Jeorik raises an eyebrow but does not interrupt the reading. When it is done, he smiles, nods at the fortune teller and then gathering his equipment he steps towards the door.
"A journey into trouble and difficult choices won't begin until we take the first step. Shall we be off?"
Darthen watches the others as the predictions are made, "Interesting. I'm sure most of us have heard of these... divinations. I can't help notice that some of the cards seem to intertwine with our own circumstances. However if there was one thing I have learned over the years is that we make our own destiny. These cards, if true, only tell us what may come based on our own decisions. Each of you can take what you want from the cards, but the bottom line is Lamm needs to be dealt with. We already have a base plan that, luck willing, will see us into warehouse without much trouble." He turns to Zellara, "Would you be willing to provide us with a quick meal before we leave? That will allow us to finish up any loose ends before we set out."
Jeorik, who has already eaten, waits as patiently as he can for the others to finish their meal.
He turns to Zellara, "Would you be willing to provide us with a quick meal before we leave? That will allow us to finish up any loose ends before we set out."
Unfortunately, Zellara has nothing more than the bread to eat in the house. She is very sorry. You'll have to go out. Darvyl is itching to move on.
"Too long has Lamm lived without consequence. Today, he shall learn that everything comes with a price."
OK, they entire party troops down to the Midlands waterfront. You leave the Inigo, Darvyl, and Keliwyn in an alley within earshot and cruise towards Lamm's. By peeking around the corner I, D, and K, can see the SW corner of Lamm's building.
Keliwyn and Darthen:
Jeorik, Heather, and Darthen: From the sign on the front, Lamm's building is apparently a fish rendering plant. The place is a dirty neglected run-down ramshackle looking place. It MAY have had some carpentry done in the last decade and a coat of paint MAY have been applied soon after, but probably not. Judging by the smell, the place probably hasn't been washed for years.
On the north side a man is loading barrels onto a handcart and two more stand empty, apparently waiting their turn. Two men step out of the front door. They are dressed meanly, like street vendors of the poorest sort. As they shuffle past you can hear one say, " ... out of his head. You won't get a bargain like that every day." The other barks out a laugh.
Keliwyn waits patiently in the ally with Darvyl and Inigo. At one point, sitting across from Inigo, Keliwyn makes eye contact with the priest and grins. "Fate is indeed an interesting girl. In less than 24 hours, we've gone from shedding blood together, then almost to blows with each other, and then back in the the thick of it again as brothers in arms. What say you, that when this is done, we simply sit down and just enjoy a good meal?"
"I don't see why I should refuse such a gracious invitation, considering that you're paying for it."
<Grins Mischievously>
"I don't see why I should refuse such a gracious invitation, considering that you're paying for it."
<Grins Mischievously>
"I am? Hah! Perhaps we should if Mr. Lamm would like to contribute from his coffers for the purchase of a good table and some fine wine!"
"You mean we should levy an appropriate penalty on Lamm."
Jeorik walks down the street further in order to eyeball the walkway alongside the side of the building to see if there is anyone on it. He also tries to notice if there are any windows that might provide a veiw inside the building.
"There are enough of us we could try and enter from two directions," Jeorik says to his two companions, "That might be better then all getting bottled up in one door."
As Darthen checks the building from their hiding spot he notices the lines running above. "I should have suspected there would be a way to access the shingles from the building. It only makes sense for the type of business Lamm's in." Darthen points this out to the others.
Darthen strains his hears to hear any other sounds coming from the general area of the warehouse.
Jeorik walks down the street further in order to eyeball the walkway alongside the side of the building to see if there is anyone on it. He also tries to notice if there are any windows that might provide a veiw inside the building.
"There are enough of us we could try and enter from two directions," Jeorik says to his two companions, "That might be better then all getting bottled up in one door."
On the south side, Jeorik observes the boardwalk circling around that side of the building, just around the corner out over the river he can see the hulk of the barge that is grounded or moored to the back side of the building. There is one door about a third of the way down and a couple of small windows.
On the west (street or front) of the building are a few small windows. The door, from which the two men emerged, is a closed double door.
On the north side of the building is the loading dock. A wide open double door opens on to it. Further along the north side are a couple of windows and a single doorway out near the river. Through the loading dock door, you can see that the room beyond is about (at least?) 15x15. Two handcarts are on the northeastern border of the dock. The third, being loaded with casks by a thin man and a burly half-orc, obstructs a better view into the room.
