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My party has just reached the Valley of Aloi. We've mostly played the AP as written, though I threw in a few tailored encounters for them here and there.

The characters trusted the troglodytes and worked with them, hoping to reach some mutual agreement on surviving the Fangwood, but given the trogs are CE I had them agree to a better deal from the Legion. So when the party was away, the trogs attacked the refugees. A desperate race to rescue some kidnapped refugees ensued, which was fun.

That all culminated in the attack on Camp Red Jaw. We had two players and three of the refugees die here, and the party had to retreat and regroup (which seems to be the opposite of most groups' experience. It was the hobgoblin alchemist that did the most damage.

The three forts went pretty much as written. Our teenage fey sorcerer took the korrigan club and wields it with her hair, sometimes with her burning gaze... we're all a bit creeped out by her. The toughest battle was the trolls at Nunder. I really tried to make the Ibzairiak encounter memorable, I think it was, nobody died but it wasn't easy for them.

Longshadow was fun. We had mixed reactions to the social duel, some players really liked it and one really disliked it.

So now they are at the Valley. I'm not sure how we're going to deal with the cavalier's horse heading underground...

Thanks Shinjo Todaro, those are really good ideas and something along the lines I was thinking.

Meraki, hopefully they think of trying to lure away the Hellknights, and getting the crowd on side. Both will help immensely.

Haha yes nice idea, I don't think it has crossed their mind.

The latest is I heard they are working on a plan involving Vanish and Obscuring Mists to whisk Alaria away while everyone is distracted. Not bad but I think they are somewhat optimistic...

Thanks for the responses so far.

roguerouge, good ideas but the PCs are determined to rescue Alaria in broad daylight in front of everyone to make a statement, so the night time heist would be smart but they’re going for dramatic. Likewise they discounted rescuing her during transit. Originally I tried to set up this scenario like a heist, it’s how I would like it to play out rather than straight combat (coz a TPK is a real chance!)

Latrecis, I have based the setup off the Unsanctioned Excruciation but I figured a high-profile figure like the Poison Pen would likely be sanctioned. I am probably being lenient in not having Barzillai himself preside over it. I think you’re right that dog-housing is the best idea though and am now leaning toward that.

zimmerwald1915, from memory they have recruited a team of Freedom Fighters and the Info Gathering one (Performers?). As for Allies, they have Rexus; a vigilante-type NPC (usually leads the Freedom Fighters); and a Cleric of Irori.

Tl;dr: I need some ideas for the excruciation and rescue of the Poison Pen.

Quick background:

I’m running a Hell’s Rebels campaign, we’re only a few sessions in and the PCs are level 2. My rebels are secretive, and finished some of the initial quests. I have already foreshadowed the Poison Pen through a few political poems in the early sessions.

I threw in a small scene where the PCs attend a theatre and meet some of the nobles. This ended with the bard discovering one of the Poison Pen’s poems had been placed in his pocket. My plan was he would be caught with it and have to talk his way out. Instead, he fled the scene (and kept going through the gates of Kintargo never to be seen again!). His companion NPC bard, Alaria, who was also at the theatre, was subsequently arrested as the Poison Pen, and now faces excruciation.

The PCs were surprised to discover Alaria is the Poison Pen (little do they know she is not!), and they are now determined to rescue her. They have decided to make a statement by rescuing her during her excruciation, at the same time revealing themselves to the crowd and announcing their mission of overthrowing Barzillai, hoping that word will spread and people will flock to their cause.

Although Alaria is actually a minor NPC, I think this scene is really important to our campaign. It will be pivotal in determining public opinion of the rebels (depending on their success and actions); the PCs’ opinion of the government (the punishment they mete out and especially if they kill Alaria during the rescue); and then how the PCs use Alaria. In a nutshell, it has the potential to set the tone for the rest of the campaign.

So my two questions are:

Can anyone think of a suitable excruciation for the Poison Pen? I think it should reflect the PP’s crimes. I was thinking a rope system which strains her as the torturers add ink or paper as weight (to reflect PP’s writings), and when she breaks she falls into reach of vicious dogs (bringing in the dog-housing idea). I’d like something suitably punishing and humiliating without being too gory – she shouldn’t die (since I’ve read somewhere prisoners are rarely killed and I have a backup plan of PCs rescuing her from slavery if they fail here).

Next, can anyone suggest how I can run such an important scene to be more than just combat? I’m very aware they are not powerful enough to go head to head with those present - dottari, a cleric of Asmodeus, a couple of dogs, and a few Hellknights. Some ideas I have are a few PCs hold off the dottari/Hellknights while others use skill checks to calm the dogs, undo the ropes/chains, perhaps incite the crowd. Basically I want this scene to take up most of the play session, so to be more than just combat. Also, there should be a real chance of failure, either with the PCS fleeing, or Alaria being killed during the attempt (although the punishment wasn’t execution I don’t think the officials will hesitate to kill her rather than let her escape).

Any ideas are greatly appreciated! Thanks.

Thanks for the quick response!

Hi I just wanted to check on order 3369630, it is from Nov 13. I assume a product is out of stock, any idea when it might be replaced?

Thanks for the help,

Ashley

Hi

I was wondering if you could provide some details on my order #3121656 which I ordered 22 June. In my account it is still listed as Pending but I can’t see which items are out of stock (if any). If some are out of stock, could the items in stock be sent?

Any help you can provide is appreciated.

Thanks,

Ashley.