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[Blades in the Dark] Greilharbor, Score 3: Hangman's Hourglass
Delzhand
Registered User, Transition Team regular
Registered User, Transition Team regular
Greilharbor. A city divided, both figuratively and literally. While the wealthy clifftop districts enjoy the sunshine and prosperity the harbor brings, the dockside districts struggle with salt-mist and poverty. Although the city was long a part of the Ovbrandt Duchy of the Ysarl Empire, the emperor's younger brother took up permanent residence in the city two years ago, and has since convinced the duchess to declare a formal secession.
Negotiations for a peaceful separation were doomed before they even began.
Unwilling to part with the economic power of the western world's biggest port and furious with this brother's insolence, the emperor has martialed his forces to enact a blockade around the city, trapping its citizens and cutting off lines of trade. The city's nobility and mercantile barons, believing the emperor's nerve will break before the city descends into chaos, decided to weather the storm.
However, the city's working and poor classes have had little appetite for the protracted exclusion from the rest of the empire. Forced to rely on overseas imports to bolster the city's dwindling food stores, building materials, and trade goods, prices soared. Quality of life declined rapidly for all but the wealthiest citizens, and even many households once securely positioned in the upper middle class have seen their fortunes turn.
Crimes both petty and violent began to rise. Sickness began to run rampant due to poor living conditions. Work became scarce. And amidst rising unrest, the city leaders enacted martial law. So when a young firebrand amassing support for a revolution meant to topple the aristocracy asked for your help specifically, you decided to hear him out.
Concept: revolutionaries in a pre-industrial harbor city
Aim: grow support for the revolution, avoid incarceration or death, improve conditions for the people
Tone: mostly serious, dangerous, potentially violent, some fantasy elements
Subject Matter: violence, oppression, inequality, injustice
System: setting-agnostic Blades in the Dark
Questions for potential players: What radicalized you? How do/did you make a living before things went to hell? Who do you care about?
Notes from the GM
You don't need to know Blades in the Dark to play this! If the CATS appeals to you, you're welcome here. You don't even need a playbook (BitD's 'character sheet') to start with. If you tell me what kind of character you want to play I'm happy to make suggestions.
If you are familiar with Blades in the Dark, great! I'll be sticking pretty closely to its mechanics for conflict resolution and character advancement, though obviously it's a game that's opinionated about its settings, so some things won't matter quite so much, if "imperial blockade" subbing in for "ghost field" didn't make it obvious. We'll be forgoing the Crew playbook until it becomes more relevant, perhaps after a few scores.
The background lore is far less important than the current situation in the city, which is Pretty Bad and Getting Worse, at least for people in your economic stratum.
I'm hoping for 3-4 players, but I'll run it with as few as 2.
Negotiations for a peaceful separation were doomed before they even began.
Unwilling to part with the economic power of the western world's biggest port and furious with this brother's insolence, the emperor has martialed his forces to enact a blockade around the city, trapping its citizens and cutting off lines of trade. The city's nobility and mercantile barons, believing the emperor's nerve will break before the city descends into chaos, decided to weather the storm.
However, the city's working and poor classes have had little appetite for the protracted exclusion from the rest of the empire. Forced to rely on overseas imports to bolster the city's dwindling food stores, building materials, and trade goods, prices soared. Quality of life declined rapidly for all but the wealthiest citizens, and even many households once securely positioned in the upper middle class have seen their fortunes turn.
Crimes both petty and violent began to rise. Sickness began to run rampant due to poor living conditions. Work became scarce. And amidst rising unrest, the city leaders enacted martial law. So when a young firebrand amassing support for a revolution meant to topple the aristocracy asked for your help specifically, you decided to hear him out.
Concept: revolutionaries in a pre-industrial harbor city
Aim: grow support for the revolution, avoid incarceration or death, improve conditions for the people
Tone: mostly serious, dangerous, potentially violent, some fantasy elements
Subject Matter: violence, oppression, inequality, injustice
System: setting-agnostic Blades in the Dark
Questions for potential players: What radicalized you? How do/did you make a living before things went to hell? Who do you care about?
Notes from the GM
You don't need to know Blades in the Dark to play this! If the CATS appeals to you, you're welcome here. You don't even need a playbook (BitD's 'character sheet') to start with. If you tell me what kind of character you want to play I'm happy to make suggestions.
