The Tale of Wild Blood

[Darth Ultron]

Donnellbragh The walled city sits on a hill top in the middle of a wide valley. Farms, barns and storehouses dot the lands around outside the wall. There are few trees left near the city, and more fall everyday.

Donnellbragh's walls are made of large logs and cut wood and stand thirty feet tall, with towers and walkways. A wide moat surrounds the city, though it is a bit clogged with trash and debris. A single massive double wooden set of doors and a draw bridge lead into the city from the north side.

In side the walls is the chaos of twisted muddy roads and twisting two or three story buildings. Mostly shops on the ground floors and apartments above. The city is mostly humans, a couple haflling families, and an odd dwarf or elf or two.

The whole city is a bit run down and in disrepair. Wear is visible nearly everywhere and little maintenance is done. A lot of the cities buildings lean into each other.

There are plenty of guards at the gate, along the walls and in the streets.



Start....

[WhovianBeast]

I squat at the edge of the distant forest and shade my eyes as I look towards the city, bringing my ring to my lips as I remember my brother and his killer.
Can't say I like what they've done with the place. Time for a change in management.
I straighten up before donning my leather light armor and gauntlet, leaving it unlocked. I check to make sure I haven't dropped anything and that my cleats are secure, before steadily making my way toward the road to the city gate with a scowl.

I approach the first guard I encounter carefully, not holding any weapons and with my hands by my sides.

Nice campaign name. My gauntlet is on my left hand and my signet ring is on my right, if it matters. Can I prepare my light crossbow for firing and then put it away? Are the obvious guards in the same uniform, different uniforms, or 'street' clothes? Are they all humans, or roughly human-sized? What time of day is it?

[Darth Ultron]

The guard you approach looks you over, with his hand casually on is sword hilt at his side. The guard, like all other guards you can see is in chain mail with green boots, green gloves and a green tunic with a tree in two parts with an axe in the middle. The nearby guards are a mix of humans, half elves and half orcs.





You can leave a crossbow loaded, but it still takes time to draw and shoot it per the combat rules

It's morning..say about 9AM. But you can wait for another time if you wish.

[WhovianBeast]

I take in the armored uniformed guards and decide that death won't enter the equation until as a last resort. There are entirely too many for a single light combatant to hope to succeed.
Hullo the gate! I request entry into your city.

[roll0] Bugger.


I think I'm going to wait to load my crossbow until I'm not in front of the guards. Are there any dogs or other potentially dangerous animals with the guards? Are there any fishermen around the moat?Is the drawbridge up or down? Are the gates open or closed?

[Darth Ultron]

Guard "Like I care. Enter if you wish. "

The guards you see don't have any dogs. You can see plenty of animals in the city such as dogs, cats, rats, chickens and such. Most horses and cattle are outside of the city walls.

No one is fishing in the moat, but the water is dirty and unclean...so it's not likely to have much wildlife.

The drawbridge is down and the doors are open. They are all worn and as damaged as everything else around.

[WhovianBeast]

I stalk past the guard without another word.

I enter the city and look around at the buildings, searching for a tavern or a small shop, ignoring the passerby as I brush past.

[Darth Ultron]

There are a couple taverns right by the gate...

The Unicorn and Ogre is a large crowed tavern full of noise.

The Funny Centaur has a large half circle barn attached to it and has a lot of horse riders. It's full, but not too loud.

The Tavern of Cats is small and quiet.

The trade street is full of shops, nearby you see....

The The Loving Bowl is a large shop full of foodstuffs, run by halflings.

Bags Bunny is a large general store.

The Sweet Elf is a wine and drink shop

[WhovianBeast]

Briefly overwhelmed by the choices and the noise after living a quiet life in the woods for ten years and in a small dwarven community for three more, I make my way towards the Unicorn and Ogre.
I'll visit the shops later. I need to know if the mayoral entourage is here and who the grim hand of Fate has claimed.

As I approach the tavern purposefully, I make full eye contact with whatever form of bouncer or guard is out front, but without reaching for a weapon or being obscene.

[Darth Ultron]

The Unicorn and Ogre- A large bald human male in leather armor stands by the door. He does not have any visible weapons other then his fists. His over tunic does have the word 'ogre' on it. He sees you and makes eye contact back.

[WhovianBeast]

I wonder if he'll be any trouble later. I hope not, it'd be a shame to have to kill somebody so unrelated so soon.

I enter the tavern and walk up to the first person who looks like they work here and isn't actively working at the moment.

Excuse me, I'm new to your city, and I'd like a guide around town. Somebody who is discreet, knows these streets like the back of their hand, and will show me things the mayoral guide I'll have later may not wish me to see.
I take out a gold piece and show it to them in my hand, attempting to be discreet.
And I wish to get started as soon as possible. Know anybody who can help?

[Darth Ultron]

Worker he nods and holds out his hand for the gold coin.

Once you give him the coin, he quickly puts it in a pocket. "You want Loenany Coppertoken, the halling in the back at the table by the door."

At the table in the back by the door, sits a single halfling male in leather armor. He has no visible weapons and is looking at the bottom of an empty clay cup.

[WhovianBeast]

I hand the worker the coin willingly.
Thanks
I turn from the worker and approach the halfling, sizing him up and looking for any major scars, tattoos, or marked jewelry.
//He looks as if he wishes that cup were full, which is odd for this early in the day, even if he were a dwarf.//

Loenany Coppertoken? I heard you were the one to see if I wanted a discreet guide around town. I say quietly as I stand across the table. He probably doesn't want too much attention attracted to him.

I was unsure how to denote internal dialogue. If you prefer something else, I'm all ears.

[Darth Ultron]

Loenany Coppertoken "That is me. Sit down, buy me a drink...I like a good Honeyflow in the morning. Get yourself something as well. "

You don't see any scars on his face, hands or feet. And no tattoos. He does have on six plain copper rings, a copper belt buckle and a copper necklace with a small pot shaped token at the end.





Most use " " for speech, and italics for thinking. But as long as you clearly mark it, it's fine...just make sure to mark it with at least ''Joe thinks to himself'' or such.

[WhovianBeast]

The man loves his drink. Seems to have pawned or sold everything worth anything.

"I'll buy you drinks later. I need you to be sober. Don't want to draw attention, if you catch my drift. I can repay your services in gold, drink, or favor, your choice. But it must necessarily be after you show me the city. I'm a busy man."

Enlighten me (since my character would know). Are "man" and "woman" reserved for male and female humans, or can they be used for males and females of most races?

[Darth Ultron]

Loenany Coppertoken sets down his cup and stands up "When you put it that way, I'm ready. What would you like to see: The Great Well? The Down Low Flower Shop? The High Lords mansion?"



Man and woman are for any race

[WhovianBeast]

We'll start with the Well and go from there. I will reward you for what you know and for your time, and it does not matter to me what you do when nobody's looking, but I will not be stolen from and I will not be lied to. Clear?

If I don't realize that I needed to roll for something, I'd greatly appreciate it if you'd either remind me or make a spoiler labeled something like 'You should have rolled for...' and then the appropriate rolls. That'll help me know what to roll whenever I'm in a similar situation again.

[Darth Ultron]

Loenany Coppertoken "Right this way."

He leads you a couple streets over, to a large well in a large clear area. The well is a good ten feet circular and has a wooden platform built around it. Six large tick ropes with wooden buckets hang over and into the well. Several guards stand around the area, looking much like all the other guards. Six long lines twist around the clear area of people with buckets. A worker stands by each rope with a book and quill, writing as the person next comes to lift a bucket of water and dump it into their empty bucket.

Loenany Coppertoken "The Great Well. Dug by Murklur Deepfoot, all most one hundred years ago.

I'm no thief or lair."


Sure

[WhovianBeast]

Wasn't expecting it to be guarded. Hmmmm.

"Well, it looks like this city is well secured. But how much water is each person allotted?

I suppose the city must have a prison someplace, but I haven't noticed it. I would like to see it, unless every criminal is simply executed."

Are there holes in the wooden palisade wide enough for cannons, or only arrow slits? Alternately, did I see any cannons on the walls while walking in?

