Diran Conoriel "Ratter," Assassin-spy

AC 2 (bracers of defense AC 5, Dex 17 MV 12; T7; hp 37; THACO 17; Dmg ld6+3 (short sword + 2, nine lives stealer (4 lives remaining) SA triple damage on backstab; Str 16, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha see below; AL NE.

Thief skills: PP 45, OL 60, FRT 30, MS 75, HS 60, DN 55, CW 80, RL 10.

Magical items: bracers of defense AC5, short sword + 2, nine lives stealer, cloak of the bat.

Diran is 28 years old, and his natural appear- ance is the typical fair-haired, gray-eyed Suloise. If appearing naturally, the 6', 185-pounder would have Charisma of 12. However, he disguises himself well, using a plant extract to darken his skin, black hair dye, a harmless chemical that shrivels skin to create an ugly, ragged scar on his left cheek, and he dresses in filthy, malodorous leather garments. He always carries his pet rat Jasper inside his shirt, and the rodent peers out at those viewing Diran and twitches its whiskers. Jasper is curious, well trained, and has a 15% pick pockets skill for small objects (nothing larger than a coin).

Diran possesses a supply of oil of detection resistance which confers an effective 50% magic resistance versus detection spells (detect magic, etc.) that might reveal him to be carrying magical items.

Diran poses as a down-on-his-luck vagrant and beggar in Hardby. He hangs around the docks and rougher areas, begging food and coppers, sometimes getting dirty jobs (refuse disposal, fish gutting, etc.) to earn enough for him to rent a room in a flophouse. His pose is effective; no one suspects him of being anything more than a filthy beggar, and no one takes much notice of him.

This suits Diran admirably. He is really a spy for the Scarlet Brotherhood, working quite independently of Ghrigiel in Greyhawk, and unknown to the Elder Brother. Diran leaves coded messages in dead letter drops for Brotherhood seamen conveying trade to Greyhawk, and his reports are compared with those sent by Ghrigiel by the distant Brotherhood rulers. That way, they can keep track of Ghrigiel's powers of observation.

Diran cannot entirely shake off his old career as an assassin. Simply, from time to time, he really suffers the urge to kill someone. His magical sword is perfect for the task, and he employs garottes, paralyzing venoms, and the like. Diran kills someone once every 4-8 weeks, dumping the body in Woolly Bay. As yet, he hasn't killed anyone whose disappearance would cause a major row (a Marine captain, for example) and has gone undetected to date.