Our DM has put us in a position between two individuals running for mayor of a small town. One has hired us to campaign for her, while the other isn't yet aware that he has competition.
The day after being hired, my changeling druid came to the conclusion that he doesn't like either of the candidates and is going to create a new person to run for mayor.
I'm not very heavily into politics, and less so into campaign tactics. Does anyone here have any advice on backstabbing a political rival and peacefully conquering a small town using its own political structure?
First, get inspired by the Clintons. Second, travel to the land of Barovia, then to the city of Valaki. Third, go to the Burgomaster's house and take mirror in the upstairs powder room (be sure to grab the note that goes along with it. Fourth, call forth the ghost assassin and have him do your bidding. Decimate your enemies and secure your thrown as the new town mayor!
Or...maybe because that's what we've been doing in Curse of Strahd, that's the first thing to come to mind. Can't say it's really the best advice, though.
Hmmm, what an interesting situation. Being a Druid, Scrying could be an efficient way to maybe dig up some dirt on both politicians. Maybe listen in on an important meeting with their investors, publicize your findings, and then take their spot in the race as the new trustworthy face of the people, for the people. It all depends on if your DM is willing to throw you a bone or not. As far as becoming someone people want to support, in a small town word of mouth travels fast. If you're the hero who stopped a corrupt villain from possibly running their town, people will recognize you as someone who has their best interest in mind. Maybe save a few kittens stuck in trees along the way.... Those sorts of things. Being a changeling definitely gives you an advantage in social interactions. You could literally spread your own positive rumors and stories about your own political figure to others at the local taverns. Yanno, switch to a different identity, and tell others these incredible stories of how your politician saved your drowning son, etc. But this is seriously an interesting campaign idea. I've never had one of my campaigns get political, but after hearing what you're doing, I gotta say, running for mayor is looking awfully enticing.
Furthermore, every town has some sort of problem. In D&D, there is no such thing as a perfect town. Find your small towns dark secret and fix it. Then you'll be the hero everyone wants to elect as mayor.
This is going to heavily depend on your party level and the resources available to you. Dominate person could easily end a political career. Spells and effects that charm can as well. Creating a new person would require some heavy magic like clone, and perhaps a load of modify memory spells to get them up to speed. One way to get this going without magic would be to make the campaign so vicious as to convince one of the candidates to challenge the other to a duel, and arrange for an outcome like in Hamlet, where both die. A rogue could plant evidence of nefarious things such as corruption to tarnish the reputations of both candidates, leaving the race open to a third more preferable candidate.
Locate a disenfranchised large portion of the populace and motivate them to vote for you. Highlight things on your platform that are crucial to these people's daily lives. This strategy was pioneered by Obama and later mastered by Trump so its highly effective.
You want to target things on your platform that would not easily be copied by the other 2 career politicians. Exploit the fact you have no track record then attack your opponents based on theirs.
Talk to the people. Visit the inns and taverns, listen to the locals. What problems does the town have? How can you solve them?
Be seen. The more people actually see you, the better. Do things for the people and town even before you are elected. Organize festivals, found a hospital, donate to an orphanage... help a widow who is in financial troubles since her man died, cover the debts of farmer Clark who was hit by a bad harvest, this kind of thing. Make sure everyone in the town knows you and they only have nice things to say about you.
Locate the town's key players. The ones who are already known and liked by many. Win those key players for your cause, so they spread word about you.
And then roll another character, since the old one will be stuck playing the mayor for the next two decades.
But then what? Mayors have to be in town to do their thing....he’ll pretty much need to retire his character from the adventuring life except for maybe a local ‘kill the baddie in the woods’. Kinda knocks out epic campaigns where they go off and see the world. You could design around that of course....but what town will stay behind a mayor that isn’t there? Adventuring could be a checkbox on a resume for mayor: ‘vote for Pedro, he was an awesome adventurers and saved the world’....not ‘vote for Pedro, he’s going out to save the world and will probably die a horrible death, never to return.’
although having said all that...maybe he’ll get a henchman or proxy while he’s out galavanting and the town will be none the wiser....or they’ve grown highly suspicious and he’ll have to put everyone at ease and stomp out any growing opposition to his position. Maybe a probability chart...the longer he’s gone, the higher chance of a consequence.
