On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

[Cygnia]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Whatver you end up doing to the guy, don't forget about the aftermath.

 

A funeral service at which the PCs will probably be expected to stand up and talk about him. Plus grieving relatives - always great for making PCs feel ... uncomfortable. Possibly a muck-racking reporter who tries to stir thinsg up and make either the PCs or the departed look especially bad - even if (semi-)truthfully.

 

Oooh...it'd be bastardly if the muckraker is a alien sleeper agent then.

[Manic Typist]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Telling ya, kill him and then bring him back as a villain. They can see a body, just make sure they don't have time for them to TAKE the body.

 

If you let the PCs kill him though without a heads up who he is first though... that's a dick move.

[Matt Holck]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

NPCs is my world that have not been named

take x2 body from all lethal attacks

[薔薇語]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Option 4: The Hard Choice. They learn that CK is seriously injured and perhaps they could get there in time to save him… but they’re also desperately needed elsewhere. So they have to choose between saving their friend' date=' and saving hundreds of innocents.[/quote']

 

Only to reappaer LATER (late alien plot' date=' when they're losing ground) as a villain. Some master villain saved him and restored him... but either has mental control over him, or has twisted him against the PCs who have failed to save him.[/quote']

 

And owed rep.

 

I got him for you. Darn you Manic for getting here first!

 

This seems like the best time to start the second arc of your game. Set Up:

 

Cobalt Kid has been sent off to 'secure X front' by the PCs. They believe that it will be where some chaos will occur but don't expect any actual danger. I.e., send the kid to do something useful but not dangerous. Upon arrival, Mysterious Man (Mind Control / Mental Illusions) takes light control over Cobalt Kid. He makes him believe that he is actually fighting off a major alien invasion (M.I.). When Cobalt Kid calls in for back-up, the response he gets from the team is a sour "Don't wuss out!" (also M.I.). The battle rages on and no one comes to his aid. Surely enough he find that he is knocked down (but not out).

 

This is when the member of the team shows up as they heard reports that Cobalt Kid had disappeared and this area was in danger. Fearing that he was in dire straights, they come to rescue him. The PC(s) don't see him but all of a sudden are attacked by a new kind of foe. They are wearing some garbs (armor, clothing, whatnot) resembling the aliens but are distinctly anything but. In the insuring battle, the PC thinks he hears them referring to a "leader (who isn't alien)" and "Plot Device."

 

The Cobalt Kid, however, see something different. He sees the PC fighting the same alien forces he was just up against (M.I. the 'strange foes' for Aliens). He doesn't, however, see his partner put forth any effort to find/save him and watching him fly/teleport/whatnot away. During all of this, Mysterious Man steps on stage. He talks with Cobalt Kid and explains that he was just being used by the PCs. And now that he has failed them, he is worthless to them. "Watch as he flies away after cleaning up your mess." With just a little good wording and a touch of M.C., Mysterious Man convinces C.K. to swear an oath to him (M.M.) and a vow to avenge his treatment against the PCs. C.K.'s body is found but during an explosion is destroyed before it can be examined.

 

---

 

The PCs, upon hearing back from their team mate, learn of a whole new alien plot. The Players then get to start wrapping their minds around how "plot device" and "leader" tie in with the aliens. It will be one of those loose threads that will nag at them and keep them thinking that there is something more going on with the aliens than there already is. It will frustrate them to not be able to get any more information on it when they confront the aliens, too.

 

A year or so passes and Mysterious Man is ready to enact his plot. C.K., although not crucial, is central to his plans to keep the PCs busy. Colbalt Kid is absolutely convinced of his being disregarded, and due to M.M.'s tutelage is aware of the lies the PCs will say and the tricks the PCs will play upon him to try and make them look innocent. And in this time, Cobalt Kid has become Colbalt Man.

 

I don't know if this is quite what your looking for, but I hope it is at least helpful.

