It’s been only a week since the Night of Ashes, but already the city feels like a different place. Thrune’s first seven proclamations have given the city’s citizens a grim preview of the times to come. For a city that prides itself on its diversity, creative spirit, and artistry, the yoke of martial law is particularly onerous. With Barzillai Thrune’s inquisitors and dottari (Chelish city guard) thugs growing increasingly aggressive in their enforcement of martial law—and his increasingly ridiculous proclamations—the undercurrent of revolution is building in the city. The Night of Ashes only delayed the inevitability of a full-scale rebellion, and the first real hint of Kintargo’s future, and the PCs’ role in it, occurs as this adventure begins. The atmosphere in Kintargo is tense. Numerous minor protests against Thrune have popped up, only to be quickly dispersed by dottari, Hellknights of the Rack imported from the south to aid in crowd control, or the local militia known as the Chelish Citizens’ Group. It’s been a week since Thrune seized control of the city, and word on the street is that the largest protest yet will be gathering in Aria Park, just south of the Kintargo Opera House where Barzillai Thrune has made his new home.
Each of you have his or her own reason for wishing to attend this protest. The day dawns with a light drizzle as dozens of Kintargans gather at the northern end of Aria Park, across the street from the opera house, to protest the paracount and his proclamations.
Proclamation the First: All slayers of city pests (hereby defined as doves, mice, and ravens) who present said pests to the dottari shall be rewarded with a bounty of 1 copper piece.
Proclamation the Second: All places of public business must display in a position of prominence within the first room accessible from the building’s primary entrance a portrait of Her Infernal Majestrix Queen Abrogail II. Said portrait must measure no less than 11 by 17 inches.
Proclamation the Third: Anyone who captures, alive and unharmed, a feral dog of a weight exceeding 50 pounds is to be rewarded with a payment of 2 silver pieces upon transfer of the dog to the dottari. Such noble guardian creatures should find homes worthy of their kind!
Proclamation the Fourth: The right to wear fine embroidered clothing in public is hereafter proscribed to anyone other than agents of House Thrune or the Holy Church of Asmodeus. Exceptions can be awarded or purchased at the city’s discretion.
Proclamation the Fifth: Grain is life! Should grain be spilled in public, it must be gathered, cleaned, and repackaged within the hour. Any person who allows grain to go ungathered after a spillage shall be fined 1 copper piece per grain.
Proclamation the Sixth: The imbibing of night tea brings a dangerous imbalance to the slumbering mind. Between the hours of sunset and sunrise, the taking of tea is proscribed.
Proclamation the Seventh: The odor and flavor of mint is an abomination to the refined palate. Be not the cretin! Mint use in candies, drinks, and all manner of confections is hereby proscribed.
”I have to believe so, Raven” Johan replies. ”It’s been my home for so long. Did you see those idiotic proclamations? We can’t drink tea after sunset? Really?"
At Aria park there already stands a young woman with dark chestnut coloured hair. She wears a jacket that looks like it used to be part of some uniform but it's not dottari. At her side she carries curious blade that actually looks more like a pointed iron stave or a massive needle than a sword and it just dangles there, only stuck behind her belt.
She appears to pay very close attention to who comes to the park and who leaves while at the same time keeping an eye on the opera building.
Standing amongst the crowd at Aria Park, the youth seemed at once like someone brand new to the city, yet also well-accustomed to it. He was dressed simply, not out of a desire to abide by the proclamation so much as to just be more comfortable.
One thing that is apparent, though, is that the young man is very handsome. His eyes, in particular, a piercing crystalline blue, draw one's attention. The sort of shockingly pure color that one would think only appears in stories, they are easily the feature that most captures the attention of someone looking upon him.
He moves quickly to a raised section of the park, lightly hopping up onto the stone to give himself a higher vantage point. He looks to and fro, clearly hoping to catch sight of something or someone, though just what or who that might be is a mystery. Across his shoulders is draped a coat that looks as if it might have sheets of metal sewn into the lining of it; though otherwise no different from an ordinary armored coat it is long enough that it is difficult to tell how he might be armed underneath.
