Thieves' World (BoL Hack) - Game Thread

[Tibbius]

The subtropical morning sun gleams on the white tile roofs of the beige stucco buildings that are only partly enclosed by the tumbled down walls of Sanctuary, the City of Thieves. The sun sparkles on the turquoise waters, south of the city, plied by fishing boats that left the ramshackle docks before it rose. It bakes the racks of drying salted fish that will be traded in the caravanserai outside the walls, northwest of town. In the salt marshes west of town, along the White Foal River, it dissipates the vestiges of the dawn fog.

In the streets of the city, the eight or ten thousand people - despite the efforts of the governor, Prince Kadakithis, there is no accurate census - hurry or saunter about their business, legitimate, "legitimate," and other.

Characters

Spoiler: Auren - Chronicler

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Spoiler: Backstory

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Auren is a young, ambitious Rankan Priest of Savankala who has recently arrived in Sanctuary with seemingly benign missionary aspirations. As the third son of a minor noble family, he stands to inherit nothing of his father's title and lands so long as his older brothers are still alive. But with the constant Black-Tooth barbarian incursions into Ranke territory, the problem of their continued survival may eventually resolve itself. For the time being, he has fled his homeland with other refugees and the displaced clergy of his parish to settle within the walls of Sanctuary. His immediate goal is to ingratiate himself with those in power by offering them his healing services while collecting leverage against them with the secrets he might glean from their confidential confessions. And his long term plan is to build a power base for himself, both temporal and spiritual, from which he can exert his influence over the city. (He will bring the light of Savankala to Sanctuary whether Sanctuary wants it or not!)

Auren Level 1 Priest Race: Human Gender: Male Origin: Ranke Languages Ilsigi, Rankene (N), Trade Tongue Attributes Combat Careers Strength: 0 Initiative: 1 Noble: 1 Agility: 0 Melee: 3 Acolyte: 1 Mind: 2 Ranged: 0 Physician: 1 Appeal: 2 AC: 10 (15) Alchemist: 1 Points Lifeblood: 8 Fate: 1 Hero: 6 Boons Marked by the Gods Armor & Weapons Scale Mail (AC +4, Penalty -2), Shield (AC +1), Longsword (Damage d8) Trappings Amulet (Holy Symbol), Belt Pouch, Cloak, Clothes (Common & Fine), Coins, Healer's Kit, Herbalism Kit, Signet Ring, Vestments

Spoiler: Damian Nightwatch - roryb

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1st-level Hero
Attributes — Strength 0, Agility 2, Mind 1, Appeal 1
Abilities — Initiative 0, Melee 1, Ranged 1, Armor Class 2
Careers — Slave 0, Thief 2, Mercenary 1, Vagabond 1

Hit Points — 10
Defense — 16
Hero Points — 5
Boons — Silver Tongued

Trappings
* Light Armor (+2 AC)
* Sword (medium)
* 2 Daggers (light)
* Pouches, picks and tools

Spoiler: Backstory

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Damian is an adventurer of medium build, cautious gait, and wary eyes. His voice is melodic when need demands, but his swarthy complexion and dark hair do not necessarily mark him clearly of any one ethnicity or nation.

Damian’s original name was Dust (sometimes “Dirt” or “Filth”), the name given him by his cruel slave master. Damian scarcely remembers his real parents, being born into thralldom brought on his Ilsigi people by their Rankan conquerors. [Slave]

During an uprising, Damian escaped, living on the streets of the decadent city named Dar that sits at the far side of the Grey Wastes on the northeast route from Sanctuary to Ranke, picking the pockets of unwary merchants and seekers of enlightenment pleasure. He became a particularly good cat burglar until he gained notoriety breaking into the palace of the king governor. [Thief]

He was consequently captured and conscripted jumped at the first opportunity to shed his risky reputation, joining the Crimson Serpent legionnaires, known as a particularly merciless and unscrupulous mercenary company, first as a errand boy. He later saw action and learned the skills of a fighter, gaining many scars and learning his place within his company. [Mercenary]

When the Serpents were broken by the Raggah tribes at the Battle of Red Sands (in the scrublands north of Sanctuary, astride the trade route running east-to-west from the rising Rankan Empire to the remnants of the old Ilsigi kingdom) he was wounded and made his narrow escape. After a kindly nomad, a man named Tebrius, tended his wounds and bore him away upon his horse, Damian mended and made his own path. He served as caravan guard, wanderer, and opportunist, finally making his way to Sanctuary, where he now seeks his fortune. [Vagabond]

Spoiler: Portrait

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Recruitment Thread:
Thieves' World (BoL Hack)

Where are you? Why? What are you doing? - feel free to invent some details.

