Session 3

I guess I’m concerned with establishing any sort of stakes continuing as we are.

It’s contrived to be just deciding what’s happening to you.

I shouldn’t be determining what you succeed or fail at.

If everything is under my control, nothing is even really happening. There’s no story.

So I’m introducing the element of chance to these sessions.

I’ll give you a prompt, or you’ll pitch me an idea of what you want to do.

I’ll roll a handful of dice, the size of which will be based on the scope of the idea.

You’ll roll dice one by one until you hit the total I rolled.

Each die will be a scene or action taken, the higher the roll the better the result.

If it takes you the same number of dice as it took me to hit the original total, you meet the prompt or realize your pitch.

If you fail to hit that total with that many dice, you can either quit having failed, or continue to roll dice, with each successive die costing you something more.

If you have dice to spare, you will be able to go above and beyond the original prompt or pitch.

–

Find a Place to Stay For the Night:

Part 1:

Get through the Ring Gate into the Guilds

No cash, Awkward Creature, unfamiliar place. 12 (3d6)

Talk my way through by mentioning the Slab Cutters

9 (1d12)

You move towards the ring gate atop Accretio. The gatehouse is on the opposite side of an arched stone bridge, sturdily built. Underneath there is no dirt or earth, only exposed Mill Stone that has weaving runes and etched patterns in it, forming a seam between the positions.

The gatehouse is a small booth on the right, on the opposite Position’s side beyond the wrought iron gate, which is currently open. The man at the booth is another wooden person. The animated paint that is his face looks like its been applied with a less practiced hand than that of Joist, who you had just met.

He’s got his nose in a large leather bound ledger book and seems to be scribbling notes in a column before he looks up, a little startled. His simple blue suit looks like something a courier might wear, as does the flat brimmed and topped cap he wears.

I say, “I’ve got business with the Slab Cutters.”

This doesn’t surprise him, but he’s got some follow up questions. You’re not clear just yet.

Added challenge: avoid the topic of Speculation City:

1 (1d4)

I stick with the truth, assuming Joist’s information will hold

2 (1d6)

‘Is this a new contract?’

‘Yes.’

‘Have you finalized the terms of your contact? Do you know how long the term will be?’

‘No. To both.’

‘Are you a citizen of Port Orbital?’ He looks like he already knows the answer, given your appearance and demeanor.

‘No.’

‘Are you comfortable with having a location plate affixed to your vehicle so that city officials might be able to track you down for follow up information?’

‘Sure.’

There's a map of the city etched and painted into the plate. It’s scratched and chipped a bit, as if it’s been in use for a long time. The gateman rests it on Accretio’s front right leg and gives it a gentle spin. It turns one and a quarter times and sinks a bit, and the paint glows softly.

Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

‘We can remove this if you come back with a contract to file, and maybe get you sorted with a freight plate instead.’

Comply with Gateman’s Request

3 (1d6)

He sends you on your way without any more questions.

Can I get directions to the Slab Cutters?

From the gateman? Yeah, sure, he gives you some quick directions toward them. Tells you to look out for the slab yard, which is a tremendous stack of cut stones near their guild hall.

Part 2:

Make my way to the Slab Cutters Guild Hall

Simple task, unpredictable environment. 4 (2d4)

I Follow the gateman’s directions, stay out of people’s way.

3 (1d8)

It’s a little overwhelming, stepping into the Guilds. The roads aren’t as well laid out as the markets you just passed through, and you find it difficult maneuvering Accretio through roaming pack animals with various burdens strapped to them.

You spot several areas in the distance that you think might be the Slab Yard. Some might be tall stone buildings, or smaller collections of slabs in use by other guilds.

There are smiths hitting anvils, open guild halls packed with people hunched around tavern tables pointing at torn maps. Concentrating faces behind glass in high buildings, meticulous with their pencils and diagrams.

Many of the buildings you pass have plates woven into their construction. Some have them bordering each floor, spinning slowly. Perhaps they act as load bearing enchantments, or provide heating.

“Are there any mercenary groups around? Do I recognize any symbols or armor or weapons from the crew that was working in Speculation City?

Added Challenge: find a link to the mercenaries sent to Speculation City.

7 (1d8)

I Keep moving through the Guilds, and keep an eye out for anything I recognize

1 (1d6)

It takes you a while and you’re focussed on reorienting yourself in relation to the directions you were given. A bit distracted by this task, you don’t get much of a chance to observe your surroundings in detail.

You’ll come up on the Slab Cutters in a moment, unless you want to push for more dice to hit the added challenge. Getting anything from here will cost you, though, and you have to hit a seven.

I keep moving toward the Slab Cutters.

It’s a three story building, but small. It looks like several offices stacked on top of each other with a staircase wrapping the exterior. The slap yard is raised above street level, with mounds of clean rectangular slabs of pale white stone heaped high into the sky. Pits are dug below the risen platforms that weave through the slabs.

There’s maybe a dozen people working on the peripheral on smaller cut slabs, measuring, chiseling and etching. There's a crane that's suspending a slab and gliding it across the yard, tied with heavy woven rope. Most of the people are made of wood, with simple but readable animated paint faces.

Do any of them notice me and Accretio approaching?

As you get close, yeah. You get a few glances before one of them starts walking toward you. It looks like he might be some kind of foreman or supervisor or something. He’s got denim coveralls and a leather folio of some kind, with pages clipped to the outside. Bald, and a blocky head with sanded corners.

He looks up at you and says, “Haven’t seen your type around here before. Can I help you?”

Part 3:

Convince this guy to let me stash Accretio here for a while.

Are you planning on sleeping on Accretio here as well? That might make it a little tougher.

If I can, yes.

Short conversation, but a tough ask since you’re a stranger. To get dice you’ll need to make some offers to him. 11 (2d12)

I don’t mention needing a place to stay right away.

I just mention that someone named Joist said I could be of some use, and that I’m looking for work.

4 (1d10)

‘I suppose Joist’s been busy over there on the market side. She keeps friendly with all our buyers and distributors. Don’t have much of a public facing side here in the guilds so moving this stuff is pretty important. The name is Barrow.’

‘I’m Elk, and this is Accretio the Hoardosphere.’

‘Pleasure. This Hoardosphere you’ve got looks like it could haul pretty good,’ he looks at the plate on Accretio’s leg, ‘Must be new here, if the Gate’s watching you.’

‘Yeah, I just got in today. Just figuring things out. Do you think you have any work for me?’

He seems somewhat sympathetic. And keeps eyeing the stone on Accretio’s shell with an intent you can’t quite discern. His painted face is hard to read in its stoic simplicity.

Get Barrow to take a chance on us, and show off Accretio a bit.

8(1d10)

‘There’s an oven inside of them that I use to cook bread and things. And there’s some trees starting to grow on their shell, too. They can learn to do all kinds of things depending on what I feed them.’

He gives Accretio an appraisal as he walks around them. Takes a peek in the oven, and dips a finger in one of the little streams trickling through their cliffs. Then he sees the tilt plate you’re using to pilot them.

‘I suppose we’ll find something for yeah. Your pal here is a bit… spiky to be loading any materials directly onto, but they can certainly tow a few heavier skiffs, and maybe we can do a little chisel work to upgrade ‘em. Who knows. I don’t imagine you’ve sorted out a place to stay just yet, have you?’

He finds a little covered nook at the base of the slab yard that has some expired coals from a cook fire, a few blankets hung up and some folded cots collapsed neatly to the side. You’ll be able to make yourself at home for a night or two while they get the paperwork for a contract sorted and line up some jobs for you.

Task accomplished with no failed rolls or added consequences.

Well done.