DDC05 The Ravens

In the shadows you breathe a sigh of relief. That was a close call. You now realise that you may end up being as penniless at the end of the evening as you were at the start of the day. But you have 4 pieces of metal shard which no matter how to look at them and twist and turn, they don't fit together. But you have another note.

Where wax once wept, now wicks lie dry,
The rival's shadow stains the sky.
Cross the planks where none dare tread
The fire hides behind the brick of red.

“Where wax once wept, now wicks lie dry.” Alone, it’s vague. Wax seals? Candles? It could mean anything, anywhere.
But then—“rival’s shadow.” That changes everything.
There’s only one serious rival to the Docklands Thieves' Guild: the Ravens. Their reach stretches across rooftops and alleys, and their presence looms—casting long, figurative shadows through the city. In their territory, things don’t happen unnoticed.
And suddenly, the wax makes sense. There’s an old, abandoned candlemaker’s shop deep in the heart of Ravens turf. Everyone knows it—the place with the crooked chimney that claws at the sky like a broken finger. Once a place of light; now dark, forgotten. Dry wicks, no flame.
If the clue leads there, then this challenge is no small task. The Ravens guard their ground fiercely, and they know every face that moves through their alleys. If you’re going in, you’ll need a plan. Or a miracle.
You head south through the city, weaving your way toward the tree line that marks the uneasy boundary between the Punctilio and Ravens territory. Already, you can see movement in the shadows—figures slipping between alleyways, silhouettes on balconies. This district is watched. Closely.
And you’re carrying a rival’s coin.
You can’t afford to lose it. But you’re not afraid of them. Not yet, anyway.
You won’t be strolling in through the front. You may look like you belong to the streets—but not their streets. That distinction could get you killed.
Luckily, the dark is on your side tonight. The moons are down, the sky thick with cloud—true black. You have cover, but not time. Midnight creeps closer, and the window is closing.
The only real option is the rooftops. If you're lucky, you’ll find the old planks or tension lines that link the buildings—makeshift bridges between blocks. Where those fail, it’ll come down to short jumps. Risky ones. One slip, one clatter, and the Ravens will come running.
And if you were them, you'd have guards up top.
So: quiet feet, quick thinking, and no second chances.

Climb on to roof
Suzi roll Climb Walls DC10 - success

You slip into the shadows and skirt around to the back of a building. The handholds are there—if you know where to look. You do. With practiced ease, you climb, fingers finding the familiar cracks and ledges, pulling yourself up into the night.
Once on the rooftop, you crouch low, staying beneath the sightline. You begin your slow advance across Raven territory, every step measured. Loose tiles, brittle thatch—any sound could give you away. At the edge of the roof, you stop. Three storeys above the street, a narrow plank stretches between buildings, slick with dew and swaying slightly in the breeze. A shortcut—and a risk.

Cross roof plank
Suzi roll Move Silently DC15 - success

The plank wobbles but you stay silent and cross quickly. Relieved to be on safe roof again. You move north, but your route is blocked. Guards stand at the end of the roof, so you decide quickly to risk movement on foot, certainly while you past the initial blockade of watchers on the permieter of the patch.
You grab the edge of the roof tight and swing yourself over the edge. Finding footholds, and handholds, you guide yourself down to the bottom. But just when you're about 6 foot from the ground, your handhold gives way and you clatter to the ground. Damn! Enough noise to wake the street up. You get to your feet, pull your hood down and stagger down the alley straight into a stack of small crates, knocking them over and making even more noise.

Pretend to be drunk
Suzi roll Deception DC10 - success

Shouts ring out from the windows above. “Go home, you drunk oaf!” “Just curl up and die—quietly this time!”
Perfect. The chaos works in your favour. Two guards come jogging into the lane, glancing around. They spot you staggering and slurring near a pile of crates. One snorts with amusement, the other waves dismissively. Just another fool with too much ale and no sense of timing.
You collapse in a heap, curling up against the wall, eyes half-lidded, pulse thundering in your ears. You wait. Count the seconds. Hope the act holds. Then—stillness. A glance around. Clear.
You slip into a narrow alley, deeper into the Ravens’ territory. The shadows are your allies again, wrapping around you as you weave between crates, doorways, forgotten passages. Twice you dodge passing guards, heart pounding but pace steady.
Then—another mistake. Your boot nudges a pile of old crates. A startled cat shrieks and bolts across the alley. One of the guards you passed spins back toward the sound. You freeze, pressed tight against the cold wall, barely breathing, praying your silhouette disappears into the dark. A pause. Footsteps. Silence.
Then, mercifully, the guard moves on. But that was too close. Far too close.
You glance upward. Time’s running out. You need to go up.

Climb back on to roof
Suzi roll Climb Walls DC10 - success

Your confidence swells as you haul yourself back onto the rooftop, lungs drinking in the cool night air after the claustrophobic tension of the alleys below. Up here, you can finally breathe again.

Looking south, you spot it—your target. Rising like a twisted finger against the starless sky, the crooked chimney clawed its way upward from the silhouette of a derelict building. That’s the place.
And then—the sound you’ve been dreading. Across the city, deep and sonorous, the bells of the central cathedral begin to toll. Midnight. One… two… three… four… five. Then silence. No more time.
Your heart feels like it might punch through your ribs as you sprint across the rooftops, leaping narrow gaps, skimming along slanted tiles. The abandoned building welcomes no guests, but its roof is patchwork at best, and finding a way in is simple enough. You slip through, dropping down into darkness. Dust and silence greet you. The stale air tastes of old wax and damp.
On the windowsill, a single candle waits like a relic—or a signal long forgotten. You draw your flint, one of the few tools you were allowed to bring, and strike a spark. The wick catches with a feeble glow. The light’s dangerous—it could be seen from outside—but without it, you may as well be blindfolded. The room is bare. A fireplace. A wall of rough red bricks.
You rush over, fingers working across the surface. There has to be a loose one. There has to be. You search, breath shallow, eyes flicking back toward the window. And hope.

Search for brick hiding place
Suzi roll Investigation DC10 - success

Brick. Brick. Brick. Nothing budges. Doubt creeps in—Was this the wrong place? The wrong clue?
And then—movement. A brick grates loose beneath your fingertips. You ease it out, heart in your throat, and reach behind. Cloth. Wrapped tight.
No note. Just a cold, round piece of metal nestled inside. You unfold the cloth and feel the shape—circular, with four distinct grooves. A key. You were right. You slide the four metal segments you’ve been carrying into place. With a satisfying click, they lock together. Complete.
Then—a sound. Voices. Footsteps. Below. Someone’s seen the candlelight leaking through the window—a window that should’ve remained dark. You snuff the flame in a flash, plunging the room into silence and shadow. The key disappears into your purse, then deep into your leather jacket. No time to hesitate.
You leap, catch a ceiling rafter, and swing your legs up through the hole in the roof. The city air hits you like a slap. Below, shouts rise—the front door of the old chandlery is under assault. They’re coming in. But you’re already moving.

Escape from the Ravens
Suzi roll Move Silently DC15 & Climbs Walls DC15 - success

You race across the rooftops, heading for the open ground beyond the Ravens' stronghold. Your strides are sure, leaps clean—each movement driven by urgency, not caution. There’s no room for hesitation now. If you slip, if you’re caught, if time runs out—it’s over. Everything you’ve done will have been for nothing.
So you stop holding back. You let go. And you run like your life depends on it.
Because it does!

Parent Plot

337-125 Dead Drop Challenge

Related Locations

• The Ravens