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The town of Longacre sits just outside the fringes of the Whisperwood. A few lights shine in the streets and windows, and the occasional snippet of conversation or laughter issues from open doors, but here on the outskirts of town, the night is quiet and dark. Sparse clouds scud across the sky, momentarily obscuring the dim light from the moon overhead. Across a scrubby field, barely distinguishable under the starry sky, a darkened, fortlike compound hunches in the distance.
After touching bases with your main contact Cimri Staelish (known to all of you as an ambitious local crook) she has enlisted you all in her first major heist. After meeting her outside the town for a nighttime raid. Once all of you have joined up you greet Cimri who gives you all an impatient look.
Cimri points toward the dim structure. “That’s it — Louslik Tannery. Here’s the job: We break in, sack Ol’ Louslik’s office, take whatever’s shiny, and get out before the sheriff shows up. If we get separated, meet back at the Ash House by dawn.” Dull moonlight glints across her dagger as she flicks it in emphasis. “If you get pinched, remember: you’re mute. Keep your mouth shut, and I’ll handle things. I got assurances that we won’t take any blame if things go south. But get chatty and I’ll let you rot.” A beat passes as she looks all of you over with a calculating gleam in her eye. Then her usual crooked smirk appears. “If you don’t screw things up, we’ll all be drinking on Razelago’s coin come dawn. Let’s do this.”
"I'm pretty stealthy. Anyone else?" (That's a lot of words for the mostly silent man in black.)
Hal slides his sword from its sheath, reassured by its leathery hiss. "She'll do it, too. I've seen it happen." That wasn't, strictly speaking, true, but Cimri's reputation preceded her. Hal is dressed in simple leather armor, which offers little protection but also won't make noise and give him away. One side of his face is that of a young human man, brown hair, conventionally attractive. The other, however, is scarred and covered in scales like a snake.
The moonlit night offers him a confusing set of images, so he squints his normal eye closed and looks around with his disfigured one. The night comes alive around him. He can see the blades of grass waving in the breeze, and insects flying around them. The tannery is much too distant to see, though, even with his "night eye"-- they'll need to get closer.
"Not personally, no. But my bird might oblige you if you ask nicely," a wizened man says to the man in black before he turns his attention to the woman who gathered them all here.
Octavonius grimaces. He stands like an old man who could use a cane, but refuses for whatever reason. His back arched and knees slightly wobbly, he glares at Cimri with blood-shot eyes.
"A few questions," he starts, his voice dry and rasping."First, who is this poor bastard and what has he done to deserve our attentions?"
"Second!" An equally rasping voice calls out as the raven on the old wizard's shoulder flaps it's wings. "What shinies he's got?!"
The bird only speaks Infernal and while Octavonius shushes the creature he swiftly translates the question in Common for those who need it.
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Hallidan is able to sneak up to the wall, finding a hole in the stockade, and sees that the work yard beyond is largely empty. There are lanterns lit, both at the gate and outside the office. A large dog dozes near the office’s door. The place smells terrible...really terrible.
Cimri turns to face the older wizard her eyes flashing (whether in annoyance or satisafcation you are not sure). "Jabral Louslik runs this establishment the Louslik Tannery, a respectable operation that employs dozens of Longacre’s citizens. According to my...employer, Louslik hasn’t been paying his taxes like a good, law-abiding citizen should. I am sure any...excess funds would be forfeit, don't you think?"
”Alright, so here’s the deal with this place.” Hal describes what he had seen from the outside during his earlier reconnaissance. ”That’s, o’course,” he adds, ”if they haven’t changed nothin’ since then. So the dog’ll be a problem, we gotta make sure it don’t give us away.”
The old wizard nods at Cimri's response. "Is that right? More the fool is he to think running a tannery puts you above the law." He then turns to the young man with scaled skin. He raises a hairless brow, taking in the features for seemingly the first time before continuing. "Indeed. The dog will need to be silenced. Anyone here up for the task?" Without waiting for a response Octavonius turns to the raven on his shoulder. "In the meantime Ohd here will get a scope of the place from a bird's eye view. Tell us what's what before we settle on a plan of attack."
Ohd takes wing with a croak. "At your command, my master!"
He attempts a few circles around the building, attempting to be both observant and inconspicuous.
"Anyone have a net or a crate we could drop on him? Or maybe we just sneak in from the opposite side?"
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It is easy to create an alias in Paizo:
Steps:
1: Click on your profile name in the top right corner and go to Account Settings (you will need to sign in).
