Tag: Topher Gerkey

Originally shared by Topher Gerkey

#monsterhearts   #skinning  

The final (for now anyway) draft of my first skin, the Fury, is all laid out and looking fabulous thanks to Matt Strickling! Feel free to take and use. I only ask that my skins be shared, not traded. If you use her in your game I’d love to hear about how it went!

Another first draft of a new Monsterhearts skin. Fairly complete except for the How To Play section, which will be included in the final draft. Yes, that one Buffy episode was a big inspiration.

Originally shared by Topher Gerkey

#monsterhearts   #skinning  

THE UNSEEN

Last week at the prom, when the captains of the football and basketball teams were making out in the locker room while their girlfriends wondered where they’d disappeared to, none of them saw you.

But you saw them.

Yesterday, when the calculus teacher hid in the supply closet during his prep period and snorted coke until his eyes looked like a doll’s, glassy and shining in the darkness, he didn’t see you.

But you saw him.

Earlier tonight, when the nerdy, sickly kid everyone picks on lured the head cheerleader into a dirty alley, sprouted fangs, and sucked her dry, they didn’t see you.

But you saw them.

Nobody ever notices you. But you can see everything. All the things they do when they think no-one is watching. And maybe it’s time you started taking advantage of that.

NAME

Choose a name:

Billy, Cecily, Griffin, Grover, Jacques, Kitty, Laura, Lyle, Marcy, Sebastian, Sue

A nerdy name, a stuffy name, a plain name, a foreign name

LOOK

Circle one from each list:

Bad posture, peering through bangs, beiges and creams, t-shirt that was popular two years ago, hand-me-downs (…not that anyone pays attention to your look.)

Knowing eyes, translucent eyes, downcast eyes, pearly eyes, forgettable eyes (…but when was the last time anyone looked into your eyes?)

ORIGIN

Circle one:

Invisibility formula, psychic blank spot, cursed to fade away, someone-else’s-problem field, light-bending physics accident

STATS

Add 1 to one of these:

Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile 1, Dark -1

YOUR BACKSTORY

The Unseen must always declare their backstory second-to-last.

You are beneath notice. Erase all strings that other characters have on you so far.

You watch everyone in their private moments. Take 1 string on everyone else.

Someone inadvertantly showed you some very juicy blackmail material. Take 1 extra string on them.

UNSEEN MOVES

Choose one of these two moves:

✔ She’s Not There – You are unnoticeable. Nothing with a mind can see, hear, smell, or otherwise sense you, or anything you wear or carry. People will alter their paths to avoid bumping into you without being conscious of doing so. Evidence of your presence is ignored – if you are dripping wet or standing in a snowdrift, no-one will notice the puddle or footprints (but someone entering the scene after you have left will notice, and can point out the evidence to others, at which point they can see it). Cameras and other recording devices – anything non-sentient – can still register and record you. If you want to make yourself known to others, roll with Cold. On a 10 up, you can interact with others for one scene. On a 7-9, you stay invisible and inaudible, but you can make yourself noticed indirectly by writing notes or pushing people or furniture around. On a miss, become your Darkest Self.

or

✔ See Through You – You are perfectly transparent. Nothing can see you, including cameras. This only affects your body, not anything that you are wearing or carrying, so to be completely invisible you will need to be nude. You can still be heard, smelled, or felt, and evidence of your presence (footprints, floating patches of paint, etc.) may give away your location. If you want to interact with others normally, you will need to wear bandages or a mask, or cover your exposed skin with makeup. If you are disguised in this way and your true invisible nature is exposed, roll with Cold. On a 10 up, you can retain self-control and beat a hasty retreat, leaving viewers wondering what they just saw. On a 7-9, you are enraged and embarrassed. All onlookers get a string on you. On a miss, become your Darkest Self.

Then choose two more moves:

O  Blackmailer – When you covertly observe someone doing something they’d rather keep secret, take a string on them. When you spend a string to offer someone experience in exchange for doing what you want, keep the string if they refuse.

