Curse of the Crimson Throne Recap # 22 [RPG]

[18 Desnus, 4708 A.R. continued]

Preparations continue for a second assault on the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden.  Goldcape hears word that Grau Soldado is in a tavern called Twitcher’s—probably the only permanent structure in the transient rooftop world of the Shingles.  Inside, she sees that Twitcher’s is easily among the most disreputable dives in the city.  Although Grau is nowhere to be seen, his famous mithral longsword has been hung up for display behind the makeshift bar.  When questioned, a red-haired bartender named Ramthos says that it’s his sword—taken as payment for drinking debts that Grau couldn’t pay.  Goldcape tries to persuade Ramthos to give it back but has no success.  She does discover Grau’s current whereabouts, however: right out back, laying on a heaped pile of garbage!

Grau blames himself for not
winding a way to save Brienna.

Goldcape uses some magic to leech the alcoholic poisons from Grau, rapidly sobering him up.  But emotionally, Grau is in a deep depression after the death of his niece Brienna.  Goldcape sends a note to The Reckoner (via Rocky) asking him to come.  When The Reckoner arrives, the blustering barman quickly backs down and gives Grau back his sword.  Grau is too deep in his own misery to see why he should accompany his rescuers on their second raid until The Reckoner explains that the cultists inside are the very same people who intentionally spread the plague that killed Brienna!  That gets Grau’s attention, and depression is replaced by a burning desire for vengeance.

Joined by Yraelzin, the group make their way back to the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden.  The Korvosan Guard has maintained its cordon around the building but the writ from Field Marshal Kroft herself is enough to allow entry.  In addition, as per the writ’s instructions, three members of the already-stretched Guard are dispatched to assist with the raid.  Thus bolstered by reinforcements, the Harrowed Heroes make their way inside the building and move quickly to the lift.  The Reckoner has everyone in the group put on plague masks torn from the dead or unconscious Queen’s Physicians, and then smashes a hole in the bottom of the stuck platform.  After everyone clambers down a dangled rope a further twenty feet underground, they emerge from the shaft into an entry hall decorated with lurid murals of skeletons cavorting among the dead of a Korvosa that has completely succumbed to blood veil.  Grotesque mockeries of life—corpses animated as undead creatures like zombies and skeletons—stand guard here, but remain stationary until attacked.  The intruders make quick work of the sentinels.

Doors to the south lead to the type of operating room that should only exist in Hell: several metal beds are occupied by bound victims used for experimentation!  Queen’s Physicians are here, silently directing a trio of pustule-covered zombies to attack the intruders.  The Reckoner urges caution as Yraelzin identifies the undead as the “plague zombies” that Doctor Davaulus spoke of, but Grau’s unbridled fury leads him to leap into the fray!  He ends up covered in disease-ridden zombie flesh, while Goldcape uses her new rapier (enchanted to devastate human foes) to deadly effect against the Queen’s Physicians.  The battle is won, but the group is split about what to do with the victims—both those strapped to the tables and others locked in nearby cells.  The Reckoner is intent on moving as quickly as possible to make the most of their short-lived protective spells, but Goldcape is passionate that the prisoners should be freed immediately.  As The Reckoner leads most of the group out, Goldcape tries to pick the locks on the cell doors but is reluctantly forced to promise that she’ll return once she finds a key.

Doors to the north lead to what must be quarters for the temple’s living inhabitants, with black-sheeted cots and skulls used as candle sconces lending the place a funereal aspect.  More Queen’s Physicians are here, a prime opportunity for Yraelzin to display one of his many promised new spells: the imperturbable glory of Razmir’s burning disarm.  Again, although prepared and alert given the sounds of fighting elsewhere, the Queen’s Physicians are quickly defeated.  After searching an accompaning chamber containing glass cabinets full of medical supplies both mundane and magical, the group return to the central chamber.

The Key-Lock Killer has
never been caught . . .

The door to the east leads to a high-ceilinged chamber ringed with catwalks and containing three huge metal vats of bubbling green slurry: raw, concentrated blood veil!  Here, in this unholy factory of death, six members of the cult of Urgathoa stand with scythes at the ready to do battle.  Looming above them on a catwalk is their “freelance consultant”—Rolth Lamm himself!  Spittle runs down his chin as he erupts in a torrent of invective once he realises the intruders are the same ones who killed his father.  But before the skilled necromancer can put his most powerful magic to full effect, Goldcape sends Rocky hurtling toward him and then rushes up the catwalks herself.  While the vanara and her roc companion battle the man who masterminded the near-fatal attack on Old Lady Cloggins’ home and the explosive surprise left at the group’s safehouse, The Reckoner, Yraelzin, and their allies do battle against the cultists.    Yraelzin proves his value, first by magically hastening his allies attacks and then by dispelling a spell that had paralysed Goldcape.  The Reckoner directs the battle and cuts down foes with a bladed polearm, and Grau continues hacking away madly at any enemy in sight.  The three members of the Korvosan Guard work together to wear down the cultists, but one of their number is decapitated, and a second is badly wounded.  The cultists become even more threatening when they dip their blades in the raw blood veil, but fortunately none land a strike before being killed.  Back on the catwalk, Goldcape bleeds from a mystic wound inflicted by Rolth’s key-shaped blade.  But the villain is badly hurt.  Vowing revenge, he magically travels away from the scene.

