Zebulon True's page

Background.
Zebulon is the youngest child of the True mercantile clan. The clan have been solid politically and financially for generation out of mind. Serving the empire and ammasing a tidy but not noticeable fortune. The True clan could be relied on to deliver what you ordered when and where you wanted it at a decent price. They were solid, preditctable citizens.

Zebulon was something else. They say he was born under a dark star, that may be fancy but it is true that the old long forgotten elvish blood of his clan came forth in him. He was a difficult child. Tact was unknown to him. He watched too much and understood it too well.He took apart everything he touched. When he tried to take apart the family cat he was shipped off to a Wizard who owed the clan some money. He was to be an apprintice at a training school for nobility of arcane talent that the wizard ran.

He was an utter failure. That is not to say he had no aptitude for study or the magical arts. In some ways he was frighteningly skilled. However after 3 years of hard study he had failed to grasp even the basics of theroy. He was expelled after a dissertation titled "The fine art of mundane divination" started making the rounds of the local gossip houses. It the barely ananomous author detailed exactly who was sleeping with whoum and who was fiddling the books and how. Worse still it explained simply and clearly in steps anyone could follow exactly how the author gained the information. Scandal is far too small a word to describe what followed. The wizard was arrested for fraud and smuggling. This is how Zebulon first came in contact with the police.

Now with no school and not very welcome at home Zebulon offered his skills to the guard. Here however he found the same stifling rote and stupidity that he found elsewhere. He cleared some old cases where the guilty thought the bodies long buried and resigned.

So now he finds himself in Poltus. Surely in this gfreat heaving city there is room for someone of his unique talents.

Perception +12
Low-Light vision
Bard song 6rnd/day

Saves,
-Fortitude, +1
-Reflex, +4
-Will, +4
Note +1 vs. arcane spells. +2 vs enchantment

AC, 14
-Flatfoot AC, 12
-Touch AC, 12

BAB 0
CMB, 0
CMD, 12

Hit Points, 8

Initiative, +2

Speed, 30

Detective
Bardic performance 6 rounds/day
Bardic performance Careful Teamwork (Su): A detective uses performance to keep allies coordinated, alert, and ready for action. All allies within 30 feet gain a +1 bonus on Initiative checks, Perception, and Disable Device checks for 1 hour. They also gain a +1 insight bonus on Reflex saves and to AC against traps and when they are flat-footed. These bonuses increase by +1 at 5th level and every six levels thereafter. Using this ability requires 3 rounds of continuous performance, and the targets must be able to see and hear the bard throughout the performance. This ability is language-dependent and requires visual and audible components. This performance replaces inspire courage.

Bardic performance Counter song NA
Bardic performance Distraction +6 vs visual

Bardic performance Fascinate dc 12

Eye for Detail (Ex): A detective gains a bonus equal to half his level on Knowledge (local), Perception, and Sense Motive checks, as well as Diplomacy checks to gather information (minimum +1). This ability replaces bardic knowledge.

Feats:
Level 1, Great fortitude +2 fort saves

Traits.
Vagabond child - Disable device
Failed apprintice - +1 to saves vs arcane magic.

CL 1 (+1vs SR, Concentration +3)

Spells per day.
o:~
1:2

Spells known.
Level zero. Mage Hand, Prestidigitation DC 12. Ghost Sound DC 12. Message.

Level One. Silent Image DC 13. Grease DC 13

Acrobatics I, +6
Appraise, +4
Bluff I, +6
Climb, +0
Craft, +4
Diplomacy I, +6/+7
Disable Device I,+7
Disguise, +2
Escape Artist I, +6
Fly, +2
Handle Animal -
Heal, +2
Intimidate, +2
Knowledge Arcane
Knowledge dungeoneering,
Knowledge engineering,
Knowledge Geography,
Knowledge History,
Knowledge Local I, +9
Knowledge Nature
Knowledge Nobles
Knowledge Religion
Knowledge Planes
Linguistics,
Perception I,+12
Perform, oratoty I, +6
Profession,
Ride, +2
Sense Motive I, +7
Slight of hand, +2
Spellcraft
Stealth I,+6
Survival, +2
Swim, +0
Use magic device

Dagger +0 1d4 19x2 Light PS
~ranged +2 10'

Sap +0 1d6 nonlethal 20x2 Light B

Fist, Foot, Forehead. +0 1d3 20x2 B

Touch. +0

Light crossbow +2 1d8 19x2 80'

Ranged touch. +2

Leather, +2ac dex 6 armor check -

Crossbow, on back.
.Ten Bolts,quiver left side.

Sap, left boot.

Dagger, on belt, right side.

Backpack, worn.
.Bedroll
.Blanket
.Silk rope 50' with hook
.Bullseye lantern, full
.Flint and steel
.Whetstone
.Three candles
.Travelling spellbook
.Scroll case
..Ink, black
..Two inkpens
..Six sheets of parchment, One sheet cut into blank calling cards
..Five platinium peices

Left side belt pouch
.Caltrops I
.Powder
.Chalk
.Manacles
.String
.3gp 1sp 7cp

Right side beltpouch
.Caltrops I
.Powder
.Earplugs
.chalk
.Steel mirror
.Sunrod

You learn that there almost seems to be two sets of dissapearences. Childen (mostly) are vanishing - some even from their beds and usually in the dead of night, with no witnesses. But there have also been other occurences when adults have mysteriously vanished, usually in groups of two or three, and mainly is the seedier parts of the city. In both cases, there doesnt seem to any pattern to race involved.
Most of the children seem to be from the Midtown and Oldtown areas. Ther doesn't seem to be any talk of children of noble blood being taken.

The adult abductions seem to be occuring late at night and appear to be opertunistic.

There are no signs of drink or drugs. The Three usters is an old residential block, about four storeys tall. It's in a bit of a rough part of the city. His grief seems genuine and he seems to be still in shock really.

"Mr True, I only wish I could believe you, yet I hold out little hope. She has been gone over a week now. I wouldn't know where to even start looking"

"Good then we won't have any preconceived notions getting in the way. Now I am sure you've done this a thousand time in the past week but I want you to tell me as best as you remember, when you last saw her."

"Actually, it was my wife who was the last to lay eyes on her. I had already left for work in the Necropolis - I'm a professional mourner. My wife kissed Ellan as she ran off on an errand for her to buy fish at the fish market at the docks. She never came back. I spent days roaming the docks but no one could remember seeing anyone fitting her description."

Zebulon takes careful notes. "Where do you live Mr Etherin? I will need to talk with your neighbors and with your wife. Everyone leaves traces even eight year olds. She can and she will be found.
Now tell me about your street, what does it look like when you leave for work?"

"Well, I live in a tenament on Foggy Way. We call it the Three Sisters, 'cos of an arty mural on its front. There's a fair few people lives there too."