```col-mdflexGrow=2.5===# Outline# Introduction > [!read-aloud] **Read Aloud** > > > > It has been another busy day for you on gate duty, with lots of merchants and travellers coming and going. In the early evening, a stranger arrives at the gate and tries to enter the city. When you ask him his name and his business, he looks flustered, and says: > > “My name is Kifka. I am attempting to smuggle a monster into the city to participate in an illegal pit fight this evening in a secret location in a warehouse near the docks.” > > When you look surprised at his candour, he adds “Oh dear. I didn't mean to tell you that.” > # Act I Kifka is a ![[1237043]]|Wererat (MM p209) who has been cursed to tell the truth. If the PCs interrogate him further, he can say some or all of the following:- “Ha ha . My real name isn't Bob. It's Kifka. Oh dear I was trying to lie there but it didn't come out right.”- “I think I know what's happened. A few hours ago, further up the road, I murdered a traveller and stole his money and valuables. I think this amulet that I took from him must be cursed and is making me tell the truth all the time.”- “I'm not even human you know I'm a shapeshifter. In a moment I am going to change into a giant rat and kill you all.”- “I hate telling the truth, I'm a natural liar.”- “I am trying to take the amulet off right now, but my hands won't do as I am telling them.”- “I've got a zombie in my magic bag.”Kifka will transform, then engage the others in combat, hoping his immunity to non-magical/non-silvered weapons damage will be enough to see him prevail. If he feels he might lose, he will try to force his way past the PCs and into the city. He does indeed have a ![[1237050]]|Zombie (MM p316) in a ![[1237066]]|Bag of Holding (DMG p153).If the PCs can grapple and manacle Kifka, they prevent him from entering the city. They can then question him further and get the exact location of the pit fight.If Kifka escapes, or is killed, the PCs will have to do some investigating, and possibly stake out likely venues (of which there are the same number as there are PCs) but should be able to identify the correct warehouse by the suspicious comings and goings.# Act II **Play this Act by ear.** If the PCs have raided the warehouse without backup, they are likely to struggle. They might have to endure a few rounds of combat, but all is not hopeless because the monsters will also attack each other, and the event leaders and participants will try to escape if they can, rather than take on The City Watch. On the other hand, if the PCs have asked Lyza for backup, the warehouse could be surrounded by dozens of guards, and things would go differently.The event, organised by the Burnt Rope Gang, is a gambling session based on a series of pit-fights between various monsters that the gang has captured. In cages around the room are one of each of the following: ![[1237081]]|Cockatrice (MM p42), ![[1237050]]|Zombie (MM p316), ![[1237097]]|Giant Centipede (MM p323), ![[1237114]]|Grick (MM p173), ![[1235982]]|Goblin (MM p166), ![[1237145]]|Ogre (MM p237).The gang plan to make the monsters fight each other in an arena in the middle of the room, while spectators and punters cheer and jeer.If the PCs have been very indiscrete in finding the place, the organisers will have cancelled the event. Fearing The City Watch , they have released all the monsters from their cages and fled.Otherwise, perhaps the PCs make their move while the event is underway, or about to start. The organiser is * **Braxter** * , a heavily tattooed man with a shaved head, who is one of The Enigmas. Use the ![[1237164]]|Thug stat block (MM p350) if necessary. He also has a couple of henchmen (![[1237175]]|Bandits MM p343) with him for backup.# Act III Lyza will assess the PCs' performance. If the PCs have done well, it is suggested that they advance to Level Three at this point. If they have done badly, delay that until the end of the next session.``````col-md![[plots/the-city-watch/table-of-contents|Table of Contents]]```