Chapter 1 - The Chaos of the Lakeside

[Spectreman17]

Durgar Ironpull:

Would now be the appropriate time for my Intimidation test? in an effort to get things moving? or should I wait to see how my help resolves first?

[Marullus]

We will need posts from both Whitfield and Glaiz, but lets make an executive decision so you can roll dice and move on. they are the only two helping right now, unless someone else steps forward from the campfire to assist.
Take a +1D from Whitfield for his Fear-of-Mirkwood wise. (He records a Challenging test)
Take a +2D from Glaiz for her Family-Wise. (She records a Difficult test)
Take a +1D from the Ironpull dwarves (as stated previously).
Take a +1D from Conspicuous as a FoRK.
That gives you B7 dice against the Ob 6 (unless someone decides to offer a 1D cash treasure). (You'll record a Difficult test.)

I'll grant every PC a Fate point for use in this scene (no Persona yet until earned). So, if you need to explode 6s, you will be able to.

Remember that failure isn't the end in Burning Wheel, but the route to more fun. Your consequence, if the dice don't turn out, is that the group turns violent (which you expected anyway). You interposing against the violence to your kin without armor or weapons of your own qualifies you for a Persona point from Aura of Martyrdom. You are also playing your beliefs well, which will result in additional Artha, which is more important than a failed test. The game rewards these tough choices.

[lupinelegend]

Sorry I haven't replied! I thought I was waiting for you to approve my use of Fear-of-Mirkwood-wise. So instead of that nonsense with the stew (the rabbit is still by the fire Niping!), I'll try to scare these folks with tall tales:

Whit is shocked to see Marsden. After leaving the military he had hoped never to cross paths with the man again. He is stubborn, cruel, and predictably violent when things do not go his way. Though Whit happens to agree with Marsden in this instance, he doesn't want the camp erupting in melee either.

Whit's first thought is that he can lure people away from the spectacle with food. He grabs at the rabbit intent on making a stew while giving little thought to the fact that he cannot cook.

'Now hear, woodsman! That is not a token to be given off so hastily! Though everyone here is going hungry, yet there were already folk here at the fire, with little enough left for you to be tossing rabbit about as though they swam up from the lake into pots and pans. Those Dalefolk have given themselves their own problems if they have tried cheating the Ironpulls in a trade, for the Ironpulls are more than capable of handling their own affairs.'

Stopped in his tracks by the dwarf's haughty admonition, Whit places the rabbit back near the fire. "That man," he says pointing at Marsden, "might be a right bastard but the men of Dale are honest folk. It was not our greed that led us to this predicament." Whit stops short, bashful about his unintended outburst. He grabs a piece of rabbit and tosses another to the dwarf before jogging back towards the crowd, hungrily tucking into the small creature's leg.

Steeling himself for more personal interaction than he's had in the last year, Whit weaves through crowd gathered around Marsden and his thugs. Pausing every so often in the midst of a new group of strangers, he worriedly says, "We shouldn't be crowded together like this, mercy knows. Don't you know about the Mirk Spiders? As big a a horse, believe me! They're attracted by loud noises and large groups. We should really spread out; head back to our fires..."

[Marullus]

Whitfield:

Good post!
Lets not retcon Niping's post away... can you modify your move to account for his interaction before you redirect to use the Wise?

[lupinelegend]

Marullus:

Updated my post above!

[Marullus]

You guys are awesome.

[Spectreman17]

Apparently you can't roll 8 dice at once on the die roller...

[1d6] = 5[1d6] = 2[1d6] = 2[1d6] = 1[1d6] = 2[1d6] = 2[1d6] = 4[1d6] = 6

3 Successes out of 8

Now look here Marsden, I say, I won't have you around here cheating my people or your own for that matter! I brandish my large branch, Why don't you lot all move along before I make you move along. And don't be staying here in camp, if I see you around again, I'll give you the clobbering you deserve for insulting my clan! I then shout out in general, Anyone who shelters this lot here in camp will have me to answer to!

