[TSoY] Snakes in the Shadows - prep for a convention game

[Frank T]

Hi everybody. I'm preparing to run a game of TSoY at NordCon, one of the biggest European role-playing conventions. I have decided to use pre-generated characters. I do like to do chargen in a convention game, but with five players and only one book... plus, it's much easier to prepare a scenario if you know the PCs.

Here's what I got.

Snakes in the Shadows


A scenario for The Shadow of Yesterday

by Frank Tarcikowski


Player Characters:[/u]

Lord Dancian de Marnee, leader against his will

Dancian is a young ammenite bon-vivant, more interested in women and nice food than in politics and the war against Khale. He is being sent on a mission by his father: To get Moon Silver from Khale. This mission shall "make a man out of him".

Advances: 10

Pools:
Vigor 3, Instinct 5, Reason 4.

Abilities:
Master: Savoir-Faire (I)
Adept: Resist (R), Dueling (V)
Competent: React (I), Deceit (R), Sway (I), Etiquette (R)
Unskilled: Endure (V)

Secrets:
Secret of Disarm
Secret of the Iron Stomach

Keys:
Key of the Mission (get Moon Silver)
Key of the Overlord
Key of the House


Edmund, Cook and Poisoner

Edmund is Dancian's personal cook. He is also a trusted poisoner in service of the house, and has been appointed by Dancian's father to watch out over the boy. He is also falling in love with Kiana, the slave girl.

Advances: 10

Pools:
Vigor 4, Instinct 4, Reason 5

Abilities:
Adept:    Endure (V), Bladework (I), Distill Herbs (R), Fine Crafts (R)
Competent:    React (I), Sense Danger (I), Herb Lore (R), Taste Poison (I)
Unskilled:    Resist (R)

Secrets:
Secret of the Serpent Blade
Secret of the Sudden Knife

Keys:
Key of the Guardian (Dancian)
Key of Unrequited Love (Kiana)


Kiana, slave girl and Watcher of the Zu

Kiana is a young Zaru slave girl in service to Dancian, but she is really an agent of the Watchers. Her mission is to get back three Zu syllables stolen by the treacherous elf Amoux.

Advances: 10

Pools:
Vigor 4, Instinct 4, Reason 5

Abilities:
Adept:    React (I), Uptendbo (V), Zu (R)
Competent:    Endure (V), Athletics (V), Sense Danger (I), Deceit (R), Serve (I), Stealth (I)
Unskilled:    Resist (R),

Secrets:
Secret of Kinetic Redirection
Secret of Zu
Syllable: Gap/open/open

Keys:
Key of the Collector
Key of Conscience


Amoux, Sorcerer and Word-Thief

Amoux is an elf and sorcerer, currently in service to the house of Marnee. His search for knowledge and power led him to discover the disastrous art of Uz, and to steal three Syllables of Power. Now he is looking for the next coup-de-grace: Moon Silver.

Advances: 10

Pools:
Vigor 3, Instinct 3, Reason 5

Abilities:
Adept:    Resist (R), Past Lives (R), Zu (R)
Competent:    Endure (V), Etiquette (R), Sway (I), Bamboo Warrior (V)
Unskilled:    React (I)

Secrets:
Secret of Immortality
Secret of the Polymath
Secret of the Fading Illusion
Secret of Uz
Syllables: Flight/flee/fugitive; stone/beat/hard; blood/bleed/bloody

Keys:
Key of the Self
Key of Power


Bowdyn, lonesome master of Moon Silver

Bowdyn is a Khalean warrior and outcast from the Panther Clan. They always regarded him with suspicion because of his affinity to Moon Silver. Upon a merry feasting night, the chieftain came across Bowdyn and his daughter. The daughter claimed he had tried to rape her, and no one believed the sick weirdo. So they cast him out.

Advances: 10

Pools:
Vigor 6, Instinct 4, Reason 2

Abilities:
Adept:    Endure (V), Scrapping (V)
Competent:    React (I), First Aid (R), Sense Danger (I), Aim (V), Lunar Forging (R), Woodscraft (R), Guerrilla Warfare (I), Stealth (I)
Unskilled:    Resist (R), Tree-Bond (I)

Secrets:
Secret of Knock-Back
Secret of Mighty Blow
Secret of the Unwalked Path
Secret of the Moon Heart

Keys:
Key of the Outcast
Key of Vengeance (the chieftain and his daughter)


SGCs

Philippe, leader of the bamboo warriors

Philippe's a brutal, non-compromising officer of Ammeni. Dancian's father doesn't trust him and advised Edmund to keep an eye on him. Has he been bought by another house? I don't know yet.

