It is a frigid New Year's Eve in the Free City-State of Gate Pass. Located in the mountain pass which separates two hostile nations - Ragesia and Shahalesti - Gate Pass has been neutral since the end of their last war. That neutrality is about to be put to the test, as a scourge comes for the city out of Ragesia.
By now, every magic-user in Gate Pass knows of the Scourge. The Emperor of Ragesia died barely a month ago, and a witch named Leska has moved to cement herself as the next emperor of Ragesia. Leska, leader of the Ragesian Inquisitors, has decreed that all disloyal users of arcane magic are to be tracked down and killed to prevent future threats to the empire. The Inquisitors, clerics specialized in countermagic, travel with military escorts to the borders of Ragesia. Their first target is Gate Pass, its neutrality long viewed as an insult to the nation’s honor. Those who resist them will have to face the searing power of the Ragesian Empire.
An entire army marches for Gate Pass, and the people of the city fear that they will not be able to resist the might of the Ragesian military. The city leaders are bowing under pressure and have barred exit from the city, intending to welcome the Inquisitors that come with the army in the foolish hope that the Ragesians will reward their cooperation with mercy.
The Ragesian army is nearly at Gate Pass’s doorstep, so time is short. The war is about to begin.
A local resistance movement devoted to keeping both the Ragesians and the Shahalesti out of the city has formed in the dark underbelly of city, and you each have your reasons for gathering near midnight at a small tavern about a mile from the western city wall.
dotting.
As one of the newest graduates of Gabal's School Thon was warned earlier by Gabal of the events to come. Being a wizard, and especially a war wizard, had the effect of putting an extra large target on his chest. Gabal offered 2 choices, flee before the army arrives or join the burgeoning Resistance. Not willing to abandon his home for all these many years, he decided to stay and help the underground resistance.
Now he finds himself waiting to meet his newfound partners in the Resistance....
Fist Worgbane may not be one of the most successful ranchers around Gate Pass but he is not going to stand for anyone dictating how he lives or who are his friends.
"The Ragesian Empire can lick the warts on my mighty hind before I'll allow them to dictate terms to me."
Fist's Maul stands ready to send the upstarts back to their masters with a few facial improvements.
Fist stands with his breathern in the Resistance. "We knew this day was coming and we are ready to whip arse."
Audric wanders the streets of Gate Pass, whistling to himself. If he had any sense, he would of left this city weeks ago. But no, this town was too much fun to leave now, when the tempo's reaching it's peak and all the players are working their hardest to create their greatest symphony yet. Yes, he's going to stay here until Ragesia's nearing the gates, and not a moment later.
Of course, Audric's helping the rebellion until then. Better than simply aimlessly wandering the streets and hoping he finds something interesting, in any case. Was he supposed to be meeting someone tonight? No matter. If he's supposed to meet someone tonight, then he'll find the meetingplace, and right on time. He always does.
You are each contacted and scheduled to meet someone named Torrent at the Poison Apple Pub a little before midnight on New Year’s Eve. You were told to enter by the side alley door.
With fears of invasion high, the streets are fairly deserted and normal festivities are muted, letting you travel unmolested.
You find yourself in a poorer district filled with slush-covered cobblestone streets and gloomy, snow-filled alleyways. The night is dark and claustrophobic, and the buildings of the city loom over the shadowy streets. There are no lights in most windows.
The pub itself is a two-story building attached by a rooftop bridge to an abandoned house on the right. A stable is to the building’s left. The front door and windows are boarded up, and the curtains are drawn. An Official Notice is posted on its door. The alleys on both sides of the pub are littered with debris and the fetor of drunkenness. An overhead bridge shadows a door on the right side and the alley is blocked at the end by refuse and broken furniture.
'Willy Grubfoot, a real low down street-rat, the scoundrel of gate's pass! I heard they call him the street rat because he actually chewed through a set of cuffs!' Willy the halfling chuckles to himself as he jots down these notes in a small leather book. He realizes that he is coming up to his destination and snaps it shut under his nose.
The halfling looks around the alley and approaches the door. He knocks in an odd and broken pattern, grinning to himself.
Arrika could care less about the reasons for the invasion. The resistance hired to help with the efforts to resist. So she shows up, sees the place is closed, and slips into the alley as well. Seeing Willy, she watches the knocking as she leans on her halberd.
Audric comes walking down the street and begins to grin when he spies Willy at the door, waiting until he's next to him to greet him. "Hey, Willy! We were supposed to meet here, weren't we?", he says absentmindedly before leaning against the wall next to the door and tearing off the notice. "Well, at least we're not here to meet this guy."
