There are no disruptions during the night thankfully, as you all think you'll need to be on the ball to try and catch this traitor. In the morning, the remaining four of you (Ssha and Aralia unfortunately departed for various reasons), come down to breakfast, which is a vast spread of all kinds of delectable treats, from pastries to fresh fruit, cuts of meat and cheese, various kinds of bread, and all other potential morning meal options scattered around the table. It seems a veritable feast, though the astute among you do catch a couple grumbles from residents proclaiming 'Gods, we have this meal every day!', particularly from one rather stout half-elf that is rabbiting on about the monotony being 'a slanderous mockery of the good name of banqueting!', as if there aren't hundreds of possible meal combinations to be made from the platters at hand. 

There is no sign of Mr Lumens at breakfast, which is understandable considering it is not usual for him to be at mealtimes and his appearance would likely lead to suspicion from the traitor. However, everyone is in good spirits about the day's activities ahead, and after you have eaten, staff inform you that there are carriages outside to take the residents and party out to the courses, with the party getting their own carriage of course. 

[I know I originally said that you could make a Deduction check each meal, but after the first check at dinner, I realised I was either going to have to significantly scale back your findings at following meals, or change it so that the checks should now be made for a day in total, so I don't give you too many clues or features too early on, and I decided on the latter. You can now imagine that the check is spread across all three meals and any downtime, and you will be given a summary of when and where you got these clues at the end of the day. It makes sense that you found a comparably larger amount of clues on your first meal anyway, as you're hearing all the stories for the first time and can easily pick up on the ones that people are most eager to share]

[Could we do deduction checks on suspicious people instead? Also, my portent rolls for the day are 11 and 18]

Once in the carriage, Wendell turns to the others. "Just so you all know, I can get very competitive so I will be trying to win Beholder Golf while also looking for signs of the traitor. But our best bet is still to draw them out."

Abishai heads down to breakfast, ready for the day. His lute comes with him everywhere, and he doesn't hesitate to help create a pleasant environment with some soft background music. He slips in a few words here and there, hinting that Abishai knows about the plot against Qualksander. Once finished playing, Abishai helps himself to a cup of fresh fruit and some orange juice as if nothing else in the world matters. he enjoys his meal while interacting with the other residents.

• "The villain's plot is known"
• "For the caretakers dethroned"
• "You toil alone."
• "To create a summoning zone."
• "Your cover is blown."
• "Beneath your summoning stone."

To the majority listening, Abishai's limerick is nothing more than a story to entertain or a past encounter the bard was involved in, but to the traitor, if he/she was listening, it would be clear Abishai was talking to them. 

Performance: Nat 20+11=31

Once in the carriage with the rest of the group, Abishai responds to Wendell with a smile, "I care not for who wins this game. I will be cheering for you!" Abishai changes the subject to the morning breakfast, "Do you think my performance was adequate in communicating to the traitor I'm onto him?"

"Let's first also see what this Beholder's golf is about and how it works before wanting to win." Abathax says "Nice work on your performance, btw, Abishai. You should by a prime target now."

During breakfast, Silvosh was looking out for anyone that reacted to Abishai's limerick.

But apparently she was distracted, {only a 10 for Insight).

Quote from AbishaiTheHatless >>

 

Once in the carriage with the rest of the group, Abishai responds to Wendell with a smile, "I care not for who wins this game. I will be cheering for you!" Abishai changes the subject to the morning breakfast, "Do you think my performance was adequate in communicating to the traitor I'm onto him?"

 "It is a team game, so I hope you put some effort in while cheering for me." Wendell adds with a small smirk. "And it was a great performance. I hope it is enough to give them a suspicion. But maybe we need to act slightly suspicious at golf too so they know for certain. Make it obvious we are watching people. To anyone who doesn't know, we could be watching to try and understand the game better, or to make our competition uneasy. But the traitor will see it as us watching them."

[I think regular Insight is best for checking suspicious people!]

