The Mysteries of the Mystery Man

Otto the Rake is a noble rouge from the land of Muden in Brechur trained by the thieves’ guild Ela’s Quick Fingers. Ela’s Quick Fingers are a front for the church Ela’s Midnight Shadow (Ela is Eloele in Brechur). Otto the Rake spent the majority of his time since returning from the Shadow World starting a family and participating in Royal Flush Gang activities, but sometime during Otto the Rake’s free time Otto traveled back to his homeland to give tribute to his original thieves’ guild.

Fulda Spiritwalker, a Halfling cleric, is the head of Ela’s Quick Fingers and the secret Ela’s Midnight Shadow and holds court in the secret Grotto of the Evening Star. Otto the Rake return is a surprise; being that most rouges who are sent out on “missionary” trips do not return or get enough loot as to not want to return to share profits. But Otto the Rake returned to pay respect to those that gave him his original training and to spy on Ela (Eloele) for the New Dark God.

By the end of the year, Salim Karamazov would steal Sarae Somellin’s bloodline and generally disband the Eloele of Mieres while absorbing the Vos of Mieres into the Church of All. So when Otto the Rake is venturing back to Muden, the thieves of Mieres are still representing a sizable portion of Eloele’s church holdings but the number of followers is their most concentrated numbers in Brechur. Otto the Rake under the guise of the Mystery Man, the Ace of Spades, has had many adventures and traveled to many worlds.

Otto the Rake views his upbringing and training in the Ela’s Quick Fingers guild has a harsh time compared to the treatment he received while under the care of Kareem Wali-Jabar and how the Royal Flush Gang is operated. Otto the Rake enjoys the loot and privilege he has within the Royal Flush Gang and its various associates. While the Wizard’s Cabal has yet to hire Otto the Rake or the Mystery Man personally, Duke Nightmare has sought Otto the Rake’s assistance on multiple occasions (though the Mystery Man did disguise himself once as the Red Hood to take a blow from the Sword Mage).

Duke Nightmare choose the Mystery Man to impersonated Duke Nightmare to leading conquered Orogs and Ogres out of the Underdark and back to Duke Nightmare’s castle while the real Duke Nightmare stayed back to get the loot from the adventure. Duke Nightmare hired the Mystery Man to help track down and capture his aunt and kill his aunt’s lover; the Weather Wizard. And most recently, Duke Nightmare hired the Mystery Man to lead a band of thieves disguised as a group of good-aligned adventures to uses as advanced scouts into new territory.

But anyway back to the story at hand; Otto the Rake’s return to Brechur. Upon arriving in the thriving port of Brechlen, Otto the Rake starts to spend money in very elaborate ways; being carried through town by servants, renting a house and having it staffed, and purchasing new confections: linens, food-stuffs, drink, and bringing in tailors. Outside of the rent house a sign was placed, “Otto the Rake: Open for Business.” Over the course of a week Otto would have many callers and inquisitors as well as a few opportunities.

First can the local thieves who practice skullduggery and Otto would entertain questions about strategy, poison use, and trade information (all this at a price to the guest of course). Local nobles would send aides with gifts to inquire about services and to trade information. Even the government offices would send dignitaries with questions as to Otto’s new “business” and to trade information. Otto the Rake answered most questions very honestly; I am not here to set up shop, I came to visit my homeland once more before I retire, and that I have a family in Anuire waiting for me.

Eventually Fulda Spiritwalker would come and pay Otto a visit (but of course a slew of agents of Ela’s went through first). By this point Otto had acquired a great deal of information about Ela’s activities and did not really need anything from the Halfling but to size up an opponent. The ball started in Otto’s court but then Otto gave a gift of one thousand pieces of platinum of various origins (total D&D value equals roughly 10,000gp), the ball was now in Fulda’s court.

Fulda tried hard, “what happened to the thieves you where going to work for in the Khinasi Lands?”

Otto, “They decided to relocate to Anuire” (not a lie)

Fulda, “What happened when you got to Anuire?”

Otto, “the thieve leader choose a life of piracy until he was killed by the Eloele of Mieres” (not a lie)

Fulda, “Why do you think the Eloele of Mieres killed him?”

Otto, “They most of figured he was after their guild holdings” (not a lie)

Fulda, “Why do you think they thought that?”

Otto, “Because he was” (not a lie)

Fulda, “Who have you been working for since then?”

Otto, “I work for nobles in Anuire” (not a lie)

Fulda, “What are you plans in Brechlen?”

Otto, “I came to see my homeland and to earn the title of Master Thief” (not a lie)

Fulda, “Well rake; let us see what we can do about that”

Over the course of a few more weeks Otto would get to know both the city of Brechlen and the countryside of Muden. The countryside was not a place for the faint of heart and dozens of gangs roamed the roads. While waiting for his Master Thief Mission, Otto accepted several small but well paying delivers around Muden. Eventually a quest would be given to Otto; to earn the title of Master Thief and because Otto lives in Anuire, Fulda wants Otto to steal any Anuirean kingdom’s crown jewels. Otto the Rake accepts the assignment and heads back to Anuire full of information about the political and underworld figures of Muden.