broken worlds session three!

okay, then! when we last left our band of kill six billion demons rpg characters, sin-sing cherise and her gang were headed up the front stairs of the palace of night, while angry ag agnagaboth, lonely girl gazelle grey-eyes, and matash kachrang had just gotten to the top of an elevator machinery building, planning to ride the elevator up to the back entrance.

GM Claire: So do we all have pencils this week?
Ariel: Yes!
Sasha: Yeppers!
GM Claire: Good. Let's start at the stairs with Sin-Sing and her gang. Anything particular you want to do, Sin-Sing?
Elle: I'm just going remind the Strumpets of their orders and then make my way regally up the stairs with only Paghla Perfidy at my side.
GM Claire: Right. Since you're splitting from the rest of the gang and expecting them to carry out a task on their own, that's a Dirty Work roll.
Elle: Ten + 2 is 12! Damn, I should have pushed that move and gotten another power die.
Sasha: Sheesh, if I were you I'd just be glad the Strumpets didn't screw it up with their low-class accents and slutty dispositions.
Elle: Whatever. So what all does that cover, Claire?
GM Claire: It's a single task for them to pretend to be hoity-toity types at the Night of Song. Unless something happens to disrupt things, I'll let that one roll cover their entire time pretending.
Msg: "Unless something happens" sounds like foreshadowing to me.
GM Claire: No comment.
Elle: So the Strumpets and I climb the stairs to the front of the Palace like we're aristocrats, blending in with the crowd of nobles and wealthy merchants from the River District. When we get to the top, I'll take Paghla with me to find the line for entrants into the contest.
GM Claire: A gorgeous female major-domo in a sharp uniform gives you directions. You turn from the main hall that leads to the great gallery and go down a side corridor to the contestants' area. Along the way, you notice guards scattered here and there, some by themselves, some in groups. There's an extremely handsome young man registering the contestants when you reach the waiting area.
Elle: Is there a line?
GM Claire: Yes, but it's not too long.
Elle: I'm keeping an eye on the guards to see which ones are patrolling and which ones are posted in specific spots.
GM Claire: Pry Secrets, +mind.
Elle: Okay, and what the heck, I'll push this move. That makes it clumsy, right? No positive modifiers. Eleven!
Ariel: Geez, Elle, you can really roll!
GM Claire: Good job. What are your three questions?
Elle: How about ... Who's really in charge here? What here could be useful to me? What here seems false or deceitful?
GM Claire: You notice that one of the guards has a nicer uniform and appears to be making the rounds giving orders to the other guards. Like everybody else in the Palace, he's a knockout, with tastily tousled blond hair and a sexy physique. The timing of his rounds might be useful; he comes along the hallway three times while you're observing. As for false or deceitful ... you notice another contestant, a shrimpy blue devil, holding a lute awkwardly while waiting and making some of the same kind of "casual" glances at the guards you've been making. Maybe her purpose isn't really to enter the contest.
Elle: Noted. I'll try to keep an eye out for her as the evening goes on. However, that blond guard is provoking my "always horny" flaw, and if he's around I'll probably be distracted from the sneaky chick. When I get to the head of the line, I inform the registration guy that Paghla and I are going to be putting on a demonstration of erotic contortion and acrobatics.
GM Claire: There's a complication, because the competition is only for single entrants, he says.
Elle: I will drape myself sensually around Paghla and tell him she's more of a prop than a co-performer. My hands roam her wanton body with what looks like total abandon, but is actually calculated to maximize our appeal. Also, as long as I'm here and still horny from looking at that blond guard, I'll grind myself against her butt for a little relief. In between some carefully staged gasps, I'll tell the guy that he won't regret it if he schedules me as one of the first acts to go onstage.
GM Claire: I'll say your sexy entanglement with Paghla counts as leverage to get him to do what you want in a Bend Will move. + Heat.
Elle: Nine +2.
GM Claire: You see him swallow lustfully at your performance, and he writes down your name and a description of your act with a slightly shaky hand. Then he waves you into the contestant waiting area.
Elle: I make sure to look back over my shoulder and see if he's looking at my ass, and I'll give him a parting wink if he is.
GM Claire: He's definitely staring, and even turns red at your wink before he goes back to signing people in.
Elle: Excellent.