[roryb]

Damian Nightwatch

The houseless vagabond absently scratched the scar about his collar Ashe passed the throngs. His wounds had long since healed, but the white marks on his otherwise bronzed skin were a reminder of a narrowly escaped fate.

Heading groggily from the street of Red Lanterns, he made his way to the Street of Gods. He was new to Sanctuary. But he counted himself fortunate to have found an ally in the form of his pious new employer. His modest retainer freshly depleted along with his essence in the company of an unclean fallen madam, he had many tasks yet before him, and he knew better than to waste the opportunity of the new morning on sleep.

His current task was to learn more about the decrepit temple architect and priest. Damian Nightwatch had time to ply his kind amongst the drinking halls later. For now, he would watch the old Molin and discover his proclivities, his habits, his routines, and note the figures of power in whose circles the ecclesiast orbited. And so, keeping his head low and mingling among the crowds or lurking in the shade of the buildings squaring the temple of Savankala, Damian would wait, watch, and shadow his target.

Spoiler: OOC

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Thanks for updating Damian’s bio. Great! Hopefully, my statement of intent is clear enough. I’m assuming Appeal and Vagabond might be most relevant. Here’s a roll: Shadowing (Appeal + Vagabond): 1d20+2 17

[Tibbius]

Spoiler: OoC

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I am really busy this weekend... Will post probably Monday.

[roryb]

Spoiler: OOC

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No worries. Take your time.

[Tibbius]

Spoiler: OoC

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unexpected down time!

Asking around, making various excuses, Damian learned the appearance and general schedule of the High Priest. He found a comfortable bench outside a barber's shop, and set his face in a bland expression that somehow dissuaded interaction. After an hour of waiting, he got eyes on Torchholder, who arrived at the Savankala Temple in a canopied litter with gilded poles, carried by four slaves.

Torchholder clambered creakily from the conveyance, gripped an ivory staff, and limped up the few shallow steps to the temple entrance. Two of his litter-bearers hastened ahead to pull open the temple doors, while the other two carried the litter around the side of the temple where they most likely would keep a close eye on it to prevent the removal of gold leaf. Damian noted that all the slaves were armed with daggers thrust through their belts - an unusual sight, since such were not usually permitted weapons under Rankan law. Apparently High Priests made their own rules.

Spoiler: OoC

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Chronicler, feel free to step in.

[roryb]

Spoiler: OOC

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I’ll post at the end of the day. I first wanted to give Chronicler a chance to respond.

[Chronicler]

Auren the Anointed (Level 1 Priest of Savankala) Armor Class: 10 (15 when prepared for trouble) Lifeblood: 8/8 | Fate Points: 1/1 | Hero Points: 6/6

With every step that he took, Auren's sandaled feet crunched noisily on the gravel of the winding pathway that he followed. Currently, he was deep within the bounds of the Promise of Heaven park which was adjacent to the Avenue of Temples. Alone on a morning stroll, he paused in his tracks for a moment to appreciate his surroundings, his priestly robes swishing softly in the light breeze. The park's ambiance was proving to be a pleasant respite of green from the brooding brown-and-black that was the city's norm. The young, displaced noble did not like Sanctuary much, but there were opportunities here that he did not have back in Ranke. So, for now, he had to tolerate calling this cesspool of humanity his home.

However, Auren found himself grinning despite himself. At least he had a long term plan in mind, and had even acted upon it by hiring his first agent to ferret out information. Though the man's efficacy was still unknown, hopefully he would prove to be up to the task because it was critical to get Molin Torchholder on their side one way or another. And being this far south from the heart of the empire, Auren was too distant for his bloodline to contribute any political clout. The House of Valere was only a minor one anyway, known mainly due to a few famous legionary officers in its family tree. But both of his older brothers were warriors of rising repute, the two seemingly destined to elevate their House's status while he was just the useless runt that they had to put up with.

If only they knew how deep his vindictiveness ran. In time, he would show them all.

[roryb]

Damian Nightwatch
Hit Points — 10; Defense — 16; Hero Points — 5

Knowing that Torchholder’s ecclesiastical duties kept him occupied for the immediate term, and knowing that a sizable portion of his household retinue was likewise detained, Damian could think of no better time than to do some prying and poking among the high priests’ privy at his domicile.

Quickly, but surreptitiously, the outlander made his way to the palatial estate of the priest.