Another battle has been won, but although injuries accumulate and protective spells begin to expire, more of the underground Temple of Urgathoa remains unexplored.  Do the Harrowed Heroes have the endurance it will take to survive?

---------------------

GM's Commentary

There are a lot of NPCs in any AP, and some I just don't really get a handle on so they fall flat or fade into the background.  But I'm really proud of how I portrayed Grau, and in my campaign he's become a much more important player in Korvosa than the AP expected.  Sometimes NPCs just click with a GM, and for me, Grau was one of those because I could quickly grasp how his background (and the events he faces during the campaign) affect his personality.

Some big, exciting battles this session, highlighted by appearance of Rolth Lamm!  The players were determined to get him, but he managed one of his now-trademark dimension doors to escape, so the hunt continues.

Pathfinder Collector Coin: "Korvosan Crown" [RPG]

 I love this simple but effective prop, and have used it to great effect in my Curse of the Crimson Throne campaign.  On one side is Queen Ileosa and the in-game date the crown would have been coined (the AP starts in  4708 A.R.), while the back side is the crown itself.  Without spoilers, this is a really handy prop to have during the AP for multiple reasons.  The coin comes in a little plastic box with a card that also avoids spoilers while giving a little flavour expectation for why it exists.  Along with the Sihedron Medallion, props like this are great to make a campaign come alive.

A. Bizarro # 1-4 (Ltd. 1999) (DC Comics) [COMICS]

Chances are I bought A. Bizarro in a back issue bin just because all four issues happened to be there, and I’ll read pretty much any comic series if I can get the whole run.  Written by Steve Gerber, the important thing to know about this series is that it’s not about the classic Bizarro of old Superman comics—the one with the square-shaped planet, etc.  Instead, it’s about a power-less clone of Bizarro.  Written by Steve Gerber, it’s actually mostly played straight, though there are some pretty funny moments here and there.  The series is really more of a curiosity than anything, but it’s a perfectly good read if you happen to come across it like I did.

Issue # 1 starts up with the title character waking up in Lexcorp warehouse, where we quickly learn that a Dr. Sidney Happensen has secretly cloned the real Bizarro, keeping it a secret even from Lex.  “Al” (as the clone quickly becomes known) has some of the memories of the “real” Bizarro, and seeks out his now ex-wife who shoots him!  Al manages to find Bizarro and gets some help figuring out what’s going on, though Lexcorp is out to find him.  The first issue is presented much more as an adventure than a funny comic, which was an interesting choice.

I like the cover to Issue # 2, which proclaims a “Special Guest Appearance by Superman, But It’s Not Gratuitous or Anything.”  Al decides to commit suicide (“Goodbye, Perfect World”) but Superman saves him.  Later Al meets a manipulative panhandler but Guardian appears to help him out.  And Lexcorp continues searching for him.  There’s a fun in-character text page.

Issue # 3 has Al captured by Lexcorp and undergoing testing before he accidentally activates a Mother Box and ends up on Apokolips! He befriends a budding Fury (named Seera) in Granny Goodness’ orphanage and the pair escape back to Earth and become rock stars.  It’s dumb, but funny—a combination I’m content with.

The limited series concludes with Issue # 4.  Lexcorp continues trying to repossess their “property”, so Al escapes to South America where he helps revolutionaries win a battle against Lexcorp occupation.  Al finds a wife, has a child, and apparently lives happily ever after (as there’s no sequel that I’m aware of).  It’s charming and sweet, and I liked Al.

Pathfinder Tales: "A Matter of Knives" [RPG]

NO SPOILERS

A Matter of Knives is a three-part series of free Paizo web fiction available here.  By introduction one of the main characters in the Pathfinder Tales novel Wizard’s Mask, the story serves as a prequel to the novel.  I have to be candid and say that I thought Wizard’s Mask was terrible, and showed that Ed Greenwood didn’t really have a handle on Pathfinder and Golarion.  So I was really surprised by how much I enjoyed A Matter of Knives.  It’s fun, fast-moving, and features a spunky protagonist.  I like it so much better than the novel by the same author featuring the same character, which seems inexplicable, but there it is.

SPOILERS!

A Matter of Knives is set in the city of Canorate, the capital of Molthune.  In a shop named “Hoarlund’s House of Blades”, a halfling slave named Tantaerra assists her kindhearted master in running the business.  Tantaerra has a strong personality and isn’t easily bullied, and is very good with knives!  The story involves a rival arms shop launching a plan to murder Tantaerra’s master.  There’s plenty of traps, combat, and other action in the story as Tantaerra takes down the assassins single-handedly.  Maybe a little Greenwood is better than a lot when it comes to Pathfinder.

Pathfinder Map Pack: "Village Sites" [RPG]

 I've only actually used Village Sites a couple of times in gaming--most recently to represent some parts of Trail's End near Korvosa.  But when I sat down with it for the purposes of this review, I realised it's actually a great little pack.  As the back of the package indicates (that I was too blind to notice), you can combine four of the cards to form a really nice pub--perfect for representing a tavern the PCs go to all the time.  Two more cards fit together to make a small general store and two others fit together for a small shrine or temple.  These would be perfect to help give the players a visual sense of where they are in any campaign that has a small town as a "home base" for the PCs.  Individual cards depict small homes, with three showing interiors and three showing rooftops only.  The only feature I'm not likely to use is the four cards that combine into a decrepit fountain, though I guess one could easily imagine a speech or battle around it.  I've neglected Village Sites too long, but now that I know it contains, I'll make a lot more use out of it.

