Last night the Magpie Gaming Group (MGG) tackled our first session of Monsterhearts. Monsterhearts is a hack of the Apocalypse World system that was created by Vincent Baker. Monsterhearts, Apoclypse World, and the fantasy game Dungeon World (currently being Kickstarter-ed, which is totally a word) all use the same basic core system; with a few or a lot of tweaks to make it fit the particular subject matter that the specific game deals with. Which, btw for Monsterhearts is totally supernatural teen romance drama like Buffy, Teen Wolf, True Blood, and Twilight. So fair warning that when I get to the AP portion it'll probably have some mature-ish content. Nothing explicit though I promise, just referencing stuff. And if you want to just read the juicy details; scroll down till you see the words actual play in big capitol letters and read from there.
To start I'd like to introduce you to the mechanical concepts behind the AW engine in general and Monsterhearts in particular. First off lets look at the die mechanics. It is a very simple system, roll 2d6 and add a modifier, which is usually going to be between -1 and 2. Very simple addition, no algebra or calculus required. The modifier is based on one of your four core stats: Hot, Cold, Volatile, Dark. The numbered value of the stat equals the modifier. You then take the resulting number and see where it falls on the scale of success and failure. There are three categories here. On a 10+ result you achieve a total success and get what you want with little or usually no complications or consequences. On a 7-9 you get a success, but its got some sort of twist or cost associated with it. Roll a 6 or less and you fail to do what you want and the Master of Cermonies (the GM) gets to respond with some sort of action that is usually going to result in fun and bad things happening.
Now you are going to be making these rolls when you try do things called Moves. As a side note, the MCs responses are also called moves, so in the wording of the game technically what happens when you fail is the MC "Makes as hard and fast a move as he wishes". These Moves cover all the various mechanically significant things you will try to do during the game. Everyone has access to a list of general player moves: Turn Someone On, Manipulate An NPC, Shut Someone Down, Hold Steady, Lash Out Physically, Run Away, and Gaze Into The Abyss. Each of these is tied to a specific stat, which is what you roll when you want to attempt the move. I.E. to Turn Someone On you roll +Hot. You also have a specific move or three from you character "class" or "type", what the game calls Skins. These may also be tied to a stat roll or just specify a "if X then Y" type of thing They are what make your particular Skin unique and thematic. You also each have a Sex Move; that is basically a mechanical result that happens when you have sex with someone; like the Ghoul gets to add "have sex with X" as a new hunger when they have sex with someone.
Speaking of Skins, the games character sheets, I love the design behind them. They basically come out to a single sheet of paper, printed on both sides, and folded in half to make a tiny little booklet (they are called playbooks in the other games btw, fitting) that gives you all the info you need to build and play your character. You literally do not have to consult a rulebook or reference tome at all in order to make you character. You just take the printout for the Skin you want, and work your way through it. Admittedly you do need the MC or someone who knows the system to help guide you through it the first time; but the need is not very great; and all the information you need it right in front of you. To make your character you make some choices from various lists, like one for names, origins, looks, etc. Then you write the pre-assigned numbers for your stats into their respective boxes, adding one to one of them as you see fit, and pick any custom moves that you have to make choices on. Lastly you introduce your character to the group and do what's called Backstory, which basically connects all the characters by giving them Strings on each other, and boom you have a character.
What are Strings you ask? Well they are one of the two tools that you use to help you manipulate your interactions with other players and with NPCs, and serve as great sources of connection and drama between characters. Strings are spent and gained as you play. They are usually gained on others when you succeed and gained on you when you fail. You can spend them to improve your rolls, hurt others rolls, bribe others to do what you want, increase the damage (Harm) you do when you do it, or place Conditions on others. See all the fun you can have with pulling on and playing with Strings? Conditions are the other tool. They are basically descriptive phrases applied to a character, like Pissed Off or Dazed or Horny. You can then use them to add to a roll against the character that has them as long as you can narratively justify it.
All of this feeds into the feel of the game that is very thematic, in that in order to get what you want, someone else has to lose out on what they want. Sound like the world of teenage melodrama? Sure does! Another very thematic element is something called Darkest Self. Basically if the narrative and/or some bad rolls dictate it; you can turn into a darker version of your already monstrous self; and start doing horrible things until a stop condition is met. HUZZAH!
