Flyboy - Flying Circus Historical Quest
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A playtest quest for Flying Circus Historical
0-1: Sign Away your Life

open_sketch

I don't know how to use a computer
BEST SELLING AUTHOR
Location
Ottawa
Pronouns
She/Her/Whatever
Somewhere, in a small office, a young man sits at a small desk, pen in hand, and signs away his life.

For whom will he die?

---

[ ] The British Empire​
[ ] The French Republic​
[ ] The German Empire​
[ ] The United States of America​

---

The purpose of this quest is to test some aspects of Flying Circus Historical.
I do not want it to run long, so I will be doing my damndest to kill you.

 
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0-2: Details
[x] The French Republic

He is signing up for the French Army, but is bound eventually for the Aéronautique Militaire, the world's first military aviation organization. Established in 1910, it is at the forefront of innovation and technology in the air.

He has answered dozens of questions on the recruitment forms, and will answer dozens more on his way to becoming a pilot. But let us start at the beginning.

---

Roll 2d10 to determine your pilot's social class.
Roll 4 sets of 3d6 to determine your pilot's stats.
I'm going to be moving quick here. Character creation is long and I want to get through it.
 
0-3: A Perfectly Average Young Man
Social Class Roll: 13 = Working Class​
Hard Stat: 10 = +0​
Calm Stat: 10 = +0​
Keen Stat: 10 = +0​
Daring Stat: 11 = +0​

---

Our pilot comes not from wealth, but not from destitution either. His family was poor, but work was never lacking and no years were particularly hard. They didn't have much, but neither did they want for food and shelter.

If there is one thing that can be said about him, it is that he hasn't ever stood out. He was never exceptional, nor particularly untalented. He was the middle of all his classes, never popular nor maligned, neither good looking nor plain. He wasn't given to temper, or depression, or outbursts of joy.

He was a perfectly average young man. But even average people are unique.

---

What is your name?​
[ ] Write In​
Where are you from?​
[ ] Urban - Write In (Largest cities of the day: Paris, Marseille, Nice, Toulouse)​
[ ] Rural - Write In​
[ ] Colonies - Write In​
[ ] The United States of America (Special Path - Lafayette Escadrille)​
What disqualifying trait are you hiding? (Optional)​
[ ] Write In​
 
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0-4: Sweet Polly Oliver
Of course, Martin Dubois was not an average young man at all, being as he was, in fact, a young woman.

Maria Dubois' working class family of French immigrants who fled the uncertain years of the late 19th century to New York City, but they always retained a fondness for their home country which they passed on to her. When war came to her ancestral homeland, she resolved that she would help.

But what did she do before that? What lead to this fateful day, dressed in a stiff suit with close-cut hair, signing the dotted line and hoping against hope that nobody would look too close?

---

Flying Circus Historical builds characters with a lifepath system. You spend Wealth and Years as a currency leading up to your membership into the service and your deployment. You can spend more years gaining skills, but older pilots have a lower threshold for Fatigue, the physical and mental trauma that builds up over their missions. Penalties start at 21 and intensify past 30.

As a member of the Working Class, Maria's lifepath starts at 13, and she has 3 Wealth. What's next?


[ ] Going on to complete her secondary education. (4 Years, 1 Wealth. Unlocks higher education and better jobs.)​
[ ] Some time spent on self-education. (1 Year, 2 Wealth. Chance of XP gain)​
[ ] Directly into a dirty, physical job (3 Years, gain +1 Wealth, take 1 Physical Fatigue)​
[ ] Working as a street criminal (2 Years. Chance of wealth or jail time)​
[ ] She helped with her father's business (3 Years, 2 Wealth. Chance of 1 to 5 Wealth)​
[ ] She skipped school to play stickball and slack off (2 Years, 1 Wealth. Gain a move for better physical conditioning, take 1 Physical Fatigue)​
[ ] She hitchhiked around the state. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Gain 2 XP and learn another language)​
[ ] She spent a long time writing to famous people, and some even wrote her back! (1 Year, 1 Wealth. Gains a reroll that can be used during Life Path stuff)​
[ ] She spent long days truant with her best friend, who she'd only grow closer to over the years (1 Year, 1 Wealth. Maria will have somebody back home to write to.)​

Goddamnit, I even used he/him pronouns in the OP very deliberately like "finally, I'll write a male character!!!", and now we're here.

