Of Kings and Commoners - Kingmaker AP

Game Master RPGGGM

Zokon will wander and introduce himself person and talk with them.. would you like rolls?

Then he'll try and show off a little at the archery

@busy with numbers 1,3,5 of the list.(enjoying the fair, talking to esme, introducing myself to the kids(before I'm close to the next age category, they'll be running this place)).

Zokon will wander and introduce himself person and talk with them.. would you like rolls?

Then he'll try and show off a little at the archery

A diplomacy check and a bit of how you go about introducing yourself and to whom, would be good (i.e. "Hi. My name is Zokon and I am running for Congress. Is that your baby?" etc....)

"Hey, Naleksa." Scarlet walks up to the woman, finishing off her turkey leg. "You enjoying your time here? I mean, traveling the world an' all."

"I don't know if you have a home, or you just don't like yours. But what keeps you here? Adventure? Excitement? Power? ... or just Posh?" Scarlet starts laughing, then burps and coughs.

What have you been drinking! I hadn't actually seen Naleksa journeying with you all what with all the work back at the trading post, but sure, she could be here. She was off screen parking the horses. ;)

Naleksa quickly prepares to apply the Heimlich maneuver to Scarlet should she need to do so.

"The travel is wonderful certainly, but of course there is the stimulating company as well. Are you alright?" She says when Scarlet finishes hacking on her food.

Map updated.

I'll hold off presenting the next major encounter until after Celyne and Numalar (and Luna and Sir Didymus of course) check in and let me know what their plans for the next few (in-game) hours are before continuing, but don't let that stop you from posting other things that fit into that time line--like holding a intervention on Scarlet to discuss her Festival problem.

Stuff to do.

Enjoy the fair (horseshoes, archery, meat skewers, juggling, stage shows, etc...)
Help with the hunt (head to the Gallows place, try tracking the wolf).
Talk to any of the people who are about (see map).
Help Fan earn money so he can go on his own hunt for his friend.
Try and introduce yourselves to the locals.

Numalar has already gotten the information that he was looking for more or less.

He will spend the rest of the time there trying to get to know people in the area and letting them get to know him. He will entertain people with a few stories if they are interested.

Checks if necessary:
perform (oratory): 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (14) + 9 = 23
diplomacy: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (18) + 8 = 26

"Woof!"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (19) + 6 = 25
Perform(Stage Magic): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (15) + 2 = 17

Using Prestidigitation. Dunno what kind of Perform it would be, but since i'm not trained, I can roll generally. I'll try and whip up some ad-hoc entertainment for the kids, maybe together with Esme. Towards both parents and kids, I'll introduce myself, if any of the parents give money, that goes to Esme.

"The travel is wonderful certainly, but of course there is the stimulating company as well. Are you alright?" She says when Scarlet finishes hacking on her food.

Map updated.

Oops, I thought I saw her on the map.

"I can't tell if you're just the happy go lucky type, or you're running from something, but it's good to see you here." Scarlet drinks some more ale and heads off.

She returns to Fan. "Hey Fan, you need anymore help? Remember when we had to tail that brothel for a week to find a thief? Oh wait- maybe that's not appropriate."

Spending 1 gp for food and ale. Scarlet's a good tipper.

Zokon will wander to each merchant and as he is not the best speaker he will use the same set lines for each

"Hello friend .. what wares do you have today" after listening patiently for however long it takes. "Excellent .. well while i'm thinking about any purchases, is there anything information you have about the local area, we are chartered to map the area and it would be great to find out about any dangers before hand"

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 15

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 13

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 11

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Diplomacy: 1d20 ⇒ 8

Stuff to do.

Enjoy the fair (horseshoes, archery, meat skewers, juggling, stage shows, etc...)
Help with the hunt (head to the Gallows place, try tracking the wolf).
Talk to any of the people who are about (see map).
Help Fan earn money so he can go on his own hunt for his friend.
Try and introduce yourselves to the locals.

Celyne will just wander and enjoy the festival for a time, buying some lizard on a stick for herself and trying to get a haunch of meat for Luna, maybe something raw or barely cooked.

