So maybe I played Aldern TOO flirty? As smitten as he might have been with my elf, she was none too smitten with him. I could tell by the raised eyebrow where this was going, or so I thought. He comes off as flashy and my drow rogue is going to flirt back and follow him back to his room to steal what she can. Yep, no problem with that and maybe a little foreshadowing when he doesn't have a whole lot to steal right?
NOT what happened! She makes a point of being loud and he notices her....long story short they go to bed. She tells him she loves adventure and wants to tie him up, he agrees. She GAGS him and CUTS OFF his manhood!!! She also fixes him up so he doesn't bleed to death. It was all rather graphic and I will not go into details. (cuz a few kids out there still tabletop, I hope!) I was not expecting this and do not know exactly where to go from here.....any and all suggestions would be welcome!
Wow...
I'd just keep going as written.
Your PCs may figure out that he's the Skinsaw Man a little quicker than most groups, but it's not going to break the adventure. In fact, it gives you even more scope to make Foxglove an interesting adversary.
I think the wrath thing sounds good, but wondering still about the lust Given what he is done and his state of depression and desperation, would he see the drow as his redeemer? lol! Just a thought.
How strict are pathfinder alignments? Drow was a chaotic neutral. If this had happened in D&D, I would make her change to evil.
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My best advice is to never put yourself in a situation where you're alone with that player.
-Skeld
Or let them have anything sharp.... Psycho much....
** spoiler omitted **
I would certainly call for an alignment change to CE. Permanent mutilation - and no guarantee that he can afford/have access to the extremely high-level spell to fix that issue? Definitely Evil.
If she had just left him tied up in an embarassing situation, or roughed him up a bit, that would have remained in CN territory.
But this result? CE.
And yeah, go with Wrath.
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Hell, don't even wait until you start Skinsaw. Unless Aldern was portrayed as an abusive rapist in the initial encounters the elf character went way over the top. Aldern might not want rumors of his mutilation getting out; but for damn sure he would want payback sooner than later.
I'm seriously curious as to what would prompt the player to do this? What was the PCs in game motivation to cut off an NPC's personal equipment? We're really missing some information here.
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So, a 1st level character thinks it's okay to permanently mutilate a local noble in a senseless act of sadism and you think your problems are you played him too flirty and keeping the story line in the AP intact? I don't know that we can help you.
Was he left tied up? How can he avoid some level of shaming? If word gets out, don't see why he shouldn't go to the sheriff and demand action. And even he can keep it a secret, why wouldn't he want immediate revenge? There's plenty of treasure to be found at the manor - I say he goes gets it (Taking away from what the pc's might find later) and hires the Sczarni to kill her and all the pc's.
In the AP as scripted he leaves Sandpoint feeling inadequate and stumbles into trouble at the manor, etc. This way he leaves outraged beyond all reason committed to kill the pc's. I suggest he become a ghoul (per Book 2) and begin plaguing Sandpoint even before Book 1 comes to an end. Ghouls should begin attacking the town at night. He should use his mask to frame the pc's. He and some ghould allies should be searching for the pc's when they go to or return from Thistletop. It should become painfully apparent that the problems of Sandpoint have been caused by the pc's.
Strange juxtaposition - your post references Local Heroes. Nothing heroic in what happened in that hotel room.
So maybe I played Aldern TOO flirty? As smitten as he might have been with my elf, she was none too smitten with him. I could tell by the raised eyebrow where this was going, or so I thought. He comes off as flashy and my drow rogue is going to flirt back and follow him back to his room to steal what she can. Yep, no problem with that and maybe a little foreshadowing when he doesn't have a whole lot to steal right?
NOT what happened! She makes a point of being loud and he notices her....long story short they go to bed. She tells him she loves adventure and wants to tie him up, he agrees. She GAGS him and CUTS OFF his manhood!!! She also fixes him up so he doesn't bleed to death. It was all rather graphic and I will not go into details. (cuz a few kids out there still tabletop, I hope!) I was not expecting this and do not know exactly where to go from here.....any and all suggestions would be welcome!
Wtf did I just read...
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Wtf did I just read...
This is why Drow just can't have nice things....
Wtf did I just read...This is why Drow just can't have nice things....
That about made me pee my pants thanks! SO sorry for ditching out on my own thread! Been fighting with an illness and literal hordes of my kids friends have had birthdays in the last 2 weeks!!!!
