Trouble with the Annex- Blaydon Grange – Solo Edition playthrough

Back to 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

I’m keen to push a couple of the less active Arcs forward, so how better than to have another Open Day planning meeting at which Tabita Talbot is present (offering chances to make progress in the Open Day & Whispering Campaign arcs).

The committee meet again in the small classroom that has become their planning office. Penelope is there, as are Verity and Tabitha.

First question – has Tabitha heard the rumours about her? (Evens: King of Clubs – YES/AND… and she’s upset about it!

Verity can tell from Tabitha’s expression and curt responses that she’s bothered about something and she can guess what. Rather than ask what has upset her, Verity goes straight for comforting her. She puts a hand on Tabitha’s arm while Penelope is writing on the blackboard, and whispers.

“I think you’re an asset to this planning group,” she says, “you have had really good ideas. We couldn’t do this without you.”

That’s definitely going to be a Heart based challenge, and I’ll make it a difficulty 8 – it’s nothing out of the ordinary. Draw: 3 Hearts… ouch. Even with Verity’s +1 Heart score that’s a failure. And her ANGRY Condition would give an extra -2… even though she’s not angry with Tabitha, Verity’s own bad mood means she comes over as abrupt and insincere. Verity takes another point of Distress

“Leave me alone!” Tabitha says and storms out of the room stifling a sob. Penelope turns around from the blackboard, her mouth a perfect O of surprise.
“What on earth did you say to her, Verity Mason?”

Does Penelope have something helpful to add at this point? (Evens: 2 of Clubs– Yes, BUT, But she’s going to be as unhelpful as possible about it)

Her eyes narrow. “Is it you that’s been spreading those dreadful rumours about Tabitha? What a hypocrite you are! I thought they were all coming from the Annex, but it was you all along! Now I suppose I’ll have twice as much work to do, thank you VERY much.”

“Of course it wasn’t me!” Verity objects, “I was trying to… wait… the Annex? Who did you think was starting the rumours?”

(New NPC Pupil required – from the Oracles… Mildred Somerset- Argumentative/Critical, Clingy Follower, Practical Joker)

“Well not that it matters but I’d heard it was Mildred from the Fourth Form in the Annex,” says Penelope, “But now I know better!”

“It wasn’t me, Penelope!” snaps Verity (she still has that Anger Condition after all), “I’m going to go find Tabitha and apologise. You carry on scheduling the Open Day.”

“It all falls on me!” says Penelope archly, “AS ALWAYS!”

Bringing in Mildred advances the Whispering Campaign Arc, so I’ll add a Success to that. I’m giving the Open Day Arc a Failure at this point, because of Verity’s bad handling of Tabitha and then leaving Penelope in charge. I will offset that by saying she’s now spent the ANGRY Condition by that latter appalling choice and the failure. Now… is Tabitha easy to find? (Evens: Queen of Clubs, Yes AND… And she’s apologetic herself and keen to talk)

“Tabitha!” Verity spots her friend sitting on a bench in the grounds and runs to join her, not sitting until Tabitha herself moves up and pats the bench to indicate she should. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to upset you like that.”

“You didn’t,” says Tabitha, “I was already upset. I know you were trying to help, but I just couldn’t talk about it, not then. Not in front of Penny… Penelope. It wasn’t you, I promise. I’ve heard people saying I shouldn’t even be on the committee, that I’m just making a mess of things.”

“But you’re not! Why would people say that? Only Penelope and I are in those meetings and we haven’t said anything of the sort.”

Does Tabitha suspect who or why? (Evens: 10 of Diamonds – No)

“I have no idea,” Tabitha says. “I know it’s not you two, honestly I never thought that.”

Verity considers what Penelope had said earlier. “Do you know Mildred from the Annex?”

“Not well. Her family lives near us but I’ve never seen her outside school. Why? Do you think she might be spreading these stories?”

“I don’t know,” Verity admits, “But Penelope mentioned her… Don’t worry. I’ll look into things and put a stop to this. Do you feel able to carry on with the committee?”

Does she? I think it’s Likely but let’s ask the Oracle: 9 of Spades, No.

Tabitha shakes her head. “I don’t think so. Everyone thinks I’m ruining the planning for the Open Day. I’ll take the blame for everything that goes wrong.”

Verity is appalled to see Tabitha so dejected and decides to encourage her. She tells Tabitha that Miss Yates chose her for a reason, and that both Verity and Penelope are counting on her.

This will be another Heart check, difficulty 8… Draw: 9 of Diamonds! Thank goodness.

Tabitha takes a deep breath and wipes away a tear with the back of her hand. She smiles at Verity. “Alright then. I’ll give it another try.”

The two girls return to the small classroom… then go off to find Penelope who had sneaked off to read a magazine… and then back to the classroom to carry on the planning.

I’ll add a Success to the Open Day Arc for getting Tabitha back onside. Next scene will be about Verity and Mildred. Does Verity know Mildred well enough to just go and confront her? Evens: 6 of Diamonds – No.

