Session the Zero

We had a really good Actual Play Setting-and-Character-Generation session last night over on Indie-Netgaming, and I thought it'd be good to share it with y'all. Our players are all from these boards. I'll list their usernames, and then the name I'm most likely to refer to them as.

Paganini (Nate)
Bob McNamee (Bob)
anonymouse (Mouse)
samachadreal (Trevis)

This was a very fun, cool, and interesting session. Bob came right out of the gate with a rearranged version of a character he created for a one-night Fastlane game (Fastlane: Aspen, I never posted about it but you can read the log here). Darryl Striplin, 2nd unit director and cinematic location scout, became Zeroun of the Countless Evils, son of the god Garoa of the Dark Eye (who governs evil magic and ill tidings) and the witch Synn.

That character was created prior to the advent of styles, so after describing them to Bob, he picked a pretty good list.

Mouse did a very interesting thing, which quite honestly pleases me: he had the Lady of Fate owe him a 36-point favor, and in return had quite the cast of characters owing him favors in return. Many of them were only brief sketches ("King" "Queen" "Blue Knight") and I'm having a great time fleshing them out. Heck, there is not a single supporting character on my list that did not come from one of the players, either directly or indirectly, which just pleases me to no end.

Heck, we tossed out a number of god names and their realms, and not a single one went unwasted. Two separate smithing gods were decided upon, one the father of Trevis's character, and rather than discarding one, a rivalry was formed between them.

In fact, Trevis did a great job coming up with supporting characters, both gods and otherwise. The favors and Lifes of his character were wonderfully detailed. Heck, just one favor created two gods, and one follower, which he complicated further by adding a Life related to her:

"Ismene, Priestess of Arthania, owes me for rescuing her from the minions of Arthania's arch-enemy Vaskar, god of treachery."

(The related Life is that he loves Ismene, but the relationship is forbidden)

That favor prompted more than any other single favor, I think. It was the first place the name "Arthania" popped up, and after discussing the deity and what she was all about, Nate's character wound up being Arthania's daughter. Nate chose very mundane favors, and when reminded that I had required at least one favor related to a deity, suggested one of them was a deity in disguise. I am running with that idea as well.

In the end, our four characters turned out to be:

* Ashley Os, played by anonymouse - A demigod through virtue of ascension rather than birth, Ashley Os is a summoner and self-titled "Godkiller."

* Nym, played by Nate - The daughter of the goddess Arthania and Mim, a thief. She has a daughter of her own, who is lost, is a consummate thief who's obviously in it for the thrill. She was freed from her father when he was slain. I'm tempted to name her daughter Oym.

* Sracian the Crafter, played by Trevis - Son of Ilmarnen, the Faerie smith god, and a vestal virgin who wound up seeing the real Ilmarnen, instead of simply being a metaphor. This individual, the vestal virgin, is the only character who didn't make it on my list, and I have a strong feeling she didn't have much role in Sracian's childhood. He's very much a daddy's boy. Thankfully, if she does need to play a role, it's easy enough to include her.

* and Zeroun of the Countless Evils, played by Bob. There's no redeeming side to Zeroun - he's all about taking people's heads, creating discord, and so on. A practitioner of the dark arts, he's the son of the god of evil magic, Garoa. In some ways, he's the biggest enigma, and is the most slippery character to get my hands on in the story. On the other hand, I have a feeling he's going to be a very proactive character.

The session ended with some general discussion on what the setting should be like - I've taken some notes and am going to write up a more detailed "here's the setting" description over the next few days. All in all, I think this was a productive session, with loads of fodder to be processed and taken in before the next game.

My next post should be a list of supporting characters and their appraisals, along with What That Means In Fastlane.

At the bottom of this post are my notes on the supporting characters, created using the techniques Fastlane requires. First, I noted down all the supporting characters mentioned in Favors and/or Lifes, as they are all important pretty much by default. I also noted down the gods and mortals that formed the various player character's parentage.

(A slight update from my post above, I've decided that Sorasi the Alchemist is also Sracian's mother, and that's reflected down below)

The first number next to each name is the character's appraisal value from favors. Apart from Grimgore, each supporting character only had a single favor between the four players, which made it easy. Grimgore had collected favors from two different player characters.

My next step was to list the protagonist's Lifes that they had invested something in, and ensure that I spent at least 5 chips per point in that Life. The disbursements are listed next to each Life below (40 chips spent). After that, I went through the list and decided what else was important, even giving poor dead Mim a single point. That's the third number. The fourth is, of course, the sum.

Things that happened while I was doing this, that weren't decided before:


• Sracian's mother became Sorasi, a woman to whom Ashley owes a favor.
• Arthania became goddess of aeons, as I felt it fit her personality (fertility and moons had already been decided)
• Oceus became god of the dead
• Hedeon, Grimbold, Vex, and the unnamed "Summoner-Instructor" all became demigods, because I wanted some NPC demigods and they seemed the best choices (the summoner-instructor is Ashley Os's mentor, so to speak, and I thought it likely that if Ashley had achieved demigod status, so did the master).
• I specifically gave Vex Starng as a father to help embody the rivalry between Starng and Ilmarnen, reflected in their sons.


Anyway, I think the "create the supporting characters, and here's how" has been a good thing to add to Fastlane. I am loving how this is turning out. I am interested to hear what others think.

[code]
44 chips remaining in the Croupier's bank (started at 144, 40 spent for Lifes, 60 spent in addition)

Invested Lifes and their reflections:
* Creating Discord - is my Life! 1 [Vaskar 2, Garoa 3]
* Finding pieces of father's (Ilmarnen) ancient blade - is my life! 1 [Ilmarnen 5]
* Humiliation of Starng - is my Life! 1 [Starng 4 + Vex 1]
* Summoning Aeons - is my Life! 2 [Hedeon 3 + Arthania 4 + Josu 3]
* The Dark Arts- is my Life! 1 [Hedeon 2 + Synn 3]
* Thieving - is my Life! 2 [Brogan 3 + Rival 4 + Warrick 2 + Mim 1]

(Appraisal is listed as Favor + Life + Other = Total)

