Dungeon Master S's "Flooded King's Court" (Inactive)

Game Master Chris Marsh

The Mad Hopper, like Zanderel, struggles to identify the potion.

Meanwhile Shuru returns to report nothing else is moving (or is smelly) in this area.

Lilic looks towards Zanderel: "Where to?"

As Lilic speaks up the water gently laps at his feet. The tide is coming in. You'll need to return to the king.

"These items will have to wait. Let's take them with us to the Grand Lodge and return to the goblin king. His basement is safe now, and the tide has shown all the patience it will to us."

He pauses, thinking a moment, before adding, "I suggest that we give the deed to the playhouse to King Zusgut. He may believe that being an occupant is all the rights he needs but... the deed will give some added legal credence to the claim. Having another partnership in the city, however unconventional, is in the best interests of the Pathfinder Society I believe."

"That is fine by me!
On all counts..."

The party easily makes their way back with Marcon in tow. Approaching the playhouse, you can here the goblins having an uproarious time.

There's no way to leave without passing through. How would you like to proceed?

Lilic says: "I say I move with Marcon quickly towards the exit, right away, pretending we're a bit ill or wounded..."

”It’s not a bad plan, we’ll just have to explain that we’ll be taking care of him if they ask. It’s vague but passable.”

"Agreed. Some kind of screen or disguise is necessary, I think. Marcon is notable, particularly from an olfactory standpoint. I suppose none of us is adept with disguise? Perhaps if... he pretends to be dead? Say we found a body, and we're taking them away for proper burial? It's one less thing for them to contend with, after all."

Having formed a plan in his mind, Zanderel says, "Yes, you've both given me an idea. We arrive but quickly split up, with say Lilic and Zaos begging off and taking Marcon away while the rest of us volunteer to regale the king with the story of our exploits and an offer of a valuable gift. Namely, the deed. We'll have to somehow convince him that these words are powerful, as I recall goblinkind tend to view the written word unfavourably. Thoughts?"

"Why are we hiding? We know the king loves a good story. We have one to tell. Why don't we make a production out of it?" Kaelan looks at the group. "heck, we could even make Marcon's story the centerpiece."

"I'm afraid that has to do with the fact that we will be bringing a ghoul out into the streets of Absalom and back to Grand Lodge. Should word get out, I fear Eando Kline's concerns will be made manifest. And from the chronicles I've read I must say that our organization is occasionally a tad reckless about the dangers we unleash."

"I am not sure the Goblins mind that we take a Ghoul out into the streets, but maybe.
I am more concerned that they do not want one in their theater and attack it.
If all goes bad, we can tell Marcon to beg pity and having been killed by a dog and a horse."

Hopper listens to arguments made:

We'll have to somehow convince him that these words are powerful, as I recall goblinkind tend to view the written word unfavourably.

"What a douche! It is hurtful to generalize! I can read and write in 6 languages. Well five actually as gnollkind tend to view the written words unfa..." Which is the moment that Hopper shuts up and turns greener on his face.

After a few moments, he adds:

"I like the idea of pretending that Marcon is dead. We just need to carry him. I also like the idea of making a play out of Marcon's story. King might like it, and could be a good way of spreading the word across the whole Absalom. Criticizing rich families is always a hot topic in Puddles district."

 »And we are not lying.
He IS dead. »

”I cannot help but think that the goblin king would appreciate a good story. Let us call this plan B if playing dead fails.”

Well then, let's see how this goes! Someone can enact Plan A

Lilic will remain close to dead Marcon.

With deed and ghoul in hand, the party theatrically splits up. Zusgut dances upon seeing you. "STARS! Come and regale me! Tell me, no SHOW ME what transpired!"

Zanderel weaves a brief cantrip, a prestidigitation, before he begins. "The tale begins with the group of heroic Pathfinders descending from the home of good King Zusgut. They tread with care, brave and ready for battle. And good thing, as a ferocious crocodile barred their way!"

He uses his magic to shape a vaguely crocodilian figurine, and moves it about in the air like a child playing make believe with a toy.

"With blade, bow, and blast the Pathfinders fought. It gnashed it's teeth, but was no match for their prowess!" Zanderel emphasizes this last word by smashing the magical conjured toy, which breaks apart easily.

"And the Mad Hopper said, 'But I never had a chance to help!'"

Zanderel then goes through each other their encounters, describing the battles as heroically as he can, weaving in magical props, and punctuating each with the hopefully humorous complaint that the Mad Hopper never had a chance to help (until the end).

Finally, he produces the deed. "Lastly, we bring with us a gift. This deed is a power in itself. Having this acts as a proclamation that this is the home of your goblin tribe. Keep it, and should any ever tell you otherwise show them this."

Performance: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (4) + 2 = 6
Please take this hero point
Performance: 1d20 + 2 ⇒ (9) + 2 = 11
If you will take Diplomacy instead, add another +3. Zan is willing to take help from Fijit, though that DC of 20 is rough.

The goblins jeer and throw fruit at the "performance." Things seem to be about to turn bad when Zanderel shows the goblin the deed. "Wait. Yes? Proper kingdom!? YOU BE HEROES! HUZZAH HUZZAH HUZZAH!"

B-Team who is sneaking through with a ghoul, that'll be a Deception check...

With his weathered half-dead looking face himself, Lilic grins at eh Goblins and tries to move out... casually.
Deception: 1d20 + 3 ⇒ (12) + 3 = 15

The goblins are far too distracted by news of the deed, and it's easy to sneak Marcon out to the Grand Lodge!

Congratulations! You'll need to debrief Dreng, but we're complete. I'll report today and try to get chronicles out too!

Lilic sees they made it, and slaps Macron on the shoulders:
 »We made it out alive! »
Before realizing... and stepping a bit away from the ghoul.

In Pathfinder 2e the man making the roll decides whose help he accepts. Hopper was not mentioned, yet RP wise it felt good to participate. So for flavor only feel free to read this.

When Zanderel begins the story, Hopper begins jumping in front of him with his dagger pulled out, mimicking a fight with that green blob that apparently is a croc.

He jumps and fends with his dagger, raising his hands high with a smile of a triumph when it is dead. His smile vanishing at words 'But I never had a chance to help!'.

But it did not stop him. He continues to do his pantomime: swimming on the ground when Lilic was diving, fending again when they fought the mercenaries and sneaking around the stage when they were exploring.

Hopper was an addition to Zanderel's performance and one must say that it was pretty:

Bad, horrible even. Hopper fought when they were sneaking and sneaked when Lilic dove. He dropped flat on the ground pretending to swim when they opened the chest. It was like the actor was completely out of sync with the storyteller.

Seeing Hopper's antics, Lilic glances at Macron: "Kind of makes you accept you're dead, doesn't it?"

At the very end, after debriefing with Drandle Dreng and all, Lilic suddenly feels a bottle in his pocket.
"What's this?"
He sees it's some kind of... bottled lightning?
"Nice liquor I imagine!"
He takes a big gulp, ready to then pass the bottle around to his comrades...

"Wait, no-" Zan warns Lilic too late as he ingests the Mad Hopper's mad concoction.

When Lilic stops twitching the elf reaches down to help the shocked young man back up to their feet. "If there is one thing I've learned from my travels with our goblin friend, it's this: always read the label!"