Something I could jam off of for a city coup?

[Ry]

The next session I'm running will feature an attempted coup in a semi-autonomous port city. The PCs (2nd level) will see this from the perspective of trying to guard one of the noble families from low-grade assassins and then by taking roles in the nearby street battles.

Does anyone have a suggestion for something (maybe from Dungeon mag in the last 3 years?) that I could use to grab a few locations or ideas from?

 

[fusangite]

The next session I'm running will feature an attempted coup in a semi-autonomous port city. The PCs (2nd level) will see this from the perspective of trying to guard one of the noble families from low-grade assassins and then by taking roles in the nearby street battles.

Does anyone have a suggestion for something (maybe from Dungeon mag in the last 3 years?) that I could use to grab a few locations or ideas from?

No idea but I'd be happy to talk it through with you here on ENW. Who is attempting the coup?

 

[theredrobedwizard]

The Bullywug Gambit (Nov 2006 Dungeon Magazine) has some notes on repelling invaders from a noble's mansion as well as low-grade assassins in the city streets. Same with Tides of Dread (Feb 07 Dungeon Magazine) mainly in the repelling a large scale invasion of a port city.

-TRRW

 

[Ry]

No idea but I'd be happy to talk it through with you here on ENW. Who is attempting the coup?

A cartel of merchants with interests in the city; they've got a large criminal syndicate on side. The whole region (Naroon) is dotted with independent city-states that are loosely allied, the city (Plen) is traditionally ruled by a Prince who has to pass his legislation through a council of noble-born. Since the Aagen family, who the PCs are connected to, has been seeking (and would soon get) membership on the coucil, but the cartel spurns the council, the Aagen family is considered a minor enemy in the coup. Their big guns of course are going after the Prince and the most important noble families.

 

[fusangite]

A cartel of merchants with interests in the city; they've got a large criminal syndicate on side. The whole region (Naroon) is dotted with independent city-states that are loosely allied, the city (Plen) is traditionally ruled by a Prince who has to pass his legislation through a council of noble-born. Since the Aagen family, who the PCs are connected to, has been seeking (and would soon get) membership on the coucil, but the cartel spurns the council, the Aagen family is considered a minor enemy in the coup. Their big guns of course are going after the Prince and the most important noble families.

So, you have a merchant cartel and a criminal syndicate pulling off the coup.

It sounds like these guys are low-born, if they have nothing to do with the council, despite their considerable influence. This means that they either (a) want to become a new aristocracy or (b) they oppose aristocratic governance. If the former is true, they probably have alliances with aristocratic houses of other neighbouring city-states that may have pledged to recognize them as noble houses. If the latter is true, they probably have some sympathy on the part of other low-born contingents in the city, like some craft guilds, militias and outlying communal villages.

If the cartel constitutes an incipient aristocracy, they might try the following tactics:
(a) getting aristocrats of surrounding cities (or even disgruntled or deposed aristocrats from this one) to immediately recognize the coup leaders as the proper council
(b) capturing the daughters of existing noble houses and marrying them at sword-point to the cartel leaders during the coup
(c) getting the council, at sword-point, to admit them as new members comprising a majority of the body
(d) taking the children of local aristocrats as hostages to raise in foster-care and ultimately marry them to their own children or adopt their way into the aristocratic lineages
(e) seizing control of the city and then immediately requesting "aid" from the nobles of the surrounding areas [think Afghanistan in the 1970s]

If the cartel is a leveling organization, they might try the following tactics:
(a) stirring up uprisings in suburban villages in support of their takeover
(b) stirring up uprisings by craft guilds and unskilled labourers
(c) precipitating a "strike" by the craft guilds and then staging a coup allegedly because of the council's inability to put down the strike (which will voluntarily fold once the takeover happens) [think Chile in the 1970s]
(d) organizing local militias to respond to the "chaos" caused by the coup (but actually to impose martial law on the city)

The next line of inquiry to consider is obviously the nature of syndicate's criminal activities. A number of obvious rackets produce opportunities:
(a) piracy: on one hand, this gives the cartel its own navy. On the other, it means that other cities in the region are more likely to intervene against them.
(b) illicit goods: what is banned in your city? slaves? drugs? certain religious objects? Depending on what is banned, we can learn more about how syndicate might fit into the coup.
(c) protection: if the syndicate runs a protection racket, it probably means that they have militias in waiting, already partly in control of a number of neighbourhoods
(d) bad allies: maybe the problem with the syndicate isn't what it does but who it works for. Are there non-human members of this syndicate? Perhaps some amphibious or aquatic sorts like sahuagin, troglodytes, kuo toa, lizardmen, etc.

Anyway, those are some first thoughts. I'll stop now and wait for your next response.

 

[Ry]

It sounds like these guys are low-born, if they have nothing to do with the council, despite their considerable influence. This means that they either (a) want to become a new aristocracy. or (b) they oppose aristocratic governance.

Option A; I've trimmed the following accordingly.

They probably have alliances with aristocratic houses of other neighbouring city-states that may have pledged to recognize them as noble houses.

