So... I haven't posted in just over a month and all I've missed is three to four rounds, during which two PCs have acted. I admit I find it difficult to stay engaged with such a slow posting rate, especially with a character as based on planning and prep as a wizard; whenever I go to post I have to go back and review what spells I have prepared and figure out what I was thinking/planning when I chose them.
Contentious, any chance of the pace here picking up if I jump back in? Is there some sort of secret war raging behind the scenes via PM that I'm just not engaged in?
I have been assuming that once our work here is done, the Terrapin will assign us to tasks elsewhere; presumption, Centurion, is the downfall of the otherwise intelligent person.
"A valid point, Mister Barronion; if we are tasked to continue operations in Palin's Cove once the Order of the Nail has been sufficiently dissuaded, a direct connection to the local druids could prove inconvenient, if not flat out dangerous. Perhaps if only one of us made direct contact with them, or if we anonymously provided the details of the Nails' patrols and their incoming Infernal hounds? The proposed introduction of such extraplanar creatures into the local ecosystem might prove enough to inspire them to act; surely they would realize that they are most likely the reason and the intended target for such an addition to the Nails' forces?"
Behind the Scene:
Perception:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (16) + 16 = 32 as requested; Shadwell's elven disguise is the usual DC 28 to penetrate.
Shadwell accompanies his associates on their investigation of the druids, an elven clerk dressed in traveler's clothes. As they walk, he turns their situation over in his mind.
We're spending a lot of effort to frame the druids for an attack on the Order of the Nail, and vice versa. The more deceptions we manufacture, the more we risk exposure, Centurion.
"Has anyone considered the option of legitimately convincing the druids to attack the returning patrol?"
"In that case, perhaps I should assist you, Nekare, with your venture into the wilderness. While I am certainly no outdoorsman, I can keep quiet and provide a second set of eyes. If you'll give me time to prepare myself and change into more appropriate attire, I can meet you outside the inn two hours from now."
My apologies - you are correct, Alexis; the above disclosure would be at the group's third day/meeting since our arrival in Palin's Cove, though it will be only the second meeting Shadwell has attended.
Shadwell waits as long as necessary at the Hang Nail Inn to report on his findings. Shad has performed 24 hours worth of actions since our first metting in Room 217.
"The keep's interior is mostly unused, and the Nails' security seems quite lax. At night, there is but one guard patrolling the wall, and one guarding the entrance; of course, the entrance is within view of the bazaar, which is open all day and all night.
"One of the evening guards, a man by the name of Temnar, abandons his duties for at least an hour every night to meet with his lover. Conveniently, they use the same location for their meets, and his lover is employed as a barmaid at this very inn; this makes observing and confirming that their dalliance is occurring on any given night quite simple. I have successfully infiltrated the keep disguised as Temnar, and likely can do so again with little effort.
"The door guard mentioned that they will soon be receiving a pack of hellhounds to bolster their forces, and while I could not find any direct mention of the hounds' expected arrival date, I did find a document detailing the expected arrival of two dozen goats; it may that these are intended as food for the hounds, and hence that the hounds arrival will coincide with that of the goats at the earliest. The hounds are to be housed within kennels in the north wing of the keep.
"I also found several reports on a growing black market in Palin's Cove; I believe this to be the interference which the Terrapin has sent us to stop. It would seem their investigations are still in a preliminary stage, but ready to expand quite soon if left unchecked.
"Finally, I acquired three full sets of uniforms, minus armor. Each man is issued but a single set of armor, and given its relative value, a missing suit would be noticed quite quickly. I was unable to find a duty roster or the like, but if I can do so on a subsequent trip, we will be able to steal armor from those individuals whose break in duties is greatest, thus allowing for a larger window of time before their absence is discovered. Alternatively, we could simply purchase similar suits, either here in Palin's Cove or, preferably, back in Korvosa, if time allows.
"If we wish to conduct a strike against the Nails within the keep, my suggestion would be for me to disguise myself as Temnar and have the guard open the entrance, then briefly distract him while any others entered under the effects of invisibility. An offensive could then be undertaken, with our escape made good through the use of teleportation magic.
