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overheard_at_the_tavern [2012/04/07 08:19] – created Mike Holmes | overheard_at_the_tavern [2012/04/07 10:19] (current) – [Notes] Mike Holmes | ||
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- | ====== Set Up ====== | + | ====== Set Up (AKA the Tavern Phase) |
===== Reward Pool ===== | ===== Reward Pool ===== | ||
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* 1d12 | * 1d12 | ||
- | During play the number and size of dice in this pool will vary. | + | During play the number and size of dice in this pool will vary. The number of each type of die can be recorded in any convenient way, using actual dice, or dice of the size in question showing the number of dice in the pool on their faces, or simply recording on paper or the like. |
===== Initial Situation ===== | ===== Initial Situation ===== | ||
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* "Why is it that they chose you for this job?" | * "Why is it that they chose you for this job?" | ||
* "What dangers stand in your way?" | * "What dangers stand in your way?" | ||
+ | * "Whats the rush to get this done?" | ||
* "What do you all get out of this?" | * "What do you all get out of this?" | ||
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* Why the PCs care, individually - note that a player may decide not to reveal his character' | * Why the PCs care, individually - note that a player may decide not to reveal his character' | ||
* What at least two of the known dangers are | * What at least two of the known dangers are | ||
+ | * Why things will get worse, if they don't hurry | ||
The GM should record the answers to these on his quest tracking sheet. He keeps on having the barkeep ask leading questions until the players have determined all of the above required facts. | The GM should record the answers to these on his quest tracking sheet. He keeps on having the barkeep ask leading questions until the players have determined all of the above required facts. | ||
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The narrations in the Tavern occur over rounds of drinks, during which each PC will get a chance to speak. There is no turn order to this, players just speak back and forth as in any normal conversation. Each round, the player can tell a tale to reveal an ability once (see Telling Tales below), and any number of obstacles may be created. The round ends when each player feels that their character has had their say. Generally players are trying to come up with their goals in response to the Barkeep' | The narrations in the Tavern occur over rounds of drinks, during which each PC will get a chance to speak. There is no turn order to this, players just speak back and forth as in any normal conversation. Each round, the player can tell a tale to reveal an ability once (see Telling Tales below), and any number of obstacles may be created. The round ends when each player feels that their character has had their say. Generally players are trying to come up with their goals in response to the Barkeep' | ||
- | === Opposition Dice === | + | === Time is of the Essence |
- | The longer the characters loligag around in the tavern, the more time the opposition has to plan or for the dangers involved to get worse. | + | The longer the characters loligag around in the tavern, the more time the opposition has to plan or for the dangers involved to get worse. At the end of the first round in the tavern, the opposition dice increase |
+ | |||
+ | After the Tavern, play in rounds ceases, but the opposition dice can advance for other reasons. | ||
====== Character Abilities ====== | ====== Character Abilities ====== | ||
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====== Resolution ====== | ====== Resolution ====== | ||
- | Generally works like my other Chronica hacks, including concessions. | + | Generally works like my other Chronica hacks, including concessions. The player only gets their most pertinent ability die for free in a contest. They also get any momentum dice free, if they' |
+ | |||
+ | ===== Stakes ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Often there is an ability at stake, such as when somebody is trying to take an object from another character, or when trying to kill somebody. In that case, each success gained, lowers the opponent' | ||
+ | |||
+ | Each concession gained can be used to lower some other ability than the staked ability. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Such reductions are termed injuries, from which it takes some work to recover. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Health ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Each character has a generic health ability rated at d4 unless they' | ||
===== Fatiguing Dice ====== | ===== Fatiguing Dice ====== | ||
- | You can narrate | + | Players |
- | A player can also fatigue a die to roll it. | + | ==== Extra Dice ==== |
+ | A player can fatigue | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Extra Effort ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Further, if a player does not like the result of a die rolled, they can narrate redoubling their efforts in that area, to get a re-roll of a die. This fatigues the die as above, and may be done repeatedly. However, the lowering of the die takes place immediately after using it, so this results in diminishing returns. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Reserves ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | If the narration makes sense, a player may fatigue a different ability than the one used. They can always fatigue the health die, if they prefer (though see the effect of this under Health). | ||
===== Risking Dice ===== | ===== Risking Dice ===== | ||
- | A player may burn a die at any time to win a contest. The player has to narrate very desperate action, and rolls the die. If the result would have been a failure, the results of the action are narrated in a way that describes how the ability is permanently lost. | + | A player may burn a die at any time to automatically have it considered to be it's maximum roll (a d12 is considered to have rolled a 12 for purposes of determining successes). The player has to narrate very desperate action, and does roll the die. If the result would have been a failure |
+ | |||
+ | ===== Resting ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Players may narrate their characters taking a break from the action to rest and recuperate. This has several mechanical results. First, each fatigued die goes up by one die type back towards it's normal value. Further, each player can do one resolution towards trying to heal or fix injuries, or toward finding somebody to heal or fix injuries. On a successful resolution roll to deal with an injury, the injury is repaired by one die type. | ||
+ | |||
+ | Resting has a cost with respect to Opposition dice and Momentum dice. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ===== Opposition ===== | ||
+ | |||
+ | As mentioned under rounds in the tavern phase rules, the more time left for the bad guys to plot and plan and generally prepare, the more dangerous they become. The reasons for this time sensitivity are set out in the tavern phase of play. The effects are represented by a pool of opposition dice that the GM can use whenever he narrates some way in which the dangers in question have increased due to the delays in question. | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Increasing Opposition ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | The opposition dice pool starts out empty, and goes up any time there is a delay: | ||
+ | |||
+ | * At the end of each round in the tavern | ||
+ | * The party stops to rest (per round of rest) | ||
+ | * The party detours from the most direct path to the goal | ||
+ | |||
+ | The GM gets a d4 for the opposition pool at the end of the first tavern round, or any time something causes a gain in the pool when it's empty. At the end of the next round it becomes a d6. A d8 at the end of the third. And so on until it becomes a d12. If they characters still haven' | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Decreasing Opposition ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | Each time the GM uses the Opposition dice, they go down by one die type. He may choose to lower any one die rolled by one type. A d4 reduced is discarded (and a new die may not be gained again until a d12 is obtained, or when starting from nothing). | ||
===== Momentum ===== | ===== Momentum ===== | ||
- | The quest has a momentum to it that' | + | On the other end of things, the quest has a momentum to it which can be interrupted if the characters take too much time doing things unrelated directly to it's success. Morale goes up with success, and then falls when the goal is not in sight. This is represented by a momentum die or dice. Momentum dice can be used by every member of the party at any time. |
+ | |||
+ | ==== Increasing Momentum ==== | ||
+ | |||
+ | After facing one danger successfully, | ||
+ | |||
+ | ==== Decreasing Momentum ==== | ||
+ | If any of the following occur, the momentum die goes down by one for each occurrence: | ||
- | After facing one danger this die becomes a d4 that can be used in any roll. After the second, it goes to d6. And so on and so forth, just like opposition dice. If the party stops to rest, for every rest taken, | + | * the party fails a to successfully face a danger (even if they get concessions) |
+ | * the party stops to rest (per round of rest) | ||
+ | * the party detours from the most direct path to the goal | ||
====== Sequels ====== | ====== Sequels ====== | ||
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How to give setting details impact? | How to give setting details impact? | ||
+ | |||
+ | Add rules for helping (and general resolution). |