Monsterhearts

Dreamation 2015: 21 February 2015: 8pm-Midnight: Monsterhearts

Jeff Collyer had originally thought we might run Monsterhearts in a different era, suggesting we think

• Vikings / Vampire Diaries
• Angsty Viking Teenagers
• Dirty Sexy Eddas

Joe wasn't feeling that, not wanting to do Vikings, but willing to do some other period. We considered the 1950s, but Kat wasn't happy with that, and we assured her that we were fine with a different period. She suggested the 1940s, and we agreed.

I forget the context of these:

Someone: In a world...

Kat: Pronounce the seraphs!

I think I asked for quick-n-dirty guidelines for differences between the 1940s and the 1950s, or markers for the 1940s. My notes say:

• 1940s: Post-war issue
• Refugees
• Old Country has some odd customs.

Obviously, this doesn't even scratch the surface, but it sufficed for character creation.

The players were:

Jeff Collyer: GM

Me: Mika, the Infernal

• Moves: Soul Debt, Unknowable.
• Highlighted Stats: Volatile, Dark. (Stats: Hot -1, Cold -1, Volatile 2, Dark 1)

He was distant, with empty eyes.

Mika died in Poland in WWII, but was brought back by Old Joe, who ran the pawn shop in town. I didn't realize that until we created the pawn shop.

GM: There's always been an Old Joe's, but now, it's this Joe.

I did ponder whether Mika should have died in WWI or WWII, but as this was after Kat and Danielle created their PCs, we agreed that WWII was the way to go.

Danielle: After all, some of the teenagers should actually be teenagers.

Old Joe had a string on Mika, of course. So did Brynn, who had saved him in a fight, and Jimmy, who was a good listener. Mika had a string on Elsa, who thought she could save him. Cat figured Elsa felt a sort of sense of solidarity with Mika, both being foreigners from somewhere they considered "the old country", even if it was a different country for each of them.

Cat Ramen: Elsa "Ellie" Jackson, nee Taubercraft, the Chosen.

Cat: And thus my plan not to play a psychopath crashes and burns.

Moves: Mercy, Final Showdown, although I think she may have changed Final Showdown in response to the direction the game went, as we all realized it wouldn’t come up. Highlighted Stats: Volatile, Hot

Ellie / Elsa was All About the War. She grew up in Berlin. My notes say "levelled" and "Starvation year / 1945". Elsa's father died; exactly how was unknown. Her mother got remarried to a kindly American, Eli Jackson.

Elsa had Bitter, Wounded Eyes. She also had lingering doubt, for her powers could have had an origin in something not nice.

Cat: I'm not going to _say_ nazisuperpowers [sic].

She said that Elsa had a faint accent. It got worse when she was angry. She never gets angry. I'm not sure how much of that was meant at face value. After the game, Cat said that she used a thicker accent and played Elsa more over-the-top than she would have in a campaign. This is a good point: convention one shot play is often more extreme because that one session is all you have.

Mother, daughter, and Eli settled down in Eli's home town n the USA. Someone, I think Eli, had lost a brother in the war. Eli worked at the mill. He was a vet and the foreman, and had not been wounded.

The Chosen starts with two friends who support her in her monsterslaying. One of these was Peter, another PC, and the other was James, an NPC who did not make a significant appearance in game. Elsa had 1 string on each.

Someone wants the Chosen dead. Cat decided that this was not the police chief, but Deputy O'Hara. He had 2 Strings on Elsa. He saw her slay _something_ out by the hunting lodge one night. He believed this was a human being, so he was gunning for her. I don't recall if the question of why the deputy hadn't arrested her was addressed. There may have been no body when he went to take a closer look, possibly the following day, and hence no usable evidence?

Kat Miller: Brynn Wildenbitte, the Fae.

• Moves: Faerie Contact, Lore.
• Highlighted Stats: Hot, Cold.
• Fae born, with mesmerizing eyes.

