ANNo DæMoNuM. Peter Malmberg

Transcription

1 ANNo DæMoNuM Peter Malmberg

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3 Anno Dæmonum Anno Daemonum Alpha printer friendly version 0.25 ( ) Peter Malmberg 2018 In order to play you need (items in italics are not included) 1-3 other players (i.e. 2-4 players in total) A block of six-sided dice (minimum 12) A set of trauma cards (24) A set of ability cards (24) A non-player characters sheet A recurring locations sheet For each player: A copy of the rules A desperation tray 5 counters (i.e. small tokens or pennies) A set of experience cards (18) A double-sided character sheet A pencil and an eraser A blank sheet of paper for notes Download the play materials as pdfs and print them at home (links below). Print the cards and desperation trays on paper at least 200 g/m² thick. N.b. the cards are the same size as Magic the Gathering-cards (63 mm x 88 mm) so that you can easily sleeve them. ~ 3 ~

4 Influences This game is influenced by Hillfolk (Robin D. Laws), Trollbabe (Ron Edwards), Don t Rest Your Head (Fred Hicks), Nemesis (Dennis Detwiller & Greg Stolze) and Apocalypse World (D. Vincent Baker) Typefaces The Fell Types are digitally reproduced by Igino Marini. Art Cover art: Ability card background: beyond-oddities.deviantart.com Symbols Violence: created by Simon Child from the Noun Project Sorcery: created by Julien Meysmans from the Noun Project Corruption: created by Sherrinford from the Noun Project Body (modified): created by Adriana Danalia from the Noun Project Mind: created by Clockwise from the Noun Project Special thanks to Fredrik Andersson, Daniel Strömholm, and the play testers at CalCon xxiv for helping me play test. Rickard Elimää, Tobias Olsson Grahn, and the other people in the Rollspelsskolan Facebook group for your valuable feedback. ~ 4 ~

5 Table of contents Start a game session...6 End a game session...6 During your turn...6 Use the x-card...6 Play the x-card...6 Show the x-side...6 Show the o-side...6 Initiate a scene...6 Create a new location...6 Frame a scene...6 During a scene...7 Compel a conflict...7 Petition another character...7 Grant a petition...7 Reject a petition...7 Offer a two-way exchange...7 Accept an exchange...7 Show vulnerability...7 End the scene...7 Call a conflict...8 Play an experience card...8 During a conflict...8 Aid...8 Interfere...8 Roll for conflict...8 Check the outcome...8 Act in desperation...9 Reroll...9 Take a debility...9 Incapacitated...9 Remove a card...9 During conflict resolution...9 The score > zero...9 The score = zero...9 The score < zero...10 Returned to its player...10 Discard a card Establish a card...10 Gain experience Gain hard experience Take trauma The illusion tears around you Retire your character...11 After a conflict...11 Gain history...11 Cut the scene...11 During character creation...11 End-of-scene procedure Character sheet (front)...13 Character sheet (back)...14 Non-player characters sheet Recurring locations sheet Experience cards Trauma cards Ability cards x-card Desperation tray ~ 5 ~

