Clones of peace

This is a pretty much blow by blow account of a Nanoworld game by  taking about two hours at London Indiemeet.

About Clones

Clones have white hair.
Clones have starlit eyes.
Clones wear coveralls.
Clones have both genders.
Clones have Perception +2.
Clones have Charm +1.
Clones have Cool +0.

The clones in our story are #10, #385, #2491, #47.

About Nano

Clones first memory is of waking up in a cold steel container.
Clones are engineered to serve.
Clones work in an arms factory.
Clones last dreamed of roiling chrysanthemums of flame.
Uniques only have one gender, male or female.
Clones in the factory
There has been an explosion in the factory and some of the clones have died.
Clones can help other clones but it is risky.
#54 was having his own ideas about the experiments
The unique fire crew is summoned.
The fire crew might discover the weapons had been tampered with.
Clones will be deleted if the tampering is discovered.
The medical lab is fifty floors down.
The medical lab is where they "improve" clones, the thought of going back is terrifying.
Clones cannot tamper with the security system.
Tampering with the security system causes the clones to vomit.
The fire crew will notice that one of the clones is malfunctioning.
Clones cannot lie and will confess their lie immediately afterwards.
Clones are analysed when they malfunction.
Clones can analyse other clones but it is risky.
#2491 will go to the medical lab and analyse #54.
Clones are implanted with internal radios that allow them to communicate with one another.
Clones cannot kill uniques.
Clones can stun uniques.
#54 is not a clone. It is the original seed-stock Zero and killed.
#54 to take its place.
This clone series was designed by clones.
Clones can hack computers.
Clones subdue the medical lab staff.
Clones subdue the fire crew.
Clones were designed to neutralise the world armouries.
Clones take control of the facility.

Epilogue

The clones are greeted as saviours by uniques and clones alike as they shut down the global weapon programmes and leave the weapons factory. With no weapons the terrible war that has ravaged the planet has ended.

A random Dog Eat Dog Record

1. The Free Men are inferior to the Confederation
2. Peace will be met with peace
3. Natives have a curfew
4. Agree with deals
5. Everything has a price
6. Follow the scriptures
7. Keep far away from trouble

Shooting the Moon

Shooting the Moon is an indie game that has a two player variant where the players take on the roles of suitors aiming to woo a shared love, but only one can win the heart of their beloved.
We were playing the two player game and our chosen setting was:

Tolstoy meets Steampunk

A snow swept pre-revolutionary Russia where steam airships cut through the icy Siberian air.
Meet our Beloved Anna. A young woman who is the envy of Russian society. Anna is wealthy, aloof, clever, beautiful, well-dressed and possessed of a grand palace.
It is well-known that by the terms of the will that makes her such a grand lady she is required to take a husband. However Anna is also under investigation by agents of the Czar for treason. Such serious charges might form a serious obstacle to any suitor.

There are two leading men who vie for Anna's hand in marriage.

Dmitri

Dmitri is rather slow but good at sums, he is bestial but athletic. He is known to possess a nice country house but it is not as well-known that it has a large mortgage. He is humble but also angry.
He is assisted by his loyal servant Alexi, loves the view from the roof of the palace and always carries a picture of his dead sister in his pocket.
Dmitri is solid country nobility but would Anna think differently about him if she knew he was hounded by creditors?

Levy

Levy the roguish air pirate is exceptionally bright but unlettered, he is  gracious but intimidating. He lives in a rotting tenement which is at least full of friends. He is proud but kind.
He has a fiery ward called Petra, frequents basement nightclubs and has his own airship.
He is the rightful heir to Anna's property, will deeds stand in the way of love?

Round one

Dmitri

With the arrival of winter the gentlefolk make to skate on the frozen river. Anna stands on the bank watching the procession of skaters with her haughty froideur. Dmitri is amongst the skaters trying to impress Anna with his powerful and assured skill on the ice.
However as he tries to see whether he has caught Anna's eye he fails to notice doddering Vanya, everyone's favourite uncle, tottering into his path.
Fortunately a timely shout from faithful Alexi and Dmitri's athletic ability allows him to sharply turn around Vanya in an impressive turn of skill.

