The Hit (Part 1)

Wake up sleepy heads. It's a new day, and you have money to spend.

The PCs to date have acted as a team and are learning about each others' capabilities. The previous day has shown them that they can work and support each other with their unique abilities to achieve a mutual goal.

This next scenario, The Hit, is in two parts. It comes from the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons - The Official Dungeon Master Decks: Deck of Encounters - Set One. I picked this up, as well as Set Two, several years ago in a Crazy Special at a Military Simulations. These sets are no longer available, but may be obtained through second-hand stores. I have seen them advertised on the net for ridiculous prices.

The PCs take their time shopping at The Great Circle, the main market in Sel-kai. While shopping the PCs note that some government official is getting ready to speak to the crowd. A podium is prepared and eventually the official speaks. The PCs know this man as the Mayor of Sel-kai and so listen eagerly as he lets the people know that horses will be banned from the streets of this city at the end of the two year trial period. This gives the PCs one week to organised stabling in the city stables for all their horses. Cavell has two horses and so must pay double what his new found friends must. Too bad!

While listening to the Mayor, Asmodeus spots an assassin readying his heavy crossbow on a windowsill, aiming it at the Mayor. He points this out to Cavell who is standing beside him and Cavell immediately calls out "assassin!" and casts the spell Projected Light at the assassin to distract him and pinpoint his position to the others. Kodos now spots the criminal and, using his talent, teleports himself between the Mayor and the assassin.

Just as he arrives in place, Kodos pounces onto the Mayor in order to cover him, as he does so, Kodos feels the sting of pain as a bolt pierces his side.

Shashari jumps into action immediately, flying (she has wings) over to the assassin and dives into the window. The assassin spots her and backs off just as Shashari falls through the open window.

The guards are now moving towards the assassin's location and so is Rikku. Rikku gets to the house first as the guards have to negotiate their way through the crowd. Rikku decides he will climb the house wall and into the open window, but doesn't manage to get a good foothold to make the climb in the first place. He then decides the front door would be a good idea and so tries that instead. Meanwhile, Shashari is face to face with the assassin, trading blows, but neither of them is doing much damage to the other.

Rikku finds the door is locked and so thinks twice about picking the lock before realising he hasn't had much experience doing so and thus decides to ram the door instead. Thud! That door just won't budge.

"Look out, get out of the way."

The guards finally arrive and rush the door spilling into the entry. Rikku takes the initiative and rushes upstairs while the two guards are picking themselves up off the floor.

Poor Shashari has had no luck taking out the assassin over several rounds and now she watches as Rikku runs in through the door to the upstairs room and kills the assassin with a well placed critical strike.

Cavell moves to the podium to see how Kodos is going. He finds Kodos on top of the Mayor and guards arrive to arrest Kodos. Cavell intercedes and protects Kodos letting the guards know that it was Kodos who saved the Mayor from certain death. Upon request Cavell releases the names of all his party members and is told that they will be contacted later.

Kodos, gritting his teeth in pain, is healed by Cavell. The crowd is stunned by all the action, just as Aelerine has been. I believe Aelerine had a nap at the time, well certainly her player did.

Shashari and Rikku discover the assassin has a tattoo on his left hand, a single triangle shape in the webbing between thumb and first finger.

The PCs decided to return to The Limping Dog. Later that night a guard turns up and speaks with Cavell about a banquet being held tomorrow night at the Mayor's residence. He and his party are invited as honoured guests, at which time they will receive an award for their efforts.



(Aside)

This was a good session, all players had the opportunity to get involved though one (Aelerine's) chose not to due to him being over tired from shift work. I am sure that Asmodeus did do more than indicated above, but I can't remember as it has been a month since the session and the starting of this blog. Sorry Asmodeus!

It is sessions like this one that bring both joy and sadness to me as GM. Joy, since almost everyone got involved and had a good time and sadness, because Aelerine's player (let's call him Pete - not his real name) chose to not get involved. This had not been the first time for Pete and Pete has another problem in that he can only turn up to play once a month. So I decided to remove Pete from the player group and bring in fresh blood. Someone who did have the time to turn up regularly (fortnightly for my sessions) and get involved.

And so we move onto part two ...