Sharn Noir (4e PBP IC)

streever

A Crawlway
The Depths, Sharn
Darren O'Dekker, seeker

In a sewer beneath the city, Darren O'Dekker draws patterns in the dirt of the cramped crawlway he lays in. Ineligible in any language, O'Dekker's scrawls are similar to the Prophecy marks found throughout Eberron.

Eyes closed tight, his mind is somewhere faraway. He sees lines--circles--linking together. As he draws, he sees one dot which is fainter than the others, not yet formed. A tankard of ale with a solid chip in the rim floats before him. "Cliffside," he mutters, remembering a tavern he passed on his investigations, as he sets out to kill whatever abomination clutters the Prophecy.

The Chipped Mug
Upper Dura
Karash and Wall, investigators

She kept talking, and Karash tried to keep his expression set to somewhere around "interested", but he was having a hard time. Wall seemed fascinated as she continued on with her tale of an adulterous husband. If she'd told Karash up front she didn't have any money, it would have saved everybody some trouble.

A loud commotion out front, following an earthy thud, is the interruption that Karash had been looking for.

"Gotta say, I have bad luck with these types of cases," Karash says, handing her the card of Jones Investigations, his main competition. "You should check this guy out. He's the best. He doesn't even worry about money, so just don't even mention the budget until later. If you'll excuse us, we should attend to whatever ruckus is happening out front."

Tipping their hats and leaving a few coins for the waitress, the two leave the flustered young woman behind as they head out into the streets.

The Chipped Mug
Tarak Velasto, lost soldier

Tarak vaguely recognizes Karash and Wall. He has only recently arrived at Sharn, but found their names while searching for people to help him find his missing wife. Based on a recommendation, though, he hired Jones Investigations, who only found out that his wife may have been one of the many refugees who came into Sharn. In the end, all of his coin bought only the knowledge that spouses were kept in Sharn, and unmarried men and women were sent to rural villages.

"Maybe I should have hired Karash," he muses, as the two walk outside to investigate the noise.

Following them out of curiosity, he is horrified to see his wife laying on the cobblestones of Upper Dura.

A small tavern
Upper Dura
Sameedri, the forger

Leaving the safety of a ritually silenced private room, Sameedri counts the meager coins in his pouch. Another job done, another night at his cheap boarding house paid for. He hears a commotion ahead, and heads forwardly cautiously, not one to put himself into trouble.

As he steps forward, he sees a body, missing it's left hand, lying on the cobblestones. A rush of magic hits him, causing his head to reel for a moment. What was that? he asks himself rhetorically, as the Sharn Watch approaches, ordering everyone to stay where they are.

The Crime Scene
The Party
Karash and Wall are blocked from seeing the body directly by a small crowd of pilgrims, but Tarak has a front-row view having come up their side.

Karash notes a gnome who stands off to the other side, reeling slightly. Is it the sight, or the smelly beast behind him? he asks himself, as he sees a half-orc purposefully walking up behind him, bearing the Mark of Finding.

The Sharn Watch is already here, and he recognizes Captain Harris as the man attempts to organize everyone into groups to question.

OptimusZed

Karash pushes to the front of the crowd as unobtrusively as a hulking half-orc can manage. He openly surveys the scene, taking in as many details as possible.

Careful not to disturb the body, Karash saunters over to the Captain doing his best to look all business.

"Hell of a night for something like this, eh Harris?"

Reaching into his coat, the half-orc produces a pipe, lights it and takes a deep puff.

Mr_Rose

Following in Karash's wake, not even trying for unobtrusive because he knows his frame simply won't allow it, Wall makes a similarly calculating sweep of he scene with his eyes and stops with a muffled clank just behind his employer before speaking as though carrying on a conversation
I do not recall the Jones company being particularly prone to that sort of generosity, you may have accidentally...
...before breaking off to greet the captain as though he had only just noticed what was going on
Good evening Captain. I trust your evening has been better than it appears to be about to become?

streever

"Murders never happen when there convenient. Hell of a way to go, isn't it?" Harris asks, thoughtfully stroking his mustache. "Williams, you done inspecting the body?" he asks, seeing the younger officer kneeling over the corpse.

