Crimson Sands of Time

"I'm with the new guy in finding somewhere to stay before we plan our escape or something like that. I can't believe my brother had to set off a trap without even thinking twice. And... I honestly don't know which way this is gonna go..." Ethan pessimitically mutters as he folds his arms in disgust. "This wasn't even our intention in the first place yet it still happened. Unless..." He stares at Gafna suspiciously. "...unless if you're up to something...?"

"My business is no longer your concern. Had yiu shown a bit more discretion, I woukd have been eager to have such a formidable force in my employ. You came to me highly recommended. A pity things didnt wkrk out."

Speaking to her private guards, she continues ..'see them out"

Before leaving Gafna's office, you notice the three barrels that were there previously are no longer present. The faint smell of sulfur hangs in the air.

You try your best to blend in as you make your way through  Daerath market, seeing magical and mundane items for sale (mostly minor trinkets, household helpers and amusing baubles). The mundane goods are quite exotic, Thayan enclaves are trading all across Faerun and beyond, exporting magical items and importing valuable trade goods from the rest of the continent. Many of those are sold here. The capital is a symbol of Thay, true to its character, a mix of opulent decadence and a bustling rat race of underclass, many aspiring merchants and the indentured soldiers that make up the rank and file of Thay's military forces. 

As the day wears on, you find yourself before a lavish temple known as The Dark House of Tyranny, which is the city’s biggest and most important temple of Bane. Its main front entrance opens onto the street known as The Way of Arduskan. Feom the gossip of thr folks on the steet, crowding the plaze far more than it typically would be, a wedding is planned to begin at noon with all of the guests and dignitaries arriving in the minutes before.  The groom is none other than Aragos Toslav, the Chancellor from Pyarados serving here in Eltabbar. As this is one of the bigger social events of the year in Eltabbar, everyone who is anyone is expected to turn up for it.  The area where guests are expected to arrive is cordoned off and a few soldiers are stationed strategically to prevent the crowd from swarking the nobles as they arrive for the wedding.

(You may well have heard murmurs of this event while at Pheldanther’s gambling club)

An old woman in the crowd inadvertently bumps into Tesservett, scolding him for 'not watching where he's going" before pressing on and vanishing into the thick crowd.

Through the crowd, maybe 80ft away, you lock eyes with a familiar face. Jigor Raxia is heavily disguised, but you can see through the facede, plainly. His face runs through multiple microexpressions as he recognizes you in the crowd. Excitement, first, then with a realization, horror, finally settling into determination as he approaches you, forcing his way through the crowd.  The bruised and beaten man sounds desperate "You! You can't be here.  You come out clean away from that patch o' the nine and now you're here, right now.  It cant be a coincidence.  Did she put you up to this?" Jigor, catching himself, looks around nervously, trying not to look like he's checking if he's been overheard or recognized by anyone else.

"Wait... so you actually survived? You escaped?! How?! I thought I- Oh my goodness... I'm so sorry for what happened earlier..." Randy whispers upon catching a glimpse of Jigor's face but trying not to draw attention before turning to Tetrevess and Trisk. "Guys... I haven't been paying attention these days after the unnecessary chaos. Can you like... fill me in on this?"

<Timedrift. Irl: it's been like 3 weeks, but in game, this guy died twice last night. Somehow you got him back to life before maybe after, you got back to Gafna's. It's the next day in game. So, if he's here on a crowded street right now, something is up. Or maybe it took you an extra day to get back to Gafna’s, sneaking through the sewers and back alleys, finding someone somehow to bring Jigor back from death. Or maybe he just survived the poison, somehow. Who knows. Intentionally ambiguous. But you wouldn't be surprised that he's alive, and he certainly seems grateful for the salvation, just unhappy to meet you in these exact circumstances for some reason.>

<a brief recap- gafna sent you to make sure captured Rigor doesn't talk, subterfuge succeeds, things get messy, violence breaks out, you all escape successfully but Gafnas not happy about how it went and you're fired, out on the streets. You know Szazz Tam is behind the weakening barrier between this world and the Far Realm. The rogue red wizard Morwena Veilmist (a relation of an ally (former PC on pause) and former antagonist turned ally) was part of D'arlon Ma's rebellion of red wizards in exile before following an illusion wizard from another realm (Ravnica, if you care) and recently gained membership within the arcane Brotherhood (a loose collection of independent dent mages with different goals, in a cabal designed to keep them from lolling one another and little else). All that NPC backstory might matter because she's the one what brought you to Thay and announced mysteriously that the time is nigh to do what must be done: kill Szazz Tam; this before leaving you in Surthay without much clue what to do or where to go. But, one NPC points to another, to another to the next and before you know it, here you are, right where it seems you were destined to be>

... 

Your confusion is contagious as a puzzled look appears on Jigor's face, his furrow brow smoothing gradually as he realizes yiu have no idea what he's talking about.

