D&D 5E Thievery in Greenest!?

[Grayham]

Greetings all. I am a new..ish DM. A group of us have started the Hoard of the Dragon Queen campaign, and just completed episode one. The party is going to take a long rest in town before proceeding.

***SMALL SPOILER ALERT***

In the town of Greenest, in the aftermath of the bandit raids, the thief in our party expressed an interest in finding Governor Nighthill's home while the Governor and the rest of the town are preoccupied with the cleanup. He wanted to do a quick in and out job to see if there was anything left worth pilfering.

Now this theif has played EXCELLENTLY so far and I am inclined to allow him to do this. What Im needing some advice on from anyone who has/ is playing through Hoard of the Dragon Queen, what are the realistic chances of there being anything left in the Governors home after the raids?

Any advice would be outstanding, and much appreciated.

 

[Boarstorm]

It seems to me that abandoned rich manor houses would be a primary target of the bandits.

I doubt there would be much left. Maybe let him roll to see if he finds a minor trinket that rolled under a table in the confusion or some such.

 

[doctorhook]

Greetings all. I am a new..ish DM. A group of us have started the Hoard of the Dragon Queen campaign, and just completed episode one. The party is going to take a long rest in town before proceeding.

***SMALL SPOILER ALERT***

In the town of Greenest, in the aftermath of the bandit raids, the thief in our party expressed an interest in finding Governor Nighthill's home while the Governor and the rest of the town are preoccupied with the cleanup. He wanted to do a quick in and out job to see if there was anything left worth pilfering.

Now this theif has played EXCELLENTLY so far and I am inclined to allow him to do this. What Im needing some advice on from anyone who has/ is playing through Hoard of the Dragon Queen, what are the realistic chances of there being anything left in the Governors home after the raids?

Any advice would be outstanding, and much appreciated.

Well, certainly the cultists would have tried to pick the place clean, so it ought to be thoroughly ransacked. That said, an important guy like the Governor might have a hidden safe that the cultists didn't notice, but that an experienced burglar might. I say describe the room, and decide where the hidden safe is; if the player starts searching the spot where you've decided the safe is hidden, let him make a DC 10 Investigation check to find it. DC 15 Dexterity or DC 20 Strength check to open the safe, and if he manages to get inside, inside it's got 50cp, 25sp, 10 ep, and a silver bracelet set with ornamental crystals (an heirloom, worth 15gp). How's that?

 

[Grayham]

That sounds reasonably realistic given the situation in town. Thanks for the quick replied, you guys are great!

 

[jrowland]

As above, but its a great opportunity to include more hooks

Not only is his home ransacked and much of his wealth plundered, but a special trinket from his daughter/wife/friend etc is missing too. Sure he wants the money back, but he desperately wants that trinket back. He really could use the PCs help in recovering it.

There is a safe, looks like the cultists couldn't open it, but the thief probably can: Maybe there is some "dirt" on the politician, incriminating evidence like a letter from Rezmir. Maybe its not incriminating, but a letter nonetheless where Rezmir offers to spare peoples lives if Nighthill drops off the cities wealth. Maybe there is a note with a passphrase (the wine from Moonshaes will be good Next year) as well as the words "Little Calimsham Hookah House" - a reference to contacts in the thieves guild of Baldur's Gate.

Stuff like that.