If you are familiar with Blades in the Dark, great! I'll be sticking pretty closely to its mechanics for conflict resolution and character advancement, though obviously it's a game that's opinionated about its settings, so some things won't matter quite so much, if "imperial blockade" subbing in for "ghost field" didn't make it obvious. We'll be forgoing the Crew playbook until it becomes more relevant, perhaps after a few scores.
The background lore is far less important than the current situation in the city, which is Pretty Bad and Getting Worse, at least for people in your economic stratum.
I'm hoping for 3-4 players, but I'll run it with as few as 2.
Delzhand on
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As fas as a character concept, I've got two ideas:
Smuggler - was a criminal before the blockade, smuggling illicit goods, probably for the indulgent nobility. But with the blockade, they have a more noble use for their skills, smuggling in food and other necessities for the lower classes.
Muscle - maybe a dockhand or other laborer whose life has been wrecked by the situation in the city. Big person with a big heart, uses their strength to protect their community from violent criminals and corrupt city guard.
Each character has what's called a Playbook. It's less about what you're allowed to do than what you excel at and what you gain XP for. It's assumed everyone can use a weapon, break into a house, or convince someone. You've just got better odds of avoiding complications if it's a skill you've decided to focus on.
As a smuggler familiar with secret routes, I'd recommend the Lurk. As a lurk, you gain XP when you address a challenge with stealth or evasion. Or perhaps you rely more on guile or a network of contacts, in which case the Slide might interest you. As a slide, you gain XP when you use deception or influence.
For muscle, if you rely on brawn first and foremost, you could try the Cutter. Cutters gain XP for actions using violence or coercion. On the other hand, maybe you're more of a saboteur, like the Leech. You'd gain XP for engaging technical skills or mayhem.
Of course, any of the other playbooks would work fine. Every character has a resource called Stress that gives them a fighting chance at success even outside their expertise.
I’ve got a copy of BitD and I’ve just started running my own game of Scum and Villainy, so I’d be up for learning more about the player experience. I’ll have a look through the playbooks tonight and come up with a character concept or two.
Canis, the charismatic face of the revolution, gave a rousing speech earlier in the night. Passions are high, as is tension. There were probably thirty or forty people at the meeting tonight. Half again as many as the last meeting. You know a good many of them, at least in passing, but it's always hard to tell who might be an informant working with the Polis.
You prefer to be among the last to leave, for that reason. You're about to poke your head outside to see if the streets are clear when you feel, rather than hear, someone approaching you from behind.
"Wait."
It's Kade. She's got the same wavy auburn hair as her brother, but chopped shorter. Same eye shape. Wears her sword on the left, not the right. She makes you uncomfortable. You've only heard her speak a few words, and her expression is always muted. Even now, she's inscrutable.
"Talk to Canis."
You look past her to see him in the company of two others you recognize. Kade passes you and closes the door you were about to go through.
Too late to back out now, you guess. Not that you would, after all that's happened. All that's still happening.
* * *
"A shipment of Adkirn steel is due in the harbor three nights hence. If we do nothing, this steel will be used furnish the Polis with weapons and armor."
He eyes each of the three of you in turn.
"I want your help. Of all the people here tonight, you three have the skills to pull off what I'm asking. And I know you can be trusted."
He watches your somewhat surprised expressions.
"I've had Kade trail you for weeks. If you were informing on us, I'd know."
You don't know how to feel about that. It certainly doesn't improve your opinion of Kade much. It can't be helped, you guess. Canis doesn't let you linger on that thought for long. He rolls out a map and puts a few markers on it as he explains the situation.
1. The ship is scheduled to arrive at pier 32, but that pier is operated by a company loyal to the clifftop. The captain must be convinced somehow to dock at pier 54, whose workers share our cause. This is a longshot, but would avoid unnecessary bloodshed.
2. We could also simply remove enough workers from the dock that they can be supplanted by our loyalists. These men and women have steadfastly rejected our message, so I doubt they'll be moved by mere words at this point.
3. We will need to keep the city guard occupied while the goods are transported to one of our storehouses. A riot in an adjoining district would serve, but perhaps you've your own ideas.
