Making the Thief Talk

[Primitive Screwhead]

I don't think my PCs have any of those skills.

Seriously.

Use Stalker0's Obsideon Skill Challenge system. Seriously. His rules work very well with the 4e's relatively minor spread between trained and untrained. Just make to lead in with a chat with the players that creative use of the skills, preferably building on each others actions, can indeed carry the day.

As others mentioned above, there are a number of reasons why the skilled thief would be willing to start answering questions. If he is that good, its a simple, albiet annoying, option to start over in a new town.

I would recommend playing up the option to expand the event oustide of the interogation.. having the PC's need to research the local guild to get enough information to frame someone else. Or take out whomever the Thief is scared of... something the thief may attempt to encourage as long as the idea/action cannot be traced back to him.

 

[SiderisAnon]

Don't you ever watch cop shows?

"Squeely, we know you don't want to talk because you're afraid of reprisals. So, here's how it's going to go: You tell us everything and we make it look like someone else told us or we figure ou through magic. If you don't tell us everything you know, then we're going to make it real clear to anyone and everyone that it was YOU who gave us the information."