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View Full Version : DM Help Fairytale reversed - Need a diplomacy mission for my players, and I suck at them ...



Harlot
2015-09-11, 05:39 PM
Hi again
As DM I am planning a 'fairytale reversed' campaign, the idea basically being that the characters are placed in a fairytale setting, unknowingly being hired as expendable muscle for the bad guys.
(Its just a quick quirky game for a weekend, so I thought it'd be fun. )
Anyway I tend to get stuck on my original ideas and find it hard to think around them.
Now, the idea is that Snowwhite is in the forest, she's joined a guild of dwarves (!) and plotting to topple the evil queen. And the evil queen has found out Snowwhite is still alive. She can't reach her though, because this version of the forest is enchanted, and so her henchman hires the group of adventurers to locate Snowwhite in the forrest and possibly take her out.
Also there is a side mission of a beauty being held captive by a beast (yes) and another side mission of an old and immense mansion in an overgrown enchanted garden and the entire household has been asleep for almost a 100 years and it's rumored to have 'a treasure' inside. (also yes).

That may be enough fairytales for a weekend. But I really also want Cinderella to attend a ball at the castle hosted by the evil queen, the idea here being that Cinderellas grand entrance is actually a plot to divert attention from an attempt to kill the evil queen. The queen has a son - and he falls in love with and runs off with Cinderella. Much drama. The queen can't actually die then and there btw, they are to choose sides eventually and maybe join her/kill her later.

So I need the group to attend the ball, and it would be really cool if they were there sort of under cover and see all of this action from the sidelines while doing something else - spying on someone maybe. Maybe for another small adventure side quest - but can't find a fairytale with scheming, that fits?

Problem is I normally do dungeon crawls/kick in the door - and I cant figure out why or how the group would even be at the ball - they're recently hired muscle and the queen and her staff would be paranoid - they wouldnt want a group of armed strangers in their midst.
They COULD be placed at the ball by a traitor or spy, but for what reason?
It is late and I am tired and I am out of ideas. I hope that it's better at your end and that you could toss some ideas my way?
As always, thanks for helping :-)
/Harlot

Honest Tiefling
2015-09-11, 07:03 PM
Why do they need to meet Cinderella at the ball? Hired muscle use roads. Carriages use roads. Let them meet poor Cinders on the road. Maybe pumpkins are crap carriage material, and the thing has lost a wheel. Maybe one of the evil step sisters is surprisingly handy with tools and found a way to sabotage it (had to run back for her love potion? Can't ever be too careful in my book). They either nibble the hook, or they don't. But they might realize that Queeny is the one with the dough, not Cinderella. Some of her courtiers might have the foresight to quickly get the riff raff out of the ball and well...He and or she's got an eye for talent, especially when it comes in tall, beefy and not asking many questions.

If they don't nibble the hook the first time, perhaps the second time the stepsister who performed pumpkin sabotage is tagging behind Cinderella and she's got an idea of how to make sure Cinderella never shows up...But she wants it done far away from her house, and to possibly frame another person.

Another idea is that a fairy godmother shows up and forces them to go. A bit railroady, but for some reason the idea of a fairy waving a twinkly wand to turn a band of never-to-do-wells into knights in shining armor for some cheap bodyguards is hilarious. Maybe some curse they CAN work around if they don't want to, but an incentive to go to the ball and to join up with the enemy of the fairy godmother?

As for Queenie using the muscle, see, hired thugs don't know anything. Just imply that the dwarves have captured the poor maiden and out of the kindness of her heart, she's sending some people out to save the poor waif from the dwarves who captured her and made her into their slave. Bonus gold for dwarf heads.

BowStreetRunner
2015-09-11, 10:32 PM
First of all, the ball in which Cinderella danced with the prince was open to any eligible lady in the kingdom, noble or commoner alike. Having held such events in the past (as a good way to keep loyalty high among the commoners and to strategically take some of the nobles down a peg or two if handled right) the queen knows that certain unpleasantness may occur. In the case where all of the eligible ladies are vying for the affections of the prince, there are going to be many jealous suitors who could potentially make a scene at the ball. The PCs could be there specifically out of concern that one particular man will make an appearance in order to ensure the prince does not win over the hand of a particular eligible lady. They are to watch for his appearance and capture him at all possible.

Now you could use the Disney version of Rapunzel in this case and say that she is the lady attending and the wanted villain is Flynn Rider. Or you could depart from pure fairy tale into folklore and say that Maid Marian is the lady and Robin Hood the outlaw. Or you could pick some other fairy tale or folklore couple to place in this scene.

Harlot
2015-09-12, 03:06 AM
Thanks for the feedback. I like the idea of the Queen hiring the group to identify and maybe descreetly remove some nobleman at the ball. She is evil and sneaky like that and making them do it and then frame them makes great sense.
I also agree that it makes more sense for the group to hook up with Cinderella at the road, hopefully helping her (or forced to do so by a fairy godmother!) and thus inadvertently or unwillingly helping team 'good' while working for team evil.
Yeah the whole concept is sort of goofy, and I think the more princesses and legends the better. I just want the whole thing to be a chain of wtf moment's when they stumble upon yet another known adventure but get the wrong end of the stick. Had totally forgotten forgotten about Rapunzel! Also agree that Robin Hood could very well fit in as well
I agree that theres bonus XP for dwarf heads!
Thank again for helping.
/Harlot

Bullet06320
2015-09-12, 07:47 AM
watch the shrek movies for inspiration, they use a lot of the fairytales in that series

Harlot
2015-09-12, 09:09 AM
watch the shrek movies for inspiration, they use a lot of the fairytales in that series
Thanks, yeah, but the thing is I am sort of oldschool and want the original versions of the fairytales rather than the disney versions - which is a challenge as the Disney versions are easier to merge :-(

BowStreetRunner
2015-09-12, 09:18 AM
Yours is the second Fairy Tale Campaign (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?429248-Little-kids!) I've encountered in recent months. Take a look at the other thread for a few more mentions of old fairy tales to help jog your memory.

Harlot
2015-09-12, 09:27 AM
Yours is the second Fairy Tale Campaign (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showthread.php?429248-Little-kids!) I've encountered in recent months. Take a look at the other thread for a few more mentions of old fairy tales to help jog your memory.

Oooh, nice!! have been off Forums for quite a while, so hadn't seen that - will check it out NOW!
/Harlot