2: In the Messageboard Aliases section click on Create New Alias.
3: Type in your Character name for the Avatar name.
4: Click on Change to select an Avatar Image for your PC.
5: Ignore the Organized Play section.
6: Click Submit.[/ooc]
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The loyal companion takes off and circles the compound looking for any other items of interest. The raven swoops low and, nearly passes out from the gods-awful stench coming from the murky tubs in the courtyard. Still it does note that a portion of the palisade surrounding the tannery has been damaged and thus opened a narrow gap in the palisade near the beamhouse that is out of the way, and could be squeezed through with a bit of effort. Fortunately for it, the dog is dozing in the yard and does not wake up.
"Let us avoid the stench and enter from the opposite side, yes?"
Ah, aggressive tax collection!
I am good at violence, I can my allies better at violence, and I can talk myself out of into things with relatively easy. Sadly, I am not very stealthy. Alas, perhaps I can make myself useful with some information gathering. I can also heal.
Aurelius quickly gathers some information, in particular how many people would, generally speaking, be present in the tannery at the same time.
Yes, the tannery is such an economic mainstay of this community, it is clearly up for a reward, based on how many people it employs yesyes
He then disguises himself as a more common thug before approaching the tannery.
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Aurelius puts his personality skills to good use here as he canvasses the area prior to his arrival at the tannery. He soon discovers that a small night crew does work at the tannery. The tannery’s owner, Jabral Louslik, handles the operation’s accounting usually well into the evening. Additionally, Shaul and Pippa Umbre — the town’s elderly gong farmers -come and go throughout the night.
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Once you have all returned from your reconnaissance of the tannery grounds you regroup with Cimri (who you have discovered is a a sharp-tongued hellion with a penchant for drinking and long knives). She points her long dagger at the front gate, making a slashing gesture. "Okay, we all set? Plan is to break the gate lock, deal with the dog and who else is there, and loot the office. Sounds like a plan to me...unless..." She looks up at you looking for your consent here.
Aurelius draws shield and sap, he is no getting paid for murder after all.
Octavonius chants and intones in a voice somehow darker and more gravely than his usual tone. With a wave of his hand, a blueish, translucent armor appears to grace his frail body for a moment before fading.
"I'm fine with making a bit of a show of it. Mr. Louslik should be made to regret his short-sightedness." At that moment, Ohd swoops down on his shoulder and whispers in a dry voice into his ear. "My bird tells me there is another way. In the palisade near the beamhouse is a narrow gap. Perhaps the more nimble and quiet of our crew take that way while the rest of us continue with Ms. Cimri's plan. I am open to other suggestions, of course."
"Huh. Didn't notice that first time around, but if your bird can show me where it is I might make a go of it."
"Palisade" <back to be being soft-spoken>
Nimble and quite? Aurelius chuckles
That be anyone but me He whispers
Unfortunately, I cant daze non humanoid creatures, other then bonking the dog fiercely with my sap, my options are limited.
"A dog shouldn't be much problem." the big, quiet tiefling says from the back, lifting his long-handled, wide bladed axe mewaningfully.
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The plan decided, you split up and head to your various spots...
The gap in the palisade north of the beamhouse is a tight squeeze but doable here.
A log palisade surrounds the tannery. In places, gaps between the gray, dry-rotted trunks are wide enough to pass a hand through. To the west, a muddy trail slips beneath a plank gate similar to a barn door. The tannery’s wall is 10 feet tall, and mostly meant to keep out beasts attracted by the odoriferous operation. As protection against thieves, the palisade is a poor impediment, but better than nothing. Examining the gate further you note a small, locked wooden panel which looks like it protects access to the lever for the gate.
Hal slides his shoulders through the gap, then his head and the rest of him with little effort. The stench, overpowering on the outside, hits him like a force and threatens to knock him over. He inhales deeply through his sleeve and tries to breathe as infrequently as possible. "Clear so far," he whispers back toward Fellizer.
Aurelius lassoes the top of the barricade and then climbs up. Handy to have a rope yesyes.
With surprising Agility, Strength actually, Aurelius heft him self on the palisade,leaving his rope to dangle down from it to ease his companions ascent.
Fellzir wets his handkerchief from his canteen and covers his mouth and nose. He casts Guidance on himself and reaches out a gloved hand for Hal to "aid another," trying for every bonus possible as he slips into the gap.
"Easy," he whispers once he is through.
Edit* There should maybe be an armor check penalty? It wouldn't change the outcome, however.
