"Well let's not waste anymore time blabberin'," Gierdon exclaimed. He grabbed one of the tapas as he stood, preparing to leave.

Once the three are ready to go, Rodrigo leads them back to the vicinity of the cafe.

"Now, we don't want to be seen by those two thugs, but let's try to scout the exterior and note windows, doors and other potential avenues towards our goal. Then we meet back here. Ready?"

Once agreed, Rodrigo will proceed.

Anneth, too, grabs a tapa and scarfs it down.  With a polite wave, smile, and nod at the staff, she follows her new companions.

Once outside, Anneth nods in agreement: "I have some skill in light-stepping and concealment.  I'm not as good at padding about as, say, a halfling or a burglar, but let's see if I can't get some watchers in trouble for not paying attention!" Anneth puts a hand on the handle of her whip, in anticipation of needing to use it.  In a low sing-song, she adds, "I also have skill at finessing locks!  So, keep this in mind, dearies, and let Auntie Annie know if you see anything that needs her toys..."

Clearly, "fortune teller" is as much a vocation for this young human woman as it is a front for her pursuit of whatever whims strike her...

GM!  Would you like us to roll for Thief Skills, or is that your call?

((Any time you might need to roll for a skill/attack/save, you can go ahead and roll. I'll then adjust it by any modifiers that might apply.))


Give me some idea of which way you are going and what you'll do or are looking for. Naturally, this may change if you see something... 'interesting'.

Can you describe the building and its immediate surroundings? Or are the players contributing their own input?

The pub was a typical building, at least as much as any building in Glantri could be 'typical'. It was only two stories, though it had a high peaked roof that probably indicated a loft space. The second story was bigger than the first so that there was a 10-foot overhang. The door was in the east side and along the northside there was a flight of wooden stairs that led up to the second story.

The second story seemed to be symmetrical in terms of external windows and decorative architecture, but with the single flight of outside stairs, clearly the inside won't be symmetrical.

The peaked roof is oriented north-south, so the gable end isn't over the door. Both gables have tall, narrow, arched stained glass triptych style windows, with the center one being taller than the two side ones.


There is also a 10-foot wide porch that runs all the way around the first floor.


The front doors are double doors that open out, and apparently when the pub is open and the weather is fine, the doors are fastened open, because there are swinging saloon-style half-doors also in the doorway.

The first/ground floor is 50 feet square, making the second story 70 feet square.

People have been going in and out while you watch, but there is no sign of the two thugs.

Rodrigo carefully notes the positions of windows, then checks the adjacent buildings to see if there's any way to cross over onto the tavern from them. Or potentially, balconies or something that might provide a good spying/listening post.

Regardless, once he's finished scouting, he returns to the prearranged meeting spot to discuss a plan with the others.

Anneth attempts to look as inoffensive and inconspicuous as possible while also attempting to note any suspicious doors or windows that might need finessing.

:17, Mon 03 Feb 2014: Anneth Mage-Singer rolled 91 using 1d100 ((91)).

Oh, sweetie, you can only walk that clumsily and hope not to be heard in twenty-six levels!

Rodrigo makes note of the geography surrounding the pub. It stands alone; that is, there are no other buildings up against it. The north side, however, is on a sort of alley in that the street is only 10 feet wide.

Two buildings face the pub. One is three stories tall and the other is only two stories, but it does have a balcony.



Anneth spots something unusual (but it may not be all that unusual for Glantri), but it isn't necessarily suspicious. When the backdoor opens, it appears to be to the kitchen. She's trying so hard to see inside that it takes a minute for her to realize that there wasn't any backdoor there a moment ago! Or, at least, she doesn't remember seeing one.

In any case, a man steps out. He's wearing a white apron and he has a big bushy red mustache. He leans agains the outside wall next to the door, pulls out a pipe from the apron's pocket, somehow lights the pipe, and starts smoking. He's there for a little over five minutes before he walks back in and closes the door.

When he does, the door disappears! The wall looks like there was never a door there.

Anneth flexes her fingers, as if to test for sobriety.  She then mouths, "Son of a...!"

Without wasting a step as soon as this man has returned to his job, Anneth returns to her companions to make her report.