The Divine
Name | Appraisal | Description/Notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Lady | 36 + 0 + 0 =36 | The Lady of Fate
Grimgore | 17 + 0 + 0 =17 | God of carnage, destruction
Arthania | 0 + 4 + 5 = 9 | Goddess of fertility, the moons, and aeons
Garoa of the Dark Eye | 0 + 3 + 6 = 9 | god of evil magic and ill tidings
Ilmarnen | 0 + 5 + 4 = 9 | God of the fae, of smiths, and of trade
Anton the Beggar* | 2 + 0 + 5 = 7 | Was a god in disguise, but who?
Brogan Ratrunner | 1 + 3 + 0 = 4 | God of thieves, pests, and pestilence
Ecthilias | 3 + 0 + 1 = 4 | God of elves, the sea, and change
Oceus | 3 + 0 + 1 = 4 | God of secrets, deep/hidden places, and the dead
Starng the Smith | 0 + 4 + 0 = 4 | God of craftsmen, foul weather, battles
Vaskar | 0 + 2 + 2 = 4 | God of Treachery, creator of mankind

*If it turns out Anton is one of the named gods above, his appraisal will be added to that deity's appraisl when it is revealed. Also, if he is one of the named gods, if his appraisal is brought down to zero, only that identity is destroyed, not the deity itself. Of course, if he's a different god altogether, he'll stay that way. By the way, if it turns out that anyone else in the "Mortal" list is really a god in disguise, same thing happens.


The Almost Divine
Name | Appraisal | Description/Notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Summoner-Instructor" | 10 + 0 + 0 =10 | instructor of Ashley Os and a demigod also
Shadow Dragon | 9 + 0 + 0 = 9 | Rivals gods in power, but does not equal them (or perhaps is just hiding it)
The Atrocity | 5 + 0 + 4 = 9 | Gatekeeper of the planes, son of Oceus and Arthania
Hedeon the White | 0 + 5 + 0 = 5 | A wizard and demigod, son of Oceus
Grimbold Bluesaber | 2 + 0 + 3 = 5 | A pirate king & demigod, son of Ecthilias and Uvarnestra
Vex the Warrior | 2 + 1 + 1 = 4 | son of Starng, a demigod


The Mortal
Name | Appraisal | Description/Notes
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ismene | 3 + 0 + 6 = 9 | A priestess of Arthania and Sracian's beloved
Warrick | 3 + 2 + 4 = 9 | An ally of Nym
Josu the Heretic | 3 + 3 + 0 = 6 | A wizard/summoner opposed to the Grand Tower
"Queen" | 5 + 0 + 0 = 5 | Of what country?
"King" | 5 + 0 + 0 = 5 | Of what country?
"a rival" | 0 + 4 + 0 = 4 | Some rival of Nym and/or Warrick
"daughter" | 0 + 0 + 4 = 4 | Nym has a daughter
Chloe | 0 + 0 + 4 = 4 | Ashley has a beloved harem girl, now lost in the planes
Harkort | 2 + 0 + 2 = 4 | A guildsman
Inolan, a Paladin | 1 + 0 + 3 = 4 | Inolan is from the southern plains
Synn | 0 + 3 + 1 = 4 | A witch, mother of Zeroun
Uvarnesta | 2 + 0 + 2 = 4 | A soothsayer
Crom the Magistrate | 3 + 0 + 0 = 3 | High Magistrate of the capitol city
Sorasi, the Alchemist | 1 + 0 + 2 = 3 | A female, Sracian's mother
Keral, a Blue Knight | 1 + 0 + 0 = 1 | partnered with Utar
Mim | 0 + 1 + 0 = 1 | A thief and Nym's father, now slain
Utar, a Blue Knight | 1 + 0 + 0 = 1 | partnered with Keral
[/code]

Some comments:

#1> I decided that the only "gods" in the setting are the ones that were created before. This was an interesting constraint, but it was one that really helped me get a handle on writing this.

#2> Things aren't quite as they were noted above. Most importantly, Arthania is no longer the goddess of aeons, Ilmarnen is now god of the earth, and Ecthilias is no longer the god of change (instead: passion).

#3> I also flipped around a few appraisal values, in part due to a desire to tinker, and in part out of a change in the rules that I decided to implement. An updated copy will be uploaded to the indie-netgaming files section.

#4> I hope you enjoy this!

--------------------------------------
Before time was set on its axis, the cosmos was a nothingness you cannot imagine. There were the gods, nameless and without form, and even they have no memories earlier than the emptiness. Then one day, the Lady of Fate molded time out of clay, and breathed into it. From that moment forward, the days were counted, and the world was formed.

The other gods looked upon what the Lady had made, and desired to create things of their own - all but Grimgore, who had grown to love the void of nonbeing. Ilmarnen crafted the Earth, strong and wholesome - and his brother, Starng, forged the sun in his image of fire and remains there in his forge. Ecthilias molded the seas and let them free, while his sister, Arthania, created the moons. Garoa of the Dark Eye arranged the stars in their order, and Oceus built his tunnels in the deeps.

Each god maneuvered to outperform the others, growing smaller themselves for each contribution they made to the cosmos - all but the Lady, who spent her breath carefully, and in measured strokes, and Brogan Ratrunner, who was canny enough to have deduced the Lady's purpose, and kept his breath, and remained strong - only creating the pests and pestilence to be his eyes and ears.

Through it all, Grimgore thrashed, wanting nothing more than a return to nonbeing, expending his breath violently. He damaged the sun, causing it to abandon the skies, and created the night - and the sun's blood spilled upon the earth, creating huge gashes, inspiring volcanos and tremors, and the earth has yet to stop shuddering.

Grimgore tore down the poor god Vaskar's creations so thoroughly that none but the gods can remember what they were. Once the lover of Arthania, Vaskar was incensed that none of his divine brethren had acted to protect him and his charges. Vaskar was maddened by this - his countenance changed, and he turned on his brethren.

The godwar pitted Grimgore and Vaskar against all the rest - only the Lady managed to keep herself apart from the conflict, not reacting even when Grimgore and Vaskar poked holes in time, her one creation, opening the doors to other planes of existence. The godwar raged far and wide, destroying much of the early cosmos, and its wounds can still be seen as one travels across the earth, slowly healing.

During the godwar, Vaskar created humanity, the oldest of the races. It was his intention to use mankind as his tools - he gave his newest creations a strong drive to reproduce, and a manifest destiny - that the whole of the cosmos would bow to them. By the time the other gods had decuded his plan, the whole of the cosmos was swarming with man, who had grown from a nuisance to one of the greatest threats.