Thanks for all the great advice. I completely agree with all the wrath suggestions. I cannot make him a ghoul as she left him alive and patched his parts up. Here's a basic outline of what I am going to do....
I'm kind of leaving it up to the rest of the party. =P Yeah a cop out perhaps but here goes.
The next morning there will be some commotion as Aldern's bloody bed has been discovered. Several villagers saw Aldern leave before sunrise so no one can ask him exactly what happened. After asking around, Hemlock was told by Ameiko that she THINKS she saw him leave the dragon with one of the party members. She is not quite sure seeing as Longiku was causing a commotion at the time and she was beaning him with a soup ladle. (I will remind the 2 pcs that were still awake at the time that they also saw the Drow leave the Dragon with him)When he is about to ask which party member left with him and if they know anything at all. Shalelu will come into town and Grim News from Mosswood event will occur. The mayor will express her reluctance to leave the party members in charge until someone fesses up to going home with Aldern. The sheriff will remind her and the party, that although he would appreciate them finding out what happened to leave that large blood stain, it really doesn't matter. He is headed to Magnimar and can just ask Aldern himself.
Several of the pc's have good reasons to stick around Sandpoint and want to be liked. So if they kill her, make her turn herself in, so be it. (in which case,well have to use the whole "make a new haracter for them to meet at the in standby") Maybe they will concoct a lie about what happened? But that would be taking a chance considering they dont know what Aldern will say. Then again his word against theirs.
Best I can do with the time I was given! Any thoughts would be welcome!
Do you intend to omit Aldern from the Skinsaw murders because he returns back to his place of residence and becomes a ghoul by stumbling into a secret chamber in his basement and getting bitten by one. He actually has quite some complex stuff going on in the background when the PCs are off playing hero.
sorry guys kee forgetting tags =/
Not sure about timeline as it states that Aldern has a problem actually finding the "rats". But either way I don't think the fungus would have turned him to a full on ghoul yet. (am I missing something about him getting bitten? I thought it was fungus) I suppose I should have said I cannot make him an immediate ghoul/undead I guess. It might be a good idea to have him come back to Sandpoint earlier I suppose but more re writing for me and I am short on time.
As far as what Hemlock finds at the manor, I am not sure yet. Aldern may make some stupid story up about the stain due to his foolish pride (at least I find him prideful). He may just not answer the door at all. I don't know exactly what is going to happen yet, but more importantly, neither does the party. They will definitely be nervous about what Hemlock may find out in his meet up with Aldern.
Commenting on this thread is like rubbernecking at a traffic accident - I know I shouldn't slow down but I can't help myself...
I'll spoiler all of it even though the thread title calls out spoilers
I remain confused about why the pc thought this was a good idea or what about Aldern's behavior called for this action. That isn't to say Aldern doesn't have something coming - he killed his wife and a carpenter in a fit of ignorant, jealous rage. But the pc's should have no way of knowing that.
Are the pc's wearing uniforms? Hard to see how Ameiko could see a "generic" pc leave with Aldern and know that it was one of the pc's but not which one? Double, triple especially since it was a drow. There really shouldn't be any confusion there. That Aldern, a rich nobleman, left with one of the town's newest heros who happens to be a drow elf should not be an uncertain event. There should be a lot of witnesses who can make it clear who Aldern left with.
What do the rest of your players know about what happened? What's their opinion about it? Is this the kind of thing they think is okay?
I suggest you read Book 2 cover to cover as soon as possible. In the AP as written, Aldern leaves Sandpoint after the Boar Hunt, journeys to his manor, catches ghoul fever while collecting the infectious fungus and dies of it after delivering it to Xanesha. She sends him back to Sandpoint to start harvesting greed. You can play it as written but it's not going to make a lot of sense based on this. At a minimum, the drow pc should be the object of Aldern's wrath and he should make direct efforts to make her life miserable beyond the script in the AP. He should attack people who interact with her in addition to those called for in the book. He should use the powers of his mask to frame her for crimes.
Given the urgency of his mission, I don't see Hemlock wasting time stopping at the Foxglove Manor - he needs to get to Magnimar as fast as possible so he can get back with protection for Sandpoint. He might send a squad of guards to ask after Foxglove. But it's not necessarily clear that Foxglove stays there - if Aldern left the Dragon under his own power, he might have gone to Magnimar.
