Khal steals a famous sword so he can join the Restless Hand
Score: 1343 | 1/11/14 |
Khal: i'm getting ready to rob the merchant
Stolph (GM): right.
Khal: what time is it?
Stolph (GM): It's late afternoon/early evening
Khal: did the merchant close yet?
Stolph (GM): no
Stolph (GM): Did Ocymas tell you what he wanted you to steal?
Khal: no
Stolph (GM): Ocymas is still with you.
Khal: "Do you have anything specific for me to aquire?"
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "You are to steal a specific sword of his."
Khal: Is he a weapons dealer?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Yes, he fashions and sells swords."
Khal: Is he skilled in their use?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Once again, you are spoiling the fun. That is up for you to find out."
Khal: HaH!
Khal: Ok, how is the sword marked?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "All I will do is describe the sword."
Khal: ok
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "It is a short sword with a curved ivory handle. The handle is inlaid with gold in the figure of a dragon."
Khal: Where would you like me to bring it?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "The blade is darker than most blades, and has some kind of ancient writings on it."
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Bring it to me at the pub we were just at."
Khal: ok, i'll see you after dark
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "It's called 'Striker's Pub'
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "ok"
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "One rule...."
Khal: no killing.............
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Precisely"
Khal: Describe the front of the building--free standing?windows? #stories?
Stolph (GM): Are you just hanging outside his shop casing it out, or what?
Khal: I just look at it and other shops, stopping to check out some of the items for sale
Stolph (GM): The shop of interest is made of stone, as are all the buildings you've seen so far.
Stolph (GM): The roof is made of wood and is painted red.
Stolph (GM): The building has two floors.
Stolph (GM): The width of the building is about 15 or 20 feet...
Stolph (GM): and the length is 30 to 40 feet.
Stolph (GM): The second floor has two windows with open shutters.
Khal: and the first?
Stolph (GM): The ground floor has two huge doors which swing out and away from each other.
Khal: is it a free standing building?
Stolph (GM): Inside you see two workbenches near the entrance.
Stolph (GM): yes it is freestanding.
Khal: how far from next one?
Stolph (GM): The entrance is on North Gate Street, which runs north into the crumbled North Gate.
Stolph (GM): entrance to the building that is.
Stolph (GM): This street runs roughly north.
Stolph (GM): there are no buildings to the north of Caynyth's shop. There is an open plaza there instead.
Khal: and south?
Stolph (GM): There is one building to the south of it, shaped like a 'T'
Khal: how far south?
Stolph (GM): the closest this building gets, which is an Inn by the way, is 10 feet.
Khal: are the roofs flat or peaked?
Stolph (GM): peaked
Khal: are there any stables around?
Stolph (GM): there is a forge in the middle of the street, just south of Caynyth's shop.
Stolph (GM): You don't see any stables in the immediate vicinity.
Khal: The forge is made of stone too?
Stolph (GM): yes.
Stolph (GM): and of metal too.
Khal: are there windows on the 1st flr of the sword shop?
Stolph (GM): no
Khal: what time is it?
Stolph (GM): He is displaying several swords.
Khal: do i know when merchants generally close?
Khal: is the ivory sword there?
Stolph (GM): usually about sundown.
Stolph (GM): no ivory sword.
Stolph (GM): Caynyth looks like he's closing up shop.
Stolph (GM): You see a small dog occasionally.
Stolph (GM): Do you actually ever go in the shop?
Khal: great
Stolph (GM): :-)
Khal: i thought that it's all set up outside
Stolph (GM): no
Khal: then I do go in
Stolph (GM): the doors swing open. And the forge is outside. But all the workbenches and stuff are inside.
Khal: what's it look like?
Stolph (GM): There is a work bench on either side of you. Many tools of various kinds hanging on the walls over the workbenches.
Stolph (GM): In the back there is a table w/ 4 chairs.
Khal: stairs, food?
Stolph (GM): There are 2 children sitting at the table, and a woman is brining down food from some stairs in the back of the shop.
Stolph (GM): The stairs are on the right
Stolph (GM): The table on the left
Stolph (GM): both in back of shop
Stolph (GM): the swords i mentioned are displayed around the table, and some next to the workbench in the front of the shop.
Stolph (GM): Caynyth: "Is there something I can help you with? I'm about to close up."
Khal: I'm partial to rapiers and seeking something of fine quality
Khal: did the door squeak when I opened it?
Stolph (GM): both doors were already open.