The god Brogan then made a great sacrifice - for he had expended less of his divine wind than any save The Lady, and thus he was stronger than either Grimgore and Vaskar. He released this divine breath in a sound of thunder and fury, echoing across the cosmos, and bound Grimgore in chains that none but The Lady herself could break. Although chained, Grimgore's influence has only been lessened, and his avatars still wander the world.

Brogan's divine wind also gifted mankind, giving them freewill - and many of them turned against Vaskar, proving their roots in Treachery, and turned against each other. And so Brogan went from being the largest of the gods, to the smallest - from a mighty force, to one forced to steal to survive. But without his humanity or his ally, Vaskar sued for peace, and the godwar was over.

Soon all the gods discovered one of the reasons Vaskar created mankind - their devotions were empowering. And some of the gods went through a new phase of creation, molding their own interpretations of the human creation. Oceus created his dark-dwellers, Ecthilias his elves, Ilmarnen his fae - each according to their hearts and natures. But mankind remains the most plentiful, scattered across the cosmos.

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Lorandor's roots are in the ashes of the godwar - it was one of the first kingdoms to be organized after Brogan's Gift, and its citizenry still holds a grudge against the god who created them to be slaves. In the twenty-three generations since the warlord Marthesh Lorandor forged a marriage of alliance with Lidda Coralay, each new firstborn has participated in a marriage designed to expand the kingdom's roots. The current king, Hangrin Lorandor, married Tandis Leteve twenty years ago, cementing Lorandor's hold on the final piece of the Shattered Coast.

Lorandor is situated on an easterly peninsula, surrounded by the ocean to the north and east, and the Bay of Silence to the south. The peninsula is known as the Shattered Coast - it was once much larger, but during the godwar it was shattered, and now it is surrounded by thousands of islands, many of which Lorandor has held for less than a century.

Beyond the islands of the Shattered Coast, towards the north, the archipelago of Nar remains a fierce rival to Lorandor, ruled by an oligarchic council of "kings" diametrically opposed to Lorandor's expansion - since the marriage to Tandis Leteve, both Nar and Lorandor have been bracing themselves for war.

Nar is a country of both humans and elves, and the Council claims more than the archipelago. They have also managed to colonize their way north to the Barrier Isles, the last outcroppings of land, sitting in the very shadow of the Maelstrom that prevents any further passage northwards, and it is said that some of their elven privateers have even managed to penetrate its heart.

Living in domed cities beneath the sea, and in tunnels even deeper, the dark-dwellers of remain aloof from the contention between Lorandor and Nar.

Directly to the west is an active volcano range called the Abradan, wherein a sizeable colony of fae make their home. Lorandor and the Abradan fae have entered into a trade agreement - Lorandor grain for Abradan tools. Sailing beyond the Abradan is a difficult experience, for the active volcanos extend beneath the sea - it is generally tried only by the most foolhardy merchants, and reports of what lie beyond the Boiling Strait are contradictory and full of exaggeration.

To the south of Lorandor, along the coast, there is an unruly savannah that extends south and west for weeks of travel by horseback. These lands are filled with borderless tribes, too diffuse and unwieldy for the expansionist ideals of Lorandor. Those children of the king who are not heirs are often married south, however, and the borders there have oh-so-slowly inched deeper on the maps. Many southern men come to Lorandor to seek their fortunes.

It is said that south of the grasslands, the land turns dark and cold, until finally there comes a line where the sun cannot reach. This, they say, is the lair of the Shadow Dragon, whose sleeping breaths are known as the Spiritwind, blowing silently through the world and ripping souls out of bodies.

The capital city of Lorandor is named after its first king. Marthesh is not a coastal city, but it sits on the point where two rivers collide to form the largest river in the known world, the Damernes, the only river large enough for seagoing vessels to ply with ease, wide enough that its name, "Damarnes," comes from the Coralian for "sea." The "City in Three Parts," as Marthesh is often known, is the largest and most opulent city in the land, and is viewed as sort of a cultural combination of Imperial Rome and modern day New York.

Marthesh is not only the home to the king of Lorandor, and the governing body of the kingdom, but it is also home to the Grand Tower of Wizards, the most exclusive magical university in the land. Four out of five students of the Grand Tower wind up working for Marthesh - the other fifth can name their own price in whatever private enterprise in which they find themselves. The Grand Tower has its own Wizards Laws, which supercede even Lorandoran law, and it enforces them upon other wizards vigorously.

Damn good stuff!

I'm looking foward to playing my evil demigod Zeroun of the Countless Evils... it will be a fair change from my usual type.

An 'above the law' type in his own head... I'm hoping to flirt with disaster for a while...then see him crash and burn, but who knows... he might end up bound by Favors and change to fulfill them.

I'm thinking of putting together a Ron Edwards style photo montage of my impressions of him, but not sure if I'll get the time.

There's an "unclean" narration log at the bottom of this message - anyone who wants to read it, feel free. :) The first Fastlane: Demigods game happened online last night, and to my eyes it was a success. There were some wrinkles, the biggest one being a GMing blunder on my part - but I'm already working on ways to "fix" that in the game. Succinctly, I asked one protagonist to do something nigh-impossible in game terms, and I'm pondering whether or not I need to change the system on that note. But that'll be posted in IGD.

The largest non-GM thing that was noted was IRC play itself. Without a physical wheel, and at the slower pace that IRC games all but demand, some of the urgency of Fastlane was lost. It's definitely a slow burn, in other words, though reading through the log I feel as though these characters are definitely living in their own Fastlanes. Sracian's next scene will likely involve him crashing the Cult's party; Nym is in the process of breaking into the Oceun Vaults; Ashley willingly put himself further into debt to a deity in order to get access to a spell; and Zeroun is in the mines beneath the Grand Tower of Wizards, where he's stumbled upon something that his pursuers have some interest in.

On the other hand, I wouldn't mind a little more... dissipation. Although these characters are Fastlaning, they're doing it with some sort of purpose - perhaps too much purpose. I need to throw a party, mayhaps - a party fit for gods. Hmmm.

