bigdamnhero Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 In my new Champions game, one PC in her SID is a social activist with a dismally short attention span; she's dedicated, but easily distracted by the Next Big Cause. As a result, she winds up working for a different charity every week or so. So I gave her a DNPC: "Charity Of The Week" (8-; Incompetent; Useful Noncombat Position; Unaware of character's adventuring career; Group DNPC). I expected this would be a cornucopia of plot devices. But in practice I'm having a little difficulty coming up with decent ideas. It's not like your average supervilain is going to bother robbing the local Legal Aid office. ("What money?") I've already played the "Someone is killing/kidnapping homeless people for some nefarious scheme" card; and most of the other ideas I keep coming up with are essentially just variations on this theme. I'm looking for some different ideas. Suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boll Weevil Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Re: Feeling Charitable: Plot Hooks There is no money at the legal aid office but there is at the celebrity benefit gala. Everyone from Mayor McCheese to Bono will be there. It's hard to slip away when you are the chair speaker at a $1000 a plate dinner for Foxbat International. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Short Shot Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Re: Feeling Charitable: Plot Hooks Well, if it isn't sure a "Charity" but a "Cause": Battered Women- Battered woman is being persude by Evil Villian for having heard too much of the plot. Keep the girl alive, find proof, stop the evil scheme. Government in Exile(name your country)- Group YYY is trying to gain money/support to oust the evil dictator. The rightful ruler has become her confidant. Enjoy the assasination attempts, the Proof of Evil Doings hidden somewhere, black mail attempts, hidden treasures needed to fund the revolution/dictatorship. Society for the Protection of the Snipe! A disease is spreading throughout the population. Anaylis determines that it is a prototype virus with latent properties designed to cleans the earth all life. Track the virus vector to the lair to fight the aliens determined to change the earth's eco system to suit their own biology! Historical Preservation Society. Connections lead to a historical (spooky) property that is being purchased by an eccentric millionair. His stated plans are to level the building and surrounding area and make a resort. In reality, this place is a focus of magical energies and combined with dark sourcery, he will open a gate to Hades! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grimble Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Re: Feeling Charitable: Plot Hooks Throw Menagerie into the game. A eco-terrorist style supervillianess who can shape-change into any animal. There are any number of animal charities out there. She could show up at an animal testing lab protest with more than protesting on her mind. So many possibilities... Grimble Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boll Weevil Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Feeling kinda Thorny As I look to the sidebar for inspiration I can't help but think about Thorn. Thorn can attack a logging camp for "murdering" his woody brethren. The loggers could be operating just at or below the law themselves. She must side with the ethically-challenged loggers to fight the greater of two evils. That and i think Thorn is a cool, if underused, baddie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great Beyond Posted December 28, 2006 Report Share Posted December 28, 2006 Re: Feeling Charitable: Plot Hooks Well, if it isn't sure a "Charity" but a "Cause": Battered Women- Battered woman is being persude by Evil Villian for having heard too much of the plot. Keep the girl alive, find proof, stop the evil scheme. Or turn that on its ear: Battered woman gets doused in radiation/hit by lighting/zapped by the cosmic ray (or whatever) and now is looking for some super powerd payback on her (soon to be ex) spouse. Murder is still murder, regardless of how justified it might be - so they have to protect the scumbag while having to deal with the problem. Of course if she can't get to her spouse, perhaps she'll expand her desires of revenge on any abused woman. They'll have to stop her before something bad happens and/or she makes a mistake and deals out "justice" to an innocent person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robyn Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Re: Feeling Charitable: Plot Hooks It's hard to slip away when you are the chair speaker at a $1000 a plate dinner for Foxbat International. It's also hard to confront the villainess when she's the chair speaker - and leader of the charity group. Tough to simultaneously protect the DNPC while robbing them of their (most*) competent leader and causing a scandal. * or even only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebuchet Posted December 29, 2006 Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Re: Feeling Charitable: Plot Hooks In my new Champions game' date=' one PC in her SID is a social activist with a dismally short attention span; she's dedicated, but easily distracted by the Next Big Cause. As a result, she winds up working for a different charity every week or so. So I gave her a DNPC: "Charity Of The Week" (8-; Incompetent; Useful Noncombat Position; Unaware of character's adventuring career; Group DNPC).[/quote']I think you're handicapping yourself by having the PC change charities so often. It means you have to be constantly coming up with new organizations and new causes. Slow down the group DNPC from "... of the Week" to "Current..." and you'll give yourself a whole lot more flexibility in the long term. Change only as necessary. For ideas, look at things like homes for retired superheroes, medical research or other fund-raising (perhaps the charity wants her super-ID to be a spokesperson or do a telethon), another superhero (or a villain) working in the same office, an obnoxious boss or coworker, a possible workplace romance. Maybe a coworker finds out her secret but keeps it for his or her own purposes (is he or she friend or foe?). Maybe a coworker is being Hunted by a supervillain - why? DNPCs don't just have to be hostages; they really shine at creating social situations the hero can't solve solely with superpowers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigdamnhero Posted December 29, 2006 Author Report Share Posted December 29, 2006 Re: Feeling Charitable: Plot Hooks I think you're handicapping yourself by having the PC change charities so often. It means you have to be constantly coming up with new organizations and new causes. Slow down the group DNPC from "... of the Week" to "Current..." and you'll give yourself a whole lot more flexibility in the long term. Change only as necessary. Good point. The Cause of the Week angle was actually the player's idea, and really fits the character's personality. (The PC also has "Psych Lim: Flighty and Easily Distracted" and "Reputation: Flighty & Unreliable (in SID).") But you're right that the real frequency of change is "speed of plot." Great ideas folks - thanks, and keep `em coming! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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