Curtains of water fall from the sky as you traverse the labyrinthine walkways of Sharn. The stone and wooden paths wind around and between the towers and spires high above the ground, forming a complex latticework that can be very confusing on evenings such as this. The rain falls hard, running off higher walkways and balconies in drenching waves, making it difficult to see much more than a few feet ahead of you. The distant glow of everbright lanterns, barely visible in the soaking gloom, does little to light the paths on this warm, wet evening.
Tell me when you reach point A.
Hal approaches the everburning torch in the rain, hood drawn up and quarterstaff clicking on the cobblestones as he walks. The rain streams off his peaked hood and leather treated cloak, leaving his face in shadow for the moment.
"Lousy day to be out and about, eh."
His voice is deep and without regional accent, just loud enough to be conversational over the falling precipitation.
"It is a good day. Hides movement, masks sound, very useful to be out in." Not 2 B's mechanical voice chirped, his usual tinny resonance sounding much more vibrant with the rain wetting his throat. True to his word the little warforged was nearly invisible in the torrential downpour, almost like he had been made to be at home in it.
"It's . . . appropriate. A sunny day seems more gloomy than this." Mane opines, the cloak let back to allow the rain to drench his hairless head. Instinctively, he touched the spot inside his cloak where he has his dead wife's spell book and journal, safe and dry that at least.
Alexio draws his cloak in a bit tighter. "If I wanted an adventure on the high seas I would have gone to the coast. It doesn't seem right for it to rain this much. It's going to take my clothes all night to dry out when we get back. Bloody rain."
Although he dislikes getting wet without a purpose, Alexio still keeps an eye out. Not 2B makes a good point, hard to see, hard to hear. Although he and his comrades are not sneaking, others may be. He keeps a sharp eye out as best he can.
"Hrm. Good to see you again Alexio. . . strange how we keep arriving at the same spot? Perhaps the spirits are guiding us together. . ."
You all see a dead body on one of the tower bridges. It appears to be a human male, and it seems he was stabbed.
"A dead man, looks to have been stabbed. Watch your backs, his killer may still be around."
Hal moves closer to the body and looks around for hidden assailants or dangers.
Mane follows, checking his blade as he approaches, “grizzly knife work.”
He looks for signs of where the assailant might have gone.
To Mane, Alexio says, "Perhaps they are though I would prefer they do it on a drier day."
Then, with Hal moving to the body Alexio moves past looking for assailants on the far side of the bridge. Then he calls back, "Was he rich or poor? That should tell us if it were a robbery or territorial."
Bending down, Hal flips the man's clothes over and looks for additional indicators of violence. He checks for a purse, identification, or other items to indicate the man's status.
"Well, a man's dead, and apparently noone around is aware of the crime. I figured I should check to make sure he couldn't be helped before I looked through his purse for some identification. Who he was and why he died like this might be important, or it might be a random mugging "
You spot a figure in a dark cloak moving quietly through the rain on the skybridge ahead. It seems to be avoiding the dim pools of light cast by the everbright lanterns, preferring to stay to the shadows. Lightning flashes, and you see a shape on the stone floor of the bridge in the brief illumination. The figure quickly reaches the railing of the skybridge, then slips over the barrier and disappears into the darkness and the rain.
"I don't know if that was a perpetrator, a witness, or just some random flying crazy man, but he just skulked over to the railing and hopped off. This just keeps getting stranger and stranger."
"We need to report this before someone else turns it in and we get the blame. Anyone know where the local authorities office is? I'm still learning the city and my education in that regard is rather limited."
"we must follow that man- he knows something! No time to go to authorities now- we can give a full account later."
The construct stands still for a moment, looks between his companions as there is little else to do, and without much emotion to it he begins shouting at the top of his volume range. "THERE HAS BEEN A MURDER HERE. SEND GUARDS. I REPEAT. MURDER. GUARDS." He continues to shout as his compatriots discuss what to do about the body.
"Crap! I was afraid someone would say give chase." Alexio says but leaps to the challenge rather quickly.
