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Helène gives Themolin a glare, still high on adrenaline from the fight. "Yes, what a shame that we were right in time to save you from these assassins..." She takes a deep breath and stretches her spine. "I am glad we were able to save you." She helps him up and offers something to drink. "What happened here? Did they try to kidnap you?"
She consults with her companions on what to do with the assassins, but makes sure to include Themolin in the discussion. This is his problem as much as ours. "We have two dead and two unconscious, from what I can tell. We have to make sure that they won't be discovered for another two days, at least. Can we lock the unconscious ones in here, with some food and water to last them until help arrives? We'll make sure to drop a note somewhere when we leave, so that they'll be freed at the right time." She doesn't look too happy with the suggestion, but can think of no better one. "Unless someone know best?"
Out of earshot of Themolin, she discusses what to do with him while checking the payment he indicated. "Take him to the Inn as well, until the day after tomorrow? It's getting awfully crowded in there, but it's an inn. And they'd best get acquainted before the passage out of here." She takes a quick peek outside. "We must be hitting curfew soon, so we'd best head back there anyway."
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Not overly loud, just enough that the huddle can hear; in Thassilonian so as to include Themolyn but graciously pausing to translate into Doc's broken Common upon request:
"My first thought for our unconscious attackers would be to poison them with False Death, and let them sleep it off in a neutral location. That would be more humane, and safer for them, than trying to bind them for such a long period, and more secure than makeshift imprisonment. There would be a minor risk they might recover within a day, so there will be an errand of watching them for a short time tomorrow, but even if they take the slow track and we leave them alone, they'd recover fully within a few days. Maybe we keep them in allies' hands one day, re-dose them if necessary, and move them to a neutral location the second day?
"Regarding the dead, I suppose their remains deserve some respect, but I"m trying to square that with how some of us among the living need secrecy to remain so. Maybe a temporary interment, combined with slow communication?
...
"I agree about the inn; a less-preferred option would be the sewer hideout."
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Kunsheng waits patiently but uncomprehendingly while the other alchemist speaks in Thassilonian, then replies to the translation, "We should avoid keeping too many of them together until it is time to leave. That would mean putting Themolin with the Sczarni's first customer." He shakes his head. "I do not envy him the experience."
Barralbus is dead beyond saving. Going to say the other three assassins are Dying 2 by the end of the combat, meaning the PCs have about a 2-round window within which to act to save them - either automatically by using magical or alchemical healing methods, or, taking your chances rolling dice to administer First Aid. Failing PC intervention, I will roll their own Recovery checks to see if they make it.
Themolin will explain that they had him tied up, and though he suspects they weren't going to kill him, they did threaten and inflict other bodily harm, he assumes with the intention of getting him to talk. They told him "Wait until He comes". Themolin has no idea what he was supposed to "know" and therefore "spill", but he suspects it is unrelated to his escape plan organized by Guaril.
He seems to be telling the truth
His payment is as promised - a collection of artwork valued at (see below) - and the assassins' gear amounts to rapiers (x3), shortbows (x3), a staff and crossbow (x1 ea), as well as a spellbook (12 spells / 100 pages).
Artwork is worth 65 gold, and would be useful as a means of Bribery, if it comes to that, being a condensed "above table" source of value...
You have about 3 hours until Curfew!
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Bardok shakes his head. "The less undue attention we get, the better. First ship comes tomorrow, if we load the corpse into one of these crates no one will find him until after we're all long gone. My guess is he kept ambushing his office rival with hired swords in a secret warehouse off his calendar, so the squares won't know where to look for him."
He turns to Themolin. "Is there any chance of authorities poking around here before we all skedaddle these next two days?"
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Rose gives a frown over the bleeding body of the tax man and comments, ”Don’t tell me to repent for my past mistakes! I assure you I’ve already done that!” She stomps over him and over to the other forms making sure that they aren’t going to get up anytime soon before going and looking for Themolin.
