I wanted to share this write-up of The Watch long con that I did a week ago at Dreamation.

I wanted to share this write-up of The Watch long con that I did a week ago at Dreamation. This is just part one! These were some really amazing sessions, and I highly recommend backing the KS if you haven’t already. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/medeiros/the-watch-rpg/

Surprisingly, what our campaign reminded me of most was Battlestar Galactica – a fantasy military drama that’s chiefly focused on what happens between the battles. It’s a really, really great system and I’m very excited to bring it to the table again in the near future.

Originally shared by Michael X. Heiligenstein

The Watch Long Con, Dreamation 2017 – pt 1

I started writing this on the train home from Morristown, the morning after finishing the last of three sessions of The Watch at Dreamation. When I started, I was writing solely for myself: I wanted to remember as much of this campaign as possible. But I’ve talked to a few people who were curious about these sessions, and I also wanted to share this with the wonderful people I got to play this with.

So far, it’s longer than I expected. I’ve edited it down a bit, and have split it into two entries. There are a lot of scenes I necessarily missed, since we were running two tables – I have a pretty decent sense of what happened in the other scenes, but I’d always love to hear more. There are also some missing scenes from the tables I was at. It’s hard to keep track of everything that happens in three rapidfire sessions, and unfortunately I can already feel some holes in my recollection.

Thanks so much to the 10 people who brought so much fantastic energy to the table, and a special thank you to Anna Kreider and Aaron Friesen for running such an amazing experience, plus a double thank you to Anna again and Andrew Medeiros for creating the system. Back it on Kickstarter if you haven’t already!! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/medeiros/the-watch-rpg/

Our Cast:

“Mean Girls squad”

Cpl. Cal, the wolf. Clan Royshan (warriors) Played by Rebecca W

Lanec, the lioness. Clan Thason (herders/equestrians). Played by yours truly.

Trull, the bear. Clan Toltho (craft folk/farmers). Played by Joe Beason

Reme, the owl. Clan Sharn (hunters/gatherers). I don’t have his real name : (

guided by the amazing Anna Kreider

“Degrassi squad”

Cpl. Laustec “Lau”, the spider. Clan Richti? (nomads). Played by Albert D

Preshi, the eagle. Clan Molthas? (mountain folk). Played by Tony Lower-Basch

Tabak, the fox. Clan Charsa (miners). Played by Christo Meid

Peyma, the raven. Clan Dothas (mystics). Played by George Austin

guided by the fantastic Aaron

Both squads launch straight into two missions to reclaim ground taken by the Shadow. Our squad attacks a hill with some mysterious standing stones nearby. Lanec charges too far into enemy lines, and Cal and Trull have to close in to back her up. Meanwhile Dalu, an NPC, gets separated. Afterwards Cal asks Ruenti, our Commander, to launch a search party for her. Ruenti refuses.

Reme examines the standing stones and has a vision of Doshan-clan mystics sacrificing a woman. Afterwards, Reme criticizes Trull’s hackwork swordswomanship, and offers some pointers. Meanwhile, Lanec finds Cal and demands she let the squad go after Dalu. Cal calms Lanec down, asserts her authority, and hatches a plan to deceive Ruenti into launching a mission that might help them find Dalu.

Before they can act on it, a wave of Shadow attacks the camp, taking everyone by surprise. Cal quickly hashes out orders, but the situation spins out of control. In the chaos, Reme is wounded and the shadow overtakes Lanec, who injures Cal. Things look desperate, but the squad manages to drive the Shadow back.

After the battle, Cal summons Trull to dress the wounds Lanec inflicted. While Trull treats her, Cal tells Trull to put her sword, a family heirloom, aside, and use a hammer or axe instead. Trull doesn’t take kindly to this and storms off – though she does toss her sword aside on her way out of camp, taking a warhammer as her new weapon.

While the women of the Watch care for the dead, Reme asks Lanec about her clan’s funeral practices. Lanec, still rattled from being overtaken by the Shadow, rebuffs her and tells her it doesn’t matter: clan Thason got overrun so fast they left the dead where they lay. Lanec tells Reme the Shadow possessed her, and Reme, worried Lanec might still be possessed, asks her to disarm. Lanec tosses her sword to the ground in a show of faith. Cal, still bleeding, walks up and tells Reme to back off. Reme responds by critizicing Cal’s handling of the battle, and says something personally vindictive that I honestly can’t remember. Cal attacks her and they both become possessed by the Shadow. Lanec pulls Cal off Reme and throws her down the hill; both regain control of themselves. Cal asks Reme never to speak to her again – and storms off.

Lanec follows Cal back to her tent and asks how they can deal with an enemy that can attack from within. Cal tells her that they can’t beat it, but they can fight it, and the only solution is to keep fighting for as long as possible. Lanec respectfully tells her she wants something better.

Reme, meanwhile, discovers that Trull has left in search of Dalu. Cal asks Reme to take Trull’s sword back to her campsite to preserve the illusion of normalcy, but Reme insists on taking the sword straight to Trull. Reme and Lanec go after Trull and Dalu, while Cal covers for them with command.

SESSION 2

Trull soon finds Dalu in the woods not far away, bound and gagged, surrounded by freaky distorted Shadow warriors. She tosses Dalu a knife and proceeds to draw the Shadow off of Dalu long enough for Dalu to get to her feet. As the shadow close ranks, Reme and Lanec (on a shining white horse, of course) arrive to back her up. Dalu frees herself and the four of them drive off the shadow and return to camp largely unharmed.

They find out that command is sending Cal away, to be replaced by Laustec, who can hopefully discipline the unruly “Mean Girls” squad. Before leaving, she summons Lanec for a private “briefing”. Lanec is surprised to discover this is not a briefing at all but a TOTAL MAKEOUT SESS. But Cal soon has to leave for the other squad.

At this point, the Cal and Lau switch squads and we keep going from there. But this marks a good stopping point for now – expect the second & last entry in a few days.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/medeiros/the-watch-rpg/