Encounter sub in trial of the beast *** spoilers!

[Imperium]

So I really don't care for the encounter at the courthouse, I also believe my party will not respond favorably to it. SO, I think I'm going to have the mob release something that was caged in there that they may of believed was the beast. Any ideas to what that would be? or perhaps any other ideas to sub the courthouse encounter with. Thanks all!

[Gonturan]

Are you referring to the riot that occurs between Days 2 and 3 of the trial? Or by "the encounter at the courthouse," do you mean the entire trial?

If the former, you can easily eliminate the riot with no repercussions to the story. I can't really think of anything that would be caged "in there" (ie. imprisoned in the courthouse) that could pass for a flesh golem.

If the latter, well...the AP chapter is called "The Trial of the Beast," so you'll make to do an awful lot of changes. But I think I remember a few other discussion threads that discussed pushing the trial into the background.

[archmagi1]

Remember, there are 12 guards living on the courthouse grounds. Muster them and you have a party + 12 guys who are better statted than the rioters.

In my game, the party did mostly defending while the guards proceeded to disembowel a number of rioters, especially after they showed up with firebombs.