Ack the pressure.

Two weeks ago my group set out to play Friday and Saturday. Then there was a change of plans and I had to scrap my orginal scenario idea and cobble something together as best I could. With a head full of ideas from Ron and Ralph:

Summarised:
Each of the other players, not the characters, could have had their own tie in to the plot.


I simply wasn’t up to the job on friday and that game was aborted.

Having slept and planned a little better we began our Saturday game with a discussion of some basic scene framing and Player contra PC motivation. Then we gamed and this is what happened.

The Game

Summary:
Our heroes have all come to Shiring Vale for different reasons and have together had a few different adventures that have earned them hero status among the locals and the enemity of a Shadowsworn mage known as the Hooded One. Unfortunatly the two nobles in the group have made some indiscrete comments and used up som heavy favours, putting them out of favour with the earl of Shiring Vale. They then, despite warnings and misgivings of friends, traveled into a haunted part of the Valley and aggravted a horrible curse.

Our heroes are:

Sir Tengel - a pious knight seeking redemtion for crimes unspeified.
Calem - a mage seeking a lost art of magic.
Liam – a ranger that lost himself while searching for his wife.
Gorin - a dwarf seeking to rekindle the Eight Virtues and bring hope to his folk.
Sir Locklear - a knight who wishes to join a dying Knightly Order.
Joshua - on the run from his former friends, posing as a soldier.

This episode only Christer (LIAM), Ole (LOCKLEAR) and Peri (JOSHUA) could make it to my table, and since I introduced the concept of Player Motivation during the the Staurday discussion the only one who had prior knowledge of this was Christer and his run something like this:

For Liam to earn a postion of trust and importance despite his low-born status.

The other two wanted time to think about it. So we began.

After their return from the Silent Forest, the group split up. Tengel was busy working on securing the South Pass, Gorin helped with this aswell as grudgingly obliging earl Stennarch by going a a futile expedition to the closed Dwarven Gates, and Calem dived into his newly aquiered book on magic unaware of the consequences. Joshua spent the time avoiding work and the irate NCO Simon. Leaving Locklear to recover and study while Liam spent his time building a new bow.

During this time a new NPC entered the game, Shea the half elf. Sent by their friend Kronsworth in an attempt to stop them from entering the silent forest Shea was chargrined to hear their tale. He was even more worried when he learned of Calem's magical book. Fearing for the book's, and Calem's, safety Shea helped convince Calem to seek refuge in the castle of Earl Stennarch.

Here our play began in earnest. After the mage had been tucked away the three (Locklear, Liam and Joshua) sought out the Trolls Head Tavern where they joined Shea and the dwarven master brewer Thorgen for a late night drinking session. Discussing life and stars and the end of the Third Age while drinking dwarven nog.
Shea and Liam concurred that an expedition to find a path into the lair of the Hooded One would be wise. Joshua wanting to escape Simon the Sergeant had been bugging Liam for him to learn the ways of the ranger (particullary intrested in the sneaking bit) saw an oppurtunity while Locklear thought his military expertice would be needed. With som advice from Thorgen it was decided that the Three should explore a guard-tower at the entrance of the Tirnen Pendrath pass (home of the Hooded One).

As the night ended, Joshua chased som skirt, locklear went to sleep, Liam discovered that he and the dwarf shared the same heart-ache. He agreed to look for Thorgen's lost son, who had last been seen heading up to the Tirnen Pendrath intent on seeing the home of his forfathers. Liam learned that the young dwarf sought a stone key hidden at the top of the Beacon tower.

So we had set the scene. The Tie in with Christer’s character, Liam, worked well. For the other two it was still “filler” since we have yet to define their goals.

Before the trek into the mountains Liam helped the others to pack, or more correctly he unpacked half the stuff Locklear had packed. A big pile of discarded junk piled politly up next to the protesting lord containing such items as a small pick-axe, a shovel and other curia. Liam told Locklear that he was not carrying it. Then there was the customary “Do we go in armour or not” debate which was won by Liam and resulted in Locklear putting his chain in the backpack.

This debate went much quicker this time, but this armour-issue would pop up several times during the evening.

The Three followed Liams lead and they went into the forest. Silently they snuck up to the entrance to the pass and observed the ancient beacon, now guard-tower, they were to explore. Unable pass the Beacon unoticed they went through the hidden passage they had used earlier (blue-booked part of our first session).
The exit from this passages was guarded by two grey trolls. Locklear inisted upon putting on his armour but, the plan was for him to wait until the two silent guys had eliminated the two trolls. He couldn’t wait, but he took no more then a few steps before fthe other two sent him some dirty looks and Locklear stood still.

Luckily the trolls were too busy having a spitting contest to hear the noises made by the stealthy knight-in-armour. They were also subsequently killed by three arrows before either they or Lokclear had time to join the battle. (BW hesitation is a killer unless you run and scream). He removed his armour and filled his backpack again.
At this point Joshua started moaning that he had really no buisness being up in these mountains, Liam said that he was free to return to the valley, pointing back through the dark tunnels. Joshua chose to continue.

Here is a great example what happens when one does not tie in the character/player motivation to the story arc. Peri was left lost, deep in the wilderness without any reason to be there. My bad.

Using th BW let it ride rule, Liam led the expedition into the Beacon. Sneaking around the smithy where they heard heavy hammer blows, they mad their way towards the top of the Beacon. The deadly duo Liam and Joshua eliminating whatever unlucky opponent they stumbleded upon. Killing and wounding guards with their bows.

