Quote Originally Posted by Mordar View Post
I admit I don't have the benefit (?) of having been involved with these tales of woe before, but there is no part of this issue I don't lie at the feet of the players.
Again, we're only getting the GM's perspective here. That's not enough to lay blame anywhere.

A literal child knows if you call the police for help you need to tell them why you need help. And the police, like the Fae (reportedly, I capitulate) ask the questions is a very direct and simple fashion to elicit the answer that is most important. "You want me to come and arrest (beat up) these people you say are bad. What bad things are they doing?". Child says never mind, cops don't roll. Heck, take police out of the issue and use plumbers. "You want me to come to your house to plumb? What is the problem you are experiencing?".
What if these kids in the past have called the police for help, the police showed up and asked them what seemed like a harmless question, and then when the kids answered it they got in trouble and the police arrested them? They might go to the police for help again if they had no other choice, but you can bet they would be unlikely to answer any question they thought might be another trap.

That's the vibe I'm getting from the whole incident. The players didn't give a straight answer because when they've done something similar in the past it did in fact get them into trouble.