I could use some advice. My players have chosen the initial crew upgrades of hidden lair and crew quarters. Any suggestions on how to explain the manner that two factions are impacted by these choices pro and con? Especially since the lair is hidden?
Referring to this rule:
“When you assign your two upgrades, the GM will tell you about two factions that are impacted by your choices:
One faction helped you get an upgrade. They like you, and you get +1 status with them. At your option, spend 1 coin to repay their kindness, and take +2 status with them instead.
One faction was screwed over when you got an upgrade. They don’t like you, and you get -2 status with them. At your option, spend 1 coin to mollify them, and take -1 status with them instead.”
I’d first ask what they want it to look like. A close down theater house with dressing rooms still in tact? A underground barracks that used to be used by the Bluecoats? Etc. Also, what district are then in? An old watch tower?
Once you know that, my suggestion is to ask who got kicked out of it to make room for the players and who gave them the space. And then what new precautions were taken to make it hard to find. Perhaps there was only canal access and one of the canals was collapsed, but a secret one was found and the faction kicked out is still trying to find a way back in? Maybe there was a twisting array of rooftop bridges to reach a tower that change all the time and the faction that helped them out also controls those bridges?
Perhaps the hidden lair was given as a gift from a faction who they did some work for. Or perhaps the PCs used to be part of (or do regular work for) that faction and so as a reward for their hard work, when the PCs wanted to split off to set up their own gang, they were given it as a parting gift as a good faith sign.
For the crew quarters, maybe they scammed a faction out of it, won it in a gambling session, hijacked it or similar.
Thx for the quick response. The lair is an abandoned wing of a sanitarium in Crow’s Foot. Maybe another faction was using that wing for something else?
Wouldn’t the faction that assisted them know of the lair’s location even though it is “hidden?” Appreciate the responses.
Ooooo, sanitarium! That’s good. Who runs the sanitarium? No, who REALLY runs the sanitarium? +1 status with those guys.
I’ll take a stab.
In Lampblacks territory, there’s an old boathouse. The main floor gives access to a tunnel that they use for moving merchandise, but they don’t use it often. Above that is an attic/second floor only visible from the water, with a ladder leading up. They’re not using it, and Baszo gifts it to you, in exchange for letting him know if anyone is snooping around the tunnel.
The crew is excited to move in. Unfortunately, they were staying in Momma O’Leary’s boarding house, and when they moved out, they took all the pillows and mattresses and quilts with them. Davey O’Leary is a lieutenant with the Red Sashes, and what Momma doesn’t like, he doesn’t like.
Manuel Serpa, I’d throw that back on the players. So, the Crows (or whoever) gave you access to this Sanatorium, but even though they are friends now, who can be sure they will stay that way? What steps did you do to conceal access to the lair or change the way you have to get there?
A member of another crew was snooping around the sanitarium thinking of using it for a lair/warehouse. Your crew was doing the same thing and found and murdered that NPC. The ghost came back, and told his crew that you killed him, but can no longer remember where it happened.
Manuel Serpa Good point, though the hidden part doesn’t necessarily have to be hidden from everybody, just from most. If you wanted it more hidden, perhaps only the boss or a similarly high ranking member gifted it to them and they are trustworthy enough to remain the only one who knows where it is, providing the PCs stay on good terms with them (+/- the rest of their faction). Could be useful in the future for some complications.
Sean Nittner Excellent advice Sean. Thanks!
Another related question: Should the PCs start out knowing what factions own the claims on their crew claim map so they know who they will have to deal with when they expand or should that only be revealed when they make the claim? Thanks again!
Eh, I think it depends on how savvy they are. A bunch of underworld background folks who have been on the street all their life? They probably know who to pay off and who to avoid. A bunch of students just trying to pay their tuition by smuggling ghosts through the city? Probably have no clue.
Manuel Serpa About knowledge of claims: It depends. I let my players(!) read what’s written about the faction in the book and then we discuss what their characters(!) already know of this. Sometimes there is turf mentioned and the players decide to go for it, so they already know which faction they are up to.
There are other times where they say “ok, let’s find a fence we could work with so we get this upgrade. How do we find one and for which faction is he/she currently working for” which leads to an information gathering phase with action and/or fortune rolls depending of the risk/opportunity/obstable involved.
The iron rule is always and anytime: if it makes sense in the fiction, just do it accordingly.