Caliphas Noir: Thicker Than Water

Game Master The Dread Pirate Hurley

In Ustalav's fog-shrouded capital, Constable Selene wages a one-woman crusade against the things lurking in darkness. For in Caliphas, the only thing worse than the monsters without is the monster within.

Combat map | Map of Caliphas

Theme Song


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Gameplay thread open for dotting. First gameplay post to be up by Tuesday.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Dotting!


5th of Rova 4717 AR
Ashtown, Caliphas
11:15 PM

It is a cool, clear night in Caliphas. The balmy summer ends prematurely in Ustalav, and the long slow death of autumn is nigh. The Harvest Moon is less than two weeks away, but tonight there hangs only the barest hint of a waxing crescent moon to light the streets below. The streets are unusually clear, with only slight wisps of fog clinging to the cobblestones. There are worse nights for a stakeout.

A lone figure, perched invisibly on a rooftop near the Ashtown docks, stands sentinel. She is a hawk watching for her rabbit, a cat waiting for her mouse. A Constable waiting for her man. Barius Kent, a weasely human man, is late in coming home. Known to the Department of Constables and Investigators as a pickpocket, it seems Kent has branched out to second-story work. Sources from the gutters have it that he is responsible for a rash of burglaries in the neighborhood of Eskcourt, and witnesses say he's been showing up regularly in the more unsavory part of Barragaro Road, the city's raucous, open-air street market. It is too bad for Kent that he is a better burglar than fence. If those sources are to be believed, he has had a difficult time selling his wares. All in all, it is an open and shut case.

If Selene can nab him.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Selene patiently watched the streets below, waiting for her target to show himself. This city had a lot of problems with crime... but that was why she'd decided to stick around. With her particular set of talents, she could have made an easy living in practically any big city, but that alone wasn't enough to satisfy her. She wanted the world she died in to be a better one than the world she'd been born into... and long stakeouts could be necessary for that end.

...Didn't stop them from being a bit boring, though. Still, the end result was worth it, and for now she was satisfied to keep an eye on things. It would probably have been easier to track him down if she'd used some of her... particular talents... but she tried to avoid relying on those for everything. Feeding was a pain, after all, even if she could heal her partner.

Perception (Staying on watch): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20


City docks are rarely empty at any time, day or night, but the streets of Ashtown are relatively quiet right now. Far enough removed from the all-hours hustle and bustle of Barragaro Road, there isn't much to distract from the mind-numbing dullness of the stakeout. Selene's keen ears pick up the sounds of a drunk stumbling home from a dockside tavern somewhere out of sight and the usual background noise of the waves lapping at the docks.

Suddenly, she hears a strange sound from down the street, coming from the opposite direction that she would expect Kent to approach from. It sounds like metal scraping on stone.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Selene pulled back slightly to make sure she was out of sight - and changed. Her body thickened, her legs thinned, and her arms spread wide as material filled the space between them. In just a few moments, she had become a (rather large) bat, and crouched low to avoid being seen by anyone below. An improved sense of smell was more useful than many people thought, and would help her keep track of the positions of those below her. It was always best to be cautious when unexpected things happened. After all, for all her many abilities, she wasn't immortal...

Move Action: Alteration. Transforming into her Avian Form, with the additional traits of [Wings] (Fly speed 30 feet) and Scent (as the Universal Monster Ability). She's still low-level, so she has to concentrate on it each round to maintain it.


So you're now a Medium-sized bat, yes? Are we going with clothes-in-tatters transformation or clothes that transform with you?

Where a woman once stood looking down over the empty street now rests a large bat. Taking the scent from the air, Selene immediately picks up the foul odor of sewage and the less powerful smell of a human. A dirty human. Both smells come from the direction of the metal-on-stone sound.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

In Spheres, equipment melds into your new form.

Hmm... well, this was an interesting turn of events. Selene carefully crept up to the edge of the ledge to peer down and see what was going on here, continuing to be cautious as she did so. Something interesting was going on here, but she wasn't yet sure how relevant it was. This was a dirty city, after all...

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (8) + 10 = 18


Standing on a roof in the middle of the street, Selene is unable to secure a vantage point that allows her to see the source of the sound. But, looking toward the end of the street in the direction of the sound, she catches sight of a man dressed in a thin white robe stumbling away. He appears to be disheveled, shoeless, and filthy.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Selene considered for a few moments. She wasn't entirely sure if this... vagabond... was related to what she was here for or not, but she couldn't just ignore him, either. Not given the sound of metal there, which could quite probably be a weapon scraping on stone. With the simplest effort of will, her body flicked back to normal, and she simply stepped down to the street below, behind the stumbling figure, warping through space as easily as one might go through a door.

Ceasing to concentrate on her transformation, so she reverts. Using the Warp sphere to get down to the street. <- Note that right now, she needs line of sight for this, in case teleportation might throw off a plan of yours at these low levels.

"Excuse me, sir." she said. "May I have a moment of your time?"


Nope, teleportation is fine.

Now much closer to the man, you see that the robe is equipped with very long sleeves with belts and buckles to strap them down. These belts are currently undone, allowing the man full use of his arms. Turning your head down the intersection of the streets, you can see the metal sewer access cover lying on the street, exposing the black maw of the access tunnel.

