For all the usual nonsense.

Hey folks, Istvan here, human cleric of Noric (god of sky, plants, and freedom)

I'll be playing the "I'm not the barbarian, you're the barbarians"-Barbarian. I'll probably do a name change since I was originally angling at the Cleric (all yours now, Istvsan!), but I'll need to ponder briefly. Doing names quickly is my Achilles heel.

That's why I keep about a dozen different name generators handy.  And I'm still rarely happy with the results.

Heyo everyone, Otto here. I'll be your resident fighter ready to kick some butt. Also my very first time having the chance to try out Dungeon World, so color me extremely excited.

I'm your monster-slaying ranger who also happens to serve a god. And I may chop my name down to just Auberyn if the GM is okay with that

Thanks man...

Also, if we're gonna talk in colors, I call Dark Green for myself...

In reply to Istvan Vanoson (msg # 7):

Since we're calling colors think I'll be taking "purple" then.

Does anyone have a decent DW character sheet they'd be willing to share?

I'm pretty neutral on colors, but if no one else has a strong attachment, I'll go with aqua.

"Well, favor me a moment lads.  And ye as well, lass.  I'm here but to chronicle these misadventures, no matter how crooked the path or heated the danger.  I've got naught to live for in me old age save the thrill of a chase, the taste of good eating in good company and perhaps the wiles of an ardent woman.  Be it bow or blade or boast, I'll aide ye fer as long as you keep my heart racing, and any jealous husbands off my trail, ha HAH!"

Jon is your resident bard, a man in the twilight of his life just trying to play fast and loose with what is left of his time.

Lucius the Paladin ready for duty. He's an inexperienced one, but eager to prove himself.

Done

Thank you, good GM!

Always happy to be of service :)

I know not everyone has gotten their character sheets together yet, that's okay.  I just wanted to get the action started before we lose momentum.  If anyone is having trouble getting things figured out, let me know.

Jon, it looks like your IC post got cut off mid-sentence...

Whoops! Fixed it, now.

Here's another world building question for you all - since this party has turned out to be all humans, should we declare that the world is mostly human, and that even the standard elves and dwarves are rare?  Or is it more that you guys are the anomaly in what is otherwise a standard(ish) D&D kind of world?

Rather than rare, I would say the other races are somewhat withdrawn or xenophobic.  Perhaps there are vast dwarven kingdoms underground, but are cramped and crowded by comparison and the dwarves like it that way.  Above ground, they would experience agoraphobia and be constantly irritable and wary of dangers from above, snapping at those around them.  Elves, by comparison, would keep isolated because of the long period of childhood and natural beauty makes them a target for both natural predators and slavers.

1. I vote we try the brambles.

2. I am ambivalent about how human or not human the world is and will let others decide.

3. If this slave following us is wiser than the others, well, that suggests a high wisdom... perhaps she is a cleric or priestess (or paladin?) of some deity...?

...or prophet, or something along those lines?

You can all still give your opinions, but I thought I'd throw that idea into the mix

Auberyn, I forgot to ask - is your animal companion with you right now?

I'm pretty ambivalent on the human's question as well. Jon's reply sounds good to me. As for Auberyn, I'm still kicking the can down the road about whether she'll be half-elven. But she's probably just human, unless that would really add to the drama.

As for the animal companion, I was intending her to be. I just didn't write her into my last post, but I'll include her in the next one.

Also, I like prophets (or oracles). Sounds like a fun addition to me.

Also also-- I vote the brambles, but they were sorta Auberyn's idea to begin with.
This message was last edited by the player at 03:33, Tue 26 Mar 2019.

I'll throw in my vote for the bramble path as well.

I do like the idea of the other races just being hard to come by, with most non-humans just living in places that are difficult to easily come across.

Prophets are cool, no complaints here.

In reply to GM (msg # 21):

Ooh, and the reason Glorbrag was trying to get her to submit was because of the conditions of her powers.  How does this sound:

The Order of the Weavers is a sect of historians and seers based on understanding the nature of Fate.  Their Oracles have the ability to discern fortunes of those who visit them, nudge chance in their favor, and it is said that once every generation there is an Oracle who can even change the path of someone's fate.

Their temples are great libraries housing maps, books, and scrolls, where visitors may peruse the fates of those who came before.  In the capitol of most kingdoms, the temples also house great tapestries that detail the history and major events of that land, though some would decry these depictions as just inaccurate.  Only the original temple, on the temperate isle of Batten Downs, hosts the True Weave; a massive tapestry that is whispered of in rumor to contain a true history of the entire world from the dawn of civilisation.

Their agents, oracles and guards are noted to wear un-bleached, un-dyed fabrics that "keep their threads of Fate pure and unbiased".  Their appearance is akin to a pauper or beggar until they reveal their allegiance; often times, they will take advantage of this to test and give guidance to pivotal figures in the great loom of Fate under the guise of wayward travelers.

The Weavers' secret language,  Hangman's Chord, is a cipher of knots and loops that they use to hide messages in plain sight.  The nature of the message changes based on every detail, from the direction of A rope's twist to the color of thread woven into the strands.  It can even be hidden in the fabric of one's clothes.  A bastardized version, Hangman's Cant, is also used by sailors and pirates, though it is far less intricate and usually only conveys the simplest of phrases.

Hey all, finally got to putting my character together properly and posting. Much, much jet lag, but (mostly) through it now. Anyway, I have changed my character name as you may have noticed, and I've put an orc-twist on my barbarian. Not like the filthy savage orcs around these parts of course, no, Sin-Singha is from a proper orcish empire. Civilized, I swear. It breaks the humans-only streak for the group (unless Auberyn is going half-elf?), but his rarity is part of the point, so the "non-humans are pretty rare" thing still works.


I'll take brown as a speech colour, I think it's most different from what we have so keeps things distinct. I'm working up bonds now.

I don't love typing hyphens all the time so I'll probably abbreviate Sin-Singha's name in text sometimes, to Singha, or Sin maybe. You can call him any of the above, or otherwise. Sin-sin, Singie, Mr. Wonderful, whatever.

Jon - I like the Oracle ideas there, but I'm having a little trouble connecting that with our rescued prisoner and "the condition of her powers" that Glorbrag is interested in.  Could you elaborate on what you're thinking of there?

(Of course, it's also possible that I'm just tired right now and missing what should be clear connections)

Hey GM, does the question about goblins count for the Outsider race move, or did you want to ask something else?

No, I'm good with it counting for that.

Alright, game moves on.  I have some ideas about what's going on with Alora, but all I will say for now is that most of the discussion in the last few posts is speculation more than hard facts.  Also, since it seems like divine oracles are going to be A Thing for this game, I came up with a move for when you consult with one.  It's in the House Rules thread if you feel like looking.

I'm convinced Alora is right when she says we shouldn't sit still... Where else can we go? I'm feeling low on awareness of my surroundings... Maybe someone smarter than Istvan do Spout Lore to get a sense of where we are, where we can go that fate might approve of...?

EDIT: And then I could do Discern Realities as a follow-up about where would be best to go, how to get there, what to watch out for...?
This message was last edited by the player at 02:07, Sun 31 Mar 2019.

Sorry for being MIA this week.  Been slammed at the factory, pulling overtime every day has me crashing hard.  I'll get something up in a bit.

