Finn Razzel is a man of many and diverse talents.  He is a burgeoning thief, and an adaptive wizard.  He can hold his own in a fight, as he has proved already once this evening, taking down a man built like an ox with only a single, masterful blow of his dagger.  And recently, Finn realizes as he feels the small but heavy pouch of coin that he cannot keep himself from fondling every other moment, he has become a man of means.  Not that he has the time to really to dwell on it or spend it just yet... but all in due time.

For now, Finn would mollify himself from his eagerness to spend his newfound wealth by throwing himself entirely into his next job, removing himself and his new acquaintance Behar from the city of Azer.  Really, he was killing two birds with one stone, on one hand, he was earning even more coin from Dirk, who seemed to be swimming in the stuff, and on the other hand he was preventing himself for being arrested by the Ministry of Serendipity who was surely looking for him even now in the city below.  Finn wasn't sure what would happen if he was caught, especially with Behar, but he was certain beyond a doubt that whatever did happen would be extremely bad for his future prospects.  That was why it was so important that they didn't get caught.

With the comb that was provided in the small closet, Finn brushes through his new hair one last time, trying to ensure that the wig both looked believable and entirely covered his brown hair below.  He had done a decent job, he decided, though it still pained him that he had to shave off his entire beard and dye the hair of his eyebrows somewhat so that the colors matched more closely and didn't give the entire look away.  Finn had decided on giving the two men the look of deckhands, picking out some coveralls for each of them to wear, along with a warm jacket that would not only keep them from freezing while they were out on the open water on a bitterly cold night, but also cover the cloth armor that Finn still wears underneath his clothes.

For Behar, after a few minutes of convincing, and then restating every word slightly differently, and then saying things over again painstakingly slow, Finn had managed to convince the man to match him, though in his case he had shaved the man's head entirely, and trimmed his beard much closer, combing it through with a thin layer of bleach that had turned the hair a dirty sort of blonde.  Matching his eyebrows as well with care, Finn hands him a stiff cloth tunic and coveralls to wear overtop along with another thick coat.  The black clothes the man had on earlier Finn stuffs back in the closet, deciding that he wants nothing to do with them.

Looking around for last items to grab, Finn thrusts a few handfuls of the wayfarer bread and a skin of water into his bag.  He wasn't sure how long he was to be on his trip down to Trent but it felt downright foolish to leave without any supplies for the two of them.  Finally nodding at his charge, Finn makes his way downstairs, creeping to the back door of the safe house where he listens first, then peeks his head slightly out before taking a cautious step out into the street and beckoning Behar behind him.

The plan had been simple.  Mary had left some twenty minutes ago, promising to stir up a distraction to make the way out easier for him.  She had gone northeast, towards the freemen district trying to cause the law to think that they were making a break towards the heavy forests to the east.  Meanwhile, Finn and Behar would make their way south towards the southeastern edge of the city, where their boat would be waiting in a small alcove which Dirk described.  It all seemed fairly straightforward, if not simple.  However, for Finn, the most important question was, which way to head...  Perhaps the most direct route would be due south, which would run them through the port on the way to the shoreline.  However, they could also go southeast, cutting through the market and the city slums before they finally made it to the shoreline.

OOC:  Welcome back to the action Finn.  You have successfully adopted costumes produced by the goods at the safe house.  I also took the liberty of having you add some food and drink to your inventory, since it was there.  The two options I put for direction are roughly equidistant, although the port is more well lit at night (due to near constant business or loading/unloading of cargo), of course, your costumes will also fit in slightly better there.  Conversely, once you get through the market to the slums you can be assured that you will be moving in inky blackness until you get to your craft (about half the distance to your goal).  The costumes still work there, but it is an odd time for them to be going too or from work.  Of course, you could go other directions as well, west is the nobles district (which can get you down to the port), Northeast is the freemen's district and north will place you on the main road that goes out of the city towards the Templar's college.  Northwest (the direct opposite of the direction you want to go) is where the Governor's manor and several other gated grounds of the mega rich... a distinctly bad direction for survivability.  Let me know if there is anything else you want to grab from the safe house in your next post, otherwise you don't have it.
This message was last updated by the GM at 03:59, Tue 01 May 2018.

Finn Razzel was riding high, and why not?  He'd just been accepted into the prestigious underground hush hush organization of the counter political movement known as the Murderers Row and he's just completed his first assignment with them in a spectacularly brilliant fashion.  The ruse of the illusion running man was his idea after all and Mary has a crush on him.  Poor girl.  Finn keeps in mind that he should let her down lightly but sometimes these things can't be helped.  Feelings get bruised when you like someone as handsome, debonair and charming as Finn.  The young mage is routinely dealing with women crying foul over being rebuked by him, its an occupational hazard.

In the safehouse Finn works tirelessly at their costumes, pain stakingly picking out just the right attire and worrying over hair and make up to change their appearance without making them look gaudy.  Now if Behar had an allergy, that would be something!!  Finn could force feed the man strawberries or garlic or rub poison sumac all over his face and when the man swells up like a balloon he'd be unrecognizable!  Finn had schemes to stuff the mans overalls with extra shirts to make him look fat and get some short stilts so that Behar had the appearance of being almost seven feet tall but in the end he'd look too much like the famed opera singer Reganald Beroni and he'd draw too much attention from fans.

Razzel works out his plan with his former accomplice and thankfully she is willing to help by using her powerful magic once more to lead the guards on a wild goose chase.  As she readies to leave the apartment Finn takes her by the arm and says plainly.  ”Hey kid.  Maybe later.  Look, I like you too but now's just not the right time.”  And with that he leans in to kiss her on the cheek.

Some time later Finn runs down his check list.  Food and water bag, check.  Disguises, check.  Hunting knife, check.  Payment for outstanding services, check.  Let Mary down easy, check.  Reaching out Finn takes the hand of the lean older man who'd recruited him and offered an easy job for another fat sack of coin.  ”Well Dirk 'ol pal, see ya on the other side.”  Razzel says with a wink and a smile then he heads out the door with his cargo in tow.


OOC:
Thanks for the food and drink.  Yes, Finn would have planned for however many days the trip should take +2 if that much is available.

Oh and before I go I would tell Dirk about what I saw.  That the guy I stabbed later got up and walked into the carriage, with help.  Does he know anything about the healing ability (or magic ability in general) of the Ministry of Serendipity?

As tempting as the Docks are I fear the guards will be expecting us to traverse that area.  I think they'll be on the lookout for us to sneak onto a boat to make an easy getaway from the city.  Plus its well lit and I don't fancy that.  So I will lead Behar through the merchant district and then the slums.  If stopped our cover story is that we just finished work and are heading home.  But having to talk our way out of trouble is about the last thing I'd want to do but it is preferable to fighting.  In the event that we are stopped and questioned, I have a thought.  If there is time while doing costumes I would coach Behar to give a standard response.  I want him to fake like he has Laryngitis.  In a barely audible voice I want him to say, “I lost my voice yelling at my wife” and “We're on our way home.  We work on the docks”.  If possible, I would want him to practice it as much as possible before we leave and while we're walking.

As Mary leaves the apartment, Finn manages to grasp her by the elbow, giving her his best wishes as he relates that this just wasn't their time.  Though Mary initially looks bewildered, she recovers quickly and rather than responding verbally she winks at Finn as she leaves and blows him a kiss.

Couldn't beat them off with a stick if I tried.  Finn laments to himself as re reinvests himself in his own disguise.

Several minutes later, with the two men standing at the base of the building, Finn makes his decision that east is the best way for the two to go.  First they will make their way through the abandoned market, and then through the slums before finally arcing their way south to the river to retrieve the raft that will take them to safety.

"Come on."  Finn bids to Behar as he starts making his way towards the main street of Azer.

"We are in hour weigh hem.  We work hen he decks."  Finn can hear the man reciting behind him under his breath.

Let's just hope that no one stops us...  Finn can't help but think as he pokes his head out into the wide thoroughfare of main street, attempting to get the general lay of the land before he commits himself to running out in the light of the street lamps.

To the right he sees his way open, though as he turns his head to the left, Finn counts a whole fistful of guards that have gathered several dozen yards away.  Finn ducks his head back into the side street, pressing his back up against the wall as he pauses a moment to figure out what exactly is going on.

OOC:  First to your question on the Ministry.  Shockingly (to me as well as you) the ministry is almost entirely wizards, though Dirk knows little as to what their specific jobs are.  He knows that they are used to suppress knowledge from the banestorm, but that is about the extent of it.

I added 3 days rations and water to your character sheet, which was about the extent of the supplies.

Ok, so you made it safely to the major north/south running road that goes all the way through Azer.  This is the same road that you ambushed Behar on, and the one that has the oil lamps going up and down it.  About 70 yards up the road, you see four guards standing in closed ranks.  If you wish to hear them, roll against Per-7 due to range labeled hearing.  If you wish to continue to look at what is going on, make a roll vs Per-3 labeled vision.  If you fail both rolls, or don't want to wait for the outcome, you have several options.  You can double back to try and come out farther south (toward the port) or farther north (toward the freeman district) or you can try and dart across the street without arousing suspicion.  If you wish to run, roll against stealth.  Otherwise, let me know what you wish to do and I'll run things from there.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the GM at 01:22, Mon 19 June 2017.

As Finn walks along, dressed in disguise as a dock worker and in tow is his new found friend the barely intelligible foreigner his mind wanders to the riches about to fall in his lap.  He has earned a small fortune for an easy job.  However, what is the old saying, 'give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day but teach a man to fish and he'll eat for life'.  This is similar, he's done well for the Row so a steady stream of these kinds of jobs is his guaranteed future.  And as he walks he plays the role according to his costume but is able to do so almost without thinking.  After all, play acting is a key ingredient for any successful rogue.

Finn is animated but not overly so.  He takes on the air of a laborer, someone who works with his hands and his back daily.  A man who has contempt for beggars and the upper class who can't be bothered to get their hands dirty.  ”...and so Robar says to me 'I aint going in the hole.  Old lady had me breaking up firewood all night and my back's killin' me'.  So I look him dead in the eye and says, 'Look fuck stick I don't care what your dumpy fat sack had you doin', it's your turn.  Now get your damned ass down there and start bringing those bags up...or else.'  Well you should'a seen the look on ol' Robars face.”  Finn laughs arrogantly to sell his toughness.  ”Can you believe that shit?”  Seeing that his mark barely understands the meaning of the event Finn has described and no idea how to react Razzel helps him.  He whispers to Behar.  ”Tilt your head back and laugh.”

Not long after the pair make their way to the main road cutting through the city and Finn stops them at the sight of some guards ahead.  He peeks around the corner at the curious sight hoping to discover their mission.  He strains his ears and squints in the dark but alas the sounds and traffic of the city prove to much a distraction.


OOC:
In reading over your narrative it seems that no amount of training or prep is going to make Behar seem like a local who is just having a rough day.  Instead, could we say that I attempted to teach him a set phrase or two but between then and now I realized its going to beg more questions than it answers and I gave up.  I would like to change tactics and instruct him to fake Laryngitis.  If someone stops and asks something he is to attempt to talk but sound hoarse and unintelligible.

Failed both rolls.  I see Finn stopping to peek at the guards in an attempt to hear and see what they're up to.  He believes that between his own excellent skills and street smarts plus Mary's illusion there is no way the guards could be on to him this early, but still Finn is curious.  As long as they don't see us or don't seem to already know we're here look and listen to the point that I fail the attempt.  At that point give up, turn around and double back.  The plan is not to cross in view of 4 guards.  The intent is to double back and find another (safer) way south.

Pausing for a moment to try and figure out any more information on the guards, Finn cranes his head around the corner again, trying to keep to the shadows as much as he is able.  Unfortunately, it would seem that the guards have done the same, and Finn is unable to make out any further details or hear any of their conversation that might help him make a decision one way or the other.  Unwilling to risk being seen so early in their flight, Finn waves two fingers towards Behar to follow, and retraces their steps back to the west.

