Actual Play – An Intimate Inheritance (3/9/2018)

GM: Paul Beakley
Players: Alex Roberts, Krin Irvine, Jeremy Tidwell, Tomer Gurantz, Andy Munich, Sean Nittner, Jahmal Brown, Erik Bell, and Cate Hirschbiel
System: Inheritance

I was super sleepy Friday morning and planned on sitting the slot out, but Inheritance needed two more players, Krin and I were talking, and we decided, huzzah, let’s play! So glad I did.

As usual, it’s hard to capture all of what happened in a larp. In part because I wasn’t in every scene and in part because I couldn’t take notes (I was too busy being terrified). So rather than try and retell the story, here are the highlights I remember, sorted by character.

SPOILERS AHEAD. Note, by this point Inheritance has been out long enough that I feel okay revealing some of the secrets within it. If you haven’t played Inheritance before, you can still read this, but just remember, you know what your character book says you do, the rest is there for you discover in play!

Daxo (played by Jay)

Jay was a wonderful Daxo. Compassionate and strong at the same time. He wanted Rán and the Inheritance, but more than either of those he wanted to bring his divided family back together. Those were the words he used and (by the end of the larp) I would challenge anyone who calls my brother a liar!

Grandfather’s funeral

Daxo arrived on the beach only to be instantly confronted by his father Thorvald. Daxo looked for aid from his mother Fulla but even she asked him to wait inside the house until after the funeral. Emboldened by his parents admonitions, Ring (me!) stepped forward to chastise him as well, but was regrettably without his sword.

When he turned to Gefjon and Tyr, sure that his aunt and uncle would support him, they also cast him away. With only his boon companion Arvundil to support him, he eventually retreated to the longhouse. He tried to come out once more but was again scored!

Inside the at the feasting hall, though Ansgar offered his chair to Daxo, and Fulla told all that he would be welcome at the table, it was clear that nobody wanted him here! Try as he might, each time he opened his mouth, someone was there to shut him down.

That night however, fortune changed for Daxo!

He visited Rán in her sleeping quarters (at the foot of the bed, while his brother Ring was secretly whispering to her parents in another scene, so good!) and told her of his affections. Though she said she only loved Baldr, she considered his words carefully when he said he sought to bring the two families back together. She offered Daxo a text of the gods to see if he was worth. He was to meet her in the morning and submit to her test!

He then made his way to Ansgar, who told him that his highest calling was the mission. Even if some (read: Thorvald) had to die, God would forgive. Spreading his word was all!

He spoke with his mother, who urged him to leave in the morning before the will would be read. Fulla told him that Thorvald would come to God one day, but not this day. Daxo needed to give her more time! He would hear none of that. She told him that his actions would kill her…

Finally he was met by his brother Ring (that’s me!) and offered a peace, at least of sorts (we’ll talk more about that in the Ring section), but he would not leave.

On the Beach

In the morning however, with his boon companion at his side, he met Rán on the beach to submit himself to her test. When he realized the drink she handed him was poisoned (she would not call it such, said only that it was a test of the gods). After much discussion with Arvundil he finally decided that he would put his faith in his own god and drank the poisoned mead…

Fulla (Played by Jeremy)

Jerry has got to me one of my favorite players for just one reason. When he turns the emotion on, it’s all the way. He blew me away as Arvundil when he courted Rán in a Lovelorn Inheritance and he did it again today!

Sending Daxo Away

A major theme for Fulla this game was trying to save her family by preventing them from drawing swords on each other. And so, at funeral (and many times later as well), when she saw that Thorvald was wondering if he should have just killed Daxo instead of exiling him all those years ago, she sided with her husband and bid him wait for them in the longhouse, abstaining from sending grandfather his prayers.

This is my table!

During the feast Fulla struggled to keep peace in her home, and eventually sent Ring and Rán to walk on the beach (followed by Arvundil) to remove some of the “youthful” energy from the table. She struggled the most however with Gefjon, who refused to acknowledge her words (this took incredible self discipline form Tomer mind you, when someone calls your name to just pretend that you didn’t hear them at all, is incredible). When she finally did gain the Seiðkona’s attention and asked why she was acting so disgracefully and was only told that while the Exile still lived Odin’s will was not complete! Oh wow.