Closest I've come to this was actually done amusingly. One player joked that the ice-undead near the end of Book 3 (in the Hook Mountain) would diminish another character's permanent erection (so claimed because of the constant whore stories). After killing him, the piece he insisted on harvesting for the undead fae?
You guessed it.
The cleric quietly harvested some hair instead and delivered that. He was annoyed when he found out the undead fae didn't get a frozen "delight" to bring her lover back with.
** spoiler omitted **
I would certainly call for an alignment change to CE. Permanent mutilation - and no guarantee that he can afford/have access to the extremely high-level spell to fix that issue? Definitely Evil.
If she had just left him tied up in an embarassing situation, or roughed him up a bit, that would have remained in CN territory.
But this result? CE.
And yeah, go with Wrath.
In total agreement - doing this sort of this is totally in character for a Drow - it's cruel and sadistic and most definitely CE. One gets the impression it was pretty much done for the LULZ.
Now the fun part? As DM, setting up Foxglove's retribution. He should get really nasty. Hit targets the PC's care about, put out contracts on their lives, spread nasty rumors, try and set them up to take the fall for some horrible crime. When it's time, then try to take out the PC's himself.
Heck, Foxglove would be wise to plant some info with Shalelu that a Drow is about. That, in and of itself, should bring down some very unpleasant consequences for the Drow in particular and perhaps the party in general. A violent visit from the Winter Council might help clean things up a bit...
Did you say Chaotic Neutral Drow Rogue?
*pulls up overalls*
*sniffs*
Yep, there's yer problem.
With the amount of blood that should be there, the suspicion ought to be that someone was murdered. Unless the rogue is up and about early the next morning, people should go looking for the drow rogue to find out if she's dead - when she turns out to be alive and Aldern is missing, the sheriff should treat this as a murder investigation and question the drow rogue pretty thoroughly about the evening's events. With no body, the evidence is weak enough that he may not be prepared to make an arrest (after all, he's not yet certain of the crime), but he can certainly ask plenty of questions. and not just of the drow - he's going to want to know where the other PCs were and what they were doing. (Does the drow rogue seem strong enough to carry a dead body out of town by herself?)
At this point, the players could take this in any of several directions:
1) The drow admits what she did - probably with plenty of justifications. This may actually be the worst case in one sense, as she should immediately be arrested for assault and mutilation of a noble. See below for suggestions about dealing with an arrest.
2) Obfuscation. "When I left, he was fine!" No evidence, and no witnesses to what really happened, so the rogue may be under suspicion, but can't be arrested. Some people in town may be uncomfortable with all the PCs, especially the rogue, as various rumors spread of what might have happened.
3) PvP. The rogue denies, unsuccessfully, and the other PCs distance themselves or even turn her in. Time to make a new PC. But you need to think about how this will affect all the players involved. Will they be able to handle this, or will it create hard feelings and wreck the entire campaign?
4) Blame someone else. If one of the PCs is really on the ball, they might come up with a different person and even frame them for the alleged crime. Which means framing an innocent party. Plenty of fun to be had here.
1) The sheriff might release her on condition that she (and maybe the PCs as a group, depending on whether he thinks they are culpable) turn in 50% of all treasure she gains until such time as she has provided enough to pay for the magic needed to undo the harm she has done (or 2x or more of that amount; this should definitely merit an additional fine for "pain and suffering").
2) Send her to Magnimar for trial. (Stretch out the timeline so there's plenty of time to resolve this and then come back and pick up the rest of the adventure where you left off.) They end up in the courtroom of Judge Ironbriar, who probably doesn't have any particular interest yet in the PCs. Either outcome can work. If Not Guilty, well, Ironbriar is pleased that the mutilation helped push Aldern into his organization's hands. If Guilty, Judge Ironbriar gives the PC a choice - execution, or a life sentence as a member of the Black Arrows at Fort Rannick.
If you go this way, either the whole group will head to Fort Rannick to break out their guy, or the convict becomes an NPC and the player creates a new PC. In the former case, check out this guy's Rise of the Runelords Journal for ideas. I found it very useful. Let the PCs make a trip to Fort Rannick and back, and chapter 3 will be even cooler. Or in the latter case, the now-NPC can be part of the group at the Fort - you could even let her take the role that is filled in the published version by Kaven Windstrike.
