Streetscape

[Boddynock]

The first adventurers to exit the Red Dragon Inn see the young man running down the road. He careens into a wayside stall, knocking stock flying, then skids around the first corner on the left.

Within moments, all that can be seen and heard is the cursing stallholder as he picks up his spilled goods. A handful of passers-by stand in stunned silence at the young man’s breakneck passage.

[Deus Ex Machina]

Already outside the inn on the street, Valdaris draws his sword and quickly sets off in pursuit.

[Drerek]

Ruud, having had nothing to do for what seemed like weeks, hops off his seat and quickly follows the young man down the street. It never occurs to Ruud that this could be some sort of trap or trick.

[Trouvere]

"Wait for me, Ruud," says Taelythenihel, moving fleetly across the flagstones, staff in hand.

Spells prepared:

(0) Acid Splash; Touch of Fatigue (DC 15); Message; Prestidigitation
(1) Mage Armor; Color Spray (DC 16); Silent Image (DC 16); Cause Fear (DC 16)

[Drerek]

Forgot to Include Ruud's current stats:

Ruud's Current Info

Gnome Illusionist 1, HP 6, AC 14 (T 14, FF 11)
Spells Prepared:
0--Detect Magic, Read Magic, Ghost Sound, Light.
1--Color Spray, Reduce Person, Charm Person

[TwistedMindInc]

Payne exits the inn a few moments after the others, glancing over her shoulder to ensure that her two fighters were in tow. ``Damnit..`` Was all she muttered as she watched the speedster turn a corner and three others follow suit. Good thing the rogue was familiar with the town and knew the back streets well. ``Looks like we need to pick up the pace,`` was issued over one shoulder as Payne took to the chase, of course.. she cut down an alley knowing that it would lead out to the street the man had turned onto.

Payne

Name: Payne
Class: Rogue
Race: Human
Size: Med
Gender: Female
Alignment: NE
Deity: Taka

Str: 10 +0 ( 2p.)     Level: 3        XP: 3725
Dex: 16 +3 (10p.)     BAB: +2         HP: 18 (3d6+3) 
Con: 12 +1 ( 4p.)     Grapple: +2     Dmg Red: 
Int: 10 +0 ( 2p.)     Speed: 20'      Spell Res: 
Wis: 14 +2 ( 6p.)     Init: +3        Spell Save: 
Cha: 14 +2 ( 6p.)     ACP: -1         Spell Fail: 

                   Base  Armor Shld   Dex  Size   Nat  Misc  Total
Armor:          10    +3    +X    +3    +X    +X    +X    16
Touch: 13             Flatfooted: 13

                         Base   Mod  Misc  Total
Fort:                  1    +1          +2
Ref:                   3    +3          +6
Will:                  1    +2          +3

Weapon                  Attack   Damage     Critical
Dagger (x2)        +2(+5 ranged)     1d4+0     19-20/x2
MW Dagger         +3(+6 ranged)     1d4+0     19-20/x2
Light Crossbow                +5     1d8+0     19-20/x2


Languages: Common

Abilities: Sneak Attack (2d6), trapfinding, Evasion, Trap Sense +1

Feats: Combat reflexes, Two Weapon Fighting, Two Weapon Defense

Skill Points: 54       Max Ranks: 6/3
Skills                   Ranks  Mod  Misc  Total
Sleight of Hand              6    +3     -1   +8
Search                       6    +0          +6
Spot                         6    +2          +8
Disguise                     3    +2          +5
Gather Info		     5    +2          +7
Hide			     3    +3	 -1   +5
Intimidate		     3	  +2	      +5
Open Locks		     6	  +3          +9
Move Silently	             6    +3     -1   +8
Escape Artist                2    +3     -1   +4
Bluff			     4    +2          +6
Listen                       2    +2          +4
Use Magic Device             2    +2          +4

Equipment:               Cost  Weight                 
Daggers (x2) 		     2gp    1lb(each)
Light crossbow  	    35gp    4lb
 -- bolts (20)	 	     2gp    2lb
Studded leather	            25gp   20lb
    (-1 armor check penalty)
Thieves Tools 		    30gp    1lb
Backpack                     2gp    2lb
Flint/Steel                  1gp   --lb
Ink			     8gp   --lb
Hooded Latern		     7gp    2lb
MW Dagger (with topaz)     362gp    1lb
Paper(X2) 	   	     8sp   --lb
Belt Pouch(x2)		     2gp    1lb
Vial(x2)		     2gp 2/10lb
Total Weight:35.2 lbs     Money: 942.9gp

                           Lgt   Med   Hvy  Lift  Push
Max Weight:            33  34-66 67-100  100   500

Age: 18
Height: 5'5"
Weight: 116lb
Eyes: One blue, one green.
Hair: Ebony
Skin: Pale, scarred.

Appearance: At the risk of sounded cliche', this femme fatale very rarely wandered out of the shadows.
Cloaked in clothing dyed the color of starless nights, pallid flesh wasn't often offered up to the sun's caress..
preferring to remain engulfed in her self-proclaimed mystery. Not to mention - wishing to keep her heavily scarred
skin a secret, not too pleasing on the eye. Unless of course, you consider children crying and women screaming in
horror sounds of intrigue?

Background: Born to a poor farm family, Azara, learned to work hard at a very young age. Picking
produce at the ripe age of three, helping with the horses at the age of five, and sold into slavery at the
age of seven. Needing every coin they could collect her parents all most too willingly sold their only child to
seedy fellow who went by the name of Price. Price was such a lovely man, who treated his slaves with the utmost
gentle hand. And by that we mean he beat and abused his products and it was no surprise that ever owner Azara ever
knew treated her just as well. Being left scarred on so many levels, she ran away from her past and into the
trusting arms of thievery. Dropping her name, her background and adopting the lifestyle of Payne - appropriate, eh?

