I think I like the idea of family drama, as well as reinforcing the idea of the idea of the exclusivity of the Order by drawing from families who are already member. I changed it back to Shaw.
Matronly dowager who performs illegal rituals for clients in a back room of her dead husband's funeral home. A legacy member of the Order, she is well respected among the upper echelons, and one of the most skilled ritualists among them.
Locations Found:
The secret room of the funeral parlor owned by her dead husband, now run by junior members of the Order.
The dining room of her elegant apartment, where she often throws dinner parties for members of the Order, or for "the right kind of people" who could become clients or members of the Order.
Fear- Without the right caliber of people joining the Order, it will lose its prestige.
Issue- Unhealthy fixation on her deceased husband.
Bonds:
Andrew Copic - "I did the young man a great service in helping him join our Order; I'm sure he'd be willing to do me this small favor."
Sebastian Drake - "He thinks himself my equal? Hardly! He is a novelty. Practically a charlatan! I have been performing these rites since he was in the crib."
Second generation American, whose parents immigrated from Slovakia. Had a gift for math and planning, but anti-Eastern European bias prevented him from getting a legitimate job. So I turned to the Order. I get the magic where it needs to go, and also use clever accountancy to prevent the government from taxing our income. When I'm not in the offices at the Chicago Theater, I can probably be found in one of the underground casinos we run, playing mostly poker but also other table games.
My wish is for the Order to be accepted as a legitimate part of a society. To that end, I think we should lobby the government in Springfield to legalize gambling. Which is not to say I'm addicted to gambling or anything. I can stop anytime I want.
Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
A established member of the Order at the age of 57, Alexander is trusted with much of the record keeping responsibilities of the order, including the care of the sacred Tomes and Artifacts which are believed to be the source of much of the magic the Order relies on.
Locations Found:
The 'Secret Library' - what it says on the tin, located under Dermont Manor, meeting place for many of the Order.
The Obelisk of Nut-Khem - An authentic Egyptian monument brought to Chicago and placed in the center of a city park as decoration. Only the order recognizes its true significance.
Fear - Change may make the Order weaker.
Issue - Alcoholism.
Bonds:
Andrew Copic - Assigned Apprentice by 'Upstairs'. Now a full independent member in his own right, but the link remains.
Sanderson Murray - When Sanderson first declared interest in the Order, Alexander was the man who taught Sandy the basic functions and origins of the magic the Order uses. He took a risk doing this.
A man of indeterminate age, he is a stage magician. For the Order, he is a font of magical knowledge, both real and fake. He also helps cover for actual magical activity with smoke and mirrors.
Locations Found:
The Osiris Theater - the most extravagant venue in Chicago.
The Seeing Room - a collection of artifacts and persistent spells in Dermont Manor.
Hope - We will destroy Prohibition, and operate openly and unchallenged.
Issue - Seeing an extremely wealthy young woman.
Bonds:
Amelia Westin-Hastings - an inferior ritualist who has somehow been assigned this important duty for the Order. I suspect blackmail.
"Sandy" Murray - Drake and Sandy have been involved in multiple coverups for the Order. Each is well-equipped to implicate the other in dirty deeds and make their life difficult if they wanted, but it'd lead to mutually-assured destruction; while they don't get along they don't hate each other yet, either.
Mikey, you need to update your post with your bonds, but beyond that, we're set to address the final aspect - Initial Roles.
There are three roles in this game, of which each player will possess one at a time, with the option to change later. The three roles are Power , Perspective and Touchstone.
Power
When you have Power, you have authority over the Kingdom. You decide
what the Kingdom does and what it doesn't do. You tell people what to do
and they do it.
When you’re in a Scene or Reaction…
You can use your authority to make the Kingdom do
something to another character: throw them in jail, give
them a raise, etc. Describe how you make it happen.
After the ace pilot mouths off during a briefing, the
Commander (Power) uses her authority to ground
him. He’s flying a desk until she says otherwise.
You cannot use Power to control another player’s character, but you can threaten or bribe characters to make them do what you want. Power does not let you change another character’s Role. You can throw a Perspective character in prison, but that does not stop them from being right.
You can also give orders that are only carried out if the Crossroad result you specify is chosen. Pick Yes or No, then declare what you order the Kingdom to do to someone if that outcome is chosen. Write it in the
appropriate column on the Crossroad card, followed by your character’s name. Put an asterisk in front to showthat it is an order, not a prediction.
If the realm goes to war (Crossroad = Yes), the Duke
promises the lowly knight an influential command.
When a Crossroad is resolved…
You decide whether the Kingdom says Yes or No to the Crossroad. Your decision is final unless other Powers disagree or Power is taken away from you.
After hearing the consequences (Perspective) and what the people think (Touchstone), Power decides what the Kingdom actually does. Can you ignore what everyone else says and just do what you want? Absolutely–as
long as you’re willing to suffer the consequences. Upset people enough and they may take Power away from you.
Power might be the most straightforward Role to play. Unlike Touchstone or Perspective, when a Power player makes something happen, it is clearly their character doing it. Everyone knows who to blame (or thank).
If another player wants to stop something you made the Kingdom do, they can try to Challenge your authority. If they do not want you to be in charge anymore, they have to Overthrow your Role and take Power away from you.
If you feel like you aren’t really in charge or you do not want to tell the
Kingdom what to do, it is probably time to Change your Role.
Perspective
When you have Perspective, you understand the Kingdom, both its merits
and flaws. You can foresee the consequences of decisions the Kingdom
makes. You can see the truth, whether or not anyone else believes you.
When you’re in a Scene or Reaction…
You can predict the consequences of the Crossroad. Pick
either Yes or No, then declare something that will happen
if that outcome is chosen. The prediction can be good
or bad for the Kingdom as you wish. Make predictions
about the Kingdom, not specific characters.
The Crossroad is “Does the colony ration food?” A
Perspective player adds a prediction on the No side:
“Some people starve.” So if the colony decides not
to ration food, some people will starve. A different
Perspective player adds a Yes prediction: “Riots break
out.” So if food is rationed, there are riots. If it isn’t,
some people will starve.
