conversations: human
conversations:  this is for sum1won or dm only. if you are not either of them, skulks will kill you in your sleep. trust me, i have connections. 
  
  you recall that skulks are in fact human, or at least so closely related that all magical effects treat them as such. In addition, divinations have a hard time even detecting them. they resist them.
  
  you have heard rumors of a gang of skulks in the docks who will abduct humans at night and kill them, leaving pieces of them all across the docks district the next morning. they have definitely earned the death penalty.
  
  there is also a group of them operating in old town. About when they started controlling the gang activity in that part of town, children have been going missing on the new moon of each month, never to be seen again. It is very conspicuous that these two events were so closely linked time-wise.
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Timothy walks down to the docks, quarterstaff in hand.  Old town can wait.  The docks were a problem every night.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  Yeah, hes not sneakin' around just yet.  Spot modifier vs. them is 12, so not quite as high as it could be...
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  what time of day do you do this? It's late morning/early afternoon when you arrive in town. How the docks residents respond to you depends on what time of day/night you meet with them.
   
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  Evening. He's pretty ballsy. Oh, and a begging bowl, too.  He'll pretend to be a little helpless, at least.
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  I think i remember that your guy isn't human, correct? If so, roll initiative and ignore the text, otherwise, read on.
   
  
  
  You walk down the docks around evening. About three minutes into your walk, a thin, dark-skinned humanoid in nothing but a dirty loincloth who  is holding a dagger in each hand saunters over to you and asks, "What're ya doin' out so late?"
  
  You notice two other humanoid-shaped shadows behind him.
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  He is very much human.  They might not be able to tell right away, as he is wearing a nice, floppy hat that obscures his features somewhat.  But meh.   (1d20+3)[ 23 ] Initiative, if needed.  Also, readying an attack if any of them charge, if I can.
   (1d20+14)[ 15 ]  Sense motive check. +2 vs humans Honestly, shouldn't even need it, but they might be innocent skulks pestering humans while armed.  Right?
  
  Oh, and sensing to see if there are any other humans within 60 feet.
   
  
  
  Tomas holds a club in one hand, and his staff in another, and makes sure he is against a wall of sorts, to prevent easy flanking.
  
   I'm investigating a few disturbances at the docks.  You gentlemen wouldn't know anything about that, would you?  Or is there something I can help you with? 
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  He seems to be mocking you rather flagrantly. "Why, don'cha know? My brothers and i  own  thi' piece o' road. Gotta pay us a tax. In blood if ya is human."
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Had I money to give, I would give of it freely, though my blood shall remain tax free.  But this road is not yours to claim, so I must ask that you surrender yourselves, so that you may answer for this... mischief. 
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
   (1d20+3)[ 4 ]  Intimidate check.  Also, know: local check for Knowledge devotion feat  (1d20+10)[ 23 ] 
  
  Apparently, intimidate means to crack jokes at.
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  he guffaws. "S'render? to one  human ? I think we'd rather jes' kill ya." He and his brothers prepare to strike at you with their knives.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  now combat starts. you go first (23 beats all their inits)
  
  you will get your +2 bonus on attack and damage rols.
   
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  How close are they?
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  The one you spoke to is about five feet away from you. his cohourts are another ten feet back from that.
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Timothy drops the club as a free action and leaps forward, with a kick to the gut that he follows with a smack from his staff and an elbow.
   
   Spoiler 
  
  5 foot step, full attack.
   (1d20+9)[ 20 ] Attack 1,  (1d8+5)[ 9 ] Nonlethal
  First attack is nonlethal stunning blow, DC19 if it hits.  If he fails the stunning blow check, he gets -2AC, loses his dex bonus, and takes an additional 2d6 damage for each of the next two attacks this round.
  Second is lethal, with quarter staff
   (1d20+9)[ 13 ]  Attack 2  (1d6+5)[ 6 ]  Lethal  (2d6)[ 4 ]  (SA damage)
  , third is nonlethal.
   (1d20+9)[ 25 ]  Attack 3  (1d8+5)[ 8 ]  Nonlethal  (2d6)[ 6 ]  SA damage
  
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  with three solid blows, you knock him out. his buddies seem to get frenzied over the attack, and charge at you.  Your agile reflexes easily dodge their attacks, but you notice that their blades give off an evil purple glow when they stike near you.
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Timothy repeats another set of three strikes on one of the unfortunate souls in front of him.
  
   Ye have surely hurt many a good man with those blades!   Be filled with grief from mine touch!
    
   Spoiler 
   (1d20+9)[ 24 ]  Stunning Fist,  (1d8+5)[ 7 ] 
   (1d20+9)[ 14 ]   (1d8+5)[ 13 ]   (2d6)[ 5 ] 
   (1d20+9)[ 29 ]   (1d6+5)[ 8 ]   (2d6)[ 8 ] 
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  you disable the second one. The one left strikes at you and manages to get in a lucky hit. The energies from the blade suffuse your wound, and cause agony.
  
   
   Spoiler 
  you take  (1d4+5)[ 6 ]  +  (2d6)[ 8 ]  damage.
   
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Infuriated by the cut, Timothy moves in again to attack, recklessly.
   
