One evening in the city, you spy a man lurking in the shadows. He is resting an arbalest against his forearm, his eyes fixed on a doorway in the distance. He notices you and your group shortly after you notice him and rudely gestures for you to leave.
The man wears a long sword and a small, clasped book at his belt. You are almost certain you have seen him before. Following his gaze to the doorway, you recognize it as the residence of a close acquaintance.
While the group decides whether to, indeed, sod off, they might take note of the man’s dress and demeanor. The quality of his garments is quite fine–leather fringed with delicate embroidery–and he carries himself with an air of petulance. One familiar with the city can identify him as a bounty hunter of repute, Laurent of G’lia, known for his brutality toward any bounty, regardless of their offense. In fact, it’s his ruthless efficiency with securing petty criminals that has made his fortune.
Laurent is tight-lipped, and will be come increasingly impatient with the group the longer they linger, ultimately threatening them with legal consequences for obstructing a licensed bounty hunter. Only under exceptional circumstances would he reveal the nature of his bounty (a minor bureaucratic infraction), though it is safe to assume he is targeting your acquaintance: a vendor with whom you’ve developed a rapport, an insider with knowledge on a corrupt noble house, a family who hired you to retrieve an heirloom, or some other valuable connection.
If things turn to combat, Laurent is an agile adversary, two levels above the group. He fights dirty, using a barbed net to tangle the first person to engage him in melee. He prefers the arbalest, though he will favor his sword in close quarters. If outnumbered 3-to-1 or more, he will run at the first chance he gets, taking potshots if the group follows. Whether or not the group injures him, they and their associate become wanted criminals in the city.
Continuing the story: the acquaintance is thankful for any help the party provides, and can repay them with information on Laurent’s criminal ties to both the city’s underworld and the upper nobility. If the situation is resolved without violence, Laurent will abandon his current bounty, departing with an ominous, “Until next time.” Should the group retrieve his clasped book, they find a list of former and future bounties, including the names of the party members.
Silently Watching illustration by Howard Pyle, naturally retrieved from Old Book Illustrations. Inspiration to write these things from Philip Reed at gamemaster.guide.
Jason Wardell 