[Let's Play] Fighting Fantazine Adventure 7: Queen of Shades

[SGamerz]

Stocking up on magic items is never a bad thing in FF. Shopping lists are important. I vote to go shopping for magic stuff with the Redeye.

[Thaluikhain]

Yeah, go shopping.

[Beroli]

I need a tiebreaker.

[Thaluikhain]

I'll change my vote to avoid a tie: go see Vik.

[Beroli]

The three of you leave Madam Hun’s tavern together, Jardakka with her pet Cheechak riding on her shoulder. Fox leads the way to the city’s slave market on the banks of the river Jabaji. Men and women from Daddu Ley to Lake Lumlé are traded here. As you arrive, you see a group being led away by bone men wearing the black livery of the Third Noble. Rumour has it that their master is a Vampire; whatever the truth, the nobleman seems to have an insatiable appetite for new slaves.

‘We’re being followed, Fox’ Jardakka says calmly.

‘I see them,’ the sorcerer replies. ‘Let’s get off the main street and we’ll find out what they want.’

You turn down an alley that leads into a dirty square surrounded by tall stone buildings, once palatial residences now fallen into disrepair. The square is empty, apart from a pump that dribbles water noisily onto the paving stones beneath. The hustle and bustle of the slave market is a murmur in the background. Here you turn to await your pursuers.

One by one, six DOG MEN file out of the alley and spread out across the square to confront you. They have the bodies of thin, wiry men, though covered all over with a fine hair, and the heads of dogs. Each carries a drawn sword. They stand a head shorter than you, but what they lack in height they make up for in numbers. The Dog Men are almost universally despised in Kharé; keen to pick a fight when the odds are stacked in their favour they are quick to run away if things go against them. You have no doubt that they mean you harm, though they seem in no hurry to attack you.

Attack them first?
Wait to hear what they have to say?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: Rey Ulthran
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 14/16
Luck: 10/11

Gold Pieces: 5
[/spoiler]

[Thaluikhain]

Wait for it.

(Also, the goddess of Justice is ok with slave trade going on in the open? Ok then)

[Queen of Swords]

Wait to hear what they have to say.

[SGamerz]

(Also, the goddess of Justice is ok with slave trade going on in the open?)

Eh, it's kind of pointless to try and implement the modern concept of Justice to a story with mythology-era settings.

I mean, a God or Goddess specialized in the primary function of Justice is an ancient concept anyway (God, Allah, Buddha, etc have more stuff to do than that), and in those times most ancient civilisation were supported by slavery.

In fact where old religion is concerned, Justice was usually more about Punishment for your sins/crimes/offenses, all that hellfire and pitchfork stuff. Slavery was just one of the many "just" forms of punishments for the condemned.

****

Anyway, if we have "no doubt they mean us harm", then might as well seize the initiative, and strike the first blow. For Justice. >_>

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to wait to hear what they have to say. Maybe we can figure out why they want to fight us.

[Beroli]

First time I've encountered the suggestion that something being routine in Khare, Cityport of Traps, implies Libra, of all goddesses, approves of it. And I hope the people who voted to go talk to Vik remembered something more about him than him being a positive force for a completely unrelated protagonist in a book which is pretty dedicated to blue options being good--like how that protagonist learned about him.

Listening to the Dog Men wins 3-1.

‘The fox at bay,’ growls the lead Dog, looking around the enclosed square. ‘Seems you took a wrong turn.’ The others snigger.

‘What do you want, dogbreath?’ Jardakka calls.

‘Oh, nothing to do with you, little lady. You and the sightmaster can be on your way. Our business is with Master Fox.’

‘What concerns Fox concerns us all,’ you say quietly.

‘Oh really? Well, I’d be more careful about the company you keep,’ the Dog continues. ‘Fox here has made some powerful enemies, haven’t you Fox?’

‘As it happens, I’m just on my way to see Vik now,’ the sorcerer replies, causing another ripple of laughter to pass through the pack.

