Leverage. The critically important item that can drive so much success. With the upcoming release of "Strange Aeons", it got me to thinking. How can a party role play social scenarios with followers and power brokers of the dark tapestry/Cthulhu/etc. ? What leverage can they ever gain with such alien and dissonant personages?
In Wrath of the Righteous, characters can parlay and negotiate with CE demons. In Hell's Rebels, the party garners aid from and further's the cause of a LE contract devil. In each case [as well as many others] the players can utilize some leverage - small or great - during interactions with demons, devils, vampires [Carrion Crown], etc.
What options are there for doing anything other than beating dark tapestry folks & followers in combat or foiling their plans in a very black and white manner? I'm generally curious. When the opponent simply wants worldwide extinction, the matters and motivations as presented thus far seem relatively black and white.
Again ... we get it: dark tapestry folks seem to want insanity followed by extinction. Only response to that is: fight for sanity and beat back inscrutable extinction seekers. No parlay. No deals. No leverage. Nothing to hold over the opponent besides "I'm going to beat you in combat if you haven't succeeded in driving the party insane". "Seems" like little to no social role playing when engaging opponents like this.
That said, "Strange Aeons" sounds unique, cool, and very creative.
I understand this thread is of a more philosophical bent ...