Backed into a corner... request for help

[Jasper]

Hi, everyone.  I ran my group's first full adventure with TRoS last night (they chose it, of their own accord, over Orkworld and Ars Magicka, which pleased me no end).  We'd done some combats before, but that's all.  

(Just a note: I don't think my players read this board, but if one of you is, don't read any further, please.)

Unfortunately, things didn't go as well as I think they could have.  The players seemed pretty happy, but games with a lot of characterization are somewhat foreign, at least to one of them -- D&D rears its ugly head once again.  The other, more significant problem is that I was really unpreprepared and should have held off having the adventure, but we can all get together so rarely, I went ahead anyway.  So I took a vague notion I had and made up an adventure on the fly.  This isn't too rare for me, but the results can vary a lot, and yesterday I don't think they were too great, especially for a game of TRoS (they might have worked more in D&D actually, ugh).  So, enough background, here are the details:

Two characters.  One created the night before play, very well thought out (we discussed him over the course of several hours): son of an inn-keeper who's worked his way up through good business acumen to a high social class (high freeman), and a profitable business...though not so good recently.  No real combat skills, but some social ones.  One other important thing: he's gifted, but has never been trained, so he can't use magic.  I thought it was interesting for a player to choose this, so I let him have it.  His Spiritual Attributes are:

Drive: Success (in business and within the social world)
Destiny: Become a magic-user
Passion: Hatred of a business/social rival who ruined his name
Conscience: Pity for the weak and defenseless
Luck

The other character, unfortunately, isn't what I had thought it was.  We had to whip him up right before play, and the player's concept of him seemed to have changed from when we'd discussed him.  He's basically an ex-bandit turned-ranger, who explores the world, thinking that if he sees enough of the secrets in nature, he'll find The Riddle.  SAs:

Drive: Explore the wilderness
Conscience: Don't harm nature
Passion: Hatred of the warlord who drove him from his homeland
Passion: Love for his dog, his one true friend
Luck

I think an obvious problem immediately is that some of those SAs probably aren't too strong.  Protection of nature seems a little far-fetched without a religion to back it up, and Passion isn't really meant for dogs.  We were rushed though, so I didn't try to press the player on replacing that Passion with a pagan Faith.  Maybe I should though.

The other thing is that the players' SAs don't line up too well.  I can see a connection being drawn between character A's Destiny and B's Exploration, if done right (maybe a mystical cave somewhere holds the secret to A's future...), and also maybe one between their two consciences...but that's kind of flimsy.  Nothing really strong to work off of.


The first adventure was a very random thing, and I have to say one of my worst.  I failed to link things together, or to provide a unified theme or plot.  Just a single cheesy villain would probably have worked better.  Anyway, enough self-deprecation:

The PCs started off on the road: A had had a major business venture in the north fail, so he was going to see what had happened, when he was set upon by bandits.  B, who was with some pilgrims at the time, chanced upon him and rescued him.  B had business in a similar area and was interested in where A was going, so they decided to travel together.  That's all pre-adventure.

To be brief, they came upon a group of peasants making their way to a work camp somewhere, with a few soldiers.  B snuck up on them, but was caught, ran through the woods being pursued, and then put and arrow into the pursuing guard before killing him.  B procedes to kill another guard who was menacing A, and then they both shoot a third guard with arrows.  They realize they're mistake (that the guards weren't evil or something), and escort the peasants themselves, and sneak away before the peasants can call for help.  I was planning on somehow turning the work camp into a "man destroys forest for his own unscrupulous aims" for the benefit of B, but it seemed too hackneyed.  They weren't interested in investigating anyway, so they moved on.

Then, some soldiers from A's home province caught up to them and told A he was accused of murder (by his arch nemesis, but he doesn't know that yet).  He managed, however, to bribe them all off with a lot of gold.  Pretty messy and random, really, but I guess I can just consider it as set up for later though.

Finally, after much travel, they reached the object of B's quest: he was looking for an ex-bandit cave of some sort where some treasure was to be found.  After some difficulty getting across a chasm, they explore the cave a bit, but (to make this very short) it's haunted by some ghosts.  They were too scared to try to figure out what the ghosts were doing really, but they brought one his dagger (his sheath was empty), which led to him destroying the other apparition -- at least temporarily.  The main point though, is that the "treasure" was a flying ship.  The cave was originally a mage's den, and the ship his creation.  After some puzzle solving, they figured out the thing's controls and got it going.  Now they have a flying ship.  Oi.  They started flying around in the ship a bit, but that' about where we stopped.  Obviously, I'm in trouble if I can't validate this boat's existence and use in the campaign.  What's the theme?  I'm cursing myself now, and I would never have put it in, but the thought lept to me and I was all out.

