Campaign: Facets

[tshiggins]

(...continued)

A.J. thought a northerly route, through sparsely-populated territory south and east of the Great Salt Lake, might offer the best opportunity for a relatively quiet journey. If the group could make it to the area of what would be Promontory, Utah, on their world, he thought, they might be able to cross the Rockies through an area the railroads had chosen for the intercontinental route, because the mountains were relatively low, there.

That said they’d need to move cautiously, A.J. noted, because both sides knew it offered a relatively easy way to cross the mountains, although it was likely fairly isolated on this world, as compared to how it looked in their own history.

With that tentative plan in place, the party got ready for a cautious buggy trip through unknown desert. As the group got ready to depart, Aurelia happened to wonder what the Russians in the Snake River colonies were doing, now that war had broken out between the hated United States, and the tsar’s allies, the Spanish.

Right about then, the session ended.
##

Funny Quotes

Randy: We might want to plan this caper. How many shots are we going to get at a dirigible?

Aurelia (noting the conversations between Don Maximo, Don Reyes, and George LaMarque): I don’t like that! I want them to be friends with us, but not friends with each other!
Randy: They’re sniffing each other’s butts.

Henrietta: We kinda had a logical plan coming together for France, and now we’re kinda winging it.

Randy: Stealing (a dirigible) would be more fun, anyway.
Aurelia: Accurate!

A.J. (to Steve): We need to learn to fly blimps.
Beatrice: We need to learn to pack parachutes.
Aurelia: I’m going to put on a pirate hat and look pretty!

(OOC, Jeff jots down notes about the materials that, once faceted and formed into ritual implements, give bonuses to spell-casting for someone with his character’s astrological sign.)
G&AInc (OOC, to the tune of, I’m Sexy and I Know It): When I walk into the Lodge house/ This is what I say/ Don’t be jealous of my badass athame!

[SionEwig]

Sometimes you need to spend a lot of a session on the general admin stuff that just piles up.

Now, I'm still shaking my head at this possible GTD caper that seems to have gone from a just funny idea to being a plan in action. From my pov, unless you pretty much make it a creampuff, the participating characters are going to be in some serious trouble (at minimum jail-time, up to possible death). I wonder if the players realize this?

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by SionEwig

I wonder if the players realize this?

I'm sure they do. They've all faced possible death at least once. Most several times. One has lost a leg...

I doubt they think anything will be easy street for them. They are punching above their weight class and so far have managed to hold their own to a remarkable degree.

[tshiggins]

The latest session of Facets took place just before the holidays, and the group spent much of the session slogging through the wilds of 1919 Colorado, while dodging both the U.S. Army and some justifiably paranoid members of the Ute nation.

Characters Present:

Dr. Henrietta "Indiana" Johnson -- A personable, age 29-and-holding Anthropologist who specializes in the pre-Columbian indigenous people of the American Desert Southwest. A Native of Apache Junction, AZ, "Indiana" is good with people and has been fascinated by American Indian religion and folklore since she was a child. Henrietta speaks Apache fluently, and not-so-secretly wishes archaeology could be more like Raiders of the Lost Ark and less like digging in a trench with a trowel and a toothbrush -- Played by Debbie S.

Dr. Arthur "A.J." Jamison -- a retired NASA scientist with a home in one of Moab's nicer canyon sub-developments, who volunteers for 4CSAR because he needs to do something to get out of the house. Considers himself responsible for Sunmi Jones, who is enough of a science-geek that the two of them can actually hold a conversation. -- Played by Anten S.

Aurelia R. Lockrin -- A young woman with a shady past who teaches History at Grand County High School (Home of the Red Devils!), and volunteers for 4CSAR because she's a bit of an adrenalin junkie, and likes the companionship. -- played by Bennie Rae P. (not available, this session)

Randy "Random" Shoop -- a twenty-something, semi-pro mountain-bike competitor who has trouble staying focused, but is basically a good and reliable member of the team, with an unexpectedly strong moral character -- Played by Gold & Appel, Inc.

Dr. Belody "Doc" Bascher -- a local veterinarian for both large and small animals, who frequently fixates on her job and uses 4CSAR as her primary social outlet. -- played by Samantha H. (Unable to attend.)