‘Too late for that Fox. You’re dead meat.’ The Dog glares at you and Jardakka. ‘You too unless you walk away now.’

He whistles; a door opens in a house behind you and out trot another six Dog Men. You are outnumbered four to one.

Fight the Dog Men?
Walk away and leave Fox?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: Rey Ulthran
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 14/16
Luck: 10/11

Gold Pieces: 5
[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to fight the fascist mob of Dog Men.

[Queen of Swords]

Shoot, that's a lot of enemies. On the other hand, if we leave Fox, he'll probably be torn to pieces.

So stay and fight.

[SGamerz]

See? We should have hit first and ask questions later. At least there might have been less of them to deal with.

We may need Fox alive for a bit longer. Fight.

[Beroli]

The dogs howl and rush towards you. As the battle is joined, six of them disappear; they were just an illusion, designed to intimidate you. But you still face six angry Dog Men. You must fight two of them at the same time.

First DOG MAN Skill 6 Stamina 4
Second DOG MAN Skill 7 Stamina 5

[spoiler=Dog Men]
Round One: Rey 21, Dog Man One 16, Dog Man Two 12. Dog Man One is at Stamina 2.
Round Two: Rey 18, Dog Man One 15, Dog Man Two 12. Dog Man One is dead.
Round Three: Rey 19, Dog Man Two 10. Dog Man Two is at 3 Stamina.
Round Four: Rey 22, Dog Man 10. Dog Man Two is at 1 Stamina.
Round Five: Rey 16, Dog Man 11. Flawless victory.[/spoiler]

The square is strewn with dead and dying dogs. The body lying nearest to you has a bracelet of finger bones on its wrist. You may take this with you if you wish.

Jardakka walks over to one of the wounded dogs, its hair scorched by Fox’s magic, and puts the beast out of its misery.

‘Strange, I never knew a pack of dog men fight to the death before.’ She turns towards Fox, who is bandaging a cut. ‘Vik must really want you dead.’

‘Don’t worry. I know Vik. I can sort this out.’

You know Vik too; as a dangerous man, a leading light in Kharé’s underworld. Slaves are just one of the commodities he traffics. The thought occurs to you that he might have you all killed.

Keep accompanying Fox?
Go elsewhere?

Don't forget to vote on whether to pick up the bracelet, and whether to wear it or pocket it, too.

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: Rey Ulthran
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 14/16
Luck: 10/11

Gold Pieces: 5
[/spoiler]

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to take the bracelet, pocket it, and keep accompanying Fox. If the group begins splitting up, then bad things are probably going to happen.

[SGamerz]

Pocket the bracelet, stay with Fox.

[Queen of Swords]

Bracelet, Fox.

[Thaluikhain]

Keep bracelet, keep party together.

Eh, it's kind of pointless to try and implement the modern concept of Justice to a story with mythology-era settings.

True, but then FF tends not to go that deep into the ancient/fantasy mindsets. We've got loads of women in male dominated fields without it being an issue, for example.

[SGamerz]

Keep bracelet, keep party together.

Eh, it's kind of pointless to try and implement the modern concept of Justice to a story with mythology-era settings.

True, but then FF tends not to go that deep into the ancient/fantasy mindsets. We've got loads of women in male dominated fields without it being an issue, for example.

Considering Libra also condones death sentence as a punishment for grave robbery, I'd still question the concept of Titan "Justice" compared to the modern mundane world.

Also, given that the only reason we're being punished is because we robbed someone who was rich and powerful enough to have undead cult worshippers (it certainly doesn't sound like it's the first time Fox planned a project like this, just the first time we're being punished), I'd say the system of Justice here is closer to the one argued by Thrasymachus in Plato's Republic (being that it's just the interest of the strong – merely a name for what the powerful or cunning ruler imposes on the people).

[Beroli]

Meanwhile, I thought the implication was that, for all the dodgy things you've done previously, what Libra chokes on is doing something bad enough to bring restless souls out of their grave (and that she found the shieldmaidens' devotion laudable). Of course, if you view the Queen of Iltikar's entire situation with all the negativity that "undead cult worshippers" would suggest, that leads inescapably to the conclusion that either Libra is crazy or you are, which is an awkward position for someone playing a worshiper of Libra.