So...any advice?  I really wanted to plan things better and involve some of the unique facets of Weyrth in the game.  Now, my major problem is just keeping the characters together, and fitting what I have into the beginnings of a unified plot.  An ugly prospect, and not the best way to go about it, but there I am.  Any thoughts on this would be much appreciated.

[Mike Holmes]

Hmm... the problem is? That you can't think of how to get the characters onto some sort of unified plotline given where they've gotten? Well, not to be to L. Ron Hubbard, but turn adversity into advantage.

You've given them a flying ship. That's a very cool thing, and probably unique in Wyerth. Which is fine. Do they seem to like the idea? If so, go with it. For one thing, they now have something that will definitely keep them together. Neither is going to want to just hand over the ship to the other, likely. And, as it's a priceless item, one can't very well buy out the other. In the short term.

So go with it. Where will the winds blow them on their next adventure? I'd have them crash land in the realm of the one guy's nemisis. Then, as they affect repairs, strange locals catch the other guy's dog (should play on the other guy's conscience). While involved, they discover it's a cult, and they have magic books in their lair somewhere out in the country (playing to the desire to go exploring the wild). And there's opportunities to build some business opportunities with the locals despite his rival. All to be done just before the rival shows up and chases them off.

All it takes to make an advanture, is to look at the charaacter's sheets and give them an oportunity to play with their SAs.

Another approach, given players who are more proactive, would be just to give them a map, and let them go wherever they like. Then make up a generic sort of village or something to encounter when they get there (tailored on the spot to the culture just enough). Or have a general idea for some sort of adventure. Perhaps there is a sorcerer thats planning ot destroy a forest as part of a ritual. He's bound to have notes on magic that may be useful to the one character. This could be inserted anywhere.

I'm not seeing the desperation of your position. Just an opportunity to play. Perhaps if you could explain what the probelm is better, I could respond to it more directly.

Mike

[Brian Leybourne]

Yeah, nice Mike.

I don't have a lot to add to Mike's comments, except that Conscience doesn't get a qualifier - it's more "generic" like Luck, so you either have a conscience or ytou don't, you don't need to say Conscience: "Defend the weak" or anyhting like that.

Why is this important? Well, it means that any two characters who took Conscience as an SA have a link, because you can throw situations at them that both will/should respond to because they both have conscience.

Actually, I'm a firm believer that every character should take conscience, it's like requiring everyone to be good in D&D :-) That's not to say that campaigns where everyone is a bastard are not fun sometimes I guess, but only on a very rare occasion IMO.

Have to say, I'm not 100% sold on the cultists who are so evil they kidnapped a Dog :-) But of course, maybe they need the Dog because they worship something from The Other World and it can partially manifest once every 100 years, but only in the body of a dog (it's somer kind of Canine spirit). Knowing this, the locals have killed every dog within several hundred miles and prevented anyone from bringing new dogs in across the borders, but your players slipped in by flying over the border. The total lack of dogs anywhere gives them something interesting to investigate while they find out about the cultists and track them to their lair etc. And of course, since magic is involved in the summoning of the canine spirit, that gives a chance to link into your innkeepers latent magical ability and destiny.

Hows that? :-)

Brian.

[Valamir]

Yeah, the flying ship is very cool.  And really, I think you inadvertantly hit upon one of the few ways to get these two characters together.

One is a business man...an aspiring merchant...how many merchants can compete with a guy who can deliver cargo in a flying ship...He's GOT to hit on that as being a huge advantage.  

The other guy is an explorer.  How great is it to explore from a flying ship.  They both have key uses for the thing.  

The conflict between wanting to set up a profitable trade route with it and wanting to venture into the deep unknown should keep the characters at a fun level of rivalry.

Plus you have some built in future hooks.  The former owner was a Sorcerer.  A Sorcerer with a flying ship isn't going to go unnoticed amongst his peers.  How many former contacts of the deceased spell caster are now going to want to impose upon the characters.  People he owed, people who were his enemy, people who wanted the ship for themselves.  All sorts of fun stuff.

Run with it...see where it goes.

I'd just make sure the players understand that the ship is a cool plot device and not a munchkin powergamer's weapon of ultimate destruction.  I'd avoid making it too fast, or too sturdy, or too stealthy, or too reliable.

[Lyrax]

Of course, if A is a merchant, he'll need to have some cargo for that ship...

[Sneaky Git]

Plus you have some built in future hooks.  The former owner was a Sorcerer.  A Sorcerer with a flying ship isn't going to go unnoticed amongst his peers.  How many former contacts of the deceased spell caster are now going to want to impose upon the characters.  People he owed, people who were his enemy, people who wanted the ship for themselves.  All sorts of fun stuff.

