Skill Challenges #3: Demon Dialogue.

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Scenario: The PCs have either summoned via a ritual or stumbled upon in an old ruins a demon.  The barrier holding the demon back is tenuous.  The demon is willing to stay his claws for a moment, however to see what manner of deal he can get from the players.  He is not patient however, so players must bargain with him swiftly or he will decide to negotiate with might.  The PCs can contract the demon to service, or they can just get the demon to leave without attacking them.

Complexity: 2 (6 successes before 3 failures)

Encounter Level: PC level.

Goal: Bargain with the demon for services or a peaceful exit before he tires of the negotiations and attacks.

The Contract

Bargaining with the Demon involves the making of a verbal contract.  When starting, have the PCs determine the terms of their contract.  The Demon may have only one servant at a time as well, so the group will need to determine who the demon will be bound to.

Contract Score starts at 10, and can be influenced by factors as detailed below.

If the PCs simply wish the demon to leave without attacking, ignore the contract score.

Contract Influences

The following will affect the Contract Score:

Sacrifices

Each of the following sacrifices grants a certain amount of automatic successes to the roll, in addition to strengthening the contract. At least one sacrifice must be made to establish a contract with the demon.  As the contract is being established, make the PCs aware of the following sacrifice types.  Sacrifices can be made in the during the skill challenge, but only take affect after the contract is made and the PC making the sacrifice agrees to it. If a PC fails to give a sacrifice it has agreed to, the demon will automatically attack the PCs.

Sacrifice of Vitality. Sacrifice of two healing surges for one entire day count as one success in the skill challenge.  If a PC makes a permanent sacrifice of two healing surges, they get two successes and add 10 the contract. There is no way to regain permanently sacrificed healing surges back except through the abolishment of the contract.

Sacrifice of the Bound Soul. If a PC pledges her soul upon dying, add 20 to the Contract Score.  This has no game affect other than making the player permanently ineligible to be revived with Raise Dead.  Demons descend upon his soul the moment it leaves its body, and will not relinquish it.

Sacrifice of Riches. Offering the demon an amount of gold equal to 50 x demon level adds 2 to the contract score.  More gold may be given in those increments, but no matter how many times Sacrifice of Riches is made, it only counts as one sacrifice.

Sacrifice of Dweomer. you offer the demon raw magic might in the form of magical items.  Each non-consumable item offered adds 5  to the Contract Score and offer one success to the negotiation.  Artifacts add 15 to the score and add two successes to the skill challenge. Only one sacrifice of this type per PC can be made.

Sacrifice of Knowledge. With a successful master DC (DC 30) check in Nature, History, Dungeoneering, Arcana, or Religion roll, you satiate the Demon’s desire for knowledge and add 2 to the Contract Score.  You may make this sacrifice any number of times, but all combined Sacrifices of Knowledge count as one success. but the first time you fail this roll, you have reached the limits of what the demon feels it can learn from you and no more Sacrifices of Knowledge can be made.

Skills Used

Religion (moderate DC, maximum of two successes):

1: You use connections with a higher power to convince the demon that it is in his best interests not to harm you. +2 on your next bluff check.

2: The demon believes you are one of your diety’s chosen ones. Adds +3 to the contract score if the diety is evil, and -3 to the contract score  and one extra success if it is a good diety.

Arcana (moderate DC, maximum of two successes):

1: A display of eldritch knowledge and power convinces the demon that you would be a good master. +2 Contract Score.

2: You could be the sort of mortal master that the demon has been waiting for all these years. +3 Contract Score.

Bluff (hard DC, maximum of two successes):

1: You’re not very impressed with the infernal being’s might.  At least that is what it now believes. +3 Contract Score.

2: You can tell the demon is dying for a chance to show you it’s true might after some world-class taunting. +4 Contract Score.

Diplomacy (moderate DC, maximum of two successes)

1: Flattery will get you everywhere. +2 Contract Score.

2: The terms of the contract are quite agreeable to both parties. +3 Contract Score.

Intimidate (hard DC, maximum of one success): You bully the demon for the briefest of moments into submission. Not an easy thing to do, and you earn its grudging respect.  Respect for demons means, of course, that it will try to kill you later. +5 contract Score.

Nature (hard DC, maximum of one success): You entice the Demon into the mortal world with a select example of the wondrous natural sites that it can pillage and burn. +4 Contract Score.

Streetwise (moderate DC, maximum of one success): The demon is impressed with your knowledge of mortal vice and sin.  It wants you to show it more. +3 Contract Score.

Insight (moderate DC, maximum of one success): A look inside the mind of a demon is best left with those of strong heart.  You feel you understand its motives a little better, though. +2 to your next Diplomacy or Bluff roll.

Service.

If the players successfully negotiate a contract with the demon, for the length of the contract the player who the demon is bound to gets the following Daily ability:

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