Any ideas about how I would make something like an election campaign into a Front? My bard has made the surprising choice after our adventure where both the lords of the town were killed to enter into the campaign. I’ve already got the other antagonistic candidate and the Nobles are the ones that get a vote.
Any ideas about how I would make something like an election campaign into a Front?
Any ideas about how I would make something like an election campaign into a Front?
Sounds frickin AWESOME! What a fantastic situation!
Custom move, custom move, custom move…
When you stand for election in Dingledale, roll + CHA
When you murder the opposition standing for election, roll + 100’s of Coin Spent.
I’d be very similar (maybe even identical) to a regular Front. Just imagine what would happen if the PCs weren’t present? Who would win, and what problems would that cause for the town? How bad would those problems get? After you’ve decided that, write up some Grim Portents and you’re good.
Nathan Roberts doing the whole election in one move kinda defeats the purpose of playing that out in game doesn’t it? Then you do a flash forward to the result instead of having multiple situations to play out.
It depends on where the group thinks the fun will be; being involved in the election or dealing with the aftermath. Of course, it could be both. 😉
Well Tim Franzke It depends on how much time the group wants to play it surely? If it was wanted that it be more granular than a single roll then it would follow the normal flow of conversation / move / conversation.
I guess if its a front, as +Christopher Stone Bush says: then sure, write an impending doom being the opposition wins the election, and all the grim portents describing the steps they have taken to cement their position. That’s the way I would do it too.
If you want to skip it a loveletter with some custom moves attached works good. However there are a lot of opportunities for cool stuff to do. Defeat a plague that hunts the land, find a tresure and dump it into the city budget, make alliances with lots of nobles there.
(The only problem is that DW doesn’t do Social Intrigue very well)
Do you have a Wizard that can ritual you the election?
Well as its the Bard one of my PCs I think playing it out is probably a bit better then skipping it entirely. I have an idea as the antagonist is very shady and has gotten into his position through nasty means to have a kind of campaign battle with him. I was thinking like have each noble have a certain thing he wanted but it might just turn into a fetch quest. Kind of want to get the social intrigue and convincing each noble while the antagonist also tries to do it in there but don’t know what kind of dangers and moves to make for it.
Also on another point…what benefits should I give to them if they are going to be Lord of the town?
Check the landed gentry compendium class or the hardholder from apocalypse world (or the apocalypse world: dark age rules)
Yeah, the social intrigue begs for a custom move. Tough the Bard’s advanced moves are pretty sweet already.
Seek out your rival and make sure they have heard of your Reputation and make sure you are Devious with them. Find some incriminating evidence based on your ploy and finally Bamboozle or Con your rival.
Is this a democratic election? Or are the candidates appealing to the Powers That Be for favor an placement to the position? These are probably different plots!
Democratic, you’re making the people like you (which means providing for them or making them think the other guy can’t), watching out for vote rigging, making dramatic public speeches, shmoozing with all the guilds, and securing cash to back your position.
If you’re trying to get appointed by the local lord, you’re getting in close, making yourself valuable (the people be damned), doing favors, getting tight with critical guilds, and giving lots of gifts.
It’d be like a normal Front, with your threats being whatever stops them from being elected: The Other Guy, Big Social Movements, The Law (if you don’t have a claim and need to play the books to get yourself in the race), Some Assassins (if someone really hates you), The Plague (if that’s the biggest issue on the public’s mind and only curing it will win the race), and so on.
Also, I couldn’t resist making a move that screams “elect me because I’m an adventurer!”
When you improve a steading tag, hold 1-ballot in that steading.
At the end of the election road, roll+ballot. On a 10+, congrats you’re elected legally and everyone recognizes that! They don’t have to like it, but no one believes foul play. On a 7-9, choose one:
•In the eyes of your constituents, your election was rigged
•The other guy wins out over you
On a 6-, massive political fallout, on top of your loss.
That’s the way to do it!
