Blades in the Dark (GM Sarah)

Game Master Sarah 'queen' B.

So, time for me to try my move. With the rope, there doesn't seem as much point in going back downstairs. I'm going to shin down the rope as fast as I can and go after them.

Prowl: 1d6 ⇒ 1

Welp

Ouch. Hope that's not too literal an ouch, Finn/

Lolo's got hunt and a couple of pistols. She can try and take the others out while you all go down the rope after Finn.

I'm back and catching up on life/work. Sorry for the radio silence - turned out I didn't have internet after all, which was pretty lovely actually. I hope to get caught up today/tomorrow.

I'm glad you had a good time away :)

@Finraeth - that fail dazed you. You don't get an action for the next "round" as you're recovering.

For everyone else the loss of the rope means that your position has gone from risky to desperate.

Lolo and Casia still have an action for this "round" and then evroyon except Fin gets an action next "round"

So in these “rounds”—since everyone has to have a turn—how does that work with stress? Cause normally part of what seems to make stress manageable is that only one person might need to take an action, whereas if we are all doing an action every round, we could easily cap out extremely quickly.

I hadnt' thought of that but I see what you mean. Also, i forgot about you, I'm very sorry! But yes, "rounds" is probly the wrong term - i'm trying to make sure everone's had the opportunity to take an action before moving on. That doesn't mean you *have* to take an action, if you want to save your stress for when it might be needed later.

I'm now trying to remmeber how we played it at the tabletop. WW, when you ran it did you do it in rounds? I can't remember.

I don't think the BitD tabletop experience maps onto PbP in any useful way. It was far more like improv, with people chipping in as they saw fit (honestly, the game practically ran itself - it's by far the easiest time of it I've ever had as a GM. Not doing any of the dice rolling was a revelatory, almost mystical, experience. But I digress.). So for a combat you might have several dice rolls from the cutter and the hound, with the slide and spider providing the occasional assist; and then in the social events it would be the other way around.

I don't think you can (or should even try to) replicate that in the PbP format, and I think you've done a really great job so far. I think your plan of dividing it up into turns is a good one - and probably the only way to make it work in this format - but I agree with Dary's concern if everyone has to have a turn. What you said about giving everyone the opportunity to chip in if they want to is probably the best way forward.

I hope that's helpful(?)...

OK, Lolo is going to concentrate on the bad guys, and shoot them. GM, what will be the position for the shot(s)? Is it also desperate?

Lolo has fine pistols and will push herself (not sure if the push will be an extra die or level of effect yet.

Yes, the loss of your rope and the fire means you are in a desperate position.

Thanks WW that is hlepful.

Back from the con and appropriately recovered from the experience. :)

Cas is going to spend one of her inventory items for another rope and hopefully it will survive. XD

Prowl: 2d6 ⇒ (3, 3) = 6

sigh

I'm glad you had fun :)

You're at a desperate position but you had another rope (better), BUT you failed the roll (worse!). How to keep this inttresting and moving forward?

In your haste to rush down, you don't realise it yet but you got bad rope burns on your hands. Take level 2 harm "skinned hands" - you'll porbly notice it next time you try to pick a lock. Witht that said, everyone else can follow you down the rope, *BUT* because of the time you lost everyone still up there - Lolo, Jonah and Dary - takes level 1 harm "smoke inhalation" before they're able to get out. Failed rolls at desperat position can affect you and hte rest of your team.

You can reissist the harm with prowess.

I'm glad you had fun :)

You're at a desperate position but you had another rope (better), BUT you failed the roll (worse!). How to keep this inttresting and moving forward?

I have to say, "failing forward" is one of the great narrative game mechanisms (originally from the PbtA game system, I think) and I'm still gobsmacked Paizo didn't incorporate it into PF2.

So just to make sure I'm clear on this, if I have 2, level one Harms then all of my actions drop in effect regardless of what I roll? Trying to decide if I risk a resist with only 3 stress remaining or whether I just take the Harm and lowered effect. I will likely just take it, but want to make sure I understand the consequences. :)

Prowess: 2d6 ⇒ (4, 3) = 7

I’ll get a post up later to illustrate how she resists!

