Quick update: it would seem that I was not on quite the same page with Astraea, so I'm going to be editing out Deavante's dialogue. For now, treat it as if he never spoke.

In case some of you weren't aware, I finished editing the introductory posts a while ago; you are all free to post now.

I'm aware people are probably waiting on me, I'm typing up a post this morning.  No problems or anything on my end, our official Game On moment just happened to fall at the start of a super crowded weekend.  :)

I'm not waiting for anyone per se, I just needed a bit of a space after everything the GM and I talked about behind the scenes on Saturday and then yesterday was A Lot.

I'm also aiming to get something up today.

Just trying to get a litmus test for how everyone was doing; I certainly took the time I needed to get ready, and I'm more than happy to extend you all the same curtesy.

Weekends tend to be very busy for me, so I haven't had a chance to think about what I'd like to be doing for my first post yet.  Once Taphrodel has had a chance to answer Nihlia I'll be all set to start though!

Okay. I have a post ready but I'm very happy to shelve it and make edits/start over if someone else (Taphrodel?) wants to go first and set the tone and direction.

Just lemme know tomorrow if anyone wants priority - or post in-character if you'd rather get the message across that way. That'd work too.

Beat me to it, GM. I was going to ask here if we had any roundabout idea of numbers but you've saved me the trouble :)

I just realized that we haven't discussed how OOC chat in the IC threads should work, so I've devised a method that should let you guys talk about actions you want to take and dice rolls you've made in your posts while still maintaining the narrative flow for any readers, which I like to try and keep in mind.

I've added each of you to Private Group 1, which I've named "OOC"; when you want to say stuff that would normally be "orange text" info, you should be able to make it Private to Group OOC. Doing so will let I and all of the other players see it, but not any readers.

I'll try and use it for you guys right below here, so if any of you don't see a private message here, then tell me.

As for your action, Taphrodel, you can certainly Take It All In right now, and I'll include the flotilla in that ping. Go ahead and roll Notice v.s. passive opposition of +2.

If you're unfamiliar with how to use the dice roller for Fate dice - or if any one else is - the dice used for Fate are a unique type referred to as "fudge" dice. You can either use those, or just roll d6s, which Fate has a simple conversion for; either way, make sure that it's "4dX+X", and that the "show each die" option is toggled on.

EDIT: Actually, I just discovered that I can set the default settings for the dice roller, and I've gone ahead and set it to do 4 die Fudge; all you have to do from now on is plug in the reason for your roll (including the skill you're using) and we can just add any bonuses after (usually just your skill bonus as a base).
This message was last edited by the GM at 15:38, Tue 07 Dec 2021.

I can see your Private Group note just fine.  :)

Taphrodel rolls to use her stunt...

09:40, Today: Taphrodel rolled -1 using 4 Fudge dice with rolls of 0, -1, 1, -1.  Notice to "Take It All In".

... with a Notice skill of +2 is a total of +1.

Thanks. Looks like you'd have to spend another Fate point to add a +2 or reroll if you want to succeed, otherwise I'm afraid you won't glean anything much for this use of Take It All In. You don't have to spend another Fate point; just emphasizing that choice so that you can properly weigh your options.

Oooo.  How much do I have to succeed by to get the benefit?

I can see the message as well.  Seems a nice tidy way to keep things separate.

EDIT:  Would it be possible to roll Lore or something to try and recall how Dracarys' leaders have reacted to aggression in the past?
This message was last edited by the player at 17:47, Tue 07 Dec 2021.

Taphrodel, you had to get a +2 or higher, so invoking for a +2 bonus would get you over the hurdle. Invoking to reroll the dice would be a gamble, but has the potential of adding more aspects to the scene (though you'd still only receive a free invocation on one of these aspects, as noted by the stunt). Whatever you choose, make sure to edit your character's "biography" to reflect how you've spent at least one Fate point.

Lachlann, you can do that, yeah. Lore to Overcome; the better you roll, the more detail I'll give you.

Sounds good!  I'll insert the roll into my post in a private line for the practice, but the total with my Lore is +4.  Just so I can conceptualize the system a bit better, would it be appropriate to then take that knowledge and make a plan based on it using Create Advantage or would that be a different sort of action?  If there were an appropriate Aspect already on the 'nation' of Dracarys (so to speak) would that be found with Overcomes like this?

Your result is considered "great", Lachlann, so I'll give you some "great" information.

In this specific case, your target isn't really a part of Dracaryan aristocracy; he's just a well-known mercenary, so his name carries only about as well as the nobles that he's invited to the party. Attacking him isn't really an affront to any of the Dragon Knights, and even slighting any of the low-level players who are also attending would really only gain the ire of their individual clans - it's not like a full-fledged Dragon Knight will be there, after all.