One point and the trait impressive sportsman earned.

Levy

Levy's airship is bearing down on Anna's palace where she is holding a ball, ropes descend from the ship allowing the steam pirates to smash through the glass ceiling and onto the dancefloor where the gentlemen of the cavalry and this season's debutantes are mixing. Taken with Anna's beauty Levy taunts the revellers and tries to complement Anna.
However the gentlemen cavalry are not children to be robbed so easily and taking up their sabres they fight back. The sky pirates are hard-pressed so Levy draws forth a large clockwork automatic and threatens the officers. Even this does not deter the military men and he is forced to fire, peppering one of the gentlemen with bullets.

No points and the trait murderer gained.

Round two

Dmitri

Dmitri has been invited to a reception by the Czar, seeing that Anna is on the guestlist he decides to chance an invitation to meet him on the palace roof, from where the gaslights of the city stretches into the distance.
As luck would have it there are two ladies by the name of Anna in attendance and the page blunders by asking both to come to the roof. Anna's namesake is a much more plain country lady but both are surprised to find themselves and Dmitri together on the roof of the palace.
Dmitri sees the confusion instantly but blunders in his explanation and both women join arms and march back inside the palace.

No points and trait deviant gentleman gained.

Levy

Anna is looking for an informant who claims to have information about who has acussed her of treason. The man wants to meet in a disreputable nightclub, the same nightclub where Levy is currently disengaging his ward Petra from the arms of a disagreeable sailor.
Levy instantly recognises Anna and ventures his help to her in whatever errand has brought her here.
Anna recognises the bandit who ruined her recent party however and with a sharp rebuke turns on heel and leaves.

No points and trait golddigger gained.

Round three

Dmitri

Dmitri invites Anna to his country house for a meal. While the surroundings are indeed pleasant and the food well cooked and served will Anna be bored witless by Dmitri's limited table talk?
Fortunately as Dmitri starts to repeat himself the picture of his dead sister flutters from his jacket to the floor. Anna picks it up and after discovering the nature of the memento is moved by such a display of filial love.

Three points and trait unpretentious gained.

Levy

Levy is stung by Anna's rebuke and is determined to prove himself as selfless in his desire to aid her. Understanding her legal difficulties he takes up the case and is able to find a loophole that would result in the collapse of the case against her.
Excited he leaps onto a dog sled and makes his way to the country dachu where the nobility have gathered for a winter hunting expedition. He sneaks into the grounds but fails to notice that security has been increased and guards lurk all over the grounds. While trying to reach Anna in an isolated part of the lodge he is caught by surprise, wrestled to the ground and dragged before the guests.

No points and the trait stalker.

Conclusion

Dmitri and Levy finally confront one another in the dachu.
Could there be any real choice between a filthy and dangerous bandit and a respectable nobleman? Anna is grateful for the support of Dmitri and Levy is dragged away by the guards. With his rival out the way Dmitri proposes and his proposal is accepted.
Dmitri and Anna have a grand wedding with a huge guest list of well-wishers and creditors who are crying with joy at the fortune they have managed to buy a stake in.
Levy is carted off to prison; will Petra and the sky pirates be able to get him out again?

Conspiracy of Shadows (Season Two, Epilogue)

Having dug Little Alexander from the rubble of the Grey Claw Tower and returned to the hunting lodge the group decide to split up. Little Alexander and Kasper are to travel to Stosz and exchange information with the Order of the Closed Book contact there while Big Alexander remains with Sedziwoj.

The pair travel down river before heading north, over land to the city. The land around Stosz is rich in minerals and ore as well as being good farmland. The city is surrounded by ridges of rolling hills that trap a deep mist within their valleys.

On the trip the pair see many encampments of Rankians, despised travellers in most other countries. Close to Stosz, Little Alexander decides to join one of the encampments for the night and trade news and gossip. As near penniless travellers themselves the pair have little to fear from light-fingered Rankian. In fact when they sit beside the large bonfire at the heart of the camp they see that the Rankian actually seem more afraid of them, making the sign to avert the evil eye.

