Examples of the Chaos
Let's take a few common scenarios and see how the mechanics of The Chaos TTRPG might play out at the table...
quick fight and some arcane shenanigans | two round bar brawl | watch roll antics | players helping the GM to build the scenario
SCENARIO 1 - quick fight and some arcane shenanigans!
GM: Ok, that sounds so cool, give it a go.
Tracey (Jin): (*rolls 1d6 + 2 to hit) Fudgesticks, it's a 3.
GM: Right, so like you said, you jump off the barrel, swoop in with your longblade and thrust it towards the frother, but it swerves out the way, grabs you close and, well, bites you with ferocity, right in the chest. (*rolls 1d6 damage +2) What's your armour again?
Tracey (Jin): I'm wearing leathers, so -2.
GM: Ok, so you feel the wrench of ripped flesh beneath your armour, and as it withdraws with your blood and a clump of your chest & leathers in its yellowy jaws, you're drained of 4 points of health. How does that feel?
Tracey (Jin): I mean, ouch!
GM: Yeah, I'm gonna say you'll have to roll some stress for that.
Tracey (Jin): (*rolls 2 on 1d6) Ooft that's me almost up to 6 again!
GM: So Krisga, you succeeded last round on your roll to weave, and you've avoided being hit. You wanted to double the effect. What did you roll again?
Riley (Krisga): Conjure & Summon Dimensions in a Chosen Area.
GM: Brilliant, so what's the weave?
Riley (Krisga): Right, well, I was thinking I'd opt for Summon, and what I'd want to do is like rip open a portal right next to that clutch of frothers next to Ferin, summon forth some sort of hellish dimension, and let it spill out, hopefully giving us time to scarper.
GM: O.....kay! So as the rest of you wrestle with these horrendous beasts, little Krisga, who's been nestled in the corner out of reach, completes his incantation, hands no doubt shaking given what happened last time...
...and as his strange words whisper into the air, at the side of your eyes maybe, you all begin to see red sparks and flashes apparate next to the beasts, swirling around each other, their speed increasing, until at the centre of all the reds and orange and yellow sparks, you begin to see what can only be described as a rift, an opening from this world to the next. That opening quickly cleaves open like a wound, and peering through it you can see only blackness, interspersed maybe with a blood red, and black smoke starts to billow through. You begin to get a waft of something rotten, the smell of death. And yeah, given that you've doubled the effect...why not...so peering through the smoke as the beasts reel back in shock, you see emerging from the rift numerous claws, and then twisted, blackened shapes. So that's the round, what's your intentions from here?...
Collectively: Err, get the hell outta dodge!
GM: (*rolls for creatures' grit) Yep that makes sense. You can all roll 1d6 for stress given what you're seeing. And let's roll initiative...
Tracey (Jin): Yikes, that's me definitely at 6 now.
GM: For stress? Ok, so roll your 2d6 and see what you get.
Tracey (Jin): (*rolls 2d6) That's a 10.
GM: Ah cool, you've picked up the shakes. Again, makes sense.
Brooke (Ferin): If I notice that, I'd want to scream at Jin and try to snap her attention and make sure we're all racing out together.
Tracey (Jin): Yeah, I'm likely wide-eyed right now, glaring into that portal.
GM: OK Ferin, you're all looking to run off as these figures emerge from the portal and everything's going crazy. To snap her out of it, give me a presence roll, and if it's good, you'll get a +1 to initiative.
Brooke (Ferin): (*rolls 3d6). Yey, I got a 7, and that's under... JIIIINNNNN!!!!
