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Monsterhearts

Started by Modern Fairy Tale, October 28, 2015, 02:56:57 PM

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Modern Fairy Tale

I am very interested in this game.  Anyone else heard of this game?  Anyone else at least interested in how such a mutant rpg would play out?

I hated the Twilight series.  This game started as a parody of such, but developed into its own subgenre of niche gaming.  I would be interested in playing or GMing this kind of game.

Characters I am interested in playing.

I would be interested in playing The Ghoul.
Imagine a goth girl who finds out she has brain cancer.  She arranges a grisly suicide so she could 'live as much as life as possible' as well as dying on her terms with all of her faculties.  Something happened wrong, though, and she just woke up.  Now shes different.  She used to be a bit overweight and shy... now shes slimming down and confident.  Will she be able to pay the price for this?

The last two are from 'Skins for the Skinless'.
I would love to play The Beast.
I picture this as kind of a rip off of the colored movie 'Cat People'.  So a beautiful lithe woman who turns into a panther if she makes the 'beast with two backs' with anyone but someone within her family.  How delightful could that be?

I would love to play The Creature.
I picture her as on the swim team and an avid conservationist.  I even want to name her 'Madison'.  Im picturing 'Splash' with a bit of a Lovecroftian tone.  That just sounds like so much fun.

If I were to run this game, I would have it in an all woman's school.  All sexual interactions happening between students of at least seventeen years of age, of course.  Most of the story would be on these grounds with most interactions being between students and faculties of this uniformed catholic prep school.  There are locals around, though.  So a tryst with the hot mechanic stud down the road or something would be very possible.

To have a good enemy to play against, I would concider playing a Queen and three Infernals as a 'The Craft' style antagonist.  Perhaps switch or add a Witch or a Heir if such interests a player.  These would be the bullies who have banded together and now run the school.

My one exception for this game if I am to run it so far would be VampiresI cant stand them.  So overdone.  Ive played so much Vampire: the Masquerade and been overdosed on so much Twilight advertisements.  Like seeing a vampire sparkle in daylight... it hurts my eyes to look at it... my brain to think of it... my soul to dwell on it.  I might play them as Mooks to slaughter.  Hearing the shrill screeches vampires make when they ash is one of the few things which still makes even my jaded soul smile.

Let me know your ideas and if you are interested in these scenarios I have outlined or something else completely different.  Send me a PM or respond here if you want.  If I have enough interesting quality players I would run or at least join this game if given the chance.

Thanks for your interest and for reading this rather long thread.

Peace.

Here are some informative Wikipedia links.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monsterhearts
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apocalypse_World
She again rubbed a match on the wall, and the light shone round her; in the brightness stood her old grandmother, clear and shining, yet mild and loving in her appearance. "Grandmother," cried the little one, "O take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large, glorious Christmas-tree." And she made haste to light the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to keep her grandmother there. And the matches glowed with a light that was brighter than the noon-day, and her grandmother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God. 
Hans Christian Anderson in The Little Match Girl

wander

I'll be watching this thread and see how it goes.

I'm pretty full, though I love me Monsterhearts... Tentative interest placed.

Beorning

Would it be possible for me to play, if I don't have the book? I've heard some interesting things about this game and like to try it out...

Modern Fairy Tale

#3
As long as the GM has the main book, the individual playbooks can be downloaded for free.  Basic concepts can be explained pretty easily.  Even the Wiki page entry on Apocalypse World Engine would outline the basic moves and such.  This is still very doable if you dont have the book.



***



Added on 11/3.

Ill be the GM.  Unless someone with experience steps up and wants to take over or help me out on it.  I think I can wrap my brain enough around it enough to give it a good run as long as everyone is okay with my set up.

A woman's private boarding school probably somewhere in Georgia.  This school would have some legacy rich... and some lower income scholarship students to add some blue collar and outsider elements.  I have a few characters Ill run to help populate and for my own fun.  Ill run the staff, the locals, the 'bad girl cliche', etc.  I would accept help, though, from anyone wanting to play a bad girl like the Queen for example.  Oh and no Vampires except as bad guys to kill in mass for a Chosen or something.