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Elenora arrives to Aria park in a long robe covering her Xeno outfit. Her Veil is pushed back under her large hat along with the hood of her Xeno disguise. She is walking beside and talking quietly to another young woman, Geogria, similarly dressed to cover easy identification.
"G, you shouldn't be here. The protest is a silly idea. The mayor will come down on it hard. I tight group of political enemies could be taken out with a half dozen fireballs."
The woman replies "He won't do that yet, he'll scare us first. Wait to the protest has whittled down to the more extreme then." she smashes her fist into her open hand. "Don't worry I'll be gone before then and I'm wearing this cloak, as long as I don't die of heat stroke no one will recognize me."
Having already lost this argument twice Xeno gives up easily "Maybe, maybe not, the moment I signal you run, okay? Go straight to the shop and lock the doors." With that they fall back into friendly silence as Xeno scans the forming crowd for trouble.
Even with the cobblestones of Argent Avenue and the foliage of Aria Park still wet from the morning’s light rain, dozens of Kintargans have gathered along the facade of the opera house to protest the city’s new lord-mayor, Paracount Barzillai Thrune. The city’s new leader was appointed by Her Infernal Majestrix, Queen Abrogail II, in the wake of the previous lord-mayor’s sudden flight from the city—an event that still has local rumormongers whispering furiously. In a scant seven days, Paracount Thrune has instituted martial law, a curfew, and seven outlandish and polarizing proclamations. These actions and more have called many of Kintargo’s dissatisfied citizens here on this overcast morn. There’s been no sign yet of Barzillai Thrune himself, and the opera house’s doors remain tightly closed—as they have since the man chose the landmark as his new home—but judging by the growing sound of the protesters, he surely can’t ignore the scene on the streets below much longer.
Eight nervous and edgy looking guards lead by a scowling woman guard the entrance to the Opera House itself. They watch the protesters, but remain relatively peaceful. The gathered crowd is disorganized. Some of the protesters call for their new lord-mayor to lift his unreasonable restrictions, while others call for an end to foreign rule and demand a proper election to determine Lord-Mayor Bainilus's successor. Many seem content merely to yell and agitate, but a growing minority show their unabashed support of Barzillai Thrune by arguing back at the protesters.
In all the crowd is a divided mess of Kintargo partisans (who despise Cheliax’s tightening grip on their city and demand local rule); economic conservatives (who feel the squeeze as Thrune enacts new taxes and business policies); advocates of democracy (whose bitterest complaint is Thrune’s appointment instead of legal election); anarchists (who hope the protest turns into a good riot); and Chelish loyalists (who support Thrune’s actions to curb the city’s dissentious streak).
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"Things seem to be starting, stay on the edge and becareful, I'm going to go make myself a bit of a target" Xeno says and before Geogria can complain she dissapears into the crowd.
Xeno makes her way towards a vocal group of 'Chelish loyalists'. Finding a fountain (or similar) she climbs up above the general milling of protesters and yells towards the loyalists "Cowards! You should be ashamed of yourselves! You know that it is wrong! You accept crumbs from the House Thrune’s tables, while your fellow Kintargoites are beaten and robbed! So Barzillai might have a feast! Do you really think House Thrune will leave you alone once the rest of us are dead?! Its fight together or die alone! Join us or go home but be master of your own fate not pawns of demons that care not if you survive." With that she pulls her hat off using it to cover her face while the veil and hood fall to cover the face and head. throwing the hat into the crowd and shrugging out of the cloak she revealing her identity as Xeno.
She wears simple tight black tunic and breeches along gloves, boots and a veil. Altogether the only part of her physical body that is visible is an occasional lock of red hair poking out from under the veil. Many call her The Black Widow because on a casual glance her costume look like that of young widow in morning. On her belt is the thin blade of a rapier and pouch. If given the chance to observe close up the material used in all her clothing is of a very high quality.
