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In Bullywug Gambit, we're told that Captain Javell picked up the pearl from someone who gave her orders to bring it to Kraken's Cove and look after it until someone else comes to take it from her. As written, she won't reveal the identities of these someones. Who are they, though?
I figure she got the pearl from the Crimson Fleet: in my campaign it'll have been directly from Captain Wyther, to foreshadow his later appearance. But I dunno who the Fleet would have used to bring the pearl into Sasserine and detonate it. Such a person would likely be the Fleet's most trusted local agent. For now I'm going to figure Harliss doesn't know who this will be either: all she knows is she'll recognize them because they'll be a lemorian. Since my group plans to keep running side adventures in Sasserine after the Sea Wyvern sails - we like the city too much to leave it behind altogether - I'd ultimately like to come with an explanation for what the Fleet would have planned if Vanthus hadn't screwed it up.
Well, make up some criminal mastermind (who might not have a clue what he is transporting) or small scale cult (say of Dagon or Demogorgon) who would either handle and place the pearl themselves, or deliver it inland to another, bigger city.
I never saw Vanthus actually going to Kraken's cove for the pearl (alone), but rather to plunder the smugglers' base in the chaos of the burning flotilla. That's at least what is written in teh preface of BWG. To chance upon the pearl (although Brissa seems to have told him of that beforehand ), and then to actually use it was to me, judging by the synopsis of BWG, never the intention of his raid, but simple greed.
Harliss herself only transported the pearl for the Crimson Fleet, never quite knowing what the thing was about, except being valuable and rare - and yes, quite possibly, because she was not one of the inner circle and a Lemorian, and therefore better able to interact with the smugglers and non-fleet contacts she would eventually have to deal with. Far less suspicious haggling with a comely, yet fierce female freebooter, than with a winged, horned, fanged and evil-emanating Half-fiend, right ?
As for the criminal mastermind, I would either assume someone related to Brissa (if you make her the offspring of some family), or someone posing a s a noble, inorder to hide is/her trail and intentions.
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I never saw Vanthus actually going to Kraken's cove for the pearl (alone), but rather to plunder the smugglers' base in the chaos of the burning flotilla. That's at least what is written in teh preface of BWG. To chance upon the pearl (although Brissa seems to have told him of that beforehand ), and then to actually use it was to me, judging by the synopsis of BWG, never the intention of his raid, but simple greed.
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That was my take on it too. iirc I do not think he meant to set it off, but got in a fight which spilled blood and caused him to drop the pearl. Brissa's family is the likely culprit, since it is through her that V finds out about the loot to be had in the cove. i also had her family hire a new pc, ymmv when she did not return. Penku is a good patsy, but I think he is too patsy to be a crimson fleet contact.