Following the side streets and alleyways, Finn retraces west one block, and then starts his route south.  He knows that the port district is not far, and with it will be oil lamps all across the streets and businesses, for there are some of the merchants on the ports that do business and tariffs of the shipping near all day and night.  And it is quite a racket to be in too.  Finn has one friend, Alonso, who works the night shift and is paid bribes hand over fist to falsify customs documents so the merchants can avoid tariffs (or recrimination) on some of their most expensive or illegal goods.  Why just the other day he was saying...

"The fucking ministry can kiss my sweet ass."  Finn nearly jumps out of his skin the voice sounds so close.  He presses an arm against Behar, who was still walking and hadn't seemed to have heard anything.

"It's fucking balls in the morning and me with the early shift, but do you think they give two shits?  No.  They'll not even a please or thank you but a get your ass out to your station and be on the lookout for three men.  Can you believe that?  Three men!  Look I've found 'em."

Finn's eyes bulge as he stands completely still, for the voice is coming from directly ahead of him and close.  If it hadn't been for his uncommonly keen ears, he would likely have walked out right on top of them.  Though he worries he might have been spotted anyway based on the man's comments, relief comes in a moment when he realizes that he has not been discovered.

"It's you, you, and you."  The man continues without missing a beat.  And Finn can still see nothing of them either ahead or behind him.  "Case solved, let's all go to bed."

"Shut up Nolar."  A second voice grunts.  "If you wanted a cush job you could have hired off as security to one of the shipping companies.  You take the good with the bad, tonight's just a shit sandwich.  And the best way to eat it is in big bites, not by spouting off your damn mouth every chance you get."

"Relax gents."  A third voice pipes in, "All we have to do is wait until they catch these guys.  And it isn't just three men, they said one of them will have a real bad accent.  How many foreigners you think are going to be making their rounds this time of night?  They'll find them soon enough and then we can all get back to sleep."

"Not soon enough."  The first voice emphasizes, though for the next few moments, there is relative quiet.

OOC:  You can't see the men that are talking, but the port district is very close, and you can see the lights of the oil lanterns starting to illuminate the ground ahead.  You are about 10 yards from the intersection of the alleyway you are taking with the next road, and you would guess the men are just beyond that.

Yes, Behar is probably not going to get a perfect sentence, even with coaching.  He just doesn't have enough exposure to the language.  In game terms, it's going to take him a couple points to get rid of it entirely.  We can definitely work the laryngitis angle, and we'll assume that you demonstrated how you wanted him to talk.  You are about one block west and three blocks south from where we were on the last post.

Finn halts just shy of an intersection where he hears what sounds like three guards complaining about their task.  And lucky for the youth that they were bitching up a storm for if not Razzel would have blundered straight into their midst.  Still weary of being questioned Finn pauses for a moment to ponder his options, then decides that avoidance is likely the best path.


OOC:
Interesting predicament.  If I had any faith in Behar's skills like stealth or climbing or jumping I would pop out and let the guards find me and question me, while I had Behar sneak around.  But since I don't know how good or bad he is I don't want to risk it.  And I'm speaking of Finn, not me.

Sounds good.  That's the way I'd like to handle the speaking thing, practice with him enough for him to sound like a convincing case of laryngitis and maybe I can Fast Talk my way out of trouble if we are stopped.

My plan right now is to steer clear of guards.  They are looking for three but I'm guessing they'll want to talk to almost everyone and anyone who can't speak clearly might be detained for 'questioning'.  So not getting trapped is my plan so far.  Finns thinking is to just backtrack these kinds of scenarios and go around, unless things seem to be getting worse.  For instance, if I get pinched between two of these.  Or they seem to be getting more frequent I might consider talking my way through one.  But if you want to fast forward these by having me go around I'm good with that.

Finn taps his chin with a finger as he stands against the wall listening to the guards argue and whine.  These it would seem are city guards, a good thing for him as they aren't fully invested in catching him, but more so they do not understand how magic works.  Razzel's first instinct is to back track once again however a constant series of backing up will leave his boat in the opposite corner of the city by morning.

So in no time quickly he devises a plan.  He utters a few words, wiggles his fingers and flicks his wrists.  Before him an apparition appears, the solid form of a man.  Not just any man, the image of the foreigner he and Mary rescued just hours ago, before his costuming and make up changes.


OOC:
Ok, the plan is keep as hidden in the alley as possible.  If there is anything here, trash cans or similar, hide behind those.  I am assuming that Behars general orders are to keep quiet and just follow whatever I do 'in the field' so no special instructions here.  I will cast an illusion of him – the version of him as we found him in the carriage.  Same clothes, hair, beard, the whole shebang.  If the casting isn't spot on take a few seconds to adjust it in the alley.  I will stealth to the corner of the alley while leaving Behar in the hidden spot.  Have the fake Behar walk out into the alley as if he is trying to sneak west.  I assume pretty immediately the guards will see the fake and tell him to halt.  At this point I want to peek around the corner because it is imperative that they do not touch him.  Have the fake utter some phrase in barely intelligible Behar-speak and he will burst into a fast run to the west.   He will move about 20% faster than the guards.

This message was lightly edited by the player at 05:48, Tue 20 June 2017.

Finding a pile of rubbish and broken masonry that gives him and Behar enough cover to hide behind, Finn works through the rituals of magic, weaving his hands and whispering "ideāls ilūzija!.  Though he frowns slightly at his initial failure, a repeated attempt achieves what he is looking for, a mirror image of Behar appears in front of him, bearded and uncomely, dressed entirely in black as he had been only a few hours ago.

Smiling his success in a million farthing grin towards his real traveling companion, Finn is shocked as he finds the man's countenance, his eyes bulging and his mouth open in an utterly silent scream.  Somehow the man manages to keep his calm, though Finn can feel as much as hear the man's heavy breathing beside him.  Perhaps taking the cue to get the ruse out of here while he can, Finn makes his machination of magical light and noise walk to the end of the street and into the road before turning gently to the right in a slinking fashion.

"Hey!"  A voice calls not but a second later.  "Pal, there's been a curfew put in tonight, we've got to check everyone before sending them back to their homes..."  There is a pause for a moment and Finn quickly whisks his way up the alley, approaching the corner slowly as he crouches down and keeps to the shadows as much as he is able.

"Over here now!  You can be thrown in the stockades for disobeying the guard!"

Leaning his head ever so slightly around the corner, Finn counts not three, but five guards, all in assorted armors of leather and chain, one with a spear and Finn thinks he can see a sword on his quick glimpse though the others seem to have their weapons sheathed and out of sight.

"Heat may sit ewe digs!"  Finn giggles as the illusion insults the men with a look over its shoulder before it breaks out in a full sprint.

"After him!"  One of the men shouts.

"Grebia, Denickson and Nolar go!"  Another man says, "Robbins, stay with me!"

Three of the more lightly armed men sprint off, and Finn gauges their pace before setting his illusion at a speed that he deems just slightly faster.

OOC:  Ok, for now three of the five guards have run off after your illusion.  I need you to pick a modifier.  For each point you put into it you get a +1 to the realism of your illusion (avoiding obstacles as opposed to running through solid objects) but you also give a +1 to the perception rolls of anyone trying to see you.  You may pick a negative modifier if you wish.  If you want to do something other than simply keep the illusion moving please post that too.

The agent of the Row ponders his particular problem.  A two man boat waits for them to the southeast.  Guards watch the main roads.  Roughly one hundred yards to the north four men watch and are likely to see him and his cargo if they cross to the east.  Here, three guards watch the east-west road and will undoubtedly want to question them if they attempt to travel south.  So, a diversion seems like his best option to draw these men away from their post.

Finn rounds the corner with his eyes only and beholds not three but five guards.  Damned the luck, but when he has time to dwell on it he will say to himself that he should have known.  This is a major hunt and the Ministry isn't going to leave the capture of Behar to one or two men.  Still, hopeless isn't in Finn's vocabulary.

As the young talented mage watches the false Behar run down the street to the west Finn finds that manipulating the image of the running man requires all of his mental might.  Positioning and re-positioning a man second by second, having the fake react to his environment to sell the illusion, its as complicated as a master crafting a work of art.  But what to do about these two stragglers?  Now that Finn has committed to the ruse he can't very well abandon it, he must draw these three men away and send them on a wild goose chase that will hopefully last minutes.

And then he notices that the two remaining guards have their backs to Finn, they seem completely absorbed in watching the foot race down the road and for a moment Razzel is about to send Behar across the street.  But something stays his hand.


OOC:
Changed my mind.  If Behar is discovered and I loose concentration it could prove disastrous.

Continue to focus concentration on the fake image.  I choose a modifier of 0.  I want him to get about 100 yards west and then turn a corner to the north.  The second he is out of sight he will disappear, ideally well before the guards reach him.  So that when the 3 guards turn the corner they will see nothing and think he ducked into a side alley, alley door, climbed a wall, whatever.  But the goal is that he had enough head start that the guards wont think his escape was impossible.  During this time just hide, watch and concentrate.

"Get your ass back here!"  One of the men shouts as he bounds after Finn's illusion.  Two of the other men follow in bounding steps, though they are no match for the speed of the imaginary man who is only limited by Finn's imagination.

Though he is want to have his creation be the distraction as the two of them cross the road to the south, Finn decides at the last moment to stay, hoping that he can increase his odds with another distraction once he is free of his constant concentration.  The decision perhaps saves his life, and certainly Behar's.  For even as his illusion is darting towards the safety of the first available turn off, Finn hears a shouting voice coming not from his right, but from his left...

"What goes on here!"  Finn pulls his head out from the street as fast as he is able, ducking for cover.  Just in time it turns out, for just as he manages some semblance of a hiding spot, another man dashes across his vision from the east.  "What is this?"  The same man says again, his running footsteps slowing down to a stop as he reaches the group of other soldiers.

"I think we found one of them!"  Another voice says from just around the corner.

"No!  They've already been spotted in the Freeman district!  I've been sent to collect every able man, we are attempting to block off all avenues of escape while the crews flush out each of the buildings.  We need more men!"

"I'm telling you we just saw one of them!  All dressed in black and speaking gibberish just like the description!  He's here!"

"You are being a fool!"  The first man shouts now, ire clear in his voice.

"Where the fuck did he go!"  A voice calls out from the distance.  "He was just here!  Spread out to the other alleys!"

OOC:  I took some liberties, so let me know if I'm going too far.  You maintained your illusion until he turned a corner around another alleyway until it was out of sight, and then ended the spell, burning 1 FP.  Once you heard the voice to your left (as you were currently covered from the people on the right) you fled back to your hiding spot in the alley.

Finn is not the kind of person to even give a second thought to the fact that he very nearly sent Behar across the street just now, which would have bumbled the foreigner straight into the incoming guards.

Now as the young man listens from his hiding spot instead of crying over split milk his mind works to deduce the best course of action to use the tools in front of him.  And what he decides...is to do nothing!


OOC:
I don't think there is any action that I can take to make things better.  So, for now, I will try to find the best hiding spot in the alley for me and Behar and stay put.  Hopefully they will leave sooner or later.

Realizing that one way or another, things will have to settle before he makes a move, Finn simply waits in his hiding spot in the alley, listening in on as much of the conversation as he can.

"Look."  The first voice says, managing to get his anger in check.  "This order is from the governor.  I am to gather everyone available to assist in the search of the Freeman district.  If you wish to be put down as the only watch that didn't send anyone, than by all means...  I'll just report as required."

"Damnit!"  The second voice seems to have lost, rather than mastered his frustration.  "Grebia!  You find that asshole and repot when you do!  Haul his ass in!  I'm going with Robbins to the Freeman's district to assist there in the search.  You're in charge here now!"