[Marullus]

Looks of shock, then anger appear on the faces of the gathered humans as Marsden is first accused of cheating dwarves, then being a cheat in general, then not only pushed from this deal but driven from the camp and their lifeline of human support. Marsden looks truly wounded at the accusations, arguing back amidst the din just enough to help it roil into a cacophony. Dire warnings of attracting spiders and admonitions to think of the families and children fall on deaf ears in the tired, hungry, scared crowd. Marsden, flanked by his core of hardened thugs, surge forward, the other humans hard on their heels to rip apart the Ironpull's carts and take the goods they need for themselves. Glaiz and Whitfield find themselves hemmed in with Durgar as he defends his family members -- the three Ironpull merchants -- the human throng surging at you all with Marzden at the forefront.

Mechanics (for everyone to read):

I'm going to treat this as a Bloody Versus. Since Durgar, Glaiz, and Whitfield were in the last test, they are also in this one. Anyone from the campfire who wants to come to either side's aid can do so by posting and offering helping dice. We'll total all the dice and roll once to resolve the conflict.

Ironpull side: Durgar has stepped forward as the leader. However, Whitfield could also step in to lead instead, facing his former companion) So, the core dice pool for Durgar is his Brawling score (use of improvised weapon), which he doesn't have. So, he will roll using Beginner's Luck rules (slightly modified) - as it is a versus test, I'll have him roll B2 instead of rolling B4 and halving all successes. If Whitfield is leader he uses his B4 sword skill. Players decide.
Objective: Drive off Marzden and his gang from the camp while giving them nothing in the way of goods or aid.
Dice:
B2 (Beginner's luck brawling)
+ any FoRKs that Durgar wants to add
+ B1 Helping die from Durgar/Whitfield (pick and describe which skill, no skills are at B5 or higher)
+ B1 or 2D from Glaiz. (has no martial skills, so this will need to be creative. +2D if it is Family-wise, +1D for easier to justify other skills.)

Divide those dice into two pools, Attack and Defend. Then we add some bonuses to the specific pools:
Attack:
(None that I see... check p 426 of the book if you want to make an argument)
+B1 Better armed. (Except for Durgar's stick, everyone of you has a real weapon, and the Ironpulls have good quality. His gang lacks good weapons which is what they were trying to trade for.)
Defend:
+G3 for the greed of the Ironpull dwarves as they defend their belongings

Marzden Side: Marzden and his thugs are hardened thugs, outnumbering you two to one.
Objective: Ransack the Ironpull carts and baggage to get weapons and goods for everyone in their band. (i.e. the promised dozen swords, now plus some.)
Dice:He's got a sword skill and holds one of the two dwarven-quality blades. He has help from his crew of thugs. Nobody gets better reflexes. Marzden has the longer stride against dwarves. He and his crew are better armored, all in reinforced leathers. I've set his pools for Attack and Defense and written them down.

Under bloody versus rules, if your attack succeeds, you get your intent, in both directions. This can result in compromises if you both win or both lose... I'll assign injuries based on the degree of success when an attack beats a defense. Since your objectives are not mutually exclusive, both succeeding is possible - your attack pool determines if they are driven from camp and your defense pool determines if they rob the Ironpulls first.

Everybody post! Interpret the events through the lens of your characters beliefs. Describe your actions, state what Help you give to Durgar/Whitfield and whether it helps his Attack or Defense.

[lupinelegend]

Whit has Spear B3 and Sword B2, so not much better, I'm afraid. However, my Spear may give us +1D advantage because it has a long reach, no?

Whit is torn. With every fiber of his being he wants to hide and wait for danger to pass but with the crowd closing in all around he has nowhere to go. The dwarves' fight is not his and he wants no part. On the other hand, he knows Marsden to be dangerous and unpredictable. While they were fighting the Easterlings, Marsden led a mutiny - breaking from formation with a number of "recruits" and leaving the rest of us to die. Whit chooses to stay.

The people of Dale need safety and stability; not a thug and a coward who needs a blade to get his way because he lacks the words to. Whit can't let Marsden set the example that problems can be solved through violence. The last thing the refugees need is for everyone to start threatening each other to get what they want.

