GM: Shaun Hayworth
Players: Sean Nittner, Kristin Hayworth, Justin Dhiel
System: Burning Wheel
Setting: Burning Theorsa
The last game had been a major milestone in character’s goals. We found the heir Owain! Now it was just a small (heh heh heh) matter of taking him into the desert to go on a pilgrimage to a lost temple, forgotten over the years. Yeah… can’t go wrong there.
The game was a short one, it started with us being led out of town by Kharim, with a warning not to travel at night because of monsters that roam the desert, and ended with us facing off against those monsters!
Some important things were done in the game. Moya worked at befriending Aziz (Owain). She showed him some compassion and understanding, after Catamere (Baldric) had beaten him in an attempt to show him how to wield a blade. Together the procured lodging and started forming a bond.
Meanwhile Catamere (Baldric) and Eogin had it out over his identity. We got into a duel of wits that included Baldric tossing Eogin off his horse into the mud to prove his point, but still failing. The stakes: Would Baldric continue to masquerade as Catamere after returning to Theorsa? Eogin’s perseverance won out and Baldric agreed in the end that he would take back his birthright when he returned to Theorsa. That duel of wits is going to plague him FOREVER.
The small town we visited was in bad shape. In the past an oasis had provided ample water from the settlement, but recently it had dried up. After some investigation we determined it must be being siphoned off somewhere else. Moya’s sharp eyes noticed a settlement half a day’s ride out of the village. We set out and amazingly snuck up on in the inhabitants during the night (amazing because Catamere (Baldric) was wearing his full armor).
As we crested a small dune and got our first look at them, we were taken by surprise; though from the waist up they were beautiful women, their lower half were not legs but a serpent’s tail! Due to an instinct, Moya casted The Fear!
Thoughts on the game
I was sad that it was cut short, as I was totally itching to get stabby on monsters.
I was really grateful that Moya cast the fear because it meant we were going to jump into combat without Baldric acting like a merciless killer by drawing his blade.
The failed instruction test that lead to Aziz getting a pommel to his face was classic. Especially because Eogin was “helping” and therefore we blamed it on him distracting Catamere (Baldric).
I love the tension building between Moya and Baldric. In the past they have argued over the way things should be done, but without real investment in the final outcome, it was really more just bickering. Now they are a serious concern, the grooming of the future king. Not surprisingly Baldric believes in discipline and pain being an excellent teacher. Moya that Aziz should be nurtured and respected. They’ve gone at it a few times over little things but I’m waiting for some major point of contention to come up to have a Duel of Wits over.
