GM’s Observations
- This is the 10 Year Anniversary session. Believe it or not, Grant and Ethan are over a hundred years old now. The year in Realm 0 is 2060 and the game started in 1985!
* Image is the original art by Dashinvaine which was done for Grant and Ethan as part of the Lords of Gossamer Kickstarter back in 2013….. plus a superimposed cake.
- Of course in the real world David and I started this game on 24th July 2013 and we have been running this for 10 years. Yes, I know many people do run long games, but I have written up every session and posted it. I don’t know of anyone else who has done that.
- In this session I wanted to explore Grant’s motivations. I sometimes find it difficult to plan a story arc for Grant because David doesn’t seem to know how he wants Grant to develop or the challenges that he wants Grant to face. Grant is also very challenging because he’s X+1 Rank Warfare (so on a par with many of the elders), Dominant Rank Strength, he’s a Master of the Stair, an Umbra Master, the Shadow King etc… ie: this is a character with a great deal of personal power but that should not make life boring. Superman is not a boring character - he has the personal power to deal with most threats but he does face challenges which make the story interesting.
- Hence I wanted to give David a bit of rope in this session. The challenge here is that everyone else is off doing things. So what does Grant do when no one is calling upon him? What does he reflect upon? Does this quiet time give him some ideas as to what would like to do next?
- I think we’re about to see an inversion between Ethan and Grant. Ethan was always the one who was heading off into the unknown, exploring the furthest reaches of the Stair. I think he’s about to stop doing that. Instead, it will be Grant who leaves the known behind and ventures into the unknown. We’ll see….
- Regarding Ethan’s part in the adventure (at the bottom), David didn’t want to run Ethan’s introduction to the Winter Court so I just made stuff up to fill in the blanks. I have tried to keep it brief.
Major Characters
- Grant
Adversaries
- None
Adventure Hook
- None. This is deliberately a ‘day in the life of’ to see where Grant goes when there is no hook.
Background
- Time has passed since Hephaestus finished his Great Tasks and has become complete. Sophia is still recovering and Grant thinks it may take years. He feels that he has done all he can. There is a spark between him and Tinkerbell and they often go off on adventures together, however currently Tinkerbell has been distracted by one of Isabelle’s projects. The two of them and a cyclops named Brontes are working on a series of complex devices - they seem to be keeping their project secret from Hephaestus. Hephaestus leaves his workshop one day and he is dressed to kill (in a suit and wearing a tie!) He is clearly planning to have a night out with his wife. The team in the workshop pump up the music (Alice Cooper with a strong techno-beat) as soon as Hephaestus is out of the place. Isabelle, Tinkerbell and Brontes break out the ‘toys’ (gizmos that they have been building in secret) and Grant feels very much out of place.
- Grant would like to catch up with Ethan but Ethan has received a summons from the Winter Court. Ethan has put this off for some time but he has finally decided to see what obligations are involved in becoming Lord Wynterlyr.
- Grant doesn’t want to go back to Marindar, and even Hilda is with the Visari children on Barida. He isn’t sure what he should do next. The only people who might need him are Lofwyr (the Dragon Emperor) and some of the Lords of Gossamer who are still trying to hunt down the Necromancer.
Adventure Summary - Grant
- Grant decides to head back to Westgate Manor (Realm 0 - Earth). It is quiet on the Stair. He arrives back at the hidden landing. It feels like a very long time since he was here. He arrives ‘home’ and finds that there is a skeleton crew of ravens and cats still residing in the place. Ethan was here only a week ago and there is very little new mail. A young raven named ‘Zakath’ (GM’s note - named after a mutual friend of ours who passed away ~20 years ago) who speaks with a strong Scottish accent. Zakath fills Grant in on current events. When Grant talks about going to the pub to get food for lunch, Zakath talks about the ‘miracles of the interweb’ and ‘home delivery’. The cats and ravens get excited at this point and they make recommendations for Indian food delivery. A ‘pad’ is handed to Grant to make an order.
