Monday, October 11, 2010

Usagi Is Not Stupid

In Book 6: Circles, there are a few more encounters with the supernatural. One of these is with a demon that inhabits a bridge and her powers are greatest there. She has a standard set of times she appears and attacks and a plethora of powers unrelated to one another.

When Usagi first meets the bridge demon, he is unaware of it, rather making a lightning attack behind him as he suspected someone of coming up behind him only to turn around after unleashing hell, and finding nothing there.

At first he thinks the townspeople are crazy as they relate the story of the bridge demon and since he just came across that bridge and didn't encounter it, is about to part ways with the inn when they point out that the back of his shirt is ripped to pieces.

The next morning they discover a severed hand on the bridge. A priest is sent for to exorcise the demon from the bridge. Prior to that happening, an old woman with one hand visits asking to see the severed hand of the demon but Usagi notes, after tricking the demon, that her having only one hand was too much of a coincidence. This happens a few times and where some writers might have the main character act uncharacteristically stupid, Stan usually lets Usagi be... well, Usagi. A well seasoned warrior that is aware of the existance of the supernatural and while perhaps not able to fight all of it, is able to rely on common folklore on how to fight it, such as spilling the water out of a kappa's skull cap.

When your players use 'common' folk lore knowledge or are able to pierce through something you thought was clever, don't punish them for it, reward them for it. There will be time to crush them latter.

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