As you address the man, he startles violently. Turning around to face you, he backs away quickly. "You! You're-!" He waves his arms out in front of him, attempting to ward you off. "You're one of them! Get back! Get away from me!"

Perception DC 15:
Though covered in all manner of filth, you can make out the label stitched onto the robe. It reads 'HAVENGUARD LUNATIC ASYLUM'.

Knowledge (local) DC 20, ONLY IF PERCEPTION DC 15 IS SUCCESSFUL:
Havenguard Asylum stands out past the eastern edge of the city beyond Castle Borgoffi. The facility is run by Dr. Beaugrimand Trice and doubles as a Pathfinder Lodge. Many of the patients there are Pathfinders themselves.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25
Know Local: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (12) + 8 = 20 Yay.

Ah... somebody who was probably being watched over for one reason or another. Most people who were put into asylums weren't at fault, and their often-strong reactions weren't something to blame them for. She did need to make sure he wouldn't hurt anyone, but at the same time, she needed to keep any use of force at a minimum. Police brutality was not her method of choice. "Please relax, sir. I'm here to help you." she said soothingly. Unfortunately, she'd yet to develop anything that could help nudge that along... but that didn't mean she couldn't rely on her words. "How about I stay over here for now, where I can't hurt you?" Her instincts were telling her that approaching him right now would be dangerous - it was better to try and talk him down.

Diplomacy (Trying to calm him down): 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (19) + 8 = 27


You've raised his attitude two steps to Friendly. Nice!

"Yes, yes, over there, over there..." Selene's calming demeanor has the desired effect on the man. He still seems jumpy, and his head jerks around at random as though he's looking for something that could appear anywhere at any time, but he no longer seems threatened by Selene's presence. "You- you have to leave! It's not safe! They're coming!"


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

"Who is coming?" she asked, calmly and patiently. "If somebody is threatening you, I can help you get somewhere safe. After all, helping people is what I'm here for." Even as he spoke, she focused inwards. She'd considered for just a moment, but... well, she was full up on blood at the moment, and it was better to be safe. If something was coming, she wanted to know they were here - and as she focused, every detail about the world abruptly became much clearer. It only lasted for a few minutes with each bit of blood she allowed her body to use, but that ought to be enough to finish this discussion and start getting the poor man to safety.

Perception (Checking the area): 1d20 + 22 ⇒ (18) + 22 = 40

Activating Vampiric Senses. For 3 minutes, she says "Yes" when asked for a perception check gets a pretty big boost (13, or 10 + Cruomancer level) to Perception, Sense Motive, and tracking with Survival. Costs 1 Blood Point.


Has there been errata for Liber Vampyre that I haven't seen yet? The entry in Vampiric Senses says its costs one blood point, but the next paragraph below says that, if Cruomancer level is 6 or higher, it only costs 1 point. That would seem to indicate that Vampiric Senses should initially cost 2 points.

For a moment, Selene's vision goes red and her ears fill with the roaring of blood in her veins, but it soon fades. Her senses, now supernaturally enhanced, pick up sounds from many streets away, including the footsteps of somebody else approaching from the direction of Barragaro Road. Looking around, she doesn't see any signs of whatever might be pursuing the man. The man himself appears to have strange scars and other markings on his exposed arms and face.

"The Hounds!" It seems that speaking the name is enough to break whatever calm had come over the man, as he turns to run as soon as he's said it.

Sense Motive DC 15:
It is plain to see that this man is clearly mad, suffering from paranoid delusions.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

I believe you misread it. From levels 1-5, it's activated with a blood point and a swift action. Levels 6+, it's only a blood point, no action needed.

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 23 ⇒ (17) + 23 = 40

She needed... something... to break through those mental walls of his. "If you run away now, the Hounds will get you." she said, lying through her not-currently-pointed teeth. She had no idea if it was true or not - given his madness, probably not, but still.

Bluff: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (20) + 5 = 25 Welp. XD

"If you do as I say, I can protect you until we get you someplace truly safe." Specifically, back at the Asylum. She was probably going to have words with them about this...


Lengthier discussion will be posted in the Discussion tab to keep from cluttering the gameplay.

The man stops in his tracks. "You- you can protect me? Yes, yes, the curves, take me to the curves! Stay away from the edges!" The man continues to babble incoherently, but he draws nearer to you, cowering in fear.

The footsteps you heard earlier are headed your way, maybe only a street or two away. If you leave now, it will take hours to return the man to the asylum, and you will have to nab Kent another time.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

As much as she would've liked to nab the burglar now, she'd only heard that he was a thief... not that he was violent. They'd tracked him down once and they could do it again - keeping people safe from madmen, who could often be violent, was a more important duty. Lost goods could be replaced. Lives? Not so easily.

"Just take my hand, and we'll get away from the edges." she said, extending it. If it worked, she'd go ahead and take him back to the asylum - with a request for a room that had curves. Paranoiacs were kind of odd that way - if you could figure out what they were truly afraid of, and addressed that, you could usually manage their other symptoms somehow.


Hesitantly, the man takes Selene's hand, allowing her to lead him to the safety of the curves.

