System: World of Dungeons '79 by +John Harper, which is a simplified version of Dungeon World by +Sage LaTorra and +Adam Koebel.
Module: Sword Breaker 2: The Hollow Fingers, a zine by +Logan Howard.
PART 0: THE PROTAGONISTS
[Just a little piece to intro the characters.]
Four strangers covered in the ochre dust of the waste approach the "hollow fingers," five towers that comprise the city-state of Alambrom. At their head strides a barbarian covered in furry hides. With a shield slung over her back and a wicked looking axe on her hip, she looks absolutely lethal. Her dark brown hair is tied up in unstylish and messy knots to keep it from blowing in her face. Her name is Velundra, grand-daughter of the legendary Hundra, who was last and first of the Amazons.
Behind her scampers the gray-cloaked form of Arod Shadowfoot, applicant to the assassin's guild. It is at his behest that the Red Star Adventurers (RSA) has made their way through this gods-forsaken desert to reach the infamous fingers of Alambrom.
Bringing up the rear are two figures arguing heatedly. The first is unmistakably a dwarf. Around his neck is a clunky looking symbol of a holy order. To most it just looks like some kind of asymmetrical knot, but to Bozk Krazmakalizar it is a representation of a mathematically-perfect higher form. If you have the time, he would be eager to lovingly walk you through the 64 verses that enable you to mentally traverse each of the symbol's many sides and thus reach enlightenment.
At his side, her slender fingers waving in an agitated fashion, is an elf. Just as Bozk's holy symbol gives away his profession, the various phials and small pouches hanging from her person declare hers. She is Tamara Felanios, the sorceress.
The argument between Bozk and Tamara is yet another squabble over mystical viewpoints and methods, and so they are ignored by Velundra and Arod as the four approach the gates of the first tower. Having met some years ago in the dungeons of Caer Grodontis, the four are inseparable, and have come to call themselves The Red Star Adventurers. Most recently, they were employed by the Burgermeister of Dolis, but a very public falling out with the same preceded their journey to the fingers.
PART I: THE PITS
[Sword Breaker is designed for play with Dungeon World and uses the Dungeon Starter format, or a version of it, as designed by +Marshall Miller. This means it has questions, impressions, threats and objects. Possibly some other components as well. My methodology for playing is to read the impressions and threats first. Then go back and answer the questions from the viewpoint of various characters. The answers then inform how I think the fiction will go.]
Questions
● What do you smell that makes you uneasy?
Arod: "This place reeks of raw sewage. I will almost certainly contract a disease in this horrible place and spoil my good looks with pock-marks. We need to get out/up/away from this place as soon as possible."
● What did you have to give up to get to the Fingers of Alambrom?
Bozk: "I'm not sure I approve of this mission of yours Arod. It has cost us our patron! There is no way the Burgermeister was going to associate with us once he learned what we were up to. Though I didn't him to be so public with his trumped up excuse for why our contract was revoked. Our reputations may never recover."
● Which color is completely absent here?
Velundra: "Have you noticed how sickly everyone looks here? It's the lack of sunlight. Not a single person has any tan to their skin. Most are practically green with this foul air."
● What is missing from your supplies?
Arod "I just wish we could have gotten those forged passes before we left. That was our ticket to the upper levels. Now we have to come up with an alternate plan. Damn the Burgermeister for pinching Blackfinger before he could deliver the goods! He's the best scribbler in the city and there was no time to find another, since we were only given until sundown to get out."
● Who sent you to kill Marush-Kormor the Centipede God?
Tamara: "You know the guild doesn't really want you to succeed, right Arod? Else they would not have given you such an impossible task. Why do you want to belong to a guild that clearly doesn't want you as a member."
Arod: "I think you may have just answered your own question, Tamara! Those snooty guildmasters. They just don't know talent when they see it. Wait til I fling a package at their feet containing the head of..."
Bozk: "Shush! Do you want someone to hear?! The will throw us into the dungeon, if not worse, before we have been in the city an hour."
● What do you expect as part of your reward for this job?
[Answered by the questions above. Arod is undergoing an initiation rite.]
● What did PC name do to get you into this fight with the locals?
Arod: "At least I didn't cut someone's arm off the minute we got inside the gate!"
Velundra: "I assume you are referring to me, little man? Any man that tries to reach into my tunic and steal my purse is likely to get the same treatment."
Arod: "It wasn't your purse he was after, I think."
Bozk: "Don't be obscene."
Tamara: "What was that he was blubbering as he ran off, Shivasar? Shisvazar?"
After looking around it's clear that the best way up is to associate themselves with one of the incoming caravans. The RSA hits a local tavern, The Hopping Eyeball, where some of the caravaners go to grab a quick drink after coming in from the dusty wasteland and wait on their turn in the iron elevator. Arod wants to bribe one of the caravan guards into letting the RSA tag along at the back of his wagon train, in order to hitch a ride up the elevator, promising to disappear shortly afterward. Problem is, the RSA only has 2 sp between them. So first Arod tries to pinch a purse off of another caravaner.