These things happen.  Sadly, the world requires us to prioritize day jobs over gaming.

The world is largely undefined at this point, so what's nearby is potentially anything right now.  I have established the existence of Vorbrud, which is some kind of settlement; we'll find out more about it when you get there (if that is indeed where you decide to go).

In reply to Jon Jakobi (msg # 32):

I've had a busy week myself as well. Work-related, annoying and messy (I work for an amateur sport club, and I'm remotely trying to deal with ethics and conduct stuff happening at a training camp I'm not at). Not gravely serious, but attention-consuming.

We have a course of action next, yes? Heading to Vorbund? I'm good with that (who knows if the trip there goes smoothly, but that's a given).

I've established that it will take you three hours to walk to Vorbrud from your current position, but not why.  Is it a long hike through easy terrain, or a shorter hike through harder terrain?  Or some third option that I haven't thought of but you have?

I kind of like that it's not a terribly hard route, but it doesn't run direct. It winds around a bit and you have to go out of your way. Probably because there's some terrain features that aren't passable, like cliffs, canyons, ravines, rivers, whatever. Maybe there are bridges or fords or switchbacks along the route.

I vote long hike through easy terrain, for no reason in particular.

Yeah let's go, I'm with these guys, easy terrain, let's get going, Istvan wants to get out of this area... evil plants are a super-extra abomination unto Noric
This message was last edited by the player at 15:25, Sat 06 Apr 2019.

Easy walk it is then.

Now that locations are getting a little more complex, I've sketched out a map for what's defined so far and posted it in the game map.  It is very much not to scale, but it's better than nothing.

Sorry folks, rough work week, insufficient mental energy to update the game.  It'll happen this weekend at some point.  And I'll try not to make a habit of this.

Thanks for the check in, I've definitely been there.

So about "not making a habit," I was informed today that we have a serious audit coming up at the beginning of May.  Which means that I may be working extra hard between now and then while we get everything ready.  So odds are I will only be posting on weekends between now and then...

In truth I don't mind a game with weekly updates, so long as it's moving at a steady pace. Consistency is key to keeping a game alive.

So what you're telling me is that you may soon find yourselves in debt to a currently mysterious tavern owner, and will need a way out of it?  Well, gee, I guess we could come to some kind of arrangement... ;)

It seems we've lost Jon.  But never fear, brave heroes!  I've added a new player who should be joining in shortly...

Hello everyone! I'll be playing Lazarus Steel, wizard extraordinaire! He is a bit flashy and likes a bit of stage magic in addition to his real magic. I am still working on what exactly he looks like, but will probably post a description tomorrow. I am thinking his forearms may have been cosmetically transformed by failed magic at some point, but I am not sure. Once I get a better grasp on who exactly he is as a person, I'll meet you all in the tavern!

I have gotten caught up on all the threads already, so I think I have a pretty good grasp on everyone's characters thus far. I figured Lazarus probably ran into your group before you left, was skeptical that you would succeed, but is now interested in joining the crew now that you have all shown you have at least a marginal ability to survive an adventure. He knows he wouldn't be able to survive danger for long without the help of other capable people. Here are some ideas for potential bonds I had:

Sin-Singha will play an important role in the events to come. I have foreseen it!
This is more of an instinctual prediction rather than an actual magical prophesy. He may claim it is a magical prediction though.

Otto is keeping an important secret from me.
I'm not so sure what this would be. Maybe some hidden truth about your guild? Maybe he knows my prediction about Sin-Singha is all just words?

Auberyn is woefully misinformed about the world; I will teach them all that I can.
Perhaps he has sensed Auberyn's doubts about her peoples's ways and wishes to help guide her toward her own truth?

Sure, go ahead and edit a roll into your post, and we'll take it from there.

Oh yeah! :)

Welcome Lazarus. Shame we've lost Jon, who's going to record all my amazing deeds now? GM if it's ok with you, I'll re-write the bond with Jon at some point, but maybe let Lazarus get settled first.

In reply to GM (msg # 47):

Done. I welcomed Lazarus in the meantime, but that should still leave plenty of opportunity to suffer the consequences of that terrible roll.

Glad you're still with us, Auberyn!  I certainly know how real life can get, and it's nice to be able to escape its clutches now and then.

As for the rich folks hanging out in the tavern, their perfumes clashing with the scents of food, beer, and various smokes... well that seems a bit odd for a frontier town like this.  Of course, being in the middle of a trade road like it is does put it at risk for being popular.  I imagine this must be a time of (possibly uncomfortable) change for the town itself.  I wonder if there might be a strong resistance among the locals who want to keep the "frontier" feeling of the place.  Or if there is something else besides geographic convenience that attracts wealthy out-of-towners.

This message was deleted by the player at 23:43, Tue 23 Apr 2019.

My suggestion: the famous eccentric artist Sandor Rakosi, who disappeared 5 years ago, has recently revealed that he's been living here all this time creating new works. He has made it aware he is considering selling some of them to buyers of whom he approves...

Otto has informed me that he is leaving the game.

Istvan hardly has anything to use as collateral. He needs his weapons, armor, and holy symbol... and, I imagine, his rations. I guess I could give the guy some of my adventuring gear? (It's got 5 uses... I could drop it down to 1?)

Great hook from the bartender. Lucius is about to take on the quest!

Unfortunately I'm going to post on the weekend as work is going to be intense in the coming days.

That is unfortunate. Didn't even get to interact with his character yet.

On that note, would it be alright if I switched the bond I had with Otto over to Istvan?

---

You should use your adventuring gear to pull "one collateral" from your pack. :-)

Are you serious? If so, could I do that, GM? Because it sounds like a great idea to me... I'd make it something with sentimental value as well as actual usefulness...
This message was last edited by the player at 19:42, Wed 24 Apr 2019.

Out of curiosity, I just did the math for this, and it actually comes out comparable. The standard price of adventuring gear is 20 coins for 5 uses. That means each use is worth roughly 4 coins. A week's stay at a civilized inn (as opposed to a peasant's inn or a fancy inn) costs about 30 coins a week, without factoring in charisma discounts. That means a stay for one night usually costs around 4.25 coins. So it seems reasonable that one adventuring gear would make worthy collateral, especially if it has sentimental value to Istvan in addition to monetary value.
This message was last edited by the player at 19:57, Wed 24 Apr 2019.

Istvan - sure, that'll work.

Lazarus - yes, you may switch that bond.

Ha, I have pretty much nothing to offer that I'm not immediately using. Sword, dagger, armour... The only other stuff in my gear is rations (which seem rather inapplicable in this case) and tokens of home that probably don't have much value to him (rings and ornaments that Singha keeps in his hair and beard, made of the bones of his ancestors). Not a complaint, just observing that it puts Singha in an interesting position. Thinking on it.

Don't worry about it; a couple items to cover the party is good enough.

Do you all want to do anything else tonight, or skip ahead to the next day?

Lucius will hit on the barmaid (obviously), then just after waking up he will do his rites and take on his QUEST!

I'm looking forward to the poor guy being tormented by his oath.

If it wasn't obvious in my most recent post, I'm ready to skip to morning if everyone else is. Lazarus will keep his same spells prepared.

