The Cemean Strangers

Game Master Ryuko

Alrighty guys, using this as an area to have out of character discussions.

To start, I want to mention the idea of the Origin Story, since I'm running one. In the Origin Story, none of your skills, aspects or stunts are set in stone, and you will begin with 6 fate points. The whole first session will be the Origin Story, which will account for 4-6 Scenes. During any of these scenes, you may declare what level your skill is in any skill as I call for the roll. Don't abuse it, the point is to let you figure out dynamically where your character belongs in the group. If a combat breaks out (likely) then Chance Dillinger might say that his Shoot is +4. This establishes that he is an excellent marksman, and also lets everyone in the group know that is something he wants to focus on, and something they can likely avoid having too highly on their own lists unless it is important to them. When breaking out, perhaps one of you will declare your Burglary at +3, letting everyone know that will be a specialty of your character's. Feel free to declare any and all skills, stunts or aspects during this first session. We will hammer out a full character sheet for everyone afterward, and after that you will only be able to change it at milestones.

Any questions I can answer before we really get rolling?

EDIT: Just recalled something. Since some of Fate is focused on Sessions (Refresh, Moderate Consequences) I intend to make every "Session" roughly 4-6 Scenes and when narratively appropriate. I will inform everyone when one is over and another begins.

As I won't be looking at my Fate book until post workday, mind giving a quick definition of Aspect? I don't want to post unless I know I'm doing it correctly. I am one of those who likes to have the gameplay thread clean, neat, and free of unnecessary retractions if it can be at all helped.

An aspect is a double edged sword about your character. For instance, a possible aspect for Chance Dillinger could be My Family's Best Wheellock. That would elstablish that he had an exceptional gun, which I would only temporarily remove from him. The best aspects are both problems and solutions (compels on aspects are your biggest source of fate points) which that would be. Compels on that aspect could include jealous people wanting to take such a nice and valuable gun, as well as it marking him effectively as a member of the dillinger family, giving him fate points whenever such things caused complications for his character. On the other hand, someone could tag that aspect in a positive fashion to help with a shoot roll, to establish his credentials or in other, unforseen ways ("I hereby swear it upon My Family's Best Wheellock). When the aspect was tagged, the player would deduct a fate point from themselves and give a +2 on the coming roll, or a reroll or +1 if it was brought up after the roll. The best part is that almost everything has aspects, which you can create or declare yourself (I make a Crafts roll to declare that the paddy waggon has a Loose Bar to create an advantage *roll*) Your character always believes an advantage he creates is true, but if he or she rolls badly it isn't, and they merely believe it. And when you create or declare an aspect, you get one free tag on it without spending a fate point (2 if you succeed with style)

Note that many different rolls could be used to create the same advantage (a Loose Bar could also be achieved by someone making a Physique roll to make it loose, as opposed to declaring) and aspects on anyone or anything may be used at the cost of a fate point by any actor in the scene (including your enemies, who can use the Dark and Stormy Night to their advantage in sneaking justs much as you could)

I may not have used the Aspects part correctly in my post. I wasn't sure if there were some that were temporary like the scene aspects for characters. If not, please disregard the blue letters. :-)

It's ok. In general I'm expecting a lot of stumbling through the first session. We'll iron out the kinks eventually. Note that your character generally only has negative aspects as a punishment (Groggy and Wounded would generally be only because you were beat up or conceded.) and that positive aspects are usually the result of rolls (perhaps use your Will skill to Create Advantage of Unbowed and Determined) but I'll allow those to stand as scene aspects right now.

In addition to scene aspects and created aspects, your character has 5 aspects (High Concept, Trouble and 3 others) which are a huge part of their character and do not change quickly. This is more what I meant when I said you could freely declare aspects for the Origin Story.

Note they don't have to be big things (one of the biggest examples in the core book is Not The Face! which is not too important overall) just semi-permanent parts of your character

That all really helps Ryuko! And the My Family's Best Wheellock sounds fantastic. I may use that idea verbatim.

As for skills right now, however, if we were to use one would we just declare a value for it then count it against our allotted pyramid stack? For instance, as I'm thinking of directions I want Chance to go I'm liking the crafting ability. So if I just declare it as a +3, then it is... diminishing then the points I can allocate elsewhere?

Currently I've sketched out initial intentions with skill points. They aren't set in stone, but I wanted a rough road map so that I didn't spend them all but miss something that really interests me but just didn't come up. I figured it would also help me limit the bonus, since my tendency would be to grant things large bonuses initially just because I can and want to succeed at the current task.

