Bell leans as far as she can once the gangplank is pointed out to her. "The casino's fancy dining kitchen must transfer food and drink that way. If we can make it down to the fine dining area and through the kitchen, I bet we can use that gangway to get lower before having to jump. Lower is better, right?"
She turns and scans the jostling crowd on the main casino floor.
(It seems to Bell that the gnome has decided to ignore the cashiers and focus on the tiefling security guards. They are starting to get themselves organized... although Togglepocket remains surrounded by the cashiers complaining they are no longer able to buy or sell tokens... no gold is coming from the vault. The gamblers trying to cash out are getting angrier by the second... anyone could see it's a powder keg about to blow)
Bell will immediately move to go downstairs while whispering for the others to follow. With the casino security getting organized again, going down and perhaps invading the kitchens is best for getting away from the main nest of chaos and guards. Plus, being 'not seen' as much -- though we should be prepared to mar any magic mirrors we notice along the way... better safe than sorry.
Moving as best we can against the casino mob of bodies, we shall move to the lower restaurant asap.
Erudisia is able to keep one of the waiters at the table for a minute’s chat. The conversation is so banal and quotidian — “my mom told me don’t take this job you’re being exoticised but I said that after Casieh left me I didn’t even really know why not and so here I am but I kind of like it cuz especially the people are so nice although the pay could be better and I probably shouldn’t even say that… Enjoy your meal!” — that any thoughts of devilish presence are quickly extinguished
Erudisia nods along encouragingly until the conversation concludes. As they leave she covers her mouth from sight with a morsel, and whispers, “Well, that one is perhaps not a fiend. On to the next.” She waves at the sommelier.
The restaurant is small enough that the sommelier is also the head chef. “Is everything to your satisfaction, mademoiselle?,” he asks, using the Elvish word for mademoiselle. “It was my dream to have my own establishment, for many years. And finally, it has come true! Yes, one must put up with… with being exoticized every day. The Hells of the afterlife, Tieflings. Who would have made that connection, I ask you. WHO!!!??” He recovered himself, the last word having come out as a shout. “But sacrifices must sometimes be made, eh? That is life… but oh! Mademoiselle, you must excuse me. I must check the consommé! Enjoy... enjoy!"
Bell will immediately move to go downstairs while whispering for the others to follow. With the casino security getting organized again, going down and perhaps invading the kitchens is best for getting away from the main nest of chaos and guards. Plus, being 'not seen' as much -- though we should be prepared to mar any magic mirrors we notice along the way... better safe than sorry.
Moving as best we can against the casino mob of bodies, we shall move to the lower restaurant asap.
Having no better idea herself Meredith called out in both Lion and Baboon to follow Bell then legged it after her.
( I think that's the end of my Speak With Animals given the time passing)
“Out, out, out, out, out!!,” shout the baboons, unable to hear Meredith’s request over their own screeching. The lion looks at Meredith, sniffs southward toward the tunnel through which you first entered the casino, and heads that way, ignoring the bard. Emrys lowers herself into the stream, and powerful muscles propel her upstream. All the casino patrons on the dock redouble their screams, and the crowd shatters, circulating like a terrorized tornado back around the casino floor.
Little One has thrown off his suit jacket and shirt and crawls on all fours across the casino floor. From a distance, in the chaos and sighting through the crowd, his rippling trapezoids and deltoids seem to belong to the back and shoulders of just another circus animal to Togglepocket and the tiefling security guards, to which they pay little heed.
In a few moments, using Little One as cover, you have crossed the stream on one of the little bridges and reached the hallway down to the restaurant, Bell first, then Marliza, then Meredith. Meredith, before following them down, you hear a ghostly voice groaning like a hundred untuned voils, “Togglepocket! It is time to pay! I have your soul! But our agreement is, your soul, and a percentage! Your coffers are empty!”
Shrieks of fear from the crowd and now, an opening of the noose-like circle of cashiers and patrons surrounding the gnome, who stands alone, hands gesturing frantically as, wide-eyed, he shouts promises and pleas at a hellish red light above him which seems to be about to form into… something.
Bell, downstairs you find the gears and wheels that deploy the loading ramp in the back of the restaurant kitchen, in which the tiefling cook and your waitress (quoted above) are hiding out in the pantry, making themselves small under empty burlap sacks.