6 Abbreviations pc: npc: mc: player character non-player character main character (of a scene) When you start a game session each player does one of the following: If you don t have a character, go to during character creation. If you already have a character, arrange your desperation tray, ability cards and experience piles as you left them at the end of the last game session. Shuffle your experience deck and draw 5 cards. Then you may exchange an ability card for an ability card of a different type (n.b. you can only exchange unflipped ability cards - not debilities). When all players are ready, agree on which player goes first. That player goes to during your turn. When you end a game session, discard your hand and take a photo / make notes of the state of your ability cards, experience piles and desperation tray. During your turn you are referred to as the»narrator«and your pc is referred to as the»mc«. At any time during your turn a player may use the x-card (it is primarily a safe-word). Continue by initiating a scene. When you use the x-card, do one of the following: Play the x-card Show the x-side of the x-card Show the o-side of the x-card When you play the x-card, put the x-card in the middle of the table with the x-side facing up. The narrator then cuts the scene without further questions. The scene that was cut never took place. Pick up your x-card afterwards. When you show the x-side of the x-card, say try a different way. The other players then know that you don t want the narrative to continue down the current path (giving them a chance to steer away before it s too late). When you show the o-side of the x-card, say stay with it. The other players then know that you encourage them to stay on the current path for just a little longer. When you initiate a scene, state: Who? (What characters are present? Which player plays which npc?) N.b. you can also introduce npcs during the scene. Where? (On what location does the scene take place?) Choose a recurring location and change one of its characteristics, or create a new location. When? (At what point in time does the scene take place in relation to the previous scenes?) If the mc has a relationship with a npc and you want the scene to start with that npc approaching the mc, also state: Why? (For what reason does the npc approach them / seek their attention?) If you want the scene to start with another pc approaching the mc you need their player s permission. Continue by framing the scene. When you create a new location, write it above an empty line on the recurring locations sheet and state one characteristic about the location (write it down next to a bullet beneath). The other players continue (in clockwise order) to state one characteristic each until 3 characteristics have been established (and written down on the recurring locations sheet). When you frame a scene, describe: What has happened just before the scene starts What your pc is doing when the scene starts What any npcs are doing when the scene starts If any other pc is present in the scene, their player describes what that pc is doing. Go to during a scene. ~ 6 ~

7 During a scene the narrator may do one or several of the following: Have the mc petition another character Have the mc show vulnerability to another character Call a conflict with another character (between the mc and that character) End the scene You may also ask the other players questions and let them react to what happens in the scene. The other players may at any time during the narrator s scene do one or several of the following: Ask a question to clarify something (e.g. Do I see you doing that? or Can you describe how that happens? ) Ask a question to pitch an idea (e.g. Could it be that she s already there? or Is this when your brother enters the room? ) Compel a conflict (e.g. As you do that you feel the demons draw near or You start to feel the demonic presence ) When a player compels a conflict the narrator chooses one of the following: Have the mc back down from whatever they were doing (that triggered the compel) Call a conflict When the mc petitions another character (henceforth referred to as the»stakeholder«), the stakeholder s player chooses one of the following (n.b. this is all done in-character): Grant the petition Reject the petition Offer a two-way exchange When you grant a petition the stakeholder opens themselves to the mc. They make promises, agree with the mc or give the mc what they want. When you reject a petition the stakeholder shuts the mc out. They hold the mc back, disagree with the mc or deny the mc what they want. If the narrator feels as if a petition has been rejected, they may escalate (in order to force a grant) by calling a conflict with the stakeholder. When you offer a two-way exchange the stakeholder offers to grant the mc s petition given that the mc also grants a petition of theirs in return. The narrator then chooses one of the following: Accept the exchange Deny the exchange (thus leaving the mc s petition rejected) When you accept an exchange both characters make promises, agree to help one another, or give each other what they want. If the mc and the stakeholder have sex (this is always considered a two-way exchange) the narrator continues by ending the scene. When the mc shows vulnerability to another character they share something personal with that character through conversation. When you end the scene, describe how the scene ends. Then follow the end-of-scene procedure. Your turn is now over. If the game time is almost over, continue by ending the game session. Otherwise, the player to your left goes to during your turn. ~ 7 ~