I realize I didn’t answer any part of your question. Lol
so here goes- he could appear as other citizens in town...grumbling about issues with the rivals- false claims about their history, bad financial decisions, only caring about themselves, misleading statements, etc....think IRL campaign commercials. Create rumors. ....and conversely, he can say great things about himself.
Follow the example of Solon, leader of Athens. Make a bunch of decrees, tell the people of the town to follow them or else and then leave for 10 years.
But then what? Mayors have to be in town to do their thing...
This is the first question you need to ask. Are you willing to play a substantial part of your adventure while also being responsible as the mayor of this town? Is the DM ready to accommodate this story in the big picture?
Second problem is you've made an agreement, and now you're talking about breaking that agreement. Do you have a rapport with this candidate or are you strictly hired help? If you have a rapport with the candidate, can you discuss your concerns and work them out? Would your party's participation in helping the town overcome the difficulties solve the problems you have with this candidate? Could this candidate be manipulated to change their outlook if you are the real hero in the town and they are in fact riding on your coattails?
Third, What is the political structure above the town? Does the town owe fealty to another Lord farther up, or is it in essence a city-state? Who are the "allies" of the town? Who are their neighbors? You may not be in a position to legally run for Mayor so you have to address that question.
Now, how to run for Mayor ...
Get a high charisma character that is "qualified" to run for Mayor. Have that candidate do a few things publicly to become noticed. Maybe have them join the party on an adventure, and keep them alive. When you return tell people about what your party, with his help, accomplished that will help the town and put down the bad forces in the area. Have the character become popular by doing things for the common folks. And that should allow the candidate win unless the DM decides to have your employer hire other adventurers to undermine your chosen candidate.
If that happens then you have to undermine both the adventurers and the underhanded candidate.
It sounds like it could be real fun. Enjoy.
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Our DM has put us in a position between two individuals running for mayor of a small town. One has hired us to campaign for her, while the other isn't yet aware that he has competition.
The day after being hired, my changeling druid came to the conclusion that he doesn't like either of the candidates and is going to create a new person to run for mayor.
I'm not very heavily into politics, and less so into campaign tactics. Does anyone here have any advice on backstabbing a political rival and peacefully conquering a small town using its own political structure?
First, get inspired by the Clintons. Second, travel to the land of Barovia, then to the city of Valaki. Third, go to the Burgomaster's house and take mirror in the upstairs powder room (be sure to grab the note that goes along with it. Fourth, call forth the ghost assassin and have him do your bidding. Decimate your enemies and secure your thrown as the new town mayor!
Or...maybe because that's what we've been doing in Curse of Strahd, that's the first thing to come to mind. Can't say it's really the best advice, though.
Hmmm, what an interesting situation. Being a Druid, Scrying could be an efficient way to maybe dig up some dirt on both politicians. Maybe listen in on an important meeting with their investors, publicize your findings, and then take their spot in the race as the new trustworthy face of the people, for the people. It all depends on if your DM is willing to throw you a bone or not. As far as becoming someone people want to support, in a small town word of mouth travels fast. If you're the hero who stopped a corrupt villain from possibly running their town, people will recognize you as someone who has their best interest in mind. Maybe save a few kittens stuck in trees along the way.... Those sorts of things. Being a changeling definitely gives you an advantage in social interactions. You could literally spread your own positive rumors and stories about your own political figure to others at the local taverns. Yanno, switch to a different identity, and tell others these incredible stories of how your politician saved your drowning son, etc. But this is seriously an interesting campaign idea. I've never had one of my campaigns get political, but after hearing what you're doing, I gotta say, running for mayor is looking awfully enticing.
Furthermore, every town has some sort of problem. In D&D, there is no such thing as a perfect town. Find your small towns dark secret and fix it. Then you'll be the hero everyone wants to elect as mayor.
This is going to heavily depend on your party level and the resources available to you. Dominate person could easily end a political career. Spells and effects that charm can as well. Creating a new person would require some heavy magic like clone, and perhaps a load of modify memory spells to get them up to speed. One way to get this going without magic would be to make the campaign so vicious as to convince one of the candidates to challenge the other to a duel, and arrange for an outcome like in Hamlet, where both die. A rogue could plant evidence of nefarious things such as corruption to tarnish the reputations of both candidates, leaving the race open to a third more preferable candidate.
