The Cloaked Figure

  As the adventurers approach the scene of the crime, the cloaked figure who disappeared over the side of the skybridge works its way across the underside to surprise them. The figure beneath the cloak is a warforged named Cutter, a follower of the Lord of Blades. Cutter has been watching Bonal Geldem for days, and she believes that the key to the scholar’s work is in the leather satchel. She leaped at the old man, struck him down, and was about to grab the satchel when the adventurers arrived.   The PCs have one round to examine the scene. Then Cutter climbs back over the railing nearest the body and attacks. She wants the satchel and its contents, but her berserker nature makes it hard for her to break off a battle once it has begun.   Notice check: Have the characters make a Notice check against her stealth. Characters have a -2 to the Notice check due to the heavy rain. Combat starts as a Surprise round.  

Tactics

  Cutter dives into combat with gusto, attacking the closest opponent. If she spots a Warforged working with the adventurers, she turns her attention to the “fleshloving traitor.” If Cutter gets shaken or takes a wound she goes Berserk. She will Berserk for 1 round after which start making Smarts rolls to determine if she can end her rage. Cutter will not flee while Berserk. When the rage ends, if Cutter is still functioning, she remembers her mission and moves to recover the leather satchel and flee.  

Development

  During the battle with Cutter, the PCs can hear a few shouts from nearby towers:  

“Hey, look fight! Fighting! Stop that!”

“Call the Watch!”

“Murder! They've murdered someone and trying to kill someone else!”

  A few rounds later, the PCs hear the shrill whistle of the Sharn Watch—distant, but approaching.   If Cutter is disabled, destroyed, or rendered unconscious, her final messenger separates from her torso. It unfolds fine wings and flies into the rain-soaked night. The adventurers don’t know it, but Cutter has passed on news of her failure to her superior, Saber, who is hiding elsewhere in the city.   When the Warforged barbarian falls, the PCs have a moment to more fully examine Bonal’s body and leather satchel. (Another shrill blare of a Watch whistle suggests that the law enforcers are fast approaching.)  

The Body

 

By-standards watching the action calling for the Watch.

The heavy rain muffles sound and limits vision.
The heavy rain creating a slick surface.
Being knocked over the skybridge (Use the Falling in Sharn IPP generator table.)

Combat