Updated draft here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13AO1dkhBTHr9S1oEWeR4TFS2NnPEXDiDSCHsESqrikA/edit?usp=drive_web

Added info on keystones and realms. Updated intro. Clearing things up,  and getting a good idea of how things are going to look. Play sheet and realm sheets will be primarily composed of questions,  and some answers.  Realms will also have  emotional moves that express metaphor as reality, if I can make it work like it works in my head.  Fingers crossed.

Should have an updated draft posted tomorrow.

So, to sum up decisions made on Google+ and in some private conversations, current changes include making it "The player's themselves against the end of all things" as mentioned above,  changing an agenda from... whatever it was before to "To destroy the world and then fill it with wonder" and removing the mirroring principle, changing another agenda to "To play as though you've lost everything that ever mattered," as well as clearing up and changing some moves.

Also cutting out the current "First Session" stuff, moving it into another doc until I can fix it up, and hammering out some Realm stuff. Pursuant to a conversation with +Kirk Mitchell, in the remnants of the world at the start of things, as well as at the tattered edges of Realms where reality meets aether and things get more fluid, coming up with some "When You Feel X, Y Obstacle comes into being" moves. "When you express dread of the long night ahead, Chapel Perilous is there." That kinda thing, except more refined, essentially merging some metaphor and reality.

Sharpening the pickaxe and mining Neverending Story, The Fall, and Sognami for anything of transferrable value.

Cheers all!

Inspired by Ben Lehman's approach in Bliss Stage and other discussions on involving peoples real lives in gaming, a new thought on the first session thing. Instead of vaguely defined godforms in an also vague apocalypse, kick off with the world around the players being destroyed, and the players themselves being the Malari. I love me some meta, after all. How's this as a kickoff text:

"Alright folks, that's it. Fifteen minutes ago, everything ended. Mists of oblivion, aether, rushed in from outside existence and just... erased everything. Everything except this place we're standing, right here. Look around. What clues are there here to the great spirit that chose this place to save? What building nearby is it's temple? Right now, we are all that's left, and we've been empowered to be Malari, painters of reality, reformed of base element and passion. We'll need items of great power, keystones, to rebuild the world in our image. Luckily there's one not too far away."

From there, proceeding to ask questions that fill out the character playbook, like about the Name(1) at your core, and the passion that empowers you, and your elemental composition.

(1)Speaking of, especially with this concept I want "Name" to really have heft. How's this sound - "When you invoke the power of your name, draw as if Aided. If any card you draw is Aether, your name is changed by the brush with oblivion. Alter it, and it's meaning." Q.V. root syllabic meaning. Lots of thoughts.

I ask the player when they take it what they think. It's happened twice now and I've gotten each answer once. I find with MH games not going excessively long in number of sessions, either option works great.

Basic Moves

When you take action at risk to yourself or others, name what it may cost you, and draw from the world's balance. If  Aligned, you succeed without cost; if Neutral, you succeed at cost.

When you charge into battle against mortal creatures, draw. If you draw Aligned hold 3, Neutral hold 1. If you draw Opposed hold 1 anyway; the world still moves against you. While you have hold, your majesty protects you from any mortal creatures. Spend your hold to:
Clear a way out of the battlefield for others.
Kill any mortal creatures without mercy.
Prevent harm from coming to another.
Additionally if you draw Air, the wind gathers around you sending mortal creatures flying back.

When you brutally assail another Malar, you not only hurt them, you see into them. Wound them and draw. If you draw Aligned, ask 2, Neutral ask 1.
Why does this cut so deep?
What emotion does this draw forth in you?
How do you plan to respond?
Additionally if you draw Fire, primal flame infuses your strike and the wound you deal is deep; inflict a second wound. One way or another, if they are in a position to, they may wound you as well.

When you hide your nature to move unnoticed, you may with ease. If you wish to draw on your power in your disguise, draw. Aligned, you may pass the ability off without notice among mortal creatures. Neutral, use it more than once and your nature will be revealed. If you draw Stone, the earth itself is ready to keep your secrets; should you be discovered, you may slip away without notice through stone or natural ground.

When you hold fast and defend another, draw. If you draw Aligned hold 2, Neutral hold 1.While you have hold, you may wound anyone who moves aggressively toward your charge. Spend your hold to:
Learn the hidden weakness of a foe you face.
Learn the hidden strength of your charge.
Draw out a known strength in your charge.
If you draw Stone, you may root in place with the strength of the mountain and cannot be moved unless you will it.

When you enter a new situation with other Malari, draw and ask any one question about the state of things from another Malar's perspective; they must answer honestly. If you draw Aligned act as though you were Aided when acting on the answer. If you draw Opposed ask anyway, but the world still moves against you. If you draw Light, the truth shines through to you here; at any point you may ask one more question about this place, being Aided by the answer.

When you confront aethertouched beings with the truth of the coming world, say a few words and draw. Neutral or Aligned, the light in you shines strong, and the invulnerability of the aetherlings fades for now. If you draw Aligned, tell us what new insight your light has given you into the nature of aether. Further, if you draw Light, your heart shines bright casting the aether completely from mortal creatures near to you; they are freed.

When you use calm words to settle tempers, draw. If you draw Aligned, the power of your words reverberates deep, and heals wounds in all who listen to what you say. Aligned or Neutral, say how any mortal creatures present will react, following your words; they will do so until something interferes. Malari forge their own way. Additionally if you draw Water, calming mists flow to all who can hear you, and none may commit violence while you continue to display peace.

When you Aid another with their action, they draw and extra token from the balance and discard the worst result. Whatever cost, you face it too.

When you Hinder another's action, tell us what it costs you. They draw an extra token from the balance and discard the best result.

Playing The Game

Always say:
What honesty demands
What the principles demand
What any prepared materials you have demand
in that order.

The Agendas are the reasons you play the game. Do these always, and never do the things these aren't. You play the game:

to make each other's lives not boring.
to find out what happens.
to fill the world with ruin and wonder
to share graciously. You aren't a alone here; be enthusiastic about your fellow players' visions and ideas.
to play your character as though she were a real person


The Principles are things you should seek to do whenever you say anything in the game.

Emphasize colours. Paint the world with passion.
Go big or go home. Describe in epic scale.
Let the mists of destruction, aether, tear it down, but build a bigger world through play.
Address yourself to the characters, not your fellow players.
When the world moves, misdirect, never speak its name.
Make everything personal, and tie it to the past.
Ask lots of questions and build on the answers.
Respond with escalation and occasional victory.
Be each other's biggest fan.
Think offscreen, too.
Don't have a conversation with yourself. Don't make the other players have conversations with themselves.

The World Moves are the specific things you say when you're describing the situation to others from the perspective of the world. When people stop talking about what they're doing and turn to the table to see how the chips fall, someone, anyone, gets to pick something from this list to say, but remember, don't speak the move's name. Also, when someone draws, and the draw is Opposed, somebody pick as hard a World Move as they like and run with it. Always set up harder moves with softer moves first.

Separate them.
Put someone in danger.
Trade wounds.
Harm someone.
Take something away from them.
Show them the downside of their passions and powers.
Give them an ugly choice.
Tell them the consequences and ask.
Turn their move back on them.
Make a Realm Move or a Threat Move.

Hahah, first thing I thought when I saw this was "Man, [Pheylorn]'s gonna love this"

No worries! I love tinkering like this. Glad I could lend a hand.