Absolute Power
After our battle with the pirates we spend a restful couple of weeks in the city, taking each day as it comes. Ann-See wonders if during this quiet time she finds out anything when she returns to her day job at the baths. 'You didn't tell me you were going back to your job', says the DM.
'I also didn't tell you I was still breathing', Ann-See's player dangerously replies with, tempting the DM to ask for constitution checks for the past two weeks. Thankfully he doesn't and we get back to the task of wondering what feat we will train in after we gained a level from finishing the pirate adventure. Even with a week to gain new skills, boost an ability score, and choose a feat, it is still not altogether complete by the time we reconvene as a party. There follows considerable discussion about what would be best to train in. It takes so long that Will asks 'are we 5th level yet?', which the DM doesn't find as amusing as the players.
'If you'll be quiet, we can get started.'
One morning, as we are eating breakfast, a messenger delivers a scroll to us. Well, to Tal, who we're not sure can even read, even though he assures us he can. Even after this assurance, nothing much is done with the messenger's scroll.
The DM prompts 'Well? What are you going to do with it? And let me warn you: if you throw it away this will be an awfully quick end to the adventure.'
'Does that mean we'll make 5th level? We'll have finished the adventure, after all.' Apparently not, as the DM ignores us and reads the scroll. A councillor has been murdered! And we are called to investigate his death and to find the killer. An important task to be sure, and we finish our breakfast to make sure we are in the best of conditions to start out investigations. After we have eaten we head out to go to the councillor's estate, where the scroll beckoned us to travel. Outside, we are surprised to see a carriage and footmen await for us, asking us where we have been.
'Did you not read the scroll? It said the matter was of great urgency!'
'Oh. We just read that someone was killed, I don't think anyone paid attention to that part. Anyway, it seems that everything is urgent these days, not to worry.' And off we head!
We meet with two other councillors who explain the situation, and are told that because of the circumstances, we have 9 hours to find the killer and bring him to justice. It would have been 12 hours, but our extended breakfast has cut down on investigation time somewhat. Oops.
To help us with our investigation, the councillors give us a proclamation on a scroll that gives us absolute authority in all matters in the city, allowing us to investigate any property without interference, and which forces citizens living in the city to comply with our every wish, and even bestowing us with the power to interrogate any citizen in any manner necessary. Tal is the first to fully understand what we now hold. 'Woo! Facist state, here we come!'
We have 9 hours of absolute authority in a large city. We may have to leave quickly afterwards, but this is going to be an awesome 9 hours.