Capture of Scarred Soul Character


The purpose for this encounter sequence is to foreshadow Orbius, Jil and the Last Laugh in general. It also will ensure the party build up a healthy hatred for both parties.

The Shackleborn character of the party receives a message asking them to meet with an ally in the Tipped Tankard. Ensure they receive the invitation when the rest of the party have their own agendas ie visiting their own mentors, shopping etc

If the Shackleborn character heads off alone they are ambushed by a group of Last Laugh rogues. After a few rounds Jil appears from the shadows and attempts to use her assassinate ability to paralyse the character. If she is unsuccessful she will engage in combat with the character until they are unconscious.

The character wakes with a start after having cold water thrown into their face. Clearing their head they gaze about realising they are shackled to a wall up in a dimly lit room. A vile Halfling, with a mouthful of rotting blackened teeth, open sores on his face and black greasy hair drops an empty bucket to the floor. (This is Vilelan – Finch’s brother)

‘Now you will tell me everything you know about your group, the Striders, the churches, the nobles and the city in general’ he giggles evilly at the character.

He will walk over to a large satchel and gleefully reveal an array of wicked looking torture instruments.

Feel free to include or skip over as many of the torture session details as you wish. Either way have the player make 5 successive Will Saves (DC 15) increasing the DC by 2 each time they fail a check.  The character can attempt to Bluff his way through the questioning (Vilelan has a +13 Sense Motive) but Vilelan profession makes him difficult to fool.

Once the character has successfully bluffed his way through the torture or told Vilelan everything he wished to know, the character will once again fall unconscious.

When they resume consciousness they can make out through the haze Jil’s high pitched voice talking to Vilelan.

The character hears Jil say ‘He will be here any moment. You have done well now wait for me in the stables below’.

Vilelan’s eyes widen when he hears of approach of the mysterious visitor and hurries off in fear.

Jil glares at you with hatred burning in your eyes and then speaks –‘Thank you for ensuring the death of your friends and allies within this city!’

A shimmering curtain of light appears in the centre of the room and a huge spherical creature appears. Ten eyestalks snake about its head and a huge maul filled with long needle-like teeth drools great blobs of saliva upon the floor. A scaly hide blankets its body and a great blood-shot eye darts about before settling disconcertingly upon the character.

 ‘I do not suffer fools lightly Jil! I hope this is worth my time or your master will be seeking a new apprentice before the night is out’ the huge creature forces out.

‘IIIiiii ammmm sorrrry to disturb you Master Orbius’ Jil stammers uncharacteristically. ‘We have captured him. He bears the mark’.

‘I will be the judge of that pitiful human!’ Orbius spits out and then slowly floats towards the character.

The character feels the gaze of Orbius great eye wash over them as he approaches. When the character can almost feel the touch of his teeth and the great eyes rests only inches from his face, Orbius finally moves back.

‘You have done well Apprentice. I will tell your master of your success. You may even live long enough to become a master yourself one day’ Orbius snickers.

‘It is my greatest hope Master’ Jil bows, her relief obvious in her voice.

Turning back to the character, ‘Now take this creature back to your guild house where I will arrange to retrieve him before the night is through’

Jil nods, a sinister smile playing upon her lips-

 ‘He will make a wonderful addition to my collection’ Orbius laughs evilly and then uses his petrifying eye ray on the character to turn him into a statue (Fort DC 18). If the character succeeds he will continue firing off the ray until the character is turned to stone.

The Rescue

The rest of the party are sent an urgent message from Artus, the LL informant to meet with him. When they find him Artus tells them that their friend has been captured and taken to abandoned stables on Ash Avenue. He will not assist them beyond this fearing for his own safety.

The stables are being watched by LL agents from the roof opposite the building and the alley adjoining the building has two guards hiding in the shadows. The main stable doors are barred from the inside. The alley has a side door which leads into the stables proper. The guards are all 3rd level rogues who use short bows and rapiers (SCAP HC pg 369).

The stable has a hay loft, 6 areas for horses and stairs leading up to a office. A covered wagon sits near the main doors with a jittery hose rigged to it. Within the stables there are 6 LL thug (3 rigging up the wagon, 3 in the loft playing cards) and 1 harlequin overseeing the transportation (see HC, pg 369 for stats).

Vilelan is upstairs when the combat begins and spends the round taking a potion of invisibility before moving down stairs and attacking. He then attempts to flank opponents to sneak attack. If he is brought to below 25% of his hit points he moves back, take another invisibility potion and attempts to flee to the Slippery Eel.

Vilelan is a 10th level rogue, with a +2 Shortsword, Gloves of Dex +2, 3 potions of invisibility. If captured he knows nothing of Orbius but can provide the location of the Last Laughs guild house, Jil and the Jester(though nothing specific).

The petrified character can be found in the covered wagon. Meerthan or another ally can turn him back to flesh.