Spirit of the Century: Swords of Mars
Sunday at Origins, I had exhausted myself. But, my Sunday morning game was great! It used the Spirit of the Century version of the FATE rules, with a few tweaks for streamlining.
While the system may have been SotC, the setting was not. The PCs were on a Burroughs-pastichean Mars.
GM: Morgan Ellis
Me: Cyrus Turner (Earthman. Think John Carter. In love with The Princess.)
Derrick Sigman: Throk! (4 fisted, Green Martian. The villain had exterminated the rest of his race.)
Kat Jones: Abhay Kanta (Red Martian, handmaiden to The Princess, and also a very competent warrior bodyguard)
Mike "Shades" Schaefer: Kaylan (Sky Pirate! Red Martian, in love with The Princess, and, hence, Cyrus Turner's rival.)
Devon Rampe: Lujayn "Jaynie" Napier (Engineer earthgirl. In love with Kaylan. I think her father was Carson Napier, from Burroughs' Venus books.) (*)
Phillip Young: Kahvi Manhu (Red Martian Shaman)
(*) According to the GM, Carson Napier, while a Great Scientist, is the worst navigator in the solar system. Aiming for Mars, he landed on Venus by mistake.
The GM explained things well, and, iirc, noted the similarity between Force Points and Fate points, quoting a player in an old WEGS SW game: I spend a force point to find the plot.
As for Aspects, he said that any line of dialogue in Star Wars could be an Aspect.
I make it up as I go!
Or, something like: There's _two_ of them??
Or: I saw you die!
Kaylan had as an aspect: A Mostly Loyal Crew!
GM: Exclamation points are key.
Cyrus Turner's aspects were:
Transported Earthman In Love with the Princess West Point Graduate Modern Pentathlete (The GM explained that the modern pentathlon presumed a messenger caught behind enemy lines, I think ala George Patton, and tested ability to ride a horse, sword fight, pistol fight, swim, and do a cross country run) High Gravity Strength Fantastic Leaps Gentleman of Honor Daring Swordsman Leader of Men
For skills, he was +5 on Weapons, +4 on Athletics and Leadership, and +3 on Survival, Resolve, and Guns.
For Stunts, he had:
Earthman Might! May use Athletics for Might rolls for feats of strength.
Furious Swordsman: +1 to all Sword attack rolls, and when fighting minions, deals 1 extra stress.
Will of the Adventurer: Due to his indominable will, Cyrus has one extra minor consequence.
The GM explained that Stunts came in 3 broad flavors:
1. Substitute 1 skill for another 2. +2 for minor or +1 for broad area 3. Some other fiddly bit.
So, there had been three novels before Swords of Mars:
Rebels of Mars Outlaws of Mars Tyrant of Mars
And, we picked up during the finale of Tyrant of Mars. Our Heroes fought the minions of the Tyrant, Xang, battling weather machines and Martian war tripods!
GM (I think while reading from a script as if a radio announcer for the weekly special): Legen -- wait for it -- dary
Phillip (when Devon asks what he can have his PC do): The only thing you cannot do is something boring!
The combat system was streamlined nicely.
GM: Normally, the game has a thing called stress. but, stress is boring! Consequences are interesting!
Minor: To the end of the scene Major: Needs roll to get rid of (e.g., healing roll) Severe: Carries into next session
I don't think anyone took a Severe consequence from the battle.
The GM went over the use of Fate points, saying that 10 minus Stunts number of Fate points work well for a convention game. And, then, we began.
Someone: What do you look like?
Phillip (I think): I'm Red!
Kat (for Abhay Kanta): She's going to draw her... Martian throwing swords!
GM: Mind, she has Fists of 5.
Battle ooc query: Did that fly up into the air?
Someone: Ah, I assume so -- it's in low Earth orbit.
After someone tries to trip a Martian Tripod, saying it has the Aspect Unbalanced: Does he have to pay a fate point to add "Unbalanced"?
GM: No, because I already gave it that aspect -- he guessed it.
Someone: Because it has 3 legs -- that's just stupid.
Phillip (I think): Their scientists put it into production -- it's a prototype!
GM: But they inspire fear!
Throk: Not in the Mighty Throk, they don't!
And, the rebels were Triumphant! And, so ended the novel Tyrant of Mars!
And so, before we began the next book, everything reset. All stress went away. And, the GM told each of us to give our PC a new Aspect from the book that had just been completed. He said that it could be from anywhere in the book, not just the finale we played out.
Cyrus Turner: I am a Beacon of the Rebellion!
Derrick: Otherwise known as Primary Target Number One!
GM: In the previous game, this was Martian Enemy Number One, but I like your phraseology better.
Sample Aspect: Grand Moff, what does that blinky red light mean?
The current novel was: Spirit of the Red Planet: The Sands of Mars!
Underneath the Sands of Mars were the hidden Rebel Bases.
