Author: Nathan Roberts

Sooo, I need some ideas.

Sooo, I need some ideas.

Sooo, I need some ideas.

I’ve been approached to run a Penny Dreadful inspired game. Initally I was thinking Monster of the week, but after some dutiful pondering, I believe that Monsterhearts is the better fit.  The drama is personal and relationship based, with the ‘monster hunting’ an aside to the true interpersonal conflicts of the genre. The characters are after all Victorian monsters in an adult setting, despite acting like irreverent teens most of the time.

So I can barf forth Victoriana till the proverbial cows come home, but I’m struggling with starting the game. The chargen seems to slide over seamlessly, so long as one takes the milieu as a given. But what of the next step? A grabby ‘in media res’ situation? Follow the characters around a little?

Any suggestions or ideas on how to make the game a success would be greatly appreciated!

Oh my goodness. I have just discovered the settlement construction ‘mini’ game in Fallout 4. I AM THE HARDHOLDER.

Oh my goodness. I have just discovered the settlement construction ‘mini’ game in Fallout 4. I AM THE HARDHOLDER.

Oh my goodness. I have just discovered the settlement construction ‘mini’ game in Fallout 4. I AM THE HARDHOLDER.

This is so much fun, its like barfing forth onto Minecraft  and making it the most awesome solo GM activity EVAR.

Taking screenshots for my next tabletop game as evocative source material.

Game was good tonight.

Game was good tonight.

Game was good tonight.

Tara the pre-pubescent Brainer who’s violation glove is plantlike tendrils that squirm out of her veins had a vision (after deep brain-scanning Colonel Hake the Quarantine) of the steam cannibals burning down vast swaths of the iridescent jungle apocalypse to make way for their war-steamtrain.

You know how Vx suggests daydreaming apocalyptica?

You know how Vx suggests daydreaming apocalyptica?

You know how Vx suggests daydreaming apocalyptica? I was at a Pt’s house in a lower socio-economic area today who had THIS out the front!

It’s a V16 – two V8s longitudinally connected!

The lovely graffiti is in bright red, and euphemistically Antipodean:

‘Fucken Red Dog did this shit’

So cool.

So with the 2e playbooks and basic moves, we’ve been playing with the old augury, insight, harm and barter moves…

So with the 2e playbooks and basic moves, we’ve been playing with the old augury, insight, harm and barter moves…

So with the 2e playbooks and basic moves, we’ve been playing with the old augury, insight, harm and barter moves…

Is that they way its intended Meguey Baker? There is no mention of them on the sheets, but that’s O.K., they seem to work just fine, just like old times. The Augury move in particular is a favourite. We always forget the harm move too, but when we do use it it does add to the fiction in suprising ways, so that’s a goodness.