After arising in the morning and praying Daniel gathers with the group. "Let's stick together today and see how we can help the town. Maybe we should start with the blacksmith shop?"
Those going to Bucket and Bellows
This squat brick building echoes with the sound of metal striking
metal. A sign depicting an iron bucket and a bellows hangs over
the wide door. Inside, a large black anvil stands next to a massive
bellows connected to a coal forge.
Those going to Keep's Wall
The Keep's gate house walls are tall, thick and Heavily staffed and armed after 10 minutes of observation and walking.
Tobar goes to look at the keep. She'll wander around in the village near to the walls but not suspiciously near (visting any nearby stores, for example. Or casually talking to people at Tarrens yard). She is trying to get a feel for how many defenders there are on the walls and on the gatehouse, how well armed they are, how much on alert they are.
Valessa nods approvingly at the sounds of the smith hard at work from within. She takes a moment to examine the condition of the anvil and its bellows, as well as to see if there are any identifiable projects being worked upon (taking especial note of anything that could be a project for the Baron or his defenders).
As she does she attempts to get the blacksmith's attention.
"Excuse me. I know you must be busy, but do you have a few moments to talk shop with an amateur smith?"
Lefty goes with the succubus, curious to check out the keep.
After a waking with a headache and feeling his years, Yaz is a bit frazzled on the way to breakfast. He rallies after some food though, and joins the group headed to the forge.
@Tobar and Lefty
The guards are Alert and appropriately armed to defend the keep from attacks.
Tarrens yard
A building of brick and wood sits at the front of a large fenced-off
yard full of horses and ponies. A long stable abuts the yard, and a
sign over the wide gate reads “Terron’s Yard.”
@Valessa
you spot a sprig of mistletoe bound in yellow ribbon in a corner of the front window.
And there are Keep Guards here making sure stuff gets made, though they seem lax in their job.
Smaar Janderfut turns around and answers
"Sorry, But I have all the help this smithy can use."
Smaar Janderfut then points to Mark
"I already have Mark helping me out, and the force of his hammer strikes are the best I've seen."
Those in the Bucket and Bellows can see that Mark is bigger then most men and has a build like that of Arnold Achwarzenegger in his prime.
Mistletoe... someone here is on our side. Good to know.
Smiling at Smaar, Valessa shakes her head. "Good to know. Was hoping you might have time to look at my blade for me though. I will buy you a drink at the inn I am staying as payment."
So saying she takes her longsword off her belt and holds it out to him.
Daniel lets Valessa do the talking to the smith but keeps an eye on everyone.
@Tobar and Lefty
The guards are Alert and appropriately armed to defend the keep from attacks.
Uh, I admit that I was hoping for a BIT more detail on numbers, do they have bows, what kind of armor, etc.
and Smaar seems not to like the guards being in his shop.
And we still haven't spotted the baron.
Zero tagged along with the group going to the smith only to loose them half way in the morning crowd. This was mostly her fault, because she gets easily distracted and deemed it worthy to observe the busy townsfolk.
Yaz gives the big smith a nod as he looks about the place.
"Well, I guess a full frontal assault is out :-("
Seeing that the keep itself seems nearly impregnable (at least to a small force like theirs) Tobar decides to at least try and get a feel for how well the guards know each other and how easy it would be to impersonate a guard
She watches as some people who obviously ARE allowed in the castle enter the castle. She is trying to see if there is a password (she isn't close enough to hear the password, but hopefully close enough to see if there IS one), see how closely the people are examined, etc.
Lefty will do the same.
The Keep group
Seems there might be a password.
The Smith group
The Keep group
Every guard really seems to know each and every other guard, likely due to it being a small town.
The Smith group
Smaar Janderfut replies to Valessa
"I can take a quick peek at your blade, I'll be at no cost The baron doesn't want me having drinks encase I mess up a number of the blades."
Sorry, but I'm still unclear.
Do we think that the guards are just letting people they know pass or do we think that there is a password AS WELL as them knowing each other?
Lefty speaks quietly to Tobar.
Let's get some information somewhere away from here. We can go back to the tavern tonight and try to talk to Jasmine, the bar server. She seems to know a lot about what's up around here.
What do you think?
"Sounds good to me. We need the password if I'm going to be able to even have a chance of infiltrating in"
Valessa's look is geniunely sympathetic at hearing the smith is prohibited from drinking. "Ah, then perhaps your dinner instead then. I assume you are allowed to eat still, yes?" she gives a poorly masked glare at the guard in the shop as if daring the man to make a comment as she pulls out her sword.
"When you look at it from this angle," Valessa casually holds the blade at a downward angle, the light hitting it a certain way, and the tip pointing toward the mistletoe in the window, "everything looks fine with no cracks. However, if you rotate it so that the light catches it... just... so," she moves the blade slowly, as if trying to get just the right angle and light before settling at a different angle, pointing upward at the guard, "you can see what looks like it might have been a cold seam... perhaps a bit of improper tempering by the smith who made it. I worry that such small cracks and flaws could cause failures later on should I get ambushed on my next protection job." She hands the perfectly good and unblemished blade to the smith so that he can make an assement. "Am I merely seeing things or is there a flaw in my weaponry that I should be aware of?"
Smaar Janderfut looks at the weapon and replies to Valessa
"I don't see any flaws or cracks in the weapon, it is made as it should originally be."
Looking again, Valessa nods to the man. "So my eyes are just playing tricks due to the lighting, eh? Well, that is very good to hear, and I am sorry that you had to interrupt your busy work. Do swing by the inn tonight when you finish your work though. I typically eat in my room... just let Jasmine know that your meal is on my tab for the night, and have her show you up if you wish to share it with me." Sheathing the sword, she shakes the man's hand firmly and leaves the establishment.
Turning to her associates, she raises her eyebrow. "Well, my sword is not broken it seems, so we have more time on our hands than I thought we would. Anyone have anywhere particular they would want to go?"
Also, did Valessa learn anything from that Sense Motive check before she left?
Daniel follows Valessa out and when they get out of earshot, "That's someone we need to talk to but will have to wait until he's away from the guards. Shall we try some of the other shops and see if we can find more friends?"
Valessa nods, keeping her voice down. "Yes, though I think he did provide us with a few clues. We shall have to see if he takes me up on my offer." Raising to more conversational tones, she says "I would be open to seeing more of the shops in the area before we head back. Do you have any in particular in mind?"
You can sense Smaar got your message and is saying the guards have good gear with no extra exploit
The elf will hang around the inn, hoping to catch Jasmine when she can talk.
Lefty and Zero head back to Deadman's well to find Jasmine
and find out she is running some errands getting more food items and some new stieners since a few got broken last night.
Gotcha. Will share that with the other folks when we finally meet up again in the evening.
Separate question. Given Yaz was with us, and now has dropped, how do you plan on playing this out?
Valessa has no real ideas on where to go next and is following your lead at this point. Lead on, good man. ;)
Lothorian offers to help Jasmine carry some items.
I can carry some of that, if you need a hand.
He tries to make a friendly impression.
Daniel looks up and down the street and then points to a building catercorner to the smith (4). "Why don't we see whats in there and then just follow down that street and look into any of the shops to see if there is anything we need to pick up."
Valessa nods, following Daniel's lead. She takes a moment to look over the outside, attempting to see if there is any sign or signal outside or in the windows that they might be more welcome than not.