Now, for our last session, we hadn't played in a while, and I wanted to bring everyone up to speed with a bang. I also wanted to have some time pass- most of our sessions were day to day- I was going to advance things a month. And we had a new player, after losing our brainer.
So everyone got a start of session sheet. Good times.
You'll note that I don't really make any attempt to balance these against each other. Some PCs are in good positions, others are in bad ones, and others need to make their own luck, and it shows.
Dear Chopper.
It's been a month since Sarge took over your gang and Dark got sucked up into the sky. Spend a barter for food & stuff, and erase all your wounds. So, what's been going on with you?
Roll your Cool. Pick one option under Gang, Location, and Life. If you get a 7-9, pick one Good, one Bad, and one Ugly (you can pick worse if you like.) If you get a 10+, you can pick two Good and a Bad or one Good and two Bad. If you miss, pick one Bad and two Ugly.
(Oh man o man did he blow this roll.)
The Gang:
Good:
*After a few weeks, Sarge asked you to be in charge again. Peaceful transfer of power.
*You've left the gang behind. Change playbooks to Driver or Gunlugger (the later requires Misha's permission.)
Bad:
*The gang's been growing. It's back up to fifteen strong. But you still aren't in charge, and Sarge's power is growing with the new recruits.
*You bested Sarge in ritual combat. You're back in charge of the gang, and you have their respect.
Ugly:
*You're in charge again, after a bloody battle with Sarge, but the gang is almost completely wiped out. It's just you and five other guys.
*Last you heard, Sarge took the gang to Mercer to raid the place. That was a week ago. (which means they all got infected by the Screwfly Virus)
Your Location:
Good:
*Having the drop on a trade convoy.
*In Shakytown, drinking on Jarvis's jangle.
*At the Drive-In, helping with Projector's movie.
Bad:
*On the doorstep of the Mint, begging for an audience with Millions.
*Out in the middle of Wreck City, completely fucking lost.
Ugly:
*Laying siege to Mercer, maybe alone, maybe with your gang.
*Surrounded by a bunch of goddamned ferals.
Your Miserable Life:
Good:
*Mark experience.
*You have a new Bike. Build it per the starting rules.
*You're seeing this nice little piece of ass on the side. Her name's LaLa.
Bad:
*Scanner is fucking pissed about what happened to his truck.
*You've been having nightmares. Really vivid ones.
Ugly:
*You're deeply in debt to Jarvis for booze, drugs, and whores. You owe him like 5 fucking barter.
*Somehow, you think you got infected with the Mercer virus. How? (Heh.)
Cheers, your MC
Dear Battlebabe,
It's been a slow month. Spend a barter, heal your wounds.
Roll your Cool. On a 10+, pick a choice from the Good list. On a 7-9, pick one from the Good list, and one from the Bad list. On a miss, pick one from the Bad list.
Good:
*You did a job for someone. Who and what? Add 2 barter.
*It's been an enlightening month. Mark experience.
*You salvaged a bike. Stat it using the Chopper playbook.
*You got a cool new toy. Take a new custom weapon.
Bad
*I get to pick your current location.
*Whoever has the most Hx with you picks your current location.
*You lost some of your toys. Pick one of your weapons, and erase it.
*You came in contact with the Mercer virus. You might be infected.
Locations:
You are...
*... at the Drive-In, working on Projector's stupid movie.
*... in or around Mercer, a deadly ghost in the shadows.
(Tim asks me, 'can I pick two locations?' And I'm like 'No. Maybe. What did you have in mind? So he starts out near Mercer kicking ass, with Projector filming it. And proceeds to kill every damn infected in Mercer, like 30-40 guys, with a series of like 10 Go Aggro and Act Under Fire Rolls that all went his way.)
*... kneeling in Million's throne room, in chains.
*... at the outskirts of the Mint, sizing up the place.
*... in Shakytown, your knife to Jarvis's throat.
*... in Shakytown, waking up in bed with Jarvis.
*... out in the Wrecks, doing your own thing.
*... at Satan's Crossroads, looking for answers.
Cheers, your MC
Dear Angel,
It's been a month. Spend 1 Barter for your operating expenses. Heal any wounds you might have.
You're on hard times. It takes a hard person to make the best of that. Roll your Hard. On a success, pick a result from the Good list, and one from the Bad list. On a 10+, pick two from the Good list, and one from the Bad list. On a failure, pick one from the Good list, and two from the Bad list.
Good:
*Mark experience.
*You know who the father of Princess's child is. (I asked Len, who played Shit Head, who the father is. He rolled a die. It's Abe, the dead hardholder's.)
*You've been putting the people to work sewing bandages, cleaning needles, finding herbs, and donating blood. Spend a barter, and remove the Medical Supply Scarcity condition from either the Drive-In or Shakytown (but not both).
*You've profitably relocated to either the Drive-In or the Mint. Take +1 forward for your Gig rolls.
*Business is good. Take +1 forward for your Gig rolls.
*You've come into ownership of some weird piece of cyberware. It's not working quite yet. What is it?
*Work on a cure is progressing. Take +1 to all future rolls to cure someone infected with the Mercer Virus.
Bad:
*There's been a rash of medical emergencies, and you've been footing the bill. Spend 3 stock.
*Babe got himself shot.
