Exploring "Mostly Diceless" - Applying Forged In the Dark Mechanics to LoG&S

- GM’s note: The following is an exploration of Forged In the Dark (Vergence RPG) mechanics and applying them to Lords of Gossamer.

Lords of Gossamer is a Diceless game. Diceless is great. I believe in Diceless. 

But there are certain mechanics that are less effective in Diceless. It’s for this reason that we’ve been using Cards and even some Dice from time to time. 

Reflecting on why Diceless is sometimes weak, here is what I came up with:

• Diceless provides a fixed outcome. There is no variability of outcome or degree of success. Yes, I know that the GM can weigh up the factors and ‘decide’ that degree of success, or how long a task takes, but it’s always what the GM decides. The best examples that I have of this are:

• How long does it take a PC to learn something? Or to work towards a goal? (In Diceless it’s an arbitrary decision)

• Does the PC notice something or not? (in Diceless, it is either Warfare or Psyche - but it becomes boring if the PC always notices, or it becomes very arbitrary for the GM to just decide every time if they notice or not)

• Diceless doesn’t really cover Social skills, or Engineering/Building skills, or whether someone Notices something or not, or even Studying/Researching.

• An example of this is that the PC meets someone? Do they get along? (again, if playing with Diceless rules, one would either rule that is based on Psyche, or potentially look at Good stuff - but again, this becomes boring if the PC always gets along with people, even if they aren’t trying.)

• Good Stuff / Bad Stuff tends to be always positive, or always negative. It can become boring if the PC always gets the edge, or always just misses. It lacks variability. It can also be abused - the PC is always liked when meeting people ‘because of Good Stuff’. This is okay in gameplay for a while, but after a while it becomes stale.

• There is no Fortune mechanic that enables the GM to determine whether something happens or not - eg: NPC meets NPC - do they get along? Or, what’s the likelihood that Vala meets a new Lord of Gossamer? Where the Attributes don’t apply (again for example Social, Engineering/Building, Noticing, Studying/Researching), there is no easy mechanism for determining whether a NPC succeeds in something and how well they succeed. Again, it’s just ‘the GM decides’.

Over time we’ve used FATE cards to add that ‘spice’ into the game to determine whether the PC found something more challenging than expected or not. For example, Grant is going to win a combat with Dominant rank - but how well did his opponent do before Grant beat him? Draw a card and this one says “-3 Betrayed/Major Snafu” - in other words, something happened that Grant did not expect, or if he did anticipate (because he has Dominant rank), it still made him work harder than he would have liked to achieve that victory.

Then I started using Forged in the Dark mechanics to determine how likely certain things were to happen, and also whether things went well for the PCs (rolling a ‘6’) or whether they succeeded but something else went awry (rolling a ‘4’ or ‘5’) or whether things just went poorly and they had a tough time dealing with it (‘1’, ‘2’ or ‘3’). 

I want to go further with this and see how well Forged in the Dark mechanics could be used for Lords of Gossamer. Basically, to run the game as ‘Mostly Diceless’.

Forged in the Dark (Blades in the Dark) uses Tier mechanics so it is still possible to go ‘Mostly Diceless’, and use dice only when there is a chance of failure.

Also, I really like the idea of ‘yes you succeed, but there’s a complication’ - ie: the PC wins, but it takes longer than expected (increment a clock); or the PC wins but something unexpected happens. This is particularly relevant in mass combat battles - yes, a high ranking Warfare character is going to win the battle - but there may still be unforeseen complications and casualties.

So this is what I wrote up to help David to understand how using FitD mechanics might work in combat:

Individuals and Factions are ranked by Tier (or Quality) - which is a measure of the capability that the individual or faction can bring to bear - it represents power, scale, resources etc. Tier is rated between -1 and 4.

Example	Tier
Human Ranked Individuals	-1
Superior Ranked Individuals	0
Paragon Ranked Individuals	1
Ranked Individuals	2 - 3
High Ranked Individuals	3 - 4

A group of individuals typically rates one Tier higher - for example, a group of Human Ranked Individuals would be Tier 0.

Most starting PCs (normal Lords of Gossamer) would be Tier 2. However, Ethan and Grant are very powerful and are Tier 3.

Let’s begin with an example of play:

Grant is Tier 3 and has an Engage (equivalent to BitD’s Skirmish skill) of 3D.

Example 1 - Grant v hostile group of Dwimmerlaik

Grant encounters a hostile group of Dwimmerlaik. Dwimmerlaik are individually at Tier 1 level, but since this is a group, they rate as Tier 2.

• Grant would start the battle in Controlled position, Greater effect (given that Grant is in a superior Tier).

• If this battle were fought, he would have a 7% chance of a Critical success, 35% chance of success, 45% chance of a partial success, and 13% chance of failure. (ie: 87% chance of overall success on the first roll) 

• Failure in this situation typically means a lost opportunity and a decision either needs to be made to ‘fight on’ in a Risky position, or try a different approach. 

• A partial success is also not bad because this is Controlled position. There would be a minor consequence, which could be the tick of a clock, or a small plot twist. It is still a success.

