[MLwM] University Days

[LordSmerf]

This is a log of our final two sessions of My Life With Master.  This is a continuation of this game.

The record keeping duties were transferred to a different player for night two, and i took over as GM during the interlude the first night.  This resulted in WW playing Arthur Meuller for the blance of the game.  Appended to the end are the general impressions of each of the players.  I'll try to get something more meaty up in a bit, but overall i think we were agreed that with a little more practice it would go a lot more smoothly.

If you watch the scene numbers you will notice that night three was definately the fastest moving, an i believe the most fun.  It was where i really started to get the aggressive speed of scene framing and switching and so we ended up doing more scenes in 2:45 than in the previous two sessions combined....

Well, here it is (it's rather long, somewhere around 40 scenes; maybe 3500 words):

2004 January 16

•   Begin (20:00)
•   Recap: Arthur is owed a scene and Ekatarina's next scene is a Horror Revealed.
•   Scene 10: Arthur – Arthur is sitting at his desk in the library working on his resume.  He has finished a few pages and suddenly the master bursts in.  The master is covered in blood, which threatens to drip on any nearby books.  He wears a pair of incongruous gardening gloves.  The master is seeking a book, written by some man at some time.  There is a copy in the possession of a traveler passing through town.  The book is bound in blue and traced in silver Nordic runes.  The man who has the book is in the Traveler's Rest inn, somewhere on the second floor.  Arthur collects his things and leaves without argument.
•   Scene 11: Conrad – The master encounters Conrad at the gate to the university.  He forgives him for failing to bring him anyone for town.  As the master tries to remember what he was going to order Conrad to do Conrad converses with his "friend."  Conrad tells his "friend" to shut up about the Fraulein, the master responds by revealing his knowledge of Conrad's nighttime activities.  The master orders Conrad to find him some children as he needs a replacement stable boy as the previous stable boy burned to death in the fire that destroyed the stables.
•   Scene 12: Ekatarina – Horror Revealed – For the next few days the Butcher's Shop, which is now run by the university, is wildly popular due to a sudden new flavor to the sausage and other fine meats.  This increased popularity continues for as long as the butcher and his wife last.
•   Interlude: "Like that chick in Bonnie and Clyde..."  "You mean Bonnie?"
•   Scene 13: Duncan (20:54) - Duncan is tending a massive topiary that wasn't there the day before.  The Master enters, distracted, and walks into it.  He begins screaming angrily and demands that it be removed this instant.  Duncan hotboxes his cigar and ignites the topiary.  The burning topiary seems to jog the master's memory.  Apparently some of the townspeople have been questioning the master's academic credentials.  The master has heard that this was a result of a group of men drinking at the inn after work.  In order to prevent this from happening again the master orders Duncan to burn the inn to the ground.  Duncan protests such an order on the grounds that it is a sin to destroy alcohol, besides it's his night off.  (Roll to resist command: failed.  After the fact it occurred to me that desperation could have been effectively garnered by playing up Duncan's aversion to damaging alcohol.)  The master becomes livid at having his orders questioned and backhands Duncan sending Duncan's fag into the gaily burning topiary.  The master says, "I want that inn to be nothing but ashes in the morning," before storming off leaving Duncan muttering about "dark days."
•   Scene 14: Arthur – Arthur enters the inn and finds few people at the bar, as it is only 10 a.m., most notably a stranger in town wearing homespun clothes that seem to have been inexpertly dyed some sickly shade that isn't quite purple.  The man is clearly drunk.  Arthur sits down beside this man and signals to the barkeep for a drink.  The barkeep fills a stein, takes a swig, and sets it in front of Arthur.  As Arthur drinks his beer the stranger eyes him with drunken envy.  The stranger plaintively whines for beer.  Arthur thinks for a moment and offers the stranger beer in exchange for the book.  After repeating himself three or four times Arthur finally makes himself understood.  The stranger stumbles up the stairs, and after an appropriate interlude, returns with a book.  Arthur uses Villainy (successfully) to get the stranger to drink himself into a stupor so that he can make off with the book.
•   Scene 15: Conrad – Conrad goes to Duncan to get a flower.  He gets a brain-damage inducing not-orchid.  Except that Conrad thinks, due to a successful Duncan Villainy role, that the flower makes people love you.  But not love you, more "love you," as in a little rumpy pumpy.  Conrad sniffs the flower.  He doesn't know what just happened, but he feels happy.  Conrad goes to meet the glassblower's daughter, but meets only the glassblower (Herr Hustafaschen).  He leaves the flower with the father, and goes to the house.  Fraulein Hustafaschen, opening the door, screams and runs away.  After a successful Connection, the girl and Conrad have a rapproachment.  Presenting her with the flower (aka the Date Rape Plant), she sniffs it, swoons, is caught, and is carried to a couch.  The jealous father enters, they converse volubly  +2 Love.  
•   Scene 16: Ekaterina – Overture to Alessandro Puccelli.  Kat knocks on the door of his room, while eating mince pie.  Says "hello."  Kat introduces herself with news of his sister.  He offers her wine.  Babbles for awhile, seems drunk.  Sister would not speak with Alessandro (because she's catatonic).  Katya offers to help by delivering a message and trying to get her to reach out to her family.  He tries to get her pie away, but Kat takes it back.  Kat asked for a token to deliver to her, they roll, and Kat wins the roll.  Ales. offers for her to stay and tries to make a pass at her.  They end it there.