- A moped turns up 15 mins later with plenty of food. The ravens and cats let Grant eat first (it is very good) and then the animals dive in and gorge themselves. It is a merry (and messy) affair - many napkins are used to clean up the aftermath. Grant notes that the ravens and cats have their own credit card and their own side business. Zakath remarks that they are running a surveillance business which has been very profitable. Their best customer is the King (they are ‘On His Majesty’s Secret Service’). This surprises Grant and he asks what year it is and who is on the throne. He is surprised to find that it is June 2060 and that King George VII is on the throne. It’s another sign as to how much time has passed since he and Ethan first walked onto the Stair (GM’s note - in Session 1!) Grant realises that he is over a hundred years old!
- In the afternoon Grant has a look around Westgate Manor - he finds that much of it is undisturbed but some of Ethan’s possessions have been removed. Books, clothes, that sort of thing. Grant decides to walk into town.
- Fiveways hasn’t changed greatly. Many of the old buildings are still there, including the pub and the clocktower. There are some new buildings - apartments, office buildings and a new school but the population hasn’t dramatically increased. Grant goes looking for faerie paths and finds that there are some nearby, but none have been recently used. He also goes looking for signs of the Shoggoth that used to hang around Westgate Manor but it seems to have moved on.
- Grant heads to the Tipsy Elephant. The pub hasn’t changed much. The jukebox is still there. There is a beach/cocktail themed night planned for the evening. Someone has scattered sand on the floor and there are two large potted plants that resemble palm trees. Grant orders a pint and is recognised by the bartender as Prince Grant. Tom gives him the pint for free and begins telling Grant about others from the Legendary Realm who have settled in the Fiveways area. Many of them catch up at the Tipsy Elephant on Tuesdays for ‘Lost Legends’ nights. They chat for a bit.
- Grant settles down in the pub and relaxes with a beer and a meal. A number of people come into the bar after 5pm for an end-of-week drink and a bit of relaxation. Grant is startled when he hears the jukebox play one of Abbie’s greatest hits - but it is a cover with a disco beat. Later on, a band arrives. Grant listens to two sets of music while the twenty and thirty-somethings talk and dance. Finally, he has had enough and decides to go home.
- Leaving the pub, he decides to shift into crow form and observe the township from the air. It looks very peaceful but he does notice some things that are different. There are hypersonic planes in the skies; and a large satellite passes overhead that Grant can clearly see with his crow-eyes but he has no idea how long it has been in orbit.
- Returning to Westgate Manor, Grant looks through the newspapers, trying to understand current events. The ravens still get a physical newspaper delivered every day, even though in the year 2060 most media is electronic. He finds a reference to the satellite - it’s called Haven 1. He finds out more about world politics and significant events. He also reads about what the magical community is doing - it seems that magical theory is taught in universities, but only very few have the ‘spark’ to actually do something usable with it.
- Grant sleeps in his old bed. It has been ages since he has been here. It feels nostalgic to be back here but he doesn’t feel like he belongs here. It feels old and stale. This isn’t who he is anymore.
- The next day Grant thinks about Sophia and how she is probably lost to him. He wonders about Aethelwyne (GM’s note - she was first introduced in Session 115) and whether she still lives. He returns to the Sparrowhawk, an airship that travels from one kingdom to another and finds that it still services the same route. Some of the decor is the same as Grant remembers but there has also been refurbishment. Grant heads from Florin to Dinar to Guilder and hears that Aethelwyne is still alive and in good health. She is now an old woman, with many nieces and nephews but she has never married. Grant sees a photo of her - she still has the same eyes but her face is old and lined. It is a stark contrast to his own apparent age - he still looks like he is in his mid-twenties. Umbra gradually shifts him but he has grown accustomed to resetting himself back to what (he thinks) is his original age and form.
- Grant receives an Icon contact when the Sparrowhawk is approaching Dinar. He accepts the contact and finds that it is the Dragon Emperor Lofwyr himself. Lofwyr offers the normal pleasantries and then says that he is entertaining someone who would like to meet him. Grant accepts the invitation and leaves the Sparrowhawk.
- Grant finds himself in one of the Dragon Emperor’s audience chambers. Lofwyr likes modern buildings and this feels like it is one of his skyscrapers. Lofwyr smiles, thanks Grant for coming and introduces Grant to Aphrodite.
- Aphrodite is beautiful and dressed in a power suit. She smiles.
