Reconnaissance

Reconnaissance

Skrie secured the rope on the roof. She cracked open the trap door and dropped the cord into the building. She took a deep breath and tested the knot, ensuring it would hold her weight before using it to lower herself to the rafter below. Wrapping the line in one hand, she lowered the trapdoor and waited another moment, listening in the darkness. Descending the rope, she felt for the wood with her foot and balanced on the beam when she found it. The halfling wrapped the rope end around the beam so it wouldn't dangle into the space below.

Listening as her eyes acclimated to the near-darkness of the warehouse, she got a sense of the space below. Across the storehouse, a faint glow from a lantern drew her forward. Moving across the ceiling beam, Skrie sneaked toward the light and sound. She heard at least three distinct voices wafting up from the area.

"Ha!" one voice exclaimed. "The gobbers attack with daggers dripping green goo. 14! That hits the Thief--take 4 damage and make a save vs poison."

Good, they're distracted.

"What was that?" said another voice.

Skrie froze, listening. She knew she hadn't made any noise.

"I don't hear anything," said a third voice.

Silence reigned for a dozen or so heartbeats before the sounds of dice rolling and storytelling continued. The former urchin continued creeping along the rafter. A handful of steps later, her boot slipped as she stepped. Flattening herself on the beam, she took a deep breath and waited.

"Now, that I heard," the third voice said.

"Could be rats," said the second voice.

"That's a big damned rat," replied the third voice.

You have no idea, thought Skrie.

She waited until they were again deep in their game before moving forward. No sooner had she crawled three lengths than bright sunshine flooded the space below her. Snapping her eyelids shut, the halfling flattened against the wood, hands covering her eyes to protect her vision.

Behind her, the three guards scrambled around, muttering, "Oh, shit," "hurry," "I didn't expect the boss so soon!" and various other curses. She almost giggled out loud. Busted.

The new arrivals waited inside for their eyes to adjust to the darkened interior of the warehouse. A moment later, the three guards approached the group.

"Boss," said the guard belonging to voice one. "We didn't expect you so soon."

A moment passed in silence. Skrie heard what could have been uneasy shuffling. She didn't dare peek over the edge.

"Indeed," said a new voice. "The prisoner is this way," he said a moment later.

The group marched up the hallway. Skrie followed behind the group, looking for beams that would help her cross to the other side of the building. Glancing down at the new group, she saw one wearing black and red robes, trailed by two others wearing robes she recognized as those worn by the Cult of the One. Dammit! She found a rafter that took her to the far side of the enclosure below. She could see nothing in the darkness that enveloped the space below. The halfling stopped at the edge of a lighted area, looking down into another dimly-lit room.

The sneak noticed a closed door to her right.

"I caught him last night," said a fourth man, dressed in dark clothing, a bandoleer of daggers across his chest.

"Indeed, Master Veris," said the priest in black. "And his friends?"

"We haven't found them yet. I have men looking, one is staked out at their inn even as we speak."

The two continued their conversation as Skrie scurried across the beams to the rope at the trapdoor. Pulling herself through the opening, she pulled up her length of rope, set the door back into place, and sprinted across the roof to tell her friends what she heard. Seeing Malusk in an alley across the street, the halfling waved him to the corner as she ran.

"I don't think we have much time," she panted as she landed back on solid ground. "A priest and two of his followers just arrived. I think he's in a room here ..." the halfling drew a rough sketch of the inside of the warehouse, complete with where she saw all the guards as she departed.

"How'll we handle the guard?" asked Malusk.

"Leave that to me," said Skrie, looking over at her friend. "Try not to look so mean, will ya?" she said with a wink.

With that, Skrie led Malusk and Josie toward the guard. Theren hung back, waiting to see what would happen.



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