schmittism09
Initiate Douchebag
Posts: 5
Preferred Game Systems: Savage Worlds, D&D 5E, PBtA, and Cortex Plus (Marvel Heroic)
Currently Playing: Pathfinder
Currently Running: Savage Worlds Deadlands
Favorite Species of Monkey: Mojo Jojo
|
Post by schmittism09 on Apr 12, 2018 9:10:18 GMT -8
Figured I would try to get three birds with one stone with this post. Get an opinion about player temptation, present a little bit of the game scenario I am running, and finally get more involved with this awesome community
I am currently running a Deadlands: Reloaded game. I had a basic adventure plot for getting the players into a town and save a con man (that all the players knew by a different name) who was framed. That adventure has now grown into something bigger then I was expecting, which is a great thing. My players are currently in the same town investigating the Children of Light Zionist Church, this church has a ruling group of Elders that are more than what meets the eye. This Church Elders is presided by a “Mr. Matt Salbridge” who is a mysterious figure that hides in the shadows. The rest of the Elders are eight other men who at the time of the churches formation, have became very rich/powerful men.
The one thing I am proud of is the mysterious figurehead is not real. He is a fictitious person made up by a woman who is supposed to be Matt’s wife. The Players know her as Alison Salbridge, though they do have a dossier which does say her name is M. Alison Salbridge (M standing for Mattye, see what I did there?). She and the Elders made a pact with a demon to gain their powers and windfalls. Alison then made up “Matt Salbridge” to throw any suspicion off her, you know that old chestnut. I originally was thinking I would make Alison a black magic wielding bad guy. It would serve her purpose for the most part. I then had an epiphany reading through the Deadlands books again, I started to think of the Faustian nature of being the big bad guy. I realized that Alison maybe be better served if she was the Demon that the rest of the Elders made the pact with. That as her “minions” (The Elders) get picked off one by one, by the players while they try and find the Elder’s President. She at first would subtly offer them things and as they discover her secret, have her down right offer the players similar deals of power in exchange for their souls. I can see one of three things happening.
1. The players reject her offer and the fight ensues. 2. Some of the players accept, I take their sheets, and see what the other players do. 3. All the players accept, that would essentially be a game over scenario
My concern really comes from inexperience, I have been running games lot more frequently then I have in the past, thanks in large part to The Happy Jacks Podcast. So tempting players like this, Good Idea? Bad Idea? Any advice/critiques are appreciated.
Thank You in advance!
|
|
|
Post by weaselcreature on Apr 12, 2018 9:37:39 GMT -8
Go with your instinct! This all sounds great! Character temptations are always good, as it lets the player get into the characters head and mull things over on how they would respond.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 14, 2018 6:34:31 GMT -8
I agree that this sounds great apart from the taking their character sheets if they agree to what she offers. I'm not a fan of that from either GM or player perspective. Instead I'd draw out the consequences of making a deal with her. Firstly once a few people do make a deal (probably in secret) she just leaves and the town goes back to normal. Then they start getting requests, little things at first followed by bigger and bigger demands that corrupt them.
If they agree then they receive boons, followers or assistance etc. If they refuse there are penalties, losing bennies or sudden boots of fatigue etc that go away once they start doing what she says.
Long term I'd hope the players wild come clean about their deals and then try to redeem themselves somehow, closing the arc that started back with this initial story seed.
|
|
schmittism09
Initiate Douchebag
Posts: 5
Preferred Game Systems: Savage Worlds, D&D 5E, PBtA, and Cortex Plus (Marvel Heroic)
Currently Playing: Pathfinder
Currently Running: Savage Worlds Deadlands
Favorite Species of Monkey: Mojo Jojo
|
Post by schmittism09 on Apr 17, 2018 6:18:40 GMT -8
Didn't really think about long term impacts from this inevitable encounter. My original thought was if the players agreed to the Demon's deals, they would become the new evil NPC's. I like your idea a lot better! Thank you Whodo!
Also Thank you Weaselcreature. It is great to get reassurance on an idea that I can't really elaborate on or share with the people I normally bounce ideas off of, especially since they are all in my game!