• If the Dwimmerlaik were to ambush Grant, he would start the battle in a Risky position, but still Greater effect.

• The same probabilities as above would apply.

• However, failure from a Risky position could result in Harm, or it could result in a moderate consequence (eg: 2 ticks of a clock, plot twist etc), or it could result in Grant being placed in a Desperate position.

Now let’s explore what else Grant could do:

• Grant draws Gorgorin the Shatterer, a Primal Damage weapon. This increases his effect from Greater to Extreme.

• Similarly, if Grant were to use Umbra in combat, this would increase his effect from Greater to Extreme. 

• Grant can also trade Position for Effect. For example, if ambushed, he would be in a Risky position with Greater effect. He could instead choose to improve his position to Controlled, reducing his effect to Standard.

• Grant could also Push himself (to get an extra +1D) at the cost of 2 stress.

• Grant could accept a Devil’s Bargain (to get an extra +1D or improve Position/Effect). It’s not possible to improve dice using both Push and Devil’s Bargain.

• Hence if Grant were to either Push himself or accept a Devil’s Bargain to improve his dice pool, he would have 4D to roll. If this battle were fought, he would have a 13% chance of a Critical success, 39% chance of success, 42% chance of a partial success, and 6% chance of failure. (ie: 94% chance of success)

Example 2 - Grant v small group of Dwimmerlaik

Grant encounters a small hostile group of Dwimmerlaik (1-2 of them). Dwimmerlaik are individually at Tier 1 level and this group is not large enough to make them Tier 2. 

Hence there are two Tiers difference between Grant and the Dwimmerlaik. No roll is required - Grant wins - this is no challenge for him. The Dwimmerlaik cannot beat him, even if they ambush him.

Example 3 - Grant v Ethan

Now this is an interesting one because technically they are both Tier 3. However, Grant has Dominant Rank, which in FitD would translate to giving him a +1 Tier Bonus. Hence if Grant were to fight Ethan, he would start in a Controlled position because he is a higher Tier than Ethan is (in this area). Depending on the situation, he may have Standard effect or Greater effect. 

Example 4 - Grant v Drake

Drake should be better than Grant, so let’s say that Drake is Tier 4. Grant would begin in Risky position and Reduced effect because of the Tier difference. He can improve Position and Effect by using the assets available to him - using Gorgorin, Umbra, Pushing himself, using a Devil’s Bargain.

Example 5 - Grant v Krovalis

Krovalis is clearly Tier 4 and meant to be much better than Grant. As such, Krovalis attacks Grant first and he needs to make a Resistance roll to avoid taking harm. Depending upon the situation, Grant is either in a Risky position / Zero effect, or possibly in a Desperate position, Reduced effect. Again, he can improve Position and Effect by using the assets available to him - using Gorgorin, Umbra, Pushing himself, using a Devil’s Bargain.

- GM’s note: That’s all I have time for in this session. I’m going to be exploring this further over the next few posts.

Session 264 – Ethan’s Quest

- GM’s note: This session concludes the two part story arc which saw Abigail threatened by unknown forces. David is not in a position to GM for the foreseeable future, so I’m back to GMing once more after this session. I found this session to be a bit surprising, because he let me focus on Ethan’s social interactions rather than focus on the plot.

Out of interest, we did use FATE Cards to randomly determine some aspects as we went along - eg: how successful was the family reunion with Mark (Ethan’s twin brother). I like Diceless but there are aspects that I think work better with dice or cards. If we defer to ‘Good Stuff’, then such interactions tend to be always positive and I think that’s incorrect.

Relationships Rekindled

- Ethan and Abbie can both sense that something is wrong in the diner. There are sounds of an altercation coming from the bathroom. (The Door to the Stair is also the door to the bathroom). There is a sudden crack and one of the light fittings crashes to the floor. The globe itself shatters into a hundred fragments. The brass fitting rocks slowly on the ground. The light fitting is missing above the booth where Ethan and Abbie are sitting. Ethan can sense competing magics at play - one group seems to be threatening them, and the other is interposing.

- Getting to their feet, Ethan takes Abbie by the hand and leads her swiftly to the Door. They reach the Stair without interference. Quickly, Ethan reinstates a spell of invisibility and he leads them swiftly away. While they walk, Ethan asks Abbie what she is carrying that could be used to trace them. His invisibility spell only works to cloud minds - it is imperfect and there are ways to bypass it. Abbie admits that she is carrying some items that are rare or unique. The body armour that she is wearing as part of her suit was crafted specifically for her. She is carrying a stick-like artefact which will be used during the diplomatic negotiations but it is not activated. She is also carrying a brooch which was given to her as a gift by a fellow diplomat. Ethan frowns and decides not to take any chances.

- Ethan seeks out a Door which leads to a dangerous world. The Door opens out onto a molten plane of lava. Ethan flatly tells her to get rid of all of the items that could be uniquely traced to her. She throws the ‘talking stick’ into the hellscape below. Her reinforced jacket and pants are discarded, leaving her with a buttoned shirt, her leggings and comfortable shoes. She hesitates on discarding the brooch for a moment before discarding it. Ethan isn’t carrying much, but he throws away the utility tool that he won in the last poker game from Cal, just to make sure.

