Worlds of Darkness - playing by someone else's rules (Part 1)

 

This post is a reaction to a Facebook post where a Mage Storyteller queried how to make Mage: The Ascension less horror, and more urban fantasy. And, on the whole, the response was that Mage is probably the most urban fantasy of the classic World of Darkness series, what with schools of magic who wield the ability to shape reality.

But it got me thinking about the different flavours each game has, and how you might best replicate the particular type of horror from each of those games, in different game lines.

The game lines in brief

To start off with, here's my brief summary of each game. In particular I look at the elements that make each game unique, and at how they lean into particular types of horror. The aim of this is to identify how those elements could swapped around if, for example, you wanted to run a Vampire game as a more bleak and desperate, like Wraith, or more fantastic but nightmarish, like Changeling. Kindred of the East and Mummy: The Resurrection, are deliberately briefer entries, as they focus on creature types that were initially supplements to existing game lines, and cover smaller niche areas of the World of Darkness. 

Vampire: The Masquerade

In Vampire, player characters are mortals taken from their normal lives and thrust into a sunless world where they are frequently pawns at the bidding of others. Although they almost always belong to clans and sects, they are more often than not hierarchies of other vampires than are either seniors who can force you to do their bidding, or rivals for the senior vampire's praise. 

The horror lies both in the fact the characters are little more than pawns on what are effectively secret societies which often don't have your best interests at heart, and the fact that you are an undead parasite, that must drink blood from the living and lurk in the shadows. Although vampires may build allegiances, and earn the loyalty and trust of each other, they are also at the whom of their hunger and clan weaknesses, and in many ways are on their own against the dark. 

On the plus side, perhaps, the bulk of 'horrors' a vampire faces are elder vampires with a taste for vampiric blood, ravenous werewolves that have caught your scent, and perhaps the occasional determined psychotic hunter or vengeful ghost. A vampire who decides to go it alone may avoid the night to night stresses of vampiric society, but one vampire on their own is generally out of their depth against any of the other things that might come for them, especially if they come by daylight. In many ways the horror of Vampire is the most mundane and personal.

Werewolf: The Apocalypse

In Werewolf, player characters are members of secret bloodlines taken from their normal lives and thrust into a tribal society where they are taught that they are warriors fighting to protect Gaia, the spiritual embodiment of the planet. Although often at the behest of tribal elders (older, veteran werewolves) and spirits (abstract concepts and aspects of nature given personality), there is the basic understanding that they are trying to save the world, from real world pollution and spiritual corruption. There may be some differences in tribal outlook, and some families may really hate other tribes (or other races), but on the whole werewolves recognise they are on the same side. 

The horror lies in turning into something that is very much a monster, and having your eyes opened up to a totally alien reality that has always existed behind the world you knew, which although wonderful and magical and beautiful in many respects also contains in it terrors that show the corruption that literally bubbles under the surface, and that an all powerful Wyrm, the equivalent of the Devil, infects all of these things and threatens the world. Effectively, once you've seen this side of reality you realise that the mundane world you knew is a lie. Furthermore, anyone from the mundane world is unable to see you for what you are, a blessing on one level but also proving you to be now part of this mysterious 'other'.  

The 'horrors' a werewolf faces are a whole range of creatures: those werewolves corrupted to fight on the behalf of the Wyrm, other werecreatures that - for reasons you won't understand when you first meet them - hate werewolves, any people warped into monsters by being corrupted by Wyrm spirits (arguably vampires fall into this category, though they are much more subtle about it), the more terrifying spirits in service to the Wyrm (or its siblings the Wyld and the Weaver), and the multitude of nightmarish spiritual realms where corruption has taken over. Werewolves are physically difficult to fight toe to toe, so the horror is rarely based on being a victim of physical assault. Instead they are aware that the world is festering with a spiritual disease and that it is an uphill struggle to fight back. Werewolves can turn their back on their tribal heritage in an attempt to deny the monsters they now are, but that doesn't prevent them seeing the decay in the world around them, and there's a reason such 'lost pups' often become known as Lunatics.

There are similarities, perhaps, with the Cthulhu Mythos, where humans discover that humanity is barely noticed by the terrible godlike monsters that lurk behind the veil of reality. But in Werewolf the Earth is very much considered and being targeted, with the only bonus being that the player characters are also monsters and can fight back, and generally have the sense that the forces of nature are on their side.

Mage: The Ascension

In Mage, player characters are individuals who suddenly develop the ability to manipulate reality, sometimes because they have been pushed towards the realisation of that power but often spontaneously, instinctively, as a reaction to a somewhat dangerous or traumatic situation. Although generally each mage ends up joining a group that best reflects both their insight and philosophy they may end up being pursued in order to join another society. On the whole a mage is encouraged to have allies, because their powers usually rely on them being aware of circumstances which they can manipulate, and if they're on the back foot, alone and reacting to things as they happen, they might not get the chance to use their powers at all. 

