Little Shadow help here:

[Yrtalien]

In my most recent game I tried to turn my player's preconceived notions around a bit .

In the game the players became enmeshed with the Shadows early on... though they don't know how or what they are involved with for a bit. Rather than try to present the Shadows as good guys I presented the Vorlons in all their ugly (I mean really next to that if you don't know all the facts about the Shaodws the Shadows look real good).

I began with a telepath coming across a damaged Vorlon ship. He realizes it cognizant and tries to scan it and bam is drawn into it's litany of the beauties of service and loyalty. The ship jury-rigs the telepath so that it can broadcast a distress signal (all against the telepaths will of course) then lets it go.

Later the group runs into an Inquisitor, etc.

The problem: The players are developing a hatred for the Vorlons early but aren't bonding with the Shadows. Part of it is that they know OOC that these guys are every bit as bad... and its just ingrained to hate them. I can get them to work with the Shadows but I can't seem to get them to build trust.

Is there a way to present the Shadows so that they will be accepted? How would you go about it? Does it all just depend on hiding their plans for war? Is there a way of making the war look good?

Assume the average human/centauri character with normal loyalties.

 

[tneva82]

Is there a way of making the war look good?

Depends on the characters. If they believe in survival of fittest theory the shadows theory can be easily seen as plausible and good idea to help the common good...

 

[Shadow Queen]

there is an adventure in S&P you can try that.

 

[Greg Smith]

Have the Shadows help them out when things get really bad. Or if the players come to really dislike the Vorlons, they will share that dislike with the Shadows - so they will have a mutual goal.

 

[Valarian]

This can come down to the Chaos vs. Law argument that runs through a lot of Michael Moorcock's books. Is war good for progress? Yes. Do people consider war to be good? Not generally. This is what you've got to work on. Can you convince your players that "knocking over the anthills" is a good thing.

If the Vorlons win, there will be complete stasis and enforced order.
If the Shadows win, there will be complete chaos and anarchy.

It's only through the balance between these two opposing philosophies that the younger races can live their lives. The "giants in the playground" mess up the lives of the younger races whenever they interfere. Look at the telepath crisis story arc.

 

[Shadow Queen]

or run the one in Darkness & Light