[IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

Mar 2, 2020 9:32 pm

somebox says:

OOC:

I thought the deal was for Ssyk-ssyk to guide us through the swamp so as to avoid any danger, natural or otherwise, which came about because it looks as though we can skip dealing the entire lizardfolk tribe.

Also if the session is almost over I will hold off spending xp till then.

OOC:

I think there have been about three different goals at different times: 1) To get information from him, then go back to the civilized roads; 2) To get introduced to the Lizardfolk tribe, and 3) To get a guide to Buzzards' Ford through the back door. We've circled around those three over and over, although usually y'all go back to wanting to just get information and return to the roads.

Again, you can totally go in to Buzzards' Ford via the back door if you'd like. You'll have to figure out how to get a boat (or creature) big enough for all of you, and you'll have to figure out what to do with the horses.

Otherwise, I suggest just peppering him with questions about the village to see what he knows and leaving the swamp.

CESN

Mar 2, 2020 10:11 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

SavageBob says:

To get a guide to Buzzards' Ford through the back door.

OOC:

Always assumed this was the goal 😅

SavageBob

Mar 3, 2020 2:46 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

We can do that. So, now the problems you need to solve are:

1) What to do with the horses and cart, and
2) How to fit six people into a canoe built for two at most. There's no overland option within the swamp proper.

mcneils5 Inactive for 8 months

Mar 3, 2020 3:02 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

So Conjuring says I can summon objects as well as creatures, could I use that with a sufficient upgrade to conjure a bigger canoe (Grand Summons additional effect lets you summon up to a silhouette 3 creature, not sure if that would suffice though)? I'd have to drop the mask on the horses realistically otherwise I'd be spending both my manoeuvres to Concentrate on the separate spells (if that is even possible, can't see anything in the rules that say's you can't do the Concentrate manoeuvre twice in the same turn)

SavageBob

Mar 3, 2020 3:31 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

mcneils5 says:

OOC:

So Conjuring says I can summon objects as well as creatures, could I use that with a sufficient upgrade to conjure a bigger canoe (Grand Summons additional effect lets you summon up to a silhouette 3 creature, not sure if that would suffice though)? I'd have to drop the mask on the horses realistically otherwise I'd be spending both my manoeuvres to Concentrate on the separate spells (if that is even possible, can't see anything in the rules that say's you can't do the Concentrate manoeuvre twice in the same turn)

OOC:

A silhouette 3 canoe should suffice. Two silhouette 2 canoes is another possibility, if that's easier to conjure.

I think concentrating on two spells simultaneously would be possible, but Hildar wouldn't be able to take any actions during that time. He'd kind of be catatonic, or at least intensely focused. Might not be an issue unless trouble erupts on the way. It would also mean you're down a concentrate maneuver for the remainder of the adventure (keeping the horses hidden), which is probably not what you'd like. No to mention them needing food and water to eat while you're in Buzzards' Ford.

You might also consider splitting up, sending two folks with the horses along the roads. It makes a headache for me as GM, and it makes the two groups more vulnerable, but it's a possibility. You'd end up flanking the village, with some people going in via the rivers, others via the roads.

emsquared

Mar 3, 2020 3:50 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

Bruv does have Conjuring ( and the other Primal magics of course), so he could do some of the lifting here. And/or is there a way to collaborate on a conjured spell/creation to make it easier to cast or maintain, etc.?

SavageBob

Mar 3, 2020 5:48 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

emsquared says:

OOC:

Bruv does have Conjuring ( and the other Primal magics of course), so he could do some of the lifting here. And/or is there a way to collaborate on a conjured spell/creation to make it easier to cast or maintain, etc.?

OOC:

Good question. Not by RAW there's not. If you both got your magic from the same source, I might entertain the idea, but Bruv conjures via primal connection to nature and spirits, while Hildar conjures through his understanding of arcane energies tied to the Aenlong (faerie realm, sort of). But Bruv could, say, conjure a giant fish or something to "gobble" some people (or horses) up and carry them along. Silhouette 2 for one target, Silhouette 3 for one horse or two people, Silhouette 4 for everyone OR both horses.

Y'all could also just build a bigger canoe. That approach would take time (and Survival), but magic isn't the only option.