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 18, 2018 4:46:21 GMT -8
You're welcome, let us know how it goes and whether any of the group succumb to temptation.
|
|
schmittism09
Initiate Douchebag
Posts: 5
Preferred Game Systems: Savage Worlds, D&D 5E, PBtA, and Cortex Plus (Marvel Heroic)
Currently Playing: Pathfinder
Currently Running: Savage Worlds Deadlands
Favorite Species of Monkey: Mojo Jojo
|
Post by schmittism09 on May 4, 2018 6:37:48 GMT -8
**Update**
First attempt on temptations just happened. The characters all had dreams of where they meet the mysterious figure head. When this man appeared, I had them all describe what he looked like to me so they all have a different impression on what this leader looks like. The nice thing in this whole situation is that I play on Discord with my players. So, I had them all on a channel just myself and a single player having these dream sequence. I have four players so I will sum up what happened. First player I had is a con artist/gambler named Harrison Bender. Think Mel Gibson in Maverick type guy. His dream was at a poker table and he won a huge pot, most money he had ever won in poker. A man walks from behind and sits at a table, Player described him as a 6-foot-tall man with ruggedly handsome features. As the man sits down he introduces himself as Matt Selbridge. He talks with Harrison that he doesn’t want to fight the pc’s, that he feels It would be better that if they would all work together. He offers a fortune as the pot of poker chips turn into a pile of ghost rocks and the room they were in vanishes to an open sky, the table and chairs both characters are sitting at remain still and unflinching as air whips past the gamblers ears. Selbridge promises him a great fortune and in return he wants Harrison to be his “ace in the hole”. The player agrees and shakes hand which when he does he feels his finger pricked and a drop of blood falls down landing on a parchment paper that is now on the table. Harrison wakes up in his room and looks at this finger and sees that it is very lightly bleeding.
The 2nd player character is named Evan Smoke, and he is a grizzled old man type character they use to work for the pony express. Picture Clint Eastwood in the Unforgiven, but with the neck scar from Hang’em High. He had a dream he was on a beautiful day and was delivering a package to a man at a gazebo in the middle of nowhere. Prior to this dream sequence Evan had accosted the demon who is disguised as the wife of Mr. Selbridge. So, when Evan sat down this Mr. Selbridge (described like the first man only shorter) , he wanted an apology for what Evan had done. Evan started making demanding questions and refused to apologize, so with a snap of Selbridge’s fingers, Evan was hanging from a tree. After a few extremely painful moments Evan was dropped to the ground and could choke out an apology. They talked and Selbridge answered some questions. Selbridge made a similar offer to Evan, only this was for his youth to be returned. Evan wanted time to think about it. Evan woke up and found that his neck scar (which he got from a being hanged in his youth) was red and burned painfully.
The 3rd player is an Australian big game hunter named Jaxon. Jaxon is in America because of he crossed a powerful gang (that he was member of) back home. In his dream he was back with the gang, they were camping out and everyone was having a great time. In this dream Mr. Selbridge was a cook and made Jaxon a BLT. As they talked Selbridge made similar offer of joining up with him. In return Selbridge would get rid of a problem he was having and with a snap of his fingers all the men in the camp started violently dying from poison like symptoms. Jaxon then asked what would happen if he refused. And with another snap of his fingers and in a blink of an eye everyone in the gang was alive and the leader was handed a letter. He read the letter and laughed and hooted. He got up and told everyone that they were all going to America to find a wayward lamb. Jaxon wanted time to think and when woke up, he had a BLT in his hand.
The last player is named Chingon, and he is a short-tempered monster-hunter from Mexico. Think Danny Trejo that is missing an eye. Chingon started hunting monsters when he lost his wife and eye to a monster back in Mexico. In this dream Chingon was back home with his wife, having the most perfect day. After lunch a man came over who was welcomed by his wife. This man was described as 6’1” Mexican man, the two went for a walk and the man introduced himself as Mr. Selbridge. This Selbridge made his case to Chingon on joining him. That in return he would return his eye and more importantly his wife. Chingon refused saying that it wouldn’t be his wife. Chingon being essentially the pseudo leader of this group was given more leeway then the others since typically whatever Chingon decides to do the other follow. So, Mr. Selbridge let Chingon refuse for now, and when Chingon woke up the place he was staying at was cleaned immaculately and had the faint smell of his wife.
So that is where I am so far. One Yes, Two Maybe’s, and One hard no. I think everything went good so far.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 4, 2018 8:45:28 GMT -8
That sounds amazing and a perfect balance of people accepting the offer and not. Have the characters had the opportunity to discuss their dreams with one another?
|
|
schmittism09
Initiate Douchebag
Posts: 5
Preferred Game Systems: Savage Worlds, D&D 5E, PBtA, and Cortex Plus (Marvel Heroic)
Currently Playing: Pathfinder
Currently Running: Savage Worlds Deadlands
Favorite Species of Monkey: Mojo Jojo
|
Post by schmittism09 on May 4, 2018 9:30:37 GMT -8
It was at the tail end of the session (We play weekly for about 2 to 2 1/2 hours online). I did give them some time to possible talk about their dreams, but no one really discussed anything, though it was funny when one of the players asked the other why he had a BLT in his hand. If the party brings it up the next session I'll put a small update on what they discussed or if they tell people about the deals made or didn't make to them.
|
|