Your two "volunteers" glare at you.  But grumbling, they follow the three of you down the tower stairwell.

Margildt's chambers are in the southwestern tower.  So to get to the northern warehouse, you can either go out and across the courtyard or follow the servant's corridor through the first floor of the main keep, cut across the northwestern tower's first floor, and then there you are.

The Courtyard is obviously the most direct.  The downside is it's usually busy until evening.  So there will be lots of cross traffic.  Also, if the weather isn't nice, the courtyard becomes the ankle deep mud yard rather quickly.  And of course the clouds up there are looking like angry bruises.  A wind is whipping along too.

The inside route of servants corridor-northwest tower-there you are is longer.  And the servants corridor portion also has traffic.  But it's not as bad as the courtyard.  The real problem is that northwest tower.  A few magi have their residence, most notably Gundren.

Damnable Master Gundren.

He's hateful in a way that defies description, though you lot seldom see him.  He's much too lofty a cloud for your eyes.

But the ones who serve him.  Everyone calls them Gundren's Gargoyles.  They're a haughty bunch who try to lord it over all the rest of you common folk.  And can get away with it because they also do quite a bit of service to Master Stentorius.  And Master Stentorius tends to be the big fist in Fengheld.

But what are the odds you guys will run into any of them today?  Probably just as much chance of a real nasty shower, right?

So which route do you want to take to get these crates?  Courtyard or Indoors route?  Pick your poison please

Glancing at the clouds Leonard croaks, "Let's stay inside."

"Awww, come now, Leonard - it's not raining yet, and we have no boxes yet.  The courtyard is faster for sure.  On the way back, inside.  Come come."

Leonard looks doubtfully at the sky and courtyard outside and then nods as he follows the smaller man.

Wulfgang follows the others, somewhat surprised that Leonard had proven so easy to convince.  Perhaps the giant wouldn't make bread with their bones after all.

In reply to Wulfgang (msg # 13):

You strut across the courtyard like you own the place.  All the pretty maids are batting their eyes and twirling their hair around their fingers as you walk by...

Oh.  Wait.  Johan from the kitchens was walking beside you all.  All the women love Johan.

Damn him.

As you come up to the north warehouse, the clouds overhead finish blocking out the sun.  There's that smell of rain in the air and the wind is starting to pick up.  It's going to be a blow up.

An old man with the bushiest mustache any of you have ever seen is seated at a small desk just inside the doorway.  None of you know his name.  He's just the north warehouse man.  You aren't sure what he does other than...whatever he does here.

He glares at you all and then walks over to a board on the wall.  He's been throwing small knives at it.  From the looks of it, he's not very good.

"Wha'da you lot come around here looking for?  I can smell bad onions when I see 'em.  And that's the likes of you."

Leonard ignores his commentary as he looks down at the old man and says in a croaking whisper, "Mistress Margildt requires five crates fetched and brought to her chambers.  Where are they?  Unless you want to carry them or explain to her why they haven't been fetched?"

Social Handicap (menacing) (-3)
Afflicted Tongue (-2)

Leadership (Intimidation) 5
This message was last edited by the player at 17:12, Sat 25 Mar 2023.

Evzen folds his arms and smiles at the old man. "Too early for difficulties, good sir.  Storm coming for sure, but need not be inside, no? We'll be on our way soon enough..."

In reply to Evzen (msg # 16):

The Old Man stares back at you Leonard.  But soon enough cuts his eyes away.

He gestures back behind him as he goes to collecting his knives from the wall.  "They'd be back there.  Not like I know where everything them Magi stick in here is.  Usually, if it's Mistress Margildt, it's in the back corner there."

He points vaguely to the northeast corner of the room.

If you wish to go hunting for crates, Give me an Aware/Per simple test please

You're always welcome to try other avenues.

"Green circle red flower," Leonard says to himself repeatedly in his scratchy whispering voice as he pushes his way toward the northeast corner of the storehouse.

13:15, Today: Leonard rolled 9 using 1d10.  awareness 3.

So 12.

Though this is an area Wulfgang should shine at.  Just a outstanding roll for Lenny.

15:54, Today: Wulfgang rolled 4 using 1d10.  awareness/per (unadjusted).

In reply to Wulfgang (msg # 19):

Leonard, you manage to find three of the crates.  They're stacked up one atop the other.  Each one is the size of a man laying down.  Not a big man like you.  More Wulfgang or Evzen size.  But they are still pretty bulky.

Lifting one up shows it's not only bulky but heavy.  It's like there's actually a man laying down inside the box.

Outside, the rain hasn't started just yet.  But it feels like it's close.