   Spoiler 
  No stunning fist this round.
   (1d20+9)[ 13 ]   (1d8+5)[ 6 ] 
   (1d20+9)[ 21 ]   (1d6+5)[ 6 ] 
   (1d20+9)[ 16 ]   (1d8+5)[ 11 ] 
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  you manage to bloody the skulk, but not disable it.
  
  he in turn lashes out at you again with the wickedly glowing knife. he gives you another laceration for  (1d4+5)[ 6 ]  +  (2d6)[ 11 ] 
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Thy assault is most unwelcome.  Surrender now!
   
   
   Spoiler 
   (1d20+9)[ 19 ]   (1d6+5)[ 8 ] 
   (1d20+9)[ 10 ]   (1d8+5)[ 8 ] 
   (1d20+9)[ 26 ]   (1d8+5)[ 13 ] 
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  after being beaten to near-unconsciousness, he takes his dagger and slits his own throat.
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Timothy sighs in resignation, and searches the individuals for whatever they may have been carrying.  He uses their rags to bind them, and dumps the dead one in an alleyway, before dragging the other two back to the temple to face St. Cuthbert's judgement
   
   Spoiler 
  ...Right.  I assume that means trying to heal him would be pointless.
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  self coup de grace. sorry, he kinda failed a 2d4+12+2d6 plus the fort save of dc 10+all that damage.
   
  
  
  all they had on them besides dirty loincloths is +1 human-bane daggers. each of them had one.
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Right.  I'm going to tie their wrists together with the dead one's loincloth, and then drag them to the Church.  Confiscating their daggers toward the same purpose.
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  Thank you very much." The leader says to you. "What crime can you charge them with?"
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Assault, attempted murder, brigandru and attempted robbery.  They had claimed a street, and were demanding a fee of nonhumans using it.  I gained the impression that humans were simply attacked.  I captured these two, but the third killed himself sooner than submit.  They were carrying humanbane daggers, one each, and hit me twice with them.
  I've got them here.
  
    If you can spare some healing, I would be very appreciative.  Their knives  hurt .   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Of course. We have no shortage of healing potential here." he heals you himself with a single spell. spellcraft dc 21 to identify the lvl 6 healing spell.
  
  "What you have done is a good beginning, but i doubt these three acted alone. They would not be so brazen if they did not have a gang behind them. Word of what you are doing might spread, and there very well could be a price on your head soon. I ask that you sleep in the temple where the protective wards against evil should help you not get murdered in your sleep. I do believe that the last human to do something so brazen as walk into the docks at sunset and walk back out was found dead the next week from knife wounds in the leg from which he had bled to death. his tongue had been mutilated to prevent him from being heard. "
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  I accept your offer of protection gladly. Perhaps, when I next enter the docks, I shall wear a different face.
  
  The larger organization sounds correct to me as well.  Their weapons, as I have said, were magical, and likely cost a small fortune.  That indicates a backer.
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  "What will you do now?"
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  I am thinking about trying to find out who that backer is, but that may prove dangerous without back up, and their nest is very much disturbed right now.  The fact that they successfully wounded me indicates that I need to continue training.  To that end, and to lull the skulks for now, I am considering looking for some honest work for a time, likely with the town guard or some other faction, at your recommendation.    
   Spoiler 
  Did I get XP for brawling with three skulks?
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  Spoiler 
  oh yeah. 1800
   
  
  
  "I could put in a good word for you with Oskar Teige. He runs the mage's guild and is a personal friend of mine from my adventuring days."
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  That would be kind of you.  I suppose that would be a good place to look for some work in the interim?   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Should be Magi are always doing something that causes enemies."
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  My thanks.  What is your name?  I shall need to say who sent me.
   
  Timothy rests for the remainder of the night.  In the morning, he goes to visit the Mage's Guild.
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  "Matthias" he says.
  
  You make it to the mage's guild without incident. Their building is rather arcane in design. Inside, an imp with a pair of spectacles asks you "  Who are you looking for? "
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  Oskar Teige.  I understand he is an important man, but Matthias recommended I see him. 
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  " Well, name dropping like that can take you places. third floor, third door to your right. " the imp says.
conversations: planswalker:
conversations: human
conversations:  A terrible explosion suddenly rocks the entire city, and the ground shakes as if an earthquake were tearing the city apart. The sky lights up from a blast many times the brightness of the sun, and you are certain that certain death has at last come to claim you. As the brightness fades, you look toward the Mages' Quarter and see the last remnants of the horror burning directly towards the sky in a seemingly endless stream of raw, burning mana which threatens to tear reality asunder. What seems like an eternity passes as you stare, though it is likely only a few seconds, and at last the blast fades away. In the distance, you hear a building collapse, and you are certain that something horrible has been unleashed upon the city.  
conversations: Rizban:
conversations: human
conversations:  Timothy rolls into a defensive position.  Given he was in the mages guild, he looks around quickly to see what has happened.
   
   Spoiler 
  
   (1d20+10)[ 26 ]  Spot
   (1d20+12)[ 28 ]  Hide
   
conversations: sum1won:
conversations: human
conversations:  The explosion seems to have come almost due east of your position. An entire city block is now a smoking crater.
  
  " Wooee, quite the little bang there! " the imp says. He notices you once more and says, " So, can you make it up the stairs by yourself, or do i need to get you a nanny to help you up? "
conversations: planswalker: