The Temple Between.pdf

The Temple Between
SC1: CATCHING DURKIK
Encounter Level 9 (1,200 XP)
Setup
Begin by reading the following:
After some time waiting, when the city is fully cloaked
in the shadows of night, your quarry finally emerges.
Glancing around, he turns and begins walking at a swift
but inconspicuous pace.
If the PCs are following Durkik in specific, continue
with:
Durkik ducks into an alley after walking a few blocks. Mere
seconds later, another dwarf—slightly taller, with different
hair and beard—emerges onto the street. You wouldn’t even
have noticed had you not been specifically watching, but
much of his outfit appears to match Durkik’s own, and his
posture as he walks is identical.
If the PCs glance into the alley as they pass, they
can confirm that neither Durkik, nor anyone else,
remains within it. They’ve just witnessed the doppelganger
who has taken Durkik’s place alter his form,
hoping to make himself less noticeable.
At this point, regardless of who they’re following,
begin the skill challenge.
Catching Durkik Level 9
Skill Challenge XP 1,200
You make your way as silently through the streets of Overlook
as you can, attempting to keep Durkik in sight without alerting
him to your presence.
The party attempts to shadow their target through
the city.
Complexity
3 (requires 8 successes before 3 failures).
Primary Skills
Acrobatics, Athletics, Perception, Stealth, Streetwise.
Victory
If the PCs succeed with 0 failures, they reach the warehouse
without being detected. Only half their potential enemies
are present (run the scene as two separate combat
encounters, as described in the tactical encounter), and
the PCs gain a surprise round when they arrive.
Partial Victory
If the PCs succeed with 1 failure, they’re detected only at
the last minute. Only half their potential enemies are
present (run the scene as two separate encounters, as
described in the tactical encounter), but the enemies are
not surprised.
If the PCs succeed with 2 failures, they’re detected as they
near the warehouse. They face the entire complement of
enemies (run the scene as a single 12th-level encounter),
and the enemy is not surprised.
Defeat
The PCs are detected, and their quarry shakes them as he
nears the warehouse. The PCs know the general area to
which their target went, but not the specific building.
They eventually find the warehouse, but it takes 2d6
hours of wandering, searching, and perhaps various
bribes or Diplomacy and Streetwise checks made to the
merchants and citizens of the area. The result is that not
only must they face the entire complement of enemies (a
single 12th-level encounter), but they’ve lost a great deal
of time off their deadline. (See “Victory Points,” page 37.)
Special If at least one member of the party is capable of
turning invisible, the party gains 1 success automatically.
Acrobatics (DC 16)
Any given character can attempt Acrobatics only once in
this fashion, whether he or she succeeds or fails, and a
failure costs the PC a healing surge as well as counting
as a failure. A successful check counts as a success on the
skill challenge.
The PC darts around a corner, tumbles over a gap
between rooftops, or otherwise stays near the quarry at
an angle that makes the PC harder to detect.
Athletics (DC 16)
Any given character can attempt Athletics only once in this
fashion, whether the PC succeeds or fails, and a failure
costs the PC a healing surge as well as counting as a
failure. A successful check counts as a success on the skill
challenge.
Much like Acrobatics, the PC climbs walls, leaps between
roofs or balconies, and otherwise follows by staying out
of direct line of sight.
Perception (DC 20)
This does not qualify as a success, but succeeding on this
check grants the party a +2 bonus to all further checks in
this challenge until someone fails a check.
The PC carefully watches the target to keep him in view
even from a distance or behind other people on the
street.
Stealth (DC 20)
A successful check counts as a success on the skill challenge.
Darting behind pedestrians, into doorways, and through
shadows, you move street to street without being seen.
Streetwise (DC 24)
A successful check counts as two successes. Once made,
the characters cannot use Streetwise again for this skill
challenge.
By using knowledge of Overlook’s seedier areas, the PC
can anticipate where the quarry is going.
Other Methods
If the PCs can’t (or don’t think to) follow Durkik or
Aerun, they have other ways to find out what they
need to know. If they can catch Durkik alone, they can
attempt to interrogate him, as described previously.
If they successfully interrogate him, Durkik can
tell the PCs where the warehouse is. He also reveals
all the information presented in the “Interrogating
the Conspirators” sidebar, below.
Because the false Durkik didn’t show up at the
warehouse, the forces there are ready for trouble. Run
the scenario as a 12th-level encounter, and the enemy
cannot be surprised.
December 2008 | DUNGEON 161
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