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I've started the Edge of Anarchy with my party. Getting ready I made a number of modification (many can be see in my previous post). This thread will contain the outline for the Edge of Anarchy module that I'll be using along with the per session breakdown of how things played out. I've made a good amount of modifications to how things flow making changes to the backstory to better link all the modules together.
Curse of the Crimson Throne – Edge of Anarchy Outline
Pre Campaign
Ileosa Arvanxi….
- Minor noble of House Arvanxi in Cheliax.
A devil worshiper of Mahathallah learns about Sorshen, the runelord of lust, and a device deep beneath the backwater “colony” of Korvosa that would grant Ileosa eternal life.
Knows that the Everdawn Pool will require the blood of Korvosa to activate.
Five years ago….
- A young 19 year old Ileosa made her way to Korvosa and manipulated her way into the King’s bed and his heart.
They were married in under 6 months.
Over the next four years Ileosa gained a reputation amongst the city as a promiscuous spoiled rich brat more interested in her life of luxury then the king or ruling Korvosa.
Two months ago….
- Ileosa stumbled across the Fang of Kazavon.
Imbued with the strength of Kazavon’s spirit and emboldened by his cruelty Ileosa decided the time was right to seize control of Korvosa.
Worked with the Red Mantis and tricked the king’s own brother Venster into poisoning Eodred with an illness neither medicine or magic could cure.
Campaign Starts
Meeting a King….
- King Eodred on his deathbed, though he takes all efforts to convince others to the contrary.
The party dispatches Gaedren Lamm, recovers the Queen’s brooch, and in returning it to the palace gains an audience with the king and queen.
Get the impression that Ileosa is a loving wife worried about her ill husband and grateful for the party for returning her jewelry.
The king acts the part of a gracious king, rewarding the party for their efforts.
King provides the party with additional work, a mission to the Bloodsworn Vale to uncover activity that threatens the completion of a major road that promises to bring in more trade from Cheliax.
The party spends a week or so in the Bloodsworn Vale uncovering who is killing off the workers building the road through the mountains towards Cheliax.
Back in Korvosa….
- King has pasted away and the crown now sits on the head of his “Whore Queen” wife Ileosa.
King rumored to have died from advanced leprosy that resisted all attempts at healing.
Rioting dominates the streets providing opportunities for criminal elements to thrive and bringing in a swift and cruel response from the Order of Nail at request from the throne.
Ileosa calls upon her Red Mantis allies to dispose of the Seneschal Neolandus Kalepopolis, eager to replace him with someone more akin to her disposition.
She also has Venester murdered to prevent him from talking about Ileosa’s role in killing the king.
Party meets Cressida Kroft who hires them for a series of missions.
All The World’s Meat
- Party sent to deal with a group of Korvosan guard deserters.
Let by Verik Vancaskerkin leading a gang that calls themselves the Cow Hammer Boys.
Cow Hammer Boys, under the orders of Verik, hire themselves out to deal with “problems” using he bodies at food to feed the masses of starving people.
Verik is working under orders of his lover “Meliya” to recruit a peasant army capable of going all French revolution on the throne.
Ambassador’s Letters
- Kroft sends the party to retrieve the embarrassing letters of Cheliaxian ambassador Darvayne Gios Amprei.
Amprei blackmailed by Meliya to provide funding and support for the revolution.
Letters stored at Eel’s End by crime boss Devargo.
Amprei comes clean once he gets his letters back regretting that he doesn’t have much info to share just that he was making anonymous gold drops every over night to avoid embarrassment.
King’s Murderer
- Ileosa learns that the death of her husband may not have been natural causes but murder.
A guard captain comes forward with information that two guards under his duty recently went missing.
Letters found in the guard’s barrack led the captain to believe that they were supplying poison to a painter Trinia Sabor to use in poisoning the king.
Queen reaches out to the party to find this painter and bring her alive to the castle so she can face justice for what she’s done.
Finding the Guards
- Kroft gives the party mission to find the two missing guards that were supplying the poison.
Track the guards down to the Grey District and the Dead Warrens.
Party learns that Rolth has an agreement with Meliya to supply constructs to assist in her attempt to overthrow the throne.
Guards are found dead, their body parts used in a pair of carrion golems Rolth intents to deliver to Meliya.
Party finds reference to where Meliya is staging the attempted coup.
Preventing revolution
- Kroft lets the party lead a detachment of guards with the support of the Order of Nail and Sable Company Marines to raid the warehouse and put an end of the threat.
During the fight Meliya gets away but the party is able to put down the resistance.
Party finds evidence that Meliya was working for House Arkonas.
Justice be done
- Ileosa thanks the party for their efforts and invites them to the palace for a party in their honor.
At the party the trial of Trinia Sabor occurs.
The trail is overseen by the high priest of Asmodeus.
Trinia admits guilt, insults the queen, and cries out that only anarchy can free Korvosa from corruption.
Headsman arrives and the execution gets underway.
