User blog:FateAlbane/Jack of All Tropes - Big Iron 4

I abandon my humanity, Jilljil!!! ...Ah,-er, well, nevermind that.

This will cover all tropes found in the 4th session of Big Iron.

Goes without saying, but this is a massive WIP.

Session 4 - "T-Pose to Impose Brutal Fatalities"

 * Or "JoAT - T-Poser's Depression Brutality (3/10)" - from Ino's PoV.
 * Or "The family that slays together, is also slayed to gather - IN HELL!" - from Elly's PoV.
 * "In which most people go edgy" - From Hope's PoV.

Out of Focus - Billy wasn't around this time, Magnum missed the session intro but joined before it resumed. Much later and closer to the end, Ahuatzi and Magnum eventually left. Justified trope, because it was rather late for their players to keep up at the time.

Never Sleep Again - Invoked, but ultimately subverted by several party members. Marty, Hob, Hope, Ino and Ahuatzi didn't get a wink of sleep by the end of the previous session after the events the party was put through. As a result, most of them had to get their share of sleep anyways. With Ahuatzi still being strong enough to keep the wagon going and those who did sleep keeping watch, they managed.

Sleep Cute - Hope and Elly end up sleeping like this in the wagon.

Fist of Rage - Hob frequently makes this trope happen while keeping his anger in check - as well as he can manage - outside of battle. And when he does go into battle, well...

Corner of Woe - Happened other times, but worth mentioning that it was usually... Deconstructed and played for drama, of all things... By Dufresne.

Skyward Scream - Hob does one of these around the time of the session's intro.

"With a heating and unfathomable anger, Hob stands up and sends up a loud yell to the distance, for no particular reason. Deep inside his being, he does knows why did he do that. He's frustrated... about something."

- ...And then, he sits again.

Jump Scare - Hope's (rather natural, really) reaction to the sudden scream. Mostly parodied/played for laughs.

"When someone randomly just yells, Hope would jump and let out a quick, cut off scream due to how unexpected it was. Her eyes widened and she stared at Hob. What the hell..."

- “I take it you didn’t sleep well...”

Bad Dreams - Even though she's one of the sole two party members who did sleep during the night, Elly had "less than pleasant dreams, to put it lightly". It's part of what leads her to fall asleep again by Hope's side, later.

My greatest Failure - Frequently evoked by Hob, in regards to his past trauma of having the people he knew in the mine exterminated by a Rogue Spirit. He wasn't as vocal or open about it before, but the fact that in his eyes he allowed it to happen again in the day before was more than enough: To open a scar that had barely even started to close.

You wouldn't like me when I'm angry - Hob brings this trope to the table more than any other. He's usually an easygoing, maybe even carefree party member. But when his anger does get to him, he becomes a lot more... Well, refer to "He who fights monsters" later.

Wise Beyond their Years - Ino's actions have some elements to them that carry the naivety or even learning innocence of a child but at the same time he frequently has a reasonable and serious outlook about the journey, making him as valuable to the team during situations as any other. Sometimes, he is ironically akin to a voice of reason - even without saying a word out loud.

I should have been Better - Evoked by Ahuatzi as he tries to give Hob some ease on his thoughts about what the party experienced in Jill's hands, and Scarlet's death.

"Ahuatzi walks up to Hob and puts his hand on his shoulder. Hob smashes the floor, in anger and angsty. Hob: ...? Ahuatzi: "This feeling, I know well. Strong we are, but never strong enough.""

- Hob goes silent for a moment, but he is calmed by Ahuatzi's words.

Heroic Self-Deprecation - Elly has been prone to this earlier in the story. Though becoming less of a user of this trope as time passes, she still pulled one when she did a preemptive apology towards Hope. Despite trying to explain her reasons, Elly held herself responsible for Hope being involved with the party's situation - only because she was the one to call Hope to the party (what Elly also had to go through notwithstanding). Ultimately, she asks to be left alone for the moment despite the way she used to feel in days past.

Heroic RRoD - Staying awake for the whole night after all the things the party had to go through in the previous day either pushed some (like Marty) straight into this the next day or sent others like Hope and Ino close to it. In Marty's case he outright passes out and needs Ahuatzi's help to carry him to the wagon. In Hope's case she was noted saying "it felt like forever" since she last got a good chance to sleep.

Talking in your sleep - Played for laughs with Marty.

"As he's lifted off the ground, he starts to lift his arm in his sleep. He points his hand forward, taking aim at an invisible target, before making a "sheboowww" noise with his mouth

"I got em....."

