Curled in their barely serviceable shelter, the cold and snow pressing in on them from all around it is a small wonder that Finn is able to wake at the whisper of a noise which barely overshadows the silently falling snow.  Yet wake he does and with a few words and a gentle shove he wakes his partner, Behar.  Though the two are still covered in their blankets and curled up in the small enclosure, Finn casts a spell that envelopes the nook in a blazing light that emanates from the hilt of his knife.  The sudden brilliance only a foot and a half from his face sucks away at Finn's night vision in an instant, leaving a permanent blot of brilliant color in the center of his vision that moves as he shifts his eyes.  Behar sucks in a breath in surprise as well as he flinches away, but luckily for them, it seems their visitor suffers just as much.

Finn hears a squeal at his feet and he shifts the light to break up the shadows at the floor of their small shelter.  He notices immediately the shifting dirt and the dark brown face of their visitor lifting from a hole in the base of the eroded foundation of the dead tree.  The boar seems dazed by the sudden brightness and has his head turned from Finn, exposing a juvenile tusk that curves upward over his lip.  Though the thing is far closer than Finn had imagined, it seems that only two of his legs are exposed, the other two still buried in the earth behind him.

OOC:  Noted about the magic mist, I'll remember it for next time, but I'm not too fussed about it.

Yup, it's a boar.  The thing seems stunned for the moment, and is only halfway out of its hole which actually opens up into your shelter.  There are a couple of things to take into consideration:  Firstly, there isn't enough space for you to stand up, so any attack or defense you make will have a -2 modifier for sitting (you also can't retreat) unless you take a change posture action (stand) which will put you outside the small enclosure.  If you do leave, there is enough snow to be hazardous to movement and you will have to take a DX roll if you attack or dodge during a turn to avoid falling.  The boar is still partially in his hovel, and seems like it may take him a moment to get entirely out.

Boar

Finn growls a light almost inaudible sound of disgust as his spell conjures a bright light, as powerful as an ordinary torch to illuminate the small confined crawl space the men have used as a makeshift tent for shelter.  A boar.  Of course some animal has come calling, most likely hungry from the lean pickings this time of year and looking for an easy meal with the fresh snow.  Razzel could be wrong but he rarely is.

Without pausing to see if his partner is awake and alert Finn focuses his attention on the problem.  His eyes adjust to the robust clear colors of the hovel now that the darkness is gone, and he formulates a plan.  Pulling his legs in Finn grips the knife blade tightly...


OOC:
Rolling vs DX every time I attack and defend is just inviting the inevitable fall.  Sonner or later I'll miss so I'll stay seated.

Am I understanding it right, the boar is digging his way out of his home?  He had a hole in the ground and ironically it opens up into our shelter?  Or is he digging through the newly fallen snow presumably to eat us?

How much does it look like the boar weighs?

If I can reach it with my knife by leaning forward or scooching, then attack it using AOA for +4 to hit.  If I hit burn 1 fatigue for Might Blow.  The AoA is conditional upon it looking like its stuck.

If I cannot reach it Evaluate.  Evaluate for as many turns until it gets within range, then normal attack and burn 1 fatigue for Mighty Blows.

Finn barely catches sight of the sizeable beast as it pulls itself into the small shelter but even as the thing is pulling its back legs along with it, Finn is already moving.  Palming his knife in a quick motion, he slings the weapon forward and down in a backhand grip trying to take advantage of the close confines.  Caught unawares itself, the porcine defender attempts to back from the blow but is caught among the roots, and Finn strikes the beast solidly in its back amongst the ribs!

The beast shrieks horridly, squealing and raving as blood rockets in a blast against Finn's forarm and hand.  Finally fully awake, Behar makes his own scream as he attempts to reconcile a fountain of blood in such close proximity.

Finn makes ready to execute some other attack, but the boar twists wildly away, leaping into the daylight beyond the hovel and sprinting away at a pace that is significantly affected by the heavy snows.

OOC:  Most of this is moot at this point because you asshole players keep making ridiculous rolls, but here's the answer to most of your questions.

Finn Razzel:

Am I understanding it right, the boar is digging his way out of his home?  He had a hole in the ground and ironically it opens up into our shelter?

Yes.

Finn Razzel:

How much does it look like the boar weighs?

300lbs.

Note that the beast is now running and bleeding significantly from its wound to the chest area.  However, you aren't sure that you really gave it a killing blow, so you may have just surprised the thing.

Finn lunges forward in the confined space and lashes out at the beast.  Truly he is not interested in killing this wild pig but he is loath to wait to see if the thing is interested in mortal combat.  After all the weather has turned cold and animals often become crazier when food gets scarce.  And, as expected his aim is true and the beast takes a near death blow thanks to his expert knowledge of knife wielding.

