What would you do?

[Yogibear41]

What would you do in this situation:

Lets say you are an artificer of around 5th or 6th level and you want to make a few magic items weapons, armor, wondrous etc. you have a fairly decent amount of gold/gems/jewelry and other "treasure" items that are more or less only good for selling, basically all the money you could need to pay for making those magical items, as well as a workshop/safe place where you can make the items.

However, you have to go into a city to buy the actual "ingredients" you need to be able to build said item, fortunately you know where a large enough city is to potentially have the ingredients you need to buy. BUT! Lets say you are something of a non-standard race in this world(humans, elves, dwarfs, PHB races), perhaps you are a goblin, a gnoll, an orc, or maybe something even stranger, maybe you are something that is from a different plane and the majority of the world has no idea what you are.

You know you need to get into the city to do some actual respectable business, and you know you have no bad intentions toward anyone there, the only problem is that the average joe walking around the street doesn't. So how do you get in do your business and get out without being killed, arrested, causing a mass panic or worse?

Finally, you are alone you have no other party members that can help you do this, and even risking to talk to a stranger on the road could potentially call down a world of hurt on you.

For something like a real world reference imagine you are in walmart or your shopping place of choice, possibly perusing for your favorite brand of cereal, when all of a sudden you look down the shopping isle and see some freakish looking creature wearing armor and carrying a longsword walking strait toward you, couldn't possible end well could it? Then imagine you are in the dark ages where monsters actually exist and there is a good chance you are a 1st level commoner who is going to get eaten. :smallsmile:

[Bullet06320]

minions if available, of suitable types, but doesn't seem an option
another party member that's suitable, but that doesn't seem available to u
disquises, a hooded cloak, sneak in at nite, find the shady part of town, and hire sumone as your proxy, or business partner.
or sneak in and steal it

[Yogibear41]

You could potentially slip into this town with a disguise and get past the guards at the front gate, wearing a hood or something. But once you got into the city and actually had to talk to someone in a magic shop or something I don't think it would work, would be like walking into a bank with a ski-mask on and asking to make a withdrawal.

Stealing is out of the question(both because the character wouldn't want to do it, it would most likely be incredibly difficult to pull off, and seeing as you are already "out-there" is would likely get you killed), as far as hiring someone that could be possible, except trusting someone with large amounts of gold that you have never met before is likely to get you screwed, especially in the shady part of town. I suppose you could have them fetch one item at a time, but that is just going to make you have to sit in town for an eternity waiting for them to bring you one ingredient at a time and the longer you sit there the greater your risk for discovery is. Not to mention the fact that you are the artificer, and your shady individual is most likely not of any magical inclination and would have no idea as to the quality of the ingredients and could potentially get himself ripped off because he has no idea what he is buying.

Very tricky situation isn't it :smallsmile:

[DeusMortuusEst]

Use diplomacy. Talk to the gate guards, have them fetch their commander or whatever. Talk to that person. Explain the situation. You're not hostile, you want to trade etc. Offer something in exchange. If they don't want to let you in suggest that the traders who are interested in trading with you can meet you at the gate, where you place your orders they get the goods and you pay, all without entering the city. Be patient and build up a good relationship with the authorities.

If you are good or neutral, ask for a paladin. If you are honest about not wanting to cause them any harm ask for a zone of truth.

[Crake]

Use diplomacy. Talk to the gate guards, have them fetch their commander or whatever. Talk to that person. Explain the situation. You're not hostile, you want to trade etc. Offer something in exchange. If they don't want to let you in suggest that the traders who are interested in trading with you can meet you at the gate, where you place your orders they get the goods and you pay, all without entering the city. Be patient and build up a good relationship with the authorities.

If you are good or neutral, ask for a paladin. If you are honest about not wanting to cause them any harm ask for a zone of truth.

Either this or make a hat of disguise

[Diarmuid]

Scrolls of Disguise or Alter self would work as well.