GM Claire: It looks like you're in for a bit of a wait. How about if we switch back to the top of that elevator building while you're mingling with your fellow contestants?
Elle: Sure.
GM Claire: So what are you guys on the rooftop going to do?
Sasha: I say we jump in through the hole the elevator goes through and waste everybody in there!
Ariel: Do we even know there's a hole?
GM Claire: Actually, there's not. It looks like there's a large sliding panel that opens when the elevator goes up. It has slots for the elevator cable and tracks, but no gaps large enough for any of you to fit through.
Ariel: Aha! Yes, and fortunately, the slots are big enough for sound to get through, and we can hear someone yelling, "Open the panel so we can send this next load up!" (I'm spending a power die on my Mantra ability.)
Sasha: Yes! We saw last time the elevator's basically an open platform, right? As soon as the roof opens, I'll jump down and start slaughtering.
Msg: Hang on -- what if the person operating the elevator machinery sees us and stops the works?
Sasha: Well, then we'll slaughter them too and restart the elevator ourselves.
GM Claire: The door is halfway open. You'd better decide what you're doing.
Sasha: Is halfway big enough for me to jump through?
GM Claire: Sure.
Sasha: Then I do!
Msg: Wait -- ugh.
GM Claire: The roof is high enough that will be a short fall, if you don't do something about it.
Sasha: Can I like, parkour my way down bouncing off the walls?
GM Claire: That's an Agility move. Roll + Reflex.
Sasha: Oops. Four. And my reflex is zero.
GM Claire: A short fall is one point of damage. You fall flat onto the elevator platform, smashing into some of the slaves they're carrying up when you land. There are three guards and about ten chained slaves on the platform, and the guards yell, "Hey!" and start pushing their way past the slaves to get to you.
Ariel: Can I see? I pull out my gazelle horn boomerang and throw it at one of the guards if I can.
GM Claire: That's Reach Heaven Through Violence. Roll + Body, or since your boomerang is precise, roll + Reflex.
Ariel: + Reflex definitely! Swa-swoosh! Oh. I roll a 4 + 2 is only 6.
GM Claire: Your boomerang bounces off a guard's shield, and he throws a spear at you for 2 damage.
Ariel: Ow! Hey, doesn't he have to roll?
GM Claire: No, that's the consequence of you missing your roll.
Ariel: Yack -- does my armor stop it?
GM Claire: You can use one point of armor to stop up to 3 damage.
Ariel: I do that!
Msg: We're not doing so well here. I'll zap one of them with scarlet lightning from my implement -- oh for pete's sake, I roll a 2.
GM Claire: You miss, and the guard looks like he's now positioned defensively to block off incoming attacks.
Msg: Great.
Sasha: This is making me so angry! I jump to my feet and fly into a rage! I'm going to lay waste to these guards with my giant-ass sword! RAAGHH!
GM Claire: Reach Heaven Through Violence, + Body.
Sasha: I'm spending my power die to Channel Flame so I can cut through all three of them at once with one big swing! Eleven!
GM Claire: With that roll and your great weapon having the Messy tag and channeling flame and your ghost-making tiger ability, you easily wipe all three of them out. Describe it.
Sasha: Their bodies come apart in multiple pieces that spray gore everywhere! A head flies across the room and bounces off the wall. Arms and legs are scattered all over the place.
GM Claire: Okay, the slaves are now drenched in blood and start screaming in panic. You also hear a shriek of terror from across the room, where you see a guy at the elevator machinery controlling it.
Ariel: Can I see him from up where I am?
GM Claire: No, he's hidden under the part of the roof you're standing on.
Ariel: Well ... I guess I'll try jumping over to the elevator cables and sliding down. Agility moves are + Reflex, right? I get an 8.
GM Claire: You succeed, but not without consequences. There aren't any guards to attack you on the platform, but one of the panicking slaves grabs you and begs you to save them from Ag.
Msg: Can I lie at the edge of the opening and hang my head down to get a shot with my implement at the elevator operator?
GM Claire: No problem.
Msg: For crying out loud. 3 + 2 is 5.
GM Claire: Bummer. You lean too far and fall to the platform. One damage.
Sasha: I'm charging that elevator operator with my sword, and I'm so mad, I'm going to push this move!
GM Claire: Well, your great weapon is Unwieldy, so you can't run or climb while you have it out. But it's not that far, so I'll let you have a chop at him.
