Wicked Fate

21 February 2016: 10am: Wicked Fate

• GM: Brendan Conway
• Me: Couc Burq, Halfun. Aspect: I make Besser's problems go away -- for a price.
• Lilith White: Dullclaw, Roddun.. Aspect: Couc knows the shortcuts
• Melissa Spangenburg: Ardet Tasraq(?), human, leader, nephew of Senator Ruath. Aspect: Dullclaw is my go to
• Dylan: Besser Endur, Halfun. Aspect: Ardat is the law.

This was a playtest of Wicked Fate, a Fate version of Wicked Fantasy (see http://johnwickpresents.com/product/wicked-fantasy/).

Our partially pregenerated PCs were all male by player choice. Each had an Aspect tying him to one of the others.

Halfuns are Halfling / Hobbit types that crawled through the earth to get away from this world's equivalent of Illithids. This is a big secret, one they've shared with no one. They present themselves to others, particularly humans, as being eager to serve.

Roddun are pretty much Ratfolk, walking on two legs, human sized, more or less.

I have my own sheets, and Lilith gave me Dullclaw's.

Some of the highlights of Couc Burq's sheet:

Description: A Yffur halfun who had to choose between their family and keeping the halfuns' secrets. In the end, they bailed and became Homeless, trying to tame the brutal and violent gangs. They became an expert at sending "messages" with violent acts, and help the Courage in "diplomatic" matters.

Racial Aspect: Keeper of Secrets: Your family knows too much about The Enemy, and you've got to keep others, especially humans, from learning too much about these dangers.

Caste Aspect: Haffun Yffur: You've given up on haffun and human families, and you've taken refuge in the criminal society that can be found in Millford.

Adventure Aspects: I added:

• I make Bessen Endur's problems go away -- for a price
• Oh, underestimate me, Please!

Skills:

• +4: Provoke
• +3: Contacts, Prowess

I added:

• +2: Fire, Stealth, Will
• +1: Deceive, Athletics, Survival, Resources

Equipment (The Special Cool Stuff) I added 1) Flame Dagger!

Additional Stunts: 2 free. I created:

Don't make me send a message -- I get a +2 bonus when I use my Criminal Reputation among those who know (i.e., to intimidate, etc.) (e.g., Nice shop... Pity if...) when using my Provoke to Create an Advantage

Some of the highlights of Dullclaw's

Description: A graying Roddun, who has lived in Millford for a long time. He used to be a killer for one of the Rat Kings, but he isn't quite as sharp as he once was, and despite being a grizzled veteran of 26 years and still swinging steel, he's more valuable as a catacomb guide in the ruined city.

Aspects:

• Racial Aspect: Master of the Underground
• Caste Aspect: Reluctantly Retired
• Adventure Aspects: Lone Massacre Survivor, Slayer of Couc's Dragons, I'll Get You a Toe
• Free Invoke: In Position
• Free Invoke: Exposed to Dullclaw

Handwritten, possibly replacing a couple:

• Couc knows the shortcuts
• King of the Catacombs

Skills:

• +4: Survival
• +3: Prowess, Stealth
• +2: Command, Lore, Will
• +1: Athletics, Contacts, Earth (handwritten, replacing Crafts), Strength

Equipment

• Training master's Naginata

Handwritten:

• Aspect for the Naginata: Sword of masters
• Catacomb Lantern: Aspect: A light in the dark

Additional Stunts: Handwritten:

• Battle Reflexes: Use Prowess instead of Athletics to dodge in a fight
• Veteran: Use Command instead of Provoke when using your veteran status

My notes say that the world had the usual fantasy races -- humans, orcs, elves, gnomes, et cetera. Apparently, gnomes, dwarves, an halfuns all crawled through the earth, running away from something BAD on the other side?

The PCs were, at least for the purpose of this scenario, a group of Troubleshooters, aka a Courage, living and working in the City of Mitford. They needed to deal with a Ranfa -- a halfun ghost -- in the manor of Senator Ruath, the aunt of Ardet Tasrak, as well as a social justice crusader. The dark, empty manor was in a "dilapidated neighborhood -- like Baltimore". Our four heroes were standing in the street, looking at the manor and at the wide berth around it.

The camera zoomed in on each in turn and we described what it saw.

