More playtesting! This time it was Chris (Jemmen) and Dana (Acidra).

We got some rules tweaks:

Characters are now limited to a maximum of 8 passions. Starting characters assign 20 points to passions, no passion can be greater than 4. We've also got a new pacing mechanic inspired by Anonymouse that drives passion improvement.

Basically, the number of years old a Dragon is is the number of "adventure points" (working title) that you have to accumulate before you can fight that dragon to the death. Up til that point, defeating the dragon just drives it away.

Adventure Points are gained just by playing. Every time you contribute passion or failing dice to a conflict, you gain a number of AP equal to the dice you contributed. AP gain applies to *all* the dragons you're hunting, except for AP gained from your Slaying sword. Those only apply to the dragon you're actually fighting at the moment of AP gain.

Slaying dragons is the only way to get passion improvement rolls - the more AP the dragon was worth, the more improvement rolls you get.

A couple of other minor things: the Slaying sword now always uses the Spirit aspect as a target number when fighting a dragon, regardless of the conflict type. Also, the player may now choose to leave one of the failings off the list, and double up on two failings.

Here are the characters from tonights session:

Jemmen Vorchilde

About 5' 10'', dark of eye, dark hair which is shaved down to stubble, with skin weathered by constant exposure to the elements.

Orphaned and raised by monks, Jemmen led a completely uneventful life until he met an unusual girl from a nearby village. Sarmina became his light in the darkness, the only person who truly understood him, and the only person whom he really understood. That bliss was brought to an end by the dragon Osphorax when it burned the village to ashes. The only thing left to fill the gaping void left behind by Sarmina's absence is vengeance, so Jemmen fills his nights and days tracking the creature and with thoughts of causing it's destruction.

After waking to find the land covered in frost, Jemmen comes upon a what must have been a party of pilgrims. All that is left is butcher's scraps.. and a bloody trail leading off into the wood!

His Slaying "sword" is a spear formed of stone melted by the breath of Osphorax, with Sarmina's locket a semi-melted lump of metal in it's "blade"

Osphorax - 10 dice - 11 / 20 AP

Saga points: 1

ASPECTS
Body 4
Mind 3
Spirit 1

PASSIONS
3 Sarmina's memory
3 Revenge for taking her away
3 Slaying "sword"
2 Finding some other good influence to quench the burning hatred inside of him
2 Making something of himself besides a cast-away orphan
2 Being strong in the face of adversity

FAILINGS
1 Anger
2 Fear
3 Greed
4 Lust
5 Pride
6 Anger

Power
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
[_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]


Acidra

Saga:

Acidra is a black dragon half, meaning that she is the product of a black dragon and a human mating. Never truely accepted by either, she was abandoend and raised herself, survivng on town outskirts and stealing form dragon nests.

thus she grew up bearing resentment towards both parties. However, her choice to become a slayer was spurred by her desire to find her father, Authakkan (Black assassin) and give him the what for about abandoning her. as of late she has been doing gathering of dragon parts and slaying of dragons for her landlord, the dark lich Exetros. its tough, but its a livivng and it pays the rent.

Felagahm a female dragon that acidra has been commissioned to remove the gem thats imbedded in her forehead. shes lived in a murkey swamp/cave for several years now, survivng on the poor saps who get lost there. However, when the lich was a living being it stole a potentn gem, and now that the lich has a pocket slayer, acidra has been assigned to retrive the gem and slay the beast for taking it.

advanture hook: acidra has tracked down felagham to her lair but unfortuantly, shes just noticed the large draconic shadow behind her

Felagahm: - 8 dice - 14 / 25 AP

Saga points: 0

aspects:
body - 2
mind - 3
spirit - 3

Passions:
Finding her father - lvl 4
3 Slayer "sword": a scythe crated with the one thing Acidra has left of her father - his large black claw. The bladed claw has been forged onto a staff of steel.
3 - black dragon wings which are always meticulously groomed.
2 - finding someone to can stand to look at her aside from Exetros 2 - Resistance to killing hatchlings
2 - Tail - also meticulusy groomed, this black tail has a bladed edge and is used as a balance.
1: acid spit - inheretided trait form her father, she can spit out a lob of acid.

failings:
1 pride
2 anger
3 lust
4 greed
5 Fear
6 Pride

Power
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
[_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]


Bob also made a character. Hopefully, he'll be playing next session.


Yothul of Ardlake

Saga

Yothul is a surprisingly short man, for a Slayer. A dark shaggy haired man covered in the tattoos of the gem divers of Ardlake, still he is powerfully built, with an
Ego easily as large as any Slayer…

When diving for gems, he encountered, fought, and killed a rare crystal lake serpent…underwater...taking its spiraling razor-sharp pearly tailspine.

After returning to the Town nearby with his prize, he demanded to be accepted as a Slayer. He bested one ‘nay sayer’ in a wrestling match, and was allowed in
the next ‘blooding’ ceremony.

