The day begins late for the inhabitants of Shadowshore who don't work at the docks, so it wasn't until mid morning that the common room of The Skinned Man started seeing its most dedicated and desperate customers trickle in. By that point Sasserine's hot equatorial sun had already started its relentless daily baking of the city, and was slowly turning the pools of water from the previous night's downpour into a steamy mist. The hot and humid atmosphere meant that the common from was uncomfortably warm by the time Logan arrived to hunt for breakfast, but he was used to it. This place had become a second home to him since he had started his 'professional' life in the one career path that the people of Shadowshore excelled in.

The barkeep greeted him with a non-committal grunt and set down what passed for breakfast in the tavern - a bowl of slops and a mug of small beer.


Small Beer - the nasty crud left at the bottom of the barrel of a beer. Cheap though...

Welcome to your mini adventure Logan! What are you up to this morning?
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:33, Mon 01 Dec 2014.

I'm sick and tired of being poor. I want a decent breakfast!

OOC: Then today is Logan's lucky day!

As Logan munched through his bitter breakfast, he saw a familiar figure enter the tavern. It was the small time crook with big dreams who insisted on calling himself 'Fartellamous' for some bizarre and unknown reason. Logan tried to supress a smile as he studied the garishly clad man, small time Fetellamous may be, but it was best not to get on his bad side. For all of his lack of statue in the greater underworld of Sasserine, Logan had to admit that he had a pudgy finger in most of the shady deals that went down in the Skinned Man - Fartellamous certainly did not lack ambition or a strong work ethic when it came to doing crime - but more importantly Logan owed him a lot of money which he was overdue on paying back. With a sinking heart, Logan saw that the fat man had seen him and was now walking over.

Fartellamous

Fraudulent and Flatulent - Fartellamous is a small time crook, pimp and loan-sharp with big time delusions of grandeur.

"Logan my dear boy!" the chubby man sighed as he eased himself into a chair opposite the rouge. "Here you are! Your mother said I would find you here." The mention of his mother made Logan feel a moment of unease. The fact that this untrustworthy and unscrupulous crook knew where he lived was reminder of just how much leverage he had over him. "How are you today? Are you ready to repay the loan I kindly made to you?"
This message was last edited by the player at 19:17, Wed 03 Dec 2014.

"Oh, hi Farty! Just the man I was looking for! Of course I have your money. Not here, of course, I wouldn't bring that much money to a place like this. The money is, uhm, somewhere else. I just need a few days to, well, get them."

OOC: Sorry, chrome on the iPad won't let me choose colors for text...

Logan wonders if Farty will lend him some more. Preferably for a vacation, to be paid back after Farty's death.

"How's Mrs. Farty?"

Fartellamous’ face turned a funny colour as he gritted his teeth and hissed back, “The only reason you aren’t dead already is that you are potentially worth more to me alive, but you would do well to remember your place elf-boy. Otherwise I might decide that you are of more value to me working in the ‘Velvet Hatch’ than doing jobs out on the street.” Logan recognizes the name of the notorious brothel in Shadowshore that houses the most desperate and unfortunate of Sasserine’s citizens.

“Fortunately for both of us I have a job for you. One that will allow you to pay off some of your debt.” Fartellamous leans in closer to Logan across the table and lowers his voice. “It involves breaking into a house in the noble district, but I figure that your half-elf blood and boyish looks might actually be an asset in this case. Perhaps you have a better chance of succeeding here than a better thief.” The large man gets to his feet, a maneuver requiring several seconds to complete and some ominously creaking furniture. “Your new employer is waiting in one of the side rooms. Come along and I will introduce you.” Fartellamous sneers. “Unless you are still considering my other offer of employment at the Velvet Hatch.”

In reply to Fartellamous (msg # 7):

"All right," Logan says and gets up. "I'll do your dirty job! I'm curious to see who needs YOUR help with anything..."