The horror lies in recognising that the world is an intricate reality way beyond what they previously imagined. And whilst there may be horrors here they are, for the most part, overshadowed by wonders. However there are many more warring factions and philosophies in the real world fighting for reasons that may not always be clear. 'Traditional' magical societies fight against an oppressive Big Brother like technomagical society, whilst the technocrats see themselves as protecting the world from reality deviants, fantasy sorcerers and monsters alike. And furthermore there are bad mages who just want to tear reality down, and mad mages who don't see the world the rest of us see, and bring chaos in their wake.

The 'horrors' a mage faces tend to be individuals rather than opposed factions. This game is most like an urban fantasy, with some rivalries handled with civility, with words and sleight of hand and trickery. But some mages, or their agents, are more dangerous than others. Those mages who pay particular attention to you are likely to know exactly how to turn the tables on you, and may even delight in taking the time to torture you, to find out what you know and perhaps find new targets. And those mages who are insane and have broken all the rules, and tend to break a lot more along the way, can be very dangerous to stumble into the path of. Mages know there are vampires, werewolves, ghosts, changelings and hunters out there, and usually have methods to deal with them, but no plan is foolproof and anyone getting the upper hand can lead a mage to fear for their lives, or those who their care about. Any one of these, rival mage or monster, might have a reason to target your character. There are some, spurred by either their ambition or their beliefs, who will target a mage in order to extinguish (or steal) their power or remove a threat. And, finally, there are spirits. Those who the mage might meet whilst travelling, sure, but also those who turn up when a mage has pushed their luck, Paradox spirits who act like guardians of creation, vengeful angels, who have noticed you and must punish you for daring to push so hard against reality. These creatures, which may be truly terrifying or may be small and inscrutable, represent the very real force of reality striking back. They are something far beyond human. And now, little mortal, you have their attention.

Typically a mage might stumble across any sort of horror that might target an ordinary human, but their talents allow them to overcome them easily. The more terrifying horrors then are those that are drawn to the mage by their own actions and who are somehow resistant to their abilities.

Wraith: The Oblivion

In Wraith, player characters are probably those that, of all the World of Darkness player characters, are most rudely dragged from their old world and into a new one. It is difficult to interact with the world they once knew, and everything around them seems to be a decaying mirror image of what once was. Furthermore, there's another world just beyond this one, a hellish landscape of dark void wherein various empires rule over all those like you, and beyond that the hungry void itself, Oblivion, tries to suck down the final remains of your consciousness. To make matters worse you now have an inner voice that champions the cause of ending it all, that everything must die and that maybe you should drag yourself and everything that matters to you to that peaceful state of non-existence.

The horror lies in realising that the end was not the end, and that a whole ancient society exists in the shadows, not manipulating the world but ready to claim everyone who has fallen through the cracks. The world looks terrible from this side of the mirror, much like the werewolves view of nature being spiritually corrupted - Wraith, in many ways being a combination of Werewolves bleak reality and the rigid hierarchies of Vampire and Mage. There are suggestions of a heaven that you never reached, and all the more proof of an Oblivion that claims you forever, but between those empires that cling to existence, and those factions that fight for their versions of freedom or faith, there are monsters created from the darker side of Oblivion, ragged jagged shapes that cut and twist and torture your passage to eternal peace, rather than ease it in. And that suggests that maybe Oblivion isn't the solution to all your problems after all.

The 'horrors' a wraith faces are that the world they now inhabit looks like a literal hell, whilst there are people or creatures out there that literally fight for your soul, either to pull it into Oblivion, to warp it into a terrifying parody of all your worst traits as you become an agent of Oblivion, or to become a tool for the empire that tries to stave off Oblivion (indeed, possibly an actual tool, as you may be soul-forged into something else - a weapon, a coin, a hunting dog, whatever someone needs). Furthermore, in seeing what awaits beyond death, you will always be concerned for those you care about that are still alive, and this may present you with all sorts of terrifying scenarios, particularly once your enemies become aware of them and try to hurt you through them. Finally there are those in the real world who see and understand how to manipulate the dead themselves - certain vampires, werewolves, mages, and changelings (and the lesser known hunters, demons and mummies too) - they may do terrible things to you even though you're dead and away from their world. Horror in Wraith is very much about helplessness. Though they may have some powers to interact with the living much of their existence is just about clinging on while they still can, and trying to determine whether there is any hope of salvation. 

Changeling: The Dreaming

In Changeling, player characters are arguably those that find themselves least thrust into a default horror setting, awakening to the fairy nature in their blood, and being 'awakened' to a world of dream and imagination. Although there are monsters out there, most of the world now falls beneath a veneer of glamour and fantasy, and the Changeling if anything must struggle with a world that might be interpreted as vivid hallucinations. Changeling society, for all its swords and sorcery, is generally noble and forgiving of those who stumble upon it, although arguably the Unseelie fae are more monstrous and savage than their Seelie counterparts.

