Post/Author/DateTime	Post
dm_redstar 02-19-08, 03:12 PM	Hey Everyone, I have a game coming up soon that will involve intercepting a noble at an invite-only social. I was thinking that there has to be some interesting way of organizing the game session. For example: maybe having the players (if they choose to go inside) interact with nobles 3 times during the night, each time having to make a knowledge(nobility) or charisma check as to not mess up (e.g. knowing which fork to start with, etc). Besides that though I'm drawing blank. What could make this night fun for the players, who are all rough, uncouth adventures? Help me out!
Mindolin 02-19-08, 03:31 PM	Well, a possible place to start would be the Dungeon adventure Prince of Redhand, from the Kyuss campaign. Unfortunately I don't have any more good ideas, but you may want to look into that.
Shiftkitty 02-19-08, 03:55 PM	Surely you mean "intercept" a noble? Intersecting a noble means going through him so as to split him inot two segments. (JeeZ! You guys are vicious!:D ) Gonna be lots of checks! Dancing? Assuming your PCs are males, the females are going to not just want to spun around the dance floor, their dance partner has to look graceful, coordinated, and able to keep time! Go ahead. Trip just once. I dare you. (Don't forget to step on her toes!) I kid thee not, when I got my PC version of Sid Meier's "Pirates!", the most terrifying part of the game was dancing with the governor's daughters! (As a female, I began to appreciate the guts it takes for a guy to invite a girl to the dance floor!;) ) Table manners are a good idea. Are you using realistic medieval table manners, or fantasy table manners? Your players might enjoy the real ones, but it sounds like you're going fantasy table manners. Stormy the Elf, whilst in disguise as the Princess of Idaho (STR 17, "she" spent part of the gathering having a flex-off with the guards), had less than spectacular manners. He sat down at the table and just started wolfing food in, guarding his plate with his arms and stabbing at food from the serving plates. (He was raised in a trashy orphanage where that was the norm if expected to keep your food.) After all adjustments for reaction checks, the prince still came out absolutely smitten with the "unconventional young lady". Proper forms of address can make or break an encounter. Is it Your Majesty or Your Highness or Your Royal Highness? There is a difference! If you address someone with too low a title, BIG INSULT! Use too high a title and they might be flattered, but it will certanly show your lack of knowledge of the various stations. I think Burke's Peerage has the proper forms of address for most European nobility and royalty if you want to get really detailed, but the DMG has a quick something in it. Manners in general! Whoo! As long as the KING is standing, EVERYBODY stands! It's an almost unforgivable insult to be seated in the presence of a King. And if the Queen takes a liking to you (remember a lot of these marriages were business deals, so foolin' around is expected although not openly condoned), you better handle the situation with kid gloves. Queens don't take rejection very well... Clothing! Dress well, but don't outshine your betters. Knowledge (nobility) should qualify to see if you've selected the appropriate clothing. Of course, you don't have to tell them they've dressed properly for their stations, but the barely concealed sneers and the whispering behind lacy fans should tell them that something's wrong. And then if some ambitious noble mistakes them for a potential rival, well, just be careful who mixes your drink!
dm_redstar 02-19-08, 04:12 PM	Hey thanks for the ideas! Shiftkitty - Although the purpose of the PC intercepting the noble is in fact to intercept, or rather, dissect, him. Hey, it's an anti-hero campaign. :D http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/fogdown In any case I guess I had in mind a cross between Sid Meier's "Pirates!" and the dinner scene from the Antonio Banderez (sp?) Zorro. Since they are all rogues, none of them have knowledge (nobility). Do you think, to make it fun and fair for them, I could use Bluff with +5DCs?
inthesto 02-19-08, 04:13 PM	Shiftkitty's got some good ideas, so I'll just pile on some more briefly: Gossip, gossip, gossip. These guys sure as hell don't work for a living, so that's about all they have to do. Have the PCs listen to Nobleman X ramble about Nobleman Y for a while, and then later Nobleman Y talk about how Nobleman X's nephew is a total lout for being caught in a commoner's tavern. Later, Noblewoman A mentions how Noblewoman B may be having an affair with Nobleman Z, and watch as the players' heads spin, especially if you hint that there may be a plot hook involved somewhere. How about a sporting duel somewhere in the mix? One of the nobles is particularly famed for his fencing ability, and he holds an open challenge for anyone to beat him (using non-lethal damage and otherwise fighting like gentlemen, of course). Bonus points if the PC wins by means of "barbaric tactics". And if you really want to throw something in there just because it throws the PCs off, have something involved in wine tasting. Seriously, nobody cares about that.
Drackthor 02-19-08, 05:04 PM	How about a sporting duel somewhere in the mix? One of the nobles is particularly famed for his fencing ability, and he holds an open challenge for anyone to beat him (using non-lethal damage and otherwise fighting like gentlemen, of course). Bonus points if the PC wins by means of "barbaric tactics". The last sentence of this paragraph made me smile because the whole time I read this I kept thinking "Non-lethal damage? Punch em' in the face. Punch em' in the face. Punch em' in the face."