6th of Rova 4717 AR
Havenguard Lunatic Asylum
1:07 AM

It takes Selene nearly two hours to lead the madman to the Asylum on the outskirts of the city. It is some minutes past the first bell of the morning as they make their approach. This late in the evening, most of the windows are dark, and all of them are barred.

At the sight of so many angles, the man cowers behind Selene, but thankfully stays close instead of running away again. In the distance, a dog begins barking. The man jumps at the sound and shrieks. "What was that?!"

I'm trying to figure out if there's a way to move the story and action along without stalling out every post like this.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Don't be afraid to do montage posts and just push ahead to the next situation the player is expected to react to. XD If you try to do every little thing in PbP, you take forever to so much as check out a room. It can be a little railroady, but A) I'm not trying to jump off the rails - quite the opposite, and B) It massively speeds things up. In fact, as a GM I usually do things like rolling initiative and saves for players, rather than asking them to, just so it doesn't take a day or two to figure out if they were affected by something or not. XD In return, I'm pretty generous about using rerolls and other powers that let you change results, including those you can't normally use once the result is known. It's worked out pretty well, and I've never had a problem with people abusing that.

"Something far away, that can't hurt you." Selene answered soothingly, keeping her grip on his hand as she rapped at the door. Places like this were generally staffed at all hours.


As you stand before the great wooden doors of the asylum waiting for an answer, the barking gets closer. It seems the madman recognizes the sound now, as he starts barking and baying in response. "Good doggy! Awoo! Awooooooooooo!" Selene can hear a man in the distance as well, though she can't make out what he's saying.

After waiting for some minutes and knocking two or three more times, the door finally swings inward, revealing a dark-haired human man approaching middle age wearing a white doctor's coat. "Ah, Reginald! Where have you been? Come in, come in," says the man. As you cross the threshold into the darkened entryway, he closes the door behind you.

"Good evening, Constable, thank you for bringing Reginald back to us," he says congenially. "I am very sorry to put you through the trouble. We don't know how Reginald escaped, it's all very distressing." The man's head jerks as he catches a whiff of the madman. "Reginald, what happened to you? You're filthy! Come, come, we'll get you washed up and into clean clothes. Constable, if you would be so good as to follow me, we'll get this all sorted out." As he leads you down the hall, he makes some sort of hand gesture and whispers something.

Spellcraft DC 15:
You recognize it as the message cantrip being cast.

The halls are dimly lit by candles in holders along the walls every few feet. The walls are sparsely decorated with artwork in gilded frames, and the main hallway intersects with numerous smaller halls. Reginald still clings to Selene, fearful of the angles that surround him. "The angles, Doctor! The Hounds will come for us all!"

The man, who can only be Dr. Trice, seems undisturbed by Reginald's fearful ravings. He calms the man with soothing words without ever breaking stride. "Yes, Reginald, don't worry, we'll have you back to the curves soon enough."

Arriving at his office, Dr. Trice pushes his door open and beckons you to enter. Shortly after, a younger woman appears, blonde, mid-twenties. "Ah, Cereis. Reginald has returned. See to it that he's cleaned up and put back to bed." The woman takes custody of Reginald, leading him off further into the asylum, leaving you alone with Dr. Trice at his office.

Turning his attention back to you, Dr. Trice invites you to sit. His office is neatly appointed with a large desk and comfortable leather chairs. Lamps on his desk and the corners of the rooms light the room evenly with candlelight. The wall to the left of his desk is taken up by a large window, its curtains drawn for the evening. To the right sits a long bookshelf, crammed with an assortment of volumes.

Taking the seat behind his desk, Dr. Trice looks up at you, finally realizing that you've never been properly introduced. "Oh my, you're not Constable Jeffries at all! I heard the dogs barking, and I just assumed - how foolish of me. My name is Dr. Trice. Please, please, tell me - how did you find Reginald?"

Hopefully I didn't bend the board too far in the other direction here.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

No, no, this is great. XD Have you read Painlord's Guide to GM'ing yet? If not, I strongly encourage it - it is chock-full of great suggestions that will make your GM'ing life easier.

Spellcraft: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (9) + 10 = 19

Selene noted his use of the common message spell, filing it away in her mind but not especially bothered by it. Many people used such tricks to make their lives more convenient, doubly so when leaving someone (like a patient) would have been trouble. She'd just been trained to pay attention to that sort of thing, just in case someone needed to be investigated later on.

"As much as I'd like to say I knew he'd escaped and trailed him across the city... the truth, alas, is mundane." Selene answered with a smile. Her expression faded, however, as she slipped into a more formal stance with her hands clasped behind her back. "I found Mr. Reginald while I was conducting a surveillance operation over at Barragaro Road, and he essentially walked straight into my sight. He appeared frightened and confused, and seemed to believe he was being hunted somehow, but I was able to calm him down and convince him to return with me. Given his state of distress, it's quite likely that he would have hurt himself or someone else if I hadn't intervened when I did. He also interrupted the job I was actually there to do." That last bit was a bit more pointed than the rest.