Blackjack appears from nowhere and saves Trinia, giving his speech against the queen, and escapes.
What Really Happened?
- Meliya is actually Ileosa.
Ileosa planned the revolution and laid the seed to place blame on rival house Arkonas.
The guards didn’t actually supply the poison and Trinia didn’t actually administer it. Ileosa used her strong enchantment powers to force the confessions out of them as a way to strengthen her own position with the public and place more suspicion on house Arkonas.
After the chaos of the failed execution, things in Korvosa return to normal. The Hellknights from the Order of Nail return to their castle outside the city and the state of anarchy returns to the law and order the city is known for with Ileosa behind the throne.
That's quite some changes! But they all make sense and I can see it making for good adventures.
I particularly like the change to extend the period of 'normality' before the King dies. Being out in Bloodsworn Vale means the transition to rioting is less instant also. Plus there's interesting history in relation to Bloodsworn Vale, which helps the PCs understand Korvosas situation and psyche.
I would have some plan B's in case the players spot the various enchantments and deceptions via a lucky roll or smart spell.
I'm about to start the AP also, am in the middle of making adjustments at the moment, and working on backstories with the players. The biggest change i've made so far is to tack a level 1 module on the front of the AP, in order to provide some 'normal Korvosa' before things get messy. I'm using the Murder's Mark adventure for that, which can be fitted neatly and provides some extra hooks to go after Lamm in chapter 1.
Good luck.
Session One
Note: We usually play monthly in 10-12 hour sessions so are able to get through a decent amount of stuff.
Campaign kicked off with six eager players sitting around the table ready for the Curse of the Crimson Throne. The game is using a modified 3.5 ruleset that replaces the core 3.5 skill system and combat actions with the Pathfinder skill system and Combat Maneuver system (including all feats and reduced power of all class abilities related to Combat Maneuver checks.)
I started the campaign at 2nd level and adjusted early encounters to bump the difficulty. Primarily this was done to make characters more resilient. Since I’m doing the “level when I say level” system of XP it shouldn’t be a problem.
Before our first session, I sent the following email out to the group to set things up.
- The time is upon us, the prey in sight, Gaedren Lamm must die!
Why you say?
Each person has their own reasons to want petty crime lord Gaedren Lamm dead but dead they want him.
Each of the characters, minding their own business around Korvosa, fond themselves in possession of a letter under the most unusual of circumstances. A character could have found the letter hidden in the pages of their spell book, tucked under the altar of their deity, at the bottom of a tankard of ale they swore they just drank, or hiding innocently in the pocket of a person they just picked. How the letter came to your possession, no matter how unpractical, is less important then what the letter says. This letter, sent to so many vastly different people says the same thing.
I know what Gaedren had done to you. He has wronged me as well. I know where he dwells, yet cannot strike at him directly. Come to my home at 3 Lancet Street at noon tomorrow. Others like you will be there. Others with the same want for Gaedren you do. Gaedren must face his fate, and justice must be done.
However impractical the situation seems, each of you finds yourself on the way to 3 Lancet Street for a meeting that will shape not only your future but the future of Korvosa herself.
The first session starts with the following characters showing up at Zellara’s abandoned abode.
- Zorach Grayson, Blademage and Ubreakable Stone Fist is a human Warblade / Wizard. Zorach is a native of Korvosa. Once a Lamm’s lamb, Zorach escaped Gaedren and eventually enrolled in Orisini’a Academy (modified into a school that teaches Martial Adepts focusing primarily in Swordsages and to a lesser extend Warblades.) With his blossoming arcane talents, Zorach is splitting time between Orisini’s Academy and Theumanexus College. Zorach fights primarily with a glaive, using his magically powers to enhance his combat abilities. He plans to eventually become a Jade Phoenix Mage.
Soul Eater is a human Barbarian / Crusader. Little is known about the “savage” Soul Eater though many suspect a traumatic childhood. Soul Eater fights with a greatsword, wears a suite of grotesque spiked armor, and paints his face before battle to instill the fear of the Soul Eater in his foes.
Ostiver Northgale is a halfling Swashbuckler / Rogue. Having grown up on the streets of Korvosa, Ostiver is well adept at the arts of stabbing people in the back, picking the pockets of nobles, and an important sense of self preservation.
Llana is a female elf Crusader. A champion of the people Llana specializes in the protection of her companions and the less fortunate around her. Llana fights with the traditional sword and shield and utilizes her Crusader abilities to impede enemies foolish enough to ignore her in battle.
Stone is by far the biggest enigma in the party. A human Beguiler / Conjuration Specialist Stone is a student of the Academae as Cheswin Arkonas, son of Glorio Arkonas. In reality, Stone is a highly skilled at impersonations. About six months ago, Stone was involved in an accident that resulted in the death of the “real” Cheswin Arkonas (placed by Glorio for his next succession) and has been impersonating Cheswin as a way to gain access to the Academae and further his arcane schooling. Stone has already been “found out” by one of the Arkonas, a distant cousin Emiliana, intent on dethroning Glorio and plotting how to use Stone as part of that plan.
