Crimson Sands of Time

Hw also gives you this map, but Chadderlay could have already drawn this for you.  (He also knew at least some of the stuff the theif said, so some redundancy there.  Rather than try to parse it, I just gave you everything.) 

<PCs: Go! ▶️>

"I bid ye, Tymora's blessings.  Youll need 'em.  And don't go forgettin' what it is we're after: dirt on the cap'n o' guards so we can get back to business as usual, unmolested.  Fail ... and there'll be a score to settle." The thejf rejoins, "Now, off with ye!"

<its really up to you guys to write tje next piece.  You e got the night snd all of tomorrow wirh the object set to depart the cott the followong moringing at first light bu magicsl means, so do whatever yiure going to do then.  Also, still need to do the Cloaks bit. I forgkt about that.  As its a bor conversation, it will he short.  I dont want to be a dmPC>

Chadderlay discusses recent events (as all the players and PCs besides Tetrevess know by now) in a small private room on the first floor of the tower, reserved for arcane study.  The rare and potent books in the brotherhood collection csn be accessed, but a limited number have access to the collection and most csn only withdraw certain volumes and generally upon request.  This is a reading room and as such not strictly private, rough few others currently occupy the space. (This is not the same ad the arcane library, a separate building with magicsk, but for less rare and potent literature - don't blame me.  Wizards just love books)

Just prior to the conclusion of their discourse, one of the 'brothers' leaves the reading room.  After Chadderlay and Tetrevess part ways, thr Red Wizard is met by a familiar face.  The Gith Cloak from the warehouse stands befire him, spellbook in hand.  "I knew you weren't like the others when I saw you banding about with those adventures.  You're new to the city.  I haven't seen you around before now, not rhst I spend much time leering into the embassy, but I notice you at the library often of late, appearing all.at once and now about with adventurers.  If I'm wrong, I have seen my last morning, but I know I am right about this.  You have a hunch the Ambassador is doing something more than what he purports to be, don't you?  Looking not for a means to close the rugts that Rio through our city, but rather experimenting on them.  It's true, isn't it?  If we had proff of it, the Cl9aks and the Blades could dispel the Thayans feom out city and we could find the means to close these planar rifts.  If you will bring us such evidence, we could surely look the other way of any arcane magic you and your friends might implement in the course of such an infiltration.  Naturally once we have what we need, this free passage is rescinded, but that's a matter for later.  Now, tell me: will I die before sunrise, or will you be the savior of Mulmaster and help us purge the occupation of our city?" the Gith Cloak begs of Chadderlay.

(Lots of info to digest, will post soon)

<yeah, in theory you would have been intended to watch the embassy yourselves for a day to gather that info, and the best thing the thief could do was get you a disguise or a spot to watch from.  I'm also mixing a bit as the thieves guild as written would just want to know about traps and security features inside the building so actually pretty vague and pointelss objective.  Double checked and the actual title of the personage he wants blackmail material on is "Commandant of Thayan Knights, Mulmaster Detail">

<@Brian_Avery> I did hear from Tetrevess thst they would like to RP thsr conversation, and since I just skipped over it, we csn go back snd do it if desired.

Key points (monk's ears perk up):

1. You have many things to find in the embassy:

For the Harpers, Thayan Revolution, and Giant's Court Alliance: the notes and the weapon. 

For the theive's guild: dirt on the Thayan Knights' commandant.

For the Cloaks: proof of experimentation of the planar rifts in the city with intent to weaponize, rarher than seal them.

Now: the artifact leaves tomorrow.  Yiu have a map of the first floor and a detailed list of security information.  The rest of today you can either try to find Morwena at the tailor, see who knows more about the inside of the embassy, or think of something crazy to try - like just barging in and fighting a bunch of Thayan Knights and Red Wizards, or preparing to enter by some unorthodox route they might not be prepared for.

What do you guys want to do? The clock is ticking (in game, I don't track to IRL time passing, like Gygax did (icymi: July 27 is GG Day)

(Aside: some of you remember Ana from Oerth.  Her player has expressed an interest in joining the campaign and i eill woek to incorporate the new PC in the coming days, so you might be a force of one number greater rhan lresently accounted, in case this affects your planning. )

"Friends, I have several ideas, you will be the judges of their various merits," says Angus.

"First Idea: we could try to either waylay some of the servants who leave the embassy on errands, or follow them to their homes after work and take their cloaks and badges and attempt to gain entry impersonating the staff

"Second: we could ambush one of the supply wagons, and substitute ourselves as the delivery crew

"Thirdly some one of us could start a distraction among the throng of petitioners, a quarrel or brawl, that could cause the guards to not focus on the other gates

"Fourth, Chadderlay or some one of us that understands the magic of invisibility might enter and cause a distraction within the walls, such as opening the livestock pens, or causing the canopy over the courtyard to collapse on those below.

"Do any of these sound plausible?"