Write the prediction in the Yes or No column of the
Crossroad card, followed by your character’s name so
everyone know who controls it. There can be any number
of predictions on a Crossroad.
When a Crossroad is resolved…
You decide if your prediction comes true. Predictions
are accurate by default, but things may have changed
enough that you no longer think it should happen.
The truth is not your fault. The Perspective character is seeing the truth, not
making it happen, even though you as a player are. A player with Perspective
can intentionally introduce catastrophic predictions all while having their
character remain completely innocent or even horrified at the possibilities.
You can intentionally make predictions you know other characters will want
to stop just to see how far they will go to fix them. Will they heed your
warning or ignore you at their peril?
If someone who does not have Perspective says what they think is going to
happen, you are in a position to say whether they are right or wrong. If you
like their idea, make it a prediction. Otherwise it holds no weight.
If another player wants to prevent the consequences you are describing,
they can try to Challenge your prediction. If they want to prove you wrong,
they must Overthrow your Role and take Perspective away from you. If you
feel like you do not understand the Kingdom or the consequences of the
Crossroad, it is time to Change your Role.
Touchstone
When you’re a Touchstone, you reflect the desires of the people of the
Kingdom. How you feel is how the people feel. What you care about is what
the people care about.
When you’re in a Scene or Reaction…
You decide how the people of the Kingdom feel by
showing how your character feels. As soon as we see
your character react or express an opinion, we know
that is the attitude of the people too. You can instantly
change the entire Kingdom.
The Crossroad is “Will the haven give shelter to the
refugees from the ray-wastes?” During a scene, one
character talks about seeing these poor devils with
nothing but rags, but the Touchstone character is
less sympathetic. “Sure I feel bad for them, but we’ve
got to look out for own first, don’t we?” We now know
that is how the average person in the Kingdom feels.
On your turn…
After playing your scene, you have the option to check
Crisis if you think the Kingdom is going down the drain
or erase a Crisis check if you think things are calming
down. This is in addition to the box you normally check
at the end of your Scene (you could even check Crisis
twice). Describe the change you see in the Kingdom.
When a Crossroad is resolved…
You show how the people of the Kingdom react to what
happened by checking or unchecking Crisis.
Moral of the story: don’t make the people angry. Touchstone can rapidly
destroy the Kingdom. Much like Perspective, a Touchstone character is not
responsible for what the people think: the player is. The character is not
influencing the people or controlling them. He or she just happens to have
a point of view that most people share. Silencing a Touchstone character
or locking them in a dungeon will not stop them from being accurate
indicators of public opinion.
A Touchstone character might not even know
that their attitudes are the norm. Touchstone is allowed to have attitudes
the people do not share, if they want.
If another player wants to sway the people, they can try to Challenge the
public attitudes you described. If they want to prove you are wrong about
the people, they have to Overthrow your Role to show that you aren’t really
a Touchstone after all. If you feel like your character has opinions that the
people would not share, it is time to Change your Role.
Players are allowed to adopt any combination of these roles, provided not everyone is the same role. (I in fact once ran a game where I played a Perspective character and the others were all Power characters. I purposefully made every Crossroad an impossible choice and laughed as they all clashed over each one).
Once the game has started, you can change your Role by simply changing it, citing an in-character context for the move. If someone does something with their role you don't agree with, you can Challenge them and provide a decent argument, which they may adopt or ignore. To take matters into your own hands, you can Overthrow another characters role, taking it for yourself and forcing them to choose another.
As you are all new to Kingdom (as far as I am aware), I will specifically not take on the role of Power until you are all comfortable with how things work and how we interact (Challenging the Dungeon Master/Game Host can be intimidating for a lot of people).
So, I shall adopt the role of Perspective
Once we've all decided our roles, I'll make a post or two explaining the turn process and Crossroad + Crisis in more detail, then we can begin.
That's fine. I've sent a message to the next reserve.
As Mikey was the strongest advocate for the seed we're running, I am compelled to ask if everyone still wants to run this game or to run a different seed. This would be the last chance to do so, and I don't want anyone to feel compelled to play a setting they might not enjoy. If we opt for change, I'll fast-track a new seed and get us started as quickly as possible (doing the whole set-up process again would test a lot of peoples patience, I'm sure).
I am fine to continue with our current seeds, but I was noticing that the three remaining players from the initial roundup all voted for Banner of the Black Serpent. I would be fine with switching over to that idea as well.
We have the choice to continue with this seed, or change to the Banner of the Black Serpent (which I will fast-track the creation of to get us back where we were).
Everyone thus far has basically said they're fine with either, so if anyone has any preference, let me know. @enlightenedbum , do you have an opinion on this?
@Auralynx, I'd like you to make a character in the same vein as those near the top of this page, leaving the bonds until last. Rather than put you at the bottom of the list as normal, which would disrupt all the already established bonds, I'll slot you in second, where Mikey was. That way you can post your character, the role you would like to have, then I can establish a bond with you and you can establish a bond with frax, then we can actually start the game.
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Sanderson "Sandy" Murray
Sandy Murray is a rookie cop in the Chicago PD. He wouldn't normally be Order material, but - as Sandy recently learned at his father's deathbed - his great-grandfather is Black Peter MacMurrough, one of the Order's foremost members in Ireland and an expert in curses, maledictions, and other baleful sorcery. Sandy knows very little about magic or the Order's business, but he does know he'd better do what he's told.
Locations Found:
20th District Station: Located at California and Pershing, this is the station to which Sandy is attached.
Windy City Boxing Gym: Sandy is a fairly skilled boxer in addition to his training as a policeman.
Wish: For magic to be a force for law and order.
Issue: Black Peter MacMurrough, who is a genuinely terrifying man to have for a relative.
So two Powers, Two Perspective and One Touchstone. That is actually the most 'balanced' composition I can think of. Shame it's unlikely to last.
Question: When a Crossroad is resolved, what if the Roles don't agree?
