GM Dak - Curse of the Crimson Throne

Game Master karlprosek

"May I join you?"

Mira nods as she opens the door and holds it open for Wisper and anyone else who wants to to go through.

When it looks like nobody else is going through she closes the door behind her then walks to the rail overlooking the jungle and looks all around to see if anyone is in earshot. She is also looking down to see if anything interesting can be seen in the jungle below.

Assume same perception applies as nothing has changed so 17

Assuming she does not see anything she whispers to Cynara
I think we can talk ‘ere

Artegall follows Mirela and Cynara.

Nargun follows, seemingly indifferent at the thought of having someone to kill.

Does anyone else feel like something do be very wrong ‘ere?

Artegall shrugs.
"Civic order has broken down and two groups are jockeying for power. We are asked to serve as mercenaries to eliminate one. I can't say it's a righteous cause, but it's also not like this Emperor is a legitimate and just ruler. So I don't see it as particularly wrong. I do think the Emperor's mob would attack the Arkona estate sooner or later, for supplies or out of boredom.
But then again, I also don't mind lying to Glorio Arkona if there is a credible way we can make him think we have slain the Emperor. There may or may not be such an option."

What about just sneaking around and trying to find this dungeon ourselves? It seems like people don't go down there often.
That skips the whole killing someone for no reason step.

"So if Glorio Arkona finds us and tries to stop us, we kill him?
I don't think this ends without either the Emperor or Glorio Arkona dead.
But I will do as you recommend."

As far as Mirela can tell, nothing has changed in the garden since the last time they looked down on it. It still hardly seems to be part of a palace, looking more like a clearing at the heart of a vast jungle, teeming with life. The sky above is a deep, cloudless blue, while in the distance, hazy towers rise above the verdant canopy. Exotic bird calls fill the air, the scent of dozens of unfamiliar flowers and plants assault the nose, and everywhere a riot of color demands the eye, whether it’s the wing of a tropical bird, the petals of a brightly hued flower, or the glittering multicolored tiles that make up a round fountain to the north.

The fountain’s central plume is a stone pillar around which entwine two cobra statues that clutch green gems in their fanged maws. To the south of the fountain stands an immense, life-sized jade statue of an elephant, a howdah perched on its back, its tusks and trunk raised high in greeting to the southeast doors.

From inside the room, the doors look more like gates set into a wrought-iron fence that encircles the garden. Other gates set in this fence doubtless lead to other parts of the palace, and after a bit more observation, the somewhat static nature of the jungle and landscape becomes apparent—the walls of this garden are in fact an incredibly realistic and clever painting of a Vudrani junglescape.

"I'm more interested in what will be best for the people of the city. Is there anything you can tell me about the 'Emperor,' and about Lord Glorio?"

Will let you guys discuss your next steps

Well Both are criminals. lord Glorio is just more subtle about it.
The Emperor is part mad. He is o sell ex with entertaining his people with a game called blood pig, and his people do seem to strike against others but we can’t tell why. He enforces discipline with a demonic Guillotine, but the pee we poke under his control seem to be content to stay there even when given a way out.

So siding with either feels like it is a deal with the devil.

She looks down at the jungle.

Why do I suspect that the way down is in the jungle, but that if we enter that elephant is going to trumpet just like in the main hall…. Maybe if Whisper was to escape I was to chase her in there it might give us an excuse to search….

"I don't think I'm a good enough liar to deceive someone like Lord Glorio. I'm better at sniffing out lies than telling them.

Cynara, the people of the city suffer under the rule of Queen Ileosa - who seems to have abandoned this district of Old Korvosa, leaving it to burn. I don't think either the Emperor or the Arkonas are the salvation of the people. Now, Seneschal Kalepopolis can legally depose Queen Ileosa, but he is missing. Vencarlo Orsini might have a lead on where he is. And we have a lead on Vencarlo Orsini. So, questions of whether the Emperor or the Arkonas are worse are, to me, beside the point - we need to do what will give us our best chance of rescuing Vencarlo Orsini."

"I agree, Artegall. It sounds like we need Orsini to get the Seneschal, and Glorio has made his price for access to Orsini clear. The next question, though, is how do we do this? You've dealt with this 'Emperor' before--what do you think?"

He is surrounded by his people. It will be a bloodbath if we go in openly.

"You actually think they'll fight for him against us, after seeing what we did in Blood Pig?
If we approached openly and said that we wanted to fight him for leadership of The Empire, I think more than a few would stand down or even side with us."

