A game of reclaiming intimacy in the haunted everyday by Ashton McAllan, Luke Jordan, and Emily McAllan
Tell a story among you, one player, the Game Master (GM), describing the world and those in it, the other players describing their characters and the actions of those characters. The players say what their characters do, and the GM describes what happens. If the player's characters do a thing described by either a Basic Move or a move they have on their character sheet, follow the instructions of that move. If a move says to roll +Stat roll 2d6 and add the relevant stat modifier. If you get less than six, the GM will make a move. If a move grants +1 ongoing, you keep getting that bonus until the situation changes to take it away. If a move grants you +1 forward, you get that bonus for the first roll of that type you make.
Play to close the distance between you.
When you search for the facts of a situation, roll +Smart. On a hit, you can ask the MC questions. Whenever you act on one of the MC’s answers, take +1. On a 10+, ask 3. On a 7–9, ask 1:
When you conceal your true feelings to manipulate someone, say what you want from them then roll +Smart. On a 10+, they give you what you wanted. On a 7-9, they give you something close to what you asked for. Either way, ask them “what does my manipulation cost you?”
When you quietly share space with someone, say how you pass the time and roll +Steady. On a hit, their company brings you comfort. Remove a Distance with them. On a 10+, sharing space brings you two closer. Ask them 1 question from the list below, which they must answer truthfully:
When you speak a deep truth plainly to someone, name the reaction you hope for and roll +True. On a hit, they feel the truthfulness of what you have said, and will take action based upon it. On a 10+, choose 2. On a 7-9, choose 1:
When you help another character with something, either actively or implicitly, roll -Distance.
On a hit, you help, shift their result up one step (from a miss to a 7-9 or from a 7-9 to a 10+). On a 10+, remove a Distance with them.
When you hold steady despite fear or tension, roll +Steady. On a 10+, you keep your cool and gain some insight. Ask 1 question from search for facts and take +1 forward to act on the answer. On a 7-9, you keep your cool but gain a Distance. If no other PCs are in the scene, you Suffer instead.
When you lay down to sleep roll +True. On a 10+ choose one:
On a 7-9 choose 1:
When you have sex with someone roll +Weird. On a hit the sex is alienating and confusing, choose one:
On a 10+ lose a Distance with the person you are intimate with.
When you touch or are touched by magic, roll +Weird.
On a hit, you understand some part of it. Ask the GM what you learn. On a 10+, you can ask 1 question from search for facts. On a 7-9 you’re out of your depth, Meet With Fear or Suffer.
When you are caught up in violence, choose: fight back, curl up, or run away.
If you fight back, gain a Distance with another player character.
If you curl up, Suffer.
If you run away, Meet With Fear.
When you endure physical or emotional suffering roll +True.
On a hit, You gain insight.
On a 7-9 You are wounded. Name a move, you take -1 ongoing to that move. Tell us why.
On a 6- Collapse.
When you are overcome, choose one: incapacitated, broken, or killed.
When you are in a charged place and seek understanding or long for change, tell the GM what you’re trying to achieve. What you want is always possible, but the GM will give you one to four of the following conditions:
At the start of each session after the first, jump forward in time by days, weeks, months, or years and gain one distance with each other player character.
When you rely only on yourself, spend satisfaction and shift the result of your roll up by one step (from a miss to a 7-9 or from a 7-9 to a 10+). If any other player characters are nearby, gain a distance with them.
When you wish for something which comes true, gain Satisfaction.
When you hesitate or keep quiet instead of making a move, gain Satisfaction.
When you reject or push away help or comfort, gain Satisfaction.
When you eat or drink to music, gain Satisfaction.
When you use your small size or innocence to your advantage, take +1.
Lose the Weird Sex move.
When you ignore, reject or defend against magic or the unreal, take +1
Lose the Deep Work move.
When you give someone guidance they take +1 to follow those words.
Lose the Dream move.
When you search for, detect, or create magic or the unreal you can Suffer to give yourself +1.
Lose the Seek Facts move.
For the character on your left, establish your relationship and a person, place, or thing that is shared between them.
Write one Distance for each other character. Pick a second Distance for one character. Don’t establish details at the outset let your understanding of them develop organically through play.