Brynn was from the Old Country, apparently one of the many orphaned children of the war. She had a slight English lilt. She lived with the O'Haras who adopted her after the bombing, as her family (human) didn't make it. They had no idea that Brynn had been around for a long, long time. She was 17 and had been for a while. Her long term memory wasn't so good.

Brynn was best friends with the vampire, Genevieve, and had been for decades, perhaps centuries. The last Chosen that got _really_ close to Genevieve had been Brynn's boyfriend. Unfortunately for him, just as he was about to slay Genevieve, he broke a promise to Brynn. He'd promised "to be there at 8 pm", but it was 8:02 pm. Things didn't go well for him. More recently, a guy beating on Mika ("that's a _girl's_ name") broke a promise to Brynn and got arrested.

The Fae wears her heart on her sleeve, so all the PCs had 1 string on Brynn.

Brynn had captured the fancy of Jimmy, the mortal, so she had 2 strings on him.

Danielle Popelsky: Genevieve, the Vampire.

• Moves: Hypnotic, Inescapable.
• Highlighted Stats: Hot, Cold. (Stats: Hot 2, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark -1)

Genevieve had intense, with lusty eyes, and had been around for ages. In WWI, she hypnotized people to think they were her parents. This was a vacation for her. My notes say "rule the world", and I no longer recall what that means. Regardless, she was ages old and entertained by teenagers.

The Vampire is beautiful, so Genevieve had 1 string on all the other PCs.

Brynn had saved her unlife, so had 2 strings on her. As Danielle described her PC before Kat described Brynn, we didn't yet know all the details, but we did know that this had not been in America, being longer ago.

Daniel: Peter Moon, the Werewolf.

Daniel (about the name): I have no subtlety.

• Moves: ???
• Highlighted Stats: Volatile, Hot.
• He was wiry, with fierce eyes, awoken to werewolf-hood. He was also secretly homosexual -- in the late 1940s.

As the werewolf has his heart in his sleeve, everyone had a string on him. He had a string on Jimmy because he'd been watching the mortal boy for weeks. Yep, Peter was stalking Jimmy who was probably oblivious. Probably.

Joe Zantek: Jimmy Rogers, the Mortal. Moves: True Love, Excuses Are My Armor, Down the Rabbit Hole. Highlighted Stats: Hot, Dark.

Jimmy was beautiful, with human eyes. He was a greaser, and the son of the mill's owner, hence something of a poser with his bad boy act. His family had a house on the lake. The family butler called him "Master James".

The Mortal's player described his character's background last, including designating one of the other PCs as the Mortal's Lover. Jimmy's Lover was Genevieve. They were dating. She had 3 strings on him, and he had 1 on her, for a total of 4, which matters for one of the Mortal's moves.

As we created the PCs and their web of relationships, we also created the setting. It was a mill town called Loveland.

Someone: Loveland -- a great name for a series

The Map

While generating this, Jeff taught me a new sentence: "What do _you_ need there to be in this town?"

Fr ex, we had a Fae, so Kat needed woods somewhere.

Main Street ran north-south and was crossed by the tracks east-west.

Wrong side of the tracks:

• West: A bar: Hilda's Roadhouse(?)
• East: The pawn shop.

I decided that Mika's Infernal Power, Old Joe, owned it. He was a Trickster type. Jeff suggested that there had always been an Old Joe running the pawn shop / antique shop / old curiosity shop, but not always the same guy. We liked that.

Right side of the tracks;

• On the west near the tracks was the mill, a textile mill.
• It had a major military contract during WWII, but was now in decline. Nearby was the building that *served as both post office and police station.

Across, on the east, was a synagogue.

South of the synagogue was the American Legion Hall, used by the Masons -- and by the school for dances.

(And this is how you know you're in a Monsterhearts game: The fact that the building is used for dances is far more important than the fact that it's used for Masonic matters.)

South of that was the First Presbyterian Church.

• Across on the west was Pops, a soda shop/diner run by Old Pop.
• Pop was helped by Billy (his son?), who had recently returned from the war. He looked like Captain America.

At the end of Main Street was Jefferson Normal School.

