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[Alright...]

Afternoon: Learning from Ahz about the Swords of Liberty. Ideological buttons to press, buttons to avoid like plague, some discourse regarding ways to infiltrate them/make them open up towards us, some discussion about other ways to find a possible second cell/round them all up if infiltration is no the way, stuff.

Evening: Meeting with Sorala. Small-talk [Diplo for attitude: 1d20 + 12 Skill + 5 Settlement = 23]. Ask Sorala implicitly about the Swords of Liberty, never mentioning their name to be discreet but making sure the goal is understood. As messy as the city is, Sorala'd want them out of the city, too, right? Diplomatic incidents aren't good for trade and travel. [Diplo for persuasion or gathering info, your call: 1d20 + 12 Skill = 24. If Advantage = 26].

Late Night: Depends on what we find out => on hold for the moment.

(Ahz has nothing major to do in the remainder of the day beyond the infodump about the Son's. Checking on the explosion site and talking with Lucille will be tomorrow.)

@Koko

Koko manages to find the harbormaster and convince him to look up the records. Stormreach receives ships from Sharn at least twice a week, so it could be a number of people. He remember seeing at least two groups of adventurers, three groups of mercenaries, and even two groups of 'businessmen'. Both of the adventuring groups spoke of going into the jungles, and the mercenaries were all contracted by the Dragonmarked Houses (Deneith and Tharashk); one of the business groups were prospectors and cartographers for the Citadel of the Twelve (the dragonmarked); the other seem to be entrepreneurs that were opening up shop within the Harbor district itself.


@Leah

Leah learns that the Swords of Liberty are sorta-Republicans, definitely Socialists with some occasional Anarchist potential, and definitely Brelish Ultra-Nationalists. Easiest way to press their button is to insult Breland in any way, especially through doubts about their nation's future once the aging King Boranel dies. Easiest way to open them up? be a disgruntled Brelish veteran of the Great War, convinced of Breland's ultimate triumph if the civilian leadership simply had the courage to carry on.

The Chapterhouse matron Sorala hasn't heard much. She certainly hasn't seen anyone too competent coming from Breland to stay at her place recently. There was that group of boisterous adventurers heading into the forest, probably already over their heads. They also spoke of another group who did not stay at the chapterhouse -- a bunch of 'amateurs' who claimed of coming to the continent to 'train themselves' (which was stupid: the deadly continental interior was likely to kill them). Furthermore, she also hear a rumor that some Brelish were starting a new 'travel company' in the Harbor district, except everyone believes it's just a cover for smuggling.

Gorin's not really sure where to start, so he figures he'll ask around in the 'Tents. May someone there heard something.

(Diplomacy to Gather Information: 1d20+3= 16)

Goodberry decides to go snooping around the local clerics and healers near the tavern that caught fire, to check if there are any patients still recovering from the incident that might have some information on who started it, or who was involved. He offers a Transfer Wounds(2d6+5 healing) to speed their healing for the information.

Diplomacy: 2+5 = 7

@Gorin:

The giants of the tents have no idea; they haven't heard from anyone who self-advertised as from Breland in the last few weeks.


@Goodberry:

Goodberry seems to have a problem with his speech processor today. He keeps forgetting what he was saying mid-sentence and the people he was talking seems more confused than anything else. It seems the injured had already been evacuated for treatment at the House Jorasco enclave; because the blast happened at night, there were thankfully few injured.

( If there's anything else you'd like to do on the day of Feb.10th, please do so. Otherwise, we'll be moving onto the 11th so people have more daylight hours for investigations... )

10th, Late Night: Earn Influence (1/2) After meeting back up with everyone and sharing findings, Leah goes out to "dance".

11th, Morning: After sleeping over the information and sharing it with the others, Leah heads out into the harbor to investigate the group setting up a trading company/smuggling ring. They are the easiest to investigate and the other groups sound rather harmless/self-destructing, requiring no urgency. She makes sure to drop by the bars in the area she knows. Maybe Aida in the Wavecrest had heard or seen something? [Diplo to Gather Information 1d20 + 12 Skill = 26. If Advantage: 14. Well screw that]

After talking to and overhear peoples' conversations in several bars, Leah comes to the conclusion that this so-called 'trading company' that's setting up is definitely more than they seem. A legitimate trading company would open connections with its surroundings, to establish business relations, almost as soon as they arrive. By the same token, a smuggling ring would reach out to the local crime syndicates, to make sure they don't step on any toes.

This new group has done neither. So far, barely anyone has even seen a peak of them. Whomever they are, they seem content to barricade themselves inside the building and shoo away visitors with a thuggish guard.

The current bet is that they're a new crime boss and his lackeys, coming to set up shop in town. So far, they've frightened most of the lesser criminals off, but it probably won't take long before they attract one of the bigger fish in town.

With her new findings, Leah returns to the company office to invite Koko for some spying action. The idea is to find out about the layout of the not-smugglers' building, find possible points of entry (and escape in case we raid it) and some combined diversion/infiltration action. Leah (and any willing help) could make a diversion at the front door while Koko infiltrates. Or, lacking any decently-sized openings, throw Leah's psicrystal into an empty room. The psicrystal can then keep spying for a while.

Additions, flaws and alternatives are welcome. It should just tell us if that group is really our target or if we have to track one of the other groups.

Koko is excited by the plan, and quickly agrees to help. "We might also ask around to find out who owned the building before, or squatted in it if not. They might be able to tell us about it and if they were rousted out then they would be rather eager to help as well." She adds when they start on their way, disguising herself as an out of work dockworker along the way, careful to make sure she doesn't look the remotest bit like Leah or her family.

Gorin takes several free actions to scratch his head.

Koko finds out fairly easy that the building used to be some attempt to set up a cheap inn, except it didn't work and the building has been abandoned for months. It's fair to assume that its previous owners are long gone by now.
( disguise check before you do anything else please... like going up to the building. )

Leah spies around the building and... doesn't see anything like a easy backdoor or an open window. In fact, all of the thick curtains have been shut tight, except for one window on the second floor that's slanted toward the sky (can't see in from ground level). There is a backdoor, but it has been nailed up tight. The only thing she can confirm is that the building is two-stories tall and not much bigger than a typical family home. There are many glass windows that she could throw her psicrystal in from, though all of them would require breaking glass to do it.
( three Stealth checks please )
( also make appropriate checks for any follow-up actions =P )

[Because my stealth is kinda terribad, I wanted somebody else to do it? ... oh, well. First things first: To be on the safe side, Leah into an un-assuming passerby.
3 PP down, 4 minute duration, small size option for a child.
Disguise: 1d20 + 8 Skill + 10 Power = 23.
Stealth: 1d20 + 3 Dex = 8, 13, 15 + whatever else small size might give.]


[About further proceedings... I'd like to see some suggestions. What do you think necessary/expedient towards finding out if they're our targets?]