Or steal the hunters' canoe. Probably will require a fight of some kind.

CESN

Mar 4, 2020 9:06 am

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

I bet Nekurr could boost those magics, even though he can't conjure a magic fish or boat! With that, we can just take everything with magic tricks right? The lizard will be impressed ;)

Nekurr looks at the newly acquired lizard guide and his clearly insufficiently sized transport, and quickly plays to Fortuna to show them a sign on how to get across the swamp without having to leave anyone or anything behind. There must be away, we just need to find it he thinks, not doing much about it but hope for some stroke of luck.

OOC:

Ok, so I can give a +G to one PC for PP and increase it to another target by taking another PP.
Since we're already praying for luck, why not try the full PPPP? :)

Rolls

Pray for better magic tricks

2 Success, 3 Advantage, 2 Failure, 4 Threat

Total: 1 Threat

CESN

Mar 4, 2020 9:06 am

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

-_-

SavageBob

Mar 4, 2020 2:44 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

CESN says:

OOC:

-_-

OOC:

We're not in structured time, so you could always do two spells, one on Hildar (for his Intellect) and one on Bruv (for his Cunning). The only downside is you lose 2 more strain than trying to do it all in one spell. Do you want to keep the first two dice and then roll again (versus PP) to buff the other ally? If you do that, you got 2 success and 1 Advantage, which you can use to boost your next spell, or to recover 1 strain.

CESN

Mar 4, 2020 3:15 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

SavageBob says:

We're not in structured time, so you could always do two spells, one on Hildar (for his Intellect) and one on Bruv (for his Cunning).

OOC:

Ah right! that's actually the way it has to be because it's two different attributes :( Adding another target will jsut bump a pointless attribute. let me redo this then

I'll use the 2 advantages to recover the two strain I had before

Last edited March 4, 2020 3:16 pm

Rolls

second target: Stony man!

2 Success, 4 Advantage, 1 Failure, 3 Threat

Total: 1 Success, 1 Advantage

Lizardfolk Trapper

SavageBob

Mar 4, 2020 5:53 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

Don't forget your Component Casting. You get an automatic boost to every spell you cast. Your cards are "out" if you roll too much Threat, but it's worth assuming you discard a card each time you cast!

Nekurr's prayers seem to work; Hildar and Bruv both feel a tad more attuned to their own forms of magic, perhaps enough to solve the current conundrums regarding horses, carts, and river travel via mystical means.

The trapper seems impressed. "What happen? Catpersssonzz know big idolzzz?"

Rolls

boosts for Component Casting

1 Advantage

Total: 1 Advantage

emsquared

Mar 4, 2020 6:54 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

That an Augment then? And what's my Diff? PPP (base P+PP for "Grand Summons"/up to Sil 3)?

Rolls

Primal, Conjure

4 Success, 3 Advantage, 3 Failure, 1 Threat

Total: 1 Success, 2 Advantage

SavageBob

Mar 4, 2020 7:26 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

emsquared says:

OOC:

That an Augment then? And what's my Diff? PPP (base P+PP for "Grand Summons"/up to Sil 3)?

OOC:

Yep, Augment. PPP is fine for a Silouette 3 watercraft (or creature) of some kind, but if you go the creature route, it's not necessarily friendly. What would Bruv have conjured?

Hildar (also augmented now) can try to Conjure something at Silhouette 4 for the horses if he likes.

Maybe even a spell to shrink the horses down? Kind of off-book, but might be done with Augment or Curse, meaning any of you could try. Say, Hard to get one horse down to Silhouette 1, Daunting (PPPP) to get it down to Silhouette 0? Cast twice to get both of them to avoid the "extra target" penalty.

emsquared

Mar 4, 2020 7:30 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

I was envisioning flavoring it as a nature elemental/spirit that would basically make the road rise to meet them... Basically just a "moving" mound of solid land that would push up through the water and Marsh to make a "rolling" Sil 3 sized "path". Does that require the Ally +P adder?

SavageBob

Mar 4, 2020 8:23 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

Cool idea! Basically, it boils down to whether you want to have to make a skill check to "guide" the landform spirit or not. If Hildar had summoned a canoe, say, I'd have asked for a Coordination or Athletics check from someone to steer it to your destination. In the case of the land form, you might "steer" it with Discipline or Riding. That said, with the Summon Ally addition, it will just obey your commands automatically.

