Session 17 Prep

Review

The party regrouped and refocused on Dagult’s room - hoping to find a clue or evidence in the final hours before the election began
They searched the room while Leodel tried to distract the guards who had been alerted to their presence.
The party managed to evade capture as Leodel hid the necessary key somewhere on his person before being dragged off by Dagult’s guards; Trick Price and Brick Farrow
The rest of the party; through experimentation, found hard evidence that Dagult had been threatening Harbin.

Bridge

Open on Leodel and probe him on the first memories he has speaking with Dagult. Try to get him to think if Leodel wanted to believe Dagult, or if Dagult was the one to convince Leodel to go down this path.
Meanwhile, return to present time with the party attempting to leave the room. The door is locked from the outside and is resilient; although not impervious, to force based means. Make the players get creative.

Forwards

Leaving the room

The door (17 AC/15HP) is reinforced with magic while locked, making it resistant (1/2 damage) to physical damage. Enough physical damage will eventually still shatter the substrate of the door, but it will take substantial time.

Creative player rolls may be done at advantage. This is a pretty loose puzzle.

A DC 22 Investigation check on the backside of the door will find a secret button that can be pressed in to unlock the door cleanly.

Leaving the room without a trace will make the party’s job of convicting Dagult much easier.

Upon leaving the room - Uganda will mysteriously disappear without warning. Leave the party in the dark regarding this.

Leodel’s Memories

Leodel remembers a rainy day, where he first met Dagult. Ander had been missing for two weeks at this point, and the remaining food in the house had run out. He hadn’t eaten in days and was starting to get hungry.

Ask Leodel what he’s thinking about and remind him of the porridge that the caretaker at the Orphanage used to make.

His train of thought is broken by the disarming voice of Dagult; who asks him about the lute on his back. Dagult asks Leodel a series of questions about his situation.

When Dagult is about to sink his teeth in; ask Leodel if he wanted to believe Dagult from the start or if he feels, in hindsight of this memory, was he manipulated from the start. If Leodel can’t decide; he must make a DC 18 Wisdom saving throw. A success means that Leodel has recognised and processed that Dagult was manipulating him the entire time (granting him immunity to further attempts). Failure will mean Leodel has not processed his trauma fully and is susceptible to Dagult’s re-manipulation.

If the party want to find Leodel

If the party leave the room in a short time; Trick and Brick can be seen skulking around on the 2nd level to avoid difficult conversations. A DC 18 perception check will notice Leodel’s presence under the bag.

The party can rush in to begin a combat encounter with Trick and Brick, but this will harm their chances at pinning this on Dagult. A noisy encounter will also draw the attention of Amylthas guards from the offices nearby.

Following Dagult’s guards leads the party down quite a long hallway where sequential perception and stealth checks will be needed to both maintain eyesight on Trick and Brick while not being detected themselves. Detection risks a combat encounter; although this one is less risky as it’s further away from law enforcement.

Eventually, the party will be left on the other side of the room of a locked door that the two guards entered into. A DC 12 Perception check will reveal Leodel screaming in agony.

If the party rush in, they will be ambushed by Brick and Trick on either side of the door and be captured themselves (DC 18 Dexterity or Strength check)

Calling the authorities at this point is powerful, as it easily paints Dagult in a negative light.

If the players feel they have enough proof to call the authorities

The party at any time can take what evidence they have to Adabra or Harbin, or first attempt to take the evidence to Halia. Taking it to Halia comes with risk because she might be in the midst of distracting Dagult’s guards - or they might run out of time.

Talking to Halia first has the added benefit of making a stronger case to the council.

As part of making a case against Dagult, there is circumstantial evidence, and hard evidence.

Multiple items of circumstantial evidence will make it harder for Dagult to win the election; even if attempting to rig it, and if all the circumstantial evidence is combined with a good argument from one or more party members; Dagult will be barred from the election under grounds of investigation by the electoral guarantor.

Even a single piece of hard evidence; for example, the letter Dagult sent to Harbin threatening him, will be enough to lose Dagult the election - if he can even run at all. Hard evidence and a strong case by the party can even force the hand of Amylthas to treat Dagult as a criminal entity and charge him with attempted murder.

If Dagult is deemed a criminal - he will attempt to flee, only to be stopped by Andel Yon, who had been secretly watching the accusations unfold. The authorities will apprehend Dagult, and he will be investigated for all criminal activity.

The election continues…

The election will continue regardless of how strong a case the party make against Dagult

If no case has been made against Dagult; but some circumstantial evidence was presented to Halia - she will use that in her speech to reduce the effectiveness of his rigging.
If a decent case has been made against Dagult; the electoral council will enforce a triple check of the electoral measures and unknowingly undo the rigging magic of ER.
If a strong case has been made, Dagult might be unable to win the election, but he can still play spoiler to the eventual winner.
If Dagult is found out to be a criminal; then Andel Yon will use the safety that has afforded him to go public with his true identity and perform a wonderful ballad to the audience.

ELECTION MECHANICS

Each candidate may ask 3 question of any other candidate, spread across all
Two candidates are cut based on an initial round of voting
- Dagult always wins this round (his charm is undeniable)
- Andel or Halia will win based on whom the party supports more
- Vok or Loogan will win if the party talks to them and specifically sides with one of them - if the party is split, the voters will make the decision (roll a d20, even == Vok)
- IF Loogan is dead only one person will be cut in the first round. In this instance, Vok always loses unless the party all band behind him and rolls high on his persuasion check.
Remaining three candidates openly debate and the crowd sentiment will determine the result
- Party must describe how they will use their skills to sway their section of the crowd to side for their candidate (if party cannot agree on a candidate they will have disadvantage)
- 4 successes before 3 failures
- If the party succeed in all these checks but have not found or presented any evidence to Halia or the council; then Dagult’s rigging machinations will engage and he will win even if another nominee should have.