Session 1.2
The Terrible Truth of the Tyrant’s Tribute
The Call to Adventure
Before you were green, and untested. Now you are bloodied by experience. You ventured into the land of dreams and stories and came back empty handed. Your plan for your second incursions is to correct that.
You were sent into the Ring to obtain the Key to the Foglands, and the Key was missing from the Guide Room where it belonged. Buy know you believe another Psychonaut took the Key, and you aim to find that Psychonaut and the Key.
But Psychonauts rarely remain in the Shadowlands long, you didn’t. So finding Brewmaster Bobby Indra, may be a challenge in itself. And of course, the Ring is not an innocuous location, and the Hungry Empire is searching the Ring for the Last Princess and the Crown Prince and are dragging their own terrible Hunger with them.
Storyteller Synopsis
Hook
The Psychonauts are confronted by the Empire’s plans for the Prince and the Princess and the Tribute the Empire pays to maintain its status.
Path
The Last Princess and Crown Prince are discovered to have fled the Glass Tower voluntarily, fleeing to save the Princess from being used in place of the missing Tribute which the empire owes.
Plot
The Psychonauts discover the Echonaut Bobby Indra, who last had the Key. He lost the key during his Incursion, but can direct the Psychonauts to where he last saw the key.
Ultra Simple Overview
This is meant to give the Storyteller a bird’s eye view of the Incursion and how the story should flow.
Setup
The Psychonauts enter the Ring to find Bobby Indra, an echonaut trapped in the Ring by his failure during his previous Incursion. They believe that he has the Key to the Foglands.
Act 1
The Psychonauts find Bobby Indra immediately upon arrival, but he does not have the Key and he begs their help dealing with a Geisternaut hunting him for his remaining Vajra.
Act 2
After dealing with the Geisternaut, the Psychonauts discover (either through Bobby or otherwise) that the key is believed to be in the Den of the Hound.
Act 3
The Psychonauts reach the Den, and find the Key- sealed in a small sepulchre with the binding seal of the DreamWalker preventing entry.
Resolution
The Psychonauts have discovered the location of the Key, but cannot reach it with the DreamWalker to break the Seal. Just outside the sepulchre containing the key they discover another glowing tapestry fragment that connects to the first, merging and healing the tear.
The Deck of Fire used in 1.1 Act by Act
Blood Red Dreaming uses two decks of cards in play: The Deck of Void and the Deck of Fire. The Deck of Void is used for action resolution, taking the place that dice occupy in most tabletop games. The Deck of Fire is used to clarify story elements and help guide the action. Unlike the Deck of Void, the Deck of Fire features expansions and most Incursion Books will include new cards for the Deck of Fire. Storytellers can create their own Incursions by using the existing card for the Deck of Fire to create new Incursion templates quickly and easily.
| A1-Sc1
Mythos: Brewmaster Bobby Indra |
A1-Sc1
Challenge: Inquisitors, Investigation Team |
A1-Sc1
Major: Stellar House Minor: The First Capsule |
| A2-Sc1
Mythos: The Hound Scenario: A World in Chaos |
A2-Sc1
Challenge: Geisternaut, Lesser Shade |
A2-Sc1
Major: The Lotus Garden Minor: The Maze |
| A2-Sc2
Mythos: The Hound Scenario: A Plea for Help |
A2-Sc2
Challenge: Inquisitors, Investigation Team |
A2-Sc2
Major: The Lotus Garden Minor: The Maze |
| A2-Sc3
Mythos: The Hound Scenario: The Tower Shakes |
A2-Sc3
Challenge: The Hound, Hunter of Fear |
A2-Sc3
Major: The Lotus Garden Minor: The Bridges |
| A3-Sc1
Mythos: The Scapegoat Scenario: A World in Chaos |
A3-Sc1
Challenge: The Hound, Devourer of Fear |
A3-Sc1
Major: Void House Minor: The Sanctuary of the Hollow |
| A3-Sc2
Mythos: The Scapegoat Scenario: The Tower Shakes |
A3-Sc2
Challenge: The Hound, Devourer of Fear |
A3-Sc2
Major: Void House Minor: The Den |
Narrative Cards
Mythos Cards
Brewmaster Bobby Indra
An Echonaut of the Rookie Psychonaut Bobby Indra. Bobby is will known as a tale amongst the Psychonaut community. Not known for his skill as a psychonaut, but for his skill at surviving his own failures- Bobby is a genial survivor in the face of disaster and jolly coward in the face of impossible odds.