Razzel readies himself for the counter attack and next thrust but it is not to be.  His foe realizes the superiority of his adversary and flees the field.


OOC:
Shield the hilt so that the light from my knife doesn't give us away to passersby.  Wait maneuver for about a minute to see if the boar will return for more.  If so, attack as before.  Evaluate if I can.  If it doesn't return, get Behar and me ready to move.  We are going to pack up and move some in the dark while searchers cannot see us.  We'll rest again later.

Finn waits and listens as the constant squealing dies off into the distance, shielding the hilt of his knife with his hand.  After several moments of quiet, he is finally convinced the beast is gone, for he knows that pigs are smart, but he doesn't imagine that they are intentionally devious.  Knowing that the pig has made entirely too much noise and that the pair of men have likely been highlighted Finn directs for the two men to start moving out.  They wrap up their two blankets (a move which they immediately regret as a blast of cold wind swishes through their small shelter) and get together their meager belongings, and grip a ration of dried foods to go along with their water, which mercifully has not frozen over during the night, though putting the liquid to their lips it may as well be iced water.  Finally ready to leave, the two step out of their night's dwelling and immediately sour to the worsening conditions.

Thought the darkness has not yet broken in the midst of the forest, Finn's enchanted knife gives enough light to see by, sparkling off the ground and the still falling snow in the night sky.  The overnight snows have dumped six inches or more on the forest floor, soft feathery snow that crumples underfoot to the packed ice underneath and the fluffy downpour continues in spits through the treetops above.  Finn can only imagine how deep the snows will be once he finally makes it clear of this forest.   A trail of crimson winds off in leaps and bounds to the west, with galloping hoof prints following along the trail.  The temperature continues to be bitterly cold, and Finn imagines that it is now well below freezing, probably such that the banks of the river are likely freezing.

OOC:  It is 0610 on the 17th of December.  Needless to say with the weather the way it is you are going to suffer a movement penalty due to how deep the snow is.  The temperature is hovering somewhere around 10 degrees F.  Again, you dressed for cold, but probably not quite to cold of this variety.  Finding firewood is going to be difficult with the forest cover, but on the bright side, you are supposed to only have another half day's travel to the south to get to Trent, but with the delays and overnight camping, you are positive that if the Ministry had been serious about cutting off your travel, that they would have made it there first.

To keep moving on towards Trent, make another roll vs land Navigation, with another declared modifier (affects your navigation and perception to see you the same).  Otherwise, let me know where you want to head to.

Their traveling conditions are rather miserable. The temperature is freezing, there is heavy snow falling, they were dumped into a nice cold river and nearly avoided death, and magic wielding enemies are after them. But despite all the doom and gloom Finn Razzel couldn't be happier. He is a man with a plan and his plans always work. He has engineered himself into a tool with just the right assortment of skills. Killing blow with a knife, knowing when to run and when to fight, a little bit of spell work and the determination to pull it all off. It's a wonder that he isn't being recruited by big name organizations but then again the young man knows the world is run by idiots.

As they walk Finn can feel the bulge in his pants and he smiles. No, not the bulge that a virile young man might feel in springtime but the bulge of well-earned coin and he thinks longingly of the coin that this adventure will bring. Still smiling he turns to his traveling companion.  "I have noticed that your speech is becoming much clearer. How did you pick up my language so fast?"


OOC:
I burned a Hero Point rerolling Navigation. The night before I had Behar look for firewood but we did not use it. We put it under the shelter so that it could begin to dry out but you said we found little tinder. The plan is to try to pack it so that it stays dry in case we need it later.

We will walk towards Trent. When we get about what I think is 2 hours away we will take a break. Behar can rest and if it seems appropriate attempt to make a fire. I will transform into a bird and scout the area from the air to see how close we are to the town and if any foes are hot on our trail.

I am just making small talk. There is no need to play out the conversation unless you want to.

Though the weather, the environment, and the situation seem to get ever grimmer, Finn's outlook remains positive and he continues to cast his smile around like sunshine that can't help but make Behar chuckle.  For in truth, Finn was quite close to redeeming yet another lucrative pay from the Murderer's Row for a mere two days work.  His bouncing satchel tucked inside his pants is a constant reminder of the weight of the coin he is likely to earn, and aside from a mistake of pure idiocy, he can't imagine messing things up at this point.

