Re: GM Dilemma

From: Amy Crittenden <theala@ultimanet.com>

Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000 08:30:57 +0000

i_am_superdude@yahoo.com wrote:

> The plotline I'm referring to revolves around a string of jewelers and
> diamond depots that have been heisted of their uncut diamonds.  The
> robbers were some ex-military types wearing power-armor, and it seems
> the armor they're wearing might have been inspired by a prototype of a
> Warder, a suit of power-armor used by guards at a metahuman prison.
> This assumption is even more probable due to the fact that the Warder
> prototype blueprints were recently stolen from a Smithsonian.

If I were a player, I'd be wondering why blueprints for a prototype
armor used at a supermax prison for metahumans was at the Smithsonian.
I would think they would be buried in a top secret DoD, CIA, or DOJ
vault with more security than the Declaration of Independance, not in a
museum.  So I'd think the "stolen blueprints" would be a red herring
meant to make the characters THINK there's a connection to this prison.

>
> Now, this is only one aspect to this plot.  Another point that has been
> rising is that the uncut diamonds might be related to the "blood
> diamond" trading that apparently was going on between jewelers and the
> Unita militia in Africa.  Such trading has been embargoed by the U.N.,
> but there's still specualtion that it still occurs.
>
> The "blood diamond" theory is coming from a player-character, but as a
> GM, I must say that I especially liked it.  The only problem with this
> theory is that the diamonds weren't being traded by the armored men, as
> these armored men were clearly stealing the diamonds.

Happens to me a lot--the players will come up with an answer than was
better than what I had in mind.  In which case I just chuck my original
idea and roll with the punch.

The diamonds might not have been traded by the thieves, but may have
been in the stores illegally.  There is a lot of that going on in the
real world.  All the diamonds go to the diamond exchange in the
Netherlands where they are sold to jewelers and traders for resale in
other countries.  Many of the diamonds sold in that exchange get there
illegally, through false faces.  You don't say why the players think the
blood diamond trade is involved--perhaps the thieves are trying to take
illgotten gains out of the market, sending a message to the diamond
industry don't buy suspicious goods or we will take them from you.
Perhaps they see themselves as a sort of Robin Hood type characters,
redistributing wealth.

Amy

References

GM Dilemma
i_am_superdude@yahoo.com
Tue, 19 Dec 2000 16:35:24 +0000