Power: If Powers don't agree, the Kingdom is pushed in opposite directions. If the powers cannot make a decision when a crossroad is resolved, the Kingdom may be caught in a stalemate, unable to make a decision. The Crossroad is extended by two ticks, predictions are delayed, and each Touchstone is allowed to tick a Crisis box. Any orders which contradict each other cancel each other out as closely as possible.
Perspective: If one Perspective players makes a prediction that blatantly contradicts another prediction, one of them must not be true. To determine this, follow these steps:
1) If one prediction was made by a character who
is no longer Perspective, that prediction was
wrong and the other comes true.
2) If one Perspective concedes that their
prediction is wrong, the other comes true.
3) If any character Overthrows one of the
Perspectives and cancels their prediction, the
remaining prediction comes true.
4) If neither Perspective concedes and no one
Overthrows, neither prediction comes true.
They are both wrong.
Touchstone: If Touchstones disagree, it means the people of the Kingdom are divided. If neither concedes, tick as many Crisis boxes as there are Touchstones in the disagreement, on top of what they would normally tick.
I'll bring this up again as/when it becomes relevant. So how do we play then?
Here's the rundown of a players turn:
1) If there is no Crossroad, introduce one: But if you have
already made a Crossroad and someone else has not, the
nearest left-hand player who has not made a Crossroad
makes one instead. Then you continue your turn.
2) Play a Scene: Make a scene focusing on what your
character thinks or does about the Crossroad. Role-play
together.
3) Reactions: Any player can briefly narrate how their
character reacts to the scene. It must be a direct reaction
to what just happened. Each player can make one and
use it to do or show one thing.
Anyone in a scene or reaction can use their Role to influence the Crossroad:
Perspective makes predictions, Touchstone shows what the people of the
Kingdom feel, Power decides what the Kingdom does. If your Role does not
fit you anymore, you can Change it. Characters can also Challenge to stop
something another character did or established or Overthrow to take away
another character’s Role.
4) Advance a card: After your scene, pick which card you
want to move closer to completion. Checking a Crossroad
box is the default, but you can check Crisis if you think
the Kingdom is in trouble or Time Passes to draw out the
Crossroad and move closer to a break in the action.
5) Resolve cards that are full: If you checked the last box on
a card, stop and resolve it before the next player takes
their turn. If more than one card is full, resolve each one
in this order: Crossroad, Crisis, then Time Passes.
6) Next player: Pass the current player token to the person
to your left (clockwise). They go next. Start again from
the top.
That’s the whole game. Keep repeating until your Kingdom becomes a
paradise on Earth, collapses in flames or everyone has to go home.
Basically, there are three countdowns going on at any one time. Ticking all the boxes of a Crossroad will put us in the situation where it must be immediately resolved. A Crisis will see the Kingdom suffer, with the potential for the whole thing to go down in flames. When Time Passes, a longer period of time will take place before any further progress is made on solving the Kingdoms problems.
Every players turn will see the creation of a scene - a conversation or event involving multiple characters that will bring the Kingdom closer to resolving the crossroad. My advice here is to keep each scene to 2-3 people maximum, to prevent any scene from dragging on too long. A scene should only last long enough for abilities to be used and for definite progress towards the Crossroad to be made, however little.
Then, each player will post a maximum 2-sentence reaction, even if they weren't actually there. This can be an attitude change, the use of an ability, or even an action your character carries out in the meantime. The most extreme example of this the book cites is one character blowing up a pipeline due to distaste in how those involved in the scene behaved.
Finally, the player concerned advances one of the aspect cards forward by giving it a single tick (Touchstones have the additional option of removing a tick from Crisis, or ticking Crisis twice if they like).
I have decided to set some end conditions of this game, so it doesn't just die out from boredom. The game will end when one of these conditions is met, whichever comes first.
1) Each player has contributed a crossroad and seen it through to completion (5 Crossroads).
2) Three Crises occur. After this point, the Order is finished, one way or another.
3) Time passes Four times. If this occurs, it can be assumed that the Order is content to survive without making any major changes.
When I have more free time, I'll set up the first Crossroad for us to address and begin the first scene.
CROSSROAD!: Will the Order blackmail the Police Department to keep their distance?
Police Chief Williams and his squad of detectives are investigating one of the junior members of the Order. The nature of the crime is unclear, but with a prohibition of Magic still very much in place, the Order can't afford to let the more narrow-minded elements of the Law get too close, regardless of the guilt of the offender. A forged letter, or conjured photograph could do wonders to keep men silent...
New Scene: The Library of Dermont Manor. Individuals present: Alexander Shaw, Sanderson Murray( @Auralynx ). (Other characters are welcome to join at any given point, but appropriate context is required).
Context: Alexander has summoned the young police officer to meet with him in confidence, regarding recent police interest in Order members, in order to discuss further details and options.
Alexander leaned back in his rickety old chair, pursing an exquisite Cuban cigar between his narrow lips. The chair was turned away from the desk to which it belonged, instead Alexander had chosen to point himself towards the window, wide and tall, overlooking the manor gardens and the raging storm taking place outside. The elder man pulls out his pocket watch and glances at the time.
"8.25 already? It is not like Sanderson to be this late..."
(Note, I am refraining from using color for speech, which I would otherwise normally do. I am instead reserving color for the marking of intent. If a power player wants to make an order clear, a Perspective make a prediction, or a Touchstone declare public opinion, they should do so with the assigned color (Red, Blue, Green respectively), highlighting the speech/thought that you intend to be the action. I figure things will flow more smoothly this way.)
(Just bumping here to let people know, anyone who wants to be in the scene can be, even for the sake of moving things along. I am simply there waiting for Sanderson, doesn't mean no one else can turn up)
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Sorry, was helping my brother move and didn't have much time to sit still yesterday.
Sandy banged on the door of Dermont Manor loudly. He hated being late, but tonight he'd had to help handle a bar brawl. The rain hadn't sped the trip up any, either.
