Saturday Q&A (apr 20)

Bob in Ohio writes,

I planted a hook that the players took and not sure how to run it. Civil war in neighboring state populated largely by Wood Elves. Players are familiar with the fact that it's going on but have only been tangentially effected. Now representatives of both warring factions have contacted the party wanting their charismatic high elf battlemaster about negotiating the peace between them. Suggestions as to how to handle?

Answer: It's a good situation. I'd argue it's not the DM's problem. Have both sides back up a wagonload of gold, give the party to believe that there's a good, fair, decent reason for them to be supported and protected, and see if the party will refuse to pick a side and actually set themselves up as a third party arbiter. Make it quite clear that if the party takes a bribe from one side or the other, aka, wagon of gold, that war will happen and the party will be hunted down by the side whose bribe the party didn't take. Then hunt the party down if they go for it over the next hundred or so runnings, until the abused side is repaid in some meaningful way for the party agreeing to let the war happen.

Because, after all, you've set it up so that if the party doesn't support the arbitration, war will happen. And of course, though it's in no way fair, the party will be BLAMED for the war, because neither side will see the party as a friend. Just picture two Donald Trumps trying to buy the party, with one or both getting angry and vindictive if the party doesn't create a perfect solution.

I assume you have a clear idea of what the war's going to be about. The battlemaster player better have a good idea, or else there's going to be a war anyway. And when I say, "good idea," I mean Soloman offering to cut the baby in half, or something along the lines of Ooka, created by I.G. Edmonds, whom I loved as a child: https://literacyservices.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/Surprises_D_merged-50-521.pdf.

If I were the party, I'd run for the hills or trust myself to come up with something great; I'd harass you as DM to give me quite a lot of information about both sides, and the situation, and try to come up with a solution that would appease both Trumps. But running for the hills is a smarter plan for the party.

Andrea in Italy adds,

 

Great situation! And yes, Bob, your task is to the set the scene. Don't worry about how they will "solve" the situation but be aware they will surprise you one way or the other.Having had similar situations, gangwar between crime families, I concentrated on the families, their goals, their influence, their resources but also their internal strifes which the players can use when they learn of them. And boy they did.

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