Isk walks over to the "drunken" Redcap and says, "Ho friend, fear not for we will not rob you.  Let me help you to your feet and get you where you're going safely."  He reaches down to start helping the Redcap up and pick up his spilled coin.

Jack takes one good look at Trim, and nods, before turning towards Isk and the Redcap. Sticking to the persona, he claps as Isk goes to help the Redcap up. “Good Job, Isk! Helping that man out. If only a crowd were here to see your selfless deed, at least about 4 people. They’d applaud ye! Just what we expect from ye.”

With the "drunken" redcap on his feet, 4 redcap guards run out from the shadows of nearby buildings. "We caught you thieves... wha?" They slow to a halt, looking disappointed.

The "drunk" redcap is standing slack-jawed. He doesn't start moving until he feels the weight of the gold coins that Isk drops in his hands. That redcap lumbers away slowly, followed by the 4 guards.

You make it to your cluster of visitor tents without any more incidents. More redcaps are watching your tents, but from a far distance.

(Any other actions you want to do this night? Or proceed to the morning? I assume that Isk is doing his usual "Remove Curse" on Reverie before going to sleep.)

Yep, gotta keep Rev's rage under control!

(OOC: i'm good to proceed to morning. unless the party wants to discuss the plan for the next day before going to bed.)

(Sorry for being inactive lately! Busy busy bee! Yes, Reverie's rage needs to be under control. Maybe Reverie could watch for a night, just in case? If so, she will do the night watch. c: )

(Also been really busy lately)

Quote from VanderLegion >>

(Also been really busy lately)

(So say we all.)

Your party sets up a watch rotation for the night. You can tell that the redcap guards are nearby watching, but they keep their distance when they see that at least one of you are watching.

Shortly after dawn, a troop of the guards arrive, to escort you back to the lodge.

Rufus is seated at his massive dining table. (This guy is Huge, giant sized.) In the middle of a multi-course breakfast, he sprays bits of food as he talk while continuing to chew. "Help yourselves. Never let it be said that Rufus the Generous is not a gracious host."

You see a nearby (human-sized) cart, with 5 chipped plates, day-old biscuits dotted with cold gravy, and 5 cups of musty water. (No sign of poison or drugs.)

"I need your help. Not as "entertainers", but with the martial skills you demonstrated last night. I realize you are guests, but I am making this request to solve a serious problem in this village."

Reverie blinks, realizing the Pixie Clarion did not mention about Rufus could ask for a help. She looks at her friends once before grabs a cup of water. "May I ask what is troubling you and your village? It must be a great troubling for you if you are asking for a request..."

TrimyraI: (to Rufus) "We would love to repay your hospitality, but we are simple entertainers. Perhaps your guards would be better suited for this problem."

Froskan nods along, keeping silent for the moment.

"Asking puny mortals for help?" Rufus starts to rant, but his guards tug a his legs, and get him to stay on script. "Yes, I am asking you inferior beings for help. But not for me, and my elite guards, but for the inhabitants of this village.

"On your way here, you have seen a mine a short distance away. The fey of this village gather materials from that mine, and trade goods with other villages. There are dangerous creatures inside, that they avoid. Recently, an even more deadly being crept there from the Shadowfell. When I send miners inside, they gather only a small amount before they are injured or killed. (Any talk of the creature being release by digging too greedily and deeply on my orders, are simply lies by those jealous of my greatness.)

"I would slay this creature myself, of course, but that tiny entrance cannot contain my magnificence... And my guards are far too busy protecting the village to spend time searching for the creature inside the mines. And these pixies and sprites are too weak to defend themselves."

(Rufus takes another bite of his meal.) "The resources of this village are limited. If they can't mine for what they need, the people here will soon starve. You don't want that, do you? After the hospitality you received last night?

"That leaves you lot. You say you are entertainers, but you have shown warriors skills during your demonstration... I am sure you could go into the mines, and make it safe for these pixies and sprites. I could tell them that you are able to help them but refuse to do so, but I'm sure that won't be necessary. You seem like beings who will do (what's the phrase?)... the right thing.

"If the satisfaction of helping these sniveling weaklings unfortunate villagers is not enough, I will reward you with untold riches for slaying the Shadowfell beast... So everyone wins. I get the wealth from deeper in the mines, the villagers under my rule get to live, and you get paid."

GuiltySparc can't remember, but i'm sure Isk does, were we warned of any kind of reverse trickery vis a vis Rufus asking us for favors?

Quote from Guiltysparc >>

GuiltySparc can't remember, but i'm sure Isk does, were we warned of any kind of reverse trickery vis a vis Rufus asking us for favors?

(Clarion says that Rufus is not to be trusted, but that is what she is hoping for. If he gets caught trying to hurt you, reneges on a promised payment, or (most likely) tries to kill you to avoid paying, then Rufus breaking his oath as village chief will break the oath the villagers made to follow him... Hope that made sense.

If you decide to accept the offer and head to the mines, I'll allow 1 or 2 of you to discreetly ask a nearby pixie or sprite for more information, as they will be more reliable than Rufus.)

(Could Reverie do the insight check to see if he has anything more in his mind?)

Reverie gazes Rufus for a moment in curiosity. He might sound quite protective over his villagers. But does he really care of them or his wealth and power?

Insight - 14

Quote from Elliethedream >>

(Could Reverie do the insight check to see if he has anything more in his mind?)

Reverie gazes Rufus for a moment in curiosity. He might sound quite protective over his villagers. But does he really care of them or his wealth and power?

Insight - 19

Reverie already knows where Rufus' priorities are. The fomorian doesn't care if the villagers die in the mines, but he does mind that they aren't bringing back valuables before they perish. Rufus is trying to work on your sympathy for the villagers' plight (even though Rufus is the one causing most of the anguish).

Rufus isn't holding back any information about what is in the mines, but that is due to him not making any effort to find out more. (That is why I said you could discreetly ask any villagers who have actually been in the mines, if you had specific things you wanted to know.)

If the party gets killed visiting the mines... well, that is one less problem for Rufus to deal with.

If the party is strong enough to injure/destroy the Shadowfell creature in the mines, that still makes it easier for the villagers to visit the mines.

“Your Greatness, we are not warriors. This ‘Martial Prowess’ you claim we’ve shown? Mere practice and entertainment. Our men are simply good with a Bow and a spell or two. But, if you’d allow us, we’d enjoy to discuss amongst ourselves.” Jack gestures towards the crew, to get bunched together. They’d need to discuss what to do next, of course. They couldn’t just continue blind.

Trimyrai walks over to jack as gestured.

Isk keeps his voice down in the huddle and says, "I think we should take the job.  For one, it will help the villagers.  If they are being killed while working in the mine, then making the mine safer is for the good.  But also, Rufus promised 'untold' riches as a reward.  If the reward is meager or non-existent, he would have broken a promise to us and thus negated his oath as chief."

Trimyrai: (to the party [in a whisper]) "Good thinking Isk."