It takes little longer than a few more moments before Finn watches three forms walk by the exit of the alleyway from right to left...  Several moments pass and everything becomes quiet...

OOC:  Seems like everyone has moved from this area on to somewhere else.  You can no longer hear anyone else.  Again, your goal is to head southeast, let me know in general which direction you want to go and how you want to proceed, including how you are traveling, whether side by side or one of you out in front and if so how far.

Finn counts his lucky stars as this new arrival argues to round up all available hands and take them to where Mary made it look like they were escaping to.  Bless Mary and bless himself for having the presence of mind to ask her for help.  Then again, between Finn's staggering talent and his good luck there was little that could stand in his way.

It doesn't take the young man long to realize that this situation is best resolved by ducking low and keeping quiet.  Usually a man who believes that action is required to move his life forward he knows that this time waiting is the more prudent course.  And so he waits.  And moments later the three men who were bickering around the corner, are gone.

Thanks to good fortune and good smarts he can't believe that the road ahead is wide open.  Its almost too good to be true, which makes him feel a bit uneasy.  In the world he lives in when something is too good to be true, it usually is.  Caught in a trap with a broken neck like some common sewer rat is where one usually ends up when they jump into golden opportunities.  Then again, Finn has magic, a silver tongue, amazing knife skills and a big bag of coin waiting for him.


OOC:
So the 3 forms I saw pass by the alley I assume were the two guards who stayed behind plus the guy who came to get them?  And they headed east?

Stealth my way back to the corner of the building careful to stay hidden.  Peek around the side to see if the coast is clear.  If I don't see anyone I will walk across like a dock worker on his way to work or home, whichever is more appropriate.  If I am stopped, Fast Talk.  If I make it and the coast looks clear once I get to the opposite side wave Behar over to me.  Briefly go over this plan with him before I walk across so its not a total surprise.

Going forward I want to head straight south.  My guess is that the fuzz is spread out all over the city but concentrating more towards the center and major intersections.  I want to go due south till I hit the cities edge, then due east till I hit our canoe/boat.  In the alleys we move together.  When crossing alleys/roads we move as described above.  He hides.  I go across like I am a dock worker.  If I am stopped I try to talk my way out of it.  If I make it unmolested wave him across.  'Leap frog' our way south then east.

Having known in his heart that he was making all the correct decisions all along, Finn is not surprised when simply waiting leaves him with an entirely clear path to safety.  Not one to look a gift horse in its teeth, he quickly pops up to check around the corner, and seeing nothing, walks slowly and methodically, like a sailor he thinks, across the street.  Upon reaching the other side, he quickly finds a spot of cover and once again looking to make sure the coast is clear, he ushers on Behar to make the same trip.

This process they repeat, street after street in the Port district, only once having to move over a block to the east as their alleyway ended, until they make the docks.  Though he wished to be out of harms way, Finn realizes that the docks are as dangerous a place for him right now than anywhere else in the city.  To his left are the greatest trading companies of Azer and though they are closed for the night, certainly their men are still working to unload the ships and vessels of their cargo, taxing them appropriately or otherwise taking bribe money to ignore their wares.  To his right, Finn sees row after row of piers with the largest merchant ships the city has to offer as well as private yachts and schooners for personal use.

The farther the two make their way towards the south, the more lit their environment is and the closer that Finn keeps Behar to his side as the two make their way through the city streets.  As the two hit the major port road and turn their way east, Finn is near side by side with his charge, hoping that they have simply outmaneuvered the guards who are now assuredly all on their way towards the Freeman district.

"Oh, once a jol-ly swagman camped by a billabong"

Finn's breath catches in his teeth as a form passes out from a side street in front of him...  However, he keeps his way constantly forward, moving ever so slightly in front of Behar as if shielding him from the unknown.

"Under the shade of a Coolibah tree
Oh and he sang as he watched and he waited for his billy to boil
Oh you'll come a waltzing Matilda with me!"

Though the recognition that the speaker is doing some sort of singing, rather than just shouting a mash of jumbled words comes slowly, Finn does realize at length that the man is simply walking his own, meandering through the streets.  However, in a moment, the man turns and sees Finn and Behar and makes a bee line straight to them, waving an arm as if conducting them in song.

"Oh waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda!
Oh you'll come a waltzing Matilda with me!"

Drawing ever closer, the man hiccups and looks Finn dead in the eye before changing his tone entirely, looking through two droopy eyelids and saying with little emotion and an entirely straight face "You're a fraud."

OOC:  You lucky, lucky bastard.  Somehow you not only evaded all the guards that were there originally, but also the three that were out in the streets, expressly looking for the illusion that you conjured up.  Roll a few things for me.  1.  A reaction (or social skills) roll for the man in front of you.  2.  An IQ roll.  If you succeed, you realize that the man in front of you has been drinking heavily.

Sorry if this is a surprise, but you can't really go South to the edge of the city.  The south side of the city is the port, so I had you go as far south as you could before turning east, but this is no less populous than the merchant district or the market.  At this point, due east is your best bet simply due to the amount of distance you would have to cover to go around, but you'll have a few more wandering encounter rolls to make.

As for your questions, yes that is a good assumption, though you are only hearing the people at this point so it is hard to tell.  You didn't see anyone when you went to the street, so that seems to confirm your suspicion.

If Finn walked in to any of the taverns around the city and asked, ever heard of Rimtold the Magnificent?  The room would of course say yes mostly because it's legend that he slew a dragon.  And the Morgrimm Sisters?  Their skills are not as legendary to be sure but their magical trinkets and baubles are well known.  Then what if he asked about the great and powerful mage Finn Razzel?  The room would undoubtedly go silent for Finn is not a great and powerful mage... yet.  He is young and still learning his craft which is why he is not surprised nor disheartened that his travels across this vast city of Azer is wrought with obstacles.  If he were a great mage after all he would have turned the pair of them into wind, or small birds to simply fly to the boat.  Or he would have created a magical gate to instantly move them to the other side of the city.  But, Finn being a beginner, must draw from his deep catalogue of skills and talents to see them across.

It is his wits that invents the plan to leap frog them alley by alley and it is not long before they have traveled as far south as they can go, so they turn east and move through the dock area.  All is going well and the young mage is thinking idly about how he is going to spend his second fat bag of gold when a lilting sing song voice interrupt his day dream.

A drunkard approaches and accuses him of being a fraud.  Finn smiles widely and cocks his head to one side.  "A fraud?  My good man I'll have you know that I am in earnest.  What makes you say such a thing?  Why we just met and I like you, don't you like me?"
This message was last edited by the player at 05:39, Thu 29 June 2017.

The man smiles as Finn speaks, a overbroad and toothy expression that releases the trace of sodden alcohol, strong as ammonia from the man's breath.  However, his increased mood seems to diminish little his enthusiastic and accusatory manner.

"A fraud!"  He repeats, louder and more emphatically.  He places an arm on Finn's shoulder leaning entirely too much weight on him for comfort.  "Why, you aren't even singing, what sort of a man are you to be drunk with such a serious expression?  Come on,"  He releases Finn in a moment, lurching a half step as he waves a hand over his shoulder.  "I know just the place for us!  Gornuk keeps a bar open under his house all hours of the night to sell to the sailors and dockworkers who have naught left to do but drink till the sun comes up!"

Finn's head cocks to the side as he squints at this drunkard.  The man seems a bit odd.  No, that's not it he thinks, the timing is odd.  On any other night Finn might follow this gay man down to the basement tavern and drink until sunrise.  But tonight this strange encounter, highlighted by this strange dialogue, puts Razzel on guard.

There is a part of Finn that sees this man for what he is, an inebriated good fellow who doesn't want the party to end and seeks company for his planned festivities.  But then, recessed in the darker parts of his mind Finn suspects that this man is an agent of the Ministry of Serendipity.  'Come with me to this underground place where we'll have lots of fun' sounds too much like 'Want some free money?  Then just follow me to this run down poverty stricken neighborhood into this abandoned house where I have bags of gold to give away'.  Something smells funny to Finn, and even if this isn't a trap he can't spend that kind of time in the city.  The goon patrol is sure to find him if he lingers in one spot for hours.

The plucky young jack of all trades smiles playfully.  ”Drink till the sun comes up??!!  Damn, that sounds like just what I need!  But alas, I'm pullin' an early shift.  My cousin Altar's sister Jeane, well that's my cousin by marriage on my mama Bernadette's side.  Anyways Jeane's best friend Yvonne, her boyfriend Rascal's twin brother Monrow got the swamp flu and came down with the shits.  So he switched with me and I'm on my way in.  But we'll do it tomorrow!”


OOC:
Try to sell this guy on the idea that I am totally down with drinking but not today.

"Jeane's a bitch!"  The drunk man interrupts Finn midsentence his eyes bulging as he turns his body entirely back towards Finn again.  His speech now is nearly shouting at full breath in the otherwise completely quiet streets.  Behind him, Finn can feel Behar fidget uncomfortably at the outburst.  However, the man's face loses it's anger after a few moments, returning to a tired and lazy confusion.

"Tomorrow?"  The man says, several moments after Finn has finished speaking, rubbing an eye with his left hand.  "No Jaspar, it's now.  Gornuk's open now.  You're fucking missing it.  Come on, the bitches will be there."

OOC:  It seems like your ploy for the moment failed, mostly due to the man's inattention.  You can try again, or try another ploy with a fast talk roll to try and slick yourself of him (I realize you just did that, but I used your last one for a reaction roll).  If you succeed, let me know if you want to continue east along the docks or some other direction in OOC.

When this man blurts out, "Jeane's a bitch!", Finn nods and mumbles lowly so as not to interrupt, “Ya, she is.”

But this man is persistent and Razzel still is not sure if this man is just too drunk to have any wits about him or he's a mole trying to lure Behar to more of his guards.  Either way there is no way that the young jack of all trades is following him.

Finn digs into a pocket and produces two coins.  ”Name's not Jaspar, bub.  But here.”  Finn places the pair of metal disks in the palm of this drunkard.  ”Have some fun on me.  Meet me here tomorrow and I'll buy half the drinks with what I'm earnin' tonight.  I'd love to join ya but the foreman'll fire me if I miss again.”



OOC:
Don't think we said but being on the darker side of the law Finn would hide his money.  His good stuff anyway.  He'd keep a 'in view' coin purse for would be thieves to steal, so that if they got it they'd get pocket change.  His real money, such as the stuff he earned earlier tonight, he keeps well hidden under his armor to make pick pocketing very difficult.

The coins that I gave the drunk are ballpark enough to buy two beers.  I'm not going to count exact change.  Just fish out some coins and if it looks enough hand them over.

Impatient to be done with this hooligan, and quick, Finn reaches into his outer coin purse thinking to pay the man off with money, but even as he reaches down towards his hip, looking for a handful of coin to lay on this drunken simpleton, Finn feels more than sees a rough hand grab him on the wrist which surprises him to such an extent that the contents of his entire purse bursts out on the streets below!

"Markus then..."  The drunk adds, his pupils wide, dilated disks that stare into Finn's.  "You look like a Markus.  Come on then!  Off we go to Gornuks!"

Behind him, Finn can feel the tension in Behar's breathing...

OOC:  Your failed fast talk attempt has left you grappled by the right wrist.  The action surprised you so badly that while your hand was in your purse, the contents vomited on the street and you were unable to fully get the bribe out.  Luckily, because you posted your method last post, it was only filled with $15 and your recent payment is safely stowed away under a layer of clothes.  You may attempt to reengage with fast talk, although note that a repeated attempt will be penalized.  I would also advise choosing a different tactic than just not tonight if you want to succeed (seeing as it has failed twice, though once admittedly without rolling for it).  You may also attempt anything else you think of to extricate yourself from the situation.

Markus..., he thinks as his face crinkles.  'Finn!  The name's Finn you moron!', he almost blurts out in frustration.  Razzel can hear his charge behind him growing agitated more and more by the second and the last thing he needs is to be chasing Behar wildly through the city.