2004 January 17

•   Begin 20:51
•   Scene 17: Duncan – Duncan creeps to bar in the dark of night with black oil lantern and attempts to burn down the inn/tavern.  (2+4+3+2) Failure.  Duncan tosses the lantern, holding the handle longer than he should having fortified himself.  The lantern swings high into the air, flipping end over end.  The oil spills down the side, catching on fire and splattering onto his face.  "Och," Duncan cries, burns appearing.  Not serious, but he's pissed.  Duncan runs screaming into the bar and doses the flames with alcohol.
•   Scene 18: Arthur – Overture to Annette Curie.  Arthur approaches Annette at her book shop, books of poetry open and ready.  Starting with Byron, Arthur moves on to other more sappy words of love.  Annette, moved by the poetry, slides a hand around Arthur's waist, pulling them closer.  Connection is made (3/1).  Arthur continues to read, moving to Marvel, glancing into Annette's eyes, considering the tilt of her head.  His lips do the talking.
•   Scene 19: Conrad – Wandering through town, Conrad stumbles upon the butcher's son.  Seeing Conrad, the young boy screams in terror.  Conrad charges, ( 4/6)  The boy scurries away.  Conrad chases the boy, racing through the streets.  The boy scampers behind a local blacksmith.  The blacksmith lands a blow to Conrad's face, knocking him down.  Conrad escapes back into the shadows.
•   Scene 20: Ekaterina – After eating dinner, Kat is approached by the master.  He asks for new subjects, two young women, for study.  Kat tries to resist but finds she cannot break free of the master's will.  She goes to town and conveniently finds two young women walking briskly.  Self loathing + 1 (3).  The women go to the University.
•   Scene 21: Duncan – Overture to Miss Browning.  Duncan awakes the next morning.  His hands and flesh are still tender from the burning and the alcohol.  Heads to Feed&Seed to pick up some new things.  Meets Miss Browning on her way out.  Duncan chats her up a bit, "New compost nicely for ya?"  "Roses are growing beautifully."  She is distracted by his horrible, horrible face and his lies.  He asks for a tin of aloe for the pain.  Successful roll +1 love.  His desperation convinces Miss Browning and she carefully shepherds Miss. Browning to her home.
•   Scene 22: Arthur – Overture to Mr. Readamen.  Arthur hears bumbling and fumbling through the house.  Worried that Readamen is being attacked (and being a man of action) Arthur bursts through the door to find Arthur searching for his glasses.  Shows Readamen his resume and Arthur finds that he is not impressed due to the late hour.  (2/2) +1 Love.  At the stroke of 10:15, Readamen's grandfather clock wobbles, tilts, and comes crashing down on Mr. Readamen.
•   Scene 23: Conrad – Strength increased by anger, Conrad pries a cobblestone from the crumbling road and returns to avenge himself on the Blacksmith.  (6/14) +1 Weariness (5).  He rounds the corner with the cobblestone in hand.  He throws the the cobblestone.  Blacksmith throws the hammer with his retreating form and kicks Conrad's prone form.  The townspeople capture Conrad, hogtying him and displaying him in the center of town.
•   Scene 24: Ekaterina – Overture to Herr Mouseburger.  Katya heads to the Mouseburger for some breakfast sausages.  Breaks out University purchase slip and proceeds to buy beef. (2/0) +1 Love.
•   Scene 25: Duncan – Overature to Herr Mouseburger.  Duncan sneaks into the town staying in the shadows to hide the slimy rags dipped in aloe wrapped around his skin.  He approaches Mouseburger in the dead of night.  For a discount on his haggis, Duncan offers the secret for the University funded butcher shop.  The secret is not that the meat is made from the other Butcher and his wife, no, it is that the sausages making instruments are cleaned before use.  (6/4) +1 Love.  The Mouseburger strokes his chin, interested and gives Duncan his discount and his haggis.  He thanks Duncan.  Duncan smiles, caressing the package of meat with this bandaged hands.  "By the smell of that sweet organ meat, thank you."
