Friday 21 April 2017

Faces in the Crowd

People are everywhere in Bastion. Frankly, there are too many altogether.

Everyone hates the crowds, but nobody wants to move to a Failed City or, worse yet, some Deep Country backwater.

If the players take a closer look at the crowds around them, Roll d12 to see who stands out.

They hate being part of a crowd as much as you do, so have the NPC make a CHA Save when you encounter them.

If they fail, they're lose their cool and are lashing out at somebody else. If they pass, they're having a positive interaction with somebody else (either way, roll another d12).

1: Juveline Chain-Gang: STR 15, 5HP, Hidden Lockpicks and Daggers (d6).
- Cry pathetically as a diversion so that one of the four can escape.
- Shout about being wrongfully imprisoned.
- Do anything in exchange for gum.

2: Mock Badger Academic: STR 16, 3HP. Badger Head, Big Club (d8, 2h).
- Explain his theory for having a cull of 50% of the human population of Bastion.
- If you use a fallacy, he'll calmly explain what you did wrong.
- If you use a second fallacy, he clubs and tears at you.

3: Wormgirls: CHA 15, 4HP. Filthy Rags, Perfect Hair and Makeup.
- Take turns pretending to lie in state, while the others weep our eulogies.
- Apply more make-up to appear corpse-like, but still conventionally attractive.
- Swoon at any stories involving corpses.

4: Giant Bagman: STR 18, 2HP. Huge Bags.
- Offer to carry anything that will fit in his sack for a Shilling per turn on the journey.
- Offer to sell the contents of a bag he forgot the destination of. 
- Offer to bag up somebody you hate and kick them about (but not to death) for 30s.

5: Rad-Rat Preacher: CHA 15, 3HP. Tie-Dyed Suit, Glowing Rod.
- Bellow about a Glowing Rat Swarm that's coming soon to sweep over Bastion.
- If questioned, explain that he knows it's not true but he's preparing for a play.
- If questioned about the play, explain that it really is true after all. Repeat as necessary.

6: Fox Team for Hire: CHA 4, 6HP. Snub-Muskets (d6, 2h), Black Uniforms and Masks.
- Offer to carry out legal security work for 50s a night, but they will keep on haggling for more benefits and more money until you lose patience with them.
- If you leave they finally cave and go back to the last agreed offer.
- If you try to leave without making a deal they'll hunt you down tonight.

7: Bonehead (and Acoloytes): CHA 16, 5HP. Skull for a Head, Sharp Suit. Acolytes (1dp) have painted skull faces and less impressive suits.
- Perform skull-throwing tricks to try and lure in more acoyltes, promising to make them into Boneheads too.
- Regrow from any physical harm, as long as the skull remains. 
- Deliberately antagonise people and then play the victim.

8: Lighter Cats: DEX 17, 3HP. Grapples and Ropes, Flare Gun (d6), Luxurious Moustaches.
- Perform actobatic tricks as they swing from one gaslamp to another, firing flares to light them.
- Put out a bucket to collect money since their funding was cut.
- Fire Flareguns at any Mockeries they see, who they inexplicably hate.

9: Investigative Crone: CHA 16, 2HP. Portable Tea Set, Magnifying Glass.
- Calmly describe a horrible murder to you.
- Keep asking you questions that might implicate you in the murder.
- With a shred of perceived proof, she'll run to the authorities.

10: Mockodile: STR 18, 10HP. Jaws (d10), Metal Hide (Armour 2).
- Peer out from manhole covers, singing the Snap-Snap Song.
- Try to eat any children that come nearby.
- Has no objection to adults, and will guide you through the Underground if you lure a child to him.

11: Iron Sally Fanatics: CHA 5, 2HP. Iron Sally Doll and Accessories. Waistcoats with Iron Sally designs.
- Discuss why the original Iron Sally doll was the best design.
- Discuss why the new Iron Sally doll is the best design.
- Discuss why their families just don't understand Iron Sally.

12: Country Dogburglar: DEX 7, 7HP. Crowbar (d6), Loot Sack, Head-Covering Sack with one eye hole.
- Loudly announce himself as a burglar.
- Try to kill any nearby cats, as they're bad luck for dogburglars.
- Kick in a door and try to rob a place loudly.

2 comments:

  1. Great to see a new post! Good stuff, here, especially the Bag Man. You talked about renaming WIL to CHA - did you ever consider renaming Saving Throws? They seem more "active" than saving throws of old.

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    Replies
    1. Saves definitely have moved into a more Active area than the purely Reactive role I originally imagined. Still, I don't want them to drift too far into the players' focus, so I'm happy with the name as it stands.

      If you call it a STR Roll, the guy with STR 18 is going to start thinking "how can I do something that needs a STR roll?"

      If you call it a STR Save, players will realise that if they're smart, they might not need to roll at all, avoiding the risk entirely.

      That's the principle at least, I can't speak to its accuracy.

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