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Valor Interview: Austin MacKenzie, Lead Designer

September 19, 2016/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by austin

With Valor: Villains, Creatures and Foes in development and the Kickstarter in full-swing, we wanted to take the time to get an inside look at what goes into creating Valor. Over the next few weeks, we will be sitting down with a number of people who made this game happen, from the designers, to the artists and to writers, to hear what goes into making a tabletop roleplaying system from start to finish.

Our first interview is with Austin MacKenzie, the Lead Designer for Valorous Games, and co-creator of Valor, the Heroic Roleplaying game. We asked him what went into his design for the original game, and what fans can look forward to in Villains, Creatures and Foes.

Staff: So tell me a bit about your design background. What made you want to design games?

MacKenzie: It’s something I sort of fell into naturally. When I was a kid, I always thought I was going to be some kind of great novelist. I’d always start trying to write a novel and lose steam after about 1 chapter. At the same time, I was playing a lot of video games and started designing my own tabletop roleplaying games on the side. While I never came close to completing one novel, I finished maybe thirty different games when I was a kid and was always eager to start on the next one. That got me thinking that maybe I might want to work in design. From there, I started doing some modifications and homebrew rules for the D20 system, most notably for the anime Bleach. From there, making my own system seemed only natural.

Staff: Basically you got bit by the design bug as a kid

MacKenzie: Yeah you could definitely say that. Or I spent too much time being grounded from playing video games because I never turned in my homework! Designing games wasn’t barred while I was grounded, thankfully.

Staff: Didn’t we all?

Staff: So did you always know you were going to design something that was more video game or anime focused, or was that something that just happened over time?

MacKenzie: Oh, Alan and I definitely knew it was going to be anime focused. One of the things I discovered working on Bleach d20 was that d20 wasn’t especially suited to anime. While there’s a lot of tactical crunch that I really enjoyed, the system is very specifically about this big epic fantasy and the inspirations are very obvious, Tolkien, Vance, it’s a very core part of the identity and anime works under entirely different rules.

When we launched Valor, our working title was “Shounen”, because we wanted to capture the feel of the shounen anime genre – big, loud, epic battles, screaming attack names, the very theatric, sometimes over-exaggerated pathos, that was definitely what we wanted from the beginning.

Staff: Would you say your work with Bleach d20 influenced Valor in any way?

MacKenzie: Definitely. When I made Bleach d20 I crafted this enormously elaborate system for the Zanpakutou – the magic sword each Soul Reaper carries that personifies their soul and personality. In the original system, I created a huge host of special abilities that you could give it in order to customize it and make it unique, this would provide some basis for the eventual Technique system you see in Valor.

Additionally, while d20 is very much a character class system, I used the stripped down generic 3 classes from Unearthed Arcana to create the baseline for the Soul Reaper, so you had the Warrior, the Rogue, and the Spellcaster. That contributed into our decision to do away with character classes entirely in Valor.

Staff: So in a lot of ways Bleach d20 was a test bed for what would eventually become Valor.

MacKenzie: You could definitely say that, although we did a lot of different things with the final result. We wanted Valor to be able to achieve far more than just Bleach, after all.

Staff: Were there any other things that you took inspiration from when creating Valor?

MacKenzie: When we were first plotting it out, we looked at the other existing major anime system, Big Eyes Small Mouth tri-stat (although there was a d20 variant we chose not to focus on that one) to determine what they did to capture the anime feel. We liked that they offered a wide variety of abilities that could be used to capture the feel of a more anime-based concept, but felt the different mechanics for each different ability made it a bit too confusing.

D&D 4th Edition hit early in the production of Valor and they did a lot of things we liked with regards to action economy and tactical gameplay, the system was very balanced and had all characters operating under the same basic ruleset – that would be one of our major guiding principles as we designed Valor’s core ability suite – we wanted everyone to know how their own character operated, and have a good idea of how other characters could operate.

Beyond that, we also took a lot of inspiration from the Super Robot Wars video game series, a grid-based game that is typically Japan-only due to it featuring a huge crossover between a bunch of different mecha series such as Gundam, Getter Robo, Mazinger, Evangelion, and even Gurren-Lagann in the more recent iterations. In Super Robot Wars, you have a stat called “Will” that rises naturally over the course of the battle and gives you access to more powerful attacks and abilities, as well as increasing your overall capabilities.

This idea perfectly encapsulated the idea of how things operate in shounen anime, in the big, important fights as the stakes get higher the heroes become more engaged and hot-blooded, which in turn makes them perform better or even breaking the “rules” of the setting. This concept was eventually adapted into the Valor stat, and remains one of the most important mechanics in Valor.

Staff: The Valor stat?

MacKenzie: The Valor stat is, I think, the biggest part about what makes Valor unique. In the start of any scene, combat or challenge, you start with 0 Valor and it slowly builds over the course of the scene. You gain bonuses if you do cool things like shouting attack names at the table or giving an epic speech, basically, the more like a shounen anime hero you act, the more Valor you get. You can then use it to do a lot of different things such as add +5 to your roll, even after the dice have already been rolled. It’s a great way to turn aside a powerful attack, turn a hit into a critical hit, and do all sorts of cool things, and it really encourages players to think and act in a certain mindset where they want to be valorous, be daring, and be bold.

Staff: So Valor encourages players to go ham.

MacKenzie: Absolutely. Valor players are big on pork, as it turns out.

Staff: I imagine it gets pretty crazy at the game table then. What is one of your favorite things that a player has done to get Valor?

MacKenzie: We’ve had some pretty epic table dynamics. We once did a Battle of the Bands demo and we had a guy rapping at our table, it was pretty awesome. In the same game, Free Bird often came up, and I found that it’s pretty much impossible for anybody to sing it and not sound drunk. Must be something about that song.

We’ve gotten some pretty incredible rival speeches as well, once in one of our earlier tests, one of the characters went up against the assassin who murdered her clan in a big season finale. She was getting pummeled and she kept spending Valor to get up and keep fighting, and was delivering fantastic speeches to keep her Valor up the entire time. At the end of the scene, because she was using Valor to heal herself, she lost all of the health she had regained which brought her so low she succumbed to her wounds and died, basically after putting everything into one final attack she defeated the assassin and just dropped dead right after the battle. I can’t think of a more perfect example of what Valor is and meant to do than that one scene.

Staff: What went into developing the book for Villains, Creatures and Foes?

MacKenzie: We’d already established with the core Valor book what the system was and what you could do with it, so for VCF, the goal was to create a lot of interesting enemies that a GM could throw at their party. What it also let us do was start adding new abilities that would be way too powerful for a regular Player Character but in the hands of a Foe could make for an interesting, unique and memorable scene. In all, we’ve completed 160 Foes for the book, I myself did about 110 of them and worked with some other fantastic writers for the rest. Making and testing the new mechanics has been a challenge, but the fact that we were able to create so much content in such a small amount of time – 9 months of serious work, in fact, was really heartening.

Staff: Where did you take your inspiration for the various Foes in this book?

MacKenzie: A lot of the Foes were based on popular mythology. It’s interesting when going into a book like this, you know generally that people expect certain things to be there. Dragons, for example, are an absolute must. Greek mythology always get a high amount of representation, there are just some Foes I feel like you have to have. We still wanted to do some interesting things though, and since we’re an anime system that meant one of the major focuses was on bringing in more Asian and especially Japanese mythology into the foes. Creatures like the Tengu and the Kitsune, for example, as well as some other creatures like the Rakshasa from Indian mythology and the Pennangalan from Southeast Asia.

We also grabbed some cryptids and urban legends, we actually have both Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster. Some of this is due to some of the settings we’re working on developing that will need that, but in other cases we wanted to bring in some awesome creatures that you don’t see in other roleplaying games.

Staff: So which one is your favorite?

