To the man who appears from the cabin Auger calls out, "Just us here. No escaping students." Then stepping forward and making eye contact, Auger shows the key to the gate and says, "We were given permission to warm up our music in the main building there. Big performance tonight for our fine friend here." Auger motions towards Snow, hoping he would present his violin. "Aziz laughing back there gave us the key. Are you perhaps Udad?"

"Looks like that is a dormitory, so there will be students, but looks like they are asleep. We should be doubly careful here", Snow says as he spots the dormitory building.

He then hears the barking of dogs and turns to look at the source of the noise, but Ager is already taking charge. He watches as Auger talks to the man who appears from the cottage and waves as he is pointed at. His violin is still very much in his hands at this time.

He waits to see what the man's reaction is.

"Is it time we started being a bit more discreet? Once inside, I think we should start looking to avoid attention", he asks the others around him.

“Just you, WHO?,” the old man’s tenor rings out. “You think you know something? Students try to escape?? You a hyena-brained fool, think that. Where you from?? Also fool if you think can come in here. This a SCHOOL, fool! No warm up. If you COLD, then go in castle! Now got!! Tell Aziz he a fool too!!” He glares, and his dogs continue to bark, though restrained by long leashes, if barely. 

“Please do calm your dogs,” comes Granophyre’s voice, softly, but with a resonance that pierces the man’s defiance; and the groundsman immediately does as he is commanded, yelling at his animals, which immediately obey his commands in turn.

“This a girls school,” Udad now picks up, in a less strident, but still annoyed tone. “Why you no get warm in castle instead?”

Snow wanders across to Udad holding his hands up placatingly, the violin still in one of them.

"Please, there is no need for insults, this is all perfectly above board. I applaud your diligence to your duty and we are aware that this is a girls school. A school with a reputation for it's music department where I hail from, I might add, which is why I would very much like the use of the music room. Now, as you can see we have a number of chaperones, who will be keeping an eye on everything", he says indicating Benita and Vairelky when he speaks of chaperones.

"As you are likely aware, the girls will be safely in the dormitory at this hour, which we will not be accessing, nor could we", he says re-assuringly.

"But", he continues. "I would understand if you wanted to go and retrieve the Captain from his social engagements and confirm everything. Aziz not being the most serious of people it seems. I am sure the Captain would not mind the interruption in this case", he finishes, stressing the word captain each time he uses it.

Deception: 10+8=18 (If anyone does anything to help: 15+8=23) - Take off 2 from the result if you think it is more Intimidation.

"Worry not," Varielky supports, "these men wouldn't even lay their eyes on any of the girls while I'm here, and even if I'm not." For some reason, it sounds less like she's reassuring the guard, and more like she's warning the others. It may be unnecessary, and yet it's better off said even before they go in.

Udad does not seem to follow Snow’s reference to the Captain, however he relents and, with a very loud shrug, muttering to himself, heads toward the school’s main building after taking a ring of keys from a peg just within his cottage door.

He walks ahead of you, limping and grunting, until he stops at the large school door and unceremoniously unlocks it, which makes a loud, hollow cracking sound as the bolt releases. He opens the tall portal and leads you within and down a long hallway. The first doors to either side lead to offices -- or so signage tells you at least — which absorb Granophyre’s attention as you pass. The hallway ends at another pair of large doors, which the groundsman likewise unlocks. These open into a cafeteria with a raised stage at one end. “Light!,” he shouts, and a dozen lanterns lining the walls spring to life, illuminating the space. He motions you inside and then returns back down the hall to sit in a chair just to one side of the building’s main entry through which you passed a few moments ago.

Two hallways branched off to the right from this main hallway, you noticed as you walked, both, in the direction of the castle. The first was near the entrance. The second is at the door to the cafeteria. 

Snow gives Udad a bow as he leaves the room, then starts to play a little on his violin just to maintain their cover. He looks across to the others and waits for someone to close the door before they start to talk.

He had spotted the offices which were the likely destination for himself and Strewn. He assumes that one of the corridors leading to the castle will be where the others would be heading.

The big question is how they are going to circumvent Udad. He is pretty sure he hadn't left the building, having not heard the door at the main entrance.