+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+-+
[18:24:08] [Croupier36> .
[18:24:08] [Croupier36> .
[18:24:09] [Croupier36> .
[18:24:31] [Croupier36> Fastlane: Demigods, Part I
[18:24:32] [Croupier36> .
[18:24:32] [Croupier36> .
[18:24:33] [Croupier36> .
[18:24:42] [Croupier36> Scene I: Enter Sracian
[18:24:42] [Croupier36> .
[18:26:01] [Croupier36> "You have humiliated my father and me for the last time, bastard spawn!"
[18:26:31] [Croupier36> Vex pulls his war hammer from its place at his side, and pulls it into full battle stance.
[18:29:13] [Sracian_8> "he humiliated himself when he brought you into this world. I can do no further damage" Sracian holds his elegant curved blade at the ready.
[18:31:25] [Croupier36> "I tell you for the last time, Sracian, neither my father nor I have anything to do with Ilmarnen's shattered sword." Vex takes an aggressive battle position. "And it would give me the utmost pleasure to pound that idea into that soft little skull of yours."
[18:42:07] * efindel has joined #indie_nar
[18:45:41] * Croupier36 is now known as Croupier32_3
[18:46:45] * Sracian_8 is now known as Sracian_5_4
[18:52:29] * Nym_11 is now known as Paganini
[18:54:09] * Paganini has quit IRC (Connection reset by peer)
[18:57:35] [Croupier32_3> Vex and Sracian circle each other, menacingly. A crowd of onlookers form, and bets begin to be placed. Vex draws his warhammer up for a bashing blow, and drives it right where Sracian wanted it to go. Sracian raises up his sword for a retaliatory strike, when he is suddenly summoned by his father. The interruption causes the strike to go wild.
[18:57:46] [Croupier32_3> .
[18:58:19] * Paganini has joined #indie_nar
[18:58:19] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Paganini
[19:00:51] * Paganini is now known as Nym_11
[19:01:06] [Croupier32_3> Zeroun of the Countless Evils follows Josu the Heretic deeper into the mines. "Will these blasted tunnels never end?!" he thinks to himself.
[19:02:10] [Croupier32_3> "Hurry," Josu says, "they are almost upon us even still."
[19:02:38] [Zeroun[Bob]_10> "I AM hurrying..."
[19:03:24] [Croupier32_3> Josu looks back at the demigod disbelievingly, but says nothing.
[19:03:37] [Croupier32_3> "If my studies are right, there is a chamber just around this next bed."
[19:04:15] * Zeroun[Bob]_10 mutters under his breathe "There better be"
[19:06:12] [Croupier32_3> The sounds of Zeroun's pursuers grow louder - they've managed to discover their trail!
[19:08:04] [Zeroun[Bob]_10> "Bah, your mystic obscurements have failed Josu..."
[19:08:37] [Croupier32_3> And just then, they turn the corner and discover an opulent room, its every surface laminated in sheets of gold.
[19:09:27] [Croupier32_3> In the center is a jewel-encrusted throne, upon which a skeleton sits.
[19:10:33] * Zeroun[Bob]_10 smiles sleekly,"Well, I had my doubts I admit...but you have found it!"
[19:11:35] [Croupier32_3> "Those daft elders of the Grand Tower felt they could bury this forever... but knowledge is not so easily dismissed."
[19:13:36] [Croupier32_3> "Now hurry, Zeroun, we've not much time."
[19:14:13] * Zeroun[Bob]_10 follows Josu
[19:14:30] [Croupier32_3> .
[19:16:32] [Croupier32_3> "Nym! Beautiful Nym! Thank you for coming so promptly! Please, sit down." Crom gestures to an empty chair that must date back to the godwar.
[19:20:48] [Nym_11> "Oh no, sir. My own two feet are good enough for me. I'd just dirty your fine antique."
[19:22:35] [Croupier32_3> Crom frowns at that. "Very well, my dear, if you insist." He stands as well, then takes a candy out of his bowl. "Ebullien? They come from Nar. Quite a delicacy."
[19:23:21] * Nym_11 accepts the candy and hides it away a little too quickly, although she tries to be polite and not grab it too fast.
[19:24:35] [Croupier32_3> "It seems you're up to your old tricks, Nym. I'd hate to decide that I was too hasty in sparing you from the gibbet."
[19:26:37] * Nym_11 looks innocent
[19:26:51] [Nym_11> "Now who have you been listening to? I ain't done nothing as I shouldn't!"
[19:28:41] [Croupier32_3> Crom smiles. "Guilty is often more defensive than innocence, Nym, but never you mind. I have a job I'd like for you to do, and in return I'll see that the charges against you are dropped."
[19:29:10] [Nym_11> "Hmm."
[19:29:13] * Nym_11 looks suspicious
[19:29:34] [Nym_11> "You know you don't have to threaten me with nothin' I'd do jobs for you for free. What's this all about charges then?"
[19:30:17] [Croupier32_3> "Oh, neveryoumind. You do this one thing and they won't even be a concern. Are you amenable to such an arrangement?"
[19:30:54] * Nym_11 says "well *DUUH*" in thieves cant
[19:31:20] [Croupier32_3> Crom responds in somewhat-accented thieve's cant. "Very well then, here's what I want you to do..."
[19:31:21] [Croupier32_3> .
[19:33:07] [Croupier32_3> "Ashley..."
[19:33:18] [Croupier32_3> The voice breaks through the air like glass shattering.
[19:33:32] [Croupier32_3> "Ashley..."
[19:33:57] [Croupier32_3> It awakens Ashley from his slumber, jarring him from sleep in a way that makes him wonder if he's still dreaming.
[19:34:18] [Croupier32_3> "It is time... for you to pay your debts..."
[19:35:56] [Ashley_15> He laughs, low and long, as he props himself up from the hammock. "You'll have to be more specific than that."
[19:36:44] [Croupier32_3> "Soon, my chains shall be broken, and I shall be free."
[19:39:03] [Ashley_15> "Hnn.. my Lord of Gore." He drops back and closes his eyes. "Blood given, a debt to be paid. I do not have the luxury of denying you, I think."
[19:39:29] [Croupier32_3> "There is a woman, one link in the chain." The voice takes a raspy, painful breath. "I need her to be unmade. That shall be the first of your tasks."
[19:40:38] [Ashley_15> "Oh, you would do this. Squeeze a drop for a drop for a drop. Fine," he snarls. "Name your damned link. Let me to my task."
[19:42:03] [Ashley_15> "And may your chains burn in the process. You and I are still fated for a reckoning."
[19:43:13] [Croupier32_3> "My chains always burn, Godkiller. This particular link in my chains is one of the many daughters of Arthania... Nym, son of Mim. She resides in Marthesh."
[19:44:22] [Ashley_15> Ashley swings his legs over the hammock. "Marthesh is far." Drops to the ground, grunts as a wound flares. "But you have patience still, I trust."
[19:45:36] [Croupier32_3> "Patience enough," and at this, the voice finally shows some anger. "But do not try my patience, Godkiller."
[19:46:13] * efindel has quit IRC (Quit: Download Gaim: http://gaim.sourceforge.net/)
[19:46:37] [Croupier32_3> .
[19:47:38] [Ashley_15> The raspy laugh again. "You call as I sleep, I awaken and move. Your own priests would return to their slumber and away dawn before doing your bidding. Be patient and burn, Grimgore, and soon be free."
[19:48:00] [Croupier32_3> .
[19:51:20] * Sracian_5_4 is now known as Sracian_8
[19:53:37] [Croupier32_3> "My son," Ilmarnen says as Sracian enters his manse. "Welcome."
[19:54:45] [Sracian_8> "Why the interruption father? I was about to teach some manners to an uncultured cur and gain a portion of what I seek."
[19:56:08] [Croupier32_3> "Ah, but that is why I called you here. I have discovered new information to where a piece of my ancestral sword might be found."
[19:57:11] [Sracian_8> "Your wisdom guides mine of course, but my quarrel with my opponenet remains."
[19:59:31] [Croupier32_3> "It saddens me that my quarrel with Starng has extended to our children, but the fruit of Starng's loins quite vexes all of us..." Ilmarnen shakes his head. "Yet the pieces of my blade are of the utmost importance. And I now believe that Vaskar holds a piece."
[20:00:58] [Sracian_8> "Vaskar! A vile chance! Do you know where it is?"
[20:03:42] [Croupier32_3> "All I know is that it has fallen into the hands of his Cult, some time recently." He looks disapprovingly at Sracian. "If my sources are right, they liberated it from a priestess of Arthania."
[20:07:01] [Sracian_8> "The pitiable scum shall pay for their tresspass!" Sracian pauses, looking at Ilmarnen. "I thought to keep the fragment safe father. Arthania is powerful and an Ally. I had pressing need to hide it and not much time to do it in. Ism....The preistess was not hurt?"