I'm actually good to skip ahead too, unless there's a meaningful answer to Singha's question about the need for an armed escort.

This is PbtA - suggesting a need for an armed escort pushes things strongly in that direction.  But if most of the votes are for "skip ahead" then you're safe.

Now I wanna know about Andolg and what kind of god he is who doesn't approve of magic. Is he God of The Mundane? God of Fair Combat? The Proletariat God of Equality? God of Science? God of Paranoia? A Lawful God of Order and Tradition who doesn't Approve of This Newfangled Magic So You Wizard Kids Get Offa His Lawn?

Geez, you're gonna give me that many perfectly cromulent options and then ask me to pick just one?

All I can say for now is that learning more about Andolg will take some kind of IC action.

Mm, Istvan has an Intelligence of 9, so I think I'll let someone else Spout Lore about Andolg if and when the time comes...

Eh. The worst you'll do is fail miserably. And that is usually just as much fun as succeeding in this game. ;-)

No thank you, not just for this...

Well, Lazarus got you some information, whatever it's worth to you.  I suppose if you want to drop the goblin quest and take an educational field trip to Andolg's home turf there's nothing stopping you...

With the party continuing to dwindle, I've put some effort into recruiting and I've gotten a couple people expressing interest.  Do you guys want to wait for them before we move on, or keep going and they'll join on the road or wherever?

Can we say some of the original group backed out of the quest? Then the people who were left convinced some of their friends and acquaintances to help out instead? We can meet them outside of town in two hours.

It would make it so that the new arrivals weren't complete strangers. And the reason they we're convinced/persuaded to help us could even make a great bond.

As always with these situations, I recommend suspension of disbelief. Our new allies were 'always' there.

...Can't we just... meet them in the market or something? Like, right now...?
This message was last edited by the player at 18:35, Tue 28 May 2019.

That's pretty much what I meant by waiting for them.  Pause the game until the players are ready to start playing, then write them in at the tail end of the current scene or start of the next one.

Lazarus's idea about new folks being someone's friend or relative isn't a bad one either.  And not mutually exclusive.

Oh! Well then yes, I can wait...

Hi there! Glad to join the team, I'll post a quick introduction in the Character Discussion thread, if anyone is willing to work with me on some bonds? I know it'll be harder due to the late introduction...

Oh, also, hello!  Am excited to be here.  I keep getting into games like this at conventions and I freeze up when I have to answer questions like these on the spot, so I'm really hoping to get some practice with that.  And from what I've read, the people already in here are pretty good at it, so I look forward to writing with you all!

High-five to Lucius because that was my second choice of question

https://media.giphy.com/media/...NFfgv9NVUQ/giphy.gif

I'm ready to blast some goblins, but I plan on waiting for one of the Discerners to take the lead since Lazarus wasn't being as observant as some.

Edit: That was fast.
This message was last edited by the player at 13:47, Mon 17 June 2019.

Small point of clarification, if it's needed - the wolves are not serving as mounts, just being attack animals on their own merits.  Which is probably worse for you than if there were goblins right there distracting them.

So, I'm going to have to admit I'm not entirely sure I understand how acting is supposed to work in Dungeon World. I know there's no "initiative," really, but do I need to wait for another player to "pass me priority?" Or do I just go whenever feels appropriate? And do I need to wait until the GM has responded to the last action?

Don't need to wait for other players to tell you when, but basically the GM says something, we all react to it one time each, then the GM tells us what happens, cycle repeats

Oops, my mistake. I fixed my post to be more accurate.

Yeah, there are no turn orders. Players basically do what makes sense when it makes sense to do it. You could potentially even make several different rolls in one post if it makes sense for the situation. For instance, if a thief trows a poison spear at you, you might roll a Defy Danger +Dex to dodge it, deflect it, or even catch it. Then, if it was a fully successful 10+, you might also roll a Hack and Slash as you rush forward for a counterattack. Of course, if your Defy Danger was a 6-, it might be a good idea to wait and see what happens before you make your next roll.

Yeah, that pretty much covers it.  There's no "taking turns" like you get in more traditional RPGs, people just act when they act.

Lissa is apparently incredibly good at mixed results, somehow. I keep getting successes with drawbacks, but then rolling well on damage. Hah.

GM, can Istvan tell if the wolves that attacked us are alive or dead?

They're both dead, or close enough that you don't need to worry about it.

So... how many goblins are left? I've re-read everything, and I still don't know.

Or is the point that Istvan is gonna have to go over there to the trees and bushes and things if he wants to find out...?

Sorry, I had kind of a clear idea in mind here but maybe I didn't write it out as well as I thought.  I'll try to be clearer about it for future encounters.

Lazarus is going to sit back for a bit as the others take care of the last goblins. So don't worry about skipping me. I'll hop back into the story when the time is right. Or when another threat to Lazarus presents itself. Which would also mean that the time is right.

Correction DM, I wanted to capture the goblin I was chasing, not kill.

Yeah, Lisa kind of put herself out of play with that chase, at least for now. She's still going to look at that as a win, because of potential reinforcements, but I think that was her contribution for this fight.

Sorry, I'll edit my post accordingly.

Sorry I've gone a bit quiet!  I'm going on a trip next week, and have been a little overwhelmed getting ready.  And I'm afraid I don't know how I'll be while I'm gone - I'm told wifi is "spotty" where we're going, but I don't know what that really means.

Anyway, if I do suddenly vanish, or just can't keep up, you're welcome to NPC Thistle, or let another player run her, or whatever makes sense.

Hopefully you'll be able to return, but thanks for the warning.

Alright, you've got a goblin hostage, a vague clue about moonlight, and a little time to breathe if you need it.  You also have some dead goblins laying around.  What's next?

Are we back to 3 players?

Sorry, been a bit slammed at work.

I'm not dead yet!  I am Away still, though, and while wifi actually seems OK, RPoL is definitely lower on my priority list than usual right now.

Anyway, just had a chance to catch up here and was thinking Thistle might be a good choice to take lead on this?  She could represent that Wis roll as turning into a bird and keeping up with the goblin, periodically singing out to help the others stay on the right track while staying far enough behind for even Lucius's tromping to not be too noticeable.  Or if someone else would rather, I can basically do that same description but let it be my Aid roll, I think?

Anyway, I'll make time to check in here later and see what I should do here.  I don't quite have time to look up rules and stuff right now.

I think it makes sense to have Thisle take the lead since she is the most nature-oriented of the party. Istvan would probably be a close second (and also a good choice for the roll), considering his deity's domains. Lazarus would gladly follow either through the forest. I'll do an Aid roll when I get a post up. My Aid roll modifier is the same no matter who it is that leads.

Sounds like I'm second-in-command for now, but it also sounds like someone else is going to track...?

If I'm wrong let me know and I'll do a Wis roll to track...

Heh heh looks like you cut and pasted something you didn't mean to, there, Lazarus...

Haha, yeah. I didn't actually want to use a Mass Inflict spell on everyone. Apparently my ctrl+c didn't take in the dice roller. :P Good catch.

