Party is 6 PCs all level 2
They are investigating a dungeon complex near a keep (not that one). Inside the area they are currently investigating is a band of NPC mercs hired by the someone in the keep to help stage a coup and do other nefarious things. They are very near where the mercs are holed up. basically the mercs are in 3 groups; 3 scouts in a room of their own, 5 mercs of various types in a section of their own, and the leaders (2) of the mercs with a couple of wolf pets in a room right behind a door where the 5 mercs are likely to be encountered. Any one of these groups by themselves will be a standard encounter for the group. If any 2 are encountered together it becomes a hard to impossible encounter. I dont want to overwhelm the party. The leaders are not going to be convinced to change sides or give up the mission, they are loyal to the person that hired them. The scouts are unaligned and only in it for the pay. The group of 5 mercs are split. a couple of them are really into the idea of a coup and a couple of them are only in it for the money, which leaves 2 that are "convincable".
I was thinking a skill challenge with the 5 mercs to try to convince the 2 to change sides, if successful pits the party plus 2 allies against 3 mercs and the leaders, which becomes a fair fight.
I haven't run a skill challenge yet formally so I am looking for some good ideas, and some things to watch out for if I decide to do it this way.
The PCs havent really accumulated enough cash yet to successfully buy more than 1, maybe 2, of the mercs off who might be so inclined.
All of your ideas will be appreciated.
They are investigating a dungeon complex near a keep (not that one). Inside the area they are currently investigating is a band of NPC mercs hired by the someone in the keep to help stage a coup and do other nefarious things. They are very near where the mercs are holed up. basically the mercs are in 3 groups; 3 scouts in a room of their own, 5 mercs of various types in a section of their own, and the leaders (2) of the mercs with a couple of wolf pets in a room right behind a door where the 5 mercs are likely to be encountered. Any one of these groups by themselves will be a standard encounter for the group. If any 2 are encountered together it becomes a hard to impossible encounter. I dont want to overwhelm the party. The leaders are not going to be convinced to change sides or give up the mission, they are loyal to the person that hired them. The scouts are unaligned and only in it for the pay. The group of 5 mercs are split. a couple of them are really into the idea of a coup and a couple of them are only in it for the money, which leaves 2 that are "convincable".
I was thinking a skill challenge with the 5 mercs to try to convince the 2 to change sides, if successful pits the party plus 2 allies against 3 mercs and the leaders, which becomes a fair fight.
I haven't run a skill challenge yet formally so I am looking for some good ideas, and some things to watch out for if I decide to do it this way.
The PCs havent really accumulated enough cash yet to successfully buy more than 1, maybe 2, of the mercs off who might be so inclined.
All of your ideas will be appreciated.