One dark lantern, three explanations and something to check
Prepare a market with a closed archway and an unlit lantern. Three people offer different versions; each points to something the party can check. Your players choose whom to hear and what to investigate. Adapt the scene below to your table: it is original editorial material, not an adventure included in DMGrid.
DMGrid supports formatted session notes with preview, location information and a campaign archive. You can organise preparation there; the application does not decide which rumour is true or direct the party’s choices.
What the GM knows
In our fiction, a loose stone fell beside the arch this morning. The mason closed the passage for repairs and removed the lantern because its bracket was cracked. Nothing was stolen. The party arrives before the market ends. These facts belong to this scenario, not official rules.
Three conversations are available:
| Person and desire | Their version | Open check |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit seller wants customers back | “Thieves put out the lantern” | Ask whether she saw anyone remove it |
| Boatman wants to sell a crossing | “The lantern was a river signal” | Ask where that explanation came from |
| Apprentice is looking for the mason | “They closed it after a stone fell” | Inspect the notice and debris from a safe area |
Nobody needs to be a villain. The seller inferred theft from the empty bracket; the boatman repeats a convenient story; the apprentice saw the stone fall. Their motives create conversation without forcing an accusation.
Three paths that need not use the same roll
If the party asks the seller, she admits she saw no supposed thief and points to where she found the dismantled lantern. If they seek the boatman, he can name who told him the story but provide no witness. If they find the mason, she explains the closure and offers waiting or going around the market.
These are prepared answers for this fiction. Decide at your table when asking is enough, what is obvious and when a check fits your rules. Do not require one successful roll to obtain every piece of information or invent a DMGrid mechanic to resolve it.
The party can investigate, take the detour or leave. If they leave, repairs continue; the market need not become combat. If they propose another solution, record what actually happens in your session.
Save preparation, then the outcome
Separate “prepared facts”, “versions offered” and “what the party did” in your notes. Keep only unresolved matters pending. This outline is a suggested text organisation, not automatic fields or app sharing permissions.
DMGrid is a Windows desktop beta for local campaign use. Consult the presentation and terms and primary reference before buying. The cover imagines the market; it shows neither a played session nor a product screenshot.