Example of Play

GM:

At the end of last session you’d found out that the healer, Hepios, spends the summer in a cave near the top of Mount Myronia. The only way to speak to him is to wait for the season to pass or to climb the mountain to meet him. As the sickness in Vlokis shows no signs of abating you decided to climb the mountain. It’s a hot summer’s day and the most direct route to the top is a steep and arduous climb.

Paul (as Hierax):

Can I try and find an easier path up the mountain?

GM:

Sure, give me an Insight (Survival: Tracking) roll to search for an easier route.

Paul:

I’ve got a 5, 6, 3, and an 8, so one success.

GM:

After some searching you find a worn path used by goat- herders. It will take you a little longer to reach your destination but you’ll be better rested when you get there. Everyone make a Might (Vigour) roll with +1D from Hierax’s success.

Mike (as Xanthippe):

Two successes.

Sarah (as Medon):

Three successes.

Paul:

Ah, no successes.

GM:

Paul, while gazing up at the mountain ahead of you, you stumble on a loose stone in the path. Gain 1 Risk.

GM:

After several hours of travelling you are approaching the peak of the mountain. Behind you to the north-east you can see the blue waters of the Gulf of Aegina and the town of Epidaurus nestled at the foot of the mountain. Ahead of you the path gets lost in the thick undergrowth. Everyone make Insight (Awareness) rolls.

Paul:

One success.

Sarah:

No successes, I spot nothing.

Mike:

Two successes and one is a 10. I’ll take that as Resolve.

GM:

Both Hierax and Xanthippe can hear conversation between two people up ahead. Mike, with two successes Xanthippe can hear sounds of several people moving about as well. Medon hears nothing.

Sarah:

Told you.

Mike:

When you say people moving about, how do you mean? Are there a lot of them?

GM:

With two successes you can tell there are a handful of people near the two people who are talking.

Mike:

We might have trouble here, the healer has company.

Sarah:

Hierax, why don’t you sneak closer and see if you can hear what they’re saying.

GM:

If you want to sneak closer you’d need to make a Cunning (Survival: Stealth) roll with a Difficulty of 3. You can have +1D due to the undergrowth providing cover.

Paul:

That gives me six dice and I rolled three success, two of which are tens! I’ll use one to add a success and keep the other as Resolve.

GM:

You have gained a point of Risk earlier. You could remove it.

Paul:

Oh yeah, I’ll do that instead.

GM:

As you get closer to the voices you see a clearing around the mouth of a cave. At the mouth of the cave a man and a woman are talking. He’s dressed in a dirty khiton and matches the description you were given of Hepios; she’s richly dressed and armed and armoured as a hoplitis with a dori in hand. Surrounding them are six men and women, roughly dressed bandits, carrying peltes and clubs.

Paul:

This doesn’t look good but it could be nothing. Does Hepios look frightened?

GM:

Make an Insight (Diplomacy) roll.

Paul:

No successes. I’ll gain a point of Risk to get a success.

GM:

You move a little closer to better see Hepios. He’s putting on a brave face but you can see tension and maybe a little fear in his eyes. It sounds like the woman is threatening him. As you gained Risk to succeed on the roll lets say you cracked a twig as you moved from one hiding place to another. Two of the guards leave the group to investigate where you were. They haven’t spotted you but they’re on alert.

Sarah:

How long has Hierax been gone? Only Medon isn’t that patient...

GM:

Couple of minutes.

Paul:

They’re armed and they’re threatening the healer. I quietly pull out my sling and fit a stone into the pouch.

GM:

We’re now entering combat and, Paul, as you’re the only one currently acting you have the initiative. What are you doing?

Paul:

The woman is the most threatening to Hepios so I want to take her out first.

GM:

She’s not aware of you so she can’t use her hoplon to defend. Make a Might (Accuracy) roll to hit. You’re at Short range to her so there are no penalties.

Paul:

As she’s not aware of me I can use my Ambush talent, right? That lets me use Cunning instead of Might to attack and I’ll use my Maneuver to Aim. That gives me seven dice... Two successes, one of which is a ten so I’ll activate my sling’s Stun quality. The sling has a base damage of 6, plus my 2 successes means I do 8 points of damage.

GM:

There’s a loud clang as the sling hits the back of her breastplate and she staggers forward. She certainly felt that.

GM:

You succeeded on your action, so who do you pick to go next?

Paul:

I shout “Attack!” loudly so the group can hear and pick Xanthippe to go next.

Mike:

As we can hear Hierax yelling I’ll ready my dori and move closer. How far are we from the clearing?

GM:

You’re at Medium range. One Maneuver will get you to the edge of the clearing and within Short range of the group.

