So my Hardholder changed playbook at the dusk of last session. We've never really had many Playbook-changes, but a thing that struck me now is that I have a couple of questions, especially since part of the reason we don't experience many playbook shifts is that come to many STATS+2 the endgame fast approaches and the MC get bored.  ::) ;)

So: I know you lose everything intrinsically to you old life and keep everything intrinsically connected to your self, but I was wondering if I took +1 WEIRD as a Hardholder, do I need to take a +1 advance from a Playbook that has two +1 WEIRD?

I know I probably needn't, and that we players can and should take responsibility for fiction and meta, but has anyone else thought about having a finite end of advances? ...maybe not endless STAT-change moves as well?


Also: I was wondering if I should ask my MC what he thinks about changing base statline to one from the Battlebabe. It would fit the character who's secret when Hx reset was that he hated being The Hardholder, having responsibility and dependents and always doing the hard choices.

I found a truly brilliant AND easy-to-understand article that explained how threaths fitted in fronts, what they symbolized, what moves suited what threath, etc. I even bragged that I'd send it to my MC, but after a computer crash I can't seem to find it. I think I found it here, but it was an external link.

Do anyone know what article I'm talking about? Do anyone know how to find it?
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Something that stuck out was how the Grotesque is the mouth of a front, the teller of "what here in Denmark is rotten", so to speaketh.

So, the classic "so who's boss, is it one of you..?"-leading question left a big "no". Luckily the nice person who everybody looks to and has done so for a long time ended up married to the though guy-Angel Grip. She's named Hindenburg and is more a leader and caring individual who tries to make life in Train Station good for everyone, and relies heavily on the Council of people who knows stuff. This means she leans heavily on her husband The Angel, The Savvyhead ("if there's one thing you can count on, it's thing's break") and The Hocus, who got the answer on a read person that HE couldn't do anything to strenghten her resolve, but her husband did so regulary.


I've had this before, and sometimes The Chopper is the boss, or otherwise I make a hardholder with good and bad sides. I try to make the hardholder female (I should definitely make the next MC-hardholder a transperson), mainly because it's cool and a really good habit to make the boss female. (I often GM for kids, at summer school and the like.)


Do you have any Do's and Don'ts? Good habits, nice tricks or just scene-framing-routines for when there's another (benevolent) big player™ in town?

And talking about benevolent? What kind of threath is she/he/they?   


If my questions and prompts fail to enthuse, tell us about a NPC hardholder/leader type who worked good in your campaign (before ...or after... eating it).

I want to play! I'll probably MC, but that's playing to!

Kevin Costner in "The Postman". :O

The Hocus, The Skinner, The Savvyhead, The Gunlugger, The Battlebabe, The Hardholde; The Cult, The holdfolk, the believers and non-believers... and the Warlord!


Did I mention I miss playing, "Cold lonely summers"...


What other post-apocalyptic flicks should I see, for inspiration or brilliance?

So I finally got a game going - which is starting to roll. Four players, all less experienced than my 10ish games. One has unfortunately missed two of three sessions.

While I finally think I get fronts, I realize that I need help with threaths.

The PCs:

Vision - The Hocus of a sex-less salvation by holy fire (atom bombs, they cleanse the lost with regular witchburning flame). In game two they embrace sex and sexuality (and parties!) (We are all confused when she's a she.)

Trench - The Faceless, A lumberjack? ...with hopes of having someone to protect, but her morbid antiques alienates her from the rather decent folks of Clearwater

Marlon - The Driver - a rather old hermaphrodite who've forever searched for Utopia, but the first session Hx-reset gives us the secret that s/he's really lost the belief in Utopia

Storm - The Skinner - makes totem-poles, is the glue of Clearwater but maybe also it's curse? Manipulates others for hir own needs. Ambigious gender, blantanty sexual.

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Clearwater is in a Valley. Cheyenne is a youngish leader chosen by popular demand. The populace is hard working, clean and lives in families, with children. The Cult is off course argumentative, shuns cleanliness and is totally sexless, i.e. until their new direction emerges.


