The Strangler of the Shadow Moor (Inactive)

Game Master Terquem

A Mystery

The country is called Vologna, and it found on the northwest part of Ibalnd (a small island continent off of the West Coast of Emalia). It is a place of windswept mountains, deep mysterious valleys, and treacherous bogs.

The Town is called Connie’s Bright, and it is a coastal town of the Bay of Mericalnd.

The Tavern is called Two Barrels, and it is near the pier, a stone’s throw from the flat wall that extends out into the bay where Connie’s Bright Lighthouse sits.

The Barman is called Nigel. The barmaid is called Holly, and there are three patrons in the bar tonight

Nathaniel Boote, a Halfling, and a man of the law.

Tessrimea Neissomat, a Gymnagaopthian priestess, from the north coast, a land called Drasbia

Paulina Southmiller, a Dwarven woman, from across the sea, a place called Holdandun

These three sit separately, quietly, and each is deep in thought

Four people have been murdered in the last three weeks. Their bodies found just outside of town, to the northwest, near the Shadow Moor. The Shire Reeve of Connie’s Bright will not talk about the murders beyond saying, the people were not locals, but were all travelers, and that they were all strangled to death, and their bodies defiled.

How about an Open RPG? Create a first level character, with an 18 point build, no restrictions, 150 starting gold, any race (from the PRDs), any class. Enter the tavern of Two Barrels and talk to the people who are there. You’ve just arrived, on a ship from the south or the east. The mountains to the north of Connie’s Bright, are rumored to be rich with ruins filled with treasure, or so you’ve heard, but something dangerous prowls the nights. Can you help the town end the reign of terror of the Strangler of the Shadow Moor?

I walk to Nathaniel. "Hello there, sir. You seem a bit...off."

"Good Evening, Sir. I don't believe we've met. My name is Nathaniel Boote, but my friends call me Artegal," the Halfling says with a smile.

“I am a bit off, today, sir, a bit off is an excellent way of describing it. You see, it all started a week ago, but wait, where are my manners, please, have a seat and tell me your name and what brings you to Connie’s Bright. I, for one, hold on,” he leans away from the table and calls to the maid of the tavern.

She is a young red haired woman, a human girl, with a thin frame, and square shoulders. Her eyes are golden brown, and she has a wide warm smile that she flashes when Artegal calls her name.

”Holly, Holly, can we have a bottle of wine here, please? So, where was I? Yes, Connie’s Bright. I come from Eshia, to the west. It is a small country of Emalia, and I came here looking for my brother, but there seems to be no sign of him here and I was thinking of setting off for Basconde, then I heard about these murders, yes, friend, murders. Something awful plagues this town.”

"Name's Edward. Wandering...hero, I guess. What's this about something awful?"

”Awful is an understatement, Edward. You see it’s like this. You don’t have to believe me. Ask around, find out for yourself. I’ve heard some people say that as many as ten people, all newcomers to this town, have been murdered. Their bodies found out near the moors just to the west of town. So, naturally,” Nathaniel leans back in his chair and crosses his arms, “when I heard about this I went right to the Shire Reeve, a woman by the name of Allyson Docker, and offered my assistance in the search for the killer, but,” suddenly he leans forward and points a finger at Edward, ”You tell me what reason she would have for this. She told me to stay away from the moors, and keep muyself locked in at night. She told me, basically, to mind my own business, and that she didn’t need any more strangers causing trouble in her town. Think of that, refusing help, when there is obviously something out there that is killing people. It just makes no sense, you know, unless, unless she’s hiding something, protecting someone. I’ve recently begun wondering if it could be the work of a cult. Maybe its ritualistic, or something like that. Maybe, maybe someone in this town is pacifying an evil and that’s just not right.”

"As a newcomer, I have a personal investment in this matter." Edward chuckles. "Tell me where she lives. I'll help you stop this."

"It is late, and she will be at home, I imagine, and I don't know where that is. Also, I've had, ahem, a difficult time dealing with her, so perhaphs you should go alone, or ask someone who hasn't already spoken to her to go with you. But, Edward, please, be careful. The tavern keeper here is a friend of the Inn Keeper next door, and helped me secure a room while I'm here. Don't be out in the dark alone, please, be safe.If you are willing to wait until morning, the office of the Shire Reeve and jail for this town is a tall wooden building next to the Town Hall, across from the Temple, the one made of white stone. It is in the center of the town, just to the northeast of here, you can't miss it."

