Spider Suite
A very unpleasant roleplaying game about abusive relationships

Notes to Co-Designers
This game is based off of this track - https://dukeofukeandhisnoveltyorchestra.bandcamp.com/track/spider-suite

What’s Spider Suite About?
Spider Suite is a game about this fucking asshole named Spider. No human being deserves to die. Spider deserves to die, though, because he’s not a human being. He’s a vampire. He’s the most important thing in Spider Suite.

All players except one take on the role of his Thralls. They are called Thralls because they are completely and fatally enthralled by Spider. You see, he gives his vampire blood to the Thralls, which keeps them eternally young and beautiful and strong. Without it, they turn to dust.

But not only that, Spider shows them something resembling love every once in a while. It’s not actually love; it’s just him looking like he cares. You and I know that’s not actually true - but the Thralls think it is true. They need it to be. The Thralls are so captivated that they will do anything to see those thoughtless gestures of perhaps-kindness.

Why are they so obsessed about Spider? His blood is one reason, but that’s not all. Let me explain who the Thralls are and why they are so intoxicated by Spider:

Butterfly is a pretty little thing. He’s delicate, both physically and emotionally. He is an artwork that will break if you cough next to it or look at it wrong. That’s why Spider never hurts him. He’s too pretty.Because Spider never hurts - at least physically - Butterfly, Butterfly thinks he loves him the most.

Beetle is a tough motherfucker. She’s seen some shit in her life, the kind of shit that’ll reduce us to tears. But nothing broke through her before, because Beetle’s heart is built like a brick shithouse. She knows this and that’s why she sticks around Spider. No amount of pain can really hurt Beetle. When Spider realizes this, he’ll just know that Beetle is the one for him.

Ant is kind and nurturing. Among the Thralls, Ant has known Spider the longest. She has seen Spider change over time. Or at least she thinks so. She knows what Spider does is wrong but that’s what she loves about him. After all, you can’t fix something that’s not broken. Ant thinks she will eventually make Spider a good person. She knows this. She fucking knows this.

Firefly is a genius. He has this special creative talent that amazes everyone. But not Spider. Spider thinks the stuff he does is shit. Firefly doesn’t understand why. So he tries hard to outdo himself, because what he did was insufficient. He pushes himself every day and every moment. If he tries hard enough, maybe Spider will admit Firefly is special, just like everyone else.

What’s the Game?
Spider Suite has a single organizer. They roleplay Spider and non-Thrall characters, decide Spider’s approval/disapproval and otherwise run the game. The others roleplay the Thrall they chose at the start of the game.

Unlike other RPGs, Spider Suite does not use randomness to resolve conflicts. Instead conflicts are resolved if the player accepts a resolution from another player or organizer - after that, a six-sided die is rolled. If Spider approves of what a Thrall did, the die result is increased by 1, 2, or 3 depending on his approval. If Spider disapproves, the die result is decreased by 1, 2, or 3 instead. When certain combinations of dice are assembled, the player can cause a Twist, which means the story will bend toward a certain direction. A player can accumulate up to 3 dice. When the fourth die happens, you must choose a Twist. If there is no available Twist, discard a die.

Twists are things like:
[1] [1] [1] - You start to free yourself from Spider’s web - scratch out a sentence in your character description and act out your defiance. Spider is angry, but you are becoming independent.
[1] [1] [4+] - Your heart hesitates and returns to Spider. You are now Spider’s Favorite.
[2] - You justify yourself. Add a sentence to your character description.
[3] [3] - ?
[4] - ?
[5+] - The next problem you deal with, you destroy it with vampiric superpower. You don’t need to accept a resolution.
[6] [6] - You show your unabiding loyalty. Spider will step in and protect you when you face a problem you cannot deal with.
[6] [6] [6] - You murder the hypotenuse. You kill a Thrall emotionally, socially and/or physically. Spider is no longer interested in them, in which case he might do the killing himself.
[Three different dice] - Your indecision leads to Spider’s capricious attention. The organizer decides what kind of attention he gives you.

This game has no character sheets. Simply print out a Thrall’s character description (note: these need to be written in balanced form). There are no health points or blood pool or anything. Simply trust that all the players are willing to tell a coherent story together without such support mechanisms.

Session Structure
I advise that Spider Suite be played out in three sessions as outlined below. If you are not taking this option, I still advise to run this game in one-shots or limited sessions.

Let me suggest how a trilogy of Spider Suite may look like:

Ambrosia: Spider calls his Thralls together and tells them to search for an elusive prey. She is beautiful, strong, and elegant - he must have her as his Thrall. To get this new trophy, Thralls are tasked with stalking her, harrowing her and wearing her down. When they manage to accomplish this task, Spider will enthrall her. Her name is Mantis.
The Web: Spider stops paying attention to his Thralls, except Mantis. He dotes on her and gives her his blood. Initially she is resistant, but eventually she becomes completely willing, as if she’s become a victim of Stockholm syndrome. The Thralls, now deprived of Spider’s “love”, bicker and fight. The session ends with Mantis’ attempt to kill Spider and steal his blood.
Melt Away: The Thralls are faced with helping Mantis kill Spider or helping Spider defend himself. Should Mantis prevail, the Thralls will die of thirst. Should Spider prevail, his paranoia will lead to the Thralls’ death. The organizer should invent a way out. Or not.

Things to Emphasize
Spider Suite should emphasize the Thralls’ addiction to Spider. He is a drug and a gamble. He will destroy the Thralls, but they are craving that one moment of pleasure.