politics for dummies

[Masked]

My group has always been a little trapped in a spiraling paradox.

They say they like politics in their adventures. However, they're not really great for initiating things. I have trouble just working the subtle hints (which they're not keen on noticing) in without some work on their part. But, it's not that they don't want to work on it, they just don't know where to start. I'll drop some big obvious anvils and they'll go "oh duh" and do the obvious. That's lame.

The paragraph above, in theme, shows the problem. It's just the same problems cycling in on each other. So ... how do I begin fixing it?

 

[fba827]

Hmm.. well, don't let the "well duh" get you down. More than lilkey that's just the knee-jerk response for something they didn't get right away

I don't have too much experience with this sort of thing because it hasn't been a problem.. (I seem to be on some strange wavelenegth with my players that they almost always get what I'm hinting at without me being overt and obvious, but, back to your question ....)

Do they deal with the same core of political figures each time? Or at least for a while? If so, how about a small paragraph on each of them that you can pass out. Note things such as Mrs. White is truely the power behind the thrown. It is a known fact that she is having an affair with the butler. Her husband, Col. Mustard, knows this and each knows the other knows, but niether admit it, they merely exchange jabs at one another.

Ms. Scarlet, the Col's sister, is planning a take over ...

I dunno. Obviously, the information can not be too detailed, just enough of "what everyone knows" or at least what the PCs know about the key players. Keep it brief (or else it won't get read). If you have PCs that are high level bards or have high Gather Info skills then maybe include a couple more details that those particular PCs were able to figure out...

My point, just help them understand the key NPCs a little. Thus, the players can, hopefully, follow any politics between these key persons a little better.

'Course, the fastest way to get this done is to make one of the PCs directly involved in the whole political game.. they learn by the sink or swim method that they better figure out what's going on, and fast, else their own minor estate/holding/whatever goes down the drain..

Mind you, the above are just rambles from a sleep-deprived person. Others may very well have better (and tested) ideas.

 

[Snoweel]

IMC, Knowledge skills are a great way of throwing hints at players.

Me: Make a roll for Knowledge(politics)

Player: 13

Me: You think that it's VERY suspicious that the Lord would make a decision in this case without first consulting Pharoah. Something definitely isn't right here...