```col-mdflexGrow=2.5===# Outline# Introduction > [!read-aloud] **Read Aloud** > > > > You are patrolling south along Fogelberry St. (L6) in the Labyrinth when you hear screaming, shouting, and animal noises coming from somewhere ahead of you. Turning west onto Cross St. you see a crowd has gathered around a snarling wolf in the middle of the street. A small sobbing child, a young boy, is hiding behind a nearby wooden crate, terrified. Some of the people in the crowd are trying to rescue the boy, threatening the wolf with sticks, shouting, and trying to scare it off. > > The wolf is clearly about to attack somebody. Roll for initiative. > The ![[559973]]|Wolf (MMp341), attacks and the PCs must fight it to the death. If the player characters defeat this creature, the body will disappear into thin air, and the boy will stand up from behind the crate. The player characters might notice (DC10 perception check) that he is not sobbing but laughing, and he is holding a magic wand. Another creature will appear out of thin air, summoned by the wand, and attack. 1d4 (or choose):1. ![[443368]]|Constrictor Snake (MM p320)2. ![[546702]]|Giant Rat (MM p327)3. ![[567916]]|Giant Lizard (MM p326)4. ![[559973]]|Wolf (MM p341]After the players kill this creature (which will also disappear), the boy will attempt to summon another. The players might well rush to stop him, but the wand is actually out of charges. Any character who hurts the boy will incur the wrath of the crowd. **When the last creature dies...** > [!read-aloud] **Read Aloud** > > > > Suddenly, a voice in the crowd shouts “My purse! Someone has stolen my purse!” and a murmur goes through the crowd, as others notice they have been pickpocketed too. One man points at a cloaked figure sneaking away towards an alleyway, and says to you “It was him!” and the cloaked figure breaks into a sprint. > Hopefully, the players will give chase. If the PCs decide not to pursue the thief, the GM could allow them to question the boy, who can identify him if asked in the right way. Or perhaps a witness in the crowd recognised him. His name is Hux , and he can be found in the house from Round 8, above.> **Chase Rules:** The first player to react and say 'I am chasing' starts 30' behind the thief. All other players start 40' behind the thief. **Have the players keep track of their distance.** If one of them closes the gap to less than 10' before the 8th round, they catch the thief and he immediately surrenders - go straight to The Epilogue. However, if the thief is ever more than 50' ahead of all the PCs at the end of a round, then he manages to duck into an alleyway unseen, and has escaped.In a crowded area, if a PC shouts “Stop thief” or something similar, and rolls a successful DC10 persuasion check, a citizen will try to stop the thief, and succeed in slowing him down slightly, in which case everyone catches up 10'.In an open area, a PC could attack with a ranged weapon (at a cost to them of 10' as they slow down) or spell (at a 20' cost). If they hit the thief with a projectile, they will show him down by 10'. If they miss however, there is a 30% chance they will hit an innocent bystander. **Round 1:** The thief is fast. All characters perform a **DC10 athletics skill check** to keep up with him. If they fail, they fall 10' further behind (i.e. add 10' to their distance). **Round 2:** As he turns a corner (south towards Southbridge St.), the thief passes a pile of crates stacked high, and he pulls them over behind him. PCs need to perform a successful **DC10 acrobatics check** to jump over them or fall 10' further behind. **Round 3:** The thief emerges onto Southbridge St., turns west and runs down it, dodging through pedestrians. Any PCs with a **speed other than 30' will gain or lose ground** here. A character with a speed of 35' will gain 5'. **Round 4:** At the Thieves Market, the PCs and the thief must all push their way through the crowd (make **DC10 strength or dexterity checks** , PCs' choice); anyone who fails loses loses 10'. The thief's score is +1 and if he fails, the party gains 10'. **Round 5:** The thief has ducked into another alleyway, where the PCs see another pile of boxes and crates, but this time the thief has used them like a ladder and has run onto the roof. The PCs must follow him, but they **can only climb the crates in single file** , so if any are equally far behind, someone must drop back 5'. **Round 6:** The PCs chase the thief along the rooftops. Any PCs with a **speed other than 30' will gain or lose ground** here again. Everyone is now getting tired. All PCs and the thief must make DC10 constitution checks (the thief's score is +0). Anyone who fails lose 10', or if the thief fails the party gains 10'. **Round 7:** The thief finds some wooden steps leading down to another alley, so he goes back down and continues running. Some of the steps are slippery, as he goes back down and continues running. Some of the steps are slippery, as it has been raining recently. Everyone must make a **DC10 dexterity saving** throw or fall, losing 10' and taking 1d4 damage. The thief has +1. **Round 8:** The thief darts up another alley and starts banging on a door. After a The thief darts up another alley and starts banging on a door. After a few moments (during which time the PCs will catch up) the thief's friends will emerge. They are emerge. They are ![[1237175]]|Bandits (MM p343) and there are the same number of enemies (including the quarry) as there are PCs in the chase. The original thief, however, has possibly overestimated his friends' loyalty. **If the PCs threaten or reason with them** , and succeed in a DC10 intimidation or persuasion check (their choice), they go back indoors and shut the door. Otherwise, they threaten the PCs and possibly attack with clubs.# Meeting Lucille There are two ways the party will meet watchman [[person/lucille-rilossa]]:- If the PC's catch the thief (in round eight or sooner), Lucille will appear to assist. She was blowing her whistle to summon other watchmen that might be in the area.- If at the end of any round the thief is about to get away, Lucille appears just in time to prevent it. She will trip the thief and jump on top of him, holding him until the PCs arrive.Either way, when the dust settles, additional watch members will show show up. Lucille will offer to take the thief to Market Barracks, allowing the PCs to go on their way. If they want to do it then no problem, she will accompany them. # Aftermath The PCs are sitting at a table in [[landmark/the-giggling-gargoyle]], relaxing after their shift. The landlord, [[person/porky]], is struggling with the Riddling Rascal conundrum in today's newspaper, and asks for help. If an intelligent PC gets it right, [[person/porky]] will be pleased, and give them a beer on the house. **Q:** What is mysterious and sounds like a fiddle? **A:** A riddleAfter a while, [[person/lyza]] comes into the bar looking for the PCs. She has heard about the day's events and wants to check in on them. She tells the PCs that the thief (and his gang, possibly) are recovering from their wounds in jail. Several stolen purses were found on his person, and he has confessed. The boy with the wand was working with the thief to cause a distraction so that the thief could more easily pick pockets. If the PCs managed to acquire the wand, [[person/lyza]] will ask for it back, saying it must be returned to its rightful owner.If the PCs have done well, [[person/lyza]] will remark that she is impressed by them, and will try to keep the team together in future shifts where possible. She will also give them each a reward of one ![[491457]]|Potion of Healing (DMGp187) each, since they are clearly warriors, and they might need healing in the future. On the other hand, if the boy from Act One was injured, or any innocent bystander hurt, or if the thief escaped, she will rebuke the PCs, and there will be no reward. Either way, she will end by saying “See you for your shift tomorrow.”``````col-md![[plots/the-city-watch/table-of-contents|Table of Contents]]```