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Message: <blockquote data-quote="al_fredo" data-source="post: 6491038" data-attributes="member: 81597">Begining Always on TimeSo we had 2 or so sessions of them just spit balling on cover stories. Kind of awesome. Ok...so the hated Saxby is out, and their man Delft is in charge. Nice. On a ship (and not the PCs, since they don't have one yet!!) Delft briefs them and are psyched for the undercover mission. Rouge and Wizard will mask as eccentric antique dealers. The rouge wants to wear her leather under other garments and hide her weapons on her. I allowed it, but will call for a check if someone is scrutinizing her.Our Cleric is going with streetclothes and posing as a noblewoman with our fighter going as a bodyguard. The initial plan was that they would travel in pairs, assumed no know each other. I told them that their first class tick is a shared suite....they are decided on whether they will keep that or split up (not sure how I'll handle!). There are no first class stand alone seats! DM stuff:On to the skill challenge. I have a party of 4. I did not tell them how many successes they needed. I made sure not to suggest courses of action (I wanted to hear it from them).  I know the players want to use their best skills...but sometimes, they'd describe what they want to do...and I'd say "OK, roll me a Bluff check"...and they'd say "But I suck at Bluff, I don't want to roll". Me: "But you said you wanted to lie to people in your office - that's Bluff! Roll please!" I didn't give them prompts on anything, but once they got close I'd say as Delft what he could possible suggest.  Here are the results:Secrecy: First check out the gate, the cleric nails the 'find the spies' check', making other checks DC19. They hit the five in a row fake paperwork, cover their tracks....so they get to 8 no problem. At 7 (full success), I said that they feel good about their work in secrecy (but didn't tell them if that meant partial or full success). They wanted to get another success to be sure. Covers: They only managed 6 here, so partial success. 2 Bluffs were not a problem, but they struggle on what else they could do. They didn't think Diplomacy or Insight (Legally obtaining visa and rehearsing covers) until very late. Here is an example of me NOT telling them what is available. I needed to hear it from them.  "Finishing Touches" is all encompassing...but I needed to hear a good reason. The wizard wanted to become more knowledge about antiques for his cover, so that was a good History check for him. He did it again for Arcana. Contingencies: They blew it out of the park on this one. They came up with all of this on there own. the one they didn't think of was a supply cache. Anyway: In Vendricce: Teleporation circle set up. Allies at the Docks AND in the enclave. In Sid Minos: Teleportation set up. In Nalaam: Allies in the Enclave3 Allied Passengers sitting in coach. RHC agent posing as security detail on the train (will probably use current minor NPC as RHC agent)And, in studying the plans of the train - I gave the party +2 initiative for encounters that start there. HOLY CRAP, they blew this one out of the water. I might have to amp the difficulty up because they have a lot of help with them! I think they were smart to back load the help...no doubt the contingencies in Vendricce will come into play. I have to figure out a way for them to pay the 500gp/person, though. No ship battle, since secrecy was a complete success. Just as well...seemed a bit superfluous. I may have privateers stop them anyway, just for a roleplaying encounter, but no combat.  Would be a good test to how they handle their covers. Good stuff!</blockquote>

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