She raises and exquisitely orange and yellow eyebrow at his initial outburst of displeasure. “Well that was not what I was expecting to hear. No matter how much you dislike people being early, I believe in this is one case where being early was a definitively good thing to have happen.”
She helps take the extra weapons and supplies off of the assassins but decides to leave Barrably alone for a moment. “I think the Doc’s idea of False Death bears some weight. While not completely above reproach, it’s better than killing them out right and would be less torturous than keeping them conscious and tied up. And the other option of letting them go would blow our cover...”
She pauses and looks at the forms that Kunsheng is tending to, “But I an highly tempted to leave them in a compromising position legally to the point that anything they say would be highly circumspect. Do we have any poisons or psychadelics that would make them spout such nonsense that any truths they say about us would be ignored as further delusions?”
“As for Mr. Greatest-Minister-of-All-Time, I almost want to move his body to his home, and then frame the assassins here for his murder. Make it so he gets a proper burial and we don’t have to do it, gives any family or relatives a chance to grieve and know what happened, brings these three to justice and might take some heat off our backs, but might be hard to pull off.”
Rose then moves over to the man, pulling on some gloves, and searches his body for something that might have his address listed on it. She then takes her rapier and gazes at it with a long look for a moment before wiping than handle and placing it in Assassily’s hands, taking the woman’s rapier instead. She gazes at the delicate handle and filigree with some non-magical runes carved throughout it. “Uh, Doc or Bardock, you mind telling me what this says? I’d hate to start carrying a weapon that has something rude or crude carved into it without knowing.”
To Bardok "Chances are minuscule indeed" He seems to have just now picked up on the received poor timing of his intended joke - also he reflects on never having been good at jokes - not outside of the context that his coworkers share, at least - none of those people here (except the new intern - knocked out on the floor)!
Orris addresses Iris: Here. I wonder...
"Kunsheng, wish I had such skill. Any advice regarding this burn?" Doc displays that he is, in game terms, "bloodied" as a result of recent damage, i.e. half-incapacitated.
(very quietly, and leaning heavily on our bond to pass connotations rather than spelling everything out explicitly) "Marcel, what's your take on this clerk's statement?
Doc rests easy, knowing the little one sensed no deception.
"I should clarify: I have no False Death on hand, I only know of it. If these assassins were prepared to wait for another's arrival, we can probably expect company soon."
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Helène nods as Themolin tells his story. "We shouldn't stay long, then." She agrees with Kunsheng. "Getting some of this 'False Death' would be ideal, but our chances are very slim. I say we can't take the time to search for a seller - or the chance to get caught. Putting him in the Inn is too many eggs in one basket, so the sewers it is." Sorry, not sorry, she thinks with another look at Themolin.
As she repackages the payment for transport, she looks at the unconscious assassins again. "Let's leave Barralbus here. It'll be a while before his body will be found. We can take the unconscious assassins with us to the sewers. That should keep them from being found, and our two passengers can keep an eye on them."
She thinks of some practical matters. "Two people should scout for the nearest sewer entrance while the rest of us prepare what's left here. Then we'll make a quick dash and hope we don't run into anyone who'll question us. After that we either stay below ground for the night, or head to the Inn if we can still make it before curfew."
The party ties up the three assassins and, after collecting payment and securing the Warehouse shut (Themolin locks it up) - leaving Barralbus' body to rot inside! - head out for the sewers in the final few hours before the enforcement of curfew...
...finding Flitch exactly where they left him, he immediately expresses displeasure at the prospect that not only did they choose to bring bodies here "potentially blowing my cover!" but also anticipates the question they are about to ask him with an "absolutely not!"...
...
You are free to choose one Skill / Check that aligns with one of the following goals:
1) Sneak Around Town in Broad Daylight with 3 Unconscious Bodies!
2) (Potentially) Have to Explain yourselves to the Authorities if Caught!
3) Convince Flitch to Babysit!