The horror lies in realising that the fantasy is real, and that it does contain its share of monsters too. Not only Unseelie monsters but also vampire, werewolves, mages and ghosts (some of which will prey on changelings for the special properties of their blood). There are also the Fomorians, evil proto-faeries who are stirring and will eventually mobilise to battle the fae. And then there are mortal hunters who, despite the changelings largely being innocent and noble (in the style of many of the protagonists of fairy tales), see them more as creatures that prey on humanity. And, to a lesser degree, there are parents and other parental figures who attempt to persuade the Changeling that they're delusional, much as Werewolves or Mages who are thrust into a fantasy world may struggle to accept that the fantasy is real. 

The 'horrors' a changeling faces then are those that challenge the magic and wonder they've discovered, the monstrous side to fantasy that targets the innocent. There's also perhaps the horror of addiction - Changelings, a little like vampires, rely on humans to give them their power, and it also puts them into an altered state that is immediately more uplifting and magical than the mundane world. When they lose that power, when they've not been able to soak up the emotions of people around them, they can crash, and crash hard. There is something of the loss of innocent, often explored in fairy tales, but to a Changeling to lose a friend, either to a monster or to the mundane nature of reality, is also a visceral loss in its own right.

Kindred of the East

In KotE, player characters are vampires that differ from their western counterparts by having died, gone to one of many hells, and dragged themselves back again. Rather than membership to a clan they follow a philosophy (not unlike the Roads or Paths some vampires follow as a substitute to Humanity), and like a Wraith they have an inner voice that tempts them towards darkness. Elder vampires still maintain power and order younger vampires around so, in many respect, the KotE have an existence much like the more familiar Vampire: The Masquerade protagonists, with a fear of/respect for their elders, and a concern over the monsters they have become, but additionally they have a very real sense of the hell that they escaped, and that there are countless monsters out there. Some of those monsters are tied into the spirituality of the eastern world - Stargazer werewolves and other shapeshifters, spirits, changelings and mages - and some of which are the western pretenders - vampires, werewolves and mages who've come to the east in search of mysticism or because of connections to old British domains. The Eastern horror is a mixture of fear for one's soul, but also for one's culture, history, family.

Hunter: The Reckoning

In Hunter, player characters are humans newly awoken to their powers by mysterious external voices that make themselves known through enigmatic messages and glimpses of the inhuman nature of people around them who are more than human. Immediately the hunters know these things are wrong, and that their powers can be used to confront them or redeem them. There is also an online community that has formed, the one link to a larger global community.

The horror is pretty much on the surface - the hunters see that there are monsters against us, and they are often in positions of power. Even worse than that is that most people cannot see them for what they are, and so hunters may find themselves questioning their own sanity, or find that their friends and families question it for them. 

The 'horrors' a hunter faces then are very real monsters, all very apparent. For the most part they do not know that you know what they are. If they learn that you can see them for what they are, they may try to manipulate you, they may try to kill you, they may try to corrupt you. And, aside from those in a similar situation, you're all alone against the darkness.

Mummy: The Resurrection

In Mummy, player characters are ancient mummies who routinely resurrected over the centuries due to the Spell of Life but, due to events in the underworld (the same ones that freed the demons from the Abyss), have ended up ejected from the underworld and into the bodies of humans they now share an existence with. In a similar fashion to demons they have become a person of two halves, though unlike demons they typically inhabit a body whose soul has already gone. The mummies were created long ago as a means to create balance and fight Apophis, a version of the werewolves enemy the Wyrm, and so most of the horror they encounter are the twisted monsters that it controls, including the bane mummies, imperfect immortals who are a parody of those ancient ones. That said immortality takes away much of the fear of death, and it is only the truly monstrous that terrifies the protagonists.

Demon: The Fallen

In Demon, player characters are demons, fallen angels that fell with Lucifer, and have spent most of human history locked away in the Abyss. They have been released and joined with humans who were spiritually weak (such as having a crisis of faith, drug addiction, depression or suicidal thoughts). Lucifer was not trapped in the Abyss with the other demons but, soon after they escape, he makes a very public appearance above Los Angeles, which many dismiss as a mass hallucination or a hoax, though many believe otherwise.

The horror is largely matters of faith and uncertainty, of things more powerful than the human-bound demons. There are those demons that have been summoned into forms without human souls. There is the fear of God and his angels perhaps delivering final vengeance on them, despite all appearances that they are absent. And there's Lucifer, who on the surface seems well-measured and rational, but is undoubtedly the most powerful of the fallen angels. Largely the demons have little to fear from vampires, werewolves, and ghosts, although their human form is frail. Mages and hunters, on the other hand, might be more of a threat to them. 

The 'horrors' a demon faces are generally not horrific to an ancient demon. The horror is largely existential, as they contend with their new found human frailty and and whether the greatest plans of God and Lucifer lead to their salvation, damnation or total destruction.

In Part 2 I'll be looking at Vampire in particular, and how you can reimagine the setting, to accommodate different types of horror.

Just a short one...

