A Single Moment Errata: Choice Tokens

I've been alerted by Luca that there are some discrepancies on the examples I gave in the A Single Moment game. It seems some of my examples went wonky in illustrating how the Choice Tokens work. So allow me to try to redo the scene here.

I'll be reposting the duel between Rocky and Yoshi and adding the system notes here to illustrate how the game works. I do apologize to everyone who had purchased the game and found the examples unclear. I am currently looking at my options on how to update the uploaded documents. Terribly sorry. I'm really new to all this.

Choice Tokens
Each Chapter has seven Choice Token to be awarded, and each time the rulings favor the Active player’s own Samurai, a Choice Token must be handed to the other player. Each time a ruling favors the other player, the Active Player rewards himself with one.

Whenever conflicts arise in the scene, be it dramatic moments, or when there are disagreements between the two players on how an event or action should resolve in the Chapter, the Active Player always makes the final call. The decision must support the short summary given in "Declare the Focus of the Chapter".

So to repeat:
If the decision favors the Active player, the token goes to the other player.
If the decision favors the other player, it goes to the Active player.

In instances where it seems to favor the other, and yet is desired by the active player, then the active player still makes the final call on who gets it.  The idea was, with each thing that happens that favors you, "luck" (which is when the tokens become dice) seems to slowly build to favor the other player.

This might seem counter-intuitive, given the player who seems to be getting what he wants is the one who has less dice to accomplish what the chapter was meant to accomplish in the end.

Sadly this got messed up in my example.  The reason for that is because I messed up.  So please allow me to present this version of the fight, with the system properly demonstrated.  I have marked in bold the corrections to the system, as well as updated the examples to make them clearer.  I sincerely apologize for the mistakes.

Page 15, Example #4:

For this Chapter, Yoshi is the Active Player.  Yoshi and Rocky continue the scene on the road to the Mountain Pass.  Yoshi decides to use the scene to also add more details to the characters and their gear.

Yoshi is the Active player in this Chapter.  So in all resolution checking, each time the action favors Yoshi, then the token should go to the other player.   This should help make things clearer.

Yoshi asks, “Your blade, that is the Singing Hand is it not?  The legendary blade that makes a distinct sound when it is swung.  It is said to be the last sound any one hears before they die.”

Rocky considers for a moment if he wants his character to have a legendary blade.  He decides, “Yes.  The same blade your great grandfather gave our Clan when the friendship was first forged.  And it has remained bound to its sheath ever since, never to be drawn or used ever again.” 

It would seem that since Rocky is getting a legendary weapon, this favors the other player and not the Active player.  But since Rocky counters that it cannot be drawn, the two discuss and decide it sort of cancels out each other.  They decide no one gets a Choice Token here.

Choice tokens: 7       Rocky: 0   Yoshi: 0

“A pity,” Yoshi smirks, “I would have been honored to challenge you to a friendly duel.”

“There is nothing stating we cannot,” Rocky smiles, “A friendly duel does after all mean no blades are drawn.”

Yoshi grins, “I nod in reply.  And draw my sword and its sheath out to challenge you.”
Rocky describes he does the same.  The Friendly Duel is on.  “To first touch,” he adds.

The duel begins with both at equal footing.  
Choice tokens: 7       Rocky: 0   Yoshi: 0

Yoshi describes Kurosawa taking a step back, but suddenly swinging his sheathed blade on an upward strike, hoping to catch Kenshin’s knee.  Rocky responds, "Kenshin blocks it at the last second as he spirals upwards."   

Always describe things with the Active player in mind.    In this case, the Active player does not get what he wanted. So the Choice Token goes to Yoshi.

Choice tokens: 6       Rocky: 0   Yoshi: 1

Rocky describes blocking the strike at the last second, then spiraling as Kenshin leaps towards Kurosawa.  "Kenshin then tries  to strike Kurosawa on the shoulder while mid-air."  Yoshi doesn't want the fight to end too quickly, so he describes Kurosawa blocking the strike at the shoulder with his own scabbard, and being propelled backwards by the blow.   The two land on the ground, staring at each other from thirty paces.

For Rocky's blow, the attack is blocked by Yoshi.   This means the Active Player got what he wanted, so in this case, the Token goes to the other player.

Choice tokens: 5       Rocky: 1   Yoshi: 1

“Your skill is indeed equal to mine,” Yoshi says, mimicking the heavy breathing Kurosawa needs to speak through.

"I am not even winded yet,” Rocky says as Kenshin and describes darting forward to close the gap.  Yoshi describes both blocking the next set of slashes and the two are now running through the woods near the path, waiting for an opportunity to strike at each other. 

The two decide this is just dramatic visuals of them clashing padded scabbards as they run across the woods in purely samurai movie fashion.  They agree neither gets a Choice token for now. The two now mime running across the forest, staring at each other as the dodge the trees without thinking.