The Party needs More Successes Than Failures for this not to go sideways. Maximum One Repeated Check (ex. Not just 7 Perception rolls...). DM will award +1 or +2 bonus for creative solutions - conversely - if you choose a Check that doesn't really make sense (or exceeds the "repeats" parameter), I will request choosing and re-rolling another.
Finally, please explain how the check you chose aligns to one of the goals above!
Where to next?
I assume the Inn, but wanted to explicitly ask in case Task One changes this for some reason...
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Discussing the matter with is compatriots, Imiriax suggests "I don't want to move the bodies. It could blow our entire cover. And unlike that last poor fellow we found down here, we know these fellows were not innocents. Surely there is somewhere else in the sewers we can leave them. Possibly near a manhole so that they will be discovered?"
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Rose takes a moment to look through the crates of supplies in Thermolin's warehouse. "You don't have a good quantity of Alcohol anywhere in here would you? I'm thinking we get the assassins drunk to the point they pass out. Less likely to run away or be coherent if they do." She helps to load up the three people into crates as an attempt to disguise them from prying eyes, and then tries to hunt down and talk to a liquor store about getting another crate or two of a similar shape and design filled with alcohol as well. "Thassilonian drinks have been some of the best I've had, even the cheapest stuff is on par with some of the most expensive you can get out of the city. I'm hoping I can get a case or two cause I'd be able to sell them for an amazing profit back home!"
In the sewers, Rose points out the two crates to Fitch and says, "This should be enough to keep them knocked out or very weak for a few days, and you can have whatever is left over assuming you stay sober enough to handle three drunk people. They have no weapons and will be tied up as well, so they should be little resistance!"
Rose glances over at Imiriax and nods in sympathy. "I understand not wanting to move them, but we can't leave them in the warehouse as the moment they wake up they will go straight to the authorities and then blow our cover. Especially as Assassily over here knows t was us. Same if we leave them in the sewers some where. We need to keep them contained somewhere for a few days until we can get everyone out of here. Then leave them wherever. Though dropping them someplace with the murder rapier and leaving an anonymous tip right before skipping town is still tempting."
Orris proposes: "It seemed the wizard was not talking sense, shortly before he passed...is there some magic we might use on them, to reduce their credibility?"
I'm not sure leaving them here is so bad. Themolin legally owns this warehouse and they were trespassing. Further, he said there isn't much chance the authorities will be here soon. I hope we're gone by the time they wake up.
Also, I'd rather work on crafting rafts at the inn than sitting in the sewers with the rats.
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"They are not going to stay out and unconscious for more than two three days and we would be lucky if we have hours! The human body needs water. There is no way we can expect them to stay unconscious for the rest of our stay in town unless they have gone comatose, in which case leaving them is tantamount to killing them as they would likely stay unconscious. Leaving them here and hoping for the best is a bit irresponsible at best, mission ending at worst."
Zamp shrugs. He believes that moving around bodies around in broad daylight in a city full of patrols is not wise but does his best to sneak them around. Sooner begun, sooner done.
"The Plan" check:
The next step:
Go to the inn before curfew — if we have time — and craft rafts. We already wasted a whole night on failing to craft barrels. If not, sleep in sewers.
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Bardok scowls at Flitch. "This is all for YOUR benefit. You wouldn't be skulking around the sewers if you hadn't already blown your own cover. We've got this under control, just keep these mooks out of sight until everything's ready for us to escape."
Bardok nods after Apollon. "Let's get back to the inn before curfew. We'll wrap things up in the morning."
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Outvoted, Imiriax pitches in with the plan, examining Kunsheng's plan and helping to refine it with some notes he's made on the direction and flow of the sewers and streets. "There are manholes here, here and here, but this building has large eaves that will provide deeper shadows and this alley right here is wide enough for the cart because of the overhanging stories."
Doc thinks of how to deal with authorities:
"I might explain it something like what follows:
"'We're a merchant company, officer, and we've acquired some artwork and textiles for export. The rugs were rolled somewhat inexpertly by the seller, but we'll put them in order when we return to our lodgings.'"
