Castle Caldwell Explorers 5.6

For the first part of this saga, click here.

I asked some folks I like and trust about how to play Ældlin against Clifton and this other Baron with the leverage he now has. I've thought about it a lot.

First things first: how does he get control of Sylvia (the most valuable bargaining chip) from the several player-characters? This is tricky because three of the other five players are my family members. I don't want to use my status as "dad" to force better outcomes than I would otherwise get. So let's go through the list of PCs. 

Vuvier (Julie), the thief. Vuvier values treasure and animals.  To him, I will offer a replacement for his beloved frog and whatever other animal we agree on. Vuvier is a gnome and an earnest animal lover so training a service or companion animal for him is no problem for Ældlin.

     UPDATE: Julie says that it just wouldn't be the same Jane the Toad.  Vuvier is interested, however. Negotiations were fruitful, but inconclusive.  Waiting for a counter-offer.

      UPDATE II: Julie says Vuvier is interested in interviewing Sylvia to get a sense of what she wants. But he will back Ældlin in his negotiations.  She will have Vuvier accept a rare normal or dire animal as a trained and loyal pet in lieu of any money or other goods or services.  Druids can do that!

Thane (Julie), the wizard. Thane seeks romance and companionship. He will have his eye on Sylvia as a potential wife. Ældlin will befriend Thane on the pretense of their shared interest in animals (Thane keeps a toad familiar) and magic. Ældlin will promise to do his best to keep Sylvia from this other Baron so that Thane might have the chance to woo her. If that works out, then he has Thane in his pocket indefinitely, a great asset. If Thane cannot woo Sylvia, that's on Thane and not Ældlin.

     UPDATE: Julie says Thane isn't interested in Sylvia for the sake of romance, but rather to keep her out of the arranged marriage. Thane also bears a grudge against Lord Clifton for double-crossing his new friends and is ashamed of being one of Clifton's patsies.  I asked Julie what Thane wants out of life, and she doesn't yet know.

     In the mean time, Thane is okay with Ældlin negotiating Sylvia's release unilaterally, but he will ask for a favor in the future.  The one most valuable thing Æ could offer Thane is land for his Wizard's tower, but there's no way I'll allow that without additional serious favors.  Land is the only wealth anyone really has, and that's doubly true for a Druid.

Faelin (Simone), the girl ranger. I don't know. I don't know her motives or her character. I may be able to convince her that it is in her interest to keep the wild lands away from civilizing forces. If she needs more, I will offer her the right to hunt in Æ's forest - an agreement he cannot honor for long.

Everaxe (Nathaniel), the dWARf war Cleric guy. Everaxe wants to kill monsters and protect his friends.  He's a "short Klingon" kind of a guy. Good deeds and bloodshed, etc. What can I offer him? Aha!  I will offer to replace his plate armor at my expense as soon as possible.  400 GP well spent.

     UPDATE: Nate reports to me that he was influenced more by Ældlin's actions after the ooze struck than the circumstances under which we encountered it. Everaxe does not hold it against Æ.  Still, I said Ældlin feels responsible for Everaxe's armor and has pledged to replace it. Nate says Everaxe is not interested in what happens to Sylvia after her rescue and so he will back Ældlin as the negotiator.

     In order to soften Clifton in the coming negotiation, Ældlin will appeal to the Lord on the basis of their ongoing acquaintance to lend Æ 400 gold with which to buy the armor. In exchange, Æ will "foolishly" suggest terms of 100% interest or Ældlin's monetary share of the treasure. If Clifton believes there is money coming, he may come to more favorable terms.

Ronin (Ethan), human fighting-man.  Ethan is a power gamer without portfolio I think, but he's getting into the spirit of playing a frontline fighter.  If I was playing Yaspar, I would simply promise him a chance to hamstring Clifton, to keep him weak, in service of his goal of raising and army and taking the castle for himself.  But Ældlin doesn't know about any of that.  Instead, I will offer him my choice of permanent magic items the next time one comes up that both of us could conceivably use, on the condition that he doesn't interfere with my meddling.  That's actually a really good deal for him but again, Ældlin has no idea about what's come before. Æ asking Ronin about it would feel game-y to me.

Which leaves Meira the half-elf fighting-woman (AJ).  I know AJ's style from the many years we have played together.  Her goal is to amass as much wealth and fighting capability as possible.  She and Ældlin are both half-elves, which is a rare race as far as mainline fantasy races go.  At least theoretically.  So I play upon our shared heritage as half-breeds, and intimate that tribal solidarity should prevail.  I also offer her my share of any loot not already promised to Everaxe or Ronin.  In reality, this should be about nil, but it's the thought that counts, isn't it? 

     If this doesn't work, I will confess my romantic love for her and suggest that it would be nice for us to have children together who look like us.  Again, tribalism.

     UPDATE: So I asked my wife, "What is Meira's goal?  What does she plan to do?"  AJ told me that the human side of Meira's family had farmed a particular hide for generations, but the land was failing.  The stream that fed the fields was silted up and the crops were not going to be enough to feed them.  She was looking to earn enough money to buy land, buy their free status and to move them to her land.

     What an incredible stroke of luck!!

     "You know," I said, "Meira knows a Druid now.  And Druids can heal the land."  It hadn't dawned on her.  I said, "He'll help heal your family's land."

     "I suppose you'll want my first-born as payment," she said, glumly.

     I pretended to think for a second and said, "You know what Meira could do?  Ældlin wants to be the one to negotiate Sylvia's release.  Meira could promise to back Ældlin in the negotiation, and not to meddle."  She agreed and implied she would be willing to do more.  I'll pocket that and come back to it if the need arises.

     But then AJ was worried that I would renege if the results of the negotiation were unfavorable. I promised her that Ældlin would help her family even if things went really bad.  It's something Ældlin is inclined to do anyway.

Next: What will his opening offer to Clifton be?