And so off the two go in the frigid dark of the morning, the light of Finn's enchanted dagger lighting up enough of their way to keep moving in the early morning dim.  As they walk, the sun begins to rise, but the effect is hardly noticed through the dense canopy of forest and snow, not to mention the likely clouds, as the snow continues to pour down to fall from the trees in bits and chunks.  The way is not difficult on its own, but the lightly fallen snow provides little support for their feet, and each footstep collapses beneath them as they step to the forest floor.  Once or twice each of the men slip on a stone or a downed limb that they cannot see but for the most part it only seems to delay them rather than to cause a real hazard.

Finn passes the time with easy conversation, complementing him on his quick comprehension of Anglish.  Behar merely shrugs as he responds.  "His the sum language.  You hews sum words that are deferent and your accent is hot rajah us but this his no deferent than hi spoke at home."  Finn thinks on the matter for a moment and wonders if perhaps he's just getting slightly better at interpreting the meaning after multiple times having to stop Behar to break down what exactly he was trying to say.

This continues to be the case for the better part of an hour, right when Finn is thinking he might be able to cover up the light being cast by his knife.   He holds his pace as a gulch opens up in front of them, a drop of some ten feet into a blanket of snow at the bottom which ascends right back up to the opposite bank.  The slope is steep enough that Finn can make out parts of the opposite slope made up of mud and rock.  Perhaps in good weather it would be little more than a slight obstacle, but in the heavy snow and freezing weather it may prove to be a significant challenge.

OOC:  It is 0700 on the 17 of December and has only been about 40 minutes since you departed camp.  The obstacle you've encountered would normally be just a climbing roll down (with minimal penalty if you were to fall) and a climbing roll up to get out, but with the snow and ice things have likely become significantly more difficult.  You can obviously try and go around if you want or use spellwork as necessary to get across.  If you choose the latter, please note your fatigue is already half expended due to residual lack of sleep and your continual light spell.

I'm not really trying to portray Behar as getting 'better' at Anglish but rather that you're progressively getting a little better at interpreting him, like a parent gets better at understanding their two year old the more they listen.  It's a little difficult to have this carry over and there isn't a single author in the English language who can write an accent that is worth the effort so I didn't try and make it resonate to any particular 'accent' but rather make it less difficult to comprehend the meaning from the words.  Finn would think that Behar sounds about the same, just that he can actually decipher some of the gibberish.

You packed up your wood, though it's hard to keep it entirely out of the weather due to the fact that your 'sack' doesn't really hold a ton of stuff.  You are doing your best to keep it warm so it dries out.

As Finn walks along through the harsh weather he continues to get to know his traveling companion a bit better.  Despite bumps in the road of conversation such as 'hot rajah us' Razzel finds it easier to decipher the strangers rough dialect the more time they spend together.  After a time Finn finds himself asking Behar about his life in his homeland. Finn is pleased with himself over this. When he first agreed to this assignment he looked upon Behar as a piece of cargo. Something Finn would have to protect from damage and carry from one point to another. But now he finds himself pleased that he is taking a deeper interest in his client. Finn has heard stories of mercenaries who became so detached from their work that as old men they had nothing but a cold, bitter, hate-filled heart.

When the pair of travelers stumbles upon the icy ravine Finn first stares at it with blank dull eyes. His mind quickly works out that to navigate this slippery slope using conventional methods may lead to more trouble than it's worth.


OOC:
Good to know about our stash of wood. Also good to know about Behar and his speech. And I get thanks to your explanation that he's not really getting better at speaking, I'm just getting better at understanding his gibberish.

No need to play it out unless you want to. Finn will make sincere small talk as they travel. He will ask about Behars family, the nature of his work, his interests and hobbies, Etc.

I don't like the idea of traversing this pit using just our hands and feet, but I'm not ready to spend fatigue using magic either. So we will attempt to go around.

Rather than trying to tackle the obstacle with brute force, Finn decides to maneuver around the gulch, hoping that it softens its grade.  The pair travel away from the road some half an hour before Finn finds a spot where the feature might be traversable.  The drop has softened to perhaps six feet and there seems to be a pathway where he can take the grade at a reasonable angle.

Finn takes a glance farther along and sees little change, though the snow continues to fall and his vision is obscured by the many trees and the whitewashed ground.

OOC:  So moving a half an hour westward got you to a point were making it a cross will take a DX or Hiking roll going down and another going back up.  The drop is also down to about six feet.  You obviously can keep moving along the gulch to see if you find a better spot to cross.  If you do cross here, let me know if you want to parallel back to the road again or try and cut the corner heading back to where the road is.  If you want the latter, roll vs. navigation (land nav) again.

