May 15th

["Turn in"? It's 12ish at noon, we've only just begun.]

For today and the following day, Rory will dedicate time to buying some potions, and he recommends that the others do as well.
Pass Without Trace Potion (keep normies off their trail while working)
Remove Fear Potion (vs Fear effects of security or wards)
Shillelagh (for a fight)
Elixir of Sneaking (sneaking)
Universal Solvent (not potion; to remove strong substances meant to trip them up)
Caltrops (not potion; to delay pursuit when discovered)
Grappling hook (not potion; function obvious)

There must be some shops for hunters that cater to needs of hunters who make quarry of dangerous prey that stock items like these, and Rory will pose as a hunter who hunts things (cuz he does hunt).

He recommends that Javan play the part of a mercenary to browse for the following items, and he'll provide the money to get one of both for himself:
Alchemist Fire (just 1 for Rory) (when discovered: surprise! *splash*)
Smokesticks (whole group) (when discovered: delay pursuit)

In addition, work the mercenary angle to get a couple followers, a Yellow Mage and White Mage, who are up for a heist. Failing that, a weaver with a means of dispelling magic wards, and someone who knows how to use a set of thieves' tools. Promise the heist of a lifetime.

Remaining on Shopping list:

Higaide won't turn in, since it's only 12ist at noon, and we've only just begun.

Rory has no trouble picking up everything on his wishlist, which will run him about 180g total. This includes sacks and flasks as well as oil, but no armor (none for sale in the city).

The real catch comes from trying to grab some followers. Who, specifically, will be attempting this to attempt the CHA rolls necessary? Further, just to make this clear, a failed roll means fighting off the local guard ("Stop, thieves!")

Higaide will be buying a health potion and a sneaking elixir.

Higaide manages to grab a 2d8 healing potion for about 20g and an elixir that helps with Sneak for about 25g.

Guess there aren't any weapons either.

Marked my sheet for one of each on my list. We are going to say I get... 8 sacks, and 5 flasks. Forgot something: I meant to purchase three caltrops(es).

I will buy a Pass Without Trace potion for both K and Javan as well, and put money down for them to each have a smokestick.

Hmm...I think we really only need the yellow mage or weaver. Let's take this slow, first we need to Gather Info to find the local underworld or undermarket bloc. Maybe they can provide us with a skilled mage or weaver, in return for a large cut from the vault (we should pretend we're doing this for the wealth inside the vault.

I was going to ditch my disguise, but I'm gonna keep it as it is still useful, but not now. I'm going to buy some fancy clothes (not too rich) that are out of fashion, imported from Sho, and rub them against my dirty peasant disguise to make them look like they're well-traveled.

Knowledge: Local (Thramada fashion)

K, Javan, Let me know if you're helping.
Gather Info
When: May 16th
Location(s) of choice: rich-but-not-rich bars and venues, weapon stores (I'll pretend I didn't notice that they're closed and just walk in if I can), general stores
What are they called? What illegal practices do they engage in? Where should I avoid?
Motive: concerned citizen looking to keep himself and his friends out of trouble, looking to settle in.
I will devote extra time to this.

Higaide will help Rory.

Another 25g for additional purchases.

Rory manages to find something tailored to suit a Sclavi, the closest race to fit his humanoid form, with some subdued fake scales made from slices of glittering aluminum on top of a dyed silk undershirt. The entire ensemble costs about 10g.

Higaide and Rory both go GIing together (GI JOOOEEE... er, sorry) and snoops around. This will take two hours time, pushing you to about 4 PM by the end, and you will have learned that a Bloc called the Naverre Raiders has dominance in this general region. It is, of course, another piece of the Undermarket that survived and has its headquarters based in Yaraq. In general the Raiders regulate illegal traffic in terms of goods; functioning as a sort of police to prevent smuggling they don't approve of while facilitating smuggling they do. In Thramada, specifically, they seem to be very busy ensuring the local rich well-to-dos don't procure things that would be genuinely dangerous to the town or the people in a flight of fancy, while supplying lots and lots of other illicit substances. Ley Slice is apparently a fairly booming trade in the area.

OOC:

OOC I was under the impression that we would NPC Javan when we're ready to hit the vault.

Sclavi cosplay was once in fashion, huh? Well, here goes. Gotta play the part of a newcomer, Rory thinks to himself as he picks up the undershirt. My only comfort is that I won't be caught dead in this...