Oo yeah thats an intereating move. Well since its kind of medieval fantasy I have it that the nobles elect the lord and the lord basically comes in until they die or they step down so I think it will probably be them going around the nobles trying to drum up votes. I have a few ideas now and im very interested in how this will play out.
I’d be interested in the possibility that the job is a poisoned chalice. Although the other candidates act like they’re really trying to win really they’ve been waiting for a mug to come along and get lumbered with the job. What’s the poison? Some big debt to repay? Some imminent disaster? Something nefarious that requires a scapegoat?
This way you avoid a situation where the character actually has to run a town which could be boring…
Seth Bullock Agreed about the boring part. Also, building on the nefarious nature, what if the Lord of this town has to report up to a higher authority, perhaps Mafia themed, and this town is often the object of bully tactics (incessant taxation or marauding). Now, as an adventurer, you have a mission and storyline to help the fiction, independent of an election. Who is pushing this agenda, why this town…front builds as you sniff out nobles, spies, and the election progresses independently of the adventure investigation. Alfred Rudzki really like your idea!
/sub
Ok I’ve made a few custome moves myself with inspiration from a lot of you especially Alfred Rudzki:
When you first meet the Head of a Noble House, Roll +CHA to make a good first impression. On a 10+ You charm with ease and they open up to you telling you what they want in a new Lord. On a 7-9 They are listening to you but you will have to do something more to learn about what they want. On a 6- You made what they consider a social faux-pa and they are offended and will not talk to you without strong convincing.
Use your charm and social grace so they open up to you. Roll +CHA On a 10+ They tell you what they want done if you want their vote. On a 7-9 Choose 1
They open up but your rival also overhears
They open up but they doubt you. You will have to give them something extra as well.
They only give you a few clues about what it is they might want.
On a 6- They feel much more comfortable with your rival and start chatting to them instead.
Use your Towering Presence and Intimidate skills. Roll +STR On a 10+ They are very much intimidated by you and meekly tell you what they want. On a 7-9 Choose 1
They tell you but run off to the other side scared
They don’t back down and challenge you to a duel for the answer
They tell you but the other Nobles see this and are disgusted by the barbarism -1 Forward on the party’s next dealing with a noble.
On a 6- They are completely frightened and run off to the other side scared
Use your ability to read body language and hear subtle speech cues. Roll +WIS On a 10+ You catch the body language and what they are saying perfectly you know what they want. On a 7-9 Choose 1
You get what they are saying but the Nobles find you lack caring -1 Forward on the party’s next dealing with a noble
Your only able to focus on a few tells and words. You only get a partial view on what they might want.
You get what they are saying but then they add another thing that you will have to do.
On a 6- They find that you are staring and thinking to much and you are completely rude. They find solace on the other side.
You search through their belongings to find out what they might want. Roll +DEX On a 10+ You find exactly what you were searching for and you are not seen. On a 7-9 Choose 1
You find what you want but the other side catches you and takes it off your hands
You find what you want but the owner catches you and demands some payment in return for this breach
You find what you want but quite a few of the Nobles have noticed -Forward on the party’s next dealing with a noble
It is election time and the Nobles start voting. Roll +Ballet On a 10+ You successfully become the Lord of the province and you gain the Landed Gentry Class. On a 7-9 Choose 2
You have to give something significant to your rival as well
The people found your tactics questionable the Province gains Unrest
You can’t give all the promises you made to the nobles You have -1 when you deal with them
The treasury is in a bad state only get half the tax when it comes time to collect taxes
A neighbour thinks this election has made the province weak and becomes more aggressive towards the province
One of the towns is in a contested area and you will have to give it up
On a 6- The other side got more votes and becomes Lord instead
What do you guys think? I’m unsure about the Intimidate 10+ since I feel if your intimidating you should get more then just what they want for the vote but then i’m reluctant to give them a ballet cause I don’t know it wouldn’t really fit in any fictional sense cause if they were intimidated they would definitely go to the other side.