Liam Stone is the last member of the party. A human Rogue / Cleric, Liam is still unsure his character’s direction.
Zellara’s House
- The party gathered at Zellara’s house making introductions and partaking in the food and wine left on the table. I gave each character that interacted with items in the house a chance to see through the illusion and only Ostiver saw things for what they were (though he didn’t inform the party of this.)
Zellara showed up and pleaded her case with the party. She knew Lamm’s location and, after explaining her story about how Lamm stole her harrow deck and murdered her son, the party agreed to take him out.
I skipped the harrow deck reading entirely. While flavorful I just went through the Curse of Strahd adventure that relied heavily on a Tarot deck and didn’t want to repeat themes as much. I think just removing Zellara after Gaedren won’t impact the story in any meaningful way.
Gaedren Lamm
- Finding Lamm’s hideout was an easy task for the party. They wait a few hours until the sun started to set and businesses in the area closeed down before heading in.
I made modifications to this encounter as a whole (using the same map) to adjust to party size and having a 2nd level party. Gaedren had an additional three dogs roaming the interior. Additionally Gaedren, Yargin, Hookshanks, and Giggles all got upgrades to make them more formidable. Finally a female bard was downstairs with Gaedren.
The assault on Lamm’s hideout went without much incident. The party sent Liam down the right side boardwalk towards the boat to act as lookout while the Ostiver picked the front door lock and the party headed in.
Yargin and Hookshanks were the first to fall. The party stumbled into Yargin catching him by surprise as he was beating on a pair of Lamm’s Lambs. After the surprise round Yargin and his dog put up a feeble effort but despite his upgrade to Alchemist, Yargin easily fell. During the fight, Hookshanks rallied the Lambs in the Upper Workroom and they rushed to flank the party making feeble attacks. Hookshanks was able to get in a few good blows disguised as a Lamb before a Color Spray ended him. The party took care not to harm the Lambs instead resorting to diplomacy and intimidate to keep them at bay. Finally defeated the party left Hookshanks and Yargin tied up and freed the Lambs. Zorach supplied the Lambs with some coin and a place to stay.
The party set up a three prong attack on the Fishery Floor using the entrances from inside the building (they failed to pick the door off the left side boardwalk.) Giggles was prepared for the party. The boardwalk door, right side door, and left side door each had a dog ready to pounce on anyone coming through it while Giggles stood prepared at the middle door into the Fishery Floor.
Stone opened the door to the fishery first and thus became the first party member to drop into unconsciousness (though didn’t die.) Giggles stood ready and in surprise (Stone made no attempts to see if anything was on the other side) it took just one mighty blow from Giggles flail and Stone lay on the ground. This fight was a bit tougher for the party but eventually Zorach ended Giggles decapitating the half orc, whose head flew into the vat of fish stew.
With the majority of the complex secured but Lamm nowhere in sight the party questioned Hookshanks as Yargin was unconscious having taken a large dose of nonlethal damage. Hookshanks cut a deal with the party. He’d spill the beans on Lamm if the party let him walk away. An agreement was made and Hookshanks let the party know Lamm was hiding out in a room beneath the building accessible by the boat.
At this point we had the first signs of party conflict! Hookshanks felt he provided his end of the deal and demanded to be let free. Stone decided to question Hookshanks on a number of other things related to Lamm’s operation and clients and such to which Hookshanks didn’t answer pointing out that wasn’t part of the deal. Stone grew upset and lobbed a few Acid Orbs (from the wand found on Yargin). Having been captured at nearly full hit points Hookshanks wasn’t too phased by the d3 damage done to him Soul Eater cut him loose (to the shock of Stone). Hookshanks bolted out the door calling the party “oppressors!”
After that there was a brief discussion about waking up Yagrin to get more information. Some quick math determined it would be hours before Yagrin healed enough nonlethal damage to awaken and the party lacked any sort of healer. The ask from Stone to use one of the cure light potions the party found was quickly rebuffed in favor of healing injured party members.
Then started the discussion on how to reach Lamm and why the party doesn’t just hack up the wooden floor between them and Lamm. That went on for about a half hour of real time before the players gave up when they realized the amount of HPs and hardness they’d need to overcome.
Fearful of the shark Ostiver kept seeing circling the fishery, the party tossed Giggles into the river to distract it, effectively removing it from the fight. Still to add a bit of suspense during the final encounter with Gaedren, I had a die I referred to as the “Shark Die” That I would tick down while I made comments about how the shark seemed a little closer each round. In reality the die didn’t mean anything besides adding a bit of tension to things.
Finally the party headed for the boat and made quick work of the spiders that Hookshanks neglected to inform them of (though someone in the party did mention he might not have known about them…..) The party headed down the cramped boardwalk to Gaedren’s Playground taking care to send people in spaced out.