First I chuckled to imagine that you thought it would help us focus and motivate us in tracking

Second I enjoyed imagining that you were trying for a "Help Others Concentrate" spell and got "INFLICT SERIOUS WOUNDS" by accident and that was almost as funny, like if Tabatha from Bewitched wiggled her nose to bring her toy octopus to life and summoned something from the Outer Dark

In the interest of keeping things moving, I'm going to put in my own vote for Thistle as the lead tracker and roll for her, since she already said what she would be doing in that role.  Update coming shortly...

I'm going to be on vacation until the 17th.  Internet access will be limited at best.  I'll check in when I can, but I can't promise anything.

Have fun! I just got back from a vacation myself.

While we're on the subject:

My wife and I go on vacation tomorrow... I expect to be back Thursday... I have zero guarantee that I'll be able to log in while I'm gone... I mean it's certainly possible, but odds that I will make a long post to anything are Low...

Welp, I'm back, but didn't miss anything! Based on earlier comments in this thread, I bet things get moving again soonish, though...

:)

Alright, I'm back.  I just need a little time to catch up and then we should be able to get moving again.

I am going to wait to see how Lucius and/or Thistle reacts before I say what Lazarus does.

Gasp!  Continuity!

Carry on :)

If Lazarus decides to go for the goblins we'll need Lissa as the tiebreaker, otherwise I'm okay with the majority vote.

...and Lissa's been awfully quiet lately.  I'll ping her and see if she's still with us, but there might need to be another plan for resolving a tied vote.

There might indeed.

Unless Lazarus abstains and doesn't pick a side, in which case it would appear to be 2 to 1...

Wait, I have a plan. Meet me IC...

Nice, Istvan. :-) If it is still relevant, Lazarus will abstain to make the vote 2-1.

Sorry guys, been a bit hectic. I'm in the path of that big hurricane, so I've been spending most of the last week or so trying to prepare. Haven't really had time to stop and think, or I would have warned you all. Feel free to NPC me for the time being if you have to.

A hurricane? Yikes! Hope you stay safe!

Yikes! Stay safe!

Roll a d2 for Lissa's disposition? Wait for Noric's Guidance?

By the time the GM comes back to answer, they'll probably be ready to provide Noric's Guidance...

Lissa - glad you had a few seconds to pop in at least, but yeah, I'm not going to argue about priorities there.  Good luck, keep safe, and hopefully we'll hear from you again soon!

Lucius... maybe you could try to Discern Realities or Spout Lore on them, and use up the -1 forward that way...?

...Of course, that could just lead to a new -1 forward, one supposes...

In theory, boo metagaming.  But since everything requires a proper in-game justification, I'm more than happy to see how something like that plays out...

Oh I suppose I didn't reply to this suggestion. No I don't plan to do that, feels right that Lucius should suffer for his shortcomings.

Game map updated.  Carry on.

Ewww! Not the crawlies!

I know, that's how Istvan felt. He made a terrible face when he heard it.
This message was last edited by the player at 20:55, Sun 08 Sept 2019.

Giggle  Luckily Thistle isn't squeamish.

But OOC, next time the GM asks us a question, somebody besides Lazarus answer.  Please?  That was a little too evocative.

Haha. I choose to take that as a compliment.

I started wondering if some of the crawlies would have piercing 'weapons' and therefore Lucius need not worry about them. Thinking about scorpion/wasp stingers, maybe some sharp, pointy jaws?

Would 'natural weapons' still count as weapons?

In this instance I'm leaning toward no.  As I understood it, when Lucius made his vow he was envisioning humanoids holding or firing pointy weapons, so that's what the bonus covers this time around.  Animals are animals, and that's something different, even if some of them do have pointy bits.  That said, you would be aware of this IC, so no need to play guess and check.

Yes, that's a good point. Pointy weapons it is.

Well, Noric is the God of sky and freedom. It is only natural that his domain includes wind, and the relief of letting it loose. :)

Uh... GM?

Sorry guys, I'll have to drop. I have experienced some changes in situation that make it hard to keep up. Please continue to enjoy the game.

Understandable, thanks for letting us know.

It was fun playing with you while you were able!

Sorry to see you go Lissa.  Good luck with whatever's happening on your end!

Are we all just walking up to the front door without trying to make too much noise? Or was someone going to try something else?

I think we're doing that, yeah.

Me: sick, flu, fever. Maaaaybe might be able to catch up tomorrow, who knows for sure. Bedtime now...

Blech.  Go, feel better, maybe have a nice bowl of chicken soup, and make sure to put on a sweater before you go back to fighting bad guys in the woods.  Or the mines, or wherever.

I think tomorrow I'll be ready to deal with the mine... but what's our plan, y'all...?

Lazarus's current plan is to do a bit of extra snooping before they barge in.

I'm going to be out most of this week, and very out over the weekend.  Will be back, really, on Tuesday!  You're welcome to NPC Thistle as needed while I'm gone, or whatever works.

I started looking at houses over the weekend, things started moving faster than I expected, and now I need to be putting pretty much all my mental energy into paperwork of one form or another while we get this taken care of.  So the game is going to update more slowly than usual for... I'm not sure really, probably the next couple of weeks.  Thank you all for bearing with me.

Congratulations, though!  Buying a new house kind of sucks, but it's still exciting!

Congrats! I'm not going anywhere, even if things move slowly.

Um, it was Lazarus who Spouted Lore. I bet you mean him.

Yep, thanks!

I have nothing to move the story forward here, you're free to continue chatting while Lucius sweats profusely.

I was kind of hoping someone else was going to react before I posted, and then forgot that a post was needed at all. But are others still here?

I'm still here...

Thistle checked in last Sunday...

I think we're all just waiting to see what everyone else does next...

Yeah!  I'm still here, just not really sure what to do.

Apologies if I'm slow to post, in the middle of moving to another city.

Moving definitely gets you a pass.  I was also waiting for some kind of response to my last post.  Or there was already a response and I forgot.  That happens too sometimes, unfortunately.

Anyway, now that I know for sure that there is a response, update coming shortly...

"In here?" I believe we're all still outside. I know Istvan is...

Yes, but Thistle (in mouse form) is inside.  Unless I missed something.

No, I missed something, the As for the one of you who is inside part. Sorry about that.

No worries.  I'm just also raising the possibility that Thistle left already and I forgot.

Nope!  Definitely still inside!  Luckily, mice are fireproof.  I'm sure I remember that from high school Biology. blinkblink  You all remember that, right?

I completely forgot to add the roll to my last post. Fixed that.

I remember reading about firebreathing mice in an Ars Magica sourcebook.  Did you have that book in your bio class?

Oh, right!  Did I say Biology?  I meant Intelligo Animal 201.

Thistle will make the jump, and trust that her ability to escape from bigger creatures will probably save her from anything he might try in his frustration.

Well!


Can I use that to automatically escape as he starts to throw the bag, or do I need the Defy Danger?

Sure, I'll allow it.

I'm not sure if the half of scorpions that I 'prevented' are still a threat, skittering on the ground?

Not at the moment.  If you hadn't interfered then things would have been worse for Lazarus.  I was considering going with "roll 3d6, keep the lowest 2."

And since Lazarus has invited some Aid for his latest IC post, I'll see if anyone takes him up on it before I update.
This message was last edited by the GM at 00:29, Wed 04 Dec 2019.

If I'm a bit slow with the posts, it's because I started a new job. Don't get held up too much because of me!