Finn looks down at his hand, stunned.  His wrist is caught by this drunk and still he has no evidence to support nor deny his paranoid ideations.  Is this drunk a random over zealous obtuse partier or a highly trained rogue under the employ of the Ministry of Serendipity?

The young scamp holds up his free hand showing the flat of his palm, giving the universal signal for 'I surrender'.  ”Okay.  Okay.  You convinced me.  Lets go.  And I'm not Markus.”


OOC:
Assuming he lets go I will follow him.  If he is going the way I want follow him a few blocks and then make a break for it.  If he is going the opposite way I want, follow him about a block and make a break for it.

The plan is try to maneuver him towards some pile of something.  Trash.  Children's toys.  A sleeping dog.  Anything he could trip over.  When he gets close, push him to make him fall down and then run like hell.

Deciding that at this point moving any direction was better than simply standing still here, Finn follows his newfound, drunken annoyance back to the west, the opposite direction from that he wanted to go.

"That's the spirit!"  the drunk man exclaims, releasing Finn's wrist as he plods off in lead with Finn and Behar following behind, the latter man's eyes darting around this way and that in extreme apprehension.  "Gornuk's got rum like you've never tasted."  The drunk continues, waving his hands with wild exaggerations.  "Made from cane sugar harvested from the Ring Islands!  And the bitches!"  The man holds his head up and puts his palms to the sky as if soaking in the moonlight.

Finn decides that this is as good of a time as any.  He had intended to find some obstacle to push him over but the man seems to be keeping fairly steadily towards the middle of the street, as much as his wobbling steps threatened to send him staggering to one side.  Apart from following him a few more blocks in the wrong direction in search of a better opportunity, Finn takes the chance he is afforded and shoves the drunk in the back hard!

The man staggers forward, his arms wind milling as he struggles to regain his balance.  Finn does not wait to see the resolution but instead darts northward through an alleyway as he hears the running footfalls of Behar behind him.

"Hey!  What are you doing down there?" A voice calls out from somewhere behind him.  A voice that is deep and commanding and sounds nothing like the drunk man he had just left.

"Markus?"  The drunk man responds, "How'd you get down there?"

OOC:  It is hard to tell where the new voice is coming from other than behind you.  Obviously you didn't see anyone on your trip up the road in either direction.  As a reminder, the boat is to the southeast of you along the coastline.  You are now traveling north (inland) to get away from the drunk (and other person) so a right turn at the next intersection would put in on the right direction, one street inland from the docks.

Finn runs.  This isnt a place he wants to be.  His plan, his desire all along has been to walk casually through the city to the boat and then sail away to more coin and a greater reputation.  But he shouldn't be so surprised if these men are the very agents sent to bring him in, life has a way of rarely working out as planned.

He doesn't want to but temptation takes over.  Razzell glances over his shoulder to see what's following him.


OOC:
Sorry for my long lag.  2 vacations, OT at work and a new relationship that includes a 2 hour round trip drive for work are factors over the last 6 weeks.  I am committed to a more regular posting schedule but I realize you're busy too so I don't plan on going crazy.

Part of my lag is my utter confusion.  I have approached this scene with 50% of my brain saying this guy is part of the Serendipity group, that he's trying to lure me into a trap.  And part of me thinks its just some random drunk acting weird as fuck.  Either way I the player am not sure how to proceed other than run, which is the last thing I wanted to do.

Continue to run.  If the right turn seems viable make the right turn.

Though every sense Finn has tells him this man was a boisterous drunk, there is a nagging paranoia in the back of his mind that warns him consistently of the unknown dangers of this unknown man.  Certainly the Ministry has their forces out in bulk this evening and who knows what tactics they would employ to catch their prey?  So when Finn hears other voices behind him, the sound only confirms the suspicions in the back of his mind that this 'drunk' needs to be as far away from him as possible.  So Finn runs.  He turns right to keep his track to the east but he does not slow so much as a step, rather he runs with little regard for Behar who never the less managed to keep almost step for step with Finn.

"Markus?"  The voice of the drunk perpetuates even over the sound of Finn's own footsteps and labored breathing.  "you know Gornuk don't...".  Though the drunk man is undoubtedly almost shouting, his voice fades into nothing as the steady pulse beats in Finn's ears and his lungs draw in deeper and deeper breaths.  Still Finn keeps on his pace, passing a few alleyways and even another minor intersection.  His vision darts in both directions as they cross but thankfully there in no one to be seen on either side.  Just beyond, Finn ducks down another alleyway to the left, stopping for a moment to listen.  Only a few moments behind him, Behar darts into the alleyway, putting his back against a wall as he gulps in his breaths.  Listening for a moment, Finn hears nothing and pushes eastward, choosing to take a different street eastward for another several blocks before he zags south again, pausing for a moment for the pair to catch their breath before continuing to press east at a walk.

Somehow, impossibly... or perhaps just due to Finn's incredible skills, the pair find themselves watching as the piers fade into rocky coast, the large buildings of the port slowly shrink in size to the smaller hovels of the slums and become further and further interspaced as the roads and alleyways become less maintained and more filled with rock and refuse.

Stopping to listen one last time, Finn convinces himself that there is indeed no one about and makes his way towards the edge of the water to keep an eye out for his transportation.

OOC:  No worries about the lag.  I've been just as guilty as anyone else and will continue to be so for a while in the long term.

Noted about the confusion.  The internal assessment as to whether the man was actually a drunk or a skillful agent is entirely over to you and something that I would not be below testing you one.  However I'm not sure that all the information I have in my head always translates to my posts, nor that the important decisions that people can/should make are always clear.  Rather than drag out a chase with unclear requirements I decided to just make a few rolls for you and Behar, which luckily managed to evade any one who may have been following you.

In short, running worked out well enough to get far away enough to evade.  You have seen neither hide nor hair of the drunk or the other people who were talking in my last post.

Now, your main goal is to find the small boat for you and Behar.  Roll vs. Perception (vision) at -5 for the lighting.  Success or failure will add or subtract to the time it will take you to find the small boat hidden at the outskirts of town.  If you wish to take another avenue to find the craft you are welcome to do so, just let me know what your plans are.

Finn Razzell is not a go-to guy.  He's not a local hero.  He's not the man they call upon when they need something done which requires a degree of finesse, skill and flair.  Why he isn't still perplexes him though there are a few around town who are starting to give him his due.  His lack of recruiters however must be in part to his youth, which brings up the following point.  Finn is young, true, but no child. He is a very mature twenty five after all.  He's no seasoned veteran or war hero but neither is he green.  This aint his first harvest.  And so Finn brings all of his baggage with him through this complicated endeavor.  As someone who's been around the young jack-of-all-trades views the drunk skeptically, perhaps because he knows nothing about this Ministry of Serendipity and the warning he received sounded rather dire. He has half wondered all along if this drunk were in truth an agent working to lure Finn and his 'package' to some secluded spot where the townsfolk would neither hear his screams nor care.  But because Finn is an intelligent, talented, nay, gifted young man, he took the drunk at face value, to be just a drunk in search of friends with whom to have a good time.  Either way Razzel did the right thing, he didn't deviate from the script and he didn't do anything to bring unwanted investigation.

Satisfied with himself Finn leads Behar to the edge of the water in the general vicinity of where the boat should be hidden.  While they have made good time and the young man isn't too worried, still there is nothing good that can come from delaying.  So he sets about searching the waterfront for a small water craft.


OOC:
I get that, that part of my confusion is being in the middle of a chaotic/suspense filled story line.  Sometimes keeping the players in the dark enhances the drama and fun.  I think you and I do well at filling in what knowledge I can have when appropriate (offline).  That said, thanks for fast forwarding with some dice rolls.

Finn makes his way down to the waterfront, noting that the rocky coast has become much more unforgiving than the shallow slope of the port.  Though part of him thinks he should simply groom the entire stretch of the shoreline, prudence takes hold and he keeps his pace quick, looking for a protected inlet, something with enough cover to make the boat difficult to see and calm enough that a small craft wouldn't tear itself to pieces on the rocks.  Behar follows along behind, peering all along the water as if the craft will simply pop up from the depths when they walk near.

It takes perhaps a half an hour at this pace, stopping on occasion to scout out a probable spot, before Finn finally finds the craft, a three man, wide bodied canoe with oar holds.  Finn is happy to find that the boat comes with some supplies of it's own, a camping bag with a flint fire starter, blankets, hatchet and rope as well as some fishing line and copper hooks.

"Is note bad.  Your man take cur off you."  Behar offers from behind Finn, looking down approvingly at the small boat.

OOC:  I assume your next course of action is going to be to take the boat out on the water to get a little more distance between you and the city.  If that is the case, make three boating rolls, each at -2 for darkness (thanks for reminding me of your night vision) and let me know how far you plan on going.  Alternatively, you could carry the boat to get a little further away if you want splitting the weight between you and Behar, walking until you are entirely out of the city, or you could simply set up camp somewhere here until the morning.  Or you could do anything else you can think of, note you have not recovered any of your lost fatigue during your walk, though you haven't suffered any additional either.

Finn smiles at his temporary partner.  I understood that!, he thinks to himself gleely and then adds, ”Yes.  Yes he did.  And he took care of us.  You're in this too.”  Finn speaks slowly but not slow enough to be made clear, time is slipping away.

Razzel peers over the edge of the canoe and smiles again, this time at the supplies they've been provided.  This trip should go smoothly thanks in part to Finn's talents and so he sets about to further their mission.


OOC:
Yes, so long as I have the supplies I need for the journey and I don't see any immediate dangers afoot I will launch us asap.  As far as when to go and how far, a small canoe containing just two men looks like what we are – two men trying to evade the law.  With that in mind I'd like to put as much distance between us and the city under the cover of darkness.  Get in the small boat and make our best efforts to put some major distance between us and the city.

Disclaimer – if walking the boat out on land keeps us more discreet than boating out, then do that.  Long story short, the major goal is to not get caught.  Loosing a little time is ok to increase stealth but not at the expense of being within the city limits (or close) when dawn breaks.

Behar smiles back at Finn's comment though the rough and tumble youth is already planning out his next amazing feats of the evening.  The craft should be easy enough to launch at night, Finn thinks to himself and he holds one of the crossbars stretching across the hull and beckons Behar to get in.  Though the man is by no means light on his feet, he manages to take a few holds on the sides of the slope to balance himself, and eventually gets himself situated in the craft.  Finn barely has to balance as he follows right behind, quickly picking up a paddle and shoving off swiftly from the dirt behind them.

The canoe rushes out of the alcove with single motion, gliding easily across the glass surface.  Finn can't help but smirk to himself at how even though it has been some time since he has been out on the water, the knowledge and skills came right back so quickly.  Pushing the oar down to his right to keep the craft close to the edge of the water and as out of sight as possible, it takes Finn a moment to realize that the scraping sound from below is actually not part of the plan...

The craft lurches to a stop just as it reaches the edge of the alcove, by the sound of it beached on a rock that lies somewhere between Finn and Behar.  To make matters worse, the nose of the canoe has hit the currents of the shore and the nose pitches slightly right as the aft end of the boat swings to the left like a spinning top.  The combined motion begins to dip the boat dangerously, making Finn lean hard to the right to try and keep his balance!

OOC:  it is 0200 on the 16th of December.  You are almost out of the small alcove and into open water, but you just hit one of the rocks that are near impossible to see underwater on the dark night.  The combination of the rock stopping your forward progress and the current hitting the bow has started a slow spin (only 30 degrees or so over a few seconds) which has put you in danger of tipping.  The easiest way to save yourself is to make a boating roll (no modifiers) to push yourself off with the paddle and dislodge yourself from the rock.  Alternatively, you have a number of spells at your disposal which may help - realize however that you are gripping the paddle with both hands and will have to let go with at least one of them to cast.  There are several other actions which could probably affect your situation too if you wan to get creative.  Note that the temperature outside is cold.  You are dressed appropriately for it, but falling into the water, whatever its temperature is not going to be doing you any favors.