[Darth Ultron]

Loenany Coppertoken "No limit, but folk can only get one bucket full at a time. "

A couple streets over, he leads you to a small square stone tower and attached stone building. The tower has several small glassless barred windows about the size of a humans head. The building has the same windows, but with no bars. The tower has only one door, an iron one, with two guards outside it. The buliding has both a front and back wood door, each with a single guard. All the stone shows much weather damage and is even crumbling in places. A bloody wooden stage sits in front of the tower.

Loenany Coppertoken "The Tower of Tears and the Watch House, of the City. "




The timerame is ''alternative'' 1300, so no cannons yet....and they do have magic too.

There are plenty of arrow slits, but you only see a couple guards up on the walls with a couple crossbows.

[WhovianBeast]

I turn from the prison in disgust.
"And how many prisoners are currently being held?

Leonany, when was the last time it rained here?

About how many people live here? How many guards or soldiers?

How does this city produce enough food to feed them? I saw no farms as I was approaching, only stumps.

Are those guards at the well posted around the clock?

How far is it from here to the High Lord's mansion?


Interesting that they're so confident about the security of the prison. I wonder if it's warded

[Darth Ultron]

Loenany Coppertoken "Prisoners? Um, who knows. There are only twelve cells though. Plus the hole in the bottom of the tower.

Rain? It has been a while...at least a week. Been a dry season. We might be under a curse.

The city count was seven thousand and some at the last count. The watch is something like a hundred, city guards maybe double that. But they cross over some too. And the High Lord has his own private force and so do some of the other lords.

There are farms and farmlands all around the city. The city imports a bunch of stuff too.

The well is always guarded.

The High Lords Mansion is at the north end of town, with all the other lord homes."

Outside the city is not a ''wasteland where nothing grows'', it's a ''wilderness destroyed to make farmlands''.

[WhovianBeast]

Can you show me to the homes of the lords? Afterwards, could you show me where there's a fairly powerful cleric, oracle, shaman, sorceror, wizard, summoner, or other practicer of magic? If you can do so, I will have no further need of you and will settle what I owe you.

What is a day's wages for an average dwarven blacksmith? Munris ought to know, having lived with dwarves for three years. Did Munris see any creeks or rivers within a half mile of his approach to the city?

[Darth Ultron]

Loenany Coppertoken leads you to the to the north end of town up on a hill, and surrounded by and additional stone wall with a massive wooden double door. One of the massive wooden doors is open, and five guards stand by it.

Loenany Coppertoken ignores the guards and leads you past. "This is the oldest part of the city. Murklur Deepfoot and his clan built most of this, the high lords mansion was once his dwarf hold. They close the doors at night, but during the day we can walk around. "

The high lords mansion, and three others are large stone fortified mansions, with the high lord the biggest. The rest of the mansions are wood and not fortified. All the mansions have guards around them, each with different colors and arms. All the mansions are in much better shape then the rest of the city.

Loenany Coppertoken then takes you along the streets until he reaches a stone tower that looks brand new.

"Tower of Vukas Albricht, most powerful wizard in the city."


A skilled blacksmith can make 5-10 gold a day, but it varies widely depending on what they make and if they can sell it. A skilled blacksmith can make more depending on skill.

The land around as a couple small creeks, but no rivers are nearby.

[WhovianBeast]

Thank you Loenany. You've been helpful. How much do I owe you? Oh, but one more thing. Does Vukas get along well with the High Lord and the ruling class here?

Hopefully I can pay him to cast a Sending spell for me.

What is the Elven equivalent of Hell?

[Darth Ultron]

Loenany Coppertoken "Three silver.

Vukas Albricht does not much get along with anyone, but least of all the high lord and nobles. "




When mortals die, their souls, spirits or essences are drawn to the Fugue Plane. Most of this place is flat, gray, bland and nondescript. With no notable topographical features. The spirits and souls and essesces of the dead gather here, usually unaware that they have died. From time to time (anywhere from once a day to over a tenday, depending on the deities involved), the powers send representatives--usually outsiders of the appropriate alignment--to the Fugue Plane to gather the souls of their own worshipers.

A worshiper’s soul automatically recognizes an agent of its own deity, knows that it needs to go with that agent, and cannot be deceived by any means into following the agent of another divine power. The agent collects the proper souls and returns to its deity’s realm, where the worshiper serves the deity in whatever capacity necessary. Agents cannot take the worshipers of deities other than those they represent.

While most souls wander the Fugue Plane until their deity calls them, the Faithless and the False are compelled to enter the city and be judged by Myrkul. The Faithless firmly denied any faith or only gave lip service to the gods for most of their lives without truly believing. The False intentionally betrayed a faith they believed in and to which they had made a personal commitment.

All of the Faithless receive the same punishment: They form a living wall around the City of Judgment, held together by a supernatural greenish mold. This mold prevents them from escaping the wall and eventually breaks down their substance until the soul and its consciousness are dissolved. The False are punished according to their crimes in life and serve their sentence in the City of Judgment for eternity.

Races like humans, dwarves and halflings have souls.
Races like elves, orcs and animals have spirits.
More exotic races have essences.

Some of the dead do get stolen by Baatezu or Tanar’ri. And some do fall through the cracks.

Arvandor, the first layer of Arborea-The home of the Seldarine (the elven pantheon) is a place of lush natural beauty - verdant forests, towering mountains, crystal streams, azure lakes, and a deep green sea. Each of the various deities of the elven pantheon has its own realm within this scenic landscape, but these deific realms flow seamlessly into one another, with no clearly defined borders and no barriers.

Baator, also known as the Nine Hells of Baator has no elven deities on it, but an elf that worshiped a Baatezu lord would end up here.

The Abyss is home to many of the drow elven deities, notability Lolth.

[WhovianBeast]

I dig out a gold piece and hand it to him.
Take my advice with the extra. You and anybody you care about should leave the city for good. It could become very inhospitable, and you seem like a decent man.


Well, at least I won't have to worry about Vukas ratting on me to the Lords. Hopefully I can avoid being polymorphed into an actual rat.

So what do half-elves and other 'bastard' races have? Not because it's currently important to the story or my character, but because I'm curious.

[Darth Ultron]

Loenany Coppertoken takes the gold coin and nods, then waves a farewell.



Half elves and half orcs get souls. The human soul overpowers the elven/orcish spirit.

A spirit is made directly by a divine being, a direct fragment of the Divine Life. A Spirit is perfect and universal in all aspects. A spirit is free.

A soul is made indirectly, a spark of divine life. A soul is imperfect and heavy with obligation, and debts.

A spirit has more magic and a soul has no magic.

[WhovianBeast]

I wave back and wait for him to walk out of sight, before turning to the doors of the tower.

Let's see if anybody's home.

I knock loudly on the door and step back, so that anybody peering out of a window above me can see me.

[Darth Ultron]

After the first knock the door swings open to reveal a small sitting room. There are no other doors you can see in the room, but there are two open glass windows that go out side. The room is lit by two torches. The middle of the room has a wooden table with two empty chairs. On the table is a dagger, a book, and a bag of gold coins. Along one wall is a barrel and a cupboard full of small clay cups. The other wall is a tapestry of several waterfalls in a forest...with animated water and jumping fish, flying birds and moving trees in the wind. A small table has a block of cheese and a knife and two small clay plates. Next to that a raven sits on a pole with a perch at the top, watching you.

[WhovianBeast]

I enter cautiously and close the door behind me, not touching anything but the door and the floor as I walk across.
"Probably a familiar." I mutter to myself, noticing the raven.
I gawk at the painting before turning from it to inspect the book.

Better leave the knife and gold alone. Don't want this mage thinking I'm here to harm or steal.
Is there a staircase or ladder leading higher into the tower?
The painting is clearly from Super Mario 64, so I hurl myself at it at top speed

[Darth Ultron]

There are no stairs or a ladder in this room.

The title of the book, on the cover is ''To Catch a Thief The book has a leather cover and paper pages.

The raven watches you, but does not move much.

