Tristen (private)

[TristenC]

Ruehar finds an opportunity to properly thank Saryf, and speaks to Bruce aside. I truly appreciate all you and Saryf have done. I am unfamiliar with what a proper donation might be for all he has done, perhaps you could guide me in that respect. Or is there a service I might be able to provide for him, some task he needs assistance with?

Later, when Alfred approaches him. I'm amazed that he might yet be revived... If there is such a chance, I think we must take it. I think that arrangement would be perfect. And I will indeed investigate her uncle's disappearance.

Ruehar follows Cane out and focuses on absorbing every little bit he can. During the week he'll begin to investigate Abbie's uncle's disappearance. He will also speak with Cane and find out what he can about the guild in Prompeldia.

====
What would a proper 'donation' be or perhaps a service he could perform?
2gp +42 sp =6gp 2sp. I'll pay out of ep and cp so -12ep and -20cp, which I'll spend from the slaver's loot.
Would my thieves' back home guild be connected to the one in Prompeldia?
-ummm can I get rid of the itchy wildlife with daily cleaning and remove body odor cantrips?

So d100, result +5 -10=> 1d100-5 target number is ≤65%
RK1 short sword training [1d100-5] = 5-5 = 0
Holy crap! Any special result for rolling within my 'chance to improve' percentage>

[Chris1234]

Bruce says, "Just keep paying me like you are is fine for me," then adding in a very, very quiet voice, "and the more of those slavers you screw over the better."
"I'm guessing, but something like 35gps would seem about right."

Alfred says just before he leaves, "Well that will see me out of goodwill, and cash, I'm afraid, so I won't be able to do much for you in the way of remuneration otherwise. I can take her into service for a while, until she finds her feet in the city. You can get in touch through the temple of Markovia."

Can is understandably evasive, but says, "If you hang around the back streets behind the docks, wear a black armband. If anyone asks you about it, say your uncle has died and you're here to pay your respects." He won't be drawn more on that topic.
======
You can now add "Sh Sword" to your list of proficiencies.
Technically no, but just for encouragement, the first time you fumble with the short sword, you can ignore it, and the first time your dam roll is 1, you manage to twist the blade and inflict max damage instead.
Ask two (general) investigation questions and give me Gather Information rolls. (You will get 5 more over the course of the week).
I'll add some detail on the locals tonight.
+210xp for rescuing the captives and subsequent handling of them.
After the initial investigation (over the week of training), I'll round off this chapter,.

[TristenC]

Ruehar nods at the aside and thanks Bruce for the advice. Not sure when I'll have the cash, but I'll see to it he gets it... unless you think there is some task I can do for him that he'd consider just as valuable?

To Alfred he says, Don't worry about me, if you help Abbie get back on her feet that'll square us. Do you need any help to get set up yourself?

Ruehar doesn't press Cane too hard, but thanks him for the tip.
-=====
I'll assume he got the uncle's name from abbie at least...He will also ask Abbie the questions on the off-chance she knows the answers to any of them.

He asks:
What was he doing when last seen? RK1 uncle investigation 1 [1d100] = 66
Was anyone angry at him for something specific? RK1 uncle investigation 2 [1d100] = 46

What's the verdict on 'cleaning cantrips' for personal hygiene regarding itchy critters?

210 x1.05 = 220.5 => 110/110x1.1 => 110/121
current: 899/642 + 110/121 => 1,009/763
No xp for cantrips I take it?

[Chris1234]

Bruce shrugs, "You'd have to ask him."

Alfred looks at Ruehar, who can almost see a shadow of greed slide over the merchant's face before he shrugs it away, "Kind of you to offer. But I think I should be alright."

Ruehar casts the @Clean' cantrip a couple of time and both he and the wildlife are nice and clean. Cane comments, "I though you were a proper mage".

Over the course of the week Ruehar comes to recognise the staff and regulars:

