Piedmon_Sama
2011-08-13, 06:04 PM
My longrunning D&D campaign has ground to a halt recently, with no games in weeks. The reason for this is we are at a point in the campaign's storyline where what I want to happen, and what I feel needs to happen, is beyond my abilities as a writer and storyteller.
The short version is, the party's at a point in the campaign where they must go to the Gnomes and ask for an airship (an incredibly rare and valuable vehicle possessed only by the Gnomes) to continue their journey. Gnomish culture, in this campaign, strongly endorses wit and joke-tellling; to the point where Comedian is an honored and esteemed position in their society, like a cross between a politician and professional athlete to us.
The party itself has a PC who's a Gnome Bard. He is one of these elite comedians, though he hasn't been back in the home country for years, and his greatest goal is to be immortalized as one of the all-time great comedians--a man who could make the very heavens rumble with laughter. His nemesis is the current Top Dog, G.G. Gnomicus (all gnomes follow a two-initial + surname pattern; the Bard is named F.F. Fizzlebottom). Aquiring an airship will mean making an appeal before the Gnomes' leading council (the GECCO, Gnomish Economic Coordination COuncil), and it will come down to Fizzlebottom making his case before the board.
Since we are very close (a few sessions, I hope) from the climax of the campaign here is the place to bring Fizzlebottom's arc to a natural conclusion--G.G. Gnomicus needs to confront him before the Council, and make a case against trusting or believing these Outsiders (the fate of the world is hanging in the balance but the Gnomes are very isolationist and know nothing of this). Fizzlebottom slams him down in the truest Gnome fashion, with a witty putdown.
Problem is, I'm not actually funny or good at what is supposed to be a battle of wits (as opposed to my friend, who plays Fizzlebottom and is very good at delivering a sharp bon mot). I've been dragging my feet building to this moment, even throwing a huge plot-altering battle in the way because agh god I just can't do this.
Does anyone have experience at playing out these kind of PC/NPC battle of wits type things? It will essentially take the form of a debate with Fizzlebottom arguing why the Gnomes should trust the outlanders, and Gnomicus against giving one of the most valuable pieces of gnome technology to barbarians from some cockamamy story. Peppering their arguments, both need to deliver stinging barbs or witty asides to please the Council. Any suggestions or, hell, notes or recollections of good stings I can save and use in the game, are warmly appreciated!
The short version is, the party's at a point in the campaign where they must go to the Gnomes and ask for an airship (an incredibly rare and valuable vehicle possessed only by the Gnomes) to continue their journey. Gnomish culture, in this campaign, strongly endorses wit and joke-tellling; to the point where Comedian is an honored and esteemed position in their society, like a cross between a politician and professional athlete to us.
The party itself has a PC who's a Gnome Bard. He is one of these elite comedians, though he hasn't been back in the home country for years, and his greatest goal is to be immortalized as one of the all-time great comedians--a man who could make the very heavens rumble with laughter. His nemesis is the current Top Dog, G.G. Gnomicus (all gnomes follow a two-initial + surname pattern; the Bard is named F.F. Fizzlebottom). Aquiring an airship will mean making an appeal before the Gnomes' leading council (the GECCO, Gnomish Economic Coordination COuncil), and it will come down to Fizzlebottom making his case before the board.
Since we are very close (a few sessions, I hope) from the climax of the campaign here is the place to bring Fizzlebottom's arc to a natural conclusion--G.G. Gnomicus needs to confront him before the Council, and make a case against trusting or believing these Outsiders (the fate of the world is hanging in the balance but the Gnomes are very isolationist and know nothing of this). Fizzlebottom slams him down in the truest Gnome fashion, with a witty putdown.
Problem is, I'm not actually funny or good at what is supposed to be a battle of wits (as opposed to my friend, who plays Fizzlebottom and is very good at delivering a sharp bon mot). I've been dragging my feet building to this moment, even throwing a huge plot-altering battle in the way because agh god I just can't do this.
Does anyone have experience at playing out these kind of PC/NPC battle of wits type things? It will essentially take the form of a debate with Fizzlebottom arguing why the Gnomes should trust the outlanders, and Gnomicus against giving one of the most valuable pieces of gnome technology to barbarians from some cockamamy story. Peppering their arguments, both need to deliver stinging barbs or witty asides to please the Council. Any suggestions or, hell, notes or recollections of good stings I can save and use in the game, are warmly appreciated!