[Circle of Hands] let's try to create an adventure...

[Jonas Ferry]

I know, I have linked the two components together, against Ron's advice.  Still, I think this scenario can work... probably  The local-power crisis needed a few extra NPCs, and the Amboriyon component didn't really need any.

Ron's clarification above, that the main thing to watch out for is using the same NPC for multiple components, was illuminating to me. I can see how that would obviously limit the number of prepared NPCs, which means less interactions with the PCs and a risk that the PCs won't get sucked into the scenario, as well as remove a set of possible conflicts. By putting all components with a single NPC there's no other NPC for that single NPC to ally with or to fight.

But keeping the components further separated increases the number of options in play. One thing I like about the scenario in the playtest document is the discussion on why the dagger[1] is not already with the wyrm.

One way to this in John's scenario is to say that it's not Friedeman that has summoned the guide, but it's been summoned by someone else in the community. One benefit of that is that how Friedeman reacts to the presence of the guide is determined in play. He could still think it's a good way of disciplining his son, but he could also resent the intrusion into the current situation. Also, if Friedeman has summoned the guide, he's a white NPC wizard with everything it entails, and not "just" the chief. I don't see anything about that in his description. The risk with adding a new wizard NPC is that having three sides in the village (Kaspar, Friedeman, Gebhard, and a white wizard) and one side outside the village (Wolfram) may be too confusing. I rather like the scenario, though, with or without a separate wizard.

[1] By the way, Ron, the list "Professions and social rank" on page 20-21 includes some entries that "The absolute rundown" on page 4 says doesn't exist, for example daggers, short swords, longswords, and so on. Also, I guess that you will use the terms "sword" and "bow" throughout the game, with an explanation that there are no short swords, longswords, or longbows? I like the simplicity of that terminology.

[John W]

Thanks Jonas, good point about who summoned the Guide.  I went back and forth on that a bit.  My main concern was that adding a White wizard really changes the whole power balance.  Would all these chiefs suddenly unite against the threat of a wizard in their midst?  But... I'm thinking of wizards as being an order of magnitude more powerful than non-wizards, and I probably shouldn't be.  Wizards are limited by having to spend B to cast; and as the book says, wizards who are not buffered by non-wizards don't last long in a fight (I may be paraphrasing ;-)).  Also, how long has this White wizard lived in the village, and why isn't the whole area an Amboriyon zone by now?

Also, I'm liking the idea that a regular person can access magic in a moment of extreme anguish.  This happens in many mythologies: a parent turns herself into a bear to protect her children; someone turns himself into an otter to escape certain death (these transformations are usually permanent); a spurned lover's heartbreak unintentionally summons a helpful(?) demon; etc..  This sort of thing, if allowed, (a) is only available to NPCs, and (b) permanently changes the person in some way.  So I was thinking that the old chief summoned the Guide without actually being a white wizard before that moment.  But maybe that's too much of a stretch of the setting as written...

Still, I like your point about separating the elements of the conflict to create more potential in play.  I will put a White wizard into the mix and see what happens.

Thanks,
-John

[Ron Edwards]

My advice.

1. Don't put in a white wizard. "Amboriyon interference" is sufficiently met with a Guide. You really, really should not be locked into immediate plausibility for stocking your adventure, i.e., "But how did the Guide get there," or anything like that. Someone could have summoned it years ago, and enchanted it to stay, and it's been wreaking havoc elsewhere ever since. So there's no reason you have to justify its presence with recent, local causes.

Only put in a wizard if you want a wizard, first thing, the main thing, for the Amboriyon interference. You lit upon the Guide and said, "ooh, I  want one of these," and that is what matters.

2. Try the technique with the cards that I described. I know it seems obvious and unnecessary, but it's neither. It really makes a difference.

You have two components, so that's six cards. Put them in two rows of three. Label every one of the top row "Local power tensions," label every one of the bottom row "Amboriyon." Left to right, the cards of each row are labeled NPCs, locations, and tripwires. Now write in the details for each card.

i. Nothing should be the same vertically. No NPC is found in both rows, et cetera.

ii. If one card is chock full of tiny small writing and another is empty, vague, or seems weak by contrast, then you know you're off balance.

I can see that off-balance from here. You have too many NPCs with too much detail apiece. One of your locations is very broad and vague, being pretty much "everywhere" as far as I can tell.

(Man, five NPCs in one of the components, that is crazy heavy for this game.)

[John W]

Thanks for the feedback Ron.  Good point about not having to fully justify the starting conditions of the scenario.  I was letting that block me in a lot of places, I realize, not just with respect to the Guide.

I'm re-configuring this adventure in my head, but have had no time to write down the next version.  Ack, real life interfering with gaming.  My plan was to quick-generate a half-dozen or so adventures for practice and discussion before kicking off our playtest on Tuesday.  But Life had other plans!

I'll post again soon.  Cheers,
-John

[John W]

Here's a rewrite of the last adventure I posted.  Thanks for everyone's feedback, I think it's a lot more usable now.  But I'm still frankly stuck for one of the dangerous environments...

