Without moving, Etz studied the circle, making sure he knew exactly where its limits were and to estimate how difficult it would be to bypass.  Also, he looked for another circle, possibly a more subtle one.  Often the purpose of the obvious security measure was to get you to stop looking, but security always means something worth securing, and nothing he saw so far was worth such an effort.

His goal was to walk the perimeter of the building, looking for hidden places where two boys might be held, both underground and hidden in the upper levels.  Failing that, he planned to find the office where ledgers or other information might lead to the boys or their captors.

07:57, Today: Etzagith rolled 2 using 4 Fudge dice.  Lore +1 to evaluate the circle.
Sorry, it wasn't clear to me.  Am I inside the circle or could I move around it into the rest of the warehouse?

As Etzagith went to take a further step in, he spied the slightest drift and twinkle of a magical circle, and found he was standing on the lip of one. 

Neither outside nor inside, but actually on the line, which would mean pretty much right up against the wall...

It's a circle, and it doesn't extend outside the door.  So,there gotta be space outside the arc on either side.  the circles do not overlap.
This message was lightly edited by the GM at 05:52, Sat 23 May 2020.

So, nothing from the Lore roll?

Etzagith very carefully stepped to the side, trying not to disturb the circle at all.  This is just another security system, like a dozen others.  Maybe a little more sophisticated than some others I've seen, but that just tells us that we're on the right track.  There's no way this warehouse would justify such a system if they were only what they pretend to be.  He continued with his plan to explore the warehouse, and was doubly careful with his next steps.

So, nothing from the Lore roll?
Okay, sure.  It's a magical circle.  The sigils look like the kind associated with making noise, a distant location, and some sort of mark or curse.

He continued with his plan to explore the warehouse, and was doubly careful with his next steps.

At this point, I would suggest creating an Aspect that would suggest that Etzagith either has a map or has a pre-existing familiarity with this facility.  We'd want to define precisely how this came to be, but that can be a metagame discussion.   I don't want to sideline this active thread to make that happen...   It's a big warehouse.  He could spend half an hour going up and down the corridors of stored goods, looking for a chamber where the boys might be kept to clues to their whereabouts.

Etzagith is at the north wall now.   The West wall has the main entrance and office.  The East wall is the rear of the building, where there is another doorway.  The South wall... unknown.  But it's about   Either way, he's going to have to thread his ways through corridors of stored items.

So, where does he go?
This message was last edited by the GM at 10:06, Wed 03 June 2020.

Etzagith slapped his forehead.  Of course, just a standard remote alarm.  I can't believe I didn't recognize it just because the runes are upside-down to me.  I've probably already triggered it, so the big thing is not to be here when they check.

He looked up at the inner structure of the warehouse, and realized that it is the same sort of construction as that Trylor-Duun warehouse where, almost a year ago, he took that chest full of pearls.  It was only 5 or 6 blocks away and was probably built by the same crew.  He had spent four days casing that joint, and could still recall the entire layout.  The front entrance is there, and the weird, off-center pitched roof goes that way, so this must be a mirror of that one.  That would put the secure storage ... there.  He headed directly toward the point, avoiding the security circles if possible.  If not, he limited himself to re-triggering the one he has already set off.  He stuck to the shadows and moved noiselessly -- precautions which were second nature and didn't even require thought.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:41, Sat 23 May 2020.

09:26, Today: Etzagith rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Burglary (+3) to intuit the layout of Blue Sails
Success with Style!
10:06, Today: Etzagith rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Burglary (+3) plus infiltrator stunt to unlock secure area.
a total of +6.  I suspect that will succeed, as well.

Etz crept towards the center of the building, moving mostly south but jagging west, towards the front.  If I'm right about the building, that plaster form for making anchors will be right ... hmm ... oh, it was here, but it's broken up.  Etz grabbed a fist-sized chunk of plaster and climbed a tall stack of lumber to check for guards.  There's one, headed towards the boarded up door.  If I were just a thief, I'd be headed along the wall, so let's give him the target he expects.  He threw the hunk of plaster to the east, sailing it over the wall of flax and hay to crash against something beyond it.