Whispering Wind Tavern
The Staff
Bruce the Innkeeper (hm)
Bald, tough looking fellow, mostly muscle but developing a paunch. Maybe 35, 6’7” & 280lb. Runs his inn in a relaxed manner, but stands for no nonsense, otherwise out comes ‘Mr Cudgel’.
Freesha the Serving Woman (hf)
Young, pretty redhead, flirts with the customers. Seems competent and happy doing what she does.
Dari the Cook (hm)
Dark, short and wiry with similar hair. Quiet around strangers but when he talks it’s with a thick accent that’s difficult to understand.
The Regulars
Chippy the Carpenter (hm)
Unremarkable fellow apart from the amount of ale he consumes. Always grimaces when it’s time to return to work (after lunch) or to his wife (after closing time).
Howorth the Fisherman (hm)
Casts his net in the shallows near Narmanen. Makes a decent living by all accounts. Bruce Exchanges fish for ale.
Dremi the Potter (hf)
Plain lady, early middle age, but artfully dressed. Keeps her brown hair tied back. Makes a wide variety of pottery at varying quality and price, mostly sold to passing merchants. Likes to gossip and complain about any man that she isn’t talking to.
Tren the Tailor (hm)
Painfully thin man, looks like he doesn’t eat properly. Probably late 20s, greasy hair that’s just a bit too long. Friendly and very tactile. Font of much knowledge for those patient enough to accommodate his chronic stammer.
Polly the Halfling (½f)
Cute, pretty and well spoken. Likes leathers. Regarded as the Whispering Winds’ Lucky Charm. The regulars all pat her on the head when they leave the Tavern.
Cheff the ‘Adventurer’ (hm)
Serious man wearing serious chainmail in the darkest corner on the Tavern. Habitual pipe smoker; probably in his 20s. Apparently avoided by the other Regulars. Referred to as ‘The Bigot’ behind his back.

Ruehar establishes that Earnie (Abbie's uncle) disappeared around three weeks ago.
She'd been expecting him to deliver some silver rabbit furs to her.
He was a nice old chap, part-retired trapper, generally liked by everyone.
No one recalls any angry words, but he didn't really frequent the tavern
======
Abbie's uncle's name is 'Earnie'.
Tell me the cantrip you have in mind and I'll tell you the result on your wildlife.
xp and spells: only if cast with heroic or ingenious effect. Doesn't preclude cantrips.
-2 Temporal Honour for being seen casting cantrips.
==> Footnote: Do you understand the difference between Temporal Honour and Actual Honour? (The latter may also be referred to as 'Base Honour').

[TristenC]

I am, he responds to Cane's comment about the cantrips. I just don't think one should throw away a tool merely because it is 'simple' like many other mages do.


---
OOC: So how does one normally get rid of little 'wildlife' like this?

I don't really know the difference between temporal and regular honor. I think i asked about it once but don't remember if i got an answer or looked it up. Read through the other stuff a little, but not in depth. Good thing i had that +1 temporal honor from before

I think the next question would be where did he do his trapping but i'd like to get rid of my little 'wildlife' friends first somehow. What the hell are they anyway? Fleas/lice/something unnamed and malicious that he doesn't recognize (in which case a physical description would be nice)

[Chris1234]

Cain nods in an understanding manor, clearly neither understanding nor believing.
On scratching a particularly itchy crevice, Ruehar pulls out a a matt black oval creature less than 0.1" across with lots of minuscule legs on which it tries to scuttle away. 4 minuscule antennae and a larger set of serated jaws. (-1 Temp Hon)

======
An elf normally avoids the sources of such wildlife.
those that can't may consult a mage or druid unless thay themselves happen to possess the appropriate spell or cantrip.

Need a Glean Information roll for your next question. If you fail by more than 40% then it will xot you an extra question (but automatically succeeds)..
Answer is: Generally somewhere up in the hills, to the west of town, near where the herders keep their sheep and goats.
Ready for the next couple of questions.

Honour is the measure of a character's deeds accomplished by the individual and is about respect and how others view you.
This is measured by an Honour value (which can vary from 1 to several hundred) and is known as 'Base Honour' (aka 'Actual Honour').
The Honour value for a given character level indicates whether the character is in Dishonour, average, great or too much Honour.
Bonuses accrue if in Great Honour; penalties if in Dishonour.
There is an Honour Die size that corresponds to a given Honour value for a character level. It varies with character level.
Temporal Honour has no effect during a game session and is merely houskeeping for Hounour, (loosely similar to xp). This over the course of a game session a character may accrue any number of Temporal Honour. At the end of the session, the character's Temporal Honour.total is divided by 4, and the integer added to his previous Base Honour, then becoming his Base Honour for the following session.

[TristenC]

Ruehar finally realizes where he might have picked up the hitchhikers and decides to get a semiprivate room. The next day, when he is alone, he tries out his 'extermination' a couple if times to see if he can drive the little buggies off.

That night after training and investigating will buy Polly a drink and talk to her a bit. [Just being friendly, ask politely why people rub her head about how she got to be known as the 'good luck charm']

====
Thanks for the Honor differentiation, that helps a lot.

