[Actual Play] Buffy: TNW: It just keeps getting better

[SteveD]

Right now, I'm basking in the afterglow. Great session. Lots of OOC talk and stuffing around, but a lot of drama happened, and I'm getting better at running with little plot, so it keeps getting easier.

Here's my notes for this session:

Claymond's Dole
Arrive, coddle
Lectures - dull, Wesley
Audit, harsh
Big speech
Girls girls girsl
Ball
Phone call, Hotel, girl, trouble, monty
Photographers?
A plan, get her out
Epilogue

And here's what it became....

[SteveD]

We begin with a short prologue about the King of Pain talking to an underling and complaining that he lost his temper. Still, it should make them scatter and play into his hands. How right he turned out to be....

Roll opening credits. Now, there is a shot of John dancing (see next week)

Our boys are attending Claymond's Dole (http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/history/cc_claymond.shtml), a special day where Lord Claymond's 15th century bequest of three pounds is distributed among the staff, with the remainder going to "pay for straw for prisoners in Oxford Castle". STILL. I love Oxford.

Drifting back to the library, our heroes discover some news from Pru and Wesley. The yearly In Camera lectures ("in the room", the opposite of "in publica", ie secret from the public) - a series of lectures where watchers discuss the current largest threats to the council and the world - will be held in Oxford this year, in the Sheldonian theatre, to debate the current situation with Charity (as well as the Time of Two Slayers, and what that means to the apocalyptic prophecies). The players are expected to listen and watch the big Watchers do their thing. The quorum of seven are:

Wesley Wyndham-Pryce, Watcher First Class
Quentin Travers, Master of Security
Gervaise Donalbain, Esquire, Medal of Arthur, Keeper of the Keys
Lord Julius Tone, Master of the Law (and in the House of Lords)
Justice Montgomery Danville, Master of the Prentices (and a Chief Justice)
Sir Charles Hunton-Smythe, High Librarian (and Eddie's Father)
Sir Roger Moore (also a famous film star, apparently)

(This led to a few wonderful jokes about Roger Moore being a career, or a prestige class. Thus providing the 20th level Bard/Roger Moore/Sorcerer.)

Wesley also tells the gang that Mr Giles has been sacked for inpropriety with his charge. The gang go to lunch and gossip:

"What do you think Mr Giles was doing?"
"Don't you mean WHO do you think Mr Giles was doing?"

Fraternization being a large taboo which not even the journals talk about much, but every wonders about it, as it's such an obvious idea....especially since these guys have seen pictures of the Slayer. Speaking of girls, it will be Spring soon, and it's time for the guys to decide which girls to go to the Magdalen Ball with...but that comes later.

After dinner (that is, lunch), the gang meet back at the library and meet the watcher types. They fuss over them a bit, when they can remember their names. Particularly Eddie, as he's family. Then they head over to the Sheldonian theatre (http://www.sheldon.ox.ac.uk/) for the seminars. John is "permitted" to attend, but some old hands grumble.

The first order of business is to appoint Wesley as official Custodian of the current slayer, a "Mrs Betty Summers", Lord Tone says. Wesley is given a golf clap and is most chuffed.

Then begins four straight hours of Watchers talking their pet subjects and analysing prophecy down to the tiniest details. Even the geekier PCs find it excruciating. They are immensely relieved when they can get the hell out and go to the pub.

[SteveD]

The watchers drink like the proverbial, and reminisce about the old days back in the forties and all the japes they got up to at college. The gang try to join in, particularly Eddie, trying to get close to his father again.

It's good fun. The watchers get so drunk they start doing the "Watcher Wedgie" on other drinkers, and at some point, people are on the roof with a traffic cone and one PC wakes up with a parking ticket for somewhere in Reading.

Shattering dawn wakes everyone up badly. The gang take their asprin and berocca and stumble down to breakfast, where Pru informs them that in a few hours, the seminar wants to grill them on their skills and proficiency as occult defenders. She suggests they go cram and get presentable. They do.

The grilling is okay; Eddie and Eirion perform fairly well thanks to their backgrounds (and good rolls), John and Tom skate through with a lot wrong, but enough right. Then things get personal - they ask Eirion about his background with the devil worshippers, grill John about why he hasn't joined the Watchers yet and take Tom's sword away to be studied (much to Tom's consternation). The team scold them for their rude behaviour, and Lord Tone makes a long speech about how it's books, not brawn that matters. They take time out to harangue them all for their personal faults, except Eddie, of course. Eddie storms out, insulted. The others creep out when dismissed, and breathe out. Then they bitch.

Tom: They took my sword!
Eirion: Oh, why don't you just try holding something else instead?
(embarassed pause....)

Eventually, tired and flustered, they head back to college for tea (the evening meal - lots of jokes and confusion on this). Milling about the cloisters, they find the girls of Staircase Five. And that's when it starts.

At the start of the episode, the guys had been given notes from various girls, signed and unsigned, to help confuse them. The main four girls are:
Miranda, the girly swot. Miranda and Tom had a thing, then he moved on to Susan. Miranda was pissed (and isn't talking to Tom, although Eirion got that message, so they think she's not talking to him). Susan isn't really interested in Tom.
Susan, the nice, normal girl. Susan is sure John is gay (because he told her about his "friend" last episode) and is supporting him, because she has a cousin who is gay, and because she's sweet on Eddie (who is actually gay).
Rebecca, who is a bit stuck up and loves to talk about her horse.
Fay, who is shy and quiet and blushes a lot.

Okay, so, this is where it gets VERY confusing. I hope I get this right.

John tells Susan he's not gay...eventually yelling it out "I'm not a homosexual!". She's confused, she thought that was why Eddie had moved out of his digs. He says Eddie's gay. She is embarassed, she thought John was....John apologises. At that point, Eddie rings Susan on her mobile and asks her to the dance. Susan accepts and tells John he might be wrong about Eddie....and that he really DOESN'T have to pretend, but of he wants to, she'll pretend too.

Meanwhile, Tom asks Miranda to the dance. It is a bit tense. "Okay" "Good". "Yeah." "Right". "Good." "Okay". "See you then."

Back to John, Susan says he should ask someone out to "prove" he's not gay. Like Miranda, because she's been miserable about Tom dumping her. John asks Miranda out. Miranda looks confused, then smiles evilly, and accepts.

Tom sees them talking, assumes the worst, and goes and asks Susan out. Susan says she can't, she's going with Eddie. Tom says, but Eddie's gay. Susan explains he's covering for John's gayness. Tom is confused. Susan suggests he ask Rebecca to the dance. He does, she accepts.

John comes over and says it's all sorted. They think it'd be fun if they all went together, and Fay went with Eirion. They try to get the two shy types to talk. Tom says he'll go tell Eirion to talk to Fay. Fay runs away in shyness, and Eirion gets the wrong message (because Tom gets the two confused). Eirion asks Rebecca out to go riding (but not to the ball) and she agrees with a sexy smile. Fay comes around the corner, sees this, and runs away, crying. Tom runs into Fay crying, because Eirion's not going to the ball with her. So he asks her to the ball, and she accepts.

End result: Tom is now going to the ball with Miranda, Rebecca and Fay.
John is going with Miranda.
Eddie is going with Susan.
Eirion is going with nobody.
Rebecca is going riding with Eirion, where he plans to ask her to the dance.
The four guys are convinced Miranda is trying to clone herself again.
The girls STILL think John is gay (especially after tea, where Tom, confused, points at John and yells "so you ARE gay!", and everyone looks.)

Eddie of course doesn't end Tom's confusion. In fact, he denies being gay.

John, confused: "Eirion, HELP ME!"
Eirion: (long pause) No.

John runs off to the library again. He has to stop Miranda from cloning herself. Eddie turns to Tom and says "I don't think he appreciated my sarcasm." Tom: "SARCASM?"

Commercial.

[SteveD]

After dinner, the John and Eirion decide they need a trichobezoar to stop the cloning spell being cast, so they have to break into the History of Science Museum on Broad Street. They go back to their rooms to black up and suit up, whereupon they find more notes from the girls. John's is from Miranda, wanting to know if he's just dating her out of pity (cos he's clearly gay). Eirion's is just "why did you hurt Fay you bastard!". Tom meanwhile gets a lovely letter from Fay, full of hearts. Eirion ignores his letter and comes out of his room all blacked up. John emerges in the same clothes he went in wearing. Eirion is crestfallen. "You mean I got all dressed up for nothing?" John says, no, they'll go patrolling. They need to find catharsis monsters to beat up.

Tom arrives back and they start trying to sort out their mess. Eirion interrupts. "We're not going patrolling, are we?" he moans. John determidely says no, and drags them all outside.

My players decide they need to find some monsters so they can do the scene where there's a line of dialogue between each punch. My Monster Smackdown almost goes flying out the window. My brainwheels turn and soon enough, they run into some fairly fresh zombies. They fight, with the line of dialogue on each punch, including such gems as "don't try to DODGE the issue". Eventually, they start yelling at each other, and the zombie they still hadn't killed wanders away. They run after it up St Aldates. Halfway there, John explains he really isn't gay. A bus drives past- its headed into a populated area. They start yelling at each other again (god, I wish I had taped this one). They're busy doing this when the bus rolls past them again. The zombie waves from the window. The gang swear and chase after it, out of shot.

Commercial.

[SteveD]

Right. Act 3. Eddie returns home from dinner with his father at the Randolph (the only posh hotel in Oxford). Earlier in the AM he gets a call from his father. Gather the troops, come to the hotel, room 305. The others are clumping into bed, dirty and exhausted, when Eddie knocks on their door. Gotta go. He tells them to get John as he's not talking to him still.

They gather. They go. Eddie and John walk in silence. Tom asks Eirion (out of earshot) why John won't come out of the closet.

Sir Charles meets them at the elevator. He explains that it's time for them to show their real loyalty to the council. Seems Monty - I mean Sir Danville - has got into a spot of bother, and we need you to help him out. The boys go into the room. Monty (Paul Scofield) is looking a bit guilty. Lord Tone is looking annoyed. On the bed is a naked college girl looking dead. Like a few days dead.

It slowly transpires that Monty has a thing for screwing nubile young zombies. Animated of course - it's a simple spell. And he always takes precautions. Thing is, the silly bitch stopped moving halfway through, and now there might be a press car outside, and well, the body has to get back to the morque ASAP. Eddie tries to shock everyone but saying'll they carve her up right there. Lord Tone tells Sir Charles to discipline his boy. Sir Charles yells at Eddie. Eddie and his father step outside. Eddie is cross. Sir Charles says that, yes, it's gross, but the council turns a blind eye because Monty is so brilliant and so valuable. Personal life shouldn't matter. Eddie says, "Oh really? well, guess what, father? I fuck men, and it's none of your business."

Eddie takes Monty's keys and says he'll get the car. The other three argue about what to do, eventually deciding with distraction, they can get her out in a rolled up carpet. Eirion freaks and says he's not having anything to do with it. He leaves.

Tom and John stay. Lord Tone and Monty run interference as daft old drunks and they pretend to be furniture removalists ... who work at 2am at night. Sir Charles declines to go...he's gone all white and is clutching his arm. Meanwhile, downstairs, Eddie is sitting in the car, his mobile illuminated. The display reads "DET SRGNT HARKER....Call?"

Commercial.

[SteveD]

John and Tom get to the lift. They get down to the ground floor. The old guys run interference. The boys walk out the door....just as the sirens wail and the police cars come charging into the street. The boys make their crime rolls and manage to nonchalantly slip away as the cops charge in the door.

They dump the body in a cemetery (for some reason). Tom runs off and sets a lot of car alarms off until he makes his crime roll to steal one. John meanwhile hides from passers-by by rolling himself up in the rug too....with a dead girl from Merton. He blows his fear roll and panics. But Tom comes back with the car. They chuck her in, drive to the morgue, spend some DPs to sneak her in, drive the car into the backyard of Merton college, rub it clean of their prints, and run back to the library.

They get there in time to see Eddie and Eirion walking through the cloisters, bags in hand. They're leaving. My players take over and spend about half an hour talking it all out. Eddie explains that his mother was killed by a demon....who looked like John's demon form. He also explains that a curse hangs over his family, and he doesn't want to be a watcher any more. Eirion agrees. Tom says you can't escape your destiny. John says it's how you deal with it that matters, that he can change things. Eddie says "maybe....but not here". He has to go his own way. Eirion agrees. They walk around the corner. Swing around to Eddie's face; he's crying.

Back to John and Tom. and they say something cool and vague and slightly sad to end it all but I forget now cos it's 1am. Fade to black between the dark arches of Magdalen college. Nothing will ever be the same again.

Executive Producer: Steve Darlington.
Roll credits. Grr Arg zombie says "Ewwwww!"

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
Eddie explains that his mother was killed by a demon....who looked like John's demon form.

We sort of did this as a flashback, with Eddie beginning to explain... then describing the scene as seen by the camera as flashback. A 6 year old child, celebrating Christmas as the happy family; Father Charles and Mother Elizabeth. Adam Ant on the television.

Noises, sound of violence, crashing. A curious 6 year old, in pajamas and barefoot, goes to investigate.

Descends into the dining room; Christmas tree destroyed, presents scattered... blood on the walls.

And an immense, Demonic looking figure (looking very similar to John's beast form), cradling the very dead, bloodied body of Eddie's mother.

..

I'd always planned to have his mother slain by a Demon, but made the conflict far more personal by consulting with Steve (and Colin to an extent; but Colin was a sport enough to have the surprise made personal) and clarifying the death scene. Frankly, it makes for better drama.

As to what a doe-eyed six year old Eddie saw, and what it all meant... that is yet to be discovered.

:)


The session took a bit longer than normal to warm up, was a bit more serious than normal (especially at the end... Eddie was absolutely shattered to be asked to cover up such 'evil'...) but had a nice climax. Having the two Outsider character 'buy' in by trying to do 'the right thing', while the two more 'Old school' watchers-in-training have a serious moral crisis and falling out with the Order, was a nice touch. I'm waiting for a certain plot revelation next episode... but I'll comment once that fact is confirmed (or not).

Cheers and thanks to everyone for a grand session.

[Pseudo Nymh]

*thumbs up*

Always a joy to read about someone else's Buffy session. :)

[Heronymus]

You suck, Steve.

All of this goodness, and I'm stuck in fucking Misery.

Well, OK, you rock; it's Misery that sucks.

I'm with Winna: where's the fucking teleporters, already!

