I ran Bluebeard’s Bride for the first time last night and it went ok. Just ok. I’m not too proud to say that I struggled sometimes and I’m wondering if people have any great ideas for making it easier.
More than anything, I struggled with the amount of improvisation the game requires. Based on my reading of the core rules, rooms are to be generated spontaneously once keys are described, as are the room threats, and any servants or horrors therein. This is A LOT when you’re trying to tie room design to key descriptions and threats to wedding preparation. Additionally, you have to be prepared to answer complex questions potentially depending on what moves the sisters take – e.g., why did Bluebeard keep this? What memories does this object hold?
It was a real struggle for me at times to keep all the balls in the air when manufacturing everything out of whole cloth. What have folks found to make this easier? Are there any pieces that can be done ahead of time to make things easier?
In other PtBA games, the narrative burdens are shared by GM and players. How much did you redirect to the players?
I haven’t played Bluebeard so I don’t know if it is more difficult to do that delegating than, say, in Dungeon World.
Granted, Bluebeard reads as more mystery-oriented game so I can understand how it may feel like GM must do all the juggling.
Just a thing: i’d advice you to tell upfront to your players that you yourself don’t know the truth behind the room.
This way you can spurt answers to their questions as you prefer, without caring so much about creating a backstory on the fly – it’s up to them to pick and choose the hints and details they get from the room in order to forge a truth for the Bride.
Andrea Serafini is right on the money. It’s not a mystery game. The Sisters are going to tell you what happened once they have enough info. Tell them ahead of time that they can propose a truth at any time. They shouldn’t be trying to figure out what questions to ask you to discover what you think happened.
They tell you what happened. They should be trying to create a coherent narrative with you.
This reminds me of the Three Umpires anecdote:
“Three umpires are sitting in a bar, sharing a beer together. They begin talking about their job and the difficulties they face in calling balls and strikes. The first umpire states quite confidently, “There’s balls and there’s strikes, and I call them as they are!” The second umpire, with a slight look of disapproval, says, “No, no, no, there’s balls and there’s strikes, and I call them as I seem ’em.” The third umpire says, “You know, you’re both wrong. There’s balls and there’s strikes, and they ain’t nothin’ till I call ’em.””
Do I understand correctly that I should worry less about making a coherent truth out of the answers to questions they ask based on moves? And/or also invite the other players to answer those questions?
This: “Your job is to unsettle and offer provocations, it’s the Bride’s job to interpret. Maybe think of it less as a mystery and more of a feminist body horror rorshach test. “
Your job is to spew whatever weirdness comes to mind according to your principles and moves. It’s their job to make sense of it.
Bluebeard’s Bride is the easiest game in the world for me to run because I just enter a kind of a creative trance state and spew out whatever horrible image jumps to mind as the questions and prompts come.
Jesse Burneko exactly. That trance/fugue state thing is totally how it goes for me. That said I’m not great at using the Groundskeeper moves per se, but afaict people I run it for still have a “good” time.
“Maybe think of it less as a mystery and more of a feminist body horror rorshach test.”
Very astute interpretation!
Shane Liebling Maybe I was trying too hard to meet the moves. I still think it would be useful for me to brainstorm things based on those moves before hand, if only to limber up the mind.
Have you watched/listened to APs at all? I’d definitely suggest doing so. Sarah’s are great and I think I have posted some of my own here as well.
I definitely would think ahead a little bit about some of the things that interest you off the list of room possibilities and/or check out the Book of Rooms.
The other main thing I do is after the chargen and questions I take a long break. Like 10-15m and just figure things out during that time.
Also: taking your time and thinking about things in silence at the table, especially with horror games, actually adds to the experience. So if you aren’t sure immediately how to react to something just quietly think for a few seconds – let the players feel the anxiety.