The structure of the game is very simple. The MC basically frames a scene, describes what is going on, and then asks a PC "What do you do?" The PC then takes an action, the MC responds as needed with moves or description, and back and forth. The MC will cut between the PCs, keeping up with all their actions and hopefully keeping everyone entertained; and the group cooperatively just plays to see what happens. The game is very much anti-GM comes in with a premade plot. That is strictly forbidden. It is very free form and improv; which is something I'm not the best at as a MC, but I absolutely LOVE as a player. From the very start of the game I vowed to go straight for the throat full-throttle; and it was awesome!
The advancement system in the game is very simple and organic as well. You have two of your stats highlighted, which means you get to mark XP once per scene per stat when you roll them (regardless of success or failure you still mark it). Also some various Skin specific moves will provide XP. Once you've marked 5 XP, you immediately get an advance (chosen from a convenient list on your Skin), erase your XP, and start accumulating again. The advances are things like more moves from your Skin sheet, a move from another Skin, a gang of some sort, increase to stats, etc.
ACTUAL PLAY
Now for the fun stuff. First, the cast was my ghoul Silas, Josh's selkie Dominique, and Emily's infernal Caroline. The beginning of the first session has you creating a home room seating chart. You make a grid of 3 rows of 5 desks, and then populate them with the PCs and various NPCs; all the time asking leading and provocative questions like "Okay, Dominique, Bethany sits besides you; why do you dislike her?" or "Alright, Rosa is going to sit here, and she secretly likes one of the boys in the class; Caroline who is it?"
So we pretty quickly got that all figured out, and the questions added a good amount of conflict and content right off the bat. Like that Dominique hates Bethany cause she wears furs, or that Rosa secretly likes Silas, or that I hate Carlos cause he embarrassed me in front of Caroline during lacrosse practice; stuff like that.
The various PC characters actually bear a little more introduction. First, Silas, the ghoul I was playing. He is a gaunt, hungry-eyes, teenage troublemaker. His family is related to the whole Lovecraftian ghoul mythos; and when he read HPL at an early age he became obsessed with it and ended up getting Dominique's help to commit suicide via drowning in order to join his true family in the Dreamlands. Didn't quite stick. They rejected him and sent him back because he hadn't developed the mature ghoulish hunger for human flesh yet (he currently feeds off Chaos). His parents are absentee; but his grandfather lives at home with them and makes futile attempts to control Silas' bad behaviour.
Caroline (apologies if you spelled it otherwise Emily) is an Infernal, in league with a dark, demon that is apparently a hereditary thing passed down from mother to daughter in her family line. I believe its name was the Poisoner, or that was its type or something; and Emily described is as a dark, demonic mollusc type of creature; very Cthulhu-esque. She seems to have a bit of an adversarial relationship with her mother; who is probably trying to protect her from the horrible inheritance she gave her in the first place. She is the artsy type as well; and sure seems to need protection.
Dominique is a Selkie, a sort of sea nymph/siren type creature. She was attracted by the humans art and technology while she was still in the sea and came to the shore, taking a humanoid form in order to experience our lives. She lives in a foster home, and has the usual kids vs. adults drama associated with such situations. Apologies to Josh, but I'm having trouble remembering much backstory beyond that; except for the fact that at the start of the game Silas posses her pelt; which gives him a modicum of control over her.
The first scene was in the home room that we had just created. The teacher was late to arrive; so Silas was having a quick cigarette. Dominique was admiring Keith(?)'s muscles and consulting via note passing with Caroline about Keith's tattoo art. Carlos stood up and announced a party at his apartment that everyone was invited too that night, well everyone except Silas after he tossed a pencil and nailed Carlos right in the face in a very embarrassing fashion; which of course cemented Silas' intent to show up. The teacher then showed up, and she told Silas to get rid of that cigarette. He tossed it out the window with a wink and a flirtatious comment that actually managed to fluster the teacher a bit (hurrah for successful Turn On roll). On the way out of class Dominique tried to Turn On a classmate, Ben I think his name was, and her failed roll resulted in him coming back very strongly and throwing her off; giving him a string on her. I think one or two other things happened in the home room scene; but I don't remember them.
