The Maiden Saga: Role Playing Game
Page 13
47
17
(Dakar has opened the combat, so he and Bormontal throw first. Dakar can build sixes but Bormontal can’t, so this can be done only half the time.)
First Throw
5,5,4,2,1,1 – 3 sixes, 2 doubles.
New Figures
47-3=44
17-2=15
Second Throw
6,5,4,3,3,2 – 1 six, 1 double
New Figures
42-1=41
17-1=16
Third Throw
6,5,4,4,1,1 – 1 six, 2 doubles
New Figures
44-1=41
15-2=13
Both guards have 4 points in Pride and the customs men have lost 4 points in Constitution. They run, leaving Tordan to stand alone and drastically altering the odds. He accounted for 62% of the group’s Combat Pool and 41% of their Constitution Pool, so their figures become 26 (42x0.62) for Combat and 5 (13x0.41) for Constitution. This calculation assumes that weapons can be dropped and snatched up, but is something of a compromise.
The departure of the two guards now means that Tordan’s Constitution pool has fallen by 12 points, while his Pride is only 8. If he was a PC he might decide to fight on, but as a NPC he also flees. Dakar and Bormontal have the field and have gained 3 and 2 Glory Points respectively for the loss of only 1 Constitution Point, which represents a minor wound for Dakar. Raiklin explains that as an old man and unarmed he would only have got in the way, and that his hasty departure was therefore tactical, so they haul him aboard.
Had Raiklin not chosen to leap into the water he would have been involved in the conflict, either as a member of the group or singly. Choosing to go singly would either have meant facing one of the guards, unarmed, or joining Dakar. If both PCs want to enjoy the advantage of having Dakar by their side they should fight as a group but can choose to argue it out according to the normal rules. This includes the option of Bormontal choosing to attempt to throw Raiklin overboard to get the daft old bugger out of the way, which would be a conflict in Power.
It is very important to note that, despite their victory, the group cannot simply carry on down river. All three customs men have escaped and are certain to rouse the country. This probably means there will be a squad of musketeers waiting at the next village. Unless they wish to face death, Bormontal and his companions must alter their plans and he now wishes he had paid the duty in the first place.
Example 2
Tanalorn is a Hai warrior, young, strong, of magnificent address and as vain as a peacock. He wishes to realise the dream of every young Hai worthy of the name and attain the rank of hero. Unfortunately, due to an unfortunate sequence of events involving certain Aeg warriors there are no existing heroes to challenge for their title, forcing him to perform some spectacular feat of arms instead. He has heard tales of life in Mund and knows that highborn ladies live in the upper rooms of tall towers in order to shield their virtue against all but the strongest and bravest, who are expected to ravish them. In Hai this process is generally considered best left to the Mund, who are not only barbarous but quite mad. Tanalorn disagrees. Rather, he imagines himself striding through the streets of Zihai with a beautiful, golden haired Mund girl slung naked over his shoulder, sighing for the memory of his virility. Surely he will be declared a hero?
To take companions will lessen his deed, not to mention making it difficult to embroider the details in order to show himself in the best possible light, so he sets off alone, surviving all the perils of the sea to land on the coast of Mund where the Spine Mountains meet the sea. On a nearby island is a formidable fortress. Walls of grey rock tower some five times his own height, the sun glints on the armour of distant figures as they patrol the ramparts, twin towers flank the gate and others rise within. It looks ideal.
With his boat pulled well up on the shingle beach and covered with vraic, Tanalorn makes a lonely meal of spiced fish jerky and preserved fruit, all the while watching the keep and imagining the virtues of the girls in the towers. By dusk he has worked himself into a frenzy, while the tide has dropped to reveal a slender causeway connecting the island to the mainland. Three of the five moons ride the sky, providing perhaps rather too much light as he starts towards the keep.
Meanwhile, high on the ramparts of Kavas-Arion celibentuary, Senior Matron Polia contemplates a great book detailing the disgrace of each girl in her charge. There are nearly fifty, from all over Mund, each and every one guilty of surrendering herself in inappropriate circumstances. She answers a knock on her door. Two women enter, Matron Gura and Matron Kein, who jerks a thumb across her shoulder as she speaks.
‘The one who landed his boat this afternoon, Matron. He makes his way to the causeway.’
Matron Gura adds her comment.
‘Odd, for a Hai. What could he want?’
Polia gives a snort of disgust.
‘A girl, like all the others. As to who he wants, or why, what do we care? Fetch body hooks and a net. We will take him as he crosses the causeway.’
Tanalorn is well out on the causeway when three huge figures loom out of the dank sea mist. For one awful moment he thinks he is facing three trolls, only to realise that they are clothed and have hair. They are also female, but entirely devoid of the yielding beauty he was anticipating. True, they have immense quantities of golden-red hair and bosoms of improbable dimensions, but these attributes are formidable rather than enticing. Nor do they seem friendly, with two clutching great iron hooks in brawny arms and the third, larger still, a net. Sure that he can nevertheless explain his presence, Tanalorn removes his fine, wide-brimmed hat and performs a sweeping bow.
‘How charming to chance upon such gentle Ladies late of a night. I am Tanalorn...’
They are now in conflict.
Statistics -
Tanalorn
Polia
Gura
Kein
Experience
2
12
8
8
Dexterity
6
4
4
4
Intelligence
2
6
6
6
Constitution
8
10
6
6
Power
12
14
10
10
Pride
14
12
10
10
Allure
18
6
7
7
Craft
7
8
6
6
11
4
6
6
Guile
12
16
6
6
Wealth
6
6
5
5
Wisdom
2
12
6
6
Total
100
110
80
80
Tanalorn, a PC, has chosen his Allure in an attempt to get the matrons to let him past, a sound ploy given that he is extraordinarily handsome and that as a Hai it is his Primary Drive, even if in practical terms it means he will be forced to satisfy all three matrons, who are lowborn and lack the moral airs of their highborn countrywomen. Tanalorn has an impressive 18 Game Points in Allure, but the three matrons are Mund and no mean opponents, with 14 ((6+7+7)x0.7) between them.