She'll chat with merchants, trying to learn what they know of the land about since they had to travel to get here. "Hi, I'm Celyne, who are you? Nice to meet you. You certainly have fine wares... How much is this? or this? Did you have any trouble getting here from... where DID you come from? See any signs of these nasty wolves folks are talking of? or banditry?" an example of an approach

diplomacy to gather info: 1d20 + 14 ⇒ (8) + 14 = 22

When Luna is settled in the shade under a wagon, eating her haunch of meat and purring like a kitten, albeit a very loud kitten, Celyne will try to find Fan, without looking like she's trying to find Fan, (you know... just 'flying casual', lol)... She'll try to help him earn some money if that's possible... not sure what he's doing, so not sure what to roll if anything.. if nothing else, she can always be a shill or something, making sure folks put money in the hat sort of thing..

Fan wanders the fairgrounds playing his lute and singing all morning and afternoon. He takes particular delight in embarrassing young women and couples by extemporaneously creating lyrics that relate directly to them.

perform (strings): 1d20 + 10 + 2 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 10 + 2 + 2 = 28

With help by day's end he earns 1d6 ⇒ 3 gp.

"These small festivals," He sighs mightily. "It'll take me all week before I can collect enough to repay you all and outfit myself. Tamris is the sort who could take care of himself but I still fear that by then I might be too late to be of any help to him."

"Maybe I should try hunting the wolf." He pulls a lute string as if it were on a bow instead and laughs bitterly.

"Or perhaps you could indulge me one more time. I was going to pay you half my take at week's end. But if I could delay that debt...."

As the day wears on more and more people arrive. Zokon and Numalar find all the merchants to be friendly and helpful but those folks who seem to be more local tend to be polite but curt and stand-offish and increasingly so as the day wears on.

The merchants don't have any additional information to add to what is already known.

Celyne meanwhile finds herself in front of the fletcher's cart were the proprietor, Larimus Finch and a group of men stand around chatting about bunch of names and numbers written in chalk on a bit of slate.

It seems to be some sort of betting pool.

"I'd give it to Grogon, 'cept he ain't with his usual two cronies. Think he hired on Rolf and Hendson."

"I dunno. You seen that Medvyed feller shoot?"

"Word is a wolf did that to his face."

"And who wants that Grogan guy to win. He's about as friendly as Breeg Orlivanch is."

"Got that right! I caught him and his regulars poaching on my land."

"Damn outsiders."

"What about that guy? I hear he can shoot."

They all cast a sideways glance at Zokon.

"Nah, the only shots he's taking today are at the mead wagon."

"Nah. It won't be any of 'em. It'll be someone local. All the accounts say its movin' this way--heck it could be one of you."

"Thing's probably rabid then."

"That's why Renault put up the big bounty. So's everyone gets together and puts it down quick-like."

And so on.

Of the dozen names listed on the slate, Grogan and Valorin Medvyed are pretty much the favorites to bring home the speckled pelt.

Celyne learns all that Numalar did earlier as well.

performance: 1d20 + 8 + 2 ⇒ (16) + 8 + 2 = 26

Alia likewise aids Esme in her hilariously undignified afternoon comedy act, playing the part of obvious audience plant.

The act starts off with Alia seated among a group of small children near the stage. Esme asks of any would be volunteers to raise their hands as high as they can and the elf who already sits higher than most of the kids are when they are standing raises her hand.

Once chosen Esme using ghost sound proceeds to take them both on a funny imaginary cart ride.

"Or perhaps you could indulge me one more time. I was going to pay you half my take at week's end. But if I could delay that debt...."

"Haha. Fan, take your time. I know you're a man of your word." She slaps him on the shoulder, then immediately regrets it.

Hulk Strength Check: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

"Don't think I'm going soft on ya. It's just- watching everyone here having a good time makes me feel good. And I like being in a good mood. One day I wanna put these swords down and go farmin'."

