“Step right up! Right over here, ladies and gentlemen! Test your eyes and your luck and maybe make a good penny for your trouble. That’s right, follow the ball and guess the shell! Five to one odds, my friends! Double your money in no time at all!
The man shouting to the crowd is lean and middle aged. He stands behind a table under an awning of canvass and his quick hands shuffle three pottery bowls. A “customer” watches the blurring bowls intently. By the man’s tattered clothing, it’s likely the silver coin bet was a week’s wages. The poor man chooses a bowl and the hawker lifts it, revealing a bright red ball.
“A winner! Here you go, good sir! Five shiny silver pieces as promised!”
True to his word, the hawker hands over a handful of silver. Just then, you notice a half-orc watching the action. He smiles and shakes his head as he turns away and heads behind the tent.
Background
Phillip Anthrope is a con artist. He is a trickster. He also has a soft heart. Every fair and festival has its games of chance. Most understand that the chances are usually rigged in favor of the house and Phil’s game is not different. Phil runs a shell game scam. The game works by placing a marker, in this case, a red-painted iron ball about an inch across, under one of three bowls or shells. The hawker then moves the bowls around on a table or other flat surface as quickly as he can. The object is to guess which bowl hides the marker. Usually, the hawker uses sleight of hand to make the guess more difficult or impossible. In Phil’s case, a powerful magnetic ring on his left hand captures the ball so that when the bowl is lifted, the ball goes too. However, things are not so simple as a con man making a few coins off of a few people seeking some fun.
As stated, Phil is a good deal soft hearted. He tries to arrive at a village a few days before the fair opens. He spends those days feeling out he community trying to determine which people can afford to lose some money and which ones need some. More often than not, the losers are those who can afford it while the winners are the ones that need it. In any case, Phil makes a profit. If any of the authorities know what’s going on, they’ve chosen to let it happen.
Phil’s father was a shopkeeper in a large town. He worked day in and day out for decades. Phil’s mother did not survive childbirth, so from the moment he could walk, he found himself on his own more often than not. His father cared for him as best he could, but had little time for a boy during the day. As often happens, Phil ended up finding friends in the streets. These friends tended to have all kinds of useful talents, such as how to get into interesting looking buildings without a key or how to sneak a bauble from a rich man’s pocket without being noticed. Sometimes, however, a friend got caught. Phil knew the life of a thief was not for him. The thrill was nice, but the risk was too high. He also knew the life of a shopkeeper would not be happy either.
One year, near harvest time, his father closed the shop and took Phil to the harvest festival. One of the hawkers at the festival ran a shell game. Phil was fascinated. He caught the man cheating several times, but kept his mouth shut. He simply watched and learned. A few years later, Phil’s father passed away. Phil sold everything he could, bought a pavilion and two horses, and took to the road.
Accompanying Phil is friend, bodyguard and horse-lover Thurk. Phil hired the half-orc five years ago after a customer took exception to losing a handful of gold. Phil avoided injury by giving the money back, but decided he needed some way of deterring thugs. The next day he went about hiring a guard.
Thurk benefited a great deal from being raised by his human mother. From an early age, he was taught to be kind and careful. He spent most of his childhood helping a stable master, usually moving bales of hay and large buckets of water. This work quickly helped him attain the raw strength of his father’s race. One day, as was his habit, Thurk rested after work by laying in the hayloft and watching the horses he’d come to love. When thieves came into the barn, he quietly collected a rusty wood axe leaning against a wall and then attacked the thieves. In the melee, the bandits accidentally killed one horse and loosed the rest before fleeing. The stable master arrived to find a wounded, blood-covered Thurk crying over the horse’s body.
Thurk was never comfortable in the barn after that. He’d made a good amount of coin in his years as a stable boy. His mother made good money as a seamstress, so most of it had been set aside. Now, he took it and bought the biggest axe he could find and hired himself to an adventuring party as a henchman. While Thurk is certainly capable of cleaving men in two, he refuses to harm horses. After one of his adventures, he found a tome on horsemanship and grooming. It’s become his prized possession. A quick way to anger him or make him an enemy is to mistreat or harm a horse of any kind.
After a few years, he’d become a competent fighter and his employer retired. After a few days of rest, he managed to find a job as a guard for a festival hawker. Since then, Phil and Thurk have become good friends. Phil provides income and a good reputation while Thurk provides protection and cares for the horses. Phil admires the half-orc’s concern and love for horses. Thurk is amused by Phil’s regular cheating in favor of his poorer marks.