The old man glares at the locked panel with some annoyance and at the dangling rope as if the thing personally offended him. "If you think this broken body can climb you have another thing coming," Octavonius mutters to himself before his eyes dart to the hulking tiefling beside him."I don't suppose you would mind terribly removing the obstacle that lays before us, would you?"
He indicates the panel with a wave of his knobbly hand though his eyes linger on his companion a bit too long. If Guillaume were to try and meet his gaze he would quickly look away, a shaky giggle escaping his lips.
"The wall isn't that tall, old man. I can boost you up." Guillaume says, meshing his hands and looking for someone at the top who can help on the other end.
"It's not the wall I'm concerned with," Octavonius responds somewhat despondently. "My climbing days are many years behind me." He pauses, taking a moment to glance at the tieflings hands. "Though if you insist."
With a burst of sudden effort, the old wizard attempts a limping run at the awaiting tiefling to leap off his hands and grab at the palisade.
Hal is unable to keep his stomach from churning, and he retches onto the ground. Hope that doesn’t give me away, he thinks ruefully.
Aurelius wraps his scarf around his face.
Worse then Dretch farts, yikes
"Blasted old bones!" Octavonius scowls as he staggers back with a grunt of pain. "To Hells with it!"
With a few more dark curses whispered under his breath, the old wizard reaches for the rope.
It takes a few tries, and a few more curses, but he manages to scrable up the rope to join Aurelius.
With the rope, Guillaume makes it. Barely. While holding his tunic up over his nose with one hand. Arriving on the other side, he scowls but says nothing, only shaking his head.
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Initiative
As you make your way over the palisade wall here Guillaume and Aurelius drop down to the other side without any issues...that is until the stench hits them full on...Being perched upon the palisade gate offers no protection for the infernal wizard as well.
Cart furrows and disturbing stains mar this muddy yard. Around the perimeter, murky water pools in rows of sunken tubs. Unspeakable muck encrusts each vat and half submerged skins float within. From these scabby concoctions drifts a sinus-assaulting reek—a dizzying miasma of rotten eggs, lime, and far worse. Of course now you have more pressing issues here as the guard dogs ears perk up and it rises to its feet, nose sniffing the air...
Hallidan proceeds to empty his stomach's contents onto the ground here... Fortunately the guard dog does not seem to notice you here, its attention focused elsewhere...
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Round 1 Status:
Aurelius 10/10 hp
Fellzir 10/10 hp
Guillaume 14/14 hp
Hallidan 11/11 hp
Octavonius 6/6 hp (Mage Armor)
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Cimri ?/? hp
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Current Effects:
Hallidan: Nauseated
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Eh, I smelled worse, like in this instance were Lady De Valois wanted to show off her summoning skills, completely messed up and summoned a Dretch by accident. Good thing I had a proper masterwork cold Iron Bastard sword when this happened, not this cheap but doable piece I got now.
Clutching his stomach, Hallidan can do little more than stagger toward the corner of a nearby building and hope he hasn't been seen.
The smell is foul, but Octavonius has had to deal with worse in his long life. He swallows down the building bile as his eyes lock with the rising dog. "Looks like we've been spotted. Best we do our part and keep whoever's here preoccupied while our comrades continue the mission,"the old wizard hisses to his companions as he takes out his crossbow and fires off a shot.
Even with a handkerchief, Guillaume is nauseous from the stench. How do people work here? It smells worse than the sewers of Erebus.
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The wizard's shot goes wide of the guard dog, who starts loping towards the front gate, barking up a storm! On seeing the intruderss at the front gate the dog charges right at Guillaume who has his own (stomach) problems to contend with! Unfortunately he is not able to dodge quickly enough and finds himself flat on his back with a large chunk of flesh missing!
Cimri takes the opportunity to shimmy up the wall here at the other side of the gate.
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Status Round 1:
Aurelius 10/10 hp
Fellzir 10/10 hp
Guillaume 6/14 hp
Hallidan 11/11 hp
Octavonius 6/6 hp
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Cimri ?/? hp
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Dog ?/? hp
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Current Effects:
Guillaume: Nauseated, Prone
Hallidan: Sickened (–2 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks.)
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Aurelius immidiatly unleashes a might blow on the annoying canine.
How does a dog even live in this stench? He ponders.
Fuious at being knocked prone by a dog, Guillaume pulls a small throwing axe from his belt and hacks at the dog from the ground.
Fellzir tries to look tough for Hal and fight back the churning in his stomach.
Instead, he gasps and chokes, almost falling to one knee.
"Barking" is all he can sputter out.