Play-Test Episode: "Ariel's Fate"

[Legendary Sidekick]

Fenella does see a spatter of blood, but it's spraying from an earlier wound. However, the princess sees the fear in the orc's eyes even as he blocks her attack.

Mariya's bolt of lightning burns the chest hairs off of her foe. He throws a small rock at the pixie.

Dila finishes her opponent with a bolt through the eye of his "pants."

Ariel moves to shoot at the orc with the big rock.

Lily's opponent fails to predict her off-balance pounce and actually manages to catch her. As her rapidly flailing limbs pummel the orc, he gets his kits around her waist and uses brute strength to lift her…

…and the struggle is in his favor; however, Lily's confidence from her pounce attack gives her a boost. She flexes her muscles and makes another attempt to overpower the orc, then shouts, "I get beasts more than I get people, but you skull-@#$%ers are the worst beast-people in the world, and I don't get you at all!"

The golden-haired orc sees his man overpowered by the Huntress. "That's not how orc-wrestling's supposed to turn out." He attempts to use the swordsman who dared cut him to show how real orcs wrestle.


ORC ATTACKS:
Skullpantsers: 4U1+3 => 4 #Throw Rock!
Skullpantsers: 4U1+4 => 5 #Lift Swordsman!
Skullpantsers: 4U1+1 => 1 #Fight Fenella!
Skullpantsers: 4U1+3 => 3 #Throw Lily!
Skullpantsers: 4U1-1 => 0 #Throw rock at Mariya

Spoiler: who needs to defend

Mariya, dodge a tiny rock using ATHLETICS!

Furtano, use ATHLETICS to escape or PHYSIQUE to overpower!

Fenella, use FIGHT to block!

Ariel… you have two turns! If your first SHOOT roll is a 4, the orc's rock will drop on his head. Otherwise, ATHLETICS to dodge!

Dila, your only foe is dead. Make a new foe by shooting someone!

Spoiler: Orc vs. Lily

Skullpantsers: 4U1+3 => 3 #Throw Lily!


"Tigress" Lily: 4U1+3 => 2 #Physique
"Tigress" Lily: 4U1+3 => 5 #Physique (re-roll using yellow Fate point)


So, first of all, note the YELLOW FATE POINTS. Anyone who succeeds with style or ties a roll gets a boost. Since Dila forgot to use her +2, I thought I'd make boosts more obvious. They're FATE points and you don't need to use your "aspect" to use them.

I'm also taking Devor's advice and not adjusting the roll, but I'm not nerfing the boost either. So you get the full +2 with a re-roll option (which is useful if adding +2 won't make you win).

Fate points let you add +2 to a roll or reroll. (Also, the PDF says you can add the +2 AFTER THE FACT, meaning I could have just added the 2 rather than risk the re-roll. Luckily, the re-roll paid off.



Lily's attack roll will use an aspect. I'm having grapple work as Physique + Fight. Since Devor's foe had to use athletics, physique is his second roll. Even if Furtano's defense fails (ATHLETICS to escape / PHYSIQUE to overpower), the orc can't throw him.

Lily, on the other hand, only used her physique roll. She still gets to attack, which I'll have her do later.

 

[Devor]

As the orc lifts Furtano up, he knows the grip is too tight. He can't worm his way out. He can't overpower those grisly fingers. Furtano has only the one choice.

But, it's so disgusting.

He bites his lip, then sighs, exhaling up into his mustache. Nothing left to it.

He drops his cutlass and swings his hand under the orc's arm. Why, finding the spot is no harder than picking a pocket.

He brushes the orc's underarm with his finger tips. It's so slimy. Is that mucus? What is that crawling - ugh, maggots. But he's got to keep going.

Damnit, orcs better be ticklish.

 

[Ireth]

Ariel

Things are getting crazy! It's hard to know which orc to shoot at. As Dila shouts, I spy one getting ready to throw a boulder, and aim a shaft his way. Maybe I can get him to drop it on his own head!

Yikes! Not good enough! I hope I'm athletic enough to get out of the way!

((Assuming that's a fail...))

Ow ow ow OWWWW!

I let fly another arrow at the orc who threw the rock at me.