 

La Rose

[Balabanto]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Interesting idea, but there's a complication. I've already provided clues to the players revealing that one of the alien princes is the architect of the Kaldaren/Earth war, mainly as a way to remove his brothers and clear his way to the throne. (One of his brothers was already killed by a mind-controlled Grond during an alien "rescue attempt" attack on Stronghold, and the heroes know about the mind control on Grond.)

 

I could work Cobalt Kid into the plot as the Machiavellian prince's mind controlled lackey, but I'd prefer not to make him the mastermind of the plot. And the whole plot is complicated enough without adding time travel (which I try to avoid anyway).

 

That you don't have to worry about. Time Travel is only a problem if the heroes aren't fighting the villain in the now.

[rjcurrie]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Do the aliens have a reson to "send a message" to the Earth or the team, directly?

 

If so, perhaps they could ambush and capture Kid Cobalt, then broadcast his execution live to the team or the world. Ideally, it should take the heroes long enough to discover where the transmission is coming from to keep them from preventing it.

[Matt Holck]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

I did that once,

I had some NPC the Heroes had gone to killed

that didn't go over well

[Supreme Serpent]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

*raises hand*

 

Why take out the team's buddy who "is on the relatively short list of space-capable supers, and with his VPP he could assist a team of space-capable but non-orbital supers in getting to orbit and duking it out with the aliens"? Do you just not want them to be able to do so?

 

If it's emotional impact you want, surely there are some non-super NPCs that could serve as well? Innocent bystanders that the other super team couldn't save?

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

*raises hand*

 

Why take out the team's buddy who "is on the relatively short list of space-capable supers, and with his VPP he could assist a team of space-capable but non-orbital supers in getting to orbit and duking it out with the aliens"? Do you just not want them to be able to do so?

To clarify: the PC team has their own capability of getting to orbit, and a captured ship to go FTL and take the fight to the alien homeworld at some point. They don't need Cobalt Kid to help them get into the fray, though some NPC super teams could certainly use his assistance.

If it's emotional impact you want, surely there are some non-super NPCs that could serve as well? Innocent bystanders that the other super team couldn't save?

Since the thought was to put a familiar face to casualties of war, you're right, it doesn't have to be CK. I can use other NPCs. (For instance, either PRIMUS or UNTIL teams that the PCs have worked with would fit the bill as well, as would Response Force One and a few other hero teams.)

 

One of the reasons why I was looking at using CK is because of his youth and relative inexperience, combined with his highly-useful suite of powers. I could easily see government agencies (US DoD, PRIMUS, and UNTIL) by sheer necessity putting him in a situation he may not quite be ready for.

 

Regardless, I'm going to roleplay him making a side trip to chat with the PC heroes, while enroute to training with a Canadian hero team (COMET from Scott Bennie's COTN Outtakes thread) at UNTIL's request. Hopefully I'll leave the players with the impression that CK may be growing up a little too fast or perhaps biting off more than he can chew.

[matrix3]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

 

Regardless, I'm going to roleplay him making a side trip to chat with the PC heroes, while enroute to training with a Canadian hero team (COMET from Scott Bennie's COTN Outtakes thread) at UNTIL's request. Hopefully I'll leave the players with the impression that CK may be growing up a little too fast or perhaps biting off more than he can chew.

 

Whatever you decide, report back on how it goes!

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Oooh...it'd be bastardly if the muckraker is a alien sleeper agent then.

 

Hmmm. Maybe, for a short-middle range story arc. Trouble is that (1) it has been done before - a lot; and (2) it sort of gets into the notion of "...If they say not-so-nice things about us, they MUST be the enemy...".

 

For a longer-term story arc, an alternative is to have the muckraker be somebody who shamelessly chases the ratings but also has some (OK, one or two) genuine concerns and maybe even (well-hidden) redeeming features as well. Somebody who begins as a Major Pain In The A## for the PCs but, depending on how the PCs deal with him/her, "might" eventually become an Ally and/or an almost decent human being.

 

Hey, weirder stuff happens in the comics.

