Author Topic: Random RP events for a campaign game  (Read 1367 times)

Colt Ward

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Random RP events for a campaign game
« on: 15 December 2018, 13:24:15 »
Trying to come up with a list of random events that could cause a commotion or at least force players to deal with something that would be unexpected.  Thinking of breaking them down into several lists like Economic, Heir, Politics, and a few others.  It was written from the merc perspective but could easily be done as noble guard or even House military unit on the planet or in region.  But as I look at the list I am not sure I really have that many positive random events.

Random RP Events for Campaign

Heir was stabbed/shot to death
Neighboring power’s heir was murdered
Heir died in a questionable accident- skiing, boating, flying, driving, etc
Heir gets involved with ‘peasant’
Heir gets married to noble equal
Heir marries to a higher strata
Heir marries down for $
Heir sets up on Romeo & Juliet path
Heir disappears
Heir becomes political opposition to boss/current lord
Heir grows up sickly/becomes cripple/mental (aka Caleb HSSD)
Heir is unable to have children

ICE Refinery had a fire
Ammo plant had fire/explosion
Supply DS was taken by pirates
Fire in military warehouses
Natural disaster near garrison- flood, fire, avalanche, tornado, hurricane, earthquake, volcano, drought

Rival expanded their forces by 10% to 25% of branch- mech, armor, infantry, CF, artillery
Rival gets tech upgrade- IE 3050s IS tech gets a piece of Clan gear, 3040s Periphery gets IS Prototypes, 3040s IS Prototypes get SL era tech
Neighboring rival power declares a feud against boss/lord
Noble boss declares a feud against rival
Neighboring noble has a rebellion
Neighboring rival has a rebellion (did your boss support it?)

Megacorporation wants to invest in X business in your Area of Operations
Megacorporation initiates hostile ‘takeover’ of X business in your Area of Operations
Noble 3 or 4 rungs higher than your boss wants to invest in X business in your Area of Operations
Noble 3 or 4 rungs higher than your initiates hostile ‘takeover’ of X business in your Area of Operations

Secret LosTech cache is found in territory by boss
Secret LosTech cache is found by 3rd party in Area of Operations- rumors?
Rumors of a LosTech cache b/c of a relic
LosTech cache is openly discovered in territory
Discover abandoned & stripped SLDF base in AO
Neighboring noble finds LosTech cache
Neighboring rival noble finds LosTech cache
ComStar starts investigating your bosses’ territory

Your region/planet is hit by a ComStar Interdiction
ComStar wants your boss to help cause unrest in neighbor
ComStar wants to put in a center in your territory

You get hit by raiders
Your neighboring noble gets hit by raiders
Your rival gets hit by raiders
You get hit in a reprisal strike b/c they think you were the source of raiders
Your neighbor gets hit in a reprisal strike b/c they think you were the source of raiders
You rival gets hit in a reprisal strike b/c they think you were the source of raiders

Your lord removes the domain of raiding from a rival
Your lord grants you the domain of raiding
Your raid goes bad/really good, attracting attention of nobles several levels up
Colt Ward
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NeonKnight

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #1 on: 15 December 2018, 13:27:07 »
Solar Flares are fun...wreck havoc with local tech
AGENT #575, Vancouver Canada

Colt Ward

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #2 on: 15 December 2018, 13:35:49 »
Definitely one to add to 'natural disaster' list.  I thought about 'meteor shower' but that seemed too cliche & space opera.
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

Tai Dai Cultist

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #3 on: 15 December 2018, 13:39:56 »
Another unit garrisoning the same world steals some of your stuff. (Positive twist: you have the opportunity to steal another unit's stuff..)

An investigative reporter decides to snoop around your base to look for criminal activity/evidence of wasted spending/environmental regulation violations (Positive twist: you have the opportunity to get away with the same by convincing the reporter to 'not find' the evidence she seeks).

Contract expires for some element(s) of the outfit and they decide to strike out on their own/with a rival unit rather than stay on. (Positive twist: Opportunity to hire Freebooters leaving/defecting from a nearby unit)

Some vital personnel decides to retire, leaving a gaping vacancy in force.

A case of the Green Apple Quicksteps is going around, and the source must be found before the unit is declared unfit for duty.