GM: The Rebellion looks like it might have a chance of victory!
Someone: Oh, the Rebels have a New Hope.
GM: Princess Kamari Ranya calls you in for a briefing.
Kalyan: Damn she's hot!
Abhay: Watch it!
I forget exactly what was GM-specified and what was player-specified, but the Princess revealed that there was an Ancient Device in the Dead Sea, which Must Not Fall Into the Hands of the Tyrant!
GM: Kavhi, you have had strange and disturbing visions.
Kavhi: I have had strange and disturbing visions...
Phillip rolled to see how many Aspects he'd get from the vision, either to specify or to discover from the GM, I forget which, but I think the former. The roll resulted in one Aspect: A Gateway to Unspeakable Monstrosities!
So, said the GM, the device in the Dead Sea was an Ancient Portal Device.
Kalyan: Hey! Cyrus, you could use it to go home!
Kaylan, Cyrus, and Abhay tried, unsuccessfully, to talk the Princess out of accompanying them. I think one of her Aspects was "I'm the Princess". We all understood that she would be coming, but we wanted to make the standard Pulpy Protests. And, I think we may have netted a Fate point or two in compels (e.g., In Love With The Princess.)
The rebel airship set off! And we went to the next scene where a gun boat and the Imperial Flagship, the Andara, appeared!
Several Aspects for the scene were written on post it notes on the table, including: Ancient Canals!
GM: As a GM, I do not tag anything on the table, cuz that's just cheating!
Jaynie got a result of Legendary when she fired the Ion Canon.
Me: You have just rewritten Martian physics!
Abhay jumped on the gun boat, finding herself surrounded.
Abhay: But I've landed... In the Thick of It!
In the Thick of It! was one of her stunts, I think, giving her a bonus.
Cyrus: I leap on the gun boat!
GM: Leap on gun boat or on the _Imperial Flagship_?
Cyrus: The Imperial Flagship!
GM: Why break with tradition? Every other group who's played has done it! I was expecting a chase scene -- wrong idea. What was I thinking?? Flee from the enemy a mere six times our strength?
Me (working with the idiom): With a Mighty Leap! Sword extended, with a strength no mere Martian could achieve!
Someone: So, we've got Radium Flintlocks?
GM: Well, Radium Breechloaders, but yes!
The Imperial Flagship had a helmsman's wheel, of course, with spikes.
GM: Spikes, because it's the Imperial ship.
The GM was willing to use the Aspects of the Imperial Ship when it got hit, as those weren't literally on the table.
GM: Normally, that would knock it out, but it's going to use its Pride of the Fleet and Slow to Turn! That's the first time I've ever used it positively! The ship takes minor consequence: The Imperator has a Panicked Helmsman. In this case, it's better to attack their morale.
Throk: The bullets graze me, but I do not feel the pain!
Abhay (I think): They shoot like typical minions!
Kaylan (pointing dramatically): Crew! The Imperator! Train your guns on the Gyroscopic Stabilizer!
This resulted in the Major Consequence: Uncontrolled Gyroscopic Stabilizer.
The ships were captured, as I recall.
Someone (about Throk, maybe?): You have an egg in every port.
We took a break and came back to create some aspects for the climactic scene in the Dead Sea.
Aspect (ala Derrick): The Dead Sea Swallows the Unwary!
GM: That works -- I want to subscribe to your newsletter!
Our Heroes' destination was a Giant Stone Face, as seen from above.
Someone: It's build on that massive ancient Martian scale, and if there's the rest of the statue below it...
I think someone gave the mcguffin the Aspect: The Bringer of Life and Death
Cyrus helped the Princess to descend.
Kaylan: Cyrus, I know you are an Earthman and not used to our Martian Ways, but you must not touch the Princess!
Cyrus immediately made a gallant apology to the Princess, who glared at Kaylan. Apparently, there was no such rule, but Cyrus had no reason to know that. If the campaign had continued past this session, I think I would have given him the Aspect: I Do Not Understand These Martian Ways!
Jaynie did know that Kaylan was wrong, and she was in love with him herself.
Jaynie: What are you talking about?
Kaylan wisely changed tactics. He told Cyrus again that Cyrus could use the portal to return to Earth, once they'd defeated Xang's forces, of course.
Cyrus: But, what if I am needed here again?
Kaylan: It's all right. We'll have thing under control!
Our heroes landed their ship and entered the face through the ear canal, racing down Ancient Corridors to confront their foe!
Abhay: It's Xang's legions! They're here!
Throk: Finally!
Kaylan: I'll protect you, my Princess!
GM: You see Xang! The Conqueror! Xang! The Usurper! Xang! The Generally-Not-A-Nice-Guy!
With him were:
Commander Thibault who had a score to settle with Cyrus Turner, who had scarred his cheek. (I forget whether this happened offstage, during the introductory fight from the third book, or on board the Imperial Flagship.)
