When we left our 4 swashbuckling adventures in the Loire Valley, they were at the Chateau Heras having just has a bit of a one sided fight with two unknown adversaries, their subsequent search of the chateau to find the locked up servants resulted in them finding the wife of the current chateau owner, Baron Pompadour, it was assumed that Madam Pompadour had been murdered, turns out that was untrue and indeed it seems the Baron Himself is missing, assumed abducted.
Before we begin with the next scene, a quick reminded that I am using the oracle from Zathrum solo engine with elements from MUNE added to that, also I use an online random verb generator and other word generators where necessary to prompt me when I get a little stuck for what happen next. which, as this is my first attempt at Flashing blades solo or otherwise, is very much likely to happen.
Scene 5 - Some information is discovered
The PC's having found the Baroness are now aware of the Barons abduction and there is still a possible murder, I set up scene 5 by rolling on both the theme and the complication table in Zathrum 2.2, I get the following rolls
Theme - roll on d20 = 19, Discovery
Complication - roll on d 20 = 17, No Communication
I initially take that as something to do with the Baron himself, though I am at a loss as to what exactly.
Tempted though I am to roll further on some of the other tables Zathrum has to offer I decided to leave it there for now as there are some serious question to be asked of the Baroness Pompadour.
The Baroness is taken to the main room in the Chateau and when she comes around Dupont and the adventures carefully ask questions about the Barons apparent kidnap.
First, I as the oracle if everything is as it should be, Roll on d20 = 14, roll on d6 = 1, so that is a 'Yes'.
I ask the Oracle if Baroness Pompadour knows who the abductor is. Roll on d 20 = 20, roll on d 6 = 1, a straight 'Yes'
I decide to randomly roll to see who the Baroness thinks has abducted the Baron, a roll on d8 = 4 and that turns out to be the Touchy Shopkeeper who I have already decided to be the tavern owner.
I ask the Oracle if the Baroness knows why the Tavern owner would wish to murder the Baron, roll on d 20 = 11, d6 = 4, so a 'Yes (apparently)"
I generate two random verbs to give ne some clue as to why and get 'thaw' and 'admit'.
I ask the Oracle if the Baron owns the Tavern, roll d20= 1, roll d6 =6, so a 'No' and +1 intervention point (now +2 intervention).
I ask the Oracle if the bar tavern owner owes the Baron money, roll d20 = 3, roll d6 =1 so a straight 'No'.
I ask the Oracle if Baroness Pompadour has received any ransom demands, roll d20 = '9', roll d6 = '3' so we get a 'No (While)'
I roll on the Emotion table in Zanthum and roll on d20 = 4, thats 'fear'.
I try and make sense of all these die roll.
The Baroness tells Dupont and the PC's that her husband seemed fearful of the tavern owner, but whenever she brought the subject up with him he became very frosty towards her, saying it was nothing and she should not bother him with questions about the woman, then one day he thawed and admitted that he was sure the woman was out to kill him but she could not get anymore information out of him. She has certainly had 'No Communication' from anyone about a ransom, not yet anyway.
During this time the cook found and released the other staff who now have the two badly injured men from the courtyard tied up and under lock and key.
Artos is the first to remember that the Baroness was seen near an old signpost with a man who became aggressive when approached, he asks the Baroness about the incident
I ask the Oracle if Baroness Pompadour will tell us who the man was, roll on d20 = 10, roll on d6 =1, so a flat No.
I ask the Oracle if the Baroness admits she was there and rolld20 =1, d6=5 so a 'No (on the contrary)
The Baroness says she has never been out in the village alone, certainly not in the evening and she she knows nothing of an old signpost outside the village and she is certainly not in the habit of meeting men!
She suggests that rather than interrogate her the groups time would be better served questioning the tavern owner about her poor husbands kidnapping.
Dupont apologises and tells her they will indeed head back to the village and the tavern.
Elaine asks one final question before they depart, she says they heard a strange cry, a wail, coming from the direction of the Chateau earlier in the morning, does she have any idea what that might have been
I roll on the Oracle, roll d20 = 8, roll d6 =1, so a straight 'No'
Before they leave the chateau, the adventures go and say goodbye to the cook and also speak to the other staff.
