D&D 3E/3.5 Vigilante Story Ideas

[LordPhrofet]

In brief I am looking for vigilante story ideas. Specifically I am looking for ones that would allow for social infiltration (sneaking into parties, etc.) instead of more street style patrolling (.

Details:
I am running an urban campaign set in a very large metropolis. I had originally created the campaign with the idea that the players would be spies/thieves/assassins. Instead the players wanted to be a vigilante group. I still want the campaign to focus more on intrigue and social interaction. I am having issues coming up with vigilante ideas that are not just investigating at a street level so I am hoping people can help me with some more high class ideas.

Also if anyone has any comics, books, shows that you think would help with inspiration I would appreciate it as well. Looking for more condensed story arcs and intrigue than the netflix marvel shows or Arrowverse offer (I have watched them as well).

 

[Fenris-77]

I like Cults, Criminal Organizations, and faction struggles for urban play. Creeping Horror from Below also does the trick. I like Cults particularly because they hide 'inside' normal groups and there's a lot of potential uncertainty to finding out who's who. Very Batman. I prefer the onion approach, where you start with a smaller problem, say a Cult of the Black Goat operating out of docks is rumored to be sacrificing innocents. So its localized to one place and the stakes are relatively small. Once the party busts up the cult they find it reaches higher than they thought possible, perhaps even to the nobility. This up the stakes and lets the party start interacting with different groups, with greater possible complications (no one really believes them, and poking the nobility can be bad you health) - there's your sneaking into parties. Sometime during this second phase I'd probably introduce demonic beings creeping out of the sewers - the cult is starting to succeed with its summoning, but what are they after? This adds some tension and a race against the clock element. Can the party figure out who's behind the Cult before things go from bad to worse?

In a campaign like this I would create an interwoven set of clues and information that will propel the characters toward uncovering the truth. You need a bigger net and more tidbits than you might think because you want to avoid having to railroad the characters to one place or one clue. I'd probably keep anything more than a evening or two out pretty fuzzy so I'm not wasting too much prep. What you need is a solid goal for the cult that fits into the faction relationships in the city. If it makes sense in context, the players will be better able to put the pieces together without a undue amount of prompting, or worse, rolling to figure out clues. Don't get too fancy with the mystery aspect. Creating good NPCs with motives that makes sense also helps a lot. Motivation is the key.

 

[tommybahama]

Scarlet Pimpernel: A reign of political terror has set in over the city where aristocrats are being sent to the guillotine. Your party portrays a band of dandies that navigates the various factions to save the aristocrats from unjust execution.

Les Miserables: Inspector Javert suspects Monsieur Le Mayor is up to no good and offers a very handsome reward for his downfall. Indeed, the Mayor has a secret past, but is a thoroughly good man in contrast to the inspector who is harsh and cruel. Will they allow the good Mayor to be unjustly prosecuted in exchange for coin or will they bring down the inspector instead?

Kingdom Come:. The good but inept king was deposed by his chancellor who is now moving to eliminate the nobles loyal to the old king through intrigue and guile. He has brought in foreign mercenaries (cultists?) to help him secure power. Will the party side with the chancellor or the deposed king? They must use all their wits and wiles for their chosen faction to prevail.

 

[Eltab]

Does the group of PCs have a good reputation with The Authorities for being effective? If so...
Police Chief hires them as outside investigators because an ex-officer has really screwed up his personal anti-crime efforts, and the current cops are squashing the normal review process. Chief wants outsiders to find out what is really going on, what happened, who did what, &c. A chance to make friends (and/or enemies) in the local police precinct and in higher places.

 

[tommybahama]

Police Chief hires them as outside investigators because an ex-officer has really screwed up his personal anti-crime efforts, and the. . . Chief wants outsiders to find out what is really going on, what happened, who did what, &c. A chance to make friends (and/or enemies) in the local police precinct and in higher places.

Ha, ha. That's Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus!

 

[Eltab]

Ha, ha. That's Baldur's Gate: Descent into Avernus!

It's actually inspired by two IRL stories that I 'Ripped From The Headlines', plus a half-remembered episode from one of the Batman cartoons.

 

[LordPhrofet]

Thanks for all the replies!

To elaborate, they are trying to remain a "secret" vigilante group (so things are just happening and can't be traced back to anything or lead to a scapegoat) although they started off with some pre existing contacts in the city with a spread of nobles, common folk, university professors and constables that they can use to get information from or I can use to give hooks with.

Party composition:
Changeling rogue/rokugan ninja (sneak attack, quick change, physical skills focused)
Human Urban Druid (generalist, wild shape focused)
Human Factotum/Chamelelon (knowledge focused, damage focused, situational bandaid)
Silverbrow Human Bard (buff focused. social skills)
Elan Telepath (support, mind reading)

My big issue is connecting a "social infiltration" with their vigilante activities. If the were spies/thieves/assassins it would be simple as they are simply getting into the party to steal something or kill someone. With vigilantes I am not sure what motivation to do more social infiltration. The bard player had wanted to focus on the social infiltration aspect of the game which I had encouraged because I WANT that in my game but as stated I am having issues connecting that type of scenario to their vigilante style motivation.

Thank you again for the replies and any help. Also any general interesting vigilante style ideas I welcome as well. More ideas is always better.

 

[Fenris-77]

Social Infiltration isn't something the D&D rules give you good handles for, sadly. The motivation part can easily just be information. High ranking people can be very hard to get an interview with, so bypassing three secretaries and months of waiting could be a pretty good push. Social occasions can be wonderful opportunities for planting rumors and gathering information that might not be available through other means. Maybe the group needs to make contact with a high ranking person in order to warn them of impending doom, or to try and set up a Batman-Gordon kind of relationship. Social infiltration can also be a key part of other less legal plans. Maybe they need to try and steal something and they need access to the Duke's house - a party is a great way to do that.

If you combine some of the above the characters have lots of reasons to pick social infiltration from time to time as a tool in their tool box. If you want to give them some additional tools to use for this sort of thing, I'd recommend Here's To Crime by Jimmy Meritt, which is a short pdf that ports some mechanics from Blades in the Dark over to 5E, most notably the flashback mechanic. It shouldn't be too much work to port that over to 3.5 for use in your campaign.

 

[LordPhrofet]

Fenris: I am not too worried about the mechanical side of things. True 3.5 is not great at it but it is definitely doable. Although I will have to check out the pdf just to see if it have anything cool I can steal. Again my issue was more Plot based than mechanical.

 

[Eltab]

The vigilantes have become aware that the Corleone Family is providing protection to some common street thugs. Speaking with Mr. Corleone would make it easier to remove the thugs. This requires a social event, not raiding his home. To motivate him, bring evidence the thugs are doing something he considers 'dirty pool' and would be cause to end the arrangement. For instance, either supporting a drug habit by fencing the ill-gotten goods, or they have contacted an existing drug dealer network to set up their own turf.
References to The Godfather, of course.