Their improvised rumbling lent enough credibility to their disguise, that of a peculiar group of workers late for their turns, for the Hand to just pass them behind. Findal was about to tell to his companions that it would be better to keep to the alley since returning to the main road was certain to get attention from the other workers and citizens of the Empire had a tendency to call the guards. Alas, before the dwarf had any chance to say as much, each and every one of his cohorts expressed intent to continue the route they had taken. That was a good sign. He didn’t trust Ebril yet and Annoura was too kind, but both understood the situation under pressure, as did Emel. That spoke of experience. The kind experience the four of them needed to act upon.
“I like your thinking.” He said to ranger while walking some five feet behind the rest of the group. Not that he wanted to keep the distance. He just had shorter legs in comparison to the others.“Any of you ken the way through these alleys?”
He certainly didn’t and that was the most pressing question. The faster they arrived at the new accommodations, the better. It would be easier under the ground, Finn though following the others.
“I like your thinking.” He said to ranger while walking some five feet behind the rest of the group. Not that he wanted to keep the distance. He just had shorter legs in comparison to the others.“Any of you ken the way through these alleys?”
ooc: I would guess Annoura should have some idea, being an Honest Urchin:
You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and can find passages through the urban sprawl that others would miss. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would normally allow.
"Liiq ep iai uyv gus yt." Emel says to Mepvisp, the drake nuzzling against her for a moment before taking to the sky. "I've told Mep to be our eye in the sky for a bit, so we don't get caught off guard like that again"
(Can mep warn us if we're about to run into soldiers on patrol?)
((Sorry, Mepvisp doesn't get a flying speed until level 7. However if you want, he can climb to the top of the building and keep watch from there.))
“I like your thinking.” He said to ranger while walking some five feet behind the rest of the group. Not that he wanted to keep the distance. He just had shorter legs in comparison to the others.“Any of you ken the way through these alleys?”
ooc: I would guess Annoura should have some idea, being an Honest Urchin:
You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and can find passages through the urban sprawl that others would miss. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would normally allow.
Your destination only 2 buildings away, it won't be too difficult to arrive there. The narrow road between the workshops here runs the length of the buildings, so all you have to do is follow it to the end. As you approach the corner Mep gives a chirrup from up above and you all pause, flattening yourselves against the wall. Another Hand unit passes by, stomp stomp stomp. You wait for their footsteps to fade before emerging.
The street here is no main thoroughfare, but it is a little busier than the wharf. Carts and open carriages trundle down the tracks worn into cobbles through years of use, and working folk pass by on either side, on their business from A to B. South Griev is an industrial district, and the stores you see off the raised pavements are, on the whole, simply frontages for taking orders, not boutiques to peruse.
Turning to your right you pass the front of the building which had been sending crates out the back. The sign says "Adelbar Frinko, Boteller". The next building is apparently "Flintfinder & Co Hardware". Then you reach your building. A small sign is attached to the wall next to a plain door. It says "Mazeen Fishing Tools and Tackle". Another narrow road leads back towards the wharf, wide enough only for a small cart.
"Liiq ep iai uyv gus yt." Emel says to Mepvisp, the drake nuzzling against her for a moment before taking to the sky. "I've told Mep to be our eye in the sky for a bit, so we don't get caught off guard like that again"
(Can mep warn us if we're about to run into soldiers on patrol?)
((Sorry, Mepvisp doesn't get a flying speed until level 7. However if you want, he can climb to the top of the building and keep watch from there.))
(My bad, yeah the roof tops work. I'll edit the post.)
"Liiq ep iai uyv gus yt." Emel says to Mepvisp, the drake nuzzling against her for a moment before taking to the sky. "I've told Mep to be our eye in the sky for a bit, so we don't get caught off guard like that again"
(Can mep warn us if we're about to run into soldiers on patrol?)
((Sorry, Mepvisp doesn't get a flying speed until level 7. However if you want, he can climb to the top of the building and keep watch from there.))
(My bad, yeah the roof tops work. I'll edit the post.)