Sasha: Hah! Seven! I slice him in half if he's Threat 0 or 1.
GM Claire: Yeah, he's diced. And you get a power die. But the elevator is still moving up. You'll either have to figure out the controls and stop it, or jump for it. And you can't jump with the great weapon out.
Sasha: Fine, I toss it up onto the platform and leap after it. Another 7!
GM Claire: You make it, but with a consequence again. Your foot gets trapped between the platform and the roof for a second, and you take another damage.
Sasha: Seriously? That makes me so mad!
Msg: You guys look pretty wrecked.
Ariel: Not me -- I took all the damage to the armor.
Sasha: Most of this is the other guys' blood. I guess I don't have any Stamina left, though. Is there time on this elevator ride for us to do one of those Respite things and get Stamina back?
GM Claire: No, that's at least 15 - 30 minutes of patching yourselves up.
Sasha: Whatever. Stamina is for pussies anyway. I've got lots of Wounds left. And armor.
Msg: The slaves aren't still screaming, are they?
GM Claire: No, they're pretty much all huddled in one corner of the elevator staring at Ag and trembling.
Sasha: Some gratitude! Aren't any of them going to thank us for freeing them?
Ariel: Well, they are still all chained together, and we are still heading up toward the slavey place.
Sasha: I pick my sword up from the floor of the elevator and say, "Look, you chickens, do you need me to chop those chains off and toss you over the side in order for you to be happy?"
GM Claire: Most of them shake their heads quickly, but a couple faint.
Ariel: I try to calm them down and tell them that we've come to end their slavery and stop the bad people from ever enslaving anyone again.
Sasha: What? I came to steal some grandma-head thing.
Ariel: You're not helping! Claire, can I make a roll or something to stop them from freaking out?
GM Claire: Sure, that's a Bend Will move, since you have leverage they want, which would be setting them free. Roll + Heat.
Ariel: Nooo, my Heat is lame-O!
GM Claire: Sorry, that's the stat for Bending Will.
Ariel: Fine. Well if I'm not getting a postive bonus anyway, I might as well Push this move, right?
Elle: That sounds a little like gaming the system to me.
GM Claire: That's how the rules work, though, Elle. And there's a consequence if she fails ... I get a "break" die.
Sasha: I don't know if I like the sound of that.
Ariel: Too late, because I'm Pushing it! Look, 10! HAH!
GM Claire: Okay, you get a Power die and the slaves say they'll be quiet if you promise you're really going to free them.
Ariel: Cool.
GM Claire: Looks like you're nearing the top of the elevator track. There's a ledge or platform coming up.
Sasha: I get my sword ready.
Msg: I get my implements ready.
Ariel: I get ready to Gazelle Hoof Whirlwind somebody if they look at us the wrong way.
GM Claire: Ding! You've arrived at your destination! It's a broad open area with a 20-foot ceiling. The elevator side is open to the sky, with no door other than the gate for the elevator. You see another group of guards waiting there, along with a decked-out officer-looking guy with a cape, a silver sable, a red-plumed spear and a plume on his helmet. He looks way tougher than the others.
Msg: I curse him with my Dread Sorcery using the Red Word. My total is 8, so I have to choose a down-side. I hate to lose the Red Word power ... I guess I'll take -1 ongoing to my Dread Sorcery until I rest. Oh, and I'm immediately giving him the two points of damage from the curse.
GM Claire: He yells, "Intruders! Stop them, men, while I call in reinforcements!"
Sasha: Are all the guards men?
GM Claire: No, some are very attractive ladies.
Sasha: That's so sexist of him, then! Sexism makes me furious! I'm going to chase him down!
GM Claire: Not with your sword out. It's Unwieldy, remember?
Sasha: Damn it! Okay, I guess I just open the gate and start wading through these guards. My Reach Heaven Through Violence roll is ... 10! Ooh, that means I get to use the Great Weapon flourish, right? What is it again?
GM Claire: Nice that you remembered the rule, but Great Weapons don't have a flourish. It is Messy, though -- 50% chance to deal extra damage, so ... on a 1-3, no extra damage, 4-6, pow! Whoops, too bad for these guys, it's a 6.
Sasha: My damage is 2, so that makes it 3.
