Killilli’s Dragon Heist

Cico is able to dart through the kitchen, making it back to the casino floor just as Aimee descends the stairs. He avoids the head chef’s gaze as he screams about the carrots being all wrong. The other staff keep their heads down, desperately trying to make sure their own jobs don’t meet the same reaction. The pair of you see your friends taking a seat amongst the hustle and bustle of the events lead up. 

As the trio of Lyss, Edvord and Aldrik take their seat in exchange for a silver piece, their glasses are topped up with sparkling wine. The waiter explains that the smart money would be on Laeral Silverhand, the Open Lord. As much as she seems above parlour games, she’s lived a long and interesting life and has experience on her side. He beckons over a handsome, red-haired male in a pristine white lacy suit. Lyss recognises this man to be Floon, who dutifully stands beside her with pastries, refusing any money with a charming wink. 

Kerri, the Dray conductor awaits your fare. 

(As you are able to mostly regroup, are there any people you would like to seek out? Anything you would like to investigate or anything to share among each other before the event begins? Will Cico be taking any measures to ensure he isn’t very publicly arrested? Are you staying for the event or leaving to follow some of the leads you’ve gained here? Feel free to describe in more general terms your plans.)

Aimee wanders over towards some open gambling as she heads to the big game. She has money and luck!

"Hi Floonie! I didn't think they were really gonna make someone stand there with pastries! I just wanted to know if that was a thing! How are you? You have to stop by our new place! Volo gave us the Trollskull Manor, and I live in the attic, and Aimee lives right below me! Ms. Kerri lives there too, and Uncle Spark did, but I think he had something important, he ran off to go do that. We made friends with the ghost, his name is Lif! But it's run down and needs a lot of work, so we're trying out some business partners who are gonna help us get money from rich people (but in a legal way... probably), so we can fix it up! These are great, have you had one?"

Lyss rambles through mouthfuls of pastry before standing on her chair to feed one to Floon.

From  her new vantage point she'll look around for Aimee.

"Aimee'd like these pastries too, do you see her anywhere, Floon? I had to go put on this dress, because they didn't like what I was wearing, and she was going to look at something else. I should make sure she doesn't get in trouble... or at least, doesn't get in trouble without me. You're taller than me, do you see her? She'll look like she's dressed up too, but you know what she looks like."

Cico looks up the stairs for any sign of Hrabbaz or his mistress. As he does, he counts each step to see if he remembered correctly when he leapt off the balcony.

Assuming Hrabbaz and Lady Gralhund are no where to be seen, maybe they're still looking out their balcony, Cico looks around the casino floor at the patrons to try and decide just how much he stands out and how easily recognizable he will be. Are servants in uniform? Anyone else in simple clothing like his own? While doing so he looks for anything that might be a servants doorway - somewhere he might be able to get his hands on a uniform. If there is, he'll head towards it and go through.

Aldrik takes his drink and goes to mingle. He'll try to come adjacent to any of the big players, to see if they might have any distinguishing marks - perhaps a blue ribbon, or something similar, but will not approach any of them directly, instead trying to eavesdrop a bit. As he chats up with various nobles, mainly those similar to his own station, he will try to dig up any more rumors surrounding Old Charlie.

He will also sell up his sister's charity just to keep the proper cover going.

Aimee, you see a variety of games ranging from Roulette to cards being played. Tell me how much you would like to bet, then make an insight check followed by a deception and then an intimidation check. 

Floon is so overwhelmed by Lyss’s rambling that he can’t refuse the pastry she shoves in his mouth.  “Is that her over by the gaming table?” he splutters through pastry. “Say, if it’s money you‘re after, keep your ears peeled. A lot of people would pay good money for information that may have slipped out in front of a harmless escort or child.” He taps his pocket. “Since the awful business in the sewers, I felt the need to keep busy so I went back to work. Little did I know, I could make more money from information than the actual job!”

Slipping into the servants cloakroom, Cico is able to find a freshly pressed suit. The buttons are fiddly, and they have some strange napkin that they wear in their pocket - not to mention the bow tie! Make a sleight of hand check to see how well you put it on followed by a deception check to see how well you wear it.

Aldrik chews the fat with a few of his peers. Make a persuasion check to see how much information you can dig up.

Edvord, are you placing a bet on the charity game?

Kerri, the man stares at you, waiting to see if you will pay him. It seems like this horse reacted to your comment, however - even though you’ve been told it’s a talking horse it hasn’t said anything. It’s at the front of the carriage, while you are at the back talking to the conductor. There is also a driver sitting atop the carriage.