MacKenzie: That’s a mean question, I’ve made so many of these how can I pick just one? Probably my absolute favorite is actually a Valor original, the Mother of Life and Death who is the strongest endgame boss intended to challenge very powerful parties. She’s level 22 so she really breaks the rules since you can only go up to level 20, and she has the power to shift between two different forms, the Life form, which is a big control-focused spellcaster, and the Death form, which is a powerful high-damage assassin.

Some of the other fun mythology-based monsters are the Leviathan, which is on its own the largest Foe in the game taking up 15 x 21 spaces on a grid, as well as the Kitsune who have a really cool, varied skillset. I also really enjoyed making the high-ranking angels, the Cherubim and Seraphim especially, I had a lot of fun naming their techniques and flavoring them based on what they are in the Judeo-Christian lore.

Staff: Valor original?

MacKenzie: Yes, we have several original creatures that are designed specifically for Valor. The Mother of Life and Death is one, as well as the Malevolent Entity, intended to be a big endgame boss based on the “Malevolent Entity” flaw you can take as a character who has a literal demon living inside of them. Currently all our originals are big, high-level end-game Foes but I’d like to introduce a few more with the bonus content if we can.

Staff: Well hopefully you’ll have the opportunity to do so!

Staff: I imagine VCF has let you flesh out some of the rules for creating Foes. What tools will you be giving GMs to make their own Foes?

MacKenzie: We’ve included some tables to make it easier for a GM to plan their Foes, a lot of the different classes of Foes have different TP, Health, and SP totals and now they’re all together in one place. Beyond that, we’re clarifying how some skills interact with the different classes of NPC so that there’s no uncertainty. Some of the new skills and abilities are specifically for Foes, since Foes can have more specialized strengths and weaknesses it gives the GMs a lot more freedom to do really interesting things with them.

Beyond that, we’re also including easy rules for advancing enemies so if you really like a Foe but it’s not the right level, you can make them stronger and use them anyway. Our ultimate goal is making Valor as easy as possible for a prospective GM to run, since running any kind of roleplaying game is hard enough as it is!

Staff: So basically this book is a GM’s best friend and a player’s worst enemy.

MacKenzie: Pretty much! Although hopefully players will appreciate staring at all the cool abilities they can never have. From a distance. As they are used against them.

Staff: Now that you’re done with developing this book, what’s next?

MacKenzie: After this book it’ll be back to giving the players some love, we’ve already begun outlining and compiling a host of new abilities that will be included in Valor: Tools of the Trade. We had a bunch of ideas that were cut from the original Valor book due to time and space, so we want to bring these back around in a new book to greatly expand the options available to players. Maybe that will keep them from wanting to dig their hands into the Foe abilities.

The GMs will still get some love too as we’ll be introducing or expanding a host of optional rules. With Valor, we strive for modularity and customizability so you can really just grab whatever is appropriate for what you’re trying to accomplish and go. Tools should have a lot of great new options for players and GMs alike.

Staff: So is there anything else that you want to tell anyone looking at the Kickstarter?

MacKenzie: I’m just really excited to get this book released. Our goal with Valor is to create a great new system that’s flexible enough for Game Masters to really do whatever they want with it, and I think Foes is a fantastic step in this direction. I’m excited to release all this new content, and even more excited to see what people do with it!

Valor: Villains, Creatures and Foes can be found on Kickstarter through October 15.

Valorous Foes

July 14, 2016/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by austin

We are excited to announce our second Valor book, Valorous Foes, will be Kickstarting soon! Valorous Foes will be the first expansion book to Valor: the Heroic Roleplay System and will focus on providing a healthy selection of monsters and enemies for heroes to face on their journey. We are in the process of finishing the rest of the builds for the Foes, and are targeting an early September date to begin the Kickstarter. Keep your eyes on the site, as well as our Social Media for more information!

Additionally, with Valor having been released for a little over a year now, we’re also preparing to release our first official errata. While not necessary to play and enjoy the game, the errata will update some balance issues we’ve discovered as a broader group has played the game, as well as correct some minor errors that were found in the book. The errata will be freely available for download online, and our intent is to send an updated book to all digital customers as soon as we figure out the best way to do so. Any future printings of the Valor core book will be updated to the errata changes, and the free online errata will be formatted in a way that can be easily printed and slipped into the book.

We’re excited to be bringing this new book to you! We hope it will make your Valor games that much better. We will be releasing more art and information during the Kickstarter, but for now please enjoy this sample – the artwork for the largest Foe in the game, the mighty Leviathan! The Leviathan is a high-level Master Foe that can make short work of entire fleets of ships. With its great girth and seemingly never-ending supply of health, the Leviathan is just one of the many Foes your party will have to work hard to best if they want to be successful!

Things are busy here at Valorous Games as we work hard to finish up the book. We hope you will share our excitement and enjoy this new installment of the Valor Tabletop System!

Extreme Adventures: Colossal Showdown

February 14, 2016/0 Comments/in Extreme Adventures /by austin

Scenario

An Ancient Colossus, a construct of an age long past has awakened and the party must bring it down!

This adventure is intended to be a big, epic season end showdown. As such it is balanced to be much more difficult than the standard Extreme Adventures.

Set-up

The battlefield is the Colossus itself and the ground around it, it will move around the battlefield and the players will need to climb onto its body in order to strike at its weak points. When the core is defeated, the Colossus will be defeated, but taking down its various components will achieve a variety of effects. The Colossus occupies a 7×7 space on the map.

All units on the Colossus do not impede movement when moving through their Zone of Control. When targeting the Core from the ground, in addition to meeting the standard requirements you must also have a range or line of at least 8. When targeting the Arms from the ground, you must have a range or line of at least 6 in addition to meeting the standard requirements. A line or blast fired from the ground that can cover at least 4 spaces on the Colossus can target both of the Leg Units.

Legs: Disabling one of the legs will reduce the Colossus’s Move to 2, disabling the second leg will reduce its Move to 0. The legs share a single Move action. If a target is shaken off while climbing due to a technique’s effect, they must also pass an Athletic roll of 13 to avoid falling prone upon hitting the ground, and will also take an increment of damage due to being knocked off the Colossus.

If a Leg is knocked Prone or disabled, it reduces the maximum range requirement to target the arms or the core by 1 for each Leg that is Prone or disabled.

Arms: Disabling one of the arms will reduce the Colossus’s attack rolls by 1, Disabling a second arm will reduce the Colossus’s defense rolls by 1. Arms do not have a Move action, but may still use a Slow action. If a target is shaken off while climbing due to a technique’s effect, they must also pass an Athletic roll of 13 to avoid falling prone upon hitting the ground, and will also take an increment of damage due to being knocked off the Colossus.

Core: Disabling the core will end the scene. The Core does not have a Move action but can use it to remove status conditions for the whole body. The defensive skills the Core Unit has apply to the entirety of the Colossus. Status conditions or special effects such as Shaken or Reposition apply to the whole body, no matter what they target. There are two Core Unit stats presented, an Elite and a Master variant. The Elite is for parties of 4 or 5, and the Master is for parties of 6 (or to heavily challenge parties of 4 or 5). The Core may use its overdrive to support any of the Leg or Arm units as if they were using the Overdrive themselves.

Once disabled, a countdown will begin on the Arms and Legs. They will regain two increments of health 2 turns after being disabled, at the end of the round they were disabled on.

The Colossus

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Tough lv. 1, Iron Defense lv.1, Resistant lv. 1, Tireless lv. 1, Quick to Act

Techniques:

Effect: 42 strength damage, targets all enemies within Zone of Control, move target 7 spaces

Cost: 9 ST

Effect: 42 spirit damage, targets everyone within 3 spaces

Limit: Cannot target enemies in the air (this includes characters climbing on the Colossus).

