GM Tektite's PFS First Steps I (Inactive)

Game Master Hawkwen Agricola

Turk nods at Jules. I do not like to hear of her drinking either. A drink now and then is one thing, but keeping a supplier of fine whiskeys in business for decades is another.

"I agree; we need to know more."

Jules carefully thinks about the situation.
"You know we are not on a strict time line. We can deliver the medicine and talk to the kids. If we still need information we can always ask around town as we are completing our other tasks.
Jules looks around for the children.
I would really love to get a chance to talk to some of the kids before we talk to Auntie.
I would love to pick up some Candy or cookies on the way to the orphange if possible

Good thinking Jules. But are we suppose to deliver the meds if we decide she is unworthy?

You can pick some goodies up at a shop nearby.

"Well, technically, the two requests were separate. Deliver the medicine. Let Ollysta know if the headmistress is worthy of the Silver Crusade's charity," Chandler points out. "I had assumed the medicine was for the children, but it turns out they may not be sick at all; and, if they aren't, it's probably safe to assume the Society would prefer to direct its charity to a more worthy cause."

"I grew up an orphan. You wouldn't believe what some of these corrupt caretakers are capable of. I've heard the stories, horror stories that made me glad to grow up on the streets instead of inside one of those places."

Hmm. Turk considers. You make a valid point Chandler. Two separate requests it is. Let us try to talk to the kids at least learn why they are sent away during the day.

Are we here before or after the children are normally sent off?

"You know I think I saw a shop just back here"
Jules says as she quickly turns around an begins to walk back up the street. As She reaches the bakery she smiles ans walks in.
"Good morning sir. What special treats do you have for sale today?"
Jules ask rubbing her hands together in eager aniticipation as she begins to look at all the wonderful deserts.

The man smiles at Jules. "Good day to you as well!" Turning to peruse his wares, he says. "I have a few milady. Let's see here, I have chocolate, candies and some things from far away Tien Xia called fortune cookies. You break open the cookie and a slip of parchment inside has a fortune on it." Glancing at the items, he concludes. "The chocolate is five gold, while the candies and cookies are a copper apiece."

"It all looks so good"Jules exclaims
"Tell me which is the best, or at least your favorite one?"

The man thinks for a moment. "Well, the chocolate is a delicacy, but me wee ones always love it when I come home with a pocket full of candies. To them, more is better."

"Well then Candy it is! I will take 30 pieces of candy. Jules says
"Oh they are not all for me. I am visiting the orphanage down the street. I thought those poor sick kids could use a nice treat" Jules says as she carefully counts out three gold.
I will subtract the 3 gold from my money
Jules thinks for a moment.
I hear some of the kids are sent out during the day. That seems like a really strange thing to do with sick kids. Do you know what they are doing or why they send them out all day? Its seem really really strange to me."

correction make that 3 silver pieces. I would change the post but its too late. I really dont think I need 300 pieces of candy :)

Was wondering. :) And if chocolate is 5 gold I suspect none of the kids would know what it was. lol.

The shopkeeper shrugs. "I afraid I can't help there milady. Good day to you though. I bet you make some children happy today!"

Jules divides the candy into five packages.
"Here is some for each of us. That way if any of us find an opportunity to speak to the kids privately the candy may help them become more talkative. I hope someone is good at getting kids to talk. I am afraid I am just not very good at that. What I can do is help distract the adults or other kids so someone can talk to one kid alone."
Jules considers it a bit more.
"You know Auntie may have some of the kids helping her. You know telling on the other kids etc to get extra treats. It may be a good idea to try and separate them before we try to get information from them. What do you guys think?"

Could not hurt. Turk agrees. Lets get to the house.

Braxton pockets his little pouch of candies, ready to begin the bribing process.

The party finally makes your way to the door of the orphanage. As you approach, you notice two children sitting on the side of the entry steps, playing marbles.

Jules whispers "Now how perfect is that! Who wants to talk to each lovely child?"

She pauses for a second, then whispers
"Unless someone is better than me, I guess I can talk to the one on the right. Can someone else Please talk to the one on the left?"

If no one object or has a better idea
"Hi there my name is Jules what is your?"

Turk moves to talk to the other youth. Squatting down he says Hi son. Are you winning?

I mean... I won't object, but you did say you weren't very good at this sort of thing and suggest someone else do it. If that's what you want, I'll talk to the kid. I just didn't have a chance to post until now.

