Laucian [RP Heavy Intro]

[tigerusthegreat]

Your small apartment in the merchant quarter is still not nearly what you'd prefer to have. Your fine tastes have not been dulled by the time spent away from the nobility, nor have your elvish senses, which still detect the snickers and pointing at "that noble elf who screwed up." Most people don't know why you have been cast out of your family, but they know that it has happened. News like that is hard to keep from people. No matter what others think, you are doing well enough for yourself. You've bought this apartment, and all your own possessions, more meager than what you'd once had, but yours all the same. This is a bit of a lull time, and you are eagerly waiting a sign of work to come, and gold to continue to pay for your lifestyle.

A knock on your door startles you out of your deep thought, and upon opening it you spy pointed ears underneath the hooded cloak. Elves mean well paying customers, and the hooded appearance means secrecy, which is sign for more coin. Before the elf open's his mouth, you can smell the gold in the air.

"Might I come inside, brother? I have much to tell you." The voice is unmistakable. It is Amandon, the second son of your family. Without a thought, you welcome him in, and he looks around at your apartment with a smirk. "So this is what being a sneak gets you...not bad, given how short a time you've been gone from the House."

[XianTheCoder]

At the sound of Amandon's voice Laucian freezes in shoke, after a moment he opens the door wide and steps back allowing his brother to enter the apartment.

Laucian smirks at Amadon's comment, Welcome Brother, it is great to see you. Laucian will hold out his hand for an embrace. And I like to consider myself a facilitator of rare services between willing parties, clearly a mercantile trade by nature. Laucian will walk to the table and clear away trinkets and the various piles of papers and books. He then pulls a chair out and motions for his brother to sit. I'm afraid I don't have the selection of wines that you are accustomed too, but I do have a few decent selections. Laucian will walk into the kitchen area and pull his two best bottles from the cabinet, holding each of them out for Amandon to make a selection. He will then return the unselected bottle, retrieve two glasses and return to the table to pour before sitting himself. I'm happy to see you, but I didn't expect to see anyone from our family for a long time, so what brings you here? Certainly father can't be aware of this visit.

[tigerusthegreat]

"Of course, father isn't aware, he's far to busy trying to smooth out the problems you caused." Amandon takes the wine, but seems hesitant to drink it. "Mother is abuzz because she is with child again, even though she thought she was past the age she could get pregnant. Father does hope it will be another boy, one who he can train up to be a worthy warrior. The Emperor has already told us that we will get the usual boon for a fourth child, even if the third was such a disappointment....his words, not mine, brother, I understand how difficult our parents can be."

Your brother seems to be holding back much from the conversation. You get the distinct feeling that this isn't just a social call.

[XianTheCoder]

Seeing Amandon's hesitation at the cup, Laucian will drink deeply from his own glass, in hopes of comforting any of Amandon's concerns. At news of his mother's condition Laucian will look up in surprise, Good for her, and the family. I never meant to let mother down, perhaps she will get the son she wants this time, and Lunania is still young, perhaps they will even still get their marriage. I would ask you to give mother my congratulations, but I think we both know that it can't happen, still... I am happy for her. While deep inside Laucian is hurt by being considered a failure and a disgrace, he buries the feelings deep and attempts to put on a good face for his brother. I made my deicisions, and there is no going back now. So what brings you to my door, Brother? Are you suddenly in need of information that only a morally gray depraved soul like myself can acquire?, Laucian asks with a grin as he refills his own cup with wine.

[tigerusthegreat]

"I doubt they will wait seventy years, Lunania is very pretty, and he dowry could turn a small House into a powerful one, or a powerful one into a threat for the throne." He drinks from his goblet, and sighs. "I doubt you want to hear about high politics, though. It is a tiring game, and one I don't enjoy." He fidgets noticeably as he starts to speak again. "I think its a shame what has happened to you, but I know you are intelligent and can find out things. You wouldn't have what you have here if you couldn't, and the investigators father hired are still watching you regularly, because he feels you are a threat and will do something foolish and stupid."

Amandon stands, and paces the room as he speaks. His nerves are even more apparent now. You have never seen your brother in this state, something major is concerning to him. "Earl Grinval has a collection of ancient relics, most are nothing but bones and skulls, and I'm sure he's shown them off to you when you were a young boy, much like he does to all of the noble children. There is one piece in particular I'd like a closer look at, but he doesn't allow anyone but the children to see his collection, for fear of someone stealing it. I need you to find someone who is willing and able to sneak in there, steal that and a couple of other pieces to throw off the trail that its me, and bring them to me. Do you know anyone in this seedy underground that can do it for me?"

[XianTheCoder]

At the discussion of Lunania, Laucian's heart sinks. She really is beautiful and sweet... when she is not acting all feisty trying to get her own way. Laucian will watch his brother pace, waiting for him to begin speaking about his real reason for the visit.


How well does Laucian know the noble and collection? Has he ever actually seen it? If so how long ago?

Int Roll to Remember Anything?
[roll0]


Laucian smiles at his brother, Is it strange that I am honored that you considered me for this task? Laucian will then drop his chin in his hands while he considers who may be available for the task. There are plenty of people able and willing that can be called on. Which piece interests you, and does he have any reason to suspect that you are interested in the piece?


History Roll in case it's relevant to the piece
[roll1]

Regarding Laucian's network/contacts: Do you want to make the executive decisions about who he knows, or would you like me to sketch out a rough contact list and submit for approval? If you would like me to do it, can you give me a rough guideline as to how many people and the levels. If you want to say that he doesn't know anyone and I need to RP building the contacts then that is fine with me also.

[tigerusthegreat]

You recall seeing the collection as a young boy, but don't remember much about it besides the bones and old looking stuff. What you do remember about Earl Grinval is that he is a ruthless man to those who cross him. Anyone caught stealing would certainly be put to death, and he has a reputation for ferocity in these matters.

"The piece in question is a large section of preserved hide of some sort of scaly creature. Grinval claimed it was the hide of a giant snake from an ancient era that he dug up, preserved by some sort of ancient magic, but I believe its much newer than that. I think he knows of some great creature that lives outside the empire, and that it is a threat he will start using once the Emperor passes on to gain power. The Emperor is in ill health lately, and I worry that the time will come sooner rather than later. If I can have a look at that hide, I can get some idea of what we will be facing."

Of your list of contacts, you doubt many will want to steal from Earl Grinval. A few of the most reckless might, but they would not come cheaply, and you know your brother has not yet taken his inheritance from your parents (which usually happens when an elf marries, your elder brother has, but not Amandon). "I have one more request...I do not wish anyone to be killed for this. If they could go without bad injury, it would be prefered, but I know I am already asking for a difficult task. It would be hard for me to sleep knowing I paid for men to die, even human guards."

