Johannes asked: > The adventure so far needs 2 groups/conspiracies of roman nobles, one with > a subgroup. [...] > Group Ia wants to sabotage the cooperation with group II. If the emissary > would die or at least get badly hurt in the fight, that would do it. The > pc-gladiator Tribunus does have a score to settle with the emissary, so > the plan is to smuggle Tribunus in as his own look alike give him a > sword, that looks more blunt then it actually is and have him > fight and kill the emissary. > > An expendable middleman will aproach Tribunus. > > Now Tribunus will want to have a way out.
Find a 'genuine fake Tribunus' and make plans for two switches, before and after the battle. The gladiator makes the kill, the slave becomes the fall guy. This could actually make the plot easier, since the real gladiator doesn't have to deceive the audience quite as long. Find a real or fake magistrate who will step in just after the fight and 'detain' the gladiator for 'questioning'. Variant, make plans for a breakout from a holding cell in the villa, holes in the wall plastered over, etc, and reassure the gladiator that they'll get him back into that specific cell. Arrange for a cooperative 'high value hostage' at the fight. The gladiator is supposed to grab him or her and to hold a knife at his or her throat. > If > the plan of Ia is to betray Tribunus, there will have to be an attempt to > kill him, before he talks. The 'genuine real Tribunus' seems to know about the plot, and he doesn't look worried about taking the blame. The magistrate isn't known for leniency towards gladiators and similar low-lifes. The breakout plan doesn't mention a locked door, and the PCs get an opportunity to see it from the other side early on. The supposed hostage matches the description of a rival gladiator/gladiatress. Poison the blade of the noble, and hope he gets at least one scratch in. Overdo that by stressing that the PC gladiator should allow the enemy first blood before the kill. Since it is no cinematic poison, there would be enough time to finish the fight. > If this is the case, i'd like some hints, that > this is going to happen and some idea for a emergency deus ex machina > intervention, should the players miss it. Drop hints that the some agentes in rebus are cracking down on illegal gladiator matches. (Maybe they are only legal if there is a public sacrifice to the Emperor. Or there is a new tax on games.) Let the PCs know that the agentes are in a villa nearby, so they can call them in. Perhaps only for a political price, so the rescue isn't free. The agentes would detain the gladiator, and there is a new adventure to spring him from that trap. Pirate ninjas from a third faction storm the party. Again there are a few early hints that another group is active. The weather is bad and getting worse over the course of the evening. Rain becomes storm, a creek becomes a river, and the foundations of the villa crumble. Chaos follows. > Then i need ideas how to involve the other pcs, who are all well known, > and with one exception also gladiators. Smuggling them in disguised as > servants, does not really sound like a good plan, because especially the > people there are bound to recognize them. Smuggling more moch doubles in, > does not seem to be helpfull. Upstairs/downstairs. Get the other PCs a job in the kitchen or the stables, as extra staff for the event. They can be involved in the planning and execution of the switch and escape plans. For extra fun, they'll have to dodge assignments that would take them upstairs. Are any of the PCs attractive? Can they avoid the 'promotion' to serving staff? Or the plan requires a diversion from outside, and the other PCs are that force. They'll have to get past the gate unseen, and dodge patrols on the grounds. Climb the roof, maybe, to drop in to the party. Regards, Onno _______________________________________________ GurpsNet-L mailing list <[email protected]> http://mail.sjgames.com/mailman/listinfo/gurpsnet-l
