Exit Stage Left

September 3, 2015

The group has a few day before they are given their area and responsibilities in the town.  They are told they can choose between either Old Korvosa or the East Shore.  If they take Old Korvosa, it's suggested that they will either have to come to an agreement with Devargo or bring him in under them.  East Shore, though, is little used and ultimately more appealing because it's ripe for something and the players think they can do that.  

They get some items and distribute them around.  Grohlyn whines a bit about it but is threatened with another song about him so he shuts up.  They decide to see what the East Shore is like.  Much to their happiness, in picking it, there is not much there.  One tavern, several Inns, a marketplace, and a university.  The guards are bored as they can't leave the section when they are assigned there and there is little to do.  In walking around, they find a group of Hellknights and Shoanti fighting but break it up.  It's obvious the Hellknights just wanted to beat on the Shoanti and the Shoanti wouldn't back down from the fight.  There is still tension but the two groups go on their way.  

They go into a deserted area and see a figure stumbling toward them.  Then a few more.  Soon, it's obvious that something is wrong with them.  The group forms up as they are attacked.  The creatures rush forward, one even leaping up onto a building and then using it to spring toward Grohlyn, who avoids the attack.  The group finds itself surrounded but also uses that to shield their casters as the fighters attack the things.  When Lazarus gets hit, he feels something enter his system but he manages to shrug it off.  Soon, these things are dead.  They think about leaving but see more and don't want to leave without destroying them.  They form up again on their spell casters and again attack.  Lazarus shrugs off another attack but Cress isn't as lucky and gets paralyzed.  A sip of healing potion takes care of that but it does happen again before the fight is over.  The creatures are dealt with but the group isn't sure what they were.  The group tells the guards what happens, and they say they will look out as best they can.  

The group is given the title of Counts of the Cerulean Society and the East Shore is theirs.  They picked out a shop and talked to the the owner, a Rovigo Rallo, who is more than happy to sell to them.  He is a tailor by trade but gladly says he will work for the great Lazarus exclusively!  Further, as they want to have a brothel and establish themselves, they want clothing to mark their people, and will have Rovigo work on those as well.  

Over the next week, they get the tailor shop moved out and get things for their new establishment, the Grindhouse, all set up.  They have a stage where Lazarus, Trinia, or others can perform.  They have a bar and a small kitchen.  The second floor is for the brothel.  The third floor is their personal quarters with the basement being storage and lab space.  It's cramped and not as big after they start figuring all of this out but they make it work.  They are going to open but it turns out the day the picked already has plans.  

Criers go out around the city saying that the killer of the king will be brought to justice by the Queen herself.  They all verify that the Trinia is still there, which she is, so wonder what this is about.  They delay opening Grindhouse until after this public spectacle.  When they arrive, the area around the City Hall, and the hanging area, is packed.  Hundreds, if not a thousand, are present to see what is happening.  The Queen arrives and gives a speech about the hardships the city has endured these past weeks with the king's death but now that will be put right.  She gives the town the killer to see justice done.  Someone resembling Trinia, and the description of the king's killer, is brought out on a wagon to the gallows.  She seems out of it but the characters can't tell if magic or drugs have put her in this state.  

Cress begins the rescue by creating fog, allowing Sveinn to run up unseen and get to the woman.  Niko helps untie her and they get her out of there.  A few more illusions from Cress, Lazarus, and Trinia distract the crowd and guards enough for Sveinn and Niko to escape, carrying the woman.  They rush back and find out magic was used to change her into looking like Trinia, She is not Taldan, though, but Varisian.  She says her name is Dorotea and she remembers being out for a walk then was grabbed.  She was in a cell or room for a while before being drugged and then being rescued.  They get her to her people, who promise to see her safely away.  

They back to Grindhouse to make their next move.  

GM Notes

• We started with a Harrow Reading and all Evil event cards were picked, starting out this session!  They group was at -2 on everything and it was felt.  They did well overcoming it as much as they could.  
• I'm really seeing this group as reluctant heroes, which works well for me.  I want to contrast this with the Council of Thieves campaign where they were front and center to have a bit more grey in this campaign.  So while they are doing good and helping the city by clearing it of problems, or rescuing innocent people, they are doing so out of more selfish motives.  I don't know if the players would agree with me but that's how I see it.  
• I used the Queen's speech as written in the book.  Then, as I told the players, when they rescued Dorotea, I didn't have the script from the module happen but let them take center stage.  That's the point!  It was quite fun to see how they managed to rescue her and get her out of the area.  
• I'm trying to use the human ethnicity (Taldan, Chelaxan, Vudrani, Ulfen, etc.) in my descriptions rather than fully describe them.  However, to do so, I realize I need a base for that appearance!  Here is a link to the Golarion wiki on races.  A good place to start.   

BACK