Getting out of earshot of people, Rory says to K, "Let's go meet with their boss, tell them what we want from them, and drop the name "Goratin of Shadowtooth", see what they think of the man. Maybe they already have an eye on his security. And if we offer them whatever they want from the vault as long as we get what we're going in for, they won't be able to refuse. We should see if any of them might like to join the 'White Scarf'."

Mission info:

Not having much use for gear, Higaide agrees.

Rory returns to the hotel and takes off his dirty out-of-date mingling suit and sclavi accessory uundershirt, and puts on his peasant disguise.

To find them, Rory and Higaide will go and visit the poor parts of town to tell people that they're in the "slice" trade and that they'll have a supply coming in very soon, and they'll be selling cheap to new customers.

The reason they're lying is to get the attention of the Naverre Raiders. Someone will either go blabbing about it for the Raiders to hear cuz they're excited, or go straight to the Raiders to tell them.

If we gain the attention of a few guards, we'll beat 'em up cuz we're awesome, but leave their stuff alone. We only need to get away. (Situation-dependent action. Fleeing is definitely an option on the table.)

Diplomacy+Deception
We're trying to come off as cool dudes new to the neighborhood capable of bringing about great change. And flat-out lying.

One more thing:

15g additional for the remaining potions. Sadly no potions of Non Detection are available in town.

Rory and Higaide make a bit of a stir but aren't approached or otherwise absconded for the day. In general the people they talk to are more amused than anything, and a few people (in the worst example of an attempt at subterfuge you've seen in a while) say they'll be by later to pick up your stock. After, say, an hour of trying to make waves with no results they can choose to remain at it or go after another avenue.

Okay, screw this. We're looking for the Naverre Raiders. Where are they?

Gather Info
Foot-through-door approach.

Rory and Higaide have no real problem finding a local warehouse which has several Naverre Raiders present. They seem entirely uncertain how to take your door-kicking method, frozen in shock.

[Uh...I'll roll with it.]

"Hey there," Rory grins. It's been a while since he got to do something fun, even remotely fun as roughly mistreating a doorway. "Sorry about the door, we're new in town. You may hear some rumors about us dealing ley slice. We don't, just ignore them. We were trying to get you to come to us instead of blunt-forcing our way to you. which the law could've taken notice to. And also very unlike how we showed ourselves in just now."

"Anyway, I'm Orrin, this is Logan, and that's Jerry behind us. We have an offer for the Naverre Raiders and we'd like to speak to your boss."

OOC:

Higaide shrugs - "Sorry about the door. He does that."

The group assembled there (most of whom appear to be playing some kind of card game, while a few others were counting inventory) look at each other, flabbergasted. However, a well groomed Troll with golden linings on his tusks and several fine robes hanging off his shoulders speaks up. "I'm the Gangboss of this city," he says in a bit of a drawl. "And I'd love to know if you're going to pay for the door," he adds, though you can hear a bit of humor in his tone.

Rory whispers to Higaide, "Another troll...??"

"We think what you'll gain from our proposition would be more than enough, Mister...?"

Sense Motive
This guy better not be Goratin of Shadowtooth!

The Troll gives a cold smile. "Bob." You're pretty sure he's lying through his large teeth.

"Bob. Do you know of a wealthy businessman in this city named Goratin of Shadowtooth?"

Sense Motive
If he's partnered with Goratin, we need to switch gears and tell him that there is an imminent, competent heist in motion to raid his vault and that we can help defend it. If he is Goratin...enhance?

'Bob' frowns. "Well that seems like a highly stupid question. He's only one of the most idiotically rich people in town. Likes lavish parties, throwing money around on stupid garbage. Would you believe he once had a hot chocolate made for him with actual shaved gold in it? I heard it tasted awful too. Waste of flesh." A beat. "Why? You wanna rob him?"

Rory smiles. "After hearing all that? Why would I not? But why haven't you robbed him already?"

"Because we're not interested in robbery? We make plenty of money elsewise, or do you not know how the Raiders work?"

[Whoops. Forgot what they're about, although robbing him is appealing to my Rory.]


"I know you like to make sure that the fancy folk don't keep dangerous 'toys'. We aren't really interested in his riches, but he does have an artifact my people want, something of the weird and unstable variety. It shouldn't stay his for long, as it's just a curious trinket to him."