Setup
So, Rags has come to Woodend where we believe she will become involved with someones story that is being corrupted or subverted by a local organization.
A scene needs 3 things:
A goal: Rags wants to get established in Woodend so she can ply her trade.
A conflict: we will roll that on the oracle.
Context: this includes the location and everything we know about it as well as everything we have established about the story and setting so far.
I always scan through the characters quests and weaknesses at this point as well to see if anything jumps out as being relevant.
Let's start with the location. We know she is arriving in Woodend, but where about is she?
(34) Somewhere forgotten, dark, or dismal...
Remember that we need to interpret this in the context of Rags arriving in Woodend to perform puppet shows.
The most obvious interpretation is that she is traveling through a forlorn ruin or other literal forsaken place close to the village.
Actually, an abandoned keep might make sense. I think something a bit lower key might fit the context better however.
I like the idea that she has happened upon a smaller village in the dale however - one that is half abandoned and in a state of decay.
Now, what challenge is she facing?
(16) A natural disaster or hazard... (36) Disrupts the peace or stability of... (15) A quest related person or group...
This is interesting, there is a lot to unpack here. I think the first question is who is the person or group who's peace is being disrupted?
The obvious candidate is the person whose story she is becoming involved with (or perhaps the group that threaten it).
But what about the disaster or hazard?
A storm?
I will denote oracle questions in the following format:
? Question
+ Positive tags
- negative tags
Power modifier: Dice roll (dice + modifier) result
In this case:
? Is there a storm?
+ A natural disaster or hazard
Power +1: 8(9) mixed
Meaning that there is one positive tag (the natural disaster) and no negative tags, resulting in a total modifier of +1. I rolled 8 on the dice, meaning the final result was 9 and a mixed success.
This means it's complicated. Yes with a caveat or no with an exception.
There is not a storm now, but there has just been one and it has caused problems here. Flooding probably.
The next thing we need to establish is who exactly she will meet.
? Is it an individual?
Power 0: 5(5). Fail.
No. This is affecting a community or organization. Maybe it is the reason they are going to interfere in somebody's story.
Let's see how that all plays out.
Scene 1
Rags has been traveling for almost a week. She spent the last two days bunkered up weathering a feirce storm that swept over the Woodend valley. The storm has eased and today she is trudging along sodden paths through a light drizzle and looking forward to warmth and an opportunity to get dry.
Woodend village itself is another days hike away, but she paddles down a path that resembles more of a stream towards a smaller village. Little more than a Hamlet really.
? Does she know this village?
+ Been to every dale, know my way around (2)
- insular or remote hamlets (1)
Power +1: 8(9) mixed
She has not been here before, but she has heard about it.
Interpretive oracle: (42) the crossroads
Woodcross grew on trade at the crossroads between several major paths leading into the dale, however over time the roads shifted and the Hamlet fell on hard times.
She can see the truth of that as she approaches.
The stream she is following flows past flooded fields into a Hamlet that the storm has turned into a muddy swamp.
Many of the buildings are in a state of decay, with walls and roofs that no longer keep rain at bay. Sandbags are barricaded against doorways in a clear attempt to stop the water from flooding the few buildings still capable of providing shelter.
? Does anyone greet her?
- forlorn Hamlet
Power -1: 7(6) fail
No. The streets such as they are, are empty.
She splashes through the Hamlet, looking for the central long house where visitors should be welcome.
? Can she find the long house?
+ Been to every dale, know my way around (2)
- insular or remote hamlets (1)
Power 1: 3(4) fail.
Consequence: (16) collateral damage
She finds what should be the long house, but it is merely the shell of a building abandoned long ago. Murky water pool between what remains of it's walls.
Cursing, she looks around and tries another house. Hammering on a door that swings away from rusty hinges and crashes to the ground.
? Is this house empty?
+ Seems abandoned (1)
Power +1: 2. Snake eyes.
No.
? Do people actually live here?
+ Not empty (1)
- seems abandoned (1)
Power 0: 10(10) success.
Yes. There is a family here.
"Hey" a voice calls and as her eyes adjust to the dim interior she sees a family huddled together on the far side of the hall where the floor rises out of the swampy flood.
? Are they friendly?
- bashful when not performing
Power -1: 5(4) fail
Consequence: (22) collateral damage
She squints into the dim interior, trying to find the words to explain her entrance and greet her unwitting hosts but before she can get her thoughts together a plate sails across the room and smashes against the wall beside her head.
"Leave us be." The voice calls "we have nothing of value for you."
Rags raises her hands defensively. "All I'm looking for is shelter. I mean no harm."
I denote actions in a similar way to questions:
* Action
+ Positive tags
- negative tags
Power modifier: Dice roll (dice + modifier) result
In this case
*Rags makes her case
+ Passionate puppeteer, been to every dale, enigmatic drifter
- difficult to trust
Power +2: 6(8) mixed.
Consequence: (16) collateral damage.
More plates are flung her way, but eventually the family agree that she can perform a puppet show to demonstrate her skill.
She fishes a set of puppets from her pack and sets them dancing on their strings...
*Puppet show
+ Passionate puppeteer, skilled ventriloquist, nibble fingers (3)
- difficult to trust (1)
Power +2: 10(12)
She uses the puppets to spin a tale, describing her journey and how she was caught in the storm. Demonstrating her weariness, her need for warmth and a chance to dry out.
She is convincing.
The children warm to her first, laughing and clapping at her tricks. Then their parents.
They welcome her in and offer what food she hospitality they have.
Over the meal she discovers that only a handful of farming families remain in the Hamlet. Once it was a thriving market village, but trade dried up a generation ago and most of the buildings were abandoned as the villages population dwindled.
Still, they made a decent living from the land at least until the recent storm. A dam nearby collapsed, and the fields are flooded (not to mention the Hamlet itself). They were already living on the edge, and survival is going to be tough this year.
Interpretive oracle: (41) the shrine
The mum is an old ways practitioner who tends a shrine near the village. (I will use the interpretive oracle again for inspiration for her name: (64) High Lord. Justice. Justine.)
? Is Dad around?
Power 0: 11 yes.
Another name: (45) the winding River: lets just call him River.
End scene
When I set up this game I would never have guessed the direction this scene would go in, which is one of the things I love about solo play.
Rags hasn't made it to Woodend village yet, but has befriended Justine, River, and their family in an isolated and flooded Hamlet in the dale who look like they might need help.
She has marked improve on three themes:
2 on enigmatic drifter
2 on been to every dale
1 on passionate puppeteer
I always scan quests again at this point to see if I can mark a milestone or abandon, but it doesn't seem so yet.
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