I guess sleeping in the common room has its natural drawbacks should have figured that one sooner

Roll for the last post's question and the next 2 questions
RK1 investigation checks [1d100] = 84[1d100] = 55[1d100] = 34
Glean info score is 23 so the first one certainly failed by more than 40%

Next questions: [he'll ask his questions subtly where Earnie might have gotten supplies]
-did he ever work woth anyone in that area
-have there been illegal slaving raids in that area?

[Chris1234]

Exterminate appears to work, although it takes many, many castings.
It costs Ruehar a total of an extra 2gp to upgrade his and Cane's lodgings.

Asking around, Ruehar gathers from the locals that Earnie definitely got his fish from Howorth and came into the Wind occasionally for Dari's cooking and a bit of a chat.
All of the merchants are really only passing though, some staying for just a couple of days and a few for up to a couple of weeks.
Earnie lived on the northern edge of town in a nondescript tent with a small wall around it's base.
Anyone can tell it's his tent because of the small wooden model of a trap, carved by Chippy, hanging above its entrance.
Other than bartering, he didn't have much to do with the passers-through. He was on friendly terms with the herders though.
No, there have been no slaving raids in town nor in the market area. That would have been illegal.

Polly accepts the drink and shrugs, "Just one of those urban myths I guess. Plus I am a bit lucky." {OOC: 6cps for drink}
She smiles and raises her tankard. "The guys hope it'll rub off plus I get free drinks. Works."
It's obvious that she's had some sort of martial training. From the wear to her short sword and dagger sheaths, it's clear that they've seen extensive use.

=======
5 xp for Exterminate.
Nil for moving out of the Common Room, but neither have you been repopulated.
OK, two questions left. With rolls, please. Then we'll move the chapter to a close. How's it feel so far?

[TristenC]

[ooc:] By 'that area' i where Earnie had been trapping. I intentionally mentioned the raids being illegal, like the raid on the family and the merchant. I'm guessing it still happens when the slavers think they can get away with it... Did you just mean people wouldn't be willing to talk about it?
Just for reference, I thought the Exterminate covered like 1/2 cu foot, why did it take so many castings?

lol, can i wait and add the 5 xp to my next bit? it seems silly to divide it and multiply it by 1.05 and 1.1 Do remainders matter for this? Sorry, engineer/nerd in me asking...

-Rather than a question will i have time to physically investigate around his tent briefly?
if so he would search around the wall, the edge of the tent and inside/around any furniture; obviously following any interesting leads he finds there.
[spending 2gp and 6cp]

So far it feels pretty good. I can already tell a couple of little differences than d&d but i like your game style so far. I'll just have to be a little more careful with being more specific (like opening pouches and casting cantrips in front of other people)
=============

Well it certainly seems lucky for you at least, he says to Polly with a smile, Free drinks and all. What kind of work are you in, if you don't mind my asking? You look like you've put a lot of miles on that sword.

[Chris1234]

Tren tells Ruehar, "W-w-w-well, the r-r-r-reason ww-w-we ss-s-sound vague is bb-b-b-becasue w-we-we ss-s-simp-imp-mply don't know. W-we-we ar-ar-ar-aren't tr-tr---trappers. The h-h-herders might know."
The elf spends the small amount of free time that he has one evening finding and searching Earnie's tent. Simple furniture: bedroll, table, chair, lantern, cooking stuff, trapping and skinning tools and equipment. The only thing that stands out is a neatly packaged bundle of silver rabbit furs; maybe a dozen or so.

Polly laughs nervously, "Well, I'm kind of like a jungle scout. Not a rnager though, nothing so formal." She laughs nervously again causing Bruce to look over and smile. "Well I just love to study. Love it. Great University in Prompeldia. Best course I ever took was 'Disciplined Study'. Saved my little butt no end of times when I was finding the subject tough going." She finishes her drink and looks to Ruehar to fill it: {OOC: 6cps for drink}.
If she's refilled, Polly continues, "See what i mean 'bout freebies. Even you're at it, huh?" She smiles charmingly (Comeliness 17) and giggles."Well, I end up owing the University a lot of coin and I took out some loans; loans from people who insist you pay. One way or another.." She sighs and then laughs disarmingly, "So I guess you could say I'm 'tween jbs just now. Looking for a source of coin. Don't 'spose you'd be needing any help, would you? What you up to, anyway?"

