BESM 5e Solo, Part 3 - Scarlet Hero, Urban Adventure, Part 2 - And the game is on

All right, so the last time we established what was the crime that Ardet was accused of, but all that we know about the victim is that she has a brother. We definetely need some more informotaion, both about her and where to start the investigation...

“Oh, come on! You know me too well”

“That’s the reason why are you hear and not being quartered.” I look at my brother judgmentally and standing above him while he was sitting in the chair. And rather uncomfortable one. Barkeep found me one after I asked her.

“Who was that girl?”

“Look, I told you… I met her a few days back. We had a few nice chat together…”

“Do you even remember her name” For a guy like Ardet that’s rather tough question.

“’Course I do… It’s… umm…”

[Roll Name Table En’ma d10 = 8] - I've decided against rolling for tribe in this case, because we know the tribe of the brother

“Xia! I think…”

“You think?!”

“Hey, you can’t expect me to remember the name of every girl I sleep with!”

No, but you could remember the name of that one girl that you are going to die for.

“Right. So she slept with you” Like this could happen any other way around… “Then what?”

“That’s just it. She disappeared.”

To process this sort information I needed a whole minute.

“Come again?” And still I thought I hadn’t heard it correctly.

“She wasn’t in bed when I woke up.”

“… What.” All right, I think I need explain something to you, the one who reads this. My brother is actually the type who doesn’t stay for breakfast. But he really knows what a girl wants and usually leaves very early in the morning. And for someone to pull this trick on him… I kind of wanted to see this girl now. Simply just out of curiosity.

“I didn’t think much about it, back then… But then”

“Then her brother appeared thinking that you stole her name.”

“And he wants blood…”

“Did you know?”

“That she is a named one? No. She... didn’t actually showed me anything openly. But you can’t be sure of anything around this bunch…”

“Yeh…” A certain image of brown haired sorcerers started to form in my head. I had no other option than to cut it to pieces… with a heavy heart.

“Right. You stay here. Shan is searching for you. Too dangerous to show your face around the streets.”

“And you?”

“Guess I’ll try to handle this crap you got yourself into, since I having nothing more important to do. Now, where did you stay with her exactly?”

He told me the address.

“Won’t be hard to find I gather. I won’t be long.”

“Thanks you, brother.”

 “Don’t thank me, yet. You are in real mess today. Not sure that I can pull it through. Stay out of trouble for now, you hear me?”

He gave me a nod. No bravado, no stupid retort. For once, he was dead serious, fully knowledgeable about the situation he was in.

“Right. I’m off…” But when I opened the door… “Oh and uh… one more thing. Since you are here think you can pay the barkeep for my longing here and steak? Thanks! You’re the best.”

But before the investigation really starts, I need to know the name of the place where the story takes place.

[Roll on Re’Sha Table of Names d10 + d10: 10 + 10 = Das (Gift, to Give) + Liysh (Land, Mass)]

* * *

I opened the door to find myself on the streets of Da’liysh. The Gifted Land, once part of a bigger World, but now, just a chunk of a soil drifting in the void.  And people are living on its surface. They are walking on its surface which is covered by the net of paved roads, they are leaving in the houses built on it’s rocky soil and looking at the ever-starry sky above their heads. This rock was not a place that was easily reached, no doors, no passage books only ships reach the shores of Da’liysh. Well… that or anything that can ride on the winds of aether. And that raises the question… How the heck Ardet had found me?    

Guess I’ll have to ask the next time I see him…

Right now, I had an address which I had to visit…

Scene 1

The Scarlet Heroes rulebook has a nifty system to handle the investigations

The character has to win the scene in order to collect victory points. The investigation encounters, by default, grant 1 victory point and 1 clue. Clue are the resourse that can be spent to active the special scenes called "Action Scenes". Successfully completing those grant 2 victory points. To solve the crime, character must collect 10 points in order to face the Antagonist of the Investigation for the SHOWDOWN. The antagonist also get Victory points if the Character fail the investigation scene or spend his action on rest.

Since I use 5e rules instead of the oficial Scarlet Heroes rules, odds are not in my favour...