She takes a seat on a nearby bench (or floor, wherever.) "Gods above, I get so envious sometimes. I'm fighting plague engineers, bloodthirsty bandits and rabid wolves, meanwhile their biggest worry is whether the crops will be good or not or when they'll get married." Scarlet breathes deeply. "I wonder when I get to stop fighting?"

Once chosen Esme using ghost sound proceeds to take them both on a funny imaginary cart ride.

I can't help but wonder how the kids react to the part between ~minute 7 and 8 ^_^ But yeah, I'll be a good sport and play along.

** spoiler omitted **

Posh returns from the Wagon and immediately starts to look around for where the others have run off to. He makes his way to the first two he sees, Scarlet and Zokon.

"Found anything interesting here? I keep looking, but can't find a place filled with loose women and wine." he gives a soft chuckle, but then turns more serious "Seriously though, I hope you've found something worth while before these locals turn on us."

"The mead wagon is over there." ;)

Esme, Traveling Player wrote:

Once chosen Esme using ghost sound proceeds to take them both on a funny imaginary cart ride.

I can't help but wonder how the kids react to the part between ~minute 7 and 8 ^_^ But yeah, I'll be a good sport and play along.

I can't help but wonder how the kid's fathers react. ;)

Zokon stands casually chatting with Scarlet about stuff she did, saw and learned. He regards Posh casually as he approaches and speaks.

"Not found either.. some ale and food.. I'm about ready to continue our exploration in the direction of the hunt as we may help out in a way."

" I'm about ready to continue our exploration in the direction of the hunt as we may help out in a way."

Numalar rejoins the others, as they start to gather again.

"I agree, I think we've done all we can here. I'd be happy moving on. We could start exploring this region and see what we find out. If we find wolf tracks, we can follow them."

@GGGM: Have I been able to get a better idea as to how many people actually live in this region? (i.e. the hex, I suppose)

"Before we go do we need to buy anything.. torches? Do we need more mapping paper?"

"Found anything interesting here? I keep looking, but can't find a place filled with loose women and wine." he gives a soft chuckle, but then turns more serious "Seriously though, I hope you've found something worth while before these locals turn on us."

"Wait, we were investigating?" Scarlet scratches her head. "Well, the people here like a good story, Naleksa has wanderlust, and Fan said he'll be here for a week or so."

"Fun time's over I guess. Let's find this mystery wolf before it makes more of a mess."

"Before we go do we need to buy anything.. torches? Do we need more mapping paper?"

"Perhaps more rations or do we have enough?" Posh asks curiously, chiming in a suggestion. "We best ask the others if we need anything before leaving."

Alia is still busy "becoming a known person" among the young and adult males frequenting the festival. If someone could pick me up at Esme's stage before you leave, that'd be sweet.

@GGGM: Have I been able to get a better idea as to how many people actually live in this region? (i.e. the hex, I suppose)

1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7

Tough to say. A lot of the people here are visitors just in for festival and may have traveled a day or so to get here. Others are merchants themselves (or their followers) and traveled here from much greater distances.
Part of exploring this hex might entail an impromptu census to get that information assuming no easier method of obtaining it presents itself.

So once you are all collected, where to?

Alia is still busy "becoming a known person" among the young and adult males frequenting the festival. If someone could pick me up at Esme's stage before you leave, that'd be sweet.

It'd be so tempting to cast grease on Alia and see if she slips, but that'd be mean and totally out of his character.

Posh decides to make it way over to find where Alia had gone to see her performing on stage and decides to sit in the crowd and enjoy the performance, giving his support.

When Alia is finished

"I didn't know you had such a talent." Posh smiles and bows low "Perhaps we should continue the act back at Oleg's?"

Once the party returns, Scarlet wonders where they will go from here.

"So, are we looking for a wolf now? Makes sense if it's terrorizing the folks around here. That's what you want to do, right Alia?"

Grease would rather make Esme slip. Or we could send the kids home and playfully start wrestling on stage. The tips would definitely be better-

"I didn't know I had talent for this kind of thing either...but it was fun. I suppose that helped!" Bowing to the audience once more, then saying goodbye to Esme, Alia accompanies Posh back to the others, musing: "But it's not my calling. I'm much better with a forge, a hammer and an anvil..."

