Matt B Blogging

The locksmith

These are my first few sessions - the yellow box bits are my out-of-character sections - either explanations or dice rolls or Mythic GME oracle rolls and results.

My name's Clem, but go by Hedge when on a job, like tonight. I hate this work, but The Friendly Society say I owe them 1000 guilders (which might as well be a million), and sometimes in lieu of interest payments, they force me to add my meagre magical talents to their shady schemes.

Friendly Society = Thieves Guild
         guilder = gold piece

It's 2 bells after midnight, the 19th day of Pilasters, the year 952. We're hitting Ota the locksmith's shop in Market Town. The streets and washing-lines are festooned with lost kites after Areyo Day, and everyone's sleeping off the festivities and races. Phess hasn't told me all the details, but I can only assume we're after some master key, for some lock that's not easily pickable?

Pilasters = first month of Spring
    Areyo = God of the Sky

There are less Nightwatch on patrol after a big holiday, but Bramble, my kingfisher familiar, is keeping an eye out from above all the same. I don't let on to the Friendly Society that I have a second pair of eyes watching my back for two reasons - One: I can act more mysterious, like I have sight beyond sight, and two: Bas take 'em, that's why.

Expected scene: Break into the shop
Test the scene: unmodified
is the door alarmed? 50/50 : Yes, and... it's magical in nature

We come to Ota's place from different directions. There's 5 of us in total, Phess, Eto and I are human, Idra and Ongré are Kith. Eto was there first, has been watching for an hour. He tells us all seems quiet inside. Phess tells me to check the backdoor for traps. I'm known for spotting things others miss. Idra comes with me, to hold a candle up. I light it with a spark of magic, and check the door. It is trapped! A faint aura of abjuration magic on the entire entrance. I'd guess an Alarm spell, but I don't want to stand here for 10 minutes to make sure.

investigation: DC15: adv 4|17 + 7 = 24

I tell Phess, and also that it means Ota has access to magic beyond my capabilities. There's always the front door, facing the well-lit square... I make a show of closing my eyes and reaching out with magic as I look through Bramble's eyes, looking for windows.

is there an obscured window on the 2nd storey?
Likely: Yes, but, it's barred.

I let Phess know I sense a 2nd storey window, but it's barred. He says there's no choice but the front door, and he orders me to check. I make sure my hood is up and head out, by myself, into the well-lit square.

stealth: 16+5 = 21
investigate: 13+7 = 20
is the front door trapped? likely: no, but - it is locked
lockpick: 17+7 = unlocked.

The door isn't trapped, but obviously it is locked. Rather than report to Phess, I pull out my tools and with a well-practiced hand, pick the lock before reporting back to the others.

Phess tells Ito and Ongré to be lookout, and Idra & I are to join him inside. We try to enter the locksmith's silent and unseen.

stealth checks
13

are they perceived inside 50/50: yes
is the locksmith a magicuser? 50/50: yes

where is their target? beautifully scary

scary basement? Behind a beautifully carved door

is the door locked? Likely: Yes

After entering the shop, we see a large counter with a set of key blanks on the wall behind it. A curtained doorway leads to the back, Lamp light from the street streams into this front area until Idra closes the door. Phess heads straight to the curtain, squinting into the darkness beyond, before beckoning to Idra, with his Kith eyes, to see what he can see.

locksmith stealth: adv 20
perception: Clem: 7, Phess 14 + 6, Idra: 9

Phess holds up a finger to his ear and we both stop. Then he gestures to hide. Idra and I duck behind the counter into the deep shadows there. Phess hides beside the curtain, and we wait.

stealth: c: 7, i: 6, phess: 18
Ota: perception: 2+2 = 4

Does Ota check the front door? likely: yes, but just from the curtain

The curtain moves low, and I see the silhouette of a goblin's face as he squints at the closed front door, huffs, and then heads back upstairs. We wait very quietly and still, listening to his footsteps until they eventually stop. And then we wait a bit more. Then we all head into the back room, and see the ornate door to the basement. Phess signals to Idra to watch for Ota as we head to the door.

is the door locked? likely: yes, and trapped. Trapped magically? 50/50: no
investigate (adv): 19
disarm trap: 24
pick lock: 21

Phess and I examine it - locked, and another trap. Non-magical. I disarm the trap (it's a poison needle) with Phess's help - he holds a trip-wire still. After that tense time, I try to pick the lock, with great success. We make our way into the pitch black basement.

is the basement lit? unlikely: no

I pull out a candle again, and light it with a snap of my fingers. Cupboards and labelled drawers line the cramped room. I light a lantern perched on a low set of drawers, and Phess pulls out a scrap of paper with an address, and we search the room as quietly as possible.

investigation: adv: 12 - success, but, it takes a while. Chaos roll - 6 - nothing happens

I finally find the drawer, and within, an intricate brass key, labelled in goblin. Luckily I can read goblin (Mahyara made me learn it to understand the books she kept giving me). It's the one we're after. Phess tells me to find a blank key on the wall upstairs that matches it, and I sneak upstairs and locate the closest looking one.

dc10 stealth: 19
investigate: 10

It doesn't really look the same, but it's brass at least, and of a similar size.

stealths: clem: 15, phess: 11, idra: 6

We put the blank in the drawer, extinguish the lantern, and manage to leave the premises without too much noise. Outisde, Phess runs his hand through his neat brown hair, the signal the jobs over, and we all mosey off in opposite directions. I head towards Old Town and home, letting Bramble scout the way, and help me avoid any Nightwatch out and about.