[PFS] First Steps, part I: In Service to Lore (Table 1) (Inactive)

Game Master StephNyan

The boy who got his head whacked walks with Mary, and sticks out his tongue to the others when he thinks Mary won't notice. The boy that whacked him sighs and sits down again with the other kid to continue the game.

Evan finds Gilga Baltwin, or Auntie Baltwin as she's called by some, in the kitchen. She doesn't notice Evan at all. Auntie Baltwin's just finsihed making some tea, and pours it into her cup. She takes a bottle of whiskey and adds some to the tea, then sits herself down at the kitchen table.

Muchiko, while searching for Auntie Baltwin, sees a half full bottle of whiskey in the living-room. She also sees a couple of parcels in an open closet. (You can either proceed and find Gilga sitting at the kitchen table, or you can inspect the parcels first.)

Muchiko will inspect the parcels first.
Well now, this woman seem quite the consumer. I think i'll have a closer look at those parcels.

"Let me look at your head a bit closer, make sure you are okay." Mary leans down closer to the boy's head, and begins to whisper near his ear while pretending to look at his head. "My name is Mary and I'm a paladin of Abadar, and I'm sworn to uphold the law. I'm also sworn to uphold vows. What if I made a vow to you that I'll keep it a secret if you tell me what's going on here at the orphanage? Something isn't right, I can tell that from the way the boy's reacted. I might just be able to do something about it, and no one will know I learned it from you."

Muchiko inspects the parcels, and discovers they're curatives from three different charities. When she looks around the room Muchiko finds more parcels, all stashed away in places people will usually not think to look.

@Mary: Please roll Diplomacy.

This woman, she's stashing away curatives. This is suspicious.

GM, would all those parcels contain alcohol?

@Muchiko: The parcels contain curatives.

The boy looks at Mary, then to the orphanage's door. "W-we help Auntie Baltwin with a few things... There's a lot to do..." he answers nervously. "I haven't been here that long yet... maybe someone else can tell you more..."

"You know, you aren't in trouble and it's not your fault, since she makes you do those things. Do you have just one example of something she makes you do that you might think you shouldn't be doing? If you want it to stop, you have to tell me a bit more. It's a secret between us, and then if possible I can put a good word in for you so you are adopted sooner. What do you say to that? "

Vitarri, it's meant with sarcasm. :)

Oh lol, I was clocked out that night so I missed it completely! xD

Vitarri, carrying the curatives, follows Muchiko as the others moved off to do things on their own. He looks around the living room, eyes only, to notice anything more suspicious. Using his darkvision if needed to pierce darker corners.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (11) + 3 = 14

@Muchiko: If you meant medical alcohol among the curatives, there are a few small bottles. They're all unopened.

The boy shakes his head at Mary's question. It doesn't seem like he wants to tell Mary more.

Vitarri notices the half full bottle of whiskey on the table, but nothing else.

Mary leaves the boy and walks into the bar, I mean, orphanage.

Mary will find Muchiko and Vitarri in the living-room.

The boy walks back to the other boys, and they continue their game together.

Worst date ever... didn't even get a hug.

Muchiko winks her finger for both Mary and Vitarri.
On a hushed tone;
"This isn't right. We are delivering a parcel, yet there are so many stashed away here. It'd go to waste.
It's more as if this has become a storage for merchandise."

"Ah, Mary, what did the kid tell you?"

"Nothing useful. No matter how much I speak to them, it's as if this outside rolling force prevents them from talking to me. Until I master this outside rolling force, I fear no matter what I say it will prove pointless."

Evan will shadow Auntie Baltwin staying hidden.

Auntie Baltwin refills her cup with tea and a bit of whiskey. Before she puts the bottle down she puts it to her lips, and drinks some from the bottle.

So how will you continue?

Vitarri's demeanor was cold, he calculated the events around him. Children unwilling to talk, per Mary's understanding. Muchiko's discovery of Curatives stashed away suspiciously. Bottles of alcohol, not uncommon for a woman running a house full of kids but noteworthy since she was responsible for their care. All they needed was Evan's intel, so in the mean time Vitarri decided he'd try his hand at talking to the kids. "Muchiko, please hold onto this for us. Don't give it to Miss Baltwin yet. Mary, can you speak to another kid please? Maybe I can help soften them up but I am going to need you, I am not good at being nice."