[WhovianBeast]

Wonder if he has a warped sense of humor.

I take out the crowbar from my pack and hold one end, using the other to push the book around on the table, stopping once it's at the edge. I use the crowbar to push the dagger to the floor, and to stir the coins around. If nothing happens, I stow the crowbar and take a couple of playing cards out of my pack, throwing one at the tapestry and one at the raven.

I don't suppose YOU know where he is, do you? I say to the raven, not really expecting an answer.

[Darth Ultron]

Nothing happens when you move the items around.

Raven "Nevermore!"

The door to the outside closes by itself.

[WhovianBeast]

I enter cautiously and close the door behind me, not touching anything but the door and the floor as I walk across.


That door?

Moving on...

I jump back into the table, surprised into overbalancing.

Malar's bloody fang! You can talk! What is going on here?

[Darth Ultron]

The raven tilts it's head to the side but does not say anything.

An older human male is suddenly sitting in the empty chair. He has white skin and is bald and clean shaven on the face. He wears a nice looking robe of black feathers and matching black feather shoes. He has no jewelry or weapons visible.

"Yes, what is going on here. You want something, yes? Well speak quick...I'm a busy man."

[WhovianBeast]

I turn towards him.

Vukas Albricht I presume? My name is Munris. I have a question and a favor to ask of you. I was directed to you as being the man with the most power here in Donnellbragh.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht "Yes, well speak, what do you want?"

[WhovianBeast]

I intend to kill Lord Gordon and the elven traitor Dorith Talnar. This is not up for discussion. I also wish to empty this city of the scum that has tolerated these bastards for so long, by fear or by bloodshed. Are you going to have a problem with this? It seems prudent to discuss this with, as I said, the most powerful man in the city, and one whom I neither wish to destroy nor intend to anger. I could use your assistance, were you so willing, or at least an assurance that you will not interfere.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht "I care nothing for politics. It's well known I don't approve of Lord Gordon, but he runs the city well enough for me. So you want to do some murder and drain the swamp? I don't object, but don't care. This sounds a bit personal to you, your not a good knight saving the lands just as your good. I might be willing to help, if I could get something out of it.

Did you have some sort of plan or were you just going to start hacking into people with your sword?

[WhovianBeast]

You're damned right it's personal...
*ahem*
What meager tatters of a plan I had were quickly ruined by the sheer number of guards here. I've lived in the forest for most of my life, and am not fit for mass combat nor stealthy assassination. I had been considering a prolonged reign of hit-and-run attacks against the guards and anybody remaining in the city. Killing guards, polluting the well, torching the farms and outer wall. If the guards flee, the path to vengeance is clear. If Talnar and the Lord Gordon flee with the guards, it's easier to kill them if they are moving and not entrenched. However, I do not wish to involve any innocent citizens of this town there are in my personal vengeance, which brings me to the favor. I would greatly appreciate it if you would assist me with a Sending spell to Dorith Talnar. I have a message prepared and know him well enough for it to work.

While talking, I walk around the room and pick up my cards and his book, setting the book back on the table and my cards with the others.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht "A sending? That is powerful magic. I doubt you have the coin to pay for that, so you'd ask me to use magic for free? Though maybe we could work something out for payment? "

[WhovianBeast]

What would you wish me to do in return for this?

Let's try NOT to piss off the shapechanging wizard, shall we? We need him on our side.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht "You don't have any problem with death right? Say taking out someone for me. Nice with no trace back to me...maybe make it look like just a random crime. I have a former apprentice I wish to get rid of, he betrayed me, and needs to die. What do you say?"

[WhovianBeast]

I accept, but I'm going to need details if you want to make it quick and look random. How powerful is he, where does he live, what does he look like, is he guarded, is he rich, does he have a family? It doesn't matter morally to me, but I need to know how difficult it will be to get to him.

And most importantly, what will he be able to tell me about you before I kill him?

I know it's a lot of questions, but Munris doesn't have a high wisdom score for nothing. He knows better than to attack a wizard he knows nothing about.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht Orint Grayspell, he is not powerful at all. He only left my apprenticeship less then a year ago. He lives over at Grilda's boarding house, third floor, room one. Human male, dark hair, small eyes, pale skin, dresses in a lot of gray colors. He has no body guards, but does have a familiar toad. He has a bit of money, but is far form rich. He has no family I know of, I took him off the streets years ago. " Vulkas hands you a scroll with a picture of Orint drawn on it.

[WhovianBeast]

I take the scroll and unroll it, carefully looking at the drawing.

Mind if I keep this? And what would you consider to be his most powerful spell, enchantment, or cantrip when he left you? It pays to know these things without learning the hard way. How far is the boarding house from here?

Best not to ask why Albricht wants Greyspell dead.

If anybody would know, his old master would.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht "Most powerful spell? Hard to say. He knows charm person and that is a powerful spell. He like spells that make clouds and smoke, that is where he gets the whole 'gray' from. I'd guess Belker Claws is his most powerful attack spell....it makes one of hands into a smoky claw like that of a belker.

And how far, I'm not sure, like six streets over west of here....I don't know the distance."

[WhovianBeast]

So I do this, and you help me with the spell? You have a deal, sir.

I walk over to the door and open it, preparing to leave. I take out my crossbow, load, and **** it, before putting it back.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht "Sounds like a deal to me."

[WhovianBeast]

I'll return when he's dead.

I leave without another word, finding a cross street and looking for a building that could be a boarding house in the vicinity of where Albricht guessed it would be. At least three stories tall, several windows, and especially for any sign that says Grilda's or boarding house. I look up in the sky to try to determine what time it is as I stroll down the street, left hand resting on the dagger at my side and my right hand idly twirling a loose thread.

[Darth Ultron]

A couple streets over, you don't have much of a problem finding Grilda's boarding house as it has a large wooden sign on the building. It is a three story tall building, with lots of glass windows and is as run down as the rest of the city. A single reinforced wooden door is in the front of the building. A small wood sign lists twelve people's names, and Orint Grayspell is the seventh one.

[WhovianBeast]

I was hoping it'd be a little more inviting.

I assume the building itself is wooden also. Are there any empty slots on the wooden sign? Is the door open or shut? How long until night falls?

[Darth Ultron]

Grilda's boarding house is a wooden building. The sign looks full. The front door is closed. It's slightly before noon.

[WhovianBeast]

I knock loudly on the door but don't announce my name.

Since my character's Int and Wis scores are both above human, is my character able to come up with any plan I can come up with?

[Darth Ultron]

It takes a good minute, but eventually a human female in plain gray clothing opens the door with a large wooden spoon in her left hand.

Grilda Highouse "I'm Grilda Highouse. This is my boarding house. We are full. Why are you here? "


Yes. Depending on what your real life scores would be.

[WhovianBeast]

I have an urgent message for a *pretends to consult hand* Orint Grayspell, from his cousin on the farms. I was told I could find him here.

I suppose I roll for Bluff, since I have no message, eh? If I shouldn't, then it doesn't matter.
[roll0]

[Darth Ultron]

Grilda Highouse listens to your words carefully


[roll0]


"Message, eh? Well, does not matter to me. Third floor, room four. Damage my house and you will pay for it."

[WhovianBeast]

Understood.

If the floors or steps are wooden, I kneel just outside the doorway and undo my cleats, placing them in my pack before proceeding inside. From there, I hurry up the stairs to the third floor. I lock my dagger to the gauntlet on my left hand, concealing it under my cloak. I find room 4 and knock on the door with my right hand.

I have an urgent message for an Orint Grayspell. I need to speak with you immediately.

[Darth Ultron]

The floors, steps, walls, ceasing and such are all wood.

At level three, door four

Voice inside room speaks through the closed door, "A message for me? Form whom? What is the message? Speak!"

[WhovianBeast]

I was told to personally ensure Orint Grayspell and he alone was given it, and I must be sure of the receiver's identity before giving you the message. The sender wishes his identity to be kept a secret unless I am sure I am speaking to Grayspell. If you will not open the door, you will not receive the message.