South of that was Make Out Point, near a drive-in movie theater, and further south was the Notimixiquamus River, aka the Nox.

East of the church was Lake Minnetonkita and the hunting lodge, and the town's rich folks owned boathouses, I think. This is where the woods were.

South of that was the Old Abandoned Observatory.

We began on the Last Day of School, as we weren't that interested in school dynamics. It was June 1948, in Ohio. There was no air conditioning, so it was hot, but it wasn't too humid.

Peter came into homeroom dressed casual, a little sloppy, even. He hadn't shaved -- and he had enough hair one could tell. He sat in the back of the classroom. My notes say something about final exams, with a question about whether Peter cared.

Peter's Player: Abstractly?

Elsa's Player: Elsa would sit in front, but knows from experience that's not a good idea, so she sits three rows back. Everything is precise because her mom insists.

Elsa: Peter, why do you look like this?

I don't recall what he answered.

Elsa: But what I really want to know is why did I get a B in German?

Peter: He's an asshole.

Elsa: Such language

Peter: I'm sorry.

Elsa: So, are you going to come to the dance tonight? There will be lots of pretty girls there.

Peter: Will Jimmy be there?

Jimmy came in with his jacket slung over shoulder, sitting in the second row from the back.

I forgot who said: Okay a normal day in psycholand.

Genevieve was wearing a red polka dot dress, a model of teen fashion in the1940s, and also too fancy for the school?

Brynn came in before the bell, with an apple for the teacher. Brynn was dressed for spring, with flowers in her hair. She sat in front, by the window.

Mika came in just in after the bell.

Someone: Mr. Petersen, Mika's late.

I'm guessing the tattle tale was either Jimmy or Elsa. Mika mumbled something about needing to help Old Joe, I think.

Mr. Petersen: Mr. Moon, did we forget to shave this morning?

I forget what Peter said, if anything, but Jimmy said or did something, possible spitballs, that earned the teacher's ire.

Mr. Petersen: Mr. Rogers --

GM: He takes out his pad. It already has Jimmy’s name on the detention slip.

Jimmy: Can't. I have to help out my dad.

This was clearly Trying to Manipulate an NPC, a basic move. The player got a total of 9 and learned what it would take to get the NPC to do what his PC wanted. Jimmy wanted Mr. Petersen not to give him detention. Mr. Petersen wanted some respect.

Mr. Petersen: Okay, if you stop with the spitballs.

Jimmy: I promise I won't do it for another three months.

GM: That's about as much as he can ask.

Mr. Petersen: So, say you're sorry.

Jimmy (not sounding particularly contrite): I'm sorry.

Mr. Petersen: This is Mr. Mason's problem next year.

And so began the final Math class of the year. Of course, most students were discussing the far more important topic of the dance that night. I think it was pretty clear that Jimmy and Genevieve were going together.

Elsa: I don't have anyone to go with.

Genevieve: No one asked you, Elsa.

Elsa: Oh -- there _is_ air conditioning in the school!

I think Elsa's roll to Shut Down Genevieve (or was it the other way around?) was a 6.

Elsa (to Genevieve): After all, you've got James, and John, and Steve, and Lou -- you're going steady with all of them, aren't you? You have more pins on the front of your dress than the governor generals have medals.

I'm not sure what happened as a result of that roll. I was distracted, I forget by what. But, Elsa got Peter to ask her to the dance, and Brynn asked Mika a question that she had to repeat, getting his attention and mine.

Brynn: I _said_ am I the only one who hasn't been asked to the dance?

Mika: What? Oh, no.

Brynn: Are you going to the dance?

Mika: I don't know. No one asked me.

He said this somewhat absently minded, purely as a point of information as he worked on a math problem.

At this point, folks rallied around Brynn and decided to hit Mika with the clue stick.

Jimmy: I know you're new, but in this country, you have to ask.

And, I realized that, despite being the Infernal, Mika was something of an innocent. Not the direction I'd expected, but at this point, he was obviously the shy kid who stammered a bit, although he did know enough about Brynn to know that breaking promised to her was a Bad Idea.