After a not altogether successful charity event at the end of October, and my uncle's funeral on Halloween, of all days (he'd have loved that), hopefully the rest of the year will go relatively smoothly. I'm hoping to finish writing my long drawn out Call of Cthulhu scenario for Patreon, that was originally going to be for the end of summer, but took a back seat whilst I tried to work out the Werewolf charity thing. I've just had a lot of things going on in my busy little head, and sometimes dealing with that means I don't do so much when I get home from the day job except stick myself in front of the TV to appreciate the work of people much more creative than myself (currently watching the final seasons of Mr Robot and The Good Place, and rewatching Lost).

Gamewise, in past weeks, I've had the great experience of playing horror game Ten Candles with some friends, and 'hacking' (for a game today) an old White Dwarf scenario for the game Paranoia, that will mash-up Hammer Horror films, the Rocky Horror Picture Show, and West World.

On the horizon: Writing a Christmas themed Ninja Burger (now a Christmas traditikn) based on Home Alone, and planning for a game of Orpheus in the new year. And finally, maybe, Tatters of the King for Call of Cthulhu. Toying with some more werewolf related stuff (games every full moon, perhaps, linked into a campaign).

We'll see.

That's all for now! 

Werewolf Weekend - play games and donate some money to charity

On Sunday this event is finally happening, and then I can stop bothering people for a year and stop worrying about how successful it's going to be. In short people will be coming along to play Werewolf, and donating a little bit of money for the 'privilege' to Stand Up To Cancer.

Last year we played Ultimate Werewolf: Legacy, a variation of the normal werewolf game wherein people have hidden identities and have to deduce who are the werewolves and vote them out (during day time 'lynches') before the werewolves all secretly kill the other villagers (during night time 'hunts'). Different versions of the game have additional roles that shake things up a bit - most have a Seer who is able to detect the werewolves and warn the villagers, as long as they can convince them they're not werewolves trying to sway them.

In the Legacy version, each game is set a year or so after the previous one, giving the village some time to get back to its feet after each frenzied werewolf attack, but also to enable people to play the same characters or, at least, members of the same family should they have died (in reality we found people just kept the same name), and certain results have knock on effects on the games that follow - for example, as a result of the villagers defeating the werewolves in two of the three games in Chapter One, a spellcaster settled temporarily in the village with the ability to silence people during the day time discussions. Had things have been different it could've been the leprechaun, who has a more direct way to thwart the werewolves.

We ended last year's session after playing the one game Preface and two Chapters of three games each. Ideally I'd like to finish off the final three Chapters (nine games) this year - and then next year we can change tact a bit, and play some variations on the werewolf theme (other options will be available this year but, realistically, unless we have a massive turn out we'll mostly be playing this game).

If you'd like to donate some money to play nine games of werewolf (or as close as we can get) then come along to the Bad Moon Cafe at 12.

Facebook vent is here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2903372083070635/

Charity fund raising page here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/game-on-werewolves-2019

Further details about the results of the game campaign we started last year follow below...

Ultimate Werewolf: Legacy - The Story So Far...

All entries in this font are supposed historical accounts - although it acknowledges that many of the stories are likely rooted in superstition, it does seem to paint a complex theoretical history of what the relationship between the werewolves and the village was.

All entries in this italic font are details told to the villagers as they experienced it as events unfolded, and so is based a lot less on background speculation, being based more on their choices and realisations.

All entries in this font, highlighted in yellow, are game related details.

Preface - 1688 - "The Journey"

There is little recorded history regarding the werewolves of New England, the village where it all started, and everything that came to pass.

What follows is the best account. Given the spotty records and the high incidence of fatalities, there can be no certainty of full accuracy. We have done our best to separate fact from speculation.

All the supernatural stories from this time cannot be true. Our conclusion is mass delusion brought on by extreme stress.

After your ship landed in Massachusetts, your small group made its way west, to settle inland. On the way, however, you had the feeling that you were being watched, and now some of your fellow travellers seem... different.

You all heard strange howling noises last night, and they seemed to come from the camp, not the surrounding woods. You’ve been eyeing each other suspiciously, but no one wants to openly accuse anyone else… still, you’re wary.

Werewolves win this first game, the Seer killed on the first night.

Interlude - "The Spell"

The decision to found the village on the ruins of a previous settlement was likely a practical one. This would mean fresh water, hunting grounds, and use of any remnants of the previous inhabitants. Little was known about the earlier town other than its dramatic and sudden extinction.

We, of course, know the reasons for the first town’s destruction and how the villagers were about to follow the same path. In fact, the village’s very first decision would prove to have tremendous significance in the years to come…

In the deep woods, you’ve founded your village on the ruins of an old, abandoned settlement. The Beinroth family is convinced that this part of the new world is haunted, possessed, latent with something mysterious.

Everything looks normal, but there’s a growing feeling of something sinister hiding among you.

In the settlement ruins, Aldus Heathrow finds an old book with a magic spell. You gather in the village square to debate whether to read it aloud.