Finn frowns as he realizes that they are stuck on the rock for he guesses more than knows that sooner or later the current will spin them around, and thanks to his relative inexperience with water craft who knows where that could lead.  But he soon finds out.  Tipping over, that's where.  The small canoe begins to pitch with the current and Razzel realizes that he must act quickly for if he doesn't both men will be drenched and they could potentially loose their supplies.  Finn squints, thinks he sees the rock under which is giving them trouble and he stabs at it with his oar.


OOC:
Use my oar to fix being stuck, try to unstick us.

Finn recognizes the danger of his situation.  Without swift, assertive action to keep his craft upright, the thing will certainly be caught up in the current on one side while held firm by the rock on the other, likely rolling the craft over right there on the rocks.  However, assertive action has never been something that Finn has had trouble with...

With a quick shift of his grip, Finn spears the paddle down hard into the bottom thrusting the boat hard away and off the rock.  The trick works perfectly, that is, until he attempts to remove the paddle from the silt floor of the small inlet.  Though he tugs with a quick heave, the soft bottom only gives slightly and the murky water sucks back in to fill the void, pulling the paddle along with it.  Frantically trying to remove the oar, Finn pulls hard again and though he is successful this time, he is so overzealous that he pulls the top-heavy craft out of balance and the two men tumble out of the craft and towards the rocks!

Finn splashes down with the paddle still in his hands, the cold biting water rushing through his clothes and gripping onto his skin with skin with a freezing sting.  Finn screams from frustration and tiredness, sending a stream of murmured bubbles dancing to the surface.

OOC:  So close on making it out, but your craft tipped and both you and Behar have pitched over into the water, which is freezing (ok, probably more like 50 degrees F or 10 degrees C).  No need to give me too many specifics, but there are a few more rolls I'll need from you.  Make 1 more boating roll, if you succeed, the craft itself (and more importantly, your sack of gear) stays upright and dry.  Also make a swimming roll.  This isn't really a roll for survival, you are only in water that goes up to about your waist but is more about getting yourself back to a standing position from being in the canoe.  If you miss the first one, you still take 1 fatigue, but add 1 to your next swimming roll until you make it.  Lastly, tell me your general intentions.  You (and Behar) will lose fatigue based on the rules for cold weather (which I haven't looked up yet) and when you get to less than 1/3 FP your DX will be halved in addition to ST and move/dodge (to account for the affects on hypothermia to your manual dexterity).  I'm specifically looking for if you plan on drying off immediately, continuing for a while before you stop, or just continuing to go for the night or until you start really noticing the cold.

Finn Razzel has been in tight spots before.  As he pokes and jabs his paddle at the underwater rock and silt bed he isn't worried.  The hard part is over.  They have eluded and slipped past the town guards and more importantly the Ministry of Serendipity.  Now he and Behar just have to make an overland trip to the drop off point.  Easy as pie.  Just a few days of roughing it and he can collect another fat pay day.

Finn pitches back against the canoe as it rolls forward.  Then he leans forward as it suddenly rolls the opposite way.  He tries to crane his neck to see what Behar is doing, is this idiot actually thrashing about and making the small boat tip?  Finn is a good boater, a great boat man in fact but even he cannot push them off the rocks and constantly adjust his position for balance all the while reacting to Behar and counter acting his movements.

And the unthinkable happens.  As Finn is jerking himself backwards to keep the canoe from pitching over, it shifts the other way and pitches over.  In the blink of an eye both men fall out of the canoe.  Ice cold water stings and stabs at his skin but Finn knows he must right the craft before the gear falls out and becomes water logged.  As quick as he can he wrestles his feet under him, lurches up to grab the supplies to keep them dry and just as he is about to snatch them the canoe smacks his hand away and they slide out and submerge below the surface of the water.  Finn frowns.  Clearly Behar moved the canoe or else Finn would have secured the gear.  Oh well, still better than being stopped and questioned within the city limits.

Fighting off shivers and trembling limbs Finn swishes a hand around and around under the water in search of the lost gear.


OOC:
Made the Swimming roll but missed Boating.  Looks like everything is wet.

When I was about 18 I went to the UP in MI and went canoeing in March.  I got paired with a boyfriend and girlfriend and we tipped and all fell in.  The ice had broke on the river one week earlier.  It was freezing but the best way we had to keep warm was manual labor.  Meaning we got back in and paddled as hard as we could for as long as we could.  Despite being last place (out of 5 canoes) we finished first by about 10-15 minutes.  We weren't dry by the time we finished but basically working out for an hour plus kept us warm enough.

My plan is the same here.  I don't want to light a fire and we're still too close to the city to dawdle much.  As uncomfortable as it is, we're gonna get back in the canoe and just paddle, paddle, paddle to stay warm.  Keep going unless a serious problem pops up – such as one of is developing frostbite, etc.

Retrieve the gear.  Right the canoe.  Get back in and go, go, go.  Check to make sure I haven't lost personal possessions, such as my money.

Though he flails his body in an attempt to at least keep the equipment in the canoe, even that effort fails and both his own sack and the bag of gear that the Row had provided sink underneath the surface somewhere near him.  Ahead, Behar seems to struggle for a moment longer than Finn, his leg caught up on the side of the boat which keeps his head under the water as he struggles to right himself.  Luckily, the boat tipped in an area that is both shallow and with almost no current, so it takes little effort to bring the two bags of gear back up the surface and put them back into place, then to recover their positions and get themselves back out into the open water.

At the moment when he had fallen in, Finn's scrotum had shrunk like a deflated balloon, latching his poor testicles in a vice like grip against his body.  Though as he managed to get himself out of the water, he gained a reprieve from the freezing water, now the brisk wind across the bay licks at his clothing and the small places of exposed skin causing him to shiver uncontrollably.  Still, Finn knows that hanging around the city would be foolish and that lighting a fire would be even more so.  Instead, he directs for Behar to start paddling his hardest, and Finn does the same.  With surprising efficiency, the two men press each stroke in and out of the water, pulling the paddle along their side as the water slides by their craft at an even clip.  Sitting in the back, Finn does what little navigation there is to do, keeping the dark mass of land off to his left side and far enough away to avoid any other rocks that might pop up.  On they trek, a half hour passes as the small buildings of the outskirts of the city slowly dwindle to farmland.  After an hour even the farm cottages disappear into a dotted landscape of trees and brush.  Ahead the forest that this island is known for breaks out of the horizon, reaching upward towards the sky.

Taking a moment's pause from his rowing, Finn appraises the situation.  The city has long passed, though he doubts that he has seen the last efforts of the Ministry of Serendipity.  His clothes are still sodden, though the continuous effort of rowing over the past hour or so seems to have staved off the worst of the cold.  Still, Finn is tired from casting, running, rowing...  The current had picked up as well and Finn could tell they were making less headway.  Though certainly he could keep up this pace for weeks if he had to, what of Behar who likely had only a fraction of the resolve?  The thought brings Finn's attention back to the man in front of him.  Behar had impressed him with his effort - it seemed the man wanted to get away from his pursuers at least as much as Finn did.  Still, now that he took a pause, Finn could hear a slight chattering of teeth from the form in front of him.

OOC:  It is 0330 on the 16th of December.  You are paddling south, up the Dycastle River which is very wide at this point and the current is slow, but not negligible.  Note your cumulative fatigue lost on your character sheet from casting/running/paddling and being cold.  I have not added any lost sleep fatigue yet, which will likely start making a difference in the very near future.  You are a few dozen feet from the east bank of the river which is progressively turning from the outskirts of the city to a forest.  You can't see the west bank from here, although that's probably just because of how dark it is.  Since you left your last post a little vague I decided to stop after a little over an hour of paddling to give you choices.  You can certainly continue on upstream but give me some guidance as to when you want to stop of nothing serious happens, are we going to sunup?  Or just keep going until you reach exhaustion?

Finn shivers in the night cold.  He is uncomfortable.  He once saw a stone cutter get trapped under an unbalanced wall as it collapsed and fell on him.  The cutters leg broke so that the bone pierced the skin and was showing white.  Finn isn't that pained but he is aching.  The cold, pushing himself beyond bed time, being wet, any one of these things might be annoying but all together they are painful.  Still, not as painful as a crushed leg or crossbow bolt in the gut.

As they paddle Finn is aware that Behar isn't him.  He is a foreigner, from a different land.  Truly a stranger here.  But more than that Behar is the most trusting kind of fellow.  Only hours ago he was a chained prisoner of the Ministry of Serendipity.  Since then he was freed by Finn and Mary and told he would be escorted to a town miles away.  And he has been as compliant as a sleeping baby.  For that Finn is almost in awe, and extremely grateful.

To show this man some gratitude Finn wishes they could stop.  He wishes they could light a fire.  Or even talk the time away.  But right now putting distance between them and the city is imperative.  And a fire in the middle of the night will not only attract the agents hunting them but who knows what else.  Wolves?  Bears?  Highwaymen.  And prolonged dialogue is the devil's distraction.  Get your lips to flapping and not only is your focus pulled away from the here and now but you can't hear thieves whispering in the night.  So, reluctantly, Finn offers a simple, ”Behar, you're doing great.  Paddle as long as you can.  We'll stop at daylight, or when you can't go anymore.  Let me know.”



OOC:
I don't want to light a fire in the darkness.  And I would like to put some more distance between us and the city.  But I also want to reach a manageable balance.  I don't want to push us until one of us literally falls over into unconsciousness.  So if Behar says he can't go on but its still dark, we'll stop and see if a fire is needed at that point.

If we can both make it til daylight, then if we're wet, we'll stop and make a fire.

Behar nods and acknowledges Finn's comment as he turns his head.  "He's not so bade has being chained to a person no?"  Behar laughs, and Finn can't help but appreciate the fact that the man sounds truly joyful.  Though he is cold, miserable, likely hungry and perhaps in one of the worst situations he has been in his entire life the man has a positive attitude, and Finn can't help but remember that less than a day ago the man was shackled to the floor of a carriage, guarded by one of the most feared organizations in Megalos.  Perhaps in contrast this situation isn't so bad at all.

So the men paddle.  And paddle.  The minutes drag on in relative silence with the exception of the labored breathing of each of the men, broken at moments by the percussion of chattering teeth as a gust of wind breaks over the water.

Finn is tired.  He is exhausted from lack of sleep and from paddling for the last two and a half hours.  Though his underclothes seem to have warmed somewhat from his exertion he feels a perpetual chill from the freezing wind that swims against him constantly.  It is just as Finn himself is thinking that going on might not be the best idea as he hears Behar speak out from up ahead.  "Ha thin I kneed to stop."  Even without the words, Finn knows that the pace has slowed drastically over the past several minutes.  Certainly, Behar's own lack of effort has been most of the problem, but Finn can't judge him too much for his own muscles feel like rubber.  "Ha can kip up his pace nah more."  Behar finishes from up ahead.

Gracefully recognizing that Behar is too exhausted to continue, Finn agrees to pull their canoe over towards the shore and to stop for the evening though he knows he could continue on his own for hours if needed.  By now the forests of the island have completely engulfed the shores of the river and the pace of the river flow has picked up substantially making the trek less than easy under the best of conditions.  Finn shifts his paddle as a rudder, pushing their craft over towards the side of the river as he gently guides it into the shallow waters.  Without incident, the craft glides into the shore and Finn is just about ready to put a foot out of the craft as he hears a shallow splash in the waters in front of him.  He looks up into the darkened night and sees a pair of glowing eyes looking at him from the depths of the forest ahead.  In a moment the things blink out of existence and Finn hears a rustle of the forest from that same direction...

