The Long Road - Game Thread

(Aw, I just missed posting before Q... it still sort of holds together.)

Hildigrim smiles apologetically. "You mentioned a locksmith, but, obviously, we're not in need of working keys. Do you know of anyone else who might have some interesting keys?"

(OOC: Before I forget, a little backtracking...)

When each of the tins were purchased, she opened her ledger, wrote a description of the item purchased, the price paid, your name, and your address ("Trollskull Manor Road's End Bistro, Trollskull Alley, Waterdeep"). She then copied that same information onto a small scrap of paper, which was handed to you as a receipt. (The procedure was the same all 3 times.)

In reply to Hildigrim's most recent question, "What do you consider 'interesting keys'? There was a fancy, expensive one, with gold and small gems, but that was already sold the other day. Nothing expensive like that, left in that box.

"I have heard of someone else who might have keys. Locals say, there is a batty nobleman wandering around very recent. Chatterbox, pushy. Asked about keys, and weird monsters, and famous people. Maybe you'll have some luck if you find him. Boiled... Bollohemp... Golldarn? His name was something like that."

Pascal raises a hand, “Mind if we ask who bought the key?”

Jorin stops fiddling with the elf fingers for moment when Quilliary snaps at him, "Ah, oh, yes.  That key, it was used is the most, uh, amazing night of our lives.  She single handedly used it to defeat 4, no 5, ghouls by poking their eyeballs out with it!"  Deception: 8

"Amazing night of your lives... right..." Krystaleen now thinks that Jorin is like the halfling and the elf. (Too many loud, obviously fake stories trying to hide your real interest in unusual keys.) She quickly glances at Drusk and Pascal, wondering if the five of you are part of some key-fetish support group or something. (But a customer is a customer, she doesn't want to judge.)

To Pascal: "I don't fault curiosity, but I won't give you an answer. I value my clients’ privacy. Makes for happy repeat customers... For example, I wouldn't tell anyone about you people buying keys, or say what you mean to do with them. You don't have to worry about embarrassing rumors coming from here."

(OOC: At some point, one of you will be rolling a check for Persuasion, or perhaps Deception, but I want to give you a chance to do more than ask "will you tell us?")

Quillary glances at Pascal. The lizard seems to have a way with people. She unsubtly nudges him forward (because she is unsubtle).

OoC - Jorin could try intimidating her, but that doesn't seem too in-character at this juncture....

(Pascal will be happy to once JC is free!)

(OOC: You've got a shopkeeper looking to squeeze a profit, in a rough neighborhood run by gangsters. Think about how private investigators would get her to cooperate, on whatever TV shows or movies that used a similar situation.)

(OOC: Time for feedback...

• Are you stumped, and would like a hint? (Make a skill check using your INT modifier.)
• You've been busy in real life, and would like some more time to make a longer post?
• Do you want to volunteer someone in the party (other than Drusk) to deal with this, so you don't have to? )

OOC > I was nominating Pascal since he has the highest Cha of us all by a country mile, but I know Jc has been tied up lately with real life...

(Oh... duh... I saw the initials in the earlier post, but for some reason I thought it was an acronym for something in-game.

Even if Pascal will take care of the primary action, that still leaves the option of Quillary, Hildigrim, or Jorin thinking of a way to Help with Pascal's talk.)

I am alive! May have forgotten to post!

“Mon cher, please understand that we’re collectors. We’re looking for whatever information you could give. I assure you, whatever you tell us, we forget where we heard it the moment we walk out that door.”

Charisma: 6 + 3 of Persuasion

or if I have help: 16

OOC > Well, with rolls like that, no Help is gonna help. ;)

Hoping you actually follow RAW for message (as opposed to how Matthew Mercer plays it, which drives me CRAZY) ...

Hildigrim turns his back on the shopkeeper as Pascal attempts to sweet talk her, pulls a little copper wire out of his component pouch, performs a little gesture while mumbling some arcane words, and then points at Quillary, who is the only one who hears the magical message: "I could put her to sleep, look through the book, and then we could all 'wake up' at the same time, seeming to have all been victims of the same spell."

Quote from JcAndD >>

“Mon cher, please understand that we’re collectors. We’re looking for whatever information you could give. I assure you, whatever you tell us, we forget where we heard it the moment we walk out that door.”

"Let me get this straight... Five complete strangers walk into my shop, and make up fake stories about how they love keys. Now you want me to violate the privacy of a customer, (a customer who paid a significant amount, all up front, mind you,) in return for... what... your good feelings? Hah! That and a shard will still only buy you a silver's worth of ale."

She hasn't kicked you out... yet. Disrespecting her is starting to sour her mood. (OOC: As I warned earlier, she is a businesswoman in Skullport, not your friend.)

(This is not Waterdeep, but casting spells on shopkeepers is still an attack. You can go the combat route, if you want, but there are still other ways... Pascal's attempt failed, but if you can think of a different approach, I'll allow another attempt... The DC will go up, but it is still doable.)

Pascal raises a hand, “Would you be interested in a surface side storefront?”

Quote from JcAndD >>

Pascal raises a hand, “Would you be interested in a surface side storefront?”

"My home is in Skullport. You should know how difficult it is to travel from here to Waterdeep and back. No way I could run 2 shops like that... Besides, your group doesn't seem entirely trustworthy, no offense intended. Your offer of land on the surface is worth as much as that bin over there, with 'authentic' deeds of sale for the entire city of Waterdeep." (That bin is in a section for jokes and novelty items.)

While not interested in this offer, she is amused, rather than offended.

Quillsry offers back to Hildigrim via the Message spell, “I think casting a spell on her would be a bad idea... what if we offer her some land on the surf...” She pauses as the gnome rejects that idea from Pascal. “Oh,” she says out loud.

Smiling at the shopkeeper, Quillary speaks up. “What would it take for you to let us know who purchased that key?”