"Keeping the citizens of Caliphas safe is, of course, our highest priority at the Constabulary. I don't know how Mr. Reginald escaped, but I hope I can trust you to look into it and ensure this situation does not happen again - both for his sake and that of the citizens outside. No facility is perfect, of course, but we'd rather not have to disturb your patients with the kind of trouble a full investigation of repeated breakouts would bring." she paused for a moment to let that sink in. "Of course, if you need some help with your investigation, our department is always happy to refer you to some of the city's specialists in security. I'm sure they would be more than willing to help at a price you'd be comfortable paying." She'd already used the stick - adding a carrot was important.


I forgot to include anything about Constable Jeffries. He is known to you. He's one of the few constables that works with dogs for searching.

Dr. Trice hunches forward in his seat, resting his weight on his elbows. He rubs his temple with one hand unconsciously, clearly troubled by the events. "No, no, I hardly think that necessary. The facility is highly secure, I can assure you. Havenguard has a number of special protections in place, courtesy of the Pathfinder Society. You see, aside from housing my unfortunate patients, Havenguard also happens to be the largest Pathfinder lodge in all of Ustalav. I am both the doctor in residence as well as a Pathfinder venture captain. Of course, in Ustalav that is a... dubious honor." He smiles thinly at his jest before turning serious again. "This incident has much less to do with this facility than with certain...unique...aspects of Reginald's case." Sighing, he slumps back in his chair, folding his hands over his stomach. He leans his head back, now looking at the ceiling somewhere above the door's lintel.

"Reginald was...is...one of my Pathfinder agents. He left on assignment some months ago. When he returned..." His eyes mist over momentarily; Reginald's case is clearly one that the doctor takes personally. He shakes his head and his eyes clear up once again. "Barragaro Road, you say? That's rather a long way for him to jump. And he smelled like a bloody sewer!" Dr. Trice scratches his scalp, running his hand through his hair. He suddenly looks very tired, like a man who has gone far too long with not enough sleep for years on end. "I apologize for the trouble you've been put through on our account, Constable." He opens his mouth to continue, but trails off as something seems to occur to him. He looks at you for a long moment, taking your measure. "What was it you said Reginald distracted you from?"


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

"A stakeout, as I was looking to apprehend a thief." Selene answered. You had to be very careful with the Society... they were an immensely powerful organization, after all, and direct lectures might not work. Of course, that wasn't to say she couldn't put some leverage on them in other ways... "That said, are these... jumps... of his regular?" she asked. "That does sound like something that needs to be brought under control... perhaps a dead magic chamber? I'm sure the Society would prefer to avoid the sort of negative attention that might come from Reginald, say, startling someone important by appearing somewhere he really shouldn't be. If the public starts thinking you're not competent..." she trailed off and left it at that. A Venture-Captain was in a good position to know exactly how much trouble it would be if the merchants started shutting them out, the favors they bought started getting more costly, and people didn't actually trust them to get the job done. Doubtless the Society would continue its operations anyway - even outright banning them from the city was unlikely to stop them - but it would be harder for them to act than it was now.

Besides, the Society was a good resource, and one the city occasionally called upon. Truthfully, it was better for everyone if they managed to avoid controversies, and as an officer she was happy to help with that. It was just another of the many ways she could support and protect the city.


Dr. Trice nods slowly. "A stakeout, I see. That necessarily means that there is one more criminal on the loose than there ought." He frowns, as though he bears personal responsibility for Kent's crimes. He gives Selene another long, hard look before his face softens. "Constable, I appreciate your efforts in this matter. To prioritize the safety of an unfortunate like Reginald over the capture of a wanted criminal is not a choice I would expect most in your position to make. I believe that I may be able to afford you a measure of trust." He stands up from his chair while gesturing again for Selene to take a seat. "May I offer you something to drink? Coffee? Tea?"

Retrieving an ornate silver service set from a side table, Dr. Trice produces a beverage for himself and whatever Selene may have requested. "Enchanted tea service, recovered from the Lodge in Isarn. Being Venture-Captain does come with certain privileges." He smiles, taking a sip, and the drink seems to revitalize him. Sitting behind his desk again, he sets his cup and saucer to the side. "Where to begin, where to begin?" He sighs deeply, settling back in to a serious posture. "As you've no doubt witnessed, Reginald suffers from paranoid delusions. He is also at risk of self-harm. I'm sure you saw the marks? We believe that he inflicted those wounds himself, hence the straitjacket. What's strange is that, though more appear even as old ones heal, none of my staff has ever witnessed him doing it."

Taking another sip, he crosses one leg over the other as he continues. "Personally, and I share this in the strictest confidence, I'm beginning to have my doubts that the wounds are Reginald's doing. But of course that raises the question - where are they coming from? So far I am at a loss, but I suspect that it may be related to certain abilities Reginald has begun to exhibit. Then again, abilities may not be the precise word, as he seems unable to exert intentional control over them, but I digress." Uncrossing his legs, he leans forward in his seat, leaning on his desk again. "Most notably, he teleports short distances - we've been calling it 'jumping'. Strangely, our efforts at containing him have met with failure. Magic isolation doesn't impede him in any appreciable fashion. The only thing we've found that works with any degree of reliability is to place him in a curved room. And you can imagine how many of those we have lying around."