$ Pick pocket: 15! (boxcars +3 DEX)
$ Arod picks up d6*10 sp: 40 [GM awards 40 XP]
Arod is afraid such a large haul will cause the caravaner to call in the guards from higher up and start a hunt. Foreigners will be some of the first to be searched. So he takes out 12 sp for the bribe and tries to PUT BACK the purse, with 28 sp left in it. The guard might think he spent or lost some, but he won't think his purse has been stolen.
$ Reverse pick pocket: 8 (5 +3 DEX)
Arod puts it back. But on the way back to Hop-Eye, the RSA is waylaid in an alley by the (now) one-armed thug and his pals. They step in from ahead and behind, blocking the exit. One of them, a cloaked and mummy-wrapped figure steps up and introduces himself as Shiss Vahar, leader of a The Murdered Ambitions. Apparently this is the fancy name for all the ruffians around Shiss, more of whom seem to be arriving every minute!
Arod: "What gives, oh Shiss Vahar? How have we wronged you. Your friend here should have kept his hands to himself; our barbarian companion frowns upon anyone touching her person uninvited! Let us pass or there might be more blood spilled."
Velundra: [Grinning wryly] "Hmmph"
$ 'Diplomacy' attempt: 8 (6 +2 CHA)
Shiss: "We have no quarrel with anyone but that freak of nature" [He points a bandaged hand, ending in an exposed finger tip and clawed nail, at Velundra. She is unusually tall and broad for a woman. But most people are too polite and/or afraid to mention it.] "You can go. But sshe and I have unfinisshed bussinesss."
Velundra: "So be it. Step back little one." [This, to Arod.] "You too Bozk and Tamara. This shouldn't take long, and then we can get back to our business."
Shiss quirks an eyebrow somewhere under his bandages, casing one side of them to lift. As Velundra charges, Shiss unfurls his cloak, revealing FOUR arms! Worse, he whips out a strange chain and blade affair and swings it in a defensive pattern around him.
Arod: "No shit. Look at that." [He seems unconcerned for Velundra's fate, but secretly is a little nervous, since he knows next to nothing about Shiss, including what the hell he even is!]
$ Roll to get past Shiss' chainblade: 10 (9 +1 DEX)
$ Attack!: 9 (8 +1 STR), damage = 6! (5 +1 Martial Weapon), but gets tangled up in the chain!
GM: Do you want to spend a moment to try and break free of the chain?
Velundra Player: Hell no, I could tie three of my limbs behind my back and still cut this sucker up. I fight on and ignore the chain as best I can.
GM: Ooookay, Shiss brings his free arm(s) down at you, defend yourself!
$ Defying danger: 10 (9 +1 DEX)
$ Attack!: 7 (6 +1 STR) [GM: I would apply a -1 but I feel like I used the ongoing entanglement to reason that it slowed her up and so I forced the defensive roll; it feels kind of wrong to double down. Maybe I should have gone the other way and let Velundra attack again, but at a -1. Whatever, moving on.] damage = 5!
Shiss: "Gaaaah, hisss, splutter, ack."
GM: Shiss collapses in a heap at your feet, with your sword pinned in his guts. As he writhes, sliding up and down the end of your sword in his agony, blooms of orange-red blood come up through his bandages. The thugs look on in shock.
Bozk player: Jeez louise. Unwrap him!
Velundra player: No, we need to take advantage of their confusion and get the hell out before they realize they can gang up on us.
Arod: [Whispering.] "Let's move you fools! Before ..."
And so the Red Star Adventurers leg it, busting a way through the stunned thugs at the end of the alley.
GM: You get past them with no trouble. Behind you, there is the sound of scuffling as a new leader is "chosen." [GM awards 10 xp.]
Back at the Hop-Eye, Arod attempts the bribe.
Arod: "Another beer for my friend here! Guarding a caravan is thirsty work!"
A wench he floated 2 sp to lavish attention on his mark is doing her job adequately.
Arod: "It will be simple, and your master never need know. We will walk up after the caravan master goes up. Your goods won't all make it in one trip. You will stay behind to guard the last wagon, surely there won't be competition for that duty as it means more time in this reeking pit. And you'll vouch for us. We ride up and then we walk off, getting lost in the market. Like it never happened! And you will be standing there with these [clink-clink] 10 silvers in your pocket for a few minutes work. You needn't even lift a hand!"
$ Bribe: 10 (8 +2 CHA).
GM: Yep. It works. But you'll have to be careful tomorrow. Something might not go right. What if the master is waiting at the top to see the last wagon come up?
Arod Player: Crap, I didn't think of that. I guess we'll have to chance it.
STAY TUNED FOR PART 2: THE MARKET
http://www.rpgnow.com/product/207706/Sword-Breaker-Issue-No-2--The-Hollow-Fingers
http://www.rpgnow.com/product/207706/Sword-Breaker-Issue-No-2--The-Hollow-Fingers
The characters sound interesting. Looking forward to more.
ReplyDeleteVery nice!
ReplyDelete