[Reverend Kinesys]

Pesky allergies.
I almost coughed up an entire lung over the Roger Moore thing.:p

[SteveD]

Thanks guys. It was good fun.

BTW, did you notice our show is so cool now people call it "TNW" on the net?

[MongoosePaul]

Steve's Buffy-fu conquers all.

Damn you for moving back to Oz and not staying in Oxford.

Though, note, you leave and we have the best summer ever!

[Daydreamweaver]

Originally posted by SteveD

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do I win?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Nothing, until you post some fan-chatter. We're not a real show until fans bitch about us on the net.

*sniffles* Eddie's my favourite! He's not allowed to go anywhere!

[Craig Oxbrow]

I don't think "eww" is actually a strong enough reaction to Monty's peccadillo... :eek:

[SteveD]

I don't think "eww" is actually a strong enough reaction to Monty's peccadillo...

As Monty said to the boys: "Don't knock it till you've tried it"

I'm waiting for a certain plot revelation next episode... but I'll comment once that fact is confirmed (or not).

I have no idea what you're talking about here.

Steve

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
I don't think "eww" is actually a strong enough reaction to Monty's peccadillo... :eek:

Out of Character I took to calling the gent in question 'Justice Dandy corpse*%$#er.' and one of the other of the seven as 'Lord Toblerone'. OOC it was a bit Steve Jackson funny, IC Eddie was livid with the idea that someone within the Council ranks would even consider indulging in such a practice... and, more importantly, that other Watchers including his own father, would cover up such a practice.

And as to 'that' plot revelation Steve - 'test of loyalty'. Mind games and all that. I guess we'll just have to see next episode.

[SteveD]

Important related thread in Tangency, please check it out:
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?postid=1301559#post1301559

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Important related thread in Tangency, please check it out:
http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?postid=1301559#post1301559
You are such an attention whore, Steve. :p

[SteveD]

Hey, we talked about it, I figured we should finally do it.

Steve

[Jody Macgregor]

So much good dialogue this session. Here's some more stuff I remember, naturally centered around me. Because it's ALL about me.

John: Isn't it odd they picked Wesley to look after the Slayer? I mean, he's close to her age and if Giles was fired for getting too close . . .
Eirion: Didn't you notice? Wesley's obviously . . . you know (flops wrist).
John: Ohhh.

Eirion: I have great respect for the Watchers, and I'd prefer not to lose that by having to see them get drunk and scarf down chips.

Eddie: What are you doing to Wesley with the whippersnippers?

Tom: So you'll go to the ball with me?
Miranda: . . . Okay.
Tom: Okay. Good.
Miranda: If, you know, nobody else asks me.
Everyone: Ouch.

Eirion: You like horse riding? Would you like to go riding sometime . . . with me? On horses?

Fay: Why didn't you tell Eirion to ask me to the ball?
Tom: I thought he did. I told him you'd get along because you have so much in common, you know, like horse riding . . .
Fay: Horses? I get dizzy on horses.

[SteveD]

Yeah, I completely forgot the Wesley-hazing scenes in my summary. Damn me.

Also:

Col: Have we healed up?
Me: Yeah, it's been long enough. And you only took fictional damage anyway.
Jody: Have I healed my placenta damage?

- loves the fictional damage D

[thePill]

What's the point of watching movies like "Weekend at Bernie's" and "Weekend at Bernie's 2", if nobody ever uses that method to get a corpse out of a building? It's clearly the best way!!! I'm soooooo going to make like Andrew McCarthy and Johnathan Silverman if I'm ever in the possession of a corpse....

Because, as you all know, I don't have a corpse just lying around right now... Where are those sunglasses?

... Oops, still typing ignore last sentence. That isn't the sentence you're looking for.

Great read, as usual. Play more, write more, so that I can keep reading and bust my sides up laughing some more.

-the Pill is a huge fan of the TNW

... Did I just say the The Night Watch?

Damn.

[Garry G]

I am so stealing the sorcere who likes to shag zombies for my series. So many possibilities.

[SteveD]

G-man, you've been a fan since the beginning. We're redoing the webpage (galacially slowly, of course) to more resemble the way Buffy Guide does it (www.buffyguide.com)....which includes a short review of each episode. Would you be interested in writing such things for us?

[Peter LaCara]

The worst part about reading these threads is that they make me sad that I'll never actually get to see TNW on tv. :(

*Insert glowing praise as per usual*

[SteveD]

The worst part about reading these threads is that they make me sad that I'll never actually get to see TNW on tv.

You gots to use your imaginimunation, is all... :)

Still, I know how you feel, cos I feel that way about some things I read about on here too. Sometimes I wonder if there's something strangely....wasteful in this hobby. Unless our adventures get turned into novels (which they sometimes do, Fiest, Weis&Hickman), they don't get enjoyed by a large crowd.

On the other hand, they're free, and totally personal, which makes them a rather PURE artform too.

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by SteveD
G-man, you've been a fan since the beginning. We're redoing the webpage (galacially slowly, of course) to more resemble the way Buffy Guide does it (www.buffyguide.com)....which includes a short review of each episode. Would you be interested in writing such things for us?
Jody's started on those already. And also hey!

[Garry G]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Jody's started on those already. And also hey!

Craig steps in and saves you from my procrastination and awful grammar. You're completely sorted there Steve.

Hey Craig.:)

[SteveD]

Craigo, you were also going to be asked. Alternatively, you could play the only reporter/fan who has an actual inside scoop.

Or perhaps the dark shadowy uberfan that ends up getting a part and everybody talks about in hushed tones on the net, but nobody has ever met. Like Bjo Trimble meets the Ain't-It-Cool guy.

Steve

[Garry G]

If you think of something else for me to do I'll give it a go Steve. Could be fun. Right now I'm deseprately trying to get everything together for the first episode of my series on Wednesday. I'll let you know how exactly I'll have fucked that up afterward.

[SteveD]

I'll let you know how exactly I'll have fucked that up afterward.

Piffle. You'll rock the house.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by SteveD
Craigo, you were also going to be asked. Alternatively, you could play the only reporter/fan who has an actual inside scoop.

Or perhaps the dark shadowy uberfan that ends up getting a part and everybody talks about in hushed tones on the net, but nobody has ever met. Like Bjo Trimble meets the Ain't-It-Cool guy.

* Craig cackles

[dalziel_86]

When do we start auctioning off roles as extras for charity?

[SteveD]

As soon as we get the first bidder.

[Denys]

I love Steve D threads! 50% of the posts are his own... ;)

- Ian

[Professor Phobos]

Just as a side note, Steve, the constant threads regarding the Steve D Stamp Of Approval on Buffy the Vampire slayer made me break down and get the game, which I like enough to make it the 4th game out of the many dozens I own that I'd actually like to GM.

Heck, started watching the show partly 'cause of your mad hyping skills.

[SteveD]

Cool. I do worry about overloading the system and making people resent buffy. Cos hell, I don't like Exalted and its prevalence annoys me sometimes.

[colbabe]

Originally posted by Jody Macgregor
Eddie: What are you doing to Wesley with the whippersnippers?

:D That was sometime after the zombie fight, wasn't it? I remember that we went through the weapons cabinet before we went on 'patrol' and found not very much at all - cut to the old Watchers having a bit of a party, lots of drinks, and passing the weapons around for a reminisce. We wander off with not much more than a few stakes and a knife. Later, the zombies attack, and I spend a DP to locate us next to the groundskeepers' shed where we should be able to get some improvised weapons - we open the shed and find not much there. Cut to the old Watchers again, initiating Wesley before his big trip over the Atlantic. He's blindfolded and bound, standing up with his trousers down. Sir Charles revs up the whippersnipper and the others laugh crazily. Wesley whines, "Oh come on, gents, this isn't funny..."

Fay: Horses? I get dizzy on horses.

Goddamn, Fay is so excellent. She cracks me up so much.

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SteveD
On the other hand, they're free, and totally personal, which makes them a rather PURE artform too.

I'm glad someone else thinks that RPGing is an artform. Look, improvised theatre! Yes, theatre. Peter Brook, famous director person, reckons that all you need for theatre to happen is at least one performer, at least one audience member, and a space. Our space just happens to be a tabletop, and we play audience and performer each, whether we're GM or player.

And look! Our theatre is generating stories that are being told to people around the world. Honestly, I'm loving this interaction. Thank you all for being a part of it.

Sorry for being annoyingly enthusiastic about all of this, but I'm thinking very seriously of doing a Masters/Ph.D thesis on the links between dramatic theory and roleplaying games.

[SteveD]

Possibly the least stellar ep so far this week, but you know, that's okay. They can't all be gems. Too much time perusing formal gowns, maybe. Actually, it was also that a lot of this plot really depended on the players, as I put most of it in control of the once-were-NPCs-now-PCs. Ultimately, it needed more direction from me, but then again, it was also there to get character plots moving - and it did just that.

Indeed, a lot of it was just everyone finding out about everything. Which made for a fun session, but not a great write up here, since you already know.

We begin in a lecture from Professor Godfrey McFarlane, on sexual morality in culture and literature in the 20th century. Amusingly, he links it to tomorrows ball at Queen's College. Big news on the social calendar, the first ball of the season. And when Oxford does balls, they do balls BIG (as in, once, Magdalen college booked the Rolling Stones big).

Little correspondence has passed between our heroes, so there's some frantic note passing during the lecture. Meanwhile, tongues are waggling about Eddie and Eirion disappearing. John is also spinning about being invited - nay, welcomed - into the Watcher's Council. He isn't sure what to do. Neither is Pru, who wasn't told what happened last week, but is being called up to London to answer for it.

The boys discuss their women troubles, and John says Tom's like Prince Charles. Tom, the American replies: "You mean the dude with the ears?" John: "Uh, around here we prefer to call him the Prince Royal"

Rebecca finds out Tom isn't going with her any more, so asks rich boy Regis (later dubbed horse boy, and accused of being played by Mr Ed - don't ask) to accompany her, bursting in on Tom and John as Tom is in his boxers being measured. John stammers: "Miranda is...me...I mean, go with me...ball..." (Again, this was a fun episode that doesn't read well, because a lot of the best lines were stumbles and confused silence.) Upon hearing that John is taking Miranda, Rebecca replies "Oh, you mean the nerdly little dyke? Hard luck."

So, eventually, Tom is going with Fay to spite John, and John is going with Miranda so Miranda can spite Tom. Tom and Miranda plan (and do) spend the entire night desperately trying to make the others jealous. Most fun. But before all that, the boys go off and get tuxed up, the girls get their dresses, and we do a long montague of such fun. Tom wears a broad-brimmed hat with a feather, John is in immaculate black tie. Susan is in a black causal cocktail dress with spaghetti straps, Rebecca wears a vision in cream and pearls, Fay is all puffs and lace in primrose blue (with a suddenly visible cleavage she keeps trying to hide) and Miranda is in a saucy red body-hugging strapless thing with a split to the hip. She is all yowza.

But before the boys see them, John spends a DP to make it a full moon. Allow me to digress for a moment here and point out that I haven't used the system much for a while (certainly not this game), and this game is turning into some kind of lite version of Hero Wars. Indeed, at one point this session we almost got into a DP bidding war. I'm seriously contemplating officially abandoning the system and going diceless. I spen 90% of my time on plots anyways, and I often resent having to spend the 10% on stats. More on that later, maybe.

John and Tom panic and hit the books. John runs into Fay in the stacks. They both stammer again. Fay runs off, dropping a book as she leaves. A book on Practifes of Popyular Sorcerie, by Doctor John Dee...

Commercial.

[SteveD]

John and Tom find a potion that can retard John's change. (John to Pru: "did you just call me a retard?"). They run off to the magic shop for parts, and John rips his suitcoat. Getting it stitched by the college cook, they run into Fay with cold cream all over her petticoat. There is some more nakedness and blushing.

Tom mixes the potion, adds Pepsi (product placement cheque in the mail) and spends a DP for it to retard the physical but allow the personality to come through. A good idea but we never really picked up on it. Shame. Meanwhile Eddie has sent a MASSIVE boquet of flowers (two hundred pounds worth) to Susan to say sorry. He may be gay, but he's still a gentleman.

FINALLY the boys get their horse and carriage and the girls come down. Lots of gawping, particularly at the ravishing Rebecca and the saucy Miranda. The horses go around the block to allow for Miranda to flirt with John and everyone else to feel uncomfortable. Miranda says she heard about Eddie's father dying of cancer. The guys didn't know.

At the ball, things are swinging. Big bands play (Travis is headlining), fire-eaters and jugglers work the quad, there are four bars, a huge buffet and a massive dance floor. The make-them-jealous one-upmanship continues to the tables and out on to the floor. Susan gets left behind at the table. She looks a bit glum.

The boys however are soon distracted when the dead girl from last week arrives. The girls soon feel very cross as they watch their boys detach from them and stare at this girl in a blue dress. But she's not a Magdalen girl (asking Godfrey, a chaperone about her confirms this) so what can they do.

Back from the dance floor and buffet, the boys apologise (some more smoothly than others) gang get cracking on a scavenger hunt that has been provided for mucho funo. Others are less concerned about such things, preferring to matchmake and such. I get hazy on the events hereon in. John asks the Queen's chaperones about the girl and they freak. Rebecca hears a rumour about Rhyll ("prom queen", in style if not officially) and passes it on...of course, the boys are very slow to get it. But it eventually sinks in (look at her stomach....no REALLY look...)

Miranda goes off to the kitchen. Tom and Fay follow, in time to see Miranda spill punch everywhere and run away. Rebecca hits on John in full view of Susan. Susan goes to the toilets for a bit of a cry. Miranda sees some cops pull up outside, and goes to tell John. John tells her about Rebecca. Miranda goes into the kitchen to get some punch to get revenge. John wrestles with her to stop her. Tom and Fay come in, and are confused, having heard something about zombies and seeing those two fighting over a toureen. Susan comes in, even more confused. They explain they have to stop...I mean SEE the zombies. A BAND. Yes. More bad lying abounds.

John: Tom. Don't even try to help. Okay?

[SteveD]

Okay, so Tom and Miranda go back to Tom's room to find stuff on the scavenger hunt list. We spend a lot of time cutting between them and John, Fay and Susan, hunting zombies. To cut a lot of dialogue short, Tom finds a picture of himself in Miranda's room, and there's a wonderful moment when they talk in short...clipped ...sentences... about having to get back...to the ball...and the audience wonders if they're going to kiss....and they don't. DAMN!