Next we went to a trio of scenes with the various PCs getting themselves to the party. I simply yelled at my grandfather till we both stormed off angry (I got the condition Pissed Off) and then took the car and headed that way. Dominique ended up having to bring along two of her younger foster siblings, and she managed to convince them is was a costume party; but only by wearing a pirate costume herself. Caroline failed to convince her mother that the party was no big deal, and had to have her Aunt Becky (who was her mom's younger sister and still in her 20s) come along as a semi-chaperone for her.
Silas arrived at the party first and saw two groups, one at the pool and one at the apartpartment. Heading straight for the pool he walked up and pushed Keith into the pool, not maliciously, just creating a little Chaos. He gave Rosa a flirtatious wink (successful Turn On roll) that attracted her amorous attentions, and then after exchanging a couple of quick kisses with her; turned and helped Keith out of the pool; because really it was all just fun and games. Dominique arrived in pirate costume; with two mini-pirates in tow; which caused Silas to stop making out with Rosa long enough to laugh his ass off at Dominique's outfit and the antics of the two little kids as they ran into the house crying out for "RUM!"
Caroline arrived around then and joined the crowd out by the pool while Becky went inside to find the booze. Dominique turned her attentions on Keith, convincing him he needed to strip out of those wet clothes; which he was all too happy to do(Turn On success!); going down to his swimsuit and jumping back in the pool. Caroline attempted to Shut Down Rosa; with a disapproving glare concerning her actions towards Silas. This failed and led to a renewed make out; followed by Silas giving her an ass-grabbing piggy back ride into the apartment to search out the beer. Caroline followed while Dominique continued her advances at Keith in the pool.
Inside were more of the home room NPCs as well as some other teens and the booze. After grabbing a couple of drinks, and assisting the youngins in opening theirs, Silas quickly made his way to one of the bedrooms, Rosa in tow. Things happened ;). Caroline and Becky started getting wasted, ala beer funnels and the like. This led to Caroline making a very clumsy move on the gay girl from the home room, Ashley(?), basically walking up and just starting to unbutton her shirt with no pretence. Ashley went along with this, crazy drunken girl antics ensued, camera phones were employed, the show made its way back out to the pool, and things happened ;).
Back inside Silas and Rosa rejoined the party. He went to get some beers and using one of his moves applied the Condition of Morbid to Becky while telling her about how he died, and also got to roll to Turn Her On. This succeeded and he then used the act of flaunting this to manipulate Rosa into attacking Becky in a jealous rage. (This cat fight is what got me the fulfillment of my Chaos hunger for the session btw). CHAOS!!!
As this was going on Dominique decided to Gaze Into The Abyss in an attempt to find out what it would take to get her pelt back from Silas. Well Silas was pissed off at another guy named Marty for beating him up, so I said that if she scared the crap out of him with an attempted drowning (more chaos btw) I'd give the pelt back. So she turned on her Siren Song and basically lured the whole party; plus some folks from nearby apartments, to the pool area. She managed to easily pull Marty down under into the water; causing a lot of Harm to him. He escaped before he almost died; but just barely. Just to make sure she had completed her end of the bargain she had Keith go beat Marty around a little more afterwards. This must have gotten Keith all keyed up cause he and Dominique then left the party together. And things happened ;)
The sudden loss of concious control for a brief period by all the party goers kinda threw a wet blanket on the mood of the party and it pretty quickly broke up from there. Silas had one final bit of chaos to inflict, both palming Becky his number and then going and trying to manipulate Rosa by saying it was all Becky's fault; she had come on to him! The roll actually failed; so in an interesting twist the MC ruled that Rosa had a string on Silas; and he actually had feeling for her; including some guilt over what he did. Fun times for next session!
The whole thing ended with Caroline gazing into the abyss successfully, though I don't remember the result; and Silas failing at it and therefore being trapped in the Dreamlands for 24 hours; leading to him not being there to return Dominique's pelt at school the next day. DRAMA!!!
Overall a whole lot of fun and I look forward to more of it next week.
No comments:
Post a Comment