Well things really took off in downtime this week! Is this the kind of thing I can expect using 1:1 time?
Okay so let me catch you up.
Sunday, April 14, 2024
The PC's receive an invitation addressed: "To the Conscientious band who warned us of strange doings in the Graveyard" inviting them to dinner with the Knight's Son at 4:00 PM.
The plan is that the Knight's Son is in Dutch with his Dad for a hasty response. He cannot himself go parlay with the Brigands, nor send guards without risking open hostilities. He is asking the party to go parlay and offer the Brigands 1,000 GP to forgive the slight.
[DM Note: Here was my plan: If they accept and survive the reaction role, they will be told that more needs to be done in addition to the money for there to be amends. They need to accompany the Brigands to find out what went wrong with a robbery to the NW and help locate a Patrol that has not returned. (This should, finally lead them to the Dungeon for our next session). Spoiler alert, this is not at all what happened. See Upcoming Session 2]
Everyone but Neit the Monk, accepted the invite.
Menetheren posted this: "I'll accept. But, I go in very trepidatiously. Not knowing much about the son, I am concerned about his agenda.
What do we know of the nature of the Knight being I disposed? It seems rather a coincidence that this time he's indisposed with so many things happening at once. Do we know the nature of this disposition?
[DM Note: My first inclination was to tell him, oh he was just using the bathroom. But then I bit my tongue! IF your players are interested in a mystery you LEAN INTO IT!!! YES! What IS going on with that Knight afterall? These are the kinds of pivot you can make when the story is not all planned out ahead of you. This is one of the true powers of #LowPrep #NoPrep. You are free to follow player interest wherever it goes.]
I responded thusly: "Word on the street is that the Knight has been disappearing into his study for hours at a time. It has been noted that in long meetings adjudicating the affairs of the hamlet, his eyes wander to the hallway that leads to that room."
I am going against my instincts here. I would write a summary up all punchy and witty, but because I want you all to know how 1:1 Downtime stuff works for us, I'm just going to copy and paste the interaction straight out of Discord. As DM, I just set up a separate Text Channel called #dinner-with-the-knight and made it private, but invited everyone who accepted the invitation. Here is how it played out:
[Begin Discord Paste]
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 5:53 PM
Dinner started with a tour of the Manse. It was all very interesting to your eyes. The Knight was in his study, apparently not to be disturbed, so the Son hurried you past that hallway. Menetheren noticed the air was a little colder in this hallway. Finally you made it to the banquet room and began the feast.
After a couple pints of ale, the Knight's Son (what should we name this guy?) displayed a change in demeanor. Whereas his previous bearing had been dignified and stoic, as the alcohol worked his shoulders hunched and his eyes started to dart.
After a while he got to the heart of the matter. He had acted rashly when he saw the Brigands. He never understood why his Father tolerates them in the first place.
He locked the Palisade against the patrol and sent a messenger to the Baronet Du Ropp. He feels that the second thing was worse than the first in his Father's eyes.
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:00 PM
He is waiting until the messenger returns, but when it does, he has a job for you.
He cannot approach the Brigands or send one of the guards for fear it would be taken as aggression. You have proved that you are courageous, and you care for the wellbeing of Folton on the Hill.
He needs your help to undo the damage he caused and reinstate the fragile equilibrium that his Father had maintained between the Baronet and these Brigands.
Leroy stonebraker — 04/14/2024 6:03 PM
Leroy would totally offer his help in any way that he can.
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:03 PM
If he gets the green light, he would like to send your group to parlay with the Brigands.
Upon the return of the messenger, he wants you to bring a generous tribute of 1000 GP to the Brigands and smooth things over.
If you are successful in turning away their wrath, he will reward the party with 600 GP.
If you are unsuccessful, he suggests you could still earn a reward down the road in helping to defend against the Brigand's might.
Leroy stonebraker — 04/14/2024 6:06 PM
Is he the one giving us the 1,000 gold pieces?
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:06 PM
It would come from the Knight, depending on what news the messenger returns with. The messenger is expected back tomorrow.