Abishai's performance goes down a treat, and he has several residents come up to him afterwards to compliment him on the tune, however none pry into the meaning behind the lyrics or their origin at all. One resident, a tiefling that looks particularly young to be here, tells Abishai 'That is one of the finest songs I have heard in a long time! I'm sure with such talent you're already part of a Bardic College, so don't take this as me trying to recruit you, but I used to play with a group down in Melwarth, and I'm sure they'd gladly give you some coin just for that song alone, seeing as they're constantly buying lyrics here and there, imagining that one day they'll uncover a real treasure of a tune and make back their losses tenfold. They're called the Harpy's Den Bards, if you're ever down that way, it might be worth you giving them a visit.' Despite this valuable potential connection and his incredible performance, Abishai curiously doesn't have any more leads on the traitor, even though he's absolutely confident every resident would have heard him. He was sure they wouldn't have been able to resist the oh-so-obvious bait he'd laid, and he's rather annoyed it didn't quite work considering that he had pretty much dedicated his thoughts to crafting the perfect lyrics to catch them out with ever since last evening. Silvosh doesn't spot anything either. 

[For the excellent plan and well written lyrics, I'm going to grant Abishai one Inspiration, should hopefully make up for the lack of leads! I'll let you discuss this interesting development a little further before starting Beholder Golf]

Quote from Shiverquill >>

One resident, a tiefling that looks particularly young to be here, tells Abishai 'That is one of the finest songs I have heard in a long time! I'm sure with such talent you're already part of a Bardic College, so don't take this as me trying to recruit you, but I used to play with a group down in Melwarth, and I'm sure they'd gladly give you some coin just for that song alone, seeing as they're constantly buying lyrics here and there, imagining that one day they'll uncover a real treasure of a tune and make back their losses tenfold. They're called the Harpy's Den Bards, if you're ever down that way, it might be worth you giving them a visit.'

 Abishai revels in the praise and clearly isn't shy about basking in it: "Oh, stop, stop... okay, keep going!" When the younger Tiefling approaches, Abishai listens intently before responding: "Interesting idea. Maybe I should go make some coin off of that song. Truth be told, I just made it up this morning." Abishai winks at the teifling, "Oh... I didn't catch your name. What was it again?" While interacting, Abishai is trying to size up this person and discern their intent and if they are being genuine. "What instrument did you play? You look a bit young to be retired. Why don't you play anymore?"

Insight: 13

Quote from Swiftgale >>

 "It is a team game, so I hope you put some effort in while cheering for me." Wendell adds with a small smirk. "And it was a great performance. I hope it is enough to give them a suspicion. But maybe we need to act slightly suspicious at golf too so they know for certain. Make it obvious we are watching people. To anyone who doesn't know, we could be watching to try and understand the game better, or to make our competition uneasy. But the traitor will see it as us watching them."

 "Well in that case, I will try my hardest to help us win if we are on the same team." The bard thinks for a moment, then adds, "Or should I be watching the residents like a hawk instead." Abishai truly doesn't know which course of action would be better. His mind drifts to the potential for him getting a dagger in the back when he least suspects it and grows uncomfortable.

Quote from Secretfool >>

"Let's first also see what this Beholder's golf is about and how it works before wanting to win." Abathax says "Nice work on your performance, btw, Abishai. You should by a prime target now."

 "Thank you, sir!" Abishai is both comforted and disturbed by Abathax's comment as he thinks about what being a prime target entails.

Abathax was looking for any reaction aswell, and when none come around he wonders What if its not one of the resident that is the so called traitor, but one of the staff

When they are at a quieter spot he asks they other what they think

"This should have called the traitor out, but not one bit of excitement in anyone it seems, so I was thinking. Could it be a staff member instead of a resident?"

"The prophecy called them a resident. The only way it could be a staff member is if they live here and therefore count as residents too. The prophecy is truthful, just it is not necessarily clear. That is the sort of nuance we might have to deal with." 

"Hmm oke, fair enough not sure what to make of this than."

Quote from AbishaiTheHatless >>

Quote from Shiverquill >>

One resident, a tiefling that looks particularly young to be here, tells Abishai 'That is one of the finest songs I have heard in a long time! I'm sure with such talent you're already part of a Bardic College, so don't take this as me trying to recruit you, but I used to play with a group down in Melwarth, and I'm sure they'd gladly give you some coin just for that song alone, seeing as they're constantly buying lyrics here and there, imagining that one day they'll uncover a real treasure of a tune and make back their losses tenfold. They're called the Harpy's Den Bards, if you're ever down that way, it might be worth you giving them a visit.'