Little Alexander is determined to find out why the Rankian are scared while Kasper is happy to sit by the fire and watch the Rankian dance, sing and dare one another to leap and somersault over the fire.

The Rankian initially refuse to talk to Little Alexander but finally allow the two travellers an audience with the Old Mother. A wizened old crone that reads their palms and tells their future. The woman tells them that the Sleeping King is pursuing them and they are in constant danger. She also gives them some clues about the location of the Witch Chamber to the south.

Finally the pair are asked to look into a cauldron that the Rankian fill with strange herbs and powders. Little Alexander sees a vision of a procession in the High Church of Tor but the congregation all have the heads of roosters, dogs, cats and other animals. The Patriarch himself has the drooling face of a Jenkan mastiff. Kasper sees a vision of Asig Danaret and Ravanna falling and burning deep into the earth until they enter a vast chamber. There a gigantic demon lies with green and black scales and a pair of huge wings folded against his back. The creature suddenly awakes and reaches out a huge clawed hand to catch the falling fireball. It opens its mouth to reveal an inferno of green flame frame with burnt black flesh and then it eats the wretched lost souls that have fallen into its clutches.

After seeing their respective visions the pair come to and find that they each have a single witchmark under the skin upon their primary hand. The pair are initially horrified and the Rankian explain that they have only made visible the curse the two are under, nothing more. The Rankian then give them each a charm made from a crow's foot and urge them to leave the camp.

Despite it being past midnight the moon is high and full and the pair decide to continue to Stosz and before long the city's famous clock tower is visible in the distance, a guide to draw in the weary travellers.

As the pair reach the edge of town they find several watchmen gathered round a man dressed only in his night shirt. After challenging the travellers the watchmen explain that the man in a sleep walker, one of many in the recent weeks. The watchmen seem amused by the man's antics but the marks in the pair's hand burn when they get close to the sleep walker, who seems to be intent on trying to enter some kind of outhouse. Concerned the pair decide to carry on into the city and gain the safety and shelter of the church there.

Conspiracy of Shadows (Season Two, Session Eight)

The tower begins to shake and down on the lake side Kasper sees the water starting to recede. Little Alexander immediately looks around for Anatoli but Big Alexander confronts Asig, asking him why he looks so pleased at this turn of events. Asig snarls and opens a secret compartment in the desk revealing a black steel staff holding two bright green crystals. He gestures towards Big Alexander and the floor below the priest's feet gives way dropping him to the floor below surprising Anatoli who jumps into the window space. All around them the building is shaking, stone is falling and the temporary wooden scaffolding has collapsed.

Wielding his staff Asig turns to confront Little Alexander and they fight. The falling stones seem to fall around Asig without hitting him but even with this advantage he quickly finds himself at the mercy of Little Alexander's imposing strength and size. As the tower begins to fall apart he chooses to leap from the crumbling masonry into the lake below. With few other choices Little and Big Alexander do the same. Looking down Anatoli sees that the lake is actually shimmering and occasionally blasts of gas rise from the bottom. He decides instead to transform into a bird and fly away from the tower. Little does he realise that Kasper (who had been running up from the lake to the tower) can see him and is horrified to witness this unnatural transformation.

Little Alexander looks around for Asig in the water but he has disappeared and instead he settles for rescuing the floundering Big Alexander. Behind them the tower gives one final shudder and then collapses into a pile of rubble. Kasper, who is closed also sees that the shepherd's huts have collapsed, trapping or killing those inside.

The three (and Anatoli returned to human form and protected from harm by Ravanna) reconvene at the destroyed tower and are determined to enter the ruined structure and descend to the cellars that were previously inaccessible. With Little Alexander to clear the way they soon find a passage in the old cellars that leads via a winding tunnel into a natural chamber within the rock below.

The chamber is illuminated by a steady green glow emanating from veins of green crystal that run through the chamber and in their light the group can see row upon row of witch marks. There is a brief conference and Big Alexander makes the decision that the witch marks must be destroyed. The group set to removing the marks through simply scratching them out with stones taken from the chamber floor. As the first mark is obliterated there is a cry of anger and despair and Asig once again appears charging towards the group. Little Alexander turns to face him and two once again square off. This time however Little Alexander notices that his blows seem to glance off Asig as if he was wearing armour under his robes.

