Admora lets the gnomes know with a tap on the should before she slinks into a dark alley and shifts into a grey wolf. She finds a generous amount mound to roll around in and on the count of three starts growling, snarling and frothing of the mouth...

Out the alley she sprints, barking and "going for" the two gnomes who were completely unaware...

Hercule nods. "We are looking for a wagon that came through here. It only had one crate."

Forbi points at the wolf coming out of the shadows “Ah! Beast! Beast” Dorbi shouts out “Help! Somebody save us!”

Performance: 19 

Forbi/Dorbi/Pelaios/Admora: Acting apparently not being the gnomes best talent, the words come out wooden and stiff, about as well as when a bard might pull a random person from the crowd to help them act out a scene of some play. The guards look at the gnomes oddly for a moment before finally noticing that there actually IS a wolf in their midst. The guards on the ground take out their shields and swords and one of the guards standing up on top of the gate turns and snatches an arrow from his quiver and fires at the wolf quickly. The other three guards are slower to react and turn as the arrow has already been fired.

Guard Longbow Attack: Attack: 22 Damage: 17
(Wolf HP updated in your extras tab)

While the guards are distracted Pelaios steps up to Jeffers as he pulls out his sword and says, "Tell me what you know about the wagon with the solitary crate on it please."

Guard Will Save: 5

Jeffers looks at Pelaios momentarily and his eyes go blank a few seconds before focusing on him again and he says, "All i know is a man came and paid me to be on the lookout for it and make sure it wasn't checked coming through the gate. I halved the initial money with another guard working the north gate and told him to wave it to this one. We usually go without supervision since we aren't as busy."

Hercule: The guard looks at you and says, "As i told this... gentleman.. just now, I don't know anything about it." 

Admora doesn't need to perform for the whimper, and does her best to scamper away! Looking for any dark alleys, squeezing through any holes to cut off line of sight to safely transform back...

If this is successful, she will cast Animal Messenger to tell her gate comrades to meet her back at the inn they stayed...

Pelaios
“Jeffers, that’s not everything you know. Tell me about who paid you.” 

Hercule shakes his head before inspecting the guard for dirt. He turns to Rose and shrugs. "What do we do now?"

Rose outwardly shrugged and then eyed the guard to see if he looked as though he was telling the truth.

Insight: 13

Rose: You aren't sure if he is lying or not, but from his demeanor and the way he was holding his hand out to Finn as you walked up, you know there is more to what he says.

Pelaios: Jeffers goes to open his mouth to give a name and gets a genuine look of confusion as he stammers, "I.. I.. His name is... I'm not sure... I thought I did, but i can't.... " His face goes slack for a few moments and then he looks at you, "Who are you and what do you need? Why are you so close to me? Back off goat head."

Admora: Two of the guards give chase, but you manage to lose them easily in the crowds and rush down an alleyway towards the Magic Mouth. 

Pelaios bows and backs away.

Is there a likely route to take via cart from here to get somewhere?

Or do we know of any likely criminal types with magical talents?

Admora collects herself at the Magic Mouth, letting the adrenaline ease out. She confirms her location with the tiefling with another ritual cast Animal Messenger.

Message:

Quote from nschrock >>

Pelaios bows and backs away.

Is there a likely route to take via cart from here to get somewhere?

Or do we know of any likely criminal types with magical talents?

(OOC: There are quite a few routes that carts can take from here, Waterdeep is a massive city. Also there are likely many criminals in the city with magic talents, none that you know of personally though.)

Pelaios/Forbi/Dorbi: As you are leaving the gate, you head down the alleyway that Admora took when running from the guards, when one of them comes running up from behind. "Excuse me, I didn't want to say anything in front of the other guards, but I heard you asking Jeffers some questions. I think i have some info of value to you, but I would need some compensation though."

edited.

Dorbi stares at the guard while Forbi’s hands hover over his axes. Dorbi takes a step forwards. “This is a matter of grave importance. The contents of that box could flatten this city. For the sake of all of those within these walls, I beg that you tell us the information”

Deception: 7 

Hercule is going to try and find Forbi, Dorbi and Pelaios. Once again he does his best to avoid the cracks in the streets and touch the poles. 

Forbi/Dorbi: The guard rolls his eyes and holds back a chuckle, "Come on, do you know how many times we heard people say there is a threat to the city? All the time! Now I'm willing to supply the details, but I have to make a living and being a guard isn't enough when you have mouths to feed at home."

Hercule: (OOC It's a big city, but I'll give you a 50/50 chance of lucking up on them as you weave through the alleyways 1-50, you do, 51-100 you dont: 19)
You happen to stumble up on them and hear the guard talking to Dorbi: "...a living and being a guard isn't enough when you have mouths to feed at home."

While she waits for there return, Admora floats around The Magic Mouth, to see if there any mention of 'suspicious cargo' or anything similar.

Perception: 18

Hercule smiles when he sees the twins. "Oh, thank the heavens," he says while approaching them.