Killing a Black Court Elder- an intra party dilemma

[Magicpockets]

Hello all,
in our last game, there's be an interesting development, ending in a Mexican standoff between the three player characters. This takes place after the events of Grave Peril. Here's the rundown:

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-The Venatori Umbrorum acquire an artifact from the progenitor Black Court, which can serve as a powerful material link to all existing Black Courts. The Rukh (Black Court Elder) guarding it is killed in the process, and the Black Court is aware of who took it.
-My character is tasked with bringing a briefcase from Las Vegas to San Francisco. Unbeknownst to him at the time, the briefcase contains said artifact. My character takes a look at it, but cannot recognize what it is. The journey progresses smoothly, although a heightened military presence searching for contraband in the area is highly suspicious.
-The artifact arrives in San Francisco, and is brought to Alcatraz, a leyline nexus. The Venatori establish a base of operations there.
-The Black Court, in the meantime, starts raiding Venatori safehouses. A major safehouse is raided by someone with access to milspec equipment (flamethrowers, match-grade bullets). This is where our PCs come in. My character is friends with some Venatori, and with the assistance of the other two player characters, start investigating into the matter.
-We decide to investigate the artifact, and the only character we know who has access to a supernatural library is a Rukh, who we are on speaking terms with due to a prior adventure. The Rukh in question is Catherine the Great, who has adapted remarkably well to the modern world, and has access to vast resources and contacts. She has a power akin to flesh mask, allowing her to pass as a good looking woman in her mid twenties. She dislikes my character, since he hit on her some time ago, not knowing who she was.
-She agrees to help us, on the condition that we tell what we know. Another PC readily agrees, and spills the beans. She tells us the artifact is cursed, but refuses to go into detail. She says the Black Court is out for blood, and will not rest until either the artifact is returned or all Venatori are dead. That point is non-negotiable. She has a phone call in another room, which one of the PCs listens in, finding out that the Rukh is the one responsible for attacking the Venatori. That PC does not tell this to the other characters. When she returns, she is hit by major thaumaturgical attack, causing her to vomit blood and shattering her human guise for a moment. She tells us to leave, which we do.
-Returning at a later point, she tells us that the Venatori Umbrorum are responsible for the attack, and with her help, we deduce that the attack is coming from Alcatraz. Running water will prevent her from going there personally, and we decide to investigate the matter.
-At nightfall, we arrive on Alcatraz with scuba gear, sneak past all the sentries, and infiltrate the base of operations, which is located in the old prison building. We watch a conference room where a team of commandos is given green light on an operation via teleconference. Recognizing the one leading the conference as an old friend, my character decides to reveal himself (and only himself), talking with him about their plans. He tells me of their plan to eradicate the Black Court, showing my character a map with the location of all remaining Black Court Vampires. He reveals what the artifact really is, and that they plan on invoking a magic ritual (similar to Changes) to accomplish it. The first step involved is the assassination of the Rukh in town, our acquaintance. The other characters listen in on the conversation via coms, and decide to warn and assist the Rukh. My character decides to stay and watch.
-The SpecOps team, with the assistance of thaumaturgy to weaken the Rukh, captures her minutes before the other two PCs arrive. They decide to give chase. Meanwhile, my character is told that the Rukh will be placed inside a known execution ground of the Black Court, a wide, deep well where their powers are suppressed and the sun will touch them (If you have read/seen "Interview with a Vampire", you'll know it). My character expresses serious doubts about 'deathtrap-style executions', and implores them to kill the vampire before tossing her down. He even offers to do it himself, and travels to the site via VTOL, arriving just in time with the other characters.
-The characters meet up at the execution site. One player has his assistant, an assassin NPC, hiding nearby with a high caliber weapon. My character calls for a ceasefire, and the three PCs step aside to discuss their motivations. Took us two hours in realtime, so I'll give you the condensed version below. At this point, the session ends, and we're scheduled to meet again next week.
-Meanwhile, the sun has risen.

TL;DR Description:
-Venatori Umbrorum acquire means of taking out Black Court.
-They abduct Black Court Elder in San Francisco, who is sometime ally of the group, and ship her to execution site (locked in her coffin).
-PCs notice this, and travel there. My character sides with Venatori, other two side with Black Court.
-Mexican standoff ensues.