*Way has been spending most of her time in a drugged-up stupor.
*Business is terrible. Take -1 forward to your Gig rolls.
*Jarvis knows you're harboring Princess, and he's not happy about it.
*One of your samples of the Mercer virus has gone missing.
Cheers, your MC
Dear Hocus,
You are in a place where time has no meaning. Or maybe you're in a time where place has no meaning. Definitely one of those two. Heal any wounds you might have.
While you remain stuck in the psychic maelstrom, a couple of things:
*You suffer a -1 penalty to all Fortunes rolls.
*Whenever anyone, anywhere tries to Open their Brain, you may Help or Hinder. You can also contact them when they do so.
Roll your Sharp. On a 10+, pick three things from the following list. On a 7-9, pick two. On a miss, just pick one.
*You get a +1 bonus instead of a penalty to your Fortune roll this session.
*Your psychic powers are increasing. Take a Brainer Move (and mark the appropriate advancement) or change playbooks to Brainer.
*You develop the move When You Open Your Brain to the Physical World, which lets you project into the real world for short periods of time.
*Your spiritual essence does not decay further.
*As the psychic maelstrom any question you want. (you can pick this option multiple times)
*Mark experience (you can pick this option multiple times)
Cheers, your MC
Dear Gunlugger,
It's been about a month. Spend a barter for various living scratch. Heal any wounds you got. Choose one of the following:
Violence
Pick an NPC who you'd like to kill given the chance. Describe how you'd kill them. Roll + Cool. On a 10+, they're dead, just like you said. On a 7-9, you've done the job but getting out is going to be a problem. On a miss, you're caught vulnerable in the middle of the act.
Status
You make your play for a position in the Wranglers. Roll + Hard. On a 10+, if Shit Head's not in charge of the gang, you are, and if he is, the rest of the gang is deeply invested in you- they won't let him turn on you without a fight. On a 7-9, you've got a high position in the gang, and he can't fight you without breaking the code. On a miss, you're on the ground, and the gang is surrounding you with baseball bats.
Work
Name who you've been working for and what you've been doing for them. Roll + Cool (or + Hard if the gig involves violence). Receive Barter based on an appropriate gig. On a !0+, get an extra Barter. On a miss, you suffer the downside as if you had blown the gig roll.
(She picked Doing Murders for Jarvis, and proceeded to get a nice 4 barter by killing a couple of holdouts loyal to Abe.)
Answers
Ask me a question and roll + Sharp or + Weird. On a 10+, I'll answer your question. On a 7-9, I'll give you a hint. On a miss, misleading information will have led you into a bad situation.
Cheers, your MC
Dear Hardholder,
The wastes are a hard place. There's raiders, bandits, ferals, and worse out there. You provide surrounding settlements with weaponry, and they provide you with what you need.
One of your settlements, Lincolntown, just went through a coup. The new holder, Jarvis, renamed the place Shakytown. The dick-licking flesh-merchant capped your boy, but he keeps the tribute coming, and promises more. Mercer is more troubling- it's a needed source of medical supplies, and it's fallen off the map. You've sent some scouts, and they've never come back.
You've been fighting a bitter, bitter war with an upstart named Bitter. Bitter's gang uses hit and run tactics, stealth, and viciousness beyond all reason.
Last time you took the war to Bitter, your armored car sucked up a rocket. It's trashed. (To get it fixed or replaced, when you get an advance, take the Driver Move “My Other Car is a Tank.”)
(His writeup included an armored car. I told the player that's something he can't start with, but can get soon.)
So, how's the fight going? Roll + Hard. On a 10+, choose two of the following to be true. On a 7-9. pick three. On a miss, they all are, you poor fucking bitch.
*Bitter has set up a sniper within firing range of your compound and is harassing your people whenever he has the opportunity.
*Some of Bitter's crew highjacked a massive arms shipment intended for one of your client holdings.
*Bitter has at least one spy, maybe more in your holding, and you have no idea who they are or how many there are.
*Your pet psychic, Mr. Sharp, left, and has thrown in with Bitter.
*Bitter poisoned some of the drugs your people take. Large portions of your population are very sick.
(Yes, these are ripped straight from Hatchet City.)
Cheers, your MC
Dear Skinner,
It's been about a month. Heal any wounds you might have. Choose one of the following:
Business
You've got your own establishment now, perhaps with Jarvis's backing. Use the Maestro D' rules: pick one main act and one side act, 3 or 4 atmosphere picks, and some regular NPCs. Pick one thing for security (and not a real gang.)
Love
Roll your Hot. On a 7-9, you've slept with one NPC, your choice, and can use any of your sex moves on them. On a 10+, you've slept with up to three NPCs of your choice, and can use any of your sex moves on them. On a miss, you've slept with a NPC of my choice, and you've been Fascinated by them as if you made the roll and blew it (and wasted your sex move on something useless.)
Art
You've made an actual physical work of art. Something beautiful, something lasting. The first time you display it to an audience (and use your Artful and Gracious ability), you automatically score a 10+ for that roll.
Kitty
Roll your Cool. On a hit, you may turn Kitty into an Ally. An Ally is no longer a threat.
(Kitty, Abe's former 12 year old wife, and 'gift' to Frost from Jarvis, is now a Right Hand Ally for Frost. Pretty sweet.)
Cheers, your MC