Thar Shaddin

Summary: There have been sporadic reports of people being attacked in Marn's historic district by groups of unusually large and ugly rats with orc-like heads. Witnesses have reported seeing the victims being dragged into the old sewer system.

The atypically co-ordinated behaviour shown by the orcrats has lead the Guard taskmasters to believe magic could be involved, and they have begun preparations for a co-operative investigation utilising a small unit of guards, battlemages, and any individuals whose skills might be useful for an expedition into the sewers.


Thread Date: May 17-19, 122PW

Availability: Thread finished, and continued in part 2

Posting Speed: Once a day with a maximum 3 day wait. (I'm an impatient sod who likes to maintain a sense of momentum)

Characters Involved:


Darrik - It's not this Guard's first time being sent into the sewers. His dwarven heritage and stature makes him the despatch officer's first choice for such unpleasant tasks.
Toast - AKA Fitzgerald Toastcruncher Fountainbloomer the Fourth - Gnomish sewer expert


Location: Guards HQ / Old District / Sewer system - ( http://www.tharshaddin.com/rp/viewtopic.php?f=8&t=3081 )


Other Notes: It is fair to assume that in this RP characters will be involved in combat under difficult circumstances and in unfavourable terrain. It will be part flat-foot investigation, part sewer-crawling badguy hunt.

Additionally, I am hoping to link this RP and its criminals into the Rebellion narrative in some fashion (How and When are entirely open to negotiation).

(NB: Please Let me know if I bollocks up this process at any stage. It's my first time posting up a plot proposal.)

I am approved and ready to go! :-)

So you can very much count me in for secret-sewer-mission-fun!

This will be a spot for me to keep some crib notes on the plot as it progresses.

===Known Victims:===

1 - Lanky Urchin - Caleb - ambitious errand runner. Suspicion has arisen that his disappearance isn't all it seems
2 - Skinny Whore - Hyacinth - worked and lived in a different part of the old city to where the attack was witnessed
3 - Burly Thug/Labourer - Hahmed - confirmed as missing from work by his foreman.
4 - Drunken Beggar - 'Nearly Faceless Nikos' - disfigured as a child, begged mostly to keep himself diverted by drink.


===Witnesses:===

For Caleb
1 - Tomas - friend of Caleb. His father Tanred repairs nets. Runs errands. Has been running more errands recently than ever before. Caleb was making new friends/contacts/employers.

For Hyacinth
1 -

For Hahmed
1 - Marc - a drunken labourer whose alcoholism makes him a less than reliable witness. Only the foreman's confirmation of Hahmed's absence gave his story enough credibility for a report to be formally submitted.

For 'Nearly Faceless Nikos'
1 - Legless Lazar - a fellow beggar.


===Other NPCs===

1 - Sergeant Jack Iron: a Guard working in despatch and administrative duties known for quick wit, intelligence, and an ability to delegate the right people for the right job. Even if he is a smirking bastard about it.

2 - Gladrags: a derelict flotsam sifter and gossipmonger with a strong enough liking of liquor to overcome prejudice and trade information to Darrik in exchange for dwarven ale.

3 - Tanred: Father of Tomas. Law abiding net mender barely making ends meet.

4 - Rose: a child of poor fisherfolk in Tanred's community. Witnessed an Orcrat speaking - likely the albino.

5 - Pink: a pink-haired gnomish waitress at the Rusty Wheel tavern

Mental note:
-----------------

(17:26:10) Darrik: How soon shall we have Gladrags find a corpse?
I'm thinking Hyacinth's body for maximum conspiracy factor, and to give us an excuse to go sewer crawling
(17:26:37) Soneya: hm yeah her body would definitely be best, and how about soon?
(17:26:55) Soneya: someone could always burst into the Rusty Wheel with horribly important news
(17:27:41) Darrik: *Nods* One or two in-game days seems reasonable. Having a flotsam sifter stumbling across a body within an hour of the request seems unlikely
(17:28:26) Darrik: We can always spend a pair of posts fast-tracking a day and a half of 'Nil outcome' enquiries
(17:28:48) Darrik: And then lead into the new development in the subsequent posts
(17:28:48) Soneya: mmhh sounds good

