Safia Attacks the Pine Cone Man

Summary

In Session 7 of the campaign, Safia violently attacks the Pine Cone Man after he catches Sucks Benedict emerging from a manhole in his tent and begins dragging him away while accusing him of thievery. Despite having been gently carried on the merchant's shoulder in pigeon form moments earlier, Safia makes a split-second decision to fly at his face, pecking and clawing. The attack draws blood and forces the merchant to release Sucks, but Safia takes damage in return and nearly loses her shapeshifted form. The violent confrontation escalates what could have been a manageable situation into a chaotic marketplace scene that draws guards and onlookers.

Details

The confrontation begins when the Pine Cone Man discovers Sucks Benedict coming up through a manhole inside his tent and starts dragging him away while accusing him of theft. Safia, who had been in pigeon form and had been gently cradled on the merchant's shoulder, decides to intervene. As one player states: "Okay, so I'm just gonna attack him."

Safia flies directly at the merchant's face, pecking and clawing in a hack and slash move. She rolls a 9, which is reduced to 8 after her strength modifier is applied—a 7-9 result in Dungeon World, meaning she succeeds but at a cost. The attack deals 4 damage to the Pine Cone Man, but Safia takes 2 damage in return.

The assault is effective: "You get him a good couple times and he goes and you see blood start leaking out of his face like some cuts on his face and he just smacks you." The merchant manages to strike back at the attacking pigeon hard enough that Safia's shapeshift ability nearly fails. "You feel for a second your shape shifting starting to give, but you're able to hold on to it and he does drop. Sucks."

The violence forces the Pine Cone Man to release Sucks in order to defend himself from the bird assault. The chaotic scene attracts the attention of guards and onlookers in the marketplace, turning a tense confrontation into a public incident.

Participants

• Safia — Attacks the Pine Cone Man while in pigeon form, dealing damage but taking hits in return that nearly break her transformation
• Pine Cone Man — The merchant who catches Sucks and is attacked; takes facial damage but manages to strike back
• Sucks Benedict — Caught emerging from the manhole and being dragged away; released when the attack forces the Pine Cone Man to defend himself
• Erin — Present during the encounter
• Shawn — Narrates the outcome of the attack and describes the mechanical results

Consequences

• Safia takes 2 damage from the Pine Cone Man's counterattack
• The Pine Cone Man takes 4 damage and suffers visible cuts and bleeding on his face
• Safia's shapeshift ability is strained but holds—she nearly loses the pigeon form but maintains the transformation
• Sucks Benedict is dropped and freed from the Pine Cone Man's grip
• The violent attack draws the attention of guards and marketplace onlookers, escalating the situation into a public incident
• The confrontation establishes the chaotic and unpredictable nature of the party's first meeting with the Pine Cone Man, though he later covers for them when guards arrive