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Topics - Ariel

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16
Eschaton / Moves, Mods and Crap
« on: October 13, 2011, 02:53:00 AM »
Just bringing some of the other crap into line; updating. Consider this a work-in-progress.

Moves:

I know what I want: You can spend lust that others have on you, mutatis mutandis.

YOU WANNA SEE THE REAL ME: Dissecting you counts as trauma.

Hunter-Seeker: If you hit 08-10 on threaten, you pick for them.

Hax: Always take an additional +1sync with everynode.

Slight: Anytime you deliberately give in or reveal yourself, take an extra stay.

Cold reader: When you dissect, add these questions: What are your intentions? What do you want me to do? What don't you want me to know?

The War in Heaven: When you act to preserve or judge, take +1 on-going.

Demagogue: When addressing a group you may roll moth instead of vamp or fray, respectively, to seduce or threaten.

Mods:

Infomorph: You can switch bodies with time and intimacy. If it's an emergency, you can assault to forgo them. The MC gets to make a hard move, though.

Nymph: Whenever you want, you can ask: Who do you want all hot and heavy? But the answer is always gonna be you, sug.

Lazarus symbiont: With time and safety, you can uncheck []Buried.

Veritas shunt: You always get to answer if someone dissects you.

Soulstone: If you die, you're dreaming not dead.

Assault architecture: Soak the first box of trauma. Your violence deals extra trauma.

Soulstone: If you die, you're dreaming not dead.

Oracular Plugs: When you scry, or otherwise datamine, about another, roll moth and add its sync. On 13-17, pick two and take +1 sync. On a 11-12, pick two. On a 08- 10, pick one: speak of the already past, of the hidden present, of the possible future, or of the coming eschaton. The MC may ask you: how is that so? If you don't have a good answer, talk about something different instead.

Crap:

Pet Spider: Before you search or grep, you may ask the MC: What node would know what I need to know? Or; Is anyone else listening in?

Violation Glove: You can dissect with moth.

Tydaller squid: If you dissect, re-write the outcomes like so: On a 13-17: You can ask any question and you get to answer. On a 11-12, you'll pick one and answer.  On a 08-10, they'll pick on from the list and you'll answer for them. On a miss, they'll ask whatever they what and they'll answer. You always need lots of time and intimacy,  violation glove or otherwise.

Mainline to Heaven: You get #augury (cf.) except replace the world's psychic maelstrom, with the eschaton.

They'll Negotiate: You can get the effects of threaten on groups of people, large or small. If they suffer trauma, at a minimum, you've got your means of choice in a populated or critical place ready to go. Feel free use other means of asymmetric warfare as you can prepare. Means: IEDs, cyberwarfare, chemical and biological agents or autonomous drones.

Insurgents: You have a squad of trusted and capable mujahideen (small 1-armor #terrorists).

Sleepers: When you reveal one of you sleeper agents, say the name of the NPC and roll moth. On a 10+, they're prepared and loyal. On a 7-9, they're either loyal or prepared, MC's choice.

Bernard: You have an autonomous all-terrain armored vehicle or a helijet medivac, either are about as smart and loyal as a working dog. Everyone in or around it gets +2 to resist.

Spawning pool: You have an infirmary, vatfarm, or warren with a dozen pods, a surgical theater, five nurses and security (small). Detail. Counts as a workshop (cf.) where you can work on biological things.

17
Eschaton / BASICS: Moves
« on: August 10, 2011, 04:05:23 AM »
[this top post is subject to modification, rewrites and updates]

The basics moves at the moment:

Fray:

When you threaten violence or commit assault, roll fray and add assault. On a 13-17, they comply and suffer trauma. On a 11-12, they comply or suffer trauma. On a 08-10 as above or they can select one:
      •Evac from terrible you
      •Redoubt their position
      •Have you cause collateral
      •Exchange trauma for trauma

When you recover from trauma, roll fray and add recover. On a hit, uncheck a trauma box. On a13-17, the MC will select none. On a 11-12, one. On a 08-10, two: you miss something critical; you're immobilized for the duration; you'll need someone else's help; you'll scar.

Scars are permanent stigmas on your character. If they're exploited during a scene, either they take +1 against you or you take -1, based on the context.

Vamp:

When you try to dissect another's psyche, roll vamp and add dissect. This takes either time or intimacy.  On a 13-17: You can ask any question and they have to answer. On a 11-12, they'll pick on from the list and you'll answer for them.  On a 08-10, you'll pick one and they'll answer. On a miss, they'll pick and you'll answer.
   •Who do you want all hot and heavy?
   •How are you hungry?
   •When are you at your most vulnerable?
   •What are secret pains?
   •Where do you hide from the world and its ruin?