He is always confident of victory. The elders of the Lakemen consider him to be overconfident, and thus refused him permission to marry an Elder’s daughter…
his only defeat…and a temporary one in his eyes.

To prove himself worthy he is tracking the drake Thulldorn, using information from the gem merchants from the Arcist city states.

Thulldorn is said to have originated at the Black pyramid, within the deserts of Jerrun. Some say he is the reason for the rising of the desert, and for the fall of
Jerrun.

He is sheathed in glittering bone, dull white, shot through with streaks of sparkling gem filled ‘cracks’.

Yothul plans to make its skull into his helmet, and to present the gem filled back spines to the Elders as proof of his worth. He aims to buy himself a bride. In his
heart he hopes to earn enough to own all the Elders daughters. Fitting tribute in his mind!

I will make a kingdom for my strong children!

-He walks the desert wherin the pyramid sits, still just a small speck in the distance. He spys some vultures swooping low nearby. Hoping to get confirmation of
Thulldorn, he strides out to the body or a horse and rider…dead … turning the body to see the cause of death. Only to discover a live baby sheltered underneath
the body of the woman rider. There is no dragon signs to this death… but as the wind shifts to blow from the pyramid…Yothul can just barely pick out a hint of
dragon magic in the air.

Dragon: Thulldorn - 10 dice - 0 / 20 AP

Saga points: 0

Slaying Sword: The Pearl Spire

Body: 3
Mind: 2
Spirit: 3

Passions

Level 4 (1) confident of victory
3 (2) marry an Elder’s daughter, found a kingdom
2 (3) buy himself a bride, children
1 (=) wrestling, diving, gems

Failings
1 - Pride
2 - Anger
3 - Fear
4 - Greed
5 - Lust
6 - Pride

Power
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
[_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_][_]

Nathan has asked me to post the narration log, so here goes..

7:31 PM4] <@Paganini> Draconum Playtest No. 2
7:31 PM4] <@Paganini> *
7:31 PM4] <@Paganini> *
7:31 PM4] <@Paganini> *
7:31 PM4] <@Paganini> Jemmen Scene
7:31 PM4] <@Paganini> After waking to find the land covered in frost, Jemmen comes upon a what must have been a party of pilgrims. All that is left is butcher's scraps.. and a bloody trail leading off into the wood!
7:32 PM4] * Jemmen scans the sky.
7:32 PM4] * Jemmen looks determinedly toward the area where the blood trails off into the woods.
7:51 PM4] <@Paganini> The blood trail continues through the icy, brittle foliage to a small clearing.
7:51 PM4] <@Paganini> A thatched hut stands in the middle of the clearing.
7:51 PM4] <@Paganini> A ring of standing stones tops a hill overlooking the hut, casting long shadows over the forrest floor.
7:53 PM4] <@Paganini> The hut looks burned, and the mangled bodies of several pilgrims lay sprawled unaturaly.
7:55 PM4] <@Paganini> In the midst of the gore a young maid lies weeping, her hands clutched in the hair of a dead pilgrim.
7:57 PM4] <@Paganini> Sarmina's face floats before Jemmen's eyes, but he pushes it aside.
7:59 PM4] <@Paganini> A hot stirring within, he leaps forward and draws the girl to her feet.
7:59 PM4] <@Paganini> She beats on his chest with her fists, weeping madly.
8:01 PM4] <@Paganini> Jemmen drags her closer, but she bites at him, and he shoves her away with an oath. With a cry, she falls into the blackened ruins of the hut.

8:01 PM4] <@Paganini> * Cut scene to Acidra

8:03 PM4] <@Paganini> An evil green smell hangs over Felagahm's swampy cave.
8:04 PM4] <@Paganini> Acidra peers inside, gripping her sword.
8:04 PM4] <@Paganini> Strange... the sun seems to have been blotted out behind her, and the shadow... are those wings?
8:04 PM4] <Acidra> 'ahh crap"
8:06 PM4] <@Paganini> "So, Mortal," Felagahm cackles. "Whatever gifts Authakkan may have given you, cunning was not among them."
8:12 PM4] <@Paganini> Acidra turns to face Felagahm defiantly.
8:12 PM4] <@Paganini> "What do you know about my father?" she demands.
8:13 PM4] <@Paganini> Felagahm grins unpleasantly.
8:14 PM4] <@Paganini> "Your father loved you," she says, in a gloating voice.
8:14 PM4] <@Paganini> "That's why he killed himself."
8:14 PM4] <@Paganini> Felagahm howls with laughter.
8:20 PM4] * Acidra snarls and grips her scythe tightly " i'm sure your just trying to cover your ass. now hand over the gem"
8:22 PM4] <@Paganini> "You will have to take it. If you can."
8:22 PM4] <Acidra> "always the hardway. taste the claw then"
8:28 PM4] <@Paganini> Acidra darts at Felagahm, but the wily dragon backs away and bats Acidra aside with a claw.
8:28 PM4] * Acidra hisses a little acidic spit drooling onto the floor*