Cafeteria is perhaps not a fair description, as the room you find yourself in is a high-ceilinged space with artful murals and friezes showering the walls with color, an ornate proscenium at the edge of the stage depicting musicians and instruments, and a backstage area too. But it seems most days, like today, the room is set for meals. 

Benita quickly discovers another exit, from the backstage area, leading down a few steps to a door which opens into the side hallway that branches off from the main hallway at the cafeteria’s entryway.

“I think the stairs to the tram must be this way. Let’s go!,” the attractive Indallian calls in a stage whisper, and Tamazaert sets her jaw and hurries to join her. 

“I believe it will not take long to find the information I need. Go, and I will join you as soon as I can,” Granophyre suggests to Auger, Varielky, and the others. 

To Snow, the sage says, “I hate to treat an old man who is merely doing his job — and protecting the welfare of his young charges at that — with anything but grace, yet the whereabouts of Safiyah have deeper meaning than my own private research, I feel certain. Would you help me to ensure the groundsman does not raise an alarm as I search the school records?”

As they enter the building Auger communicates with Py, Go around and meet us on the other side to help us to this tram. If you are blocked then meet us at the tram or even up at the aerie - we'll find our way there.

As Auger realizes the old man is waiting for them he is briefly unsure what to do. He had proven able to fool others in the past, but the result appeared traumatizing and at times perhaps damaging to the victim. He did not see a way to apply a lighter application of his powers. Still so much to learn he says to himself, under his breath.

Before following Benita and Tamazaert, Auger offers to create the sound of a violin playing to allow Snow to stay with Strewn rather than stand and endlessly play. "...but it will only last for a short time I think. About a minute."

"Thanks", Snow says appreciatively to Auger. "It will at least give us the chance to discuss our options".

He turns to address Strewn as he assumes the others will leave following Benita.

"Not a problem", he says, then paces back and forth in contemplation for a short time, wandering over to close the door if it is still open.

"Do you think he can still hear the music with the door closed? I wonder if he might check on us at some point. Also, how far away do you think that office is?", he asks, trying to guess himself.

Intelligence (to estimate distance to the offices - as crow flies): 4+1=5

Varielky nods to Granophyre. "If anything happens, find a way to call us." 

She then turns to follow Benita on the route she thinks will lead up the mountain. Once a bit away from the cafeteria where the dogmaster might see them, Varielky straps the shield on her hand, ready to fight at any moment. If someone finds them now, there's no way they'll fall for lies like those told at the entrance. Might as well be ready for blood to get spilt.

Auger nods to Snow, waits a moment just to give extra time and then sets the sound of a violin to play. It is again based on something Auger heard Snow play, the beginning of a ballad, Auger thinks, but played more slowly, as if warming up. Then there is a pause and the section repeats. "One minute or so," Auger says again and then he turns to follow after the others.

AUGER AND VARIELKY

‘Yes, master,’ replies the Fey alyasub, who Auger knows is not far, just overhead above the cafeteria’s roof.

Following Benita and Tamazaert through the stage door, you move down the hallway which turns sharply left then right again, making its way, you assume, closer to the back of the castle.

There is a central courtyard enclosed all around by windowed hallways, classrooms and offices. Sighting   through it, you see a 2nd floor passage from the dormitory to the back of the castle. Apparently, there is no direct connection from the school to the castle.

You stop at the heavy door leading, you can see through its window, to an entry lobby: a comfortable room with soft chairs and a few small round tables lit dimly by lanterns hanging from hooks on the walls. A stairway in back leads to the upper-level hallway to the dormitory building. 

SNOW

Snow realizes his head was elsewhere as he walked through the school building. The hallway was… a hundred feet long? Two hundred? He can’t pin it down. 

“Let us not overthink this,” says Granophyre. Once Auger and Varielky have followed Benita and Tamazaert out the stage doorways into the hallway, Granophyre seems ready to simply walk back to the groundsman and proceed into the office, perhaps by using a magical command or a magic web to ensure compliance and keep the groundsman in place. “Or, I could make you invisible and you could search the records?”

Snow frowns as the answer eludes him, but cheers as Strewn suggests making him invisible.

”Well, as long as we aren’t worried about the groundsman returning to check on us, I would be up for taking a look”, he answers.

“I have no particular skill with locks though. If the files are under lock and key it might be a problem. You have any tools for that?”, he asks, eager to give it a try.