Reaching over his shoulder, Whit draws his spear and assumes a defensive position - the weapon's tip weaving in the space between the two groups like a viper coiled to strike.

Whit doesn't plan to attack Marsden and his thugs as he doesn't see any wrongdoing on their part, aside from their rabble rousing. I don't mind taking the lead if you want me to, but I would put our dice into defense.

If I'm not leading, I can FoRK my Spear and/or Sword skills.

[Spectreman17]

I will gladly stand with my family at my back, Seeing as this doesn't seem to be a battle to the death, I won't hesitate. As far as FoRKs, Intimidation would be easiest. Also can I FoRK in my G2 greed as it's a challenge to my Power (Greed idiom #1) as a guard and my Honor as both a guard and an Ironpull. I'll wait for Glaiz to post with her Help before rolling (or should we each roll our own dice as we want and total them after)

[Marullus]

Durgar is the Lead for this roll. Whitfield if giving him +1D for Spear.

Other action posts with helping dice?

Rules stuff:

Adding your greed is appropriate, especially if Power is his Obsessive idiom. I want to see it played up in your post. In order to add Greed to a roll, you need to spend a Persona point.

I intended this first scene as color, so didn't address Artha up front. You've moved it to some really important action, so I'm going to adjust. I want Artha to be earned and spent liberally in this campaign, so I'm going to give Two Fate and Two Persona to all PCs as starting Artha. I've updated the rules posts. Please update your character threads/sheets as you earn and spend Artha and earn tests against your skills.

(I'm keeping the OOC in spoiler tags just so the thread reads easier. That okay with everyone?)

[Starbeard]

Sorry I haven't replied! I thought I was waiting for you to approve my use of Fear-of-Mirkwood-wise. So instead of that nonsense with the stew (the rabbit is still by the fire Niping!), I'll try to scare these folks with tall tales:

Sorry, I must've gotten confused about where everything was happening: from what I gathered the confrontation was happening within view of the fire, and Whit was offering them the food the rest of us had all been selfishly griping over, so I figured Niping—being perpetually hungry—would try to argue the point.

'Ah! Such petulance in men,' gasps Niping to himself, shocked at how quickly the confrontation has escalated into violence. With a reactionary step back his heel kicks at a stone around the fire, reminding him of the fire and its warm food, a luxury he has not experienced since the attack. Using the chaos of the brawl as a distraction, the aging dwarf stoops greedily to the fire, picking bits of rabbit and vegetable and shovel them into his mouth as quickly as possible, heedless of burnt tongue and fingers. After only a few small bites, however, he witnesses the fight spilling into the Ironpull camp—not too distant from his own wagon. With a leap and a cry Niping is up and bounding through the brawl. 'Not one of you touches my camp! Away! Away with you all!'

Crafting hammer in hand, he pushes and punches, swings and thumps his way through the brawl, trying to get through to his undefended wagon, hoping that the small brawl does not expand into a general riot. Once there, he grabs his largest hammer and plants himself on the wagon, stubbornly shooing away anyone who comes too close.

Am I right in thinking that Niping can't actually give a helping bonus for this Versus, despite his actions? He doesn't have any appropriate skills to use.

[Marullus]

OOC Answers to Starbeard/Niping:

Sorry, I must've gotten confused about where everything was happening: from what I gathered the confrontation was happening within view of the fire, and Whit was offering them the food the rest of us had all been selfishly griping over, so I figured Niping—being perpetually hungry—would try to argue the point.

No, you were correct. He didn't have Cooking, though, so he retroactively adjusted. I asked him to keep the rabbit actions so that your post was still valid. So IC: you objected, he left the food and went to convince them another way (which he could give a die with).

Am I right in thinking that Niping can't actually give a helping bonus for this Versus, despite his actions? He doesn't have any appropriate skills to use.

Precisely. Niping can narratively be part of the action by attacking (and by doing so, pursue beliefs), but to offer a helping die (and get a test for skill advancement in return) he needs to work-in a skill he actually possesses. You have to be pretty creative with your skills, but there's a number that could make sense given the broad scope of this melee. For example, they want to reach and raid the carts. You could offer a +1D to Defense of the carts by doing something creative with your Cartwright skill. Or, Shrewd Appraisal to identify the most valuable load and get that wagon out of range. Or, Dragon-wise to introduce a fact about Smaug, the nature of dragons, or his aftermath which impacts the situation. I allow creativity - just don't stretch too far.

