Need Encounter Ideas for Feast/Party

[BigDauntless]

I need some low-level encounter ideas for a feast/party.

For my next session, I anticipate about half the time spent fighting the BBEG and the other half with the town celebrating victory. I'd like to come up with some meaningful encounters or have some half-prepared encounters ready depending on what the party chooses to pursue.

I'm sure I can come up with cute things like drinking contests, arm wrestling, singing, etc., but I'd like to have some real encounters with real positive or negative results.

The party is 2nd level. Here are some hooks:

-- There is a bit of political intrigue going on that the party has shown mild interest in. Their patron is a town elder and basically a good guy but some of the other elders are moderately corrupt and don't like the idea that these heroes could disrupt the status quo.

-- The dragonborn paladin of Bahamut has expressed interest in spreading the faith.

-- The local tavern owner is their friend and has been helping them sell booty at the market but can't continue doing that. He has a tiefling contact who is a good fence and fairly trustworthy. The party hasn't met the tiefling yet and is pretty prejudiced against tieflings.

-- Their patron plans to give an official title "Protector" to the paladin which grants some martial rights (arrest, detain, fine, execute, etc).

-- The next adventure will take them far from this town but they don't know it yet.

 

[Tinq]

Off the top of my Head?

"STOP! THIEF!"

Something valuable is stolen and found in the possession of the friendly elder. As the newly appointed Defender, the pally must mette out justice accordingly, but a haze of conspiracy overlays the whole affair.

Or something to do with justice and the tiefling fence.

Do a quick little social adventure to pull them further into the community, that way when the get back from their next adventure and everything has changed, they'll be a bit more invested.

 

[JohnnFour]

Here are some ideas:

There is a bit of political intrigue going on that the party has shown mild interest in. Their patron is a town elder and basically a good guy but some of the other elders are moderately corrupt and don't like the idea that these heroes could disrupt the status quo.

Council vs. PCs:

* Poisoned drink - PCs drinks are drugged or poisoned but servants or stealthy agent

* Diseased food - the cook prepares something special for the PCs' table

* Assasination attempt - poisoned snake dropped into a boot, attack at the loo, romance turns deadly

* Public humiliation - contest that's stacked against PC(s), false allegations with thin proof

The dragonborn paladin of Bahamut has expressed interest in spreading the faith.

* Rival religion - advocate sponsors the feast, gets up on a soapbox, or has a viscious debate with PC

* Potential follower NPC appraoches with request for help - bullies, mother/sister is servant being mauled by drunk feaster

* Strange decoration in feast area relates to Bahamut - sparks future encounter or adventure, but decoration is hard to reach/forbidden to touch

The local tavern owner is their friend and has been helping them sell booty at the market but can't continue doing that. He has a tiefling contact who is a good fence and fairly trustworthy. The party hasn't met the tiefling yet and is pretty prejudiced against tieflings.

* Tiefling needs help and reaches out to PCs - bodyguards for big deal or family problem

* Tiefling's enemy is same as PCs' enemy

* Tiefling is secretly a follower of bahamut, which the priest PC discovers during a feast encounter

* Tiefling gets into scuffle with evil tieflings at feast

Their patron plans to give an official title "Protector" to the paladin which grants some martial rights (arrest, detain, fine, execute, etc).

* Corrupt council members demand a council meet over this matter before announcement - PC overhears this secret discussion at feast

* Corrupt council member tells tale of the last person to hold the title Protector, and that person's deeds make the paladin's current deeds seem small

* Former Protector bursts into the feast. Take your pick - he wants his title back, he has an axe in his head and a mysterious message as dying words, or allegations against the non-corrupt council member.

 

[TheLordWinter]

Whatever you select, try and make it upbeat. Remember, you're celebrating the PCs victory over some big bad - make 'em feel like people really appreciate it! As such, I'd save the evil council for another day. Give the players this chance to just shine - that will make it that much more significant when the council ousts their friend the mayor on trumped up charges, offs the former protector, etc.

Some ideas:
Some of the local peasants want the characters to stay in town and try to find various ways to hold them there. A mother tries to set up the paladin with her attractive daughter. The council member patron offers them a parcel of land.

Introduce the tiefling contact in some memorable way. Is the tiefling trustworthy? Perhaps he accidentally begins flirting with a party member? Does he know about the corruption in the local government? Can he drop hints about who to trust and who not to?

If you incorporate the former "Protector" it could create another new contact for the group. Was he or she also a paladin? Reputable? Why is the title being passed on or is the paladin simply being brought into the fold of "Protectors," a group instead of a singular entity. Is this the first time this position has ever been held?

Besides the paladin, what other character classes do you have? Generally, try to find specific hooks that will work for each party member so that they all get time in the spotlight. Is there a shifty rogue? Let them be the one to meet up with the new tiefling contact and start setting up the deals. Is there a warlock? Have 'em receive a message from their pact patron in the middle of the feast, warning that the innkeeper's food is tainted. A fighter? A few ruffians start making a stink during his friend's speech - even just giving him or her the chance to make an intimidate check and have the naysayers run off with their tails 'twixt their legs will give that player a chance to shine.