Jesters

[TheInstigator]

I would like some opinions on what I'm planning to do with the Last Laugh.

I'm going to put Velior over the Alleybashers, removing him entirely from the Last Laugh. Then I plan to "create" three Jesters (all around 12-15th level) over three branches of the Last Laugh: Espionage, Assassination, and Thievery. The catch is that the branches are not always aware of what the other is doing, and don't necessarily agree with each others decisions.

Assassination will obviously be Nulin. He has relayed little if any information about the Cagewrights activities to the other Jesters.

Thievery (Picking pockets/opening locks) will be "Maple". She has allowed herself to be kidnapped because she wanted to find out the whos and hows of the abductions. The kidnappers ability to seemingly bypass locks at will has intrigued her. If its talent, they should be recruited/controlled, if it's something else...Anyway, Maple is simply biding her time; she hasn't decided who she wants to save, spare, or kill. When the PCs show up, she severely downplays her skills. Perhaps, she hopes one of the adventurers might show some potential so her efforts will not be wasted on some skulks with a master key.

Espionage will be "Faceless" aka Artus Shemwick, Revus Twindaggers, and possibly Skylar Krewis. He will be classed Rogue/Chameleon and maybe a few levels of Sorcerer to help augment his abilities of deception. Artus knows Nulin is up to something, but even he is having difficulty discovering what. He may make a few incognito appearances to help guide the PCs along the way. Why?
1. Nulin snagged one of his most promising pupils, Jil.
2. Nulin has always been creepy, but lately he has been acting (insert Politically Correct version of insane). His behavior could be disastrous for the Last Laugh.

"Faceless" can't be directly connected to whoever keeps thwarting Nulin/the Cagewrights because that could cause turmoil within the Last Laugh branches.

[Cesare]

I've actually done something VERY similar. In my version of the Last Laugh, there is only ONE jester, who is Nulin. However, I have five harlequins who are in charge of ASSASSINATION, THIEVERY, VICE/DRUGS, RACKETEERING, and PROSTITUTION. The Harlequin Council meets once every season to discuss guild policy, etc., but otherwise their operations are independent of each other. The only commonality between them is that a percentage of their cut goes up the pyramid to Nulin and the Cagewrights effectively.

The Harlequin of Assassination is Jil. As I'm using delvesdeep alternate Cagewrights, Jil is also a Cagewright Apprentice and in essence, the next Jester if something were to happen to Nulin.

The Harlequin of Vice is Adrick Garthun (the dwarf who mints the jester coins and owns a warehouse in the docks district). Much of the illegal drugs as well as tobacco and alcohol that are distributed in the black market can be attributed to this individual and his cronies.

The Harlequin of Racketeering (or Enforcement) is Velior Thazo. Many small businesses throughout Cauldron must pay "protection money" to the Last Laugh and Velior is the person who is in charge of collecting. In my campaign, the party's rogue has a vendetta against Velior who was responsible for crippling her father (he cut off her father's thumbs) when he couldn't pay the protection money.

The Harlequin of Prostitution is Gortio the doppelganger (from Zenith Trajectory). Prostitution is another means of information gathering/blackmail that the Last Laugh employs to get the upper hand over influential people in the city. Known in certain circles as Madame Gortio, the half elf proprietor of a gentleman's club in Obsidian Avenue, this doppelganger has an "agreement" with Commissioner Skellerang of the City Guard. She is also in charge of all the prostitution that goes on throughout the city (and the information that it brings).

The Harlequin of Thievery could be anyone. I like the idea of putting an unassuming Maple in this role. She is keeping a close eye on her prodigal apprentice (the party PC) who has delved into the dungeons of Jzadirune to rescue the lost orphans. I can view her as grooming the PC to eventually take her place.

Also, in my campaign, Nulin took power over the Last Laugh three years ago. Since he took over, the Last Laugh has become much more vicious and erratic. Their first action was to drive the Alleybashers out of the city. A bloody guild war ensued among the formerly 'peaceful' guilds and the Alleybashers were pushed out to the surrounding hills and forced to take up banditry to survive. The City Watch could do nothing during all this as Commissioner Skellerang was being blackmailed by Gortio and Vhalantru respectively, all while the Last Laugh ran amok.

Artus Shemwick was the former Jester of the Last Laugh, but when Nulin made his move to take over, Artus fled and went into hiding. As a result Artus often does things to try to undermine the Last Laugh throughout the city (such as helping the PCs, etc.)

[delvesdeep]

I was heading down a line of something a bit more simple but I must say both sets of ideas you have come up with are very good.

I was just going to have Nulin my Jester (Cagewright Master), Jil his second in command (Apprentice) and then if the players seemed interested I would use three Harlequins as the next in line including Velior, Jil's cohort (sorry forgotten his name) and maybe even Maple.

I didn't think the players would care too much but may have to reconsider if and when they seek to bring down the Last Laugh altogether.

Delvesdeep

[Mothman]

Yes, this is good stuff, I think I'll definately be using some of this.

One of my PCs has joined the Last Laugh, his hidden goal being to try to find out who's running the show...

[Cesare]

I was actually thinking of each Harlequin having some sort of card motif, such as Jil also being known as the "Queen of Hearts" or something like that. I'll need to roll this around in my head a little bit more though. I'm glad you guys like the idea. The Last Laugh is playing a significant role in my campaign.

[ibramthefish]

There are some great ideas in this thread. Like so many others, I'm borrowing from Delevesdeep's brilliant Alternative Cagewrights document, and had planned to get rid of Thazo - I had a vague plan that he'd be found dead sometime earlyish in my campaign, evidence of the resolution of a power struggle within the Last Laugh but otherwise going nowhere - but I like him as the head Alleybasher. One of my PCs has Alleybasher connections - he is a Dreamhaunted orphan whose parents were adventurers and prepared a brilliant backstory involving running with a street gang as a youth, only to come back from a job to find his Fagin-type boss dead and mates gone. It makes sense to have them driven out of Cauldron and forced into banditry - I can't wait til the PC confronts one of his former street gang pals at the Lucky Monkey (let alone finding his parents' statues at Vhalantru's place!)
But I digress. Other potential Jesters who are mentioned in the Hardcover could be Finch, Xendro and Mokaius - all of whom are mentioned in Lords of Oblivion. Finch in particular looks to have "Underboss" potential as a level 5 rogue/6 sorcerer.

[delvesdeep]

Cesare wrote:

I was actually thinking of each Harlequin having some sort of card motif, such as Jil also being known as the "Queen of Hearts" or something like that.

Great idea Cesare! I'll be including this little gem in my campaign for certain.

Guildmaster & Cagewright Master
Nulin - Jester/Joker

2nd in command & Cagewright Apprentice
Jil - Queen of Hearts

Last Laugh Harlequins
Velior - Jack of Clubs
Fetch - Jack of Spades
Gortio - Jack of Hearts
Adrick - Jack of Diamonds

Perhaps Nulin leaves a bloodied Jokers cards pined to his victims with a dagger?

The others could have the card image tattoed to their forearms.

Great idea

Delvesdeep