"Sir... it's my father." Williams croaks out, holding back tears, as he inspects the corpse.

dresdenphile

Tarak barrels through the crowd, paying no heed to civilian or watch member as he makes his way to the body. Utterly broken, the half-orc falls to his knees and begins speaking in hushed tones toward the corpse.

"Alesombra...what have they done to you? I've come so far...but I still couldn't protect you. I'm so sorry, my love..."

Through teary eyes, Tarak turns his head toward the young officer and croaks, "What are you talking about? This isn't your father; this is my poor wife!"

Kilroy

Sameedri slowly edges his way through the crowd, curiosity winning out over caution. Okay he thinks something odd is going on here. Well, odder than three half orcs, a warforged, and the Watch staring at a dead body would usually be...

Arcana check to determine the nature of the magical rush.

1d20+12=31

streever

Sameedri senses a powerful charm about the body: an illusionary magic that makes him appear to be someone dear to whomever views the body. Easily seeing through the illusion, he regards the actual corpse.

A rough-looking man, probably of middle-age but prematurely older, wearing ragged clothes. Wherever he fell from, it was far from his usual environs.

With his mastery of magic, it's relatively easy for him to break the spell, and he does so, causing the features to dissolve before the viewers into their true form.

"What in Khyber is happening," Captain Harris swears under his breath, his hand going to his sword.

Mr_Rose

Holding out his arm to stay the watchman's hand, Wall announced
An apparently artificial perceptual inconsistency. Your colleague saw his father. That individual perceived his wife. Apparently, everyone else saw the body change also, but who was expecting that change?


Perception check to scan the crowd for whoever was least surprised by the body's shape changing then.

streever

Wall immediately notices the gnome seems unsurprised, but everyone else gasps in shock as the transformation occurs.

OptimusZed

"Oh thrice damn it," curses Karash under his breath.

The big half-orc shoulders his way past the guard to get a closer look at the newly revealed body.

"What in Khyber could do something like this?"

Streetwise check through Secrets of the City for Arcana/History: 1d20+11 29

streever

Karash has actually heard of similar murders, in which lower-class citizens have been found, with parts of their bodies missing. The victim seems to be someone from the lower city judging by his general state.

"Karash... I know you're an investigator, but I can't have you just disturbing the evidence," Captain Harris says, clearing his throat gently. "This is still a Sharn Watch case."

"First order of business though is finding out who dispelled the illusion. You two, step forward," he says, indicating Darren and Sameedri. "Either of you have anything to add to this discussion?"

Treat this as a skill challenge, which it basically is--let me know what you're doing, and pick a skill you think reflects your efforts.

Kilroy

Damn it all, why did I get involved? I suppose there's nothing for it but to cooperate.

Sameedri steps forward and does his best to look official. "Sameedri at your service, Captain. I believe I can help you with that first order. I dispelled the illusion. I'm something of an expert in... such matters. I would be happy to assist you in any way that I can."

Diplomacy check to convince the Captain that I am trustworthy.

streever

"ID papers," Captain Harris asks, business-like. Peering over them, he appears satisfied, and hands them back to the gnome with a friendly nod.

"Karash, if you want to look into this, I'd appreciate it, frankly. The Watch really doesn't get that involved in murders that involve folks from the lower Wards. I'm even able to offer a small payment. The City Council authorizes me to hire up to five consultants to look into matters, so that's you, Wall, this helpful fellow, and two assistants.

If you're interested, I'll give you papers to certify you are working for the Watch. Only condition is you do whatever you can to bring the killer in alive. I can't guarantee you immunity from the law otherwise."

dresdenphile

Tarak stands and approaches Karash and Captain Harris. "If you want to go after the people who did this terrible, terrible thing, Karash, you have my spear."

Tarak (and fighters in general!) aren't the talking type, though I am trained in Intimidate. It doesn't seem appropriate here.

streever

No worries, feel free to add any RP bits--suggestions to check the body, etc., that type of thing.

OptimusZed

Nodding to Tarak, Karash turns to address Harris. "We'll definitely be needing those papers, Captain."

While he waits for the Captain to gather the paperwork, Karash surveys his motley crew of would-be investigators.

They don't look like much, but I guess they'll have to do.

Now, where do we start?