"And you won't survive!" she declares having revealed herself and pushes off the fountain into a jump. Landing in the crowd she keeps low makes her away from the 'loyalist'.
Drawn by the large crowd, Tom's interest is piqued. There was a heady mix of poor folk and even some rich folk gathered about listening to his Lord High Wotsisname gabble about his dumb laws. Laws which really only applied to the likes of the Dawnflours.
Laws never really applied to Tom.
Dressed in some makeshift leathers, and an overly large coat covered in pockets, he looked younger even than his 16 years on the rough scrabble streets would have you believe. His belly grumbled, he'd not been eating well since the falling out with the Six-Fingers.
Time to get to work, thought Tom, scanning the crowd.
He looked over at a group of Chels, yelling and shoving. Thrune bootlickers, he could see it in the way they looked at the peasant folk, like Thrunies were owed rent for merely sharing the same space as the lower classes.
Many of them fat enough, with purses heavy enough for the kind of work he needed to do.
He was making his approach when a madwoman climbed aboard a fountain yelling her dissent and making a fine distraction. Tom got to work:
While some veiled woman turned towards Thrune loyalists Melia turned to the rest of the crowd. Like the other woman she used the fountain as a platform. "We will not let the Hellspawn and his lapdogs rule over us! All who have a heart must unite together against the threat of the infernal bootlicker. I say we kick him out! Kintargo for the Kintargans!" She raised her sword high above her head while she shouted, "Today will will take back our city!"
In the crowd, Johan hears the call for unity and adds his own. ”She is right! We cannot allow this to continue! Look at what has already happened. Insane proclamations, martial law… Look at what happened to Shensen! We must act together if we want to save our city!
Gideon closely watches the crowd from his higher vantage point atop the raised planter, looking for any sign of something unusual...particularly, the half-elven opera house singer that has been so outspoken against the house of Thrune.
The crowd continues to rant and grow as another hour passes. Some have seemed to take note of two standouts in the crowd. Namely a uniformed swordswoman and a dark haired man . The crowd continues to call protest to its various concerns, but the Chelish loyalists have grown quiet and dispersed into the crowd.
Purses full of gold!
Tom had never seen such riches in his life. Five gold pieces, and he didn't have to cut it with anyone. Tom quietly hid a coin in his boot, another in his hat, and three in various pockets within his over large coat.
Chels carrying gold in their purses set Tom's nose twitching. Things were changing in Kintargo, and he was going to find out what.
Whereas the other woman had abandoned her position on the fountain Melia stuck to it. She occasionally shouted more words to rile up the crowd while also joining in on the choruses demanding their city back from the Chelish wolves.
The fact that she herself was Chelish did not matter to her and they did not know. After her years in Kintargo she actually felt more Kintargan than Chelish and maybe she was even more motivated to get Thrune out of here than most other inhabitants of the city.
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That didn't get me the attention I was looking for, the other woman on the fountain got more attention. Xeno will move to a new vantage point, this time on an awning that on a different day would cover a street vendor's produce. Once on top she starts to shout again "Kintargo for Kintargans! Kintargan wealth for Kintargans! Kintargan laws for Kintargans! Kintargan rulers for Kintargans! Hell even Kintargan doves for Kintargians!"
Johan starts to chant with the dark dressed woman, but then he actually hears what she is saying -- Kintargan doves? and sits back to see how the crowd reacts.
Gideon takes a few minutes to watch those trying to stir up the crowd. He sympathized with their plight, truly he did. Rolan, his only close halfling friend, had been talking a lot more about the things that the diabolists had done to Cheliax.
He shook the thought free from his head, still looking around and trying to and see if there was anything...or anyone...worth seeing.
As the protest rages on, you catch glimpses of a figure watching the proceedings from behind a mostly curtained window on the opera house's third floor.