The shell game
Phil’s booth is comprised of a pavilion tent fronted by a large awning. Thurk and Phil live in the tent and during the day, Phil plays his game while Thurk makes sure no one bothers Phil. The tent is ten foot by ten foot, with a five foot awning in front. The pavilion is made of cream and blue canvas stripes. The horses are kept in a local stable if the pair is inside a city or behind the tent if the festival is in a field or commons. Phil makes certain the front of the tent appears clean and well tended. Phil is a charismatic hawker. He can usually draw in a good number of people and talk them into making at least one attempt at the shell game. (Diplomacy roll, any result better than indifferent brings them to the table, friendly has them trying the game, most people begin as indifferent. If Phil is caught cheating, roll a second diplomacy roll at -10, -15 if the person has lost money.)
The game itself consists of a Sleight of Hand roll vs. a Spot check. This roll is simply to determine if the mark can follow the ball. If the mark wins the opposed check, he or she guesses correctly. If the opposed check is failed, Phil wins. When Phil chooses to cheat, he makes a second opposed skill check. If this second roll is successful, he’s managed to palm the ball and the mark loses. Failure by five or more on this roll means Phil gets caught in the act. If he uses his ring to cheat, Phil gains a +5 circumstance bonus on the second roll only.
Phil will usually hire a handful of local rogues to play and win when his marks are within earshot. He prefers to hire from the local thieves guild, using Gather Information to locate a contact before setting up shop. He takes pains to make sure his coconspirators are trustworthy and they keep half of their “winnings.”
Involving the party
One of the PCs notices Phil cheating to ensure an obviously poor patron wins a good amount of money (have each PC make a Spot check, whoever rolls highest gets the information.) What will they do?
PCs are likely to appear much better off than most. There is a good chance Phil may target them as worth fleecing for the cause. As with any mark, Phil will make certain Thurk is nearby, especially if the party has a reputation for violence or chaos. A reputation for goodness won’t prevent Phil from trying to cheat them. He’ll see it as helping them make the charitable donations they’d want to make anyway.
Any time a party member deals with Phil, roll an opposed skill check, Phil’s Diplomacy vs. PC’s Sense Motive, for the PC to pick a sense of trustworthiness and sincerity. If the PC wins by 10, he or she may pick up Phil’s true intentions. If he’s already picked out that PC as a mark, they will get a suspicious feeling. Otherwise, they will feel like they are being weighed somehow.
A recent victim of Phil’s con may decide some retaliation is needed. A lord or merchant hires the party to rough up a crooked gambler and his bodyguard. This one works best if the party has seen Phil cheat to help the poor.
Local law enforcement may be aware of Phil’s activities. If they are and he’s still in business, someone must be turning a blind eye. If the PCs decide to report Phil, have them discover that the local guardsmen or town sheriff is plainly willing to listen, but also unwilling to actually do anything unless cornered by duty.
Possible continuing effect
If the party befriends Phil (for example, by catching him cheating for a poor person and not saying anything) he can end up a useful contact that could end up in all sorts of places. He’s very good at determining who has money and who doesn’t within any given settlement. He travels regularly and is as likely to ply his trade in a small town as a metropolis.
Phil is playing a dangerous game. If anyone catches him, he could end up in jail or skewered on an angry noble’s sword. If the PCs are involved in Phil’s death for any reason, they will find Thurk following them. If they tried to help Phil, Thurk will be friendly and ask for help getting whoever did it. Afterwards, Thurk may qualify as a cohort or follower for a PC with the appropriate leadership score. If one of the PC’s kills Phil, Thurk will become an enemy. Despite appearances that Thurk himself fosters, he is not stupid. He will sell most of Phil’s things and hire henchmen to make the party’s life as difficult as he can.
Local Information
While Phil travels a lot, he does return to most towns he visits. He is good enough at his game that there are only a handful of places he can’t go back to. Knowledge (local) checks might reveal whether he’s been in town before or not (DC 15) but little else.
Gather Information, however, can unearth the following:
DC 10: Phil and Thurk are travelers and neither is a local.
DC 15: Phil was in town a few days before setting up shop.
DC 20: Winners and losers at Phil’s booth seem to follow a pattern. The poor seem to be doing well.
DC 25: A handful of the winners at Phil’s booth are the same group of people each day. They seem to win shortly before someone bets large and loses.
The Players
Phillip Anthrop
Male human expert 3: CR 2; Medium humanoid (human); Hit Dice 3d6; 10 hp; Init +1; Spd 30 ft. (6 squares); AC 14 (+1 Dex, +3 armor), touch 11, flat-footed 13; BAB/Grapple +2/+2; Atk +3 melee (1d6, light mace) or +3 ranged (1d10/19-20x2, heavy crossbow); Full atk +3 melee (1d6, light mace) or +3 ranged (1d10/19-20x2, heavy crossbow); AL CG; SV Fort +1, Reflex +2, Will +4; Str 10, Dex 12, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 14.
