NPC trust test...

[HumbleLioness]

I'm running a small, starting from lvl 1 campaign, the PCs started in a small village and it is low magic/non existent except in fairy tales and i am slowly introducing things that are strange and new to them (existence of actual fairys/ goblins ect).
anyway onto the point, one of the PC's grew up outside of this village in a city, but then went back when he was 9, so obviously i have asked this player to give me some outside NPCS he knew to play with as they are soon coming up to the big City he was born in,

one of these characters is a poor orphan who grew up in a bad area, now, im obviously going to go the rogue route for this one, thinking with my story he'll fit in nicely as a paranoid un-trusting twitchy person who seems like a conspiracy theorist but actually has some proper info on whats been happening BUT here in lies the challenge for the party, hes un-trusting as i said before, even of his old friend, he could be a spy, he might have been brainwashed ect so i need some lvl 3-4 appropriate "test" of trust for this guy to put the PC on, this may or may not involve the rest of the party as i cant fully predict how this will pan out (can we ever)

the PC is a Bard so i was thinking some kind of written song slandering a noble or even the queen something that may put him in some risk of being jailed if he does badly?

the rest of the party if they get involved are, ranger, rogue, *undecided human paragon and factotum

[Brookshw]

Hmmmm, I think we can do better than a slanderous song considering that might double as a stupidity test if the noble is known to be vindictive.

My first inclination would be the bard finding out something for the rogue, something the rogue already knows so that there's a "control" element. For example (and dependant on background which I'm taking liberties with here), the rogues general territory has been subject to a rash of thefts he/she didn't commit. An old acquaintance and possibly one time friend of rogue and bard is behind it. The rogue knows but wants to know if the bard would be honest (assuming the bard figures it out correctly). You could also use this to develop a bit of a skirmish with a local thieves guild which gives the rest of the party an opportunity to be in on the action.

[HumbleLioness]

that does sound a lot more interesting than the typical bard does a song and dance, and would work given the setting and not get him into too much trouble with the authority's.

im thinking upon visiting his old friend he gets introduced to family, then do a through the streets clue trail, bar riot and culprit trying to get away from being discovered, turns out to be a family member who offers to pay not to tell the rogue, then its the PCs choice, tell, and win trust/plot, or dont and get gold.

this is defiantly giving me ideas and thankfully ill have the time to plan out the clue trail the culprit and some suspects left behind and give everyone a chance to get involved as i dont like splitting the party very much.


any other ideas from people is still appreciated as i still might put them in elsewhere (he gave me a few old friends to work with, my mind is going dizzy)