Siszhu tries to lift the lid of the box, or otherwise open it.  Perhaps violently.  He’s not really the kind to neatly unwrap presents and save bows and paper as keepsakes.  He’s much more the year into it and through it, much to the chagrin of those who have gifted him turtlenecks and cardigans.

As soon as Siszhu touches the large, white, polka dot crate it bursts open, revealing an enormous werehippo.  He's holding a 'WELCOME TO HAPPY JACKS!' wooden sign in his mouth, performing simple tricks, which is mainly moving his head around to attract attention to his sign, and has a nametag around his neck.

Necyra, in the middle of taking a long drag on her joint, flutters backwards into the wall in surprise at the hippo suddenly appearing.  "Like, whoa mannnnnn, that's far out!"

Looking back down at To'Kurr, she notices that he's also fumbling with his lockpick set, trying to open the door.  She flicks a little finger at To'Kurr and casts (at will) Guidance, "Settle down there, my main mannnnnn, and chill out!  Try that again!"

To'Kurr raise an eyebrow at the hippo. Then smiles, he finds he doesn't notice the polka dots so much with a large hippo in the middle of the room.

"So, like you see that too, man?" To'Kurr asks Necyra, never quite sure that when he sees something like this that it's real or not.

As long as the creature doesn't appear aggressive, To'Kurr turns back to the door and with Necyra's help, he calms himself down and tries the lock again.

Thieves' Tools: (7+6 plus 2 from guidance) = 15

     Siszhu, obviously, does what comes natural and attempts to punch the hippo in the face?  He does it while ducking and taking an involuntary step back, more surprised than he ever is in an actual fight, even if ambushed...  But wtf?  Giant freaking hippo?!?  How's that pop out of a box???

Unarmed Strike:  16 to hit for 12 damage...

     "What the what?" he calls out adopting his typical melee pose waiting for this thing to... He doesn't even know what.  

Neph takes one of the pamphlets and puts it in his pocket.  He comes over to regard the hippo, turning at the sound of the attack by Siszhu.  “Everything ok over there?”  He puts his hand on his sword.

As the yuan-ti attempts to hit the large hippo as it pops out of the box, he dodges the blow and drops his wooden sign.  Frowning, the hippo tries to bite at Siszhu and misses.

     Siszhu eyes the hippo (werehippo?  right there, hippo!) suspiciously for a moment.  (Insight to see if the Hippo is violent or not?  1-1 for 0.  Siszhu has NO idea what to make of this shit.)  "You good hippo or bad hippo?" Siszhu asks with suspicion as he cautiously picks up the wooden sign and pauses... On the edge between putting the sign back in the hippo's mouth and whacking it over the top of it's head.

     "Did To'Kurr do something or is there really a hippo in a box here?"

OOC: Speech of the Woods- Necyra can speak to, and understand, all beasts. Assuming a werehippo is a beast?

Necyra turns and addresses the hippo “Hey, we mean you no harm!  We’re new here, and looking for Happy Jack!  The nice lady out front sent us here to meet him.”

To'Kurr fails to open the "Personnel Only' door, the tools slipping around in the lock but not quite engaging.

Necyra's sylvan brings the werehippos attention over to her, though they keep diverting their eyes to Siszhu not wanting to be sucker punched.  "No harm?  What he then?  Yes, new.  Happy Jack inside!"

Necyra hollers over to Siszhu "Hold up there, pardner...that hippo is friendly!  No more punching ... it means us no harm.  It's here, I'm guessing, to greet the kiddos when they arrive and are waiting in line."

Then, in werehippoese to the hippo, "Sorry about my friend, Siszhu...he was just startled by you suddenly appearing.  My name is Necyra!  What's yours?  And where can we find Happy Jack?  We're late to meet him, and I don't want to keep him waiting."

"I Bubby."  He checks on Siszhu again, then back to Necyra, "Happy Jack here.  Where?  I know not."

     “You, uh…” Siszhu says, rare apprehension in his voice. “You want your sign back?”  Siszhu holds the sign and is kind of looking to put it back into the hippo’s mouth, if it wants it.  He’s doing his best not to look threatening…  but he’s not really practiced that… ever.

Now that he's sure that the Hippo isn't aggressive, To'Kurr tries the door one last time (11+6)=17

The werehippo just stares at Siszhu, not giving him a sign either way.

To'Kurr tries the lock again, but fails to open the 'Personnel Only' door.

"Hi, Bubby!  I'm Necyra!" she says in hippoese.  "I'm super glad to meet you!  You look hungry...can I get you anything to eat or drink?  It must be lonely, hiding inside that box, waiting for the kiddos to arrive.  You wanna join us as we meet with Happy Jack?"

Persuasion: 11

"This is a bummer, man," To'Kurr says, indicating the door. "It's, like, magicked shut or something, man."

He turns back to see how they're making out with the hippo, keeping his eyes at hippo head height, avoiding the polka dots.

To'Kurr meanders over to the other doorways leading out of the room.

"These are, like, to the far out rides, right man?" To'Kurr says, generally asking the hippo.

He listens at the double doors first.

Perception: (19+4) = 23

Nephvir walks over to To’Kurr and the Employee’s Only door, his joint still hanging from his lip puffing on it from time to time, saying “Hey my man, let me at that door.  Step back and let a pro try…”. He shoots him a big grin.   Neph brings out his well used and most trusty thieves tools, he kneels down and works on the lock.  “That should do it!”

Dex check (Nat 20!) +5 dex + 4 prof with thieves tools : 29

     “Where do kids go?” Siszhu asks after shrugging and leaning the sign against the hippo’s box.  “Past their curfew.  We’re here to collect them.”

The lock makes a loud CLICK when Nephvir succeeds in unlocking the eastern door.

The werehippo looks at Siszhu, cocking his head, "Kids happy!  What curfew?"