My players (seven level 11-12 PCs) have just sunk a pirate ship in a fun combat, and now proceeding on shore, I want them to find that the ship's crew have been taken hostage and the remaining pirates will slay them (a mage will fireball the helpless, bound men) unless the party meets their demands. I want a negotiation to ensue. If the players succeeed, they might get some or all of the hostages released. They may have to do a sneaky rescue if they fail.
I don't want to simply have them make a diplomacy roll. Any Ideas how to make this interesting?
Kill a hostage every hour until the party complies?
Send the party on some task?
Dueling bluff vs sense motive?
Any help would be appreciated.
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I would recommend some sort of illusionary set up so when the party decides to attack rather than negotiate that the illusion is revealed and the bad guys send the PC's a couple of hostage heads. This should encourage the players to think things through the next time.
Killing a hostage an hour won't work. IRL, once hostages are injured, the authorities move in because it's less dangerous to the hostages than doing nothing. The villains need a secure place (scrying proof and ideally warded against teleportation). I would require some sort of task to release the hostages, but 1) the pirates want to profit or get revenge and 2) the pirates want to escape wth their lives. So I would aim for a gp ransom plus a task and have the pirates scram while the PCs are working on the task.
I would recommend some sort of illusionary set up so when the party decides to attack rather than negotiate that the illusion is revealed and the bad guys send the PC's a couple of hostage heads. This should encourage the players to think things through the next time.
Killing a hostage an hour won't work. IRL, once hostages are injured, the authorities move in because it's less dangerous to the hostages than doing nothing. The villains need a secure place (scrying proof and ideally warded against teleportation). I would require some sort of task to release the hostages, but 1) the pirates want to profit or get revenge and 2) the pirates want to escape wth their lives. So I would aim for a gp ransom plus a task and have the pirates scram while the PCs are working on the task.
You are evil. I like it! The cleric has true seeing, but if he doesn't cast it, they will kill a few.