Streetwise for good trees to shake and/or heads to crack: 1d20+11 17

dresdenphile

"Why would someone take the hand?" Tarak asked, to no one in particular. "Could it be part of a cult ritual?"

Mr_Rose

Picking up on Tarak's thread, Wall continued
Will the Watch be examining the body officially, Captain? If his supposition is true, it might be confirmed by additional markings on the body, would it not?
before stooping as best he could to examine the cut wrist without disturbing the scene.

Heal check to note anything unusual about the severed limb.

streever

I think Astro is still recovering from holiday travel, so let me just make a brief IC post for him to keep things rolling & get him into the group

"Cultusts. I smell their work all over this," the smelly half-orc says, stepping forward. "Darren O'Dekker, hunter, formerly of House Thasarak. I'll join you if you'll have me. I have some experience in dealing with the demon worshippers."

Kilroy

Has the Watch left, or are they still hanging around?

streever

@Zed You don't have any sudden flashes of insight. You know that it would be pretty hard to determine where the corpse fell from due to the nature of Sharn and it's closely spaced taverns with windows and balconies. Several bridges are above you, as well. There may have been someone up there who saw the man before he fell. You can tell by his general state that he is from the lower parts of the City, but nothing too specific. Short of asking the street people in the Depths, you don't have any really solid leads just from a cursory examination.

@Wall the victim appears to have been strangled, judging by the marks around his neck, but you can't tell much more than that. You can use Heal again to try and determine cause of death, or you can wait for the Sharn Watch to inspect the body, which will probably take until tomorrow.


"We'll have the body moved to our morgue pre-cremation, but you're welcome to inspect it here, and come by there with the IDs we'll give you, Wall," Harris says. "We've just about finished taking statements from the other witnesses. I'm going to go back on patrol, but I'll leave two men here to remove the body when you are done searching it to your liking. Why don't you stop by my office later to get the IDs? We'll have them ready in about two hours."

OptimusZed

Karash gives the newcomer a long look, as though seriously weighing him against other options. Turning to look at the crime scene, he sighs.

"Why the hades not. What's another set of tusks, we're not going to solve this by being pretty.

If we're going to go, we might as well get going."

If anyone wants to continue investigating here I'll wait. Otherwise Karash is going to start handing out marching orders.

astrobstrd

Darren steps forward to investigate the body, but seems almost less interested in the body itself than what is around it. Anything could be a clue. Patterns of rain stained into the walls. The flight of pigeons in the sky. Darren relied more on instinct than logic in matters like this, but he still needed a lead. Help here was nice as well and pay was just gravy.

The missing hand and general strangeness pointed to cultists, but he still needed evidence.

The unusual looking half-orc adjusts his headband holding back his white hair and darts his equally white eyes around quickly.



Perception 20
Nature 25

streever

Is Darren going to search the corpses pockets/etc? or just looking at the body itself?

astrobstrd

After sniffing the ground and staring at the sign of the inn for a few moments, he will check the pockets.

streever

What was set into motion has ended, and Darren feels a sense of completion as he looks at the body. He may not care for cultists or their rituals, but he feels that what he is looking at was inevitable from his earlier vision. This is the location, and this body seems to be in the right spot compared to his crude map. One more piece of the Prophecy, or a perversion caused by the children of Khyber?

The critical thing seems to be the hand. Why was it removed? What was relevant about the hand? Where was it now?

As he wonders, he searches the pockets and garments of the deceased. A few coins--almost worthless but confirming his suspicion that this wasn't a simple killing for money--a handbill for Blackstone Church in Fallen, one of the slum districts of Lower Dura.

Blackstone Church is known as a refuge for the poor and downtrodden, and is the only church in the slums of Sharn.
Darren would know of Blackstone Church--as would Karash & Wall and probably Kilroy--basically anyone who spent time in Sharn, especially in the lower levels. http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/sharn-noir/wikis/blackstone-church

Mr_Rose

Looking over the shoulder of the newcomer, Wall remarked
The church is well known in the lower quarters. Perhaps Friar Pierce or one of his staff would recognise this person?

OptimusZed

"That's a great idea, Wall," sighs Karash. "I'm sure the folks in the lower quarter would respond well to a killing machine with a corpse draped over his shoulder."

"If only we had some way to reproduce this poor person's image without actually taking along their head."

