My players just did something reckless, help

[Desril]

So, it's the beginning of the AP, and the players see a rather large, dangerous mob forming up, shouts about hanging the queen etc, you know the drill. Realizing that this particular mob should probably be dispersed somehow, one of the players got up on the highground to get the mob's attention and made a short, dangerous speech. He told them that the queen was abandoning the city and trying to escape via ship at the docks, and is now leading the mob through the streets (2 nat 20s and a high natural Charisma/Bluff, I couldn't just say "it didn't work").

Problem is...what the hell do I do now? There's an angry mob out for blood and they've been rallied to violence. When they get to the docks and the queen isn't there, they aren't going to just go home. How do I convey the chaos and bloodshed that's probably about to happen?

[Tybid]

I would...

Let it happen. Unless the group can come up with a way to direct the mob or diffuse the situation there is just going to be a lot of looting, fighting, and burning at the docks. The nobles will be thankful that they escape a lot of the destruction.

When the rioters find out they have been mislead they will likely be very unhappy.

Group makes the bed, they lie in it.

Of course they may very well surprise you and find a way out of the situation.

Mine frequently do.

[MrVergee]

Desril wrote:

So, it's the beginning of the AP, and the players see a rather large, dangerous mob forming up, shouts about hanging the queen etc, you know the drill. Realizing that this particular mob should probably be dispersed somehow, one of the players got up on the highground to get the mob's attention and made a short, dangerous speech. He told them that the queen was abandoning the city and trying to escape via ship at the docks, and is now leading the mob through the streets (2 nat 20s and a high natural Charisma/Bluff, I couldn't just say "it didn't work").

Problem is...what the hell do I do now? There's an angry mob out for blood and they've been rallied to violence. When they get to the docks and the queen isn't there, they aren't going to just go home. How do I convey the chaos and bloodshed that's probably about to happen?

This is actually is good opportunity to tie in the start of the adventure.

When the mob gets to the docks, soldiers are waiting for them. Although the soldiers are reluctant to fight (you should make this clear) they will resort to violence if they have to. Unless the PCs can calm down the crowd, a huge fight will ensue in which many civilians and some soldiers are killed (this will also become the fight where Grau Soldado lost his men and was forced to kill Korvosans, which turned him to drinking). The PCs will be captured and taken before Field Marshal Cressida Kroft, who will give them the chance to aid her in gaining control over the city again in exchange for their freedom. This will give you a nice link to the Korvosan Guard.

If, on the other hand, the PCs can prevent the fight, one of the officers of the Guard asks them to join him to Citadel Volsheynek, to meet the Field Marshal, who could use the PCs' skills to regain control over the city.

[Tels]

What MrVergee said.

[Snorter]

Hey, wouldn't it be funny, if the mob does a Boston Tea Party, takes over the docks, and accidentally

Spoiler:

commandeers the incoming plague ship, smashing open the crates, and throwing the contents everywhere, eating whatever food they find onboard, and selling whatever they can loot. This would reinforce the AP's theme, explaining how the plague could possibly spread as far as it does, as fast as it does, becoming so widespread as to defy magical attempts to treat it.

The PCs will then have a moral and ethical imperative, to clean up the mess that they caused (or at least escalated).