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian listens intently to his brother, while trying to decide how best to approach the situation. I might have to do this myself.... Dear Brother, do you believe I have slipped so far into the underworld that I would reign death upon innocents? he asks this with a bit a smile indicating he is jesting. I will be honest, it will be difficult to find good reliable men willing to make a move against Grinval, those with enough courage that don't border on reckless will be very expensive. Laucian paces while pondering the situation, How big is this hide, Small enough for one man to carry out while leaving his sword arm free? How long will you need it for? And how is this hide suppose to help you uncover what weapons he has at his disposal, it is after all just a hide, and if its of some unknown monster, who is going to know enough about it to confirm?

[tigerusthegreat]

"I am sure you will be careful with the guardsmen, but the thugs and cutthroats you may hire out for it may not be. A burglary is easier if throats are cut rather than heads knocked."

"Its the size of a small rug, no larger than a heavy cloak. It is also black as night. I'll need it at least for a few days, I have a friend who can identify whether it is what I fear. I just need you to get the thing, leave identifying its nature to me."

You know that your brother is hiding something, but he seems to be dealing honestly with you about this matter. He is genuinely concerned about getting this piece of hide, bordering on desperate. Perhaps things are more precarious than you had thought with the rulership of the Empire, if a noble could force and coerce his way into power by having a pet monster.

"This should cover your initial expenses." He tosses a heavy coin purse at you. Judging by the weight when you catch it, it has roughly two hundred coins in it. "Whatever else your services cost I can render unto you when I get the hide. If it is what I think it is, your services here may even get father to acknowledge you as his son again, though i hardly consider that a reward given how well you get along with him."

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian will nod to his brother and grab the bag of coins, When I have the hide how will I let you know? Unfortunately I can't deliver it to you at our family estates?


So it seems likely that Laucian is going to have to do this job himself... if for no other reason than to ensure that it is done correctly for his brother. What does Laucian know about the estate and where the collection was once housed within the estate? Does Grinval have any children?

Laucian has a couple thoughts:
1. Disguise himself as a servant and spend several days inside the estate learning what he can until an opportunity presents itself to steal it.
2. Disguise himself as a guard and try and work himself into a rotation guarding the collection (assuming there is one).
3. Spy on and Blackmail the son/daughter of Grinval into stealing it

I lean towards 3 to start, then 1.

[tigerusthegreat]

"You are still able to visit the estate, you know. Come and see mother once you have it, and I will know to come here and collect it. "

The Earl has three children, all grown and married off. It would be possible to find some way of blackmailing them, but you cannot be sure without further investigation if they would have access to the collection. His servants are all human (it is rare to find an elf willing to be a servant) but one of them must surely be responsible for cleaning the displays. The estate is a large one, built like a norman keep on a small plot of land within the city. The best ways of getting in are the arrow loops on the outer walls or the main gatehouse. If you feel like climbing, you could make your way to the roof and gain access from above. There are certain to be guards on the gate and the rooftop. Again, all the guards are human, with a few orc guardsmen as well.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian will nod to his Brother and say with confidence, I'll get this taken care for you. Laucian sits quietly for a moment, wondering how to approach the question that had been budding inside of him since his Amandon stepped foot into his apartment, finally he decides to to just jump right in and ask, Have you seen Lunania recently? Do you know if she is well?

[tigerusthegreat]

"She is well. Sad and troubled at what has happened to you, but generally well. I can carry a message to her if you like."

[XianTheCoder]

Thank you, but no. She deserves more than a message from me. Laucian will push his chair back and stand up. Well if there is nothing else to tell me, then I should probably get started, Grinval won't be an easy target and it's going to take some effort and time to make the appropriate arrangements. Laucian will walk Amandon to the door, It was good to see you brother, I hope to see more of you soon.

[tigerusthegreat]

You usher your brother out, and he pulls his cloak up before leaving. It is clear he doesn't want to be seen coming or going. 200 gp richer, you are left to plan for the mission your brother has asked of you.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian understands Amandons desire to remain unseen and respects his position. One day, perhaps he will want to be seen with me again. As his brother leaves, Laucian is left to plan. Initially, he believes that the best bet is to see if he can find an insider who would be willing to "borrow" the hide for a few days. The initial thoughts revolve around one of his three children, if Laucian can find something blackmail worthy on any of them, then he can arrange for one of them to retrieve the hide in exchange for silence. He knows he can't tail all three at once, which means he will need to call on two trustworthy local rogues to do the tailing. Preferably he wants two that are not normally affiliated, so there will be minimal chance of cross communication (Laucian doesn't want anyone knowing he has an interest in the family, and would prefer to make it seem like his interests are in the individuals). Once he settles on a couple rogues who may be willing to tail the two, he sets out and begins his information gathering session on the 3 siblings.


So here's the steps he takes:

1. Find out as much as he can about the 3 children of Grinval (Gather Info Checks below). Major things he is looking for are which have stronger relationships and which don't get along with their father. Whether any of them have drinking, gambling, affair, etc problems. Laucian will take a day or two (or however long it takes) to learn what he can about the children. He will do this while disguised.

Oldest: [roll0]
Middle: [roll1]
Youngest: [roll2]
Disguise: Takes 10, for a 20 total

2. Once he finds out the information he hires the 2 lackies to tail two of them, while he tails the third. (I'll decide who trails who once I find out what I learn from the Gather Info Checks).

3. Whacky fun ensues....

[tigerusthegreat]

You disguise yourself and spend the day looking for information. Most of what you want to know is fairly public information, but finding a way to blackmail an elven noble is not something that is often done outside the noble houses themselves. From a variety of sources throughout the town, you find out the following:

Earl Grinval d'Trastinora had three children at a fairly early age. His wife, Lady Lerian, died giving birth to the third. The house itself is fairly powerful, and the Earl is third in line for the throne, and the first that is not part of house d'Avign (the Emperor's house) in line for the throne. The throne changing hands like that would be a very destabilizing factor in the Empire. (For comparison's sake, your house, Nailo, is so far away from gaining the throne, nobody makes a clear distinction, but it would be around forty or so away from the throne. Lunania's house, d'Pedrona, is much more powerful, and her father is actually sixth in line for the throne, even after the debacle with your arranged marriage falling apart). He is deeply interested in ancient things and magic, regularly having visitors from the mage's guild to dinner. He has hosted several retired mages in years past, but most found his incessant questioning a bother, and took up quarters in the guild instead. There are currently no mages staying with Grinval.

Grinval's eldest child is a son, Clerval d'Trastinora. Clerval married for love into a fairly minor house, much to the disappointment of Grinval. The couple lives in a small mansion on the edge of the noble's district. They have six children, which would earn them some renown, if not for the influence of Grinval, who all but disowned the couple. Clerval has not gotten into any trouble, and spends most of his time raising his children and with his loving wife.

Grinval's second child is a daughter, Piria d'Avign. She married the heir to the Emperor in an arranged marriage that gave Grinval the lineage to the throne. When her husband was found having an affair with a human, and got the human pregnant, both the human and Piria's husband were executed. Piria lives on the Emperor's estates, and she is well cared for there, as she is a favorite of the Emperor. She is very close to her father, and visits him regularly.