In reply to Lucius (msg # 174):

Congrats on the new job!

I'm going to wait and see what Thistle does before I make my next post.

Sorry!  I keep checking in and then getting caught up in other things - this is a busy month.  I'll go figure that out now.

Thistle - the move says that you have to spend time contemplating the animal.  It doesn't specify how much time, but the way I read it, it sounds like it should be enough time to really see it in action.  Maybe a couple hours, maybe even just a couple minutes, but certainly longer than one combat round.

On the subject of knocking out opponents rather than killing them, I don't see any reason you couldn't do that, as long as you can justify it in the narrative.  I imagine it's difficult to slash someone into unconsciousness from which you can rouse them later, but a shield bash or a pommel strike to the head might do the job.

Got it.

Am I still in position to use my remaining 1 hold on defending Lazarus or is the 'little more gap' indicating that I'm too far away?

Also, Merry Christmas everyone!

The way I'm picturing it (and I apologize if I didn't convey this clearly in the IC post) is that you guys are kind of in a line at this point:
Lazarus -- torch guy -- Lucius -- knife guy
So you could still spend your last hold to defend Lazarus, but not to soak the torch guy's attack yourself, you would have to use one of the other options.  And you have knife guy's attention now, so it's clear that for at least the next few seconds he will be focusing on you directly, not on Lazarus (so your existing Defend won't affect him anyway).

Lucius - if you're focusing on just moving the guy and not on injuring him, then let's call it Defy Danger using Strength.

08:02, Today: Lucius rolled 3 using 2d6+1.  DD strength.

Yikes.

I was planning to end the "session" after this battle.  I guess the dice are trying to make it sufficiently dramatic and climactic?

Their leader tossed the scorpions shortly before getting knocked out himself. Then three of his lackeys attacked Istvan, Lucius, and Lazarus. One got knocked out by Istvan after they traded blows. One got tripped. And one is giving Lucius a run for his money, so to speak. And Thistle is still a mouse nearby. Not much in-game time has passed since your last action though, so you should be good to join right back in whenever you want.

Yeah, pretty much that.  There are two bad guys left.  The scorpions have scattered, although there could still be one nearby if it's dramatically convenient.

And, er, further sorry for posting that in the wrong thread.  Thanks, Lazarus!

That's okay, you have thoroughly redeemed yourself with that roll.

Alright, end of session!

How's everybody feeling with the game so far?  Anything you want to see more of, or less of?  Any other changes you'd like to see?

Since we spent a lot of this session dealing with players coming and going, everyone gets the xp for resolving a bond, whether or not you feel like you actually did so.

You've got at least one prisoner, maybe more if you want, and Session 2 will start with the interrogation, or whatever you have in mind.  Before the curtain rises, we'll need to agree on where that's happening (at the mine?  back in town?  somewhere else?), as well as any other details you want to establish for that scene.

Cool!

I am still getting used to the system, and kind of the idea of the system, if that makes sense, but I'm having fun.  For instance, when I have a little more time, I'll need to look up what getting XP for resolving a bond actually means.

Oh, speaking of learning curve (both IC and OOC, amusingly enough), can Thistle Contemplate scorpions in this moment of downtime?

I'm quite happy with how the game is unfolding. The pace is reasonable, Player/DM cooperation works well, the story unfolds quite naturally.

On top of that, I'm having fun.

As for Session 2. We definitely need to go back to the city since we convinced the innkeeper to give us free lodging if we figure out who's making the goblins capture people. We will probably have to shield the men from angry folk, which could be interesting in itself.

1. Happy with the game so far.
2. Would like some loot, tho... Maybe a magic garment or amulet or armor, something that wouldn't add to the weight I'm already carrying...
3. Yay xp
4. Yeah interrogate back in town I think?
5.



Good: Endanger yourself to heal another

Yeah, didn't really come up...



6. Yeah, I'd say so!
7. Uhhh, did we?
8. Uh, not that I recall...?? Am I forgetting anything...??

Thistle - sure, you can take some time now to further contemplate the scorpions.

Istvan (and everyone else) - no loot this time around, but I think "big intimidating guy throwing a sack of scorpions" is a sufficiently notable enemy to be worth xp.

Lucius - thank you for bringing up the challenge of keeping the prisoners safe when you return to town.  You guys might want to get that figured out before we open on S2...

Okay, summing up XP for myself. Been a while so I'd appreciate if someone double-checks.

I have 4 XP from rolling under 6.

Alignment: Good (Endanger yourself to protect someone weaker than you.)
I wanna say +1 XP because I was protecting Lazarus against thugs.

I lost track of characters coming and going, been removing bonds to inactive players and have 3 bonds with current player characters so 3 XP?

2 XP for learning new things and beating bad guys.

That would be 10 XP, and we need some downtime before we level up right?

Am I missing something?

Lazarus has 2 XP for 6- rolls.

Alignment: Good - Use magic to directly aid another.
I believe he has done this at least once. Most likely multiple times. So +1 XP.

+1 XP for his bond with Larissa.

2 XP for learning new things and beating bad guys.

So that is 6 of 8 XP he needs before he can level up.

---

As for how the game is going, I am enjoying it thus far. No real notes for improvement, but if I think of any I will pass them on.

And for IC stuff, we should see if we can round up the huge oxen and bring them with us too. Maybe even rope our prisoners to their backs. Thistle can talk to them right? Maybe she could convince them to help.

I say we turn them over to the proper authorities and collect our belongings. We can let the town decide for itself how or if they want to keep them protected and if they want to do interrogations. I believe our job was just to find out who the goblins were selling slaves to, right?

Lucius - xp for bonds is limited to 1 per session.  But you definitely do get the point for your alignment as well.

8 XP then.

I read that I need some extended downtime before I level up, is that correct?

"Extended" is a pretty flexible word.  If you guys are going straight back to town and taking a night to recuperate and plan, that's good enough for me.  We can save the lengthy training montage for level 3.

So, it looks like we should discuss among ourselves where do we wanna take this. Interrogate the slavers ourselves or leave them to authorities and seek adventure elsewhere? I vote for the first option.

...I'm okay with either... but I have to admit, the party choosing to interrogate the slavers themselves seems... a bit more in-character of them...

I am also fine with either.

If you guys are indifferent let's handle the interrogation by ourselves and follow that lead. Lucius would be rather adamant about it.

Session 2 is ready whenever you lot are.  Let me know if anything needs clarifying.  Or if I misunderstood what you were trying to do.

Since there is no "extended break" in between sessions, those of you who already have enough xp to level up will be permitted to do so mid-session if there is a sufficient break.  If you don't have enough xp yet but you cross the line during this session, that will still have to wait until after the end of the session.

OK, I've been trying to figure out all the end-of-session and XP stuff in spare moments and I'm not sure I'm getting it right.

So, first, everybody gets the two for exploring and beating Scorpion Sack Man (a very low-budget super villain, but still pretty scary!), yes?  But OK, the torn sack doesn't really qualify as "Treasure".

Then apparently I was supposed to be paying attention to low rolls all this time.  Thank goodness there's a log!  It looks like a rolled a 5 once and a 6 once -- does the six count?  Or is it "under six"?