"To maximize the effect of such a strike, we might also eliminate Temnar and dispose of his corpse in a highly discreet manner; during the strike I could then, as Temnar, claim to be a double agent for the Druids, strengthening our deception. In this instance, the door guard would serve as a useful witness, and would best be left alive.
"Given more time, I can determine likely targets within the keep, or attempt to acquire more tokens of the order's agents and documentation on the their efforts."
Shadwell returns to the lovers’ location, replacing Temnar’s badge and orders to the pile of clothes, then makes his way back to the Hang Nail Inn using his usual indirect methods. *Once there he uses a discreet location to once again adopt the elven clerk disguise.*
I will not sleep tonight; I have invested myself fully in carrying out this mission. Instead I will use the time to study what people I can in a more… penetrating... manner than I have before – the utter irrationality of most other creatures confounds me, but if I am to be forced to work in close contact with others, it is prudent to attempt to understand how they may think. Obviously, being wizards, they will bear only a passing resemblance to the ordinary folk here, but I shall start with the “basics” of this subject before attempting more advanced studies.
Innocuously blending in with the crowd in the Hang Nail’s common room, Shadwell uses detect thoughts to begin perusing the minds of the other patrons for several minutes, taking mental notes of their thought processes and reasoning methods. Once the spell has expired, he casts keep watch to keep himself awake through the remainder of the night, eavesdropping on nearby conversations, and in the morning heads to Mythaniel’s room to report on his findings from the keep.
Behind the Scene:
Just some general Stealth and Perception checks in case needed for his return to the Inn and subsequent lurking in the common room, eavesdropping and avoiding wait staff.
Stealth:1d20 + 24 ⇒ (9) + 24 = 33and:1d20 + 24 ⇒ (11) + 24 = 35, with +2 if actively being searched for, +4 if he's also in a crowd (if the common room is crowded enough.)
Perception:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34and:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (17) + 16 = 33.
The couple arrives and soon disrobes, allowing Shadwell the opportunity to remove the soldier’s badge and orders from amidst the pile of discarded clothing. Thus equipped, he slips out into the night, where he pulls an illusion of the soldier’s features over his own before opening his eyes to the unseen and walking to the keep. Approaching the single guard at the entrance to the interior, the wizard enacts a charm upon the man.
”Tell me, friend, where might I find the records room and the laundry?”
The man grins and opens the door. ”Records room? Y’know we ain’t got nothing like that – you can try the junior officers’ chambers I suppose. If you need laundry just check the barracks. Gonna be harder to keep things clean once those hellhounds get here, eh? If you step in their mess, betcha it’d eat right through your boot!”
Shadwell pauses, halfway through the door. ”Indeed…”
”Ah, I bet they’ll keep ‘em all up in those old kennels, we’ll hardly get to see ‘em anyways. Still, they’ll put a proper fright in all the right folks I reckon.”
Shadwell begins searching the keep, enchanting himself to seem even more unnoteworthy than usual. Though most of the doors he encounters are locked, the majority of the space seems decidedly unused.
This key of Temnar’s doesn’t seem to match any of these doors, Centurion; I should have prepared more knock charms. As it is, I shall just have to deduce the appropriate door to open. Seeing as how only these few here display nameplates and share a common hall, I venture the theory that they open to the junior officers’ chambers that fellow mentioned. Now to put it to the test.
Unlocking one of the named doors with his magic, Shadwell is proven correct, and begins to search through shelves and desks, sifting through reams of drill reports, performance reviews, expenditure reports and the like, taking note of a pending order of 24 goats due to arrive at the keep the same day as a patrol is due back, as well as several reports of a growing black market.
I think we’ve found the Terrapin’s troubles. This looks to be all I’ll find here without a notably more exhaustive search, and my time is limited; best make my way to the barracks to retrieve what artifacts I can as promised and leave before young Temnar returns.
Walking to the southern barracks, Shadwell gathers a set of three complete uniforms.