You weren't able to get much information about Grinval's third child. Joshin d'Trastinora and his father do not get along. Grinval blames Joshin for his wife's death. Joshin was married off to a minor house, but his wife died in a difficult childbirth that the child did not survive either. He also lives on the edge of the noble's district, near the same area as his brother and nephews and nieces.

You manage to find a few trustworthy people to follow the nobles. However, few people want to get caught spying on the nobility, so each is willing to do it for fifty gold.

[XianTheCoder]

While the price is steep, Laucian can't help thinking that he would charge similar, so he offers 25gc to one of the rogues up front, with the other 25gc to be paid when they have reported in with their findings. For now he will forgo spying on Clerval d'Trastinora and only spy on Piria d'Avign with the hired help (Clerval seems like a dead end at this moment). Joshin d'Trastinora will be followed by Laucian.

After a long day of information gathering Laucian will retire for the evening to get an early start tailing Joshin, on his way home he will take the scenic route to pass by Joshin's house and get an idea of where he will be working the next couple days. Once home he will put together a backback filled with his tailing gear and head to bed.

The next morning he will disguise himself as a lesser elven noble and set out towards Joshin's house. When he arrives he will linger around the neighborhood attempting to pick up useful pieces of information (where does Joshin frequent, and known friends, etc) while waiting for Joshin to show himself. If hours pass without seeing Joshin, then Laucian will attempt to locate friends and acquaintences that he can mingle with.


Gather Information: [roll0]
Disguise: Take 10 for a 20 Total

[tigerusthegreat]

You find out that Joshin likes to frequent a fee bars around the area. He apparently spends much of his time drinking. He leaves his house quite late into the afternoon, and walks a few blocks down to an establishment run by an orc called the Busty Wench, which has a crude picture of a half naked orc woman drawn on the sign. Most of the bar's patrons seem to be orc, and all of the serving women are orc, noticeably they are also all wearing only loincloths, showing a great deal of bare greenish skin. Joshin walks into this place quite easily, and the bouncer on the door nods to him, clearly indicating that he knows the elf.

[XianTheCoder]

They never make it easy do they... Laucian looks down at himself, Well this simply won't due. Quickly he hurries around a corner and out of sight and activates his Vestments of Many Styles, making him look like he's wearing rougher more labor like clothing (perhaps a hint of a smith's clothing). He will have a deep hood pulled up to obscure his face (which is still disguised) and he will make his way towards the bar. As he approaches he will nod to the bouncer and attempt to walk in (he is wearing his sword but his Bow which is back in his apartment).

If the bouncer lets him pass he will walk in and attempt to find a place to sit/stand where he is out of the way but has a vantage of Joshin. When a serving girl comes around he will order an ale.


The Entry for the Vestments is on my character sheet for quick review... basically it changes the clothes I am wearing to whatever I want (within reason) and grants a +2 to Disguise. I will then take 10 on my disguise roll, giving me a 20 total.

[tigerusthegreat]

You change clothes and try to get by the bouncer. He looks at you and puts a hand across the doorway, blocking you. "wots an elf doing, looking like a commoner? None of your lot have worked a day in their life. No elves allowed , save good master josh."

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian looks at the bouncer, Is business so good, that your boss lets you turn away hard working paying customers? Not all elves are wealthy nobles, some of us work overnights to scrape by and just need a drink when we are done. I don't want any trouble, just a drink before heading home and going to bed.


Diplomacy: [roll0]

[tigerusthegreat]

"You should go home to bed before i break your pretty face."

[XianTheCoder]

Well you can't win everything on the first try. This is annoying though.... Laucian will turn and leave. Well tomorrow I can play being human, for now we might as well see what's available at his apartment. Laucian will take a roundabout route back towards his marks home. When he gets there he will case the building before making an attempt to break in and see what he can find.

[tigerusthegreat]

The building appears to be a very small two-story dwelling for a noble, but huge for anyone else. You do not see any guards or any other occupants, but the door does have a stout lock on it. There may be access from the roof, but getting up there unnoticed during the daylight will be hard. There are several windows on the first floor, and many more on the second. Getting in any of them will be difficult unnoticed, but there is one down a shadowy alley that you might be able to sneak carefully in.

[XianTheCoder]

Given there is a sturdy lock on the door, Laucian accepts that it is probably outside his abilities and decides the window is the best course of action. He walks down the alley, making sure he isn't seen in the process. When he gets to the window he will listen for any sounds from within, if he hears anything then he will attempt to peek inside. Assuming he sees nothing he will press/lift/etc on the window seeing of its open. If the window is not open he will attempt to see how the locking mechanism works.


Here are some rolls... Use what you need, let me know if you need more.

Hides:
[roll0]
[roll1]

Move silently:
[roll2]
[roll3]

Disable Device:
[roll4]

Open Lock:
[roll5]

[tigerusthegreat]

The window has curtains drawn so you cannot see inside. You hear no noise coming from,within the house. The window is locked from the inside, and the mechanism isnt reachable from the outside. Short of breaking the window there is no way to get through.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian pulls out his glass cutter and begins making a cut just large enough to fit his arm through, near to where the locking mechanism is.


From Arms and Equipment, DC 15 Open Locks Check to carve out a piece of glass.
[roll0]

[tigerusthegreat]

You make a neat cut through the glass, and now can reach the mechanism to unlock the window. From the other side of the window, it is an easy flip of the wrist to unlock the window, but now anyone who examines the window will be able to tell that someone has tried to break in.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian unlocks the window, opens it, and attempts to crawl through. Once inside he will take the piece of cut out glass and attempt to place it back in place.. Attempting to make it look as normal as possible. Laucian will then close the window.

Inside Laucian will begin looking around, attempting to learn as much as he can about who Joshin is. He will be careful to keep his ears open for the sounds of anyone else in the house. Once he makes his way to the front door he will place anything small that will make some noise and place it directly behind the door... As an alarm should someone come inside.

[tigerusthegreat]

(make another disable device check to replace the glass, as well as four search and four spot checks, as well as a single listen check).

The room you crawl into seems to have been a study or an office at some point. There are several bookshelves on the walls, and a small work table with several rolled sheets of parchment on it and several bottles of ink. The quill that is on the desk has not been used in some time, and is brittle with age. There is a thick layer of dust on everything in this room.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian does his best not to disrupt the dust, hoping that no one continues to come into the room.



Disable Device:
[roll0]

Spot:
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

Search:
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]

Listen:
[roll9]

[tigerusthegreat]

You place the glass back into the window perfectly. It is hard for you to even see the seam, though you were the one to cut the glass initially. You are confident that it will go unnoticed for a while at least.

Looking around the room, careful to not disturb the dust, you notice a few interesting things. The first is that one of the dusty scrolls on the desk has the seal of the Emperor on it. Another scroll is marked with House D'Trastinora, which isn't surprising, given who owns the house.

A search of the rest of the room reveals that there is only one door, a solid wooden one with a stout lock. It leads towards the front of the house. The bookshelves have a number of odd subjects, mostly historical in nature, and detailing the great houses of the Empire. One very battered looking book is titled "The Origin of the Empire" and another in similar condition is called "The Rise of the first Emperor."

