Dionysus: That night, the leszi comes to visit you in your room, sneaking in as a mouse.

Dionysus: It transforms into a fox & says to you, "You did well."

Taka: I flatten my ears slightly, in a combination of chagrin and respect. "Thank you."

Dionysus: "Are you up for another run?"

Dionysus: [remember--you must b honest!]

Taka: [heh.]

Taka: "yes." and then I blink and flatten my ears a bit more in irritation.

Dionysus: "Good. Are you familiar with the term 'zoo'?" You would be, but only in the same way most people are familiar with the term 'prison'

Taka: That gets a growl. "Yes."

Dionysus: "Well, there's a very special one we need to visit. And liberate."

Taka: "Where?"

Dionysus: "Near the docks, in a large place called a 'warehouse'."

Taka nods and gets up. "Alright."

Dionysus: "Some very dangerous people have kidnapped some very amazing... brethren. You must set them free."

Taka: "Tonight?" the tone is one of getting facts straight, not incredulousness.

Dionysus: "If you can. The sooner the better."

Taka nods. "So be it." what time is it, about?

Dionysus: A little after midnight

Taka: And slipping out now requires bypassing a guard or three, I'd guess, at least, right?

Dionysus: Well, no one would care if you left the compound.

Taka: Cool. then off we go.

Dionysus: The leszi leads the way, slowly through the city. It takes an hour to get where it wants to go.

Dionysus: It turns into a small dog when it gets in the streets

Taka: I follow

Taka: [damn that thing is cool.]

Dionysus: Heh

Taka: so I follow a terrier through the streets

Dionysus: You get taken to a very large, lowlying building near the docks.

Taka: ok

Dionysus: It says to you, "I can't go in without causing a stir amongst the animals within. You're on your own from here. Good luck."

Dionysus: And it turns into an owl & flaps away.

Taka: Are tehre windows or anything?

Dionysus: Yeah, near the ground. The warehouse is mostly underground.

Taka: So I'll check things out through there first, see if I can tell in any way what I'm dealing with here.

Dionysus: It looks empty from that angle. But near the windows, you can smell all sorts of things--animals, mostly. Remember, however, the moonstone.

Taka: I know. I was going mostly off scent anyway with the windows. so I pull the moonstone out and take a look

Dionysus: The floor you'd enter & the one below are empty. The next one, though, is huge & cavernous, well lit, & an amazing zoo of magical animals.

Taka has the silent equivalent of a "Holy shit..." reaction.

Dionysus: A feng huang (phoenix-esque bird from this region), a garafena (magical serpent), a pack of bandersnatch, a blue tiger (tiger with wild magic), a couple owlbears, a hippogriff, a gorgon bull, a tanuki, a hsigo (magical monkey being), & in the middle, a behemoth (looks like a land whale, this one does)

Taka: Can I see the way in from there, and/or any semblance of a guard? Anyone with a menagerie like this is an idiot if they don't guard it.

Dionysus: The guards are crawling all over it

Dionysus: Mostly big humanoid types--ogres, trolls, half-giant or two.

Taka: Inside among the animals, huh?

Dionysus: Way in is the front door, or a cavern exit.

Dionysus: Yes

Taka: hmm...how close attention do they seem to be paying to either entrance/exit?

Dionysus: The lower one, heavy attention. The upper one, none at all. No one is on the first floor.

Taka: then the upper one it is.

Dionysus: It's heavily barred & padlocked.

Taka: Of course. Barred from the inside, I assume

Dionysus: Yes

Taka: bugger. No other ways in, huh?

Taka: aside from the lower entrace

Dionysus: The windows are too small

Dionysus: Or too high up, unless you can climb/wanna jump down.

Taka: how far's the drop?

Dionysus: 20 feet

Taka: They ignoring the windows for the most part too?

Dionysus: There' sno one in that entire floro

Taka: oh duh.

Taka: so I go through a window

Dionysus: Roll ath to climb to it

Taka: watch me fall...

Dionysus: You have to grab the ledge of the window.

Dionysus: Roll strength to pull yerself up

Dionysus: You make it up

Taka: yaaay

Dionysus: Now roll ath to land safely

Dionysus: You land with ease & grace. Now what?

Taka: Now we take stock of what's up here and go find the door leading down.

