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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 1963213" data-attributes="member: 143">Chapter 304The sound of a heavy latch being draw was followed by the door opening.  The foyer beyond was dimly lit, but that radiance seemed bright in contrast to the deep night outside.  The doorway was filled with a familiar sight: a muscled, armored half-orc warrior, armed with a massive double-bladed axe and a handful of other assorted sharp weapons.“There must not be a half-orc left anywhere outside Cauldron in the entire Southlands,” Beorna muttered under her breath.“What you want?” the guard said, suspiciously. His wariness eased somewhat when Zenna hit him with her second prepared charm monster spell.  Stepping forward confidently, she announced, “We’re here for the meeting with Lady Rhiavati.  I hope we’re not too late.”The half-orc’s expression became a look of amiable confusion.  “No, you not late... not expecting more... come on in.” He opened the door fully and stepped back.  Zenna was the first to enter, nodding at the second guard who was standing back from the door.  He looked even more confused than the first guard, but without the mental lubrication of Zenna’s charm he was still suspicious.  Zenna moved quickly to forestall him.  “You haven’t seen any spies about the ground tonight, have you, guard?  This meeting is of utmost importance, and Lady Rhiavati will reward you well for your vigilance.”“No... no, lady,” the guard grunted, observing the finery that Zenna wore under her cloak, courtesy of her hat of disguise.“Very well, guard.  Keep up the good work.”  Turning back to the first guard, who grinned stupidly at her attention, she said, “You.  Show us up to the meeting hall.  There’s no need to announce us; we’re running a bit late and don’t want to disrupt the meeting unduly.” “Wait,” the second guard said.  “You not supposed to go into house without escort by Lady Rhiavati.” Zenna looked up at the first guard, who returned the look with an expectant expression.  “That is not necessary.  We are expected.”The charmed guard nodded in agreement.  “Lady not need escort.  I go with her, show her way to ballroom.”  The second guard’s suspicion lingered for a moment, then he shrugged.  “All right.  But if Lady Rhiavati upset, it your problem.”They took their leave of the guard, and moved from the foyer into the grand entry hall of the mansion.  The floor was comprised of exquisite white marble tiles, and numerous paintings and fine tapestries decorated the walls.  Several doors exited the chamber, but the guard led them to one of several spiral stairs that provided access to the upper level of the place.  As they climbed, Zenna plied the compliant guard with questions about the estate.  There were four guards in total, with two off-shift at the moment, and about a half-dozen halfling servants.  She also got descriptions of the other “guests”: in addition to Lady Rhiavati, there were three armored dwarves, an armored cleric, a half-elf who had the look of a wizard, a white-skinned half-elf woman with black clothes who gave the guard “the creeps”, a fat tiefling accompanied by a pair of emaciated black demons, the Last Laugh guildmaster, and a hulking blue-skinned ogre. “Quite the rogues’ gallery,” Dannel commented. “This won’t be easy,” Fario added, softly so that the words wouldn’t carry to the guard. The stairs deposited them in a plushly apportioned anteroom with a curving back wall. There were two side doors, but the large double doors in the opposite wall, with a faint line of light visible under them, drew their attention even before the guard gestured toward them. “They in there,” the half-orc said.  “You need any more help, Lady?”“No, you’ve done quite well,” Zenna said.  “I will be certain to mention your assistance and fine work to Lady Rhiavati.  Return to your post, and tell your companion that you will be rewarded for your efforts.”With a dumb grin, the guard departed. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea, leaving them behind us,” Beorna said.  Mole had gone over to the doors, giving them a quick but intense examination.  She then fell to the ground, pressing her ear toward the tiny crack at the bottom of the doors.  “We could take them out, but we’d risk alerting the whole house to our presence,” Dannel said.  “We follow the plan... strike hard and fast.”“Yeah, fer once we should be the ones doin’ the ambushin’,” Hodge said. “Shhh...” Mole said quietly, gesturing them to quiet. “Let’s make our preparations,” Zenna said softly, retreating to the far side of the room before settling down into her spellcasting.  Beorna and Fellian joined her, the templar drawing out a scroll, while Hodge took up a position near the stairs to watch for any intrusions.  Mole, meanwhile, focused her keen hearing upon the tiny crack; the distractions around her faded as the thread of sound from beyond the doors grew distinct, a woman’s voice, speaking in a large room...</blockquote>

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