[Darth Ultron]

The door opens and a young human male in a gray robe is standing there....he looks just like the drawing of Orint Grayspell. He holds a black wand in his left hand and has it pointed right at Munris.

"Fine then speak and be quick about it. What is the message?"

[WhovianBeast]

As soon as I see his face, I raise my left hand, and slowly unlock the dagger in front of him, holding it loosely in my left hand, acting as if to place it in my belt but holding it just inside my cloak instead.

Apologies for the weapon, but one can't be too careful in this city. Shall we step inside? Trust me, you'll want this to be kept private. It's about your father.

[Darth Ultron]

Orint Grayspell "All right"

Orint moves back into the room and waves for you to come in. The living room is large with some common tables and chairs. The walls have framed paintings of gray clouds. There are three bookshelves half full of books and scrolls. Another door leads into a small bedroom. A toad sits in a very low cushioned chair by one of the bookselves watching Munris.

"Come in and close the door." He keeps the wand out and in is left hand, but does not point it at Munris anymore.

"My....father, you say?"

[WhovianBeast]

I walk in, shut the door behind me, standing against it, and Roll for Initiative!

[roll0]

[Darth Ultron]

[roll0]


Orint Grayspell "AH Ah!, I knew you were no messenger!"

It's close...but Munris gets to act first in Round 1.

[WhovianBeast]

Nothing personal
I hurl the dagger at him and draw my sickle.
But somebody wants you dead.

Attack Roll: [roll0]
Damage Roll: [roll1]

[Darth Ultron]

Munris dagger flies off to the side.

Orint Grayspell "Die assassin!"

Orint points is wand at Munris and shoots out a blast of air.


[roll0]



[roll1]

Made it! So only half damage of 3.


Round 2

[WhovianBeast]

I attempt to step around him and towards where the dagger fell, slicing as I do so.

So why does your old master want you dead anyways? Did you lose his favorite book?
He's awfully quick for a failed apprentice. What hasn't Albricht told me...
Attack[roll0]
Damage [roll1]

[Darth Ultron]

Hit!

Orint Grayspell shows fear in his eyes as his blood flows over the carpet. He withdraws back away from you into his bedroom....and slams the door closed.

Round 3

[WhovianBeast]

I sheathe my sickle, take out my crowbar, and try to pop the door open. If I break the lock or the hinges so that all I need to do is gently push, I put the crowbar back and take out my sickle.
Strength: [roll0]

[Darth Ultron]

It takes a round to put away your weapon, and another to get out your crowbar and another to break the door open. And Munris is able to break the door frame around the lock.


Note using a crowbar gives a +2 bonus to breaking open a door...so that should have been a +5. Keep in mind for the future.

[WhovianBeast]

I enter the room with a crash, and if he is still inside, run towards Orint, slashing at him as soon as I'm within reach. If there's an open window and he isn't there, I draw my crossbow.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage:[roll1]
Didn't peg you for a coward, Orint. Die on your feet like a man!

Even if Orint isn't in the room and has escaped, the taunt still stands. The attack obviously doesn't though.

[Darth Ultron]

As soon as you open the door...you see the bedroom is full of thick black smoke. The smoke is heavy and does not move, oddly staying in shape so you can tell it's magical. You can't see anything in the room at all.

[WhovianBeast]

I retrieve my dagger (should be a move action), attempt to grab the aforementioned toad (which SHOULD be sleeping, toads are nocturnal and nearly deaf), and shout:

I just need to talk! You have 6 seconds to get out here, or your familiar dies. SIX! FIVE!
So a toad familiar boosts the magician's HP by 3. If their HP is below 3 and the familiar dies, what happens?

[WhovianBeast]

Bluff: [roll0]

[Darth Ultron]

To grab the toad, you will need to make an attack roll and grapple the toad.



Note that a familiar is not ''just an animal''. He'd loose the three bonus hit points if the toad dies.

[WhovianBeast]

New Plan: Realizing I'd be laying myself open to an attack and denying myself the use of my hands, I don't try to grapple the toad. I stab it with my sickle instead, but still shout to Orint that I'll kill his familiar if he doesn't come out.

Attack: [roll0]

[WhovianBeast]

Keep forgetting you can't make more rolls with an edit...

Damage: [roll0]

[Darth Ultron]

The toad jumps out of the way of your swing and makes a loud "Croak!"

Then the toad opens it's mouth....and shoots a ray of frost!


[roll0]

[roll1]


Munris's gets covered in the frost for 4 points of damage

[WhovianBeast]

I roll my eyes.
For the love of Malar...

Attack [roll0]
Damage: [roll1]
And lookit that. A nat 1.
Must... not... punt... toad. Must. Not. Punt. Toad. MUST NOT PUNT TOAD!

Isn't that spell cast from a finger? I don't think the toad's tongue counts as a finger. I call bull****.

Is there a window in the room connecting to the hall?

What good is having enough Dexterity to "hit small targets often at a distance" if I can't hit a freaking toad three feet away?

It's gonna be really embarrassing if the toad crits and kills me. Still think the RoF can't be casted by a toad's mouth.

[Darth Ultron]

You miss the toad....

There is a window in the living room your in, and one in the smoke filled bed room. There is a window in the hallway where the stairs are too.


Rolls are random..

Not everything that looks like something might be something


The toad takes a double move to hop across the room and into the smoke filled bedroom.

Orint Grayspell "Haahahahhahah!" echos his laugh from the smoke.

[WhovianBeast]

Is the building I'm in adjacent to the surrounding buildings, completely freestanding, or are there alleyways?

At least I missed my foot.

Can I see the light of the bedroom window through the smoke

[Darth Ultron]

The boarding house is a narrow free standing building. It's built in a long row of similar buildings. Each building is about five feet from each other, though some tops of buildings lean over a foot or two. An alley runs between each building, with scattered junk and garbage.

The window in the living room looks down over the street, the window in the bed room is to the alley.

The smoke in the bedroom is tick enough to block all light.

[WhovianBeast]

I step towards the window and lean my sickle against the wall beneath it. I dig out a torch and flint and steel, lighting the torch. I put away the flint and steel, carrying the sickle in my left hand and the lit torch in my right. I hold the flaming torch to the floorboards and lower door at the outside of the door to the bedroom, dropping the torch there and moving to in front of the door to the hall once a fire is lit.

While starting the fire, I shout, "So why does somebody want you dead, Orint? You seem like a nice enough guy."

[Darth Ultron]

The torch lays on the floor, slowly burning the floorboards it is touching and making a bit of smoke.

No answer comes from the smoke filled bed room.

[WhovianBeast]

Do you smell that Orint? That's not magic. I'm going to burn you and your toad alive unless you come out here. It's a thirty foot drop to the ground. Think you can make it without breaking anything? Do you think you can get away from me on a broken leg?

[Darth Ultron]

There is no answer from the smoke filled room.

[WhovianBeast]

I ease the door open, step over the torch, and walk towards the other wall with my right arm outstretched.

Where exactly did I crit Orint with my sickle?

[Darth Ultron]

Orint Grayspell was hit along his left arm


Do you mean your blindly walking into the smoke filled bedroom?

[WhovianBeast]

I mean I'm shuffling along the right hand wall in a smoke filled room. My right hand is tracing along the wall, my left hand is holding the sickle. I don't say anything.

Which hand was Orint holding his wand in when I entered the room?

Dammit dammit dammit I don't like this. Albricht could have ****ing mentioned he was a damned sorceror.

[Darth Ultron]

Orint Grayspell was holding his wand in his right hand.

You move into the smoky living room, moving along the wall.

The thick smoke filled bed room is across the room.

[WhovianBeast]

What? I was trying to say I was basically proceeding with caution into the obscured bedroom with my hand along the wall. Why would Munris walk around the edge of the living room? That must have seemed confusing.

[Darth Ultron]

I did ask if you were going into the smoke filled bed room.



The thick magical smoke in the bedroom blinds Munris. Two steps in the room, along the wall he knocks over an empty wooden bucket. Five steps Munris bumps into a wooden dresser. Seven steps and he is in the corner of the room at the other wall.