Sunmi Jones -- A Korean-American prodigy and student of chemistry at Utah Valley University, who spent most of her childhood with her deceased mother's family in Korea, but has come to Utah to attend college and work with her father's petroleum exploration firm. Somewhat moe, awkward-but-cute, glasses-wearing nerd girl, who only volunteers with 4CSAR because volunteer work is required for her degree. Recently suffered mental damage after an attack by a spirit of pain and violation, and agreed to become a chwal for the loa Erzuli Dahomey, as a way to replace the negative affects with those more positive. -- Played by Rebecca W. (Out of town.)

Beatrice "B" Lawrence -- U.S. Army veteran who works for a local air charter service as a helicopter mechanic. She recently lost the lower part of her left leg in a fight with a sorcerer from an opposing lodge, and now wears a high-tech prosthetic. A cynic about men, she is accompanied by "Grunt," the biggest, best-trained pit-bull anybody has ever seen (purchased as an ally, and a totally badass dog, even before it was possessed by what appears to be a benign “foo” spirit) -- played by Bernetta W.

Claudia Abigail Tavulari, member of the NASA Quantum Physics Research Team, and an old friend of Arthur Jamison’s. The team has been helping Arthur research the portal physics, on the sly. – Played by Tisa T.

Stephen Mack, another member of the NASA Quantum Physics Research Team, a former U.S. Marine Corps test pilot, and outdoors enthusiast. – Played by Jeff T.

NPCs Present

Jimmy Ehrland – A fugitive from the 1918 Colonia de Nova España, on the other side of the portal, he had fled from his vampire mistress, Doña Eva, only to find himself in a strange, alien world to which he must struggle to adapt. – Shifted back to NPC status.

Grunt: Beatrice's ally, a large pit-bull possessed by a protective "foo" spirit. (Finally healed, but remained on the other side of the portal with Beatrice.)

The group settled down in the cool of the mid-May, 1919, evening to plot out their route in more detail. A.J. said he’d reconsidered their best route, and thought it made more sense to take a more direct line to the east, rather than loop up through what would be Promontory, Utah, in their world.

Arthur noted that most of the group consisted of experienced outdoorsy-types (with Claudia as the sole exception), and their new understanding of the potential impact of anachronistic technology made him reluctant to take the buggies into U.S. territory. Moreover, he asked, how would the group conceal them, given that the vehicles likely wouldn’t fit on a dirigible, anyway?

Under the circumstances, Arthur thought it best to hike across the mountains to the area of Pueblo, Colorado. They had plenty of supplies, the ability to get more, if needed, and even a month through rugged terrain, while certainly a longer trip, didn’t differ all that much from the outdoor activities the 4CSAR team engaged in, regularly, anyway.

On top of that, he noted, travel by foot offered maximum flexibility, and if needed they could get some pack animals along the way – which would only enhance a cover story.

After some minor debate, the group decided to follow Arthur’s plan, and he sketched out a couple of different routes. In the end, the group decided to hike east to what would be Wolf Creek Pass in their world; cross the western crest of the mountains there and descend into South Park; and then exit to the Front Range over La Veta Pass, via the Great Sand Dunes.

Given that it would be late May by the time they reached Wolf Creek Pass (elevation 10,857 feet), the pass would likely be free enough of snow to make it through; and La Veta Pass, which would take another week or so to reach, lay even lower.

The next morning, the group decided to scout north and check the Ute campground at the ford across the Rio Grande del Norte, with the notion of buying horses if the Indians had any for sale. However, as they approached the site, late in the day, they saw a U.S. flag (39 stars) flying above a neatly laid out camp full of U.S. Army cavalry.

The group went to ground and watched the cavalry, for a while, and briefly debated stealing some horses. However, a couple of dogs started to sniff the air, in their general direction, so the party decided to withdraw to the southeast and start the journey toward the mountains, the next day.

Since the Rio Grande del Norte crossed the desert to their west, they didn’t need the ford, anyway, and had only used it to strike the Camino Real del Norte, on the way to Valle Grande. Given the presence of a semi-permanent camp of U.S. cavalry, they decided to avoid the Camino, entirely, figuring it would be patrolled by either the Americans, or the Spanish, or both (and shooting at each other, in the latter case).