- When the Door is shut, Abbie asks where they should go next. Ethan again leads them away. He isn’t armed, and neither of them have protective or armoured clothing. He has a place in mind - a tailor that he has visited before - however the most direct route is via another realm and Ethan has no wish to go through multiple Doors. Hence they will take the long way to Verun, keeping on the Stair and on major routes. It takes them almost forty minutes to reach their destination.

- The realm of Verun has a very British feel to it, but the township that they arrive in is much cleaner than any English township that they have seen. Everything seems to be maintained in immaculate condition, and there is no grime or decay to be seen here. Ethan and Abbie head to a tailor shop with the name ‘Sterling’ above it. The proprietor greets them and agrees to help outfit them, but he also gently chastises Ethan by name for not making a prior appointment.

- The four tailors of Sterling work as a team to fashion both Ethan and Abbie some new formal suits. The fabric being used is no ordinary cloth - they are quite used to working with fabric that has both ballistic and ablative properties. After their measurements are taken, Ethan and Abbie are offered tea and freshly made cakes while the garments are being made. Ethan does a Divination spell and concludes that there are multiple groups seeking them, and the groups are working cross-purposes and they do not currently know where they are. He suggests that Abbie contact Lofwyr for further guidance, but Abbie reminds Ethan that the Dragon Emperor said that he would personally deal with the situation and she cannot just ask him to ‘hurry up’. She has no idea how long she needs to keep a low profile. Ethan smiles pleasantly and suggests that they make the best of the situation - he suggests that they head to Midas. They have previously holidayed there and it holds pleasant memories for them.

- Abbie thinks for a moment, then offers a thin smile and agrees to this proposal. Once the suits are made and the tailors compensated for their craftswork, they return to the Stair and head to Midas. Both of them are exquisitely clothed.

- Midas is a realm that is very close to Earth. Grant and Ethan discovered it very early in their journeys and it is always highly receptive to visitors from the Stair. As usual, they are warmly received (as they are returning guests). Ethan notes that the concierge seems to approve of the quality of their outfits, even though he says nothing. A room is arranged, and they are assigned an immaculately groomed personal concierge to see to their needs. 

- After freshening up, Ethan suggests that they enjoy an evening in Midas and if Lofwyr has not provided guidance by the morning, he recommends that they hire a boat. There are plenty of good diving spots in Midas and he’d rather not waste precious time worrying about Lofwyr, but instead make the most of the time that they have. Abbie agrees to this and they spend a pleasant evening together.

- The next morning, a boat is provided. It is fully provisioned and has diving gear onboard. Abbie is keen to go - she has received an Icon contact from Lofwyr and he has advised her that this should be sorted out in a week or so. There are no other duties that she needs to perform - he will contact her when the current situation is resolved. Ethan and Abbie are happy with this news. Ethan contacts Hilda via Icon to tell her what is going on (she is still safe and sound on Earth with Macavity for company). Then they put the little vessel out to sea.

- The two of them have a wonderful time, reminding them of 1988 when they first went sailing together on a romantic vacation. (GM’s note - way back in Session 58) Ethan learns a lot about Lofwyr from her. Dragons love to acquire possessions. Some love gold. Lofwyr likes ‘people’. He likes to have good people on his staff, and he takes it very personally if people threaten ‘his people’. Lofwyr is like an overprotective (and sometimes over possessive) boss. Lofwyr sees Abbie as part of his ‘dragon hoard’ - a precious thing to be looked after. He clearly wants Abbie to take a vacation while he is straightening matters out. Ethan wonders if Lofwyr could have engineered the whole situation, but Abbie thinks that is unlikely. 

- Even though they are out on the sea and they have their privacy, they feel like the concierge is never far away should they need anything.

- They return to Midas as an intimate couple once more. Both Ethan and Abbie are relaxed in each other’s presence once more, and the relationship feels like it once was. They enjoy a day on-shore back in Midas itself before Lofwyr contacts Abbie once more. He tells her that the situation is resolved - she was not the only delegate who was targeted and some of the delegates did not survive. He has firmly dealt with the situation and the danger has passed. He tells her that he needs her to return in two days to prepare for the negotiations once more.

- With the danger passed, Ethan asks what she would like to do for the next two days. She is still keen to visit Marindar and visit Ethan’s brother, Mark and his family. As such, they leave Midas and head to Marindar. Ethan has a house there that overlooks the bay. He contacts Hilda and Macavity and brings them through. That evening, Ethan cooks a meal for them and they have a relaxing family evening. Macavity comments that it’s ‘about time’ that Ethan and Abbie got back together, and Hilda offers an encouraging smile.

- The next day, Ethan goes to meet his brother, Mark. They are twins, but Mark has aged significantly more than Ethan has. Mark looks about twenty years older than Ethan is - he is thinner, his face is lined and his hair has streaks of grey in it. Mark welcomes Ethan, Abbie, Hilda and Macavity in. His wife Asteria is pleased to meet them. Mark’s two daughters, Danae and Perimede, get along well with Hilda and Macavity. The younger of the two, Danae seems to have the same mischievous streak as Ethan and Mark had when they were young.

