GM: Harry Lee
Players: Andi C., Sean Nittner, Taylor, Sev
System: Wanderhome
A new day at Go Play, what better way to start it than a cozy, pastoral game full of carefree travelers…or wait…the other thing!
This was my first time playing Wanderhome and mentally I had clumped it together with Golden Sky Stories and Ryuutama as cozy games about people (for all definitions of people) doing their best and helping others out. While Wanderhome does share those elements, the protagonists are anything but worry free.
I chose the Vagabond based on the description “The Vagabond was once convicted by a faraway and cruel authority, and has been forced to reinvent themself on the road.” That sounded like a scamp, a thief, a cardsharp, or maybe even a scoundrel. What I wasn’t expecting when I started making choices was to play an ex-soldier court marshalled for killing his commander and lying under oath.
I also didn’t realize that I’d make a character that was exactly like the one drawn on page 100.
At first I tried to steer away form a military background, but that felt like it was avoiding the core elements of the playbook, so I asked the table how they felt about the past war taking place in our lifetime and with their buy in, I created a flirt and a cheat, but never a liar or a thief!
Our group of travelers included:
- Vervain, the Mothtender (hare) excited to explore the world.
- Miro, the Exile (skunk) and former Labyrinth-Keeper
- Marthus, the Vagabond (possum), a criminal from the golden legion.
- Fir, the Firelight (racoon), with a confident and oracular firefly as a companion.
After introductions and creating bonds with each other, we picked a time to travel (Month of Devil Days and the Season of Bright) and built a place to visit and decided to call it “Beacon Hill” (notably Go Play takes place in the Beacon Hill district of Seattle but it also just sounded right for the place we were visiting).
Beacon Hill included a bridge (that lead to the town), a hillock (the town proper),and a garden (where lost things were found). There was also a tavern and the grave of a fallen comrade (Tellan). The small gods of this place were the vulture (who signified endings as way to beginnings) and the chain around a planted field (symbolizing symbiosis).
The celebration ahead was The Day of Song, a holiday that involved dancing and singing into the night, a special drink, and lots of swimming!
Arrival
Our first sign of Beacon Hill was a small cottage before the bridge. home of Pipple who called out “Is that a Mothtender I see?”. Pipple was kind and quickly welcomed all of us to their home with offerings of lemonade and ice tea. Vervain had a parcel for Pipple which he gave in secret. The rest of us enjoyed the refreshments after a long walk. Marhtus especially, who kept the pitcher of ice tea even after they left (which Pipple reminded him to return later).
We wanted to know about the goings on in Beacon Hill and so Pipple directed us to Zee the turtle below the bridge. We could cross the bridge and take the mild path down, or cross the river. Most of us just waded it. It was hot and the cool weather felt nice on our fur. Fir showed off by walking halfway across the bridge and them shimmying down with just faer legs.
We offered iced tea to Zee (strong and dramatic. Ex-lover of Pipple) who told us about the festivities and the tension around Ortiz coming home because he was sure to pick a fight with his brother Thiebaut. We cavorted a bit in the water and then headed up to join the festivities
The Day of Song
Miro played their horn, which sounded much better with having accompaniment (normally they played all alone). Marthus danced, Fir played with the little ones, and Vervain went swimming over and over.
When Ortiz arrived, everyone grew a bit stiff. Miro was keeping Thiebaut busy but we knew the two would eventually confront one another. Ortiz served with Marthus, believed he did all the horrible things he was convicted of, and hated him for it. He was also here to visit the grave of Tellen (who had fought beside both of them). If there was anything that was going to distract Ortiz from fighting with Thiebaut, it was seeing Marthus!
Taylor played the part of Ortiz, who was shocked to see Marthus and then ready to reach for a weapon that was no longer there. Marthus held up his one good hand in peace and told Ortiz they no longer had a reason to fight. He pulled out Tellen’s army tags (yay for having a move that says I can have “something I’m not supposed to have”) and offered the to Ortiz to accepted them as a peace offering, surprised that Marthus didn’t use them to taunt him. Together the visited the grave of their fallen companion.
Epilogue
In our final moments we saw
- Vervain helping someone write a letter to a friend.
- Marthus returning the pitcher of ice tea to Pipple as he said he would (never a liar or a thief!)
- Fir and faer firefly lit up the night for the children to play.
- Miro practiced some knitting, a skill from her home.
What a delightful game that was so much more than I expected it to be.
