"Sounds like our best course may be for me to return tonight...  Slip back into the room, slip back into the tunnel and then at least see where it goes.  Hopefully it's not a lot of branching and such.  If I spot the lizards again I will hide and hope to trail them unseen.  Mind you, I'm not liking this plan," Zeds admits.  "Sounds a good way to get myself dead.  But I think one of us sneaking through the tunnel is a lot more likely to be successful than all of us."

     So, if no other plan, Zeds will do just that - Attempt to slip back into the room, then into the tunnel, and head for where he saw the lizardpeople, stealthing the whole way.  If he finds more people he will try to stick to shadows and trail them to the end.  If not, preferably, he stalks through empty tunnel to find the end of it and see if it leads to a camp, a trail, a bigger something or what.

You want Stealth Rolls aplenty or?

Yes, please roll stealth a plenty.

Quote from Kaemgen >>

if no other plan, Zeds will do just that - Attempt to slip back into the room, then into the tunnel, and head for where he saw the lizardpeople, stealthing the whole way.  If he finds more people he will try to stick to shadows and trail them to the end.  If not, preferably, he stalks through empty tunnel to find the end of it and see if it leads to a camp, a trail, a bigger something or what.

Ixsas had thought that they would all follow Zeds into the tunnel.  Zeds is correct that the party can't really move quietly, but if the lizardfolk are moving boxes, the party doesn't have to be that quiet.  They could just trail Zeds by ~90'.  That way, Zeds could sneak ahead quietly, but they're still in range to dash to his aid if he gets into trouble.  Or he could retreat back to the party, drawing his attackers into an ambush.

To get everyone into the tunnel, we'd need to take out the two guards.  They're not going to miss a group going through the "locked" door.  Ixsas says, "I could Silence the area around the well.  That way, we could try to knock them out without anyone hearing.  Or, maybe, Zeds and Serge could hit them hard enough that Krackle could put them to Sleep.  Of course, if we attack the guards, we'll probably have to camp somewhere outside of Carnath House.  Otherwise, we'll get in trouble once they wake up and identify their attackers.  Once the guards are out, we can follow Zeds into the tunnel."

If Zeds prefers to go it alone, then Ixsas suggests using Enhance Ability again to boost Zeds's stealth to ensure that he's not seen.

Serge exhales sharply, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.  “Making Zeds go in alone again is madness.  That’s just rolling the dice and hoping for the best.  If we’re going to act, we act together. ”

Serge peeks back out the door to check the status of the guards, then shuts it again.  “Look, I get it— Zeds is a capable sneak.  I respect that.  But if we send him in alone, and he's caught?  Then we are one man down, and they are tipped off.”

He turns back to the group, his expression resolute.  “If we all go, there is still a chance to do it quietly.  And if we're found out, then it is all hands on deck for the killing work."

"If we’re going tonight, we go together.  Anything else is a mistake.”

     "That works too," Zeds replies.  In truth he's much relieved to not be going it alone even if he thinks they're more likely to be caught as a group.

     "So we try our luck now, middle of the night or do you guys prefer tomorrow?" He asks.  "The trail will be colder but you'll have time to prepare."

Quote from Kaemgen >>

     "That works too," Zeds replies.  In truth he's much relieved to not be going it alone even if he thinks they're more likely to be caught as a group.

     "So we try our luck now, middle of the night or do you guys prefer tomorrow?" He asks.  "The trail will be colder but you'll have time to prepare."

Ixsas says, "We should go tonight.  Hopefully, we'll learn something useful and still have time to rest before morning.  That way, I'll have a better idea of what to prepare for tomorrow."

Don't forgot about the guards patrolling area 1. 

Quote from Weathervision >>

Don't forgot about the guards patrolling area 1. 

If everyone is agreed on going tonight, how do you want to handle the two guards in area 1?

Ixsas made a couple of suggestions. 