“My father’s life shall be in your hands,” Yoshi mutters as Kurosawa, “I am honored to see you be his protector.”    Yoshi, however adds, "Maybe though Kurosawa stated things very plainly and factually, his words sort of come off as if Kenshin is seen as just a bodyguard?"  Rocky agrees this sounds like a good shift in the narrative.  

Yoshi could have ruled that in this exchange, Yoshi's words anger Rocky and make him less focused, giving Yoshi an advantage.  But Rocky doesn't like the idea that he goes all frenzied so quickly, so the two agree that there's no favor shifting yet.  No Tokens are awarded.

Rocky describes flipping at a rock with his scabbard at Kurosawa's foot to cause him to stumble as they run.  Yoshi agrees that the rock trips Kurosawa and he drops to the ground on one knee.

Yoshi is the Active player in the Chapter, and Yoshi has agreed for the rock to hit, so this favors the other Player.  The Token goes to Yoshi.

Choice tokens: 4       Rocky: 1   Yoshi: 2

“At least he trusts my skill more than your own,” Rocky’s words go with vile and venom.  Rocky describes how they are enough for Kurosawa to also get incensed.  Yoshi agrees Kenshin's words strike a chord and cause Kurosawa to get angry, making his moves less well-mapped out.

Yoshi is the Active player in the Chapter, and Yoshi has agreed his character is now a bit more vulnerable.  This favors the other Player.  The Token goes to Yoshi.

Choice tokens: 3       Rocky: 1   Yoshi: 3

Yoshi describes Kurosawa angrily rushing forward, swinging repeated the scabbard at Kenshin.  Rocky decides the strength catches him off-guard and he stumbles as he blocks the blows.

Yoshi is the Active player in the Chapter, and Yoshi has made attacks.  Rocky's blocks give him a Choice Token.   

Choice tokens: 2       Rocky: 1   Yoshi: 4

Yoshi asks Rocky if Kenshin is currently pinned by the stumble, and after a moment, Rocky decides Kenshin isn't helpless, but likes the idea he's down there for the climax.  He agrees Kenshin easily parries all the incoming swings.  Uncertain if Kurosawa is or isn't gaining favor in that moment, the rules do state that the the Active Player makes the final call.   He decides Kurosawa doesn't have an edge as Kenshin clearly is still of clear mind to react to Kurosawa's wilder blows.  So to make it simpler, the last two Tokens are awarded to Yoshi.

Choice tokens: 0       Rocky: 1   Yoshi: 6

They reach the moment of the Climax.

“Enough!” Rocky snarls as Kenshin and he describes, “As I parry your last swing, I kick off the ground and, moving faster than the eye can follow, draw the Singing Hand.  It sings as it closes in on Kurosawa’s face!”

Yoshi has a total of six Choice Tokens.  Rocky has 1 token. 

Both feel Rocky should get two extra dice for breaking his promise regarding the sword, thus reflecting the Key Virtue, Loyalty.  Liking the rage, Rocky decides to roll two more dice, and collect Scars Tokens for the extra dice. 

Yoshi has 6 Tokens, which gives him 6 dice to roll.

Rocky has 1 Token, and 2 extra dice for Things Align.  He also has 2 more dice thanks to choosing to get Scars.  He has 5 dice to roll.

Both roll their dice.

Yoshi rolls 1, 3, 4, 2, 2, 6. 
His total is 18.

Rocky rolls 1, 6, 6, 3, 2.
His total is also 18.

Since the rolls were tied, it is a stalemate.  Neither is Victorious nor Overcome.

Yoshi gains 6 Edges and 1 Hatred.   Rocky gains 1 Edges and 6 Hatred.

As Yoshi was the Active Player, he also gains a Scar Token.  Rocky however does have 2 Scar Tokens.  

Both then work out what happens and how it ends.

Yoshi looks at the system and sees how a tie means the Active player gets a scar.  He decides its a perfect thing to use to reflect the scene and suggests, "Singing blade shatters my sword as I attempt to parry?  And you cut my face."

Rocky smiles, liking the idea.  He has 2 Scars.  He suggests, "Maybe some of those shards cut me too, marking the sword hand that held the blade.  And definitely the other scar also represents the deep seated anger Kenshin now has for Kurosawa, who still claims to be better than him?"

The two agree and close the chapter.

“You dishonor your own line,” Yoshi gasped.  

“You’ve insulted me long enough!” Rocky growls.  “You could have killed me!  This was supposed to be a friendly duel,” Yoshi angrily yells as Kurosawa.  He brings a hand to his face, as if to staunch the flow of blood.   Rocky, as Kenshin, mimes sheathing the blade, “This duel is over.  My duties to your father remain.”

Yoshi hisses, "Then you won this match.  Relish this success.”  He describes the two samurai continuing down the road on their separate ways, but just before they are beyond each other’s earshot, Kurosawa mutters, “A true Samurai knows who truly won.”  

Rocky suggest that Kenshin hears this but chooses not to act, for now. This becomes the seed of anger that grows within Kenshin.  This becomes the root of the violence to come.  

The chapter is resolved.