Another mental note:
-------------------------



(11:45:32) (Darrik mobile): I'm planning for Darrik to get nothing useful from the next round of questionin
(11:45:46) Toast: and then gladrags comes in to save the day?
(11:45:50) (Darrik mobile): Who should the fourth victim be?
(11:46:59) (Darrik mobile): Drunken beggar it is :p

(11:49:12) (Darrik mobile): Loosely, my thinking is as follows: Caleb and the Thug are recruits for the Paragon whose deaths are faked. The whore and beggar have been silenced for seeing things they weren't meant to
(11:49:41) Toast: some more mystery around the whore though since she was abducted away from her usual spot
(11:50:03) (Darrik mobile): Later, if needs be, we can have the 'trawling through old missing person reports' scene
(11:50:40) (Darrik mobile): Agreed. Darrik will fail to find the whore's witness
(11:51:29) Toast: mmhh ok. anything in particular that happened to the witness? or just untraceable?
(11:56:14) Toast: gladrags will find hyacinth's body at some point - that much we have decided on
(11:57:20) (Darrik mobile): Undecided. Maybe killed off, maybe in hiding
(11:57:43) Toast: i'm not sure how helpful it would be for the plot or the paragon even if the report was a fake
(11:57:47) (Darrik mobile): For now, we should keep it ambiguous
(11:57:55) Toast: because there is nothing to be gained by faking the report other than more confusion and some attention to them
(11:58:09) (Darrik mobile): The report will be true
(11:59:02) (Darrik mobile): But the one who reported it cannot be found now: adds a dash of mystery ans potential plot twists

Mental Note: I'm thinking of increasing Jack Iron's relevance to the plot.

I think this notion of factions within the Marn Guard definitely bears consideration, especially in the context of the Rebellion Storyline, and I like the idea of Jack Iron having a hidden agenda. I haven't quite nailed down what that agenda currently is, but I think whatever it is has him quietly supporting Darrik and Toast's investigation, pointing them in a direction which suits his agenda.

(The Agenda will most likely be influenced by whatever the Rebellion Narrative requires, or as and when the plot development calls for it to be described in detail)

Something tells me that Jack is being carefully watched by people in other factions, which is why he is using subtle means and subterfuge to point Darrik and Toast (who are talented, intelligent, reliable, likely to be underestimated by most, and also expendable in a worst case scenario) in the direction he wants them to go. What is clear in my mind is that Jack Iron has a vested interest in the success of the investigation, and its outcome - but he cannot be seen to have an interest.

Intrigues and more intrigues, etc.

I might also start up a related conversation in the Marn Guard group discussion.

Mental notes
---------------

(22:23:54) Soneya: hmmmmmmm... sometime in the next day, one or both of them could have an "accident"
(22:24:01) Soneya: daysssssssss, not day
(22:24:45) Darrik: Or be attacked
(22:25:30) Soneya: yup
(22:26:47) Darrik: If the rat pack is being used to both fake deaths and take out possible threats, we may have our first combat scene soon - especially if among the reports there is information which leads them to some seemingly unrelated criminal activity involving a warehouse with sewer access
(22:28:36) Soneya: mmhh indeed
(22:29:47) Darrik: I think, with the first attack of the pack, the two will be taken by surprise, but fend off the assault, perhaps with minor injuries. Your thoughts?
(22:31:35) Soneya: yes, i think fending them off with minor injuries is best for a first attack
(22:31:47) Soneya: later on, they could be taken captive or something along those lines, depending on how the rp progresses
(22:34:17) Darrik: I'm not a fan of the 'taken captive' option. Their deaths and disappearance would suit the criminals' goals better.

