ZEITGEIST Two questions about investigating the radicals terrorists in Book 5

[von_recklinghausen]

Hey all,

We're running through adventure 5, and my players are working through the radical terrorists subplot. I've got a couple questions about investigating them (both contain spoilers). Any advice from other DMs that have already run this through would be greatly appreciated!

First question (with 3 subparts ):

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In the pathfinder hardcover, the player handouts appendix includes two fascinating pages of notes supposedly used by the eschatologist terrorists when crafting their final bomb (ps 540 & 541 in the pathfinder hardcover volume 1).

First, I can't figure out where these notes are referenced in the actual adventure text. The most logical place to find them is in the sewer hideout beneath Soknik repairs -- is that where others have placed them?

Second, I'm curious if there are particular parts of these notes that others have seen their players seize on in their investigation. It strikes me that they are incredibly rich, but much of the substance doesn't appear to reference specific adventure-relevant characteristics. I'm sure my players will focus on many different parts of this that I haven't noticed yet. I won't be able to guess all of them, but thought I'd ask other DMs here first if there were any that especially jumped out at your players...

Third, a specific example of my second question: I note that there is what appears to be an address on the bottom of the 2nd page of the notes -- 38d Byrne Street. Anyone know if that references something specific, or treat it as such in your campaign? I can basically guarantee my PCs will want to go wherever that is, so just curious how others treated is as I prepare...
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Second question:

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When investigating the the sewer lair of Zubov's eschatologist terrorists, the players can find an envelope addressed to an editor at the Flint Tribune. In the pathfinder hardcover, it's described as empty, and that the players need to hunt down the addressee to figure out what was in it. In the En5sider 5e mod, it's described as still containing its contents. My sense of the story at this point is that having the contents available as soon as the players find will reveal quite a lot about the terrorists' plans. But before I disregard the apparent change made in the 5e edits, I thought I'd ask the wisdom of the DMs on this board: how have others who have already run Adventure 5 handled revealing this information? Did you provide it to your players in the sewers? Or force them to jump through additional hoops to hunt it down?
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[arkwright]

Heyo.

-The notes are found in the sewer hideout beneath Soknik, yes.

-I'm not sure what I can say about 'particular parts'. My party immediately guessed basically all of it. They were quite interested in the fantastical materials, and disappointed when I couldn't give them samples of the actual materials.

-Byrne doesn't ring a bell for me. Since it's crossed out, I'd suggest that it's old information no longer in use. Maybe a storehouse where they kept their Railway explosives, since abandoned?

-I provided the information to my party. I ended up basically scrapping their plan, and having them instead bomb a conference I made up. I don't think 'hoops' would have mattered too much.

 

[Andrew Moreton]

Pretty much the above.
The players worked out from the information on the bomb and the journalists invitation what the target was. However really it does not matter if they do or not and it may actually be more fun if they don't . With the information about the time and place of the attack it turned into a Tureky shoot with the A and B teams reinforced by Gale ambushing the terrorists and wiping them out before the bomb could be armed which made their massive plotting about bomb disposal irrelevant , In many ways it may have been more fun if they players arrive after the hostages have been taken and the bomb armed as presented in the module which means that them not working everything out may be more fun.