My life for a husband that would listen

That night Fulla spoke with Thorvald in bed and tried, all that she could to hint at the idea of conversion “Do you know, they have this practice where they pour water on you?” Thorvald however was like a mountain that would not move “Wife, do you have a fever? You sound like you have a fever.”

She also met with Ansgar that night, the scene described below!

Sacrifice for her son

When Fulla arrived on the beach and found Daxo breathing only faintly, she demanded that Rán tell her what herbs she included in the tincture so that she could fashion a cure. However before she could administer it, Thorvald took the healing herbs from her hand and cast them into the sea!

Gefjon tried to assuage her that this was a message from the gods. She embraced the grieving mother and held her close but her words only enraged Fulla further. She took Gefyon’s ritual dagger and tried to plunge it into the Seiðkona’s heart. She was too slow however, and Tyr came to his wife’s aid, turning the dagger back on Fulla and slaying her!

As she lay dying, believing that Daxo was to die as well, she beckoned for Ring (that’s me!) and whispered her final words…

Ansgar (played by Alex)

Quiet and Patient, Ansgar was always their for his flock…to remind them of their duty.

Grandfather’s funeral

When Gefyon first began the prayers she asked Thorvald what he was doing here and Ansgar quickly responded “Do not worry. Your ways do not offend me.” So good! And yet, Daxo’s appearance was so unwelcome that when Gefyon had only seven prayer sticks to give, she gave one of them to Ansgar, who silently crossed himself before throwing it into the fire.

Ring (that’s me!) thanked Ansgar for keeping his words to himself (Ring isn’t all that smart).

Dinner in the Great Hall

At the table, when so many objected to Daxo’s presence, Angar quietly gave up his seat for Daxo, which presented enough pressure that Fulla was able to seat all of them. He did not raise his voice but offered quiet reassurance to Daxo as the meal continued.

Council in the wee hours

Asngar hardly had a chance to sleep he was visited by so many members of the family. Many of which wanted to see the will!

When Daxo arrived Ansgar counseled that Daxo was here for a reason, to save the family and show them the light of Christ, regardless of the cost. Can I just point out here how devious Alex was here. Never did Ansgar say a word in anger or directly encourage violence, but when Daxo said he could see no other way but through more kinslaying, Ansgar consoled him that God would forgive all sins. So good.

Later he found Fulla in her prayers. And this, mind you is the BEST SCENE I’VE EVER SEEN IN INHERITANCE. Fulla also asked for guidance but instead of being comforted by Ansgar’s prudence she was enraged by his dispassion. “Don’t you see, my son will die, or my husband in his stead!” Ansgar was level and calm while Fullu was brought to tears and finally threatened the priest “If my son dies a martyr, so will you!”

Arvundil (played by Cate)

Cate’s Arvundil was a true boon companion to Daxo, but at the sight of Rán his heart was conflicted!

A brother in arms

At the funeral and in the feasting hall, Arvundil stood by Daxo and pledged to defend him against all threats…

A contender for Rán’s affection

…However, when Ring (that’s me!) asked Rán if she would walk with him on the beach rather than hear more of their family bickering, Arvundil followed soon after. He found Ring on the beach promising Rán the world but able to deliver her nothing. Arvundil just took his time practicing with his sword on the beach, showing of his prowess until he finally distracted Ring enough to challenge him, where he scared Ring away, afraid for his life.

Alone with Rán he courted her as well, but she told him that he was a stranger to her and like Ring, if he wanted her affections he’d have to prove his worth.

Council for his Friend

On the beach, when Daxo presented the test to him Arvudil tried to offer the best counsel he could. “You could take what you want by force, you don’t have to submit to this poison”. But when he saw that Daxo could not bring himself to further kinslaying he suggested that this was perhaps the best choice after all, to let the gods decide.

Rán (played by Erik)

The people in Rán’s life spent most of the funeral trying to tell her what to do and Rán was having none of it! She respected her mother and came to her for guidance but she was making her own decisions. This came up over and over again and it was great.