[20:08:31] [Croupier32_3> "That slut is an ally yes, and powerful too, but the cosmos forfend if she isn't the flightiest creature to ever walk this earth." He grumbles. "The priestess? She was just a girl, I did not inquire into her condition."
[20:10:19] [Sracian_8> 's heart jumps nervously. He calms himself. "Very well, I hear my charge, though you have not stated it. I shall pursue this fragment and this time bring it here. With your leave then?"
[20:11:15] [Croupier32_3> "The fragment will be mine once more!" He pounds his fist on the table. "Yes, you have my leave. Go, leave my sight, and do not return until this problem has been dealt with."
[20:12:36] [Sracian_8> mutters as he leaves..."the Lady forbid you should address your own affairs that have poured sorrow on the world."
[20:13:24] [Croupier32_3> Ilmarnen glares at his son's back, and then turns his face and palms upwards towards the sky.
[20:13:25] [Croupier32_3> .
[20:17:19] [Croupier32_3> As Zeroun and the heretic step into the chamber, the skeleton comes to life. Quicker than one would expect something without muscles to move, it sits up, and then stands. One bony finger raises itself, and points at Zeroun and Josu.
[20:19:25] [Croupier32_3> "I have gone as far as I can, Zeroun," Josu says, taking a few steps backwards. "The guardian is something only you can defeat. I must go - our pursuers need diversion."
[20:20:35] [Zeroun[Bob]_10> "Flee then...we will meet again!"
[20:20:48] * Zeroun[Bob]_10 draws his sword
[20:21:35] [Croupier32_3> "So we will, Zeroun," he says, "I brought you this far, and you have promised me a boon in return..." If Josu speaks farther, his distance down the tunnels keep his words from coming into the chamber. Zeroun feels a chill run down his spine as the skeleton works its jaw.
[20:24:12] * Croupier32_3 is now known as Croupier35
[20:24:48] * Zeroun[Bob]_10 chants a deep gutteral phrase...red sparks follow in the path of his blades movement
[20:26:56] * Croupier35 is now known as Croupier30
[20:33:07] * Croupier30 is now known as Croupier
[20:33:19] * Croupier is now known as Croupier30_7
[20:33:24] * Zeroun[Bob]_10 is now known as Zeroun[Bob]_4_3
[20:41:28] [Croupier30_7> The lich-guardian idly waves its hand at Zeroun, looking to all the world like the mage didn't demand its full attention. The demigod goes flying backwards as a wall of force extends outwards from the throne, shoving him forcefully out of the room. His sword remains tantalizingly inside the barrier, glimmering steel on the gold floors.
[20:44:08] * Zeroun[Bob]_4_3 clambers to his feet slowly, fury blazing in his eyes. But he knows futility when he tastes it from the blood of his split lip...
[20:44:40] * Zeroun[Bob]_4_3 is now known as Zeroun[Bob]_6_3
[20:44:58] [Croupier30_7> .
[20:46:24] [Croupier30_7> Crom must be crazy to think of something like this. Breaking into the Oceun Vaults? But Nym was always up for something crazy... that's why she said yes.
[20:48:43] [Croupier30_7> Nym figured really needed ten more people to make a job like this work, but Crom thought it'd work best if she did it alone. And for what? Just to keep from being sent to the gibbet? If Arthania wasn't her mother... Oceus wouldn't hesitate to smite her, if he found out. And he /was/ the patron of secrets.
[20:53:08] * Nym_11 sighs and closes in on the vault
[21:01:44] * Nym_11 is now known as Nym_5
[21:04:10] * Croupier30_7 is now known as Croupier
[21:04:15] * Croupier is now known as Croupier27_8
[21:05:04] * Nym_5 is now known as Nym_19
[21:05:21] * Nym_19 is now known as Nym_5_14
[21:08:36] * Nym_5_14 sneaks closer to the vault to get a better look. There's only one guard at the front door. Nym's jaw drops as she gets a look at his face.
[21:09:14] [Nym_5_14> "Justin, what are YOU doing here? I thought you were still down at Ma Bomba's soup kitchen!"
[21:10:13] [Nym_5_14> "Listen, I really need to take a look around the vault here. You think you can give me an 'unofficial' tour?"
[21:10:47] [Nym_5_14> "Yeah, I know it's your job, but listen. The guy I work for would make it worth your while. And remember, I sneaked you out of Zoreb's lockhole. You owe me one!"
[21:11:30] * C_Edwards has joined #indie_nar
[21:12:48] [Croupier27_8> .
[21:12:57] [Croupier27_8> Scene The Final: Ashley Os
[21:12:58] [Croupier27_8> .
[21:16:46] [Ashley_15> The sound of rushing water echoes and ripples through the tunnel walls, miles below the city's surface. Ashley is ankle-deep in silt and mud, standing before and below the blue-robed priest, cast in the weird glow-light of the plants in this place. The priest is at the top of three wide stairs, which provide passage to a door set in the tunnel wall.
[21:16:56] [Ashley_15> "I come for a secret, priest. Oceus knows me."
[21:18:09] [Croupier27_8> Before the priest can say a word, the booming baritone of Oceus resounds through the caverns. "I will speak with him."
[21:19:10] [Ashley_15> Ashley staggers a bit beneath the sound, startled and suddenly unsure. He specifically did not want to speak with the god; he needed something from the priest, and Oceus always knew too much.
[21:19:32] [Ashley_15> "..my Lord of Lore, of Secrets, of the Deep Places and the Dark Waters, I seek a secret, a spell."
[21:19:52] [Croupier27_8> "Come into my sanctuary," the voice booms, "and we will speak."
[21:20:37] [Croupier27_8> The priest leads Ashley into the inner sanctum, where one of the glowing crystalline structures through which the Deep God speaks sits in the center of the room. His presence is palpable - though one cannot see his form, it is obvious Oceus is here.
[21:20:47] [Ashley_15> The summoner performs a genuflection to the god, and tracks his muddy way into the riverside cavern, following the priest.
[21:23:06] [Croupier27_8> "What spell is it you seek, and what do you offer," Oceus says. "You are already in my debt."
[21:24:57] [Ashley_15> Ashley nods. "And further into debt I will go, for this thing, and I will still pay with your gold; a secret, a song from a girl-child three weeks past in the light of the moon. She swore it to secrecy, and had pure wards against even your ears. But I know it, and I will give it to you."
[21:25:50] [Ashley_15> "The spell.. a spell to unmake someone. For a time; then return them to this life, unharmed."
[21:26:51] [Croupier27_8> "Hmmm... that is an expensive spell, one that can restore an unmaking. Not one to be given lightly."
[21:28:31] [Ashley_15> "Nor asked lightly. I will give you the song; judge its worth, then decide how much a debt I owe you still."
[21:29:37] [Croupier27_8> "Speak, then, mockingbird, and I will listen to the song you sing."
[21:31:47] * Croupier27_8 is now known as Croupier22_8
[21:33:15] * Croupier22_8 is now known as Croupier22_12
[21:33:39] * Ashley_15 is now known as Ashley_12_2
[21:41:57] [Ashley_12_2> A deep breath, two, and a song: simple, clear notes, resonating perfectly in the this Hall of Secrets, a song stolen on a starlit night a hundred miles from here. The summoner knows he is risking much; he cannot possibly be thinking clearly to do this, spine overriding mind. No god wishes Grimgore to be free, and were Oceus to realise this, the repercutions would be painful. (more)
[21:43:08] [Ashley_12_2> And Ashley knows it deeply; only letting go of that rationale allows him to do this. Allowed him to try and bluff Oceus! Bluff the Lord of Secrets! Madness and desperation, and he could not fully say why.
[21:47:58] * Ashley_12_2 is now known as Ashley_9_2
[21:51:38] [Ashley_9_2> There is only the sound of the nearby river for a time, though the god's presence still hangs heavy in the cavern. The priest raises his head some minutes after the song is over, and disappears into smaller side tunnels. (more)
[21:55:25] [Ashley_9_2> "Take your spell from my priest, summoner and godling. I accept your song and your debt. Know that I will have the others you still possess, locked away in your mind. You cannot keep them from me. You are not so powerful as that, yet."
[21:57:42] [Croupier22_12> .
[21:57:42] [Croupier22_12> .
[21:57:50] [Croupier22_12> END: Session I
[21:57:50] [Croupier22_12> .
[21:57:51] [Croupier22_12> .

