I got the pleasure of playing the first session a polaris game tonight after abit of waitng. The players were my brother Chris, Tony, and the unfortunately soon-to-be-moving Kevin, which kind of puts a timer on how long the game'll go.

We didn't have much time after explaining the basics to Kevin as the game started late, but what we did play was immensly satisfying to everyone I heard from.

We were all totally into the poncy rituals, which both utilized a candle and a theme song for the start of the game(One is the lonliest number.)

I made some handouts for the game:

http://www.geocities.com/judasvisc/Guidance.doc
http://www.geocities.com/judasvisc/ThePeople.doc

I made the first protagonist; We planned on gradually introducing protagonists, possibly as inspired by other character's backstories or lifted wholeheartedly from important NPCs. We also decided that there'd be no replacement protagonists; It's about these four dudes and their descent into destruction.

Chris throught I had way too much shit on my Cosmos - six characters - wheras other people were pretty happy to add in two more characters. He also didn't like the plot complication added in the first scene - He's abit more into KISS. But it wasn't a big deal, and hopefully we can both give a little to find a happy medium.

First Scene: I spend an obscene time setting up the scene, which is a gallery of ice run by Arsellus's brother, Baiten Kaitos, being interupted by a carnival of weirdos wearing masks of the dawn's color. Baiten Kaitos was actually pretty receptive of the carnival, being as embracing of the dawn that he is, and it's later worked out that he's under the influence of the Mistaken. He offers me a bewitched wine, which creates our first conflict:

Me(Heart): I shake him out of his bewitchment temporarily.
Tony(Mistaken): But only if you drink the wine, and it intoxicates you and puts you under its spell.
Me(Heart): But only if I drink so little of it it wears off before I leave the gallery.
Tony(Mistaken): You ask far too much.
Me(Heart): After drinking it, my perceptions are so altered that I believe everything I am doing to be perfectly alright, and I will only know otherwise by the session after next.
Tony(Mistaken): (clapping his hands) And that was how it happened.

Second scene: Miras a 17 year old whose parents were killed by Arsellus after they were taken over by demons. He's tried to raise her as a knight, but she just isn't cut out for it. After seeing her bruises from an obstacle course, he tells the rest of the Knights that it is enough trainng for one day and Mira should be considered to be passed. This causes abit of dissent from Vega, a younger knight and resents the fact that Mira is treated specially, which instages the third conflict:

Me(Heart): We need all the knights we can get.
Kevin(Full Moon): I agree; To use as cannon fodder.
Tony(Mistaken): The other knights are starting to question your ability as a Knight.
Me(Heart): You ask far too much.
Tony(Mistaken): The knights are divided towards whether to respect you more or Vega
Me(Heart): It Shall not Come to Pass > Fail > Expierence > Advance.

I know when the game started I was a little worried if there was going to be enough antagonism off the bat - There was definately no such problem during play.

Also, I really love Polaris's version of Drama mechanics - And I really love dice rolling when it really matters - And I really love that it has them both. One of the most satisfying systems I've ever played.

We did have one question: Are demon's names generally from the stars or not?

Niiice handouts. Those look like fun conflicts too.
I'm wondering about the thread title (not that I'm upset at being lured here under false pretenses, or anything.)

In the games I've played, demons generally don't have star names. I can't remember what is canon though.

best,
Emily

I can field the question about the thread title. I'm pretty sure it arose from after-session discussions about what Mira's (Arsellus' underachieving ward) hair style should look like. I think it went something like:

Sean (sirogit): I'm thinking short-length, white-colored.
Me: That's neat. Do you mean short as in shoulder-length, kind of Joan of Arc style, or more of a lesbian crew-cut thing?
Sean: Joan of Arc had a lesbian hair-cut.
Me: I'm pretty sure you're wrong, but I never win these things.
Sean: Darn straight.

I will be taking up Mira as a protagonist probably within the next session. I'm especially interested in how she's been established as incompetant and a little bratty, which of course sets up some notable contrasts with the typical notions of a knight. I was flip-flopping on her sexual orientation, but I think Sean's pretty much forced my hand now. :)

I enjoyed the session enormously, despite the hang-ups that Sean was pointing out. I was especially impressed with how smoothly the narration flowed around the table. Something between the mood, the focus and the system's securities against disagreements gumming up the works really made the group a lot more uninhibited and attentive than I've seen anywhere in role-playing.

Hi there,

Nothing too much to add here, other than "this game rocks, it was made by a local dude, and why is it sold out at IPR?"

Can't wait for the next session, and I haven't even made a PC yet!

Oh, one real comment:  I think it would have been easier to pick up if we had all made Hearts at the start, instead of doing it once per session.  I'm fine with it now, and after two sessions I think I have an okay grasp on the ebb and flow of the rules, but starting out, having a Heart of my own with relationships and so on would have helped me cement my grasp of the game-fiction.

That's all!

Thanks,
Kevin

Hey, man.  Good to hear about your play.  It always makes my day to read a Polaris AP report.  I'm really interested to see how your "staggered" start works out in terms of reaching Veteran.

In my experience, the amount of elements in the Cosmos doesn't really matter.  The more of them there are, the wider your relationship map is going to be, but either way works out fine.

Obligatory questions: So the first session was just two scenes for your one character?  How long did each scene take?  How much Experience accumulated?

yrs--
--Ben

Kevin: I agree strongly. every report of the game I've heard has praised the system of the mistaken finding devious ways of ruining the heart's life, and the heart matching it in his portrayal of the Mistaken's Mistaken. It's a beautitifull vicious cycle. On one hand I was glad to try something new, but probably wouldn't have done it if I knew it was going to be the last game with my precious gaming group which is melting away like a snowflake trapped in golden tresses.

The two scenes were something like 45 minutes. I believe I just got one expierience.

Report of second session forthcoming.