[IAWA] Rules question about multi-character action sequences

[GreatWolf]

We played In a Wicked Age last Thursday and Friday, getting us through two more Chapters. You're absolutely right, Vincent. This game is way better as a campaign game. At some point, we might write up some AP, including our house rule about The Stick (*).

But right now I have a rules question.

We had a couple of situations in a multi-character action sequence that a given character didn't want to "attack" any of the other characters, because the ones that she wanted to attack had already dropped out. Um...here's an example, at least nominally drawn from our game.

Af (an NPC) is trying to stop Bel-Danesh (played by Gabrielle) from bonding with the crown prince of Argon. Molly, the queen mother (played by Raquel) jumps into the action sequence because she wants to stop Af from stopping Bel-Danesh. So, we all roll, and the initiative order is Bel-Danesh, Af, and Molly. Bel-Danesh makes his action and forces Af to answer. Af rolls and is doubled out. Now it's Molly's turn. She doesn't actually want to "attack" Bel-Danesh. But there's no one left in the action sequence. Now what? Can Molly simply "pass"? Or is she now required to take some action against Bel-Danesh.

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(*) Basically, I have a dowel rod that's about 8 inches long. When you earn The Stick, you get to hold the dowel rod during negotiations. It's a nifty prop and, oddly enough, makes you feel quite powerful.

[lumpley]

By default, you have to say what your character does. You don't have to name someone to answer it. If you do name someone to answer it, they have to (although their answer can be "cool with me, I'm not going to answer that"); also, anyone else who wants to answer it (surprise!) can. All in initiative order.

So that's the default. However, when your opponent's out of a fight, it's very easy to negotiate your way out of the default. Sometimes you have to say it out loud ("hey my opponent's out, so I'm out, cool?") but often you'll all just read it directly out of the circumstances. Unspoken negotiation.

If anybody wants you to do the default thing, do.

-Vincent