> To take it one step further, let's say the Wizard wins with a Minor Victory. The Warrior therefore suffers a Minor Defeat and is Impaired. Narratively, what does that mean? Is the Warrior now at the Wizard's mercy, or has he been defeated and run away to fight anoher day? If the latter, then presumably he could just use another skill and conduct another Simple Contest with the same goal (maybe he's using his bow this time...)? In that case, would the Wizard be forced to use a different ability also (following the No Repeat Attempts rule)? Or does that only apply if you're defeated?
It means what you need it to mean. It's your story. Given that I can't give you an answer, only guidance:
Mechanically, if you are defeated then you can't continue the contest. Switching skills is not switching contests -- as you described it,the boal is broadly the same. (Switching to Persuasive in order to be set free is a new contest.)
Perhaps Warrior is thunderstruck and dazed by the lightning blasts, and the Wizard has captured him. Perhaps the singed Warrior saw the better part of valor and ran away. (You might want to ask the player, or base this on whether the warrior had Stubborn or Lives To Fight Another Day abilities.)
Also mechanically, the Warrior is Impaired, and that would almost certainly impact all new contests.
As for repeat attempts, if Wizard fends off Warrior, then has to deal with Assassin in a separate contest, it's not a repeat attempt in my book. Even if Wizard lost to Warrior.
There's a little bit of an art to this -- how come attacking the Wizard a different way is different from failing to pick the lock, and then trying to bash the door? -- but usually common sense can handle it. Another way to look at it is that the first contest is a physical confrontation, and in the course of the abstract resolution, a number of abilities might actually be used (Sword being primary). In the attempt to quietly finesse your way past a door, Brute Strength probably doesn't get used. Also note that the second contest really does have a different context -- it's noisy and cannot avoid notice.
David Dunham
Glorantha/HQ/RQ page: www.pensee.com/dunham/glorantha.html
Imagination is more important than knowledge. -- Albert Einstein
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