I'm assuming Android is allowed. They even talk a bunch on this thread about the race!

A person walks into the tavern. They walk fluidly, but there is a noticeable mechanical element to their movement, always stepping in perfect tempo and arms moving at a precise distance from their lithe body every time.

Their skin is pale and strange circuitry-like markings that look like faintly glowing tattoos are all over their body, most noticeably at the right side of their neck and in circles around their arms. Two bandoliers wrap around their chest and a large metal contraption that some may identify as a musket is strapped to their back.

The person stops. They turn their head, looking at the room. Their hair is a bright artificial red and a metallic sheen covers their blue eyes; their gaze passes from person to person before they rest on the barman.

They approach.

"This unit requires accommodations for this night," they say, words smooth and direct. Their voice is androgynous, like the rest of them. "Direct this unit to the nearest lodging."

Gawd, gawd, gawd, I am so tempted to have the Barman say in as gruff a voice as possible, "hey, we don't serve their kind in here, your droids leave them outside...but no. Yeah let's see where this goes.

”Welcome to Two barrels,” Nigel says to the strange “man” like person. ”Sure thing, stranger. I’ll send Holly over to the Blue Roof and see if they’ve got any rooms left. While you wait, can I interest you in a drink, perhaps? Whiskey, ten years in the wood, straight from southern Eshia, or I’ve Basconde’s finest wines, and beer by the pint, or quart if you’ve a mind for that.Make yourself comfortable.”

*Stares at M.A.R.V.I.N* "Hello there, sir or mam."

There will be other opportunities. Like when I approach a mercenary and shoot first.

"This unit thanks you," they say. "A beverage with no alcohol content would be preferred."

They take the nearest seat regardless of where it is located.

When Captain Edward Curnow greets them, they turn to face him. "This unit acknowledges your greeting and responds in kind: Hello."

"This...unit? If you don't mind me asking, sir or mam, what ARE you?"

". . . No data available."

"...what in the Nine Hells does THAT mean? Ah well, don't matter. Wanna solve a murder with me?"

A pause. "There exists no reason not to do so. Affirmative. I will join you."

"I can't believe that actually worked. So, where'd you come from?"

Meanwhile on another world, 26 parsecs away

“The name is Parker, Ma’am, Parker Andersen,” The short man in the long, dark coat said as he extended his hand. “I was told you needed someone with my skills. I’m not often ready to take a job for the IRS, but this fellow that works for you, Sandin, was his name, seemed awfully serious, and mentioned a large figure, six figures, in fact. So, what’s the story?”

Her name, Margaret Band, was printed in bold letters on the badge she wore hanging on a lanyard around her neck. She was a tall, Elven woman, with sharp features, a set of dark green eyes, and blond hair pushed back behind long slender ears. She smiled, and Parker liked her smile, he liked her look, he liked her shape, and maybe, when the deal was worked out, he’d ask he if he could buy her a drink, but as she was a ranking officer in the Interplanetary Relief Society, he didn’t get his hopes up.

“Mister Andersen,” She said, as she opened a sealed memory carrier on her desk, “We have received a transmission form a field operative, a scout living among locals on a protected planet in the Candle District. According to my sources, you’ve visited this world on more than one occasion, twice without proper licensing or permits, and in both those cases you somehow managed to get a suspended judgment. Now I see here,” she said looking at a holo-sythidoc on her desk, “that in both of these examinations, the examiner was later involved in a romantic situation with you, one of these women ended up leaving her post to follow you to the next system, where you set her up as an imports and exports credit conversion auditor for Express Services Limited, a company you are a partner with, is this correct?”

Parker did not take offense to the accusations. She had it pretty much dead to rights. He looked her straight into the top pair of her four eyes, and faked it.

“Now, that’s far enough, Missus Band. Did I come here to be arrested? Are you holding a class nine warrant, because if you aren’t you can just,” he said tightening the muscles in his neck.

“No, sir, not at all, although,” she purred, “I should tell you that as a Captain in the IRS, I don’t need a class nine warrant to hold you, sir. I can have you detained for up to ninety standard terran days, simply to watch your hair grow. But I have no intention of arresting you, and it’s Misses Band. I’m not married.”

