Interrogating Captives: Reaction Roll
by Anarion_ElendiliThe issue came up in one of the solo-play Youtube channels, so I whipped up this kind of a quick mechanism.
REACTION ROLL FOR INTERROGATION
Modifiers:
Charisma Modifier
7-Morale (so Morale 8 = -1 modifier)
Loyalty to its fellows: -4 (its own children, supernatural fear/fanaticism of the leader) to +4 (was enslaved by the other monsters and thinks the PCs would win)
Select a method:
Torture or Bribery.
Note that you can go from Bribery to Torture but not vice versa, so you generally would like to start with Bribery.
Bribery:
1st offer: The minimum bid is for the creature to keep its life, even if it is going to be enslaved. Generally, the opening offer is for it to be released once the fighting is done.
2nd offer: Typically keeping its own belongings, too. Also, if it has a family, demands of promises that they will be spared, too, which could get rid of the Loyalty penalty.
3rd offer: As above, and whatever else the adventurers leave behind.
4th offer: Reward, such as half a share of all the loot in the lair.
Each round of Bribery takes about 1 minute.
Torture:
1st offer: Threats. "Tell us what we want to know or there will be pain. Lots of pain." (OK for all.)
2nd offer: Beating up. (Starting to get iffy for Lawful.)
3rd offer: Cutting bits off. (Starting to get iffy for Neutral.)
4th offer: Torturing to near-death; unlikely to survive for long. (Definitely out of bounds for Lawful and likely for Neutral, too.)
Downside of Torture:
On a refusal to cooperate (other than the roll of 2), they will lie to make the pain stop. This also includes the Leave result, when Torture is applied.
Also, Torture takes more time. Threats and descriptions of the nasty things that will happen is quite quick, 1 minute, but the rest of them need about 10min per 'offer' to maximize the pain. The 'heroes' can lower this to 1 min by skipping the beating up and going straight to just cutting off ears and fingers, but it still counts just as one upping of the offer in that case.
Combining Bribery and Torture:
If the PCs do not wish to promise more, they can switch to the Torture method, starting from the same level (switching the method is 'upping the offer'): so they'd go from Bribery 2nd offer to beating the captive up (Torture 2nd offer). This is assuming that the original bribery offer still stands; otherwise they need to do a more severe level of Torture.
Roll from the Reaction Table, with the modifiers (use the modifiers for each new roll, too, not just the first one), and follow the results:
Immediate Attack = Total refusal to cooperate in any way, regardless of Bribery or Torture. (Also on a nat 2.)
Attack = Refuse to cooperate. If Tortured, lies to make the pain stop.
Uncertain/Negotiate = Need to up the offer before the next roll.
Leave = If Bribery, up the offer for cooperation, otherwise refuse to cooperate. If Tortured, lies to make the pain stop.
Friendly = Agree to cooperate.
Immediately Friendly = Cooperates straight away; could be cowardice, fatalism, hatred of other monsters, etc. (Also on a nat 12.)
Reaction Table written out.
Roll Reaction
2 Immediate refusal (note, natural 2 would give this result, too). Not budging, no matter what is done, even if tortured.
3-5 Reluctance, need to up the offer. Roll again *.
* 2-8 Refuse to cooperate.
* 9-12 Softening up, need to up the offer. Roll again * * .
* * 2-5 Refuse to cooperate.
* * 6-8 Uncertain. Bribery: Need to up the offer to cooperate, otherwise Refuse as above. Torture: Lies.
* * 9-12 Agree to cooperate.
6-8 Uncertain, need to up the offer. Roll again *.
* 2-5 Refuse to cooperate.
* 6-8 Softening up, need to up the offer. Roll again * * .
* * 2-5 Refuse to cooperate.
* * 6-8 Uncertain. Bribery: Need to up the offer to cooperate, otherwise Refuse as above. Torture: Lies.
* * 9-12 Agree to cooperate.
* 9-12 Agree to cooperate
9-11 Cooperative, but needs more convincing, up the offer. Roll again *.
* 2-5 Softening up, need to up the offer. Roll again * *.
* * 2-5 Refuse to cooperate.
* * 6-8 Uncertain. Bribery: Need to up the offer to cooperate, otherwise Refuse as above. Torture: Lies.
* * 9-12 Agree to cooperate.
* 6-12 Agree to cooperate
12 Immediate cooperation (note, natural 12 would give this result, too).