In my Sagas game the Shield Maiden has told of a land to the West “infested with elves” but holding a great bounty of timber. At least some of the PCs are planning an expedition back to Alfheim or Vinland or whatever they’re going to call it đ So I wrote up some moves! And would love some feedback from the Commonwealth!
I specifically added the “Take a bond with Fate” bit so that PCs who were separated by great distance could still use bonds easily.
I like your moves, but I have also some suggestion:
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When you undergo a perilous sea voyage, roll +wyrd. On a 10+ choose 2, on a 7-9 choose 1:
⢠Something precious is not lost
⢠You don’t endure grave harm
⢠Someone doesnât gain a bond with you.
You may choose to roll +versed instead of +wyrd, but then Fate takes a bond with you.
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The Third option (âSomeone doesn’t gain a bond with youâ) sounds strange to me. What fiction are you pointing to? I would have rather used âthe Fates gain a bond with youâ option which you used in the final clause.
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If you are a pagan in a Norse Christian place, leaving the settlement counts as Tempting Fate.
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What about something like: âIf you are a pagan in a Norse Christian place, every time you set foot there it counts as tempting fateâ? The fact that you cannot leave a Christian place if you are pagan sounds strange to me, but the fact that you are pagan could likely be a source of trouble (thatâs why you must tempt fate).
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When you enter a skraeling settlement, roll +versed. On a 10+ choose 1, on a 7-9 choose 2:
⢠There are more of them than you expected
⢠They have less of a supply (food, hides, timber, etc.) than you thought
⢠They are distrustful and hostile
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Be careful with the second option (âThey have less of a supply (food, hides, timber, etc.) than you thoughtâ)! According to if the PC is going there to buy or to sell goods this is good or bad news. I suggest you to change this option to something like: âThey cannot buy or sell as much goods as you hopedâ.
The rest of your moves seems really cool and compelling to me. Well done! đ
Thanks, Daniele!
Addressing your points:
I agree about the perilous sea move; maybe the best option is the “Fate gains a bond on you” leaving people wondering if they want to risk getting two bonds on you if you choose +versed. I dunno, though, I don’t like that duplication, and the best I could come up with was the idea that you come out of the voyage owing somebody. I need to think more about that.
The bit about leaving a settlement points back to stuff in the actual Sagas (and actual history!) when pagan Icelanders began to be kept as hostages when they visited Christian ports in Norway.
I’m going to think about your modification to the Skraeling Settlement move–I think you’re absolutely on target with the warning! I probably need to ponder what I want to happen a bit more. Given that this is a “negative choice” modeled-move, I was definitely going for the idea that if you want them to have an abundance, you’re going to need to take on risk…
Ok, letâs think together:
1. Maybe you can change that option to:
âYou donât have to ask help to someone (they gain a bond with you)â.
2. Whoops! That was my ignorance, then. So your option is perfect as it is. đ
3. Ok!
However I really like the ideas behind your moves, and Iâd really like to play a game like that. đ
I was just thinking that maybe the Sea Voyage move option would be “Your Honor and reputation remain intact”. That might model things like “you were a lousy captain and got everyone lost” or “when the storm hit, you didn’t throw yourself into the work”. The reputation bit lets it theoretically apply to female PCs, although I guess it would be better if there were a move I could point to…
Or it could just end up costing you silver đ
Hmm⌠are you suggesting an option like âYou donât prove yourself a poor captain to your crew (your honour is in question)â?