"Gash says it's suspicious, but he's fine and doesn't need help, and can teleport away. Making jokes about an undead hostess so I think it's still him. I'm inclined to let him be -- he said not to let Nev and Genny go there which is probably a good idea." He looks around at the group, and then the rest of the headquarters. He goes and asks about the 'level 4' bounty and the construct, and if there are plans to try to take it out again.

Althus blinks, looking at Gash for a moment, "What's wrong with tea? I don't think there will be trouble that we can't handle, though."

"If you want to drink the tea an undead, evil warlock worshiper gives you be my guest. It's just precaution... I wouldn't drink anything I didn't see someone make."

The tea cools over the next hour as Gash and Althus sit in the library left entirely alone. The house is so silent that the pair can barely even hear the wind blowing outside.

Stitches heads off towards the address where Gash and Althus are staying, skittering over fences, staying in the shadows. It will probably take a good 35 or 40 minutes for the little spider to find its way there.

Meanwhile, Dog inquires about the bounty.

"It will need to be approved first. A level 4 bounty might need to be assessed by the bounty clerk, since it is a sizable reward."

During the hour they wait, Gash will ritually cast detect magic. and look around the room. He will also check in with Friend and look through his eyes to see if anything strange is happening outside. Then if everything is pretty mundane, after that hour he well tell Althus to leave with him and stay close. 

(OOC: Dog wouldn't have sent Stitches off way across town alone -- he would have walked himself to get within 100 feet of the address and then sent Stitches around for a look to be able to toggle in and out.)

Dog's starting to get impatient. "I think Gash will want to take a look at the construct before we take it down. Let's give him just a bit longer, then I'll head over to see if he can't teleport out." He sighs. "Don't see much use for everyone to stick around this place -- anyone want to walk Nev an Genny back to the inn for some rest or play?"

(If the Inn is close to the HQ building, Dog will walk back to the inn and ritually cast alarm around Nev and Genny's room, designating the group as people who will not set off the alarm and explaining the spell to everyone. He'll then return to HQ.)

Althus will do likewise, casting Detect Evil and Good and patrolling the room, making sure to stay close to Gash. 

20

18

Neither Althus nor Gash find anything especially magical or evil about the room.

After an hour, the pair become restless and are clearly entertaining thoughts of leaving. Garielle appears at this time. She looks for a long time at the wizard and the paladin. At last, she speaks. "My little goblin," she says to Gash. "Aren't you so very pleased to be here? Wouldn't you love to sit down and wait a while longer, even if it is all night? Your tea has grown cold. Don't fear, my little friend. Sit, be comfortable."

A feeling of calm, almost tingly and definitely pleasant falls over Gash. He sits back down in his chair and takes a long gulp of his cold tea, which tastes wonderfully sweet.

(Gash has been charmed. I'd rather not take control of him, so Gash, time to RP being besties with Garielle!)

Neventi agrees it is time to take Gentoa back to the inn, get some supper, and get her to bed. The party heads back to the The White Crane, where they take in a more than serviceable meal. By the time Neventi heads up to put Gentoa to bed, another hour has passed and Gash and Althus have not returned...

Dog has been drumming his fingers on the arm of an armchair for a while. "Gash said he'd be back to the headquarters to talk, and he can't think we'd still be there," he says, sighing and standing up. He gathers his things. He grabs Nev for a word before she goes to bed. "Going to check on the little green one. Been too long. He might have just gotten distracted. I set that alarm spell around your room -- if anyone that's not us comes in, I'll know. Try not to let anyone in. Be safe."

He turns to the rest of the group. "I can take a look on my own while people guard Nev and Genny, or if anyone wants to join me on what I hope is just a pleasant evening stroll, they're welcome."

Without another word, he heads out toward the address Gash and Althus went to.

Nearing the address, Dog will cast disguise self to look like a Neventi Drahm who is one foot shorter than Dog. He then sends Stitches out for a closer look around the property, while Dog hangs out in an alley out of sight nearby, toggling back and forth. What does it look like? Who's around? Does he see any sign of Gash or Althus? He'll prepare to cast protection from evil and good if he decides to approach the address and doesn't see them, or sees them in any sort of distress. He taps the winged boots and gets ready to fly up to the roof or second floor (but not yet)>

“Oh yes, this is quite nice. And you know what I could take a nice rest. I work really hard as a protector you know. But lady Garielle, you must be so impatient. It’s already been so long. Shall I send word to Nev and Genny and the others? I’m sure you will just love the whole batch. Especially the child, she steals the heart of everyone she meets. A truly charming child!”

"It is lovely of you to offer, my dear," Garielle says. "But we shall be patient and wait for the others to arrive. They will come in due time."

She gives Gash a toothy smile that warms his heart. Then she turns to Althus. "Perhaps we can all be patient just a while longer, yes?" she says, her smile fading.

This part of town is clearly posh. Arriving at the address, they find all of the houses on this block are large manors and many of them with extravagant features, such as mock towers or ornamental gargoyles. The target address has such a tower, though lacks any ornaments. All of its shutters are closed and no smoke flows from the chimney. Across the street from the target house, Friend is perched on the roof of another manor's tower. The owl ruffles his feathers and stretches his wings, then settles back in to his watching duty.

"There's Gash's owl familiar, still here," Dog whispers to Martin. He brings Stitches up and sends her to crawl onto the manor house and try to get into the house, judging the chimney to perhaps be the best route inside. While Stitches makes her way in, he will also begin to ritually cast detect magic while viewing the front door, holding off on casting protection from good and evil. Can he get close enough to the front door while staying out of sight? He'll also try to keep an eye out on things to see if they're being watched or who else is in the area. He looks to Martin, still whispering "if you can scope out the place more, I'd like to find out who's in there, and if Gash and Martin are there, and not... departed." Vanilla d20 rolls for what I'm sure will be a few skill checks! 

10 8 6 5

Althus looks at Gash, then at Garielle, "You know, I don't think we will."

He casts Calm Emotions on Gash and Garielle (ending charm effect on Gash if he fails the save, making Garielle indifferent to creatures she's hostile towards if she fails. Either can choose to fail the save, if they wish.)