The skybridge ahead spans the distance between platforms attached to the sides of two different towers—Dalannan Tower and the Kelsa Spire. A body lies on the floor of the bridge, and you can see a mixture of rain and blood pooling around it. A leather satchel, still clutched tightly in the body’s hand, lies in the expanding puddle of water and gore.
"Crap! I was afraid someone would say give chase." Alexio says but leaps to the challenge rather quickly.
Climb: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (17) + 9 = 26
Yes. The bloody bridge is the bridge depicted on the map. You saw the "assailant" go over the bridge on your right.
Not 2 B continues to observe, slowly removing his crossbow and placing his foot in the stirrup so he might pull back the string. If he had killed this man and been interrupted he would try to pick off the witnesses...
Suddenly, the cloaked figure climbs back over the railing and eyes the satchel.
"Well, if you're going 5o return to the scene of the crime, might as well wait for the authorities to show up."
Hal stands up over the corpse, keeping a close eye on the cloaked figure.
Yes.
Alexio looks around to try and gather where the supposed assailant ran off to. After a bit of looking (two rounds) he climbs back up.
The assailant reveals a wicked looking sword. "Let me have the pouch, and I'll spare your lives."
"Counter offer, turn yourself in now and I will spare your life." Leveling his crossbow and aiming it at the criminal.
"Best do what the Warforged says- we are not afraid of your blade here, chap."
"How about this: drop the blade and put your hands on your head, and we won't have to best you unconscious to turn you in. Fair trade, I'd say."
Hal takes the pouch and drapes it over his shoulder, before a shimmering field of force surrounds him all over.
The cloaked figure remarks, "You're going to hand over that pouch to me, even if I have to kill you for it."
The cloaked figure attacks Halloran. ,
"That answers that question. I guess we beat you unconscious and drop you off for the guards, then."
Hal delivers a swift blow with his quarterstaff, before snapping the tip around for a brutal jab.
for damage
for damage
With nothing to find down below, Alexio begins the climb back up.
Mane draws his sword and shouts once more at the man, "You don't think these odds are against you?"
Then he dons his shield.
Holds his fire incase the target tries to run.
Cutter, not caring that she's overwhelmed, goes into a frenzy and attacks Halloran again.
,
"I see, you're desperate. Just surrender, and save yourself some pain."
Hal strikes again with his quarterstaff, delivering short chopping blows.
to hit, for damage
to hit, for damage
"Foolish. . . foolish."
If she is still up, Mane strikes.
Upon reaching the top, Alexio spots the assailant. "Ahh, there you are." Alexio says and moves to engage since the person is attacking Halloran.
You three managed to kill Cutter, who was a female warforged.
"Bizarre. Why would someone, even a warforged, take on so many at once. She had to know it was a hopeless fight, she never even landed a single blow. And what in the world is inside this pouch worth her life like thst?"
Hal opens the satchel and takes a look inside.
Alexio checks the assailant, looking for anything that may identify her by name, or by faction. Additionally, he takes any and all weapons just in case she is faking her lack of function.
"Can any of you detect magic? An assassin may be well outfitted and it could make up for our trouble." Alexio says to the assembled group.
"Bizarre. Why would someone, even a warforged, take on so many at once. She had to know it was a hopeless fight, she never even landed a single blow. And what in the world is inside this pouch worth her life like thst?"
Hal opens the satchel and takes a look inside.
Inside is a journal. This small journal, measuring about 3 inches by 6 inches and 1 inch thick, has a cover of dark brown leather with strands of mithral thread woven in a strange pattern. It bears no title, just the mithral-thread icon on the front cover. Inside, every page is blank, but the sheets have a strange feel; they don’t seem to be paper or leather, but something not readily identifiable.
Alexio checks the assailant, looking for anything that may identify her by name, or by faction. Additionally, he takes any and all weapons just in case she is faking her lack of function.
"Can any of you detect magic? An assassin may be well outfitted and it could make up for our trouble." Alexio says to the assembled group.
Perception if needed to search the body: 1d20 + 5 ⇒ (2) + 5 = 7
You can't tell where Cutter came from.
Holding the book out, Hal presents it to the others. Anyone know what to.make of this? Its definitely fancy, but other than that a blank book hardly seems.like the kind of thing to fight to the death over."[/b]