((I'm happy for Mep to have wings purely for the visual, but they'll be small and vestigial.))
Annoura nods to the side-road. "I think we should avoid going in the front, if possible. Less chance of being seen," she says quietly as she checks behind them.
Ebril simply nods to Annoura, continuing to follow her back along the side-street. He would much rather keep moving than having some suspicious conversation in the streets.
You turn away from the front door of the warehouse which, given Rummus explained the Red Cord owns the building, is probably leads to a quite a literal 'front' company. You make your way down the length of the building, between the warehouse and Flintfinder & Co. Nothing accosts or concerns you, and Mep above is quiet, except for the skittering of little claws on tile and wood.
Reaching the back, a pair of wide double doors faces the river, similar to the other buildings along the wharf here. A piece of thin red string is tied around one of the handles. They are closed.
Annoura approaches the door, then pauses outside. Holding up a hand for everyone to wait, she reaches out with the divine sense granted her by the lady Selune, and tries to sense the presence of great evil...or good, around them.
Divine Sense: As an action, you can detect good and evil. Until the end of your next turn, you can sense anything affected by the hallow spell or know the location of any celestial, fiend, undead within 60 ft. that is not behind total cover. You can use this feature 5 times per long rest.
Annoura seemed to know her way well enough around the city and it was a fortunately uneventful rest of journey to their objective. So much that Finn could not help but ask himself if things weren’t going too well. Specially after the appearance of guards during the meeting. Could the entire operation be compromised already? Maybe an ambush waited for us, he thought resisting the impetus to draw his battleaxe.
Looking at Flintfinder & Co. there seemed to be no sign of enemies. Nothing strange or amiss, yet the rebels took to the back entrance. As the paladin holds her hand high the barbarian started to look in their surroundings, seeking any sign of presence close by their group. Findal didn’t want to alert any passerby. They were far from inconspicuous and starting battle preparations wouldn’t make things any better. Not yet.
“Should I go first?” He asked Annoura. Should an enemy lie behind the door and decide to attack upon their entrance he was likely the one who would take damage the better. Hope it doesn’t come to that. In an ideal world they wouldn’t need to fight until the operation. No, in an ideal world the Empire would never been born. A fact that made him ready for the worse.
Notes: Findal tries to see if there is someone close by the party (Perception Check = 14, rolled in the campaign log).
Divine Sense: As an action, you can detect good and evil. Until the end of your next turn, you can sense anything affected by the hallow spell or know the location of any celestial, fiend, undead within 60 ft. that is not behind total cover. You can use this feature 5 times per long rest.
Your god-given senses reach out and detect... nothing. Nothing of great good or great evil. Whatever is behind those doors, if anything, is entirely mundane in nature.
Notes: Findal tries to see if there is someone close by the party (Perception Check = 14, rolled in the campaign log).
The only people you see nearby are the workers out the back of the Botellers two buildings down, moving crates out to the pallets. There is no movement at the rear of Flintfinder & Co next to you. You are alone on this stretch of the wharf.
Annoura nods at the door, "There aren't any creatures of particular evil...or good...behind this door. I can't say it's safe, but I can say no demons, devils, or undead have been sent to kill us." She looks at the dwarf. "I think you should take point with me right behind. I'm tough but you're tougher, I think, and if we are attacked, I can heal you if needed. I don't think we will be but, you know, safety first," she says.
"Duni csuvjis" Emel calls out softly, Mep responding quickly, descending from the roofs and percing once more on her shoulders. She smiles at him, petting his head before turning to the rest of the group, ready to head inside.
“No one’s paying attention to us.”Which by itself was a miracle, he could have said. “So blades out, just to be on the safe side.” Findal pulled his weapon and took the front, nodding in response to Annoura comment about entrance formation. “Hope you’re right, but it is strange that they didn’t answer. We may be in for a grisly painting or a trap.” He could imagined other reasons for the contacts not appearing. To keep hidden either their presence or identities. To have the newcomers surrounded before confirming their identity so if any of them is an impostor it will be easier to kill. It was possible they simply didn’t hear the knock on the door, although the idea sounded too optimistic and unlikely. “Let’s watch each other’s blind spots as we enter. Tell whenever we see someone.”