"I may be wrong. But I saw the mob as needing to be entertained, so we'd need to make our coup attempt entertaining."

Who woud be our toughest foes, you thik, Artegall, among the emperor's crew? He must have some allies, or at least some loyal lackeys, willing to kill and die for him..

There must have been close to 100 people with him plus his roving Gangs. Some of them are going to fight just to avoid that demonic guillotine…

She still seems very reluctant to do this.

Intrigued, Cynara leans a little closer. "Tell me more about this guillotine."

Intrigued, Cynara leans a little closer. "Tell me more about this guillotine."

"It is a Final Blade, from Galt. It is manned by a halfling executioner who, I would think, might be one of those loyal lackeys that Nargun asked about.

"Even so, carving our way through all of the guards could give the Emperor time to flee, so maybe we want a plan to infiltrate his 'palace' somehow. We saw something of it when we were there before.
The quicker we can get to Emperor Pilt and eliminate him, the better."

@Cynara - is your character sheet all done? Might affect our options. I don't see L4 spells, nor feats/hexes, nor gear.

No, I still have to finish my character sheet.

I'll let you guys keep talking.

So how do you suggest we sneak in to get to ‘im?

Carnage will happen sooner or later. Better if it's later, I guess.

Did you decide how to approach Pilt? How do you want to proceed?

I was waiting for Cynara to finish her character sheet in case any of her spells would help with a plan. I now see Arcane Eye which might be useful.

"I am reasonably stealthy even in armor."
+8 Stealth after ACP, but can use free Inspiration for +1d6+1.
"I can make an easy climb, but it's easier if someone more skilled goes up first and lets down a rope."
+5 Climb after ACP.

"I think our first goal is understanding the layout of the place."
@GM - we were there before. Is there a basic map of the Emperor's palace?

So do we be trying to sneak in to scout?
I'm don't be great at stealth, but if you do be giving me until tomorrow I can get a blessing that summons a fog cloud the might mask our approach. If we did be going in the morning, fog off the river may not seem odd.

Cynara's expression starts out a little excessively full of herself, shifts quickly to something approximating guilt, and ends in resignation. "I am, um, very good at not being noticed, even without magic. I can also use magic to scout ahead of us."

The dwarf, with his armor and range of lethal weapons, sniggers.

If I'm seen, I'm the last thing the foe will see. Does that count as discretion?

@GM - we were there before. Is there a basic map of the Emperor's palace?

Here's the map of the section of Pilt's palace that the party saw.

I'd suggest we ask Cynara to use Arcane Eye to scout out the areas we don't know, starting with the SW corner of the large building where it looks on the map like the exterior wall may have some breaks that the Eye can get through. Find out where the Emperor his, how many guards are near him, and how many other foes are elsewhere.
Arcane Eye can even go through closed doors if there is an inch gap (which in a dilapidated and run-down building there may well be), but a lot of this place should be observable even without it needing to squeeze through such gaps.

So do we be doing this today or should we spend the night ‘ere again and let me pray for some fog cloud miracles?
On one ‘and I don’t want to stay ‘ere, but if we do, it’s easier to be sneaking up to the palace past the guards. Plus, I feel like Whisper may be really like exploring that garden.

She looks down at the garden again like it’s a puzzle piece that just doesn’t fit.

Cynara follows the cleric's gaze. "What's interesting about the garden?"

"I don't think we should hang around here.
It is still early in the day.
Let's move."

I don’t know. It doesn’t be fitting in the house. Something about it feels off, or like it’s a distraction and hides something. .

The witch slowly turns away from the garden, clearly interested in it. "You're right, Artegall. There's much to be done."

So, should we go in or not?

"Should we go in the jungle of the Arkona Manor? No, I think we should not.
I think Mirela is right. An alarm would probably sound.
I think we should move on to Pilt's palace now and see what magical scrying can reveal."

Cynara nods. "I'm ready when you are, Master Artegall."

If we ‘Ave to be doing this, then let’s be getting on.

OK, Pilt's palace. Approach openly or stealthily? I know you said 'now' but like right now-now or do you want to stake out the place first to try to figure out patrols and whatnot?

"Let's not go all the way up to the palace just yet, but find a place nearby to hide out and have Cynara try her scrying spells."

Arcane Eye has unlimited range, moves at up to 300'/minute, and lasts 8 minutes. Clairvoyance has 720' range for CL8. We could be maybe 500' away or so.