Brahn shrugs, "Just talk to the elder I guess, convince them to close the mine. I don't have any other proof, and I can't say I know anyone else who does. But if you can convince them that would go a long ways."
“I guess it’s time for the meeting,” she says, “but, I know I’m not the sharpest Druid-aspirant in the nettles— and I just want to check I understand what we’re going to tell them.”
She scratches her head.
“We came in time for the ankheg attack, after a year of the mine opening. Kerrigan came and she said it was the mine’s fault and that it was poisoning the crops and upsetting the wilds, and the mine had to close.”
”So we went to the mine, but they didn’t want our help and we weren’t allowed in. So we went to the fields and we found more spoiled corn, just the same as we and Tug were shown by Kerrigan.” She counts this off on each finger, then raises a fourth finger.
“So then we spoke to the villagers, and they said it might be the mine and it might not. And they said close the mine and don’t. They said they didn’t have any proof of anything.”
”So now we need to go to the elders, and tell the elders who have been here for the past year that the mine may be responsible, or it may not. We don’t know how and we have no proof? No need to thank us. It’s all just part of being an adventurer, and we’re happy to have helped?”
Jadzia listens with a growing smile as Ori lays out the situation, clearly appreciating the irony in their current predicament. When Ori finishes, the bard says, "Yep, I think that pretty much sums it up just fine."
She sighs—what else can they do but go with the flow until they find a way to solve things... or not? Either way, they have to keep trying.
The air genasi nods at Cramaris’s words. "Yeah, nothing else comes to mind other than doing that. So let's speak to the elders and see what happens."
You head to the town hall then to meet with the elders around dusk, finding Tug there with two others: Agatha Aftershaft and Percy Weaver. It is a modest space, and as you enter you see some of the townsfolk starting to come your way as well, curious about what's going on. Going inside it is a plain wooden building with a few chairs and tables, obviously designed for multipurpose use. The elders are already seated at a table on one end and wave you all over to come talk. A couple of townsfolk duck inside as well to hear what's going on, and as things are about to get started, Mutterall and his foreman lackey slip inside as well.
"Please, tell us what you have found so far," Tug begins, "and then we will render our verdict."
Ori sits cross legged on the floor and places her rotting crossbow next to her. She smiles at the elders, turns to the others, smiles, shrugs, and waits to hear what they have to say.
As people begin to gather in the town hall, Jadzialooks around, scanning the crowd for Kerrigan. Whether she spots her or not, once addressed by Tug, she waits a moment to see if anyone else will speak. When no one does, she steps forward and begins.
"Well, in all honesty, we haven't found much. We've only been in your lovely town a few hours, hoping to enjoy a little celebration for the reopening of the mine. Instead, we were greeted by an ankheg attack. Now, I don't know how used you folks are to that kind of thing, but me—" she places a hand on her chest—"I find it a tad disturbing. Sorry, what can I say? I don't like ankhegs. Specially when they try to eat me—and a few of you—alive."
She pauses, letting the words hang in the air.
"I have to admit, I don't know what's behind the attack. Or behind this." She rummages in her backpack and pulls out one, two... up to five or six ears of blackened corn, letting them fall to the floor with a heavy thud. "Is it caused by the mine, as some of you believe? Is it something to do with Kerrigan, as others suspect?"She glances toward Mutterall. "I don't know. But I do know that Mr. Mutterall hasn't let us into the mine to investigate."
Jadzia pauses again and puts on her most innocent smile as she glances at Mutterall.
"Wouldn't that ease everyone's minds? If we went into the mine, took a proper look, and found nothing out of the ordinary—then we could rule it out. Mutterall and his miners could rest easy, knowing their work isn't harming the town. And the rest of Shinbone could trust that the mine is safe." She turns to Mutterall and adds, brightly, "Let's rule it out together, shall we? Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Mutterall?"
Then, turning back to the rest of the hall, her expression shifts—sincere, firm.