- Ethan and Mark talk for a long time. They used to be so close but they haven’t talked in a very long time. They seemed to stop talking about the time that their parents died, and Ethan admits that he didn’t know what to say. Mark doesn’t regret being in Marindar. For a while he resented Ethan - he was always good with mechanics (particularly cars) and being here meant that he had to start over and learn a whole new set of skills. But he likes the people and he still finds ‘wonder’ in this place. Whatever resentment he felt has long since gone. Mark accepts that he will probably grow old and die in this place. Ethan thinks about this - he could prolong his brother’s life using Eidolon - but he chooses not to offer and simply listens to him.

- The day with Ethan’s family is a marvellous one - much better than Ethan could have expected or hoped for. Mark seems to be much older and wiser now (he was always the rebellious one), and Ethan finds himself listening to his brother’s counsel. Mark is surprised when he hears that Abbie will return to her employment as one of the Dragon Emperor’s advocates, and Ethan will probably journey further onto the Stair with Hilda (and Macavity if it suits the Cat). Mark has seen the way that Ethan interacts with Abbie (and even Asteria has noticed it) - Ethan seems happy, and Mark advises him that this is a precious thing.

- In the evening, over a glass of wine, Mark goes for a walk with Abbie and leaves Asteria with Ethan. Ethan finds that he has many questions of Asteria, and she has many questions of him. He wants to know how the two met, and how his brother has become such a family man. She is curious about Ethan and why he did not stay in Marindar, and why it has taken so long for him to visit. Ethan finds Asteria very curious. Marindans are not necessarily monogamous, and yet Asteria seems to have settled into a monogamous relationship with Mark - so how did this happen? She answers it very simply - she feels fulfilled in the relationship and didn’t feel the need for other partners. She admires Mark’s sole interest in her and now in their family - this is a curiosity for her, and something which she finds quite pleasing. She loves Mark’s ‘energy’ - given that he will have a shorter lifespan, he seems determined to make the most of it and not to waste time. She is greatly flattered that he is choosing to spend his limited time with her.

- This gives Ethan a lot to think about.

- It is so late that Hilda is almost asleep on a couch. Ethan decides to carry her home. Mark extends an open welcome and asks his brother to come and visit again soon. Ethan promises to do so. They return back to Ethan’s residence well after midnight. Ethan puts Hilda to bed and Macavity curls up at her feet. Then Abbie and Ethan retire for the evening. Abbie surprises Ethan by making a point of telling him that she loves him. 

- The next day, Hilda sleeps in. Abbie and Ethan go for a walk along the shoreline of Central Bay, walking hand in hand. They return to the residence so that Abbie can say goodbye to Hilda, and then Abbie and Macavity leave via Icon. Hilda wonders openly when she’ll see Abbie again, and Ethan is certain that it will be soon.

- Returning to Lofwyr’s employ, the Dragon Emperor is pleased to see one of his prized staff being suitably refreshed. Abbie is quite competent and powerful, and if she needs the companionship of Ethan ‘the Dragonslayer’ to keep her well balanced, then he decides that he will arrange for future breaks. Lofwyr thinks a long way ahead - months, years, decades and centuries. He must keep his valuable assets in good health. Apart from the need for good, competent tools, there is also the matter of personal prestige to be considered. He wants to have the best, shiniest hoard - and be able to ‘show off’ the best pieces of his hoard. Abbie is a ‘shiny’ piece of his hoard, and he wants to keep her ‘shiny’.

- GM’s note: And that’s the end of that mini-arc. I will then take over GMing for the foreseeable future. We last saw Grant and Tinkerbell off to pursue ‘mischief’. I’m not yet sure if I’ll focus on that, or on the many Courts of the Shadow Fey flashbacks that are needed to fill in the gaps.

Session 263 – Ethan’s Quest

- GM’s note: When we started this game, the GMing was split roughly 50/50 between David and myself. I’ve been GMing for the last year, and the reality is that a significant majority of the sessions in the last few years have been run by me. Session 263 was meant to be the session where I could play Ethan for a bit and we could get back to having some balance, so that I could have someone entertain me for a bit rather than having to do a significant part of the entertaining, plus of course doing all of the session writeups.

I was tired on the day when David GMed Session 263 and I asked to cut the session short at 2 hours. Unfortunately David has not been able to run a session since due to problems on his end, so I’m currently in limbo because we have an adventure in progress. I don’t know where the game goes from here.

An Unexpected Call

- Ethan and Hilda are on the Stair, heading back to Tyrnador. They both have backpacks of provisions and niceties. They are both looking forward to seeing Scarlet, the King’s new capital. However, before they get there, Ethan receives an unexpected Icon contact.

- It is Abbie (Abigail). She is injured and needs urgent assistance. Ethan quickly extends an invitation and pulls her through. She brings Macavity (Ethan’s old friend) with her. Abbie is dressed in formal business attire, but her jacket has a scorch mark in it and the plastic plating woven into the fabric is exposed and badly melted.

