Hello all,
in our last game, there's be an interesting development, ending in a Mexican standoff between the three player characters. This takes place after the events of Grave Peril. Here's the rundown:
-The Venatori Umbrorum acquire an artifact from the progenitor Black Court, which can serve as a powerful material link to all existing Black Courts. The Rukh (Black Court Elder) guarding it is killed in the process, and the Black Court is aware of who took it.
-My character is tasked with bringing a briefcase from Las Vegas to San Francisco. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the briefcase contains said artifact. My character takes a look at it, but cannot recognize what it is. The journey progresses smoothly, although a heightened military presence searching for contraband in the area is highly suspicious.
-The artifact arrives in San Francisco, and is brought to Alcatraz, a leyline nexus. The Venatori establish a base of operations there.
-The Black Court, in the meantime, starts raiding Venatori safehouses. A major safehouse is raided by someone with access to milspec equipment (flamethrowers, match-grade bullets). This is where our PCs come in. My character is friends with some Venatori, and with the assistance of the other two player characters, start investigating into the matter.
-We decide to investigate the artifact, and the only character we know who has access to a supernatural library is a Rukh, who we are on speaking terms with due to a prior adventure. The Rukh in question is Catherine the Great (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catherine_the_great), who has adapted remarkably well to the modern world, and has access to vast resources and contacts. She has a power akin to flesh mask, allowing her to pass as a good looking woman in her mid twenties. She dislikes my character, since he hit on her some time ago, not knowing who she was.
-She agrees to help us, on the condition that we tell what we know. Another PC readily agrees, and spills the beans. She tells us the artifact is cursed, but refuses to go into detail. She says the Black Court is out for blood, and will not rest until either the artifact is returned or all Venatori are dead. That point is non-negotiable. She has a phone call in another room, which one of the PCs listens in, finding out that the Rukh is the one responsible for attacking the Venatori. That PC does not tell this to the other characters. When she returns, she is hit by major thaumaturgical attack, causing her to vomit blood and shattering her human guise for a moment. She tells us to leave, which we do.
-Returning at a later point, she tells us that the Venatori Umbrorum are responsible for the attack, and with her help, we deduce that the attack is coming from Alcatraz. Running water will prevent her from going there personally, and we decide to investigate the matter.
-At nightfall, we arrive on Alcatraz with scuba gear, sneak past all the sentries, and infiltrate the base of operations, which is located in the old prison building. We watch a conference room where a team of commandos is given green light on an operation via teleconference. Recognizing the one leading the conference as an old friend, my character decides to reveal himself (and only himself), talking with him about their plans. He tells me of their plan to eradicate the Black Court, showing my character a map with the location of all remaining Black Court Vampires. He reveals what the artifact really is, and that they plan on invoking a magic ritual (similar to Changes) to accomplish it. The first step involved is the assassination of the Rukh in town, our acquaintance. The other characters listen in on the conversation via coms, and decide to warn and assist the Rukh. My character decides to stay and watch.
-The SpecOps team, with the assistance of thaumaturgy to weaken the Rukh, captures her minutes before the other two PCs arrive. They decide to give chase. Meanwhile, my character is told that the Rukh will be placed inside a known execution ground of the Black Court, a wide, deep well where their powers are suppressed and the sun will touch them (If you have read/seen "Interview with a Vampire", you'll know it). My character expresses serious doubts about 'deathtrap-style executions', and implores them to kill the vampire before tossing her down. He even offers to do it himself, and travels to the site via VTOL, arriving just in time with the other characters.
-The characters meet up at the execution site. One player has his assistant, an assassin NPC, hiding nearby with a high caliber weapon. My character calls for a ceasefire, and the three PCs step aside to discuss their motivations. Took us two hours in realtime, so I'll give you the condensed version below. At this point, the session ends, and we're scheduled to meet again next week.
-Meanwhile, the sun has risen.
TL;DR Description:
-Venatori Umbrorum acquire means of taking out Black Court.
-They abduct Black Court Elder in San Francisco, who is sometime ally of the group, and ship her to execution site (locked in her coffin).
-PCs notice this, and travel there. My character sides with Venatori, other two side with Black Court.
-Mexican standoff ensues.
Characters and motivations:
Former Summer Changeling, now the Summer Knight (for about three months). He was raised by a foster father loyal to the Winter Court, believing that his fairy parent sold him to winter. This made him a bitter and jaded individual who has come to rely primarily on himself. He served Winter as an assassin for many years, until one target turned out to be one of his childhood friends, who he decided to save instead. This introduced him to the Venatori Umbrorum, whom he worked for as a double agent, spying on Winter. During the events of the current campaign, he was framed for the murder of a senior warden and the former Summer Knight, but a Summer Fey made him the offer of taking up the mantle, which he accepted reluctantly.