Oh well!

Pick one, we're going to go through this step by step because there's more options you can unlock.
 
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0-5: Educated Woman
[X] Going on to complete her secondary education. (4 Years, 1 Wealth. Unlocks higher education and better jobs.)

Despite their meagre means, Maria's parents worked hard to make sure her and her two brothers could attend high school, and Maria graduated with decent, though not exceptional, marks in most of her classes.

---

Maria is now 17 and has 2 Wealth. What does she do next?

[ ] She applied for, and got into, Vassar College, the first person in her family to get post-secondary education (4 Years, 2 Wealth. Learn a language, unlocks new work)​
[ ] Some time spent on self-education. (1 Year, 2 Wealth. Chance of XP gain based on education)​
[ ] Directly into a dirty, physical job (3 Years, gain +1 Wealth, take 1 Physical Fatigue)​
[ ] Directly into a clerical job. (3 Years, gain +2 Wealth, take 1 Mental Fatigue)​
[ ] Fell into a life of crime (2 Years. Chance of wealth or jail time)​
[ ] She helped with her father's business (3 Years, 2 Wealth. Chance of 1 to 5 Wealth)​
[ ] She played tennis at a surprisingly high level. (2 Years, 1 Wealth. Gain a move for better physical conditioning, take 1 Physical Fatigue)​
[ ] She travelled with friends across the country. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Gain 2 XP and learn another language)​
[ ] She spent a long time writing to famous people, and some even wrote her back! (1 Year, 1 Wealth. Gains a reroll that can be used during Life Path stuff)​
[ ] She met a nice young man and got married (1 Year, 1 Wealth. Maria will have somebody back home to write to.)​
[ ] She got pregnant out of wedlock. Oops. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Having a dependant gives your character somebody to fight for, which helps with Fatigue)​
[ ] She served as a nurse's attendant in San Franscisco. (2 Years, +1 Military XP, +1 Physical and Mental Fatigue)​
[ ] She served as a nurse's attendant in Manila (2 Years, +1 XP, +1 MXP)​
[ ] She served as a private secretary to an Army colonel (3 Years, chance of XP based on education)​
 
0-6: Very Educated Indeed
[X] She applied for, and got into, Vassar College, the first person in her family to get post-secondary education (4 Years, 2 Wealth. Learn a language, unlocks new work)

Despite not having particularly stellar grades, Maria had a smarter school friend who applied for a women's college, which put the idea in her head, and she did the same. By some miracle, she got in, unsure what to study at first.

---
What did she study? No mechanical effects, this is lore only.
[ ] Classics​
[ ] History​
[ ] Mathematics​
[ ] Sciences​
[ ] Art​
What language did she pick up there?
[ ] Write In​
After graduating, where did she go next? She is currently 21 years old and has no remaining Wealth.
[ ] Some time spent on self-education. (1 Year, 2 Wealth. Chance of XP gain based on education)​
[ ] Directly into a dirty, physical job (2 Years, gain +1 Wealth, take 1 Physical Fatigue)​
[ ] Directly into a clerical job. (2 Years, gain +2 Wealth, take 1 Mental Fatigue)​
[ ] She found work with her degree (2 Years. +3 Wealth, +1 Mental Fatigue)​
[ ] Fell into a life of crime (1 Years. Chance of wealth or jail time)​
[ ] She got a loan and began a business of her own. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Chance of 1 to 5 Wealth)​
[ ] She played tennis at a surprisingly high level. (2 Years, 1 Wealth. Gain a move for better physical conditioning, take 1 Physical Fatigue)​
[ ] She travelled with friends across the country. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Gain 2 XP and learn another language)​
[ ] She got involved in local politics and fundraising, meeting many famous people. (1 Year, 1 Wealth. Gains a reroll that can be used during Life Path stuff)​
[ ] She met a nice man and got married (1 Year, 1 Wealth. Maria will have somebody back home to write to.)​
[ ] She got pregnant out of wedlock. Oops. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Having a dependant gives your character somebody to fight for, which helps with Fatigue)​
[ ] She served as a nurse in San Franscisco. (2 Years, +1 Military XP, +1 Physical and Mental Fatigue)​
[ ] She served as a nurse in Manila (2 Years, +1 XP, +1 MXP)​
[ ] She served as a private secretary to an Army colonel (3 Years, chance of XP based on education)​
[ ] Not long after graduating, she left for Europe and the ongoing war. (End Life Path and move on to Training)​