It was little on the way of action, but half bread was still better than no bread at all. With some luck they could avoid surprise. This could be the difference between taking an attack or avoiding, between life and death. There goes nothing, Finn said with the voice of his mind opening the door and crossing into the building, weapon at ready. His eyes scanning the front, looking for any indication of presence.
Notes: Findal enters, looking around for any sing of anyone (pErception Check rolled on the Campaign log: 13)
Findal pulls at the door and it rattles. Locked. The sound does seem to alert someone inside, however, as you hear footsteps patter towards you. A voice calls out "If ye be looking to buy, shop's at the front! Nowt but storage back here!"
With Findal's 13 check I'll say that you can hear how low down the voice is coming from. Could be a gnome, or a halfling, or even a particularly short dwarf. They also haven't come right up to the door - the voice has a little distance to it which indicates they are between 5-10 feet back. Annoura's 18 gives her that and a little more - she notices a flapping to the feet as they walk that might indicate they are quite large. Combined with the size they're almost certainly a halfling, a male with a little gravel from age, and the cadence of their speech tells you they are probably from Ascaril.
He was ready to kick the door down when the voice came from inside the building. Wait a minute, wait a minute, do you mean they truly didn’t heat us until now? Findal was incredulous. The best possible scenario seemed to be the reality. No, it can still be a trap, the dwarf thought pessimistic. Maybe the enemies were trying to make sure they didn’t attack someone by coincidence. Imperial troops wouldn’t care about that normally, but in that situation an unnecessary fight could alert true targets approaching.
“We’re here to work.” He said noticing by where the voice came from that the one behind door was either a shorter kin of his, a halfling or a gnome. “Indication of Rummus.” If their host to-be was from the Red Cord that name should tell enough. “Rummus Bulkin.”
Finn turned towards his companions, waving ever so briefly his axe and nodding his head. An attempt to say that he was keeping his weapon at the ready and as far as he knew it was safer for them to do the same. Maybe it was unnecessary, maybe it was just paranoia, but he would be damned again before taking the risk. If a battle waited for them, it would find the barbarian armed.
Ebril remains standing there leaning a bit on his walking stick. He's made no effort to draw a weapon, or unsling his shield from his back.
He continues to wait as the dwarf replies that they're here to work and also throws out Rummus' name. Not sure he'd just use folks names like that, but the ruse was good. And perhaps true enough if there were any lingering effects from the earlier spell.
Their improvised rumbling lent enough credibility to their disguise, that of a peculiar group of workers late for their turns, for the Hand to just pass them behind. Findal was about to tell to his companions that it would be better to keep to the alley since returning to the main road was certain to get attention from the other workers and citizens of the Empire had a tendency to call the guards. Alas, before the dwarf had any chance to say as much, each and every one of his cohorts expressed intent to continue the route they had taken. That was a good sign. He didn’t trust Ebril yet and Annoura was too kind, but both understood the situation under pressure, as did Emel. That spoke of experience. The kind experience the four of them needed to act upon.
“I like your thinking.” He said to ranger while walking some five feet behind the rest of the group. Not that he wanted to keep the distance. He just had shorter legs in comparison to the others. “Any of you ken the way through these alleys?”
He certainly didn’t and that was the most pressing question. The faster they arrived at the new accommodations, the better. It would be easier under the ground, Finn though following the others.
ooc: I would guess Annoura should have some idea, being an Honest Urchin:
You know the secret patterns and flow to cities and can find passages through the urban sprawl that others would miss. When you are not in combat, you (and companions you lead) can travel between any two locations in the city twice as fast as your speed would normally allow.
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
((Sorry, Mepvisp doesn't get a flying speed until level 7. However if you want, he can climb to the top of the building and keep watch from there.))