Meanwhile, John and Susan and Fay discover an empty cop car, blood on the wheel and nobody home. John is staring into the cop car, freaked out, and Susan taps him on the shoulder.

John: Ah!
Susan: Sorry.
John: I think something happened to these cops!
Susan: Oh, okay, butyouknowFayreallylikesTomsocouldyoutell
Tomtomakeamove?
John: What?

They find the cops at the bottom of the Cherwell, a process which involves ruining Fay's pretty dress and getting them both in a compromising position when Miranda and Tom turn up. John also sees Fay at a weird angle and finds her looking positively freakish...but then she goes back to being normal again. Fay tells John that Tom told her his secret, so he should tell her more. Lots of vague innuendo flies around. Back to the cops, looks like something cracked the two cops' skulls and dumped them nearby. Climbing back over the bridge, they are arguing about what to do with the zombies (still trying not to tell Fay anything) and they see Rhyl standing on the other bridge rail, hands out, staring down. They run to her, to find her babbling about her life being over, that everything is ruined.

Tom spends a DP for six successes on his Influence roll (plus some good talking from the player) to talk the wee lassie off her perch. It's a Kodak moment. A second later, the cops turn up, and our boys run into the woods. Along the way, they realise something is very wrong with Rhyl. Back in Miranda's room, John spends another DP to check out Rhyl with his doctor skill and suspects miscarriage. They call the paramedics. Before too long, Rhyl is escorted away, and Fay is impressed by John. Wandering back to the ball, Tom and Miranda finally decide that maybe they could possibly try this dating thing, you know, official-like. Chocolates. Flowers. Movies. Yeah. John and Tom wonder what happened to the zombie. Susan appears, smiles brightly and says she spotted her coming back in, knocked her out and locked in the broom cupboard. Seems Susan is more than she seems also.

John goes to call the Watchers about the zombies when he is grabbed by Professor MacFarlane, beside himself with worry and demanding to know where Rhyl is. John says she's okay but she lost the baby, and Godfrey swears and smashes things. John clicks quickly and tells Godfrey he should be ashamed of himself.

John calls the Council and tells them they need to do more zombie clean up thanks to Justice Danville. He goes back to the dance floor and tells everyone what happened. The gang are a little down that they missed the closing hour of the scavenger hunt at that things went bad for Rhyl, but they could worry about that tomorrow. Susan points out that the bar is still open, the band is still playing and tonight is about forgetting their cares and having fun. Tom and Miranda smile and say they need to put her book back in her room, and run off to canoodle. John and Fay dance happily. At the last shot, we see the eyes of something still and dead flash behind her face.

Blackout. Roll credits.

That was The Cinderella Blues. Next week: what is up with Fay? Will Susan give up being Eddie's faghag? What is the King of Pain up to? What the hell am I going to run? Ack ack ack.

[Burgonet]

*ahem* The parts of Miranda and Rebecca were played by moi during the session. Jody filled in for Fay.

Thought it worth a mention.

:)

[Craig Oxbrow]

Nice one. It may not have been a classic in your estimation but it still reads well with a few eye-openers.

Originally posted by SteveD
She is all yowza. Naturally.

Originally posted by SteveD
The boys however are soon distracted when the dead girl from last week arrives. :eek:

Originally posted by SteveD
and the audience wonders if they're going to kiss....and they don't. DAMN! DAMN!

Originally posted by SteveD
Tom and Miranda finally decide that maybe they could possibly try this dating thing, you know, official-like. Hooray!

Originally posted by SteveD
Seems Susan is more than she seems also. So Miranda dabbles in witchcraft, Fay's got something creepy going on, Susan's... I dunno what, and that leaves Rebecca. What's her sitch?

Originally posted by SteveD
Tom and Miranda smile and say they need to put her book back in her room, and run off to canoodle. Yay!

Originally posted by SteveD
John and Fay dance happily. At the last shot, we see the eyes of something still and dead flash behind her face.

squee...

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SteveD
Tom spends a DP for six successes on his Influence roll (plus some good talking from the player) to talk the wee lassie off her perch. It's a Kodak moment.

HEY! That was John, not Tom! Tom was too busy trying (and succeeding, I think, at that point) to hold Miranda's hand.

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SALette
*ahem* The parts of Miranda and Rebecca were played by moi during the session. Jody filled in for Fay.


I think Jody was playing Susan for a little while, but Steve took over for some reason... Oh yeah, Rebecca wasn't really a part of the group when she ran off with Regis.

(And that note from Rebecca to John - something along the lines of "Why don't you trade up and come on over here?" - plus her bedroom eyes... just... came out of nowhere. I didn't see that coming. Agh. John was highly disturbed.)

Well done boys for a spiffing job on portraying the girls. I might add that there were a couple of cutaways to show what Eddie and Eirion were up to, namely:

1) Stopping somewhere west of London for cheap fish'n'chips and a whinge, and

2) Being in a high-paced gay club, both surrounded by men, but while Eddie was gyrating and grinding on the dance floor, Eirion was grumpily clutching a highball glass of Coke, and stuck between two tall underclothed men who kept trying to strike up a conversation with him when the first words out of his lips were generally "I'm straight."

[Craig Oxbrow]

heheheheee...

[SteveD]

John not Tom, yes. It's so confusing...

And yes, that was another good line re Eddie: (can't remember exact wording...)

Susan asks about Eddie's absence, and John explains he's just in London pursuing extra-curicular activities, and "getting involved in some clubs..."

Cut to Eddie at the gay club.

Steve

[SteveD]

I think Jody was playing Susan for a little while, but Steve took over for some reason... Oh yeah, Rebecca wasn't really a part of the group when she ran off with Regis.

Yeah, it just wasn't going to be possible to do justice to all of them, so I minimised Rebecca, took over Susan and focussed on Scott playing Miranda and Jody playing Fay. And damn fine jobs they did too, yes indeedy.

I think another problem was my subplots got yanked into being the main plots, and I wasn't quite ready for that. So the boys are digging up coppers and expecting clues to rain down from heaven and I'm busy racking my brains trying to figure out how to get them back on track. In the end, I left the track for next week, but that's why it was a bit less than jake from me.

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

It sounds like the guys had fun. The readers had second-hand fun. Don't worry overly.

(edit: guys has? I'm a bloody idiot.)

[SteveD]

Yah, it's cool. I just want my players to know I know I was a bit off. Good post-game analysis makes for better games and all.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Gotcha. That it does.

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
I just want my players to know I know I was a bit off.

It's all these plot elements involving dead people and corpses.
Perhaps we should play the next session in an Industrial freezer, so you get your freshness back?

:)

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SteveD
Yah, it's cool. I just want my players to know I know I was a bit off. Good post-game analysis makes for better games and all.

Hey, I enjoyed it. I didn't feel it was the best session, but I put it down to Scott and Jody having to play different characters. And it's okay to have an episode where there's no Big Bad, and we just have character and interpersonal development.

But yes, what exactly is going on with the Girls From Staircase 5? Miranda can throw some spells around, Fay seems to be into it too (and doesn't seem human), and Susan has had experience with the undead?!? I'm intrigued!

[SteveD]

Cool.

There WILL be an episode (next season, probably) where each of you plays one of the girls, and your PCs will become NPCs, running around in the background.

There's a quote from Neil Gaiman's Sandman Mystery Theatre which seems to be more and more summing up this series:

"There must be someone, somewhere, who isn't living a double life, with a secrety identity. But I am not that person, and I presume, by your presence here, neither are you"

In Buffy, magic tends to happen to people. Now you're in college, in a rareified atmosphere full of odd people, who are quite capable of - and keen for - doing things for themselves. As I said on Chat yesterday, I don't need a big bad. I have players instead.

Steve

[dalziel_86]

This was an odd episode, since we had NPCs turning into PCs, and vice versa. As I said to Scott afterward, he played Miranda a little more aggressive and verging on antagonism than I was expecting. But that's ok. I didn't say anything during the game, in case it threw him off.

And so, finally, to the delight of the fans, Tom and Miranda hook up. Where do we go from there?

[SteveD]

Where do we go from there?

Miranda turns out to be a lesbian vampire who tries to kill you, then redeems herself, but at the last second she is run over by a rogue steamroller with a grudge.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Miranda turns out to be a lesbian vampire who tries to kill you, then redeems herself, but at the last second she is run over by a rogue steamroller with a grudge.
Well, obviously. I was just wondering what happens after the demon-possessed rogue steamroller kills her. I mean, do we stop it, or what?

[bentleyml]

Originally posted by dalziel_86
Well, obviously. I was just wondering what happens after the demon-possessed rogue steamroller kills her. I mean, do we stop it, or what?

Well it sounds like you should either go and destroy it or convince it to join your side. :)

[SteveD]

Remember, though, that the steamroller is also a lesbian.

- sentences I thought I'd never say for $100 alex D

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Remember, though, that the steamroller is also a lesbian.
I already knew that. It hates Miranda because she turned down its offer of hot lesbian steamroller sex.

The steamroller becomes a regular cast member, but doesn't get an opening credits shot until the season after.

[Jody Macgregor]

Originally posted by colbabe
Hey, I enjoyed it. I didn't feel it was the best session, but I put it down to Scott and Jody having to play different characters.
Sorry, I'm crap at cross-dressing. I don't even have female NPCs in half my games.

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by dalziel_86
This was an odd episode, since we had NPCs turning into PCs, and vice versa. As I said to Scott afterward, he played Miranda a little more aggressive and verging on antagonism than I was expecting. But that's ok. I didn't say anything during the game, in case it threw him off.

And so, finally, to the delight of the fans, Tom and Miranda hook up. Where do we go from there?

You would have been even more antagonistic to Tom, as Miranda, if you'd read Steve's write up of her.... If anything, I toned down her evil plans for revenge... the whole love potion in the punch never really came out during play... in case you were wondering why Miranda spilled all that punch...

:)

Anyway, I figured she was getting sick of Tom being a wimp about relationships, and was determined to bring things to a head...

:)

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by Jody Macgregor
Sorry, I'm crap at cross-dressing. I don't even have female NPCs in half my games.

There's a few hotels around the inner city (one in Spring Hill in particular) that should be able to help in that regard...

:)

I didn't really blink. As a GM, I am accused of portraying female characters as either too aggressive, or too submissive.
Go figure, eh?

[Jody Macgregor]

Originally posted by SALette
You would have been even more antagonistic to Tom, as Miranda, if you'd read Steve's write up of her.... If anything, I toned down her evil plans for revenge... the whole love potion in the punch never really came out during play... in case you were wondering why Miranda spilled all that punch...

Completely spoiling my plan to spike it the more traditional way.

Curses.

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by Jody Macgregor
Completely spoiling my plan to spike it the more traditional way.

Curses.

Apparently Miranda had spiked the punch already, but in realising her mistake, was determined to stop the charmed batch from being consumed... didn't fancy having the entire male cast chasing after me.... perhaps I should have failed... :)

[Craig Oxbrow]

Oh aye, definitely. Although it sounds like there was plenty of chaos already...

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SALette
You would have been even more antagonistic to Tom, as Miranda, if you'd read Steve's write up of her.... If anything, I toned down her evil plans for revenge...
Oh, I wasn't suggesting you played her wrong. Far from it. She's not my character, she's Steve's, so I don't know how she'd act. I was just saying it wasn't what I was expecting.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Miranda's "based on characters created by" tag actually has my name on it. But what she gets up to in the series is largely Steve's doing...

[SteveD]

Scott didn't so much play her more antagonistic as more confrontational and overt (which seems to be one of his styles). Miranda (as she has become) is not someone to be trifled with.

[Craig Oxbrow]

That's my girl. :)

[dalziel_86]

So what's up with that, Steve? Are we using PCs from your UK run of this campaign as NPCs in ours? Or did Craig just write this particular NPC for you?

[thePill]

How I hates/loves when an episode of Buffy ends on a surprise/revelation tag...

Damn/thank you for making your game/episode end that way too.

Rabid fanboy/geek in me says: But, Fay is my favorite...

Damn you for making me wait another week for the next episode/game.

-the Pill loves/hates waiting/anticipating the next post/episode/game of The Night Watch...

[SteveD]

Are we using PCs from your UK run of this campaign as NPCs in ours?

Bingo.

Miranda is Miranda, only less stuck-up and a bit more bookish (and then developed in game). Eric Walker remains Eric Walker, but no longer has a big pointy sword or studies Watchery. Travis Brackenwood becomes Susan Brackenwood, and considerably hotter and considerably less surly and bitter (and then has also developed).

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

Oh, that's who Susan is...

:D

[SteveD]

Yup. Although her backstory has changed a little, and will no doubt keep doing so, as the game goes on.

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

* Craig nods sagely, and says nothing more.

[colbabe]

OOOOOOOOOOOO!!! That's as bad as saying, "I know something you don't knooow..." :mad:

-shakes fists in impotent fury-

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by colbabe
OOOOOOOOOOOO!!! That's as bad as saying, "I know something you don't knooow..." :mad:

-shakes fists in impotent fury-
I know something you don't knooow...

On the other hand, you get to be in the cast while I'm one of the staff writers. :P

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by colbabe

-shakes fists in impotent fury-

Fury is never impotent. Just unrequited.

:)

[Professor Phobos]

What do you mean by staff writer, Craig?

[SteveD]

Just what he says. He writes plots and characters for me.

So do others. My Buffy game would not exist without the RPGNet chatroom.

[Professor Phobos]

I am starting a Buffy game. How might I acquire staff writers?

[SteveD]

http://www.rpg.net/chat/

[Craig Oxbrow]

Will plot for food.

[Burgonet]

Hey Steve! I can help with the plotting...

No, wait. I am playing. Damn, this is a new experience for me.

:)

I do know some folks who could help you with plotting. And they'd keep their mouths shut about it to me as well.

They're that snide...

;)

Will have my response to what Eiron and Eddie get up to, as soon as I get to talk to Jody about things. Have fired off first email, should be soon.

[BethDragon]

Originally posted by SteveD
Just what he says. He writes plots and characters for me.

So do others. My Buffy game would not exist without the RPGNet chatroom.

But it's always so much fun when you ask us to brainstorm, Steve! *G* And then to see what actually gets 'filmed'.

Can't wait for the next episode!

Beth

[Craig Oxbrow]

Coming soon: The Night Watch issue 1, from DHP.
"Clubbed To Death!"
Available Wednesday, two variant covers!

Issue 2 available two weeks later:
Shadows
Guest-starring Miranda!

[SteveD]

Coool!