You follow Fox back to the slave market, where he takes you down another side street, finally stopping outside a door painted with a black sun. The sorcerer hammers on the door until a panel slides back and a brutish voice demands to know your business.

‘It’s Fox the sorcerer. I’ve come to see Vik.’

After a pause, the door is opened and a giant Goblin ushers you up a flight of stone steps to a room on the first floor. In contrast to the rest of the house, which seems in an advanced state of dereliction, this room is opulently furnished with wall hangings and fine furniture. A bronze idol of Slangg, god of malice, stands on top of a large desk. A dark-skinned man is seated behind the desk, playing with a pair of bone dice. His clothes are those of a successful merchant but the scar running down his cheek hints at a rougher profession. He stands up as you enter, not quite able to hide his surprise.

‘Your dogs are dead, Vik,’ Fox says.

You notice the Goblin rest a heavy hand on the hilt of the axe it carries at its belt; an obvious gesture, designed to be noticed. The creature must be at least seven foot tall.

Vik laughs. ‘My dogs? You should know that I don’t hire such rabble. But I’ll not lie; I’m running out of patience with you, Fox.’

He takes a bottle out of his desk drawer and waves it in your direction. ‘A drink for you and your friends?’

Drink?
Politely refuse?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: Rey Ulthran
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 14/16
Luck: 10/11

Gold Pieces: 5
Bone bracelet (not worn)
[/spoiler]

[Queen of Swords]

Not unless he's also waving the antidote in our direction.

[SGamerz]

Meanwhile, I thought the implication was that, for all the dodgy things you've done previously, what Libra chokes on is doing something bad enough to bring restless souls out of their grave (and that she found the shieldmaidens' devotion laudable). Of course, if you view the Queen of Iltikar's entire situation with all the negativity that "undead cult worshippers" would suggest, that leads inescapably to the conclusion that either Libra is crazy or you are, which is an awkward position for someone playing a worshiper of Libra.

And this only brings up more questionable concepts of Justice. I guess Libra is fine with all the slavery because those poor slaves can't afford to have devoted followers killing themselves to guard them for all eternity (and I guess if they can they probably wouldn't have become slaves).

And again, something "bad enough bring restless souls out of their grave" really wasn't so much about what we did, but who we did it to. Those ghosts would have wanted vengeance for any sort of offense that is done to their mistress. I doubt it would have mattered if the only reason we stole the mirror was to use it to buy the freedom of innocent slave children, and the only harm we did in the process was to steal something that its previous owner had no further use for.

And from a certain point of view, one can argue that it was never fair or just for the rich and entitled to take valuable possessions into their grave where nobody can use them for any good, instead of donating it to the poor and needy (or, if said possession can be preserved for cultural value, be placed in a museum where people get to learn about said culture).

Libra isn't crazy. She's behaving perfectly normally, exactly like a mythological-era deity, with personal biases who favours a particular minority of the privileged over others (Greek mythology are full of those), and more "human" and relatable. It's only awkward if one keeps trying to reconcile her with the "perfect, omnipotent and fair, all-loving" deities and values of modern religions and society when she was never meant to be. And as for the PC, he's probably just a victim of his upbringing. Libra is the matron goddess of Analand, so he grew up in a place that touts Justice as an important value, but where slavery is also perfectly legal, and where stealing and cheating is only wrong and punishable if you steal from or cheat someone who has followers that can hunt you down for it (like the Queen...or Vik...so Justice is more like a self-imposed system rather than a divinely-imposed one). No surprise that his moral values may be questionable to those with a different kind of education and upbringing. It's also because of such differences in values that murderous psychopaths like Ian Livingstone's PCs are considered just as much heroes as the genuinely noble and self-sacrificing ones like the guy who saved Kallamehr in Titan.

****

OK, sorry for the derailment, that's the last time I'll making these lengthy paragraphs about non-game-related subject here.