Someone really ought to think about shutting the bars down, he reflected as the ancient man who served as the Order's butler opened the door. Potkin was some sort of Russian as far as Sandy could make out from his accent when the elderly man spoke, which was rarely. Mostly he just shooed Sandy in the direction he wanted him to go, like now. Quickly turning over his damp coat and hat to the man, he hustled over to the study to meet with Shaw.
Trying not to drip on anything valuable, which was tricky, Sandy headed straight to the fireplace to try to dry off.
"Sorry I'm late, sir; a bunch of... nevermind. What can I do for you?"
Alexander turned in his chair, saw Sandy enter, and gave a curt nod.
"I need your help son"
The old man throws the days newspaper across the table towards Sanderson.
"That boy there, the one on the front page? One of Madisons boys, a junior of the Order. Put a guy in hospital yesterday for being a bit too friendly with his 'gal".
Alexander frowns, sighs and takes another drag of his cigar. The rain seems heavier now, with the occasional flash of distant lightning flashing across Alexanders glasses.
"The boy is an idiot, but it's not assault itself that's the problem. The guy he took down is some nephew of Police Chief Williams. There are 'rumors' of magic being used"
Alexander turns back to the young officer and raises a stiff eyebrow over his glasses.
"You know as well as I do that Chief Williams has a stick up his ass when it comes to the Prohibition. If he starts sniffing around the Order, there are gonna be problems".
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Sandy picks up the paper, folds it, and reads with one hand while scratching his head with the other.
"So... you want me and Drake to take care of it like the last time? Gotta say, Mr. Shaw, if we keep getting people out of trouble they're just going to think they can get away with murder. Maybe we convince Tommy Madison he's better off taking the fall? I don't think he'd listen to me, but maybe someone else can talk him into it?"
So, to be clear, blackmailing the cops = the Order members keep misbehaving and things escalate; not blackmailing the cops = the Order's members may have to get served up to the law.
Your'e in the wrong role if you want to make predictions, that is perspective's job. As a Power player, you get to make things happen to other players (you could have me thrown in prison, for example), choose which route the Kingdom takes on the crossroad when it is time to resolve it, and issue orders that you want to see happen if one path or the other occurs (using the same example again, you could issue an order for me to be thrown in prison provided we opt to blackmail, and you still have the power role at that point).
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Yeah, that's an attempt at the conditional orders, but the line there seems blurry to me. Should that be more along the lines of "If the Order doesn't blackmail the cops, Drake and Sandy have to persuade Tommy Madison to go along with it?"
The basic difference is that an order is something that you are going to (try to) do, regardless of whether or not the kingdom or other characters are going to respond to it. Your orders should be more along the lines of 'I am going to do this'. You can't know or state how the kingdom will behave, you can only state how you will behave. You don't know the outcome yet either. All orders will be carried out AFTER the crossroad is resolved, so they won't be much use in altering the outcome.
For example, 'If the order doesn't Blackmail the cops, I will attempt to persuade Tommy Madison to go along with it'. That would be you issuing the order. A prediction would be 'If the order blackmails the cops, Tommy Madison will continue to act out'.
The former is basically a declaration of intent, not necessarily certain of the outcome. The latter is a direct cause and consequence that will definitely happen (unless a role change is forced upon them).
If Tommy Madison is a secondary character, as I understand it, Power could say "If the order doesn't Blackmail the cops, I will persuade Tommy Madison to go along with it." As Main Characters have complete narrative control of supporting characters. I could be wrong that's just how I interpreted that rule.
You are correct. The point I'm making is that a power player states they will do something if one option is picked, which will take effect after resolution.
However, a power player does not have the ability to outright state that something will happen beyond their own character. In scenes, yes, everyone can control secondary characters as they like. But no one aside from perspective can state future events independent of their character
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Ok then; that's not nearly how I'd expected Power to work, but let's roll with it. Trim that back down to "If the Order doesn't blackmail the cops, Sandy will make sure they arrest Tommy Madison."
For reference, here is the chapter on playing a Power character:
When you have Power, you have authority over the Kingdom. You decide
what the Kingdom does and what it doesn’t do. You tell people what to do
and they do it.
When you’re in a Scene or Reaction…
You can use your authority to make the Kingdom do
something to another character: throw them in jail, give
them a raise, etc. Describe how you make it happen.
After the ace pilot mouths off during a briefing, the
Commander (Power) uses her authority to ground
him. He’s flying a desk until she says otherwise.
You cannot use Power to control another player’s
character, but you can threaten or bribe characters
to make them do what you want. Power does not let
you change another character’s Role. You can throw a
Perspective character in prison, but that does not stop
them from being right.
You can also give orders that are only carried out if
the Crossroad result you specify is chosen. Pick Yes or
No, then declare what you order the Kingdom to do
to someone if that outcome is chosen. Write it in the
appropriate column on the Crossroad card, followed by
your character’s name. Put an asterisk in front to show
that it is an order, not a prediction.
If the realm goes to war (Crossroad = Yes), the Duke
promises the lowly knight an influential command.
When a Crossroad is resolved…
You decide whether the Kingdom says Yes or No to the
Crossroad. Your decision is final unless other Powers
disagree or Power is taken away from you.
After hearing the consequences (Perspective) and what the people think
(Touchstone), Power decides what the Kingdom actually does. Can you
ignore what everyone else says and just do what you want? Absolutely–as
long as you’re willing to suffer the consequences. Upset people enough and
they may take Power away from you.
Power might be the most straightforward Role to play. Unlike Touchstone
or Perspective, when a Power player makes something happen, it is clearly
their character doing it. Everyone knows who to blame (or thank).
If another player wants to stop something you made the Kingdom do, they
can try to Challenge your authority. If they do not want you to be in charge
anymore, they have to Overthrow your Role and take Power away from you.
If you feel like you aren’t really in charge or you do not want to tell the
Kingdom what to do, it is probably time to Change your Role
If anyone has any questions on their roles or how they work in tandem with others, let me know.
Alexander gives a slight nod.
"Do what you think is best son, I trust you to do right by us"
In one swift movement, Alexander slides to his feet and stands in front of the window, facing arms, with his arms clasped behind his back.