Soooo.... update so far.  Three interested respondents so far.  Thats enough to get things moving, I think.  As others see us set things up and they start looking up what 'Monsterhearts' is about, I think we will have more interest.  Its perfect for Elliquiy, I think.  There are so many plots about 'I or you are a <insert monster type> and the other of us is a regular person or other <insert monster type>... what an odd couple'.  I couldnt see why we wouldnt get more interest.

Now since we have some people responding here, we should ask a few questions.  Like... where are we going to put this?  Is this going to be Human?  Or NC?  I dont think we could go as far as Exotic... all the skins even the Unicorn seem to be humanoids.  I like the freedom to write about whatever we feel like... but using 'fade to black' scenes, even if we decide to limit how far things are allowed to go, we can still be true to the story but just have such scenes resolved with only cursory naration.  Besides it isnt always good to go full open... having limitations can help us focus the stories where we all feel comfortable.  I think it would work best for the tone of the game, though, if we kept things on Human.  Any thoughts? 

Now one more thing should be mentioned, we will need to start picking 'skins' as well.  There should only be one of each kind of skin.  So there shouldnt be large groups of one type or another.  Now the only exception I could see to this is if we have an opposing member of a skin as part of the 'bad girl cliche'.  So if we wanted we could have two Witches if such was interesting.  So if something interests someone... we should start making our claims on such.  I kind of have interests in playing a Ghoul/Beast/Creature but will surrender any of these to PCs who want them, of course.  The only documents I know of are the original Monsterhearts skins, the Second Skins and Skins for the Skinless add ons, as well as 'The Serpentine' two page entry.  If you want to use something else I will need a copy of the document so I will know whats going on with your character.

What kind of plot will we be playing?  Have you ever heard of the Georgia Guidestones?  Well, I imagine an illuminati group responsible for it.  Think the Wizarding World's Slitherin house.  They will be a collection of legacies and paternities... making up the 'bad girl cliche'.  They are trained in special classes and such in the private school which acts as thier training grounds.  Now they detect and recruit other supernaturals in the school so they can learn about and document them... being there are so few of them.  The school makes reasonable arrangements for each students 'special needs'.

How does all of that sound?  Let me know your thoughts.  Thanks for your interest so far in this project.
She again rubbed a match on the wall, and the light shone round her; in the brightness stood her old grandmother, clear and shining, yet mild and loving in her appearance. "Grandmother," cried the little one, "O take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large, glorious Christmas-tree." And she made haste to light the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to keep her grandmother there. And the matches glowed with a light that was brighter than the noon-day, and her grandmother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God. 
Hans Christian Anderson in The Little Match Girl


CarnivalOfTheGoat

Posting tentative interest if you can get enough players/a GM. Any thoughts on supplemental playbooks? Obviously the GM has the final say on such.

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

wander

Well I found my book after, so I am up for playing this once more... If you're going to be running things of course. ^^;

Its been a while, so currently reading over the rules again nowish.

Modern Fairy Tale

#7
Update on Reply #4.  Dont want to tempt the Moderator to snip this message off its been moving so much, so I added it to an older entry.  It covered a lot of ground and would hate to have to recall everything I covered on that post.  Hope everyone is enjoying the themes and story I am interested in playing out here.
She again rubbed a match on the wall, and the light shone round her; in the brightness stood her old grandmother, clear and shining, yet mild and loving in her appearance. "Grandmother," cried the little one, "O take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large, glorious Christmas-tree." And she made haste to light the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to keep her grandmother there. And the matches glowed with a light that was brighter than the noon-day, and her grandmother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God. 
Hans Christian Anderson in The Little Match Girl

wander

I am most interested in playing the Ghost or Infernal. I was veering to Vampire though I can see they are barred at the moment. I could also play a Fae and give them a go, as I'm sort of already playing a Ghost elsewhere and I'm not sure how an Infernal will go.

As for Human or Exotic, I don't see any of the playbooks outside of Werewolf really dipping into Exotic and that's just with it's Darkest Self. I think due to how the 'Turn someone on' Move works that NC may work best, just to cover our backs. There is a forum for small group system NC games, let's place it there.

Now... Does anyone question me playing a Transfemale character?

Beorning

My question is: would our story's setting be some sort of openly supernatural school? With our characters not hiding that they are supernaturals?

wander

I personally like the idea that our characters are secretly supernatural, just because it brings more drama and interesting plot points, though I'll wait to see what the GM says on the matter.

