Time to pay up Kinclaith

Time to pay up Kinclaith

Time to pay up Kinclaith

First a bit of game statistics nerding. I payed 92 games this year, up from my average of 78. And a few other observations.

Then, the story of the Spectral Society bullying the Kinclaith family into paying long overdue “donations” to Charterhall University. Roathe was itching for a duel, Irimina was at some points lucid and cunning, at others in a rapture, but the Blades did it… with the catch that they’d have a statue erected in their name.

Players: Adrienne Mueller, Karen Twelves, and Eric Fattig

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-time-to-pay-up-kinclaith-12142016/

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-time-to-pay-up-kinclaith-12142016/

Academic Probation!

Academic Probation!

Academic Probation! – In the hook for stealing from a guest speaker Leviathan Hunter the Society faces dissolution from Dean Hellyers and the other faculty!

Players: Adrienne Mueller, Karen Twelves, Eric Fattig.

Actual play: http:/www.seannittner.com/actual-play-academic-probation-1272016/

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-academic-probation-1272016/

The True Path – Harland creates a new sect of The Path of Echoes and before the first meeting is completed, Elke…

The True Path – Harland creates a new sect of The Path of Echoes and before the first meeting is completed, Elke…

The True Path – Harland creates a new sect of The Path of Echoes and before the first meeting is completed, Elke already starts a schism.

Elke and Hix learn how to protect your soul from early eviction (Hollow protection).

Hix gets chummy with inspector Frost, but then is dumped by Salia, who’s finally had enough of the abuse.

So much good stuff in http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-the-true-path-11292016/

Players: Adrienne Mueller, Karen Twelves, and Eric Fattig

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-the-true-path-11292016/

The Calm Before the Storm – How our scoundrels deal with stress is positively amazing.

The Calm Before the Storm – How our scoundrels deal with stress is positively amazing.

The Calm Before the Storm – How our scoundrels deal with stress is positively amazing. Also, maybe stay clear of The Six Arms until management figures out how to handle the new clientele.

And… a Lampblack hanging up his coat. Arquo got out… but what is he into now?

Players: Adrienne Mueller, Karen Twelves, and Eric Fattig.

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-the-calm-before-the-storm-11222016/

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-the-calm-before-the-storm-11222016/

We’re getting Hix Back (Part 2) – Arden is brought into the Nightmarket to trade his father’s prized dueling pistol…

We’re getting Hix Back (Part 2) – Arden is brought into the Nightmarket to trade his father’s prized dueling pistol…

We’re getting Hix Back (Part 2) – Arden is brought into the Nightmarket to trade his father’s prized dueling pistol for an imperial musket with the strange merchant Mordis.

Hell breaks loose in the streets when said musket accidentally goes off!

Players: Adrienne Mueller, Karen Twelves, and Eric Fattig

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-the-hand-off-11172016/

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-the-hand-off-11172016/

We’re getting Hix Back (part 1) – The Society lures Arden Keel from his protective family under the guise of being…

We’re getting Hix Back (part 1) – The Society lures Arden Keel from his protective family under the guise of being…

We’re getting Hix Back (part 1) – The Society lures Arden Keel from his protective family under the guise of being Grinders bringing him back into the fold.

Players: Adrienne Mueller, Karen Twelves, and Eric Fattig

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-were-getting-hix-back-1182016/

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-were-getting-hix-back-1182016/

This is how we Do in Doksvol.

This is how we Do in Doksvol.

This is how we Do in Doksvol.

Recovering from our score on the Nightbreaker and the return of Canter, the Bloodletters found themselves trapped by the Irruvian Consulate. Or was the consulate trapped by them?

GM: John Harper

Players: Stras Acimovic, Adam Koebel, and me!

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-this-is-how-we-do-in-doskvol-1172016/

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-this-is-how-we-do-in-doskvol-1172016/

A New Path – Playing a great game while having our anniversary dinner = the best!

A New Path – Playing a great game while having our anniversary dinner = the best!

A New Path – Playing a great game while having our anniversary dinner = the best!

Harland returns and beings starting his own cult! Elke continues trying to resuscitate Nyryx. Scurlock offers the daughter of House Salkaran a chance to work with him. Arquo crushes in Elke, but thinks she’s into Harland!

Players: Adrienne Mueller, Karen Twelves, and Eric Fattig

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-a-new-path-1112016/

http://www.seannittner.com/actual-play-a-new-path-1112016/

Peter Gilstrap, from The California Report, did a piece on Adam Higgs, who calls himself a truth seeker.

Peter Gilstrap, from The California Report, did a piece on Adam Higgs, who calls himself a truth seeker.

Peter Gilstrap, from The California Report, did a piece on Adam Higgs, who calls himself a truth seeker.

Gilstrap: So, did you do an exorcism?

Higgs: Oh yeah, done that. It’s a very simple procedure, something like that. If you’ve got the balls to do it.

Higgs (on trance mediumship): It’s where the spirit comes into you and your voice changes, your body changes, your face changes, and everything. That is better than sex and weightlifting put together.

The guy sounds like he is a fucking Blade, right down to his confident rustic charm and utter faith in his own con. And that name. I want Higgs in my gang!

Direct link to the show (California Report Oct 29, 2016): http://www.kqed.org/.stream/mp3splice/radio/tcrmag/2016/10/2016-10-28-tcrmag.mp3?siteplayer=true&dl=1

Here’s Higgs’s own page: http://www.truth-speaker.com

And a pretty hilarious complaint that he is a complete fraud from another practitioner: http://m.ripoffreport.com/r/adam-higgs/los-angeles-california-/adam-higgs-truth-speaker-more-like-rude-speaker-los-angeles-california-768510

http://www.kqed.org/.stream/mp3splice/radio/tcrmag/2016/10/2016-10-28-tcrmag.mp3?siteplayer=true&dl=1

In the Rolleplay Blades game I saw a classic player ego issue dealt with in an amazing way by Zeke.

In the Rolleplay Blades game I saw a classic player ego issue dealt with in an amazing way by Zeke.

In the Rolleplay Blades game I saw a classic player ego issue dealt with in an amazing way by Zeke.

At 19:11 a very cool thing happens, and I think it’s totally worth shining a spotlight on as an example of great play.

We have this very common situation. The players all have characters who are consummate bad asses but for one reason or another (in this case it was social status) an NPC is looking down on them and treating them as lesser. John didn’t lay it on too thick, but Iramina clearly thought of herself as better than the scoundrels.

And so many times I’ve seen this particular interaction trigger a result where the players need their PC to prove the NPC is wrong, a jerk, less, etc. It’s a status game and the player is determined to walk away with high status, thus starting some kind of conflict.

But in this case, what Aldo did was brilliant, because he didn’t try to insult or awe Iramina, instead he tried to find a common ground to connect with her. Yes, he did want to show her that he had educated tastes, but it wasn’t to insult her. He praised her and gave her an opening to praise him. And yes, she was awkward about it too, because he caught her off guard, but she had no reason to walk away thinking Aldo was a jerk, or someone who was trying to jump up to her status, just someone who appreciated some of the same things she did.

I think this is a fantastic example of a player finding a way to connect with an NPC rather than a way to humiliate, manipulate, or otherwise control them. Three cheers to @Ezekiel_III

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB9Yv5g8BB4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qB9Yv5g8BB4