The city of Oakhaven is a sea of bobbing lanterns and decorative bunting. Crowds press tight against the stone walls, eager for the monarch's jubilee procession.
Frecal pushes through the press of bodies, his slim frame allowing him to ghost between the jubilant citizens. He eyes a merchant's heavy purse, but a flash of white robes catches his gaze.
The Roadside Priest
The king demands fervor, but these streets only offer hunger and empty prayers.
Frecal
He looks far too distracted for a man holding a gilded collection box.
The Roadside Priest
Peace, good traveler. A coin for the festival shrine keeps the new monarch's favor upon your path. Will you bless this holy cause?
The priest thrusts the wooden box forward, his fingers trembling slightly as he catches Frecal staring at the lock.
+ Scene Quest Added
Steal the gilded collection box
“Deny to contribute at this time, but let him pass and follow at a distance waiting for a better opportunity”
SUCCESS (Good Stealth, rolled -1)
Frecal
My pockets are as light as the festival air, holy one. Perhaps later.
The Roadside Priest
The gods see the stingy as clearly as the generous. Go then, and may your conscience not weigh as heavy as an empty purse.
Frecal flashes a harmless, lopsided grin and sidesteps the priest, vanishing instantly into the thick of the festival crowd.
From the shadows of a nearby awning, Frecal watches the white robes bob and weave through the gathering mass of people.
Frecal
He thinks himself safe, but he keeps checking that lock every few paces.
The priest turns down an alleyway toward the lower market, his pace quickening as he leaves the main thoroughfare behind.
“Cover the distance quickly in the alley. Covering my face as I go. Quickly trip the priest and grab the box. As I run and use the alleyways to escape hide the box in my rags as I go”
SUCCESS (Great Agility, rolled -1)
Frecal pulls his cowl low, his soft boots finding silence on the damp cobblestones.
Frecal
The lock is thinner than it looked from the street.
A swift surge of speed closes the gap. Frecal hooks a foot behind the priest, sending the man tumbling into a heap of discarded crates with a muffled gasp.
The Roadside Priest
Mercy. Take it, just spare me!
The gilded box slides easily into Frecal's grip, its metal cold and heavy. He shoves the prize deep into the folds of his tunic, the weight now concealed against his ribs.
As the priest scrambles to stand, he notices a small, loose scroll tucked into the corner of the box where the lid meets the casing.
Quest Complete
Steal the gilded collection box
Skill Upgrade: Stealth Good→Great
+ Scene Quest Added
Retrieve the antique scroll
+ New Item Acquired
Gilded collection box
+ New Item Acquired
Antique scroll
“Find a secure location to view the scroll”
SUCCESS (Great Perception, rolled +0)
Frecal does not wait for the trembling man to find his footing. He pivots on his heel, vanishing into the maze of Oakhaven's backstreets with the grace of a shadow.
Frecal
This alley leads toward the old tannery, where the high walls block the sight of the city guard.
He ducks behind a stack of curing hides, finding a hollowed out space beneath a rotting workbench. The air smells of lye and damp earth.
With the scroll finally in hand, the parchment crinkles under his calloused thumb. He catches a glimmer of gold leaf illuminating the hidden seal.
Frecal
A ward seal? This is worth far more than copper for the shrine.
From the street entrance, the heavy, rhythmic clatter of metal armor rings out against the stones. A City Guard captain rounds the corner, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he scans the shadows.
Quest Complete
Retrieve the antique scroll