Ian ponders this for a moment before replying. "I dont think that will be needed, but that may be a good plan in the future. Im just here to talk business. Besides, if anything goes wrong, I can handle a little punshment myself." Ian whispers back.
Ian turns back toward the bartender. "So... onward?"
*thinks I could REALLY use a stiff drink about now.*
OOC: Dread Pirate, is your character a gnoll or a flind?
The bartender looks at Ian, obviously startled. "You onward. I stay here an' do my job." He points at the still-open door.
"Oh." Ian says. He turns to walk down the stairs. "Hold on.." He turns toward Ophelia. "Didn't you say you wanted a drink, before?"
"A drink can wait, I would like to find out what that thing is first, if I may come with you, as you have already invited me", she whispers back to Ian.
*She starts slowly walking twards the open door.*
"Very well then." Ian says, following Ophelia toward the door. As he takes the first few steps down, he notices he's starting to move silently.
Old habits die hard. He says, continuing his walk downward.
*Ophelia walks through the door and looks around the room*
*OOC: spot Roll: 7 + mod (20) = 27 *
OOC: Sorry, I was having problems connecting to Planewalker, but Clueless has fixed them.
Hearing the flind's outbursts of shouting, the cat man is intrigued and begins to listen in.
Creature containment? Maybe that explains why I heard that voice... or maybe not, judging by that girls response. She has a nice ass, but her skin is way to pale to be healthy... nah, not worth the risk.
He moves to look down the hallway when the door is opened, making a mental map of the rooms beyond, noting any windows in particular. If the view is obscured he will flip down his peircing visor, and activate it, allowing him to see though anything out to about 100'. If he sees any windows, he will then begin maneuvering outside, moving to somewhere where he can use his laser mic to listen in on any conversations they have with the wizard. If not, he will set his camofluage to the appropriate color scheme and begin following them down the hallway, trying to avoid detection.
The only thing Ohalian can see is a stairway leading downwards. It's made from wood, and there seems to be nothing special about it... wait, was there a figure staring back at Ohalian? He blinks his eyes, but there's nothing to see.
Before he can take any further action, someone at his side pokes his leg. "Hey, you! You weird-smelling Prime! You interested in a job?"
Ohalian needs a moment to find the being to whom the high-pitched, scratching voice belongs - it is a kobold, naked, and small even for his race.
The group walks to the stairway behind the door, and the bartender closes the door right after they've entered. The light in here is dim, and the stairway leads down at least thirty feet. Fortunately, the stairs are wide, and the walk down will be easy.
[OOC: Hey nick, good to have you back in 
]
*Ophelia walks down the stairs thinking, Gods abve and below protect me now. Sh*t, why was I coming along? Oh yeah, my damned curiousity
standing with his back up tight against the closed door, the massive flind gnoll seems to be shaking from ether fear or anticipation, it's hard to tell.
"Thank the Lady I didn't have to go first!" he thinks to himself......
*blackthornes, asking the gnoll*
"do you think we should go down here? Oh well, i guess it can't hurt much."
*Outbursting*
"down the stairs i go!"
*blackthornes follows the gnoll down the stairs,thinking to himself*
Oh great, were are we headed now?
OOC: um, i'm at a loss, i am following them down stairs, right?
OOC: Just to avoid confusion later, Am I correct in that we are walking down the stairs in the order of Ian, Ophelia, Blackthornes with The Masked Gnoll at the back? Cause if the Masked Gnoll had the closed door to his back, I dont think that Blackthornes could follow him down.
Oh, and Im making a listen check on the way down, and a spot check when I reach the bottom ( assuming the bottom ends with the door to Chaard's chamber)
Listen check: roll= 4+11(mod)= 15
Spot Check: roll= 11+(11mod)= 22
*OOC: I thought I was headed down first, but be my guest 
I am also going to make another spot check and first a listen check as we head on down the stairs:
listen roll= 2+20(mod)= 22
spot roll= 17+20(mod)= 37*
[OOC: I assumed that blackthornes came along with the group. The stairs give enough room so that two characters can walk besides each other. I'd say that Ian and Ophelia are headed first, and blackthornes and the Masked Gnoll are at the back.
So, both Ian and Ophelia make a listen check; Ian doesn't notice anything in particular. As for the spot check, Ian makes his at the bottom of the stairway, so I'll check if he notices anything when the group has reached the end of the stairway. Ophelia makes her spot check on the way down already.]
Despite the atmosphere caused by the long stairway and the dim light, there seems to be nothing dangerous here. An strong, wooden door can be seen at the end of the stairway, and it seems to be slightly open. Ophelia notices the sound of footsteps and the nervous voice of a man within the room, but she can't make out specific words.
As the group walks down the stairway, Ophelia takes a close look around. The grey walls are dirty and the building needs some repairs, but aside from that, there's nothing to see --- or wait, what was that? Maybe it was just a trick of light, but for a tiny moment, Ophelia thought she had seen a humanoid shadow just an arm's length before her.
