You Got His Attention

Taking the 5 foot step would not be enough for the rogue to flank the Gator in this round, but the Gator shifts himself as well. After taking the bolt to the back the Gator shifts himself and does a tail slap attack instead of a bite.

The Gator snarls, distracted from kaspar for a moment, and its heavy tail slams through the air as it looks back at the sorcerer.

Rolled a 16, and that's figuring in the bonus and the flare penalty. You're crunched.

Castille takes 10 points of damage. He's at -1, so he's unconscious and down. He will lose a hit point each round unless he stabilizes on his own (10% chance each round), or gets one point of magical healing, or receives a DC 15 Heal check.

In the meantime, the Gator shifted to tail slam the sorcerer, exposing itself to a flanking (i.e. a sneak) attack from Kaspar. (Note the DM is not tweaking the rules, there are different interpretations of flanking, and for this round Kaspar is still flanking.)

Your move.

A Tremendous Pin Prick

Sorry. I didn't realize the gator was taking up that much room. Regardless, Kaspar was indeed taking only a five-foot step in an attempt to flank.

Castille watches as his friend moves further away from him, and closer to the gator's razor teeth.

"Damn it Kaspar," he shouts, "I can take care of myself. What are you doing?!"

Realizing that it's too late for a shortspear, Castille instead casts magic missile and attempts to draw the gator's attention.

Damage roll on the missile comes up as 1+1=2. I just can't win.

Dance Macabre

How are you getting around the Gator?

If you merely move, you draw an attack of opportunity. Taking only a 5 foot step will not draw an attack of opportunity, nor will a tumble check DC 15.

From your description, it seems like you are taking a 5 foot step, so that next turn you will be flanking the Gator. If you are tumbling or taking a chance on the AoO (very bad move), let me know.

Round two ends, round three begins. What does Castille do?

Hack & errr... Miss?

Kaspar continues to stab at the monster, letting one swipe lead into the next. With both his hands and all of his strength he brings the blade up and down repeatedly.

More importatnly perhaps, he has unwittingly maneuvered around the gator in an attempt to lure the beast away from Castille. Kapar continues to fight the gator and work his way back to the south.

Another two-handed attack with the rapier. Rolled a 3 (ARRRGH) +3=6. If that doesn't get Castille to cast a spell I don't know what will.

I Missed Kaspar

Sorry, we haven't finished round two yet.

Kaspar goes, then Castille goes, starting round three.

So what is our friendly ghost doing?

Close Enough To Count The Scales

The Gator howls in pain, saliva and blood flying. It's jaws snarl and swing, and...

(The online dice roller comes up with 10, and that's including all relevant modifiers.)

The teeth slam shut just inches from Kaspar's leg, as the Gator stumbles past the corpses, murderously intent on the one who harmed it. Kaspar has dodged the devil yet again.

Will Castille attack with the spear, cast a spell, or use the aid another move (which would add 2 to Kaspar's AC).

If you cast the spell in the space that you are in, you will draw and attack of opportunity from those terrible and quick jaws. You can of course tak a 5-foot step backwards. (5-foot steps never draw attacks of opportunity.)

Bad Rolls Equals Pain

Kaspar, after seeing the Gator stumble over the corpse, immediately drops the body he's carrying and prays to himself before charging forth. Drawing his rapier he raises it above his head and lets escape a tremendous orc battle cry. Not worried about mutilating the bodies upon which the gator is crawling, Kaspar hacks at the beast without any care for his own defense.

Attack with a rapier (using it two-handedly). Rolled 11+3=14 + rolled 6 using one action point = 20 total. Damage roll of 1+4=5 (that sucks).

Castille becomes worried about his comrade getting too carried away and shouts, "Kaspar! He'll rip you to pieces. Defend yourself!"

Twirling his shortspear, Castille pulls the weapon off his back and thrust at the gator with all his might. He attempts to keep his distance, but concern for Kaspar pushes him forward. Another spell is on his lips, but the adrenaline that surges through his veins tells him to battle on for now.

Attack with shortspear. Rolled a 4. I'm pretty sure that's a straight up miss.

Taking Turns

Initiative count: Castille, Gator, Kaspar

Kaspar ought not to be able to drop the body before the Gator goes, even though it is a free action, as free actions have to be done on the person's turn. However, Castille goes first, and can take a 5-foot step, drop the body that he carries, and cast the spell.

Tha Gator fails the save. The Gator now gets -1 on its rolls for the duration of the spell.

It's the Gator's turn now. This particular Gator's move rate is 30 (a slight augmentation), so it should be able to charge and attack. However the body that Castille dropped interrupts it. The Gator charges, but has to clamber over the dropped body, and therefore cannot attack this turn. It still has a -2 to its AC until next turn due to charging however.

Once the Gator is in your face, snarling and snapping, Kaspar can drop his carried body as a free action and then go.

The Gator snarls, and bursts forward with sudden speed. It stumbles at the corpse, trying to clamber over for the fresh meat of the two foolish adventuers. Flashing teeth and a powerful snout ram forward. Saliva sprays, and its eyes - tho dazzled and red from the flare, speak only of grabbig and devouring its prey.

Kaspar's turn.

(Note: Currently both PCs are in squares adjacent to the gator.)

Pardon Me While I Attempt to Blind the Beast

Checks

Kaspar may not be surprised, but lugging that body around didn't help him one bit. He suffers a miserable 1+2=3.

Castille can't help but do better. He's awake with a 14+6=20.

It's been a while since my last DnD combat, so bear with me here. I'm sure I'll overstep the boundaries of initiative for the sake of theatrics. Feel free to reign me in as necessary.

Actions

Kaspar is leading the twosome down the pipe when the gator makes its first appearance. He's not surprised by it, but the fact that he is under attack does not resister at first either. Kaspar even turns to make small talk with Castille before doing a double take and dropping the body he is carrying to the ground.

