Derek is very much a free agent. Remember, he withstood the naga's charm *and*, more importantly, has fooled the naga and every single one of her followers into believing he's one of them.
So, he's not going to break under any interrogation the PC's can throw at him. He'll tell them what they want to hear.
In my game, Derek ratted out the cult after all the leadership in Orlane was taken out. He was used by the head priest of the temple to try to force the PC's into a moral dilemma (let me go and this girl won't get eaten by this ravenous crocodile). However, it didn't work out and Derek fled the situation which revealed he was not really charmed.
Fearing that the naga would exact revenge on him, he secretly approached one of the party members and suggested he would lead them to the naga's lair so they could kill it.
In your case, Derek has a few options:
1. He can claim to know nothing about the cult. He's simply a thief trying to make a few coins at the PC's expense. Now that he's caught, he'll do everything he can to help them.
2. He says Bertram is the head of a gang that robs customers and he's an unwilling accomplice.
3. He can claim he's heard there's a cult operating in the area and he was afraid the PC's were part of the cult. It's all one big misunderstanding.
4. The entire town is taken over by cultists and it's headed by the Mayor.
5. There is a cult and it's HQ is in the basement of the burnt out Golden Grain Inn. <You could combine this with #3. And, if he has time, he could arrange for an ambush in that basement>
Honestly, there are a million lies and half truths Derek could tell that could get the heat off of him. Always remember his two priorities are:
1. Staying alive
2. Keeping all of his loot (including what's in his room)
I hope this helps!
So, he's not going to break under any interrogation the PC's can throw at him. He'll tell them what they want to hear.
In my game, Derek ratted out the cult after all the leadership in Orlane was taken out. He was used by the head priest of the temple to try to force the PC's into a moral dilemma (let me go and this girl won't get eaten by this ravenous crocodile). However, it didn't work out and Derek fled the situation which revealed he was not really charmed.
Fearing that the naga would exact revenge on him, he secretly approached one of the party members and suggested he would lead them to the naga's lair so they could kill it.
In your case, Derek has a few options:
1. He can claim to know nothing about the cult. He's simply a thief trying to make a few coins at the PC's expense. Now that he's caught, he'll do everything he can to help them.
2. He says Bertram is the head of a gang that robs customers and he's an unwilling accomplice.
3. He can claim he's heard there's a cult operating in the area and he was afraid the PC's were part of the cult. It's all one big misunderstanding.
4. The entire town is taken over by cultists and it's headed by the Mayor.
5. There is a cult and it's HQ is in the basement of the burnt out Golden Grain Inn. <You could combine this with #3. And, if he has time, he could arrange for an ambush in that basement>
Honestly, there are a million lies and half truths Derek could tell that could get the heat off of him. Always remember his two priorities are:
1. Staying alive
2. Keeping all of his loot (including what's in his room)
I hope this helps!
