Fomenting Rebellion

[Daishain]

Currently working my way through a fascinating long term solo adventure. (campaign is PF core only, but I'm not really asking after edition specific stuff)

Without going into unnecessary details, I'm tasked with kicking out a rather despicable and quite large clan of former bandits who are the present despotic rulers of the only stable city in the region. Lots of oppression, and the clan makes heavy use of slaves, but because most of the rest of the world is in a state of utter chaos (relatively recent near apocalyptic event with ongoing environmental effects), no one is ready to do anything. Not because there isn't reason to, but because getting ground into the muck here is better than having to live outside the walls.

So it has turned into something of a Monte Cristo situation. I'll worm my way into their good graces and destroy them from within. At my disposal: decent to excellent scores in all three negotiation skills, profession engineering, the craft skills of a blacksmith, reasonably abundant funds, and level 12 sorcerer spellcasting in a low magic world where any character over L5 is exceedingly rare. Those last two I need to keep hidden however as they're likely to attract undue attention and I am ever so slightly outnumbered. Thank the gods for still and silent metamagic.

I can't pretend to be a noble under the circumstances as per the original Monte Cristo, but I am in the process of attempting to catch the eyes of the clan via offering better military technology. Both the local weaponsmiths and whoever is responsible for building the city's current fortifications are... not good at their jobs. Before anyone objects to arming the enemy, note that I intend to sabotage the weapons built right under their noses, and trick the bulk of the army into going outside of the walls I mean to design strong and high.

So, on to the actual point of the thread. I have some ideas on recruiting allies and weakening the opposition in ways that don't point back to me, but I am exceedingly interested in anything you fine folks can come up with. Note that the clan leadership is numerous and bureaucratic enough that trying to eliminate them all via quiet assassinations would be like playing whack-a-mole, need to limit such strategic deaths to where it can actually do some good. Also note that the character in question is already testing his usual ethics by acting in such an underhanded manner, any ideas that meet the approval of the lower planes won't meet his.

[Cruiser1]

level 12 sorcerer spellcasting in a low magic world where any character over L5 is exceedingly rare. Thank the gods for still and silent metamagic.
Your spell list would be important to know, since winning this campaign is more than just fight your way to a BBEG and mailman him into oblivion. :smallwink: It seems like being a puppetmaster and manipulating behind the scenes would be a good way to bring down the dictatorship in a way that doesn't hurt too many people. You could do a lot with spells like Charm Person, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, and Dominate Person.

[Daishain]

Your spell list would be important to know, since winning this campaign is more than just fight your way to a BBEG and mailman him into oblivion. :smallwink: It seems like being a puppetmaster and manipulating behind the scenes would be a good way to bring down the dictatorship in a way that doesn't hurt too many people. You could do a lot with spells like Charm Person, Detect Thoughts, Suggestion, and Dominate Person.
Unfortunately, his spells trend towards blasting, buffing and save or suck more than mental control. I built him as a lordly battlemaster, not a manipulator. I did work to keep him somewhat flexible outside that role, but there's only so much one can do.

In the category of more subtle picks are: Silent Image, invisibility, Suggestion, Confusion, Polymorph (can use it to emulate Alter Self), and Mass Suggestion

It being a low magic world also makes it difficult to obtain specific scrolls and the like to fill out the gaps, though not impossible. I can probably manage a Dominate or two via such means, but the usage needs to be very well chosen. I'd kill for a type IV Ring of Spell Knowledge right now, but its not core material.

[Gildedragon]

Arm the slaves. Quietly investigate discontent elements in the underclasses and work to cover them up.
Arm them with disguised weapons.
Work on items that can give a coordinated signal to everyone
Meanwhile work to replace the upper classes' weapons with cursed ones

[Daishain]

Meanwhile work to replace the upper classes' weapons with cursed ones
Particular suggestions here? That can get to be a huge waste of money if the effects aren't worthwhile. And on the other end some of the more spectacular curses would point a big honking arrow right back to me.

[Gildedragon]

Particular suggestions here? That can get to be a huge waste of money if the effects aren't worthwhile. And on the other end some of the more spectacular curses would point a big honking arrow right back to me.

Standard cursed swords, or -x weapons or -x to AC

[Daishain]

Standard cursed swords, or -x weapons or -x to AC
On review, this stuff is a nogo. PF core has such cursed items, but the rules to deliberately make them only appear in the Black Market splatbook.

I suppose I could deliberately fail the check to make the item, thereby cursing it, but then I have no control over the nature of the curse.

[Gildedragon]

Ask your DM about the rules for making deliberately cursed items

[nintendoh]

You are thinking about this the wrong way. You dont need allies per say, you need enemies of your enemies. Cut the food and water supplies. Make life harder inside the walls then out. Deliberately incite the guards to become cruel using social engineering but out of sight from the towns folk. Advise the leadership to establish a presence with routine patrols in and outside the city. When those are ambushed use that as an excuse to exhibit more cruelity and oppression. Eventually the town will revolt, potentially during an operation to gather more slaves from outlying districts. Thats when your strong walls and crappy weapons come into play. Be cruel to be kind and apove all be outta sight.

[Daishain]

You are thinking about this the wrong way. You dont need allies per say, you need enemies of your enemies. Cut the food and water supplies. Make life harder inside the walls then out. Deliberately incite the guards to become cruel using social engineering but out of sight from the towns folk. Advise the leadership to establish a presence with routine patrols in and outside the city. When those are ambushed use that as an excuse to exhibit more cruelity and oppression. Eventually the town will revolt, potentially during an operation to gather more slaves from outlying districts. Thats when your strong walls and crappy weapons come into play. Be cruel to be kind and apove all be outta sight.
I continue to consider much of that. But the line between pushing the public to rebel and deliberately causing suffering can be a fine one in a case like this. My guy isn't so naive as to think he can pull this off without crossing that line, but he will avoid as much of it as he can.

[Telonius]

I'd suggest giving some thought to the military. Having some inside men on your side when push comes to shove can help significantly. Junior officers, particularly, have a tendency to be ambitious and dissatisfied with their place in the pecking order. Find one (or several) of them with connections to the poorer section of town, and use that as an "in." Something innocuous like a drinking club can turn into the basics of a coup without too much of a push.

[Gildedragon]

Move funds away from the army, worsen their food rations (make them spoil too fast, prestidigitate a foul flavor on them)

[tomandtish]

I'd suggest giving some thought to the military. Having some inside men on your side when push comes to shove can help significantly. Junior officers, particularly, have a tendency to be ambitious and dissatisfied with their place in the pecking order. Find one (or several) of them with connections to the poorer section of town, and use that as an "in." Something innocuous like a drinking club can turn into the basics of a coup without too much of a push.

Very much this. There's always going to be some who are unhappy. Find what they need and aren't getting, and get it for them. Maybe they have sick families? Get them healing. Starving relatives? Get them food. Not making enough money? A little spending cash can go a long way.


In the category of more subtle picks are: Silent Image, invisibility, Suggestion, Confusion, Polymorph (can use it to emulate Alter Self), and Mass Suggestion


With these spells you can do a decent job of creating dissent on the inside. Between spells and disguises you ought to at least be able to make yourself look like an upper level leader and cause problems.