SCENARIO 2 - two round bar brawl
GM: (*just rolled up an encounter involving three debt collectors looking for the party, so rolls 5d6 before any trouble starts, splitting them out: 2d6=5 x 10 for distance (30ft), 1d6=2 for surprise (characters are surprised), 2d6=3 for grit (on the spikin' grit table, this means they're up for trouble) OK, so as you're saying that, the door crashes open to the tavern, and you see three pretty burly, tooled up gangster types hauling in. Distance-wise, they're about 30 feet from you, so it's pretty close quarters in here. By the looks of it, they've clocked you coming in here, and you guys are definitely taken aback as they blast their way in. But they don't attack right away for the surprise round. They're like spreading out to cut off the door, and one of them pulls a cosh from inside his coat. Another's already got his hand on something at his belt. The third one, the big one, just cracks his knuckles and shouts "right, payback time, Mr. Kyrg says you had yer chance!". Everyone else in the tavern does the usual shifting out the way thing, crouching under tables, and the like. Intentions, everyone. What are you doing?
Craig (Aldric, Brawler): Aldric's going straight for the big one. If I take him out fast the other two might think twice.
Amanda (Dox, Rascal): I want to get up onto the bar somehow, get above them.
Brooke (Ferin, Charmer): I'm going to try and talk. Just...stall, at least. Buy Aldric some time maybe.
GM: Right. Intentions locked. Let's have initiative, so can one of you roll a d6?
Craig (Aldric): (*rolls 1d6) That's a 5.
GM: (*rolls for the collectors) I've got a 3. You've got it this round. Dox, you want up on the bar, so no roll needed, you just move and that's you up, ready to take advantage from above. Ferin, you're talking the talk, so roll under your presence and let's see if you can slow this down. And Aldric, roll your 1d6 plus your modifier for the attack while you're waiting.
Brooke (Ferin): (*rolls 3d6) That's a 9. My presence is 11. So yey!
GM: Brilliant. So Ferin, what are you actually saying?
Brooke (Ferin): Something like, "listen up, we've all had a long day, nobody in this place wants any trouble. Let's calm it and have a drink, eh?".
GM: Right, so you see the one with the cosh actually pause, maybe dart an eye to the drinks behind the bar. Maybe not convinced, but by the looks of it, he definitely likes to partake in a little libation. So yeah, that's buying Aldric his moment. Aldric, what's your roll?
Craig (Aldric): (*rolled a 1d6+2) That's a 6. And I'm looking to move and attack this round.
GM: OK, so roll under your brawn and let's see if you manage that.
Craig (Aldric): (*rolls 3d6) That's an 8, and that's under.
GM: Beautiful. So you're across that room faster than makes sense for a dude your size, and you've got the big one by the front of his coat before he's done deciding what to do with his hands. What are you doing with that? Are you using your blade?
Craig (Aldric): Nah, I'm going to slam him into the wall behind him. Head first if I can.
GM: Yeah, with your 6, that definitely lands. He hits the plaster hard enough that some of it comes down. You can see in his eyes that he's immediately dazed, not out, but wonky. I'll say that's improvised damage, so 1d6 -1, but given your roll and your brawn, just make it a straight d6.
Craig (Aldric): (*rolls 1d6) I rolled a 4.
GM: That's some solid damage, and he's got no helmet or hood on, so no armour modifier there. He's pretty burly, so he takes it, but you can see it's counting, (*rolls 5 on a 1d6 odds roll, favouring the characters), and he drops, just sinks to the floor with his eyes widened. So that's the round. The other two still standing throw a glance at their mate sliding down the wall and then turn back to you lot. Let me check their grit. (*rolls 2d6) That's a 10 on bonkers grit. OK, so they've come in hot, but maybe seeing how easily Aldric's flattened one of them has shaken them up. So you see, maybe, yeah so the one with the cosh darts a glance behind him at the door, but the other one, the one Ferin got looking towards the bar, you can see him glancing at, and looking to move towards Dox who's between him and the drink he's obviously after. Intentions?
Amanda (Dox): I want to do something dirty. Can I grab whatever's on the bar, bottles, tankards, and just start hurling things at him before he gets to me?
Craig (Aldric): I'll finish the big one first, before he gets back on his feet.