Gah! My aim is way off!

((LS, I've been thinking of taking "Hold Your Friendly Fire" as one of Ariel's stunts, in case of something like this. I understand if you don't want it to come into effect for this turn, though.))

 

[Noma Galway]

Mariya easily dodges the rock the orc threw at her, then starts singing.

Charging up Fenella's sword is something Mariya hasn't done in a while. But it tends to do good things, so she funnels the energy into the sword.

 

[Ruby]

Fenella

I strike the Orc again!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

((Fenella's attack counts as a 6!))

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

		Skullpantsers: 4U1+3+4 => 5 #Orcan Wrestle-maniacal SMASH!
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+1 => 0 #Dodge Ariel
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 1 #Deal with Lily's grapple attack
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 2 #Goldendodge (if needed)
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+1 => 2 #Dodge warrior princess (if possible)

		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 0 #Fight Ariel
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 1 #Fight Fenella

Mariya charges Fenella's sword. It moves with the swiftness and power of lightning, penetrating her opponent from one skull to the other.

Lily leaps into the air, driving her opponent into the ground with bone-crunching force.

As the orc hurls his rock through the air, Ariel fails to anticipate its direction. She dodges into it, but the protective bubble around her softens the blow. Though the rock is on her leg, Ariel has the strength to easily roll it off of her. As she contemplates her ability to do so, she notices the rock is cracked. There is a sharp stone she can use as a crude dagger, though a swift from her jackalope boots may be just as effective. With no one between her and the orc, she realizes she has time for only one arrow before she's forced into close combat. She fires her arrow, but the skull pants deflects her attack, rendering it harmless. The orc, however, is quite disturbed by where her arrow almost hit!

Furtano finds that his opponent is ticklish, but orcs seem to lack a sense of humor. "It tingles!" he says. "To have this feeling from human not natural!" He hurls the swordsman toward the cave wall.

The thummmm of a crossbow firing is heard from Dila's direction. As the orc without chest hair rushes Princess Fenella, he wonders why the other orcs are ignoring the dark-haired sharpshooter. Then he notices only two of his allies still live…

Spoiler: who's rolling what

Dila: SHOOT twice! (I'm heading out for the weekend to attend a wedding in another state, or else I'd have waited for your post.)

Furtano: PHYSIQUE is needed to defend. IF Furtano rolls a 1 or greater, he can fight or use magic. If he rolls a 0 or less he will take a moderate consequence or worse.

Fenella: Use FIGHT to block the attack, then feel free to hit back.

Mariya: Go nuts with pixie skills!

Ariel: Use ATHLETICS to dodge—the rock won't slow you, surprisingly—and you'll need to FIGHT the orc. Also, you earned a boost because of the tie roll.



Anybody with yellow numbers next to the name: you can use a Fate point to add +2 to a roll, and you don't even need an aspect to justify it. Just add the +2 if you want it!



Also, about the bubble around Dila (that I finally drew even though it was there the whole time)… in the interest of not home-brewing the game too much, I want magic "create advantage" rolls (what I think of as "support" rolls) to work as other advantage rolls work. I'll make a detailed post in the magic section later… at least before the "killer donkey" battle. For now, let's say the bubble around Dila is +4 to her next defense roll. (Same for Ariel, which is why she's unscathed.)

 

[Aspasia]

Dila


Things are getting really chaotic! I see an orc lift Furtano ... about to throw him ... heaving ...

I aim and fire. I may be too late, but I'll do some damage anyway. It's good to be a shooter in a protected position.

((Add +2 to this roll -- 7!))

I am lucky no orcs have tried to attack me close by! As the bolt flies from my crossbow, I load another, and turn to face the orc near Ariel. Mariya and Fenella should be plenty for their orc! I squint, and fire.

 

[Noma Galway]

Mariya sees the orc rushing Fenella and charges her sword once more with a sustained soprano note.

((adding my +2...6 ))

 

[Ruby]

Fenella

I am very powerful at the moment. I defend myself from the Orc and try to attack again. I'm a bit distracted by what's going on around me....

 

[Ruby]

Fenella

(( I believe that my 0 is actually a 6 from the previous attack. Hope this is true, Noma and Legendary Sidekick, so...))

