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.