This got me thinking of a Knights of the Dinner Table, where they use a tactic they call “storm by surprise”. It worked though, and this despite they all had rolled measly one success on their stealth rolls, my dice and the trolls lack of Observation training saw them through.

After Locklear decapitated the Grey Troll commander in a harrowing battle its quarters all that stood between the Three and the top of the Beacon Tower (think Pippin’s climb in Return of the King) was a single guard coming to kill them across a walkway. Locklear was nearly knocked from the seven story tall tower, before two arrows smacked into the trolls face. Silently it fell from the walk way, hitting nearly every protusion on its way down into the courtyard (Think Pippin and a certain bucket in Moria).

Panicy they searched the tower and they found the Stone Key. They had just pried it from the wall when trolls came up on the roof. Arrows flew and Locklear held the walkway and after a few brutal seconds the trolls where gone. Grabbing their weapons the Three prepared to fight their way out.

From this stage and out Ole had a constant internal dialouge on the merits of speed versus the need for Locklear to put on his armour. That was up to a point, or rather two points. Read on.

Defeating two more trolls they began down the stairwell, keeping a wary eye towards the bottom. Unfortunatly a skulking brigand saw his oppurtunity to jump through a neglected door and surprise them. Joshua ran screaming knocking Locklear off his feet, leaving the alert Liam to finish off the attacker. Afterwards Liam commented that it was fitting that Joshua had gotten his first scar across his back. Joshua arh\guing his tactic had left him standing, and that he had saved the hesitating Locklear (who wasn’t impressed).

I like doing this when ever my players think they are onto a good unbeatable solution, here the Storm by Suprise. Nothing beats turning the tables from time to time.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs they could hear nothing but omnious silence. Carefully they snuck up to the courtyard and Locklear peeked out. He saw the three waiting archers, but zigged when he should have zagged. One arrow clattered down the hall behind him, two struck his chest inflicting two midi wounds. Without a sound Locklear collapsed.

As they dragged the wounded knight into cover they heard the Smith beging psyched up by other trolls, time was getting short. While Liam sniped at the archers Joshua ran looking for a window. He found a way onto the battlements, but also came face to face with the last brigand in the Beacon. With a cry of deperation Joshua charged and much to his surprise knocked the man over the battlements and over a cliff. Their escape was secured.

The look on Peri’s face when this application of the Charge action dawned upon him was priceless. It also seemed as a turning point for Joshua, but we have yet to explore this.

Hoisting Locklear down by rope, the two remaining men began the long climb down. Unfortunatly a troll came upon their rope and hewed it off.

Luckily they saw this coming so it was a simple 1 obstacle Speed test to grab hold of the rock. Liam managed but Joshua rolled 6 ones. To his great relif his “bad” luck continued as he rolled his DOF to see how hard he landed and he got 2, an incidental hit. So instead of caving his skull inn (any other result) he broke a few ribs.

Before the troll-archers could bring their bows to bear Liam carried Locklear, while Joshua carried said knights backpack (with the unused armour). After a gruelling trek down to imber (their home village) Locklears wounds had worsened and he now hovered on deaths door. BW’s wound recovery rules are though, and both Locklear and joshua failed their health rolls and will be suffering for it the rest of their days.

Food for thought:

Having Christers defined goals made it much easier for me to adapt and create a story that engaged and seemed right for him. Peri and Ole were left a bit in limbo, but this stems from this lack of focus. Couldn’t have invented a better example if I tried. Thanks Ron and Ralph.

One of the best moments was when Peri charged joshua at the brigand, knocking him over a parapet and to his death. The satisfaction around the table at this moment justified his lack of tie in to the plot as suddenly Joshua showed bravery and drive. It was a Persona Artha moment if I have ever seen one.

Got to run, what do you think?

It sounds like a great time to me! I am glad someone else has discovered the wonders of the charge! Sorry to hear about the Health rolls! Did the village healer earn them any extra dice with a good healing roll?

I personally am trying to find ways to incorporate each character into each session's story, but it's hard! It's like chasing after a rainbow for its pot of gold.

Thanks for taking the time to write this - and all your adventures. I enjoy reading how other people play BW.

It sounds pretty clear to me that the player (Christer) who's character motivations you had discussed got the most out of the session. I hope he was rewarded with a boatload of artha for his efforts/involvement.

As for other players (in general), if they don't have any strong or abiding drive for their character, encourage them to come with something smaller and temporary. Beliefs are meant to change in BW, it's part of the fun of playing! So starting a character with a provincial belief that is destined to change after a few sessions of play is priming them for good play.

Even changing one of a character's beliefs at the beginning of a session is not a crime. Most players who don't have big goals/drives for their characters have at least one "throw away Belief" like Preserve the land. This sounds neat, but it doesn't drive play. Encourage players to retool and refine their beliefs to drive their characters in play RIGHT NOW.

Lastly, by rewarding Christer for what you consider good play, you also encourage the others to get in the game and do the same.

And I second Pete; I love reading your stories!

-Luke

Couldn’t have invented a better example if I tried. Thanks Ron and Ralph.

I don't think I need to encourage my other players to get engaged in the game. They are always interested and we nearly always have a good time. We are a tight and loyal bunch.

This focus on player contra character motivation is a new thing in my group. We have never considered that OCC motivation has any effect on the game.

However, and its a big however, as I learned in this game is that this type of pre-planning lifts the game up to another level. So by satisfying the players OCC drives and adapting these to fullfill their ICC drives I am hoping to blow them away.

All I need to do is to combine this and my plot. (And lets not go there again ;) )