Wat

Wat serves as the stalwart barkeeper at the Waterside Hostel, a position that allows him to oversee the comings and goings of various characters that frequent this notorious establishment in Nulb. His unique blend of vigilance and subtlety makes him an essential figure in the tavern's daily drama.

• Key Role: Barkeeper and observer at the Waterside Hostel.
• Reputation: Known for his sharp eyes and even sharper wits.

Physical Description

Wat is a wiry man of medium height, with deep-set, observant eyes and a complexion darkened by years of working in dimly lit environments. His hair is short and unkempt, adding to his generally rugged appearance.

• Clothing: Typically wears a mix of worn leather pieces, designed for ease of movement and subtle protection.
• Demeanor: Exhibits a calm, calculating demeanor.

Wat's Background

Wat's background is shrouded in the kind of mystery typical of many who make their lives in Nulb. He arrived at the Waterside Hostel several years ago with little to his name but has since made himself indispensable.

• Past: Rumored to have connections with various criminal networks.
• Experience: Years of surviving in Nulb's harsh environment have honed his skills in handling difficult situations and people.

Motivation

Wat is driven by a complex mix of survival instincts and the pursuit of profit. His position at the hostel allows him to leverage both legitimate and illicit opportunities.

• Survival: Primary motivation in the chaotic and dangerous environment of Nulb.
• Profit: Seeks to maximize his earnings through any available means, lawful or otherwise.

Personality

Wat's personality is as complex as his background. He is cautious with information, resourceful in crises, and incredibly secretive about his deeper plans and alliances.

• Cautious and Calculating: Trusts few and always assesses angles for advantage.
• Secretive: Shares little, maintaining a mysterious persona.

Political Relationships

His relationships within Nulb are tenuous and always shifting, dictated by the changing dynamics of power within the town. He maintains a functional relationship with Lady Lmag's men forces, knowing the importance of staying on their good side.

• Lady Lmag: Keeps a watchful peace with her and her enforcers.
• Pearl: Not just a lover but a partner in crime, integral to his schemes.

Relationship with Dick Rentsch

Wat and Dick Rentsch both manage the Waterside Hostel in Nulb, but their professional partnership masks a complex and secretive rivalry. Each is unaware of the other's true allegiances within the conflicting factions, which adds a layer of tension and potential betrayal to their interactions.

Key Points on Relationship Dynamics

• Shared Business Interests: Publicly, Wat and Dick co-manage the Waterside Hostel, handling different aspects of the business. Wat focuses on the bar and customer interactions, while Dick takes care of administrative duties and the overall maintenance of the Hostel.
• Mutual Suspicion: There's an underlying layer of suspicion in their interactions. Each is cautious, knowing the other has connections and influences that aren't fully disclosed. This cautiousness often manifests in their indirect approaches to handling hostel affairs and guest interactions.
• Unspoken Tension: Both are seasoned enough to sense that the other is not entirely forthcoming about their outside affiliations. This results in a tense atmosphere whenever Temple politics become relevant or when Temple associates visit the hostel.
• Potential Conflict: The precarious balance of their relationship means any revelation of their true loyalties could lead to a severe conflict or even an attempt on each other's lives, especially if one discovers the other's true affiliation first.

Secret Rivalry

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Privately, each is involved in espionage and recruitment for different factions of the Temple of Elemental Evil. Wat is aligned with the Fire Temple, whereas Dick is a part of the Earth Temple faction. This secret rivalry puts them at odds without their knowledge.

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DM Only Section: Secrets of Wat

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Wat, the wiry and keen-eyed barkeeper of the Waterside Hostel, serves a far more complex role than most of Nulb’s denizens realize. Officially just a bartender, Wat's clandestine activities mark him as a key agent for the Fire Temple, one of the competing factions within the infamous Temple of Elemental Evil.

• Fire Temple Agent: Acts as a primary contact in Nulb for the Fire Temple's operations.
• Visitors from the Temple: Regularly meets with Alrrem, Julian, and Munge to exchange information and receive orders.
• Strategic Importance: Uses his position at the Waterside Hostel to gather and relay critical information back to his Fire Temple superiors.

An Argument Overheard: Quest Description

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Boatman's Tavern Argument

• Level Requirement: 5
• Location: Boatman's Tavern, Nulb

While the coastal town of Nulb is known for its lawlessness and the frequent comings and goings of dubious characters, a unique opportunity for espionage presents itself to the adventurers. After successfully breaching the Temple of Elemental Evil yet avoiding confrontation with Romag, the party encounters Wat in a clandestine meeting.

Event Details

• Participants: Wat and Skole, the barman from the Boatman's Tavern.
• Discussion Topic: Wat is pressuring Skole into spying for the Fire Temple.
• Stakes: Skole fears the wrath of Lodriss, the owner of the Boatman's Tavern, who maintains strict neutrality and would punish any affiliations with temple factions harshly.

Adventurer Involvement

• Espionage Opportunity: This scenario is particularly suited for party members skilled in stealth and subterfuge such as bards, rogues, warlocks, or wizards.
• Potential Rewards: Gaining intelligence on Wat's allegiance to the Fire Temple and confirming Lodriss’ insistence on neutrality. This information could be leveraged in future dealings within Nulb or the broader political landscape involving the Temple of Elemental Evil.

