[PTA] Lions at the Gate Week 2

[Storn]

Okay, forgive me a little bit, as I am doing this AP a few days after we played.  I'm really fuzzy on who set up what scenes, so I'm not going to go in blow by blow as in PTA's usual scene framing.

Producer:  Bret
Medea:  Judd
Rion Greenwhich:  Bob
Prometheus:  J
Ulysses Station: me

Bret recaps last week, then opens with a scene frame that focuses the spotlight on Medea.  As it is her spotlight episode.  Her schoolmarm personae is gone.  She is feral, wild.  Khronos is coming, the Parami are invading Manhattan.  She is going to fight fire with fire.

Rion and Ulysses are involved in a delaying action until Medea makes the scene and challenges Khronos, her ex husband... and reveals that Hecate (Ulysses's love interest and Nemisis introduced last ep) is their daughter.  Khronos accepts the challenge, telling her she will "feed again".  Medea wins, killing Khronos by ripping his throat out.  She then moves to take control of the Parami cannibals.  She will lead them out of Manhattan and thereby stopping the raid of The Tribe. 

I did a pic of Hecate, at bottom of post.

I remember framing Ulysses with Hecate.. and revealing that her teeth are not filed.  That her father, Khronos, was somewhat of hypocrite, being the king of the cannibals... but keeping his and Medea's daughter away from that horrendous lifestyle.

Medea leads the Parami back to Jersey and past Giant Stadium.  Where we introduce another 'slinger, Amanda Doogin, who has heard of the raid, and fears the worst, coming back from outriding in the Wilds.  Amanda is an excellent shot, armed with a scoped rifle too boot and attempts to kill the traitorous Medea from a high in Giant's Stadium.  Totally unaware that Medea has saved The Tribe from annihliation by turning the Parami back.  But again, Judd is magic with the cards and Amanda misses.

Amanda is quickly captured by the Parami, who are hungry and want to eat her.  Medea prevents it, but takes the 'slinger hostage.  Pic of Amanda is down below too.

Meanwhile, Ulysses's issues of losing "parents" come to a head.  He declares he is going into Jersey to get Meda back.  Medea's husband, Trevor (?, Judd, was it Trevor, or Tristan or something else, close?), joins Ulysses.  Rion disparages Ulysses insane plan.  But cannot stop him, or won't...

Ulysses and Trevor show up, hidden, just in time to see Medea struggling against various voices within the Parami who want to relaunch the attack on The Tribe of Manahattan.  She decides to give them the Council of Elders, who she has seen as dead weight.  The show down takes place in front of the Parami's great idol and altar... an industrial Weber grill in front of a giant Big Boy statue (I thought that was particularly appropo!).

Meanwhile, Hecate has slipped in and "rescued" Amanda Doogin.  Really, Hecate has sworn vengence on her mother (although I don't think Hecate actually knows) for killing her father.  Gee.... how greek!

Ulysses and Trevor stumble and reveal themselves, trying to get Medea to come back.  The Parami are not particular keen on letting her or Ulysses go.  Medea is trying hard to save the duo, but isn't going to return back to the Tribe, it is obvious...she is the Queen of the Cannibals now.  Ulysses snaps.  His eyes blaze with psychic fury.  Before anyone can step up, he quickly nocks and arrow, blazing with psychic green fire and shoots.  Into the Parami God Big Boy.  Blowing it up.  Unfortunately, Ulysses collapse after such a dispaly and the duo cannot make an escape.  ( I didn't win one single contest this night).  The Parami declare Ulysses the avatar of their War God and what a miracle/portent this is!!!  whooops.

Ulysses and Trevor are tied to the thighs of the idol of the Parami's War God {a giant bronze statue of Lawerence Taylor, LB for the Giants... not sure if a statue actually exists at Giant stadium...but it seem appropriate}.  And the attack against the Elders begins at the high rise in central park.  Judd wins again.  The elders are destroyed.  Except for Prometheus's mentor (and connection).

Prometheus's mentor and basically step mother, finds Prometheus in his WWII submarine lab, from the arc lighting through the hatch.  He is indifferent to the elders fate.  He is annoyed for being found out...that his inventions and science is waaaay beyond what he has shared with the tribe.  He burns his mentor to death on the spot.  This guy SO has to go!!!  What a weasel!  It is awesome!!!

Queen Medea makes an uneasy alliance with Rion and the Tribe.  She seeks to go after Bandits in the Andirondacks as food source, the bandits led by Bernard.  Bernard stole the secret of Powder and is arming the bandits.  Bernard is Rion's nemesis and Prometheus's brother, ally.

Next Week On:
Bret nails us again.  Scene is Rion with a gun out on Bernard.  Bernard has a knife at Ulyssey's throat.  Next ep is Rion's spotlight ep... so this is very cool.

J really intrigued me, as his Next Week On is Prometheus offering Ulysses "the World".

I'm blanking on how the others framed their NWOs... maybe Judd or Bret can illuminate that quickly.

[Storn]

Critics Corner

Fan mail moved around nicely this ep.  Bret came really close to running out of budget just at the right time.  Very nice.

Judd really reacted to what we all threw at Medea and moved her to a whole new place from where he expected.  I think he was stoked.

J's Prometheus is quiet character, lurking there like some evil shadow.  Whatta pisser.  I love him in the game!!!

We did run into actual Player v. Player conflicts (in a very good way)... and PTA's mechanic of always playing cards against the Producer did make some of the resolutions very difficult to set stakes for... but we muddled through.  I gotta say, I would really like to see some flexiblity here... and that a Player v. Player mechanic be in place... like BW's Duel of Wits.

Overall, a great ep.

[Judd]

My Next Week on was the gunslinger coming to the queen of the cannibals for a favor and the queen asking the 'slinger to take her daughter as his apprentice.

I'm loving this game and falling in love with PTA all over again:
http://www.indie-rpgs.com/forum/index.php?topic=21484.0

We did run into actual Player v. Player conflicts (in a very good way)... and PTA's mechanic of always playing cards against the Producer did make some of the resolutions very difficult to set stakes for... but we muddled through.  I gotta say, I would really like to see some flexiblity here... and that a Player v. Player mechanic be in place... like BW's Duel of Wits.

I have had trouble with conflict resolution between two people where any loss/win combo has to make sense.  I've run into it with Shock: too and it always takes a little more effort to figure out a good intent for each party involved.

When it works, its a beauty and when it doesn't, I can get frustrated.

I have particular trouble with this kind of thing when I get a bit tired.

[Bret Gillan]

I think the key to "player vs. player" conflicts is to narrow them down to what they're really about.

"Medea wants to beat up Rion."
"Rion wants to beat up Medea."

Okay, that seems like PvP, but why do they want to do those things?

"Medea wants to keep the respect of her tribemates."
"Rion wants to keep control of the situation."

Ahhh, okay. Now we go to the cards, and I think all PvP situations can be talked through in this way.