Pathfinder: "Cthulhu Brew T-Shirt" [RPG]

 I'm not sure where the whole trend to combine RPG t-shirts with beer themes came from, but this is a pretty awesome shirt!  The artwork for Cthulhu really pops, and I love the tentacle-borders.  This is one of those shirts even non-gamers will compliment you on.  I've worn mine several times, and as with all the Paizo t-shirts, the cotton has held up to multiple washings.

Pathfinder Collector Pin: "Pathfinder (1E) Logo" [RPG]

 Pretty much half of everything I own is already branded with the Pathfinder logo, but now I can affix this pin to any article of clothing and be even geekier!  With two clasps, it'll stay fixed where you put it.  It comes in a little baggy with a card that describes the PFRPG.  It'd be a nice stocking-stuffer.

Pathfinder Collector Pin: "Goblin" [RPG]

Goblins wear this pin real neat,

And stab the sharp bit in longshanks’ feet!

And it look like goblin head real pretty,

As we chop up dogflesh itty-bitty!

Metal be strong like goblin tribe,

So steal one now or you be died!

Translation: This metal pin, shaped like a goblin-head, is nicely detailed and colored, down to the red eyes and hint of a tongue in the razor-sharp mouth.  There are two sturdy clasps to keep if affixed to a shirt or bag.  The card it comes stuck to has a long goblin song on the back (once I’ve seen before, but still fun).

Curse of the Crimson Throne Recap # 21 [RPG]

[17 Desnus, 4708 A.R. continued]

Unlike most Red Mantis assassins, Davaulus prefers
the indirect approach--but on a mass-scale!

Having violently swept through the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden, the Harrowed Heroes confront the man entrusted with leading Korvosa’s response to blood veil: Doctor Reiner Davaulus.  As the Royal Physician begins descending a gear-and-pulley cargo lift, Goldcape conjures a lightning storm and the Reckoner jumps down!  But instead of attacking the man, The Reckoner cleverly smashes the control mechanism, halting the lift in its tracks.  Davaulus first berates his aggressors for interfering with a task commissioned by the Queen, the impeding of which is tantamount to high treason!  But when it’s clear they won’t desist, he draws a rapier and admits a role in actually spreading the disease!  Disease is the world’s way to bring back balance, he explains while dodging and parrying, and then promises that Korvosa will be stronger at the end of the process.  But weakened by repeated blows from The Reckoner’s battle maul, Doctor Davaulus falls unconscious from blood loss as Goldcape shoots him in the leg with a carefully-aimed arrow.

The invaders have to make a quick decision: should they try to continue below, or first learn more about what they may be facing?  They pick the latter, and tie up Davaulus before searching him.  A potentially valuable discovery is made: notes on the potential source of Varisians’ partial immunity to blood veil which could be useful in formulating a cure!  The decision is made to conduct an interrogation then and there.  With Yraelzin’s assistance, Davaulus is brought back to consciousness.  Although The Reckoner deals out some mild violence, none is necessary as the captive is quite happy to haughtily explain himself.  He admits to being a member of a global league of assassins called the Red Mantis, and says his organisation was hired by Queen Ileosa herself to find a way to separate the “wheat from the chaff” of the city’s population!  He says he doesn’t know for sure who killed King Eodred II, but Ileosa tried to hire the Red Mantis to do it but was turned down because the organisation has a firm policy never to target heads of state.  He claims that the Red Mantis worked with cultists of Urgathoa (and their head priestess in Korvosa, a “Lady Andaisin”) to formulate blood veil, and that a temple to that goddess of disease and undeath lies right under their feet!  He confirms that Rolth Lamm has been a useful freelance associate, and is in the temple with several skeletons, zombies, and even an ancient type of vampire called a nosferatu!  Whether all, some, or none of what Davaulus says is true or just another layer of insidious lies can’t be confirmed—but the fact that he tried to magically ensorcel The Reckoner while speaking is certainly proof that he can’t be trusted!  Davaulus is knocked unconscious again, and bound and gagged for good measure.

Although keen to raid the temple said to lie below, the consensus in the group is that it’s too risky to push further without rest and preparation.  The Reckoner drags all of the unconscious Gray Maidens and Queen’s Physicians into the main infirmary ward, promising the scores of pleading patients that he’ll send aid for them soon.  Davaulus himself is rolled up in a rug so he can be carried outside without attracting undue notice.  Goldcape flies off on Rocky to stealthily deliver a note to Sergeant Clenkins at Citadel Volshyanek about the evils conducted at the hospice and how there are patients in need of immediate help.  Meanwhile, The Reckoner, Yraelzin, and their captive walk to the abandoned fortune-telling shop that has served as an occasional safehouse for the group.  But it’s been weeks since they’ve visited, and at some point someone has left a nasty surprise for them!  When the front door is opened, a magical trap is triggered that results in a fiery explosion!  As the safehouse goes up in flames, Yraelzin acts quickly and just manages to save Doctor Davaulus’ life.

