|
Maybe you should put a spoiler tag in the thread title.
1) From Davaulus notes the PC should be capable to realize that the disease is artificial. Curing it will be much more difficult that witht eh whole range of documents from the different sources but possible.
2) If they burn down the building (and probably most of the district as the city buildings are primarily made of wood) after the ashes cool down the secret passage would be visible. The cultist would be mostly unharmed as there is a good quantity of rock and earth between them and the burning building but they will be trapped in the secret basement (I don't recall any secret exit from there).
So unless the Queen place guards around the location (problematic, they could become curious about the secret lift) the PC could still access the lower levels if they are fast enough (going there as soon as the embers cool down enough but before the cultist move away).
Naturally the cultist would be in full alert.
3) What happened to the Queen guards? My PC were capable to almost totally avoid causalities between them, using non lethal damage and spells. If they burn the building down they will be killing all of them. Not a good thing alignment wise or for their position as "heroes of the city".
4) My group had sufficient informations to convince Ishani to organize a "rescue" party for the diseased. It was to enter the hospital at a prearranged signal after they had cleared it.
The rescue party wasn't a combat team, they were doctors and healers but they were upright citizens capable of giving reliable witness about what they found, included Davaulus experiments, and of caring for the diseased while the PC tackled the cultists (thanks to prior exploration they were aware there was something more than what was visible, even if they weren't aware of the full extent of the "something more").
If they haven't done something similar the "unprovoked attack against the good doctor" could be a big problem for them it they leave some witness.
5) Tackling the cultist isn't necessary for the completion of the adventure but if the Pc were too liberal in killing everything and not getting proof of the wrongdoing happening there they can have problems with Cressida.
6) The sequel (the second part of that module is weakest of the AP in my opinion) can be easily done even without full informations. Maybe you need a do a side adventure to give the PC a bit more levels/gear. The best option would be adding something in the first part of the next module.
I experienced something similar with my group. I had 2d8 cultist and the Daughter of Urgathoa vengefully track them down in Old Korvosa. You can use the Lady Andaisn transformed model in the back of the book, or better yet, the one listed in the Pathfinder Campaign Setting. A side alley fight ensued along with the mounting pressure in the foreground of roving mobs.
I see you have been running Curse here, posting other questions previously. You helped me out greatly a few times with my own conundrums on running Curse. I just wanted to make you aware of the Academy of Secrets module. It seems like your players will move off the course quite a bit in the future. You can use this module of Korvosa's Acadamae if you run into unexpected yet additional side questing. I'm gonna try to fit it in before Scarwall in hopes of bumping the group to 20th.
Tell them that lighting the hospice on fire will likely set a good portion of the tightly packed Korvosa cityscape on fire as well and will likely kill a good deal of people and villainize the PCs to the population. Remind the PCs gently that the queen would probably love a good reason to publicly call for their capture and execution.
As far as resources, have the PCs get some help from the local clerics of Abadar or something, or remind them that the clerics can help them out. Occasionally I give my PCs a "second wind" if I don't want the narrative of the game to be dictated by my own mistakes, and it'd make sense that if they take some time saving people they could recover some hit points via healing and re-remember a forgotten spell slot or two.
Tell them that lighting the hospice on fire will likely set a good portion of the tightly packed Korvosa cityscape on fire as well and will likely kill a good deal of people and villainize the PCs to the population. Remind the PCs gently that the queen would probably love a good reason to publicly call for their capture and execution.
I agree 100%. My party, well one party member, tried to freaking burn down the fishery for crying out loud. I believe in EoA it talks about how to deal with a party that wants to burn down Eel's End. I had my party make knowledge (local) check to learn that Arson is a captial crime in Korvosa and highly frowned upon. I don't think even Kressida would back that play. If every answer was solved by buring the building she would have burned half the city by now.
To get them back in --- Maybe the field marshal won't be satisfied with the outcome if made aware of the situation. She could reluctantly lend a few of the guard to help secure the area and proceed inside with the party. Contracting out one of the Adabar clerics for support. The show of supporting enforcement might push them to continue and be wary of doing anything rash. The guard could show up before any initial fires start.