And obviously if we find any spots where the group is really lacking as a whole, I might be able to shift around to cover that area.

Don't forget Channeling (Stranger) is a required skill. ;-)

Ahh, yes! Thanks for pointing that out!

Well done Chance, that's exactly how it works. And sketching out ideas with the skills is a fine thought if it appeals to you. Also, I've been thinking I want to change the Drive skill to Travel, to make it more applicable to the setting. Making it cover horses, wagons, boats, ships, navigating, and even languages. Just a thought.

EDIT: Also, if you like My Family's Best Wheellock so much, soon you should declare it, and offer a self-compel (which means you intentionally get your character into more trouble for an extra Fate point) after all; it might be best if Chance got away immediately, but I couldn't imagine him leaving before taking back his favorite gun ;)

I like everything about what you just suggested. Of course he wouldn't get away without it, and damned be whatever consequences come as a result!

Consider it claimed, and compelled. I'll record it in the profile.

I may have been a bit too ready to offer praise. Firstly, Chance typo'd himself out of a d3 so...

1d3 ⇒ 1

Which gives him a 2 total. I failed to establish scene difficulty, so I shall call it 2, which gives him a tie, which means a few options. Chance could:

Succeed but at a minor cost (perhaps the guards heard him and are paying more attention (Watch That One as a boost*) or the imperfection is in the chains that aren't between his wrists (meaning he could get away from the wagon, but would still have Shackled as an Aspect)

Chance could declare one of his personal aspects (I could imagine something like A History of Punishment though perhaps Hooligan Son would apply here) and spend a fate point to get a retroactive +1, making his total 3, or a reroll, offering a possible better total. He could also do this on a scene aspect if one applied, but so far I couldn't see how one would.

Chance could accept failure and try a different tack in a moment (These shackles are actually remarkably well made. Perhaps you could snatch a key?)

*A Boost is an Aspect that can only be used once, for free, and then disappears.

What do you think Chance?

EDIT: Also, on a success, Chance would place something along the line of Fault in the Cuffs on the scene, and gain a free tag of it for a +2 for himself (or whoever used the free tag if he chose not to claim it himself), and anyone else could use it at the cost of a fate point.

Oops. So was the roll supposed to be 4d3-8, instead of 3d4-8? I guess I'm not sure where the 1d3 bonus is coming from, but I want to get it right in the future.

As for the complication, I'll take a minor cost associated with the success--granting Watch That One as a boost. Should have been less conspicuous eh?

*Ahh, and that edit makes sense. I really wasn't sure how the advantage thing worked, but that clicks.

It is supposed to be 4d3-8+Mod. The Fate dice are essentially d3s with one face as positive, one as nuetral and one as negative, so each is represented as 1d3-2.

And well done Chance, now the scene gets more interesting

*Evil DM Chuckletm*

Ok, that makes sense. And interesting is always better than easy, right?

Ok, that makes sense. And interesting is always better than easy, right?

That's at the core of Fate Core! Even a failure is only a failure if you're not willing to make things more interesting for a victory.

Quick heads up: I've been called in for jury duty tomorrow. So I will be absent, but not of my own accord.

That's fine, thanks.

We seem to be having some hesitation, and I understand that, but I would like at least opening posts out of everyone tomorrow. I don't want this game to die in its infancy.

Well be moving forward early tomorrow, hoping that PWO gets thier Proletariat Boatman in by then, but if they don't well just move on and insert them at another point if they get to posting.

Also, Fate is a very proactive system, so while ill be dropping adventure hooks into the game all the time and having groups react to you, I will rarely if ever pull you by the nose through a plot.

I'm not sure if I should be continuing with Chance, or let others give some input. But I want to be checking in so you know I'm still around and excited!

I was also kind of pausing to see if others showed up to the thread. Once Ryuko posts to the discussion advising we should carry on, I will be seeing about that aspect waiting there for use, as Rengo will have had some experience being chained up during his ever so recent prison time.

I believe you may carry on. I had a really rough couple days so I was pretty fried today, but I'd love to log in tomorrow and move things along with people's reactions to your actions. It seems we will be 3 players for a time at least, though I've made it clear to yorick and will be making it clear to PWO that they are free to join at any time if they desire.

So, sorry for the slow start guys. Moving forward well be doing one post per weekday, and hopefully one on the weekends. Willard has lots and lots of freedom for what his relationships with "the girl" and "the beggar king" are. I'm just dropping some hooks

No worries on the slow start. I'm really interested in learning this system, so any pace at all gives me that opportunity. I'll gladly commit to a post a day through the week, but will struggle to maintain that on weekends. I'll try to at least pop in and keep the story from stalling!

