GM Help Requested for Final Scene of Book #1: Edge of Anarcjy

[Heine Stick]

DISCLAIMER: This thread will undoubtedly contain spoilers for the Curse of the Crimson Throne adventure path.

Greetings,

We're coming up on the final scene of book 1, the execution of Trinia Sabor.

My players are dead set on rescuing Trinia at some point before the guillotine's blade falls. They've invested in magic, and one of the characters has even gone so far as to purchase clothing and a mask, intending to become Blackjack. (guess who Blackjack's going to choose as his successor!)

Now, the book suggests that the encounter be handled with the players describing how they'll react to Blackjack's actions, and it puts emphasis on a need for it to be more abstract than is usual for Pathfinder RPG encounters.

My question to you guys is, how have you handled this in games where your players have expressed a desire to actively rescue Trinia Sabor themselves? Do you have any advice to give? My players have put quite a lot of effort into this rescue attempt, and I'd hate to disappoint them by simply reducing them to bystanders. Still, the encounter does much to set up Blackjack as an NPC, so I don't really want to remove that either.

[Kileanna]

In my game it was my ninja who took the mantle of Black Jack and the GM allowed me to take his role. When I was leaving the place the real Black Jack appeared and talked to my character, congratulating me for my actions and taking active interest on her as the next Black Jack.
It was clear that he was about to do something but, seeing my character made him just wait and judge what I did.

[NobodysHome]

Ditto-ing Kileanna: If they come up with a plan that you think would really work, let them roll some random dice and let it succeed brilliantly, then have the real blackjack wave down to his successor from a nearby rooftop. (The only way that fails is if you say, "Make a Perception roll!" "I get a 3!" "You see Blackjack!")

If they come up with a plan that would "sort of" work, have Blackjack bail them out.

If they come up with a really clueless plan (have you SEEN my kids' game?), have Blackjack take initiative before them.

Reward the players for cleverness and forward-thinking. Throwing some minis on a table and having formless "guards" who don't seem to hit very well, but who have oodles of hit points and terrible tactics can make a low-level party feel great.

Unless, of course, your party is the type that would ruthlessly murder all the guards right in front of the crowd...

[Will Houghton]

As your party engages and begins the rescue, flip the writing on the scene and have Blackjack give the warning as the Executioner turns to attack. Have him toss a few daggers around to add to the distraction. But make sure there is a moment where the 2 blackjacks come face to face and let the real one give his approval to the new.

[Brutesquad07]

Also, make sure the PCs are still the heroes at the end and not the sidekicks. But otherwise yea, Let them go. Just make sure they have a good escape plan.

[Heine Stick]

Thanks for the input, guys. I have some things to consider.