He’s a changeling, he can create an alternate personality as easily as breathing.
Locate a disenfranchised large portion of the populace and motivate them to vote for you. Highlight things on your platform that are crucial to these people's daily lives. This strategy was pioneered by Obama and later mastered by Trump so its highly effective.
You want to target things on your platform that would not easily be copied by the other 2 career politicians. Exploit the fact you have no track record then attack your opponents based on theirs.
Talk to the people. Visit the inns and taverns, listen to the locals. What problems does the town have? How can you solve them?
Be seen. The more people actually see you, the better. Do things for the people and town even before you are elected. Organize festivals, found a hospital, donate to an orphanage... help a widow who is in financial troubles since her man died, cover the debts of farmer Clark who was hit by a bad harvest, this kind of thing. Make sure everyone in the town knows you and they only have nice things to say about you.
Locate the town's key players. The ones who are already known and liked by many. Win those key players for your cause, so they spread word about you.
And then roll another character, since the old one will be stuck playing the mayor for the next two decades.
And here I came looking for a how-to manual...
"Not all those who wander are lost"
Ah, the OP sounded as though they wanted to literally create a new person. I didn't stop to think persona.
But then what? Mayors have to be in town to do their thing....he’ll pretty much need to retire his character from the adventuring life except for maybe a local ‘kill the baddie in the woods’. Kinda knocks out epic campaigns where they go off and see the world. You could design around that of course....but what town will stay behind a mayor that isn’t there? Adventuring could be a checkbox on a resume for mayor: ‘vote for Pedro, he was an awesome adventurers and saved the world’....not ‘vote for Pedro, he’s going out to save the world and will probably die a horrible death, never to return.’
although having said all that...maybe he’ll get a henchman or proxy while he’s out galavanting and the town will be none the wiser....or they’ve grown highly suspicious and he’ll have to put everyone at ease and stomp out any growing opposition to his position. Maybe a probability chart...the longer he’s gone, the higher chance of a consequence.
I realize I didn’t answer any part of your question. Lol
so here goes- he could appear as other citizens in town...grumbling about issues with the rivals- false claims about their history, bad financial decisions, only caring about themselves, misleading statements, etc....think IRL campaign commercials. Create rumors. ....and conversely, he can say great things about himself.
Guide to the Five Factions (PWYW)
Deck of Decks
Follow the example of Solon, leader of Athens. Make a bunch of decrees, tell the people of the town to follow them or else and then leave for 10 years.
Do what my changeling hexblade did. Just murder them, and turn into them.
Please check out my homebrew, I would appreciate feedback:
Spells, Monsters, Subclasses, Races, Arcknight Class, Occultist Class, World, Enigmatic Esoterica forms
This is the first question you need to ask. Are you willing to play a substantial part of your adventure while also being responsible as the mayor of this town? Is the DM ready to accommodate this story in the big picture?
Second problem is you've made an agreement, and now you're talking about breaking that agreement. Do you have a rapport with this candidate or are you strictly hired help? If you have a rapport with the candidate, can you discuss your concerns and work them out? Would your party's participation in helping the town overcome the difficulties solve the problems you have with this candidate? Could this candidate be manipulated to change their outlook if you are the real hero in the town and they are in fact riding on your coattails?
Third, What is the political structure above the town? Does the town owe fealty to another Lord farther up, or is it in essence a city-state? Who are the "allies" of the town? Who are their neighbors? You may not be in a position to legally run for Mayor so you have to address that question.
Now, how to run for Mayor ...
Get a high charisma character that is "qualified" to run for Mayor. Have that candidate do a few things publicly to become noticed. Maybe have them join the party on an adventure, and keep them alive. When you return tell people about what your party, with his help, accomplished that will help the town and put down the bad forces in the area. Have the character become popular by doing things for the common folks. And that should allow the candidate win unless the DM decides to have your employer hire other adventurers to undermine your chosen candidate.
If that happens then you have to undermine both the adventurers and the underhanded candidate.
It sounds like it could be real fun. Enjoy.
Cum catapultae proscriptae erunt tum soli proscript catapultas habebunt