"Does this seem feasible?
"Rose, Mr. Zamp, what's your opinion on this?"
Doc consults with Marcel about the appearance of his work as he proceeds:
The party meet a moderately risky plan with expert foresight, execution, and improvisation! While Helène ties up the helpless assassins - still knocked out from earlier and now dosed with sleepy alchemicals - Doc searches around the warehouse and locates several rugs to "roll" them into, transforming them into innocuous (if heavy) cargo . Kunsheng navigates a route through the city to the sewers while, two at a time, the party carries each half a rug, marching through the city like a rug merchant transporting his wares. About halfway through, one of the bodies falls out of the rugs! - but while everyone else shoots Doc a tense look, Zamp, thinking on his feet, quickly "re-rolls" an unconscious Assassilly back tight and snug - and quickly enough to not draw attention! - and the party, reaching the sewers, switches leaders, Kunsheng trading places now with Imiriax, who retraces his steps back to Flitch . And just as Flitch opens his mouth to complain, he is soothed by Rose's lies about the "simplicity" of the task , and verbally pounded into submission by Bardok's firm tongue!
No time to dally, the party wish the young thief luck in his task, and quickly speed their way along to the Inn, arriving just in time to be only half an hour late for curfew...
...Yuleg's eye appears through the peep hole in the door, and he opens it, scolding the PCs with a look, but ultimately glad they returned in time. Vurna appears to be near-totally recovered, and offers them fish stew - fresh in the pot - which clings to the insides of your bellies, imparting some relief from this long and trying day, which, is not quite over yet!
While the PCs enjoy their stew, Daffrid offers the PCs her payment as well as some additional items to help them through this difficult mission. The expression in her face communicates that she is daring to be "hopeful" during this stressful time, and the additional donation is a "confidence vote" for the PCs!
...
"The Plan" (DC 15 or 20)
Rose "Lie to Flitch" (Deception) @ 20 (success)
Helène "Tie 'em Up" (Thievery) @ 23 (success)
Kunsheng "City Route" (Society) @ 25 (success)
Zamp "Sneak" (Stealth) @ 15 (success)
Bardok "Work Flitch" (Intimidation) @ 24 (success)
Imiriax "Sewer Route" (Architechure) @ 27 (success)
Doc "Rugs" (Thievery) @ 10 w/ no assist (fail)
...
Curfew Check
It was a small push to arrive back at the Inn circuitously.
PCs need to each make a Stealth or Deception check to arrive at the Inn without incident from the authorities. Even if you must roll untrained.
The DC is low, because the tardiness is not egregious, but it nevertheless stands in the way of an otherwise uneventful trek from the Sewers to the Inn.
Downtime Activities
As has been mentioned - what do you all want to do with your 8 hours of Downtime before bedding down? Options include:
1) Crafting the Flotation Device
2) Tending to Vurna's continued Recovery
3) Gathering Information at the Pub down the Way
I am open to other ideas as well...
Tomorrow's Plan
Lastly, in thinking towards tomorrow, what is The Plan?
1) Change up Daily Preparations (Infused Reagents, etc)?
2) Where do the PCs want to go tomorrow?
3) What or who do they want to bring?
4) What is the plan once there?
5) After that?
...
Items collected from Dr. Chaverly:
-gold nodule aeon stone
-scroll of air bubble
-scroll of remove disease
...
Zamp tries to help everyone back to the inn quietly, as its past curfew:
He then tries to craft rafting from barrels…
Zamp wanted to look at Flitch's forged paperwork to see if its good quality.
[ooc]I will follow the lead on whatever plan for tomorrow as I have GM'd this one.[ Same prep/exploration mode as before. /ooc]
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Though untrained, Kunsheng judges that he's more agile than he is persuasive. The Tien-Shu tries to keep out of sight on the way back to Yuleg's.