The armor is too valuable not to be missed – indeed, it’s absence will be noted upon the start of its owner's next shift. Perhaps tomorrow night I might acquire a duty roster, and calculate the best time to abscond with an unattended suit…
”Hey, Temnar, you thinking about doing some work tonight or what? If you get caught slouching around in here while you’re supposed to be walking the wall, it’s my ass on the line for letting you back in!”
Shadwell turns to see the door guard and nods his head. ”Of course, of course; we should both get back to our duties, friend. I’ll just be a moment longer - best you return to your station at the door, however, or else my dereliction may well be the least of your concerns.”
On his way out of the barracks, Shadwell keeps an eye out for any footlockers or such that his pilfered key might fit.
Behind the Scene:
Casting disguise self, see invisibility, charm person, aura of the unremarkable, and knock.
Disguise check of 38 (taking 10) to appear as Temnar, the smitten soldier.
Perception:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25 in the barracks for likely locks for his key.
Shadwell leaves the inn and makes his way to the market housed within the keep’s walls, mingling with the crowd there and observing the general goings-ons. Satisfied that his initial estimation of the situation was correct, after a few hours he leaves, spending the rest of the daylight hours walking about and familiarizing himself with the general layout of the town.
When the sun dips below the horizon he returns to the keep, this time in his common traveler’s garb, hair rearranged to cover his ears to make him indistinguishable from a human except under close scrutiny. Lurking within the rooms he knows the Nail soldier uses for his nightly trysts, he awaits the lovers’ arrival so that he may make use of their indiscretion to aid his planned infiltration.
Behind the Scene:
Just waiting on details from Contentious, then will post up his sojourn into the more restricted areas of the keep!
"I will find what I can at the keep; shall we arrange an informal meeting here every morning to share progress, assuming that we are not otherwise disposed?"
After the meeting, Shadwell slips away from Mythaniel's room to go about his day's business, heading to the keep to investigate the open market.
My intention for Shadwell's next course of action is currently to investigate the keep's open market portions during the day and sneak into the Nails' section of the keep at night to search for documents related to the interrogation of the Terrapin's agents and the Nails' investigations into the druids of the area. If it seems safe to do so, I'll also have him grab some spare uniforms, badges, and other paraphernalia to assist us in any deceptions against the druids.
Any thoughts or suggestions on this are welcome here or in character on the gameplay thread.
In response to Nekare's question, I'm certainly on board for this campaign, just dodgy on weekend posting. I also don't want to just spam daily gameplay posts without the action moving on; I'm not all that experienced with PbP, but don't feel comfortable just stating a day's worth of actions before the current scene is resolved.
Perhaps we can institute a stated time frame for posting in RP situations after which we assume silence means nobody has anything else to say and we're free to move forward? Or Contentious GM can insert scene breaks to move action forward as he did during the setup of the Terrapin's trials?
Based on our current info, I would agree that pushing the druids and the Order of the Nail into open conflict seems the easiest option to divert their attention elsewhere. Depending on what sort of info we get from further snooping, discrediting the Nails' entire organization in Palin's Cove may also be possible, removing their ability to effectively pursue further investigation into the Terrapin.
While Nekare's imp meditates upon it's unholy communion, Shadwell speaks.
"I was unaware that the Captain of the Nails maintains a separate residence. I personally would prefer to first make a study of what can be found within their base at the keep, as I have already scouted that location. This is not to say that someone else should not visit the Captain's residence if Nekare's inquiries indicate it would be favorable to do so, merely that my own methods are not suited to such an impromptu action. I could perform a search of the keep this evening if desired, and hope to establish a convenient and reliable method of returning undetected in the future,"
Nekare approaches Shadwell and crosses her arms. "Well, are you ready then?"
Shadwell casts see invisibility upon himself then nods, following Nekare up to the room. Once inside he remains silent at Nekare's introduction, stepping away from the other wizards to the edge of the room, where he waits, straightening his clerk's attire, until a sufficient pause seems to indicate to him that the others have said their piece. He then takes a small step forward and, avoiding eye contact, quietly speaks.