Castille, though, was on edge to begin with. He immediately heaps the body he's carrying on top of Kaspar's, hopefully making a barrier of sorts. And from behind this makeshift wall Castille shouts aloud an elven chant. Just before his flare spell goes off, the light from the sunrod seems to momentarily dim. And then an a burst of brilliant light illuminates the pipe.

By this time Kaspar has gotten his act together and drawn his rapier. As he takes cover behind the bodies, reading an attack, the gator stirs...

Pretty Quick For Luggage

The Gator's initiative count is 12.

Not So Fast

You are on your way to the ladder, making plans as to how to psyche out Fast Eddie. You are moving down the north-south pipe, perhaps 40 feet from the ladder back to the street, when you hear it.

And see it.

And it sees you.

It is the biggest frickin' lizard you have ever seen. Somebody dropped a baby gator down the sewers a long time ago, and...well, you haven't noticed any rats yet (something I would have told you immediately if you had any ranks in Survival), and now you know why.

Gators have low-light vision, so you guys spot it at the same time that it spots you. No one is surprised.

Roll initiative.

Search, Actually

It was a search check, not a spot check.

Kaspar finds the head of a crossbow bolt. Apparently the killer retrieved his bolts, but the head of one broke off after passing through the boyd.

The head of the bolt has a craftsman's symbol on it - or half of one to be precise.

You don't have Knowledge Local or Knowledge Heraldry, but Constable Einian or Scowlen D'Anvil probably do.

Arriving In Style

Checks

Castille scores a 15+2=17 on his spot check. Kaspar nets a 17+2=19.

Action

Moving back in time just a bit... Castille signals to Kaspar after finding the second body. With Kaspar carrying the heavier of the bodies, they proceed towards the entrance to the sewers, just below Fast Eddie's shop.

When the arrive at the ladder Castille turns to Kaspar.

"Remember, when we reach topside talk about nothing but the horrors we have seen. Embellish if you can, but try also to spare the women from certain despair. I want Eddie to talk, not the innocent to suffer."

With a nod, Kaspar ascends ahead of Castille.

Ah, The Gate On The Grate

The grate is wall-to-wall, floor-to-ceiling, and is designed of strong metal so that it can catch all sorts of floating debris. Typically sewer workers go to such grates once every two weeks or so to pick through the debris with a long hook on a pole. The larger debris gets shredded, the valuable things get claimed by the city, and the water flow is never seriously obstructed.

Rolling spot checks, you see such a long pole with a hook lying against the grate. You also see another body next to it, floating just under the muck. Moving forward a bit, you can see that this one has been stripped naked, no clothes, wader boots, or other valuables. It does have a hole in the middle of the chest that would be made by a crossbow bolt or an arrow. And he's been nibbled on by the vermin. Identifying him will be very difficult, but his time of death seems to be the same as the body in the pipe. Roll a search check. While you do not have the investigate feat, it may help you find something interesting.

It is an easy enough matter to grab the pole-hook and get the body up on the catwalk.

No, the catwalk on the other side does not go east past the grate, but it does go west down to the feeder pipes.

As for the body in the pipe, which is still partially dressed, Kaspar found a bell. The bell was rigged into the muck so that if the body is moved, the sudden water displacement would make the bell ring, which would echo down here. Kaspar Disables the Device with ease.

Your mending spell works perfectly on the rigged catwalk. I wouldn't tap dance on it, but you may now transverse it without qualm.

Are you bringing both bodies topside? It would be a noble thing to do, and it is part of your quest.

A Plan to Scare

Consider the tripwire stowed in Kaspar's pack.

Kaspar is the first to spot the body -- and he's also the one to complete most of the searching. While Kaspar looks the deceased over, Castille examines the locked gate more closely. He tries to get a glimpse of what lies beyond it. He also takes a closer look at the stairs leading down into the sewage. Does the gate block the catwalk on the north side as well?

Eventually he rejoins Kaspar just as the half-orc is finishing up with the dead man's empty pockets.

Kaspar looks up, "Whoever got at this body before us was strapped for coinage. The assassin even swiped his fillings. What should we do with it, Cas?"

"Well first things first. I'm sure they'll want the body topside eventually. Can you dislodge it?"

"Sure, but where do you want to drag him to? I say we press on. There's probably more where he came from. No use bringing them up one by one."

"No, let's haul him up anyway. We're still close to the entrance and maybe it'll scare Eddie enough to talk. I think he knows more. Come on, I'll help."

The two lift up the body and begin to bring it back to the original grate underneath Fast Eddie's shop. When they get to the weakened grate Castille asks for a rest. After catching his breath he heaves a sigh.

"I didn't want to waste my energy, but better safe than sorry."

With a clap of the hands Castille mutters to himself and lays his hands down upon the catwalk. It begins to glow from the magically induced heat. The glow subsides eventually, making the metal twice as strong as before (I hope).

"Come on," Castille finishes, "let's keep moving."

Habeus Corpus

As you approach the feeder pipe, you can see that it is almost excatly like the pipe that you were in first, in terms of size and composition. Some 25 feet beyond the feeder pipe is a large, locked grate that completely covers the wider east-west pipe that you are walking along (via its southern catwalk). The grate has accumulated floating debris, altho not as much as one might think. It has probably been cleared recently. (Such grates are supposed to be cleared periodicly and that was one of the duties of the men that you are looking for.) The catwalk goes all the way up to the grate, and you see a series of steps that goes into the water. There is another series of steps on the other side that leads up to the other catwalk (on the north side of the pipe).

As for the north-south feeder pipe that you are approaching, you can now see why the water flow apepars different. Something is obstructing the water flow.

Or someone.

There is a dead body sprawled just inside the pipe. A human. You have no ranks in heal, but you think he's been dead at most 48 hours and probably less.

I'm assuming that you are taking 20 on your Search check. The body has had its valuables removed, and half of its clothes taken. It is still wearing one wader boot (a boot that goes up to the hips), and it has its belt, but apparently the belt had a belt buckle that has been taken.