So there are five of you, three crates.  Each one looks more or less like a coffin.  But no, they aren't.  That you know of at any rate.

No way you can take a crate a person.  At least not that I can think of.

And are you heading back through the interior route?  You can try to make a run across the courtyard.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:14, Sun 26 Mar 2023.

"Missing crate," Leonard notes the obvious, "Someone search, rest carry.  Outside again Evžen?"

The big man takes the top crate off the stack and sets it down with a groan.  Full of insightful observations, Leonard croaks as he looks at the crate, "Heavy."

Knowing a good deal when he hears one, Wulfang searches.

In reply to Wulfgang (msg # 22):

As Wulfgang begins to search the warehouse, the rest of you start to work on moving crates.

Outside, there's a crack of thunder.  Rain soon is your guess.

Wulfgang, make me two Awareness/Per simple tests please.

Leo and Evzen...you have two helpers.  If you make a Atheletics/Str simple test 8-, you can move a crate on your own.  If not, two of you will need to move a crate.

Need to know how many crates you guys can move.  If you can't make those tests, it will only be two crates.  If both of you can make it, you can move all three crates in one fell swoop.

Best hurry.  Once it rains, that courtyard is going to become a bog.  It always does

23:18, Today: Wulfgang rolled 11 using 1d10+6.  Awareness/per #2.
23:18, Today: Wulfgang rolled 10 using 1d10+6.  Awareness/per #1.

Leonard strains trying to lift a crate.

01:19, Today: Leonard rolled 7 using 1d10+6.  athletics 3 str +3.

I hate you too diceroller, I hate you too;-)

Seeing Leonard strain, Evzen shakes his head.  "If it's heavy for you, my friend, it's havier for me.  Let's see if we can get at least two straight across before the deluge, hein? We'll take one, and be in the front, they'll follow us.  Come along, you two [helpers Kurt and Klaus].  Leonard should we carry side-on or front-back?  Either way, you let people know you're coming, and I'll yell out so people know we're coming."

Leonard looks at the crate and then the doorway, "Front and back."

After cracking his knuckles he crouches ready to lift the crate again.

In reply to Leonard (msg # 27):

Leonard and Evzen, you heft up the crate while your two helpers heft up another one.  The four of you start to cross the courtyard...

---

Wulfgang, you push further into the store house.  You spy all kinds of crazy boxes and crates.  All are stamped.  None are stamped with Margildt's symbol.

Green circle, red flower.  Green circle, red flower you repeat to yourself.

And then you see two boxes stuck into one corner.

They are almost identical.  Each one is an arm's length across.  And about two hand spans tall.  They don't seem too heavy.  You think you could handle carrying it yourself.  It's just the symbol.

One has a green circle surrounding a red kind of flower.  And the other has a red flower with a green circle at it's base.


Huh...

---

There's another boom of thunder over head.  Big fat drops of rain begin to pelt down upon you Leonard and Evzen.

And this crate is damn heavy...

You guys can just stay stay the course.  Or you can try to double time it across the rest of the courtyard.  If you double time it, give me an Athletics/Str test please.  And both of you please give me an Awareness/Per test as well

Thanks

Leonard turns his head back and forth to see where he's going as he grunts and tries to get the crate across the courtyard before the downpour.


23:58, Today: Leonard rolled 7 using 1d10+6.  athletics 3 str +3.

23:57, Today: Leonard rolled 9 using 1d10+3.  awareness 3.

"Urrkk. Leonard, lift man! I am like a pup to your mastif, I cannot carry it alone!  Let's get this dog of a box across the box, before the sky upturns its box of water!

Make Waaaaayyyyyyyyy! Mysterious Magi Box here! Out of the wayyyy!"


20:06, Today: Evzen rolled 7 using 1d10+1.  Athletics?
20:06, Today: Evzen rolled 8 using 1d10+3.  Awareness?

In reply to Evzen (msg # 30):


Leonard and Evzen, you both power across the courtyard, bellowing your coming as you go.  The two men following you are keeping pace.  Barely.

There's riders coming in the gate.  You both come aware of them at the same time.  It's a large party.  It seems one of the magi is returning home.

And that's going to cause you issues.  Because they are going to swarm into the area you have to cross dead ahead.  You can try to rush through yourselves.  Or you'll need to swerve to the left and follow the keep wall.  That will get you out of the way.  But probably extend your tote time.

Looking back at the others struggling with their crate Leonard made a snap decision, "To the right!"

He backpedals carrying their burden towards the wall with Evzen.

"Crates!  Crates for Magi coming through!  Give way! Give way!"