I’m working on a Gothic Horror supplement in the spirit of a certain campaign setting that shall not be named. One of the concepts I’m working on are Roles, which function like compendium classes taken at character creation. Ideally they will allow a player to take any character class and give it the trappings it needs to function in this world.
Anyone interested in helping me refine these?
First up The Curious:
You always find the truth. Sure there are times you wish you hadn’t. There was that time in Raitenbruch for instance. You had to leave town very fast after that one, didn’t you? And of course there was that time in Morhen. Do you ever wonder if they’ll find the bodies? But it doesn’t matter, because you had to find the truth. Others don’t understand. The truth is a force of nature. Like gravity, or light, or magic. Truth is real. And like any force of nature it shapes the way we live. It forms such an integral part of our lives that we don’t even notice it. But it’s there. Like the air we breathe. And, like air, without truth, we die.
Shadows hide things and it’s The Curious’ job to bring them to light. Always searching and digging for the truth The Curious is determined to figure out what is going on, even if it is something that world was never meant to know. The Curious is a character who solves mysteries, finds what is hidden, and convinces people in an attempt to uncover the truth. Play this role if you want to investigate mysteries and solve and take the front lines in uncovering the mysteries of the night (Inspiration: Sherlock Holmes, Call of Cthulhu, Murders of Rue Morge)
These are the core moves I’ve got worked up for The Curious. I’d value your thoughts and ideas for a couple more moves. The Curious is a detective, so their moves revolve around solving mysteries.
Putting the Pieces Together
When you want to get to the bottom of a mystery, tell the GM what you want to know. The GM will tell you “sure, no problem, but…” and then 1 to 4 of the following:
It’s going to take hours/days/weeks of making contacts/piecing things together/sitting in stake out;
+ You’ll need to get into___;
+ You’ll need to talk to _;
+ First you’ll have figure out _;
+ You’ll have to gather information about___;
+ You’re going to need _ to help you with it;
+ It’s going to cost you plenty of coin in bribes;
+ It’s going to mean exposing yourself (plus colleagues) to serious danger;
The GM might connect them all with “and,” or might throw in a merciful “or.”
Cold Reading (From Andrew Medeiros
#Urban Shadows RPG)
When you study someone in a charged interaction, roll+INT. On a 10+, hold 3 on your target. On a 7–9, hold 1 on your target but they hold 1 on you on the same terms. While you’re interacting with them, spend your hold to ask their player questions, 1 for 1:
+ Is your character telling me the truth?
+ What is your character feeling right now?
+ What are your character’s intentions regarding _?
+ Who is pulling your strings?
+ What does your character want from me?
+ What would it take to get your character to _?
I Know a Guy Who Knows a Guy (From +Chris Clouser and +Tanner Yea’s #Sixth World)
When you need an illegal good or service, roll+CHA. On 10+, you know someone who can get it for you within one day, and discreetly. On 7-9, they can get it, but (choose 1):
+ it takes two extra days to get it
+ it costs twice as much as predicted
your fence has to drop your name to get it
It’s not a million miles away from what Colin Stratton posted yesterday – something to give players who need it an extra incentive to roleplay. I like the idea (and happy to help refine it). Some initial thoughts:
You probably want to keep the roles brief and simple, so they can be picked up easily and don’t overshadow the regular class choices.
I like the idea of roles providing extra ‘look’ choices (e.g. Curious – Pick one: shifty eyes, long trenchcoat, etc..)
You could add a proviso that you can only take new role moves from levels 2-5, so they don’t overshadow other compendium classes later in a campaign.
Anyway that’s some initial thoughts. What other roles were you thinking of using?
I think you make some good points. About 5-7 moves is what I’m thinking, with 1 or maybe 2 being starting moves. Strangely I hadn’t considered “look” choices, though I had tinkered with race and alignment options.
Here’s another Role. I don’t have any moves sketched out for this one at the moment.
The Haunted:
This is a land where the dead do not rest as they should. They crowd around the living, but the living do not see them. Do not feel their cold touch. Do not see how their breath fogs in the bright sunshine as the shadows of those they knew linger by their side. But you see them, don’t you? You can see how the shades of those who have gone before have become more numerous. They are not passing on. The darkness is holding them back, and it would seem that only you can see how they hover near at all times. Waiting for their loved ones to acknowledge them. To take them back. To forgive them. To listen to what they wish they had said while they were still alive. But you’ve noticed them, and, for better or worse, they’ve noticed you.
Refined The Curious core moves:
Curious:
The Case of the__________________
Question________________________
Action__________________________
On The Case
When you devote yourself to a case, tell the GM what mystery you want to get to the bottom of. Give it an interesting title (The Case of the White Dagger, The Case of the 13 Coffins, etc) and write down what question you want to solve. The GM will then tell you the first thing you need to do, person you need to talk to, piece of evidence you must find.
Links In The Chain
When you accomplish the current action on your case, mark XP. Then the GM will give you the next thing you must do.