Challenges

• Stealth and Discretion: The party must carefully navigate the conversation without alerting Wat or Skole to their presence.
• Ethical Considerations: Deciding whether to intervene or simply gather information, balancing the immediate benefits of action against the long-term repercussions.
• Resolution: The quest resolves with the party gaining valuable insights into the complex political affiliations at play in Nulb. How they choose to use this information forms the basis for potential future adventures, aligning or conflicting with various factions within the Temple of Elemental Evil

Expanded Background for Wat

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Real Identity and Origins

• Real Name: Wat's real name is Vardan Gale, a name he has not used in years since leaving his past behind in the city of Dyvers.

Recruitment and Training

Training as an Assassin

• Guild Training: Vardan was rigorously trained in the dark arts of assassination by the notorious Assassin's Guild of Dyvers, known for its ruthless efficiency and secrecy. His training included mastery of poisons, disguise, stealth tactics, and silent killing techniques.
• Skillset: Beyond typical assassination skills, Vardan was also taught to gather intelligence, manipulate individuals, and survive in hostile environments, making him a versatile agent.

Recruitment by the Fire Temple

• High Priest Alrrem's Interest: Alrrem, recognizing Vardan's unique skills and potential for serving the darker agendas of the Fire Temple, personally recruited him. The High Priest was impressed by Vardan's cunning and his cold efficiency during an assignment that caught the Temple's attention.
• Purpose in Nulb: Alrrem sent Vardan to Nulb under the guise of "Wat" to act as a spy and enforcer. His mission was to infiltrate the local community, gather intelligence on the movements and plans of competing Temple factions, and manage covert operations without drawing attention to the true nature of his allegiance.

Life in Nulb

Alias as Wat

• Adopting a New Identity: Upon arriving in Nulb, Vardan adopted the alias "Wat" to blend into the seedy underworld without his past catching up to him. The name was chosen for its commonness and ease of acceptance in a place like Nulb.
• Role at the Waterside Hostel: As the barkeeper at the Waterside Hostel, Wat serves not only drinks but also as a quiet observer and manipulator, weaving his web of influence among the patrons and staff.

Reasons for Staying in Nulb

• Strategic Position: Nulb’s lawlessness and its proximity to various factions of the Temple make it an ideal place for espionage and gathering crucial information.
• Protection of Anonymity: In Nulb, where so many are hiding secrets, Wat’s true identity and his past as an assassin are easily obscured, allowing him to operate without suspicion.

This deeper background paints Wat as a character with a complex past and dangerous skills, perfectly positioned in Nulb to play a pivotal role in the ongoing conflicts and intrigues surrounding the Temple of Elemental Evil. His presence in the village is a chess move by the Fire Temple, aimed at securing an advantage in the shadowy war being waged behind the scenes.

Wat's Proposal

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Recruiting for the Temple Quest

Conflicting Allegiances: Both Wat and Dick Rentsch are deeply involved with the Temple of Elemental Evil, yet they serve different masters within its corrupted hierarchy. Wat is aligned with the Fire Temple, led by the High Priest Alrrem, while Dick has sworn loyalty to the Earth Temple, under the leadership of the Earth Prophet Romag.

Initial Approach and Bluff

• Initial Interaction: The players first need to interact with Wat at the Waterside Hostel. The quest is triggered when the characters discuss recent events around the Moathouse and the activities of the Temple factions.
• Bluffing Wat: Players must use their Bluff skills to convince Wat that they were not involved in the disruption at the Moathouse. This is critical as it sets the stage for trust and further dialogue.

Wat's Proposal

• Invitation to Join: Once trust is established, Wat reveals his connection to the Fire Temple and extends an invitation to the players. He suggests that aligning with the Fire Temple could provide them strategic advantages in navigating the Temple's complex power structure.
• Benefits of Joining: Wat implies that with his backing, the players might navigate certain areas of the Temple without direct confrontation, leveraging his influence to bypass some of the more dangerous elements.

Strategic Considerations

• Double Agent Dynamics: DMs should note that Wat is playing a dangerous game as a double agent within the Temple. His true loyalty to the Fire Temple is a closely guarded secret, one that could lead to significant plot developments depending on player actions.
• Risks Involved: Engaging with Wat carries risks. Discovery of their collusion with a Temple faction could lead to hostile reactions from other Temple factions or from local Nulb residents suspicious of any Temple activities.

Progression and Consequences

• Plot Advancement: Successfully navigating this quest can open new pathways into the Temple, providing the players with unique insights and potential allies. However, missteps could lead to ambushes, betrayal, or worse.
• Long-term Impact: The outcome of this quest could influence the larger campaign narrative, affecting the balance of power within the Temple and the players' standing with the various factions.

"Every secret has its price; some cost more than others."

Wat, a waghalter

Level 3 Assassin

• AC 5 (leather)
• hp 22; XP 241
• S 16, I 12, W 6, D 17, Co 16, Ch 7
• dagger of venom
• purse with 12 cp, 9 sp, 21 gp, and a bloodstone worth 50 gp.

Private Room

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In his private room, Wat has a shield + 1, elven boots, normal longsword and shortsword, a pair of matched and balanced throwing knives (daggers), and a gold ring set with a fire opal (2,000 gp) secreted in the hem of an old cloak hanging on a peg. Wat serves the Temple's Fire priests.

Alignment

Chaotic evil

Current Location

3. Waterside Hostel of Nulb

Species

Humans of Greyhawk

Ethnicity

Suloise Suel

Other Ethnicities/Cultures

• Oeridian Oerid

Year of Birth

538 38 Years old

Sex

male

Eyes

dark deep-set, observant eyes

Hair

dark brown unkept

Height

5'11"

Quotes & Catchphrases

"Intrigue is the currency of survival."

Pearl, serving wench by 3orcs