OOC:  It is 0430 on the 16th of December.  Please note your dwindling fatigue on your character sheet.  You are currently at half ST, move and dodge, though you maintain a full DX for the moment.  Your pace has steadily decreased over the past hour, but in the past few minutes you aren't even sure you were making headway.  You cannot tell what the eyes in the distance are, nor how far away they are, though you would in general call them at fairly close range.  Your boat is in the shallows but not entirely pushed up on the beach yet.

Finn can feel his strength dwindling.  The cold, the long night, the work of propelling this small craft and his spell work have all taken a toll on his body.  His guess is that this man from a foreign land would give out before him but truthfully Finn is thankful when Behar at last says that he can go on no more.  Razzel is nearing exhaustion.

And then just as Finn is steering the canoe for the nearer bank he hears the unmistakable splash and spies a pair of eyes darting into the woods.  Can it be a deer?  Or something bigger and meaner?  Under normal circumstances the young plucky mage wouldn't be flustered by such an encounter but now Finn is extremely tired.  The thought of going fang to toe with some beast in his condition, even the thought makes him more tired.  And what of Behar?  Can this man fight?  He doesn't even look to be able to defend himself currently.  His job is to escort this man, not deliver a dead body.

Deciding in a rare moment to be cautious Finn angles the paddle to try to send them away from the glowing eyes.


OOC:
The new plan to make it to the opposite bank and try to rest.  I want my fatigue back.  Whatever way I think the current is, try to go with that.  In other words if I back track that is ok.

Finn is not sure what creature he has seen in the night, but he is sure that encountering anything with less than perfect intentions in his current state of exhaustion is probably a poor idea.  Without any ado, Finn digs his paddle back into the water, swinging the aft end of the vessel towards the land as he shoves himself back off towards the other shore.

Finn is not long left in mystery however.  Reappearing from the treeline, much closer to him now stands a monstrous animal that has all the size and thickness of a bear but with an extended snout and narrowed eyes like a wolf.

"What the fuck?"  Behar interjects as he too grabs his paddle and furiously begins to dig into the water.

With a Herculean effort, Finn pushes himself as far out into the waters as he can, but the thing charges forward with massive strides leaping from the bank straight towards Finn!  Flinging his paddle up in front of him, as he weaves to the side, Finn manages to displace the monster just enough so that the thing hits the boat instead of him.

Crack!  The vessel shrieks in agony as the blow propels the craft forward.  The splash of the monster sends water over both the men, drenching them freshly with the freezing cold water of the river.  Even before he sees, Finn knows that the hull of the vessel has been breeched and they are taking on water.  With a glance over his shoulder, Finn sees the wolf-like head break the surface again as the thing glares hatefully towards him.

OOC:  Rough time for a random encounter.  Your assailant is a Night Stalker, a monstrous animal that is about the size and strength of a polar bear with the aggression of a fully worked up berserker.  Luckily, you took no damage from the assault, but your craft took a heavy blow.  Right now you are at range 2 from the animal, who's head is barely breaking the surface of the river.  Assuming you are going to try and flee, roll straight up against boating, you may add 1 additional skill to your roll for each fatigue spent.  Otherwise, you may cast spells, abandon your boat, or do anything else that comes to mind.

Night Stalker

It all happens so fast. There is a splash followed by a pair of eyes. He turns the boat away from the shoreline. Suddenly he can hear movement, water, and followed by a crack as the small craft jerks forward. In this moment now Razzel knows what they face. A Night Stalker. Under normal circumstances this is a deadly beast. For these men, cold and nearing exhaustion, it won't take much to kill them. Most men would shit themselves in fear but not Finn Razzel.  Though is he scared? Of course! He's not a living statue.

Finn sees behind them out of the corner of one eye as he paddles madly that the beast is almost covered in water.  He hopes, as he did before he knew the source of the splashing, that this threat will not want to cross the river.

"Fuck!!!", he yells in fear.  "Behar paddle!!", he shouts forgetting his earlier plan of silence in the dark.


OOC:
Paddle as fast and hard as we can to get to the other side of the river. I am hoping that the beast cannot or does not want to cross the river, assuming of course but it gets deeper before it gets shallow.

Though Finn may at times be a self-important twit and drastically overestimate his abilities, he is not so foolish to think that now, exhausted and freezing his ass cheeks numbed from having sat on a wooden plank for the past few hours and with nothing but a paddle in his hands, is the time to take on a night stalker.  Instead, he shrieks at the top of his lungs to Behar, who needs no prodding to start flurrying his arms in vicious strokes to try and put some distance between themselves and the monstrous beast.  Finn is betting that the beast is not willing to put himself into the deep water and the stronger flow of the middle of the river.  He is betting that if the beast were to follow them out that it will not have the strength to best the river.  But Finn is wrong on at least one of those counts...

The two paddle with all they are worth, sending the craft forward in long strides across the water.  Finn cannot yet see the opposite shore, though he is betting everything he is worth it is simply because of the darkness, and that if they just push a little longer the craft will hit land at any moment... and it had better, for the small craft is beginning to take on significant water and it's movements have become sluggish in the water.

"Shit!"  Behar screams, and Finn looks backwards into the water to see the beast splashing about behind them awkwardly with rage in it's eyes.  Behar flails if possible even harder, though the difference is negligible with the canoe stuck in a lurching slog as it's guts are filled with water and it battles against the current.  Panicked, Finn looks back at is feet as he looks at the pool of water circling about his ankles.  They have put some distance between themselves and the Night Stalker, but their progress won't last for long if their craft capsizes in the current.

OOC:  I really thought you were out of the woods on that one, but the dice roller loves your enemies as much as it dislikes you.  You have put some distance between yourself and the Night Crawler, you would guess 20 yards or so but the thing is following you into the deep waters and has not been upset by the current yet.  Also, your canoe is taking on water due to the damage which is progressively slowing you down more and more.  Here are your options:  1.  Bail out water.  If you choose this, Behar will be entirely responsible for moving the canoe forward, but he will be at no penalty to his roll, and follow on rolls will be at a decreased penalty (less negative).  2.  You can continue to paddle.  If this is your choice, roll against boating again, at -2 though you can add +1 to your roll for each fatigue you spend.  3.  You may also choose to try and attack the thing or cast against it while it is disadvantaged in the water.  Remember that you will need to add a -2 to attack rolls if you attack from sitting, or make a DX roll to keep your balance if you want to stand up.  Include in your decisions the fact that any more damage to the craft will likely cause the two of you to capsize in the dark, not to mention damage to your person from this monster bear will probably not come in the light or moderate category.  Let me know what your choice is and roll if appropriate and the best of luck to you.

Finn is a streets educated young man. He didn't go to some fancy school full of books and scrolls. He didn't get to sit in on some class where a teacher lectures on and on about fantastical creatures such as pixies, owl-bears, and night stalkers. But Finn knows a killing machine when he sees one. And if he were on dry land and well rested this monster would still pose a high degree of danger. Early on Razzel has realized that the cold swift moving water is his best ally. If the beast gets washed downstream and loses their scent they will live to fight another day. Even in a worst-case scenario, the thing will exhaust itself fighting the current and then he and it will be on even fighting terms. Looking down at the swelling pool around his feet Finn begins splashing at the water to try to remove it from their sinking craft.


OOC:
I choose option 1. I will do anything it takes to bail out water and let Behar paddle.

Lol.  This is nothing.  The Dice Roller unquestionably hates me in another game I play in. In that game I have come to look at a roll of 12 or 13 as average and a roll of 9 or 10 as well below average.

Finn's heart is beating through his chest like a hammer, he knows the monstrous thing is only some dozen yards away, still treading its head out of the water and slowly closeing the distance.  Still, Finn knows that soon their sinking craft will be so filled with water it will be simply moving with the current and not long after it will be so unstable it will tip.  So Finn does the only thing he can think of to help the situation, he places his paddle in the boat and starts flinging the water back into the river.  It is bitterly cold, the water stings his hands like jellyfish and he cannot help but shudder as the seeping cold makes its way through his body.  To make matters worse, Behar does not seem to be doing very well without him, though he paddles with effort, the canoe moves little if at all against the current, and behind him, Finn can hear the murderous roars encroaching ever closer.

But by grace, the beast seems to lose its grip in the water just as Finn's craft slows.  It's muzzle drags under the surface for a moment as it barks madly, then it is caught by the current and slowly starts drifting away into the night.  Over the next several minutes, the two bail and paddle at interval, and finally find themselves scraping onto the grasses of the opposite shore.  The two men spew out of the craft, landing on hands and knees at the shore as they gulp down air.  But even here, Finn cannot escape the wet, for the morning dews have already condensed on the moss of the forest floor.  Finn is exhausted, both his mind and his body utterly spent.  Still, he knows that the two men must do something to escape the cold and the wet.  A fire is the first thing that comes to mind but there are dangers in sending up even a meager column of smoke so soon after their escape...

OOC:  Your pursuer finally missed a couple of swimming rolls in a row and got pulled away by the current.  The two of you managed by the skin of your teeth to beat the current and make it to the other shore.  You have lost 1 more fatigue in the effort and are rapidly nearing exhaustion due to the added effects of your spellwork, paddling and the ravaging cold.  You are still at 1/2 ST, move and dodge.  Let me know what your big picture plans are.  If you want to make a fire, to warm up, roll twice against any survival skill (one to find wood and another to make the fire) or an appropriate spell.  Behar can also do some of these rolls if you wish.  If you have another plan to get warm feel free to execute and let me know what you are doing.

Finn and Behar paddle and bail water through minutes of coordinated teamwork. As the small broken canoe makes the opposite bank Finn casts his gaze downstream and behind him. So fearful is he of an attack that he feels little of the freezing cold which even now is draining his ever-dwindling strength. He is nearing collapse and fighting to stay on his feet. Through sheer force of will like a drunk man he stumbles from the small craft, sloppily draws his blade from his belt, pivots on a foot and stands facing where he thinks the giant aggressive beast will emerge from the water. He has no more strength to give which means that melee will be poorly executed and without the aid of magic. But Finn Razzel rarely is disadvantaged by a dampened spirit. He stands riverside in the dark early morning shivering and teeth chattering for what feels like an hour though in reality it is but a minute. When it seems that there foe has been washed a good distance away, thanks in part to Finn's own brilliant plan, he sheaths his knife and turns to address Behar.

Finn's speech comes between ragged, heavy breaths and constantly chattering teeth. "I don't think it's coming back. But we should be ready in case it does.  Now, in the meantime let's get warm."

Finn places his trembling hands near his belt ready to hoist his coat over his head and fling it to the ground. He means to strip naked, surely he'll be cold but colder in wet clothes. And then it occurs to him even if they can start a fire doing so on the bank it's going to attract a lot of unwanted attention. Finn sighs. At least the heavy lifting is going to keep them warm. The young mercenary eyes his forced partner sympathetically.  He speaks in a clear slow tone to be understood.  "I know you're freezing and tired.  So am I.  Let's try to start a fire.  But we need to get away from the river.  Help me carry the canoe and then we'll see if we can get warm."


OOC:
Try to carry the canoe about 100 yards in land. Then take some brush and try to erase about 50 yards of our tracks starting at the river. We will stay together at all times.  If we have a sufficient digging tool attempt to dig  about a three-foot hole so that we can put the fire in the hole so that the light will be obscured. Then look for firewood. Then try to start a fire.

This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 23:37, Wed 18 Oct 2017.

Finn is exhausted almost to his limits.  He knows for a fact that he could not cast a single spell in his repertoire without damaging himself physically in the process.  Yet, still, he knows that if he simply falls to the ground here to start his fire then they will be completely visible from the water... something he cannot afford when Behar is still sought as a wanted man.  So, wanting to leave nothing to chance, Finn takes a moment to catch his breath, then takes his pack from the canoe and puts the aft end of the craft over one shoulder, as Behar carries the front and the two walks slowly away from the edge of the river.

