Many years ago, the Blackrazor Guild was one of the most prominent (and notorious) adventuring guilds of the Free City of Obsidian Bay.
The guild’s adventurers fought in wars against the orc despot Turrosh Mak, did their best to repel the invasion of Obsidian Bay by the Scarlet Brotherhood (they failed), and accidentally flooded the selfsame city with demons after the invasion when they forgot to close the portal door in their basement.
Gasieric aka Scrappy was a long time Blackrazor. A rogue and thief, he ran mundane import/export import business to cover up his more nefarious activities.
He also kept a Book of Grudges.
Any one who slighted him got an entry in the book. The Blackrazors knew the book well. So did many of Gaiseric’s enemies.
So it wasn’t surprising when people who’s names were in the book started showing up dead. The retired Blackrazor cleric of St. Cuthbert who founded an orphanage … who who repeatedly (and inadvertently) upstaged or thwarted Scrappy. The rival guilder and city politician who stood in his way. Members of the City of Blue Thieves Guild, with whom he’s long feuded.
No, it wasn’t at all surprising that people in his book were showing up dead. What WAS surprising how competently it was being done.
Despite the top 3 names on his list being crossed off, Gaiseric claimed innocence. And the sheer competence of the murders led his fellow Blackrazors to believe him.
Scrappy could never have rolled this well.
The investigation continued, but as it did, Scrappy realized there were blank spots in his memory; time he couldn’t account for. He shrugged it off as a side effect of his adventuring life (he WAS captured by the Blood Lord, a powerful demon, and held prisoner until his friends freed him; that sort of thing leaves a mark on body and mind).
Eventually, the Blackrazors tracked the killer to Scrappy’s business, where they suspected they were setting up the rogue for yet another murder.
Except, when they caught the killer they where horrified to realize it WAS Scrappy … or at least a shadow demon possessed, super competent version of Scrappy.
They battled and defeated the demon, returning Scrappy to his regular self. At which point he said “well, I guess that explains all that missing time.”
The other Blackrazors, who knew nothing about this missing time, just started at him.
And in the real world, we laughed our asses off.
- This post is part of the RPG a Day 2023 event. Catch up on Nuketown’s posts via the project page and learn more about the event at its community page on Facebook.
Featured Image Meta
A hand-drawn city map of Obsidian Bay.