Royal court life: need ideas...

[Wepwawet]

[great stuff]

Thank you! Those are great ideas.

 

[arcseed]

Something that might work well for a dance challenge-- use the battlemat, but ignore the damage line of all the powers-- just make it about position. So you have your push ,pull, slide, shift powers, and maybe add some free dex or cha based bull rush (or bull rush like powers, maybe the dex one swaps places, or the cha one pulls the opponent after you) Maybe those would be skill powers for people with training in appropriate skills?

Make your players describe what they're doing in terms of the dance, of course. Also, you'll probably want to go on itunes and find some nice baroque-era dance suite for atmosphere.

Victory conditions could be about being closest to a point at the end, or accumulated for being closest to the point, or for being close to a moving point or whatever. I'm not exactly sure what works, but give it a try.

I like this idea. Too bad I don't really have a place to put Versailles in my current campaign.

 

[Kzach]

I heartily recommend reading George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books for inspiration and then using Green Ronin's Game of Thrones system to play your game.

 

[Byronic]

If you want to give them something truly challenging, try dining etiquette. If they're anything like most of the people I encounter you might have a party wipe on your hands.

 

[Wycen]

One of them has read the book "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History" and wishes to influence the king to start a naval arms race with a competing, but related by marriage empire.

 

[Celebrim]

One of them has read the book "The Influence of Sea Power Upon History" and wishes to influence the king to start a naval arms race with a competing, but related by marriage empire.

Been there before. Lots of fun. Very recommended.

 

[MichaelSomething]

I heartily recommend reading George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire books for inspiration and then using Green Ronin's Game of Thrones system to play your game.

I agree with this. SoIF is perfect for this type of campaign.

 

[UngainlyTitan]

I'd still run the tourney as a combat but as others have suggested may be the objective is not simply to win.

As for skill challanges, here is one, at the masked ball (before the assasin arrives ) one of the guests is powerful duke that controls one of the routes that they need to travel and they need to get on his good side since the King/Grand Vizier/Familly Black Sheep has been conspiring against him and the province is teetering on the brink of revolt as a result.

A reclusive loremaster from the Mages Guild usually attends the ball but leaves before removing his mask. He could be very helpful if they can identify him and get him onside as usually he is not otherwise contactable.

 

[Gilladian]

If you want to reveal corruption and veniality, perhaps have the PCs hear that one of their favorite tutors has been declared a traitor to the empire for some reason (he was caught dallying with a noble girl, or insulted the wrong prince, or refused to give someone some personal belonging they wanted, etc...).

In fact, play out the scene at the ball. Let them watch their dear mentor be insulted, abused and betrayed by one of their despicable uncles or aunts. Let him be arrested and dragged from the scene. Thrown into the dungeon.

Then let them figure out they have 3 options for rescuing him. They can 1) declare they will fight in tomorrow's tournament in his honor, to prove his innocence (but the despicable relative has a champion or two of their own);
2) try to convince some other relative who opposes the despicable one that the mentor is worth standing up for (maybe they have to do some embarassing/unpleasant task for him/her);
or 3) sneak down into the dungeon and rescue the mentor themselves, thus precipitating their required flight from the palace if caught. Of course there may be other options as well...

 

[Amphimir Míriel]

Hi!

I started a campaign where all PCs are either princes, or related to the royal family. They're all level 1. You know, young royalty who spend their days practicing calligraphy, floral arrangements, fencing and some magical practice.

The first sessions will bespent entirely on the court, with all their corrupt back-stabbing siblings and cousins, but I don't know how to challenge the players...

Could you give me ideas about activities, skill challenges or whatever to put them into, so that they can earn some XP?

For instance, I wanted to make a "collective duel", like a formal duel where more than 2 people can participate (rugby or cricket doesn't count ). I found somewhere a skill challenge for an 1-on-1 duel (Edit: found it!), but it would be nicer if everyone could participate in it.

Any ideas?

My suggestions would be to read the Song of Ice and Fire series by George R.R. Martin (and from there, try to lower down the grittiness to taste )

Also, TVTropes to the Rescue!