GM Headbutt’s #5-04 The Stolen Heir (Inactive)

Game Master Headbutt

Lotho nods in agreement. "We should see if this Albert Tauper has any information."

You head out and back into town. On your way the halfling soldier who is accompanying you asks So, what do you know of this? Do you have any information that might help narrow down the location of the missing girl?

Fentar shrugs, "Do you know of any high-status residences which are still standing but have suffered from fire damage?"

Hmm, yes. I may know of one. There is one in an old vineyard. The one belonging to Lady Sauer. When she was exiled the building at teh vineyard mysteriously burned.

Fentar grins and his lizard tongue flickers excitedly, he gives the halfling a friendly bump on the shoulder, "See, we don't need to hob-nob with the fancy dans! Thanks, pal!"

That could be a good place to start our investigations, indeed

I am assuming you are going to go take a look at this place. Moving us forward to it.

This barren stretch of land is a sharp contrast to the surrounding fields of well-tended grapevines. At the center of the waste, at the end of an ill-kept path, sits a large stone villa in the old Chelish style that has partially collapsed as the result of fires long-since extinguished. Rotted timbers and soot flank scorched bone-white walls, and collapsed piles of blackened wood are all that remain of additions to the north and south ends of the main hall. Rain-slicked bare earth extends approximately three hundred feet away from the house in all directions.

there is a map up. See slide 3

"This could be the place. I bet people leave it alone."

Fentar steps forward and examines the house.

perception: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (13) + 6 = 19

A shout comes from within the burned house. Come and get her if you dare, hounds of the upper class!

Fentar turns to his allies, ”Watch out, some kind of trap in front of the stairs.”

”Such rude children,” Matrialda mutters to herself. ”Probably never write home to their mothers or tell their fathers they love them. Children these days.”

”Young woman,” she calls, ”what on earth do you think you’re doing in there? You could get hurt, and then how would your poor parents handle the shock? Maltyhorn, talk some sense into them.”

Diplomacy to Aid Mallycorn: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (20) + 1 = 21 Hah!

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Mallycorn smiles gently as the old woman mispronounce his name, and begins his speech

My name is Mallycorn Tavee, and I am a servant of Pharasma. I worship her, and pray to her name. Today, my unknown listener, I pray you to come back to your sense, whoever you might be. If not your sense of hospitality to greet and meet wary travelers to your home, your sense of responsability, of decency, of humanity. A woman is hold hostage here, so we are told. We aren't "hounds of the upper class", we don't come here barking and "baring teeth", showing our weapons to do a show of force to impress you. We're willing to discuss. We want to avoid soiling the grounds with blood, be it ours or yours. We're just concerned for the well being of the girl, and her freedom is our mission, I won't lie to you. But there are many ways to acheive that goal. Won't you try to resolve the situation as peacefully as possible, now that you have someone willing to speak to? What do you seek to achieve by keeping that young woman under lock? What's the point in all that? If there is more here than what meets the eye, if there is more here that the "upper classes" could have told us, please do tell us your side of the story. I have spoke. Now I'm listening.

The soldier tries to help, "We're a motley bunch of hounds if we are as you say. Just a bunch of mutts like you. Let's talk."

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (17) + 6 = 23

Lotho stands back, feeling that his best aid to the diplomacy is to not intimidate too much.

There is a moment of hushed whispers followed by another shout Stay there. We wont attack if you don't come in.

Fentar shrugs and looks back to his allies, then he sits down on the ground and takes a swig from his waterskin.

That's about as passive and non-threatening as Fentar can do.

So what's happening here? Could you give us proof that your hostage is still here and alive, and hopefully respectfully treated? That would help defuse the situation.

GM: was it the same voice who shouted at us the second time, as far as we can tell?

Yup, same voice. In a meta sense you shifted their attitude from Hostile to Unfriendly.

There is another whispered conversation followed by the creak of bow strings.

I am coming out to speak to you. Do not attack. We have bows and can target you.

A figure emerges nervously from the building and apporaches, skirting the questionable area in front of the stairs. We were told to guard and await further orders. You would need to speak to those further inside for more.

Lotho nods and replies, "Sounds good. Lead the way." He motions for the figure to proceed.

”That’s a wonderful suggestion, dear - such a bright child. Much like my favorite grandson Maltyhorn. Have you met him? Here, have a butterscotch - Matlyhorn, do say something nice to this young lady, would you?” The elderly matron starts digging around in her knit bag, gesturing with her head at Mallycorn.

Diplomacy to Aid: 1d20 + 1 ⇒ (11) + 1 = 12

Fentar nods reassuringly.
diplomacy (aid): 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (6) + 2 = 8

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Mallycorn laughs a little when Matrialda get his name wrong again

I wonder if she does this on purpose or not..

Diplomacy: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (12) + 6 = 18

We are willing to enter and discuss peacefully, or course. There is no need or urge for violence.

