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  1. - Top - End - #1
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    EvilClericGuy

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    Aug 2011

    Default Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    I'm looking for some help in solving a thorny little problem as a player in a Chronicles of Darkness Changeling game. My character is seen as a hero figure for a small mining town in 1880's Colorado, having previously liberated the town from a number of abusive, greedy landowners. Having recently returned to the town after a couple of years absent, I find that there's a new bigshot in town who's been hard at work undermining all my own, and is nearly to the point of having acquired the town's assets for himself, and putting the townsfolk back into near-slavery. I am disinclined to allow this, but I need help figuring out how to deal with this bigshot; I strongly suspect that he is a vampire or other undead creature based on recently acquired intel, and I know for a fact that he has some number of Hunters (mortals who specialize in dealing with supernatural creatures) in his employ.

    Obstacles:
    - The vampire(?) and his gunmen. He has at least 2 dozen hired guns that I know of, and some unspecified number of those are Hunters.
    - Time. Ideally, I need this problem solved with very little prep time, about 3-4 hours of in-game time. I may be able to stretch this out to a day, but doing so will further complicate the situation as he will most likely be able to legalize passing ownership of the town to himself and his family within that time.
    - Collateral damage. I would prefer to limit the involvement of local townsfolk as much as possible since the goal here is to protect them from the tycoon.
    - Subterfuge. I would strongly prefer to deal with the problem in such a manner that does not prompt the police to start investigating manslaughter or murder.
    - Preparedness. I don't have much time, but the bigshot and his goons no doubt expect - and have expected - me to come after them in some way.

    Assets:
    - The town and it's residents. Given my history with the town, persuading the residents to go out of their way to help me should prove fairly trivial for anything low to moderate risk.
    - My (sadly reduced) party. I'm playing a Fairest Mirrorskin (and thus can change my face and form nearly at will). We have a player playing a Beast Hunterheart (rip and tear), and a Promethean NPC ally very personally loyal to me whose capabilities are largely unknown. Our group is reasonably experienced, with about 30-35 EXP past character creation, and my character is extremely accomplished at infiltration, so getting in to the tycoon's manor should not pose a significant obstacle (though getting out likely will...). Our third party member unfortunately perished in the previous session and so our party is down to bare-bones.

    Some strategies I've considered already:
    Arson - likely to cull the tycoon's numbers some, but unlikely to nail any of the targets I want and extremely likely to draw police attention unless I can manage to make it look like an accident
    Poison/Gas - same problems as above
    Assassination - as stated previously, I can probably get myself in, but am leery of my ability to take on a supernatural creature of unknown ability solo and make it look like an accident

    As you can see, the cards are pretty stacked against me, and while surrendering is a theoretical option, it's not one that would sit well with my character and brings hardship to the NPCs who've put their faith in me. So I need as much help as I can get for strategizing. I can provide a full list of my Contracts (mostly Crown and Jewels), Merits, et al if needed.

    TL;DR: Help me oust a probably-Vampire tycoon from an 1880's Colorado mining town with limited assets and extensive obstacles.

  2. - Top - End - #2
    Titan in the Playground
     
    Morty's Avatar

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    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    If it's a crossover game, getting vampire hunters involved might be an option, but probably too risky and likely to make a huge mess.
    My FFRP characters. Avatar by Ashen Lilies. Sigatars by Ashen Lilies, Gullara and Purple Eagle.
    Interested in the Nexus FFRP setting? See our Discord server.

  3. - Top - End - #3
    Eldritch Horror in the Playground Moderator
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    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    It seems like you're ruled out direct violent action because it could bring a police investigation, but are you more worried about the investigation itself or that you'll get caught? If the latter, how easily could you kill him and plant sufficiently convincing false evidence of someone/something else being responsible?