Parker grinned. It was one of his best moves. He removed his fedora, an ancient garment, a hat they called them. Something he purchased twenty years ago from a vintage collector travelling through Lighthouse when Parker was still working as a beat cop, patrolling the lab districts.

“I need you help Mister Andersen,” She went on, and then opened the memory carrier. She took the small cylinder and placed it on the reader on the corner of her desk. A Thermo-vid image began to play above the reader. It showed what looked to Parker to be a regular pub, or perhaps a tavern, the interior, a few patrons sitting at tables minding their own business. Then, sure as space is cold, into this old world style pub walks a centuries old Class II M.A.R.V.I.N. unit, carrying what looked to Parker like a very old black powder rifle.

The M.A.R.V.I.N. unit spoke to the barman, and then took up a conversation with what appeared to be a local. The translators of the Memory cylinder were working slowly, and the words these people were saying were being slowly displayed, with some minor errors of syntax, across the bottom of the scene.

“So,” Parker leaned back and folded his arms, “You telling me that a class II android, from what, two maybe three hundred years ago, is active on this protected planet, and I’m guessing it’s not one of yours and you want me to find out how it got there. Is that it?”

“No, Mister Andersen, we pretty much know how it got there. Are you familiar with the crash of the Hospital Ship Contagion?”

“Sure, I’ve read the novelization. I’ve seen all the movies they made about that, but didn’t it crash on Hamth? Wait, are you saying the world in the Candle System you want me to go back to is Hamth, and you want me to go there, why exactly? To shut this thing down? Any one of your cadets could pull that off. Why do you need me?”

“If you are familiar with Hamth, Mister Andersen, then you know that black powder weapons do not function on that world, something about a powerful wish tied to a source of magic that is the reason for this world's protected status, but our agent has filled this report, and confirmed that this weapon does not come from the wreckage of the Contagion. If it functions, as we suspect it does, and it would be consistent with three other reports recently filled from this world, then something has changed. Something very serious has changed on the world of Hamth. And we want to know what that is. We have nineteen field agents living on Hamth, but no one with your experience and contacts. Currently, where this report was filled, there is some kind of local disturbance taking place, one we, naturally will not get involved in, but it could be the perfect cover for you. I’d like you to take this job. I’m prepared to offer you four hundred thousand now and another four hundred thousand if you find the source of this change in the world’s normal patterns. I have a contract, and because I was feeling particularly confident you’d say yes, I took the liberty of having Miss Shelly Danvers review it for you. I’m sure you trust her expertise.” She handed Parker the contract.

“Shelly, you say,” he laughed. “Boy I miss her, she was something special. I really need to get back around to that system someday.”

“That’s what she said.”

Ibalnd, Vologna, Connie’s Bright, Two Barrels Tavern, Night (approximately 9:00 pm)

Nigel speaks with Holly. The young girl smiles, and then looks passed Nigel, at the strange looking man, and her brow wrinkles but she quickly regains her composure and smiles toward the three men.

Holly wipes her hands on her apron and cheerfully bounds off through the door into the night while Edward introduces the strange man to Nathaniel.

Hands are offered all around, Nigel brings a pitcher of water to the table, and just as he sets it down there is a blood curdling scream from outside that echoes through the tavern.

The dwarven woman jumps from her chair and dashes for the door. The beautiful Gymnaga girl sways to the side, and lowers her torso down so that her arms are only a foot above the floor and then she slithers quickly behind the dwarven woman.

Draw my sword and follow. "Come on, M.A.R.V.I.N!"

MARVIN stands and follows the captain, no emotion on their face.

"Get ready your weapon, and keep an eye out!" I say as we follow the others.

As Captain Curnow and MARVIN exit the tavern, a strange wind, which seems to momentarily numb without chilling, sweeps across them from the direction of the sea - which is strange, because the wind hadn't been coming from there. They look out into the sea beyond the pier and see an odd spectacle something like this.

Staggering onto the edge of the pier is a small, gaunt, very dark man in the garb of some strange foreign land, nonetheless unmistakable as aristocratic finery. He eventually manages to halt himself, and his eyes meet theirs in the dim light: Though vacant and seemingly not at all well at first, a spark rises in them as he mouths the words: "Sasithorn Xuwicha Thaang Loom."

