What did you do with Filge? Kill him? Let him go? Take him prisoner?
If you killed him, do you plan on having him come back as undead or spirit in a future adventure?
If you let him go, do you plan on having him return?
If you took him prisoner, who did you take him to? What crimes did he commit in your campaign world?
Is necromancy illegal in your Diamond Lake? I can't remember if the description of his home implied foul play. Were the bodies murdered or simply dug up? Is there any proof that Filge dug them up? Perhaps he purchased them to conduct "important research" to combat necromancy (or at least that could be his defense).
Did the PCs break any laws by storming the observatory? What are the laws in your campaign against trespassing? How did the PCs explain their actions? Did they describe their discovery of the Whispering Cairn? Did they reveal information about the cult to anyone?
My players apprehended Filge in the tower, as he had run out of spells by the time the PCs were finished with the undead. As they are a lawful bunch, they brought him back to the Garrison and the Chapel of Tyr (Heironeous). They did not want to bring him to the Sheriff, as they (rightly so) fear that he would be handed over to Smenk immediately. Valkus Duun is holding him there now, and wants to prosecute him according to Waterdhavian laws (since Daggerford is technical under Waterdeep's rule). However, this only gives Filge 1 week behind bars for defiling of tombs or graves, so Duun is desperate to pin murder on him (the dinner guests).
Next session, I will have Balabar Smenk demand his release. Duun will refuse, stating that he is ruling according to Waterdhavian law. Smenk will then bring up some charges of his own.. Unlawful dueling with death as a result (the players attacked Kullen and his gang and killed the wizard). The penalty for this is also 1 week in jail. Smenk will demand Filge back for dropping the charges, but Duun will refuse, and will rather put the PC in jail (ironic, since this is a paladin).
And yes, I plan on having all the NPC enemies return once or more in the future. Kullen and the PCs hate each other intensely, and Filge may also return. I really hope AoW provides us with the opportunity. Like... five adventures from now they can put in an evil wizard as an enemy, and provide stats for both Filge and an alternate enemy, as many groups probably kills all their enemies.
Now, my players didn't handle this in the best manner. Still this is amusing so I'll share.
Our heroes... three talenta halflings and a troll... no really a troll, savage species monster progression. They range between N, CN, and CG... but are thankfully, self motivating.
They go to the observitory commando style, for two reasons, one to catch the necromancer off gaurd, and because the sheriff is looking for them because of a condiluded side plot that involved a fight with the owner of the emporium.
The three halflings lead with the troll following a good distance back so not to make too much noise. They take out the tomb mote, the three skelletons without making too much noise or too much hassle. They stare in abject horror at the dinner scene "This guy has issues".
They creep up to the second floor, and before I even finish describing the room, the rogue makes an arm motion of picking up the Plat piece from the tongue as I'm describing the stuffed goblin. Not the smartest halfling rogue in the world. "INTRUDER! INTRUDER!" screams the head as the troll crushes it to shut it up. Merrowahn the owl flies up to tell Filge there's a big freaking monster downstairs.
The party members look at each other, and the three halflings roll hide checks, not a single one lower than a 25. The rogue dives under the bed, the ranger deftly hides under the desk. The barbarian goes for under the bed, stops, grabs the top hat, glasses, and platter from the stuffed goblin, throws the goblin under the bed (with the rogue) and takes the thing's place holding the platter and the smushed head. The troll, the poor poor troll, goes up against the south wall, stands there, strikes a pose, trying to look like a statue like the angelic one on the northwest wall.
The zombies come lumbering down a momment later... I roll spot without thinking that there was no reason I really should be... and roll a 1. The zombies, do not notice the troll. Filge meanwhile is casting and injecting himself upstairs buffing the the inevitable fight. But no sounds of battle came from below... seconds ticked away... nothing moved.
Filge slowly creeps downt he stairs, and peaks around the wall of the stairwell, and sees the troll, "KILL THE TROLL!" he screams. Last words he would ever say. I decided to give the troll, and just the troll a surpise round action. He innitiated a grapple with the nearest zombie, then all hell broke loose.
Inititives were rolled, Filge didn't win. The ranger rolled out from under the desk and threw his talenta boomerang mightily. Rolled high enough to pass the wizard's improved AC and pass the miss chance for cover, Filge is clocked with a boomerang. The rogue rolls out from under the bed and similarly rolls beautifully to throw a dagger into Filge's shoulder. Then the barbarian, using quick draw, drops the platter snatches up two of his throwing axes (he has twf) and throws one into a zombie, and the other into Filge. He crits! Filge now has an axe sticking out of his head. He's dead he just hasn't hit the floor yet. This is when the Troll who's not satisfide that the necromancer is good and dead yet, throws the zombe he had grappled into the necromancer knocking him off the stairs and into a heap... right in front of his 'grave stone'. One round, and Filge got slaughtered.
The zombies obey the last command and attack the troll, and deal some pretty good damage to the party before they all stay down. But overall it was a forgone conclusion.
The party looted the observitory for all it was worth... Smenk's going to be furious when he finds out. The party made a enemy of Khellek earlier, and the law's looking for them. I'm waiting for overload to decide when it all hits the fan.