 Abishai revels in the praise and clearly isn't shy about basking in it: "Oh, stop, stop... okay, keep going!" When the younger Tiefling approaches, Abishai listens intently before responding: "Interesting idea. Maybe I should go make some coin off of that song. Truth be told, I just made it up this morning." Abishai winks at the teifling, "Oh... I didn't catch your name. What was it again?" While interacting, Abishai is trying to size up this person and discern their intent and if they are being genuine. "What instrument did you play? You look a bit young to be retired. Why don't you play anymore?"

Insight: 13

 

 The tiefling weakly smiles as the conversation moves towards her own past. She tells him 'My name's Tathalita Ginxt, and yes, I am probably too young to be here. Truth be told, I was just as good of a bard as you were, until an Annis Hag by the name of Mother Stringhooks stole my rhythm as part of a curse. Now I can't even tune my viola, let alone perform a song worthy of producing magic. Since I'd relied on my talent to make myself coin, I thought this free accommodation would be the best place to stay, seeing as I'm not in a position to learn any new trades to keep myself afloat.' Abishai reads that Tathalita is honest in her story, and whilst she says nothing about wanting retribution against this hag, she clearly has had her life devastated by it. 

The carriages travel along a mountain pass further up through the ancient valley until it starts to widen. Your conversation finishes up just as they've drawn to a halt, and you step out to find that the hills have been landscaped into a high, stepped golf course, consisting of about 15 holes in all. Qualksander was floating behind the procession of carriages, and as you and all the residents come down to meet in the centre of the valley, he has a range of staff bring forward a bag full of golf clubs and several cages with black sheets over them, which are placed beneath him. 

'Welcome all! I know most of us are aware of the rules of the game and eager to get going, however for the benefit of our visitors, I shall explain once more as a refresher! Beholder Golf is a game of my own invention, and make use of a by-product that comes from my own frequent and imaginative dreams about having the ability to play myself; Beholder Golf Balls!' At this announcement, the black sheets are whisked off the cages to reveal dozens of green lidded eyes inside, each about the size of a regular golf balls. They seem to be entirely inanimate, other than the fact that they slowly blink every so often, the colour of their iris shifting every time their scaly emerald eyelids open. Mr Lumens continues 'Now, for our visitors, do not be alarmed. These creatures, if they can even be described as such, have no will or conscious thought. They do not eat, sleep, breathe, think or even move by themselves. Their containment, and use, is entirely humane. In fact, it is probably quiet enriching for them considering that they have been dreamt into existence for this very purpose. 

'This game works just as regular golf would; you strike the ball and try to get it in the hole at the end of the course. However, the Beholder Golf Balls have an interesting function that I consider quite unique; they feel no pain when bludgeoned, but instead will produce a magical effect tied to the typical eye rays of my kind that will either help or hinder you as the game progresses. You will be in groups of 5, and will each play 3 rounds on different holes, so feel free to consider the first a warm up before you get competitive! Now, take a club and ball, team up, and find yourself a hole!' As he finishes up and residents come forward to collect equipment, Klapton quickly comes up to you four to form a group of 5, and finds the nearest hole, where you begin to discuss who will go first. [Roll a flat d20 and that'll be treated as turn initiative, I'll explain how we'll actually play IRL when initiative is sorted!]

13

"This seems fun. I thought it was a team sport but it sounds more like we are in small groups doing our own competition instead. I have never been one for regular golf so I am relying more on luck than skill to win this."

15

3

Quote from Secretfool >>

Dice rolls not yet available for this section.

 Rolled on sheet: 13

Abishai listens to Tathalita with interest and curiosity. His brows furrow as she recounts her tail of the hag stealing her musical talent. "That's terrible! I'm sorry that happened to you, but you look more than capable. I'm sure you can learn something..." His thoughts begin to ponder the possibilities. Unable to help this Teifling, Abishai ends the conversation.

Abishai listens to Qualksander as he talks about Beholder Golf. His interest in the game increases as the miniature Beholders are revealed. "Well, this looks like fun." Abishai looks around the field, trying to see Tathilita in the crowd. Abishai senses a motivation there to be the potential traitor but doesn't share it with the others quite yet. I want to have more than just my gut feeling before worrying others with this belief.

Silvosh 11

Abathax's interest in the golf has also increased with the revelation of mini beholders as golf balls.