Modern Fairy Tale

#11
Answers

waunder
I would be most interested in your playing the Fae.  Im interested in all things fairy and such and think thier way of collecting promises is interesting.  If you play in Infernal I will probably want you to play on the 'bad girl clique'.  You can be a weak link or antihero or however you want to adapt it, but dealing with demonic powers is an act which would be reserved with them.  As to the Vampire... (Com'on... I said I hate them)... but I will concider letting you play such if you are in the 'bad girl clique' and also have another player who will tag regularly with you.  A partner to 'vamp it up' with.  That will take out most of the interactions (especially close up intimate acts) I have to make with that thing.

You will have to realize that I have certain... prejudices with vampires.  I will try and get beyond this, especially if your character isnt the focus too often.  A suitably interesting vampire might redeem how I feel about them.  I really liked 'Daybreakers' or 'Near Dark'.  Just so much Anne Rice and Stephenie Meyer in stuff recently.  Everythings about these super beings who are just better at everything than we are... better lovers, smarter, overwelmingly powerful... and just go around moping for centuries looking for some young woman to share thier dark gift with so that fortunate Mary Sue can be 'beautiful' forever and never grow old like her mother.  What kind of vampire do you want to be?

I dont care if youre character is Transfemale.  In fact I think it might be an interesting point of view.  Kind of the opposite of the young vampire in 'Let the Right One In'.

Beoring
No.  No one can be openly supernatural.  That is insisted on.  Part of the point of the setting is to learn about mundane society and other supernaturals while having their special special 'Illuminati 101' classes.  A staff member or concacts or workers of the school just kind of show up to help the character when its needed.  The Calaca is a skeletal creature which can apear human if allowed access to a filletted human.  The school could arrange things up to this.  If its possible on your character sheet, then the school can find a way for you to get it.  All such activity is kept down low... at least half the school is mundanes.

Hope that answers your questions so far.

Update, Im reading through my copy of Monsterhearts right now.
She again rubbed a match on the wall, and the light shone round her; in the brightness stood her old grandmother, clear and shining, yet mild and loving in her appearance. "Grandmother," cried the little one, "O take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large, glorious Christmas-tree." And she made haste to light the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to keep her grandmother there. And the matches glowed with a light that was brighter than the noon-day, and her grandmother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God. 
Hans Christian Anderson in The Little Match Girl

wander

Okay, then my character will a transfemale Fae, given the info given now. :)

Shall I go ahead and stat my character and post them for you to look at?

Beorning

I was thinking and I decided that I could play a Witch or a Ghoul. Would that be okay, MFT?

Modern Fairy Tale

Dont pick Fae because I liked it.  Its your character.  If you really want to play other things, we can make those arrangements.  If you play a Fae, though, Id be very interested to see how that plays out.

Beorning, its up to you whichever you want.  If you wanted to play the Ghoul, Id certainly be interested in seeing how it unfolds.  I wanted to play a Ghoul because of the 'you die and then wake up later' move.  That sounds... sooooo cooool.  So your girl can do things like dive into badguys... just really take one for the team.  The zombie dogs rip you apart... the necromancer casts his evil spell... whatever.  Later you wake up and dust yourself off and walk home.

If you both played the Fae and the Ghoul, I would definitely have fun with them.  If you guys play those two, I could play the Creature and the Beast.  Would those two be interesting to you guys?  Ill definitely also be playing the 'bad girl clique'.  Id take input on which bad girls you think would be interesting?  We can make at least three... maybe four.  Im thinking as said before: Queen, Infernal, Heir, maybe a Witch.

Whachathink?
She again rubbed a match on the wall, and the light shone round her; in the brightness stood her old grandmother, clear and shining, yet mild and loving in her appearance. "Grandmother," cried the little one, "O take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large, glorious Christmas-tree." And she made haste to light the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to keep her grandmother there. And the matches glowed with a light that was brighter than the noon-day, and her grandmother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God. 
Hans Christian Anderson in The Little Match Girl

wander

Seems all fair to me. I did suggest Fae because it interests me, so that's what I'm going with. :)

I like how the Ghoul is basically like a Beast from world of darkness' Beast:the Primordial, but they can cheat death like a Sin-Eater too.