Jakonen 02-19-08, 08:03 PM	If any thing a good royal party has some party games or dancing. make them partner off with someone and make a perform check to keep from tripping over their own feet. maybe human chess or a game of musical chairs, thats always fun to throw in. an archery contest or a joust may take place in the court yard. and if i remember my history at least one at least one assassination attempt takes place. in these noble events. a poisoned drink, or an abrupt arrow to the chest might spice things up.
themocaw 02-19-08, 08:10 PM	> The noble host stands up and sings a song or recites a poem for the edification of his guests. He then turns to your PCs and smiles. A helpful bystander points out to the PCs that it is tradition in this land for a guest to perform a small entertainment for his host (and vice versa) as a gesture of appreciation. Watch the blood drain from the barbaric PC's faces as they try to figure out what kind of talent show they could put on. > A headstrong and bored princess/nobleman's daughter (or son, for that matter), who has come to the party because she is required to, notices one of the PCs, is instantly smitten, and tries for a quick tryst. This could cause a complication when the lovestruck teenager tries to hurl herself into the party barbarian's arms just as he's getting ready to coldcock the target and hurl him into a burlap sack, or it could lead to a totally different complication when a maid opens up a closet and finds the princess and your party rogue in flagrante delicto and starts screaming, forcing him to somehow escape with no pants, weapons, or dignity. > A drunk nobleman mistakes one of your party members for someone else, puts an arm around his shoulder, and tries to introduce him to everyone else as "The Duke of Cornflower," a rather prestigious nobleman recently given a title by the king. The others are, of course, impressed, and ply the PC with requests for tales of his great feats of bravery on the battlefield that prompted such an honor. Kudos if you select the 8 Con Wizard as the unfortunate target.
Shiftkitty 02-19-08, 09:20 PM	If any thing a good royal party has some party games or dancing. make them partner off with someone and make a perform check to keep from tripping over their own feet. maybe human chess or a game of musical chairs, thats always fun to throw in. an archery contest or a joust may take place in the court yard. A lady isn't expected to spend the evening with one gentleman. That would raise too many eyebrows. So partners are switched frequently throughout the evening. (And if my late 18th-early 19th century knowledge serves me correctly, "throughout the evening" means "till sunrise". The girls would sleep the afternoon before, the guys were expected to have endurance.) So as the partners are switching, it's not unusual for a gentleman to ask for, or a lady to promise, a certain second dance ("May I have the next waltz?"). Pick the player with the biggest ego and have Lady Hildegard vonHornschwatzelscheissenpfeffer dance with him, then wink and promise him the next waltz. Remind him that as she leans in close for a quick peck on the cheek that her moustache tickles, although it does match the hair on her wart. The thing about the waltz is that when it first came out in the RW, it was considered scandalous or outright obscene because the gentleman was required to touch the lady's waist!!!:eek: It also brought the dance partners dangerously close to one another... and if i remember my history at least one at least one assassination attempt takes place. in these noble events. a poisoned drink, or an abrupt arrow to the chest might spice things up.[/QUOTE] Well, there's your wine-tasting hook, right there! Although I can picture the barbarian sniffing at the glass, tossing it aside, hefting the wine tun up and guzzling it straight!
Jakonen 02-19-08, 10:04 PM	Pick the player with the biggest ego and have Lady Hildegard vonHornschwatzelscheissenpfeffer dance with him, then wink and promise him the next waltz. Remind him that as she leans in close for a quick peck on the cheek that her moustache tickles, although it does match the hair on her wart. you are a genius. but anyway yeah any of this would work. also you could try throwing in a good noble sissy fight. get two nobles from feuding families and they get into a slap fight and in the process knock over one of the PC's drinks and let it go from there.
Shiftkitty 02-19-08, 10:28 PM	Hey thanks for the ideas! Shiftkitty - Although the purpose of the PC intercepting the noble is in fact to intercept, or rather, dissect, him. Hey, it's an anti-hero campaign. :D http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaign/fogdown In any case I guess I had in mind a cross between Sid Meier's "Pirates!" and the dinner scene from the Antonio Banderez (sp?) Zorro. Since they are all rogues, none of them have knowledge (nobility). Do you think, to make it fun and fair for them, I could use Bluff with +5DCs? Interesting looking campaign you got going there. I never saw Anotonio Banderas' version of Zorro. I did see the George Hamilton version, in which he breaks his ankle and his gay brother, Bunny Wigglesworth, has to sub for him. You could use Bluff with the increased DC for a lot of things, and maybe Spot without a penalty to see how someone else is handling a similar situation (Just how low are you supposed to bow? Are you supposed to extend your pinky finger when holding this tiny little cup? Is anybody else slurping their soup and smacking their lips? Scratching their crotches?) Are there any female PCs in your group? I ask because I forgot to mention something. The fan has a language all its own. Women didn't just use it to cool off or to look coy. How it was being waved or fluttered, where it was being held, etc. could convey hope or doom to the other party. Another minor detail... NO gentleman would be caught so unfashionable as to not have a snuff box with him, even if he doesn't use snuff! (This is just basic Age of Enlightenment stuff, obviously your campaign may differ.) One more thing. Even if the higher ranking person is acting quite friendly and chummy, if you are of a lower rank REMEMBER YOUR PLACE! To get equally friendly and chummy is a rocket ride to disaster. Accept his or her friendship gracefully and remain respectful*. How many of your anti-heroes will be aware of that? *This does not require butt-kissing. The nobility know phony praise when they hear it. Also, being polite to the staff if okay. Preferring to hang out with them is a no-no.
