I’m trying to create interesting meta-plots for each of my player’s back-stories. One player is an exiled princess whose brother sold her entire family into slavery before she could take the throne as leader of her tribe. He’s now assumed her title but I wanted to create a way for her to use her primarily social skills to ‘combat’ his rise to power and potentially reclaim her title. Here’s what I’ve come up with so far:

Her brother isn’t content with being one of five tribal leaders and is planning on muscling his way to the top spot, eventually appointing himself supreme leader of their world. To do this I’ve created him as an Age of Rebellion Diplomat – Agitator who will make one Opposed Check each session vs. another leader’s skills. He begins by using his nicer skills and moves into more nasty methods of persuasion if those don’t work. Once he’s convinced all four to back him he ascends to the role of supreme leader, making life very hard for the PCs and preventing the princess from returning. This is how I see it working out mechanically.

1) End of each session roll brother’s skill (first session is Charm, then Negotiate, then Deception, then Coercion) versus an upgraded Daunting Check with 2 Challenge dice. Not only is Coercion his best skill, it also benefits from his Intimidating talents that downgrade Coercion difficulty.

2) The first three sessions have Setback dice due to their disgust with him betraying his own family. (Session one +3 Setback reduces by one each session)

3) Each tribal leader that is swayed to his side causes the PCs some kind of hardship (a merchant leader increases their bounty, warrior leader sends additional troops to oppose them throughout the game, etc.)

4) Once this character becomes aware of these political maneuverings, they can fight back by either bringing undecided leaders to their side with similar Opposed Checks, overcome those already brought to the brother’s side or compete with her brother in an Opposed check between the two of them instead.

5) The PCs will gain Boost Dice to their checks by performing services for the tribes.

6) If she manages to gain the support of all the other tribes she ousts her brother from power and is reinstated.

While most of this takes place outside the normal gaming session, the final showdown could be an epic encounter with party members fighting off guards and slicing security systems while a war of words is fought. I picture the scene in Lord of the Rings where Gandalf battles Saruman whose possessing Theoden while Aragorn, Legolas and Gimli duke it out with the guards.

Any advice on making this more streamlined or feel more epic would be awesome.

Thanks in advance!

I think I could have a lot of fun playing in something like that. The final showdown part at least.

Maybe you could forgo the rolls and move that part along with the power of plot?

I don't know if this fits in to your vision, or if you and your table plan on 'moving into AoR', but I had a thought. (no coffee yet this AM. so...)

Have all of the brothers plans work, but fit them in as needed. Over time, have the sister figure out what the brother is doing and confront the brother, or how ever you wanted to do the epic confrontation. After the players succeed, assuming that they do, have the sister's welcome party to the tribal council be dealing with a large force of Imperials showing up on their doorstep.