As you're listening in to some of the conversations, you catch a bit of a conversation of interest to you. "Someone's killing tieflings down in the Devil's Nursery. I've heard that whoever's doing it is taking trophies, but I'm not sure what kind. Sounds like the Slasher's back...just what we need!"
You both gain a +1 to Charisma skills, this will stack with any previously gained bonuses.
Watching the crowd, you can tell the general mood is agitated and discontented, but not overtly violent.
The crowd continues to chant and protest for another hour with more following the lead of Melina and Xeno. The dotari seem content to watch as the crowd has yet to do anything but chant and speak.
Worried about the rumours being talked about. If it's true the Six-Fingers could be in trouble.
Tom approaches some beggars trying their luck at the edges of the protest and tries to get the gossip. Tom approaches and doffs his cap at an old war veteran.
"Half-Past Bill, how's business?" Tom asked the familiar old beggar.
"The rich 'uns are cheap, and the poor ones ain't got nuffin' to spare," Bill replied, with a friendly wink.
Tom pulls one of his shiny new gold pieces out of his pocket, flipping it to Bill.
"A little donation to the veterans of Salt Street," said Tom.
Half-Past Bill bit the coin, shocked to discover it tasted just like real gold.
"Tommy I cain't..."
"You can if you and the old soldiers can give me some scraps on what's been going on. I've been out of play for a bit. Heard anything recently perhaps?"
A professor at the Alabaster Academy named Mangvhune was also known as the Temple Hill Slasher. He was an infamous murderer in Kintargo and even though he was executed 116 years ago, the legacy lives on as an enduring urban legend. It is also one of the leading reasons why the Academy has struggled with enrollment for the last century.
While she stood there Melia spotted a group of civilians just jeering and generally creating a mess. "You!" Melia points her sword in the general direction of the problematic group, "You are only giving the Thrune an excuse to crack down on all of us! Get in line! We need to stand together!" She glared at them. People like them only cause issues and indeed give the Chelish an excuse to act.
Tired of simply standing around and observing, Gideon begins conversing with those nearest him. The low baritone of his voice seems to put others near him at ease, making it less difficult for him to ply them for information.
"Seems like there's a lot of unrest today. Still...I guess the Dottari aren't terribly worried about it, since they are only standing around and watching instead of trying to silence the dissidents. Or could it be because Thrune is worried about biting off more than it could chew?...especially after all these nit-picky new edicts have come down."
Johan moves up again and starts exhorting the crowd again. ”The only way we can make our voice heard is if we stand together! We cannot fight amongst ourselves if we hope to get our city back.”
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This is going on too long, why haven't they cleared the place, what are they waiting for. Maybe they are installing someone into the protest to throw the first stone so they can appear to be just defending themselves.[i] Xeno starts scanning the faces looking for someone looking to start a fight. [i]Looks like the woman on the fountain is thinking the same thing, I'll have to track her down later.
As she mills through the crowds she passes where Georgia is and says under her breath "Time to go, I've got a feeling that this is going to get much worse soon."
Unrest isn't just here. The way I've heard it, you have to be careful traveling alone at night in Redroom or Temple Hill. I guess the gangs are getting restless up there. I've even heard the Red Jills' boss has gone some sort of crazy."
You gain a +1 to Charisma skills, this will stack with any previously gained bonuses.
Your rabble rousing has drawn the admiration of the crowd. They instinctively know to part for you. You do not treat moving through the crowd as difficult terrain.
Watching the crowd, you can tell the general mood is agitated and discontented, but not overtly violent.
At the urging of Melina's sword, the anarchists grow quiet and disperse into the crowd much the way the Chelix supporters did earlier. As the third hour of the protest draws to a close, anyonecan tell the crowd's tenor is increasingly hostile. At 3 minutes after the third hour, the bells of the Cathedral of Asmodeus ring out three peals (for no apparent reason, as is the norm for these bells). A moment later, Barzillai Thrune throws wide the windows and their curtains of the third floor balcony to address the crowd below. Thrune is an imposing man dressed in red, orange, and black clothing and an ornate breastplate, all emblazoned with the pentagram of Asmodeus and the cross of Cheliax. Middle-aged, with short, dark hair and a diabolical mace cradled in his hands, the lord-mayor of Kintargo addressed the crowd with a condescending sneer. The gathering swiftly grows quiet as he clears his throat and begins his short speech.