By the time the party headed into the room Gaedren and the mysterious female bard were ready. Both had invisibility spells active allowing Gaedren to get in sneak attack and the bard to hide before making a suggestion on Llana (in heavy armor) to jump into the pool with Gobblegut. This fight was fierce and in the end the party killed Gaedren though the mysterious bard managed to escape down the boardwalk before the party could stop her. I’ll be sure to use her again later in the adventure (probably in the warehouse raid.)
With all threats neutralized the party looted the place finding the treasure mentioned including Zellara’s head, her deck, the ledger book, and the queen’s brooch.
Visiting Royalty
- First of all the party stopped at Zellara’s house interested to see how they could have found Zellara’s head weeks dead when they spoke to her just that day. At Zellara’s the party found an empty one room house and a mention from Ostiver that “oh yeah it was all an illusion.” Soul Eater became sad when he realized that also meant his dinner was an illusion too.
A quick visit to Gemshare Jewelers and the party learned they had a piece of jewelry that belonged to the queen. Deciding the proper course of action involved getting a reward for returning the jewelry, Stone grew excited to use his clout as an Arkonas to secure an audience with the queen and return the jewelry. Getting an audience with the king and queen proved a simple task though the actually introduction ended up pretty hilarious.
Before being brought before the king, the court attendant asked each member of the party what they wanted to be introduced as. Stone attempted to take over the show informing the attendant that they should be introduced as “Cheswin Arkonas of house Arkonas and entourage.” Zorach spoke up providing his own title as Zorach Grayson, Blademage and Unbreakable Stone Fist and Ostiver preferred to just be known as Ostiver. Llana and Liam each accepted they would be the entourage while Soul Eater wanted to be called what he is. Soul Eater! So the introduction went something like this….
In a loud and clear voice the attendant of the court announced “You Majesty I announce to you Zorach Grayson, Blademage and Unbreakable Stone Fist, Mister Ostiver, Cheswin Arkonas of house Arkonas and entourage and the Soul Eater.” The look of horror on Cheswin’s face started when he wasn’t announced first and grew when Soul Eater got announced. It was priceless.
Regardless, the party met the king who thanks them for the return of the jewelry and rewarded them with a chest of gold bars for their effort. The king then mentioned that there is still work to be done and the party could help. He gave them a contract to end the delays plaguing a road built through the mountains that would better connect Korvosa with Chelliax to the south. The road ran into issues in the Bloodsworn Vale.
After the contract, the king started coughing and is ushered away by the queen. The queen also turned to thank the party for what they have done and say she looks forward to hearing about their success in the Bloodsworn Vale. She then turns back to the king expressing her worry for his health and how she couldn’t live with the thought of anything happening to him.
Seneschal Kalepopolis escorted the party to the castle quartermaster where they can gather supplies for their journey to the Bloodsworn Vale.
Bloodsworn Vale
- The journey to the Bloodsworn Vale took a few days but was without incident. During this time Stone read over the contract provided by the king bemoaning a clause in the contract requiring the party to surrender 10% of all treasure found as tax to the crown.
- Where did these attacks occur?
“About eight miles from here, just off one of the finished parts of the trail. I can give you a simple map.” - Weren’t the men armed?
“Of the eight, six were workers and two were my soldiers. The scouts reported that it looked like they put up no fight, and there were no other bodies found.” - What should we do with the attackers?
“We do not have a jail or even a magistrate here in the vale. Nonetheless, I want these butchers brought to justice. If that means they must be put to the sword, so be it.” - How long do we have?
“I would like you to leave as soon as possible to solve this problem. The road must be open in two months’ time and delays like this one make that deadline seem unlikely. Perhaps we can catch up, but only if you solve this problem quickly.” - What other creatures inhabit this vale?
“A group of goblins hold up in the east across the Petal River in a cave complex while a tribe of lizardman have a village on the western shore of Mist Lake. While neither have been hostile towards Fort Thorn or the workers working on the road, I wouldn’t put hostile acts past those kind. If I had the troops I wouldn’t mind seeing them routed out of the vale entirely.” - What of the Hellknights here?
"The Hellknights happened to cross through the Vale just yesterday and offered assistance for the right amount of coin. I took them up on their offer fearful Korvosa would not send aid in time. Between the two of you, though, I'm now confident we will get to the bottom of this!" - Is there anything else we should know?
“Now that you mention it, there is one other thing. The people of this community do not yet know the fate of the workers. I ask for your discretion in this matter until it is resolved.”The party decided to start off at the camp after learning that the Hellknights intend to visit the lizardman and goblin camps but pretty sure those are just dead end leads. The abandoned camp is in disarray with tents torn open, food supplies riffled through, and tracks of a large sized animal leading off to the west. Before following the tracks the party investigated the camp and learned a few things. The tracks of the animal to the west were more recent then the disappearance of the camp workers. The workers wandered off to the north along a river bed. Finally the party found a rose thorn fletched arrow shot by a small sized creature sticking out of one branch.
