Last Sunday’s game went very well – my PCs were facing the hazing of the Bandit King to join his group; the queen had mixed them up a potion.
The wizard was able to weasel out of drinking it because he’d charmed Bandit King Kurtis, but the others had to chug it down. All three (ranger, fighter, henchman cleric) were in the 7-9 range; they knew they were being influenced, but they had very little will to resist, and were also having minor hallucinations.
The Bandit King decided he wanted roast goat for supper, so the whole group (King, Queen, 6 bandits and the PCs) went off to raid a farm. While on the way, Karl the Wizard convinced King Kurtis that he would be better off replacing the Queen with him!
During the raid on the farm, Karl managed to pass an antidote to each of the other PCs, which reduced their hallucinations, and allowed them to defy danger to avoid following bandit orders.
Two of the PCs, a pair of bandits loyal to the King and the bandit queen went to the barn, and there the PCs turned on the Queen, attacking her with surprise. She went down quite easily. However, a vicious farm dog attacked the ranger (and her cat), injuring her.
In the end, they were able to lure several more bandits to their deaths in the barn (“There’s a keg of ale in the loft; come help us carry it”) and then slay the King himself. He put up a lot of fight, and the wizard took substantial damage. They rescued the farmer, his wife and daughters, as well; the bandit king had intended to take the girls back to his lair and kill the parents.
Afterwards, they helped lead the Sheriff and his men from Prince’s Apfel to the bandit lair, and they smoked out and killed the rest of the bandits. One front conquered! Their loot was a good bit of coin in reward money for the bandits, and 5 mysterious potions the Bandit Queen had on her shelf. Plus a good rep in the big town!