TFW: OOC Intro & Questions

I’m actually not too sure? It’s kind of written more ambiguously than most moves.

On a 10+ they treat you as the most obvious threat to be dealt with and ignore your companions, take +2 damage ongoing against them.

I wish they had said "you deal" or "you receive" rather than just "take".

The fiction kind of goes both ways too: the monster is so enraged and focused on you, it deals extra damage - or its so enraged it becomes sloppy and doesn’t defend itself as much... but in that case, it really seems like everyone else should deal +2 against this thing, since the barbarian is busy tanking.

I might need some clarification on it.

Agreed on the analysis of the fiction.

The Arcane Duelist has a similar move, Throw Down the Gauntlet, and it uses similar wording.

Yeah, "Throw Down the Gauntlet" makes more sense if the PC gets to add +1 to rolls against the one who didn't accept their challenge (since the other options are negative for the opponent - it makes sense for them to take extra damage/be more susceptible to hits if they're retreating or are losing face with their people).

Looking at the other uses of "take" in Arcane Duelist specifically, it does seem to mean "you do" +1 damage against rather than "you take" +1 damage against. Sorry about that, still getting used to the rules! I'm writing up a little summary of the game-so-far and I'm going to audit the rolls/damage to make sure everything is correct.

I agree the wording isn't clear and I could see it going either way based on the fiction.

I searched other examples of how the word "take" is used in the rules and it seems to generally be used to mean "have this modifier for your rolls." The one example I could find where the player takes extra damage during the move, it was much more specific wording. Like the clerics "Penitent" and "Martyr" it says "When you take damage ... take +1d4 damage."

So I would lean towards it being a bonus for the barbarian. Especially since there's already a drawback in that the barbarian is going to be the focus of attack from enemies after the taunt so they're likely to already take more damage than they would have otherwise.

But I understand the reasoning if you decide it makes more sense that its a further trade-off.

No reason to apologize! The wording really could have been much clearer, and the fiction really could go either way.

GM Post 1: Leviathan makes a wave that rocks the ship (no specific mechanics).

- Bonepipe's Discern Realities = 9, he sees the creature and gains +1 forward to his response
- Mance's Defy Danger (WIS) = 3, he turns the wheel of the ship too fast and marks XP

GM Post 2: Mance's sudden turn throws the ship off kilter, and several crewmembers begin sliding down the deck, toward the sea. A Defy Danger+DEX is needed to maintain footing and not fall.

- Bonepipe's Defy Danger (DEX) (using +1 Forward) = 11, to stay on his feet
- Bonepipe's Herculean Defy Danger (DEX) = 14, to swing awesomely from the rigging and snatch the falling sailors up before they fall
- Mance's Defy Danger (DEX) = 8, to avoid falling and turn the wheel of the ship back
- Teo's Defy Danger (DEX) = 5, he shapeshifts, but his owl talons to slip on the deck - he marks XP

GM Post 3: Mance's hard bargain is to grab the wheel to prevent his falling, but crash into the creature, or to slip and knock a crewmember overboard instead (originally Teo, but switches to Helga).

- Teo's Shapeshifting (Falcon) = 11, which gives him 3 Hold - he uses one to Escape to the Sky and avoid falling overboard
- Mance slips and knocks into Helga, who begins to fall overboard and ends up hanging precariously from a rope
- Mance's Defy Danger (CHA)= 9, to call for help in pulling Helga up
- Bonepipe's Aid = 11, to help and turn Mance's roll into a 10 (+1), hauling Helga back up onto the deck
- Mance's Volley = 7, to shoot the harpoon launcher at the Leviathan, doing 5 damage - AC to the creature
- Teo uses 1 Hold to Spot Prey, to give him an idea of the size of the creature

Leviathan takes 2 damage.

GM Post 4: The harpoon shoots the creature's eye, but (complication on the Volley 7) it continues its charge and rams into the ship, causing 4 damage to the Symphony. This calls for another Defy Danger (DEX) for those on the deck.
Teo sees from the air that the creature is huge, solitary, and protected by scales - he can also see the ice spreading on the creature's scales.

- Bonepipe's Defy Danger (DEX) = 10, to keep his feet
- Bonepipe's Herculean What Are You Waiting For = 12, to gloriously call out a challenge to the creature (full focus and +2 ongoing damage against the creature, but also Herculean Complication)
- Mance's Defy Danger (DEX) = 7, to avoid falling & taking damage
- NPC Byron stokes the fires
- Mance's Discern Realities = 7, to check on the status of the ship

Symphony takes 4 damage.

GM Post 5: Bonepipe is splashed by the enraged creature and buffeted by freezing-cold water (takes 4 damage - AC). For the Herculean complication, he has to make a CON Defy Danger to avoid being Shaken. For Mance's Defy Danger Complication, he grabs onto the Harpoon Launcher to keep balance, but it throws it out of alignment.
Mance discovers that the hull is holding, but can't take much more abuse.