4. Someone must see the goods transported safely to one of our storehouses. Even with the city watch largely distracted, there may still be isolated patrols or over-curious citizens. Deal with them as appropriate.
---
This is the first score, so it's time to make some decisions! This is the PLANNING PHASE of the first score. Typically in a tabletop session the GM would give you the setup for the score and you'd choose one of six plans and specify a missing detail, but since this is a new play-by-post I've provided a few suggestions. Whichever plan you advocate to the group, it will have a missing detail you'll need to provide.
Option 1 is a DECEPTION. Detail: the method of deception.
Option 2 is an ASSAULT. Detail: the point of attack.
Option 3 is a SOCIAL. Detail: the social connection.
Option 4 is TRANSPORT: Detail: the route and means.
Since we've got three people, if any two agree on a plan, that's what we'll do. If all three of you have different plans I'll just roll for it. Part of Blades' appeal is that it cuts through the planning phase to get right to the action.
I'm going to trust you all to manage your own playbooks, though I'll still provide guidance during play. The only thing I'd like you to include at the end of each in-character post is a little box like this one:
Stress: 2 | Harm: Dazed(1), Bloodied(2)
Everyone starts out with unstressed and unharmed, but I'll explain more as we play. We don't need to do full character creation all at once, but for now, @Tynnan, @Visskar, and @Zomro, lets have your chosen playbook, name/alias, and look!
Also if you just want to bookmark the thread instead of me @ notifying you when you're called for, just let me know.
Viva la revolución!
Ed Lawson (he/him, alias "Ringer" to his friends) is a Greilharbor stevedore and labor organizer. He's in his late thirties but looks fifty. Heavy frame, thinning hair, tired eyes. My facecast for Ed is Frank Sobotka from The Wire, and that's pretty close to the sort of background I like for him too. He means well, but has a habit of getting in over his head.
The Spider starts with two pips in Consort and one in Study. I'll add four pips as follows: one pip each in Skirmish, Wreck, Command, and Sway. This gives him resistance rolls of 1d6 for Insight, 2d6 for Prowess, and 3d6 for Resolve.
His starting playbook ability will be Foresight (Two times per score you can assist a teammate without paying stress. Tell us how you prepared for this.).
Ed's vice is Gambling, which establishment types sometimes use to discredit the longshoremen's labor efforts. How could he run a good organization with a habit like that, after all?
Friend: Clara Powell, a long-time family friend who works in the port authority's scheduling office.
Rival: Septimus Morley, a Bluecoat (or equivalent) inspector who has an uncanny nose for containers with smuggled contraband.
Alistair, aka Broker, is a man who can get things. Quiet and dextrous, Alistair can get into secure places in order to better... redistribute the items inside. Before the blockade, Alistair used to employ his skills for various nobles, stealing jewelry, art or other items for the covetous upper classes. But with the blockade and the lower classes of the city suffering, Alistair has found a more noble calling, stealing food, medicine and other necessities to those who can pass them onto those in need. He still expects to be paid for his services, but he was willing to take a large pay cut by changing his clientele.
Alistair has tanned, brown skin and dark, shoulder length curly hair. He wears simple clothing, which could pass for working clothes. He also has a hooded coat, which he wears when he does not wish to be seen. He tends to wear clothing that are darker shades, but rarely black. Black clothing is suspicious, but people might overlook someone wearing dark brown or green, while still being effective in the shadows or the dark of night.
Alistair's vice is Pleasure, specifically carousing and socializing in the various bars and pubs around the city. Though he does not reveal his true work to many, he's more than happy to hear the rumors and stories the locals tell about the Broker stealing from the rich.
Alistair has a friend in Petra, a city clerk, a useful source of information concerning the comings and goings of the city. Though many nobles would be happy to see Broker caught and hung for his thefts, one noble in particular, Roslyn Kellis, is out for Alistair's blood after he once stole a valuable heirloom from the Kellis estate.
As a Lurk, Alistair begins play with 1 Finesse and 2 Prowl. I chose to put my 4 dots in Survey (1 dot), Tinker (2 dots) and Consort (1 dot). For a special ability I chose Infiltrator, which means that Alistair is unaffected by Quality or Tier when he bypasses security measures.
