1901 x 967

We were personally invited to his ball — an opportunity that we’ll use to find
evidence in his castle to incriminate him. At a certain point during the festivity,
we are invited to join him privately at his library. He’s heard of our past deeds and
is excited to listen first-hand to our tales. He lights up his pipe and joyfully says:
“I’m most keen to listen to how you killed the trolls in the woods. Please don’t let
any detail go by.”

We barely start our story, and someone knocks on the door. It’s a messenger
carrying a letter. Lord Romeve reads it carefully, and we see his buffoonish face
change to menace: “It says here you are spies trying to overthrow me. GUARDS!”

Nothing was happening, and then, all of a sudden, boom: we’re in big trouble.
We’re surprised, but prior to this surprise, it was an absolutely ordinary
encounter of no particular consequence.

Now, let us make this a suspenseful encounter:

As we head to the library, Dalia, an allied NPC that infiltrated the ball with us,
whispers to you: “Careful, I’ve just got news that we might have been
compromised; a messenger is on its way carrying a letter to inform Lord
Romeve.”

We sit with Lord Romeve by the library hearth amidst comfortable furniture and
luxurious art pieces we’re not used to seeing. The room is almost silent, isolating
us from the distant noise of the ball in the main hall. It doesn’t take long for
someone to knock on the door: “Come in,” Lord Romeve says. We’re startled for a
moment, wishing we had our weapons. “The wine, my Lord.” Phew.

We try to make the conversation as short as possible. A few moments go by, and
there’s another knock on the door: a messenger says he has a letter. Lord Romeve
immediately orders him to place it on his desk. The messenger tries to argue that
the sender said it was a pressing matter, but Lord Romeve tells him not to
interrupt and to do as he says. “Go on; I wanna hear about ’em damned trolls!”
The letter sits on his desk.

We push on with our tale. Not far into it, we see Lord Romeve looking at his desk
while we speak. He gets up. Walks toward his desk. Picks up the letter. Looks