Finn Razzel finds himself looking down into a small trench.  An ice covered trench.  To some this might dampen their spirits but not the plucky mercenary.  He has survived far worse.  In the last twelve hours for example he successfully evaded a dreaded Night Stalker in the dark while being almost totally exhausted, and while flat on his back and just woken up from a long sleep he gored a wild pig nearly an immortal blow.  This small pit is mere childs play for someone like Razzel.

He casts a glance at his traveling companion and shrugs his shoulders.

”What do you say Behar?  This looks about as good a place as any to cross.  Besides, what's the worst that could happen?”  Finn grins mischievously as if intentionally inviting trouble.  He raises his hands out to his side and begins stepping down the slope gingerly waiting for the inevitable fall and slide to the bottom.


OOC:
If it doesnt look too dangerous slowly make my down the ice ravine.

Finn, being stubborn, self-glorifying, and at times downright unlucky, is often blind to the disparity between the way others see him and the way he sees himself.  At times there is a great irony between what Finn thinks he is capable of and how his attempt returns its results.  Such is the case now and while neither Finn nor Behar appreciate the humor of the situation, there is little room for doubt that anyone watching these events unfold might laugh heartily before offering a helping hand to the unfortunate pair.

"What do you say Behar?  This looks about as good a place as any to cross.  Besides, what's the worst that could happen?”  With a grin, Finn sets out, trying to navigate the best path he can see, but the ground is slick and he barely sets his foot on uneven ground before it slides out from underneath him.  Finn falls hard on his bottom before sliding quickly downward.  Somehow he manages to react to avoid the worst injuries.  Finn reaches out to his sides, slowing his fall and his descent down into the gulch, gripping any rock or root that might provide a moment's respite.  He manages the bottom with a short kick to the opposite side, stopping himself just short of the winter remnants of a small stream.  All in all, Finn thinks himself quite lucky to have avoided more injury, that is until he looks back up to the bank.

Up above Behar is looking down with concern, his hand grasping a shrub on the side of the embankment.  "Done it move!  Hi am combing!"  Like Finn before him it takes only a single step for Behar to lose his balance but unlike Finn, it doesn't seem like Behar has the sense to fall backwards against the slope.  Swinging wide arcs with his cartwheeling arms as his whole body slides for a moment still upright before pitching forward into the ditch directly toward Finn!  Finn cringes in place, trying to make his body as small of a target as he can for the falling projectile.  Likewise, Behar turns his head and thrusts his hands out in front of him, bracing for an impact.

Crunch!

Finn gasps as he feels the impact of Behar on top of him, shoving his body down farther into the gulch so that his backside dips into the frigid water.

"Ohhh."  Behar moans, rolling over to the other bank on his side, grabbing his left wrist with right hand.

OOC:  Somehow, Finn has managed to escape any injury through this whole process, though both of your ass cheeks and the bottom of your shirt and pants are now wet from being pushed down into the stream.  Behar has suffered a crippling wound to the left hand, which will affect his ability to get out of the ditch.  Let me know how you want to proceed, as a reminder you have about 20' of rope which should be able to hold his weight, although you probably aren't capable of hand-over-handing him up the side all by yourself.

It takes several moments for Finn to be sure he is uninjured, and a few more to realize the severity of Behar's wounds.  The two extricate themselves from each other, and Finn pushes up from the base of the ditch, removing his now freezing testicles from the trickle of water below.  Pushing his mind towards what must be accomplished next, Finn takes a length of cordage from his pack to tie around Behar.

The basics of his plan are simple: lift himself from the ditch with magic, tie the other end of the rope around a firm base and then pull Behar to safety.  Of course, the first part of his plan moves flawlessly.  Finn secures the rope around Behar and keeps hold of the other end, twitching his off hand fingers in a ceremonial way as he murmurs a few words under his breath.  With little more than controlled thought, Finn floats himself from the gulch to the frozen rim above securing his feet before taking any farther action.  When at last he finds himself safe on the opposite side, Finn secures his end of the line against a sturdy tree and begins hauling the rest of the line, with Behar attached, end over end up the slope.

The going is not easy for Behar's wrist keeps him from using both hands to secure himself.  Once he slips, pulling the most of the rope to the floor of the gulch with him as Finn strains unsuccessfully to keep the man upright.  However, many minutes later Finn is finally able to haul him to the top of the snowbank.  Exhausted, The two rest for a while, Finn offering some small healing to Behar, which seems to do his wrist wonders, though perhaps that feat causes Finn to rest for several more minutes in recovery.

Still tired, and perhaps an hour wasted from their day, Finn and Behar trek off again, not against the gulch this time but at an angle to the road to try and cut off some of the time the pair have lost.