Once back at the inn, Kunsheng greets the dwarves, then looks over Vurna. "How are you feeling today? I have another lesser antiplague for you, and I will see what else you need to restore balance to your chi, and strengthen your body against the disease."
"Better" She makes up for fewer choice of words by quickly changing the topic: a series of questions about how your day went "Were you able to get to the Ministry? Were you able to make an appointment? Was there a long wait? Who did you meet with? What did you talk about?..." a flurry of inquiries - you can tell that - while she pours Kunsheng's tincture right into her soup and frowns all the rest of the way eating it - Vurna wants a Story! - she cleverly sneaks in a "Did you see Flitch?" in the most non-chalant way possible as well...
...
Task One
Zamp to Sneak @ 9 (Deception)
Bardok to Sneak @ 16 (Deception)
Kunsheng to Sneak @ 14 (Stealth)
Task Two
Zamp to Craft Flotation Device @ 12
Bardok to Gather Info @ 15
Kunsheng to Treat Disease @ 13
Task Three
Zamp supports
Bardok suggests "Find the Guard"
Kunsheng ??
1.
Regarding the curfew, Doc has skulked around the block a few times...via Fast Alchemy, he prepares and imbibes a Quicksilver Mutagen to be a little slipperier.
Doc seems somewhat unwell as a result (2 HP damage).
2.
Orris tries investing the aeon stone, hoping to discover what it does.
Orris approaches Kunsheng and offers to work alongside him, not so much the healing part of things, which are not his forte`, but the alchemical work. Via body language, Orris adopts a subordinate attitude, with a brittle politeness stretched thin across intense curiosity regarding these newfangled and institutional methods of alchemy Kunsheng is practicing:
"My help is not disrespect, sir. All respect for your schooling.
"I failed my parents, they died. With you working on them, they would live."
Doc also suggests they swap formulae if time allows, but does not mention this until the heal attempt is complete.
Presuming that time allows, and after a brief discussion with Marcel, Doc also takes another lash at this raft; again, happy for any assistance, via the group skill check mechanic:
Doc also tries to tend his burns. He again asks the party for any help on this they are willing to offer.
3.
If Doc manages to get the formula for a Minor Elixir of Life, he prepares 2 of those, 2 firebombs, 2 bestial mutagens, and leaves a slot open for fast alchemy. If not Elixir of Life, then Quicksilver Mutagen.
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As they're walking, Helène stops the group when she thinks she hears someone. "Might be a patrol." She tosses two pebbles the other way, down an alleyway, to distract them. "OK, we should be good to go now."
--
When they make it out of the sewers and back to the Rockfish inn to be greeted by Daffrid and the others, Helène permits herself a thin smile in return to the doctor's token of encouragement. So far, so good. She updates Yuleg on their progress in general terms, avoiding names and specifics. She stays well clear of Vurna, both because she can't do much for the innkeeper's ailing daughter and because she's not in the mood to sate the curiosity of a girl who's too nosy for her own good.
Rather, she rolls up her sleeves and gets back to work on the flotation device. Damned if I find myself wasting a second night on this thing!
--
Over dinner when discussing the plan for the next day, Helène is silent initially. Her mood could best be described as brooding. "We have one day left, and one more name on the list." She frowns. "Guaril will be cross if we don't bring this one in - especially if we won't even try. And we could miss the opportunity to get someone safe passage who really needs it. But I have a very bad feeling about this." She makes two fists as she speaks. "On the one hand, we've been lucky so far. We could lay low tomorrow, and have all of these people on the boat day after next. Easy as counting coppers." She switching the attention to the other fist. "Or we could head to the Emerald Guardhouse, ask for Garrla. If it's a trap, we'll deal with it. And we have the possibility to help another person."
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Kunsheng is more than willing to provide Orris with formulas. He takes some time to transcribe them in Common for the other alchemist, as his formula book is neatly written in columns of Tien ideograms.
There is nothing of condemnation in the alchemist's manner towards his colleague. "Don't apologize for working to help. This is what I have been taught, and this is what my god requires of me. It's natural that I would develop these skills better than someone who follows a different Way."