For some reason ___________ has no memory of me.
I cannot forgive ___________ for what they have done.
I know ___________ is keeping things from me.
___________ no longer holds my heart.
___________ showed me that they cannot be trusted.
___________ has disappointed me.
___________ listens to me but doesn’t understand.
I failed in my responsibility to ___________.
My responsibility to ___________ weighs on me.
___________ is responsible for why I am as I am.
___________ and I no longer touch.
___________ and I no longer speak honestly.
I don’t understand the actions of ___________.
___________ sees things that I don’t see.
Choose two from each:
Assign these scores to your stats: +2 +1 +0 -1
Choose as many as you like:
Sad Eyes, Kind Eyes, Sparkling Eyes, Suspicious Eyes, Weary Eyes, Distant Eyes, Man, Woman, Boy, Girl, Androgynous, Genderqueer, Mercurial, Covered, Colourful, Muted, Traditional, Vibrant Clothes, Working Clothes, Casual Clothes, Scrappy Clothes, Lean Body, Soft Body, Worn Body, Broad Body, Hearty Voice, Brave Voice, Serious Voice, Subtle Voice, Clean Hands, Wiry Hands, Calloused Hands, Soft Hands
You have a supernatural connection with a loyal animal. You can’t talk to it per se but it always acts as you wish it to. Name your animal companion and choose a species:
Dog, cat, bird, rodent, reptile
Choose two strengths it has:
Watchful, comforting, eerie, brave, calm, expressive, sneaky, enduring, curious
Choose two skills it knows: hunt, search, scout, guard, perform, labor, travel
Choose a weakness: flighty, savage, slow, broken, frightening, forgetful, stubborn, lame
When your animal companion aids you with a strength or skill, add +1 to your roll.
Choose an area of expertise.
When you search for facts about something covered by your special knowledge you can ask the GM one extra question of your choosing about it; the GM will answer truthfully. The GM may then ask you where you learned that information.
Choose a mundane skill or craft.
When you practice your craft, tell the GM what you are trying to make or achieve and roll +Smart. On a hit your work is arresting and grants +1 to rolls for a stat of your choice when used. On a 10+ choose 1, On a 7-9 choose 2:
Whenever you handle or examine something interesting, roll+Weird. On a hit, you can ask the GM questions. On a 10+, ask 3. On a 7–9, ask 1:
You own and can drive a vehicle.
Choose its frame: Coupe, compact, sedan, jeep, pickup, van, semi, bus, limo, ambulance, 4x4, tractor, construction/utility
Choose two strengths: Fast, rugged, aggressive, tight, huge, off-road, responsive, capacious, workhorse, easily repaired, nostalgic, impressive, comfortable, expensive
Choose a look: Sleek, vintage, pristine, powerful, luxurious, flashy, muscular, quirky, handcrafted, garish
Choose a weakness: Slow, fragile, sloppy, lazy, cramped, picky, guzzler, unreliable, loud, rabbity
When you do something in your vehicle that aligns with its strengths, take +1 to the roll
You have a special place. Describe it with three of the following or other GM approved descriptors:
Kitchen, Junkyard, Blankets, Vehicle, Jazz, Weird Lights, Bookshelves, Assistant(s), Darkroom, Booze, Toys, Transmitters and Receivers, Baubles, Machining Tools, Weird Electronica, Stuffed Animals, Modernist Furniture, Cat(s), Bird(s), Test Room, A Well
Your Special Place is always considered a place of power for you for the
purposes of performing a Deep Work.
When you move through your surroundings and change them to change yourself, name the change you seek and roll +Smart.
On a hit, it happens. Change your Outlook, Role, Specialty Move, or swap two stats.
On a 10+ Choose 1, on a 7-9 choose two:
When you imbue an object with significance and intent, say how it works (wear it, break it, drink it, interact with it) and what it does.
When the time first comes to put it to the test, roll +Weird.
On a 10+ it works as intended.
On a 7-9 choose 1:
When you shape words to guide the path events take, roll +True.
On a 10+ , both, on a 7-9 choose one:
When players look to you to see what happens next or they roll a 6-, make a move in the fiction:
Players might play characters who aren’t strictly human, they might be animals or something entirely alien but the GM should always treat them as if they are just people.