CarnivalOfTheGoat

#16
Just checking in again, because yesterday and the day before I thought everyone in this thread had moved over to that other monsterhearts thread and started a game already...

Am I correct in assuming from this:

Quote from: Modern Fairy Tale on November 07, 2015, 03:41:50 PM
No.  No one can be openly supernatural.  That is insisted on.  Part of the point of the setting is to learn about mundane society and other supernaturals while having their special special 'Illuminati 101' classes.  A staff member or concacts or workers of the school just kind of show up to help the character when its needed.  The Calaca is a skeletal creature which can apear human if allowed access to a filletted human.  The school could arrange things up to this.  If its possible on your character sheet, then the school can find a way for you to get it.  All such activity is kept down low... at least half the school is mundanes.

...That you're talking about a school with a population of scores or hundreds of monster-teens and even monster-faculty rather than just the players alone being monsters? I had always thought the allure and intent of Monsterhearts was to use the teenage monster trope to play with the other teenage (monstrous) trope that "No one is like me, no one understands me, and I'm living in the middle of a world of aliens who are trying to suppress/kill who I am."

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

wander

I'd say to limit actual monsters to the student body, though the faculty are in on the masquerade. That and maybe a smaller figure of monster students, just my opinion though, of course.

VioletPanda

#18
    I want to join in, but I've never played before. I kinda get the idea behind Monsterhearts and it sounds cool, but...Is it hard to get into?

Edit: I've just read the Skins book.  All the Skins look interesting, but I think my favorites are looking like Fae, Ghost, Witch, or Werewolf.   But...What are Strings?  And is a Darkest Self always um 'released' during sex? Except for the Mortal, apparently, who has a delay?
Current Muse: Meh, not super driven right now

My A/A PageMy O/Os

CarnivalOfTheGoat

Quote from: wander on November 08, 2015, 03:27:45 PM
I'd say to limit actual monsters to the student body, though the faculty are in on the masquerade. That and maybe a smaller figure of monster students, just my opinion though, of course.

I'll go ahead and bow out, then. From my perspective, a large part of Monsterhearts is that your poor little critter hasn't got a real support network for their dark side, whether it's logistical, social, or psychological.

Have fun!

My O/Os. My A/As.
Games I seek:
Savage Worlds of My Little Pony <- Just what it says. Free supplement for SW. (Or any other MLP RP!!! :D)
Eclipse Phase <- Posthuman grit SF, open source, downloadable from their web site. VERY deep worldbuilding.
Cold City <- Espionage meets the Lovecraftian supernatural. Allies in post-war Berlin chasing down the results of secret Nazi experiments
a|state <- Post-apocalyptic sort-of-steampunk, sort-of-high tech roleplay in a massive, decaying, broken-down city-state.

VioletPanda

 Carnival, maybe you should see what the GM says on it?
Current Muse: Meh, not super driven right now

My A/A PageMy O/Os

Modern Fairy Tale

#21
Three entries were made while setting this up.  We can change things, if you guys want it that way.  This was just my first ideas.  I thought a small, exclusive private all girls school with some hidden illuminati connections.  We can change this, if you like.  Heck, if you want it can be a public school in the middle of a major city.  This was just my first proposal.

CarnivalOfTheGoat

There is a Monsterhearts OOC.  Heres a link.
https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=239140.0
I hadnt finished organizing it.  I wanted to make it an index of what characters I want to play and the setting, etc.  I just hadnt finished polishing it off.  If you guys want to post there and continue our discussions there, perhaps the Moderators would thank us for making this jump.  waunder, if you wanted to post up a copy of your character, that would be the place to do it.  You would be locked in for The Fae for this game.

To answer your question, the school is small and private yet with an extensive estate level grounds and facilities.  The main staff is in the know... though they dont advertise it.  The players will be the main movers and shakers of the monster world.  There may be some score or so of other students and faculty who are not in the know.  Some dozen or so 'other possible monsters' or at least faculty who know whats up.  There has to be what the book terms 'Menaces' which are like PCs (monsters or threats)... but you know... bad girls who make the PCs life more interesting.

So short answer.  Not 100's of monsters or students.  There are other monsters... but they are the fringe with your PCs being the main focus.  You can still be "No one is like me, no one understands me, and I'm living in the middle of a world of aliens who are trying to suppress/kill who I am."  The staff might quietly recruit and help your character, though it isnt directly or with any kind of emotional support.  Most of the students and teachers and such dont know whats up.  Every once in a while a smart-ass illuminati trainee might chime in something kind of knowing... but that is just the 'bad girl clique' trying to prove how all knowing and awesome they are.