[WhovianBeast]

I turn and follow the wall I bumped into, still with my hand trailing beside me. I can't miss the probability that he jumped out the window after all.

Has the smoke cleared or shifted at all since I first saw it?

[Darth Ultron]

The magic smoke has not moved.

Along the wall...in the middle you bump into the bed and night stand. Then across the room to the window.

[WhovianBeast]

Is the window open? If not, can it be opened with breaking it? Is the window even glass/stained glass, or is it just a hole? How large is it?

[Darth Ultron]

The window is open. It's a glass window on a wood frame. The window is about two feet square. The magic smoke only stays in the room and does not flow out of the window.

Poking your head outside, you can see the building next to this one. Another bedroom can be seen directly across in the next building. You don't see anyone in that bed room. The alley below is also empty of anyone.

[WhovianBeast]

How wide is the alley?

This is either really good or really bad.

[Darth Ultron]

The alley is five feet wide at the bottom, a little less so at the roof tops as the building lean.

[WhovianBeast]

I step back from the window and continue tracing the room around the wall as before.

Does the window swing open or slide open? If it slides open, is the movable part of the window 2 foot square or is the entire window 2 foot square? How large of a person is Orint? I don't think you ever described him. How tall? Broad-shouldered? Fat? Skinny?

[Darth Ultron]

You move along the wall, past a book case full of books and eventually all the way back over to the bedroom door.

The window swings open on hinges, much like a door.

http://cdn.backyardchickens.com/d/d2/d2a8f661_25790_chicken_coop_3.jpeg




Orint Grayspell is an average sized human, five foot eight. While not overly over weight, he does not have an athletic build.

[WhovianBeast]

Once at the door, I take 6 purposeful steps towards the window across the middle of the room.

So the room is approximately 20ftx20ft?

I really doubt that this bookish guy managed to get across a ~5 foot gap, which would require leaning across/jumping and then pulling himself up with a severely wounded arm.

Is the smoke swirling around me as I stride through it?

How odd that he hasn't used Charm Person, which is the first spell I'd use against a humanoid assassin, and which was specifically highlighted by his old master as him knowing. He wouldn't happen to be taking the +10 (+2 racial, +3 wisdom, +5 combat) modifier into account, now would he? Because presumably, he wouldn't know about that, and he might not even have realized I'm a half-elf as opposed to a human. That would have a required a perception check for him, now wouldn't it?

As an aside, does rolling 1 equal failure for ANY roll, or just for Attack? Suppose I had a +20 (absurd example) bonus to Perception, but I rolled a 1. Is it an auto-fail or is it effectively 21?

[Darth Ultron]

Munris moves across the room.

The living room is 20x20, the bed room is only 10X10.

The smoke swirls slightly as Munris moves through it, but goes right back into place.






Note D&D does not have wounds. A person with 10 hit points and one who takes 9 points of damage is exactly the same.

Don't mix reality and D&D. A jump of five feet is only a DC of five with a running start.

A one is a fumble and twenty a hit is only for attack rolls. 1 on a skill does not auto fail, and 20 on a skill check does not auto succeed.

[WhovianBeast]

A running start to dive/jump through a 2x2 window towards another 2x2 window which is likely closed? Uh huh, sure, that's absolutely the same as jumping across a five foot hole on level ground.

How silly of me to expect that a critical hit on an arm with a slashing weapon that drew blood and badly scared the target could possibly affect their ability to perform actions with that arm in any way. I'd assumed that the cut was deep (and therefore impairing) because A. It was a nat 20, B. Munris is fairly strong, C. a gray robe isn't really serious armor and D. The way a sickle curves prevents the blade from sliding off of an arm without gouging a serious wound, definitely causing pain, and likely severing muscle and even tendons. But I'll accept the GM's decision that it had no effect because you're the GM and I'm not very experienced in this game.

Did I hit Orint on the forearm or the upper arm?

Is the bedroom across the way accessible via a similar window or a balcony of some sort? If so, is the window open, broken, or closed and intact? And how tall is the building next to me? If Orint jumped out the open window and through the closed window, shouldn't I have heard broken glass? Or there should at least be a perception or listen check somewhere? (Admittedly you could have chosen not to make that roll in this thread to keep it secret from me) And if the bedroom across the way had a broken window when I looked the first time, wouldn't I have noticed that as odd, especially since I'm searching for a man who may or may not have JUST escaped out the window?


I get a bit... argumentative when I think something's off/weird. Please bear with me, I'm not trying to be a prick, it just comes naturally.

[Darth Ultron]

The window in the bed room across the alley is open.


I just said a five foot jump was easy. A running start to dive/jump through a 2x2 window towards another 2x2 window would be a bit harder....though he likely did not do that anyway.

The rules don't cover wounds from hit point loss. Hit points are arbitrary. No loss of hit points is a ''serious wound'', they are more ''scratches''. As long as you have one hit point your still physically 100% able to do anything. There are abilities, special attacks and such that do such things....but hit point loss does nothing. Hit points are alive/dead with nothing in the middle.

Saying you hit Orint on the arm...or anywhere...is pure fluff and has no mechanical effect.

You would have most likely heard broken glass...that would be like a DC 5 check.

You are forgetting magic though... Orint Grayspell likes air/smoke magic and there are tons of such magic that can be used to escape.

[WhovianBeast]

It occurs to me that I have committed the cardinal sin of searching a room. I have not checked under the bed or in the closet. Is there a closet or wardrobe or armoire large enough to hold somebody?

Between the sickle's length and my arm, I should be able to search under a bed pretty well, even blind.

I check under the bed, sickle in hand, and make a blind slash in the darkness.

Attack: [roll0]
Damage (if somebody's even there): [roll1]

[Darth Ultron]

The bed is not that big, you can slash under it and discover that no one is under the bed.

There is a small closet door on the far wall.

[WhovianBeast]

Is this building's roof sloped? Does this building's roof overhang on the side of the window?

I open the closet door and feel inside with my right hand, attacking with the sickle in my left if I feel something like flesh rather than wood or clothing.

Conditional Attack:
Conditional Damage: [roll]1d6+3

[WhovianBeast]

Aaaaand it doesn't like spaces inside the damage roll. Right.

[roll0]

[Darth Ultron]

The closet has noting in it except clothing.

The roof does slope and over hang the top of the building a bit.

The smoke filling the bedroom suddenly fades away and you can see the empty bedroom now.

[WhovianBeast]

Well with a damage roll like that of COURSE it was empty.

That cut on his arm definitely bled (you even pointed it out). Where is the blood leading to on the floor and where is there the most?

I couldn't find the rules for what happened if you tried to perform a pull-up like this or hand-over-hand on a rope.

[Darth Ultron]

There is a trail of blood drops from the bedroom door, to the bed and then to the window .



You'd want to look under the skills section and the wilderness and adventure and environment sections....a lot of rules are scattered all around.

[WhovianBeast]

I go to the window and look for blood smears on the roof above, the neighboring roof, and the bedroom and windowsill across the way.

Perception: [roll0]

Yes, +12. +3 Wis, +1 Skill Point, +3 Skill Focus, +2 Keen Senses, +3 Class Skill. I thought it might come in handy to have senses like a predator on speed.

[Darth Ultron]

There is no blood on the roof above, the neighboring roof, and the bedroom and windowsill across the way. Your keen eye does spot a blood splatter way down in the alley, more or less right under the window.

Keen sight indeed

[WhovianBeast]

I climb down the window, hang on the edge, and drop to the ground in the alley.

Yeah I have no idea what the roll for this is. Three story building, lower edge of the window is probably 25 feet off the ground, hanging from it gets my feet likely another 6-7 feet closer. From what I can tell, intentional fall damage is a nonlethal 1d6 for every 10 feet fallen. So is that a roll of 2d6? Is it an Acrobatics check? Is fall damage lessened by Constitution, Dexterity, and/or armor? The PFsrd isn't loading for me at the moment.

[Darth Ultron]

Just say a drop of 20 feet.

