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Interlude XIV: The Greatport Speedway Conspiracy

Session Overview​

This flashback session revealed Elspeth's secret past as Elspeth Cooper, a legendary dwarf racer in the magical racing circuit. The party played six rival racers who conspired to frame Elspeth for cheating and get her permanently banned from racing. The session combined Scott Pilgrim-style villain energy with Formula 1 racing mechanics, as the conspirators attempted increasingly ridiculous sabotage schemes before facing Elspeth in the season finale race at Greatport Speedway.

The Conspiracy Meeting​

Tito Bonito's Ultimatum​

The session began with Tito Bonito, president of the racing circuit board, calling a secret meeting with six racers at the Greatport Speedway during finale race weekend. Notably absent from the meeting: Elspeth Cooper, the seventh and most successful racer.

The Conspirators:

  • Verstap (Justin) - Dominant racer based on Max Verstappen, sponsored by Infinity Internet, Sun Bills coffee, and Blue Ox energy drinks
  • Den Lin (Tyram) - Cartoonishly evil human racer who owns orphan coal mines and uses orphan souls to power teleportation magic
  • Serge (Ellis) - Emo second-tier racer for MX racing team, career on the line
  • Scotty Mac (Christopher) - Older dwarf racer and Elspeth's best friend, torn by loyalty
  • Lancey Stroll (Luke) - Whiny elf whose rich father owns his team, speaks with Christopher Walken voice
  • Xugor (Ali) - 7-foot tall, 250-pound orcish woman, quiet and technical, daughter of ex-KGB agent

Tito's Revelation:

  • Elspeth voted against a unanimous board decision
  • All team owners (except Elspeth) have agreed she must be removed from the circuit
  • The racers have 24 hours to disgrace Elspeth and get her permanently banned
  • If they fail, their teams will be replaced with drivers who will comply
  • Murder is explicitly off the table
  • Methods: Prove cheating, create scandal, ruin reputation, or use any other creative solution

Elspeth's Background:

  • 20+ year racing veteran
  • Multiple championship winner
  • Team owner with fiercely loyal pit crew
  • Member of the racing circuit board
  • Known for being a great boss and standing on principle
  • Voted against "big money" initiatives for safety reasons
  • Lives in a tent during race weekends
  • Has a weakness for baked goods

Pre-Race Sabotage: The 24-Hour Window​

Round 1: The Failed Schemes​

Chassis Filing (Xugor & Father):

  • Xugor's ex-KGB father (always carrying files) helped file down Elspeth's car chassis to reduce weight (illegal modification)
  • Xugor's engineer caught them in the act and kicked them out
  • The sabotage was reported to officials (backfired)
  • Father insisted this was "standard procedure from the old country"

Team Poaching (Verstap):

  • Verstap's team attempted to hire away Elspeth's entire pit crew
  • Offered lucrative sponsorship deals with Sun Bills and Blue Ox
  • Every single crew member remained loyal to Elspeth
  • Elspeth's reputation as a great boss proved too strong

Den Lin's Scooby-Doo Schemes:

The most entertainingly incompetent conspirator, Den Lin attempted multiple cartoon-villain plots:

  1. The Hooker Scandal - Hired legal "companions" from the guild to dance around Elspeth's garage for scandalous photos. Elspeth simply backed her car into the garage and ignored them (legal and not scandalous).

  2. The Drug Setup - Approached Elspeth with "illegal drugs" while wearing an obvious recording device the size of a brick. She refused to engage.

  3. Photographic Evidence - Took pictures with a comically large old-fashioned camera with visible flash powder.

All schemes featured Den Lin twirling his mustache (which doubled as smoke bombs) and cackling about his "meddling orphans."

Round 2: Banking and Baking​

The Tax Fraud Plot (Lancey & Xugor):

  • Discovered Elspeth keeps her banking information on post-it notes in her desk
  • Sent a pit crew member to steal the information to frame her for tax evasion
  • The hired thief got distracted by Den Lin's hooker rave and never completed the mission
  • Lancey's own banking information was also on post-it notes (projection)

The Crystal Sabotage (Serge):

  • Serge successfully tampered with teammate Verstap's race car crystal/engine connections
  • Wedged a piece of Team Cooper t-shirt into Verstap's engine to frame Elspeth
  • This sabotage WAS discovered by officials before the race
  • The planted evidence pointed directly to Elspeth
  • Most strategically effective sabotage of all conspirators

The Poppy Seed Drug Test (Xugor):

  • Xugor baked 26 lemon poppy seed muffins
  • Plan: Feed them to Elspeth so poppy seeds trigger a positive drug test
  • Requires eating an unrealistic amount to actually work
  • Elspeth ate one muffin before bed
  • George (Serge's teammate) also ate several muffins (potential collateral damage)

Race Day Revelations​

The Breakfast Scandal​

Race morning began with more attempted sabotage:

Pineapple Pizza Incident:

  • Den Lin planted pineapple pizza at Elspeth's breakfast seat
  • Hoped to create scandal over her "controversial" food choices
  • Elspeth simply ate it without comment
  • Even the conspirators thought this was stupid