The village vote to read the spell. In the first two Chapters of the game, from this point on, the four families in play are the Beinroths, the Eyzburgs, the Heathrows and the Poormans.

Chapter 1, Part 1 - 1689 - "Suspicion"

It appears that the village relied heavily on family cohesion, not always to the benefit of all involved. The humans saw themselves as hearty pioneers. This, of course, was foolish.

You have begun to see how the choices you make affect your lives, and the legacy of your village.

The darkness that surrounds your new village has crept up and into it. A glance towards the sky indicates something in the distance that’s different, and may herald your salvation… or your demise.

The spell unleashed the Sentinel, who protects the Seer for the village, and the Cerberus, who detects the Seer for the Werewolves and can turn two player characters into Werewolves at the start of the game.

Because Cerberus picked both the Seer and the Sentinel to be Werewolves, the Werewolves easily outnumbered the players, and won.

Most Werewolves in this game were from the Eyzburg family.

Technically the five surviving Werewolves, Patrick and Samantha Eyzburg, Fenster Beinroth, Mary Heathrow and Robert Poorman run into the woods once they've slain the villagers, and the village is resettled by other family members looking to find the original villagers.

The first stories of The Box arise at this time. Many books have been written about The Box - its supposed origins, whether the stories were true, or some sort of apocryphal myth composed of folklore common to the region at the time. We believe it to have existed and will discuss its proposed origins later.

Chapter 1, Part 2 - 1690 - "Mystery"

Things have not gone as planned. 

You have decided to elect a Mayor to establish order in the village and guide yourselves in what appears to be a troubled part of the new world.

Titania Beinroth was voted Mayor on the first day, only to become the first victim of the Werewolves.

There’s a Sentinel and a Cerberus again this game, but Cerberus has lost the ability to create new Werewolves.

The townsfolk killed the first Werewolf on the first day, and the second on the second day.

Because Samantha Eyzburg was the Cerberus, and Patrick Eyzburg was one of the Werewolves, the Eyzburgs were, once again, the most Werewolfy of families.

When digging the grave for (Mayor Titania Beinroth), the village gravedigger unearths a sealed box, covered with mystical images. It had been buried deep, away from prying eyes and hands. It’s probably nothing.

It was some time in 1691 that the contents of The Box were revealed. We think that it was a panicked move, perhaps by a villager with nothing to lose, perhaps by the (new) mayor with something to gain. A historical sketch of The Box shows a comet image on the front. Why this image was ignored is a subject of debate. Given what happened later, it should have given someone pause…

Chapter 1, Part 3 - 1691 - "Undone"

The mysterious Box found in the graveyard begins rhythmically pulsing, the top glowing in the shape of a comet. 

There doesn’t seem to be a way to open it… for now. You may not touch the box. You have other problems to deal with.

There was only one Werewolf, Robert Poorman, so the Poorman family were the most Werewolfy, albeit aided by Cerberus Aldous Heathrow.

The Box is opened through processes involving a Key which was not recorded - if The Key had no been used deliberately The Box would’ve opened anyway.

What did the box contain? Evil? Monsters? Sins? No one knows exactly. Likely sacred totems of some sort.

In fact the evil released leads to appearances of a Cult Leader, a Zombie, and Dracula in later years

Villagers win, with just one Villager killed by Werewolves

No one in the village could’ve known that The Key was a lure, bait if you will, to enrage the wolves. It was their Box, and it was meant to stay closed. Was it a rival wolfpack that produced The Key? Was there a human who knew what it would do? Sources are maddenly quiet on the topic, as if The Key magically appeared in a pocket.

These first three years of the settlement were later called “The Quiet Years” by the inhabitants.

At the end of Chapter 1, wherein the villagers have beaten the werewolves 2 to 1, the Beinroth family become Counts and Countesses. The Eyzburgs have been most werewolfy, the Beinroths least.

Interlude - "Visitors"

The opening of The Box set events in motion that could not be stopped. The Box contained something the werewolves wanted kept under lock and key. But now, whatever was inside was free in the village.

As a result, what had been a series of skirmishes was evolving into what some now call The Crimson Pelage. Census and land records recount other humans being drawn into the village around 1692, with notes suggesting the emergence of a cult. Some humans saw something to gain in the growing war between humans and werewolves.

Chapter 2, Part 1 - 1692 - "Charms"

The Box released strange energies. Mystical energies. What was once rare is now commonplace. Dark creatures live among you, inhabiting the bodies of your fellow villagers.

A hermit living in the woods arrives at sunset one day with an offer:

“I have lived in these woods my whole life. I have seen what walks here. I can fashion charms to ward off attacks. They will protect you. Yes, yes, you need the help. Of course, it will take time. Oh yes, it will take time. Stay alive and see what I can do for you!”

In this game a Cult Leader picks other villagers to join the cult each night, and a Spellcaster picks someone who may not speak during the day times.

Again, only one Werewolf, Aldus Heathrow, so the Heathrows were the most werewolfy this game. Cult leader and mayor Titania Beinroth was able to recruit Alice and Fenster Beinroth into her cult, and so the Beinroths were most culty, although the mayor was killed - records don’t state by who - and so the cult did not take over the village.

