A Den of Thieves

[lostlittlebear]

You enter the tavern, and take stock of your surroundings. Once again you cannot help but marvel at the riches of the inner circle – the outer ring seems almost to be on another planet when compared to the extravagance on display here. Extracting a daisy from your pocket, you wave it at the bartender, who chuckles.

“You must be another one of Shard’s friends. Forgive him, he has a queer sense of humor.”

Leading you into a small room attached to the tavern, he motions for you to take a seat, joining the others already waiting for their patron’s arrival. Moments later, a tall man sweeps into the room. He looks somewhere in his late thirties, with long dark hair framing an attractive face sporting a thick, luxuriant mustache. He is dressed expensively in the style of the latest Oasian trend – a black silk doublet matching fine black leggings and rounded off by a rakish black cap. Indeed, the man’s monochrome color scheme is only broken by a single yellow daisy worn in his cap.

“Welcome, one and all! My name is Shard, and no, it’s not my real name, but there’s no reason to let that bother us, is there?”

“As you all may have suspected, I am a member of House Eyrin, and I have invited you all here today to be my new Den. Let’s hope this Den is better fated than the last one I handled, eh? After all, lying dead in the gutter isn’t my idea of a particularly auspicious end.”

“But I get ahead of myself! Introductions, introductions! As I always say, Dens who don’t know each other can’t work together. But in the interests of time, let us keep this short. Name, specialty, and an interesting fact about yourself will suffice.”

Settling in a chair at the back of the room, Shard calmly watches all of you. Despite his foppish behavior, his eyes are as cold as ice.

These eyes have seen death before, you think.

“Now who will be first?”

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
A tall, wiry man wearing black robes with silver trim and silver sigils embroidered along its length nods, and in an incredibly deep bass, "I am Aleister Corcavë; I am a conjurer and fiendbinder. The legions of the Hells and the hordes of the Abyss are mine to command, and I assure you that the fiends I summon will do no other than how I will. I further am studied in a wide variety of arcane and eldritch topics, as well as have a thorough knowledge of the various occult societies within the Inner Circle that deal with such things."

[whoiam]

Liselle
I just hope noone else can summon the same fiends and ask them questions.

When it came out, her voice was soft enough - was, in fact, quite difficult to hear. Liselle was good at many things, all of them related to hiding or violence - making herself heard was not in the list. "I am known as Liselle Diapai. I am fast, strong, and can make this lump of metal" she delivered a friendly pat to her greatsword's hilt, just as emphasis "sing. I am also good at getting it to where it's needed *quietly*."

[Boo]

Myolan briefly eyed the queer man, the wiry man and the quiet woman before he answered the question. "Daggermouth--I complete any job given." His dark and hissing voice did not show any desire to elaborate, but neither did it give any impression of a lie.

Myolan himself was a tall Lizardfolk. Bronze covered his body from head to toe. His tail was long as well, but that was to be expected. Over top of his scales was his armour, which was covered by his clothing--dark green cloths of a finer quality than most. He carried a greatsword on his back while his sap rested from his belt. The leather that carried both was a nice brown. Covering his sheath was his backpack which contained most of his items. Most of his outfit was covered by a cloak--a hood for his head too. Besides his aforementioned gloves, he wore a pair of custom boots that fit so very well. All in all, he was noticeable only when he wanted to be.

[JackTR69]

Garnet
A average looking human, Garnet wears a dull red cloak with a matching wide brimmed hat. A rapier hangs at his side, and you can see three quality daggers tucked into his vest. Sitting listening to the others with his chair leaned back and his feet on the table, he recognizes that it is his turn to introduce himself. He takes his feet off the table and slams his chair down for effect.
"Hello everyone! I'm a man of many talents, many names, many abilities, and many aliases. I am an expert swordsman who can go above, beyond, and well below our enemies to reach our goals. Some call me many things, but something many things can call me is Garnet. I am a duelist and a spell caster, an I won't stop until I meet our goals. And with that introduction, I will return to my seat."

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Today's disguise has her naturally straight brown hair changed to a a wavy reddish-brown, and clever use of makeups have changed the apparent shape of her facial features to something a little more angular and pronounced. (Disguise: 27, according to previous roll.) She appears unarmored, wearing a simple barmaid's outfit.

"I am Cassandra. I'm what you might call a 'people person', in that I am quite capable of getting people to believe what I wish for them to believe, and to convince them to see things my way. I suppose an interesting fact about myself is that I am not what I might appear to be. That is, what you see is not my true appearance. So don't be surprised if someone you don't seem to know knows you."

As she speaks, her dress changes shape and color, and is revealed as a suit of leather armor.

[lostlittlebear]

Even as Cassandra finishes speaking, Shard gets up and looks her quietly in the face.

He blinks, once, hard, and suddenly something about Cassandra changes.

(OOC: Make Spot checks people! Feel free to roll this one yourselves)

Spot Check DC 15:
You notice that a tiny green light appears for a moment in the center of Shard's right eye.

She's still wearing the same clothes and makeup and dyes as before, but now all of you can see exactly where she's altered her features, and in what way, allowing you to get a pretty good idea of what she looks like in her natural state.

Raising a hand quickly to rub at his right eye, Shard chuckles.

"Forgive me for doing that, madame, but it was imperative that I give everyone an example of the... abilities at my disposal. Just in case any of you are thinking of double-crossing me at sometime in the future."

Shard continues, ignoring what reactions you might have.

"But on to more important things. It's a tradition of mine to draw up a charter of sorts with the Dens I handle. I'll tell you what support you can expect from the House, and what we expect from you in return."

"House Eyrin always gives it's Dens full operational leeway - we'll give you broad objectives and missions, but we will never dictate the methods by which we want you to achieve it. We are also prepared to give you access to a reasonable amount of House resources on a per mission basis. This might include manpower, useful contacts, crucial items, or other information that you might need to complete your tasks."

"Pay will be handled on a per mission basis as well, based on the success of each assignment. Rest assured that it will be generous."

"In return, we expect several things. We are realistic enough to expect that not every mission will result in success, but we expect you to TRY. Dens that do not have their heart in the missions we assign have often had their contracts terminated."

"We also expect that you maintain the utmost secrecy regarding who you work for, because as far as House Eyrin is concerned, none of you exist. This also means that we will not lift a finger to help any of you who are captured by the Guard or other Houses, although we do permit Dens to mount rescue attempts on their own."

At this juncture, Shard's face darkens, and his voice takes on a far harsher timbre.

"But if you should ever reveal your connection to the House, or double-cross us in any way... we will spare no expense or trouble to hunt you down and kill you - in the most brutal and painful way we know."

"Any questions?"

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Trying to keep a scowl from her face at being revealed, Cassandra tries to accept the reality. The fact is, there's no walking away from this now anyway, is there? Of course not. Then why so adamant on keeping your true self secret, Cassie? Habit. Just a habit.

Forcing herself to smile, she replies, "I'm in, of course. I doubt any of us would be here if you thought the answer would be otherwise, no?"

[roll0]

She does notice the gleam in Shard's eye. Now... that's interesting...

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Aleister strokes his black goatee. "Quite so, milady. I, too, am quite sure I wish to be a part of this group, and fully agree to your terms."

[Boo]

Myolan

"I agree to your termsss, One of the Eyrin Den." he replied, quickly glancing at Shard's eye as Cassandra was revealed. "Hrngh..." He turned his head briefly toward Cassandra, then back again to Shard. He was surprised without reaction. It's not often that he saw these things... whatever they may have been.

In reaction to the development, Myolan tried to examine Shard's eye without being obvious--more or less studying him.

[whoiam]

Liselle

[roll="Spot Check"]1d20+6[/spot]
Edit: *bangs head on keyboard*


Odd. Liselle saw the gleam in their patron's eye, but had absolutely no idea what the relevance of it was. Oh, well. Good to know he had access to some form of magic, at any rate. And by 'good' she meant 'worrying'.

"I am in, Shard." None of the terms were particularly surprising to her. In fact, she had expected most of it - Dens never were public affairs, were they? There was also not much of a retirement policy. If you wanted to stop doing this, you got out of the city and fast... and never came back.

[lostlittlebear]

"Very well. I'm glad we are all on the same page."

Reaching into one of his surprisingly deep pockets, Shard draws out a rolled-up piece of parchment. Unfolding it, he lays it out on the table.

