Seeing the approach of the mounted group, Ospos straightens his back, arranges his clothes and hat and replies to Dril, "Indeed, let us get our story straight.  We were searching for a dragon hoard and had to fight Kobolds.  During the battle, a worm attacked all of us and we fled.  We made our way to the dragon's lair and the worm collapsed all the tunnels, leaving us trapped.  While we dug around in the hoard, a shimmering 'window' appeared.  Trapped and with no other options, we explored what it was.  Once we established it was a way out and wouldn't kill us, we fled through it.  Finding ourselves here on this plane, we wandered aimlessly until we met a satyr by the name of Finch.  Because of his hospitality and help, we find ourselves on our way to Citrine City to meet a Bounder named Opherani, to explain that we travelled here unwittingly and can't get back to our home plane.

If they ask about the 'item' that created the portal, say we don't know much about it and we left it behind.  That's enough truth, because we do know very little about it and we did leave 'it' behind in the dragon's hoard.  Don't mention that we saw the mirror in this plane, but if they do pull it out of you, say we left it behind.  Which is also true, because we did leave it behind at the Lady's house.

I hope you will all allow me to take the lead in talking to these people, but do back me up when I need it.  Any advantage you can give me will not be turned down."

Franz finishes refreshing Liafail, and looks when he points out the approaching mounted beings.

At the others suggestions, Franz nods his agreement.

"Yes, I agree, we don't need to mention the Lady or the mirror just yet. Although, I would not suggest lying if asked directly, they may have magic to detect that kind of thing."

Franz pats Ospos on the shoulder,

"We have your back Ospos, you take the lead on this one."

Franz straightens up, attempting to look noble and confident.

Nean strikes back the feather on his newly purchased hat and than takes a step up front to Ospos. "Indeed, let the well-hatted gentlemen handle this mess. And even if they have the means to detect lies, that just means we need to mask the big ones with the less important fibs." He exclaims and winks at Franz.

The strangers continue their approach. As they get closer, one raises a glint of metal into the air, blowing into it to announce their arrival with a trumpeting melody. You can begin to make out details now, and you begin to realize that these are not ordinary mounted riders. Six of the seven figures appear joined to their mounts: athletic humanoid torsos sprout from their tawny equine bodies, some spotted and speckled with white. They wield longbows, which they ready and aim towards you at a command from the center figure. This one, who seems to be the leader, rides on a creature that looks like a combination of a horse and a bird of prey. The rider looks elven, but with incredibly long ears, deep amber skin and long, intricate golden braids flowing from his head. he is dressed in deep green and gold leathers, and a long golden staff is held in his free hand. Even closer now, his entourage splits, three strafing in either direction, still aiming arrows at you all. The leader whips the reigns and begins to ascend as his mount flaps its powerful wings. They soar towards you before landing 30 feet away. The elf points his staff towards you, a luminous green crystal topping it. The expression on his face is intense, somewhere between fury and frustration. "I am Opherani Nifai, Bounder Ambassador to the Feywild. You are under arrest for crossing the Riftlock and trespassing in the Everqueen's domain. Do not resist." he decrees, glowering at each one of you.

(DC 10 Nature check to know that his posse are centaurs and his mount is a hippogriff)

Nature: 5

Raising hands to show they are empty, Ospos answers, "We yield!  We sincerely apologize for not knowing your customs and showing you the due respect you deserve.  On the material plane where we come from, a bow as such is a sign of deference.  Please accept it as such from us," and Ospos bowed.  "We crossed the planes unwittingly and thanks to some guidance from a Satyr that we met, we now know of the infraction and have travelled directly to announce ourselves and explain our trespass."

Persuasion: 10

Quote from Kerrec >>

 

In the game I DM, due to the nature of PBP, what I allow my players to do is to help retroactively.  They roll the same check, in the above case Persuasion, but use my modifier (in my case, +7).  Then the DM takes the highest of the 2 rolls if advantage is warranted.  Same outcome as declaring before and me rolling with advantage.

  (That's chill! I'll wait til someone else comments before responding)

(Nature check for the info on the creatures: 21)

Franz steps up next to Ospos,

"Yes, we are sorry and humbly ask for mercy."

Franz bows also,

"Had we known what it was we were doing, we would not have passed into this world."

(Persuasion check as help action for Ospos (mod +7): 17)

Upon closer look, you see that little yellow leaves sprout from Opherani's braids in places, like vines, and his armor is carved with images of similar foliage. A brief expression of surprise flashes over his otherwise stoic face. "Very well, you won't be harmed so long as you cooperate." With a motion of his hand, the centaurs around him lower their bows. "There are still procedures to follow. Come along, the queen will ask you a few questions, then I will take you back to base and you'll be processed. If you've truly done nothing wrong, you'll be released back to the material plane." 

Nature:20

Dril stands tall(ish), trying to be assertive, "Forgive us, where we are from, plane travel is considered impossible, and so, almost never spoken of. We are disoriented and, frankly, in shock. We welcome an audience with yourself and Her Majesty." His arms open and slightly raised, staying clear of any of his darts, dagger, or the myriad of pouches scattered almost haphazardly across his jumpsuit. He moves slow, trying not to alarm the hippogriff. 

