Sometimes Brazen Is Fun

On the Fridays when I don't have the L5R game that I run I play in a friend's Dresden Files RPG. It is a new campaign and the players are still feeling things out. Last session feeling a bit frustrated in character that a plan of attack I'd been using seemed to have been failing I decided to take my own advice and simply act out in a brazen manner that demands a response. The results were quite fun, and I figured I'd take today to brag...I mean, talk about it.

The Character, The Plan, and Other Relevant Information
The character I'm playing in this game is a Changeling Thief named Colin. Now, Colin owes a few favors to one of the other PCs and he doesn't like that. Favors have power over him, he's fae blooded after all, and so he feels he should be paying back any favors owed as quick as possible so he can't be pulled into things he doesn't want to be without a say in the matter. Now, in a passing comment the character Colin owes mentioned that he would very much like to meet and speak with an FBI agent who works in Art and Jewelery theft. Being a Thief himself, Colin immediately saw a chance to act and went into action. Enter a miniature crime spree, each one signed with a calling card (a different card from the same deck of cards.) Colin stole some jewels from a jewelery store, a statue from a museum, another statue from a Sci-Fi film museum, and had himself a little spree going. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to be getting any closer to his goal...

The Brazen Act
Colin, being the impulsive sort, decided to move things a long a little bit faster. So, one night he goes out and gets a gorilla costume. The next night, wearing the gorilla costume, he goes up to a jewelery store with a duffle bag, several bricks, and something sharp enough to cut safety glass. Between the cutting, the bricks, and his supernatural strength he is able to smash his way into the store. He uses the other bricks to smash the cases to steal those jewels, then cracks the safe and takes everything in there too before making his escape. Also, he leaves a calling card - the Ace of Diamonds with  the words "I'm Bored" written on it. The whole thing gets caught on security camera and goes wild on the internet before being claimed to be a hoax due to the impossibility of a normal person smashing safety glass with a brick. Colin isn't finished though.

He goes to the church the person he owes favors to owns and slips one of the expensive pieces into the donation box (in an envelope.) The character reports the find, the FBI comes in - including the agent that char wanted to meet - and the job is done. Of course, the ramifications are far from over.

Looking A Bit Deeper
So, what exactly did I do? Well, for one I made a high profile smash and grab that tips off anyone in the know that there is a supernatural thief operating in the area. Almost everything stolen can't be fenced or sold by normal channels because the theft was too high profile and the the FBI/Cops are looking for everything. I've brought in a big time FBI unit to investigate my crimes which is only going to cause trouble down the line, and even "worse" I've involved another character directly in the theft by giving them - albeit discreetly - one of the pieces in order to arrange the meeting.

This whole event in a very large way was very stupid and not "sound" in a strategic sense, but it is fun. It also tells a lot about Colin (how impulsive he can be) and sets things up for the GM, and other players, to be involved in in the future.

Not Smart But Fertile
The point here is that the action my character took wasn't smart. It was brazen, arrogant, and foolhardy to be precise. However, it is a fertile action. By that I mean that a lot of things can come out of it. Consequences can be very far reaching. Other Supernatural may be worried, or just intrigued, by the actions of a supernatural thief and look for Colin for that. The FBI could make things difficult for everyone. There is the general fact that I have a store's worth of jewelery that can't be sold now. This one point can go in a myriad of directions and all of them are the world reacting to a single point of player pro-activity. If nothing happens, I - as the player - can use it to fuel becoming more and more brazen in crimes and giving people fun that way too.

Now imagine if I'd gone about it smart. For one thing, the goal of attracting the FBI agent likely wouldn't be possible. No calling cards, and the thefts would have to be much better orchestrated to leave no evidence. Sure, it works out beautifully well for a person in the real world, but where is the fun? Think of the fun!

Now, out of curiosity, what's the most brazen action you've seen taken at the gaming table and how did the fall out work?