Storm King's Thunder

"It would be my pleasure, but I cannot this evening. My friends son is for the axe. If he did it then i justice be done, but if there is a chance he didn't I need to find out. One way or the other."

About an hour passes before the Waterbaron's guard returns. The sword is in his hands! It has been wrapped in silks. He nods at Nestra, who accepts the sword. "Thank you, Milton. I will down there shortly." 

She stands to excuse herself, handing the wrapped greatsword over. Its hilt is beautifully ornate, and it gleams with magical power. "According to your writ, I now bequeath this sword to you. May you slay many a giant, and should you find yourselves in need of another favor, you know where to find me!" With that, she leaves.

Your group is now in possession of the giant-slayer greatsword!

Ink bows respectfully as she leaves. 

When she walks out, Ink casts SENDING targeting Arene, "Harthal Zymorven's wife is missing. She ran in your circles - competing organization perhaps. Would you know of her? No one can seem to remember her."

Flint thanks Nestra  and bows when she leaves. When given the chance he will ritual cast identify on the sword.

The sun has set by the time you leave the Waterbaron’s Hall. The wind whips through the snow-shoveled streets, kicking up bits of the frozen white stuff. 

Ink receives the reply from Arene. “Sanra, yes. I looked her up when I discovered her husband was in jail. No one has seen her since the arrest. Poor thing.”

Flint easily identifies the weapon as a giant slayer greatsword. 

It’s when you’re about a block away from the office that you are beckoned by a young woman in a cloak. She is standing in an alcove entrance to a business courtyard. It’s well after hours, and the area is dark. The woman urgently beckons, but you can tell that she is trying to stay out of sight in general.

Ink pauses, looks at the others nodding at the woman. 

Quill poofs into the material plane thirty feet above Ink's head and she immediately starts climbing. As she does so, Ink's eyes cloud over as he begins to perceive through Quill's senses scanning the area around the woman for signs of co-conspirators or an ambush or trap.

// Perception Check through Quill's keen senses... 13   //

Don will step into the shadows with the woman, he will telepathically tell Ink, "Keep an eye out, especially with that fine owl. Let me have a word with her in the shadows."

Stealth: 15

He lowers his voice once they are in the shadows of the alcove. "You wish a word?"

Don gives the once over to the woman as he approaches, looking for weapons, demeanor, mood, etc. //Basically the same things he would be looking for if he were looking for a mark to con.//

Perception: 13

 Considering Nestra's recent words, Flint will take a position where he can overhear the conversation while watching the street.

The woman sighs. Her short, dirty blonde hair is tied up loosely behind her hood. There is dirt on her face, and exasperation shows in her eyes as they dart back and forth in the shadows from the flickering streetlamp light. 

“You guys obviously don’t get the idea of secrecy. Before someone sees us, please just listen. It’s about Harthal; I know you went to see him. He didn’t do it.

“It was a whole big story cooked up by that corrupt guardsman. He told Harthal that he would kill me unless he played along, and Harthal is too noble to do anything to hurt me. I told him I could take care of myself, but he won’t listen, and now he’s going to die. Please, I see that you got his sword, which means you must know his father. Will you help me free Harthal?”

Hearing this, Flint steps into the alcove. "Lass, we'll need ta get ye in front of Lady Nestra. What ye've said should be enough ta stay th' execution until we can find th' truth o' yer words. We've also gotta get ye some place safe." Airship?

"No, no no no. I show my face, I'm dead and then Harthal is as good as dead. I need to disappear. Check the body. The wounds will prove it wasn't Harthal." 

As she speaks, go ahead and make a Wisdom (Perception) check. 

"I was wrong about you Ma'am, gladly so. I was however, right that this was a setup. We need to tell the water baron to get men guarding and looking at that body, before there are two dead men. Do you know of the Baking book? If you wont come with us then go there, our friend will keep you safe for the night at least." Matrix seems to be showing some actual concern/emotion

perception 7

Perception: 5

"This needs ta be done within th' law lass. We can protect ye."

Ink offers in a whisper, "What of the Hand? Could they not offer you some protection? Brenner did all that to get the sword and armor? Seems a little bit like overkill - more likely he wanted the victim dead and needed a patsy to take the blame."

//  Ink perception check 23

//  Quill perception check 23 

"If it is the guard captain we have already turned him in and the lady didn't seem keen on letting him go. I think you are safe to come before her with us."

Persuasion: 13
Perception: 18

Quill sees it before anyone else: a guardsman on patrol, rounding the corner on the block about 100 feet away. He sees several of you hanging out around the alcove in the lamplight, and barks out, “Oi! What are you loiterers doing? Disperse immediately!” 

The cloaked woman starts at hearing this, and tries to escape, but Matrix, Ink, and Don see her (and are able to stop her if they wish).

Matrix places a hand on her shoulder and whispers "If you act suspicious you will be suspicious, stay calm and you wont stand out. Our airship or the baking book are your best bets, we will message you when we get your husband out" then he will let her go, but wont stop anyone else from stopping her

The guardsman starts to trot towards you. He still can’t see the woman, angled as she is behind the alcove. “You all! I told you to disperse,” he says, raising his voice. “The shops are closed, and it’s illegal to loiter. Now clear out before I arrest the lot of you.”

Quote from Awaypturwpn >>

Quill sees it before anyone else: a guardsman on patrol, rounding the corner on the block about 100 feet away. He sees several of you hanging out around the alcove in the lamplight, and barks out, “Oi! What are you loiterers doing? Disperse immediately!” 

Ink, having seen the guardsman coming from a way off, already began commencing thinking of a distraction, gets caught off guard on how fast he approached, but squares off to block further progress and begins asking him he's been to the tavern at the Military Quarter... He tells him of the fine, raucous bunch he met and what great people the Yartaran guardsmen are... He asks if he was there!

//. Deception check 1 //

The guard is taken aback but says, “I uh...no, I haven’t been there, it’s more of an officers-only place. Say, what are you all doing back here?” He cranes his neck to see the rest of you.