And then there's the Bond thing, and I know you said we get that one automatically given the circumstances, but I think Thistle's with Lucius actually did resolve - I had, "_Lucius_ smells more like prey than hunter", and jumping in to save him when the guy had hold of his shield, but seeing him stand his ground through all that, I think would change her view of him.  Which I gather means I need to replace it with something?

My Alignment is to "help someone or something grow", which I was kind of trying to do with Lissa but didn't really get the chance to, so I guess not that.

And that's it, right?  So that's... four, or five if the 6 counts for the low rolls part?

Whenever you roll 2d6 and roll a 6 or less, you get 1 XP (unless it is a damage roll, or something else unique). So rolling a 6 exactly still gives 1 XP.

It sounds like you have a pretty good handle on the rest of the stuff too, but I will let our GM comment there. Especially for the bond section.

Yes, you'll get 5xp total for this session.  A good start, not enough to level up this time.  And as for the bond, I think your resolution makes sense.  Based on what happened during this session, you now write a new bond, with Lucius or with anyone else.

I am leaving on a vacation today and won't be back until after next weekend. I may or may not be able to post between now and then. Feel free to continue on without me and assume my character goes with the flow. Sorry for any inconveniences.

Thanks for letting us know, and have a good trip!

I suggest we discuss Lazarus' findings later and for now just proceed with the night.

Sounds good.

And is there actually a plan for tonight?  Interrogating prisoners, or anything else interesting?  Or are you just sleeping and then dealing with the rest of it tomorrow?

Lazarus is preparing spells, then sleeping, then taking last watch. I think the plan is to sleep (and take watches while guarding the prisoners and the camp), then interrogate them in the morning.

Rest first I say. We deserve it.

I'm completely at a loss for what to pick for my level up move, anyone has recommendations for Paladin?

Divine Favor, perhaps...?

If you ever think you would like to cast cleric spells, then the earlier you take Divine Favor, the better you will be at it. If not, then maybe the one that boosts your Defend move, since you seem to like to Defend others this far.

I don't think Lucius is particularly wise, and thus will not take the greatest advantage of the spells.

Good point about Defending, I think it's either that or +1 armor. I see paladins have a bunch of moves to deal damage but playing Lucius as more cowardly reserved and protective will be better for him.

Colleagues,

I started a new game ( link to another game ) which hasn't picked up any new players yet, but then again I posted the ad on Valentine's day, and many RPol players only show up on weekdays anyway.

But in the meantime, I got a powerful idea to do another experience, more of a storytelling experience...

link to another game

I offer you the opportunity to get in on either one (in the latter case, before I actually post an ad for it)...

I know I said before we should go back to the town, but I've changed my mind. Dealing with the cult seems more prudent.

OH!

Lucius' quest might be complete. We discovered who pays the goblins for kidnapping.

If that's okay I will take on another quest!

Sure, parameters have changed, you can go for it.  But the gods may get mad if you're swapping a little too frequently.

So what's the plan folks?  Going straight to Dreorus?  Back to Vorbrud first?

I'd like someone to try to talk these guys into just giving us good directions, but Istvan isn't the most persuasive guy in the world. Lucius, perhaps...?

Straight to Dreorus, yes!

Yes, let's head to Dreorus. But are we bringing our prisoners with us?

We don't know where it is so they need to lead us there, I think.

Actually, hold on, I overlooked Istvan's suggestion.

Unless you guys have something specific you want to do in town, I'm good to skip ahead to the journey north.  And since that's going to take a couple days, it's probably time to pull out the Perilous Journey rules.  So who wants to be the trailblazer, the scout, and the quartermaster?

I would like to meet with the innkeeper. Lazarus needs his book back.

I think I will take the quest when we are in town. Still thinking about the boons.

I wouldn't mind being none of the above btw :) Everyone else will probably do a better job.

Can I try to aid, though?

These are all WIS jobs, traditionally, so they're up Istvan's alley. Perhaps Scout for Istvan...?

Yes, Lazarus would like to get his book back and complete their original mission. I will take the quartermaster position during our journey, I suppose.

Sure, I suppose so.  As long as you can clearly describe how you're aiding.

Busy weekend ahead.  Hopefully I will find time to post a proper update, but I can't promise.

Also, we may have a new player joining shortly.

Awesome! Any idea what character class?

Thief.

Hello, everyone! I am totally new to Dungeon World and pbtA games in general so I am not familiar with the rules that much, but I wish to learn it. Our GM has given me an opportunity and I would love to play with you. I have chosen Thief as my character class (I hope it is alright for everyone) and I would like to know more about the party. Our GM, told me that the party is moving towards north to deal with slavers and religious fanatics and why I would like to join the group. Can you tell me what is going on in the story? Perhaps it will help me come up with some ideas.

Also, I think in order to complete character creation, I need to fill up the bonds. You can help me with that, if it's not a problem.

We have two options as far as bonds - we can leave it blank for now and just fill things in based on how the story develops, or if you guys want to work together to come up with one or two pre-existing relationships then you could have some starting bonds based on that.

Hi!

Quick summary of events:

The game started with the party running away from Goblins, having rescued themselves and an Oracle from captivity. After regrouping in a nearby town, we heard rumours that the goblins were capturing slaves. This led to the discovery of a cult, who the goblins traded slaves to; after detaining the captured cult members we want to go investigate the location they gave us.

The recent messages in Session 2 can get you up to speed with what kind of cult we're dealing with.

Feel free to put Lazarus down for one of your bonds. He has traveled a bit, so maybe they have met before, or maybe you have heard of Lazarus? He isn't really famous, but his arms are memorable.

Everybody doing okay?

I am, more or less. I was planning on waiting for others before I post again though.

Just recovering from a couple of crazy days.

Yes

I was thinking, how lax are we with the Quest move?

The move says that 'ritual cleansing and prayer' is required, butt would be quite dramatic if upon speaking the words: "I will rescue the slaves from the peril" the quest activated, and I would choose the mark of divine authority as a boon. That would show the Sheriff!

That would be cool, but I think it's going to take more effort than that right now.  The gods need to be convinced of your devotion.  Maybe at high levels that could be an occasional perk.

I THINK Istvan did not lose any clerical miracles in Chapter 1?

If I'm wrong, he'll be communing and re-learning his same clerical miracles as before.

If I'm right, he'll be just hanging around, since he has no money to shop with...

GM, should I wait for more info from you before posting? Is there more fallout from my bad roll I should wait for?

Istvan - you're good, you can spend the time shopping if you'd like.

Got no money. I'll just meditate/rest/chill...

Well, Lazarus has 9/8 XP that he needs to level up now. Assuming his dagger tricks don't end up killing him, would he still have time to level up before they leave town?

Well, my plan was to irritate Lazarus and then proclaim to the crowd that he and Lazarus was close pals and my appearance at that time was all planned while the money the crowd gave would be given to Lazarus as when the crowd dissipates, which inturn will build an aquaintance with Lazarus. Jackdaw knew that it was definitely going to irritate Lazarus but he thought that when he will generously share the spoils his idea about Jackdaw might change. Given that Jackdaw is not that literate and brought up as an urchin, his way of thinking might be influenced by the rogues scallywag code of befriending someone.

But, I guess now we have to wait for GM to arbitrate the scene.