Bruv concentrates and gestures with the fingers of one hand, chanting something in a basso hum under his breath. Suddenly, the waters of the swamp before him start to bubble and swirl, as creatures scurry into the reeds. Within a few seconds, the waters run off and are replaced by mud and muck—presumably the swamp floor. Fish and worms wriggle and flop in protest, as Ssyk-ssyk's razorwings pounce on them, gobbling them up. The land stabilizes, becoming a dry patch large enough for all of you to walk easily.

OOC:

I just realized that if you can guide this "dry land" to closer to the swamp entrance, you could conceivably bring the horsecart and horses through the swamp with you; they'd just "walk" like normal and pull the cart as Bruv moves the land before them. I'd require two checks for this: One for Bruv to guide the land (unless Summon Ally is added) and one to keep the horses calm (Riding check).

Bruv Zaer

emsquared

Mar 4, 2020 11:43 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

Yea, another Dif would be a significant risk to success on the spell... I'll take the Discipline guiding route! Also, let me know when/how much Strain/"rounds" of concentration in Narrative Play it will take, when and as appropriate. Hopefully I won't pass out with our stuff in the middle of a bog!
😝

"Let's git our 'orse an' cart, an git goin', eh? If someone can 'um in tune wit moi 'umming, fill in moi gaps as Oi gotta breav, moight 'elp me git tru dis...", he begins the basso hum again, places his hands out before him and starts to walk, guiding the mound as he goes.

OOC:

Anyone with a better-than-2 Will who can Assist me in the guide check?

Oh and I used my Advantage to heal previous Strain.

Last edited March 4, 2020 11:44 pm

CESN

Mar 5, 2020 9:01 am

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

Will 4 enough to assist?

Hildar Erathnir

mcneils5 Inactive for 8 months

Mar 5, 2020 11:14 am

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

OOC:

So I'm reading things at the moment that Hildar can let the Mask on the horses drop and he doesn't need to do any conjuring? That right with everyone else? Just shout out if you want Hildar to do anything at the moment to assist with the journey

Lizardfolk Trapper

SavageBob

Mar 5, 2020 2:23 pm

Re: [IC] Death & Taxes (Session 1)

Ssyk-ssyk's mouth falls agape and his tongue darts in and out. "What izzzz witchinessss thisss!" He seems a bit spooked by the rising landform, but he manages to keep his cool for now.

mcneils5 says:

OOC:

So I'm reading things at the moment that Hildar can let the Mask on the horses drop and he doesn't need to do any conjuring? That right with everyone else? Just shout out if you want Hildar to do anything at the moment to assist with the journey

OOC:

I think that's right. As I understand it, the plan is this:

1. Lizardfolk canoes in front of you to lead the way to the human village. His Vigilance is only YG, so one of you may want to go in the canoe with him to keep an eye out for danger, rolling versus a Hard difficulty (PPP)+BB, with the boosts for his razorwings scouting ahead). Or Nekurr could augment his Willpower to give him YGG+BB.

2. Nekurr and Bruv work together to guide the land spirit, with the horses and cart walking on it. You also have half a crate of wine on the cart since Ssyk-ssyk took half and stashed it in his hideout. Let's call it an Average Discipline check, upgraded with a Story Point. The pair of you together roll YYGG+RP+KK (2 setbacks for the fact that the land is going to have a lot of stuff on top of it and may "buck.")

3. Someone guides the horses using Riding. (I'm open to an Agility-based use of the skill if you're literally driving them like normal, or a Cunning-based use of the skill if you're walking in front and keeping them calm). Keeping both horses calm while walking through a dangerous swamp on top of a living piece of land is going to be tough. Let's call it Daunting, upgraded (RPPP+K). Up to two other PCs can offer assistance, for +BB. Setback is because the horses have to pull the cart, too. Failure doesn't necessarily mean you don't get to the destination, but it does mean it takes a lot longer, as the horses keep rearing, spooking, etc.

Rolls

Fright check

3 Success, 2 Advantage, 1 Failure, 2 Threat

Total: 2 Success

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