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-----Kazel nods. "Let's finish this business." Looking back in the room, she makes a face at Dora May before striding out the exit.
-----Seth looks up at Books and smiles and throws her a cheeky wink, "I think I better follow along behind - just for protection, never know when The Dread Pirate may decide to swing through some more windows and need to be carried home." He nods at Wain in return for the gold piece.
-----"Now hold on, ya rookie varmits!" Picks calls after the trio. "Less yer in a hurry ta be soaked ta da bone agin. We gots ‘nother mode o’ travel waitin’ on us." Dora May exits and goes into the next room.
-----Wain seems to stifle a laugh from the shadows and then he adds in a serious tone, "This will be a major job we’re pulling. There is a small amount of preparation that needs to be done. Does anyone feel they need anything special?"
-----Picks pulls out his bundle of tools, and unrolls them, inspecting and counting them all. Dora May appears from the adjoining room, dressed in a loose peasant dress, looking much like a street harlot. She gathers a large hooded cloak to protect her from the elements. The Fly cackles and mutters, "Nope, don’t need a ting ‘cept me pig fat." He then extends his hand with some extra fat toward Seth and sends the half-elf a friendly, questioning look. Grin sits quietly in a corner juggling three round balls.
-----Sighing deeply, Gimplefwick finally removes his parrot and tucks it safely away. He then adds to it, his hat and unenchanted sword. He also changes clothing into something a bit more subdued than his pirate attire. He does keep his remaining caltrops and the enchanted sword. He then pauses for a moment and quickly finds some black cloth and makes himself an eyepatch, which he repeatedly fiddles with, flipping it up and down and changing it from one eye to the other. Content with at least this minor piece of pirate regalia, he turns and examines the magic items. He offers the ring of animal control to Kazel and the scroll to Seth. The potion he folds up in some cloth and tucks away in a pouch.
-----Kazel takes the ring with thanks. Preferring it not to interfering with her weapon handling, she then tries the ring on each of her fingers on her left hand until it fits. Turning to Books or Gimplefwick, she asks, "Now, how do you go about using this thing?"
-----Books looks up at Kazel and apologetically shrugs. "Try out a series of trial-and-error experiments on animals you meet," she says as she pushes her spectacles higher on her nose.
-----Kazel also leaves Books the long sword and asks her if she can tell anything special about it (now or later). Reluctantly, she also asks for a change of peasant clothes and skirt, but keeping her dark clothes and the rest of her blades underneath so she can whip off the cumbersome disguise in a hurry. She also lets her hair down and ties on a simple piece of cloth as a bonnet, and carefully keeps the leather cord that bound her hair tied to her wrist in a slipknot. Finally, the cloak is donned over everything else.
-----Seth chooses to keep on his normal nondescript gray and brown clothes for this adventure. He leaves his backpack, book and harp with Books to look after. He gladly accepts the extra pork fat from the Fly and adds it to his pouch of eleven secret herbs and spices. He slings the two scroll cases over one shoulder and makes sure he has his sling and the dagger the Dread Pirate lent him. Some of the others notice the glint of a silver ring on his finger.
-----After everyone is prepared, Wain announces, "Books will stay here on lookout in case we fail. You know what to do in case no one returns by first light." The guildmaster looks at the by-speckled woman, who replies with a silent nod. Everyone is then ushered down the center tunnel with Picks leading the way. At the end, the dwarf pulls on one of the chains and a sloping section opens up in front of them to the outside. As most of the guild members crawl out of the tunnel into the pouring rain, They see a familiar wagon waiting a few feet away.
-----As the trio climbs on board with the Guild Master, Picks, Dora May, the Fly and Grin, they see that the one holding the horses’ reins is none other than young Jim. He flashes the trio a large smile. Kazel greets Jim with a friendly smile when she sees him. The thieves find their spots under the canopy amid two large boxes and a few barrels. The wagon then sloshes along toward the town . . . .
-----As the wagon begins to cross the bridge, Wain quietly says, "Places, everyone. Dora May, you’re in charge." The girl returns a giggle. The thieves then open the empty boxes and Kazel, Wain, and Picks hide in one. Into the other goes Seth and Grin. The Fly climbs under the wagon hanging onto the undercarriage. The Dread Pirate gets stuffed into a small apple barrel. Content that he has changed his appearance substantially, Gimplefwick hunkers down in his apple barrel and begins to snore.
-----As the wagon pulls up to the gate, the hidden thieves begin to hear Dora May speak with the guards. Quickly her talk goes from how nasty the weather is, to how daring and brave the guards are that watch the town, to how she must tend to her poor sick relatives and finally to promises to return to visit before the night watch is over.
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