[HoE] Changing roles of black hats

[Dusarat@aol.com]

Thanks for the compliment Poe, 

    I had some ideas occurr to me on keeping black hats fresh.

1) Black hats as the villains (too easy, but might as well mention)

2) Black hats as the comic relief...

    Two Fate eaters have gotten two groups (one of which is the party, the 
other is a poor group of Black Hats) into their plans.  These two are looking 
to win a 'frog jumping contest' (or dominoes, or a science fair, or 
something').  And as the party tries to fufill the regard, since, well, HoE 
frogs are tougher, stronger, more acidic, more aggressive, and taste more 
like chicken than normal frogs;
    The party has a black hat group trying to stymie them AND they get to 
watch these Waste yahoos try in vain to do their end much slapstick humor 
could abound.  

3) Oh my god, the Black Hats need our help!

    Now everyone knows the actual black hats are at the bottom of the Combine 
food chain.  And who knows?  Maybe Throckmorton tries out the occasional new 
warbot design by sending out after some of these yahoos.  Will the party 
help?  On the one hand, it'll be fun to watch the BH's die, on the other, 
you'll have an easier time dealing with the warbot if you have four extra 
guns around.  And maybe you could turn these guys to the good side. 
    ready made NPC's, and Black hats who could owe the party a favor later 
on.   

4) But it's the Hat I hate most of all!

    Do a classic body switch, except the party gets switched into the bodies 
of Black hats and has to find their real selves without

    a) tipping off the upper combine members who will activate the headbanger 
chip
    b) compromising their morals taking part in too much carnage

    And the party can get a good close look at the combine and get a chance 
to use that snacky combine equipment.  And you know they want to.  

5)Loose lips sink... US!

    Standard fare with a twist (the best kind).  The combine is experimenting 
with new sensors and robot attack drones.  These pick up on sound, 
particularly any non-registerred human voice.  But the party gets caught up 
in this before they can prepare.  So they have to get out of the testing 
zone, and hopefully kill the Black Hats, but they know that if they say a 
word to each other, the drones attack.  Role-play it out... how would each 
party member communicate?  Yeah, telepathy is nice, but it cost strain. And 
I've never seen a syker take it when Aztec surprise is available.   

6) I miss the good old days, when Throckmorton was in charge

    Some beasty has managed to mind control some Black hats and augment them 
somehow (supernatural, Zombie Black Hats, etc).  Turning these mooks into 
powers to be reckoned with.  a good start adventure could be the party 
getting tangled up with them, then they witness the 'transformation' and now 
have to clean up the mess before whatever it is gets back to Denver and ALL 
the black hats become super Hats.  

        Hope you like the ideas!