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Up to now, all of the conflicts we’ve been looking at have been between two characters. Sometimes, more characters get involved, and that definitely makes things a bit more complicated. Here’s a one-round conflict between three characters, all with goals of their own.

This time, Michelle, Jason, and Krista are joined by Bill in a different game. They are all playing gods: Krista is Prosperpine, Jason is Jupiter, and Bill is playing Pluto. Jupiter and Proserpine have just walked into a bar where Pluto is having a drink.

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Michelle: Pluto looks up from the bar as the door swings open, and in walks Jupiter with Proserpine on his arm. They’re both dressed for a night out.

Jason: I’m ignoring Pluto and finding a table for me and Proserpine.

Krista: I’m not looking at Pluto. I saw him over there, but I don’t want to acknowledge his presence.

Bill: Oh, no. I’m not going to ignore this. I order up another stiff drink and down it, then I’m going to stand up, straighten out my tie and walk over to them.

Jason: “Oh, Pluto, I didn’t notice you there. How are you, brother?”

Bill: I’m totally blowing Jupiter off. I’m talking to Proserpine. “I know we’re through, but, really, him?” I wave my hand at Jupiter.

Krista: I dart an annoyed glance at Jupiter. I’m not happy about this. “It’s not really any of your business, now, is it?”

Michelle: Bill, are you trying to get something out of this conversation?

Bill: Yeah. I don’t think I can change her mind about me, I just want to make sure she doesn’t go home with Jupiter.

Jason: I’m not going to put up with him ignoring me. I want to humiliate Pluto and leave with his girl.

Michelle: This is definitely a conflict, then.

Krista: His girl? Nice. I’ve got a goal here, too. I want Pluto to admit it was his fault we broke up.

Michelle: Interesting. This is a three-way conflict, then. Let’s see who gets what they want, shall we? Everyone secretly allocate tokens for your actions.

Jason decides that he’s going to try to get Pluto to back off by intimidating him, and allocates 4 tokens in Will and his King of the Gods aptitude toward that. He also wants to charm Proserpine, so uses his Wits and Ladies’ Man aptitude, plus 2 action tokens for that action. Just in case Pluto decides to get rough, he allocates one token in Force plus his Boxer aptitude.

Bill knows Jason will try to block his attempt to peel Proserpine away from him, so he concentrates on that action with only a slight defense. He puts six action tokens in Wits plus his Huckster aptitude to persuade Proserpine that Jupiter’s a loser, and then throws one in Will plus God of the Underworld to resist whatever Jupiter or Proserpine throw at him.

Krista decides to put most of her attention on Pluto, and allocates five tokens to her Will and Ingénue aptitude to get him to apologize. She also allocates two tokens to Wits and Goddess of the Underworld aptitude to ignore Jupiter.

Michelle: Everybody ready? OK, let’s see what you’ve got.

Jason: My Will action here is to menace Pluto and get him to back off. Wits here is to charm Proserpine with my smooth manner. I had one in Force, too, in case Pluto got physical, but that doesn’t seem to be happening.

Bill: I put just about everything here in Wits to make an argument to Proserpine that Jupiter is a philandering loser. The Will action is to defend against both the these two.

Krista: Oh, you’re in trouble, Bill. My Will here is to get you to apologize. And the Wits is to fend off Jupiter.

Jason: “Fend me off?” Aw, man, that’s cold.

Michelle: All right, let’s match up all of these actions. Jupiter’s Will is going against your Will, Pluto, and Jupiter’s Wits is going against Proserpine’s Wits. Proserpine’s Will matches up against Pluto’s Will. Proserpine, even though you only specified Jupiter, your Wits will defend against both these jokers. Let’s add them all up and find out what happens! Let’s start with Jupiter’s attack on Pluto.

Jason: OK. My Will is 4, and I’m using King of the Gods, which is 2. Add the 4 action tokens, and I’ve got a total of 10.

Michelle: All right, Pluto, what have you got?

Bill: My Will is 3, and I have God of the Underworld as a defense here, which is also 3. That, plus the one action token, puts me at 7.

Michelle: That puts Jupiter up by three on this attack, a complete success. Let’s figure out the rest of the results before I tell you how that turns out. Krista, Proserpine is defending against two moves, let’s figure that out.

Krista: Proserpine’s using Wits to defend. Her Wits is 3, her Goddess of the Underworld is 3, and I put two action tokens there. Total of 8.