The body has two wounds, both consistent with crossbow bolt, arrow, or javelin wounds. One is in the shoulder, not fatal, but bad. The other is in the thigh, where an artery was torn open. The pockets have been turned out, and it is missing a filling in one tooth, with a slight trace of gold in the cavity.

Or...

...you could cast a mending spell on the catwalk.

Disabling The Tripwire

While Kaspar doesn't have any relevant craft skills, he does have quite a knack for disabling devices. Taking a look in the Player's Handbook, this seems to be the applicable skill for disabling traps, no?

Yes, and as you have your thief tools you can disable it easily. The DC is merely 12, as the key to tripwires is spotting them to begin with. Taking 10 gives you a 16 and the wire cuts easily.

However there are some thing that you might notice about this trap, had you certain relevant skills, which is why I asked about craft and knowledge skills. It may imply certain clues.

Looking at your character sheet, I see that you do not. However you have a high Int score, and I rolled an Int check, getting a 13 (which means a 10, as an untrained knowledge check can never get above 10). This trap was easily and cheaply made, except that the wire is of a very fine quality, and the paint job isn't too bad either.

Decision: Are you keeping the wire? And if so, where?

Kaspar can mark the catwalk easily enough with his improvised paint job, just keep in mind that someone else coming by coul unmark it just as easily.

Fiddling with Traps

When Castille finds the tripwire he stops dead in his tracks. As the water churns below, he has become increasing anxious. The thought of taking a dive has only brought back bad memories of his experiences attempting to stay afloat in the lake near his childhood home. Aware of the consequences of falling in, Castille, motions for Kaspar to take a look at the wire.

Kaspar moves ahead of Castille and crouches down with his tools in hand.

While Kaspar doesn't have any relevant craft skills, he does have quite a knack for disabling devices. Taking a look in the Player's Handbook, this seems to be the applicable skill for disabling traps, no?

With a pair of wire clippers, Kaspar sets to taking out the tripwire. No need to hurry here.

If he manages to avoid calamity, the half-orc will also look about for some way to mark the weakened section of catwalk. If the walls are willing, he'll scrape some of the clay away. Crushing the scrapings into a powder, he'll attempt to sprinkle some along the walkway.

I'm hoping the pipe is colored differently than the catwalk grate here. If not, then obviously this is a pointless exercise.

"I don't know if we'll be able to see this on the way out," Kaspar explains, "but if we're running full speed from some sewer-demon I sure'd like to know where to leap. And I bet you don't want to fall though neither."

Now with Kaspar leading the way, the team proceeds onward to explore the obscured feeder pipe.

Tripwire

(Note of irritation, blogger has been acting way too flaky lately. It is taking me two or three times to post something.)

I interpreted your last post as moving carefully at half-speed, making spot and search checks. The spot checks are irrelevant, only telling you that the water is indeed as filthy as it was aminute ago. I secretly rolled a search check for you, which ended up 16.

The search check turns up a tripwire planted at ankle height. It is a fine, hard wire, painted a color that is similar to the catwalk. There are no alarms or other traps attached to it, but the floor just beyond it has been weakened. Had you tripped you would have fallen through the catwalk to the water below. (The Reflex save to avoid the wire would have been DC 12 if moving slowly, DC 15 if at normal speed, and DC 18 if you had been moving quickly. But you saw it and you were not tripped.)

You can walk around the weakened area and continue. Do you want to leave the tripwire or take it? You don't have any ranks in craft, do you? Or similar knowledge ranks?

Spot Results

Very little. You only notice an iron ring set in the middle of the ceiling some 20 feet to the east. There seem to be a few wisps of rope still in it.

The flow from the pipe to the east seems odd, but you don't have any ranks in Knowledge Architecture and Engineering, so that's all you know.

Hoping for Solid Workmanship

Checks

Castille rolls a lovely 3+2=5 on his spot check. Kaspar, though gets a 17+2=19. I'd say Castille is too distracted by Kaspar to notice anything right now anyway.

Action

Depending, of course, on the outcome of their spot checks, the team will venture eastward.

Kaspar, upon seeing Castille take his first hesitant steps onto the walk, asks, "You sure that'll hold up? I'd don't feel much like swimming -- especially in that sludge."

"No worries Kaspar. Besides, if we do go in you'll be the one saving me."

Castille is in the front on the southern catwalk, with Kaspar following behind. As the entrance to the sewers falls further into the distance, the team has drawn their weapons and (hopefully) readied themselves against any surprises.

Moreover, along the way both half-orc and half-elf keep an eye on the water below and the stability of the catwalk. Any sign of creatures or of damage to the walk, and Castille will stop Kaspar so that they may assess the situation.

Otherwise, an unspoken silence exists between the two.

Listening And Continuing

Taking 20 on Listen, you don't hear any human noises, not precisely, but the rhythmic splashing to the south, where the pipe terminus junction is, briefly seems less rhythmic. The flowing water sounds to the north continue unabated.

Once you start moving north, you find that drains appear about once every block, and some light filters in from above. These drains have been cleared and maintained quite recently.

Some 80 feet north, the pipe ends as it spills out into another, larger pipe, that runs east-west. This pipe is easily 20 feet wide, and is deep with moving water and floating sewage. The sewage and water flows to the east. This pipe is higher than the one that you are exiting. Catwalks run on either side of the pipe, five-foot-wide plaster-and-wood walkways that are bolted to the wall. As is the case with the pipe that you have exited, the pipe is mostly fired ceramic.

Looking to your right (eastwards) you see more flowing water, and perhaps the shape of another pipe feeding into this one just at the edge of your 60 foot vision range. Looking left (westward) you can see that about 40 feet from your position there are several feeder pipes that merge together into this large one. The feeder pipes are 5 or 10 feet in diameter and ahve a pronounced slope. All but one of them seem to be flowing in a normally functioning manner.