GM Claire: Total carnage! That's all these guys can take. Describe what happens.
Sasha: I sever all the heads from their bodies. At least one of them lands right at that captain dude's feet.
Ariel: Is it my turn?
GM Claire: Go ahead.
Ariel: Can I get close enough to kick that guy this turn?
GM Claire: Yes, you're at Close range now, and you just have to get to Hand range, which is one range band. You can move a range band and still do something.
Ariel: Gazelle Hoof Whirlwind! 9 + 1 is 10! That's + 1 damage from my Fated Style, maybe another + 1 from my Empty Hand being a Messy attack, and a Flourish.
GM Claire: I roll 2 on the Messy roll, so no go there. Whoops, rules say you were supposed to choose a flourish from this list when you picked Empty Hand.
Ariel: Um, Area, obviously, because it's for my whirlwind style.
GM Claire: That doesn't do anything to this one captain. So how much damage total?
Ariel: I guess that's only 3.
GM Claire: He uses a point of armor to stop that damage.
Msg: I zap him with my implement. 6 + 2 is 8, for 2 more damage.
GM Claire: Your red lightning bolts zap him dead, but not before he casts a spear at you and hits you for 3 damage!
Msg: Ow, shit!
Sasha: I look around for anybody else to kill.
GM Claire: Nope, the whole area is empty. There's a big, heavy double-door over on one wall, and an archway with a stair leading up on the other wall.
Msg: Do we have time to take a Respite? We've been taking some lumps, and I'm all out of Stamina.
GM Claire: Beats me. You're in a big empty room. What do you think?
Msg: I think they were expecting a delivery of slaves, and these guards were probably supposed to take them somewhere, so somebody will be wondering where they are if we spend 15 or 30 minutes resting.
Sasha: Damn it, I bet that's right.
Ariel: So if we want to rest, we need to find someplace to hide, right?
Sasha: Or just keep going, no guts, no glory!
Ariel: But I want to keep my guts, and we're not here for glory. You said it yourself, we're here for the grandma-head thing.
GM Claire: Which reminds the slaves that you said you'd free them. A particularly brave one meekly asks if you can do that now.
Msg: Do these guards have keys on them?
GM Claire: The officer does.
Ariel: Great! We unlock their chains, then.
Msg: Whoa there, I'm the one who found the key. How do we know we can trust these slaves not to give us away somehow?
Ariel: Hey, that's not very nice!
Msg: I'm suspicious, remember?
Ariel: Oh.
GM Claire: The slaves plead and beg and swear they'll just run if you let them go, and not tell anyone anything.
Ariel: Pleeease, Mister Kachrang? Can't we just let them go? Oh, hey, can I make that into a Bend Will move so he does it?
GM Claire: Do you have leverage? Something he wants?
Ariel: I dunno, do I, MSG?
Msg: Well, I've been secretly watching you for some time according to my Character Bonds. But you don't know that. On the other hand, I guess if we drag them along with us, they're just as likely to give us away as if we let them loose. Okay, I'll unlock them and send them down on the elevator.
Sasha: Meanwhile, I'm checking out the big doors, since you said the stairs lead up and we know we need to go down to the vault level.
GM Claire: They're big, heavy, iron-bound doors.
Sasha: Are they locked?
GM Claire: Don't seem to be.
Sasha: I open 'em.
GM Claire: They reveal a long hallway leading away into darkness.
Sasha: Great. Did the guards have a lamp or anything? Oh, wait, I've got an oil lamp. I'm going to light my lamp.
Msg: Hey, can I sense Paghla with my Geomancy spell yet?
GM Claire: Yes. You think the open stairway probably leads up through a relatively unimpeded path to her.
Msg: Well, at least we know she and Sin-Sing are here.
Sasha: Are you guys coming or not? This hallway isn't going to explore itself!
Ariel: Geez, hold your horses!
Sasha: Don't tell me what to do! It makes me even madder than normal.
Msg: Let's just go, Grey-eyes. No sense antagonizing him.
Ariel: Haha, antAGonizing! Because his name is Ag.
Sasha: Boo! Puns make me angry, and making fun of my name makes me even angrier!
Msg: She's the one who thought it was a pun. I was just using a perfectly normal word.
GM Claire: So what do you guys do?
Sasha: Head down the hallway!
Msg: After closing the door behind us.
