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View Full Version : DM Help Getting the party to a party.



Concrete
2016-10-19, 11:01 AM
I'm currenty GM-ing an urban campaign (In pathfinder), where my players are special branch of the city watch, recruited to in time eliminate the need to hire unreliable adventurers for dangerous tasks, and to actually be a tool to deal with said adventurers if they become an actual problem.

So far, they have mostly busted up the hideouts of drugpeddling alchemists and weapondealing artificers, but I want to bring them into contact with the noble elements of the city, the kind of people you can't beat up in the street and expect to keep your job.

In short, I want for my PC's to attend a party, in an effort to get to know, and to get dirt, on various seedy bluebloods.

Seeing as most earlier encounters have either been roughing up street thugs for information, looking for clues on crime scenes, or S.W.A.T-style raids on criminal strongholds and hideouts, I'm not sure how to create the atmosphere necessary for truly non-violent encounters. Heck, I'm no really sure what these encounters might be.

What I need from you are suggestions on how to GM social encounters that don't end up in bloodshed, and suggestions on what such encounters might be. My players are used to actually talking to pc's, but they are used to ultimately solving encounters by rolling initiative and beating the snot out of people. How would you construct a social encounter that ends in something that actually feels like a victory?


Furthermore, I have trouble figuring out how to make sure that a whole group of players have a good time in an environment where party "faces" might end up hogging most of the screentime.
What can a common guardsman with anger issues, a partially reformed catburglar and a gruff old veteran hope to contribute in a sea of silk, satin and sneers?

I also hope to have the opportunity so set up a formal duel between the formerly mentioned guardsman and a noble who ended up ruining his career.
(The noble had drunkenly bragged that he wouldn't face any consequences for a murder of an innocent citizen, before wiping the poor bastards blood off on the guards uniform, all the while acting as if he'd done nothing wrong. The guardsman ended up having to be pulled off the noble by his fellow officers, or he would most likely have killed the guy with his bare hands. As it were, the noble just ended up with a ruined face.)
Any ideas how to make this event more than just a 1vs1 combat encounter?

Koo Rehtorb
2016-10-19, 11:37 AM
You're going to run into troubles because D&D (and also pathfinder, of course) is a game about rolling initiative and fighting things. It's not going to provide you with any help at all for a charged social situation.

I suggest turning it more into a covert ops opportunity. Plant some evidence of nefarious deeds in the mansion and let them have a stealth mission to find it. Some people can create a distraction while the burglar sneaks off. This also runs the risk of getting caught in the act and private security getting called and it turning into a brawl in the house with long lasting consequences.

Concrete
2016-10-19, 11:44 AM
You're going to run into troubles because D&D (and also pathfinder, of course) is a game about rolling initiative and fighting things. It's not going to provide you with any help at all for a charged social situation.

I'm aware of this. Mostly, social encounters in my game end up not really using the rules that much. They are generally straight up roleplayed.



I suggest turning it more into a covert ops opportunity. Plant some evidence of nefarious deeds in the mansion and let them have a stealth mission to find it. Some people can create a distraction while the burglar sneaks off. This also runs the risk of getting caught in the act and private security getting called and it turning into a brawl in the house with long lasting consequences.

That could be part of it. The Catburglar needs something to do, and this could work as well as anything. But it's not exactly what I'm looking for. It does give me some ideas, though. Thank you.

aberratio ictus
2016-10-19, 03:10 PM
I'm aware of this. Mostly, social encounters in my game end up not really using the rules that much. They are generally straight up roleplayed.

That's perfect, then. There are an unlimited amount of possible social encounters that could happen in such an environment. A character doesn`t have to be a face to be engaged.

So you have a common guardsman with anger issues, a partially reformed catburglar and a gruff old veteran. With only that amount of information...

One of the noble guests is a veteran himself, maybe gruff's old commanding officer if they were on good terms, maybe he simply recognises him in some other ways ("I recognize that tatoo. 102nd Mixed Dragoons. A fine unit.") and they engage in old war stories. Maybe he is on bad terms with another noble the group needs dirt on, and Gruff might be able to convince him to help.

A slightly tipsy noblewoman starts flirting with the catburglar. She wears most impressive jewellry, and might be prone to lose it if she has another few drinks. Maybe she might spill something interesting about her competitors.

The common guardsman may be approached by someone who knows about the situation with his nemesis, and urges him to leave/tries to encourage him to engage the noble. It might be this person who subtly works towards the duel, actually.
Maybe there's a bodyguard around who served with the guardsman who might be willing to help out.

There's a lot of possibilities. You probably know best what kind of encounter your players might enjoy.

As for the duel - it will be mostly a 1v1 combat encounter, I'm afraid. Maybe have the car burglar serve as a second. Have someone try to disturb the duel and have the veteran restrain him/her. In the end, though, it will be between the guard and the murderer.

PrincessCupcake
2016-10-19, 04:22 PM
If you have concerns about their character's ability to interact with people without offending them, a "etiquette training montage" with a high noble's butler/servant/handmaiden/etc. might be in order (also funny).

Otherwise you can present them with a couple other scenarios that require them to brush up their social skills and put down their swords before throwing them headlong into the party.

Another option? Have the "antisocial" types try to get hired as guards a few days in advance. Give them a chance to poke around a little bit and figure out escape routes and whatnot if things go sideways at the party.