The journey began in earnest, the next day, and the group soon realized that Claudia’s inexperience with the outdoor life would prove a liability. Not used to life in the wilderness, the former NASA physicist found herself tired and footsore by mid-day, and nearing exhaustion by the evening.

The next day went much the same, although Henrietta managed to locate a nice oasis with a small camp of Apaches, mostly women, children and old men. Fortunately, both the archeologist and Jimmy Ehrland spoke Apache fluently, and the poor Indians soon made the group welcome.

For their part, the group shared out some of their dried food, and eventually traded some knives and steel tools for two of the best of the horses the Apaches had left. The Indians warned the group that both the Spanish and the Americans had begun taking every horse or mule they could find and, even though they (usually) paid in silver, the price didn’t match the increased demand and neither side allowed anyone to refuse the sale.

The Apaches declared themselves well-satisfied with the quality of the tools, and Jimmy reported that they planned to trade the goods in Ciudad Lago de Sal, later that summer. However, the Apaches behavior toward the group cooled noticeably once they learned that Jimmy had once lived with the Olleros Apaches, a group considered cursed after the events of the previous year.

The group left the next morning, and Claudia struggled once again. However, Henrietta managed to find a good, sheltered campsite and Arthur whipped together a savory, nutritious meal from the camp supplies (good rolls on Cooking, so as to ensure Claudia got the nutrition she needed). The group also left Claudia off the watch schedule, so she got a good two or three hours more rest than anybody else.

For her part, Beatrice had managed to maintain a steady hiking pace, her (admittedly high-end) prosthetic leg notwithstanding. She began to keep an eye on Claudia’s feet and boots, and had the physicist change to fresh, dry socks every day, at mid-day, and wash out her used socks every evening.

The combination helped keep Claudia on her feet until the group reached the base of the trail up to Wolf Creek Pass, although she did begin to show some signs of long-term exhaustion. That increased during the long, slow slog up the mountain.

(continued...)

[tshiggins]

(...continued)

An additional dose of stress came when the group saw a Ute war party off to their north, taking the main trail down the mountain. The party had decided to take a rougher game trail up the narrow route, so as to avoid just this eventuality, and when they saw the Utes the group went to ground.

They watched as the six Utes eventually crossed their path, a fair distance behind them and down the mountain. A while later, two of the Indians began to follow them up the back-trail, and A.J. (with his crossbow) and Steven (with his scoped rifle) prepared to take them out. Beatrice staked out a spot to cover any needed retreat, while Claudia and the rest of the group kept moving up the trail.

About 300 yards out, one of the Utes disappeared into a copse of trees, while the second kept coming. The latter came about 50 yards closer before he realized his buddy had disappeared, and then he took cover.

Steven kept his rifle scope on the second Ute, while A.J. searched through a pair of binoculars for the first indian. After a few minutes, he spotted the Ute scout, prone beneath the lower branches of a fir tree. The young man was looking intently in their general direction, but A.J. wasn’t sure he’d spotted them. However, he definitely knew they were up there, somewhere, and the former NASA engineer waited to see what would happen next.

Eventually, the second scout withdrew down the mountain, and the two disappeared to the west. Based on their own tracking skills, the group figured the Indians knew they were outnumbered, and the fact that they couldn’t spot the party meant the Utes had to take the 4CSAR team seriously. Under the circumstances, they thought the Utes had most likely decided to choose discretion as the better part of valor, this time.

By the time the group reached the foot of the pass in South Park,10 days after they set out, they realized that Claudia would likely need real rest, in a real bed, with real food in a civilized environment, before she could start to recover from long-term exhaustion. That said, the extra rest in Henrietta’s excellent camp sites, combined with A.J.’s consistently reliable culinary efforts, kept Claudia moving.

The day after they’d arrived in what would be South Park, in their world, the group saw a haze to the south, and deduced a large settlement lay in that direction. Since they had no desire to encounter anyone before they reached U.S. territory (and could blend in better), the group opted to give the settlement a wide berth.

