In A Wicked Age is a narrative-focused role-playing game designed to create an anthology of one-shot sessions set in a sword-and-sorcery world reminiscent of Conan the Barbarian and similar stories. Unlike many other RPGs, players will often play different PCs across the sessions, with each session loosely connected to the others. This final bit of In A Wicked Age is accomplished through the We Owe List. Player characters who survive the first round of conflict against a stronger foe have their name put on the We Owe list, which guarantees a re-appearance in a future session. Think of it as a sort of meta-experience for character progression.
The main draw is that the story elements are randomly generated at the start of every session by drawing four cards from a standard 52-card deck and comparing them against one of four thematic Oracles. From there, the players pull characters and settings and pursue their characters best interests.
The Oracle for this session was The Unquiet Past.
Previously, in a wicked age...
...the guardian of a tomb, a statue cast in silver with ruby eyes...
...a youth or maiden, the reincarnation of an ancient sage, remembering uncanny arts but forgetful of safeguards...
...a market on the crossroads, full of sound and color...
...a new village built on the ruins of a forgotten people...
The Characters
Igor von Himmelstone is an aging treasure hunter, still possessed of some measure of pickpocketing prowess. He's set up a merchant stall at the crossroads market to sell his ill-gotten wares, including a strange key-like object recently acquired. His Best Interests are to keep the key in his possession, and to raid the tomb and sell its treasures.
The Sworn Shadow is a member of a loose organization of religious bodyguards and warriors. She took a vow to get the maiden, Wickett, to the tomb of the forgotten people in order to cancel out its powers before the revived cult can capture her and use her powers to control it. Her Best Interests are to deliver Wickett to the tomb, and to steal the ruby eyes of the tomb guardian.
Loshak, the Cursed Acolyte is the spirit of an ancient demon trapped in the ruby-eyed, silver-cast statue of a temple dog. Long ago Loshak was bound to guard the tomb against intruders, which is everyone, considering the civilization which built the tomb-prison is long-gone. Its Best Interests are to prevent entry to the tomb and to obtain its freedom from its statue by destroying the key.
The Session
Sworn Shadow and Wickett are moving through the crossroad market. Wickett seems fairly naive about her role regarding the nearby tomb, despite Sworn Shadow's efforts to instruct her. The pair visit the stand of one Igor von Himmelstone, and Sworn Shadow recognizes the tomb key on a lanyard around Igor's neck. Her attempt to obtain it is interrupted when members of the revived cult arrive and try to knife her. Sworn Shadow puts up a good defense, but the cultists are too numerous and make off with Wickett in tow.
During the struggle one of the cultists gets thrown into Igor's stand. Despite his best efforts, Igor is knocked out in a single punch and the cultists get away.
In the hills nearby, there's an entrance dug into the side of a particularly ominous hill. The cultists arrive with Wickett and enter, making note of the dusty, skeletal remains scattered around the floor. The cult leader approaches the tarnished silver statue dog and pokes one of its eyes...and the statue animates and attacks! Loshak proves too much a challenge for the cultists; his laser eyes vaporize a number of cultists, but the leader and some of his cronies escape with Wickett.
Igor wakes up and goes to the market lord to report the scuffle. Unfortunately, in this wicked age authority is often occupied by those with enough force, and the market lord is little more than a warlord with some thugs, so they turn him away. On his way back, Igor is ambushed by a rival treasure hunter. Igor's fighting skills are rusty, and though he lasts a bit longer than against the cultist, his rival trips him up and steals the key from around his neck.
Sworn Shadow tracks down Igor as the shop-keeper with the key and the pair team up to rescue Wickett from the cult. Igor specifically avoids mentioning that his key was stolen as they make their way into the hills.
Loshak has settled back into his guardianship when the rival treasure-hunter arrives, key in hand. Loshak, sensing the key as his way to freedom, lets the man get close before attacking. Unfortunately, the presence of the key trips Loshak up and the treasure-hunter steals one of his ruby eyes before escaping.
Sworn Shadow and Igor reach the tomb and watch the cultists outside lick their wounds with Wickett tied up nearby. The pair attack the cultists, with Sworn Shadow carving a path through their numbers while Igor holds his own against a single fighter. The pair eradicate the cult and take Wickett up towards the tomb entrance.
The treasure-hunter leaves the tomb as Sworn Shadow, Igor, and Wickett arrive. The three fight the treasure-hunter, obtaining the key, just as Loshak arrives. Loshak and Sworn Shadow fight, with Wickett attempting to take the key from Igor. Igor manages to knock out Wickett and runs for the tomb to unlock it, but Sworn Shadow catches up and puts him down with her swords. Loshak attempts to shoot her with its laser eyes, but Sworn Shadow dodges and manages to subdue the guardian.
With the key in hand, Sworn Shadow guides Wickett in sacrificing her powers to cancel out the evil of the tomb. With the tomb neutralized, Loshak reverts to a mortal dog (though a large one), and joins with Igor to seek out other tombs. Sworn Shadow reaches out to her organization and awaits another job...
We Owe...
Sworn Shadow
Igor von Himmelstone
Facilitator notes:
This is the fourth time I've played In a Wicked Age, and a re-start from my previous posts concerning the game. Those first three sessions were a little winding and long-winded. This one, more than a year later and with some other experience under my belt, ran very smoothly. I think the key to success was how this group is also familiar with Fiasco, another game with player-versus-player elements focused on one-shot shenanigans. We'll be playing IaWA again soon, and I look forward to seeing how this group advances.
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