The adventurers have had the ill-fortune of encountering a Mr Farlo Fobman, a Halfling who in no short time managed to steal the Party's valuable treasure (gained through the dispatch of a wayward Ogre who until that point had been plundering travellers between Eastrock and Landfall with abandon).
Old Gerry, one of the companions to the Party, while not having met the Halfling Farlo Fobman before, has secret concerns he may be the same Hobbit as one who went by the name Mr Horatio "Slice'n'Dice" Beanpot, in the assassins guild some years gone.
And indeed, Old Gerry is correct. And he has unfinished business with Slice'n'Dice.
Old Gerry slips away from the Party unseen at some point to investigate.
From Slice'n'Dice Beanpot to Farlo Fobman.
First in Brastor Holdings, and then the Duchy of Carzala, Slice'n'Dice Beanpot became famous amongst members of the Assassins Guild and then the stuff of rumours amongst the public.
While the perceived innocence of Halflings provided a long-lasting cover, once the rumours became known the cover provided by his race became a liability to the assassin's career.
Fortunately for Mr Beanpot, his activities had provided a level of wealth rarely attained, and his interest in the game of merchants provided the opportunity for a timely change.
Slice'n'Dice Beanpot disappeared from the Duchy, and some months later, Mr Farlo Fobman descended the gangplank of a ship from the great cities in the north, and invested as a partner in the merchant company, Wills, Beachforth and (now) Fobman.
After only a matter of months in the new company, however, Mr Rudergard Beachforth had an untimely and unfortunate accident (he reportedly fell off a cliff on his morning walk, although there were no witnesses) and Mr Jeddy Wills travelled to the northern cities to seek out investment opportunities, though none recall seeing him leave.
Wills, Beachforth and Fobman: activities and investments
Wills, Beachforth and Fobman has a number of lucrative business investments.
- It runs coach services between Eastrock and Landfall (both Eastrock - Newhaven - Havenhead - Landfall and directly between Eastrock - Landfall).
- It owns the trading ships Alusian Dawn and Landfall
- It owns a number of (2) warehouses in the docks of Landfall and leases warehouse space
- It owns inns in Eastrock, Newhaven, Havenhead and Landfall
Discreet questioning by Old Gerry will discover that:
- the coach services seem to be attacked more often than other similar services or merchant wagon trains, commonly with only minor injuries to the guards, if not the passengers
- while the warehouses are robbed only slightly more regularly than their neighbours, the value of goods stolen seems consistently higher and seems to always include goods stolen from the leased warehouse space - that is, goods owned by others rather than goods belonging to Wills, Beachforth and Fobman.
In addition Mr Fobman owns a mansion overlooking the harbour. It is gated and well guarded by Fobman's usual human guards.
Old Gerry reports this information to the Party on their meeting after time off to spend their experience points.
The Warehouses
Wills, Beachforth and Fobman owns 2 warehouses in Landfall which are visable from Fobman's mansion which sits on a hill looking west over the harbour.
Warehouses 1, 2 and the guardhouse
[Read to players]
The two warehouses are large, identically designed and built structures made of stone, and separated from each other by a common use laneway and from the docks by Merchant Street. The warehouses measure 30' (front/back) x 90' (sides) and have large (8' wide x 10' high) iron doors facing the harbour. The buildings are two stories high, and the only windows are regularly spaced high on the side walls. All windows appear shut.
GM only
[Read to players ONLY if they observe the rear of the buildings]
A single normal-sized iron door sits in the left corner (from the front) of each back wall.
[Read to players ONLY if they roll 40% and it is within the hours of 7am and 6pm.]
Workers [3-4 (1-60%); 5-6 (61-100%)] are moving barrels and sacks of grain from carts into storage of warehouse 1 (1-40%) or 2 (41-80%) or both (81-100%). Once observed by the party, there is a 20% chance the warehouse(s) will be closed and locked within an hour, and 80% chance that it/they will remain open until evening, when it/they will be secured.
If the warehouses are open, the doors at the back of the building will also be open.