Pools:
Vigor 2, Instinct 2, Reason 2

Abilities:
Adept:    React (I), Battle (R), Bamboo Warrior (V)
Competent:    Endure (V), First Aid (R), Sense Danger (I), Aim (V)
Unskilled:    Resist (R)


Bamboo warriors

Abilities:
Competent:    React (I), Endure (V), Bamboo Warrior (V), Aim (V)
Unskilled:    Resist (R)


Cathair, chieftain of the Panther Clan

Cathair is a strong warrior, but proud and stubborn. He is deeply spiritual and thinks that Moon Silver is evil because the Green World will not let it in. Cathair will do anything to stop the enemy from laying hands on this horrible weapon.

Pools:
Vigor 3, Instinct 2, Reason 1

Abilities:
Adept:    React (I), Guerrilla Warfare (I), Spear-Fighting (V), Tree-Bond (I)
Competent:    Endure (V), First Aid (R), Sense Danger (I), Aim (V), Woodscraft (R)
Unskilled:    Resist (R)

Secrets:
Secret of Forest Transport


Deirdre, the chieftain's daughter

Deirdre was just a girl when she framed Bowdyn out of fear of her father's anger. She has long regretted it and felt guilty for it, but she couldn't find the courage to speak the truth. She is also a woman that would pick up a spear if only her father would let it be.

Pools:
Vigor 2, Instinct 2, Reason 2

Abilities:
Adept:    React (I), Music (I)
Competent:    Resist (R), Endure (V), Spear-Fighting (V), Tree-Bond (I), First Aid (R), Woodscraft (R)


Clan warriors

Abilities:
Competent:    React (I), Endure (V), Spear-Fighting (V), Aim (V), Tree-Bond (I)
Unskilled:    Resist (R)


Bard

Abilities:
Adept:   Music (I)
Competent:    React (I), Endure (V), Tree-Bond (I), Story-tell (R)
Unskilled:    Resist (R)


Situation

The ammenites set up an expedition into the forest of Khale, with 30 bamboo warriors and a bunch of servants and mules. Their local guide is of course Bowdyn. He has been having a hard time getting the Moon Silver he so adores, for the Panther Clan is guarding the mystic Moon Silver grove jealously. Now is his chance for revenge. The warriors of the Panther Clan, however, are well prepared. Plus, there's all kinds of predatory beasts in the forest.

Key Scenes

Confronting the Panther Clan
Finding the Moon Silver grove

________

So, that's it. Concerns:

Am I imposing too much on the players, what with the Keys and the basic situation? I am going to make very clear to the players how they can buy off their Keys, but especially the unrequited love thing is heavy, I guess.

Is the situation "grabby" enough? Will the conflicts be enough to engage every player and fuel some 3-4 hours of play?

Are the Zu syllables tempting enough to use? Anybody got any good suggestions for other Zu syllables?

Overall: Any problems you see? Any improvements?

[Frank T]

So "bumping" is not generally considered good behavior at the Forge. But as the game is next Sunday, I'll dare it. 79 hits and no comment? Does it really suck so bad?

- Frank

[Eero Tuovinen]

Well, I just noticed this. Probably not getting much feedback because evaluating prepped scenarios is not something we have to do usually. Can't just roll off a form answer.

That said, some notes:
- Prepare some kickers and bangs. You probably already have these in your head, but it's difficult to evaluate your scenario from outside based on just the characters and key scenes.
- As I understand it, you have only four zu words in the scenario, and one character has three of them. I suggest scattering at least three more among the various other characters, so the zu-interested ones have something to hunt for. The situation is a bit too cut-and-dried now in that regard.
- The character-player interface seems to be fine. If the play group warrants, you can begin the game with a scene or two that explicitly set up key buy-offs (you can literally ask the player whether they will use the key or buy it off), to drive home the idea that keys are not roleplaying aids in the conventional sense. That's not a problem of scenario preparation.
- When running this, watch out for group-loyalty syndrome. Test the characters, and if it seems that the players are getting comfortable in their role as a commando group running for a macguffin, interfere with a heavy hand: have the panther clan offer the outcast his former place or something, whatever to break the players out of group-against-GM mode. You should get the players to make genuine choices about their loyalty towards each other, and it's too easy for experienced roleplayers to think that player-vs-player is a taboo. Remember to award gift dice for any nice backstabs.
- It seems to me that whether there's enough mileage here for 3-4 hours depends on whether the players are willing to make their characters' passions paramount. This is like Mountain Witch in that regard; you the GM really have little else to do except to slow down their progress and give the characters opportunities to betray each other.
- If the players get to the grove too soon and it seems too easy, you have room to insert additional dangers on the return trip. Think up something suitable. Zaru Sons of Hanesh spring to mind, as they can effectively judge whatever shenanigans the zu-maniacs have come up with at that point.
- You might want to pick actual syllables for those zu-syllables; then the players can shout them out loud, which is always cool. As for their usability, in my experience it's flat out impossible to judge before play; just be sure to accept anything even half-way reasonable when the players try to use them for the first time, so they get into the groove. Later on you can block any stretching that will inevitably happen when the players try to use their zu to solve everything.
- Will the key scenes be public knowledge? If yes, then you might want to add a couple interesting ones. "Romantic scene with Deirdre" springs to mind, as does "Amoux gets his comeuppance".
- Have you thought about where and when Amoux reincarnates if he dies? It shouldn't be right in the next scene, so the player doesn't consider it completely trivial, but it should still be within the scenario. In the middle of the grove might be interesting.

