| Mightymconeshot |
So my players got utterly and completely derailed yesterday. When they first reached Magnimar despite my protests that they probably shouldn't split up, they did anyway. A few went to do personal things, another was temporarily travelling alone because of the haunted house, and the last was trying to keep things on track. Anyway, the one who tried to continue with the mission went to Foxglove home alone where he was invited in and attacked. He fled with barely any hit points but managed to escape the 2 stalkers since they did not want to pursue him into the street. They contacted the Lord Ironbriar as to this "tough" person poking around and he posted a few guard patrols in the area in case they tried to go in again. A couple hours later my PCs regrouped finally, healed up, and went to file a report with the guards. After being told it would be investigated in due importance, they went back immediately to investigate a second time. Basically, the stalkers now aware that these people are more than they seem, and should be dealt with carefully. The PCs tried interrogate Iesha, but failed to get anywhere. After insulting her, she asked them to leave and they complete refused. She ran up the stairs screaming for the guards and they still didn't take the hint about the guards. After debating in the entrance room a small patrol runs up and asks them to drop their weapons which they refused and instead tried to argue/diplomacy their way out (which failed completely). After a furious fight with the guards, they kill several before being taken down, they now sit in jail. One of the PCs escaped but is almost completely unable to hide due to their race. It happened in the middle of the day in the middle of the street and several different guards and civilians can identify them easily.
So here is where I am stuck. How do I run a manhunt? What would be the appropriate gold reward for turning someone in with multiple murder/attempted murder counts? Ironbriar really wants to capture them all.
Secondly how do I run a trial? I don't want to condemn them all to death but this is not the first time something similar has happened. It has never escalated this bad, but I want to drive home the point that their actions have consequences. What could be a serve punishment beside all right guys, time for everyone to roll up a new character? Ironbriar is a good choice for running the trial, but being corrupted would basically execute them outright. So I will probably have another Justicar run it, and I will make one up for that. But what should do with the trial, a series of diplomacy, bluff checks vs the mind of the judge?
So advice? Help? Laughter?