I ask the Oracle if the staff know who locked them all up, roll d20 = 6, d6=2, so a 'No (in order to)'.
In order to find out more Guilaume threatens the two ruffians.
I ask the oracle if the two ruffians are able or willing to say more, roll d20 = 13, d 6 =4, so a 'Yes(but)
I ask the oracle if the two ruffians know who it was asked them to guard the chateau roll d 20 = 19, d 6 = 3 so a 'Yes (and)'
I ask the oracle if it was the tavern owner, roll d20=11, d6 = 4, so a 'Yes (apparently).
The two ruffians tell Guilaume that they were just paid to stop anyone entering or leaving the Chateau, and that they were approached by a lady who paid them to guard the place and that lady was, apparently, the lady who runs and owns the tavern.
Discovering that it seems the Baroness is correct in what she says about the tavern owner, Rosaline tells the staff to keep the ruffians here and to see to the Baroness and Dupont and the adventurers go back to the coach and head to the village and the tavern.
Scene 6 - the tavern revisited.
Dupont and the PC's swiftly arrive back at the tavern. I set up scene 6 by rolling on both the theme and the complication table in Zathrum 2.2, I get the following rolls
Theme - roll on d20 = 11, Escape or Pursue
Complication - roll on d20 = 3, Betrayal
I ask the Oracle if everything is as it should be at the tavern, roll d20 = 19, d6 =6 so Yes and + 1 intervention, thats the third intervention point, so we get an intervention.
Roll d6 on the MUNE intervention table and I get 4 advance plot.
As the PC's pull up outside the tavern a figure emerges from the tavern door, it is the tavern owner, she makes a run for it and the PC's give chase.
I am not sure how to handle chases but I decided a dexterity roll will work, if they roll under their dexterity then they have a chance of catching the woman, if she rolls under her dex (which is 10), she has a chance to get away.
The tavern owner dex 10 rolls 8 on d 20, so 2 under.
Guilaume dex 11, rolls 13 on d20, to slow to catch her
Rosalie dex 17 rolls 15 on d20, 2 under so she keeps up with the woman but not able to catch her yet.
Elaine dex 14, rolls 5 and Artos dex 15 rolls 4, both well under their rating, the both catch and hold the tavern owner.
The tavern owner struggles to get free but cannot, she is dragged back into the tavern and forced to sit down.
I ask the oracle if there is anyone else in the tavern, roll d20 = 15, d6 = 1 so a straight 'Yes'
I ask the oracle if it is locals in the bar, roll d20 = 6, d6 =2, so 'No(in order to)'
I as if the Baron is in the tavern, roll d20=10, d6= 2, so 'No (apparently)
I ask if its the woman's son, roll d20=1, No and as this is the third roll I ignore anything in the brackets.
I roll d8 on my list of NPC's to see who is in the tavern and get a 5, that the ;Sinful Hitman'.
The tavern has been cleared of its patrons, and it appears that the owners son and the PC's horses and cart have gone, as they push the landlady into a chair, they hear a cough at the bar, standing there is a stranger holding a pair of loaded pistols.
Elaine is the first to react, she takes her dagger and holds it to the throat of the landlady and tells the hitman to put down his pistols or the lady dies.
The hitman replies in a cold voice that the woman was going to die anyway and he fires both pistols at the landlady, one shot hits her in the left arm, the second shot misses.
Artos and Guilaume rush towards the hit man but before they get to him a loud shot rings out. Duponts coachman had entered the room unseen and fired his musket at the hitman, its a deadly shot to the head, the hitman falls, killed outright.
The landlady holding her wounded arm looks towards the dead hitman and says that he was trying to murder the Baron, her son has escaped with the Baron in the PC's cart, they are heading towards the next village and if the PC's hurry they will catch up with them on the road. She tells them the Baroness has betrayed her husband.
In part 7, I will round off the scenario and give a few thoughts on the game.
Reviewed by Wild Duck Models
on
September 08, 2021
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