Dionysus: It looks like the typical insides of a fruit warehouse

Dionysus: The door leading down is inside an office.

Taka: locked?

Dionysus: Yeah, but a pickable lock.

Taka: hurrah

Dionysus: Roll picking, or whatever

Dionysus: Ha

Dionysus: It so opens

Taka: bwaha

Taka: And down we go.

Dionysus: Roll rogue

Dionysus: So you manage to sneak down the stairs

Taka: yaaay.

Dionysus: The menagerie smells bad.

Dionysus: There's no proper care for the animals.

Taka holds back a growl.

Dionysus: The gorgon bull is heavily shackled. If you let it go, it's gonna rampage.

Taka: nice distraction, but at what cost I wonder.

Dionysus: Your life, prolly, amongst many others.

Taka: yep...

Taka: how do the guards seem to be moving?

Dionysus: Sharply, alertly. Carefully, in precise patterns.

Taka: the patterns was what I was after.

Taka: Somehow I gotta get past them, free the critters, presumably get the critters out of the warehouse, and get back out myself.

Dionysus: Without letting the critters kill each other or you, preferably.

Taka: Yeah.

Taka: what I wouldn't give for a little D&D Ranger skill right now. ah well. I'm guessing some of these critters is meateating.

Dionysus: Most of them

Taka: which ones aren't?

Dionysus: The hsigo is omnivorous, but prefers fruits. The feng huang eats only pomegrantie seeds. The tanuki is a scavenger, so meateating, but not a hunter type.

Taka: of the meateaters, aside from the bull, do any look like they'd go after their guards the minute they were let loose?

Dionysus: The bandersnatches might. The behemoth looks asleep. The blue tiger looks & smells drugged. The garafena looks reptilianly lethargic. The owlbears ar every menacing. The hoppogriffs are antsy.

Taka: hrm.

Taka: What I'm thinkin' is let loose one or two of those that look like they'd go after the guards. keep the guards occupied, let me unlock at least some of the others. The way the bull's acting it'd probably be best to leave it to last.

Taka: However, before I start...

Taka: Does there seem to be any way for the guards to raise an alarm/call for backup, aside from running like hell and making a ton of noice?

Dionysus: Not really, no.

Taka: oh good.

Taka: the noise can't be helped once thigns get started, but at least it's something. *flips a coin* chance decides I go for the hippogriffs first.

Dionysus: Roll rogue to get to them

Dionysus: Nivce

Dionysus: You make it to the hippogriff pen.

Dionysus: It is well locked

Taka: Do they seem to be reacting to my presence?

Dionysus: No, they're used to people at this point.

Taka: nice. let's try an' pick the lock, then.

Dionysus: Roll

Dionysus: It snaps open

Taka: Do the guards hear it, or are the critters making enough noise to cover it?

Dionysus: They don't notice

Taka: Check the hinges. chance of squeaking?

Dionysus: Low

Taka: Ease the door open and hope they don't stampede at the first sign of movement.

Dionysus: They squawk loudly

Taka: I freeze and watch the nearest guard/s

Dionysus: Thet glance at the 'griffs, then turn away.

Taka: Continue opening the door.

Taka: if it's open all it's gonna be, I'll move on.

Dionysus: You open it enough

Dionysus: Where to next

Taka: Where's closest?

Dionysus: Owlbears

Taka: ...seriously cautious and on to the owlbears.

Dionysus: The growl-squawk as you approach

Taka: I keep an eye on the guards and try to convey through body language that I'm here to help.

Dionysus: A guard is approaching the hippogriff cage & says, "What th--" as a hippogriff steps out & squawks angrily.

Taka: Is there a handy box or something I can duck behind, or is he a bit preoccupied?

Dionysus: He's being trampled

Taka: So now things speed up. how's the lock on the owlbear cage look?

Dionysus: Same as the one on the 'griff cage

Taka: Here we go again.

Dionysus: Roll

Dionysus: Clocks open. Roll dodge

Dionysus: The owlbears roar-squawk as they charge out, nearly knocking you over.

Dionysus: Now where?

Taka: Where's next? So long as I don't run into the bull I'll just take things in order.

Dionysus: Fen ghuang

Taka: Onwards, then

Dionysus: It is silent as you approach

Taka: Let's let it out.

