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"Now Lady Mayor, I must protest in the strongest possible manner!" Lord Braggett says, taking a step forward but keeping his arms firmly clasped behind his back, "Young Gellion is unwell, and cannot be held responsible for his actions..." He frowns and stares at the floor for a few moments, racking his brain for something that will save the boys life, besides kidnapping him that is, and he is finally struck with a thought.
"The Quasit!" Lord Braggett exclaims, "Outside the warehouse... We were attacked by a Quasit, an evil demon who threatened to decorate the abyss with my rotting body parts. Fortunately, I masterfully distracted the demon long enough for my comrades to kill it." He takes another step forward and rests his hands on the table "But, Lady Mayor, this demon could very well have been the source of the bile, and furthermore, it could speak directly into our minds! It could have deliberately infected Gellion and taken advantage of the poor boy's mental state with it's telepathy. I say that if the residents of this town call for blood, they need look no further than that vile demon! Please, I implore you, leave the poor boy be... He is no more guilty than you or I."
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Seeing the gauntlet print of the side of Gellion face, Castiel winces at having to hit the boy as hard as he did during their confrontation. Recognizing a chance to rectify the situation and help him out of this predicament Castiel steps forward,
"Lady Mayor we understand the evil this situation caused and know by the evidence found in Gellions room and the warehouse that this was something far more sinister here that caused this problem, Gellion was just an innocent who was at the wrong place at the wrong time... If someone or something should be blamed, whoever or whatever should be the focus of this scrutiny!
The mayor nods to Braggett and Castiel, and looks to the rest of you. “Do you concur with this?”
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Kragrak's eyes boggle at the mayor's implication. He may not usually be one for talking, but this is just abhorrent. His voice grows faster and louder as he speaks, and he starts shaking.
"It's not Gellion's fault. That bile got into his mind and messed with him. Even adults would've struggled when exposed to that kind of evil, and he's just a kid. Worse, he's a kid old enough to think he knows best, but not old enough to have developed good sense. Punish him for being careless, sure, but not, not like that! What kind of example would you be setting for your other children? That if they find themselves struggling against an evil force, they should run away, because otherwise the adults they trust might just kill them? You'll just drive them farther into the arms of evil that way."
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Oak Sprout's voice gets a bit squeaky as she talks.
"Even adult humans could fall prey to that bile, as Kragrak said, but not just that. Even plants! The bile had Old Red Delicious in your orchard scheming about taking over the world and bending everyone else to his will, and I can tell you, in all my years as an orchard keeper, I've *never* heard a tree talking like that. Come on, mayor. Stand up for what's right, and give the boy another chance."
As she speaks the last sentence, she strikes the cutest pose she can, hoping that her natural charms will help Gellion's case.
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Prince thinks that the mayor's brain has been taken over by the goo, the obvious proof being that he does not want to have his citizens benefit from the fine fly proteins, but, in a rare diplomatic moment, Prince refrains from saying this.
"Oh wise Mayor! This goo is like the muck in a swamp. Be you a mighty elected official of great insight, or a poor little kid, anyone can get sucked in. Of course, smart and generously benevolent people like you, who know they will be re-elected by sparing poor dumb kids, can fight it more than that brat did. Show mercy, and all will vote for you! Give the poor kid a second chance..."
Mayor Sandra Trinelli falls silent before this earnest outpouring. “You’re right... He was just a child! Someone should stand up for him, and that someone should be me! With your testimony, I’m sure we can convince them that it was all that blasted quasit’s fault!”
★ --- ★ --- ★ --- ★
The Mayor is as good as her word. A week after the horrifying incidents, giving all the children a chance to recover, A citizen’s council is held not in Town Hall, but in the Witch’s End Tavern. All of the Missing Apprentices stand together, with Nolaria holding tight onto Gelly’s hand. There is not a dry eye in the pub as the town listens to Braggett’s retelling of the battle with the Quasit, and the Mayor and Mistress Pricknettle speaking on behalf of Gellion.
Afterwards, the parents are besides themselves. Petrello comes up, sheepishly. “I may not be the best haberdasher, but I know good fabric and my daughter Betrona has impeccable taste. We’ve made you some handsome outfits so that you can hold your heads up wherever you go and know that you’re impeccably dressed!”
Not to be outdone by her ex-husband, Drummady comes forward. “Promised you the best fitting footwear of your lives, didn’t I?” She motions to Pavolus, who has a wagon full of gorgeous boots and shoes that they have clearly been crafting all week.