An Acrobatics check of 15. If made ignore the first 10 feet and convert the next ten feet to 1d6 non lethal damage.

[WhovianBeast]

Acrobatics: [roll0]
Damage (I don't know if you roll this or if I do): [roll1]

So it looks like I took 5 points of nonlethal damage.


Once in the alley, I start at the blood I saw from the roof and look for where more blood drops lead, bobbing my head up every few seconds to try and avoid running into anything and to see if Orint is obvious.

(I'd roll Perception, but this is an edit and I'm not really wanting to double post again)

[Darth Ultron]

It does not matter that much ''who'' rolls. The game does go quicker if the roll is made instead of taking two posts to do it.

The follow blood trail in the alley is easy to follow (like DC 5)...

....you can attempt to track the lost/covered/destroyed trail...but it will be hard to follow, of course.


The trail of blood is easy to follow...down the alley...and to the main road.....full of dirt and mud and people and dogs and all the other things found on a typical street in the city. The obvious blood trail ends at the street.

[WhovianBeast]

Once in the street, I look around and try to spot Orint in his gray robe, probably hurrying away nervously. I also look to see what's to my left, right, and in front of me.

Perception: [roll0]

[Darth Ultron]

At the end of the street about 30 feet away, you do see Orint Grayspell standing with two human males in leather armor and short swords as he waves and points in the direction of his boarding house.

[WhovianBeast]

How many people are standing within 5 feet of Orint? For... reasons.

Are there several people in the street wearing hoods?

[Darth Ultron]

It is a normal day so the street is full of witnesses and most of them will see a vile murder committed in board daylight in the middle of the busy street.

Two men in gray robes are talking just three feet to the left of Orint Grayspell, plus the two guys he is talking to himself.

Plus at anyone time, in the 30 feet distance between the two of you is at least two people walking down the street.

No one you see on the street has a hood, though most women do have their hair covered by a cloth, but that does not cover their face like a hood.

[WhovianBeast]

I check and double check that my weapons are well covered by my cloak before leaning against the far wall of the alley and waiting to see what Orint and the guards do.

I'd try a crossbow bolt, but I have no desire to miss and then get mobbed, or worse, hit somebody innocent and get mobbed.

[Darth Ultron]

Note that the guys with Orint Grayspell are not dressed like guards, but they are armed and armored.

After another minute the three of them go and enter the door to the boarding house.

[WhovianBeast]

He's hiring mercenaries now? What happened to being an ex-apprentice? I'll need to talk with Albricht after this is over.

I briefly look to see what's behind the boarding house, before I cross the street and look for an alley, alcove, or windowed storefront with a view of the front door of the boarding house.

Maybe more thugs-for-hire rather than strict mercenaries.

[Darth Ultron]

An alley runs behind the boarding house. The boarding house has no back door though.

It's easy enough to hide in a alley across the street from the boarding house.

[WhovianBeast]

I wait and see if he comes out. If he does not come out before nightfall, I approach the house.


What kind of beards/hair do these guys have, and what kind of beards/hair did the gate guards and the guards at the well have? How dirty were their clothes?

[Darth Ultron]

They don't come out.

The two guys in leather armor have the somewhat typical messy, uncut hair like most of the more common folk. All guards you have seen have the typical close cut hair...the ''guard cut''. Most men have beards, even the guards. The guards are a bit more shaved and cut on their beards, but not by much.

Just about everyone, other then Orint Grayspell, is dirty.


Of course in Ye Old Days before running water most people only washed up in a tub about once a week....

[WhovianBeast]

But there's "Legit but hard living" dirty and there's "Probably spent most of their life in a sketchy alley" dirty.

I walk in to the building and up the stairs confidently, stopping as soon as I see Orint or one of the two men.

[Darth Ultron]

You don't see Orint Grayspell or the other two inside or on the stairs, but the door to Orint Grayspell's room is closed.



Except for the rich and nobles and such...just about everyone is dirty, dirty. You can't really separate ''worker'' from ''criminal'' as both will be about the same dirty.

[WhovianBeast]

"I don't think he's paying you two enough to guard him from me. If you leave, I'll give each of the two of you ten gold. I'll double it for anybody who decides to stay and help me with him.

Intimidate:[roll0]
I try the door handle. If it's locked, I begin counting down from 10.
If it's unlocked, I take out my sickle and enter.

So I was looking at my sheet, and apparently equipment trick is a bit worse than I thought. I failed to realize you needed to specialize it for each piece of equipment. I have not used it yet, and would like to change it to Endurance (which, while useful, will not affect this fight nor would it have affected any part of the game prior.)

[Darth Ultron]

The apartment door is locked.

You intimidate through the locked door, but, of course can't see or hear the effects....


It's ok, with me.

[WhovianBeast]

I sheathe the sickle, and take out the crowbar, prying the door open until something gives

Strength check: [roll]1d20+5[roll]

[WhovianBeast]

[roll0]

Whoops.

[Darth Ultron]

It takes about a minute to pry the door open....and once done you can see Orint Grayspell back by the window and the two thugs short swords drawn in front of him.

Orint Grayspell "That is the killer! Attack!"

The two thugs move forward and attack...


[roll0]

[WhovianBeast]

****.

Initiative:[roll0]
I turn and run with the crowbar in my hand, sprinting down the stairs, clipping the corners as I pass. I run towards the drawbridge into the city until it comes into view.

Please be open. Please be open. Please be open.

These thugs chose to fight the unknown assassin who offered to pay them to leave instead of deserting or betraying Orint? After that Intimidate roll? Hmmmm.... You sure it isn't because you don't WANT that Sending spell to get cast?

[Darth Ultron]

Thugs swing


[roll0] [roll1]
[roll2] [roll3]


Both of the thugs hit! But you have no problem turning and running a double move down the stairs.

Your assuming the thugs made a choice. Or maybe they are well payed.

[WhovianBeast]

Let's see... One Charm Person, 1 Magical Smoke Bomb, 1 Ray of Frost, 1 Air Blast, and presumably the Death Claws... What happened to Level Appropriate Encounters?

Duration of Charm Person = 1hour/level. It's been at LEAST 5 hours, since it was slightly before noon when I fought Orint and he would have cast the spell, assuming sundown is at 5pm, which is absurd. So Orint is level 5? I'm gonna need an answer here. And it's not about payment. If they kill him, they'll get what he paid them ANYWAYS, the gold I give them, and likely the coin Orint has on his person. I offered them each a day's wages for a skilled laborer just to leave, and double to stay and fight. I don't see a Charisma check for Orint sending them towards the intimidating killer on the other side of the door who is offering them gold to go away.

[Darth Ultron]

A lot of spellcasters can cast an infinite number of 0 level spells at 1st level and at least three first level spells.

There are other ways to force people to do things other then the spell charm person. Not to mention they could be allies or friends too.

The air blast was from a wand.

But then too, slowly opening a door to a room where your outnumbered is not the best stratagem.

[WhovianBeast]

So not only did a 19 Intimidate not scare them, it didn't even cause a little bit of discussion? Not a word from Orint such as 'Don't', 'No', or 'Hold'? Orint shouldn't know I would likely be able to hear him through the door.

What are the odds that Orint found friends reliable enough in less than 90 seconds? A much more reasonable option is hired/charmed thugs OR city guards. Since they weren't dressed like any other guards, that leaves thugs. Between scaring them and bribing them, two thugs should have abandoned their new employer in a heartbeat UNLESS they were charmed. IF they were charmed, a Charisma check should have been made for a counterintuitive action.

He isn't living in a two-room boarding house with a simple gray robe and the bare minimum of furniture because he's rich.

Bottom Line: Either he charmed them, and there ought to have been a Char roll and he's almost out of 1st spells AND has a high level. OR they're plainclothes guards who are protecting this guy for hours for some reason. OR they're hired thugs who are somehow getting paid enough to make this worth it unless Orint is somehow very rich, which he has given no indication of being.

Is the drawbridge open or shut?

[Darth Ultron]

The drawbridge is open.



Intimidate is not an all powerful ability. Note also you can only intimidate one person at a time and it takes a whole minute. And mundane social skills can't defeat magic.

