my players have been dealing with issues leading them up to meet a hexblood (who they think is human and who will eventually lead them to a hag). Now they’ve partaken of food and shelter from the hexblood and I need help for better roleplaying the hexblood asking/demanding payment for the hospitality but not sure how to do that outside of straight up telling them “you need to do X-Y-X to pay me back”. I know hexbloods are sort of fae and hag light which is why I want them to kind of see the problems they can get into later on if they are careless without me just straight up telling them. I know fae are also likely to accept gifts as payment but I don’t think my players have thought about attempting to basically bribe her. Thanks for any help.
What need or want do the PCs have to provide gifts or compensation to your hexblood? If the expectation is for them to do it out of the kindness of their hearts, maybe the hexblood "teaches them a lesson in manners" by dropping a small hex / curse on the party should they try to skate on the bill, so to speak. Maybe the hexblood could slip in some subtle hints about rumors of what happens to people who fail to repay a kindness. Unfortunately, people are not necessarily accustomed to being good hosts or good guests in this day and age and may need some coaching.
Also, there is something to be said about the difference between being nice and being kind. The hexblood is being nice, doing a kind act with the intent of ingratiating the party to them or trying to get something from the party. Being nice is not always the same as being good. The party may be mistaking her actions as a kindness. Done without the requirement for compensation or further favor. Being kind is much more frequently good than not.
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Well its true, right now they don't "need" to compensate the hexblood but like I said I want this to be a sort of training meeting so they can be more aware of some pitfalls when dealing with far more powerful beings from the feywild than a hexblood in mortal lands. This hexblood has dropped hints about good manners and following the rules and other similar hints about reciprocity and being a good host and a good visitor. I like your thinking about "teaching a lesson in manners" and differentiating nice with kindness. She is certainly nice to the party but is not a particularly good NPC.
Then maybe after this encounter, as a pennance, whenever they fail to act with kindness one of the leather straps on their equipment breaks, or a button or buckle comes undone somehow. So long as it doesn't affect their abilities in combat. Just something of an annoyance. Don't say thank you to the barkeep or server and your fork/spoon breaks or you dump your ale in your lap?
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“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
You could have them find a tome about the fey that details the relationship of obligation that is inherent in any dealing with the fey. Or have them roll a history or some other relavant check to come up with that information.
They can be at the tavern and overhear someone talking about the consequences of them dealing with the fey.
Use others as examples for the behavior that you want from the PCs. This is part of the show don't tell storytelling that helps players see how to act.
If they still renege on the "hospitality" after you've painted the picture, then make an example of one of the PCs.
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Hey y’all,
my players have been dealing with issues leading them up to meet a hexblood (who they think is human and who will eventually lead them to a hag). Now they’ve partaken of food and shelter from the hexblood and I need help for better roleplaying the hexblood asking/demanding payment for the hospitality but not sure how to do that outside of straight up telling them “you need to do X-Y-X to pay me back”. I know hexbloods are sort of fae and hag light which is why I want them to kind of see the problems they can get into later on if they are careless without me just straight up telling them. I know fae are also likely to accept gifts as payment but I don’t think my players have thought about attempting to basically bribe her. Thanks for any help.
What need or want do the PCs have to provide gifts or compensation to your hexblood? If the expectation is for them to do it out of the kindness of their hearts, maybe the hexblood "teaches them a lesson in manners" by dropping a small hex / curse on the party should they try to skate on the bill, so to speak. Maybe the hexblood could slip in some subtle hints about rumors of what happens to people who fail to repay a kindness. Unfortunately, people are not necessarily accustomed to being good hosts or good guests in this day and age and may need some coaching.
Also, there is something to be said about the difference between being nice and being kind. The hexblood is being nice, doing a kind act with the intent of ingratiating the party to them or trying to get something from the party. Being nice is not always the same as being good. The party may be mistaking her actions as a kindness. Done without the requirement for compensation or further favor. Being kind is much more frequently good than not.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
Well its true, right now they don't "need" to compensate the hexblood but like I said I want this to be a sort of training meeting so they can be more aware of some pitfalls when dealing with far more powerful beings from the feywild than a hexblood in mortal lands. This hexblood has dropped hints about good manners and following the rules and other similar hints about reciprocity and being a good host and a good visitor. I like your thinking about "teaching a lesson in manners" and differentiating nice with kindness. She is certainly nice to the party but is not a particularly good NPC.
Then maybe after this encounter, as a pennance, whenever they fail to act with kindness one of the leather straps on their equipment breaks, or a button or buckle comes undone somehow. So long as it doesn't affect their abilities in combat. Just something of an annoyance. Don't say thank you to the barkeep or server and your fork/spoon breaks or you dump your ale in your lap?
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one's lifetime.” - Mark Twain - Innocents Abroad
You could have them find a tome about the fey that details the relationship of obligation that is inherent in any dealing with the fey. Or have them roll a history or some other relavant check to come up with that information.
They can be at the tavern and overhear someone talking about the consequences of them dealing with the fey.
Use others as examples for the behavior that you want from the PCs. This is part of the show don't tell storytelling that helps players see how to act.
If they still renege on the "hospitality" after you've painted the picture, then make an example of one of the PCs.