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.