Come to the Ball!! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Come to the Ball!! [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Lux72
10-21-04, 11:23 PM For my next adventure, the characters are going to have to infiltrate a fancy dress masquerade ball in Sharn looking for an informant who's going to be wearking a medusa mask. They're not sure exactly which person wearing a medusa mask (there will be 3-4) is the correct informant.

Anyway, does anyone have any ideas for interesting things to occur while they're at the ball. This adventure is only supposed to go one night so I'm not looking for "let's run off and investigate this right now" plots. Just some small, interesting things that I can have happen at the ball.

I'm planning on playing string quartet music the entire time we're playing this portion. And, of course, there will be people asking the more charismatic members to dance, opening up potential love interest sub-plots. But what about other fun things worth mentioning at the ball.

Any ideas?

In case this helps the party make-up is:
Female Shifter Monk w/ low CHA
Male dragonmarked human fighter/psy warrior w/ mod CHA
Male Kalashtar Psion w/ high CHA
Female human Favored Soul with HIGH CHA
Female human bard w/ High CHA
Neofish
10-21-04, 11:54 PM Celia, female human Nec5 (prohibited schools, Evo, Abj.)
Str 10, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 16.
A well to do Necromancer form Karnnath, she was invited to the ball by a promising young nobleman, she is somewhat bored by his immature attitude and begins to wander around looking for someone of whom she can sit down and carry a long conversation with. She has raven black hair, green eyes, pale white skin. She is 26 years old, weighs 134lbs, and is 5ft, 7in tall.

The real reason is the fact that she is looking for her brother's murderers (the PCs), her bother was an Agent of the Emerald Claw. She doesn't know who the culprits are so it is quite possible she could fall for one of the PCs and later find out that they're responsible for her brothers death...

Whoops..! You didn't want NPCs, you wanted plot hooks, sorry...
m15a
10-22-04, 01:23 AM i was almost sure you were going to say there was a real medusa at the ball, too . . .
Brastan
10-22-04, 01:42 AM A dual of honor, duals always make things fun (like bar fights). Espicaly when this provides a different form of entreatment for the various nobles. I dig this guy back up yet again :D Lord Crimson (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=3441825&postcount=7)
Fill in what ya need.

Also throw in one or two enchanters/enchantresses to make it even more of a party. Who needs alcohol when you have Charms. Combining the two, he he :devil: . Don't forget about serving mishaps. A stumbling servant at the right time is a valuable plot device. Also don't miss out on pushing the social Skills( bluff, imitated, diplomacy, sense motive )

PCs could also become entangle in revenge schemes, knowingly or unknowingly. Such things could end in Dual!

That should do it for evil me.
gijoel
10-22-04, 04:44 AM Ah the glitz, the glamour, but then the doors burst open as a guard is cut in half by a band of warforged terrorists. "No body move. The Lord of Blades demands that the following demands be met or we start executing hostages."

(LoB isn't actually there.) The kill a few people to make a point to the city watch. The mayor of Sharn responds by refusing to negoiate with them. The grab your informant and threaten to kill her if their demands are not met in the next fifteen minutes.

And it's a damn pity that they weren't allowed to bring their weapons in with them. he he he!
WotC_Doog
10-22-04, 01:54 PM Here's some stuff that might happen (just some mini-hooks off the top of my head):

:dice: The host of the ball holds an impromptu waltzing contest. Everyone has to grab a partner that they didn't come with.
:dice: A drunken noble gets belligerent and knocks over a bowl of punch.
:dice: An invisible rogue is casing the place for pickpocketing possibilities.
:dice: There's gossip running around the ball that the man in the beholder mask is the mayor of Sharn.
:dice: An owl flies up and perches at one of the windows. Some of the noble guests are concerned it's a familiar and a spy.
:dice: A tipsy guest thinks one of the PCs is her old flame from "back in Thrane." And maybe she's right. :)
:dice: A well-to-do, well-built, masked young man asks a female PC to dance. He's using the mask to hide a facial deformity, or maybe an otherwise-conspicuous dragonmark.
:dice: A bunch of guests are zonked out near the bar -- including the bartender. Uh oh. Is the punch spiked with something other than booze? Maybe someone cast a quiet sleep spell.