[OOC: The moment Ophelia thinks she has noticed something they're halfway down the stairway.]
Ohalian turns to the kobold, but keeps an ear out for anything down the hallway. "That would depend on what it is, my diminuative, scaley freind."
"Simple thing, really. And don't call me friend. The owner of this bar owes a lot of money to me. You see, if I wanted it, the bar with everything inside would belong to me. But I don't want a bar, I want my money back. First step for that is, Charrdh has to stop spending... my... money. I want you to follow that group that you observed yourself, and find out what's going on in there. As for payment, I think twenty gold pieces will be more than enough for such a simple job."
"Uh huh. Half up front."
"Naturally. And don't you consider making the run with half of the money - I have ways of catching any leatherhead that owes something to me."
He turns around and shouts at someone else nearby. "Gruoth, bring our bag over here!"
Another kobold, this one clad in dirty, old clothes, stands up from his chair and comes closer. "Whassemadder, Yir? Whyewannin' -"
"Shut up, fool, and give me the bag." The naked kobold has only whispered his words, but with a strength that gives everyone around a shudder. Gruoth stands shocked for a moment, then hands a large leather bag to Yir.
"Thank you. Let's see..." He grabs into the bag and takes a handful of coins. One two... six... nine... ten. There we go."
With that, he hands over the gold coins to Ohalian. "We have a deal?"
Most of the people around stare at the gold, at the kobold - and at the leather bag. It's obvious few of them have ever seen that much money at once.
(OOC: Uh, on the staircase, since you said there was dim lighting, remember that I have low light vision, if that helps me at all.)
[OOC: Yes, I do know that.. ]
*Ophelia stops short for a split second half-way down the stairway, then keeps moving*
She whispers to Ian, "Did you see that? Oh, nevermind. I must be going barmy after all these years in the Cage."
*OOC: the second spot check I made was for the room at the bottom of the staircase*
*blackthornes, asking the two infront of him*
"hey, do you guys see anything up there?"
*blackthornes, asking the two infront of him*
"hey, do you guys see anything up there?"
"Not much to see. I thought I just saw someone only an arms reach in front of me, but then it went poof! just before I could get a good look. Maybe I am just going barmy after being in the Cage for so long," Ophelia whispers back to Blackthornes.
Ian thinks to himself for a moment.
"Hm... let me check something."
Ian reaches into his haversack and pulls out two things, his everburning torch, and a wand of detect magic.
"If we were anywhere else, I might agree to call it a trick of the light, or some such thing. But when dealing with mages, you can never be too careful." Ian, holding the torch above his head, raises the wand...
OOC: Use magic device: roll=17+5(mod)=22
Im not sure, but I think the DC for using a wand or staff is 20. Assuming it works, do I sense anything?
Some sort of crime lord, maybe?
The cat-man casually takes the money, and drops it into one of the pouches on his mesh vest.
"Of course I won't run with your money. And if you try to betray me, well, the same right back at you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got a job to do."
He will then proceed with the same sequence of actions as he was planning to do before the kobold interrupted him.
*to Ophelia*
"OK, I think you are a little barmy, maybe though there is something there... I don't know."
*to everyone*
"any of you guys remember that wierd cat guy that was floatin' 'round the bar, well i have a bad feeling he might come into play soon..."
*waiting impatiently for Ian to light his torch Ophelia casts a Daylight spell, centered on the last area she saw the dark form, in the darkened corridor*
[OOC: Umm... how the hell should your character know that, blackthornes? PLEASE remember the basic rules of roleplaying: Your character does NOT know what YOU know, your character only knows what he experienced himself. Let's just say your character never said that...
@Everyone: I'm a bit out of time right now, but I'll reply within the next 24 hours.]
"I guess that works too." Ian says, puting away his torch.
OOC: note that its an everburning torch, which mean it doesnt need to be lit. But since the daylight spell is more effective anyway...
*OOC: Ophelia doesn't know that it is an everburning torch, so she just thought hey, why not cast daylight? Oh well, sorry to ruin your fun 
*
[OOC: Sorry, real life messed my plans... but there we go again ]
Ian concentrates on his wand, and after a few seconds, it begins to glow in a blue light. Just at that moment, Ophelia casts the daylight spell - and the whole area of the staircase is filled with a dim magical aura. He does notice several magical items on the other characters, too, and his own magical items appear in a blue aura, as well. Besides that, there is nothing to see.
The daylight spell fills the staircase with bright light; the atmosphere of danger seems to be wiped away like a bad dream. Obviously, the light goes farther than just the staircase, beyond the slightly open door at the bottom. A few moments later, the door opens, and a bald, fat man with long, pointy ears and a leathery, grey skin looks up at the group. He wears fine clothes - fine for the Hive Ward at least -, a number of rings and amulets and a thin headband with a gemstome. As Ian can see through his spell, all the jewelry he wears is magical.