"I have discovered a reliable gap in the Order of the Nail's night patrols along the keep wall which lasts the better part of an hour. One of the soldiers sneaks away from his duties to hold nightly trysts with his lover in a building within view of the wall; if needed, I can easily use his indiscretions to infiltrate the Nails' barracks and offices to access records or acquire official symbols and uniforms. Within the keep the Order displays a laxity of both discipline and professionalism contrary to their usual reputation, perhaps due to the influence of local politics that Nekare has described.
"I agree that without more substantial information as to the nature of the Nails' interference with the Terrapin's mercantile interests here, any course of action is presumptive; we risk eliminating the proximate cause of our employer's difficulties in Palin's Cove while leaving the root cause undiscovered and active.
"The Nails' own intelligence on the Druidic forces and disposition may be accessible to us if they are housed within the keep; furthermore, as agents of the Terrapin were interrogated by the hellknights, it seems likely that a written record of their statements is housed within their offices as well.
"In any event, I would prefer to maintain myself in a reconnaissance role, whether in town or in the wilderness; I have found that with proper patience and discretion direct confrontations are avoidable, and as such, I am unskilled in their execution."
His report complete, Shadwell steps back again, eyes downcast.
Behind the Scene:
Perception:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (4) + 16 = 20 to notice anything out of the ordinary in the inn or Mythaniel's room, visible or invisible.
Shadwell trails a barmaid from the Hang Nail to an innocuous building within sight of the Keep's wall and slips in through the door right behind her. Standing in the shadows of the dimly lit interior chamber, he waits as she and her lover enjoy themselves; once their passion is spent, he casts a powerful slumber charm upon both of them, followed by a minor memory charm upon the man.
Can't be sure he didn't hear me casting before he fell asleep - best to muddle his memory, just in case. It won't do to arouse the suspicion of such an advantageously derelict member of these Hellknights.
Still sticking to the shadows, the half-elf thoroughly searches the soldier's belongings, discovering a simple badge and an assortment of coin, papers, and a key. He pockets the key, as well as most of the coin that shared it's pocket, then carefully rips a hole open along the pocket's seam. He leaves the couple to their sleep, sneaking out the door and carefully closing it behind him. He then places a single silver coin on the ground adjacent to the door, and drops another in the same place to let it bounce and roll where it will. Satisfied with his work, he lurks alongside the building and studies the wall of the keep to determine how great a gap in the patrol results from the licentious soldier's absence.
Once satisfied with his reconnaissance, he makes his way back to the Inn by a circuitous route, taking care to stick to the shadows and not get lost. Back at the Hang Nail, he once again becomes the elven clerk and rents himself the most modestly priced room with a fireplace they have to offer. After securing the room he settles himself in, building a small fire to do away with the chill he'd been feeling ever since arriving in Palin's Cove, and then turns in, the night's endeavors having dispelled the effects of his keep watch charm.
Assuming his rest is uninterrupted, Shadwell prepares his spells the next day then waits in the common room to keep an eye out for any of the Acadamae wizards or the small dragon; he will greet the first one he sees.
Behind the Scene:
Perception:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (18) + 16 = 34 if needed; burglary handled via PM.
Shadwell's attempts to find his wizardly colleagues proves unsuccessful; however, his skulking does produce some unexpected results.
I should verify this for myself, Centurion; it would be imprudent to bring it before the others without doing so, and I am still well within my requested window of time for reconnaissance. Also, I can't seem to find any of them, and dare not use means too intrusive lest I trigger any defenses they have set.
His mind made up, Shadwell quickly makes his way to the lavatory, where he once again changes his mein and clothing, this time to that of a common human traveler. He then stakes out the servants' exit of the Inn to tail his mark to her proclaimed rendezvous.
Behind the Scene:
Disguise take 10 for 28 check; and some relevant skill checks if needed: Stealth:1d20 + 24 ⇒ (14) + 24 = 38, Perception:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (9) + 16 = 25.
Upon his arrival in Palin’s Cove, Shadwell makes his way to the Keep, blending in to the daytime crowds as he examines the building’s exterior defenses. He spends most of the day examining the traffic in and out of the single obvious entrance, pleased to see the arrogance and laxity of the guards employed by the Order of the Nail.
