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Gregor strode down the damp late-summer streets, hood up and avoiding as much of the drizzling rain as he could manage in the late evening. His destination lay not far, but this area of the city could be somewhat rough, so he kept an active watch. Supposedly some minor lord or something kept an unobtrusive store-house where his less-than-reputably obtained valuables were under the protection of well-crafted locks and the seldom-passage of a guard... The former daunted Gregor not in the least, and the latter.. well those poorly paid to walk a late night shift in a shady area of town redefined the interpretation of 'not my problem'.

As he walked, his ears picked up the subtle sounds of the streets. The rustle of the alley-cat, the creak of old construction in the settling eve, and the murmur of skulkers and drunks. It had been months... years even, since Gregor had fled his involuntary servitude, but now and again he could hear the voice of his old "Master"...

Worthless little $#it... the grizzled locksmith's voice grumbled. Parents should'a sold yeh ta tha' butcher rather than me... Meat's expensive these days. Despite the warm night, Gregor shivers, noting a faint mist rising from the damp on the warm stone. ... 'fn I hadn't wasted so much time already tryin' tae teech the boy sommin', 'ed be oot in tha streets long 'afore 'e broke me reputabilities!

Suddenly Gregor's ears perked up... this was no echo of memory, the sounds of the old-man were coming from the alley his last step laid him straight in the middle of...

Eh?! Whoosaat?.. Wait... I'd know that slouch anywhere...


===
do you have a preference of worlds/realms Gregor is from? There is also a homebrew world of of mine named Genwald that he could be originally from if you so choose. It doesn't matter too terribly much for this campaign, but when he meets up with other stranded characters later it might be a talking point. We can leave it undefined as well if you like.

Gregor turns quickly towards the voice, right hand fiercely grasping the hilt of his broadsword while his left forms the sign of horns in an attempt to ward off whatever evil may be about. His eyes dart from side to side trying to give meaning to what he is experiencing. As the figure becomes visible, a low gasp escapes his lips.

“No! What evil is this?! I killed you. I saw you dead on the floor. And well did you deserve it!”

The surge of memories sparks a quick rush of anger in Gregor. Still unsure of whether to flee or face this horror, he is sure of one thing – he is no longer that 16 year-old boy that was terrorized so many years ago.

===

With the exception of one excursion into 5e, I’ve only played homebrew so have no experience with the various worlds and modules. It sounds like placing Gregor from Genwald makes the most sense. Feed me anything on your world that I’ll need and we should be good.

A loud curse, followed by a familiar noisome haawwk-splat of the old man spitting upon the ground. Aye... I've ne doubt ye thought ye'd kilt me... the voice persists, menacingly. The hunched silhouette in the alley waves off the other to whom it had previously been speaking; the second shadow retreats farther into the dark. But despite yer best effert'... the shape steps into the angled and dim light from nearby windows in the street. Ye' failed.

Thick shadowy lines from the low angled lighting cast sinister shadows across the elder man's face. The wrinkled carvings of age upon the flesh and a jagged mark running from the top of his head across a ruined left eye and down to a wide and poorly healed scar along the left side of his chin drastically accentuated the chiaroscuro of his master's visage. Rage, violence, and a certain amount of satisfaction shone plainly on the grizzled countenance facing him.

Shaking a mostly empty glass bottle at young Gregor, that voice assaulted him again. RUIN'T! Mah reputation!!! The man barked, taking a step. YEARS of work an' skill ye'll never know the like of!! it persisted, as he waggled the bottle at Gregor and continued inexorably forward. DAMNED! his former master all but screamed at him, drunkenly smashing the bottle against the nearby stone corner of the alley as he moved finally into the cobbled streets. Yer little... wrinkled and work-stained fingers of his free-hand wiggled in the air as he searched for the proper wording. yer dalliance, cost me EVERYTHIN'! Chuckling in a sinister manner, the sheared edge of the bottle shines in the light, But I'll have me due... oh aye... I'll take it out of yer HIDE!!! the man all but shouts, his improvised weapon poised to strike.

===
Just some basics of Genwald for now should be enough to draw from. The Sun Kingdom, NG human monarchy. Well mixed with other phb races. Most likely for a locksmith he was from one of the major human cities like the capital of Kin-city or one of the outlying towns (like palover, porton, etc), or even the highly integrated town of Pi Sai to the north which has a heavy Elven and Dwarven population as well.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/duggpff6pgrlp ... h.JPG?dl=0
apologies on the artwork, my sister drew this for the campaign-world some 20 yrs ago because she wanted to see all the terrain in color-pencil and it is such a nostalgia fix for me that I still use it to this day )

If you like we can say that Gregor has found his way into Thel Jeers, the 2nd largest human city in the kingdom (easier to hide in numbers). It has a fair mix of various races including those certain people consider 'less reputable'. It is mostly a trade hub and has a reputation for it's seedy side and being a place one can 'acquire' practically anything. Thus ripe for his profession.

