[Contest]Grand Melee

I'm scared to read the spoiler, so I won't, just FYI. I appreciate the input -- especially since it's at least partially my character who's why it was brought up -- but I have that story, I just haven't read it yet (and right now it's in a box in a storage facility, until we get this move hashed out in the next couple of weeks). So I'm avoiding it.

And Benedict, who's the one-eyed fella with a dislike against you? I'm planning to try and single out the one with a dislike against me (especially depending on how a certain joust goes right now, in a prior tourney), Greysteel.

Yeah, there are problems with random draws. I basically had the option of spending ages micromanaging everything to ensure as few conflicts as possible in each group, or just go pure random, and blame any bad result on luck.

Given how little time I have at the moment, and how long I've already spent trying to organise things for the tourney, the rest is history. Sorry, Ben.

Also, sorry Dad. I appear to have lumped him in with a bunch of Greens as well. I promise I'm not looking to inherit early.

Aerion Storm wrote:

And Benedict, who's the one-eyed fella with a dislike against you?  I'm planning to try and single out the one with a dislike against me (especially depending on how a certain joust goes right now, in a prior tourney), Greysteel

Reader wrote:
Prince Aemond Targaryen, a teenager but already a talented swordsman. Ill disposed to the Marstens given a run-in with Lord and Lady Marsten. Perhaps he is present in the hope they fail?

Not that anyone wants to go after a prince. I would wait and see who he goes after first and then join up with them, but I feel me and myself, might need I as a third.

Daveth I was only joking. Though it may make for good RP.

Some NPCs, such as Jaime Mallister, have improved their abilities, but most are as you knew them. [Edit: no need to disclose one groups stats as you're not fighting them! Helps keep some mystery]

Sorry about the formatting, probably best to tidy up, include CD, endurance and basic attack rolls and paste at the top of each thread.

Please ignore the some of the descriptions, as some it is just notes on the canon fates of characters (who becomes a KG etc).

Harrold Darke 3 2 3 2 2 2 3 5 2 2 2 2 2 3 2 2 2 3 2 Knight, Queen R Loyalist, squired for Steffon Darklyn Ride 1B, Spears 2B, Long Blades 2B, Shields 1B
Gareth Royce 3 3 4 3 3 2 4 5 2 3 3 3 3 4 2 3 2 3 3 Knight, Quickness 1B, Longblades 2B, Spears 1B, Ride 2B, Command 1B, Hunt 1B
Forrest Frey 3 4 4 4 4 3 4 5 2 3 4 2 4 6 2 3 2 4 3 Lord of the Crossing Anointed, Head of House, Spears 2B, Long Blades 2B, Shields 1B, Empathy 1B, Charm 2B, Breeding 1B, Reputation 1B, Strength 1B

Myles Blackwood 3 3 4 4 4 3 4 5 2 3 3 2 4 5 2 3 2 3 3 House Blackwood regent Anointed, Long blades 2B, Spears 1B, Ride 1B, Shields 1B, Strength 1B, Command 1B, Education 1B, Charm 1B, Empathy 1B

Lorent Marbrand 4 4 4 4 3 3 4 6 2 2 3 2 3 5 2 2 2 3 3 Kingsguard, Supports Princess Rhaenyra, appointed head of Queensguard Longblades 3B, Strength 1B, Spears 3B, Quickness 1B Long Blade Fighter I, Long Blade Fighter II, Talented (fighting)

Medrick Manderly 3 3 5 3 3 3 4 5 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 2 4 4 Knight, fearsome Anointed, Sinister, Ride 1B, Spears 1B, Longblades 2B

Owen Fossoway 3 4 4 3 3 3 4 5 2 3 4 3 4 6 2 3 2 3 3 Head of House, Tourney knight, Spears 2B, Tournaments 2B, Longblades 1B, Strength 1B, Shields 1B

Aemond Targaryen 4 4 4 4 4 3 4 5 2 2 4 1 3 8 2 3 2 4 3 Dragonrider Missing Eye, Expertise (Taunt), Expertise (Long Blades), Taunt 2B, Shields 1B, Longblades 2B

Willis Fell 3 4 4 3 2 2 4 5 2 2 3 2 3 5 2 2 2 3 3 Kingsguard Talented (Fighting), Anointed, Bludgeon Fighter I, Spears 2B, Bludgeons 2B, Strength 1B, Ride 2B