  4. - Top - End - #4
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    EvilClericGuy

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    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    Quote Originally Posted by Morty View Post
    If it's a crossover game, getting vampire hunters involved might be an option, but probably too risky and likely to make a huge mess.
    Also probably not realistically feasible given the size of the town (somewhere between 5k and 15k, by my understanding) and my time constraints.
    Quote Originally Posted by The Glyphstone View Post
    It seems like you're ruled out direct violent action because it could bring a police investigation, but are you more worried about the investigation itself or that you'll get caught? If the latter, how easily could you kill him and plant sufficiently convincing false evidence of someone/something else being responsible?
    I'm not at all worried about getting caught in the act; my character is sufficiently stealthy that there's almost no chance of being detected in or out, barring supernatural safeguards I can't contend with. My biggest issue with overt acts of violence is that if I can't deal with this circumspectly, the vampire's family is likely to draw notice. Pinning the killing on someone else may be an option, but I'm not sure there's a readily available scapegoat with sufficient means, motive, and opportunity.

  5. - Top - End - #5
    Halfling in the Playground
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    Oct 2020

    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    Quote Originally Posted by PrinceOfMadness View Post
    Also probably not realistically feasible given the size of the town (somewhere between 5k and 15k, by my understanding) and my time constraints.

    I'm not at all worried about getting caught in the act; my character is sufficiently stealthy that there's almost no chance of being detected in or out, barring supernatural safeguards I can't contend with. My biggest issue with overt acts of violence is that if I can't deal with this circumspectly, the vampire's family is likely to draw notice. Pinning the killing on someone else may be an option, but I'm not sure there's a readily available scapegoat with sufficient means, motive, and opportunity.
    I'd say step one would be to build yourself a scapegoat, but your time limit makes that difficult.

  6. - Top - End - #6
    Eldritch Horror in the Playground Moderator
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    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    Are vampire hunters not, themselves, a suitable scapegoat? Spend some of your prep time 'heading into town' disguised as a very, very obvious Hunter, then vamoose when no one is paying attention. If you're extra lucky, the vampire will hear about it and send some of his goons to try and take 'you' out pre-emptively, weakening the mansion's defenses to create an opening you slip through. Then kill him, leave enough faked evidence of the 'Hunter' responsible, and even if the vampire's Clan does take an interest, everything they find will point them towards a murderer who doesn't actually exist no matter how hard they look.
    Last edited by The Glyphstone; 2021-04-17 at 12:55 PM.

  7. - Top - End - #7
    Ettin in the Playground
     
    Eurus's Avatar

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    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    Quote Originally Posted by Gwynchan'rGwyll View Post
    I'd say step one would be to build yourself a scapegoat, but your time limit makes that difficult.
    Prometheans are pretty good at being scapegoats...
    Avatar by araveugnitsuga.

  8. - Top - End - #8
    Dwarf in the Playground
     
    EvilClericGuy

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    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    Quote Originally Posted by Eurus View Post
    Prometheans are pretty good at being scapegoats...
    Unfortunately, wasn't an option. Since the Promethean's 'brothers and sisters' hate my guts and I don't need to give them extra reasons to come after me
    Quote Originally Posted by The Glyphstone View Post
    Are vampire hunters not, themselves, a suitable scapegoat? Spend some of your prep time 'heading into town' disguised as a very, very obvious Hunter, then vamoose when no one is paying attention. If you're extra lucky, the vampire will hear about it and send some of his goons to try and take 'you' out pre-emptively, weakening the mansion's defenses to create an opening you slip through. Then kill him, leave enough faked evidence of the 'Hunter' responsible, and even if the vampire's Clan does take an interest, everything they find will point them towards a murderer who doesn't actually exist no matter how hard they look.
    This probably would have been a good idea, but we had our session the other night, and, well....

    My character outsmarted themselves. I had developed plans to get the vamp scared silly of another big name supernatural that I found was roaming the area - and had destroyed another town - one with an affinity for storms. I knew IC that my loyal Promethean also had some abilities relating to storms, and so asked her to whip up a small one. Unfortunately for me, my character knows very little about Prometheans, certainly not enough to have had any idea of the destruction that the ensuing Firestorm was going to wreak.

    I'll post more details if people want them, but otherwise it's a little late for solving my inquiry, since I now have to deal with the aftereffects of that storm. The good news is that the vampire and it's men are now (horribly) dealt with!

