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The full details of our most recent session are given in the most recent post here. In a nutshell, my players subdued all four "Cow Hammer Boys" and Verik. After long and arduous investigation of All the World's Meat and separate interrogations of Karralo, Parns, and Verik, they:
1) learned that they Boys were killing some of their targets, and that Parns was preparing their remains for inclusion in the handouts to the needy;
2) deduced that Melyia Arkona was providing Verik with cattle; and
3) correctly concluded that Verik was unaware of the gruesome activities of his men, believed he had good intentions in helping hungry people, and set him free with all of his equipment. He has (truthfully) said that he plans to leave the city in shame.
Through the silver dagger/raktavarna, Vimanda/Melyia knows that the heroes are aware of Verik's connection with her, and that the operation is destroyed. She also knows that the characters are agents of the Field Marshal.
My current thought is this: as detailed in "Edge of Anarchy" and "Escape from Old Korvosa" House Arkona is steadily building resources with the intent of collapsing the current monarchy and assuming control of Korvosa. Vimanda can track him without fail. In the dead of night, before he makes good his escape, she approaches and deceives him one last time, kills him, and puts his maimed body on display in front of All the World's meat with "Traitor to the Throne" written on the window in his blood. The heroes did speak to guards on their way to the Citadel and suggest they secure the butcher shop, so they'd either have to be eliminated by Vimanda, too, or their absence from the scene explained another way. I think this'd go a long way to turning those who relied on food from the renegade guards against the already-sullied monarchy--just as the Arkonas desire.
My concern is that the players will feel punished for their characters' actions, and spend too much time investigating the circumstances of Verik's death after they last saw him.
I'd welcome ideas from fellow DMs and Paizo creators on the final fate of Verik in this instance. Our next session is on Thursday, July 17th. Thanks for all of the past feedback; it's been appreciated and put to good use.
1) Get the ravaktana into the party's hands some other way; it's too cool not to use. Perhaps, it starts stalking the party of its own accord on Viamanda's command, ending up somewhere in Eel's End or the Dead Warrens in a prominent place.
2) Have Verik disappear. The party will think they did good. Once they find him tortured to within an inch of his life in the Vivified Labyrinth, or even transformed into one of the Arkona's fungus-encrusted guards, they might think differently (depending on whether you want to give them the chance to save him or not).
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After rereading the entry on Verik Vancaskerkin, I interpret it as being that the Arkonas did not just intend for Verik to gather a large following to depose the Queen, but that he was to become their puppet prince in place of her! That's a valuable pawn. So one of our possibilities is that the Arkonas have future plans for him. Another is that he is sincerely interested in helping Korvosa and now feels the need for redemption. Either possibility gives us some nice options. So here are my suggestions.
1) The Arkonas keep tabs on him, and arrange for him to stay in Old Korvosa to "sort things out" with the help of his lover. She has a suitable story so that he believes she too was a dupe of his thugs. Verik therefore returns in Escape from Old Korvosa, possibly as another encounter at the Arkona estate (and possibly ally with the heroes after an initial confrontation). Or he breaks out of his funk to oppose the Emperor of Old Korvosa around the same time as the PCs begins that module. Afterwards, he could "hold down the fort" in Old Korvosa as the PCs leave the city, so he'll be an ally once they return.
2) Verik leaves the city, but returns during 7 Days to the Grave. His guilt propels his return to help the city he feels he betrayed. He helps however he can. Perhaps he simply helps carry the dead for burial, or becomes more involved. Perhaps the Arkona use him as a rabble rouser to seal off a ward of the city to prevent that part from being infected. Because of the Arkona connection to their old warehouse in 7 Days, the Arkonas leak information to him so he can leak information to the PCs about it (if you need that). See what the fall out of that at that time. If you want to permanently retire the NPC, then have the PCs hear about some "saint" who risks his life to save the infected or such. Now this "saint" has become infected. When they go to try to cure him, or pay their respects, they see Verik laying in bed his body scarred from the disease.
