On December 8, 2006 03:25 pm, Mike Holmes wrote:
> Oh sure. Put me on the spot. I know that I've done this before (might even
> be the same example tomb), but I can't find it anywhere else so I'll do it
> again. Extended Contest examples are long to write...
They are, which is probably why we don't see lots of them. But I think they would be very useful, especially for these kinds of things.
> OK, first thing is that I don't plan these things out much if at all. I see
> people often plan them out as though they were like heroquest stations or
> something. X will happen, and then Y. Not a bad idea to have a few ideas
> before hand, but I think most people can extemporaneously come up with the
> sort of things they need. Most importantly, remain loose. Because,
> remember, the character gets to direct the nature of the contest with his
> actions as well. So anything you "plan" may simply not end up being used.
I like the idea of the Fortress (ruin. Tomb. Whatever) having a few major listed abilities that make sense so you have something to work from, but no "series of events".
> I can't recall many of the details of the scene in question from Raiders
> off the top of my head.
OK, maybe *I* will have to do the Raiders one in response.
> OK, so we have a character, a scholar who, pressured by a female associate
> who needs cash fast, has decided to penetrate a tomb in order to get the
> loot she needs. It's the tomb of an Esrolian family, and I imagine it on a
> tiny rocky island off the coast of Esrolia (you may proceed to inform me
> why this cannot be so in Glorantha).
Nope. Esrolia's on the coast, no problem here. :)
> So we have an extended contest, the
> goal of the scholar to get in, get some loot, and get out alive with his
> hide as intact as possible, and nobldy being the wiser for his theft. The
> goal of the tomb's trap run is to stop as much of hat as possible.
OK. This is good to know.
> The player, thinking ahead brings a book that contains some descriptions
> and hints about the tomb.
>
> Round 1A - The character, having gotten himself to the island, now finds
> himself having to penetrate it's many defenses. The first is a door, a
> massive metal valve with a 10W2 resistance to opening it. That sets the
> Tomb with 50AP. The character counters with his "Enter Old Places" ability
> and with augments he's at 15W, for a 35 AP pool to start. The narrator sets
> the bid at 15 AP, and the player rolls a -2x Transfer! A disaster? The door
> nearly stops him cold! The narrator narrates how he tries to work at it all
> night, and how it's only after the clouds clear near morning that the
> moonlight reveals a secret catch that allows the door to be opened. He has
> little time left!
>
> Scholar 5AP, Tomb 80 AP.
So you had the Tomb go first? Any particular reason?
> Round 1B
Clear enough, although it seems we have had 2 criticals in 2 rolls.
> Round 2A - as he traipses down the corridor, the narrator says that the
> steps in the floor drop down flat, creating a slide that sends the
> character plumeting towards the wall at the end.
>
> He manages a marginal
> victory, and the tomb loses 8 AP. The narrator says that just as he gets to
> the bottom, he manages to put his pack in front of him, which absorbs the
> blow (but leaves the contents of the pack in disarray - penalty if he tries
> to use the book again).
Query. Why does he get a penalty on a victory?
> Round 2B - The narrator puts this
> at a 15 bid again, with the same reasoning as above, if the trap is
> undetected
Shouldn't the player be making the bid here? It's the scholar's turn. (Mind you, the narrator limiting/controlling bids does avoid the problem of the Scholar making a desperation bid at the door.)
> Round 5B - the player takes an "unrelated action" to take care of the
> poison and rat bites so they don't become life threatening later. TN 5W,
> against his fairly good first aid and desperation for TN 8W. He manages to
> get a minor victory, and so he's ready to move on.
I was wondering if you would sneak an unrelated action in. Going back to an earlier discussion, this becomes an action to change a mechanical situation (i.e. - the poison and bites can't be used to bid against him again)
> Round 6B - The narrator allows the player to bid a 15 AP - there might
> still be more even if he makes it.
So you are putting limits on what the player can bid.
> Them's the breaks. What a scholar won't do for an Esrolian vixen. :-)
Well yes.
It certainly is a different approach and style.
Most interesting.
LC
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