Faery Wedding Reception Party Game ================================== [Ed. Note: I’m not married to the title. Rimshot!] #ThreeForged design challenge. Author 1583’s stage one game as worked on by author 1528 in stage two. Thanks to [REDACTED]. My inspirations: Coachride to Devil’s Castle, Zork novels, UA Jailbreak, Werewolf, A Rough Night at the Dog and Bastard, TSoY’s Solar System. Original author core tenets I aim to keep: Different roles, everyone can lose, character motivations & goals, some element of contemporary fantasy, 4-10 players, definitely a LARP of some kind, open and closed character info, keys and dice (kind of), ghouls are not zombies. ======================= All characters are attending a faery wedding party. Faery Queen Titania is the mother of the groom, Cardinal. Lord Aludvik Breezespinner is the father of the bride, Liliana. Both courts have pulled out all the stops to impress the guests. This grandeur and extravagance should be reflected in play. Players take on the role of some of these guests. Some will be fairies, some will be humans or vampires or more exotic beings. You’ll need a deck of cards, dice, and coins to play. If you have the time and inclination, feel free to make your own specialized decks, but you can play if all you have are regular playing cards. First things first, you’ll need to pair up- who you came with. No guest will be an island, for going to a party and knowing nobody is boring as hell and not fun. [VARIANT: Pairings can be done by roles after they are assigned: All members of group A came together, all members of group B came together, etc.] Take a full deck of cards, shuffle them, and deal cards out to players. The first two players with matching suits know each other. If you have two or three players left (as you would with five total players), these remainders all know each other. If you’ve got four or more (as you would with six or more total players), keep dealing to the others- the next two players with matching suits likewise know each other. Lather, rinse, repeat. Paired players should now move next to each other so they can work out their details over the course of character creation. Take the pairing cards back. Character creation is also done with a deck of cards: Separate it into suits for now. If you’ve got prep time and are so inclined, you can make a custom deck of cards. If you have no cards, just put slips of paper in a hat or cup. Affiliation (Spades) -------------------- Every guest has an affiliation with one side of the wedding party- this should be (mostly) equally distributed. Take enough spades for your number of players, counting the Ace as one. Shuffle and deal out one spade to each player, or wash shuffle and let everyone draw from the center. Odd-ranked cards were invited by the bride’s side, even-ranked cards were invited by the groom’s side. Think about and jot down a line or two about precisely who invited you, and how. [VARIANT: For more drama, deal cards to each player, not each pairing.] [VARIANT: Higher-ranked cards signify the strength of the relationship to your inviter.] [VARIANT: Use n+1 or even all of the spades.] [VARIANT: Just flip coins.] Secret motivation (Hearts) -------------------------- Wash shuffle all the hearts and let everyone pick one. If you have prep time, go ahead and make custom cards so nobody has to go back and refer to the manual during play. [VARIANT: Draw two and choose one, shuffle as needed. Draw again if they match.][VARIANT: Draw three, keep two. They must be different.] You’re attending the wedding because… A - Esteem: You want to show respect and garner same. K - Community: You’re a personage of import. Q-J - Remove Curse: The Fae have cursed you and you want it gone. 10-9 - Seek Boon: You desire some wish granted or favor delivered from the Fae. 8-7 - Power: You want to take advantage of someone who’s attending. 6 - Revenge: You have a grudge to settle, real or imagined. 5 - Paparazzi: You want to see and be seen. 4 - Romance: You’re in love, seeking love, or both. 3 - Obligated: You must not refuse. 2 - Moocher: You want to make off with comestibles, a member of the wedding party, or the silverware. Character role (Diamonds) ------------------------- It’s impossible to hide some things in the realm of Fae. Roles are not secret- everyone will know who (or what) you are. The same is so for titles and names (not True Names, of course), as you’ve been announced to the wedding party at large when you arrive. [VARIANT: choose an interesting subset for x numbers of players. With four, choose from Faery, Human, Vampire, Mage only, etc.] [VARIANT: Double each role, so there’s always two of a given role.] [VARIANT: Draw then shuffle the choice back in.] [VARIANT: Some roles give you powers.] You’re playing the game as a... A - High-born Faery noble K - Common Fae Q - Vampire aristocrat J - Common vampire 10 - Vampire thrall 9-8 - Human 7 - Ghoul 6 - Mage 5-4 - Outsider 3 - Golem/construct 2 - Mage Note that there is no mechanical effect due to card rank. Note that undead do not automatically get along, just like humans, just like mages. Constructs tend to have a standoffish relationship with the living. Outsiders could be actual space aliens or Elder Gods or demigods or half-breeds. Unlike zombies, ghouls are cunning, aware, and clean up nice for a party. By now, players should have an idea of how their pairing fits together. If you need more inspiration, feel free to shuffle and use the clubs to shape the nature of a given relationship. [VARIANT: Draw one per player.][VARIANT: Choose another player at random and draw to define a relationship with them.] [VARIANT: Both flip coins. Two heads = both like. Two tails = both dislike. Mixed = mixed.] A-K - Mutual positive relationship Q-J - Mutual negative relationship 10-9 - One-sided relationship (obligations, old history, etc) 8-7 - May-November relationship (teacher/student, or otherwise) 6-5 - Enthralled, ensorcelled, bound 4-3 - Romantic relationship 2 - Family Players should make a little name card tent for themselves out of a folded index card, or use some HELLO MY NAME IS stickers. Write clearly enough that people across the table can read your name and role. Flashback: Everyone in turn delivers a quick minute or three backstory narrative about getting the invitation, reacting to it, and/or the travel to get to the party. In the now: Go around in turn and spend a narrative minute or two to describe your entrance, your companion, your style of dress, etc. Open information: Character name, affiliation, role, pairings. Closed information: Motivation, Keys, “powers” Keys ---- All players pick three. A person of interest usually means another player, but it’s likely that you need more characters- feel free to ask someone not in the scene to step up and play a notable. To hit a key, the action must have narrative weight- there should be real depth, meaning or consequences; matters that cannot just be handwaved offscreen. [VARIANT: Schtick protection, no doubling.] [VARIANT: Fixed keys based on role.] Key of the Oppressor: Gain a coin when you overpower someone. Gain two coins when you overpower someone more powerful than you. This works with combat, wits, honorable duels, or certain other contests. Key of Gossip: Gain a coin when you learn a new fact about someone else. Gain two coins when you share a fact to a person of interest. Key of Kindness: Gain a coin when you help someone in need. Gain two coins if you put yourself at risk (physical, social, magical, etc) for such aid. Key of the Magi: Gain a coin when you demonstrate how magic is better than a non-magical solution. Gain two coins when you one-up another mage. Key of the Glutton: Gain a coin when you indulge in front of others. Gain two coins when you indulge at someone else’s expense. Key of the Everfull Purse: Gain a coin when you show off (or spend) your wealth to a person of interest. Gain two coins when you make a deal in your benefit. Key of the Lover: Gain a coin when you are attentive to your beloved’s needs. Gain two coins when you rebuff an advance from someone who is not your beloved. Key of the Seducer: Gain a coin when you tempt a person of interest. Gain two coins when you follow through. Key of the Plot: Gain a coin when you take a step toward completing your scheme. Gain two coins when you pull it off. Key of the Fraud: Gain a coin when you pull off a lie about your true motives, history, or self. Gain two coins when you disprove a truth about yourself. Key of the Prophet: Gain a coin when one of your cryptic prophecies comes to light. Gain two coins when one of your cryptic prophecies has indisputably come to pass. Key of the Patron: Gain a coin when you support your benefactor. Gain two coins when doing so is inconvenient, embarrassing, or otherwise unsound. Key of the Conversation: Gain a coin when you get two strangers to engage in meaningful conversation. Gain two coins when you get two enemies to engage in civilized discourse. Key of the Jerk: Gain a coin when you are significantly rude to a person of interest. Gain two coins when this person is above your station. Key of the Matchmaker: Gain a coin whenever you introduce two potential lovers. Gain two coins it if works out. Key of Fame: Gain a coin when you add to your legend. Gain two coins when doing so puts you at significant (social, political, magical, physical, etc) risk. Key of Friendship: Gain a coin when you stick up for a friend. Gain two when you stick your neck out for them. Key of the Alienated: Gain a coin when your misunderstanding of a situation causes you to miss an opportunity. Gain a coin when it causes you trouble. Key of the Clown: Gain a coin when you make someone laugh. Gain two coins when you make everyone in the scene laugh. Key of Clout: Gain a coin when you gain temporary (but significant) advantage over someone. Gain two coins when the advantage is long-lasting. Key of Retribution: Gain a coin when you right a wrong. Gain two coins if means trouble for you. Key of Honor: Key of the Predator: Scenes ------ Players take turns framing scenes. Scene length will vary depending on the total number of players. With a large group, it’s easy to have many people in audience mode too long; don’t hog the spotlight. The first round of scenes will be with pairs, so that every pair gets scenes with the other pairs: With four: First Aa sets the scene for all four players, then Bb sets the scene for all four players. After this, break up the couples. Set two scenes to happen simultaneously: one player from each pair. Then swap and do two more simultaneous scenes with the other half of each pair. [e.g. AB and ab, then Ab and aB.] With six: Aa and Bb, Aa and Cc, Bb and Cc. With eight: Aa and Bb while Cc and Dd, then Bb and Dd while Aa and Cc. [VARIANT if you have time: {a,b} {a,c} {a,d} {b,c} {b,d} {c,d}] With ten, pick half of these combinations. While the triplet plays out, have a simultaneous scene with the remaining two pairs. Choices: {a,b,c} {a,b,d} {a,b,e} {a,c,d} {a,c,e} {a,d,e} {b,c,d} {b,c,e} {b,d,e} {c,d,e} [Ed. Note: I’m not sure how to handle odd numbers of players. There must be an elegant way to mix these up! I’m sure you, stage-three author, can figure this out.] The next round(s) of scenes can be mixed up as interest dictates. During scenes, take a coin (or coins) whenever you hit your key. You can’t hit a key more than twice in a scene, unless it’s really really awesome and intense and everyone’s on the same page. At scene end, everyone gets one additional coin above what they earned with keys. (This way, nobody has zero.) Players choose sides, then all flip coins: heads are successes. Whichever side gets more successes wins. It is possible for both sides to win (tie on successes) or both sides to lose (zero successes for both). Sides take turns going back and forth with your coins doing narrative Yes ands (heads) or Yes buts (tails). I don’t know what endgame is.