tragen looks at Shalastar, "Keep your exuberance down," Tragen hisses. "We can burn the place down after we deal with the damned warden."
Shalastar pouts beautifully. But he slips back into stealth mode.
" It looks like a spellbook: thick leather bound, elaborate etchings on the cover, the crest of House Zyn on the front. You will likely either know it on sight or you'd never find it. He likely has it with him, trying to decode it as we speak." Sotha cast his eyes around the room, looking more for anything interesting than for the spellbook he didn't expect to find.