BTW, the website has been updated; it now contains details about the unaired pilot.

Steve

[Talon65]

What's the web site address Steve?

[SteveD]

www.geocities.com/buffynightwatch/

[colbabe]

Hey, since Ash now has four albums (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=1415577#post1415577), why is it that we don't have any playing in the background during the games? Can we pool our resources and order a few?

EDIT: Bad grammar. Oy.

[Garry G]

Originally posted by colbabe
Hey, why is it that since Ash now has four albums (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=1415577#post1415577), why is it that we don't have any playing in the background during the games? Can we pool our resources and order a few?

Don't bother. The problem with ash is they dae great singles but not so geat albums. The challenge should be to find all the singles you like.

[nemo]

Feel my envy.

[Craig Oxbrow]

A subtle hint: Intergalactic Sonic 7"s, a singles collection.
Burn Baby Burn, Envy, Girl From Mars, A Life Less Ordinary, Kung Fu, Sometimes, There's A Star...

And free B-sides disc Cosmic Debris could easily be sourced in-game as the less recognisable but equally cool work of TNW's house band, if the gang had a club rather than a pub to hang out at.

(Currently playing it as I type.)

[SteveD]

I'm very broke, but I'll see what I can do.

I also want to get the Pirates soundtrack for sword fights....

[Craig Oxbrow]

In an ideal world, you could pop over and borrow my copy.

(Well, in an ideal world you could get a comp from Charlotte when she turns up on set for the latest episode, but you know what I mean.)

[SteveD]

And I could get a comp soundtrack from Jack when he gets back from shooting Pirates, too.

Ah, so nice to see TNW stars going on to great things. Naomi Watts (Susan) is starring in a film with Sean Penn this summer!

[Craig Oxbrow]

We can manage more ideal than that - Jack invites us out to the shoot...

[SteveD]

Tom and Eddie appear in crowd scene number 3, while John is briefly visible (running from flames) during the attack on Port Royal.

The rumours of director Steve D causing set delays due to marathon bonks with Keira Knightley are greatly exaggerated.

Well, maybe not that greatly...

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

It seems our ideal worlds are incompatible on that last point...

Huh. Now we're making crude jokes in Open and discussing systems in Tangency.

So, uh, anyway, coloring of the cover for TNW issue 1 continues, I'm fiddling with a background, and I still need EvilBrennan to send me info on the logo font to fill the big space at the top of the page.

In the meantime, a remake of TNW is one of the thirteen Buffyverse ideas I'm juggling in hopes of attracting two or more players.

(I'm not greedy! Two or more!)

[SteveD]

Craig, are you any good at HTML at all?

[Craig Oxbrow]

I can make things bold somewhat reliably.

Ian's the HTML guy at WolfSpoor, I'm just the reporter.

[SteveD]

Wolfspoor? Isn't that a WhiteWolf fanzine?

Anyway, I just meant, please feel free to tool around with the website. I was supposed to be using my time off to do that, but instead I was reading things for reviews, working on Angel Cakes and trying to figure out what happens this week....

[Craig Oxbrow]

A news and rumours site rather than an actual fanzine.

And it's been down for ten days now due to server issues, so we haven't managed to report on the Underworld lawsuit, mention WW appearing in Penny Arcade or Something Positive or warn the world about Grontar: The Frutang. Which is rather annoying.

I'd be less tooling around than stumbling around, knocking things over.

That said, I'll cheerfully give bumpf for someone more technoliterate than me to add. A "behind the scenes" look at the unaired pilot is on my to-do list.

[SteveD]

Bumpf?

We really need a technician, somebody prepared to do the ugly grunt work (am I crazy, or is HTML the worst fucking language ever written?). Content we have plenty of.

Steve

[Craig Oxbrow]

Bumph = content. (The definition at dictionary.com doesn't match actual usage around here.)

Bumpf = misspelling.

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SteveD
(am I crazy, or is HTML the worst fucking language ever written?)

You're crazy. ;) I'd have to argue that the functional language (ironically named) Miranda (http://www.engin.umd.umich.edu/CIS/course.des/cis400/miranda/miranda.html) is the worst language ever written. I had the misfortune to encounter it in my second year of Uni. When at least half the (quite massive) class failed the subject, I postponed repeating it until the language was removed from the curriculum.

Sooo... enough of the digression. What are we looking forward to in this week's ep?

[Craig Oxbrow]

Finding out what was up with the last shot from the last episode...

[colbabe]

Hooo yeah. Jeepers creepers... And it's always the quiet ones, isn't it?

[Egarwaen]

Originally posted by colbabe
You're crazy. ;) I'd have to argue that the functional language (ironically named) Miranda (http://www.engin.umd.umich.edu/CIS/course.des/cis400/miranda/miranda.html) is the worst language ever written. I had the misfortune to encounter it in my second year of Uni. When at least half the (quite massive) class failed the subject, I postponed repeating it until the language was removed from the curriculum.

Miranda? Pshaw! Try Prolog or <a href="http://www.muppetlabs.com/~breadbox/bf/">Brainfuck</a>. ;)

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by colbabe
Hooo yeah. Jeepers creepers... And it's always the quiet ones, isn't it?
Aw yeah.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by colbabe
You're crazy. ;) I'd have to argue that the functional language (ironically named) Miranda (http://www.engin.umd.umich.edu/CIS/course.des/cis400/miranda/miranda.html) is the worst language ever written. I had the misfortune to encounter it in my second year of Uni. When at least half the (quite massive) class failed the subject, I postponed repeating it until the language was removed from the curriculum.
I would argue that Haskell (which has, I believe, replaced Miranda in QUT's IT subjects) is a strong contender.

A close second (in my mind at least) is C.

*ducks for cover*

No, really. It's constructed as though someone had kinda figured that objects would be useful things to have, but didn't think anyone would ever want to actually do anything with them. C++ is accurately named (and a far superior language), since it's a version of the language defined after some actual thought had gone into the concept of objects.

HTML, on the other hand, is relatively easy, providing you're not dealing with CSS, or frames, or tables. But I wouldn't bother actually writing raw code these days, not when there are programs like Dreamweaver around.

Why, I wrote my first webpage in Notepad at the age of 14. I didn't need no HotDog or Frontpage, neither. Luxury, luxury... :D[/python]

[Unregistered Steve D]

In the tradition of television:

For six months, you've watched them....

(picture of the four boys strolling through the cloisters)

...got to know them....

(shot of Tom playing cricket wrongly)

...even loved them...

(shot of Eirion freaked out by Princess)

....but this week....

(shot of Eddie storming out of the Randolph hotel)

...nothing can prepare you....

(shot of John confused in the library)

...for what will happen

(shot of Pru looking condescending over her spectacles)

After this week's episode....

(shot of the girls coming down the stairs in their formal gear)

...nothing will ever....

(shot of the whole group dancing at the ball)

...be the same....

(shot of them running down the High after the zombie girl)

....AGAIN!

(Quick cut to the inhuman shadow-face. Sudden quick montage of blood and punches and screams that are impossible to tell which episodes they come from and finally, hold on Miranda looking down in a dorm room and just screaming and screaming and screaming......)

Don't you dare miss it. The Night Watch. 9.30, Tuesdays, BBC2.

[Craig Oxbrow]

:eek:

And I don't say that lightly...

(Okay, I do say that lightly quite often. But not this time.)

[colbabe]

Originally posted by Unregistered Steve D
In the tradition of television:...

Aaahhh... That's effective writing. For a nice moment there, the world fell away, I forgot I was at work, and I was caught up in the throbbing pulse of each of those intercut shots. Mmmm... :cool:

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by Unregistered Steve D
Don't you dare miss it. The Night Watch. 9.30, Tuesdays, BBC2.
Someone....

...will...

...Die!

Or at least, be dead. Which, given that this is a show about the supernatural, means very little.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Well, that depends if it's someone like Angel dying or someone like Jenny Calendar...

[SteveD]

If you had a zombie in the cast (see Monster Smackdown for the zombie quality), then technically, every single episode somebody would be dead! Excitement plus!

[Craig Oxbrow]

And then every week someone could be fighting the Zombie!

Wait, no...

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
And then every week someone could be fighting the Zombie!
Some of the cast do fight the zombie once a week.


Some do it more often too.

[SteveD]

Next season: scary episode where the cast wakes up to find they can't see, their growth is stunted, and their palms are HAIRY!

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Next season: scary episode where the cast wakes up to find they can't see, their growth is stunted, and their palms are HAIRY!
Sooo... you turn into a blind werewolf if you fight too many zombies?

The World of Darkness makes so much more sense now...

[Phantom Grunweasel]

Originally posted by dalziel_86
Sooo... you turn into a blind werewolf if you fight too many zombies?



Everyone knows 'fighting the zombie' makes you go blind.

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by dalziel_86
Sooo... you turn into a blind werewolf if you fight too many zombies?

The World of Darkness makes so much more sense now...

It certainly explains a fair gamut of its players...

Yeah, that was a cheap shot, and not really meant....

..

But you did make it hard to resist... damn the game system... you set things up with jokes about sweaty, hairy palms, zombies and werewolves... How could I resist?

You wa... nevermind.

:)

Looking forward to it Sunday, Steve. I'm going to miss the porter.
:)

No, have my suspicions, will write 'em down on a bit of paper, and reveal AFTER the session. Could be wrong, or right.
Reckon I'll take a punt.

[SteveD]

I'm going to piss the porter.

The hell does that mean?

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
The hell does that mean?

Ooops!

That should read: MISS

I'll edit.

I was referring to the 'Somebody WILL die!!!!!' box being ticked.
Hence I said 'I'll miss the porter.'

[Craig Oxbrow]

* Craig whistles *

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SteveD
Next season: scary episode where the cast wakes up to find they can't see, their growth is stunted, and their palms are HAIRY!

So it's an ep where they've been made to think that they're ugly geeks who surf the 'Net all day long and can't stand the sunlight?

...

Look Steve, if you wanted Ade, Jody, Scott and I to be involved in a reality TV show, you should have just said from the beginning.

:p

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by colbabe
So it's an ep where they've been made to think that they're ugly geeks who surf the 'Net all day long and can't stand the sunlight?
The light! It burns us, Precious!

[SteveD]

Man, that gives me a great idea. One day, Eddie, Eirion, John and Tom wake up to find they're just rpg characters in a game based on their lives....

[Egarwaen]

Originally posted by SteveD
Man, that gives me a great idea. One day, Eddie, Eirion, John and Tom wake up to find they're just rpg characters in a game based on their lives....

Or one of them starts browsing the Internet and finds that some loony's running an RPG about them? :D

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
Man, that gives me a great idea. One day, Eddie, Eirion, John and Tom wake up to find they're just rpg characters in a game based on their lives....

Steve,

would appreciate you not revealing the major plot revelation for the Over the Edge (tm) role playing game.

kthanks!

:)

[Jokes aside...]

Yes, really. Check in the back section of the core book, in the major plot developments section. Although in that version, the PCs meet their players... and go ballistic for making them suffer.

[SteveD]

Yeah, I know, but the OtE version was all surreal and stuff, and had the characters becoming aware of their status. I'd do it the old fashioned Twilight Zone/Red Dwarf way. As in, the characters wake up and realise they've been playing a game and they're not who they think they are. Like the Buffy episode in series 6.

I like the idea of Colin playing John who has just discovered he's not John at all, he's actually Colin. That amuses me.

Steve

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
I like the idea of Colin playing John who has just discovered he's not John at all, he's actually Colin. That amuses me.
Hell, you could add the intermediate twist of John realising he's actually Cary Elwes, who then realises he's actually Colin.

Imagine Buffy realising she's actually Sarah Michelle Gellar...

...and then discovering that she's really C.J. Carella, playing the character in a game.

[SteveD]

Ian O'Rourke did the episode where the cast slipped over to the dimension where their lives were a TV show (and vice versa). Which produced the great line:

"Kath walks in, except she's no longer Kath, she's now Mira Sorvino"

(while Kath (played by Mira Sorvino) was of course dealing with the scoobies turning into their actors)

Ah, so much fun. And I'd be very happy to discover I was CJ Carella.

Steve

[coeli]

Originally posted by SteveD
Man, that gives me a great idea. One day, Eddie, Eirion, John and Tom wake up to find they're just rpg characters in a game based on their lives....

Years ago, in a superhero campaign, my character died and met the gamemaster.

His shelves of books and videos were a treat: Purple Rose of Cairo, Last Action Hero, Six Characters in Search of an Author, The Cat Who Walked Through Walls...

--Coeli

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Ah, so much fun. And I'd be very happy to discover I was CJ Carella.
I'll let you be C.J. Carella, if you'll let me be John Tynes. :)

[SteveD]

I'll let you be C.J. Carella, if you'll let me be John Tynes.

That sounds like the name of a very bad country and western geek filk love song.

Which I will never write.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by SteveD
That sounds like the name of a very bad country and western geek filk love song.

Which I will never write.
For which we are all eternally grateful.

Alison Brooks, in the article on novelty games for Christmas to which mine (http://www.rpg.net/news+reviews/columns/holiday25dec02.html) is heavily indebted, suggested a "You Character, Me Player" game where the GM is kidnapped by NPC villains and the players recruit the PCs to rescue her, so that the GM can defeat the villains by applying real-world logic to nullify their impossible powers. It reflects the comics tradition of walk-ons by the creative team - and of course, the characters will never speak of it again.

A less fourth-wall-breaking version could involve the Oxford gaming society playing a game of heroic monster hunters and the Cast discovering that the GM's plots are hitting a little too close to home... what does he know about them?

[BlackSheep]

Originally posted by SteveD
Man, that gives me a great idea. One day, Eddie, Eirion, John and Tom wake up to find they're just rpg characters in a game based on their lives....

Been there. Done that. (http://forum.rpg.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=1002463#post1002463)

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
A less fourth-wall-breaking version could involve the Oxford gaming society playing a game of heroic monster hunters and the Cast discovering that the GM's plots are hitting a little too close to home... what does he know about them?
I wrote a CoC scenario like this once.

[Craig Oxbrow]

How'd it go?

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
How'd it go?
Never got to run it, actually. It was for a con, but a family emergency meant I couldn't attend.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Ack.

Well, how was it set up?

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Well, how was it set up?
It was mainly written for laughs. Basically, we had a group of stereotypical 'Fantasy Quest' players as PCs. Weird stuff starts happening, and they eventually figure out that the real-world events mirror the in-game ones. It ended up being caused by an aspect of Nyarlathotep trapped in a 'Shining Icosahedron' (a possessed d20).

