Quite a mouthful.
I've been playing through Skerple's module Tomb of the Serpent Kings on Sunday nights via live text chat, meaning that we have a set game time and duration but don't use cameras or mics. It's a fun way to play and very different from the traditional methods. Weird Writer has written recently about it here.
During the third session, the two PCs Skinny Samir and Saturnus, descended some trapped steps before coming across a living statue which they managed to defeat with their wits and daring. Though it goes on for a while, I thought the segment was really fun and illustrative of the game we were playing and how simple games with simple rules for adjudication can create complex situations and outcomes. And Jacey did a great job handling our hijinks.
We're using a game called Pyrrhic Weaselry which is by the blogger Ms. Screwhead of Was It Likely? It's incredibly interesting and probably very unlike anything you've played. I highly recommend looking into it, even if we have made a small house rule about focus gain. But the specifics aren't important to understand this example, just know that when someone states a hostile intent, the GM determines the level of danger, and then the target can either roll to avoid the stated intent or present a compromise dependent on the fictional positioning. Actions in general don't require rolling but avoiding danger can involve rolling if the most obvious result (decided by the GM) is undesireable.
I've lightly edited the text from the original but this is 99% the same. People are bolded and stated actions are italicized. It looks like a very long post but it's mostly short sentences so it reads quickly.
 |
| Stone Golem by joeshawcross |
I'm playing Skinny Samir. (Character Sheet)
Havoc is playing Saturnus.
Jacey is the GM.
Avrae is a dicebot.
Jacey
The stairs stretch downward to the East.
The steps are made of stone bricks.
At the edge of your lantern light, you
can see ovular holes in the floor at the bottom of the stairs.
Oval-shaped, I mean
Skinny Samir (dgb)
They stop immediately
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus checks the steps before going
down, seeing if there's anyone that looks particularly out of place.
we should also poke them with the polearms
to be sure
Jacey
All of the steps show a seam where they
meet the wall. The step third from the top has some scratches on the wall
adjacent to the tread of the step.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus pokes that step with the
polearm.
Jacey
Where is Saturnus standing?
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Before we continue
How far would it be to leap past the ovals
Jacey
The stairway is some 50 feet long, and the
ovals are in a three-foot-wide strip at the bottom.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
And you said that there are scratches on the
third step from the end? Like at the bottom?
Jacey
Third step from the top.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus is at the very top of the stairs
but not on them, probably holding onto Samir while he anchors himself somewhere
safe, I think the polearm is long enough to reach there?
Jacey
Yes, I think so.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Of it we can reach this third step without
even being on the stairs, let's do that.
Jacey
The polearm presses on the third step,
and it is loose, rotating forward under the pressure.
Do you want to put more force on the step?
Saturnus (Havoc)
hell yeah, i think i can see where this is
going
Jacey
As Saturnus continues to press the loose
step, all of the steps rotate forward, forming a steep ramp. At the same time,
metal spikes protrude from the oval holes at the bottom of the stairs, angled
to skewer anyone tumbling down the ramp.
Saturnus (Havoc)
yuuuuup, very Indiana Jones
Skinny Samir (dgb)
"Let it reset and let's head down the
stairs carefully looking for other unsafe steps."
Saturnus (Havoc)
"That's very useful. Let's go." Said
he and the two went down the stairs while avoiding that step and also making
sure that there were no other loose steps on the way.
Jacey
The steps remain as a ramp for some
time.
But eventually, they all lever back into
the stairway configuration.
The spikes also retract.
Samir and Saturnus find no more loose steps
as they traverse the stairs.
The stairway opens into an octagonal
chamber, roughly the same size as the one above. The stone-brick walls are
lined with shields displaying a myriad of different symbols, colors, and
shapes. In the center of the room is a massive stone statue of a snake man in
carved armor. In one hand is a real sword, and the other hand is empty.
The far wall of the chamber opens into a
larger area, though the details are lost in the darkness.
Saturnus (Havoc)
how's the condition of the sword?
Jacey
It is dented, but big enough that a human-sized person would need to wield it in two hands.
Saturnus (Havoc)
but like, is it rusted?
Jacey
No.
Saturnus (Havoc)
ohohohohohohohoho
I KNEW it, there was bound to be a
living statue
Jacey
I called it a snake-person statue, but it
only has a snake head. It has the torso and legs of a humanoid.
