Three Rogues in Arcanis

HellHound · Jan 20, 2003

Mid fall last year I wrote a manuscript for Paradigm Concepts, and they mailed me a "care package" including Codex Arcanis. Well, my romm-mate fell in love with the setting, and we decided to give it a spin. Initially we were going to run our first ever "Living Campaign" game in Arcanis (32 point buy), but when the characters were decided upon, we elected to run a house game instead of a living campaign since we don't have the variety of characters necessary for the average module...

And here is why:

Brenwynn
Male Wind Elorii (elf) Rogue 1
Str 10, Dex 20, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 6, Cha 12
Wears black studded leather, carries 3 balanced throwing knives and a rapier. Has all the skills to become a Thief-Acrobat in time (and this is his goal). 3-4 ranks each in Balance, Climb, Disable Device, Hide, Jump, Move Silenty, Listen, and Pick Pocket. Incredibly impetuous and unwise, Brenwynn left the woodland home of the Elorii along with two friends, the Fire Elf rogue Keleosanna and the Life Elf rogue Mastioo. Together they travelled south to the Blessed Lands and the First City. There they followed caravans and such into the Coryani Empire and finally to the small frontier city of Trallith where our story begins.

Keleosanna
Female Fire Elorii (elf) Rogue 1
Str 12, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 10, Cha 12
Wears red studded leather, carries a shortbow and silvered dagger. Intends to find a mentor in the magical arts to become a wizard. Has 3+ ranks in Disable Device, Innuendo, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Search, & Spot. She has a fiery personality and no skills to help her earn an honest living. If anything, she is the motivator of the group, seeking adventure and excitement more than anything else, as she has no skills or talents beyond those of dishonesty.

and finally

Guy Lockheart
Male Kio (human) Rogue 1
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 14
This man is Mr Charming. A big grin from ear-to-ear precedes him. He was born on a boat, the fourth cousin of a homeless merchant prince. He would travel ahead of the family into the cities of Mhyrcia in the Western Principalities to play mystery shopper. But looking for fame and fortune (and a chance to become a prince once he returns to the Western Lands), he has travelled up the river into the Sea of Coryan, and from there to the frontier city of Trallith, which has just recently become the home of a legion of Coryani Centurions. Here he has become the faceman for a pair of elorii that he met here on his first day in the city.

And they are now looking to join the Trallith Thieve's Guild.

HellHound · Jan 20, 2003

The setting:

Trallith is cut whole cloth from Sanctuary, aka "Thieve's World". None of the three players in this group have ever read any of the Thieve's World books, and I'm taking this chance to introduce them to one of my fave game settings, while also having the perfect game world to put it into (the western borderlands of the Coryani Empire are the perfect place to put Sanctuary).

But before I bring them full swing into the stories and adventures of Sanctuary, we are bringing them into the Thieve's Guild. ANd to do this, one of my players has presented me with the "Thievery 101" modules by Wyvern's Claw design (I trust my players and I'm sure they haven't read the module themselves at this point).

Horacio · Jan 20, 2003

Hound, it looks like an interesting group of characters...

Wanting to read more!

HellHound · Jan 20, 2003

Horacio said:
Hound, it looks like an interesting group of characters...
Wanting to read more!

Well.. what the gnome wants, the gnome gets!

It started as a typical morning in Trallith... a dry wind blowing onto the gulf from the hinterlands, which would be replaced sooner or later by rain. In the dusty market, our rogues have gathered to seek out a dishonest living among the petty merchants, pickpockets and fishermen. They are each down to their last few gold (Keleosanna actually has but a handful of silver to her name as this chronicle begins). As they watch, a merchant pulls into the market with two loaded down wagons and then heads off to deal with the quartermaster before unloading his wares. A few kind words and a gold piece manage to get our rogues past the wretch the merchant was paying to watch his horses, and up to the second wagon, almost completely out of view from the rest of the market.

Guy leans agains the wagon, and begins to fidgit with his boots while the elorii begin untying the tarp over the wagon. They all look up as a shadow darts across their location and a quiet (thud) as something hits the cart between them. Guy reaches out and snaps the bolt that has embedded itself into wagon, while the elves immedately move out to see if they can follow the roof-top sniper without causing too much of a disturbance in the morning market. Their covert jogging only turned a few heads, but they had already lost sight of the sniper before they had moved after him, and found themselves wandering the market aimlessly. As the elorii moved back towards the wagon, an uncharacteristically grim-looking Guy walked towards them, and handed them a note...

Theevin' is to be done by theeves. Join the guild or get an honest livin'

"It was on the bolt... that wasn't aimed at us, but at the wagon. Seems we have a thieve's guild in town."

Dungannon · Jan 20, 2003

Interesting beginning, Hound. Nothing like the "direct" approach to recruiting of a thieves' guild.

Horacio · Jan 21, 2003

Hmmm, and if I ask for more again?

HellHound · Jan 23, 2003

Horacio said:
Hmmm, and if I ask for more again?

But you aren't a gnome anymore... and what the gnome wants... ah, okay, here it comes.

Our beleaguered rogues trudged across the bazaar district, deep in thought. The dust about them was briefly kicked up by a splattering of rain that did little but make people thirsty and create streaks of brightness on their dusty leathers.

At the cheapest bar they could find, the trio settled down to ale to wash away the dust from their throats. And they confered. It was decided that there was little point in attempting an independant life of crime in a hostile city with an established 'theevin' guild.

But then again, it wasn't like they could make an honest living in this town either. At least not one they would enjoy. So it became a job of finding the guild... after a few more ales...

Here we slip into metagame... a selection of Gather Information rolls follow, thankfully ONE of the players did well, the rest managed to get DC 8 rumors

It seems:

A patron of this very bar saw Sir Morabor (the Night Watch commander) dump a body into the river.

The local thieve's guild is called "The Watchers".

Thieves make contracts and are recruited to the watchers at a three story inn in the bazaar called the Iron Minstrel.

A splinter group within the Thieve's Guild is vying for control.

OR

A new guild is moving into town and the dead bodies in the river are just the beginning.

* * *

The next day finds our rogues once again in the bazaar. But this time they are walking with a purpose... a purpose born of necessity, for the night before seriously drained their resources. To the Iron Minstrel!