[Burgonet]

Will we be graced with a write up of today's exciting adventure?
What happened??

I guess you'll have to wait until Steve posts the transcripts.

:p

[Craig Oxbrow]

How long? HOW LONG?!!

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
How long? HOW LONG?!!

IF I were psychic... I'd post the damned things myself... weeks in advance!!

:)

But I am not.

So, you'll have to wait until Steve does indeed post.
But rest assured, we did play today.

[SteveD]

Not tonight. I have a haddock. First thing tomorrow.

I don't know, it was okay, but not great. Lots of things happened, but it didn't really click for some reason.

To summarise: everything got really fucked up, and people haemoraghed drama points like drowning monkeys.

Steve

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
Not tonight. I have a haddock. First thing tomorrow.

I don't know, it was okay, but not great. Lots of things happened, but it didn't really click for some reason.
Steve

I'm holding Jack Burton responsible.


:)

[SteveD]

He did destroy any hope of making ********'s death a powerful moment.

But still, if anything is allowed to screw with my game, it's Big Trouble.

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
He did destroy any hope of making ********'s death a powerful moment.

But still, if anything is allowed to screw with my game, it's Big Trouble.

Damn you, you killed file sharing once and for all!

:)

We did try, though. I thought the slo mo scene on the exit was not too shabby...

[SteveD]

It was, it was done well. I may have needed more sleep, I was smashed by the end of it. And despite all my prep, something about this story never worked in my head even BEFORE we started playing.

Steve

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
It was, it was done well. I may have needed more sleep, I was smashed by the end of it. And despite all my prep, something about this story never worked in my head even BEFORE we started playing.

Steve

I have to admit, I did pull back a bit too easy by Eddie's liking in regards to ... the bit with the burning brand.

As a player, I sussed what was coming... but I was determined to finish... you know... before we... did that thing Pru suggested there was no shame in doing. I didn't really see a pressing need for my individual result... but nevertheless it should make as interesting set up for next episode...

[SteveD]

Yeah, the plot centred on the doll, and she just wasn't written properly, as well as her plot not making enough sense. I suck at NPCs, and plots centred around them, cos I have trouble liking my NPCs, or finding them interesting, as a creator. As a young GM, I got into the habit of seeing them totally as tools, without any depth or reality in the setting, and it's really hard to break out of that.

Originally, she was supposed to be the monster of the week LAST week, which would have given that episode much more strucutre (and a MotW) (although it was still an NPC-centred plot, so it might not have worked). This episode was then supposed to be all about the rescue, again, with a much more set structure, and no need for her to "escape" and turn villain and all this artifice. Like killing ******** just to make a point.

The longer the season goes on, the more player-controlled it gets, and the further away it gets from MotW plots, and from the ideas I had last year. So the more chaotic it gets, which makes it harder and harder to write well structured plots, or to keep it on track with ANY of my ideas.

I find myself eagerly awaiting series 2 so I can go back to simple episodics again. This epic shit is really hard for a man who had never written an adventure until this campaign.

Whatever the case, you totally nuked my ideas for the next three episodes AGAIN. It is very difficult to build up threads and pacing and so on when every week sends me right back to square one. Which is why I found myself reflecting that I would probably have preferred to write this week's game then run it; overall, it would have been more artistically satisfying for me. Not that it was a bad game, it was just a thought I had.

I don't know. Very steep learning curve, I guess.

- learning by doing D

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
MUCH SNIPPAGE

Steve,

check you email for some thoughts.

Scott.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by SteveD
To summarise: everything got really fucked up, and people haemoraghed drama points like drowning monkeys.
That's not good.

In dramatic terms it's great, but for the characters...

Not ********! ******** was my favourite!

(Hoping ******** wasn't actually my favourite...)

[BethDragon]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
That's not good.

In dramatic terms it's great, but for the characters...

*munches on popcorn, waiting for the newest broadcast summary*

Beth

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by SteveD
The longer the season goes on, the more player-controlled it gets, and the further away it gets from MotW plots, and from the ideas I had last year. So the more chaotic it gets, which makes it harder and harder to write well structured plots, or to keep it on track with ANY of my ideas.

I find myself eagerly awaiting series 2 so I can go back to simple episodics again. This epic shit is really hard for a man who had never written an adventure until this campaign.
I can sympathise. Nice, simple episodic adventures are relatively easy. Of course, they're not as involving for all concerned. The trick, I suppose, is to find the balance (which you've found in some cases) of standalone adventures with ongoing, player-driven storylines also taking place. And the odd bit of sneaky foreshadowing is nice too...

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by BethDragon
*munches on popcorn, waiting for the newest broadcast summary*
You guys wanna order a pizza for when the tape arrives?

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SteveD
I like the idea of Colin playing John who has just discovered he's not John at all, he's actually Colin. That amuses me.

:D

JOHN: "No, I didn't quite catch that... You're saying that I'm not really me at all, but I'm actually a swarthy-skinned computer-technician-cum-actor from Australia. ... In Australia. Oh, my apologies. ... I see. Well, I hope he knows something about Vengeance Demons, because that's the topic of my second Council essay, and quite frankly, it's boring me silly."

Yes, I was very saddened by ********'s death. Now that we've found the murderer as well, John is in a bit of a state. On the whole, the humour didn't really have a place, so no blame for the serious tone of the sesh. (And yeah, we'll leave amusing vids until after the sesh, good plan.)

[SteveD]

Let's go.

1.9 China Doll

No prologue.

A loooong sweeping shot across Oxford, from the east - across South Park, along Headington Road, up the high and then down down down into Magdelen, through the window and into - of course - the library.

Mucho explanations. John has been locked up in the shed as a wild, crazed beast for the past week due to his supression potion having side effects. The zombie situation seems to be under control again. Pru has been told about what happened in the hotel (but not about Rhyll, I just realised), and she is shocked. But she explains that (due to an apocalypse in the early eighties, which killed the slayer after the New York slayer but before the one before Buffy) the Watcher's council was reduced to the survivors, who tended to be the people who covered their own asses. Which is why things are so bad now, but she thinks that if she can raise a new generation of good people, they can make it better. If the boys want to stay, that is. And John IS doing his essays, so he wants to join.

About Eddie and Eirion? Pru saw them in London over the hols (it's still the hols, and she was down there trying to get security increased, then got roped into a mini-inquiry about why the boys were fighting werewolves) and said they seemed to be sorting themselves out, but she didn't know if they were coming back.

Meanwhile, the girls need to be brought in on things - definitely Miranda, and some sketchy details to the others. Miranda because her use of magic makes her dangerous, and Pru agrees to teach her not to use it. (Pru doesn't like magic.)

Tom: There are two reasons why Miranda needs to be brought in. One, she's got some talent with magic, and two -
John: You're dating her.
Tom: Okay....THREE reasons...

So the girls are called in and basic explanations are given. The boys feel less alone. Ah, if only the whole gang was here....And then footsteps outside, and with a dramatic sweep, in steps Eddie! Shaved head, tight t-shirt, looking bad-ass, and calvary sabre in hand. He grins like a wolf. Sword out, he leaps at John, John cringes. Then Eddie slams the sword down on the table, and gives John a big bear hug.

Commercial.

[SteveD]

Reunions. Fun chatter! Party time! Pru goes nuts and not only gets tea but also muffins!

Then Rebecca comes swanning in, and announces that everyone is invited to the chalet in Mont Blanc for skiing for the long weekend, if one can afford it, of course. She drags Fay off telling her about a need to buy her some hot skiing clothes, and the other girls leave too, to discuss what they will wear. John and Eddie agree to pay for Tom and Eirion, respectively, so they can all go and have fun.

More chatter. Talking to Pru about the future. Also, about the rogue Slayer. Yes, Faith has apparently gone rogue - Code Perditum - and steps need to be taken. Great running gag here.

(earlier, before E&E arrived):
Pru: It seems one of the Slayers has gone rogue.
Tom: Which one?
Pru: Faith.
(John passes Tom five quid)

(later)
Pru: It seems one of the Slayers has gone rogue
Eddie: The blonde or the brunette?
Pru: The brunette.
(Eddie passes Eirion five quid)

Later, they were taking side bets on the Master (not The Master, the Master of the college) being the King of Pain. Good fun.

The boys chatter some more and then the screaming starts. It's coming from Staircase Five, the girls' staircase. The guys run up stairs on the double. Miranda is standing in front of Fay and Rebecca's room, screaming and screaming. The boys push forward. Lying on the floor is Susan, a pair of sharp steel darning scissors rammed into her eyeball up to the hilt, and a dark pool of blood seeping across the floor.

[SteveD]

John works on her with his limited medical skills, trying to keep her heart going. Tom passes out. Eddie runs outside and throws up (man, the Buffy game needs a better san system. Really. Theirs is just dull.) Pru calls 999. The nurses arrive and take over from John...but there's nothing they can do. Death was fairly quick.

Steve cues up Radiohead's Talk Show Host on the stereo, and there's a long slow silent montague as the body is taken down, around the quad on the gurney and out to the ambulance. John tries to clean the blood of his hands. Eirion comforts him. Tom and Miranda hold each other, Tom stroking her hair, Miranda gripping his shirt until her knuckles go white. Eddie picks a rose from the garden in the quad, ignoring the thorns, and puts it on her body. It's a beautiful spring day and the blue sky beams down on the disappearing ambulance. And then there's nothing left but emptiness.

The girls get a few things and get new accomodation in the other wing. Police tape covers the rooms. Miranda throws up a few more times. Somehow, the sun goes down and comes up again. Life goes on, except when it doesn't.

The next day, the boys need to keep busy, so although Regis is in france, they move all his stuff back in with the Playstation geek boy, and move Eddie back in. Eddie and John have a few plaintive words in the hall, then the gang go and have a sombre pint at the White Horse. Later, they meet up with Harker again, who says the killer had to be someone within the college, or who new well how to get in without being seen, so they had as good a chance of finding them as she did. So, she welcomed their help. The only lead they have is a white powdery substance on Susan's skin.

John's memory starts kicking in, remembering a similar substance from the night of the Ball. And a pair of darning scissors Fay was using to make alterations. Somehow - although it can't be possible - Fay must know something about this, or something. While Harker questions Miranda, and Rebecca leaves to go to Mont Blanc and mourn privately, three of the boys go and talk to Fay. Eddie instead goes to Susan's room and looks at the flowers he sent her....which are now starting to die.

Fay says they were her scissors, and she's very upset. John takes her arm and comforts her. As he walks out, his hand has a white powdery residue on it. Research time.

[SteveD]

Lots of faffing about planning from my players. Like I said, structure was a problem. Eventually, they go and try to seduce a chemistry lab assistant. Despite his Attractiveness, Tom doesn't get enough successes and she charges him for it. Turns out the powder is make-up - the remnants of a thick creamy white light-reflective paste, like clowns wear. Greasepaint.

Meanwhile, E&E have tracked down the King of Pain's history. Clement J Houston was born in the north somewhere, educated at Brown, then served as a blue in the Civil War as both an artillery officer and an army surgeon. After the war, he drifted west using his chemistry training to become not just a snake-oil salesman but THE snake oil salesman. His business was very successful because his products worked just enough to keep people buying them. Eventually, though, in Arizona in 1889, he was lynched. Then he was lynched again in 1894 and again in 1896. A newspaper article has much sensationalist fun tracking his movements for a few months through San Francisco in the early 1900s. A watcher of the time records this event in his journal, saying that the word on the demon underground is that he's a sorceror and alchemist of some power, and should be watched.

Somewhere around this point, he disappears, and apparently started his work as the pharmacist of the demon underworld. The players can find no more (ah, if only they had Angel to ask...)

Meanwhile the Master comes along and expresses his sympathies. He also reminds the boys to help the police, but with decorum and reserve so as not to cause any bad reflection on the college, as that would make him upset. And a man who has the power to destroy your academic reputation for life is not someone who should be upset. He doesn't say that last bit. He doesn't have to.

As the other boys return, some flowers of condolences are delivered from the King. The boys are angry.

They convene and confront Mirand and Fay in the library. Eddie announces who the flowers came from and spots Fay rolling her eyes for a milisecond. Aha! he says! It IS you! Show yourself, bitch!

Fay hides behind John, who is telling Eddie to stop. Tom grabs a weapon. Fay says please, please, don't...it was self defence!

[SteveD]

The china doll drops her glamour and shows what she really is: a giant plastic doll, the old Victorian style with the plastic head and arms and stuffing in the middle, only more sewn together, with parts of human (and other) flesh for good measure, and then covered in thick make-up to hide the blemishes and plastic. It doesn't work. She is freakish. She claims she just wants to be a real girl, and escape from Pain's cruel service, and Susan tried to stop her.

Lots of good altercations and dialogue here that I cannot remember or transcribe justly. Eddie is out for blood, and eventually grabs a lit torch. Tom is ready to kill also. John is trying to keep everyone calmed down, and barely doing so. The doll barters for her life by saying she can lead them to the King - if they agree to let her go. The story gets a bit messy, but they agree - particularly when she explains that if they don't do this, they'll never find the real Fay.

SAN starts dribbling out John's ears at this point.

The boys arm themselves. Pru returns and the boys fill her in:

Pru: What's going on?
John: We have a slight problem....
Tom: Fay's a doll.
John: ...and the king of pain has the real one and we need to save her and...
Tom: And Fay's a doll.

Pru is worried about them, but doesn't try to stop them. She just hugs them and gives them every weapon she can find and tells them not to be heroic. Then she goes and calls the Council again, she will raise the calvary!

The gang walk down the street to South Park, where the circus is in town. It's late evening, but it is still running, just closing up for the day. They are waved in, and leave Miranda to guard "Fay". (they didn't see it, but two seconds later, "Fay" went: "hey, Miranda?" and punched M out, then ran away)

Tom tries to threaten the barker at the second tent.

Barker: Sorry, we're shutting down for the night.
Tom: We're going in there. We have tickets.
Barker: Sorry sir, we're closed.
Tom: We're going in there. (added menace) WE HAVE TICKETS.
Barker: Fine, whatever. Give me your tickets, have fun.
John: (hands over four tickets)
Tom: (aghast) You mean we actually have tickets? But I wanted to punch him in the face?

Inside the second big top, the boys seem the remains of the spook house mirror house and freak show structures. Shadowy midgets shift in the dark corners. A clown tells them to clear off. Much joking is made about his painted-on smile. Tom tries (as usual) the direct approach: "We're here to see the King of Pain". The clown smiles, and eventually shrugs and says "well, it's your funeral".