The Siege of Roskilde
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The village of Roskilde, in Rolke. 

The chief's son Kaspar continues to leads raids on the neighbouring villages, even though the new king has forbidden raiding within Rolke.  The old chief has no control over his son.  The townsfolk are angry about a recent raid that went very badly; several village men, conscripted by Kaspar, were killed.  The villagers are openly protesting Kaspar, and the chief for indulging him.  Things could get bloody, fast.

Component: Ordinary local-power tensions at a crisis point

By the time the Circle knights arrive at Roskilde, a host of armed men is encamped outside of Roskilde.  In his latest raid, Kaspar kidnapped the daughter of Chief Wolfram of Leck.  Wolfram has come to demand her back.  The townsfolk, nervously clutching their spears and peeking over the wall, greatly resent being embroiled in this needless conflict.  They are just about ready to kill Kaspar and throw his body over the wall.

Friedeman of Gerold (Gentry), Chief of Roskilde.
Friedeman supports the new king's reforms, and desires to live peacefully with his neighbours.  He hopes to resolve this crisis without violence.  He is well-liked in Roskilde; at least he was until very recently.  He is too indulgent of his son, and has no control over him.

Kaspar of Gerold (Gentry), son of Chief Friedeman.
Kaspar is young, strong, competitive and egotistical.  His gang of half a dozen similar young men follows him faithfully and profits well from his leadership.  He has no intention of giving up Ingrid or his "right" to raid.

Wolfram of Egon (Gentry), Chief of Leck.
Wolfram wants his daughter Ingrid back unharmed, and will do anything to achieve that.  He tires of parlaying with Friedeman and Kaspar across the palisade.

Wolfram and his two-dozen armed men and supporters from Leck are encamped in the forest outside Roskilde, and are waylaying anyone who goes in or out of the palisade gate.  They are not an army, and they don't have the village surrounded, but they are effectively controlling ingress and egress.

Dangerous/Confusing Location:  The forest outside of the village, in which Wolfram & Co are encamped.    The men are spread out so that they can't be easily surprised or surrounded.  They are distributed throughout a bit of an area, amongst trees, rocks, steep hillsides, mounds, gullies, a stream, there's a cliff nearby, probably some wild-animal lairs... make a map.  Fire pits and tents too.  Running through here would be dangerous, especially at night.

Tripwire: If there is an attack on Wolfram, Ingrid, or the camp, then all of the Lecks attack and won't stop until Wolfram and Ingrid are secure or Kaspar is dead and the village is ablaze.

Component : Amboriyon interference

An Amboriyon Guide (eidolon) arrived a few weeks ago, barefoot and in simple robes.  It occupies the old priest's cottage in the south end of the village.  By advocating for peace, it is galvanizing people's anger towards Kaspar and the chief.  By now, it is inspiring non-violent resistance. 

The chief's men killed the Guide yesterday.  Now he has come back, wounds streaming with inspiring rainbow light.  Almost half the villagers are its zealots, and its desire to prozelytize is now focused on the chief and his inner circle.  The priest's cottage is shrouded in clouds and silvery light.

Hathomas, the Guide (eidolon).
Eloquent and conversational.  Focuses on people with Black colour points.  Seeks to induce people to embrace peace, forgiveness, etc..  It already has quite a following.  It desires an audience with Friedeman and Kaspar, to talk them into releasing Ingrid (and giving up raiding, and etc.).

Falk (Roskilde, Freeman: Outdoorsman).
Falk blames Kaspar for the death of his son in the recent raid on Leck.  The Guide has twisted Falk's grief and anger into manic, imperfect devotion to Amboriyon.  It hasn't erased Falk's desire to kill Kaspar; it has only made it righteous.  Where the Guide's rebellion is social and peaceful, Falk's is individual and violent. 

Things the Guide might do:

• seek an audience with Friedeman and/or Kaspar, to talk them into releasing Ingrid (and giving up raiding, and etc.).
• exhort the villagers to follow Falk instead of Friedeman, because the former has sworn an oath to uphold peace between villages
• exhort his apostles to open the Palisade gate, or break down a section of its wall

Dangerous/confusing Location: The old priest's cottage is shrouded in fog and silvery light.  The surrounding streets are a warren-like maze and the huts are full of the Guide's supporters.  The priest's cottage itself is an amboriyon zone that hasn't yet ascended to the clouds.  If the Guide or any of its supporters are attacked in this area, people will spontaneously summon unicorns and/or Valkyrie to come to their defense.*

Tripwire: If Falk is slain, if the Guide or its supporters are openly attacked, or the Guide is expelled bodily from the village, the Guide's supporters attack en masse.

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* The rulebook says that non-wizards can spontaneously summon eidolons (not avatars) near an Amboriyon zone.  But I think having unicorns and valkyrie popping up suits this situation better than more guides, lammasu or silver dragons.  Anyway, I'm just not sure about the dangerous map for the Amboriyon interference component, but I can't think of anything better.

-John