The Planet: Bibeault
The Colony: Glough

The story revolved heavily around the convicts attempting to free themselves from what they perceived (and not entirely incorrectly) rule of the authorities within the colony. Despite the Governor's best efforts to keep the peace and take care of settlers and convicts alike, the Abbot and Dimber-Damber (who, like the Governor, was genuinely trying to do right by his people) both managed to find suitable locations to establish their own settlements. After finding out that war had broken out on the home planet and no further aid would be coming and after failed attempts to restore order, the Governor enacted Protocol Z, which resulted in the death of many convicts and Marines who had finally been sent in to deal with the rebellious element. In the end, the colony proper fell but the Dimber-Damber and Abbot managed to carve out an existence for themselves.

Durance is an interesting system. I really love the setting and character generation for this game. Scene framing too is interesting, taking the form of questions posed to other characters. (Responses can be played out or you can simply narrate.) It really makes things interesting and it's so fun to hear what people come up with. Oaths and Drives can really inform the course of the game.

We had a pretty fun time, though I hope it didn't get too awkward when we tried to figure out just how things had gone down with Protocol Z and its fall-out! (That was probably the most challenging part-- I'd tried to establish that the Governor really had been trying to do the right thing and I didn't want his broken Oath to be for nothing while at the same time not wanting the efforts or concerns of the Dimber-Damber to be nullified either.) One thing I wish was clearer was how exactly the dice and Drives are supposed to inform conflict resolution. Maybe it's just me, but it feels a bit lacking to me. Still, a fun game and an interesting system with several aspects I like.

Thanks to Shimon and Cody for their creativity and patience!

- Dani, aka Governor Dencius Calton and Tinda

Wow, that was quick. Let me just say everyone but me played fairly decent people. My characters were either sleezebags or downright self serving evil scientists...