Franz bows again,

"Of course, we will come peacefully, we would not dream of doing other wise. Please lead the way."

Franz is ready to follow the Bounder to Citrine City.

Nean doesnt add anything to what his companions have said already. He instead tries to sustain his calm composure, doing his best to mask that Opheranis occurence displeases him to a certain extent.

After a dramatic sigh of relief, Ospos replies to the Opherani, "So you can get us back.  That is great news."  Then Ospos goes on to do his best to maintain a conversation, "So, does it happen often to have people blunder across the Riftlock?  Does the Queen get many visitors from other planes? Does..." and so on.

Opherani nods at your responses, and answers Ospos' questions very bluntly. "No, we don't. No, she does not. Well, there is one visitor there now. A fellow Bounder, from the heavens." You all are led across the grassy expanse, flanked on each side by two centaurs, with the other two following behind and Opherani in front. They walk slow enough that you can keep up, and in a little over an hour the gleaming towers of Citrine City loom above you. For as tall as many of the buildings are, the city is actually quite small, not much bigger than a little town. As you enter through the golden gates, you realize why. Many of the faces that peer out at you are those of tiny, winged humanoids. Some flit about, giving sharp glares, while others gawk at you, giggling to each other as they speculate about this group of strangers. You do also see elves, but similar to Opherani they are more striking than those you're used to. They tend to have vibrant skin and gleaming hair, colored in the greens and golds of spring and late summer foliage. As you move deeper into the city, the sun seems to rise with alarming quickness, and by the time you reach the palace grounds it is directly overhead, beaming down and making you all quite hot in your layered clothing and armor. The guards salute as they see Opherani approach, letting you all pass. The palace grounds are gorgeous. Manicured gardens stretch around and between the different buildings, which are trimmed in gold and decorated with mosaics of amber, tiger's eye and of course, citrine. Opherani dismounts from his hippogriff, which takes to the skies as the centaur convoy marches off in a different direction. You're escorted into the palace proper, into an opulent hall buzzing with fey flitting back and forth, or socializing in small cushioned nooks set at various heights into the walls. The hallway ends in a pair of large doors formed from massive pieces of citrine, carved to look like honeycomb. Opherani stops here, and whispers something to a sprite who hovers at the door, scrawling things away on a piece of paper. After the exchange the fey flies into the room ahead through one of the hexagonal openings. Opherani turns to you all. "Don't speak until spoken to. Don't ask questions, unless they're compliments framed as questions. Don't approach her, unless she tells you to, in which case do so with your head down. If she offers food, decline it at first, then apologize when she takes offense, say that you mispoke and then take the food. Don't take the tea though. Any questions?"

Dril is awestruck and the height of the buildings and the decadence of the craftsmanship. After Opherani's briefing, "Wait, don't take the tea or take it but don't drink it?"

Franz nods at Dril's questions,

"Yes, when you say 'take', do you mean consume? Should we eat the food, but not drink the tea?"

Ospos asks, "Are you going to guide us into her presence?  Otherwise how are we to know when we are 'approaching' her?  Also, if we're thirsty, what do we drink?"

"Don't. Drink. The tea. And yes, I will introduce you of course." he says to your collective questions. At Liafial's, he turns and shrugs. "I supposed there's no harm in telling you. She is an aasimar from the heavens named Ava. She may be in there, she has quite the fondness for the Everqueen." After another moment the large doors next to you suddenly open with a slight creak. They sweep inside, and an aromatic wave of spices and honey washes over you all. Entering the throne room is like walking into a flower bud. The lines of the walls flow up in sweeping gestures like the curling edges of leaves and petals, and delicate drapes and plush pillows fill the space with shades of peach and gold. Soft light seems to filter through the walls and emit from motes that dance through the air like pollen. Despite this beautiful decoration, your eyes lock on to the figure sitting on the throne. Where the lady had a simple, natural beauty, the Everqueen's visage is almost alien, with impossibly high cheekbones and luminous almond shaped eyes. her golden hair is pulled into one long braid, and behind her countless dragonfly wings sit like an iridescent mantle. Just below her throne is a platform with many cushions where several other royal fey seem to sit. Opherani gestures for you all to follow. Once he reaches the edge of the lower platform he stops and bows deeply. "Your majesty, I present you with the trespassers. I will escort them back to the material plane once you have questioned them. The Everqueen stirs a bit in her seat. "Such a... curious group. Welcome to the Feywild, travelers. How exactly did you find your way to my domain?" Her voice is harmonious, and rings throughout the room.

Ospos takes the lead and answers, "Your Majesty, pardon our ignorance of your customs and please accept this gesture of reverence among our peoples..." and Ospos bows with a great flourish. "We fought some kobolds in a mine shaft on the material plane.  The kobolds summoned a great wurm and we fled.  However the passage of the wurm collapsed the tunnels and we found ourselves trapped in a room with a dragons hoard.  While digging in this hoard, we triggered a gate.  We didn't know what it was, but facing a death from suffocation, starvation or dehydration, we had no choice but to experiment.  And once my brave companion Dril here proved it was a safe means of escape, we found ourselves in your plane.  

Once here, our first encounter with your people was a satyr and because of him we learnt of our trespass. We immediately set out to surrender, beg your forgiveness and request safe passage back to our home."