Help! How do I do a ball scene?

[The_lone_gunman]

Another thing that would be very interesting for you is to take into account the actions of the servants. They can provide considerable opportunities for stuff to be brought up and such.

For a good example of how nobles act during parties and such, go pick up "Godsford Park". It could also provide you with a murder mystery idea, I am thinking of doing something similar with my PC's in our next session (they are going to a "dwarven" bash in their honor).

TLG

 

[Greybar]

How about this:

Lord John has decided to woo the Lady Castella (as you mentioned). However, he feels that Anschlag will be a omnipresent problem as well as a threat. He will maneuver to try to get Anschlag to descredit himself in proper society, perhaps by using a young fop. He will subtly persuade the young fop that he can prove himself to the fop's love interest if he can best the towering Anschlag. By the time the fop has a few drinks, he's almost convinced he can do it.

The payoff for Anschlag's character is that, as you mentioned, he is actually much gentler than he looks. When the fop is merely subdued, Lord John will be foiled and Anschlag will pehaps have actually gained status. However, the fop could easily be hurt or killed by a blow from Anschlag that lands a bit hard.

If you want to play hardball, then have Lord John have poisoned the fop with that last drop of liquid courage. The fop picks a fight with Anschlag, Anschlag carefully knocks him out with a huge fist, and the fop dies in front of dozens of noble witnesses.

On a related note, Lord John might attempt to manuever Anschlag to give affront to Azharadian...

have fun!

John

 

[Bob Aberton]

If someone asks Anschlag to dance, have him make continual DEX checks to avoid stepping on toes

Greybar's idea is also a good one...

 

[Shiv]

Perhaps the "drunken fop" is in fact the head (or simply a member) of Lord John's spy network. Drunks become immediate targets for info-hungry PCs, and they'll likely let some things slip to him, figuring he'll forget everything by the morning.

Just a thought.

 

[Bob Aberton]

*BUMP*

Until I think of something better to say...

 

[vox]

Make 'em work

We have had players play various NPC parts and that seems to work really well. For instance, you select a couple major NPC's to run but give everyone else an NPC to run in addition to their PC. Just give them a description, motivation and maybe a little bonus info to impart.

For instance, tell one of your players (not the ones who run the women) they are running a rakish batchelor NPC. They should try to dance (or more) with one of the ladies but really he is more interested in the chase and conquest than establishing any sort of long term romantic relationship. However, if someone is engaging and flirtatious, he may let it out that he is the son of Duke Blah Blah. If the pcs give a positive impression he may be a contact later.

Stuff like that--it takes the pressure off you having to play everything for everyone. Just make sure that the NPC isn't someone that that player's character would really want to talk to. And tell your players that if they don't reveal their bonus info naturally, they can't use the info.

Playing a whole room full of people is pretty hard, so spread the wealth and let everyone have some of the fun.

-vox

 

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

Thanks again for all the wonderful ideas! I will definately have to get Anschlag in trouble with the Fop. I think I might actually give each of the players several minor characters, and just tell them to play one of the characters at random in any scene that their PC isn't involved in. That way I can have a scene between Castella and Lord John and several other nobles without excluding the other players.

This is going to be awesome!

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

You had mentioned wanting to show the beginnings of changes in Azharadian. How about the old standby of uncharacteristic temper? Someone spills a drink on him and his reaction is almost enraged. But he bottles it after just a few moments of slippage. Something along those lines. Nothing particularly evil yet, but if your characters have been paying attention, it will make them suspicious.

Alternatively, one or more of them (perhaps while taking a stroll with a suitor) could stumble on a suspicious conversation he's involved in. He's talking about something slightly nefarious with a known not-so-nice-person. Or he's threatening someone. Again, it would clash with his wise, monkly persona enough to be odd.

 

[Infinite Monkey@Work]

THat would be good, except that because of my lack of roleplaying skill, up untill now hes basically been the big voice in the sky that hands down their quests. I've tried to portray him as unusually benevolent, but I don't think I've done a good enough job for a subtle change to be noticed by the players.

 

[Jeremy Ackerman-Yost]

So don't make it subtle. Have him really fly off the handle. Or have him do something very underhanded that they manage to witness. Then have him go completely back to normal for a while. Periodic moments of complete wonkiness could work. Start off with them being rare, and build up over a long period of time to full-blown mood swings of epic proportions.