In general, when your party arrives at a settlement, you'll have to maintain a low profile if you don't want to be bothered. Mostly staying in city underbellies or traveling through surreptitious bylines and passageways will be your normal mode of travel from point A to point B in these places. You will be able to venture into wealthier and more patrolled areas often enough, though, and as long as you don't alert a Dragon Knight to the fact that a group of powerful dark magic users are making moves in their territory, then you should be fine.
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:57, Tue 07 Dec 2021.

Overcome is used for uncertain outcomes where it must be decided whether or not something happens, or how well something is done: can you jump the fence, can you convince the guard, things like that.

Create an Advantage (or CaA, for short) is used for both creating new aspects and for exposing an aspect that already exists on an applicable target.

When you create a new aspect, it lasts for exactly as long as it would logically last, which may mean that it's only there for a scene or two, or that it lasts for multiple sessions and even Scenarios until it ends up being resolved.

When it comes to exposing an existing aspect, all aspects in the game should technically be available for you all - as players - to see, as well as to invoke and compel for Fate points. The way I reveal most aspects that are in play is when I invoke or compel them - I'll say something along the lines of "I'm invoking this character's aspect related to X".

Using the Create an Advantage action does three things: it makes your character look cool and competent, it allows you to invoke a certain aspect a number of times for free, and it also gives a strong narrative reason/foreshadowing for the aspect to be invoked and compelled in the first place.

To answer your question about the nation itself and it's aspect(s), I hadn't thought yet about what aspect to put on Dracarys as a whole, but I think there would be at least one that goes something along the lines of One Nation, Many Rulers.
This message was last edited by the GM at 21:00, Tue 07 Dec 2021.

Sure, I'll spend one more for +2, as long as I'm already here.  :)

Well that took a lot longer than I'd expected/hoped. Sorted now anyway.

---

I'm wondering if I could perhaps use my action to get some more information on Vulcan K'sarak, mercenaries being one of Astraea's fields of expertise after all. Maybe some details that might help flesh out a sense of his influence, achievements, common backers etc to give us an idea of what we could be up against in the longer term if he and/or his buddies remain a threat.

I'm not sure what I'd be rolling for that sort of thing though. Any advice?

Ooh ooh ooh!  I know this one!

I think?  xD  Let's see how well I've absorbed the rules!

You could either roll a straight-up Lore roll, or invoke your Warhound aspect to know good stuff about mercenaries automatically?

Taphrodel, for your success on Take It All In, you may discover or create one (1) aspect for the scene, and you gain one (1) free invocation on that aspect for when you need it. I haven't created any specific aspects on this scene quite yet, so why don't you create one? It could be something about how the river is acting today, the nature/condition of the flotilla of ships, something about OE of the noble attending, or even something new about Vulcan himself, or anything else you can come up with.

Astraea, Taphrodel's guesses are correct; Lore would be a reasonable choice, but I can also see tings like Contacts for having heard from others before, as well as Empathy to say that you've actually witnessed or even met him before. Whichever you choose, it would be the Overcome action, I think. You also have the option of spending a Fate point to establish a story element - which I'll note, all of you have the ability to do at any time if you so choose - in which case you could add to or change an aspect on Vulcan.

Dice are rolled an stuck in the thread (+3/Good).

I could've gone with Empathy and got a better result but it didn't feel to me like Astraea would have any particularly recent contact with this guy given her circumstances. Not looking to improve that roll with Aspects or anything.

What sort of scope should I be looking at for an aspect I get to invent?  Like, how about this for an aspect for the flotilla:

Bacchanalia!
It's not just a birthday party, it's a birthday PARTY.  Mostly everyone is...  "very festive" indeed, and likely easily distractable, if not already conveniently pre-distracted, by their various drinking and dallying.

My apologies for not replying sooner, everyone, I had a few busy days there.

Astraea, you got a Good result, so I'll give you some Good information. In the mercenary industry, Vulcan is a mid-tier player compared to his competitors; he's well-off enough, but he hasn't quite become an expert, not to mention a legend.
He's known for taking the riskiest and/or most high-paying jobs, obviously focused on earning glory to his family name, and has also been known to be bribable, to an extent.
Judging by his reputation, then, he likely has few truly loyal backers. The people most likely to come to his aid after a particular slight are his family and his clan, Megala, or perhaps a mentor or confidant.

Taphrodel, that aspect sounds great. I had to Google what Bacchanalia was, and I'm going to be taking the aspect as extreme hyperbole because of the... problematic rumors about the event the word was named after. It's alright; aspects are a meta story element - the bridge between the players and the game - so it's all about how we as the players interpret it, not whatever it may exactly mean or harken to.