Everybody in the casino will now be able to find eachother and share any information they wish to. Once you are ready and we resolve your activities the game will commence.

"Ooooo, good idea Floon! You hear any juicy leads, you let your good pal Lyss know, yeah? Here, you can put that down, I didn't want to make you wait on me. I'm gonna go find Aimee, you can come with me and say hi if you want."

She heads off in search of Aimee.

After a false start or two, and realizing that he will have to remove his current clothing before putting on the servers clothing, Cico does his best with the suit and buttons and the weird neck device.

Sleight of Hands: 14  

Deception: 16  

He then looks at his other clothing, and his pack. Cico quickly folds the clothes, very carefully. However, he spots a crease out of place and shakes out his pants and folds them again. Once satisfied he smooths the clothing with his hand and then slips them into the pack. It might attract attention if he carries it, but there's also a good chance he'll need to leave the casino quickly.

Cico leaves the cloakroom and heads back out into the casino where he spots Lyss standing on a chair stuffing a pastry into a stranger's mouth. He heads over to Lyss and nods at her as he takes up a spot on the other side of her from the stranger.

"Hello employee who works here at this casino.", Lyss says, giving Cico a wink.

"Do you care to walk with me while I try to find my friend Aimee? I'm not very tall, and don't want to get stepped on. Your coworker here is my friend Floon, we go way back. He might join us, or he might just stay here and finish off the rest of the pastries.... except this one. Fthiff ong I'me eatging."

Cico gives Lyss a slight bow and offers her his hand to help her down from the chair. 

"I will help you find your friend," Cico says, pauses, thinks for a moment then continues, "patron enjoying the casino."

Cico nods at Floon as he helps Lyss down.

Lyss finishes cramming the pastry in her mouth, wipes her hand on her dress before extending it to Cico and hopping nimbly down. She points in the direction Floon indicated, glancing back to see if he's tagging along or going about his business.

Aimee picks the most colorful game with the most colorful table with the funnest looking people to bet!

She puts 15 gold down and says,

"Hi, I'm Aimee! What are we playing?"

She gives everyone her best poker smile.

Insight:7

Deception:9

Intimidation:12

Aldrik Persuasion: 7

Kerri pays the man, "Oh dont mind me, just thinking out loud," she half laughs. "Im going to way you're heading."

Edvord thanks the server for the advice regarding who is favored to win. Before Aldrik passes out of earshot to mingle, Edvord pulls him to the side and states, "We know Amelia isn't playing to win and one of the servants advocated for Laeral Silverhand's lengthy and notable experiences giving her a potential leg up in the competition... if I had brought money I would place a bet myself. It is still a gamble at the end of the day... but having a bit of insider information can tilt those odds... if you have anything left from Lyss in your coin-purse yourself."

After Aldrik leaves, Edvord stays within proximity of Lyss. He keeps an ear out for any interesting gossip, specifically interested in any information concerning the notable figures playing in the charity tournament or Mirt.

Unlike Aldrik, Edvord is less willing to join conversations, only doing so when overhearing conversations regarding the Reinholdt family, their trading company, or Amelia. In those circumstances Edvord, politely introduces himself, says a few words about the family's charity, and points towards Lyss as a shining example of how the Reinholdt's have made a true difference in the city. Underneath his cool and gruff exterior, Edvord is sweating hard, hoping that Lyss' charade doesn't backfire.

Lyss and Cico easily find Aimee, she's playing an extremely complicated looking game in which magical lights flash up and down the table in an incomprehensible way. It seems like some sort of tourist trap, built to bring in players with the bright lights and leave them unable to even comprehend the game, let alone win anything. 

19

17

16

 Aimee stares as flashing lights spin around, before she knows it, she's lost all 15 of her dragons.

Aldrik, your usual patter seems to fail you on this occasion. New people you are introduced to seem to brush you off with a simple, "Ah yes, Aldrik, heard you were a bartender now. Oh, bar owner, right, right. Oh excuse me, I just remembered.....something." but your usual network of young troublemaking nobles are happy to spill a little info. In particular one of your old gambling buddies, who you think is starting to develop a little bit of a problem fills you in.

"Ahh, the Blue Alley. I know it, just off Ivory street. Between you and me.... I won a tonne of money betting that Old Charlie wouldn't come out of there." 

Kerri pays up, ad gets the bus. Any plans whilst on it? or are you just going to ride around the city? Where do you want to get off?

"Hi Aimee! Does that mean you won... oh, nope. I guess not."

"Nope! Wow! That was fast! What you two up to? Want to play?"