[OOC] Sir Shane's Story (Legend in the Mist)

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[third eye]

The demo has several things in the zip file:
- a pdf with the rules in the first part, and an intro adventure in the second part
- a map of the land
- three pregen characters (with three different graphics for each)
- some challenges from the intro adventure, but they are spoilers

I'd like you to have a look at the map, it's a single image file.

I'd like you to have a look at the characters, and come up with your own, it's very easy. Or use pregen(s), it's even easier. Because of the ease of chargen, making 2 or 3 characters is still little effort.

The resolution system is PbtA-based: roll 2d6, 10+ is success without complication, 7-10 is succes with complication, 6- is complication without success.

However, you don't have stats as per usual pbta. Instead, you can use any number of 'power tags' (the short phrases describing the character) which are directly relevant to the task, to add +1 to the result. You may choose to use the weakness tag before rolling, getting a -1 but also marking Xp.

There is some more complexity to task resolution, but we can discuss those on the fly.

[rush99999]

Hopefully I haven't slipped up anywhere while making this. Here is my guy.

Sir Shane the Shy

Sir Shane the Shy

Item Tags: Backpack

{} A Good Sword {}
{} A Sturdy Shield {}
{} A Sizable Coin Purse {}
{} Courtly Love Keepsake {}
{} Rope {}
{} Whetstone {}
{} Trail Mix {}

{•} Devotion: Knight of Stormhelm {}

{•} Full Plate Armor {}
{•} Loyal Horse {}
{} Chivalrous Resolve {}
{} Awe Inspiring {}
{} Eager Squire {}
City Mouse

{} {} {} EXPERIENCE | {} {} {} DECAY

{•} Trade or Skill: Knightly Training {}

{•} Swordsmanship {}
{•} Horsemanship {}
{} Lancing {}
{} Practiced Footwork {}
{} Archery {}
Impractically Honorable

{} {} {} EXPERIENCE | {} {} {} DECAY

{•} Trait: Brave {}

{•} Charge {}
{•} Hold The Line {}
{} Unflinching {}
{} No Hesitation {}
{} Determination {}
Reckless

{} {} {} EXPERIENCE | {} {} {} DECAY

{•} Personality: Shy {}

{•} Quiet As A Mouse {}
{•} Still As A Statue {}
{} Better With Animals Than People {}
{} Introvert Solidarity {}
{} Master Of Excuses {}
Socially Inept

{} {} {} EXPERIENCE | {} {} {} DECAY

[third eye]

Each theme's name is itself a power tag, and the phrases under each are potential power tags. If you check out any pregen, you can see that the theme name and two other tags are marked with a dot before them. These are the ones available for the character, the remaining are future potential (you can gain them with Xp).

So, to complete the character mechanically, choose any two tags under each theme, those are the features of Sir Shane.

And then, the background story. I know we don't have a lot to go on, there's next to nothing about the setting in the pdf. Since he's from Stormhelm, let's come up with the reason he's in the Dales. Is there a name on the map (settlement or otherwise) that intrigues you?

- Was he sent here to gain life experience in general? By whom (father / liege / king / tradition / else)?
- Did he come here to follow some clues? What (prophecy / accidentally found missive / overheard whispered talk / else)?
- Does he have a contact he should meet soon? Who?
- Does he have a specific, one-shot task upon arrival? What?

In general, what are his main motivations in life?
Any specific personal goals?

The main feature of a single-player game is focus on the one player's character, so let's learn some more about Sir Shane. However, no reason to force it, so anything that comes to your mind is a bonus, and we can fill in any details later.

[rush99999]

So, to complete the character mechanically, choose any two tags under each theme, those are the features of Sir Shane.

@third eye

Understood. Edits have been made.

---

And then, the background story. I know we don't have a lot to go on, there's next to nothing about the setting in the pdf. Since he's from Stormhelm, let's come up with the reason he's in the Dales. Is there a name on the map (settlement or otherwise) that intrigues you?

@third eye

For the reason why Sir Shane the Shy has come to the Dales, you need only look to his moniker. Despite his bravery, Sir Shane suffers from crippling social anxiety. So when he found himself inundated with invitations to all manner of ball, gala, and courtly function at the onset of his first social season in Stormhelm after becoming a knight, he predictably found this deeply troubling. To make matters worse, he couldn't just decline the invitations. He needed a valid reason to excuse himself from attending, lest he offend the nobles that invited him.