Eventually he realizes his situation, and starts to open his eyes."

- ...Hope blinked and watched as Marty "shot the target with clearly pinpoint accuracy". She chuckled a little. “I think you got him. Nice shootin’.”

Greater need than mine - Ahuatzi lets the others sleep and takes it upon himself to keep the wagon going, despite the fact that he too didn't have a chance to properly rest in the past night. He even says the words that fit this trope to Marty, pointing that he needs rest but also that the party needs to run. Thankfully, his strength and conditioning is enough to make the trope work for the best.

Heartwarming Moments - Ahuatzi helping Hob keep his cool. Then, Hope, Ino and even Dufresne getting a pillow made for them so they could sleep more comfortably. Finally, Elly - who weaved the pillows - sleeping soundly by Hope's side. Extra points as this time she didn't get any nightmares. Averted in Marty's case, though.

"Marty just splays out on the other side of the Wagon without anything to comfort him."

- ...Well, not everything is an oof. At least he gets to be badass later.

In the Hood /Black Cloak - The 7 members of the T-Cult that attack the party are seen wearing robes and hoods before they reveal their faces for the confrontation.

Stern Chase - The cultists fought this time around were likely just the start of what else may be coming the party's way/sent after them after the Jill situation. Naturally, they are on the run and outright avoid stopping at the closest city for the the timebeing, but are found out and have to engage in battle nonetheless.

Chase Fight - Suggested in meta but ultimately subverted. Players consider to keep the wagon going and leaving the pursuers in the dust but the idea is soon discarded - given that they would probably counter, find a way to catch up, keep giving chase or blast the wagon from afar if left alone.

Just following orders - Double subverted. The party initially believes these particular spirits are after them solely on orders from Jill and Marty questions how long they've been following the party. One of the enemies first says she wasn't the one who (strictly speaking) commanded them to face the party - but then says they were to give Marty a message at her behest anyways, before leaving them free to "go hunting".

Attack Reflector - The combined might of the Seven Spirits pulls one of these against Marty.

"He draws his gun, aiming dead ahead for Tony. As the bullet fires, charged with extra power to pierce through their guard... It simply stops mid air, with all 7 of them putting their Mana to revert it. "We're here because we're united. You should remember that when you get up." Suddenly, at blinding speed, the bullet flies right back, blowing through Marty's chest and kicking up dust as it roars across the desert."

- ..."Oof" to a not so good start.

Kamehame Hadoken - Magnum's Burning Heart [Flaming Spark] plays the beam variation straight. She puts her hands together and fires a devastating blast of energy/magical power at the enemies. Given the events of this session, it's also has an habit of obliterating the immediate surrounding landscape. It was used to blast away the scattered T-Posers all at once.

Technicolor Fire - The aforementioned power is described as firing a large beam of multi-colored fire. It's also a shout-out/affectionate parody to Marisa Kirisame's signature spellcard, the Master Spark.

Cute and Psycho - Take one look at Elly in the session's intro and the first half of it, towards her travelling companions. Now take a look at her again, once the enemies show up. Yup, same person. Meta says a part of her did "die" alongside Scarlet back in the T-Junction city.

Evil Feels Good - Elly is seen gleefully (or eerily) smiling as the Rouge Spirits are torn to shreds more and more throughout the fight. Regardless of words said, and how she eventually notices it enough to try and censor herself about the thought... She knows it all too well that she can't lie to herself. Justified trope, though. Elly is initially so down in this trope that she doesn't even pay any mind to one of the spirits saying she sounds just like Jill, and just keeps picturing in what ways they may die next in her mind.

The Dog bites Back - The Party bites Back. Mmm... Well... For the most part, but lets keep those instances for the yet to be added tropes, shall we?

"The Reason you Suck" Speech - Way too many of these happened from one side to another for me to mention any in particular. ...However, I will immediately go back in that and mention that the one Dufresne got from Rick had the most repercussion - being ultimately compared to "an emotional crit" on the character.

Wangst - Part of Rick's aforementioned speech accuses Dufresne of this. Given how the in-verse discussion develops, it actually becomes justified for the trope to have been invoked...

Mercy Kill - Dufresne's death borders on this for... Complicated reasons for the character that are best not spoken of nor exemplified/described. Definitely leaving it at that.

Title Drop - At the very end of the session.

".... A robot.... That's something Jill has been after. I dunno what she's on about, but she always talks about something made by a crazy old man like me... Something called... "The Big Iron""

- *cue the "To Be continued" Song.