- As Ethan attends to her blistering wound, Abbie explains that she was ambushed. Ethan asks about bodyguards and she indicates that Macavity was operating in this capacity. Ethan is surprised by this but says nothing. After offering some basic healing, Ethan uses Mental Invisibility to cloak the group and he calmly suggests that they go for a walk. He wants to leave their location just in case someone can track them on the Stair.

- Abbie is feeling much better in Ethan’s care (although her jacket is ruined) and Ethan suggests that they return to the protection of Fiveways (in Realm 0). Ethan knows that Shadow Earth is warded in many ways and it would be difficult for Abbie’s attackers to locate them there.

- They return to Westgate Manor. The ravens and cats are pleased to see them, but surprised because they thought that Ethan and Hilda would not be coming back so soon. Ethan offers Abbie some tea and takes time tending to her injuries. Macavity shows an injured paw and Ethan heals this too. Ethan notes that the wards on the house seem to be stronger than before - he doesn’t know why but he wonders if it is in reaction to whatever is hunting Abbie. Of course it could also be that the house is somehow ‘pleased’ to see her again, not that the house has ever shown signs of sentience before. Nevertheless, Ethan is somewhat pleased to have a reason to see Abbie again so soon, even though the circumstances are poor.

- They talk. The Dragon Emperor had tasked Abbie to perform some negotiations - but nothing unusual or particularly confrontational. Nothing that would likely result in this sort of attack. Ethan thinks on this while Abbie freshens up - she still has clothes in Westgate Manor, even though they are quite dated. Hilda is pleased to show Abbie her room - there are posters of Harry Potter and Gryffindor all over it. Abbie knows nothing about Harry Potter but she is quickly offered the first book in the series.

- Abbie needs to tell Lofwyr what has happened, but an Icon contact won’t work for her from Shadow Earth. Ethan performs a Divination which indicates that it is currently safe and they are unlikely to run into trouble if they take a short trip. Heading out, they go to the nearby Treasure Cave and Ethan finds that most of the valuable gems have been removed near to the Door, as if whoever is protecting this horde is aware that someone has been stealing from it. While Ethan collects some silver and gold coins, Abbie contacts Lofwyr via Icon to let him know what has happened. He is not happy that his emissary has been attacked and promises to ‘deal with it’. He directs her to stay out of trouble for a few days. 

- Returning to Earth, Abbie reacquaints herself with Westgate Manor and the nearby township of Fiveways. She finds it interesting that so much has stayed the same - it’s still a little English country town. But there are jarring moments too. She is recognised on the street as the famous singer that she was decades ago - the one that disappeared suddenly and hasn’t been seen since. The topic of time and how much time has passed is discussed. Ethan points out how much Abbie has changed and she admits this to be true. She remembers that she called herself Abbie Powell, taking Ethan’s surname, figuring that when Meridian was destroyed that her place was on Earth, with Ethan.

- The topic of Meridian is a difficult one. Ethan’s subsequent interference and prevention of Meridian’s destruction completely upset Abbie’s world again. She still thinks it was a marvellous, miraculous thing to have done, but it left her lost. She admits to still feeling a bit torn between her new life (in Lofwyr’s service) and wanting to spend time with Ethan, but she doesn’t regret working for the dragon who has become the Dragon Emperor. It’s given her a new purpose.

- During the conversation, Hilda mentions that Ethan’s brother in Marindar has teenage kids. After the initial shock, Abbie is very curious about this and she persuades Ethan to take her to Marindar to see them. Macavity promises to look after Hilda for a few days, and Hilda hugs the capital-C Cat in delight.

- It is only a forty minute walk on the Stair between Earth and Marindar. Nevertheless, Ethan is worried that whoever ambushed Abbie is probably still hunting for her. On the way, Ethan meets a creature on the Stair that is disguised as a chandelier. He’s met these creatures before - normally they would seek to devour a traveller, but they are wary of Wardens of the Stair. The creature lets them pass.

- Further on, they meet a handful of people on the Stair. Ethan greets them - they are travelling to the Agora. They warn Ethan to beware of the Shadows - as they are currently hungry. Ethan knows of the Shadows - they will prey upon the unwary, slaying their victims by devouring their shadows. With these warnings, Ethan decides to take a detour and find another route to Marindar.

- Eventually they reach a Door which Ethan opens. On the other side is a city street, and it is morning. The buildings remind Ethan of Tudor style structures given that they lean into the streets and there is an open drain running down the centre of the road. Ethan does a quick Divination and feels that things are not right here. As they walk down the street, the feeling intensifies. Ethan puts an arm around Abbie and takes to the sky with a Fly spell. Looking down at the township from above, Ethan explains that he is certain that they are still after her and something was about to happen. He feels that whoever is hunting her doesn’t mean to kill her, but they certainly mean to harm or capture her.

- They land about a mile away and continue walking to the next Door to exit the realm and return to the Stair. Reaching the Stair safely, they decide to make a stop to get some lunch. Ethan opens a Door which leads out into what looks like an American diner from the 1950s, except that some of the cars outside are taking off and landing. Ethan casts another spell to cloak their presence and they sit down to eat. The food is good. Abbie contacts Lofwyr to update him - again, the Emperor tells her to stay out of trouble and that he will handle it.