[Clues: 0 Heat: 0
Victory Points Harold: 0
Victory Points Antagonist: 0]

Every time the character proceeds with his investigation, the player needs to roll on the Investigation scene chart, though nothing stops you from actually chosing one if that's appropirate.

[Roll on Scarlet Hero Table of Urban Adventure Scenes of Investigation d10: 2 – Infiltrate a Location where the activities relate to a Clue. On a check Failure, face a Fight]

Like I said beforehand, the house that Ardet spoke of, was easy to find. A two store house with a tile roof. Though I doubted that it would save from the random meteor rain, it definitely gave a summer-y look. Not to mention all the flowers placed around.

My brother never was the one for subtlety, and the place was just right up his alley.

It sounds logical for the victim's brother to have someone to watch over the place in case if the "culprit" returns to the crime scene. So it may be wise to give Harold a chance to see if their's someone of the brother's goons in the area... 

[Roll Harold’s Perception: d20 + 4 = 6] 

Yeeeh, we are off to a good start...

Knowing him, he definitely rented the room on the top floor, with windows and, ideally, the balcony as well. So my first order of business was to ask about the girl that was with Ardet. Xia, if it really was her name…

Not unlike the tavern which I choose to stay in, Ardet’s choice was not just fancy but cozy too, in some way. The first floor resembled more that of the flower store of all things, while the second one was more fitting for a tea shop. And on the top of all they also offered a room for a stay. This place was perfect to bring a girl for a date.

Guess that’s the reason why Kleid chose it, at first place.

“Can I help you?” That was a voice of a cute girl standing behind the bartender counter or should I say the reception desk.

“Uhh… Yeh. I’m looking for my friend. Red hair, long ponytail. You might say he’s attractive… kind off. Heard he’s somewhere around here, thought I might as well say hi to him.”

It didn’t take her long to figure out who I was talking about “Oh yeh… I remember him. He is staying in our finest room.”

“That’s great! Can I see him?”

“Oh, I’m dreadfully sorry, but he’s not here at the moment. He went outside… some time ago…”

“Oh…”

“Yeh. I guess he went after the lady” The way she pronounced this last word was full of reverence.

“The lady?”

“Yes, well” She smiled blushing “Your friend was not here alone last night” But there was a hint of sadness in her voice.

“Oh… I see. And… this lady… Do you know her?”

“Well, I mean…” She chuckled, not unlike an admirer would if she saw her idol. But that laugh was quick to die of.

For a few brief moments her gaze went through focusing on something really scary, standing behind me.

A big balding paw decided to take a rest on my shoulder.

“You are free to go, doll. We’ll take it from here.” This was the voice of a man who was not used to speak politely but to yell battlecries and curse his foes in the heat of a battle.

And a small girl was not to define the advice of… whoever was there behind me. Though I had a good guess…         

The next question that sounds logical if the goons that look over the place were the same ones who were in the inn, looking for Ardet 

[Roll on General Oracle – Do the Bikers know Harold? d20 = 3 = No]

“Red haired and attractive, huh?” 

“I bet he also have a scar on his neck…” The second voice belong to a guy who would you expect to hit you in a back in the tavern brawl… with a chair.

“Let’s come outside. We have loooots to talk about…”

* * *

Only when we left the ‘tea shop’, I saw them. Two chromed horses made of sky silver parked near the entrance. One would wonder why I haven’t noticed those before.

As a DM it's my sacred right to grill the character for failing his check. Especially if that character is mine.   

The rules also clearly states that I need to face the Fight and that's exactly what I do.

However neither D&D 5e bookset, nor Scarlet Heroes have the stats for bikers, so I had to cook up something using the guidelined from Modern d20 rulebook way back from the 3.5 era

And it was a perfect place to have a chat.  

But we didn’t approach the steel horses. Instead I was pushed into an alley, narrow and quiet. Kind of amusing that there are such seedy places as this one on the rock that drifts in the void.

“So… What it’ll be then brat?” He turned on his heels watching straight into my face. “Question or pa..?”

He shouldn’t have called me that.

[Roll Harold’s Initiative: d20 + 4: 18+4 = 22]

In fact, the moment he voiced the two syllable, I’ve pressed my palms against the walls and using them as a leverage lifted myself up and give him a boot in the face. Did I mention that alley was narrow?

