Yep, I'm up to Part 3, and the mystery is just getting started. I think it's time to bring in some investigators and see if any clues can be found. I still have no idea who is trying to take out Kaylor. Okay, I have a few ideas, but I still want to see where the story takes me.
Waking up in the morning, a few days later, Kaylor found a note under his door. When his danger sense didn't go off, he picked up the note and read it."See Professor Prenk at 11 A.M. this morning."
After eating breakfast in his room, Kaylor walked cautiously down the hallway and between each of the buildings. Once he reached the professor's office, he knocked and when prompted, entered.
"Ah, young Kaylor!" Prenk smiled and gestured. "Please come in and take a seat."
The two sat before the fireplace and Prenk offered his student a cup of coffee. "How are you feeling?"
"More confused than anything else," Kaylor answered. "I don't understand what's going on, and I'm quickly thinking it's not a bunch of accidents."
"As am I," said the professor," which is why I called in some outside help."
"Outside help?" Kaylor asked. "From where?"
"The City Watch," Prenk answered. "I figured they have seen their share of horrific acts. Perhaps they can shed some light on the situation."
"What time will they be here?"
"Oh they arrived earlier morning." Prenk took a drink of his coffee. "They've spent the last couple of hours investigating both your laboratory and the auditorium."
As if on cue, there was a knock on the door.
"Please," said the professor, "come in!"
The door opened and two very different individuals entered. The first was a troll. Having to duck his head and bend his legs to crouch as he walked through the doorway, he had skin that resembled red stone. Wearing loose-fitting pants (No idea where he had those made!) and a vest, he also had a crossbow the size of a person slung on his back.
The other was a short figure with green skin. He had wide shoulders and muscles under his hide clothing. He also had an under-bite that extended far past his wide face. A staff was attached to his back, but he walked with his hands together as his eyes wandered the room.
"Good morning," said the troll. "I am Lance Constable Ibash Urskul, and this is my associate, Lance Constable Yugo Thudd."
Finally!
I created these two characters for a game years ago because I had a bunch of miniatures from Mage Knight and I wanted to use them. The only reason I didn't was because I couldn't figure out how to create quick stats for opponents. TWERPS (the game I was playing at the time) didn't really have any fantasy rules. For a while, I used Two Hour Wargames and their fantasy rules, but by then I forgot all about these two characters. Now, with my Mythic game in the Discworld universe, I have my chance.
Here are their stats:
Ibash Urskul: Troll Level 1 Watchman.
Do: +2, Think: 0, Talk: +1.
Weapon: Giant Crossbow, fist.
Yugo Thudd: Hybrid Dwarf/Goblin Level 1 Watchman.
Do: +1, Think: +2, Talk: 0.
Weapon: Staff.
Prenk frowned. "Lance Constables, you say? So in other words, you are trainees, Mr. - ?"
"Please," said the troll, "you may call us Ibash and Yugo. And yes we're rookies." His smile disappeared. "The watch chose us to do this."
"They didn't want to waste manpower since you wizards kill each other all the time anyway," said Yugo.
Ibash patted his friend's shoulder. "Don't worry though, we're good at our jobs."
Prenk looked to Kaylor, who shrugged. "Well then, I'm Professor Johann Prenk, and this is my student and the unfortunate victim of both instances, Kaylor Wallow. Why don't we get started."
"Good, good." The two watchmen approached the seats. Yugo jumped into one chair that was across from the others. Ibash looked at the other chair, and after considering his own body shape, chose to sit on the floor. "Now we've gone over the auditorium - "
"Before you start," said the professor, "and I mean no offense by this, but you seem quite articulate for a troll."
Ibash smiled. "Thank you. I spent a good time learning your speak, though it not perfect." He sighed at his own words. "Anyways, we studied the rubble in the auditorium."
"Did someone cut it?" Kaylor asked.P
(Q) Did someone cut it? (Likely) Yes.
(Q) Was it cut by a known tool or weapon? (Likely) Yes, Random Event.
(Event) "NPC," "Obstacle."
Ibash nodded. "It looked like it was cut by some kind of tool. It seemed like a good cut. But we had to stop because the teacher there yelled at us for making a mess, even though the mess was already there."
"Could you tell who exactly was the target?" Prenk asked.
"The beam seemed to be aimed for your seat." Ibash pointed to Kaylor." It's a little hard to tell because it fell from the loft above the balcony. Was anyone sitting next to you?"
Kaylor shook his head. "We kind of spread out, giving each other an open seat or two unless we're good friends."
"Which means you weren't friends with any of them," said Yugo.
"I haven't really made any," answered Kaylor. "Wizards here prefer to keep to themselves."
"Unless you're killing each other," said Yugo. "I read you wizards do that a lot."
"Well, the danger does exist for the upper ranks of wizards," Prenk responded. "However, young Mr. Wallow here is merely a Level 3 wizard, and just recently that."