"So, we need to go through here," Varielky states the obvious. "And I'm sure they locked the door." Emphasizing her words, Varielky tries to open the door. Although, if it isn't locked, the fact that the lights are on makes Varielky worry someone might be awake in there.

If the door opens, Varielky leads inside. Otherwise, she turns to the others. "Breaking this heavy door or its lock will surely make a lot of noise, and it will also take a while. We could break the windows but... I'm not sure if it will help. Also, even if it does, it will leave a very obvious sign of intrusion. Does any of you have an idea for a subtler approach? I don't mind fighting through the entire castle if needed, but honestly I'd rather do that once Sure is already with us and we're no longer time-pressured. Besides, we're still too close to Granophyre and Captain."

VARIELKY & AUGER

“Right here, bruiser,” whispers Benita, smiling mischievously as she removes a hairpin from her raven locks, and, kneeling before the door, unwinds the length of thin metal and shapes it between deft fingers. The lithe fighter, in her purloined imperial livery, gives the definite impression she’s done this before, but, pauses for a moment, and turning to the warlock, asks, “Unless you’ve got a better idea, Auger?”

SNOW

“Let us deal with obstacles as they present themselves. Take this,” says Granophyre, producing a bracelet from his pouch. After Snow clasps it around an ankle —  it does not fit over his bracers — the sage utters a command, and the bard disappears. With a wink, Granophyre politely pushes open the door, and with the illusion of Snow’s violin-playing continuing in the background (OOC: out of combat I will let this continue for a few minutes), walks back down the hallway to the entrance, where the groundsman, Udad, is seated next to the front door. 

“How I love music,” the sage says, jovially, “but I have heard this song many times before. I was wondering — I noticed your wand before, and I am interested in magical objects. It seems most unusual. Where did you get it?”

The man stands, and, seemingly eager for an opportunity to converse, answers in his bracing tenor, “This is a Jenghen Lightning Rod. I would never use it for its original purpose here, no! But I got it when I serve in the military. Many years ago! All of us provincials have to. Blasted waste of time!”

As Udad speaks, he stands, and Granophyre’s eyes — while he engages in an animated conversation — shift slyly and meaningfully to the key ring hanging loosely from the old man’s belt. 

"Try it your way for now Benita," Auger whispers. "I can move past or through this door if needed, but if it is locked from the other side I will not be able to let you all in." As Benita works, Auger looks through the window in the door to try and see if anyone is around in the next room and also to ensure he can see a clear space where he could move, if needed. "Also it... will bleed my powers which we might need later."

Py, if you can hear me, we are stopped at a locked door for the moment. It looks like we are heading into the dormitory. Are we getting closer to the tram? If there is time pressure to get on before it leaves, let me know.

Intentions:

• If Benita's first attempt at the lock fails, Auger will Misty Step through to the other side and open the door for the others to pass through. 
• Per usual, Auger will relay what he learns from Py, if anything.

VARIELKY & AUGER

Py sends back an acknowledgement and Auger feels its presence growing more distant and then, nothing, as it flies out of range.

A very slight click punctuates Auger’s statement, a grammatical dot, as Benita turns her makeshift key. She looks up, her lip curled in a half-smile, then lightly pushes the door open just a centimeter. “Got it.”

"Huh," Varielky remarks, "I'm not sure if I should be impressed or concerned." She doesn't really wait for an answer, however, and leads into the lit room, quickly scanning its space for anyone awake.

VARIELKY & AUGER

“It was tough growing up on the streets of Kalahata. I left it behind as soon as I could,” says Benita simply.

As soon as Varielky quietly pushes through the door, a pail of water which had been balanced on the doorframe tips over. A small deluge splashes over the shield-maiden. 

Three children of twelve or thirteen — girls — spring up from the far end of the room from behind comfortable chairs. They keep their distance, perhaps 40’ away from the door across the lounge near the stairs, but stand their ground. The tallest one holds a feathered arrowhead in one hand, which glows in the dark, and the youngest, wearing big spectacles, fumbles with a small spellbook and, standing up too fast, tears a seam underfoot in her too-big night-shirt.  

“What… who are you and what are you doing here?!?,” the tall one demands, trying to act like a grown-up. Her nightshirt only goes down to her knees following a recent growth spurt, and Auger recognizes a dim corona of fey energy pulsing from her.