Fade into Fey - Session 1

Lead Up Questions

Before the game started I had no clue what I was going to run. As the players were kicking around playbook options, I was listening as best I could. Goading players into choosing something – anything.

Eventually the table settled on:

• Kent - the human Dashing Adventurer
• Gingersnap - the fairy Fae
• Svell - the gnome Artificer

And I began bombarding them with questions, but what really took was Kent’s player mentioning that he had a map in his starting gear. As it turns out Kent had only recently stolen the map to write a love letter on the back. The love letter was only partially written, and as of yet was not addressed to anyone.

Kent had stolen the map earlier that evening as he and Gingersnap were at the Unseelie-style ball hosted by Lord Arthos. Immediately my mind went to Houses of the Blooded, and I got to thinking that I should read Houses of the Blooded: Wilderness that I bought at GenCon.

Gingersnap simply enjoys traveling with Kent; Life is rarely boring when he both makes mischief and seeks adventure.

Svell was at Lord Arthos’ house on invitation from Alvin, the 60 year old pot boy; Something needed fixing. Alvin acts like he owns Svell.

Actual Play

In the Ballroom:

• Gingersnap is waiting to spring his prank – dumping pigs blood on Lord Arthos’ head
• The ball was at the sloppy stage…as people were hanging on each other
• Kent was working to seduce Lady Sarah, the niece of Lord Arthos, asking her to go outside with him
• Svell spent much of the ball adjusting the trim and fixtures of the ballroom
• She agreed to go outside with him if he promised not to take advantage of her
• Lord Arthos announces that he will be leading an expedition to clear more of the Great Forest
• Gingersnap unleased the pigs blood spilling and splashing on Lord Arthos and Lady Arthos

Blood is Spilled:

• In a drunken rage, Lord Arthos looks for someone to blame…but no one is immediately obvious
• Kent and Lady Sarah leave for the stone garden
• Gingersnap was noticed by everyone except Lord and Lady Arthos
• Gingersnap quickly fled through the servants door
• In the kitchen Gingersnap was almost spotted by Betsy, one of the kitchen maids
• Gingersnap quickly used his illusion magic to appear to be a cat messing with the cherry pie
• The kitchen maids began bickering over the pie and Gingersnap fled outside…looking for Kent
• Svell looks around and finds that Gingersnap left the ball room through a servants door
• Following, Svell sees that the kitchen staff is bickering.
• Svell heads outside
• Gingersnap, flying about, gets Svell’s attention by dropping a piece of the cherry pie on his head
• Gingersnap flies over the manor’s roof and sees some odd shadows in the moonlight…ignoring them he approaches Kent
• Meanwhile, Svell successfully activiates his jump boots launching onto the roof
• Gingersnap approaches Kent, tongue tied with Lady Sarah, and waits for a moment “Good, now that your mouth is free you should have some pie”
• They note the shadows and see that someone is going into the third dormer on the roof
• Gingersnap flies up and sees some elves breaking into the nursery.

Rumble in the Romper Room:

• Svell launches himself to the ledge of the third floor dormer’s open window
• Kent, looking around spies a rope and rigging that had been used earlier that day to help install a large desk on the third floor (Custom move from the Dashing Hero)
• With a flick of the wrist, Kent is on the rooftop and the kidnapping elves were none the wiser.
• Svell attempts to stop the elf egress, but manages to get slammed into the corner
• Quickly activating his boots one last time, he blasts his assailant into the corner
• Meanwhile…

No I’ve Got the Baby:

• Kent attempts to cut the baby loose from the bandoleer that was wrapped around one of the elves
• Kent’s rapier falls to the ground bent and mangled (he rolled an 8 so had to choose between this or the baby sliding down the roof and dangling from the edge)
• Lord Arthos declares his indebtedness to Kent
• Lord Arthos invites Kent and Svell to stay at the manor that evening as honored guests

People

• Lord Arthos, Baron of Deep Forest
• Lady Katherine Arthos, Baronness of Deep Forest
• Lady Sarah of house Arthos, niece of Lord Arthos
• Betsy, kitchen maid at Deep Forest manor
• Alvin, 60 year old pot boy of Deep Forest manor

What We Learned

• People are luckier closer to the Great Forest
• Freshly harvested mistletoe retains magical properties
• Around 100 years ago, it was common place for humans to have a house gnome
• The humans have access to ample amounts of lumber
• Fairy magic is the only magic in the realm
• Humans are mundane
• The cities at the heart of the human “empire” are hungry…food doesn’t grow there as easily
• The wealthy inhabitants of Deep Forest have stone gardens with large obelisks

Possible Fronts

• The Arthos Family (Baron Arthos, Baroness Katherine Arthos, Sarah Arthos [niece])
• The Elf Baby Burglars

Outstanding Questions

• What happens when a fey sheds another fey’s blood?
• What is the map on the other side of the love letter?
• On whose behalf were the elves acting?
• What resides in these empty gnome villages?
• What do the elves need with the baron’s baby?