The halfling turns on his heel to face the Half-elf.
"We sure this is the place? I doubt the brew's going to be fresh in there." The halfling tries to hop up to get a glimpse in a boarded up window.
As mentioned, it's a relatively poor section of town but not a slum. It is in the westernmost section of town.
Finner is not a wizard himself (as far as you know), but he Poison Apple was a regular hangout of "subversive" types, including students of Gabal's school and Resistance members. His wife seems to be continuing to offer the space for meetings.
The halfling tries to hop up to get a glimpse in a boarded up window.
You can't see anything through the windows but are pretty sure that there is a light peeking between some of the boards.
When you knock on the alley door, a moment passes and then it cracks open. A tall, well-tanned woman with short white hair peeks out into the alleyway and looks both ways. She lets you in, gesturing to a single table where she has set up a lamp, map, several mugs, and a small keg of beer.
The darkened pub appears empty, its many tables and chairs pushed to one wall and covered with sheets. A single table with enough chairs for all of you sits in the middle of the room. A small oil lamp and a keg sit on top of it, along with several mugs. Unless the shadows beyond hide more, your group and the woman are the only people in the room.
While you are settling down, the woman picks up a mug of beer and speaks. “Good evening, all. My name is Torrent. Thanks for coming,” She gestures towards the keg and mugs, and with a wan smile says, “Have a drink. Just because we’re about to go to war doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the New Year.” She then takes a pull of her mug and sits down. For a few minutes, through small talk and friendly banter, the New Year is celebrated.
Walking in, the Tiefling slides back a chair and drops into it. She has one drink before leaning back and stretching her legs out. She casually looks over the others that have been asked to come here.
"I'm Arrika." she says, after that appraisal, and flicks a quick smile.
Fist doesn't bother to knock at the side door but heads in directly. Knocking is a sign of weakness in Half-Orc culture because it means you have to beg from someone for something.
If the door is actually barred then Fist will know that he is dealing with people that he won't be very trusting with. A barred door is a sure sign of people with secrets and people with secrets usually want to stab you in the back in Half-Orc culture.
'Only trust the open door' is an Orc saying. 'Traps and locks are for the weak with secrets.'
When Fist gets in he is dressed in hides with a large Maul slung over his shoulders. He has his adventurer's backpack with him. Normally he wouldn't carry his backpack full of gear but with the Ragesian Empire on the doorstep and his meetings with the Resistance, he needs to be ready to travel and act with his full gear.
Fist sets his backpack by a chair and glares each of the people in the eye. Fist has greyish skin but brightly colours it with red paint in the Half-Orc style including dying his hair red.
A person that won't look you in the eye has secrets and is planning ill. That is the lesson of Kord the One-Eyed. Stinking Corellon. 'Know your enemies but know your friends better.'
Fist takes a mug of ale and sits saying,
"Stinking Ragesians and worthless council. Merrick Hurt is an insult to all Half-Orcs. Too much civilization and not enough blood in is family.
Holding Trehan Finner for some Ragesian approval squad. Bad days. Bad days is what I say this is. My grand daddy would be grinding his axe edge right now if he were alive and preparing to make a few more Ragesian soldiers had 'accidents' while on patrols.
I may be worth cow pitch when it comes to ranching but I do got the spirit of my Grand daddy when it comes to using a weapon and cracking Ragesian heads."
Fist doesn't bother to knock at the side door but heads in directly. Knocking is a sign of weakness in Half-Orc culture because it means you have to beg from someone for something.
The door was, in fact, locked before Torrent opened it.
If you mention it, she responds with a smile, saying, "I guess I've got something to hide, then. Like, perhaps, that I'm a member of a secret Resistance movement and subject to 'detainment' by the authorities."
Thom is the last one to arrive, preferring to have the opportunity to guage his situation, before jumpimg into anything. thom walks him and simply nods to his acquaintenances, as well as Torrent.
You all see a young man who carries himself with the ease of confidence, although he carries no weapons openly, you do note the slander wand holstered at his belt.
"I am Thom. Please to meet you all. As you have already surmised, I have a...vested...interest to see the Ragasians thwatred in their invasion attempts. I hope all of you see the wisdom in that philosophy."
He takes a sip of the strong ale in acknowledgement of the holiday.
Willy has already poured himself a glass that is very close to over flowing.