"I agree with Helène. We should make sure that all of our charges thus far are safe, and then we go after Garrla."
There is a moment where Vurna looks ready to "ambush" Helène - having partially overheard her speaking in general terms to Yuleg (she was busy serving bowls but perked her ears up) - but just before she makes her "move", a single stand-offish look from the Varisian woman proves sufficient to repel her advance. She retreats to easier prey; those who might be willing to entertain her curious extroversion, perhaps those whose guard is lowered by the sensation of warm soup in the belly?
...
Task One
Zamp to Sneak @ 9 (Deception)
Bardok to Sneak @ 16 (Deception)
Kunsheng to Sneak @ 14 (Stealth)
Orris to Sneak @ 12 (Stealth)
Helène to Sneak @ 24 (Deception)
Task Two
Zamp to Craft Flotation Device @ 12
Bardok to Gather Info @ 15
Kunsheng to Treat Disease @ 13
Orris to Craft Flotation Device @ 16
Helène to Craft Flotation Device @ 23
Task Three
Zamp supports
Bardok suggests "Find the Guard"
Kunsheng agrees with Helène
Orris ??
Helène suggests "go to Emerald Guardhouse, ask for Garrla" but Maybe Not!?
Orris warms up to Kunsheng.
"My 'way' is a sick joke. Here is tradition, pushing me right."
Orris indicates his right thumb. He takes a slick spice kernel that had seasoned his dinner from his bowl, and perches it on that thumb.
"I am the seed. Here is necessity, pushing me left."
He indicates his index finger, pinches the seed gently, and brings his hand back to a natural angle.
"And this is my way."
The seed squirts out from his grasp, caroms off his bowl and across the table. He chuckles grimly, and pantomimes the thumb and index finger continuing their conflict over the now-absent seed.
"But on this way, I learned these; I'm happy to share."
Formulae:
Mutagens: Bestial, Juggarnaut, Quicksilver
Bombs: Acid Flask, Alchemist’s Fire
Tools: Smokestick, Sunrod
Poisons: Arsenic
He also makes some quick notes about ideograms, and asks a few polite questions about practical applications, but with an eye to comparing and contrasting Kunsheng's systems of thought to those he was raised with: how a five-element cosmology squares with a four-element one, for example, and strategies that might arise when parsing the body according to meridians versus humors.
Later, he points to one of Helene's fists:
"The Emerald Guardhouse! I feel afraid once if I face death, or I feel afraid every step if I run away from death; I want to be afraid and proud, not afraid and afraid and afraid."
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Rose pulls out one of the rapiers tat were on the assassins from before. "If they wake up, use the hand guard here to knock them out again, after getting some water in them. If they are seeming to slip their ropes, warn them we'll let them go in a few days, and they won't be harmed further, unless they keep trying to escape. If they do still keep trying then don'T be afraid to kill or hurt them."
Rose pulls out a wet cloth and very quickly takes off the garish makeup of 'Iris' and then pulls out a pair of plain darker clothes hoping to use them to blend into the background and look like a local just rushing home after having to work late.
Rose takes a look at Vurna glad to see the woman up and about again. She sees both Kunsheng and Orris taking a look at the woman, but frowns over their lack of checking her bed sores bandages. She finishes up her soup, enjoying the warmth, before standing up and commenting, "Vurna you seem to be dying for a good story... Why don't we move over into the next room and you let me check your bandages as I tell you about our day."
In the other room, unwinding the fabric, Rose starts to converse about the day, "So we started the day at the tax offices, where there happened to be two people at the receptionists desk, a woman named Sally and an insufferable tax man...." She then goes through a slightly sensationalized account of the day, changing places, names and details as needed to try protecting identities.
Rose looks over at everyone else and gives a big yawn. "We should at least scout out the guard's office even if we don't try talking with the client until after we get the first group out of here. It'd be a waste of tomorrow to stay cooped up here all day, and I would much rather be out in the sun if it decides to shine. Though if it's a wet rainy day then staying in wouldn't be all bad."