As the fighting continues Kasper and Big Alexander continue to try and destroy the witchmarks while Anatoli considers once again cutting himself and letting blood flow onto the marks to see what might happen. Big Alexander notices Anatoli cutting himself and shouts at Kasper to kill Anatoli before he can do any more harm.

Kasper quickly notches an arrow and shoots, missing in his haste. He aims another which nicks Anatoli, he aims another at Anatoli's heart and fires. The arrow strikes Ravanna instead, as she leaps in front of Anatoli. The arrow pierces her slight frame completely and she falls against the wall of the chamber. As she does so a trickle of blood flows along the arrow protruding from her back and meets the marks on the wall. As it does so the marks flare with a brilliant green light and each one in turn illuminates (including the few that had already been erased or damaged). Ravanna begins to twist and scream as the light surrounds her and she starts to burn with green fire.

Asig, shouts again and pushes Little Alexander aside, ignoring any blows he suffers. He runs to Ravanna and pulls her away from the wall. The heatless fire surrounds them both and as Asig starts to burn there is a terrible screeching sound and the chamber begins to shake and split.

Everyone leaves the chamber in a panic, Anatoli is the last and as he turns to look back he sees the floor of the chamber open up and the burning Asig and Ravanna fall into the cleft, disappearing from view. Green fire burns up from the floor of the chamber in their wake and everyone has to run for the surface as quickly as they can.

At the top the ground is once more shaking and swaying, Big Alexander and Kasper run for safety but Little Alexander turns and faces up to Anatoli as he scrambles for the ground. Anatoli sees that Little Alexander is determined to have a final reckoning but aware of the rushing green fire behind him he decides to run at the priest and transforms himself into a bird at this last minute, nimbly dodging the vengeful priest's stave.

Little Alexander turns to watch the disappearing witch, snarling as he does so. Behind him tendrils of green fire erupt from the ground and there is a moment of silence before the rubble of the tower is blown into the air and the priest is knocked into the air by the blast and covered with rubble.

Conspiracy of Shadows (Season Two, Session Seven)

The Cell travel by sea from Tor to the River Vistula and from there take river boats up stream to the headwaters of the Vistula itself. They enter the ancient refuge of the Vorian era, the hills and mountains that the Vorians would retreat to in times of trouble. In latter days the rolling hills and quiet gullies filled with trees have become a place of spiritual retreats with shrines to the Saints and numerous monasteries and religious houses scattered throughout the area.

The group travel to the furthest religious house they can the Retreat of St. Coboon, which is really more of a noble hunting lodge and community hub that a true religious house. The brothers play host to the recovering Sedizwoj and his large retinue that has been causing Big Alexander so much concern and the others express an interest in travelling the two days further north to the tower by the waterfall. The brothers ask them to take several sacks of goods that they have purchased on behalf of the remote community with them and seeing the opportunity the group agree and ride north.

The tower (or rather the remains of the tower) are visible at some distance, as is the haze of the waterfall next to it. The tower is in an extremely poor state and is slumping on one side leading to the curved “claw” appearance of the tower. A dry stone wall can be seen around it and smaller stone shepherd huts. The tiny settlement is lodged in a niche of stone cliffs that stand to the right of the waterfall.

The group approach and on arriving see that a small trail leads up the bluff to the tower and the stone wall only allows entrance by the base of the tower. Within the wall are two thick walled shepherd huts, some wattle sheep pens and a substantial two storey building the size of a large barn.

The group walk to the large building and are greeted by a surprised cook and her husband but the sacks quickly smooth the way to the kitchen’s hearth and they group are soon brought to share a broth with the lord of the tower Asig Danaret. Danaret is the third generation lord of the tower and its surrounds and he seems a cultured and educated man, unusual in this isolated location. He seems to have an interest in the rocks of the surrounding area, hardly surprising as apart from sheep there is not a lot else here.