I agree 100%. My party, well one party member, tried to freaking burn down the fishery for crying out loud. I believe in EoA it talks about how to deal with a party that wants to burn down Eel's End. I had my party make knowledge (local) check to learn that Arson is a captial crime in Korvosa and highly frowned upon. I don't think even Kressida would back that play. If every answer was solved by buring the building she would have burned half the city by now.Tell them that lighting the hospice on fire will likely set a good portion of the tightly packed Korvosa cityscape on fire as well and will likely kill a good deal of people and villainize the PCs to the population. Remind the PCs gently that the queen would probably love a good reason to publicly call for their capture and execution.
What's with burning the building being option A for so many parties? I had players wanting to burn down the fishery too, until they realized how much damage would be done to the city, and not to mention the young innocent orphans who lived under the thumb of Lamm. The LN guys quickly slapped that plan down, but theres always one guy...
|
|
** spoiler omitted **So, really, my concern here is how to get them back on track. I could just move the below-ground portion to another location (it's canon that Rolth has multiple lairs around the city, so that could work) -- but how do I plausibly get the PCs in there?
Doug M.
A possible way to get your players back on the right track:
Page 56: Saving the city
With one researcher set of notes the cure can be discovered can be found with one DC 30 craft (alchemy) check, rolled once month
With 2 sets the DC is 25 and it is rolled once/week
With all 3 sets it is 20 and require 1d3 days.
It is assumed that Ishani has a good level in craft (alchemy) and can develop the cure with the documents (or a PC or different NPC can do that).
When the PC present the document to the NPC (or study them) they will notice some note referring to the "esteemed colleagues" doing "further study" on the disease. It should be evident with a easy check that having the other studies will greatly help in finding a cure.
That should motivate the PC in finding the other developer of the disease (it that is not sufficient, make it clear that they probably are developing a even worse strain of it).
If they have burned down the building the cultists should be entrapped under the embers for a couple of day, so the PC can rest, recover, get the information and return to the location and still find them.
Even if they don't burn it down they have a few days before the cultist move shop. There is a lot of stuff to move and they need to do it under the cover of night and under curfew. not a easy task.
They can even think the secret area is undiscovered and stay there.
If they are unmotivated by finding the cure for the disease have Zellara appear and give some hint to the great peril still existing.
Make her giving them a harrow reading (prepare it beforehand if you have the time).
I would even have her remove some harrow point (or hero point if you are using them) from them if they still do nothing.
If they aren't heroes of the city she will not help them.
I would prefer the first option (getting the PC to self motivate their actions) to the second more heavy handed solution, but sometime it can become necessary to push the PC.
What's with burning the building being option A for so many parties? I had players wanting to burn down the fishery too, until they realized how much damage would be done to the city, and not to mention the young innocent orphans who lived under the thumb of Lamm. The LN guys quickly slapped that plan down, but theres always one guy...I agree 100%. My party, well one party member, tried to freaking burn down the fishery for crying out loud. I believe in EoA it talks about how to deal with a party that wants to burn down Eel's End. I had my party make knowledge (local) check to learn that Arson is a captial crime in Korvosa and highly frowned upon. I don't think even Kressida would back that play. If every answer was solved by buring the building she would have burned half the city by now.Tell them that lighting the hospice on fire will likely set a good portion of the tightly packed Korvosa cityscape on fire as well and will likely kill a good deal of people and villainize the PCs to the population. Remind the PCs gently that the queen would probably love a good reason to publicly call for their capture and execution.
Stewart, I have no idea either. I guess some people see it as a way to "beat the game" or what ever. It certainly lack heroics. On a related noted, how do you handle collateral damage (to structures etc, not NPC) from events like fireballs? I tend to ignore it as a detail I really dont want to get into but might have to make an exception for urban areas.
What's with burning the building being option A for so many parties? I had players wanting to burn down the fishery too, until they realized how much damage would be done to the city, and not to mention the young innocent orphans who lived under the thumb of Lamm. The LN guys quickly slapped that plan down, but theres always one guy...I blame Ripley...
"Dust off and nuke the place from Orbit - Its the only way to be sure"
Good point, I do hear that quote far too often.
Also @Walter, Generally I ignore structure damage unless its hard to handwave (Fireball in a wooden house or unrestricted lightning bolt in cramped quarters) and generally warn my players of the case ahead of time (As an adventurer, you can pretty much tell that meteor swarm will wreck this village... etc, Are you sure?) and if they do it anyway, then I make sure the world reacts... Had some good and bad roleplaying encounters because of it... (Usually good)