Mike:

I’ll move to the edge of the clearing and I’ll hammer my dori against my hoplon and yell “Cowards!” at the bandits.

GM:

The bandits are Minions so I’m going to split them into two groups. The group of four that are still near Hepios and the group of two that went looking for Hierax. Which ones are you yelling at?

Mike:

The group closest to Hepios.

GM:

Great, this sounds like a Taunt action so make a Might (Manipulation) roll.

Mike:

One success and with my Come and Get Them talent that means they gain 2 Risk.

GM:

Mike, the bandits are now eyeing you up, ready to charge. As you succeeded you get to pick who goes next.

Mike:

Should Medon go next or do we want to see what the bandits do?

Sarah:

I think we should let the bandits go next. I’ll go at the end of the round so we don’t get swamped.

Mike:

I pick the group of four bandits to go next.

GM:

As you Taunted them they’re going to use their Maneuver to move to Melee range and attack!

Mike:

I’ll use my Reaction to use my Shield defence of 3.

GM:

The bandits normally roll 3D to attack, +3D as they’re a group of four, -3D from your shield, gives them 3D. What’s your weapon Reach?

Mike:

I’m using my dori, so 4.

GM:

Their clubs have a Reach of 2, so -2D gives them 1D to attack. Yes! One die and they manage to roll a 10. That’s one success causing you to take 5 points of damage and they’ll use the 10 to break your guard and switch Reach.

Mike:

My armour is 6 so that bounces off.

GM:

Still, they succeed so they pick the other bandit group to go next. They’ll use a Maneuver to close with Hierax and attack.

Paul:

Slings are one handed so I’ll use my Reaction to use my Shield defence of 2.

GM:

Yep. They normally roll 3D, +1D as it’s a group of two, -2D from your shield, leaving them with 2D. As you’re using your pelte with a Reach of 1 they don’t suffer any further penalties. Unfortunately, they roll no successes. As I’ve got 2 points of Hubris here, I’ll spend one to give them a success, causing 5 points of damage.

Paul:

Ouch! Through my armour I’ve gained 2 Risk.

GM:

As they succeeded, they pick Medon to go next.

Sarah:

Not the hoplitis?

GM:

Nope.

Sarah:

Am I close enough to attack them with my labrys?

GM:

Both of the bandit groups are at Short range with you, so you can engage with them. The hoplitis is at Medium range, so unless you have a missile weapon you can’t attack her.

Sarah:

I do have a sling... But I’m going to use my Maneuver to move to Melee range with Hierax and the bandits that are attacking him.

GM:

The bandits will use their Reaction to use their Shield defence of 2, so make a Might (Melee) roll with a -2D penalty.

Sarah:

My labrys has the Heavy quality so I can ignore 1 point of that. I roll 5D and get... two successes, one of which is a ten. Let’s call it three successes and 9 points of damage!

GM:

That’s 8 points of damage through armour. One of the bandits falls to the floor in a bloody heap while the other takes a deep cut to the thigh.

GM:

As you succeeded you get to pick who goes next, but the only person left is the hoplitis.

Sarah:

What about Hepios?

GM:

Hepios takes this opportunity to scurry into the cave. As Medon looks like the biggest and baddest of the group, the hoplitis uses a Maneuver to engage. Sarah, do you have a Shield or Parry defence?

Sarah:

No, just a big axe.

GM:

The hoplitis is Stunned so she’s only rolling 5D which gives her two successes, one of which is a ten. That’s 7 points of damage and she’ll activate Pierce to reduce your armour by 4.

Sarah:

6 points get through, that’s nasty! My Risk is now higher than my Endurance so I’m Vulnerable. That’s a 1 point Wound and I’ve rolled 4, so that’s a 5 total. Hey, you get a point of Hubris!

GM:

Everyone has acted so that’s the end of the round. The hoplitis chooses herself to go first. She’ll use her Maneuver to activate her Tactical Direction ability and bark orders to the bandit near her, giving him +2D on his next Action. Then she’ll hit Medon again.

Sarah:

Medon can take it.

GM:

She’s no longer Stunned so she’s rolling 8D. Three successes, so 8 points of damage, no Pierce this time.

Sarah:

That’s 3 points through armour and I rolled a 5, with that 3 point Wound and the 1 point earlier, that’s 9 on the Critical Injury table—a -1D penalty to skill checks.

GM:

She picks the lone bandit Minion to go next. As he’s already in Melee range with Hierax and Medon he’ll spend a Maneuver to Prepare and then attack Hierax.

Paul:

I’ll use my Shield defence of 2.

