[Bloodlines] - more playtesting & alpha draft now available

[Kami-no-Mark]

Previous threads are here:
First Thoughts: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=23087.0
Playtest: http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=23257.0

This is a quick update on how the playtesting of my generational RPG is going.  I've also (finally!) got together a rough alpha draft of the system.

If anyone is interested in reading it through, playtesting it or the like, please email me and I'll send you the PDF.  I would warn you that it doesn't look pretty, and, as the first time I've attempted this, it's not as clear as I'd hoped.  Now that I've got that English downplaying out of the way, I can get on with the rest.

We're meant to be playing every 2 weeks, but Dave couldn't make the last session.  Instead, Steve and I started from scratch to see how much we could get through in a single session.  Admittedly, this was just really running numbers.  Actual roleplaying or story really didn't get much of a look-in.  Still, it pointed out a few little things to address, so that was valuable.

Rereading the thread I posted, I realise that there's been another playtest session that I forgot to report on.  Not to worry!  For those who were keeping up, I'm onto my second character (following the natural death of the House founder).  Dave played the wife of his House founder, but then, when the son came of age, she "retired" to Kin status.  Steve, the lucky so-and-so, has yet to worry about any such stuff.

So, last week, after a... four week break, we managed to get the three of us back together to playtest Bloodlines a little more.  We implemented some more little rules, thrashed out some other bits and pieces and (eventually) got cracking by about 8:30pm.  Finishing by 11:30pm, we probably only got about 2½ hours of actual gaming (the rest was rules-talking).  Still, it felt GOOD.

A blow-by-blow account would take too long (and I'm too tired), but there was some fantastic stuff at last session:
•   An awesome inter-character conflict, with story looking excellent.
•   A 13 year old character blossom, even though he could not take an "active" part in events.
•   Some fun colour uses, and the whole game getting more "political"
•   The extermination of the Drak'Hul, our old barbarian enemy, and the return of a different foe.

Connor, the bloodthirsty son of House McAvoy has been chomping at the bit, wanting to avenge the death of his father at the hands of Clan Drak'Hul.  We've been able to hold him off from getting to it, what with one thing and another, but the time's been fast approaching.

When House McAvoy was Advisor, Connor pushed to launch a war of extermination on the Drak'Hul, but we were against the idea, and our king agreed with us: it was not to be.

Connor, in a fit of rage, stormed out, deciding that he would go, even if the rest of us would not.

At this point, I launched our first inter-character conflict, sending my Kin Victoria (Connor's betrothed) to try to sway him.

So, Victoria, the Rose of Zangyr, my easily-overwhelmed little girl, has to face down Connor, the bloodthirsty, strong-willed, blinded by hate leader of House McAvoy.  Things were looking... tense.

As a player, I was happy for the dice to fall where they may.  I could see wonderful outcomes if Victoria ended up being injured or killed by what was about to happen, and we were all really invested in what might happen.

I was backed up by Alfonso, the 13 year old son of House Santiago.  By nature a coward, the boy had a secret crush on Victoria.  We were in for some fun.

As we reached for dice, we started calling in resources to aid us, narrating them in as we did so.  Dave threw resources on both sides (his character's mother siding with us).

In the end, as Connor McAvoy marched the soldiers and templars of House McAvoy towards the Iron Man Gates of our settlement, looking to head out to the Drak'hul, Victoria stood trembling in the way.  A crowd had gathered, as Jose Santiago proclaims prophecies of doom, of the "Rose of Zangyr" being crushed underfoot, of disaster.

Connor snapped his fingers, and two burly templars grabbed the poor girl and held her to one side, so that she could not interfere.  She dropped the rose she was holding and it was crushed underfoot by the swiftly moving McAvoy troops.

Little Alfonso Santiago stared them down from horseback, standing before the gates.  As the troops halted, crossbowmen from the gatehouse pointed their crossbows at McAvoy troops, who pulled their various weapons, and a terrible standoff occurred.

Whilst still terrified, Alfonso made an impassioned speech, and disaster was narrowly avoided.  As the deflated Connor turned to go, he grabbed Victoria roughly by the chin, and looked as if he was going to say something? Maybe strike her?  The moment passed, and he withdrew with his troops, the sound of her crying his only accompaniment.

Wow.  Perfect!

We were glad to see that the game could handle this.  The whole thing was resolved with one challenge.  Although Alfonso was too young to contribute dice, Steve accepted his Flaw (which ups the difficulty) to have him be part, and he SHONE.

I remain quite amazed that the characters can spring from 1 to 3 key words to characters so quickly.

Alfonso, simply defined by his traits of "Scholar" and "Animal Handler" and the flaw of "Coward", turned from a boring cipher into a fascinating character in a single scene.  Marvellous!

The next year [game turn], McLeod McAvoy, the ageing alcoholic priest, died of old age.  Handing Influence [game currency] to Dave (his controller), I added the colour that this was Diarmuid's first assassination, revenge for the hell his sister had been put through.  The fact that McLeod had nothing to do with it only added to the awesome.

This was also the year where clan Drak'Hul was finally put to the sword and flame.  A grim and overwhelming attack, Connor's crowning achievement, was overshadowed by the return of an old enemy of our fledgling kingdom: Lord Oliver, the king's brother and poisoning traitor!

Next session (delayed because of Easter), we're going to see the full fallout of all of this, from what became of Lord Oliver, to what terrible event awaits us, and the marriage of Connor and Victoria.  Now, there's a relationship that needs some help!

~O~

With regards to "what now?", well, I need to schedule more playtesting. In a couple of weeks, my wife and I are off for a short break away, so that might a good opportunity to see how this works 2-player.

I've got a working system together, but it's going to need tweaking and refining.  I'm also going to have to learn how to write rules properly!

There are some mechanical kludges/fudges and "just testing" bits in there at the moment, and I need to refine what they're meant to achieve and whether they're fulfilling their purpose.

Anyway, I'm interested in any comments on the alpha version of my game.  I'd like to think that I can publish it at some point, hopefully within the year, but that seems rather optimistic.

I've got about a month off, now, before my playtesters are all back and available again.  We'll see what happens in the meantime.

Drat!  This post turned out much longer than anticipated.  So much for a "quick" update.

PS: due to my web-ineptitude, you'll have to email me for a copy of the current rules, rather than use the Dark Magics of hosting or the like.

[thrall]

I want to say Bloodlines sounds really cool! It's like an engine for creating all those extensive nation histories you find in every setting, only it happens in play

I just wish I had a group to play with, or I'd ask to playtest it.

[Kami-no-Mark]

Hi Bryan.

Email me.  I'll send you the rough draft.

Frankly, I'm interested to hear what you think of it.