{I feel like this list needs to be bigger or more flexible some how, having a different style might get you a different list?}


When you seduce another, roll vamp and add seduce. On a 13-17, take +2 lust with them, or deal trauma. On a 11-12, take +1 lust with them. On a 08-10, as above, or they can choose to be #vulnerable to you, or promise you something they think you want.

When you transact with someone, roll vamp and add your lust with them. On a 13-17, you can spend lust; additionally, you can spend lust for trauma. If this either exiles or breaks them, they don't take the trauma and become your ally (cf.) instead. On a 11-12, you can spend lust if you make a promise. On a 08-10, you can spend lust if you give them concrete assurances or immediate payment.

When you spend lust, you can get them to do something you want, have them be #vulnerable to you, or make their actions counts as resisting.

When someone is #vulnerable to you, take +1 against them.
     
Edge:

When you evade detection, pursuit, or resist trauma, roll edge and add evade. On a 13-17,  take +3 stay. On a 11-12, +2 stay. On a 08-10, +1 stay.

When you spend stay, take an action and/or: it's unimpeded, remain undetected, resist pressure or trauma, prevent recourse so far as possible, remain stable, etc.

When you hustle, roll edge and add hustle. On a hit, you find whatever it was.  On a 13-17, pick three from the list. On a 11-12 pick two. On a 08-10, pick one: It comes perfect, easy and/or quick.

Moth:

When you google a node to sync with, roll moth and add your search. On a hit, give it a name and save it. On a 13-17, take +1 sync with it. On a 11-12, take +0 sync. On a 08-10, take -1 sync. The MC will #tag as appropriate.

When you grep a node, roll moth and add your sync with it. On a 13-17, you get detailed, useful and pertinent data. On a 11-12, it's either specific or pertinent. On a 08-10, it's either vague or marginal. Use the node without paying, take -1 sync with it; feed the node more data than it wants, take +1 sync.

18
Eschaton / BASIC MOVES SHEET
« on: May 27, 2011, 08:32:55 PM »
Just the current basic moves; no play today as one of the player bailed. Next week more playstorming hopefully.
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/19044994/BASICMOVES-0.00.06.pdf

19
Eschaton / Playstorm Session Zero: Playbooks
« on: May 24, 2011, 01:33:04 AM »
So! I had the gang over and we hammered on this train wreck for a while making characters and tentative playbooks. It was pretty great! It's late here I'm exhausted from work but I'll write up some stuff soon. We'll be doing Session One on Friday, so world building and shit will happen then. I've lots of work to do!

So far the three playbooks are:

The Sybil is can see the future and scry your memories.

The Mahdi is the leader of a just cause, replete with sleeper cell.

The Envoy talks to the unspeakable Other and survive its listening.

20
Eschaton / Alternative XP systems?
« on: May 10, 2011, 02:14:08 AM »
I think the AW XP rules are kinda weak and don't really work for my players. They're not really the sort to either remember to mark XP when they use highlighted stats or chase after it by using the highlighted stats more often.

Does anyone having any have any other idea about advancement other than giving everyone an advance a session?
 

21
Eschaton / Cool stat + moves
« on: May 06, 2011, 12:09:05 AM »
Could you talk about that some Johnstone?

I'm having trouble see it as different from the Heavy stat and moves. I know it's different, more about stealth and level-headedness than toughness or combat.

I probably just need to think about it a little more.

AW doesn't having good options for being sneaky as a default and I've having trouble imagining the basic moves tied to it.


22
Eschaton / Thoughts vis-a-vis the PCs
« on: May 01, 2011, 07:39:48 PM »
While walking home from an encounter with Montreal's finest shields and batons, it occurred to me that the PCs should not be a special forces police detective master chiefs fighting the good fight against the evil Other and its rabble of corrupt masses.

I want to make explicit in this game that you're not saving the world or dying gloriously for blood and soil. You're not the last vanguard of some threated progressive liberal state making one last paternal stand against the barbarian hordes.

Johnstone hit the nail on the head when he framed it as kind of psychic drug war / cold war. But you don't play DEA or CIA agents routing out threats to american hegemony. You play the revolutionaries, the drug dealers or the cultists that are symptomatic of the metaphysical sea change that's literally ending the world as we know it. Those are just examples but I wanted to make clear that this game isn't about the tragic heroics of the boys in blue.

I want to make equally explicit that the denouement should not be some utopian victory either. Simply that the world ends and what on the Other side of that should be unrecognizable.

Not to proscribe the narrative too much but those are my design goals for this.