Asked by Scarlet, Alia contemplates for a bit, then answers: "Specifically looking for it is one thing, I guess we should simply start doing this cartographing business, and we can consider our options if Zokon finds tracks of the beast. The cats and dog did seem to enjoy the fresh wolf meat, and the roasted hind-leg wasn't too bad as a dinner. So sure, if we run into it, lets put it down. Guess we'll need to be careful with the pelt if we want the reward, though-"
For the record, Alia would be totally up for the idea of helping the people out by hunting the wolf. She simple does not expect the group to make it to the beast first, leading to her being quite unmotivated about this wolf business...Little does she know she's a PC...making her a protagonist-

"Sounds great .. lets go with that plan and as Posh pointed out do we have enough food?"

Zokon will go do a quick census of our food stocks

"60 days trail rations or so.. not too bad"

"60 days trail rations or so.. not too bad"

Numalar nods. "We have a good amount of supplies but if we start to run low we can always forage too."

Numalar mounts up on Sir Didymus. "I am ready to be off. Is there anything else we need to do before we go?"

Numalar's plan would be to start charting this hex. If we find wolf tracks, by all means follow them, but otherwise let's just explore.

The party gathers near Esme's stage to discuss going out to explore and perhaps stumble upon a rabid wolf. They were just counting their supply of rations when someone cries:

"Wolf! There's a wolf!"

The crowd infron of Esme's stage all get to their feet and crane their heads looking for the source of the commotion.

Round 1
The bold may act!
_________________

__ ?
__ Grogan
__ Medvyed retainers (Greyling and Soot)
__ Zokon
__ Poshment
__ Valorin Medvyed
__ Local hunters (Hendson and Rolf)
__ Numalar / Sir Didymus
__ Alia
__ Celyne / Luna
__ Scarlet
__ ??

Map updated.

Posh gets up immediatly and draws his sword, looking around carefully for the beast.
"Come on out you big hairy thing! Nice juicy gnome meat here!" he laughs as he jumps up and down for it's attention.

Is it me or is the wolf not on the map? I don't see it...

Posh is correct. The wolf is not immediately obvious. You can make perception checks as move actions when a stimuli is not readily apparent. The early evening crowd makes it difficult to see very far (especially if you happen to be short) or move very quickly. Essentially, the well-trodden dirt areas are considered difficult terrain until the crowds clear.

Zokon takes out his bow as he to and gets up on Esme's stage as a better vantage points

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (15) + 6 = 21

"Who called out wolf?" Zokon shouts

I'm recalling the scene from one of the Jaws movies with the kid with a fin on his back swimming and scaring people. Hope it's not like that

Posh is correct. The wolf is not immediately obvious. You can make perception checks as move actions when a stimuli is not readily apparent. The early evening crowd makes it difficult to see very far (especially if you happen to be short) or move very quickly. Essentially, the well-trodden dirt areas are considered difficult terrain until the crowds clear.

Told you the wolf would find us!

When my turn arrives, as long as we don't know where the wolf is:

Zokon does not spot the wolf but he does spot young Hal Benzen shouting and waving a mock wooden sword, standing near the edge of the crowd with two of his sisters--shy Merriam, his older sister and the crafter of Zokon's unusually spangled healer's kit and one of the young twins. Leta was it? They have all run to their father, Vekkel's side. Vekkel sits with his crutch on some crates near the northern edge of the stage.

Merrium looks hopeful as Zokon spots them. The 10-year-old Leta just looks confused.

Numalar also fails to see the beast, but can't help but see Vekkel's family as he rides by.

"I saw it! I saw it! The wolf is here! It was creeping up on Leta when I bashed it with my sword!"

Hal points to the northeast. "I think it's going that way. Someone's already shot it. There's an arrow in its flank. I'll show you!"

