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Character generation
First play session
Second session
See our wiki for character sheets and … stuff.

General Observations

I didn't prep a lot this time. I came up with a couple of new Bangs, and fine-tuned some back-story details for Théobald. I had an awful headache most of the day prior to the session, and didn't really have the time or energy to focus as much as I usually do. Coming to think of it, I never really do focus as much as I usually do. ;-) Anyway, once Jonas and Johan showed up we had some food and got going.

Early in the session I was a bit disoriented. We did a social conflict that I handled plain wrong. But after a while, we picked up momentum and I ended up having a really good time.

Théobald

Théobald is a tobacco connoisseur, who also imports tobacco from South America. His demon is Hugo, a manservant with a Quasimodo-like appearance who likes to watch Théobald having sex.

Player: Johan.

This time, my goal was to give Théobald's story some final shots of adrenalin, enough to kill a horse and keep Johan busy till the end without me having to  do much more than playing the NPCs. I think I was fairly successful. Afterwards, Johan said that he had planned to be quite proactive this session, but that I kept adding twists at such a pace that he was unable to keep up. However, I don't think that was a complaint at all. My distinct impression was that Johan had a good time and that he is looking forward to our next sitting.

Highlights

Claire de Guiche, with her father, is in Paris to marry the wealthy Baron d'Albi. Clair was the young gentlewoman that was molested by Théobald when he first became a Sorcerer, as a part of binding his demon.

Evidence suggests that Baron d'Albi is having an affair with Mme. de Racieux. Yes, that's right, the very same Madame that Théobald has an affair with. The very same Madame that wanted Théobald to murder her husband. (Monsieur de Racieux was subsequently murdered by the demon Lukos, not by Théobald.)

Later, Hugo (Théobald's demon) gets arrested for sexually harassing Claire by standing semi-naked outside her bedroom.

Théobald was attacked by two angry sailors. They were sent by a sea captain named André, who Théobald humiliated in the first session. He would probably have managed quite well by himself, nevertheless Lukos (see above) showed up from nowhere, beheaded one of the sailors and scared away the other.

Lukos convinced Théobald to help decipher a certain coded document that Lukos has in his possession. Théobald asked Alexandre (Jonas character) for help. This was the first time the two of them met, and it was quite interesting. In return for some money, Alexandre deciphered the document which turned out to be a list of influential men conspiring against Cardinal Richelieu, the most powerful man in France.

A young man challenges Théobald to a duel to the death for molesting his sister Claire (above). I describe him as very young, and keeping his voice in a constant whisper. Later it turns out that Claire has no brother. Listening to Johan's speculations on the subject brought me great joy. This is a setup for future humanity-rolls, when he realizes who the young lad really is.

Next Session

I think it is important to let Johan decide for himself where he wants to go next. I think I will have him list the top three things that he wants his character to achieve. Then we make his first scene about whatever he is most interested in, and his second scene about the second most interesting plot thread. I'll frame the third scene, and then back to Johan again. We will probably have to deviate from this plan somewhat, but it does feels like a good rule of thumb.

Naturally, the duel with Claire's "brother" will take place early in the session. I can't wait to tell Johan who it really is.

Oh … and the players don't know who Lukos' master is (was). I need to give them that information a.s.a.p.

The conspiracy against the Cardinal is not at the center of the story anymore. My original preparations included three player characters, where one of the co-conspirators was the father of one of them. With that character out of the picture some of the things I have included are a bit ... strange. Anyway, I'll put the most focus on whatever interests Johan the most. Perhaps the conspiracy turns out to be a big deal in the end. Again, I'll let Johan decide … well, actually, Alexandre's Imp demon will have a say as well. *grin* Yeah, that's what it is: The conspiracy is what ties the player characters together now. That's kind of cool.

I'm rambling.

Peter wrote: Perhaps the conspiracy turns out to be a big deal in the end. Again, I'll let Johan decide … well, actually, Alexandre's Imp demon will have a say as well. *grin*

Alexandre

Alexandre is an all-round genius and artist whose Price is the inability to finish his projects. He has presently bound two demons. The first is Imp, who inspires him to create great works of art and who has the ability to perceive people's greatest dreams and their darkest secrets. The other is Shawl, who Théobald summoned to protect his sister Fanche. Fanche is a low-life prostitute and the illegitimate child of Alexandre's father and a high ranking noble woman.

Player: Jonas.