Cost: 8 ST

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Physical Attacker lv. 1, Tireless lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 45 strength damage, targets all enemies within Zone of Control, move target 7 spaces

Cost: 9 ST

Effect: 45 damage, range 12, targets everyone within 1 space

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Energy Attacker lv. 1, Tough lv. 1, Iron Defense lv. 1, Resistant lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 70 damage spirit damage, targets 10 spaces in a line

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 6 ST

Effect: 44 spirit damage, range 8, targets everyone within 2 spaces, remains on the field until the end of your turn 2 turns from now, targeting everyone within its area at the beginning of your turn.

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn, requires 1 Valor to use

Cost: 6 ST

Effect: 65 spirit damage, targets everyone within 1 space, move targets 4 spaces

Limit: Must move targets farther away

Cost: 7 ST

Effect: 75 spirit damage, range 8, Up to 3 targets

Limit: Cannot be used more than 3 times per scene

Cost: 7 ST

Effect: 112 spirit damage, targets 10 spaces in a line, targets everyone within 2 spaces

Limit: Expend 1 Valor to use, requires 2 Valor to use

Cost: 6 ST

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Energy Attacker lv. 1, Tough lv. 1, Iron Defense lv. 1, Resistant lv. 1, Improved Damage Increment lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 82 damage spirit damage, targets 10 spaces in a line

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 6 ST

Effect: 50 spirit damage, range 8, targets everyone within 2 spaces, remains on the field until the end of your turn 2 turns from now, targeting everyone within its area at the beginning of your turn.

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 8 ST

Effect: 77 spirit damage, targets everyone within 1 space, move targets 4 spaces

Limit: Must move targets farther away

Cost: 7 ST

Effect: 82 spirit damage, range 8, Up to 3 targets

Limit: Cannot be used more than 3 times per scene

Cost: 7 ST

Effect: 58 spirit damage, range 8, ignores Resistance

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 6 ST

Effect: 124 spirit damage, targets 10 spaces in a line, targets everyone within 2 spaces

Limit: Expend 1 Valor to use, requires 2 Valor to use

Cost: 6 ST

Have a question, comment, or idea for an Extreme Adventure? Submit them to [email protected]!

Extreme Adventures: The Lost Temple

January 2, 2016/2 Comments/in Extreme Adventures /by austin

Happy New Year everybody! We’re back after a December hiatus for more Extreme Adventures!

Scenario

The party must descend into the Lost Temple to recover the Golden Idol, an artifact of great power.

Set-up

The Temple is a continuous run broken up by a number of different scenes that must be cleared by the players progressing through them. Over the course of the adventure, the party will come under attack from a slew of deadly traps and monsters that call the Lost Temple home.

Rough Descent

As the mighty stone doors of the Temple swing open, the party enters a broad hallway. Almost immediately, the stairs flatten into a slick ramp, sending the party hurtling into the darkness.

All members of the party will have to clear three challenge actions in order to safely traverse the slide.

The first challenge is a spray of poisoned darts that assault the party from all sides. Each member will have to either dodge or deflect the darts with a roll of 13. A number of Challenge actions can be used here, but Athletic is the most likely candidate to pass through this scene unharmed. On a failed roll, the darts inflict 43 agility damage, and will deal 1/3 the total damage dealt again to the character for each additional turn during this section.

The second challenge is spotting and avoiding or shield themselves from jets of giant flame that are sprayed from the walls. Each member will have to get around them with a roll of 14. A number of Challenge actions can be used here, but Mystic Arts is the most likely candidate to pass through this scene unharmed. On a failed roll, the rock formations inflict 60 spirit damage.

The final challenge is at the end of the slide, which ends in a huge drop. Each member will have to pass a roll of 15 to catch themselves and avoid falling. A number of Challenge actions can be used here, but Athletic is the most likely candidate to pass through this scene unharmed. On a failed roll, the fall inflicts 70 strength damage.

Hall of the King

The party emerges from the drop in an enormous hallway, 5 spaces wide and 20 spaces long. They will need to get to the end of the hallway in order to progress through the temple. At every 5^th space, or, for parties of 5 or 6 members, at every 4^th space, two Stone Guardians rest. When the party attempts to walk past them, they will come to life and attack. The Guardians can either be destroyed or run past, depending on the party’s wishes. Guardians will roll initiative when they come to life, either when someone walks past them or they are attacked. Guardians will get a normal defense roll if they are attacked while still stationary. Guardians will alternate type with each row, starting with Warrior Guardians and moving to Archer Guardians, and then back to Warrior Guardians.

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Balanced Fighter, Tough, Iron Defense

Techniques:

Effect: 45 strength damage, move target 5 spaces

Limit: Must move target further away from you, cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: 48 agility damage, range 8

Limit: May only be used 3 times per scene

Cost: 5 ST

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Physical Attacker, Energy Attacker

Techniques:

Effect: 48 agility damage, range 12

Limit: May only be used 3 times per scene

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: 48 mind damage, targets everyone within a line of 9

Cost: 8 ST

The Golden Idol and the Boulder

After passing through the hallway, the party will find itself in the hall of the idol. The idol is placed upon a huge pedestal, but the idol’s presence also contains a trap. When the idol is removed, an enormous boulder will dislodge and hurtle toward the party. Even worse, it will awaken the Obsidian Gargoyles, a flock of Guardian creatures that will follow the party.

The party will need to clear 3 obstacles to avoid the boulder. Failing to clear any obstacle will result in the character being swept up by the bolder and taking 60 strength damage (the character will automatically “pass” the rest of the obstacles and clear through to the next scene).

The first obstacle is the rough ground as the team runs from the boulder. This will need to be passed by each member with either an Observation or Athletic roll of 13, although other Challenge actions may be used if desired and if they make sense.

The second obstacle is a large coordinated beam attack from the Obsidian Gargoyles, which will sweep across the party, who will have to defend against it. The attack is Aura-based made on a roll of 8 which can be substituted against as normal. Party members who fail the roll will take an additional 71 damage, in addition to the 60 damage from the boulder.

The final obstacle is making it onto the final platform, which requires an Athletic roll of 14, although other Challenge actions may be used if desired and if they make sense.

The Final Guardians

As the party reaches the top of the platform, the flight of Gargoyles swarms around them to attack. There is one Gargoyle for every two party members.

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Energy Attacker, Sprinter, Iron Defense, Resistant

Techniques:

Effect: 71 spirit damage, targets everyone within a line of 10

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 7 ST

Effect: 61 spirit damage, range 8, blast radius 1

Limit: Requires 1 Valor to use

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: 71 spirit damage, move and attack all targets you move through, ignores Zone of Control

Limit: Requires 1 Valor to use, cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: Spirit Weaken, bestows Energy Vulnerability lv. 1 (-4 Resistance) and Slow lv. 1 (-1 speed), Blast Radius 1

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 4 ST

Extreme Adventures: The Thespian Heist Part 2

November 7, 2015/0 Comments/in Extreme Adventures /by austin

Scenario

As the party makes off with the wealth of Essalia, an alarm rings out throughout the Kingdom. The theft has been discovered and a livid King Humphrey musters his airforce to pursue the fleeing airship.

Set-Up

The airship has a steering wheel that allows a player to control it with a support action. This can be done to evade pursuers and maneuver through obstacles. Typically, Dexterity or Muscle would be used to finesse or brute force the wheel to where it needs to be, but the characters have the ability to justify Aura and Intuition if they can justify it.

Additionally, the airship has four anti-airship gun ports interspersed on the side of the ship. The guns can be activated with a Support Action by any adjacent character. The guns are too large and slow to attack more mobile combat units, but can be used to disable defenses.