The day passes slowly.  The snow has accumulated up to the men's ankles though thankfully not much higher than there.  The weather includes a duality of difficulty for while water is easy to find (you can just shovel some into your water pouch!) the difficulty comes in warming that water enough to melt, and then calming yourself as the freezing liquid passes through by your lungs and into your belly to rest.

By the time the sun is setting, Finn and Behar are finally pressing their heads out of the forest.  Finn can see the small town of Trent some half mile away, well within walking range.  However, he is wary of simply walking into town.  He has simply spent too much time in the company of Behar to take anything for granted.  The ministry had two days to catch up with their action, and a swift horse could have easily made the journey along a worn path.  Dirk's instruction's stick out in Finn's mind.  He was to find the Candlestick and to talk to Jhadek, who would make further arrangements for Behar.

A small plume of smoke from a wood fire bellows upward, churning black against the golden sunset to the west.  Finn is so close, yet he fears the last stretch may be the most dangerous.

OOC:  I made a few rolls for you and while a few failures on Behar's part didn't help, you managed to make up for them with a near crit success in navigation (I wonder where a crit failure would have left you...)  It is now 1730 on the 17th of December and you are some 5 to 10 minutes outside of the town of Trent.  You can see smoke billowing out of several chimneys nearest you.  You are still in the cover of the forest but there is no discernable cover between you and the village.  Let me know how you plan on 1. finding the candlestick/Jhakdek 2. Getting Behar there.

Finn is hungry and tired. Not just the general malaise of having worked through a long day, no, he has missed valuable sleep and it is gnawing at him like a large rat. But more than this he is cold. He never quite sorted the two men out after their dip in the river and the chill has been with him ever since.

But now the ever optimistic mercenary is at the end of his journey. In his mind the money for a job well done is as good as his, already in his hot little hands. He just needs to deliver his cargo to the Candlestick, whatever that is. And as he stands on the edge of town his mind wanders briefly to the opposition. He must admit that he knows next to nothing about the Ministry of Serendipity. But judging by their rather tenacious and resilient response to his and Marys attack and theft of Behar Finn would be a fool to assume that he has given them the slip. Finn is still a beginner in the wide world of the magical arts but he knows there are powerful incantations that he has yet to understand. So it stands to reason that the Ministry using these powerful magics could have arrived here before him.  Though what they look like, how many there are and what tricks they employ are all questions weighing heavily upon his mind.

Razzle feels a child like eagerness for the conclusion of this assignment to unfold though it has nothing to do with his companion.  Finn has actually grown fond of the odd foreigner. But his desire for a permanent position with the mysterious Row and all of the trappings that come with it pulls at him with huge force.


OOC:
Finn will take a few minutes to explain to Behar what's going on. That he is guessing that the Ministry has reached the town before them. They know how to use magic and so probably are lying in their path. That Finn is going to scout the town using his own Magic and if everything turns out well he will return in about an hour with a plan. In the meantime Behar is to sit tight out of sight.

Finn takes a moment to collect himself, then draws on the mana around him, using the spell once again to change his form from that of a man to that of a falcon.  The spell fails once, though and once he completes the spell successfully he finds himself yet again exhausted from his efforts.  Finn perches on a low branch resting himself as the little light left ebbs from the sky.  It is perhaps two hours later when the bird finally rustles itself from its perch and takes to the skies arcing around to the other side of Trent to gain altitude before starting his investigation.

Though the night is cold and dark with the clouds still covering the majority of the skies, the snows have stopped and the keen eyes of the falcon pierce well enough to the ground below to make due for his scouting mission.  It is apparent from the first that the village is primarily built for logging.  All around the fringe of the forest is  whittled away into stumps, the great trees that would mark the deeper thick now lay exposed on the edge.  It is only too easy to imagine the giant ironwood trees falling from their base, tied and dragged with ropes to the river where they are floated to the base of the Dycastle near Azer.  Finn dips a single wing, sending him on closer inspection toward the town.  Soft billows of smoke rise from the chimneys and the soft curl of light spills out from the single story windows here and there though the town itself seems to have been cleared of wanderers for the night.

The first thing Finn notes is a small fire burning by the road on the northern side of the town.  Though the settlement boasts no real walls, a single figure sits by the fire along the roadside, huddled in a blanket as he stares off into the night towards the north.

Finn spins around in another wide circle making his way into the thick of the town, and reaching down in an attempt to find his quarry The Candlestick.  Lower the falcon spirals until he finds a perch along the main stretch of road in town.  Most of the buildings in town seem to be homes, single story wood construction complete with chimney and shuttered windows, however here and there a building stands apart.  Just along the way Finn spots a chimney broad and thick enough to support the fires of a smith, and a wood sign hangs from the doorway with a hammer and anvil displayed.  In the other direction is the largest building in the town, the only one of two stories which is decked with windows along all sides which spill both light and the muffled sound of frolicking onto the streets.  As his scan continues, Finn spies the wooden sign hanging from another building on which is painted a single pewter candlestick.

