The Importance of Naming NPC's (Citizen's of Par do not read!)

That means you RQShades, GET OUT OF HERE!

So last session, Luke (The Angel) came back to Par (a collection of six holds set in former France).  When she got back to her clinic since it wasn't anything major (and at the time I didn't think it was important) I just told her that her two assistants Princess and Leia had four more patients.  Didn't name them actually moved on to a different scene.  Luke's player had to leave shortly after.

The next day I received a text from Luke saying she was going to let heal one, let one die, give water to another, and kill the last so that she could examine the body.  This seemed VERY impersonal so I finally did what I should had done the first time and named the NPC's.  This is the letter Luke received:

Dear Luke,

Zip and Mitchell are brothers one is 10 the other is 14. Their mother Highway has on occasions, like the day of your life giving and whenever a Dust Hurricane come through, has brought a home cooked meal to you. This was because you attempted but failed to save Zip and Mitchell's father Lincoln. Zip and Mitchell have helped in the infirmary occasionally, when they weren't farming, by cleaning up the blood and mess throughout the infirmary. Princess and Leia let them in the infirmary because the family have always helped Princess, Leia, and you out.

Rourke used to be a member of Tiki's Boys but due to him almost beating Bull, another one of the Boys, to death for no reason he was fired. Shortly afterwards he caught the Plague. Leia tells you that she let Rourke into one of the beds cause she owes him. The reason he attacked Bull was because for Bull has repeatedly raped her for three months. It all stopped when Rourke caught Bull about to attack her again after a recent night when she was leaving her shack. She is begging you to save his life since he has basically helped her gain her life back. Oh yeah by the way, there is a strong possibility that he was that one that infected you.

Converse is one of the richest Merchants in Six Holds of Par. She/he (no one really knows what gender Converse is) has been able to bring "fashion" to the holds and many of the Shiny Rich have taken to Converse's designs. Princess let her/him have one of the beds cause he knows you love the Shiny and thought you may be able to extract some from Converse.

So tell me again which 1 are you giving meds to, which one are you going to let suffer, which one are you giving clear water to drink on, and which one are you going to let die so you can dissect?

From simply naming the NPC's I have so much more to add to the narrative and possibly started a front or two.  Moral of the story...NAME YOUR NPC'S!

AWESOME!

This is a perfect example of the importance of making Apocalypse World seem real!

I look forward to hearing the player's response!

Here is the action from G+:

From Luke:

Ok, I'm going to give meds to Zip because although, I can't save both of Highway's sons, I can try to save one. I'm going to give num nums to Mitchell to ease his pain and will be taking thorough notes of how the disease spreads and it's reactions to num nums. Rourke will be given clear water to see if there is any reaction to it and if it has any positive or adverse effects. In the middle of the night when EVERYONE (even Princess and Leia) is asleep and the infirmary is locked up and the windows blocked off with the plywood shutters we made to help keep sand/dust out from the Dust Hurricane and all the entrances locked up, Converse will die 'due to unforeseen complications of the Blackwater Plague' and Luke in her medical wisdom and for the greater good will dissect him to examine the organs and see how the plague affects them.

From Me (Note: Luke was infected with the Plague in a prior incident):

Zip - Try to heal him with meds? How much stock are you going to use on him? Roll + Stock

Custom Move:
Heal the Black Water Plague
Roll + Stock
10+ The Plague is healed. They will heal one clock state every 24 hours. For each stock spent after the first day a clock state is removed.
7-9 Spend an additional stock for a super hard strain of the Plague or all your work will be for nothing.
Miss You can do nothing for them, ever.

Mitchell - Numb to the world
Roll + Stock (Stock will be zero)

Rourke - Give Clear Water
Roll + Stock (Stock will be zero)

Converse - death due to unforeseen complications of the Black Water

As you start dissecting Converse you find many pustules of Black Water throughout her body. They seem to attach themselves to three primary areas where there is a large cluster of nerves, blood, or the lungs. The pustules themselves seem to be developing a primitive form of a brain with the larger pustules seeming to try to "get away" from your knife as you carve into them. Every time you do dig into one of them the pustule that has formed on your back seems to dig into your back more and gives you a strong sharp pain.

Hold 3 Spend a hold to:

+1 forward to a Open Your Brain dealing with the Black Water Plague

+ 1 forward when trying to Heal The Black Water Plague

+1 forward when interacting with someone with the Black Water Plague (can be used for Do Something Under Fire, Go Aggro, Seize by Force, Seduce or Manipulate, Read a Person, Help or Interfere)