Spoiler: OOC

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Hope it’s not asking too much for Damian to know that location. The idea here is to break and enter if it looks relatively unchallenging (no more than a few guards to contend with), get to his private chambers and look for any mementos suggesting illicit contacts (courtesans, or other nefarious agents).

Here’s a stealth roll: Stealth — Agility (2) + Thief (2): 1d20+4 8.

Not too hot.

[Tibbius]

The pathway bent abruptly around a large bush of sweet-smelling pink flowers with long red stamens. Rounding the bush, Auren nearly stumbled on a person sprawled half under it. The person did not respond to the incidental contact of Auren's foot - aside from a few flies lazily circling upward, then descending again like miniature carrion birds. As they were. The person was a corpse, that of a finely clothed woman.

Did Auren investigate?

= = =

Heading northward on Gods Street (or the Avenue of Temples, as others named it), Damian passed along the eastern wall of the Palace with its portcullised gate. At the north end, the granaries loomed hundred feet high above the wall, an imposing and reassuring reminder of plenty. Turning to his left, Damian followed the paved road that ran along the feet of the wooded hillside estates held by Rankan nobility and merchants. He had heard that Torchholder's place was marked unsubtly by a big grey stone pillar that held a white stone torch. This was fact. An armored man sat on the ground next to the pillar, his back leaned against it, examining his fingernails. He waved lazily as Damian passed by trying to look innocent.

There was no fence at the outskirts of the estate and it was not hard to find an apparently inconspicuous patch of brush to follow up the hillside toward the distantly visible villa. Damian did so. He had just reached the top of the brush, and was wondering how to cross the wide-open manicured lawn to reach the side door of the villa undetected, when he noticed a pair of armored men briskly walking the perimeter of the lawn. They wore short swords and grim expressions, and they carried clubs.

Spoiler: OoC

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That 17 for shadowing was a really good result. I'm surprised you didn't try to push that further. Generally, I let successes ride as long as you're still pursuing the same activity you rolled for. Eventually, I will introduce an interruption to that activity.

[roryb]

Spoiler: OOC

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Understood. I thought the 17 was to cover what he knew so far. Likely, I won't be able to update until late tonight.

[Chronicler]

Auren the Anointed (Level 1 Priest of Savankala) Armor Class: 10 (15 when prepared for trouble) Hit Points: 8/8 | Fate Points: 1/1 | Hero Points: 6/6

Death was no stranger to Auren, but to encounter it in the one area of Sanctuary that he thought may be safe was disheartening. It was rapidly becoming evident that the unforgiving city was devoid of any mercy, a hard lesson he knew he should always bear in mind. A somber sigh escaped past his lips as he stared wordlessly at the unmoving body on the ground. What happened to you? he wondered. Kneeling down for a closer look, his amber eyes scrutinized the tragic scene, taking in all of the details that he spotted with his impromptu visual inspection. Trained as he was in the healing arts, he sought for any obvious signs of struggle or violence to narrow down the probable cause of the woman's death. And determining the approximate time of her passing was also crucial in case danger still lurked about. So he reached out to see if rigor mortis had set in yet.

[Tibbius]

The corpse was stiff and cool to the touch, about the same temperature as the light breeze that stirred whispers in the surrounding leaves and grasses. There was a faint odor of decay and a stronger odor of urine and feces. Auren noticed that the woman's bright yellow gown was stained, and that there was a thin dark line running like a necklace across her throat. It appeared she had been strangled.

Also, as Auren bent to look closer at the cord-mark, he noticed that the woman's lightly tanned face might have been beautiful before the agony of death contorted her expression. Her hair, long and auburn, smelled faintly of musky perfume and sweat.

Glancing up, Auren noticed that still nobody else was nearby.

[roryb]

Damian Nightwatch
Hit Points — 10; Defense — 16; Hero Points — 5

Perhaps nighttime would have been a better choice, Damian reflected remorsefully. He was patient, but even more so, he did not wish to fail his employer so early on in their arrangement. He waited among the brush as the guards completed their circle. He would wait until they completed it and a second to determine whether on their furthest point in the perimeter, when the manor itself blocked their view of his position, whether he might have enough time to cover the distance across the lawn. He had no wish to be caught or even spotted.

[Tibbius]

Spoiler: OoC

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interesting choice to hunker down in place. Pleas roll again for stealth, TN 10.

[roryb]

Damian Nightwatch
Hit Points — 10; Defense — 16; Hero Points — 5 4

Damian counted off heartbeats while he waited. He quickly scanned Torchholder’s domicile for the likeliest point of entry.