Inside the main wall should be no problem. Into the Nails’ barracks promises to be no more difficult.
His eyes lingered on the high wall’s window slits and bristling weaponry.
Out again… well, we’ll have to cross that bridge when we come to it, Centurion.
As the sun dips below the horizon, Shadwell finds a lonesome alley in which to switch his appearance, once again becoming the elven clerk. He then makes his way to the Hang Nail Inn, mixing in with the crowd, acquiring someone else’s drink to evade the concern of the staff, and settles in to keep a lookout for fellow agents of the Terrapin Order.
Perhaps this calls for a more proactive approach.
Getting up, Shadwell makes his way deeper into the Inn in search of evidence of his "allies."
Behind the Scene:
Takes 10 for a 28 Disguise check on elven clerk appearance; Stealth check:1d20 + 24 ⇒ (7) + 24 = 31 to creep about the Inn while investigating; Perception check:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (14) + 16 = 30 keeping an eye out for any sign of the other Terrapin Order wizards. Casts keep watch on himself to stay up all night. Sorry, I don’t mean to be difficult in regards to the message spell, but not allowing himself to be targeted, by spells or otherwise, is fairly integral to Shadwell’s modus operandi.
Joining up with a caravan passing through Palin’s Cove, Shadwell keeps to himself, assisting with mundane caravan duties as needed to help pay his way, and keeping his ears open for any talk of the road.
It seems this Order of the Nail is aptly named – hard, sharp, and utilitarian. Despite the evoker’s bravado, a direct assault would be fruitless; even if we were to wipe them out to a man, that would only inspire an equally drastic investigation and retaliation by their organization. No, we must turn their attentions elsewhere and leave no doubt that the Terrapin Order is nothing of concern. The region’s druids may in fact be the likeliest option. We shall see what we find when we arrive, Centurion.
Alright, Shadwell, you've been practicing in the mirror all month. You can do this.
He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, then opens them again and fixes the map with a hard stare. Raising his voice to an uncomfortably audible level, he speaks.
"I support traveling separately - for the sake of discretion, of course. I would prefer at least one day after arrival to conduct my own reconnaissance before reconvening; while I'm sure you are all quite competent, I myself am... unaccustomed.. to working with a group. Perhaps one week from today would allow for sufficient time, all things considered?
"I have only a passing familiarity with the town in question. Perhaps, Sirith, you could recommend a locale for our meeting where individuals of our demeanor would not be overly remarked upon, and yet is not regularly patronized by the Order?"
Wearing a slightly pained expression, Shadwell's eyes never leave the map as he awaits any responses.
Apologies, but I won't be able to post in gameplay until tomorrow due to time constraints, so Shadwell will remain quiet 'til then. How uncharacteristic of him!
Thankful he didn’t need to talk to any of the other wizards, Shadwell returns to the Empty Shell and hides in plain sight, substituting the anonymity of the crowd for remaining unseen. Waiting until all the other wizards have left, he makes his way back home along a circuitous route full random stops and dark alleys. He lets slip a quiet sigh of relief after he pulls the closet door shut behind him and steps into his room.
Well, Centurion, it appears we weren’t followed, recognized, or possibly even seen by anyone. Now we can relax and take our time with –
The missive, penned on Acadamae stationary, sat plainly visible on top of the books piled on the small endtable which was his excuse for a desk. He does a quick visual check of his room for any sign of intrusion or intruder, finding nothing, then casts detect magic to check the paper for any signs of abjurative magics. Satisfied that the paper is “clean,” he stands over it and cocks his head to the side to read it.
Hmm. It seems they’ve got my number.
Shadwell carefully removes his disguise, hanging the garments on an overwhelmed rack of clothes and dressing himself in student’s robes before untacking one end of his cot, stretching it across the room and affixing it to the nail there. As he fishes the Terrapin’s book out of the discarded coat’s pocket Centurion emerges as well, taking a spiraling crawl up Shadwell’s arm and finding an interior robe pocket to curl up in.
