In reply to GM (msg # 200):

Ok -- We go find the guard I befriended and take a circuitous route to get there.

Ok, he goes with you, by cab. He asks you about being an investigator, and other general facts about you.

How do you approach these questions?

We can make this a skill challenge if you'd like. Give three skills that you use (like persuasion, deception, and insight, for instance), describe how you will utilize each, and roll. Feel free to take license with where you take the conversation, or in what ways he tries to pin you to answers or what he asks.

None of this is necessary, but I will factor it in to experience, etc. as an encounter if you do.

In reply to GM (msg # 203):

I think I want input to the plan and we should play it out.

I want to a) find the guard, b) have the new guy explain the situation, c) solicit feedback from the guard, and d) put some pressure on the guard to figure out how to move quickly and decisively against the lordling.

Ok, we can do that. Let me think about it.

Ok, roll 1 each
Investigation
Deception
Persuasion
Intimidation

In reply to GM (msg # 206):

08:16, Today: Fergan rolled 18 using 1d20+4 with rolls of 14.  Investigation.
08:16, Today: Fergan rolled 15 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 7.  Deception.
08:17, Today: Fergan rolled 15 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 7.  Persuasion.
08:17, Today: Fergan rolled 28 using 1d20+8 with rolls of 20.  Intimidation.

That was a crit, if it matters. Fine with it not.

What I would probably do if we were playing at a table is to institute a critical rule for skill checks where if you roll a 20, you roll a new check and add +19 to your modifier, then if you rolled 20 again, add +39, and so on. For the purpose for having a mental model, I generally think of crit skill checks as the result +5. With bounded accuracy (is that the right phrase?) I think anything in the 20s basically translates to "you succeed with style".

As for the way I like to do skill challenges, you need 2 or 3 successes (depending on situation and number of checks; success being 15 or more) to be successful, and any result over 20 counts as 2 successes.

So, here is what happens in this situation. Neither the guard or this point exactly understand your authority or motivations, but they feel pretty confident that providing their support is in their best interest, and is something they want to do and that this is a dangerous/chaotic situation. You are able to find the guard in pretty good time.

The guard favors apprehending him in a surprise attack sort of fashion. He feels like getting the jump on him with the aid of you and the manor guards will be plenty and any disturbance would be minimal. You get the feeling that he hopes the Lordling will resist arrest, if you know what I mean.

Darin is ok with a direct approach since the idea of his household being in danger has put him on edge, especially after the guard provides more details (unbidden) about the inn. The plan is to switch to a covered coach and to enter the house in force with the manor guards providing backup.

When you get to the manor, and under the carriage pass-through, you find out from an attendant that the Lordling has left.

(this hasn't happened yet, right? I think I got ahead of myself in my mind and that you already knew the guy left and had a lead on where, but I don't see it in the game...)

In reply to GM (msg # 208):

No--I was trying to catch him there.

I now try to urgently find out everything I can about how long ago he left, where we went, how we went, how he looked when he went, etc.

I also ask Darin to close off his room until the guard or myself can have an opportunity to search it--With Darin present, of course.

The house-running servant (butler, I guess), tells you that he was assumed to be in his room, but when they brought him food, he was gone.

They are not sure when he left but it was definitely within the last hour.

Let's do some dialogue role play. There is a cook, a butler, and two guards. Ask questions. Currently, you are talking to the butler by the wagon and the guards are at the two opposite Gates. The cook is inside.

In reply to GM (msg # 210):

I make sure to shake everyone's hand and try to feel for the branded symbol in their palm under an illusion.

OOC: I don't remember which disguise, if any, I am in, so I am leaving the text color white, rather than goldenrod (my true color). I also don't remember if there are multiple exits. If there are, this will get harder.

I ask Darin if he would be opposed to having all of the persons on the premises gathered in the courtyard. Once gathered, I ask:

Cook:
- "How frequently did the guest eat?
- "At what times?"
- "What types of food were requested or rejected?"
- "How were you or your staff treated?"
- "How recently did he order food?"
- "Has he been ordering meals that would include portions of food that would keep for a long journey?"