I think that, following a successful escape, they figure something out about the rats, enough for Toast to narrow down which section of the sewers they spend time in. But at the same time, they are given a more realistic appraisal of their chances in direct combat with the full pack, and need to reconsider the 'storm the sewers as a duo of justice' approach
(22:35:18) Darrik: I'd like to link the warehouse to Caleb somehow, if possible, though my brain is too fried to form a coherent plotweb at present
(22:37:34) Darrik: I'm thinking that the additional 'missing people' reports add a more telling picture of 'which section of the historic ruins' a lot of people are disappearing at, along with a couple of spots in the industrial district - also near sewer entrances.
(22:39:02) Darrik: I think Caleb will form the cognitive link to the Industrial district: a mental link only made possible by the pair's belief that the death was faked, giving a stronger significance to Caleb's living activities
(22:39:49) Darrik: Your thoughts, Steph?
(22:40:10) Soneya: and of course i always, always get interrupted...........
(22:40:23) Darrik: Ahahah
(22:41:23) Soneya: hmmm i like this though, yeah
(22:41:40) Soneya: i'll need to think about all the different angles for a bit and see if i can come up with some sort of crazy plot
(22:41:50) Darrik: Awesome
(22:42:04) Soneya: there definitely is a lot of potential for 'fun' sewer times and warehouse pikaboo
(22:42:50) Darrik: I like to think that the people responsible for the attacks are clever enough to cover their tracks, and its only Toast and Darrik's suspicion that some of the deaths are faked which give them the right insight to look at the facts from a different angle
(22:43:13) Soneya: currently contemplating having something happen to toast in the sewers but that would be too quick and too soon. there will be absolutely nothing happening to him or his friend and he'll be frustrated as hell - so much more interesting
(22:43:49) Soneya: mmhh yes, the only reason they even consider this is because of caleb's supposedly faked death, so that is basically the only 'real' hint they have as to what may or may not have transpired
(22:44:39) Darrik: And because of that, they will start looking at the boys' activities in the context of the other information provided to them, and the understanding that the boys were obviously working for -someone-.
(22:44:51) Darrik: I think Tomas will disappear
(22:44:55) Darrik: What do you think?
(22:46:21) Soneya: that would be a good idea but when you look at it from the point of view of the criminals' point of view, wouldn't that instantly draw someone's attention to them even more? IF they know someone is on their trail, which they will know since darrik and toast will be attacked
(22:49:24) Soneya: how about gladrags disappearing? or someone along that line, who could actually help them but isn't specifically linked to whatever it is the criminals are doing (unlike tomas who has/had a link to caleb)
(22:50:18) Soneya: oooor the criminals see spike fiddling with the observation system and decide to take him out of the equation and ruin the system in the progress
(22:50:23) Darrik: We'll keep Gladrags alive, but I think some of his people die
(22:50:32) Darrik: Ooh, harsh
(22:51:02) Darrik: But wouldn't that draw similar attention to location in spike's case?
(22:51:09) Jerial: I concur.
(22:51:46) Soneya: not necessarily since spike isn't in any way related to the investigation except for knowing toast and helping out because he has the technology. he has no clue and the system is all over the sewers
(22:52:40) Darrik: Well, his death/disappearance would certainly provide Toast some motivation =p
(22:52:42) Soneya: and if by some otherworldly miracle the system actually captured something useful (i doubt it but the criminals might not know) they think they will prevent that from getting out by destroying the system and the guy responsible for creating it
(22:52:47) Soneya: hehe yeah