Brooke (Ferin): Well looking at my 1 point of health, I'm not getting too involved here. I think I'll hang back, but I'll position myself so that if that guy runs to Dox at the bar, I'll trip him with a bit of stealth so he maybe thinks it's just a chair leg he trips on.
GM: Love it. So let's see who goes. Initiative please. (*both sides roll) Right, so I rolled a 1.
Amanda (Dox): (*rolls 1d6) We win again, I got a 4.
GM: Right, so which of you wants to go first?
Amanda (Dox): I'll go first if that's ok?...(*nods all round)...OK, so I'm chucking whatever's on the bar.
GM: Brilliant, so roll your d6, but I'll give you a -1, as although you're on high on the bar, you're still a fair bit away from them at the door.
Amanda (Dox): (*rolls 1d6-1) That's a 4. Just!
GM: Right, so Ferin you shift in place, ready to trip, and Dox, maybe you've already got a bottle in each hand, and as one of them looks to move, you give them a mighty hurl. The first one clips him on the shoulder, and the second's considerably more accurate. Roll me a d6 for damage, no modifiers.
Amanda (Dox): (*rolls 1d6) A 6! Suck it!
GM: Absolutely! He has a -1 to that for armour, but 5 damage is pretty bad for him. So the one you've hit stumbles, arm up, covering his face, and you see blood pouring out from the smashed glass of the bottle, which means he's wide open. Aldric, you were going for the big one sunk against the wall?
Craig (Aldric): (*rolls 1d6+2) Yep, kick 'em while he's down. That's a 5.
GM: And your damage?
Craig (Aldric): (*rolls 1d6) That's a 4.
GM: Which on top of what he already took, even with his -1 for armour...he's done. He's down, like down down.
Brooke (Ferin): I've gone this round, but when I see the havoc we've made here, can I be like, to the one that's still alright..."look. Your mate's on the floor. The big fella's also down. And see him up there on the bar with more bottles in his hand? So. What's it to be?"
GM: (*rolls 11 on 2d6 for grit). Yep, so he's definitely backing away. Literally backing away, both hands up, towards the door. The other one who's bleeding from the face, head down, drags the big one out the door. Everything kind of returns to normal, the ol' Western saloon as the music kicks back up again like nothing's happened. Except, I guess, you know those dudes mentioned Mr. Kyrg, so maybe that's trouble down the line for you. Everyone roll for some stress.
Amanda (Dox): I climb down off the bar.
GM: There's a bottle still in your hand.
Amanda (Dox): Yeah, I keep the bottle...
SCENARIO 3 - watch roll antics
GM: Right, you're pushing out of the settlement and into the next watch. Let me roll all this up. (*rolls 1d6 for terrain) That's a 3, so marsh. And I'm going to roll again for a blend. (*rolls again) 5, plains. So marshy plains, that's a grim combination. Low, flat, wet ground, very exposed. (*rolls 1d6 for weather) That's a 4, heavy rain and mist. Yeah OK, so your gear's getting pretty soaked. I can tell this is gonna be a miserable watch. (*rolls 2d6 for point of interest) Place is a 9, so a maze or labyrinth of some kind. State is an 8, overgrown. And what's there?...12, so worshippers or an NPC. (*rolls 2d6 for the hook) That's a 4, cry for help. And the conflict roll...11, traps. And finally the twist...7, the location itself shifts.
(*sets the dice down) OK...so this is actually pretty cool, I think. Here's what you've got...
So as you're heading out, the rain's been gutting it down for the better part of two hours, cutting across the open ground pretty much sideways, and the mist's rolled in low and thick off the marsh, swallowing everything past maybe thirty feet. As you squelch your way forward, you're finding the plains here soggy underfoot, each step pulling slightly, and your cloaks are already drenched through. You've been following what might generously be called a path though, when maybe about a few hours in, the fog ahead shifts in the stale air, and you make out, half-swallowed by the mist, the top edge of what looks like a stone wall. Getting closer, you can see it's one of several, or many, running at odd angles to each other, all of them clearly ancient and heavily overgrown with dark, creeping moss. Whatever this was, it's been here a very long time. A maze of some kind, maybe, or the remnant of one.