- Outside, a car lands badly outside the diner - its engines cut out about two metres above the ground. It diverts their attention, and when they look back, Ethan realises that there is another person in the diner who wasn’t there before. He can’t sense their presence but they are definitely there - it’s not a projection. The individual has dark hair and wears a grey suit. He orders coffee. Their eyes meet and the man realises that he’s been noticed.

- Ethan doesn’t like this. This means that whoever is after Abbie is capable of following her (or something she is carrying) from one reality to the next. Furthermore, the people who are pursuing her are capable of hiding themselves in a crude way. 

- GM’s note: And that’s what we have so far. It’s been six weeks since the last session.

Session 262 – Ethan’s Quest

 - GM’s note: There is some overlap between this session’s writeup and the previous writeup, simply because I completed the writeup for this session first.

Lords of Gossamer are very long lived, so one of the things I wanted to start exploring was the idea of permanence and impermanence. Things change around them but they themselves can be unchanged, especially for Eidolon Masters.

Hence this session presents Ethan with a number of challenges. He isn’t changing. Hilda isn’t growing up. And yet the people around him are growing older, raising families. When Ethan returns home to Earth, he is surprised by just how much time has passed.

I suspect that this will become a recurring theme. Lucien warned Ethan long ago about the passage of time.

Ethan and Grant are no longer novice Lords of Gossamer. They have been exploring the Stair for more than seventy (game) years. Time has moved on….

After Tyland Mills

- In the aftermath of the Crawler’s demise, the Lords of Gossamer take up residence in Tyland Mills. Most stay at the Good Omen Inn, but some use their own magics to make available their own private residences. It is pretty strange for the residents – it is almost as their village has become home to the gods. 

- Grant decides that he has spent enough time in Tyland Mills and he is eager to move on. Tinkerbell seems to have latched onto him – she’s been cooped up for a long time and is eager to explore and get into trouble. Grant is infected by this reckless appetite for mischief – he’s had enough of being the responsible Sheriff. 

- Cal agrees to take over his position as Sheriff for a few months. He is interested in finding out more about the Crawler and possibly even when it came from. 

- The surviving Steel Eagles present a problem but Erik (Drake’s son) decides to take the remainder with him when he departs.

- Ethan and Grant talk about what to do with Wynterlyr’s ring. Ultimately, they decide that Wynterlyr’s offer to return Lady Sophia is likely to be a trick of some kind, and if the fey truly have her, then there are others (such as Beethania) who may offer a fairer bargain. They decide to leave Lord Wynterlyr imprisoned at the bottom of a faerie well in the Forbidden Forest for the time being.

- Yaeger Zane is … Yaeger Zane. Within two days of spending time in the village, a number of the women are smitten by him, including Salthia. Yaeger is completely oblivious that Salthia has been in a relationship with Grant, and even if he was aware, he probably wouldn’t care. When Yaeger Zane departs, mercifully, Salthia goes with him. Grant doesn’t give her another thought.

- The last of the Lords of Gossamer sit down at the Good Omen Inn to play cards (their regular poker game). They talk about all of the strange things that they have seen and the pot contains a mix of coins, gemstones and strange artefacts from many worlds. Ethan plays casually but he wins the most. (which is most unusual) Amongst his winnings, he has acquired a cylindrical artefact from Cal which Ethan cannot immediately identify. Cal explains that it is a multi-tool, similar to a ‘sonic screwdriver’. Ethan is pleased by this – he has never had a universal tool like this before. Cal laughs and jokes that he can always make another.

- Shortly after the game, Grant decides to leave. He says farewell to Ethan, Lady Marian and the villagers and heads with the dwarves of the Fellowthongs Clan to the Hexenhoof Mines. Once he is comfortable that diplomacy with the goblins has succeeded, he opens a Door to Stair and leaves with Tinkerbell.

- Ethan decides to stay longer. He has grown to like the people of Tyland Mills and there is still the matter of returning the King’s Gold (stolen by Rannik) to Scarlet. Taltos is still upset by the loss of his friend, Gretchen, and he agrees to escort the gold and wander ‘awhile’ in this realm. Ethan decides to head west to Stone Bridge, then Old Oaks and explore further.

Old Oaks and Scarlet

- Ethan’s journey to Stone Bridge and Old Oaks is relatively uneventful. He finds that he likes the people of this world. Things are not always well, but the people still hope and strive. He spends days, then weeks exploring. 

- Two days north of Old Oaks, he receives an Icon contact from Antigone. (Antigone has been looking after Hilda on Marindar). However the Icon contact is abruptly cut off, suggesting a problem. Thinking for a moment, Ethan decides to contact Hilda to ask if everything is okay. Hilda is a little teary – she has clearly been in an argument with Antigone. Antigone is encouraging Hilda to go to school, and Hilda is very upset by this. She has friends in Marindar but they are growing up and she is now noticeably younger. Hilda doesn’t want to go to school – she’s been to school before and she has finished school. She finds it distressing to have to ‘play dumb’ and pretend that she is learning new things. Ethan speaks to Antigone (who is quite frazzled after looking after Hilda for many months) and learns that Hilda smashed a precious vase in her anger. Ethan promises to repair it and he asks if Hilda wants to join him. Antigone and Hilda agree.