Bessen: His face looks tired (from clearing out lesser spirits). He knows what's coming. He is youthful, weathered, and a little disheveled, and he carries a bone sword across his back.

Ardet: He is standing under the overhang of a building across the street. Clad in a grey travel cloak and scuffed boots, he hasn't had time to bathe. He is in his late 40s. He has longish hair, traveling pack, and a crystal pendant with Blood of My Mother --1 drop of blood in it. He’s from a water magic family, and of the House of Merliy (I think; my handwriting is hard to read here). He has his father's saber, which is very old, but he doesn't know its history. If I read my notes correctly, his father's name was not even important enough for his mother to tell him. He remembers when the buildings were a little nicer --but that was clearly some time ago. He pets a flea-bitten cat which then runs off.

Dullclaw: He is old, hunched, wizened, and grey, always looking as if he is smelling something nasty. He is grizzled, mean, and scarred. His tail is very long, so he is careful to make sure no one steps on it. His sword looks as if it had come out of the trash. An experienced criminal who grew old, he is scary, but well aware that only goes so far. He has a normal human lifespan and is in his 50s. He carries a lantern; its door is closed, its lights still on. Folks go around him.

Couc: He is in his mid-20s. His attire includes a waistcoat, but no visible weapons. He is prim, polishing his glasses.

The Courage approached the tavern across the street from the manor. Arden decided to get them a private room.

Arden to the halfun proprietor: I want complete privacy.

He paid enough that he was essentially paying the halfun to shut down the tavern. If I understand my notes, the GM thought this was sufficiently cool and chrome-y that he didn't charge, but noted that in the future, such gestures would cause Wealth stress. I see 2 Wealth stress boxes in Couc's sheet, but none on Dullclaw's.

The proprietor closed up and put a sign on the door: Due to water pipe issues, the tavern will be closed today.

Couc was the last of the group to enter the private tavern room, but was bang on time. Food was there.

Ardet: So fill me in on what's happening.

IIRC, there had been incidents, including a falling bookcase. All the servants had gotten out safely.

Ardet: Dullclaw, do you know of any threats against my aunt?

Dullclaw: As far as I know, any criminal element is totally uninterested.

At this point, my notes say, "(There is totally a threat.)" I don't know whether the GM or Dullclaw's player said this out of character, whether Dullclaw was lying or genuinely ignorant, or whether the threat came from the usual suspects among the criminal elements or from somewhere else (which would explain any ignorance on Dullclaw's part).

While the servants escaped, the bookshelf fell on Ambassador Rigellus Hager, who was from Vanta, another human city. Rigellus worked for a Vanta senator to negotiate aid for Millford. I think Rigellus was killed, which was bad, because it meant that Senator Ruath couldn't protect her guest. This had to be dealt with, and retribution dealt out.

Wicked Fate is also intended to be a game where the characters investigate, and in addition to the traditional four actions one can take with skills -- Attack, Defend, Create Advantage, Overcome Obstacle -- one could take a fifth action, Investigate?

One thing the Courage wanted to investigate was: How _did_ Rigellus get into the city? I think someone with Contacts 3 looked into this.

His trip into the city had been totally secret. He traveled under an assumed name, accompanied by his halfun butler, Welles Deckley, who was currently not on the scene. Where was the butler? Good question.

Where was Rigellus's body? Probably in the crypt under the house, which was really cold, leading to the obligatory "keeping him on ice" joke. On Rigellus's body were a coin pouch and an unopened scroll with the Seal of Vanta on it.

Ardet took the scroll and use Stealth to open carefully, getting a total of 5, succeeding against a difficulty of 3.

My notes say, "I am discrete, good sir", which may have been spoken or may have been part of what was written in the scroll. The scroll was "Pretty direct and to the point, all things considered." It discussed a permeation of unseen / unknown corruption of the soul in Vanta, and said that Deckley had agreed to break with practice of his people and reveal the secrets. The scroll was addressed to Ardet's aunt and was from Senator Wren of Vanta, who had sent Deckley and Rigellus to Senator Ruath.

Ardet now had the Boost: Now You Know.

I think at this point, Bessen moved to replace the scroll and use his ability to talk to the dead body of Rigellus. Dullclaw intercepted, taking the scroll.