"In a few days time, I will call a meeting with a few of our Fellows. We will discuss what is to be done, not just in regards to this incident, but for all those like it. But we must do something, to protect the order. If we do nothing, the magic practices of the order will be exposed to the Law
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Sandy nods to the older man.
"I'm going to have them put a call in to Drake. We'll talk it over soon as soon we can and we'll see what we can come up with, but you're going to need a lot more fixers if you guys can't think of a better way to get people to lie low. It's easy for me, but there's a lot of temptation to use what you know for guys like Numbers."
He heads out to the common area and starts asking after Drake...
Unless someone has another idea, I think we'd better jump over to Sandy and Drake discussing dirty business for a bit, then to the meeting?
That seems logical, however, there is a certain sequence to each turn we need to follow. It does open your options for a new scene though. (Remember: adopting a secondary character is allowed if you want to 'invade' a scene)
The sequence is Player introduces Scene > Reactions > Player Advances a card > Next player introduces Scene > and so on.
Once a scene is over, everyone (including those not present) posts one or two lines about their reaction to the scene, or information introduced within. I introduced the newspaper report, so that's the obvious choice. The reaction can be what your character thinks, or even an action they take between scenes. If anyone feels like their character wouldn't have a reaction for one reason or another, just state 'No Reaction'.
/ END SCENE
Reaction:
While Alexander is somewhat reassured by Sandy, he feels a deep fear inside. A fear that the Order is at the mercy of the Law, who are looking for any weakness to exploit. Something must be done...
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Sandy thinks guys like Tommy Madison need to pay for what they do, magic or not. He's a confused by the fact that the Order would rather cover up or downplay criminal acts than discipline its members, and really beginning to hate the cloak-and-dagger part of his responsibilities.
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Matronly dowager who performs illegal rituals for clients in a back room of her dead husband's funeral home. A legacy member of the Order, she is well respected among the upper echelons, and one of the most skilled ritualists among them.
Locations Found:
The secret room of the funeral parlor owned by her dead husband, now run by junior members of the Order.
The dining room of her elegant apartment, where she often throws dinner parties for members of the Order, or for "the right kind of people" who could become clients or members of the Order.
Fear- Without the right caliber of people joining the Order, it will lose its prestige.
Issue- Unhealthy fixation on her deceased husband.
Bonds:
Andrew Copic - "I did the young man a great service in helping him join our Order; I'm sure he'd be willing to do me this small favor."
Sebastian Drake - "He thinks himself my equal? Hardly! He is a novelty. Practically a charlatan! I have been performing these rites since he was in the crib."
Second generation American, whose parents immigrated from Slovakia. Had a gift for math and planning, but anti-Eastern European bias prevented him from getting a legitimate job. So I turned to the Order. I get the magic where it needs to go, and also use clever accountancy to prevent the government from taxing our income. When I'm not in the offices at the Chicago Theater, I can probably be found in one of the underground casinos we run, playing mostly poker but also other table games.
My wish is for the Order to be accepted as a legitimate part of a society. To that end, I think we should lobby the government in Springfield to legalize gambling. Which is not to say I'm addicted to gambling or anything. I can stop anytime I want.
A established member of the Order at the age of 57, Alexander is trusted with much of the record keeping responsibilities of the order, including the care of the sacred Tomes and Artifacts which are believed to be the source of much of the magic the Order relies on.
Locations Found:
The 'Secret Library' - what it says on the tin, located under Dermont Manor, meeting place for many of the Order.
The Obelisk of Nut-Khem - An authentic Egyptian monument brought to Chicago and placed in the center of a city park as decoration. Only the order recognizes its true significance.
Fear - Change may make the Order weaker.
Issue - Alcoholism.
Bonds:
Andrew Copic - Assigned Apprentice by 'Upstairs'. Now a full independent member in his own right, but the link remains.
Sanderson Murray - When Sanderson first declared interest in the Order, Alexander was the man who taught Sandy the basic functions and origins of the magic the Order uses. He took a risk doing this.
PSN: TheBrayster_92
A man of indeterminate age, he is a stage magician. For the Order, he is a font of magical knowledge, both real and fake. He also helps cover for actual magical activity with smoke and mirrors.
Locations Found:
The Osiris Theater - the most extravagant venue in Chicago.
The Seeing Room - a collection of artifacts and persistent spells in Dermont Manor.
Hope - We will destroy Prohibition, and operate openly and unchallenged.
Issue - Seeing an extremely wealthy young woman.
Bonds:
Amelia Westin-Hastings - an inferior ritualist who has somehow been assigned this important duty for the Order. I suspect blackmail.
"Sandy" Murray - Drake and Sandy have been involved in multiple coverups for the Order. Each is well-equipped to implicate the other in dirty deeds and make their life difficult if they wanted, but it'd lead to mutually-assured destruction; while they don't get along they don't hate each other yet, either.
There are three roles in this game, of which each player will possess one at a time, with the option to change later. The three roles are Power , Perspective and Touchstone .
Power
When you have Power, you have authority over the Kingdom. You decide
what the Kingdom does and what it doesn't do. You tell people what to do
and they do it.
You can use your authority to make the Kingdom do
something to another character: throw them in jail, give
them a raise, etc. Describe how you make it happen.
After the ace pilot mouths off during a briefing, the
Commander (Power) uses her authority to ground
him. He’s flying a desk until she says otherwise.
You cannot use Power to control another player’s character, but you can threaten or bribe characters to make them do what you want. Power does not let you change another character’s Role. You can throw a Perspective character in prison, but that does not stop them from being right.
You can also give orders that are only carried out if the Crossroad result you specify is chosen. Pick Yes or No, then declare what you order the Kingdom to do to someone if that outcome is chosen. Write it in the
appropriate column on the Crossroad card, followed by your character’s name. Put an asterisk in front to showthat it is an order, not a prediction.
If the realm goes to war (Crossroad = Yes), the Duke
promises the lowly knight an influential command.
When a Crossroad is resolved…
You decide whether the Kingdom says Yes or No to the Crossroad. Your decision is final unless other Powers disagree or Power is taken away from you.
