Playing in the Sandbox

Cyrta smiles at how things are going... Not having much of anything else to offer right this second, but she was being very mindful of what was being said right now.

"Thank you." Skaimos led the rest of the group out of the alley. "First of all, thank you all for agreeing to help in this endeavour. There is an element of risk, but I think there is a chance for all of us and Mykaila-chan to get out of this safely. The first thing we should do is make sure we can access the outskirts. Then we can wait for the evening flower viewing and work from there. Lex-Iya-san, you have been to the castle hill before, and your name may allow us to freely enter at least the outskirts without suspicion. Would you please lead the way?"

"I would gladly give my life to help save a Thri-Kreen child..." Cyrtanthus states with pride in her voice.

"Yes, Terai-san, of course." Alma straightens up, and walks back to the street. She takes a moment to look around and gather her bearings, and then heads off in one direction. "This way, please hurry."

Tordek hurries as fast as a dwarf can after Alma.

The group left the alley and emerged back forth into the busy street as a pack of children and their tiny (recently fed) pet raptors rushed past them like a swarm of locusts without even an "excuse me". They trekked through the city for about an hour before they even started the climb up the hill thanks to the thick crowd and took their time climbing up the often steep stone stairways, wishing they could just ride up on the giant pterosaur they saw overhead leaving the castle. Perhaps a few of them even thought it would have been worth risking being run down by a horse or cart traveling one of the smoother paths up.

When they eventually made their way to the top of the hill it didn't take them very long to get to the copse of cherry blossom trees. While not crowded by any means, they weren't the only group of people around. There were a couple dozen spearmen standing around barring the way into the viewing area, a few nobles and their families who had probably not been formally invited awaiting a chance to speak to or be at least noticed by the Daimyo, and there were also a few dozen lone individuals of various races, ages, and castes who were probably just there to watch as there are every year, hoping nobody would be upset with their presence. One amongst them stood out as taking a rather big risk in doing so, an elven male youth (equivalent of a human teenager).

With a couple more hours to go before the Daimyo and his host arrived the group could take their time picking a spot to wait.

"I still wonder about all those kids..." Cyrta mused to herself.

Tordek grumbles something about how kids should have more respect for their elders. Besides him, of course. He's old enough to break tradition.

Brony 7 of 9 wrote:Tordek grumbles something about how kids should have more respect for their elders. Besides him, of course. He's old enough to break tradition.

Cyrta nods at Torgek's grumbles, having herd enough to get the gist of it.

(OOC: We're both on distraction duty so I'd figure we're going near eachother if we're not still as one single group.)

Skaimos took a seat, catching his breath from the long climb up. He then started to think about how the heist was going to work.

"Alright, in my perfect world, there will be possibly two guards with the girl and possibly one guarding the exit. Pixie-san (what is your name, by the way?), I want you to see if you can find some spots where you can perform without risking burning the trees. Don't start performing until Mykaila-chan arrives. Tordek-san, see if anyone is serving refreshments that you can challenge one of the guards to a drinking contest with. Otherwise, you may have to resort to "challenging" one of the guards to lead them away from the girl. I believe I have the means to handle the second guard. Lex-Iya-san, your job is two-fold. First, if you have some control over water, you will be responsible for quickly putting out any fires that Pixie-san may accidentally start. Secondly, if there is one guard remaining near the girl, I will be walking behind them. If I'm successful, the girl will suddenly start running straight toward you and hiding behind you. Your job will be to take the girl to another part of the hill where the guards can't see her. If that part is successful, we will then finish up each of our activities, meet up with you, and walk in formation surrounding the girl. If she is small, and the guard near the entrance isn't particularly attentive, we may be able to simply walk off the hill without anyone being the wiser."

"Pixie-san, Tordek-san, once you have done your preparations, we have only to wait. Relax. Look at the cherry blossoms. And mentally prepare for the job that we are to do."

"Oh... I'm named Cyrtanthus, but you may call me Cyrta if my full name is to much a hassle to recall." The Pixie replied once she realized that the Tiefling-sama had asked for her name. Being a former slave she is used to not giving her name unless asked for... And isn't really used to asking for names yet too. Some part of her still feels it's not polite to ask for someone higher then yourself's name.

"Well, it is a pleasure to know you, Cyrta-san. Now see if you can find a few safe places where you can perform, so we can be ready wherever the guards and the girl decide to stand."

He decided to stand next to Alma, looking up at the cherry blossoms. "Quite nice, aren't they? They are indicative of the daimyo's taste for beauty, as well as being a sign of great wealth, what with all the druids and gardeners required to maintain them. Now, I recall you saying that you've been here before, Lex-Iya-san. Was it sort of a family tradition, or was it a special treat when your family was invited by the daimyo?"

Alma looks down briefly hiding a creeping blush, before responding. "Not a tradition, no... I came with my parents once, as a sort of family vacation. My family does not live in this city. I have been, um... separate, from them for some time. It's nothing bad, I just decided to go out and experience the world for myself. I try to keep in contact with them as much as possible... Oh, but you asked about when I was here- we came for this particular festival, just the one year. I was six, I think. My father actually met the Daimyo during that trip, but it wasn't business. Mostly just formal introductions and pleasantries." There is a long pause after she finishes, and she speaks up again. "The trees are, um, quite nice, though. They don't have them back where I'm from." Another pause. "So...what about you, Terai-san?"

