This solo-play is finishing a storyline I started a couple of years ago. I only had an hour to wrap it up, so it’s short and to the point. Still interesting to play the Upwind system!
By the next morning I’ve had some rest, and I’m back up to full potential. There are two paths I could choose today. First, Drothos has enough of a force put together that he can punch their the enemy lines of demons to send for help while still leaving enough back to protect the city. I could go with that crew. Alternately, I could stay here and protect the besieged city while hunting down some of the demon spies. I strongly suspect they are among us, but I’m not sure how to find them. Let me talk to Drothos first. What’s on his mind?
The NPC has information about: A positive change in a necessary artifact for the current quest
“Ah, Rigald! Glad to see this morning. I have some good news,” he says with a large grin on his face. “One of those wizards you found with the mob last night has confessed to being complicit in loosing these demons but only through incompetence. It seems some eye of newt or bat guano or other such hocus pocus got messed up in the original binding circle. According to this apprentice, if we can just get the right material into the right place on the original circle of summoning, it should bind the major demon thereby sending all its minions back to their own plane.”
“Well, that certainly changes things,” I say thinking about our new options. “I think I can get a strike team there, but we’d need on these wizard apprentices to do the actual work. Better yet, what if we stuck to the original plan but sent me and an apprentice to sneak into the wizard’s tower at the same time? The main force busting through and heading for help should distract the demons long enough for us to get through. What do you think?”
The answer to your question is: YES (d100 roll: 62)
—-> Is There a Random Event?: No random event
“Well, if you’re crazy enough to try it, I’ll let you, but I won’t lie,” Drothos says. “Odds are not good. In fact, you may end up providing the distraction for the demons buying us time to get real help here. If they’re busy trying to stop you, we could have enough time to get one more military detachment here from the next town. That would be enough to turn the tide in short order.”
“Then it’s settled. I’ll go,” I say. “However, let me caution you. Last night I had the strangest feeling that there were spies within our ranks from the demon camp. I myself don’t have the magical training to root out disguise spells, but you should know there’s a possibility of it all the same.”
“Ach! There’s always spies about here and there, but there aren’t enough to stop us. I know what needs to be done. I’ll bring you the apprentice who knows the most about this summoning business.” What’s his name?
NPC: Alyvia Perroy the obsessive and eye patch wearing wagon driver
Alyvia the apprentice arrives shortly after and tells her story about being only a wagon driver for supplies that were taken up to the tower, but she became obssessed with the idea of summoning. She’s never actually done it herself, but she researched and studied hoping to win favor with the wizards of Wandermere. She may be able to do the trick.
Actually, I have a better idea. I’m going to use my Improvisational Designs skill to create a demon decloaker. I think this would be a level 2 challenge, and I’ll play Ac which crowns with an 8h for 18. GM plays…
Cards Drawn: Js,Qh
Drothos gives me an hour or so to put something together, but it looks like it doesn’t work at all.
“I don’t mean to sound ungrateful,” he says. “But I think the time has come to start.”
“You’re right,” I say, and off we go. I’m going to try to sneak out while the main strike force pushes out of the front gates. That will be a level 2 Blend in Like a Chameleon check. I’ll play 5s and 4s as well as burn my Story Cache for a Jh giving a total of 19. GM plays…
Cards Drawn: 7d,2c
The main force busts out the front gate drawing all the demons to the north, so we sneak out the south. I’ve made sure that we have cloaks that blend in with the surroundings and then we beat feet to the wizard’s tower. Are there any demons still there?
The answer to your question is: YES (d100 roll: 71)
—-> Is There a Random Event?: No random event
Heading towards the tower, we spot a few demons still flitting around outside. How many are there?
1 rolls of 3-sided dice: 3
Sum plus any modifier: 3 + 1 = 4
“Do you know any offensive spells?” I ask Alyvia. She seems entranced by the demons flying around. I can see the thirst for power in her eyes. Thank goodness she’s not a full-fledged wizard yet.
“I’m just a wagon driver!” she says bitterly. “But someday I’ll have power like that.”
“Not if they kill us all first. What can you do?” I ask.
More Details: Open Protection
“I can go out there and talk to them. I know enough about them to get their attention and get them trying to manipulate me,” she says.
“Just don’t let them actually do it,” I say. “Fine. Get out there and start up the arcane talk while I sneak around from behind. I’ll try to take them all out.”
I’m going to use my Twin Sticks skill to try to take them all out which will be a Level 3 check. I play Kh, 6h, 5h which crowns for 4c giving me a total of 25. GM plays…
Cards Drawn: 3s,10s,5s
Alyvia heads out and gets their attention while I sneak around back. I start by throwing both my sticks simultaneously to drop the two minor demons in the back, but now I’m without my sticks which have dropped to the ground. The remaining two demons turn to see me. Does one try to get inside to warn the big demon?
The answer to your question is: YES BUT (d100 roll: 44)
*A potential complication is: Misinformation leads you to an unexpected outcome.
—-> Is There a Random Event?: No random event
One of them rushes me while the other tries to get into the tower. I dodge past the demon after me and retrieve my bastons. By that time the demon is on me but a double THWACK to the head takes it down. I turn to throw a stick after the fleeing demon only to see it writhing on the ground inside a circle of what appears to be pepper. Alyvia smiles at me with a dastardly twinkle in her eye. Does she turn on me?
The answer to your question is: NO BUT (d100 roll: 43)
—-> Is There a Random Event?: No random event
“You lied,” I say simply. “You do know magic.”
“Well, I didn’t know whether it would work or not, but I figured there’s no time like being under pressure to try these things. Think of it as a baptism by fire.” I wish that eye patch wasn’t there. It’s so hard to read her with only the one eye looking back at me. I guess I have no choice but to trust her at this point.
“Fine. Let’s go, but no more surprises.”
We make it through the rest of the tower without incident before coming to the summoning chamber. “It’s probably still stuck in that room,” says Alyvia. “That means the circle was almost right.”
I nod in agreeance. “It does sound like the big bad is in there,” I say. “I will protect you while you finish the circle.” We bust open the door to see a large horned demon with half of its body outside of a chalk circle on the ground straining against ethereal bonds. It sees us, screams, and attacks. I will use Body Guard to protect Alyvia while she finishes the circle. This is a Level 3 check and I use Ks, 10s and my Knight’s cache. With my cache and my crown I get 6s and Kc giving me 36. GM plays…
Cards Drawn: 2s,6h,9c
I bob and weave and smack the demon back while Alyvia finishes the circle. Eventually she completes it, and the demon screams as it shrinks and is captured within the circle.
“Well done,” I say to Alyvia. I send her back to tell Drothos while I keep an eye on the demon, but generally speaking the clean-up for this mission is fairly short. Time to move on to the next quest.