During the duration of this session, there will be one Meter, the Airship Durability meter. The Meter begins at 10 and declines as the airship takes damage. Quick repairs can be made to maintain the integrity of the airship with an Engineering roll of 12. Repairs require a Support Action, but cannot bring the Durability meter above 6. If desired, you can use a Slow Action for a +2 bonus to your roll, and can bring the Durability to an 8. To repair Durability to 7 or 8, a roll of 14 is required.

From the start of the adventure, the airship is pursued by a squadron of light interceptors as the guards scramble to entrap the party. The airship squad will be present throughout the entirety of the scene, and will recover their meter by 2 between each scene. The Interceptors have a Deterity of 5 and a Meter that begins at 6. The Interceptors will fire on the airship on their own initiative in an attempt to bring it down. If the Interceptor meter is reduced to 4 by the airship gunfire, their Dexterity will be reduced to 4 as one of the Interceptors will be shot down, and if the meter is reduced to 2, the Dexterity will be reduced to 3 as another of the Interceptors will be shot down. Reducing the meter to 1 destroys the last of the Interceptors. If the Interceptor Meter raises to 8, their Dexterity increases by 2, and if the Meter raises to 10, their Dexterity increases by an additional 1.

Scene 1: Royal Magus Knights

As the airship departs, the thefts are discovered and a group of Royal Magus Knights riding Griffons take flight to give chase. The Royal Knights can move freely across the battlefield and attack as desired, due to their flying Mount Companions. There will be 1 Royal Magus Knight per 2 party members. All Royal Magus Knights begin mounted on their Companion, which can fly and has a Move of 5. The Royal Knights shouldn’t unmount during the scene as they will need it to keep up with the airship. While mounted, the Royal Magus Knights take up an additional outside space per the Increased Size rules.

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Fast Companion lv. 1, Tough lv. 1, Iron Defense lv. 1, Resistant lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 56 strength damage, attack targets you move into, if you hit, continue moving and push the character with you, ignores Zone of Control

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: 51 spirit damage, targets everyone within a line of 10

Limit: Requires 1 Valor to use

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: 51 spirit damage, range 8, targets everyone within 1 space

Limit: You must expend a Support Action to reload this Technique before it can be used again

Cost: 3 ST

Effect: 56 strength damage, move and attack all targets you move through, ignores Zone of Control

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn

Cost: 5 ST

Scene 2: Escape the Gates

There will be three obstacles the party must make it through in order to pass through this scene. The first is an enormous, ironclad gate. The team must pass a roll of 12 to clear the gate, if they fail they will be caught on the gate and the Airship Durability meter will be reduced by 1. Any party member can attempt to pass through the gate, but an attempt must be made before the end of the round. If the team does not make an attempt after the first round, they will instead have the Airship durability reduced by 2.

The second obstacle will be a gun array. The team must pass a roll of 13 to clear the array before the round ends, but a failed roll imposes no penalty. The team can fire upon the array to make it easier to cross; a roll of 12 reduces the difficulty of traversing the array by 1. If the team has not passed through the array safely by the end of the round, the Airship Durability will be reduced by 2. Every member of the team should have the opportunity to act during this stage, even if it requires part of two different rounds to do so.

The final obstacle will be a bunch of hooks that will attempt to entrap the party and hold them back. Each party member will have to try to move the ship through the gauntlet, avoiding the hook. The party will have to clear as many hook segments as there are party members. Each segment requires a roll of 12 to pass, if a hook hits, the segment is not progressed and the hook is latched onto the ship, increasing the difficulty of passing further hook rolls by 1. Instead of progressing, a party member may remove a hook, but doing so reduces the Airship Durability by 1.

Scene 3: The Royal Dragon

As the party clears the castle, the mighty Royal Dragon will enter, pursing the team. As with the Royal Magus Knights, the Dragon can move freely across the map. If the party is comprised of 6 members, the Dragon will be accompanied by another Royal Magus Knight. The Royal Dragon may, as a support action, roll against the ship’s durability. This can be defended against by any party member, and is an opposed roll.

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Tough lv. 1, Physical Attacker lv. 1, Energy Attacker lv. 1, Sprinter lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 66 spirit damage, targets everyone within a line of 10, targets everyone within 1 space

Limit: Requires 1 Valor to use

Cost: 7 ST

Effect: 61 spirit damage, targets everyone everyone within 3 spaces

Limit: Requires 1 Valor to use, cannot be used again for 1 round

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: Bestows Enhanced Evasion (+1 to all defense rolls) until the end of your turn 2 turns from now.

Limit: Can only be used on yourself

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: 71 strength damage, attack targets you move into, if you hit, continue moving and push the character with you, ignores Zone of Control, targets all enemies within 1 space

Limit: Cannot be used again for 1 turn, requires 1 Valor to use

Cost: 5 ST

Once the Royal Dragon has been defeated, the party is clear to make their escape, the forces of Essalia lacking the capability to pursue them.

Extreme Adventures: The Thespian Heist Part 1

October 3, 2015/0 Comments/in Extreme Adventures /by austin

Scenario

The Kingdom of Esallia is celebrating the birthday of its King, Humphrey XIV. Esallia’s nobility is known far and wide as possessing great wealth and the will to use it, throwing lavish parties and galas. This party is expected to be no different, and is a prime opportunity for enterprising n’er do wells to infiltrate it and make off with some royal wealth. The heroes will be thieves, posing as a roving actor brigade to infiltrate Esallia and liberate them from some of their wealth.

Set-Up

Several renowned actor bands have been invited to Esallia to perform at the party. The heroes managed to secure an invitation under the guise of the Soaring Playwrights, a group that performs from elaborate custom stages prepared on their airship. This will allow them to enter Esallian airspace unopposed and, if necessary, escape in a hurry. As they arrive, before the festivities, they will have a chance to mingle with the nobility and several key players. It will be up to the heroes to discern how best to tailor the show to appeal to the nobility and keep them distracted. The heroes will have some time to mingle and investigate the area.

During the set-up scene, all active characters will be able to speak with the available NPCs. They can use this time to get information on the people they will be performing for and what they expect to see. All bonuses and penalties the party can acquire from different NPCs will stack.

King Humphrey XIV: King Humphrey is the ruler of Esallia, a vain and petty man who revels in his wealth and power. He spends his days surrounded by the nobility who pamper him endlessly in exchange for favors. He will be inaccessible to interview, but his mood is the most important meter in the challenge scene. He favors light-hearted comedies with plenty of buffoonery that allows him to laugh at the silliness and stupidity of the common folk. He is, however, a simple fellow and will often miss irony or wit, and has been known to laugh heartily at jokes that were in truth at his expense.

Queen Madra: The Queen is a woman of great ambition, and holds the ear of the King firmly in her palm. Madra is much sharper, and quicker to catch insult to the crown or the King. However, she is not without a sense of humor, and a well-told joke is one she will appreciate. Queen Madra will not stand for open or two-faced insults to the crown, and if she detects them she will alert the King. As with King Humphrey, she is inaccessible to interview.

Chancellor Elida: Chancellor Elida is an advisor to the throne. She knows the royal couple quite well, and can provide information on them, so long as she is approached correctly. Elida is openly extremely and unswervingly loyal to the crown, and earnest in her desire to maintain the throne. However, underneath she is a schemer, looking to usurp the power of King Humphrey and install her own shadowy rule. Elida knows the secrets of the royal family, including where the vault is, but is extremely guarded with her information. She will look favorably upon people who manage to subtly imply they seek to strike at the crown, but if she isn’t assured of the competence of the party, she will quietly alert Sir Lionel to keep an eye on the party.

Elida can give the party information on the vault, providing the Infiltration team a +1 bonus to rolls to both locate and crack it. In order to achieve this information, they must pass a Negotiation roll of 14. The characters can get a bonus of up to +2 if they imply intent to strike at the crown and show a certain degree of confidence and poise that makes Elida think they might be successful. Alternately, excessive amounts of flattery also win her over; she thinks highly of herself and her position and sees herself as an underappreciated genius. If the Negotation roll is 11 or lower, Elida will alert Sir Lionel, which will give the Infiltration team a -1 to all rolls when interacting with guards.

