Gauntlet of Sharn's page

"I believe I could direct us to Volin's residence, or we could wait for night to speak to him at the tavern and pursue a different course of investigation right now," Brennus states.

"If you can lead us directly to his residence, then lead the way Brennus! We are striking out so far. We need something or we won't earn our pay."

"Associates?"

He smiles, "Is your familiar asking a question as well?"

He chuckles, "No, I am not aware of any associates that Svans may have had, he seemed to me to be a retired lifelong bachelor".

Gauntlet would smile if he could.

Sense Motive(Unskilled)-Is this guy being honest with us?: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (2) + 1 = 3

Second Day of Vult in the Year 998 YK – Sharn - Upper Menthis

Gauntlet, Brennus, and Ratchet

"I'm afraid I don't know anyone who would want Svans dead.

There is some business that we had left to complete, I suppose I would need to discuss with the Watch retrieving my proceeds after this investigation is over.

The only thing I would surmise is thieves who might want his art or perhaps his books, he had pieces of value in both collections. I'm not an investigator in Inquisitive but that's what I would look at if I were in charge of the investigation".

He pauses, "Do you know if there will be a funeral? I didn't know him well but I would want to pay my respects to his family, one professional to another".

He seems in grim humour about hearing of Svans death but isn't particularly distraught.

”It is undetermined at this time if or when he will have a funeral. He had no known family and his murder investigation will delay it if nothing else. At least until the guilty person is identified. I will pass your concerns on to the watch. Hopefully they will can send notice if he is indeed given any sort of rites. Do you happen to know what religion the man might have looked to? Nothing was obvious of that nature in his home.”

In order to save time, Gauntlet will summarize why they are there, and simply ask if he might know anything about it, or someone else who might have more knowledge of the dead man and who might wish him harm, if anyone...

"I daresay you are not here to deliver the set I was waiting for. If you got past Rufus, you clearly have a reason to be here. I am Cassa Faer, proprietor of Art Temple, what can I do for you?"

Gauntlet repeats his request for the artist.

”Could we speak with him? It should only take a few minutes of his time.”

"What's the Peace Circus?"

Sounds like a History skill check to me. Not my bag of teeth there...

Gauntlet will reply to the nice sounding dwarf security guard.

"Thank you for the information. I must ask however...we are looking for a particular artist. Do you by chance know Pyron ir'Clarn, or where we could find him? We are assisting the Sharn watch in a certain matter, and our inquiries have led us here. We were told he frequented the Art Temple most days?"

Do you want to spend time perusing the book and then meet up with the others or spend time perusing the book and head to see Pyron ir'Clarn?

No point of cutting off our investigation lines here until we read the book and talk to the artist I think. We can meet back with the others later as agreed once we complete our work.

”No trail could mean they teleported away. Can anyone trace that kind of magic?”

Turning to Brennus, Gauntlet points at the book.

”The Talenta Plains? How could the land of the native halflings and giant lizards have anything to do with this murder? Unless the person’s name we are looking for is written in the book somewhere… We can talk to the painter if we run out of leads. I don’t see an artist killing this man without leaving some sort of clue, although its possible he just might know more about the man killed in general.”

He looks out the doorway to the balcony where the man fell.

”We will have to earn our pay on this job it seems: No easy task. Hopefully our compatriots will have better luck.”

Pointing at the art and the books, Gauntlet notes the obvious.

”This was not a robbery. The value of the items here far exceeds the average payday, but nothing appears to be missing. Right? Can we be sure nothing else was taken?”

Appraise (Unskilled)-Books: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (8) + 4 = 12
Appraise (Unskilled)-Paintings: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (16) + 4 = 20

"So Gauntlet, you said something about splitting up, right? That includes keeping B and Proto separate, right?" Frank asks, trying to change the subject.

Gauntlet looks strangely at the mechanical lizard.

”Yes, I thought splitting up might let us cover more ground and dig up more information faster.”

For now, I suggest Gauntlet, Brennus, and Ratchet head to the man's work to investigate, and then Erix and Frank (with Broulnindre), see what they can find out about the Circus. We can meet at Siduk's office for the results on the test we had done for the white powder, before or after we split up.

Gauntlet invites Brennus to stay with him and Mickey P.

”That’s assuming you know how to use the garderobe of course.”

Nodding his head, Gauntlet agrees that the day is finished.

”I need to get back to Mickey. He will need me when he wakes. Maybe we should divide into two teams tomorrow and jumpstart the investigation as soon as possible. One group goes to this guy’s location of work, and the others investigate this ‘circus’ he was involved with years ago. I’m assuming this was back during the Last War of course. Then we meet back here, get the test results, and compare notes. Let’s start at Mickey’s tomorrow morning and decide groups then. An hour after sunrise perhaps?”

Gauntlet disagrees.