Stolph (GM): swung open onto the street.
Khal: do the stairs squeak when she's bringing down the food?
Stolph (GM): they sqeak a little bit. not too much.
Khal: cool
Khal: what does he say?
Khal: I look around for a "rapier", but look for a cabinet or chest
Stolph (GM): "I'm sorry sir, I don't make rapiers."
Stolph (GM): ooc: What are you carrying now?
Stolph (GM): I forgot.
Khal: I have 2 knives (concealed), short sword, tools, sacks, wax, and a hammer
Stolph (GM): Caynyth: "May I see what you carry now?"
Khal: give him short sword
Khal: "of course"
Stolph (GM): Caynyth: "My oh my. This is pretty beat up and rusted."
Stolph (GM): Caynyth: "Not a suitable weapon for anyone!"
Khal: laugh"it has seen better days"
Stolph (GM): Caynyth: "Can I interest you in one of my fine short swords? They are of the highest quality."
Stolph (GM): You see the woman at the table sighing at Caynyth.
Khal: "I'd like to see them, but do not want to take too much of your time"
Stolph (GM): Caynyth: "Twill only take a minute."
Khal: "very good!"
Stolph (GM): "Dear, can you hand me that one over Jark's head?
Stolph (GM): Woman sighs more deeply.
Khal: I wink at him
Khal: ;-)
Stolph (GM): The dog is sitting next to the table wagging his tail.
Stolph (GM): The woman gets the sword and hands it to Caynyth.
Khal: Ivory?
Stolph (GM): nope
Stolph (GM): Caynyth hands it to you. "Try it out."
Khal: I chop a couple of times with a look of consternation
Stolph (GM): He points to a straw dummy in the front corner of the shop that you didn't notice before.
Khal: "does not fit well for me, any others?"
Stolph (GM): He takes the sword back and hands it to his wife.
Stolph (GM): Then he takes another short sword off the wall between the right workbench and the back of the staircase.
Khal: I continue the lack of interest to flush out all the short swords
Stolph (GM): Those are the only 2 shortswords you see.
Khal: any cabinets, chests?
Stolph (GM): There are drawers under the work benches.
Khal: is there a back door?
Stolph (GM): no
Khal: he has a wife and one son?
Stolph (GM): a wife, a son, and a daughter.
Khal: how old?
Stolph (GM): the son is about 5 or 6.
Stolph (GM): the daughter looks like 3 or 4
Khal: ok
Khal: "Caynyth, do you have any other short swords that might be a little different that I would be interested in?"
Stolph (GM): Caynyth: not that are for sale.
Khal: "tis a shame -- perhaps I can come back on the next moon and see your selection then?"
Khal: are the streets pretty deserted?
Khal: other merchants were closing up too?
Stolph (GM): there are a few people here and there.
Stolph (GM): Yes. All the other shops in sight are now closed.
Stolph (GM): Except the inns.
Khal: "I've taken enough of your time, thank you"
Stolph (GM): Caynyth: "You're welcome. Come again soon."
Khal: Aye
Stolph (GM): He closes the big doors behind you.
Khal: on may way out I go to one of the doors and help him close them
Khal: " I'll give you a hand"
Khal: listen for squeaks
Stolph (GM): It squeaks pretty loudly except right before it's fully closed.
Khal: both?
Stolph (GM): the other one is pretty loud the whole way.
Khal: ok, i remember which one
Stolph (GM): the left door.
Khal: I go to the inn and have some bread and water
Stolph (GM): ok
Khal: wait about 2 hours and come back out to plaza
Khal: are lights on, shutters open upstairs?
Stolph (GM): Innkeeper: "That'll be 2cp please."
Khal: pay him
Stolph (GM): i don't think you have any.
Khal: "I'm down on my luck, barkeep -- will you accept this sword as payment?"
Stolph (GM): As you're searching through your bags, you see a playing card face down on the floor under the table.
Stolph (GM): Innkeeper: "Sure! It's pretty beat up, but I'm sure it's worth something."
Khal: I pick it up
Stolph (GM): It's a Jack of Spades.
Khal: don't know the significance of that
Stolph (GM): so what do you do?
Khal: go to the plaza, lights on? shutters open?
Stolph (GM): The shutters are all closed, but you see light shining through some of them.
Khal: sit next to forge and pretend to fall asleep. wait for lights to go out
Stolph (GM): you can't see all the windows from where you are.
Khal: there's only 2 right?
Stolph (GM): 2 on the side facing the street.
