Universalis 1

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Story so far: link

Players (listed in turn order): EvilCat, Neonwhite, GiacomoArt, davina

Components

• Characters
• Locations
• Props

Tenets

• Naval adventure.
• Lovecraft-esque horror. (Details, 2)
• Pseudo-historic setting of Elizabethan time. (Details)
• Moral choice between sin and virtue.
• No supernatural facts or components can be introduced into the game until there are 3 or 4 characters marked with "sympathetic" trait. (Details)

• No interrupts.
• Try to challenge only such details and/or in such way that preceding text wouldn't have to be overwritten.
• If a player doesn't act on his turn for a day, the next player can take the turn for free, or any other player can take it for 1.
• Refresh rate for each scene based on the number of players who get refreshed: 12 for 2, 8 for 3, 6 for 4, 5 for 5 or more.
• When newly created Components are introduced to the Scene, Events describing their discovery are free.

Scene #1: Sea Battle

Framed by GiacomoArt, continued to Scene #2.

Scene #2: During the Storm

Framed by EvilCat

Components palette:

the Caribbean Sea	Storm - {{#replace:sinister, supernatural, violent, heavy rain (x2), howling winds, monstrous waves|, | - }}	Spanish galleon - {{#replace:cannons, huge|, | - }}	Pirate sloop - {{#replace:cannons, agile|, | - }}
Master component: armed sailor - {{#replace:melee weapon, wheellock pistol|, | - }}	Nicole Tissot, pirate queen	Galleon's crew - {{#replace:armed sailors, crew|, | - }}	Sloop's crew - {{#replace:armed sailors, crew, experienced, great teamwork|, | - }}
Sharks - {{#replace:a slew|, | - }}	Will Bowyer, seadog	Ship's boys #1 and #2

Scene #3: Separated

Framed by GiacomoArt.

Continued to Scene #5.

Scene #4: Isle of Teeth

Framed by NeonWhite.

Isle of Teeth - {{#replace:sinister reputation, reefs and rocks surrounding|, | - }}	Will Bowyer, seadog - {{#replace:armed sailor, experienced navigator, disrespects Alano, intolerant of weakness|, | - }}	Men - {{#replace:disrespect Alano|, | - }}	Alano, biologist - {{#replace:wounded, lucky, disrespected by sailors, fascinated by dog things|, | - }}
Master component: Dog things - {{#replace:ugly, nasty bite, fact: unknown species|, | - }}	Small rowboat

Scene #5: Morbid Discovery

Framed by GiacomoArt (10 left to spend).

Tropical beach (G) - {{#replace:along an inlet, clear blue sky, littered with flotsam|, | - }}	Nicole Tissot, pirate queen (G) - {{#replace:French, red hair, cruel, off-hand dagger, strong spirit, sympathetic character, sore, tired, thirsty, beautiful|, | - }}	Santiago, former prisoner (G) - {{#replace:recently betrayed, nightmare and sense of foreboding, has saber, has wineskin, adventurous, attracted to Nicole|, | - }}	Coconut palms (G) - {{#replace:a patch|, | - }}
Coconut thief crab (G) - {{#replace:large, holds a coconut|, | - }}	Barrel (G)	Corpse (E) - {{#replace:dog thing, stench|, | - }}	Crabs (E)

Coin count: EvilCat - 3, NeonWhite - 20, GiacomoArt - 15, davina (currently inactive) - 25 .

Complication dice pools: morbid sight (EvilCat) - 5.

Replies

Reply under this header, please.

GiacomoArt

Return to the end of scene #3 (1) Nicole beautiful (1) Santiago adventurous (1) attracted to Nicole (1) Event: Nicole spies (and starts toward) higher ground (1) 5 from my current 20 leaves me with 15. 5 from my bid 15 leaves me committed to spending 10 more.

Nicole moved on up the beach, satisfied that she didn't want to tangle with a beast the size of that crab in her present condition, and that the coconut trees would still be there if she couldn't find an easier source of fresh water soon. Best, for the moment, to follow the coast -- get out from this inlet, maybe find a promontory to climb, and look for any signs of a stream or even a settlement.

Behind her, as Santiago continued to follow quietly along, he couldn't help but feel that his luck in the light of this new day had continued to hold. If he was going to be shipwrecked, better to be shipwrecked with someone. And if he was going to be shipwrecked with someone, well... despite her bedraggled condition, there was no mistaking, this was a fine figure of a woman. Dangerous, too, to be sure -- not some damosel who'd been held captive on the sloop; her attire and movements, even the determined set to her jaw, clearly marked her as a full member of the crew -- but he hadn't set out for the New World because he liked to play things safe. No matter how things played out from here, she would certainly provide an interesting twist to this latest adventure.

Rounding the mouth of the inlet, Nicole did indeed spy high ground up ahead. Catching a second wind at the sight of it, she moved on with a renewed sense of purpose.

NeonWhite

Don't you need to pay to exit the crab from the scene? Neonwhite 22:03, 23 April 2009 (UTC)

Not if he wants to leave the focus of the scene wide, he doesn't, I think. EvilCat 23:41, 23 April 2009 (UTC)

EvilCat

corpse (3 coins) dog thing, stench crabs (1 coin) Event (1 coin): The smell wafted to Nicole. -5 coins, 3 left. Complication: a morbid scene to instill dread, 5 dice. Traits drawn: corpse, stench, ugly, crabs, tired.

The way to the cliff's top was a gentle slope, easy enough for aching legs. It was a sure walk. Then, the wind has turned, and Nicole noticed a strange smell. After a few steps, it became more evident, and grew overwhelming another few steps later: a rotting stench with a hint of sweat. It obviously came from a pile at the surf. Casting her tired eyes to the shoreline, Nicole noticed a busy movement...

The pile turned out a decomposing corpse of some hairy creature. Two black crabs, smaller than the last one, was nipping its crimson flesh. The only eye, the color of gold, was staring back at Nicole, and uneven teeth grinned in a crazy smile.

Neonwhite passed.

GiacomoArt

Well, she's a named character with a "strong spirit", so that's 2 dice right there. Methinks another die is appropriate for "cruel", which has to make her less prone to internalizing any horrors that might happen around her. I'm also going to pay 1 to officially establish that she's "a veteran of many battles", because she sure didn't get to be a pirate queen without that, and it'd make her pretty jaded about corpses and such.

That's 4 dice, then, and I don't see any call for pushing it farther.

I'm down to 14, and committed to spending 9 more on the scene.

NeonWhite

I would probably have stepped in at this point (to take control of Santiago and to move the scene forward), however with no interrupts I am not sure I am able as it is Cat's turn now.

Anyway, I don't feel strongly about the outcome, so I am happy to remain on the sidelines and support neither pool. A couple of other components might come into play, however:

• Clear blue sky in support of Nicole (and Santiago)
• If Santiago is considered a target too, his sense of foreboding and dread may count against him.

Cat, I suppose it is obvious that the source of the obstacle is the corpse + stench, however is the target intended to be Nicole alone or Nicole + Santiago?

Neonwhite 07:11, 26 April 2009 (UTC)

EvilCat

Now that I read the rules better, I'd like to refine the tenet: you can't interrupt in mid-narration, simply by virtue of this being a post-by-play game, but you can usurp turn for 1 coin as usual. This is what I meant originally. So, you can take your turn and add to narration.

Currently, the target of the complication is just Nicole. See felt the stench and saw the corpse because of "stench wafted to Nicole" event. If you take over Santiago and make him notice the scene too (as I see it, he's quite far behind), you can use him in complication and he'll become a target, too. Hehehe %)

EvilCat 10:20, 26 April 2009 (UTC)