Saturnus (Havoc)
"That sword isn't rusted and it's
wearing armour, that's a first. Plus, the shields are very martial. And it's
stone instead of clay." He points out to Samir. "If it comes alive,
we're bolting upstairs and letting it fall on the pit."
Skinny Samir (dgb)
"Or it could just be a magic
sword."
Samir takes out his rope and forms it
into a lasso.
"You ready to run?"
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus nods his head, readying his
rifle and already climbing some steps to give Samir room in case he needs to
run.
Skinny
Samir (dgb)
Samir tosses the lasso around the sword
from near the stairs. He gives it some tugs to see if he can dislodge the
weapon, but nothing too aggressive, he doesn't want to cut the rope after all.
Jacey
The eyes of the statue open, revealing
snake pupils. The statue shifts its posture.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
The two book it up the stairs
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus makes a lot of noise to make
sure the statue follows. "HEY, HEY DUMBASS WE'RE GETTING YOUR
SWORD"
Jacey
Are you dropping the rope?
Skinny Samir (dgb)
If the tugs didn't dislodge the sword, yes
Jacey
The tugs did not dislodge the sword.
Thudding steps echo up the stairs, then
stop. Looking down, the statue is too big to fit into the stairway.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Shit
Saturnus (Havoc)
dang it
can our polearms reach it without it
reaching us?
though I don't think they can even wound
this thing, it's stone
Jacey
With how big the sword is, probably not.
Saturnus (Havoc)
"A clumsy shot but let's see." Saturnus
arms the bipod on a lower step and tries to aim down the sights, shooting the
thing as close to the head as he can to see if a bullet can wound it.
Jacey
Hmm.
Saturnus (Havoc)
I genuinely don't know if a bullet from
this kind of gun would be enough tbh
something tells me no because they used
cannons for that after all
Skinny Samir (dgb)
When the statue stops at the bottom, is it
standing on the spike holes?
Jacey
Bang! Smoke and fire shoot from the
barrel of the rifle, followed a split second later by the sound of cracking
stone.
Through the haze, Saturnus can see that
the bullet aimed at the neck of the thing has instead been intercepted by the
empty left hand. The bullet cracked off one of the fingers.
Compromise hindering wound to a glancing
wound.
The statue backs away from the entrance,
out of sight from the top of the stairs.
Saturnus (Havoc)
do we see the rope going away too?
Jacey
Yes
Saturnus (Havoc)
it's probably backing away to the original
position then
Skinny Samir (dgb)
We wait a few moments after the sounds
end, then creep down the stairs.
Saturnus (Havoc)
also, is it?
Jacey
It was.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus follows the tip of the rope
down the stairs, if it's resetting the rope will be where Samir threw it, and
looks inside the room to see if the statue is still animated.
Jacey
The rope trails back to the spot where
Samir threw it. The statue has returned to the center of the room, but its eyes
are still open.
The statue squats, then leaps forward,
landing next to the stairway. The force of the landing would knock both Samir
and Saturnus prone.
It has a combo move to close the distance
and impose a disadvantage as one intent.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Samir (who is swift) scrambles backward
up the stairs until he's at least 15' from the bottom.
On his hands and knees if necessary.
Saturnus
(Havoc)
He landed next to the stairway on top of
where the spikes would have been?
Jacey
Yes. But both Samir and Saturnus are near
the bottom of the stairs.
I am unsure if Samir can flee in response
to this. You need to offer a compromise or roll to avoid danger.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
I'll concede that it throws me off balance
but there are nearby walls to each side, I lean against it and put myself in
position to race back up the stairs. Not a huge distance since I’m off balance,
but I’m also swift. That would be my next intent.
Jacey
OK.
Saturnus, what do you do?
Saturnus (Havoc)
I'm also scrambling, but I'm behind him
and am definitely not faster
so probably let him pass me and then
run after Samir
Jacey
OK. The statue is on top of the spike
holes. Samir can reach the trigger step while Saturnus is still on the steps.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
I'm only going to hit the step if we're
both off the stairs.
Jacey
But to get both of you clear from the steps
will give the statue time to respond.