I certainly don't blame you Ryuko. Also, I'm used to really slow moving PbPs. A certain freeform PbP based on characters created in a mafia/werewolf game that you yourself participated in has been slowing surviving despite many lengthy gaps.

I would say as long as you don't mind GMing a little slowness, we will probably be fine. And to Chance's unspoken point, I imagine that once we all feel more comfortable with the system, posting will be quicker and easier.

That said...

I want to post that Rengo's familiarity with the manacles means he can use the "Fault in the Cuffs" aspect Chance created. I just announce that I'm using it, and mark off a fate point? And to prevent my own error when setting up the "dice," what would be the correct dice and modifiers for this? Do I need to account for a "Strength" skill of some kind? Or are assuming it's all about leverage here?

I'm pleased to hear the old werewolf game is still going. I tried to get one set up again but life interfered. I'm going to try to stick to one post per weekday, but if things don't go smoothly, I won't be a stickler.

You could use the aspect by announcing it, and using one of your (currectly 6) fate points. The correct dice would be:

4d3-8+Mod

In this case Mod would be equal to your Physique or Craft skill (depending on if you were breaking it with raw strength or with technique) Recall that you'd have to declare your skill, and that you get only one skill at 4, two at 3, three at 2 and four at 1.

Default Skill List

We'll be using Travel instead of Drive, and adding Channeling.

Remember that tagging that Aspect means you'll get a +2 beyond the regular skill, which since the global difficulty on this scene is 2 (meaning the difficulty of the average task that is unopposed), gives you a decent chance of succeeding even with little to no skill.

Also, if you would want Rengo to be familiar with prisons, shackles and such in his own right, you could declare one of your personal aspects, (perhaps something like Half A Lifetime In Prison) which you could also spend a Fate Point to tag and which would then become a permanent part of your character.

Just posted as you typed this; let me know if I need to edit anything before the hour is up!. :)

Nope! That looks perfect guys.

Rengo! Since your roll of 5 beat the scene difficulty of 2 by a margin of 3, you have a success with style. This is most often represented by a boost (free, one-use aspect), but I'm open to other things if you have a good idea. Perhaps the manacles broke in such a way that you could use them as a surprise weapon in the likely upcoming combat?

Sorry I didn't get my post up yesterday. I started to write something, but ended up get sidetracked with chores and had to leave the house.

Just to clarify: the cart is described as a paddy wagon which should be a sealed box, correct? Based on description I'm assuming there are some narrow windows with bars (all made out of blackglass), but otherwise we are inside a contained unit, no? And I would presume it is barred and/or locked on the outside door to the back.

The last couple of posts make this seem a little confused. Is there an evident and easy way for us to escape that I am not understanding at this point? Especially since Chance snapping his cuffs was somehow observed? I guess I'm not sure why the guards would be overly concerned "yet" unless Chance had been more flamboyant than I was thinking he was once he broke his cuffs.

I was hoping to address these issues in my post, but as of now, I think I must be confused as to what we have access to.

Example paddy wagon

Sorry I didn't get my post up yesterday. I started to write something, but ended up get sidetracked with chores and had to leave the house.

Just to clarify: the cart is described as a paddy wagon which should be a sealed box, correct? Based on description I'm assuming there are some narrow windows with bars (all made out of blackglass), but otherwise we are inside a contained unit, no? And I would presume it is barred and/or locked on the outside door to the back.

The last couple of posts make this seem a little confused. Is there an evident and easy way for us to escape that I am not understanding at this point? Especially since Chance snapping his cuffs was somehow observed? I guess I'm not sure why the guards would be overly concerned "yet" unless Chance had been more flamboyant than I was thinking he was once he broke his cuffs.

I was hoping to address these issues in my post, but as of now, I think I must be confused as to what we have access to.

Example paddy wagon

I'm imagining bigger windows but yes, that's about what you're in. Just noticed Chance's post which won't quite work. You guys are locked in. The guards are overly concerned because they are rightly wary of Strangers but you won't be able to get through the door without breaking or wiggling out of it.

Also to Chance, that kind of disarm would be a Fight roll.

EDIT: Also, the guards are only even noticing the escape attempt because invoking the boost gave them such a good effort on notice. I did not imagine Chance or the others were open or flamboyant about breaking the cuffs, thought you could likely do a Deceive or something to create an advantage and pretend you are still locked up. Could be handy when Guards start attempting to give you a wooden shampoo.

