Insight in to whatever Parker may be hiding: 3

I ruminate quietly on why Parker seems intent on getting into the city, but am unable to come up with anything plausible other than what he’s proffered. 

Turning to Blair, “Tea? What tea? ... Oh you must mean the packet I found. Didn’t realize that had been your doing.” After another mouthful of breakfast, “I believe we can go there now, though we’ll need to go via the river or around dusthawk hill.”

**Parker appears truthful as he takes a gulp of the drink

Blair always wondered what it felt like to have the independence and security of her own place, so she couldn’t blame Parker for his anxiousness of wanting to return to the comfort of his home. But rushing there could have it’s own safety concerns. “Always so hasty.” She’d chuckle. “We’ll get you home soon enough.”

Looking back over Dart’s way, Blair would jut her chin over in the direction of the rousing twins. “If they don’t soothe your headache,” She’d grin. “The tea should provide some relief.” Her mouth would then turn into a more sincere and softer smile. “After breakfast I’ll get changed and you can lead the way.”

The redhead would take her time to enjoy a couple bites of breakfast and one more sip of juice before she’d leave Parker with the rest. She’d lean, ”Eat up. You need your energy.” And she’d lift herself from his lap and stride off to get dressed for their outing.

I shovel in the remainder of my breakfast. After everyone is done, I’ll gather the empty (or mostly empty) plates and take care of the washing up. (Don’t want to leave that for my family) Then get ready to make my way to the Stubborn Mule to find Magnus. If he is not there then I’ll head over to the place where we had the clandestine meeting after delivering the first group of crates. 

Parker finishes eating and readies himself to go

Murph, you hear movements from a single person, before hearing the voice of your master: "Please open up."

Murph opens the window and shoulders his bag, and says, "I'm in the middle of something, what do you need?"

He steps close to the door but does not open it, looking down at the floor.

Murph, you hear a sigh, and then: "Why'd you do it? Why'd you steal the powder?"

Remembering that he had taken on a double shift to clear the evening, and wanting to potentially prolong his cover as hired muscle, Dart drops his suggestion of waiting in the Mule, and instead all five of you start to make your way towards the city. Half an hour on the road around Duskhawk Hill later, you approach the Basilisk gate into the city and the Eastway district beyond the walls. 

As you approach though, you see a line of people waiting before the gate, and you quickly figure out why. A patrol of eight flaming fist backed up by four watch members is controlling everyone entering the city, and although you can't make out details from where you are at, they seem to be holding some sort of sketch or a description to compare the people too.

What would you like to do?

Parker lowly  "The sketch is probably me, we should split up.   Blair you and your people should be fine,  Dart you dont have to go in if you dont want to

Murph cracks open the door. He sighs, and then the words come out in a quiet rush. "Perhaps repentance... who can really say. I thought this was all used to make people happy. To help people. To be useful. Not to hurt people. Not to make things worse. I don't hold it against you. I know you don't have a choice. But I wanted to pretend like I did. I'd prefer if you said they were stolen, thanks to a careless worker leaving a door unlocked. You can even say it was me, I fled. I'll disappear anyway, whatever you have to tell them. But I'm not a thief. I just... reallocate things sometimes. If you need to blame me, I'll understand. We always respected each other, Avery. That hasn't changed on my end. I understand if it might on yours. If you ever need to extricate yourself from, well, all of this, just let me know. Maybe I can help."

Avery sighs again: "I'm sorry it wasn't enough, and that things have to end this way.I'll make sure you have a couple of hours of a head start, when the authorities come knocking tomorrow. I guess, if you see me on the gallows, it'll be too late." WIth that, you hear the footsteps withdraw from the door.

Blair would rock up on to her tip toes, peering to see if she could see anything from here, but came up extremely short. When Parker would pipe up, she'd cast a side glance his way. It's true, she wasn't worried about her and the girls. He on the other hand could be a hot topic today. The redhead would lower herself back down onto the base of her feet and will step around Parker, looking him up and down. "Don't need you to become a damsel all locked up for rescuing now do we?" She'd start adjusting him. From behind she'd reach around to adjust the base of his shirt and his pants before padding around to the front to adjust his buttons and his collar. Blair would run her fingers through his hair to push it away from his face before deciding how she'd adjust it differently from how he wore it. Where he may be neat and trim, she'd ruffle up and make rugged. Should he be a little disheveled, she'd primp. Finally, she'd pull her scarf from her person and incorporate it in her attempts to help him disguise himself should his concern be valid. As she finished fidgeting with it, she'd give Parker a very stern and firm look when she'd let it go, backing away from him.

With that, Blair would turn on her heel to face the twins. She'd crook her finger to call them to her to look them over. Then, she'd adjust herself, giving herself a once over and smoothing her clothes. Once satisfied, her and the twins would wonder to a far back of the crowd. They'd mingle and begin to ask the occasional question, just like many of the others around, wondering what could be going on. Eventually, once maybe a few other strangers have joined the area, Blair would focus on following the flow of the crowd waiting for them to naturally work their way closer for a look.