Fartellamous glowered back at the half-elf as he led him through the common room, before finishing at the door of one of the private rooms. These rooms could be rented by the customers of the Skinned Man who needed to conduct more delicate business that could not be done in public.

“You will need to improve your manners if you want to survive your employment on this job. But that is up to you. The man’s name is Vorsh… maybe Mister Vorsh to you.” Fartellamous opened the door to the darkened room and almost pushed the rouge inside before following himself and closing the door.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 18:59, Fri 05 Dec 2014.

Logan stepped inside into the room and had to use his dark-sight to make out the contents. There was a table with three chairs around it, with a man sitting in one of the chairs.

“Goodmorning Logan,” said the figure while kicking back one of the chairs. “My name is Vorsh. Take a seat. I want to discuss a job with you.”

Logan used his vision to make out what he could about the man opposite him. He was definitely human, bearded, and not young. The half-elf wasn't sure but he thought he could see some sort of clerical robes underneath the man's cloak.


This message was last edited by the player at 18:59, Fri 05 Dec 2014.

Logan could hear Fartellamous stumbling around behind him. Without the benefit of dark-sight the fat crook was struggling to find a seat for himself.

In reply to Dungeon Master (msg # 13):

"Good morning, Mister Vorsh", Logan says and finds a chair. "What brings a holy man to a place like this?"

Vorsh seemed to pause a second. "Well, mister..." Logan could see the man screwing his face up before saying the next word. "...Fartellamous said you were sharp, I suppose I should have expected you to pick up on that so quickly Logan. But I think it would be best for you to forget it again just as fast."

Vorsh leaned back and studied the young half-elf. "I am here because I need some assistance. I am a collector of... certain magical items and I have learnt that such an item has come into the possession of a merchant in the noble district. I know that he will not sell it to me, in fact, he will not be ABLE to sell it if I am right about its power. So, you see, I need you to go and get it for me. Is this something within your power to do?"

In reply to Vorsh (msg # 15):

Logan wonders how Vorsh will be able to get the thing from him, but says nothing about it.

"Sounds interesting, Mr Vorsh. Tell me more about the house and the merchant. I won't bother asking about the item, because I know you will not tell me."

"I'll tell you enough about the item for you to identify it, and retrieve it without falling under its curse. It is a mithral rapier with a jewelled pummel and a single large ruby set in the hilt, but before you get ideas about just keeping it for youself," says the stern man, perhaps seeing Logan's eyes widen - mithral blades were very rare and could fetch a huge sum of money in the merchant's district - "You should understand that it is a very powerful item. If any part of your skin touches it you will come under its control."

"This blade was purchased by a nobleman called Hans Aubreck who lives somewhere in the noble district, you will have to find out exactly where yourself. I believe him to already be under the power of the weapon, so he will not surrender it easily."

Vorsh continues. "I know this is a challenging task. But if you complete it and return the rapier her before noon in two days time then I will repay all of your debt to Mister Fartellamous."

The fat thief cleared his throat. "The amount we agreed would pay of SOME of Logan's debt Mister Vorsh," Fartellamous corrected.

"ALL of his debt! I am paying well for this, more than double what the boy owes." Vorsh had hardly raised his voice, but Logan saw the thief pull back.

"Yes, if you insist," said Fartellamous. No doubt the old crook had been intending to take a larger cut for himself and keep Logan working for him a little longer.

"Oh, and one more thing Logan. You will be accompanied by a cleric of my order who will be keeping an eye on you, and who will report back to me if you are unable to complete the job. I hope you understand the need for this... insurance."
This message was last edited by the player at 20:53, Sun 07 Dec 2014.

In reply to Vorsh (msg # 17):

"Now why would that be necessary? You either trust me to bring it to you or you don't. How can I be sure that fellow of yours isn't going to knock me down and run with the, uhm, item?"

Logan leans forward and says in a low voice: "And what about my fee? I need a guarantee that Farty will be off my back."

Logan leans back and says, just a little bit louder: "How am I supposed to forget you are a church man, when I have to babysit your cleric friend?"