At night two men are stationed outside the warehouses. They mostly sit in a small building at the back of warehouse 1 (10'x10') but randomly patrol the buildings in-between drinking ale and playing dice. They are replaced at midnight by a further two men who conduct themselves in a similar manner.
Warehouse 1
There are a large amount of agricultural supplies (picks, rakes, shoves, wood-axes, ploughs, and a few carts in this warehouse.
The upstairs (at the rear 30') which is accessed by a ladder, with goods brought up via two winches which hang from the ceiling, is empty except for some wooden boxes containing stirrups and riding crops.
A desk sits overlooking the warehouse. In the draws are corked ink jars, and a number of new and broken quills covered by clean sheets of parchment.
If a player searches the drawer thoroughly s/he will discover, buried amongst the broken quills, an old and ink-stained sealed envelope containing something heavy. If the envelope is opened it will reveal a key made in the unmistakable fashion (for those who know) of those made specifically for the rounded doors of Hobbit homes.
Warehouse 2
Four dozen wooden crates contain freshly shorn sheeps' wool. Shears and clippers hang from the northern wall. Moveable fences are set up to create pends throughout the Warehouse.
The upstairs at the eastern end of the warehouse is empty.
The Guardhouse.
There is a 90% chance the guardhouse will be un-attended if it is investigated during daylight hours. At night, there is a 90% chance it will be attended. If not, two guards will be walking the perimeter of the warehouse space.
The Guard House contains a dishevelled cot, a table with bread and butter, some cheese and a bread knife, and three wooden seats of dubious quality. Some rope and rusty chains hang on the western wall above the bed.
There is nothing of value in the Guard House.
Mr Fobman's Mansion
Mr Fobman's mansion sits atop a hill with an impressive view of the harbour to the west. The mansion grounds are surrounded by a 8' stone fence which is only broken by the steel gate at the carriage entrance. Through the front gate can be observed an ostentatious carriage way to the mansion above.
[Roll 4xPercepton or less. If the roll is successful read the below description]
Acute observers will notice a small, overgrown walking path running off the main carriageway, slightly obscured by a row of trees.
The path runs off to the left towards a fading dark red/brown door of a Hobbit hole in the side of the hill. Once the door is spied, a number of closed and shuttered windows are easily visible to its left.
The Mansion
The mansion is a large rectangle, 80' at the front, 40' deep. There is a 10'x20' stable to the left. The mansion has 2 guards stationed outside. Another 2 guards regularly patrol around the mansion's well-lit walls. No matter the time of day or night, there are lights/signs of activity within the building.
If the players approach the mansion itself, the gates to the property will open and 6 armed horsemen will dismount and head inside, with footmen from the house stabling the horses.
The Hobbit House
The door to the Hobbit House looks to have been unopened for some time.
If tried the key discovered in Warehouse 1 will unlock the heavy steel-reinforced wooden door.
The house is typical of Hobbit holes, with the living quarters with windows and storage rooms and pantries dug deeper into the hill.
There is only one windowed room which looks like it used, a study with books, comfortable chairs and a desk. If the shutters are drawn there is a fine view of the harbour through the trees.
The last storage room, 20'x30', also looks to be used. There is a door in the eastern wall, directly opposite that used by the party for entry.
Closer inspection will reveal that the room has been enlarged since it was built, with differently stained timbers lining half the walls and floors. Further, a 10'x20' cage sits against the northern wall, occupied by a drably dressed female human prisoner.
A large 10' diameter pentacle is drawn in the middle of the remaining floor space.
On entry the party will be attacked by an imp.
The Imp is red in colour and is an adept of all Fire Magic at level 5. The imp has Rank 5 with its horn. The imp has agreed to return to this plane to protect the room from intruders if the trap on the door from the Hobbit House is triggered.
Horn: BC 40% close combat.
MA 24
EN 15
FT 25
TMR 8
Favourite Spells:
Pyrogenesis: 69%
Self immolation: 39%, D10 damage
Summoning Salamander: 39%
The woman in the cage is the daughter of the tavern keepers in one of Beanpot's inns.