* Picture of Hilda was sourced from Google Images, the picture of Ethan is by Gordon Napier

- In a hiking costume, Hilda joins Ethan on the road north from Old Oaks. Ethan had been bound for the ruins of Ventar, but he changes his mind given that Hilda is now with him. Together they head east for Scarlet, the capital. On the way, Ethan asks Hilda about where she would like to go, and also whether she is happy being the way she is. He asks questions, and he listens. 

- Reaching Scarlet, they enjoy spending a few days in the King’s capital. Hilda likes the bright coloured pennants, the castle spires, and the knights with their polished armour. Eventually they decide to leave via the Door to the Stair that Ethan arrived through and head to Earth Prime. Ethan has not been there in a very long time.

Earth Prime 2057AD

- Returning to Westgate Manor, Ethan finds that it is April 2057. He’s been away for decades. The house is still in good order and is still being looked after by cats and ravens, but it is a new generation of each and none of them are known to him. The mail is all neatly sorted, a report which summarises key historical events has been waiting for his arrival, and the local lawyers have been carefully managing his wealth during his absence. 

- Ethan thumbs through the report and finds that the dominant powers of this time are the European Alliance (the UK and the Legendary Island belong to this Alliance), a powerful Asia-Pacific bloc, and a rising African Federation. The United States seems to have declined in power over the last fifty years, partly because of the rise of magic. There are still few who can truly wield magic, but they are much sought after (in fact a war was fought over these assets in 2044) and the US seems to have the fewest of these magic wielders. The largest number of magic wielders in the US seems to belong to the Native American population but they have mostly been unwilling to further the ruling party’s interests. 

Interestingly enough, magic has been both a blessing and a curse. The polar caps have been mostly restored due to magical intervention, but it has also triggered terrible violence in South America. 

- Ethan and Hilda walk into the nearby township of Fiveways and they find a fish and chip restaurant. Ethan’s favourite pub in this place, the Tipsy Elephant, still stands although it looks like it needs serious renovation. The carpets still stink of beer. But the township of Fiveways hasn’t changed much – a few new buildings, but much is still the same.

- Ethan and Hilda settle down in Westgate Manor. Hilda enjoys decorating a room. They go to York to see what has changed in a bigger city. Ethan notes that the mystery of Abigail Powers’ disappearance persists to this day – she just vanished and no one knows where she went. Ethan muses on this – Abbie never went back to Earth when Ethan remade her homeworld of Meridian. In hindsight, he made a mistake in bringing her homeworld back – she had adjusted to a new life on Earth and he thought only to please her, not to turn her world upside down. 

- Weeks go by. They take a trip to the Legendary Isle. They head to London to see a show (Harry Potter’s Cursed Child). Hilda has discovered J.K.Rowlings’ works about Harry Potter and she cannot put the books down. She dons a Gryffindor scarf and goes everywhere wearing it.

Reunions - Part 1

- Wondering as to what Isabelle is doing, Ethan contacts her via Icon. She is pleased to hear from Ethan but the timing is poor. She is working hard on her latest project and says that she’ll be in touch. She passes on her good wishes to Hilda and the conversation is ended.

- He considers contacting Abbie but Ethan knows that she prefers to contact him – she doesn’t want it to be known that she associates with someone who has slain dragons in the past. Not given her position in the Dragon Emperor’s court. Hence even though he would very much like to hear from her, he has to wait.

- After two months on Shadow Earth, Ethan and Hilda have become rather comfortable in Westgate Manor. Hilda has decorated her room in Gryffindor colours. Ethan enjoys walking in the countryside around Fiveways, but has started wondering about returning to his university studies in York. (He never finished his education). There have been no major problems to speak of, and no sign of Lord Wynterlyr or his associates.

- One morning when Ethan and Hilda are visiting Fort William and about to head out to the Mamores, (GM’s note – yes, I know the region. I’ve hiked in the Mamores) Ethan receives an Icon contact from Abbie. They hit it off immediately and Abbie is thrilled that Ethan and Hilda are out exploring in the Scottish Highlands. Abbie says that she is well. She has been busy but she will shortly have time – she invites Ethan and Hilda to join her for two weeks. 

- Abbie’s invitation puts a smile on Ethan’s face and Hilda is pleased. They enjoy their trip through the Mamores before heading south to the Bridge of Orchy and Beinn Dorain and its sister peak, Beinn an Dothaidh. 

* Picture of Ben Dorain courtesy of me. It’s my picture. This was the 10th Munro that I climbed.