3) Similar to the above, the Arkonas use him as a source/contact to feed information to the PCs without them knowing the Arkonas are doing it. The PCs just know that Verik has reformed and is sincere in helping them. Verik seems to be really plugged into the city, but he was a guard and no doubt knows lots of people who provide him with information. This aspect can be resolved in Escape from Old Korvosa.
4) If the PCs are not interested in the Blackjack angle, then use Verik to become the next Blackjack. He thinks its a way to redeem himself. He doesn't even need to encounter Orsini. He just becomes inspired during Blackjack's reappearance in Edge of Anarchy. Sometime later, he returns to the city and emulates his hero. He wears a simple black mask as a disguise. One time, he's seen and the people simply call him Blackjack. He panics and leaves. But the next time he's out he gets the same reception. So he continues. Although not planning on taking the Blackjack name, the people of Korvosa adopt him as the next heir. Soon, the PCs hear that Blackjack has returned either before or after they find Orsini in Escape. Eventually, they encounter "Blackjack." He helps them. Whenever it is dramatically appropriate, "Blackjack" reveals his true identity. This works best if you don't give any indication that Verik has returned to the city. And of course, if the PCs want to become Blackjack themselves, don't use this.
5) After the initial events of Escape which explains what happens between the Queen and Endrin, Verik returns to truly lead the resistance to the Queen. The Arkonas may or may not be involved. It will suit their purpose anyway. The main difference between this and #1 is that Verik does not need to limit himself to Old Korvosa. He could set up shop anywhere. If you need a true "final fate," he finally does end up captured and killed and displayed in a gruesome fashion as a warning to others. You could even do a FREEDOMMMMMM moment ala Braveheart during the public execution. Could be a good way to inspire the PCs to heroism. Perhaps they even save him!
Hope one of these helps, or at least inspires a new idea for you.
You might also foreshadow that Vimanda is not all that she seems. If you've seen the film Strange Days make Verik the character that is trying to get Lenny the tape of what happened under the overpass. In this forumla "what happened under the overpass" is what happened when Vimanda tracked down Verik to eliminate him. Vimanda is likely to careful to reveal that she is Melyia, but just knowing that
That or she can use him in the labyrinth to help bolster her story about being Vencarlo. This would require that Verik has been toyed with/tortured by her so long that he no longer thinks for himself. His very condition might be just the clue the PCs need to make the right call about the Vencarlo that is telling them about Sivik. Perhaps as a final redemption for Verik he breaks free of the savagely imposed brainwashing Vimanda applied and warns the PCs of her true nature at this delicate juncture just before absorbing one of those annoying symbols in the Labyrinth to save a PC!
Otherwise I also really like what The Black Fox said above. :)
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As always after asking for ideas and advice, I'm lucky to have more excellent ideas than I can use. Thank you, folks.
I've reconsidered having Verik killed outright. In addition to thinking of the in-game motivations of the Arkonas, the other reason I originally leaned that way was feeling a need to close the door on that, lest Cressida begin to doubt that they were up to the task set before them, ruining the credibility of having her ask for their help as things progress. I think, though, with some Diplomacy, she'd realize that both the loyal guardsmen and those considering desertion might be stirred to redouble their efforts after seeing how terribly Parns and company betrayed the city and its people.
I'm going to keep Verik's character level on pace with the PCs. With the brutality of some of the encounters to come, it's always good to have a backup so somebody's not left sitting idle for a session. He can also serve as an enemy if needed. If they don't encounter him beforehand, he'll likely be found in the Vivified Labyrinth dungeons and flee Korvosa with them if he's rescued.
He'd be great as Blackjack, but there are two PCs who are looking like they'd love the role. Both are tailors, strangely enough--maybe a whole party calling itself "The Blackjacks"?!
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That could be quite fun, the multiple Blackjacks, he's gone from infrequently seen to being everywhere at once, and everyone has their own opinion about how tall, fat, short, skinny he or she is!
Fun roleplaying opportunity for the PCs listen to two NPCs argue about which one of them saw the REAL Blackjack.