Conflicting Skill Challenge?

[McTreble]

Has anyone tried to craft a skill challenge when the PCs have different agendas for the situation?

The quick and dirty is that the party ended their last session with someone popping into their camp, and the Dragonborn instantly drew an axe and put it to the guy (local Inn proprieter). I like cliffhangers, so I ended there.

In emails, I asked them what they all wanted from the situation, so I could establish some condiitons.

Any advice?

 

[surfarcher]

Conflict leads to interesting story! Do some of the PCs have reason to oppose the DBs actions?

 

[McTreble]

They do. The Dragonborn is threatening an NPC who has shown no hostility, and he hasn't had a chance to explain himself. Some want to hear him out, some want to welcome him along for the adventure.

 

[Quickleaf]

Is a skill challenge useful in this case? I mean it's just some inter-party conflict, normally players work this out and have fun doing it.

As far as rules support, DMG 2 has a section on skill challenges where there are two "camps" the PCs can apply their successes to, allowing PCs to support different positions. The book gives an example for a peace settlement over a town disputed by two kingdoms.

 

[pemerton]

DMG2 has an example of how to run a skill challenge with this sort of intraparty conflict.