O  Grand Guignol – When you do something violent, destructive, perverse, or sadistic in order to attract attention, roll Volatile. On a 10 up, mark experience and treat anyone seeing or experiencing your handiwork as if you had used shut someone down on them and rolled 10 up. On a 7-9, treat them as if you’d used shut someone down and rolled 7-9, but also choose one:

~ They gain a string on you

~ You gain the condition Urban Legend

~ One of them (your choice) gains +1 forward (or Advantage) against you

On a miss, your atrocity is blamed on someone else. Become your Darkest Self. If you are already your Darkest Self, gain the condition Enraged.

O  Out of Thin Air – When you are invisible and lash out physically, add +1 to your Volatile roll as your attack comes from out of nowhere. Others take -1 to attempts to lash out physically at you.

O  Threatening Whispers – You can roll with Cold to manipulate an NPC by threatening to expose their secrets.You can shut someone down in this manner as well; add +1 to your Cold roll.

O  Vanishing Act – When you are invisible, you can always successfully run away from someone without having to roll, but choose one:

~ They take a string on you

~ You take 1 harm

~ You gain the condition Urban Legend

~ They gain +1 forward (or Advantage) against you

O  Voyeur – You may spend a string on someone to invisibly insert yourself into any scene that person is in. When you gaze into the abyss about someone you have strings on, spend one of those strings to change a miss into a 7-9, or a 7-9 into a 10 up. 

SEX MOVE

When someone acknowledges your existence through physical intimacy, give up all strings on them and give them three strings on you. They develop an uncanny sense for your presence and will always know approximately where you are when you are in a scene together. This sense lasts until either of you have sex with someone else or until they harshly ignore you.

DARKEST SELF

Such a bland and boring wallflower. You’re not even interesting enough to torment. None of them know you even exist. What will it take to get them to notice you? Something big. Something bloody. Something vile and terrifying and above all, something showy. They won’t be able to ignore you after this. You’ll show them who you really are.

You can escape your Darkest Self only when someone makes it clear that they know you exist, even if only for a moment.

ADVANCEMENT

~ Take another Unseen move.

~ Take another Unseen move.

~ Take a move from another skin.

~ Take a move from another skin.

~ Take the initial move that you did not choose.

~ Add 1 to Hot (max 3).

~ Add 1 to Cold (max 3).

~ Add 1 to Volatile (max 3).

~ Add 1 to Dark (max 3).

Response was pretty good to my first MH skin, the Fury, so here’s another one. If this seems completely opaque, go google “Slender Man.” I’m still working on the “how to play this skin” bit, which should help folks who aren’t familiar with the source material.

Originally shared by Topher Gerkey

#monsterhearts   #skinning  

Completed first draft! An actual playbook version would have some additional formatting tricks and graphical weirdness, but as far as pure text (and of course mechanics) goes, what do you think, sirs and madames?

The Proxy

i can See it sometimes, the staLker or whatever the fuck it is, out there at the Edge of the woods, watching me. always watching with No eyes. stanDing there in that black suit, like a funEral director, but so tall, too tall. what does it want fRom m69742077617320737570706f73656420746f206c65617665206d6520616c6f6e6520616674657220692067617665206974206d79206c6974746c652062726f7468657220616e64206e6f7720697473206261636b20627574206d6179626520697473207374696c6c2068756e67727920692068617665206c6f7473206f6620667269656e6473oMeone please help me, please mAke all this eNd!

NAME

Choose a name:

Aimee, Alex, Emi, Evan, Jessie, Kevin, Noreen, Tim, Tyler, Xakk

A familiar name, a modern name, a kid’s name, a unique name

LOOK

Circle one from each list:

Baby face, carrying a camera, clinging briars, gangly, sickly, shifty 

Angry eyes, dead eyes, paranoid eyes, sorrowful eyes, veiled eyes

An animal-head mask, a burlap bag with eyeholes, a cheap plastic mask, a comedy or tragedy mask, a Guy Fawkes mask, a plague doctor’s mask, a porcelain mask, stretched pantyhose, a Venetian mask, a wooden tribal mask

ORIGIN

Circle one:

Stalked since childhood, delved too far, created a hoax that became true, student filmmaker, cult member

STATS

Add 1 to one of these:

Hot -1, Cold -1, Volatile 1, Dark 1

YOUR BACKSTORY

You have been recording video footage of everyone without their knowledge. Take one string on everyone.