On the parchment is a detailed and well-drawn picture of what appears to be a middle-aged Oasian man, with the rounded cheeks and flabby chin that indicate a life of luxury only affordable to nobles. His hair is thinning in places, revealing a mass of worry lines etched into his forehead. A pair of clear blue eyes complete the portrait - eyes that radiate greed even when etched into parchment with ink.

"This man is Noben Svard, a minor noble allied to House Grunhild. He is a man of little political importance, but he has great wealth and is willing to use it to get what he wants. Recently, he has been attempting to curry favour with House Grunhild by using his wealth to buy votes for their cause. Amongst the people he has swayed are a few of our erstwhile allies."

"Other Dens have been dispatched to teach these 'allies' a lesson. What we want you to do is do the same for Noben Svard. We don't want to kill him, because we still hope he can be convinced to give us our vote. But we do want to ruin him, and make sure he can never be a threat to us again."

"His principle holdings in the city consist of a casino, in House Grunhild's quarter of the circle."

As he says this, Shard draws out a map of the city and marks the casino's position for you. Making two more markings on the map, he continues.

"And here is the bank we believe he stores his money in, and his private residence. We want you to find some way of stealing his money and leaving him destitute. It shouldn't take much - our sources tell us that he has had to borrow heavily to sustain the largesse he has been dishing out."

"The same sources also tell us that operational security at the casino is the weakest when the weekly intake is transferred to the bank. I suggest that you make an attempt to steal it, though if you have other ideas feel free to mention them. After all, you are the professionals."

"If you need more information, just ask. Our sources are at your disposal."

[whoiam]

Liselle

Relax your mind. Ideas will come to you, when you listen for... "I wonder if that bank may be hiring additional guards? I can play a pretty convincing mercenary, after all." Not hard when that's essentially what you were. "I am sure some of the rest of us could as well. The easiest way to hijack that money is if we are working with the bank, after all. Do we have long enough to infiltrate the banking group, or are we under too much time pressure to do this slowly?"

A further pause, for more thought.

"You know, if we could take control of that money transfer without anyone from the bank realising, then substitute his actual take for detectable fakes... we'd not only have taken his income for the week, but we'd have ruined his reputation as well..." And there were plenty of places in the outer ring to get fake money. Especially bad fake money.

[lostlittlebear]

"The mission isn't time critical - but you won't be paid until you finish, so I'd advise that you hurry up."

"About the guards... we don't have any contacts in the bank at the moment, so you'll have to find out for yourselves - but judging by past events banks have always been keen to get more guards during Great Games."

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

"Maps are all well and good, but I think it would be helpful to get inside the casino and see the layout firsthand. Especially what's going on during the weekly transfer. Do we know what day that happens to be?"

[lostlittlebear]

"If you wish to see the site first hand, that can be arranged," Shard replies.

Smiling wryly, he adds, "Just don't gamble away your money before you earn it."

"As for the weekly transfer, as far as we can tell it appears to take place on seemingly random days using seemingly random routes. We haven't been able to discern any patterns, but presumably they follow a system of sorts. It's a closely guarded system, and our source isn't highly placed enough to get at it."

"He may have useful information though, so I'll put you in touch with him if you wish to pursue this course of action."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"On the subject of gambling, we may draw attention if we're not doing it. At the same time, I have little interest in wasting my money in their games. I don't suppose it would be possible to arrange some funds for that purpose? Nothing major, of course, but it could help our surveillance considerably. And, of course, we should be stealing it all back anyway."

[lostlittlebear]

"If that's the course of action you wish to take, spending money can be arranged for."

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

"And when they patrons tire of the games, where do they turn for entertainment?" She turns to Aleister, "one doesn't have to be a gambler to fit in at a casino, after all. I imagine I could serve as available 'arm decoration' for some of the more lucky clientele."

[Boo]

Myolan Daggermouth

Blend into a common area? This was not a thing easily achieved for poor Myolan. He closed his eyes for a time to think, avoiding the appearances of the tolerated species.

"What of sssplitting our resssources?" His eyes opened wide, flying quickly from one conversation member to another. "Half track the transsfer, half mind the building..." His molly claw rose past the table to emphasise his next words as he leaned in, "Risssk lessss; gain more."

[lostlittlebear]

Shard raises his hands defensively, laughing.

"I appreciate your questions, but I don't have all the specific information you need. Tell you what, I'll arrange a meeting with our source for you."

"Tell me when you want to scout out the casino, and I'll get him to meet you at the door."

[JackTR69]

Turning to Myolan:
"I think that it would be better to keep our resources focused, rather than splitting up. What say we focus on the Casino for now, and tackle the bank later? I know you wont be able to blend in, so maybe you could do some scouting for the bank route while we infiltrate the Casino. Speaking of which, I volunteer to take the table if we need a gambler. I have some experience on the subject, as I have been to many such establishments in the past.
Garnet perks his ears, waiting for a response.

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

"In any event, it would seem unwise for all of us to suddenly appear as a group. Drawing attention to ourselves does not seem overly smart. Over the course of a few days, we could trickle in, with some appearing to be new regulars and others just along for a visit or two."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"That might be best. Hmm... There is a spell that will improve one's odds in games of chance. Generally undetectable except by tracking someone's wins and determining that they're doing better than they ought to. Do we know if they have any special protections against such things? I'd imagine they'd have to... but those protections may be important for us to know, if we want to get other magic into the place.

"On the other hand, it could also provide a means into the back..."

[lostlittlebear]

"I don't know the specifics, but my source indicated that the casino is using some sort of detect magic based security system. You can ask him the details yourself."

"Since you all seem to be keen to head to the casino as soon as possible, I'll instruct my source to meet you all there tomorrow. Don't worry about finding him, he'll find you."

"His name, or what passes for a name, is Deuce."

Shard turns to leave, then pauses.

"Oh, I almost forgot. I have a gift for all of you."

Reaching into another one of his impossibly deep pockets, he extracts twelve disks, six red and six blue, each about the size of your thumbnail. Giving each of you a red and a blue disk, he takes the remaining two disks and puts the red one in his ear, and the blue one in his mouth. As he does so, he motions for you to follow suit.

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Damn it, the warlock curses to herself. I'll have to dismiss most of my protections to not set off any alarms. Still, my natural gifts should suffice. I hope.

Without a word, she takes the disks and copies Shard's motions.

[lostlittlebear]

Smiling at Cassandra, Shard touches a hand to the disk in his ear, which shimmers slightly and changes color to match his flesh.

His lips move silently for a while, then he winks at the warlock and extracts the blue disk from his mouth.

"My contact will wait for all of you outside the Casino tomorrow. He'll recognize you if any of you wears a daisy in your clothes."

"A bright yellow daisy. No other color will do."

With a florid bow, he exits the tavern, chuckling as he goes.

Cassandra:
You hear Shard's voice speaking through the disk in your ear. If you didn't know any better, you'd have sworn that he was standing right next to you and whispering in your ear.

"Neat, isn't it? Touch a hand to the disk in your ear, and it allows you to communicate with everyone wearing the other five receiver disks. Just whisper the words softly, and all of them will hear you as if you were whispering in their ears."

"If you're wondering what spells power this thing, I'm not too sure myself, but it appears to be a mixture of prestidigitation and whispering wind."

"Either way, it's how Dens in our House commonly communicate, and they say that they are much more effective with it. I know you're a mage, so I'll let you explain how it works to the others - consider it an apology for breaking your disguise earlier."

"Good day, madame. And don't lose the disks - I'm not sure how to make them myself."

[Boo]

Myolan Daggermouth

Having never seen such devices before, he cannot assume the best or worst, only the least. He takes them regardless, but holds them firmly in his hands instead of wearing them as the rest may. Trust is a matter of issue in this city.

Perhaps it's a trap to dispose of the group after the job has been completed? A way of controlling the mind? Body? Suspicious people offering items of interest are usually up to something...

I, the player, have to wonder how the blue disc would fit on Myolan.

[lostlittlebear]

(OOC: Boo, post question the player has in the OOC thread, or within OOC brackets like this - the disk is small enough that it can easily fit in your mouth. If you're talking about the one for the ear, Lizardfolk have small flaps of skin that serve as ear covering, just tuck it in there.)

