My Player Betrayed Humanity. Now What?

[travellerne]

Re: My Player Betrayed Humanity. Now What?

 

...my players were fighting Empress Vhan' date=' of a Billion Dimensions...grants them 30 hours...to accept a bloodless transfer of power[/quote']

 

Okay, so she successfully rules a billion dimensions and offers a bloodless succession of power.

 

Where do I sign up and what's in it for me?

 

Now' date=' it has been well-and-truly nailed into the heads of everyone in the group that giving the Empress a foothold in our dimension would lead to the conquering of Earth and the Solar System. [/quote']

 

First, there is one thing you should never do: put something in your campaign that will change it in ways you can't live with. It sounds like this player wanted to take the campagin in ways you weren't ready for--I've seen campaigns destroyed by a single player this way (and the player wasn't even trying to be pernicious).

 

Second, I'd ask the player if he's enjoying the campaign and express that you sensed maybe he isn't.

 

Third, this actually sounds like an excellent chance for some good roleplaying if all your players can live with it.

 

TNE

[CrosshairCollie]

Re: My Player Betrayed Humanity. Now What?

 

First' date=' there is one thing you should [b']never[/b] do: put something in your campaign that will change it in ways you can't live with. It sounds like this player wanted to take the campagin in ways you weren't ready for--I've seen campaigns destroyed by a single player this way (and the player wasn't even trying to be pernicious).

 

I can definitely see this as being a "I can't believe any of my players/characters were insane enough to actually go along with it." I just wouldn't expect any of my players to accept such an offer, so I can definitely see where our beleaguered (sp?) GM might not anticipate such a result.

 

One amusing alternative might be to run the campaign ahead a couple of months to a year ... with V'han's tyranny firmly intact and the PCs as freedom fighters/resistance, except for the traitor. Play up the petty cruelty, the lack of human rights, etc etc ... then give the traitor a chance to go back in time and fix it.

[Gary]

Re: My Player Betrayed Humanity. Now What?

 

We're only hearing one side of the story at the moment. Would it be possible to get the friend to read this thread and get his comments?

[cutsleeve]

Re: My Player Betrayed Humanity. Now What?

 

What im wondering is why didnt any of the other superhero's pound his character into the dirt and drag him back in handcuffs for what he did.

 

Now if the law is incapable of taking action (like in the case of intergalactic juristiction)then im sure they could find some remote rock to drop him off on.

[AlHazred]

Re: My Player Betrayed Humanity. Now What?

 

I will concede that if all of that was true' date=' I'd be a candidate for commitment to a mental institution[/quote']

And what makes you think that you aren't?

 

I've seen plenty of sound, out-of-game ways to deal with this player. If you're asking for in-game ways to deal with the character, then I see a few possibilities. If you can somehow emphasize the connection between "these are the dire consequences" and "keep it up and you'll see consequences, not your character," then it's even more better.

 

1) You can have him brought up on trial in the same world courts that try world-class supervillains. There are great tips in the Champions and Champions Universe books on "Superheroes and the Law," and they all apply here. Think of it, it could be the OJ trial of your game: "Darkstar, I don't know how you're gaining such popular support, when we all know you're guilty!" "If acquitted, I swear I'll spend my life tracking down the real supervillain responsible..."

 

2) You could have the situation glossed over. When the other characters go to their government contacts, they're stonewalled or otherwise kept "out of the loop." Eventually, the whole thing blows over, but only after the traitor-character suffers negative publicity and a permanently-shot reputation; these are worth new Disadvantages for "free." Be extremely sinister and ominous about the whole thing. The idea your other players will get should be more along the lines of "maybe Istvatha Vhan has gained a foothold in the world's power structure already!" It doesn't have to be true; it could be that a Master Villain like Menton or Teleios is manipulating events for some other reason; but if you want to inject a little paranoia into your campaign, this could be a good way to do it.

 

3) The character is taken and executed publicly. The next session, someone who looks and acts almost exactly like the traitor-character shows up at HQ. Empasize subtle differences. It's obviously a plot, but whose? And was the clone just created recently, or has he been doing disruptive things before? What if the character the PCs have been teaming up with was the actual clone? This is a standard sort of soap opera/1970s Iron Age plot for a villain like Teleios or (for a switch) Dr. Destroyer. Long-time Spiderman readers will doubtless groan in unison for this one.