(22:53:08) Darrik: Would they even know what the system was?
(22:53:15) Darrik: I mean, it's gnomish tech
(22:53:28) Soneya: nah but they might have seen him fiddle regularly and think "oh not good"
(22:54:07) Darrik: Except there are always gnomes in the sewers for maintenance purposes? Wouldn't they go out of their way not to mess with that?
(22:54:39) Darrik: Two guards poking around is avoidable, theoretically, especially while they are poking around in the wrong area
(22:54:44) Soneya: someone using the sewers for their purposes will know the difference i'd think
(22:55:05) Soneya: observation of the ones poking around will lead to obtaining information about those guards and what they're doing
(22:55:12) Soneya: spike isn't a sewer-gnome
(22:55:18) Soneya: not as such, at least
(22:55:21) Darrik: Ah
(22:56:24) Darrik: Hypothesis: The rat pack is laired somewhere in the recesses of the sewers under the industrial district, harboured by a Paragon faction. They are performing the killings, real and faked, in the historic ruins to help keep attention there.
(22:56:42) Darrik: Maybe spike will be killed there to help with that goal
(22:57:11) Soneya: so far so good ^-^
(22:57:56) Darrik: Question: Let's assume the criminals are aware the Guard have spoken to Tomas, and know he hasn't yet spoken about his employers. Would they risk the chance of him naming a name, or prevent that information getting out, especially if he too disappears in the historic ruins
(22:58:16) Soneya: i'd suggest an accident rather than a disappearance or death
(22:58:28) Darrik: Very good idea
(22:58:46) Darrik: A fall, sometbing innocuous that nobody would look twice at
(22:58:58) Soneya: gives tomas the right motivation to keep quiet, and will incapacite him of speaking for a while but will not draw unnecessary attention
(22:59:03) Soneya: exactly
(22:59:24) Soneya: (and you can work your way around the typos and missing parts of words )
(22:59:27) Darrik: Tomas, in the criminals minds, will need to be permanently silenced
(22:59:34) Soneya: yes
(22:59:51) Darrik: As long as he lives, there is the possibility of him talking, either freely or under torture
(22:59:52) Soneya: preferably have him lose his ability to talk
(23:00:08) Soneya: an accident that removes his tongue would be too obvious
(23:00:16) Soneya: smashed windpipe?
(23:00:20) Darrik: Any accident will be fatal. It's too difficult to fake an accident which causes a loss of speech
(23:00:26) Soneya: (not sure on the medical consequences of a smashed windpipe)
(23:00:39) Darrik: Tomas will have to die, I am afraid
(23:00:48) Soneya: tough luck
(23:01:25) Soneya: how about he runs away from a guard (faked or for real) and somehow, sadly, he falls into the ofryiu, can't swim, drowns. end of story
(23:02:33) Soneya: if the guard is for real, he will be pushed and it will appear as though he's slipped.
if the guard is a set up, then the guard will make him fall into the river somehow
(23:03:13) Darrik: Maybe somebody saw him 'overbalance' into the Ofriyu like you say, most people will say 'Oh no, that's terrible'. I think, for now, keep the Guard angle out of it. The criminals aren't going to be stupid enough to risk uncovering a guard ally for something so minor
(23:04:05) Darrik: Rather, it will be a murder staged as an accident, maybe a tripline/lasso set up for Tomas. The bait would have been a job offer
(23:04:06) Soneya: true
(23:04:24) Soneya: which is something he'd definitely go for, yes
(23:05:32) Darrik: And the only people in Marn who'd find it suspicious would be his father, Tanred, as well as Darrik and Toast, who'd find the coincidence in timing unsettling, though they'd have no proof
(23:06:02) Darrik: Maybe they find out when Tanred approaches them
(23:06:41) Soneya: hmmmmm i like that idea
(23:06:45) Darrik: "Please, sirs, they says Tomas fell, but Tomas would never fall, he's always been real athletic like, had really good balance"
(23:07:16) Darrik: Shall we go with that?
(23:07:42) Soneya: sounds good!