Torsk will happily take the bag of candies. He goes with Turk up to the boys playing marbles.

please note I said if no one objected. This was my attempt at keeping the game going. Be my guest to talk to him instead of me. I would love to give you a chance to play as well.

The two boys look up at the party. One stays quiet, unsure amd shy, while the other pipes up. "Hullo. My name's Pip and this here is Jeb. I'm winnin', I just took Jeb's aggie. What are you folks doin' here?"

We got some stuff for Auntie from the church. Medicines and such. But we also got some candies for you and Jeb. Turk produces a small handful of hard candy from a pocket. Thought you might enjoy some sweets. He hands one to each and continues to hold the rest. We'd like to know about living here. About how you like it and how you spend your time. And we'd actually like to hear the truth about things, not some rosy story about how it should be.

The children eagerly grab the candies, each quickly popping one in their mouths. The boys shrug. "Dunno, it's not too bad."

Diplomacy checks please.

Assist to Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11

It's quite alright, Crystal. I seem to have been in a stupid mood the other day. Ignore me.

"That's not much of an answer," Chandler laughs. "It might help if we knew what you considered 'too bad'."

Waiting for your diplomacy roll Chandler. I have already rolled to assist you.

Oh right. Yeah, I'm really no better at diplomacy than you, but one of us does have to make the primary check...

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (12) + 2 = 14

diplo assist: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (6) + 1 = 7 or not lol

"Hay Jeb I bet you have some pretty neat marbles can you bring them over here so I can see them in the light"
Jules ask with a friendly smile.

"I would really like to see them
diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 1

Jeb knows you are after his marbles… :P

Seeing the disaster in progress, Braxton steps back in case the boys decide to draw weapons.

The boys eat their candy and don't say much more. Finally Pip eyes the party eyeing him. He swallows hard and says. "Well it's pretty nice here. Auntie can be mean sometimes, but she cooks good and tells funny bedtime stories. The older kids go out in the city during the day to do jobs to help out Auntie."

I am standing in the back. Saying nothing and trying not to look scary.

i stand back too and not smile my toothy grin

How old do these kids look?

Do you get to go out to do jobs too? What kind of jobs do they do?

I am imagining the Artful Dodger here.

Young. 6-8 yrs old?

The kids shrug. "Sometimes. The older kids go out to help just about everyday. Us litte uns' only go out sometimes."

Right after the child finishes speaking, the door to the orphanage opens and a hag of a woman appears. "What are you doing! Leave those children alone! I'm going to call the constabulary! You folks need to leave now! Kids come inside and get away from these unsavory looking people." The kids jump up and run under her arm, that's holding the door open and into the house. She then steps back inside and closes the door with a slam.

Ever the master of the obvious, Braxton calls out, "How are you going to call the constabulary when you're inside?"

Chandler knocks on the door.

unsavory? Charisma 16 here, with good deity holy symbol prominently displayed… :)

Before the door can be closed Turk will call out One moment madam. We have actually come to see you. We bring a package from the Silver Crusade. Shall I bring it inside? Its quite heavy.

The woman opens the door a crack. "A package hmm? Let me see it." She the slides through the crack of the door, shutting it behind her.Glaring at the party, she says. "There better not be any funny business. Well, let's see it."

"No," Chandler states flatly. "Ma'am, you run an orphanage, and, from what I understand, it's sustainability is based on the charity of others. Whether or not you are deserving of such charity has been called into question, and, based on what we've heard and your behavior so far, I'd be perfectly happy to walk away now and inform your benefactors that you are, indeed, not."

He pauses a moment. "Or... you can show and tell us what's really going on here, and we might decide it's not as bad as it looks from the outside."

The woman stares daggers at Chandler. "Unless I miss the mark, you've been sent to deliver the package. If you do not, then you will have failed at your job, no? I have no idea what your talking about, as bad inside as out. I run a nice home for orphans. They all are happy and I tend to the sick one like they were my own."

Need some kind of check to follow up your posts...

Sure, but it's not a bluff and he doesn't seem to be being very diplomatic... Intimidate?
Intimidate to Influence Attitude: 1d20 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (11) + 2 + 2 = 15 Using archaeologist's luck.

"Your hostile demeanor toward strangers when you're running an orphanage and the ultimate goal is ostensibly to find these children homes, suggests you're hiding something," Chandler responds. "Before you receive this medicine, I'd prefer to at least confirm the existence of a sick child. Wether or not we report that you should receive continued aid will be determined when we have the freedom to speak to the children alone. If you refuse or take too long in granting our request, I will just assume you're hiding illicit activities."

sense: 1d20 ⇒ 3