Leroy stonebraker — 04/14/2024 6:07 PM
Cool
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:07 PM
"Can I count on you to help me undo this rash mistake? To re-win the esteem of my Father, the Knight?"
Leroy stonebraker — 04/14/2024 6:07 PM
Because Leroy does not have that kind of gold
Leroy is it I'm sure Cigam will too but XXXXX is at youth group
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:08 PM
No worries.
Cx PecklePickle — 04/14/2024 6:10 PM
Cx to the Son, with dreams of chaos glimmering in his eyes : “with all due respect, Ser, what made you change your course of action? Personally I was excited someone finally had a backbone around here.”
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:12 PM
"Alas good Prestidigitator, I am not yet the Knight. I have designs on this region, and it rankles having to wait on the overconcern of the aged, but for all that, I am still a loyal Son."
"It would help, however, if we knew the full strength of the Brigands, and the exact location of their hideaway. Such an excursion would have to go over the wall by night however, as the Palisade shall remain shut fast until this dreadful business is concluded."
"Now if someone asked you to do that, it certainly wouldn't be me. I only mention that it might be helpful if someone did."
Leroy stonebraker — 04/14/2024 6:20 PM
Oh sir I totally thought that this was a scouting mission to see how strong everything is to see how best we can remove the briggins problem
Was that two persumptuous of this lowly dwarf
I know you can't fool out and say things like that and I took Liberty at reading between the lines my apologies sir if I read the wrong language
Common is not my first language
Oiax Lockdin — 04/14/2024 6:36 PM
Considering the entire town doesn’t possess the capability of taking on these thugs and you’ve already angered them, I believe we’d need more than 600gp. They are already upset and could decide to be hostile immediately. I think we should get 500gp up front then 500gp after the mission is accomplished.
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:45 PM
What's your Charisma bonus again @Oiax Lockdin ?
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:53 PM
How come I picture him cleaning a nail with a dagger while he asks this?
Menetheren Agaulor — 04/14/2024 6:54 PM
I will also agree that we should deliver your 1,000gp to the camp. I need to see the layout, number of forces, weak points, surrounding area, etc. There's, unfortunately, only one way this comes to an end.
Oiax Lockdin — 04/14/2024 6:54 PM
I’ve got a 15 charisma. I don’t have my character sheet on hand though.
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:54 PM
np
You have +15% reaction adjustment
Oiax Lockdin — 04/14/2024 6:55 PM
Totally doing this lol
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 6:57 PM
You were met with uncertainty at first, but after mulling it for a bit, the Knight's Son just shrugs.
"Prove yourself faithful in this little bit, and you will earn more. Prove yourselves unfaithful and even what you have will be taken away." He slides a pouch of 100 GP across the table. "600 more for success."
(For the record, your reaction check rolled 56, uncertain but 55% inclined toward favorable. The follow up was a 16)
Very similar to the Gravedigger. Who would have thought the Murdering Kife-Eared Son of a Gun would be the party face?
Oiax Lockdin — 04/14/2024 7:03 PM
lol right.
Leroy stonebraker — 04/14/2024 7:05 PM
Way to go that was well done
dunder_moose — 04/14/2024 7:06 PM
It's all about simpin' for those reaction rolls.
Oiax Lockdin — 04/14/2024 7:19 PM
Thank you
I shall distribute the 100 gold equally if no one protest after our dinner.
Menetheren Agaulor — 04/14/2024 7:21 PM
Did I notice the cold in the hallway to be unnatural? Did it seem normal for this time of year if fires weren't lit in rooms?
dunder_moose — 04/15/2024 12:53 PM
At just about the end of the dinner, the Knight himself swept into the room, and glared about the table.
“These are my friends.” Responds the Son eagerly. “They are going to help me smooth things over with the Brigands.”
“Welcome.” The Knight says courteously. “I need a word with my son, I trust you can find your way out.”
As you take your leave the servants shut the doors to the banquet hall.