Meredith looks back worriedly concerned for the guests and staff but tells herself that they should be fine if they weren't part of the contract.......at least thats what she gathered from her readings......her readings were mostly in the restricted sections and didn't really dwell on the contractual nature of devils over the more.....carnal....nature of devils but she got the gist.
She waves to the waitress and puts a finger to her lips.
" Boss Man!", she says to Little One. " Give me a hand with this. Chef! Anything we should know about this contraption? Also you two should take over management of this place.....tomorrow."
“We use zee burlap sacks under each box to help zee boxes slide down the chute,” the chef offers. When Meredith orders him and the waitress to take command starting tomorrow, music swells as the pair face each other, stars glinting in their eyes, and they sing a Marseilles-like anthem of hope and steadfast resolve. Or perhaps we just imagine the singing part, but their shining countenances, aglow with the light of dreams coming true, is as real as can be.
(Inspiration for all is granted following this moment of grace!)
Meredith does her best to manoeuvre the loading ramp into the most advantageous position then looks at Bell, Marliza and Little One.
" Ok, Little One on first? Or maybe smallest first?", Meredith was beginning to let the evening catch up with her and she was becoming a little discombobulated.
Little One tests the ramp dubiously, then frowns and says, "I am worried about breaking the contraption under my weight. I should go last."
Everyone please roll Athletics (Dex) / Acrobatics to see how well you manage the slide. If you can employ a skill or spell or think of some way to increase your chances of a smooth dismount into the water, roll with Advantage & describe your dive.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Meredith used her magics to make the slide as clean and warm as possible then shot a glance at Marliza, threw caution to the wind and seized Bell by the waist and shoved her onto the ramp in front of her as they both slid down.
Bell gives a startled squeek as she is grabbed by Meredith and sent speeding down the ramp. "If we die I am going to haunt you!" followed by a giggle and a little joyful sound as they zoom toward the end of the ramp and plunge into the waters below.
The ocean waters chant their calmly plangent refrain under starry skies, the moon shining brightly and casting a net of sparkling gray over the water’s surface. A lone halfling, old and comfortably fat, sits bundled in a wool coat and felt hat atop a boulder at the water’s edge, drowsing off in the quiet, his pole almost slipping from his hand. Then, a slight tug on the line brings him to wakefulness and, his mouth hanging open in anticipation, he gently coaxes an ocean trout out of the whispering waves. Holding it up, he smiles warmly, thinking of the sprig of tarragon he had dried on his kitchen counter just that morning and contemplating how delicious a breakfast he would enjoy. And how pretty shine the scales of his catch under the moon, he thinks.
This happy calm is shattered utterly, causing the halfling to fall backwards off the boulder with a shout and to surrender the trout to the waves once again, when Bell, quickly followed by Meredith, plunges from above directly in front of him into the sea.
Both women keep their bearings, Meredith making an almost perfect rotation and swan dive. Bell, not quite so practiced, feels as if every inch of her body is simultaneously slapped by the cold and takes 1HP bludgeoning damage, but quickly recovers.
Marliza transforms into her jackal shape and gallops down the ramp after Meredith and Bell, leaping into the air away from the shore and potential unseen rocks, tucking her legs under her before splashing under the gentle coastal swells.
All three come up for air and are making their way to the very narrow strip of beach at the base of the escarpment when a loud CRACK! echoes from above and Little One, amid a shower of planks and with a yell, plummets underwater. A small tsunami surges away from the point of his disappearance and pushes Bell, Meredith, and Marliza gently ashore. Mere inches away from where they pull themselves from the water, the old fat halfling, rubbing his sleepy eyes in disbelief, comes around the boulder to behold the three mysterious women.
“H—hullo?,” is all he can croak, in complete astonishment.
Bell smiles as she watched Marliza leap into the water, "Well done, Mar. I wish I could have been as graceful on my way down."
As soon as they gain the shore, she will start multiple applications of Prestidigitation to clean their clothing out and create warmth so they have some protection against the cool night air.
"I do hopeLittle One can swim! That was some fall."
The halfling, in response to Meredith’s greeting, struggles to find words.
“Aye,” is all he can come up with.
Little One’s face appears several dozen yards out and he gasps for breath. He strokes powerfully and soon reaches the shore and steps heavily out of the water. There is a huge goose egg growing on his brow just above one eye which is swollen shut. His fedora is gone. Seaweed is tangled around his legs.