Skills and Feats*: Appraise +9, Bluff +8, Diplomacy +12, Gather Information +10, Knowledge (local) +9, Perform (oratory) +8, Profession (gambler) +7, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +7; Negotiator, Skill Focus (Sleight of Hand), Weapon Finesse
*Note: Phillip Anthrop’s 10 expert class skills are Appraise, Bluff, Diplomacy, Gather Information, Knowledge (local), Perform (oratory), Profession (gambler), Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand and Spot.
Languages: Common
Possessions: Bedroll, bit and bridle (x2), crossbow bolts (x10), folding table & chair, heavy crossbow, iron ball, light horse (x2), light mace, magnetic ring, pack saddle, pavilion tent with awning storefront, studded leather, riding saddle, saddlebags
Combat
Phil avoids combat, but that doesn’t mean he can’t defend himself against the typical street thug. In most cases, Phil will respond to hostile customers by pulling out the loaded crossbow he keeps under his table. This is usually enough to give him time to talk such customers into going elsewhere. If pressed, however, he will shoot. Next, Phil pulls out his light mace and will fight defensively while shouting for Thurk.
Example Dialog
“Step right up, ladies, gentlemen! Try your luck! Test your skill! One little silver and double your coin if you find the little red ball!”
“Oh, now now. You played the game and lost. Care to try again? Double or nothing?”
“Now that was uncalled for. Ah, ah! One more move and I’ll have you pinned to that post behind you. You think the hands that spin the shells can’t pin a shill? Thurk! Come help these fellows find some other entertainment.”
Thurk
Male half-orc fighter 2: CR 2; Medium humanoid (human, orc); Hit Dice 2d10+4; 15 hp; Init +0; Spd 30 ft. (6 squares); AC 17 (+1 Dex, +6 armor), touch 11, flat-footed 16; BAB/Grapple +2/+5; Atk +6 melee (1d12+4/x3, masterwork greataxe) or +3 ranged (1d10/19-20x2, heavy crossbow); Full atk +6 melee (1d12+4/x3, masterwork greataxe) or +3 ranged (1d10/19-20x2, heavy crossbow); SQ darkvision 60 ft., orc blood; AL CG; SV Fort +5, Reflex +1, Will +0; Str 16, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 8.
Skills and Feats: Handle Animal +4, Ride +6; Animal Affinity, Power Attack, Improved Sunder
Languages: Common, Orc
Possessions: Banded mail, bedroll, bit and bridle, book*, crossbow bolts (x10), heavy crossbow, horse grooming tools, greataxe (masterwork), light horse, riding saddle, saddlebags
*This small book is battered and well-used. It contains details about horsemanship and grooming of horses.
Combat
Like most half-orcs, Thurk depends on his Strength in combat. Early in any fight, he will try to sunder his opponent’s weapon. Thurk understands that bloodshed draws the attention of local guards and corpses draw them faster. Thugs, toughs and other hot heads tend to rethink their situation shortly after having their swords shortened by a few feet. If forced to kill, however, he does so without hesitation. Thurk prefers melee combat but is capable with his heavy crossbow. While traveling, Thurk usually rides with the crossbow loaded and readied. Thurk never fights from horseback. After an initial bow shot, he will dismount to fight. If fighting foes on horseback, he will never take down the horse to harm the rider.
Example Dialog
“Dat’s a good horsie. Thurk’s gonna get some nice oats for ya later. Maybe ifs they gots ‘em I’ll gets some apples too. Ye likes apples, doncha.”
“Hrumph! No deal. Thurk not dat bright. Not dat stupid either.”
“Huh. Maybes yehs come back wid a new sword. Dat one’s kinda broken.”
“Touch da horse an ye gets to sees what yehs guts look like.”
Adaptability
Phil can be found plying his trade in any town likely to have a fair or marketplace. Villages are usually too small without a fair or festival, but anything larger can usually support him for a week or so.
Phil and Thurk are fairly low level, but they are not intended to be a combat challenge. They do not need to be reduced in power.
If you want to increase their power, Levels can be added fairly easily.
Thurk will continue to specialize in brute force, probably picking up other improved tactic feats along with Cleave and Great Cleave. Keep his existing skills maxed.
Phil can be advanced as an expert, keeping existing skills maxed and putting feats into skill focus for those skills. He can also be converted to a rogue or bard, keeping his existing skills maxed. Any other skills taken will expand his ability to talk his way out of problems. As a bard, spells will be taken to aid and expand his ability to con others.