Quote from Ben_Evolent >>

To get everyone into the tunnel, we'd need to take out the two guards.  They're not going to miss a group going through the "locked" door.  Ixsas says, "I could Silence the area around the well.  That way, we could try to knock them out without anyone hearing.  Or, maybe, Zeds and Serge could hit them hard enough that Krackle could put them to Sleep.  Of course, if we attack the guards, we'll probably have to camp somewhere outside of Carnath House.  Otherwise, we'll get in trouble once they wake up and identify their attackers.  Once the guards are out, we can follow Zeds into the tunnel." 

"What if we make a distraction..." Krackle suggests. "I could start a fire... or two... just small ones." He adds looking around. "Maybe I start a fire... we shout for the guards.. then sneak through the door." The kobold then looks around before continuing. "Zeds could then sneak in front of the group and we can follow a distance behind. If he gets in trouble he can shout and we all come running. I can message him silently so that we can be in constant contact as we go." 

     "Attacking the guards seems to easy to go wrong," Zeds muses.  "Even if nobody could hear it, someone could see it... And if we don't kill them then of course they are reporting it once they awaken or are found.  And just the lack of guards after we slip through could bring more guards coming up behind us."

     "I think fire may be the way to go.  But I would think something loud and alarming would be better.  Something they can't ignore and let someone else handle..."

Quote from Kaemgen >>

     "Attacking the guards seems to easy to go wrong," Zeds muses.  "Even if nobody could hear it, someone could see it... And if we don't kill them then of course they are reporting it once they awaken or are found.  And just the lack of guards after we slip through could bring more guards coming up behind us."

     "I think fire may be the way to go.  But I would think something loud and alarming would be better.  Something they can't ignore and let someone else handle..."

"My magic mostly involves providing guidance, starting fires, and healing," Ixsas says. "Too bad we don't have an illusionist with us."

Ixsas suggests that he could use Thaumaturgy: "The doors on the sleeping quarters here don't seem to lock, and I could throw some doors open...but only at a short distance away."  With a 30 ft. range, Ixsas would probably need to be in the open courtyard (area 1) or on the 2nd floor balcony to affect anything useful.  "I  could also make a sudden, loud sound, such as the screech of an owl or the scream of a goat, but I cannot create a sustained noise.  I can even make the ground in a small area tremble.  I'm not sure whether any of that would help, but maybe it would be enough to distract the guards so that Krackle could start a fire without it being tied to us."

"If only one guard goes to fight the fires, I may be able to get the other one to follow him," Ixsas says.  He smiles a bit ruefully, his slightly pointy teeth gleaming brightly against his dark, scaly skin.  "A gift from my father," he explains.  "If I focus properly, I can sometimes be very convincing."

Let me know once you start executing your plans. 

     Zeds is ready to give it a try once those magic people causing a diversion decide on the best way to do so?

Serge kicks at the floor with his boot, trying to think of something.  "Maybe..." he thinks aloud, "... we could have one of the brothers call for the guards to help them with Ixsas?  They already see him as a nuisance.  If they lured the guards to their room, we could all jump them and try to subdue them before they called an alarm?"

Then he shakes his head.  "No... then if it were all discovered while we were still away down this passage, the brothers would take the blame for it."

He looks dejected.

Then his head picks up and he looks at Ixsas.  "You can be  convincing you say?  What if... what if rather than convince a single guard to let us pass, leaving the other a problem, we find a third party to convince to create the distraction for us?  Some deserving patsy to draw the guards attention away long enough for us to slip into the room undetected?  Could you do that, Ixsas, and are there any potential targets?"

Quote from Bartjeebus >>

Then his head picks up and he looks at Ixsas.  "You can be  convincing you say?  What if... what if rather than convince a single guard to let us pass, leaving the other a problem, we find a third party to convince to create the distraction for us?  Some deserving patsy to draw the guards attention away long enough for us to slip into the room undetected?  Could you do that, Ixsas, and are there any potential targets?"

"I could try," Ixsas admits.  "Unfortunately, it's late, and everyone is already asleep.  If I could pick anyone, the best option might be a Suggestion to Bog Luck that he should dismiss these two guards because the cult wants the courtyard unguarded tonight.  On the other hand, if that fails, then we've put Bog Luck on alert.  If anyone knows the room of one of the cult members, I could try to enchant one of them into making a distraction that would draw the guards." 