"People of Shinbone, what do you have to say? Let these words settle in your minds: your opinion matters. The mine may belong to Carlsbad Mutterall, but Shinbone belongs to its people."
Persuasion: 20
DM:
If Mutterall or anyone else tries to interrupt her, talk over her, or sway the crowd with dismissive or distracting words, Jadzia narrows her eyes, still smiling sweetly, and interjects just loud enough to cut across the tension:
"Now, now—no need to get defensive, unless there's something you'd rather we not find in that mine."
(ooc: Leaving a roll Bardic Inspiration roll in case Cutting Words applies... But I got a 1, sadly.)
Before Jadzia started talking (if possible) otherwise before Mutterall responds, Duncan will cast Zone of Truth covering as much of the room as possible, especially Mutterall, and the party if he is close enough. He makes it very clear. "I am going to cast a spell that ensures only the truth is spoken. If you have nothing to hide, let the magic wash over you and all may know you speak truthfully. If you wish to hide the truth and fight against the magic, know that I will know who the spell does not affect."
If anyone wishes to be able to lie, they must make a dc13 cha save. Or people can choose to fail the saving throw. Duncan knows if people are affected or not (though he won't know if they chose to be affected or failed the save)
Cramaris will look at Mutterall or person speaking (unless it is party member speaking) and listen them to make educated guess what they are trying to omit (Insight: 21, 31 if 21 isn't enough)
(Moving on. If Duncan wants to throw a question out I'll try to see it is answered!)
The elders watch you all cast your spell and give your speech before answering. Mutterall stays silent for the time being.
Tug starts: "Ever since Mutterall came into town we've been richer--but I think our lives are poorer as a result. The crops are bad. The woods aren't safe. We were happy before. I think we can be happier again. I vote we close it down."
Agatha Aftershaft speaks next: "My family settled here not long after the first mine closed down. And I was raised to leave things better than you found them. The Mutterall Mine isn't perfect but damn near nothing is. We've got work. We've got a community. We've got access to people who will look after us. We've not had that for as long as the Aftershafts have been here, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you all come here and take it away. I vote no."
Percy Weaver speaks last: "Carlsbad Mutterall care more for the people of this town than anyone in this room--he didn't have to buy that ol' rundown mine but he made it profitable. Made this town profitable. And now you're spitting in his face. No. The answer is no. I don't care if the crops are bad--you know how much corn you can buy with a pile of gold?"
As the council is divided and unwilling to close the mine, Mutterall smiles and cheers, and his lackey opens the door to the hall for a moment and shouts at the crowd that they're keeping the mine open. A loud roar of approval is heard and some of the miners come in (they fail the zone of truth spell) and cheer as well, celebrating the decision.
Tug looks at you all a moment and shrugs with a sigh. He is about to say something else when a crack of thunder rips open the sky, shaking the wooden halls of the community meeting hall and sending shivers down the spines of anyone with ears to hear it. As the sound echoes off the nearby mountains and back toward the gathered crowd, Kerrigan T'Kay enters from the back of the community center, (she succeeds against the zone of truth spell) the door slamming behind her as if shuttered by the wind. Shaking her fist in righteous fury at the entire town, and flanked by two snarling bears, she stalks down the center aisle of the community center, slowly advancing on the council and Carlsbad Mutterall as she speaks:"I have tried reason, and I have tried to beg. I offered you peace but it seems you have chosen to continue your war on this land. You've gathered here to celebrate your continued desecration. And you squabble as the earth screams. You just can't hear it. But you will."
Mutterall looks frightened and sputters a bit, as Kerrigan begins chanting a spell, the bears ready to attack. You have but a very brief moment before all hell breaks loose...do you do anything?
Ori looks at Jadzia, as the elders make their decision, “He just ignored you again. Do you two have a torrid and illicit history or something, but in a bad way?”
When Kerrigan enters, Ori looks at her. “I thought you were on the no murdering the townsfolk side of things. Was it all you, did you make the corn bad?”
