Session XI. Last to use 3e. Due to real life interfering in fun, there was just one PC this session — Tal the Dagger Islander Hound.Ā
Ā The crew’s unreliable gang led by Tomas Billingsworth finally returned from their absence, broken and exhausted. They had attempted to make the run out of Duskwall into the deadlands to recover riches from the lost Billingsworth Enterprises mine stash, but returned empty handed and missing half their members.
Baszo Basz requested audience with the Little Sisters but Tal stalled and asked to meet again in the future.
Mr. Higgins (a demon bent on usurping control of Duskwall) said he would offer the Little Sisters one more chance after they blew him off when he requested the last job. He asked for the Little Sisters to acquire the ring of keys kept on the 4th floor of the City Watch HQ auxiliary vault. Tal agreed and attempted the job but was thwarted by a mass of Bluecoats and a wicked lightening storm.
Realizing she couldn’t do the job alone, Tal fished for an invitation to a party being thrown by Mr. Higgins at his Garden Overlook in Brightstone. She slipped past the doorman and avoided sadistic socialites, known enemies, and strange curiosities. She negotiated more time from Mr. Higgins to complete the job and managed to improve his view of the Little Sisters.
*Comments on the System*
The system worked unexpectedly well with just one PC, though there were some slight issues. Clocks make challenges more complicated and give more than one PC a chance to contribute to success. With just one PC working on a clock, the player was tempted to repeat the same action after some time — creativity fatigue in trying to make it fit with other actions (for fewer dice) was an issue.Ā
We also tried out a tug-of-war clock for the first time for an argument. It didn’t really have the desired effect — with only player rolls it is hard as the GM to really move the clock the opposite direction. I think in the future I will use a countdown clock together with a regular challenge clock (i.e. countdown “He’s sick of all your bullshit and tells you to leave.” with simultaneous challenge “Convince him to give you more time to complete the job.”)
Otherwise, awesome.Ā
Cool.
For the tug of war, you can threaten a clock move from the enemy with an action on their part, which a PC can resist with an attribute roll. “She explains how such a deal would be impossible, due to a loophole in some esoteric Imperial taxation law. It’s quite convincing — 2 ticks her way on the clock… unless you resist it…”
For the enemy clock move — is it better if it is tied to the consequences of a player action (a minor/major complication?) or just every 2 actions by the PCs, the enemy responds or something?
it depends on the fiction. For sure feel free to do it as a complication from a roll, but also do it when the NPC has the initiative in the situation and is pressuring the PC.