[pinecone]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Lastly' date=' what about the comic-book trope of "NOBODY could have possibly survived THAT!" (meaning that of course, he survived it)? I've used it a time or two, but always with the bad guys and only in cases where there's no body, making the character's demise very questionable. For a hero, I think the whole thing would be cheapened by making his death be a hoax or just a temporary thing.[/quote']

 

If you use this one, he should come back as a new super, probibly a vengance crazed bad guy (at least at first...)

[Jagged]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Let the players play the hero team that is going to be whacked

 

Late to the discussion (as always) but let me recommend this option.

 

It has several advantages:

 

1) It lets your players know how tough their opponents and how high the stakes without putting them at risk.

 

2) It invests the players in the NPCs. It can be very easy for players to view NPCs are simply plot devices (because in truth thats all they are) but if they walk in their shoes for a while, the characters become a bit more real.

 

3) It doesn't close off any options. You can still have them dead or rescued or mind controlled or whatever your plot requires.

 

4) And best of all it gives you maximum player fun for GM work You've had to do the work to plot out this event, might as well get your players involved! It can also be a nice change of pace for your players, particularly if it is going to be a tough campaign.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Let the player play the hero team that is going to be whacked

 

Late to the discussion (as always) but let me recommend this option.

 

It has several advantages:

 

1) It lets your players know how tough their opponents and how high the stakes without putting them at risk.

 

2) It invests the players in the NPCs. It can be very easy for players to view NPCs are simply plot devices (because in truth thats all they are) but if they walk in their shoes for a while, the characters become a bit more real.

 

3) It doesn't close off any options. You can still have them dead or rescued or mind controlled or whatever your plot requires.

 

4) And best of all it gives you maximum player fun for GM work You've had to do the work to plot out this event, might as well get your players involved! It can also be a nice change of pace for your players, particularly if it is going to be a tough campaign.

 

Good points, all. I had previously planned for the heroes to run UNTIL agents on the Gateway station when the aliens arrive in overwhelming numbers. But them running the NPC supers might actually work better. (The players aren't really agent-running types.) There are 5 players, and 5 members of COMET.

 

Yeah, this could work... Rep to both of you!

 

My main worry has been that few GM plans survive direct contact with the players. I know they will pull out all stops to ensure the survival of the NPCs they are playing. But the members of COMET aren't as powerful as the PCs, so the players will have to get *really* creative to save those NPCs. It could be a very interesting run.

 

I'll be sure to let all of you know what happens.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

The S-Squad experience a Psychic Flash Back of the Cobalt Kid's death at the hands of the invaders.

 

Make it dramatic, make it heroic, but most of all use to foreshadow coming events and even a clue as to what they face and how to defeat them/it?

 

 

IMOHO

 

 

QM

[Jagged]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

My main worry has been that few GM plans survive direct contact with the players. I know they will pull out all stops to ensure the survival of the NPCs they are playing. But the members of COMET aren't as powerful as the PCs, so the players will have to get *really* creative to save those NPCs. It could be a very interesting run.

 

Another plot device used in film and tv flashbacks that would also work here is to first present the player-controller NPCs with a tough situation that they might be able to over come. They fight and survive by the skin of their teeth only to be presented with alien reinforcements of twice the number toughness etc at which point you call CUT!

 

I'll be sure to let all of you know what happens.

 

Please do, I am curious

[Checkmate]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

In your original post, you stated the reason you wanted the death was to show how serious the threat was.

 

When I do alien invasions (or demonic invasions) I always have it have a huge impact on the game world. I use them to shake things up a bit. This is what I would do:

 

If you have a Premire Superteam, like the Champions (or Avengers/JLA) that are more powerful than the PC team. Before the invasion make sure the PC's know about them, maybe even have them meet. Don't make the more powerful team too likeable. Maybe make them arrogant, they're the "A" team you're just aspiring to be us, but let it known how powerful they are.