Ori pinches her nose as the violence starts. “I’m beginning to remember why I left this place,” she mutters under her breath.
Mutterall takes a moment to look back at the group (he's still under the truth I believe): "Why bother answering? We're making the town rich and keeping those monsters from running amok on the town. At least until today, that was probably Kerrigan's doing. We've killed dozens of them so far, just a hazard when you work there. She's probably the one making the corn bad just to fuel her vendetta against prosperity."
"Vendetta!?" Kerrigan retorts. "Why would I make the land bad!? It's was FINE until YOU showed up and reopened the mine! It's obvious, whatever you are doing down there is driving monsters mad and spoiling the land! No amount of gold is worth that!"
"I think the town begs to differ, Kerrigan." Mutterall looks at you all again, "I don't want you all going in there because I don't want to be responsible for your deaths."
(Duncan was just casting the spell. No statement from him other than what was posted.)
"Kerrigan is not bound by truth. Mutterall is. He genuinely believes it is Kerrigan but we do not have a guarantee from her that it wasn't. That being said, regardless of if it is Kerrigan or not, the mine being opened is bringing danger. Yes gold can buy food. But it can't stop you from dying to an ankheg. Or to an angry druid. What of bandits if you are buying food. You would really sacrifice your safety just for a mine? When you have no idea how much is even left in there. Minerals are finite. You can grow more crops year after year but mines always run out. When that happens, Mutterall will pack up and move somewhere else and won't even think about here again. But by then it might be too late for the ground and you will all have to leave your homes. Is that truly what you want?"
Brahn shrugs, "Just talk to the elder I guess, convince them to close the mine. I don't have any other proof, and I can't say I know anyone else who does. But if you can convince them that would go a long ways."
Ori thanks them then pulls the party to one side.
“I guess it’s time for the meeting,” she says, “but, I know I’m not the sharpest Druid-aspirant in the nettles— and I just want to check I understand what we’re going to tell them.”
She scratches her head.
“We came in time for the ankheg attack, after a year of the mine opening. Kerrigan came and she said it was the mine’s fault and that it was poisoning the crops and upsetting the wilds, and the mine had to close.”
”So we went to the mine, but they didn’t want our help and we weren’t allowed in. So we went to the fields and we found more spoiled corn, just the same as we and Tug were shown by Kerrigan.” She counts this off on each finger, then raises a fourth finger.
“So then we spoke to the villagers, and they said it might be the mine and it might not. And they said close the mine and don’t. They said they didn’t have any proof of anything.”
”So now we need to go to the elders, and tell the elders who have been here for the past year that the mine may be responsible, or it may not. We don’t know how and we have no proof? No need to thank us. It’s all just part of being an adventurer, and we’re happy to have helped?”
"Well, we can listen elders first. Maybe we will be confident which side to pick then."
From our conversations so far with Tug and Kerrigan, does it seem likely that Kerrigan could be at this meeting too? (if we invite her)
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
(Last you knew she was heading back to the woods. But other people could be at the meeting.)
Jadzia listens with a growing smile as Ori lays out the situation, clearly appreciating the irony in their current predicament. When Ori finishes, the bard says, "Yep, I think that pretty much sums it up just fine."
She sighs—what else can they do but go with the flow until they find a way to solve things... or not? Either way, they have to keep trying.
The air genasi nods at Cramaris’s words. "Yeah, nothing else comes to mind other than doing that. So let's speak to the elders and see what happens."
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
“The elders will know how to fix this,” says Ori, “then we can tell them to do it.” She begins marching towards the meeting place.
You head to the town hall then to meet with the elders around dusk, finding Tug there with two others: Agatha Aftershaft and Percy Weaver. It is a modest space, and as you enter you see some of the townsfolk starting to come your way as well, curious about what's going on. Going inside it is a plain wooden building with a few chairs and tables, obviously designed for multipurpose use. The elders are already seated at a table on one end and wave you all over to come talk. A couple of townsfolk duck inside as well to hear what's going on, and as things are about to get started, Mutterall and his foreman lackey slip inside as well.
