So I played a short game with my friend Sean this weekend.
So I played a short game with my friend Sean this weekend. He plays a Lurk in a gang of Shadows nicknamed Gambit. Pretty clear what he wants to do, eh? Because he was a lone player I got him a free Thug Cohort on top of the regular upgrades (Dreg), which were Thief Rigging and Underground Passageways.
I used the default setting with War in Crow’s foot, with Baszo looking for the war chest of the red sashes. After Gathering Info with his bartender friend, he learned that the treasure was being hidden in a tailor’s import warehouse.
We made some observation montages. He also learned that he could infiltrate the place through at least one of two means: there are regular container shipments that enter through the main garage door once a week, this could be a good way to be smuggled in. Because of the crew trait he also learned that they like to keep their warehouse clear of moisture so they have a place where any liquid leaks out to the canals. This is the approach that Sean chose, so we cut to Gambit and Dreg emerging from the sewers into the ground floor of the warehouse.
They were in a controlled position. Cargo was stacked in such a way as to provide a rather labyrinthine network of hiding spots for the pair to navigate through. Gambit began scanning the place to see what was where. The obstacle was not in actually spotting things but avoiding being spotted while looking around. I gave him his first devil’s bargain: while prowling around, he would rip some fabric that was laying around, which would raise suspiscion in the warehouse guards no matter what, even if he succeeded in not getting caught. He refused and rolled a 6 with his two dice.
Circling around back to a sweaty Dreg, Gambit got the lay of the land: first floor is cargo area, with some platforms that could raise and lower cargo through silken rope pulleys, as well as a U shaped catwalk that could be accessed by stairs on the left and a ladder on the right. To the left were two conversing guards and to the right was a lone smoking thug. At the end of the U shape was a manager’s office with open windows that cast moving shadows… someone was inside. The low lighting condition and ambiant haze made it harder to see from one end to another… but sound carried really well in the enclosed metallic space.
He chose to climb the ladder. Dreg’s signal was when the cigarette fell from the guard, that’s when he would create a distraction and make some cargo fall on the floor to force the other two guards to investigate.
Sean chose to add and use his Silence Vial in order to have his approach be merely one of luck: does the guy look my way as I creep forward? I stated clearly that on a 1-3 he would end up in a risky position against the smoking guard, on a 4-5 he would turn at the last moment, making tis a controlled position, and on a six Gambit would be able to move past and unseen, or “get the drop on him”.
Two dice and what do you know I roll a 4 as the highest. Sean decides to resist the consequence, costing him 3 stress (unlucky roll since he had three Prowess action ratings).
He ends up behind the guard and wants to cut the cigarette butt at the tipbso that the glowing ember part falls down, sigballing to Dreg, without being noticed by the smoking guard himself. I offer the devil’s bargain that this starts a fire as the glowing cigarette tip hits some fabric. He pushed himself instead and lands a 6! The guard is none the wiser. Gambit continues towards the main office.
He checks through the door, sees a barrek chested man verifying documents as he pours himself some whiskey. Gambit unlocks the door while hearing the two remaining guards go downstairs to investigate the commotion. He gets inside at the right moment, laying low. I made this a prowl check to fit with reading an npc’s movements AND opening and closing a door while moving without making a sound. Desperate position but standard effect. He pulls another 6 and everything is peachy. He circles aroubd the guy and reveals that he had brought tranquilizer syringes. I explain that this is a retroactive acquire asset. We vignette flashback his meeting with a shady guy who sells his luxury 3 pack of cigarillos that hide the syringes, costing Sean his second starting coin. As we emerge from the flashback I propose a choice of devil’s bargains: the whiskey glass is dropped, fully alerting the two leftover guys, or he gets repeatedly hit in the ribs by the tough manager’s elbows as he struggles to not get stung by the tranquilizer. Sean chose the second. We mark lvl 2 harm and he rolls, getting another 6! Its just a matter of finding the chest and getting it out . It is hidden behind a counter but too heavy for a single man to carry. We flashback to when a cart was hidden among some cargo on the other end of the catwalks. This cost him one stress because its in enemy territory. He is thus able to wheel out the chest alone, headed towards the platform system. As he emerges, he hears the guards actively noticing Dreg… who was quite unlucky with his sneaking about (being tier 0). Gambit wants to jump on the platform, grabbing one of the ropes, and heroically charge one of the guards as the guard moves about below. The position is risky but the effect is great: the aerial charge could really inflict a solid knockout blow. Finally Sean doesnt roll a 6 and the guard notices Gambit breaking his fall but not quite suceeding at having enough swing momentum to reach him. The guard charges with his short sword. Sean marks another item and pulls out his single shot pistol. The situation is controlled and the effect is great. He pulls it off on a 5 but manages to get flesh wound-grazed (lvl 1 harm) which he chose not to resist.
He hears Dreg chuckling as he rounds the corner, wiping the blood from his blade. The guards are eliminated and the chest is theirs!
The duo exit the premises by the canals. We cut to a meeting outside a tavern where the duo hid 12 out of 12 coins beneath sacks of grain. Baszo takes 4 satchels of silver pieces and hands it to them, ordering his lackeys to carry the rest.
We move on to downtime!