Saturnus (Havoc)
...well idk, how powerful do those spikes
look?
because if I roll down and land on top of
the statue, that's not too much of an issue, provided it's dead
also, I can try to prevent myself from
falling by jamming the polearm on the walls
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Your funeral
Samir clears the stairs and hits the
third step
Jacey
Clunk. The stairs rotate forward,
turning into a ramp. Spikes shoot from the holes, colliding with the statue.
This would be an incapacitating wound to
the statue.
Not sure how to compromise though, so I
guess I will roll.
Avrae — 04/21/2024 8:43 PM
@Jacey
:game_die:
Result: 2d6 (1, 5)
Total: 6
Saturnus (Havoc)
niiice
Jacey
The statue fails to dodge out of the
way, and the spikes drive into its stone legs, shattering the left ankle.
Saturnus begins to slide down the ramp.
Saturnus (Havoc)
the bastard is still alive and well?
Jacey
It is still moving.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
How atop the spikes is it?
Jacey
Very much so. Saturnus isn't in danger from
the spikes, but he is in danger from the statue.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus tries jamming the polearm on
the walls of the stairs to prevent himself from sliding further, as well as
trying to hook his feet on the opposite walls.
Jacey
The walls are ten feet apart, so your legs
won't reach.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Barrel into it, I bet it has trouble
standing itself up
Saturnus (Havoc)
that's my plan B
Jacey
I am not sure the polearm is enough to stop
you. Do you want to make a compromise, or roll to see if the polearm is enough?
Saturnus (Havoc)
If I roll and fail, can I let go and try to
barrel into it on my way down?
Jacey
No, but you can choose to barrel into it
and try to knock it off balance.
Saturnus (Havoc)
I'll do that then, leeroy jenkins this
mf
Jacey
So you are trying to knock it over, which
makes sense with its current position.
It is going to compromise, accepting that
you knock it over, but making sure its sword arm is free.
Saturnus (Havoc)
I get the impression in this system that
being on the receiving end is always more disadvantageous
Jacey
Yes.
Saturnus (Havoc)
so being a bit more gung-ho is pretty good
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Are the spikes still a danger at the bottom
of the ramp if I were to slide down it?
Jacey
Now I would say they are a danger. Saturnus
can walk around them, but sliding down would get you skewered.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
"Good luck," Samir stage
whispers down the ramp.
If he can reach it, he tries to tug the
third step back up, see if he can reset the trap sooner.
Jacey
The polearm doesn't have a hook, and
scratching at the surface of the third step does nothing.
Saturnus (Havoc)
So, I blasted the bastard, and fell on top of
it, it fell but the sword arm is free
Jacey
Yes.
Saturnus (Havoc)
am I on top of it or did I roll from the
top of it?
Jacey
I think you are on top of it.
Saturnus (Havoc)
if I run, it would try to swipe at me and
I'd have to offer a compromise or roll yeah?
Jacey
It is going to get a chance to act first,
before you can try to run.
Saturnus (Havoc)
ah i see
Saturnus (Havoc)
what i wanted to do to him
Jacey
The arm of the stone statue swings over
Saturnus, squeezing him against the torso.
It is grappling you.
You can offer a compromise, or roll to
avoid danger.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Is dropping the polearm and/or the rifle
but keeping my arms free to be able to get something in my bag a good enough
compromise?
Jacey
Yeah
Saturnus (Havoc)
cuz i never reloaded the rifle
i do that then, and to follow it up
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus, with his arms free, reaches
into the bag and picks up the serpent god icon, putting it to the face of the
statue in a mad gamble, while also showing the snake pendant.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Samir, thinking quickly, runs back to the
nearby room with the scroll shelves, sets one on its side at the top of the
stairs, and gives it a shove to slide it down the ramp.
Jacey
What will happen when the stone statue is
shown holy symbols of the Serpent Kings? Will Saturnus escape the grasp of the
statue? Will Samir get back into the fight? Find out these things and more in
Session Four: The Stone Cobra Guardian!
Saturnus (Havoc)
AH GODDAMN IT
lmaooo
amazing cliffhanger
Skinny Samir (dgb)
lol
We need another player to make a dynamic
entry at the bottom of the steps.
