IC: Dichotomy's Age of Worms Redux, Part V(b)

[Dichotomy]

The trio decides to risk a scroll mishap, and Erdolliel tries to use the scroll again. Fortunately, the spell is a success, and the elf feels powerful magical protection settle around her thoughts.

The trio then makes way to the area of the Cold Forge. The district is quite busy with people coming and going, though nothing appears out of the ordinary. The easiest access to the sewers would be the manhole near the shop, though it is quite conspicuously in the middle of the street.

 

[o3caudata]

[sblock=oc]Yay[/sblock]

"Let's go in and ask around. Alert eyes. We can look for a less obvious entrance within, and if not, can explore the alleyways. There may be something."

[sblock=oc]Not sure if going inside will actually yield anything. Mostly just want to look at the people and the place. "Is that an illithid in the corner?" kind of things.[/sblock]

 

[TiCaudata]

Erdolliel gives a warm smile and a strong laugh before walking amiably into the shop. Once inside she keeps an eye out while maintaining a friendly demeanor. [sblock=oc]I don't think I checked this since O3 posted, but EN tells me I have, oh well... Spot +13 Listen +13 Gather Info +0[/sblock]

 

[Dichotomy]

The trio enters and finds the Cold Forge to be a fairly busy smithy. The front area of the shop is a large open area with wares on display, ranging from swords and axes to plate armors. Some appear solid and sturdy, while others look more like ornamentation than functional weaponry. A few shoppers browse the wares, while one stands up at the front counter pouring over a catalog. Behind the counter, the human proprietor with a dour expression surveys everyone. A curtained-off doorway leads to the back, from which sounds of the forge can be heard.

The trio begins to ascertain the situation. Erdolliel begins looking around, but notices nothing out of sorts. Talking with the proprietor informs you that he is the owner and named Crusty Patten. Patten is extremely foul-mouthed.

With some convincing by Nethezar, along with a few coins, Patten is persuaded that, as potential clients, you should be allowed to see the forge itself. He gives you a brief tour of the back, quickly introducing you to two smiths. The smithy has a drain for its runoff, though the drain is covered by a grate. Even if the grate were gone, it would be difficult to squeeze through, especially for Kushnak. It would not, however, be impossible.

Other than the drain, there seems little of note in terms of the architecture of the place. And no one you've seen inside particularly screams "I'm an illithid."

 

[TiCaudata]

Erdolliel leads the group back outside and around a corner. "It looks like the street is our best bet. I can make us less visible, but it might still cause suspicion on such a busy street."[sblock=oc]I finally thoroughly checked my spell lists... duh... I can cast invisibility sphere. it's a 10' radius on a busy street, but what the hell it's probably better than just pulling up the grate or getting lost or waiting until nightfall and losing half our spell.[/sblock]

 

[Dichotomy]

[sblock=OOC]According to his profile, o3 hasn't even seen your previous post, let alone my post, and you follow up. But... I guess I'm gonna post anyway, since it is just Neth offering a suggestion. And really, "suggestion" does not mean "you should do this." It's just a suggestion.[/sblock]
Nethezar scratches his chin. "What if we were to hide in plain sight? Surely, at least on rare occasions, there must be need for workers to enter the sewers to perform maintenance. On the one hand, we would be quite conspicuous. But at the same time, we would not seem out of place."

 

[o3caudata]

"It seems nearly ridiculous enough to work. I think we should take a quick look around the area before we decide. There may be something less conspicuous that's nearby. If not, i'd prefer to reserve whatever resources we have for a true fight. If we can get disguises we're confident with, i would like to at least attempt that."

[sblock=oc]I don't suppose we'll find anything, but maybe in an alley or something near by. Don't need to look for long, just a nearby quick check. If the 'cost' of our disguises in terms of magic is the same as invisibility sphere, the disguises are probably a better bet. So if invisibility sphere is cheaper, we'll do it. Otherwise, disguises sound like fun too.[/sblock]

 

[TiCaudata]

"Good idea on plain sight, if it goes wrong it will probably attract less attention. I'll go scout." Erdolliel then slips out of the alley looking for other entrances.[sblock=oc]Di and I talked about it some and since Invis scroll is a 3rd level spell and disguise self is a first, it would probably make more sense to do disguise option. If there aren't any grates around (spot +13) Erdolliel could use the hair clip to disguise herself as a human male worker. Then we could use a use of the disguise kit to make Kushnak a little less obvious and go forward with the plan.[/sblock]

 

[Dichotomy]

Erdolliel quickly scouts the nearby area. Unfortunately, it seems that all of the sewer grates are right in the middle of the roadway, with no openings to be found in alleys and such.

After the elf comes back, Nethezar offers critiques as she uses the hair clip to change her appearance to a male worker. Nethezar then uses a spell of his own to change himself to wearing a study, but messy suit of coveralls. "We probably don't need to do too much to Kushnak. I bet the sewers are crawling with rats and other vermin that engineers would rather be handled by some hired thug, right? But we should make you at least less recognizable." The scholar proceeds to dab some make up on the half-orc's face to make some subtle differences.

Nethezar pulls out a scroll with a map on it. "Any close inspection will show that it is not the sewers, but we don't need it to survive a close inspection."

Holding the map in front of him, Nethezar confidently strides to the middle of the street, gently pushing people out of his way. "This one, you lout," he calls back to Kushnak and Erdolliel with a strange accent. "Get this cover off!"

Only barely after Erdolliel and Kushnak can catch up, a guardsman nearby hustles up. "What, uhh..."

"Sewer maintenance," Nethezar turns and explains in the same accent. "Bi-yearly check ups make sure the tunnels don't collapse and all that. Don't need the shoppers suddenly falling into a pile of crap, do we? The bitch of it is the rats and stuff, but Gorsh handles that crap. Hurry up, pull that damn thing off, you stupid oaf!" Nethezar yells at Kushnak. "S'posed to be here yesterday, but damn Sammy here read the blasted map wrong! Spent all afternoon checking the same damn tunnel another crew just checked last week!" Nethezar slaps Erdolliel on the shoulder.

He turns back to the guard. "While you're here, you mind lowering the cover back on after we get down there? We'll be down there at least a couple hours, and we'd have hell to pay if some dumb tourist fell in the hole in the meantime."

In short order, the trio finds themselves in the sewers with a guard lowering the cover back in place over them, while thanking the gods he doesn't have your job.

 

[TiCaudata]

When they get down the ladder, Erdolliel quickly finds some helpful shadows and hides. "Be right back" She murmurs while scouting the immediate vicinity.[sblock=oc]Scout around the nearest ~100 feet of tunnels in each direction. Spot +13 LIsten +13 Hide +15 Move Silently +15[/sblock]