Looking for feedback on my first crack at a Storm, if anybody’s interested (unless you are one of my players, in which case, buzz off, jerk).
Rumors we started with in the first session include:
Wild is looking for a powerful artifact.
The highest ranking wizard in the city is dying.
The Winter Court may be looking to take the Arboretum.
The Werewolves are recruiting.
The Mafia may be “disappearing” supernaturals.
A portal to Sheol in the Wizard’s sanctum is of interest to the Tainted’s patron.
I’m still working out threat types and custom moves, but I have some general ideas for threats and countdowns…
Storm obligation: Community
Eye of the Storm: Power Vacuum
Threat: Power Vacuum
Type: Ritual (Theft), I think
Cast: Ashur (head wizard), Prospero (angling to replace Ashur), Caarcrinolaas (Tainted’s Patron)
Description: Chancellor Ashur of the Sundered College is dying, and rumor has it Prospero may be using a ritual with a mysterious artifact to do it. The truth is actually that Caacrinolaas arranged to have this dangerous artifact make its way to the city in the hands of some unwitting demons, who thought it would just help them in their soul-collecting efforts – and Caacrinolaas tipped off Power that a dangerous, soul-leeching artifact would be coming to town. Ashur is trying to contain and defuse the thing, but isn’t up to the task alone, and the next most powerful wizard in town isn’t inclined to help if it means a promotion. If left unchecked, the ritual will eventually draw all the souls through the portal to Sheol, leaving some prime real estate for Caacrinolaas to establish his new kingdom.
Move: When you touch the cursed rosary, roll with Spirit. On any hit, a skilled magic-user or artificer can Unleash with Spirit (3-harm ap). On a 10+, choose 1; on a 7–9, choose 2.
• Take 1-harm ap.
• Mark corruption.
• You lose your grip on the rosary as your hand grows numb.
Countdown:
1. Ashur falls into a magical coma.
2. Prospero names himself interim Chancellor.
3. Ashur dies.
4. Dozens of souls start exiting through the portal.
5. Thousands of souls spread throughout the city and beyond.
6. Sheol is emptied and Caacrinolaas claims it as his kingdom.
Threat: Snowfall
Type: Power Play (Feint)
Cast: Lady Thistle of the Daoine Sith, Jack Frost of the Winter Court, various demons and other supernaturals
Description: The Winter Court has long paid its traditional tithe to Hell (in this case, the local demon gang). The Sith see this a sign of weakness and want to take over. They’ve seeded rumors that Winter is trying to expand into the Arboretum to control its gateway to Faerie, and they’re staging crime scenes to make it look like Winter is taking out hits on members of other faction. They figure this will gain them enough allies to take over the Arboretum themselves. They are biting off more than they can chew.
Countdown:
1. A Winter fae and a mafioso are found dead in apparent struggle
2. A Winter fae and a werewolf are found dead, as above
3. A vampire escapes to reveal truth of Sith ambushes
4. Winter discovers the hidden location of Sith HQ
5. Winter allies invade to slaughter the Sith
6. Summer Court emerges from gateway in the Arboretum, blocking full-on invasion of Sith in Faerie, and introducing a new group to the city
Threat: Remade Men
Type: Passion (Love) or Power Play (Annex)
Cast: Rico and Los Lobos, among others
Description: Hearing rumors of possible fae incursions in territory already disputed with the vampires, the pack is actively recruiting not just from locals, but from notable figures in other factions. They offer it as a chance to become stronger, live free, and fight for a community you love rather than a master who uses you. The message is especially enticing to mafia underlings, and mafia attempts to hunt down defectors fuel inaccurate rumors of a supernatural pogrom. Eventually, the pack may grow so large, with so many big names, that not even its charismatic alpha can keep it under control.
Countdown:
1. Rico invites notable people (including PCs) to join up
2. Pack grows unruly, leaving scat & carcasses in its turf
3. Mauled remains found of those who refuse to defect
4. Named lieutenants defect from other gangs to Lobos
5. Lobos territory grows; new blood declares open season on trespassers
6. Someone bigger, badder, and meaner than Rico challenges him for control of the pack
This all looks pretty solid, but I think it might be good for you to look at your fronts and make sure something is irrevocably changing at step 4. That’s the point at which things can’t be rewound or undone.
Yeah, the countdowns still feel weak to me. (And I wonder if I’m over-representing “they bite off more than they can chew” and need another threat that ends with “and some jerks get exactly what they wanted, ha ha ha.”)
Thanks! 🙂
I have been working on some revisions to this, and thought others might find some use in the Google Docs template I put together for it.
Front side: NPCs’ names and harm capacity, indicating 1- or 2-armor, plus a few reminders of appearance, and room to make notes for debts.
Back side: MC moves, Faction moves, and threat moves and countdowns for each threat in this Storm.
As for the threats themselves, I realized that one of them was actually two separate issues (a Ritual by the Tainted’s patron, and a coup in Power that just takes advantage of the opening). I’m trying to make the countdowns feel more irrevocable at step 4, and make each step feel like a necessary transition point. And just for kicks, I added a territory threat inspired by the Ley Lines threat from the core rules (only mine relates to an attempt to manipulate ley lines by a recent real-world campaign to extend subway lines).
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AaPBWmndwu9ss_5uYmNbTRFMk_znoUHQrGwRivNqhJw/edit?usp=sharing