But Finn is not halfway to his goal away from the river before he tromps out unexpectedly from the forest and onto the hard packed ground of a manmade path.  It stands perhaps twenty feet across, with shallow ruts dug in from wagon wheels and horse prints glistening with the morning dew.  Finn curses his luck, knowing that if there are people sent out from the city, they are far more likely to be riders than men going upriver on a boat.

Still, there are problems that exist in the here and now, so Finn beckons Behar to continue on ahead, and the two get themselves a reasonable distance off the path before dropping their canoe in an open patch.  Finn, ever expecting trouble walks his way back to the river and does his best to obscure their tracks and marks from landing.  As he finds the path again, he decides he had better do the same there as well and erase their marks to the best of his ability.  Though the darkness in the forest is nigh complete, Finn finds himself comfortable that only a great tracker with knowledge of their whereabouts would be able to find their trail.

As luck would have it, by the time Finn makes his way back towards their impromptu camp, Behar has located a dead tree and has collected some of the larger branches with his to serve as fuel.  Finn himself manages to find a downed birds nest on the forest floor to serve as their tinder.

Their supplies in hand, Finn thinks upon digging a trench for the fire to sit in but even the thought of removing twenty seven cubic feet of dirt with nothing but a knife to aid him makes Finn queasy and in the end he decides on setting their canoe up as a barrier between themselves and the path so passers by are less likely to see.  Within a few minutes of careful use of their flint and tinder, Finn has managed a modest fire and both of the men have removed the most of their wet garments to dry, hanging them closely by the small flame.

Finn also takes the moment to empty out his bag of supplies, recognizing in an instant that the blankets that had been provided are sodden and worthless for the moment, and that all of the wayfarer bread that he had grabbed from the safe house was now mashed and dissolved with in his pack.  Finn still imagines however, that even in the worst circumstances, they still have a couple of days worth of meat and cheese to last between the two of them.

As Finn looks up, he notices Behar is no longer sitting, but is starting to lay down between the fire and the canoe, using the craft as sort of a reflecting board for all the warmth.  He glances up at Finn and smiles, laying his head down on his extended bicep.  "Than you Roabbi."  Behar says, and it takes a moment for Finn to remember that this is the name he gave to the man only a few short hours ago, when they had been sitting in the Row's safe house in Azer.

OOC:  Ok, with a few combined rolls you have managed to get a fire going and have stretched out all your gear to dry out.  Digging a trench with nothing but a knife would have cost you hours that you didn't really have so you ended up deciding to place blockers between yourself and the path rather than making the fire below ground.  You do still have blankets and clothes set out to dry though, which could be recognizable from a distance if someone was specifically looking for you.  If you want to hide yourself a little better, roll vs. camouflage (defaults to IQ-4).  Also, if you plan on setting a watch, let me know the order and the amount of time you want to set them for.  If you are the first watch, roll vs. Will.  It looks pretty plain that Behar is getting ready to take a nap.

When given this 'errand' late yesterday Finn imagined himself laying back in the canoe, feet up and chewing on a cinnamon and honey flavored flaky bread stick while sipping on a cup of hot apple spiced tea.  He saw himself floating down river, the current doing most of the work as Behar merely steered their small yet reliable craft.  Sadly, the reality of their situation is less than pleasing.

Razzel stands as he looks down at the now prone foreigner who must be entirely exhausted.  He smiles.  For all the trouble of this adventure the man has been more cooperative than Finn could have hoped for.  The young mercenary takes up a blanket, still soaking wet and moves it to the left about half a foot.  He squints at it trying to decide if that helps or hinders their cause from prying eyes that would be coming down the river or the nearer road.  Satisfied that he has improved matters the young man sits down near the fire while putting his hands out to warm them.

Finn picks up the mash of what was once dry bread, now turned to a soggy, gooey paste thanks to the river water.  He lets it drip onto the ground as he stares at it before throwing it down.  It reminds him that sometimes now matter how well you prepare and plan ahead, you're fucked anyway.  He looks to his client and speaks in the same slow easy tone to help this man understand.  "Go ahead Behar.  Get some sleep.  I'll keep a lookout.  But I do not want to stay very long.  An hour or two at most.  We need to keep moving."  For a moment he thinks about correcting the strange man, telling Behar to call him 'Finn' but despite his youth Razzel has learned several valuable lessons as a man who can be called upon for a variety of services, including spying.  If Behar is eventually captured and interrogated he cannot give his subjugators Finn's real name if he doesn't know it.


OOC:
Seeing that we have nothing good to use to dig and that the canoe on its side offers some camouflage and a way to hold a little heat in, your alternative is perfect.   I do not wish to sleep as in a proper watch.  I will rest for an hour to regain fatigue and then take an assessment of our situation at that time.  I.e., is Behar still sawing logs or does he look well rested, that kind of thing.  I want to put a little more distance between us and the city before we take a proper 8 hours rest/sleep.

Finn does not argue as Behar curls up beside the fire to sleep.  Instead, the treasure hunter and thief sits on a larger root and leans himself against the base of a tree to rest, taking out a slab of dried meat from his pack as well as his skin of water.

As he takes a bite from the venison and begins grinding the dry meat between his teeth, Finn ponders his situation, recognizing that while things could be far worse, they are not sitting upon the best of ground.  Their canoe was damaged badly enough that it would need to be bailed fairly continuously to stay afloat.  Their choices were from this point were to continue taking their damaged craft upriver (which would prove challenging as the currents were only getting stronger), to take the road farther south (which was likely their worst chance of being seen by the authorities), or to continue trekking through the forest (and God only knew what other horrors this forest had in store for them).

All that being said, Finn could not say that the two of them had done poorly.  In fact, they had successfully evaded both the authorities of Azer and the Ministry of Serendipity.  Finn had single handedly beaten a night stalker.  And even with all their misfortunes they still had two days worth of rations which would likely cover them so long as they made good time walking time to Trent.

As these thoughts are rolling through Finn's mind, he realizes that the low light of the dawn is starting to soften the darkness in the forest.  Finn glances upwards and notices a single snowflake making its way downward through the trees and towards his face...

OOC:  It is 0600 on the 16th of December.  You have waited an hour while Behar slept.  You have recovered a good chunk of your lost fatigue which can be noticed on your character sheet.  Behar is definitely still sleeping, it's hard to tell just how well rested he is.  More importantly, your underclothes have all dried out, though your heavier outerwear is only partially/mostly dry.  It is beginning to snow, and though you don't know exactly where you are, you would guess that you are about 1/3 of the way to Trent and it would be another day and a half walk to make it all the way there.  I've listed above the three options that occur to me, the river, road, or forest, each with their own dangers though obviously you have spells that could potentially help you out along the way with each.  If you want to attempt to repair the canoe, the effort will likely take a few hours and take a roll against engineer (unless you have a spell to help you, engineer defaults to IQ-6) at -2 for not having to improvise equipment.

Finn Razzel is one of the smartest men he knows.  And he is gifted with amazing grace, agility and a heartiness usually only found in soldiers and lumbermen.  With his knack for magic its a wonder why he isn't the leader of some gang.  Finn has resigned himself that it is due to jealousy, nepotism, cronyism and prejudice against his young age, but all that will change with time.

He sits contemplating his next move as he watches over the sleeping form of his 'cargo', this foreigner who continues to surprise him.  Behar has done well, performed better than Finn expected actually but still their trip is far from over.  Hopefully he will continue to impress this young mercenary.

Three avenues lay in front of them:  the river, the road and the forest.  It does not take Finn long to realize that repairing the poor canoe may be a hopeless cause.  While he knows many spells most of them are what is called in the business, cantrips.  And without proper tools fixing the hole could take days if it can be accomplished at all.  The road, while probably the easiest path before them will no doubt come at the cost of ducking and dodging those searching for them.  And if Finn were in charge of the hunt he would put a bounty out on their capture, so if that has become the case anything from potters to bakers looking to make a quick few coins will be ready to jump them at every turn.  It is the fastest way to round up outlaws.  Therefore travel by road is out.  Finn is a talented man with many skills but one he lacks is any sort of apprenticeship in crafting.  What is required here is a carpenter, while Finn is clever he lacks the spell power and mundane knowledge to mend wood.  So by default navigating the forest is their only suitable option.  Still, Razzel is not bothered in the least.  It is a day and a half perhaps two and currently they are fitted nicely with food supplies so barring bad luck from treasure seeking bounty hunters or wandering deadly creatures he should see his man safely to Trent and cash in on this lucrative assignment.

But as he sits and ponders his strategy Finn is tempted to have a go at fixing the hole left by the night stalker.  The young mercenary moves to it, examines it and begins to plan how he might prevent water leakage but soon gives up.  Even with his ingenuity this task is well beyond him and he fears wasting hours on a pointless effort.  So the young man sits back down by the fire and rests some more.


OOC:
Finn will spend about 5 minutes trying to deduce how best to repair the small boat and then come to the conclusion that without experience in woodworking and tools he fairs almost no chance.  He will give up on the canoe and return to sit by the fire and rest.  Rest to regain fatigue for another 30 minutes.

If all goes well without incident wake Behar and tell him that we have tarried long enough to need to get moving.  We will take the canoe back to the river and place it in the river.  Let it go.  This is to cause someone to stop to investigate if they see half submerged.  Then we will make for the road making no effort to hide our tracks.  Watch the road to make sure no one is in sight.  Walk on the road for about 200 yards.  Then leave the road for the forest and make an effort to hide our tracks leaving the road.  In other words I want trackers to think we stayed on the road.

Finn is a man of so many talents that in truth, he believes he could do anything if only he had the time.  Such is the case with the canoe, for even the most skilled of tradesman would likely have quickly resolved that the craft was beyond saving: that even if the wounds were to be patched to make the ship worthy of the waters again, the process would likely take long enough to make the effort not worth the gain.  Finn thinks of his spellwork, but it is obvious that his limited spells would not cover the heavily specialized work that needed to be done here.  Still, the man takes his time, running his hand along the damaged inside wall, feeling the splinters and clawmarks in the wood for several minutes before he decides that, as they say, the juice is simply not worth the squeeze.

Instead, Finn takes another half hour to rest, and then wakes his walking mate, Behar, before the two gather their gear, don their winter clothing, and prepare to depart.

Their first stop is to drop off the canoe in the river, a process which Finn half expects to take only a short time, but without the weight of the two men, the water is slow to fill the craft, and the canoe starts drifting down the river slowly with the current.  Even as Finn turns to go back towards the path, the thing is still mostly out of the water as it is carried further towards the middle of the river.

The two make their way back towards the path with no attempt to cover their tracks.  However, despite their best intentions, the fat flakes of snow are still making their way through the treetops to land on the forest floor.  If someone did manage to find their landing site, it's likely that even an experienced tracker might have trouble finding their path if the snows kept falling at this rate.  All the same, Finn did not trouble himself yet with anything other than starting to make as much headway as he could.

Making it to the path without trouble, Finn carries on towards Trent for a few hundred yards before finding an open spot between some trees and making his way off the path towards the west to parallel the course towards their destination.  By now the snow is falling so heavily that Finn would be surprised if even he could track their progress with anything more than a few minutes of lag behind his quarry.  Finn picks a reasonable distance from the path, something far enough that they will not be seen from the road and close enough that he can double back and check their direction without too much hassle.

As they walk, Behar and Finn converse at interval and Finn is surprised at how much easier the man's dialect is to recognize after most of a day of talking.  Finn has to ask him at times to repeat words, or to say something a different way but for the most part, he the two converse quietly without pause.  It is one such moment when Behar is discussing his life before the Banestorm when Finn's ears perk up to the surroundings.

"...I wasp surprised that no one had tit here.  I wasp an engineer of expulsions, tacking down buildings and such.  Bot when I got here and no one knows..."

Finn can only force a sssshhh! out of his mouth as he hears the sounds of horse shoes clomping on the path beside them, some several yards off.