I wave my magic golden dancing sword and leap into battle, wildly attacking any Orc in the vicinity!

 

[Ireth]

Ariel

I try to shake off the pain of the rock landing on my leg, and dodge away from the orc ((or out from under the rock? Not quite sure what exactly I'm dodging)).

Spying a sharp rock on the ground, I snatch it up. It'll do for a knife. I hope I can use it -- I'm not great at melee fighting like Mum is. But I have no choice but to lunge at the orc.

((That's a 4, since I'm using a Fate point to add +2))

Apparently I'm better than I thought -- if it isn't just beginner's luck! Take that, pigface!

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

		Skullpantsers: 4U1+1 => 4 #Athletics vs. Fenella
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+1 => 2 #Athletics vs. Ariel and Dila
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 1 #Athletics vs. Dila
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 3 #Fight vs. Fenella
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 1 #Fight vs. Ariel

Furtano bounces off the wall, leaving a Furtano-shaped imprint. Surprisingly, the force of the orc's throw was harmless. Bits of dirt fall from Furtano's head. Apparently, the cave wall was caked in dried mud, which softened the impact of what appeared to be deadly force.

The swordsman points his sword hand forward, only to discover he is unarmed. He sees a glimmer around the side of the cave and immediately recognizes the hilt of his cutlass.


As the golden-haired orc grumbles about the scrawny human coming out of his attack more or less unscathed, he suddenly feels a sharp pain... and a draft! One of Dila's bolts penetrates his hip, slicing through the rope that keeps the orc's skull on. The orc has no qualms about fighting in the nude, but as the bolt digs into his abdomen, all he can do is stand and cringe in pain and humiliation.


Fenella strikes with a devastating blow. Her opponent moves swiftly, but dodges into the princess' blade. She cuts off the tip of his snout. The orc charges the amazonian princess.


Ariel's opponent is shot at and kicked. He still has some fight in him, but his attack is weak.


Mariya feels the power of lightning dancing around her arms.


Lily raises her arms in triumph when she sees her opponent will not get up. But just as she's about to gloat about her grappling skills, she sees Ariel cornered by a lively orc. "Get your filthy claws away from MY student!"

Spoiler: how to FINISH THEM!!

It may actually take more than one turn, but...


Furtano, get your sword and use it!

Mariya, you can interpret the lightning as a free charge. You get zapped if you don't beat a 2, but your magic skill is high enough that you can spend a fate point if you roll a 0 or 1, guaranteeing you'll at least tie a 2.

Fenella, the red guy's almost done now. Finish him!

Ariel, Lily's about to attack the orc with you. You need to fight this round, but if Lily succeeds in her grapple attempt, you'll be able to shoot in a later round.

Dila, you seem to be a high roller. If you're luck keeps up, maybe you take down the goldenboy! RP a bit to make use of those Fate points.



I have notes ready for the next test round, which will use the d20 rolls that veteran players are used to. We'll use Fate to finish the orcs though, since changing the test mid-battle is disruptive. Plus, you're kicking their butts. I don't want to take that away from you! Let's finish this!

 

[Ireth]

Ariel

Hearing Lily coming to my aid fills me with confidence. We can kick these orcs' butts!

Eep! "I could use a hand here!"

 

[Ruby]

Fenella

I try to finish off the orcs. Oops!

 

[Noma Galway]

I sing to the lightning crackling around my arms, willing it to grow and zap the orc attacking Fenella.

((look at me, spending a Fate point...A 2 it is))

 

[Aspasia]

Dila

Ha, I nearly got another one! As a smile, doubt suddenly strikes me. I've been in this same spot so long. The orcs look like they're being beaten but ...

Everyone probably knows exactly where I am. I grimace. If anything, they've seen the direction my bolts come from. And bushes are not very protective, even if you're well hidden. What if that orc had thrown Furtano not at the cave wall, but at me? I'm not great at dodging.

I'm pleased I've been able to hit so many, but overconfidence would be deadly. Now that the chaos is reducing, everyone has more space. It's high time I sneak into a new position. Who knows if the orcs will fight all the harder for being nearly beaten?