You have extra footage on your subject. Take two extra strings on that person.

You’ve also been obsessively recording yourself, and someone has discovered and watched some of your footage. That person takes three strings on you.

It starts with five strings on you.

PRⓍXY MOVES

You get this one, and choose two more:

X  The Sickness – Choose one character to be your subject. You may change which character is your subject at any time, but you must have no strings on your old subject and at least three strings on your new subject. After the fifth time your subject accepts experience from you when you spend a string, he must use his next advancement to take a Proxy move. This effect can be repeated. 

O  Am I Interrupting? – You can spend two strings on someone to gain complete access to their home and identity. You have full access to all their social media accounts (e-mail, Twitter, YouTube, G+, etc) and may make irreversible changes to those accounts. You may edit your target’s uploaded videos, inserting scenes, frames, audio, or text, either obviously or subliminally. You may enter their home with sufficient stealth as to record video of them sleeping, without triggering security, being discovered, or leaving accidental traces of your presence.

O  The Collective – When you gaze into the abyss, if you roll 10 up, gain a string on your subject and do 1 harm to them. If you roll 7-9, choose one:

~ gain a string on your subject, but It gains a string on you

~ gain a string on your subject, but take 1 harm

~ do 1 harm to your subject, but take 1 harm

~ do 1 harm to your subject, but It gains a string on you.

If you roll 6 or less, It gains a string on you and you take 1 harm.

O  Cryptic Bullshit – You can shut someone down with Dark, but only indirectly, through sending them a cryptic written or video message. This can consist of mysterious but meaningful images, phrases written in ciphers, or unknown repeated symbols. Typically if you choose to inflict a condition as a result of shutting someone down via this method, you will choose to give them the condition obsessed to reflect their desperate desire to decode your communications.

O  Distortion – Whenever you will it, you cause audiovisual distortion in any photographic, video, or audio recording equipment that is being used on you. Audio distortion may range from slight reverb that leaves your voice recognizable but creepy to severe interference that makes you sound unintelligible or inhuman. Video distortion ranges from mild color changes or wavering to bursts of static that conceal the entire image. Anyone viewing or listening to the distorted images or recordings of you must roll to hold steady; results of 6 or less give the viewer the condition horrified.

O  Masky – When you are wearing your mask, others must hold steady before they can attempt to affect you with turn someone on, shut someone down, or lash out physically. If they roll 10 up while rolling hold steady, they may make the second roll as usual. If they roll 7-9, they may make the second roll at -1. If they roll 6 or less, give them the condition hazy memories and they may not attempt the second roll.

O  Path of Black Leaves – Unless you allow it, you cannot be run away from. You will always be around the next corner or hiding behind a nearby tree, or alternatively, your victim will find himself repeatedly passing through the same hallways and doors without actually getting anywhere. You may release your victim at any time, but usually not until after some sort of physical or verbal confrontation.

SEX MⓍVE

When you have sex with someone, make them your new subject (even if they don’t meet the criteria), and both of you mark experience. Your new subject‘s experience counts toward triggering The Sickness. Carry 1 forward toward inflicting Harm on your old subject.

DARKEST SELF

You’ve become desperate now – It is closing in, and your mask isn’t working to hide you like it should. You’ll do anything to save yourself, and you know what It wants. Find someone close to your subject and offer them up – either kill them yourself in Its name, or offer them up to It directly (which may leave them dead, alive, memory-wiped, or another Proxy like yourself). 

You may only escape your Darkest Self when you have successfully sacrificed someone else in your place, or when your subject catches you on video and prevents you from harming someone.

Sharing this here to get additional feedback from folks who are more familiar with Monsterhearts than I am. I’m pretty happy with the “feel” – I think it hit the Carrie target pretty nicely – but could probably use more help with the mechanics. Be gentle, this is my first skin.

Originally shared by Topher Gerkey

Second draft of the Fury, a new skin for Monsterhearts.