Quiet, Boy!

When Ring (that’s me!) tried to sequester her so he could profess his love to her alone, Rán responded that her place was with her family, and that he should talk less (and presumably listen more!). Eventually when Fulla bid them to walk on the beach together she consented out of respect for Fulla but had no time for the foolish Ring. “You say you’ll bring me wealth and honor but these are just empty words, promises and nothing else. Prove to me your worth and then I will consider you!”

Daxo’s Challenge

We have a very fun cut scene that started with Daxo approaching Rán in the night and asking her to marry him to mend the wound he caused when he killed Baldr. She considered him and told him if he proved himself in the eyes of the gods she would accept him.

We then cut to a scene earlier with Rán talking to Gefjon in the middle of the night and asking her for herbs that would poison a man. The discussed what this would mean and Gefjon, after much consideration, gave her the herbs.

We cut back to Daxo asking if he should bring his sword to face the challenge in the morning and Rán telling him it would be unnecessary!

The Gods test unanswered

The next morning when Daxo drank the poison and collapsed on the beach, it was clear that he was near death but was still holding on. When asked how the gods (and Rán) judged him, she said that it was yet to be seen. The test was not over!

Thorvald (played by Krin)

Thorvald was often quiet, but incredibly stern. He seemed to regret exiling Daxo ten years ago and wondered if he should have just killed him instead. At Fulla’s behest he stayed his temper, but only for a time.

Grandfather’s Funeral 

Was clearly no place for Daxo and Arvundil to come, but as long as they kept their distance he tolerated them. Barely.

At the Dinner Table

Thing were not much better. He scolded Ring (that’s me!) for talking out of turn and generally made it clear that Daxo had made everything worse with his presence!

On the Beach

In the final moments, it was Thorvald that determined the outcome for all of us. Daxo poisoned and unconscious and Fulla slain, he turned to Gefjon and Tyr and told them they must go. They were family, but Tyr had slain his wife and if there was to be no more bloodshed they must go…but Rán would stay. She would be protected and marry if she chose to.

This dismissal, however was interrupted when Ring (that’s me!) was called over to hear Fulla’s dying words “The priest… he cast a spell on me and made Daxo kill his brother. Only as I die is his Christian magic broken!” No sooner had she said her dying words than Ring called for his father to slay the priest for ensorcelling his mother and brother!

Thorvald for once had perfect clarity and fell his sword upon Ansgar, fulfilling Fulla’s prophesy that the priest would be martyr!

Thorvald took the will, which now only Rán could read, and tore it to pieces. Anything touched by Ansgar was full of lies and deceit. He would grant the inheritance as he saw fit!

In Need of of a Wife

After Ring (that’s me!) was granted Grandfather’s longship and sent to go viking with Daxo (should he recover) and Arvundil. And after Fulla and Tyr had been dismissed, Thorvald turned to Rán and said “I’m in need of a wife”. What in the Hel, dad? Oh, it was so good!

Tyr (played by Andy)

Andy’s Tyr wanted to die a berserk but knew that time had passed.

No room for Daxo in his heart

Though he favored Daxo in the past, Tyr heeded his wife’s wisdom and believed it was Odin’s will that he should have died. While he wanted to give him a second chance, he would not betray his brother Thorvald to do so!

No much love for Ring either

The demanding but cowardly Ring (that’s me!) was no better in his eyes. Ring was not worth of Rán but at least he was no kinslayer. When Ring woke Tyr in his sleep to ask for aid in defeating his brother, Tyr told him he must prove himself, he must do the “deed”, but clearly Ring was not sure what the deed was exactly (Ring wasn’t all that smart), though he suspected it was fight his brother, which he really didn’t want to do. “I want to go to Valhalla with Grandfather…just not yet.”

Tyr had no time for the impetuous young child and so he stalked off… and when he returned the boy was trying to creep into bed with his wife! Only his love for Thorvald stayed his hand as he sent the young man scurrying out of his bed chamber!

I know who you are. You’re me!