The catwalk on your side and on the other side terminates just before the merging of the feeder pipes. To the right the catwalks extend as far as you can see (60 feet). Nowhere do you see a way to cross the water and sewage to the other catwalk.

Make Spot checks.

A-Mapping I Will Go

I thought I'd attempt to maintain a map online. If you see any glaring errors, feel free to let me know. Or, if you'd prefer I suffer in ignorance, I can live with that reality too.

The sewer map will be maintained here.

Spelunking

As the team enters the sewer tunnels, Castille gives a final wave to the townspeople.

"No worries," he says, " I shall return with your husbands." And then he descends behind Kaspar.

Once in the tunnels, both take a moment to size up their situations. Specifically, they take some time to listen very carefully to their surroundings. If they hear anything that sounds like a human voice, they head in that direction. Otherwise, they head north.

"Well, Castille," Kaspar starts, "that was quite a show you put on up there. Are you really concerned, or were you just trying to play me for a fool?"

Annoyed at Kaspar's callousness, Castille hastily waves the sunrod to the north and to the south looking for any signs of life.

"If you'd bother talking to the people most affected, perhaps you'd develop a sense of conscience too. Come on, let's head north. We have to start somewhere."

Kaspar pauses, slightly stunned, but mostly amused. With a smirk he turns on his heels and follows behind Castille.

"Come now ole pal. You know you wanted to put a dart between that Eddie as much as I did."

Castille echoes from up ahead, "Shut up Kaspar."

Entering The Sewers

The crowd noises on the street die away suddenly as people realize that you are going in. Older folks shake their heads, some making signs against misfortune. Mothers grab small children and do not let them look at your descent. The womenfolk at the barricades grow poigantly silent.

Sargeant Einian nods, and one of the younger constables gives you a salute. Scowlen gives you a final whisper of "good luck," while Edward Rendell admires his manicure once more and feigns boredom, but you can tell that he too is anxious.

The manhole is about three and a-half feet in diameter, making for a tight fit. It goes down a good ten feet before you hit the top of the drain tunnel, which itself is a good eight feet high. With a slight splash (there is an inch or two of standing water - which will make move silently checks difficult), you plant your feet on the floor of the pipe.

The sunrod that Castille holds gives light for some ways, enough to make his low-light vision ascertain details to the same range as Kaspar's Darkvision. (60 feet in each direction.)

The pipe itself is almost a perfect tube, except that the bottom is flattened-out. It's walls are mostly fired ceramic, which lasts far longer in a damp environment than mortar. There is a sconce for torches here, and another a further ways down. Here and there in the distance you see stabs of sunlight froma street grate's drain. The murmur of sound from above falls behind splashing noises and the dull gurgle of running water.

The drain that you are in runs north and south. To the north you hear running water, and Scowlen told you that the men would be doing blockage removal there. There is supposed to be a larger pipe that funnels the rain runoff and the sewage out of the city. The the south you hear splashing, and all that you were told about that area is that it is a 'pipe terminus junction.' The pipe is almost nine feet wide, and the two of you could fight side-by-side with only a little difficulty. The footing is slightly slippery, but not much. (You will need to make Balance checks if you charge, run, or take a double-move action, DC will vary.)

It Was Only A Reasonable Suspicion

The majority of the women demonstrators look very angry, but aren't about to storm the barricades again. Einian looks nervous, then careful, then embarassed as he is done examining your papers. He waves at his men to stand down.

"My apologies sir. I see from your visa stamps that you weren't even in town when the murders began to occur."

"You ought to be ashamed of yourself Einian," grumbles Scowlen. "Casting aspersions on these two fine young men."

Fast Eddie gives a sigh and studies his nails, but for his body language you would think he was not aware of Einian's actions.

"Sometimes perpetrators like to get involved in investigations," Einian explains. "It makes them think that they are playing a game with the forces of law and order. We have no idea who this killer is. He hides in the sewers, kills at night by taking his targets out with a crossbow, and then cuts off their index fingers as a trophy. He also retrieves his crossbow bolts, altho they are smashed. We don't know why. As a matter of fact, that's all we know."

'Einian," Fast Eddie finally says. "They are working for me, looking for my men, and your desires are secondary." Edward's voice has gone quite cold. "Let them be." (You can try a Sense Motive check here if you wish, but the DC is very, very high.)

"Again," says Einian, "I apologize." His eyes dart sideways to Fast Eddie and he lowers his voice. "I apologize to you."

Scowlen speaks with you a bit before you go in. He tells you that there are the usual urban myths about wild animals, outlaws, and cults in the sewers, but emphasizes that no one really knows what's down there, so the most outrageous tales get spread. He also tells you to look for newly cleared rains, newly fixed and oiled hinges, and pipes which had markings indicating old sediment that are now moving. These indications (and he briefly details them for you so that you will recognize them) mark where the workers have been.

You request additional aid with your high Diplomacy checks. To Kaspar Scowlen says "I'd think a big tough fella like you wouldn't need any more help." But he gives Kaspar a small waterproof belt pouch to gather evidence in. To Castille, who has greatly impressed him, he gives a sunrod (cracking the head for you, so it begins to shed light), and a vial of holy water.

What you may learn from the final Sense Motive check four paragraphs above won't change much, so it's time to go out of the blue and into the black, as the US Army tunnel rats say...

Lingering Suspicions

Checks

Castille scores a mighty 18+5=23 on his Diplomacy check. Kaspar, while rolling just as well, loses points for gruffness: 18-2=16.

Action

After finishing with Scowlen, Castille, now more insulted than ever by Einian's accusation, looks around him for support -- searching especially for the women whose husbands he promised to save.

He continues, "You sir, are untrusting. Here are my papers, but let me assure you that if I was the killer, I wouldn't stand here talking to you."

In an atypical fashion, Kaspar actually steps in, "Come on now, Castille, let the man do his job. He only means to serve and protect."