#monsterhearts   #skinning    

The Fury

You never wanted this. You never wanted to be different or special or a freak. All you ever wanted was to fit in. To be liked. To be accepted. Maybe even to be loved. Was that so much to ask? You’re not a bad person.

But they wouldn’t let you fit in. They hurt you. Taunted you. Called you names. Exploited you. Betrayed you. They pushed and pushed and PUSHED and PUSHED and

They’re all going to be sorry when you start pushing back.

NAME

Choose a name:

Alice, Bea, Cam, Carrie, Charlie, Kim, Jill, Joe, Robin, Will

A diminutive name, a nondescript name, an unpopular name, a victim’s name

LOOK

Circle one from each list:

Raggedy, unfashionable, nerdy, nervous, beneath notice, frightened

Desperate eyes, brittle eyes, teary eyes, resentful eyes, twitchy eyes

ORIGIN

Circle one:

Genetic mutation, government program, confluence of bloodlines, abused child, experimental psychotherapy

STATS

Add 1 to one of these:

Hot -1, Cold -1, Volatile 1, Dark 1

YOUR BACKSTORY

You have a secret crush on someone. Take a string on them.

Someone has been bullying you. Give them a string on you.

Someone was kind to you once. Give them two strings on you.

FURY MOVES

You get this one, and choose two more:

X  Futile Hope – Whenever someone acts kind or accepting toward you, gain a string on them and give them a string on you, and give yourself the condition Hopeful. If someone you trust betrays or hurts you while you are Hopeful, roll with Dark. On a 10 up, you lose all strings on them and replace Hopeful with Betrayed. On a 7-9, lose all strings on them, replace Hopeful with Betrayed, and choose one:

~ Give them an additional string on you

~ Take 1 harm from psychic feedback

~ Trigger your Darkest Self

O  The Eye – When you gaze into the abyss, add 1 to your Dark roll. On a 10 up you can choose all three options. If you are Betrayed and roll 10 up, also mark experience. If you are Betrayed and roll 7-9, choose one of the 10 up options instead of one of the 7-9 options.

O  Firestarter – Roll with Volatile to summon jets of flame, unleash destructive telekinetic blasts, instantly freeze the air, or otherwise psychically attack your tormentors. On a 10 up, do 2 harm and give your victim an appropriate condition (Burned, Frostbitten, Concussed, etc). On a 7-9, do 1 harm, give them an appropriate condition, and choose one:

~ Give yourself the same condition 

~ Take 1 harm

~ Trigger your Darkest Self

If you are Betrayed, you may also carry 1 forward against them.

O  Poltergeist – You can lash out physically using telekinesis instead of physical attacks, and your victim must roll to hold steady before attempting to run away. If you are Betrayed, do 1 extra harm when you lash out physically.

O  Push – You can roll with Volatile to turn someone on via empathic projection. On a 10 up, in addition to giving you a string, they must follow one short-term command of your choice. On a 7-9 also give yourself the condition Creepy. If you are Betrayed, also give them the condition Enthralled.

O  Scanners – Roll with Dark to invade someone else’s mind. On a 10 up, gain a string on them, and they must honestly answer one question. On a 7-9, gain a string on them and choose one:

~ They gain a string on you

~ You gain the condition Creepy

~ You each take 1 harm

On a 6 or less, they must answer one question with a plausible lie. If you are Betrayed, do 1 harm to them in addition to any other results.

O  The Shining – You can roll with Dark to manipulate an NPC or shut someone down via telepathy instead of speech. If you are Betrayed, add 1 to your Dark roll and give them the condition Headache.

SEX MOVE

When you have sex with someone, take two strings on them and give them two strings on you. Give yourself the condition Hopeful.

DARKEST SELF

Nobody loves you. Nobody ever will. It’s all pain and loneliness and watching other people from the outside, and it will never change. They only pretended to like you so they could hurt you even more. There’s nothing left for you here but revenge. So burn it all down. Smash it all to pieces. Rip their secrets out and make them dance like dolls for your amusement. 

To escape your darkest self, you must be confronted by someone who has never hurt, excluded, or betrayed you, or be shown an act of kindness that seems genuine.