Another thought. Is this really all the orcs? I mean, we've seen them emerge from the cave. But what if there's some hanging back? Not that I think creatures that wear skulls as pants are intelligent enough to keep a reserve, but that would be a nasty surprise.

I look over at the orc I just wounded, and set another bolt to my crossbow.



It'll do for a parting shot. I crouch down, low to the floor, and begin to sneak around my bush.


(adding the Fate point here : 6)

I sneak silently in the direction of the cave, making certain I go unnoticed. Maybe there are orcs there, maybe not. But the orcs were doing something in there, and I don't want to find out what too late.

Maybe I'm being paranoid. But hey, that's what has kept me alive so far.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Lily grabs the orc.

"Scram!"

She throws the orc over her shoulder, away from Ariel, giving the young huntress an opportunity to shoot.

Spoiler: about grappling

Following Devor's suggestion, skills can give +2 to others or -2 to others. So going forward with this, the physique roll would NOT give +2 to Lily since she can't use a skill to boost her own roll. (Fate points do that.)

Instead, she'd give -2 to the enemy's roll to bear the pain. She could create a greater advantage by using her points to boost her own roll. We'll work it out so that points only boost your own roll, and skills consistently give +2 or -2 to anyone but yourself.

 

[Devor]

N'uhhh . . . . uhh . . . . . . My legs. My chest. My face.

Why am I hugging a rock, Leppy?

Furtano begins to push against the rock and stumbles.

He catches himself as he falls, and tries to recollect his bearings.

Orcs.

Oiy. Did he really say he wanted to be the monster of orcish legend? That's the pirate bravado for you.

Furtano turns towards the orcs. They seem to be dying. In the haze of a headache, he's not even sure which one threw him. He reaches down towards his wand until he remembers. His hand is too filthy on too many levels. He had tried to grope an orc in one of the worst places. If he couldn't bathe soon he would need to cut it off.

But he does catch notice of his cutlass in the grass. Coming to his senses, he hurries towards it and pulls it from the grass.

"Orc legend," he says, his hand clutching the hilt, his eyes turning up towards the one that threw him. "Too ambitious, as ever. I shall learn to settle."

He raises his cutlass with a roar. "I shall settle my ambitions on a rug of your hide, orc!"

And he charges.

 

[Legendary Sidekick]

Spoiler: alternate +2 display

		Skullpantsers: 4U1+1 => 2 #Lt. Duck! (dodge Fenella)
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+1 => 1 #Capt. Dodge! (dodge Ariel but not Lily)
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 0 #Major Hide! (hit by Furtano)
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+2 => 0 #Fight! vs. Fenella
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+3 => 3 #Falcon PAWWWWNCH! vs. Furtano
		Skullpantsers: 4U1+3 => 4 #Physique to bear Lily's damage

Mariya charges her magic to its full power. Fenella attempts to attack her opponent, but he's quick for a bloody mess. Ariel also has trouble hitting her opponent, but Lily grabs the orc from behind. Unfortunately for Lily, the orc is unfazed by her throw!

As Dila sneaks over to the cave, she sees Furtano's sword is embedded in solid rock. Or perhaps it's more of that dried clay that softened his horizontal fall. Furtano has reason to believe that as well when he lifts the sword with ease.

However, when he strikes his target, the golden haired orc staggers back. "Skinny human. You cannot be so strong!" He rushes Furtano, fist first.

Spoiler: +2 vs. ***

There's more than one way to represent boosts. One is to have little *** tokens that represent +2 each.

Another thought to simply display the number.

If you prefer the *s, they're worth +2; they don't stack.

If you prefer the +1, +2, +3… you get bonuses +1 at a time up to +4, and you can use all points or some or one.

I'm indifferent as to which we use.



Also, if you see Mariya has more health in one map vs. the other, that's because I thought I'd rather have a much lower base HP for pixies. The upside is that in order to fight or shoot a pixie, you need to succeed with style. They're hard to hit. Getting grappled will be very bad for the little ones, however. (Not realistically bad.)

I still need a disadvantage for mentalists/succubi. Maybe reduced base HP for those classes as well, but a lesser penalty than that of pixies.