We screwed up - what now?

I would love to have a little advice. There’s a bit of a tangle in our new BE game that we’re having trouble coming up with a satisfying solution to. I didn’t include it in our “Burning in the Turmoil of Isengraef” AP yet because it’s still somewhat in dispute.

First, to be clear, this is not a case of anyone trying to get a cheaty advantage. This is more about us being new to the game and not being used to some of its particulars. Also, we’re not mad. We’re both perfectly happy to accept whatever outcome is decided upon, but the consequences are major, so we’d like some more eyes on this puzzle. Here it is:

My GM FoN, Archcotare Eostre got hulled in one of my color scenes. I wasn’t sure if there should be rolling or not, but it seemed like “Say Yes” because everyone wanted her to be Vaylen in the World Burning, but I couldn’t get what I wanted by burning her as a Vaylen to start, so I figured I’d hull her early on. From reading other threads, it’s pretty clear that it would have been better for everyone if it was a building scene. It’s still legit, but because it’s color, anyone can counter it with color, which is bad for me. I get that now, we didn’t at the time. This isn’t where the dispute started, it’s just complicating it.

Near the end of the session, I use my conflict scene for a DoW. I’m riffing off of Kevin’s scene where his Anvil Lord/Psychologist FoN Wulfric wants to meet with the Archcotare to prevent his son from entering the priesthood. I think it’s pretty cool because it also works with one of Eostre’s beliefs, so I set it up. (Super dumb, I know, I understand Psychology a little better now! WTF was I thinking?!) The characters fall into discussion about the boy and it soon becomes a DoW.

But first, Kevin remembers an Instinct that relates to meeting new people and scanning them for Vaylen (There was a flurry of last minute stuff before the game, so I didn’t even know about this one.) I couldn’t dispute it, because that kind of thing is largely what instincts are for. He passed the Ob. 3 test with ease, discovered the Naiven within and wanted to push it to a Psychic Duel. I wouldn’t have it because it’s my conflict scene (was I right? He already used his conflict so he can’t push one on me, yes?). We have the DoW (Eostre wins by a hair) and end the scene.

I was warming up to the very interesting possibilities of him trying to out her as a Vaylen. But later on, when looking over his character sheet, I saw the instinct actually reads, “Always listen for surface thoughts with new people” which, to me, is not the same thing that it was used for. (And again, to be clear, this was not Kevin trying to abuse the Instinct, it was just a misunderstanding of application.)

But does any of this even matter? Test or no, he could have countered my color with color, but can he do that if it’s not his color scene?

Ideas on what to do? I guess we’re struggling with what’s okay to do in someone else’s scene and also how to move forward when you’ve both erred.

Thanks!

firstly, don’t change the shared fiction, especially for rules mistakes. what’s done is done. learn from it, but move on. suggest that Kevin changes his psychologist’s instinct to ‘always scan new people for naiven.’ (assuming he already knows what vaylen/naiven are)

you are right that he can’t push you into a conflict if his side doesn’t have one (though he can turn yours down and walk away) just make him wait 'til the next session for that psychic duel (though you could have agreed to another conflict if you wanted to). i suggest playing off that the archcotare/vaylen didn’t know how powerful the psychology was either, and now has learned and will be more careful in the future. it will be interesting for these character’s to work against each other in the scenes to come. i suggest never letting that psycholigist near your vaylen again with any building or conflict scenes.

as for hulling a FoN, it’s more exciting as a building scene, for sure. again, remember that for next time. overall, you’re fine. just move on to the next scenes and conflicts that arise organically.

i think you should defintely try to hull the anvil lord’s son in secret once he joins the priesthood, btw, but make sure you roll for it this time, as it’s his relationship. then your player can’t use that instinct

Jonathan knows! He’s a BE vet. Two worlds with me!

The only mistake I see is the misuse of the Instinct. But what’s done is done.

I agree with Jonathan though. The landscape is more interesting now. I think, if I were you, I’d gun for the psychologist. Hard, as in next building scene – hire thugs/tap sodalis, find psych, kill psych.

I am so boned. :slight_smile:

oookay…thank you very much guys! My head’s a little clearer now and I’m totally pumped for destruction. The weekend can’t come fast enough. Fortunately, Kevin rocks, so he’ll probably be just as pumped to fight back all the harder. Bring it, Kevin - your precious Wulfric is going to live just long enough to see his reputation destroyed and his family riddled with worms.

Bring it.