So I've talked a lot about my vision for how the game 'could work,' I mean that's pretty much been what I've focused on doing is saying 'I think it should go like this,' and while that's more or less the job I set forth for myself, it's really about time I sat down to the somewhat challenging thought experiments of 'what do I imagine this will look like in practice?'
So today's update will be a couple of examples of Conflicts. This is how I imagine players would use the tools I've made to play the game. I'll have to use characters I created for former games and stories with made-up numbers because I haven't finalized character creation rules yet, but I think that'll be fine.
Example 1, a full Combat Conflict:
Korin Sun-Chaser is an Elk Totem Full Moon Lunar whose Motivation is to find, love and protect his Solar Mate. Due to the whims of plot and story, however, Korin cannot recognize his mate on sight, instead he is simply trying to make friends with Solars. Being a Full Moon, he's not incredibly subtle about it. Ryoka is a Dawn Caste Solar justicar, trying to keep a low profile while she protects mortal cities from supernatural threats (this is her Motivation). Korin has been chasing rumors of the Golden Children, and finally caught up with one, and, being kind of a meathead, has approached her on a bridge near sunset to ask her if she's the Demon of Vakarin, the title which she is known by for her purging of the corrupt leadership of her home city.
Ryoka responds by drawing her sword.
Out of Character, Ryoka's player says "I'm starting Conflict. My Goal is to put you at my mercy in case you prove to be dangerous."
Korin and Ryoka's players both know that they're PCs and that in the end they'll be in the same party together, but this is their meeting and so it's far better to make it interesting. Korin's player says, "Okay, I'll engage, my Goal is to have you listen to me. They're not really contradictory Goals, are you sure we need to fight this out?"
Ryoka's player glances over her character's stats briefly. "Ryoka resonates with Valor, if you're fighting back at all she's going to keep going until she wins or you do." The GM leans back and smiles, not really having anything to do besides watch his players make a scene.
Korin's player nods. "Okay, my Combat skill is 3."
Ryoka's player responds, "Mine's a 4 and I win ties 'cause of Sword of Heaven. You get first Complication."
Korin's player nods. "My first Complication is to allow your goal, putting me at 5. I'll end up at your mercy, but you have to listen to me."
Ryoka's player looks to the GM, "Do I actually lose anything for having a lower total?"
The GM shakes his head. "Nope, you both get your Goals, Korin's just making sure his gets through by accepting yours."
Ryoka's player nods and looks back to Korin's player. "Okay, no more complications from me, so the fight's going to end with me listening to you while you talk with my sword at your throat?"
The GM cuts in, "Don't get ahead of yourselves, play it out."
Back In Character, Korin barely gets his sword halfway out of its sheath to parry the sudden wide draw-cut. "No, wait, I just want to talk!" Ryoka pays his words no mind, pushing the barbarian back with a flurry of lightning-fast strikes. His own counter attack is a heavy vertical swing, taking a chunk out of the boards of the bridge and sending splinters flying as the Dawn Caste rolls to the right out of the way.
"Messengers don't come bearing swords," the Solar hisses slamming her shoulder into the broad-shouldered barbarian, hoping to topple him over. Korin is far too strong and stable for anything like that to work, even from a superior swordswoman. He grabs her right wrist while she's close, hoping to prevent her from attacking further.
"We do when we're on the run, too! Stop this, I'm not your enemy." Ryoka, not that easily beaten, kicks the Lunar on the inside of the leg before slamming the heel of her free hand into his chin. Korin stumbles back, slightly stunned, and has to roll backwards off the bridge onto the riverbank below to avoid the next arcing slash. He lands heavily on his back with an 'oof' but rolls to his feet quickly.
Out of Character, the player of Inori, another Solar, is enjoying the scene but asks the GM if she can join in, too. Inori is a Zenith Caste martial artist and faithful priestess of the Unconquered Sun with substantial memories from her past lives. She has been traveling with Ryoka for a little while and still doesn't know her very well. The GM shrugs, "You have to ask them, it's their Conflict. I don't see why you can't be present for it, though."
Korin's player grins, "Save me from your violent circlemate?"
Ryoka's player laughs. "Don't steal my thunder, I wanna finish beating him up."
Inori's player nods. "Okay. Korin, can you use some little, non-anima shapeshifting so I can recognize you as a Lunar with my First Age memories?"
Korin's player nods, "Yeah, sure, I'll do it right now, I think we ought to finish this soon."
Ryoka leaps down from the bridge, the impact of her attack cracking the earth where Korin stood a moment ago. He had quickly dodged under the shadow of the bridge, where he could use some slightly more obvious powers without fear of being noticed.
Inori, wandering along the street above, slides down the steepness of the riverbank next to her circle-sister. "What's going on?"
