Example social encounter

GM: The face in the middle of the door suddenly animates. It’s still made of gold, but its mouth and eyes open and move and look basically human. It speaks in a deep voice and says, “Password?”

Jaesh: Aw, come on baby. Don’t be like that.

Everybody at the table laughs and Jaesh charges his Bonds with the adventurers who are his Allies.

GM: Wait, are you trying to sweet-talk the magical face door into opening?

Jaesh: Yeah. I lean in and say, “Honey, you know I know how to open you up. Make you feel good. Come on. Let daddy pass.”

GM: Ha. OK wait. Let me think.

The GM reasons that the magical door has basic social motivations because their notes stipulate that the door can hold a reasonable conversation, can report on things that it sees, and knows a lot of lore about this area of the Underworld. They figure that nobody has ever really been kind to the door, probably only seeing it as an obstacle to be overcome. They set the door’s initial Disposition to weak surprise.

GM: The door seems surprised. It seems like nobody ever has really treated it nicely. Go ahead and draw Wands with favor.

Jaesh’s player draws from the minor arcana deck and gets a Page of Pentacles. Jaesh adds his Wands attribute—a 4—and gets a total of 15.

The GM rules that the success moves the Disposition from surprise to a related emotion and chooses weak joy (contentment).

GM: OK, the door seems to be taken in by your sweet talking. It says, “Oh, you sweet thing. How I long to open for you. Alas! It is against my enchantment unless you can speak the password. Long have I waited here, bored, waiting for some nice man to spend time with me.”

Jaesh: Ah! If you’re bored, I can read to you from my book. I have a book of children’s fables that I grew up reading in my pack.

The GM notes that Jaesh is offering something concrete and just automatically switches to the next emotion – “acceptance.”

GM: It’s face brightens up. “Oh would you?” it says.

Jaesh: Sure. I’m going to spend some time reading a story from that picture book I’m carrying. I make sure to show it the pictures as I turn the pages.

GM: That’s going to take a little time. I’m going to draw on the Meatgrinder to see if your torches flicker, but sure, you can do that.

The GM draws from the major arcana deck to see if the guild’s light source grows dim as they waste time. They don’t draw a I-V, so they continue the scene.

GM: OK, after the story the door seems extremely grateful. It says, “That was excellent. What a strong reading voice you have. I’ll give you a hint. The password is a six-letter word for a striking tool or weapon.”