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Message: <blockquote data-quote="JamesonCourage" data-source="post: 6193771" data-attributes="member: 6668292">I was singled out, so I'll do my best to contribute.Awesome!I'll keep this in mind.It sounds like you should use some NPCs to explore this. Legitimate NPCs of various stripes (corrupt, helpful, nice, needlessly mean, etc.) vs. illegitimate NPCs of various stripes.I'm not sure on the setting, but it sounds kinda science fiction-y. Maybe do something with cloning, or AI (or golems, etc., if more fantasy)? There's always a "what is a person" question there, and you might be able to work out a "what makes someone count?" or "what does it take to be legitimate?"Maybe have some NPCs show the good side of people being "legitimate" (documented, etc.). Maybe getting treatment to sick people (they're on record), or tracking down someone who's committed a crime very quickly, or whatever. Then place the PCs in a situation where there's a "bad guy" that's undocumented (should be easy for them to be on the side of documentation after this). Then maybe show the bad side of everyone being documented (big brother, overbearing government, etc.), and have someone that's undocumented help them out, or grudgingly work with them, or something. That'll probably make the whole thing a lot more grey rather than black and white.Hmm, this sounds like fun with the right group. Maybe see if the PCs are willing to sell someone (or a group) out in support of things being legitimate (or against it)... maybe by playing off of the debt that pemerton mentioned? Is it okay to sell people out if it helps maintain "order" and the government pays off part of your debt? Is it okay to take a bribe to hurt a small group of people but help Big Brother?Lots of scenarios here, especially for poor PCs. If you go with pemerton's debt thing, along with his "it costs money to do anything", then you can potentially lock the PCs out of a lot of stuff unless they're willing to break the law (over and over). Deny them travel and it's hard to get work; without work it's hard to pay bills; without money to pay the bills, it's hard to do a lot of stuff (pay off debts, bribe corrupt people, eat, whatever). Lots of room to push hard here, if you go this route.I think "oppress the guy with the power" is one of the more obvious answers here (whether it's by the government, populous, whatever). Maybe go for a "might makes right" theme; that guy that can read minds has his power legally recorded, and he can read your mind, play poker for money legally (and always know when to fold or raise), etc. Is this fair (I mean, if someone can read body queues a lot better than someone else, is that fair)? Should he be regulated, somehow, or is that discrimination?I'd let this sit for a while before exploring it. Or, I'd use it right at the start, and then wait before using it again. Maybe give the players (or one of them) a scene where they're confronted about something from their past (the last year, from the sound of it). Maybe have it reaffirm where that PC is starting out (if one PC has a gambling debt that he's run away from, abandoning his brother, let that scene play out); this may help reinforce the whole "the past is true" thing, and might have a connection to "you're stuck on this path because of your past." Maybe six months of game time later, show a scene of basically a month into the campaign, and where the PC was desperately trying to just get along or survive. See how this lines up: is the PC's fate already decided by this (very real and vivid) past? Or has he / can be break free of it? Maybe show him this second glimpse in a time when he really needs to make a decision.There's always a lot of "people have helped you out, and now need your help. Do you help them?" That's always a good one, especially if you tempt them away (group or government bribes them to back off, the PCs are threatened about something they care about, etc.).Or, NPCs have put their trust in the PCs. The PCs have a chance to get away with something, screwing over those NPCs. It'd make them bad people, but there's relatively few / no consequences. Do they do it?So many ways you could do this! Corrupt government, empathetic populous that are still mostly bad people, no-win situations, etc.Maybe explore if the PCs want to be heroes? Is it worth doing something heroic if you don't get recognition and for it costs you something? What if you really care about what it costs you (a friendship, your reputation, an arm, your life)?Is it worth trying to improve things if there are so many things already wrong with it? Is it worth trying to save things if the people aren't on your side (probably because of how beaten down they already are)? Is it worth trying to do the right thing if there are few rewards other than moral validation, and you have to hurt people -sometimes good people- to do it? Do the ends justify the means?I hope some of that helps. It's late, I'm tired, and I'm trying desperately to work on my phone while doing this (since my two friends have quite killed it while trying to help me "fix it"), so I'm also pretty distracted. Anything in particular you want feedback on? Quote me, and I'll be sure to respond when I have time.</blockquote>

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