Story Arc

[jtougas]

In this encounter the PCs have a meeting with the Kings Steward. How this meeting comes to pass will be determined by the previous encounters. If the PCs have been selected by the stewards agents at the challenges, then the PCs will merely be summoned to a discreet location to meet with the steward. If however, the PCs had been arrested in the optional "Brawl in the Market encounter then the following will happen:

1. The Kings Steward will be informed of the PCs status and charges.
2. The Captain of the Guard will be summoned by the Kings Steward where a tense conversation will ensue ending with the Kings Steward ordering the Captain of the Guard to escort the PCs to the meeting location. The Captain of the Guard will NOT be happy about this and will display this displeasure to the PCs both verbally and occasionally physically (in the form of shoves and kicks)

If the PCs had engaged in wholesale slaughter and magical mayhem during the "Brawl in the Market" encounter, the Kings Steward will NOT meet with the PCs at all leaving their fate to the Captain of the Guard and the Kingdom's justice system GMs should of course discourage those kinds of actions or be ready to improvise.

The Meeting

The meeting place is a small apartment away from the center of the city and the bustle of the festival. The house itself is unremarkable and in any case the PCs will only see the outside and one room of the interior. The Kings Steward will be waiting for them in the sitting room of the apartment. He will be flanked by two castle guards both armed with short swords and wearing chain mail armor. If the PCs have made their own way here they will be asked to leave their weapons at the entrance. The guards there will not take no for an answer.
How the Steward reacts to the PCs will depend on how they arrive. If they arrive on their own he will be polite and firm and get right to business describing their task. If they arrive escorted by the Captain of the Guard, they will still be treated politely but will have to endure a speech about lawless behavior and how it will not be tolerated in this Kingdom. The GM should have such a small speech prepared in case of that situation.

What the Kings Steward Says

Regardless of the method of the PCs arrival, the Steward says the same thing. He outlines the PCs task which is the tracking down and return of the Cup of Kings the magical item that is so vital to the Kingdoms health and prosperity. He does NOT tell the PCs of it's ultimate value to the King and to the Kingdom. he merely states that it is of great traditional value to his liege who would dearly love to see it returned. Smart PCs might notice the Steward acting strangely during the conversation as he is a honest and trustworthy man and the lie bothers him.

What The PCs Can Do With The Information From Crull Chorester

If the PCs are successful in getting Chorester to divulge his involvement in the theft of the Cup Of Kings; This information could be used to "enhance" the PCs situation in several ways.

1. If the PCs were not arrested they might use Chorester's information to negotiate for a bigger reward. The Kings Steward will negotiate with the PCs to a point but greedy PCs should be warned that the Steward feels this is a matter of "honor" and that the PCs should want to come to the aid of their king.
2. If the PCs were arrested they might use the information to gain their release. If this is the case, smart PCs might reserve some of the thief's confession in order to secure a bigger reward as well. This could be tricky. The Kings Steward is an honest man. He has little use for greedy "criminals" which if the PCs are not careful is how the steward will look at them.

The Kings Steward is unaware of Chorester's confession as his men have been unable to get the thief to talk. He will be most grateful for this information and will gladly pay extra for it. This might also tip off smart PCs as to the Cup of Kings true value.
After meeting with the Steward the PCs will meet with one of the Kings Rangers. These men are tasked with the preservation of the Kingdom's forests and wildlife. They are also expert trackers and have mapped almost the entire kingdom. The GM should allow the PCs to "pick" the Ranger's brains for information about trade routes and possible hazards. The Rangers knowledge is not exhaustive but it is significant. After this meeting the PCs are free to either leave immediately or return to the city to acquire supplies. The Steward and the Rangers both will stress to the PCs the time constraints on this mission.

Notes

1. Smart PCs picking up on the Stewards nervousness about the Cup might start asking questions about it in the city. Most inhabitants of the Kingdom have no knowledge of the cup outside of the fact that the King takes a journey once a year. To most of the citizens of the city it means it's festival time. (GMs should have a few conversations with city dwellers ready. These could range from "I love the festival and the money it brings" to "I'd lock up anything of value you might have during the festival and keep an eye on your woman as well.." This is a good time for the GM to "flavor" the city.
2. The Kings Rangers are a valuable resource to the PCs. The Rangers can provide maps and tips about the countryside. The PCs should be allowed to ask as many questions as they like.