OK, hunt it is then. Using the push to get an extra effect.

hunt: 2d6 ⇒ (5, 6) = 11

IIRC, the fine pistols also increase effect? (sorry, don't have my books with me). So, Lolo may be able to take out the remainder of the bad guys/girls?

EDIT: Oh, she's going to use her special long range shot too.

Yeah, she's gonna resist that.

Prowess: 2d6 ⇒ (1, 5) = 6

So 1 stress.

So just to make sure I'm clear on this, if I have 2, level one Harms then all of my actions drop in effect regardless of what I roll? Trying to decide if I risk a resist with only 3 stress remaining or whether I just take the Harm and lowered effect. I will likely just take it, but want to make sure I understand the consequences. :)

Less "effect" means that a success is still a success but it doesn't do as much as it would otherwise. It doesn't turn a success into a fail. Like, instead of knocking someone out maybe you stun them, or you don't trip them but they're off balance.

OK, hunt it is then. Using the push to get an extra effect.

[dice=hunt]2d6

IIRC, the fine pistols also increase effect? (sorry, don't have my books with me). So, Lolo may be able to take out the remainder of the bad guys/girls?

EDIT: Oh, she's going to use her special long range shot too.

Fine pistols can increase effect or add +1d to the roll, yes.

What effect are you going for? Providing cover, trying to kill or trying to wound? something else?

Okay, that's what I thought. With only 3 stress left, I'm not going to resist at this point. I'll just take the less effect from here on.

Fin/Cas, that exhcnage made me laugh so much my ribs remindied me they're not proplerly healed yet.

At this point, dead is fine from Lolo's perspective.

I take it this is the "round" that I am missing due to being winded?

Yes. I will probably not try that again though, it jsut caused confusion.

I;m sorry for letting thsi slide, I'm still around I'm just having pain issues so thinking and typing for long perods of time is still diffiuclt.

OK, so who is going with Lolo? and who is on the cart and what Action are you using to get it baack home?

Having grabbed the drugs, Jonah would be on the cart. I'm not sure what action to use at this point since I'm not sure what threat we're facing. Maybe just Prowl to slip away and out of the district unnoticed?

I'm thinking we want to ditch the coffin before we go. (Tossing it into the fire seems a reasonable option.) That's just in case we run into the same group of bluecoats on the way out. We could probably stop and cover the drugs with trash along the way. Would fit the gong cart look I would think.

Even the genteel parts of Duskvol are dangerous; chivalry demands that Finraeth accompany Lolo on her search.

^ Excellent! Glad to have the company. Do I need to roll anything GM?

Also, sorry you're still having pain issues, GM!

@Lolo - no roll needed.

@Johna - Prowl works. Only one of you needs to roll.

Okay, here goes...

Prowl: 1d6 ⇒ 4

Sucess with complications. I can use that :)

Also, yay for 200 posts! Sorry it took so long, thanks for haning in there. I hope you're still having fun, i know it's a *very* different game systerm from Pathfinder

Very different and runs different on PBP than I'd imagine it runs in person, but it is a lot of fun. You're doing a fine job, GM!

Hrrmmm...will need to ponder my response to this new complication. ;)

Your description of her works great for me. I'm assuming Sway or other actions can work on ghosts, correct? I'm not just limited to Attune which I think I'd rather avoid in this particular case.

Command: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Nice to get a success every now and then!

Hrrmmm...will need to ponder my response to this new complication. ;)

Your description of her works great for me. I'm assuming Sway or other actions can work on ghosts, correct? I'm not just limited to Attune which I think I'd rather avoid in this particular case.

I agree, Attune is for magic stuff - manipulating the Ghost Feild - this is more about intracting with someone so social skills more approprate.

Okay, Sway it is to try and convince her to scout ahead but stay well hidden and not bother anyone. I'm not sure how my limited effect from injuries will affect this...

Sway: 1d6 ⇒ 6

Post coming soon. Regardless of the success, I'm guessing further complications will arise from my fellow Mites. ;)

Sorry, I had a busy weekend.