===
Someone did an Archimedes water displacement with their head and got 5 Litres which is 305 cubic inches which is 0.17 cubic feet so Exterminate can cover a volume of about 2.5 human heads leading to lots of castings.
Yes, you can hold off on the 5 xp. Remainders drop (except HP).
In general, assume that anything undefined in HM works against the PCs.
No illegal slaver stuff done in town so far as you find out (so far anyway).
Assuming you spend 6d20 cps in your investigations, buying drinks etc. (Doesn't penetrate, GH applies)
One question left.
======
Provisional End of Chapter awards
No class specific xp not already done.
Good RP/char development +125xp
Clever ideas (investigating Earnie's tent & interacting with Polly) +80xp
Most Valuable Player +500xp
Fighting a battle-hardened adversary +1 Temporal Honour
Victorious against overwhelming odds +4 Temporal Honour
Entering into debt -1 Temporal Honour
Giving a gift of value to (4) NPCs -4 Temporal Honour (This one might look odd, but it's a reflection of the action against your alignment.)

[TristenC]

Ruehar takes the advice and asks the herders if any had seen Earnie the say he disappeared and where. He also tells Abbie about the bundle of bunny-pelts.

Just heading to Prompeldia, but got tied up with a few things. What did you study there? Say, you said you know the jungle well, you haven't heard anything about where old Earnie might have been when he went missing have you? he asks polly.

------
Can I make a glean info or obsv check to see if Polly knows/is hiding anything about Earnie? I'll roll it and if not just ignore the roll.

RK1 buying drinks, investigation, polly-graph heh [6d20-6] = 77-6 = 71[1d100] = 21[1d100] = 4
Nice . Must have bought her enough drinks

Coin deducted

[Chris1234]

Bruce says, "Herders, eh? Well, they live out and about with their herds." He smiles, "Not being funny, but though you'd have known that. Anyway, you' be finding them out in the hills to the west of town. Find the flocks and the herders won't be far away."
When Bruce disappears out the back, Polly leans over, "Don't know why they call themselves herders. They'd be 'shepherd' where I come from. But they get shirty if you call them 'shepherds' so best to stay with calling them 'herders'." She shakes her head, "It's a status thing, apparently."

When Ruehar mentions about the bunny-pelts to Polly, she grimaces, "Yes, he told me he was planning to take them to his niece. Sound like he had enough and was planning to leave, presumably the next morning. He must have disappeared in the evening or during the night. No sign of a fight? Maybe he went to talk to the herders about his traps and something happened then. But who's to say. But if you need help, I'm available. 'Compact and reasonable', as my old mam used to say." She laughs nervously. "I know a thing or two about animals, woodcraft, survival, how to get around. Not as good as a ranger mind, but there's precious few of those around." She takes a long drain of her tankard, eyes flitting round the room. "Look, I can probably have a good guess where to look for his traps, if you want help. As to what actually happened to Earnie, well who's to say. But don't take my word for it, ask around about disappearances; but don't push too hard. You know what I'm saying?"
Polly climbs down off her high stool, and whispers, "And if you want to know about slavers, ask Cheff, but when there's no one else around." She heads off to bed. Bruce reappears, polishing a glass for the third time, obviously waiting for you to finish up for the night...

{OOC: Sorry I wasn't clear, Alfred, Abbie & Clyde (her son) left on the third day of your training with the recently deceased to travel with a merchant wagon and guards "finest wines for the council in Propeldia". Finding the herders will be a task for after Ruehar's training.}

======
From the Observation check, it appears that Polly is on the level, helpful, but looking for employment. (Unless she a Skilled Liar, of course.)
I gave you some extra titbits of info as you got a critical on your Gather Info check. It's also under your 'chance to improve skill, so please put a tick (ü) next to this skill.

[TristenC]

[Ooc: to clarify, he wants to ask the herders about earnie, not ask others about the herders. Also, he wanted to mention the bunny pelts to Abbie only. I'll add more in a bit.]

[Chris1234]

Abbie's left by the Ruehar discovered about the pelts.
The response was one of the tidbits that came from your critical and I'd put Polly's name in italics to indicate that it was a deliberate change.
It'll be tough to get that info other than through Polly. Your choice to either go with it or risk not having access to that piece of information.
Conversely if you're happy to leave that as is, I'll draw a line under this here and open up a new chapter (in which the herder interactions can be played out.)

[TristenC]

Sounds good, thanks

Edit: 24 hrs later
Thanks, I read the other post too quickly. Let's keep it as-is, then. Ruehar heads off to bed when it's obvious bruce is waiting on him to finish.


Xp:
500(MVP) +125(RP) +80(ideas) +5(cantrip)
=> 710 x1.05=> 745.5
=> 372.75/372.75 x1.1(dex)
=> 372/410 + 1,009/763
1,381/1,173 (so close )