The Hound
One of the Fear Touched, impossibly powerful Others who personify whole concepts, the Hound smells fear. The Hound stalks fear. The Hound devours fear.
The Scapegoat
Counterpart to the more infamous Hound, the Scapegoat personifies the noble sacrifice. The Other devours misdeeds and transmutes transgressions through sacrifice.
Scenario Cards
A Plea for Help
The Psychonauts are faced with a cry of distress, a call for assistancee, a plea for help! Without the Psychonauts, they are doomed.
A World in Chaos
All is not well. Panic and disorder run wild. Stones crack and winds howl. The pillars of the world waver, a new age beckons.
The Tower Shakes
The ground shudders, solid structures shift. It’s all shaking, everything threatens to fall. Perhaps running is in order?
Challenge Cards
Inquisitors, Investigation Team
Every secret police has investigators. The Knights of Unity are no different. The Inquisitors investigate first, but they do not hesitate to purify second. Be wary.
Water Bears, Bursting Balloons
The second stage of the Water Bear’s life cycle is to grow and swell to basketball size and burst upon any impact, spraying choking spores everywhere.
Geisternaut, Lesser Shade
The Echonaut of a Psychonaut who met an unknown dark end. The Geisternaut floats like a ghost in pursuit of the Vajra of unwary Psychonauts.
Hunters, Pursuit Team
A division of the Knights of Unity, this secret police force is concerned with the capture of dissidents. They do not care for guilty or innocent, only caught or still fleeing.
The Hound, Hunter of Fear
The Elder known as the Hound can smell fear, and none can escape the Hound’s pursuit. The only defense is not to attract it’s attention.
The Hound, Devourer of Fear
Facing off against the Hound is suicide. Like the event horizon of a black hole, the Hound is inescapable- it DELETES prey. The only defense is no to be prey.
Setting Cards
Major Setting Cards
Stellar House
Home and Shrine of Lady of Fire, and also the Hound. Stellar House stands as an altar to astronomy and is typically a safe place for Psychonauts to rest. Typically…
The Lotus Garden
A Fractal map of the Major Realm of Arcadia, the Lotus Garden is a twisting confusing maze filled with dangers and wonders. Treadly carefully.
Minor Setting Cards
The First Capsule
A quiet shrine to the sacrifices made by those other than humans who made space travel a reality. Fittingly, this little spacecraft is larger on the inside.
The Maze
Although the Lotus Garden is more than the great maze, that twisted labyrinth certainly dominates the geography of the garden, blocking sight lines and hiding dangers.
The Compass Bridges
Four Bridges connect the Lotus Garden to the Rest of the Ring. Massive arches stoneworks, open and easily blocked by opposing; resulting in many pitched battles and more ambushes.
The Sanctuary of the Hollow
Home to Man of Void, the Sanctuary looks like a museum to the history of space exploration built in a gothic cathedral where the Grey itself also feels at home.
The Den
The Hound resides in Stellar House, sleeping at the altar of Lady of Fire. But its den, where it feeds, is a small confessional booth in Void House.
Setting up for the Incursion Session
The second storyteller should have already been determined, but if not, do so now.
Non Gaming Materials. Odds and Ends
All players, whether Storyteller or psychonaut, will want to write things down. Paper and pencils, or pens Etc should be present during a session. Storyteller in particular should be making notes regarding how the session goes, what events take place, what story threads are resolved and which ones remain loose. And which things the next Storyteller will need to address and or remember.