Ixsas stares at the floor, thinking for a moment.  He says, "The Suggestion doesn't have to be so simple.  For example, I could convince one of the guards that a cat whom Bog Luck treasures is missing and that the guard must find it before morning.  That could cause the guard to leave his post to search the rooms, but the other guard would also be occupied in helping him -- or trying to stop him in what would seem to be a sudden madness.  I could even make it sound like there's a cat meowing somewhere upstairs or outside the main gates."

"No matter what I try, we need a backup plan," Ixsas says, "because those with a strong will can sometimes resist this type of enchantment."

(OOC: What do you prefer?  Ixsas using Suggestion on a cult member to make him call for the guards?  Or Ixsas using Suggestion to make one of the guards obsessed with finding a cat and then using Thaumaturgy to create the sound of a cat meowing?  As soon as the guards are distracted, the party could try to slip into room 3.  It's not a great plan, but it is a plan.)

     "Are we over complicating this?  Isn't it likely that a fire and a large boom outside or in the room next to them will grab the guards attention?" Zeds asks.  "All we need do is slip through one door unseen and then we're clear of their prying eyes..."

"I'm just trying to think ahead.  If that tunnel leads to an impassable locked door, and we need to turn back to the roadhouse, it might be a cold welcome if we had just set the place on fire before leaving.  Or, if it leads us away permanently, those who were friendly to us could pay the price if we cause too much ruckus on our way out."

He shakes his head.  "But maybe you're correct, Zeds.  I have little experience sneaking or conspiring.  I prefer the direct approach."

He pauses again.  "Which makes me wonder... what about bribery?  Perhaps the solution is right in front of us."  He taps the pouch of coins from the guard duty.   "Maybe the grease for this wheel is already in our hands."

Quote from Kaemgen >>

     "Are we over complicating this?  Isn't it likely that a fire and a large boom outside or in the room next to them will grab the guards attention?" Zeds asks.  "All we need do is slip through one door unseen and then we're clear of their prying eyes..."

"Well, yes, simpler is often better," Ixas says.  "Fewer things to go wrong.  And if that doesn't work, a less complicated Suggestion could simply be to let us into the locked room to investigate.  Tomorrow, Bog Luck will know that we entered, but it's one way to avoid any trouble tonight."

Ixsas suggests a persistent fire (either Krackle's bonfire or Ixsas's Flaming Sphere).  Even if it doesn't catch and burn the building, that should give the party enough time to cross the courtyard and get into room 3.  He'd like to avoid anything that keeps the guards in or around area 1.  The fire should lure them outside the main gate, up to the 2nd story (in the kitchen or on the balcony outside the rooms), or all the way up to the rooftop.

((OOC: New plan

• Ixsas uses Thaumaturgy to make the guards feel tremors.
• At the same time, Krackle could use Prestidigitation to create a light show.  Sparks or something to draw the guards' attention.
• Then Krackle starts a fire.
• The party will have to cross to the door to room #3 as soon as the guards are distracted.  Don't wait for the general panic to develop because then Bog Luck and others may emerge from their rooms.
• If the guards don't rush to deal with the fire, we'll rely on Zeds's Persuasion to convince them to go do that.  Ixsas could also use Thaumaturgy to throw open the doors of any room close to the fire, which might create enough panic and shouting to force the guards out of area 1.

)) 

Krackle moves towards any nearby windows... looking to see if there are any carts or carriages parked out front of the building that he could ignite with his bonfire spell. If he sees something flammable out front that would both burn and prompt the guards to intervene.. like a cart full of valuables, he would look to Ixsas and message him. "Get ready to make your noise". 

The moment Ixsas makes his noise, krackle would cast his spell.

Ixsas has no experience with bribery.  He wishes that they had spent more time trying to figure out how loyal the guards are to Bog Luck, but if his companions think that bribery would work, he's willing to try it.  Of course, if they try to bribe the guards, and it fails, they'll almost certainly have to revert to Serge's "direct approach" to get out of that situation.