Thread by @frasersimons

I played Trophy last night on @GauntletRPG Hangouts by @jesseross. It was super fun and good! You play folks going into a haunted and deadly forest, seeking treasure. Built on the Cthulh Dark engine, this iteration is much more interesting to me. (Thread)

For one, I am just more interested in this concept, where the endgame is becoming a part of the forest you’re trying to rob for the characters’ gain; playing to lose. You have rituals you can do that are in keeping with this dark fantasy, such as hollow, /2

which has you push a soul from their body. Taking these increases your ruin. When it reaches 6, you’re done! When you attempt something dangerous you get a light die if it’s within your occupation or background and a dark die if you risk your body and soul. /3

If the dark die is higher than the light, your ruin increases.

My favourite thing is how your character setup (which is very quick) was incorporated into the fiction. I love games that give the player space to add to the fiction. Collaboration FTW. For instance,

I was a mage kicked out of academia because I couldn’t afford tuition with the Hollow ritual. My player goal was to obtain treasure in order to retire in comfort.

Riffing off of that, I was asked what that district for retirement was like. And I said that many years ago...

... a mad king went into the forest and when he came back he was consumed with the notion of rosework, commanding it be worked into the city more and more as he reigned. There were vines and roses and thorns all over, consuming the city.

As we played, Jesse had us come upon

an actual ruin in the forest. With creeping vines and thorns, a rose beyond.

Lots of open questions to all the players were nicely reincorporated and satisfying. It was suitably dark, foreboding, and fantastic.

Had a great time!

@threadreaderapp please unroll