[JackTR69]

While Garnet talks, he slips the disks into his mouth and ear.
"Very well, we will do this without magic then. As for going in together, why not? Groups of friends go out gambling all the time. Besides, it would be better for us all to meet out contact. Now, when do we leave?"

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Aleister also places the disks in the appropriate places, surmising that they are likely a communication device. Testing them, "Hmm... do these work?".

[whoiam]

Liselle

Well, the others weren't dead yet, and she could only stall so long without jeapardising her chance of a decent payout, so Liselle followed suit and stuck the two discs into place.

She had no idea what they were for, but if it was expected of her...

...which is why Aleister's attempt to test his actually caused Liselle to jump, quite noticeably.

"Possibly I need to spend some time talking to a mage once in a while" she muttered. Not realising that the remainder of the group would doubtless hear this perfectly, thanks to the discs she'd just inserted.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"Well, it seems we have two, so I'm sure you'll get all the magic talk you want and then some. On that note, Garnet, what sorts of spells do you work in? I am, as I've noted, primarily a Conjurer." The communication disks only made Aleister's disconcertingly deep voice seem all the more noticeably out of place. That kind of bass was a rare thing to find on a human, especially one as slender as he.

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Cassandra laughs lightly as the others try out the disks. "It seems, despite the fact that Shard asked me to explain them before he left, that I don't have much to do. Yes, they are a way to talk to each other -- just whisper something, and everyone will hear it. I don't know how far away they will work, but it will certainly help us split up to cover more ground without risking losing touch with each other."

[lostlittlebear]

(OOC: Just a note that the disks will only work if your character is physically touching the disk in his/her ear with their hand. This might have consequences when you are around particularly jittery guards, so watch out.)

[whoiam]

Liselle

"This may be a slightly naieve question, but the thought does occur: If the casino is warded to detect magic, and these devices operate on magic, are we not likely to attract undue attention if we use them inside? Either during reconnaisance or during the actual operation?"

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

"Hm. Yes, that would be good to know. I imagine that many folks will have ambient magic on them -- how do they distinguish between that and prohibited magics?"

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Aleister touches his ear, "yes, the same thought had crossed my mind. I have heard rumor that there are ways around that, though, and if the rumors are true, I presume that House Eyrin knows such ways.

"Also, I know a minor cantrip that can achieve the same effect, without touching the ear. Temporary, of course, but may prove useful. It would, however, certainly trigger the Detect Magic detectors that they have."

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"I would assume that if they are giving us a piece of equipment, that they have contemplated the ramifications of its use. As for my casting, I have picked up a few simple spells here and there, although I doubt many will be of immediate use in this specific situation."

[Boo]

Myolan Daggermouth

All the uses of the device seemed okay... Myolan still didn't want to risk the chance of it, but he grew into an idea that he would only wear it when needed. Slowly, and hesitantly sliding both into their comfortable areas, he continued to listen to the planning.

He honestly did not like casinos. The games were poor, and his height would make him stand out amoung all the humans, elves, and what have you. Even with other Lizardfolk, he just didn't match their happy or sad faces.

Instead he'd much rather track the transfers. Less human interaction. He could do slower jobs if the pay was good.

"I will sstand out in cassino. I would be better tracking transsferss. Going with all of you, I would sstand out more. If I go to cassino I will go alone, after or before you."

[lostlittlebear]

The next day...

The five of you find yourselves standing just outside the entrance to Noben Svard's casino - an imposing marble and stone structure that towers over it's neighbours. Ornate pillars linked by lengths of steel chain serve as a pseudo-fence, broken only by a broad gateway, which in turns leads to a series of marble arches which customers must pass through before entering the casino inside.

You can't help but be impressed by the casino's facade. While most of you have probably seen bigger and more impressive gambling houses, most of those have been owned by the Great Families. That a minor noble could possess such a property speaks volumes about Svard's political skill, and avarice.

As you approach the gateway, you notice a large sign tacked to the steel chain on its right. Written in bold block letters, it reads:

WARNING
NOTICE TO ALL PATRONS: ALL ENCHANTMENT AND ILLUSION SPELLS ARE BANNED WITHIN THE VICINITY OF THIS GOOD CASINO. PLEASE DISMISS ALL GLAMORS AND ILLUSIONS ON YOURSELF PRIOR TO ENTRY.

OFFENDERS WILL HAVE THEIR MEMBERSHIPS REVOKED. REPEAT OFFENDERS MAY BE DEALT WITH BY LETHAL FORCE.

As you stand reading the sign, a small man sidles up to all of you.

Tapping Cassandra on her shoulder, he beckons all of you into a side street, eyes darting warily.

"You guys Shard's lot? I'm Deuce."

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Myolan looks to Deuce as if in ceremony. Silent; listening. He follows after everyone else, occasionally looking over his shoulder.

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Cassandra reads the sign and mutters, "just as I expected... a good thing I chose a mundane disguise as a backup." Today's [roll0] has her taking on the role of a courtesan looking for work, with wavy red hair and green eyes, and she is ready to draw her cloak around her armor once she dispels its glamer (which she does, discretely, after Deuce introduces himself). She leaves her invocations active, as, technically, they're not illusions. As far as I know.

"Yes," she says, not elaborating.

Natural 20 on the disguise check. Nice.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Aleister shakes his head at the sign. Well, the sign isn't there because they can't back it up; casinos run by playing the odds, and the odds of someone calling the bluff are much too high to rely on. No matter; he never held much faith with the school of illusion, preferring the real stuff to the shadow stuff, and he was pretty handy at controlling a situation even without the Charm spell.

Feeling the bound Vestige tease his mind, he knows that here an elaborate introduction is not optional. Still, best not to draw too much attention, if possible. Quietly, but proudly and in a way magnificently, that bizarrely deep voice intones that "Yes, we are those of Shard, those blades of the night sworn to protect us against the dark. I am Aleister Corcavë, fiendbinder and conjurer, and you, I believe, have some news for us."

[lostlittlebear]

Deuce is slightly startled by the strange voice, and takes a step back involuntarily, long nose twitching furiously.

"Uhm... are all of you here? I need to know how many of you there are so I can get you entry passes."

"As for 'news'... well I was instructed to answer all your questions to the best of my ability, so fire away. I have a feeling most will be answered by a tour of the casino, though."

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"Feel free to acquire entry passes for the lot of us, although I'm not entirely certain that all of us will be remaining in the casino for the duration of our stay. I, personally, have very few questions. I intend to move to a table and find out what I can from gossip and simple interaction."

[lostlittlebear]

Deuce looks puzzled for a moment.

"So you mean it's just five of you? Strange, you're first House Eyrin Den I've seen with less than six members. They usually believe in safety in numbers."

Shrugging, he continues.

"Never mind, Shard's a strange man anyway. I'll get you all passes - if you'll just follow me."

Deuce heads towards the casino gates, talking as he goes.

"First, some ground rules. I don't want to know your names, or what you're planning to do to this casino. That way no amount of truth spells can ever get me to reveal your secrets - its safer for all of us."

"Over here, I go by the name of Timon, and I'm in charge of publicity and soliciting new investors. I'll be introducing all of you as potential investors and their entourage, so please try and act the part."

"This will also give me an excuse to let all of you have a walking tour of the casino, just tell me if you wish to visit any places in particular and I'll try to arrange it. My security clearance isn't very high, but I'll try my best."

Removing a pouch from his belt, he passes it to Garnet.

"In here's 300 gp worth of Platinum. Enough for some light gambling, I should hope. There's no need to repay me, Shard's covering it."

At this juncture, he stops, having reached the casino gates.

After exchanging words with a guard, Deuce produces 5 passes, handing it to all of you. Deliberately raising his voice, Deuce addresses you in a booming tone that is a far cry from the furtive whispers he had used before.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Svard's Silver, the finest casino in all of the Inner Circle! I trust you will enjoy your stay, and feel confident enough afterwards to place your money in our capable hands."

"Before we enter, I'd like to remind all of you to remove all spells and items of the enchantment and illusion schools, and to wear your passes around your neck at all times. We wouldn't want any trouble, would we?"

"If there are no more questions, our tour begins here."

[JackTR69]

Garnet
Garnet walks in like this is nothing out of the ordinary to him. His eyes glance lazily around, looking for gambling tables and people of importance.

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Myolan spends just enough time inspecting the pass to enter the building approximately one minute AFTER everyone else.