The rogue crossed the center point of the warehouse to the secured area he was expecting.  It was a large iron structure with ceramic inside, and Etzagith realized that it must have been a forge at one time.  It's not big enough to hold the boys, but surely the books will be here, or maybe some clue.  The lock was better than most, but still not a challenge for the thief.

The center of the warehouse was cleared around the forge-casing.  Corridors led off in all directions, but from this vantage point, they all seemed to originate from here.  There were lanterns posted--not raw torches.  These ones gave off a faint plume that suggested coal oil or leviathan blood.*

The inner vault had a stack of boxes--perhaps two dozen in total.  Some were boxes of extremely ornate carvings, others plain and unobtrusive.  The kind that didn't warrant any further attention.  If one weren't actually a thief!

At the rear of the little chamber, a set of diagonally canted slats allowed the storage of several scrolls, each tied off with a a colored ribbon, indicating the sigil of ownership and some protective wards.  Many were ancient vellum, and no few were wrapped in oiled skins.  Below that a low shelf with books--with real paper.  Leather-bound covers for most.  Some were obviously magical in nature, others...  hard to tell.

At the top of the shelves, above the scrolls, were a handful of additional items.  A brass and copper item with a curved angle on one side and a movable slide on the other.  There was a pale, porcelain-like apple with two copperish leaves.  There was a figurine of a cat carved of what appeared to be a jagged black glass, it's eyes two tiny inset jewels.

But the level of dust on the shelves indicated that the scrolls and books had not been disturbed for a very long time.  And there was a sheaf of vellum with what appeared to be the sigil of the College of Magic.   It was the only thing that wasn't covered in dust.

As Etzagith looked over the contents of the forge chamber, the guards' echoing footsteps could be heard getting closer. Then,

"Oi!"  a male voice called out, thick and slurred with drink.   "Keep yer boys in line.   "It wasn't the rats this time.  If I have to come back one more time, I'm turfing the sodding lot of you!  You're not worth the coin.  A couple hours til sundown, then it's free sailing.  So, don't fuck it up!"  And even as he spoke, the steps were coming closer and closer...



Blue Sails Warehouse Special Storage Area
Applicable Scene Aspects:

• Cleared Space, Lit with Levaithan's Blood
• The Center of the Labyrinth
• A Place for Everything and Everything in it's Place
  

Also:
Leviathan Blood - not really blood.  it's a colloquial term basically meaning oil derived from some of the giant sea creatures (whales?) It burns a little cleaner than coal oil...


This message was last edited by the player at 10:44, Wed 03 June 2020.

Etzagith grabbed the sheaf of vellum, hoping it contained the information they needed.  On an impulse, he also grabbed the cat figurine because it spoke to him and slipped it gently into his belt pouch.  He closed the safe quietly, wincing at the slight metallic click.  He slipped away from the voices, generally heading for the front of the warehouse but staying in the darker areas.

As he circled around, he came within sight of where the earlier altercation had been, though it seems quiet now.  Oooh, a fair amount of blood on the ground.  I hope they reach a healer soon.   A youth approached with a bucket and dumped it on the pool of blood.  There was too much for this to clean it effectively, but at least it thinned it out and kept it from being a sticky puddle.

Etzagith started to move around to the large opening where freight is brought in, when a man stepped around the growing pile of blood and started to threaten the Blue Sails shop-keeper.  "So, we make this simple."  the large man said, in a falsely pleasant tone.  "Give it over to my keeping, and I'll make sure it gets where it's got to go.  You won't need to fret about it any more."  Etz felt sympathy for the man, knowing full well the helplessness one feels with bullies too strong to fight.

"Dangerous piece of work that," the thug continued.  "I've heard that men died to find it, rode others and leapt bodies just to keep it out of the wrong hands.  You wouldn't want that to happen to you, would you?  Let me take that weight off your shoulders.  I mean, we have an understanding, right?  I'm only thinking of your safety, Migram.  You've had a lot of attention today..."

Etzagith remained motionless.  He knew he was in the man's peripheral vision and any movement could be picked up, even here in the darker corner.  Finally, the warehouse manager, Migram, moved a bit to one side, causing the larger man to turn a bit more away.  This is where this Migram fellow would be reaching for a weapon if he were going to, and I'm sure the thug knows it.  He'll have no attention left over.  Etz took the opportunity to slide silently out the edge of the freight opening.  Replacing the earring for the third time that day, he transformed once again into Liza Gallim and turned to walk along the front of the opening as if just emerging from the alley.