Lawson's M.O. is generally going to be to lean into being known and well connected amongst blue collar folk. He probably knows someone's grandma and probably gave someone's nephew a job that one time. I'd imagine he's also the sort of person who gets negative opinion pieces penned in the Greilharbor papers by whoever the local equivalent of Andrew Sullivan is.
Also, I’ve got post notifications going to email alerts.
The miniature gryphon, or Strix gryphus, is not an arcane beast, but still something of an exotic animal - they have their origins overseas and are occasionally purchased as pets by the wealthy or those seeking the trappings of wealth. Mini gryphons bred in captivity have their wings clipped, but first generation imports are almost always capable of full flight.
However, with things as bad as they are in the city, many people are having trouble finding enough food even for themselves, and many pets of struggling families have unfortunately been released into the streets. While stray dogs and cats are common enough, it's only on rare occasion that the watchful citizen will spy a solitary mini gryphon roosting in the eaves or swooping down to snatch a wharf rat from the docks.
"Transportation seems the easiest route for seeing the goods to the warehouse. There are a number of good vantage points on the rooftops near the docks, easy to keep a watchful eye out for unwanted attention, clean lines of fire for a well placed rifle shot that they'll never see coming, if needed. With my keen eyes and Gregor's, we'll get you to the warehouse undisturbed."
Holtz Welker, the Hound, stands just under 6 ft tall, dressed in a longcoat and tricorn hat, his shirt and pants once a well kept combat uniform but the frayed ends and worn holes show that time has passed. His black hair and beard are beginning to grey, a knife scar down his left cheek a sign that not all his military service was done at long range.
"How long has it been since this ship last made port here? The river causes such a terrible buildup of silt in the docks, we can hardly keep up with dredging. I can't help but imagine that a ship like that, laden with steel and low in the water, would run aground before making it to Per 32. Better to have a harbor pilot row out and direct it through a safe channel to Pier 54. We're just looking out for everyone, you know? Nobody wants to deal with a ship run aground, especially not with the schedules we know they work under."
Alistair scoffs when the group is told that Kade had been tailing him, "Only a tail when the target doesn't know they're being followed. If they lead you where they want to go, you could find yourself caught in a trap. Fortunately, I'm the gentle sort."
After hearing the score, Alistair smirks, "Unlike a shipment of food, the Polis will notice when that shipment doesn't arrive, and they won't be happy about it. But I'd be lying if I didn't like the idea of keeping that steel away from 'em."
"If the cap'n can't be convinced to dock elsewhere, there's always good ol' bureaucracy! A last minute change to a manifest could see that ship dock where ever we want. Or a change in scheduling could see pier 32 shut down due to a security inspection."
"This is the first time you're all working together, so I'm sending my sister to keep watch. You won't even know she's there, hopefully. If you need a sword-arm, whistle like this."
He puts his fingers to his mouth a trills a short three notes.
"But to be honest, I chose you all because I think you can handle it between the three of you."
---
The plan is DECEPTION, the method is ALTERING THE ROUTE!
For the engagment roll, you'll start with 1d6 for SHEER LUCK
You also have a CONTACT at the Port Authority, Ed's friend Clara Powell: +1d6
You also have backup from Kade: +1d6
Geth, roll 3d6 for ENGAGEMENT!
---
You enter the port district at evening shift change, the tide of workers coming and going working to your advantage. Your ears pick up the mutterings and grumblings of the working folk, your eyes take in the salt-scoured ship hulls, and your nose is assaulted by the body odor of a few dozen men and women without access to anything other than the rain for bathing. You catch your comrades eyes briefly, but give away nothing. As the group presses its way towards the docks, the workers begin to form a line. You soon see why.
There is a gate, and the foreman is checking off a list.
***
Alistair
You're the first to reach the front of the line.
"Substitute for Hayward, sir."
If there's any hint of suspicion, he doesn't show it. He nods and hands you a shift assignment, which you open and check. Pier 84, which is on the south side, nowhere close to the port authority.
"Hayward told me he works pier 4, this says 84."
The foreman doesn't even look at you as he waves another man through the gate.
"Substitutes are on 84."
He offers no further explanation, but some of the men in line are looking at you, so you say nothing and begin making your way away from the gate towards the south. You catch a glance of Ed and Holtz through the fence. They're both stone faced, but you can't afford to draw their attention.