Once inside, he walks around the casino to inspect at each individual stall, occasionally looking at guards, decor, known security devices, and the general layout as if with a passing glance. If nothing catches his eye he may play a game with minimal starting bets several times.

[lostlittlebear]

(OOC: I'm just going to assume that all of you are entering the casino, and that Cassandra dispells her invocations, if you don't mind. If you have any special actions just tell me and I'll change the post to match.)

Myolan lingers outside the gate, even as the rest of you step inside, expertly guided by Deuce. The guards eye him curiously, but lose interest in a while, evidently assuming he is some sort of bodyguard for the nobles being ushered inside.

@Everyone sans Myolan
Deuce pauses underneath the first arch, motioning for all of you to do the same. All around you, you see guests pausing underneath the arch, while those who move on, unaware of the unwritten rule, are gently stopped by the guards and instructed to wait.

"Here's where the first series of sensors are," Deuce explains, "It stops those wearing illusions from entering the cas-"

A sudden blaring noise cuts Deuce off, and he looks up in alarm. Following his gaze, you see the top of the arch glowing brightly, sending a stream of red light pouring down, highlighting a young man standing next to you. You hear a metallic clang behind you as the gates slam shut, cutting off the young man's route of escape.

Cursing, he turns to run, nimbly rolling past a guard who tries to stop him. You hear a guard next to you mutter a few words, and three bolts of light streak past, slamming into the young man and eliciting a scream of pain.

"Stop him! That's that rascal Derek! Don't let him get away again!"

Even as the spellcaster shouts his command, Derek is already scaling the steel fence, arrows ineffectually bouncing off his cloak. He looks like he will manage to escape, if no one intervenes.

@Myolan
You hear a blaring sound coming from within the gates, which slam shut before you can get a clear view of whatever happens. A loud commotion follows, and you can just make out some shouted command.

DC 15 Listen Check"Stop him! That's that rascal Derek! Don't let him get away again!"

As you watch, a young man begins to scale the steel fence. He looks like he will land right in front of you, should he successfully climb it.

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Myolan watches the man as he climbs the fence, and hears the words very clearly yelled. For a moment he hesitates on what to do--he was not expecting to be shut out. Things were going wrong... The boy was causing problems--catching him could fix it. Yes!

Just as Derek lands Myolan will attempt to grapple him, and swiftly bring him down to the ground into helplessness. If he succeeds the initial grapple, he'll growl "DON'T sstruggle..." at the poor man.

[JackTR69]

Garnet
Garnet motions for those around him to let the man go. He protects those of the streets, and those of the streets protect him. He puts his hand against the side of his head, seemingly in surprise, to touch the small disk in his ear.
"Let him go, it's not our job to handle this."

[whoiam]

Liselle

Hand to her ear, whispering via the discs: "You should try to be a little more flexible about such things. Appearing to be a civic-minded citizen can be a helpful guise when trying to earn the trust of others."

Liselle had reacted slightly too late to make any difference - had Derek not been scaling the wall away from her she would have gone for him herself. Not because she disapproved of him or his actions, but because it would have provided an easy way to gain the casino's trust.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"A civic-minded citizen? I can't think of anything that would draw more suspicion! Still, with the lying bastards we have in this group, I imagine we'll be able to swing it; some favors from them would not be amiss." With that, Aleister sweeps his arms out, beginning a spell, but holding it for the perfect moment.

Ready an action to cast Summon Monster III, namely a Fiendish Dire Crocodile, right next to Derek as soon as Derek gets somewhere with space for the croc next to him (it's Medium, so I guess when he gets down from the fence). Given a choice of different "next to's", blocking his escape is very preferable, especially if it forces him to run towards Myolan. When summoned, the croc bites Derek, and since it has Improved Grab, it begins a grapple as a free action:

[roll0], [roll1], [roll2]

Bah, weak grapple check, overly good damage. Well, maybe a mage has low strength... still needs to roll low though.

[lostlittlebear]

Grapple Check 1: [roll0]
Grapple Check 2: [roll1]


Derek leaps gracefully from the top of the fence, making a perfect landing right in front of Myolan. Turning to face the laggardly guards, he opens his mouth to make a cutting remark, but is cut off midsentence as Myolan barrels into him, successfully restraining him despite his attempts to break free.

Before Myolan can speak his warning, an arcane light flashes beside him, and Aleister's crocodile shimmers into existence. Savagely ripping into Derek, the crocodile slams it's jaws shut around his torso in an explosion of blood and gore, adding further to the restraints on the unfortunate young man.

Derek screams once, then lies very still. An eerie silence comes over the watching crowd as they take in the gory scene before them - the only sounds that can be heard are the footsteps of the onrushing guards, and the slow drip of Derek's blood.

The first guard to reach Derek bends down, and touches a hand to his nose. Shaking his head, the guard says, "He's dead."

That's when the screaming begins.

@Everyone but Myolan:

Deuce's face turns ashen at this turn of events. Hurrying you quickly along, he tries to put as much distance between you and the death as possible. His attempt is stopped by the mage-guard who blasted Derek, who steps in front of all of you, clapping his hands softly.

"That was a fine piece of spellcasting," he says, looking directly at Aliester.

[Boo]

Daggermouth

"Hrghn..." Myolan removes himself from the body and hisses at the crocodile. "A pointlesss death." He stares at the on-lookers, then bends down toward the boy. "Who wass he?" An almost sympathetic line asked for the guards, but indirect and open for reply.

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Once her den-mates started getting involved, Cassandra edged away from them as much as she could manage. That was... almost... a good idea. Get in good with the casino owner and all by helping out. But too much. Too much. Poor fellow.

She tries her best to look like just another patron gawping at the spectacle.

[JackTR69]

Garnet
Upon seeing the man killed, Garnet's face grows cold. He steps away from Aleister, angered by the outcome. Good men should not die such deaths.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"Hmm. I'd suspected a man risking his life to rob a casino would have been tougher than that. That crocodile is strong, but it was intended to only grab on.

"As for the spellcasting itself, well, I don't hold much with the theory that the upper class should spend all its time dancing in ballrooms and gossiping at tea parties. I'm a man of means and a man of ambition; I don't like the idea of sitting idly by when I could be making money. Magic is a pretty good way to make money.

"At any rate, I apologize for the mess and the scene. As I said, very much not my intention. Our friend here, Timon, was just about to show me around when we saw the whole lock-down show go off. Seeing as I am considering investing in the casino, it would be rather unwise of me to let anyone run off with some of its value... investing is even better than magic for making money.

"Though I have to say, Timon, it did rather look like he was going to get away. Doesn't do wonders for my interest in this establishment, you know. Please tell me there are measures in place for something like this? Say, sir," indicating the guard, "suppose he does scale the fence and get away. What happens? Your spell was fine, but it didn't stop him; another might have, but if he'd been tougher than it wouldn't. What if he had magic - what if after getting past the sensors, he goes invisible? How do you handle this sort of thing?"

OK, since he didn't get confirmation from Liselle that she could handle it, Aleister's decided to take front row. Makes Naberius much happier anyway. Taking 10 on Bluff (thanks Naberius), so 17 on the Bluff check.

[lostlittlebear]

@Everyone sans Myolan
Deuce, catching on quickly to where you are taking this, hurriedly puts on a show of profuse regret.

"I... am sorry, milord, we do assure you that the security of the casino is far better once we actually get inside," he says, bowing obsequiously.

Joining Deuce in his bow, the guard makes a show of apology, then leans in conspiratorially, winking at the lot of you.

"It's against casino policy to tell you this, milords, but seeing as you are potential investors, I suppose it's alright. The inside of the casino is sprinkled with detect magic sensors like the one on the arches, and there's glyphs of true seeing on all the potential exits. All of them are controlled from the guardhouse itself, of course."

"That boy Derek only made it so far because he wasn't very far in - if he'd been inside the casino it would have gone far worse for him. We'd have had him surrounded before he could get more than 60 feet away."

(OOC: I forgot to give you a Spellcraft check to identify the spell. And there were three missiles, not two - made a typo earlier.)
Spellcraft DC 11Magic Missile


@Myolan:
You are drenched in Derek's blood from head to toe, presenting a terrifying sight to the frightened onlookers, who give you a wide berth. Even the guard edges away unconsciously, so fearsome is your appearance.

