As the title will tell you, the first Act of Book 1 of the Giovanni Chronicles was a success. The dinner guests are now vampires, hastily Embraced by their sires to aid in their escape. The Founders, seeking to capture the Conspiracy of Isaac, have instead captured their childer.
Suffice to say, I didn't follow the book to the letter. I didn't feel it would be right to restrict my players to it. However, they pretty much followed the path set for them. Here are some highlights and changes I made:
- The dinner guests were 13 in all: 5 of them NPCs, 5 of them PCs and the rest were companions of the latter. I didn't follow the book in choosing only those living in and around the Carpathians as I felt this would restrict my player's character concepts. Most of the players came from England, strangely enough. The rest were scattered as far off as Jerusalem. Also, I didn't make the guests individual, some came with other guests.
- Shri Yantra, played by Maricor Dumlao, was not able to join the game due to time restictions. I am hoping she can catch up in the 2nd book so I can integrate her then.
- Instead of Lothar coming in on April 3 to talk to the guests, I had him arrive on April 4. It seemed more appropriate this way rather than how it was written in the book. Though it would change certain scenes, the character still managed to annoy the PC - Mordecai (played by Karlo), specifically.
- Mordecai almost lost his invitation due to 2 reasons: his objections to Lothar's treatment of Brother Clement (as he grew up with monks) and his insistence that he bring his manservant, Khalid. Lothar's response to the latter was that there was not enough room in the carriage but "your servant may run along beside it, if you wish."
- Faolan ordering ale was...unexpected. I did not know if beer had been invented or if it were available in the Carpathians. Sigismund, the innkeeper of the Red Lamb Inn, declined his request. But later, thinking that this was in a way, his last meal, I decided otherwise. But I didn't know how to make it available now. So I thought to rename it "Pale Pilsen". This brought no small amount of laughter from the other players that resulted in the Chronicale being nicknamed "The Pale Pilsen Chronicles".
- A fight almost broke out between Faolan and Godwin, the latter was Raven's "date" to the dinner. This was due to the fact that Faolan hated the English. It was a good thing though that Faolan had been drinking way too much pale pilsen. It resulted with him having tripped and knocked off conscious.
- The 4 NPCs that rounded out the cast were characters in my other game with TROPA. I decided to use them as it would be easier for me to play them rather than create whole new characters.
- The harrowings of the characters were changed slightly to accomodate their unique histories. Raven's harrowing with Dimitra centered on the latter's discovery of Raven being a woman and her disgust at her having to hide her sex. While Mordecai was questioned about nobility by Jadviga, but using Lady Amisa's vignette. Faolan's scene with Marchetus and Wilfred's scene with Wencesalas remained unchanged.
- Lucy's harrowing in the hands of Theopana was the hardest as it did not describe anything specific other than triggering the madness. Hence, I decided to have Theopana look for Mina, Lucy's "imaginary friend". This invovled speaking in a girlish voice asking Mina to "come out and play" while inclining my head from one side to the other. Though the other players looked disturbed, Lucy's player, Joan, looked fascinated.
- My first mistake was reading Claudius' dialogue from the book. I think it would have been better had I simply said the gist of it all: "You are our dinner and now it's time to chow down." That would have made it more terifying, I think. Rather than looking to the book every so often.
- When the Founders attacked, the player characters were in the process of transforming. As soon as they awoke, most of them frenzied since they only had a blood point in them. Two characters died as a result: Godwin and Guilliame were diablarized by Raven and Wilfred. Santiago and Harad died at the hands of Milov, with more than 8 levels of Aggravated damage. Wilfred's lord, Humphrey, died while escaping.
- Raven was staked by Roderigo, Lucy and Faolan were beaten into torpor by Adana and Hardestadt, Mordecai and Wilfred were subdued by Milov. Alessandro surrendered peacefully.
I'm currently in the process of getting my players to write journal entries to chronicle what happens int he game. So far, everyone is open to the suggestion. To make it easier, I'm assigning a particular player/character to write a scene. That way, I don't have to make them write entry after entry. The only problem now is who will best be suited for the scene.
Also, Joan and Karl are pretty good artists. I'm hoping to scan some pictures online so we can exhibit their works here. I've commissioned them to draw character portraits and certain scenes - especially the memorable ones. Here's hoping this takes off and keeps flying.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Monday, September 04, 2006
Game Review: The Prelude
Last Saturday, I ran the Prelude Scenes for the players of my Giovanni Chronicles at the 5th floor pantry of my office. The venue wasn't really conducive to the mood as it was bright and noisy. People were wondering what we were doing, especially with our raised voices talking about crossbows, armor and religion. Not really the kind of subject you should be hearing from call center agents.