Round 1
The bold may act!
_________________

__ ?
__ Grogan
__ Medvyed retainers (Greyling and Soot)
__ Zokon
__ Poshment
__ Valorin Medvyed
__ Local hunters (Hendson and Rolf)
__ Numalar / Sir Didymus
__ Alia
__ Celyne / Luna
__ Scarlet
__ ??

Map updated. Posh if you want you can still take and action.

Scarlet double moves around the carriage, drawing her swords along the way.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6
"Alright. Most important thing kids: Stick together. Stay with your dad. And shout if you see 'im."

"Esme, give me a boost, kids, stay here!", Alia addresses Esme before climbing on the wagon.
Climb: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15
I expect with a stage-opening, that should be realistically doable?
Unless the wolf is rabid, it would never attack here...and then they would have been unable to drive it off during that last attack...unless this wolf is just a diversion-
Up there(or from as high as she gets, Alia takes a good luck around...suspecting foul play, she's looking especially in the opposite(other) directions from where the wolf was sighted, for anything suspicious.(People acting differently than would be expected, for example, or a pack of sheep led by a giant sheep, all with black paws, creeping closer with a slightly decaying shepherd on it's back)
Perception: 1d20 + 8 ⇒ (16) + 8 = 24

Up there(or from as high as she gets, Alia takes a good luck around...suspecting foul play, she's looking especially in the opposite(other) directions from where the wolf was sighted, for anything suspicious.(People acting differently than would be expected, for example, or a pack of sheep led by a giant sheep, all with black paws, creeping closer with a slightly decaying shepherd on it's back)

Bah! ;)

This is a difficult situation as Posh is certainly not the conventional hero type...

Posh will stand by and look out for the wolf, keeping a hand free for spellcasting if it appears.

1d20 + 4 ⇒ (7) + 4 = 11 OMG there's people here! And it's a fair! When did this happen?

Posh will wait until he sees the beast. If it has run off he's not too interested in chasing it unless the group would like to.

Scarlet's priority is protecting the team and the nearby family. If a wolf is attacking people, this family is toast.

Celyne and Luna look for any sign of a wolf nearby... climbing up on a wagon if necessary to see further.

perception: 1d20 + 9 ⇒ (11) + 9 = 20

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (9) + 6 = 15

"Esme, give me a boost, kids, stay here!", Alia addresses Esme before climbing on the wagon.

I expect with a stage-opening, that should be realistically doable?

Done. Esme herself climbs all over the stage (treat it as a ship's) rigging (DC 10). You are 10 feet up on top of the hard-top wagon looking down on the fair and have a lovely view of the chaos.

Unless the wolf is rabid, it would never attack here...and then they would have been unable to drive it off during that last attack...unless this wolf is just a diversion-

Up there(or from as high as she gets, Alia takes a good luck around...suspecting foul play, she's looking especially in the opposite(other) directions from where the wolf was sighted, for anything suspicious.

From the level of the stage rigging Alia can see most of the fairground. Fair-goers and their children rush about unsure about what is going on. Wolf hunters move in from the nearby woods and pathways. And there in the shadow of a pair of wagon she sees the shape of a slowly padding wolf. It is heading southward. The white-bordered just-north-of-center icon.

At present Alia is the only one who can see most of the icons shown, but the map has been updated.

Scarlet's priority is protecting the team and the nearby family. If a wolf is attacking people, this family is toast.

Though you have not met them yet there are a total of ten kids in Benzen family only a few of whom are present--they have been singled out on the map only because most of the party has met them already, there are however several other families about on the fairgrounds.

The other 10-year-old twin, Hansel(?) returns and hugs his sister.

Meanwhile young Hal (about 12), wood sword in hand, moves to lead the way toward the wolf.

"Hal! Get back here son!" Hal's father, Vekkel, now up on his crutch and one remaining leg stands and shouts at the boy as he disappears into the press of moving people.

Poshment, Celyne and Luna hear a lot of shouting and can make out the Benzen's but don't make out a lot more than that from their current location. In particular, Posh who has to avoid being trampled by frightened audience members in front of Esme's wagon doesn't notice much beyond the immediate crowd.