"We're not really sure. He's just a guy who's been constantly trying to rob our casino, either alone or with a group. No real threat, just a nuisance. Our commander thinks he works for a Den, but we've never been able to trace his employers."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Aleister looks at the guard, a bit surprised. "Hadn't gotten very far in? What'd he manage to do, then? I presume you aren't keeping valuables a hop, skip, and a jump from the front door?"

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Myolan listens to the guard, watching their discomfort. He looks upon his own hands and sees the blood. He wipes them on his cloak, and begins searching the body for any clues that could indicate Derek's employers (and any items of value). "I'll tell you if I find anything important..."

Search check: [roll0]

((EDIT: If he can, he'll try searching a few more times. Rolls will be in OOC))

[JackTR69]

Garnet
Garnet shakes his head and looks away from the corpse.

[lostlittlebear]

@Everyone sans Myolan
The guard blinks slightly.

"What I meant was that the security of the casino improves as you walk deeper inside. The only reason he was able to get away from us was because he hadn't entered the casino yet."


Myolan
The onlookers look at you in distaste as you loot the dead man's body, and a low, disapproving murmur runs through the crowd.

On the young man's body, you find 50 gp in a purse and a folded piece of paper tucked into one of his shirt pockets. Unfolding the piece of paper, you see a fang-shaped marking inked on it.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"Like what? Seriously, if I was less than impressed before, now I'm wondering if it's even worth spending time on the tour. You don't seem to be running a very tight ship here."

[lostlittlebear]

@Everyone sans Myolan
The guard appears a little insulted at your disparaging words.

"Well, as I already mentioned, we've got the detect magic system going, as well as lockdowns in case of emergency. We've also got a magically warded safe where we keep the week's intake - the money can only be extracted by a password that changes every week, and is given to the guards by the owner himself."

"All our guards undergo strict background checks before they are allowed to work here, and we have continuous all-day rotating shifts. No one's managed to steal money from us before, and we don't intend to lose this perfect record!"

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Myolan gives his audience a cold stare, trying to stir them away...

Intimidate: [roll0]

He pockets the money as he raises himself to his feet, then beckons the guards to view the paper. "Tell me who."

((OOC: I got rid of the bottom of my post which had a search roll. In case the red is visible to all. I just didn't think it was needed a second time.
In case I can make it viewable again...
[roll1]))

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"Hmm. So if he wasn't stealing money, what was he doing? Or are you including me in your perfect record?"

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:
The guard takes the piece of paper and examines the symbol curiously.

"I've never seen this before, but I guess it could be some form of identification... To a gang or organization or such."

You find nothing else of interest on the dead man's body

@Everyone sans Myolan:
The guard hastens to correct Aleister's perceptions.

"No, no, of course we aren't saying that milord is a thief!"

"But we managed to foil Derek's attempt, didn't we?"

@Liselle:
Your keen ears pick up a pair of patrons gossiping just behind you, in low hush tones.

"God, this Den business is really getting out of hand, isn't it?"

"Come now, you aren't saying that unfortunate young man was in a Den, are you? I doubt Dens would be that ham-fisted."

"You never know - Houses that are getting desperate might lower their recruitment criteria."

"True, I guess... Did you hear about House Eyrin? Apparently they almost lost an entire Den the other day when they assassinated some of House Zinos' supporters. They succeeded, but someone else got them as they were running away."

"Ohh, so that's why the city guard fished out 5 bodies from the drains that night. Whoever did it was pretty despicable - he even looted their bodies...."

The conversation trails off as the patrons move out of earshot.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Aleister raises an eyebrow. "...nevermind. Timon, let's see the rest of the place. Would you let my bodyguard in? He's the lizard on the other side of the gate."

When safe to do so, Aleister whispers to Deuce, "If all the guards are as stupid as that one, I'm thinking it's a miracle that Mr. Svard hasn't already ruined himself."

[lostlittlebear]

@Everyone sans Myolan
Timon nods, leading you away.

(Will wait for the rest to post before describing the rest of the tour)

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Cassandra chooses to say nothing at the moment, as she follows along with the tour.

[JackTR69]

Garnet
Garnet stands there, waiting for the tour to continue.

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Folding the paper, he clutches it firmly in his hand. "Let me through. You don't know, I will ask others."

[lostlittlebear]

@Everyone sans Myolan:
Deuce hurriedly ushers everyone along, moving you away from the guards and further into the casino. The mage-guard lets you pass, but draws Cassandra aside for a moment. Deuce only stops to talk when you are safely out of sight and earshot of the guards.

All around you, you see various card tables and contraptions, designed for the sole purposes of playing a bewildering amount of games. The overpowering smell of gold is everywhere, and the clink of coins fills the air, punctuated only be the occasional curse or scream of ecstasy.

"Don't be fooled by that man. He may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but by all accounts he is an extremely competent mage. Where would you like to go first."

Myolan:
Stepping aside, the guard lets you pass.

"The rest of your group should be further inside."

Cassandra:
As the rest of the group moves on, the mage-guard stops you for a moment. Obviously mistaking you for a prostitute of some sort, he propositions you.

"I know you're probably being well kept by that rich nobleman, but if he ever grows tired of you, look me up, will you? I may not be as wealthy as he is, but Svard pays his guards well."

Slipping a small note into your hand, he ushers you along, tapping his nose mischievously.

"Run along now. We wouldn't want to make milord jealous, would we?"

Looking at the note, you see it contains an address, presumably the guard's private residence.

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Myolan does what he may in order to catch up to his associates. Perhaps they have more information...

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Well, the disguise works, then. Kind of.

She allows her hand to linger on the guard's for an extra second as he passes her the note and gives him a slight wink as she smiles and passes by. Once she has passed well beyond and is n a place unlikely to be overheard by anyone, under the pretense of adjusting her hair, she touches the disk in her ear and murmurs, "the magician guard seems to fancy me. This could be useful."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
To Deuce: "I saw the spell; I was not lying when I said it was well done. I was just shocked by his complete misunderstanding of my question. As for what to see first, I believe several people in the group have different things they want to see."

Touching his ear, ""Agreed, that will be very helpful. Anyway, 'Timon' wants to know what we wanted to see. Any body got anything in particular in mind?"

[Boo]

Daggermouth

As Myolan searches for his comrades he looks around the casino from his set path and tries to catch sight of anything useful to know about.

Spot check: [roll0]

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

"Hmmm... I don't have anything particular in mind. I'm just curious about seeing what's inside. It sounds fabulous."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Touching his ear, "Sounds good enough; we should know the public areas well, too. I want to talk to management, particularly about security. It seems fitting and appropriate given the altercation earlier, and that's an important thing to get a sense of. Myolan, since I've already called you my 'bodyguard', you'll need to continue to appear to be, but you shouldn't need to flank me; after all, that might be an insult to their security. What do you say to checking out the guards? 'Timon', do you think that could be arranged? A chance for Myolan to get a sense of what they've got? Seems like a fitting thing for a bodyguard to do. For myself, I suppose you could call over a floor manager or something as a start."

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"How secure are your vaults? With all these thieves running around, we would like to see that our money is in good hands."

[lostlittlebear]

Deuce considers Aleister's requests.

"It can be arranged."

As Myolan comes running up, he points in the direction of the guard house. Scribbling a short note, he hands it to the lizardfolk.

"Just pass the note to them, and they'd be happy to answer most of your questions."

Next, he turns to Cassandra.

"If you think this area is fabulous, you should see the high-rollers room. It's further down this corridor, and is reserved for those gamblers who routinely wager 1000gp or more a night. The bouncers at the door would probably let you in - pretty women are always more than welcome in the area."

Finally, he addresses Garnet.

"The vault is down those stairs, in the basement. I'd suppose I'd better accompany you - I may not be able to get us all the way in, but I'd be able to give you a pretty good overview from the outside."

(OOC: Post which way you wish to go, guys ^^)

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Cassandra smiles broadly and heads toward the high-rollers room to fit into her adopted role.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"Well, if you're heading down to the vaults, I suppose I should come along. You're supposed to be showing me around, after all. Wouldn't mind seeing them, in any case. Magical defenses are likely, maybe I can spot some."