Taking 3 Wealth from the advanced degree will secure you private flight training, so its more likely you'll learn all your flight skills and also not die. However, added years at this point will slightly lower your Fatigue ceilings.
Also, already made my first balance adjustment, work is now less time-consuming!
 
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0-7: Rocks
[X] Sciences
[X] Write-In
- [X] French
[X] She found work with her degree (2 Years. +3 Wealth, +1 Mental Fatigue)

Following in the footsteps of Edith Clarke, Maria studied the sciences, finding a particular fascination with geology, of all things. Somewhat ironic, that she'd study the earth. She also finally had an opportunity to learn French, and have a conversation with her grandparents in their first language.

With the contacts she made in college, she found work with her degree, working with the United States Geological Survey. She updated topographical maps of the Adirondacks and the Rockies in Montana, even doing a fair amount of field work and getting used to a degree of rough living.

---

What now? She's 23 and has 3 Wealth.
[ ] Some time spent on self-education. (1 Year, 2 Wealth. Chance of XP gain based on education)​
[ ] She works a while longer at the USGS (2 Years. +3 Wealth, +1 Mental Fatigue)​
[ ] Fell into a life of crime (1 Years. Chance of wealth or jail time)​
[ ] She got a loan and began a business of her own. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Chance of 1 to 5 Wealth)​
[ ] She played tennis at a surprisingly high level. (2 Years, 1 Wealth. Gain a move for better physical conditioning, take 1 Physical Fatigue)​
[ ] She travelled with friends across the country. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Gain 2 XP and learn another language)​
[ ] She got involved in local politics and fundraising, meeting many famous people. (1 Year, 1 Wealth. Gains a reroll that can be used during Life Path stuff)​
[ ] She met a nice man and got married (1 Year, 1 Wealth. Maria will have somebody back home to write to.)​
[ ] She got pregnant out of wedlock. Oops. (2 Years, 2 Wealth. Having a dependant gives your character somebody to fight for, which helps with Fatigue)​
[ ] She served as a nurse in San Franscisco. (2 Years, +1 Military XP, +1 Physical and Mental Fatigue)​
[ ] She served as a nurse in Manila (2 Years, +1 XP, +1 MXP)​
[ ] She served as a private secretary to an Army colonel (3 Years, chance of XP based on education)​
[ ] Not long after graduating, she left for Europe and the ongoing war. (End Life Path and move on to Training)​
 
0-8: Training
[X] Not long after graduating, she left for Europe and the ongoing war. (End Life Path and move on to Training)

Okay, there's absolutely no reason not to take private flight training, so roll me 3d10 and pick the highest for your training rolls.

You want a 16+ for good training, while 11-15 will give you mostly adequate training and less than that will mean a reroll. A 20+ means you're a natural pilot and you also get a free Mastery Move.

If you roll a 2 or 3, Maria will die in training.
 
0-9: Continues to be Average
Training montage GO!

Not sure how to roll 16 + on a d10. Is it pick the highest 2?

Edit : Oh also, is one two enough to die?
Highest two, yes!

Okay, so Maria mostly knows how to fly, but hasn't entirely grasped everything.


Pick two skills she doesn't have. She can learn these later.
[ ] Ditching​
[ ] Aircraft Identification​
[ ] Gunnery​
[ ] Navigation​
[ ] Defensive​
 
0-10: Maria's Biography
[X] Ditching
[X] Aircraft Identification

Maria Dubois was born on April 15th, 1893, in Manhattan, New York State. Her father, Mathias, arrived in the United States as a four year old in 1872: her grandparents were farmers in Lorraine, and left the region with nothing rather than become German citizens in 1871, eventually immigrating to America. Her mother was a more recent immigrant, arriving in 1888 after her father lost his job during labour strikes.