Sir Lionel: Sir Lionel is the Captain of the Guard and in charge of the security at the venue. He is extremely fussy and self-important, but takes his duty very seriously even if he isn’t the most competent. He is unswervingly loyal to the crown, and will tolerate no aggression against them. He is, however, unfortunately trusting, and his trust can be won by characters expressing concern for the safety of the crown and citizens can earn his trust.

Sir Lionel will divulge information on the guard patterns on a Negotiation roll of 12. If the characters approach him in the spirit of concern for the security and the safety of his charges, they can get a bonus of up to +2. A successful roll will give the Infiltration team a +1 bonus on rolls dealing with the guards. If the party makes Sir Lionel suspicious or if they fail the Negotation roll by 7 or less, he will refuse to deal with them and the Infiltration team will suffer a -1 penalty to all rolls when interacting with guards.

Madame Fayre: Madame Fayre is the overseer of the common workers within the castle and has a good bead on the common citizenry who will be observing the play. Fayre, as well as the common folk, are not overly fond of the nobility in general and the King in particular. Madame Fayre is in charge of a lot of the laborers in the castle, and has a great knowledge of their general patterns. She also has a lot of influence with the laborers and if the party makes a positive impression, she will pass this along to the laborers, giving the Infiltration team a +1 bonus to all interactions with the laborers in the castle. However, if the party shows undue favor for the nobility or disrespects Madame Fayre or her people, she will alert the laborers and encourage them to make life difficult for the party, which will give them both a -1 to the Infiltration team interacting with the laborers and a -1 to rolls to influence the laborers during the performance.

Madame Fayre also knows several access tunnels and shortcuts within the castle. If the party manages to get on her good side, she will reveal them with a successful Negotiation roll of 11. Characters can gain up to a +2 bonus if they are sympathetic to her and her people and if they hint at a desire to strike at the crown. This is not available if the party offends her, she will not give up this information to people she does not like.

Lord Camber: Lord Camber represents the majority of the nobles. A rather stuffy, pompous man, he’s an eternal sycophant who worships the ground the King walks upon. Lord Camber is rather vain and enjoys hearing nice things about himself and his liege. If the party treats him with the respect and awe he feels is his due, he can babble endlessly. Lord Camber is relatively familiar with the treasures held within the castle, and will speak of them at length with a successful Negotiation roll of 11. Characters can gain up to a +2 bonus with general flattery of both Lord Camber himself and the royal family. Insulting nobility, however, is a grave offense, and doing so in Lord Camber’s presence will give a -2 penalty to all rolls made to influence the nobility during the performance.

Dividing the Group

There are two potential roles that the party must be split between, which will run simultaneously. The first role is the actors, who will be putting on a performance to serve as a distraction to the guards and nobility during the heist. The second role is the infiltrator, who will be responsible for recovering the treasure and escaping (hopefully) undetected. At least 3 members are required for the actor role, and at least 1 member is required for the Infiltration role. All members of the party have an audio connection to each other, and will be able to communicate. However, the actors will need to be careful with their phrasing, as communication done outside of intermission will need to still fit within the play they are performing.

The Play

The heroes are welcome to prepare their own play should they wish, but they have managed to procure an existing play which may be used in whatever form desired. If preferred, the players can create or improvise a play on their own. If they are using the stock play, the following characters are available:

Lucius/Lara of Stonegully: The primary love interest of the story, this character is sought after by the two royal children from rival kingdoms hoping to claim his or her hand in marriage. They are giving to dramatic overwrought indecision and hand-wringing over which to pick. The child of a minor noble family with a barony in opposed territory, they grew up with both of the royal children and are very close to both.

Aldert/Aleera of Hightower: The child of the esteemed Kingdom of Hightower, and heir to the throne. A dark, brooding person, they are deeply in love with Lucius/Lara and wish to take them as their spouse to rule Hightower. They are prone to deep, extended monologues about the nature of mortality, death, and the fleeting nature of happiness.

Sarus/Sarah of Ishal: The child of the Empire of Ishal and heir to the throne. A strong, energetic person who is also deeply in love with Lucius/Lara with hopes of taking them as their spouse to rule Ishal. They are fond of bluster and physical shows of strength and prowess, but can be a bit dumb.

Servants/Woodland Creatures: During Act II, Lucius/Lara will seek advice from either their servants or some friendly woodland creatures. These roles can be given to other actors if available, or can be given to the Aldert/Aleera and Sarus/Sarah actors.

Any further characters available may fill in an assortment of roles as needed to enhance the play as extras. Players are encouraged to invent their own roles to fit the story as they see fit.

During the performance, the following meters will be available:

Royal Family Approval

Noble Approval

Commoner Approval

Suspicion

All characters will act in two segmented initiatives, first the Infiltration team and then the Actor team. The Infiltration team will primarily influence the Suspicion meter although they may take action to attempt to influence the others as well if they have time, whereas the Actor team will be able to influence all of the meters. All Approval meters begin at 5 and rise or fall depending on the quality of the play, whereas the Suspicion meter begins at 1 and rises if the Infiltration team does something to attract attention. The Actor team may attempt to lower the Suspicion meter by diverting attention with their performance. During their turn on the initiative, each Actor will make a roll against a meter and continue the play, receiving bonuses or penalties depending on the method of their acting and how it appeals to the targeted group. Should the action be directly unappealing to another group, they will have to make a second roll to prevent losing approval from that group.

Royal Family Approval: The Royal Family Approval meter determines how the King and Queen feel about the performance. Typically the Royal Family enjoys buffoonish comedy that affirms their wealth and station at the expense of the underclass, and actions in that vein will give bonuses to the actor’s roll. Any challenge to the social order, especially to that of their rule specifically is not appreciated and will give a penalty to any rolls. A roll of 13 is required to raise the Royal Family Approval meter.

If the Royal Family Approval is at 2, the entire castle will be on edge and the Infiltration team will receive a -2 to all rolls. If the Approval is 3-4, they will receive a -1 to all rolls, if the Approval is 5-6, there will be no bonus or penalty to any rolls, if the Approval is 7-8 they will receive a +1 bonus to all rolls and if the Approval is 9-10 they will receive a +2 bonus to all rolls. If the meter reaches 1, the King will angrily end the performance abruptly, which will mean the Infiltration will have two more rounds to find an exit to avoid being caught.

Nobility Approval: The Nobility Approval meter determines how the assembled nobility feels about the performance. Typically, the Nobility wants to see themselves portrayed as wise, heroic, and competent, and actions in that vein will give bonuses to the actor’s roll. Any attempt to portray noble characters in an uncharitable light, however, will give a penalty to any rolls. A roll of 12 is required to raise the Nobility Approval meter.

If the Nobility Approval is at 1 or 2, the frosty silence will be highly conspicuous, giving the Infiltration team -2 to all Stealth rolls. If the Approval is 3-4, they will receive a -1 to all rolls, and if the Approval is 5-6, there will be no bonus or penalty to any rolls. If the Approval is 7-8, the Nobles will begin to get rowdy and appreciative and the Infiltration team will receive a +1 bonus to all Stealth rolls, and if the Approval is 9-10, the Infiltration team will receive a +2 bonus to all Stealth rolls.

Commoner Approval: The Commoner Approval meter determines how the assembled guards and laborers feel about the performance. Typically, the Commoners want to see the nobility and royalty made to look foolish, incompetent, and out of touch, and like to see the underclass portrayed as sensible and competent, and actions in that vein will give bonuses to the actor’s roll. Any attempt to portray commoner characters unfavorably or with typical noble prejudice will give a penalty to the roll. A roll of 12 is required to raise the Commoner Approval meter.