Summoning a magical light and settling into the cot, Shadwell flips open the book and begins to read.
***
Over the course of the month Shadwell splits his time between reading the Terrapin Order tome, improving the utility of his magical cloak, and attempting to acquire some new spells for his spellbook. He also puts his room in order, returning as best he can all the non-essential books he’s “borrowed” over the years, from commonplace primers to personal journals – most of the latter variety ending up placed on library shelves containing the closest related subject matter.
Finally, at the close of the month, the half-elf packs up his crafting tools, spellbook, and a few extra sets of clothing, along with a loaf of bread and skin of water, and places them all into a newly acquired backpack. Checking his disguise in the cracked mirror one last time, he straightens his collar and is satisfied by the elven clerk looking back at him. Making sure he has his Empty Shell keys and Terrapin book in his coat pockets, Shadwell steps out of his room, draws closed the curtain separating it from the closet proper, and heads to the Empty Shell.
Once invited into the back room, he listens to Sirith's instructions, his mouth crimping in a slight frown as he leans forward slightly to inspect the map.
Perhaps the elven clerk wasn't the best way to go...
Behind the Scene:
Shadwell disguises and clothes himself as a male elven clerk, taking 10 for a Disguise check of 28. Knowledge Local:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (2) + 15 = 17; what does he know about Palin's Cove?
@Mysterious/Alexis/Nixx - No worries on reading any spoilers. I generally trust people to keep personal knowledge and character knowledge separate, and so don't consider much "secret"; especially with Shadwell, since otherwise many just wouldn't be able to read my posts!
That said, since this campaign is based around a bunch of power hungry wizards of unquestionably a/immoral fiber, if I feel that something is especially important enough to keep totally secret from the other players, I'll just PM the DM about it.
Hello everyone - I'm glad to be on board, at least until Shadwell suffers a horrific and hopefully exotic demise! I've managed to finich the background section on Shadwell's profile, though it is of an unfortunate length. In gameplay posts in other games I've been putting all my mechanical and ooc stuff behind a spoiler like this:
Behind the Scene:
Standard: casts some spell on himself; Move: Sneaks:1d20 ⇒ 11 around like a creepy get; What's this and that blah, blah, blah.
As of yet I've received basically 0 feedback on it from other players, so I keep doing it. If anyone would prefer that I put the relevant die rolls and whatnot along with the main text of my posts, feel free to pipe up and I will happily do so! If anyone gets tired of Shadwell sneaking around all the time while thinking up large quantities of expository internal monologue, feel free to cast glitterdust and feeblemind on him!
Shadwell begins to peek around the pillars flanking him to see which other wizard made it through after him when Nekare strides forward to take a book, asking questions of the elven woman Sirith.
Nekare, Alvaerele, Barronion, and Xar... An unapologetic eater of sentients, one egomaniacal elf, another so evil it shows in his shadow, and finally, a bibliophile of the deranged. It seems likely we'll be expected to work together, given our common association and recruitment. Most did not suffer through apprenticeship at the Acadamae, except perhaps Nekare, but instead were apparently drawn by it's reputation.
Not exactly boon companions, my dear Centurion, but I've learned all I can lurking about classrooms and peeking through others' tomes at night. At least none of them were around for my official attendance of the school.
As the others begin to converse with Sirith and peruse copies of the Terrapin's "holy" text, Shadwell sidles out around them all to come around the far side of the table, moving slowly to both quiet his steps and take in the strange view off the balcony. Once there, he attempts to surreptitiously acquire one of the books and stow it in his overcoat pocket.
Listen to them, wanting all the particulars laid out before they commit. Of course, when you’re not a beggar, you can be a chooser, I suppose.
Behind the Scene:
Move: Stealth:1d20 + 44 ⇒ (6) + 44 = 50 or 20 for those able to see invisibility; Standard: Sleight of Hand:1d20 + 12 ⇒ (11) + 12 = 23 to slip a book from the pile unnoticed; Swift/Free: none.
Can Shadwell even see Nixx?Perception:1d20 + 16 ⇒ (20) + 16 = 36.
