Acquisitions Incorporated

SCHMOOZING
The schmoozing activity is more than just random ca-
rousing, chatting people up at society parties, or pump-
ing strangers for information over copious dr inks. ( Full
disclosure: copious drinks are often still a par t of t he
bigger schmoozing picture.) For characters in an Acqui-
sit ions Incor porated campaign, schmoozing is a care-
fully focused engagement of bargaining and influence.
designed to har vest contacts impor tant to a franchise's
interests.
Resources. Schmoozing covers at least one work-
week of i nter actions. Characters or staff members
under taking this activity must l ook and play the part
of t he confident franchisee-dressing well, s pend-
ing money, giving gi fts to new friends. and so for th.
Schmoozing with laborers and other working-class folk
might incur expenses of 10 gp per franchise rank, with
expenses escalating to 100 gp or more per franchise
rank for schmoozing professionals and business rivals.
Schmoozi ng at th e highest l evel with nobles or ranking
members of a faction might incur expenses of^250 gp or
more per franchise rank as t he character or staff mem-
ber attempts to put on an impressive social d isplay.

Resolution. The character or staff member engagi ng

in schmoozing determines wheth er th ey want to estab-

lish relations with specific NPCs or with any general

representative of a group. T he character makes a Cha-

risma ( Persuasion) check to determine the effectiveness

of their schmoozing. as noted on the Schmoozing table.

A character with the obviator position gains a +l bonus

to the check. A character with a background related to

those they attempt to schmooze gai ns a +l bonus to the

check (a criminal schmoozing other criminals, a guild

artisan schmoozing a guild master, and so for th).

SCHMOOZING

Check Total Result

1- 5 Th e character's failed schmoozing brings the

franchise into d isrepute. Any further checks

made for the franchise to schmooze NPCs from

the same group or organization a re made with

disadvantage.

6-10 The characte r becomes known to t hose they

schmooze, but gains no immediate bene fit.

If the character undertakes this activity again

wit h in the same g roup or social circle , the next

check to schmooze is m ad e with advantage.

11 -15 The character successfully establishes the de-

sired contacts, and is treated as a confidante of

16- 20

21 +

t ho se they schmoozed.

The characte r establishes the des ired contacts

and is treated as a trusted friend.

The character establishes the desired contacts

and gains a favor as a result of their schmooz-

ing skill.

If contacts are successfully made, t he DM determines

which N PCs the franchise is able to ingratiate itsel f

with. how long those relationships last, and what kinds

of benefits the franchise might gain. Some schmoozed

PCs might provide only a si ngle minor benefit to the

franchise before realizing the one-sided nature of the

relationship. Others might hang around wanti ng to help

the franchise for years-wheth er th e characters want

them to or not.

Complications. A check of 5 or l ower made to

schmooze automatically triggers a complication. Be-

cause the stakes of schmoozing are often high, the DM

mi ght decide to have any successful schmooze au empt

come with a potential downside. The OM can choose

a complication or roll on the Schmoozing Complica-

tions table.

SCHMOOZING COMPLICATIO N S

d6 Complication

A d iffere n t group notices the characte r's schmoozing

attempts. Agents threaten to expos e the franchise's

ulterior motives unless th e ch arac ters perform a favor

or pay a bribe.*

2 To win over a potential contact, the schmoozing

character o r staff mem ber swore to par ticipate in an

initiation ritual fro m the contact's group ... without

first learning the nature of that ritual.

3 A contact becomes convinced that the schmoozing

character or staff member intends to leave the fran-

chise and join the contact's organization. It 's clear

that they'll become hurt or an gry when they learn the

truth.

4 In the attempt to win over a contact, it was n ecessary

to reveal one of t he franchise's secre ts.*

5 The character or staff membe r regrets giving a con·

tact a personal item, a drop of blood, or a lock of hair.

It seemed like a great idea at the time.*

6 Shortly after schmoozing, t he character or s taff mem·

ber receives a love letter from a contac t- whether

that interest is reciprocated or not.*

*Involve s a faction o r riva l

TEAM B U ILDING

The frenetic pace of adventuring and running a fran-

chise sometimes covers up underly ing issues. Has the

party 's cleric accidentally started worshiping a dark

god? Is the maj ordomo at odds with the occultant's habit

of displaying entrails in the great hall? l s the fighter

questioning th eir life choices? The team building activ-

ity can help characters work through problems, settle

differences. and adjust the w ork-life balance. I n the end,

everyone ends up with a healthier working relationship.

Or at least th at's the plan.

At the DM 's determination. characters might be di-

rected by H ead Office to run this activity each time a

new franchise rank is gained, or during times of excep-

tional chaos or uncertainty.

Resources. Team buildi ng requires th e involvement

of at least two characters, or a character and a staff

member. Those individuals must dedicate at least one

workweek to th is activity, whose particulars are w orked

out by participating players and 1he DM. The team build-

ing exercise might be a trust-inspiring ropes course, an

emotional "resolve your issues" w orkshop, a meeting

GH \l'TER^2 I c;ROWINt; YOUR FRANClll~I·. 15