So Aldern follows his path - he goes home and gathers the fungus, gets infected by it, goes to Magnimar to give it to Xanesha, and by the time he returns to Sandpoint he has become a ghoul. Have him follow the PCs and/or break into the drow rogue's residence and steal things (as per wrath), and so that in Chapter 2 he can leave some of those objects at the sites of the various murders he commits. Hair from her hairbrush, for example. If Aldern's specific mutilation became known, mutilating some of his victims the same way might also point suspicion at the rogue. Because there is already suspicion due to the bloodstained bed (unless the rogue comes up with an AMAZING story when first questioned), the townsfolk should be ready to believe the rogue is guilty, making their task of investigation that much harder.
If you're feeling kind, you might have him accidentally leave some contradictory evidence that can help to offset the suspicion a bit. (This might be necessary if you find yourself walking a fine line to avoid imploding the campaign.)
Ok, trying to answer everyone in one post here. Sorry this is going to be a long post, but since you all took the time to help me, I feel I should reply
.....here goes....
Latrecis-EVIL ROLEPLAYING- No, of course the PC's are unaware of Aldern killing the wife and carpenter. In any case, I played him as a super flirty obsessed a** that that would not leave the drow alone. As far as what made the PC think it was a good idea to do what she did to him? Well, probably my speech I gave them beforehand to get them off of the video games and start playing table top. I told them games like Pathfinder, D&D, etc, did not have limitations like video games. You are limited only by your imagination and your role play abilities. When I asked her why she did it after the game ended. She said- because if some guy was bothering her like that in real life, the thought would cross her mind at least once, even if nothing more than a fantasy. Being a female and having been in this situation, I cannot say that I disagree with that statement. Anyway, keep in mind this is most of my party's first time ever playing a tabletop RPG, trying their hand at roleplay, etc.
Dracovar, MagnmCPA, anyone else that commented on ALIGNMENT- Yes, immediate alignment change was called for lol! My "noobs" all actually started off neutral because they were new and didn't know exactly how they wanted to play. I told them it would probably come out once we were playing and I could adjust. Boy did it come out! One of them was evil before the beginner box even ended! Put on his gloves and whipped poisonous spider goo in another PC's face for calling him a wimp because he could not make a roll to hit that spider even once! Everyone lol'd and the other PC made his save, so no real damage was done. So yes, there will be further shenanigans I am SURE!
Latrecis and Cintra Bristol-AMEIKO AND THE DROW- Agreed certainly Ameiko should remember the Drow so I played it off that she was drinking with the party to calm her nerves after the attack and Aldern and the drow had left while she was arguing with her father. So she was not paying attention to who was coming and going out the door and who had just gone up to bed (as 2 other party members had). One party member knew for certain who left with him but was not going to bother asking her about it until the bloodstain was found. He figured her sex life was none of his business.
Latrecis and Tinalles- PARTY REACTION-The players knew what happened but their characters did not. That is to say, we did not go off into a different room during the event. 2 characters went to bed at the Dragon and the one was up, a bit tipsy, having words with Lonjiku when he came storming in to yell at Ameiko. So they would be unaware. As far as what the players thought, my 2 seasoned players were "what the......holy...*gasp*" Not grossed or offended, just kind of in shock. My other 2 teens thought it was ragingly heeeeeelarious! (remember these kids went from their M for mature video games to tabletop so there is not much you can do to shock them) As far as PG-13, well I guess everyone has their own definition. But consider the whole Shayliss encounter. A woman luring men to her dad's basement to drop her drawers is not exactly kiddie material! Am I ok with it myself? Im ok with whatever keeps the kids playing and expressing themselves. I should probably CLARIFY my kids statement, we are talking teens here, but really anyone under 25 is a "kid" to me! =)
Latrecis-BOOK 2-I have read the whole campaign twice but, yeah that was over a year ago. I knew he would become a ghoul etc, that other person's comment about him getting bit threw me because I remembered the fungus thing. In either case, you are right, and I will read through again before heading to the Glassworks next Friday! I was planning on just going with the flow of the campaign and re-reading one book at a time! Silly me! I should know better truly! Back in my playing days I killed an important NPC in session 2 or 3 of a campaign and my DM made my life a living hell paying for it. Literally, I had to run around hunting, collecting, doing whatever I could to make money to hire someone who could raise dead or speak with dead or whatever while the rest of my party continued adventuring. It sucked! I had already been playing a while and had a taste for it so I didn't quit playing. But I don't want to scare anyone off after only a few sessions. And really, if the drow goes, the other 2 would probably drop it as well.