Good luck with the session, sounds like a very fun idea :)
Gurv
10-22-04, 02:22 PM :dice: How many of the guests did you say were actually illusions?

:dice: Studies published by the Korranberg Chronicle indicate the 34% of all guest arriving at masquerade balls are changeling party crashers. Another 2% are polymorphed wizards and other magical beings.

:dice: Spiked punch is less interesting than punch containing large amounts of potion of invisibilty, blink, or gaseous form. Think mixers.

:dice: Forget those. How about potion of detect thoughts? Now that is a drink to rock the foundations of any noble circle.

:dice: Can I bring my dinosaur?

:dice: Have you heard this one? "Two Aerenal elves and a Cleric of Vol walk into a masquerade ball..."

:dice: I likes a shifter gal who can takes care of herself. But I ain't much for dancin'.

:dice: How do kalashtar psions and Inspired guests-of-nobility get along nowadays?

:dice: Warforged. Dancing.
SirLoin
10-22-04, 06:06 PM A living 'Death Touch' spell goes dressed as the Grim Reaper...Hilarity Ensues.
Peaceforged
10-22-04, 07:24 PM Have an agent of the wayfarer's be there propsitioning nobles to fund the latest expedition to Xen'drik

Have an NPC bard guest get a little tipsy and decide he can do better then the current performer. Who may or may not be a member of the entertainer's guild.

The Children of the Last War, a pacifist sect dedicated to preventing war and violence. Stands outside the party grounds, handing out flowers, pamphlets and asking for donations. The scent from the flowers is a minor toxen that creates a euphoric effect on anyone who fails a fort save.

A jilted lover with the mark of the storm decides to create a little waterworks.