Two nights later, as the group traveled through the scattered woodlands of the wide valley, Steven and Randy (on the midnight watch) saw an elk trot along the edge of the fire-light, to their south. Oddly, the elk didn’t seem interested in them, so much as it seemed to want to get past them, as quickly as possible.

The reason for that became apparent within moments, as Steven heard a thrashing in the trees at the top of a bluff, to their west. The party had camped next to a wide stream and the ground rose steeply in that direction, so it took a few moments for Steven to see the source of the noise.

However, the bear apparently had no trouble smelling them – or, more to the point, their horses – and, abandoning the elk, decided to come straight at the camp.

As it got closer, Steven and Randy realized that, in this world, grizzlies had not been hunted to extinction in the Colorado Rockies.

The picketed horses began to whinny in near-panic as Steven and Randy raised the alarm. Beatrice rolled out of her tent, quickly, and ran to control the horses on the north side of the camp, as Grunt made a beeline to intercept the bear. Randy ran toward it from the south, and Steven tried to draw a bead on the animal, despite the darkness and the trees.

The other members of the group started to struggle out of their tents, except for the two cat warriors, who decided their agreement with the group didn’t include suicide melee against a furry giant made of claws and teeth.

As the bear approached the north edge of the camp, Steven got a shot off and Randy began to yell. The sudden pain from the bullet enraged the huge beast, and it turned toward Randy’s annoying noise.

The grizzly bore down on Randy quickly (bears sprint really fast, across short distances), but the extreme athlete managed to dodge its initial charge. The bear promptly plowed into the side of Henrietta’s tent and collapsed it, just as the groggy archaeologist managed to get her hand on her pistol.

Grunt danced around and barked and nipped, Randy shouted to try to draw the bear back toward Steven’s rifle, and the bear realized that something was moving in the ruins of the tent and tried to take a swipe at it. Henrietta squeezed off three quick shots from her pistol, missed the bear completely and shot Grunt, who collapsed in a heap.

Randy finally managed to get the bear’s attention. It disentangled itself from Henrietta’s tent and charged at him – right into Steven’s sights, and the former U.S. Marine pilot killed it with the second shot.

Henrietta thrashed around and got out of her tent, and saw that she’d accidentally shot Grunt. Casting a semi-panicked look in the direction of the upset horses, where she could hear Beatrice trying to calm them, the archaeologist used First Aid to dig out the bullet, and then cast one of her stored Major Healing spells, and healed most of Grunt’s injuries.

Later, Henrietta told Beatrice that the bear had gotten in a good swipe on Grunt, but that she’d healed the dog up, right away.

Randy, Steven and A.J. took enough time to hang the heavy bear carcass from a tree branch. The next morning, A.J. skinned the beast and salted enough meat to last them awhile (the party never traveled anywhere without lots of salt…), and the group (except for Claudia) took turns carrying the heavy pelt.

That came in quite handy, a few days later, as the path approached a ford across the stream followed by the group, which had gotten reasonably wide by then. Across the creek, Henrietta spotted what looked like a temporary trading camp with more than a hundred people wandering amongst the big tents and small huts.

The nature of the place became apparent as the group approached. Fur-clad mountain-men and prospectors mingled with low-land traders and merchants, and dozens of Indians. The air hummed with the sound of fiddles and banjoes, which nonetheless couldn’t conceal a shout of, “White women!” when members of the crowd spotted the approaching party.

Despite that inauspicious beginning, the group decided to continue into the trading camp. Soon, each of the women had received at least two or three marriage offers (as well as any number of less honorable proposals), but the members of the rough-and-ready camp limited themselves to verbal harassment.

After looking around a bit, Henrietta and Jimmy found a man with mules for sale, and traded some Wal-Mart bulk spices and the bear pelt for a couple of healthy black animals, along with tack and harness. The group shopped around for a few more items to supplement their diet, but cleared out of the camp well before nightfall.

Henrietta found yet another nice campsite a couple of miles away, and group settled in with their new animals and began tinkering with improvements to the circa-1919 pack-frames and other items. That evening, Grunt growled into the darkness, back toward the direction of the trading camp, but nobody bothered the party.

With that, the session ended.