If the Commoner Approval is at 1 or 2, their unhappiness will bleed to the guards and laborers on duty, giving the Infiltration team -2 to all rolls when dealing with the guards or laborers. If the Approval is 3-4, the they will receive a -1 to Guard and Laborer rolls, if the Approval is 5-6, there will be no bonus or penalty to any rolls, if the Approval is 7-8, they will receive a +1 bonus to Guard and Laborer rolls, and if the Approval is 9-10, they will receive a +2 to Guard and Laborer rolls.

The Actors will have 4 rounds to complete each act, as well as a one-round intermission between Acts I and II and between Acts II and III. During the Intermission round, all approval meters will move 1 step closer to the neutral 5 point, either up or down as warranted. If they feel the need to stretch it out they may, but the crowd will grow increasingly restless at the extended length and each successive round the actors attempt to stretch out a single act gives them a cumulative -1 penalty to all of their rolls. The play, and thus the scene, ends with Act 3.

Suspicion: This meter will be primarily impacted by the actions of the Infiltration team, but the Actor team will have the ability to attempt to reduce it by covering up a mistake or drawing attention away from suspicious activity by making a roll against this meter. Reducing this meter requires a roll of 12.

Act I

War is declared! Tensions between the Kingdom of Hightower and the Empire of Ishal have inflamed, bringing the two countries to conflict. The heir to the thrones of Hightower and Ishal shrink away from the battlefield to meet with their true love, the heir to Stonegully. Meeting in a secluded glade, the two come to blows and Lucius/Lara flees in tears.

Act II

Lucius/Lara goes into hiding while the war escalates. Unable to relinquish their love for either Aldert/Aleera or Sarus/Sarah, they are ridden with guilt. Here, they confer with servants, or perhaps some wild animals in the wilderness, searching their heart for the answers.

Act III

With the battle raging, the Aldert/Aleera and Sarus/Sarah lead their forces to one final, cataclysmic battle. Lucius/Lara rush to intervene and stop the fighting. Depending on the wishes of the players, this could end a number of ways:

Tragic Ending 1: Lucius/Lara throw themselves into the middle of the fighting and is killed.

Tragic Ending 2: Aldert/Aleera or Sarus/Sarah are slain by the other, and Lucius/Lara rejects the winner.

Bittersweet Ending: Aldert/Aleera or Sarus/Sarah are slain and Lucius/Lara picks the winner. Best used if Aldert/Aleera or Sarus/Sarah are portrayed at least somewhat villainously so their defeat is overall a happy occurrence.

Comedic Ending 1: Aldert/Aleera and Sarus/Sarah make peace at the dramatic moment and throw down their arms and end the war. Lucius/Lara picks one, both or neither.

Comedic Ending 2: Aldert/Aleera and Sarus/Sarah err, driving a war their people do not want. The people rally behind Stonegully and proclaim Lucius/Lara the new ruler of a united front. Lucius/Lara picks one, both or neither.

Comedic Ending 3: Aldert/Aleera and Sarus/Sarah fall in love with each other and run away together, leaving Lucius/Lara the third wheel.

Infiltration

While the play is occurring, the Infiltration team will attempt to sneak into the castle and liberate as much wealth as they can. The Infiltration team will have two primary meters, the Suspicion meter and the Loot meter. The Suspicion meter begins at 1, and increases whenever the Infiltration team does something that would make people suspicious of their actions within the castle.

The Loot meter starts at 1 and is raised by the acquisition of treasure within the castle. The goal of the Infiltration is to raise the Loot meter to 10 and escape before the Suspicion meter rises to 10. While the Infiltration team cannot easily reduce the Suspicion meter themselves, the Actor team will be able to assist them to keep it low until the job is done.

The Castle is laid out in a large array of rooms interconnected by massive sweeping corridors, patrolled by guardsmen. Additionally, there are a number of laborers such as the maid and butler staff and various chefs, pet trainers, and construction workers who regularly roam the halls. When traversing the halls, the Infiltration group will have to either stealthily avoid or bluff their way through any encounters they might have.

The primary castle rooms are arranged in a 3×3 grid connected by hallways. The arrangement is as follows:

Guard Quarters, Mess Hall, Servant’s Quarters

Library, Throne Room, Hall of Mirrors

Indoor Garden, Waiting Room, Ballroom

The Infiltration team enters the Castle through the Waiting Room. If the team engages any guards in combat, each combat round will automatically raise the Suspicion meter by 1. When passing through any hallways, the party will have to pass an equal number of guards as there are members of the Infiltration team. They can be passed with a Negotiation or Stealth roll of 13 by all Infiltration team members. If they are not passed successfully, they will attack. You may steal the Uniforms of Guards for a +1 bonus to interactions with other Guards. Changing Uniforms can be done at any time during a round at no action cost, so long as the coast is clear (such as inside of a Secret Passage or in an area where the Guards have been defeated). If Guards are defeated in a hallway, that hallway will be permanently cleared. Passing through a hallway is free if it has already been cleared, otherwise it requires 1 full round. Passing through a Secret Passage, even if the team changes uniforms inside it, is also free. The team will always be able to observe the room if they are accessing it from a Secret Passage, even if it is still occupied. Treasure is always immediately visible to the team and requires no Observation roll.

The Infiltration team is not required to stick together, but the number of guards encountered is always set to the full number of members participating in the Infiltration, even if they are not all present and a fight breaks out. If multiple fights break out within the castle, each individual fight will raise the Suspicion meter by 1 for as long as they persist.

Each room has the following attributes and treasures.

Guard Quarters: The Guard Quarters are located in the top left corner of the Castle, and houses the Guards. At any given time the Guard Quarter is populated by twice as many guards as there are members of the Infiltration team. If the team intends to enter the room they will need to be able to explain their presence with a Negotiation roll of 13, avoid detection with a Stealth roll of 13, or defeat the guards.

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Balanced Fighter, Sprinter lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 41 strength damage, line 2

Cost: 5 ST

The Guard Quarters are connected to the Library and Mess Hall via hallway, and there is a Secret Passage that leads to the Throne Room. The Secret Passage can be located with an Observation roll of 13, or 11 if the Infiltration team has time to carefully search the area. A careful search can only be conducted if the Guards are defeated and disabled.

The Guard Quarter also has a large quantity of spare Guard uniforms, making it much easier for the party to find the right size and providing a +2 bonus to interactions with other Guards instead of +1. The uniforms can only be accessed with a subsequent Stealth roll of 13, a Negotiation roll of 14, or if the Guards have been defeated.

Mess Hall: The Mess Hall is located in the top center of the Castle, and is where servants and guards congregate and eat. The kitchen is not in operation during the play, but there will be a few guards and servants inside of it. If the team intends to enter the room they will need to be able to explain their presence with a Negotiation roll of 12 or avoid detection with a Stealth roll of 12. Failure will raise the Suspicion meter, but as the area is generally open they will not be attacked or outwardly met with hostility.

If the Negotiation roll is passed, the party may chat with the guards and servants in the area. With a further Negotiation roll of 12, the team can get further information on Guard and Servant patterns, giving them a +1 bonus to interactions with both for the rest of this scene.

The Mess Hall is connected to the Guard Quarters and Servant’s Quarters via hallway.

Servant’s Quarters: The Servant’s Quarters is located in the top right of the Castle, and houses the Servants. At any given time the Servant’s Quarter is populated by several Servants. If the team intends to enter the room they will need to be able to explain their presence with a Negotiation roll of 12, or avoid detection with a Stealth roll of 14.

The Servant’s Quarters are connected to the Mess Hall and Hall of Mirrors via hallway, and there is a Secret Passage that leads to the Ballroom. The Secret Passage can be located with an Observation roll of 13.

