"Yeah, it's like that. Let's go."

Thelik leads Allura to a largish building... he points at it from down the block a bit. "In there. Ready...?"

(Presuming the answer is some form of "yes," he adds) "Just follow me. Don't get ahead of me. Don't step too far from wherever I step once we're inside... don't touch anything you don't see me touch. Got it?"

Nods and follows his directions to the letter understanding how Ways of Chaos work.

(Hmmm... Roll Agile... but since you're just trying to copy everything Thelik does, give yourself an extra +1 bonus (on top of your usual Agile bonus)...

...except I just remembered you have a -1 penalty coming from earlier, so let's say they cancel out... Just roll for Agile with a regular +1 bonus)

12:05, Today: Allura Caryx rolled 6 using 2d6+1.  Agile.
And I fail again Ha ha ha

Thelik uses a couple of pieces of flat ironwood to raise a window... then he leads Allura in sneaking up the stairs...

On the second floor, he is working on picking a lock...

...When Allura accidentally knocks over a heavy silver vase of dried flowers.

BONK it goes on the carpet.

There is a sound from downstairs.

(Allura gets 1 new xp and a new -1 penalty on her next roll)

Thelik grabs Allura's arm and hurries her down a hall... He stops at a door, fiddles with the lock-- for about 3 seconds, apparently it's a much easier lock-- and pulls Allura inside and closes it behind him.

It's a room filled with files and cabinets and boxes, apparently where old records are kept.

"Hide!" Thelik whispers.

He jumps silently up into the near corner of the room, standing on a filing cabinet, and becomes perfectly still. He looks away from the door so his pale face won't immediately stand out to anyone walking in and glancing around, just his black hair...

(If Allura tries to find a place to hide, roll Insightful.
If Allura tries to do what Thelik's doing in the other near corner, roll Agile.
If Allura just tries to Charm or Bluff whomever might come in the door, roll Charming.
If Allura changes form and jumps out the window nearby, roll Forceful.
If Allura tries something I haven't thought of, let me know.

Don't forget your -1 penalty, though...)

Allura tries to do what Thelik is doing but in a shadowed corner due to her dark features.

She remains quiet waiting and hoping for the danger to pass.



15:26, Today: Allura Caryx rolled 10 using 2d6.  Flat 2d6 Agile roll with the penalty.

Soon there's some mumbling outside, and someone's moving a lantern back and forth in the hall, and someone's checking doors...

They open the door of the file/records room, and look around... but only at eye level.

It's a human... an older fellow...

He doesn't look up in the corners nearest to him where Thelik and Allura are...

He closes the door again.

Thelik turns to look at Allura and gestures: Wait, don't do anything yet, just wait, he motions to her...

Just nods and stays put.

Thelik silently gets down... listens...

Opens the door a crack...

Then peeks into the hallway...

Then opens it wider and peeks the other way...

He motions Allura down. "Come with me. Gonna try the other door again. Your job now is to keep watch. Tap me on the shoulder if someone's coming. If they do, I guess we'll run back in here again. Don't knock that thing over again."

Thelik and Allura enter the hall. Thelik closes the door of the file room.

He hurries to the other door and starts carefully picking its lock again. The silver vase has been put back, its flowers put back in.

(Roll Insightful please...)

16:26, Today: Allura Caryx rolled 6 using 2d6.  Insightful.

OOOOPS. Allura got too into watching what Thelik was doing, or maybe she got too into watching just one direction down the hall, because suddenly there's a voice-- "Hey! What're-- what're you kids doing?!"

It's a guard, with a shuttered lantern (apparently keeping the lantern dark to try to sneak up on whoever was up here, which worked).

What now?

(Allura gets 1 new xp and takes -1 on her next roll...)

Charm


09:23, Today: Allura Caryx rolled 10 using 2d6+1.  Charm.

"Well, well, well, and you said they were lazy and lax. Seems they are capable." Allura strides up to the guard all bravado and confidence, "Anlance with secure checking services. In employ of his house." Motions her head in Thelik's direction.

"Were here to make sure all level's of security are in compliance as well as capable of defence, we are here testing to make sure that YOU are doing your job and doing it well. It seems that you are. Let me get your name so that I can add that to my report to them when the full report is made. It will probably mean a promotion."

She glances to Thelik, "You continue with that see if those locks are in compliance or not. Just because this guard here was sharp and excellent in his service to House Sawall doesn't mean everything here is so up to standards and they want a full report as you well know."