 

Have someone learn of the invasion and come back and warn earth (maybe a Silver Surfer like super no one's ever seen before coming to warn of impending danger, maybe CK was flying in space on got wind of it). Have the A-Team make a public announcement telling people not to panic, they'll handle it and keep our dinner warm we'll be back in a minute. The next thing anyone hears the Superman-type from the A-Team sends a fuzzy transmission back, his close are torn to shreds, black eye, lip bleeding, "They were too powerful **zzztkz***couldn't****zkdkzk***stop them, mobiliz***zzzkt*** one" looks over his shoulder, "too late ARRRGGHHH.." static.

 

This will show how powerful the threat is, and that brute force isn't going to win the day. It also leaves that option that maybe the aliens didn't kill the A-Team, but only captured them, or worse yet, brainwashed them so now they fight for the aliens.

 

I think killing off CK will make players uphappy. They've obviously taken a shine to the kid, and it's nice having someone look up to your hero team if you aren't the A-Team of the campaign world. If you really want to kill off CK, I would certainly do it off camera. I would have him call the team and have him say something to the effect that he's learned of a way to slow down the invaders. It won't stop them, but will give the people of Earth more time to mount a defense. End it with something upbeat "Hey, it's me. What's the worst that can happen?" with a forced smile, showing that he knows this won't end well. The PC's will undoubtedly want to try to go after him, so you'll need to make him already in space, and impress on the PC's that if they come with him, they won't be back in time to stop the aliens before they attack.

 

If you do it this way, CK went out a hero's hero that the PC's can respect The PC's did their job, and turned the boy into a man and that should take some of the sting off.

 

It also happened in space with no body and leaves room for a comeback

[Ian Mackinder]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

I think killing off CK will make players uphappy. They've obviously taken a shine to the kid' date=' and it's nice having someone look up to your hero team if you aren't the A-Team of the campaign world.[/quote']

 

Very true. Excellent point.

 

If you really want to kill off CK, I would certainly do it off camera. I would have him call the team and have him say something to the effect that he's learned of a way to slow down the invaders. It won't stop them, but will give the people of Earth more time to mount a defense. End it with something upbeat "Hey, it's me. What's the worst that can happen?" with a forced smile, showing that he knows this won't end well. The PC's will undoubtedly want to try to go after him, so you'll need to make him already in space, and impress on the PC's that if they come with him, they won't be back in time to stop the aliens before they attack.

 

If you do it this way, CK went out a hero's hero that the PC's can respect The PC's did their job, and turned the boy into a man and that should take some of the sting off.

 

It also happened in space with no body and leaves room for a comeback

 

Speaking solely for myself, I like this idea.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

I've spent the last few days writing up the various starships involved in the coming altercation, as well as typing in copies of the members of COMET (only slightly modified) for the players to use.

 

I still have to finish up one combat this Sunday (not related to the alien invasion) but immediately after that I'm running the Cobalt Kid / alien thing.

 

Current plan is for him to stop in Chicago and chat with S-Squad, then head off to Ottawa to train with COMET. Also some briefings from UNTIL to S-Squad about the alien fleet build-up (out around Neptune), all foreshadowing. Thus far, they haven't been seeing a lot of alien ships, but this will change.

 

I'll start the major alien attack with a two-pronged assault. First, the fleet will arrive to attack Gateway. During this, COMET and CK will be brought up to orbit, along with other hero groups. UNTIL is going to direct S-Squad to mount up in their ship but stay in reserve. (Don't know if they'll follow these "orders" but we'll see. Frankly, their ship isn't powerful enough to mix it up with gunships.)

 

Then, during this battle two pairs of heavy corvettes break away from the fleet and take up positions firing tactical nuclear missiles at cities near the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. (That should keep a whole slew of heroes busy.) If S-Squad is following UNTIL's orders, they'll be shooting missiles out of the sky while working their way up to orbit to take on one of the corvettes themselves.