The huge tattooed Gunty comes forward, arms full of fragrant and hearty bread. “Leave me a forwardin’ address, and I swear that I’ll send bread to ye wherever ye are. Even if you’re in Tien or the depths of the Mwangi! Ye’ll never go hungry if I have anything to say about it! Armies travel on their stomachs, and I’ll make sure yours can travel far!”
Alcie steps forward. “I don’t have much tangible to give, but if you listen to my advice you’ll never get overcharged at any inn or pub, ‘cause I’ll tell you how to handle them. As for your bill staying the last week in my bar...” She takes the invoice and shreds it in her hands, tossing the paper pieces up like confetti. Then she pulls you all into massive bear hugs that are then echoed by the shy but gentle Morvinarr. “Thank you for bringing my boy back!”
“Bless you, my children!” Father Ruvarra hugs all of you, and then drops to his knees to talk to Sprout. “You have one of the kindest and truest hearts that I know. Never forget that.”
The other children of the orphanage are running around, begging Kibble and Sprout to play with them again. “We have the ball!”
Meanwhile, Father Ruvarra clears his throat, and presents you all with a small wand. “It’s not much, I know. But perhaps it will help you when you need help most.”
Last but not least, Mistress Pricknettle comes forward. “Fair’s fair. I’ll make any potion you like at a discount. You brought my Gellion back to me, and it’s the least I can do.’ The gnome’s eyes are teary. “Thank you, thank you, thank you!’
It is a tradition in my games to invite my players to do a DVD-style Closing Credits Easter Egg for your character.
ON EASTER EGGS
King of Anything wrote a lovely treatise on PbP Easter Eggs that I've totally stolen for this.
<Philosophical Exploration of the Easter Egg>
The closing credits are a great place to sum up your adventure and how your character has grown throughout. You've been playing for awhile now, so take some time to look back through the adventure and think about what moments stood out as meaningful, or could be explored a little more.
Your Easter Egg can be presented as a vignette centering around your character, or as a report or letter to your superiors/family, or as a quick scene between NPCs reacting in your character's absence. There are many possibilities!
Some good questions to ask yourself and/or answer in an Easter Egg:
1. How did my character introduce themselves? Are they the same character now?
2. What relationships did my character form in this adventure? How will they end? (Or will they continue??)
3. What did my character learn about themselves or the world?
4. What does my character do between adventures?
Some more questions to consider:
5. Will the bromance of Castiel and Braggett continue?
6. What do the apple trees have to say about all this?
7. Will the Princess ever forgive the poor beleaguered Prince?
8. What changes await the lost children you rescued?
So many possibilities!
Hmm
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I, for one, am not going to pass up the opportunity to get to know the lovely trees of the orchard better! And Father Ruvarra too! Wow, is he nice! And respectful of my great wisdom too. But they'll all still be here after the other Pathfinders have gone, so there's something else I'd like to do first. Sprout walks over to Prince and whispers conspiratorially, "Hey Prince, wanna play a game? Its called make Zahkar laugh! He's so serious, and he's not a paladin, so it's not like he's promised his god he'll be serious or anything. Or at least if he did, its a secret promise. Sure, our adventure here was dangerous and scary, but now it's time to put that serious stuff aside and celebrate!"
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Whew, that was trouble for a while there. Everything worked out well in the end, though. This is a nice enough place, so I don't mind sticking around town for a while. Maybe I can help some of the townsfolk catch up on their work now that the kids are back safe and sound. Not like I could leave now if I wanted to. Ever since I breathed the first spark of life into Sprout, she's been the one running this show. People talk about cat familiars being in charge, pheh. They've never dealt with a zealous leshy. Still, my life has been so much richer since she came along. And I've never seen her so happy and proud as she was when she helped Red. She'll grow into the wisdom she believes she has in time. To the rest of the party, he says, his gravely voice earnest and almost reverent in its sincerity, "Anyone else planning to stick around here for a while? Or are you all headed back to the Grand Lodge? You've been great to work with. Every one of you. Hope I get to go on a mission with you all again someday. Before any of you go, though. Sprout's got the right of it on celebration. Not much one for parties, but with you all there, it would be fun."
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Prince scratches his rubbery head with a finger: How to make Zahkar laugh?
"s Pharasma in a downward spiral?"
Princess rolls her eyes.