If all goes well, then the team will begin their delve into the sewers. If something comes of Einian's investigation, then, well, they might still begin their delve, albeit as an escape.

Friendly Responses

"Root out evil?" smirks Edward. "We have a paladin in our midst! Are you a Silver Flame follower then, Khovar?"

"No money until the job is completed," Einian declares. "As for Mr. Rendell -"

"Get my workers back, dead or alive, and then you get your reward," Rendell says, fanning himself again with his hat. The jeers from the crowd start again, and Rendell ignores them. "You two half-breeds like money, don't you?"

"Enough," Scowlen says, pulling out some potions. He hands one to Kaspar and one to Castille. (They are each a potion fo Cure Light Wounds d8+3) "Go in, but come up several times. Keep reporting back. I'll try to give you what I can to aid you, just please find those men." Scowlen's plea is in earnest, and he does want to help you. (And as the DM wants to avoid killing off the 1st level characters, constantly returning to Scowlen when you are injured is the equivalent of constantly going back to town and then returning to the dungeon.)

You may try a Diplomacy check to get more initial aid from Scowlen.

"Ah, there is the other matter," Einian says. "The serial killer that must be caught." He looks at Castille's crossbow again. "Let me see your identification papers." His manner is rigid, and some of the constables have put their hands on their weapon hilts.

Check Results - Castille

Castille picks up little regarding the glances between Scowlen and Einian regarding his crossbow, just a general suspicion.

Castille's Spot check against Fast Eddie shows him that under the fat is some quick muscle. Fast Eddie is fast in more than one sense of the word.

Scowlen is packing some potions. Several of them. The man has a virtual alchemist's shop on him. The odds of him carrying around that much wealth casually are virtually nil.

You got a 20 on the Listen check. I didn't think you would, but okay. Castille thinks that he hears a faint chuckle from somewhere in the drains, but he is not sure. (What languages does he speak again?)

Check Results - Kaspar

The Sense Motive check DC 18 was for the glance that Einian and Scowlen gave one another when they saw Castille's light crossbow. As Kaspar failed by 10 or more...heh, heh, heh. Kaspar thinks that they are jealous of Castille's crossbow.

The Sense Motive check DC 13 was for the cautious glance that Einian gave Fast Eddie when he (Einian) was criticizing Fast Eddie. As Kaspar got a 12, all he can tell is that Einian is a bit apprehensive of Fast Eddie for some reason.

The Sense Motive check against Edward's protestations of slander by his jealous competitors tells Kaspar that some of what Fast Eddie is saying is true, but how much he does not know. (Yes I know you got a 21, if only you knew what Fast Eddie's Bluff bonus was.)

The Spot check on Edward's hands as he gesticulates succeeds. Kaspar notices that Edward Rendell, a man of substance and an expensive wardrobe, is wearing eight copper rings. Plain copper rings, one on each finger, and these plain copper rings are totally unadorned and unetched. Merely rings of copper.

Mis-Matched Heros

Checks

Castille rolls a 15+2=17 on his Spot check against Fast Eddie. He rolls a straight 17+0=17 on his Knowledge Arcana check (woot). He also scores an 18+2=20 (!) on his Listen check. Finally, he rolls a 15+1=16 on his sense motive check (oh well). Still, I just found my new favorite die. Let's see how it fares for Kaspar.

Kaspar scores a lousy 6+2=8 on his DC 18 sense motive check; and a 10+2=12 on his DC 13 sense motive check. The sense motive check against Edward is a very nice 19+2=21. Finally, the spot check comes up 13+2=15.

Castille

Walking tall through the crowd, Castille steals a few glances at the passerby, but in all trains his gaze on Fast Eddie. As he approaches the group, Castille then eyes Eddie with noticeable disgust.

"Hello gentlemen. I'm here to explore these sewers and root out whatever evil is within them."

And then, looking at Kaspar, "Will any of you be joining me? Or is there some other arrangement in the works?"

Castille expects the worst from Kaspar at this point. The half-orc has been known to make deals with even the shadiest characters if his mood suits him. Castille may have a knack for causing trouble, but still doesn't approve of Kaspar's sometimes flippant attitude towards people.

Kaspar

Keeping up the facade, Kaspar allows Castille to enter the group as a stranger. Despite Castille's sarcasm, his words are lost amidst Eddie's speech about slander and lost honor. Kaspar even allows himself a smirk in Castille's direction -- a silent acknowledgment of their friendship -- but Castille is too taken with hero fever to find it amusing.

As the group continues to argue about the Warforged, Kaspar feigns disinterest. However, when the mention of money arises, he lets his face perk up.

"400 plus supplies? Now that's a deal I can live with."

Turning to Castille, "And if you want to play the gentlemanly hero, then I suppose I can keep it all to myself, eh?"

"Honor is all that I require," Kaspar proclaims in his best mock-Castille voice.

To Quest, Perchance To Gain XP

Nice role-playing, it will be figured into the xp total.

You have accepted a quest, and in NWN tradition I give quest xp along with xp for battles, obstacles, role-playing 9but don't ham it up) and diplomatic encounters (which are a different kind of obstacle).

The women are very excited by your vow, altho some passersby who heard it shake their heads and mutter than nothing ever good came of doing something for Fast Eddie.

The constables watching the crowd of women hear your words, nod to each other, and let you by, making a gesture to Sargeant Einian.

Fast Eddie is still proclaiming that he has been slandered and that the council folk are using him as a scapegoat when you walk up.

Make a Spot check for Fast Eddie (DC varies), a Knowledge Arcana check for some bulges in Scowlen's apron (DC 15), and a Listen check (ridiculously high DC).

As Castille joins Kaspar, Scowlen and Einian eye his light crossbow, then exchange glances. Both of your characters should roll Sense Motive checks (DC 18).