The party decided to follow the tracks left by the workers. These tracks went north along the river bed then across the river and ended up in a grove of rose thorn bushes.
At the Fey Court of the Roseblood Sprites half the party succumbs to a sleep trap and are dragged underground into the sprite lair while the rest of the party attempted to communicate with the sprites and figure out what’s going on. Llana and Liam followed the sprites dragging Soul Eater, Zorach, and Stone underground while Ostiver caught movement out of the corner of his eye from a copse of trees to the north. He went to investigate.
In the sprite lair Zorach, Stone, and Soul Eater were roused awake and joined by Llana and Liam for an audience with the Roseblood King. The Roseblood King offered food and drink to the party of which only Soul Eater partook. The extremely biter food reacted with Soul Eater’s failed Fort save and he got enraged demanding answers from the king as to why they are there. The king mocked his weak stomach and Soul Eater raged then charged him rolling a 1 on his charge attack. The king then used suggestion on Soul Eater to calm down and return to his friends. Soul Eater rolled a 1 on the save! The king let the party know he was delighted they showed up and has just the thing for the party to do!
Meanwhile in the grove Ostiver investigated the copse of trees he saw movement by and found a nymph (who had graciously suppressed her blinding aura.) The nymph and Ostiver had a little conversation where the nymph took a liking to Ostiver and informed him that it was her that charmed the missing workers in hopes that they could help with a matter of grave importance to the roseblood sprites that worship her.
About this time the rest of the party was brought up to the nymph who can hardly contain her excitement. The party then learned the truth of what’s been happening. For the past month a family of Owlbears had been attacking the Roseblood Sprites in search of new sources of food. The Rosebllod Sprites beseeched upon the nymph to save them. Glad for the newly enthusiastic worship, the nymph instructed the sprites to kidnap the humans that have recently come to the Bloodsworn Vale. The sprites would then bring the humans before the nymph who would charm the humans, arm them with spears, and send them to either kill off the owlbears or satiate the owlbear craving for food. Either outcome worked for the nymph as it kept the owlbears from harassing the sprites. Horrified at the cruel disregard for life the party finally agreed to put an end to the owlbears (bringing back proof of their deed) in return for assurances that the nymph or sprites would leave the humans be. To assure they would return with proof the nymph demanded something left behind and the party decided to leave a magical kukri they got off Gaedren Lamm with the nymph.
The owlbears put up some fight but died a quick death. In the caves the party found the remains of a dozen mostly eaten humans as well as three owlbear eggs. They took the eggs hoping to sell them back in Korvosa and returned to the nymph with the heads of the owlbears.
On the way back there was another heated party debate that took a good 45 minutes of real world time centered around what to do with the nymph. Sending humans to their death wasn’t a good aligned thing to do (nymph are usually CG) so the party surmised that this nymph must have been corrupted to evil. They didn’t want to let a nymph that would charm and slaughter humans off the hook and thought of plans to attack the nymph. On the side of slay nymph stood Zorach Grason intent to end any threat to evil in the land while on the side of “WTF this nymph will kill us all!” stood Ostiver not wanting to mess with a nymph that was three times the level of the party. In the end team Ostiver won out and the party decided the best course of action would be informing the fort about the sprites and suggesting they stay clear of them. Personally I thought this encounter had a great conclusion. I love challenging my players with morally difficult decisions like leaving behind an evil nymph because they lacked the means to deal with it. In reality a fight against the nymph would have been extremely difficult. The blind aura alone could have ended the party (DC 26 save for 2nd level characters!)
Back at Fort Thorn, the party learned that the Hellknights investigated both the goblins and lizardman leaving burnt camps and slaughtered villages at both locations. It turned out that the Hellknights idea of investigation involved a purge by fire. The party took an instant dislike towards the Hellknights.
The party also ended up selling the owlbear eggs to Tolgrith for a few hundred gold each (a fraction of their black market value) after deciding that the bureaucracy required to sell them in Korvosa wasn’t worth the effort. Got to love LN cities!
That night, the party awoke to sounds of the Hellknights hastily pulling out of Fort Thorn and heading at all due speed west. No one at the Fort knew why they did so and the party decides to return to Korvosa and claim their pay for a job done.
Arriving at Fort Thorn, the party learned they aren’t the only visitors. A group of Hellknights from the Order of Nial rode through the vale two days ago and were contacted by the fort and offered payment if they could end the threat to the road workers. Disgruntled by the competition for the job, the party met with Sir Gyrad Tolgrith, head of Fort Thorn and the one in charge of the road construction. Tolgrith told the party that construction fell behind schedule as workers had recently gone missing on multiple occasions. At first only one or two would vanish but just two days ago an entire work crew of eight failed to return. Tolgrith sent out scouts to investigate but hasn’t learned any more then the location of the missing crew’s camp about eight miles to the east.
Some investigation turned up a few leads including
The King is Dead! Long Live the Queen!
