Chapter 1: A Friend in Need

Alastriona hisses at Stitches and shakes her head. If there's an inquisitive look, she shrugs and nods over to Butler.

"Need an extra pair of hands, my feathered friend?"

The door clicks open, and you enter into a dimly-lit the dimly-lit warehouse. A pile of crates stacked by the door provide you with cover to enter the building under concealment.

Looking out beyond the stack of crates, you discover the scene of a massacre. Tables and chairs have been carelessly tossed across the floor, and the corpses of a half-dozen men lie along blood-splattered walls, their rapiers and daggers lying nearby. A crude wooden stair rises to an open mezzanine on the second floor

Beyond the stairs, you see four short, avian creatures with long beaks and black feathers - Kenku. Based on their attire Alastriona, Xelia, and Vatra suspect they might be the same Kenku they saw on their way out of the Old Xoblob Shop last night. They are currently searching through the crates and making quite a mess of it, dropping the contents of the crates in haphazard piles on the floor. They seem to be unaware for your presence so far.

Butler gestures that he's moving off to the side where he slips into the darkness and readies his crossbow.

Alastriona strides forward, her torch held high. She makes a beeline for some of the corpses, looking for the young face of Floon.

Stitches starts a bit when he sees other kenku. He rubs his eyes with his forearm and takes another look, his feathers bristling. Steeling himself, he moves to cover near Butler, readying his shortbow and nocking an arrow.

Xelia catches Prince’s attention, first pointing to him before gesturing towards the second floor.

What you can see from the entrance:Let's have everyone roll a stealth check to see how well this sneaking is going before we proceed (the Kenku have a passive perception of 12). Alastriona will make hers at disadvantage on account of the lit torch. Also, don't forget at some point you were all awarded inspiration!

Alastriona ignores the kenku and heads directly for the bodies of the slain men, heavy chain mail swirling around her steps. She makes no effort to be stealthy as she looks at each man and silently comparing their faces with the image of the young Floon in her mind.

Without waiting for a response, Xelia gracefully leaps onto the wall and begins the climb to the roof. She keeps to the shadows to hide her ascent.

Vatra's stealth check.

Climbing is outside of Prince's skillset, but he would do anything for Xelia.

Rooftop

Xelia gracefully ascends the side of the decrepit warehouse, which is still in the shadows of the taller surrounding buildings. A few seagulls are having breakfast near a trapdoor, which is locked. Prince eventually pulls himself up after a more challenging ascent.

Inside

Butler and Stitches sneak into position before Alastriona and Vatra's noisy entrance alerts the Kenku to their position. In a voice thick with undercommon that sounds just like Zemk from last night, one of the Kenku calls out "Store is closed. Out, now." The two nearest ones draw blades while the more distant ones draw short bows, and then advance toward the stairs.Surprise Round

Stitches, Butler, and Xelia will have a surprise round to act. Prince would have got it, but I'll make the consequence of the failed climbing check (despite inspiration, what robbery!) that he was too slow to get in on the surprise. Stitches and Butler have a clear line of attack against the Kenku. Xelia is on the roof with only one way in, and it would take an action to either pry open the door (Strength check: DC 10), or you can try another action.

Once the Surprise round is done, Stitches will start the regular initiative order, so feel free to take 2 turns at the same time if you wish, EvilSansCarne.

Initiative Order

1. Stitches
2. The 4 Kenku (AC: 13)
3. Alastriona, Butler, Prince, Vatra, Xelia

Battlefield Features

1. Stacks of heavy wooden crates
2. Corpses
3. A loading crane (2nd floor)

IN PROGRESS... Done!

Butler levels his crossbow at the Kenku closest to the stairs and snaps a quick shot off.

Xelia strains to open the door to the roof.

Stitches peppers the nearest kenku with arrows, then ducks back behind the boxes out of sight, stows his bow, and pulls out his rapier.