Feel free to edit your post to work in a skill you possess.

[Starbeard]

OOC response:

OOC Answers to Starbeard/Niping:
Precisely. Niping can narratively be part of the action by attacking, but to offer a helping die (and get a test for advancement in return) he needs to work-in a skill he actually possesses. You have to be pretty creative with your skills, but there's a number that could make sense given the broad scope of this melee. For example, they want to reach and raid the carts. You could offer a +1D to Defense of the carts by doing something creative with your Cartwright skill. Or, Shrewd Appraisal to identify the most valuable load and get that wagon out of range. Or, Dragon-wise to introduce a fact about Smaug, the nature of dragons, or his aftermath which impacts the situation. I allow creativity - just don't stretch too far.

Feel free to edit your post to work in a skill you possess.

I thought about it, but I think I'll have to let my original action stand. At the moment Niping's really only interested in keeping his own cart safe, specifically in case some of the combatants decide that it would be easier to snoop around for unguarded wagons nearby than to try fighting the Ironpulls to get at their stuff.

With that intention in mind I can't come up with any convincing ways to use his skills to help the combat and maintain his own personal objective at the same time: it's either protect the Ironpull carts or protect his own.

[Marullus]

Niping/Starbeard:

He can stand in defense of his own wagon. Do you want to narrate his internal monolog? What does he remember about dragons from the Dragon Wars, and what about dragons comes into play when people, or races, come to bloody violence over treasure? By narrating with your -Wise you add facts to the game. Smaug is implicitly a factor in the scene. If something he knows about dragons impacts the pursuit of one side or the other's goal (like "dragon sickness" in the hearts of men or dwarves), then you can give that side +1D with your Dragon-wise helping die, and I add the facts to the game's tapestry. (If the role succeeds, the facts are as you said them. If it fails, I get to tweak them first...)

[Starbeard]

OOC action for Niping (final determination): Niping's action is to participate in the fight on his way to his own wagon, but without providing any Help to the Bloody Versus Test.

I want to get the mechanical side of this correct, so I've read through the Versus and Bloody Versus rules; I think what I've got above is all that's needed, but I'm not 100% sure if I need to specify anything else.

Edit: I think I get it now, I'll write up something immediately and get it posted. Sorry for fuddling through this!

[Starbeard]

Niping shoulders a human to the side as he makes his way to his wagon. "Foolish! The lot of you, fools!" he shouts. "Mere moments pass since you feel the heat of a dragon's vengeance and you invite it to attack again!" His rant sputters as another human grabs him by the collar, and they wrestle to the ground. As they drag each other across the ground he thinks sourly that this is all typical of humanity's greed—not the cool, hoarding greed of the dwarves, but a hot, seething and selfish greed, untempered by labour and uncontrolled by pride or craft. The Men of the Lake feed off of the Dwarves of the Hill and the Elves of the Wood, never learning that paying one's way to comfort and wealth only untempers the spirit. The untempered greed that dragons sniff out as bees sniff out clover in Spring.

Soon he is back on his feet and thumping his way to his cart. Upon reaching it, he squats down on the seat and folds his arms, heavy smithing hammer in hand. "Look at you, Dalefolk! And what do you think you were all doing when the dragon came, eh? Greedy little fingers snatching at what you haven't worked for, that's what! Do you think the dragon is too high up on his perch to see you now? An old barn owl can spot a field mouse in the dark! How well do you think a dragon can see? 'Dwarves brought the dragon,' my foot! Bah!"

OOC: Requesting to use Dragon-Wise to Help the Ironpulls.

[Marullus]

+1D to Durgar's Attack pool

[Marullus]

*bump* Any final updates? I know we're expecting one from PointyEaredRogue, then Spectreman can roll the dice and move us forward. Anyone else?

[lupinelegend]

Nope, I'm ready.