If the cartel constitutes an incipient aristocracy, they might try the following tactics:
(a) getting aristocrats of surrounding cities (or even disgruntled or deposed aristocrats from this one) to immediately recognize the coup leaders as the proper council
(b) capturing the daughters of existing noble houses and marrying them at sword-point to the cartel leaders during the coup
(c) getting the council, at sword-point, to admit them as new members comprising a majority of the body
(d) taking the children of local aristocrats as hostages to raise in foster-care and ultimately marry them to their own children or adopt their way into the aristocratic lineages
(e) seizing control of the city and then immediately requesting "aid" from the nobles of the surrounding areas [think Afghanistan in the 1970s]

The next line of inquiry to consider is obviously the nature of syndicate's criminal activities. A number of obvious rackets produce opportunities:
(a) piracy: on one hand, this gives the cartel its own navy. On the other, it means that other cities in the region are more likely to intervene against them.
(b) illicit goods: what is banned in your city? slaves? drugs? certain religious objects? Depending on what is banned, we can learn more about how syndicate might fit into the coup.
(c) protection: if the syndicate runs a protection racket, it probably means that they have militias in waiting, already partly in control of a number of neighbourhoods
(d) bad allies: maybe the problem with the syndicate isn't what it does but who it works for. Are there non-human members of this syndicate? Perhaps some amphibious or aquatic sorts like sahuagin, troglodytes, kuo toa, lizardmen, etc.

The goal of the cartel is also to seize the assets and bring down the most powerful noble families. With that in hand, swordpoint restructuring of the noble council seems likely, although you've given me a great idea for a villain. The head of the cartel will claim to be the rightful heir of the previous Prince, which is a complete fabrication (see "villain"). The syndicate runs protection rackets, smuggling, and arms sales (magic items), but they also have bad allies (the makers of said magic items, mysterious figures in the background at this stage, they're not getting involved in the coup beyond providing a bulk shipment).

This is a Malazan-like E6 world, just to give a point of reference. Magic is common enough that it's part of the vernacular, but it's magic that you can make with levels 1 to 6 characters.

 

[fusangite]

The goal of the cartel is also to seize the assets and bring down the most powerful noble families. With that in hand, swordpoint restructuring of the noble council seems likely, although you've given me a great idea for a villain. The head of the cartel will claim to be the rightful heir of the previous Prince, which is a complete fabrication (see "villain"). The syndicate runs protection rackets, smuggling, and arms sales (magic items), but they also have bad allies (the makers of said magic items, mysterious figures in the background at this stage, they're not getting involved in the coup beyond providing a bulk shipment).

Sounds like the smuggling isn't of illicit stuff, then, unless arms are banned. If the smuggling isn't of banned items, it must mean that much of the city's livelihood comes from taxes on the transit trade, if the taxes are high enough to make the smuggling trade profitable.

It that's the case, the coup leaders are probably planning a massive tax increase on all the trade items coming through the city, that way
(a) legitimate firms are driven out of business
(b) the council makes huge windfall profits until all the legit trade is choked-off
(c) the price on smuggled goods can be increased exorbitantly and still undercut legit goods

The "rightful heir" should cement his position with a swordpoint marriage, and possibly an adoption to boot, just to solidify things. It gives you a chance for a "rescue the princess" subplot.

If arms sales are restricted in the city, you might be able to get gullible local militias to join the protection rackets in demanding these arms for "self-defense." Channel Charlton Heston.

Given that assets are mostly not liquid e.g. trade perogatives, exemptions, monopolies and land, it will be important to in some way legitimate this seizure. So you might consider the "rightful heir" claiming autocratic power while the council is reorganized and redistributing these privileges on the grounds that existing noble houses have been corrupt and abusive of their authority. The coup leaders, with the aid of the syndicate, could also spread rumours that the noble houses have been hoarding and amassing untold wealth and that it is time for the common people to "liberate" it. Also, after the coup, the tax increases could be explained by the false claim that the deposed nobles fled with all their gold and now the city is bankrupt.

 

[Ry]

Well, at this point of the game I'm hoping the coup fails but not so badly that it doesn't return in a few years - so I'm not as concerned about how they would consolidate power as finding ways for low-level characters to have had an impact. I figure that the events of the coup will likely take up three or four sessions.

Any suggestions?

 

[fusangite]

Well, at this point of the game I'm hoping the coup fails but not so badly that it doesn't return in a few years - so I'm not as concerned about how they would consolidate power as finding ways for low-level characters to have had an impact. I figure that the events of the coup will likely take up three or four sessions.

Sure:

1. Neighbourhood battle: The PCs must rally the locals and fight off the local syndicate thugs for control of their neighbourhood.
2. Rescue/protect the princess: Recapture or guard the heiress the villain is planning to marry quickly. Maybe the PCs could even plan an ambush in the evil temple where the quickie marriage is to take place.
3. Get Help: Perhaps some noble houses have troops on their estates or the army is out of town fighting someone. The PCs have to breach the perimeter around the city set up by the syndicate and get to an estate or army camp to ask for aid.
4. Warning: Perhaps the PCs become privy to some special part of the bad guys' plan regarding a shotgun wedding, planned assassination or arson and must warn the potential targets before the bad guys can get to them.
5. Guard the secret approach: Perhaps there is a secret way into the palace or council rooms that is known only to the syndicate. The PCs stumble onto the plan and must guard the secret entrance while they wait for reinforcements.

 

[Kid Charlemagne]

Is one of your goals to set up a later adventure? If so, you might want to plant some NPC that can be a low-level flunky in the coup attempt who can pick up the pieces later on and become a true villain.