Count Numbers

Fellowship: The Heart

The Fool clicks their heels together and scrabbles around for the lever. The right one, the one they are supposed to have already pulled. Follow the Fox's disdainful eyes for hints as to where they think it is.

Yes-and. Do not ask about the lever, the lever has been stated to be, so it must.

Fellowship: The Heart

This is theater, and theater is collaborative. Yes, and yes, and yes-and.

The Fool has found the contours of Ailee's character. Let's find the character that sneers at the Fool as they arrive, that finds pomp in these circumstances.

"Hello. I don't believe we've met." A deep bow and a flourish. "What a fine and regal cloak! What intelligent and cunning eyes! You must be the person in charge here." Lucien slicks back their hair, makes themselves presentable for such a formal occasion. Stands like a king's courtier, heels together and stiff-backed, "I am the Fool of the Sky Court, and to what do I owe the honour of your presence?"

Lucien is as dreadfully serious as a child at play.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Tristan has been acting within his right to slay who he must for the protection of all. He has nothing to fear from the hunters, and no idea what Nin is doing or why.

He climbs down to approach the hunters, showing his bow but keeping his arrows in his quiver. The bow shows his purpose - but keeping the arrows sheathed shows he means no threat.

Of course he's no threat. They're here to deal with more than he can muster.

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Tristan is completely paralyzed by indecision. There are three actors here, with three motivations that are inscrutable to him, two of whom he needs as allies, and no way he can see acting on behalf of one that doesn't act against the other. He's going to stay up his tree until the situation becomes less complicated.

"Nin! The hunters are firing blind!"

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

Tristan gives a silent prayer of gratitude that he at least afforded Nin a softer landing, a second that he's still alive.

Still, it's panicked. There are two main options: running towards the horns, and climbing.

He's just tried and failed at running, and Nin's conscious now. Let's try to put a tree between ourselves and the Beast and climb as fast as we can.

[4,2 +1 = 7]

"Run toward the horns if you can't climb," he shouts, "I'll shoot it if it tries to follow you, keep its attention on me."

Tristan is assuming he is still the one the Beast has its attention on. He's no way to know what just happened within the Beast's mind, and if that's made Nin the primary target now. But as soon as he gets some height, he's willing to shoot as many arrows as it takes to make it change its mind.

Fellowship: The Heart

Well, snapping the chaos over your knee like that rather sucks the fun out of it a bit, doesn't it? That's no way to dance.

Lucien's sure Ailee will be fine marching to her own beat right now - maybe better, it's a more familiar tempo - but wonders if Jackdaw and Coleman aren't up to anything more interesting right now.

Probably best to go find Jackdaw first. Not a snub on Coleman, just a feeling that this is more their show right now, their Colosseum. Lucien's got a suspicion that Jackdaw would be more appreciative of a Fool's help.

Of course, there was going alone... but no. He could have done that at any time, in the Heart, but They liked a they, didn't they?

Dark Age (playtest): The Lands of Pendragon

[Actually, should running away while carrying Nin be "Undertake great labour?": Roll 2d6 - 1, 4 + 1 = 6
Whatever it is, I fail at it.]

Tristan is doing his absolute best to keep away from the questing beast while keeping Nin stable. Even unencumbered, the Beast could likely outpace him, and he's encumbered on top of that. It's hard to work out the 'upwards' if he can't manage the 'forwards' right now.

This is all about to end in tears.

Fellowship: The Heart

"Ailee, Ailee, frightful and scary, how does your power grow?
With force of will and hard-earned skill you put on a marvelous show.

Ailee, Ailee, wild and merry, how does this dance step go?
With effortless ease, wherever we please, don't worry about stepping on toes.

Ailee, Ailee, giggling gaily, my how your smile does glow!
I have to attest, you want for the best; I really believe that, you know.

Ailee Sundish, if you had one wish, a wish I had to bestow...
What would it be, with this power in me — as we sail to peril and woe?"

Fellowship: The Heart

Ailee's laughing and grabbing Lucien's wrist? She wants to dance? Let's tango.

No, literally.

"Tsk- I said point, not lead." I am neither master nor servant. I do not lead, I am not led by. I dance with. "You'll have to trust me, Ailee Sundish. There's a madness to my method, and while I can't promise it'll make sense in the end, I can promise there will be an end worth getting to."

It is Lucien's intent to twirl, dip, lift, and catch Ms Sundish, at which point they can dance to where they need to go - in big twirling, leaping steps. But this can only work if Ailee agrees to dance with an old Fool, pay no mind to where they're going until they're already there.

Fellowship: The Heart

Lucien thinks about this. They take a deep, flourishing bow.

"We can be bee friends, if you'd let us get down to buzzness?" A nod. "I haven't seen any kobolds. I haven't seen Jackdaw or Coleman either, so I'm going to assume they have. There are only so many places I can't have been. I'm good to play, though. Nobody's given me a script, so I'm improvising. Tell me the theme, point me to the audience, and I'll try to keep the show going while you fix the stage. Douse the pyrotechnics."