“Ah, my adoring little chickadees. I am sorry to say I have not yet adapted to your quaint, country ways, being accustomed as I am to the sophistication and learning of Egorian. Nonetheless, know I have heard your concerns, and that I appreciate your valued feedback, and I know we shall eventually find a mutual understanding in the fullness of time. I take pride in updating Kintargo’s quaint, outdated laws to the modern standards the city deserves, and strengthening its ties with the empire in these cruel times, but obviously I have approached my duties too aggressively.
“You say you chafe at the presence of nonnatives in positions of power? That authorities not of this city have no place as its leaders? That you will not be yoked by intruders? Your lord-mayor hears you. And so it is with a heavy heart that I issue this proclamation, in response to your demands: all ships’ captains are hereafter barred from leaving their vessels and setting foot on Kintargo docks or streets, under pain of... let’s say... squassation!”
Ssquassation is a form of torture in which the victim’s hands are tied together and raised above the head; the victim is then hung from the hands while a weight is suspended from the feet, causing intense pain to the arms and legs.
Thrune's eighth proclamation is the first to specifically issue a form of torture as punishment rather than imprisonment or a fine. A growing rumble of outrage rolls though the crowd, when suddenly someone in the crowd throws a handful of manure at Barzillai. Though the putrid projectile misses Thrune's noble personage, the lord-mayor nonetheless flinches and spills wine across his ornate clothing. The Lord-mayor's demeanor shifts from amused to bellicose. He shrieks, "Enough of this! Nox, run them off, arrest them, or kill them. I don't care which!" before retreating into the opera house and slamming the windows.
Down below, Nox immediately mobilizes the dottari, who draw their weapons. At the same time, men and women throughout the crowd pull back their cloaks, revealing matching armbands, truncheons, and the sadistic grins of Chelish Citizens Group members eager to meet out some "justice."
The dotari and the woman Thrune called Nox charge the crowd grabbing and quickly arresting whomever they can reach. Any resistance is met quickly with a mace. The citizen group members are less subtle attacking random members of the crowd, though they are using nonlethal means to do so. One of their number moving towards Xeno, another to Melina, another to Jonah (with Raven nearby I'm sure), and yet another towards Gideon.
Initiative Order: Raven, Gideon, Chelish Citizen Group, Jonah, Xeno, Melina, Tom
Gideon pales at the barked order, the first from Thrune that invokes actual physical torture as opposed to just fines or the like. Imagining being subjected to it makes his blood run cold. After only a moment, he sees several others nearby, clearly allies of the Dottari, making their way toward he and several others, malicious intentions clear.
Trying to think quickly, Gideon draws himself up, focusing his intensely blue eyes on the approaching man, then barks aloud in a commanding voice, brandishing his mace directly at the threat. "Well?! What in the Hells are you doing?! You heard Thrune's order! Resistance is not to be tolerated!"
The thug eyes Gideon suspiciously for a moment, "Oi, you forgot your armband, I almost clocked ya good." The thug instead swings at a nearby woman cracking her over the skull and knocking her unconscious.
The thug charges at Johan when an arrow flies out from somewhere in the crowd piercing his throat. With a gurgle of blood he drops to the ground. Shrieks of panic come from the witnesses nearby as the man was murdered.
A thug closes in on Melina trying to swing at her, but his arm gets bumped by a fleeing woman and his swing goes well wide of its target.
Yet another thug closes on Xeno and catches a heavy blow with his mace into her stomach.
The Dotari members are catching those on the outside edges of the crowd and arresting them. Some members of the riot and attacking the thugs in their mist and the Dotari, while most are just attempting to flee. A knife comes flying from the crowd striking the woman, Nox, in the face.