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian will grab both scrolls and put them in his pocket. Laucian combs the bookshelves for any books on ancient creatures/beasts/etc anything that may look like it could provide information on the scaled creature. since he has a general curiousity about history he will also pocket any interesting books e finds. Given the dust in the room Laucian will assume that there isn't going to be a tremendous amount that he can learn in this room regarding more recent events and no one will return to notice a few missing books. Laucian will put his ear to the door (using his listening cone), if he hears nothing beyond then he will check the lock. If it is locked he will unlock it and carefully/slowly open in, peeking beyond.


Search for a book mentioning creatures:
[roll]1d20+7[/roll

Listen:
[roll0]

Hide:
[roll]1d20+10[/roll

Move Silently:
[roll]1d20+11[/roll

[XianTheCoder]

Hide
[roll0]

Move Silently:
[roll1]

[XianTheCoder]

And Search:
[roll0]

screwed all those rolls up!

[tigerusthegreat]

You pocket the two scrolls. Looking at the bookshelf, you notice an absence of anything remotely related to magical creatures. The door to the rest of the house is locked, and requires a key to open. You can try to jimmy the lock, but there is no way to lock or unlock it without playing with the mechanism. There is no noise coming from the rest of the house.

[XianTheCoder]

hmm... Interesting... Even from the inside a key is needed... Laucian will attempt to pick the lock, if that doesn't work then he will look to see if the hinges are on this side of the door. If he can't get the lock picked and the hinges are available to him, he will attempt to take the door off its hinges, then open the door. Assuming he meets no resistance he will put the door back in place to make it look like its on its hinges (if the lock can be disengaged easier once the door is off its hinges then he will do it and actually put the door back on its hinges).


Open Lock (If the first fails he will make a second attempt):
[roll0]
[roll1]

Disable Device:
[roll2]
[roll3]

[tigerusthegreat]

The lock clicks open.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian opens the door and peeks beyond.

[tigerusthegreat]

On the other side of the door is a small sitting room. There are a few couches, that are well worn. A large number of wine bottles decorate the tables and floor. Three doors lead out of this room, besides the one you entered from. One seems to lead outside, the other one is directly across from where you entered, and the last is opposite the door leading outside. All are of the same sturdy wooden design as the first one.

[XianTheCoder]

I assume by "wine bottles decorate the table and floor", you mean this guys a drunken slob? Not that he's some kind of modern artist.

Also, Just so I am clear... I am picturing this rooms doors as a 4 way intersection... is that accurate? One door on each wall roughly centered?


Before Laucian pushes the door fully open, he will attempt to peek around the edges and then slowly push it open, wrapping his head around the door to look directly behind it. He wants to make sure there is nothing directly behind the door and anything that he disrupts he puts back as best he can. Once he makes it through the door and replaces anything disrupted, Laucian will put his ear to the two interior doors and then check for locks, and then inspect the main entrance door.

Assuming that he hears nothing through either doorway, and sees nothing alarming at the front entrance, Laucian will find two bottles that he will place directly behind the main entrance door, so that when the door opens they will be pushed out of the way, fall over, and make some noise. Laucian will attempt to place them in such a way, that it would be believable that they could have rolled there after Joshin left for the bar.

If Laucian meets no resistance up to this point, then he will select the door that is directly across from the door he exited from. First he will check and see if it is locked, then he will slowly attempt to unlock/open it. Once open, he will peek his head through slowly.


Move Silently (Use what you need):
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]


Listen Door 1
[roll3]

Listen Door 2
[roll4]

Open Lock (If Needed on Door 2 - Door across from the Office Door)
[roll5]

[tigerusthegreat]

Yes, its a 4 way intersection, and there are a large number of empty wine bottles around.

As you set up the wine bottles near the entrance, you make a very slight noise. It is apparently noticed, from the door opposite the office you just left, you hear a voice call.

"Joshin? Are you back already?"

[XianTheCoder]

Male/Female?
Old/Young/Childlike?


Laucian freezes at the sound of the voice and then quickly and quietly throws himself against the wall next to the door where he heard the sounds. He slowly draws his sword while he waits patiently to see if anyone comes out of the room.



Hide:
[roll0]

Move Silently:
[roll1]
[roll2]

[tigerusthegreat]

A young human woman, dressed in a silk nightgown that hides very little, opens the door across from the office. She looks around, and spots the two bottles set up by the door. "Who's there? Show yourself!" She grabs a cloak off of a chair nearby, and wraps herself in it to preserve her modesty.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian pulls his hood up the best he can, hoping that his disguise is as good as he thinks it is. As the woman wraps herself in the cloak Laucian will say (in a low disguised tone) from his position behind the door, You are in no danger. I need to speak with Joshin, I was told he lived alone.


Disguise Voice:
1d+20+8

Bluff:
1d+20+8

Diplomacy:
1d+20+6

[XianTheCoder]

Disguise Voice:
[roll0]

Bluff:
[roll1]

Diplomacy:
[roll2]



EDIT: SIGH... who rolls more natural 1's than me...

[tigerusthegreat]

"Why hide if you are here legitimately? What do you want?"

[XianTheCoder]

That's between me and Joshin. Perhaps you can kindly tell me when you expect him back.

[tigerusthegreat]

"I don't know when he will return....now leave."

[XianTheCoder]

Believe me miss, I would love to leave. Just being here saddens me, because Joshin deserved so much more than this booze-addled life. He had great potential once, it's a shame to see such a hard fall. Laucian will pause in reflection at his own fall from grace, after a moment he will continue, If he wants it he could rise again, and that's why I am here.

[tigerusthegreat]

"All Joshin wants is his wife back. Since that will not happen, he has...other things to comfort him. Leave, I will give him your message."

[XianTheCoder]

I understand, the lose of a wife can be hard on a man, he's lucky to have found comfort somewhere. Is this my future? If I could impose for just a few moments longer, could you provide a piece of parchment and an inkpen? It would be helpful if I could leave a message for him myself. Then I will leave. Just slide it out the doorway, I will write my message and be on my way. As Laucian makes this request he will dig the scrolls out of his pocket and open them, trying to read them quickly to see if there is anything he can use in them.

[tigerusthegreat]

Where exactly are you trying to hide? Your post said by the door, but you are trying to pretend to be outside the door now?

[XianTheCoder]

I pictured him as being up against the wall next to the door still inside the hall, so that if someone walked out the door he would be able to get a jump on them. The intention was for him to be shielded from view and speaking around the corner. Given that he is disguised and the woman is clearly not going to rage out and attack him I am fine if you interpretted my post to mean something different. I just wanted Laucian to maintain the least amount of visibility to the woman. If he is visible to the woman, then disregard the actions where he pulls the scrolls out and reads them.

[tigerusthegreat]

"Just leave, I will tell him you were here." She pulls on the front door, surprised to find it still locked. "Guess you broke in somewhere else, then?" She unlocks the door, and opens it. "Now leave. I'm sure it will cost you a lot to bribe the March if I call for them."