Tyr found Arvundil on the beach just before dawn (nobody sleeps in this house!) and confronted him. “I know who you are. Because I was you!” Arvundil protested that he would not be wounded like Tyr, that he would die in battle and Tyr only scoffed that he also had many plans when he was young, plans that turned to ash. It was such and incredible dressing down. “I still have two good eyes and I can see you for who you are. You’re me!”

Gefjon (played by Tomer)

Gefjon has so much power in the game. She speaks for Odin, she has the ear of Tyr, she commands the respect of her daughter, and she is positioned to shame Thorvald for his mercy on Daxo. She is one of the characters that can easily run roughshod over the rest of the group if the player chooses. Instead Tomer opted to give everyone a bit more breathing room and let their own conscience torment them.

Grandfather’s Funeral

Though Gefjon initially protested Asngar’s presence at the funeral, she made a point of  giving him one of the prayer sticks in lieu of allowing Daxo to say farewell.

Offending her host to illustrate their offence to the gods

When the families broke bread Gefjon made a point of ignoring Fulla until Thorvald finally stepped in and demanded that she explain why herself. “Why should I pay heed to you, when you do not pay heed to the gods?!?” Oh, it was such a good setup! Because of course Thorvald should have slain Daxo for murdering Baldr and that he hadn’t and worse that he let him into his lands and that Fulla let him sit at her table, furthered the disgrace.

Counsel for Ring and Rán

Though she thought little of Ring, if he could slay Daxo, that would set things right. However the coward (that’s me!) didn’t want to face his brother, and instead asked that she weaken him with poison so he would have a better chance. The Seiðkona would not reward him with an answer, even though she was preparing the herbs that very night for her daughter Rán! (Partially this was due to the fact that we were doing cut scenes back and forth, but it just made Gefjon seem all the more cryptic and wise!).

The strongest of us all

In our epilogue scenes Tyr and Gefjon revealed that their exile from Thorvald’s lands drew them apart. When Tyr did not die a Berserk she was disappointed but it made her stronger for it. When he was banished by Thorvald, Tyr withered away further until there was little left of him, which forced Gefjon to become stronger still. She became known far and wide as a great Seiðkona!

Ring (played by Sean, that’s me!)

What is there to say about his impetuous 23 year old with his head in the clouds? I’ve played Ring before, the first time I played Inheritance, and I know what brave and bold Ring looks like (that’s me lying on the ground that picture!). I hadn’t orginally planned to play him but Alex and I swapped character and it was the BEST THING EVER. First off, she played a much better Ansgar than I ever would have, and second, it gave me a chance to play a very different Ring than I had in the past. My Ring wanted to be brave and honorable, but at his heart he was fearful and knew that his brother would best him if it came to blows. A combination of this cowardly nature and my frequent adjustment of my attire (my scarf was a great prop for this, but I also kept not having my sword, or having it and then putting it down and then saying “if I only had my sword”) made Ring into some delightful comic relief (both for me as a player and for the rest).

Ring’s Highlights

Talking to Rán at the table and seeing her disdain for me, then having it come to a head when I pledged myself to her and she told me my words were empty promises, then only moments later showing how right she was when I was chased off by Arvundil!

That night I crept into the bed chamber of Tyr and Gefjon to seek their aid in fighting Daxo, even going so far as to try and seduce Gefjon to gain her aid (bad choice Ring!). Both Tyr and Gefjon kept saying “you need to the deed” and I just delighted in not being 100% sure what the “deed” was but expecting it was fighting Daxo which I was terrified to do!

Looking for another way, I then made by way to speak with Ansgar in hopes that he could give me insight into speaking with Daxo. I didn’t know that Daxo had converted but I had seem him defer to Ansgar earlier and though maybe I could capture some of his authority. I didn’t, but at least gained the wisdom to speak with Daxo.