The windows are made up of many small, cloudy filthy panes in a diamond lattice. If you came right up to them, shaded your eyes with your hands and stared in you could probably see through dimly.
Darthen strains his hears to hear any other sounds coming from the general area of the warehouse.
Mostly you hear normal street noise. The half-orc grunts, snarls, and coughs frequently. From somewhere inside the building, a thin, spotty, untuned, soprano chorus chants a marching cadence.
A few loafers lean against walls or posts along the street. And there is a fair bit of traffic up and down the road. Nothing unusual or untoward. Certainly no-one studying you or the building.
"What do you think," Jeorik asks Darthen, "Three through the front door and three in from the side, perhaps the loading dock?"
"A frontal assault would be no different from putting all of our eggs in one basket if you will, but splitting up may not be the right plan either. Umph, I have heard the military types say that plans are thrown out the windows once the action starts. Lets see if we can send the others in hiding around the back. At least it will prevent Lamm from getting away." Clapping Jeorik on the back with a smile, "Let the others know what you have come up with. Tell them we will give we will head to the front in 10 minutes so they better be ready."
Jeorik walks casually over to where the others are waiting and once out of sight of the building, says, "Darthen thinks the three of us should head in through the front door. I suggested that you three might consider whether you would be willing to go in a different door and perhaps prevent our quarry from going out a side or back door."
"The most obvious is the loading dock to the north, although I can't say for sure about the boat out back."
Darvyl sneers, "It would be like Lamm to grease out of there while we tangle with his goons. Cowardly snake-kisser."
"Very well," says Jeorik, "We'll give you a few minutes to prepare yourself and then we'll knock on the front door."
Jeorik tries to casually stroll back to the other two, though the potential prospect of combat is playing on his nerves and the accompanying rush of adrenalin is starting to put a little more of a bounce in his steps.
Darvyl straigthens up and brushes off his shoulder where it had been leaning against the wall. "Well, where to? The loading dock, or around back. Or do we split up?"
Keliwyn:
Jeorik looks at his companions to see if they are with him and then, finally, moves towards the front door of the establishment.
"I can stab past you with my spear," says Jeorik to Darthen, "If you wish you may have the honor of knocking."
Taking another peak around corner, Keliwyn whispers, "Damn. Whichever way we go, Lamm is likely to sneak out the other. The loading dock is the obvious entrance, but if we go that way, I'm sure he'll take the boardwalk. We should really be splitting up in pairs. Even then, he probably has some escape route under the docks."
After a moment or two of silence, he continues. "How about this, you two (Darvyl & Inigo) push through the loading dock, while the other three go through the front doors. The sight of Darvyl swinging a polearm and Inigo in his armor should cause a lot of panic, and the other three are sure to raise a lot of noise themselves. Meanwhile, I'll take the boardwalk. It's narrow, and they'll be forced to come at me one at a time. I can take a position on that side, covered from the front but far enough from the door that I can use my bow. I can prop my sword against the wall, so when the time comes, I can just drop the bow and pick it up the blade. What do you think?"
"A very wise suggestion. You and me then at one entrance?"
"How about this, you two (Darvyl & Inigo) push through the loading dock, while the other three go through the front doors. The sight of Darvyl swinging a polearm and Inigo in his armor should cause a lot of panic, and the other three are sure to raise a lot of noise themselves. Meanwhile, I'll take the boardwalk. It's narrow, and they'll be forced to come at me one at a time. I can take a position on that side, covered from the front but far enough from the door that I can use my bow. I can prop my sword against the wall, so when the time comes, I can just drop the bow and pick it up the blade. What do you think?"
"A very wise suggestion. You and me then at one entrance?"
Darvyl thinks amoment. "I should take the boardwalk. They'll recognise me for sure. You two could probably get in through the loading dock door before any fighting starts. If I go that way, we'd probably be fighting out on the dock. "
Heather casts Disguise self on herself, appearing as a tall, black shrouded skeleton, with flames in its eyes and trailing a slow moving dark mist, carrying a massive scythe. "How do I look?" she asks. "Think this'll scare any of them?"
"Are you sure, Darvyl? You'll have limited space to fight and maneuver, and the the big action and heavy hitters will be inside."
"Are you sure, Darvyl? You'll have limited space to fight and maneuver, and the the big action and heavy hitters will be inside."
