Hey, in my fledgling SC Campaign, the characters were canny enough to realize something wasn't quite kosher with Patch, the half-orc janitor lurking around while they were investigating the Lantern Street Orphanage. After interrogating him, they found out his association with Revus Twindaggers and the Last Laugh.
So now, the players are convinced that the Last Laugh is going to find out he spilled his guts, and they'll try to assassinate him. Has anyone followed up this minor plot thread in your game? If so, what happened? I'm just searching for ideas. Thanks!
If the players are worried, let them worry--a little paranoia is not a bad thing, especially in this AP! What I figured from reading the adventure (and I don't have the book in front of me...)is that Patch's only contact with the Last Laugh was with Revus, so even if he has told the PCs what he knows, the chances of the Last Laugh finding out are slim to none: Revus has disappeared (remember, Patch hasn't seen him for some time), and IIRC, first level characters don't have a chance of finding out anything about who's in charge of the Last Laugh or where they can be found.
--Fang
I actually replaced Patch with the rogue character from my group. The player was likely to play an antisocial character (despite my indicating that all PCs should be interested as working as a group), so I knew I had to find another way for the PC to be brought in. Patch's situation seemed perfect.
The PC was fine with playing an orphan, fits in with the whole loner thing. And since the character was a rogue it made sense that she would see a thieves guild as a way out of her current life. Revus was something of a mentor, if a harsh and unforgiving one. And when the game begins she was on her way to meet with Revus.
Since the kid had disappeared completely (I had a thorough investigation done of the orphanage of part of her background) she was frightened, she didn't know what this meeting would hold. Her whole reason for joining up with the group then ended up being that she thought they had the best chance of finding the kid and saving her from the Last Laugh. The player loved this as it allowed his darker character to have a reason to join the group.
At the same time I had a player who was a member of the watch, who was with his sgt., one Skylar Krewis, under cover and watching the meeting. They don't know all the Last Laugh members but they know of Revus and that he has a meeting. They are hoping it leads them to the rest of the Last Laugh and they are thinking they guild is behind the abductions.
Revus is paranoid at this point. The Last Laugh never actually tasked the PC with the task of watching the kid, it was Revus' job. Since Revus has some delusions of granduer and the job itself was boring he subcontracted out so he could feel more like boss. Only now that the kid is missing it is him that will be held responsible. His nervousness and fidgety nature are striking compared to his normal behaviour and he seems equally emphatic that the Last Laugh will come after the PC if she doesn't find that kid as he is scared of something (the Last Laugh coming after him).
Half way through the conversation, Revus notices Skylar and breaks off the conversation. He tells the PC to exit from the front and loose anyone who follows, he is going through the back. Skylar tells the lawman PC to follow the rogue PC, he will go after Revus... it is the last time Revus is seen.
A foot chase between the two PCs ensues and eventually the crafty rogue is able to loose the hulking lawman... but both end up near an alley way in which the sounds of a scuffle can now be heard. A priest (another PC who is replacing Rufus in this case) is being accosted by several thugs.
My intent was very much have the Last Laugh as a shadowy organization with inscrutible goals and motivations. When the PC later tried to contact Revus by leaving a note at a dead drop they used down near the lake, it was Jil who ended up being the one to meet her. In fact I have Jil popping up a lot.
Skylar, of course, tells the lawman PC that he lost Revus shortly after they left and has no idea what happened to him. While the PCs may never know, or actually care since they have their own issues, Revus was taken by Jil and punished for his failure (not fun experience as her cruelty loves the occasional outlet).
In your case, I would likely have Patch disappear. From a guarded room would be best. Have the guard (hopefully a PC) hear nothing, but when the room is checked it is disarray and Last Laugh calling card has been left on the table. No blood or anything to indicate he is dead. Just that there was a struggle and he is gone.
If your really lucky, the PCs can hold onto that for a long time and when they crash Jil's little horror show late in the adventures they can find Patch and/or his remains.
You could use Revus as an alternate for Jil as the representative of the Last Laugh if they seem to have latched onto him in the role (just use her stats for him).
I was even thinking of letting my PC join the guild later, which would have been interesting... mostly an in between adventures thing as I want a year or so in between most of my adventures (I want people to be able to have a 'non-adventuring' life as well as use item creation and crafting abilities, etc.; I was planning on then basically doing new backgrounds for each of the PCs in between each adventure that detail what they have been up to and what has been happening... based on their indications of what they want to be doing, of course). Unfortunately I was running an online game and real life reared it's ugly head and I had to let the game lapse just at the end of Life's Bazaar.
Sean Mahoney
Hi,
In my game PATCH as been disintegrated after TERREM was brought back to the orphanage, Valhantru had to make a move to prove his strength and reject the fault on someone else.
My player have found the body and some thieves tools in his room.
They asked and know that some people can disintegrate others by magic....