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
Your destination only 2 buildings away, it won't be too difficult to arrive there. The narrow road between the workshops here runs the length of the buildings, so all you have to do is follow it to the end. As you approach the corner Mep gives a chirrup from up above and you all pause, flattening yourselves against the wall. Another Hand unit passes by, stomp stomp stomp. You wait for their footsteps to fade before emerging.
The street here is no main thoroughfare, but it is a little busier than the wharf. Carts and open carriages trundle down the tracks worn into cobbles through years of use, and working folk pass by on either side, on their business from A to B. South Griev is an industrial district, and the stores you see off the raised pavements are, on the whole, simply frontages for taking orders, not boutiques to peruse.
Turning to your right you pass the front of the building which had been sending crates out the back. The sign says "Adelbar Frinko, Boteller". The next building is apparently "Flintfinder & Co Hardware". Then you reach your building. A small sign is attached to the wall next to a plain door. It says "Mazeen Fishing Tools and Tackle". Another narrow road leads back towards the wharf, wide enough only for a small cart.
Through the door, or down the side-road?
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
(My bad, yeah the roof tops work. I'll edit the post.)
((I'm happy for Mep to have wings purely for the visual, but they'll be small and vestigial.))
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
Annoura nods to the side-road. "I think we should avoid going in the front, if possible. Less chance of being seen," she says quietly as she checks behind them.
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
Ebril simply nods to Annoura, continuing to follow her back along the side-street. He would much rather keep moving than having some suspicious conversation in the streets.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
You turn away from the front door of the warehouse which, given Rummus explained the Red Cord owns the building, is probably leads to a quite a literal 'front' company. You make your way down the length of the building, between the warehouse and Flintfinder & Co. Nothing accosts or concerns you, and Mep above is quiet, except for the skittering of little claws on tile and wood.
Reaching the back, a pair of wide double doors faces the river, similar to the other buildings along the wharf here. A piece of thin red string is tied around one of the handles. They are closed.
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
Annoura approaches the door, then pauses outside. Holding up a hand for everyone to wait, she reaches out with the divine sense granted her by the lady Selune, and tries to sense the presence of great evil...or good, around them.
Divine Sense: As an action, you can detect good and evil. Until the end of your next turn, you can sense anything affected by the hallow spell or know the location of any celestial, fiend, undead within 60 ft. that is not behind total cover. You can use this feature 5 times per long rest.
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
Annoura seemed to know her way well enough around the city and it was a fortunately uneventful rest of journey to their objective. So much that Finn could not help but ask himself if things weren’t going too well. Specially after the appearance of guards during the meeting. Could the entire operation be compromised already? Maybe an ambush waited for us, he thought resisting the impetus to draw his battleaxe.
Looking at Flintfinder & Co. there seemed to be no sign of enemies. Nothing strange or amiss, yet the rebels took to the back entrance. As the paladin holds her hand high the barbarian started to look in their surroundings, seeking any sign of presence close by their group. Findal didn’t want to alert any passerby. They were far from inconspicuous and starting battle preparations wouldn’t make things any better. Not yet.
“Should I go first?” He asked Annoura. Should an enemy lie behind the door and decide to attack upon their entrance he was likely the one who would take damage the better. Hope it doesn’t come to that. In an ideal world they wouldn’t need to fight until the operation. No, in an ideal world the Empire would never been born. A fact that made him ready for the worse.
Notes: Findal tries to see if there is someone close by the party (Perception Check = 14, rolled in the campaign log).
Your god-given senses reach out and detect... nothing. Nothing of great good or great evil. Whatever is behind those doors, if anything, is entirely mundane in nature.
The only people you see nearby are the workers out the back of the Botellers two buildings down, moving crates out to the pallets. There is no movement at the rear of Flintfinder & Co next to you. You are alone on this stretch of the wharf.
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
Annoura nods at the door, "There aren't any creatures of particular evil...or good...behind this door. I can't say it's safe, but I can say no demons, devils, or undead have been sent to kill us." She looks at the dwarf. "I think you should take point with me right behind. I'm tough but you're tougher, I think, and if we are attacked, I can heal you if needed. I don't think we will be but, you know, safety first," she says.
