Playing the Game
The usual format for these roles in actual play is like this:
The Lug & Rogues narrate scenes freely together …
… until the Lug presents a conflict or the Boss orders the Lug.
Then the Lug describes the stakes and sets a Mark…
…the Bookie then takes over by rolling dice for the conflict.
The rogues declare intentions and roll dice for Skills …
… until the conflict or the rogues run out of Renitence.
Example of Play
In play, the roles outlined thus far might sound something much like what follows.
Lug: “So your mob busts in the door to the king’s treasury and the Captain Lechworth is there, waiting. He goes for his sword, but pauses when he sees Markus. ‘So, my old partner has come back to haunt me,’ he says. ‘Are you man enough to face me alone, or must I slaughter that pack of dogs with you as well?’”
Rogue 1: “So what’s the Mark on my old nemesis?”
Lug: “Wait, wait, what are you doing first?”
Rogue 1: “Righto, let’s dry gulch this twat, I’m tired of him. Markus says, ‘The time for words is over, douchebag.’ I’m going to try to rush him and try to knock him out the window.’”
Rogue 2: “I’m going to stuff my backpack with money while they duke it out.”
Lug: “No so fast, the captain yells ‘Guards! Block the exit. None of them leave until they beg me for mercy.’ and several of his fellows boil out of the portal behind you, trapping you in this room. Mark 10 for those guys. If you want to run, you’ve got to deal with them.
Boss: [writing some notes] “Got it.”
Rogue 1: “God, I freak’n hate guards.”
Lug: [Pointing to Rogue 1] So you want to knock him out into the moat, [Pointing to Rogue 2] you’re just trying to grab the score and run, and the captain is going to beat you with the flat of his sword until you cry like babies.”
Rogue 2: “Marks for that Challenge?”
Lug: “Well, it’s really one challenge; getting the captain out of your way, so let’s set it at Mark 20 and you two can work together if you like. If you succeed the captain goes out the window and you’ve grabbed the money from the treasury. If you fail, he’s going to beat you senseless anyway, so you won’t get either one of your goals.”
Rogue 2: “Sheesh, Mark 20. Rough.”
Lug: “You can run at any time by tangling with the guards.”
Rogue 1: “Markus the Bold never flees! Let’s feed him his codpiece!”