luke
05-23-2005, 11:09 AM
So as mentioned in these two threads:
http://burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1215
http://burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1109
... we've been playing our ultra-high-powered BW game at GHQ.
The past few weeks have seen pacts with necromancers, summoning spirits of the ancient dead, breaking two terrible curses (placed by a god!), two journeys to Hell, the instruction of and instruction by an angel, and the discovery that once a great sorcerer and visionary was a failure as well.
But tonight... tonight it REALLY got hot!
We've got three players, Pete, Danny and Chris. Each of their characters is original -- from the first set of characters made in this world at the beginning of the campaign back in 94.
Pete plays a former martial artist turned war hero turned avatar turned assassin turned wizard hunter turned duke turned general turned governor. He is the most powerful follower of the Lord of Wind on earth. He's devout, too. Kublai's his name.
Danny plays the son of the god of fire. The bearer of the Burning Wheel. Kirin.
Chris plays a reluctant leader and powerful sorcerer. Blind and crippled. Garn.
We started tonight's session with my narrating Kublai's emergence from Hell. Last session, he had slipped into Hell, into a concealed cave there where, locked behind a great gate, were the dead from the ages past. From before the time of men. At the gate he taught a dead, mute angel how to write in his mannish language. Then the angel taught him, in ashy writings, one of the Languages of Creation -- the Language of Air.
Time passed differently in Hell. It passed quickly. So while only a few short months had passed at home, Kublai emerged having rapidly aged four years. His hair long and gray, his fingernails turned to claws, and his flesh drawn and gaunt. But he emerged more powerful than ever!
Danny and Chris' characters were waiting for him to return. Danny's character had just completed learning the Language of Fire. Which had enabled Pete's character to journey to Hell and speak with the angel. Now they knew two of the three Languages of Creation.
This is a Save the World game. Knowledge of these ancient and forbidding tongues is a necessary ingredient to salvation. Pete's character has had a ring inscribed with the Language of Air for years now. He thought once that a dragon knew its secrets. He thought he could force that dragon to tell him his secrets. But as he tried to discover the dragon's secrets, he learned that the dragon knew more than he bargained for.
After crawling out of Hell with is new found secrets, it was clear that it was time to go and speak to that dragon, Myrmanneer.
They arrived a month later at his little island in a little ship -- 60 sailors, fighting men and adventurers total. Using the Language of Air, Kublai began by speaking an invocation to the air for it to be clear and breathable, for the dragon raised quite a stench. Once he completed his spell the little island off their left lurched and fumed and rumbled. An armor-plated lizard's head emerged from the coils of sinew and scale.
"WHAT did you say?" Apparently the dragon spoke Air as well... and he heard Pete quite clearly though they were 100 paces away!
The first duel of wits was initiated by the dragon: "Give me one good reason not to eat you right now" was his statement of intent.
Pete responded (gulping), "Because we can offer you sweet release from life!"
See, this dragon is a traitor to his kind. He murdered all his kith and kin and has had to live with his shame and crime for millennia. Pete was playing off his grief. Sweet.
Pete won the Duel of Wits without any compromise! It was hot. And, honestly, it's what I wanted. I (as the GM) didn't want the dragon to eat them. But I also wanted to start strong and clearly present the dragon's position. You know?
After the duel was over, the dragon asked them about this "sweet release" they offered. They told him that if he just rolled over, they'd plunging a spear into his unarmored belly...
He snorted and got pretty indignant. These "mayflies" as he called them were getting uppity these days.
They traded barbs and danced around the facts for a few minutes. Danny revealed that the they were On the Quest to Save the World. The dragon was skeptical. He hounded them on the point. "Stop what? Save from whom?" He grew increasingly emotional, the more information they revealed.
Finally, I called for a second Duel of Wits. "You're lying! I don't believe you! It is not time for this age to end. What you say is not possible!"
After I bellowed across the table at the stunned players, I said, "Convince him." This was a hot Duel of Wits. The my goal, "If I win, I'm not convinced that you're telling the truth. I'm not convinced that the world needs to be saved."
If they won, the dragon would be utterly convinced of their purpose.
It was a thunderous, rawkus duel even though it only lasted 4 volleys, because I pulled out all the stops for the dragon. He was rolling 10 gray dice for most of his maneuvers!
It ended in a zero/zero tie! Hot!
The compromise? He didn't believe them, but they had planted a seed of doubt in his heart.
Cut to the dragon batting their boat against shore and then alighting next to them. "Where is this demon?" he growled.
"Ur Marahd," responded Pete calmly.
"Get on," hissed the dragon.
Sweet! You should have seen the stunned looks on their faces.
Next week we begin with a HUGE crisis of faith for one of the characters. Danny realized that if his character steps foot on the dragon's back, he's never going to fulfill one of his Beliefs -- to rekindle the fires of his dying religion. Everything's going to change once he takes this step. So we're already planning a Duel of Wits between the players about the fate and goals of the characters. All while the dragon waits patiently!