"Please, tell us what you have found so far," Tug begins, "and then we will render our verdict."
(Make your case, and make a Persuasion check.)
Ori sits cross legged on the floor and places her rotting crossbow next to her. She smiles at the elders, turns to the others, smiles, shrugs, and waits to hear what they have to say.
As people begin to gather in the town hall, Jadzia looks around, scanning the crowd for Kerrigan. Whether she spots her or not, once addressed by Tug, she waits a moment to see if anyone else will speak. When no one does, she steps forward and begins.
"Well, in all honesty, we haven't found much. We've only been in your lovely town a few hours, hoping to enjoy a little celebration for the reopening of the mine. Instead, we were greeted by an ankheg attack. Now, I don't know how used you folks are to that kind of thing, but me—" she places a hand on her chest—"I find it a tad disturbing. Sorry, what can I say? I don't like ankhegs. Specially when they try to eat me—and a few of you—alive."
She pauses, letting the words hang in the air.
"I have to admit, I don't know what's behind the attack. Or behind this." She rummages in her backpack and pulls out one, two... up to five or six ears of blackened corn, letting them fall to the floor with a heavy thud. "Is it caused by the mine, as some of you believe? Is it something to do with Kerrigan, as others suspect?" She glances toward Mutterall. "I don't know. But I do know that Mr. Mutterall hasn't let us into the mine to investigate."
Jadzia pauses again and puts on her most innocent smile as she glances at Mutterall.
"Wouldn't that ease everyone's minds? If we went into the mine, took a proper look, and found nothing out of the ordinary—then we could rule it out. Mutterall and his miners could rest easy, knowing their work isn't harming the town. And the rest of Shinbone could trust that the mine is safe." She turns to Mutterall and adds, brightly, "Let's rule it out together, shall we? Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Mutterall?"
Then, turning back to the rest of the hall, her expression shifts—sincere, firm.
"People of Shinbone, what do you have to say? Let these words settle in your minds: your opinion matters. The mine may belong to Carlsbad Mutterall, but Shinbone belongs to its people."
Persuasion: 20
DM:
If Mutterall or anyone else tries to interrupt her, talk over her, or sway the crowd with dismissive or distracting words, Jadzia narrows her eyes, still smiling sweetly, and interjects just loud enough to cut across the tension:
"Now, now—no need to get defensive, unless there's something you'd rather we not find in that mine."
(ooc: Leaving a roll Bardic Inspiration roll in case Cutting Words applies... But I got a 1, sadly.)
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Before Jadzia started talking (if possible) otherwise before Mutterall responds, Duncan will cast Zone of Truth covering as much of the room as possible, especially Mutterall, and the party if he is close enough. He makes it very clear. "I am going to cast a spell that ensures only the truth is spoken. If you have nothing to hide, let the magic wash over you and all may know you speak truthfully. If you wish to hide the truth and fight against the magic, know that I will know who the spell does not affect."
If anyone wishes to be able to lie, they must make a dc13 cha save. Or people can choose to fail the saving throw. Duncan knows if people are affected or not (though he won't know if they chose to be affected or failed the save)
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
(Duncan can tell everyone, barring actual party members, is under the spell)
Jadzia does not resist the spell.
Peindre l'amour, peindre la vie, pleurer en couleur ♫
Auriel | Shenua | Arren | Lyra
Ori Cha Save: 13!
”I accept this spell,” Ori lies.
(Does Duncan want to make their statement now, or are they just casting the spell?)
Save vs zone of truth: 10
Cramaris will look at Mutterall or person speaking (unless it is party member speaking) and listen them to make educated guess what they are trying to omit (Insight: 21, 31 if 21 isn't enough)
(Moving on. If Duncan wants to throw a question out I'll try to see it is answered!)
The elders watch you all cast your spell and give your speech before answering. Mutterall stays silent for the time being.