And the Pixie does look trying to keep a close eye out for all the fire-hazards around herself... Partly to not hit them and part of her wanting to think what to hit first if the worse happens and she might need to try doing fire to distract them as the party runs or something...

"Me? Well, I've lived in this town most of my life. Just said goodbye to my parents this morning to see the world. I never got this close to the cherry blossoms, but when the festival came around when I was a child, my father would lift me up on his shoulders so I could see them from a distance over the crowd. It was always so strange, seeing such colors when all around there was nothing but the bland desert. They do look much better up close though."

He glanced around at the other people along the outskirts. "And it seems that others agree. I am surprised to see that elf up here, though. I mean, I could understand if he was part of someone's retinue, but he seems to be by himself. Curious." Skaimos decided to examine the elf from a distance, to see if he could determine anything more about him.

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OOC: Rolling for Perception...12+1(Wis) = 13

Skaimos watches the elf kid for a while but, as far as he can tell, the kid is just risking trouble to come look at the trees. As for the kid's physical features he has dark brown hair and eyes and a dark tan for an elf, leading to the conclusion that whatever he does, it involves being out in the sun a lot....not that that narrows things down all that much. He seems nervous but, that's perfectly reasonable considering the situation.

Skaimos shrugged. "He seems harmless, we'll let him have his fun. Tordek-san, have you found anyone nearby selling alcohol for your "drinking contest"?"

Tordek looks around for an alcohol vendor.

OOC: Perception: 1d20 (16) + 3 + 5 = 24.

Tordek very clearly spots that there is nobody up here selling anything or in fact doing anything particularly flashy at all. Most people are just quietly watching the petals fall, enjoying the view, or chatting. There are however several people with bottles of sake and you even spot a Kalashtar pull a bottle out of a basket along with a bowl of something, probably noodles or rice. And he's hardly the one person with a basket or other such provisions.

The elf kid does not seem to have any alchohol on him btw or even show any interest in anyone else's or their food. He's in fact just looking at the guards and the trees.

"Lots of sake," said Tordek. "No vendors."

"Blast. Well, we've got a few hours before the daimyo and the hostage arrive, so we have a few options.
1) We try to get a bottle of sake from someone already up here. We could offer to buy a bottle, see if they'd bet it in a game of sorts, or maybe it would be as simple as Lex-Iya-san simply going up and asking for it.
2) Someone goes back into town and buys some sake from the merchants. I would be leaning towards Cyrta-san doing it, as she can fly straight to the marketplace and possibly fly back in the least amount of time.
3) We figure out another way to lead a githzerai guard away. While I contemplate the third option, please tell me what you would think is the best course of action."

Skaimos tries to think back to his studies about the gith and their culture, what could hold their attention, and if they were inclined to drink in the first place (it would be bad if it was forbidden or "made the mind weak" or something).

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OOC: Roll for History... 9+4(Int)+5(Trained)=18

Skaimos has no idea what the Githzerai of yore used to drink. As far as history goes back that he knows of, everyone mostly drinks sake or cheap homemade cactus liquors (though generally not anyone with class...or taste-buds). The Githzerai culture has changed over time to mostly match the culture of the land as a whole, what it was before that he doesn't know. They still have a strong focus on psionics over other forms of magic and are legendarily known for bringing the knowledge of psionics to the greater races as a whole (though some like the Shardmind and Kalashtar already possessed it). As for personal interests and drinking, they are mostly no different from the average person, though some do hold onto remnants of a strict disciplined outlook.

"Well I am quite quick..." Cytra said and starts sharing her thoughts with their de facto leader. "So, I do agree with you, Tiefling-sama... Sending me for the sake would be a smart move, given you provide me with the money in which to buy, cause I have nothing. But that other option you suggested before sending me sounds really good to try as well... You are both quite smart and very clever, I must say Tiefling-sama. I feel honored to have you planing our course of action... I'd like to even think I could trust your judgement, even if you plan something that'd put me at great risk. But I do hope you do not have to do so, unless there is no other way to save this child."

Skaimos nodded at Cyrta. "Thank you for the vote of confidence, Cyrta-san. I will try to avoid putting you in harm's way. And you are correct, it may be easier to simply try getting it from one of these people up here first." He turned to Alma. "Lex-Iya-san, while I would have no trouble asking the others up here myself, I think that they respond more favorably to a beautiful woman of high status. Would you be willing to ask around for a bottle of sake, or would you prefer me to do it?"

Alma again blushes at Skaimos' compliment. With only the slightest of smiles, she shoots him a glance. "You mean you would have a lady like myself use her feminine charms, wiles, and even worse, her looks to...persuade people to give me what I want? I am shocked you would be so suggestive, Terai-san!" She brings her hand to her cheek in mock embarassment. She then makes a short bow, and moves off to the nearest single male with sake.

"Oh, hello there sir, might you be interested in some company?" Not waiting for an answer, she offers a meek bow and a seductive look, before taking a seat. "The cherry blossoms are so much more enjoyable with company, don't you agree?" She moves in closer, pouring on the charm. "Would you care to share some of your drink with me, so we may better get acquainted?"

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Bar-Skank Diplomacy roll: 14 + idk the modifier.