Ardet: Dullclaw?

Dullclaw: I can keep it safe.

At this point, there was a brief conflict within the Courage. I believe Bessen or Ardet tried to use Command as Provoke in social combat against Dullclaw. Bessen invoked the aspect Loose Lips Sink Ships, and got a boost of Vulnerable Tail against Dullclaw.

That's all my notes say, but I seem to recall that Dullclaw kept possession of the scroll and that Couc has a private, intense conversation with Dullclaw trying to get him to give up the scroll for his own safety, saying that he respected the roddun and didn't want to see Dullclaw get hurt. If so, Dullclaw made it clear that he was a survivor, not concerned about danger, and certainly not about to give up the scroll.

At this point, Dullclaw and Couc split off from Ardet and Bessen. They headed for a disreputable tavern called The Rusty Pipe. I think either Couc or Dullclaw investigated, as my notes say "Discover +3". They wanted to find out what was on the minds of the tavern's patrons. They learned that a mining operation had been suspended as unsafe, they were worried about their pay, and interested in any way to make money quickly.

Couc in his fancy clothes drew attention, so he asked after Welles Deckley. They learned that the halfun had paid for some of the rougher element to help him leave the city through the catacombs. However, hiring anyone to find him would cost dear, for his guides had been found -- their bodies torn apart bit by bit by bit. There had been no sign of Welles Deckley.

In other words, Deckley had hired guides to risk their lives. Couc was talking about asking people to die, which was not out of the question, but was more expensive.

Couc modified his request, as he didn't have that kind of money. How much to have a couple of strong folks on retainer, while he checked to see if his employer would cover the greater expense?

Behind this offer was the awareness that there might be a fight over the money they thought this easy target had. And when they suggested Couc hand over his pocket watch, there might have been.

But when I asked about how much money Couc had, I was either told to add Resources or to roll with Resources. Whichever it was, Couc had enough. He said he couldn't give them the watch, but handed over the money, making it clear that this was a retainer to keep the recipients available for a couple of days, and that he knew anything more solid would cost extra.

Couc and Dullclaw departed.

Couc: What we need is someone crazy enough to go down there and strong enough to survive.

Dullclaw: I'll go down there.

Couc: You said you were a survivor.

Dullclaw: I can survive the deeps.

Couc: It's a terrible idea. Let's do it.

And they headed for Deckley's last known position.

Meanwhile, Bessen interrogated Rigellus's corpse or spirit; I'm a little vague on which.

Question: How did Rigellus die?

He was crushed by the bookcase. BUT, his body shows signs of poison. The poison had _slowed_ him to the point where he couldn't move to escape the falling bookcase.

Question: Why was he in Millford?

He had been ordered by Senator Wren to go and present the services of his butler in regards to the halfuns' Secret.

Question: Who _should_ we be looking for -- for who killed him? To find Deckley? What?

I am not sure what the answer to that was.

Question: Who was with you when you died?

My notes say, "Wouldn't know re ghost". I don't know what this means, but my notes say that one of Senator Ruath's servants, Milgreet Reeves, had been walking or working in the hallway. She stopped to talk to Rigellus -- and then Rigellus died.

Somewhere in here, Ardet asked Bessen about the halfun secret. I forget whether Bessen told him, though I think so. I know Bessen's player thought he had to, because of Bessen's "Ardet is the law" aspect, but the GM assured him that this was not the case.

I know Ardet thought a curse was in play, possibly due to Bessen trying to dissemble about the ranfa or the Secret, possibly not. I think the ranfa attacked at this point, and a chunk was ripped / torn out of the wall.

Ardet: Wow. This is a very strong curse.

There was a clanging, and doors started to open and close. I think the ranfa materialized, and Ardet rushed straight toward it, assuming it was a burglar.

Ardet: Put your hands up!

GM: There's no skin on any of the fingers.

I think Ardet's player compelled his own aspect: Naive.

Ardet: I've never seen leprosy this close before.

The spirit's hands closed on Ardet's throat. I think the player checked one injured box and one drained box? And he may have had to resist an urge to jump out the window? I am not sure, but my notes say: "If blown (jump) out window, sees image of controller?"