After Blairs administrations Parker would join the line 

Murph nods to himself, and then reaches out one more time. "I meant it. Blame me. And if you need to get away, here's how to get in touch. Maybe I can help." He describes a dead drop nearby that he had discovered on his own, not part of the rest of them. Then he closes the door and exits, somber, with the rest of his things, which he then hides away on rooftops, wondering where he'll land. He begins to slowly head to the shop. 

Avery simply looks at you, silent, but you imagine thankful. With the practiced steps of many a night spent outside of your attic, you leave through the window and make your way to the rooftops, skittering onwards to hide your tools and belongings. After another hour or so, you're satisfied that your things are well hidden but reachable if necessary. For a moment, you sense the regret, and anger, at the resistance for burning you like that, at them using the products of your labour much like the empire had done. But you push the thought aside, and focus instead on the present situation. Or better said, the two situations unfolding simultaneously: Having to rob a store on the fly, and needing to reach out or find a new network to hide. Well, one thing was certain, it would have to start with getting to the shop.

 ------------------------------------------

Somewhat disguised by Blair, Parker gets in line, with both of the twins joining, while Blair hooks her arm into Darts two rows back. As you move forward in the line, you overhear the watch officer: "...men, one a halfling and the other a human, for impersonating officers, forging documents, theft, arson, sabotage, and treason."

As the men receive the order, you see them starting to separate out halflings and men from the crowd, and as you glance over, you see one of the men holding what looks like a crude sketch of Parker and Dart, though from where you're currently standing, the drawings look pretty nondescript and could fit about half the people in the line.

Murph tries to ascertain the best route to get there, keeping away from busy streets and patrols.

Investigation: 12

He then tries to be silent on the rooftops as he hopes he nears the shop.

Stealth: 10 (second roll in case this is near rocky walls/chimneys affording advantage: 17)

He tries his best to use his superior darkvision (out to 120') to see problems before they get to him.

For someone who only left his attic at nights, Murph had a pretty good sense of direction within the city, and combined with a careful approach, you figure out which passageways to avoid and which rooftops are safe, managing to either keep out of sight or blend in with your environment sufficiently to not be noticed by the passing guards in the streets below. At one point, your passing causes a crow to noisily take off, and you nervously press against the chimney, as you see one of the guards below look up towards the roof and the crow, but your dark clothes and complexion blend in well with the surroundings, and after a few tense moments the patrol continues on its way.

Eventually you make it to Primrose Street. It turns out that the "street" is in fact a small neighbourhood of two or three rows of various shops and modest residences, in a motley of styles. You immediately notice a four stories-tall and seemingly abandoned public house, with several chimneys and a small turret to one side, granting it a commanding view of the neighbourhood. Making your way close to the building and eventually climbing up onto its roof, you can see a peculiar roof with glass panes to the south of you, a notary shop opposite to the public house and just around the corner from the notary shop, and just visible from the turret you're on, you can make out the name "The Red Thread".

Casting a quick glance east, you figure that you'll likely have another two hours or maybe a little less before the sun rises again.

Murph watches around for any more pesky crows, and tries to get a better vantage point to watch the Red Thread, pausing for another 5 minutes, waiting to see if there is any sign of life inside, and also keeping a close eye on any patrols or foot traffic in the darkness outside. Are there any streetlamps? Assuming no life inside and assuming this is a quieter neighborhood at this time of night, he will climb down the public house and do a slow circuit of the shop, watching still for any signs of life but also every single possible entrance other than the front where he assumes the constructs are.

There are no street lamps, and as you cast a glance around, no lights to indicate anyone being awake at the moment. Inspecting the building from the nearby rooftops, you can make out a window looking onto the street above the storefront, and the chimney of a larger building directly adjoint to the store, as well as two attic windows. Circling the block, you see a row of windows on the second story facing southwards, and a large house door leading into the large building behind the shop, but as far as the store is concerned, you're faced with a red brick wall as soon as the showcase window stops. 

As you descend to street level and approach the shop, you notice the automata, one dressed in an elegant smoking jacket and ascot tie, the other, much smaller automaton dressed up in boy's clothes, both moving around within the storefront, but seemingly not noticing you inspecting the shop from afar.

The shop is two stories tall, with a larger house behind, probably a tenement building or the domicile of the shopowner. As you circle the houses though, you see only the storefront entrance and a house door to the side, leading you to think that the two buildings are likely connected. As you circle further and passing through a narrow alleyway behind the house and up northward back to the thouroughfare, you notice a small door to either a cellar or a washing room of the adjacent building. Apart from the chimney and the attic windows, each point of entry faces some sort of road or something, and hence could be observed from a building opposite.