The Pine Cone Man Covers for the Party

Summary

In Session 7 of the campaign, after Safia, Sucks Benedict, Vasso, and Kat emerge from the underground canal system into Pine Cone Man's tent and attack him, the merchant makes an unexpected choice when New Smoke Guards arrive to investigate. Despite being bloodied and having just discovered multiple intruders beneath his tent, he protects the party by lying to the authorities, claiming the disturbance was merely a customer upset about an item no longer for sale. He bribes the guards with bottles of his Mushroom Brew, ensuring they leave without searching the tent. After clearing out his other customers and closing early, he seals the party inside with him by drawing curtains around the entire tent.

Details

The confrontation begins when the party attacks the Pine Cone Man after emerging through a manhole hidden beneath his tent. The violence attracts attention, and three New Smoke Guards soon arrive to investigate the commotion. The merchant quickly orders the party back down into the underground canal system, then composes himself to face the authorities.

When the guards demand to know what happened, the Pine Cone Man delivers a carefully crafted lie: "No, no, no, no. I'm so sorry for dragging you away from your very important work. There was just a bit of a. Bit of a hullabaloo about a particular item I had for sale." He explains that the item is no longer for sale and that "the person that wanted it was quite upset. They've moved on." His phrasing deliberately leaves ambiguous whether the upset customer departed peacefully or met a more permanent fate.

To prevent further investigation, the merchant offers the guards a bribe: "Could I interest you gentlemen in some of my very own mushroom brew?" He produces a crate of glass bottles containing his homemade Mushroom Brew. The guards accept, pop the corks, begin drinking, and wander away without searching the tent or asking additional questions.

With the immediate threat handled, the Pine Cone Man addresses his remaining customers: "Ladies and gentlemen, honored friends and customers, I'm so sorry, but I'm closed for the day. Please return tomorrow when my wares will be set out once more." He asks them to return the following day when his wares will be available again. Once the tent clears, he pulls curtains to fully enclose the space on all sides, trapping Safia, Sucks Benedict, Vasso, and Kat inside with him.

Participants

Pine Cone Man — The merchant whose tent serves as the scene of the incident. Despite being attacked and discovering intruders from below, he lies to protect the party and bribes the guards to prevent their discovery.
Safia — One of the party members who attacked the Pine Cone Man, drawing blood and triggering the guards' investigation.
Sucks Benedict — Present during the attack and subsequent cover-up.
Vasso — Present during the attack and subsequent cover-up.
Kat — Present during the attack and subsequent cover-up.
New Smoke Guards — Three rough guards who respond to the disturbance but are successfully bribed and sent away with bottles of Mushroom Brew.

Consequences

The party avoids immediate arrest or combat with the New Smoke Guards, remaining free to continue their mission in New Smoke.
The Pine Cone Man establishes himself as someone willing to protect the party despite their violence against him, suggesting either prior expectations of their arrival or ulterior motives.
The merchant's decision to close his tent early and trap the party inside sets up a private confrontation, indicating he has matters to discuss with them away from public view.
The guards are successfully bribed with Mushroom Brew, establishing both the merchant's resources and the guards' corruptibility.
The party's presence via the underground canal system is kept secret from the authorities, preserving their covert access route.