Subplot Design Tables: Contact Person

The contact person subplot is used as a tier of the game; it may be necessary to contact this person before the next stage of the campaign may begin. Or this person may be used to lead the character/team into a side story area of the game. Whatever the reason the contact person may be used to provide critical information or disinformation that may be useful, or maybe not, later in the campaign.

Informant: You are instructed to make contact with an informant. The informant may work for a criminal cartel, or perhaps a rival corporation. Whatever there 9-to-5 job, you are to make contact and receive information or equipment from that person. The informant may not be a reliable source of information and equipment; after all they are an informant and may be working as a double agent against your parties interest.

Enemy: You have run into the enemy, but combat is not necessarily the outcome. You may have run into them at a bar while off duty. Or you may be traveling incognito and they do not recognize you. This could be an ideal time to collect some first hand recon info or perform some impromptu espionage. Whatever the reason this may be a time to battle or to perform some other skill, after all its not every day that an opportunity like this lands in you lap.

Friend: You run into an old friend, someone from your past that you have not seen in years. You may have the opportunity to spend a little time catching up. You might hear about your friend and family from the old neighborhood, or perhaps your friend has sought you out for your help, or to bring bad new. Is it simply coincidence that your friend found you, after all you (might) are off the beaten track, is this simply a coincidence and good fortune, or could there be an ulterior motive?

Intel Agent: You come in contact with an allied Intelligence Agent. They have been sent (or you ran into by accident) to find you and bring you up to speed on new developments. The agent may have new orders for you that were too sensitive to send via normal routes. Or is their a double agent, after all having a Intel Agent hand deliver a message seems a little much. Are they a double agent or have they been sent to investigate you or your team?

SWAT/MP/Police: You have run into a local police team operating in the area. They may be on normal patrol or they could be in a situation that is over their heads. They may have a job for you and your team. Or perhaps you have committed a crime and they are there to bring you to justice. You could be operating on the same side but be the target of a set up, or perhaps you are on the same side but you have a run in with the police as part of a infiltration operation.

Criminal: You run into a criminal, thief, black marketer or mafia member. This may be the opportunity you need to cultivate an ally in the underworld. Or perhaps someone has but a bounty on your head and this criminal is there to collect it. Do you owe money to a lone shark and this gentleman is here to collect.