Re: What's The Story? Under the Red Moon Challenge

From: ttrotsky2 <TTrotsky_at_...>
Date: Sun, 23 Mar 2008 14:19:05 -0000

> But what's the story here? What's happening?

Well, let's see: the woman sitting in the chair is Kallyr. She's upset with somebody off-screen, and looks to be losing patience with them. Nearby is some other Sartarite leader - nobody that we know of, that I can tell, but a chief or someone else of significance. He looks rather doubtful about whatever Kallyr is saying (judging from his expression, and the fact that he is looking at her), but not openly hostile.

The scene takes place at night, when the moon is half or full (judging by the amount of light through the window). There is little illumination, so the meeting is probably secret. The room contains an image of Sartar, which may indicate that it is regularly used by the Rebellion, or at least somebody loyal to them. There is a large sack of grain in the room, and a wine amphora, so we could be somewhere that stores food and drink, such as the back room of an inn. The room looks to be too ornate to be part of a longhouse, which supports that idea.

There are signs of a recent struggle, especially the cup of wine spilled on the floor, that nobody has had time to clear away. Weapons and a helmet lie on the floor, looking as they have been discarded in a hurry, rather than being placed there deliberately (the helmet is on its side, while another on the mantlepiece has been more carefully placed).

So, the question is: who is the person we cannot see, and what has he (or she) done to earn Kallyr's ire? Since Starbrow appears to be losing her patience, the discussion has probably been going on for a while. She must therefore have asked him to do something that he is unwilling to do. Either he, or some fourth party, has recently had to be restrained.

So... Kallyr is having a meeting with local supporters, in a small town away from the Lunars, but somewhere that sympathetic chiefs (or their representatives) from more than one clan can meet up. She has proposed a plan for striking at the Lunars, and somebody has strongly objected. Being an Orlanthi bloke, they've got enthusiastic about their disagreement, which has led to a scuffle as fists are exchanged, before the chap was dragged off by Kallyr's lieutenants to somewhere he'll be less visible. The objector is not a chief, but he is somebody respected by his chief, who is now trying to persuade Kallyr that it's not that serious, it's not his fault that the other guy disagrees, etc. She's telling the chief to reign in his argumentative subordinate; he's too much of a risk, he'll blow our cover, why did you invite him in the first place? The man we can see is a chief from another clan, also at the meeting, and wondering how Kallyr is going to handle the disturbance, and possibly not much liking what he's hearing.

> What sort of scenario might you weave using this as a seed?

A much harder question. We have a situation where the needs of the Rebellion differ from the needs of someone respectable (perhaps within the players' clan). It's not obvious what the bone of contention is, but I guess the scenario would be how to deal with this person, who probably knows too much for the amount of risk he's being. It could be that he has a sound point, which is why the chief is sticking up for him, and that our Heroes have to question how much they are willing to give up for the Rebellion. Or our Heroes could be with Kallyr, and must figure our how to get the doubtful clans back on board - they agree with the Rebellion, but not with Starbrow's plan for what to do next, which the Heroes may have good reason to suppose is really important.

-- 
Trotsky
Gamer and Skeptic

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Trotsky's RPG website: http://www.ttrotsky.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/

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