First of all, if any of my players are viewing this, I'll kindly ask that you not read this threa.
Alright, here is the situation.
To summarize the interaction with the Troglodytes: in the initial entrance, with the oil and bramble and Trogs waiting in ambush, the party rolled particularly well to notice the ambush, and choose to call out peacefully and made some impressive diplomacy checks. On the fly I figured one of the Trogs was somewhat disturbed by the constant sacrifice of Trogs, one was on the fence and the other was loyal to Uggilo. The Party's Oracle (A blackened, Elven Ancient Lorekeeper with the Lore Mystery), was the main negotiator in this, as the only person to speak Draconic. Suffice it to say, the dice were with him and he rolled well enough to get an idea of what was happening in the caves, and to convince the Trogs to let him in to heal the sick with the power of Nethys. Suffice it to say, Pro and Neutral trog were pleased enough for the fortuitous aid, while the other Trog snuck off to collect the others loyal to Uggilo and inform the Priest. Party Oracle succeeds in Remove Disease on a couple Trogs, and is beginning to gain a foothold to abandon th demon worship for Nethys. The Party then confront Uggilo and followers and wipes them out. Between burning hands and flaming spheres the Oracle takes out Uggilo by himself, proving the power of Nethys. Some diplomacy checks later, along with curing most of the diseased, and the Trogs love the party, have converted to Nethys, agreed to trade spices with Sabriyya, all that stuff. But they still hate the Boggards with a passion after the recent attack, especially with the attack on the eggs. They turn to their champions to wipe out the last remaining threat to Trog prosperity in the Lady's Point.
As for the Frogs: Party travels to village, calls out and attempts diplomacy, but roll poorly, so the Frogs attacks the intruders. Epic battle happens, essentially triggering most of the village encounters in short order, and all of Mama Beballa's Forces nd the neutral Bogwid and bogwiggles are killed. However, Daghop's wives remain, and they inform the party that they have done good clearing out the rabble, and should seek Daghop out. Party finds Sulgesh's mate, cures her and brings her back (btw Sulgesh is the Trog chief apparent), and returns to talk with Daghop. At this point his wives are with him and have informed him what happened. Daghop receives them, and then begins negotiations where the party try to figure out a reason for Daghop to make peace (without being outfit intimidating, as that may not last long term), however between poor dice rolls and not finding a sensible reason for him to do so, they don't get anywhere. Daghop's demands for peace between the two tribes is the Trogs converting to worship the boggard demon lord, the death of the hydra (already killed by the party) and the Trogs paying the frogs regular gifts of tribute.
Leaving peacefully but no closer to their goal, they return to the Trogs and find out that the Trogs aren't that pleased that they're letting a sizable number of Boggards live, and the Trogs themselves don't really want peace so much as revenge for their eggs and either death to the Boggards or drive them out completely. Some diplomacy by the Oracle and the Trogs, while uneasy, are willing enough to see how negotiations go.
So, anyway. The party has the goal of complete peace. I'm not saying that I don't see this happening, but it's certainly going to be difficult. Both sides are long term enemies with very recent bad-will, and the Boggards, while not in great condition, have just been burnt by outsiders and the conservative side is left, and has not had the crisis of faith that the Trogs did. There are also minimal benefits to the sides making peace, and potentially greater benefits to being the single tribe of the area.
Now, I turn to the experienced and creative minds of the Paizo forums to help me brainstorm steps and logic and desires that can create something of a pathway to peace between the tribes. Things that the tribes both want that the PCs will need to deal with, checks or tasks they'll have to do to turn the ill will into good will. Those sort've things. How would you handle this situation as GMs? As players? Essentially I'd like to prepare as much for this as possible instead of just having it come down to the players making diplomacy checks and either failing and starting another battle or rolling high and just succeeding for no other reason.
Thoughts? And thank you to anyone who takes the time to help.
Converting them both to the same religion should work fairly well. There might be some disagreement, but at least they aren't worshiping rival demon lords.
A third, mutual enemy, that causes them to need to be convinced to work together or they both get obliterated?
100% peace sounds pretty impossible to me, personally. How about 85-95%?
Maybe the party can get the groups to have their "peace summit" overseen by the half-orc witch (currently blanking her name), whom it's written that both parties at least respect, if not fear.
Of course, this means the party must convince her to oversee the summit as well.
Maybe for a bit of tension, dissidents from both factions (working separate or together) can try to disrupt the event.
100% peace sounds pretty impossible to me, personally. How about 85-95%?
Maybe the party can get the groups to have their "peace summit" overseen by the half-orc witch (currently blanking her name), whom it's written that both parties at least respect, if not fear.
Of course, this means the party must convince her to oversee the summit as well.
Maybe for a bit of tension, dissidents from both factions (working separate or together) can try to disrupt the event.
It's certainly something that seems unlikely and difficult.
The players do seem to be trying to plan a peace summit. They're going to be the somewhat neutral party instead of Maroux, because I played her rather hermity and she'd be just as happy to see them dead, certainly wouldn't want them making peace and increasing in numbers and bugging her. PCs should be fine as the administrating party, they're quite close with the Trogs and Daghop is thankful enough to them for wiping out Mama Beballa and her supporters. A dissident event would be a good way to spice up the peace talks, especially if say.
A third enemy would work, if there was a reasonably third enemy that was in the area and regular. The Gray Maidens are the best option for this, but they're quite absent, and once they're gone from the region, no reason for the Trogs and Frogs to remain allies.
I do agree that both converting to Nethys is the best option. Both tribes lack any casters, and certainly if there was a 'temple' of Nethys run by both races that was the only source of healing in the area, and willing to deny healing to anybody who engaged in racial conflict, well, that'd be huge and probably be considered a success by the PCs. I guess the problem for this is, how would Daghop be reasonably convinced, and how long should it take to create such a temple and train up a Trog and boggard to be able to act as first level clerics or adepts.
My thoughts on the priest training is, perhaps, seven days. Each day the teaching priest must succeed a DC 20 Know Religion check. If he succeeds a majority of the checks, he is able to instill the bare necessity religious knowledge and training. But are their other events that the other party members could be doing to help make peace?
Something that came to mind is, likely, the reason for the conflict is that they are both hunter/gatherer societies, and thereby require a fairly large roaming area for food, and obvious being so close together there is a scarcity problem? Perhaps other PCs could help develop farming and more advanced hunting, trapping or fishing techniques?
Also, the Boggard priest is dead, but Daghop is still a firm believer in Gogunta. He believes the misfortune is a result of turning away from Gogunta and allying with the gray maidens, therefore he is sticking closer to the demon lord than ever before to make things better. Without a priest to go priest vs. priest, what are some tasks or challenges the party might be able to do to make him change his mind? If it wasn't over CRed for the party's level, I'd have the party bring him the head of a Froghemoth, a sacred beast of Gogunta surely.
Thank you for responses so far.
Third enemy = Sahuagin. Perfect level range for this adventure, great to motivate the two tribes against. There are some great encounters in Skull & Shackles, Raiders of the Fever Sea.
Sahuagin, excellent idea. Easily incorporated with coastal raiding ... weather pattern changes. May even be able to connect it with the rumblings in Book 6 where
Third enemy = swamp giants. Yes, a bit of a high CR, but that's why they would band together; to fight a common, powerful enemy.