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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Weiley31" data-source="post: 8393019" data-attributes="member: 7017196">Well, aside from the fact that I was somewhat half delirious from lack of a full nights' sleep due to the fact that I am a caretaker, it went reasonably well. I ONLY had the basics down, setting wise by thinking up a few details over the course of last week while I was doing my workshifts.Anywho the setting was the following: The world seems to focus upon a long stretching road known as "The King's Road" which pretty much crosses through all the territories of the world. Many kingdoms and nations have risen and fallen but the King's Road is the ONLY constant that remains. Currently a united series of Kingdoms and territories, which calls itself the Grand Duchy, is the current 'holder" towards the right of claim in enforcing the rules and trade involving this endless and long stretching path along with its effect on trade.  The story, of course, focused in upon a Tavern called "The Dancing Medley" where both the Ranger pc and the Warlock pc encountered each other.The Situation: Bandits have been getting a lot "bolder" lately and have been attacking/raiding a number of the Caravans that have been traveling upon the King's Road in different locations that seem to center around and a bit past the local landscape. The Ranger overheard this rumor and a rumor about how another village located further past has been finding its maiden being "abducted" by unknown forces, or perhaps, something within the night. Nobody knows but a number of people are heading out as fast as possible.Shortly after this small moment, a wounded merchant, with two arrows in his right shoulder blade comes through the door and explains how his caravan was the latest victims of the latest bandit raids. The Ranger removed the arrows and from there the scene continued on with more people coming through the door: First, a Marshal of the Grand Duchy, named Imoden, and his three guardsman came into the tavern and proceeded to situate themselves in the far corner of the establishment, watching everything. Then, a man, called Monstique, came in and boasted a claim to the whole tavern and its inhabitants: that Monstique himself, was an actual Ranger and for the low low price of being paid HALF of the earned wages from the townsfolk, he would solve the bandit problem.Now, it turns out that Monstique isn't an actual Ranger, but a con man who basically made a deal with the Barkeep to split the profits if they assisted each other on the con. Monstique would start asking the barkeep what Rangers are known for, in order to prove to the disbelieving crowd his claims were true. The Barkeep said that Rangers can supposedly talk to the animal of the land and are known for a Fighting Style that appeared to be a whirl of blades when they engaged in combat. Monstique "summoned" a Dove, which flew and landed on his shoulder, and then did a Two Weapon Fighting Style attack against an apple, thrown by the Barkeep, to cut it into pieces.The Ranger PC, in response to both moments countered by calling his Animal Companion, a Black Panther named Bagheera Khajiit, to come through the open window that the Dove came through earlier, and then demonstrated a much more masterful display of Two Weapon Fighting by having Monstique throw the Apple Seeds of the previously sliced apple, at said Ranger. Needless to say, the Apple Seeds were sliced into fine flecks. Shortly after, the Ranger pc made an attack roll and sliced Monstique's belt off, causing the fraud's trouser's to fall down. The poor guy kept falling/stumbling/proned as he ran out of the bar as the entire thing had blown up in Monstique's face.While all this was happening, the Warlock PC, with the crowd and Barkeep completely distracted by all this, snuck into a back room where he found a letter detailing the Barkeep and Montisque "partnership" in this con.  Prior to this, the Warlock saved a drunkard from wasting his money on buying imitation Silk from another con man who was trying to take advantage of said drunkard and steal his drinking money.  Since the Warlock is a sage, he could easily tell the difference between the actual silk and imitation. Also the one Elven tavern wench kept on serving him free drinks as he apparently caught her eye or something.Anywho, back to the discovery of the letter: The Warlock PC and the Ranger PC, after having met each other during the moments BEFORE the wounded merchant and Monstique's appearance, discussed the letter. The Ranger, noticed a strange watermark on the letter, and the Warlock, upon investigating it as the Ranger failed the check, to learn what it was by 1 point off (14 outta a 15 DC) saw an embedded spell. The watermark turned out to be "Draven Ink" which is basically the *Thieves Cant of the Arcane basically and contained the Cantrip "Thaumaturgy" which the Warlock gained/absorbed into his Tome of Shadows thanks to his Ancient Tome of Secrets invocation. Editor's Note: disclaimer at the end of post.Now, after the Ranger and Warlock interrogated Monstique, and learning he WASN'T part of the bandit attacks, knocked him out and left him outside, where a stray dog proceed to sniff and urinate on him. Also the Ranger spoke to the Dove and allowed it to sit on his shoulder. Our duo returned to the tavern to confront the Barkeep and were met by one of Marshal Imoden's guardsman, who then proceeded to request the Ranger and his friend meet up at the Marshal's table to discuss business. "Please don't keep him waiting" the guardsman says to the pcs before heading back in.The Ranger and Warlock, however, resolve the situation with the Barkeep. In exchange for the pcs for keeping silent on his involvement with Monstique's con, the Barkeep would keep his ears down on the ground for any rumors that the duo may find interesting or of importance.  