[hero4hire]

Kol burst out of the door behind Payne. "I can catch him!" he shouted and ran after quickly outpacing some of the others.

OOC: Run action x4 if possible movement speed 40'

Character Sheet

[InVinoVeritas]

Quozen bounded out of the tavern, and headed after the running figure. Seeing a group head on, he stopped to check on the merchant whose stall was just upset. "Dear me, kind sir, would you need some help with your stall? That boy was moving plenty fast, no?"

[Voda Vosa]

Ciprinus and Carpio (who was carried by his master) ran along with the group, with his scimitar and his shield in hand.
-Wait for me!- he shouts at the others who where some meters away.

[Boddynock]

A knot of adventurers dashes out of the Red Dragon Inn and sets off in hot pursuit of the young man. Quickly they separate into four distinct groups.

Out in front of the pack is Kol, who puts on a burst of speed in an effort to catch up with the fellow sprinting off down the street. "I can catch him!" he shouts. Confident in his own speed and stamina, he soon pulls away from the others and races down the street at top speed. Dodging passers-by and the occasional cart, he keeps the young man in sight.

Kol

You are shocked to realize that you aren't gaining on him. Whoever this man is, he can run as fast as you.

Then there is the main pack. Valdaris, Ruud and Taelythenihel race down to the corner and turn left - narrowly missing a small group of children who are playing in the street, and have stopped to watch the action. They begin cheering as the group passes. As Ciprinus comes up behind them, one little boy calls out, "Go, mister! Run faster!"

Meanwhile, Payne has ducked into a small alleyway which runs parallel to the larger thoroughfare before winding to an intersection point. Unfortunately, she is having trouble keeping up, and comes out behind the main pack (but just in front of Ciprinus). Looking down the street, she sees that the young man is heading towards the Grand Way. If he turns right, she has no hope of catching him. If he turns left, though, she can take a shortcut through Bog Row and come out further up the Way.

Quozen stops to help the trader whose stock was upset in the rush. "Dear me, kind sir, would you need some help with your stall? That boy was moving plenty fast, no?"

Quozen

"Ah, blasted fool, just look what he's done to these pots. Thank you, sir, for your help."

"Your friends might as well save their breath, sir - they won't catch him. That's Jendral Thay, Alvar Thorne's head teamster. He may be young, but he really knows horses. And I swear, he can probably outrun his own team! Wins all the foot races come Festival time, he does."

[Trouvere]

Taelythenihel, continuing forward, mutters "A strange way to ask for assistance." If she has the young man in sight within 100', she casts the Message cantrip, and speaks directly to him, "Stop running, fool! We will help, but we cannot keep up with you. Whisper now what is happening, and I shall hear." Otherwise, she picks up the pace.

[Deus Ex Machina]

With the man now pulling away from them, and not exactly sure why he’s now sprinting down the street, Valdaris starts to have second thoughts about the whole affair. What the hell am I doing out here anyway? Still, since there is nothing in the inn to go back to, he allows his curiosity to get the better of him and he presses on. They can no longer keep up with the young man who’d brought them all out here in the first place, but the mercenary resolves to keep sight of Kol. As he runs, he calls out to the others around him.

“We’re losin’ him… but we can still follow the barbarian…”

[Drerek]

Originally Posted by Deus Ex Machina

“We’re losin’ him… but we can still follow the barbarian…”

Ruud nods and keeps up as best he can with his short legs.

[Boddynock]

Seeing the man pull still further away, the elven wizard slows down and casts a spell. Mouthing arcane syllables, and making strange passes in the air with her hands, she frowns in concentration as she whispers after the fleeing youth.

Taelythenihel

You hear the young man reply, "Can't stop! No time. Have to keep going. I know what I have to do."

It occurs to her that he doesn't seem in the least out of breath.

[Trouvere]

"Enough of this," Taelythenihel snaps. "What could be more ridiculous than the sight of wizards running pell-mell through the streets? I am not made for such nonsense. Ruud, he refuses to stop or explain. I see no reason to assist him further."
Taelythenihel stops short, and walks back to the inn, disgruntled.

[Deus Ex Machina]

Hearing Taelythenihel's outburst, Valdaris pauses momentarily, though never takes his eye from the fleeting barbarian. He looks at her intently and questions.

"What do you mean!"

[Trouvere]

"I spoke with him as we ran. I told him to stop and explain. He refuses to do either. He is a trickster or a fool. We owe him no assistance," says Taelythenihel over her shoulder as she stalks off.

[Deus Ex Machina]

“W-w-what do you mean?”

Valdarius asks, incredulous, as he tries to fathom the situation. He stands for a moment, caught between the pursuit of the barbarian and the elven wizard who is now walking in the other direction.

“Talk with him. How did you talk with him?”


OOC: Sorry Trouvere. I can't let you leave. Not just yet.

[Trouvere]

"Renthisj arcaniss," she replies. "A simple act of magic. I spoke directly to his ear over the intervening distance. He replied to me in the same manner."

[Deus Ex Machina]

Valdaris shrugs, then it dawns on him that Taelythenihel is a practitioner or the arcane arts and that she may have such means of communication at her disposal. He takes one more glace at the back of the barbarian disappearing into the distance, before deciding that it would be folly for him to continue the chase. Reluctantly, he sheathes his sword and follows the elf back to the inn.