So due to a number of previous bad judgement calls, our campaign has kind of been devolving for a while. At this point, we're up to full-out Outsider Armageddon via an outsider who can 'infect' and then co-opt people, and the party winds up in some fun fights wherein they win back a little bit of time for the world. This, naturally, draws all sorts of supernatural attention to them -- namely, Queen Mab. So she shows up, icing the remaining outsider-infested humans menacing the party currently.
One of the party members starts mouthing off at her for killing the humans under 'his protection'. I think about it, decide *not* to press the matter here and now -- Mab is subtle, and she doesn't have an 'in' on him yet. She's pissed and will balance the books for his yelling at her, calling her a failure, and insulting her to her face, but not... just... yet.
She invites the party to take refuge in her kingdom, with the rest of the human beings she's saving -- basically everyone she can that isn't already infested. She also makes a few pointed hints about the fact that she's working with some other heavy weights who *specifically* want the party involved in the plan. Because in a week or so, the Archangels will blow their trumps and 'purge the world by fire'.
Mr. Big-Mouth then proceeds to blow up in her face even more angrily, but whatever. She simply turns and starts throwing compels at each party member to Follow The Damned Plot Hook. Guess who decides to resist and take off on his own? So she takes most of the party with her and they get to watch an evacuation occur, with humans being herded in through a portal into Arctis Tor -- along with all the foodstuffs she can get her pretty little hands on, *especially* things like cows, sheep, dogs, cats, rabbits, etc etc. She makes an off-hand comment comparing this to Noah's Ark -- don't remember the exact wording, but part of it was to call him a piker. (This also helps cement for the party that This Is A Serious Situation)
They then see the people fighting the retreat -- members of her army, the local Knight (ex-player), and a group of monsters of various forms -- a massive, half-dog half-rhino, an obsidian bird, a woman with a bad hair day (razor sharp hair, that is), and a man flying on shadowy wings. The 30 monsters are the last ones to retreat as Mab shoos the (remaining) party through the portal, then calls on her power to cover the retreat -- basically calling up ice walls and gusts of wind so that the fey and allies can retreat and leave the field to the Denarians.
Nicodemus comes in to retreat, then bounces away from the portal. Mab smiles, then looks at him. "As I said, I will allow those who bear the coins into my domain. The coins will have to remain behind, however."
Double cross number one has the party blowing their lid, in a good way. They liked it.
Then one of them made a comment about wanting to watch the fate of the council -- she's a warlock, wants to watch them all die. So Mab smiles, and says "I do happen to have an opening in my court... for a new winter knight. You can find out all about the council's fate if you take up the job."
Player accepts, and Lloyd Slate is dragged out to die. Bingo, new Winter Knight in town, and the player is now playing a Creepy Witch Knight. And Mab takes the party along to a chamber in Arctis Tor where a man stands waiting. At her nod, he opens a portal... and in start streaming a number of wizards from Edinburgh. Then wardens. Then 6 individuals in purple stoles, just in time for Gatekeeper to slam shut the door.
Oh the look on the Witch's player's face. Oh the look.