•   Scene 26: Arthur – Overture to Annette Curie.  Discovering that Annette has been detained at the University, Arthur jumps in to action.  Chest bare and without books or slate, he snatches the Provost's keys from beside the door and rushes to rescue Annette.  He hears the Master's voice down the hall.  He takes her hand and tries to lead her away.  +1 Love +1 Weariness.  As the steal away down the twisting corridor, Annette hears the voice of her friend and the Master.  She calls Arthur a coward and pushes them away, heading towards the voices.
•   Scene 27: Conrad – The townspeople haul Conrad to the stocks.  He fights desperately, calling to his "friend" for help.  He shakes loose (9/12) but is unable to escape.  +1 Weariness.
•   Scene 28: Ekaterina – Overture to Alessandro Pucelli.  Sweet cakes in hand, Katya returns to the inn in search of Alessandro.  She finds him speaking to a young woman.  Katya convinces Alessandro to write his sister a letter full of love to perhaps renew the contact between the two siblings.  Alessandro thinks it a wonderful idea and stands to find the young lady again.  Ekaterina stands as well, quill and paper in hand.  She pleads for the sister, stating that it would be best to happen now.  She needs to read of his love.  +1 Love.  
•   Scene 29: Duncan – Duncan heads back to the University by way of Miss Browning's home.  The bonnie lass invites him in for lunch, persuading him that her lunch would be more agreeable than one of haggis.  Duncan enters heading straight to the portrait of Miss Browning's long dead father to make his aquaintaince.  The portrait is not welcoming, yet Duncan declares he has the best of intentions to his daughter.  In the dining area, Duncan reaches for the fruit hanging on the wall.  +1 Love.  Duncan compliments the chef and her plate of gelatinous English cuisnie.  He finds a gold ring in the meat.  "University butcher's?"  "Yes."  "Maybe you should switch to Mouseburger and support the town again, eh?"  He pockets the gold inwardly pleased by his luck.
•   Scene 30: Arthur – Arthur rounds the corner and finds the Master speaking to the glassblower's daughter.  The master commands Arthur to put Miss Curie in the waiting room.  Annette turns to Arthur, dark eyes widened in horror.  Arthur attempts to resist, but the Master's will, like his hickory cane, is strong and will not bend.
•   Scene 31: Conrad – Overture to University Hopeful.  After sitting in the stocks for 2 hours, the young University hopeful comes to watch Conrad.  He asks for help.  +1 Love +1 Self-loathing.  The boy cannot believe that Conrad will keep his promise of a good word to the Provost for University admission.  "You are a monster!" Cries his friend.  "And a moron."
•   Scene 32: Ekaterina – Katya returns to the University, eager to read Alessandro's words of love.  The Master's voice echoes through the halls, angry.  Katya slinks down the hall and finds the Master beating Arthur with his cane.  He turns to Katya and orders her to assist Arthur in assisting Miss Curie back to her waiting room.  She clutches Alessandro's words of love in her and decides to resist.  She rails at the Master, voice shrill as she says how she will no longer assistance in his mad studies.  (5/9)  The Master tells Ekaterina that she lives at his sufferance.  "Do you know what would happen if you go into the town without my hand?" the provost cries.  He swings his cane wildly and striking Miss Curie's temple.  Disgusted with his creatures, the Master shouts for Conrad.
•   Scene 33: Duncan – He returns to the University and hears the Master's enraged voice.  Accustomed to mad ramblings, Duncan heads to the kitchen for a drink.  He casually mentions the lunch at Miss Browning was delicious.  "Who?"  Duncan scrambles to keep Miss Browning a secret.  (4/2)  He offers to bring in more townspeople why, he'll burn down the castle.  He gestures with his hand.  His cigarette touches the dry tapestry on the walls.  It lights on fire.  "Millions of tiny people are burnin'," he cries.  The master turns to his head and tries to beat the fire with his cane.  Hey, it works with everything else.