You could say he meet two new friends in 90 seconds....or that he has lots of friends, allies, and even enemies as he has lived in the city his whole life.

''Rich'' is subjective, even more so in a ''poor'' city.

He, of course, could have any number of scrolls as well. And that is just one way.

[WhovianBeast]

He COULD have scrolls if you started the fight with him having them. If you retconned him into having them to make the fight more difficult, that isn't cool. I might not know his inventory, but you should.

I wait until the two guards come in sight before running across the drawbridge. I wait in the darkness off the side of the path and see what they do. If they don't come into sight within a minute or two, I retrace my steps to the boarding house.


This is assuming that they aren't right behind me. If they are, I keep running towards the forest.

[Darth Ultron]

The two thugs do chase down the stairs and to the door, but as you run into the street, they don't follow.








Most of the time I'll have an npc done before they get in combat. Orint was done before you came to the boarding house.

[WhovianBeast]

After making sure they don't follow, I slip into the door of the house next door. The one with the window adjacent to Orint's.

[Darth Ultron]

The building next door is another boarding house, all most identical.

[WhovianBeast]

I pad (as in walk quietly) up the stairs and to the door to the room adjacent to Orint's. I test the handle with my ear to the door.

Perception:[roll0]
That roll was for when I was looking into the room. Were there signs of it being lived in?
Perception: [roll1] THAT roll was to see if I can determine if there's anybody inside now by listening.

[Darth Ultron]

The apartment room did look like it had someone living in it, but you did not see anyone in it.

There are no sounds coming from the room.

The door to the room is locked.

[WhovianBeast]

Since the crowbar is still in my hand, I use it to pry the door open. I put it away and draw my crossbow, looking around the room and across the alley through Orint's as I shut the door behind me.

Strength: [roll0]
Stealth: [roll1]
Perception:[roll2]

[Darth Ultron]

Munris opens the door with his crowbar, as the lock breaks off easily. The apartment has furniture and items, but no one looks to be home. The bed room of the apartment looks over to Orint's also empty bed room.

[WhovianBeast]

I open the window to this room. Seeing that Orint's room seems to be empty, I (take 10 and) set about dismounting the bedroom door (in the room where I am) with my crowbar from the frame and hinges.



Speaking of hinges, what are the hinges to the doors made out of?

Is Orint's window open or shut? Are there any lights burning inside?

Also, speaking of burning, why couldn't I set the wooden boarding house on fire with an open flame, especially considering it has been fairly dry there lately?

[Darth Ultron]

After a bit of work you get the bedroom door off.

The door hinges, handles and locks are all made from iron.

Orint Grayspell's window is open and there are no lights in the bed room, but it is during the daytime.


You could have? You just set a torch on the floor and did burn that spot on the floor.

Ruleswise: energy damage specifically deals half damage to objects and does not bypass hardness. A torch does one point of energy damage(fire). A floorboard has a harness of 5 and ten hit points.

But even beyond the rules, a single torch on a wooden floor won't make a house catch fire. A torch is just not that hot. You'd need an accelerant (oil, gas) or items that catch fire quickly (paper, clothing, curtains)

[WhovianBeast]

When did it get to be daytime? I entered the boarding house as soon as it was dark. The subsequent chase couldn't have taken more than 5 minutes. So unless it took me seven hours to take a door off its hinges, I don't see what happened.

How wide is the door?

[Darth Ultron]

A coupe posts back you ask what time it is and I say a bit before noon. The very next post is you walking up the boarding house....




The door is normal sized, so a little more then two feet.

[WhovianBeast]

I wait and see if he comes out. If he does not come out before nightfall, I approach the house.


What kind of beards/hair do these guys have, and what kind of beards/hair did the gate guards and the guards at the well have? How dirty were their clothes?

I waited until nightfall to see if they came out before then.

[Darth Ultron]

I wait until the two guards come in sight before running across the drawbridge. I wait in the darkness off the side of the path and see what they do. If they don't come into sight within a minute or two, I retrace my steps to the boarding house.



Where? You ran from the thugs, waited a minute or two, and then right to the boarding house across the street. So where did you ''wait around for several hours until it got dark''?

[WhovianBeast]

I fight Orint ->Orint gets thugs and returns to house -> I follow and wait in alley outside until nightfall -> Since they haven't left by nightfall, I enter the house ->Thugs chase me->Thugs return->I go to boarding house across from Orint's.

[Darth Ultron]

Ah, I see


Orint Grayspell's bedroom is dark with no light source.

[WhovianBeast]

I poke my head out and look to see if I can see them in the alley or in the street. (+12 Perception with low light vision should be plenty for this if they're there. Should be.)

[roll0]

Please describe the door. Is it a solid sheet of wood, is it panelled, is it several boards secured together with nails/straps/bars?

[Darth Ultron]

The alley is empty of any people, but you do see a black cat.

The door is a typical door made of pieces of wood, wedged together. There are no nails, screws or metal on the door other then the hinges and the lock/handle. And no glue.


If your into woodworking the door is made with the mortise-and-tenon method, the way doors have been made for thousands of years, and are still made today.

[WhovianBeast]

I use my dagger's blade to wedge the seams open wide enough to fit my crowbar. I then use my crowbar and hands to pull the longest pieces of the door apart.

(Inset dagger blade, turn blade 90 degrees. Check if wide enough for crowbar, if not, insert wider part and repeat.)

Is the cat carrying anything in its mouth or on its back? Is there a toad hopping behind it? This seems like a good place to remind you of my low-light vision.

[Darth Ultron]

With a bit of work you can pry the door apart, though some of the wood breaks.

The alley cat is not caring anything like a toad, and has nothing in it's mouth or on it's back. It looks a lot like a typical alley cat, licking it's paws in the alley.

[WhovianBeast]

I take as many reasonably intact pieces of wood as will reach across the alley by themselves and lay them from one window to the other.

[Darth Ultron]

How do you keep the pieces of wood together?

[WhovianBeast]

I don't. I lay the pieces of wood that will reach across the gap next to each other, with one end on this windowsill and one end on Orint's, and slide them together to make as small a space between them as possible.

Once this is done, how wide is the improvised wooden catwalk?

[Darth Ultron]

You make a loose catwalk of wood about a foot wide across the five foot gap

[WhovianBeast]

Acrobatics:[roll0]

I sheathe my dagger, put my crowbar away, climb out the window and walk across the edge, crawling into Orint's window once I'm done. I pull the wood in after me once I'm safely inside.

Once inside, I look around to see how much of Orint's stuff is still here.

Typical. With a roll like that I could sprint up and do a cartwheel in the rain. But if I want to hit somebody? Lol nope.

[Darth Ultron]

The rooms look a lot like it did before, as far as you can tell nothing looks to have been taken.


Of course...

[WhovianBeast]

I smell the air and try to detect the smell of the two thugs, and thus how long they've been gone.
Perception:[roll0]


Says that Perception applies to ALL senses, and I'm betting the thugs off the street smell a bit worse than Orint does.

[Darth Ultron]

The apartment still smells of smoke from the fire and that overwhelms the other scents. You sure don't detect the recent smells of a dirty unwashed human.

[WhovianBeast]

Am I in the bedroom or living room? Whichever one I'm in, I open the door and step into the other with my sickle drawn,

[Darth Ultron]

You were in the bedroom. Stepping into the living room you find it dark and empty of people. The front door is broken off it's fame and laying on the floor where you left it. There are two red ribbons making an ''x'' across the doorway.

[WhovianBeast]

I sheathe my sickle, put my hood up, and exit under the X, heading downstairs and out of the building.

[Darth Ultron]

The city around is still a bit noisy with nightlife. No where near as noisy as the day time. The taverns and eateries are mostly full of people having a good time.

[WhovianBeast]

I look around five of the eateries and taverns, walking in, scanning the room, and leaving. If I spot Orint or his thugs, I exit the room and press against the outside wall.

I'm going to roll perception 5 times (once for each tavern I check) and stealth once (if I spot him)
Perception: [roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]
[roll3]
[roll4]
Stealth: [roll5]

How many taverns/eateries are there unchecked after I'm done?