Think of the ability to project power a unique item like  a flying ship would bestow upon it's owner.  Who wouldn't want it?  Even those who didn't know of the owner would be knocking down doors to get their hands on such an item.

I'd just make sure the players understand that the ship is a cool plot device and not a munchkin powergamer's weapon of ultimate destruction.  I'd avoid making it too fast, or too sturdy, or too stealthy, or too reliable.

The ship breaks down.. somewhere.  And that somewhere has a group of someones (or simply one person) that must be dealt with in order to get the needed parts/supplies.  Perhaps these someones want something in return...

[Jasper]

Thanks very much, everyone.  I guess it wasn't as serious a problem (or rather, a problem at all) as I'd first thought.  I think I took myself by surprise with the direction the game took!

I had actually considered having some mages try to stop them and get ahold of the ship themselves (not in a group mind you, just several mages all doing the same thing).  I'll have to prepare that in such a way that they're not totally overwhelmed, but it could definitely work.  The specific adventure idea is also very cool -- thanks a lot -- and I may use some variation on it.

In fact, now that you guys have pointed it out, and I've re-evaluated the game, I have each of the three categories of conflict source that I usually consider: internally (PC) generated, directed, and coincidental.  The PCs generate adventure themselves by taking the ship where they will and pursuing their drive.  They have conflict brought (directed) upon them by the mages who want the ship, probably powerful lords who will eventually find out about it and try to also capture it (if the PCs land near them that is), and by char A's nemesis.  Finally, there's always coincidental "encounters" like the village for them to wander on and get involved in.  Good stuff!

I think I might have them chance on a beseiged castle with lots  of starving peasants or, if the castle's in the process of being captured -- suffering peasants.  It will serve to drive home the point that while they do have this really cool, magical ship, it doesn't really give them any more literal power.  If they want to do anything, it'll take a lot of wits...they just have another tool at their disposal.

Valamir's point about limiting the ship's power is also a good one.  I had told them it could go quite fast, but was planning on limiting that somehow.  I think fuel consumption will be a good way: if they take it slow, it'll consume virtually no fuel, but high speeds cost exponentially more.  So they can get somewhere fast if need be, but it will go a long way towards making the ship totally worthless.  Of course, down the road, they can go on a quest to renew their fuel source of unobtanium (tm).  The ship will also be very difficult to control in the wind, thereby making them still subject to the vagaries of nature, as all travellers should be.  As for stealth... I told them there were sails and such in the hold.  I can't wait for them to park the thing in a harbor and pretend to sail around just to blend in :-)

So, what seemed like a dilemna has proven not to be one at all.  Thanks guys.

[Lance D. Allen]

Good stuff by all. I only have one question..

How well can two men pilot a flying ship? Another point to consider. It's possible the original mage had automatons who did the crew-work for him, but they've long since crumbled to dust... Just a thought.

[Jasper]

Hmm...an interesting thought.  Of course, I've had them flying around in it already, so it's too late for anything like that now.  It actually only takes one person: he controls everything via this large brass orb in the cabin which basically functions like a joystick.  Their main problem is how to load things up onto it when they land: it takes a LONG time for one man to carry things up the gangplank, one trip at a time (while the other stays at the controls ready to take off if necessary).

Of course, if they want to look convincing while at sea, they'll probably have to have more people, and they don't know anything about rigging either, so even setting it up will be impossible.

[Mike Holmes]

I think fuel consumption will be a good way: if they take it slow, it'll consume virtually no fuel, but high speeds cost exponentially more.  So they can get somewhere fast if need be, but it will go a long way towards making the ship totally worthless.  Of course, down the road, they can go on a quest to renew their fuel source of unobtanium (tm).

Cool idea. Make sure you introduce this as though you had it planned all along (nothing more dissapointing than a GM who disables your new toy by fiat). Have them make PER rolls whenever they get near that big crystal jug in the rear with the green fluid in it. If they make it, they notice that it's gotten lower; and in fact is nearly out!

Won't they be chagrinned when they find out that it's wyvern blood or some such.

Mike

[Thirsty Viking]

Don't know how this topic is progressing,  but one interesting idea would be for the ship to break in a way that only altitude could be controlled (perhaps a varaint fuel thing).  Then  your budding mage will have to put his research into wind to blow the ship (make wind easier than casting move directly on ship),   while the other guy rapidly learns sailing  and/or navigation.    This requires  your ship to have masts  of course,   the exact description of the ship wasn't given.   So i have no idea as to cargo capacity  size, or availability of sails.