Side Quest Ideas for an Orator / Spy

[mackattacker]

I'm running a campaign that involves a lot of detective work with a lot of traps and of course combat. As such, everyone gets XP from combat, but our Rogue is getting extra XP from finding and disarming trap after trap, and I've found that our Druid is getting left behind. As such, I want to provide our Druid some obstacles that she could overcome to help the group advance and earn some XP in the process.

For reference, our Druid has negative strength, is a gnome, almost no dexterity, but has charisma like woah. She has perform oratory and craft alchemy. She's really in oration, telling stories, building up her own prestige, and all around being grandiose, yet at the same time likes the incognito things like disguise, poisons, espionage, impersonation, information gathering, etc.

I am looking for some help on ideas for side quests for her, and the mechanics of setting those up. For example, I know I could send her out to gather intel, but I'm looking for something more than, "OK you wander the town talking to people for 1d4 hours and roll Diplomacy to see how well you do," or, "You stand on the street corner and tell stories for all who will listen and roll perform oratory to see how much you earn." Something more interactive with several rolls. Several steps. A little mission.

Any ideas?

[Meirril]

Borrow a page from the Kingmaker AP. Your group of PCs have pissed off the civilized allies of an encounter they destroyed some time ago. While they are considering direct action against the players, as an immediate form of revenge they hire a bard to defame the party in whatever town they operate in the most.

The bard will have done research into the personalities and deeds of the players. That could be just diplomacy rolls to get rumors, or if the party is high enough level the bard (CR even with party) might be able to use Legend Lore on each member of the party.

The bard will then plan a slander campaign. He'll make the most of any evil actions the party has taken. He'll accuse them of being nothing but bandits that use murder and intimidation (to prevent the players from using murder and intimidation on him). He'll try to make some of the enemies they have killed look like innocents that were murdered in their own homes to fill the party's pockets.

If the party is there, the Bard has some paid accomplices in the crowd to use Aid Another in his Bluff and Orate checks. The DCs should be about equal to the Druid's skill +10. Give the druid a bonus if they come up with some cleaver plan. They hear about the Bard's smear campaign before they encounter him. If they sneak into his room they might find some evidence that the bard is being paid, but not by who. Also the party might be able to find some witnesses that saw the Bard coaching his assistants which should give him a big penalty if the witness comes forth after the assistants start 'calling for justice'.

If the party loses badly they'll get charged double in town for anything they want to purchase. Also the guards will follow them, and the officials won't help them. If they made a few points but loss overall then all the prices go up 20% and officials start off being weary of the party. If the party has a resounding success (countered every point and revealed that the Bard was paid to slander the party or paid assistants) people remember their past heroic deeds and they get drinks purchased for them in bars, and a 10% discount anywhere in town. Officials start off friendly towards the party.