Highlights

Alexandre sees Hugo (Théobald's demon) visiting prostitutes in the disreputable parts of Paris, and recognizes him as a demon.

Alexandre's father has managed to get his son a job as an infantry colonel in Quebec. If Alexandre is out of the country, he can't cause a scandal, can he? Formally, the position is offered by the King, and turning it down would dishonor both Alexandre and his father. A rather messy social conflict ensues, where the father is forced to recognize Fanche as his daughter. In the end, they both agree that Alexandre can take his sister with him to the colonies, which would make it much easier to pass her off as a gentlewoman. Nobody's honor gets hurt, and all is well. Or so it seems.

Wait a minute! Imp doesn't like this. It wants the whole humiliating story to be made public. Alexandre Contains it in order to keep it from making the story known, but by the end of the session, he voluntarily removes the Contain to get his demon's aid in deciphering the document mentioned in Théobald's writeup, above.

Fanche demands to meet her father. However, when Alexandre introduces them to each other, she stabs the father with a rusty knife!  "I always promised myself to kill him if I ever met him", she says staring in chock at her injured dad. "It doesn't feel like I expected it would." Her father then forgives her, and insists that it was an accident! However, when the royal surgeon shows up, Alexandre hints that he himself is the one guilty of stabbing his old man!

The fate of Alexandre and Fanche's dad has yet to be determined. He is in the care of the most distinguished Royal Quacks, so anything can happen really.

Alexandre is also challenged to a duel, by the brother (a genuine brother this one) of a gentlewoman he humiliated in the previous session. Naturally, the duel is to take place at the very same location — and at the same time  — as Théobald's upcoming duel. It will be fun to see what happens.

Finally, we have the meeting between Alexandre and Théobald described above. And Imp ends up stealing the coded document … I cannot wait for that one to implode. Coming to think of it, the whole conspiracy against Richelieu is important to the story, but in a MacGuffiny sort of way. Which I guess was Ron's intention when he made up the scenario anyway?

Next Session

I doubt that Alexandre's Kicker is as close to being resolved as it currently seems. Next sitting, I aim to give Jonas a bucketload of shit for his character to wade through at his pleasure. He has two demons, and it is time for both to go crackers in an ugly display of demon entrepreneurship.

Jonas has clearly stated that he isn't very interested in his character's mother, who apparently lives in a manor somewhere outside Paris. Problem is, this makes me feel a bit restrained at the moment. I am not interested in the mother per se, but  … gngyggygnm … there is Bang material in that woman. I guess I'll just have to ask Jonas what he thinks.  Oh, give me a break! She is mentioned on the back of the character sheet after all. I'm bringing her in unless Jonas explicitly tells me not to. Or maybe I'm not. Somebody, please advice.

Prediction: Next session, Alexandre's story arc will spin out of control just like Théobald's did this time. Either that, or his kicker will resolve really soon.

Questions and comments are more than welcome.

/Peter

Peter wrote: Jonas has clearly stated that he isn't very interested in his character's mother, who apparently lives in a manor somewhere outside Paris. Problem is, this makes me feel a bit restrained at the moment. I am not interested in the mother per se, but  … gngyggygnm … there is Bang material in that woman. I guess I'll just have to ask Jonas what he thinks.  Oh, give me a break! She is mentioned on the back of the character sheet after all. I'm bringing her in unless Jonas explicitly tells me not to. Or maybe I'm not. Somebody, please advice.

Peter Nordstrand wrote: Jonas has clearly stated that he isn't very interested in his character's mother, who apparently lives in a manor somewhere outside Paris. Problem is, this makes me feel a bit restrained at the moment.

I'm not that interested in the mother's story, and have made my best to not include her in any way. I've talked about how she hasn't influenced Alexendre much, and how all his contact has been with his father. She's not even living in Paris, but in a countryside manor somewhere, so she's out of the way. What I thought when you had the demon insist on bringing her in was that you had a whole bunch of neat bangs that depended on me going there. I knew that I had a choice, but I felt that if I chose to stay away I better have something more interesting to do myself.

Thank you Lisa and Jonas for replying and helping me out. I'll continue the topic in my next actual play report, sometime next week. Right now, however, I have trouble finding time to even think straight.

Jonas wrote: You know, I think he's attracted to her.

Waitaminute. You just gave me a list of priorities, Jonas. My job as a Sorcerer GM is to go "Reeealy? Let's see what your priorities are when THIS happens."

Neat.

Thank you, mister Karlsson.