After hearing the consequences (Perspective) and what the people think (Touchstone), Power decides what the Kingdom actually does. Can you ignore what everyone else says and just do what you want? Absolutely–as
long as you’re willing to suffer the consequences. Upset people enough and they may take Power away from you.
Power might be the most straightforward Role to play. Unlike Touchstone or Perspective, when a Power player makes something happen, it is clearly their character doing it. Everyone knows who to blame (or thank).
If another player wants to stop something you made the Kingdom do, they can try to Challenge your authority. If they do not want you to be in charge anymore, they have to Overthrow your Role and take Power away from you.
If you feel like you aren’t really in charge or you do not want to tell the
Kingdom what to do, it is probably time to Change your Role.
Perspective
When you have Perspective, you understand the Kingdom, both its merits
and flaws. You can foresee the consequences of decisions the Kingdom
makes. You can see the truth, whether or not anyone else believes you.
You can predict the consequences of the Crossroad. Pick
either Yes or No, then declare something that will happen
if that outcome is chosen. The prediction can be good
or bad for the Kingdom as you wish. Make predictions
about the Kingdom, not specific characters.
The Crossroad is “Does the colony ration food?” A
Perspective player adds a prediction on the No side:
“Some people starve.” So if the colony decides not
to ration food, some people will starve. A different
Perspective player adds a Yes prediction: “Riots break
out.” So if food is rationed, there are riots. If it isn’t,
some people will starve.
Write the prediction in the Yes or No column of the
Crossroad card, followed by your character’s name so
everyone know who controls it. There can be any number
of predictions on a Crossroad.
When a Crossroad is resolved…
You decide if your prediction comes true. Predictions
are accurate by default, but things may have changed
enough that you no longer think it should happen.
The truth is not your fault. The Perspective character is seeing the truth, not
making it happen, even though you as a player are. A player with Perspective
can intentionally introduce catastrophic predictions all while having their
character remain completely innocent or even horrified at the possibilities.
You can intentionally make predictions you know other characters will want
to stop just to see how far they will go to fix them. Will they heed your
warning or ignore you at their peril?
If someone who does not have Perspective says what they think is going to
happen, you are in a position to say whether they are right or wrong. If you
like their idea, make it a prediction. Otherwise it holds no weight.
If another player wants to prevent the consequences you are describing,
they can try to Challenge your prediction. If they want to prove you wrong,
they must Overthrow your Role and take Perspective away from you. If you
feel like you do not understand the Kingdom or the consequences of the
Crossroad, it is time to Change your Role.
Touchstone
When you’re a Touchstone, you reflect the desires of the people of the
Kingdom. How you feel is how the people feel. What you care about is what
the people care about.
You decide how the people of the Kingdom feel by
showing how your character feels. As soon as we see
your character react or express an opinion, we know
that is the attitude of the people too. You can instantly
change the entire Kingdom.
The Crossroad is “Will the haven give shelter to the
refugees from the ray-wastes?” During a scene, one
character talks about seeing these poor devils with
nothing but rags, but the Touchstone character is
less sympathetic. “Sure I feel bad for them, but we’ve
got to look out for own first, don’t we?” We now know
that is how the average person in the Kingdom feels.
On your turn…
After playing your scene, you have the option to check
Crisis if you think the Kingdom is going down the drain
or erase a Crisis check if you think things are calming
down. This is in addition to the box you normally check
at the end of your Scene (you could even check Crisis
twice). Describe the change you see in the Kingdom.
When a Crossroad is resolved…
You show how the people of the Kingdom react to what
happened by checking or unchecking Crisis.
Moral of the story: don’t make the people angry. Touchstone can rapidly
destroy the Kingdom. Much like Perspective, a Touchstone character is not
responsible for what the people think: the player is. The character is not
influencing the people or controlling them. He or she just happens to have
a point of view that most people share. Silencing a Touchstone character
or locking them in a dungeon will not stop them from being accurate
indicators of public opinion.
A Touchstone character might not even know
that their attitudes are the norm. Touchstone is allowed to have attitudes
the people do not share, if they want.
If another player wants to sway the people, they can try to Challenge the
public attitudes you described. If they want to prove you are wrong about
the people, they have to Overthrow your Role to show that you aren’t really
a Touchstone after all. If you feel like your character has opinions that the
people would not share, it is time to Change your Role.
Players are allowed to adopt any combination of these roles, provided not everyone is the same role. (I in fact once ran a game where I played a Perspective character and the others were all Power characters. I purposefully made every Crossroad an impossible choice and laughed as they all clashed over each one).
Once the game has started, you can change your Role by simply changing it, citing an in-character context for the move. If someone does something with their role you don't agree with, you can Challenge them and provide a decent argument, which they may adopt or ignore. To take matters into your own hands, you can Overthrow another characters role, taking it for yourself and forcing them to choose another.
As you are all new to Kingdom (as far as I am aware), I will specifically not take on the role of Power until you are all comfortable with how things work and how we interact (Challenging the Dungeon Master/Game Host can be intimidating for a lot of people).
So, I shall adopt the role of Perspective
Once we've all decided our roles, I'll make a post or two explaining the turn process and Crossroad + Crisis in more detail, then we can begin.
PSN: TheBrayster_92
As Mikey was the strongest advocate for the seed we're running, I am compelled to ask if everyone still wants to run this game or to run a different seed. This would be the last chance to do so, and I don't want anyone to feel compelled to play a setting they might not enjoy. If we opt for change, I'll fast-track a new seed and get us started as quickly as possible (doing the whole set-up process again would test a lot of peoples patience, I'm sure).
PSN: TheBrayster_92
We have the choice to continue with this seed, or change to the Banner of the Black Serpent (which I will fast-track the creation of to get us back where we were).
Everyone thus far has basically said they're fine with either, so if anyone has any preference, let me know. @enlightenedbum , do you have an opinion on this?
