I’m a first-time GM and just completed the first session of our campaign. We established that the 2 PCs (Ranger and Druid) are demon hunters, so I’m working on figuring out the Fronts and Custom Moves I might want to use in the campaign. Here is one idea I’d like to float by people to get feedback.
When you call on nature to close a demonic portal, roll plus WIS
– On a 10+, the portal closes without complication
– On a 7-9, choose one
# Something makes it through the portal before it closes
# The portal closes, but draws the attention of greater demonic forces
I’m thinking to have the ‘attention’ and miss cases on this move to be one of the major drivers of some demon-related Front stuff I’m working on. Am I doing this right?
Is there something that can happen on a 10+, other than simply closing the portal? Where does the story go from there?
Hmm, that’s a good point. I imagine they look to me afterward and I can reveal an unwelcome truth or show signs of an approaching threat, but maybe this would work better with a 2 out of 3 on 10+?
How about:
When you call on nature to close a demonic portal, roll plus WIS
– On a 10+, the portal closes without complication
– On a 7-9, choose one
# Something makes it through the portal before it closes
# The portal closes, but draws the attention of a demon prince to the party
# The party is drawn in by the portal and teleported to a location of the GM’s choosing
Closing a demonic portal seems like a win to me; I wouldnt expect anything better than that on a 10+. If anything, I’d expect that there’s always some sort of cost or fallout or complication, even on a 10+, because demonic portal.
Is closing a portal something they both just know how to do? Like from previous training or something?
I really like the idea of the increasing attention. I’d probably right up a series of grim portents to go along with it.
I do totally want to have a miss on this move lead to getting pulled into the portal at some point. Not sure if it’s something the players would ever choose willingly, though.
Also, just for some background, I’m currently thinking of having these portals be encountered somewhat frequently, as they’re one of the main complications that the players are dealing with. I’m looking forward to finding out why they’ve been popping up lately.
Might be cool to make the close portal move like the wizard’s ritual casting move (unless you really do want to see it happen on the fly). That would give you plenty of hooks as they chased down materials and assistance, and might lend the process some weight.
Jeremy Strandberg If I go ahead and use this move, I’m planning to let them know they both know how to do this, then ask them where they learned about it. I’m also going to have them tell me how the actual process works. Could lead to some interesting complications I haven’t even imagined yet.
Joshua Faller Mechanically speaking, I was thinking to have a number of smaller portals along the way to produce misses and help drive some of the demonic progression, but I’m probably approaching it from the wrong perspective. I’m wondering if maybe they were trained to close (small) portals, but then eventually they start finding portals that are larger than they thought were possible, requiring more involved story arcs to resolve.
I would make closing a portal a big deal and use the ritual move for it. Closing an interdimensional gate is not like closing you back door, is it?
If you wanted to make the 10+ result have a bit more interest, how about offering an opportunity at a cost on a 10+: they can either close the portal without complication, or can choose one of the options from the 7-9 list in order to gain an insight from the other side (which might give hints as to the larger mystery behind these portals, or simply point them at the next nearest portal in their world).
Fictionally, they’re gazing into the portal as they close it, and they see something informative in the swirling chaos – they can either pause a moment to get a good look (thus learning something) or ignore it and complete the closing with all haste.
Robert Rendell Oooh, I like that. I think I’ll write it so the player provides the insight, as well.