One-shot set in Insulinde

[Optimist]

So, a pal of mine got high on Disco Elysium fumes and asked me to prepare a session set in Insulinde for our incoming boozing/bad movie watchin'/ mineral water drinking/ RPGing mountain trip.

As far as system goes I guess I'm going to stick with GURPS (or Savage Worlds if the end effect gets too adventurous for good ol' GURPS), but I thought it might be a good idea to ask about what'd you run if a pal asked you something like this. The world Kras Mazov and co played into existence seems to be full of plot hooks, but my pal obviously doesn't want to play with metaphysics of the Pale or delve into its past/ history - what he wants is a feeling of dejection, messy politics, and painful failure, possibly with Revachol in the background. I'm good with that - but what'd you run as the actual plot? Going with a standard-ish murder mystery feels like a copout, as it doesn't feel as though you'd get to play around with the more interesting elements of the setting. I fiddled with the idea of players being a team composed by representatives of various organizations, trying to figure out whose fault was the game-teased reactor malfunction, as what remains of the city tries to rise to its feet. Feels like it'd devolve into an intra-party conflict pretty fast, though.

 

[Catacombs]

our incoming boozing/bad movie watchin'/ mineral water drinking/ RPGing mountain trip.

I'm more interested to learn more about this trip.

 

[Optimist]

I'm more interested to learn more about this trip.

Me and a rotating group of buddies tend to fuck off to some remote location for a few days every year or so, to piss on bonfires, eat food that'd disgust any woman, drink and generally pretend that we're still young. It gets harder as the time goes on, what with girlfriends, wives and occasional child - but at least we've graduated from shitty chalets to respectable vacation villas. Since most of us are/were heavy-duty dorks, talking about work is a big no-no and talking about politics tends to result in a conversional black hole with folks getting unhappily drunk, we tend to spend time mostly enjoying the surroundings, watching shitty movies, and playing RPGs/ board games. The mineral waters come from, uh, me enjoying drinking curative waters, and organizing the trip this year.

 

[Catacombs]

What are some of the group's favorite RPGs and board games?

 

[Optimist]

What are some of the group's favorite RPGs and board games?

Are you suggesting that I might want to try and get inspired by those? It varies from person to person, one subgroup mostly plays DnD and FATE-based stuff, with some others I've played Shadowrun, some Exalted one-shots, Rogue Trader, and some weirdish stuff using generic systems. That doesn't narrow it down all that much, although Shadowrun gives me some idea for a heist-oriented game.

 

[Catacombs]

Are you suggesting that I might want to try and get inspired by those?

No. I'm asking what you lot like to play when you're innawoods for the weekend.

 

[Optimist]

No. I'm asking what you lot like to play when you're innawoods for the weekend.

Oh. It's whatever is lying around - those who are willing prepare one/two/three-shots in their preferred systems, which usually end up being some variation of DnD, WoD, or some generic - although one guy got really passionate about PbtA games recently. As for board games it's again, whatever we pack. We've played Chaos in the Old World, Race for the Galaxy and Space Alert to death, and I think I'll bust out Twilight Imperium this year again.

 

[Catacombs]

Twilight Imperium

I'd love to play this, but I don't know enough people IRL who have the patience or brain capacity to learn it

 

[udm]

This is seriously awesome. Have fun!

 

[Prime Junta]

The criminal underworld has tons of possibilities too. The party could be La Puta Madre's peones, on a heist that goes catastrophically wrong, for reasons mundane or extraphysical, then hilarity ensues. I'm sure you could work that reactor in there somewhere. If everybody's dying of radiation sickness that's already a pretty good basis for dejection and painful failure.

 

[Optimist]

I'd love to play this, but I don't know enough people IRL who have the patience or brain capacity to learn it

It's super fun. The only problem I have with it is that due to set-up time and length of a 6+ players game, you need to go over the instructions to remember the rules every time, as you're unlikely to play it more than once/twice a year. It also helps if you have something to do for that unlucky sod that started his game next to Embers of Mu'at once he's knocked out. I think there used to be some games running on Vassal, perhaps you could try that?

The criminal underworld has tons of possibilities too. The party could be La Puta Madre's peones, on a heist that goes catastrophically wrong, for reasons mundane or extraphysical, then hilarity ensues. I'm sure you could work that reactor in there somewhere. If everybody's dying of radiation sickness that's already a pretty good basis for dejection and painful failure.

Yeah, I can see that, a group of unlikely survivors rounded up to do a favor for one of the criminal masterminds (I'd guess that both La Puta and Mazda would be dead in this timeframe, but I'm sure somebody would've picked up the monicker) for a promise of hallucinogenic radiation sickness drugs. Add in some Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels shenanigans mixed with Pale fuckery and the story writes itself from there on.

 

[Catacombs]

It's super fun. The only problem I have with it is that due to set-up time and length of a 6+ players game, you need to go over the instructions to remember the rules every time, as you're unlikely to play it more than once/twice a year. It also helps if you have something to do for that unlucky sod that started his game next to Embers of Mu'at once he's knocked out. I think there used to be some games running on Vassal, perhaps you could try that?

What would be super helpful is if there was a TI digital version, much like Scythe and Ticket to Ride (which I play IRL and online) to stay up to date with the rules. TTR is easy, but Scythe is a beast, and the digital version has helped me keep up with the rules.

 

[Semper]

As far as system goes I guess I'm going to stick with GURPS (or Savage Worlds if the end effect gets too adventurous for good ol' GURPS), but I thought it might be a good idea to ask about what'd you run if a pal asked you something like this.

pbta, fitd (forged in the dark), s&w white box, fate. narration centric games are easy to setup, extremly flexible and fast to play.