Chapter IV: The Heist (Part I)

The party asked Daxius a few more questions pertaining to the task at hand. He informed them that the stone is guarded in Feyfane temple and the only ways in would be either by royal invitation or illegally and conducting a heist to steal the royal jewel. Should they want to do the heist, they may find help with the underground organization known as Galren's chosen whose symbol is the staff of Galren with a stone at the top. The Chosen are also attempting to steal the same item the party is.   The party debated whether trying to reason with the aristocrats which would be hard given they travel with what looks to the city to be a lizard person as well as a human. Before they leave, Shen's unseen servant comes back to him with a stack of 4 books, one of which being a Tome of Fog Cloud. He also asks if Daxius has any incense to which he responds he has a room full of magical components on the 16th floor, but he has lost the key. He's goes to that door and attempts to open it and is put to sleep. Aire wakes him up and attempted to open the door and is paralyzed. With their paralyzed friend they decided to talk over their options more as they went back to the tavern to check up on John, the last remaining bluetop whom they captured and left at the tavern when they arrived.   Xar went ahead to the tavern while the rest accomanied Bink to the library to return the book they had borrowed. Upon enetering the tavern, Xar found the establishment fall silent and his exit blocked by two guards. Accusing him of kidnapping an innocent human to save for a meal they were ready to take him away. Xar tried to explain, but the locals would not take anything he said for the truth. He unsheathed his katana, ready to die and defend his honor when the rest of the party came in and explained what had happened and talked both the locals and Xar down. The innkeep halfheartedly apologized and made excuses as to why it was reasonable to think the human was telling the truth over a lizard person. He then explained that when they let John go, he had taken their horses and logging cart with him and presumably left the city. The now rightfully frustrated party left the inn, but not before magically inscribing words above the entrance saying, quite sarcastically, "All races welcome".   Xar went to a crowded area insisting they hunt for John and found a guard. He asked the guard if he has seen a human to which he replied "Yeah there's a few of them around." "Any wearing a blue leather top?" Xar said a little more forcibly. "I'm sure there were quite a few colors they wore." The guard retorted obviously not becoming invested in this hunt. Xar asked another guard and asked him to find some friends to help with a search and he would be paying 7 gold. The guard returned with a group of 12 to which Xar said they could either split the gold and have a party of 4 search or whoever finds him and brings him John will receive the entire sum. The crowd dispersed in search of the human and the party went to the market to find the mug seller Shen had met before who knows about Galren's Chosen.   Finding the mugseller again, the party attempts to tell him what they plan to do and that they know about the upcoming heist and they want in. They try to convince him of their intent the only way they know how; frightening the man with their magic. He tells them they will need to go to an overgrown area on the south end of Birdsong Alley. There they will find a large plaque in the ground telling of Galren's victory over the monster that ravaged this land. They need four long white candles lit and be there standing in the area by 11pm. A man will then walk in and they will extinguish their candles. The man will then come by and re light them saying "As the flame of the old regime fades" to which they will respond "The chosen will illuminate the future".   The party buys four candles from a nearby candlemaker and head to the poor district to find a place to relax for a few hours. They find a young man asking if they want their fortune read to which Shen obliges. He knows that the reading is absolutely made up but pays the elf anyways. They ask if there's a local tavern to stay at to which he tells them of the one they just came from. They ask if there is another to which he replies no, but there are plently of them there who are willing to sell a space for them to rest and he will as well. They ask him if he had any room. He runs inside his hut and helps out an elderly elf and sits her down outside, thus making room for one of them. The party decides not to take this offer and just wait in the overgrown area until dark.   They wait til 11pm, do as they were told, and the hooded elf removes the plaque revealing a ladder down. Leading them through a tunnel to a large open room with a female elf sitting facing them with four chairs in front of her. She asks if they want to be one of the chosen to which Xar very rudely says they knows about the heist, magic is real and it's back, and they want they stone. They then convince her the only way they know how, terrifying and abusing her with their magic via slapping her with unseen servant among other spells. Though not as racist as other elves, upon Xar being so rude and disrespectful, she makes some remarks that further cement Xar's feelings of elves. They agree to help with the heist to which she goes around to room to ask for their word that they will return the stone to the Chosen and to Selren whom they cannot meet yet. She also explains that they already have the staff which is in Selren's possession. They go around the room either avoiding actually giving their word or lying to which she sends for their two companions that will be accompanying them on their heist.   The hooded elf goes and brings back a halfling named Bero Boffin and an Elf named Ailmer. They greet the party, including Xar, whom when extending his hand out to the elf expected him to ignore his greeting. Much to his surprise, the elf shook his hand to which he muttered to himself "Huh...not racist.". Bero then drew a crude map and explained the plan. There is one entrance guarded by two elves with a third patrolling the perimeter. They were to sneak around back out of sight and wait for the guard to pass. They would grapple hook to the roof and go to the windows on the roof, removing one for them to drop into the temple and take the crown jewel. There are two more guards to their knowledge inside. They do not know if there are trapped but assume there to be many guarding the crown jewels. Ailmer explains what else they may find inside as well as some backstory on Galren and the city. They party agrees to this plan and is given the option to conduct the heist tonight or tomorrow. They chose immediately.   As planned, they run around back and wait for the guard to pass. Once they pass they attempt to sneak up to the building to grapple up. Xar's clinking armor and Ailmer's non discreet talking alert the guard to their presence. All of the members save for Xar and Ailmer are able to retreat back out of sight before the guard came back. The guard calls to the others for help while Shen decides to sneak up front using this as a distraction. Xar attempts to implicate Ailmer as he was holding the grapple to which the guards think he's trying to frame an innocent elf. Ailmer, rightfully scared, is too afraid to speak. The guards attempt to arrest Xar but he asks what will happen to him. They explain a lizardman attempting to steal crown jewels will probably die, but they may consider looking the other way should he make it worth their while. He tosses them his 7 gold and they agree to let him go. Before he leaves though he asks what will happen to Ailmer. The guards say he is free to go as he is an innocent elf. Xar snaps and draws his katana, stabbing and slicing Ailmer til he falls to the ground lifeless. This starts combat with the guards and causes Bero to turn sides and attempt to attack Xar as well essentially making the fight a 4 v 1.   Meanwhile, Shen sneaks around to the front of the now unguarded temple and attempts to pick the locked door. Unable to open it he loudly tries to imitate a guard and ask for help and then casts his unseen sertvant on the other side of the door to try and unlock it which also does not work. Sending the unseen servant forward he hears a large metal clunk followed by his tie to the servant being severed. He then makes his way around the building to join in the fight.   Aire had been watching the fight and decided to scale the temple building to peer inside. He saw two guards waiting by the entrance on the temple and the crown jeweled directly below the windows. Walking toward the fighting, he leaps off the building wielding his Bo staff hitting one of the guards on his way down.   Bink tried to reason with Bero and when he didn't listen and continued to fire at Xar, Bink treid to shoot him. He missed and continued to miss as he drew Bero's attention off Xar and they fought each other.   Eventually the party was able to use their previously found sleep sap to put all the guards to sleep. Bink subdued Bero and slit his throat. They went up to the roof and silently cut around the window above the crown and tied a rope to Aire. They lowered Aire down and he grabbed the crown setting off the trap which alerted the guards who were now trapped behind a portcullis due to Shen's prior meddling. They pulled Aire up as stairs started to appear around the pedestal for the crown leading down with another guard coming up. They made their escape running back to Daxius' tower. He convinces them to let him look at the gem which he comments that the color looks off and he smashes it on the floor. It was a fake.