Villagers won.

Each surviving member, most of the village, received a charm at the end of this game - some players left.

Chapter 2, Part 2 - 1694 - "Refugee"

The Sorceress has made herself at home in your village but is frequently gone, wandering the woods for months at a time. Sometimes she steals food as she leaves. She always returns during a storm, slipping in unnoticed. For the past month, she has been agitating the village, talking about the arrival of a comet that will destroy us all. She has been staring at people with one eye and some of the cows haven’t produced milk lately. Plus it’s not raining as it should.

The question for the village is what to do about her?

The village decided not to kill her.

The Sorceress looks relieved. “Thank you for sparing a kindly old woman who has already helped you. I will do my best to keep you safe from the creatures of the night.”

The Sorceress was, in fact, Alison Beinroth, perhaps tapping into previously collected cult knowledge. Fenster Beinroth, the other surviving cult member, is now a zombie who eats brains but whose victims still survive, albeit unable to vote. The Werewolves were Mary Heathrow and Daniel Poorman, so no obvious family loyalty. There is no Spellcaster this year, though the remaining Beinroth, Titania, was mayor and Seer, and eventually guided the town to victory. 

A note was found amongst the ruins of the village, tucked under a floorboard. Whether it is from the first settlement or the second is unknown. “Comet came and this is when it started in earnest. None of us knows long it will last. The earth is opening. We are fleeing into the woods.” We suspect it is from the first village since the second one was too headstrong or oblivious to leave when all omens should have driven them away.

Chapter 2, Part 3 - 1697 - "Hush"

Terrible note-keeping for this game - didn’t even finish it off properly! Sorry!

I would be remiss not to mention the fantastical stories of Dracula which circulate around this time. Supposedly this vampire lord was imprisoned in The Box and escaped when it was opened. No one can ascertain the real story. This anecdote is included only for completion and should not be taken seriously.

The horrors of the mystic Box have taken a strange turn; the vampire known as Dracula has taken up residence in your small village, with the goal of finding three ‘wives’. If he makes it through an entire day with three uneliminated wives, he wins.

To help the village defeat Dracula, the Spellcaster has used her powers to silence the entire village, draining her so much in the process that she had to flee.

So, no Spellcaster in this game. It’s not clear if the Sorceress was in play, or who Dracula was, although he did claim Aldus Heathrow as a ‘wife’ before the Werewolves killed him. Regardless, Villagers won.

Records from the colonies show that a comet appeared at approximately this time on its usual cycle. The werewolves would be understandably upset at the village’s presence during this astronomical event, given their fears and beliefs.

At the end of Chapter 2, wherein the Villagers have beaten the Werewolves 3 to 0, one family needs to be selected as Earls between the Eyzburgs, Beinroths and Poormans - the Beinroths are, of course, already Counts.

Interlude - "Preparation"

Apocalyptic prophets are commonplace at the end of every century and this one was no different. One visionary, named Nostrodamus (likely no relation to the original Nostradamus - perhaps a confidence artist?) appeared in the village, certainly to profit from those who would pay for visions of the future. The comet in the sky would’ve given him an eager audience.

It was believed that werewolves’ hunger waned during the comet, and for many years after. The “false moon” was how they referred to it, and they treated the event with both fear and reverence. This holy time for them curtailed the wolves’ ability to exact revenge. Not that they didn’t hunt, but rather that they chose their targets carefully.

At the beginning of the next chapter, the following characters still have Charms that allow them to avoid a vote to be lynched: Fenster Beinroth, Samantha Eyzburg, and Mary Heathrow. One family is due to be made Earls too, and based on the fact there's little else going for them I may simply make that the Poorman family.

October 2019 Update

GAME ON, THIS MONTH!

This is, more than anything, just an update of what I posted last week. Significantly, two of the events from late last month are no longer on the horizon. Project Blue Starlight, my current Call of Cthulhu scenario, is still treading water, but there's plenty of things still going on.

On Friday 27th September, at the Bad Moon Cafe, there was a meet up for members of the London Tabletop Industry Networking group, a group for any involved in table top RPGs or board games. It felt a bit weird sitting amongst the likes of long time game designer James Wallis, who I spent a fair bit of time chatting to, and newer big name Grant Howitt, behind games such as Spire (they both worked on the most recent Paranoia together), as well as Jay Iles (of Legacy: Life Among the Ruins fame) but it was really nice being part of 'a scene'. I also had the pleasure of meeting in the flesh Twitter user Ursidice, fledgeling game designer from Reading, who I've conversed with a fair bit online (please check out his Patreon here).

The event was organised by the lovely Jane Hermiston who, although not a game designer herself, likes to play - I first met her at Thirsty Dragon, when she offered to host last year's Werewolf charity event.