Taka: ahaha, no

Dionysus: The lock is jammed

Taka: bugger.

Dionysus: The bird sighs.

Taka: What do the hinges look like? what kind? and is it a latch-lock, with a padlock through, or some other kind?

Dionysus: padlocked

Dionysus: Hinges look like big iron hinges.

Taka: Is there any way to unhinge the door or unscrew the lock?

Dionysus: Difficult, but either is possible

Taka: I'll try to unscrew the lock first. I'd rather not unhinge the door unless I've no otehr alternative.

Dionysus: Roll awareness?

Dionysus: Better

Dionysus: You get the lock off, slowly

Taka: Open the door.

Dionysus: The feng huang flutters down, lies its head on your shoulder. You feel renewed vigor.

Taka: My eyes widen, and I thank it softly.

Dionysus: It brushes its beak against you to say "you're welcome," then flies up toward the top of the cavern.

Dionysus: Next is the tanuki pen.

Dionysus: The guards are having a hard time with the loosed animals

Taka: That was the general idea.

Taka: Let's get these guys out, then.

Dionysus: Another pen, another lock.

Dionysus: Another OPENED lock.

Taka: and another opened door

Dionysus: The tanuki runs out. Roll awareness.

Dionysus: You fail to notice, apparently.

Taka: crap.

Dionysus: What did you have in your pockets?

Taka: uh...not much, really, since all I grabbed on leaving would've been my lockpicks and the moonstone and the former are in my hand. the moonstone, if it's not a pendant, would've gone in a pouch or pocket, though.

Taka: and my sling, just in case.

Dionysus: Ahh. Your slingstones are missing from their pouch now.

Taka: I flatten my ears in annoyance on feeling the missing weight, but move on. Slingstones are replaceable.

Dionysus: Next up the hsigo cage.

Taka: Another cage, another lock.

Dionysus: It opens

Dionysus: The hsigo screeches

Dionysus: A guard says, "Intruder!"

Taka: i wince. Had to happen sooner or later.

Dionysus: What do you do?

Taka: Throw the door open, grab the lock, and look around for the quickest way out of sight.

Dionysus: Roll awareness

Dionysus: You see an opening to hide in

Taka: I make for it.

Dionysus: Roll rogue

Dionysus: Nice

Dionysus: They lose you in the confusion

Dionysus: Now what?

Taka: Well, if the confusion is sufficient, I'll move on to the next cage in line, provided it ain't the bull.

Dionysus: The behemoth pit is skipped or no?

Taka: Not if I can get there without getting trampled, bitten, scratched, or otherwise mauled, no.

Dionysus: Mostly, you have to climb down in it to unlock the behemoth's shackles.

Taka: ok

Dionysus: Roll climbing

Dionysus: Ha

Dionysus: You slide down the side.

Dionysus: The behemoth's eye opens.

Taka: Again, I try to convey through body language I'm here to help and move to unlock it.

Dionysus: It closes its eye & starts to snore./

Taka: Easygoing beastie, ain't it?

Taka: So another lock.

Dionysus: If you were the size of a large killer whale & could run on the ground, you would be easy going as well.

Dionysus: Another five locks.

Taka: fun.

Taka: so another five rolls.

Dionysus: Hit it

Dionysus: The right hind leg lock is jammed.

Taka: damn.

Taka: A: is there any other way of getting the lock off, B: is it strong enough to be able to break it on its own?

Dionysus: A: Not really. B: now that the other locks are gone, yeah

Taka: Then I'll try to politely wake it up and let it know it can go if it wants.

Dionysus: It opens its eyes. Looks at you. Closes its eyes.

Taka: Having done all I can here, and if it's possible, I'll take the four locks I managed to undo and climb back out.

Taka: [if I can't take 'em, forget it and just climb out.]

Dionysus: Those shackles are about half your size each

Dionysus: Right, you go up lockless

Taka: hee

Taka: Next in line?

Dionysus: The next cage is the bandersnatch pen

Dionysus: They are yapping like crazy

Taka: Another lock...

Dionysus: Jammed

Taka: of course. can I unscrew this one too?

Dionysus: You can try

Taka: So I try

Dionysus: Roll

Dionysus: Sorry

Dionysus: You get it open

Taka: it's cool. hurrah.

Taka: moving on to the next pen.