Notable characteristics:
-Outwardly cold and pragmatic
-Does not leave enemies alive unless doing so is vastly more beneficial
-His two best friends are Venatori Umbrorum, and he wishes to protect them. One of them is a White Court Vampire, whom he has known since childhood, and she is the character's primary (though unrequited) love interest. Her rejection is due to her fear of harming him while feeding, but he does not know this.
-Considers the Rukh an enemy, and is unlikely to gain her as a trustworthy ally even if he lets her go.
A werewolf detective who spent the first decade of her life as part of a Native American wolf pack roaming the wilds, she has moved in with her father, a history teacher, and is adapting to city life. She has a strong sense of justice, and believes in doing the right thing.
Notable characteristics:
-Impulsive and Impetuos
-Player is only vaguely familiar with the Dresden Files
-Highly perceptive of her surroundings, although sometimes naive
-Generally warm and kind, although quick to anger when she perceives injustice
-Considers the Rukh a good friend, and unbeknownst to the other characters, she is romantically involved with her. She is her first love.
-Considers the Venatori as a bunch of trigger happy Knights Templar, and dislikes one of their members, a slightly incompetent and awkward Vampire hunter with magical talent.
A true mortal in his forties, he is a well connected and rich gentleman from Germany. He lost his parents during his youth, and was raised by wealthy relatives, upon whose support he build a smuggling empire. He deals in arms and all kinds of illegal goods, including magical supplies. Was introduced to the supernatural community by his wife, a Red Court Infected.
Notable characteristics:
-Quiet and observant, but really smart
-Player is genre savvy
-Thinks a preemptive strike will turn the cold war hot, and wants to prevent war entirely
-He fears the Venatori will cull the Red Court after they eradicate the Black Court, and that his wife may be targeted
-Neutral towards the Rukh, and would likely benefit from gaining her as ally
-Other player characters know virtually nothing about him
Here's the dilemma:
-Neither side is willing to shift from their point of view, both ingame and on a meta level.
-We are all good friends IRL, and have known each other for a long time. The outcome is unlikely to affect that, no matter how it goes.
-The discussion the characters held was RP'd without any rolls. Should it come to social combat, my character and the arms dealer are closely matched, with him holding a slight edge. The werewolf is about 1-2 ranks lower on social skills.
-Both sides have announced that they're perfectly willing to engage in physical violence. My character holds the edge in a physical conflict, although the werewolf is closely matched.
-Letting the Black Court Elder live is immensely detrimental to my character, and completely out of character for him. My character has stated his reasons for killing her, and unless the coffin is soundproof, she now knows that he considers her an enemy. On the other hand, killing the Black Court Elder will shatter intra-party harmony, leading to PvP.
-Intra party harmony is pretty damaged anyway, with the werewolf stating that she no longer trusts my character, and the arms dealer proclaiming that he'd rather side with the Black Court to eradicate the Venatori if that will prevent war.
So, how should we go about this? I have considered conceding to uphold intra party harmony, but all possible concessions seem incredibly lame, and would mean a major arsepull. Going through with what I had in mind (opening the coffin and exposing the Vampire to sunlight) would lead to physical conflict, possibly resulting in one or two dead player characters. Tbh, them siding with the Black Court was a WTF moment for me at the table.
If you need more information, feel free to ask.
Well i am going off of that one thing that you said he did. But yes if it ends up that way you should get fate points. Also I still dont understand why the arms dealer thinks his wife will be targeted. She is only infected and as far as i can tell nobody could force her into something even if she is infected. as changes pointed out even if all reds die, the infected people are now human.
-Is Catherine a magic user? Perhaps the werewolf girl lets it slip that she's got some modest magical power, and You've Got a Bad Feeling About This... something that old and that strong is going to have one HELL of a death curse. Perhaps another faction purposely set up the Rukh as a booby trap, and is counting on her death to cripple the Venatori. Maybe not, but your sense is telling you something. I like this solution, because if there's a threat to the Venatori from killing the vampire, saving her makes sense for all 3 of your characters.
-How much does your character know about the frame job? Perhaps Catherine smirks and makes an offhand comment, which makes you realize she may know about who was actually behind it. If that's a strong enough motivator, maybe another option. Having her dangle any tantalizing information that's important enough for your character to take pause at hearing may be a good enough motivation to axe the execution, or at least delay it.
-Your queen compels you to save the Rukh; unbeknownst to you, there's a great deal of political intrigue going on, and while Summer isn't usually on great terms with the BCV, the Rukh dying would really screw with Summer's plans.
Cold Days spoiler:Remember, the idea of a Knight truly having free will was a HUGE revelation for Harry. Your character may assume he has to go along with what the mantle is urging him to do.
-Hell breaks loose, the site is under attack, and a traitor in the Venatori (maybe even the one the Werewolf girl hates) has sold them out to an outside faction; in the ensuing struggle to survive, the Rukh escapes. This will only work if your GM is fluid enough to rethink his story a bit.
The other consideration is asking your GM what major plans he has involving the NPC. If you're going to be railroaded and you want to work with him, let him at least tell you what bounds he needs you to fall under.