Liza spotted Cara and Monaolana, and strutted in their direction, but not directly towards them.  I don't want to mess up anything they might have going on.  She sauntered past them, keeping her head straight ahead but meeting their eyes, and continued into the pub that they had just left.  Finding an empty table, she sat down, asked the serving girl for some strong tea, and pulled out the vellum to see what she had.

Oh, that's lovely!

Etzagith took the vellum sheets with the royal seal & the cat figurine.

That will give me all sorts of things to play with...

@Brollox
"Dangerous piece of work that. I've heard that men died to find it, rode others and leapt bodies just to keep it out of the wrong hands.  You wouldn't want that to happen to you, would you?  Let me take that weight off your shoulders.  I mean, we have an understanding, right?  I'm only thinking of your safety, Migram.  You've had a lot of attention today..."

A firm voice from behind Brollox--a deep tone, resonant--speaks about ten feet from the man. "Or she could not, and you could listen to a better idea."

Brollox turns to fins Manaolana standing there, his somber eyes burning like sunlight through a forest. His chiseled form is less now like a statue and more like a coiled spring, taut, save for his face, which is a curious kind of calm.

"I would have a word, Brollox." There is nothing insincere or sarcastic at all about his tone, indicating that either the Khadidi did not quite understand what he interrupted or simply didn't care.

A firm voice from behind Brollox--a deep tone, resonant--speaks about ten feet from the man. "Or she could not, and you could listen to a better idea.  I would have a word, Brollox."


Brollox rolled his eyes in a swaggering show of exasperation.  Of course he'd been expecting to be followed.  With what he'd just overheard, it sounded like a bunch of people might be after this Seversi thing.

Brollox grabbed his belt and adjusted it over his impressive girth.  "Okay.  What?"  he said impatiently.  "What's so important that you need to interrupt me and the shopkeeper, here?  He and I have business.  Don't we Migram?  And you're interrupting.  So, I'm thinking it's going to be pretty damned important.  Or maybe you don't want your Khunic bitch to overhear, hm?"

Migram, for his part, took a step backwards, nearly slipping on the puddle of blood and water in the doorway.   This wasn't his day.  Three fights--now probably four--in one day.


Yeah, this is an outright Provoke attempt.
Brollox rolled 1dF(+2) + 2 for Provoke(+4)

You may defend with whatever you think is appropriate.  Will is typically used as a defense against Provoke, but if the narrative supports it, I'm easy.

Aspects in the Front Room:
Brightly Lit Front Room
Wood Countertop
A Pool of Blood & Water

More than happy to take suggestions on additional or alternate Aspects!

'Ola's eyes blaze. A few muscles on his right arm twitch. However, his stance holds and his tone remains steady. "It is, in fact, my companion who would like to speak further with you. And perhaps we might have a business proposition for you that would be worth more to you than what you have here."

He watches the man's face carefully...

Invoke Warrior Raised by Monks Seeking a Mission in Life; Control, you get a FATE point. Total of 5 to beat your 4 to resist the Provocation.

Rolling a Rapport check, getting a total of 3. I might consider invoking some other aspects if he rolls better than that.

17:03, Today: Manaolana rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Persuasion: Rapport adds +2.
16:54, Today: Manaolana rolled 0 using 4 Fudge dice.  Defending vs. Provoke: Will adds +3.

Cara walked up behind Manaolana, whispering lightly so that only he could hear.

"The bigger a scene this makes, the better.  Make it clear we don't appreciate poachers."

When she had said her piece, she tried to step into an alcove and out of the limelight, leaving things somewhat awkwardly to the warrior monk who had just declared that this was her business.

---

Describe the Action: Slip away while everyone is distracted

Roll the Dice: 23:34, Today: Cara rolled 1 using 4 Fudge dice ((1, 0, -1, 1)).

Determine Approach: Stealth, brings the total to +2

Choose an Action: Is that Overcome?
This message was last edited by the player at 00:12, Sat 20 June 2020.