Gierdon stands away and watches as the two make their way around the building to find their points of attack. As he watches he notices the front doors are standing open and the two large men previously guarding it were not there. He waits until his newfound companions return with their findings, "Why don' we just try walkin' in the front? The doors are now unguarded and we could just walk in with a group of people entering. I mean, they didn't want you, Rodrigo, being an elf, but Anneth shouldn't have a problem entering. And me, well, I'm not sure. Unless you two have a different thought."

"Well, I hesitate to have anyone walk in alone... How about this? We walk in separately, Anneth, then Gierdon, then I. Whoever gets in, try and make a friend to talk to, and see what was up. Maybe Anneth, our human, could say she's late for a little get-together, and see what she can learn?"
This message was last edited by the player at 18:52, Thu 06 Feb 2014.

Anneth is clearly excited, but calms down, saying, "Yes, that sounds like a good idea."

"But I found something of interest while I looked for possible entrances: Near the back of the tavern, there was a door that I swear wasn't there when I got there.  A man stepped out, and smoked from a pipe for a few minutes, before returning inside.  Sure enough, when he closed the door, there was just a wall!" Anneth treats this like it is quite the discovery.

"Hm, that is powerful magic!" mulls Rodrigo. "Perhaps a powerful mage owns this establishment. And yet, has designs he does not wish an elf to know about. Well, if you are still willing, I would like to learn what we can. If there is a plot, we may very well be able to warn the victims before it comes to fruition!"

"I'd make a quip about needing a license, but that would keep us from snooping about all the longer!  Let's get to changing history!"

"I'm good with that plan. Though that disappearing door makes me wonder that there might be others inside so keep a sharp eye."

Anneth is the first one to walk into the pub, which is calle The Barrel of Monkeys. Even though it has saloon doors, the inside is rather strange.

It has a high ceiling which has been painted to look like a jungle. Very high quality work. There are several cargo-type nets strung across the ceiling, with mosquito netting hung over all the windows. And there are plants all over the place, some even growing up in the nets. There is an earthy smell to the place, which draws Anneth's attention to the large pots that the plants are growing out of.

The tables and chairs are all made from bamboo. Even the bar has a bamboo front.

In the center of the room is a large wine barrel.

There are several people in the place, including several Dwarves. Two are throwing darts at a target on the wall. There appears to be two other game stations as well.

Conversation seems to be normal for a pub.


Rodrigo has learned that what he knew as a cafe in Belcadiz is called a pub in Glantri City and most other areas. Of course, there are some differences. Food and drink are common to both, but pubs are also oriented toward entertainment, which is mostly gossip, but may have other things, such as arm wrestling, darts, even musicians.

Sitting at the bar there were several patrons. However, one patron looked a bit out-of-place here. A very tall humanoid with orange-yellow skin, jet black hair and very large ears. One could tell even from the back it was almost certainly a hobgoblin. And not dressed for relaxing either, clad in chainmail and leather. The only sign that he was at all what one would call 'friendly' or even differentiate him terribly from any other of his kind was the green and white tabard the city liked to make certain marginally welcome visitors wear.

He was hunched over the bar, pouring over some papers of some sort. With the crooked way he was sitting, it was likely he was near the bottom of the third or fourth tall tankard of whatever it was he was drinking, though possibly not in this establishment, or had possibly been up much longer than was healthy. With so many Dwarfs about, it was surely something of a miracle that he'd managed to be here for any time at all without being dragged into a brawl. Or maybe he had and it had ended quickly since the other customers had given him a some distance leaving the stools on either side of him empty.

As a matter of fact, the only seats available were the two on either side of him. If the group wanted to sit down at the bar, they would have to take those seats with no more than two of them being able to sit on either side... or try asking him to move.

'Charming!' Anneth thinks to herself.  The establishment she entered was unlike any she'd ever seen before.  It had a lot of character, and she found herself mulling over themed taverns, herself...  'Perhaps one on a nice coast somewhere, with beautiful men as servants, and expensive drinks... Maybe one for practicioners of necromancy, that might be a little difficult.' Anneth would make a note of this later!  "Themed Drinking Establishments" would be the header.  At present, she was to assist her companions in assisting her in making money.  Then, when she had enough money, and hopefully a glorious reputation, she would consider making such a place.  Or pass the idea along to somebody as smart and as talented as herself.