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THE FRONTS (please comment/help)


Front 1: HUNGER - "Hungry Eyes spell danger"

Dark future: Clearwater is devoured by those of larger hunger than themselves or by hunger generated by unfortunate events.

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Threath 1: Deep Dark Forest - Landscape, prison

Impulse: To Contain, Deny Egress

"The people fear the forest, and never venture them at night. Dark, strong and dangerous creatures live there in the Darkness. Trench has  felt one's presence."

Custom moves:

- when you patrol the outskirts of the forests at night roll+sharp. On a hit you avoid the ambush and on a 10+ you learn something, on a miss you'd better pray you just get ambushed!

- when you're lost in the forest and try to keep it's voices out, roll+weird. On a miss, the MC will give you a new move. On a hit you'll be able to contain yourself, and on a 10+ you'll remember parts of a conversation (if you want you can read "person")

possible moves:

When you bring others into the forest, gain XP - when you miss an oppourtunity to do so take 1-harm
When you can't see the forest, act under fire to keep calm when doing anything important, gain XP when you shed blood near the forest


THREATH 2:

HUNGER - condition
Impulse: To expose people to danger

When Manitou's raiders Marlon burns down the granary (in the night)


Threath 3: Salacious Sybarites - Brutes - consume recources

"Mostly partying Cultists" - Bundy, Shipman, Costanza, Denke, Bathory, Milat, Toppane, Edina & Gain(dead)

Countdown - every time they party the need for rationing increases (cumulatively):

03:00 - everyone take -1 forward
18:00 - everyne take -1 ongoing
21:00 - everyone acts under fire
after that people will start dying


Threath 4: The Masked Cannibals

Grotesques - Crave Satiety (by eating children), oh ... and they wears masks!
 
They follow the edicts of their long-lost leader, waiting for her/his return, allying themselves to whatever warlord provides...

[to be continued]

So the I present the Playbooks as "this what you get, and you get what's in here". Then everyone seems to enjoy making the characters, and Hx is almost always a blast*.

*) note: I haven't made characters more than 4 times, 75% is still good


So the Angel who considered making a backstory of delivering drugs to the population was told that he couldn't (start with it established). The Battlebabe who wanted a bar had to work (unpaid) there. I'm sure you can think of other examples from your own campaigns.


THE SET-UP: So in a game, after Hx is done and a scene were the Chopper beats up the Hocus and chooses to "impress, terrify or dismay" the Player of the Hocus instigates a scene were he tries to establish that they (the brothers!) have had a regular sexual relationship. The Player of the Chopper ups-the-ante and exclaims that it's the other persons turn. If there's pity on anyone, it's the player in the middle of the sofa.

However, and here's THE QUESTIONS: Where's the line between colourful character-building and shamelessly steeling authorship outside the Playbook?  I feel like that's not only  a way to break the archetype of the playbook, but it lesses the rules.

In Burning Wheel I've learned that a "generous GM" really lesses the character-building if she just let's everyone have shoes, clothes and a sword. Should I be worried - and more strict with the "this is what you get"-speech, or should I let players walk over the Playbooks to enhance their own enjoyment (at the expence of balance/and possibly others?)


I know groups that would not have enjoyed if I insited that my character and another had (any) sexual relations, though it happing in play is cool.

1st Session of our new campaign:

So I read the vignette, then the blurbs on the Playbooks, answer a couple of questions and gulp a little apocalyptica, like when I toss the Playbooks up for grabs: In Apocalypse World “finder’s keeper’s” a rule to live by, (until the gunlugger’s obvious direct move makes t to die by…)


We get:

A Brainer – quite early the player started fiddling with the booklet, terrifying glee upon his visage…

A Driver – I’ve thought the driver looked bland, but somehow it’s been taken all three times I’ve played. I’m really getting to see why it’s a great playbook.

An Angel – the player caught it quite early, but by no means grabbed it. Just sat silently reading it. “I want to play an Angel named ‘Doc’, an lo-and-behold, I could.” I’ve gotten questions on whether the names are mandatory, and I change my answer up, but I really love the “To create your [playbook] choose name, etc…”

… and the last player asks for advice and get The Battlebabe. (I’ve heard referances to “Barb Wire”).