[Boo]

Daggermouth

"I will ask guards about the paper..." he states, standing with his group for a moment to receive the note, soon turning toward the guardhouse. Before leaving he places his hand on his head to touch his ear without suspicion, "Here later or leave alone?" If anything he looks like he has a headache.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"At the least, I suspect they expect that you and I will leave together. Beyond that, I think we should be OK.

Before you go, though... what paper?"

[Boo]

Daggermouth

"The boy--Derrek had a paper with a drawing on it." Myolan presents the paper with a fang-shaped marking inked on it to all associates near him. "I am going to ask the guards about this. Dens can get in the way of work. I want to make sure it is small time gang."

If someone asks from the group to see the paper more closely, Myolan will comply.

((OOC: He'll hand it over for a time, but expect it back. If you are going to look at it, just do the whole action without waiting for a reply. It'd be faster.))

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"I'll take a look at it."

[roll1]
[roll=Knowledge (Arcana)]1d20+15
1d20+6 (+2 if it happens to be associated with an occult society or the like)
1d20+6
So, on the off-chance it's magical, got a hidden meaning, has something to do with magic, is a local something, or is religious in nature... and Aleister knows it, which might be a big stretch in some cases.

[lostlittlebear]

@Aleister:
You recognize the marking as a dragon's fang, often used to symbolize dragons or their ilk in arcane tomes, but it tells him nothing about the specific meaning of this marking. His knowledge of the city though, does tell him that such pieces of paper are often carried around as identification by members of certain organizations.

Conveying what you have learnt to Myolan (which I assume you'll do, just trying to move things along), you follow Garnet, Liselle and Deuce into the casino's basement, towards the casino vault.


@Aleister/Garnet/Liselle:
A few flights of stairs later, you find yourselves in front of an imposing iron door, flanked by two bored-looking guards. A couple of other guards are lounging around them, playing dice and placing bets. Deuce asks the guards on duty to explain the vault's security to you, and they grudgingly oblige.

"Dis 'eres the safest place in the whole casino. Da whole iron door's warded by spells and runes, both to prevent opening and to punish intruders. Da last thief who made 'is way 'ere got blown up by a fireball when 'e touched the vault."

"Da only way to open it's if yer the owner himself. Da lock's keyed ta only recognize him 'n no other. 'Course, if someone cut off 'arf de owner's hair or a limb or two he could get in, but dat's what we're here for, eh?"

The guards burst out laughing, and you get the feeling this is some sort of prepared spiel. The off-duty guards join in the laughter, shaking their dice cups friendlily at Garnet and Liselle, inviting them to join in their game. Presuming Aleister to be a noble, they leave him well alone.

Cassandra:
You easily find the high-rollers room, and are let in by the bouncer with only a cursory glance.

"Good hunting, lady," he says as you pass him. "Some of the high-rollers here pay magnificently for a night of company."

Entering the room itself, you pause for a moment, shocked by the sheer opulence of it's finery. A gold-plated ceiling and pillars are the least of the room's decorations, reflecting light that makes the small room seem somehow larger. Elaborate tapestries hang from the four walls of the room, but even they are dwarfed by the thick animal furs that carpet the floor.

All this finery is targeted at four men sitting in the middle of the room, gambling intently, each assisted by a personal croupier. Around them hovers a crowd of waiters, hangers-on, sycophants and other courtesans, who keep the gamblers well supplied with drinks and entertainment. Alternately cheering and wincing at their patron's fortune, they resemble flies gathered around slabs of dead meat.

Even as you watch, the men finish playing a hand. Laughing, the man at the head of the table stands up and rakes in his winnings. With a start, you realize he is none other than Svard himself.

"Sorry boys, looks like I win again!"

@Myolan:
It takes you a while, but you manage to work your way into the guardhouse. Guards with wooden weapons are engaging each other in practice duels, and the smell of sweat hangs heavy in the air. In a corner is a tall, barechested man hefting a large axe. Bawling out orders and instructions to the men around him, he occasionally steps in to correct their stances or blows himself.

Noticing you, he walks towards you.

"What are you doing here? This is a restricted area!"

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"I presume you don't mind if I inspect the security myself?"
Assuming they assent, Aleister casts Detect Magic and begins to examine the door. His Artificer's Monocle means that if he spends a certain amount of time at this (AFB, but I think it's a minute?), he gets to Identify magic items; don't know if the door counts as a magic item, but just in case.

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"So what you're saying is that some idiot with a couple of thugs could come into this casino, chop off the owners hand, blast their way through you idiots with a couple of cheap spells, and walk right in through with the use of a severed limb?"

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Myolan presents the man with the note given to him from Deuce before doing anything. Afterward, he'll ask (if not directed further in) about the paper with the inked mark on it.

[lostlittlebear]

@Aleister:
Shrugging, the guards step out of the way.

"I s'pose dere ain't no harm. I'd like to know what wuz guarding me stuff me self. Don't touch the door, though, ye wouldn't like it."

Detect magic reveals several magical auras in the area: Three faint abjurations, from distinctly different spells and one moderate evocation.

Further inspection with the Artificer's monocle reveal that there is a glyph of warding and arcane lock on the door, keyed to open only to Svard's touch. The glyph of warding will cast fireball on anyone other than Svard who touches the door.

@Garnet/Aleister:
The guards stiffen at Garnet's retort, unsure how to react. The awkward tension is broken by a loud guffaw, as one of the guards on duty bursts out into laughter.

Addressing Aleister, who is currently examining the door, the guard gestures at Garnet.

"Yer man can certainly tell a joke, 'e can. Wot, a few thugs beat da lot of us up? I've killed more men den I haf fingers."

"'N everyone knows da boss is da meanest swordsman n spellslinga in dis part o town! I'd like ta meet da man who ken best him either with spell or blade."

The other guards eventually give small chuckles, returning to their game. Behind you, you here Deuce breathe a sigh of relief.

@Myolan:
The man pours over your note.

"It says here you're some sort of security expert and I'm supposed to show you around. Well, what do you want to know?"

[JackTR69]

Garnet
He smiles at the guards retort, satisfied with this answer.
"It's good to know that your master is competent in a fight, a man who can't defend himself has no chance of defending his belongings."
I can't wait.
Garnet's thoughts are in red italics.

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Cassandra makes her way as if by accident to Svard's table. Acting as if she didn't know who Svard is and that he's the big winner, she says, "I hear the sound of a winner over here. And I like winners."

[lostlittlebear]

@Garnet/Aleister:

"Yeah, a good man is a tuff 'un, dat's what we all say."

Seeing that Aleister is still examining the door, he picks up a dice cup and hands it to Garnet.

"Ya seem like a gamblin' man. Up for a toss?"


@Cassandra:
Svard turns his attention to you, looking you up and down.

What he sees evidently agrees with him, for he smiles lecherously, curling an arm around your waist.

"And I like pretty ladies! Waiter! Get her a drink."

"Perhaps you could be so kind as to tell me your name?"

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Looking up, realizing that he was being spoken to but taking a few moments to catch up, "What? Oh, yes, he has a tendency to be a bit macabre. I find it tends to throw people off, which is a valuable asset if you're expecting it and those you're dealing with aren't. Always nice to be the one on their toes, I find. But anyway, yes, carry on; enjoy a game, Garnet, I would like to look at this some more."

Aleister continues to study the door, even if there's nothing more to learn, to give Garnet the chance to gamble with the men.

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"So what're we playing?"

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

One name is as good as another, Cassie. Just don't forget which one you choose. "Deborah," she says, nestling into his grip, "though I'll answer to pretty much anything you like."

[lostlittlebear]

@Aleister/Garnet:
"Well, da game's simple. Ye just roll two dice and whoeva's comes out 'igher winds!"

Handing you two die, the guard begins rattling his pair around in his dice cup.

"Betcha ten gold 'uns ye ain't gonna beat me!"

@Cassandra:
Roaring with laughter, Svard claps his hands.

"I like her!" he proudly proclaims to the rest of the room.

Turning back to you, he continues.

"Well, Deborah, if you're looking for a winner, you've come to the right man!"

Sweeping his hand expansively, he gestures at the whole room.

"Each time anyone in the casino loses, I win!"

Chuckling at his own joke, he takes a large gulp of wine.

[Boo]

Daggermouth

Not waiting a moment in responding, he presents the paper taken off the dead thief. "Derek carried this. Can you tell me who it is?" His eyes are suspicious, but unknowing, so Myolan scans the guard as they speak back.

spot: [roll0]

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:
"That amateur thief Derek was carrying this, ya say?"

