Nefarious Dueling (Isida Kep'Tukari, drag n fly stay out!)

[Emperor Valerian]

Drag n Fly, I know you're peeking. Stop it, you'll get spoiled















Anyways. Next session, I have an idea for a dramatic moment for one of the PCs in my campaign (not one whose player reads or posts here). One of the major henchmen for the big bad guy in the campaign was a rogue/fighter, named Ilia of some repute. She has some assassin skills as well.

Ilia and this particular PC go way back, before she even took jobs with the BBEG. As a lead in to the regular campaign, his PC got into a dispute with this particular lady, and he suddenly found himself paralyzed in hte middle of the street, as she stole about 8,000 golds worth of items from him.

So there's a bit of an emnity... which only grew worse when she tried to assassinate party members with a horde of riders, as well as coordinating ther assassination attempts on the party and the party's relations.

What I want to do is set up the story so that this particular PC (a rogue/bard 9/5) has a one on one duel with Ilia (likely with rapiers, the favorite weapon of both the PC and the NPC)... mostly for the excellent drama. The question is how.


Right now the PCs are sitting in a major city, in confusion (word just arrived that the Emperor might be dead, and an NPC they know might now take the throne... no one knows for sure what is going on). The major bad guy is further to the south with her massive army, marching north against an army of Imperials in between. Ilia has been running amok with a band of assassins, so she could appear anywhere.

The biggest problem to this is how to keep the rest of the party as witnesses (give them an opportunity to roleplay some while he's fighting, as opposed to making htem wander around the apartment or watch TV till his one on one is done), but keep them to where they can't intervene... keep them as spectators. The other problem is why exactly such a duel would take place. Ilia has proven a very clever foe...and now has a major reason to want vengeance as the party killed her husband (an assassin who tried to kill them and failed).

So, how to get a previously clever NPC to agree (or be forced) into doing such a duel... in a way thats reasonable to her personality and logic? There's the possible route of sheer hubris, but I would like it to be more than just that...

Which brings you in. I'm looking for ideas... straightforward, devious, whatever. A DM brainstorming session...

 

[LGodamus]

some of the other of her group could attack the rest of the party with grapples....make sure its two to three per PC..that way they are fighting and therefore interested and out of the duel.

 

[Darklone]

One idea: Hordes of mooks for the other PCs. Since these are 14th level, you'll need HORDES. Bad idea since you can never be sure you'll get the right hero out of the hassle for the duel and the others won't enjoy it as much.

Another idea: Ilia and the char have to balance somehow on a rope high above the streets while the other PCs ... have to hold the rope? Hmm. Chilling idea. Next.

Better: Let Ilia hire some swordmasters and other stuff. One good opponent for every hero. Attack them with a minor horde of mooks... whose major purpose is to split up the party with walls of force or other stuff. Disarm the weapon of the bard (Ilia with a whip) and run away while the other players fight. Then seal the way to the others somehow... Argh.

I don't really see a way how to split up a group of 15th level dudes while keeping all of them busy. Hmm. There has to be something like an attack on vulnerable points of the city at the same time. At each of these places, a BBEG (or Ilia) has placed one of the choice opponents and some mooks for every PC.

Then grab your players and tell them that everyone will get 30 minutes spot time this evening and you expect the others to wave flags, drink beer and throw popcorn.

Edit: Idea. Poisoning of some city wells to cause a public uproar would be a good reason to split the party (in case they don't have # party members teleport spells or similar stuff available!)

 

[Varianor Abroad]

Is there a third party that might have some sway over both sides, that could insist upon a duel of honor instead of a brawl?

Alternately, you could frame it as a bet. Someone wagers that the two of them can't just duel with rapiers, that they'd try something sneaky and underhanded?

 

[Kyramus]

I'm more inclined into tricking the PC in question into an arena. and she's the opponent. The other PCs trying to find their friend ends up in the stands.

One on one duel. PC's placing bets on who will win, and watch other interactions of arena politicking going on, as in who is with who and for what. Maybe the assassin girl is forced by her faction to champion them, the other faction chose the PC just because, and whoever wins goes after the throne. hehehe