He was now trying to wrap his head around Jimmy's information that a) the boy asks the girl to the dance and b) he should ask Brynn. Mika = deer in the headlights.

Mika (to Brynn, bemused): You want _me_ to take you to the dance?

Brynn: That's not how you ask.

Mika (trying to wrap his head around this, and not quite sure whether he or Brynn is being pranked or pressured): Do you _want_ to go to the dance?

Brynn (happily): I thought you'd never ask.

And class was dismissed, school was out, and most kids had the same thought.

To the Malt Shop!

At this point, I made a bit of a mistake by deciding Mika would go to Joe for permission to go to this dance. Now, this was not in itself a bad idea. It's telling the GM, "Hey, fuck me over some more!"

But it was a mistake to do this instead of going to the malt shop because everyone else was there, and the GM didn't take my nudges to cut at some point to Mika, wanting to finish that scene completely and utterly first. Yes, that was annoying, but it was also completely understandable. This was a convention game, limited to four hours, and, while the GM had gamed with most of us at least once before, we were not a group that played together at all often or regularly. He did not know our gaming, er, tics? Tells? Idiosyncrasies, perhaps. So, while it would have been better if he'd cut briefly to Mika, it was my mistake for putting Mika way out of the action at that point -- and continuing to keep him out of it rather than changing my mind and having him come in to the malt shop, which would have been perfectly fine, once I realized that everyone else was there and that the scene would take a while. No one would have objected.

Still, the scene in the malt shop solidified a whole lot of stuff -- including Mika's status as an outsider. So, it wasn't a huge mistake, more of a missed opportunity.

Pop's, aka the malt shop, had been around "forever". Billy, who had been in the war, was working the counter. He didn't talk about the war. Jimmy hated him, and I think the feeling was mutual.

Billy (to Genevieve): What can I get you today?

Genevieve: Ask Jimmy.

Billy: Yes, James?

Jimmy: All right, _Bill_. I'll have a chocolate malt.

I think he asked for double straws. Billy proceeded to engage in Angry Malt Making.

Peter came in. He tried to turn Billy on. He was polite, and he made eye contact. And, the player got a 13. To put this in perspective, one rolls 2D6 and adds or subtracts relevant bonuses, generally including one stat. The maximum one can add to the die roll is, I believe, +5.

6 or less is a failure, allowing the GM to make a Hard Move, if the GM chooses. 7-9 is a partial success, aka Success with a Cost, and often the most interesting result. 10 or more is a full success, which gets one either all or most of what one wants, within the limits of the system (which is a whole different topic). There may also be a sort of super success of 12 or more available when seasonal advances are unlocked. I forget whether that applies to Monsterhearts, and it doesn't generally come up in this kind of one shot.

GM: There's a whole lot of smolder going on -- and he notices you, really for the first time.

Jimmy (trying to get his malt, which Billy's already made): Billy--

Billy: Yeah, yeah, later.

Jimmy: Billy--

Billy (I think -- could have been Peter): You've been down to the hunting lodge?

Jimmy: Billy -- how's Pops doing on payments for this place? It's hard if he doesn't keep customers.

Billy: All right, James. (slides the malt down the counter to Jimmy) Pops is fine. Thank you for asking. (to Peter) Can you believe that jerk?

Peter: What a prick.

Billy: I've killed nicer Germans!

And in walked Elsa.

She tried to turn Peter on, and the player got a 7. Elsa asked about Deputy O'Hara.

Elsa: He's always giving me a hard time.

Peter: You want I should give him a hard time?

Elsa: Oh, you know, Peter, I don't want you to do anything that'll get you into trouble.

She turned to the important business of managing their preparations for the dance.

Elsa: You going to wear a suit to the dance.

I think that when she asked for something, Billy complained that he couldn’t understand her because of the accent, and that Peter defended her, telling him not to be like that.

Brynn came into the malt shop and immediately sat between Genevieve and Jimmy, which was a nice trick, as the two were sitting at a booth! As near as I can figure it, this meant that Brynn was sitting on the table.

