Lost Trails: Chapter 12 Phlan

[ewancummins]

LATER...
HIGHSUN AT THE CADORNA COMPOUND

Members of the party gather in the street in front of the two-story, block-wide head quarters of the Cadorna family. The lower level is all heavy gray masonry with few doors and windows, all barred and reinforced while the upper floor is made of heavy timbers and stucco and topped with a red tile roof. A varnished wooden balcony wraps around most of the second level. As the group gets closer, details of carvings on wooden rails and door lintels become clear: fauns and worm-dragons and wild beasts, leaves and vines.

Laborers appear occasionally, coming into or out of a big iron gate that lets onto an inner court, and guards wearing jacks and carrying crossbows and swords put in infrequent appearances in the windows or along the balcony.


Klokulf's arrival brings Theophilus and Alwina, too. The teenage scribe-slave skulks behind his master and casts uneasy glances down the street in either direction.
Alwina smiles when she sees Katrin and waves politely to Benn and the others.


Sir Clive and Tonio have just arrived.

The young laborer looks rather different than before: now he wears a (peace-bonded, if one looks closely) broadsword at his side and a grin on his face. The rim of a wooden shield sticks up over his shoulders.
He's sweating but looks ruddy and hale; as if he's been exercising, not suffering a fever.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Klokulf looks over the compound pensively, with a hand on his chin, and a bronze ring with a green stone on his hand---a ring he did not have before.

"It would be quite fortunate for us if they offered even limited tours of the facility," he remarks, "but such a boon to reconnaissance may not be our lot."

[kintire]

Katrin views it with a professional eye.

"Do we know what these people do? Have they some business we could be interested in? Or some other excuse to pay them a visit?"

Her eyes flick to possible approach routes, lifting to the rooftops.

[ewancummins]

Katrin views it with a professional eye.

"Do we know what these people do? Have they some business we could be interested in? Or some other excuse to pay them a visit?"

Her eyes flick to possible approach routes, lifting to the rooftops.

Kat notes a couple of roof-vents and chimneys which might provide access to a slim and nimble burglar. Of course, the risk of getting stuck in a tight spot with fumes of nasty vapors...

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

Katrin views it with a professional eye.

"Do we know what these people do? Have they some business we could be interested in? Or some other excuse to pay them a visit?"

Her eyes flick to possible approach routes, lifting to the rooftops.

"If some of us pretend to be businessmen to gain an audience," Klokulf replies, "there exists the possibility that we will be watched through the Orb thereafter. That is not to say the idea lacks merit, but it would require careful planning beforehand and minimized observable contact between us after we make ourselves known to the Cadornas."

As an afterthought: "To enact such a confidence scheme could be quite amusing, not to mention a grand testament to our cunning."

[Adam]

"They're a trading house, as far as I'm aware," Bennedict says, "Perhaps we're here as emissaries from Harrowdale, looking to reestablish trade and acquire supplies to get the town back on it's feet." He shrugs. "It wouldn't even really be much of a lie, honestly. Those folks will need some help."

[ewancummins]

Alwina says,
"Oh, yes, we should do something to help those people in Harrowdale! Benn's right. They must still be fixing up their home after those horrid green submen and the Other Things... Hmmm... I guess I don't really know much about trading for what I need--back home in the Palace most things I wanted I could get from the gardens and the Fabricators--but maybe there is something we have that the Cadornas would want? I can't think what..."
The pretty young blonde shrugs and falls silent.

[Wolfglide of the Fraternity]

"Speaking of trading, before I forget," Klokulf begins, tucking a hand into his pack and withdrawing a roll of parchment, "you asked me for this back in Harrowdale, Bennedict---a spell to speak with the dead."

"I do have one condition, however," he says, not yet handing over the scroll, "I would like to observe as you copy it down."

[ewancummins]

OUTSIDE THE CADORNA COMPOUND


The wind shifts, now blowing from the north with a biting chill.
Scattered snowflakes drift over the rooftops.


MEANWHILE, AT THE BITTER BLADE...

"Milk? Hear that fellows? The Zhent just ordered a glass of milk.I thought you Zhentil Keep boys where supposed to be a lot of hardcases. Ha! Can't stomach a mug o' Phlan stout, eh? Izzat too strong for your weak tummy?"

''Hahhaha! Good one, Rogar. Maybe the Zhent wants to suckle Bess's dugs, steal some of that baby milk? Bess, come here, lass."


"Would you like to see a trick?"

""Huh? A trick? Oh, I pick a card, izzat it, milk-drinker? Okay---urk..."


"Here's your milk, mister. Say, what's wrong with Rogar?"

" His drink was too strong for him." Gulps. "Mmmmm. Refreshing."

[alhoon]

Raen looks at the building. "When we find a way in, could some of you create a diversion so I could cast a quick spell to keep an eye out for magic auras?" he asked, his eyes falling on Kat.

[Lord Skybolt]

Alain just stands in the back of the group listening to the paty discuss what may be a good approach to going into the Cadorna compound .

[ewancummins]

AFTER SOME QUIET DISCUSSION...

The party goes to the compound and makes itself known.
The scrolls of honorary citizenship and city keys seem to impress the gatekeepers.
The guards seem not be to surprised that strangers are calling on their master, and the party hasn't long to wait before the 'Harrowdale delegation' is admitted into the courtyard.

A quick search follows. Nothing rough, but guards pat the adventurers down for hidden weapons. Finding none, they beckon the heroes to follow them into a lobby.

In the wood-paneled antechamber, a robed clerk comes through a side door and pauses to examine the group, peering at them through a green-glass monocle. Now and then, he scribbles a note on his horn-book.
He gasps in surprise as he looks at Katrin.

Katrin seizes the chance and distracts the man with a winning smile and some friendly chit-chat--with his attention focused on the winsome redhead the clerk pays no attention to Raen as the wizard steps sideways and casts a spell.

Raen sees

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magic auras coming from his own items and those carried by his companions. He expected that. But what's that strange aura hanging about Katrin? It's the most powerful aura he has ever seen! It's so strong he hardly notices the shimmer from the clerk's monocle. Something in Katrin's pack or her pockets...

After the examination, the clerk issues directives to a guard and the party is soon placed in a comfortable side-parlor with hardwood furniture and a heating lamp; quite snug and warm compared with the blustery chill of the street.
The room contains a tall jug of red wine, several pewter goblets, and some wax-coated hornbooks and styluses.

They are left alone a little while.

[alhoon]

As they are settling in, Raen whispers "That mononcle clerk checked us for magic items." he avoids looking directly at Katherine, but he keeps her in his field of vision to see her reaction. Subtle and discreet.

[ewancummins]

Tonio, the last to enter, closes the parlor door behind Sir Clive.
He takes a seat in a chair he pushes against the wall near the door.

Theophilus fiddles with the warming lamp.

Alwina seats herself at the big central table on Klokulf's right. She scoots her chair a little closer to the priest.

[kintire]

Kat flirts with the clerk until Raen has finished, and a little longer to make it seem natural. As Raen speaks she gives a slight nod to indicate that she has heard, but makes no sign of concern.

She wanders around the parlour admiring the decor, a cup of wine in hand, and surely no one could imagine that she is paying particular attention to the fastenings on any windows, the floor and any noise it makes, the furniture and its positions or the locations of anything that could be of use to burglars. Never.