Ariel: And we're being really quiet!
Sasha: Says you. Far as I'm concerned, the sooner we find this grandma-head and get out of here, the better. I'm not the kind to pussy-foot around.
Msg: Will you at least agree that if we can find a quiet spot that looks safe, we'll take a respite?
Sasha: Ugh, if it will shut you up, I will. SO annoying.
GM Claire: You don't see anything promising for the first long stretch of the hall. But eventually you come to a four-way intersection. The big hall continues forward, another hall leads off to the right, a little smaller, and to the left is a stairway going down.
Msg: Can we see light down any of them?
GM Claire: Maybe way at the end of the smaller hallway.
Sasha: Is there even any reason for discussion here? There're stairs! Going down!
Ariel: I'm spending my power die on my Mantra ability to add to your description of the intersection. "Yes, and fortunately, there's a sign on the wall with one arrow pointing down the big hall that says Slave Pens and another pointing down the small hall that says, uh, Slave Accounting ... Offices." Or something.
Msg: Well, that's lucky. If anyone starts looking for the missing slaves, they'll be coming from one of those directions, so I guess the stairs it is.
Elle: Has the contest started yet? Sin-Sing is getting bored out of her mind.
GM Claire: I mean, it only took a couple of minutes for them to trash the guards in the elevator building, ride up, and massacre the guards at the top. But fine, to speed things up, I'll say the vault-hunting group finds a convenient broom closet at the bottom of the stairs and takes a 30-minute Respite. By then something can be happening in the contestant room.
Sasha: Whew! Ag wasn't worried about losing all his Stamina, but I sure was!
Msg: Matash was definitely worried about losing all his Stamina.
GM Claire: Well, you've got it all back now, or you will by the time Sin-Sing gets through with her performance.
Elle: Is it my turn already?
GM Claire: Yes, your lurid teasing of the registration desk guy appears to have had an effect, and you only have to wait through a couple of acts before it's your turn.
Elle: Are either of them the shrimpy blue devil with the lute? And by the way, is she shrimpy-small, or did you literally mean she's like a shrimp?
GM Claire: She's small, and yes, she was the second performer. There's a long hall to go down to get to the stage, so you couldn't hear how she did, but when she gets back, you notice she doesn't seem particularly happy or worried about her performance.
Sasha: Yeah, she's up to something all right.
Elle: I'll worry about her later. Right now, I've got a show to put on.
GM Claire: Like I said, there's a long hallway to get to the stage. One of the staff in a prim uniform leads you down it. She's absolutely gorgeous, just like everyone else you've seen working here.
Elle: I tell her it's too bad I already have a partner for my performance, or I'd strongly consider taking her onstage with me. Just in case she doesn't get the point, I'll lick my teeth suggestively with my tongue.
GM Claire: She seems not to have a sense of humor about it. She just says staff aren't allowed to participate in the contest. Then she adds that she wouldn't want to anyway, since that's how she ended up here in the first place.
Elle: Oh, poor thing. Hey ... give me the laptop a second so I can look back over the notes. I don't remember what that one guy's sister looks like.
GM Claire: Gervender? She's got long, straight dark hair, very dark skin, and cherry-red eyes. This isn't her.
Elle: Okay, good. I'd rather not be distracted by finding that chick before I go onstage.
GM Claire: Well, that won't be a problem, because you're there now. You can hear a master of ceremonies announcing you and reading off the description of your act. What's the description say?
Elle: Sin-Sing Cherise, engaging in a parable of dissolute sensuality as portrayed through the lascivious art of erotic contortion.
GM Claire: You hear some loud cheering at that, possibly some of your gang, from the sound of it.
Elle: Okay, so here's how I'm calling this, game-wise. The gang is separate from me for their task, so that's a Dirty Work roll, right? And I can spend a power die to make an example of Paghla to get an automatic success. This performance will definitely require her to do some demeaning or humiliating stuff, so even though she's with me onstage, she's still part of the Dirty Work roll. The gang's job is to cheer and gasp just right to get the crowd on my side, which I'm calling leverage for a Bend Will move. Then I'm going to Channel Flame just at the right moment of my performance to empower it.
Sasha: What was that, MSG?
Ariel: He said, "something, something, rules lawyer." Or something.
Elle: Hey, no comments from the peanut gallery. Anyway, does that sound right, Ms. Gamemaster?