I’m getting a bit anxious, as I’m not too keen on a travelling show, as it’s my really first campaign (and I’ve not really been a conscious fan of post-apocalypse) and I think it’s easier to reincorporate and build investment in a home-based campaign. So I ask questions almost like I’m desperate:

“So, you work for a warlord or something – adding a bit of class? You’re just the right acco- the unpronounceable* word a hardholder need.)”

*)to me :$

Me, confident: "I’m sure you’ve got a base, right?”

The Angel: “Oh, you mean? Nah, I’m a battle-medic. Named ‘Doc’.”

”You’ve got a place you keep coming back to? A favourite place in between missions?”

I don’t think Apocalypse World encourages leading questions, but I know what I'm not up to. The Battlebabe help me out: “I think I own a bar or something.”

Me, grabbing the life-line: “You can’t. That’s actually it’s own playbook, maybe we’ll introduce it later. You could work there, like a violent bouncer or something?”

The B’babe: “Sure.”

Me, saying what honesty demands, as I’ve overstated the “You get what’s in your playbook, what’s in your playbook is what you get”: “Or rather, you could want to work there as a bouncer, now you just take the occasiounal bounce…erhm?...”

B’babe: “My brother runs it, I just hang.”

Me, saved: “So, this bar in the middle of the desert, were you (*looking at the driver*) usually park, and an Angel (*looking at the angel*) has hung up … and a … seedier fellow? (*looking at you-all-know-who*)… so what’s this place, this poison-selling oasis, called:

B’babe: “Crossroads.”

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The Cast:

The Driver – Pheonix– ambigious sex, leather wear – as real and cool like the real fake skai of his back seat - collects cars which is parked at in the Garage behind Tavi’s Crossroads. Slim bodied, with a fine-boned face and cool eyes cool like a lonely desert night.

The Battlebabe – Kite Honeytree– the 16 year-old sweetfaced girls; evocations like “cheerleader” and “jailbait” are tossed around and approved by the player. Arresting eyes. Shotgun and spiked chain accompanying the baggy military pants, the scissored T-shirt and leather jacket.

The Brainer – Burroughs– I describe him as someone the kids, if there were any here, would make rhymes about. A bogeyman with caring eyes, Hot-2. Has kept watching Kite for a while.

The Angel – Doc – man, utility wear, rugged face w/clear eyes and a rangy body. Got the moves 6th Sense and Battlefield grace! A combat-medic, who off course hates combat and only does it for the jingle. Carries an Angel’s kit and a saw off, in addition the wearing armour. Stays in the hammock all day.


Tavi – the proprietor of Crossroads – Kite’s older brother (27 years), quite the business acumen, so keeps a couple of adding-business-peeps around. Taken care of Kite since their parents died a long time ago.

Last – he’s been here longer than Tavi and his sister. Always sits here, tells a couple of not-so-exiting-stories and makes everything last. Somehow he adds business and is kept around.

Lemieux the mechanic – runs a garage behind Crossroads. This is were Pheonix parks his vehicles. Lemieux creates best when drinking, just like Pheonix drives best…

Uncle – the local hardholder – claims patronage of Crossroads, Tavi knows the score and they work pretty independently, if it wasn’t for that unsavoury chap that’s been ogling Kite.

Uncle’s daughter – came in in the last scene.

Lemieux’ Masterpiece – the jukebox that plays four songs, at random each day. Achy-breaky heart, Jolene and a tune with someone loosing his house, wife, cars, but keeping his dog. Knowing the devildingoes of the desert, that’s one guy down on his luck! … oh, and Kite’s favourite: “Like a Virgin”.

Whitey – a broadshouldered dark-skinned “denis roadman in drag” (a movie-referance?), get’s angry if not referred to as “she”. Drinking buddy of Phoenix. Has not yet made an actual appearance.

Rotschild – once threatened Pheonix, got beat up with his two goonies
Peppering – Rotschild’s bodyguard?
??