I think the target was 5, and that Ardet successfully resisted with Will. If so, the spirit was Outmaneuvered + Bewildered. There was a Glowing Tether from the Deconstructed Ghost. It was tethered to a full haffun child skeleton hidden in the wall of the basement, and very angry.

Meanwhile in the catacombs, my notes indicate a compel on Dullclaw's King of the Catacombs, and on Keeper of Secrets. He and Couc found a mine that was naturally made. My notes say that Dullclaw made a Passive Discovery with a total of 6 on the Survival skill, getting a follow up question.

There was add shaft, strangely cut, that went straight up. Someone had tried to hide it. Wind blew into Dullclaw's fur.

Follow up question: Does it look like a person's gone through? Yes, consistently.

The shaft opened into a ladder.

Dullclaw: Adventure!

Couc: You're enjoying this.

Dullclaw: I have a witness! I'm not too old!

The ladder went up to Senator Ruath's manor. Dullclaw and Couc, realizing this went further down, relying on Dullclaw's lantern, which never goes out. The tunnel opened onto a wider cavern into darkness. Dullclaw opened the lantern and heard clicking all around. He saw giant bugs. Riding atop one was a creature he had never before encountered. It was human shaped, with odd skin, no hair, and tendrils coming from its face.

Couc: What's out there and should I set it on fire?

Dullclaw: Yes!

Voice inside Couc's head: Hello, little servant!

Couc's player: I throw the f*king fire. Then I see what whispered in my ear.

Throwing fire involved Couc using magic. I think everyone could use magic, or at least could be designed to do so.

As Couc lit up the cavern, he and Dullclaw saw five giant beetles. One of the Enemy (basically, an Illithid) was atop one of the beetles. Next to the Enemy was a halfun. His eyes were glazed over. This was Deckley, the Lone Massacre Survivor.

Couc attacked, I think with fire. He invoked his aspect: Oh, underestimate me, please.

Somewhere in there, Couc also took a mild consequence of: OMG THEY'RE REAL!

Meanwhile, Bessen checked on Ardet.

Bessen: Are you okay?

Ardet: That curse sucked -- the life out of me.

My notes say: "X on wall to show Ardet where to use the earth magick". I think this had to do with releasing the soul of the ranfa.

Ardet (I think): The soul is now at peace?

Indeed it was. Ardet or Bessen had the Gratitude of the Ranfa.

Ardet or Bessen to the grateful ranfa, I think: We need to find Milgeet Reeves. Where is she?

Another wall in the basement blew open, revealing a passage with a ladder leading down. Why yes, this would reunite the upstairs pair with the duo in the catacombs.

Ardet did consider destroying the scroll. However, he was Compelled not to.

GM: Ardet wouldn't do that -- denying your aunt aid.

I have no idea where the scroll was at this point.

My notes say that something was important for the reign of men. Earth magic crafted a hiding place for it, and this meant that Earth aspect had a free invoke. This probably had something to do with Ardet's magic.

Bessen and Ardet tumbled down to where Couc, Dullclaw, the beetles, and their riders were. This gave Boost to the enemy: Ardet and perhaps Bessen were Shocked and Dirty.

I think the GM called for a Survival roll. My notes say:

Survival

• Dullclaw 4
• Bessen 2
• Couc 1

I don't know if Ardet's player got a roll. I think Dullclaw succeeded with Style.

I believe Couc was able to burn a couple of the beetles. Then, Dullclaw's player rolled a 6 to the enemy's -3. This made good narrative sense.

Someone, possibly me: They've never seen Roddun before.

Dullclaw jumped atop one of the beetles.

Dullclaw: _My_ Beetle Steed!

This may have been an Aspect.

Ardet and Bessen had fallen right in middle of the circle of beetles. Ardet charged them. The enemy tried to mind blast him.

Ardet got +2 bonus for some reason, possibly a stunt. His Will was 2, so he started with +4.

I think the enemy started with +6, and that Ardet's player rolled a -4 and spent a fate point to reroll. Either that or the player rolled a 0 and spent a fate point to add 2. Ardet _knew_ this was the enemy, and this was clearly a faceoff.

So, the enemy had 6, as did Ardet at this point. But, he was Shocked and Dirty, and the GM spent a fate point to invoke the enemy's Hatred of Man. My notes say that at this point, it was Ardet's 6 to the enemy's 8.