8 When you call a conflict with another character (henceforth referred to as the»target«), state the goal of the conflict (how the mc wants to affect the target) and play an experience card (that the mc uses to try to achieve that goal). If the goal of a conflict is to harm the target (physically, mentally, or socially), the narrator chooses one of the following: Injure (this can only be chosen if the card type is violence) Drain (this can only be chosen if the card type is sorcery) Break (this can only be chosen if the card type is corruption) Go to during a conflict. When you play an experience card you do one of the following: Choose a card in your hand and place it face down on the table. Choose a hard experience in one of your experience piles, place the card on top of the pile and turn it 90. During a conflict the narrator rolls for conflict. If another pc is present in the scene their player can choose to have that pc do one of the following: Aid the mc Interfere with the mc When you aid the mc, roll for conflict with the mc as the target (without playing a card). When you roll for conflict your pc is considered to be»involved«in the conflict. Gather a number of dice equal to the sum of your: Applicable ability cards (unflipped - not debilities) Applicable experience cards (both hard experience and trauma) in an experience pile If your pc has history with the target, you may spend (i.e. erase) all of it in order to get the same number of extra dice to your dice pool. In that case you must also gain history with that character after the conflict (as history can t be zero). Throw the dice pool and check the outcome. When you check the outcome of a conflict roll, look to see if the dice pool shows (at least) two dice with the same number. If so, and that number is greater than the pc s current desperation level, the pc succeeds. If none of the pcs involved succeed, any one of them may choose to act in desperation. The players of all the other pcs involved must then choose one of the following: Their pc acts in desperation as well Their pc fails If all pcs involved neither succeed nor act in desperation they all fail. Once a pc has failed they may not act in desperation (i.e. reroll) during the rest of the conflict. Go to during conflict resolution. When you interfere with the mc, play an experience card of the same type as the mc s card. If more than one pc interferes, only the first interferer plays a card. Then roll for conflict with the mc as the target. ~ 8 ~

9 When a pc acts in desperation their player chooses one of the following (if the mc acts in desperation the narrator always chooses first, the others follow in clockwise order): Move a counter from your pcs lowest remaining desperation level and put it onto a condition, then reroll (this can t be chosen if the pc is already at desperation level 5). Choose injured, drained, or broken, and take that debility. Then reroll (this can only be chosen if the pc is already at desperation level 5). When you reroll, gather all the dice from your previous roll, add one die and roll them again as a new dice pool. Then check the outcome. When you take a debility, you flip an ability card into the chosen debility. If you don t have an applicable ability card to flip, the pc is incapacitated as a result of the conflict (if this was due to an act of desperation, they still get to make this last reroll). If a npc takes a debility they are immediately incapacitated. When a character is incapacitated they loose their ability to act for the remainder of the scene. They might collapse, pass out, loose a limb, turn apathetic or whatever the narrator comes up with (also depending on the debility that caused the incapacitation). If a pc is incapacitated, their player chooses one: Return the character to play at a later time by removing a card from one of your character s abilities (even those currently flipped into debilities) Retire the character When you remove a card, put it back in the game box. During conflict resolution you calculate the mc s»score«(starting at zero). If the mc succeeded, increase the score by 1 For each aiding pc that succeeded, increase the score by 1 For each interfering pc that succeeded, decrease the score by 1 When the score > zero the mc s goal is achieved and the narrator turns their card face up. All other played cards are returned to their players. pcs that succeeded and was either the mc or an aiding pc, are considered»victors«. If the mc s goal was to harm the target, that character takes n debilities {n = the score}. All victors then collaborate in establishing the narrator s card. When the score = zero the mc s goal is not achieved as the demons fuel the conflict in unexpected ways and things get out of control. All played cards are returned to their players. Draw three cards from the top of your experience deck (if your deck runs out of cards, draw the rest from your hand) and place each one face up in the direction of another player (starting with the player to your left, continuing in clockwise order). Choose one of those cards (discard the other cards), the player it is directed at is henceforth referred to as the»demonic will«. The demonic will chooses a character present during the conflict (not necessarily involved in it) who is henceforth referred to as the»victim«. The narrator may alter this choice by having the mc become the victim instead. The victim takes the debility of the chosen card, then you collaborate with the demonic will in establishing that card. ~ 9 ~

