{"id":1777,"date":"2013-07-08T05:00:37","date_gmt":"2013-07-08T12:00:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/?p=1777"},"modified":"2013-07-06T07:48:39","modified_gmt":"2013-07-06T14:48:39","slug":"better-angels-story-seed-fall-comes-round-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/2013\/07\/better-angels-story-seed-fall-comes-round-again\/","title":{"rendered":"‘Better Angels’ Story Seed: Fall Comes \u2019Round Again"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Better-Angels-cover-v4-front-612px\"<\/a>Written by Greg Stolze, \u00a9 2013<\/em><\/p>\n

A sinister story seed lays the groundwork\u2014genesis, exodus, and a shocking revelation\u2014for an evening of fun and corruption in\u00a0Better Angels<\/a>. The GM should draw up stats for one or two crucial NPCs as needed based on the abilities and attitudes of the player characters. Put the Hellbinders and their Screwtapes into the mix and watch what happens.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Fall Comes \u2019Round Again<\/h1>\n

Topher Goldfarb is hosting an angel called the Arresting Light of Divine Contemplation, and it wants to switch sides.<\/p>\n

Genesis<\/h2>\n

Communicating the Arresting Light\u2019s goal to the PCs is not easy with Toph (as his friends call him) as its vessel, since Toph doesn\u2019t want to get involved with superhero and supervillain clashes. But the angel is willing to let him to use Master Dice for his biochem tests and radiate its unearthly beauty through him when he hits the dance floor, then withdraw them once he\u2019s gotten used to leaning on them. In other words, it\u2019s already kind of manipulative and sneaky.<\/p>\n

Exodus<\/h2>\n

When the Arresting Light finally gets a chance to speak with the demons, it can\u2019t come out and say \u201cHey, this Hell thing sounds great, want to set up a meeting for me or something?\u201d because Toph would freak and the Arresting Light still needs his help. But neither can it lie (because it can\u2019t<\/i>), so it has to speak in generalities and code phrases. \u201cPeace be upon you, we need not contend this day, for I come to speak of a small, but significant, reunification between our forces.\u201d That sounds really weird to demons, who\u2019ve spent thousands of years on the receiving end of inexorable punishment. \u201cI find myself in a more complicated position in regards to Heaven and Hell\u201d and \u201cI\u2019m considering my options\u201d are about as blunt as he can get, but oblique references to common acquaintances on both sides of the War On Heaven can (with some Devious Honesty<\/i> successes on his part and\/or Insightful Honesty<\/i> from the Hellbinders) get the message from angels to demons without Toph cluing in. He\u2019s going to be confused, maybe a little suspicious, but he doesn\u2019t get it unless the PCs come right out and ask. If that\u2019s the case, he sends the Arresting Light away and tries to flee. (Without his angel helping him. Yeah, that\u2019s a well-thought-out plan.)<\/p>\n

\n

\u201cSo, Um\u2026 Why Do You Want to Betray God?\u201d<\/h3>\n

That\u2019s a reasonable question and one you can expect from your players. Turn it back on them. Ask each in time to answer, in character as a Screwtape, why\u00a0they<\/i><\/strong>\u00a0turned their back on Heaven and rebelled. Their answers may inspire something an answer that sounds good for the Arresting Light.<\/p>\n

Alternately, you may have your own issues to work out, for your particular tweak of the setting, and that can lead to an answer that pushes the PCs forward. However you do it, you want a response that provokes strong emotions, if possible. Positive or negative, either\u2019s going to spur better play than something bland.<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t think of something that really knocks your players for a loop, just have the Arresting Light sniffily reply \u201cMy reasons are my own\u201d and keep it mysterious. A mystery without clues that doesn\u2019t need to be solved for the plot to kick ass can be a lot more compelling than a half-assed rationale.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

There are three fairly obvious ways the Hellbinders can acquiesce to the Arresting Light\u2019s request.<\/p>\n

1) Let\u2019s Make a Deal.<\/b> Does a PC have the Cloven Hooves Aspect? Then the Arresting Light can, with Toph\u2019s acquiescence, sign away its essence to the demon. (Toph doesn\u2019t want to do this. He needs to be corrupted, persuaded, or tortured until he\u2019s broken.) The Arresting Light has to manifest its Halo and burn a signature into the contract instead of signing in blood, but once that\u2019s done, the clarity of his halo immediately turns blood red and Toph starts wailing as his manifested angel\u2019s Aspects change to Darkness Shrouded and Flame Wreathed. (Usually, angel hosts are immune to Cloven Hooves, but usually angels aren\u2019t trying to stab the Lord in the back.) Its name changes to the Welcoming Shadow of Wisdom Refused\u2014the letters on the contract writhe and change to reflect the new name and new nature.<\/p>\n

This is a hell of a \u2018get,\u2019 pardon the pun. The demon who makes the deal immediately gains a point in Devious but loses one in Nurture<\/i>. Good deal though, right?<\/p>\n

2) If You Build It, He Will Fall.<\/b> Any demon can use Devilish Creativity to paint a mandala (or construct an \u201cEthos Reversal Helmet\u201d) for three Generosity<\/i>, with two flaws. If used on a willing angel (and no, trickery and coercion can\u2019t make someone \u2018willing\u2019) it turns it into a demon. Used on a human, it swaps their Nurture<\/i> and Corruption<\/i> scores. More entertainingly, it inverts their personalities. A sociopathic man-slut turns into a sensitive and compassionate social-worker type. A peaceful yoga instructor turns into a racist rioter. A responsible police officer turns into a drunken, bitter shell.<\/p>\n

It won\u2019t work on unwilling angels, but can function on resisting humans with a successful Devious Corruption<\/i> roll. But against the resisting, its effects only last a number of hours equal to the total of Width+Height. (Used on a human volunteer? Oh, then the effects are permanent.)<\/p>\n

3) Job It Out.<\/b> Demons who aren\u2019t goat-legged and who don\u2019t want to build the machine just need to find a demon who can<\/i> make Faustian pacts. Of course, that\u2019s who gets all the benefit from the contract, but if the Screwtapes are team players, it\u2019s all good. Devils make good team-mates, right? (If you decide they don\u2019t, then finding an appropriate demon and securing his compliance can be an adventure in its own right.)<\/p>\n

4) Something Else.<\/b> Players are crafty and might come up with something only slightly less ridiculous than the first three options. Go with it. Just look for ways to make it interesting or a pain in the ass.<\/p>\n

Revelation<\/h2>\n

If the PCs are a little uneasy with stripping one of the immortal defenders of reality in order to swell the ranks of evil chaos, they may well try to sabotage their own project. Does the angel smite them, or reconsider and thank them for saving it from a terrible decision?<\/p>\n

Alternately, if they go through with it, is the Welcoming Shadow a better supervillain then they are, or is it incompetent? (\u201cI have literally no experience<\/i> lying!\u201d) Does it betray and try to enslave them, because that\u2019s what evil dudes do? Or is it just possible that they\u2019ve invited a double agent<\/i> into the halls of Hell?<\/p>\n

Written by Greg Stolze, \u00a9 2013<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Written by Greg Stolze, \u00a9 2013 A sinister story seed lays the groundwork\u2014genesis, exodus, and a shocking revelation\u2014for an evening of fun<\/p>\n

Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1224,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[144],"tags":[11,246],"class_list":["post-1777","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-better-angels","tag-greg-stolze","tag-story-seed"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/BA-logo-V4-e1400274327643.jpg","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1wrNI-sF","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1777"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1829,"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1777\/revisions\/1829"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1224"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1777"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1777"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/arcdream.com\/home\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1777"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}