Ryoka replies, "Trouble," and throws herself at Korin once again.
Korin, exasperated, shouts back, "I'm not trouble!" and, manifesting fur and hide on his forearms, blocks the sharpened sword with his forearm, deflecting it and shoving his shoulder into the Dawn Caste to bowl her over. Inori has enough time to see the shapeshifting and gasp. The shoulder check work, but before she goes down, Ryoka grabs his arm and expertly twists in midair so that he is the one who impacts on the ground heavily, the Dawn Caste ending straddling him with her sword at his throat. Korin lets his sword go and opens his hands in submission as Inori rushes over, eyes sparkling.
"Did you just shapeshift?" The exciteable Zenith looks back and forth, to make sure they won't be overheard. "Are you a Lunar?" Korin finally has them listening to him, at least...
Example 2: The Conflict System Avoids Conflict
Later on, Inori, Korin and Ryoka are dealing with a Mountain God who is withholding the snowmelt from a rivers, because the people of the village at his base have had no sons this year to gift to him. Inori's motivation is to restore the Celestial Order, and so she cannot overlook such a blatant misuse of power. Having marched up the tall, snow-capped peak, avoiding avalanches, rockslides and a few lesser god guards that Ryoka and Korin dispatched effortlessly they come to the Mountain God's throne at the summit.
His court consists of Echo Spirits, snowflake children, boulders and a single river goddess, chained to the side of his throne. "Forgotten rulers," he says. "I would have thought guards and travails sent to bar your way would have made it clear you are not welcome in my lands." The chorus of Echo Spirits, in the shifting forms of beautiful, androgynous beings, repeat his words, My lands, my lands.
Inori, incensed, ignites her Anima Banner, and five golden pillars inscribed with the laws of Heaven in old realm script fan out behind her. "Your lands? By what right do you claim rulership? It is the duty of Gods like yourselves to serve the land, not to rule." The Echo Spirits repeat Inori's words as well, Not to rule, not to rule.
Out of Character the GM asks, "Inori, are you going to just try to argue him into submission?"
Inori's player smiles and nods. "It's what I do best!"
The GM says, "Okay, Conflict. His Goal is to retain his position as ruler of his court."
Inori's player raises an eyebrow. "I don't care if he leads the court, I just want him to stop being a jerk to the mortals and acting like he owns the place."
The GM hmms. "Well, Ryoka and Korin have done a good enough job kicking the asses of all his toughest warriors that he clearly doesn't really want to fight you... hm, let's keep playing it out." Inori's player nods.
The Mountain God rises from his throne of stone, wrathful. "You have been gone fifteen hundred years! You abandoned us to the tyranny of the Dragon-Blooded, and then to the depredations of the Fair Folk! My only recompense for that suffering, following an Age of loyal service, has been these past seven centuries, when I have cared for and protected your subjects in my domain. Is the fault mine, if they chose to turn to me for protection in your absence?" Absence, absence, sing the Echo Spirits.
Inori smiles gently. "No. I do not know by what power or for what reason we vanished, but we are returned, and I am grateful for your caring for of our people in the mean time. When we retake our thrones, you and all those like you who serve honestly will be remembered." She crosses her arms. "But, there is still the matter of the river that the people depend on. Is that loyal service, to punish them for being unable to provide a gift given in sincere thanks? Is this how you mean to imitate our justice?" Justice, justice.
The Mountain God is unable to meet the Zenith's accusation, and looks away. "I do not have your strength of will, my lady. I grew accustomed to the company of the sweet songs of the boys of the village, to the company of mortals. The waters will flow once again."
The priestess bows. "Then you are forgiven. Care for the people of the village. Tell your subjects, and those spirits who visit your court: the Lawgivers have returned, and we will not punish those who obey the old laws and show contrition for their failings.
Out of Character, the GM wonders for a moment if the entire outing, finding the village, scaling the mountain, talking down the Mountain God, would have felt more like a challenge if the players had been forced into Conflict more often, but decides that since they gave full credit to the threats presented to them that rewarding them sacrificing wasn't really necessary. Korin and Ryoka's fights with the boulder guardsmen left them battered, but victorious, by their own descriptions, and Inori acknowledged the Mountain God's points and debated with him fairly rather than pressuring him into breaking his intimacies or motivations. Had the Mountain God been intended to be a truly corrupt individual, this likely would have involved the Solars defeating him and replacing him with one of his court, probably the River Goddess, but the GM decided that not all spirits or opponents worth facing should be unforgivable.
Okay that actually took me a long time to write so we'll get to example characters tomorrow. Hopefully this gives a good sense of what the flow of the new system actually looks like, or what it looks like ideally in my head.
As always, questions and comments are completely welcome!
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