Verity doesn’t know much about Mildred Somerset except that she has a reputation for being argumentative and is always sucking up to one of the sixth form annex girls (her Clingy Follower trait) who stands up for Mildred whenever she gets in trouble. She watches Mildred and some of her friends from the Annex strolling through the garden at break time but can’t pluck up the nerve to confront her in front of the others.

Can she find a way to easily approach Mildred alone later? If this is a No, then she will make the approach anyway but find things harder. Evens: Jack of Diamonds – No, AND… And not only is Mildred not as alone as Verity hoped but Mildred can also make an accusation of her own!

“Mildred! Mildred Somerset!” Verity has seen the older girl leaving the library at the end of Prep and she’s by herself. Deciding it’s now or never she jogs along the corridor toward her. Mildred turns and fixed Verity with a sneering glare.

“Oh it’s you, Vino,” she says, using the horrid nickname that Imelda coined for Verity, “Come to gloat about winning the Lacrosse challenge against Imelda? I shouldn’t. It’s quite obvious you cheated.”

“What? No, I didn’t and it’s not about that! I wanted to talk to you about Tabitha Talbot…”

“Mildred,” says a voice from nearby. Both Mildred and Verity had failed to notice the approach of a tall sixth-form girl. “I need you to tidy my study. Oh, who’s this?”

This is the sixth form girl previously alluded to that is Mildred’s mentor and protector – Oracle for her name… Florence Reed – I’ll leave her traits undeveloped for now until they may be needed

“Hello Florence, this is Vino… Verity… from the Third. She’s working with Tabitha and Penelope on the Open Day.” The way Mildred delivers that news seems full of weighty meaning to Verity, and she sees Florence’s eyes narrow a little. Is Florence also part of this whispering campaign?

“Hello then Verity,” says Florence, “I hear it’s not going so well at the moment. Never mind, plenty of time yet.”

“It’s going well actually,” says Verity loyally, “but thank you.” She feels rather intimidated in the presence of the much older girl.

“Well when you’ve finished chatting, Mildred, come and sort out my study will you please? See you later Verity, good luck with the planning.” Florence sweeps away, breaking into a jog to catch up with another sixth form Annex girl. Mildred gives Verity a triumphant look.

“Funny how you’re sticking up for your little committee when Florence asks,” she says, “when everyone knows you’re telling everyone how awful Tabitha Talbot is. How two-faced!”

“That’s a lie!” says Verity seeing the smug look on Mildred’s face and knowing the girl doesn’t believe her own words, “I’ve been told that you’re the one spreading those awful stories! Why would you do that?”

This is going to be a perception based challenge which is based on Brains… and I’ll make it the standard difficulty of 8. Verity has +2 Brains. The draw is 7 of Diamonds – with the +2 Brains that’s a 9, a Success and a matching suit!

The sudden look of guilt on Mildred’s face is as good as a confession, even though she instantly flares up in anger to cover that momentary panic. “If only you knew!” she snaps, and she roughly shoves Verity away.

It’s not exactly a scuffle but I’ll make it a Courage check (difficulty 8) for Verity to stand her ground – the draw is 8 of Clubs! A success and a suit match!

Verity catches Mildred’s arm as she tries to shove her and pushes back enough for the older girl to stumble backward. She won’t try that again in a hurry. “Stop spreading awful rumours!” says Verity firmly.

I’m going to add another Success to the Whispering campaign Arc for identifying that Mildred is definitely involved AND for potentially scaring her a little! Also the two matched-suit successes in the last draw will give Verity a couple of new Assets… I’ll take 1 Authority (for her self confidence in standing up to Mildred) and 1 Loyalty (news will get around that Verity sticks up for her friends)

Fairly intense… I think I’ll end with a Downtime scene… using the newly expanded Downtime Oracle table (download your updated version from Itch or DriveThru!) – I draw: 5 of Diamonds for the table and 8 of Hearts for the event: The Sincere Apology – A peer apologises for a slight you hadn’t even noticed.

That evening as the girls of the Grange lower school are relaxing in the Common room, Emily comes over to sit by Verity and looks a little uncomfortable. “I owe you an apology,” she says. It appears that Penelope had been talking about how it was Verity that had been bad-mouthing Tabitha earlier in the day, and Emily had.. for a short time… believed it. “I should have realised it was just Penelope being catty as usual. Then Tabitha herself said you’d been awfully good about it… and then I heard about how you’d pushed Mildred down the stairs, and…”

“I didn’t do anything of the sort!”

“Well… I’m sorry that’s all. I wanted to clear the air, after all we still need to get to the bottom of Miss Penrose’s awful plot. I was hoping we could do some planning before her next lesson tomorrow?”

For the Downtime scene, Verity will try to clear her Distress and draws: 5 of Hearts – not enough to clear anything alas. But she and Emily will spend some time together plotting and planning.