Angels infirmary

Last session an Angel with infirmary joined to game. None of us really understood in what way the infirmary is like the Savyheads workspace. Could he build things on patients, like plastic arms and stuff- or just fixed them up really good after battle. What´s special about the infirmary? Is it just for doing medic-things or could he, like, invent new life-forms?

I also have a question about drugs...

In our game the hocus invets a drug from his own blood- there is a huge device that trnsforms the blood. The blood drug is extremly addictive. Our driver Marlon is addicted to the drug and uses it to be able to drive for days.

In our last game the Hoces died and his cult too. A huge can of blood drug was left behind in the care of an npc. So Marlon has a hang over and wants the drug.

My question is about making the drug a threat and how to make a good custom move for his addiction. Or is it more fun to just play it out? I think it´s kinda hard to have Marlon role act under fire all the time until he get´s the drug, becouse that directs his agenda to getting the drug- and I´m not sure that´s what the player want´s to do.

The NPC Audrie- who got the drug most absolutely plans to use it to either control Marlon or the whole city.

The Hocus lover still lives, and is about to give birth to his child, so may have more potent blood in the story...

Any thoughts or advice?

Addiction is totally am Affliction: Condition. It deserves a special move for how it interacts with PCs, of course, but look at some of the basic threat moves you get with afflictions:

* Someone neglects duties, responsibilities, obligations
* Someone takes self-destructive, fruitless, or hopeless action.
* Someone approaches, seeking comfort.

etc. Lots of good ones.

Now, let's see, custom move, custom move. How about:

Addiction: When you take the drug, take +1 forward. After that +1 forward is used, take -1 ongoing until you take the drug again.

As to the infirmary... well, it's good for fixing people, especially weird stuff that isn't quite harm and thus not as covered with the moves, things like blindness or disease (that you don't have a custom move for) or such. It's also good for figuring out what's wrong with people, if it's not obvious. "He's been bleeding out of his eyes, ears, and nose for HOW long? Okay, take him to the infirmary, let's get to the bottom of this."

And of course, the infirmary would probably be a good place to try and treat weird hocus-blood addiction. "Sure, no problem, but... you're going to need to analyze (ie, take apart) a sample of the drug before it's taken, and then you're going to need to take apart the liver of somebody who's overdosed on the drug... AND the best you'll be able to do is a crap version, weak and unreliable. It'll be better than no cure, it'll get rid of the -1 ongoing, definitely, but it won't be quite perfect, might be aftereffects and flashbacks from time to time. Y'know, if he botches a brain-opening roll or something."

Thanks!

How about?

In the beginning of every session (as long as you´re an addict) roll act under fire
Hit - take +1 hard as long as you are under the influence
7-9 While not under the influece choose on
- Voices tell you strange stuff +1 to act on them
- You see visions of the space ship and the aliens
- +1 when you do put your or others life at risk for getting the drug
Miss - take -1 Cool as long as you´re not under the influence

The drug lasts for 12 hours.

What we know so far is that you get violent from the drug- while high.

To not be an addict something have to be done in game- like something invented in the infirmary...

I think an infirmary should facilitate healing above and beyond the field medicine of an angel kit, so perhaps it gives an additional +1 to the angel kit's stabilize roll.  If you want to force spending of at least some resources, you can make it an additional +1 when at least 1-stock is used. 

I'm going to disagree. I think an infirmary is just an infirmary. It's something you get in the fiction, with all the inherent benefits and drawbacks of having a thing in the fiction brings. It's a place to keep your stuff, treat people in a secure place, it's got a door you can bar, you can sleep there, etc.

Man, it's just like the Savvyhead workspace.  If you want to make an ICU or prosthetics shop, tell the MC and you'll find out how hard it is.

For the addiction, I'd make a move like When You Go Cold Turkey...
That way, it's in the player's hands.  He can avoid that move by securing his supply.

What´s special about the infirmary? Is it just for doing medic-things or could he, like, invent new life-forms?

Yeah, these aren't really questions that go on the board, they're questions that the GM answers according to the his agenda and his principles, especially "Make AW seem real".

"I want to make a new life form and I've got an infirmary."

"Is that... is that a question? You want to... goddammit. What do you want to make, Tom?"

"Imagine a piranha, but with... like... feet and legs..."