I have one problem that I must solve in order to run the game “right”. That problem can be summed up in one word: SCHEDULING. Since my players have different shifts and day-offs, it’s hard to get them all together in one room for an hour or so. Also, I’m not always available to run the game for them as I have my own schedule for work and my own games. The only reason I was able to run it was because the TROPA (my original gaming group) had postponed our games. Tobie, our Storyteller, was in Cebu on a vacation for a week’s time.
As this is my first time to run an official game, I thought I should record it for posterity. The article herein will either be what has happened in the game and my thoughts/comments regarding its progress. And it is my hope that I am able to see it through the end - whatever the end might be.
- Mordecai Di Firenze is visited by Ambrogino Giovanni who has commissioned the scribe to copy a mysterious text. Mordecai is curious to know more about the text, namely because his patron has paid him a substantial amount for his discretion. Khalid, his manservant, has misgivings about the Italian and warns his master not to deal with him.
- Faolan Macgowan is a soldier figthing against the English under the command of Lord Duncan. He is a celebrated hero of his people for the strong but light armor he has made. That is, until a druidess attemtpts to assasinate his lord. A follower of the druidic ways himself, Faolan decides to defend the woman and learn her reasons for wanting Lord Duncan dead. Hadrian, Duncan's second-in-command, has never trusted Faolan because of his beliefs. Those beliefs may well put him next in line for execution.
- Lucy Sommers sneaks away from her sister's wedding preparations. She is overwhelmed by the voices only she seems to hear. She runs out to a clearing where she faints. She is found by her uncle John who volunteers to have her examined by a physician. Her parents are apprehensive, not because she would be leaving but because her uncle is eccentric.
- Raven accompanies her mentor, Gilbert, to Normandy to introduce a new weapon that may turn the tide against the French. The weaponsmith is intrigued and welcomes them to his home as his guest to learn how to manufacture and use the crossbow. There, Raven meets the weaponsmith's daughter who has an air of mystery about her.
- Wilfred Calvin Smythe finds himself in Normandy, defending the last bastion of the English in what will be known as France. He is surprised to see his friend, Lord Humphrey, bethored to the Lady of Rouen. Although both appear to be united, each is convinced that the other means to have himself or herself murdered.
- Mordecai becomes obsessed with the tome given to him by Ambrogino and makes a copy for himself for further study. The tome is in an ancient language, one where almost all languges seem to have originated from. Ambrogino returns and is pleased with the scribe's work. He extends an invitation to him from his father, Claudius Giovanni, Earl of Stavlachia, as an additional reward.
- Wanting to learn more of the woman who attempted to assasinate his lord, Faolan questions her. The woman, a fortuneteller, instead tells Faolan that his son lives but he will never have a chance to find him as his future is shadowed by a man cloaked in darkness. Before he could ask more, he is summoned by Lord Duncan. He sends him off to meet with a man named Claudius Giovanni who is said to be negotiating with the English for support.
- Feeling bored in her uncle's mansion, Lucy makes her way towards town. There, she becomes witness to a trial where a young woman is accused of witchcraft. A mother tearfully testifies that her son was enchanted to steal their money. They were supposed to elope but they caught her just in time. Mina tells her that the mother is lying; the woman isn't a witch. Her son was in love with her and they were supposed to elope. The son, who managed to "escape", is already dead; killed in a fit of rage by the mother when he confessed his love for the woman.
- Raven discovers that the weaponsmith is an abusive father. The daughter is beaten for even the smallest infraction. Returning late from the smithy, Raven hears her pray to God for deliverance. When she finishes, a dark shape detaches itself from the wall underneath her window. Raven follows it only to lose it in the darkness cast by the cathedral's shadow. The next day, the weaponsmith catches a wasting illness and dies several days later. Gilbert decides to move on to meet with one Claudius Giovanni.
- Wilfred is caught between his lord and his wife's accusations of infidelity and murder. The Lady Rouen exhibits the bruises of her husband's beatings when she would not submit to him. She admits that the reason is because she is with child. Humphrey is often found sprawled on his bed, naked and drunk. He confesses that he has not been himself lately but suspects that his wife is trying to kill him. Unable to believe either, Wilfred decides it would be best for the two to separate. He urges his lord to accept the invitation of Claudius Giovanni for dinner.
