(03) Scouting the Ruins

[sully]

Thanis continues to observe the goings-on while waiting for all hell to break loose when Tass summons a demon or something similar...

[mgtremaine]

Tass listens to their conversation while trying to judge if he can make unseen into the main cathedral.

[waysoftheearth]

Tass eaves drops on the mens' conversation for a minute or two...
He soon deduces they are talking about engineering issues around the reconstruction project. Apparently, some of the supporting beams for the new roof will be load bearing, and the quality of timber being acquired is unlikely to be fit. Also, there is some contention around how to drain the excess water that is preventing the wall footings from being replaced....

...while trying to judge if he can make unseen into the main cathedral.

This will come down to a throw of the dice.

DD4 allows all theives a basic 4 in 6 chance of doing anything sneaky, regardless of level. This is nice and simple to play, but lacks a bit of finesse re higher level thieves improving their skills. However, we're running DD5 here, and DD5 isn't final on this point yet. I'm still on the fence about whether DD5 should include a progressive element for theives... on one hand, it would diverge from the source material. On the other hand, it would address a basic expectation around thief skill progression.

The short version is that: any progressive element in DD5 would be at the granularity of "tiers" of FC; that is: normal, heroic, and superheroic tiers of thiefy skillz. This maintains a nice symmetry with the fighter's FC, and refrains from descending into fiddly percentage progression per level and paltry modifiers for this, that, and the other. Most likely, this kind of extension would be included in DD5 as an optional appendix.

So, pulling it back to Tass' current situation, it all comes down to a comparison between his and his opponents' relative tiers. I.e., if the engineer (and his men...) are equal tier with Tass (a Varlet/3rd level thief is normal tier, a thief, and Hobbets <<are able to blend into the background and make excellent scouts>>), then he would have the usual theif-y better-than-even-chance of getting by them. If, on the other hand, if the engineer is of a superior tier, then Tass' chances of getting by him would be reduced accordingly.

[mgtremaine]

Since Tass is daring and AGILE he decides to sneak into the main cathedral under the assumption the humans and busy and unaware. What could go wrong?

[waysoftheearth]

Tass realises the men are deeply engrossed in their discussion and, as they lean over the table to peer intently at some nuance of their drawings, the Hobbet sneaks silently by them to slip into the next room... the great nave of the cathedral.

The nave is a hall large enough for a congregation of a several hundred. It is perhaps 80ft long and 30-40 wide. Tass notes right away that half of the wall to his right is collapsed, and most of the roof is missing; wide open to the sky. The workmen he saw earlier clamber upon scaffolding on the outside of the building, paying him no mind, as they attend to the damage...

Inside, two rows of tall, ancient pillars run the full length of the hall, flanking a mostly open (barring litter and rubble) central passage that separates two rows of dilapidated pews. The columns lead all the way to a broad dais at the far end of the nave, whereupon squats a broken old pulpit. Behind it is an imposing facade that reaches toward the collapsed roof. It would have once been a glory of religious symbolism... but now is a bleak stone wall. To either side, archways give access to deeper recesses of the temple.

More immediately, Tass sees a couple of hooded monks on the dais (roughly 80ft away) muttering quiet vexations amongst themselves...

The ref deliberates over Tass' sneaky check to get past the engineers, calculating the odds many possible ways. Ultimately, the (DD4) 4 in 6 chance of success is about as satisfactory as any other method of determination, and 1d6=5 so Tass gets by them easily enough. He is into the nave.

What now?

[mgtremaine]

Tass continues to stay hidden and tries to spot any exits from the nave or any additional passages near the dais. A ruined church is not so interesting but a ruined church with secret passages and maybe tunnels underneath plays right into his imagination. Tass will move closer to any area that needs better inspection.

[waysoftheearth]

Looking around, Tass sees there is a mezzanine level overlooking the nave, above and behind him. It's accessed via a spiral stair across the nave from him. If there's someone watching from up there, they would likely spot anyone moving through the nave.

Aside from that, and the way he came in, the only other exists are the two archways either side of the pulpit, leading into the back part of the cathedral. To access either of these Tass would have to sneak by the monks at the dais, and hope that nobody up in the mezzanine spots him in the meanwhile.

[mgtremaine]

Tass would consider the options. Sneaking passed the Monks with out some sort of distraction seems to dangerous. Getting to the staircase seems risky but possible. Going back and telling the others what's in here is what Thanis would recommend. After a short internal struggle Tass decides to return and find Thanis

[waysoftheearth]

Thanis: Outside

Thanis patiently keeps watch over the site from his hidden vantage. What could Tass possibly be up to? he wonders. The lack of general commotion suggests he hasn't kicked a hornets nest. Yet.

As he waits, Thanis notices that a small group of soldiery--six men similar to those seen at the moat house--emerge from their quarters to establish a competent perimeter watch. After he has been tracking them for a while, Thanis unexpectedly sees several winged humanoids descend from the sky to alight (clumsily) upon the church's bell tower, and scurry inside. This would be mildly concerning.... but after a few minutes nothing else appears to happen. The work crew continue their build. The perimeter guards continue their watch. Hmm.

Ten minutes later, Thanis hears tell of a party approaching and soon sees his friends marching from the moat-house. He had best warn them before they are spotted by the perimeter guards...

[waysoftheearth]

Tass: Inside

Tass figures the best way out is to back-track... sneaking past the engineers again... out the front door to the build site... then under the scaffolding along the side of the church... and then weaving a route through the stock yards back to Thanis. What could be simpler?

Having made up his mind, he makes a start, and creeps ever so quietly back through the archway into the narthex, where the engineers are. The men are still hotly debating the virtues of one drainage system over another, and he pads past them without a sound to the main doorway.

It looks like no-one is coming, so he slips outside, jaunty as you like, to edge around the church perimeter, and OOFH! Walks right into a pair of hooded monks!

They startle a moment, before the first monk says, somewhat rudely: "One of Mgnavish's people, are you? Well, there's no more breakfast up here; you lot've decimated a week's victuals this morning as it is!"

Tass's sneaky check for inside: 1d6=5; easy-peasy.

Aaaaand for outside: 1d6=2! Oh!

Let's dice to see who is surprised:
Do the NPCs surprise Tass? 1d6=5 Yes!
Does Tass surprise the NPCs? 1d6=5 double yes.
So, both parties are surprised as they bump into each other, cancelling out any dis/advantage.

How will the NPCs react? 2d6=8, so "uncertain"; leaving the door open for another reaction roll next turn...