To his left, a door opens up to the large building and Finn watches as a man stumbles out of the doorway onto the snow.  He makes his way some dozen feet to the corner before spewing violently on the ground below him.  After a brief pause the man retches again, than slowly shambles his way along the roadway, stumbling on into the early night.  Finn is about to stretch his wings again when the same doorway opens again, and Finn notices another man, this one dressed in all black who glances both ways along the road for a few moments before retreating and closing the door again.

OOC:  It is now 1920.

Finn has known of his affinity for magic since he was a boy, though back then he did not understand it.  During times of great duress he could do things.  Strange things.  Small abrasions and scrapes which seem to adorn all playful boys would disappear almost instantly or he could make things move just by thinking about them.  It happened only rarely but somehow he knew he wasn't crazy.

Razzel taught himself or hired tutors when he could afford it, learning just enough to put together one spell here and there as money came his way.  He wouldn't say that he hated privately educated Mages but he certainly has no affection for the self important snobs.  And because his experience with bending nature has taken place on an 'as needed basis' rather than a classroom setting where spell work is performed repeatedly until it sickens the mind, Finn sometimes feels genuine surprise when performing lesser called upon recipes from his thin crafting book.  Such is the case for his animal transformation magic.  A rarely used incantation while highly useful in the right situation but the sensations of flight, superior ocular clarity and the small relative size of his body are all experiences that the young mercenary is still adjusting to.

In short order he lands amid the small low buildings in town and spies what he expected.  He had guessed that the Candlestick was either an inn or a candle makers shop.  And in true form as he expected the Ministry is waiting for him it would seem.

Finn examines the strategy in his mind.  If it were him he would lure himself in by dressing some of the agents in uniform and leaving some in disguise.  This could steer the enemy away from the uniformed agents directly into the path of the more secretive agents.  And they know the Magical Arts which complicates matters.  It is a shame that Finn cannot transform other people, he could play the part of decoy while Behar sneaks around as a cat or rat or snake.


OOC:
Fly around the Candlestick.  I want to see if there is a closer place to land such as near an open window.  My goal is to see into the inns room to get an idea of how many foes I am facing, where they are, how they are equipped, etc.

Finn takes back to the air, first making his way around the smaller building with the candlestick on the sign.  There is no obvious place to land nor much better view to be had, the windows of the building are thick with no ledge and foggy making seeing inside difficult.  Finn can make out well enough the multiple colors and shapes beyond the window, giving the impression that whatever the purpose of the building is, it has plenty of stuff within.  A single chimney on the top of the building climbs up above the roof, but the curling tufts of smoke make it unlikely that way will be viable even in his smaller form.

Taking flight yet again, Finn moves farther down the street to the larger building, the one he thinks is an inn.  This one seems to have slightly higher quality windows and a circle around brings better information.  The larger building's sign has the picture of a pewter mug now that Finn looks at it from the other side, and another door in the back.  Landing down softly on the ledge of a side window, Finn glances in and finds the view well enough to give him something of view.  The lower floor seems to be dedicated to a barroom with a handful tables with two or three of them supporting a few but boisterous individuals.  At first there is a single voice devolving into muffled fuzz but the but Finn soon recognizes the unmistakable ring of laughter as a whole table leans back in their chairs.

The bar itself is short with a solid wall behind with a door.  A single form walks between the tables, likely the serving wench.  On the far side of the room at one of the last tables, a solitary man sits, wearing black and keeping to himself.

OOC:  Sorry if I gave you the wrong impression.  The inn is a separate building than the one that has a candlestick on the sign.  The cold weather has all the windows shut (if they open at all) and there aren't really great places to see from at the moment.  Let me know if there is anything specific you want to look at or where you want to go from here.

Finn sits quietly on the windowsill and observes the contents of the small logging towns inn.  He has no plan, he only knows the end result that will terminate this mission and see him paid - find some stranger and deliver Behar to him.  For all of his strife the man magically transformed into a hunting bird feels quite comfortable.  He has endured freezing cold and hunger, lack of sleep, escaped a terrifying night predator but perhaps most impressive is that he managed to steal a living person from the Ministry of Serendipity.  But, considering his vast skill set and talents it comes as no surprise to the young man.