Speaking to Daxo was probably my favorite scene. Ring found him on the beach just before dawn, as he was preparing for Rán’s test and tried once more to get him to leave. Daxo claimed that he wasn’t here for grandfather’s inheritance, so Ring asked why he was even there (again, Ring isn’t that smart). Daxo said he wanted to re-unite the family which just couldn’t stand, but Ring was unwilling to take up arms against his brother. This such a great scene for me because there was so much going on (at least in my head). On the surface Daxo was an immutable force that would not be deterred by Ring and Ring was a helpless wind battering against his bulwark and constantly being deflected by him. Literally I’d charge up to him and then turn away just as quickly, adjusting my scarf all along.

What was happening underneath the surface though was that Ring was starting to believe in Daxo. He would not tell Ring why he killed Baldr but did say that he did it to protect their mother…and though it went against everything Ring had been told, it rang true. This was probably in part because of how amazing Jay was at portraying Daxo.

Though I never had a chance to speak with Fulla before the final scene (that turned out to be a good thing!), when she told me that she was under the priest’s spell, it all clicked for Ring. Though he was wrong, it gave him the clarity to stand against Ansgar and with his brother. It was so great when Thorvald, perhaps because Fulla had just died and he had slaked his bloodthird on Ansgar, was willing to stay his hand against Daxo because Ring stood by his side. Yay, the brothers united!

Pictures from the Game

What could have improved

I’m concerned that I was back-seat GMing too much. I love this game a lot and when I love games I get excited and when I get excited I blurt things out. Paul was fine with it, but it’s an instinct I’m working on tempering so it doesn’t keep earning me fate at my friends expense.*

What Rocked

This game was so great, but some scenes stood out in particular

  • Thorvald and Fulla in bed speaking of the possibility of Christianity “Wife, do you have a fever?” “Yes, I think I must.” “It sounds like you do!”
  • Daxo and Ring on the beach at pre-dawn, Rings boats being deflated and Daxo’s words finally being heard.
  • Fulla turning on Ansgar and re-uniting her family with her own death (and his).
  • In our epilogue, Asngar being made a saint for his martyrdom, and his relics being held up with the greatest honor.
  • The Shakespearean creeping through the house at night. At the head of the bed (one scene) Ring spoke with Gefjon and Tyr, at the foot of the bed Daxo tried to make peace with Rán!
  • Finally, the scene that broke my heart, and where Fulla was begging Ansgar for some relief from the torment of killing her own son. In her mind Daxo’s hand that night was her own and it was she that killed Baldr. Now she thought another one of her sons, or worse yet, her Thorvald would die without accepting the baptism, and that she would never see them in heaven. Ansgar’s response was so cold that it shook her out of her sorrow and into a fury. She composed herself through her tears and told Ansgar that if her son died a martyr, so would he! Wow, that scene was so amazing!

Paul had a great knack for highlighting important scenes. Even during the acts where concurrent discussions where happening, when he sensed one was important he’d let us know and we’d all stop to watch it. That was a great.

Everyone’s delivery of their characters, so spot on. I love this group and Paul brought out the best in us with his subtle prodding!

Getting a chance to play Ring again with a very different approach, it was like playing New Choice, albeit across a five year span.

* Sorry, a Burning Wheel joke.

Actual Play – Night Forest (9/3/2017)

Facilitator: Ross Cowman
Players: Kristin Firth, Kitty Stoholski, Alex Roberts, and more wonderful people.
System: Night Forest

Note: I fell way behind on my AP reports so these are written many moons later based off my notes. The accuracy will likely vary greatly! Also, this is just transcribed from my notes. Things may be out of order!

From the product page (hint, you should buy this game):

Night Forest is a ritual game where you and your friends play memories on a journey of self-discovery; moving through the forest by candlelight and forming new connections with each encounter.

Night Forest is a tool that brings people together through the interplay of histories and present experiences, weaving a beautiful web. As we play we cultivate skills of listening, sharing and creating safe community.

I both hear and told a story about being a teenager listening to music. I heard about people’s connections with their families and shared stories of my dad, who I still miss very much. And amazingly I didn’t fall down or break anything (it was very dark and the ground uneven and slippery near the stream). It was beautiful.

