Ideas for Gang Trouble based on the flaw “principled”.
I was wondering what kind of trouble folks have given when the Entanglement comes up “Gang Trouble” when gangs have the flaw principled.
I ask because the principled flaw means there is something they won’t do because it violates their principles. The Gang Trouble entanglement says that a gang gets in trouble because of one of their flaws. I’m having some trouble thinking of ways in which those two interact, specifically how does not being willing to do something cause your crew to get in a situation where you have to lose face, make an example of one of the, or sort the situation out themselves.
Right now my crew has two cohorts, a group of thugs and a lawyer’s ghost, both have the flaw principled and their restrictions are specifically that they protect students and will not misrepresent or lie for a client, respectfully. Any thoughts on how those might cause trouble?
Gut reaction w/o much idea of faction connections and such:
Thugs: Students owed money from a bad loan or deal they were stupid enough to take – Loan sharks came to collect and Thugs protected them. Now the Thugs (i.e. your crew) are responsible for the student’s Debt.
Lawyer: Wont represent a faction ally that expected help and now someone went to Ironhook when they didn’t expect it. Blame gets shifted to crew for not “keeping their lawyer friend under control”
Hope it helps.
The “something they won’t do” is “leave well enough alone.” Remember that Duskwall is filled with scoundrels and corruption — pretty much everybody is bought — and so if any of those people want something from your Principled cohorts, it could spell trouble.
both my examples basically stem from that ^^ so… yeah. Well said.
Bribery is a fact of life. What happens when a principled gang refused to “play by the rules of society”?
– So the bluecoats are throwing them in jail and charging bail and other fines that are more than the bribes to keep them happy would be.
– The Inkrakes are writing horrible lies, because they provided the Inspectors evidence that the Inkrakes were printing false stories
– The Lampblacks are after them, because they were witnesses to a crime and for some unknown reason told the Inspectors that they were witnesses, and described what happened, rather than saying “I didn’t see anything”
– The Inspectors love them, and constantly go to them. Everyone sees this, and wants nothing to do with them. Certainly doesn’t want to hire them to commit any crimes.
– Group ??? was friends with them, until there was an argument with rivals, where the principled group said “Well, actually…” and sided with the rivals, because the rivals were “in the right”
I mean, seriously, what sort of morally flawed person puts their “principles” before their friends and allies safety, wellbeing, and profit. How could you ever trust a group like that?
The one time it came up in a game I was running the “principled” element turned out to be Skovlander patriotism; they would not hurt, or cause to be hurt, those who strongly identified as Skovlander.
I would use the principled cohort as a plot hook. Word gets out that this gang can solve problems, so students with problems make tearful and impassioned pleas for help. Sometimes they get pinched while doing their “A-Team” and “Equalizer” and “Leverage” jobs and have to be rescued or bring the wrath of others down. And sometimes they try to involve the crew and pull in the bosses for particularly tough jobs (as a source of plot hooks for heists.)
“You can make so much money on this! Never mind that it will embarrass the Lamarack family and create an opening to get rid of a tenured professor who endlessly torments Skovland students…”
The lawyer’s ghost only matters if either your version of Doskvol allows ghost lawyers, or he regularly possesses lawyers–still involved in court somehow. If not, then it may be worth switching the principle to be that there were some families or witnesses he swore to protect as long as he is able, and if they are menaced or killed then he would do everything he could to protect or avenge them. And that pulls in the crew, or members of it, or maybe he uses the other cohort and THAT causes problems.
Classic lawyer problem is knowing your client will lie on the stand. You’re not lying but you know they’re lying and you have a duty to represent your client but you are prohibited from suborning perjury.
challenge their beliefs!!! i had a gang who was principaled and wouldn’t interact with devils. so if gang trouble rolled up I would say one of the claims was attacked by a ghost and the gang just abandoned ship because they wouldn’t interact with the devil.
I see claims as being the the table here. abandon some because the gang thinks its harmful to the local students. get assigned a client that requires a lie.
Just go with the idea that they won’t abandon their belief and see what kind of mayhem you can cause. a nice way to flesh out the world around your lair without directly involving the other usual villans of entanglement tables.
Thanks all, these ideas are great!
Ben Wright, we’re totally on the same page. The one idea I did have involved student debts and people coming to collect them.
Eric Mersmann, wow, that is rough. I terms of that dilemma turning into a problem for the whole crew, I imagine the ripple effects of refusing to work with a client, or of making your client look guilt (accidentally or intentionally) could both be major trouble.
If possible put the two principles in conflict, like situations where a student asks them to lie on her behalf.