PSN: TheBrayster_92
@Auralynx, I'd like you to make a character in the same vein as those near the top of this page, leaving the bonds until last. Rather than put you at the bottom of the list as normal, which would disrupt all the already established bonds, I'll slot you in second, where Mikey was. That way you can post your character, the role you would like to have, then I can establish a bond with you and you can establish a bond with frax, then we can actually start the game.
PSN: TheBrayster_92
Sandy Murray is a rookie cop in the Chicago PD. He wouldn't normally be Order material, but - as Sandy recently learned at his father's deathbed - his great-grandfather is Black Peter MacMurrough, one of the Order's foremost members in Ireland and an expert in curses, maledictions, and other baleful sorcery. Sandy knows very little about magic or the Order's business, but he does know he'd better do what he's told.
Locations Found:
20th District Station: Located at California and Pershing, this is the station to which Sandy is attached.
Windy City Boxing Gym: Sandy is a fairly skilled boxer in addition to his training as a policeman.
Wish: For magic to be a force for law and order.
Issue: Black Peter MacMurrough, who is a genuinely terrifying man to have for a relative.
Bonds: ??
Role: Power
Edited Drake to include Sandy's bond.
Question: When a Crossroad is resolved, what if the Roles don't agree?
Power: If Powers don't agree, the Kingdom is pushed in opposite directions. If the powers cannot make a decision when a crossroad is resolved, the Kingdom may be caught in a stalemate, unable to make a decision. The Crossroad is extended by two ticks, predictions are delayed, and each Touchstone is allowed to tick a Crisis box. Any orders which contradict each other cancel each other out as closely as possible.
Perspective: If one Perspective players makes a prediction that blatantly contradicts another prediction, one of them must not be true. To determine this, follow these steps:
is no longer Perspective, that prediction was
wrong and the other comes true.
2) If one Perspective concedes that their
prediction is wrong, the other comes true.
3) If any character Overthrows one of the
Perspectives and cancels their prediction, the
remaining prediction comes true.
4) If neither Perspective concedes and no one
Overthrows, neither prediction comes true.
They are both wrong.
Touchstone: If Touchstones disagree, it means the people of the Kingdom are divided. If neither concedes, tick as many Crisis boxes as there are Touchstones in the disagreement, on top of what they would normally tick.
I'll bring this up again as/when it becomes relevant.
So how do we play then?
Here's the rundown of a players turn:
already made a Crossroad and someone else has not, the
nearest left-hand player who has not made a Crossroad
makes one instead. Then you continue your turn.
2) Play a Scene: Make a scene focusing on what your
character thinks or does about the Crossroad. Role-play
together.
3) Reactions: Any player can briefly narrate how their
character reacts to the scene. It must be a direct reaction
to what just happened. Each player can make one and
use it to do or show one thing.
Anyone in a scene or reaction can use their Role to influence the Crossroad:
Perspective makes predictions, Touchstone shows what the people of the
Kingdom feel, Power decides what the Kingdom does. If your Role does not
fit you anymore, you can Change it. Characters can also Challenge to stop
something another character did or established or Overthrow to take away
another character’s Role.
4) Advance a card: After your scene, pick which card you
want to move closer to completion. Checking a Crossroad
box is the default, but you can check Crisis if you think
the Kingdom is in trouble or Time Passes to draw out the
Crossroad and move closer to a break in the action.
5) Resolve cards that are full: If you checked the last box on
a card, stop and resolve it before the next player takes
their turn. If more than one card is full, resolve each one
in this order: Crossroad, Crisis, then Time Passes.
6) Next player: Pass the current player token to the person
to your left (clockwise). They go next. Start again from
the top.
That’s the whole game. Keep repeating until your Kingdom becomes a
paradise on Earth, collapses in flames or everyone has to go home.
Basically, there are three countdowns going on at any one time. Ticking all the boxes of a Crossroad will put us in the situation where it must be immediately resolved. A Crisis will see the Kingdom suffer, with the potential for the whole thing to go down in flames. When Time Passes, a longer period of time will take place before any further progress is made on solving the Kingdoms problems.
Every players turn will see the creation of a scene - a conversation or event involving multiple characters that will bring the Kingdom closer to resolving the crossroad. My advice here is to keep each scene to 2-3 people maximum, to prevent any scene from dragging on too long. A scene should only last long enough for abilities to be used and for definite progress towards the Crossroad to be made, however little.
Then, each player will post a maximum 2-sentence reaction, even if they weren't actually there. This can be an attitude change, the use of an ability, or even an action your character carries out in the meantime. The most extreme example of this the book cites is one character blowing up a pipeline due to distaste in how those involved in the scene behaved.
Finally, the player concerned advances one of the aspect cards forward by giving it a single tick (Touchstones have the additional option of removing a tick from Crisis, or ticking Crisis twice if they like).
I have decided to set some end conditions of this game, so it doesn't just die out from boredom. The game will end when one of these conditions is met, whichever comes first.
1) Each player has contributed a crossroad and seen it through to completion (5 Crossroads).
2) Three Crises occur. After this point, the Order is finished, one way or another.
3) Time passes Four times. If this occurs, it can be assumed that the Order is content to survive without making any major changes.
When I have more free time, I'll set up the first Crossroad for us to address and begin the first scene.
PSN: TheBrayster_92
New Scene: The Library of Dermont Manor. Individuals present: Alexander Shaw, Sanderson Murray( @Auralynx ). (Other characters are welcome to join at any given point, but appropriate context is required).
Context: Alexander has summoned the young police officer to meet with him in confidence, regarding recent police interest in Order members, in order to discuss further details and options.
Alexander leaned back in his rickety old chair, pursing an exquisite Cuban cigar between his narrow lips. The chair was turned away from the desk to which it belonged, instead Alexander had chosen to point himself towards the window, wide and tall, overlooking the manor gardens and the raging storm taking place outside. The elder man pulls out his pocket watch and glances at the time.
"8.25 already? It is not like Sanderson to be this late..."