Should any news happen, the Dove, that the Ranger recruited after the whole Monstique incident, will deliver a letter or message sent out from the Barkeep to the pcs or vice versa. so now the Dove is an employee of the Dancing Medley basically.  The Barkeep then gave a free round of his rare, and finest ale to the PCs. "I only bring this out for the most privileged of patrons." The they accepted and the Warlock even asked for a round of it to be delivered to Marshal Imoden's table. To which the Barkeep obliged.  He also told the Warlock to keep the Thaumaturgy cantrip as a continued show of his "thanks" for the pcs silence.The Warlock then sat at his own table and continued hitting on the Elven Tavern wench while while the Ranger discussed business with the marshal. Imoden explains that the recent bandit incursions are starting to become a problem on his end and with it, the increase of paperwork that has to be done. And lets be clear, Marshal Imoden hates paperwork as he has to deal with an ungodly amount as a Marshal of the Grand Duchy. But somebody has to do it.  The business transactions went as usual: You guys investigate and report the findings, keep this matter of the utmost secrecy to ensure the bandits don't get a drop on the investigations, money, and "free" passage through the Grand Duchy's border patrol routes on the King's Road as its explained that those who travel on the it must pay the Grand Duchy tithes/tax money for its use.  The Ranger pc asks for funding to continue his travels/complete his goals and the Warlock pc wants to travel the King's Road to find/learn/study the magical arts and make new discoveries.  Also the Ranger wants Barding for his Black Panther.  Which Imoden, despite a remark, agreed too, but it would take three days for its construction.Imoden then proceeds to stamp the agreement made and per the Ranger's request for the use of steeds, loans out two horses straight from the Grand Duchy's fabled "Halls of Equestrian Horses." The horses, if loaned out, are bred to be loyal to their riders UNTIL commanded otherwise or the stated terms of the transactions are completed.It is at this point that night falls: The Ranger and his Panther sleeps outside, against the trees, under the stars while the Warlock passed a Persuasion( DC 20 check: he rolled an 18 and has a CHA score of 18) to spend the night with the Elven tavern wench he's been hitting on throughout this whole session. The scene was blacked out but the Barkeep had to smack the  portion of the ceiling above with a broom a couple of times.The session pretty much began to wind down and end there. The pc's briefly went to the first investigation site the next day and we packed up.Overall, it was great and everybody enjoyed it and had fun.  This was the first time ever the Ranger player has played DND and was the 2nd the Warlock player has played it.  Everybody scored two points of Inspiration each (I allow players to store up to three "points" of Inspiration").I guess the "only" issue we encountered was the Warlock pc "handing out gold" like he was a Drow version of Rockafella: He "gave" 500 gp to the Barkeep as collateral and then paid another large sum for info gathering on Marshal Imoden by having a pretty face strike up a convo with one of the guardsman.  As DM, I'll admit I "allowed" it this time but there was a bit of a discussion about itBut boy oh boy did I get a lot of "potential" character rp stuff for the Warlock: he started coming up with terms, outta the blue, like the "Draven Ink," the "Dark Brotherhood," the Library of Thaumaturgy" and the "Arcane Society" which I rolled with the punches and established it was a Academic Institution which dedicated itself to collecting/cataloguing/researching all things Arcane and Magicka. the Warlock is an accepted member of the Arcane Society and its brotherhood during a flashback sequence.Speaking of which, I had both the Ranger pc and the Warlock pc, after a certain in the session, roll a History check. It's a low DC of 5, but upon succeeding the check, both the Ranger and Warlock had a flashback sequence of events in their backgrounds. The Ranger remembered a time when he was practicing the Ranger Two Weapon Fighting style while having a discussion with his mentor, who details/race will get revealed in the next session, and the Warlock remembered the time when he was accepted into the Arcane Society and his request for being allowed Autonomy with his studies/discoveries and their crediting. Reluctantly, they agreed to his request and the field he was studying (the dark magical arts and so forth).All in all, I tried to make sure both characters had their moments to shine while also trying to show the Warlock player what DND can be about and how to roleplay.The highlight of the night was afterwards, when the Warlock player said "Hey, can we make this a reoccurring weekend thing?"Editor's Note: I already explained to the Warlock pc the Cantrip thing was just a one time thing and that for future reference, the Ancient Tome of Secrets invocation will only do ritual spells: The Thaumaturgy  Cantrip was only given because during character creation, I forgot to show the Warlock player the Cleric cantrips list during the session zero character creation and accidently told him Thaumaturgy and Presdigitation did the same thing.Also there was a Wakanda forever joke when I asked the Ranger pc what color his Panther was. And the  first Nat 20 of the game came as a result of a joke if the Warlock was staring at the drop dead sexiness of the Ranger's butt. The Warlock player fully went in on grabbing the D20 and was making a Perception check. We were all laughing hard when the Nat 20 on that happened. So the Warlock staring at Ranger butts is canon............................................................................DM eye twitches.</blockquote>

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