Subject: To Uphold the Law

From: "Ward Narhi"

System: Elric!


		       ** TO UPHOLD THE LAW **

GM: This encounter can be inserted anywhere in a campaign, just to add
an element of realism and roleplaying to an evening. I suggest the
backwoods of Ilmiora or Shazaar. It is best with one character,
preferably a knight or some other PC who sees himself as noble.
Although best with one character, two or three may do as well. The
village it is set in is called Tyuleg.

THE MAIN CHARACTERS

Girope Werner: a mean son of a gun. Girope was born in Tyuleg but left
when he was 13. He travelled quite a bit and made a small fortune due
to his resourcefulness and gumption. At age 32, he returned to the
village of his youth to raise cattle and has a flock of 32. The
villagers hate him and he returns that hate. He is the orniest jerk
the PC will ever meet. He swears constantly, is condescending, has no
respect for anyone, is demanding, is ungrateful and loves to insult
and demean people. The GM should play this character to the hilt. The
mission of the GM is for the player to completely loath Girope. Some
favorite phrases are listed, but not limited by, the ones below:

	"you are all just jealous of me"
	"lazy, no good jerks"
	"good for nothing bums"
	"bugger the lot of ye"
	"you pansy-wansy"
	"scheming ingrates"
	any swear word

	(and a host of others-be imaginative and as nasty and personal
	as possible)

Rufus Alsop: Girope's hired hand is a little touched in the head. He
is a hard worker, but only understands simple instructions. Girope is
very mean to him, but at least gave him a job when nobody else would.
Rufus is too dumb to be bothered by Girope's insults.

Other notables in the town are a miller, innkeep, blackmith, and a
storekeep. All are fairly nice people but they have varying levels of
antipathy for Girope. Of course there are farms all around the area.

THE INTRODUCTION

The character is riding along on a journey and comes across a small
hommlet called Tyuleg. A ramshackle inn is at the center of town,
beckoning for the weary traveller to stop and rest. Inside, a few
farmers have finished their work and are relaxing with a few ales.
There is no place to stay here but the innkeeper may offer to let them
sleep inside the bar if the party is nice about it. If not, they can
sleep in the stable outside. Have the player carouse with some of the
locals. They are a friendly bunch and will want to hear stories from
the PC.

This fun is interrupted by the entrance of Girope. He is a large male
in his 40s with unkempt brown hair and a rather heavyset frame. Girope
slams the door open and goes up the bar:

	Girope: "Gimme a beer.."

The barkeep nervously goes to the tap and starts pouring him a beer.

	Girope: "Do I have to wait all damn day, you lousy idiot?"

The barkeep finishes and gives him the beer which Girope immediately
quaffs.

	Girope: "This swill makes me ill. Can't get a decent beer in
	this town. Lousy bunch of thieves too, I tell you."

Girope glares around the tavern and screeches out, "Someone stole two
of my cows and I know it was some stinking local. You just keep quiet
for each other since you are all buggering each other."

Girope goes on for quite some time before he notices the PC. He then
will ask who they are and try and get them involved. There is no
sheriff in the town and it is four day's ride to the nearest city.
Girope will try and coerce the PC into investigating for him. If the
PC is a knight, Girope will tell him it is his duty to uphold the law.
Even during this he will be insulting and a mean cuss. But, if the PCs
balk, he will use other means to try and get help.

THE INVESTIGATION

Remember that whenever Girope is talking, it is loud, obnoxious and
replete with insults and expletives. Remeber all of this is according
to Girope.

Girope will relate that he woke up this morning and went out to check
on the cattle with Rufus. Rufus was already out there making sure the
cattle had feed. Girope happened to count and notice that two were
missing. Rufus can't count, so never knew. Girope then visited two
roads around his lands to see if he could find them but was
unsuccessful. Frustrated, he went to town to vent.

Girope suspects everyone. First he suspects the miller who charges him
an exhorbitant price for grain. Girope says the miller hates him as
sometimes he has grain shipped in just to irritate the miller and
undercut his price.  Girope feels that the miller is hiding the cattle
somewhere.

He also suspects the blackmith who always was jealous of Girope's
wealth and would just love to see him Girope suffer.

Girope also knows that the storekeep's wife is hot for him and his
money so he suspects the storekeep of stealing the cattle in order to
impoverish Girope.

Obviously, Girope is just casting accusations right, left, and center,
and has no real leads.

Questioning Rufus proves quite futile in that he knows nothing of any 
interest.

If the PC has TRACK ability, he can explore the ranch area and if the
roll is made, can discover where he believes the steer left the ranch.
They seemed to head northwest. The tracks get lost on a road though.

If the PCs question the townspeople they will get slightly different
stories on Girope as detailed below.

The Miller (Vargal Rintosh): Does not like Girope at all. Thinks he is
a rich bastard that would be better off dead and hopes the cattle are
never found. He is innocent of any wrongdoing.

The Blacksmith (Skiju Kanbitter): Grew up with Girope and thinks he is
ornery but a fair man. A FAST TALK roll will reveal the Blacksmith
grew up with Girope and was friends a long time ago. He wishes he had
joined him and made his fortune like Girope did.

The Storekeep (Utbar Kopr): Greatly dislikes Girope and raises his
prices for him as much as possible. His wife has no interest in Girope
whatsoever but is a kind person and Girope interprets that as
interest.

Various Farmers: Don't know anything. At one nearby farm an IDEA roll
will reveal that the man of the house seems to be absent and the wife
will quickly explain he went to the city for supplies.

Girope will harangue the PC endlessly and make his life miserable even
as the PC tries to help him. He will call him many names and
eventually give up on him and go back to the inn to drink and fume and
wait to see if the criminals are found.

When the PC gets back on the road and continues on his way, after a
day he will come across two peasants leading two steer. They are the
stolen steer and the peasants will of course give up. But, they say
Girope deserved it and their families are hungry and need the money
the steer will provide them. It has not been a good harvest lately.
They are exagerating to save their hides as they know it is death by
hanging to steal cattle. They are simple farmfolk whose greed just got
the better of them.

THE FINALE

The PC is faced with a dilemma. Does he uphold the law, even though he
despises Girope and may like the peasants? Or, does he stay true to
the law and return the cattle to Girope and bring the men to justice
(as Girope will demand and will be gravely incensed if this does not
occur)?

If brought to justice the outcome is not a happy one as the two
peasants will be hanged.

The true story behind Girope is simple. He made a fortune in his youth
and decided to bring it back to his home town. There he settled down
to raise cattle. But he did not count on the resentment of his fellow
villagers although it was easy for them since he is an obstreperous
man. Most envied him his riches and his gumption to make something of
himself. He tried to give back to the town in his own way by raising
cattle there. His presence enriches the miller, blacksmith, and
storekeep greatly although they still dislike him and he returns the
favor. Girope sees the villagers as a bunch of ingrates.

If the PC decides to attempt ORATORY, he can try two things. One, he
may try and convince the villagers

                  
Back to Eternal Index