He feels on his head for his magical headband in sudden fear, but feels it there under his dew rag. He chuckles, embarrassed.
“Got a little hung up down under…”
The big little halfling, recoiling from Little One’s hulking form, makes a sound like “Meep!,” grabs his fishing pole and scurries off.
Bell leans as far as she can once the gangplank is pointed out to her. "The casino's fancy dining kitchen must transfer food and drink that way. If we can make it down to the fine dining area and through the kitchen, I bet we can use that gangway to get lower before having to jump. Lower is better, right?"
She turns and scans the jostling crowd on the main casino floor.
Passive Insight: 13
Passive Perception: 11
(It seems to Bell that the gnome has decided to ignore the cashiers and focus on the tiefling security guards. They are starting to get themselves organized... although Togglepocket remains surrounded by the cashiers complaining they are no longer able to buy or sell tokens... no gold is coming from the vault. The gamblers trying to cash out are getting angrier by the second... anyone could see it's a powder keg about to blow)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Having no better idea herself Meredith called out in both Lion and Baboon to follow Bell then legged it after her.
( I think that's the end of my Speak With Animals given the time passing)
(Is Bell going downstairs?)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Bell will immediately move to go downstairs while whispering for the others to follow. With the casino security getting organized again, going down and perhaps invading the kitchens is best for getting away from the main nest of chaos and guards. Plus, being 'not seen' as much -- though we should be prepared to mar any magic mirrors we notice along the way... better safe than sorry.
Moving as best we can against the casino mob of bodies, we shall move to the lower restaurant asap.
( Prestidigitation Mirror Mist as we move.)
(Little One - Stealth: 12)
(Security Perception: 5)
(Togglepocket Perception: 7)
Editing...
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Quote from DandDSince1973 >>
“Out, out, out, out, out!!,” shout the baboons, unable to hear Meredith’s request over their own screeching. The lion looks at Meredith, sniffs southward toward the tunnel through which you first entered the casino, and heads that way, ignoring the bard. Emrys lowers herself into the stream, and powerful muscles propel her upstream. All the casino patrons on the dock redouble their screams, and the crowd shatters, circulating like a terrorized tornado back around the casino floor.
Little One has thrown off his suit jacket and shirt and crawls on all fours across the casino floor. From a distance, in the chaos and sighting through the crowd, his rippling trapezoids and deltoids seem to belong to the back and shoulders of just another circus animal to Togglepocket and the tiefling security guards, to which they pay little heed.
In a few moments, using Little One as cover, you have crossed the stream on one of the little bridges and reached the hallway down to the restaurant, Bell first, then Marliza, then Meredith. Meredith, before following them down, you hear a ghostly voice groaning like a hundred untuned voils, “Togglepocket! It is time to pay! I have your soul! But our agreement is, your soul, and a percentage! Your coffers are empty!”
Shrieks of fear from the crowd and now, an opening of the noose-like circle of cashiers and patrons surrounding the gnome, who stands alone, hands gesturing frantically as, wide-eyed, he shouts promises and pleas at a hellish red light above him which seems to be about to form into… something.
Bell, downstairs you find the gears and wheels that deploy the loading ramp in the back of the restaurant kitchen, in which the tiefling cook and your waitress (quoted above) are hiding out in the pantry, making themselves small under empty burlap sacks.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Inside her study, Erudisia whispers to herself. ‘I knew it!’
Meredith looks back worriedly concerned for the guests and staff but tells herself that they should be fine if they weren't part of the contract.......at least thats what she gathered from her readings......her readings were mostly in the restricted sections and didn't really dwell on the contractual nature of devils over the more.....carnal....nature of devils but she got the gist.
She waves to the waitress and puts a finger to her lips.
" Boss Man!", she says to Little One. " Give me a hand with this. Chef! Anything we should know about this contraption? Also you two should take over management of this place.....tomorrow."
“We use zee burlap sacks under each box to help zee boxes slide down the chute,” the chef offers. When Meredith orders him and the waitress to take command starting tomorrow, music swells as the pair face each other, stars glinting in their eyes, and they sing a Marseilles-like anthem of hope and steadfast resolve. Or perhaps we just imagine the singing part, but their shining countenances, aglow with the light of dreams coming true, is as real as can be.
(Inspiration for all is granted following this moment of grace!)
(Little One lends a Help action.)