[XianTheCoder]

It would have been silly to have left the door unlocked wouldn't it? Oh Amandon, it would be so much easier if I hadn't promised to keep a zero body count... If you insist on being the messanger... Laucian will give an overly dramatic bow and leave the house, keeping a weary eye on the woman until he is out of her range.

OK.. Plan C...

[tigerusthegreat]

You leave the house, and the door is slammed firmly behind you. You can tell that many eyes are being drawn to you, and many a rumor will start over your abrupt exit.

Your contact meets up with you, and reports on his observation of the daughter. He says that she spent most of the day at the Earl's house, and only left after a largish captain from the March arrived, where she left with an escort and headed for the Emperor's house. She has no illegal activities that he noticed, but is very close with her father.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian smiles, Thats right... In Joshin's own home!. Laucian will smile and wink at the next decent looking girl he sees and give a satisfied nod to the next guy he sees.

When he rounds the corner he will suck into any place he can change his disguise without being seen. He will then make his clothes look completely different and start wandering the streets. Eventually he will find a tavern that he can have a seat in and read the scrolls he found. After he reads the scrolls he will put them away and go to the bathroom where he will change his disguise to match what his hires help is expecting. He will then go and get an update from them.

After getting his update he will go and eat some lunch while considering his next move. The daughter looks like a dead end. Joshin while I feel is a kindred spirit, blackmail is probably the wrong play. Joshin is someone that could be potentially be made an ally of. Of course there is the good old fashioned rob the hide myself, but that seems a little too out on the limb dangerous to me. I like Joshin as an ally... The question is how to make him one and even if I succeed could he even get close enough to the hide with the straine relationship?


What is on the scrolls?

[tigerusthegreat]

The scroll with the deal of D'Trastinora on it is a letter from the Earl to Joshin, stating that the Earl intends him to remarry, now that his first wife is deceased and he is left childless. It holds up Clerval, the eldest, as a prime example of a proper elf, that even in his failures to meet the Earl's desires, he has sired six children, all with fair hair and blue eyes. It mentions that with that particular marriage bringing only the prestige of progeny, and Piria's marriage a failure because of the Prince's wandering eye and perversion of the flesh, it is Joshin's duty to the House to remarry.


The scroll from the Emperor is a request for Joshin to accept a field commission to the rank of Captain in the March. He would be deployed away from the city, but not completely on the front. The job sounds much like a quartermaster one, often given to nobles who have no purpose and no inheritance, and so need an honest job.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian sits consideringly for a few moments. Finally he decides on a course of action. Laucian finds a piece of parchment and writes a note, "We who have lost wives understand each other. When you're ready to rise again, there's a path, and that path could go through those that have wronged you."

Laucian will wrap the note around one of the scrolls, he will then finish his lunch and begin walking towards the bar that Joshin drinks at. When he gets close he will find a young child and call them over. He will hold out a silver coin, and tell the child that if he delivers the scrolls to the inn and tells the bouncer that they are for Lord Joshin then he will get a silver coin now and another when he's done. He will also be told that Laucian will be watching him so he will know if he doesn't deliver it. Assuming the child agrees Laucian will give a silver and then hand the child the scrolls. He will watch the child go and then he will turn and leave... Feeling bad about lying to the kid, but he can't chance the child being followed.

[tigerusthegreat]

The child delivers the scrolls, but Joshin does not leave the bar.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian is not sticking around to wait and see, he'll reapproach Joshin at a later date. he only watches long enough to see the child approaching the bouncer... by the time the child is at the bouncer Laucian is already turning and leaving. Sorry... should have been a little more clear in the previous post but I was half asleep.

Laucian will meander through the streets working through the his options. Finally he decides that the good old fashion way should be planned for. He will first try and find some place that may contain structural information (Library, City Clerk, etc) of the Grinval estate. He will ultimately be looking for some kind of blueprint, but recognizing that they won't just be laying around he will indirectly be looking for any contractors/laborers/architects, etc that have done work on the estate and may know interesting facts that would be useful (or may be planning to do work in the near future that Laucian can try and use as cover to sneak in).

Next he will look into how the hired help are organized, how many there are, and where they hang out after work. MOST importantly though, Laucian will look into who on the staff has a lot of access and may not be thrilled with their pay/treatment/etc and may be willing to humor the thought of borrowing the hide for a few days in order for a little pay bump (Laucian will also be looking for hired help that may have lost loved ones or have a sick family member.. anything that would put added financial strain on the family).


I assume that this round of information gathering takes the rest of the night at a very minimum and possibly well into the next day. Just let me know where I am in the day count after this.

Gather Information Checks (Use what you Need):
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]

[XianTheCoder]

I should note, that the reason for the sudden change in direction is to give Joshin time to process the messages and to see what happens when rumors of a man leaving his house when only his mistress is home start to circulate.

Also, I did state in an earlier post that Laucian steals the interesting books in the library.. I assume he only takes the two you mentioned. He did not yet give those back when the scrolls are delivered (but he does intend on using them as a reason to reengage with Joshin in the near future).


Laucian also looks into any known details about Grinval's schedule, as he would prefer to try and "borrow" the hide while Grinval is away.

[tigerusthegreat]

You spend the rest of the day, and the next morning investigating the Grinval estate. Oddly enough, you have much difficulty finding anyone willing to talk . Grinval is a powerful man, and it seems that he keeps most of his employees well taken care of. All live on the estate itself, which helps keep the lower class workers he hires free of disease and healthy. On top of that, he pays well and does whatever he can to help his workers. This does not sound like the power-hungry man your brother described.

You find a very old book of sketches of the manor. Apparently when it was made, it and the gardens around it were considered an artistic marvel. There are many paintings of the house as well. It is built in a militaristic style, like a keep. The defenses are significant, but it is a large place, and you do not know how many guards are present. The information in the drawings matches what you remember about the home, except you dont recall there being gardens of trees on the outside of the keep as a boy. They must have been removed at some time since.

Grinval very rarely leaves his estate, and is never gone for very long. The last time he left the Capital was many years ago. He does occasionally take long walks through the noble's district, and never brings any guards with him when he does.

[XianTheCoder]

After a day of information gathering Laucian finds an inn to grab lunch. He settles on some kind of beef stew and an ale. Frustrated with the lack of answers, the dead end children, and the unhelpful hired help Laucian works over all the details in his head trying to decide the next course of action.

The help is well paid and cared for. One child doesn't have the spine, one doesn't have the desire, and one is a wild card. There's plenty of guards and no reliable documentation to help make a break in easier. Grinval is never gone from the estates for long except when he takes a stroll... so what are the options??? 1. Go for broke and break in myself, 2. Reengage Joshin and see how far that can be taken, 3. Kidnap Grinval and extract the answers myself. The goal is to borrow the hide, not to kidnap Grinval... and will Joshin take the message to mean that his father's life is at stake and warn him? How deep is his hatred for his father? Plus, I don't have enough information required to ask the right questions, and it's unlikley that Amandon will sign off on torture anyways... although he said no killing, not that I couldn't injury. Hmmm... perhaps... it would be very risky... but if a kidnapping could be arranged, and Grinval was simply stowed away somewhere and not tortured, clues could be left leading his guards all around the city. If he's missing then it would be likely that the house guards would be combing the city for clues and not as strongly protecting the estate, it could provide a more laxed window to break in. Perhaps an opportunistic young lietenant would be willing to exchange the whereabouts of Grinval in exchange for the hide and his silence? Laucian takes another bite of his stew in contemplation, Sometimes the simplest answer is the right answer. This answer is fairly long, complex, and requires a great deal of skill to pull off.