The tavern she was in, at present, was pretty full...  The only spaces available were at the bar, and those were next to a big fellow.  A very big fellow.  'Is he a hobgoblin?  Whatever.'  In order for Anneth, Gierdon, and Rodrigo's plan to work, she would need to sit wherever she could, and she would need to think on her feet!  Besides, he might have heard something, or might be of some much-needed help to her.  And her companions, don't forget the companions.

"Where could those two be?" she says to herself, affecting a certain degree of animation.  She saunters over to a seat to the left of the tall creature, saying to herself, "They've got an hour, and then I'm leaving."

She smiles at the closest identifiable (and not busy) servant, and says, "Excuse me, have you seen some friends of mine?  One would be an elf in dark leather, and the other would be a very heavily scarred dwarf?  I was supposed to meet them for conversation and darts, but I don't see them here..." As Anneth trails off of her sentence, she leans back and looks around, as if for Gierdon and Rodrigo.  She sighs.  "In the meantime, could I get whatever specialties you might have, here?  If my friends show up, I'll treat them to their first round..."

Gierdon walked in and cocked an eyebrow at the sight of the inside. A bit much for a tavern. he thought at seeing all of the decor. Immediately he noticed the dwarves playing darts and decided to see if he could join them and see if they new anything about the establishment.

Still somewhat timid around those of his own kind, he slouched slightly as he approached the pair. "Are you here for the masonry work, too?"

Rodrigo waits outside for a few minutes, giving Anneth a chance to learn anything she can about whoever might've been meeting there before.

He doesn't want folks to clam up bad-talking elves, and perhaps mention their nefarious plans for the tree-huggers, by waltzing in right away.

He absently fixes his hair, and keeps an eye out for stalkers, while keeping an eye on the tavern from just around a corner.

It was a good sign that the dwarf hadn't been thrown out immediately. Perhaps it wasn't non-humans in general who were being plotted against. Probably just elves.

Pity he didn't have any of the Erewhon kind hanging about, or he could throw them into the pot and see what boiled over.

He sighs at the lost opportunity.
This message was last edited by the player at 18:15, Wed 12 Feb 2014.

Placing his hands down on his paper with a slight groan as the woman takes the seat next to him, the hobgoblin shakes his head in disbelief and turns to the woman, deciding to take it upon himself to answer her questions in a direct manner.

Speaking in a grunt he tells her begrudgingly, "You can't very well swing a stick in this city right now without hitting a heavily scarred Dwarf. Look around-- there's got to be eight or so in this bar." He takes a quick glance around the room to confirm his count. He is a bit off, but not by much it would seem.

Idly running his hands over the papers he set down on the bar which, if Anneth did decide to glance over them, seemed to be reports about crimes in the city. Sort of an odd material to be pouring over in a pub.

"And last I heard, as a rule they don't even let elves into this city. No magic, you know. Never heard of an elf without magic... But I ain't exactly the one making the calls either," he seemed to have a little doubt about this part, but one might also gather from his tone that he had been around here for a while without seeing any elves.

Anneth sighs.  "That is so like Roddy, setting something up that's out of socially acceptable bounds.  I'll have to have a word with him when I see him." Her acting was a little rusty.  She once again leans out of her seat, looking around for her friends.  Spotting Gierdon, she winks in his direction, whether he sees her or not.

"Let's not be strangers while there's so little space, my name is Anneth."

Gierdon:

"Hallo," one of the dart-throwing Dwarves responds to Gierdon. "Yep. Me and my cousins were one of the first batch brought in. You care to test you aim? Gold piece a game."


Anneth:

"No, miss, I haven't seen your friends," the serving wench replies. "Perhaps he's over there with the other Dwarves. We have Drifter ale this week, and Zhar Grand wine."

Rodrigo drums his fingertips lightly while waiting. 'How much time to allow them to investigate?' he wonders, watching a pretty young lady walk by.

'Nonsense, it's only been a few minutes,' he remonstrates himself. 'Can't have even gone beyond exchanging names with a newly-met conspirator yet. I'll give them a few more minutes, then make an appearance. And see how their new friends react to the arrival of an elf.'