- With their job in Bloodsworn Vale complete, the party headed back to Korvosa. Rounding a turn the party got their first sign things were not as they should be when plumes of smoke rose from the city.
Getting closer they started to make out flying forms zooming over the city then fireballs exploding in the sky. Finally reaching the city gates they learned that the king had died five days ago sparking mass rioting and calls of anarchy with one guard mentioning “those damn anarchists trying to make Korvosa a hell like Kaer Maga.”
In the city the party made their way to Citadel Volshyenek to cash in on their completed contract. The journey to the citadel went without incident though the party did see a troop of Hellknights obliterate a group of rioters and protesters without any mercy. This just reinforced how much the party hated the Hellknights.
At Citadel Volshyenek the party met with head of the Korvosan Guard Cressida Kroft. Tired after multiple days without sleep, Kroft secured payment for the contract and asked the party if they were interested in any additional work. She mentioned that both the guard and Sable Company Marines were overwhelmed trying to keep order and each time they stop one uprising they learn about another two.
About this time a priest of Abadar entered and cast a spell to remove fatigue from Kroft. Kroft thanksed the priest then mentioned to the party, after the priest left, that Abadar sure is making a heft profit off the riots.
She then went on to tell the party about a situation that needs a delicate hand to resolve. A former guard captain Verik Vancaskerkin deserted the guard and took a few members of the guard with him. They have been holed up in a place called All the World’s Meat. Kroft wanted the party to capture Vancaskerkin alive and bring him back to Kroft so he could be questioned about why he deserted.
The party agreed and the session ended.
I would have some plan B's in case the players spot the various enchantments and deceptions via a lucky roll or smart spell.I'm about to start the AP also, am in the middle of making adjustments at the moment, and working on backstories with the players. The biggest change i've made so far is to tack a level 1 module on the front of the AP, in order to provide some 'normal Korvosa' before things get messy. I'm using the Murder's Mark adventure for that, which can be fitted neatly and provides some extra hooks to go after Lamm in chapter 1.
I'll have some plan B in place but I'm pretty sure things will be fine. Actual interaction with the queen is pretty limited and her bluff skill is through the roof so she can probably succeed even if she rolls a 1 against a party member 20. The act of casting spells in her presence would probably cause the offending party member to be tossed in jail (not legal to cast spells in the presence of the ruler without permission) and I'm sure she has something in place to mask her true intentions (the adventure even goes to length to talk about some ways she does that.)
The key is going to be building a rapport with the party so they don't think she is behind it all.
The key is going to be building a rapport with the party so they don't think she is behind it all.
Yes, that's my focus too. I don't want my PCs to figure she's the BBEG unnecessarily early.
Nice write-up! Being out of the city when the King dies adds a lot of believability to the otherwise very rapid fall into semi-anarchy the city experiences.
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Session Two
Our second session started with six eager players, though not the same six players as the first session. The elven crusader Llana hung back with Kressida Croft at Citadel Volshyenek while the dwarven fighter Ziri Zanulbar joined the party, momentarily, as they made preparation to visit Verik at All The World’s Meat. (Later to be replaced by Fole, Priest of Abadar.)
All The World’s Meat
- After a bit of recon work the party easily finds All The World’s Meat arriving around mid morning to a line of poor eager for their daily cut of meat. Through Diplomacy checks the party learned a few things…
- Verik Vancaskerin and a four ex guards run the joint. Known as the Cow Hammer Boys they hired a few local muscle to help out.
- The Cow Hammer Boys take in shipments of livestock most mornings, butchering the animals and handing out meat to the poor.
- While the source of the deliveries isn’t known to anyone, they have been showing up daily for the past five days now.
- The local population sees the Cow Hammer Boys as heroes feeding the hungry while the queen sits in her palace unconcerned about the welfare of the less fortunate.
- There is also rumor that the Cow Hammer Boys are very helpful in solving other problems and one need but ask for the “Night’s Special Cut” to get an audience with them.
The party starts off asking how they can help feed the poor. The Cow Hammer Boys, not willing to divulge much information, confide in the party that livestock supplies are low and anything they could do to bring in more livestock shipments would be a huge boon. The party, unsure if these people are on the level or nefarious, regroup to think about what to do next.
At this point the party splits up with Stone and Grayson continuing the conversation with the boys up front while the rest of the party sneaks around the backside. Stone and Grayson start to ask about the “Night’s Special Cut” while Ostiver, Soul Eater, Liam, and Ziri head around back.
Around the backside of the building the party quickly removes the obstacle of a locked door from their way, break into the hold pens, and plan to steal a few chickens only to offer them back to the Cow Hammer Boys in a ploy to win over their good graces. Such a plan is sure to work??? but curiosity gets the better of them and they press into the shop proper once again removing locked door leading into the Killing Floor.
Up front Grayson and Stone make little progress as they tank Diplomacy roll after Diplomacy roll but keep up an effort that is obviously starting to irritate the Cow Hammer Boys.