Decades of slipping past disturbed wizards have conditioned Shadwell to ignore his qualms about the consequences if caught, allowing him to easily overcome the prickles of fear and panic aroused by the devils and continue on through the door.
One less door but no less wizards? It's now or never!
Shadwell softly chants an invisibility spell and fades from the sight of anyone who was actually stull paying attention to him. Steeling his nerve, he quickly sneaks his way towards the doorway behind the fiends, walking right past them; but first he lets a key drop on the edge of the stage as he starts what may be his last steps.
Some extra distraction couldn't hurt. Unlike those stingers...
Stealth:1d20 + 44 ⇒ (13) + 44 = 57or 27 for those with see invisibility active. For anyone aware of Shadwell, attacking him requires a Will save DC 18; if failed the action is wasted.
Shadwell's eyebrows rise as he recognizes the devils. Well, at least the promise of power seems real enough. There's one door too few, though; things could get very... competitive. He intones the enchantment of miserable pity upon himself in preparation. His standard action in the first round.
Slipping from his usher's grasp during Nekare's theatrics, Shadwell melts into the audience. Stealth:1d20 + 18 ⇒ (14) + 18 = 32 using Hellcat Stealth and counting the audience as a'crowd', then activating Face in the Crowd ability to remain unnoticed by those near him.
Initiative:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9
Seeing his options for doors dwindling, the half-elf makes his way down through the audience to the stage, eyeing the fiends as he prepares to cast a spell. Stealth:1d20 + 13 ⇒ (12) + 13 = 25 while moving (as above, -5 with movement penalty) and Knowledge: Planes:1d20 + 9 ⇒ (13) + 9 = 22 for the fiends.
EDIT: Holding off on casting a spell until I know what I know about the fiends; time is obiously of the essence, and I don't wish to waste a standard action.
As he sees no alternative but to interact with the staff of the Empty Shell, Shadwell silently thanks the powers that he had the sense to return home and put on an appropriate disguise before entering. He’ll just take 10 on his check, resulting in a 25.
Appearing as a common male human laborer, he mumbles his thanks as he is led through the tavern to a locked door. The young man of dubious ability takes Shadwell's key and unlocks the door for him, waving him through. As he passes the wizard stumbles, momentarily grabbing the man for support before righting himself and continuing onwards with a word of thanks.
Upon entering the huge chamber his eyebrows raise in surprise as he looks around. This place is big. Too big. He nods to the usher as he's led to an aisle seat, scanning the crowd as he listens to the unusual proselytizer. Far too many people as well; not all of them could have entered through the Empty Shell without arousing suspicion from the constabulary patrons. At least, not the Empty Shell in Korvosa. I felt no disorientation, but we've probably been teleported. That is... unfortunate. With a crowd this size, though, it will at least be easy to blend - is that Professor Graavf??
Unable to help himself, Shadwell stares for a moment at the ghoulish Professor before looking away, only to realize that several other attendees in his immediate vicinity are from the Acadamae as well.
Drat! Has one of these "colleagues" invited me? Have all of them? I can't imagine that I've slipped up that badly! Shadwell unconsciously prods at a smear of dirt on his neck, making sure his disguise is still intact. Or are they here by invitation as well?
His ears prick up as the turtle begins rousing the crowd for some "special guests," and his fears are immediately confirmed as an usher takes his arm and impels him to stand.
Oh no.
He follows along with the man, mind racing.
If I do anything now, I'll just draw even more attention to myself. What does this babbling reptile want me to do? Pull flowers from my sleeve for these people's amusement? If only I had some sort of distraction...
He heard the various other Acadamae wizards grumbling at ushers and whispering out spells behind him as they were led down the aisle, but suddenly a bit of a commotion broke out as one of them attempted to charm their attendant. It would certainly be a relief if these men were actually men! Glancing backwards, he weighed whether the scene afforded him the opportunity he so desperately sought...
