Category: Monster of the Week Roadhouse: Monsters!

Love letter from a medusa!

I’m writing down a medusa mystery I once run. I assumed there that there should be a fair chance of a hunter getting petrified but petrification shouldn’t be an insta-kill, just a twist in the player’s agency. I decided a hunter turned to stone can roam as a spirit and becomes a poltergeist of sorts. In play I’ve managed it more or less intuitively but now for the print&play I’m preparing a “love letter” (in PbtA meaning) with rules for petrified characters. Do you think they are relatively fair and interesting? I’ll be glad for feedback!

You feel as if in a strange out-of-body experience. You are floating a few feet above the ground, looking at your own body… a body that’s been turned to stone!

It seems that when this strange Medusa petrifies her victims at least the spirit remains aware of its surroundings. Maybe you could even try to influence the world around you or contact others…

While you are turned to stone your spirit can freely roam up to about one mile from your body. You temporarily gain the Incorporeal move from Monstrous playbook. You can also move light unattached objects – up to about half pound – and whisper into ears of people who know you. You can’t, however, do anything that requires physical interaction with heavier objects or people.

You can also do any of the actions listed below. When you do, roll +Cool or +Weird (you choose). On 10+ you do it, no problem. On 7-9 choose a glitch as if you were using magic. On a miss, choose: you either do it in a warped way that could be very dangerous to people you hold dear – the Keeper invents the nasty details – or you manifest as a transparent, spectral version of yourself while you do it and for a few minutes thereafter.

*Speak with or talk to somebody who doesn’t know you

*Move telepathically a nearby object, maybe hurling it as a weapon (1- to 3-harm depending on its weight)

*Make people who aren’t aware of your ghostly presence feel a particular emotion when near to your petrified body

Your petrified body has 1-armor now but it can be healed only by magic.