A Giant White Martian Ape with 4 arms, mind controlled by a Device on its head.
Yurchuck
Vengira, the Psychic Witch Concubine of Xang -- who sold out Kavhi's people!
Xang: Hurry up -- Get it operational! They will be her any moment!
Cyrus: Too late, Xang! We are already here!
Xang: Turner!
GM: Yeah, right.
Me: Do we fight now? Do we fight now?
Cyrus (to Commander Thibault): Has your sword fighting gotten any better?
Derrick (translating): You have a cheek I have yet to scar!
This was a Social Attack that gave Commander Thibault the Minor Consequence of Called Out, and in front of his men!
Xang (spotting Throk): A Green Martian? Haven't I killed all of you? (GM: which is probably his attack, but I'll get to it in a moment) Well, I guess one more won't take that long.
Alas, there was a Horrible Betrayal! Vengira Mind Controlled the Princess!
Princess (racing to Xang with Kahvi's Staff) You can open the Portal with this Device! Start it up!
Kaylan was Heartbroken! I think this may have been a Consequence of some type.
Cyrus squared his shoulders and found the harder, not about to let even that distract him!
(And, even though Cyrus was my PC, I really feel for Kaylan.)
Abhay and Jaynie were both able to figure out the truth, probably due to a good die roll.
Someone (possibly me): The _girls_ know what's going on.
Jaynie's used her stunt: I Have Just the Thing! I forget whether this was used against Vengira or the Giant Martian Ape. Someone, probably her, rolled high enough to get Spin, which means that she got a +1 on her next attack.
GM: Minions! Minions! Minions! Minions!
Throk took the Minor Consequence: Shaken from Xang's Social Attack.
GM: Minions!
Me (to Kahvi): And you without your crystal staff!
GM: That's all right -- he can always attack their brains!
Kahvi had the Minor Consequence: Surrounded! And, we had the Pirate Crew vs the Minions!
Jaynie disrupted Xang's control of the ape, I think winding up with it as her own guardian / pet.
Me (re Jaynie): The Passion of Venus! The Spunk of Earth!
I think something happened involving sparks, given this:
Kahvi -- er, Phillip: I like it, because it's a _Shocking_ Betrayal!
He got Spin, which he used for Defense, I think.
Abhay severed link between the Princess and the Psychic Witch. This was a Major Consequence for the Psychic Witch.
I tested my knowledge of the system. Cyrus scored a Major Consequence on Thibault, which I decided was Disarmed. I then Self Compelled his Aspect: Gentleman of Honor.
Cyrus: Thibault, pick it up. I'll give you a lesson in swordsmanship!
Someone: On!
Derrick (as Thibault): Curse you, Turner!
Me: I'm obviously played by Tyrone Powers.
GM: Pretty much.
I was a bit confused for a moment, since, mechanically, Thibault still had the Major Consequence: Disarmed, but he clearly had his sword in hand, since Cyrus let him pick it up. But, I eventually figured out that this was a Social Consequence. Thibault had first been Called Out In Front of His Men. Now, he had been Disarmed In Front of His Men!
The tide turned briefly, and Cyrus took a consequence or two, though I forget what. But, eventually, he inflicted a Severe Consequence on Thibault. I think that one was Defeated In Front of His Men!
Throk shred through Xang's body armor
GM: Okay! I didn't know he was wearing body armor!
Player: He is now!
Xang: You green-skinned Martian brute!
Throk: Your heart is next!
For Kahvi, psychic power = guns -- e.g., ranged attacks! He managed to reclaim his Staff!
(About Abhay, I think): His Legionnaires of Terror Are No Match for Her Passion!
The Witch took a Severe Consequence.
Kat: But she _is_ a concubine...
So, the Severe Consequence was Disfigured!
Xang wounded Throk grievously, but Throk made a desperate sally, breaking through the Tyrant's defenses!
Kahvi, meanwhile, faced off against the Doomsday Device that was what everyone was fighting over!
GM: The minions forgotten, as suddenly a psychic battle rages!
Me: A Silent Psychic Battle!
GM: It's going to tap its Limitless Power!
Kahvi: But the Staff is the Key -- and who's holding the staff?
GM: It will tap its Ancient and Unknowable Will! The Doomsday Device is Counting Down!
My notes indicate that the score to beat was 10. Kahvi had an 8, but he tapped his Aspect: Formidable Will!
And so, the Device received a new aspect: Bringer of Life!
GM: The Desert Will Flower!
Kaylan (stabbing the witch through the heart): This is what _my_ heart feels!
Poor Kaylan still did not know what had truly happened during the Princess's "betrayal".
Meanwhile, Xang, of course, escaped. One of his Aspects was: Exit Strategies. He had Escape Plan_s_ -- note the plural!
This was an absolute blast to play in.
