Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 keystone Mar 19, 2008 5:19:38	For my first game in an Urban Arcana campaign I felt it would be a good idea to use a PC's career as part of the plot. In this case I chose a PC who is a board member of BMW. The plot of the game was that while at Mountain Ski-Lodge for a BMW function for BMW execs, top designers, and overall company bigwigs, a mass polymorph spell would go off changing them all into rabbits, squirrells, etc. This would later, through events in the game, be revealed as a plan set up by an environmental extremist group associated with The Black Feathers. After performing the incantation to change the party into animals, they would retrieve them, release them into the wild, and let the BMW company fall apart from scandal, frightened stockholders, etc. HOWEVER: The PCs shocked me by showing little interest. Instead the first thing they did was flee the scene, removing evidence of themselves being there. On their way down the mountain they even passed the two unmarked white vans that were on their way to collect the polymorphed execs. So basically, the badguys got away with their plot. So now I need to know what's going to happen to BMW. Right now the PC is the only accounted for member of the upper teir of BMW's corporate ladder. I'm no expert on big bussiness. So I'm curious what you folks think. The PC is convinced he can save BMW from going under because he's basically in charge. I think the company is going to suffer from a plummit in stock sales, lack of managment, etc. Can someone give me a realistic idea of what the outcome would be if this were to really happen to BMW?
#2 kzak Mar 19, 2008 9:41:32	Hmm - if such a thing happened, it'd be the equivalent of several important board members suddenly vanishing. As you have stated in the post, there'd be a crisis if/when this became known to the public. Stocks would plummet, but as long as there's some board members left with the cloud to make decisions, the corporation could be saved, but not without a high cost. Outsiders could view the crisis as an opportunity for a hostile takeover, if they were to place a bid just when the stocks were plummeting and before control is reinstated, they would have the possibility of seizing considerable parts of the corporation shareholders' stock.
#3 eldermount Mar 19, 2008 9:54:56	Several key executives at BMW disappear, and the only one left around is the PC? I think he'll be busy for several days while the authorities keep coming to him to question him about the disappearance. He's going to be a key suspect in their investigation, which could compel the players to find the real culprits.
#4 kjakan Mar 20, 2008 19:26:13	It is unlikely that the company would simply fold. Behind every executive is another employee ready to step in. An event of this kind would simply provide the opportunity for promotion. The big difference is that the crisis would require new executives to take over without the ususal tempering that comes with company politics. The new executives cannot be 100% relied on to keep the company moving in the predicted direction. This uncertainty is likely to have a dramatic impact on the company's stock, which in turn could pave the way for a hostile take-over. The company is in for some rough days if the story is leaked to the press before the damage can be contained. As for the PC board member, you should take the time to detail his options more clearly. If he sticks his head out and takes charge of the situation he can secure himself a leading position of the company, but risks coming under close scrutiny by both internal and external investigators. If he decides to keep his head down, he may still be called upon to continue with his duties. Regardless he should come under investigation to some degree. It might be in his best interests to re-establish the status quo by working to undo the spell. That saves him from being considered an potential accomplice and establishes him as the hero of the hour instead. -K