GM:

He’s rolling 3D base, +1D for Prepare, and +2D for the hoplitis’s Tactical Direction, which is cancelled out by your Shield defence. Whoa! 4D and a great three successes, two of which are tens! He’ll activate Stun and use the other ten as an additional success. That’s 8 points of damage.

Paul:

Ah, that’s 5 points through armour, giving me a total Risk of 8. I’m Vulnerable and rolled a 1, no effect.

GM:

The bandit picks Hierax to go next.

Paul:

I’m not in great shape so I’ll use a Misdirect Action to jump in the undergrowth and get away from the combat. That’s Cunning (Survival) so I’d be rolling 5D normally, +1D for being Vulnerable...

GM:

You’re Stunned so your Cunning characteristic counts as zero and you’re in Melee range with the hoplitis who has an Awareness of 3. You’re going to need four successes to do this...

Paul:

That would give me 2D... I don’t like those odds! I’ll use my Action to Disengage instead. That would be 2D but I can use my Reaction to add my Shield defence giving me 4D. That’s two successes so I ignore the Risk penalty and I’ll use my Maneuver to cross the clearing and get to Medium range of everyone. I should be safer there.

GM:

You succeeded on your Action, who’s going next?

Paul:

Xanthippe, she’s got bandits to deal with.

Mike:

Apparently I’ve got bandits to deal with.

GM:

There’s still four of them and they broke your guard on their attack so your dori’s Reach will give you a -2D penalty.

Mike:

I could drop my dori and draw my xiphos... No, I’ll stick with my dori. I’ll use a Maneuver to Prepare for +1D and I’ll attack the bandits.

GM:

They have peltes so will use their Reaction for a defence of 2.

Mike:

That doesn’t leave me with many dice... 2D after penalties. No successes. Wait, I’ve got a point of Resolve, so I’ll spend that to get one success doing 6 points of damage.

GM:

After armour that’s 5 points, so one of the bandits goes down with a spear thrust to the chest. Who’s going next? Only Medon and the bandits you’re fighting are left to go.

Mike:

Lets see what the bandits can do. If they attack me I’ll use my Shield defence of 3.

GM:

There’s only three of them left which gives them 5D, +1D if they use a Maneuver to Prepare, with -3D in penalties they’re rolling 3D. They weren’t hired for their smarts so they’ll have a go. No successes. Medon, is the only one left to act this round; Sarah, what are you going to do?

Sarah:

This hoplitis needs dealing with so I’ll use my Maneuver to Prepare and hit her with my labrys, which has a Reach of 3.

GM:

She’ll use her Reaction to use her Shield defence of 4 and you get a -1D penalty as her dori is longer.

Sarah:

Wait, what type of shield has a rating of 4?

GM:

A hoplon and many years of training.

Sarah:

OK... she’s tougher than I thought. I’m rolling Might (Melee) for 6D with -5D penalties, so 1D. Well, Medon wasn’t hired for his smarts either, here goes. I rolled an eight, one success! That’s 7 points of damage.

GM:

Some of that goes through her armour. It’s the start of the next round, who’s going first?

Paul:

If I go first I could hit the hoplitis with my sling to use up her Shield defence?

Sarah:

Good plan, Hierax can start the round.

Paul:

I’m going to make a Pin attack Action just in case Medon doesn’t finish her off.

GM:

She is going to use her Shield Reaction and you’re at Medium range so in total you’re taking -5D in penalties.

Paul:

A Pin attack is Cunning (Accuracy) and I’ll use a Maneuver to Aim, giving me 2D with the penalties. No successes. I have the favour of Artemis and I’d like to call on it now.

GM:

You curse as your slingshot looks like it’s going wide of its target. As you watch in disbelief you catch a fleeting glimpse of Artemis, trailed by her hunting hounds, race across the clearing and knock the shot with her hand.

Paul:

That’s better; one success and I’ll spend an ammo load to gain another.

GM:

With two successes the hoplitis is taking a -2D penalty on her next Action. Who’s going next?

Paul:

Medon.

Sarah:

I think you know what I’m going to do...

GM:

You didn’t break her guard so you still have a Reach penalty.

Sarah:

5D, reduced to 3D because of my Wound penalty and the Reach penalty. I get one success. That’s 6 points of damage. How much gets through her armour?

GM:

She’s wearing a full bronze panoply, so none.

Sarah:

I think it’s time. As the son of Ares, I’ll use Medon’s Rage ability to add his 6 Risk to the damage.

GM:

That puts her on 9 Risk and 1 Wound. Your axe smashes down with a mighty blow, cracking her breastplate. Who’s going next?

... And the fight continues