Dionysus: The bandersnatches rush out. Roll dodhge

Taka: hah

Dionysus: You deftly step aside

Taka: So what's next?

Dionysus: Gorgon bull, then blue tiger.

Taka: ....Skip the bull, onto the tiger.

Dionysus: Pickit

Dionysus: Barely picked

Dionysus: The tiger roars & steps out, calmly.

Taka: I get out of its way.

Taka: and move on to the next cage...aside from the bull, what's left?

Dionysus: It walks stately-like toward the center of the confusion.

Dionysus: The garafena

Taka: Ok. another lock, then.

Dionysus: This cage is glass, but there's a lock, which is now open

Taka: I was wondering how the hell they kept a snake penned up.

Taka: So what does it do now the lock's open?

Dionysus: Slithers out, slowly.

Dionysus: The bull suddenly breaks down its bars

Dionysus: It storms out, frenzied, breathing smoke

Taka: yeek.

Taka: If it comes toward me at all I'll try like hell to be elsewhere.

Dionysus: You should roll dodge

Taka: ...of all the rolls to get a 2 on.

Taka: this is gonna hurt

Dionysus: Yeah...

Dionysus: You get hit hard by the gorgon

Taka: ow.

Dionysus: Umm, you're pretty fucked.

Dionysus: You wake up hours later, with a feng huang on your chest

Taka blinks at the feng huang and takes stock of her situation.

Dionysus: All the animals are sleeping.

Dionysus: The feng huang & you are the only one sawake

Taka: The main question on her mind right now is, is everyone still free?

Dionysus: Yes

Taka: no sign of the guards?

Dionysus: None

Dionysus: Well

Dionysus: They're all dead or asleep

Taka: As the last thing I remember is a frenzied gorgon bull, I look at the feng huang and nod my head in a bow. "Thank you again." said softly.

Dionysus: It coos softly.

Taka sits up and looks around for the best way to get the critters out.

Dionysus: There's a series of barges on an underground stream down the way, behind a door that wans't ther e before

Taka: I'll go to investigate, wondering where they came from all the while. maybe I'll find out.

Dionysus: There's evidence of a hidden latch. The feng huang is sitting on the handle to it

Taka: "Did you open this? Have the barges been there all this time?"

Dionysus: It coos

Taka: I give the barges the once-over. Which direction's the water flowing?

Dionysus: Toward the river

Dionysus: Which goes out to sea

Taka: and I've no way of knowing what's on the other end of this stream.

Dionysus: Not really, no.

Taka: Which way are the barges facing, or can I tell at all?

Dionysus: Toward the river

Taka: Do they have a wheel, or just a rudder pole?

Dionysus: wheels.

Taka: how big are they?

Dionysus: They seem to be made to carry most of these animals. None can hold the behemoth

Taka: So it got here some other way.

Dionysus: No obvious wya presents itself, but that thing can leave whenever it wants at this point.

Taka: Hm. Are they connected in some way, or are they separate?

Dionysus: Connected by ropes

Dionysus: Got a plan?

Taka: Well, that depends on if they can be all steered from one barge, or if it requires multiple steersmen.

Dionysus: All from one barge

Taka: Hm. question: would the Fauna temple be amenable to helping these critters out?

Dionysus: Yes

Taka: The temple was on the outskirts of the city, as I recall....where in relation to the river?

Dionysus: On it

Taka: Up or downstream?

Dionysus: Up.

Taka: damn...is there any obvious way to navigate these things upriver?

Dionysus: Harness the gorgon bull? Not really anything I can think of

Taka: hah. will it let me is the question there. hm...

Taka: I've no way of knowing when the sleeping guards will wake up...or the animals, for that matter. Where is the warehouse in relation to the temple?

Dionysus: Downstream, well down stream, & inland a bit.

Taka: how long would it take me to get from here to there?

Dionysus: a few hours by foot.

Taka: which is my only choice because I left my money back at the compound. crap.

Taka: well...

Dionysus: Okay. I need to rush you to get things even.

Taka: ok.

Dionysus: If you run to the temple, you can easily get the help you need.

Taka: Then I go for it.

Dionysus: All right. The leszi never shows up again to thank you ro anything for the mission

Taka: ok.

Dionysus: Do anything for the rest of the week?

Taka: After this? Hell no.