A cool first session, even if I was kinda 'zoned out' (really zoned out by the 1am finish time)

I plan on having Zeroun escape, covering the discovery...then visiting friends and opponents to 'gather power' one way or another, then try for a big finale back here... at least thats my idea at this early date.

I've mailed out my updated character, along with a Ron Edwards-style character collage, that I made up while watching the other scenes as an attempt to get into 'my guy'. Hopefully Yahoo delivers it to the group some time soon.

There are times on IRC where the roullette-style bogs down play, but then IRC is very sensitive to uncertainty, so it my go away as we get more comfortable.

I think the roullette fits.

A party...always fun at a party....opportunities are endless.

(a little late; I had keyboard issues, then had to dredge up the log, and got busy, and, well, you don't care about excuses)

The 2nd session was marked by the absence of Bob/Zeroun, but everyone else put in a good performance. It's becoming increasingly clear that the game of Roulette is well-served by the actual roulette layout and the experience of placing the chips - the IRC experience was TOO slow, as a result. Next time, we're going to try the OpenRPG medium, where Wolfen has graciously set up a Roulette layout on the "map" with "roulette chips" for miniatures that any player can movie. In eight colours, no less!

That said, onto the game itself - a log of the narration is below. It's shorter than I thought it'd be, thanks mostly to a suddenly moody keyboard, which thankfully doesn't show up at all in the narration log.

I started with Nym, 'cause it seemed appropriate. On a whim I decided to make Justin pious, since the Oceun Vaults are related to the god Oceus, and thus probably was a believer (why would they hire enemies, or even the apathetic, when zealots make better guards?). The Vaults turned out to be larger than Nym expected, too, which was fun.