(Note, I am refraining from using color for speech, which I would otherwise normally do. I am instead reserving color for the marking of intent. If a power player wants to make an order clear, a Perspective make a prediction, or a Touchstone declare public opinion, they should do so with the assigned color (Red, Blue, Green respectively), highlighting the speech/thought that you intend to be the action. I figure things will flow more smoothly this way.)
PSN: TheBrayster_92
PSN: TheBrayster_92
Sandy banged on the door of Dermont Manor loudly. He hated being late, but tonight he'd had to help handle a bar brawl. The rain hadn't sped the trip up any, either.
Someone really ought to think about shutting the bars down, he reflected as the ancient man who served as the Order's butler opened the door. Potkin was some sort of Russian as far as Sandy could make out from his accent when the elderly man spoke, which was rarely. Mostly he just shooed Sandy in the direction he wanted him to go, like now. Quickly turning over his damp coat and hat to the man, he hustled over to the study to meet with Shaw.
Trying not to drip on anything valuable, which was tricky, Sandy headed straight to the fireplace to try to dry off.
"Sorry I'm late, sir; a bunch of... nevermind. What can I do for you?"
"I need your help son"
The old man throws the days newspaper across the table towards Sanderson.
"That boy there, the one on the front page? One of Madisons boys, a junior of the Order. Put a guy in hospital yesterday for being a bit too friendly with his 'gal".
Alexander frowns, sighs and takes another drag of his cigar. The rain seems heavier now, with the occasional flash of distant lightning flashing across Alexanders glasses.
"The boy is an idiot, but it's not assault itself that's the problem. The guy he took down is some nephew of Police Chief Williams. There are 'rumors' of magic being used"
Alexander turns back to the young officer and raises a stiff eyebrow over his glasses.
"You know as well as I do that Chief Williams has a stick up his ass when it comes to the Prohibition. If he starts sniffing around the Order, there are gonna be problems".
PSN: TheBrayster_92
"So... you want me and Drake to take care of it like the last time? Gotta say, Mr. Shaw, if we keep getting people out of trouble they're just going to think they can get away with murder. Maybe we convince Tommy Madison he's better off taking the fall? I don't think he'd listen to me, but maybe someone else can talk him into it?"
PSN: TheBrayster_92
For example, 'If the order doesn't Blackmail the cops, I will attempt to persuade Tommy Madison to go along with it'. That would be you issuing the order. A prediction would be 'If the order blackmails the cops, Tommy Madison will continue to act out'.
The former is basically a declaration of intent, not necessarily certain of the outcome. The latter is a direct cause and consequence that will definitely happen (unless a role change is forced upon them).
PSN: TheBrayster_92
However, a power player does not have the ability to outright state that something will happen beyond their own character. In scenes, yes, everyone can control secondary characters as they like. But no one aside from perspective can state future events independent of their character
PSN: TheBrayster_92
what the Kingdom does and what it doesn’t do. You tell people what to do
and they do it.
When you’re in a Scene or Reaction…
You can use your authority to make the Kingdom do
something to another character: throw them in jail, give
them a raise, etc. Describe how you make it happen.
After the ace pilot mouths off during a briefing, the
Commander (Power) uses her authority to ground
him. He’s flying a desk until she says otherwise.
You cannot use Power to control another player’s
character, but you can threaten or bribe characters
to make them do what you want. Power does not let
you change another character’s Role. You can throw a
Perspective character in prison, but that does not stop
them from being right.
You can also give orders that are only carried out if
the Crossroad result you specify is chosen. Pick Yes or
No, then declare what you order the Kingdom to do
to someone if that outcome is chosen. Write it in the
appropriate column on the Crossroad card, followed by
your character’s name. Put an asterisk in front to show
that it is an order, not a prediction.
If the realm goes to war (Crossroad = Yes), the Duke
promises the lowly knight an influential command.
When a Crossroad is resolved…
You decide whether the Kingdom says Yes or No to the
Crossroad. Your decision is final unless other Powers
disagree or Power is taken away from you.
After hearing the consequences (Perspective) and what the people think
(Touchstone), Power decides what the Kingdom actually does. Can you
ignore what everyone else says and just do what you want? Absolutely–as
long as you’re willing to suffer the consequences. Upset people enough and
they may take Power away from you.
Power might be the most straightforward Role to play. Unlike Touchstone
or Perspective, when a Power player makes something happen, it is clearly
their character doing it. Everyone knows who to blame (or thank).
If another player wants to stop something you made the Kingdom do, they
can try to Challenge your authority. If they do not want you to be in charge
anymore, they have to Overthrow your Role and take Power away from you.
If you feel like you aren’t really in charge or you do not want to tell the
Kingdom what to do, it is probably time to Change your Role
If anyone has any questions on their roles or how they work in tandem with others, let me know.
Alexander gives a slight nod.
"Do what you think is best son, I trust you to do right by us"
In one swift movement, Alexander slides to his feet and stands in front of the window, facing arms, with his arms clasped behind his back.
"In a few days time, I will call a meeting with a few of our Fellows. We will discuss what is to be done, not just in regards to this incident, but for all those like it. But we must do something, to protect the order. If we do nothing, the magic practices of the order will be exposed to the Law
PSN: TheBrayster_92
"I'm going to have them put a call in to Drake. We'll talk it over soon as soon we can and we'll see what we can come up with, but you're going to need a lot more fixers if you guys can't think of a better way to get people to lie low. It's easy for me, but there's a lot of temptation to use what you know for guys like Numbers."
He heads out to the common area and starts asking after Drake...
The sequence is Player introduces Scene > Reactions > Player Advances a card > Next player introduces Scene > and so on.
Once a scene is over, everyone (including those not present) posts one or two lines about their reaction to the scene, or information introduced within. I introduced the newspaper report, so that's the obvious choice. The reaction can be what your character thinks, or even an action they take between scenes. If anyone feels like their character wouldn't have a reaction for one reason or another, just state 'No Reaction'.
/ END SCENE
Reaction:
While Alexander is somewhat reassured by Sandy, he feels a deep fear inside. A fear that the Order is at the mercy of the Law, who are looking for any weakness to exploit. Something must be done...
PSN: TheBrayster_92