(23:09:48) Darrik: Alright: plotlines to weave in
- Tomas murdered, made to look like accident, Tanred tells Darrik and Toast
- Flotsam sifters dying in the sewers, Gladrags unhappy, but may hold a clue (i.e, found under historic ruins, but no sign of the struggle there)
- Gladrags finds Hyacinth's body.

====Mental Notes====

(20:31:23) Soneya: which brings us back to the drop off spot idea (which i still quite like hehe)
(20:31:30) Darrik: A couple of them might be, aye, though some will just be other missing reports which were never solved.
I'm wanting Jack's documents to tie in more closely to the Paragon/Rebellion plothooks than the Orcrat/Missing Persons side of things
(20:31:53) Soneya: yeah so we can get other threads linked into this one
(20:32:11) Darrik: I think we should go with the magical 'instructions' not having been adequately updated for the Orcrats
(20:33:57) Darrik: I propose this:
The bricked off wall hides an adhoc storeroom containing bones and corpses, which was closed off when it got too full. The Orcrats, being unable to access it any more, simply dumped the corpses nearby.
(20:34:55) Darrik: Thoughts?
(20:35:01) Katona: Stupid rats.
(20:35:14) Soneya: actual brick wall or illusion brick wall? bricks as enchanted items for the latter btw, 2 or 3 should do the trick to wall it up to the top
(20:36:27) Darrik: I didn't quite comprehend that =p
(20:37:45) Soneya: is it an actual brick wall or is it an all illusion? (let's start with that part)
(20:37:51) Katona: Well it could be loosely bricked so that it feels solid but illusion over the top to make it match the rest of the surroundings better and look solider.
(20:38:25) Soneya: so basically just a few bricks stacked one upon the other so it could easily be taken away and put up again?
(20:38:45) Soneya: with a few enchanted bricks in between to assure the illusion of a perfectly well-built and solid wall?
(20:38:55) Darrik: Complex illusion affecting all senses, including smell?
(20:39:18) Soneya: ah yeah, there would have to be something for the smell too, indeed. at least a little something, since they are in the sewers after all
(20:39:27) Katona: Sure, that might work too, like one of those things you don't notice is fake until you know it is.
(20:39:36) Soneya: mmhh
(20:39:48) Darrik: I'm down for adding an illusionist to the mix
(20:40:00) Soneya: that would make things veeeery interesting
(20:40:12) Katona: It's cool because then you never know what else they could have missed along the way.
(20:40:14) Soneya: or could
(20:40:17) Katona: OR at least plant that seed.
(20:40:22) Darrik: Just another reason for the entire investigation to be handed over to the battlemages
(20:40:38) Soneya: mmmmhh
(20:40:40) Darrik: And Darrik can wash his hands of the entire sorry affair =D
(20:40:46) Soneya: lol
(20:41:10) Darrik: Hey Jase, how close is Katona to completion? This can be her first case
(20:41:32) Katona: Her first case to be written you mean?
(20:41:41) Darrik: Ja
(20:42:09) Katona: Definitely. I'll try to finish her soon. I actually got most of the info I need now from Frug.
(20:42:21) Katona: Which was the hold up.
(20:42:54) Darrik: Of course, knowing Darrik's luck, he'll get seconded to be her Guard liaison. And Toast would probably have his contract extended and amended
(20:43:08) Katona: Yeah I imagine they'd need Toast.
(20:43:26) Darrik: Alright. Ideas of a post formulating properly now
(20:45:01) Soneya: i'm seriously wondering what else this thread is going to bring
(20:45:10) Soneya: i mean for 'only' 4 pages of rp, there is so much info already o.O

(20:45:15) Darrik: For the next few posts, I see a loose narrative flow as follows:
Return to spot > Hammer at the wall > Oh whoops > Wait, magic? Boo hiss! > Oh the horror, bodies! > Bag up Gladrags' mate > Head back > Get attacked by rats
(20:45:49) Soneya: how pissed will gladrags be if they don't recover the body?
(20:45:56) Darrik: The escape from the rats and reporting to Jack could wrap up Pt 1, with a recommendation to involve battlemages

I'm thinking that Toast's next post is probably a good place to cap off this particular thread.

We can then start up a continuation thread with a slightly new focus and new Plot Discussion as well.

I envisage the next thread starting 2-4 days after the current thread, when action is taken to investigate the fact that illusionary magic had been used to conceal a whole bunch of bodies - an investigation which will likely require the presence of a battlemage.

(Subtle Nudge at JASON: If Katona is finished, and your exams are done, and you want in on the sewer action, that'll be a possible option for Katona's first RP)

Alright, I'll go wrap it up!
Suddenly it was over quicker than I thought lol.

2-4 days sounds good - JASON, move it! :-p
I could actually imagine the next thread starting off in Iron's office again hehe.

Well, that's Part 1 of the epic RP wrapped up. A chance for a brief interlude for both characters, and then we can jump into part two!

Next time we have a bit of time in chat we can go over ideas on what to bring into part 2, and which plot points to focus on/resolve/expand.

Thanks for making my and Darrik's first RP thread epic, Steph! Toast is awesome.