Act IV Civil War: You didn't think they'd all just GET ALONG, did you?

[Reynard_the_fox]

Hey all! Anybody want to help me brew up a fey vs human powder keg?

My players just finished Varnhold Vanishing. It's been fun, but so far, the "kingmaker" aspect of things has been pretty much relegated to a spreadsheet - other than a plague during Act II, there have been few things that really test the PC's abilities as RULERS rather than just as adventurers. And it looks like Act IV will be primarily exploring and infiltration, too.

So, here's what I'm thinking: it's time to make the PCs make some tricky choices. So far, they've been going for a Neutral Good kingdom that gets humans and fey to live side by side, and it's been working fine. But now that their kingdom is getting pretty big, and the ruler has switched from a Ranger of Erastil to a Paladin of Abadar, I think there might be some chafing going on. Tensions will surely be rising, and if the PCs don't step in, there might be a full blown civil war!

Here's where you come in: I'd love some ideas for interesting conflicts the PCs could try and mediate. I want them to feel the pressure of making peace between two very different and very angry types of beings. I want to expose the monstrous parts of humanity and the human parts of the monsters.

Some ideas I've had so far:

• The PC's seemingly monstrous Tiefling Alchemist/Dragon Disciple becomes the champion of the local kobolds, who are threatening to eat some miners who "invaded their territory."
  
• Humans in the capital city are threatening to exterminate pixies and other naturally mischievious fey, who don't understand why everyone is getting so upset over a few pranks.
  
• A popular cleric of Abadar has been preaching the advantages of civilization and the evils and chaos of the wilderness, and is gaining a dangerously fanatic crowd.

There's also the potential for intrigue - Nyrissa and/or Irovetti could easily send some in some agent provacateurs. Hell, maybe even Brevoy wants to put some stumbling blocks in the kingdom's path! I'm eager to bring back the quickling Rigg Gargadilly from the second module, either as a provacateur or as a potential diplomat for the PCs.

Any ideas appreciated!

[pennywit]

First thing I would suggest is that you look at some of the NPC backstories. Jhod, Akiros, and Dovan all come with some great built-in conflicts you can throw at the players. I'd also suggest poking into Redcelt's Game of Thrones thread for some interesting politics you can throw at your players. And if you're looking for some faerie tales, you could adapt my Spring Feast idea from the boards. It features the Dancing Lady, but you could sub in virtually any mildly evil fey you like.

Aside from those, how about ....

The Centaur of Attention. Things may have been hammered out with Vordakai, but the Nomen Centaurs are still in conflict with Varnhold over water use, ranging rights, and other resources.

Lords of Swords! A message arrives from Mivon: Swordlord noble from Restov has kidnapped a noblewoman from Mivon and has taken her to a settlement in the PCs' kingdom. Meanwhile, a message arrives from Restov: One of their noblemen has gone missing, and was last seen in the PCs' kingdom. Restov and Mivon each accuse the PCs' kingdom of harboring a fugitive and abetting in the kidnapping. Meanwhile, it turns out that one of the PCs' retainers (possibly Loy Rezbin or Jhod Kavken) has been harboring the two nobles, who claim that they love each other and will soon marry. However (as luck would have it), each of them has been promised to another prominent noble, so they can't really marry and were hoping they could hide out from their respective marriage prospects inthe PCs' kingdom.

It would be up to the players to broker SOMETHING here. They have to find a way to prevent war and placate possibly four factions (the Swordlord families, as well as the families that the couples were going to marry into) as well as navigate the hostilities between Mivon and Restove. It's not necessary for the principals' families to be evil or anything here, but they ought to have opposed interests.

For bonus points: What if the couple fell in love only because of a faerie spell?

[Noir le Lotus]

You can seek inspiration in the westerns movies :

conflicts between farmers and stockbreeders could be applied in the stolen lands. The law is unclear on the right of cattle to cross farmers fields and on who possess springs and wells (I don't think your PCs think to establish such things),.

[pennywit]

You might want to start building out some important non-council NPCs. A good starting point, IMO, is to assume that each settlement has a lord mayor of some sort, then assume that each farm hex (or two farm hexes if you like) has a minor lord or knight who owns and runs it.

[pennywit]

Here's one from Varnhold Vanishing: Maegar Varn has an heir. In fact, Maegar Varn has competing heirs, each with a claim to his lands and titles. If you didn't introduce a family for him during VV, he nevertheless has extended family members who want to stake a claim to his lands and titles (i.e., Varnhold and any outlying farms). For political reasons, Restov refuses to take sides in the dispute and tells the PCs to figure it out.

There should be several options open to the players:

They could use a Vassalage Edict to section off Varnhold and place it under the rule of one of the heirs. Depending on the heir chosen, there could be small bonuses and penalties related to the terms of the vassalage.

The players could keep Varnhold under their control, but award a lordship (i.e., with RP impact) to one of the heirs. Again, there should be bonuses or penalties to kingdom attributes, based on the heir chosen.

The players could choose to keep Varnhold under their control. If this happens, they may have to deal with an army on their flank. It would really be a pity if this army attacked while the players are at the other end of the kingdom ...