8:43 PM4] <@Paganini> * Back to Jenmen

8:46 PM4] * Jemmen stares in shocked dismay.
8:47 PM4] * Jemmen opens his mouth to speak, but the guilt is too much for him.
8:47 PM4] * Jemmen runs away from the hut and into the woods, with little thought of where he's going.
8:48 PM4] <@Paganini> "A voice calls after you through the trees.. the girl's voice... but you can't make out the words."
8:56 PM4] <@Paganini> Jemmen seems not to hear her pleading call, but instead flees through the woods, heedless of grasping vines and tearing rocks.
8:57 PM4] <@Paganini> At last he comes to the bank of an icy spring and trips, sprawling headling into the water.
8:58 PM4] <@Paganini> The cold revives him somewhat, and he looks skyward. The dragon is winging low over the forest, the maiden from the clearing held tightly in his claws.

9:02 PM4] <@Paganini> * Cut to Acidra

9:14 PM4] <@Paganini> Acidra leaps from the ground, wings billowing. Felagahm roars with pain as Acidra's hearty blow sends the gem flying from her forhead. The dragon leaps into the air and flys off, a trail of dragon blood hissing into the swamp.
9:15 PM4] * Acidra grins and grabs the gem turning it over in her hand.
9:16 PM4] <Acidra> "lovley, the boss'l be pleased..., maybe he can give me MONEY this time..."
9:18 PM4] * Acidra jumsp into the air and flys off*

9:19 PM4] <@Paganini> *Cut to Jemmen

9:39 PM4] <@Paganini> Jemmen jumps up and hurls his Slaying spear, but his cry of rage dies in his throat as Osphorax dips slightly, and the slaying spear drives through the maiden's belly. Her death cry mingles with Jemmen's hoarse shout of denial - but the mocking laughter of Osphorax overshadows them both as the dragon soars away, Jemmen's spear still lodged in the corpse of the girl.

9:41 PM4] <@Paganini> *Cut to Acidra

9:44 PM4] <@Paganini> Acidra stands before the lich, holding the powerful gem in her hands.
9:44 PM4] <Acidra> "hello"
9:44 PM4] <@Paganini> The lich sits on his stone chair, wrapped in purple robes, staring from his skelatal face.
9:44 PM4] <@Paganini> "You have brought my trinket to me, I see," he says.
9:44 PM4] <@Paganini> "You have done well, little dragonling."
9:45 PM4] * Acidra snorts
9:45 PM4] <Acidra> "yes well...time for payemtn when payments due"
9:45 PM4] <@Paganini> "You have earned your reward. What would you have?
9:46 PM4] <Acidra> "i;d liek some spendign cahs so i can actualy BUY food this week. and some information
9:47 PM4] <@Paganini> "Gold is less expensive than lore. Ask what you will, but do not be over-hopefull."
9:47 PM4] <Acidra> " my father. i want information about him, where he is,,,"
9:48 PM4] <@Paganini> "Hmm."
9:48 PM4] <@Paganini> "This is difficult. I will have to consult the energies."
9:56 PM4] <@Paganini> The lich leans back and dark lights shine from his eye sockets.
9:57 PM4] * Acidra frowns but nods
9:57 PM4] <@Paganini> Twisting coils of green energy writhe in the mists before him. You can barely see them... it's like catching a glimpse of something from the corner of your eye.
9:57 PM4] <@Paganini> At last he leans forward.
9:57 PM4] * Acidra looks up
9:58 PM4] <@Paganini> "The energies have spoken. The Black Assasin is in Thothtia, on the Temple Mountain."
9:58 PM4] <@Paganini> "Go now, take your gold.
9:58 PM4] <@Paganini> I must recover myself."
9:59 PM4] * Acidra smeisl and bows with respect; thank you very much sir
9:59 PM4] <@Paganini> The lich suggests a sigh without breath.
10:00 PM4] * Acidra then tkaes her treasure and heads to her chambers*

10:00 PM4] <@Paganini> *cut

10:00 PM4] <@Paganini> *
10:00 PM4] <@Paganini> *
10:00 PM4] <@Paganini> *
10:00 PM4] <@Paganini> End Draconum Playtest Session 2

This game has awesome potential.

The combination of Aspects, Passions, and Failings is really a powerful tool for crafting the play experience and has a profound effect on the resulting story.

Taking a Spirit of 1 really went a long way towards making Jemmen a tragic figure (Spirit is the Aspect that comes into play when attempting to slay a dragon). Mix that with his Passions and he was bound for grief.

Some more playtesting and a few more tweaks and this game will rock the casbah.

-Chris