With a hiss of pain she pulls the blade from her eye socket, the wound seeming to heal in an instant. She quickly flees into the Opera house, a couple of Dotari guarding her escape.
Initiative Order Jonah, Xeno, Melina, Tom, Raven, Gideon, Chelish Citizen Group
As hell breaks loose, and the riot breaks out around him, Tom turns to Half-Past Bill.
"Get yourself to safety, I'll come looking for you later."
Half-Past Bill didn't need telling a second time, and joined the majority of the crowd making their escape.
Tom was about to do so himself, when he saw the masked woman who had provided him with such a handsome distraction earlier besieged by Chels. He knew he had yet to be noticed, and he knew he could just walk away now. Yet, whether she knew it or not, the madwoman had done him a good turn, and he figured he would do the same.
"Idiot." Melia laughs as the man in front of her attempts to strike her but fails miserably. "You're nothing but a rabid dog. Someone should put you down." With that she strikes with her blade, knowing that it's unlikely a single stab would cause irreparable damage.
Afterwards she takes a step back, daring the thug to follow and step into her blade.
Johan moves to interpose himself between Raven and any of the CCG threatening her. He readies an attack action and immediately attacks if they come in range. "Stay behind me, Raven!" he shouts.
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"Orff" straightening up she draws her rapier putting it between her and her attacker . She then fakes a lung and instead steps back giving her space and time . With a flick of the wrist the rapier carves a rune into the air and word in infernal rthe une solidifies to form a barrier around her . Then she yells at the top of her voice "There is no honour or fame in attacking those that can't fight back. But catch me and the mayor himself will recognise you!
Gideon breaths a quiet sigh of relief as the thug that had been coming at him falls for the lie and diverts his attention. Still...he was still clearly in the fire. In small groups done of the people being attacked were beginning to defend themselves and, suddenly feeling a string belief in the safety of numbers, Gideon begins making his way toward one of them.
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Jonah makes his way through the crowd and finds Raven. Both of them wearily watching for more enemies.
Xeno draws a blade and casts her spell.
Melina draws her blade and with a quick flip, pierces through his defense drawing a lot of blood.
As Xeno watches the thug she faces, a young boy suddenly slips through the crowd and deftly cuts the thugs belt. His pants falling down as the thug nearly trips over himself at the sudden condition.
Gideon begins to make his way over to the young noble (melina) and the thug she faces.
You can all see, some in the crowd are trying to fight the Dotari closing in, some have already been knocked out and arrested, while most are fleeing down the street and scattering into alleyways. Neither the Dotari or the Chelish Citizen Group members seem keen of pursuing anyone who flees the area as there are more than enough people to grab still.
Thug (#1 who Raven put down) continues to bleed out.
The Thug (#2 between Xeno and Tom) holding his pants partly in one hand takes a wild swing behind him at Tom, not coming anywhere near actually hitting the boy.
Thug (#3 with Melina) grabs his side to staunch the blood pouring out. "Oi! Damn you b!+@%. I've got your number, mind you" Still gripping his side, he takes off through the crowd fleeing the area.
Thug (#4 who Gideon tricked) keeps attacking various citizens, making his way to the front of the crowd with the dotari.
Initiative Order:Jonah, Xeno, Melina, Tom, Raven, Gideon, Chelish Citizen Group
Melia grins as the thug makes his way out. She still had it. "Make sure you get that bandaged. It should leave a nice scar to boast about." She shouts after the thug as he makes his way back. No point in chasing him.
Instead she decides to make her way towards the edge of the area and be ready to leave as soon as she can. As she passes others she gestured for them to follow, "Clear out! Don't get caught by those bastards! Move!"
Tom laughs at the fat faced fool struggling to hold up his pants. He winks at the masked woman and says to the Chel:
"You should learn to laugh sir! Even Barzillai thinks your patriotic small clothes are funny."