Razzle stares through the window at the man dressed in black. He is not filled with anger or worry or contempt or any such dark feeling.  His mind only knows in this moment that he must avoid that man for the agent of the Ministry knows his face, and if he is not working alone Finn despite his great skill and talents doubts that he could protect Behar against multiple spell slinging adversaries.

After some time in quiet reflection Finn decides that subtlety is the answer. If he can ask his questions through someone else he may find simple success.


OOC:
So the plan is to try to find my contact here as discreetly as possible. That means not walking into the inn unless absolutely necessary since I believe the Ministry knows my face.  I will fly back to Behar and check on him, and tell him what's going on. I will transform back into a man, grab my gear, and head for the sentry that I saw on the north end of town.

This message was last edited by the player at 20:40, Tue 23 Jan 2018.

Perched atop a stubby building, the cogs in Finn’s bird brain whir trying to make sense of his situation.  He knows well enough to steer clear of the man in black but there is little else he knows of this small town Trent.  Deciding that he will get his best answers in another form, Finn wings his way back to his campsite where he transforms back into human shape and convinces Behar to sit tight while he does some more scouting.

Finn walks from the edge of the forest back to the path, convinced that the guard would find anything approaching from secluded woods to be suspicious.  The walk is somewhat more arduous than Finn suspects, the snow in the open fields of the town climbing up to his shins as he compacts each footprint below him.  Finn pulls his coat around himself tightly to fight off the bitter cold.

Making the path, and walking the rest of the way in a more sullied trail of cart and hoof prints, Finn makes his way toward the guard, keeping his alert on high.

While Finn makes out the guards fire early it takes slightly longer for the man to see Finn, though when he does he stands alert a hand on his spear before his face shifts to that of concern.  ”Holy shit man!  What in the hells are you doing out here at this hour by yourself?”

OOC:  It is now 1940, and the sun has been set for over two hours.  Roll vs. Fast Talk.

Finn Razzel is so convinced of his success that he can hardly think of anything save for spending the sacks full of coin that he has earned and will earn.  But finally his greed addled brain realizes that the brute force approach will likely fail here.

Favoring trickery and manipulation Finn instead turns his attention to the guard he saw on the north end of town while scouting it as a bird. Now in human form he means to make contact with his contact through a third party.  As Finn walks using slow measured steps to play the part of a cold, tired traveler he speaks through slightly chattering teeth. His hands go up slowly but not too slowly in a co-operative defensive maneuver.  "Good eve Sire.  I assure you I wouldn't be out on a night like this if good coin weren't involved. My employer has sent me to deliver a message to a friend of his and I hate to say I've never met his friend. If it wouldn't be too much trouble kind sir could you help me out?"


OOC:
Hands are held up with palms facing the guard in the classic 'don't shoot' position.

I am basically asking the guard if he can point out to me the man that I was sent here to find. I don't mean for him to come with me but I'm asking for a description and where I can find him.

This message was last edited by the player at 00:50, Thu 25 Jan 2018.

Though Finn plays the part of a weary and frozen traveler (a mask which is only too easy to don) he is inside all swagger and bravado.  He was essentially done with his mission with the gold in his hand, all that stood in his way was a small scavenger hunt in a town that couldn't have more than a hundred people in it.  It was an easy task and where better to start his search than the guard sitting watch at the front of the town?

But despite Finn's near expert fast talk the guard gives Finn a look like he is somewhat mentally subnormal.  The man whispers a few words under his breath that Finn does not catch, though soon enough he is speaking directly back to Finn.  "Jhadek?  No, don't rightly know anyone in this town by that name, an I've lived here my whole life.  Mayhap you're employer got confused?"

"I suppose you'll be wanting a place to stay? though."  The guard breaks his gaze from Finn as he sits and looks back at his small fire.  "They'll have a spot for you at the Tavern, 's probably for the better anyway, some government type that wants to see everyone making their way into town, some fuss about a foreigner.  He'll be there."

OOC:  Thanks for the patience.  I decided to use the name you were given, as I assumed it was so forgettable that you forgot it ever came up.  I did not opt to ask for the candlestick, though you can certainly do that if you wish.

Some men would show their distress.  Wear it like a heavy coat but not Finn Razzel.  He's lived on his own long enough learning to work or gain enough through confidence scams that he isn't phased by the news of the directive.

For a split second the young man wonders if the agent of the Ministry has passed on a description to this guard.  Is he playing me while I'm playing him?  Finn looks about with a slightly worried expression and glances over each shoulder as he lowers his hands, to play the part of a worried traveler.  Oh well.  Nothin' I can do about it now.

