I thought of this idea after I made Pinnacle Empty Quiver. I wanted a way for lots of players to play lots of characters without one specific player being tied to one specific character. I also wanted a game that could be played now and then by just two people without ruining it for everyone else. Something that might work on the Internet and in person. Internet play would allow transcripts for each character in some type of wiki, which might be fun to see.
Pitch: An high-impact, unpredictable, rare event is about to change human history. A Black Swan event hides beyond the horizon.
Set Up – World Sheet
Decide the setting. The time in history. What’s going on with the world. What type of world it is. Can be anything from modern times to historical times to fantasy to sci-fi. Write this stuff down on a World Sheet.
Characters:
- There are 36 (6d6 used like a d100 roll) characters. Maybe more. If more, figure out how to randomize it.
- Each has a designation (6d6 — One is 11. One is 12. One is etc…).
- Each has a name made of occupation and last name (General Lenish, Operative Rand, Stockbroker Tulley etc…). Each has power within his realm. It can be anyone that might impact human history.
- Each has a too-be-determined affiliations.
- Each has a relationship with other characters represented from 1 to 6 (1 bad. 6 good.).
Character Sheets
A character sheet probably has a place for designation, name, affiliations and relationships. The relationships should have a seven word note behind it so the next player knows something about the relationship. Plus a place for notes. You probably keep each character sheet within file folder labeled with the designation.
How to Play
At first, everything is one-on-one and turns last for five minutes. Each player randomly selects a character (6d6). If it’s a first meeting, each player rolls 1d6. That’s the starting relationship to play. At some point that players decide meetings might get larger. At some point, randomly selecting characters might not make sense, so the players can decide who plays who when.
During a turn, they answer:
- Why they are meeting?
- If they are affiliated and what that is? Don’t need to reveal any affiliations to the other character.
- What decisions are made?
- What actions do they set in motion, help along or hinder? If any. Within their realm, of course.
- How does the relationship change? It can only move one point in either direction or stay if it’s 1 or 6.
For five minutes or more if the players need it, the players stay in character and answer the questions without saying what the questions are. When finished record the conversation, date it and paper clip it to each character sheet. You can record, video tape or transcribe the conversation. Or write the gist as the players decide.
Event Sheet
If an action is set in motion, record and date it. Record when it’s helped along or hindered. Write when it changes.
Continue
Play continues until an event changes human history.
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