"Safe is relative. Just becasue there has not been any obvious murders does not mean crime or other injustices do not go on here. There is incentive to keep that kind of thing here out of sight and unnoticed. Such a disturbance like this and in this area will be noted by many, especially the local criminal elements who hate such notoriety to their 'turf.' Too many variables right now. We need more clues other than 'flour' on the floor. Is it flour? We should test the substance to be sure too. No need to assume and get caught unaware at a later date."

Gauntlet glances at the perched Raven for only a moment and turns to follow the officer back to his office. Once there he collects the fee received, and takes out a small note-book. He then notes the job description, time, date, and payment terms.

He then turns to the sergeant.

”Thank you. Any direct information on the dead man yet? A name? Who was he? Did he have a job, or anything significant on a daily basis? Does he use his balcony regularly?”

Gauntlet shrugs.

”Sounds like gold to me. Consider us hired.”

Once nothing is found, Gauntlet will release the energy in his sword and it will disappear with a flash.

He then will head back downstairs and back to the rest of the group. Once he sees the local warforged Sharn officer, he will nod to him.

"There was no obvious evidence up in the apartment of any intruder or a scuffle. I touched nothing and returned here once I felt I could not do more up there. I spoke with a neighbor who heard something, but she claimed not to know anything beyond that. I can note that personally I saw while walking through the street earlier, this dead fellow throw up his hands and fall backwards onto one of his chairs. To my note, and why I probably remember, it appeared to be a good thing! If he had fallen forward, he would have gone over the balcony. That means he might have jumped or was pushed after he was initially attacked. I suggest speaking with the corpse immediately. My guess is the attacker was disguised or invisible, so the corpse might not be able to reveal much, but it is still important to try."

The Apartment

"Oh no! It was Svans that fell!? How awful, no, I was asleep until I heard the commotion outside, poor Svans..." She hlds back a tear as she exits the apartment.

Only Gauntlet and Broulnindre remain within.

Sense Motive (Unskilled!): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (5) + 1 = 6

Gauntlet gives the woman no more mind and looks for clues!

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

Gauntlet lowers his glowing sword as to not seem menacing, and asks her to politely back up.

”Your neighbor was attacked and possibly pushed off his balcony. You need to return to your home for your own safety. Did you see or hear anything before your neighbor’s fall? We are trying to ascertain what happened exactly.”

Heal (Unskilled): 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (8) + 1 = 9

"Great. He's been murdered! Call the authorities! I am going to check the building for any signs of the killer."

At this point, Gauntlet summons a purple-green blade out of thin air, heavy and slightly curved (Falcata) and moves as quickly as he can toward the entrance to the building with the balcony.

Not seeing anything on the balcony, Gauntlet moves to the man on the street who fell and attempts to do a quick assessment of his injuries.

Profession: Soldier: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23

Is he dead? Stabbed? Or just fallen and he can't get up?

Always on the alert, Gauntlet immediately activates his ability to see magic (Detect Magic), and looks at the balcony pointing.

”Something happened up there! Do any of you see anything?”

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Know Arcana or Spellcraft: 1d20 + 12 ⇒ (20) + 12 = 32

Know Local: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (5) + 9 = 14

Perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (20) + 6 = 26

Gauntlet stiffens visibly, then slowly keeps moving. His voice appears hesitant.

”Maybe…if I can find the time. Business comes first. I don’t know much about magic really anyway.”

"Far be it from a scavenging bird to refuse an offer of food," Brennus jokes, the big eye in his chest going from Ratchet to Guantlet.

What you will probably 'see' Gauntlet NOTE:

His head is slightly bulkier as well with what appears to be a helmet-like fixture over a skull-like face, and with his unique symbol glowing prominently on his forehead. Strangely enough his particular symbol resembles a stylized four-fingered hand held upright, which is very unusual for a warforged symbol, and is where Gauntlet gets his name from.

In the end, the most unique characteristic of Gauntlet is his disquieting aura of "wrongness." This effect is not visual, but can cause normal animals to react badly to his presence, and anyone with the ability to see magic or detect auras finds Gauntlets to be very odd and almost disturbing to look at. Even normal people can sometimes get the "HeeBee-GeeBees" around him. Certain supernatural creatures and aberrations occasionally find Gauntlet fascinating, but only because his unusual "nature" seem to draw them like flies to rotting meat.

(Character Note: Think of a cross between Frankenstein's monster, Data from Star Trek, and 'Thing' from the Addams Family and you kinda get the get the idea of what Gauntlet is really like.)

Looking over at the unconscious Mickey, Gauntlet stares for a few moments before he answers.

”I will, but I can not stay out too late. I will need to return in case Micky wakes up sick…or worse.”

His voice has a quality or undertone of dedication and thankfulness mixed with a hint of fear and inevitability.

Nodding, Gauntlet replies.

"Some more than others."

Obviously, he's a warforged of few words...

Nodding at the display, Gauntlet would smile if his face were capable.

”Agreed. Pink-Eye would be a valuable addition.”

