is this a relationship? a reputation?

[ChrisG]

Paolo, one of the PCs in my current game, humiliated a senior sailor in a DoW over ownership of a mysterious sword. Both characters were drunk and neither had a dueling skill, Incites were scripted and the loser stormed off to sulk.

Can I award a hateful relationship with this sailor to reflect that he's out to get Paolo?

Paolo also helped another PC in a DoW against their captain (our third PC). The DoW skirted the edge of mutiny and the captain crushed them with Oratory. Should I give one or both a reputation among the crew as mutinous?

Paolo's player has a Belief about being bad luck, and being indebted to the captain for hiring him on as navigator despite it, and the player is clearly gunning for the Bad Luck trait. He also got stinking drunk while on the dangerous salvage mission, got the rest of the redshirts drunk, grabbed the mysterious sword, fell into a trance and stabbed an NPC.

Should I award a reputation for being bad luck, not quite right, etc? I read the section on reputations and see that they can be voted on during trait vote, but is that the only way to get them?

Ain't this game fun?

[stormsweeper]

I would decide it based on how you want it to play out in game. I have awarded both by "fiat" although I guess technically reps should be voted on like traits.

Do the players regularly circle up other crew members?

[ChrisG]

They haven't used Circles at all yet.

[johnstone]

Nominate the character for a reputation, put it to a vote. Increase of 1D per vote only. Not protesting a reputation awarded by "fiat" can be considered voting in favor of the motion.

Being a relationship means no Circles test - you can always just Say Yes and allow the character to be introduced into a scene.

[ChrisG]

Mr Gravedigger, are you saying wait until the end of the adventure and do the vote or right away?

[DaGreatJL]

You say the players in question were in Duels of Wits? Suggest the enimical relationship or reputation as part of the compromise.

[ChrisG]

That's a really interesting idea, DaGreatJL. I'll use that next time it comes up--and it probably will.

In this case, since both DoW are over and we continued play, it wouldn't make sense to go back on the compromise. Also, the drunken sailor "debate" was a blow-out. My NPC didn't even touch Paolo's BoA, so I got nothing!

[johnstone]

Oh, yeah, I just assumed end of the adventure. I guess you could do it in the moment, though -- and the compromise option is good, too. Or at the start of an adventure if you didn't do a vote last session... and you have plans...

The decision to go with a relationship or not should be based on whether you want the player to bring the NPC into scenes. Relationships are a way of marking NPC territory, not just as signals (flags) to the GM.

[ChrisG]

I was thinking it'd be a zazzy way to tell my newbie player "that dude has it OUT for you" and signal to the other players that how you fight a DoW has consequences.

Looking over the Relationship rules and this thread, I think I'll just have that NPC mess with Paolo. That ought to be enough.

[johnstone]

Yeah, you can always reserve a future conflict as a compromise: "this guy HATES you and is DEFINITELY gonna come back at you. You won this time, but it ain't over by a long shot!"

And then at some crucial point, like a fight, you say "roll Paolo's Perception to see if he notices that guy sneaking up with a knife..."

[ChrisG]

Funny you should mention that. One of Paolo's instincts is "if woken up in the middle of the night, my knife is out".

[johnstone]

Oh, well... I guess this bad dude is going to be sending someone else to ambush Paolo at night, isn't he...?

[ChrisG]

I can't tell you what my plan is, but you can bet that it's going to seriously fuck with 'em. :)

[Manicrack]

Funny you should mention that. One of Paolo's instincts is "if woken up in the middle of the night, my knife is out".

Now that is an instinct that can lead to some FATAL misunderstandings.

So unless your drunken sailor is an important npc, get him into Paolo's bedroom at night, then get him killed, then get Paolo into trouble for killing a fellow sailor.
That is at least what I would do.

Let us know how it turns out in the end.

-K

[ChrisG]

So especially if your drunken sailor is an important npc, get him into Paolo's bedroom at night, then get him killed, then get Paolo into trouble for killing a fellow sailor.

Fixed your post. :)

[Daniel H.]

You say the players in question were in Duels of Wits? Suggest the enimical relationship or reputation as part of the compromise.
I've had this done to a character I played. It works well.

[stormsweeper]

They're still only relevant if your player's are making Circles tests.

That said, you guys should totally be using Circles! Even on a ship. Basically use these obstacle mods:
- for station
- for disposition or knowledge
- for time (only if relevant!)