Diplomacy Aid: 1d20 + 6 ⇒ (10) + 6 = 16

Krystiana stands confidently beside Mallycorn showing no malice or eagerness to fight. "What he said."

The man speaking with you gives a whistle and three more emerge from the building. They hold their weapons where you can see them and move, at first at a slow walk then breaking into a run after 20 feet or so to leave the area.

Fentar turns, still on the ground, and watches them go.

"So, wait, what? They're leaving?"

The Nagaji narrows his already narrow eyes into tiny slits of darkness in his scaly face, then a smile erupts and his eyes open wide, "Oh, right, those deeper within. You've had second thoughts."

Lotho moves to block the men's possible escape route, one hand on his own weapon but another extended for them to remain where they're standing. "Hold on, now. Can't have you folks running off to get allies to surround us. I'm sure you understand."

”Clotho!”

The half-orc finds the elderly matron in front of him, her own finger outstretched in a disapproving point. Her stare is serious, but seems well-meaning.

”Is this any way to treat those who have done you no harm? I thought you would have learned better from Ol’ Deadeye’s clergy on how to treat people. Now go channel that youthful energy into something useful. Children these days - if they can’t find trouble, they’ll make their own.” She shakes her head disapprovingly.

”And were you planning to stand outside with them? Nonsense - you’ll come inside with us. Someone has to keep Fatal and Crystal our of trouble, after all.”

Lotho, let me know if this is too much for you as a player and I’ll happily tone it down.

Fentar meets Lotho's gaze over Matrialda's shoulder and rolls his eyes.

The "leader" speaks to Lotho. We would return to Galt. This is not worth us getting killed over.

Lotho looks suspiciously at the leader, then glances at Matrialda for a moment. He nods to the leader. "I will take you at your word, but if the girl has been harmed, justice will find your people ... even in Galt."

The four walk and keep moving away from you. The front door stands ajar and silence emanates from within.

"There's my favorite grandchild in action," Martialda says with a smile as Lotho relents. "Now, who wants to go make a good first impression? Will it be you, Crystal? Or you, Clotho?"

Grandma's learned not to go into strange buildings first, after all.

Dis the speaker leave?

Lotho pulls his longspear, holding it in one hand, and in the other takes one of his throwing axes. He walks up to the doorway and stands there, glancing in as the others get into position behind him.

Yeah, the speaker and their 3 companions have left.

This charred husk of a structure was probably once beautiful. Stone bas-reliefs depicting Aroden and Chelish military victories line the high reaches of the walls, though what little remains of a second floor is now sealed off by the collapsed roof. Despite the rest of the house’s decrepit state, the floor is swept clean yet water-stained, and a stack of bedrolls and knapsacks are piled just beside the stairs.

Fentar follows Lotho and pauses at the entrance, "Better look it over before going in," he jerks a thumb at the trap before the entrance, "They like to leave surprises."

perception: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (14) + 2 = 16

Then he looks about at the party, "Anybody got a torch or a sunrod?"

I normally always buy a bunch of sunrods for my characters. I have forgotten this time :(

Krystiana says, "I'll go first, revered matriarch Matilda." She smirks and readies her shield, but leaves her weapon sheathed.

I got neither, sorry. Not even a spell to get light.

"I've got a torch. Grab it out of my pack. Tinder box should be on the right side."

Fentar stows his sword and lights the torch. He carries it with one hand and his boarding ace in the other.
Whenever he reaches a sconce, he will light it.

Fentar moves through the house looking left and right. Reaching a set of stairs leading down he finds a young woman sitting on the bottom step. The room below is lit and she is reading a book with her hands bound in front of her. The rope from her wrists trails off beyond where you can see from the top of the stairs.

Fentar looks down at the young woman, "Interesting times, eh?"

"The latest essays of Alysande Benedict? Or have you moved onto something else?" She pulls out her dagger and goes to cut the rope.

The woman looks up. No, still Benedict. A man appears in the light at the bottom of the stairs. He holds in his hand the other end of the rope secured to the woman's wrists. His other hand holds a drawn sword, but it is not raised, at least not yet. In a thick Galten accent he shouts up to you. What do you want and why are you here?

Krystiana looks at the man and answers honestly, "Easy, the girl and to leave with her." She holds her position. "Now for the tough question," she says looking at the young lady and ignoring the man completely. "What do you want, miss?"

I know who Benedict is (I have both Andoran books) but Fentar's question about her was never answered in the missing-GM switcheroo. Can we assume that Fentar has heard of Lady Liberty?

Yes, we can assume that Fentar

Fentar narrows his eyes, "The rope says kidnap. The book and the Galtan says politics." He makes a slow ophidian blink with his double eyelids, "Are you a prisoner, Thalia?"

Thalia looks up at you. Why hello. We started off rocky, but now this good man and myself enjoy discussion of Galten and Andoran philosophers over our evening meal.

Thalia looks unharmed and in good spirits.

”And the rope?”