I ran my Call of Cthulhu scenario Roots for some friends on Saturday 28th September, certainly the darkest thing I've ever written. Of three player characters, one was killed by a lady who stabbed him through the heart as he lay in the road, his guts already spilling out, a second was in a religious fervous so was dimly aware of what was going on as his throat was slit and he was sacrificed to the big horrible monster, and the third joined the cult, having believed that she was one of them due to some strange power she'd been exhibiting (which, in fact, was nothing to do with her and everything to do with something she was carrying). So, effectively, a total party 'kill' (although insanity and joining a cult is sometimes considered a win for these sorts of games).

With this same group I'm also planning to start running the Tatters of the King campaign (Call of Cthulhu), the Orpheus campaign (the standalone World of Darkness game), and at the tale end of the year a game of Ninja Burger based on Home Alone, and hopefully - I say this every year - a game of Unknown Armies set in snowy medieval Prague.

Sunday 27th of October sees the 3rd annual Game On, Werewolves charity event (technically it's only the second time it's been called that, as the first year was dedicated to a different charity). We'll be playing a big game of werewolf (Legacy) in the bad Moon Cafe, just south of the river, near London bridge and Borough. If you're interested, message me (or check out the event on Facebook or the official fund raiser page here).

Curtain Call is still not developing much. I've just literally not had the time.

These Kickstarters, at the time of writing, are still live:

• Root, based on the board game, and using the popular Powered By The Apocalypse system, Roots lets you play cute cartoon animals in a Robin Hood style era, where the players are vagabonds, helping the simpler folk whilst the armies of the cats and the birds clash around the woodlands. It's better than that, honestly. Check out the link here.

• Heart: The City Beneath is the follow up to the popular RPG Spire, which was set in a dystopian sort of steam punk fantasy world that features dark elves oppressed by high elves in a massive towering... spire... Heart takes the action into the, ah, dark heart of the setting, moving away from revolutionary dark elves fighting the power and focussing on dungeon crawls through a living dungeon of darkness, madness and opportunity. Check it out here.

• SLA Industries, 2nd Edition, is a game that's been a long time coming. I always describe it as Blade Runner as if Los Angeles had been replaced by Gotham City, given as your players will player operatives sent out into a crazy world of masked serial killers, terrorist organisations and monsters, but it's so much more than that. Described as horror noir, and leaning into splatterpunk, it's all about the show - operatives do the jobs they do in an attempt to become wealthy and get high status in a world where media presence is everything, so don't worry about about the truth - just put on a good show, keep the idiots watching at home happy and you'll be rewarded. Genuinely, one of my favourite games. Check out the link here.

And last month was also the month that the free, 13 page Consent For Gaming booklet dropped into the world, for just checking you're not pushing your players TOO far. There's a handy form at the back, which I made a digital version of here that people can fill in. It's naturally, got a lot of flack from people who don't like optional rules being put into the world that encourage you to give more of a shit about your friends than your story, but these are people you're always going to have a hard time convincing might have their priorities screwed up.

Right. October is starting busy, and I've got a fair bit to do before I go to Ireland for a wedding on Thursday - by the time you read this that may well have happened and I may have other stories to tell (in which case I'll probably post about it in November, if it's still fresh enough in my memory).

That's it for now. Bye!

September 2019 Update

GAME ON!

This month, I'm still crashing ahead with Project Blue Starlight, my current Call of Cthulhu scenario, but there are a few other things lined up, including things in the real world that might be of interest to other people in the real world, around London.

Sunday 27th of October sees the 3rd annual Game On, Werewolves charity event (technically it's only the second time it's been called that, as the first year was dedicated to a different charity). We'll be playing a big game of werewolf (Legacy) in the bad Moon Cafe, just south of the river, near London bridge and Borough. If you're interested, message me (or check out the event on Facebook).

Sunday 13th of October I'll be running a sort of Halloween themed (technically a B-movie Hammer Horror themed) scenario for Paranoia, the RPG of dark humour, where you get six lives in a dystopian future that's run by an insane computer just trying to make everyone happy. It's pretty slapstick (although, due to mutant powers, also pretty comic book gonzo), has a lot of player vs player action, and is just good plain fun. We'll be playing before Questing time at The Phoenix pub, near Oxford Circus. Again, message me (or keep an eye on the Questing Time Twitter account).

On Friday 27th September, again at the Bad Moon Cafe, there's a meet up for members of the London Tabletop Industry Networking group, for any involved in table top RPGs or board games. I feel somewhat like an imposter here, but it'll be my first time. I believe tickets may still be free, and they are literally free, but if interested you'll need to be invited to a Closed Facebook group. Let me know if you'd like to join us.

Aside from that, what's going on? I've still got Curtain Call on the backburner (I'm hoping the LTIN meet up might help me get that into the world), and a few ideas floating around for future Call of Cthulhu projects.

I'll be running my dark scenario Roots for some friends later this month, which is perhaps the most disturbing thing I've committed to words and thrown out into the world. I'm also planning to start running the Tatters of the King campaign (Call of Cthulhu), the Orpheus campaign (the standalone World of Darkness game), and at the tale end of the year a game of Ninja Burger based on Home Alone, and hopefully - I say this every year - a game of Unknown Armies set in snowy medieval Prague.

