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Message: <blockquote data-quote="texastoast" data-source="post: 7060456" data-attributes="member: 6873909">A question occurred to me when I was reading through the thread about PCs' reasons for working together, alignment compatibility, and so on.  This may be a "you know your players better than we do" question, particularly since they're my family, but I wanted to throw it out there.When Strahd visited the party the first time and chatted with them menacingly for a little while, he told them that he's watching them to see if any of them have what it takes to replace him (or something to that effect).  My 10-year-old, playing a nominally NG ranger, said, "I'll do it! I want to do that!"  The other party members, his mom and older brother, basically shot him down.  It was unclear if they were acting in character trying to discourage him from something evil, or acting as their sometimes bossy selves telling him that he would mess up the game if he did that.  I didn't think on my feet quickly enough to sort that out, as it caught me by surprise and I was focused on executing the conversation from Strahd's end.  Since then, the 10-year-old has largely lost interest in D&D; it may be that he's just not interested in an abstract, imagination game like this, but I think if he could discover that he can have a degree of agency and power in the game that he lacks in real life as the youngest in the house, he might come around.  So I'm thinking about finding an opportunity to have a private session with him where Strahd pays him a visit, follows up on his "I want to do that," and suggests that he do some work on Strahd's behalf to prove his bona fides.  I'm thinking things like keeping tabs on Ireena to eventually put her in a position where Strahd can take her; helping in some way with the Wintersplinter ritual/attack/etc.; once they begin finding the fated relics, sneaking them away so Strahd can reclaim them;  and generally undermining the party's efforts to bring some happiness and security to the realm.On one hand, this may be too subtle an ask for a 10-year-old, and it may be too morally fraught for him to handle.  I don't want to actively sow discord between him and the rest of his family.  But on the other hand, it's just a game, and if I model by my reactions as dad and DM that the kid isn't doing anything wrong just because his character is doing bad things, it doesn't have to cause conflict among the players even if it leads to conflict among the characters.  And giving him a goal for his character to pursue, based on his own choices, may empower and enthuse the 10-year-old.  So what does anybody think?  Am I playing too much with fire going down this path, or are the stakes low enough and the situation manageable enough that it's worth it for the fun it could create?</blockquote>

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