Does Cato see the egg? Is it still around somewhere? As far as I can tell from the previous post the spy threw it on the ground and there was a flash.

Yes! The egg is on the ground right in front of the Spy.

Cato will pick up the egg and back away, using all his movement (accepting the attack of opportunity from a guard if it comes). Then he would like to examine the egg both for authenticity. He is very excited for he knows that dragon eggs are rare.

Nature check: 8

As Cato shifts his focus towards the egg, he drops his guard and moves east. Guard #3 sees the opening, relying entirely on his training to strike when the opportunity presents itself. He takes an attack of opportunity against Cato:

Spear (one-handed melee attack) vs. Cato: Attack: 12 Damage: 6 piercing.

Cato's Nature check:

Drazzim will turn to the guard that badly wounded him (he's about half down). "Let's dance, then." He says, swinging his greataxe at the guard. Once again, he's going for the knock-out blows.

Greataxe vs. Guard: 22 vs. AC. Hit: 14 "slashing" damage.

Guard #1, who spent his last bit of strength raising his shield to block Orla's rapier, doesn't even see Drazzim's greataxe approaching. The dwarf hits his target, and the guard drops limp to the ground, unconscious like his boss.

Charlotte, we are only missing your post before the guards take theirs.

(OOC @Yayabeams: Apologies for moving on, but as stated in the rules for the game in the original recruiting thread: In combat, characters silent for more than 24 hours into their initiative will be autopiloted to perform simple weapon attacks, cantrips, or the dodge action as appropriate, just to keep the action going. I'm afraid it has been more than 24 hours since your last post, Yayabeams, so for this turn Charlotte will be autopiloted to perform a cantrip. I feel that repeating your last action in this stance is a fair approach).

Charlotte tries to cast Chill Touch at the nearest target:

Ranged spell attack vs Guard #2: Attack: 24 Damage: 8

The ghostly hand reappears and clings to the target, who yells out in fear and visually loses most of his strength. (Guard #2 can't regain hit points until the start of Charlotte's next turn).

Guards turn.

Despite not yet being successfully targeted by any of his enemies, Guard #3 recognizes just how dire the situation looks for him. With a quick glance towards his only standing companion, fear overtakes him as he drops his shield and spear and runs towards the west wall of the barn. With his palms open and arms stretched, he pushes on a few of the rotting wall planks right next to the burlap sacks and the ladder leading upwards to the loft. The planks swing outward like a door on hidden hinges and the guard runs out.

Guard #3 uses the Dash action plus his regular movement to try to escape.

Guard #2 is visually weakened by the Charlotte's necrotic damage. He too drops his spear  and shield but thinks better of running. "I surrender... I surrender... I ain't paid 'nough for this. Just let me go, please."

You are now out of initiative. Do as you will.

(If there's one fleeing, Perhaps @Yayabeans would cast Sleep at them since they are on their own. It was mentioned as an option in the OOC chat)

"Alright, night-night then." Drazzim bops the surrendered guard in the nose with his greataxe to knock him out. Once they are all subdued, he'll look to the others. "Sho, that was not ash expectud, but great fun."

(OOC: That would be optimum, yes, but (i) the guard only started fleeing after Charlotte damaged his companion, not the other way around, and (ii) the 24-hour rule calls for "simple weapon attacks, cantrips, or the dodge action as appropriate." Casting Sleep would brake that rule, which I feel would be a bit unfair on the expectations set up at the beginning of this one shot. I'm all ears though if you guys have any thoughts on this).

Guard #2 is now also unconscious, following Drazzim's hit to his nose. Guard #3 is outside the barn, escaping.

(I only mentioned it as it was within the plans on the OOC thread. There's still the rest of the party who can deal with the fleeing target ;-) )

Blinking rapidly as white light coalesces back into vision, Utar reviews a scene of devestation. Two guards and an elf incapacitated on the floor, a door sized opening in the far side of the barn.  Utar shrugs his shield onto his back and resting the head of his warhammer on his shoulder.

Reaching inside his chainmail, he fishes out his amulet. Seeing the dwarf is a little worse for wear, he places a hand on Drazzim's shoulder, closes his eyes and speaks the words to a prayer of healing.  Blinking his eyes open again he casts his vision around the others "Anyone else?"

Utar casts cure wounds 4

OOC I think we were all posting at the same time there otherwise I might have attempted something with the fleeing guard but I don't want to retcon. I spent a spell slot and enjoyed it, even if the dice still don't like me...

Do we need to chase the final guard? He/she might come back and rescue his/her party. If we tied the rest up, planted the pin on the lady elf and kept the gems and egg, might it all read as they got jumped by some thugs who found out about the deal? Provided the pin is hidden well enough, the Harper doesn't even have to know.

(OOC: This is all sort of happening at the same time, right? The guard just left the barn a moment ago. During his turn, with dash he had enough movement to go outside, but it doesn't necessarily mean that the guard is simply gone, and that's that. Whatever you do wouldn't necessarily result in a retcon).

What precisely does Cato observe the seller is wearing and what supplies she is carrying and how they are packed (shoulder bag, backpack, no pack, etc). He is looking for a good place to hide the pin.

Investigation: 7

The Spy is wearing leather boots soiled by mud, wool breeches, a sturdy belt, a shirt with a vest, and an ample cloak with a hood. Hanging from her belt, you can see three pouches and a metal loop she uses to carry her shortsword. Strapped to her back you can see a small wooden case used to hold crossbow bolts, now opened due to the fight, and containing 9 pieces of ammunition inside. She was also carrying the sack in which she brought the egg. 

Cato sticks the pin on the inside of the cloak, slightly above where the hood meets the rest of the cloak, and at the very back. In this location, Cato surmises,  it is hidden by the folds of the cloak if the hood is off, and hidden by the wearer's own neck when the hood is on, and low enough that it would touch shirt rather than the skin of the wearer's neck. Furthermore, it sits slightly above the point where the cloak carries its tension, so the pin is not pressed against the wearer's back and/or neck.

Then I ask, "Does anyone have a pen or a bit of charcoal? I would like to leave a note to these folks suggesting they be more reasonable next time."

As Cato finishes planting the pin, the party stands around the three unconscious bodies, pondering what to do next.

(If it helps in your decision on what to do next, all three should wake up in 2 hours).

Utar drops to one knee, swinging his pack onto the ground before him in a smooth motion. Looking to the group, he removes some rope from it begins binding the hands of the guards, checking their bodies for anything useful as he goes, if this is to look like a robbery, it needs to be consistent with one, he thinks.  Utar works diligently, putting any weapons into a pile on the ground. A small smile creeps across his face, donations to funds for wounded soldiers or for the works of Torm are always needed, Utar resolves how to use his share of any coin.

When he comes to the elf, he checks the pouches in her belt carefully and removes her shortsword, throwing it into the centre of the barn floor with any other weapons he has found.

"We've got an appointment with that bloody harper from The Kettle, sending five to meet? When they're expecting two?" Utar shakes his head. "We're lucky this wasn't a bloodbath."

(OOC - Happy to make any skill checks I need to, just not sure what to roll.)

Drazzim doesn't bother looting them. He just picks up the dragon egg. "Hey, not a scratch on the thing." He says with a jovial tone. "Right, got what we were here for, right? Let's get done and going then."