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So, after his turn behind the counter of the bakery, and meeting Miss Fiona Blackpearl, we pick up with Xander Rook early the next morning. As in, hours before even he, a baker, gets up.
Xander is roused from his bed by the smell of smoke. Bolting to the window of his one-room apartment above a pottery store, he throws open the shutters and sees that the greengrocer's store at the corner of the street has gone up in flames. The neighbors have already started a bucket brigade, to douse the neighboring buildings, and Xander rushes outside to help. His efforts are rebuffed by a particularly boorish person named Frank Moon, but then the fire brigade shows up and things take an interesting turn. As the fire brigade turns their hose on the burning building, a fire elemental known as a 'flameling' emerges from the fire and attacks. It injures several people, killing Frank Moon. Xander tried to douse the creature with a bucket of water and misses, but draws the elemental's attention. Fortunately, Xander is able to overcome the creature before it can harm him. But no sooner does he do this than he is hit by a blast of water from the fire engine, which knocks him off his feet, causing him to slam his head on the cobblestone street, rendering him unconscious.
Hours later, Xander wakes in his own bed, under the watchful eye of his landlord, Mr. Veil. Mister Veil informs Xander that the police are now investigating the fire, and there are rumors circulating that the Queens, who owned the grocery and didn't escape the burning building, were ritual magicians. Ritual magicians have a very unsavory reputation. Xander has a hard time believe this, but Mr. Veil isn't so certain. Xander is also told that Mrs. Frost has given him the day off to recuperate. (She is the very soul of generosity, isn't she?)
And there we have it.
Were the Queens ritual magicians? Did they summon the flameling, but were unable to control it? Or is there something else going on the sleepy little town of Mistwater?
* * * * *
So, how do I come up with this? How do I play it?
I use a deck of cards to determine what events, if any, happen on a given day, or in a given situation. Clubs are neutral, nothing happens when I draw a club. Diamonds suggest something good happening: the discovery of a trinket, a nice turn in the weather, finding a magical object. Hearts indicate social interactions, and Spades indicate a Danger.
For the scenario above, I drew three cards: two Spades and a Heart. So, I knew something bad was goinig to happen. But what? So I started asking yes/no questions and rolling percentile dice. After a few questions, I determined the threat was a fire, and then, narratively, the flame elemental just occurred to me. The Heart covered the social interaction with Mr. Veil, who we met for the first time in this session.
What happens next? I have no concrete idea. I do have an inkling regarding the direction the story could go, but I'm not 100% committed to it. I suppose time will tell.
Xander is roused from his bed by the smell of smoke. Bolting to the window of his one-room apartment above a pottery store, he throws open the shutters and sees that the greengrocer's store at the corner of the street has gone up in flames. The neighbors have already started a bucket brigade, to douse the neighboring buildings, and Xander rushes outside to help. His efforts are rebuffed by a particularly boorish person named Frank Moon, but then the fire brigade shows up and things take an interesting turn. As the fire brigade turns their hose on the burning building, a fire elemental known as a 'flameling' emerges from the fire and attacks. It injures several people, killing Frank Moon. Xander tried to douse the creature with a bucket of water and misses, but draws the elemental's attention. Fortunately, Xander is able to overcome the creature before it can harm him. But no sooner does he do this than he is hit by a blast of water from the fire engine, which knocks him off his feet, causing him to slam his head on the cobblestone street, rendering him unconscious.
Hours later, Xander wakes in his own bed, under the watchful eye of his landlord, Mr. Veil. Mister Veil informs Xander that the police are now investigating the fire, and there are rumors circulating that the Queens, who owned the grocery and didn't escape the burning building, were ritual magicians. Ritual magicians have a very unsavory reputation. Xander has a hard time believe this, but Mr. Veil isn't so certain. Xander is also told that Mrs. Frost has given him the day off to recuperate. (She is the very soul of generosity, isn't she?)
And there we have it.
Were the Queens ritual magicians? Did they summon the flameling, but were unable to control it? Or is there something else going on the sleepy little town of Mistwater?
* * * * *
So, how do I come up with this? How do I play it?
I use a deck of cards to determine what events, if any, happen on a given day, or in a given situation. Clubs are neutral, nothing happens when I draw a club. Diamonds suggest something good happening: the discovery of a trinket, a nice turn in the weather, finding a magical object. Hearts indicate social interactions, and Spades indicate a Danger.
For the scenario above, I drew three cards: two Spades and a Heart. So, I knew something bad was goinig to happen. But what? So I started asking yes/no questions and rolling percentile dice. After a few questions, I determined the threat was a fire, and then, narratively, the flame elemental just occurred to me. The Heart covered the social interaction with Mr. Veil, who we met for the first time in this session.
What happens next? I have no concrete idea. I do have an inkling regarding the direction the story could go, but I'm not 100% committed to it. I suppose time will tell.