That's where the Dales come in.

Since a number of the most popular luxuries in Stormhelm arrive on the Shiverwash from south of the Bridge, the recent rumblings of strange and mysterious things awakening in the Dales have the city folk worried about the flow of their favorite imports being effected by whatever superstitions have set the Dalespeople on edge. And so Sir Shane has decided to embark on a quest to investigate the Dales and ensure the imports continue to flow as a way to get out of his social obligations without wounding anyone's pride.

As for places of interest, most of the riverside settlements call out to me. As does Barleytown, the Craggen Highlands, and the Dolmen Knolls.

---

In general, what are his main motivations in life?
Any specific personal goals?

@third eye

His main motivations are to live up to the standards and ideals that all Knights of Stormhelm are held to, conduct himself with all the honor expected of his station, stand his ground and show no fear against the evils of the world, and also to avoid social situations as much as possible.

As for personal goals, Sir Shane does recognize that being as shy as he is is a problem. So he is definitely looking for a way to deal with that.

[third eye]

Ok, I like this very much.

I'd like to go through the challenges in the intro adventure, which perfectly corresponds with Sir Shane's goal (and excuse) for coming to the Dales. After that, you'll set the direction of his story.

And first game post is up in the [IC] tab!

[third eye]

I went with pence and pound on a whim, because it fits the names on the map and the rustic fantasy vibe, at least for me.

[third eye]

Is he talking to the huntress with visor down? I can't decide from the post.

[rush99999]

The visor is down. Sorry for the confusion

[third eye]

I like the way you portray him, but it's time for some confrontation, I think!

[third eye]

To make our first roll, I'd like an 'insight check', to decide how well Sir Shane reads Elaine's reaction. Nothing very dramatic, but sometimes I like to branch in the narration based on chance.

Before you make the 2d6 roll, do you see any of his tags that would help or hinder him in this? Also, you can decide to use one of your weakness tags (Socially Inept would be appropriate here, for example); if you do, you get -1 to the result but mark experience with Personality: Shy.

[rush99999]

I'll certainly take the experience point from Socially Inept. Also I'd like to make a case for Devotion: Knight of Stormhelm to be of use here.

As a Knight of Stormhelm, Sir Shane commonly has dealings with the nobility. With quite a few nobles tending to be the duplicitous sort who rarely say what they mean, Sir Shane would have a fair amount of practice in matters of insight from having to read them for their true intentions.

Should you find that an acceptable justification, the result of my roll is a 7.

[third eye]

Yeah, that's ok. It's a success with consequences, then.

[third eye]

Elaine now has the Angry-3 status.

[third eye]

This post isn't criticism, it's explanation. You're completely right to try to incorporate as many power tags as you can, that's the point of this loose system.

And you didn't need any for the 10+, even with the City Mouse -1, so the result is solid.

However, this is the part of the rules that I was worried about. On the one hand, I don't want to be a hard GM who tries to fight the player(s); on the other one, I could easily explain most, and, with a little brain-work, each power tag's relevance in any situation. That's what imagination is about, and roleplayers are presumably good with it.

So, in this case, I would only accept the horse's senses as a direct boost, not Knightly Training or Knight of Stormhelm. They don't feel that direct for me.

[rush99999]

Worry not. I understand completely.

[third eye]

This is a Charge-type challenge, meaning it ends when your charge (Willow, in this case) is either safe or taken out. She is killed easily, being just a small child.

Sir Shane can either try to get there before the thing, or try to snap Willow out of her frozen state.

Because he's not very close, the knight has an Away-2 physical status. It will hinder him getting close in time, and it might or might not hinder him in other actions.

[rush99999]

Posted before seeing your edits. Hold on.

[third eye]

Ok, I'd like a roll for getting there in time. As usual, choose your power tags, and he has a -2 (Away-2) to the result.

Ok.

[rush99999]

Edits have been made.

[third eye]

I've been thinking about the game where I would play, and I'd prefer playing D&D 5e to RP6, if that's ok for you.