Latrecis and Cintra Bristol-HEMLOCK/ALDERN- I am still debating on what the sheriff would find at Foxglove Manor. I am guessing Xanesha would not mind helping the guy find someone to "heal his wounds" if for no other reason than to keep him on point with his fungus gathering.
As far as Hemlock stopping by the manor? Unless I am reading something wrong, it is directly between Sandpoint and Magnimar and I am guessing not TOO far off of the main thru way? I don't think an hour detour would be completely out of the question. Especially seeing as at this point he would have left the PC's and Shalelu in town, both of which have certainly proven that they can handle some goblins.
As I said, I think Xanesha would help out his castration situation. So one of two things can happen here. He doesn't answer the door as he is busy harvesting fungus, and more dutifully than ever since being "helped out". OR he can answer the door and continue on with his bullcrap prideful behavior. Let's face it, his whole trip to Sandpoint was a ruse, facade, whatever you want to call it. So he would act like the nobleman he is still pretending to be, bragging about having relations with the drow, and claiming to have no clue what happened to make that horrible stain. Worse yet, he might blame the 2 thugs he hired to dress up and play his attendees and ask if anyone in town is missing. (and yes I did write it in to my notes before any of this happened that he had hired guys to be his attendants because none of these nobles ever seem to travel alone. at least none did in my D&D days)
---ANY AND ALL SUGGESTIONS welcome here, esp regarding the timeline and what Aldern would be doing at the point Hemlock got to the manor. ---
Latrecis and Dracovar- VENGEANCE- Yes wrath, and perhaps earlier appearances as suggested, but I still wish I has a solid timeline. When do you guys think he should seriously start messing with the PC's? Because of what happened with Aldern, we did not have our usual downtime in between sessions. The next session was the next day. I was thinking the drow would start getting disturbing messages a week or two later. NOT the ones in the actual campaign yet, just weird odd threatening stuff. Perhaps a fellow party member might lose their job working at one of the Sandpoint shops after a threatening note from a noble as well? (everyone pretty much secured a job except for one ambitious pc that wanted to work on his hunting skills. He feels he has enough gold for now and can make more as he needs it selling his skins/meat at the marketplace.)As far as our sessions go, we have not yet made it to glassworks.
Cintra Bristol- DAMN- If I had not already ran the next session I would have used your idea of someone having found that blood and reporting it and my other PC thinking the Drow had been murdered! That would have been AWESOME! And lol digging up a dead mastiff, that would piss off the blacksmith =P """"If Aldern's specific mutilation became known, mutilating some of his victims the same way might also point suspicion at the rogue""" LOVING that too, but does it have to be widely known? It cold just be happening and only a select few know why!
Anyway, this is becoming a book, but I appreciate everyone's help. I am not new to being a DM but I have not done it in several (damn near 18?)years. This is really my first experience with any long term pathfinder stuff as well. I ran a few kids thru beginner box a couple times, really doesn't count for much in the great scheme of things.
So as short as I can put it, what actually happened in the next session is this:
Hemlock was approached about the bloody bed, asked around, a couple villagers saw a hobbling/limping Foxglove leave before dawn. They thought it unusual, but didn't think too much more about it. In speaking with Ameiko, she thought she saw a party member leave with Aldern late last night, didn't think on it as she had been drinking and was swinging a soup ladle at her father at the time. After Hemlock leaves the drow got immediately pulled aside by the PC who KNOWS she left with Aldern. She confesses to PC what she had done (in a weasely victim sort of way-aka- "he wouldn't leave me alone, I thought he was going to do something bad to me") PC is understanding but warns her he will be watching her every move and he will not hesitate to tell everyone what she did should she screw up again. For now at least, he will keep her secret. For the record, this particular PC has a job already and is sees Ameiko as a love interest. THANK GODS for the thread on keeping Ameiko going, because if I ended her after Glassworks, Im pretty sure this player would quit, and he is not one of my kid players!
For short answers and funnies, I probably have or will shortly send you a PM! =)
Thanks for bearing with me! Any timeline help with Hemlock seeking info upon arrival at Foxglove's house or when Foxglove should seriously start messing with the PC's is more than welcome!
The important thing to remember is this: this is a game. People should have fun. If people aren't having fun (because, say, the GM decides to go Judge Dredd on the players) then the game won't last. While consequences are important, there are a multitude of ways of doing this.