Tug starts: "Ever since Mutterall came into town we've been richer--but I think our lives are poorer as a result. The crops are bad. The woods aren't safe. We were happy before. I think we can be happier again. I vote we close it down."
Agatha Aftershaft speaks next: "My family settled here not long after the first mine closed down. And I was raised to leave things better than you found them. The Mutterall Mine isn't perfect but damn near nothing is. We've got work. We've got a community. We've got access to people who will look after us. We've not had that for as long as the Aftershafts have been here, and I'll be damned if I'm going to let you all come here and take it away. I vote no."
Percy Weaver speaks last: "Carlsbad Mutterall care more for the people of this town than anyone in this room--he didn't have to buy that ol' rundown mine but he made it profitable. Made this town profitable. And now you're spitting in his face. No. The answer is no. I don't care if the crops are bad--you know how much corn you can buy with a pile of gold?"
As the council is divided and unwilling to close the mine, Mutterall smiles and cheers, and his lackey opens the door to the hall for a moment and shouts at the crowd that they're keeping the mine open. A loud roar of approval is heard and some of the miners come in (they fail the zone of truth spell) and cheer as well, celebrating the decision.
Tug looks at you all a moment and shrugs with a sigh. He is about to say something else when a crack of thunder rips open the sky, shaking the wooden halls of the community meeting hall and sending shivers down the spines of anyone with ears to hear it. As the sound echoes off the nearby mountains and back toward the gathered crowd, Kerrigan T'Kay enters from the back of the community center, (she succeeds against the zone of truth spell) the door slamming behind her as if shuttered by the wind. Shaking her fist in righteous fury at the entire town, and flanked by two snarling bears, she stalks down the center aisle of the community center, slowly advancing on the council and Carlsbad Mutterall as she speaks: "I have tried reason, and I have tried to beg. I offered you peace but it seems you have chosen to continue your war on this land. You've gathered here to celebrate your continued desecration. And you squabble as the earth screams. You just can't hear it. But you will."
Mutterall looks frightened and sputters a bit, as Kerrigan begins chanting a spell, the bears ready to attack. You have but a very brief moment before all hell breaks loose...do you do anything?
Ori looks at Jadzia, as the elders make their decision, “He just ignored you again. Do you two have a torrid and illicit history or something, but in a bad way?”
When Kerrigan enters, Ori looks at her. “I thought you were on the no murdering the townsfolk side of things. Was it all you, did you make the corn bad?”
Ori pinches her nose as the violence starts. “I’m beginning to remember why I left this place,” she mutters under her breath.
Mutterall takes a moment to look back at the group (he's still under the truth I believe): "Why bother answering? We're making the town rich and keeping those monsters from running amok on the town. At least until today, that was probably Kerrigan's doing. We've killed dozens of them so far, just a hazard when you work there. She's probably the one making the corn bad just to fuel her vendetta against prosperity."
"Vendetta!?" Kerrigan retorts. "Why would I make the land bad!? It's was FINE until YOU showed up and reopened the mine! It's obvious, whatever you are doing down there is driving monsters mad and spoiling the land! No amount of gold is worth that!"
"I think the town begs to differ, Kerrigan." Mutterall looks at you all again, "I don't want you all going in there because I don't want to be responsible for your deaths."
(Duncan was just casting the spell. No statement from him other than what was posted.)
"Kerrigan is not bound by truth. Mutterall is. He genuinely believes it is Kerrigan but we do not have a guarantee from her that it wasn't. That being said, regardless of if it is Kerrigan or not, the mine being opened is bringing danger. Yes gold can buy food. But it can't stop you from dying to an ankheg. Or to an angry druid. What of bandits if you are buying food. You would really sacrifice your safety just for a mine? When you have no idea how much is even left in there. Minerals are finite. You can grow more crops year after year but mines always run out. When that happens, Mutterall will pack up and move somewhere else and won't even think about here again. But by then it might be too late for the ground and you will all have to leave your homes. Is that truly what you want?"
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)