"Well, work must be easier to find for those who are largely acknowledged as people by the world at large than it is for those who are not, for I haven't had such an easy experience in getting employment," Brennus remarks with just a trace of bitterness. "Though perhaps that's because I'm a bit too wary about the chances of being vivisected by someone with more curiosity than morality."

Looking at the Raven pointedly Gauntlet nods.

”You and I may have more in common than you could ever realize.”

Gauntlet waves a hand.

"This is Sharn! Work will appear as soon as we advertise our abilities: An 'old' friend of Mickey's will contact us for some odd reason or need; Or a surprise message will appear on our doorstep; Or some some enemy we have made in the past will come after us from an angle we least expect...Either way, work will be had!"

Intellegence: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22

”I actually understood about…44% of that. Fascinating.”

With a fair bit of humor in his straight face, Gauntlet claps Frank on the back lightly.

”Looks like ‘Franky’s Fixers’ it is. Sorry.”

Holding up a finger, Gauntlet poses another idea.

”How about…’The Fixers’ …It sums up what we do mostly. We fix broken things: Problems, Promises, and whatever else comes along. ‘No job too big or too small.’ It means we might have to take some lost cat jobs, but that will build us good relationships with the locals too. And its not like I need sleep or anything.”

Unable to frown, Gauntlet starts to shake his head.

”I don’t know any music but marching songs. I’m not even sure I can sing.”

Looking away in thought, Gauntlet starts brainstorming out loud.

”Boulnindre’s Beyonders? Beacons? Brainiacs? Brawlers? Bastards? Bell-Ringers? I am sure there is one that could work.”

Gauntlet shrugs his bulky shoulders.

"It was just an idea. Creating a false identity is pretty common in Sharn, so I thought a false identity hidden behind paperwork and subterfuge would work if we are careful...and technically legal in the end as long as Mickey and the rest of us are actually in control."

Stepping back a bit at the entrance of the others Gauntlet takes a defensive stance near Mickey at the appearance of the strange Raven.

"How strange. That's even odder than I am."

First Day of Vult in the Year 998 YK – Mickey P's Humble Abode --- Erix, Frank, & Gauntlet

I can stay on, make introductions. I've got some faith that more people will show up tonight even and we can make 'em all aware. Maybe it's not just you Gauntlet, but Frankie and Erix too!

Heck, I never even had a company name that was ever any good".[/b]

Thinking on Mickey's statement, Gauntlet has a strange idea.

"Why don't we run the agency as a group? Create a 'fake' owner and put him down on paper as the one in charge, but he just never shows his face. Only contacts people with official sealed missives. Or even magical projections? We are already considered a bit of an oddity for what we do, so it might make sense for a rich 'benefactor' to 'buy' Mickey out and make him a consultant, and put the rest of us to work solving problems for hard gold. We could call ourselves something like, 'Petrie's Problem Solvers' or something alliterative like that, with Petrie being the new owners name. Gives us a layer of anonymous protection...Especially if we say he doesn't live in Sharn, or if we say he's affiliated with a Dragonmarked house, but never say which. That would make it harder figure out or to track down. Sounds weird, I know..."

I will think on some gizmo ideas for Gauntlet...he's mainly a self contained warrior that rarely relies directly on others if he can help it. (He's a bit paranoid of anyone else other than those he knows he can trust.)

I don't think we are. The GM gave us a bonus 1st level feat when we made these characters...

Shaking his head, the strange warforged known colloquially as ‘Gauntlet’ apparently disagrees with Mickey.

”Where would I start? You have all the connections, contacts, and intangible resources in your head. In the end, I’m just a strange monstrous remnant of the Last War: A reminder to most that my kind were created specifically for a horrible time that is finally over, and now best forgotten. No one would really trust me in the end. You Mickey can, and have, earned people’s trust again. You cannot afford to fall down inside a bottle again. I’m afraid you might not find your way out.”

Agreed. I used to love complex characters, but now I like straight and easier to deal with.

I love shifters. I say go with that!

FYI:
Just to warn you all, this next week and next weekend is really busy for me (my son is graduating 5th grade this week and then he flies out to stay with his mom for the summer on Saturday) for various reasons (work is killing me too) so I may be slow in posting or replying for the next 7 days or so.

So...two main spell-casters, a part spellcaster/melee type (Gauntlet), and whatever Ratchet wants to be in the end (ranged guns or melee with his 'suit')?

I can live with that.

Understood.

I vaguely remember the Essence Node. Can you send me the stats on that again?

Just a note: I have disable device as well.

Oh, and I guess I prefer “normal” approach to loot. I find ABP a bit too much of an abstraction - I do think it is a good system for games that are less granular, but I don’t get that vibe from this game.

I agree. ABP can be appropriate sometimes, but I'm not a huge fan of it.

Gauntlet would simply save his money and use it for helping Mickey P and look to the future.

There is also a Manual/Tome I mentioned in my last PM to you GM. Let me know what you think on that?

Apologies. Im still a bit confused. Did I get more coinage? Or do I need remove some?