Diplomacy - Assist Mary: 1d20 ⇒ 14

Mary considers the offer. "Hmmm, soften them up huh? Didn't you say your way was beating them until they fall? Maybe that's not the best approach with orphan kids, but I'm not one to tell others how to do things."

Mary thinks for a moment. "Perhaps Muchiko's instruction that I blush when I deal with people might not the best approach with orphan kids either. But...you did say please, which means you might actually be good at being nice."

Mary continues to pontificate, "I had so much instruction and preaching by my trainers that I grew sick of people telling me what to do. I'm a bit sensitive to it. I probably came off a bit crass earlier, but when people tell me what to do, I tend to go off on them. Perhaps with more experience I'll find a more diplomatic way of expressing that anger. By saying please, you deserved a better response than the one I gave you earlier."

Mary gives a slight bow to Vitarri and wanders around to find another kid.

Muchiko is considering something with the parcels. She looks at her comrades.

"I'm sure you agree with me this stocked up amount of complete parcels is suspicious. If one of you could take notes on this for later on."

Muchiko takes a parcel from one of the charities most obvious in sight.
"Evan, could you smuggle this outside and hide it? I'd like to see, if the woman comes around, what kind of excuse will be told. Prying enough can make someone slip the tongue by accident after all."

It proves easy enough to find more kids in the orphanage. Careful to not step on the many cats in the building Vitarri and Mary approach some of the kids. Most of them let Vitarri and Mary know they run errands for Auntie Baltwin, but none of them tells what kind of errands. Several kids do tell them Auntie Baltwin likes to drink, and has alcohol hidden all over the house.

Auntie Baltwin doesn't seem to notice the commotion in the orphanage. She stands up from her seat in the kitchen and puts away her cup. Auntie Baltwin then walks into the hallway, to the stairs. "Thomas! Come here now!"

@Muchiko. Evan is in the other room spying on Auntie Baltwin.

@Steph. Evan will stay hidden the best he can. If Thomas is coming from a direction that may allow him to see Evan, then the halfling will move to a better spot to hide if its possible.

Muchiko will take and hide the parcel herself.

Vitarri held back his anger as Mary twisted his words and suggested he do something as horrid as harm a child in such a pompous way. He bite back the angry words the welled up, weathering her childish storm of words with the patience of a saint. Remaining silent until they had dealt with the kids. Which he entertained with allowing them to examine his armor and weapons. Boys will be boys and girls tended to be a little afraid of him. At least until they saw he had feathers. However once the kids dispersed he halted Mary, his stance and eyes intense. "Your explanation for hurt pride doesn't excuse the real insult you flung at me. You can't be crass or vindictive and then apologize when you've twisted my words. So we will come to an understanding here and now. One, I don't beat children or women. Two, I respected you enough to give advice and I've learned to say Nothing at all now as you don't want it. So don't mistake kindness as weakness as I wanted to work together but I will not tolerate your attitude again and you've force me to ask you. Do I stay or shall I go? The choice is yours Paladin Dontingham."

He didn't have any qualms walking out on this mission. He hoped they succeeded but at this point he wouldn't take being insulted a second longer and prefered to walk out the door then deal with such nonsense.

While a boy, probably Thomas, comes down the stairs Auntie Baltwin walks up to Vitarri and Mary, having heard the commotion. She looks at the feathered middle-aged man and the young girl who looks like she just finished puberty, and opens her mouth to speak with the horryfying voice of an alcoholic granny. "What the heck are you doing in my house?! Go have your father-daughter fight someplace else!"

Thomas halts for a moment, but then follows Auntie Baltwin while keeping some distance in between them. He eyes the two, and for a second his eyes dart to the living-room. Thomas then looks back at Vitarri and Mary.

Muchiko, meanwhile, carries out her plan and hides the parcel some place else. It appears Auntie Baltwin, distracted by the two in the hallway, currently doesn't notice what happens in the living-room.

Evan will creep closer to the group to hear the conversation.

Auntie Baltwin's words were like a kick in the gut and for a moment Vitarri's eyes lost their intensity. A lost memory burned through his fractured mind like a flash fire, so intense that he would have staggered back if he wasn't used to it already. Burning buildings, people fighting and a women with a small child running towards a ship. A mass The moment came and went so quickly that the woman's foul breath was burning his eyes. He refocused as best he could, he was off kilter now. "She's from the Pathfinders, ... He indicates Mary as he speaks, purposefully allowing his holy symbol to hang out. "... courtesy of the Silver Crusade, Miss. Baltwin. Pardon our disagreement but we were just searching for you."