The group pose as travelling visitors who are here to see the famous waterfall and Asig promises to take them into the tower (which is a dangerous state) and allow them to fish on the lake in the morning.

The group accept his hospitality and after an uneventful night the two Alexander’s and Anatoli are taken into the tower while Kaspar is taken by Asig’s man servant to the lake to try fishing for trout using the coracle-like boats the villagers construct for themselves.

Inside the tower much of the structure is choked with rubble from the walls of the tower and the internal floors. The tower no longer has much of a roof and many of the internal staircases have fallen in to be replaced by rickety arrangements of wooden planks and supports. Only two rooms are really in any kind of inhabitable condition and both face onto the lake. One of the first storey is bare and plain apart from three votive niches in the back wall and a large window seat with a ledge for sitting an watching the lake. The other (positioned above it) has a large panoramic view of the lake and nearby woods while also having a magnificent view of the torrent of water descending into the lake. Asig uses this room as his study and a fine desk is in place along with a set of improvised shelving and boxes for Asig’s books and numerous parchments. Little Alexander fakes an interest in Asig’s views on geology to distract the noble while Big Alexander rifles through his scrolls. Meanwhile Anatoli is bored and has wandered back to the first room where he investigates the three niches that would have once contained statuettes facing onto the lake. To his surprise he finds a single witch mark cut into the base of each niche. He cuts his hand and lets the blood drain into the mark. The blood pools into the mark quickly and perfectly, Anatoli can hear a whispering as he does this. He hesitates for a moment, considering the possibility of wiping away the blood but then decides to carry his action to its logical conclusion and he pours more of his blood into each of the witch marks. As the last mark is filled with blood the red liquid vanishes from the stonework and an ominous rumble begins.

Conspiracy of Shadows (Season Two, Stay at Drethka)

The two separate groups were reunited at Drethka and despite frustration by the Alexanders at Sedziwoj's showy public lifestyle and Sedziwoj's annoyance at the Alexander's abducting "his" men the two sides were reconciled.

The Alexander's stayed at a sympathetic monastery and sent letters on to Tor regarding their approach and arrival. Sedziwoj meanwhile had Anatoli sell the coins that had been found at the barrow to a Torian collector of antiquities for a high price. This event sparked a most remarkable reconcilation between the two men where some suitable flattery and grovelling by Anatoli ended up in him being appointed Sedziwoj's senschal and being able to hire a travelling retinue.

Both Sedziwoj and Anatoli traded horses and bought a number of hunting hounds (rather like Irish Greyhounds) here and a number of local people were taken on to serve as grooms, valets, general servants, washerwomen and other tasks. In addition to this by the time the group had reached Oldska a number of whores, musicians, players and other dissolute types had attached themselves to the group. Lending a certain carnival air to the proceedings.

Conspiracy of Shadows (Season Two, Season Midpoint)

Note that this post contains notes about what the group did while staying at Tor. This marks the mid-point of the season and the post may be updated and edited as it is not strictly a session report.

The group have travelled far from Jenkaz through Brekaw to Oldaska, then along the Vorain Sea coast to the Holy Union of Voria and finally up the river Tor to the holy capital of Tor itself. Upon arrival Sedziwoj and his loyal entourage take rooms in a local inn where the noble gentlemen succumbs once again to fugue and fever which the local gossips attribute to his exertions with the squalid women who seemed to so amply occupy the boat on which his party journeyed upriver.

The two Alexanders meanwhile make efforts to contact the Order of the Closed Book and are shocked to find many changes within their formerly dusty, small and secretive society. The Order is substantially grown and has many new members and new premises. The two are ushered in as conquering heroes.

It seems the Order has been energised by the news from the White Hills Barony and has been studying a letter from the Cell that was sent on their way to Jenkaz. Witchmarks were discovered in the basements of the castle and the Order has been studying them and the history of the castle. It appears that the castle was one of five that were constructed during the period of the Vorian Empire all by the same architect. The Order suspects that the castles form some kind of ward or mystic symbol across the land. They have managed to locate only one other of the five (and they agree on the general location of only one further, which they feel must be Bravich).