23
Eschaton / [SOCIAL+STRINGS+PACTS]
« on: April 23, 2011, 11:31:11 PM »
[SOCIAL+STRINGS+PACTS]

+Strings [stole straight out of Joe's Monsterhearts.]

Spend a String to:
   make them vulnerable to you
   subtract 1 from their next move against you
   declare that their actions count as holding fast (if you’re in the scene or it affects you)
   add an extra harm to whatever harm you deal them
   add 1 to your next move against them
   add 1 to their next move (if you’re in the scene or it affects you)

//When you turn someone on, learn their vulnerabilities or manipulate them, roll social.

On  a 13+, take and string on them and they'll promise you something they think you want.

On a 11-12, take a string against them or make them vulnerable.

On a 8-10, they choose one:

   They're vulnerable to you
   Promise something they think you want
   Give you a string against them

//When you shut someone down or shut something out, roll social.

On a 13+, all four and take a string against them.

On a 11-12, choose three.

On a 8-10, choose two:

   They lose a string against you
   You don’t leave yourself vulnerable
   You don’t need to hold fast during your next encounter
   You don't act like a fucking monstrous brute or a brittle calloused husk

//When someone is vulnerable, add 1 to your rolls against them.

//When you try to dissect someone, +vamp.

   On 13+,  may ask whatever question you like and they answer.

   On 11-12, they pick one and you answer for them.

   On 8-10, you pick one and they answer for themselves.

      Who do you want all hot and heavy?
      What are you covetous of?
      When are you at your most vulnerable?
      Where are your secret pains?
      How could I break your commitments, your loyalty?

//When you make a pact with someone, +deal.

   Outline the nature of the agreement with the MC.    

   On 13+, pact+1. On 11-12, pact+0.  On 8-10, pact-1.

   Spend pact to have the other party fulfill their end as best as they can.
   Gain pact by holding up your end.
   If you renegotiate, add you current pact to the roll.

I don't know if you had another move worked up for make a deal or whatever, Johnstone, but this is my first stab at it.

I'd like to rework strings, pacts, dissect and social so that they integrate better together.

24
Eschaton / BASIC STAT + MOVES: HEAVY
« on: April 22, 2011, 11:38:47 PM »
[Heavy]

When you risk agony, setbacks or peril, roll heavy.

   On a 13+, miraculous you transcends the possible.

   On a 10-12, fortune favours for now.

   On a 7–9, you're bribing fate with blood; it's an ugly exchange.

When you commit to violence, +fray.

   On a 13+, it's done and hold one; spend hold for:

      +1forward, +ap +damage +armor

   On a 10-12, it's done.

   On a 7–9, they can choose to:

      Evac from the wrath of terrible you.
      Make with the wealth and lips.
      Be at your feet, at your mercy, please.
      Catch you out, trading fire for fire.
      Have you cause collateral.

When you hold fast against traumas or terrible happenings, +hull.

   On a 13+,  ignore it; it's beneath you.

   On a 10-12, you hold and push through.

   On a 7-9, you stunned, setback or put in a spot.

Still, needs to be cleaned up a bit - but so far there it is.

Suggestions always welcome.

25
Eschaton / Agenda + Principles + Moves
« on: April 19, 2011, 09:57:08 PM »
AGENDA

Make the players' characters' lives not boring.
Make the eschaton seem real.
Play to find out how the world ends.

ALWAYS SAY (as per AW)

THE PRINCIPLES

New:
Always tempt the characters to play for the Other side.
Make the human monstrous; make the monstrous truly abject and alien.
Talk about the world and its ending.
Play up the uncanny and the desperate.
Give the Nodes a life and agenda of their own.
Immanentize the eschaton.

Awesome:
Address yourself to the characters, not the players.
Make your move, but misdirect.
Make your move, but never speak its name.
Ask provocative questions and build on the answers.
Be a fan of the players’ characters.
Sometimes, disclaim decision-making.

YOUR MOVES

New:
Add or remove a tag.
Activate a tag.
Have the Other intervene.

Awesome:
Separate them.
Put them together.
Announce off-screen badness.
Announce future badness.
Inflict harm (as established).
Trade harm for harm (as established).
Make them pay a price.
Tell them the possible consequences and ask.
Offer an opportunity, with or without a cost.
Turn their move back on them.
After every move: “what do you do?”

As always: ideas, comments, criticism, &c are always welcome. I'm just spit ballin'.

26
Eschaton / Playbooks
« on: April 03, 2011, 03:50:06 PM »
I think that maybe playbooks are a good idea again.

Does anyone one have any ideas or things they'd like to see?

27
Eschaton / The (Ghost) Field
« on: March 18, 2011, 11:21:35 PM »
Originally, there's a stat and a basic move, then a new hold-economy, and yeah. It was lame.