Butler:
- "Who was cleaning the room? How often? Did they find anything unusual?
- "Any unusual requests? Or requests for things in unusual quantities?"
- "What hours did the man keep?"
- "Have there been any female visitors?"
- "Did he tip? Did you save any of the coins he tipped with, if he did?"
- "Did he access the library on any occasion? If so, any ideas which books he looked at?"
- "Is anything missing from the estate since he arrived?"

Guards:
- "What hours did the man keep?"
- "Have there been any female visitors?"
- "Did he threaten you, an animal, or any other living creature on the premises?"

Then, while they are all assembled, I want to ask Darin to ask them a question that only he and the individual would know the answer to as a final confirmation that there are no illusions at play.

See bold.

In reply to GM (msg # 212):

Is the guard who is nervous about the illusion talk also the guard that was confused by the brat characterization?

Where is the maid? Is anyone alarmed that she is not present? I'd like to ask her questions about what was found in his room.

I have my friendly guard there with me, yes? I'd like to whisper something to him, briefly, like "Back me" and then try to intimidate the illusion-nervous guard with my friend-guard Helping an Intimidation check by saying something like the following:

"If you have anything to tell us, particularly on the topic of magic or illusions, now is the time to speak up. Any information that comes out after this point may be construed as aiding and abetting by the city guards who, as I understand it, are... highly motivated to employ any necessary means to bring this fellow in, given the personal and severe nature of his crimes."

In reply to Fergan (msg # 213):

We also should try and determine if any of the books on heraldry have been removed, moved, dog-eared, marked up, or in any other way "set apart" from the rest to see what he may have been looking up.

You ask about the maid, Darin is curious as well, and the butler tells you that they let her go early because the Lordling was bothering her. After she left, the Lordling went to his room, they are not sure how long after that he left.

When the guard is questioned, he says, "well, I don't know much about illusions but there was something strange. Well, you've picked up that I am nervous. Well, see, as you know there are two Gates and we each make sure that we have one in sight. Shortly after Lucile (the maid) left, there was a currier what left. I didn't catch him coming in, which is always embarrassing, if you understand me. I understand that grocers and such entering the premises without our notice can be a durable offense and don't reflect sell for rehire, but when you talked of illusions and such, well, I thought I should 'fess up in case it weren't the way it seemed."

The butler tells you that he has not noticed any markings or damage to the books, which is something he checks for when he returns them to the shelves.

In reply to GM (msg # 215):

Turning to Darin and the city guard: "Lucille may be in grave danger."

Turning to all assembled: "Who knows where she went from here? The market, perhaps? Who knows where she lives?"

The cook knows where she lives.

In reply to GM (msg # 217):

Fergan turns to Darin and says: "We will go look in on Lucille. Will you loan us your gaurdsmen and cook?"

Fergan turns to the city-guard and says: "We may need extra hands, if you know of a way to get some help along our route."

You load into the covered wagon that Darin kept waiting. The cook sitting next to the driver.

Along the way you spot an off duty guard that your friend knows. He tells 6o him to find the nearest patrol and go to (address).

You reach a small cottage quickly. It is a very modest building in a poor, but we'll kept part of town.

When you reach the door (to knock or whatever) you find that you are enveloped in silence started a few feet from the door of the house.

In reply to GM (msg # 219):

I motion for guard to sneak inside with me, after mentioning that we might see something gruesome and to be prepared to fight.

Door is locked. You have one city guard and two house guards.

In reply to GM (msg # 221):

I say to all: "Don't let him touch you. A man in the street was thought dead after this lordling touched the man after the man interrupted his taking his prey. His hands hold deadly magic."

Then I propose we smash the door in while it is silenced, and motion for one of any of the guards, saying that I will pay for damages if all is well

Ok, you bust open the door and see a square open room with a living area, eating area, kitchen area, fireplace. There are stairs leading upstairs on one side of the room.

Based on your view of the outside of the house, it has a top story that is about half the size of the bottom floor which runs along the back of the building.

In reply to GM (msg # 224):

I motion for the others to stay put for a moment, strick my head out of the silence Z, listen for anything, then motion for the guards to silently follow suit