From Laucian's memory, how battle hardened is Grinval, is a kidnapping via mugging even possible or is Grinval just going to cut everyone down without missing a step?

How is general security in the Noble Quarters, even if Laucian manages to knock Grinval unconscious can he actually bring him somewhere without getting caught?

During Laucian's information gathering sessions, has he managed to come across any guards that he hears are morally gray, rising stars, or one with stifled growth who would like to move up in rank and needs a little boost?

[tigerusthegreat]

Grinval was an officer in the March many years ago, so he is no stranger to a fight. Getting a victim through the nobles district will be hard without the March stopping you, especially seeing as Grinval has a Captain of the March visiting him on at least one occasion.

You hear one interesting tidbit: Grinval left his manor for three days two years ago when his grandchildren were struck with a bad fever.

[XianTheCoder]

The eldest is the only one with children, correct? And their relationship is not strong?

[tigerusthegreat]

as far as you know, yes. However he did praise his eldest son in that letter for having so many children

[XianTheCoder]

Ok... Plan D....
Lure Grinval out and disguise myself as him

Realistically with a +10 disguise, if Laucian attempted to avoid all conversations and just used the disguise to get into and out of the estate, does Laucian think it's something hat can be pulled off?

[tigerusthegreat]

Its possible, however, you might run into real problems as Grinval would know where in his estate everything was, and it will seem strange if he comes back form a walk and doesn't know where anything of his is.

[XianTheCoder]

Yeah, I recognize that flaw and I'm thinking on ways to resolve it. Part of the solution is to avoid everyone once inside so any mix ups will go unnoticed. Considering I'm running out of ideas I think this one is the most viable.


Laucian finishes his lunch and decides to take a walk to the eldest sons house to think about how he can use the kids as pawns. He really doesn't want them to really get sick, but he needs there to be a serious enough issue that Grinval is lured out of the estate.


Does Laucian know of anybody that deals with poisons or herbs? Specifically he wants a non-leathal substance that creates fevers and maybe rashes. If so, what would something like that cost?

[tigerusthegreat]

You could procure some ingestible poison that would give the symptoms of a wasting disease, but would only last a few days at most, and not threaten a healthy child's life too severely. You do have some contacts in the underworld who would sell you such a poison, but it would cost 100gp for a dose.

[XianTheCoder]

From what I know and can speculate on, what kind of guard would he bring when going to his sons house in the event of a sickened child? Obviously I need to return with roughly the same number I left with, otherwise I need a REALLY good lie. Would this be something he would go to himself with maybe a couple guards or is this something he's likely to take 10+ guards?

[tigerusthegreat]

Without observation of the target, you can't be sure. Some nobles always take a full detachment, some take none.

[XianTheCoder]

Yeah, and I am not sure a stroll in the noble quarters is enough precedence to assume that he will go alone to his sons, although given it's a family matter with luck he will take only a small contingent of guards (if any).

Laucian decides that disguising himelf as Grinval is really his best option. The first thing he decides to do is to try and determine how to get the poison ingested by one of the children. Laucian will head towards the sons house and try and learn what he can about the childrens daily habits, where they go, what they do, who takes them, etc. Next Laucian will try and determine when Grinval will be taking his next stroll through the noble quarters, which Laucian will plan to spend following him and learning his mannerisms.


Gather Info: Children
[roll0]

Gather Info: Grinval
[roll1]

[tigerusthegreat]

Its easy to learn that the grandchildren play throughout the district during the day. It is considered safe enough that their safety is not much of a concern, so long as they don't leave the district.

Grinval's habits are so strange that nobody can recall any pattern to his strolls. He seems to do them at will.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian will search his contacts for someone with the ability to acquire the poison, and inform them he will need a dose soon.

Knowing his success depends nearly entirely on his ability to pull off a disguise of Grinval, Laucian will spend however long it takes staking out the estate waiting for Grinval to take one of his walks so he can study his mannerisms.. He will continue to change disguises and outfits every few hours.

[tigerusthegreat]

You find a contact willing to sell you the poison for 100gp. After a few days of waiting, you find Grinval taking a walk. You believe you could match his mannerisms.

You also receive a letter from Joshin, delivered to your home.

There are so few of our race that it is not that hard to find things out. Whatever gambit your family is involving you in, leave mine out of it. It is no secret that your brothers are trying to gather power for something. I will not be a part of your games.

If you tell my father what you know, you could find yourself returned to the life you had before the unpleasantness. He is a great, fair, and honest man...to those other than his own children.
-Joshin d'Trastinora

[XianTheCoder]

Oh Joshin... I knew you were a wildcard...

Laucian grows irritated with himself at his complete mismanagement of the mission and the players involved. Perhaps it would have been best not to have gotten so cute with it and just broken in.

In light of the new information revealed in Joshin's letter, Laucian knows he needs to be even more careful. While he still thinks it unlikely that Joshin alerted his father, there is now potentially a direct link between himself and any event that happens. It also confirms his original suspicions that this mission is tainted from the start by his family's business being known.

Before he makesd a move he needs to know what information is out there regarding his family, so he will take some time gathering information on what rumors exist about his family and their power grab.


Gather Information:
[roll0]



Plan E:

For arguments sake, say I wanted a Wizard friend to request a dinner with Grinval and then have him bring me along as some kind of servant. I could still poison the child and arrange for a note to be delivered during the dinner stating the child is on his/her death bed. Grinval being a decent host would probably excuse himself but not kick the wizard out, leaving us there for the night. Laucian could then sneak off and attempt to rob the hide. The wizard friend doesn't need to know the details.

[tigerusthegreat]

It is possible that Plan E could work, but Grinval rarely has anyone over, except by his invitation, and elves are very very rarely servants, so you would have to disguise yourself as a different race.

Looking into your own family, you find that it is fairly common knowledge that your family is trying to recover from the loss of prestige from your dealings. Your brothers both have a good chance to try for the throne of Emperor, especially Amandon, who is unmarried. If he makes a good marriage, he could make a good try for the throne once the Emperor dies. Since Grinval is in the direct line for the throne, damaging his reputation could serve as a stepping stone to the throne.

[XianTheCoder]

Given that Laucian doesn't find anything knew about his family that we wouldn't have otherwise guessed, he decides it's time to execute on his plan.

First thing he does is purchase the poison once it is ready. Next he will decide on the best course of action for delivering it into the mouth of one of the kids. Laucian will spend time disguised as human, tailing the children, waiting for the appropriate moment to poison one of them.


