A rogue patron

[robject]

A rogue can be a rogue for many reasons. Therefore, there are many reasons a rogue might need player characters to help him with tasks -- in my default case, fetching a purchased ship and crewing it to where he can take possession of it (although that might be a rather sad premise).

He can be a thief - or accused as a thief. For that matter, he may have "bought" the ship with stolen or embezzled credits.
He can be a revolutionary on the losing side of a war. (Why would that matter to the players? He wouldn't purchase the ship in his own name if it jeopardized the sale.)
He can be a criminal (for example, a slaver). (But: see "thief" above). This ship could be his planned pleasure barge - in which case, perhaps he is looking for a crew? Probably not likely - he would crew it with trusted people. Hmm.
He could be simply low SOC or low caste in a highly structured world, looked down on by local civilization. Or interstellar civilization.

I suppose the ship could be part of a criminal deal. Filled with illegal goods or slaves in low berths.

Hmmmm.

 

[flykiller]

fetching a purchased ship and crewing it to where he can take possession of it

I'll bet it's not his ship at all. probably a former boss's ....

 

[Timerover51]

A rogue can be a rogue for many reasons. Therefore, there are many reasons a rogue might need player characters to help him with tasks -- in my default case, fetching a purchased ship and crewing it to where he can take possession of it (although that might be a rather sad premise).

He can be a thief - or accused as a thief. For that matter, he may have "bought" the ship with stolen or embezzled credits.
He can be a revolutionary on the losing side of a war. (Why would that matter to the players? He wouldn't purchase the ship in his own name if it jeopardized the sale.)
He can be a criminal (for example, a slaver). (But: see "thief" above). This ship could be his planned pleasure barge - in which case, perhaps he is looking for a crew? Probably not likely - he would crew it with trusted people. Hmm.
He could be simply low SOC or low caste in a highly structured world, looked down on by local civilization. Or interstellar civilization.

I suppose the ship could be part of a criminal deal. Filled with illegal goods or slaves in low berths.

Hmmmm.

Have you figured out what you might do if the player or players simply decide to turn him in?

 

[mike wightman]

Would the PCs know he's a rogue up front...

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Well...

Have you figured out what you might do if the player or players simply decide to turn him in?

Given his players, probably gave it a thought, but then moved to the more probable, will they gank it and hose the patron for that juicy win-win? Free ship and the Feds owe us. :devil:

But in case he didn't he can always go with the players get nice stuff to they accidentally (again) ticked off the local nob who was skeezing CrImps off the deal in secret.

Also, some of his players might not want to have any "Imperial Entanglements" given what I know of them.

And of course there is the old "We're gonna need you to stay on world for the next three years till the trial is over." bit, to the ever fun Admiralty Courts to see if they can even claim the ship as prize, salvage or recovery. :coffeesip:

:rant: Oh yes, plenty of adventures in red tape and police procedurals if they grow a conscience. But then if they did might have to take their Adventuring Guild Cards, I mean seriously who let's the cops handle things in games? Real life, all the time, adventures never. I mean if adventurers did stuff like that we wouldn't have cool two hour escapism films as Cracked.com has many times explained. Rule of Drama, baby! Rule of Drama. Cops and other good guy agencies can never do the job of the Adventurer, be it corruption or incompetence to outright indifference or disbelief, they can never help you. Ever, till that final bit of the last act.

As to your question Rob, I like loser revolutionary and low Soc in a High Soc environment. But the poor revolutionary has my vote, nothing like that ethical question to mess with players. :devil:

A losing revolutionary with a Scheme to rip off the enemies arms and the ship delivering it which they will then bring back for another attempt to throw off the yoke of the vile "Imperialist aggressors".

 

[Timerover51]

Given his players, probably gave it a thought, but then moved to the more probable, will they gank it and hose the patron for that juicy win-win? Free ship and the Feds owe us. :devil:

But in case he didn't he can always go with the players get nice stuff to they accidentally (again) ticked off the local nob who was skeezing CrImps off the deal in secret.

Also, some of his players might not want to have any "Imperial Entanglements" given what I know of them.

And of course there is the old "We're gonna need you to stay on world for the next three years till the trial is over." bit, to the ever fun Admiralty Courts to see if they can even claim the ship as prize, salvage or recovery. :coffeesip:

:rant: Oh yes, plenty of adventures in red tape and police procedurals if they grow a conscience. But then if they did might have to take their Adventuring Guild Cards, I mean seriously who let's the cops handle things in games? Real life, all the time, adventures never. I mean if adventurers did stuff like that we wouldn't have cool two hour escapism films as Cracked.com has many times explained. Rule of Drama, baby! Rule of Drama. Cops and other good guy agencies can never do the job of the Adventurer, be it corruption or incompetence to outright indifference or disbelief, they can never help you. Ever, till that final bit of the last act.

If for some bizarre reason, I ran such a scenario, and the players did not turn him in, bad things would start happening to them, very quickly. I am not a fan of criminal scenarios, which unfortunately do seem to be quite popular.

 

[aramis]

If for some bizarre reason, I ran such a scenario, and the players did not turn him in, bad things would start happening to them, very quickly. I am not a fan of criminal scenarios, which unfortunately do seem to be quite popular.

Most gamers don't do "moral high ground" approaches.
Most GM's don't try to enforce moral stances nearly as much as you, either.
It's interesting to note that the most commonly ignored rules in D&D are alignment...

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Bah, rooks!

Most gamers don't do "moral high ground" approaches.
Most GM's don't try to enforce moral stances nearly as much as you, either.
It's interesting to note that the most commonly ignored rules in D&D are alignment...

One, what Aramis said. Also, see above Rule of Drama.

And second, I totally follow the alignment rules, I mean those are the best parts in some ways. My Coo-Nuts Archmage is indeed a crazy old wizard, yet my young Lordling wizard is sadly turning out to be Lawful Stupid, because I knew he was good, but I wasn't sure which kind till me DM threw me an ethics question. And I am proud to say I chose correctly. Why do all my non-Paladins do so great when my actual Paladins keep getting in trouble? Anyway, alignment is serious in our group, but then we are some old schoolers.

Who would do whatever they thought would bring them the greatest score...while not bring in the Imperial Navy or Marines. Because players!

Which I totally approve of being a player myself now and again.

And again I say sympathetic rebel loser...with a plan.

 

[robject]

And again I say sympathetic rebel loser...with a plan.

Your "with a Scheme" twist is the key, I think. Thanks.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

No probs, man.

Your "with a Scheme" twist is the key, I think. Thanks.

S/he has to have Scheme. Schemes are the Rogue thing. Also, adds that extra level of plot twisty fun.

And you of course, My Patron, most welcome.

 

[Timerover51]

Most gamers don't do "moral high ground" approaches.
Most GM's don't try to enforce moral stances nearly as much as you, either.
It's interesting to note that the most commonly ignored rules in D&D are alignment...

That is what Divine Intervention Thunderbolts are for, even a couple of levels down in a dungeon.

 

[Magnus von Thornwood]

Gaudy!

That is what Divine Intervention Thunderbolts are for, even a couple of levels down in a dungeon.

I prefer the method of my fave mean DM, the joy to taking the first Crit. And of course other things like certain spells won't work or the cleric's god won't heal you (everyone else sure, you no joy) and other more subtle and even more painful ways of the gods showing their displeasure.

Thunderbolts are just too obvious and well, only for War and Storm gods. So, yeah that could totally work with Paladins and other Fighter types.

For Thieves (and damnit they were and are Thieves) and Rogues I favor the subtle and vicious ways. You know because trickster and dark gods tend that way.