POVERO

[alhoon]

Fild seems impatiently waiting. "You guys had all the fun..."

[steveflam]

Fild seems impatiently waiting. "You guys had all the fun..."

Gertie grins "Yeah, I had a lot of fun," she giggles. "Stick with me, there will be more opportunities to have fun, Fild!"

[Adam]

"Yes, I'd say these ropes were likely what you left the fellow tied up in," Alfonse says, holding up the rope fragments, "Though why they left a perfectly good knife like this behind, I'm not sure."

He hands it over for closer examination. "I wouldn't mind keeping it once you're done, though do you suppose the town guard might want it for evidence?" He shakes his head. "Unless I'm just being naive. Maybe they could care less..." he trails off mumbling as he hands the knife over.

"If the dog has the scent, maybe leaving him tied up here was the right move. In the future, though, I'd recommend turning apprehended hoodlums over to the authorities. This is just begging for us to get shanked in an alley by some hood with a grudge."

[steveflam]

"Yes, I'd say these ropes were likely what you left the fellow tied up in," Alfonse says, holding up the rope fragments, "Though why they left a perfectly good knife like this behind, I'm not sure."

He hands it over for closer examination. "I wouldn't mind keeping it once you're done, though do you suppose the town guard might want it for evidence?" He shakes his head. "Unless I'm just being naive. Maybe they could care less..." he trails off mumbling as he hands the knife over.

"If the dog has the scent, maybe leaving him tied up here was the right move. In the future, though, I'd recommend turning apprehended hoodlums over to the authorities. This is just begging for us to get shanked in an alley by some hood with a grudge."

"Alfonse, they probably dropped it in their haste to run away earlier, I would wager. Tom and definitely took them by surprise."

[ewancummins]

TRACKING THE ALLEY-MEN


After Tom has examined and returned the knife (to Alfonse) , the party sets out with Gem in the lead. The hound stalks along the street with its snout low, raising its head now and then to sniff the cool evening breezes.
The trail runs more or less westward, weaving between buildings and through narrow lanes , at last passing into a garden plot watered by one of the city's several creeks.
Gem runs back and forth along the near side of the stream, stops, and starts for some bushes.

Past the shrubs, the party finds a crude little footbridge of rough planks with bricks piled underneath in three spots as supports. It spans the shallow stream, allowing dry passage to the vineyard on the other side.

The party gets across without getting wet or making a racket.

In the small vineyard, they find the vines overgrown, heavy with withered grapes and festooned with dead leaves. Several of the poles to guide growth lean under the weight of the clinging plants. The air smells like cheap wine.

Beyond the rows stands a small stucco house, not connected to any other building. A thin smear of smoke lifts from the brick chimney built on the left side of the building. Firelight glimmers through a window. The only door in sight stands closed, with light leaking through the crack between wooden panel and jamb.

The cityscape thins out into semi-rural territory past the lone house, with farms, pastures, barns, vineyards, and villas stretching all the way to the roads and the further hills.

Gem growls softly.

Faint noises drift from the house. Voices, something rattling, footsteps.

It is not yet true night, but the sun cannot be seen over the higher hills to the west.

[alhoon]

Fild, absent-mindly eating grapes that aren't his, says "Soon, we will have an advantage over the humans. Tom, since you're stealthy enough, care to go scout? If you do, stay somewhere where I can cover you with the arquebus." He moves to take cover behind some vines, using them both for concealment and to prop up the arquebus. He turns to Tom and winks. "If baddies come out, BANG!"
He looses his short-sword in his belt to be ready to charge.

"Just... make sure I don't kill any innocent wine-maker that lives here. Wine-makers and brewers are blessed people that work day and night to make others happy. They're better than clergy and more effective than doctors. The quality of the wine is important, but even bad wine although ... bad, helps one at least have a good night's sleep. A bad morning, but still a good night's sleep." the gnome chatters, in low voice, trailing again away from the subject. "If you think I talk a lot now, you should see me drunk. "

[VAN]

Tom looks at the house and then back at Fild.

"Sure thing, just wait till sunset so the shadows will be even bigger and I can hide better. You will recognise the signals of trouble, me shouting or running away like madman!"

With a smile at his face the half-elf caresses Gem.

"You did great job again boy. Now, you are coming with me and Gertie, you know what to do. Stay put and if I tell you so attack!"

[ewancummins]

SKULKING ABOUT
Tom and Gertie get a good sense of the layout of the house by peering in through the open windows and creeping along the low (only about a foot high and lower than that in places where it has fallen or where people have absconded with the building stones) stone fence that's half hidden in the vines and weeds. They see shadows moving inside the windows, and hear voices in indistinct conversation.Twice they see faces and upper bodies of men, but not for long enough to be certain if these are the masked thugs. The ones they spotted wear no masks.
South of the house, they see an empty shed, a wheelbarrow, a little well. Vines grow on the well bucket and chain.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/23 ... e10606.jpg







Party came from the west/upper right of the map.

[VAN]

Tom points to Gertie the direction of the others and moves towards them. When they are altogether he says:

"I'm not certain if they are the thugs, but it's probable. The well has wines and if this was a brewery and not a shelter they would have cleared it. I believe we should proceed and attack them now that they are not expecting us."

[steveflam]

"Tom let me go listen with my cone first, then I'll come back. I want to climb up as well to enter from the 2nd floor as surprise."

[alhoon]

Fild smiles, draws his short-sword, readies his shield and looks at Tom. "Chop Chop!" he simply says. "How we do this? Storm the place and kick in the door?"

[ewancummins]

Fild smiles, draws his short-sword, readies his shield and looks at Tom. "Chop Chop!" he simply says. "How we do this? Storm the place and kick in the door?"

OOC-

VIEW CONTENT:

What is he covering? A window? A door? Which one?

[steveflam]

Gertie walks back over and listens, but hears nothing. She looks back at the gang and waves then points to herself, then up. She begins climbing up with her

climbing dagger.

[ewancummins]

GERTIE climbs on the roof.


A moment later, the door of the backyard (facing the well) opens. A man appears in it, holding a cudgel his right fist.

"Who's out there?"
He looks around.

[Adam]

Alfonse sighs. "And what do you want me doing during all of this? I'm not exactly equipped to scale walls."