Goldcape notices the flame and hurries back to the group, and everyone quickly confers about a place they can take Davaulus that will be out of the watchful eyes of the Gray Maidens.  Skaldwood, the forest south of Korvosa that had (until recently) been used as a camping ground by Shoanti clans, is chosen.  Once there, Davaulus is magically healed and interrogated again for a layout of the temple and its defences.  Again, Davaulus is surprisingly—perhaps suspiciously—forthcoming.  A new dilemma arises: what to do with Davaulus?  Murdering a prisoner would be an evil in itself, but nor can they simply let him go or, with his asserted links to the Queen herself, turn him over to the authorities without risk.  The Reckoner’s instincts militate for the first option, while Yraelzin still has trust in the city’s institutions.  The group discuss the matter and reach an outcome: The Reckoner will personally turn Davaulus over to Sergeant Clenkins.  When he does so, Clenkins says he received the note about the hospice and dispatched a team to investigate the claims.  He says he’ll hold Davaulus pending any evidence that can be gathered there.  The Reckoner persuades him to alert Field Marshal Kroft immediately.

[18 Desnus, 4708 A.R.]

Over breakfast at the Giotorri household where she’s been staying, Goldcape is happy to hear from fellow houseguest Old Lady Cloggins that her home is almost repaired from the fire and should soon be habitable again.  Meanwhile, Ralph Blackfeather wakes before dawn and manually writes several pamphlets about the evils of Doctor Davaulus, the Queen’s Physicians, the Gray Maidens, the cult of Urgathoa, the Red Mantis, and more, all under the direction of Queen Ileosa.  Signing them “The Reckoner”, he then asks Majenko to drop the pamphlets over the city.  Alas, almost everyone who finds one of the pamphlets thinks it’s ridiculous, just another one of the many conspiracy theories floating around the city. 

Yraelzin, Ralph, and Goldcape meet up at Eodred’s Walk to purchase supplies for their planned raid of whatever lies underneath the hospice.  Ralph purchases two large barrels of oil in case they decide to simply burn out the inhabitants—a plan made feasible by Goldcape’s and Yraelzin’s magics that could insulate themselves against the heat and smoke of such a fire.  As they walk toward the hospice, however, the trio come across a pair of Gray Maidens walking down the street, throwing any of the pamphlets they find into a bag for destruction.  Ralph doesn’t even hesitate before charging the Gray Maidens in broad daylight and cutting them down, leaving one dead and one unconscious.

When the group reach the hospice they see that Sergeant Clenkins was true to his word.  Members of the Korvosan Guard have indeed been sent to the hospice, and have established a cordon around it.  When questioned about the cordon, one of the guards explains that there’s a bloody crime scene inside and that they’re under strict orders not to let anyone in.  Goldcape decides to see if Grau could be of use in the situation, and begins searching nearby taverns.  Meanwhile, Ralph heads to Citadel Volshyanek and seeks out Field Marshal Kroft herself.  He finds the weary-looking woman in a courtyard where several bodies are laid out—the results of the previous night’s raid.  Kroft is surprised to see Ralph given her request that their connection should not be visible, but she acknowledges it may be too late for subtlety: if the Queen’s Physicians are involved in a conspiracy to spread disease throughout the city as the evidence obtained in the hospice indicates, it is indeed possible the Queen herself is involved.  Upon request, she gives Ralph a writ indicating that the bearer and his allies should be allowed into the hospice and that a small contingent of Korvosan Guards should accompany them on a search of its lower levels.  Ralph dispatches Majenko to try to find Goldcape and deliver the message: it’s time to go in.

Interrogation of a self-proclaimed assassin and other evidence indicates that the spread of blood veil was an intentional plot to murder Korvosans!  But is the Queen truly involved?  And, if so, with witnesses to testify to their intervention, how long can even being masked protect Yraelzin, The Reckoner, and Goldcape from her retribution?

-----------------

GM's Commentary

I don't imagine most groups stop after capturing Davaulus, interrogate him, alert the authorities, rest overnight, and then come back the next day!  But it actually made sense from a certain kind of perspective.  The downside is they gave whatever is below the temple a *lot* of time to prepare (or escape).  The benefit is the PCs ended up with a fair amount of intel about what to expect.  

As a GM, it can be a bit tricky to decide how to handle the "getting help from the authorities" move.  You don't want to make the guards seem callous or useless, but you also don't want to provide so much assistance that they displace the role of the PCs as the prime movers of the plot.  I chose a middle-ground of assigning some low-level Korvosan Guards to accompany the PCs below, where they would be helpful but wouldn't steal the show.

Pathfinder Society Scenario # 0-21: "The Eternal Obelisk" [RPG]

 

NO SPOILERS

The Eternal Obelisk is another of the PFS Season 0 scenarios that was retired from play.  The reasons aren't hard to guess, as there is an opportunity for a TPK or (or at least some permanent negative conditions that can't be easily cleared).  I recently ran it "just for fun" as part of my Roots of Golarion campaign that ties together a bunch of 3.5-era Paizo stuff.  The scenario is a straightforward dungeon crawl and not particularly memorable.  It has a really engaging backstory, though, and would be easy to insert as a side-quest in any desert-themed campaign.  I also didn't think the difficulty was unfair to the players, as they know almost exactly what to expect from the very beginning and have plenty of opportunity to prepare for it.

SPOILERS!

