Critique My Plot: Chaos in Chanos

[Crasical]

How many Dragonblooded does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Just two, but you need a pretty big lightbulb.


Anyway. I'm trying to transition from player to storyteller so that I can share Exalted with a group of my friends, and it's been slow going so far, considering that most of the PBP games I've been in crashed and burned pretty darn quick... oh well. Anyway, I've been doing my best to prepare, but the site I usually poke around at doesn't really seem to give a damn about any Exalted that isn't Infernals or says I should just wait for third edition, so I'm going to repost my plot idea here and see if I can't garner some criticism or commentary.


The players will be Dynasts dispatched to Chanos and put in direct opposition with a god who's set up shop there. The god is White-Feathered Raven, God of Cocaine, son of Burning Feather, Goddess of Intoxication. He's gathered a powerful gang of followers, mostly mortal thugs but a scattering of god-blooded and thaumaturges, and awakened heroic mortals, enlightened with celestial cocaine and trained in Orgiastic Fugitive style. Easily available drugs quickly addict the underclass of peasants and house Ragara slaves, who are easily strung along with promises of more cocaine and subtly encouraged by Raven's lieutenants to render praise unto him when they indulge. In this way he's accumulated a moderately sized cult, and has managed to keep these operations up because the local wyld hunt chapter is crippled and depleted, the Immaculate Order has little presence in Chanos, the governor is ineffectual and Prefect Ragara Nova cannot easily act without tipping his hand that he's actually hypercompetent. With most of the city either overtly or covertly in is pocket, he's managed to rebuff outside interference so far. However, the players, being from outside of the prefecture and supposedly above the temptations that Raven can offer, have been contacted and brought in to cleanse his influence from the city.


Basically I'm trying to sell the game as part Kung Fu Hustle (Evil martial arts crime gang), part crime drama, part Kamen Rider W ('street drugs' that give you superpowers). I'm going with Dragonblood because that's the PBP game I was in that lasted the longest and was most fun to play, and because I was warned off starting with solars, the 'classic' starting exalted.


So, can an essence 3-4 god provide a challenge for 2-3 dragonblooded investigators? What kind of interesting tricks can he throw at the players? Does something in the plot outline above not make sense? Let me know.

 

[The Dark Wizard]

How many Dragonblooded does it take to screw in a lightbulb? Just two, but you need a pretty big lightbulb.
Anyway. I'm trying to transition from player to storyteller so that I can share Exalted with a group of my friends, and it's been slow going so far, considering that most of the PBP games I've been in crashed and burned pretty darn quick... oh well. Anyway, I've been doing my best to prepare, but the site I usually poke around at doesn't really seem to give a damn about any Exalted that isn't Infernals or says I should just wait for third edition, so I'm going to repost my plot idea here and see if I can't garner some criticism or commentary.


The players will be Dynasts dispatched to Chanos and put in direct opposition with a god who's set up shop there. The god is White-Feathered Raven, God of Cocaine, son of Burning Feather, Goddess of Intoxication. He's gathered a powerful gang of followers, mostly mortal thugs but a scattering of god-blooded and thaumaturges, and awakened heroic mortals, enlightened with celestial cocaine and trained in Orgiastic Fugitive style. Easily available drugs quickly addict the underclass of peasants and house Ragara slaves, who are easily strung along with promises of more cocaine and subtly encouraged by Raven's lieutenants to render praise unto him when they indulge. In this way he's accumulated a moderately sized cult, and has managed to keep these operations up because the local wyld hunt chapter is crippled and depleted, the Immaculate Order has little presence in Chanos, the governor is ineffectual and Prefect Ragara Nova cannot easily act without tipping his hand that he's actually hypercompetent. With most of the city either overtly or covertly in is pocket, he's managed to rebuff outside interference so far. However, the players, being from outside of the prefecture and supposedly above the temptations that Raven can offer, have been contacted and brought in to cleanse his influence from the city.


Basically I'm trying to sell the game as part Kung Fu Hustle (Evil martial arts crime gang), part crime drama, part Kamen Rider W ('street drugs' that give you superpowers). I'm going with Dragonblood because that's the PBP game I was in that lasted the longest and was most fun to play, and because I was warned off starting with solars, the 'classic' starting exalted.


So, can an essence 3-4 god provide a challenge for 2-3 dragonblooded investigators? What kind of interesting tricks can he throw at the players? Does something in the plot outline above not make sense? Let me know.

Hey what an interesting plot!


I think it could easily work out. I think as the storyteller however you don't have to really gave him any essence since hes a plot device, he can be anything you want, including a challenge, heck you could say that he is the remains of a dark god trying to regain power if you wanted too.


I think over all though it is good for trying to introduce people that have never played Exalted before.


As for exploding PbP games I'm sorry to hear that, I hope we can provide a better gaming experience for you here on RPdom.com

 

[Crasical]

Well, thank you. I'm still struggling a little with the transition from more rules hard systems to Exalted's narrative system, so the 'Just wing it' advice with regards to enemy stats is a little disorienting, but I'll give it a shot. I'm glad you think the idea is interesting.

 

[The Dark Wizard]

Well, thank you. I'm still struggling a little with the transition from more rules hard systems to Exalted's narrative system, so the 'Just wing it' advice with regards to enemy stats is a little disorienting, but I'll give it a shot. I'm glad you think the idea is interesting.

No problem, do let us know what you end up going with!

 

[solyrflair]

You need to decide whether White Feather Raven is a plot device or an adversary.


Plot Device - you don't need to stat out the enemy, as he can get away where needed, and has enough adversaries to keep the players on their toes for a long time. Plus, he can have several plots that will criss-cross and spread the players focus out over several areas. And if the players capture him, he has the influences to get away easily or will have enough influence that the players won't want to go after him directly until they undercut his influence.


Adversary - a stated character that the players will fight on a regular basis. While he might be a mastermind, he still has his weaknesses, and can get caught at times. There will appear to be more deus ex machina when the GM intervenes to keep the story going if the players get lucky. Best to also have a second plot thread to continue on if the players do get lucky and kill off your adversary earlier than you intended.


Lex Luthor is closer to the adversary character. He is as powerful as his opponent, but always has a way to get out when needed, even if it means his plans get defeated at times.


Mars from Xena might be more of your plot device. He is someone more powerful than the characters can beat, but has enough things going on that the players are kept busy just trying to ruin his plots. At some point they may get powerful enough to defeat him as a group, but he won't stay defeated.


The adversary has to improve as faster or faster than the players, the plot device doesn't need to be statted out until you are ready for the "final confrontation". Of course, if done properly, there will be more than one, but you can never plan for player luck or a dedicated willpower spending.