Spoiler: OOC

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Luck not with him today: Stealth — agility (2) + thief (2): 1d20+4 8

I think I’ll burn a point for Luck of the Gods. Stealth (re-roll): 1d20+4 14

Better.

[Tibbius]

The lawn was big and roughly oval, with Damian's position being about halfway from the minor axis to the major axis. After several minutes the two watchmen had transited the perimeter out of sight, and he was certain that he could dash unobserved to the side door next to the chimneyed outbuilding that must be a kitchen.

Not pausing for further thought, he carried out his plan, and after nearly a minute of sprinting he arrived a bit out of breath at the door. It was simple wood, with a bronze handle, and it stood slightly open. Glancing through the crack he saw the shadows of a vacant room. He smoothly opened the door and stepped in, drawing it back ajar behind him.

The room was a serving chamber, where servants would marshal platters and transfer hot food from the kitchenware to the tableware. There was a deep sink in one corner, a wide counter, open cabinets with silver platters and cutlery, mugs and goblets of pewter and bronze and even glass and silver. A thief's dream, Damian realized, if only it were close to a handy back alley. Such wealth would never be left open to passersby in the city!

Two doors, beside the one by which he had entered, opened out of the room in the opposite wall. Both were shut. The left hand door was simple like the one by which he had entered; the right door was finer wood, ornate.

[Chronicler]

Auren the Anointed (Level 1 Priest of Savankala) Armor Class: 10 (15 when prepared for trouble) Hit Points: 8/8 | Fate Points: 1/1 | Hero Points: 6/6

In a solemn whisper, Auren gave the deceased woman a funerary benediction for guidance and protection in the afterlife. He kept it short and simple since he knew not which god or gods she had prayed to, if any. Straightening up to his full height, he mentally took note of his current location and the landmarks nearby. And with a deliberate pace, strode away eastward back in the direction of the Avenue of Temples. Once he had exited the park's sheltering foliage and returned to the open street, he peered up and down its length hoping to spot a Guard patrol. He planned to flag them down and lead them to the dead body. Otherwise, he may have to head over to Savankala's shrine and have a few of the temple guardsmen retrieve the corpse instead.

[Tibbius]

The Avenue of Temples was well patrolled. Auren quickly spotted a pair of guards approaching northward from the Jewelers' Quarter, twirling their sticks as they strolled. Their short swords swung at their sides and the mid-morning sun glinted on their polished bronze breastplates.

He hastened toward them, hustling around fifteen or twenty slower-moving walkers - slaves and workmen on errands, a couple of young women with colorful dresses and shawls, and a very slow paced old man with a strange-looking cane.

[Tibbius]

Spoiler: OoC

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To make up for deleting healing and curing, Ii'll allow priests to burn a Fate Point for a spell of first magnitude (something that could be accomplished in a reasonable time by a skilled worker with adequate tools).

[roryb]

Damian Nightwatch
Hit Points — 10; Defense — 16; Hero Points — 4

Damian looked enviously at the wares, dismissing with a final boost of resolve (although one of the pocket-sized silver knives had found its way to his pockets), turning his attention on the two doors. He presumed the leftmost door led to some sort of larder or pantry, while the right most likely led to a hall or stateroom of some sort. Although the pull of the left caught his attention, he moved to the right door and pressed his ear against the wood to listen for voices or movement beyond.

Spoiler: OOC

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To make up for deleting healing and curing, Ii'll allow priests to burn a Fate Point for a spell of first magnitude (something that could be accomplished in a reasonable time by a skilled worker with adequate tools).

Nice! That's very interesting.

Throwing in a perception roll here: Perception -- Mind (1) + Thief? (2): 1d20+3 13

Feel free to disallow the Thief rank. I wasn't sure what else to add.

[Chronicler]

Auren the Anointed (Level 1 Priest of Savankala) Armor Class: 10 (15 when prepared for trouble) Hit Points: 8/8 | Fate Points: 1/1 | Hero Points: 6/6

Wearing white robes of spun cotton trimmed with gold-colored thread, and emblazoned with a sunburst symbol on each shoulder, it would be hard for anyone to mistake Auren for anything other than a cleric of Savankala. He kept that in mind as he approached the pair of armed men on their foot patrol. Hopefully, the city's chaotic political climate had not influenced the general Sanctan attitude toward Rankan clergy for the worse. He was about to find out for himself.

Stopping before them, the young priest nodded his head respectfully. "Greetings Peacekeepers," he spoke in perfect Rankene, "may the Light of Savankala shine upon you." He paused for a brief moment to gauge their initial reactions then quickly added, "I wish to report a crime. During my morning walk in the Promise of Heaven, I chanced upon a woman's body along one of the side trails. From what I could ascertain, she was a victim of foul play. Please follow me, I can lead you to her."