The backstory involves a sixteen-year-old Qadiran princess named Khalida al-Mushabe.  With a thirst for knowledge and adventure, she pores over old copies of the in-world Pathfinder Chronicles until, one day, she discovers an apparent opportunity: a map and notes said to lead to an ancient temple with the secret of eternal youth to anyone who finds it.  Khalida secretly hired a team of mercenaries and snuck off to find the place, only to walk right into a trap.  The ancient temple did indeed exist, and really did contain the secret of eternal youth--but only for those with paralyzing gaze attacks like medusae!  The current occupant of the subterranean temple, a medusa named Ophiope, plants clues to the temple on her occasional brief forays into the outside world to lure explorers in.  For her next trick, Ophiope ensures Khalida's head (turned to stone) is returned to her father, a powerful Qadiran trade prince, knowing he'll surely assemble an expedition out of revenge and hopes of finding the rest of his daughter's body.  It's a pretty cool story, and I probably don't do it justice.

From the PCs' perspective, they come into the picture when Venture-Captain Esmayl ibn Qaradi conscripts them for a mission.  Having just been chewed out by Khalida's father for filling her head (pun) with terrible ideas from the adventure journals, ibn Qaradi has promised the man he'll send a team to discover exactly what happened.  The PCs, of course, will be that team.  This is also the opportunity for the players to guess they're probably up against a medusa, basilisk, or something similar, and to prepare themselves accordingly with protection against gaze effects and the means to remedy being turned to stone.  Or, they can just venture out into the desert and see what happens!

There are no encounters or skill checks involved in the PCs travelling from Katheer to the temple site.  Once there, the straightforward dungeon crawl begins.  Opponents include earth and salt mephits, animated statues, grimlocks, a xorn, and Ophiope (plus another medusa if the PCs are playing at high-tier).  Although Ophiope will do some classic villainous taunting, there's not really any other NPCs to role-play with.  The PCs will have the opportunity to find a text explaining the history of the temple, but that's about it.  Faction missions can provide a little additional intrigue for groups that use them.

Although this is a dungeon crawl, I wouldn't recommend it for new GMs.  The descriptions of each room are listed in a separate section from the encounters that occur there, which could be confusing.  In addition, running things like medusae and grimlocks (with their tactics) might be a bit more than a beginning GM should take on.

This one was obviously retired for the risk that a few poor saves could see the entire team turned to stone.  I get that, but like I said, the group does have plenty of warning it could happen so I didn't consider the risk unfair.  That being said, of course, there a million adventures out there, and nothing that makes The Eternal Obelisk particularly distinguishable from the run of the mill dungeon crawl.

Pathfinder Legends: "Curse of the Crimson Throne: Seven Days to the Grave" [RPG]

 NO SPOILERS

I finally got a chance to sit down and listen to the audio version of Seven Days to the Grave, Chapter 2 of the Curse of the Crimson Throne AP.  I thought it was done really well.  The voice acting remains top-notch, even if there's less of the trademark Valeros humor as in previous installments (which is probably fitting, given the dire theme of the plot).  Speaking of the plot, I was curious to see how the writers for the audio version would handle the very free-form nature of the adventure in the original AP.  It turned out nicely, with the main bad guys getting the attention they deserved, a clear explanation of what's been going on and why, and a great lead-in to Chapter 3.  

As with all of these Pathfinder Legends, discs, the recording is fairly short--the two-disc set I have comes in at 110 minutes, but the final few tracks of Disc 1 are just music.  In other words, this isn't like a full audio book (despite the price approaching it), so just be aware of that before purchasing.  The physical CDs come with a nice sleeve introducing the four Iconics featured in the adventure (Merisiel, Valeros, Harsk, and Ezren).

SPOILERS!

One of the things I appreciate most about these audio versions is how they give insight into NPCs that appear in the adventure.  Once again, I totally should have listened to this before running Seven Days to the Grave at the table, because I love how the audio version handled Ishani Dhatri and Tayce Soldado.  It also did a great job with Lady Andaisin and Reiner Devaulus, with their interaction a perfect way to give plot exposition in a natural, engaging way.

Of course, it's also interesting to see where the audio version varies from the written version.  In the audio version, the sewer wererats (represented by a new character, Eries) are actually quite helpful to the adventurers.  Some of the events in the AP (like the vampires outside the toy shop, the false cures, etc.) are omitted.  And despite conventional tabletop wisdom, the party very much splits up in the audio version, as Ezren and Harsk fall ill from Blood Veil and are taken to the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden for "treatment", Valeros deceives a nurse in order to get inside (by pretending to be Harsk's lover!), and Merisiel (reunited with Kyra in a really cute scene, following up a great plot thread from Chapter 1!) investigate the sunken ship. The ending is great, with the sound of the bridges to Old Korvosa being destroyed just as the Iconics emerge from the Hospice, nicely setting up the next chapter.

There are fewer fight scenes in this one (probably wise, as the lack of a narrator always makes them confusing).  It can drag a bit as the Iconics pursue separate investigations each leading toward the same conclusion that the listener already knows.  All in all though, this was a fun, mostly faithful recreation of the written version and I'd recommend it.

