Yesterday I was running my game and we’re once again going off into unprepared territory. We’re approaching a small town called Corkbridge in the Outlands (Planescape), halfling apple farmers, the party is looking for a healer and so there’s this hedge wizard halfling, they knock at her door, and I’m trying to think of something surprising to say. So... uhhh... “She has tears in her eyes as she opens the door but wipes them away as looks at you and asks how she can help you.”
The players are surprised! Good. OK, they’ll probably want to help, so how about something even more surprising... uh, she doesn’t want our help! “A personal thing, family. Nothing you can do but thank you for offering to help.”
The players are intrigued. Good! They decide to invite her to the inn and gain her confidence over a drink to two, and so she goes with them and tells her the sad story of her brother and his failing marriage, his wife always going off and him being angry and sad and alone, and jealous. The players nod and look at each other. Nothing to do here, they agree.
The wizard leaves and the innkeeper shows them their room. On a whim, he says: “So, she told you about her brother, eh? Married an adventurer he did. And she’s always off, can’t just stay and work the orchards, always chasing after some rumors, looking for treasure and all that.” The players nod and grin and remember a former halfling player character. He continues, “So how’s your love life? Anybody waiting for you at home, hoping you’ll come back, hoping that this time you’ll stay?” And he goes around the table, asking the player characters.
Too busy studying books and magic, says one. I’m a frog man and we don’t really do relationships, you know, says the other. One day I’ll retire to Monkey Island and there will be other giant apes like me and I’ll find myself a woman and settle down, says the third. I loved it.
#RPG