"Well I'd have some of my people huddled around with these others, just in case someone like us tried to use this as a meeting spot."  Sparks says with a sigh.  "Regardless, what was so important that we needed to move this up a day?  Our dearly beloved here wasn't going anywhere anyway." She at least makes an attempt to behave, and speak, as if they were just talking about the dead person they were standing over the grave of.

At Sparks comment, Shades takes a brief look around the cemetery to see if anyone is paying them any attention more than a passing glance. 

Perception 21

Satisfied by what he said earlier about people paying them little attention says, “I found us a way we can make a bit of coin, it requires us to draw the attention of the watch and the Fist away from the riverfront. And, as much as it pains me to admit it, I needed your help.” Looking over to Sparks with a slightly playful expression. 

Terin kneels and places the flowers at the base of the stone. He makes a gesture of peace and stays a few moments there, "How big of a diversion? How profitable?" The question may seem cold but Terin was already laying low, did he want to add to that?

"Needed help huh?"  Sparks responds with a raised eyebrow, though the playful smile she returns is at odds with it.  "Be better than sitting digging through old news reports looking for something of use that hasn't been already blotted out by the guard."  She shrugs.  "You know me, always up for a bit of fun."

“Yes Sparks, that’s right. I needed your help.” Shaded says a bit disdainfully. “I’m not the best at devising grand plans and strategies. I met a fellow yesterday that wanted me to cause a commotion in tumbledown  for about thirty minutes to draw the watch and the fist away from the river.” Shades looks at the grave solemnly and takes a few moments of silence to pay respect to the dead. Looking around at his companions “I need your help with coming up with something that will keep the authority figures busy without getting us in trouble at the same time. We’ll get forty guilder for our trouble. Seemed like easy enough with all of us.”

"But what does this fellow get out of it?"  Sparks asked.  "Seems like we need more data there, since it might work counter to our overall goals."

“While I can’t speak to his ultimate motive, it seemed to me that he was a sailor and a smuggler trying to get someone/something in to town unnoticed. I thought it might be helpful to have contacts on the Empress if and when we need any supplies in the future.” Shades looks around at the other for everyone to be impressed by his great idea. 

"I trust your judgement Shades. I think there are a few routes. We can stage a break in nearby or even an assault. I would imagine either of those would be enough to draw the guards. It is too early to try and blackmail or bribe sadly but a commotion at their doorstep may work," Terin suggests.

"I'm sure we can come up with something."  Sparks agrees with a nod.  "Contacts are a good thing to have, so that might be worth putting our necks out for."  She considers the situation.  "I would prefer to do something that does not involve us doing something we might get caught,a nd tossed into jail over..."  She kneels down and does a bit of pretend praying over the grave.  "If we could start a brawl at a tavern nearby, or do something on a ship or warehouse close to the target, that might work."

Uncle scratches his head while thinking. "I think a good fire is in order. We can target something we want burned anyways, and the guards will have to come to stop looters. I just wish it we had more time. Be nice to have some dirt on this guy in case things go South. Be nice to plant a few red hearings at the fire to give whoever comes snooping a trail to follow away from us and towards someone we don't like."

As you're all discussing options, you start to notice Uncle getting anxious. Doc was now running almost a quarter of an hour late. Your minds all jumpt to the worst case scenario:  He'd been captured and was being interrogated. Of course, could be he just didn't get the message about the meet, but then, there are bold rebels and old rebels… You had to come up with a plan quickly, and then disperse.

"Fire seems the simplest and easiest to not be there when the guards arrive."  Sparks says as she gets back to her feet. She dusts the dirt from her tunic as she glances to the others.  "We'll have to figure out a valid target to set on fire, but that shouldn't be that hard."

"Very well, Shades, can you tell us where? I can start casing some appropriate nearby buildings if so," Terin too stands and wipes his clothes with his typical aloof dignity.

Uncle prepares to leave while hiding the look of worry on his face poorly. "I'm gonna check in with Doc. If I have time, I'm also gonna look into possible targets, and who to frame for it."

“As I mentioned earlier, the distraction needs to take place in tumbledown, to draw attention away from the river near sundown. I think that a fire is a really great option.” With that he pays his last respects, “I say we meet again hear a few hours before dusk this evening to go over our plan for this distraction.” Shades looks around at the others, with an obvious look of worry that doc hasn’t made it yet. 

"Very well."  Sparks says, giving a nod as she departs.

She will head back to the temple of gond to see about that research assistant position she was suppose to show up for this morning.

Terin nods and lays a reassuring hand on Uncle's shoulder. He would then walk calmly out of the cemetery and head towards Tumbledown. 

Depending on the type of neighborhood Terin would attempt to change his look depending on the area so he did not stick out too much. His goal would be to look for preferably an abandoned building or not one used for relief or resource purposes. In fact, his most preferred choice would be a local watch station.

Harper, you quickly notice looking around Tumbledown that it isn't the sort of place the watch comes often, at least not during the day. In any case, there is no guard station around the village. Because of this, and the tradition to bury the dead with parts of their wealth, Tumbledown has always had a bunch of people attracted to it for the foul purpose of graverobbing, and you find the brazeneness of the local antiques dealer rather astonishing, as you're rather certain that some of his "antiques" came directly from the cemetery.

You notice a couple run-down huts near the water, likely abandoned storehouses.Up, closer to the cemetery entrance, you also find a temple, abandoned and now nearly in ruins. You can't discern from the outside, which deity it was once dedicated to, but now it seemed to serve as as little more than a local quarry for the construction of headstones and statues for the cemetery further downriver. The western wall had already been mostly broken down, and several of the pillars that once supported a gable had been hacked to bits. Apart from a few roving dogs, the place is abandoned.

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

Nikolav Tesslov, the gnome engineer, is overjoyed to see you return to the Temple of Gond, Sparks. "Ah! What pleasure! I hoped to see you return. Have you thought any more on my offer? I would be very happy indeed to have you here as an assistant. And just think about it, if you work here, you get to experiment with the inventions here yourself! But, how presumptuous of me... I mean, did you in fact come here about the job as an assistant?"

"I have a part-time job for the newspaper, but was hoping to work here as your assistant the other part of my day."  Lia says with a smile for the inventor.  "I'd be spending my mornings working here with you, and then my evenings helping at the newspaper. Will that work for you?"

"I.. um... the newspapers you say? Well, it's less than I was hoping for to be honest, but if the money is tight, I understand, we can't pay much here at the temple...Look Lia, I'll be happy to have you here part time, if that works better for you. And who knows, maybe your work for the newspaper will open new synergies we can't yet even begin to see!

Well, um, that gets me on to my next subject. I know you have an affinity with the scientific study of the world around you, so much is clear. but what is your area of specialty? Mechanics? Optics? Hydrolics? Pneumatics? Magnetism? Alchemy? Astronomy? Mathematics? Or are you more of an applied sciences kinda gal?"