With their studies revealing little additional information the Order are eager for the cell to travel to Oldaska and uncover more about the one location they are certain of. The cell agree to do this as soon as they can while giving out the idea that they will shortly be departing west to try and be part of the proposed crusade against the Solderins.

The group also discover their legal status. Sedziwoj's outlawery seems to extend only to where the King of Jenka can enforce his will and the two Alexanders while the subject of church law investigations, they can likely wait more than a year before any matters come to a point. It seems that while some disapprove of their actions they are still thought of favourably from their Kulzulgrod adventures.

Conspiracy of Shadows (Season Two, Session Six)

Once again Anatoli has to beg and wheedle for his life. This time he manages to persuade Sedziwoj that not only has he helped save Kasper's life but that a local has told him of a secret passage into the mining village, the entrance to the passage being under the mound of earth in the clearing. Sedziwoj is so taken with the idea of making a surprise attack on Beker that he immediately sets Anatoli and Totay to work on clearing the entrance to the passage.

Totay is less convinced by Anatoli's story and asks a few sharp questions but seems happy to go along with the digging for his own reasons. The pair make fair progress but as the light fails work has to stop and the camp turns to thoughts of food and shelter from the night.

Totay and Sedziwoj discuss Kasper who is badly injured and only a step away from death's door. Totay persuades Sedziwoj to let Totay disguise Kasper as one of the mercenary men at arms and drag him on a litter to the mining village. As Sedziwoj, Anatoli and Sergei settle down to their very humble meal of forage Totay drags Kasper's litter towards the distant lights of the mine's stockade. Before he has even left the woods though he hears a voice call his name and then a huge blow knocks him unconscious.

Once they have eaten Sedziwoj, Anatoli and Sergei prepare for the night and being ever vigilant Sedziwoj arranges watches throughout the night. It is during his own watch when the moon is high that something strange begins to occur around the clearing. Once again shadowy figures begin to appear between the trees, moving towards the camp from all directions. Surrounding it on all sides. The fog rising from the ground is lit with blue moonlight and the translucent figures drift through it; indistinct yet urgent.

Sergei sees his father in the crowd of figures and moves towards him, Sedziwoj tries to stop him but sees the shade of his sister through the trees and she calls out to him. Anatoli sees his lost love and it is revealed to be his sister.

Each has a conversation with their spirit and each receives cryptic advice about the future. When they wake in the morning they discover that the entrance to the barrow has collapsed and the way inside is open.

Far away to the north Kaspar comes round to find his litter being dragged behind a mule. Totay is bound and gagged over the back of the mule and behind the litter Big Alexander is keeping an eye on Kaspar's expertly attended wounds.

Realising what has happened Kaspar immediately pleads to be returned to Sedziwoj before the monks get too far away. Unfortunately the Alexander's have decided to press on to Tor and are in no mind to turn back. Totay is furious with his kidnapping by the priests that so recently almost had him captured by the guards of Jenkaz but threatened with another crack to the skull decides there is little he can do except wait for the Alexanders to decide either to kill him or set him free.

The monks take their unwilling companions on a wide diversion north of Jenkaz and then west along the river. They eventually come back to the barge the group abandoned when they arrived and taking it as a divine sign they reclaim it and head rapidly downstream.

Back at the barrow the three explorers discover an ancient stone coffin containing mouldering bones and some weapons untouched by the changes of time. Anatoli takes a spear of bronze and Sedziwoj takes a fine, slender sword. The floor of the barrow is scattered with coins and clay jars scattered round the coffin and the walls of the barrow contain more. Sedziwoj has Sergi gather all the money up into a few of the jars. Anatoli spots a few stone plates covered with witch marks and hides them away before any one else finds them. He doesn't understand them but feels some strange affinity for them.

Having looted the tomb the group gather up the horses of the fallen mercenaries and travel north, skirting Jenkaz to the east. Sedziwoj is angry at Totay's betrayal but does not feel the need to test his ire against the soldiers that still guard the mining village. Instead he plans an escape to Tor. The three find the old flat barge on the riverside, untouched since they abandoned it there. Loading the horses aboard they push off and make for Drethka.