The Gaming Table
Where you game doesn’t have to be a table, it can easily just be a sitting room or even just a patch of grass under a tree. But it is a good idea that you arranged for a flat surface to lay out a deck of fire and the deck avoid during the arc cycle. Psychonauts will also need a place to log the condition of their aura and it is generally best if this is out in the open so that all Psychonauts can see the conditions of their compatriots. As with many tabletop role-playing games, the Storyteller may wish to have a screen to hide their notes. This is optional, but can be very useful especially if the Storyteller has a lot of bits they don’t wish the psychonauts to see ahead of time. The campaign logbook in particular can give the whole game away if left where the Psychonauts can see it.
Time Keeping
Although not required, many storytellers find using a timer can be invaluable in keeping the story moving. Blood red dreaming is designed so that each session takes between 1 and 3 hours of play. Psychonauts used to playing in other tabletop role-playing games where 15 seconds of combat can take 3 6 hour sessions of play, may find this a little bit surprising at first. Likewise, since the Psychonauts will be directing the actions of their avatars on a much broader scale, rather than micromanaging every individual finger twitch as they might in a more traditional role playing game oh, it is important for the Storyteller to maintain control of the flow of the game. This can be achieved with a visible timer. The Storyteller simply set the timer for whatever length of time they think the Psychonauts should have as a maximum time to decide on a course of action. And if the timer runs out before the Psychonauts set alarm on a course of action, the story comes to them and the Storyteller tells them how the second thoughts get caught flat-footed by the events of the story and the Psychonauts must make a snap judgment on how to respond. If a Storyteller tends to do this, the timer must be clearly visible, and the second thoughts must be informed of this at the beginning of the session. Do not Ambush the Psychonauts with this tactic for it will feel unfair.
Mood
We live in the era of information. It is entirely possible to have an array of instrumental background music available as soundtracks during play. Storytellers may find this as well as atmospheric background noise invaluable in sitting in maintaining the mood of a story. In addition, by using soundtracks of set length, the Storyteller may use the music as a timer as well. Be sure to warn Psychonauts if you are going to do this. And to make sure that you do not set the volume so high that it interferes with the flow of conversation.
Scheduling
One of the big advantages to Blood Red Dreaming as an RPG, is that each session is a complete story. And we can see that the game is set up so that each session is a single incursion into the Shadowlands. This means that if one player cannot make a particular gaming session it simply means that this Psychonauts was not present for that incursion. Unlike other ttrpgs, the party does not simply stick a pin in the Gameplay and come back at the same point in the next play session. If the players feel that they must stop play and end the session, then the incursion has ended and their avatars have been withdrawn from the Shadowlands. And they will have to attempt the incursion again next time.
Incursion 1.1 Act by Act
Set Up
Needed Materials
- Deck of Void: the Ugly Deck is available free as a printable download online
- The Incursion Session: The Incursion Book is available free as a printable download online
- The Incursion Deck of Fire: the Ugly Deck is available free as a printable download online
- The Campaign Book: You make this yourself. Either a physical book or an online document or some sort. You will need it.
- Incursion Sheets for the Psychonauts: These are available free as a printable downloads online
- The Story Progression Sheet: available free as a printable download online
- The Quick Reference Guide: available free as a printable download online
- Pencils and some tokens as well.
Act One – The Bazaar
Scene 1 – The Call
- Mythos: Brewmaster Bobby Indra
- Scenario: A Plea for Help
- Major Challenge: Inquisitors, Investigation Team
- Minor Challenge: Water Bears, Bursting Balloons
- Major Setting: Stellar House
- Minor Setting: The First Capsule
Storyteller Opening Narration
On your last Incursion, you ventured into the Ring a liminal Realm and gateway to the rest of the Deeper Shadowlands. You sought the Key to the Foglands, the first of the Great Realms, as a test of your abilities, and you failed. The Key was missing from its place in the Guide Room. But you found a clue suggesting another Psychonaut, one Bobby Indra, may have the Key- and so you return to follow this lead.
