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View Full Version : GM Dilemma - 7th Sea, but any advice helps



JoshQuixote
2015-02-28, 10:03 AM
My wife is running a 7th Sea game and has run into a serious problem: one of her characters has contracted the White Plague. One of those wonderful magic plagues with no cure and continent-spanning consequences, so therefore she can't afford to undermine it. She gave the PCs multiple opportunities to avoid it, though. She explains in detail here: http://sherdsofthemindseye.blogspot.com/2015/02/character-death.html?m=1
If anyone needs any clarification on 7th Sea stuff or the situation, I can provide. Normally I advise her on this stuff as I'm a GM myself, but I'm stumped.

Calen
2015-02-28, 10:30 AM
Maybe give the player(s) a (lengthy and expensive) way to circumvent the plague? For example they could get their consciousness transferred to a new body. (The ramifications of that are up to the GM but could be quite interesting) Or maybe there is a way to trap the plague in their body so that they are no longer contagious but must constantly be taking some type of medicine/treatment?

Maybe the best thing to do is keep those ideas in reserve. Start describing the symptoms of the plague or otherwise make it obvious that the players goofed and they now have the plague. Then see what they suggest for getting rid of it. If they talk about research or finding someone that knows what to do then you can introduce one of the above ideas.

Hope that helps.

theNater
2015-02-28, 10:41 AM
Reading the linked explanation, it seems like the players got one decision and two dice rolls as their opportunities to avoid. I'd be inclined to give them one more decision. Perhaps they can develop a treatment which is only effective if administered between exposure and the onset of symptoms, and which has some very nasty side effects. Then the messenger and/or the person to whom they sold the artifact begins showing symptoms. This is their hint that the player has been exposed; they can hit the player(or the whole party) with the treatment and come out of it alive, if not unscathed.

JoshQuixote
2015-02-28, 10:55 AM
I should add the the player is already 5 days or so into the plague and hallucinating. (The others left her behind for a bit to chase down the bad guy. ) I think it's still Stage 1 of 4, so she could still come out of it.

The body swap or "trapping" ideas are decent. Especially the second; the players just stole the notes of the rogue mad scientist spreading the plague. Maybe they can apply the research that way.

More ideas appreciated! Thanks so far!

meschlum
2015-02-28, 01:24 PM
It looks like the players were not aware / informed enough of the risks involved. Given that this was based on a plague themed campaign, this is a rather unfortunate set of circumstances... In all, having critical knowledge depend on dice rolls is usually a bad idea - witness this example. A classic approach is the 'three hints' rule, whereby there should have been more clues as to the risks involved. But now that things are where they stand, it's done.

I'd recommend talking it over OOC with the affected player and the rest of the party. The plague victim is certainly aware that something is wrong - would they (and the plot) be amenable to changing characters? If not, then a cure / respite with consequences is probaby the way to go.


There are a few factions with immunity to the White Plague, due to special reasons. The Sisters of Sophia (female only) and the Fey (non human), I believe. This could provide in game 'sources' for a cure, possibly via blood / life transplant. And consequences, of course.

One route could be to have the player be a carrier, driven by the hallucinations to spread the plague but not affected by it as quickly in terms of survival. It's not great as to player agency, but lets the GM do fun things with the hallucinations ("God orders you to hug everyone you meet and spit in the public wells"). Plus, more time to work on a cure (or try to figure out how to pass on only the 'harmless' strain that warps your mind but doesn't kill you).

Does the plague affect all living beings? Magical methods to change into an animal (or non mammal, or plant) might hold it at bay, buying time for a cure or imposing conditions to get it fully dealt with. Infusions of same could help keep it contained, possibly forcing the character to travel in order to find new types of animals to use as the plague adapts to horse / bear / snake blood. Of course, once they're on this path, it'll be even more lethal if it does break loose...

A Fate Witch could perhaps pass on the plague's consequences to other people - wih ever widening impact until it's truly contained, forcing the party to work on a very tight timetable if they want to avoid a disaster.