Florian Greysteel 3 4 4 4 3 2 4 5 2 3 3 2 3 4 2 3 2 3 3 Tourney Knight, Tournaments 2, Ride 2, Spears 2B, Longblades 1B

Ser James Darry 3 2 3 2 2 2 3 4 2 2 2 2 2 4 2 2 2 3 2 Ride 1B, Spears 2B, Long Blades 2B

Eoric Tully 3 3 4 3 3 3 4 5 2 3 3 2 4 6 2 3 2 3 4 Heir, Knight, Spears 2B, Ride 2B, Shields 1B, Longblades 2B, Empathy 1B, Convince 1B.

Adrian Redfort 3 3 4 3 2 2 4 5 2 2 3 2 3 4 2 2 2 3 3 Knight, Queen R Loyalist (Queensguard) Tourney Knight, Tournaments 1B, Spears 2B, Ride 2B, Longblades 2B, Shields 1B, Strength 1B

Glendon Goode 3 3 4 4 2 2 4 5 2 2 3 2 3 5 2 2 2 4 4 Member of the Queensguard (later commander), only 20, distinguishes himself in KL fighting Talented (Fighting), Anointed, Long Blade Fighter I, Long Blades 2B, Strength 1B, Shields 1B

Lymond Mallister 3 3 4 3 3 2 3 5 2 3 3 3 3 6 2 4 2 4 3 Knight, Lord of House Mallister, Spears 1B, Axes 2B, Strategy 1B, Tactics 1B, Charm 1B, Hunting 1B, Notice 1B, Tournaments 2B, Ride 1B Tourney Knight, Head of House

Warrick Wheaton 4 3 4 4 2 2 4 5 2 2 3 2 3 3 2 2 2 3 4 Knight, Valyrian Sword, supposed dragonslayer Ride 1B, Spears 2B, Long Blades 2B, Strength 1B, Shields 1B

Torrhen Manderly 2 3 3 4 5 4 3 4 2 4 4 2 4 4 2 2 2 3 3 Knight, clever, corpulent Axes 1B

Wyll Bracken 3 3 4 3 2 2 4 5 2 3 3 3 3 5 2 3 2 3 3 Knight, heir to House Bracken Ride 2B, Strength 1B, Spears 2B, Longblades 1B, Shields 1B, Convince 2B, Charm 1B, Heir

Ser Abel Redwyne 2 3 4 2 2 2 2 5 2 2 3 2 4 3 2 2 2 3 2 Charismatic, Spears 2B, Strategy 2B, Long Blades 2B, Charm 2B

For equipment, I think some reasonable basic assumptions can be used:
They all have Plate.
If they have 1b shields, they get a Large Shield, else a regular Shield.
If they have 1b or more strength, they get an adaptable weapon (or ball and chain, if bludgeons).
Else longsword/battleaxe/mace, depending on highest specialty.
If they have Status 4 or 5, their primary weapon is superior.
Kingsguard and Status 6+ have superior plate as well.

Obviously there are exceptions, such as Ser Warrick's Valyrian blade. If any of them would choose a 2h weapon or offhand other than a shield, that would be good to know.

Baelon Drakeson wrote:For equipment, I think some reasonable basic assumptions can be used:
They all have Plate.
If they have 1b shields, they get a Large Shield, else a regular Shield.
If they have 1b or more strength, they get an adaptable weapon (or ball and chain, if bludgeons).
Else longsword/battleaxe/mace, depending on highest specialty.
If they have Status 4 or 5, their primary weapon is superior.
Kingsguard and Status 6+ have superior plate as well.

Obviously there are exceptions, such as Ser Warrick's Valyrian blade. If any of them would choose a 2h weapon or offhand other than a shield, that would be good to know.

Beat me to the punch. Feel free to mix in a 2h or three for variety, no dual weapon users.

Baratheon status - assumptions on Aerions leanings are because he's at House Bartheld and due to Ser Harbert's knightly traditionalism. The House itself is still up for grabs, albeit some efforts have been made to influence earlier than in canon if anyone looks back in the archives.

Couple questions.

Are Reach rules being used?
PCs can use 2H weapons (with the inherent drawbacks to counter additional damage)?
You can/can't attempt to form teams within groups to add to your chances?