The halfling is very young looking but it's obvious that he is a member of the streets. Most of his gear looks second hand, nothing looks brand new. He has shoulder length dirty blonde hair with wavy curls, it's a bit of a mess itself. Even with his worn out appearance there is something fresh and lively about the little guy.
He sits at the table with his ale, "Willy Grubfoot, Thief and Rogue extraordinaire at your service."
The half-elf pours himself a drink before smiling at the tiefling. "A pleasure to meet you, Arrika. I'm Audric Dolet. I suppose I could be described as an astronomer, but let's say I want to stay out of Ragesia's hands as much as Thom does."
Thom and Fist:
Torrent grimaces, straightens in her chair and bitterly sighs, “That’s one year gone.” She shakes her head a little, then looks over the table towards you and quietly says, “I guess it’s time to get down to business.
“The city’s in trouble. The Ragesian army is marching on us, and will most likely be here tomorrow. Before then, we have a mission. I used to study at a magic academy to the south, called Lyceum. They’re good people. So when word reached them about Ragesia’s ‘Scourge,’ they sent out messages calling for anyone fleeing Ragesia to come to them. They want to stand against the Ragesians, and the resistance wants their help. We just need to get a message to them.
“Normally we would have sent something by teleporting courier, but something strange is going on with planar magic. The last courier who teleported into Gate Pass, well, rumor is that he showed up burnt to a crisp. Not that I have that sort of magic anyway, but if we’re going to talk to Lyceum, we’re going to have to go overland. And that’s a problem, because the city’s walls are sealed.
“Ever since their emperor died, the Ragesians have been trying to show that they’re not weak, and they’re marching an army in our direction because the mountain pass we’re in is apparently ‘strategically valuable.’ Either way, a few idiots on the city council want to negotiate with the Ragesians, and rumor is they’re going to invite a group of Inquisitors into the city to look for ‘magic-users who are hostile to the empire.’ They’ve sealed the gates of the city so no one can escape, to make sure they look like they’re cooperating, and only military personnel can get in or out.
“We’re going to have to get out of the city, and I’m open to suggestions on how. Once we’re out, I can get us safely to Lyceum, but before we get ahead of ourselves, we have a mission tonight.
“The short version is that we’ve got to meet a contact — a gnome named Rivereye Badgerface — in about an hour at a guarded depository about a half-mile from here. He’s carrying a case of vital military intelligence which he stole from the Ragesian palace, and the heads of the resistance think that it needs to reach Lyceum. We’ve got to get that case, get out of the city, and get far away from here before the idiot city council lets the Ragesian Inquisitors in. Once that happens, the odds of us escaping are —” she finishes off her mug of beer in one long guzzle “— slim.
“I know I’d love to stay here and fight against the Ragesians, but I’m no soldier, and this mission might be more important. Worst case, you get away from the Ragesians and we can part ways a few days down the road. Best case, you can come with me to Lyceum, and we come back with an army of our own to drive off the Ragesians. But we’ve got to act fast either way.
“Are you ready for this?”
Thom, after hearing this news from Torrent, thinks to himself, So this is it, this may be the end of everything I hold dear. The loss of my home, my school, everything I care about. I will be, must be strong enough to do this.
"I am ready, Torrent."
Fist swirls the froth in his mug and then takes a swig.
"Personally, I think all the citizens should pick up sticks, call them wands and walk around with them. Let the Inquisitors spend the next six weeks trying to sort out who is a mage and who isn't.
Still, if this is what you need from me Torrent then I'm in.
I'd rather be taking Finner out of the city with us but I know better than bust heads with the watch. Course, we could all put requests in pots and hope the priests pick the right ones.
Been known to happen that the gods choose the right pots or the people get together to all choose to put the same wish in the pots. Say a wish to let the wizards or the hunted all out of the city.
This is New Years by the bells.
Kord only helps the strong and even Pellor only works with those willing to get and do a honest days work.
But whatever you want, I'm in.
And if it will do any good the Resistance can use my stead out beyond the walls to stash stuff or people. It ain't much of a place but if it can keep the Ragesian Bandits off someone then I guess its done its worth."
Thom looks over at the half orc and smirks, "If we tried that, they would just lock everybody up and call it a day. And we would never hear from them again. The Ragasian Empire would stop at nothing to crush all magi beneath their heels."
He gets up, and then turns back to Fist, saying, "And their associates."
Arrika thinks about it for a few moments and then smiles. "It sounds like a fun mission, I'm in. Do we need to break him out of the depository or will he be walking out on his own? And, once we have him, do you have an escape route planned?"
"I'm in. I doubt I'd be able to find a way out of the city on my own before the Inquisitors came."