EDIT 2: Also, I'd like to see a running tally of Fate Points in any post where they are used or given. Just something simple like "Tagging Fault in The Cuffs for +2. 4 FP left"

Yeah, I'll need to scratch that and revise. If only I could delete that post.

Whoops, hadn't even occurred to me to check if there was a discussion thread. My bad, guys.

Current tally is 5 FP. I'll try to get a post up later today.

I keep coming up with ideas, but as I'm not sure about how far my style success will take it, let me once again ask for some clarifications.

• Precisely how strong a substance is Blackglass? Actual glass? Ceramic? Steel? I ask as I have considered using the success to give Rengo access to the chain between the manacles as the cuffs snap off on both hands. If it's potentially breakable, I was figuring he could could use the chain to break or pull out a Blackglass bar assuming that's physically possible.
  
• If I said the success loosened the seat of the bench beneath him, would this provide a way to escape the wagon pending another Craft or Physique success to pry it up? I'd hate to waste the success creating an aspect that does nothing basically.
  
• Again about Blackglass, is it just a substance that prevents the channeling of Stranger magic? Or is more like Kryptonite in which it has a physical effect on us when we have contact with it?

Thank you for indulging my specificity.

I keep coming up with ideas, but as I'm not sure about how far my style success will take it, let me once again ask for some clarifications.

• Precisely how strong a substance is Blackglass? Actual glass? Ceramic? Steel? I ask as I have considered using the success to give Rengo access to the chain between the manacles as the cuffs snap off on both hands. If it's potentially breakable, I was figuring he could could use the chain to break or pull out a Blackglass bar assuming that's physically possible.
  
• If I said the success loosened the seat of the bench beneath him, would this provide a way to escape the wagon pending another Craft or Physique success to pry it up? I'd hate to waste the success creating an aspect that does nothing basically.
  
• Again about Blackglass, is it just a substance that prevents the channeling of Stranger magic? Or is more like Kryptonite in which it has a physical effect on us when we have contact with it?

Thank you for indulging my specificity.

Keep in mind as a rules light game, a lot of this is up to you. However, I'm always happy to help.

• I imagine Blackglass as some form of Channeling hardened obsidian. Somewhere around wood in difficulty to break, but which shatters like glass once you actually chip it. I would absolutely be fine with you using the chain (Boost of Chain For Leverage or something similar) to try to break out.
• I would also be fine with this.
• I imagine being surrounded in it, touching it, or maybe even being too close prevents channeling the Stranger. No other physical effect.

Also, you never have to worry about an Aspect that does nothing. If it makes even the slightest amount of sense and you put the effort into it, I will attempt to indulge you.

Collaborative rolls are possible and simple, everyone uses an action, and anyone involved gives a +1 to the person with the highest roll. It's what the squad system the enemies will often be using work.

Got it. And would you rule Physique or Craft?

Either is fine in that case. I could see strength or expertise winning the day.

Then I guess all that's needed now is for Wainwright to weigh in, and Chance to added a revised post for his action. :D

Hm. I'm thinking that Willard will be a former Mariner - his father was a trader, so being a skilled seafarer with a good grasp of other people's feelings fits. It also translates well to his ability to put the plight of the Strangers into words that might have well influenced people. That being said, I'm thinking he has at least some experience channeling that power.

I'm thinking that I'll put Empathy at +4 and Channeling at +2. I'll also use They Call Me Ben as an aspect, if it seems appropriate.

All of that being said, I'm not really sure if we should be channeling just yet, but how would the rules go as far as Willard trying to say, thicken the fog mentioned in the Foggy aspect (after getting away from the paddywagon)?

Simple, you'd be attempting to enhance an aspect, which would mean you'd roll your Channeling vs the scene difficulty (2) and describe how you did it. Then you'd get a free tag if you succeeded (2 if you succeeded with style) and change the aspect to something bigger like Impenetrable Fog

EDIT: Note that while thickening the fog would have little to no mechanical effect, it would change things as far as the story goes. The Guards would be a lot less likely to charge a thick bank of fog having no idea what might be waiting inside. This would be the equivalent of a compel on the Guards, giving them a fate point and keeping them from moving forward.