The doctor sinks back into his chair again. "None of this is really any of your concern, Constable. I simply thought that my explaining what it is we're dealing with here would help you to appreciate what a service you've provided for me this evening. It is late, and I've already kept you too long. Is there anything else I can do for you this evening, Constable?"

I'm having a difficult time keeping to the third-person instead of second-person. This is not a problem I'm used to having.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Different GMs have different preferences. XD Tell the story in whatever way you think works best.

"I noticed the signs of potential violence." Selene answered calmly, sipping a bit of tea. "Thieves are pests, of course, but the safety of innocent people - including those who are touched in the head and not in control of themselves - is more important than catching a burglar. It's really just a simple consideration of priorities." she tapped her chin thoughtfully. "You know, I could probably find a few people who know how to reshape rooms. If I explain the situation to them, they can probably help make a chamber as smooth as you could want. They could bring in the wood to do it with, too, so the structure of the building wouldn't be hurt." she looked him right in the eyes as she extended her hand. "I don't believe in problems that can't be solved. For now, though, I really should be going - I may yet be able to track down my target, and that would be a very nice way to end the night."


Selene showed care and discretion in handling this incident. Dr. Trice will remember that.

"I appreciate that," Dr. Trice says, taking Selene's hand. "Have a good evening. If you need anything in the future, know that the Venture-Captain of Vodavani Lodge is in your debt."

I'll take your last sentence to mean that you intend to return to Ashtown.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

2:00 AM - 6th of Rova, 4717 AR
Ashtown

A trip that took nearly two hours while trying to wrangle Reginald takes a mere twenty or so minutes alone. As Selene makes her way back to Ashtown, the bells at the Maiden's Choir toll in the distance.

The street is much they way Selene left it. The manhole cover still sits in the street, opening the tunnels to the night. There are no lights on in Kent's safehouse. One wooden shutter on an upstairs window sways in the breeze, clapping against the house.

Casing the joint - Perception DC 15:
There are thin alleys that run between the houses, only slightly wider than a person. In the alley next to Kent's house on the right side runs a thin staircase leading to a door tucked into the wall below street-level.

Casing the joint - Perception DC 20:
The front door is locked, but it could be easily picked or forced. Almost too easily...


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (9) + 9 = 18

Selene considered her options for a few moments, then used her ability to cross space to land on top of the Safehouse. Once there, she checked to be sure she was unobserved - you generally were, on rooftops, but it was best to be sure - before slightly altering her form and carefully sniffing the area. Her goal here was simple - to see if she could pinpoint any smell that matched the perpetrator, then see if there were any recent trails she could follow. Say, going down the staircases by his house. She could track targets down much better if she drew on her reservoirs of blood, but refilling that was awkward, and she didn't really want to use it unless she had to.

Using the Alteration Sphere's Blank Form for a bit, and taking the Scent trait to sniff for trails.


Scent calls for a Survival check to track. In these instances, I'll default to making a check for you for the sake of expediency. Let me know if there's an issue with that.

Survival: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (20) + 7 = 27

With her supernatural sniffer, Selene can clearly pick up a scent trail. Her target is sweaty and may have an uncommon liking of onions. He entered the block from the west, in the direction of Barragaro Road, between 2 and 3 hours prior, and he made his way into the alley and down the stairs. There is no matching trail that leads away from the house in any direction.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

...I'm okay with that roll. XD

Well, that helped. Without hesitation, she began canvassing the rest of the building - in particular, looking for the kinds of windows that would allow her to simply move inside. Her powers didn't allow her to go through opaque walls, but if she had a reasonably good view through it, she could pass it. Unlike the bloodsuckers she superficially resembled, she had no trouble entering a house without permission - and the department was unlikely to raise any fuss if she simply testified that she had tracked someone who was almost certainly the target into the building and had probable cause to believe he was still there.

Besides, the last thing she wanted to do was bust down his front door when he probably expected the police would come through there and had some kind of escape route...


If Barius Kent was one thing, it was greedy. If he was two things, he was paranoid. There are three windows on the front of the house - one on the ground level and two on the second. All three of them are curtained, preventing Selene from peering inside.

However, her honed instincts pay off. In the alley on the left side of the house, up on the second story, is a window with no curtains. Placed near the rear of the house and high up the wall, a normal person would find it very difficult to reach. But Selene is no normal person.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Just warping inside would have been... well, the descriptive words started at "foolish" and got worse from there. She carefully searched around the area, then peered through the window as best she could. Only if it was safe did she simply will herself through space, so she could quietly appear in the room.

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

Now she just had to find him... and she knew just how she was going to do that. Carefully, she called upon a different sort of vampiric sense - the power to Detect Blood. Unless he was even more paranoid than she'd thought, this ought to show her where in the house he was. (As Detect Animals or Plants, but only showing creatures she can drain for blood.)


Appearing in the house, Selene finds herself at the end of a narrow hallway with no doors. At the end of the hall lies another hallway leading to the right. Concentrating, she scans her gaze around, searching for signs of life.

