Here's the breakdown, so you won't be.
Set up gluetun (for your VPN) with docker compose. Use another docker compose file for your torrent apps, and put them all behind gluetun (gluetun wiki is very easy to follow). Once they're running, you just tell each one where to find the others, and enter their respective api keys.
Before you download anything, grab a torrent ip check magnet link, and make sure you're getting something other than your own ip. It's super simple, and if you follow a guide you won't even have to keep track of where you are in the process.