Instead, I came up with this:

When you channel the Field to commit acts inhuman and graceless, tell the Field what you want, what you need.

You can't refuse its gifts; your reciprocity is expected in equal measure.

What it asks in return is dictated by your Moth.

Pick a flavour:

Jealous
It seeks to be the only thing in your existence. It questions your commitments. It demands fidelity.

Voracious
Offer up more bodies, more wealth, the firstlings and the fat thereof. It wants to suck the whole of your being out with its caresses.

Seductive
It pulls you in closer, deeper, softer, wetter, further and further with the waters of the birth push.

Vengeful
Hush, beloved. We'll see to it that there is blood to paid for crossing us.

Monstrous
It transforms your body into its home; your soul its skin.

Cruel
It rarely cares for your petty wants and desires, sleeve.

Secret
No one can know about us. They'll ruin it; they can't be trusted.

28
Eschaton / Emerging phenomena: stats, moves, mods and gear.
« on: March 14, 2011, 07:45:55 PM »
Basic Stats & Moves

+Hull

When you confront trauma, roll+hull.

On a 10+, you're all snakeskin and callous.
On a 7–9, you're bribing fate with blood: negotiate the outcome with the Field.

+Fray

When you commit to violence, roll+fray.

On a 10+, it's done.
On a 7–9, they can choose to:
  • Evac from the wrath of terrible you.
  • Make with the wealth and lips.
  • Be at your feet, at your mercy, please.
  • Catch you out, trading fire for fire.
  • Have you cause collateral.

+Vamp

When you try to dissect someone, roll+vamp.

On 10+, they pick one and you answer for them.
On 7-9, you pick one and they answer for themselves.
  • Who do you want all hot and heavy?
  • What are you covetous of?
  • When are you at your most vulnerable?
  • Where are your secret pains?
  • How could I break your commitments, your loyalty?

+Echo

Whenever you listen for echoes, name the node and roll+echo.

On a 10+, you're sync+1 with that node.
On a 7-9 sync+0 and the Field adds a tag you won't like.

When you need to glean some decent info, roll+sync.

On a 10+, if it knows, you know. Aces.
On a 7-9, knowing costs you. Take -1sync.

Get +1sync for:
  • Upstreaming sterling info
  • Being a faithful sleeve
  • Worming yourself into its graces

29
Eschaton / Citations and Quotations
« on: February 14, 2011, 03:00:46 AM »
"We take off to the cosmos, ready for anything: for solitude, for hardship, for exhaustion, death. Modesty forbids us to say so, but there are times when we think pretty well of ourselves. And yet, if we examine it more closely, our enthusiasm turns out to be all sham. We don't want to conquer the cosmos, we simply want to extend the boundaries of Earth to the frontiers of the cosmos. For us, such and such a planet is as arid as the Sahara, another as frozen as the North Pole, yet another as lush as the Amazon basin. We are humanitarian and chivalrous; we don't want to enslave other races, we simply want to bequeath them our values and take over their heritage in exchange. We think ourselves as the Knights of the Holy Contact. This another lie. We are only seeking Man. We have no need for other worlds. We need mirrors. We don't know what to do with other worlds. A single world, our own, suffices us; but we can't accept it for what it is. We are searching for an ideal image of our own world: we go in quest of planet, of a civilization superior to our own but developed on the basis of a prototype of our primeval past. At the same time, there is something inside us which we don't like to face up to, from which we try to protect ourselves, but which nevertheless remains, since we don't leave Earth is a state of primal innocence. We arrive here as we are in reality, and when the page is turned and that reality is revealed to us - that part of our reality which we would prefer to pass over in silence - then we don't like it anymore."

I listened to him patiently.

"But what on earth are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about what we all wanted: contact with another civilization. Now we've got it! And we can observe, through a microscope, as it were, our own monstrous ugliness, our folly, our shame!"

from Stanislaw Lem's Solaris (1970: 72)

There is a monster in all of us; that monster's name is desire.
That monster has a history; its title is trauma.

30
Eschaton / FISSILE SCRAP [Source Material]
« on: February 11, 2011, 07:29:51 PM »
//DRUGS
All of them.

//VIDS
Liquid Sky + Aeon Flux + Vampire Hunter D + Children of Men + Last Night

//TEXT
Jean Baudrillard + H.P. Lovecraft + William Gibson + Greg Egan + Bruce Sterling + Samuel R. Delany + Stansilaw Lem

//NOISE
Crystal Castles + USK + Aliceffekt + Gorillaz + Godspeed You! Black Emperor + ADULT.

Free free to suggest more or others.

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