And then you hear it. Coming from somewhere inside, echoing coldly in the mist and driving that cold up your spine. A voice. Someone shouting for help.
Jackson (Mira, Rascal): Right. What's my read on this? Does it feel like a trap?
GM: Well you tell me. I don't think it looks or sounds welcoming, but a cry for help's a cry for help. You can give me an instinct traits check if you prefer.
Jackson (Mira): (*rolls 3d6) That's a 10, and my instinct's 12. Success!
GM: To you, at least, the shout sounds pretty real. Panicked, not performed. But your eyes keep moving to the entrances in those walls, and maybe you notice the ground in front of at least two of them has been disturbed, like something's been buried recently, or reset maybe. Someone's been in here. Whether it's the person shouting or someone else is another question.
Jackson (Mira): I'm telling the others what I'm seeing, but there's no chance I'm going in first.
Craig (Aldric, Brawler): Aldric's going in.
GM: Of course you are! And the others?
Collectively: We...guess so then?!!
GM: So, as you push through the first opening in the walls, you're into the maze proper now, the walls taller than they looked from outside, pressing in close, the overgrowth thick enough overhead to block some of the rain. The shouting's clearer now, coming from deeper in. (*rolls 3d6 for a random encounter - a 13: shapeshifters, and blending this with the worshippers rolled up, maybe there's a person in there, genuinely in trouble, and they're real, but the things that put them there aren't what they appear to be)
So...what you find, as you're pushing round the second turn in the maze, is someone sitting on the ground against the wall, their leg seemingly caught in some kind of snare, like maybe made of cord and sharpened stakes. They look up at you. (*rolls for NPC appearance) You can see their eyes are notable, pale, almost white, so pretty unusual. But despite being caught in a snare, you get this kind of vibe from them. It's almost like they seem...confident, reckless even. As you round the corner and they look at you, they're like "I knew someone would come. I've been through worse than this." You can see they're already half working at the snare with a knife. So who's doing what?
Amanda (Dox, Rascal): Dox is going to help get them free.
GM: Righto, they seem to let you do that, so let's have an agility check, those knots are tight.
Amanda (Dox): (*rolls 3d6) That's a 7. My agility's 10.
GM: Great, so you've got them loose. This figure then stands up, kind of brushes themself down, and starts to say something, but then, wait a minute (*rolls 3d6 for wild magicks - a 17, so low gravity pockets)...yeah, so then Dox as you maybe help them upright, without warning the ground under a corner of this section of the maze simply...lets go. It's like it's not collapsing. More like it's just ceasing to pull downward with any conviction. A chunk of loose stone and a few weeds start to float serenely upward into the mist. But then it snaps back, the stones clattering down. This stranger doesn't even flinch. Doesn't look surprised. They're like "ah well. It's starting again." And there it is. That's the moment you all notice the maze walls themselves are not where they were when you came in. There's a bit of shifty shifty going on here, the place clearly riddled with wild magicks.
Jackson (Mira): I look at Dox and Aldric. Basically saying nothing but I'm absolutely thinking 'I told you so' after Aldric ran in again without a plan!
GM: So the stranger says "I can get us out. I know the pattern. But you have to stay close and you can't stop moving, the layout shifts faster when you stop." And then they start walking, basically without waiting for an answer.
Craig (Aldric): Do we trust them?
GM: Well, you can maybe have another instinct check if you want it. Or you can follow a stranger into a shifting maze in a rainstorm on a marsh. Up to you.
Collectively: We follow.
GM: Of course you do! (*starts thinking about the shapeshifter angle deeper in the maze)
SCENARIO 4 - players helping the GM to build the scenario
The party's followed up the Fish Folk rumour and arrived at the shore.