OOC:  It is 0800 on the 16th of December.  While the heavy snow is doing good work to obscure your tracks at the moment, it is worth mentioning that at some point, when it stops it is only going to make your life more difficult.  The tracks you hear are off to the east (likely on the path) proceeding from Azer towards Trent.  You guys have not had a breakfast yet, and you are currently on 24 hours without sleep.  Your fatigue is noted on your character sheet.

His rest is short lived which is to say that after less than two hours sitting in the cold by a small fire somewhere between sleep and standing guard he does feel amazingly better.  In fact his mind and body are almost as good as new, surely thanks to his fantastically athletically fit body and dedicated training.  So the pair of men set about being on the move again for sitting around resting and warming their cold bones isn't going to get them anything but caught.  Within a small time the men have ditched the poor cracked canoe into the river where hopefully it will serve as a distraction to would be hunters.  They have donned their packs and likewise set a false trail on the road but the snow fall has done much to cover it, whether this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen.  Now Finn finally feels as if they are making progress towards their goal.

Not long after setting out on their true path, through the woods, Finn can hear hooves rapidly approaching while Behar is explaining what he did back home.  Finn ducks low into a crouching position as he grabs Behar and pulls him down too.


OOC:
How far are we from the road?   I assume I cannot see anything, just hear it?  In this case just crouch and wait.  I am essentially waiting 2-10 minutes to see if they double back, notice our tracks and come to investigate, are escorted by men on foot, etc. 

With the sounds of hooves clomping off on the path, Finn drops to his haunches onto the snow below, pulling on the collar of Behar to get him out of the line of sight.  Finn stares towards the roadway, but only sees an occasional flash of motion that he imagines is a rider on a horse more than actually being able to make that assessment.  Though the sound and the specks of motion pass, Finn is not about to jeopardize his task and waits in silence, expecting more to follow, or else the rider to double back to research the area.  But after two, five, ten minutes, Finn neither hears nor sees anything else, and he stands cautiously, mostly sure the rider is gone, though he is unwilling to wait longer to make perfectly sure there is no one following them.

And so the two carry on, trudging through the snow which has now built up to an inch or more in thickness, wet and warm enough that the white powder crunches down into a perfect imprint of their boots as they pass.  The two eat as they walk, taking more of the dried rations from their stores to keep up their strength.  Behar seems slightly more nervous about talking after having been dragged down to the ground as quickly as he was, but the two converse intermittently and Finn is happy to realize that it has become easier to interpret the man's accent into actual conversation.

With little ado, the two men break for a short lunch but press on with Finn's urging, still nervous that their pursuers are closing on them if they haven't already passed on the road to Trent.  The snow piles up as the day warms, though now big, fat droplets of half-frozen rain are spitting down through the treetops, refreezing as they hit the snow.  The crunch beneath Finn's feet is enough to make him nervous as to what they are going to do this evening...  The sleet continues to fall all about them but Finn does not have a tent, and he is unsure even if their blankets are completely dry after their tumble into the river.  Finn is loathe to waste time where it is not warranted, but the cold winter night is quickly re-freezing and he wonders just how much longer he can carry on without real sleep.

OOC:  The dice have been remarkably kind to you.  It is 1500 on the 16th of December.  Roll HT-4 (+2 for Fit advantage) and for each point you fail by you lose 1 fatigue from the hike.  You have about 2.5 hours until sunset, and the weather has turned from bad to miserable.  The snow has piled up over a few inches, even on the forest floor, and now the snow has turned to sleet, which is refreezing and casting a layer of ice on the snow.  Luckily your pace has only slowed slightly as of yet, but if things continue at this pace, you may be impeded by the accumulation of snow.  Note that your fatigue has continued to dwindle due to having missed sleep.  The only way to regain this is to get a full sleep period... which may be difficult in the cold with no tent.  Let me know what your general intentions are.

Finn walks throughout the day with a carefree attitude about his face and body. He smiles, he laughs, he asks this foreigner about his life where he came from. It makes him wonder about so many things.

He is troubled little about the weather.  True, it is cold and the freezing rain does not help their condition but Finn has had worse. And the journey to Trent is a short one so too will be their suffering.

By the time the dinner hour is closing in Finn looks up at the sun. Freezing rain pelts his eyes, nose and mouth. He frowns as he addresses his new friend with speech that is quicker than before.

"I don't like the look of these raindrops. We need to get undercover somehow. A barn would do nicely. Or even a cave in a pinch. I'm going to use a bit of magic to turn into an animal.  A small hunting bird to be exact. But after I transform I'll need a little nap, so keep a look out if you could. Then I'll fly up and have a look and see if there's a suitable shelter around."


OOC:
Cast Shapeshift: Falcon.  Rest 60 minutes.  Fly up and around in a circle large enough to scout about a mile diameter.  Look for a place we could keep dry and sleep for about 8 hours safely.

This message was lightly edited by the player at 05:38, Fri 27 Oct 2017.

Though the day has come and gone quickly, Finn is expressly concerned about their conditions for this night.  With the cold and rain and no shelter of their own, he wonders just how much rest he is going to be able to get.  The answer to him seems easy, scouting the area for existing shelter, which necessitates more spellwork.  For who would scout on two feet when it would be far easier to glide on two wings?

Finn hands over his sack to Behar, murmurs a few words as he gestures with both hands, frowns and then repeats the ritual before his whole body begins to slowly turn in on itself, sprouting feathers as the skin churns and shrinks into nothing.  Before a few moments are over, Finn has entirely changed, his body now barely matches where his shin used to be, and it is talons that rest upon the ground rather than booted feet.  His whole form, clothes and all has been changed into a small falcon, or a Merlin to be exact and though he had thought to spend some time napping, instead he realizes that if he wants to fly he'll need to spend some time preening and oiling his wings.  Finn flaps over to an area that is mostly covered by branches up above and begins his work of making himself fit to fly in these conditions.

After perhaps an hour of rest and grooming, Finn flaps off, at first seeking to get above the forest canopy to see down, but it does not take exposing himself to all the elements to realize that the task would be pointless.  The whole cap of forest is topped with snow and ice, making getting above it difficult and seeing down through it impossible.  Besides that fact, Finn finds that even without being above the trees he has to stop himself at interval to clean off some of the water and ice that begin to accumulate on his feathers.  After fifteen minutes of searching for the best answer, Finn finally finds that zooming between treelimbs at 100 or 200 yard intervals is the best answer giving himself enough distance to see new things on the forest floor yet close enough that he is not working too hard getting there.

Finn knows that some birds do not fly at all in the rain.  It does not take him long to realize why.  The whole process is exhausting, for while droplets seem nothing to a hundred fifty pound man, they are much more significant for a half-pound bird.  Add that with stopping every few moments to clean himself, and having to dodge every tree that litters his path along the forest and Finn is starting to wonder if the whole process had been worth the energy.  However, as luck would have it, Finn finds a dead tree that has partially fallen over and the ground below eroded away were the roots are pulled out.  While it is no thatched roof barn, it is enough to get the two men out of the elements.  Finn wings his way back to where Behar is waiting, transforms back into his normal self and leads the way towards the small natural cave.

Though the task of finding the enclave is somewhat more difficult from the ground level, the two manage to locate the small makeshift shelter just as the forest is starting to settle into the darkness of night.

OOC:  It is 1730 on the 16th of December.  I took some liberties with your intentions again (flying in sleet/freezing rain is suicide for anything, let alone a medium sized bird) like flying below the canopy to keep some shelter and stopping to clean off the nasties as you were going.  I probably would have given you an IQ roll to realize this, but with your overcon, I think I played it out reasonably realistically.  Roll vs. HT-4 again (+2 for fit) to see how fatiguing it was.

The shelter you found is by no means safe but it at least gets out of the elements and the opportunity to sleep.  You may keep looking if you want, but it is already getting dark, and darkness penalties are beginning to apply.  You are also down another fatigue from lack of sleep.

Let me know what actions you want to take.  If you want to look for better shelter, roll against forest survival (Defaults to Per-5).  If you want to find wood for a fire roll vs. Forest survival at -2 for the crappy conditions.  Also make two rolls against perception, one at no modifier and one modified by -2.  Behar can also make any of these rolls if you want to task him with something.

Finn feels rather good after his scouting foray.  It isn't a farmstead or a natural cave but it will do considering what they have to work with.  Razzel leads his new friend to the hidey hole he saw.  He shrugs and begins stoically.  "Its no bed at the inn but it'll do for a few hours.  It's the best we have.  I suggest we break out the blankets and try to get some sleep.  I have a spell that will help."


OOC:
I will attempt to sit in a dry spot and rest for 50 minutes.  Then cast Mystic Myst of radius 9.  Then crawl under the log, wrap myself in a blanket and sleep.

This shelter will do as even Finn realizes looking in the dark could be pointless and dangerous.  While I rest before my spell ask Behar to look for firewood.  If he finds some we'll just save it in the shelter as it will likely be too wet to light.  We'll hold onto it and later maybe it'll be dry enough.  If we're hungry eat a ration before bed.

Finn curls himself up in the nook with a blanket while Behar takes a few moments to gather some wood.  The other seems wary of moving too far from the campsite and so gathers whatever is in the immediate area.  The results of his lack of wandering are immediately apparent, the wood is wet and frozen and there is little in the way of tinder to actually get the stuff going.  Never the less, Finn nods and pushes the stuff into a corner of their hidey hole to hopefully dry out by the morning.

Ready to set themselves up for the night, Finn makes a few motions of his hands, whispering "nevoa mística!" and watches as the air begins to shimmer around him.  Much like himself, Finn's spell is perfect, and he knows that anything that attempts to get anywhere near him will quickly find itself heading in another direction.

The two men curl themselves together and chew on a few shards of dried rations, sharing their two blankets and heat as the darkness fades away into dreams...

It is a sound that wakes Finn the next morning, a rooting and grunting that echoes somewhere about his feet that wakes him from his stupor.  Though the darkness is near complete, Finn knows in a moment that his spell has expired.  Above him, Finn can tell that the snows have continued through the night, and there is a ledge of the white stuff that sits at his feet, just beyond their shelter.

OOC:  It is 0500 on the 17th of December.  The snows have continued through the night and there is now about 4 inches of accumulation in places on the forest floor.  The noise you hear is high pitched, like a medium sized animal and though it is coming from your feet, it seems to be a more of an echo of sorts.  You have regained almost all of your lost fatigue other than some which is directly due to your lost sleep.  Behar continues to snooze beside you, curled up beneath the blankets.  The overall light penalty right now is at -9 due to the cloud cover, tree canopy, and the shadows of your shelter.

Finn's eyes open slowly.  His face is cold despite being under the blanket and while the remainder of his body is chilly he is not freezing, or wet, and he is quite grateful for both.  He pokes his head out of the security of the thick grey woven covering and frowns slightly at the small cloud of steam exiting his mouth.  He stretches without poking his limbs out and then he hears it.  The muffled sounds.  It is unmistakably an animal.  Perhaps a wolf or a boar.  Immediately as his mind switches from his sleepy dreamland state to the reality before him he knows that his protection spell has faded having completed its long duration.  That is good news and bad.  Good in that the men slept unmolested for over ten hours which is something they desperately needed.  Bad in that now they are vulnerable to the wilds of the woods.  But once again thanks to Finn's remarkable abilities his mind alerted him to the danger in his sleep and woke him.

The young mercenary instantly grabs his dagger and pulls it free.  He mutters the incantation for a spell to chase away the darkness.  Then he kicks out at his partner to wake the man, muttering as he does.

"Behar.  Wake up.  We have company.  A boar, I think."


OOC:
Just a heads up.  Mystic Myst has a 5 minute casting time if memory serves right.  I imagine this to be drawing the circle and then enchanting it through hand and verbal ritual.

Fast Draw knife.  Cast Continual Light on the hilt of the blade.  Wake up Behar as quietly as I can.

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.