Scotty's Warning:

  • Scotty Mac visited Elspeth privately
  • Gave a vague warning: "Things might get crazy out there today"
  • Clearly torn between friendship and pressure from his father (team owner "Papy")
  • His daughter Win is training to take over his seat

The Driver's Meeting​

Official Discoveries:

  • Officials found sabotage on both Verstap's car (crystal tampering with Cooper shirt evidence) and Elspeth's car (filed chassis)
  • Both cars were disqualified from pole position and sent to the back of the grid
  • Elspeth had no idea why her car was sabotaged
  • The frame job was working

The Secret Track Map:

  • Tito distributed special track maps to the six conspirators (excluding Elspeth)
  • Blue zones (VVS/Vroom Vroom System) - Legal passing advantage zones (like DRS in Formula 1)
  • Red zones - Areas where officials can't see, allowing illegal magic and cheating
  • Elspeth received a standard map without the cheat information
  • The conspiracy extended to race officiating itself

The Hidden Mastermind: Zachary Cooper​

Throughout the pre-race scheming, Tito revealed the true architect of the conspiracy:

Zachary Cooper - Elspeth's brother:

  • Desperately wants to be the driver instead of his sister
  • Working directly with Tito to orchestrate Elspeth's downfall
  • Has possession of their father's racing crystal
  • Believes he deserves the seat more than Elspeth
  • Willing to destroy his sister's legacy to claim it

This revealed a tragic family betrayal at the heart of the conspiracy—Elspeth's own brother was engineering her disgrace.

The Greatport Finale Race​

Custom Racing Mechanics​

The DM introduced experimental D&D racing rules using Roll20:

Movement System:

  • Each turn: Roll d8 for base movement
  • Two actions available per turn
  • VVS (blue zones): Bonus d4 movement when activated
  • Each square = 5 feet
  • Track based on Indianapolis Speedway layout

Combat/Passing:

  • Passing requires contested rolls when cars are adjacent
  • Cars have 100 HP
  • Red zones allow magical abilities and attacks
  • Cloud of daggers, psychic attacks, slow spells all viable

Special Abilities:

  • Den Lin: Teleportation using orphan soul power
  • Lancey: Cloud of daggers traps
  • Xugor: Slow spell
  • Scotty: Secret "nuclear option" rune under Elspeth's car that makes it fly (definite cheating, last resort only)

Race Start: The Initiative​

Starting Grid (after penalties):

  1. Verstap (Initiative: First)
  2. Scotty Mac (High initiative)
  3. Xugor (Mid-pack)
  4. Lancey (Mid-pack)
  5. Den Lin (Low initiative)
  6. Serge (Rolled a 2)
  7. Elspeth (Back of grid, NPC-controlled)

Round 1: The Breakaway​

The Front Runners:

  • Verstap rolled double 8s on movement (8+5=13 total movement)
  • Scotty Mac rolled double 8s (16 total movement)
  • Lancey also rolled double 8s
  • The front pack pulled significantly ahead

The Back Pack:

  • Xugor, Den Lin, Serge, and Elspeth fell behind
  • Elspeth (NPC) rolling poorly
  • Conspirators in back discussing when to use red zone abilities

Tactical Plays:

  • Xugor cast Slow spell affecting both Den Lin and Verstap (friendly fire)
  • Den Lin used teleportation to jump ahead using orphan soul power ("You meddling orphans!")
  • Lancey prepared Cloud of Daggers trap
  • Scotty debated using the flying car rune

Character Moments​

Elspeth/Elspeth's Legacy​

The session painted a picture of Elspeth before she became Elspeth:

Professional Reputation:

  • 20+ years of championship racing
  • Respected team owner with loyal employees
  • Board member who voted on principle over profit
  • Known for treating staff exceptionally well
  • Lives modestly in a tent despite success

Personal Traits:

  • Weakness for baked goods (exploited by Xugor)
  • Keeps banking info on post-it notes (security flaw)
  • Trusts her competitors (naive to the conspiracy)
  • Close relationship with granddaughter Olivia (retired detective)
  • Values safety regulations over "big money" deals

The Unanswered Question: How does this legendary, principled racer become the adventurer Elspeth? This conspiracy may be her origin story.

Scotty Mac's Moral Conflict​

Christopher played Scotty as the conspiracy's conscience:

Torn Loyalties:

  • Genuine decades-long friendship with Elspeth
  • Pressure from father ("Papy") who owns the team
  • Responsibility to daughter Win who's training to replace him
  • Given the "nuclear option" rune as insurance
  • Warned Elspeth despite orders not to

The Flying Car Rune:

  • Placed under Elspeth's car as sabotage
  • Would make car fly (obvious and definite cheating)
  • Only to be activated if all other schemes fail
  • Scotty clearly hates the idea of using it
  • Represents his moral breaking point

Den Lin: The Scooby-Doo Villain​

Tyram leaned fully into cartoon villainy:

Evil Credentials:

  • Owns orphan coal mines
  • Uses orphan souls to power teleportation magic
  • Signature line: "You meddling orphans!"
  • Smoke bomb mustache
  • Carries a derringer
  • Photographic evidence obsession