Dan Hemmens 02-20-08, 08:11 AM	Hey Everyone, I have a game coming up soon that will involve intercepting a noble at an invite-only social. I was thinking that there has to be some interesting way of organizing the game session. For example: maybe having the players (if they choose to go inside) interact with nobles 3 times during the night, each time having to make a knowledge(nobility) or charisma check as to not mess up (e.g. knowing which fork to start with, etc). Besides that though I'm drawing blank. What could make this night fun for the players, who are all rough, uncouth adventures? Help me out! How about *not* having them make Charisma checks in order to avoid screwing up. Unless your definition of "fun" is "getting boned for no clear reason".
kelvinaw273 02-20-08, 08:53 AM	Suggestion here is that have one character (the one most likely not to make a mess of things) play the nobleman and possibly a female PC to play his 'companion' and the rest act as servants - they may achieve more working beneath the stairs than above them.
Shiftkitty 02-20-08, 09:00 AM	How about *not* having them make Charisma checks in order to avoid screwing up. Unless your definition of "fun" is "getting boned for no clear reason". I don't think I've ever had a player need to fail a roll in order to succeed. Hmm.....
McPoyo 02-20-08, 10:30 AM	The mention of the Duel, and "Barbaric Tactics" reminds me of that episode of Firefly... "Mercy is the sign of a good man" *Poke* "Well, maybe I'm just an okay man" *Poke again*
Shiftkitty 02-20-08, 03:14 PM	Quick note regarding Lady Hildegard vonHornschwatzelscheissenpfeffer. No matter how fugly she is, it would be the social debacle of the decade to refuse her. She may resemble your bulldog's butt, but she's still a lady... believe it or not!
Drackthor 02-20-08, 04:03 PM	Remember that scene in Animal House where Bluto starts screwing around with the Rich-guy fraternity and the Military-in-training guys and then starts this massive foodfight? Yeah, do that.
Shiftkitty 02-20-08, 06:25 PM	:heehee :rofl: "Guess what I am? (spew mashed potatoes) I'M A ZIT!"
Mad_Jack 02-20-08, 10:33 PM	Depending on just how bad you want your players to be hanging in the wind, you could have them make spot checks every so often to notice the things going on around them, as was previously mentioned, and depending on how well they roll they could get a bonus to their bluff rolls to offset the higher DCs of the situation. Chances are good that the characters most likely to make good spot checks aren't the ones with the better social skills, so you could have a situation on your hands like the scene in Crocodile Dundee where he's at the upscale party in NYC... One thing you could do is to get the characters dragged into various intrigues and plots by various people/factions during the party, one of which might give them an opening to get close to the nobleman they've come for. It'd be a major hoot if the 6ft5 barbarian jammed into a footman's outfit with a frilly collar choking him to death was the one who got stuck having to run some sort of delicate errand for one of the nobles, like conveying a whispered message while the intended recipient was talking to the Duke, etc. Or have the palladin get ordered by Baron Wherever to go invite somebody else's wife to his lordship's bedchambers later on... :D On a related note, are they just trying to talk to this nobleman, foil some plan of his, or are they kidnapping/assassinating this guy?
Lincoln Hills 02-22-08, 04:30 PM	Although Knowledge (nobility/courtesy) would be the natural fit, allow those PCs who are otherwise skilled a chance. Otherwise, all you're doing is showing them what they already know - that they are bulls in china shops. 1. Diplomacy: A character with plenty of ranks in this should be able to explain his ignorance of social customs with enough charm that potentially-offended nobles will decide not to take offense. ("Well, as he says, he is just a lower-class bumpkin. Not all of us are lucky enough to be born to the right family... mmmmyes.") 2. Spot/Sense Motive: From the correct curtsey to the correct silverware, a character with a good eye for detail ought to be able to avert disaster at the last moment by choosing somebody to mimic. 3. Disguise: Remember that this skill includes and incorporates "acting" ability. Although Professor Barnabulus was born in a wagon, his many years of playing various stage kings, princes and dukes ought to grant him a chance to pull off the correct air of entitlement. It's still playing to the audience, after all...