The Servant’s Quarter also has a large quantity of spare Servant uniforms, which provide a +1 bonus to all interactions with Guards and Servants. If the party managed to make contact with Madame Fayre, they will be supplied with Servant outfits if they request it. If not, they can convince the Servants to part with the outfits with a Negotiation roll of 13, and can gain up to a +1 bonus if they declare intent to strike against the Nobility. The Servants will also reveal the existence of the Secret Passage if the Negotiation roll is passed by 14 or more.

Library: The Library is located in the left center of the Castle, and is where the accumulated knowledge of Esallia. It is unmanned, except for a single Master Librarian who can be found sleeping at the desk. For each action attempted within the Library, any party member taking part in the action must pass a Stealth roll of 10 to avoid waking the Librarian. If the Librarian is awoken, he will scream at the intruders and usher them out of the Library before locking it, making the room inaccessible via normal means and raising the Suspicion meter by 1.

The Library houses a collection of books of ancient Arcane Power that can be located with an Observation roll of 11. The books are so powerful that they must have their seals broken by a Mystic Arts roll of 12. The books raise the Loot meter by 2. Failure to dispel the seal causes a loud explosion which increases the difficulty of the Stealth roll to avoid waking the Librarian by 2 and increases the Suspicion meter by 1.

The Library is connected to the Guard Quarters, Throne Room, and the Indoor Garden via hallway, and there is a Secret Passage that leads to the Hall of Mirrors. The Secret Passage can be located with an Observation roll of 11.

Throne Room: The Throne Room is located in the center of the Castle, and is the seat of power for Essalia. It is constantly manned at all times by an equal number of Elite Guards as there are Infiltration team members. If the team intends to enter the room, they must pass a Stealth roll of 13.

If the team does not possess any uniforms, they will be attacked immediately. If they possess Guard uniforms, they can attempt to take over the Guard duty with a successful Negotiation roll of 14. Failure raises the Suspicion meter by 1 and the team will be rebuffed and told they don’t have a proper schedule and they need to go recheck their assignments. If they possess Servant uniforms, they can attempt to declare that they are there to clean the area with a Negotiation roll of 12. If they fail, the Suspicion meter will be raised by 1 and the party will be expelled from the Throne Room and will not be able to re-enter it unless they choose to fight.

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Balanced Fighter, Sprinter lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 41 strength damage, line 2

Cost: 5 ST

Effect: 39 strength damage, Range 4

Cost: 5 ST

The Throne Room possesses two major treasures. The first and most obvious treasure is the King’s Scepter, which is held in a holster at the side of the throne. It can be stolen with a Legerdemain roll of 13 if the Guards are still in the room or with no roll if they are not. A failed Legerdemain roll will cause the guards to attack immediately. The Scepter raises the Loot meter by 2.

The major treasure is located in a mechanism behind the Throne that can be spotted with an Observation roll of 13, or 11 if the team has the opportunity to investigate the area either by posing as Servants and cleaning the area, by convincing the Guards to leave or by defeating the Guards. There is a safe behind the throne that can be opened with an Engineering roll of 13. This can only be attempted if the room is clear; if Guards are present they will attack immediately. If failed, the Engineering roll can be repeated but each failure raises the Suspicion meter by 1. If the safe is opened, it reveals the Eternal Diamond, a jewel of great size and luster that raises the Loot meter by 5.

The Throne Room is connected to the Library, Hall of Mirrors, and the Waiting Room via hallway, and there is a Secret Passage that leads to the Guard Quarters. The Secret Passage can be located with an Observation roll of 13, or 11 if the team has the opportunity to investigate the area either by posing as Servants and cleaning the area, by convincing the Guards to leave or by defeating the Guards.

Hall of Mirrors: The Hall of Mirrors is located in the right center of the Castle, and is an ornate room full of portraits of the royalty and exquisite mirrors sheathed in gold. It is typically manned by Servants that are maintaining it. The Hall of Mirrors can be entered with a Negotiation roll of 12 or a Stealth roll of 14.

The Hall of Mirrors possesses two major treasures. The first is a set of exquisite gold and gemstone jewelry that is kept in a case within the Hall and can be stolen with a Legerdemain roll of 12. The jewelry increases the Loot meter by 1. If the roll fails, the Servants will attempt to run and get the Guards. The team may subdue the Servants but will lose 2 Valor for doing so, if not they will be forced to fight an equal amount of Castle Guards as there are party members.

The second treasure is the large decorative tapestry that adorns the wall. With a Negotiation roll of 14, the Servants will look the other way while the party steals it. If the roll fails, the Servants will run to get the Guards, which will play out in the same fashion as if the party fails to steal the jewelry. If the party passes the Negotiation roll, they can also steal the Jewelry if they haven’t already. The tapestry increases the Loot meter by 3.

The Hall of Mirrors is connected to the Throne Room, Servant’s Quarters, and the Ballroom via hallway, and there is a Secret Passage that leads to the Library. The Secret Passage can be located with an Observation roll of 13, or 11 if the team has the opportunity to investigate the area either by having the Servants disabled or otherwise having left the room or if they pass the Negotiation roll to be allowed into the room unimpeded.

Indoor Garden: The Indoor Garden is located in the left bottom of the Castle, and is a beautiful garden full of plant life. It is typically manned by Laborers and Servants that are maintaining it. Due to the lush foliage and expansive nature of the Garden, as well as the constant coming and going through the area it can be entered unimpeded.

The Indoor Garden possesses two major treasures. The first is an exotic medicinal plant that gives off a distinctive, pungent odor. It can be taken with a Legerdemain roll of 9, and raises the Loot meter by 1. However, so long as it is in the possession of the team, all future Stealth rolls will be made with a -1 penalty. Failing the roll damages the plant so it cannot be taken, but spreads the scent on the team so they will suffer a -1 penalty to all future Stealth rolls.

The second major treasure is a gold-inlaid bust of the royal family. It can be taken with a Legerdemain roll of 12, and raises the Loot meter by 2. If the Legerdemain roll is failed, the team will be spotted and the Laborers will alert the Guards unless the team subdues them or immediately passes a Negotiation roll of 14 to convince them to look the other way. Should they subdue the Laborers, they will suffer a -2 Valor penalty. If the Guards are summoned, there will be one Castle Guard for every member of the party.

The Indoor Garden is connected to the Library and Waiting Room via hallway.

Waiting Room: The Waiting Room is located in the center bottom of the Castle, and is a posh room with plush cushions meant for those awaiting an audience with the King. It is staffed by an amount of Guards equal to the number of team members. It can be entered with a Negotiation roll of 11, but the Guards will not allow the team out of the room unless they pass the first Negotiation roll by at least 13, or if they make a subsequent negotiation roll of 13. If either roll is failed, the Guards will attack.

The Waiting Room possesses one major treasure, large framed portraits of the Royal Family. They can only be taken if the Guards are inactive, and raise the Loot meter by 3.

The Waiting Room is connected to the Indoor Garden, Throne Room, and Ballroom via hallway.
Ballroom: The Ballroom is located in the right bottom of the Castle, and is a massive hall meant for parties and dances among the nobility. It is staffed by Servants that are maintaining it. The Ballroom can be entered with a Negotiation roll of 12 or a Stealth roll of 14. Failure in this roll still allows the team in, but raises the Suspicion meter by 1 for each failure.

The Ballroom possesses two major treasures. The first is the King’s Dancing Outfit, which is held by the Dance Instructor in the back. The Outfit can be stolen with a Stealth roll of 13 and a subsequent Legerdemain roll of 14. If the team passed a Stealth roll to enter the room undetected, then the Stealth component is automatically passed for this challenge. If either rolls are failed, the Dance Instructor will call the Guards unless the team subdues her. Should they subdue the Dance Instructor, they will suffer a -2 Valor penalty. If the Guards are summoned, there will be one Castle Guard for every member of the party, and defeating them will clear the Ballroom. The Dancing Outfit increases the Loot meter by 2.