Saturnus (Havoc)
a looming shadowy figure appearing behind
the guardian
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Shit you have stone-working tools
Saturnus (Havoc)
I do, if it doesn't work I'm chiseling his
face off
provided I’m still alive
And we ran out of time. The one disadvantage of primarily text-based interaction is it's pretty slow. We picked up where we left off one week later.
 |
| Catacombs of the Ghul King by WillOBrien |
Jacey
We left off with Saturnus in the arms of
the Stone Cobra Guardian, trying desperately to sway it by displaying the
religious objects of the Snake Folk.
Samir was at the top of the stairs-turned-ramp, and had sent a shelf
from a nearby room sliding down it into the spike trap.
Before we get started, I want both of you
to mark 1 favor on your Adventure motif, for using a trap to your advantage.
(I don't consider Samir's notes on the
canopic jars to be important enough to qualify.)
Saturnus (Havoc)
niiice
Jacey
Saturnus is hugged against the statue,
holding up the icon and pendant.
The statue is going to respond by taking
the icon from Saturnus in its free hand. Simultaneously, it drops Saturnus.
The scroll shelf Samir sent down the
ramp is blocking the spikes.
Saturnus (Havoc)
does it still look aggressive?
Jacey
Its stone face is unexpressive.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Samir slides down the ramp.
Jacey
Samir arrives at the bottom of the ramp,
and braces himself against the shelf. He is in no danger from the spikes.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus gets up from the ground and
bolts it to the east, taking some safe distance to check back at the toppled
statue to see how it's reacting and if it's still pursuing.
Jacey
To the East, the chamber opens up onto a
chasm. A five-foot-wide ledge leads south into the darkness.
The statue stands up, somewhat off
balance due to standing on its left stump.
Saturnus (Havoc)
where is it going?
Jacey
It hasn't started going. It just stood up.
It is facing Saturnus
Saturnus (Havoc)
is the passage to the east big enough for
it to pass?
Jacey
The opening to the chasm is over 20ft wide.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Samir gets to his feet but waits to see if
the statue acts.
Jacey
And 12 feet tall.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Can it still do that thing where it quickly
closes a gap? like, even with the legs all busted up?
Jacey
Probably not.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus retreats a bit more to be sure,
up to the eastern entrance, and waits to see what the statue will do, trying to
make his body language look the least menacing he can manage.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Samir cautiously circles around it to
get over to Saturnus
Jacey
The statue, holding the icon in the
crook of its left arm, begins to hobble towards Saturnus and Samir, sword
raised.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
"Shoot it."
Jacey
Saturnus dropped his gun.
Saturnus (Havoc)
I dropped my damn gun
Wait, can Samir take it on the way?
he would have seen it there
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Oh damn didn't realize
Jacey
Sure. But the statue is going to close on
you if you take the time to reload it.
It is a muzzleloader, and the process is
involved.
Saturnus (Havoc)
close enough to hit?
Jacey
Close enough to hit.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Samir twists his axe around so that the
bludgeon's head is forward and lunges forward to strike at its injured legs
Jacey
Only the left leg is injured. The foot is
broken off, and the statue is putting its weight on the remaining stump.
Saturnus (Havoc)
“Yes get the other leg.”
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Then I'll aim at the right leg
Jacey
Hmm. The stone isn't particularly brittle,
so I think this would just be a hindering wound.
It is going to try to push past your
strike.
Avrae — Today at 6:23 PM
@Jacey
:game_die:
Result: 2d6 (2, 1)
Total: 3
It fails, the axe blow leaves a notable
crack in the right shin.
Saturnus, do you want to act before the
statue?
Saturnus (Havoc)
It's still coming at me, right?
Jacey
It seems to have turned its attention
towards Samir.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus retreats a bit more, noticing
that Samir caught its attention, then runs at full speed to jump on top
of it and try to make it topple to the ground.
it's not quite a tackle, more like
trying to grab the top and unbalance it
Jacey
The statue drops to its knees, rather
than falling backwards.
Even on its knees, it is taller than the
two men.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
"Go get your gun while it struggles to
move."
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus agrees and runs to get the gun
and load it. "Keep its attention while I load!"
Jacey
The statue raises its sword and swings
it at Samir's left shoulder
Considering your armor, this blow would be
hindering. Do you want to compromise, or roll?
