City Guide I
Scribes and Paper A small pale green cottage with light yellow trim clings to the edge of the road so tightly that people simply walk across the small porch in front as they make their way back and forth. Planters hanging onto the windowsills hold mums and other bright flowers and the sign proclaiming “Scribes and Paper” over the door is decorated with flowers and vines.
This is the home and business of Alara Reed. Alara made her reputation by creating a special paper that is more resistant to fire and water damage. The paper is used in business ledgers, papers, and spellbooks. She moved the actual paper making part of the process to a small building outside the city because the smell of the chemicals and herbs used to make the paper created such a powerful stench that her neighbors protested. The sheets of treated paper are delivered here and then she binds them into books and ledgers that she offers for sale. In addition to book sales, she offers her service, and the services of several other scribes to copy books, record business transactions, and help with business ledgers. While many wizards do purchase her spellbooks, they are priced higher than equivalent books elsewhere, which cuts down her business. She makes the most money selling her special paper to merchants who believe it is worth the extra cost. Additional income from her scribe service also exceeds anything she makes selling spellbooks.
Glass windows in the front and sides of her home could easily be broken and bypassed by thieves but her home is in one of the busiest parts of the city making it difficult for anyone to enter her home unobserved.
Scribes and Paper
Oak Door: Thickness 2 in.; Hardness 8; Break DC 20; hp 30; Open Lock (DC 25). The door is solid oak. It is unlocked during the day but is barred with a sturdy oak board at night.
Alara Reed, Female Human Exp3/Wiz3: CR5; Medium-Size Humanoid (5 ft. 3 in. tall); HD 3d6 (Exp) + 3d4 (Wiz); hp 18; Init +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative); Spd 30 ft.; AC 14 (+2 Dex, +2 deflection); Atk +2 melee (1d4-1/crit 19-20/x2, dagger), or +5 ranged (1d4-1/crit 19-20/x2, dagger); SA spells; AL LN; SV Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +7; Str 8, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 13. Skills: Alchemy +12, Bluff +7, Concentration +10, Craft (paper making) +9, Craft (book binding) +11, Diplomacy +7, Forgery +9, Gather Information +7, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (local history) +9, Profession (scribe) +7. Languages: common, dwarven, gnome, elven. Feats: Combat Casting, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Scribe Scroll, Skill Focus (Craft (book binding)). Wizard Spells Known (4/3/2; base save=DC13 + spell level); 0arcane mark, dancing lights, daze, detect magic, ghost sound, light, mending, read magic; 1st- chill touch, feather fall, hypnotism, identify, mage armor, magic missile, sleep; 2nd- cat’s grace, enthrall, Melf’s acid arrow, web. Possessions: 2 throwing daggers, +2 ring of protection, an elegant diamond ring (2,000 gp), and a pouch containing 43 gp, 18 sp, and 3 cp.
Windows: Hardness 0; Break DC 1; hp 2. The windows are made of cheap glass that makes a great deal of noise when shattered. The additional noise gives a +10 circumstance bonus to Listen checks for anyone within 50 ft.
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