Sins of the Flesh - a campaign conundrum (Help Needed)

[red_eagle123]

One of my players is having a birthday coming up real soon. Due to Real Life, he's been unable to play for awhile, and likely will continue to be unable to play for a while after his party. However, at his party, he has agreed to let me run a game of Champions, since he's missing the usual gang.

 

Now, I decided right quickly that the game at his party has to center around his character, but at the same time can't have any lingering campaign effects (at least till the player returns to full time action). Hence, a stand-alone.

 

I got inspired by an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation, specifically the episode 'Future Imperfect' (synopsis here: Future Imperfect).

 

To that end, I came up with a scenario where the character will wake up and find himself in some odd scenarios. What he won't realize at first is that each of these scenarios are designed as tests. Tests of what? Well, the character in question is a demon, Talcior, with a human alter ego of the Lawyer Victor Blair. Because he's a demon, certain factions are hesitant to believe his willingness or ability to be a 'hero' as he claims.

 

I've come up with three scenarios, with ways to blend them together. Each tests the character in different ways. The problem I'm having is the final tidbit for the second scenario. In this scenario Victor awakens to find himself as a member of a three judge panel, helping to preside over a court trial. Currently on the stand is a mentalist, who seems to be trying to affect Judge Victor. Order will be restored in the court, with the Head Judge making it clear that the mentalist was trying to influence the decision of the judges and therefore his testimony is dismissed from the case. The trial will continue onward.

 

Through testimony and other bits, the following will be revealed:

• Most of Victor's former teammates are on trial for murder
  
• The trial against the former teammates (The Protectors) is going exceedingly well, to the point that the Protectors are sure to lose and be executed
  
• The defense has decided to call a last minute surprise witness that is sure to exonerate the defendants
  
• This surprise witness is Talcior.
  

 

The test here is, will Victor give up his secret ID in order to save his friends? Obviously the point here is that the world doesn't know Talcior and Victor are one in the same. The player usually plays this up in the games (when he was actively playing).

 

The problem I'm having is coming up with a scenario where Victor's testimony somehow exonerates beyond a shadow of a doubt the Protectors. Ideally, it should be something that only Talcior can know or prove. In my mind I'm trying to set the situation up much like the recent 'Sacrifice' storyline in Superman, where Wonder Woman is seen by everyone killing Max Lord (Of course nobody saw what lead up to the murder).

 

Since Talcior and Victor don't necessarily share the same skills/talents, I would prefer for the last minute rescue come directly from Talcior himself, which further hamstrings me. Talcior is a basic pseudo-brick, a demon with wings, claws and life support. The only outstanding ability he has is that he can teleport to Hell and back (Extra Dimensional Travel).

 

I've been crunching on this for a few days now, and my brain is starting to get worn out. So I am asking, pleading even for some help. There are many skilled idea-makers out there, any advice on how to clear this up?

 

P.S. I realize there are other problems here, most notably that Victor will obviously try to keep his Secret ID, such as by excusing himself from the bench to use the restroom and while 'away' appear as Talcior. I have plans for heading such tactics off (I, as GM, will act as the senior most judge and will halt preceedings until all the judges are present, etc etc). I also realize that normally a judge with clear connections to the defendants would cause a mistrial, I'm ignoring that little bit. The purpose is to force the decision on the character: Save his Secret ID, or save his friends.

[Zeropoint]

Re: Sins of the Flesh - a campaign conundrum (Help Needed)

 

Teleport to Hell? That raises some possibilities. There might be someone there who can shed some light on the situation.

[Kevin Schultz]

Re: Sins of the Flesh - a campaign conundrum (Help Needed)

 

Thoughts -

1. Character, in demon form, was known to be at the scene of the crime, but has already been proven (somehow) not to have comitted the crime. Maybe he was imprisoned in a pentagram, and thus unable to affect events around him. The police found him at the scene, still imprisoned, with a bunch of dead people around him, seemingly killed by the defendents. As such, he's a material witness to whatever happened.
   
2. The character, in demon form, was first thought to be a suspect, but the prosecution has already proved beyond reasonable doubt that he was somewhere else at the time - in fact, their entire case depends on him being somewhere else. Maybe the defendends were with him at the time. (This one's kinda blah - I like #1 and 3, better).
   
3. His character is the one that's guilty - he did it, and his friends are covering for him to protect his secret ID.
   
4. EDIT - Variation of #1 - his demon-form character was the victim - his friends are on-trial for his own murder, and only his appearance will save them.
   
