Escape the Dungeon

I've got a fairly heavy edit coming up - mostly done, just a couple of moves left to rewrite and then the whole thing needs typing up.

Mind holding off till then?

Interesting ideas, Spwack.

What was on your index cards?

Not to hijack or anything, but here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kBtnnDeZDeYX2IYV1x5rktykgoEvxQKecJLxK3yOI0Y/edit?usp=sharing

It's a mix of introducing the starting rules, getting some roleplaying going, and just stirring shit. Looking back at it, the Angel card is literally just a 12+ roll of an advanced Read a Sitch. Which is kind of interesting.

Oh, and the Gunlugger card? That gives me a lever. If they are being interesting, that extra NPC just exists, and is an Ally (probably Lover or Confidante depending). If they are being kinda boring, I have them be taken hostage. However, if I'm feeling super cruel and I feel they can take it, this happens immediately -

“Well guess what, they’re fucking dead at your feet.“

To a non-violent character (Angel, Savvyhead or Driver):

“How’d they die huh? Shotgun or axe to the face? Electrocuted? Were they tortured before they died? Come on, give me something to work with. No no, I’m not blaming you for it. You just know something. Well, in that case, pick a number from 2 to 5. Yeah, they’re on your doorstep in [X] different pieces."

“And you know who did this?”

Point at a violent character (Faceless, Chopper, Battlebabe):

“They fucking did this. Did you do this? Did one of your guys do this? Then who fucking did it?”

“Gunlugger, it’s time to make a choice: Who’s to blame here?”


And remember: If they don’t give a shit, which is completely acceptable, the Maelstrom brings them back.

Didn't get an opportunity to try it. But still, it looks good on paper.

I can see that working very well with the right, slightly drunk, people. Anyone who knows the rules of a moshpit basically.

Exactly, you've hit the nail on the head there.

Spwack,

Those are really cool! A fascinating mix of fictional information as well as directions for the players - it orients people both to their characters and the style of play you're going for. (I prefer a very different kind of AW play, but I like the clarity you bring out in a short text!)

If you're interested, start a new thread and we can chat about it - it's great stuff.

Changelog:

New move for the Elemental Ooze:

Extremeophile and Not from round here have been merged.

New move: Green Tears: You, and a whole bunch of other oozes, are the accidental products of leaking magic from a waste tip. Take +1 Wizard

https://github.com/cromlyngames/EscapeTheDungeon/commit/766b256d0555e4b1e0010ffe675c4ca405b44bb3




Construct Move change:

Astral Projection has been replaced with It's Alive!
Allows you to animate any complex manufactured object and question it. Then it sticks around as NPC.

https://github.com/cromlyngames/EscapeTheDungeon/commit/f6242e3ecf7fb9da6fe888670d208392b0cce180



Hybrid: Two moves have changed:

Forensic Zoologist has been replaced with Temple of Knowing.
This is a worldbuilding knowledge move and fixed point in the dungeon. Not sure if questions should demand a roll or not. It feels odd simply allowing one, but I'm looking for a different flavour to the other knowledge moves, some motivation to defend the place and travel to it to research.

Suppressed instincts has been replaced with Clothes maketh the man.
Thematic reversal from socially awkward to extremely socially engaged. Much more fun for the table I think, and gives you the chance to place as the Cat from Red Dwarf.

https://github.com/cromlyngames/EscapeTheDungeon/commit/681757f72421c1665d66b22eca27c844a0371b6f



There's also a big update of typos, word tweaking and more margin notes in the first half of the book. The typos for the second half have been recorded, but not typed up yet.
Only mechanical change is the Creep Black Leech move has been simplified.
https://github.com/cromlyngames/EscapeTheDungeon/commit/f5b6734d0a9dfbc12b1a2026380d7b4e74b616c8

many many small typos fixed.

Only real change to Moves is for Construct, a Million monkeys - the 7-9 result has been chaged to a spell as a tradeable item (since the basic wizard move has changed, and I've found cross refencing between moves a right pain when playing an Angel in AW)

Dregs now get Xp from selling items at the town

Plant has made it explicit they can follow people into Herbology induced visions, and get xp for that.

Host has had Fleshbound make the perment damage to their host body hp made explicit.


GM moves are still needed.

Something came to mind quite quickly regarding GM moves, but was rather unformed. The phrasing is "On a 6 or less, gain experience and the Dungeon Reacts."

So basically, the demons provide a route for the MC's active moves against the players (usually) while these "Dungeon Reactions" are more passive in nature. Then of course, you can have a whooooole list of *things* that can happen, simply due to living in this place. Looking at the list of MC moves from Apoc World, I can kinda see how some of them being solely the purview of the dungeon itself making these things happen would add to the style.

Ding: Two lists of moves. Demon Moves and Dungeon Moves. Some of them overlap, like announcing future badness, while separating, capturing and putting in a spot is solely a Dungeon Move. Even if the embodiment of some sin or other is cackling as the trap springs shut around you, its still fundamentally the Dungeon making the move. You feel me?

Yeah, I'm glad that is coming across already.

A lot of people have found the Psychic Maelstrom plays the part of a framing character in the stories that emerge in Apocalyse world. I'm looking to run with that, and beef it up for the Dungeon. It's a game about instituionalistion, and the seductivieness of giving up your identity to be part of the bigger whole, so that bigger whole really needs to have character. At the same time, apart from pressing in the dungeon always acts indirectly, through the enviroment or minions.

The demons are a more personal thing, with real bonuses for players to hunt them down. So they can be working with and against the dungeon sometimes but they're always fighting their own demons.


So sometimes the GM move is pyschics engine or simple threat modelling, sometimes the longer term Dungeon, and sometimes just pushing the story where the players seem to be interested through any of the above.

I am very pleased to say the first online playtest is due to kick off soon. https://discord.gg/HNxSwq

Changes:

Added outline GM moves. Added a few rules clarifications based on playtester questions.


A few more playtest tweaks still to be added. A request to improve BANDITS and SMUGGLERS so they have a bit more oopmhh as moves.

As always: pdf can be found here: https://github.com/cromlyngames/EscapeTheDungeon/blob/master/escape_the_dungeon_v0001.pdf

Before and after changes to the text: https://github.com/cromlyngames/EscapeTheDungeon/commit/70ceaf676025f689e6c16fa4ad67f96449ed4f54