Why Half-Orcs Don't Read Emily Post

Responds Sargeant Einian of the constables "I think he ought to take more responsability for his mess, but I wouldn't say never come back, no." He is eyeing Fast Eddie as he says this. (Make a Sense Motive check DC 13)

Scowlen states "There is no map, and no one knows what's down there. One of the things the workers were supposed to be doing is mapping. The city has built on top of old drains, and older drains, and older drains. There was an earthquake 200 years ago that shifted things around, and in the middle of the Last War a whole bunch of blueprints disappeared. Then, during the seige, a group of warforged soldiers caused some damage down there when the city was being overrun by Thrane. The long of the short of it is, nobody knows." (And again the DM, or GM, suggests that you read the background materials.)

Edward Rendell "The name is Edward, you uncouth half-breed. And no, I will not be dredging myself through the muck, I have other - responsibilities. And before you go believing the slander, slander I say! - that my detractors say about me, the vicious, cutting, untruths that have those poor females all in a tizzy, I suggest that you think about what jealous people say, and think about whether the town council has been straight with me!" (Sense Motive check, I'm not telling the DC this time.) (He is also gesturing a lot in anger while he does this, and you may notice something. Spot check DC 15.)

(You can use action points for skill checks, but I advise you not to at this juncture.)

Einian: "I was there when the Thrane soldiers were storming through. While I was but a teen, I saw them living constructs. Ugly things. They had most of the sewer jobs, going in, fighting our own tunnel rats, popping up behind our lines. No problems with stench or disease, them. What they stirred up, opened up, who knows. I don't trust them, and I don't trust any magic of theirs that might bleed out of them."

Scowlen: "Warforged are living beings, Sargeant. Free, sentient beings. The Treaty of Thronehold stated so."

Einian: "Doesn't mean I want them living in my city."

Edward, aka Fast Eddie: "Reward, yes, 200 gold, don't you think that that is more than enough? 200 gold to find the men, all of them, dead or alive, and stop the menance or menances."

Einian: "And if you do find The Fingerer - that's what we're calling the serial killer - if you do find him down there as we think he may be using it as a base, on his head the reward is 200 gold as well."

Both amounts are quite a lot in the Eberron economy.

Scowlen: "I might be able to help you with a few items, if you are actually taking the job." (No Sense Motive check needed, Scowlen is prepared to help equip you.)

(The entry responding to Castille will be coming soon.)

Let's Bring it All Together Now

Kaspar

Kaspar, being none too keen to simply jump down a sewer-hole full of who knows what, turns to the constable.

"Not too fond of Mr Eddie here are ya sir? If I done know any better I'd say you wish it was he that went down that filthy hole and ne'er come back."

After judging the constable's reaction, Kaspar turns to the group with a cocked eye and declares somewhat slyly, "What's down there anyways?

"Somehow I don't think my rapier would match any hidden or mysterious bugaboos any more than a halfling could take on a stone giant. I ought to help -- that much my gut tells me -- but I don't plan to die. So somebody better explain this sewer system to me. A map and supplies are in order I say.

"Eddie, will you be accompanying me and myself or would you throw me in there by my lonesome? After all, you seem quite the spearsman with that walking cane of yours."

And finally, "Oh, yes. What about this reward now?"

Castille

Castille's emotions begin to well up within him. He looks around the room of women, thinking that some are most likely widows by now. Thoughts of corrupt councilmen and cowardly entrepreneurs turned criminals stir up a violent anger -- so much in fact that Castille's eyes literally flare as the magic within him surfaces uncontrollably. A blink and it's gone. A blink and Castille is facing his onlookers.

With a quick gesture of his hand, Castille informs the woman that he'll do his best to save their husbands.

"I can't tell you that I'll be able to rid the city of all those the likes of this Edward, but if I can delve the city sewers and come back alive, then perhaps I can expose its evil.

"I will find your husbands."

Of course Castille can only assume that Kaspar is ready and willing to help. Never did a thought enter his mind that Kaspar was currently striking a deal with the very man that Castille has now come to associate with all that is wrong in the city. Oh no, Castille would bypass Fast Eddie altogether if he could help it, take the sewers clandestine by night if he had to. But it was not to be. After his meeting with the townspeople, Castille happens upon Kaspar as he and Eddie are having what looks to Castille as a rather pleasant conversation.

"No good can come of this," he mutters to himself and proceeds.

A Deal Then

Kaspar

The half-orc rogue realizes that the scowling man with the tools is wearing a symbol of Onatar, a diety of the Sovreign Host associated with the forge.

The constable raises an eyebrow. "What's it to me is an uncaught serial killer, a mish-mash of backed-drains that may lead to serious disease, a bunch of gutless politicians who've let the drains fall into disrepair, and -" his eyes shoot sideways to Edward Rendell. "- a smooth-talking cheapskate who caused this whole mess!"

"Me?" says Fast Eddie. "Twas my partner Kegga's foolish choices that did this officer, not I. I am trying to fix the problem."

"Don't speak ill of Kegga!" booms the scowling man. "You used him, Edward, like you use everyone."

"Ahem, this is Scowlen D'Anvil, a magewright and an adept of Onatar," Fast Eddie says to Kaspar. "He has a bit of a stake in the outcome of this tangled knot, as do we all. This gentleman is Sargeant Einian, officer of the watch. And I am Master Edward Rendell, Esquire." Fast Eddie grins at you, all previous traces of hostility gone. "So you want to help, do you? There's a fair bit of a reward, and it involves a place where your orc-bred eyes will come in most handy." He gestures to the open manhole.

Constable Einian holds up a hand before Kaspar can answer. "There are a dozen men who've come down there and haven't come out you should know," he warns. "And there's dozens beyond them who've regretted having anything to do with Fast Eddie here."

"I know your captain, Einian," Fast Eddie hisses from behind a tight smile.

"But some of the workers may still be alive," Scowlen pleads. "Forget Edward, what about them and their families, man?"

Castille

(Ahem, I did send you an email on the political structure of the town, on January the 2nd.)