•   Scene 34: Arthur – Arthur rushes to the town in search of Conrad.  He finds Conrad in the center of towns, in tears.  The conversation between himself and his friend has drawn the attention of the townspeople.  A man of action, Arthur pulls the stocks apart, muscles rippling.  (more than  6/6) They run back to the University.  
•   Scene 35: Conrad - He is lead back to the laboratory where they find a young lady with massive head trauma.  He contemplates helping her, but a persistent "How about placing her head in a spider?"  "A spider?  Why would I do that?"  "You are a talented man, perhaps using metal to repair the damage."  "I want to help her."  "Why?  You are a monster, nothing more.  Be interesting for once."  "No.  She deserves to live."  (3/0)  Conrad and his friend decide to compromise and decide to find a horse.  The University will become known for it's minority admissions which will soon claim the world's first centaur. +1 Love.
•   Scene 36: Ekaterina –  On the way to the butcher's shop, Ekaterina sees Mouseburger in the town square.  He tells the crowd of the University Butcher's dark secret.  Ekaterina makes her way to his side.  Her skin clings to her emaciated frame.  The crowd recoils in horror for without food, Ekaterina is very, very scary looking.  She flings her hand to the crowd and cries, "Look what the Provost has done to me!"  Overture to Crowd.  +1 Love
•   Order is Broken!  Chaos reigns supreme!
•   Scene 37: Arthur – The Master bursts into the lab shouting for Conrad.  He commands that Arthur tell him where Conrad is.  Arthur is without his books or slate and is unable to communicate.  He attempts to resist the Master's orders.  They scuffle, the Master's cane is in action and Arthur flings glassware as he backs away, cowering.  (6/6) They are interrupted.  
•   Scene 38: Conrad – He enters the laboratory to reexamine the body.  He ignores the other people in the room, intent on his new plans for a Mantis Woman as the University has no horses.  Arthur takes the body to the library.  Without a body, Conrad is ordered to follow the Master for there is a new experiment!  They go to the waiting rooms.  The door opens and Conrad is faced with Frauline Hustafauschen.  She cowers in the corner, blue eyes fearful.  He follows the Master's orders willingly, tying the wilting Frauline to the laboratory.  Until the Master asks for the
•   Scene 39: Duncan – Overture to Ivan.  At the tavern, Duncan sits extolling the many virtues of Miss Browning.  Ivan sips at his latest pint.  He enjoys the continuous rounds from Duncan.  She's not much of a cook, but its okay.  He's Scottish.  He asks Ivan to be the bestman at his wedding.  +1 love.  Ivan passes out.  Duncan steals some money to fund the wedding from Ivan's prone form.
•   Scene 40: Ekaterina – The mob is convinced the University should be burned down.  Night has fallen and the mob descends on the University.  Mouseburger asks about Ekaterina's appearance.  She wipes at the corner of her eye as if to brush away tears and tells of her harsh treatment at the University (+1 Love)
•   Scene 41: Arthur – At the library, Arthur rushes to the books on Anatomy and other useful things.  He attempts to revive Annette Curie.  His desperate acts are successful.  +1 Love.  As her eyelids flutter open, Arthur opens the poem he wrote.
•   Scene 42: Conrad – The Master chases after Conrad who is shields her with his body.  Conrad again resists the Master's call to return the girl (8/7) as he sincerely does not wish to kill her.
•   Scene 43: Duncan – Returning the University, a drunken Duncan is spotted by the mob.  They beat at him with their wee fists.  Kat temporarily pauses the mob.  Desperate to live and see Miss Browning again, Duncan steps in stating that he tried to burn the University down earlier to day and that he knows of a secret way into the castle.  (+1 Love)  The mob pays no attention Duncan's reference to the Master.
•   Scene 44: Ekaterina – Riding on the cresting waves of mob justice, Ekaterina rushes across the University grounds.  Out runs the glassblower's daughter, followed by Conrad and then the Master.  Seeing Katya, the Master orders her to get rid of these people.  She resists (4/3) Begin Endgame!