Etzagith looked at Cara walking away and started to wonder.  Maybe she only hears one third of the words I say.  Why does she think I have a contact in there?  He quickly followed after, but stayed off to the side and then slipped in the through the freight entrance and stepped into the darker side.  I need to find the man attached to the voice I heard, the one who said "A couple hours til sundown, then it's free sailing.  So, don't fuck it up!"  He's the one who knows what's going on.

Etzagith reached into the inner pocket of his pouch and pulled out a set of small spell chits.  He unrolled the cloth and looked through the markings on the finger-sized pieces of bamboo until he found the one he wanted.  He fixed an image in his mind of Duke Churthen's livery, the color and the markings the designated his inner guard.  Etz's cloak shimmered until it matched his mental image, when it locked into place.  He walked obliquely towards the edge of the office area, where 'Ola and Cara both stood, the big man confronting the bully Etz saw earlier.  Etzagith was not trying to remain hidden, but was not drawing attention to himself, either, just walking as if he had a perfect right to be there.  He listened intently for the voice of the man he heard earlier.

"It is, in fact, my companion who would like to speak further with you. And perhaps we might have a business proposition for you that would be worth more to you than what you have here."

Brollox offered a toothy grin a little too wide and a little too fat.  "Get you in good with that swift little bastard, eh?"  He said but he didn't put much weight or inflection behind the words.  "Whats Khunic coin worth now, anyway?"




--
Manaolama -1 Fate Point (+2 to defend vs Brollox provoke)

"swift little bastard" probably refers to Zaichus the Swift (you introduced in Message #4 of this thread).

You've apparently got Brollox' interest.
This message had punctuation tweaked by the player at 12:01, Thu 18 June 2020.

As Etzagith strode into the first room of the Blue Sails Warehouse, Migram didn't give him much of a look.      But when Etza crossed the room with nary a word and strode right on into the storage area, Migram suddenly became agitated.   Everyone had to check in!

Then it dawned on him.   The fight that took Mikel and Yvon out of the picture, Brollox sauntering in and throwing his weight around.  The whole thing was a set-up.

"Hey!" Migram shouted. "You can't just stroll in!  Give us a moment and we'll get you to sign the registry.    What's your Lord after, eh?"  There was something off about the cloaked man..  Something Migram couldn't quite place.

I'm going to hold off a little on the cost of failure.  Figure something'll go down momentarily...
This message was last edited by the player at 14:50, Wed 17 June 2020.

Etzagith listened to the man's voice, hoping it was the one he had heard before, but it was not.  Of course, it seemed he recognized the cloak, so perhaps he is also knows what's going on, but for right now, Etz wanted to find the one source he knew had some information.

Etz barely gave the man a glance, scowling as though towards an insect that is not worth the time to step on.  He made a dismissive gesture and continued into the warehouse proper, striding quickly and purposefully.  The man would have to run to catch him, now.  Reaching into a pocket, Etzagith pulled out a smoke bomb, just in case.  If he could make it around this aisle of carpets stacked almost to the rafters, he would make a couple of quick turns and get lost in the warehouse once again.

"Do you really want to do this here, while the pool of blood from the previous fight is still wet on the floor?"  Manaolama asked in a low, but clearly threatening voice.

Cara froze, waiting to see how Migram reacted to Etzagith.

"You!" Migram cried, "You cannot go back there!   Hollis!  You've got an intruder!"

There were rows upon rows of merchandise.  Barrels stacked to the roof in one side,  Shelves of baled grain piled in another.  And beyond those, boxes and chests, bolts of fabric, and folded cloths, sailcloth and sealing-wax and raw lumber, and oiled lumber, and so much more.

The warehousde extended for a long way off.   And from the long corridors came two men from the left and another from the right side.

"Oi!"  one of the big guys from the left side called out.  "You got no business here.  Turn around now or you won't be leaving on two legs."  Now, that was a voice Etzagith recognized.

• Foe #1 (left side): "Oi" is wearing stiff leather armor, and carries a sword
• Foe #2 (Left side): A wiry little man in loose cloth.  He carries two daggers.
• Foe #3 (right side): A guy in a loose fitting leather jerkin a size too big.   He does not appear to be carrying any weapons.