Spinning a tale that they are checking security for the House and keeping the guard busy chatting him up while Thelik continues on with their mission.

The man is apparently just an elderly human, around perhaps 55 years of age.

(Human longevity is rather shorter than usual, in most places in the Black Zone.)

"I... but... My name is Giouri..."

Giouri is not at all sure what the hell is going on, is very confused...

"Well, you Sir have done well, when they read this report Giouri, they will know you are doing your job. Which is much better then the punishment that would come if the report read that the guard did not detect anything in our security check here. Now Giori, we performed a little check earlier, I want to ask you if you noticed anything during that check and what it was that you noticed. All of this is to help out for the best report we can provide for the House hmm ?" Allura will try to take time, talking with the guard so that Thelik can complete their mission.

"Well-- I-- I heard-- I heard the-- the noise... That-- when I came up here the first time, that silver vase had been knocked over..."

There is a very small click. Thelik turns to Allura. "I'm in, ma'am," he says, playing along...

"Check out security inside the room as per our orders. Giouri, here did hear the noise and found the vase as it had been left. I want to get the details on that. Good ear Giouri. The sound check we honestly did not think  would have drawn any attention, the vase was a different matter but you mentioned you heard something before even seeing the vase. Very astute." Allura nods like she is proud of him.

"Now for details on the vase." She goes on to ask questions on positioning of the vase when he saw it, and if he noticed any of the flowers missing from it. Making sure to make sounds of approval or disapproval depending on what he says but more positive sounds for Giouri to feel good about himself.

Allura changes to demon form which is more attractive in it's own way and certainly should hold the guards attention.


14:31, Today: Allura Caryx rolled 10 using 2d6+2.  Charm.

"Now Giouri, don't go ignoring me, I might just feel badly about it if you do. I am not just a human but a Lady of a great house as well, so I take my job as seriously as you take yours !" She tssk tssk tssks a bit and pouts trying to hold his attention and keep him fully focused on her.

"He needs to complete his security check too, a lot more boring stuff really just testing locks and the non living security, while I am lucky. I get to talk with you, though I suppose if you didn't have such good ears, we might not be having this conversation at all." She gives a warm reassuring smile.

Changing to her demon form definitely impresses Giouri. "But... but... shouldn't I sound the alarm...? That's what I'd normally do...?"

(Although Giouri is resisting (very passive-aggressively), Allura doesn't need to roll again for now... Maybe not for a while. I'll let you know when and if she does need to again...)

"Of course not, normally if this were a real break in yes. But Giouri, if you did a lot of people would get credit for doing their job and we want to find who the ones who are the most alert and apt are. It's also right at the end of our own job as well. He just needs to check out some of the locks make sure they are hopefully more secure then that door. That will be added to the report we are going to need to have that replaced. Yes sounding the alarms would cause a great deal more work on everyone's part. It would also let people who were not nearly as aware as you try to claim credit." She shakes her head sadly.

"I... but... I... But he's... he's in there alone... Ah... shouldn't-- we! Shouldn't we be keeping an eye on him...?"

"I am his manager and he is a member of House Sawall. We were hired to do this very job. Trust he is just doing the job his family tasked him with. Where checking security in one of their records archives, not in an artifact or financial store house. What is he going to do, get a receipt he forgot, or check his account ? He should be fine, but if you don't feel safe with a member of your employers house doing their job. I suppose we could check up on him ?"

She looked at the guard questioningly.

(GM rolls dice...)

Based on her wording, Giouri summons up some extra courage. "Y--yes, let's check up on him...!"

Allura nods, "Alright then, We need to check on your work personally !" She says to give Thelik heads up. As she strides to the room with the guard.

"Mmmmhm." She nods as if noting something for the report she had made up.

Thelik looks a little annoyed at the interruption, but plays along. "The locks on these cabinets are easier than the door, ma'am, but that's to be expected." He looks at the papers in front of him from an open filing cabinet. "Nothing too important here... There are some mildly important papers that've been left out on the desk, but nothing that an enemy of the House would likely find worth stealing..."

It's hard to say if Thelik really means it or not.

At least Giouri seems appeased for the moment...

Allura moves to the desk to look at the papers.

First to see if the papers are important to them but also as a chance to put the guard on a bit of the defensive to give them more leeway.

"Do you know who was in here ? Who may have left these papers out ?" Looking through the papers, "Yes minor, but the family will want to know these were left out anyway."