Gameplay Example: Thousand Cranes

Inhuman Condition » Devlog
5 years ago by KarinMalady (@sweetnawful)
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This is a session of Inhuman Condition I played on Roll20 with some friends.

We started by creating our organization: a hidden faction using paper dolls to win a secret war in the shadows.

Name: The Thousand Cranes
Create the Organization: Elaborate as desired
You are: Dolls
Using: Powers
Working for a: Cabal
To: Win a war
We are paper dolls with magic symbols inked onto us, that allow us to control paper weapons. The organization we work for, Thousand Cranes, uses us as stealth agents to win a shadow war.

This is each of our characters: Kyo (Recovery), Litmus (Infiltration), & Kirigami (Tactics). We are all connected to each other in some way, through feelings and history. There is no GM needed for this game.

Kirigami
Lucky #: 2, 4
Traits: Mercy (Inept), Fealty (Adept), Honor
(Represents your heart, loyalty, and relationships at odds)
What are you called? Kirigami (A codename)
What is your role? Tactics
Why do you do this? The Cause
What holds you back? A feeling
Who are you beholden to and why?
Litmus - saved them in a mission gone wrong in the past.
Kyo
Lucky #: 2, 4
Traits: Mercy, Fealty (Adept), Honor (Inept)
(Represents your heart, loyalty, and relationships at odds)
What are you called? Kyo (A codename)
What is your role? Recovery
Why do you do this? No Options
What holds you back? A deep need to prove it's worth
Who are you beholden to and why?
Kirigami; the only doll that sought Kyo for battle
Litmus
Luck #: 1, 6
Traits: Mercy, Fealty (Adept), Honor (Inept)
(Represents your heart, loyalty, and relationships at odds)
What are you called? Litmus (A codename)
What is your role? Infiltration
Why do you do this? Loyalty - I owe my life to the people who created me
What holds you back? A feeling - I get the strange feeling that I'm more than I am.
Who are you beholden to and why?
Kyo is someone who I am drawn to, because I believe they have what I lack.

I won't get into explaining the traits too much but basically the way the game works is that you automatically succeed on your actions unless another player interferes with you by pitting your heart, loyalty, or relationship against you. If you're curious, about more, you can see the entirety of the games rules as a screenshot on the shop page. It's a one page RPG!

This is the mission we were sent on. It doesn't look like much at first, but we elaborate on each of these things as we continue through play.

The Destination: A ruined city that has become contested
The Goal: Make contact with an ally
The Enemy: A corrupting force

This game separates play into 3 scenes. In the opening scene, we each establish part of the immediate situation. 

Scene 1:
Environment: (Kyo) 12 ruined buildings, empty except for 2 with lights on, they are nearly crumbling.
Obstacle: (Kirigami) Building integrity compromise, main routes blocked by corrupted combatants.
Hostiles: (Litmus) Animals & wildlife, 50% - 75% corrupted

We decide to clear the main route by collapsing a building on the corrupted and luring them into a trap. The plan goes a bit wrong. Kiri orders Litmus to collapse the building while Kyo is acting as bait, but Litmus doesn't listen and waits for Kyo to run, who is too excited trying to prove useful that they lose their arm in combat. We reconvene, all disappointed in each other.

Scene 2:
 Environment: (Kirigami) Building has lost power, and corruption climbs the walls. Wrecked vehicles litter the outside of the building.
 Obstacle: (Litmus) Ally is on the roof, but the corrupted appear to be organized in their search. 
 Hostiles: (Kyo) Despite the presence of corrupted individuals, there are 10 non corrupted individuals. 9 now. 

We find the building where our contact is located but the situation doesn't look good as corruption rates rise. As we rush in, Kirigami immediately gets attacked & corrupted. Litmus tells Kyo they will have to kill their comrade when the corruption gets too bad. As Kyo clears out the path ahead, Litmus clears out the lower floor. 

Kiri gets attacked by the building itself, which moves through corruption. It destroys them as Kyo returns to see it happen and immediately loses control of their powers. Litmus is awed by this, but realizes at this moment the mission was designed to take Kyo & Kiri out of the picture. She calls out to Kyo to tell them how amazing this display of power is, which calms them down. We're surrounded with a pointless mission as the final scene starts.

Scene 3:
Environment: (Kyo) The room we holed up in became a cage that we are trapped in as the building contorts to destroy us.
Obstacle: (Litmus) Enemies surround the building from the outside. 
Hostiles: (Kirigami) The corrupting are forming into a mass and merging with the building 

We find ourselves trapped, unsure what to do. Litmus grabs Kyo and they jump out the window. The building forms a hand of pipe & wood to stop them but is cut down. As they almost hit the ground, Litmus panics and lets go of Kyo. The corrupted swarm her as Kyo fights to save her. Neither of them is able to abandon the other as Litmus becomes corrupted and the fight continues. When Kyo refuses to leave, Litmus propose they both fall together. Kyo accepts Litmus' corruption, and they await to see what they become together.

The tragedy comes to a close and the curtains fall.

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Inhuman Condition

Quick drama, conflicting loyalties, and overwhelming odds

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