I could still see it working out in a similar way.

You could make it work that way if you want to, between the two of you.  Don't count on it being a lot of money that you take in, given the way the dice have gone, but whether or not this forms a bond between you is entirely up to you.

As for leveling, since that's part of the End of Session move I'm going to say that it does have to wait until the end of this "session."

Oh, I thought End of Session and Level Up were separate moves. Oh well. I can wait.

Jackdaw, I think Lazarus will definitely form a Bond with you of some sort over this, but I am going to wait and see what happens before I brainstorm.

They are.

But if the GM says that in this game we level up between sessions, I accept that.
This message was lightly edited by the player at 14:33, Tue 14 Apr 2020.

Bah, you're right.  That's what I get for trusting my memory when I'm tired.  Let's put it this way then - you could level up now, but it means spending an extra day in town before you head out.  If you're okay with that, and you can convince your fellow adventurers of it, then go right ahead...

Thought of a house rule, tell me what you all think of it - since it's hard to keep a stable group in play-by-post, I'm thinking we drop "resolving a bond" from the list of things that get you xp, and replace it with something more general about developing your relationship with one of the other PCs.  What do you all think of this?

Lazarus will not be trying to delay his companions in order to level up. I'm ready to leave town at any time.

I am up for trying something other than bonds at End of Session, if that's what you want to do GM. Would we still have bonds just as inspiration for roleplay? Or do away with them completely? I was thinking Lazarus and Jackdaw could have a bond related to learning some tricks of entertainment or something. Not sure how to word it yet though.

I don't have Bonds in any of my games I GM for this reason, so I'm in favor...

...So the issue is, what exactly will take its place?

I'm glad you think this way Lazarus, the choice of words for my Quest requires immediate action.

I agree the stability of groups is a big problem and I was getting quite annoyed with the constant rewriting of bonds. I'm on board with the idea.

I don't think anything would directly replace Bonds, at least not for xp purposes - it would be more of a vague "did you have some meaningful interaction with other PCs?"  How we calibrate "meaningful" remains to be seen, but I can guarantee I will err on the generous side.  Still limited to 1xp per session.

This does raise the question of what to roll for Aid or Interfere, but I think it's easy enough just to call that a flat +1 and be done with it.

New question, before I make my next IC post.  We know it's going to take a couple of days to get to Dreorus by the main road, possibly longer if you try a different route.  Would you prefer to gloss over that with a single Perilous Journey move, or do you want to give the journey itself more focus in the game (and pretty much guarantee that there will be something there to focus on)?

I am fine with a Perilous Journey roll, but don't mind either option.

I would prefer just the basic Perilous Journey roll.

I lean a little to spending some time on the journey, but that's probably a lot because Thistle herself is more wilderness-y.

No rush here, more adventures would be fun.

Between these posts and one PM that I got, it looks like the consensus is slightly toward glossing it over.  So I think we'll do that as one relatively brief scene along the way, then roll for the rest of it.

Hopefully I think of that one scene in the next five minutes, otherwise it'll be whenever I get another chance to update the game...

How many rations should we mark off?

One ration for that first night, and then the rest will depend on how the Journey rolls go.  The trip from Vorbrud to Dreorus is only two days of riding, but you're not riding.  I'm thinking it could be a long three days if you mostly stay on the road, longer if you decide to take a different route.

A refresher on Undertaking a Journey - there are three jobs which can be assigned, each of which rolls+Wis.  Quartermaster helps you save food, Trailblazer  helps you get there faster, and Scout alerts you to hostiles.  Any person can only do one job, and any job that isn't assigned is treated as if someone failed that roll (so you don't have much to lose by taking a job even if Wis isn't one of your good stats - you might even get a little more influence over what a failed roll looks like, if it comes to that).

And, sorry Thistle, but druids don't get any special benefit on Journey rolls.  Though I'm sure you can figure out a different way to benefit from your power set.

Oh, I know, but she does have +2 in Wisdom, so I think that's why I was remembering her being good at it.

I can take the role of either scout or trailblazer if no one is doing it. I have +1 to wis, but if others have better score then they can go for it.

Looks like Istvan volunteered to Scout in the other thread. And Jackdaw volunteered to be Trailblazer here. So Thistle, want to be Quartermaster?

Sure!  You can certainly count on me not to eat all the food...

Shall I make the Scout roll now...?

I think that, because Lucius doesn't need to eat temporarily, he will be of great help with the rations. Can I aid Thistle?

Istvan - you can roll now if you want, but there might be some more stuff happening at the campsite before we move forward.

Lucius - yeah, sure, I don't need to be strict right now.  Go ahead and make an Aid roll.

Jackdaw - yes, you get 1xp for that roll.

Uhhh then I'm gonna wait...

This begs another question - we did away with Bonds, so how do we roll for Aid?

Just a flat +1 for everyone, it seems.

Ah, missed that, thanks.

If you thought I might not be enjoying the current interaction because I am not a part of it, you would be incorrect. This is increasingly amusing to me.

Same.

I was a bit worried, but I'm glad to hear that.

I was worried about that, too, so I'm glad you said something!

All good here, watching Thistle's antics with great amusement.

I'm just so torn now!  Like, I like these walkers, but... the peer pressure!

Come on, has a random group of bats ever steered you wrong before?

blushes

I... I mean no!  No, that sure has never happened to me.  Nope nope.  We don't talk about that time.

I am moving this weekend. Just as a heads up, I will be packing away my desktop computer soon, so it may be up to a week before I can post from anywhere but my phone. Hopefully it doesn't cause any major issues, but I thought I would mention it.

Thanks for the warning, and good luck with the move!

Thistle - were you trying to conceal your transformation from the other bats?

I certainly hope so...

Only that moment in the shadow.  She told them not to freak out.

In my last post I forgot that Jackdaw had joined the party. Sorry Jackdaw!

I'm in another game with Jackdaw's player and he mentioned some serious power outages in his area a little while ago.  I'm not sure if he's still with us.  Let's proceed as is, and if he does come back to us then he can pop right in like he was there all along.

The first thing I thought of was a disturbing smell, but I was like "no, no, that's too awful, I'll just pretend I didn't think of that..."

I mean, for Thistle, it was bats.  Bats tipped her off.  They said, "Hey, wanna see a place that's definitely dangerous?"  And then they led her here.

But I didn't think that was what you meant. grin

https://images-na.ssl-images-a...51RQ7IKdMhL._AC_.jpg

I mean, to be fair, they didn't say it would be dangerous for you...

I'll be away with limited internet until Monday.

So what'll it be folks?  Going in, turning back, or hemming and hawing at the gate?

Do Lazarus and Lucius manage to disable the main gate so that it won't close on its own (without magical help)? And do they do so without anyone from the castle coming to investigate?

Hemming and hawing looks good to me!

Blocking the gate from opening is a good idea, hope it succeeds.

Ah, right, that.  Whoever is taking lead on that project should roll Defy Danger, and anyone who wants to help can roll to Aid.  Which stat you use for the DD roll will basically determine what a failure means - Str, Dex, and Int could all potentially be relevant here, and focusing on each of them could potentially go wrong in different ways.