Failed Schemes:

  • Every single sabotage attempt backfired spectacularly
  • Hooker rave, drug setup, pineapple pizza, giant camera
  • Provided comic relief throughout conspiracy
  • First finale race (nobody expected his chaos)

Serge's Desperation​

Ellis played Serge with emo energy and calculated risk:

Career on the Line:

  • Second-tier driver for MX racing team
  • Needs a win to save his career
  • Most successful saboteur (crystal tampering actually worked)
  • Willing to frame Elspeth to survive
  • Conflicted between morality and necessity

Lancey Stroll: The Trust Fund Racer​

Luke gave Lancey a Christopher Walken voice and rich kid energy:

Privileged Position:

  • Father owns his racing team
  • Keeps banking information on post-it notes
  • Whiny and entitled
  • Participated in tax fraud scheme
  • Cloud of daggers as racing strategy

Xugor: The Technical Threat​

Ali played the quiet, methodical conspirator:

Physical Presence:

  • 7 feet tall, 250 pounds of muscle
  • Orcish woman
  • Quiet and technical in approach
  • Daughter of ex-KGB equivalent agent
  • Father always carries files (literally)

Calculated Approaches:

  • Chassis filing (caught)
  • Poppy seed drug test (long game)
  • Tax fraud support
  • Slow spell casting (affected allies)

Ongoing Plot Threads​

  1. Race Outcome Unknown: The session ended after one round with mechanics being refined—will the conspiracy succeed?

  2. Elspeth's Transformation: How does this disgrace (if successful) lead to her becoming Elspeth the adventurer?

  3. Zachary's Betrayal: Brother vs. sister for their father's legacy and racing crystal

  4. The "Big Money" Vote: What was Tito trying to pass that Elspeth opposed for safety reasons?

  5. Scotty's Nuclear Option: Will he actually activate the flying car rune and permanently betray his best friend?

  6. Serge's Frame Job: Will the Cooper shirt evidence in Verstap's engine stick and prove Elspeth's "guilt"?

  7. The Poppy Seed Drug Test: Can eating one muffin actually trigger a positive drug test?

  8. Tito's Endgame: What does the board president gain from removing Elspeth?

  9. Team Owner Conspiracy: All owners except Elspeth agreed—what leverage does Tito have over them?

  10. Olivia's Investigation: Elspeth's granddaughter (retired detective) appeared trying to arrest Den Lin earlier—will she uncover the conspiracy?

  11. Character Connections: Does the current party know about Elspeth's racing past?

Session Mechanics & Conclusion​

Racing System Playtest​

The DM created custom racing mechanics combining D&D rules with motorsport:

Successful Elements:

  • d8 movement rolls with action economy
  • VVS (blue zones) for strategic overtaking
  • Red zones allowing magical abilities
  • HP system for car damage
  • Contested passing rolls

Adjustments Needed:

  • More red zones for tactical variety
  • Balance between front and back pack speeds
  • Passing mechanics timing (after each round for adjacent cars)
  • Magic ability economy in red zones

Meta-Gaming Notes​

Player Highlights:

  • Den Lin's cartoonish schemes provided consistent comedy
  • Scotty's moral conflict added emotional weight
  • Serge's successful sabotage created real stakes
  • Xugor's methodical approach showed different villain archetypes
  • Verstap and Lancey rounded out the conspiracy diversity

DM Preparation:

  • Roll20 map of Indianapolis-style speedway
  • Custom racing rule system
  • NPC Elspeth with racing stats
  • Conspiracy framework allowing player creativity
  • Real-world racing references (Verstappen, Hamilton, Perez, McLaughlin, Stroll, Piastri)

Session Ending​

The race paused after the first round to:

  • Refine movement and passing mechanics
  • Clarify red zone and VVS zone usage
  • Allow players to strategize with better understanding
  • Set up continued racing for next session

The conspirators had successfully framed Elspeth (chassis filing and crystal sabotage evidence), planted potential drug test evidence (poppy seeds), and started the race with tactical advantages (secret track map, nuclear option rune). The question remains: Can Elspeth overcome sabotage, conspiracy, and her own brother's betrayal to win the finale—or is this the end of her racing career and the beginning of her adventuring life?

Key Revelations​

  1. Elspeth's Previous Identity: Elspeth Cooper was a legendary racer, not just someone who raced—this was her entire career and identity for 20+ years

  2. Family Betrayal: Her brother Zachary orchestrated her downfall to steal her racing seat and their father's crystal

  3. Principled Stand: Elspeth's vote against "big money" initiatives made her a target of the entire racing establishment

  4. Loyal Team: Despite attempts at poaching, her crew remained loyal—showing her leadership and character

  5. The Board Conspiracy: Tito Bonito and all team owners except Elspeth coordinated to remove her from the sport

  6. Origin Story Setup: This conspiracy and potential disgrace likely explains how Elspeth became the adventurer Elspeth

Next Session Preview

Continue the Greatport Finale Race with refined mechanics to determine Elspeth Cooper's fate and the success of the six-racer conspiracy.