Khal: ok, I'll go to the plaza after a while and glance over to see if it's on still
Stolph (GM): there is another one on the south side. and 2 on the east side.
Khal: get a vantage point that allows me to see the one w/the light on
Stolph (GM): ok. eventually it goes dark in all the windows.
Khal: I hide, move silently up to front door
Stolph (GM): ok
Stolph (GM): you are at the front door.
Khal: locked?
Stolph (GM): yes. and barred.
Stolph (GM): from the inside.
Stolph (GM): but you have tools to lift bars from the outside.
Khal: open locks, +8
Stolph (GM): on the lock first?
Stolph (GM): you have a -1 because of the crummy tools you're using.
Khal: yes
Stolph (GM): you failed.
Khal: listen for noise inside, +1
Stolph (GM): you see a group of people coming north on the street.
Khal: hide
Stolph (GM): you hear nothing.
Stolph (GM): what's your hide?
Khal: +8
Stolph (GM): they pass by without seeing you.
Khal: open locks
Stolph (GM): it looks like a pretty good lock.
Stolph (GM): you figure you'll have to be pretty lucky to get it. There's a little hook in there that if you could only get at...
Stolph (GM): failed.
Khal: ok, where are windows?
Stolph (GM): 2 above you.
Stolph (GM): you're on the building's west side.
Khal: any facing the inn?
Stolph (GM): 1 facing the inn on the south side.
Khal: and?
Stolph (GM): and 2 on the east side facing another street.
Khal: which street is busier?
Stolph (GM): the one with the forge. North Gate Street.
Khal: ok, go to east side and choose southern window. I assume all shutters are closed?
Stolph (GM): yes.
Khal: are walls rough?
Stolph (GM): yes.
Khal: climb up to that window, knife in teeth
Khal: +6
Stolph (GM): DC 15
Khal: 50/50
Stolph (GM): natural 20!
Khal: i am one w/stone
Stolph (GM): hehe
Khal: slowly open one shutter
Stolph (GM): i assume you're trying to do this all silently?
Khal: stop if makes a noise
Khal: yes, +8
Stolph (GM): it doesn't open. there is a bar keeping it shut.
Khal: oof
Khal: open locks
Stolph (GM): DC 20
Khal: +8
Stolph (GM): you have a total of +7.
Stolph (GM): because your tools suck.
Stolph (GM): you failed. While attempting you make a pretty loud noise. The dog barks once.
Stolph (GM): it's more of a "yap"
Khal: i freeze for a minute and listen
Stolph (GM): you hear nothing
Khal: open locks
Stolph (GM): fail again.
Stolph (GM): You make another noise, and...
Stolph (GM): "YAP! YAP! YAP!"
Khal: climb down
Stolph (GM): "YAP! YAP! YAP! YAP!"
Stolph (GM): You hear a voice.
Khal: saying?
Stolph (GM): what's your listen again?
Khal: +1
Stolph (GM): can't tell.
Stolph (GM): "YAP! YAP! YAP! YAP!"
Khal: did i climb down ok?
Stolph (GM): yes.
Stolph (GM): You hear the shutter being opened
Khal: I hide and watch
Stolph (GM): +8?
Khal: yes
Stolph (GM): A man looks out the window for about a minute, then says, "What is it Kiver?"
Stolph (GM): "YAP! YAP! YAP! YAP"
Stolph (GM): He sounds and looks like Caynyth.
Khal: hahahahah
Stolph (GM): "YAP! YAP! YAP!"
Khal: i wait
Stolph (GM): Caynyth closes the shutters.
Stolph (GM): You still hear the dog yapping.
Stolph (GM): "YAP! YAP! YAP!"
Stolph (GM): Eventually the yapping stops.
Khal: I move to the other window on the east wall and climb/open locks -- try to get up there while yapping is continuing
Stolph (GM): You see a group of 6 guards coming from the North Gate toward where you're at.
Khal: through the plaza?
Stolph (GM): yes.
Khal: walking w/ a purpose and looking at me or marching and talking?
Stolph (GM): marching and talking.
Khal: hide
Stolph (GM): lemme see if they see you....
Stolph (GM): nope. they walk by.
Khal: whew
Stolph (GM): You wanted to do something while the dog was still yapping?
Khal: move silent/climb/open locks
Khal: did i hear him bar the shutters when he closed them?
Stolph (GM): no
Khal: back to that window
Stolph (GM): ok
Stolph (GM): the shutters are locked.
