Investigating the Ambassador

[arlathvhen]

WHO: Beleth, Anders, Teren, and Loghain
WHAT: Beleth drags a bunch of Wardens to investigate the Anderfels ambassadors' dirty laundry, which will hopefully be entirely figurative.
WHEN: At some point during the Nevarra trip
WHERE: A very fancy townhouse in Nevarra City
NOTES: n/a

Beleth, with easy access to the palace, had already surveyed Count Bohemond Gruben's official office, only to find it completely, suspiciously, empty of anything of note. Having failed that, she enlisted the help of the others to track down where he actually handled his business dealings. Sure enough, they located a very fancy townhouse, that was occupied by a very fancy lady. Continued surveillance confirmed it: This was the most likely place for Gruben's base of operations, whatever those operations may be.

The trouble now was getting into the townhouse, and getting what they needed.

Comments

The Plan

[arlathvhen]

The four are gathered in an alley a little ways from the townhouse, free to plot just how they plan on getting inside.

"Well, I think there are three options, here." Beleth begins, arms crossed, and brow furrowed in thought. "We talk our way past her, we sneak in, or we incapacitate her." She glances around at them, and shrugs.

"The simplest way would be to deal with her as soon as she opens the door. But that's easy to see if anyone's looking. Sneaking in would avoid having to deal with her altogether, but someone could still see, and we'd have to worry about her hearing us and coming in to investigate. Talking our way past her would keep away suspicious eyes, but..." Another shrug. "...That's also the one that'd be easiest to fail. Of course, if it fails, we can just employ one of the other two."

[doneisdone]

"How do you propose to talk past her?" Teren inquires, leaning against the wall with arms folded. "I expect you know a thing or two about it, but what's your alibi?" It's not like everyone here hasn't lied at least once in their life.

Reasons why I should refresh a page before posting...

[justice_is_blond]

This is one of the few times he wishes he could cast sleep. It would make being sneaky so much easier, but entropy is just something he can't wrangle. Instead he frowns, looking over in the direction of the townhouse as if he can see it through the walls.

"I say sneak in. If she hears us and comes to check, at least she's not at the front door where she can be seen. And if we get seen sneaking in then... I don't know." If this was less serious he'd be asking Loghain if he knows any sexy, distracting dances. But it's not, so he's not.

"Unless we want to pretend to be... servants? Messengers? For talking past her. I could set a distracting fire somewhere but I'd prefer not to unless it's needed."

[arlathvhen]

"I don't know how well I'll pass for a servant." Beleth muses, a finger tapping on one of the green vines that twist around her face. "I mean, I have makeup that can hide it, if need be. But it's makeup." Which means it can be removed through a variety of means. "Even then, I'm not sure what we'd say to get inside..."

She tilts her head, tapping her fingers on her arm. "Anders has a point, if she finds us when we're already inside, at least we'll be able to deal with her away from the public eye." She can think of plenty of ways to distract the woman, but to get her to let them in her house?

"What kind of strangers do you normally let in your house?" She glances at the rest of the group, an eyebrow raised. She certainly didn't know, she didn't have a house.

[justice_is_blond]

He doesn't have one either and Anders presses his lips together, imagining.

"Um. If I was him? He's already let his secret lover in. A road-weary cousin and their attendants? A merchant he's done business with and has a special item just for him? Did he have anything rare in his office that might be part of a collection?"

They need ideas, so Anders will toss them out.

"Or someone to do repairs. Do you think he has any chandeliers in there? We could be there to swap out the candles."

[mactears]

"What kind of strangers do you normally let in your house?"

Loghain's response is a raised eyebrow. Directed at him, is that supposed to be a rhetorical question?

"There are four of us here," he notes at length, having listened to the ideas they've exchanged thus far. He gestures to the front of the house. "Two of us could provide a distraction, as guests or otherwise, providing time enough for the other two to slip in unawares."

Pensive, he considers the house. "We will need to case the property sufficiently first, if we go about things that way. Determine the best means of entry that will draw the least amount of attention."

[arlathvhen]

"Do rich people really hire others to swap out candles?" Beleth asks, looking a bit baffled. Why do the rich need so much money?? They're clearly terrible at using it.

Then Loghain speaks, and Beleth turns to him, listening to his suggestion. Briefly, it occurs to her that none of them are really all that familiar with houses, particularly wealthy houses. Oh well.

"I don't like the idea of only two of us searching in the house. But maybe the two who sneak into the house can use their crystals to communicate with the other team and make sure they have a good way to get in, after they've finished distracting her...?" That sounded like a solid plan. Distract her so the initial team has time to go in, and scout for the second team.

And then it came down to teams. Beleth contemplates, glancing at the three people with her. "I think it's best if each team have a rogue, and I'd attract attention, being Dalish. Teren, I've seen you act before, I trust you'll do fine." And she really doesn't want to put on the makeup. It feels like a layer of mud on her face. "And...Anders, I know you can play along with it." No offense to Loghain, but she's never seen him try to lie his way around someone, and now isn't the time for a test.

"So, Loghain, you'll be breaking in with me, if that's alright? After all four of us look over the house." Better to have multiple eyes on that.

[mactears]

Loghain would argue that he does have familiarity with the homes of the wealthy--he was a teyrnir, after all, however reluctantly.

At her suggestion, he dips his head in acceptance. "Of course," he says.

Implementing The Plan

[arlathvhen]

[ Whatever the plan ends up being, it'll go in here, boop boop. ]

The Office

[arlathvhen]

Congratulations!! However you did it, you managed to find Gruben's office. It's much more like what you'd expect--papers, notes, paintings that you would have rather not seen, the usual. However, none of it seems particularly incriminating. You'll have to search a little harder to figure out what the Count is hiding.