- Bonepipe's Defy Danger (CON) = 8, to avoid being Shaken from the cold
- Bonepipe's Herculean Volley = 9, to throw a harpoon at the creature with his bare hands, which deals 11 damage - AC to the creature (with the +2 for WAYWF)
- Teo's Shapeshifting (Orca) = 12, which is 3 Hold
- Teorca's Hack & Slash = 10, to smash into the creature, leaving himself open to a counter-attack - he does 8 damage - AC to the creature.
- Mance's Arcane Art = 13, to take off the ongoing CON check of Bonepipe

Bonepipe takes 3 damage.
Leviathan takes 8 + 5 damage.

GM Post 6: Bonepipe's Volley complication loses some harpoons (Ammo is now at 2). The Leviathan turns and smacks Teorca with a giant fin, dealing 7 damage - AC to Teo. The creature dives beneath the sea, then begins charging at the ship from below.

- Teo's Defend = 6, to protect the ship, but doesn't make it in time, and marks XP
- Bonepipe begins celebrating early
- Mance's Defy Danger (CHA) = 7, to play a calming Whale Song to soothe the beast

Teo takes 5 damage.

GM Post 7: Mance's song succeeds in calming the creature, but (Defy Danger complication) since it's charging below the ship, when it diverts itself it ends up lifting the ship out of the water and onto its back and begins swimming off with it.

- Mance's Arcane Art = 4, to sing instructions and boost their cooperation, but the crew becomes confused, and Mance marks XP
- Mance can see the magic in the creature's ice protrusions and recognizes it as the Woe
- Mance's Volley = 9, to dump hot coals on the creature, dealing ? damage
- Bonepipe's Herculean Hack & Slash = 10, to swing down on a rope and begin stomping the monster with his boots, dealing 14 damage - AC (with the +2 for WAYWF)
- Teo leaps back onto the deck

Leviathan takes 11 damage.

GM Post 8: Mance (Volley complication) has to lean dangerously off the side of the boat to dump the coals on the beast. Meanwhile, the creature jerks from Bonepipe's attacks, smacking him with a fin and dealing 4 - AC damage to the barbarian. The creature dives, and Bonepipe begins to fall into the sea.

- Bonepipe turns it into a dive, then his Defy Danger (STR) = 11, to climb out of the water and back onto the deck
- Bonepipe's Defy Danger (CON) = 11, to resist becoming Sick

Bonepipe takes 3 damage.

Wow, great write-up! I appreciate the effort, but definitely not something you should feel you need to do, unless you enjoy it, of course. :)

I would say leave it as it is, otherwise we'd have to go back and edit our posts (just slap another 5 HP onto it lol). Teo was trying not to kill the beast, but I don't think he ever communicated that to the group really, so it's all up to Mance I suppose

Though I didn’t directly participate in the fight, I like that it was left alive—this way it can come back and cause (or solve!) problems when we least expect it!

Outstanding summary! Very much appreciated! But yeah please don't feel obligated to do it.

That was a hreat scene, everybody! You rock! 🤘

No worries guys, this was my first DW combat, so I wanted to make sure I had a good overview of how it went - and I did want to audit the damage vs AC points a bit, so make sure everything was correct.

I probably won't do this for every combat - just the confusing ones, haha.

Yes, awesome recap Data! But I agree with the general sentiment you shouldn't feel obligated in the future if you don't have time.

Just a heads up. My mid January schedule is getting a little busy now (as I warned at the beginning of the game). I'm hoping to keep up, but if I miss a day, feel free to NPC Mance as needed if everyone else has posted and you need to move the game forward.

Sorry everyone, I'm at the peak of my busy time that I mentioned, so I can't post every day, but luckily it seems to have come at a good time in the game where Mance can just hanging out on the Symphony while everyone else is exploring the wreck. Hopefully I'll be back up to full speed soon.

So sorry for my absence, I've been dealing with a migraine.

Yikes, I hate migraines! They can really make it tough to work at a screen. Hope you're feeling better soon @Jabes.plays.RPG!

@aquafina Btw, nice writing on the crowsnest post with Teo's granny. I'm loving the voice in his head aspect of his character.

Much better now. Thanks!

Awesome, that's great to hear!

@akorn I edited my post. I meant to include this last night but then forgot as I was writing it

Cheers, I see ya! It’s probably narratively more interesting for the answer to be yes but I just don’t think it’s likely; figured I’d at least drop a characterful response 🤪

Thanks! :) I honestly keep forgetting about it, but it kinda makes sense that he might only speak to her in the quiet moments he's feeling down or lost (aka whenever I remember it lol)