If there is one thing that I have trouble with it's resolving things. I have a hard time cleaning a room; I always get that moment of dread as I do clean: "What happens when that nagging feeling that I need to clean is resolved?" My life, in some way shape or form has been defined by things that should have happened but did not and having to live with a lack of resolution. I went to Benedictine to get the skills to become a professional iconographer. When I realized that I didn't want to do that, seeing how that hurt an ability to have a family, I had to remind myself I needed to get a degree and move on. And that was one of the most terrifying things I've ever done: I finished the degree, but only just.
Aloysius told Anneli and Nomi about how how all this torture equipment kept showing up on his doorstep every morning, despite his best attempts to stop it. After mocking Aloysius a little Nomi and Anneli withdrew to talk amongst themselves, in Elvish. Nomi told Anneli that was definitely Lone Keep stuff in the shed. That upset Nomi, who'd helped bring The Lone Keep down.
I also am keenly aware how hard it is to end stories. A lot of my favorite stories (Lost and Star Wars most popularly) have really controversial endings. Identifying themes and making sure you're carrying out the logic of a story is very much so a thing I'm concerned over.
So I've been freaking out about doing it right here. I keep feeling this pressure to perform with this game. And that's about to trip me up, badly.
I threw the following pitch at the players. Aloysius shows Anneli and Nomi a shed full of torture equipment. At that point Anneli and Nomi would feel this sinking feeling in their guts, like they needed to hurry up. I set a real-world time limit: save Constantine by the end of the session or The Wave would come.
Are you seeing the problem yet??
Anneli
B1. Aloysius is ensnared by his own hubris; I will see to it that he can never harm another.
B2. I must learn what dark business Aloysius has gotten mixed up in.
B3. Something strange has happened to Nomi's grief; I must uncover what.
I1.Never leave anything behind in this timeline.
I2. Always take command.
I3. Always give Nomi a space to speak.
Traits
Call of the Island, Righteous, Mortally Wounded in the Head | Shaky Hands | Slightly Clumsy, Haunted, Commanding Aura, Driven (Pilot)
Nomi
B1. Ensuring the safety of the ones I care about is more important than any future problems to deal with. I will deal with Aloysious myself if it comes to it.
B2. I don’t understand what personal stake Anneli seems to have in this, but I can’t forget what she did for Constantine.
B3. Grieving doesn’t get things done.
I1. Always bend the truth for personal advantage
I2. When in trouble always try to talk my way out first
I3. Always act towards my own goals first.
Traits
Educated, Call of the Sea, Spite, Deceptive, Compulsive Liar, Callous, Charismatic, Memory’s Influence, Bitter, Guarded
And yeah, Andy had a laugh as he realized that the Lone Keep wasn't just down, but Nomi had been there.
So it finally sunk in for Anneli that Nomi, the traitor and turncoat, had helped bring down The Lone Keep, had literally knocked it out of the sky. There was a lot of laughs about Anneli realizing that maybe Nomi really did change! That was shelved; they didn't have time for Anneli to come fully to terms with the fact that her sister may have actually done a lot of change in the year they'd not seen each other. They cooked up a plan to get Aloysius to give them more info about his life.
Lena rolled a graduated Perception test, and got a three. So she got three details! Aloysius told them what his routine was like, and three possible groups started to emerge: possible dwarven cultists of Leviathan, Aloysius's former soldiers who he had rejected, and those who hated his wife and Siamese twin step-daughters. Anneli told Aloysius to get in contact with his former soldiers, who still wanted revolution. Aloysius refused; his men wouldn't do that to him. They wouldn't be dropping off elven torture artifacts at his front doorstep. Anneli reminded Aloysius he'd jumped for a Dagger of Betrayal at the drop of a dime. Nomi brought out that very Dagger and held it out for Aloysius, who flinched, but even then could not deny his desire for the thing. Anneli flinched too; she hadn't known Nomi still had it, even though Nomi had had Marian render it useless.
So Lena got Andy a helping die.
And then Andy dropped a Deeds point, because he wanted this freaking test to work. And it did.
Nomi then demanded to come with Aloysius, to shadow him as he conducted his meeting. Aloysius refused, but Nomi pressed and Aloysius had to relent. Anneli also asked to come along, but didn't have the training to do so without incident. So Nomi told her no; Anneli needed to trust her.
And Anneli did.
Nomi followed Aloysius, who reluctantly found a former soldier of his in an incredibly seedy bar. The soldier happily said he'd get the boys back together. Aloysius left, disgusted with himself. Nomi wasn't too sympathetic.
Back at the farm Anneli began to hear strange whisperings, which reminded her of Leviathan. There was regrowing rainforest nearby; the whispering came from there. One hour's worth of digging and Anneli found it: a new Dagger of Betrayal. Repulsed, Anneli put the Dagger back where she found it and returned to Aloysius's house. When Nomi saw Anneli she could tell Anneli was not okay. Anneli told Nomi about the new, functional, Dagger... and that she'd left it there. Nomi was furious.
Aloysius was gone.
Anneli and Nomi ran to where the Dagger had been buried. Four shovels had been left at the empty site. Anneli screamed and fell to her knees. Nomi realized that the look, that very odd look, that had been in Aloysius's eyes was that of someone stabbed with a Dagger of Betrayal. She hadn't wanted to admit it then, but they had led Aloysius right into his former compatriot's clutches.
We'd hit the physical time to end the session. And so I carried through on my threat. The Wave began.
Constantine's ghost appeared. Anneli begged for more time. Constantine sadly told them they hadn't been looking at the correct timeline. He asked Nomi to sit with him. Anneli and Nomi could feel It was coming. Time was about up. But Nomi refused; they could still change things! Somehow! Anneli began running to try and find Aloysius before it was too late.
A wave of pure light and peace washed over them. And then another. And then another. Mikansia's destruction of the Nameless had been so powerful that it had broken time itself. The world dissolved around them; the jungles of Argentum Prime faded into black. They were back on the beach, just outside the woods where they'd said they were going to get deer. Light pulses flashed over their heads, the stars looked down on the tragedy. Nomi screamed and tackled Anneli, laying into her with all her might. Anneli didn't resist. Nomi screamed at Anneli, blaming her for everything. Anneli was not in disagreement.
They heard a blood-curdling scream; Fingar rolled over on the ground, screeching about being stabbed in the head. Looking over at Anneli Fingar called her a traitor, swearing revenge.
Nomi stood up, asking Fingar to please threaten her sister again, Sydanelma in hand.
I actually had a panic attack right after this session. I was still in a funk the next morning. So I contacted Lena and Andy, asking if they felt okay about the session. Andy said he it felt weird to burn a Deed's point and to have success snatched away by a time limit. While it wasn't something he wanted to throw down about it was disappointing to him.
I immediately messaged the both of them in our private group, airing the concerns Andy had. I offered to redo the session, without the time limit, as that had ruined agency, especially a Deeds point. Lena agreed that the session did feel odd, that using a Deeds point shouldn't feel pointless. But ultimately that it was up to Andy, as she was more than happy to roll with the results. Andy didn't want a do-over. He just wanted that Deeds point to have some form of impact. Lena suggested that their interference with Aloysius have some form of a positive
I mean, what's there to say? I wasn't playing to find out what happened. I wasn't a total dickwad about it but even this.... (relatively??) light infraction was too much.
So of course something happened to Aloysius. And it's going to come back to help Anneli and Nomi.
Trust your players. Trust the dice.
The rest is noise.
Especially your issues with resolving stuff. Any stuff.
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