May 16th

Rory gets four Endurance potions. For some reason, he doesn't think trying to gain the shopkeeper's silence will be useful.

"Nothing else for us here," Rory whispers. "They're probably listening. Might even be Scanning. Follow my lead."

Assuming they have gotten what they wanted as well (not "done shopping", this is not a "shopping" trip):
He makes for the nearest manhole.

[Sewer time. We're gonna backtrack in the sewers to the entrance to the mansion. Sound good?]

As it happens there's a sewer grate not overly far from the shopkeep's, out next to the edge of the street.

After a few minutes of traveling down the busy city streets and discussing it, it slowly occurs to you that finding a tail in this is going to be a bit difficult as just about everyone is staring at your group for one reason or another. In addition to being 'that lovely group of mummers', those who haven't yet heard the news are openly staring at the exposed Javan, and at the two Humans who are quite an oddity to see in these parts.

Regardless, there are several sewer entrances you've already mapped out nearby if you choose this path. If you choose the outskirts, it'll be a few hours walk to the outer edges of town.

I have a smokestick. Is there any wind?

I'm not sure about creating a cloud of smoke for the purposes of avoiding attracting attention.

There is a decent breeze going through the city right now.

ooc:

Rory stands over the manhole, and shouts, "Freedom fighters, away!" and lights the smokestick. When the smoke billows up, he grabs the manhole cover and whispers to the others, "Quickly, help me with this."

Higaide sighs - "I'm sure no one will ever figure out where we went." - then lets the smoke rise and lifts the manhole.

The three manage to pass their initial Constitution rolls to avoid wretching on the spot. Both sadly and fortuitously, Thramada's sewers are of the older style, not the more modern Woven style that cities like Holtburg employ. Which means they are basically just tunnels of sewage that run off to someplace away from the city to be dealt with. This is good, because it means they can fit within. It is bad, because it is quite unpleasant.

After a few minutes waiting quietly, no one seems to be following or observing the entrance, leaving the group with tunnels in two directions. The tunnels aren't especially tall, all three will need to crouch to make it through what were once probably bricks but have since grown over with some type of green algae or mold, and Javan's wings are constantly scraping against the edges of both sides.

"Oh yeah..." Rory gags through his dirty tunic, "...probably should have mentioned the smell."

"They will be waiting for us, you know." He downs an Endurance potion to get back to his nimble self, in case there are any surprises along the way. "To the mansion, then. Let's go."

What are you going to do, Rory? Uh. I'm gonna punch the first guy I see, and on and on till we get what we came for. Subtlety was never your style anyway. I know. I just had to talk big. They called my bluff when they have us this job... *He* can take over. He can probably fix this for us. He can fix my mistakes. How? Do the others know your "plan"? Do they need to? They should.

ooc:

Before rolling for and describing the slog, do Javan and/or Higaide want to do, talk about, or prep anything for the journey? It's going to be hours.

Javan was too engaged on attempting to keep his wings and scarf from getting bruised and/or caught on something to talk during the laborious effort to get to their destination through these sewers. Once he got his left wing caught in a wall-mounted coat hanger, and it's something he wouldn't wish to his worst enemy.

It takes quite a while to make the trek through the sluck and the grock. More than once the group stops at the occasional entrance area, not enough to stick their heads out, but just to get a breath of slightly less horrible air. The party actually takes a wrong turn at one point, forcing a significant backtrack.

Hours later the ordeal finally ends, with Rory stopping the others as he hears reverberating snoring. Around the corner up ahead is an entrance to the sewers that leads up to the central drain for the mansion and, as anticipated, a guard is there on the other side of a gated door. He is sound asleep at the moment, which in itself is somewhat astonishing as the group has not been especially quiet.

A quick glance at the gate and door itself reveal it's nothing fancy, at least not at a distance. The gate is simple iron, the door is wood with metal reinforcements. It has a place for a lock too, and is naturally closed at the moment.

"I could smash right through that and clock the guard," Rory whispers. "Unless one of you has something we can use to pick the lock? I have a quill..."

Higaide shakes his head, cursing himself under his breath for coming to a heist without at least something to pick a lock with.

Rory creeps closer. Is the key to the lock clearly visible?

After a few tense moments, Rory believes he sees a keychain dangling from the guard's shoulder pocket.

Higaide volunteers to take point and approach the guard. Place might be trapped though - this looks too easy - so he'll be especially alert for that and proceed with caution. If he makes it to the guard without hindrance, he'll signal Rory over to restrain and silence the guard if he wakes up in the attempt to remove they keys (optimal result is taking the key and opening the door with no one being the wiser).

Rory nods at Higaide and places his fingers over his lips to make the gesture for silence, and accidentally dabs his lips with some sewer gunk. He lurches hardily, almost vomiting, and wipes the putrid substance off on his tunic. "Almost got it in my mouth," he winces.