Jason: Jupiter is using his Wits—2, definitely not his strong suit, and his aptitude Ladies’ Man, which is 3. I put two tokens into that, which puts me at 7.

Michelle: Proserpine squeaks by on that one. A margin of 1, that’s still a success.

Krista: Whew.

Bill: Pluto really poured himself into this one. He used Wits, his highest stat at 5, and Huckster is a 4, plus six action tokens comes to 15.

Krista: Fifteen?

Michelle: Yeah, that’s pretty devastating. With an 8 for Proserpine’s defense, we’re looking at a margin of 7, a spectacular success.

Bill: Excellent. That’s what I really cared about, anyway.

Michelle: Obviously. Now, you’ve got to defend yourself against Prosperpine’s action, though.

Bill: Uh-oh.

Krista: So, Proserpine used her Will, a 4, and Ingénue, also at 4, along with five action tokens. That’s 13.

Michelle: And Bill, your defense was 7. She beats you by six. That’s a spectacular success for her.

Jason: Wait, I beat Pluto, Proserpine beat Pluto, and Pluto beat Proserpine? How does that work?

Michelle: Let’s look at what everyone wanted out of the conflict. Pluto wanted Proserpine to ditch Jupiter, and with that spectacular success, it looks like that will work out. Proserpine wanted Pluto to admit it was his fault they broke up, and with a spectacular success, that’s going to come to pass as well. Jupiter, you’re only getting half of what you want, it seems. You wanted to humiliate Pluto, and with a complete success, that worked. But you also wanted to leave with Proserpine, and Pluto has convinced her to ditch you, so that’s not going to work out.

Jason: Interesting.

Michelle: So let’s play this out. Pluto, you convinced Proserpine that Jupiter is a big jerk.

Bill: “Listen, Proserpine, I know you came here to get at me. I get it. But really, him? You know what he’s like. It’s not like half the nymphs in this place haven’t been home with him in the last six months. He’s just using you to get at me.”

Krista: “Maybe I’m using him to get at you. Ever thought of that?” She turns her head as if she’s going to ignore Pluto.

Jason: Wait, what? No way. “Come on, baby, don’t be like that.”

Bill: “He’s a complete slimeball. Look, you want me to say I’m sorry? OK, I’m sorry.”

Krista: “Not good enough. You know it was your fault I left, why don’t you admit it?”

Jason: I’m not going to sit here and take this from them. Jupiter rises up, seeming to grow too large for this little bar, and looms over Pluto. “Step away, little brother, or you’re going to get hurt.” Lightning crackles at the corners of his eyes.

Bill: Oh, yeah, I lost that intimidating fight with you. That’s totally working. Pluto quails and looks around nervously, licking his lips. Everybody else in the bar turns away, smirks of pity and disgust on their faces, as Pluto takes a few steps back. He’s still talking to Proserpine, though. “You’re right. It was my fault. I was too controlling, I know that. I wish I could go back, but I can’t.” After that last comment, he’s stepping quickly back over to the bar, hoping he hasn’t pissed Jupiter off enough that he’ll come after him.

Jason: That’s more like it. Show some respect, I’m King of the Gods. Jupiter turns back to Proserpine. “Let’s get out of here, baby. I’ll show you a night on the town.”

Krista: Proserpine is putting some things back in her handbag. “I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure it was a mistake to go out with you in the first place. I’ll get a cab home.”

Jason: Ouch. Oh, you’re going to pay for this one, Pluto.

Michelle: OK, I like how that played out. People lost conflicts here, so there is going to be some harm. Jupiter, Proserpine brushed you off, but she only beat you by one in that conflict, so you are only shaken. Spend an action token. Bill, that was rough. Jupiter beat you by three in his conflict, and you were humiliated in front of the whole bar. You’re a regular here. That’ll cost you. I think you’re anguished, spend two action tokens for that. And then there’s the little matter of having to admit you drove your wife away, also in front of the entire bar.

Bill: Oh, yeah, I think that broke him. I’m going to permanently reduce his Will by one.

Michelle: Harsher than I was going to go, but, yeah, broken it is.

Bill: And I know I beat Proserpine with a spectacular success, but I wasn’t trying to hurt her, just influence her behavior. I don’t think she should suffer any harm from that action. The harm would have been going home with Jupiter.

Michelle: I agree.

Jason: Hey!