The Murder Hotel Trial - a roleplay event addition to the campaign

[Naurgul]

Before the trial:
After getting arrested, Pratchett will make several arrangements to minimise the chances of being convicted. With his charisma and connections, unless the PCs intervene, his cell at the Edgewatch jail will have lots of luxuries not afforded to other prisoners, like no cellmates, a desk, a real bed, good food but most importantly he is allowed to receive as many visitors as he wants for as long as he wants.

One of the people who are visiting him frequently is Mrs. Honeywall who fanatically believes in his innocence. Pratchett is slowly radicalising her and will eventually ask her to burn down the hotel (ostensibly as an act of defiance) to destroy any evidence the PCs haven't gotten around to gathering. If she succeeds and the PCs investigate the ruins, they might find and recognise her glasses (Perception DC 25). If she is arrested she will stand trial with the rest.

He is also very quickly writing his memoirs to "tell his side of the story", of course they will be full of lies to turn the public to his side. He asks Vancaskerkin to publish them but Vancaskerkin, recognising an opportunity, informs the PCs (he's eager to win their trust, hopes they will return the favour later or even prove useful pawns). If the PCs show no interest in stopping this, he goes ahead and does it but if they ask him not to he will respect the PCs' wishes.

Pratchett doesn't want a lawyer, he will represent himself.

Ralso might also be on trial as Pratchett's accomplish. Before the trial she might have cooperated with the PCs and Edgewatch, some of the PCs might have pitied her and want to help her. She makes no preparations on her own, so she won't even have a lawyer unless the PCs take an active interest in helping her and she will only remind them of the lawyer situation the day before the trial. If the PCs try to help her, she will play along with anything they suggest, including an Atone ritual.

Nobbindale (the redcap) might also have been arrested. In that case he will stand trial with the rest. He is completely unhinged and will refuse any cooperation.

The public prosecutor, Zendo Loreya, an old man with a white short well kept beard, comes by at Edgewatch HQ to get the list of all the evidence and all other info on the case the PCs might offer him.

The courthouse:
The trial takes place a few weeks after the PCs resolve the murder hotel adventure, whatever better fits your campaign's pacing and story. It takes place at the badly maintained Puddles courthouse. This happens because Ralso was once arrested while burgling a very well connected haberdasher who is still keeping a grudge and used his connections to make the trial happen at the corrupt and extremely harsh Puddles courthouse.

Lady Seichya of House Tevineg (high warden of the Brine prison, trademaster of the Salt Cartel) is the presiding judge. She has a conflict of interest of course, since her control of the private prison means she'd rather see defendants convincted than go free.

Outside the courthouse, the PCs might encounter Eunice (if they have saved both him and Kemeneles). He is standing next to the door with his arms crossed, clearly annoyed. He is watching a bunch of urchins around his age whose circumstances couldn't be more different than his own: they are selling newspapers and trinkets, shining shoes and possibly even picking pockets. Kemeneles forbid him to go inside on account of the gruesome descriptions that will no doubt be relayed during the trial. He feels this is unfair. Still, seeing the PCs might lift his mood if they were nice to him in the past.

The process:
For simplicity and brevity the trial will be depicted in a series of short episodes, each either from a witness deposition or from the presentation of a piece of evidence. At each episode, one PC will be either making a speech or will have the opportunity to make a retort/comment during someone else's speech. Example episodes:

• • A PC acts as a witness for the prosecution and recounts how the agents of Edgewatch solved the case and made the arrests.
  
• • Kemeneles testifies how he was captured and what he suffered
  
• • Lyrma testifies how she was captured and what she suffered
  
• • Nobbindale is called as a witness. He is extremely candid and incriminates everyone, most of all himself.
  
• • Corpseward pendants are presented as evidence of Pratchett's necromancy.
  
• • Books, scrolls and other magical items are presented as evidence of Pratchett's necromancy.
  
• • The skin with the dragon tattoo is presented as evidence connecting Pratchett with the missing Minkaians.
  
• • Roji Aozo corpse is presented (perhaps not directly) as evidence connecting Pratchett with the missing Minkaians.
  
• • “To Anastatia, my love” locket and rust monster ring are presented as evidence connecting Pratchett with the missing zoo keepers.
  
• • Pratchett is questioned about what possible innocent use he might have had for restoring and actively using the smelter in the basement.
  
• • Pratchett's dueling cane is presented as evidence of suspicious conduct. (note: poisons are illegal in Absalom)
  
• • Mrs. Honeywall's glasses are presented as evidence of her starting the hotel fire.
  

If things are not going favourably for Pratchett, he gets vindictive and tries to take down Ralso with him. In that case, consider adding the following episodes:

• • Pratchett testifies against Ralso, says she built the traps.
  
• • Pratchett testifies against Ralso, says she has confessed to murders in her diary.
  

If Ralso is cornered after Pratchett turns on her, she considers changing her plea to guilty, confessing her crimes. If there is a PC she trusts, she looks at them expectantly hoping for a sign in the form of a nod or other body language. She will follow their advice.

Make sure to modify or skip episodes based on what has transpired in your game (e.g. if a witness was not rescued they can't testify, if a piece of evidence was not recovered it cannot be presented and so on).

The verdict:

Each episode contributes 1 conviction point to all relevant defendants by default. But if some deposition or piece of evidence is doubted or objected to, then the point might be nullified. Pratchett will never miss an opportunity to do this.

If no PC is involved, the GM decides if the point is nullified or not. If a PC is involved in an episode, they roll a relevant skill check (mostly Diplomacy) with DC 20. If the involvement was against a defendent then:

• Critical success: +2 conviction points
  
• Success: +1 conviction point
  
• Failure: 0 conviction points
  
• Critical Failure: -1 conviction point
  

If the involvement was to object or cast doubt to a witness or piece of evidence then:

• Critical success: -1 conviction point
  
• Success: 0 conviction point
  
• Failure: +1 conviction points
  
• Critical Failure: +2 conviction points
  

Example objections that Pratchett might use:

• • Evidence has been tampered with by PCs/Edgewatch (especially if the PCs actually used some of Pratchett's magical items)
  
• • Corpseward pendants are needed because the Precipice Quarter is infested with undead
  
• • It wasn't a smelter in the basement, it was an oven for meatpies
  

Finally subtrack 1 conviction point for each extenuating circumstance, for instance:

• • Pratchett: he successfully published his memoirs.
  
• • Pratchett: the hotel was burned down
  
• • Ralso: cooperated with the authorities
  
• • Ralso: atoned for her deeds in a very public and dramatic manner.
  
• • Ralso: found a lawyer
  
• • Ralso: pleads guilty (don't subtract if it would bring the tally to 0)
  

Depending on conviction points, the verdict is:

• 0: innocent, free to go
  
• 1-2: 5 years in the Brine
  
• 3: 10 years in the Brine
  
• 4+: hanged until dead
  

[Razcar]

Wonderful, thanks for writing this up and posting it! Might use it in my campaign, they're soon to enter the hotel.