GM: Ok, so you've made it down to The Deep. You've been travelling since before first light and the path has dropped you out onto the shore, and...right, give me a second. (*quietly rolling, thinking, scribbling) Actually, you know what, before I set the scene, I want to know what you're picturing. You've heard the rumour, you know roughly what you're heading into. When you crest that last ridge and the shore comes into view, what does each of you see? Just paint it for me. Jackson, you can go first, if you like.
Jackson (Mira, Rascal): Oh. Ok. Erm. I think...Mira sees the sea obviously, and you said it's about evening, so maybe the light's low and silver, and it's this long grey beach, pebbles rather than sand, and the water's very still. It's unnerving, I think, for something called The Deep.
GM: Good. I love that. Keep that detail, the stillness. Ferin?
Brooke (Ferin, Charmer): I'm looking at the rocks at the end of the shore, because that's where the smoke was spotted. And yeah. There's something there. Hard to make out from here, but there's definitely something. I can make out shapes.
GM: Shapes. Right. So how many, roughly, do you think?
Brooke (Ferin): Maybe three? Maybe more. It's getting late, the light's bad.
GM: Noted. And Dox?
Amanda (Dox, Rascal): I think Dox is looking at the water, because I immediately clock that there are no boats. Like, none. For a working shore, that's wrong. There should be boats.
GM: Ah cool! There really should be. (*makes a note) And Krisga?
Riley (Krisga, Weaver): Yeah I'm just...smelling it. Like, is there a smell? Something off?
GM: What do you reckon?
Riley (Krisga): I reckon it smells like smoke, and something that seems like it's really old, like musty?
GM: (*nodding, pulling things together) Right. Ok. I've got it. So as you make your way down to the shore, it's exactly as Mira says, a long pebble beach, the stones dark and wet, the sea beyond it flat and silver-grey and wrong-quiet for this hour. No chop, no movement, like something heavy's sitting just under the surface and holding it down.
And Dox, you're absolutely right, no boats. Not pulled up, not anchored out. Nothing. For a settlement that trades by sea, you definitely all pick up that this is a very loud absence.
The smoke Ferin spotted is real. It's coming from a point at the far end of the beach where the rocks jut out and the shore ends, and you can make out now what she was seeing. Maybe around five shapes. They appear to be sitting around a fire, low and controlled, and they're not hiding it. They're not hiding themselves. They're just there, on the rocks, at the edge of The Deep, like they're waiting for something maybe, or even like they live there, which, given what the rumour was all about, might be exactly the case.
And Krisga, that musty smell? Maybe it's salty, obviously, but under that, like old seaweed as you might expect, and even under that, something brackish and, who knows? The kind of smell maybe that means something large and wet's been out of the water recently and has been here, on this beach, for a while. So. You're on the top of the ridge still. They haven't looked up yet. The beach is between you and the rocks. What are you up to?
Jackson (Mira): How far are we from them?
GM: (*rolls 2d6, multiplies by 10) About 80 yards. You're not too close.
Jackson (Mira): Can we get down onto the beach without being seen, or are we completely exposed on this ridge?
GM: You can see there's a path down through some scrubby coastal growth. So maybe you wouldn't be completely invisible, but you'd be less obvious than just walking down the open face. I'd likely need an agility check if you want to make the descent quietly.
Jackson (Mira): Yep. Doing that.
Brooke (Ferin): I think I'm definitely scanning those shapes the whole way down. Can I tell from here if they're armed?
GM: From 80 yards in this light? No, not really.
Riley (Krisga): You know what? I'm shouting at them! Let's see who they are.
GM: Wow, OK...you sure?
Riley (Krisga): After last watch, I'm thinking I need to get more confident!
GM: OK then, absolutely. So you call out to them, and immediately you see them stand up, and yeah, although it's a bit away, you can definitely see now that they're picking up what look like spears. Long ones!
Amanda (Dox): Not loving that.
GM: Nope. You really shouldn't...
Click here for more examples of the chaos when it comes to arcane weavin'...