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Meredith does her best to manoeuvre the loading ramp into the most advantageous position then looks at Bell, Marliza and Little One.
" Ok, Little One on first? Or maybe smallest first?", Meredith was beginning to let the evening catch up with her and she was becoming a little discombobulated.
Little One tests the ramp dubiously, then frowns and says, "I am worried about breaking the contraption under my weight. I should go last."
Everyone please roll Athletics (Dex) / Acrobatics to see how well you manage the slide. If you can employ a skill or spell or think of some way to increase your chances of a smooth dismount into the water, roll with Advantage & describe your dive.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
(Inside her amulet, Erudisia reclines against her chaise longe, but slips suddenly. Gladly, there is no one around to see.)
[Nat 1]
Meredith used her magics to make the slide as clean and warm as possible then shot a glance at Marliza, threw caution to the wind and seized Bell by the waist and shoved her onto the ramp in front of her as they both slid down.
Acrobatics- 19 ( Inspiration)
Bell Acrobatics (Dex) : 16 {game log}
Bell gives a startled squeek as she is grabbed by Meredith and sent speeding down the ramp. "If we die I am going to haunt you!" followed by a giggle and a little joyful sound as they zoom toward the end of the ramp and plunge into the waters below.
The ocean waters chant their calmly plangent refrain under starry skies, the moon shining brightly and casting a net of sparkling gray over the water’s surface. A lone halfling, old and comfortably fat, sits bundled in a wool coat and felt hat atop a boulder at the water’s edge, drowsing off in the quiet, his pole almost slipping from his hand. Then, a slight tug on the line brings him to wakefulness and, his mouth hanging open in anticipation, he gently coaxes an ocean trout out of the whispering waves. Holding it up, he smiles warmly, thinking of the sprig of tarragon he had dried on his kitchen counter just that morning and contemplating how delicious a breakfast he would enjoy. And how pretty shine the scales of his catch under the moon, he thinks.
This happy calm is shattered utterly, causing the halfling to fall backwards off the boulder with a shout and to surrender the trout to the waves once again, when Bell, quickly followed by Meredith, plunges from above directly in front of him into the sea.
Both women keep their bearings, Meredith making an almost perfect rotation and swan dive. Bell, not quite so practiced, feels as if every inch of her body is simultaneously slapped by the cold and takes 1HP bludgeoning damage, but quickly recovers.
Marliza transforms into her jackal shape and gallops down the ramp after Meredith and Bell, leaping into the air away from the shore and potential unseen rocks, tucking her legs under her before splashing under the gentle coastal swells.
All three come up for air and are making their way to the very narrow strip of beach at the base of the escarpment when a loud CRACK! echoes from above and Little One, amid a shower of planks and with a yell, plummets underwater. A small tsunami surges away from the point of his disappearance and pushes Bell, Meredith, and Marliza gently ashore. Mere inches away from where they pull themselves from the water, the old fat halfling, rubbing his sleepy eyes in disbelief, comes around the boulder to behold the three mysterious women.
“H—hullo?,” is all he can croak, in complete astonishment.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer
Bell smiles as she watched Marliza leap into the water, "Well done, Mar. I wish I could have been as graceful on my way down."
As soon as they gain the shore, she will start multiple applications of Prestidigitation to clean their clothing out and create warmth so they have some protection against the cool night air.
"I do hope Little One can swim! That was some fall."
Meredith did the same as bell using her magics to warm clothing and attempting to look anywhere but at Bell while doing so....
At Bells words she turned and looked out to sea with concern, " Marliza, Can you see the big guy?"
Scanning the area she spotted the old halfling, " Lovely night for it."
( Prestidigitation)
The halfling, in response to Meredith’s greeting, struggles to find words.
“Aye,” is all he can come up with.
Little One’s face appears several dozen yards out and he gasps for breath. He strokes powerfully and soon reaches the shore and steps heavily out of the water. There is a huge goose egg growing on his brow just above one eye which is swollen shut. His fedora is gone. Seaweed is tangled around his legs.
He feels on his head for his magical headband in sudden fear, but feels it there under his dew rag. He chuckles, embarrassed.
“Got a little hung up down under…”
The big little halfling, recoiling from Little One’s hulking form, makes a sound like “Meep!,” grabs his fishing pole and scurries off.
DM for Candlekeep Mysteries // Dev Hornd in Curious Critters // Eclipse Faraway in Gallows Dancer