Curse of the Crimson Throne: Recap # 20 [RPG]

 [17 Desnus, 4708 A.R. continued]

After pinpointing what they believe is the location of Rolth Lamm, the Harrowed Heroes split up for supplies for a planned raid.  Ralph heads to Hedge Wizardry in search of magical scrolls, and is referred by Phaeton to a nearby bookstore called Basha’s.  The cranky proprietor has what Ralph is looking for, but insists on also selling him a “treasure map” that seems to have been made up on the spot!  Meanwhile, Goldcape flies on Rocky’s back at top speed across the city, earning curious looks from Sable Company marines mounted on hippogriffs.  Goldcape makes it to the Stalwart Shield in North Point just in time before they close, and purchases some new armor.  She asks why the armorer has a “no dwarves” policy and learns that the three brothers who work there were once turned away from apprenticeships in the dwarven city of Janderhoff.

Goldcape meets Yraelzin and Ralph as planned in Eodred’s Walk.  Goldcape purchases a special alchemically-made smoke arrow from Jope Chantsmo, and hears that a clever way to disable spellcasters is to fire an arrow at them that has been previously enchanted with a magical silence spell.  Goldcape is intrigued by the idea, but with Hedge Wizardry and Basha’s closed, she can think of only one place a magical scroll of silence could be obtained: the Gilded Orrery.  The problem is that the store is closely affiliated with the Acadamae, and its plump, mirthless proprietor refuses to entertain customers off the street.  Goldcape arrives in the middle of a book signing and fails to impress the proprietor enough to gain admittance.

By the time everyone in the group is back together, darkness has fallen over Korvosa.  Ralph looks at the map obtained from the wererat den and notes indications of heavy excavation being done under the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden—but the area wouldn’t be accessible to anyone who can’t make themselves as small as a rat!  Yraelzin raises the issue of whether raiding the Hospice will get them in trouble with the authorities and suggests calling in the Korvosan Guard, but he’s persuaded that if the Queen’s Physicians are harbouring Rolth Lamm, then the city’s government is already implicated in wrongdoing. 

Queen's Physicians

Goldcape and Rocky circle the recently-renovated building from the air.  They see some Queen’s Physicians, escorted by Gray Maidens, entering the front door while carrying a stretcher with a presumed plague victim on it.  But the front door isn’t the only potential access point—the building was previously a warehouse, and there are several loading doors around back.  Goldcape shares what she’s seen with the others and fashions a crude mask to hide her identity from those within.  Ralph, who has changed into The Reckoner, suggests entering through the rear doors.  Although they’ve been boarded over, he’s not shy about simply smashing the doors open with his battle maul!

The sounds of his assault carry throughout the hospice, and just as the Harrowed Heroes enter a loading bay filled with barrels and crates, a pair of Gray Maidens appear to investigate.  The Reckoner shouts that they’re harbouring a known criminal, but seeing an armed, mask vigilante breaking and entering doesn’t predispose them to conversation!  Yet, despite their fearsome reputation, the heavily-armored female soldiers are battered into unconsciousness by The Reckoner’s onslaught.  Goldcape snaps at The Reckoner for having used her name in the brief scuffle.  Before the intruders can venture out of the loading bay, they’re set upon by four Queen’s Physicians wielding hardwood clubs.  Their plague masks and uncanny ability to coordinate attacks in complete silence lend the resulting battle an eerie feel, but once Goldcape directs Rocky to attack, all four defenders are quickly overwhelmed.

Some nurse!

Curtains separate the loading dock from the warehouse’s vast interior, which has been converted into one gigantic convalescent ward full of dozens of groaning and wheezing Korvosans afflicted with blood veil.  Intent on finding Rolth Lamm as quickly as possible, The Reckoner rushes through to another back room and sees a cargo lift but no stairs leading downward where the diviner said Rolth would be.  The Reckoner begins searching carefully and realises something startling—there’s a missing button in the lever controlling the cargo lift that would allow it to descend!  The Reckoner tries to jury-rig the device to work without the button, but it’s too complex for him.  While Yraelzin keeps an eye on things in the convalescent ward, Goldcape rushes across and toward the front of the building.   She bursts through another curtain into a waiting room, where a burly nurse wearing scarves over her mouth is sitting behind a long wooden desk reading a broadsheet.  Startled, the nurse jumps to her feet and demands to know what Goldcape is doing there, but diplomacy fails and fisticuffs ensue!  The battle is a comedy of errors, as both Goldcape and the nurse’s weapons end up slipping out of their hands at some point.  Eventually, Goldcape gets the better of the nurse and the woman drops to her knees and surrenders.  When asked, she says there’s no basement and she’s never heard of any wrongdoing in the facility.  As far as Goldcape can tell, the nurse seems to be telling the truth.

Back in the convalescent ward, a pair of Gray Maidens appear on the catwalks above and loose arrows at Yraelzin and The Reckoner.  The intruders take cover under a platform, forcing the Gray Maidens to dispense with their bows, draw steel, and start rushing down stairs towards them.  The Reckoner rushes up to meet them halfway, and the battle is underway!  The Gray Maidens have the high ground and land some cuts on The Reckoner.  Worse, Yraelzin’s magical curing spells inexplicably fail to work!  But The Reckoner perseveres and manages to defeat the two just as Goldcape and Rocky join him.

The Harrowed Heroes climb the stairs up, past the landing to the catwalks, and onto the partial second floor of the warehouse.  The rough functionality of the warehouse below gives way to beige tile and a whitewashed hall that ends in a pair of teak-wood double doors engraved with images of rampant gazelles.  Lacking a key, The Reckoner one again loudly smashes his way through.  Past the shattered doors is a smaller room with patients on cots, but the Harrowed Heroes are too late!  The Queen’s Physicians in the room have slit all of the patients’ throats and are busy burning notes of whatever work they were doing!  Goldcape leaps dramatically on a large worktable in the center of the room, while The Reckoner circles around to the side.  The foes work in perfect synchronicity, and Goldcape is badly hurt when the fighting is finished, with one prisoner kept alive for later interrogation.