Basic reach rules used.
PCs are free to use 2H weapons, dual weapons etc. Remember that almost all of you have gauntlets, so you've always got an off-hand weapon if you need one!
People are very welcome to form temporary alliances of convenience.

Suggested alliances if they get a chance to team up.

Group 2
Ser Medrick and Ser Lorent v Lord Own Fossoway & Ser Bryndon

Group 3
Ser Willis Fell will attempt to strike at those other than Prince Aemond first

Group 5
Ser Eoric Tully will attempt to aid Lord Baelon Drakeson
Lord Lymon Mallister will go for Ser Ereth Redwain, due to the latter's marriage to a Longshore

Group 4
Ser Steffon Darklyn or Lord Coldbrok progresses from Group 4, might chuck a few dice to decide between the two and inflict some injuries/fatigue.

I´m doomed to fight Mallisters even when I don't want to do it...

Ereth Redwain wrote:I´m doomed to fight Mallisters even when I don't want to do it...

The gods have a cruel streak! I didn't even draw these groups, but Mallisters gonna Mallister.

I believe that a certain Ser Meddric Manderly is having -1D on all Endurance tests

I've got to fight another Kingsguard. be glad all you have to face is Lord Mallister

Theomore Tullison wrote:I believe that a certain Ser Meddric Manderly is having -1D on all Endurance tests

Again? You have got to stop poisoning him!

Theomore Tullison wrote:I believe that a certain Ser Meddric Manderly is having -1D on all Endurance tests

Thankfully for him these are rare events, but he still bears the cost of his last run in with Theomore. A wicked deed. Cost him a DP too, but none of the npcs will use these in the melee, so that column is left out.

Ser Walton Dulver wrote:I can run NPCs in one of groups if that suits You. Group 1, 2 or 6 would be best for me. I don't want Prince Aemond and Ser Eoric Tully under my command for various reasons.

Baelon Drakeson wrote:I can take a group of NCs. 6 would probably be best, but 1 might be ok. 3 in a tight pinch, but I'd prefer not.

Theomore Tullison wrote:Can probably run a group, should not be 6 on account of Tullison PC being in it.

Benedict Marsten wrote:I can take one if there is a race I do not have a dog in.

Okay, we're still short a volunteer, but I think we should probably just get going. Maybe one of you feels you can handle two combats? Or maybe one will finish quickly? Fortunately, everything slots together quite nicely in terms of requirements. So, I'm proposing the following arrangement, with group 2 TBA.

1: Walton
2:
3: Theomore
4: N/A
5: Benedict
6: Baelon

For the record, it's in my nature to normally volunteer for this sort of thing, but I'm still way too new to this combat system and fighting on this forum to feel comfortable doing so. Aerion's only been in one little skirmish, and it was an unusual and lopsided affair. I'd like to "get my feet under me" a little more before I try to run combats for anyone.

Noted, and trust me, I fully understand and agree. From what I've seen, this system has a *lot* of 'traps' for the unwary, as well as simply a lot of rules to remember. (For me, anyway - personally, I don't tend to play RPGs with even relatively moderate 'crunch' any more. I'm aware there are games like Phoenix Command which make this seem as complex as ... HeroQuest.)

fine with me. Just one question- what is disposition of Lord Frey towards Loreia at that moment? Or generally something worth notice in group 1 relationships?

Mushroom's incident hasn't happened yet so nothing bad between Forrest and Loreia.

nobody wants to play with us Kevan

Ser Jorah Holt wrote:nobody wants to play with us Kevan

I would, but I really shouldn't run Ser Lorent.

6 groups of 6, so I figure that the maps from the Story 1 melee will still be good? The lists are already in random order, so I'll just put them around the circle in that order.

Group 6 thread coming shortly.

Yes, Baelon, that sounds great. The order is indeed random, so go ahead when ready.

Heh, I forgot that the story 1 melees were 7, so I fixed it for 6 - easy enough and evened it out:

Code:

   | A | B | C | D | E | F | G |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 1 |   |   |   | 1 |   |   |   |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 2 | 6 |   |   |   |   |   | 2 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 3 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 4 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 5 | 5 |   |   |   |   |   | 3 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 6 |   |   |   | 4 |   |   |   |

EDIT: Trimmed out the extra space. It fits much better now and should feel more like the brawl that a melee should feel like...

Good work, thanks.