Dogs in the Temple

Friday at 8 pm was Robert Dushay's Dogs in the Temple game, a Tekumel game using Dogs in the Vineyard mechanics.

GM Robert Dushay
Me: Tochtolisa hi Vrma, purple gem (high), female
Matt Weber: volunteered as assistant to GM
Jennifer Wong: Quetzalli hi Cusi, Jade Diadem, very high, female, and the group's leader
Dawn: Conchari hi Puziposa (?), High Pinnacle, high, male
Tim Demarest: Anas' he Ancala, Rising Sun, female

Bob said to imagine that the movie of the game was being filmed like a 1970s porn movie. I'm not quite sure how he originally intended that to blend with the Dogs feel, but I'm also not familiar with 1970s porn movies.

The PCs were all members of the Dlamelish worshipping Secret Society of the Emerald and Silver Crown. They traveled From Jakhalla to Jaiballur to investigate one of Dlamelish's temples. There were, of course, multiple temples of Dlamelish, Tekumel's Aphrodite, in all cities, the most impressive of which had a jade wall so thin that candles illuminated figures of 32 unspeakable acts.

The temple the PCs were visiting was not this temple. It was, in fact, somewhat dirty. The visitors were met by the High Ritual Priestess Dashiluna (clan Jade Diadem), whereas they should have been met by the Ritual Commandant, Riana. Quetzalli demanded to speak with Riana.

At this point, Matt wanted to start a conflict between Dashiluna and Quetzalli, with the stakes being whether the visitors appointed Dashiluna as the Ritual Commandant. Bob said that this was definitely premature.

Now, while I think starting _a_ conflict at this stage would have been fine, I agree completely that starting _this_ particular conflict made no sense. The system was Dogs in the Vineyard, not Burning Wheel / Empire. In the latter, Matt's proposed conflict would have been fine because even if Dashiluna had won such a conflict, she would likely have had to make a concession. The result might have been "The group will make you Ritual Commandant IF the following happens" or "You are the top candidate on their list". Also, in Burning Wheel / Empire, there would have been stakes on both sides.

But, Dogs doesn't work that way. There is only one set of stakes. And, regardless of what the printed rules might say, the Lumpley Principle, defined by Vincent Baker who wrote Dogs, is that everything that goes on at the table, including the unspoken rules, is part of the game. And, the table's consensus was that Matt's proposed stakes made no sense.

Quetzalli's player said that what she wanted to meet Riana. Perhaps that was what the conflict was about? Matt said that if that was what Riana wanted, then there was no conflict because Dashiluna had absolutely no objection to it. So, the visitors were taken to Riana's room.

On the way, they passed various altars to different aspects of Dlamelish, including one that seemed better maintained. They asked Dashiluna about it. She said that it celebrated the aspect of Dlamelish known as Tistok, Mistress of Bone. She said that she was not very familiar with it, but thought it celebrated strength in achieving pleasure and goals.

The door to Riana's room was closed and the tablet outside indicated that Riana was not to be disturbed. The tablet had been in place for a couple of weeks. Nevertheless, at the visitors' insistence, Dashiluna announced the visitors. Riana demanded flowers, and Dashiluna sent an acolyte to get some.

The PCs quickly realized that Riana was suffering from senility. She had trouble following the conversation, but did allow as how she would like to visit her clan.

Quetzalli (to Dashiluna): Your case is growing stronger.

The PCs sent Riana back to her clan.

Me: We'd make absolutely sure to see her off, because otherwise, she's likely to turn around and walk back into the temple.

Bob indicated that this was indeed what he might have had in mind.

What followed was the sort of thing that is the meat of a Dogs scenario: The NPCs try to convince the PCs to further their agenda. So, Quoroma, also played by Matt, invited Tochtolisa to visit the roof gardens and admire the plants, claiming to want privacy.

Tochtolisa: Privacy? How perverted!

Someone else: To each his own!

Tochtolisa (on seeing the garden): There actually _are_ plants in here! Who knew?

Quoroma was concerned about Dashiluna being named successor to Riana, feeling she wasn't the right person. Tochtolisa listened for a while and then decided that Quoroma was talking too much and proceeded to have sex with him.

The others talked to other people at the temple, getting their recommendations. They also learned that some of Dashiluna's rivals were gone, and no one was quite sure what had happened to them. Also, at least one person was quite sure that Dashiluna herself had introduced the worship of Tistok, Mistress of Ambition. There were also rumors of incursions in the underworld, perhaps of the dread Ssu.

At this point, we agreed it was time for a conflict with Dashiluna. She wanted to be made Riana's successor, and the visitors wanted to know the truth about the disappearance of the High Sorceress, who had supposedly left to visit her own clan. Matt lost the conflict.

Dashiluna: I poisoned her! And all of you will share the same fate!

This, he said, would lead to a follow up conflict, where what was at stake was: Does Dashiluna escape?

I'm not sure if that was a legitimate stake for a follow up conflict, but I had no problem with it as a conflict. It was definitely over the top. Hm, you know... I think part of the problem was not that Matt invoked things like kneeling slaves, but that he didn't invoke things like orgies in progress.

One of the PCs: If you run now, you will never get our recommendation!

Dashiluna threw snakes at the PCs, I think, or somehow had snakes attack.

GM: Does the snake bite you?

Conchari (I think): Yes, but I shiver with ecstasy!

Someone: I'm gonna have to chase you down! You haven't listened to reason or overwhelming force!

Someone else: I'm very sensitive to violence and the people who might inflict it. I kind of approve, actually.

As I recall, matters resolved thus: Dashiluna was fatally wounded, but did manage to escape to the underground altar of the Ssu she had called Tistok. Quetzalli took far too much fallout and died, but first cautioned the others not to make the same mistake.

Quetzalli: Don't do what I did and jump to conclusions.

And we wrapped there, with a bit of explanation. Tistok was some kind of Pariah God, according to my notes. Bob said that Dashiluna's sin was not usurpation, but murder, following the sin hierarchy of Dogs, and of not going through the proper channels. Usurpation happens all the time. It's just that there are social rules for the proper way to do it.