Back to the game...I don't think he's the type to poison us. Besides, dead debtors can't pay up. I vote to drink it.

[JourneymanN00b]

I vote to refuse, as drinking it is asking for serious trouble, if not an instadeath.

[Beroli]

Again, where does "Libra is fine with slavery" even come from? She's not in charge of Khare. Not only is Vik not indicated to be one of her worshipers, which god he does worship is conspicuously presented in my last post here.

I was also confused by "the PC...he" before I realized you mean the protagonist of Sorcery, not this. If there is some passage I've forgotten in the Sorcery books where the hero there casually engages in the slave trade, that would make a much better case than this: in the infamous cityport of Khare, a worshiper of the God of Malice is known to trade slaves...so clearly Libra doesn't case about justice! stuff that Thaluikhain brought up and you've been going on with.

Not drinking wins 2-1.

Fox produces a pouch from inside his shirt and places it on the desk without a word. Vik raises an eyebrow. He reaches across and loosens the
drawstrings, tipping out a slew of gold pieces on the dark wood.

‘Go ahead and count them,’ Fox says.

Vik holds up his hand, as if to decline. ‘A bit of honour amongst thieves, eh?’ He sits down again. ‘Are your friends just here for support or have they brought me something as well?’

‘Actually,’ Jardakka says, ‘we’ve come to ask your advice.’

Vik laughs. ‘My advice?’

‘About the Shield Maidens of Lumlé,’ Fox says quickly. ‘I’ve heard it said that you once defeated them.’

Vik stops laughing and looks at you strangely. ‘Biggest gamble I ever took. It’s a long time since I’ve told anyone that story.’

He takes up the pair of dice again and rolls them across the desktop.

‘I tell you what; we’ll play a round of Snake Eyes. If you win, I’ll tell you the story. If I win, I’ll take your money. What is my advice worth to you? Shall we say three gold pieces?’

Jardakka shakes her head; she is not willing to gamble on these terms. If you want to play, you will have to stake 3 Gold Pieces of your own money.

Play Snake Eyes?
Do not?

[spoiler=Adventure Sheet]
Name: Rey Ulthran
Skill: 12/12
Stamina: 14/16
Luck: 10/11

Gold Pieces: 5
Bone bracelet (not worn)
[/spoiler]

[SGamerz]

Again, where does "Libra is fine with slavery" even come from? She's not in charge of Khare.

Ok, my bad, I did goof up and completely forgot that this adventure wasn't happening in in the PC's homeland when I saw Thaluikhain complaining about the goddess of Justice being ok with slave trade, and I totally blame Thaluikhain for posting that misleading sentence that confused me. This will teach me not to jump into arguments before rereading everything carefully.

( I still maintain that being penalized for this particular robbery over any other that we might have committed before isn't really justice, and that if she considers grave robbery a sin punishable by death she should have conveyed that before the fact and not after - especially if the latter means we may end up being forced to commit further robbery to a paying customer if he doesn't want to sell it back to save our own skin. (And if that works out, then I guess 2 wrongs do make a right.) But I don't see this argument going anywhere, so whatever.)

I was also confused by "the PC...he" before I realized you mean the protagonist of Sorcery, not this.

Uh, no, I don't. Now I'm confused. My long paragraph about the PC was an unnecessary response to your remark about "either Libra is crazy or you are". Keep in mind that I was under the mistaken impression that this adventure was in the PC's homeland instead of Khare, where slavery is legal (which I now know to be wrong, of course). Unless by "you", you were actually referring to ME, and not the PC?

I didn't imply in anyway that Vik worships Libra. He was only brought up to reinforce the relative similarity to how there only ever seem to be penalty if we cross the wrong people, not so much for rights or wrongs of what we do. We're only in more trouble from the Queen because the Shield Maidens are more dangerous than dog people.

****

I don't know if Snake Eyes here is the same one that's played in Daggers of Darkness, but if it is, I don't think the odds are worth the risk - not with our already-small amount of gold.