"You don't know.  She didn't tell you.  We have to act quickly. There isn't much time." Jigirs words sound panicked as he desperately scans the crowd, searching for someone ir something that might mean life or death.

Suddenly his eyes widen as he spies an innocently parked hay wagon.  "There," he says softly, nodding subtly towards the wagon. "That's the bomb" he whispers.

"Careful," he cautions, Gafnas people are all over the place. I've counted seven."

<this is the game, guys. I'm just adding more every few hours because I'm not getting much feedback. Trying to feed more but it's intended as a conversation. You went out of your way to save this guy and he's grateful. You could have found our Gafna's plan to set off a bomb before this minute, but as it is, you're learning of it right now.  So, what do you do?>

If you want to make a perception check, tell me what you're looking for. Moreover, are you planning in sroppo g the bomb or just getting clear of the blast? 

Bump

Is the wagon with the bomb right outside the Dark House of Tyranny?

(ooc: I suggest we get far away from the blast zone.)

Yes. It's a huge building, the waging is not far from the entrance. Jigor can point out the operatives he sees in tbe crowd.

Tetrevess notices something tingling in a pocket of his robe.  Reaching in he finds a scroll.  As he thinks back, he recalls the woman who bumped into him earlier as you (pluarl) made your way through Daerath Market. Putting it together, he concludes it was a reverse pickpocket. He studies the scroll, obviously magic from tbe materials and arcane inscription, it seems to be a teleport spell of some kind, primed to move to a predetermined location. (You can use it, it works on everyone. You also can just teleport, but weve been over why that might not progress your goals. No arcana check required, but maybe an extraordinary investigation could reveal something (I don't want to delay this to find out, so read the spoiler if you roll over an 18). 

<optional: DC18 invesrigation w/ DA from the time constraint and stress of a crowded street about to literally explode, but canceled by a probable help from an ally, so just a regular roll. Or just use it and see.>

5

<Updated:  spoiler>

(hi all sorry been afk.  Need to catch up but will be back to posting) 

(I'm assuming everyone still looks Thayan, otherwise, let me know)

Ethan's Investigation: 6

"I don't... see anything particular about this. Maybe leave it for now in case we need to use it for later. Unless if anyone else knows more..." Ethan whispers to the rest as he keeps his eyes peeled for any sign of trouble heading in their direction.

Perception: 8

I want you to know the stakes here. There's a revolt underway, there seems to be some disagreement within the movement and Thay will be very different if this bomb goes off. The machinations of Szazz Tam extend far beyond the affairs of Thayan politics, but there will be consequences.  

The guests have been arriving continuously and the wedding is about to start. Several high ranking nobility stand on and near the stairs and promenade before the huge temple doors, awaiting the arrival of Aumaund Halarkoun - waiting to be seen in his company and be remembered for their role in this momentous event.

The agent Jigor points out, standing by the cart, is watching the procession of arrivals, an opulent carriage for which the crowd parts, escorted by a mounted thayan knights on horseback.

The lead end of the wick dangles out of the back of the cart looking like nothing more than a stray piece of cord. The agent beside it subtly removes a flint striker from his pocket and lights the fuse nonchalantly. The arrival ofbthe carriage carrying the groom causes an uproar among the crowd. None notice the glowing ember crawling its way along that short length of cord.

Players are up. The bomb will explode soon, at a predetermined time. We are now in initiative. Players are all up. 

The crowd creates an effect on movement identical to the plant growth spell.

Do you try ro prevent the attack or just save yourselves? 

<@Tesservett kind of has the spotlight, literally holding a plot device in their hands at the moment. It's not intended as a big secret: it takes you to the next area of interest. The real question for everyone is whether you will want to try and stop the bomb.  On one hand you might actually not have a problem with it, that's really up to you. Maybe it's not your problem, as you see it,  or maybe not worth the risk,  or you just don't think you can stop it in time.

(You have time. The fuse actually takes # 

rounds to detonate the device)

<bump>

<anyone?>

Sam will be hiding himself in the crowd using disguise self and try to act like the crowd 

performance 21

"Wait, did you guys see that?" Ethan points out as he notices the guard lighting a fuse. "Crap... there's a bomb?! Where is it?! We need to diffuse it without anyone noticing! Either that or we distract the crowd and make them go somwhere else whilst this is happening! I'm not risking anymore casualties! Randy! As soon as we fins the bomb, get ready! You're obviously an expert at this!"

Stealth: 5

Perception for the bomb: 18

As soon as either brother spots the bomb, one will sneak over there to diffuse it whilst the other will do his best to create a decoy amongst the crowd; Whoever gets the lowest stealth roll will focus on the latter so that the other one can prevent the explosion from happening

(Sorry for the delay. Holiday schedule is so messed up; My friend is also having this issue)