We continue the playthrough of my new game, Blaydon Grange Solo Edition (available at Itch or DriveThruRpg, free or pay what you want). This is a solo RPG based in the genre of girls boarding school fiction, similar to the Malory Towers books (and TV series), the St Clares books, the Trebizon novels and others.
In this instalment our heroine, Verity Mason’s concerns grow about the new History teacher Miss Penrose.
In earlier episodes we have been introduced to the new History Teacher Miss Penrose who seems more inclined to wax philosophical than to teach her subject. Head of Third, Stella Langley, is quite taken with her ideas, but Verity Mason and her shy friend Evelyn are not so convinced.
We begin with a cosy evening gathering in Miss Penrose’s study where the three girls are being treated to tea and toast. Stella is hanging on Miss Penrose’s every word as the new teacher holds forth on her dissatisfaction with society, with the state of education and her conviction that very little of any worth is likely to be achieved.
This is in support of the Story Arc: New Teacher which suggests that something must be resolved, and based on the Cynical trait that Miss Penrose has. She would be a very poor role-model for a group of impressionable young people.
Verity of course does not want to cause trouble, and contradicting a teacher would be a worrying thing to do. She would probably choose to keep quiet and ignore Miss Penrose’s influence but she can see that poor Evelyn is getting quite anxious at the thought that “all is vanity” (as Miss Penrose keeps quoting) and also that Stella a normally level-headed peer, is nodding along earnestly.
I’ll make a Courage test for Verity to see if she how much she dares speak out in the face of “authority” – and the oracle says this will be a Challenging (difficulty 8) test. She draws a Queen of Diamonds! A success.
Verity raises her hand.
“We’re not in class, Verity,” says Miss Penrose, “Just a group of women talking about the world. What do you have to say dear?”
Bracing herself, Verity takes a breath and says what’s on her mind – the headmistress Miss Yates has always inspired the girls at Blaydon Grange to look to the future with hope and, more importantly to strive to improve things for everyone.
Now how does that go over? This will be a Heart Challenge since it is about sincerity. It is not likely to win over Miss Penrose but may help Evelyn and Stella. The Oracle says this will be a Hard (difficulty 10) test. I’ll add a proviso that if she makes an 8 she can help one of the girls, on a 10 she will help both. I’ll also spend her Authority asset to represent her invoking Miss Yates’ inspiration. As a result she draws two cards and chooses the higher. Ouch. 2 of Spades and 3 of Spades. Since that’s a Failure and in front of a teacher, Verity gets 1 Disfavour and also a Condition – Embarrassed – which will give her a -2 on social interactions until she deals with it
Miss Penrose makes no response other than to sigh in disappointment. Evelyn looks embarrassed and Stella quite angry that Verity has contradicted Miss Penrose so rudely. Verity stays quiet for the rest of the supper and the atmosphere is awkward. She suspects she will not be invited back.
Worse than that, this is clearly a failure – I’ll record that against this story Arc. Four failures in total and the story arc as a whole will be a failure, meaning Miss Penrose’s damaging effect on the school will be too significant to overturn.
“I can’t believe you were so rude,” Stella hisses to Verity as the three girls make their way back to the dorm. Miss Penrose is trying to help us! It’s a hard world out there, there’s no point trying to live our lives in a make believe fairyland.”
Let’s have a randomly generated next scene to see what’s happening… Queen of Clubs- Something connected with the current arc, and taking place at night. Interesting. Maybe Verity can’t sleep
Still upset by the awkward supper and by Stella’s disapproval which turned into an unpleasant silence as the girls prepared for bed, Verity found it impossible to get to sleep. She reached for the book she was currently reading and frowned as she realised she’d left it in the Common Room. Since it was so late she shouldn’t be out of the Dorm but she decided that it would be better to get the book and read herself to sleep than lie awake being upset.
Creeping out of bed and down to the Common Room, Verity hopes none of the teachers are nearby.
Are they? Let’s use the YES/NO Oracle… 3 of Clubs – Yes, But… Yes BUT they are not paying attention. Is it Miss Penrose? 5 of Clubs – Yes, But… Yes BUT she is not alone. Or how about this: Yes, BUT she is on the telephone in the corridor.
Verity freezes in alarm as she hears a quiet voice just around the next corridor. She recognises Miss Penrose’s drawling voice but it’s quiet, almost a whisper. Peering around the corner she sees the new teacher on the telephone in the hallway, thankfully with her back turned.
“…appalling bunch, really. And the girls are just as bad, a pious bunch…. No, of course not. They haven’t a clue about that. Do you think I’d still be here if they did? I’ll contact you again soon…”
This also seems like a good way to start the SCANDAL Story Arc – there is something about Miss Penrose that she is trying to keep secret. Now… does Verity get away without being discovered? That has to be a Mischief Challenge, and I’ll make it Challenging (difficulty 8). 10 of Spades! Not only a Success but a Success that matches the Suit! I’ll give Verity an Authority asset back as she feels vindicated. Moreover I’ll give her a success check in both the New Teacher Arc and the Scandal Arc (I was going to give her only one but the matched suit is worth a bonus!)
Verity presses herself into an alcove as Miss Penrose walks past her back toward her own bedroom and the teacher does not even glance in her direction.
“You’re up to something,” Verity says, “and I’ll find out what!”
Otherworlds 