Your roll is controlled, so if it goes wrong it won't go too baly wrong. But the effect is limited - even without your injuries. Naty is curious and bored and I tihnk it will take more than one roll to get her to do what you want. But you're onto a good start :)

Dary and Casia: I know there hasn't been much for you to post about for a while now, I'm sory about that. I'm hponig you're still around :)

Yep, still here! Just trying to be restrained about my stress since we are all so close to maxing out on it.

If I wanted to try to subtly suggest she go do as Jonah asked, perhaps by implying there’s something more interesting and entertaining there and that staying would be boring, would that be sway I’m guessing?

Still here as well. Been having fun family drama that I won't bore you with the details of, but posting when I can.

Heh, looks like you guys are having fun (yes, I'm reading under the spoilers - but I'll keep the knowledge separate from my character. I just don't want to miss out).

@Lolo: do we let her go? One less body for the bluecoats to worry about, but on the downside I don't think we've seen the last of her.

@Itzi: sorry to hear about the drama. Hope things are improving.

I was thinking that either we:

1. Kill her and then we've got one less recurrant enemy to worry about in the future, or

2. Let her go if she can tell us how she learned that we were hitting the drug house, which might be valuable to know.

You bring up a good point about the Bluecoats. This is already going to bring a lot of heat. On the other hand, when we've already got a lot of heat coming our way, what's one more body?

There's also the possibility that she fights back, which is not great. I've taken a fair bit of Harm already...

I like option 2. Information like that is worth something.

Dareai: that definitly sounds like Sway :)

GM: Here's a question, could Naty and Jonah, using Attune, transform the drugs into something that isn't harmful? Basically keep it the same color, feel, taste, etc., but with no actual effect on the user? I'm thinking that giving Naty the task of 'testing' her ghostly energies on a worldly substance would potentially occupy her curiosity for a bit.

RP reason would be she saw a lot of girls like her and was herself harmed by stuff like what we're carrying. Making it useless, would keep it from causing more harm and potentially strike a small blow against the dealers. Having it be similar in look and feel might keep the switch from being immediately discovered and would give us a bit of cover. Might be too much of an effect given my current state. Of course, much depends on the actual roll. :)

I'll also wait for Dareia's action to see if that changes the situation for better or worse.

That sounds more like a downtime alchemy thing to me, I'm not saying no but difficult for you to do right here right now.

Sway: 1d6 ⇒ 3

Ok, so fail but it was a controled situation. I think the failure means you're now at risky but no other bad effects, if you can get a success or two between you :)

I am officially maxed on stress after that :(

EDIT: Oh actually 1 from being maxed, so not quite as bad

That sounds more like a downtime alchemy thing to me, I'm not saying no but difficult for you to do right here right now.

I thought that might be the case. So switch direction a little bit. Hrrrm...what about conjuring a spooky fog to cover our passage and make it harder to spot the ghostly figure in the wagon? It's always damp and wet here anyway, so shouldn't be too hard. And under the cover of the fog, any overheard arguing could be just about any family making their way along the avenue.

I am officially maxed on stress after that :(

EDIT: Oh actually 1 from being maxed, so not quite as bad

How did that give you stress? Failed rolls don't stress you out, only trying to Resist stresses you out. If i wasn't clear on that I'm sorry

Sarah the GM wrote:

That sounds more like a downtime alchemy thing to me, I'm not saying no but difficult for you to do right here right now.

I thought that might be the case. So switch direction a little bit. Hrrrm...what about conjuring a spooky fog to cover our passage and make it harder to spot the ghostly figure in the wagon? It's always damp and wet here anyway, so shouldn't be too hard. And under the cover of the fog, any overheard arguing could be just about any family making their way along the avenue.

Taht works for me! What can go wrong with a sppooky fog in Ducskvol?

Dareia Aristedel Elpis wrote:

I am officially maxed on stress after that :(

EDIT: Oh actually 1 from being maxed, so not quite as bad

How did that give you stress? Failed rolls don't stress you out, only trying to Resist stresses you out. If i wasn't clear on that I'm sorry

Ohhhh. My bad. I guess I’m in a better spot than I thought! I’ll look over my capabilities and see if anything else sounds doable. Is there any penalty for trying the same skill again if it comes to that?