1. How did my character introduce themselves? Are they the same character now?
Always the humble grippli, Prince now introduces himself as "Prince, an esteemed Cleric of Pharasma, and Grand Savior of Saringallow!"
2. What relationships did my character form in this adventure? How will they end? (Or will they continue??)
When Prince becomes King, he will name Lord Braggett Fizzlebotham IV Peer of the Realm.
3. What did my character learn about themselves or the world?
That some crazy fools throw fine food away, and prefer to go hungry.
4. What does my character do between adventures?
Look at himself in puddles...
5. Will the bromance of Castiel and Braggett continue?
No! For Braggett has more important duties to carry out for Prince.
6. What do the apple trees have to say about all this?
Apple trees cannot talk.
7. Will the Princess ever forgive the poor beleaguered Prince?
NEVER!!!
8. What changes await the lost children you rescued?
That the Pathfinder Society is the best place to fulfil their desires for adventure... though little Gellion's going straight for the Aspis Consortium.
Prince hops of into the sunset, gnawing on a giant fly leg.
Princess follows along: "Idiot..."
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Overwhelmed by the outpouring of gratitude, Braggett doesn't know what to do with himself. Despite all his boasts of being a knight of some renown, the only thing he has really done in his career so far is tenderise a few goblins and ghouls with his flail. And while he had fun charging at the horde of ghouls with only a few bowmen at his back, never before has Braggett felt more like a knight than he does today. Wiping away a tear, the stoic knight steps forwards and clasps Kragrak's hand in his own, "It has been an honour, Sir, and I would be proud to serve with you," he looks around at all his comrades with a proud smile, "any of you again! You have all shown a great deal of valour and chivalry this last week, and you would all make excellent knights." He pauses a moment to let that, the highest of compliments, sink in and then nods to Kragrak, "I think I may well stick around for a bit. Sir Kibble has squires to train, and we have a celebration to commence!" He raises a mug and starts singing his favourite song, Master of the joust.
Sir Kibble returns to the serious business of 'training' new squires, and he hops excitedly around the children, occasionally chasing after balls, and enjoying a good hug or two.
Standing proudly in his new-ish noble outfit and his extraordinarily comfortable curly toed shoes, Lord Braggett finds himself feeling a little out of place. It's all just swamps and bogs! And what is that smell? He has come to visit at the court of Prince, but must have gotten lost along the way, "Sir Kibble, are you certain we are in the right place? I know his grace said something about there being a few puddles around his kingdom, but this seems most irregular!" He squelches up to his trusty stead, searches through the saddlebags and pulls out a hearty loaf of bread to munch on while he thinks.
"We are definitely lost! I mean, if this is where the Prince and Princess reside, no one will ever be able to wear the fine clothes that make a court so colourful and exciting." He sighs and hops onto Kibbles back "Lets go, Sir, perhaps we should visit Castiel? Now he must know where clothes like these can be appreciated, I have yet to meet a man who looks more noble than he! Do you think he was born with skin like that, or does it come from being a good soul?" He asks Kibble as they squelch off into the sunset, "Maybe my skin will start to look silvery if I save enough days..."
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Several weeks after leaving Saringallow, Castiel finds himself enjoying a mug of some local ale at a roadside inn deep within the Ushwood forest. While studying the local message board in search of any clue about the whereabouts of a certain priest known to visit the area (a suggestion of Father Ruvarra) Castiel notices an interesting post titled
“Fabled Knight saves local Princess” Thinking this could only be one person, Castiel reads on…
The remarkable Lord Braggett with his trusty sidekick Sir Kibble saves the day from pending doom and rescues our dear Lady Hmm and her fabled Tiara from the nasty clenches of the demon Dargod……”
The article goes into details of the battle and the many foes Lord Braggett fought past to rescue the princess. The post ends with... “Lord Braggett is now a hero of the realm and forever a friend of the people of Pershwood!!”
Castiel finds himself smiling and a bit teary eyed after reading the post. If only his father could have met him. What a team they would’ve made! The evil in Saggorak wouldn’t have had a chance and Pappy would probably be alive… "I must find this brave man again" Castiel says to himself "He will need someone like me to guard his back and maybe, just maybe, he would help me learn more about this sword and my mysterious past."
Castiel sets the mug down with a few coppers and leaves the inn in search of his friend....
Click. Whirr.
Bot Buddy sweeps the stage and closes the curtains. Because he thinks no one is listening, he chirps a little tune.
♫ Beep-za-beep-da-beep! ♫