Skinny Samir (dgb)
(Compromise) Samir, knowing that on its
knees its reach is very limited, hurls himself backward (falling prone to turn
it into merely a disadvantage?)
Jacey
Yeah, I think that is worth a better-than-normal compromise.
Samir, do you want to take an action?
Saturnus is still loading his gun.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Samir scrambles to his feet and watches
the monster. If it turns to Saturnus he'll charge, but if it’s still focused on
him, he'll back up to lead it away.
Jacey
Standing up is a single intention. The
statue is going to do the same.
Saturnus, your gun is loaded.
Saturnus (Havoc)
just to get a general image of how messed
up it is: it's left leg is just a stump, the right has been cracked, and one
hand was nicked by a bullet?
Jacey
Its left hand had a finger blown off.
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus puts the bipod, arms the gun
directly, then whistles loudly to call its attention. Once it turns to look,
Saturnus puts a bullet right in its face, trying to deform it enough to make it
blind.
Jacey
If the bullet were to hit it in the
eyes, it would be an incapacitating wound. Instead, it will drop its sword and
cover its face with its right hand, which blooms in spidery cracks around the
impact site.
Saturnus (Havoc)
“Grab it Samir!!”
Skinny Samir (dgb)
As soon as it turns to block the bullet,
Samir charges with a big overhand swing at the back of its head
Jacey
I don't think Samir can reach its head.
It is tall.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Then he goes after the right leg again.
Jacey
Considering the hindering wound it already
suffered, this would be an incapacitating wound to break the right leg off.
It is going to try to avoid your blow by
stepping forward.
Avrae — Today at 6:45 PM
@Jacey
:game_die:
Result: 2d6 (2, 2)
Total: 4
It is unsuccessful, and its momentum
carries it face-first to the ground.
Saturnus, do you want to act next?
Skinny Samir (dgb)
"Finish it, Saturnus."
Saturnus (Havoc)
Saturnus sees the statue falling down and
starts reloading.
Jacey
The icon cradled protectively in its
left arm, and the statue crawls towards Saturnus.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
How quickly can it manage that? Is he going
to have time to reload?
Jacey
It will get to him right as he finishes
reloading.
Saturnus (Havoc)
so I can finish reloading and shoot it in
the face?
or will it get a chance to hit me
Jacey
Samir gets a chance to go first, then
Saturnus, then the Statue.
So if you finish it off, it won't get the
chance to hit you.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Not good enough.
While it has been mostly struggling to move,
have we gotten a chance to notice anything that might be animating it? Magic
crystals, inscribed words of God, etc?
Samir is a little unsure what
"dead" looks like for a being that isn't living
Or are we just going to have to smash it
into enough pieces that it can't threaten us anymore?
Jacey
It is unclear what is animating it. Nothing
like what you mentioned.
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Samir is going to run up its back and
smash the back of its head
Saturnus
(Havoc)
As he finishes loading, Saturnus aims
low to make sure it doesn't hit Samir and shoots the statue in the face.
Jacey
Going to resolve Samir's action first.
This direct blow Samir is attempting
would shatter the head. It is going to try to twist its body to throw off
Samir's aim.
Avrae — Today at 6:57 PM
@Jacey
:game_die:
Result: 2d6 (4, 3)
Total: 7
It does not succeed.
Samir's axe blow to the back of the head
causes it to shatter, and the statue ceases to move.
Saturnus (Havoc)
in that case, i don't shoot
Skinny Samir (dgb)
Fucking awesome.
I'm never running standard D&D combat
again
Samir sits down on the back of the stone
man, pulls out his pipe, and lights it up.
"You alright?"
Saturnus (Havoc)
it is pretty cool, way cooler than "I
activate my once-a-day ability, do I hit?"
Saturnus coughs a bit, then coughs a bit
more because of all the running. Once he can wave the smoke of his gun away he
spits on the ground and nods weakly. "I've been better."
He goes to the hand of the statue that
held the god-icon and sees if he can pry it open. "Interesting how
protective it was of this. You'd think that a mindless sentry wouldn't have recognized
it, but not only did it recognize it, it also wanted to protect it."
Skinny Samir (dgb)
"Did we really make it out of that
unscathed?"
Saturnus (Havoc)
"If I had a gold coin for every time I
asked myself that same question..."
 |
| Golem Fight by YasenStoilov |
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