Maggwyn rolls her eyes at Jasper's comment calling her the apprentice before heading out the door.

Spotting Crannoc immediately, she heads over to the nature cleric unsure how they will take this possible job.  "Hey there, you up for more work?  Not sure how you feel about one that might be a little below the law?  I understand if it isn't your thing."  She looks at him quizzically as she tries to figure out how much to say and not to say to this one.

Crannoc, who had been focused on Vara and the envoy and soldiers, gives Maggwyn a quick smile which fades into puzzlement about work being "below the law."  It's fairly apparent he doesn't know what that means.  The sycamore seedling wobbles on his shoulder.

Is this maybe a reference to something being under the forest canopy of foliage?  Or underground like the Lord of Savagery demon ritual was?  No, law means something to these city-born.  The only law I know is that of Temuth:  all of nature's children have their place.  And  also that when the harsh winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack may survive.  Yet Maggwyn is trying to build a pack, not go it alone.  Maybe she is trying to be sneaky like Jasper.

He nods solemnly to her.  "I will gladly aid you.  We are strong as a pack."  He looks back to the meeting between Vara and the envoy.

"I do not understand why so many city-folk with weapons accompany the envoy.  Are Aoswell and Neldfield enemies?  Seems strange."

Maggwyn - (Quick clarification from Post #358: the individual whose house you would be robbing is a citizen of Aoswell that is helping Vara with the tour, not part of the envoy from Neldfield) If you would like to make a History check to recall what you know of North Vexcall in order to answer Crannoc's question, you may.

(Sorry about that, thanks for the clarification)

Maggwyn history check 20

Maggwyn - You know that most inter-city relations have been difficult since the Civil War, but Aoswell in particular struggles with this because they were on the dividing line between what became North and Central Vexcall. This caused the Civil War to devastate them especially. There was also one event in the War that made interactions between Aoswell and the country of North Vexcall difficult was that during one of the years of the war there was a massive drought. In the time of that drought, when Aoswell has slightly more than half its usual food supply, a North Vexcall war party came through on its way to the battle front. The war party demanded resources and took an amount substantial enough that everyone in Aoswell went hungry for months. From that point on, Aoswell hasn't been a participant in the larger government due to a distrust of them. This animosity is one potential cause of the need for the envoy to be armed. Another reason is simply that Director Alcorda is one of the executives that advise and have the power to overrule the President's decisions, making this individual essential to the nation running smoothly.

"I would need at least an hour - if we must act sooner than that, then I will simply have to make do with the guardian mode. It will not be as quiet, but it should not be a hindrance at the very least."

So, do you wait an hour before you go to perform the robbery? In that time you can do any planning and such that you would like.

To Kass, "Sure, if you need an hour, we can wait.  Meet back here when you're ready."

To Crannoc, "The ways of cities are very strange indeed, especially after the civil war.  That one," she points to Director Alcorda, "Is quite the person apparently and they feel the need for guards.  Not only that, I don't think this town is very trusting of outsiders.  So I'm sure you can cut the tension with a knife.  Glad you're in, meet back here in an hour."

Crannoc agrees, glancing at the sun to gauge when to come back to Birgon's apothecary.  He will use the hour wandering around the outskirts of Aoswell, looking at the flora and fauna (and signs of hyena rampages!).  Also studying the 3 leaves he just bought so he is ready to use them when he has time.

Crannoc - As you search and inspect natural life in the area, it soothes you some to see that there are indeed some things that you are familiar with in this foreign place. Make a Nature check.

Crannoc Nature with Temuth's Guidance:  9 + 3 

Curious about the town and the fact the apothecary was here like it was, Maggwyn spends her hour walking around seeing if she can find other places as well that could peak her interest.  As the time wears on, she starts getting antsy, she only spends about 20 minutes doing that, then starts heading near the house, keeping a good distance to start casing the area.

Perception  23

Kass nods. "Find me when you need me. Hopefully my calibrations will be done by then."

She then goes off to find a quiet place where she can spend an hour changing her armor type from guardian mode to infiltration mode.

Jasper too uses his hour to go scout their target home before returning to meet the others.  He does his best not to be seen even heading in the direction of the home, even if that means moving around the outskirts of the town.  If there are too many people around, he'll consider a magical disguise.

Crannoc - Inspecting the three leaves, you determine that if you took time to combine them with basic herbal ingredients in your Herbalism Kit you could create a substance that could physically enhance an individual.

In your travel around the outside of Aoswell, you do identify where the hyenas went through, but they are long gone. The flora and fauna here don't appear to be affected by the illness that you portended for your own home, but they do seem to be facing a mild draught.

Maggwyn - You search through town, and the only two other points of interest are the temple and the Artisan's Center. The Artisan's Center is a market in the center of town that is present whenever there aren't large gatherings of people there for other reasons (such as last night's festivities).

