EDIT: So this has been up forever and apparently is still a thing? I have no idea how G+ works, should probably learn. Just in case, a message – I’m leaving this as it is. In hindsight, it obviously needs a naming convention that matches the rest of MH for more than just thematic reasons. However, I think it would work better as a plot point or short campaign centered around a horrifically manipulative individual, perhaps a faerie heir/ess, or a magical artefact grown sentient, using Challengers and Precious to turn Monsterhearts into an arena of sorts. Hopefully. Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Hey all, I’ve been poking and prodding at a… well, to be perfectly honest, it was directly after watching Scott Pilgrim vs. the World again, and I decided to create a Ramona Flowers-esque character. It turned out… ok? I think? Parts of it feel clunky, but here it is at the moment, warts and all:
THE DAMSEL
You’re a bystander. A prize. A plaything. A toy. Something for the rich and powerful to desire and covet, once they have all the wealth and control they can stomach. You are something to be bought and sold, won and lost. So what of the chains round your neck, they will always underestimate you. They want to fight over you? They’ll fight. They’ll bleed.
Playing the Damsel [Very WIP]:
Aloof and austere to those deemed unworthy, kind and compassionate to those who rise above, the Damsel is both the ringleader and the prize of a battle-royals of villains, heroes, captors and lovers.
You status is firmly locked into both your Sex Move and the mandatory Precious move: Waking up next to you is invigorating, inspiring, energising, and sometimes fatal. Connections can mean someone you have a string on, a friend, a family member, a lover, another Challenger, or something different.
Keep track of both those with the Challenger title, and those who have lost it. A comprehensive and readily available list will make adding additional Challengers to the roster much simpler
When using Rooting For You, you needn’t be present or aware of the circumstances, but the fight must definitely be about you specifically.
Ivory Tower implies a lot about your status as a Damsel, quite literally in distress. While trying to walk, talk or fight your way out is as challenging as ever, those that try and interrogate, seduce or resist your advances are in for a terrible time.
Name: Mulan, Arielle, Belle, Tiana
A sweet name, a commanding name, an old-sounding name
Look:
Doe eyes, kind eyes, piercing eyes.
Gold and silver chains, spiritual chains, invisible chains, chains of family, chains of friendship
Stats:
+1 Hot, 1 Volatile, 0 Cold, 0 Dark
Special [Yes, this is very wordy]: A few days after having sex with someone for the first time, they are marked as a Challenger. Every current Challenger gains two strings on them, and they gain one string on every other Challenger. If one Challenger kills or humiliatingly defeats another, both you and the victor gain 1 XP, while the loser is permanently stripped of their Challenger title and can never benefit from the Precious move again.
Darkest Self [Suggestions wanted]: You’re done dealing with this mess. They’re all fools, all of them, so lead them on a merry chase. Seduce one, be ensnared by another, then leave them all to squabble in the mud. Play the game, and make them all lose. You leave your Darkest Self when the death or permanent maiming of a Challenger leads you to realise the horror of the situation.
Moves (Take Precious and two others):
Precious – Whenever you wake up, whoever is closest to you at the time gains two strings on you, or anyone who has a connection to you. They also take +1 forward. You may ask them any three questions, they must answer honestly or give you a string for each.
Nut Shot – When you suddenly attack someone who is emotionally vulnerable, like staring deep into your eyes, you can roll to Lash Out Physically with Hot, and they are stunned for a moment
Rooting For You – Whenever someone fights for, or because of you, you can spend any of your strings on their behalf. If two or more people are fighting over you, you may choose to grant any of them +/ 1 ongoing for the duration of the fight.
Blinding – While you are pure, you can roll to Shut Someone Down with Hot. Anyone that lays a hand on you can decide to give you the condition Tarnished , and while you have it, you can’t use this move
Ivory Tower – When someone has you imprisoned against your will, they take -2 to do anything to you that doesn’t involve keeping you there.
Femme Fatale – After spending a night close to someone, you can choose to give them the condition Secret Weakness.
So it feel like it’s trying to capture what’s important about Ramona from the perspective of Scott. Since one of the serious problems with their relationship is that Scott doesn’t see Ramona as a real person, I think the end result is that the skin is really a prop for all of the other players at the table instead of something that would be fun to play.
Also, give it masculine names too! Skins shouldn’t be limited to one gender.
Yeah, is gendered (which fights the LGTBTQ* point of MH). And -2 penalties are a no-no. Penalties lead to failure; skins should incentivize bad behavior more than punishing others.
Right, though the Queen is technically gendered, so is it ok to leave the name as Damsel? Currently the names are all Disney princesses, guess I should add some Disney princes to the mix XD. For the Ivory Tower move, I still want to somehow create the whole “You may have captured me, but you haven’t broken my spirit.” vibe, which I thought the large penalty would create. Maybe reverse that: “Whenever someone holds you against your will, they gain 1 XP, but you take +1 ongoing against them.” Is that more in line with the MH way?
Regarding what Alan said, I think that the feeling I was trying to create is, “what if the innocent bystander that was constantly being fought over decided to manipulate the combatants and pit them against each other?” Whether or not I succeeded, that’s the feeling I was going for. Maybe the Damsel is a prop, something reliable, what with the constant back-and-forth and petty fighting over who gets to enjoy the Precious move. But what happens if they actively choose favourites, or even intentionally amp up the violence? Someone who is weak and powerless can make the mighty fall, simply by being present and deciding who lives, and who dies.
The Queen is a gendered title — it’s the name list I’m looking at. You need male names on it. There are totally male damsels. Precious worries me because in theory it happens way more often than a lot of other moves, but perhaps I’m wrong about that one? I think this has potential, but it is a tricky line to walk.
Oh, also gender neutral names — gender neutral names are awesome. I finally learned that this is why so many Mortals get named Robin.
(One of my favorite male damsels is Jonathan Harker.)