***
Ed
Clara provided you with the names of several laborers who were unavailable to work from the various docks on the north side of the channel. The plan had been to gain access to a pier where you could slip away posed as a harbor pilot. But as you receive your shift papers, you realize the problem. This must be why you saw Alistair going south. It would be hell to try to reach the ship from the south in a rowing craft, especially in this darkness.
You say nothing and head through the gate, then slow down and blend in with the other workers once you've gained a bit of distance from the foreman. Holtz was close behind you, and it seems smart to at least not split three ways.
***
Holtz
Gregor circles once overhead and then flaps up to a stack of crates on the other side of the fence and wiggles between them, out of sight. For sure he would have attracted unwanted attention in the line, scrutiny that you were keen to avoid. The line moves quickly, workers passing through the gate and moving north or south to their respective workplaces. You catch sight Alistair heading south, and then shortly later, Ed trying to loiter around the pier closest to the gate.
You arrive at the gate.
"Sub for Bhodi."
"Again? Tell him not to bother coming back. Never shoulda hired that kid. No muscle. Whatever. Get down to 84 with the rest of the subs."
Ah, there it is. They must be keeping the substitute workers in the same place in an attempt to keep out recruiters for the cause. Well, you'll figure something out.
---
You've overcome your first obstacle - gaining access to the shipping district! However, you've been somewhat scattered. Pier 84 is about as far as you can get from your destination. What do you want to do?
Tell me what ACTION you want to take, explain how that action is applicable to your goal, and I'll tell you the POSITION and EFFECT!
You can also suggest a GROUP ACTION, in which everyone makes the same action roll and takes the best result, but the group leader takes 1 STRESS for each other player that rolls 1-3.
Let's see if we can make things a bit short-staffed tomorrow. Or if these folks do make it to their docks, maybe someone will make a noisy mistake.
"Ay! Who wants another round!?"
I'd like to roll Consort in this flashback to represent Ed being a friendly guy and buying some rounds for the hard-working folks of the district. I think this sort of flashback would be a pretty easy opportunity for him, and I'd advocate for either 0 or 1 stress cost.
The intent here is to disrupt the day's staffing and create an opportunity for the crew to move about more freely once we're inside the dockyards.
"Around round for fine folks keeping this city going!"
Ed, Go ahead and roll your CONSORT rating, +1d6 from Holtz, for 0 STRESS
Holtz, mark 1 STRESS for the ASSIST
Full success!
And you can also do the reverse with l1, to keep the lowest result
Examples:
Geth roll 3d6k1 for Example Roll 1
Geth roll 3d6l1 for Example Roll 2
You feel a hand clamp down on your shoulder from behind and you spin around, coming face to face with a large bald man wearing an easy grin. A scar runs down almost the length of his right arm.
"Bjel Sturgin. You were at the Horn and Hawk last night buying drinks, yeah? I didn't have time to give you a proper thanks. Gotta say, I didn't figure on catching you down here."
You explain that you and some friends are picking up some sub shifts to make some extra coin and have been assigned to pier 84. He shakes his head.
"84 is a holding pen, we call it the beat box. The Polis are getting nervous about revolution sentiment among the dock workers and they're trying to keep recruiters out. So any time someone new shows up they throw them in 84 to get shaken down or harassed."
You ask if that doesn't leave piers actually short-handed, and he nods.
"Yeah, it isn't great. We're actually down several people up on 17. You want to avoid the beat box? I'll vouch for you."
Holtz finally makes his way over to you, and you let him know what's going on.
***
Alistair
As you make your way south, a shadow passes overhead and you look up to catch a glimpse of Gregor alighting on a broken lamppost. The gryphon looks at you directly before taking wing again back the way it came.
As signals go, it's pretty good, you think to yourself. You look back up the shoreline and see Holtz and Ed motioning to you, along with a third man.
You head back towards the gate, nobody taking particular notice of you.
***
You and your companions are greeted curtly at pier 17, where several men and women are already unloading crates from the deck of a ship and loading them onto carts. Bjel explains the labeling system and what to put where, but quickly is whisked away by other responsibilities. You set about trying to blend in and find moments to plan your next move.
---
You've successfully managed to regroup and position yourself on the north side of the docks, which is closer to the port authority office, and in safer waters should you want to attempt intercepting the ship. However, you're occupied with the actual work of being a dockworker, and while it makes for an excellent cover story, it's not helping you keep resources away from the Polis.