Picture of the fire late at night (though not from our game)

 

Actual Play – A bitter Inheritance (9/3/2017)

GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Alex Roberts, Kristin Firth, Rachel E.S. Walton, John Staropoulos, Laura Simpson, Clio Yun-su Davis, Gavin White, Jason Morningstar, and Shervyn von Hoerl
System: Inheritance

Many thanks to Scott Morningstar for building a pyre for us to send Grandfather away on!

This game was overwhelming and inspiring to watch, and delightful to facilitate. The passion brought by each of the players and the commitment they had to their character’s values and fears was amazing. Part of that was a deep interrogation of what those values where, where they came from, and if they still held true even when confronted with violence against those we love and respect.

Spectacular Moments

I’m writing this AP report several months after the game, so mostly I just remember snippets. Here were some of the highlights that linger:

Fulla (Kristin) ferociously protecting the civility of her hearth and home. Inviting who she chose to the table and suffering no objections to her decision.

Tyr (Jason) bitterly fishing out the prayer stick that Daxo (Alex) cast into grandfathers Fire. Alex’s response of confusion and disgust with his pettiness.

Ansgar (John), knowing he would be scoffed for being a man of the cloth, but insisting on following his dedication to Thorvald and his family, and doing so compassionately in the face of hostility.

Gefjon (Clio) employing her own knowledge of runes and divination to cast fortunes, and terrifying everyone with her ill omens and owning the voice of Odin.

Thorvald (Rachel) and Ansgar having a late night private scene as Thorvald asks for Ansgar’s advice but can’t hear it. The possibilities in front of him, and the content of the will, which Ansgar hints at, suggest he betray everything that he’s believed, and yet his old beliefs aren’t helping guide him now either.

Rán (Gavin) weeping at the loss of her past love, and at the sight of all her prospects washing away, meanwhile consoled by Gefyon, who promised all would be well.

Gefjon trying to make a helpful gesture to Daxo, that she would heal him, but him misunderstanding and slaying her. Tyr and Ansgar (Shervyn) arriving and terrible violence erupting. So much death.

Ring (Laura) trying to hard to be earnest, be a good soon, go on adventures, and court Rán, and being helpless to stop all of that falling apart.

Such a great game!

Pictures from the Game

 

Actual Play – The Plastic Cup (9/2/2017)

GM: Lizzie Stark
Players: Alex Roberts, Kristin Firth, Gavin White, James Stuart, Fiona Heckscher, Liz Gorinsky, Sarah Williams, Karen Twelves, Ross Cowman, Andy Morales Coto, and many other wonderful relatives.
System: The Plastic Cup, by Juhana Pettersson.

Synopsis: The participants are an extended family coming together to divide an inheritance left behind by an old great-aunt. The game uses ceramic coffee cups as the principal means of expression for the players: they shatter the cups on the ground. There are 200 cups, ten for each player.

Yep, we had 200 coffee cups, one list of estate items, and twenty family members (and in my case, just the yogo instructor of family members) arguing over who should get what.

My pinnacle moment in the game was when the executor of the will got so flustered by his family that he gave me the list of items because to give out in his stead. Being the person who got to tell everyone what they should do and have them all suck up to me was my goal, so in that regard the character was very successful.

But the game wasn’t about that. It was about our weird attachment to material things and how they serve as stand ins for status or as symbols of our relationships with others. And sometimes how the symbol can become more important than the thing it represents.

The Cups

And of course there were the cups, 200 pristine coffee cups that any one could pick up and shatter on the ground any time their character felt a strong emotion. This was an entirely meta action, it didn’t happen in the fiction, and was just a way to show that our characters were feeling something strongly (good or bad). Here’s a few shots of the destruction.

Not the first to play this game?

Later during the weekend, I was exploring the shed and I found this. It appears we’re the first one to shatter some ceramics.

This game was a delight to play. The adrenaline rush of breaking all those cups was palpable and the petty squabbles were amazing. My favorite moment was when Alex was ranting (I think about her derelict son played by Jason) and Ross just kept handing her cups which she would smash. The rapid fire succession of cups shattering was an fantastic display of her anger in the moment!