Castille's Diplomacy check is successful. The woman tells you about the ever-shifting Council of Electors, and their constant ineptitude and graft. During the Last War they were sidelined, but for the last two years they have been more of an impact on the city, and their graft has led to neglect and worse.

The city's drainage and sewers have long needed repair, as have many other parts of the city, especially after a particularly bitter seige by the forces of Thrane some 30 years ago. After the Treaty of Thronehold was signed, the council began to hire out contractors to make the repairs. Through charm and fast talking, and some whsiper bribery and blackmail, Edward Rendell, aka Fast Eddie as his detractors call him, garnered many contracts. More than he could perform really, even if he wasn't cutting corners on safety and materials. Workmen were injured, and Fast Eddie's profits dwindled as he bought judges and witnesses and made evidence disappear. Not that anyone ahs any solid proof of this of course.

The owman brings you to their leader, the shifter woman known as Ganaga. Ganaga is pleased to meet you, if under trying circumstances. Her husband is Kegga the shifter. Lathleer is a fairly racist town, and Kegga had a hard time finding work. He finally met an investment banker named Edward Rendell, and he did not know of Fast Eddie's reputation. Ganaga tells her sad tale as the women gather in a circle and throw in commentary. The constables seemed relieved that the riot has calmed down.

Ganaga tells you of how Fast Eddie formed a dummy corporation with Kegga at the head, and how the council, who had been too embarassed by previous failures and scandals to give Fast Eddie any more work, suddenly started giving Kegga the risky and profitable sewer projects. Kegga and his men began performing the work, only to find out that Fast Eddie's maps were no good, the quipment was substandard, and they weren't getting paid as fast as they were supposed to. To make matters worse a serial killer had begun to operate out of the sewers and some of the men began to disappear. Tales of monsters in the sewers, odd happenings, and terrible diseases in the filth also began to abound. Ganaga begged Kegga to dissolve his partnership with Fast Eddie, but Kegga felt honor-bound to continue.

Last night some men had not returned from shift. Kegga led other men down there to find them. They have not come back since. The council will not allow constables down there without permission from the Duke, who cannot be reached now as he is in the capital. That leaves hired mercenaries or adventurers, and no one has come to answer Fast Eddie's request. No one trusts him to pay the reward money, and too many people hope that the men will in fact die so that Fast Eddie will be disgraced.

One of the half-elven women leans in towards Castille. "Please help us Khorvar," she says, using the term for half-elves in Khorvaire. (Details here) "Even if Fast Eddie will not pay in the end, and even though we ahve only a pittance for you, help us for the sake of justice." All of the women lean in and make big eyes at Castille.

Ok, I'll Play Your Game

Checks

Castille rolls a mediocre 9+5=14 on his diplomacy check. Kaspar skates by with a 10+1=11 on his knowledge religion check.

Castille

Castille quickly loses any slyness in his voice as he gets a better idea of the possible tragedy at hand. Replacing his wink with solemnity, he turns to the woman again.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know. Buy why are the constables allowing this? I don't understand. What about the town counsel?* Don't they have anything to say about all this? I want to help you."

* Do towns in Eberron have counsels? Mayors? Or perhaps a king? I have no idea, but I'm sure Castille would. Substitute whatever's appropriate and press on... Nothing to see here. Move along. Ignore the ignorant law student.

Kaspar

"I want to help you." With a smile Kaspar looks Fast Eddie straight in the eyes and repeats himself. "I want to help. I don't like riots, and I don't like having my shopping day interrupted. Let's make a go of it, huh? Just don't go brandishing your blade in my face again or I'll let these woman loose against ya. But now, what can I do?"

Then to the constable, "Dragonmarked? No, not today anyway. What's it to ya?"

"Not So Fast, Good Sir,"

Kaspar only notices that the constables are more intent on keeping the angry crowd back than they are covering the rest of the street. The finely-dressed man keeps calling for aid and promising reward, great vast amounts of unspecified reward, and people just keeping walking by. One stops long enough to spit and glare at the finely dressed man. The older craftsman behind the finely dressed man keeps scowling.

Castille notices that the people behind the hastily erected barricade are all women. They are calling the finely dressed man a liar and a murderer and telling him to go get their husbands and boyfriends. One of the women in the forefront is actually a shifter, a rare race in this town. The rest are predominantly human with one or two half-elves and one that may be a halfling or a gnome, you cannot tell from your vantage point. (There are just over a dozen protesters.)

The woman Castille approached (a human) looks at him with a face that is out for blood. Her eyes are shadowed and weeping, and her teeth are clecnhed. "Who are we rooting for? Fellow, you must be new in town if you don't know who we're 'rooting' for! That's Fast Eddie, Edward Rendell the Sly, and he should be dancing at the end of a rope! Our menfolk are down there, and what is anyone doing about it, eh?" (Make a Diplomacy check)

As Kaspar stands there looking, a constable eyes him, then decides that he isn't a threat. Kaspar now sees (from his new vantage point it is a Spot DC 0) that there is an open manhole cover behind the finely dressed man - aka Fast Eddie, and that it is surrounded with kerchiefs and flowers. The scowling man with the tools takes his glare off of Fast Eddie briefly to give this half-orc an appraising look.

When Kaspar attempts to shoulder the dandy, the shiny platinum knob whips out of the walking stick revealing a keen rapier blade, the edge of which is now by Kaspar's chest. "There, there gentle soul," Fast Eddie says, dropping his voice from the booming pitch that he used to beg for aid. "In this town one should be careful how one steps, as the city council has taken way to long to effect repairs. Are you coming forward to answer my requests? Because if you think that you will enter my shop you are mistaken, the mission is out here." He chuckles. "Or should I say, down there." Fast Eddie has swordsman's callouses on his fingers, and a steely look in his eye.

"Put the blade down, Mr. Rendell," says an approaching constable with an officer's stripe. Fast Eddie complies swiftly with a large, warm smile, and immediately goes back to calling for aid. The officer sizes up Kaspar. "Big one, aren't you? You almost look like you could be a hireling for one of the Dragonmarked Houses. Are you?"