Uncle military/enforcers:

Rum – bouncy tits, bouncy ass, M16 and a smile
Mad Dog – cartoony Mohawk – pecks like mountains but lack Dolph Lundgren’s mimicry.
Mice – a mousy gal? with a sub-machine rifle
Putrid – new, lives up to his name
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Locations:


Tavi’s Crossroads – a simple roadside cafè-design, with buildings sheds cropped up around it. We’ve got a map.

Uncle’s compound – recently built, barbed wire and a sementy wall. Upon a sandy hill. I’ve described the sands of the deserts like grains of mountains merging to become mountains and outlasting mankind once again. Explains how cars drive the desert…

Dumppolis – a ruined city, with a bowl (football/baseball stadium?) and creatures living/hiding. Cannibals?

The Screaming hills - ???


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Hx – people barely know eachother, except Burroughs who knows everyone. (Pheonix once got startled by him when sleeping – and Doc quite evidently (and rightly) distrusts him. Kite really doesn’t trust Phoenix, even though she helped him out of a scrap in a deal-gone-wrong. She suspects a bad deal indeed, like … ehm, trafficking. Phoenix once helped Doc save a life. Doc thinks Burroughs is doomed to self-distruction. That’s probably only half-true, but at least Doc’s got one positive Hx after being on the road with Phoenix until they got here.

No-one has any cool start-of-game-moves; I guess some loveletters are needed. ?

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First scene is Kite listening to Last telling two of Uncle’s gunluggers about how this tiny sweetfaced girl beat up two men. The story isn’t great, but he tells it with conviction. They spot a dust-cload – and after a while Phoenix walks in the swinging saloon door. Phoenix ends up reading Last and understand that Last stays here for comfort, something bad has happened – that’s why he tells the boring stories.

Then Doc gets hit on by Rum, while lying in his hammock. Doc always keeps his distance.

Then Pheonix get’s hit on by Rum, with her two pals Mad Dog and Mice. Doc’s there – and Burroughs. When Rum gets the shivers when looking at Burroughs, he Direct-brain-whispers to her. Phoenix interferes and misses (get’s Rum’s knee in his groin and bleeds from his ear. -1forward and 1harm(ap). He aces his harm-roll, so I make him og unconscious (feeling the need to deescalate the situation a little)… as  Kite flies over the bar and goes agro on Burroughs, who backs away until Kite presses him against the wall. His caring eyes catches hers and the old man reassuringly pats her forearm while we zoom in on the calf-skin gloves with the small metallic barbs on the fingertips. In-brain-puppet-strings and Kite wants to let it be and walk behind the bar. She fights this and really just want to Seize Burrough’s life by force at the tip of her spikes. So much for de-escalation.

She roll a bit prematurely, while apologizing to the player of Burroughs who’s quite up for it. I defuse it by talking how I would handle it as a player and we agree that Kite tries to kill Burroughs and gives him a scar on his jaw, while fighting the terrible pain that Burroughs somehow inflicts on her with his brainfuckery. 1harm each, and they both learn something of eachother.

Kite offers up that Uncle has reminded Tavi of his interest in the Brainer, and a scene were Rum is posted to “watch him” is made. Rum knows the score, so goes to the bar and leaves Burroughs well alone.

Rum later get’s a ride with Phoenix who’s tounge get’s Rum were the cramped coupe can’t. Phoenix freaks out in the cramped sweaty, back-seat and drives Rum to Crossroads instead of Uncle’s holding. He does however stay* the car in the street until She’s safely out of  reach/view of Burroughs who’s pale, lanky and angular silhouette mirrors the crazy-large eye which we would have refereed to as the moon (only like 8 times bigger).

Burroughs has a scene were he demands results from Tavi, who’ve we’ve learned is “doing accounting upstairs”. Tavi says he knows were it’s buried, and holds up a warning sign in yellow and red of a skull with bones in it. I have a couple of ideas…

Doc is congratulated by Uncle, with the chin-tweak accustomary to small warlords, for saving Uncle’s daughter. He get’s some stuff (1-barter) and extra congrats from Rum, who was with the girl when the Devil-dingoes attacked.

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