[Attack roll: Unarmed strike: d20 + 4: 8+4 = 12 vs AC 12 Bludgeoning: 3; Gang Member: 5/5 – 3 = 5/2]

“Pain sounds good enough.”

But I still had one more problem behind. And I just knew that it was about to stomp me. Riiiiight about the calf…

[Attack roll: Unarmed strike: d20 + 3 = 4 vs AC 14]  

Or at least, he would if I didn’t take a step forward.

The width of the alley was both advantage and disadvantage for me, I knew from where expect the next hit but I also had just two ways to go. Back and straight.

And this one step was enough for a me to get close enough for being kicked by the bear of a man.

[Attack roll: Unarmed stike: d20 + 4: 23: 1d4 + 2 Bludgeoning: 5 ; Harold: 5/6 – 5 = Harold 5/1]

And it was a solid hit. Solid enough to push me back, right into a warm embrace of bear’s pal.

I felt his hands wrapping around my shoulders in a restraining hold. And there was another kick in the ankle coming. He was taking personally against my legs, was he?

[Attack roll: Unarmed strike: d20 + 3 = 13 vs AC 14]

But his kick missed the mark with me wobbling around and moving a leg a bit. He hold me firmly that’s for sure, but he should have locked my head as well. And I was desperate to use any opportunity.

[Attack roll: Unarmed strike: d20 + 4 = 11 + 4 = 15 Bludgeoning: 3, Thug: 5/5 – 3 = 5/2]

I heard the grunt full of pain behind me. A proof of a  solid hit on my end. Though I wasn’t allowed to celebrate for the bear-guy was aiming his fist in my guts.

[Attack roll: Unarmed Strike: d20 + 4 = 19 + 4 vs AC 14 1d4 + 2 Bludgeoning (Tavern Brawler): 3, Harold: 5/1 – 3 = 3/0]

And there was no way I could dodge it…

It was kind of tricky to not forget how to breathe and keep my lunch inside. But somehow, I managed.

And I also managed to use the guy as a leverage, raising both legs and kicking at bear’s chest with those.

[Attack roll: Unarmed Strike: d20 + 4: 14+4 = 18; Bludgeoning: 3; Gang Member: 5/2 – 3 = 4/0]

“Had enough yet?!” I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut, talking bravado and crap while he was reeling from the hit. Feeling invincible.

Even the guy behind me couldn’t shatter my confidence with him still somewhat staggered after the hit in the nose. He DID try to do something…

[Attack roll: Unarmed Strike: d20 + 3: 3+3= 6 vs AC 14]

… but I doubt he didn’t know himself what he was doing. The thing is though that he didn’t have to do something. The “bear” could handle the situation perfectly.

[Attack roll: d20 + 4: 13 + 4 = 17 vs AC 14; 1d4 + 2 Bludgeoning = 1 +2: 3; Harold 3/0 – 3 = 0/0]

And this was the moment when I realised that using 5e combat instead of Scarlet Heroes rules of engagement, and a very brutal Health system for character will lead to a rather sad ending really fast even if it's in some way in tune with all the hardboiled detective shtick that we have here. So I allowed myself to use the Hero Point system rule that is presented in Dungeon Master Guide for 5e. I remember reading about that system in Modern d20 and Star Wars rules published by Wizards of the Coast. 

What the Hero Point rule allow you to do is to add d6 die to attack, ability rolls and saving throws. 

Guess I shouldn’t have been all smug with him, because his next punch landed right into my face.

Did it hurt? Can’t really say. Because the last punch turned the lights out in my attic…

And also it allows you to reroll death saving throws. Which I desperately need to succeed.

Death saving throws: d20 = 17 – Success; d20 = 1 – Failure (1 Hero Point spent); d20 = 1 – Failure (1 Hero Point Spent)

Hours spent while knockout: 1d4 = 4 hours?!

[Roll on the General Oracle: Do Bikers take Harold to Shan? D20: 1 – No?!]

Okay that was suprising. 

Well assuming that they don't want to bother the boss if that's a crazy goose chase and Harold doesn't know anything, what they'll do then?

[Roll on the General Oracle: Do Bikers interrogate Harold themselves? D20: 20 – Oh, yes…]