The Reckoner and Goldcape begin to argue about whether the vanara should have to pay to use the masked vigilante’s magical wand of healing.  The matter is unresolved.  Remnants of the burned notes seem to refer to experiments being done to discern why some Varisians seem naturally immune to blood veil.  Goldcape takes the papers back downstairs to prove to the nurse, Bhrunlida Torthus, that her employers are evil indeed!  When Bhrunlida, still terrified, refuses to come upstairs to see the murdered patients, The Reckoner comes down and drags her up.  But then Goldcape realises something strange—they’ve overlooked another door in the experimentation chamber, and it’s now standing wide open!  The adjoining room looks like a combination office and personal laboratory, but there’s no one to be seen.  The Reckoner quickly surmises that someone may be moving about while invisible, leading Goldcape to draw upon her nature magic and adopt the aspect of the wolf.  By carefully smelling the air around her, she realises there is indeed the scent of another human that they can’t account for!

But following the scent takes precious time, and soon the raiders hear the sound of the cargo lift in operation!  They rush down the stairs and into the lift room to see it beginning to descend.  The operator’s invisibility is flickering away to reveal a well-dressed man in an elegant waistcoast, with a rapier fashionably buckled to his belt.  He looks up at the group with a look of mild curiosity.

The Harrowed Heroes have breached the Hospice of the Blessed Maiden and learned that not everything going on inside is in the best interests of the city.  But their brash raid, although effective, hasn’t been subtle.  If there are any further hostile beings below the building, chances are, they’ll be ready and waiting!

-----------------------

GM's Commentary

The PCs in this campaign are a funny mix of very clever (assembling clues, hiring diviners, gathering information) and and very brash (just smashing their way into the building).  It's a pattern we'll continue to see later on, as these PCs aren't much for scouting, stealth, infiltration, etc.  

This part of the chapter was challenging to run, as there were a lot of enemies in adjoining places each with particular responses to the alarm being sounded, and the PCs splitting up at one point didn't help.  But although it was chaotic and confusing at points, it was also pretty exciting.

Book Log 2021 [BOOKS]

 January 1, 2021: The Planet Killers by Robert Silverberg. “Three 1950s SF novels, all fun.”

January 8, 2021: Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand. “Truly amazing true story.”

January 10, 2021: Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas. “World’s greatest assassin in romance novel. Ok, but not good enough for me to want to read more.”

January 11, 2021: The State of the Art by Iain M. Banks. “Collection of short stories with one great Culture novella.”

January 12, 2021: The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman. “Second invisible library book. Good.”

January 13, 2021: Too Much and Never Enough by Mary L. Trump. “Niece helps explain upbringing that shaped Trump. Really good.”

January 14, 2021: Hamlet by William Shakespeare. “Thought the last act was a let-down.”

January 17, 2021: Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk. “Polish novel. Kind of a crime story, though culprit is obvious and animal rights theme predominates. Good.”

January 19, 2021: The Art of War by Sun Tzu. “Of historical curiosity, but too many people try to make something of it.”

January 19, 2021: The Enchanted Wood by Enid Blyton. “Charming kids book, full of wish fulfilment.”

January 19, 2021: Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding. “Really funny.”

January 20, 2021: Equal Rites by Terry Pratchett. “First witches book. Good.”

January 31, 2021: Tombs of Golarion by Various. “Great collection, ready to run.”

February 1, 2021: Post-Liberal Religious History by Joel Harrison. “Compassionate, moderate argument that religious liberty should be re-envisioned as a public quest for ‘true religion’”

February 7, 2021: Joseph Andrews by Henry Fielding. “Comic satire of Pamela. Pretty good.”

March 31, 2021: Reign of Stars by Tim Pratt. “Third Pathfinder novel starring alchemist Alaeron. Set in Numeria and great fun!”

April 4, 2021: Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany. “Long, experimental. Really interesting in parts. I don’t know.”

April 6, 2021: Loner by Georgina Young. “Pitch perfect portrait of a memorable character.”

April 9, 2021: Broken Angels by Richard Morgan. “Second Altered Carbon book. Solid.”

April 17, 2021: Dans la toile du temps by Adrian Tchaikovsky. “Spiders are better than humans.”

April 23, 2021: The Unbearable Lightness of Being by Milan Kundera. “Poignant and beautifully written.”

April 26, 2021: Franny & Zooey by J.D. Salinger. “I need to think about this one.”

May 6, 2021: The League of Regrettable Superheroes by Jon Morris. “Witty profiles of bad ideas from comics history—great fun!”

May 6, 2021: Truth is Trouble: The Strange Case of Israel Folau by Malcolm Knox. “Fantastic, insightful, balanced exploration of everything that makes the controversy so difficult to resolve.”

May 21, 2021: The Politics by Aristotle. “More relevant to my work than I anticipated.”

May 23, 2021: Last One at the Party by Bethany Clift: “End of the world book. Ok, but not great.”