"Can't say I know what da symbol means, but back when I was working with a Den they used notes with symbols to identify each other. Maybe that's what it is."

[Duke of URL]

Cassandra

Playing slightly dumb, Cassandra pretends to struggle with what Svard just told her. "I don't get what you mean... oh," she adds, a if she suddenly 'gets it', "oh! Are you the owner?"

[Boo]

Daggermouth

"Knowledge I already have. If you can't help me with this, then show me the casino. It can't be too secure if Derek escaped more than once." He snarls at the guard, disappointed in the lack of development.

[lostlittlebear]

@Cassandra:
The men round the table roar with laughter, pounding their winecups.

"Aye lass, he is," One of them says, wiping tears from his eyes. "And fleeced me out of many a good fortune, he has."

Another adds, slightly darkly, "Which makes me wonder why my investments here haven't returned much of late..."

Svard shrugs off the comment, replying, "You'll have your money soon enough, once I pay off the loans I've taken out with Mikhael."

Gripping you slightly closer to him, Svard continues.

"So what can I do for you, Deborah? The casino lies open to your whims."

@Myolan:
The man's eyes narrows, and his hand creeps slightly closer to the greataxe that hands from a loop in his belt.

"Are you implying that I don't run a tight operation here? I doubt you could do much better, pathetic sellsword. Well if you think you could do any better, you're more than welcome to prove it in a duel!"

[Duke of URL]

"Deborah" (Cassandra)

"It seems I have the perfect guide to show me around the place. I am sure the operation is most impressive when explained by the one who knows it best."

[Boo]

Daggermouth

A hiss: "I could do better in a duel, vermin." His eyes darken as he draws his weeping sword, it's mass being almost as large as the guard captain himself. As it's tip peaks into the air, acid drips from it's edge and hisses on the casino floor.

Intimidate: [roll0]

"Shall we? Or are you going to show me how tight your security is?"

[lostlittlebear]

@Cassandra:
"Eh, trust me, this room here's the best and most well furnished one in the whole place. The rest of the casino pales in comparison - excepting the security room of course, but I doubt you'd be interested in THAT."

@Myolan:
"If it's a duel you want, it's a duel you get!"

Looking at your weapon with disdain, the guard captain retrieves a blunted, padded greatsword from the wall.

"Here, use this instead. Only fools gamble lives on meaningless duels."

Clearing a space in the middle of the training ground, he places himself 30 feet away from you and readies his axe, which has also been replaced by a blunted version.

"Ready when you are."

(OOC: Roll initiative)

[Boo]

@DMHe sheaths his blade and takes the practice weapon in hand, readying himself for battle.((Well crap. :smalltongue: You're going to have to guide me through this. >>))
Init: [roll0]

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan
Initiative: [roll0]
(You get the jump on him. Make your move)

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"Haha, very well then."
Garnet shakes his dice thoroughly while pulling the gold out of the purse that was given to him. As the dice hit the table, he smiles. A familiar sound, and one sorely missed.
I don't know if you wanted me to roll, but: [roll0]

[lostlittlebear]

@Aleister/Garnet:
The man smiles in response, bringing his dice cup down with a bang.

"Ahh, I see I've got a [roll0] too."

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"Aha, it seems we are at in impasse. Shall we roll again?"

[lostlittlebear]

@Garnet/Aleister:
"Another toss then?"

Putting the dice back into their cup, he rattles them around some more.

"Double or nothing?"

(OOC: Since you're online, roll Spot)

[Boo]

Daggermouth

@DM
Myolan readies himself for a moment, collecting himself for the attack to come. Forward! Step by step, his great sword held just beneath his waist, he comes closer and closer, and then he strikes! His blade heaves from below, attacking not the man, but his defence.

((OOC:

move: 30ft
Sunder Axe:

Attack roll:[roll0]
Damage roll: [roll1]

If possible, he attacks the haft of the axe. If it's not, then he'll attack the blade.

Additional note: Added +4 to attack roll for sunder attempt due to two-handed weapon. If that's wrong, then subtract it from the total. If the attack roll is 34 or 35, then it's a crit. All following rolls will then be made in the OOC thread.

I'm only saying all this because I don't feel like editing. >>))

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:
Even as you rush towards your opponent, he lets out a bellow of rage, snarling furiously as he stares your charge down. Catching your greatsword with the blade of his axe, he bats it away, unleashing two brutal blows of his own.

Caught off-guard, you just barely manage to dodge the first blow, but his second blow is wilder and you easily parry it with your greatsword.

OOC:
Opposed Sunder Roll:[roll0]
Attack Roll:[roll1]
Attack Roll:[roll2]
Damage roll: [roll3]
Damage roll: [roll4]

Your turn.

@Garnet and Aleister:
OOC: Rolled spot for both of you - you see nothing untoward. Garnet, roll your dice, if you will.

[Boo]

Daggermouth

@DM
Myolan takes the hit well, the dulled blade bouncing harshly off his hard skin. He responds furiously, bringing in his sword from the side.

((OOC:

Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage Roll: [roll1]

EDIT: Crap, reroll damage in OOC (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7759826&postcount=91).))

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:
Your greatsword sweeps past the man's guard, smashing into the man's head. Grunting angrily, he resumes the attack.

This time, your parry doesn't work so well - his blows batter away your guard and land heavily on your upper torso, breaking a breastbone or two with their impact.

OOC:
Attack roll 1:[roll0]
Attack roll 2:[roll1]
Damage roll 1: [roll2]
Damage roll 2: [roll3]

[Boo]

Daggermouth

@DM:The last blow causes Myolan to stagger back, his breath heavier than ever. Rather than retaliate, he raises his hand, exclaiming "Enough!" His body is now resting on his sword, "I have become... sloppy. I cannot win." An excuse only leads to an insult back.

OOC:The sunder was basically his only real shot, otherwise I would have needed more than a little luck. Luck that I did not have. Also, it would have been cool to have immediately won with that move (or so hoped). :smalltongue:

[Duke of URL]

"Deborah" (Cassandra)

"Of course not, the action is all out here, isn't it? But why would a security room need anything as grand as this," she adds, sweeping her hand lazily around the room.

[lostlittlebear]

@Cassandra:
"I really shouldn't be telling you this, but I was always a sucker for a pretty face."

Pressing his finger to your lips, Svard continues.

"Just don't tell any of your friends or colleagues about it."

Waving his hand expansively, he gestures towards the rest of the casino, trying his hardest to impress you.

"From the security room, I can lockdown this entire place with the touch of a sigil! Or I could set the security wards off or on at a whim, or conjure up fireballs and rain them down upon everyone here. It is the nexus- no, the heart, of my casino and everything it contains."

"Of COURSE it needs to be grand."

[Duke of URL]

"Deborah" (Cassandra)

"Of course," she laughs, "I should have guessed. Why not reserve the finest for yourself?"

[lostlittlebear]

@Cassandra:
"She understands!"

Svard laughs delightedly.

"Tell you what, how would you like to see the security room - I need to head there anyway. It'll only be for a short while though, and you've got to promise not to touch anything."

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:Laughing, the guard tosses his axe aside.

"Well, at least you aren't as stupid as you look."

"I must say though, I'm impressed. Not many men are able to even land a blow on my in close combat."

"Any chance you're looking for a job?"

(OOC: You could've tried raging next time, might've helped! Also, just going for a straight attack rather than a sunder on the first round would have been better, considering he was flat-footed and you get sneak attack damage)

[Boo]

"Daggermouth" (Myolan)

@DM
OOC:Y'see... I forgot. :smallfrown: Yay! Noob!

"I already have a job." he replies, feeling his ribs for any fractures. He finds one, but stands tall. "I need to find information on thiss," showing the marked paper again, "and any connectionss to it in this cassino. Your ssecurity may be have corruption."

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:
The man shrugs.

"I already told you, I don't know."

"If you change your mind about the job, though, feel free to approach me anytime."

[Boo]

"Daggermouth" (Myolan)

@DM:
"Wait..." Myolan speaks, thinking on the advantages of the position, "How much does it pay?" If he can't gather information about the note, then he'll do the better thing and gather information for the real job.

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"Very well then, double or nothing."
[roll0]

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:
"Well it's about 10 gp a week - 1 gp a day, but we get a 3gp bonus for deliveries once a week."