As a side note, tell us more about Nordcon. I'm inordinately interested in European conventions; I'd like to visit one or two large ones in 2007, but language barriers and all that stuff are factors.

[Frank T]

Hi Eero,

Thanks for your advice! I'll think about tossing in a few more syllables, though I'm a little puzzled as to who of the characters could be a plausible bearer. Maybe the ammenite captain, Philippe. Wouldn't it seem far-fetched to have, by pure incident, some Zu-possessing Khalean around? I really like your idea of having the Sons of Hanish show up, though. That's a very nice complication to have up my sleeve.

Good advice also on the Key Scenes. Maybe I can think of some more that are linked to the protagonist's issues.

As for bangs and group-loyalty syndrome, I am relying heavily on the player vs. player conflict to fuel play. I've had some good experiences with that kind of play at past conventions, so hopefully it'll work out. If it doesn't, well, I'll have to see what the players prove interested in.

If Dancian, for example, turns out to be an asshole, well, I could tempt him to betray his house. If he turns out to be a nice guy, I could raise the slavery issue (one of the slaves gets swamp fever or whatever). Both will hit on Edmund as well. Bowdyn has all these issues with his former clan. Kiana and Amoux are a little weaker on outside sources of conflict, but the more valuable is the Sons of Hanish idea.

Aside on NordCon: Check out the official website. Last year, there were 7000 visitors. The location is pretty good, with a little park where the LARPers can play, a nice little "camp" of tents, a larger convention building where there are booths of several presses and gaming stores and a large room for tabletop wargames. There is a number of lectures and workshops (I'll be doing one as well). Also, there is "the mansion", an old art nouveau building that is normally a kindergarten but has plenty of room for gaming tables. I think there are even some rounds in English language (at least there is an option on the registration formula). NordCon is traditionally held by the end of may, which has a built-in guarantee for good weather. I think they also ritually sacrifice one of the orga team each year to bribe the weather god or something. There never was so much as a drop of rain.

[Dirk Ackermann]

Hi Frank,

I was not replying because it seems nearly perfect. But I do not have any experience with Cons or games within these.

Eero made some good points, I would have never thought of them.

But with my playexperience of TSoY I can tell you that keys, that are not from the players are hard to swallow and gives the game a certain gamistic feeling. Especially with Nar-Newbies; sorry for that word!

My advice is to explain the chars a little bit and to let each player take another key for the char. Just what they think what would fit.

MfG

Dirk

[Frank T]

I ran it today. It went pretty cool overall. I had only four players and left out Bowdyn and the whole Khalean outcast thing. The characters were still good for 6 hours of great player driven play. Dancian rocked the show. Key of the Overlord rules big time. The elf with his Key of Self was suffering from the fact that nobody really depended on him for anything. That should be refined. Also, no one used his Zu syllables. But never mind. Eero, thanks for the idea on the Sons of Hanish. That proved very useful.

I was amazed how well the players got the game. We were celebrating the Gift Dice, Pool refreshment was rock'n'roll, and in the end we had a dramatic showdown in the eerie moon silver grove, Dancian's player bought off the Key of the Coward, used the XP to raise Duelling to Master, and charged Philippe the captain for insulting Kiana the slave girl. Left the moon silver and the bloodied Philippe behind and went away with the girl. Freaking awesome. TSoY is my favorite role-playing game now.

[oliof]

Damn! I wish I could've been there....