Genevieve (nonplussed): Hi, ah, Brynn.

Billy had, understandably, assumed that Jimmy and Genevieve were going to split the chocolate malt, so he'd put two straws in it. Brynn drank from the one Jimmy hadn't.

Brynn (to Genevieve): Well, I _knew_ you weren't going to drink it.

Genevieve: Thank you. That's so sweet of you.

Brynn was pointing ambiguously, perhaps at the malt -- or perhaps at Jimmy.

Jimmy (to Genevieve): Let's go to the Drive-in before the dance.

Elsa (to Peter): So we will arrive precisely at the beginning of the dance.

Jimmy's player rolled a 14 to turn Genevieve on, and her player decided that the idea of arriving late was utterly enchanting. Here was a Mortal who was _not_ pushing against time!

Genevieve: Being dark and alone sounds --

Brynn: Terrible! It sounds Terrible!

When that didn't work, Brynn resorted to desperate tactics.

Brynn: I _have_ to go to the bathroom.

Genevieve: What?

Brynn: I _have_ to go to the bathroom.

Genevieve (catching on): Oh! Oh, so do I!

In the bathroom, the two had an intense talk.

Genevieve: What _is_ it?

Brynn: He's been _looking_ at me.

Genevieve: What, I can't _eat_ him? But did you see his jugular?

Brynn: That's not the part I'm interested in!

Meanwhile, Deputy O'Hara came into the malt shop. Elsa pulled up her newspaper in front of her face, trying not to be noticed. Apparently, it worked, for the deputy set his sights on Jimmy.

Someone, OOC: Pretty sure he has to f*ck with him.

Deputy O'Hara asked what Jimmy was doing there.

Jimmy: I'm with my girl.

Deputy O'Hara: I don't see no girl.

Jimmy explained that the girl was occupied.

Jimmy: You know -- lady things.

Deputy O'Hara: Lady? You're not good enough for a lady! _Maybe_ a girl.

Judging from my notes, I think Jimmy decided to Lash Out Physically!

Sadly, Jimmy had a -1 in Volatile, and the player rolled snake eyes. 2-1=1!

Deputy O'Hara hit Jimmy with his nightstick, leaving Jimmy bleeding.

In mechanical terms, Jimmy took 2 harm. 4 harm = death, unless one has another option.

Naturally, Peter Moon decided that he had to go after the Deputy.

The player got a 9 to Lash Out Physically. I think Peter and Deputy O'Hara each did 1 harm to the other, although it's possible that Deputy O'Hara got a string on Peter instead of doing 1 Harm to him.

There was a crash and the smell of blood as well. Then, Sheriff Blakely walked in. He carried no nightstick, just his revolver. He Very Obviously unclipped it.

Sheriff Blakely: Is there a problem, Mr. Moon?

Peter: You need to keep your boy on a leash.

Sheriff Blakely (to O'Hara): Patrick?

Deputy O'Hara: No-- No problem, boss.

And the deputy walked out past Elsa, who was still hidden behind her newspaper.

Billy waited, ready for trouble. Sheriff Blakely ordered a glass of milk.

GM: He as an ulcer.

Jimmy was bleeding as Genevieve and Brynn returned from the bathroom, having heard a thud during the altercations. Ah yes, vampire and blood.

My notes say:

4+1=5
to turn him on

I gather Genevieve was looking hungrily at Jimmy.

Jimmy's Player: Maybe she has abnormal hunger -- but I'm choosing to ignore that.

And he walked out with Genevieve.

Billy: Nice seeing you, Jimmy!

Or so say my notes. I'm not sure why Billy now used "Jimmy", whether the run in with Deputy O'Hara made Billy more sympathetic to Jimmy or not.

Elsa (about Genevieve): She seems strange to you?

Peter: Like a cold eyed predator? Yes.

Elsa: No, that's how she is normally.

I forget who said: And I've been saving myself for marriage.

Perhaps Genevieve? Regardless, she and Jimmy were making out in Jimmy's convertible.

And, Brynn was there!