My party went in there all commando style too. It was like medieval Rainbow Six!!! It was a actually pretty good. The rogue snuck up thru the stairs silently to sneak a peek and saw Merrowahn (who failed the Spot check!!!). The rogue also got a quick layout of the bed room, got the distance between the stairways and even heard Filge's little singing one flight up!!! They decided to do a surgical strike and attack the familiar and Filge in one fell swoop. The dice were alive with crit's that night!!! With "GO,GO,GO!" and "TANGO DOWN!" being cheerfully exclaimed, Merrowahn & Filge never even knew what hit em!
After that, the wizard of the group (who aspires to be a True Necromancer) stole the body and had Speak with Dead on him to interrogate him and plans on having Filge as his first zombie thrall!!! HOW IRONIC!!!
Funny, mine took quite a similar direction (also playing in the Realms, btw.).
But I was generous and have let them charge Filge with various things. The player who plays a cleric of Tyr (going longterm towards the Justiciar of Tyr PrC) came up with the following charges: "murderous intention" (i.e. attacked the PCs on sight), "illegal practice of necromancy" (i.e. animated the bodies of "unwilling" citizens), "grave robbing" and "scheming against the established order".
The trial has not taken place yet and I am not sure that they will be able to convince the judge (i.e. me) about the last charge, but I liked the proactive approach they have taken about this and I am quite willing to let this go through up to public execution (medieval style).
I will have the cleric make a couple Diplomacy and Profession (lawyer) checks and see how it turns out...
Bocklin
My players apprehended Filge in the tower, as he had run out of spells by the time the PCs were finished with the undead. As they are a lawful bunch, they brought him back to the Garrison and the Chapel of Tyr (Heironeous). They did not want to bring him to the Sheriff, as they (rightly so) fear that he would be handed over to Smenk immediately. Valkus Duun is holding him there now, and wants to prosecute him according to Waterdhavian laws (since Daggerford is technical under Waterdeep's rule). (...)
Funny, mine took quite a similar direction (also playing in the Realms, btw.).
But I was generous and have let them charge Filge with various things. The player who plays a cleric of Tyr (going longterm towards the Justiciar of Tyr PrC) came up with the following charges: "murderous intention" (i.e. attacked the PCs on sight), "illegal practice of necromancy" (i.e. animated the bodies of "unwilling" citizens), "grave robbing" and "scheming against the established order".
Quite interesting. My PCs actually attacked first, so I would have removed the first charge in my campaign. Also, I am not really sure if clerics of Tyr can act with authority in Daggerford (even though they tend to think so), so the PCs would probably be charged with trespassing. However, I don't really feel that Diamond Lake/Daggerford is civilized enough to hold a trial, that is unless the Tyrrites (sp?) choose to do so on their own volition.
Actually, I did not substitue Daggerford for Diamond Lake. I chose to place the town "as is" up the Delimbyir, next to the Forlorn Hills and on the banks of the river. I fudged with the map so that the hills come closer to the town. ;-)
I am probably going to play out a conflict between the Tyrrans (!) and the Sherrif, but did not give much thoughts to that up til now.
Bocklin
Quite interesting. My PCs actually attacked first, so I would have removed the first charge in my campaign. Also, I am not really sure if clerics of Tyr can act with authority in Daggerford (even though they tend to think so), so the PCs would probably be charged with trespassing. However, I don't really feel that Diamond Lake/Daggerford is civilized enough to hold a trial, that is unless the Tyrrites (sp?) choose to do so on their own volition.
Being so remote (and as I don't have any campaign sets), the law and garrison in Diamond Lake are run by (supposedly) enforcing "traditional laws" on the public, i.e. there is no law book or codified infractions. Any jury trials are ad hoc with "common sense and tradition" guiding the proceedings. Obviously, murder, theft, and the like are easy enough to describe (being traditional) but necromancy et al will fall under the heading "unnatural, unwholesome, and dangerous practices." This allows a lot more latitude on both sides, and of course, gives the powers that be (Smenk) more say in what actually gets punished.
The garrison does have a code of conduct, though. Any infractions settled by court martial will be much more legalistic.
My group went to the Observatory to negotiate for the bones. They really didn't care much about why he took them. They got there, and made their way to the dining room and got freaked out. They tried to confront him from a position of strength and demanded the bones, halfing ranger (think OotS ranger) botches Intimidate roll. Fight ensues. Filge gets knocked unconscious.
They talk to him, decide to take him up on the offer of helping with the cultists. The warforged in the party hated him though and didn't want to give his stuff back.
They wandered around town, and finished up the Cairn with Filge in tow. When they got back to town, Smenk had sent them a invitation to dinner. The party didn't know what to do about Filge, they are terrified of Smenk. Filge told them that he would write them a letter of introduction, in return for his gear and freedom. They agreed and Filge took off for the hills. He knows Smenk will want him dead for everything he told the PCs to stay alive and he doesn't want to fool with the PCs right now.
He'll show up in future episodes...him and Kullen, who escaped when the party attacked his crew.