Ardet had a free invoke: Blood of my mother. My notes say:

• Blue Blood
• This is My land
• This is the Earth of Man
• +1 To Serve is Divine

I think this means that he paid a fate point to invoke To Serve is Divine. He had 10 to the enemy's 8.

Ardet, supremely confident: You made the halfuns for _me_!

After all, Bessen had always told him that the halfuns had crawled through the earth to serve him and other humans.

The enemy was shocked and backing away. Ardet was still standing, utterly untouched.

My notes say "Ardet Prowess". Ardet's saber was glowing. This may have been something Ardet's player described, but it surprised Ardet.

Ardet: I've never seen this happen before.

My notes say:

+5 vs 0 card pull
vs +2 (Prowess)
w/ Style

While I don't recall what the details meant, I do know Ardet took the enemy out, his saber cutting through the Illithid like butter.

Bessen used Air magic to snatch Deckley away.

Someone created a Beetle Flipped aspect with a free tag.

I don't know what the following details mean, apart from the Courage winning the battle:

Prowess
4 vs -1
-)2
+fp
They are masters of halfun

4 vs 4
-) 6 flipped beetle for 2
-) 8 Now You Know

And, to no one's surprise, Magreet Reeves ran away before she could be questioned.

We each supplied a scene from the Next Episode:

Bessen: He is exorcising Welles Deckley and asks, "Who's behind this?" Deckley is about to tell him.

Ardet: He finally asks his mother about his father.

Dullclaw: He leads even deeper into the catacombs, a glow in his eye and a smile on his face.

Couc: He is sparring and losing to Dullclaw. The roddun's tail wraps around his arm. Dullclaw says, "That's twice I've killed you -- and taken your fancy pocket watch!"

We did Roses and Thorns next, with some focus on Investigation / Discovery.

I liked having input into the world. I didn't like the whole Secret business. First of all, just why are there all these generations of halfuns keeping the Secret? It didn't make sense to me. Ignorance wouldn't help when the enemy arrived. Second, I didn't buy that the Secret would have been kept.

But these weren't my main problem with the Secret. These are genre conventions that could simply explain why nothing was done until the PCs entered the scene. And one can always decide that the Secret isn't secret in one's own game.

No, my main problem is that this is the assumed default for official material, which means that if you go in a different direction at any point -- like, say, after running an official adventure like the one we'd just played -- you will now have a hard time running official products in the future that rest on the assumption that the Secret is indeed a secret. That's a problem.

Dylan didn't like Discovery / Investigation. He described himself as preferring "old school" Fate. There, one just created an advantage, and that gives a _benefit_. He doesn't like it as a fifth thing.

My notes say that the game is trying to address the issue of whether _anything_ can be important AND not an Aspect. I think we agreed that in the case of information, it could.

My notes say that there needs to be a separation between learning information that one can then make an Aspect of one's choice and using information. I wrote:

• Narrative
• Overcome
• Create Advantage
• Aspect

Lilith had feedback specific to the Roddun. It was very unclear to her what a Business was. It was clear how to use it once one had it, but not how to make it.

Brendan agreed, saying that, while the information was in the book, it was good for it to also be on the character sheet. He said something that I glossed as "Possible list."

Brendan also had a Thorn. He said that there is a hole and weirdness around a situation when "we're all PCs -- how do I make you do a thing in Fate?" This was the situation we had hit with the conflict over the scroll.

Do we Create an Advantage? Do we treat it as Overcoming an Obstacle and agree that if I do, you do it? Do we use Stress / Take Out conflict mechanics? Do we use contest mechanics?

Lilith: And then, when we get into actual conflict with NPCs, and there's a problem.

Brendan said that the issue is that no answer given. Sure, we came up with multiple possibilities, and that was okay. But, what might you use what when, and why? What should the default be?

Lilith suggested that one set an Obstacle at _their_ skill level, which I think meant the level of the character creating the obstacle.

Brendan said yes, but the issue was: Which one? There are a dozen possibilities

My notes mention costs and list options:

• Time spent
• Out of game
• In game
• A roll
• Fate points
• Stress...
• Compels? Rewards.

All in all, it was a fun game, but there was much to think about in certain areas. I do want to see more of this.