Characters and motivations:

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Former Summer Changeling, now the Summer Knight (for about three months). He was raised by a foster father loyal to the Winter Court, believing that his fairy parent sold him to winter. This made him a bitter and jaded individual who has come to rely primarily on himself. He served Winter as an assassin for many years, until one target turned out to be one of his childhood friends, who he decided to save instead. This introduced him to the Venatori Umbrorum, whom he worked for as a double agent, spying on Winter. During the events of the current campaign, he was framed for the murder of a senior warden and the former Summer Knight, but a Summer Fey made him the offer of taking up the mantle, which he accepted reluctantly.

Notable characteristics:
-Outwardly cold and pragmatic
-Does not leave enemies alive unless doing so is vastly more beneficial
-His two best friends are Venatori Umbrorum, and he wishes to protect them. One of them is a White Court Vampire, whom he has known since childhood, and she is the character's primary (though unrequited) love interest. Her rejection is due to her fear of harming him while feeding, but he does not know this.
-Considers the Rukh an enemy, and is unlikely to gain her as a trustworthy ally even if he lets her go.

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A werewolf detective who spent the first decade of her life as part of a Native American wolf pack roaming the wilds, she has moved in with her father, a history teacher, and is adapting to city life. She has a strong sense of justice, and believes in doing the right thing.

Notable characteristics:
-Impulsive and Impetuos
-Player is only vaguely familiar with the Dresden Files
-Highly perceptive of her surroundings, although sometimes naive
-Generally warm and kind, although quick to anger when she perceives injustice
-Considers the Rukh a good friend, and unbeknownst to the other characters, she is romantically involved with her. She is her first love.
-Considers the Venatori as a bunch of trigger happy Knights Templar, and dislikes one of their members, a slightly incompetent and awkward Vampire hunter with magical talent.

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A true mortal in his forties, he is a well connected and rich gentleman from Germany. He lost his parents during his youth, and was raised by wealthy relatives, upon whose support he build a smuggling empire. He deals in arms and all kinds of illegal goods, including magical supplies. Was introduced to the supernatural community by his wife, a Red Court Infected.

Notable characteristics:
-Quiet and observant, but really smart
-Player is genre savvy
-Thinks a preemptive strike will turn the cold war hot, and wants to prevent war entirely
-He fears the Venatori will cull the Red Court after they eradicate the Black Court, and that his wife may be targeted
-Neutral towards the Rukh, and would likely benefit from gaining her as ally
-Other player characters know virtually nothing about him

Here's the dilemma:
-Neither side is willing to shift from their point of view, both ingame and on a meta level.
-We are all good friends IRL, and have known each other for a long time. The outcome is unlikely to affect that, no matter how it goes.
-The discussion the characters held was RP'd without any rolls. Should it come to social combat, my character and the arms dealer are closely matched, with him holding a slight edge. The werewolf is about 1-2 ranks lower on social skills.
-Both sides have announced that they're perfectly willing to engage in physical violence. My character holds the edge in a physical conflict, although the werewolf is closely matched.
-Letting the Black Court Elder live is immensely detrimental to my character, and completely out of character for him. My character has stated his reasons for killing her, and unless the coffin is soundproof, she now knows that he considers her an enemy. On the other hand, killing the Black Court Elder will shatter intra-party harmony, leading to PvP.
-Intra party harmony is pretty damaged anyway, with the werewolf stating that she no longer trusts my character, and the arms dealer proclaiming that he'd rather side with the Black Court to eradicate the Venatori if that will prevent war.

So, how should we go about this? I have considered conceding to uphold intra party harmony, but all possible concessions seem incredibly lame, and would mean a major arsepull. Going through with what I had in mind (opening the coffin and exposing the Vampire to sunlight) would lead to physical conflict, possibly resulting in one or two dead player characters. Tbh, them siding with the Black Court was a WTF moment for me at the table.

If you need more information, feel free to ask.

[Deadmanwalking]

Play it out. If anyone dies, have them make a new character. Maybe make some kind of statement like "However this turns out, no hard feelings, right guys?" if that's appropriate IC, so any survivors can continue working together. If that doesn't work, maybe have one or more losers wind up the 'main villain' for the next bit (as an NPC, obviously).

Really, sounds like a very interesting and fun plotline, all things considered.

[blackstaff67]

BCV must also have one HELL of a way to disguise her odor as well from others, given that she's an animated corpse.  Ewwww.

[UmbraLux]

I'm a bit surprised any of the PCs are siding with the Black Court.  Completely in-character, you might suggest they read up on Chamberlain and how well appeasement worked.   

That said, the Black Court isn't exactly a major danger post Bram Stoker.  From a purely political point of view the Summer Knight could easily shrug and walk away if saving a BCV is that important to his (presumably) friends.  Of course personal risks and motivations may modify that. 