As a child, her father worked in a paint factory while her mother would work stints in a textile mill. Her uncle Hector, a quiet and studious man, made a good living as an accountant and married a woman even better off than he, one of the first female lawyers in the United States. This inspired her parents to push her and her brother toward pursuing the best education they could. Maria, who never seemed to stand out particularly, was hardly the best student, but stuck through secondary education, making a number of friends of slightly higher social status while most of her working class friends began jobs and got married.

Her closest friend, Harriet Byrne, was something of a prodigy, and applied to Vassar College upon graduating, securing one of the school's prized academic scholarships. Unsure what to do with herself, Maria did the same, and by some stroke of luck squeaked out an acceptance. Originally planning to pay her way through a mixture of her parent's enthusiasm for her educational pursuits and whatever odd jobs she could find, her aunt and uncle's intervention allowed her to focus on her studies. She learned French, primarily to be able to speak to her grandparents in the language, and found a fascination for maps, geology, the work of Dr. Florence Bascom, and the history of the Earth.

Following graduation, she wrote letters to former students of Dr. Bascom, and through these contacts secured a job at the United States Geological Survey. Originally hired on a temporary basis to help bring maps of the Adirondacks to modern standards, she was well-liked by the senior geologist on the site and secured another position in Montana, a job that consisted largely of camping out in the woods with ledgers and ink. She grew fairly used to rough living among men, sometimes spending weeks at a time far from any modern amenities.

This was also where she first crossdressed. Rural Montana's demographics had been heavily warped by the collapse of the homestead farms in the 1890s, with a much higher proportion of men than women. In some of the most remote places she worked, she was the only single woman they'd seen in months. To ward off harassment and focus on her work, she began wearing men's clothes whenever the survey team had cause to go into town, and found the freedom of it invigorating.

When she returned to New York City in December 1915 after nearly a year mostly isolated from the news in Europe, the picture overseas looked grim. Her mother still exchanged letters with her sister in Paris, and from this Maria learned she'd lost a cousin to poison gas at Ypres and another at the Second Battle of Artois. She also learned that American volunteers were being taken by the French Army to fly aircraft, and having seen a demonstration of a Wright airplane demonstrated as a potential tool for surveying land and already contemplating piloting lessons, she began to form a plan.

She sought out and hired a woman by the name of Ruth Law to teach her to fly, learning on Law's Curtiss Model D. She also had a passport forged as Martin Dubois and boarded a steamer for France, arriving in June 1916 dressed in men's clothing and in possession of a pilot's license. What she thought would be the greatest hurdle, the Army physical, turned out to be no issue at all: a doctor took one look at her, fully dressed, asked how she was feeling between puffs on his pipe, inquired as to if she did much work outside, then shrugged and waved her through.

Training was from there a short affair. Already demonstrably a capable pilot, she took quickly to gunnery training and acclimatized well on the Nieuport 10 used for training. She struggled sometimes with situational awareness, but it was hardly something her instructors noticed. Cautious of being exposed, she made no friends in training and missed out on much of the informal advice being passed around for what to do in a crash.

On July 7th, 1916, she got her orders: she was given the rank of Sergeant in Escadrille 148, a squadron consisting of a mix of American volunteers and French aviators. It seemed that there were so many American volunteers that they were posting them to squadrons other than 124. She would take a train the next day to the line, where a car took her to the areodrome, a small field located next to a series of abandoned farmhouses being used as a billet. Hasty tents out in the field covered the squadron's aircraft, and she was directed to 'claim a spot' in one of the houses, settling on a disused pantry for the privacy.

The next morning, she was told, she would get to fly.

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Escadrille 148 operates a mix of pursuit planes. What is Maria assigned?
[ ] A Nieuport 17, a light, highly manoeuvrable rotary-engine pursuit aircraft. It's nimble and climbs like a cork, but has fragility problems.​
[ ] A SPAD S.VII, a heavy V-engined fighter with an impressive top speed. However, it's heavy on the controls and has poor visibility.​
[ ] A Nieuport 11, an earlier version of the Nieuport 17 still being phased out. Slower and less well-armed, its only advantage is that it is even lighter and more manoeuvrable.​
 
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