A fair warning before i post (probably monday): Nargun intends to kill Pilt.
Not only the dwarf is quite bloodthristy by nature against evil doers, but he serves Calistria now and he sees the death of Pilt has an holy mission to avenge the wrongs he has done to the town.
I would say Nargun can be convinced otherwise, but it will takes some good arguments. Pilt must become no longer a danger.
We have no proof that he has done anything evil. All we know is that he runs games of Blood Pig.
So I don't understand Nargun's vendetta against him. What wrongs do you speak of? You didn't raise any such points when we were debating accepting this task, only saying Nargun was "indifferent" about it. I don't understand what changed.
Old Korvosa was basically cut off from the rest of the town when the plague occurred, and Pilt appointed himself 'Emperor' to, it seems, entertain the mobs. Pilt did not release the plague, Pilt did not cause the breakdown of social order (he just capitalized on it a bit to aggrandize himself), and Pilt did not kidnap Orisini as far as we know. He did kidnap Salvator Scream, but the GM made clear Salvator Scream wants to stay with Pilt (here).
That's I think why Mirela was so reluctant to kill Pilt. As she noted back on our first visit:
They have some community here, even if it is run by a madman.
Artegall is reluctant as well; he regards this entire mission as an evil act on our part, but unfortunately necessary to save Orsini. (Good thing he's not a paladin.)
Look, I hate this mission. We are directed to assassinate somebody with no proof that they've done anything to warrant it. If we don't do that, we can't progress in the AP. I think I found another way that keeps us at least a little bit more on the side of Good.
I'm sorry. I thought I had come up with a solution that we could all live with.
Kill him if it means that much to you. I tried to find a better way.
Please at least wait for Mirela to chime in.
To be fair, I suppose I have changed my position on this as well.
I went from being indifferent to opposed over the past 9 months.
I will re-read the story about Pilt to take my decision.
Information that would let Cynara figure out whether Pilts is a waste of oxygen who should be killed, or someone who might actually be useful to the community going forward. Right now her priority is ameliorating the constant background of terror, fear, and pain emanating from the city, so if letting Pilt live does that in the short term he becomes part of tomorrow's problems.
If the question is "Is Pilts a net good to the city?" then the answer is an emphatic no.
If the question is "Is Pilts temporarily useful in keeping Old Korvosa calm while it's cut off from the rest of the city?" then the answer is maybe. He's distributing food and services to his people and the people under his protection. Not as well as the Arkonas, but it's preventing a purely dog eat dog kind of situation, if only because he's the big dog.
If Cynara would weigh the Arkonas against Pilts it's no contest- the Arkonas were philanthropists before the current crisis, have a well trained guard force, and don't seem to be abusing the people in their sphere of control. But will they be able to expand their influence over the entire island if Pilts is killed? That's unclear; they might already be at the limit of their resources. But maybe they can, give the opportunity.
Pilts whole area is mob rule. There are bodies on the street and people afraid to come out, but he has imposed some order even if his roving bands of thugs terrorize people.
As for bluffing. Mirela has no clue you didn't kill him. So she's just trying to get us out of this distasteful business as fast as possible and with the least amount of wholesale slaughter. She will honestly claim he's dead to the Arkonas, and act bitter about it. You all just need to convince this crowd that he's dead/keep her in the dark and we might just pull this off.
After all you aren't bluffing if you think it's true.
What are we waiting on?
Me, sorry.
FYI, I won't be much online from the 10 april until 13th included, as we have family guests at home.
You look a little out of sorts, Nargun.
Hi,
I won't be online tomorrow or the day after (28&29 april)