Funny Quotes

(A.J. provides a detailed plan to hike over the mountains to Pueblo, complete with maps and marked routes.)
Beatrice: I say this with only a Platonic meaning; I love you, A.J. I love you, Arthur.

(The group sees a poor Apache camp around an oasis.)
Steven: Canoodling is probably not a good idea.
Old Apache Man (sees Grunt): We eatin’ dog?
(Beatrice begins to share out food.)

(The group spots a Ute scouting party, and the party starts to discuss options.)
Randy: So, we’ve crossed straight over to horse-thievery, now?
Beatrice: If they see us, and we have to defend ourselves, that’s fine.
A.J.: I think we just kill them all.
Randy: We can’t just go into Indian lands and take their stuff.
A.J.: Yes, we can! We’re Americans!

(Henrietta’s tent collapses around her as the grizzly plows into it.)
Henrietta: I’m going to shoot wildly!
(Shoots Grunt.)
A.J.: Don’t shoot! I’m outside your tent!

(Beatrice sees the wounded Grunt.)
Henrietta: It was the bear! Knocked him down! He’s fine!

[tshiggins]

We held the latest session of Facets on Saturday. I really, really will get it written up sooner than later, this time.

In the meantime, the group discovered some newspaper clippings when they looted the corpse of a U.S. Army cavalry lieutenant.

I can't do much in the way of formatting, here, but I'll do what I can.


Tuesday, June 10, 1919 The Denver Daily Herald The facts of the day, every day.

Eisenhower’s troops advance rapidly!
Reconnaissance scouts sight Rio San Juan
Spanish opposition on Camino Real del Norte reportedly minimal

By William Tiller
Valle Grande, captured Spanish territory – Our troops reported light opposition, last week, as the southern push toward the Rio San Juan continued at break-neck pace.

Reconnaissance cavalry units reported sighting the banks of the Rio San Juan, late last week. The river flows from the mountains northwest of Santa Fe, across a lush plateau commanded by the town of Ciudad Tóta'. The town is located at the junction of the San Juan and two smaller rivers, the Rio Animas and the Rio La Plata.

Our troops have advanced about 15 miles a day since the march began from Valle Grande. If able to sustain that pace, Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower, who commands the attack, believes U.S. forces can cross the nearly 375 miles to Ciudad Tóta', by July.

Scouts report intermittent exchanges of gunfire with Spanish cavalry units, and other forces raid from hidden camps in the mountains to the east. However, Eisenhower’s troops have seen no major engagements, but expect that to change once they reach the area of Ciudad Tóta'.

Photo cutline: Members of the 4th U.S. Infantry undergo final preparations in early May, at a campground west of the captured territory of Valle Grande. The troops moved south along the Camino Real del Norte, a week later. -Hank Carter, Daily Herald


Pershing pushes into hills north of Santiago de Cuba

Guantanamo Bay, Cuba (AP) – Heroic forces under the command of Gen. John “Black Jack” Pershing faced stiff Spanish resistance as they tried to break out from the landing point at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and take the hills north of the port city of Santiago de Cuba.

So far, more than 500 Marines have been killed, and about 1200 wounded, in three weeks of fighting in eastern Cuba.

Early reports that Spain had bolstered troop strength on the strategic island, last year, may have proven correct, as Marines faced fierce fighting from troops in fortified positions on the hillsides. U.S. cavalry units report some advances with raids and reconnaissance-in-force missions along the sparsely populated northern coast of eastern Cuba.

Pershing, who received his nickname from colored troops he commanded during the Indian wars, more than two decades ago, has ordered his sparse artillery to move closer to the Spanish positions, to provide his men with better cover.

So far, requests for additional support from the U.S. Navy, blockading the harbor at Santiago de Cuba, have been refused. A large flotilla of the powerful Spanish armada lies in the harbor, where a narrow entrance gives a tactical advantage to the blockading White Fleet vessels commanded by Rear Adm. Thomas Rogers.

Rogers has focused the efforts of his fleet on attempts to lure the Spanish out of the harbor, through a narrow channel that only allows passage of ships in single file.

The mouth of the harbor is protected by the strong Castillo del Morro. The battleships reportedly exchange fire with the castillo’s gun emplacements regularly, as the American vessels move close and lob shells into the harbor, itself.