Darvyl replies quickly, " I spent 15 or 20 minutes in there yesterday while Lamm mustered his toughs. There's three or four fellows that run the place. They'd be sure to recognise me and I think that would be trouble if it was too soon. We've got to get inside before the fighting starts. The Guard might get here before anything happens and we'd be jailed for fighting in the streets. Besides, I'm as likely to catch Lamm sneaking out the back this way as to meet him inside."
Heather casts Disguise self on herself, appearing as a tall, black shrouded skeleton, with flames in its eyes and trailing a slow moving dark mist, carrying a massive scythe. "How do I look?" she asks. "Think this'll scare any of them?"
As Darthen surveys the warehouse he takes a quick look behind him. His hand drops to his sword as he takes a small step back. "What the... You gave me a start there for a second. Making them crap their pants wasn't exactly what I had in mind when I said we would take the front. Can you do that once we get closer? If we go down looking like that they will either run inside and barricade the doors or come straight at us giving the others inside plenty of warning."
Darvyl replies quickly, " I spent 15 or 20 minutes in there yesterday while Lamm mustered his toughs. There's three or four fellows that run the place. They'd be sure to recognise me and I think that would be trouble if it was too soon. We've got to get inside before the fighting starts. The Guard might get here before anything happens and we'd be jailed for fighting in the streets. Besides, I'm as likely to catch Lamm sneaking out the back this way as to meet him inside."
"Alright then," Keliwyn says. "You're a stronger fighter than me, and can probably hold your own by yourself better. I'm more comfortable when teamed up with someone else. So, it'll be me & Judge Dredd," he finishes with a smile toward Inigo. "What to you think, priest? Feel like knocking some heads with me by your side?"
"I can", Heather says, looking a bit odd with her voice coming out of the skull like visage. "I was just trying to keep my identity under raps, in case we need it later on for anything. What do you all think I should do?"
Jeorik is momentarily taken aback by the illusion as well, but when he hears the familiar voice he tries to keep his composure.
"That's a good look for you," says Jeorik lightly and then a moment later adds, "Just move to the side, out of the immediate line of sight of the door, just in case they actually answer. If there's a fight, you can come in behind me as I move in behind Darthen."
A few passersby notice the party a hurry past, but no one is paying particular attention -- yet. Heather's appearance seems to be the main cause. Across the street two buildings south of Lamm's, a man does step out of his door, sees the party, steps briskly back in a closes it firmly enough for you to hear the sound.
Darvyl clears his throat nervously. "All right. I've got the boardwalk. See you inside." Hefting his polearm, he steps into the street, walking quickly to the southwest corner of the building and stepping onto the boardwalk where he is out of sight of the front door.
Jeorik checks his longsword in its sheath, reaches to make sure he can grab his arrows quickly and then grips both hands on his longspear.
"After you," Jeoirk says to Darthen, nodding his head towards the door, and then with a grin can't help but add, "before someone calls the guard on the good lady."
"I can", Heather says, looking a bit odd with her voice coming out of the skull like visage. "I was just trying to keep my identity under raps, in case we need it later on for anything. What do you all think I should do?"
"Well, um, if you can do something as scary as that can you do a man? Maybe some salt licked sailor with a crazy eye? That might give them pause for a second.", Darthen says with a grin. "As soon as we the others are ready we will start walking parallel to the warehouse. Once we are even with the ones out front we turn and storm their positions. Since you seem capable of magic, try not to blow all the good stuff at first. If Lamm is in there and waiting for us he may have some magic backup as well."
Jeorik checks his longsword in its sheath, reaches to make sure he can grab his arrows quickly and then grips both hands on his longspear.
"After you," Jeoirk says to Darthen, nodding his head towards the door, and then with a grin can't help but add, "before someone calls the guard on the good lady."
"Right then." Turning to Heather he says, "Once you are ready lets head out."
OK, am I right to assume it's Darthen, Jeorik and Heather kicking in the front door while Inigo and Keliwyn are on the loading dock? Darvyl has the board walk. Is Heather switching appearance as Darthen suggested?
If you're all set someone say "go."
Inigo and Keliwyn walk to the north end of the building. As they approach the loading dock, the half-orc, then the human struggle to lift another barrel into a cart. Once its aboard the half-orc returns immediately inside. The human takes a moment to stretch, looking out into the street. He notices you walking toward the dock. His eyes narrow as he watches your progress.
Billzabub spot check DC 11 please:
Darvyl peeks around the south western corner to watch Darthen, Jeorik, and Heather approach the front door.
Init (1d20+3=22) Woo!