Finn smiles as if suddenly washed over with a sense of security.  He nods.  ”Good.  Good.  Trouble with foreigners.  Sounds dreadful.  Some highwayman is it?  Good riddens I say.  Cast this ruffian in irons and be done with it.  And the tavern?  Splendid.  Where a'bouts is it?”


OOC:
Yup.  I didn't want to give too much away until I feel out his attitude.  And, since the Ministry dude has been here already (which I assumed) and given instructions that everyone is to report to the inn for questioning (which I did not assume) then I will proceed cautiously.  I'm trying to subtly dig for how much he knows about me and Behar.

No worries about the wait.  I know you're busy with limited internet access.  Frankly, I'm surprised you're posting at all so kudos to you.  And Lord knows I have been slow here so it's all good.

The guard listens to Finn's diatribe but only answers as Finn asks about the tavern.  He motions down the road beyond him in a mostly haphazard manner.  "Tavern's just down the road on the left"  He darts Finn another curious look.  "Can't miss it, got a mug on the sign just like you'd think."

The guard returns to silence, wrapping his blanket around him a little tighter as she shifts on his seat a little closer to the fire before glancing back up at Finn.

OOC:  Not sure if you are looking for more here, but let me know how you want to move on, whether you want to go back to Behar, the inn, or the candlestick.

Finn nods and begins walking towards the center of town.


OOC:
Sorry for the short post but I don't think a lot of narrative is needed.

The plan is to walk into town but not go to the inn.  I would like to discretely find locals who seem like they aren't strongly allied to the fuzz.  I'm looking for someone to ask about Jhadek without tipping my hand to the law.  A drunk.  A beggar.  Street urchin.  Petty thief.

Ideally I would like someone to go bring Jhadek to me while I'm hiding somewhere, like an alley.  As opposed to me coming into well lighted high traffic zones to chat with Jhadek.

Finn walks the first several hundred feet along the road as casually as he can before drifting to the side and blending into the shadows on the side of the road.  The thick cloud cover above aides his cause, blocking out most of the light but the warm glow that is cast from windows here and there along the way.  As soon as he is sure the guard can no longer see him, and before he gets to within view of the inn, Finn removes himself from the road, walking instead on the soft snow that has piled up behind the row of buildings.

Finn had only two real pieces of information to assist him on his way, the name of his contact, Jhadek, and the place to find him, The candlestick.  Having struck out on the first, Finn decides to try his luck with the straightforward approach, weaving his way through the snow towards the building he had seen earlier, the one with a candlestick inscribed on it's wooden sign.  Though Finn curses the thick layer of snow beneath him which crunches down with each step, he manages to make the journey unimpeded.

Deciding the straightforward approach is most prudent until his contact is made, Finn weaves back out to the street, staying in the shadows as much as possible before knocking on the wooden door to the establishment.

"We're closed."  Comes the call from within.

"I'm looking for Jhadek."  Finn calls as loudly as he dares.  The silence from within prompts him to follow up with "Dirk sent me."

With no more hesitation, the door opens and Finn is led inside to what looks like a shop of odds and ends, small tables and larger feats of carpentry are displayed at interval with a variety of other items such as pewter mugs, candleholders, cutlery and flatware dot the available spaces around.  His only host, Finn can assume Jhadek, is a middle aged man with an unkempt beard that is sprinkled with the silver markings of age.  His hair is black and is tied back in a tail and he wears simple but serviceable winter garb.  In the corner, a small fire burns in the hearth, giving most of the light and heat to the rest of the room.

"You can call me Brugar while your here."  The man says tersely, his face scrawled up in a shrewd glare.  "I'll assume this has something to do with the Ministry agent that has posted up in the Tavern today.  What can I do for Dirk that he sent you out in the middle of the night?"

OOC:  Sorry if you were looking forward to playing this out, but I've decided to cut things here.  You can add your last post here to the thread with the assumption that you are allowed to stay with Jhadek/Brugar will let you stay and will take in Behar as well as you getting Behar safely back to the Candlestick by taking the long way around (not by the guard).

An hour later perhaps Finn finds himself gently rapping upon the door to the dark shrouded building where the picture of a candlestick hangs.  He does not believe that it could be this simple to just knock and find his man but there it is.  In no time he is ushered inside and speaking delicately about the transfer of goods.

And so narrowly avoiding agents, a dark and terrible monster, cold, hunger and skillfully navigating a storm Finn Razzel is happily counting a small sack full of shiny coins.  A wide smile adorns his face.  He has proven himself a capable and resourceful man to the Row.  At last they will welcome him and recognize his remarkable talent.


OOC:
No worries.  Given the logistics of pairing me up in the group I think its wise to do some fast forwarding.  Other issues in PM.