I then challenged Sracian with the fear of being discovered, which almost happened - he just managed to brain the other guy first. Setting up the "proper" difficulty for a task is an interesting job as a croupier, and despite two games I'm still not sure if I've got more than the most basic ideas of how to do it (the best being "sic the players against each other in some fundamental way"). Some things are remarkably easy, others difficult, and you have to balance "how important is this to me" with "how many chips am I likely to get back"? A run of luck, and the Croupier's side of the balance of power can fall... only to rise again. I'm loving it.

I managed to embroil Ashley further in the plot, by having a second god to whom he owes a favor, also ask for Nym, this time alive. I honestly am planning to have Nym be a playing piece for the gods a few more times, and I hope to bring other deities into this, including those not directly on Ashley's rather massive favor list. If only the other characters had similarly large favor lists... I'm rewarding Ashley with my attention.

There was some OOC quibbling on why the Oceun Vaults had spires. I envisioned the city of Marthesh as full of spires, so the Oceun Vaults were one amongst many. When I mentioned them, though, mouse in particular pictured "the space needle." As a later scene managed to get across, the spires at the top were the temple-area of the vaults, with the more secret bits stored increasingly deeper inside the vaults. Here I pitted Ashley and Nym against the other, with the results as you can see.

Nym won enough to do one or the other - get the object she was hired to get, or escape Ashley but not get the object. She chose the former, so narrated the retrieval, followed by Ashley narrating the capture.

Finally, I managed to maneuver a bit of Lady Fate's party into the story - invitations for both Zeroun and Nym are also on their way, but not one for Ashley (he is not a demigod by blood, but rather he stole the power). I also managed to voice Arthania's side of the Sracian/Ilsene love affair, specifically that Arthania approved, even if Ilmarnen disapproved. This was fun for me, since when Fate gave ARthania the invitation, Arthania wasn't planning on seeking Sracian out, yet she managed to bump into him. The other invitations should be delivered in a similarly... fateful... way.

Anyway, I'm having fun with this game despite the issues of IRC play, and hope that the OpenRPG medium will help with the speed issues of bidding online.