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Helène holds up her hands at Orris, a spark in her eyes and voice. "I never said anything about being afraid. But when I tally the odds of this one, it seems to come out red in my book. That's what I'm saying." Her tone softens. "I can get behind Rose's suggestion. Let's use tomorrow to scout the Emerald Guardhouse, maybe we can try to gather some useful information while we're at it. And then we can decide."
After Rose gives Flitch instructions on how to deal with the three Assassins in his care, the party swiftly departs for the Inn, and about a quarter-hour into their trip, the town closes up around them, the Curfew coming into full effect. Doubling their pace, the PCs are stopped by a detail of two guards , who immediately demand their "papers", one reaching out his hand expectantly, the other reaching for his manacles, when suddenly Helène cuts in with a clever lie, explaining that a certain document in her possession cleared them to provisionally travel through this burrough specifically on this night alone, pointing out the particular stipulation on the document the party produced, while the guard, reading not the words on the page but instead assessing the voracity of Helène's claim on it's face, after a moment of consideration, nods to the other, who releases his hand from producing the manacles, and dismisses the party with a stern "Carry On", the two instead turning their attention now to a commotion up the street . The party - without so much as a moment to collectively sigh - speeds the rest of the way to the Inn without incident...
If Helène had not managed to convince the guard otherwise, you suspect that his demand for "papers" had the second meaning indicating that he could be bribed monetarily. The double-meaning nested inside the word "paper", which, you imagine is somewhat of a standard practice after Curfew around these parts, evidenced by the casual and practiced nature of the request.
...
...Kunsheng and Rose continue to treat Vurna's disease. Amazingly, it seems as though Rose's storytelling was a key factor in re-aligning her body's energies towards unleashing her natural anti-bodies towards fighting off the last vestiges of sickness! Kunsheng's eyebrows raise when he discovers in the morning that Vurna has made a Full Recovery !...
...However, on the other side of the Inn, things go from bad to worse as concerns the construction of the makeshift Flotation Device. To start off, Orris and Zamp's second-round blueprint - despite looking good "on paper" - has a terminal flaw that only becomes apparent as Helène and Imiriax skillfully follow their blueprint exactly - the latter adding a last-minute custom innovation without first consulting the team - causing the entire jumble to unsnap and come completely undone in the last hour of construction - but this time ruining half of the component pieces in the process . The four PCs go to bed and have frustrated dreams about sailing on a ship that is slowly sinking into the sea as they scramble to ineffectually toss water out with buckets that have holes in the bottom of them...
Half of the materials from the twice-wrecked pile could be salvaged to make another attempt the following night - but the Flotation Device would be half the size as originally planned.
...
...Despite being after Curfew, Bardok decides to pretend to be a Local (who have a later Curfew), and heads over to the nearest Pub, seeing what information he can garner by mingling. Just as the tender yells "Last Call!" the sorcerer realizes that he may be on the precipice of learning something useful, but it would require him staying until the Pub closes down for the night - far beyond "his" Curfew and a little past the Citizen Curfew - potentially exposing him to scrutiny and harassment by the Authorities on his short walk back to the Inn. He bides his decision to leave promptly but empty-handed or to push his luck...
No matter what you decide, you will have to make another Curfew Check to head back to the Inn from the Pub.
If you choose to stay and learn some information , it will be more difficult to Sneak back to the Inn .
Please indicate your decision in your next post, followed by your Curfew Check.
...
...Vurna - now fully recovered! - insists that she could be of great assistance for the PCs' trek to the Emerald Guardhouse - preparing her things to come along - and whether or not the PCs allow that, they eventually make their way across town at the top of the morning on the Third Day of their deployment to this strange metropolis...
She is a good sport about it - and convinces you that being bed-ridden for so many days has made her stir crazy, as she lusts for adventure!