"You the people interested in the orb? Come in, I don't have all day, so let us -"
He stops suddenly, his mouth wide open, and stares at something above the group.
[OOC: nick, since there aren't any windows to see, the only way to follow the conversation is to follow the group. Thing is, the door to the staircase is closed. How are you going to proceed?]
Ohalian walks through the crowd in the bar unless he reaches the bartender. Noone seems to be paying him any attention - not even the kobold that gave him the job. The kobold is in a heated discussion with his companions, and seems to become more and more aggressive.
Ian slips his wand back into his haversack as he takes a few steps toward Chaardh.
"Hello, actually, thats exactly why we are..." He notices the mans stare.
Uh-Oh Ian thinks to himself.
OOC: Do you mean above the group as in 'over our heads" or above the group as in 'up the stairway'?
[OOC: Above the stairway. Sorry for the vague description...]
OOC: not a problem
Ian turns to inspect the spot where Chaard is staring open mouthed.
OOC: Spot check= 16+11(MOD)=27
*Ophelia smiles at the old mage and then her smile turns to a a quizical look as she looks past him at the area he is looking, above the staircase*
OOC: Spot check= 20+20(MOD)=40
The catlike man will grab ahold of his belt, and tell it to make his fatugues assume the proper camofluage scheme, then does the same with his trenchcoat. He will then sneak up to the door, look around, and try to slip in when nobody (on either side of the door) is looking.
*Blackthornes to all*
"what is everyone staring at?"
OOC:SPOT check
The wall higher up the staircase has changed - dramatically. Where just seconds ago only stones and a few spider webs could be seen, there is a gaping wound now, as if the building itself was a living creature of flesh, hit by the sword of a giant.
Muscles move in an irritating pattern, and blood runs down the wall and upon the staircase.
Blackthornes, Ophelia and Ian notice that the door up the staircase opens and closes again.
[OOC: Ohalian has entered, but due to the spot checks, his entrance has been noticed. It depends on the other characters' actions if he himself will be noticed or not.]
*Replying to Blackthornes*"The gaping, almost alive, hole in the wall. " whispers Ophelia.
Ian sits there, struck dumb for a moment, before breaking the silence.
"Huh. Well, thats something you don't see every day." Ian turns to look at Chaardh. " I take it from your expression that this is as much a surprise to you as it is to us?"
OOC: Im willing to say we don't see Ohalian yet, because right now catching him would, mostly likly, lead to a fight.
Also, is my detect magic picking anything up from the giant wound in the side of the building? Cause it should still be up, I thinks.
*OOC: I got a 20 on my spot, equalling a 40,how do I not see Ohalian? But if that is how you would like to play it, I will edit my post.*
OOC: You all take a -5 penalty for being distracted, and a -1 penalty per 10' of distance.
Ohalian sneaks in.
Okay, this doesn't look normal...
Hide check:
*OOC: Except I have low light vision from being an elf, so there should be no -1 penalty for every 10 feet and even so I just did daylight in the hallway, but we'll say I never saw you and you can sneak in anyways, ok?*
[OOC: Good to see you solved this yourself So, by now, noone has seen Ohalian. But since the door opening and closing is *quite* a hint, those who made spot checks have a good reason to make one more, this time specifically to see whatever comes in. Of course, you don't HAVE to.]
Ian doesn't see anything magical in the wall. Charrdh takes a deep breath, then says: "Every time again, yes. This is the biggest I've seen so far. Come ye in, we have something to discuss, I believe."
Cautiously, Charrdh walks back into his room, neither turning around nor moving his eyes from the wound in the wall.
Ian takes one last glance at the wall wound, and follows Chaardh down the stairs, maybe a little faster than needed.
I dont understand it. He thinks to himself. How can a huge, gaping wound in the wall leaking blood NOT be caused by magic?
the masked gnoll doesn't move to follow Chaardh. in fact, he has been frozen in place this whole time. (except for his constant trembling)
"hey g-g-g-guys.....If th-there's one thing i'm sc-sc-sc-scared of, it'sss th-the unknown....." He states in an obviously terrified voice.
i'm such a big baby he thinks to himself some masked hero I am! no wonder I'm not allowed to join the harmonium, no one want's a big baby like me to save the day.
" I h-have a confession guys, I'm n-n-not a masked vigilante like you all may th-th-think! I'm really j-j-just a big scaredy flind!"
OCC: sorry i'm so late, the duties of this prime are sometimes long and tedious
The Masked Gnoll, who has been sitting there quietly whalloing in the shame of his past outburst finally wispers to Ian.
"perhaps i should be the first to follow the bartender incase.....uhhh....you know......there trying anything. i may not be as smart as most people, but i can take alot of punishment if they are planning a trap."