I have one problem that I must solve in order to run the game “right”. That problem can be summed up in one word: SCHEDULING. Since my players have different shifts and day-offs, it’s hard to get them all together in one room for an hour or so. Also, I’m not always available to run the game for them as I have my own schedule for work and my own games. The only reason I was able to run it was because the TROPA (my original gaming group) had postponed our games. Tobie, our Storyteller, was in Cebu on a vacation for a week’s time.
As this is my first time to run an official game, I thought I should record it for posterity. The article herein will either be what has happened in the game and my thoughts/comments regarding its progress. And it is my hope that I am able to see it through the end - whatever the end might be.
- Mordecai Di Firenze is visited by Ambrogino Giovanni who has commissioned the scribe to copy a mysterious text. Mordecai is curious to know more about the text, namely because his patron has paid him a substantial amount for his discretion. Khalid, his manservant, has misgivings about the Italian and warns his master not to deal with him.
- Faolan Macgowan is a soldier figthing against the English under the command of Lord Duncan. He is a celebrated hero of his people for the strong but light armor he has made. That is, until a druidess attemtpts to assasinate his lord. A follower of the druidic ways himself, Faolan decides to defend the woman and learn her reasons for wanting Lord Duncan dead. Hadrian, Duncan's second-in-command, has never trusted Faolan because of his beliefs. Those beliefs may well put him next in line for execution.
- Lucy Sommers sneaks away from her sister's wedding preparations. She is overwhelmed by the voices only she seems to hear. She runs out to a clearing where she faints. She is found by her uncle John who volunteers to have her examined by a physician. Her parents are apprehensive, not because she would be leaving but because her uncle is eccentric.
- Raven accompanies her mentor, Gilbert, to Normandy to introduce a new weapon that may turn the tide against the French. The weaponsmith is intrigued and welcomes them to his home as his guest to learn how to manufacture and use the crossbow. There, Raven meets the weaponsmith's daughter who has an air of mystery about her.
- Wilfred Calvin Smythe finds himself in Normandy, defending the last bastion of the English in what will be known as France. He is surprised to see his friend, Lord Humphrey, bethored to the Lady of Rouen. Although both appear to be united, each is convinced that the other means to have himself or herself murdered.
- Mordecai becomes obsessed with the tome given to him by Ambrogino and makes a copy for himself for further study. The tome is in an ancient language, one where almost all languges seem to have originated from. Ambrogino returns and is pleased with the scribe's work. He extends an invitation to him from his father, Claudius Giovanni, Earl of Stavlachia, as an additional reward.
- Wanting to learn more of the woman who attempted to assasinate his lord, Faolan questions her. The woman, a fortuneteller, instead tells Faolan that his son lives but he will never have a chance to find him as his future is shadowed by a man cloaked in darkness. Before he could ask more, he is summoned by Lord Duncan. He sends him off to meet with a man named Claudius Giovanni who is said to be negotiating with the English for support.
- Feeling bored in her uncle's mansion, Lucy makes her way towards town. There, she becomes witness to a trial where a young woman is accused of witchcraft. A mother tearfully testifies that her son was enchanted to steal their money. They were supposed to elope but they caught her just in time. Mina tells her that the mother is lying; the woman isn't a witch. Her son was in love with her and they were supposed to elope. The son, who managed to "escape", is already dead; killed in a fit of rage by the mother when he confessed his love for the woman.
- Raven discovers that the weaponsmith is an abusive father. The daughter is beaten for even the smallest infraction. Returning late from the smithy, Raven hears her pray to God for deliverance. When she finishes, a dark shape detaches itself from the wall underneath her window. Raven follows it only to lose it in the darkness cast by the cathedral's shadow. The next day, the weaponsmith catches a wasting illness and dies several days later. Gilbert decides to move on to meet with one Claudius Giovanni.
- Wilfred is caught between his lord and his wife's accusations of infidelity and murder. The Lady Rouen exhibits the bruises of her husband's beatings when she would not submit to him. She admits that the reason is because she is with child. Humphrey is often found sprawled on his bed, naked and drunk. He confesses that he has not been himself lately but suspects that his wife is trying to kill him. Unable to believe either, Wilfred decides it would be best for the two to separate. He urges his lord to accept the invitation of Claudius Giovanni for dinner.
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