I'm so excited!
-L
http://burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1215
http://burningwheel.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1109
... we've been playing our ultra-high-powered BW game at GHQ.
The past few weeks have seen pacts with necromancers, summoning spirits of the ancient dead, breaking two terrible curses (placed by a god!), two journeys to Hell, the instruction of and instruction by an angel, and the discovery that once a great sorcerer and visionary was a failure as well.
But tonight... tonight it REALLY got hot!
We've got three players, Pete, Danny and Chris. Each of their characters is original -- from the first set of characters made in this world at the beginning of the campaign back in 94.
Pete plays a former martial artist turned war hero turned avatar turned assassin turned wizard hunter turned duke turned general turned governor. He is the most powerful follower of the Lord of Wind on earth. He's devout, too. Kublai's his name.
Danny plays the son of the god of fire. The bearer of the Burning Wheel. Kirin.
Chris plays a reluctant leader and powerful sorcerer. Blind and crippled. Garn.
We started tonight's session with my narrating Kublai's emergence from Hell. Last session, he had slipped into Hell, into a concealed cave there where, locked behind a great gate, were the dead from the ages past. From before the time of men. At the gate he taught a dead, mute angel how to write in his mannish language. Then the angel taught him, in ashy writings, one of the Languages of Creation -- the Language of Air.
Time passed differently in Hell. It passed quickly. So while only a few short months had passed at home, Kublai emerged having rapidly aged four years. His hair long and gray, his fingernails turned to claws, and his flesh drawn and gaunt. But he emerged more powerful than ever!
Danny and Chris' characters were waiting for him to return. Danny's character had just completed learning the Language of Fire. Which had enabled Pete's character to journey to Hell and speak with the angel. Now they knew two of the three Languages of Creation.
This is a Save the World game. Knowledge of these ancient and forbidding tongues is a necessary ingredient to salvation. Pete's character has had a ring inscribed with the Language of Air for years now. He thought once that a dragon knew its secrets. He thought he could force that dragon to tell him his secrets. But as he tried to discover the dragon's secrets, he learned that the dragon knew more than he bargained for.
After crawling out of Hell with is new found secrets, it was clear that it was time to go and speak to that dragon, Myrmanneer.
They arrived a month later at his little island in a little ship -- 60 sailors, fighting men and adventurers total. Using the Language of Air, Kublai began by speaking an invocation to the air for it to be clear and breathable, for the dragon raised quite a stench. Once he completed his spell the little island off their left lurched and fumed and rumbled. An armor-plated lizard's head emerged from the coils of sinew and scale.
"WHAT did you say?" Apparently the dragon spoke Air as well... and he heard Pete quite clearly though they were 100 paces away!
The first duel of wits was initiated by the dragon: "Give me one good reason not to eat you right now" was his statement of intent.
Pete responded (gulping), "Because we can offer you sweet release from life!"
See, this dragon is a traitor to his kind. He murdered all his kith and kin and has had to live with his shame and crime for millennia. Pete was playing off his grief. Sweet.
Pete won the Duel of Wits without any compromise! It was hot. And, honestly, it's what I wanted. I (as the GM) didn't want the dragon to eat them. But I also wanted to start strong and clearly present the dragon's position. You know?
After the duel was over, the dragon asked them about this "sweet release" they offered. They told him that if he just rolled over, they'd plunging a spear into his unarmored belly...
He snorted and got pretty indignant. These "mayflies" as he called them were getting uppity these days.
They traded barbs and danced around the facts for a few minutes. Danny revealed that the they were On the Quest to Save the World. The dragon was skeptical. He hounded them on the point. "Stop what? Save from whom?" He grew increasingly emotional, the more information they revealed.
Finally, I called for a second Duel of Wits. "You're lying! I don't believe you! It is not time for this age to end. What you say is not possible!"
After I bellowed across the table at the stunned players, I said, "Convince him." This was a hot Duel of Wits. The my goal, "If I win, I'm not convinced that you're telling the truth. I'm not convinced that the world needs to be saved."
If they won, the dragon would be utterly convinced of their purpose.
It was a thunderous, rawkus duel even though it only lasted 4 volleys, because I pulled out all the stops for the dragon. He was rolling 10 gray dice for most of his maneuvers!
It ended in a zero/zero tie! Hot!
The compromise? He didn't believe them, but they had planted a seed of doubt in his heart.
Cut to the dragon batting their boat against shore and then alighting next to them. "Where is this demon?" he growled.
"Ur Marahd," responded Pete calmly.
"Get on," hissed the dragon.
Sweet! You should have seen the stunned looks on their faces.
Next week we begin with a HUGE crisis of faith for one of the characters. Danny realized that if his character steps foot on the dragon's back, he's never going to fulfill one of his Beliefs -- to rekindle the fires of his dying religion. Everything's going to change once he takes this step. So we're already planning a Duel of Wits between the players about the fate and goals of the characters. All while the dragon waits patiently!
I'm so excited!
-L