10 When the score < zero the mc s goal is not achieved and the first interfering player turns their card face up. All other played cards are returned to their players. pcs that succeeded whilst interfering are considered»victors«. If the mc s goal was to harm the target, the mc takes n debilities {n = the inverted score} instead. All victors then collaborate in establishing the interferers card. When a played card is returned to its player, locate where that card came from. If it was played from an experience pile, turn it back 90 to its original position. If it was played from hand, choose one of the following: Put the card back in hand Discard the card When you discard a card, put it at the bottom of your deck. When you establish a card all pcs involved, who haven t already got the established experience card in their experience pile, gain experience. You then describe how the experience occurs during the conflict and how it is the cause of the conflict s resolution (i.e. you motivate why the goals of the characters involved succeeded and/or failed). Then go to after a conflict. When you gain experience, look at the established experience card and compare its value to the sum of your: Applicable hard experience Current desperation level If the number on the experience card is greater than that sum, you take trauma. When you gain hard experience you somehow cope with the demonic presence and feel more confident that you will be able to keep it cool if something similar occurs in the future. If you have a trauma card in the applicable experience pile you may remove that card. If it was you who played the established card (or if it came from your deck), add it to your experience pile. Otherwise, search your deck for that card and add it to your experience pile, then shuffle your deck. If you have more than 4 hard experiences of each type in your experience piles, your pc has embraced the demonic presence so openheartedly that they are no longer able to distinguish their own free will from the demonic will. From now on they are dwellers of the demonic realm. Continue by retiring your character. When you take trauma you are traumatized by the demonic presence. You have lost control and fear what will happen the next time something similar occurs in the future. Put the applicable trauma card in your experience pile. If it was you who played the established card, it is returned to you. If the established card came from your deck, discard that card. If you have a total of 6 trauma cards (in your experience piles), you remove those cards and the illusion tears around you. When the illusion tears around you your reality shatters and you glimpse the unthinkable. The shattered remains of your sane self seem to implicate the worst of contradictions: That there is no such thing as demons - that demons don t exist. It s - all - you. Otherwise, you gain hard experience. ~ 10 ~

11 When you retire your character you seal their fate and let them go. Describe what happens to them at this moment, then they become part of the setting for future sessions. After a conflict all pcs involved gain history. If any player has less than 5 cards in hand they draw cards until they have 5 cards in hand. If the mc is incapacitated or if they took trauma during this conflict, the narrator continues by cutting the scene. If any player wants to the scene to end at this point they say so or make a scissors-sign with two fingers. Then the narrator continues by ending the scene. Otherwise, go to during a scene. When you gain history, choose another character that was present during the conflict (not necessarily involved in it). If you have a relationship with that character, you increase your history with them by 1. If you don t have a relationship with that character, you form a relationship with them at history 1. If you spent history to increase your dice pool during this conflict you must gain history with that character (making it 1 after the conflict). If your history with a character is already at 3, and it would be increased above 3, instead decrease your history to 1. Then ask that character s player any question you want (about the character). They must answer it truthfully and honestly. Then they ask you a question (of equal importance, regarding the same character) that you get to decide the answer of (in agreement with them). During character creation you start by getting a desperation tray and 5 counters. Place one counter on each desperation level. Then get the two-sided character sheet and fill it out in collaboration with the rest of the game group: 1) Agree on a setting for the story (if this hasn t already been established) 2) Come up with a name that fits the setting 3) Choose one desire from the list 4) State why you can t get that which you desire. Choose an established character (pc or npc) or create a new npc and relate this to them (if it s a pc, you need their player s permission). 5) State what s on the surface. This is social expectation, what society sees, assumes and expects of you. 6) Pick 4 ability cards (max 3 cards of the same type) and place them face up next to your desperation tray. 7) Get an experience deck, shuffle it and draw a hand of 5 cards. 8) State the occasion when you first felt the demonic presence. This was an effort to acquire that which you desire. Choose a recurring location or create a new location where this happened. Then call a conflict and follow the procedure until you have gained history. Then write down what happened. 9) State what lies beneath the surface, that we haven t already established about you. Choose an established character (pc or npc) or create a new npc and relate this to them (if it s a pc, you need their player s permission). 10) Finish by assigning 3 points of history among 1-3 established characters. When all players are ready, agree on which player goes first. That player goes to during your turn. When you cut the scene your turn is (abruptly) over and the player to your left goes to during your turn. ~ 11 ~