The Blood Sight always provides a reminder for how much life really teems within the city. Life that most people never notice, and should be thankful for it. Aside from the usual rats, birds, alley cats and such, Selene can only detect one person in the house, on the second floor. Judging by the position of the body relative to the size of the house, they should be in a room near the front of the house with a street-facing window.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Carefully, she crept forward, trying to avoid breaking the stealth she'd started. There was only one way to go, after all, but she did try to pay attention to where she was walking. It was unlikely the man had trapped the interior of his own house, but relying on words like 'unlikely' was a good way to get yourself killed. After all, even things with a low chance of happening occurred every now and then. For now, she just wanted to get as close to his room as she could.

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26


Perception: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (16) + 5 = 21

Selene makes her way down the hallway to the connecting hall. The floorboards are old and creaky, but her light feet manage to avoid the squeaky spots. The new hall ends in a stairwell doubling back on itself leading downstairs. The half-landing at the curve plays host to one of the second-story windows with the drawn curtains. The wooden banister guards the right side of the hall, while a door lies on the left. Thanks to her vampiric senses, Selene knows that the warm body lies on the other side of the door.

Creeping over to the door, she finds no traps. Slowly turning the handle, she finds that, true to style, the door is locked.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Who locked the doors on the inside of their houses? Frowning slightly, Selene bent down to see if she could peer through the lock here, or if she'd have to find some other way through. There was always just busting the door down, of course, but she wanted to leave things as intact as she could. Sadly, she'd never developed the talent to simply turn into gas and infiltrate places that way...


Putting her eye to the lock, Selene can tell that the room beyond is pitch black; everything she sees is in shades of grey. There isn't much to look at in the room beyond; from her vantage point, she can't make out more than the bed and sleeping body lying on it. But she can see enough to make her entrance.

The room beyond the locked door is small. There's the bed, a chest of drawers pushed up against the wall, and the other window with the curtains drawn, blocking the light. Barius Kent lies sleeping, snoring softly. One of his arms extends out above his head, thrust under the pillow. The other arm is crossed lazily over his chest. Selene can see the slow rise and fall of his chest, make out the pulse on his neck as blood rushes through his veins. Kent is vulnerable, helpless.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Almost unconsciously, Selene licked her teeth - then forced the bloodsucking impulses down. She had more self-control than that, even if her body did tend to start reacting in interesting ways when blood was spilled. Besides, she'd wake him up if she bit him - she hadn't yet figured out how to be discreet about it. Focusing on her vision and the room beyond, she quietly Warped into his chamber, then looked around for any other escape routes he might be able to use (other doors, windows to jump out of, and so forth).


I had actually meant for the second paragraph to be the description of the room once Selene had warped in, but that's not a huge problem. I'll try to be more clear about assumptions like that in the future.

Aside from the single window and the locked door, there don't seem to be any other exits in the room.

Perception DC 18:
Rummaging through the chest of drawers, Selene discovers a false bottom in one of the drawers. In the secret compartment, she finds a full purse, a grappling hook and rope, and a set of thieves' tools. While not technically illegal to possess, such devices are certainly incriminating.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

Continuing to act quietly, Selene set the incriminating objects into her Extradimensional Storage - headquarters would probably appreciate his ill-gotten gains being turned in, and any money could go towards restitution for victims (probably with a bit skimmed off the top first... sigh). Afterwards, she finally approached the bed. Unless he woke up unexpectedly while she was being stealthy-

Stealth: 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (12) + 10 = 22

-the plan was simple. She didn't actually want to beat him unconscious, since lugging bodies around was a pain. Instead, she simply raised one hand to slap him awake, planning to bludgeon him just enough to make it easy to drop him if she really had to. It helped that she was wearing a special amulet under her shirt - a handcrafted tool that helped to prevent her from accidentally killing suspects. It was currently set to 'on', so she had no fear of striking too hard.

Claw vs Helpless: 1d20 + 6 + 4 ⇒ (4) + 6 + 4 = 14 for Nonlethal Damage: 1d4 + 6 + 1d6 ⇒ (3) + 6 + (4) = 13

"Barius Kent, you are under arrest. Try anything stupid and you will regret it."


Selene doesn't know her own strength XD

Despite her efforts to be... well, not gentle, but... restrained... the blow was harder than she intended. Her target goes slack and doesn't respond to noises or repeated slaps. He'll survive, but the inevitable bruise is already beginning to form.

With Kent dealt with, Selene has free roam of the tiny house. She can either haul him back to Whiteshaw to be jailed or she can search the house for more evidence.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Clearly. XD

Huh. Well, he wasn't dead - but he was more fragile than she'd been expecting, too. With that, she carefully tied him up and gagged his mouth to be sure he couldn't struggle free if he happened to wake up in the next few minutes, and she began searching his home for any further evidence of his misdeeds. Only after that was done did she simply heft him up and start heading back towards Whiteshaw. They weren't going to ask about bruises on a subject, especially when she'd been sent to go catch him on the first place. He wouldn't even need medical attention, just a bit of rest.

...

Hopefully.


Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (16) + 9 = 25

Selene methodically searches the house for any other evidence. Making her way downstairs, she can plainly see that the front door was rigged to dump a flask of acid on an intruder. Make a DC 20 Disable Device check if you'd like to disable and recover the flask. The fireplace is filthy with soot but shows no signs of having held a fire recently. When she checks the chimney for hidden goods, she gets nothing but more soot for her trouble.