<If it's not too overwhelming: I'm working on adding some magic rules to the game.  Most of these are spells from older editions.   I bring this up now in case anyone wants to use the in-game time to talk to someone who might know them.  This city is at once cosmoplitan, culturally,  if xenophobic,  racially, (that has to be too many commas!).  Most people here are human, but they come from all over Faerûn,  and while magic is not allowed here, maybe that's the perfect place for someone to hide from a more powerful wizard they've drawn the ire of.  I'll be crafting a document and posting it in the game page this week, with additions trickling in thereafter.   Don't fret that you'll miss out, there will bw downtime after the heist, if you succeed, where you can stay in or around the city if you want to,  so don't worry about missing anything.  That all applies to the other thing as well:  Magic Items. 

This city has them in 4 ways:

1. 'Specialty' (pawn) shops where rhey are not identified as such yet 

2. The Cloaks

3. New mechanic: 'pseudo magical' objects - more on that later. For now, think of apothecaries, chemists or items crafted of such high quality thst they behave magicslly for DR/resistance but not for destruction of nonmagical items, for that they are considered nonmagical, or (separately) the "technology sufficiently advanced.. indistinguishable from magic" concept.

4. (Edit: added) Blood magic, Divine magic and Psionics, but I'm not really sure how that last one applies; you tell me!

If anyone has homebrew or 3rd party content, show me and I'm happy to consider it.  Especially spells!>

Cryptic Gravity

Gravity attempts to examine the shield that she had claimed from a local street vendor. Her intention is to determine the type of material used for it's construction, also the general outline of the design.

Investigation [Smith's Tools] 17

She will collect some flammable materials and cast Prestidigitation to start a small campfire in front of the building. "Sir Paladin, I'd rather wait for Chadderlay as well as Tet Wizard to arrive before deciding a course of action."

"Anyway, you need to doff your armor and shield, then let me modify these items. That will cost you a hundred and fifty gold pieces."

Angus looks dubious.  "Modify them how?  Also, be careful casting those spells, that's what got us in trouble before."

Gravity examines the kite shield closely and determines that it is of a superioir quality, though the design embossed into it is rather garish: a wyvern, its head severed by a greatsword, with its tail trailing all the way to the shield's souther point, ending with a protruding stinger, complete with a small hollow reservoir and a sharp tip.

<The shield grants an extra +1 AC, (so +3 total when donned, assuming the wearer is proficient with shields) but is not considered magical at all.  It does have the ability to hold 1 dose of poison (or any other liquid, really) in the tip for any amount of time, unless the liquid itself is unstable (milk in there is going to go bad - its not magic).  The base damage of the shield used as a weapon is 1d6+2 piercing and proficiency bonus can be applied if the person making the attack has proficiency with shields and a piercing melee weapon or the piercer feat or some other very convincing reason it would apply the bonus>

<Map of Faerûn blue line shows where you (I guess just Angus) came from (Highstar Lake, High Moor) where you are now (Mulmaster, via portal, dashed segment) and where we know we (eventually) want to go: Thay (also where Chadderlay came from).  As you can see, the most direct route is by sea.  I am curious and wish to gauge the party's interest in a naval segment.>

<Since I never really concluded it, and it doesn't really effect any current PCs, I'll mention that Tauzen was transported 100 years in the past by a time elemental to the Anauroch desert just below the dashed line on the wester side of the desert.  Metakniwledge woukd imply thst any magic items he had are still there unless he escaped and lived a rich and full life elsewhere.  I guess we'll never know.>

Did Gravity see the embossed markings somewhere else in Mulmaster? 

Intelligence: 19

"I had been working as an apprentice in multiple alchemical laboratories in Oerth. The skill and knowledge I managed to acquire helped me to be an expert artificer." Gravity provides Angus with a brief explanation regarding her work experience.

"As a battlesmith, I know how to forge weapons and armor because of my proficiency with smith's tools and tinker's tools. Modifying your items should be a piece of cake."

Quote from InkedBee >>

Did Gravity see the embossed markings somewhere else in Mulmaster? 

Intelligence: 15

"I had been working as an apprentice in multiple alchemical laboratories in Oerth. The skill and knowledge I managed to acquire helped me to be an expert artificer." Gravity provides Angus with a brief explanation regarding her work experience.

"As a battlesmith, I know how to forge weapons and armor because of my proficiency with smith's tools and tinker's tools. Modifying your items should be a piece of cake."

 Its not the Zhent symbol, but it is perhaps derivative.  The shape of the shield emulated the oldest Zhentsrim symbol, while the detail kf the Wyvern is reminiscent of the Fzoul era, but like the modern symbol, the wyvern's winged silhouette is clear.

3

Tetrevess is available (not sure, really, about Tesservett)

<You don't have to decide immediately what your plan is ro enter the monastery.  You've got another day and some change.  Morwean mentioned you could context her via the tailor.  There are other things rhst specifically could be Ave ued of interest thst have not been explores.  Not that you have to, hit of you think about what you k ow of the embassy.. what else is around it, what it was before the Thayans moved in,  it might bear fruit.>

(Oh, I thought the artifact was being moved tomorrow)

(@rob88scps2, Is Angus allowing Gravity to modify his armor and shield based on local fashion?)