Shadwell walks to the end of the dim corridor, giving a quick glance over his shoulder to make sure he’s alone before opening the decrepit door with its faded sign reading “Cleaning Supplies Closet." Stepping gingerly past the assorted brooms, buckets, and other janitorial accoutrements that were carefully arrayed to impede both entrance and curiosity, he makes it to the back wall – an illusion which he pushes through effortlessly to enter his chambers.
The dim magical light he summons clearly illuminates the cramped space to his elven eyes; the low ceiling, the endtable piled high with pilfered books and parchments, the bench used as a workstation for his crafting experiments, the cot tacked to the wall above it, the dove curiously looking at him from beside his latest work in progress, the cracked mirror he used to check his disguises, and last but not least the –
Stopping in his tracks, Shadwell stares with an almost panicked intensity into the eyes of the dove; in response, the bird cocks its head and absent-mindedly gives its left wing a flutter. Seeing the ribbon and scroll around its neck, he silently curses himself before intoning an almost sing-song incantation which blankets the bird's mind in slumber. Putting his armful of books on the floor in front of the entrance, Shadwell silently steps up to the dove and studies the ribbon in detail with the aid of a detect magic cantrip; once sure it is free of harmful magic, he carefully unties it with a summoned mage hand. Unrolling the affixed scroll with gloved hands, the magic mouth delivers its message.
I’ve been noticed.
The wizard stood dumbfounded for several moments as the realization sunk in. Before long, however, the wheels of his mind began to click and whir, and he contemplated his situation.
Not just noticed, but noted. And studied.
Crouching down to get a better view, the wizard inspected the bird, even going so far as to gently roll it over and check under the wings – through use of a summoned mage hand, of course. If someone of a less than forgiving nature had discovered that he’d been lurking about stealing tomes and lessons for the past several decades, it was not entirely inconceivable that they might seek to do him harm, or worse, seek reimbursement!
Satisfied that the key alluded to was, in fact, physically contained within the diminutive avian, he stood up and rubbed his smooth chin in thought.
A test, then; but to prove what? That I can kill a bird on someone else’s whim? I should ignore this, save to move my residence to some other wing – perhaps the basement of the Aeromancy School?
A slight frown bends Shadwell’s lips, and sensing his mood, a long, dull grey centipede slinks from inside his coat pocket up to his neck, where it protectively wraps itself twice over.
It is true, however, that my studies have hit a bit of a wall these past few years. The books and lessons I need are behind magics too powerful or too observed to risk bypassing. If something does not change, I shall be stuck here for centuries. Even so, the provenance of this offer is still in question; best not to leave any traces that can be exploited.
His mind made up, Shadwell sets to the task of recovering the key. After fishing about his collection of knick-knacks used to practice enchanting, he finds a suitably small replacement key, and with a few gentle shakes with his mage hand awakens the bird, after which he dismisses the telekinetic extremity. Using a regrettably powerful enchantment to charm the simple creature, he then ensorcells it so that it may understand the elven speech, and proceeds to explain why it would be such a great assistance if it wouldn’t mind inconveniencing itself by regurgitating what must be a most uncomfortable meal. Once complete, he then explains why it would be equally useful if it could swallow a quite different and undoubtedly more suitably edible key, after which he finally intones another slumberous spell upon the thoroughly bewitched bird, this time a instilling in it a powerful, and amnesiac, sleep.
Briefly checking the key itself for any enchantment, Shadwell then quickly rolls the tiny scroll back up and reties it to the dove with the ribbon, making sure to imitate the original knot as exactly as possible. Then, depositing the key in an inner pocket and wrapping the bird in a piece of cloth, he refreshes the illusory wall to his abode and exits, passing unnoticed through the halls and out into the city.
I’ll leave the bird near the campus before it awakes, none the wiser to what has transpired. Stroking a finger lightly down his familiar’s back, he sets off on his task.
To the Empty Shell, to see what sort of game I’ve been invited to play. One thing’s for sure, my dear Centurion; in a shell game of wizards, there’s far worse fates than coming away empty-handed!
For your consideration, if I'm not too late - Shadwell Wallbloom the Overlooked. Will have background and math completed in an hour or two, key retrieval will be up shortly.