June 6, 2021: Witnesses at the Creation: Hamilton, Madison, Jay, and the Constitution by Richard B. Morris. “Very readable introduction and overview.”

June 6, 2021: The Guy, The Girl, The Artist, and His Ex by Gabrielle Williams. “Fictional account of real-life art theft integrated into YA romance. Pretty good!”

June 7, 2021: The Stranger Times by C.K. McDonnell. “Really fun new series.”

June 8, 2021: All Our Hidden Gifts by Caroline O’Donoghue. “A fantastic book—pitch-perfect. I hope she writes more.”

June 10, 2021: The Undercurrent by Paula Weston. “Girl with electricity powers caught up in story about corporate farming and nuclear power. Ok.”

June 11, 2021: Ships of the Inner Sea by Various. “Surprisingly interesting Pathfinder book.”

June 13, 2021: The Forests of Silence by Emily Rodda. “First Deltora Quest book. Great!”

June 22, 2021: The Hooded Hordes. “Secret Agent X—and old pulp novel.”

July 3, 2021: Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie. “Amazing novel set in India of independence.”

July 4, 2021: Howards End by E.M. Forster. “English novel with theme of class and marriage. Unconvincing, and I’ll forget the plot and characters in a month.”

July 12, 2021: The Lake of Tears by Emily Rodda. “Second Deltora Quest book. Classic, well-written fantasy.”

July 12, 2021: The Believer: Encounters with Love, Death, and Faith by Sarah Krasnostein. “Good effort, but just covers too much ground to provide real insight into any particular beliefs.”

July 17, 2021: The Dark World by Henry Kuttner. “Original science-fantasy story told from the point of view of the villain!”

July 19, 2021: House of Hollow by Krystal Sutherland. “Dark book but really well-written and memorable.”

July 23, 2021: Nightblade by Liane Merciel. “First book was better.”

July 25, 2021: Ultimate Equipment by Various. “Impressive collection of Pathfinder gear!”

August 7, 2021: Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling. “Read to Lan in beautiful illustrated edition.”

August 20, 2021: Wolf Girl 5 by Anh Do. “Read to Lan.”

September 3, 2021: State and Religion: The Australian Story by Renae Barker. “Great overview!”

September 4, 2021: The Tempest by William Shakespeare. “Norton Critical Edition. One of my favourites.”

September 11, 2021: The Tommyknockers by Stephen King. “Pretty good, but too much padding in parts.”

September 15, 2021: Honeybee by Craig Silvey. “Deeply moving.”

September 19, 2021: Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Hard Luck by Jeff Kinney. “Funny for kids and adults.”

September 20, 2021: Batman: The Ultimate Evil by Andrew Vachss. “Heavy, but good.”

September 22, 2021: The Alcoholic’s Son by Larry Patrick. “So proud of my dad!”

September 29, 2021: Game Changer by Neal Shusterman. “Strong book about parallel world hopping with strong social justice bent.”

October 1, 2021: Nevernight by Jay Kristoff. “Assassin fantasy, excellent and full of surprises.”

October 2, 2021: Ranger’s Apprentice Vol. 1 by John Flanagan. “Good kids’ fantasy series.”

October 2, 2021: Going Dutch by James Gregor. “Interesting novel.”

October 3, 2021: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling. “Continues strong, though I’ve never liked the Time-Turner element.”

October 11, 2021: Eagle Against the Sun: The American War With Japan by Ronald H. Spector. “Readable one-volume history of the entire Pacific War.”

October 14, 2021: Political Writings of Thomas Paine, edited by Bruce Kuklick. “Interesting polemicist.”

October 18, 2021: The Gaps by Leanne Hall. “Probably the best book I’ve read this year.”

October 24, 2021: Mort by Terry Pratchett. “Not bad, but the ending wasn’t great.”

October 30, 2021: Belkzen, Hold of the Orc Hordes by Various. “Well-written and more interesting than I expected.”

November 7, 2021: The Chemistry of Tears by Peter Carey. “Really enjoyed the parallel story and mystery right on the edge of the fantastical.”

November 12, 2021: Near Space by Various. “Good Starfinder book.”

November 17, 2021: God vs the Gavel: Religion and the Rule of Law by Marcia A. Hamilton. “Argues against constitutional exemptions for religious believers. Makes some good points, but also overstated things.”

November 21, 2021: The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien. “A true classic that stands the test of time.”

December 5, 2021: Deltora Quest by Emily Rodda. “All eight books in one. A nice introductory fantasy series, with some real twists.”

December 12, 2021: Pirate’s Promise by Chris A. Jackson. “So good. Perhaps my new favourite Pathfinder novel.”

December 13, 2021: The Hero of Ages by Brandon Sanderson. “End of the Mistborn trilogy. I respect the world building, but this one overstayed its welcome to me.”

December 17, 2021: Diary of an Awesome Friendly Kid by Jeff Kinney. “Rowley’s version. Just not as funny.”

December 23, 2021: Comparisonitis by Melissa Ambrosini. “Pretty much what you’d expect.”

December 26, 2021: Against a Dark Background by Iain Banks. “SF, but not a Culture novel. Solid.”

December 27, 2021: Dying in a Winter Wonderland by Vicki Delaney. “Enjoyable Christmas mystery.”

December 27, 2021: Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling. “Great.”

December 31, 2021: Girls in Boys’ Cars by Felicity Castagna. “Tries too hard.”