Surveying the house, you see that it is two stories tall, and given its architecture it likely also has a basement. Surrounding the house is a wrought-iron fence, then a small space filled with bushes that have been precisely sculpted into squares. There is one gate into the property, which is both locked and attended by two guards. The house itself is a fairly plain array of colors, ranging only from browns to whites, with some grey stones. From what you can see from the front, there is one main door as well as one balcony and numerous windows.

Kass - You successfully switch your armor into Infiltrator mode.

Jasper - Your typical interest are slightly different from Maggwyn's, so you are more quick to notice the behaviors of the people at the house. You observe the two guards at the front gate for an hour and notice multiple things. The guards are a half-orc and a human. The human seems entirely bored with this position and periodically naps. The half-orc likes to practice swinging her sword and will occasionally leave the front gate to do so, but still only travels a short distance into the yard. There is also a fair amount of movement within the house of what you assume to be other guards, though you can't tell much about them from the distance that you are at.

Crannoc stows the three leaves reverently with his Herbalism Kit in his pack and returns to the appointed meeting spot in an hour.

He is happy to see that Temuth's world does here seems less stricken than nearer his home, though some rain would be welcome, of a certainty.

He starts to think of what he can do to help if the group is being stealthy.  He has always been relatively sneaky, but not, he suspects, as sneaky as Jasper or Maggwyn.  Or even perhaps Kass with her strange devices.  Perhaps some of his magic from his aasimar father's side.  Message and Minor Illusion...

Kass returns to the appointed meeting place in her armor. It doesn't look like its appearance has changed at all, but her movements do seem to be magically muffled. Anyone who wasn't paying attention may have missed her approach.

"Infiltrator mode has been set; noise dampeners, mobility enhancers, and stealth fields are active and at 100%. This will serve me well for this break-in, I think. I am ready when all of you are ready."

Jasper raises an eyebrow while studying Kass for any visible changes to her unusual armor.  He whispers to Maggwyn "what did she say?" with regard to the changes made.  "Stealth sounds good" he adds with a slight shrug.

"The house is guarded...poorly.  There is a half-orc who may love to have a training partner.  Perhaps we should see if Miesha is interested in some sparring?  We should only need ten minutes or so."

OOC: Jasper would suggest they wait and watch for the half-orc to move out of position to practice with her sword and immediately send Miesha in to say she's patrolling the town for any further dangers and offer to spar.  Perhaps other guards would also take interest in watching.  Jasper could scale the fence near the rear of the house and the others could use rope to get over, that is unless the sleepy guard also leaves his post in which case the front gate may be an option.

     Having watched the little ceremony of the dignitaries and having seen no reason to continue observing, Miesha wanders back to the shop mostly finding that the rest of the newly half-formed crew seemed preoccupied with their own tasks.  Fair enough, she figured and lingers for a bit but surely eventually wanders off to the Busy Rabbit, after advising anyone nearby that she was going there for a drink.

     At the Rabbit she would drink steadily, but slowly, mostly whiling away the time with any and all who are also about.  As a soldier she was no stranger to having to pass long, dull hours waiting and knew how to do so effectively.

     If / when she is approached and the subject of her participation is broached, Miesha narrows her eyes and reassesses whoever broaches the subject.  "If you need guards distracted then surely your task is not entirely pure and good.  Then again, what is?" Miesha says in a hushed tone.  "All soldiers understand shades of gray.  But tell me... Assure me...  This purpose you have, whatever it is, and perhaps it best I do not know it...  But it is not evil, is it?  Not good is one thing...  But having or promoting the taint such as was on those Gnolls and the flail and the tablet...  There are just some things I cannot be a part of."

     As she haltingly asks and explains her stance, Miesha studies the one who broached the subject. (Assuming Jasper?). She attempts to discern just how bad they believe whatever they are doing is, and just how bad of a thing they are willing to do...  ((Insight:  9 )). Assuming she doesn't find them or the task likely to actually be so foul that she cannot tolerate it then Miesha agrees to participate.  At least to the degree or distracting a few guards.  Finding out just what these possible companions are willing to do, or not do, could be quite illuminating.

     "I do believe I could distract a couple of guards for a short while.  Do you need me to linger in the area as well, in case of trouble?"

When the time come to plan, Crannoc mostly listens, being new at this (city stuff, breaking and entering, all of it).  When it's his turn to speak, he lists off how he thinks he could might a distraction or some limited utility using his cantrips inherited from his aasimar father's divine sorcery magic:

Minor Illusion:  Any image would be stationary and easily identified as magic.  But perhaps a sound somewhere.  Crannoc thinks maybe either voices shouting or the sound of a large volume of golden coins (which city-folk seem to love so much) being poured out onto the cobblestones?

Message:  To relay messages as a spotter.

Mage Hand:  To push/pull/lift/open things from a distance.  (Crannoc's Mage Hand does have the advantage of being invisible via the Telekinetic feat).

Guidance:  To help someone be stealthy or scale a wall.

Prestidigitation:  To help erase any traces of the group's visit as they leave.

Shape Water:  To wedge something open by pouring water in and freezing it to expand the crack.  Or just distract by dumping water on someone's head.

He leaves it open as to if and how the group wants to use any of those capabilities.