His face then abruptly brightens, almost, it would seem, at the somehow-necessary expense of what little light is around him, and he leaps in a flamboyant about-face, looks over the ocean and into the sky, and makes a rude gesture toward the heavens.

"Sasithorn Xuwicha Thaang Loom, and DON'T YOU FORGET IT! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!!!"

Suddenly remembering eyes behind him, he reverses his facing once again, makes a small bow (more of a 30-degree tilt, really), and extends his left hand toward the two in front of him, even though they are several feet apart.

"Sasithorn of Storied House Thaang Loom, at your service, I represent the Wayang nation, how do you do?" A strange look, bearing just a hint of inner distress, crosses his face, almost like a trick of the light. "Umm...where am I?"

"Edward, and my friend is M.A.R.V.I.N. Conbue's Bright, Vologna. Wanna solve a murder with us?"

Here is a link to a Drop Box folder that shows the Encounter. The blue outlined boxes are supposed to be water, the brown outline boxes are buildings and the black outline box is a sea wall, you can walk on the top of it, that extends to the Connie's Bright Lighthouse. The Barmaid is the blonde surrounded by strange black creatures with huge mouths and many tentacles. Let's call it Round 1, and have everyone roll for Initiative

Encounter At Two Barrels, Night

A Halfling fellow, carrying a Pole Weapon of some kind, with a leather guard laced over the head of the weapon, shouts to the dark stranger calling himself, Sassithorn

Nathaniel
Did you hear a scream? What direction did it come from?

Anyone else interested in joining, just jump right in...

Init: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (19) + 5 = 24

Initiative: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (13) + 4 = 17
Perception (Hearing, for scream): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (19) + 10 = 29

This looks intriguing, I am thinking halfling umbral shadow sorcerer.

Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (8) + 2 = 10

Sasithorn laughs weakly. "I hear screams...coming from all directions," He starts muttering inaudibly to himself. "Still, all light fades...."

"Creep."

Love to have you, Tin Foil

Nathaniel Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Tessrimea Initiative: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
Paulina Initiative: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Once everyone has gathered in the street, Nathaniel turns to the pretty Dwaven maid and says, ”You and I should go this way” (he points to the west),” and the rest of you should go that way” (he points to the east)

The Gymnaga woman rises up to stand on her knee bone and looks worried for a moment.

Monster initiative: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (7) + 7 = 14

”We have an advantage in numbers and the disadvantage of not knowing what we are up against. Should we separate? I think we should stay together. Don’t you?” She looks at Marvin, and then at Edward, and then glances over her shoulder toward the shadowy figure by the sea. ”Should we trust that one?”

"Position calculated with negligible loss of accuracy," MARVIN says. "The sound originated approximately forty feet northeast from our current position. Previous data concludes origin to be the alley behind the building facing the tavern."

Sasithorn's gaze meets Tessrimea's. "A shadow follows my shadow...Tessrimea! How splendid to see you!" He abruptly blinks. "We know each other, correct?"

"We can take 'em. I've seen uglier."

"Are you mad, sir? I've never seen you before in my life." The Gymnaga woman exclaims.

"Please, Sir, I did not learn your name," she slithers up next to Edward. "Take who, exactly? Do you think we should follow the instructions of this curious speaking foreigner? Is there some menace you are aware of? I don’t see anything.”

Finally she turns to Marvin and exclaims, ”Oh, yes I understand now what you are saying. The sound came from over there,” she points to the alley.

she moves to D,5, and peers around the corner

"Just something I say now and again." I follow her.

Sasithorn's face is blank for a moment as Tessrimea's words register. He takes a moment to look back out at the sea before running up to join the others.

Thaang Loom, he thinks to himself. This is what we do. This is what we are....

Marvin walks next to her, drawing her musket with one smooth motion on the way.

Move to D-6.

Tessrimea waits as Marvin moves to the corner of the building and Edward comes up behind her. She whispers to Edward

”Do you think this strange being with the coppery hair can see in the dark? By the way, I am called Tessrimea, or Tess for short. I saw you talking with the Halfling earlier, he’s been here for a couple of days but is mostly a quiet fellow, you know I…”

She stops and screams when suddenly a strange black shadowy shape comes into the alley toward the north.