As the crackle of the summoning paper fades, you find yourself in Stellar House next to the First Capsule decorated in its cold war Soviet insignia, the home of the Cosmonaut dogs. The dry heat of Stellar House hits you as you acclimatize to the Realm once again. You see a great tower to your left far in the distance. Looking back, you see the great spired dome of the Atrium behind you, and the spire of Void House before you out beyond the Lotus Garden.
You hear radio static echo on the high breezes. Artificial monotone voices sound not far away, the Men of Black and White are nearby. And as you realize this, you taste bitter pollen in the air and notice the water bears drifting on the breeze and now bursting into clouds of spores and pollen as their life cycle continues.
Stage Direction
You’re in the Stellar House, beside the First Capsule where your last Incursion concluded. You’re here to find the Key to the Foglands. Your only clue to its location is that the Cosmonaut Dogs recalled last time that the Psychonaut Bobby Indra had it last, when his aura shattered. So you are hoping to find his echonaut and question it to discover the location of the Key.
But the Men of Black and White have not left the Ring and they are clearing still searching for the Crown Prince and the Last Princess. Your search is also complicated by the fact that water bears have passed the spore stage of the repoductive cycle and are now expanding and bursting in clouds of choking spores throughout the ring.
Storyteller Transition Narration
The good news is that you’ve found Bobby Indra’s echonaut. The bad news is that he doesn’t have the key. The really bad news is that the Bobby is being hunted by a Geisternaut intent on feeding on his remaining vajra, and it likes the vajra of psychonauts just fine as well. The Men of Black and White are still on your tail, the Geisternaut will eat your vajra. What do you want to do?
Act Two – The Pursuit
Scene 2 – The Threshold
- Mythos: The Hound
- Scenario: A World in Chaos
- Major Challenge: Geisternaut, Lesser Shade
- Minor Challenge: Hunters, Pursuit Team
- Major Setting: The Lotus Garden
- Minor Setting: The Maze
Storyteller Opening Narration
Bobby Indra looks really worse for wear, his avatar is wavering and glitching as the remnants of Bobby’s memories struggle to keep the Echonaut intact. You drag Bobby across the Compass Bridge and into the Lotus Garden, trying to put some distance between you and your multiple pursuers.
The Stone of the Lotus Garden Maze is crawling with moss and speckled with dew. Dragonflies and butterflies hum through the air, alighting on flowers peaking out of the moss. You smell fresh earth, as taste moisture in the air.
An eerie howl cuts through the cacophony of insects, and you look up to see a translucent skull, wisps of skin and long hair billowing around the face as it slowly descends towards. You hear a howl and a gunshot behind you.
Stage Direction
You’ve left Stellar House and found a world in chaos. The Hound is on the prowl, devouring anything that gives in to panic. You don’t know where the key is. Bobby Indra doesn’t have the key. A Geisternaut is hunting anything with vajra. And speaking of hunters, the Men of Black and White have a pursuit team looking for their heirs, and they remember you.
Storyteller Transition Narration
So the good news is that Bobby remembers where he lost the Key. The bad news is that he thinks the Key is in the Hound’s Den in Void House. The really bad news is that you have to go through the Lotus Garden, and its maze full of Inquisitors and water bears ready to explode a fist full of spores in your face. What you want to do?
Scene 3 – The Crossing
- Mythos: The Hound
- Scenario: The Tower Shakes
- Major Challenge: Inquisitors, Investigation Team
- Minor Challenge: Water Bears, Bursting Balloons
- Major Setting: The Lotus Garden
- Minor Setting: The Maze
Storyteller Opening Narration
The Maze shudders, ground trembling beneath your feet sending thousands of insects into the air in panic. A long remorseless howl sounds in the distance. You train your eyes on the spire that marks Void House, your destination now determined.
You smell fresh earth each time the ground shudders, and stones heave violently beneath your feet. Nothing in giving way just yet, but the sounds of stone grinding against stone are not comforting.
The sky above you is awash with water bears, distended into volley ball sized balloons and constantly bursting and spraying their choking spores. And worse, ahead of you and behind you, the sound of the Men of Black and White is clearly audible.