- Lofwyr offers a polite farewell and excuses himself. Grant gets the distinct impression that Lofwyr enjoys Aphrodite’s company and he would rather stay, but Aphrodite has asked for a private audience with Grant. Grant takes a seat and asks how he can help.
- They talk for a while. Aphrodite seems curious about Grant and asks him a range of questions. Grant is polite but also careful in how he responds. Aphrodite clearly has knowledge that Grant is an Umbra Master (possibly via Ares) and she knows that Ethan wields Eidolon. She asks if it is possible to unmake what they have made, querying whether it is possible to return Hephaestus to his previous form? Grant answers candidly that he doesn’t know - he has never tried to break the divine before. Aphrodite doesn’t press further on that topic. Instead she shifts the conversation to the battle with Ares. She admits that Ares will not speak of how he acquired the scar to his face but she assumes that Grant inflicted it. She finds it fascinating that Ares has been beaten in personal combat. She warns him that if this is true that Ares will likely seek revenge. She also teases that she finds it quite ‘stirring’ to meet someone that has beaten Ares. There is a temptation there but Grant realises that pursuing it would likely create conflict between Hephaestus and him. Aphrodite seems pleased to have met Grant and talked with him. It is clear to him that she does not particularly want Hephaestus as a husband. He may have improved himself but she doesn’t want to be bound to any single person. Grant suspects that there may be further trouble from her in the future.
Adventure Summary - Ethan
1. Ethan travels to Edenspire, Lord Wynterlyr’s castle which is built into the side of a mountain and overlooks numerous alpine valleys. He meets Whistler, a gangly, old snow-elf with an unnaturally long beard. Whistler has been effectively managing Lord Wynterlyr’s estate in his absence and quickly accepts Ethan as Lord Wynterlyr. Ethan gets the impression that Whistler is extremely competent and an exceptional organiser. Whistler tells him that many of the others from the Winter Court will not be accepting of him.
2. Whistler mentioned that the Ice Dragon who served Lord Wynterlyr was slain during the Dragon War, but there is a young Storm Dragon in the north who may be willing to engage with him. (However, he notes, Ethan has a reputation as a Dragonslayer so it may be difficult at first)
3. Whistler believes that the Snow Elves will follow Ethan. The peoples in the valley below will offer tribute as they have always done so. The Frost Giants will follow him if he is strong enough. The Ice Wolves (werewolves) will almost certainly try to kill him and take Lord Wynterlyr’s Ring for themselves. The Cold Maidens will only respect a Lord who has lain with one of them in their icy embrace for a day and a night. Then of course there are those from the Court itself who will be looking to see if this new Wynterlyr is like the old one. There are rivals (such as Baron Fain, who claims a portion of Lord Wynterlyr’s lands), there are some old allies and there is the Queen herself. Queen Mab may accept Ethan, or she may not.
4. Ethan finds that not everything is cold and bleak in this land. It is autumn in this realm and the valleyfolk are preparing for winter. They have already sensed that Lord Wynterlyr has returned and they will be preparing offerings. It is cold on the high mountains but the sunlight still penetrates the Edenspire and Ethan finds it a comfortable place to be. (He doesn’t feel the cold whilst wearing Lord Wynterlyr’s Ring)
5. Ethan settles into the Edenspire and seeks to understand more about this place and its politics. Whistler is a good mentor and seems to appreciate that Ethan is interested in learning. On the second day a delegation arrives from the Snow Elves. They offer a simple pledge of loyalty and Ethan asks them what they might need of him. They are clearly not used to being asked and give him a terse answer (as if they are afraid that accepting an offer of help from Lord Wynterlyr would require an obligation in return). Ethan finds these ways very strange.
5. Days later, Ethan hears whispers that the Lord of the Ice Wolves is on his way to challenge him for the right to rule these lands. While he contemplates this, an invitation arrives from Queen Mab to a Feyball. He is invited as Lord Wynterlyr so that he might be presented to the Court.
Other Impacts
- None. This marks (hopefully) a new turning point in the campaign. I don’t know how long Lords of Gossamer will last. David jokingly told me that his game file for Lords of Gossamer is still ‘Test File 1’. He never thought it would go for this length of time.
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