Then a block and tackle falls out of the sky. The clown runs off. Tom gives chase, into the freakshow. The others run outside because they hear screaming. Here, they find the injured Miranda, and a very large and hungry tiger. The boys run back to the freakshow. Inside, Tom is getting the shit beaten out of him by Tycho, the Beast Man from the Coral Islands (as advertised on the billboards outside). Much to his surprise, Tycho is a vampire. He's also seven feet tall and looks like Ving Rhames crossed with Swarchenegger.

The gang start laying into Tycho with everything they can find. Before they can kill him (and they eventually DO chop his head off, because ganging up on people in Buffy makes it way, WAY easy to kill them. Might even be a problem with the system) a gang of eight vampire teamsters arrive and after a long battle (in which Steve is STILL pulling every punch he can, partly to be nice but also because I'm still struggling with the combat system, and I'm lazy, dammit) pummel Tom, John, Eirion and Miranda into unconciousness, even despite Tom's Righteous Fury. Eddie pulls down a supporting wall and runs like crazy back hrough the circus.

The four prisoners awaken to find themselves trussed hand and feet with thick rope, and locked in a tiny animal cage, in a wooded area. From out of the caravans around them come various vampires, demons and freaks. Then through their ranks pushes the King of Pain - a tall, deathly-pale moustachioed gent with a cowboy hat and wide-lappelled brown suit (played by Sam Elliot). He leans in close, smiles that smirk of his and says "I think we need to have a little talk...."

Reverse to their freaked faces. Cut to black. Roll credits.

Steve goes. Wow, that was NOT supposed to happen....

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Steve goes. Wow, that was NOT supposed to happen....
Really? Maybe we've just gotten a little too used to being able to handle whatever happens. Plus, Tom's sword kicks serious ass, and I'm used to him having it, which made me a little less wary than I would've been.

And I really did think this was the season finale, which was why I was so eager about going to the Big Bad's lair.

[SteveD]

Another thought: Due to events this week, I MIGHT end the series next week, at episode 10, instead of 12.

Yeesh. It am hard enough to produce a well-structured episode, let alone a whole season....

Steve

[SteveD]

Really? Maybe we've just gotten a little too used to being able to handle whatever happens. Plus, Tom's sword kicks serious ass, and I'm used to him having it, which made me a little less wary than I would've been.

It's my fault. I prepped badly, concentrating on setting and stats and less on the right story funnels and communicating such things. I also didn't think things out well enough to cover all options. So some of the things I chose to happen made a lot of sense in terms of setting and character, but didn't make as good a story.

But it wasn't just that you took the direct approach and got clubbed into submission by teamsters. Although I was expecting stealth. And that was a dangerous course of action and I enjoyed being able to demonstrate just how puny four normal kids are compared to a decent group of vamps. :)

The shock I guess was all the other stuff that didn't happen as a result...and, more importantly, that might not happen at all now (three episodes worth, in fact). It's very difficult for you to be ****** in a ********* now that you're on the other side of the city tied up in a cage.

This was supposed to be the episode a few weeks before the finale, when things start going really bad, but they could still be a lot worse. Instead, it turned into part one of the finale. So yeah, it's interesting.

This is why I tried to be very clear about season length. Not clear enough, I guess!

Steve

(edit: not my FAULT, that would imply that something went wrong. Although there was a slight miscommunication there, it's all good)

[Burgonet]

Having the capture, as the first part of the series two part finale, works pretty well, IMHO.

All that needs to be done is to show the audience (and the players) what TKoP's motives are for being in Oxford, what terrible things he has planned, and perhaps a chance to stop the plan.

I had also suspected we were supposed to go in, full of bravado, and have our rears kicked. We've really not had that this season, thought this would be the episode we had it happen.

I guess the playing group got what they were looking for... Eddie, although he escaped, took a mighty licking.

And, for the record, Eirion And Eddie, acting in concert, finished Tycho. Eddie feinted and Eirion managed to sever the great big vampire's head off.

Should be interesting to see how things resolve themselves.

[colbabe]

All I can say is: you can blame "Fay" on me, since I'm the one who took the Tragic Love flaw. I wonder how long I can string that flaw out for before I buy it back to just plain ol' Love as Xander did...

Oh, by the way - what, you didn't think we were going to get captured? I agree with Scott. I saw the way the wind was blowing in that combat and took the unconsciousness first. I figured that a capture would be a good move, and your general intention.

Sooo... do you maybe need a little while to think over the next ep? Sorry for screwing with your plans. :(

[SteveD]

what, you didn't think we were going to get captured?

No, once you all went into the freakshow that was pretty much the only conclusion. Either that or I just let them kill you. :)

Sorry for screwing with your plans

Sokay, it's just...there was cool stuff, you know?

I'll just have to use it later.

Steve

[SteveD]

All that needs to be done is to show the audience (and the players) what TKoP's motives are for being in Oxford, what terrible things he has planned, and perhaps a chance to stop the plan.

Hmm.

Yeah.

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
Hmm.

Yeah.

If its end of season, then stick to the big guns. Let Eddie and John worry about their precious skiing holiday plans AFTER they've saved the world... or died trying.

:)

[Craig Oxbrow]

Not reading this at uni.

Not reading this at uni.

Wait, who died?

Not reading this at uni.

OhmygodSusan'sdead!

Not reading more of this at uni...

[thePill]

Damn you SteveD. Damn you to hell.

To be continued, is the bane of my existence. Every time I turn around some joker is using it for the end of an episode. And now, YOU!

...

7 days.

...

6 days 23 hours 59 minutes 55 seconds and counting.

-thePill hates waiting.

PS-- And thank you as well for causing me to go out and buy all the Buffy RPG books that I could find. Thank you straight to hell.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Okay, I've read it now...

BWAH!

:eek:

Great montage. Now I have to go find that particular Radiohead song.

Good thinking on your feet with capturing them. I've stumbled into that situation a couple times (as player and GM) and captivity is always a good choice.

Now, of course, you have a week to come up with the King's big speech, and a way to get the Cast out of the cage that includes them still being not dead.

And of course I'm hugely curious about the "Lots of good altercations and dialogue here that I cannot remember or transcribe justly." so guys, put at least some of it together!

I was thinking that TNW has become a pretty dark little show plotwise, but looking back at Buffy through the magic of episode guides, I noted that there isn't actually an out-and-out silly episode until season 2...

[colbabe]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
And of course I'm hugely curious about the "Lots of good altercations and dialogue here that I cannot remember or transcribe justly." so guys, put at least some of it together!

I remember John's role as being faux Fay's devil's advocate, sometime after the few minutes where she explained exactly what she was, and John was paralyzed with shock. There was that moment where the lynch mob gathered just after commercial, and they got closer, ever closer... and John interceded at the last minute to save her, moving in between her and them. Eddie went back into "Kill it! Kill it!" mode, with John in a disturbing déjà vu of being on the bad end of Eddie in a zealous rage.

An exchange that stood out for me was:

Eddie: She's a monster and we have to kill her. She has killed a human being!
John: Who's to say that I haven't killed a human?
Tom: Don't be silly. You haven't killed anyone.
John: Haven't I? No-one knows what really happened to Joshua, do they? I might have done it!
Eddie: John, you didn't do it.
John: How can we be sure, Eddie? How?

Sadly, that deflection from the real issue didn't work, and they continued to suggest ways to roast faux Fay.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Great montage. Now I have to go find that particular Radiohead song.
This one's on the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's 'Romeo + Juliet', where it's also used to fantastic effect.

I'm a huge fan of set-pieces like this in RPGs. I love bits where I can just sit back and watch the movie we've made in my head.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by colbabe
I remember John's role as being faux Fay's devil's advocate, sometime after the few minutes where she explained exactly what she was, and John was paralyzed with shock. There was that moment where the lynch mob gathered just after commercial, and they got closer, ever closer... and John interceded at the last minute to save her, moving in between her and them. Eddie went back into "Kill it! Kill it!" mode, with John in a disturbing déjà vu of being on the bad end of Eddie in a zealous rage.

An exchange that stood out for me was:

Eddie: She's a monster and we have to kill her. She has killed a human being!
John: Who's to say that I haven't killed a human?
Tom: Don't be silly. You haven't killed anyone.
John: Haven't I? No-one knows what really happened to Joshua, do they? I might have done it!
Eddie: John, you didn't do it.
John: How can we be sure, Eddie? How?

Sadly, that deflection from the real issue didn't work, and they continued to suggest ways to roast faux Fay.
Danke. Great stuff.

Yeah, I'm a huge "setpiece" fan too.

I managed to hear the song via internet radio. Enormous bummer. Been looking for another excuse to get that CD.

Which reminds me, a soundtrack listing for each episode would be cool...

And some selections for the soundtrack album...

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by colbabe
I remember John's role as being faux Fay's devil's advocate, sometime after the few minutes where she explained exactly what she was, and John was paralyzed with shock. There was that moment where the lynch mob gathered just after commercial, and they got closer, ever closer... and John interceded at the last minute to save her, moving in between her and them. Eddie went back into "Kill it! Kill it!" mode, with John in a disturbing déjà vu of being on the bad end of Eddie in a zealous rage.

An exchange that stood out for me was:

Eddie: She's a monster and we have to kill her. She has killed a human being!
John: Who's to say that I haven't killed a human?
Tom: Don't be silly. You haven't killed anyone.
John: Haven't I? No-one knows what really happened to Joshua, do they? I might have done it!
Eddie: John, you didn't do it.
John: How can we be sure, Eddie? How?

Sadly, that deflection from the real issue didn't work, and they continued to suggest ways to roast faux Fay.

Certainly, Eddie fell back into bad habits.

But Evil Raggedy Anne here did kill Susan. Who did not ask to be killed. She was a casuality in the war between Good and Evil.
I do believe Eddie referred to Susan in particular as being killed by faux Faye.

It was interesting though... Tom's 'tolerance' speech seems to have given way to 'It killed Susan'. Eirion seemed to be unsure, with mixed emotions. (I'm sure Jody will chime in, adding his own dimension).

Eddie has become more tolerant, but has some way to go.
Eddie feels directly responsible for the death or Susan.
The combination of leaving Oxford, and his responsibilities, coupled with standing Susan up for the dance (and her death thwarting any chance for Eddie to set things right) and Eddie's genuine deep like/platonic love for Susan (which was genuine) all equals a deep sense of rage and guilt over her death.

Eddie eventually gave way to John's steadfast defence, but at his core felt a strong distrust of faux Faye. And, as events panned out, still has an incredible distrust. Say what we will on the nature of Good vs. Evil... The King of Pain is our villain for the season, and will no doubt do terrible things to his captured foes.

Which of course is driving Eddie even more into a bad place. Not only did he escape, he left them all behind. But Pru's speech kept ringing in his ears... get out if things get too bad.

Eddie only hopes he can marshall the forces of the Council to save his four captured friends. But as to what happened after he escaped from the Freak show... that's for next episode.

[Craig Oxbrow]

That's a good, thorough writeup of where his (shaven) head's at. I'd be delighted to receive that level of feedback from players in a character-centered game. Well done.

Hate, envy, etc.

[SteveD]

Good stuff, Scott.

The rest of you: it would help me greatly if you sent me some of your ideas BEFORE the next session. I mean, say we come back in for the prologue of next week and you're all hanging from chains, shirtless, whipped and beaten bloody, and the cell door clangs shut behind you. What's your next move? (besides staying put until you're tortured to death, of course.)

[BethDragon]

Wow.... just...wow.

Bravo guys! Can't wait to see what happens next!!!!

Beth

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by SteveD
Good stuff, Scott.

The rest of you: it would help me greatly if you sent me some of your ideas BEFORE the next session. I mean, say we come back in for the prologue of next week and you're all hanging from chains, shirtless, whipped and beaten bloody, and the cell door clangs shut behind you. What's your next move? (besides staying put until you're tortured to death, of course.)

Discover God?

:)

[SteveD]

A quick music list:

Pulp's Common People, I Spy and Sorted Out for E's and Whizz

Radiohead's Talk Show Host (and more of their stuff too, being Oxford boys)

Barrington Pheloung's Theme from Inspector Morse

Billy Bragg's Walk Away Renee (and others)

The Venga Boys' Were Going to Ibiza and Ricky Martin's Livin' La Vida Loca (from the dance)

Various classical pieces which I will have to look up, but definitely Beethoven's 5th and some of the Brandenburg concertos. And Toccata and Fugue. I haven't used it, but every show needs to use Toccate and Fugue. Probably appeared in 1.5.

Who else was playing at the dance, pre Glastobury? Suede, I think. Obviously an Ash song or two would be on the soundtrack.

Steve

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SALette
It was interesting though... Tom's 'tolerance' speech seems to have given way to 'It killed Susan'.
This was unconscious, but in-character. Miranda was pretty shaken up about the whole thing, and Tom did kinda go to the dance with Fay. He was in no mood to be tolerant by that stage.

[SteveD]

I liked all of this stuff. Comes back to the whole "can't choose who you are... but can choose what you do" theme.

[colbabe]

Originally posted by SteveD
What's your next move? (besides staying put until you're tortured to death, of course.)

I think it's a marvellous opportunity to have at least a few emotional speeches from the boys about how they've come closer together in the last months. Then, action! ;)

I'm not sure about next moves... The plot seems to require Eddie to rush in to save the day, with or without the Council legbreakers. At the moment, we don't got nothin' to our advantage and only some external force has any hope of saving us.

By the way, I had a few more music ideas from the CD that I put on during the dance. Maybe we should include tracks from Dead Can Dance, Gus Gus, Heidi Berry, Lush, Mojave 3, and Throwing Muses.

[SteveD]

Hmm. I thought of a way out for you. I was wondering if you would think of it.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
I liked all of this stuff. Comes back to the whole "can't choose who you are... but can choose what you do" theme.
It's been Tom's theme all season, as I've taken pains to hammer into everyone's brain. :D

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by colbabe
I'm not sure about next moves... The plot seems to require Eddie to rush in to save the day, with or without the Council legbreakers. At the moment, we don't got nothin' to our advantage and only some external force has any hope of saving us.


Eddie isn't going to rest until all four of you are freed.

However...

That said, it could be just as likely that you save yourselves.
I've some ideas... Eddie sure as hell wouldn't go back there alone...

