Christmas Oneshot: Any critique would be helpful.

[thorr-kan]

This only came together last night. Inspiration hit after midnight, and I spend an hour typing. I'm paying for this today. I run it Friday night.

I am running a one-short for my Al-Qadim Group. We have to fighters, a sha'ir (wizard), a priest, and a priest/thief. They're approaching name level. They're in Muluk, in with the Everlasting, in with the local temple of Kor, and out with the Brotherhood of True Flame and Flamedeath Fellowship.

Bad guy - Jamina al-Mubarak (FM 15), Secrets of the Lamp, ambassador Extraordinary of the Brotherhood of the True Flame within the City of Brass. A geased simulacrum of her is attempting to infiltrate the Muluk palace and seize some <SOMETHING> from the Sorcerer-General, leaving behind evidence that the Blades are responsible for the theft.

The Blades of Fate are contacted by the Everlasting with this information. They provide the Blades with Helm of Opposite Alignment and Oil of Disenchantment to reprogram the simulacrum and remove the geas.

The simulacrum has infiltrated the palace with a cadre of Flamedeath Fellowshipt holy slayers. The characters will meet it just as it seizes it's prices and starts a noisy escape. Complications will be not burning the place down, not harming guards, enemy holy slayers, and attempting to capture the simulacrum.

If they capture the simulacrum and escape, they'll have one final wave of holy slayers to deal with while meeting the Everlasting's representatives. Then how do they clear their name with the Sorcerer-General (whom they are terrified of!)?!

Party goals:
1. Infiltrate the palace.
2. Capture (not kill!) the simulacrum.
3. Convert the simulacrum.
4. Exfiltrate simulacrum and turn over to the Everlasting.
5. Clear their names.

Simulacrum is equipped with:
Potion of Extra-Healing (DMG)
Potion of Fire Breath (DMG)
Oil of Fiery Burning (2) (DMG)
Ring of Animal Friendship (DMG)
Ring of the Vizier (FIREBALL!) (Land of Fate)
Sash of Fire Resistance (A Dozen & One Adventures)
Scarab of Dececption (Land of Fate)

<SOMETHING>
formula for Elixir of Youth
formula for Potion of Longevity
Staff of Power

[thorr-kan]

I never did update this, did I!? Bear with me; this is memories over 6 months old at this point.

I think it ran clean. Everybody had a good time. This one-shot is now canonical in our game. Our characters:
female elf barber/hakima of Najm
female human farisa of Kor
male firbolg faris of Kor
male human pragmatist of Kor
male human sha'ir

During a celebration at the characters' home mosque, they were contacted by representatives of the Everlasting, with whom the PCs have a...complex relationship. Bonafides were established. The PCs decided direct action was the best way to clear their name. The Helm of Opposite Alignment and Oil of Disenchantment were taken. The Everlasting agreed to provide flying carpet transportation to the Sorcerer-General's palace. With fire on the night's menu, a lot of Protection from Fire spells were cast.

The Blades disembarked at the top of the Sorcerer-General's tower. They were immediately bushwhacked by oil-of-stars-wielding Flamedeath Fellowship assassins. Protection from Fires meant that didn't work. After much smiting, a small fire started in the study. The sha'ir stayed to deal with that, while the rest of the part descended to find their target.

What followed was a madcap descent through the tower, bulling their way through assassins, chucking civilians into side rooms, and basically running over any opposition. The Flamedeath Fellowship never really got a chance to setup a defense, so the assassins were defeated in detail and rolled up.

The Blades caught the simulacrum of Jamina al-Mubarak making an escape through the courtyard, accompanied by three flying serpents. They got surprise, so they dropped a silence spell on the flame mage; she failed her save. The farisi moved to grapple, and the firbolg got the snot beat out of him by the flying serpents. The farisa and the pragmatist subdued Jamina. The hakima healed the faris. The target was forcibly realigned and disenchanted; she immediately surrendered.

Noise from other parts of the palace indicated the guards had turned the tide against the assassins accompanying Jamina. The Blades decided to exit back through top of the Sorcerer-General's tower, so they exfiltrated back up the stairs. The sha'ir had successfully dowsed the fires. So the PCs called the Everlasting for an extraction. They landed at a neutral point. The Blades released Jamina and her possessions to the Everlasting, with the understanding that the simulacrum would be treated honorably. All three parties swore binding oaths, and the Everlasting departed with their prisoner for a debriefing.

The party goals were:
1. Infiltrate the palace. - SUCCESS!
2. Capture (not kill!) the simulacrum. - SUCCESS!
3. Convert the simulacrum. - SUCCESS!
4. Exfiltrate simulacrum and turn over to the Everlasting. - SUCCESS!
5. Clear their names. - Surprisingly, not necessary! Their exfiltration and extraction escaped the Sorcerer-General's minions' notice.

All-in-all, as successful an excursion as a group who's motto is "It's not our fault! We were minding our own business!" could have hoped for.