In relation to the very dark games I'm planning to run for my friends soon, I draw your attention to the free, 13 page Consent For Gaming booklet, for just checking you're not pushing your players TOO far. There's a handy form at the back, which I made a digital version of here that people can fill in. It's naturally, got a lot of flack from people who don't like optional rules being put into the world that encourage you to give more of a shit about your friends than your story, but these are people you're always going to have a hard time convincing might have their priorities screwed up.

Last few things. There's a great bunch of Kickstarters out at the moment - three came out yesterday and I immediately committed most of next month's money to them:

• Root, based on the board game, and using the popular Powered By The Apocalypse system, Roots lets you play cute cartoon animals in a Robin Hood style era, where the players are vagabonds, helping the simpler folk whilst the armies of the cats and the birds clash around the woodlands. It's better than that, honestly. Check out the link here.

• Heart: The City Beneath is the follow up to the popular RPG Spire, which was set in a dystopian sort of steam punk fantasy world that features dark elves oppressed by high elves in a massive towering... spire... Heart takes the action into the, ah, dark heart of the setting, moving away from revolutionary dark elves fighting the power and focussing on dungeon crawls through a living dungeon of darkness, madness and opportunity. Check it out here.

• SLA Industries, 2nd Edition, is a game that's been a long time coming. I always describe it as Blade Runner as if Los Angeles had been replaced by Gotham City, given as your players will player operatives sent out into a crazy world of masked serial killers, terrorist organisations and monsters, but it's so much more than that. Described as horror noir, and leaning into splatterpunk, it's all about the show - operatives do the jobs they do in an attempt to become wealthy and get high status in a world where media presence is everything, so don't worry about about the truth - just put on a good show, keep the idiots watching at home happy and you'll be rewarded. Genuinely, one of my favourite games. Check out the link here.

That's it for now. Bye!

June 2019 Update

A few things...

Stygian Fox writing has taken the fore of my (non-design work) creative writing, so some other things are taking a backseat. Noteably my own game Curtain Call, following further positive feedback, although I've worked on the lay-out a bit and started to set things up to produce as a downloadable product later this year.

Instead my eye is turned towards Stygian Fox and their new Patreon. My first scenario is already out there, under the name The Unbearable Likeness, and can also be found on DriveThruRPG. My second scenario for the Patreon is a scenario I'm calling When This Blue Starlight Dies, for which I've done the above artwork. I'm not sure whether it'll be in the final product (I like to think it will, as I've very happy with how it looks), but for now it's to prod and poke my brain to get it into the right frame of mind. The above robed figure in the skull-like mask is, effectively, the 'end of level boss' who the players will have to find a way to defeat, banish or otherwise escape from.

I hope he is suitably terrifying.

2019 Update

I realise I'm not great at updating my blog, as I usually just spill my mind out onto Twitter and Facebook, and assume people who care are taking notice. With the idea that maybe that's not quite the case, here's my current update.

• Above is the cover design for Curtain Call, as it stands. I've not made too much progress since December last year, largely because it occurred to me to jump onto projects that I'm doing in conjunction with other people. But, still, this is my only properly fleshed out storytelling game, and I'm always happy to get good feedback about it so - to that end - I'm happy to send people a playtest version. 
• Cthulhu Adventus and Halfway, both for Stygian Fox, are still both in the pipeline. I've started tackling the former, whilst ideas for the latter stir in the back of my mind (it'll be a two book affair with, in a style not dissimilar to Stephen King's IT, the players playing first as kids and then as adults - potentially this also means that the kids' book will be one of those 80s/90s nostalgia trips that everyone seems to be doing).
• Writing - I've signed up to a mentoring programme that means I'm being encouraged to write 500 words of fiction every day. Which isn't quite working, because I'm also researching (or just reading) gaming material on a regular basis, and real life requires me to spend quality time with my kids every so often. But I have got two short stories on the go at the moment, one that's a no-fantasy story about a lonely girl who is drinking at home on a rainy night, and the other which is a sci-fi / cyberpunk / transhuman / Black Mirror affair that I'm really enjoying. If you bug me I may release copies into the world, as and when they're finished.
• A fantasy game has been lingering in my head for ages, based on a love of old Fighting Fantasy books and, frankly, any dungeon crawler game where the adventurers run into the guards serving the evil overlord. There seem to be a bunch of games that allow you to play 'the bad guys' but I'd like to write this one game - sooner rather than later - as a love letter to the games and gamebooks of my youth, a darkly humourous game that allows you to play somewhat a band of dysfunctional guards who always seem to possess a random item that will help the adventurers get through that one room further into the dungeon.
• Largely, much of my current inspiration is coming from the Plot Points podcast, which has pointed me toward investigating specific fantasy games. Very much worth checking out, just for the sheer variety of game covered.

Thanks for reading.