I've a few ideas, will think things over before musing again.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SALette
Eddie isn't going to rest until all four of you are freed.
Why did I mis-read that last word as 'fired'? :)

[Craig Oxbrow]

Obviously it has to be something the cast can do themselves. Having Colonel X save the day, for example, has a certain mad appeal, but it would severely undercut the cast's status as the actual main characters.

And Eddie's heroic rescue bid coming after the rest of the cast escape would be inappropriate tonally. (Maybe an idea for a later comedy episode.)

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Obviously it has to be something the cast can do themselves. Having Colonel X save the day, for example, has a certain mad appeal, but it would severely undercut the cast's status as the actual main characters.

And Eddie's heroic rescue bid coming after the rest of the cast escape would be inappropriate tonally. (Maybe an idea for a later comedy episode.)

I have faith (from evidence and prior form) that Steve will put the climax together into something very cool, and memorable.

And that we, the players, will do our part as well.

:)

[Craig Oxbrow]

So do I.

Of course, between the incredible John and Miranda's ability to copy herself (quite possibly on the outside of a cage) there are a number of mystically-powered escape options, and the King can't stop all of them...

and could the white sword return to Tom's hand if called?

And...

[Garry G]

I can't wait any longer the edge of my seat isn't very comfortable.

[Craig Oxbrow]

You need a better seat, old top.

[colbabe]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Of course, between the incredible John

Heh, I only got this the second time around. "JOHN SMASH! PUNY HUMANS!"

and could the white sword return to Tom's hand if called?

Wow, that got me thinking of Narsil for some reason...

[Craig Oxbrow]

Not that I'm suggesting Tom's sword has mystical properties... being a silvery milk-white two-handed scimitar which balances perfectly despite weighing a ton...

(200th post on this thread. Rock!)

[SteveD]

I have faith (from evidence and prior form) that Steve will put the climax together into something very cool, and memorable.

Christ.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Not that I'm suggesting Tom's sword has mystical properties... being a silvery milk-white two-handed scimitar which balances perfectly despite weighing a ton...

(200th post on this thread. Rock!)
Tom: Don't ask me, I just hit things with it. :D

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Christ.
No pressure or anything. :D

[SteveD]

BTW, how do y'all feel about roleplaying and/or dicerolling torture scenes? Either on you, or watching others be tortured.

- stuck in the middle with D

[colbabe]

I'm cool with it. Bring it on.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
BTW, how do y'all feel about roleplaying and/or dicerolling torture scenes? Either on you, or watching others be tortured.
I'm probably fine with it, but I'm just thinking about how in-genre or not it is...

[SteveD]

Remember The Harsh Light of Day (Angel, 1.4)? Angel is tortured on screen, as in we actually see the burning metal get thrust into his flesh and so on. Wesley in the Faith episode was also tortured, but we cut away before any actual contact of flame to skin. So there's some precedent.

Steve

[Burgonet]

Oh yes... make them suffer...


:)


Please. It will be good for the story.

;)

I'm sure Eddie will be suffering in his own way.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SALette
I'm sure Eddie will be suffering in his own way.
You can have death. Vorpal sword death. :p

[colbabe]

There's a lot more in the way of examples of implied torture in the Buffy-verse - Drusilla torturing Angel in Buffy ep 2.10 "What's My Line Pt 2", Giles getting tortured by Angel in Buffy ep 2.22 "Becoming Pt 2", etc etc. I think it's all a matter of how much they can get away with from a censorship ratings POV, and from a framing/SFX POV. Torture on Angel has been much worse than that on Buffy ("Harsh Light of Day" is a wonderful example, with Angel being stabbed through repeatedly), so I'd say put in whatever you think your 'viewers' can stand.

That said, what sort of censorship rating are we in TNW? With Susan being killed so brutally, how much of that did the audience see? Just us getting to the door, Miranda screaming, all of us looking at the floor of the bedroom with Susan just out of shot? Susan from the opposite side to the wound so that the audience can't see the entry point? Or much grossness with gore around the wound and a slow pulse of blood from her eye socket? As far as revealing elements of horror, are we Hitchcock or schlock?

[SteveD]

Think Cracker, or Morse.

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Think Cracker, or Morse.
Ooh! Can we pleeease have a Robbie Coltrane guest appearance?

[SteveD]

Yeesh. I'm not made of guest stars...

Alright. Add him to the list.

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by dalziel_86
You can have death. Vorpal sword death. :p

Gonna summon the Sword, Hawk the Slayer style, eh?

:)

Although I'd rather a quick death than a comic cover that could read:


Captured! ...

(Insert picture of terrifed teens, surrounded by a sinister carnival of freaks, 50's horror comic style)

... By the King of Pain!

(Who is probably some sort of celebrity in S&M circles, if he's earned his title... )

:)

[dalziel_86]

Originally posted by SteveD
Yeesh. I'm not made of guest stars...
Aww, we all know you are, really.

Alright. Add him to the list.
As Cracker, if possible. :D

[Craig Oxbrow]

I considered casting him as Escher, the Watcher in one or two of my game ideas, before deciding on Alfred Molina.

I also considered John Rhys-Davies.

[dalziel_86]

And when's Alan Rickman going to show up? He should be season 2's Big Bad. :D

[Craig Oxbrow]

Actually, his schedule being rather hectic, he's only agreed to appear in the flashbacks to 1888, playing Sherlock Holmes.

[SteveD]

Alan Rickman is Eirion's adopted father Watcher thingy. What Bruce Wayne is to Dick. What do they call that? He'll be in the Australian episode which will either bookend the first series (giving you a chance to reflect and make your choices for next year) or kick off the second.

[Peter LaCara]

Originally posted by colbabe
There's a lot more in the way of examples of implied torture in the Buffy-verse - Drusilla torturing Angel in Buffy ep 2.10 "What's My Line Pt 2", Giles getting tortured by Angel in Buffy ep 2.22 "Becoming Pt 2", etc etc. I think it's all a matter of how much they can get away with from a censorship ratings POV, and from a framing/SFX POV. Torture on Angel has been much worse than that on Buffy ("Harsh Light of Day" is a wonderful example, with Angel being stabbed through repeatedly), so I'd say put in whatever you think your 'viewers' can stand. Don't forget Evil Willow torturing Angel in The Wish. Never ever forget Evil Willow. Also, as the series went on, Buffy did get a lot more graphic, especially seasons 6 & 7 (What with the flaying alive, on screen hanging, and the slicing in half that happened).

Good ep, Steve, although I don't think that this feels like a lead in for a season finale. This feels more like when Angel killed Jenny Calendar, or that one episode in season 3 where Willow gets captured and they have to trade her for the Box of Gavrok. Y'know... this is where our heroes really get to meet the villain and see what a horrible monster he is. You could easily have them escape this situation and still get 2-3 more episodes worth out of the season.

I know I don't want it to end.

[SteveD]

This feels more like when Angel killed Jenny Calendar, or that one episode in season 3 where Willow gets captured and they have to trade her for the Box of Gavrok.

That is indeed precisely how it was originally written (in fact, Choices was a big inspiration). As sort of discussed in the NPC theory thread, the question is how much can I bend the setting and the events going on to make it into the plot we want to happen? I'd hate to save the point in the series in exchange for a bad episode.

That's up to me, really, cos only I can see all ends.

Steve

EDIT - and of course, I don't mind going into last ep already, too. At the moment, that's my plan.

[dalziel_86]

Well, it seems to me like we probably won't be able to bust out alone. And Eddie alone probably won't be able to rescue us.

Unless you really want to bring in the deus ex machina of the Watcher Council's Big Guns, I'd suggest an exchange of some kind. What does the King want?

[colbabe]

Originally posted by Peter LaCara
Don't forget Evil Willow torturing Angel in The Wish. Never ever forget Evil Willow.

Oh. My. GOD. Sacrilege that I did.

Still, Darth Rosenberg stringing up Warren and flaying him alive isn't really 'torture', so much as 'justifiable hyperviolence' in my book.

I would hereby like to initiate a TNW thread caveat: please do not discuss important plot elements of Buffy season 7 or Angel season 4 without prominent spoiler warnings. I haven't seen either season - I DVD only for my Buffy-verse action.

[SteveD]

"Don't you want to get back to your world?"
"Oh yes. In my world, there are people in chains and we ride them like ponies"

[Professor Phobos]

Sigh. Did anyone else think the Vampire Willow episode (Doppelgangland, I think) kind of...dissapointing?

I thought she'd be a wonderful recurring character. On par with Ethan Rayne, at least, only with a yen to cause Willow pain and anguish instead of Giles.

[colbabe]

Originally posted by Professor Phobos
Sigh. Did anyone else think the Vampire Willow episode (Doppelgangland, I think) kind of...dissapointing?

Good Lord no. Loved it. It was the birthplace of the immortal Willow lines: "And I think I'm kinda gay..." (revived to excellent effect in 6.7 "Tabula Rasa") and "Whoa, will you look at those?" whilst looking down at her newly discovered cleavage in Evil Willow's outfit. Plus, it reintroduced Anya. What was there not to like?

[BethDragon]

Originally posted by SteveD
Alan Rickman is Eirion's adopted father Watcher thingy. What Bruce Wayne is to Dick. What do they call that?

Hmm, not sure what you call the adopted parent, but it makes Eirion Alan's ward.

Beth

[colbabe]

Foster parent? Guardian?

[SteveD]

Guardian? will do.

[Jody Macgregor]

Originally posted by SALette
It was interesting though... Tom's 'tolerance' speech seems to have given way to 'It killed Susan'. Eirion seemed to be unsure, with mixed emotions.

Mixed emotions is one way of putting it :)

Seeing Eddie's moral side during The Monty Incident gave Eirion more faith in his judgment than he used to have, but he realises it was necessary to deal with Counterfeit Faye in exchange for the information we need to save For Real Faye. His biggest concern during the negotiation was finding out how the de-dollifying spell works and what effect it might have on For Real Faye. Eirion personally didn't promise Counterfeit Faye anything.

Eddie only hopes he can marshall the forces of the Council to save his four captured friends. But as to what happened after he escaped from the Freak show... that's for next episode.

I'm confident Eddie will be back to save us. He has to be. For starters, he owes me five quid now.

[Craig Oxbrow]

Surely that's a reason not to save you?

[Burgonet]

Originally posted by Craig Oxbrow
Surely that's a reason not to save you?

Eddie is a man of his word when it comes to paying debts.

:)

[Craig Oxbrow]

Bloody good show!

[Jody Macgregor]

Three more episode guides up at the website: www.geocities.com/buffynightwatch

I'm especially proud of this sentence from one of the synopses; "Disguised as peasants the gang sneak in to the castle, defeat the Nazi robots using the power of rock 'n' roll, and escape back to reality."

That covers at least an hour of play time in 26 words.

[SteveD]

"Nazis were also real"

Genius.

Some quick points:

In The Enemy Within, Wayne Pygram played Terry Anderson. Dermot Morgan is the man who replaced both Andersons as the new porter, in the next episode.

Fay is played by Fay Masterson.

[thePill]

Well, I go away for a few days and I get all sigged. And by SteveD no less. Thank you again.

Alan Rickman is Eirion's adopted father Watcher thingy. What Bruce Wayne is to Dick. What do they call that?

I believe that they call that abuse.

What kind of sick bastard goes out late at night whilst wearing a dark costume to fight evil-doers, while not once mentioning to his "ward" that, perchance a bright yellow cape, green hot pants and green booties might be a tad off base at night?

Batman: I am the night.

Robin: I'm the Boy Wonder

Criminal 1 and 2 laughing.

Batman: Um...

Robin: What?

Batman: Perhaps the green elfin booties are a touch too much.

Robin: You didn't say anything was wrong with them last night.

Criminals laughing harder.

Batman: Um...

-the Pill is still ecstatic about being sigged.

PS-- 2 days, 18 hours, 35 minutes, and 25 seconds.

PPS-- Thank you. Thank you straight to hell.

[SteveD]

Great, now I have images of Alan Rickman fighting vampires with Boy Eirion in leotards....

It would explain a lot about Eirion, too...

[thePill]

I just knew it was something...

Oh my God, I just flashed on Alan Rickman in leotards ala 60's Batman...

Yeesh...

Take that, you unconscionable bastard.

-the Pill still upset that he has to wait

2 days, 18 hrs, 29 mins, 22 seconds til the next installment.

edited to add: Na na Na na na na na na Rickman. Rickman. Rick-man!!!

[SteveD]

Rick-man!!!

HE HAS THE POWERS OF A RICKSHAW!!!!

Or is it the powers of Rick Shroeder from NYPD Blue?

Or the powers of Rick Astley?

Maybe that is his power...to become ALL Ricks...

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by Jody Macgregor
Three more episode guides up at the website: www.geocities.com/buffynightwatch
So how does one put, say, the cover of TNW issue 1 up on the site?

[SteveD]

Before I talk about what happened, let me briefly discuss the way I originally wrote this campaign. Not because I want to say this is what SHOULD happen, it's just I want to show off my notebook. And give some insight into my ideas so it's easier to understant how we met in the middle.

Episode 8 was supposed to involve facing down the fake Fay. Ep9 was the rescue, in which the King would taunt them...but be unable to touch them, because of the barrier. See, on their side, it would be them against the King, and the King woudl lose, but on the outside, the King and his army would kick their ass. An impasse, because they wouldn't give up the slayer. So the King was supposed to play on their desires, offering his cures and restoratives and playing on their greatest desires (like say, a cure for John's condition, and a cure for Eddie's father). 1.10 would be an interlude dealing with an earthquake, in which the climax would be the great shield which was all that was keeping the PCs alive failing. 1.11 and 1.12 would be a two-parter in which the King's army moving through Oxford and starting a media hunt for the girl (satiring the British media's witchhunting tendencies against child offenders) resulting, possibly, in the gang leaving town and heading north to John's father's place, possibly with the sickly Eddie's fathr also. Meanwhile, one of the PCs may have cracked and made a deal with the devil, allowing the King to follow them. While Sir Charles and Lord Talbot were squabling, the players would repel a siege and I don't know, do kung fu or someshit.

Hmm. The siege might come in useful....

The main point is that the King was supposed to be a tempter, like Lucifer himself. That was his schtick, and what made him a villain, and it never really came out. My players asked for a villain they could hate more next time. I guess I'm pointing at my notebook and saying "I tried! I was working on it!" If he'd turned those screws, it might have.

But then we wrote the story together and it went....different...as they always do. (or apparently so)

Stev

[SteveD]

But enough about what didn't happen...here's what happened.