"Bah! The Inquisitors might wish to crush the world's mages and the Ragasian's may think they are the world but they're not.
My Grand daddie and Daddie both fought and resisted them when they last came to Gate's Pass.
They are like the wind that blows hard in the morning but in the evening runs away.
They may come but their will be much weeping among their ancestors for having done so."
Arrika thinks about it for a few moments and then smiles. "It sounds like a fun mission, I'm in. Do we need to break him out of the depository or will he be walking out on his own? And, once we have him, do you have an escape route planned?"
Torrent says, "He is not being held at the depository, it is simply a meeting place. His normal contact, Peppin Tallman, a human wizard from Lyceum, occasionally passed information to the resistance but was found dead a week ago. A Speak with Dead ritual used on Tallman revealed an upcoming meeting with Rivereye, but not the killer’s identity. Tallman’s code-phrase and signet ring were also recovered and given to me. I am worried that someone else is after the case, and that Rivereye might spook when he sees Peppin is not there, which is why we must use care in our approach to Rivereye.
"As for leaving the city, that is a bit less clear to me. Only city personnel and diplomats are allowed beyond the well-patrolled city walls, and the gates are securely locked. I feel our only hope is finding someone with political power, or convincing the mages at Gabal’s school to lend their magic to aid their escape. That said, I'm certainly open to other suggestions. Once we are out of the city, I am fairly certain that the route I have in mind will keep us away from any pursuit or the Ragesian scouts that have been scattered all over the mountains and surrounding lands. What do you think about getting out?"
"Bah! The Inquisitors might wish to crush the world's mages and the Ragasian's may think they are the world but they're not.
My Grand daddie and Daddie both fought and resisted them when they last came to Gate's Pass.
They are like the wind that blows hard in the morning but in the evening runs away.
They may come but their will be much weeping among their ancestors for having done so."
Torrent smiles, a bit sadly, and says, "I admire your bravery my friend. You do your ancestors proud, but word is that the army headed to Gate Pass has easily over ten thousand men and is under the command of General Danava, one of Ragesia's finest military minds. Although they do not have many magic-users aside from the Inquisitors, they do have some wyvern mounts and a few monstrous allies. At best, I believe that Gate Pass is strong enough to fight off an assault, and can easily survive a siege of several months, long enough for us to get to Lyceum and bring back reinforcements."
Thom:
Re: Inquisitors. The Inquisitors hunt for dangerous magic, which in their mind pretty much means any arcane magic used by other people. They have special skills for stopping other mages’ spells. Most Inquisitors are humans, orcs, or half-orcs, and they carry metal claws on their hands. Many Inquisitors are skilled interrogators who use their claws to slit the wrists of prisoners, forcing the prisoner to answer quickly.
Inquisitors are almost exclusively divine spellcasters who prefer spells of divine fire and protection. They wear masks to shield their souls, and thus are more resistant to mind-affecting magic. No one has seen Supreme Inquisitor Leska’s face for nearly forty years. Inquisitors cannot turn or control undead unless they were killed by the Inquisitor. Such summoned undead seem mindless, but they respond to simple commands.
"Could we take sewer access out of the city?" Arrika asks. "If there is any? Or, perhaps, slip onto the walls and climb down them? Or bribe a patrol at a gate?" She seems to be just tossing out random ideas as they occur to her.
"Torrent speaks the truth, we should be able to find safe harbor at the Lyceum, though it is a long journey from here. Should we fight the Inquisitors, they have the means to counter my spells, so I will be of...limited use. They also have shielded their minds by wearing their masks. You can tell an Inquisitor by the claws they wear on their hands. Should we need to fight one, it would be best to engage them in melee, if at all possible."
Thom drains the last of his ale, after the sppeech, wishing he could have more.
In response to Arrika's question, he cautions "I think we need to concentrate first on meeting this gnome. Escape will come later. Perhaps Gabals academy will be able to help."
"Climb the walls? I doubt most of us could, even if the guards missed us. The sewers could work, but I'm certain I could convince the guards to let us pass. You could play them like a fiddle, if you know what strings to strum."
"Hiding your face does not necessarily hide your mind. When the music starts to play, will they not dance?"
"Convince the guards to let us pass? We can certainly just sneak past them and into the sewers. I hope none of you think you're too pretty to slip through that muck. But even if you are, you've got a good guide here."
Arrika:
Simeon serves as an advisor for nobles and rich merchants. To bolster the school’s legitimacy (and avoid Dassen levying taxes) he has recruited a cadre of talented warmages and battle clerics, and has offered Seaquen’s harbor as a home port for the Wayfarers, a group of magically-inclined entertainers.