The local Thieves' guild is quite active and skilled, so if he has only been 'operating' in town a month or so he is definitely on their radar and may be coming up upon a decision point (join or get turned out of the city). If you decide he has been in town longer than that, then he will have been contacted with an ultimatum of some kind.

If you want more info on the world there is a bunch in the Genwald game thread and I can provide a sea of detail, lol. But for this campaign we can take it piecemeal with the references if you wish to avoid an avalanche of reading.

Gregor slowly edges away from the old man back down the street the way he came. Leery of an attack by the second figure, he keeps watch on the street and alley as the old man advances. The locksmith does not appear to be much of a threat at this point in their lives, but Gregor is not willing to bet his life on that.

Ha! What a shriveled failure you are. Din’t ya know I’d pay ya back for keeping me in chains? Broke the deal and paid the price. Stoopid stoopid stoopid!

Gregor retreats a few more steps giving his taunts a chance to sink in. Still wary of the second figure, he glances around for a more defensible position to safeguard his back. He unsheathes the broadsword but is only prepared to use it as a bludgeon unless real damage is called for. A nice beating for the old man would be most ironic. Gregor laughs.

Hurts don’t it knowing I was the better locksmith even then. If’n you had any skill you couldof rebuilt. Nah – lost all your skill. Nuttin for you but drink.

Gregor cackles again and waits.

===

Thel Jeers sounds like just the place for Gregor. He's been on his own for about 4 years so likely making the rounds of the towns and cities without staying too long in one place. He probably realizes that can only go on for so long. He'll have to make arrangements somewhere and Thel Jeers seems a reasonable enough place to do so. He's probably been there about a month but thinking of staying on ... assuming he can resolve this current issue.

Chuckling drunkenly, the figure follows. Oh, aye... think yer tough-shit now do ye? Now ye've been away a coupl'a years or so?! the old master taunts him. Following Gregor into the street, he scrapes the broken tip of the bottle across the stone of the nearby buildings, sending an unnerving scrreeeeEEEECCH into the ever-cooling night.

Gregor backs down the road, confident in his path... that is until his back bumps against a plaster and beam wall that had no place being where it was!!! Had he been turned around in his excitement? Had he missed a turn? Who even had plaster here!? He hadn't been through this part of town long, but the old style plaster and beam was either rotten or replaced in most corners in this neighborhood. This looked well tended, but the press of present matters drew his attention away from the stifling corner he now found himself in...

A cruel laugh and the vulgar noise of the old man spitting again punctuated the thickening mist. Better... HAH!!! Ye're ne better than the grime beneath me HEELS ye scabby git!! Scraping the infinitesimally sharp edge of glass against the new plaster, his old master coughs violently into his own elbow. Hacking and snarling words finally resemble intelligible language, Yer debt can only be paid in blood,

[Actions and Initiative]
===
With the mist there is no obvious path of egress from confrontation, and the presence of a wall behind him indicates that clearly he has either been turned around or that he is at least not where he expected in the mists.

If you insist!, snarls Gregor. The world will be better with your evil gone!

... rolls initiative ...https://www.unseenservant.com/index.php ... &pcid=9841

===

Well I rolled a three but then my character and campaign information disappeared from unseen servant. Going to check back in a bit and see if it's a glitch.

[Looks like there may have been an issue with being logged in?]

Not sure what I did but Gregor showed up as archived this morning. I was able to recover him so all good. Rerolling initiative ...

https://www.unseenservant.com/index.php ... acid=20396

Gregor wrote: Sat Sep 16, 2023 7:02 am Not sure what I did but Gregor showed up as archived this morning. I was able to recover him so all good. Rerolling initiative ...

https://www.unseenservant.com/index.php ... acid=20396

[ooc]That roll looks good. you have an an initiative score, what action do you intend for the round? You can, of course, hold until he comes in range to strike; or hold for some other action. If the potentiality results in an attack from you then rolling one before hand is fine and actually helps move the story along depending on the action of the npcs.

As he moves into range Gregor will attempt a called shot attack (not sure if you use that designation) to strike the bottle and/or his hand. Hopefully a miss will look like a taunting sweep.

attack roll ... [url=https://www.unseenservant.com/inde ... ][1d20]=14[/url]

Taunting repartee to follow

[oh yes, we definitely use the called shot attack in this game, via the normal rules. so -4 to hit, can cause a special effect but no extra damage]

Gregor holds in the unexpected alleyway, the tip of his broadsword testing and waiting for the old man to move into range. Shifting his off-hand to behind his belt. Snarling with self-assurance, the elder locksmith grumbles I've a key ye're in need of... the filthy old man sniggers. Key to yer DEATH! Sige growls as he moves into range!