Stage Direction
You are in the Maze, making your way to Void House and the Hound’s Den. The building’s are physically shuddering, from the failure of the Hungry Empire to pay the tribute if you understand correctly. If you are lucky, then Bobby left the Key to the Foglands there. And if you are really lucky, its is still there. But there is a team of Inquisitors between you and Void House, desperate to find the heirs and pay the tribute. And the water bears won’t make this easy either.
Storyteller Transition Narration
You’ve crossed the Maze, and now you know with certainty why the Prince and Princess fled. You know what the tribute was, although not to whom the tribute was made. Your ultimate goal is the Key to the Foglands, but you know that using the key is tied to the Story of the Flight from Glass Tower, and this reveals one mystery in that story. If you live to use it.
Scene 4 – The Twist
- Mythos: The Hound
- Scenario: The Tower Shakes
- Major Challenge: The Hound, Hunter of Fear
- Minor Challenge: Hunters, Pursuit Team
- Major Setting: The Lotus Garden
- Minor Setting: The Compass Bridges
Storyteller Opening Narration
The Compass Bridge leading out of Stellar House was empty when you crossed it. You were hoping that the Compass Bridge leading into Void House would be similarly clear. You were wrong.
Ahead of you the moss covered sandstone gives way to a great stone bridge, also sandstone, but swept clean of any vegetation by the winds and the encroaching bitter cold of Void House. Dust is streaming down off the sides of the bridge into the blackness beyond as the ground continues to shudder and shake.
Behind you, far far too close you hear the howl of the Hound. And then another howl again, closer still. Ahead of you on the bridge stand a Pursuit Team, the Men of Black and White appear not to have seen you, but they will momentarily. A Howl sounds again, the Hound is practically on top of you.
Stage Direction
You have reached the Compass bridge connecting the Lotus Garden to Void House. And hopefully in Void House you will find the Key to the Foglands. But not only has the Hound emerged from the shadows to take an active role in the proceedings, but a Pursuit Team has taken an interest in you. What do you want to do?
Storyteller Transition Narration
Crossing the Bridge takes you to the end of the Lotus Garden and leaves you at the entrance to Void House. Inside you hope to find the Key to the Foglands, assuming Bobby Indra can be trusted. But the key is supposed to be in the Den of the Hound, and the failure of the Hungry Empire to make tribute has set the Hound into a feeding frenzy unlike anything you have ever seen. How do you want to handle this?
Act Three – The Showdown
Scene 5 – The Ordeal
- Mythos: The Scapegoat
- Scenario: A World in Chaos
- Major Challenge: The Hound, Devourer of Fear
- Minor Challenge: Inquisitors, Investigation Team
- Major Setting: Void House
- Minor Setting: The Sanctuary of the Hollow
Storyteller Opening Narration
The cold of Void House engulfs you and wriggles under your skin, wrapping itself around your bones. In the home of Man of Void and the Grey itself, you can’t remember what it feels like to be warm.
Void House is tall and austere, a mix of Gothic Cathedral and great old Museum, built of dark burnished wood, black polished stone, and oiled dark metal. The cold carries the metal copper taste of blood in the air and whispered voices whose sources you can’t determine.
Behind you, the sound of heavy boots on stone remind you that the Men of Black and White have not yet given up. And then a strange pull causes you to stumble forward, as the impossible form of the hound pads silently into view. This is its home, perhaps it knew another way in?
Stage Direction
And now, you are in Void House, closing in on the Den of the Hound and hoping to find the Key to the Foglands. Did this ever seem like a good idea? Because now you have to get past, or go through, the Hound itself and the Inquisitors you are still convinced that you are the key to finding the Prince and Princess. How do you want to deal with this?
Storyteller Transition Narration
Well, you’re through the Sanctuary of the Hollow at least, but the Hound hasn’t stopped- true to form. And the Inquisitors have fallen back, but you get the sense this isn’t because they’ve given up. Onwards then, to your ultimate goal?