If the team is wearing Servant outfits, they can convince the Servants and Dance Instructor to clear out of the room so it can be properly cleaned with a Negotiation roll of 13. If the roll is failed, they will be rebuffed and told to re-check their schedule, as well as raising the Suspicion meter by 1.

The second major treasure is an exquisite crystal Chandelier affixed to the ceiling. It can only be obtained if the room has been cleared, and requires an additional Engineering or Athletic roll of 12 to bring down. The roll can be attempted as many times as desired, but each failure raises the Suspicion meter by 1. The Chandelier raises the Loot meter by 4.

The Ballroom is connected to the Waiting Room and the Hall of Mirrors via hallway, and there is a Secret Passage that leads to the Servant’s Quarters. The Secret Passage can be located with an Observation roll of 11.

Should the Suspicion meter be raised to 10, every area will contain twice the amount of hostile Castle Guards as there are team members who will attack immediately. If the team attempts to linger in a room, more guards will enter. The performance will continue, but the Actor team will begin taking a successive -1 penalty to their rolls for each round it continues. The scene will end when the Infiltration team makes it to the Waiting Room and clears it, after which they can escape, or they are all incapacitated in which case they will be captured. In this case, the Actors will have the opportunity to attempt to flee and stage a rescue later; as if they stick around they will be arrested as well.

Should the Loot meter be filled to 10, the Infiltration team will need to make it to the Waiting Room to end the scene, although the Actor team may finish the play if desired, but the scene will be completed successfully.

Special Rules: The Thespian Heist is optimized for a group that really enjoys roleplay scenes and is able to come up with a lot of clever improvisations and actions to bolster their rolls. If your group is struggling to come up with effective actions, reduce all roll difficulties by 1.

Have a question, comment, or idea for an Extreme Adventure? Submit them to [email protected]!

Extreme Adventures: Valorous Chef

September 5, 2015/2 Comments/in Extreme Adventures /by austin

Valorous Chef is the first beta demo that was ever run at a convention. Conceived as a parody of the Iron Chef television series, Valorous Chef puts the heroes in an extreme cooking challenge. This adventure is an update and revamp of the original 2011 beta demo adventure.

Scenario

The heroes are master chefs who have been invited to compete in the Valorous Chef competition. Working as a group, they will have to track down ingredients to make the perfect dish and defeat the Valorous Chefs, a group of trained chefs who oversee the competition. The contestants must best them on the field of cooking in order to triumph.

Scene 1: Sides and Dessert

The party must descend into the Forest of Succulence to procure ingredients for their dish. As they enter the forest, they are attacked by Shambling Salads and a Dessert Flan. For a group of 3, there will be 1 Shambling Salad and 1 Chocolate Flan on the field. For a group of 4 or 5, add 1 Shambling Salad for each additional person, and for a group of 6, use 2 Chocolate Flans and 2 Shambling Salads.

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Energy Attacker lv. 1, Sprinter lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 32 Spirit damage, 8 range

Cost: 5 Stamina

Effect: 32 Spirit damage, targets everyone within 1 space, moves target 2 spaces

Limit: Must move target further away

Cost: 4 Stamina

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Tough lv. 1, Iron Defense lv. 1, Sprinter lv. 1, Physical Attacker lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: Strength Weaken, bestows Slow lv. 1 (-1 speed)

Cost: 3 Stamina

Effect: 44 Spirit Damage

Cost: 4 Stamina

Additional Options

Additional options are extra layers of complexity you can add to a scene in order to make it more interesting or engaging.

Early Prep: Shambling Salads targeted by a Technique with the Reposition modifier will give +1 to rolls during the Cooking Phase.

Salad Wilt: Shambling Salads targeted by a Technique with Fire or Heat in the description will give -1 to rolls during the Cooking Phase. This cancels out the Early Prep bonus.

Chilled Flan: Chocolate Flans targeted by a Technique with Ice or Cold in the description will give +1 to rolls during the Cooking Phase.

Sloppy Consistency: Chocolate Flans targeted by a Technique with the Reposition modifier will give -1 to rolls during the Cooking Phase. This cancels out the Chilled Flan bonus.

Scene 2: Main Course

Once the party has defeated the Chocolate Flan and the Shambling Salads, they must move on to the main course – the dread Sirloin Dragon. If there are 3 or 4 party members, the Dragon will be alone, for every party member above 4, add a Shambling Salad.

Skills:

Permanent Skills: Tough lv. 1, Sprinter lv. 1

Techniques:

Effect: 51 Spirit damage, line 4, targets everyone within 1 space

Cost: 6 Stamina

Effect: 56 damage

Cost: 5 Stamina

Effect: Spirit Weaken, bestows Slow lv. 1 (-1 speed), targets everyone within 1 space

Cost: 4 Stamina

Effect: 51 Strength damage, requires a Move Action and Attack Action to use, move and attack targets you move into, if you hit, continue moving and push the character with you, ignores Zone of Control

Limit: Requires 1 Valor to use

Cost: 4 ST

Additional Options:

Flame-Broiled: If the Sirloin Dragon is targeted by a Technique with Fire or Heat in the description, it will give +1 to rolls during the Cooking Phase.

Freezer-Burn: If the Sirloin Dragon is targeted by a Technique with Ice or Cold in the description, it will give -1 to rolls during the Cooking Phase.

Scene 3: Final Cook-off

As the party returns to the main stage, the final cook-off begins. The characters will have 5 rounds to cook the best dishes possible.

There are 3 meters available during the cooking scene, Dessert, Side, and Main Dish. These meters are tracked for both sides, for a total of 6 meters. All meters begin at 5. The goal is to ensure that at least 2 of the three dishes score higher than the opponent. There will be as many enemy chefs as there are player characters, all enemy chefs will have 2 Secondary Attributes they roll at +5 and should favor whenever possible, and all other Secondary Attributes will be rolled at +2. The chosen specialized Secondary Attributes should be different for each enemy chef. All chefs, enemy and ally, will have an opportunity to either influence their own dish, or sabotage an enemy’s dish. A character attempting to raise the quality of their own dish must roll at least a 10, with critical success being a roll of 15, 20, and so on. A roll of 9 or below is a failure, with a critical failure being a roll of 4 or less, which will lower the quality of the dish instead. Alternately, they can attempt to sabotage the enemy, in this case by making a roll against one of the enemy dishes. An enemy chef will then be selected to defend, if the roll is successful, the quality of the enemy dish is lowered. Dish quality begins at 5 and can be raised up to 10 or reduced to 1. Enemy chefs will also attempt to sabotage player dishes when appropriate.

The Final Cook-Off lasts for 4 full rounds, after which the side with the two highest dishes is declared the winner. Should there be a tie, total up the full meter value of all three dishes, the highest wins. If it is still tied, the Final Cook-Off goes into a sudden death mode, and will go one additional turn until there is a clear winner at the end of the turn.

Have a question, comment, or idea for an Extreme Adventure? Submit them to [email protected]!

Welcome to Valorous Games

April 2, 2015/0 Comments/in Uncategorized /by austin

Welcome to Valorous Games! We are a tabletop game design company based out of Federal Way, Washington. Our mission is to create a tabletop experience where players are able to create any character they can imagine. Here, you will be able to purchase the Valor Tabletop rulebook, as well as other products related to the game. We will also be posting articles, setting information, and other resources to make running and playing Valor easier and more enjoyable. Please enjoy your stay!

Valor Interview: Austin MacKenzie, Lead Designer

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Extreme Adventures: Colossal Showdown

Extreme Adventures: The Lost Temple

Extreme Adventures: The Thespian Heist Part 2

Extreme Adventures: The Thespian Heist Part 1

Extreme Adventures: Valorous Chef

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