It is about the strangest think you have ever seen. It has no legs, to speak of, nor any kind of real body. Even in the dim light of the moon and stars you can see that it is semi-spherical, a round shape that seems to have undefined edges. It rolls, or actually a better description would be it bops across the ground as it moves by dragging itself with tentacles. You do not see any eyes, but it definitely has a mouth. As the thing rolls and bumps up and down over its own legs you see a gaping maw filled with small sharp teeth for a moment and then the thing is rolling again, and it is coming toward you.

"Well, you know Tess, we can *scream*...damnit!"

Currently at E5.

Knowledge(whatever Applies): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (10) + 2 = 12 Move 6 squares to A8 and attack the one in front of me Attack: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (6) + 3 = 9 for Damage: 1d6 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

"Hostile sighted."

MARVIN moves forward and lifts their musket, firing it with a deafening bang.

5-foot-step to C,6, attack with musket.

Battered Musket {base + BAB mods + PBS (point-blank shot) - firing into melee}: 1d20 + 5 + 1 - 4 ⇒ (15) + 5 + 1 - 4 = 17
Damage {base + PBS}: 1d12 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7

Expended a bullet and a dose of black powder. Target is the one at -C,9, but if they've moved since the last update, whichever hostile is nearest.

Some updated moves

*Hearing a commotion behind his new favorite bar in town, a dwarf covered in furs of the northern lands approaches the scene, seeing the tentacled thing he yells out*

"Back to whatever hell you crawled out of"

If possible I will move within range of the group and cast bless and wait for a token of my bad self to be put on the board

Under the assumption that it's my turn now...

I move to D-7.

Knowledge (Planes): 1d20 + 10 ⇒ (5) + 10 = 15

If the applicable Knowledge check happens to be Arcana or History, take the result above, but subtract 1 from the result.

What seems like a splinter of pure nothingness lances out from Sasithorn's outstretched hand.

I cast an Arrow of Dusk at the monster at A-7.

ranged touch attack: 1d20 + 3 - 6 ⇒ (5) + 3 - 6 = 2

I've had a really busy week and got put on a project to design and build an automated robotic bar code reader for 55 gallon drums, just been swamped, but I will get back on this game this weekend.

Thursday Night (turn 129), outside the Two Barrels tavern

Round 1

Edward rushes headlong toward the strange apparition and is surprised when the thing shoots out three thread like tentacles that attack his legs trying to trip him up

AoO, Melee Slam+Trip: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
Damage From Slam if >16: 1d4 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5
CM, Trip versus CMD 14: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (19) + 4 = 23

The tentacles slap at Edwards legs raising welts that sting and pulse with something unnatural. He stumbles in his headlong rush and falls prone to the ground right in front of the monster

Edward – takes 5 points of non lethal Damage, and is prone in B,7

Just as Edward falls to the ground, Marvin steps around the corner and fires a shot from his musket aiming at the body of the strange creature. The bullet strikes the body and appears to pass through the shadowy substance that is part real and part miasma of night, pulling some of the creature’s body away as it exits the other side.

Marvin, please make a Perception Check, you are trying to beat a 13

Meanwhile

the other two monsters drag away the body of the fallen bar maid, moving slowly

move 10 feet to where Holy is at –E,7

The monster that tripped Edward, turns and begins to flee
moves to –D,6

Sasithorn runs toward the commotion from the pier and throws a bolt of pure shadows at the fleeing monster. He has a gut feeling that the monster is somehow connected to the plane of Shadows, and immediately begins to regret attacking it with essence summoned forth from the very same plane where this creature may originate, luckily he misses, and has time to rethink his strategy.

Tessrimea steps around the corner and reaches down to the ground to collect a few pebbles while she begins casting a spell.

Tess – casting magic Stone

Paulina and Nathaniel run around the west side of the building and encounter another Dwarf

Sir,

Paulina pauses and approaches the fur clad dwarf, We heard a scream, but we aren’t sure where it came from, did you see anything in this area?

Paulina, Nathaniel, and Xor are behind the Tavern, and just now see two shadowy, tentacle blobs coming from the east side of the tavern, and headed toward them, the monsters are 30’ away from Xor, who I have not placed on the map yet, but will be at –E,-1