Remembering the thin stairwell in the alley, Selene searches for an access point to a cellar or subterranean level. She easily locates a small wooden door set on the other side of the base of the house's main staircase which leads below.

Under the house, Selene discovers a room, roughly carved out of the stone. It has the appearance of being much older than the house that sits above it, and one wall appears to have been shoddily bricked over. The door to the alley sits on the wall directly opposite the crude masonry.

Knowledge (local) DC 10:
Caliphas is a city built on the bones of older dwellings, and unmapped subterranean tunnels of unknown purpose meander about underneath many parts of the city.

Knowledge (local) DC 15:
Typically these age-old passages go nowhere special, leading to dead-ends or caved-in blockages. But rumors tell of sewer workers who find themselves accidentally breaking through into forgotten vaults or sepulchers. Those who dare to brave the sewers don't often return, and those who do speak of terrible sights in the tunnels below. They tell of living muck that sucks in the unwary, dumping grounds for hundreds of corpses, and the ruby-eyed gentlemen of the sewer.

Leaned up against the wall, Selene hits pay dirt: a fine-looking oil painting in a gilt frame. The picture itself is difficult to make out in the dark, but it is no doubt stolen.

With her captured burglar and various evidence in tow, she returns triumphantly to Whiteshaw.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

2:45 AM - 6th of Rova, 4717 AR
Whiteshaw

At this late hour, there isn't much activity at Whiteshaw. There are a few constables milling about, busying themselves with one thing or another, but it will be hours yet before the night patrol report back and the daytime regulars take over.

As Selene enters with her unusual offerings, the constable at the desk looks up to greet her. Constable Morsa is an older man, long past his years as a patrol constable. Refusing to retire despite his age, he's a regular feature at Whiteshaw's processing desk, often pulling odd hours. His gray hair is turning white at the temples, and the thick white mustaches on his wide, ruddy face give him the appearance of an aging walrus. He grins at Selene as she approaches the desk, eyeing her load. "G'evenin' Selene," he says. "Wotcher got 'er?"


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Know Local: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (3) + 8 = 11

Her talents were many, but burglary wasn't among them - she just grabbed a piece of furniture and broke the acid flask so it wouldn't hurt anyone else who came to visit this place. It was quite possible a team would be coming over to investigate the place later, after all. With that, she finished her check of the house before picking up the suspect, locking the door as best she could to keep others out, and heading back to Whiteshaw.

"One Mr. Barius Kent, suspected of branching out to second story work, and evidence." she answered, setting his body down on the counter. The rest of the staff could pick him up and bring him to a cell. He was in for quite the surprise when he woke up, but it probably wasn't going to hurt the reputation of the office any when he told his friends he simply woke up in jail. With that, she opened up her storage - by now a familiar sight at the office - and laid out the items she'd uncovered, naming them as she did so. "Pouch of money, a grappling hook and some rope, thieves' tools, and this painting that looks far too expensive for a man like him to own." she said. "I also had a run-in with a patient from the Pathfinders' asylum - resolved without incident, by the way - so it looks like I have a bit of extra paperwork to do. Hooray." the last bit was delivered in the most deadpan tone she could manage, but there was a grin to go with it. Morsa was a good man, and he knew how patrols could occasionally bring surprises.


Morsa grunts, giving the unconscious Kent an unsympathetic once-over. "We gots plenny o' sec'nd story cells f'r our sec'nd story man," he says, chortling at his own joke. He watches eagerly as Selene retrieves the evidence from her extra-dimensional compartment.

Processing criminals fills the aging constable with child-like glee. No longer able to nab them himself and stuck behind a desk all day, he lives vicariously through the exploits of the younger constables. He takes each of the items from Selene in turn, examining them carefully and setting them aside without comment. His eyes go wide, however, when Selene produces the painting. "Pharasma's bones!" The old man starts violently in his seat, pushing himself away from desk. Now standing, he looks at the painting again, confusion spreading across his features. He shakes his head and rubs his eyes.

The painting had been difficult to make out in the dark, but the light reveals it plainly. The oil painting depicts an extravagant fête. An opulent feast lays spread out an a long table, and the raucous party-goers recline around the table in postures of leisure or contemplation. A beautiful figure stands at the center of the composition, carving the main course to serve her guests. She wears a long robe, white at the top turning red below the chest. There is nothing in the painting that should provoke such a reaction from Constable Morsa.

Perception DC 15:
The details of the painting are easier to make out at a distance. While detailed and intricate, it becomes blurred and indistinct the closer you look. Next to the main dish sits what appears to be a fly with a marking on its back in the shape of a skull.

Knowledge (religion) DC 10 (contingent upon successful Perception check above):
You recognize the fly as the unholy symbol of Urgathoa, the goddess of undeath.

Perception DC 25:
Only when the painting is viewed sharply from the left does it reveal its secrets. At that angle, the strange blurs transform the scene from mundane to grotesque. The distorted diners become ghouls, vampires, and other intelligent undead, and the dishes on the table become a horrifying meal of humanoid flesh. The figure in the center transforms as well; her robe hangs open, and beneath it her bare skin gives way to a skeletal lower half dripping with gore. On the plate before her is the head of a man, served upon a platter. Gone is the carving knife and fork, replaced instead with a wicked scythe.