 

4) The character is taken and executed publicly. The next session, his ghost shows up: he feels such tremendous remorse/deeply hidden guilt/contrary willpower that he's come back from the dead. He's tied to the group (as a ghost is tied to the place or people who are most associated with him), and has to deal with a new set of powers and the chains of whatever passion tied him here. (I've played this, although the character in question wasn't executed; or, at least, not by the Law...)

 

5) The characters are on their way back to Earth, when the traitor-character dies: he's actually been a long-lasting illusion/enemy shapeshifter/mutated minion since the battle. Meanwhile, the real traitor-character wakes to find himself in the throne room of Istvatha Vhan. She's touched by his attempts to help her win, but irritated by his attacks on her soldiers/minions during the battle. She's decided (unilaterally) to give him another chance to help her. Using stolen devices she infuses him with the Power Cosmic, changing his powers not at all/somewhat/completely and turning him into a humanoid blob of darkness in which stars are visible. She sends him back as a new character to insinuate himself into the group, and consistently asks him for intelligence, sends him new agents to insinuate into Earth's governments, and so on. The idea behind this variant is to let him see just how nasty Vhan really is, by steadily forcing him to do things he is less and less comfortable with. Every player has things that they would be dead-set against, that they bring to their characters. Push his buttons until he cries 'Uncle!'

 

If any of these seem harsh, well, he brought it on himself. They're all opportunities for role-playing that some players would kill for.

[casualplayer]

Re: My Player Betrayed Humanity. Now What?

 

Do you run a Marvel, DC or Wildstorm world? Solutions come differently depending on this.

 

If you have a Marvelish world then most of the hero teams are capital V vigilantes with fevered egos anyway. They are expected to act unilaterally every so often and moodiness is a prerequisite. The second batch of Avengers was mostly criminals (Hawkeye, Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch) vouchsafed by Cap. You can commit a felony a day and still hang with the X-Men. You can conquer Manhattan and still be invited to tea at the Baxter Building. The Hulk was pardoned by Reagan. Known association with the Red Skull is not a stumbling block for success!

 

I could easily see this character founding your world's Thunderbolts (misfits and criminals seeking redemption) or changing his name, costume and motif and continuing with the team. Marvelworld encourages character impetuousness handwaved by the GM.

 

DC Country exalts its heroes but is merciless if they fail. All of the Big Guys are considered beyond reproach and have conspired together to maintain that perception, sometimes overtly and sometimes unconsciously. They don't accept new people or ideas easily and they prefer to clean their own house. Batman would update the Batcomputer to mark this character as a threat and a potential villain. Superman would give the character the chance to turn himself in, but insist that he is going to make good.

 

If you play in DC Country then the character has painted himself into a corner. His only real option is to exit in a blaze of glory. Have him confronted with the callous methods of V'Han and have an epiphany. He could either spend the rest of his life fighting to free all the worlds and dimensions that have been conquered before (written out of the game) or sacrifice himself to save the world, witnessed by many and unmistakably the final act of a hero.

 

Perfect Wildstorm allows the characters to drive the game and the GM just plays along. Continents are reshaped, oceans raised and lowered, governments overthrown and gods slain on a daily basis. Characters are unrestrained rockstars with fuzzy, situational ethics. It's Millarworld and you are just visiting. The Doctor is in and he wouldn't prescribe something without trying some (a lot) first. Jack Hawksmoor really does want to pave the world.

 

If this is your inspiration then the character's only crime was embarassing the rest of the team. They'll have a talk, a drink and a smoke and file it away for future reference. He can't really be contrite or held responsible for his actions because he is vitally important for saving the world next week, and the week after. There is no higher authority to answer to because they are the highest authority.

 

Comics don't help because every team has the misanthrope that should not be allowed to run free yet is the most popular character! When we try to simulate comics the brash loudmouthed character is just annoying. They hog too much screen time and the player gets upset when they don't get the accolades of their comic inspiration.

 

There have been a scad of excellent suggestions offered for dealing with this player and friend (and there were my suggestions too!) but I would deal with the person first and give the character the attention that a piece of paper warrants.

[KA.]

Re: My Player Betrayed Humanity. Now What?

 

Azimer the Mad,

I sent you a Private Message on this topic, because my suggestion would only work if none of your players knew about it.

Just now I realized, since you are fairly new to the boards, you may not have your setting set to alert you when PM's pop up.

So, just let me say: "You have a Private Message!"

 

To view it, just click on the "Private Messages" text near the upper right hand corner of the screen.

 

KA.