What works best is having the Drow become the target of choice for Aldern - and for the Drow to have earned a Wrath Sin Point. Maybe more than one.
OK, here's a couple of things to work with:
The idea that Aldern needs a spell to restore his manhood might result in more communication with Xanesha, but overall this just gives her another carrot to dangle in front of him to get him to do what she wants. It would be amusing if the players think that Aldern getting castrated was the reason behind the whole plot in part 2.
Aldern probably isn't seeing anyone who comes to the Misgivings, but Rogors Craesby (the groundskeeper) could assure Hemlock that "Lord Foxglove is fine and thank you very much for asking, sir. No, he is not seeing visitors today." Aldern is unlikely to want Hemlock to be involved; he wants revenge himself. Hemlock is unlikely to press the issue.
However, this does give Hemlock a closer look at Craesby, and he could describe or identify Rogors before or after the Walking Scarecrows chapter.
If the players are turning evil then remember that you will need to give them reasons for doing things later in the campaign. The AP assumes you have a typical "good" party who is willing to volunteer to help out because they are great guys. As you get to know them better you will get a better idea of what motivates them.
Peet
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Oh. Teenagers. I should have known. ;) The game has been a vehicle for male power fantasies since it's inception so some female expression shouldn't be much of a surprise.
Some random observations/suggestions:
The impulse, I-can-do-whatever-I-want approach to play typically co-exists best with limited (if any) consequences. If you're going to try to have the world of Golarion respond in a "realistic" manner, that kind of play is going to get frustrating for someone (you or the players) in short order.
You're not obligated to passively accept actions like this. I think when it bears on things that might impact the campaign you're within your prerogative to ask "Are you sure? You're new in town. People already mistrust you (drow) and you and your new friends are popular in town now." Etc. Some abject humiliation for Aldern might be good enough and so forth.
My view is Hemlock would not stop at the manor in these circumstances. The stop at Foxglove Manor is probably not an extra hour but more like 3 or 4 (and who knows what he'll find there). He fears an imminent attack on Sandpoint and those 4 hours might be the difference between a Sandpoint to defend and goblins running amok in the streets.
One of the challenges you have is - whatever Aldern does now can look like you "changed" the campaign in retribution. The players assumed he was an innocent bystander noble guy - and not one of the primary antagonists of Book 2.
Crazy idea: You could flip the entire narrative of Book 2. Iesha (Aldern's wife) is the one in thrall to Xanesha and the Brotherhood. She's been scrambling to fix the mess Aldern has made of the finances. She is on the cusp of collecting the fungus and getting out of debt. Iesha comes to town to make sure no one comes to the manor to investigate and paint the picture that Aldern has gone missing. She could encounter the players and even become interested in the drow. They could compare notes about Aldern's inadequacy. In this version, Aldern is the one that rises as a revenant and he is focused on the drow. He crept back to the manor and died there. You'd need to change or drop the haunts about Iesha or add ones for Aldern's death.
Regarding Vengeance, not branching into the 2nd book yet, but "weird, odd, threatening stuff".
Well, thematically (and you already know the theme) mutilated vermin (rats, etc) sent to various PC's in a wrapped gift box. Things like that left in their beds, tacked up to a post/wall in a public spot to be discovered on their way to their jobs, etc.
Perhaps the person doing the delivering is a small child or NPC the party cares about, who presents the PC with the "present" from someone who paid them a copper or two to deliver it. The NPC also delivers a message from the mysterious gift giver: "to tell you (the PC) that 'I'm next'" (to be clear - the NPC is 'next', not the PC) though they don't actually know what that means...opening the box with the grisly gift of course delivers the full message of what that cryptic verbal message means...
Aldern doesn't actually have to follow through, however, perhaps after party paranoia abates a bit (let them worry and stew over things) then they hear another bit of news - the NPC that delivered the present is missing...(and perhaps has been 'recruited' by Aldern for an appearance in Chapter 2 as something undead...)
Ramp up the paranoia so that the entire town is starting to worry that something unpleasant is on the loose - something that is as equally worrying or more so than Chopper was...and then onto Book 2 you go...party should be more than ready and motivated to put down the latest threat. Especially if you came at them sideways - Aldern might want to hit them where it hurts by targeting everyone/everything in Sandpoint they care about, BEFORE he finishes them off personally - leaving the Drow who so cruelly mutilated him for last.