Despite the reluctance of the Navy to break off its efforts against the concealed Spanish ships and provide artillery support, Pershing continues to push west, through the hills, in an effort to encircle Santiago de Cuba.

Seizure of the strong harbor with its advanced facilities would provide a solid foothold in eastern Cuba. Isolated Guantanamo Bay has limited capacity.

Tsar calls U.S. attack “illegal act of aggression,”
promises Spain significant “material assistance.”

By Alain Alderman
London Times, by permission
SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA – Tsar Alexis II declared the American attack on Spanish colonial possessions an “illegal act of unwarranted aggression,” in a message delivered through every Russian embassy, Monday.

The statement by the 15-year-old tsar indicates he will continue Russia’s traditional opposition to what it considers “revolutionary anarchy.”

Tsar Alexander I first formulated that policy in response to the abortive French Revolution, more than 120 years ago, which followed hard on the heels of the American Revolution that concluded in 1783. Russia has opposed revolutionary activity, anywhere in the world, since Alexander I played a key role in the destruction of would-be French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1814.

Russia’s promise of material aid comes as welcome news to Spain, but falls short of the military alliance sought by King Alfonso XIII. Russia has struggled to bolster its eastern defenses since its near-defeat by the Japanese, in the short war of 1904-06.

The decision to not commit to Spain’s defense is likely due to the Tsar’s youth and Japan’s rising power.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by tshiggins

The combination helped keep Claudia on her feet until the group reached the base of the trail up to Wolf Creek Pass, although she did begin to show some signs of long-term exhaustion. That increased during the long, slow slog up the mountain.

What rules are you using for long-term fatigue loss/exhaustion?


Or is this more that Claudia is occasionally losing HP along with FP due to bad Hiking rolls?

Originally Posted by tshiggins

(Beatrice sees the wounded Grunt.)
Henrietta: It was the bear! Knocked him down! He’s fine!

Not expecting H to outright lie like that! I mean, it's not like Grunt was wounded long term (and H really should have known better than to fire wildly, she could have killed someone!).

[SionEwig]

That long distance hiking can really be a bear (no pun intended, lol) for people who are not ready for it. Especially when over terrain like the characters were going.

Speaking of the bear, no fun with one of those when they are hungry. But that's why you have really big firearms. What are the characters depending on for that?

I'm still really enjoying the clippings from newspapers (on both sides) that you are writing up. They're an excellent touch that makes the campaign more real.

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by evileeyore

What rules are you using for long-term fatigue loss/exhaustion?


Or is this more that Claudia is occasionally losing HP along with FP due to bad Hiking rolls?

I kinda house-ruled it. The RAW say to make one hiking roll per hour. However, to make the 15 miles per day the group needs to cover, they'd need to hike 10 hours or so (with short breaks), every day, for a couple of weeks. That's a tedious lot of rolls.

So, I fudged it. I had them make a roll for the morning, and one for the afternoon, and based on how they did, I ruled how physically hammered they were, in the form of fatigue point loss, at mid-day and again at day's end.

A normal success cost them one FP point, each shift, for a total of two. A normal failure cost them two FPs, per shift. A critical success (which nobody has rolled, yet), means they took none, and have good reason to add points to Hiking. Several of those could justify moving "Fit" to "Very Fit" by the end of the journey.

A critical failure (which nobody has rolled, either) means that character suffers an injury.

Also, Debbie rolls against Henrietta's most appropriate Survival skill to pick the campsite, and Anten rolls against A.J.'s Cooking skill to prepare a really good, nutritious meal. If both succeed, then the group regains lost fatigue because they're well-fed and able to rest.

I think that models, reasonably well, how experienced outdoorsmen handle life in the wild. Yeah, it's hard work, but they're used to it, and they know how to get themselves what they need in those circumstances.

Most of the characters started out as experienced outdoors-types. They were members of the Four-Corners Search and Rescue (4CSAR), and had the advantage, "Fit." Essentially, the protracted hiking and camping trip is just a more extreme version of stuff those characters normally do all the time, anyway.

However, Claudia and Steven have different origins. We brought those characters into the campaign as former members of A.J.'s NASA Ally Group; people who had worked with him in his previous career.