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
"No good just sitting out here, let's just head in," Ebril says. He's ready to move once Annoura opens the door.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer
"Duni csuvjis" Emel calls out softly, Mep responding quickly, descending from the roofs and percing once more on her shoulders. She smiles at him, petting his head before turning to the rest of the group, ready to head inside.
“No one’s paying attention to us.” Which by itself was a miracle, he could have said. “So blades out, just to be on the safe side.” Findal pulled his weapon and took the front, nodding in response to Annoura comment about entrance formation. “Hope you’re right, but it is strange that they didn’t answer. We may be in for a grisly painting or a trap.” He could imagined other reasons for the contacts not appearing. To keep hidden either their presence or identities. To have the newcomers surrounded before confirming their identity so if any of them is an impostor it will be easier to kill. It was possible they simply didn’t hear the knock on the door, although the idea sounded too optimistic and unlikely. “Let’s watch each other’s blind spots as we enter. Tell whenever we see someone.”
It was little on the way of action, but half bread was still better than no bread at all. With some luck they could avoid surprise. This could be the difference between taking an attack or avoiding, between life and death. There goes nothing, Finn said with the voice of his mind opening the door and crossing into the building, weapon at ready. His eyes scanning the front, looking for any indication of presence.
Notes: Findal enters, looking around for any sing of anyone (pErception Check rolled on the Campaign log: 13)
Annoura drew her sword and readied her shield, moving in behind Finn. She scanned to the side as she entered, first one, and then the other.
Perception 6
ooc: Whichever way the door opens, she scans the other way first. If it opens out, she scans left, then right.
Tandor the White, Human Life Cleric
Findal pulls at the door and it rattles. Locked. The sound does seem to alert someone inside, however, as you hear footsteps patter towards you. A voice calls out "If ye be looking to buy, shop's at the front! Nowt but storage back here!"
With Findal's 13 check I'll say that you can hear how low down the voice is coming from. Could be a gnome, or a halfling, or even a particularly short dwarf. They also haven't come right up to the door - the voice has a little distance to it which indicates they are between 5-10 feet back. Annoura's 18 gives her that and a little more - she notices a flapping to the feet as they walk that might indicate they are quite large. Combined with the size they're almost certainly a halfling, a male with a little gravel from age, and the cadence of their speech tells you they are probably from Ascaril.
DM - Storm King's Thunder
DM - Torosevia (WIP homebrew world)
Kelytha Meliamne - Matti Silverstorm - Silver - Star-Setting-In-The-East - Tor Baltos
He was ready to kick the door down when the voice came from inside the building. Wait a minute, wait a minute, do you mean they truly didn’t heat us until now? Findal was incredulous. The best possible scenario seemed to be the reality. No, it can still be a trap, the dwarf thought pessimistic. Maybe the enemies were trying to make sure they didn’t attack someone by coincidence. Imperial troops wouldn’t care about that normally, but in that situation an unnecessary fight could alert true targets approaching.
“We’re here to work.” He said noticing by where the voice came from that the one behind door was either a shorter kin of his, a halfling or a gnome. “Indication of Rummus.” If their host to-be was from the Red Cord that name should tell enough. “Rummus Bulkin.”
Finn turned towards his companions, waving ever so briefly his axe and nodding his head. An attempt to say that he was keeping his weapon at the ready and as far as he knew it was safer for them to do the same. Maybe it was unnecessary, maybe it was just paranoia, but he would be damned again before taking the risk. If a battle waited for them, it would find the barbarian armed.
Ebril remains standing there leaning a bit on his walking stick. He's made no effort to draw a weapon, or unsling his shield from his back.
He continues to wait as the dwarf replies that they're here to work and also throws out Rummus' name. Not sure he'd just use folks names like that, but the ruse was good. And perhaps true enough if there were any lingering effects from the earlier spell.
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi || Neital Rhessil, Wizard
Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue || Meira Dheran, Rogue || Qirynna Thadri, Wizard || Crisaryn Melkial, Sorcerer