Khal: ol
Stolph (GM): "20"
Khal: presto!
Khal: peek in
Khal: what can i see?
Stolph (GM): it's dark, but Nevea is about half full.
Stolph (GM): what's your search?
Khal: search +5
Stolph (GM): You see another room off to the left side
Stolph (GM): also on the left you see a staircase going down.
Khal: bedroom, dog?
Stolph (GM): you also see the dog lying down next to the opposite wall.
Khal: doors?
Stolph (GM): there is a counter on the right side of the room.
Khal: anything on it??
Stolph (GM): you see a hallway on the right side of the opposite wall.
Stolph (GM): you can't tell from where you are.
Khal: ok
Khal: I sneak in, dagger in hand, move silently...........
Stolph (GM): you see the dog lying under two swords on the far side of the room.
Khal: under?
Stolph (GM): he doesn't seem to notice you.
Khal: they're on the wall?
Stolph (GM): yes.
Khal: hung in scabbards?
Stolph (GM): no
Khal: how?
Stolph (GM): on mounts.
Khal: what do they look like?
Stolph (GM): both are decorative.
Khal: ivory?
Stolph (GM): one has an ivory handle.
Khal: dark blade?
Stolph (GM): hard to tell in this light.
Khal: can one be removed w/out the other or both together?
Stolph (GM): they can be removed independently.
Stolph (GM): the one with the ivory handle is on the right.
Khal: how mounted?? resting on something? nailed to the wall?
Stolph (GM): the blade is pointed up
Khal: how is it hung?
Stolph (GM): there is a mount on each side of the hilt
Khal: so it can be lifted off?
Stolph (GM): there are two more higher up on either side of the blade.
Stolph (GM): looks like it.
Stolph (GM): in this light.
Khal: hehe
Stolph (GM): what do you do?
Khal: I kill the dog in its sleep, remove sword and bolt out of there
Stolph (GM): "DING! DING! DING! DING! DING!"
Stolph (GM): A loud bell dings right after you remove the sword.
Khal: ok, i'm climbing down
Stolph (GM): 5 dings. then it stops
Stolph (GM): I rolled a "1" on your climb.
Khal: oof
Stolph (GM): you fall. and take 4 hp dmg.
Khal: ok, 3 left
Khal: I hide, move silently towards the lousy part of town
Stolph (GM): You hear Caynyth, "They've taken Celiband! Someone stop them!"
Stolph (GM): You see guards running from the north gate.
Stolph (GM): let me see if you evade their watchful eyes...
Stolph (GM): one guard looks in your direction for a few seconds...
Stolph (GM): ... but then turns his head back the way he's running.
Stolph (GM): You escape.
Khal: feet don't fail me now!!!
Khal: i go to the stryker bar and look for ocylmas. keep celiband under my coat/shirt
Stolph (GM): Ocymus is sitting in the back of the pub.
Khal: walk back there --"hail, ocymus"
Stolph (GM): Ocymus: "Hail Khal!"
Khal: I glance around then say "I want to introduce you to a friend of mine..........
Khal: Her name is Celiband!
Stolph (GM): Ocymus smiles.
Khal: I slide the sword part of the way over to him, but hold it when he grabs it
Stolph (GM): Ocymus reaches for the sword.
Khal: "Hear me, Ocymus, I'm not one for more games or tests. I expect to be properly equipped and compensated for what was not an easy mark" let go of sword after a few seconds
Khal: i smile
Stolph (GM): Ocymus: of course! You have done well.
Khal: "then show me more than a scrap heap of cast offs to outfit myself from"
Stolph (GM): Ocymus: "I'm not sure what sure what Caynyth is willing to pay to get it back, but it will be sizeable."
Stolph (GM): Ocymus: "Of that, you will get the standard 2/3"
Khal: "what is this?" show him playing card
Khal: very well
Stolph (GM): Ocymus: "Looks like a playing card."
Khal: no significance to you?
Stolph (GM): Ocymus: "nope."
Khal: ok
Khal: when is the ransom generally paid?"
Stolph (GM): Ocymus: "He'll approach one of our people probably tomorrow. We'll deny our involvement for a few days..."
Stolph (GM): Ocymus: "... until he REALLY misses it. Then we'll tell him we might know how to get it back for him. And we'll settle on a price."
Khal: great, I'll help with the ransom pick up when it's time.
Khal: What do I need to accomplish to advance beyond "striker"?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Well, you've passed the test. Now we just have to have the initiation ceremony."