  9. - Top - End - #9
    Halfling in the Playground
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    Oct 2020

    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    You... you caused a Firestorm. To get rid of a vampire.


    ...

  10. - Top - End - #10
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BardGuy

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    Mar 2007
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    Australia

    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    Quote Originally Posted by PrinceOfMadness View Post
    - Collateral damage. I would prefer to limit the involvement of local townsfolk as much as possible since the goal here is to protect them from the tycoon.
    Kill a man's oppressor and he's free for a day...

    I know, too late for this one. But if you want to protect the town, maybe it's a thought
    I love playing in a party with a couple of power-gamers, it frees me up to be Elan!


  11. - Top - End - #11
    Ogre in the Playground
     
    Flumph

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    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    Start focusing on the law.

    1880's? frontier towns?
    I'd look at things like the Montana and Colorado Copper mine issues and how those town changed laws to compensate
    Also looking at the water rights will be key.

    workers strikes would an option.
    forcing cleanup bonds for post mine work that the BBEG can't afford right now.

    Find out where he is getting his money from (East Coast/bank?) and see if they be pushed. What to THEY fear?

    if he buying the town figure out what those who are selling are all about. Gov agents controlling the sale? Certain key landowner? figure out THEIR motivations and see if you can give them something that the money can't buy (freedom from the threats of force etc)...for example bring him up on charges in court about witness intimidation...figure out who can sue him causing a legal block and bring in the cav to back the court's authority.

    See if there is a trump card. If he is going to "buy the town" in such a way as to be able to influence it see if there is a way to undercut that. Maybe he'll need water rights (that instead you can control or organize the population to control) or he'll need a time of trade good (that you can buy a local monopoly on and strangle his ability to make $$)

    Is he a vampire? force him to show up in person (not through an agent) to sign documents at the courthouse at noon. Sue him if needed.

    Look into his past (research/his dreams) and bring out his fears/secrets and put them in the local newspaper. Make a scene. put him on the defensive anyway just to give you more freedom of movement and cover to act in other ways (if everyone hates him your action against him

    These may just slow him down...and that's fine. if you slow him down start breaking out other options. Newspapers. Mess with the dreams of his goons and and turn them against each other (unless blood bound should work...

  12. - Top - End - #12
    Ettin in the Playground
    Join Date
    Jun 2015

    Default Re: Changeling: The Lost 2e - This Town Ain't Big Enough for the Both of Us

    Quote Originally Posted by sktarq View Post
    Start focusing on the law.

    1880's? frontier towns?
    I'd look at things like the Montana and Colorado Copper mine issues and how those town changed laws to compensate
    Also looking at the water rights will be key.

    workers strikes would an option.
    forcing cleanup bonds for post mine work that the BBEG can't afford right now.

    Find out where he is getting his money from (East Coast/bank?) and see if they be pushed. What to THEY fear?

    if he buying the town figure out what those who are selling are all about. Gov agents controlling the sale? Certain key landowner? figure out THEIR motivations and see if you can give them something that the money can't buy (freedom from the threats of force etc)...for example bring him up on charges in court about witness intimidation...figure out who can sue him causing a legal block and bring in the cav to back the court's authority.

    See if there is a trump card. If he is going to "buy the town" in such a way as to be able to influence it see if there is a way to undercut that. Maybe he'll need water rights (that instead you can control or organize the population to control) or he'll need a time of trade good (that you can buy a local monopoly on and strangle his ability to make $$)

    Is he a vampire? force him to show up in person (not through an agent) to sign documents at the courthouse at noon. Sue him if needed.

    Look into his past (research/his dreams) and bring out his fears/secrets and put them in the local newspaper. Make a scene. put him on the defensive anyway just to give you more freedom of movement and cover to act in other ways (if everyone hates him your action against him

    These may just slow him down...and that's fine. if you slow him down start breaking out other options. Newspapers. Mess with the dreams of his goons and and turn them against each other (unless blood bound should work...
    Sadly the vampire was burned down by a firestorm so you would need to reanimate the vampire with blood first or something else like that.

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