Hey All,
I'll post my Cold City scenario here after GaelCon, in case it spoils the surprise for anyone.
I'm writing it at the moment and I must confess it is not very long. I reckon that in 1 hr we'll get through (i) a very brief talk about the game and some work by the players to read their character sheets, they'll also have to add one positive trait of their own choosing, (ii) an introductory scene with some role-playing for everyone to find their character's "voice", which leads into (iii) a conflict with a meaningful outcome, and then (iv) scenes either together, in smaller splinter groups or individually springing off from the conflict, (v) a wrap up to end the game and say "well, that's Cold City".
I have my PCs now. They are...
Major Clyde Greenstreet, bullying American war-hero of the Battle of the Bulge.
Victoria White, distressed British civilian codebreaker and covert psychic.
Capitaine Dominique Le Noir, cool and disarming French military attaché.
Alexei Ledyakvov, conniving Russian Military Intelligence Officer.
I've given them stats and traits (3 positive, 3 negative, with one positive to be added by the players as they choose). I'll also assign Trust and Reasons/Opinions.
I'll get the character sheets scanned next week and put them online.
I take it that the only
Submitted by Malcolm Craig on Sun, 14/10/2007 - 02:01.
I take it that the only thing that the players will be able to add to the sheet is their trait? I'm assuming here that you will be giving them both of their hidden agendas on the sheet when it's handed out?
Oh, and what about trust? Will that be pre-determined or will they be able to decide it for themselves?
Cheers
Malc
Contested Ground Studios
Yes!
Submitted by Gregor Hutton on Sun, 14/10/2007 - 22:22.
I'll be assigning Trust (initially) and after the scene I'll see if anyone wants to lower or raise trust as per the rules. I think that will illustrate how these things ebb and flow over the course of a game. I'll also be dictating the opinions they have of each other to be consistent.
Character Sheets and Scenario
Submitted by Gregor Hutton on Mon, 05/11/2007 - 11:29.
Here are the Character Sheets: Raining Down Characters.
Details for the 3 characters used are...
Greenstreet
A: 4, I: 2, R: 2.
Positive Traits: Knows no fear, Military Training, Powerful oratory, Amateur Detective.
Negative Traits: Obesely slow, Bully, Out of breath.
Ledyakhov
A: 2, I: 3, R: 3.
Positive Traits: Nimble fingered, Deeply perceptive, Will do anything to succeed.
Negative Traits: Quick witted, Nervous twitch, Fears his superiors, Wounded (recently shot).
Quick witted was positive but became a negative in game.
Le Noir
A: 3, I: 3, R: 2.
Positive Traits: Charismatic manner, Driven to succeed, Incisive thinker, Black market contacts.
Negative Traits: Poor sighted, Honourable intent, Imperialistic, Exhausted, Drowsy.
He gained Drowsy after being injected by Ledyakhov's serum, he also gained Exhausted in game too.
The Scenario is...
MONSTER
* Dr Rudiger Kneissel, twisted technology expert.
Action: 4, Influence: 1, Reason: 3. (I think this is right...)
National Agenda: Flee to South America.
Personal Agenda: Save his own skin.
Traits: + Aggressive when backed into a corner, + Obscenely strong Claw-arm
Draw: A shadowy scientist who experimented on the people of Europe and in the end himself, with hopes of saving his beloved empire. A monster in the physical and moral sense. Willing to negotiate with the agents to save himself.
We start in media res, with the PCs having Consequences from some previous part of the story, which is forever undefined.
Scene 1: In the undergound the PCs have a conflict to catch Kneissel. He wishes to escape, they (presumably) will want to capture him. [Though Cold City is a game where it pays not to be too presumptious of the players actions.]
Scene 2: Either the players will catch Kneissel and confront him on their terms (i.e. using their Consequence successes), or Kneissel will approach them on his (i.e. using his consequences) aiming to split the party and negotiate a deal. Failing that, he will fight them.
Wrap up. At the conclusion of the second scene I was aiming to give a denouement to each PC...
All good stuff. One
Submitted by Malcolm Craig on Tue, 06/11/2007 - 03:17.
All good stuff.
One question: could you see this being trimmed down to a single scene and used for a 30 minute demo? I wouldn't want to compress the entire thing into 30 mins, I think that would spoil it totally, but the second scene seems to fit quite well.
Cheers
Malc
Contested Ground Studios
Yeah
Submitted by Gregor Hutton on Tue, 06/11/2007 - 12:26.
I think just confronting the evil Doktor would be OK for 30 mins. You're unlikely to resolve the entire scene on one conflict roll. If someone is playing the Psychic I thought that wuld have been interesting too -- how do the other characters react to that stuff if they see it going on/feel it happening?
Looking at my stats for Kneissel in the house I find I gave him...
Action: 2
Influence: 3
Reason: 5
Hmm, I guess I must have been rolling 6 dice for him in the fight (2 for his Action doubled to 4, plus his two Traits).
Anyway, tailor the monster to your needs (I was mindful to make him a monster on both the physical and moral level).