That seems more than fair.
How many people are there around? In other words, how many people can see what we're doing?
There are maybe 40-50 people around. How many are looking your direction or paying attention is less certain- the girl obviously attracted some attention.
"I can hide her," Talus says, standing up. "But not out in the open like this. We need to get her to an alley or other secluded spot." He scans around for a likely place to get out of sight of the people on the street.
Inside the café you are at there are only 6 people, the nearby alleyway is open on both ends, it is hard to say if there is anyone there from this angle. There are also a number of small places you would be able to duck into along the docks where cargo has been arranged sub-optimally.
Talus scans the area quickly. Cafe? Too cramped. Alley? No telling who was in there. Docks? That seemed the best bet. "Let's see if we can get out of sight behind some of those crates," he says. "Tell her to follow if she wants to be saved." Then he tosses some coins on the table for his breakfast and heads off quickly to the dock area.
While they are looking for an alley to duck into, does Paphos know anybody in the area?
Social Contacts presence roll 6+
Pre 2 + confidence +3 + roll 6 = 11
"If we can get away from the immediate area, a colleague of mine has his business nearby; we could lie low for an hour or two while I pay my respects."
It takes seconds to get behind the crates, but you can hear a commotion from where she came from that is presumably whomever is chasing her.
Quickly Talus touches the girl with his talisman, muttering, "mutatio species," focusing its power to change her appearance and voice to that of a young boy in the clothes of a local. "Tell her to calm down and say nothing," he says to Paphos. Then he follows with an illusion for himself, making him look different, but still a traveler. If there's time, he'll offer to change Paphos's appearance as well.
Use the Ring of Daedalus to cast Image Phantom on the girl and Talus (and Paphos if he wants it and there's time).
This is base level 5: Change an object completely, in all things except touch. So I should be able to change our voices, right?
If Finesse rolls are required, here they are:
Finesse 1: 1D10+11 = [6]+11 = 17
Finesse 2: 1D10+11 = [1]+11 = 12
Multiplier: 1D10 = [4] = 4=4*2+11 = 19
Finesse 3: 1D10+11 = [9]+11 = 20
Add 1 if this is considered 'precision.'
You finish creating the illusions for the three of you when two armed men and a priest come charging down the street, clearly looking for someone. The priest catches sight of the disguised girl in the shadows and looks closer for a second before hurrying on.
Paphos will look at the trio, then look down the other end of the ally, as if looking for someone, then look back at the trio. He wants to act like he saw something unusual (a woman running by), and wondering if it is connected to this new disturbance. Then he will studiously mind his own business.
To Talus and the woman, in Italian, Come this way now, this doesn't look like a good part of town. He'll motion them past the priest and his men while giving one last look down the alley where, presumably, a woman ran.
Talus follows along with Paphos. He has no interest in hanging around this part of town any longer than he has to, not with the armed men and the priest looking for the girl.
The priest and the two men start talking, then one of the armed men heads down the alleyway while the priest starts talking to people about having seen the girl. Most seem to be shrugging and indicating they know nothing, or don't understand. This close to the docks it may even be true of some. A few however gesture to the café and the boxes you took the girl towards, and the priest heads in your direction. He inquires in Itallian "I am looking for a runaway slave, have you seen a young Moorish girl? Some people say she went towards where you were when I mistook your son for her in the long shadows."
There is something unsettling about the priest.
Paphos begins, "I'm SURE it's not of my business, but.... He'll continue like the most eager gossip on the waterfront, describing how the wild eyed woman tore down the alley, looking guilty as sin about SOMETHING. He'll finish, looking down the alley in the direction she was running, "It all happened so quick, and just a moment ago. I'm sure you could catch her, she's gotta be nearby.
He'll stop for a moment, then continue slyly, "Is there a reward?"
Paphos has no objection to misdirection, but will not stoop to lying to such creatures.
Talus remains quiet for the moment, concerned that he'd do more harm than good if he tried opening his mouth.
Paphos lying:com(2)+guile(2)+die roll (8)=12
Priest's perception (-2)+guile (0)+die roll (1)(1)(8)=30
sometimes the dice just hate you.
"Nobody else saw her go to this alley, you are lying to me, where did she really go?" The second armed man hears the change in the priest's voice and heads closer.
Paphos pulls himself up, quite offended. "I am NOT lying to you, you rude little man. She ran down the alley as anyone with eyes in their face can plainly see. Good day, sir, our business is done!
Note that while he isn't telling the man the whole story, every word he has spoken is absolutely true.
Talus can see that things aren't going well, but he holds off from any action for now. He lets Pahphos try and smooth things over before he does anything drastic.
It occurs to me that we might have a misunderstanding here. We ducked in between some crates on the dock, not down an alleyway. I think Kuiti may be missing that fact. I think Paphos's intention was to say that the girl ran through the place we were (and where plenty of people saw the girl run), and continued onward. I don't think he was trying to deflect attention elsewhere.
yes, I was of the understanding that the crates were in the alleyway, the priest and his men came in one end and there is another open end.
Not that it helps; his guile roll was sufficient to detect that I was prevaricating and he chose to interpret that as lying. Close enough for government work, anyways.
Re-reading the posts, I see that we did not actually go in the alley; therefore it appears Paphos was actually lying and got caught at it.
The priest grows indignant and yells at the armed man "He is lying, detain him!" The armed man does not seem the type to be concerned over issues such as whether the priest has the legal authority to detain you or not, but he appears to at least have the manners to stand there menacing you for a moment to give you the opportunity to surrender.