[19:27:53] <Croupier> .
[19:27:54] <Croupier> .
[19:27:54] <Croupier> .
[19:28:00] <Croupier> Fastlane: Demigods
[19:28:02] <Croupier> Session the Twoth
[19:28:03] <Croupier> .
[19:28:03] <Croupier> .
[19:28:03] <Croupier> .
[19:29:16] <Croupier> "I still don't know whether or not I should be doing this, Nym..." Justin says, trembling. "I mean, I could lose my job over this. Not to mention what might happen if Oceus finds out. He is the Lord of Secrets, after all." Justin makes the Oceun gestures with his hands.
[19:30:46] <Nym_19> "Don't worry about it. I'm sure my boss can get you a better job if you get found out."
[19:30:54] <Nym_19> "Besides, aren't you having fun?"
[19:32:24] <Croupier> "Oh, make a left here," Justin says. "Your BOSS?! Oh great... I'm aiding and abetting. Oceus will never forgive me." He gets down on his knees, and starts to pray for forgiveness.
[19:33:04] * Nym_19 gives a sigh of annyonace
[19:33:22] <Nym_19> "Now I remember why I stopped going to the red temple with you."
[19:33:35] * Nym_19 turns left, not looking to see of Justin follows
[19:48:43] * Nym_19 is now known as Nym_15_7
[19:49:39] * Nym_15_7 is now known as Nym_17_7
[19:51:46] * Nym_17_7 sneaks down the hallway and comes across the main vault. Looks like they're in the process of loading (or unloading) something from it, because the door's standing open.
[19:52:14] <Croupier> .
[19:52:19] * Nym_17_7 has quit IRC (Quit: )
[19:55:42] <Croupier> Sracian stood at the back door to the Arthanian temple - he didn't want any of his father's agents glimpsing him and reporting back. He took a deep breath, touched his fingers to the locks (they tumbled open effortlessly) and ducked inside between the blinks of a human eye.
[19:59:24] <Sracian_8> Sracian moves rapidly through the shadows of the interior. He makes his way through a secret a path as he can manage to the cloister and then to Ismene's rooms.
[20:00:16] <Sracian_8> He lurks on the walkway behind a statue of one of Arthania's martyrs for he hears ahead of him several voices.
[20:04:21] <Croupier> "Our priestess has gone soft. Rumor has it she is consorting with that barbarous son of Ilmarnen who brought her back from the clutches of Vaskar."
[20:05:48] <Croupier> "Aye, brother," the other voice says, "yet there is still no better voice of Arthania in all of Lorandor, and perhaps beyond."
[20:06:07] <Croupier> "You've got that right," the first one says, muttering. "She's as flighty as Arthania her... did you hear something?"
[20:06:31] * Paganini has joined #indie_nar
[20:06:31] * ChanServ sets mode: +o Paganini
[20:06:36] * Paganini is now known as Nym_17_7
[20:07:23] <Croupier> "Lady Ismene! Welcome! How long have you been standing there?!"
[20:07:45] <Croupier> "Long enough, Iron," she says, coldly. "Come with me, if you will. Arthania will want to hear this for herself."
[20:09:31] <Croupier> Ismene and one of the two men speaking walks off. The other heads towards Sracian.
[20:11:33] <Sracian_8> Sracian's heart leaps as he makes the effort not to leap out of hiding at the sound of Ismene's voice. He pulls back a little to enthusiastically however, and finds the statue suddenly unbalanced, falling out from behind him...
[20:15:29] * Sracian_8 is now known as Sracian_5
[20:17:48] * Sracian_5 is now known as Sracian_5_2
[20:26:27] <Sracian_5_2> The statue smacks the ground with a thud and its head breaks from the neck and rolls down the corridor. Sracian's, in his panic, leaps towards the man who is temporarily distracted by the statues rolling head, grabs him and pulls him to the opposing chamber.
[20:28:04] <Sracian_5_2> Once inside Sracian pummels the man across the back of the head with a vase knocking him cold. He pants catching his breath, feeling the beads of persperation roll down his neck. Finally he creeps back out and carefully towards Arthania's shrine.
[20:28:44] <Croupier> .
[20:28:48] <Croupier> .
[20:28:50] <Croupier> .
[20:32:00] <Croupier> Ashely bit into his summer sausage as he rode through the Gates of Marthesh. He surveyed the town - it was smaller than he remembered from his youth, when everything seemed large. Now, with the right incantation, he could level it in an instant. If only Grimgore had asked him to do something simple, like destroy a city! If only...
[20:34:57] <Croupier> "Pardon me, sir," a guard says, "might I help you?"
[20:37:10] "No."
[20:37:30] <Croupier> "Is that any way to talk to an old friend?"
[20:38:20] Ashley pauses and narrows his eyes at the guard.
[20:39:07] <Croupier> "Walk with me," the guard says. "I have something to ask of you."
[20:39:57] He quirks a bit of a smile. "Lead," Ashley says, falling into step alongside the guard. "I'm in the mood for surprises."
[20:40:42] <Croupier> "I have a... territory dispute... that I feel needs resolving."
[20:43:07] <Croupier> "Unfortunately, circumstances beyond my control prevent my interference. Thus, it appears I must call in a favor. I hate calling in favors."
[20:44:18] "Favours need a name, friend."
[20:45:07] <Croupier> "Well get to that, songbird," the guard says. "Know now that you indeed owe me a debt, and I need you to take steps towards filling it."
[20:47:28] Ashley stops. "We'll get to that now, housecat. Debts have names, have memories, and you'll give me one."
[20:47:57] <Croupier> The guard raises an eyebrow. "A name, or a memory?"
[20:48:26] "Either. If you're not speaking a name here, then show me what I owe for."
[20:49:27] <Croupier> The guard speaks a few words, the beginning of a spell Ashley himself did not learn until recently. He smiles. "That is what you will repay me."
[20:50:52] He laughs. "Already? And I figured you for the patient type. Move me, then, that I may enforce your territory."
[20:52:30] <Croupier> "It is not by choice, but rather by expedience, that I call in this debt." He clears his throat. "There is an interloper in my vaults," he says, "whose name I am to understand you are quite familiar with. I want her brought to me... alive."
[20:54:40] Shakes his head. "Some days, I tire of being the game piece. Especially when the players' game lacks in depth." Ashley inclines his head. "You, at least, will direct me to the vaults. Expediancy and all."
[20:55:34] <Croupier> "The only depth lacking here," the guard says, "is your own." He then points to the spires that mark the location of the Oceun vaults.
[20:59:25] <Croupier> .
[20:59:25] <Croupier> .
[20:59:26] <Croupier> .
[21:00:54] <Croupier> The Oceun Vaults... a beautiful building, the above-ground a lavish temple, and whose vaults are rumored to delve down to the core of the planet, where Oceus himself dwells.
[21:01:09] <Croupier> It is curiously unguarded.
[21:01:46] <Croupier> Inside, Nym has found the main vault entrance, currently gaping open thanks to the lackadaisical actions of the Oceun worshippers... never trust a human to do a Deep One's work.
[21:01:53] <Croupier> Outside, Ashley has just arrived.
[21:05:02] <Croupier> Nym ventures into the entrance to the main vault. Behind the vault doors lays a veritable honeycomb of passageways, each branching off at multiple points as they plunge deeper into the Earth. This is going to be a monumental task.
[21:07:14] <Croupier> She also has the feeling of being watched...
[21:21:02] * Nym_17_7 is now known as Nym_8
[21:21:06] * Nym_8 is now known as Nym_8_7
[21:21:36] * Ashley_9 is now known as Ashley_4
[21:22:58] * Nym_8_7 is now known as Nym_8_14
[21:24:22] * Nym_8_14 is now known as Nym_8_15
[21:26:03] * Ashley_4 is now known as Ashley_4_11
[21:32:11] * Nym_8_15 searches through the tunnels until she finds what she's looking for. With a smirk of satisfaction she stows it away in her bag and heads out.
[21:36:40] * Ashley_4_11 is now known as Ashley_7_11
[21:39:02] Preoccupied with looking over her shoulder, the thief fails to notice Ashley before running smack into him as she passes through a doorway. He places his hands on her shoulders. "You must be Nym. Bad for you, good for me."
[21:39:43] <Nym_8_15> "Hey! Who are you?!"
[21:40:52] "A very bad person. But as I have enough enemies as it is, today I'm going to be less bad. We're going to do two things."
[21:41:34] "The first is you're going to stand very, very still while I do a bit of magery on you. It may hurt, I don't know. Kind of a new-old spell. Then you and I are going to see a man about a thing."
[21:42:15] <Croupier> .
[21:42:15] <Croupier> .
[21:42:16] <Croupier> .
[21:43:12] <Croupier> Sracian comes upon Arthania's shrine. "Hello, Sracian," a beautiful female voice says from behind him. "How has your father been? He and I don't speak much anymore."
[21:44:32] * Ashley_7_11 is now known as Ashley_7_6
[21:45:28] <Sracian_5_2> Regretfully he still makes far too many messes in the realms of mortals." Sracian turns towards the voice.
[21:46:54] <Croupier> "Don't we all," Arthania says, sadly. She pouts out her lower lip. "Things have gotten so much more complex since Brogan Ratrunner gave his double-edged gift to Vaskar's little toys."
[21:54:04] <Sracian_5_2> You must know why I'm here."
[21:55:14] <Croupier> Arthania laughs liltingly, and happily. "Yes, I do. Don't worry, I won't tell Ilmarnen; your father never understood true passion."
[21:57:40] <Sracian_5_2> His heart is as cold as the iron he crafts. But even though I am here to...see Ismene. I am still bound by father's wish and need to know the circumstance of the fragments loss. If you can spare it, my Lady" Sracian bows.
[21:59:14] <Croupier> "Certainly, Sracian. I simply wanted to see the man who had captured my priestess's heart. I approve." She smiles. "But you might want to wait until she finishes her discipline. The priest in with her is prone to gossip."
[22:00:04] <Croupier> "I have a message for you anyway," she continues, "from The Lady."
[22:01:13] <Sracian_5_2> The mistress of fate does me too much honor." Sracian smiles slightly. "What from her?"
[22:02:09] <Croupier> "It is simply an invitation, for you and a guest, to a party at her manse."
[22:03:07] <Sracian_5_2> Sracian raises an eyebrow. "Indeed... a guest?"
[22:03:49] <Sracian_5_2> Well her invitation is my summons, I will of course attend."
[22:05:20] <Croupier> .
[22:05:20] <Croupier> .
[22:05:20] <Croupier> .