Holtz Welker, AKA Brass, enlisted into Imperial service in his youth. Already trained at hunting by his father, he showed an aptitude for shooting and tracking, earning his place in the sharpshooter and scout corp. He spent two decades serving abroad, honing his skills against the Empire's enemies. During his last tour, while tracking an enemy supply convoy, it was his shot that ended the commanding officer and halted the convoy. As his unit was claiming their spoils of war, the officer's pet gryphon was claimed by Holtz' commanding officer. with it came several chicks, and Holtz was gifted the pick of the litter. Naming it Gregor after a squadmate lost in action, he spent free time training his new companion.
Upon retirement he returned home to Greilharbor to be near his sister and her children, putting his skills as a tracker to use in hunting bounties for the courts, as well as tracking down those unwise enough to skip out on gambling debts from the rougher loan sharks around the city.
Tommy Flanagan aka Chibbs from Sons of Anarchy, with a fuller beard, is what i'm visualizing for Holtz
As a Hunter, he starts with 2 Hunt and 1 Survey. I put my four dots into Survey (raising to 2), 2 Prowl, and 1 Study.
His Vice is Obligation: Family as he supports his sister and her kids.
Friend - Christoph Reiner, bond clerk for the city
Enemy - Tristan Skelkallan, wealthy banker who evicted his family
Holtz heads towards the ship to assist with the crate unloading from the shipdeck, using the time there to Survey the docks between Pier 17 and our target, watching for common routines and patterns that would be easy to slip through. He'll also look out for Kade to see how she's advancing.
Stress: 1
That's because we all know who it is that really gets things done in a city.
POSITION: RISKY
EFFECT: GREAT
Holtz, proceed to roll your SURVEY rating, +1d6 from Alistair.
Alistair, mark 1 STRESS for the assist.
Partial Success
After about an hour of lugging crates down a gangplank with the other laborers, you finally spy an opportunity. You and Alistair step up onto the ship's deck just in time to see Ed, alone, carrying a particularly heavy crate towards the ramp. You speak a few words to him and he replies with a nod.
A moment later, you hear him swear loudly and hear commotion from below as the contents of the crate spill out onto the gangplank, clay tiles scattering everywhere. The dockworkers occupied and momentarily blocked from work, you take the time to finally get a sense of where you're at.
There's little daylight left, and the winds have begun to pick up. Clouds are darkening overhead, and the water below is starting to form small white caps. You realize with alarm that there are three ships approaching the harbor, and two of them are flying the Adkirn flag. Either could plausibly be your target. At the moment they're both far enough out that you could still intercept them.
You cast about and see if you can catch sight of Kade, but give up when Alistair nudges you after a few moments.
He points down to the port authority office, a squat stone building about 2 piers away. Polis stand at either side of the main entrance, and the surrounding area is peopled with merchants, sailors, laborers, and officials in tan, square-topped hats. There is plenty of activity happening at the front of the building, but there's a side area open to the sea and stone of the harbor wall. Two employees sit conversing and smoking.
Could be a way to figure out which ship is ours, he suggests.
---
A new PROGRESS CLOCK has been started! It has eight segments, and if it fills up, the ship from Adkirn will dock in an unfriendly pier. That doesn't necessarily mean the score has to be abandoned, but things could get much, much messier.
Ship Arrives: 0/8
Alistair is looking to get to the office and get inside. If the employees by the side entrance are just on break, he can shadow them inside when they enter or quietly prop something against the door behind them so it doesn't close completely. So either Lurk (to shadow) or Finesse (to prop the door)? If he has to sneak all the way to office, then Lurk might be the way to do it.
Stress 1
However, Ed's past experience as a dockworker means he knows about emergency dinghy and ladders near the port authority office, which will allow you to easily get back up to the ground level from the water and gives you +1d6.
There's also room for a DEVIL'S BARGAIN here - you could avoid the rocks altogether and swim to the base of the port authority pier for an additional +1d6, but when you emerge you will be SOAKED (level 1 harm), no matter how you roll.
Regardless of whether you succeed or fail, devil's bargain or no, as a DESPERATE position you'll mark XP if you take this action.