Kaspar is close enough to notice a medallion around the neck of the scowling man that has a symbol on it. He needs to make a knowledge religion check, DC 10. (Knoweldge checks can be made up to DC 10 untrained, but beyond DC 10 a player needs at least one rank in the skill.)

What's All the Commotion About?

Checks

Kaspar scores an abysmal 2+2=4 on his Spot check. Castille scores a 13+2=15. Much better.

Action

No need to be secretive yet. Castille, looking his pretty self, mingles with the crowd. Walking up to an agitated looking spectator, he turns to her with a wink, "Who's side are we rooting for madame? I'm new in town and would hate to make enemies this early."

Kaspar on the other hand, pushes his way through the crowd, up to the front lines so to speak. Once in the clearing, he just stands there looking ugly for a moment. Initially pondering whether or not he should help the constables, Kaspar instead decides to get in the thick of it. With a nasty snort he shoulders the dandy and walks straight into the shop to have a look. Not a word nor weapon brandished -- he just walks straight in.

Housekeeping

First, I'll take your suggestions about the equipment each character has on him. In reality, I wasn't planning on making them tote all of their gear around constantly anyway, but PC Gen was giving me some printing problems otherwise. Either way, the heavier gear will be left in whatever inn they're staying at for now.

Traveling and identification papers should be considered purchased. I'll do my best to update my character sheet. Perhaps I can export the files to html instead of pdf; and edit them by hand.

And as for Kaspar's picture, you bet he's ugly. Have you seen his charisma score?

View From The Common Room

Heading down to the common room, the half-elven sorcerer and the half-orc rogue peer through the wide windows that flank the main doors. A small riot is being contained, although barely.

A man in fine clothing stands in the middle of the street. His suit is velvet and lace, with expansive falls of white lace at the sleeves and throat. His boots are of calf leather, with gold buckles. He carries a walking-stick of some well-polished wood that has a shiny platinum knob for a haft, although he seems spry enough to not need a walking stick. He is in perhaps his early thirties, with traces of gray in his carefully trimmed beard. With one hand he holds the walking stick and gestures as he calls for aid, and with the other he fans himself with a broad, tan hat that contains a wide plume for a feather. Both hands are bedecked with rings.

A disgruntled man with a receding hairline and grimy clothing stands behind the man in fine clothing with his arms folded over his chest. He watches the finely dressed man with a sour expression. He wears a workman’s smock, and thick gloves are thrust into the belt pouches along with several tools.

The shop front behind the men says “Pressure Foundations”, and it has a busted window, like someone threw a rock through it. A group of women, old and young are calling the finely dressed man thief, killer, and liar, while a few constables are trying to hold them back.

Make Spot checks, knowledge local checks if you've got 'em, and post your next action.

What's Across The Street

Castille and Kaspar, as you may recall, have had tickets for the House Lyrandar Airship purchased for them by an old acquaintance from the Last War who has cryptically requested their help on a matter. While they are contemplating their next move, the WInged Messenger of Side Adventures came by and waved its magic wand, creating the street disturbance that the PCs are drawn to...

Sample Post

If you're interested in getting the game going in a play-by-post format, we could use this space. Once again, here're the links to my two characters.

• Half-Elf Sorcerer


• Half-Orc Rogue

A Bit of Background From the Mighty GM

Sent by Charles via email:

Play begins in the large town of Lathleer, in eastern Aundair. It is the second year since the signing of the Treaty of Thronehold which ended the Last War. Lathleer is the fourth-largest urban center in Aundair, and it sits a mere 20 miles from the border with Thrane, Aundair's bitterest enemy in the war. The outside of the city still bears several scars from past seiges.

Lathleer has a population of approximately 4,250, of which some 250 are transients. The shifting population is largely due to unemployment and the town council has been considering some laws that would force unemployed persons to leave the town. The town economy is recovering from the war and a bad winter. An attempt at raising taxes was met with a riot and the lynching of one Councilmember. As a result the town guards and general populace have little patience for distrubances of the peace. Recently a shifter male was hung, supposedly for attempted murder, but word on the streets is that he was only screaming at a bureacrat after a day of frustration.

The town is just over half-human, with elves, half-elves, and gnomes filling out most of the rest. There are a few shifters, dwavres, and halflings, but almost no half-orcs and practically no warforged. Warforged are mostly disliked in this town since it was a contingent of warforged soldiers who slaughtered half of the town about 20 years ago during the war. (For a period of time Lathleer was held by Thrane.)

Most of the Kingdom of Aundair is rural, so not far from the town walls are dairy farms and vinyards in wide swaths of the countryside. The town itself is very urban, however. There are a few street gangs and rumors of some organized crime. There are a couple of bards, one a high-profile half-elven woman of great beauty. The town's most famous dwarf (and there are less than a dozen dwarves) is also its highest-level artificer.

Religious life centers around the Sovreign Host, with some Silver Flame worshippers.

Politically, crime and sanitation are handled by the Triad of Landed Magistrates. Town security overall is handled by a Duke who rarely leaves his estates a day or so away. Word is that the Duke misses the action of the Last War. The rest of the town's basic civic functions are performed by a Council of Electors, half of which are appointed by the Duke (and usually get there by bribing him) and half of which are elected sporadically under the supervision of the Triad.

The town's newest addition is the airship docking tower, which the city leaders hope will bring new trade and commerce to the city.

Recently a series of public works were announced. The town wants to put some serious repair into its streets and its sewers. Some of its sewers are hundreds of years old, as pipes were laid atop pipes. Some say that Lathleer sits atop older goblin work, altho the town boasts few sages who could say for sure.

Your party has been notified by the House Sivis contact that Sir Montgomery will be sending the actual tickets aboard the airship, which will be here in "a few days." In the meantime you will have a few adventures within the city, which will help you get past the first couple of levels or so.