Lazarus is leading the project, and he seems to be using "quick thinking" to disable the gate, so here is a Defy Danger +Int:
22:10, Today: Lazarus Steel rolled 10 using 2d6+2.  Defy Danger with quick thinking.

Istvan I think you misinterpreted the GM's post. When I read it I figured 'the statue depicts something that seems human but isn't', while you seem to have interpreted that as 'the statues don't seem like they're statues'.

Istvan has jumped to an extra conclusion.

You're gonna have to accept that Istvan is in a suggestible, conclusion-jumping state right now.

Whether the conclusion Istvan has jumped to is right or wrong remains to be seen.

Recap: Istvan is being extra.

Got it.

I'm so sorry if we've discussed this before, but: are we using the AID move exactly like the normal Dungeon World game describes it?

(Part of the reason I ask is that I hate the way the normal game has that rule work, and another part of the reason is that half the DW-type games I play in use an altered version, but I can't remember if this is one of those or not.)

Just a flat +1 for everyone, it seems.

1. So this IS one of the games where this was discussed recently! I suspected!

2. But... so... do I... roll INT? Or just say I am aiding? Or what?

I think aid is just a 2d6+1 roll.

For me?

Presuming the answer is yes:

07:24, Today: Istvan Vanoson rolled 11 using 2d6+1 ((4,6)).

Yes, roll 2d6+1 to aid.  Though of course you also have to be able to explain how you're helping.

Also, Lazarus, do you have a decent light source?  Or are you just going with moonlight and eye strain for this one?

Good point. I forgot it was dark. Lazarus will cash Light on his dagger.

18:16, Today: Lazarus Steel rolled 13 using 2d6+2.  Cast Light.

Edit: Added that detail to my IC post.
This message was last edited by the player at 23:22, Wed 01 July 2020.

Oops, a little late. Oh well...?

Would Lazarus be familiar with the common strengths and weaknesses of vampires? Or would that require another roll? Would cure spells harm them like they do in a lot of other roleplaying games?

All of you have likely heard legends of vampires, though not necessarily all the same ones.  Anything from any of those legends might be true, but if you want a guarantee then that will require another Spout Lore.

And to make it fun, if you do succeed, you can decide what the fact is that you know to be true about vampires.

I want to give it a shot!

08:53, Today: Lucius rolled 5 using 2d6+1 ((2,2)).

They are... Vulnerable to garlic?

You didn't succeed, Lucius.

09:12, Today: Istvan Vanoson rolled 7 using 2d6.  vampire lore.

Hm. Does 7 succeed? IF so... I'll say that I've heard that vampires have no reflection...

I know. I'm presenting a possible false conclusion.

Ohhh, I see, good one.

I want to play too!
11:53, Today: Lazarus Steel rolled 6 using 2d6+2.  Vampire Lore
Aaaaand that is a fail. Unless the book he was using to ID the statue provides a bonus? I wouldn't use a different book from my bag though.

The fact I would have gone with is, "Vampires are harmed by healing magic."

I'll allow the bonus for the book - it helped you identify vampires, surely it has some other useful tidbits.

Partial successes for this roll I will interpret as meaning that your fact is broadly true, but there's some nuance you're missing - maybe it depends on circumstances, or it's true for some vampires but not all, or something like that.

I edited my post because I read my racial ability again and it does require prayer to work.

Do Istvan or Thistle have any thoughts about the huge vampire trap we have all just put ourselves in? Even if they don't say anything out loud or make any rolls, it would be nice to know what they are doing, what they are thinking, what they are feeling, etc.

Sorry - thank you, Lazarus.  I'm afraid I do lose track sometimes!

I'm a little hampered by the fact that I, the player, know there's evil here... but that it's not exactly the vampires, but the two portraits and the center of the table (or something about those locations, anyway).

I think Lucius should call a Team Huddle, for some private information-sharing real quick...?

Give me a moment, I'll try to address my concerns in a post tomorrow.

Lucius is a little bit conflicted because the Sun did not point out the vampires were 'evil'. It causes a great deal of confusion.

All the more reason to ask his comrades what they think of this new information...

Shall look forward to tomorrow!

Sorry, I guess my IC post wasn't clear - the Sun did point out the vampires as evil, but I didn't call attention to that in my post because you already knew they were vampires, and I figured "evil" was assumed there, so I wanted to focus on something else that would be new information.

Of course, this still leaves room for all sorts of debates about the definition of evil, and the possibility of change, and so on, if you want to go that route...

Nope, if you tell us these are Lawful Good vampires we will believe it. Especially Thistle.

I thought as much but your morally-grey monologue had me thinking for a second GM :D

Hey, I'm just working with the setups you all give me.  So thank you for that :)

How close is Lucius to the portraits?

Good question.  Let's call it 15 feet.

I'm going to wait and see how the vampire reacts to Istvan and Lucius before deciding what action Lazarus will take. Is she still being held at bay by Istvan's Turn Undead?

She should be. All undead should be, as long as I keep it up and don't stop...

Can I discern realities without stopping turning undead?

If the answer is that doing the first one MIGHT IN ANY WAY interfere with the second one, I'll just keep turning, for now...

If the answer is that the first one would not in any way interfere with the second one, I might try it...

Yes you can, but if you fail the roll then you lose concentration on Turning as well.

A totally fair answer.

...I think Istvan will just keep turning for now.

"Just keep turning, just keep turning..."

Making sure I've set the scene clearly enough:

The three of you who are not shapeshifters are standing in the rectangular space between the table and the back wall of the room.  One group of ghouls creates a third "wall" of this rectangle, and the other group would have been the fourth wall if Lazarus hadn't interfered.  For right now that path is open, but it won't stay that way for long, and then your only way to move out will be some kind of acrobatic maneuver to get over the table or past the ghouls.

Thistle, on the other hand, is still hanging out up on the ceiling and not having to worry about any of this two-dimensional nonsense.

But... why try to get past them? Why not just have Lucius hack at them until they're all down...?

Guys? Is this a good idea or a bad idea...?

There is a lot of them and they should be turned. We can focus on getting to the Vampire quickly. I think that is a good idea.

I'll go along with pretty much anything. Both good and bad ideas are fun to attempt.

Those are good questions-- CAN i walk while turning?

WILL it work if he carries me?

My guess, personally, would be that it would work, each way, as long as there are no sudden distractions?

Then again, the red smoke is probably more important. That feels like it's gonna turn into a real threat...

If it's not an undead thing then I'll probably have to stop Turning to defend myself, and then where will we be...?
This message was last edited by the player at 13:00, Thu 20 Aug 2020.

Walk, yes.  Run, or even just power walk - eh, we can call that Defy Danger based on Wisdom.

I'm sorry I've been out!  I'll try to get caught up, but I actually have a ton of work this weekend so it might still take me a bit.

Glad you're still here.  And I certainly know about work overload weeks...

Lucius: I vote you accept losing the xp? Because we're already in enough trouble?

(I know I don't get a vote, just sayin')
This message was last edited by the player at 17:42, Sat 22 Aug 2020.

No problem, I can lose XP. The nature of pbp is that you sometimes need preemptive rolls.

11:40, Today: Istvan Vanoson rolled 6 using 2d6-1 ((2,5)). FAIL!

Con's my dump stat.

Can I try to roll to restart it real fast, or will it be too late? Let me know.