 

Actual Play – My Daughter, Queen of France (9/1/2017)

Shakespeare: Ross Cowman
The Players: Jason Morninstar, Lizzie Stark, Gavin White, Kristin Firth, and Sean Nittner
SystemMy Daughter, Queen of France, by Daniel Wood

My Daughter, the Queen of France is a game about what it means to grow apart from the things you have made, and the efforts and contortions we go through to reconcile ourselves to that inevitable division. – Game introduction.

My Daughter, the Queen of France, is about Shakespeare’s inability to accept that his daughter, and everyone else for that matter, think he’s a jerk.  – Rosencrantz (as played by Sean)

My memory of the game (from many moons lather)

This was a delightful game where I got to play a character who didn’t know what he was doing as a cover for me, Sean, not being sure I knew what I was doing. It was Remarkable.

The premise of the game is that Shakespeare’s daughter (we named her Emily) has estranged her father, and he’s trying to figure out why, by directing an impromptu play to act out all the events that led up to their fall out.

Ross did an amazing job acting as Shakespeare and facilitating the game. Jason, Lizzie, Kristin, and Gavin did a remarkable jobs playing out modern day interpretations of Nick Bottom, Lady Macbeth, Tatiana, and Laertes (if I’m remembering correctly) begrudgingly playing through the scenes Bill kept running them through, landing on a few lines that stuck:

“Emily, it’s so great to see you dressed up like a tiger.”

“We’ll work on a better match once you’ve worked through your daddy issues!”

“I’m dating your daughter… too.”

“Shouldn’t have said that either”

“Especially love for a daughter whose decision you approve of.”

“A love worth loving.”

“I’m so confused father.”

“I need to get better advice.”

 

Actual Play – A poisonous Inheritance (7/9/2017)

GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Lukas Stille, Hakan Seyalioglu, Jamie Fristrom, Morgan Ellis, Kelsa Delphi, Michael Yater, Dan Behlings, Andy Munich,
System: Inheritance

Note: I fell way behind on my AP reports so these are written many moons later based off my notes. The accuracy will likely vary greatly! Also, this is just transcribed from my notes. Things may be out of order!

This game was the one that made me wonder what the hell I was doing ever playing tabletop games. It was so brutal and amazing. I did make one mistake however, which was misunderstanding the rules for medicine. It prevents death, but someone grievously wounded is far from hale and healthy immediately after. We would have had several different outcomes if I had known that, but no matter, this was one amazing game.

Things that I remember from way back:

  • Gefyon and Rán being amazing in their plotting.
  • Ansgar, blinded, renewing his faith and gaining the sympathy of others. But now, who would read the will?
  • Ring, finding that Rán did not love him, and in fact loathed him, killing her in the night and then blaming Daxo!
  • The symmetry of the death of Baldr and the death of Rán, and the way it torn the families apart.
  • Aurvandil, tempted by the Christian God.
  • The summoning of Odins will on the beach to bring Ring strength… all for naught
  • So many children lost. Some of the survivors broken-hearted, some vindicated.

Here are some great shots from the game:

Daxo and Rán hatch their plan

Ring and Gefjon entreat Odin for Strength

Ring, betrayed by Rán, lashes out.

Two warriors, no longer brothers.

Our Cast

The Fallen

Actual Play – A lovelorn Inheritance (7/8/2017)

GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Adrienne Mueller, Johnstone Mezger, Vex Godglove, Adam Bloom, Jeremy Tidwell, Stras Acimovic, Ross Cowman, Kathryn Hymes, and Andi Carrison.
System: Inheritance

Note that applies to the next six months of Actual Play reports: I fell way behind on my AP reports so these are written many moons later based off my notes. The accuracy will likely vary greatly! Also, this is just transcribed from my notes. Things may be out of order!

This was the scheduled game. Some of the highlights that remember:

  • Fulla, punctuating her description of the meal she was serving to interrupt the hostility brewing!
  • Gefyon making a mess in the feasting hall and throwing her drink aside, perhaps afraid it has been poisoned!
  • Ran and Aurvandil like Pyramus and Thisbe speaking through the crack in the door at night, sharing their affections for each other.
  • Ran then going to the bed she shared with her mother and father, and hatching a plan to marry her.
  • Tyr, speaking with Gefyon and admitting that she made him a wiser man, and that even if he could not fathom her reasons, he would heed her omens.
  • Daxo, maimed by Aurvandil and left bleeding but alive, for his sins.
  • Mighty Thorvald, blind and deaf to the words of Daxo.