[Darth Ultron]

[roll0]



You don't see Orint Grayspell or the thugs out in public at any of the taverns/eateries.

There are only three more taverns/eateries .

[WhovianBeast]

Perception
[roll1d20+12
[roll1d20+12[/roll]

Stealth: [roll0]

I check the remaining three. If they're all empty, I return to Vukas.

[WhovianBeast]

[roll0]
[roll1]
[roll2]

Whoopsies.

[Darth Ultron]

The other three locations don't have Orint Grayspell or the thugs in them.




Vukas Albricht sits under a glowing orb of light in a wooden chair in his small garden reading a small book, he looks up when you get close to the tower and waves you over.

Vukas Albricht "Ah, back so soon...that did not take long, eh?"

[WhovianBeast]

I lower my hood, approach to within 6 feet, clap my clenched left hand to my chest in a salute and kneel down on my right leg.
He's not dead. We fought, and I injured him badly, but he and his gods-damned familiar gave as they got. I was expecting a student, not a sorceror. He hired some muscle and escaped into the city. I searched the local taverns, but I do not know the city well enough to look more thoroughly. I am sorry, I do not know what else to do for now, so I return here.

After this, I stand, allowing my arm to swing back to my side, and stand (ill at ease), looking him in the eye and waiting for him to respond.


Yeah, no, I'm not gonna lie about a very checkable fact to the sorceror, not with my current Charisma and HP.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht frowns a little. "Well, that is unfortunate. Still, I like your honesty and bluntness. After all you could have just ran or worse tried to lie to me. "

A small bottle of yellow honey like liquid floats over from behind a tree and bobs in the air in front of you.

Vukas Albricht "A potion of healing. And...no...he is more then smart enough to avoid any public places. After all he has no idea who you are or why you wanted to kill him....so he will suspect everyone. Though that also means he can't trust anyone. Still, he could hide in lots of places.

You wounded him? With your weapon? Any chance you still have some of his blood on it?"

[WhovianBeast]

I take the potion and smell it. Can't be too trusting about the man who hires hitmen and no longer needs you, especially after you failed him.

I've probably got his blood here somewhere.

I take out my sickle, looking it over. I also check my clothing where the sickle rests when I am not using it.

You never mentioned it, but does my sickle have a sheathe? If it does, I look at that too.

[Darth Ultron]

The blade of your sickle has plenty of dried blood on it.

The potion smells like honey.


It's more up to you. Most clothing worth less then like a gold piece you can just have with no problem. But it's up to you if you want your weapon to just hang from your belt, be on your back or have a sheath.

[WhovianBeast]

I'm going to have my weapon have a sheathe for the blade (sickles are funny shaped), so that the blade hangs by my right leg and curves back and the handle juts a bit forward.

I drink the potion and extend my sickle to Vukas, holding it by the handle near the blade so that Vukas can take it and I do not appear threatening.

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht touches the sickle and cast a spell.....then the sickle starts to glow with a soft white light then fades away.

Vukas Albricht "For a couple minutes, your blade will glow when pointed in Orint's direction. He could hide anywhere, I'd guess, but I'd say he is up high someplace. As an airy wizard he like air and clouds and such. So doubt he will be in a cellar."

[WhovianBeast]

That will be useful. What are the tallest two buildings open to the whole city?

[Darth Ultron]

Vukas Albricht "I'm not sure. Some tall nobles tower or spire I'd guess. But you don't need to guess, just follow the light."

[WhovianBeast]

Thank you. I shall do my best.

I turn and follow the light until it leads directly towards a building. I then look at the building.

[Darth Ultron]

After a couple twists and turns the glowing blade leads to an inn: The Dove's Tail. The inn is painted white and three stories tall. There is only the single front door. The front lobby is wide and open, and has a couple dove birds in small wooden cages in it. There are three workers in the lobby, including the human male behind the desk. Two guards in leather armor and clubs stand by the doors that lead upstairs to the rooms.

[WhovianBeast]

I sheathe my sickle and look at the neighboring buildings.

How close is the nearest building and are there any buildings close by that are as tall as or taller than the inn?

[Darth Ultron]

The buildings to the right and left of the inn are only two stories tall. The one on the right looks like a bakery, with a home above it and the one on the left looks like a grocer with a home above.

[WhovianBeast]

If all lights in the grocer's or the baker's first floor are out, or if there's an alley, I take my pack and bedroll off, setting them in the doorway (or the alley). I place my crossbow inside the pack and cover it all with my blanket. If there is neither an alley nor a darkened building, I leave my pack on but smear it in the mud that comes later.

I then take my dagger, pull back my sleeve, and carefully slice open the exposed skin before the gauntlet grimacing from the pain. I sheathe the dagger, then smear the drawn blood with my hand on my tunic just above my heart, my right side, my forehead, and my neck, repeating the cut in my arm an inch higher if the cut begins congealing. I move my sheathes to the back of my belt and adjust my tunic over them. (I'm wearing pants/leggings, the belt holds up pants and weapons, tunic goes over belt and edge of pants, cloak goes over all).

Now to complete the effect.
I piss in the dirt and smear the mud on the cloak, my tunic, my jaw, and my leggings, leaving my hands dirty at the end.

Time to brass it out.

I stagger into the inn, clutching at the doorway.

Help... bandits... water...

I then crumple, sliding down the doorframe and ending sprawled on my back with my eyes staring open and my breathing ragged.

[Darth Ultron]

One of the guards and one of the workers rush over and help you into a chair.

Worker "This man is hurt, go get the watch. " One of the other workers nods and heads out the front door.

The worker brings over a healers kit and starts to wash and clean your wounds. "Can you speak? What is your name?"

[WhovianBeast]

That's like exactly what I DIDN'T want to happen.

It's technically not a lie. The sorceror in gray did harm Munris, and the lobby really isn't a safe place with him upstairs. Anybody seen helping him is unlikely to get a fruit basket from Orint.

Munris is trying to act like the dozens of panicked and wounded animals he's cornered in his years in the forest.

My eyes open wide and I grab the man hard by the arm he's washing my wounds with.

My eyes bulge and roll as I croak at him.
You have to help me! It's the sorceror! The man in gray! We're all dead! We're all dead! Have to hide! Not safe! Not safe! Nobody is! Hide me! Hide meeee!

I fall back and pant slowly, gripping the edges of the chair and looking suspiciously and abruptly around, like I'm trying to keep track of every person in the room and am scared of what they might do.

[Darth Ultron]

Worker "An evil sorcerer bandit? That sounds very nasty. But don't worry your safe here. The Dove's Tail Inn is a Safe Place. We allow no weapons here, and have a very special weapons free zone. No one will hurt you here. So just calm down. Maybe you'd like to drink a little of this sleep juice to calm you down?"


Glad I could read you mind...lol

[WhovianBeast]

"Sorcerors don't need weapons! Are weapons!

Sleep juice? No! Not now! Not safe! Need to make sure he isn't here! Could be anywhere!"

I lurch to my feet and start searching rapidly around the room in stupid places. Behind chairs, under tables, behind the counter (if there is one), working my way towards the stairs.

Weapons free zone eh? Do you want your players to become murderers? Because that's how to make them murderers.

1. Is at least some of my gold in a pouch on my belt or is it all in my pack?

2. Can I use my Wis/Int score to determine how well a plan might work before I use it? In this case, the plan goes something like this.

Play ‘injured and crazy’ off as an act. I’m an actor and have been summoned to his Lordship’s manor as a party’s entertainment in three nights, thought I’d get in some practice. My cousin is getting married tomorrow, gonna go get sloshed with him and his friends, but he doesn’t want to get drunk and cheat his wife. His best friend clued him in and he ran to the inn to hide. Munris just needs innkeeper’s help to surprise him, I’m willing to pay if the innkeeper can just help Munris help his cousin as a good time. Get innkeeper to fetch pack and get somebody to go call off the watch. Find excuse to get into Orint’s room alone, kill him, escape.