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NRSASD
2019-11-02, 01:41 PM
Hello everyone! This is for a 5E game but the help I need is system-agnostic. Here's the gist of the situation:

Our brave heroes need an artifact that is currently in the hands of a barbarian warlord. This particular barbarian society has a bit of a twist on the standard trope; not only are they obsessed with feats of heroic valor and bravery, but they are equally obsessed with retelling those events with as much verve, panache, and authenticity as possible. Any hero can kill a dragon, but only a true hero can twist its head off, front flip, and present it to their dearly beloved in front of their adoring fans. The best way to emulate the events is to make them as real as possible, and being barbarians, what's a little pain in the pursuit of art? The best death one can get in this society is to die in the play. Think a full contact, no safeties reproduction of Beowulf, where the blood is real and the blades are sharp.

That all being said, the most entertaining way for the PCs to acquire the artifact is to act as major characters in a play put on by said barbarian warlord. Obviously the warlord will be the hero, but what roles should the PCs inhabit? I haven't worked out the specifics of the play in question, but it's a tale of high seas adventure with much heroics and tragedy. Here's what I've got so far:

NPC Barbarian: the protagonist of the play
Male Human Fighter Battlemaster: the protagonist's best friend who dies heroically at the hands of the sea fiend
Female Tiefling Divine Soul Sorcerer: the sea fiend who kills best friend before being wounded gravely by the protagonist

I need roles or duties for the other three PCs. They are:

Male Human Druid Circle of the Shepherd: Maybe animal specialist?
Female Tabaxi Inquisitive Rogue: She's a detective, so I'm at a bit of a loss how to fit her in.
Female Human Scout Rogue: She's like 14, so I'm also not sure.

Additionally, there ought to be a couple of scenes that require saves/ability checks for the players, with physical damage being the penalty for failure. Things like grasping a hot sword from a bonfire, etc.

Anyways, send me any and all suggestions. Thanks in advance!

NRSASD
2019-11-02, 02:11 PM
After discussing this concept with a friend and consulting the following image:
https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/52403b09e4b0284d431e4457/1420555581899-G866PEZXBY6BDEDX45US/ke17ZwdGBToddI8pDm48kFCm8l45JlmdUS_GfHnSgAVZw-zPPgdn4jUwVcJE1ZvWQUxwkmyExglNqGp0IvTJZamWLI2zvYWH 8K3-s_4yszcp2ryTI0HqTOaaUohrI8PI_U2ma5odNjvzufK2LWwskv IX3yENc4cylz3pzNKB2r4KMshLAGzx4R3EDFOm1kBS/image-asset.jpeg
I've decided to go with

Hamlet II: On a Boat

Please send me more ideas!