Something broke. Extra maintenance is required on some mech/tank/fighter. (Positive twist: Due to freak luck, some part is just lasting well beyond manufacturers' guarantee.  Reduced maintenance is required for a month on some mech/tank/fighter)

New orders: go Hurry Up and build a new firebase and then occupy it, Wait-ing for additional orders.

A Dining In occurs and your unit is expected to attend. (Positive twist: It's a Combat Dining In)

Sartris

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #4 on: 15 December 2018, 15:36:27 »
secret societies like the black hand probably exist on a number of worlds, especially where poverty is high and autocracy is heavy-handed. i've always enjoyed tossing a moral conundrum grenade into the mix and having some form of consequences for whatever path the players take (for extra shenanigans, having the secret society seem morally righteous but turn out to be the actual black hat is fun from time to time as well)

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Colt Ward

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #5 on: 17 December 2018, 14:17:48 »
I think I will clarify a bit . . . I was looking for events that would happen to your employer (if merc), minor feudal lord (if playing as House Guards), and the garrison CO having to interact with the noble in charge of the planet (national forces).  It would be events that do not directly impact the mercs (like your only heavy mech's gyro fails at regular maintenance, time to replace it or you can pilot it like it has 1 gyro hit) but things that would impact a PC group forces from the politics or environment they are in but have no control over.

For instance, in all those 3 player descriptions- merc/House Guards/national forces- if the local big wig's heir (or child period for a world that is not a feudal set up) is murdered . . . does the local garrison go on alert since it could be a attack on the government?  Do you point your guns at the neighboring rival polity?
Colt Ward
Clan Invasion Backer #149, Leviathans #104

"We come in peace, please ignore the bloodstains."

"Greetings, Mechwarrior. You have been recruited by the Star League to defend the Frontier against Daoshen and the Capellan armada."

Tai Dai Cultist

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #6 on: 17 December 2018, 14:38:59 »
There's the old reliable: Populist Peasant's Revolution.  Evil twist: they actually pull off a coup detat and become your new employers.

truetanker

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #7 on: 17 December 2018, 17:44:07 »
What about :

Rouge Drone element re-awakens, something connected or broke loose, systems running on last orders...

Think an ex-Caspar, a combat-battle damaged ship, gets hit by a stray meteor rock or micro asteroid that somehow reactivated the circuits... Relying on old tactics, it see's itself in the middle of hostile territory it once protected. The old codes don't seem to work anymore to shut it down, because it lost it's comm array centuries ago... And it still has an active Capital weapon or three...

TT
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That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
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guardiandashi

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #8 on: 17 December 2018, 21:02:47 »
What about :

Rouge Drone element re-awakens, something connected or broke loose, systems running on last orders...

Think an ex-Caspar, a combat-battle damaged ship, gets hit by a stray meteor rock or micro asteroid that somehow reactivated the circuits... Relying on old tactics, it see's itself in the middle of hostile territory it once protected. The old codes don't seem to work anymore to shut it down, because it lost it's comm array centuries ago... And it still has an active Capital weapon or three...

TT
heh that's the central plot of a few of the bolos novels

truetanker

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #9 on: 17 December 2018, 22:26:01 »
And it begins, Fractured but whole!


TT  :D
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Azeroth Pocketverse
That is, if true tanker doesn't beat me to it. He makes truly evil units.Col.Hengist on 31 May 2013
TT, we know you are the master of nasty  O0 ~ Fletch on 22 June 2013
If I'm attacking you, conventional wisom says to bring 3x your force.  I want extra insurance, so I'll bring 4 for every 1 of what you have :D ~ Tai Dai Cultist on 21 April 2016
Me: Would you rather fight my Epithymía Thanátou from the Whispers of Blake?
Nav_Alpha: That THING... that is horrid
~ Nav_Alpha on 10 October 2016

JadeHellbringer

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Re: Random RP events for a campaign game
« Reply #10 on: 18 December 2018, 12:46:30 »
"Green crystals are growing out of the ground and a bald guy keeps talking about Brotherhood... all unarmored infantry units take 1D6 damage per turn. All units must roll 2D6 per turn to determine if they are loyal or are swayed by Kane's vision (4 or better). Each turn, roll 2D6, on an 11+ ion cannon strike hits map at random location (roll D20 twice to determine long-side of map vs. short side). One vision, one purpose."
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