"So other students wouldn't want to off him and take his place?" the dwarf/goblin asked.
Kaylor shook his head. "I'm not a threat to anyone. If someone wants to move up, I have no effect on it, even if I was killed."
Yugo grunted. "What about that rule that a student passes if his friend dies?"
"I'm afraid that's an urban legend," said Prenk. "Anyway, the full story is it would apply only to roommates, and Kaylor has his own room."
Yugo narrowed his eyes. "What if someone wanted your room?"
Kaylor scoffed. "Doubt it, especially with nicer rooms right down the hall."
There was a knock on the door.
Prenk looked up. "I wonder who that may be."
Ibash brightened. "The other member of our team. Come in, Brigda!"
The door opened and another large individual entered. while he was shorter than his troll associate, he was quite muscular. Also, his skin was very, Very gray. He was bald, but with the hint of facial hair, and he wore a cloak that was an even darker shade of gray than his skin.
As the individual sat in the chair beside him, Ibash gestured to the man. "This is Lance Constable Brigda Hert."
Brigda Hert: Zombie Level 1 Watchman.
Do: +2, Think: +1.
Weapon: Hands, feet.
Prenk studied the new figure. "Please pardon my ignorance, especially if I accidentally offend you, but are you a zombie?"
Brigda didn't even flinch. "Of course. You said in your report to the watch that the room was filled with poison. We couldn't risk a living person going in there."
"So it was poison," said Prenk.
(Q) Does Brigda know the chemical that was involved? (Likely) No.
Brigda nodded. He handed some bags to Yugo. "You can study these." He then turned back to the two wizards. "I don't know the name of the chemical yet, but it combusts under direct heat, which was caused the explosion. The explosion then turned the chemical into powder and sent it into the air, filling the room."
"Is it deadly?" Kaylor asked.
(Ability) Could Brigda tell if it was deadly? (+1 Think vs. +2 Diff = Unlikely) Yes, but barely.
"By studying the chemical itself, I can't say," Brigda responded. "But judging how, according to the report, you reacted to it, combined with the later attack in the auditorium, I would guess yes."
"Before we go further," said Ibash, "I have some questions for you." He pulled out a small notebook and opened. Then he looked to Kaylor. "Were you performing some experiment that's forbidden or ancient, or something?"
"No," answered Kaylor. "I was levitating spheres and bouncing lights from lanterns on them."
"Would anyone wish for your experiment to fail?" the troll asked.
Kaylor again shook his head. "Nobody even cared. Everyone else is summoning creatures or trying to turn dirt into gold or something. Most people focused their experiments purely on magic while I used magic as a tool."
"Which is why I approved his project," said the professor. "I applaud outside the box thinking, and Mr. Wallow's studies fell exactly into that area."
"I understand," said Ibash, "I'm just covering each possibility." He glanced back down. "Would anyone be hiding anything in the lab and try to off you to get it back, or to keep you from finding it? Also would anyone think you were hoarding the lab?"
Again, the young wizard shook his head. "A lot of people use the lab. There's even a sign up sheet. If someone was wanting to go in there, they just had to wait until I was done. My lab time was always the average 3 or 4 hours a day."
"Do you have this sign up sheet?" Ibash asked.
"I might." Brigda looked through his sack that lay beside him. "let's see, debris, pieces of the student's notes, my underwear. Oops." He quickly closed his bag, and then peeked again. "Here it is." He handed it to Ibash."
(Q) Did any other student have a name on the sign-up sheet? (Likely) X-No.
The troll frowned. "I'm afraid the only name on the sheet is Kaylor Wallow, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 10 A.M. to 2 P.M."
"Were the other names erased?" Kaylor asked.
"Good question." Ibash handed the paper to Yugo. "What do you think?"
(Q) Is the Difficulty +1? (50/50) Yes.
(Ability) Could Yugo tell if names were erased? (+2 vs. +1 Diff = Likely) X-Yes.
(Q) Were the names erased? (50/50) Yes.
Yugo studied the paper. Then he pulled out a paper of his own and place it under the sheet. finally, he placed a third over the sheet. Scribbling on the top paper, he revealed the bottom paper with faint names appearing on it. "A trick I learned from someone at the watch house."
(Q) Is there more than one other name? (Very Likely) X-Yes.
(Q) Are they all before Kaylor's name? (50/50) X-No.
"There are 3 other names on this list," said Yugo. "the first was at 2, the second at 5, and the third at 9."
"When did the explosion take place again?" asked Ibash.
"Around one-ish," Kaylor answered.
The troll nodded. "So if they really wanted the room, they just had to wait an hour or less." He turned to Prenk. "I want to speak with the students on that list as soon as possible."
"Of course," said Prenk, "but I insist on being present."
"Until then," said Ibash, turning to Kaylor, "I think you should remain in your room. Brigda will go along for your safety."
Kaylor nodded, standing. He looked to Brigda. "Let's go, I guess."
Brigda nodded. "After you, young wizard."
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