For example.  Lets say I am playing Madison The Creature.  Id want the school to have a good swimming team to be part of.  Shes swimming all the time with the team... breaking records... like a fish in water.  Then an uppity blonde rich bitch is watching with uninteresting blue eyes.  Pushing a stray lock of blonde hair from her eyes, she cooly whispers to the others of her clique 'I could break records like that if I grew up in some Black Lagoon.'  So 1) my character is already probably feeling wierd about her tendency to get scaly sometimes and probably feels like a mutant or something.  Then 2) finally getting good at someone until someone makes fun of her for it... and hints at knowing what she is.  3) She could never be sure if that rich bitch blonde just kind of guessed at what she said... throwing a verbal dart blindly and somehow making a bullseye... or if she really does know and my girl should be wary of her.

I am trying to give us the best of both worlds.  I want there to be a lot of normals out there.  There are hillbillies and cool hippies and social misfits to tag with.  You should feel special or like a freak... or some combination in between.  But there has to be the other side.  In 'Twilight' there was that gang of vampires... which end up hating Belle almost as much as I do.  The story would have been even more boring if it was just about Belle and vampire boy akwardly trying to get to first base for a couple more hundred pages.  I like the idea of inner and outer conflict within our stories.  So yes... your persecuted and misunderstood and like this other person and they seem to be the answer to everything.  But... there are other things which bump in the night which will be very interested in you.  Youre new to this being supernatural thing... but there are others who have been playing this game a long time.

Let me know your thoughts on this.  I am accepting feedback on the setting.  We can adjust the dials as we see fit.
She again rubbed a match on the wall, and the light shone round her; in the brightness stood her old grandmother, clear and shining, yet mild and loving in her appearance. "Grandmother," cried the little one, "O take me with you; I know you will go away when the match burns out; you will vanish like the warm stove, the roast goose, and the large, glorious Christmas-tree." And she made haste to light the whole bundle of matches, for she wished to keep her grandmother there. And the matches glowed with a light that was brighter than the noon-day, and her grandmother had never appeared so large or so beautiful. She took the little girl in her arms, and they both flew upwards in brightness and joy far above the earth, where there was neither cold nor hunger nor pain, for they were with God. 
Hans Christian Anderson in The Little Match Girl

VioletPanda

   Question: I understand how most of the skins work, but Ghost looks more and more appealing but I have a question. How does the Ghost skin work?  Does the character die and then wind up in homeroom at game start? How much is the character a true ghost vs a real flesh and blood character aside from the Darkest Self mechanic?
Current Muse: Meh, not super driven right now

My A/A PageMy O/Os

wander

Quote from: LukaWolf on November 08, 2015, 06:33:30 PM
   Question: I understand how most of the skins work, but Ghost looks more and more appealing but I have a question. How does the Ghost skin work?  Does the character die and then wind up in homeroom at game start? How much is the character a true ghost vs a real flesh and blood character aside from the Darkest Self mechanic?

Some Ghosts can walk through walls, others can't, so I'd say they're flesh and blood, at least the ones that can't discorporate... Kinda like Sin-Eaters from Geist:the Sin-Eaters in that aspect. Really though it's up to you when you make your character how much of ghost myths about what they are sticks.

I'm a Vampire in another game and they get blinded in daylight, not burnt up. They can also drink ghost plasm like normal blood, because thats what works best so far in the game. Any Skin is the same, really... Decide what you think is best to make your character work. :)

Also, to answer what Strings are, they're a game currency represented emotions or leverage on others and can be spent to affect actions for who your character holds them on.

As for Darkest Self, it's been a while since I played, so memory can't say atm, though maybe the GM will have a better answer for you. :)

VioletPanda

   Oh, so it's like relationships?

If your best friend  asks you to do them a favor, it's hard to say no because of the hold their relationship ie 'strings' they have on you. I got it.

I am interested in playing the Ghost, but I am not sure where to post any character sheet or how much my backstory would need to be discussed with the GM.
Current Muse: Meh, not super driven right now

My A/A PageMy O/Os