In the Killing Floor it doesn’t take long before one of the Cow Hammer Boys stumbles upon the party. Ostiver hides, Ziri tries to talk, and Soul Eater charges. The fight is quick. Poor Baldrago lost only his head while his twin brother Malder is knocked unconscious and hung from a meat hook in the Meat Locker. Liam uses a Message spell to get the attention of Grayson and Stone and the party regroups in the back of the shop. With one Cow Hammer Boy dead and a second serving time in the Meat Locker the party doubles down on their mission to bring Verik back to Croft.
Searching the Killing Floor yields an important clue. While looking around Ostiver found traces of human blood mixed in with the animal blood being drained into the sewers below. Perhaps there is more going on! Ostiver decided sampling the wares might be a horrible idea.
Stone sneaks up the hallway leading into the Shop Front and arcane locks the door closed while the party stealths up the staircase to the living quarters above in search of Verik. By stealth I mean everyone BUT the new party member Ziri makes a stealth check. Ziri bangs into everything in sight, stumbling into a room with four armed henchman ready for battle. This fight is quick and a decisive victory for the party as they dispatch the four mooks. The biggest issue they had was maneuvering six people around a small room full of axe hungry henchman. Down below the rest of the Cow Hammer Boys continue to throw themselves against a door that just won’t open in a futility only multiple sub 5 rolls could make.
As the battle winds to a close the door to the south quarters opens Verik standing in the doorway glaive at the ready with Ilyana, a voluptuous sorcerous a step behind. Annoyed at the disturbance Verik lashes out with his glaive while Illyana fills the room with lightning. This fight turned deadly when two party members fell to Illyana’s lighting attacks and Verik beheaded the poor dwarf Ziri with a x3 glaive crit. Those things hit like a truck! Grayson ended the fight, though, when he landed a color spray on poor Verik followed by Soul Eater cleaving a poor Illyana in half with such force that she shattered through the window and landed in the middle of a crowd of hungry peasants out front.
The party quickly bound Verik, looted the room, and rushed out in the ensuing confusion. Included in the loot they found was a letter written by a mysterious woman known as Meliya. The letter said…
Verik my love make all haste to the abandoned butchery All The World’s Meat in Five Corners. The time for preparations is upon us. Gather your crew. I’ve arranged a number of shipments for delivery but I fear they may not be enough. It’s always been your ability to improvise that I love the most. Though it will be a while before I see you next I often think of you. When the time is right Rolth, an associate of mine, will contact you. Do as he says and we will be together again. Soon the corruption that plagues this city will burn in the fires of purity and the whore of a queen consumed by the flame.
Meliya
Blackjack and the Hellknights
On their way back to delivery Verik to Croft, the party stumbled across a group of Hellknights publicly executing looters while a crowd of horrified people watch. Accused of looting, the Hellknight captain convicted each looter to a punishment of beheading, their heads to be strung up as warning to others lawbreakers. Just as the first looter would be executed Blackjack makes his appearance, shooting the captain in the shoulder while yelling out “Hellknights you have failed Korvosa for the last time!” In the chaos Blackjack frees two of the looters (who flee) and then runs as the Hellknights give chase. One Hellknight remains summoning in a trio of legion devils for support and prepares to continue the executions.
Unwilling to let the looters be executed, the party approaches the lone Hellknight unsure exactly how to act. What ends up happen perplexed even me.
Grayson decides he cannot allow the executions to continue and calls the Hellknight to stand down.
Ostiver hides.
Stone uses Disguise Self to take on the appearance of Blackjack and calls out the Hellknight.
Souleater charges!
The legion devils prove tough to take down but eventually the party bests the devils and Hellknight.
At the end of the fight there is a concern from the party at killing the Hellknight given the lawful right of the Hellknights to dispense order in Korvosa. Those thoughts are laid to rest, though, when Ostiver darts out of hiding and shanks the Hellknight a few times ensuring he won’t tell anyone how the party stopped the lawful Hellknights from punishing looters stealing from local shops… And then there was Blackjack… And Blackjack again…
Ambassador’s Letters
A week or so later, back at the citadel, Croft had another mission for the party. Cheliaxian ambassador Darvayne Gios Amprei was being blackmailed by Devargo Barvasi, a local crime lord, to provide funding for an anarchist movement preparing to move against the crown.
The party asks Croft how they came across this information and she introduces them to Vencarlo Orisini, a long time friend with many contacts around town. Vencarlo, looking into who this Meliya might be at the request of Croft, learned about Amprei and the blackmailing. Vencarlo is pretty vague about exactly how he got this information and the party doesn’t really press him for it.
At the Eel’s End, Stone disguises himself as a wealthy noble seeking an audience with Devargo. Stone tries to barter for the letters with Devargo asking for a huge sum of money in return for them (something like 5,000 gps.) Stone promises to return with the money.