• Zone 1: The Clearing
  A small area cleared immediatey beyond the door leading into the warehouse.   To the left are three stalls with various accumulated goods, a Leviathans' Blood torch on the far wall.   Right ahead, a corridor leading off into the distance.  Perhaps fifteen feet across.   One torch on a central shelving unit that runs immediate y away from them. (they're looking at it sraight on, not horizontally).   One Leviathan' Blood torch illuminates the area there.   TO the Right, a stack of barrels four barrels high.  Each barrel is about four feet tall and as thick as a man.  Each level of barrels is held in place by a thick braided cord.  There are two torches, on on either side of the doorway.
  
  • Barrels Stacked Four High
  • Cramped Quarters
  • Cleared Space, Lit with Levaithan's Blood
• Zone 2: The Front Room
  
  • Brightly Lit Front Room
  • Wood Countertop
  • A Pool of Blood & Water
• Zone 3: Closed Room (Undefined)
• Zone 4: Deeper into the Warehouse
  • Musty, Dank & Dark
  • Pools of Leviathan's Light
  • Over-stocked Labyrinth

This message was last edited by the GM at 15:22, Mon 22 June 2020.

"You!  There you are.  Wait right there," Etzagith shouted, pointing directly at Oi.  "The Duke has another task for you, and there's ..." he puts a little sing-song into his voice, "a substantial bonus involved."  Etz turned back towards the office, "'Ola, Cara, here he is, the one we need to talk to.  Forget THAT fool.  The Duke is DONE with him and his screw-ups."  Etzagith stood on the balls of his feet, ready to dart into the labyrinth of goods if his ruse didn't work.
This message was last edited by the player at 14:00, Mon 22 June 2020.

The lead man (oi) cocked his head to one side and rubbed his stubbled chin with his hand.  "What the'ell are you goin' on about?"

The one without weapons raised an eyebrow.  "Pennryn's Insignia.  Hollis."  he said.  "No, something's not right..."  and he narrowed his eyes, then laughed, a high, reedy sound.

"This one," he pointed at Etzagith, "must have been lookin' in a mirror when he got his crest sewn.  It's bloody backwards!"

Oi let out an exagerrated sigh.  "We ain't gonna tell you again.  'm sure the Pennryn duk'll pay good coin to figure who's been pretendin' to be one of his.  Maybe we caught our thief, boyz.  Brazen little screw-up, ain't he?  GET 'IM!"


--
OOC:
Failure to deceive was based on failed roll from creating the crest.

Initiative Ranking (based on Notice)
+3 Etzagith, Unarmed (Right Side)
+2 Cara (when she gets there--not there yet)
+1 Hollis (Sword), Daggers (left side)

As we are in combat, if you want Etzagith it is particularly important to me that you phrase your actions in OOC comments in game terms:  Attack, defend, overcome or create advantage.   If you don't, I'll make my best interpretation of what you intended.





This message was last edited by the player at 15:18, Mon 22 June 2020.

Where'd the map go?  I love maps.  (It's the hobbit in me.)

Also, don't forget that Etz's initiative is not based on notice, but on instinct from years of being ambushed by cruel older brothers.  It worked out the same this time, but remember that I ALWAYS go first.  (Here's Karen again. :-)  Also, my Reflexes stunt.)

Using stealth to Create an advantage to be used next round.
10:46, Today: Etzagith rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice.  Stealth (+4) to create an advantage.
Good gravy.  What's it like when the die roller gives you a positive number?  I wouldn't know.  Still, +3 is probably enough.

Rules question:  The "Hello Darkness, My Old Friend" stunt I get from my mantle, I assume that can be used just once per scene?  If so, I'll wait and use it in an attack.


Etzagith ducked into an aisle between a stack of some small barrels, maybe booze of some sort? and a tall mound of burlap sacks holding grain.  Near the end of the collection of barrels he was able to climb up over the edge of the pyramid and ease himself down in the next aisle, closer to Oi.  One of the barrels shifted and threatened to fall, but he was able to catch it with just a small bump as he eased it back into place.  Once that was secured, he quietly slid his dagger out of its sheath.
This message was last edited by the player at 16:04, Mon 22 June 2020.