This isn't a story I am writing - I don't like to have other people give me ideas for plot and character on those. But I am running an RPG session, and I want to come up with a semi-plausible way to get the characters in a position that will make the game the most fun. The situation is that they're traveling with a fleet of airships. They will come under attack. I would like each player to be able to direct one of the airships, because that will be fun for them. Working it into the story is another matter. I could just let them control the NPCs that fly the ships, but people prefer when their own character is in the action. The characters are traveling with military airships, and they have their own rank, but certainly are not in command. For one ship, I could have the navigator die in the initial barrage, and a nearby character is forced to take control. But it seems a stretch to have that happen on five separate ships, where the characters can conveniently take charge. The way in which this happens doesn't have to be realistic, but I don't want it to be a complete farce either. Just something that, even if it may be far-fetched, will be reasonable enough not to ruin the fun. So if you had to twist events around to put a player's character in charge of flying one of these ships, even though he is outranked and wouldn't be the logical choice for a navigator if everything was calm and people had their way, how would you do it? Just hoping to tap into the creative spirit that this site has
If there is an impending attack, could the enemy have 'agents' aboard the ships that would attack the airship flotilla just before the time when they would come into range of the enemy? Grenades, bomb blasts, a knife in the back? Would there be secondary controls where the enemy would have a person attempting to take control of the airship and turn it against its own? Some of the characters may have to fight their way there and regain control, if the main bridge is shattered. Just a few thoughts. Good luck.
Hey, thanks TWErvin. I like that idea. And having agents from the other side aboard the PC's airships opens some other interesting story ideas as well. Good thinking
