By cunningness and opportunity

Cowan arrived at the formidable regent's keep, only to realize that he had reached a dead end. It didn't take more than a few looks with his trained eyes before he came to the conclusion that this was indeed an impossible enterprise.

He would have to take out numerous watchmen, just to reach outer walls. And to to climb the vertiginous obstacle would probably just result in a barrage of arrows once he reached the top. The keep appeared calm at night, but Cowan noticed the outlines of countless vigilant archers among the looming towers and pinnacles.

It would take weeks of careful reconnaissance to find it's weak spots and even then the chances of success were much too low, even for a daring thief like him.

It was clear to Cowan, that unless the crosier thief had wings, the trail led through the main gates.

Cowan despaired a little, fearing that he had met his match. Puzzled he walked towards the tavern "Regent's Head", a well known watering-hole and plotting ground for nobles, servants employed in the administration of Tharros, as well as people from the foreign embassies.

He pulled his cloak over his head as he entered the tavern. The half full room reverberated with a subdued buzz and Cowan silently made his way towards the bar. As he awaited the attention of the landlord, he noticed a young woman, standing next to him.

There was something about her that caught his attention, even though she was not what you would call a beautiful woman. The space between her eyes was too narrow, her chin was too big and her blonde hair was curbed in a stiff knot on her head. But at the same time she emanated a certain willingness and easiness to be persuaded that Cowan had a knack to spot from miles away. And her plain civil dress failed to conceal a voluptuous set of curves underneath.

She summoned the landlord a bit nervously and Cowan moved closer, carefully eavesdropping.

"Excuse me, good sir. I am looking for a man named Lord Gheldric. I was to meet him here earlier today, but I am afraid he hasn't shown up and it's getting very late," she said in a singing foreign accent.

"Sorry, miss. I haven't met any such lord," the landlord replied.

"Uhm, that's a pity. You see, I am a scribe at the Jadhi embassy and Lord Gheldric is a fellow-countryman of mine. He is coming to Tharros to study the famed tapestries of the Regency Keep and I am to keep him company as his assistant. I have our formal invitation to the keep right here, and he will not gain entrance without it."

Cowan almost cheered out loud. At the same time he remembered the words of his mentor Haywood: "A good thief always finds and seizes the right opportunity. Only hacks and amateurs calls it luck."

"Well, I guess I can do nothing but wait a little longer," the Jadhi woman sighed.

Cowan, who knew the current dealings of the underworld, knew well that she would have to wait forever. The only road to Jadhi was swarming with bandits right now and if the good lord was late it was probably because of an arrow in the back.

Cowan quickly formed a plan. He left the bar and made a round through the tavern. He swept by the tables and fast as lightning he picked up a foreign looking cloak here and a puffy hat with a plume there. He hasted out and into an alley and changed into the new gear. Then he smeared some mud on his boots and returned to the tavern.

This time he swung the door open with a bang and trudged noisily up to the bar, puffing and panting. He approached the bar and spoke with a nasal voice, mustering his best impression of a haughty Jadhi noble.

"What an utter nightmare of trip! Now where is that blasted girl that I am supposed to meet!?"