Reference

Pink color represents me as a solo Player, making interpretations

Yellow color, and tables, represent GM Emulator (PUM+SUM) mechanics

White color represents game text and RPG mechanics

Recap

Following the events of The Rise of the Ancient Rulers – 3 Laura and Diego in the heart of the Opiateh jungle, in the search of the tomb of Tzontemoc, overcame various deadly challenges and finally found a sign of activity. A tribe. Diego tried not to be seen, but he did, as he stepped on a cracky branch.

Scene 6

🎲 NPC Action → Share about their own desires or wishes. 🎲 What does he need help with? (SUM Action+Subject) → Employ, hire, recruit, enlist, appoint, gather + Harm, damage, blood, injuries, pain, suffering

This bastard will want some sort of sacrifice for one of their crazy rituals.

Maltzcoa: “So… you want to find Tzontemoc, yes? Task not easy, requires effort”
Laura: “What kind of effort?”
Maltzcoa: “A bloody one, my friend…”
Laura: “No one here is going to get sacrificed, if that’s what you mean…”
Diego: “None of us two, at least” (whispering)
Maltzcoa: “We would have done it, if it were just that”

I need to get clear what does he want

🎲 He wants to (SUM Action+Subject) → Close up, near, direct, reach out, approach + Politics, secrets, rumors, scheming, betrayal. Because 🎲 PUM Reason → Eradicate Status or Reputation. If he fails, then 🎲 PUM Scene Risks → A fear or concern is confirmed. 🎲 Why can’t they solve it on their own? PUM Reason → A matter of Revenge or a Debt. 🎲 Is the secret an object? → Yes, and… 🎲 PUM describe object → Mostly Antique + 🎲 SUM Adjective → Ruin, forgotten, abandoned, destroyed, extinct + Clever, intelligent, ingenious, smart, professional

Alright, this is very… crazy. Maltzcoa wants to discover a secret of the old god Tzontemoc, because he needs to clear up his own bad reputation. If he fails, his fears of being eternally punished will become true, so he is scared to death. But he needs the PC’s help to solve it, because Tzontemoc wouldn’t let him (when we found them, they were trying to go somewhere) into the Dungeon, he is already marked for wrath. What he needs is a Puzzle Box!

I will skip this conversation, assuming he explained all this to the PCs

Diego (he is greedy): What do we gain if we help you and bring you this box?
Maltzcoa: (🎲 Scene Leads → Learn opposition plans or activities) We tell you everything you need to know about this jungle and its dangers, and help you come back safely… (🎲 Did these natives by chance plan this and have our friends prisoners??? – unlikely → Yes, and… – why did I ask!), and return your friends.
Diego: You must be kidding me… (he gets angry of course), give me once chance I am not unloading this Tommy Gun in your face right now (🎲 Intimidate → 1d4x: [3] or 1d4x: [4, 4, 2] = 10 SUCCESS)
Maltzcoa: “Then you would not see your friends again… but I want to be nice to you. You keep anything you like along the way, unless it belongs to our people. And we get to show you a safe entrance to the temple… What you say?”

This sounds like a fair deal to me. Accepted. Before I let go the scene, I want to see what else can we learn from them.

🎲 PUM Scene Leads → New possible solution or information. Laura asks about the undead (the Betzalcotl). 🎲 What are they doing here? → Ensure, make sure of, secure, warrant, guarantee + Empire, kingdom, country, state, civilization, reign. 🎲 Are they fighting the Aztec natives (likely) → Yes, and… (fiercely)

Laura and Diego learn that the undead are slaves of the old god Tzontemoc, brought to these lands a long time ago by force, and were converted to loyal scouts to protect these lands, not from visitors, but from the actual natives!

To be continued…

JeansenVaars