"WTF? This what I'm doing Monday nights? Uhhh.....I guess you'll need a starting point.... like an actual piranha or at least a fish you could glue teeth to or.... Really, though? What the hell are you going to do with running pir.... Don't even answer that! If you get a a bunch of fish and like a skin graft laser thingy and Weird Moe to help you and a fuckton of jingle, then sure. You'll have piranha with feet. I hope you realize that footed piranha are gonna be... like.... their own special threat type. Hell, that's a whole front. And also, the game is now stupid...."


But yeah, my stupid group aside, workspaces and infirmaries are ground into the fiction, so it's up to individual MCs to answer that "Hey, can I do [blank]?" question when it happens according to the fiction, per the principles.

You're nicer than I am, Chris!

"Sure, no problem, but... first, you're gonna need to figure out genetics. I don't mean basic college levels, I'm talking totally mad science stuff, which I'm not convinced is a mastery of the subject your angel possesses. Also, it's gonna take hundred of tries. And you'll either be putting yourself and your colleagues at great risk if these fuckers get out, ha ha what are the odds of that happening, or the best you'll be able to do is a crap version, weak and unreliable. Pathetic little abominations of nature that couldn't threaten a legless cat, y'know?"

"You want to figure out mad science genetics? Sure, no problem. You're gonna need to add a library of golden age science textbooks on the subject to your workspace. You're also gonna need a controlled growing environment. I mean, the infirmary's just life support and a drug lab right now, not quite ideal for playing god. And it's probably going to take months of work, by which I mean study. Lastly, what would really help is taking apart one of those twisted and dangerous mutant things from the burn flats, while it's still alive."

"A controlled growing environment? Sure, no problem. You're gonna need some basic tools for working on, y'know, stuff, not people. Something to form a good hermetic seal. An air filter. And enough other weird odds and ends that you're probably just going to have to suck it up and get Rolfball's help with the whole matter. He's always got crazy shit stored away in those secret stashes of his."

"Basic tools for working on stuff, not people? Sure, no problem, but you're gonna have to add some basic tools for working on stuff, not people, to your workspace. Seriously, you're gonna make a wrench with your bare hands, or maybe some scalpels and a copious supply of medical drugs? Of course, you could just go to the marketplace and buy... oooh, that's right, somebody shot the marketplace up last week, didn't they? Well (offer them an opportunity, with or without a cost), there is talk of another marketplace over in Salt. It's about a short drive straight through the brightdust forest, or about five days if you go around. Road trip?"

Yes, the savvyhead in my IRC game is getting a little frustrated with me. (I haven't taken it nearly this far, but he's asked for weather control machine when the entire apocalypse is more or less weather-based, so, yeah, he's gonna have to work for it.)

Oh yeah. I really like the savvyhead/infirmary rules for exactly that kinda of group "realism" selector switch.

There's a guy in my gaming group who has been talking about this post-apoc game he's been wanting to play, really just setting stuff. Well, every time he talks about it, it's a big long deal about making gunpowder. Like the exact specifics, all about saltpeter and whatnot. I don't care at all.

But really, AW lets you do that if your group is into it. I view "Make AW seem real" as just that: it needs to SEEM real, i.e. be internally consistent. Sort of how Firefly doesn't give a damn about faster than light travel, but is still consistent, so most people don't question it.

But if you're in a group that DID question that sort of thing and you all LOVE that stuff, the savvyhead rules let you get crazy with the realism if that's your bag.

"Well, first you'll need to thread all the screws you're planning to put in your new workbench."

It's at the GM/group's discretion. And that's sort of my answer to the OP. It's up to the MC how much to focus on the minutia of building stuff vs eliding that whole thing. The footed piranha are a bad example, but you can tell, I'm more of the "fuck it, sure, I'm not gonna put up TOO many roadblocks between you and the stuff you want" kinda guys.

Except for Michael. Michael never gets what he wants. I added it to my principles...

EDIT: Plus, the psychic maelstrom eats science. If you want the world to seem real (and you do), but you don't know what's actually required to reattach a guy's face, then, when I'm running, shit's about to get weird. Like Weird weird.

Like other people have said, you'll figure it out within the fiction. The Angel in my game shot a cultist in the back, and then had to heal him (despite the kid having taken like 3-harm).  Unfortunately, the kid was then paralyzed from the waist down. Angel's player: "Uh, can I heal that too? Maybe with Healing Hands?" Me: "Nah, but I bet if you got him into the infirmary, got Shigusa and Moxie to help, and spent all day working at it, you might have a shot. Of course, it would mean exposing yourself to the danger that he might die..."

Except for Michael. Michael never gets what he wants. I added it to my principles...

Yeah. Like, last session for example, Satan just wanted a drink...