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Double checking a plot idea (Master of Orion, Darlok plot)


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Working on my Master of Orion settings
In master of Orion there is a race that can polymorph as anything and make redoutable spies. 
I made one galaxy background plot based on that and I got second thoughts.

That Darlok plot is as follow:
Long ago the Bulrathi almost made a xenocide of the Darlok. Very few survived hidden.
Much later, i.e. during player's campaign, the Bulrathi empire will fall to civil war. It will start with a coup, followed by 2 noble houses staking a claim to the power of the defunct emperor. So far so good. Unbeknown to all though, one of the house leader has been, in fact, replaced by a Darlok that will do its best to make the civil war as long and bloody as possible, as a sort of posthumous revenge of the Darlok race.

Now I wonder how powerful and convincing the Darlok power of metamorphosis should be. To pull this stunt off... one could argue either that:
- it doesn't need to be much, few could submit an absolute dictatorial elite to some background / personality check.
- it's madness.That will never go undetected, unless the Darlok are absolute perfect undetectable by any mean OP mimicry.
- also, they can't be too good.. otherwise, they will never have been obliterated in the first place

As a side note the players know about the Darlok. The Darlok are described in my settings booklet as an extinct non playable race. With a short history of its demise.

Edited by Lloyd Dupont
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The phony leader only needs to fool a handful of subordinates who will carry out his orders no matter how crazy those instructions are.  Presumably these subordinates had minimal or no contact with the original royal heir; they have no way of recognizing any changes in manner, habits or personality -- and in their quest for power they may not be looking for holes in the phony leader's story of how he escaped the enemy faction attack that killed his closest associates.  You can be sure the shapeshifter will attempt avoid the real politician's former friends, co-workers, family members and personal servants -- if he doesn't quietly have them isolated or assassinated.  It is one thing to give a convincing speech to the High Council, another to fool a mistress or longtime valet.  In fact, odd deaths and disappearances or a cold shoulder from an old pal may be the PCs' first hint that something is up.  No disguise is perfect.

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You are absolutely right Seneshal.

What I was thinking as well though, there might be way to validate that someone is not a Darlok. Like blood test or psionic probe. But now that I think of it, there are valid in character reason for an oligarch to refuse a psionic probe or avoid or cheat a blood test.

Beside it's far fetched to suspect that, the Darlok are all dead, as everybody knows!

Edited by Lloyd Dupont
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55 minutes ago, Lloyd Dupont said:

You are absolutely right Seneshal.

What I was thinking as well though, there might be way to validate that someone is not a Darlok. Like blood test or psionic probe. But now that I think of it, there are valid in character reason for an oligarch to refuse a psionic probe or avoid or cheat a blood test.

Beside it's far fetched to suspect that, the Darlok are all dead, as everybody knows!

The Darlok should stage a couple of "almost-successful" assassination attempts against itself.

Then it can justifiably act paranoid & reclusive & have minimal in-person interactions with others.

 

I'd do the impersonation in 2 stages -- first, impersonate a close personal assistant (secretary, lieutenant, even (dare I say it) a seneschal!) of the House-leader.  After they gain lots of personal & situational information, THEN replace the House-leader.

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15 minutes ago, g33k said:

 

I'd do the impersonation in 2 stages -- first, impersonate a close personal assistant (secretary, lieutenant, even (dare I say it) a seneschal!) of the House-leader.  After they gain lots of personal & situational information, THEN replace the House-leader.

Why do I suddenly not feel like myself?  😳

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1 hour ago, Lloyd Dupont said:

Brilliant! :) 

You got the job for teaching at the school for evil geniuses! :D

<sighs sadly>

As I keep telling my players when I GM --  I'm not evil,  I'm just a bit... goodness-challenged.

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