•   Scene 45: Arthur – Emboldened by their new found love, Arthur and Annette stride forth to confront the Master.  The Master orders Duncan to take care of the mob.  Arthur, a man of action, swings at the master.  The weight of love and Annette's protective hand on his arm unbalanced him.  He misses.
•   Scene 46: Conrad – Seeing Frauline H. safely in the arms of the mob, Conrad rounds at the Master.  He picks up a rock and turns back to her.  "I do this because of my love for you!"  The Master, trained in the ways in the ancient arts, leaps into the air, his foot wheeling round to kick the rock back at Conrad.  He is hit in the face.  Again.
•   Scene 47: Duncan – "This is a right smart way to go about it ye pantywaists!" Duncan shouts, picking up his shovel.  The Master orders the Duncan to (8/7).  Back and forth, back and forth, Duncan and the Masther trade blows.  Cane to shovel, the action is intense.  They fought on and on, moving through the castle and to the rocky Cliffside behind the castle.  "Yes, Duncan, Yes." the master pants, pushing the cane past Duncan's defenses.  Duncan pinches his cigarette between his fingers and twists the burning tip in the Master's eyes.  He wheels away and Duncan readjusts his grip on the shovel.  The edge connects with the Master's brow.  "Oh Duncan," the master groans, holding his bloody head as he stumbles back.  "It all could've been yours."  He falls off the cliff.  Duncan slings a bit of dirt over the side.  Lights a cigarette.  "Aye."
•   Epilogues:
•   Arthur – After spending hours deliberating, Arthur decides to sell a few books, enough to afford the nice two story town house, with goats.  Being a man of action, Arthur and Annette come to have 6 children, one on the way.  Arthur also becomes the town librarian.  He takes over the University Library and real scholars come to study.
•   Duncan - Duncan's life continues on much as it did before.  With a plot of land as he calls his own, Duncan tends to his tobacco plants, and selling it for a nifty profit.  He has survived Miss Browning's cooking.  He's Scottish and has a cast iron stomach.  They are happy together, their house surrounded by thriving gardens.  And no portraits.
•   Conrad – Unfortunately, Conrad was unable to convince the glassblower's daughter to trust and love him.  He decides to put distance between her and his love.  His friend's harassing soon drove him more insane, and he sets up residence far away from other people, keeping himself in suspended animation until the voices of his past die away.
•   Ekaterina – After spending a year in the town, Katya convinces herself that she has a gift for acting.  Using bits of University money, Ekaterina renovates an old building into a theater.  She takes in the university students as acting students.  The theater thrives.  Katya has tons of snakecakes and meat to make her happy.

end game.

on system

JG: Likes the system.  Enjoyed rolling as culmination of the scene.   Did not like that his character was a loser.
TW: Really enjoyed active involvement gains bonus dice.  Man likes attitude that game takes, morbid game that oozes pathos.  Funny and twisted.  Didn't think it was twisted enough.  Too easy to get connections?  
WW: Couldn't grasp concept of master in head.  Would've like to have seen more dysfunction in the family.  No favoritism, more verbal abuse.  Likes how endgame moves to resolution.
NL: Enjoyed length of scenes.  More than human/less than human provided new ways to be active in the game.  Didn't enjoy inability to pay attention to the 3 numbers.
Me: Enjoyed game.  Likes more/less than.  Big learning session.  Design balance between request/gm scene.

Thomas

[Mike Holmes]

Do you know what NL's comment about not being able to "pay attention" to the three numbers is all about?

Mike

[Mulciber]

Apologies, Mike, that Thomas didn't pop in to answer your question.  NL was referring to Self-Loathing, Weariness, and Love, having misplaced the "character sheet." That this information was duplicated more than once was no consolation. A comment on how difficult it is to leave things one is familiar with behind.


Let me officially say "Pooh" to Thomas for failing of concern for his thread.


Will (WW)