[Tibbius]

Spoiler: Damian

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There was a low murmur of conversation behind the ornate right hand door.

Spoiler: Auren

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"Bring us to it, your holiness," responded one of the two guards. He was clearly Rankan - dark haired but fair skinned, from the northern provinces, transplanted here to keep the natives in line. The other was less determinate of origin.

The guards followed Auren to the body in the park. They looked at it with curiosity. "Looks like a nightwalker," said one of them. "We'll have the cemetarians collect her," said the other. "What's with her teeth?"

The death grimace revealed two gaps in the woman's dentiture. Her upper canines were missing.

[roryb]

Damian Nightwatch
Hit Points — 10; Defense — 16; Hero Points — 4

Damian had the sinking feeling he would not easily walk away with more than a silver knife. However, he his desire to fetch something of value for his master nearly overpowered his desire to remain nameless among the events. He slowly and cautiously tested the door latch. If he could be nudge it quietly open, he might better hear what conversation transpired.

Spoiler: OOC

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At the first squeak, creak, or groan, he will abandon this course.

[Tibbius]

Spoiler: Damian

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Stealth Agility 2 Thief 2 v TN 10 - (d20+4)[6]
Damian cautiously pulls on the handle of the door, trying to get it ajar just enough to hear the murmuring voices clearly and maybe get a peek at the speakers ...

At the slightest motion, the hinge of the ornate door provides an alarmingly loud creaking noise. Damian yanks his hand back, which only causes the door to swing back shut with a thump. He looks around quickly for a place to hide ...

Spoiler: OoC

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I forgot that "(" and ")" don't work well in

[rollv=Stealth (Agility 2 Thief 2) v TN 10]

[Chronicler]

Auren the Anointed (Level 1 Priest of Savankala) Armor Class: 10 (15 when prepared for trouble) Hit Points: 8/8 | Fate Points: 1/1 | Hero Points: 6/6

Auren crinkled his brow in consternation. Why those particular teeth? he wondered, puzzled by their absence. His normally unfurrowed features seemed delicate looking when compared to those of his broad-nosed brothers. They took after their stocky father, while his general appearance favored his mother's aquiline litheness. With a resigned sigh, he raised his head and locked gazes with the Rankan guard. "Who will be investigating this crime?" he asked him. "The victim may have been a nightwalker, but she was also someone's precious daughter at one point. I'd like to contact her next of kin if she can be indentified. Please have whoever will be looking into this contact me at Savankala's shrine. Just ask for Brother Auren." To reinforce his request, he fished a pair of square silver coins from his belt pouch and passed one to each patrolman. It would be a shame if the woman had to be buried in an unmarked grave somewhere with no one to remember her.

[Tibbius]

Spoiler: Auren

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The guards seemed almost to flinch, and looked at each other for a long moment as they reluctantly accepted Auren's bribe. It was as if they had intended to leave the murder unresolved, just another of the many that occurred in the vicious city - though this one, being east of Processional, was less usual than others. But now they were ashamed by Auren's lecture, taking it as a rebuke of their indifference.

"We'll take a look into it, lord priest," responded the older-looking guard. He thoughtfully untied his coin pouch, deposited the coin, and retied the pouch to his belt. "It won't be easy to find the other nightwalkers this time of day, but maybe one has seen something ... I can come back around sunset to ask around." The younger looking guard made to chuckle, but a curt gesture from his companion cut that short. "Let's take this serious," continued the older one. "Like Brother Auren said, she was a precious little girl one time, who knows how she came to walk the streets ... still a citizen for all that. Deserves justice just as much as any of us." Touching his fingertips to his forehead in salute, the guard adds: "Officer Lurgal, lord. This is Officer Tam. Ask after us tomorrow morning at the post in the Jewelers' Quarter."

[roryb]

Spoiler: OOC

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Sorry to drop out of the game so early. Catch you another time!

I did think that a nice complication for Auren can be that his henchman disappears without a trace. Did he get into some trouble? Can it be linked back to him? Does Torchholder know more than he lets on?

[Tibbius]

Spoiler: OoC

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It's been six days since I posted ... I'm reading this lack of response as the end of the game. Please let me know if I'm wrong. Sorry it wasn't more interesting.

[roryb]

Spoiler: OOC

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I'm sorry to drop out, Tibbius. I suck as a player and I'm still apparently dealing with some stuff. Generally, I love the games you pitch, and there's nothing wrong with the opening setup. Sorry!