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I think some DMs are looking for things to make the Rebellion mechanic less... mechanical. To do that, you could periodically have small RP events to humanize the advancement of the rebellion. We should brainstorm a list of such advances. These should be events that take little time at the table, but symbolize the battle for hearts and minds, rather than major encounters like the ones handled by the books.
1. A child of one of the Silver Ravens' supporters is being bullied by children of the Chelish Citizen's Group. One of the parents approaches one of the PCs to ask for help for the kid. How do the PCs help? [justifies gain in supporters or addition of new generic team, perhaps] [events: ally in peril, low morale]
2. One of the teams a PC supervises is doing an assigned Rebellion Action. But a squad of Dottari or Hellknights is approaching and will disrupt the Action. How does the PC distract the squad sufficiently to let their team succeed at the Action? [good for covert action, placing a cache, black marketeers gaining gold, reduce danger, sabotage] [disastrous mission]
3. The Chelish Citizen's Group is spreading malicious slander about one of the more notorious Silver Ravens. How do you fight the gossip? Murdering the gossiper will simply confirm that the Silver Ravens have something to hide... [could work for gathering information action or recruiting supporters, disinformation by fighting this lie with a lie]
4. Taxes are high. Morale is low. Time to ... rob the tax collector. A heist adventure good for morale, or gaining gold for la resistance.
5. FIRE!
6. A family's being evicted because the parents can't afford the bridge tax to get to their jobs. How can you help them, without bringing the law down on them?
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7. A small crowd is gathering around a wagon with one its wheels broken on a big hole in the road. Standing on the load of turnips is a farmer, who have totally lost it. He screams and rages about the taxes and the tariffs and how the government cannot even maintain the roads even though they are bleeding the farmers dry. On the coach box sits his stunned wife holding a crying toddler. A group of Chelish Citizen Group (CCG) members sitting at a street corner café finishes their ales and starts walking towards the commotion. What do the PCs do? [rising tension among the common folk]
8. A group of CCG comes up to the PCs in the streets, sizing them up. They say that they PCs look like they could handle themselves, and that the CCG are always looking for new recruits. You'll get a nifty leather uniform and everyone will look up to you. And the PCs don't want to end up on the losing side, do they? [The government is recruiting, stakes are getting higher]
9. A pair of nervous-looking troubadours first cautiously wait for a dottari patrol to walk around the corner and away, then they start to sing and play a new song...
'A coup' from Dishonored 2)
They say Jilia was born to wear a crown on her head
But all her life Egorian's wanted her dead
She had her own will, or that's what they said
And 'fore too long, the streets would run red
Life wasn't easy for our dear mayor lord
Keeping at bay the infernal horde
But her treaties and pacts had little success
And our skies turned dim and we lived in distress
Refr.
A coup, a coup, what is it to you?
A feast or a famine, a nail or a screw?
A Thrunie from the south, a vile witches brew
Kintargo's free spirit they will try to undo
On a ship Jilia left, across the big sea
That's what they say, but true as mint tea
it's all a lie straight from the queen bee
'cos they locked her up and threw away the key
They can torment us, but I'll tell you this much
Our silver won't tarnish under Thrunes touch
A brighter tomorrow is coming you see
The Raven's flight will set us all free
Refr
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I don't know if it's necessary that the PCs have the option to do something in regards to these events as they should only paint the picture of what's going on in the background of Kintargo.
10. Mer'dirain Hethanos, an up and coming musician is a frequent mid evening act at the Three Legged Devil. It's no secret that he has recently earned the patronage of Archbaroness Melodia Delronge. Just as he began to sing the chorus of "All's Pride of Midnight Tide," a rather inspiring ballad of when the Chelish navy sailed against the pirates of the Shackles, hecklers began throwing horse manure at him. He moved to flee the stage but someone had also Greased the stage causing him to slip and break his lute in two. Disgusted, Archbaroness Melodia Delronge left her balcony in a huff.
It's obvious the choice of horse manure wasn't lost on her.
[Reduce Danger, Successful Protest: Corruption or Society.]
11. The dottari have been recently put to the task of flipping several blocks in Redroof. They're going house to house searching each building destroying much of what little those poor folk have. If they catch you with anything suspicious, they'll throw your belongings in the street. You can see the fires that are burning "contraband" from across the city.
[Inquisition, Low Morale]
12. An ever growing crowd gasps at a horrific scene in the marketplace. A familiar face, (insert Supporter name here), hangs lifeless from a flag pole. The supporter is tarred and feathered in silver feathers. Later, a familiar friend gives you a note and a scroll case.
"My dears, clearly you need to tighten your ship. You can't have friends like (Supporter) traipsing around my home selling your documents to whomever gives them a purse. Perhaps you should take what you do more seriously. This one's on me."
The note isn't signed but there is a small sketch of a lizard at the bottom meaning this 'favor' could have only come from the Newt.
Inside the case are documents and correspondence belonging to the Silver Ravens.
[Snitch]
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13. A sweaty man is loading barrels off a wagon in front of a warehouse. He calls to the PC’s and tells them he needs help and he’ll give them a small barrel of wine for their troubles. Both his helpers didn’t show up. What might wake the PC’s interest is the plaque by the warehouse door - “Property of the Kintargo Dottari Department”. He needs help pouring the wine and rum from the barrels into flasks inside the warehouse, and then putting the flasks into bottle trays - but not before seriously watering down the drink. If asked, the man tells them that the beverage is for the yearly ‘Guard’s Ball’ to be held in the week. The wine should be half water and the rum 3/4 water, "Due to ...umm, problems previous years this is by orders from Vanesses Trex herself ". There is of course the possibility to secretly mix a generous helping of rum into the wine bottles, instead of water, if the vintner is distracted. If that his done, the streets will be deserted of Dottari for the next week, while the city guards nurse their hangovers, hide from the sergeants they called braying asses to their faces, and/or try to save their marriages. [Reduce danger]
14. A loud snoring can be heard from an alley. If the PCs look, they find a corpulent but finely dressed man sleeping in a wheelbarrow. He reeks of wine and cigars. Firmly clasped in his arms is a leather dossier full with papers. If the PCs pry it loose without waking the man (Sleight of Hand DC 15) they’ll find it full of articles for the next issue of the Silver Leaf, Kintargo’s main (and only) news pamphlet. The drunk man is none other than Villio Randolfo Hersio, the editor in chief of said publication, who got sidetracked by a few bottles on his way back from the Asmodean redactors. The articles mostly contain upper class and theatre gossip, with some real news in there as well. The PCs can find some meaty information they can use (likely stamped with “Not approved for publication!” by the Asmodean redactors), or they can write some "news" of their own, and sneak it into the dossier and the next issue… [Gather information, Spread Disinformation]
Paraphrased, quoted, and/or adapted to fit the AP from an enormous thread of random encounters earlier on this site...
15. A horde of children gather around the Silver Ravens early in their career, asking intrusive questions about what they’ve killed, begging to see them cast spells, etc. How long will it take for the PCs to realize that they’re pickpockets, and what will they do?
16. Street rat with a monkey dashes by with a loaf of bread, followed by 4 dottari and then by an out-of-shape gasping baker.
17. The PCs happen upon an enormous snowball fight.
18. Prostitute offers a steep discount. If the offer’s taken, she uses the encounter in her crass come-ons in the future.
19. A group of four stray dogs are fighting over something in an alleyway-- a dismembered body part or clue from the tooth fairy or serial killer guy’s crime spree.
20. A wagon loaded with beehives runs out of control. If/when it crashes, angry bees swarm across the marketplace. How do they fight a swarm without area of effect spells that will damage stalls, produce, and people?