"I could work you into the delivery guard this week if you want a taste of the job. You'll get the bonus anyway."

@Garnet:
The man smiles - lifting his dice cups, he reveals a 10.

"Looks like I win this round. But tell you what, why don't we double the stakes again. It'll give you a chance to recoup your losses!"

Without waiting for your answer, he begins rattling his dice cup again.

@Aleister:
Something feels strange about that man's dice cup. You don't have much experience gambling, but the dice in his cup are making far too much noise to be the wooden dice they appeared to be.

[Boo]

"Daggermouth" (Myolan)

@DMFor a moment he takes his thoughts into the air, then upon settling into his mind he speaks. "Ssoundss ssteady and good. More than my average work. I accept." Myolan bows formally, cringing slightly to the fractured feeling in his chest. Part of him really wants to kill that man. A small part, but nonetheless violent.

If the guard captain wishes to shake hands Myolan will oblige him.

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan
The captain shakes your hand heartily.

"Good, I'll let you know on the day itself - movement times are kept strictly secret, so don't plan anything this week. Any address where I can contact you? I'd suggest a tavern you frequent if you're adverse to telling me your private residence."

[Boo]

Daggermouth

@DM"What if I meet you here? I don't like Taverns." Too many people.

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:
"I don't mind, but how will I tell you which day to meet? Unless you don't mind coming round every day?"

[Boo]

Daggermouth

@DM"I have no jobs coming up. It's a slow month."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Aleister positions himself so that he can look at the man's cup with his Detect Magic while pretending to continue to examine the door. When he's ascertained what, if any, magic is going on there, he casts another spell - again appearing to be analyzing the door. This time it's Detect Thoughts, and he's paying attention to the guard.

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"You play to my weaknesses, I can never pass up another throw."
[roll0]
Watching the numbers turn up against him again, Garnet looks up at the guard. "One more. This time, let us switch dice, as a show of good faith."

[lostlittlebear]

@Myolan:
"Come at 8 each morning then, I'll keep an eye out for you."

@Aleister:
No magic appears to be afoot.

The man's surface thoughts appear to be ruled by greed, avarice, and a certain amount of embarrassment.

You pick up a strong vibe that screams "sucker" at you.

@Garnet:
The man blushes slightly as he hears your offer.

"What, no! This is my lucky pair! Surely you wouldn't dream of molesting another gamblers pair of die! Where have you been gambling these years anyway? They certainly didn't teach you manners there."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Maintaining Detect Thoughts, Aleister turns from the door and looks at the guard.

In a stern, grim tone, Aleister denounces the man, Naberius's voice giving his voice that much more menace. "You now have a problem. From what I understand, Mr. Svard expects gamblers to be paying him, not the other way around. I cannot imagine that gambling with visitors is what he pays you for. More importantly, this is a casino, and casinos, from what I have heard, have very... pointed opinions on cheaters. There's quite an elaborate set-up on the front door to prevent them from entering. Sneaking in a set of loaded dice is the sort of thing that gets you dragged to a back room and spoken to... sharply. You may not have been on the floor, but I rather think Mr. Svard doesn't even want such things on the premises at all. Honestly, you shouldn't be worried about leaving with your job; that is pretty much hopeless. Right now, you need to be worrying about leaving this building with functioning knees.

"More importantly, I'm rather not inclined to help you any. You don't strike me as the most useful guard, and if I invest money in this place, I want the guards to be competent. You're replaceable, and you'll probably be replaced by someone who does your job better than you do.

"So I really do not feel much like helping you out. But, just maybe, we can come to an agreement. I still have my doubts about this place, and perhaps you can help me enough that I'll overlook this little transgression. Trust me when I say your employer will not. What do you say?"

[lostlittlebear]

@Aleister/Garnet:
The guard in question flushes, hurriedly hiding his dice cup, even as the other guards watch him and laugh.

"They caught ya out on that one, Simmons."

"I did always tell you to stop fleecing our customers!"

"What goes around comes around, mate."

Sheepishly, Simmons returns the money he's taken from Garnet.

"Hey, guys, I'm sorry. But it was just a little joke, no harm done, right? Mr. Svard doesn't really have to know about it, does he? I was planning to return the money after, honest!"

"Just tell me what I'd have to do to keep this little incident hidden."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"Well, as you know, I am considering investing in this establishment. It's like gambling, except everyone's bluffing about everything. So I want to know what cards Mr. Svard is keeping close to his chest. Does he really have a winning hand, or is he trying to play one with crap?

Everyone will always tell you that they're security is perfect, but it never is. Everyone will always tell you that they're making a fortune and there's no better place to put your money, but there's always risks, always deals that might sour or debts that might have to be paid unexpectedly.There are reasonable risks I'm willing to take, but since no one here will ever tell me anything but that everything is perfect, I can't know if the risks are reasonable. It is why I come in and inspect things, because I cannot trust people to tell me about the problems.

"So I want to know - how is the security really around here? What weaknesses are there, where are the guards lazy or what doors don't get watched as well as they should? What risks does Mr. Svard himself take? Skimping on magical protection, underpaying the guards, what?

"And what about this operation itself - does it really make enough money to cover all the money Mr. Svard has been throwing around? Has he been forced to engage in any shady dealings, make any bad decisions that he wouldn't have wanted to make? I understand that down here you might not know that kind of thing, but surely the employees talk; what are the rumors? Those things you're not supposed to tell people like me?"

[lostlittlebear]

@Aleister/Garnet:
The man shakes his head.

"Worth more 'than my life to sell my employer out 'n tell ya the security weakpoints. If he finds out I cheated, he'll just fire me. Rat on 'im, and 'e'll kill me."

"I can tell ya though that we always get paid on time. 'E's never been late, not even once."

"'ow 'bout I just pay you double the money I took. That should satisfy you, eh?"

"I can pay ya back by Thursday, when we get our bonus."

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
"Hmm, I believe you misunderstand me. I'm not trying to get a breakdown of the security checkpoints and how one might bypass them; I'm just wondering if the security here is as strong as everyone claims it is. Because, frankly, it does not seem to be, and that concerns me. I'm well aware that nowhere is perfect - and I invest in imperfect places. But I need a better sense of just how imperfect the place actually is. I am not asking you to rat your employer out; in reality, I want to help your employer, because from what I hear he could use the money. But I'm not going to just throw my money away, which is why I need the real deal - I know this place isn't perfect, but if it's reasonably secure, then we're in business. But no one will admit to anything, so I don't even know if it is reasonably secure, all I know is that they'll claim anything to get my money. Which is the way of things.

"Look, I'll be honest; this is not exactly the first time this sort of thing has happened. It's part of the reason I don't just come down here by myself, that I allow him to gamble with you, or another associate to chat with the waitresses, or whatever else. It's pretty common, and it gives us an opportunity to get the kind of honest information we can't get otherwise. It's perfectly normal business proceedings - like I said, it's all a big game and everyone's playing all their advantages. This is part of the game. You're not supposed to get caught, but you're also supposed to get that information. I'm absolutely certain your employer does the same when he invests in other businesses.

"So, what do you say, instead of you paying me double your take, I pay each of you triple the take, in addition to what you've already got, if you'll do me, and your employer, this small favor?"

[lostlittlebear]

@Aleister/Garnet:
Hearing Aleister's offer, Simmons licks his lips. Opening his mouth, he appears to be about to speak, but his eyes dart furtively to either side and he falls silent again.

"We don't reveal trade secrets, not even for triple pay! Now shove off!"

Stepping forward, he leans towards Aleister and gives him a hard push.

@Aleister:
As the man leans toward you, he whispers in your ear.

"Meet me in the Grey Goose tonight and I'll tell you what you want to know."

After passing his message, he gives you a hard push to disguise his actions.

[DragoonWraith]

Aleister
Aleister shrugs. "Fine, your loss. I think you are greatly overestimating the magnitude of the favor I ask, but so be it."

[JackTR69]

Garnet
"If you will excuse us, I think we will take our leave of you. Aleister, I think we should have a word with their boss."

[DragoonWraith]

OOC:
Unless that last bit was whispered to me, that would seem rather out of place - a bodyguard does not normally speak to his employer like that. Not to mention, we don't really want to be threatening them, or they're also likely to go to their boss.