1. Plans Within Plans

Feb 8, 2024 4:27 am

OOC:

You can only spend Momentum for bonus dice before the roll. I've added Momentum rules to the Player Reference sheet.

One success rolled, Trait of Charming reduces the difficulty.

The Owl picks up on the subliminal clues, at least on a subconscious level, and offers to show you the operation. "Entertain our guests, while I demonstrate our capacity to the Lady." He'll lead Marya to the back.

The other two look at Ordway and Hural, then Marcus and Rook. They seem most comfortable with Rook, and one asks, "Which House did you say you represent?"

BeardHare Inactive for 1 months

Feb 8, 2024 5:10 am

1. Plans Within Plans

OOC:

Next time I'll add any momentum I might want to spend to the first roll if I'm unsure whether there is any available. I made all those three rolls simultaneously thinking it might be easier for the GM to see what was going on, given I wasn't sure whether we had the momentum or not.

Do we have any mometum available at the moment?

For me to check I understand the rules - is only the Charming trait applying here because Empath isn't relevant? Or that the difficulty with Charming applied already gets the difficulty to 0? Or can only one Trait at a time be applied to a skill check? I read something about "Multiple traits can be applied to a situation at once, whether canceling one another out or adding to one another." but perhaps a situation is different from a check?

Marya Delannoy

BeardHare Inactive for 1 months

Feb 8, 2024 7:29 am

1. Plans Within Plans

Marya walks out with The Owl, and continues her play of manipulation and seduction.

Once the two of them have moved out of sight, or attention, of the other smugglers, she flirts more strongly, allows herself to touch the Owl several times, holds herself and moves herself in ways she knows accentuate her attractiveness and allure. If The Owl responds to this by touching her back, by looking for a kiss or more, she shows him that she wants this, wants him, but not now because what would the other smugglers think...? But soon. She wants this very much.

She tries to use neurolinguistics - enhanced by The Voice - to plant several ideas in The Owl's mind i.e that he wants to:

1. spend more time with Marya, and for them to become lovers
2. make a deal with House Helsin on favourable terms for the House
3. subtly manage how he makes 1. and 2. happen to ally suspicion or distrust from the other smugglers

OOC:

If there will be a roll for this, then how much momentum would be available for it?

I'd be thinking of using
- Communicate 6
- Duty "Duty brings me peace and acceptance" 7
- Neurolinguistics focus
- Charming trait
- Voice talent

And maybe also
- Prana-Bindu Conditioning talent to give her superb control over her movements of seduction
- Empath trait, using her awareness of what The Owl really wants and needs to shape her seduction to fit specifically to these

What would that roll look like to you? You know the rules much better than I do, and am keen to learn from you how you'd build something like this yourself if you were playing Marya.

Hural Osaf

C1NDER

Feb 8, 2024 10:10 am

1. Plans Within Plans

"We didn't say," Hural says plainly. "One thing at a time. Suffice to say, one with resources and a desire for great things. We think your group can help us achieve our goals, while you all get very wealthy in the process."

Rook Shadowhand

Windyridge

Feb 8, 2024 3:56 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

Rook was glad that Hural answered because he would not have been as diplomatic. Those skills were not his forte. He was more the sneaky intimidating kind. So all he did was nod his agreement as his eyes followed Marya and The Owl as they disappeared into the shadows. He kept his smirk to himself.

Marcus Syn

ForeverDED

Feb 8, 2024 6:06 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

For a moment, Marcus was concerned about Marya heading off alone with the smuggler chief, but then he realized that this was all part of the negotiation process.

When the other smugglers inquired about their house, Marcus wondered what Rook would say, but Hural answered for him. Marcus had expected that to happen. He learned quickly to trust the mentat to handle the verbal battlefield.

GM

Qralloq

Feb 8, 2024 10:55 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

[ +- ] Marya

Momentum: 8
Threat: 4

GM

Qralloq

Feb 8, 2024 10:59 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

The two left with Hural, Marcus, and Rook will chat only reluctantly.

"What do you have in mind for us to obtain for you, or are you more interested in moving goods offworld? What kind of volume?"

They are curious what sorts of product you want to move, but will respond to attempts at being vague with silence. They're not good at the guessing game, and are likely worried about giving away too many trade secrets.

BeardHare Inactive for 1 months

Feb 9, 2024 6:05 am

1. Plans Within Plans

OOC:

Thanks Qralloq - I'd missed the mechanical details of the Talents in the rulebook, much clearer to me now how to use them.

So I'm going to go with

- Communicate 6
- Duty "Duty brings me peace and acceptance" 7
- Neurolinguistics focus
- Charming trait
- Buy two extra d20 at the cost of 3 momentum

EDIT: I read that as 4 successes

Last edited February 9, 2024 6:06 am

Rolls

Communicate - Duty - Neurolinguistics Skill Test - (4d20)

(520317) = 45

Hural Osaf

C1NDER

Feb 9, 2024 6:14 am

1. Plans Within Plans

"Tell me," Hural says, "what experience do you have in trafficking melange?" His face remains stoic, watching them carefully for their response.

Last edited February 9, 2024 6:15 am

Rook Shadowhand

Windyridge

Feb 9, 2024 4:12 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

Rook's fingers tingle in readiness in case he would need to draw one of his weapons. The spice was a touchy subject, but it did need to be broached. He looked carefully at the men, trying to assess their reactions and whether they would be true.