1.10 Tears of Niobe (As Handy from The Tick would say "Niobe? The greek maiden whose children were killed by Apollo? She cried herself into a stone? It's classical? It's mythology? READ A BOOK!")

Previously, on The Night Watch:

Shots of the King appearing in the library, shots of the ball with evil Fay's face flashing, shots of evil Fay showing her true image, the line about Fay being a doll, the line about rescuing Fay, Tom demanding to see the King of Pain, the fight in the circus, Eddie escaping, the capture, the King saying howdy.

Blackness, then the prologue:


The boy grinned like a snake, and flipped his long
forked tongue in and out of his mouth with glee as he
walked beside his master. He skipped a frantic double
time to match the tall cowboy’s determined stride.

“You have it now, your highnessss” hissed the demon
halfbreed. “Ssurely you can make them talk. Makethem tell you where she is.”

The king said nothing, only made a slight growl of
acknowledgement in the back of hist throat. He pushed
open the door to his small wooden caravan. The squat
dwarfish woman with braided hair and no nose started
at the sound, and twisting, stared up at the entering
figure like a frightened animal. The king barely saw
her, his eyes falling instead on her charge, the
sweat-slicked, comatose girl in the bed behind her.

“How is she?”

“Nnnn, she lives, nnn,” entoned the dwarf. “Nnn, but
not for long, your highness. She will not live to seethe morning, I fear, nnn.”

The King said nothing. With one move he bent his tall
frame down and lifted the feverish girl into his arms
as if she weighed nothing. Her sickly-thin legs
banged into each other as he did, like the feet of a
marionette, lifeless and wooden. He nodded to the
dwarf and swept outside once more, the snake still inhis shadow.
His eyes searched the figures milling in the firelight
until he spotted a large human. “Marcus,” he called,
walking towards him. In another easy move, the girl
changed hands, as light as paper. “Take her to the
hospital, and get everything ready. Take some
friends, in case the last one is watching us. But
keep a low profile. She can’t be troubled, not now.”

The man heard the plaintive urgency in his master’s
tone, and nodded grimly. The king returned the nod.
“Alright then, get. I’ll be along soon as I can.”

As the king turned back towards the caravans, his
reptilian assistant was almost capering. “Now,
highnesss? Now the torture? And, and the hurting andthe bone breaking, yes?”

“Dammit, Giz. They walked straight into my camp and
killed Tycho. I’d like to make them cry like a baby
for that insolence, then dance on their guts. But we
don’t have the time nowabouts.”

He looked at his companion, whose serpentine smile had
sunken to his boots. “Oh, relax. They ain’t goin’
anywhere. You can have your fun later. But I’m a
businessman, Giz. I have to make this deal and make
it quickly. And there are…other ways. Other …markets to deal with.”

“You got the number?” he asked over his shoulder. The
reptile nodded. “Then make the call” he said, turning
back to stare through the fire at the disappearing shadows.

“Let’s make a deal”

[Craig Oxbrow]

I'm all excited. :D

[SteveD]

"oooh, Craig will like that"
- actual line from the session. I don't remember what about. :)

You know, I just realised that prologue doesn't quite make sense again cos of what happened in this episode. Something has happened to my GMing and I don't know how to get it back (assuming I want to). But angst for later. It was a great session, regardless.

After a lot of joking around, we start...a very fun session this week, even if it didn't suit the tone of the ep. As is so often the case with roleplaying....but Adrian did remark we should pun more in character, but no matter.)

RIght, well, the gang come to in a dingy wooden caravan, a bit roughed up and tied to chairs. The real Fay is there, gagged but looking healthy. They try and get their bearings, and figure out what happened - they went throught the barrier into the freakshow. Since the King can get through it and since Eddie got away, looks like the King's not a vampire.

Before too long the King walks in. He pulls up a chair, parks his feet and starts talking.

John: Let the girls go. It's us you want. (beat, off their expressions). Sorry. I had to say it.
Tom: Yeah, and let me go as well. I'm not even English!"

He explains that a few months ago, some of "their kind" - Watchers - poisoned his dear sweet daughter Annie with a poison called The Killer of the Dead. The only known cure is blood of a Slayer or Slayer-to-Be. Of course, said blood also cures a lot of other things,and the King is a businessman. Indeed,he says that's all he is. He apologises for doing them harm and says he'd rather cut a deal than make them suffer. He can cure John's affliction, for example, or trade them any potions, as well as give them their lives. See, he's an honest man, and as he points out, just as human as the next man - maybe more so (nods at John).

The King actually convinces them to trade, because he says all he needs is a pint of the girl's blood. They suggest letting the girls go and get the blood, and then doing a trade. The King agrees and names a location. Miranda and Fay run off. The boys have a moment of discussion as this is organised (and they hear the King giving orders outside).

John: He won't betray us, his daughter is dying.
Tom: How do we know that's true?
John: It was in the cut scene!

Cut to the library. Pru is screaming down the phone at Oxford. Eddie is sitting close by nursing his broken face with an ice-pack and bandages (he got hammered in the fight). Pru has pulled in as many people as she can, but the Council is a bit horrified about these rash acts,and they're all trying to capture Faith anyway.

Back to the caravan, the King walks back in. He tells his boys again that he's a businessman, and there's another reason they're worth more to him alive than dead. Mostly because there's so many OTHER people who want them dead, or screaming in agony. He opens the door an in steps dowdy black shoes, dowdy blue dress with a high collar, and mousy brown hair in a bun...yes, Charlotte Coleman returns in her tour de force as Veronica Caldwell (and Steve spent all week rehearsing his King dialogue and accent, and nothing on doing her). She picks up a thick piece of leather cord, bites her lip and raises her arm high above Tom's face.

Cut quickly to outside as the screams echo through the walls, and the King tells people to break the camp down, and we see Miranda and Fay struggling through the streets, Fay leaning on Miranda...

Commercial somewhere around here.

[SteveD]

Interlude: these are the stats for the King of Pain I posted wayback. I'd link to the thread but there's a few nasty secrets in there I don't want my players to see yet. But it was that thread that inspired the fake-fay, and her being a doll (so I changed his daughter to a pickled human like him)

I'm still plowing through Magic Box, so if anyone could suggest some suitable spells, it would be super keen.

You might think this guy is a bit of a walkover for a group with a slayer and a mage (his combat score is way low) but the heroes in my game are four normal white hats.

Anyhoo. Thought it might amuse you. And yes, I did steal him from Gaiman's Sandman story, "Three Septembers and a January"


The King of Pain

Commonly known history:
One of the greatest snake-oil salesman to ever travel the west. Made millions selling his fake cures to morphine-addicted civil war veterans; the great irony was he was also massively addicted to the stuff himself. Was reported dead in 1885, then again in 1888, and then again in 1892. Since then he has been sighted more than a dozen times, most recently at Woodstock in 1969, although that was never confirmed. Records suggest he was originally human, so he most likely became a vampire or found another way to prolong his lifespan. He makes a living as the ultimate pharmacist and dope dealer to the demon underworld – if there’s a demonic illness or poison, he has the cure – for a price.

Secret History:
The King of Pain knows death very well and saw his coming a mile away. His business is denial, so he decided to deny death the pleasure. He is a moderately powerful sorcerer and an excellent chemist. The combination allowed him to preserve his own flesh with intoxicants, literally pickling his muscles and skin in a sorcerous formaldehyde. He simply then bound his soul and mind to his now undying body. He is not a demon, just an immortal sorcerer, which means demon identification and protection spells do not work on him. Nor does Slayer sense.

The King is smart, and never fights when he can bargain, nor takes when he can manipulate people into giving. His only weakness is his cruelty – he lives for pain, not cures, and would rather hurt his enemies than destroy them. His ideal victory is having his enemies in so much pain (either through poison or addiction) that they need him to survive. Then he’s able to take whatever he wants, and his power grows.

He dresses like a snake-oil salesman, only slightly updated for the modern age: a lurid suit with wide lapels, and a tatty top hat. His most notable visible feature, however, is his pickled-white skin and his sickly grin which reaches from ear to ear. His most notable olfactory feature is he stinks like a biology lab on frog day – if he’s within 20 feet, a successful Per+Notice check will tell anyone who knows the smell that he’s around.

Pain’s body is so rubbery and preserved that hitting it is like hitting foam rubber, and he lacks any internal organs or bloodflow. As a result, any damage done to him by a non-magical weapon is reduced to one point. You can hack him to pieces, but it takes a long time. His weakness, however, is fire. His alcohol-soaked flesh burns real good. However, his suit and gloves are covered in fire retardants (allowing him to put out any flaming flesh with one action) and he is equipped with fire dousing spells just in case. As stated, he isn’t stupid. However, keep hitting him with a flaming torch and he’ll go down.

He is not particularly strong nor fast, but he can certainly handle himself in a fight. He prefers to use magic if forced to fight, paralyzing or weakening his foes so he may do what he likes.

His main goal right now is to procure the blood of a Slayer, or even a potential Slayer. His (adopted) daughter – a freakish doll-like girl held together by as more stitches than skin - is dying from the Killer of the Dead poison, and he’ll do anything to get his hands on the stuff.

Name: The King of Pain
Critter Type: Pickled Human
Motivation: Cause pain, sell pain relief, get rich
Stats: Str 5 Dex 4 Con 10 Int 5 Per 5 Wil 4
Muscle: 16 Combat: 12 Brains: 14
Life Points: 70 Drama Points: 8
Special Powers: All damage taken reduces to one point, immune to all toxins, Occult Pharmacology (Wild Card) 6, Sorcery 6
Vulnerabilities: Fire does triple normal damage (9 points per hit).
Spells: Still working on that.

Punch: 12 12
Kick: 11 14
TK: 10 2* success levels
Takedown 16 5 bashing
Knockout 10 half damage, con check or lights out
Grapple 14 resisted by strength
Toss 12 5 bashing
Sword 12 22
Dodge 12

[Craig Oxbrow]

Originally posted by SteveD
"oooh, Craig will like that"
- actual line from the session. I don't remember what about. :)
I just about cough up a lung laughing. :D

[SteveD]

BTW, this episode, (and indeed this series) is dedicated to the people of RPGNet, whose posts filled in a lot of the blanks. And especially to the people in the chatroom (people like ZenDog, RandomNerd, Losty, BethL, Dan, Sidhain, uh....and many more) who wrote this ep with me.

Right. Where were we?

Miranda and Fay stagger into the library. Three black-ops Watchers (who I decided to call Sentinels) are loading for bear, while Gervaise (Tom Baker playing a scottish watcher), Roger Moore (playing himself as a watcher) and Jack Agamemnon (John Constantine with the serial numbers missing). Fay sees all the scary men and turns around and walks out again. Miranda explains things.

Back at the caravan, Eirion hops over to the chemical lab and palms a mysterious bottle, hoping it is acid of some kind. Then John spends heaps of DPs to arrange for their to be sufficient ingredients (not surprising, given the king) to mix a potion with reverse effects - to make him hulk out soon. I refused to let them spend DPs to cause a lunar cycle to pass in a week. :)

Lots and lots of planning at both ends. Eddie pulls out maps and there's lots of pointing and orders. Sir Charles would be proud at the way Eddie was running things - like the Watchers of Old.

Plan plan plan. Look at them plan. See Steve draw a map completely off the top of his head. Eventually, they come up with a brilliant plan to force the barrier back to another leyline. To do this, they call up the Oxford society of Druids - five guys who play D&D and have staffs. They go out and perform a ritual 33 chains east of the current position. There was a good line around here, as we suddenly seem to be playing Stuperpowers:

Me: Okay, spend a drama point to summon druids.
John: Just one drama point summons druids?
Tom: Can we do that all the time?

Eventually, the forces gather on either side of a moonlit field. Midnight. The moon is a ghostly galleon. Much debating over what to use for music, going through Run Lola Run, then the Fight Club Soundtrackand then later Prodigy. Eddie and Charity stand waiting. Out of the shadows, the enemy forces come...andtheir numbers are fearsome...

Cooooomercial. Probably for the series replacing TNW, as this is the season finale. (Baywatch Goes Bavarian! Mitch and friends go to Bad Lieben Zieben Bad Bad Bad to be lakeside lifeguards! Hilarity ensues!)

(you know, these always sound better in the write-ups. Hell, ALL Rpgs do. So don't - as I often do - assume your game isn't as good as that guy's. :) )

[Craig Oxbrow]

How about a section in the kayfabe site for mini-profiles of the series' other staff...?

Not that I'm angling for a place on such a page or anything.

[SteveD]

This bit got a bit slow, because I was waiting for the players to make their move, but they were waiting for me to make my move.

Eddie draws the blood from Charity, then comes across with it. (Me: Are you bringing Charity?
Them: Are we?
Me: Okay, I'll give you all a drama point if you bring Charity)

The King gives it to a lieutenant, it checks out (it tastes good). He nods to Eddie, says he'll send his prisoners over. The entire time they are being led through the 30-something vampires, demons, freaks, teamsters and killer clowns, the group are bickering. They're trying to get John to hulk out, by making him angry.

John: Quick! Make me angry!
Tom: uh....you suck! Yeah!
Eirion: Baywatch is rating better than we are!
Tom: Uh...I'm dating Fay! You suck at cricket! I'm better than you at cricket! You're not English enough! You don't know the correct bow for meeting an archduke!

It went on, with John just rebuffing each one unhurt. I made the reference to a similar scene in Mystery Men, to which this would clearly be written up by fans and critics as a brilliant homage (Your penmanship is atrocious! You dress in the manner of a male prostitute!).

This arguing gets so out of hand that the team start whacking each other, meandering across the no-mans-land and eventually, trip over themselves and fall down. Checkpoint Charlie, this ain't. At which point the King points at Charity, crushes a glass vial in his hands and she disappears. A moment later, she's in his arms, screaming, and he's running. Eddie screams NOW!

His watcher snipers have no shot though, not with the girl. But the druids get the signal and complete their spell. Suddenly, the shield shoots backwards 600 metres or so, and all the vampires go with it. Flying through the air, probably through houses and cars and gardens and generally messing them the hell up. (Tomorrow on the news: a freak hurricane hit Oxford last night...)

And there's yelling! The teamsters and clowns and freaks who are human (or close enough) are still there. They yell and charge. The watchers and sentinels and Pru and Eddie and Jack and his friend the Manchester kid, and two guys from the pub shout back defiantly and run at each other like mad. It's Braveheart all over again.