The next day Stone comes back to Devargo with an empty chest he claims has the gold in it. When pressed to open the chest so Devargo can check the goods combat ensues, the trap door to the Ettercap flings open, and a bunch of wannabe gangsters die to party attacks and spider venom.
Devargo quaffs his potion of invisibility and jumps below.
The party also jumps below, kills a bunch of spiders and the Ettercap, then search the area but don’t find Devargo who gathered up his magical items and fled the ship. Still the party recovers the letters for Croft.
To Kill a King
After things settle down a bit the party is ushered to a meeting with Queen Ileosa on a matter of utmost urgency. In the castle the party finds an enraged Ileosa yelling at the servants. Something is definitely up! Calming down to talk with Croft and the party, Ileosa lets the party know that she is impressed with the actions they have taken to ensure order in Korvosa following the unfortunate MURDER of her husband. That’s right! Ileosa lets the party know that it wasn’t natural causes that led to her husband’s death as previously suspected but an elusive poison administered by a skank painter Trinia. Just a week before falling ill, Trinia was hired to paint a portrait of the king. During those painting sessions Trinia slipped slow acting poison into the king’s wine that masks itself as a disease thus making diagnosis and treatment extremely difficult.
The party asks how this information was uncovered and Croft lets them know that a few days ago one of the guard captains in the castle reported a pair of guards missing. A search of the guards barrack uncovered letters between the guards and an unnamed person instructing the guards to hand over the poison delivered to them to a painter named Trinia to be used in poisoning the king. The guards have been found and apprehended, captured while trying to fence some expensive jewelry at a local pawn shop.
A furious Ileosa begs with the party to bring Trinia back, alive if possible, to her. Ileosa wants Trinia to answer for her crimes but does promise a full trial before any action taken against her.
The party wants to speak with the two apprehended guards before heading off after Trinia but Croft insists they get Trinia first then she can arrange to speak with the guards telling the party it would take a few days to arrange for them to interrogate the guards.
The party is unhappy with that answer but bureaucracy takes time Croft tells them.
The party finds Trinia’s residence without too much trouble. Once there they send Liam and Ostiver around to keep an eye on the backside while the rest head up.
Trinia, upon hearing the party approach, bolts. It takes Ostiver a few rounds to spot her running away from the apartment but he jumps into pursuit with the rest of the party a few rounds behind. Eventually Ostiver’s skill at maneuvering through an urban chase prevails and he tackles Trinia.
With Trinia captive, the party rushes back to her apartment thinking of what to do next. So far the prevalent party thought is Trinia must be framed. Possible plans include hiding her away at the fish factory, sneaking her out of town, or handing her over to the authorities (this being the least popular option.) Liam reminds the party that the apartment is under watch by the Sable Company Marines so they already know she’s been captured.
Unconvinced that Trinia could be guilty but seeing no way to smuggler her to safety the party decides it best to interrogate her at her apartment then decide the best course of action. Trinia, having just been chased from her home and tackled on a rooftop has no desire to cooperate and refuses to answer questions. Soul Eater tries to intimidate Trinia with threats of bodily harm should she fail to answer their questions. Trinia grows more stubborn! Finally the party decides the best way to get the truth is through a Zone of Truth spell the newest member, Fole a priest of Abadar, has memorized (this being the new character that replaced the recently beheaded dwarf.) Trinia fails her save and the questioning starts. When it’s all over the party learns that Trinia is a staunch supporter of anarchists, hates the queen something fierce, is glad the king died, is familiar with Meliya, and treasures the day the government topples. She never admits (or denies) that she poisoned the king so the party is sure she must be innocent! Unfortunately the Sable Company Marines come for her and the party has no option but to hand her over.
Of importance, the party learns Meliya is a Vudrani leading an anarchist revolt against the throne. Some investigation into the Vudrani reveals that almost all Vudrani in the city are link with House Arkonas.
Dead Warrens
The final encounter for the night led the party to the Dead Warrens deep in the Grey District. The two apprehended guards were broken out of prison while the party went after Trinia and escaped the citadel. Croft is pissed and asks the party to see if they can track them down. A few Survival and Diplomacy checks later the party learn of eye witness accounts of the guards disappearing into the Grey District at a place called the Dead Warrens.
In the Dead Warrens the party fights crazy Derro, learns that the guards were butchered by someone called Rolth, and that Rolth is in leagues with Meliya. After defeating Rolth’s derro apprentice, the party finds a note from Meliya
Rolth I pray your preparations are in order. Our “superiors” expect results and I will not disappoint. Better to be one of your experiments then fail. Bring your shipments to the staging area. With the muscle you provide and the cattle I’ve gathered from the streets we will bring low this dretch of a city so our masters can remake it in their glorious image. I can barely contain the excitement to come. Oh how blood will flow like water down the street.
Meliya
PS I expect to see you personally when you make your delivery.
Written hastily on the note in a different hand is an address “47 High Lane off Field Marshal Avenue” and a date “Rova 13 Oathday!” and a note “Bring backup” Rova 13 Oathday is two days away.