GM Claire: Even if it didn't, I'd say it did, because I'm impressed you've been reading the rules and I for sure want to encourage that kind of behavior. But you do need to tell us what exactly it is that you do on stage.
Elle: (cracking her knuckles) Absolutely. How much detail do you want?
GM Claire: Enough to give us a good impression of your act, but you don't have to go overboard.
Sasha: Yeah, we don't want to be here all night.
Ariel: I dunno, maybe I want to be here all night ... I like it an awful lot when Elle gets going with the dirty talk.
Elle: I'll see if I can thread that needle between getting Aers all gooshy and boring Sash to pieces. So like I said, the act is erotic contortionism. Basically, Paghla has to assume a variety of positions and hold them while I wrap myself around her and grind various parts of our anatomies together. We both start off upright, with me moving slow and easy as I slither strategically against her. Then as it goes along, she has to bend into lower and lower poses while I get more frantic and vocal, until she's finally twisted over backwards in a bridge position. From there, it's mostly me scissoring myself against every protrusion she's got until I hit just the right spot and Channel Flame and we both come in a cataclysmic lightning-splash orgasm that lights up the whole place so much, everybody can feel it.
Sasha: Um ...
Ariel: (fanning herself) Whew!
Msg: I'm beginning to regret not being in the audience.
GM Claire: Mm-hmm. Time to roll then, Elle. Bend Will is +Heat.
Elle: Here goes -- come on, Channel Flame! Ergh. Just a seven, plus two is nine.
GM Claire: The gamemaster gives you an extra +1 for your creativity and also because, I mean, you did spend two power dice on it.
Elle: Yes! That gets me to 10, so I aced it!
GM Claire: Describe the audience's reaction.
Elle: Pandemonium! People are screaming and whistling, normally proper noblemen were whacking themselves through the whole last half of the act and cream their pants or robes at the finale. People who are attending with partners have them bent over the tables in some places. The staff are scurrying around with mops to clean up the drool and spoo. In the back there's a whole pile of prudes or monks who fainted from having their repressed urges burst loose.
GM Claire: Okay, then! Wow.
Msg: On that note, I propose we go to the End Session move.
Sasha: Yep.
Ariel: Yes!
Elle: No argument from me.
GM Claire: Same questions as always, then. Did you fail in some regard?
Sasha: I face-planted on that elevator when I was leaping down.
Msg: And I fell off the edge of the roof.
GM Claire: For one point of damage each! You still won that fight super-easy. I'm not counting that. Did you expose yourselves to danger, cost, or retribution through your actions?
Ariel: That one seems pretty no-brainer. I bet we're always getting that experience point.
GM Claire: It does seem likely. And the last one about story progress is same as always, no dice since we're not to any real campaign with a storyline yet.
Msg: So only one xp each this time.
Elle: Eh, no big deal. We already have the experience to level, and we can't train while we're on this mission.
Ariel: Well, I'll take all the experience I can get! Grey-Eyes has a Fate to get working on!
Sasha: I'm enraged that there's not more experience.
Ariel: You are not! Our characters don't even know there are points being added up.
Msg: Do we need to worry about you being able to draw the line between fantasy and reality, Sash?
Everyone: (Long pause)
Elle: We're all thinking it. Who's going to say it?
GM Claire: Um, are you realllly the right person to be asking that question, dear?
Msg: Point taken.
Ariel: Okay, Elle, time for you to pay up for blowing it when you were describing Sin-Sing's performance.
Elle: What? I nailed that performance! You even basically admitted it when we all agreed nobody failed this session.
Ariel: Not your character ... you! You said you weren't going to get me all gooshy!
Elle: (Rolling eyes) Oh. Fine, let's go. Is anyone else coming?
Ariel: (very quietly) "That's what she said!"
Sasha: Duh!
Msg: I'm in.
GM Claire: Me too! But I feel like we need to remember this isn't automatically part of the End of Session move.
Elle: Yeah. Sure. Whatever you say, Claire.
Ariel: We'll definitely remember.
Sasha: Promise.
Msg: Technically, just because two things always happen together doesn't mean one is automatically part of the other. They could both just be correlated to a third thing. Nice job running the game, though, sweetheart!
Everyone: Yes!!!
GM Claire: You're all very welcome.