GM

Qralloq

Feb 11, 2024 4:48 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

Marya and The Owl
Your seduction goes well, in that he's putty in your hands. The subtle promises of touch and glance have him confused and off guard. Coupled with his thought that he's seducing you, gaining a powerful ally within a wealthy faction, leave him with an unexpected sense of control in the situation.

"We would like to work with you, and we both know that there are many benefits to our ... partnership. I can convince the others that we can offer you a reduced price for the first little while, proving the relationship, and expecting that volume will increase once we both have established trust and processes."

Hural, Marcus, Rook, Ordway, and the Lieutenants
They freeze at the mention of spice, but not wanting to give away too much, the talker says, "We have trafficked raw melange. We had a brief contract with a smuggler who had access to raw spice. It was a lot to move, as it is mostly sand, and we're not set up like carryalls. If you could even partially refine it, then we would be able to move a fortune's worth."

Spice is normally traded by the gram, or for the great houses, perhaps a decagram, rather than the ton. They say that one briefcase of refined spice would be enough to purchase a planet.

Hural Osaf

C1NDER

Feb 12, 2024 6:11 am

1. Plans Within Plans

Hural silently nods. "And if this were a possibility, would you be able to mask those activities while also focusing on other goods. That is, is your operation dexterous enough to handle both high-volume discrete trafficking of goods, while also managing something far more subtle and contentious?"

Marya Delannoy

BeardHare Inactive for 1 months

Feb 12, 2024 11:12 am

1. Plans Within Plans

OOC:

I'm curious to try flexing a bit into the rules, partly as a way to try and understand the system a bit better. So I was wondering whether Marya could create a persistent asset here, following the successful Communication roll. Totally understand if you want trying things like this to be led by the GM, and/or if this isn't a situation where these rules are relevant.

Maybe an asset "Admirer" (i.e. The Owl)? Possible keywords might be
- "Smitten" (or "Captivated" or "Yearning"?) to capture how very much he desires Marya
- "Eager-to-please" (or "Helpful" or "Accommodating" or "Obliging"?) to capture that he wants to do things to make Marya happy
- "Crafty" (or "Resourceful" or "Strong" or "Charismatic"?) to capture something of his characteristics that mean he's been able to rise to be leader of these smugglers

To maybe spend two momentum to create the asset with Quality 0, a further two to make it persist after the scene.

Although, reading around assets again, they are supposed to be created for use in a specific on-going conflict - so unless there is conflict happening here (maybe there is? our attempt to get the smugglers onside?) the above may all be irrelevant?

"That went well," thinks Marya to herself. "He thinks he's in charge, that he's the one who has seduced me, and is flexing his social influence to impress me. And thus aligning his interests with mine, and with those of House Helsin. As long as I play this carefully, he could be invaluable as we work to realise Sina's ambitions."

"I'll meet him again soon, take him to my bed, and imprint him with deeper stronger compulsions to work with us, to help us."

Marya is led back to the others by The Owl. She leaves him to take the lead, it's important for him to continue to see and feel that he is in control.

Rook Shadowhand

Windyridge

Feb 12, 2024 3:07 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

Rook wonders what Hural knows about transporting large quantities of sand to a refinery. His eyebrows wing up at the possibilities as he eagerly awaits what the Lieutenants have to say in answer.

GM

Qralloq

Feb 13, 2024 4:06 am

1. Plans Within Plans

Marya and The Owl

[ +- ] Marya

Marya follows the Owl and returns to find Hural grilling an increasingly uncomfortable underling.

Hural, Marcus, Rook, Ordway, and the Lieutenants
"High volume? What are we talking? Specifically? To be honest, I don't know that we could move more than a tonne of goods at a time. We're more interested in high value smaller items, spice being the perfect example of that, although art works, weapons, and high tech machines have been our best profits "

Marya Delannoy

BeardHare Inactive for 1 months

Feb 13, 2024 5:09 am

1. Plans Within Plans

OOC:

Thanks for the feedback, GM. In that case, yes, I'll spend 4 momentum to create the persistent asset "Admirer" with keywords "Smitten", "Eager-to-please", and "Charismatic"

Rook Shadowhand

Windyridge

Feb 14, 2024 6:01 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

Up until now some of Rook's most lucrative items had been artwork. He found himself wondering who these smugglers were delivering the artwork to and where they were getting it from but he didn't want to derail the current conversation so he stuck this knowledge in the back of his head for later. These smugglers were obviously very good at what they do for him not to have heard of them. Again he left the details for someone more experienced in the art of negotiations for fear that he would reveal too much, or annoy the smugglers and scuttle any deal entirely.

Hural Osaf

C1NDER

Feb 15, 2024 8:33 am

1. Plans Within Plans

"Our benefactor wishes to grow a market, one to rival the Arrakeen Emporium." He studies the men's faces a moment, then adds, "Our resources would of course help grow your operation to account for a larger movement of goods. It is your expertise and connections that will be most valuable, I believe, in making this a success."

GM

Qralloq

Feb 17, 2024 4:22 pm

1. Plans Within Plans

The Owl, having returned with Marya from their secret negotiations, says, "I understand. Our network is fairly wide ranging. The bottleneck that we would impose is on the illicit items, those forbidden by the Harkonnen," (or imperial law, he does not say) "but an open air market would require a great deal of more shall we say, routine items. To the extent that we don't need to smuggle items under the eyes of the Guild, CHOAM, and the tyrants ruling Arrakis, then we should have no problems scaling up."

The other two look at him, somewhat incredulous, and he adds, "These additional legitimate operations will give us cover for our more profitable ventures." They nod, then, seeing the plan unfold.

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