5. EDIT - variation of #2 - the defense was going to try to prove reasonable doubt by implicating his demon-from in the killing, but the prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt that he wasn't at the scene. By showing up and proving that he WAS at the scene, the defense can return to the "maybe the demon did it" defense. This is more of a realistic "Law and Order" style courtroom defense, though.

[red_eagle123]

Re: Sins of the Flesh - a campaign conundrum (Help Needed)

 

Thank you for the responses so far, I like them so far so I'm hoping it doesn't sound like I'm shooting ideas down, just wanting to point out (From my thinking) possible holes or flaws that the player will try to use to unravel the whole situation.

 

Teleport to Hell? That raises some possibilities. There might be someone there who can shed some light on the situation.

 

This was one of my lines of thoughts. Specifically the victim somehow wound up in hell and Talcior, the only being known to have the ability to travel there, is called to the stand to prove the person sent there wasn't the real victim, but a doppleganger or something. However that leads to two problems in my mind:

• Since Talcior's ability is simply opening a gate to hell, what's to prove that the person stepping through the portal is really the victim (Real or Doppleganger?).
  
• Given that this is a court case, if there were a way to prove the victim in Hell really was the victim, the use of his power would have to be something that could be done while Talcior is on the stand.
  

Still, as you said Zeropoint, it raises some possibilities.

 

Thoughts -

1. Character, in demon form, was known to be at the scene of the crime, but has already been proven (somehow) not to have comitted the crime. Maybe he was imprisoned in a pentagram, and thus unable to affect events around him. The police found him at the scene, still imprisoned, with a bunch of dead people around him, seemingly killed by the defendents. As such, he's a material witness to whatever happened.
   

 
An interesting suggestion. Definately has merits. However I would wonder why this witness wasn't available at the beginning of the trial and is thus a surprise witness. I suppose if it got worked a little bit that the presence of Talcior on the crime scene wasn't made public knowledge somehow and was only revealed at the last minute...
 

1. 
   The character, in demon form, was first thought to be a suspect, but the prosecution has already proved beyond reasonable doubt that he was somewhere else at the time - in fact, their entire case depends on him being somewhere else. Maybe the defendends were with him at the time. (This one's kinda blah - I like #1 and 3, better).
    
   This seems a little standard really (as you said, kinda blah). Still, it's obviously the easiest 'ending' to plug in, and likely to create the least headaches. I'll probably have to keep this one in mind as a backup.
    
   

1.  
   I'm hesitant to use this one since it adds another layer to the concept of the test being given. Not only is he now giving up his secret ID, he's now taking the noose around the necks of his friends and placing it around his own neck. While granted the player would willingly do that, I as GM am hesitant to force such a decision on the player (Seeing as it's his party and such).
    
   

1. EDIT - Variation of #1 - his demon-form character was the victim - his friends are on-trial for his own murder, and only his appearance will save them.
    
   This one had the biggest lightbulb moment for me. If, with the help of the other players (Who of course are in on all of htis) the identity of the victim is kept secret until maximum impact, something like this could be pulled off, and still achieve the same 'shock value' that I'm looking for. The identity of the victim would have to be kept secret simply because otherwise the player might spoil the whole scenario in five minutes by simply doing the correct action before prompted (Player - "What, Talcior's the victim, that can't be ... *transforms* I'm Talcior." GM - "Well, that was only 5 minutes... what do we do for the rest of the party?") Overall I like this idea though. It'll take some skillful dodging of the question of the Victim's ID to pull off though.
    
   

1. EDIT - variation of #2 - the defense was going to try to prove reasonable doubt by implicating his demon-from in the killing, but the prosecution has proven beyond reasonable doubt that he wasn't at the scene. By showing up and proving that he WAS at the scene, the defense can return to the "maybe the demon did it" defense. This is more of a realistic "Law and Order" style courtroom defense, though.

 

 

Not sure how I feel about this one. It doesn't set any GM bells alarming in my head, but at the same time I'm not coming up with any reasons why this scenario wouldn't work. So... I dunno, I guess I'm neutral on it. I like the more natural feel to it however...

 

 

Anyhow, those are my thoughts and such. I hope they're not too negative sounding, I appreciate the responses, really I do.

His character is the one that's guilty - he did it, and his friends are covering for him to protect his secret ID.