As a former Marine and test pilot, Steven has enough outdoorsy skills that he's doing okay. But Tisa conceived of Claudia as a science geek-girl whose greatest satisfaction comes from lab work. She has very little in the way of outdoors skills, is not at all physically fit, and was wholly unprepared for this.

Tisa started to miss every single Hiking roll, so I thought that needed to have some in-game consequences. So, I ruled that, if Tisa missed every one for three days, straight, Claudia lost an FP that she could not recover, without real rest in a real bed, for a period of days of minimal physical exertion. So far, she has semi-permanently lost two FPs, and needs a few days of real R&R to get them back.

Tisa thought that seemed imminently fair, and played it up. Claudia's hilarious complaints frequently resemble the scene from Private Benjamin, where Goldie Hawn is marching around in circles, in the rain. Claudia says stuff such as, "Can we find a hotel, with real beds? And a hot tub? I want a nice breakfast. I want to sleep in. I want to wear nice shoes. These boots hurt my feet. Can we go out to lunch at a nice restaurant? How much further?" :)

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Not expecting H to outright lie like that! I mean, it's not like Grunt was wounded long term (and H really should have known better than to fire wildly, she could have killed someone!).

The context made that really funny. Henrietta's player, Debbie, and Beatrice's player, Bernetta, sit right next to one another at the game table. However, Bernetta had stepped away, for a moment, to go to the kitchen.

Debbie was properly appalled when not only did the shot hit, but the damage roll I had her make came in at significantly above average. When Bernetta came back into the room, Debbie told her the bear had hit Grunt, even though Bernetta had overheard at least part of what had happened.

Bernetta knew Debbie was feeding her a line of bull***t, and Debbie knew she knew, but they hammed it up, anyway. :)

[tshiggins]

Originally Posted by SionEwig

That long distance hiking can really be a bear (no pun intended, lol) for people who are not ready for it. Especially when over terrain like the characters were going.

Speaking of the bear, no fun with one of those when they are hungry. But that's why you have really big firearms. What are the characters depending on for that?

Well, Beatrice has her .30-06, and Steven is packing a TL 8 sniper rifle (can't remember which one, off the top of my head) with modern optics. Doc Bascher, who rejoined the campaign, this last time, has her 12-gauge, and brought some slugs.

Jimmy, in NPC mode currently, has his Winchester lever-action, which is definitely underpowered for grizzlies.

Everybody else is packing pistols -- mostly 9 mm, although Beatrice has a 10 mm semi-auto. Jimmy has his old Colt .45, as well as the Python .357 he bought on the other side.

Originally Posted by SionEwig

I'm still really enjoying the clippings from newspapers (on both sides) that you are writing up. They're an excellent touch that makes the campaign more real.

I started to write them in my abortive G:Castle Falkenstein campaign. I modeled those after pages from period editions of the Times of London, a gratifyingly large number of which are readily available, online.

They're a fun way to provide background information about the world in which the characters find themselves, that doesn't feel like a data-dump.

They're also a fun exercise, for me. I have a bachelors in Political Sciences and History, and spent 10 years as a newspaper reporter. News-writing style has changed a lot, through the years, and the U.S. Civil War profoundly influenced the structure of news stories, in this country, in a way that newspapers in other countries weren't.

Also, while most journalists in the modern day strive for factual information presented as objectively as possible (with more or less success), that wasn't always true. Up until the early 20th Century, many newspapers had unabashedly partisan leanings and, while the regular stories mostly remained objective, those that triggered editorial biases absolutely did not and the writers made no claims to the contrary.

Moreover, newspapers were put together much more haphazardly, back then, and photographs and illustrations appeared much less frequently. That meant, for instance, that the London Times sometimes had a front page that resembled a "wall of text." It consisted of six (or eight?) columns of closely typeset small font, with advertisements, quick briefs and real stories all mixed together as they came in.

It was a fun challenge to try to write in the styles found in the newspapers of those days, from areas with writing standards that differed profoundly from the "inverted pyramid" story structure that developed in the U.S. during the Civil War.

For this campaign, it was just natural to keep writing them, and the players seem to enjoy them, too.