Hi everyone, first post, but have been following the community for a little while. I’ve started running a Monsterhearts game (2 sessions so far) and I have a few questions regarding the Infernal’s Darkest Self–a couple of them rules-based, and one that’s just looking for some ideas/advice. (Note: I’ll be using “he” when referring to the Infernal only because the one in my game happens to be a he.)
First, the way I read the Darkest Self, it suggests that the Infernal can’t exchange Strings for gifts/etc from his Dark Power while he is in his Darkest Self; “You can’t get what you need anymore. The world has left you cold and alone, shivering in the wake of your own addictions.” Do other folks run it this way, that when the Infernal is in his Darkest Self, the Dark Power won’t grant anymore gifts until he has fulfilled all the demands the Dark Power makes, and burns off the existing Strings? i.e He can’t use Bargains until he escapes his Darkest Self, but could still use any non-bargain Skin Moves he has? Or do folks figure it’s fine for the Infernal to keep using Bargains, and just keep digging himself deeper, and stuck in his Darkest Self longer, since it just means even more Strings he has to burn off by fulfilling demands from the Dark Power before he can escape it? (Setting aside for the moment the “agree to a worse bargain with a Darker Power” escape option.)
Second, what about the Infernal’s Sex Move? Whenever he has sex with someone, the Dark Power looses a String on him, and gains one on his partner. Does that mean an Infernal can get out of fulfilling the demands of the Dark Power, by just sleeping with a number of people (or one person a number of times) to get rid of the Strings, since the rule for escaping the Darkest Self just says “you escape…when the Dark Power has no more strings on you…”? I can see where trading “fulfilling the Dark Power’s demands” for “giving the Dark Power power over others” still works thematically–are you willing to sell out those you are sleeping with, to free yourself–but something also feels a little not right about it. I could easily see it going either way. How do others handle it?
Last, just looking for some thoughts about demands from the Dark Power. I’ve seen a number of play reports where people playing Infernals talk about how their Dark Power demanded they murder a classmate, or sacrifice a child, or that sort of thing. I’m looking for some ideas for some demands that are not quite so straight-up-murder-y. The Dark Power to the Infernal in my game is a sly, charming manipulator. Sure, he’s evil, but I want to think of things that could be demanded of a servant, that could advance his goals, and be corrupting, or dark, or monstrous, without making the player just be a killer. I’d love to hear ideas from other folks who have run games with Infernals in them, of some kinds of demands you’ve had the Dark Power make when the Infernal is in his Darkest Self (or from people who have played Infernals, what has been demanded of them.)
Thanks so much for your time.