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View Full Version : DM Help The Fairy Godmother ain't coming; we're the best you've got: Fairy Tale Brainstorming



NRSASD
2018-03-07, 10:19 PM
After listening to many hours of the subliminal podcast Myths and Legends (https://www.mythpodcast.com/listen/), I've decided to run a fairy tale themed one-shot for the party once the current plot is resolved. The party consists of 2 bards, a druid, a "dwarf" fighter, and a wizard. They've spent most of the campaign so far running various cons as a band of traveling minstrels and the wizard is currently masquerading as the messiah of a major religion, so the party is quite fond of ridiculousness and non-combat solutions. Here's what I have so far.

A local baron, with very useful connections and a lot of disposable wealth, is trying to find a husband for his daughter. Being rather traditional and a bit whimsical, he's decided to host a series of three challenges, in the vein of the old fairy tales, to find the best possible spouse for his heir.

The daughter, on the other hand, is a bit put out by the whole affair. She doesn't wanted to be married off to some random noble from who knows where, but would rather be wed to the local farrier; a well meaning but rather dim fellow of no particular merit. She's always had a soft spot for him since they were kids; the fact that she has him wrapped around her little finger is entirely coincidental.

Being a very competent ruler and the force behind father's throne for the last few years, she's decided to tip the scales in her favor by hiring the party to ensure her candidate wins. Their mission is to sabotage the other challengers in any way they can, within reason. The daughter doesn't want to start any wars, so the challengers need to survive (or at least die honorably and non-suspiciously) during the challenges.

What I'd like help with is figuring out who the three challengers are, and what the three challenges are. I'm thinking tests of wits, of strength, of skill, and/or of wealth, but I'm not really sure as of yet. The challengers should be capable of beating the daughter's favorite effortlessly, but should be distinct enough that the party can identify them easily.

As always, any and all help is appreciated!

TheYell
2018-03-08, 09:58 PM
The baron decides there are three qualities he wants in a son-in-law: Cunning, Wisdom and Courage. The three challenges are:

Guess the Riddle of the local Sphinx

Resolve a six-generation feud between local goblins

Kill the Gorgon in the local caverns


A local witch has run the augurs and has 3 solutions to each problem.


Guess the Riddle of the local Sphinx

1. Kill the Sphinx.
2. Solve the Sphinx's riddle and give him a better one. (The paradox about moving halfway to a wall forever would do nicely).
3. Fred of Durlane will be the suitor to solve the riddle. Get rid of him somehow.

Resolve a six-generation feud between local goblins

1. Slaughter all the goblins - some 400 of them.
2. The feud can be traced to an ambush murder the party can solve. (Seen Lawrence of Arabia? He solved a feud by pointing out that he had no tribe and could execute justice on a murderer without giving bloodfeud offense.)
3. Bill of Wallace will be the suitor to solve the riddle. Get rid of him somehow.

Kill the Gorgon in the local caverns

1. Kill the Gorgon
2. Local fey will conceal the gorgon in her cavern with glamers if they get exclusive rights to a wood in the barony.
3. Austin III will be the suitor to kill the gorgon. Get rid of him somehow.

If the party solves all three challenges, the farrier comes to them. He'd like the daughter to marry someone else, but have an affair with her. That way he will be taken care of and see her too without all the hassle of openly frustrating her father. He says the witch foretold the party would not turn him away. He says if the party won't help him, the witch is going to tell the baron what they're up to.

vasilidor
2018-03-10, 03:22 AM
common things I have seen are finding something of value to the princess, solving a difficult puzzle, defeating a monster or surviving the night in someplace terrifying. i once read of a tailor who stayed a night at a haunted manor while trying to make pants. the monster would only kill him if he ran before dawn. imagine some big devil whose head is large enough to bite you in half while he goes on and on and on about how he would like to eat you, how tasty you would be and how lovely your screams would sound. a difficult puzzle could be a maze or a riddle or like the previous mention a peaceful resolution between two goblin tribes.