Use what you need:


Disguise: Take 10.. result in 20

Hide:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Move Silently:
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Bluff:
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]

[tigerusthegreat]

Poisoning one of the children is fairly easy. The youngest of the children readily takes the shiny apple you offer her, and seems to be far too trusting of strangers. She takes at least one bite out of the apple while you watch her, so the poison is delivered.

[XianTheCoder]

Finally... something goes right! Laucian will rush home and begin disguising himself as Grinval, wanting to leave himself as long as possible in case the disguise needs to be attempted multiple times. Once the disguise is completed to his liking he will grab his thieving gear and place the needed things in his pockets, he will then grab a nondescript cloak with a hood and throw it over himself so as not to be seen. Finallyhe departs to watch for signs of Grinval leaving the estate.


He will attempt the disguise multiple times if needed, until it is to his liking (IE 25 or better).

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[XianTheCoder]

Two More attempts (they take between 10 minutes and 30 minutes with each attempt)

[roll0]
[roll1]



EDIT: Can we say he stops at the 24? :)

[tigerusthegreat]

Retry is typically not allowed, as knowing how good your disguise is is metagaming. I would allow you to roll opposed spot checks with yourself, and if you succeed at the spot you have seen some flaw with the disguise

[XianTheCoder]

Retry is typically not allowed, as knowing how good your disguise is is metagaming. I would allow you to roll opposed spot checks with yourself, and if you succeed at the spot you have seen some flaw with the disguise

It's fine.. then I'll take the initial 22 rolled and we can disregard the remaining rolls.

[tigerusthegreat]

You watch for quite some time, but there is no sign of the Earl leaving the estate.

[XianTheCoder]

He will find a local boy and pay him a gold to deliver a message to the front gate guards (which they in turn are to deliver to Grinval). He will keep his hood up so his face won't be seen by the boy, and the whole time he will hold a coin in the air in hopes of distracting the boys attention away from his face. The message is simply that his grandchild appears to have a deadly fever. Then he will wait.

[tigerusthegreat]

What exactly does that letter say.

[XianTheCoder]

No letter, its a verbal message, don't want there to be paper trail.

Basically the kid needs to say that Grinval's grandchild has a fever and looks like they will die. Let the guards deliver it verbally to Grinval.

[tigerusthegreat]

The child delivers the message, but the guards send the child away. One of them does go inside, returning a few minutes later. Grinval does not make an appearance, however.

[XianTheCoder]

Then Laucian prepares to break in. He'll do a circuit around and try and find the lowest guarded point.


Spot:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Listen:
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]

Search:
[roll6]
[roll7]
[roll8]

Hide:
[roll9]
[roll10]
[roll11]

Move Silently:
[roll12]
[roll13]
[roll14]

[tigerusthegreat]

The least guarded point seems to be the arrow loops, which only rarely seem to be patrolled. Getting in one will be difficult, even with your slender elvish frame (requires an escape artist check). The other option is the front gate, which always has two soldiers on it, or the roof, which also is regularly patrolled.

[XianTheCoder]

Arrow loops it is.


Escape artist
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

[tigerusthegreat]

You sneak in one of the arrow loops and find yourself in a narrow hallway. The arrow loop was on the first floor, on the side away from the gate. The hallway extends about fifty feet in either direction, ending in a stout wooden door. Across from you is a stout wooden door, and there is another one on the inner wall about halfway between you and the doors at the end of the hallway in either direction.

[XianTheCoder]

Listen at each door. If nothing is heard beyond the doors then Laucian will open each poke his head through, close the door, and continue on to the next one. If he hears something beyond the door then he will not open it until he has listened to all the rest of them.

Basically Laucian wants as complete an understanding of where each door goes as he can before he decides on a direction.

From what Laucian remembers of the estate, does he have a general idea of where the collection might be kept?


Listen:
[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]

Move Silently
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]
[roll7]

Hide:
[roll8]
[roll9]
[roll10]
[roll11]

Open Lock:
[roll12]
[roll13]
[roll14]
[roll15]



EDIT: The order he checks the doors would be 1. Across from him, 2. The mid-hallway door, 3. The end Hallway Door, 4. The other end hallway door (so he basically goes to the closest door each time, and then has a long walk to the 4th door).

[tigerusthegreat]

Your first step is a hard footfall that you have difficulty silencing. Hopefully nobody is near enough to notice. You listen at each door in turn, finding that none are locked by cursory examination. You can hear someone talking behind the middle door, but not make out any words. The other doors are silent.

[XianTheCoder]

The three doors that are silent, Laucian will open slowly and using his mirror examine beyond. Before he decides on a direction he wants to know what lies beyond each door.

[tigerusthegreat]

Behind the doors at either edge of the hallway are stairs that lead up and down to other levels. They also have doors that should lead to other hallways along the outer edge of the keep. The two other doors have small storerooms behind them, one containing bows and arrows (as well as arming dummies that are bare, and sword racks that are similarly bare), and the other contains various foodstuff, barrels of pork, sacks of potatoes, and other needs of a kitchen.

[XianTheCoder]

Do I have any idea what direction I need to be heading in, based on the old memories and the little information and pictures that were found when gathering information?

[tigerusthegreat]

You believe that it should be on the third floor, in the middle of the keep.

[XianTheCoder]

Then Laucian goes up one of the stairwells, he will walk carefully and use a mirror to look around the corners.


Listen: [roll0]
Spot: [roll1]
Move Silently: [roll2]
Hide: [roll3]

[tigerusthegreat]

You open the door to the stairway and begin to climb. You fail to hear the guard walking down the steps, but you do spot him with your mirror before he can notice you. You are about halfway up the flight of steps to the second level, and the guard is at the door on the second level, getting ready to head down. What do you do.

[XianTheCoder]

Assuming that his Grinval disguise probably won't help him tremendously in this random stairwell, Laucian will retreat down the stairs and quickly make his way to the nearest door without sounds coming from behind it, and he will quickly slip through.


Move Silently: [roll0]
Hide: [roll1]

[tigerusthegreat]

You slip quietly through the stairwell and into the storeroom with the food in it. You hear the guard slowly walk out into the hallway, and down toward the other end. You hear a knock, and voices mutter something. Then you hear someone walk to the other end of the hallway, and open a door there. You cannot hear anything else after that.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian slowly and quietly opens the door and using the mirror peeks out. If he sees nothing he will attempt to go back up the stairwell that he was previously stymed on.


Move Silently:
[roll0]
[roll1]

Hide:
[roll2]
[roll3]



EDIT: GDI!!!!!

[tigerusthegreat]

You manage to get back up the staircase, and reach the second floor. The staircase continues upward to the third level. There are no sounds coming from either door leading to the second floor.

[XianTheCoder]

Assuming he has to go to the 3rd floor, Laucian climbs up the next set of steps, once again using the mirror to see around corners.


Move Silently: [roll0]
Hide: [roll1]
Spot: [roll2]
Listen: [roll3]

[tigerusthegreat]

You reach the third story, and listen at both doors, hearing nothing.