Bluff: 1d20 ⇒ 11

"Ah..." Auntie Baltwin frowns and stares at Mary and Vitarri, observing them. "You're here to deliver the supplies?"

"I see you're hurt," Auntie Baltwin says to Vitarri, "perhaps I can heal you?"

Evan isn't noticed by Auntie Baltwin, and is able to hear what's being said.

So how will you proceed?

3d100 ⇒ (12, 36, 56) = 104

Vitarri raises his hand and halts the old woman. "No thanks. Besides..." He fixes Auntie Baltwin with a stern gaze. "... I was wondering if you could answer some questions..."

Heal?: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18
Perception?: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (13) + 3 = 16

Not sure what skill is needed to tell if she's been drinking. Drunk or otherwise impaired so I rolled the two I thought best~

Good question, {dice=Smell} :P

Muchiko hears voices as she comes walking back. However she doesn't go in just yet, standing out of sight.

They must be talking to the Baltwin woman. I'll not reveal myself just yet.

Vitarri's experience with healing makes him aware of broken blood vessels in the eyes and nose, shaky hands, glassy eyes, and a fine sheen of sweat on Auntie Baltwin. "What questions?" Auntie Baltwin asks suspicious.

Vitarri maintained his even stare as he noticed the obvious signs of heavy drinking. "Are you drunk?" As she reel's from the question he hits her with the next. [b]"However we are here to deliver the supplies as promised. They are out in the living room."[b]

"No, I'm not!" Auntie Baltwin replies offended. "Hmpf! If you're done here, leave."

Auntie Baltwin walks to the living-room, picks up the parcel and opens it to see what's inside. "Thomas, you can go," she says from the living-room, and the boy goes out the frontdoor.

"No, we're not done here." Slowly walking the perimeter of the room, Mary concentrates. "Miss Baltwin, you are in charge of a large number of orphan children. While I don't have children, I know how difficult it can be to manage all of their mischief. It must be incredibly stressful. How do you cope will all that stress?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (19) + 7 = 26

Muchiko will stand at the exit around the corner of the door, listening to the talking.

"These children are killing me!" Auntie Baltwin replies, nodding her head in agreement to Mary. She picks up the parcel and is about to walk out of the living-room when she notices something's changed in the room. "Huh...?"

Auntie Baltwin shrugs, probably not aware yet of what it actually is that changed. She walks to the kitchen with the parcel. "I like you, girl. You seem to understand what a pain it is to take care of these brats. Want some tea?"

In the hallway Auntie Baltwin glares at Vitarri. "Don't like you though!" She mumbles something more.

Meanwhile Thomas has passed Muchiko without noticing her, and has disappeared into the streets.

"Yes, I'd love some tea. I like really strong tea, don't you?" Mary gives Ms. Baltwin a wink as she mentions strong tea and sits down near her.

"You know, I do understand where you're coming from. So many of them all running around, probably making a mess, am I right? Some think if you make children do some work, it can infuse some discipline in the children. Have you tried perhaps putting them to work or sending them on tasks to improve their discipline?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (6) + 7 = 13

With the talk about tea Evan knows they will be coming his way so he tries to move back into the kitchen and hide.

"Ha! Seems most days you need a strong drink if you want to make it through the day in this house. I told you, these children are killing me!" Auntie Baltwin takes out two cups and pours in some tea. She tips a few splashes of alcohol in both cups. "Here you go!"

"I let them run errands," Auntie Baltwin shortly answers to the other question, then continues the conversation by talking about how the kids tire her out. She fails to notice Evan.

Mary pretends to drink the tea, but it doesn't go past her lips. "Have you considered perhaps asking for additional help in running the orphanage or more money? It's absolutely crazy to expect someone, even someone as capable as you Auntie Baltwin, to run this place without more help or a lot more money! I know I couldn't do it. Have you found a way to maybe make these errands they run pay off?"

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (16) + 7 = 23

"They're just errands, nothing special. Groceries, that kind of thing." Auntie Baltwin takes a sip from her cup of alcoholic tea.

"I could sure use more money though, do you know of a way to earn some more? There are things I'd... like to to buy." Auntie Baltwin quickly finishes the cup of tea, and quickly refills her cup with whiskey only.