Khal: when?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "I'll have to get back to you on that. Probably this week."
Khal: ok
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "I was kind of surprised you got the sword so quickly."
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "And I haven't talked with anyone about initiating you yet."
Khal: I love to surprise people!
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Why are you rubbing your leg so much? Did you have a bad fall?"
Khal: A small mishap in my haste to exit.
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "All in a day's work, I guess."
Khal: Yup.
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "You're still a wanted man. We should get you into one of our safehouses."
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "It's been a long day for you."
Khal: sounds great! i want to see if he's bluffing
Stolph (GM): what's your sense motive?
Khal: 0
Stolph (GM): he seems to be telling it straight.
Khal: ok, I go to safehouse and rest
Stolph (GM): The safehouse looks familiar.
Khal: from?
Stolph (GM): It's the same place where you geared up. If you want to call it that!
Khal: Great
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Oh, don't worry. It's perfectly safe here."
Khal: how so?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "The town guard doesnt' know about it. That's who you're running from, right?"
Khal: Yup
Khal: There's food here for me too?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "yep!"
Khal: ok, let me know when you hear from the swordless merchant!
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Mom will take care of you. Right mom?"
Stolph (GM): Mom: "Yes, dear. "
Stolph (GM): Ocymas leaves.
Stolph (GM): Mom shows you to the same room where you got your stuff. She takes you to the closet, opens the door, and there's a bedroll lying on the floor.
Khal: thanks
Stolph (GM): Mom: "You're welcome, dear. Are you hungry?"
Khal: famished
Stolph (GM): Mom: "Come downstairs dear, and I'll make you some vegetable soup."
Khal: i go
Stolph (GM): It's pretty late at night.
Stolph (GM): she chops up some vegetables, and cooks them up.
Stolph (GM): it's really good.
Khal: i sleep like a baby
Stolph (GM): The next morning comes, and you sleep through it. When you wake up it's about 1pm.
Khal: i wait for Ocymas
Stolph (GM): You wait all day and no one comes.
Khal: wait until the next morning
Stolph (GM): Mom wakes you up.
Khal: am i healed?
Stolph (GM): i think it's just 1 hp per day.
Khal: no goodberries?
Stolph (GM): nope. :-)
Khal: what does mom say?
Stolph (GM): Mom: "Ocymas came by before you woke up. He said, 'we've made contact with him' and that you would know what that meant."
Khal: where can i reach ocymas?
Stolph (GM): Mom: "Oh yeah. And he said, 'Don't try to contact me. I'll tell you after the exchange is made.'
Khal: i wait, heal, eat, scavenge other items.
Stolph (GM): A few days pass.
Stolph (GM): Unless you do something else.
Khal: no
Stolph (GM): After 4 days, you're fully healed. Mom took good care of you. She made you lemon tea every morning, and made sure you drank it all down.
Khal: cool
Stolph (GM): What other items do you try to scavenge?
Khal: rope, belt pouch, backpack, torch,
Stolph (GM): of those, you find 4 torches, 1 of which is all burnt out.
Khal: ok, now ocymus?
Stolph (GM): The next morning, while still asleep, you're dreaming about gold coins.
Stolph (GM): hundreds of them...
Khal: as usual!!
Stolph (GM): you can almost feel them. and you can definitely hear them....
Khal: i wake up
Stolph (GM): when you wake up you see Ocymas pouring gold pieces over you.
Stolph (GM): shaking them out of a large sack.
Khal: I laugh and jump up
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Wake up Khal! We scored big!"
Khal: shake his hand..."here's to the beginning of something bigger!"
Stolph (GM): Ocymas smiles. :-)
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "We got 600 Umerian Crowns! 400 of those are yours, my man!"
Khal: excellent!
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Oh it was great! We had one of our best negotiators sqeezin’ him hard."
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Now you can buy whatever you want!"
Khal: I'm sure. Well i'm happy with my take.
Khal: where would be a place that's not too conspicuous?
Stolph (GM): Ocymas: "Hold on a sec. Before you go out...."
Stolph (GM): Ocymas pulls a box out of his bag. It's a disguise kit.
Khal: cool
Stolph (GM): He touches up your face here and there, trims some of your humungous eyebrows, etc. etc.
Khal: ooc: this seems like a good break point, yes?
Stolph (GM): yep.
Khal: exp?
Stolph (GM): 675 xp
Khal: coooooool!
Khal: I leveled.