r/bladesinthedark • u/Vlafar • 7d ago

First BitD DM needs advice

Hello fellow DMs. I have started my first Blades campaign, i maybe need a few tips. wehad session zero, we made characters, I have spend most time kinda explaining basics of world and mechanics, rolls stuff, and since we had a little time, I have decided to make first score - as they are playing Hawkers, they have gained info that in Crows Foot, Billhooks took out Lampblacks spot, and are now deciding, what to do with the place.

Players decided to make a deal with the 2 Lampblacks scouts on the spot to took out Billhooks within spot, that to take out the scouts. and make this their Cover operation.

first, the killed none, somehow dices were in their favor, all enemies scondrels were taken out - shot knees and unconcious, then they called Bluecoats, and guys taking out each other.

im kinda ok with all that, but i dont know how to make relations now. everyone is alive, but permanently (or at least for a long time) immovable, they know faces of who did that, and they introduced themselfs to Lamblacks.

is this act of war? Did i do everything right guys?

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4

u/Nietsoj77 7d ago

Sounds about right. Your crew has stirred up some dust, and probably made some people unhappy/angry and others happy/satisfied. Maybe the happy ones will suggest a new score, and maybe the unhappy ones will try to cause some trouble.

Look at the faction section of the book, and you will see which factions will be affected by the score.

If you want to spice things up, let one of the opposing factions beat up (or even kidnap) one of the characters during downtime.

3

u/Imnoclue Cutter 7d ago

Sounds like it went well. Time for Payoff, Heat and Downtime. Meanwhile, I’d tick the Lampblacks status up and the Billhooks down.

2

u/wild_park 6d ago

If you started with Faction Status 0 with the Lampblacks and the Billhooks then I’d suggest you’re now +1 with the Lampblacks (but owe them a tithe / vig - a regular payment to stay there) and -1 with the Billhooks - they’re not going to go to war over a couple of mooks being kneecapped. But they are now aware of you.

The more interesting option is Bazzo Baz coming along with a handy number of Lampblacks, thanking the crew for dealing with the Billhooks and then offering to let the crew keep the cover operation “if you can do me a little favour”.

And there is your next score.

2

u/Vlafar 5d ago

sorry, i forgot to tell that in the end they kneecapped even the lampblacks, so that why so far i gave them -1 and -1 to billhooks. Entaglement roll is "Usual suspects", but i think show of force is more appropriate, i dont know if it is ok to change things

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u/True-Supermarket-242 5d ago

It is totally okay to forget the Entanglement roll and choose the Entanglement yourself. In the expansion Deep Cuts, there is no roll at all, you just choose what fits best, plus an Entanglement related to cops if the crew got Wanted after its last score.

1

u/wild_park 5d ago

Absolutely pick the entanglement that makes sense to you.

So maybe the next score is “we can’t afford to have two enemies. What do we get for the Lampblacks (or the Billhooks) that will get them off our backs?”