What to do with a hybrid investigator (Flotsam & Jetsam)

[Joe Kenobi]

I wrapped up part two of Flotsam & Jetsam and my hybrid investigator chose to take his chances with his Innsmouth Taint and not take the needle from Billy Folde. Any thoughts or advice on how I should proceed?

Given part three is set almost a year later, I'm planning to do a couple of interlude scenarios before jumping to that one. Next I'm going to run Dead Man Stomp (I know it has a Nyarlathotep connection; maybe I can find a way to give Billy Folde a cameo?), and then I'll likely run one more before Insanitarium. Any ideas on what to do with this investigator's looming transformation--how soon to play it up, how rapidly to have it transpire, etc.--so it doesn't feel like a dropped plot thread? I'm also okay with taking things totally off the rails and making a mini-scenario out of his transformation, but would rather integrate it into other adventures if I can.

I appreciate anyone's feedback!

[Loïc]

Hi! I don't know this campaign, but I had a similar situation when I was running Pagan Publishing's The Realm of Shadows (great ghoul campaign). One of my investigators began to become a ghoul!!! I introduced new physical traits very slowly (like an insidious and vicious illness). Each time the player couldn't join the session, I related his absence to his "ghoulish" problem, and the other players began to understand something was going wrong, but they didn't know what. At the same time, the ghoulish character was discovering opposite factions of ghouls and was struggling with indecent, obsessional and less-than-human "ghoulish politics and schedules" (great time for wild creativity!!!).

In the end, I had a ruined investigator who tried to put secretly spokes in the other PCs' wheels and to gradually Mythos-perverting them. I must say the player was a CoC veteran who played this with perfection! (Thank you, Vincent!) The best thing was the climate of distrust and suspicion between him and his fellows, and after a while even among the other investigators!!!

I know it depends on your group of players, but maybe you could try such an approach? I had to work more on my campaign (solo sessions for the ghoul-investigator, building a realistic ghoulish society that wouldn't become excessive or caricatural...), but I never regreted it! And I even could run my campaign right to the end... And the more important: afterwards, all my players told me they had a wonderful gaming time. (This time, thanks to all: JB, JC, Nico & Séb!!!)

[Joe Kenobi]

Thanks, Loic, appreciate the reply. Am I following that you never had the transformation take center stage, but instead made it a minor element in the unfolding drama, up until a point where the PC began actively working against the other PCs? I like that approach. I do wonder if with a Deep One transformation, I need a more dramatic flare at the end where the PC experiences the pull of the sea and is drawn to join his brethren.

[Loïc]

10 hours ago, Joe Kenobi said:

Am I following that you never had the transformation take center stage, but instead made it a minor element in the unfolding drama, up until a point where the PC began actively working against the other PCs?

That's exactly it!

10 hours ago, Joe Kenobi said:

I do wonder if with a Deep One transformation, I need a more dramatic flare at the end where the PC experiences the pull of the sea and is drawn to join his brethren.

I must confess that in this kind of situation, I tend to "follow the events" (in this case, my player's actions...). And in the end,  my ghoulish player willingly became my accomplice and we openly discussed about his character's "ending" together, according to his own aspirations. This campaign went to an end, but several investigators are still "alive". At this point, if I had to run these characters again, I would stage a discreet and progressive retirement of the ghoulish character, maybe acting from time to time in the shadows... But he's a ghoul, not a deep one! Maybe your player will accept his new condition with pleasure (like mine)? Or maybe he would like to become aware of the horror of this situation and stage some heroic sacrifice? Anyway, I think you should follow your player's wishes and take advantage of these in your campaign? And of course, if he wants to join his new brethren, the other investigators should assist something much more dramatic (maybe let your deep one player describe himself the scene - after briefing together - to emphase the dramatic effect???).

I'm curious to read what option you will choose !!!☺️

[Joe Kenobi]

I will keep you posted! For now, I'm running Dead Man Stomp next week and will hint at the character's continued physical changes while keeping the focus on the scenario itself. I'll let things simmer for a bit and then check in with the player when we tackle Flotsam & Jetsam Part 3 for his thoughts on how he might want things to play out.

Thanks for all the advice!

[Loïc]

I'm anxious to read what will happened next in your campaign! Wish you lots of fun!!!!

[Sheryl Nantus]

A bit late to the show, but when I ran this campaign for my investigators the hybrid player was going to take the needle... but Billy had his arm chopped off before he could do the tattoo when another character took it upon himself to deliver justice.

Needless to say, this led to some drama afterwards...

In the definition of Deep One Hybrids, there's a note for a percentage of hybrids to NEVER manifest any of the Deep One characteristics - or as many as you want. In my case, I decided that since his bloodline was so far down the line from the original Deep One, that he wasn't going to change... at least, not for the duration of the campaign. I did give him some advantages, such as a Summon Fish spell, learned in a later adventure, and a bonus to cast it, but you're not under any obligation to have him Change if you don't feel it'd be right for the character.

Again, a bit late, but just pointing out an option if you'd like to use it.

Have fun!

:)

[Joe Kenobi]

Thanks, @Sheryl Nantus! I considered that, but in chatting with the player, it sounds like part of the reason he didn't take the Needle is he's curious what will happen to his investigator without the protection. So I think finding out he's one of the safe ones would feel like a letdown--Chekhov's Gun and all that. I appreciate the reminder, though, that there might be some advantages that manifest on the road to transformation, such as certain spells.

[Mauro]

I kinda have the opposite question... what happens if an investigator takes the deal. How are people handling the need to kill a Deep One every 2 months? Tracking them down would probably be a full-time job, unless you lived in Innsmouth.

[Joe Kenobi]

@Mauro, you might have some luck with this thread. The general approach (from that thread and elsewhere) seems to be to roleplay the first attempt to hunt down a Deep One, and after that assume the necessary number of killings have occurred offscreen, but have the investigator roll for the appropriate sanity damage. I do like @Sasori's suggestion to figure out how soon until the Needle must be fed at the start of every scenario.

[Mauro]

@Joe Kenobi thank you for pointing out that thread, that would probably work fine for my purposes.