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian slowly opens each door and peers through them using his mirror, once he knows where they each go he will make a decision which one to explore further.


Hide:
[roll0]
[roll1]

Move Silently:
[roll2]
[roll3]

[tigerusthegreat]

You look through one doorway, and find a hallway with a single door, guarded by two men in armor. The other way is just a simple hallway with arrow loops.

[XianTheCoder]

Do Laucian have any idea.. even a guess where this door leads?

Hmmm... I guess we are about to see if this disguise works... With a hand on his sword hilt, ready to draw if neccessary, Laucian will give his best impression on Grinval, walking up to the door. As he approaches he will attempt to read the guards reactions. He will also try and listen for any sounds beyond the door.


Disguise: [roll0]
Bluff: [roll1]
Spot: [roll2]
Listen: [roll3]
Sense Motive: [roll4]

[tigerusthegreat]

The guards salute and let you through. Beyond the door is a treasure trove of artifacts, and in the center of the collection is the hide you are looking for, lit by magical light from above.

[XianTheCoder]

No way it's this easy! Laucian grows extremely suspicious and takes a complete circuit around the room looking for hidden traps, guards, etc. While walking he pulls out one of his potions of Detect magic and drinks it, he makes a mental note of anything that radiates magic, and he will make a direct point to look at the hide while under the effects of the potion.


Are the artifacts in cases or in any way quarentined off? Or are they mostly in piles or on open pedastals?

Obviously Laucian is going to try and steal things that will be worth the most but small enough to be smuggled out (IE precious stones/magical items/etc) and/or items that provide the most use to him.

Spot: [roll0]
Search: [roll1]
Appraise: [roll2]

Since there are artifacts in the room, I'm also going to roll Knowledges for things that may have historical references:

Knowledge Local: [roll3]
Knowledge History: [roll4]

[tigerusthegreat]

The room is not full of anything you would consider overly valuable. A lot of it are old bones of creatures you read about in fantasy books as a child, the sort of things that parents would tell their children would eat them if they didn't go to bed or finish their vegetables. They are all on pedestals or in glass cases. You notice that the light in the room comes from small, floating stones that seem to be on fire. Its obviously a magical effect, but it is stunning none-the-less. The stones light up a monstrous skeleton that towers over half the room, supported by large metal beams.

Against one wall, there is a glass case holding a large variety of pottery shards and a couple very old coins. Most are from the very early Imperial era, but a few you do not recognize. They are crudely formed, and not like the standardized, stamped coins you carry in your pouch today. You doubt you could steal any of it without making a lot of noise, and the coins aren't worth much to anyone but a collector like Grinval.

Looking at the hide, it is in the open air, on a small rack. It is roughly the size of a cloak, and shimmers in the magical light, heavy black scales picking up the highlights of the flames. The hide itself projects a strong aura of abjuration to it.

[XianTheCoder]

Oh Amandon, I hope you realize there is nothing in this room that could be stolen along with the Hide that would do anything to disuade Grinval from thinking the Hide wasn't the target.... Assuming Laucian finds no traps he will reach out and touch the hide to see it's flexibility. Once he gets a feel for it he will try and test it's strength and hardness.


Can it be rolled, and if so, how big would it be?
Could a smaller portion of it be cut off rather than trying to drag the entire thing around?
Could one of these floating light stones be stolen? Assuming it could be placed inside something that would block out the light?
Are there any smaller skulls that could be stolen?

[tigerusthegreat]

Make two will saves

[XianTheCoder]

Oh Good, my strong save....

Will Save: [roll0]
Will Save: [roll1]


EDIT: As sad as it is... I'm actually excited by those roles...

[tigerusthegreat]

You feel bound and gagged by magic forces, and you see no way of escaping them.

[XianTheCoder]

Figured there would be something...


Does he have movement of any part of his body?

[XianTheCoder]

If it's a hold person spell (or similar) that allows a new Will Save each round, then here are a bunch of them... I have a 0 modifier.

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
[roll5]
[roll6]

[tigerusthegreat]

You struggle against the magic force but are held firm. The door opens and Grinval himself enters flanked by his guards. he motions for them to leave, and approaches you. "did you think it would be easy to steal from me? Who sent you? the magic gagging you subsides, and you can talk again.

[XianTheCoder]

You know who I am, you know why I am here, and you know who sent me. So lets skip ahead to the part where you give me the choice between death or telling you what I know.. Laucian will say it with a bored tone.

[tigerusthegreat]

"Well that's no fun, I was rather enjoying interrogating a mockery of myself." He takes a moment to get a good look at you and laughs. "Your brother put you up to this? Well, fortunately for me, that spell that immobilized you had a second component...a powerful one." He smiles. "Until I release you from it, you will do whatever I command, and I have a special mission for you. You will travel with a group I have gathered, and recover some artifacts that are in the ruins. If you do this, I will release you from the spell. If not, or you resist my commands, the spell will sap your strength, and weaken you until you die."

[XianTheCoder]

Laucian will continue to look bored while Grinval drones on, Well I suppose I don't have a choice then, so why don't we jump to the part where you give me my orders and let me be on my way.

[tigerusthegreat]

"Return here tomorrow morning, ready to leave." You are released from the magical bonds.

[XianTheCoder]

Upon regaining control over his body, Laucian will causally begin to leave. If he is escorted out he will follow along, treating the guards like an honor guard, smiling and saying a word to anyone he passes.

[XianTheCoder]

Since he hasn't been given any commands yet except to return the following night, Laucian immediately heads straight for his parents house as soon as he is outside Grinval's estate. He will watch for tails and take routes that would make it obvious if he was being followed and easy to lose a tail.


Once there he intends on locating Amandon and basically telling him the broad strokes of what happened. Since he hasn't been given any commands not to say anything, Laucian has no reason to suspect he wouldn't be able to accomplish this.

[tigerusthegreat]

Amandon receives you and hurries you away to a side room, listening to your story. "So, not only did you fail me, you allowed yourself to be capture and enchanted to work for our enemy. Great job, brother, perhaps you'd like to push mother down the stairs as well, and stab father in the eye?"

[XianTheCoder]

Don't look at this as my failure, he knew you were planning something, knew what you were looking for, and knew you hired me to do the job. I walked into a situation where failure was ordained from the beginning. Next time, either come to me first before you do anything or not at all. Rather frustrated, Laucian will leave, ignoring Amandon.

Knowing he's dead regardless of what he does for Grinval, Laucian sees his only option as getting any potential curse removed himself. He will try and locate anyone he know's well within the mage community, in an attempt to get a better idea on what type of enchantment could he be under.

[tigerusthegreat]

You wander around, looking for any of your contacts within the mage's guild. They all seem to be conveniently away, or avoiding you. It bodes ill, as Grinval is a very powerful elf, and if news of your crossing him has come out, you may be unable to find anyone willing to help you

[XianTheCoder]

Of Course... Laucian will return to his home and collect his belongings. With no other choice but to see how things play out, he will prepare to accompany Grinval's group.