Scene 6 – The Confrontation
- Mythos: The Scapegoat
- Scenario: A Plea for Help
- Major Challenge: The Hound, Devourer of Fear
- Minor Challenge: Hunters, Pursuit Team
- Major Setting: Void House
- Minor Setting: The Den
Storyteller Opening Narration
Its rare that people travel willingly into the small confessional where the Hound makes its Den. But Bobby insists that this is where he lost the Key.
The Room is a tight little room clad in hardwood with threadbare purple cushions and what looks unmistakably like a commercially available dog bed in the corner. Admittedly an tremendously large dog bed, but a commercial dog bed nonetheless.
You hear a rumble, initially you mistake it for the shuddering of the buildings, and then you recognize it as a growl, but it isn’t coming from the door through which you entered. Through that door, you hear the squeak of a rubber boot sole on tile.
Stage Direction
You have arrived in the Den of the Hound, a small confessional off the side of the Sanctuary of the Hollow in Void House. Supposedly Brewmaster Bobby Indra dropped the Key to the Foglands in here. What was he even doing in here, anyway? Because now you are dealing with the Hound, in its den. And top that off, the Inquisitors have called in a Hunter Pursuit team to complicate matters.
Storyteller Transition Narration
The good news is, you’ve found the Key to the Foglands. The bad news is, you can’t reach it. The Key is sealed in a small sepulchre with the binding seal preventing entry. You need to find out who laid the binding seal, and then either convince them to unseal it or find a way to break the seal on your next Incursion.
Resolution
The key to finishing the Session is to end on both a cliff hanger while also giving a sense of closure. The Psychonauts need to feel as though the simple little mission they started has ballooned into a much large quest.
Bobby Indra may or may not have survived as an Echonaut. If he has survived, he will try to take as much credit for the victory as politely possible, and will only thank the Psychonauts if pressed.
But them cut them short as they start to brainstorm and plan their next move. Tell them that all shall be revealed (or not) in THE NEXT CHAPTER! Or episode, or session, or whatever method suits your style.
And remember to add your notes to the Campaign Book so the next Storyteller can remember the big moments, especially the ones that moved the story along.
Transition to 1.3
You’re through the second session! It’s time for somebody else to play the Storyteller role.
Transitioning from 1.2 to 1.3, you’ve done this once before. As such, this should be a little easier. But its still going to be somewhat alien. That’s fine, you’ll get the hang of it. Roll with it, nothing is perfect and it doesn’t need to be.
Outgoing Storyteller Duties
- The Psychonauts will have had interactions with the Men of Black and White, Bobby Indra, and the Hound and should remind the Incoming Storyteller of these interactions.
- The Psychonauts may have earned a Glyph during the last session, and the Sotryteller should note this in the Campaign book (or whatever document or file is being used)
- The Outgoing Storyteller should never try to tell the Incoming Storyteller how to handle the next Incursion. Each Storyteller will have their own style, nobody takes precedence in that regard.
Incoming Storyteller Duties
- The Incoming Storyteller should confer with the Outgoing Storyteller regarding the events and relevant events from the last session.
- The Incoming Storyteller should review the campaign book and read the Session Notes in the Incursion Book for the next session ONLY
- The Incoming Storyteller should NOT read ahead in the incursion book. Obviously this is impossible if you are taking new psychonauts through an Incursion you have previously played. That’s fine.
Threads to Retain
The necessary threads here are the Key to the Foglands, and the Flight from Glass Tower. The Storytellers should keep track of both what the psychonauts know about the location (and status) of the Key to the Foglands. The Storytellers should also keep track of what the Psychonauts have learned about the Flight from Glass Tower.
Information that the Psychonauts ought to have about…
The Key to the Foglands
- The Key is in Stellar House, specifically a sepulchre off the Den.
- The Key is sealed behind a binding seal and inaccessible.
- The creator of the binding seal is unknown, and the Psychonauts cannot remove the seal themselves.
The Flight from Glass Tower
- The Crown Prince and the Last Princess of the Hungry Empire have gone missing
- The Men of Black and White are looking for the Prince and Princess
- Without the Crown Prince and Princess, the tribute is late
- The Lateness of the tribute is causing the world itself to shake and crumble
Professor Harbinger's School for Villains 