Intent reading and preparation

Lovers speaking through the doorway

Daxo maimed on the beach by his once boon companion

Our final cast shot…with me too!

This game was so good!

 

 

Actual Play – A tragic Inheritance (7/8/2017)

GM: Sean Nittner
Players: Andrew Adams, Michael Yater, Manny Sholz, Alice Grizzle, Steve Nix, Alex Cooley, Zac Bond, Cara S. M.
System: Inheritance

Note that applies to the next six months of Actual Play reports: I fell way behind on my AP reports so these are written many moons later based off my notes. The accuracy will likely vary greatly! Also, this is just transcribed from my notes. Things may be out of order!

I put a game of Inheritance on the forum and it filled up super quick so I thought, maybe, just maybe we’d have enough interest for another one. Wowza, yes! And another one. And one that Adam ran. And one that Kelsa ran. Dang, this game is that good!

Sad, wonderful memories of this game:

  • Patient and kind Ansgar, slain for his “meddling”.
  • Fulla trying so hard to keep her husband and her sons at peace… and watching it all fall apart.
  • Gefyon, speaker of Odin, her words like a noose that tightened around her husband Tyr’s neck.
  • Daxo, having slain his brother, no longer permitted to keep his name. He would be Ring now and marry Ran as ring was supposed to. Never again would the name Daxo be spoken.

Our cast:

Those who fell:

What Rocked

  • Players SO excited to play this game.
  • Steve, making the choice to take Ring’s name when he could have just killed everyone left standing.
  • Zac’s heartache as Fulla as she confessed to Throvald that she converted, and his stoic resolve to hear none of it.
  • Gefyon’s palpable malice and the way it put her quickly at odds Fulla!

 

Actual Play – King County Ghost Court (7/7/2017)

Players: Me, Alice, and many other silly humans and ghosts.
System: Ghost Court

Note that applies to the next six months of Actual Play reports: I fell way behind on my AP reports so these are written many moons later based off my notes. The accuracy will likely vary greatly! Also, this is just transcribed from my notes. Things may be out of order!

Before Go Play this year I asked Tony what would be useful for some Go Play veterans to do so that we could help folks get into more games. He said “run lots of games in the donut” so that was our plan! Even better, running BIG games in the donut. I started with Ghost Court, and though the pictures don’t show it, I think we had 15+ players. Woot!

I had fun playing my usually sassy judges (including wig worn backwards) and then shuffling out to let other, more qualified justices serve in my stead. This game was a hoot and I think we made it through half the cases before adjourning!

Actual Play – Finley and Hayden (5/28/2017)

Players: Karen Twelves, Amrit Khalsa, David Evans, and Sean Nittner
Facilitator: Karen Twelves
System: Finley and Hayden

Finley and Hayden are a couple– soulmates and bon vivants, fun people and the life of any party. Friends and lovers and occasionally legendary idiots.
They are also dead.
Lin was the perpetual third wheel, a good friend but also an up tight sad-sack and all around hapless failure at life. Lin isn’t dead but might as well be –
things are looking bleak in the job, family, romance, and luck departments.
Finley and Hayden have latched onto Lin like barnacles and they aren’t going anywhere. But haunting such a train wreck is no fun at all – so they have decided to fix Lin’s life as only a couple of ghosts can.

The Play is the Thing

The game is a really fun short larp for four people. Karen facilitated but mostly that meant playing a rotating role of minor characters and telling us how to start scenes. David and I played Finley and Hayden who were trying desperately to cheer up Amrit, who was the sad sack.

I was supposed to be the more mindful, less destructive ghost but David’s antics were too funny and I found I just wanted to cause trouble too.  Yay for silly little larps. Thanks to Karen for running it, and to Jason for sending us an early copy to play!

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