Gregor slashes with focus and skill, shattering the broken bottle in the old man's hands and slicing his arms with shallow bloody gashes. With a snarl and a curse, Sige draws forth a dagger from his back with his off-hand. Slashing hard across, the former teacher shouts with fervor... I'll quench me next blade in yer BLOOD!!! Ald secret, ye ken, boy. Blood-quenched blades cut the keenest!!! the elder man taunts; as crimson leaks both from himself and his erstwhile apprentice...

[Note on Obvious damage: from the General Rules thread. Basically Hurt = lost 25% of your hps or more. Hurt badly lost 50%+, Hurt critically 75%+, etc]
===
Init: R1
Gregor: (2+5 BSwd): 7
Old Master Sige: [10+2dagger]: 12

Sige locksmith init [1d10]=10

Gregor slashes with his Broadsword (called shot -4) at Sige's weapon (glass bottle)
Thac0 18 vs AC ? (-4)
[1d20] = 14, hit!
bottle save vs crush [1d20]=4, fail!
The glass bottle is shattered!
Sige's bottle is ruined!
The broken glass cuts Sige for [1d4] = 2!
Sige is Barely Scratched
Sige dmg broken bottle [1d4]=2

Sige draws a belt knife and stabs (-4 off hand) at Gregor (AC 5, stab +2 vs leather)
Thac0? vs AC 5 (-6)
[1d20] = 20, Hit!!! Crit! (2x dmg
[1d4] = 4x2 = 8 damage!
Gregor is Hurt! [18/26 hps]

Sige locksmith attack, dmg [1d20]=20. [1d4]=4

'Well enough of that taunting bs", Gregor thinks to himself. "Looks like I put him down or him me."

attack roll ... [1d20]=14

damage roll ... [2d4]=6

===

Initiative roll (not sure if you roll it every round or just once) ... [1d10]=8

[No worries. Yeah I typically just do init once per combat for these games, which actually works out a lot better for you this time Also, it looks like you have a couple languages (2) and a few nwp slots (3) left to spend he also gets Appraisal nwp for free from his kit]

The old man snarls wordlessly as he passes the blade to his right hand. Waggling the steel in the dark, the elder locksmith feints and swipes, chuckling evilly. Despite the fanfare and physical taunting from the old man, Gregor connects first; cutting a long gash across Sige’s side. With loud curse his foe retaliates, but only manages to leave little more than a scratch on the younger man’s arm

[Actions Round 3?]
===
Init: R2
Gregor: (2+5 BSwd): 7
Old Master Sige: [10+2dagger]: 12


Gregor slashes with his Broadsword Sige
Thac0 18 vs AC ?
[1d20] = 14, hit!
for [2d4] = 6
Sige is Hurt Badly!

Sige swaps to his main hand and stabs at Gregor (AC 5, stab +2 vs leather)
Thac0? vs AC 5 (+2)
[1d20] = 17, Hit!
For [1d4] = 1 damage!

Sige locksmith attack, dmg [1d20]=17. [1d4]=1

[I stuck my nwp's over in the notes section. I see three for class plus 1 more at 4th level - lock smithing, blind fighting (2), and tumbling. I picked lock smithing and then built the backstory around it I wasn't sure if I needed to reserve a language so I didn't pick the last two yet. I'd pick whatever the common racial languages are in Genwald - maybe Elvish and something else?]

Gregor sighs internally noting the damage done by his last blow. He was starting to worry that he might be outmatched. But as he dances with his old mentor, a troubling thought bubbles to the front of his mind. "I didn't kill him ... I'm not a murderer", the realization is part relief and part apprehension. "But if I don't kill him now, he'll keep following me, hounding me, interfering." After a few more dancing steps, Gregor decides he must at least disable the fossil before deciding what is to be done after that.

"You're be bleeding like a stuck sow near to dead, dotard," exclaims Gregor. "Run back to your hovel before you're done in. Days are done for you whatere happens here."

Gregor fades to the right then countersteps back left and strikes again at the lock smith.

normal attack to hit ... [1d20]=15
normal attack damage ... [2d4]=5

===

Gregor is considering disabling the old man and relieving him of his weapons (and anything of value but not his coin). He's not committed to killing him given his not-a-murderer epiphany but he'll need to make distance from this place quickly whatever the outcome - assuming he doesn't have to flee first himself. He hasn't forgotten there was another with the lock smith.

Added burglar kit mods and made final changes to character sheet (nwp's and thief skills). Let me know if anything looks wonky.