((kinda.. looking back it's a bit tricky. Veryes and Aria had already joined everyone else outside and were speaking about meeting up with the brothers. Though our DM did say that only you two were approached, it seems rather arbitrary. Usul had been staying hidden in the bar until everyone else went outside as well. Is there a reason you'd want to retcon that only you two know about it? I'm just trying to save us time by keeping things rolling.))

(The entire scene was kind of chaotic because I had intended for the bar to be closed when the party got there, but it was roleplayed differently. Then everyone left, but Veryes only was trying to persuade the bartender and then Aria explicitly entered into that conversation. I thought Usul had gone stealth and was trying to hear what patrons around the bar were talking about, which was a failed perception check. It's a pretty big place because there are all kinds of side rooms on this floor and in the sublevel where people are either arranging side meetings for business or for privacy or because they want to cosplay being the Underdark basically. In my view of the scene is was Aria and Veryes negotiating this deal with Sunkx but because the scene was kind of disjointed - my fault for not setting it up better - I'll punt on this and say everyone is aware of this deal. But, you can't just bamf out of the city and show up at the campsite. You've got to smuggle this bag out and then travel a few miles outside of Waterdeep and I'm going to do some random rolls to see if you encounter anything on your way there. Just saying - this isn't an Assassin's Creed style delivery mission where someone couldn't be bothered to walk 200 meters to their left to deliver a letter.)

((retcon just a slight bit then of my last post above. Usul would have started leading towards the gate, but we can say we're on the way, or just starting. He still definitely does ask Veryes about looking in the bag though~ He's a curious kid ^^ ))

Okay, so Sen is following along, also keen to get a view of what's inside the bag.  What's coming up that might make it difficult to pass through the gate?  And how big is the bag, physically?

(( Aria would have taken the bag... but yea what’s the size of this thing?))

This is the Forgotten Realms equivalent of a classic Jansport backpack. 

Veryes is glad for Aria to have the bag and falls in next to her as they make their way. (I know the timeline got a little funky but I'm assuming we all meet up outside, and are maybe starting to head in the direction of the gate?)

Veryes shakes her head "I have no interest to know what's in the bag. I'm sure it's not a delivery of kittens for the poor orphans of the city. I'd rather just delivery it and not have my conscience to deal with knowing what were delivering. But that is just me."

As the party leaves the Spider, backpack slung across Aria's back, anyone making a quick observation of the bag would notice that there is a small lock on the buckle keeping it shot. It would be possible to cut the strap and circumvent the lock, so it's likely that it's there as one potential measure of making sure the bag isn't tampered with in transit than anything. It's just a simple lock, though, and doesn't appear to be anything elaborate. 

On balance, Sen also doesn't care that much about the contents of the bag if it might be locked and detectable if we open it.  He'd much rather just get the money.  I guess there's a guard at the gate?  We might be able to distract them, but they're probably really used to that and know the tricks people use.  

Crush would follow along with the group, scratching his neck and looking around for trouble as they make their way toward the city gate as they head out of town. "Crush distract guard...." he would grunt with a smile to his companions, moving with them but putting about 15 feet between himself and the others.

I really don't know if that will work, Crush.  Those guards deal with professional criminals and smugglers every day.  And stupid kids causing trouble.  And everything in between.  What do you think will distract them?

With the backpack on her shoulders, Aria is carrying Bullseye in her left hand.  "It'd probably be a good idea if Usul and Sen take the lead a bit ahead of us and then Crush can bring up the rear.."  She says to the group..."This way we should be able to see if anything is coming at or after us."

Veryes looks a little crestfallen for not getting to ride on Crushs' shoulders but perks up when she has an idea "Sen, you said you can make yourself look like other things, could you make the backpack look like something else? Say a baby? Arias baby?" Then with a devilish gleam in her eye "Oooh oooh, or maybe a cute little half elf baby and you and Aria can just walk out the gate as a happy couple with their sleeping baby?"

Sen thinks for a moment, then shakes his head.  I can make an image of a baby - though it will be completely silent, so it will have to be a sleeping baby to be convincing.  But no, I can't make the backpack look like anything else.  I can make something appear around it.  Like a box.  But, they would probably want to try to look in the box, and of course as soon as they tried to touch the box, it would be revealed as an illusion.  Sen continues to think, but doesn't have any brilliant ideas.

Veryes shrugs "Oh well. Maybe I'm overthinking it. I mean, it's just a pack. We've all got packs. There must be lots of people coming and going through the gates. I mean what's another traveler with a pack?"

Aria gives Veryes an incredulous look before she smiles as Sen explains that it wont work. "Thank the gods because that was going to be as awkward an experience for me as possible. Now is it possible that you can create an illusion of the same bag and we can have Crush carry it?"

It would be tricky.  I think I would need to accompany it, in order to make it move with him realistically.  But yes, I think I can do that.  Sen looks puzzled.  How would you use that, though?

Aria looks back at Sen with a wry smile on her face. "I wouldn't. I'm just trying to figure out what you all are capable of. We did kinda just jump into helping find Anna without knowing anything about what the other was capable of."

Sen returns her smile briefly.  That's a good point.  So yeah, I can do some magic, and mostly I'm good with illusions.  How about you?

Aria nocks one of her tracer arrows on BULLSEYE, aims down...  "See that sign down the road... bout 150 yards down?"  Aria shoots...

12

"That's what I do."

((I rolled for a lil flavor from the DM lol ))