The GM throws first, for the three matrons, scoring – 6,6,2,2,1,1 – and reducing Tanalorn’s points to 16. He throws in turn, scoring - 6,6,5,4,4,2 – which reduces the matron’s points by 3, to 11, as he is able to make sixes. The matron’s throw – 6,6,3,3,2,2 – reducing his points to 14. So the game goes, until Tanalorn wins with just 3 Game Points remaining in Allure, which represents the state he is in after satisfying all three matrons. With a win in his Primary Drive he has gained 2 Glory Points.
The decision now lies with the GM, who in this case is not about to let Tanalorn continue unimpeded. Instead he has the matrons sacrifice one Glory Point each in order to retaliate. Deciding that it might be nice to have a man around for a change, kept in some suitable dungeon, Polia gives the order to capture Tanalorn.
We now calculate their Capture Points -
Tanalorn
Polia
Gura
Kein
Experience
2
12
8
8
Power
12
14
10
10
Weapons
9
3
5
5
Protection
4
2
2
2
Combatant Bonus
0
1
1
1
Total
27
32
24
24
Tanalorn is alone, so his Capture Pool is 27.
The matrons are together, so their Capture Pool is 56 ((32+24+24)x0.7).
The matrons have 22 points in their Constitution pool. Tanalorn has 8.
The capture attempt can now be expressed as a table –
Tanalorn
The matrons
Capture Pool
Constitution Pool
Capture Pool
Constitution Pool
Opening
27
8
56
22
(The matrons have opened the attack and throw first. This is a conflict in power, so none of them can build sixes.)
First Throw
6,6,6,6,4,3 – 4 sixes, 1 quadruple.
New Figures
27-4=23
8-3=5
Second Throw
6,6,5,5,4,2 – 2 sixes, 2 doubles
New Figures
56-2=54
22-2=20
Third Throw
6,5,5,5,3,1 – 1 six, 1 triple
New Figures
23-1=22
5-2=3
Fourth Throw
6,6,6,5,5,2 – 3 sixes, 1t, 1d
New Figures
54-3=51
20-3=17
Fifth Throw
6,6,5,5,4,3 – 2 sixes, 2 doubles
New Figures
22-2=20
3-2=1
Sixth Throw
6,6,5,3,2,2 – 2 sixes, 2 doubles
New Figures
51-2=49
17-2=15
The matrons have now lost 7 Game Points in Constitution and both Gura and Kein have only 6 Game Points in Guile. Astonished by Tanalorn’s resilience, they back off. Polia now stands alone. She accounted for 57% of the group’s Capture Pool and 45% of the Constitution, so their figures become 28 (49x0.57) for Capture and 7 (15x0.45) for Constitution. The Constitution Pool has now dropped from 22 to 7, a full 15 points, but Polia’s has 16 in Guile and knows when a man is on his last legs.
Tanalorn
Polia
New Figures
20
1
28
7
Seventh Throw
5,5,5,4,3,1 – 0 sixes, 1 triple
New Figures
20
-1
Tanalorn is down and out, drawn forward by Polia’s pretence of exhaustion, only to find himself crushed beneath her weight. He is quickly wrapped in the net and dragged back towards the gates of Kavas-Arion. Polia regains her Glory Point but Gura and Kein do not. Tanalron has 2 Glory Points to his credit, so he has 10 Game Points to distribute among his attributes, unless he prefers to keep them for future use in his quest to become a hero, which is beginning to look a little tougher than he had imagined.
Example 3
Late that night, once he has recovered his strength, Tanalorn attempts a Dash for Freedom – 6,6,6,5,5,4.
He has broken free, unarmed and naked, so he is entitled to swim for his boat and complete his escape.
Reaching the courtyard, he pauses. Is this not the ideal opportunity to complete his miss
ion? The keep is formidable, but he is already inside it and it is remarkably quiet. He has seen no men, only the three women who captured him and another, equally formidable, who brought his supper. Perhaps the menfolk are hunting somewhere out along the Spine, or have gone against Aeg raiders?
Directly across the courtyard a massive building of four stories rises against the sky, presumably the great hall. There is a tower at one end, taller still, the tallest in the keep perhaps, and if what he has heard is correct surely the abode of some fine young highborn girl, her hair as golden as corn ripe for the picking, her virginity also ripe for the picking. His tongue flicks out to moisten his lips at the prospect, and after all: what hero would turn from a goal so nearly won?
By deciding not to take up his right to flee, Tanalorn has given up his success on the Dash for Freedom roll and must now play by ordinary escape rules. His first obstacle is the climb to the top of the tower, which rises eight times his height from the flagstones of the courtyard, a formidable climb even with grappling irons. Perhaps it would be easier to take the stairs?
Slipping from shadow to shadow, Tanalorn approaches the base of the tower, where a dark arch conceals a door. It is locked, but the perhaps the crude Mundic mechanism will yield to a nail or knife?
He now makes a search roll – 6,6,5,4,3,2. Two sixes means he has found a weapon of the GMs choice, a small but serviceable club, not a bad thing to have in a brawl, but completely useless for picking locks.
The door has a resistance value of 12, the same as Tanalorn’s Game Points in Power. Together with his Intelligence of 2 and his Dexterity of 6, that makes 20, so he has a fair chance of barging it down but knows the effort will leave him bruised and exhausted. He has only 7 Game Points in Craft, which together with his Intelligence and Dexterity makes 15, an even worse option. It is time to sacrifice 1 Glory Point.