(Sense Motive DC 15 to recognize the Bluff.)

Muchiko peeks inside and tries to recognize any signs of "lying" and/or half truths on the drunk hag's part.
Sense motive: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (19) + 2 = 21

The old woman's lying.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (3) + 3 = 6

Now that Mary took over Vitarri was done. Whatever the woman mumbled was obviously an insult, he'd expect no less from a petty con. Sometimes he found his oath's not to harm woman was stretched near the breaking point. Because there came a time when the border between Woman and Monster became blurred, a distinction he had a hard time not making clear enough for his fists to solve.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (2) + 3 = 5

He turned his back on them, satisfied that Mary could handle this alone, she didn't want his help and he quite frankly could give a damn. He strode from the living room, he needed air and the stench was making him edgy.

Perception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

Lmao I am on a roll today!

He doesn't take notice of anything as he leaves the orphanage...

Sense Motive: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (5) + 3 = 8

"Maybe I can speak on behalf of those with money to get you more. You know, I bet there are a lot of things a hard working, underappreciated woman like you deserves to have."

Mary tosses her hair to the side. "You know a secrets? My hair, it takes a long time to get it like this. Lot's of different products to keep it from getting tangled. That's where most of my money goes, it's the kind of thing I can do since I'm not having to watch a bunch of kids getting into mischief all day. It makes it really nice. But, it takes money. What kind of things do you want to get? Do tell me, girl to girl, we have to share our secrets."

Mary takes another phantom sip of tea, and slips and spills it accidently. Giggling, Mary says, "Oh dear, I just love your strong tea! Drink yours up and I'll fill it up again! It's five-o'clock somewhere in Galorian as they say!" Mary pours some tea and puts some whiskey in it, then walks over to Auntie Baltwin with a whiskey (no tea) ready to pour her some more.

As time passes it becomes obvious Auntie Baltwin is only interested in three things: figuring out how Mary earns the money, complaining about kids, and drinking whiskey. While explaining, for the fifty-ninth time, how bothersome the kids are, Auntie Baltwin falls off of her chair.

Auntie Baltwin pulls herself up again, but is obviously drunk. "Booze, booze! I just want booze! I spend all money on booze, hahaha!" It doesn't look like Auntie Baltwin will say anything of use to the party.

Muchiko will grab Vitarri by the shoulder, pulling him quickly sideways out of sight. Maybe off balance even due to not expecting this...

"The hag's lying. She's got more motives than she's letting on to. The talk about money, you've seen the stashed parcels. I'm getting the impression she's doing some shady things."

A slight shimmer of disgust within Muchiko's eyes, "She's involving these kids in something more than "errands", it's a gut feeling."

Seeing the old woman drunk, Muchiko decides it's time for a little more direct approach. She tries to sneak carefully to get around the old woman, drawing free the net when behind her, gesturing Mary not say anything.
Stealth: 1d20 + 7 ⇒ (11) + 7 = 18

Touch-attack for net
Net: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (4) + 6 = 10

"If" that worked;
Strenght check to hold net:: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (14) + 1 = 15
Intimidate: 1d20 + 4 ⇒ (18) + 4 = 22
"Now, we're going to have a little talk about your business with the children and the parcels. You will answer truthfully.",
Combined with a serious gaze, at a whispered tone near the old woman;
"Lest you want your skull to be on a plaque on a wall."

"I'd listen to her Miss Baltwin. She's a tad more direct than I am. By the way, have you seen Evan around? EVAN!?"

Vitarri was caught off balance, he wasn't able to focus, between the growing throbbing in his head and the need to speak out at this wretched fake. He didn't pull away from Muchiko as he ran a hand across his pounding temple. "Then tell Mary, she doesn't want my help." His eyes were hard as before when the tasks began. "Not my fight." He pulls his arm only hard enough to show Muchiko that he was leaving.

Very Vin Deisel I know... He's going to strut out that way too. :P lol

Auntie Baltwin doesn't notice Muchiko's approach. Her eyes grow wide when the net's thrown over her, and she screams in terror. "Molesters!"

Auntie Baltwin starts to weave her hands, and with some effort manages to mumble a spell while looking at Muchiko.

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Turn progression:
Mary & Muchiko
Auntie Baltwin
Evan

@Vitarri: You'll need to roll Perception DC 10 to hear the fight and Auntie Baltwin's scream.