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[SaintandSinner]

Is this right now?

Absolutely!

Just a note:  the one point of Inspiration is like a little arrow, pointing in the direction that you'd like the character to go.  At least, that's how I read it as Narrator.  So, I'm seeing that you want Stella to be pointing in the direction of Good.  Is this what you mean?

Also, do you want to stat out another character?  If not, that's cool; just want to give the opportunity.

Thanks but I'm having enough trouble staying focused as is...I would leave the point in Inspiration (as long as that's a player, not a character, choice).  It's interesting, since I had her as prime in virtue I was not able to leave her on balence as much 'good' as 'evil'.  Was this by design?

[GreatWolf]

I would leave the point in Inspiration (as long as that's a player, not a character, choice). 

It is most assuredly a player choice.  That's a key point of Alyria chargen.  The player must pass judgment on the characterl

It's interesting, since I had her as prime in virtue I was not able to leave her on balence as much 'good' as 'evil'.  Was this by design?

I wish that I could say that it was deliberate, but I don't believe that is the case.  Works out nice, though, doesn't it?

Okay, I still owe this thread a character, plus either Jamey or I will do the last one.  Then we will be almost done.

[GreatWolf]

Furtim

Here's the description from upthread:

Our Cultist comes from the courts of the High Lords, where he has accumulated a rather impressive amount of both wealth and power.  He is rich, good-looking, charming, and ruthless.  He knows that there is something in the Web that will control the destiny of many, but doesn't know what form it takes, or that it is, in fact a little girl.  Yet.

Of course, slumming it as he is, he's mostly cut off from his power base, but he is quickly finding others who can be bought or swayed to his purpose.  After all, he has much to offer those who would escape the Web, and they are not few.

Virtue:  Lauds

Determination: Lauds
Insight: Terce
Force: Lauds

Traits:
Serpent's Tongue:  Lauds
Ruthless:  Lauds
Compassion for the Oppressed:  Terce

Inspiration:0
Corruption:0

Now, I'm going to note an interesting feature of the system here.  Originally I started with a Virtue of Matins, because he was going to be EVIL.  But, I prefer slightly conflicted villains, even in my dragon cultists.  Thus the "Compassion for the Oppressed".  But, in order to make it fit within my pricing constraints, I had to shift Virtue up to Lauds to make it all work, while keeping the Traits that I want.

[Marhault]

So then, I think that we need to complicate the existence of our chosen one.  I'm thinking that we put her in the middle of a gang war of some kind.  Something that is actually significant to her group.  Like, maybe, if they lose, they will end up taking the Long Fall.  If this is cool with you, Scott, then go ahead and tell us a little about the opposing gang.  I'm thinking that they have some sort of leader who is significant, but I'll leave that up to you.

Maybe the opposing gang is led by a outcast Noble from the Citadel (Henry).  This isn't common knowledge though.  He sees the other group as easy mark to show other gangs who's boss.  The Chosen's gang just got picked at 'random'.  Unfortunantly, now that Henry's commited he will not stop (or he will lose the manufactured respect he has up here). 

Henry:

Virtue: Prime

Determination: Prime
Insight: Matins
Force: Terce

Traits:
Bully: Lauds (2pt)
Protective: (2pt)

Corruption: 1
Inspiration: 0

Henry is the bully-boy of this storymap.  He knows what he wants, and he gets it.  The high force represents both his own physical ability, and the fact that he's the only character on the storymap with minions of any sort.  I see the gang as having some enforcers he can call on.  That said, he's not evil, just... indifferent to those that are not under his care, hence the Prime virtue.  But still, he's ready to send Stella's whole group down the Long Fall, so I think he leans toward the evil, 1 point of corruption.

[GreatWolf]

Excellent.  Now, if we were playing face-to-face, I'd sketch out a little storymap, with each of the characters as boxes and the lines indicating their relationships to each other.  I can't really do that now, but we do need to talk about relationships, and I'll describe how I'd sketch the storymap.

First, the relationship between Stella and Henry seems obvious.  They are on opposite sides of a gang war.  So, I'd draw a line between them, noting this.

But how do Furtim and Fixer connect?

Here's my proposal.  Furtim is related to Stella, because he shows up to offer assistance against Henry.  However, he is also related to Henry, because he is offering assistance against Stella.  So he's playing both sides against the middle, hoping that his "chosen one" will increasingly trust him as the gang war escalates.  Also, I wonder if Furtim has a soft spot in his heart for Stella, given that she is the underdog in this particular battle.  (See his "Compassion for the Oppressed" Trait.)  So then, a line from Furtim to Stella and a line from Furtim to Henry.

Then, for extra complication, let's say that Henry is a longtime client of Fixer's.  Even though Fixer is mostly out of the lightning jack business (am I remembering that correctly?), Henry is trying to convince him to supply him with electricity until the end of the gang war.  Henry doesn't figure that it will take long.  "Just for a few days at most," he says.  A line from Fixer to Henry.

That's my proposed storymap.  Does this work for both of you?

After this, we just have one last step:  preparing a priming event.  This is the spark that destabilizes the situation.  Given this setup, I like the idea of the priming event being the first rumble in the gang war, but I'm open to ideas.

So, what do you think, guys?  Got any thoughts?

[Marhault]

I like how that fits, Seth.  Furtim has a positive relationship with the child, whom he wishes to corrupt.  It puts Fixer in the middle of the gang war, right where he belongs.  It's also interesting in that Fixer and Furtim aren't directly related, so much of their interaction will probably be through intermediaries.

So, what is the spark that will set this pile of tinder burning?  What do you think, Scott?

[SaintandSinner]

I don't know...I was thinking that we would start with the gang war.  Should there be more?  What about a celestial event pointing to Stella's coming of age?   A conjunction/bright star....something she can't hide from anymore.

[GreatWolf]

I had thought of the gang war, but having it coincide with a celestial event of some kind would be really cool.  Especially if that event alerted Furtim and Fixer to the importance of Stella.

Maybe...um...

Well, a bright star works nicely, especially if its light beams down on her at the beginning of the gang war.

So, I'm thinking that we'd open with the opening rumble of the gang war between Henry and Stella's gangs.  Right as they start, the clouds part, and a beam of starlight shines down on Stella.  No one there realizes what's up, except Stella.

Furtim and Fixer both see it, though, and they know that someone in that battle was special.

So, that's my proposal for a priming event.  How does that suit the two of you?

[SaintandSinner]

Fine by me.  Lets get this rolling.  Bo)

[GreatWolf]

Fine by me.  Lets get this rolling.  Bo)

<laughs>

Actually...that's it.  The next thing that we would do would be for the Narrator to frame the opening scene, then we would be into the game.

So, last month, when we started this thread, you said:

Having gone through the book twice I'm still lost on how to run the thing. 

Do you have more questions that haven't been answered?  Has this process been helpful?

[SaintandSinner]

Well...I think I know how to put together characters and set up the relationship map.  I'm not sure I have a feel for the resolution mechanics though.  I should reread those sections and I'll get back to you with more specific questions.

Thanks

[GreatWolf]

Sure thing!  When you have questions with those, start a new thread.  As we go through this, I'll post links to the threads in a sticky.  That way, other folks can benefit from our interaction.

Thanks, Scott!