Menetheren Agaulor — 04/15/2024 2:15 PM
Did the Knight look anxious at all, or upset in any way? As we walk out, if we are seeing ourselves out, I would like to take a quick detour down that hallway that felt cold to me. I know I don't have much time, but I need more information.
Leroy stonebraker — 04/15/2024 5:25 PM
Leroy would like to cover for his Dwarven brother by grabbing a dessert to go and filling up his water skin with that Royal wine and accidentally makes a mess of it while his brother finds his way to where he's wanting to go.
Oiax Lockdin — 04/15/2024 5:26 PM
I’m for sure sneaking into that hallway now
Leroy stonebraker — 04/15/2024 5:27 PM
I will totally ham it up and look like a fool saying oh I'm sorry my Lord I had too much to drink Royal wine is too strong for my Dwarven fortitude
Stopping my face with desserts and whatever else I can find to eat
Pausing slightly to wink at my party to do what they're doing
Cx PecklePickle — 04/15/2024 5:29 PM
I would like to attempt to pocket any pickles from the dinner table if there are any.
Oiax Lockdin — 04/15/2024 5:40 PM
Lmao bro don’t you have enough of your own pickles at home.
Leroy stonebraker — 04/15/2024 6:10 PM
Cigam wanted to know if the night's face matches the face of the night in his nightmares he's been having
dunder_moose — 04/15/2024 10:41 PM
Okay sheesh
Here’s what happened. Pickles acquired. Cigam sees a painting in the hallway that deeply unsettles him
Menetheren and Oiax make it down the hallway to the study, but thanks to Leroy’s buffoonery, they only get a moment to peek into the study before servants are summoned to clean the mess and usher you all out.
[End Discord Paste]
So, that was what happened on the Private Knight's Dinner Channel. But because I'm committed to pulling back the curtain a bit for you on how this works I will admit that I was also passing information to each person as they noticed stuff in their private character channels so they could choose whether to share with the group or not.
For example: Cigam has been having nightmares where he sees a Knight screaming, when the Knight's visor raises, he has unreadable runes scrawled all over his face. When he was in the hallway he saw the same Knight from his dream on a painting. It was the previous Knight who had been removed from power due to going mad.
This is a weird dynamic for a group used to playing 5e. In my experience, 5e parties tend to be like the crew of the Starship Enterprise, where everyone is there for each episode and they work together and never against each other unless there is some weird power influencing them. In 1e there are little tests that show up where a player has to decide to benefit the group or themself, and you can feel the lingering threat of PVP. I know I just lost some of you with that. Would you believe me if I said this makes the game more interesting?
Also, some players will make better use of their downtime. For example while some were just meditating or earning some coin, Menetheren used his downtime to earn money at the Temple of Aslan serving as a cleric, but he was also using confessional and other means to gather intelligence on the area. He learned that the Brigands call themselves the Dreadnaughties and they inhabit a castle in the everglades to the southwest. Their leader is a mysterious man named Fartan who is never seen in the daylight hours (They are totally the Dreadnoks from G. I. Joe).
Here is a sample downtime message that I sent to Oiax's player:
Downtime Update!
Oiax worked loading carts as a teamster this week and had work on 4 of the days earning 20 sp
Oiax was unsuccessful in locating poison this week, or contacting anyone who knew the Brigands. But from working with the teamsters he did find out that the town Jeweler was expecting a shipment of silver bars from the road to the Northwest, but it never showed up.
But Back to the Knight's Dinner! In this case I only sent messages to Menetheren and Oiax telling them what they saw, since they were the only two investigating the Knight's study:
You did not get time to search the study. Just enough for a peek
What you saw on the Knight’s desk was a scrap of paper, perhaps torn from a book. The writing was unreadable, like no writing you’d ever seen.
To the right of it was an open diary with an inkwell and quill.
I really am enjoying this approach. It allows me to dribble out clues to what is really going on one by one to individual players. And they get the joy of discovery when they talk to each other and start putting the pieces together. Major Host A Murder vibes.
There is more that happened this week in downtime! Stay tuned for part 2, where Oiax goes it alone and stuff gets REALLY crazy!!!
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