12 END-oF-SCENE PRoCEDuRE START Was there conflict? no yes no Was there a petition? yes Discuss ¹ : What was the stakeholder s response? Granted Rejected A two-way exchange The mc increases history with the stakeholder by 1 The stakeholder ² increases history with the mc by 1 no Was it sex? yes Discuss ¹ : Did the mc show vulnerability to another character? yes The mc recovers from n conditions/debilities {n = their history with that character} no Both characters recover from n conditions/debilities {n = the sum of their history with each other} ³ END 1. If the group can t produce an unanimous verdict, it is determined by the majority (the narrator excluded) 2. If the stakeholder is a npc you do nothing (as you don t keep track of npcs history) 3. If one of them is a npc, that character s history counts as 1

13 Character sheet (front) 1) What s the setting? CRISIS 2) Who are you? 3) What is your greatest desire? 0 Love / intimacy 0 Power / influence 0 order / justice 0 Friendship / association 0 Safety / wealth 0 Integrity / independence 0 Respect / social status 0 Attention / acknowledgement 4) Why can t you get it? 8) What were you trying to do when you first felt the demonic presence? 5) What s on the surface? 9) What lies beneath, that has yet to be mentioned? ~ 13 ~

14 Character sheet (back) RELATIoNSHIPS Character Want History ~ 14 ~

15 Non-player characters sheet NoN-PLAYER CHARACTERS Character Definition ~ 15 ~

16 ~ 16 ~ RECuRRING LoCATIoNS Recurring locations sheet

17 Experience cards (There are 6 experience cards of each card type in an experience deck) card type 3 violence Hit / Hurt You benefit from your hard experiences in violence when you re involved in a violence conflict with blunt force / blunt objects value experience 2 sorcery Darkness / Shadows You benefit from your hard experiences in sorcery when you re involved in a sorcery conflict clarification 1 corruption Influence / Persuade for your own benefit You benefit from your hard experiences in corruption when you re involved in a corruption conflict (face / front) (back) ~ 17 ~

18 violence Trauma Trauma cards (There are 8 cards of each card type in a set of trauma cards. They are not a part of the experience deck) You benefit from violence trauma when you re involved in a violence conflict You benefit from sorcery trauma when you re involved in a sorcery conflict sorcery Trauma You benefit from corruption trauma when you re involved in a corruption conflict corruption Trauma (face / front) (back) ~ 18 ~

19 Ability cards (There are 8 cards of each card type in a set of ability cards) You benefit from your»body«when you re involved in a violence conflict body body injured You benefit from your»mind«when you re involved in a sorcery conflict mind body injured mind drained body heart mind drained heart mind broken ability-side heart (face / front) debility-side broken heart (back) You benefit from your»heart«when you re involved in a corruption conflict ~ 19 ~ body injured You become»injured«when harmed by violence injured mind drained body You become»drained«when harmed by sorcery drained heart mind broken You become»broken«when harmed by corruption broken heart

20 The o-side is a way to show encouragement to your fellow players stay with it O o-side (face / front) x-card try a different way X cut x-side (back) The x-side is a way to establish a safeword that you can use when you either feel discomfort or dislike the way the narrative is heading. You never have to explain yourself when using the x-card. Desperation tray DESPERATIoN 5 CoNDITIoNS upset exhausted pressured dazed tearful angry tired scared confused sad Your desperation level is the highest number that is not covered by a counter. ~ 20 ~

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22 » There is no such thing as demons - demons don t exist «This is a GM-less roleplaying game about desperate people who have recently crossed an invisible line into the demonic realm. They only know this from the feeling that they now carry within them: A feeling of demonic presence. It grows in the vicinity of conflict as if the demons thrive there, feeding from the hostile energies at the same time as they fuel those conflicts with violence, sorcery, and corruption.