- A few days later, Ethan and Hilda join Abbie via an Icon connection. Abbie’s chalet is high in the mountains and snow is falling steadily outside. She explains that this place is her retreat away from her duties but she wanted to be sure of its security before inviting anyone else. There are no people here, only white-plated androids that act as menials and servants. Some of her residence looks new and homely with tasteful furnishings while other parts look unfinished and sterile. But she clearly made an effort to create a comfortable retreat - there is even a small heated indoor pool.

- Hilda loves the place – there is so much to explore and she loves the ‘funny robots’ who do everything she asks them to do. She never seems to get bored even when the weather is poor. When the weather is good, the views are stunning and there is the opportunity to lay fresh tracks across virgin snow.

* Picture of Abbie is by Gordon Napier

- Ethan and Abbie rekindle their relationship. Ethan was worried that they had spent a long time apart and perhaps things would be different, but Abbie makes an effort and he does too. Ethan remembers how much he loves Abbie and how much he has missed her. Eventually the time runs out and she needs to return to work, but he stops wondering about how she feels about him. He feels happy and knows that their paths will cross again soon.

The Forbidden Library

- Returning to the Stair, Ethan asks if Hilda would like to see a library that few have seen. She is keen, so Ethan introduces her into the Forbidden Library – the place where books (and other relics) are placed to be forgotten. After explaining the rules of the place, she quickly becomes engrossed in a book that no one has read in centuries. Ethan starts looking into the origins of the Crawler, wondering if anything like this has happened before. After a while, he finds a case of a sorcerer summoning a terrible creature from Shadow. It is close to the tale of the Crawler and Ethan writes himself a coded handwritten note “It has happened before” which he will be able to piece together when outside the library.

* Picture of the Forbidden Library is sourced from Google Images

- They are both hungry after many hours in the Forbidden Library. As such, Ethan takes her to the Door which leads to an American Sports Bar. They devour burgers and chips and begin talking about what to do next. Hilda wonders about going to an amusement park and Ethan agrees to this.

- On a whim, Ethan asks Hilda how she has remained a child for so long. A bit surprised, Hilda explains that she has held her True Name static. Ethan doesn’t quite understand that, but Hilda explains that a True Name doesn’t stay quite the same. There are slight differences as one grows older or changes over time. She decided to stop her True Name changing, therefore she hasn’t changed. 

- The topic of conversation changes to Marindar. The topic of ‘time passing’ has made Ethan wonder about his twin-brother Mark. His partner is a Marindan woman – he wonders if they have children by now. Hilda encourages him to find out.

Reunions - Part 2

- A few weeks later, Ethan and Hilda return to Marindar. In many ways, Central is the same as when they left – the architecture is the same, the floating octahedral portals are the same – but there are also many changes. There are more people in Marindar than there were. There are also children. Marindar used to be a place where there were only adults, no children, but things have changed.

- The end of the Dragon War has not been forgotten – the buildings are repaired but here and there are armed soldiers. Ethan cannot sense another Lord of Gossamer in residence – he is the only one.

- Ethan locates his twin brother and is invited in for a meal. Mark used to be an identical twin but Ethan looks twenty years younger than Mark now. Mark has aged. His Marindan wife has aged, but only slightly. And there are two daughters – one thirteen and one sixteen years old. Ethan is greatly taken aback – he has missed all of this by being away so long. Nevertheless, he is welcomed by his brother, and Hilda is welcomed by the family.

- Ethan and Hilda settle back into Ethan’s house in Central. Their balcony overlooks the bay and the waves below. Hilda is a little more subdued here – she’s been here before – however, she still uses the tear in reality to visit Antigone and apologise. Ethan uses Eidolon to repair the smashed vase. Ethan thinks a lot about his twin brother and wonders what will happen to him and his family as more time passes. He can’t imagine a time when Mark will grow old and die. Ethan just assumed that his brother will always be around even though that cannot possibly be the case.

- Whilst in Central, Ethan decides to contact Vala via Icon. He can’t remember the last time that he contacted her - he can’t remember ever having done so. Vala responds and asks what troubles him. Ethan explains about the Crawler that they encountered on Tyrnador and asks whether she has seen or heard of anything like it. Vala thinks for a moment and then says that during the last, great war there were those who summoned creatures like the one that he described. She pauses and waits for Ethan to say more. At last she repeats that Ethan seems troubled, but Ethan can’t put his finger on what is bothering him. Ethan frowns and thanks Vala for her assistance. He closes the connection.

- That evening, he and Hilda have a quiet meal looking out over the sea. He notes that Hilda doesn’t seem happy here, and she explains that the other children are growing up and the friends that she makes will just slip away if she stays here. They talk further about how the world is moving on but they are not changing. The only people in this place who are not changing are the two of them. Ethan doesn’t have an answer to this – he delicately asks Hilda what she would like to do.

- At first Hilda doesn’t know. Ethan points out that the Stair is vast, and there are many places to explore. Little by little, Hilda explains what she wants – she wants to go wherever Ethan goes – because even if the rest of the universe changes around them, she doesn’t want ‘this’ – the relationship between them – to change. She offers to get her hiking boots, put on her Gryffindor scarf and then leave at once. Ethan chuckles at this and agrees to her sudden enthusiasm – they will leave Marindar and seek ‘adventure’, whatever that means….