Mr_Rose

Yes. It would be more practical to bring the friar to the body. Perhaps the Watch would permit him to view it under our new aegis?
Regarding the imagery; are there not many artists in Sharn?

Kilroy

"Perhaps I could be of some assistance..." Sameedri sizes up the four figures towering over him, "...gentlemen."

Could I use Prestidigitation to create an image of the man?

streever

definitely! that won't be a problem

astrobstrd

Darren sizes up the gnome. This group could turn out to be very useful; the other half-orcs looked like they would hold up in a brawl and perhaps be a bit more...personable than Darren was accustomed to. The war-forged looked like he could hold his own as well, but the machines always made him feel uncomfortable, he knew that usually there was no call for this feeling, but something about how hard they were to read got under his skin. Now with the gnome dispelling the illusion that held him captive (his youngest sister, still five years his senior, still in her armor with a faint smile when Darren was called to identify her) and eliminating the need for Darren to drop the body on the Friar's desk (a task he had been resigning himself to do) it was clear that he was in competent company indeed.

"Let's get moving then," Darren snorts. "Sameedri can draw him so we don't have to draw flies."

Darren seems ready to leave, before turning to his new comrades, speaking as if he were struggling to remember some arcane ritual, "We can move him first though...last rites and shelter from the elements are the least we owe the dead, I suppose."

Kilroy

Sameedri takes a long look at the man, then begins to weave magic into a passable likeness. In a few moments the image is complete: the man's face emerges from thin air an hovers several feet above his body.

"Well, I'm no artist, but I think that should do it."

streever

"We'll take care of the remains, warrior," says one of the Sharn Watch officers left behind to do just that. "You want to say a few words, be my guest, but we'll do the messy stuff. Getting late, anyway, if you want to get to Blackstone Church while the Friar is still up you might want to hurry."

OptimusZed

"Well that's something you don't see everyday; a useful gnome. Let's grab the Friar before he gets into the parish wine, shall we?"

I say we head out and follow up our one solid lead.

streever

As soon as I see a rough consensus/majority I'll get you on the route to the Church. For Sharn newbies, travel in sharn is notoriously complex: think New York City, but with layers. The area where the church is located is on one of the lowest levels, which is carved into the plateau which much of Sharn resides on/inside of, and the massive towers which rise overhead basically make the lower levels like a bee hive, with rare openings up to the air (very rare). For the most part, it is like an underground city, with large cavernous openings where structures like the Church are.

The actual district is Fallen, named after a massive glass tower which collapsed (no one knows why) into the district. The area directly around the tower is very dangerous, and inhabited by insane people. Oftentimes, deranged individuals are dumped into Fallen as if it was an asylum, so it isn't the best neighborhood.

dresdenphile

Tarak nods and makes ready to depart to the Church. "Yes, the sooner we identify this man, the sooner we find the people responsible."

Mr_Rose

Turning to the gnome, Wall continued
Yes; if you can reproduce that image at will, we should endeavour to reach the friar before rumour does.

Kilroy

"Then if we're going to spend the night amongst mad people, let's be on with it."

streever

Should have said this before, please roll streetwise or dungeoneeringto simulate map-reading/direction following to the church and then I'll post an update. Also, please take note of the OOC update on XP/quest.

Current Status

Find a clue (cleared)
Skill Challenge: (Level 3, complexity 4 success before 3 failures, 150 xp)

Skills used:
Arcana (Kilroy) success!
Perception (Wall) no effect
Streetwise (Karash) success!
Diplomacy Check (Kilroy) success!
Streetwise (Karash) no effect
Heal (Wall) failure
Perception (Darren) success
Nature (Darren) no effect

I wasn't sure how to handle Perception. I wish I'd just freeformed it, saying if he got a success, "you search the pocket" and if he failed not mentioning pockets, so it is as if he was being careless or just wasn't thinking. Next time!

Arrest a Murderer (ongoing)
Major Quest (Level 3, 750 XP, 380 gp)
Captain Harris has hired you to bring the murderer to justice. You will need to bring him in alive, or may face some problems of your own.

dresdenphile

Tarak manages to chat up a few locals to get half-way decent directions to the church.

Streetwise: 1d20+2 17