She gives the Lead Navigator a tip for taking a backstreet to the guardhouse - who may roll twice on the Navigation check and take the better result.
Though Yuleg is firm, she, like him, is stubborn, which, though irking him as a father, ironically, instills within him, too, a sense of pride, as his daughter's approval of him is just as important to him as his approval of her. If that makes sense.
All said, you will have to convince Vurna directly, but get a +2 circumstance bonus to do so, having Yuleg's support.
...
...Columns of this wide building are carved in the likeness of Runelord Belimarius. Its wide courtyard is filled with practice dummies and other evidence of martial training. Guards - like the ones the PCs ran into the previosu night - are beginning and ending their shifts. A short line has formed outside the door of a recruiting area, where a guard stands stationed...
...
DC = 5 plus number of PCs
Zamp to Sneak @ 9 (Deception) = Failure
Bardok to Sneak @ 16 (Deception) = Success
Kunsheng to Sneak @ 14 (Stealth) = Success
Orris to Sneak @ 12 (Stealth) = Success
Helène to Sneak @ 24 (Deception) = Critical Success (counts as two)
Rose to Sneak @ 10 (Stealth) = Failure
Imiriax to Sneak @ 6 (Stealth) = Critical Failure (counts as two)
Various DCs
Zamp to Craft Flotation Device @ 12 = Failure
Bardok to Gather Info @ 15 = ???
Kunsheng to Treat Disease @ 13 = Failure
Orris to Craft Flotation Device @ 16 = Failure
Helène to Craft Flotation Device @ 23 = Success
Rose to Treat Disease @ 23 = Success
Imiriax to Craft Flotation Device @ 9 = Critical Failure
...
You have, each of these nights, spent your entire time consumed with other tasks (treating disease and crafting), meaning, you haven't been able to set aside much time to trade formulas. I'm going to rule that you can each spend 1-hour per night doing so in addition to other tasks.
Feel free to choose two Formulas from each of the others' formula books to attempt to learn. One for each night, each.
As there seems to be controversy as to whether this is "free exchange" or not, I'm going to rule this game the conservative viewpoint. Meaning, you will have to each roll a Crafting Check as well as Pay a Cost for any Formula you attempt to transcribe into your own formula books.
A 1st-level Formula has a DC of 15, and it costs 1 gold. If you critically succeed on the check to transcribe, the cost is halved.
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Rose watches the exchange between the guards and Helene with an interested cock to her eyebrow. Never be able to pull that kind of maneuver off myself... I'm glad she's on our side. She then picks up her feet and heads back to the inn.
At the inn Rose is glad to see that her minstrations help Vurna get back on her feet, before shaking her head over the idea that the woman wants to join their group. This woman might be as much a problem as a help... and a much easier person to crack under interrogation.
The half-elf wanders up and asks Vurna if she has any coffee, or to make some if the dwarf woman doesn't have any, and then takes her over to sit down for a moment. "We appreciate the offer to com traveling with us, but we have an expert or two on getting around and then this will be dangerous. If you stay here we can guarantee that you make it out of the city safely, if you come with us... well things might be dangerous, especially as you need to get your strength back before trying anything too reckless, I mean you were bed ridden just the other day."
Before they leave, 'Iris' pulls out her makeup kit and decides to go for a rose theme today, drawing petals across her eyelids and a few reaching to her temples, she adds a faintly red blush and deep red lipstick to the mix before throwing on a lovely black and red blouse and skirt on, buckling her deep brown leathers on over top, and then adding a single red rose motif to the front of her armor. She smiles and then stretches before settling her face into the petulant yet expectant look of Iris.
On the way to the guardhouse, Iris looks over at the rest of the group and asks, "Should I go in and ask about having dropped something important?"
Iris strides into the office and gives a melodramatic cry of anguish, almost posing as if she were to faint. "Oh, guards people, I have dropped my beloved great-grandmother's rose shaped-broach. Can you help me look for it? Or has something like that been turned in?"