The Inquisitors hunt for dangerous magic, which in their mind pretty much means any arcane magic used by other people. They have special skills for stopping other mages’ spells. Most Inquisitors are humans, orcs, or half-orcs, and they carry metal claws on their hands. Many Inquisitors are skilled interrogators who use their claws to slit the wrists of prisoners, forcing the prisoner to answer quickly.
Inquisitors are almost exclusively divine spellcasters who prefer spells of divine fire and protection. They wear masks to shield their souls, and thus are more resistant to mind- affecting magic. No one has seen Supreme Inquisitor Leska’s face for nearly forty years.
Audric:
The Inquisitors hunt for dangerous magic, which in their mind pretty much means any arcane magic used by other people. They have special skills for stopping other mages’ spells. Most Inquisitors are humans, orcs, or half-orcs, and they carry metal claws on their hands. Many Inquisitors are skilled interrogators who use their claws to slit the wrists of prisoners, forcing the prisoner to answer quickly. Inquisitors are almost exclusively divine spellcasters who prefer spells of divine fire and protection. They wear masks to shield their souls, and thus are more resistant to mind- affecting magic. No one has seen Supreme Inquisitor Leska’s face for nearly forty years. Inquisitors cannot turn or control undead unless they were killed by the Inquisitor. Such summoned undead seem mindless, but they respond to simple commands.
Willy:
Thom and Fist:
Torrent, seeing that Thom's mug is empty, refills it and says, "I think our friend here is right. We have time to consider a means to leave the city, but we must get to Rivereye soon, before he heads for safer harbors. May Melora guide us."
The Tiefling shakes her head. "Meeting the gnome does no good if we can't extract him. In the end, his information, not him, is the initial objective and getting it to the Lyceum is the overall goal. Without a way out of the city, the mission is rather useless. The sewers does seem like the best option. Less chance of being seen by anyone who might be aware of the value of what we'll be escorting."
She's ready to go whenever, and seems rather eager to start the mission.
"I know some of you might be new to this sneaky business but all the racket from the new year celebration is as good a distraction as we're gonna get. So let's go get this gnome"
History
Religion
"Well, I don't know much on squirming through no tunnels.
I ain't no goblin or kobold.
I'm built big and I think big.
I do got the equipment if'n you need to be scaling the walls. If'n I were you then I would head for one of the side gates that lead out of the city then the main gates.
Course, there'd still be the outposts to get buy even'f you gets out of the city.
But I'll go where'n'ver the Resistance sends me. I'm no thinker.
The only friends I got our fellow ranchers that no the value of the good earth and don't sit their arse off in some fancy shamcy palace playing little king like'n Merrick Hurt.
Twice curse his name."
Fist picks up his pack and shoulders his maul.
"Pity Mercineum left the city. My Grand daddie always praised the guts of them louts even'f they weren't as handsome as us ere Half-Orcs.
But, the festival is banging on outside and it would be a poor set we'ed be if'n we missed our date.
Course, I'll leave the actual meeting details to you'se civil types.
No gnome in'n his right mind wants to be stumbling across no Half-Orc with a Maul in the dark.
I'll stay back and you'se just hollar if'n there's any trouble."
Fist:
As your planning is winding down, the bells of the city's celebration suddenly go silent in the span of a few seconds. A few moments later, distant muted thumps fill the air, like the sound of ripe fruit landing on the roof of a house. Before you can do much more than glance at each other with expressions of curiosity, you are startled by a shout outside the front door of the pub, "Front door: go!"
A colossal thud rattles the front door, and it cracks down the middle, half continuing to hang from the hinges, the other slowly tipping over and falling into the room. On the other side of the door, shadowy figures stand in the darkness.
Damn, we've been set up!
Edited to get Init bonus.
"So, another willing audience throwing themselves at my feet."
"Head for the side door. I'll hold them off."
Initiative:
Willy
Fist
Audric
Thom
Arrika
Torrent
Map
Notes: It is a minor action to open a door and a move action to undo the bar on the side door.
It is a minor action to draw a weapon (barring Quick Draw feat)
The stairs are difficult terrain.
The room is dimly lit by Torrent's lantern, so characters without low-light vision (Thom and Willy, I believe) have a -2 to attacks.
Willy, you're up.
Willy unwraps the sling from his wrist and bolts towards the Bar, He leaps up and over the counter. The halfling begins twirling his sling in preparation for the attack.