As for the Venatori & Venatori Umbrorum, the former won't target the BCVs unless they're meddling and the latter usually use less direct methods.  Said indirect methods could well be used against the PCs if they're interfering...    

Suggestion - try talking the other PCs into making it a simple kill instead of the opening conflict of the war.  In other words, stake the BCV instead of doing whatever ritual the VU had planned.  It limits personal risk by not letting go a vampire who may have heard too much while keeping the conflict at a personal level instead of starting a potential war.  Seems to meet both sides' motivations as listed. 

[noclue]

What's wrong with a rumble? Seems like everyone's locked and loaded.

[Taran]

The accords.  As a representative of the summer court, are you allowed to participate in the total annihilation of another signatory?

So while you may want to destroy the blacks, you may not be able to without starting a larger scale war.  Who knows what other powers the blacks aligned with.  Does summer want to get embroiled in such a potential war?

[polkaneverdies]

The situation seems to be whether  or not he will interfere with a 3rd party wiping out the blamps.

[Magicpockets]

The situation seems to be whether  or not he will interfere with a 3rd party wiping out the blamps.

This is indeed the case. The character would prevent the other PCs from stopping the execution, and carry it out himself if no one else is able to. Whether or not he will further participate in the annihilation of the BC is open right now.

[Taran]

My point is helping out that 3rd party wipe out the blamps may pull the summer court into a war with another powerful faction.  My point is that you may not be able to help or participate in such a thing.

[Magicpockets]

My point is helping out that 3rd party wipe out the blamps may pull the summer court into a war with another powerful faction.  My point is that you may not be able to help or participate in such a thing.

Does "preventing another third party from interfering" count? Especially if said party is not a signatory.

[Taran]

I wouldn't think you'd need to participate in either case.  Helping the BCV could possibly garner allies...but probably not.  I do think that actively helping any 3rd party destroy a signatory would open a can of worms.  Which might be fun, but it might also be a significant reason to step aside in the matter.

[Vairelome]

My point is helping out that 3rd party wipe out the blamps may pull the summer court into a war with another powerful faction.  My point is that you may not be able to help or participate in such a thing.

The Summer Court has no reason to be remotely sympathetic to the remnants of the Black Court.  Summer is a life/growth/sun-oriented faction; BCVs are animate corpses with a broad swathe of weaknesses that Summer can casually exploit at will.  Further, why would the post-Stoker Black Court be described as a "powerful faction," particularly with reference to the Summer Court?

So, how should we go about this? I have considered conceding to uphold intra party harmony, but all possible concessions seem incredibly lame, and would mean a major arsepull. Going through with what I had in mind (opening the coffin and exposing the Vampire to sunlight) would lead to physical conflict, possibly resulting in one or two dead player characters. Tbh, them siding with the Black Court was a WTF moment for me at the table.

If you need more information, feel free to ask.

Yeah, I'd be totally on the WTF team as well.  Now, with the other characters' motivations factored in, I can see where they are coming from, but with that in mind, I don't see how this was supposed to resolve without being an epic trainwreck.  The werewolf is stuck in the position of "my backstory does not have enough information for me to make wise decisions," and the arms dealer is working an angle that's too clever by half.  I can sympathize; I've played characters that have screwed up by the numbers in each of those ways.

In my opinion, this is a situation the DM should have headed off a while back, but I'm also the type of player that finds PvP extremely frustrating and not at all fun.  If your group can handle IC PvP and enjoy it, by all means, have fun, but it sounds like the situation was an accident that snowballed.

[Taran]

The Summer Court has no reason to be remotely sympathetic to the remnants of the Black Court.  Summer is a life/growth/sun-oriented faction; BCVs are animate corpses with a broad swathe of weaknesses that Summer can casually exploit at will.  Further, why would the post-Stoker Black Court be described as a "powerful faction," particularly with reference to the Summer Court?

They aren't a powerful faction.  Especially if you wipe them out.  They may have allies, though, that will retaliate.  That is what I was trying to say.

[Vairelome]

They aren't a powerful faction.  Especially if you wipe them out.  They may have allies, though, that will retaliate.  That is what I was trying to say.

Ah, I see what you mean now.  On the other hand, in the novels, the modern remnant of the Black Court had no significant allies of that sort, and the history of Black Court relations strongly suggests no allies of that degree.

[blackstaff67]

If you can call a BCV an ally without having your soul commit seppukku.