Part 4: The Queen's Scapegoat

The heroes are given some time to rest and recover. Over the following weeks the riots are quelled and city returns to a semblance of normalcy. However in its heart Korvosa still simmers; rumours of the queens involvement in the king’s death continues to circulate and will not die.

That is until the murderer is identified. An investigation by the Royal Guard discovers that a young artist by the name of Trinia Sabor was the last to the king alive and that she had coerced her way into the King’s chambers at night. A Royal Guardsman had confessed to accepting sexual favours in return for allowing her to pass. That night the King was found dead.

The city erupts again into chaos as lynch mobs once again take to the street, this time to find the assassin and bring her to justice. Field Marshal Kroft goes through the trouble to find the heroes at the Three Rings Tavern and ask that her favourite adventurers once again perform another service for Korvosa: to bring in this young artist/assassin for questioning before she is discovered by the mob.

The party accepts the mission and quickly locates her in the heart of the shingles within Midland. Artox and Watson quickly spot her fleeing across the rooftops. The heroes take chase. Trinia is fleet of foot and clearly well used to traversing the shingles. She almost escapes but Watson captures her with some fleet footed nimbleness of his own.

The heroes question her and she resolutely declares her innocence. She is taken back to the Citadel Volyshenek (in a sack no less) and brought before Field Marshal Kroft for questioning. With the aid of a truth spell from Sol; they learn that her account is truthful and that she did not murder the king. (Though there is some doubt over whether there was some romantic connection between her and the king).

Trinia is taken to the Royal Palace, but most of the heroes believe she has been setup and some nefarious scheme is afoot. Gritt wants to question Sabina but Mandraiv strongly argues for caution; believing that Sabina may well be one of the masterminds. An interesting debate follows but ultimately Mandraiv  is not able to sway Gritt from his course of action; in fact it quickly becomes evident that Gritt has other motivations for seeing the beautiful swordmaiden.

Gritt (with Watson in tow) is able to convince the guards to allow them to meet with Sabina.  The meeting with Sabina goes well and both Gritt and Watson seem to be satisfied that she is honest and well meaning. Gritt even manages to get permission to the see the detained guard (Reginald Smythe). He also rather boldy asks her out for a drink, but she politely declines saying that there is already someone else in her life. Gritt, while disappointed does not give up and leaves an open invitation to drop by the Three Rings Tavern sometime for a quick drink with the heroes.

Gritt visits the guard; who admits to allowing Trinia in to see the king. He appears guilt ridden and accepts that he has betrayed the crown and deserves to die. Gritt doesn’t believe a word of it and after a little intimidation, the guard mentions rather cryptically that his family will be well looked after and that he just wants to be left alone to face his execution. This is as much as Gritt can get from the guardsman who starts calling for Gritt to be removed from his cell.

The heroes turn to Grau, who has just been released from kitchen duty after six weeks. He knows nothing about the Royal Guard or Reginald Smythe but offers to try to find where he lives. Gritt also quizzes him on his relationship with Sabina and whether she was ‘available’. He learns that there was a rather messy love triangle between him, Vencarlo and Sabina, though Sabina did not reciprocate the advances of either man. In a moment of jealousy Grau turned both Vencarlo and Sabina against each other which resulted in a duel that left both of them scarred.

True to his word Grau locates the address of Reginalds family and the heroes pay the family a visit. Rena Smythe, Reginald’s wife is initially angry at her husband, believing the rumours but when the heroes present their theory that he has been setup she becomes hysterical. Nothing the heroes say can console her and they are eventually ordered out of her house.

They also bring their theory to Field Marshall Kroft who promises to dig deeper; but in the meantime she has a new mission for them and asks that they come see her early the next day.

The Dead Warrens

Early the next day when they meet Field Marshall Kroft they are introduced to an old shaonti shaman called Thousand Bones. It is immediately clear that Justin and Thousand Bones are aquainted and they exchange a brief conversation in Shaonti.

Thousand Bones then speaks to everyone, he is angry and frustrated and bemoans Korvosa’s treacherous ways. He explains that his grandson, a young Shaonti warrior has been slain at the hands of some thugs and his body stolen away. His tribe is angry and wants to join with the Sklar Quah to wage war on Korvosa. If nothing is done, the Shaonti tribes will go to war. He believes if the heroes can find the warriors body, then his spirit can be properly sent on to the after live. If Korvosa can do this, the Thousand Bones believes he can convince his tribe to stand down.

Unfortunately the body has been stolen by a wicked alchemist named Ernest Fyffe who is believed to have a secret lair somewhere in the Dead Warrens. The heroes also learn that Watson has a connection to this alchemist though he is mostly tight-lipped  about their history and reveals very little.

The heroes set off to the Dead Warrens and locate the hidden lair in the Potter’s Ward. They descend into a secret complex where they are beset upon by some undead skeletons. The skeletons are slain and the heroes are poised to explore the complex further.

Encounter	Grit	Justin	Mandraiv	Sparrowhawk	Sol	Watson
Pre-Session	5,054	4,654	4,554	4,654	4,654	4,654
Journal	200
Capturing Trinia	200	200	200	200	200	200
Investigating the Reginald	200	200	200	200	200	200
RP: Debate between Mandraiv & Gritt	300		200
Humour: Courting Sabina	300
6 Skeletons	135	135	135	135	135	135
1 Owl bear skeleton	100	100	100	100	100	100
Total	6,489	5,289	5,389	5,289	5,289	5,289