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Hi

I'm running Electric Dreams with a group of five (yes 5!) players, who now three quarters through the campaign have gotten themselves in a tough spot. The players apprehanded Styles in Animoid row without knowing he was a N8. I had them realise this as they questioned him in LAPD detention and ending our last gaming session with the message that he would be retired.

A note on background, I have made some adaptions to ED in order to accommodate five players working on the case. One is to elevate Styles from a connected nice guy to a mid level leader in the Replicant underground. (I will also add more confrontation with Quell/Wallace as well as an encounter with Human Supremacists at the memory lab; I am thinking also about some kind of second end scene with RU, Wallace and HS by the Hollywood sign should Leah survive the encounter at the memory lab; I also have the players go to Holden's office for a dress down now and then.)

The players are starting to piece together the forces at play (as mentioned above) and now want to use contacts/promotion points to have Styles released in order to have him lead them to Leah/help find her. I'm sympathetic to their idea, but at the same time is it realistic to pull off a release of a renegade N8 from LAPD HQ? What do you guys think? (Setting a replicant free is not mentioned in the base rule book as something you could do.)

Would also appreciate any ideas about running ED with five players.

Has it been entered into the database that Styles is a replicant? Are Holden and others already aware?

If so, I'd say this is a risky move. Based on the LAPD Resource Requests table, and the fact you've made Styles higher-up in the Underground, probably 2 or more promotion points and a successful connections roll to convince Holden to release him to aid the investigation. And if he somehow escapes, extra lost points on top (probably 1 point lost based on the guidelines in the book, but, if you want to be harsh about it, this could easily be a career-destroying move if he got away)

If Holden doesn't know he's an N8, still need a connections roll, but I'd probably make it cost 1 promotion point

Another thing to consider, though: why would Styles help them? He would also need some convincing to agree to that. I think the scenario gives some guidelines on that when it comes to interrogating him, but I'd probably make it even harder to convince him to physically help them

Thanks Supermarine! Really appreciate you reaching out on this!!

So this is the 'sitch'. The players didn't know they apprehended a renegade N8. When they questioned him in custody at LAPD I had them strike a good rapport with Styles and build some trust as they thought he could lead them to Leah. However, and note that this was the end of our the gaming session, I ended the session with handing over the Styles handout in the LAPD envelope for sake of great drama I surmised that LAPD would find out that a replicant was apprehended and out in their basement (since he goes by the name of Styles and obviously is in the mainframe).

The next gaming session will begin with the players being lauded for apprehending a N8 soon to be retired. It would help the players (and Holden) to fend off superiors and - maybe - buy some time from Wallacec's Quell directed hit team. So Yes, Holden will definitely know about it. The perhaps far fetched idea of the players would be to release Styles for some kind of bait-operation to find Leah.

I think Styles, albeit not being the sharpest tool in the shed, would be ready to cooperate with the players (or try to fool them). The players did some great dice rolling in the interrogationending the session, so I feel I can't disregard that. Note that they haven't realized the role of the Aurelian yet.

To sum up, should I let the players try to have Styles released at the cost of 2-3 promotion points and a connections roll with disadvantage with Holden at the start of next session? In addition, they are about to have the investigation called off by Quell at this point of time in the investigation. So they might be well advised to float the idea that Styles could lead the players to other parts of the Replicant underground.

I think that's a decision you've got to make yourself, especially considering you're modifying the scenario to accommodate 5 players. I gave what my thoughts about it were, but ultimately, use your judgement based on what you think you and your players will enjoy. Trying to use him as bait could be a lot of fun!

I know my players are always okay with a good double cross, so I'd try to have Styles manipulate them to his own ends, but not everyone has fun with things like that