[Continued] - Harrowing Festival - 1 VC - Vaul

[KingOfCowards]

Have any house rules for a footrace, Keehnelf?

[Keehnelf]

Yeah, was just tweaking my initial idea, but I think it's ready to go.

1. Each participant makes a DEX test. Anyone who succeeds get +1 Distance Point.
2. Any participant who wishes to push him or herself harder than normal limits can also attempt a CON test, decided on after step 1. This test has a penalty of +1 for each Distance Point the character currently has. If successful, the contestant gets +1 Distance Point. If it fails, the character gets -1 Distance Point (this can push you into the negatives).

If no one has 5 Distance Points at the end of this, it repeats again from the beginning until the round ends with one or more contestants with 5+ Points. If two contestants finish at the same time, the one with the most points will win. If the point numbers are tied, it is too close to call (no photo finishes in this environment).

We'll do all the mechanics to start, and you can make any note of specific actions you want to make during the run--I'll put them all together into a short narrative at the end.

[Starbeard]

Seadu looks about for a possible judge, then rushes off to explain the rules to the chosen person. 'You there! We are in need of an impartial referee in a little racing match of ours. Just someone to call the start and judge the winner.' With his back to Bertram, he then slyly slips a copper piece into the referee's hand with a wink, with a special request to call the start of the race as soon as they walk up to the starting line, so that Bertram will be off his guard. 'A practical joke of sorts,' he explains.

During the walk over to the starting line Seadu tries to keep Bertram occupied in light conversation, hoping his little shenanigan will pull itself off. At the sound of 'Start!' he immediately scampers off toward the tree, cackling like a gleeful hooligan! 'Last one there's a rotten egg!'

Dex 9 ability check: [1d20] = 10

Question: do you mean we'll go through each round as rolls and then you'll spin a narrative afterward, or we should each do all of our rolls now and see how many rounds it takes us to get to 5?

[KingOfCowards]

Now shirtless, Bertram smiles to the onlookers with a wink at Adrienne as Seadu lines up. "Hold onto my ale, it still should be cold by the time I return. Wait...wuh?"

'Last one there's a rotten egg!'

The rascal cleric takes an early lead, but it's short-lived. Bertram tries to push himself to make up the distance and exhausts himself with the effort. Now only a short distance into the race, the two are neck and neck.
Dex Check (13): [1d20] = 5 +1 Distance
CON Check (17): [1d20+1] = 17+1 = 18 -1 Distance

Since you rolled first on the first round, I suppose it's only fair that I roll first for the second
Set off by the unusual start to the race, the young warrior has trouble setting his pace, but soon manages to find his second wind.
Dex Check (13): [1d20] = 14
CON Check (17): [1d20] = 15 +1 Distance

[Starbeard]

Seadu Erana, opportunistic cleric, shakes his fist and shouts rancid curses at Bertram as the taller man whizzes by him. Not one to be outdone, he redoubles his efforts.

DEX 9 ability check: [1d20] = 7 +1 distance
CON 10 check: [1d20] = 1 +1 distance
Total: 2 distance

[KingOfCowards]

Dex Check (13): [1d20] = 16
CON Check (17): [1d20+1] = 13+1 = 14 +1 Distance
Total Distance: 2

Bertram continues to struggle to keep up with the wily cleric, caught off guard by his surprising athleticism.

[Keehnelf]

This is exactly the flow I was looking for! Keep it up as you have the opportunity.

[Starbeard]

Seadu is surprised to see that he is still doing well enough to stay relatively neck-and-neck with Bertram. When they reach the tree he attempts to round it and loses some significant time, his head reeling a bit from trying to round a sharp corner with too much drink in his stomach. He thinks to himself, I'll win this race if I have to puke all over myself to do it!, and forces his legs back into motion, regaining his stride.

DEX 9 ability check: [1d20] = 19
CON 10 check: [1d20] = 9 +1 Distance
Total (round 3): 3 Distance

[KingOfCowards]

Sorry to be a stickler to the rules...but that last CON check should have been made with a +2 penalty per Keehnelf's rules for pushing oneself. "This test has a penalty of +1 for each Distance Point the character currently has."

After three rounds should be Bertram: 2, Seadu: 1

[Keehnelf]

That is correct! Seadu may end up puking all over himself after all!

[Starbeard]

You're right! I was wondering why it was so easy for him to get the CON boost!

Seadu's updated total (round 3): +1 +1 -1 = 1 Distance

[Starbeard]

You've had 2 rounds of having to go first, so I'll do the honours for round 4.

DEX 9 ability check: [1d20] = 11
CON 10 (-2) check: [1d20] = 16 -1 Distance
Total: 0 Distance

Seadu, wheezing now, gives a last concerted effort to force his legs into motion, hoping to catch up with Bertram. Unfortunately, all it does is give him a painful stitch in the side.

[KingOfCowards]

Round 4:
Bertram is sure he is not running his best race, but he sees Seadu falling behind as he turns around the tree and he thinks to press his advantage by continuing to push himself.
DEX Check (13): [1d20] = 17
Con Check: (17): [1d20+2] = 4+2 = 6 +1 Distance
Total Distance: 3

Round 5:
Feeling the end is near, Bertram leans on his comfortable lead and begins coasting the rest of the way/
DEX Check (13): [1d20] = 10 +1 Distance
Total Distance: 4

[Starbeard]

'Wait! Wait! My sandal strap is loose!' the helpless Seadu shouts out. He stumbles on clutching his side and giving his un-athletic legs as much discipline as they'll take, before slowly collapsing on the ground, heaving for air and trying to stop the spinning in his head.