In addition, while you can use Create Advantage to do things like this with Channeling freely, no character can Attack with Channeling unless they have a tag (either free or from spending a fate point)

What Rengo just pulled (and Chance earlier) is called a Self-Compel and is essentially choosing to make a foolish decision, or have some difficulty happen to you, because it's what your character would do, or what makes sense. This gives you a Fate Point, for making things more interesting, which are used to your advantage later. The GM will also occasionally offer Compels which are similar, but if you don't want to go along with them, you have to pay a fate point, to reflect your character turning away from their nature. So Rengo is back to 6 fate points, and due to his unfamiliarity with the City's layout, managed to get trapped in an alley with an enemy.

Fair enough?

It makes sense to me. :D
Now how to use some Stranger magic to get out of this...of course, we know Chance will be hunting the one wielding his pistol, so I bet this scene stays nice and complex, lol.

Stress generally represents not real injury but the difficulty of getting away from injury. More the natural wear and tear of dodging blows and fancy footwork than being hurt. Real injury is reflected in Consequences.

Sorry I haven't posted yet. Will try to get something up while the officials review a play tomorrow.

Pretty sure Rengo's not getting what happened there. The Corporal was trying to hit you, so that you would be off balance. We'll move forward for the moment, but when people are attempting to Create Advantage, it means they're trying to place an aspect on you, or the scene, not that the aspect is already in place. Since without the tag to the (again, not actually there) aspect your roll was not good enough to defend against that, Rengo now has the Off Balance aspect, with a free tag for the Corporal.

To throw him into the wall I'll need to know what you intend to do in game terms. Are you trying to Create Advantage to get a bonus later? In that case you'd roll Channeling to give him an aspect (something like Crushed and Winded maybe?) which you'd get a free tag on if it was successful, like he just did with Fight on you. If you're actually trying to hurt him (inflict stress of Consequences), you'd need to tag something relevant (can't think of anything for force push, though you could use your free tag on A Chain is Handy if you did some kind of metal channeling) which would allow you to attack with Channeling at a +2 beyond your normal Channeling roll.

Either way, we're going to move on and you can fill in as soon as you get situated.

EDIT: Also, Willard are you attempting to Disengage? Or just trying to Create An Advantage of being Unseen?

Yes, Rengo did not get what was happening. The "Creating advantage of Off balance, Rengo defends with..." sounded more like you were saying it was my advantage to use while defending, not the consequence of failing to defend. I understand now, however. :)

In terms of mechanics, let me try and understand how the Channeling will operate. Is my Channeling roll essentially like a spell success roll? I'm "casting a spell (creating the Advantage)" with the Channeling roll, and if successful, I still have to then call a tag to then have the "spell" actually have an effect? Like Goku yells, "Kamayamaya!" and summons the energy, but then has to actually throw it out to try and hit the person. So two separate actions are required?

I channel this turn, he gets another shot to knock me unconscious, then I can actually have the air push him back. Does that sound right?

That's... kinda right. Channeling isn't really best used to attack unless conditions are already in your favor somehow (ex. Using the fog to make ice spears, using your chain to wrap around him and crush, using the windy street to throw people around). Channeling will generally be used mostly to Overcome (i.e. succeed at getting something done) or Create Advantages (i.e. put an aspect on something to get a bonus to your next action). Channeling roll is how effective the spell is itself (how tough the Aspect you place is to remove, or how much damage an attack does). Attacking with Channeling will always require you to tag an aspect, either one you've created and have a free tag on (like your chain) or one you spend a point to tag in the environment (like the fog) or one that's important to your character (I can't believe this is happening, I'm angry and confused and going to lash out as hard as I can). The last option is more of a dramatic kind of thing. Using your past life's training or your raw fear/anger/determination to do what shouldn't normally be possible.

So if you wanted to hurt him with Channeling I could see two good options:

• You tag A Chain is Handy, describe somehow channeling the chain to attack him and roll Channeling+2 to attack and deal damage now
• You throw him into the wall with wind, Creating an Advantage of Wheezing and Thrown, he gets a turn to do as he likes (probably try to shake off your advantage or attack you in a mad dash) and then you tag Wheezy and Thrown to attack at Channeling+2 (possibly tagging A Chain is Handy to get a further +2 for Channeling+4 and a hell of a hit)

Aye, I had intended to adjust my post to better reflect my intentions (I keep forgetting about the four main types of action in Fate), but it had slipped my mind. I had intended to Create an Advantage of Hidden (or Unseen), hoping to later use the free tag to either help Willard get away, or lend one of the others a hand.

How would a Disengage work? Is that just an attempt to leave the zone? Couldn't find it in the rulebook.