 

COMET / CK will be tasked with attacking another corvette. At that point, I'll switch over to the players running COMET against squads of alien troopers. My guess is it will be a running battle through the ship to take the bridge, and should be fairly tough. If they lose, well, then I can go with a "Heroes Captured/Controlled" storyline in coming sessions. If not, as soon as it becomes likely the heroes will take the ship, the captain will set the self-destruct (on silent mode -- no countdown to tip them off too early). Haven't decided yet if the captain will stay with the ship or chicken out and hop in an escape pod.

 

After that, the players go back to running themselves. Assuming COMET / CK captured the bridge, that's when S-Squad gets a ship-to-ship video call from Cobalt Kid, gleeful about capturing an alien ship. One of the PCs (Synergy, luckily the one most likely to be running their ship's sensors and communications) has specified that he's been learning the alien language from POWs, so he can notice the screen in the background counting down with only seconds left. He can get off a shouted warning to CK, who will go off screen to warn the members of COMET... then BOOM.

 

And if COMET / CK were captured, S-Squad will instead see one of the corvettes turn tail and hop into hyperspace.

 

Either way, this should eat up the entire session, leaving a nice cliffhanger for a month from now.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

If you have a Premire Superteam' date=' like the Champions (or Avengers/JLA) that are more powerful than the PC team. Before the invasion make sure the PC's know about them, maybe even have them meet. Don't make the more powerful team too likeable. Maybe make them arrogant, they're the "A" team you're just aspiring to be us, but let it known how powerful they are.[/quote']

The PCs have pretty much become a premier superteam already; they're already an "A" team (but, like, without Mr. T).

I think killing off CK will make players uphappy. They've obviously taken a shine to the kid, and it's nice having someone look up to your hero team if you aren't the A-Team of the campaign world. If you really want to kill off CK, I would certainly do it off camera. I would have him call the team and have him say something to the effect that he's learned of a way to slow down the invaders. It won't stop them, but will give the people of Earth more time to mount a defense. End it with something upbeat "Hey, it's me. What's the worst that can happen?" with a forced smile, showing that he knows this won't end well. The PC's will undoubtedly want to try to go after him, so you'll need to make him already in space, and impress on the PC's that if they come with him, they won't be back in time to stop the aliens before they attack.

I do like this idea, but given how I've set things up already and what the heroes already know, I'm not sure how I'd make that happen. I think CK's actions alongside COMET, as well as his reaction to impending likely death, will play out his heroic side well enough. (I'm considering him cutting off the transmission to S-Squad, then the captured corvette veering off to get close enough for the self-destruct to take out the other corvette.)

[Zed-F]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Sounds like a good plan to me Bolo! And CK vanishes either way, so it sounds like you liked my idea.

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Well, if it goes the "Heroic Sacrifice" route, CK may or may not vanish.

 

I ran the numbers, and if he uses his VPP as one big Force Field, he could theoretically survive the explosion (albeit unconscious and right around 0 BODY). And if the PCs drop everything to search for him and do so creatively, they might find him in time to keep him from dying. (His LS is natural.) A lot depends upon the players' choices and their characters' actions and, lest we forget, the luck of the dice.

[Yansuf]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

Well, if it goes the "Heroic Sacrifice" route, CK may or may not vanish.

 

I ran the numbers, and if he uses his VPP as one big Force Field, he could theoretically survive the explosion (albeit unconscious and right around 0 BODY). And if the PCs drop everything to search for him and do so creatively, they might find him in time to keep him from dying. (His LS is natural.) A lot depends upon the players' choices and their characters' actions and, lest we forget, the luck of the dice.

 

The luck of the dice??!

You are the GM, make it come out however you want, but don't blame the dice!

[Checkmate]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

I would caution against letting the Players use COMET as PC's. It will completely take the mystery out of the aliens right from the beginning. As soon as the players fight the aliens, they'll know exactly what to expect and have a plan ready for when they jump back to their own characters. Now if that's not a real concern of yours, cool have fun

[BoloOfEarth]

Re: On the Willful Killing and Maiming of NPCs

 

The PCs have fought the aliens, both when they captured their current starship, and later during an alien attack on Stronghold. Don't worry, I still have a few surprises in store for them.