Round 5:
DEX 9 ability check: [1d20] = 15
CON 10 (-2) check: [1d20] = 20 -1 Distance
Total: -1 Distance

Round 6:
dex 9 ability check: [1d20] = 15
CON 10 (-2) check: [1d20] = 19 -1 Distance
Total: -2 Distance

[KingOfCowards]

Round 6:
DEX Check (13): [1d20] = 14

Round 7:
DEX Check (13): [1d20] = 14

Ugh. When I say Bertram is coasting the rest of the way, I guess I meant it. Giving ample time for the winded cleric to make up ground.
BTW if these last few rounds had been a fight against goblins, I am pretty sure we would have rocked them with the rolls we had.

[Starbeard]

Ha! I can picture Bertram tying his bootlace on a rock while we waits for Seadu to catch his breath.

Round 7:
DEx 9 ability check: [1d20] = 10
CON 10 (-2) check: [1d20] = 5 +1 Distance

Round 8:
DEX 9 ability check: [1d20] = 12
CON 10 (-2) check: [1d20] = 9 -1 Distance
Total: -2 distance

Seadu gathers up the very last of his willpower and attempts to stumble his way forward. Mildly to his own surprise, he discovers that his body has grown rather numb, and he feels himself catching speed once again. Emboldened by his second wind, he begins to pick up pace and break into an glorious sprint!

Within seconds, though, his side stitch unceremoniously returns and he once again falls to the ground clutching his ribs and wheezing pathetically.

[Keehnelf]

Both of those CON checks are successful (no -2 modifier when you're at negative distance).

End result is distance: 0

[KingOfCowards]

Both of those CON checks are successful (no -2 modifier when you're at negative distance).

End result is distance: 0

By letter of the law, he might actually get a bonus to his roll while at negative distances

[KingOfCowards]

Round 8:
Dex Check (13): [1d20] = 20
Bertram looks back to see how his competition is fairing, and laughs to himself as he sees the priest struggling. This distraction, of course, causes him to trip in a hidden gopher hole as he circumvents the farmland. He stumbles for a moment, wincing from the pain of a turned ankle and finishes the race, cursing himself for a fool.
Round 9:
Dex Check (13): [1d20] = 13 +1 Distance. Total Distance: 5
At the finish line he beams at whatever small crowd has gathered. He retrieves his mug of ale from Adriene, and guzzles the rest down. Much to his dismay, he was wrong, it is no longer cold.

[Keehnelf]

Nice--I think you guys narrated that quite well. A few onlookers gathered to watch the latter half of the race once they'd heard it was happening, and Bertram trots over the finish line to a smattering of applause and concerned murmurs about Seadu. A pair of middle-aged men jog out to meet him with a waterskin to be sure he makes it OK.

Meanwhile, inside the town, no new contestants have taken up the challenge of the story contest, so Zampari the bard approaches Constance with a smile and a low bow. "Madam, I believe that the field is narrow enough that neither of us would benefit from a head-to-head contest. I signed up only to encourage others and, I confess, this was a selfish motive--nothing pleases me more than to listen to well-wrought tales.

"If you would do me the pleasure of sharing what story you had planned, I would be only too happy to offer you the prize I had reserved for the champion of this contest, seeing as you are something of a fledgling adventurer. In my younger years, I traveled widely and had many adventures of my own, in lands both fantastical and dreary. Of all the places that ever I wandered, the White Tower far in the south was the most glorious and the dearest to my heart. The elvish Sword Singers who train there marry the arts of war and the arts of--well, art--in such a captivating way." He smiles somewhat impishly, the creases around his eyes giving some indication of his true age. "While there, I somehow managed to win and then lose the heart of an elf-maid of that fine tradition, but in the process acquired a most extraordinary treasure." He pulls out a narrow, green-velvet wrapped bundle and reveals a finely-made elven sword. "This is a Song Blade, a weapon of subtle and powerful magic. Only a true Sword Singer can realize its full potential, but even mortals such as ourselves can benefit from its craft. If you know the proper rituals and songs, you can place a tale inside the blade, its power waiting until the right moment to be released. At the moment, this blade holds the Song of Twilight, a tale of my own devising about the elf-maid I mentioned before." He seems to blush. "I can share the song with you so that its power can be released. This particular tale grants might to fell powerful foes, and should be used with care. Stories, as you know, can have greater power than even the singer can tell."He hands the bundle to Constance. "I am done with wars, with blades, and with elf-maids in particular, so passing this on is no great loss to me. Tonight at the tavern I will share what I can with you of its secrets."

Revealed later:

The sword is a masterwork shortsword (base +1 to hit, usable by any class except cleric) with a special power: when a successful blow is struck against an enemy with 2 or more hit dice greater than the wielder's level, the wielder rolls an additional 2d6 damage. The song trapped in the blade is spent, and will require a ritual to replace. The Song of Twilight, which Zapari teaches Constance that night, requires an hour to instill in the sword, which must be done in the twilight hours. Any tale can be placed in the blade--the effects will vary based on the nature of the song.

100 xp to Constance for being the only one willing to stand up and participate in this event.