Knowledge (religion) DC 15 (contingent upon successful Perception check above):
The skeletal woman in the center of the painting is Urgathoa herself.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (20) + 9 = 29 Woo~
Know Religion: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (8) + 9 = 17

"...Huh." Selene said, quietly lowering the painting so that it couldn't be seen anymore. Their captive had probably stolen this from a particularly nasty sort of person, the sort you really didn't want to cross. "Wouldn't mind getting this out of our hands as soon as possible." Worship of Urgathoa was fairly common in Ustalav as a whole - one of the lingering marks left by the Whispering Tyrant - but that didn't mean it wasn't fairly creepy to everyone else. "...Want me to just keep it in my little storage space?" she asked. One never knew what nasty effects a weird painting could have - some of the blasted things were enchanted somehow - and it wouldn't be hurting anyone from in there. This was Ustalav, after all - a healthy degree of paranoia was practically a requirement for staying alive. The things that went bump in the night really were out there, after all.


I'm really glad you made that Perception check!

Constable Morsa traces a spiral over his chest with a fist, recovering from the shock of the painting. He gives the foul canvas a long look of consideration before nodding. "Aye, ye shud puddit away...f'r now. If'n it's evidence, we don' wan' it goin' missin' 'fore the proper time."

Once the painting is stored, the constable relaxes again. "Don' know why them Urgathoans ain't been outlawed. 's an evil cult, S'lene." Reaching for something in his pocket, he draws out a flask and takes a sip, winking at Selene as he does so. Replacing it, he turns his attention back to the confiscated equipment. "Ye've had a long night. I'll get this logged for ye, missy. I'll take care 'o him too," he says, jerking his head at the unconscious Mr. Kent. "Run 'long off t' bed now." He gives Selene a grandfatherly smile, waving her on her way. Morsa is more than capable of handling the preliminary paperwork, and anything that might be required of Selene beyond that can wait for the morning.


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

"I'll keep it safe." Selene answered as she put the painting away and firmly sealed the dimensional barriers back up again. She wasn't above conveniently losing evidence if it was the only way to nail someone who was guilty, but the fact that some people were evil didn't change the fact that she was basically good. She yawned a bit and stretched a moment later. It had been a long night. "See you later, old timer." With that, she headed off. She wasn't going to let her guard down until she was actually safe at home - but given her ability to teleport and simply jump from roof to roof, getting home rarely took too long.


Whereabouts on the map of Caliphas would you say that Selene lives?

With her powers, the trip home is short indeed. She encounters no trouble on the streets during the little time that she's on them, and nothing prevents her from turning in immediately.

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

10:03 AM - 6th of Rova, 4717 AR
Whiteshaw

Late-night stakeouts buy Selene a few precious hours extra in the morning. By the time she's up and about, the day is well under way at Whiteshaw. The building hums and thrums with the usual hubbub of constables and investigators going to and fro. The desk is busy this morning with more petty criminals being processed.

On the way to her desk, Selene is intercepted by Constable Jeffries. A tall man with well-groomed chestnut brown hair and matching mustaches, he doffs his bowler hat at Selene as he approaches. "Good morning, constable. I wanted to thank you for your help last night. When Dr. Trice told me about the woman who had returned his lost patient, I knew it must have been you. Where in the blazes did you find the devil? The dogs ran me all over the city, catching the scent and losing it, picking it back up a few blocks over. It was maddening!"


Female Human BldLtr 4 / Inc 4 / Shft 4 | HP: 69/69 | AC: 17 [21], T: 15, FF: 13 [17] | Fort: +8, Reflex: +9, Will: +9 (+Situational) | BAB: +4, CMB: +8, CMD: 22 | Init: +6, Perception: +11 [+25] |

Hmm... how about roughly halfway between 4 and 9? Near enough to HQ for easy access, and also to Pharasma's Church, who she probably visits on at least a semi-regular basis in order to pick up supplies, help with crowd duty for major events, that sort of thing. Selene doesn't strike me as a dedicated religious type, but I think she at least respects any faith that doesn't cause trouble in the city.

Selene stretched happily in the morning light, feeling it warm her skin. Caliphas didn't always get that - fog was common - so she was enjoying it while she could. "Mornin'." she said cheerfully as Jeffries approached. "He wound up on Barragaro Road - much as I'd like to take credit for finding him and buff up my credentials as a tracker-" Not that she really needed to, given some of the things her vampiric senses had solved, "-he just kind of walked right under my nose, and I stepped in when it was obvious there was something wrong. Doctor Trice mentioned something about curved rooms helping to control Reginald's teleportation abilities - I'd like to see some wood shapers get over there, help make a room to hold the poor man before he hurts someone else... or himself. Be good for the pups, too, if they don't have to keep tracking something like that." Even her genuinely inhuman senses would have a lot of trouble following someone who could teleport. Besides, she was fond of dogs, and had been known to toss them a few treats when they weren't on-duty.

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