A bladedancing performance goes horribly wrong.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Lux72 10-21-04, 11:23 PM	For my next adventure, the characters are going to have to infiltrate a fancy dress masquerade ball in Sharn looking for an informant who's going to be wearking a medusa mask. They're not sure exactly which person wearing a medusa mask (there will be 3-4) is the correct informant. Anyway, does anyone have any ideas for interesting things to occur while they're at the ball. This adventure is only supposed to go one night so I'm not looking for "let's run off and investigate this right now" plots. Just some small, interesting things that I can have happen at the ball. I'm planning on playing string quartet music the entire time we're playing this portion. And, of course, there will be people asking the more charismatic members to dance, opening up potential love interest sub-plots. But what about other fun things worth mentioning at the ball. Any ideas? In case this helps the party make-up is: Female Shifter Monk w/ low CHA Male dragonmarked human fighter/psy warrior w/ mod CHA Male Kalashtar Psion w/ high CHA Female human Favored Soul with HIGH CHA Female human bard w/ High CHA
Neofish 10-21-04, 11:54 PM	Celia, female human Nec5 (prohibited schools, Evo, Abj.) Str 10, Dex 12, Con 12, Int 17, Wis 14, Cha 16. A well to do Necromancer form Karnnath, she was invited to the ball by a promising young nobleman, she is somewhat bored by his immature attitude and begins to wander around looking for someone of whom she can sit down and carry a long conversation with. She has raven black hair, green eyes, pale white skin. She is 26 years old, weighs 134lbs, and is 5ft, 7in tall. The real reason is the fact that she is looking for her brother's murderers (the PCs), her bother was an Agent of the Emerald Claw. She doesn't know who the culprits are so it is quite possible she could fall for one of the PCs and later find out that they're responsible for her brothers death... Whoops..! You didn't want NPCs, you wanted plot hooks, sorry...
m15a 10-22-04, 01:23 AM	i was almost sure you were going to say there was a real medusa at the ball, too . . .
Brastan 10-22-04, 01:42 AM	A dual of honor, duals always make things fun (like bar fights). Espicaly when this provides a different form of entreatment for the various nobles. I dig this guy back up yet again :D Lord Crimson (http://boards1.wizards.com/showpost.php?p=3441825&postcount=7) Fill in what ya need. Also throw in one or two enchanters/enchantresses to make it even more of a party. Who needs alcohol when you have Charms. Combining the two, he he :devil: . Don't forget about serving mishaps. A stumbling servant at the right time is a valuable plot device. Also don't miss out on pushing the social Skills( bluff, imitated, diplomacy, sense motive ) PCs could also become entangle in revenge schemes, knowingly or unknowingly. Such things could end in Dual! That should do it for evil me.
gijoel 10-22-04, 04:44 AM	Ah the glitz, the glamour, but then the doors burst open as a guard is cut in half by a band of warforged terrorists. "No body move. The Lord of Blades demands that the following demands be met or we start executing hostages." (LoB isn't actually there.) The kill a few people to make a point to the city watch. The mayor of Sharn responds by refusing to negoiate with them. The grab your informant and threaten to kill her if their demands are not met in the next fifteen minutes. And it's a damn pity that they weren't allowed to bring their weapons in with them. he he he!
WotC_Doog 10-22-04, 01:54 PM	Here's some stuff that might happen (just some mini-hooks off the top of my head): :dice: The host of the ball holds an impromptu waltzing contest. Everyone has to grab a partner that they didn't come with. :dice: A drunken noble gets belligerent and knocks over a bowl of punch. :dice: An invisible rogue is casing the place for pickpocketing possibilities. :dice: There's gossip running around the ball that the man in the beholder mask is the mayor of Sharn. :dice: An owl flies up and perches at one of the windows. Some of the noble guests are concerned it's a familiar and a spy. :dice: A tipsy guest thinks one of the PCs is her old flame from "back in Thrane." And maybe she's right. :) :dice: A well-to-do, well-built, masked young man asks a female PC to dance. He's using the mask to hide a facial deformity, or maybe an otherwise-conspicuous dragonmark. :dice: A bunch of guests are zonked out near the bar -- including the bartender. Uh oh. Is the punch spiked with something other than booze? Maybe someone cast a quiet sleep spell. Good luck with the session, sounds like a very fun idea :)
Gurv 10-22-04, 02:22 PM	:dice: How many of the guests did you say were actually illusions? :dice: Studies published by the Korranberg Chronicle indicate the 34% of all guest arriving at masquerade balls are changeling party crashers. Another 2% are polymorphed wizards and other magical beings. :dice: Spiked punch is less interesting than punch containing large amounts of potion of invisibilty, blink, or gaseous form. Think mixers. :dice: Forget those. How about potion of detect thoughts? Now that is a drink to rock the foundations of any noble circle. :dice: Can I bring my dinosaur? :dice: Have you heard this one? "Two Aerenal elves and a Cleric of Vol walk into a masquerade ball..." :dice: I likes a shifter gal who can takes care of herself. But I ain't much for dancin'. :dice: How do kalashtar psions and Inspired guests-of-nobility get along nowadays? :dice: Warforged. Dancing.
SirLoin 10-22-04, 06:06 PM	A living 'Death Touch' spell goes dressed as the Grim Reaper...Hilarity Ensues.
Peaceforged 10-22-04, 07:24 PM	Have an agent of the wayfarer's be there propsitioning nobles to fund the latest expedition to Xen'drik Have an NPC bard guest get a little tipsy and decide he can do better then the current performer. Who may or may not be a member of the entertainer's guild. The Children of the Last War, a pacifist sect dedicated to preventing war and violence. Stands outside the party grounds, handing out flowers, pamphlets and asking for donations. The scent from the flowers is a minor toxen that creates a euphoric effect on anyone who fails a fort save. A jilted lover with the mark of the storm decides to create a little waterworks. A bladedancing performance goes horribly wrong.