Genevieve (I think): You are _not_ suggesting a threesome!

Either Jimmy or Brynn: Well _I_ didn't bring it up.

Genevieve: Jimmy, you cut this shit! Do you know how lucky you are to be with me?

I think Jimmy's player rolled boxcars as Jimmy tried to Turn Genevieve On.

Jimmy (smugly confident): Do you know how lucky _you_ are to be with _me_?

I believe he gave her the Condition: Last Chance.

Brynn massaged Genevieve in an attempt to turn her on.

Brynn: Would it _really_ be such a bad thing?

And the player got a 7.

Genevieve: Okay, Brynn. Let's take a walk. We have things to talk about.

The two of them came to an agreement. Genevieve made a promise, and either received or gave a string to Brynn.

Genevieve: I promise I will make this up to you.

Brynn: I accept.

In other words, Brynn agreed that Genevieve got to eat Jimmy. Genevieve returned, without Brynn, I think.

Genevieve: So, Jimmy, I think it's time for us to go all the way

Jimmy: Of course. If you're ready for it.

Genevieve: I've been ready for this ever since we met!

Genevieve's player was concerned about the vampire killing Jimmy, but Jimmy's player assured her that it was fine. He either had enough experience for an advance, or planned to use the free advance that the GM said we'd all get halfway through. He explained that he was going to use the advance that let him take a move from another playbook, specifically the Ghoul's No Rest for the Wicked, which would let him return to life after death. Naturally, he would return at the dramatically appropriate point, likely at the dance.

Genevieve took the car and drove Jimmy back to town from Make-Out Point.

My notes say

Lash Out Physically
1 harm
-) Payback
G-)7-)6

I am not sure what this means. Perhaps it was Genevieve's attack on Jimmy? If so, maybe the 6 was what meant she killed him? He'd already taken 2 harm in the malt shop.

Genevieve might have regretted killing Jimmy, but she was hardly wracked by guilt.

Genevieve (to Brynn): I dated him for 6 months. Do you know what that was like? He _gels_ his hair!

They left the car with Jimmy's body in the boathouse. Brynn was sad that she never got together with Jimmy, I think. At least, I have the following dialogue in my notes:

Well, that's still doable.
I think he has a brother.
Or second helpings

Meanwhile, Mika explained to Old Joe about the dance.

Old Joe: So, it sounds like you are asking my permission, yes? You need this, yes?

Mika agreed. He explained that he had promised Brynn that he'd take her to the dance, and that he had noticed that bad things happened to people who broke promises to Brynn.

And Old Joe was so nice! He said that, in return for his permission, Mike would give a special gift to Brynn. He produced a lovely brooch in the shape of an oak leaf and told Mika that Brynn would like it much better than flowers.

Someone OOC: You have something shiny.

Mika agreed. Old Joe was so good to him, taking care of a detail he'd forgotten.

At this point, we didn't decide the specifics of the brooch, but we all agreed that it was a) magical and b) from the court that was NOT Brynn's.

Mika went to talk to Billy at the malt shop, as I thought there might be some smolder there. The scene went in a different and amusing direction, as Billy pointed out another detail that Mika had missed.

Billy: Mika, do you know how to dance?

Mika did not.

Billy (sighing): What am I going to do with you?

Someone suggested Mika ask Old Joe for help.

GM: Old Joe will gladly help, for the low price of one string.

Me: But, Mika wouldn't actually think of that -- Old Joe seems to be as out of step with things as he is. And anyway, it's a terrible idea and -- (remembering what game I'm playing) Wait, it's a terrible idea! Yes, of course I'll do it!

Old Joe gave Mika special shoes for the dance. Mika carried them in a bag as he set off for the O'Hara house to pick up Brynn.

Meanwhile, Elsa and Peter went running together. They ran by the boathouse, where Jimmy's car was. Peter smelled the blood.

Peter: Jimmy's here.

Elsa: Really?

Peter: There!

And, of course, they found Jimmy's body.

Elsa: He was too good to die like this

Peter (thinking to himself, not out loud): He smells so good. He smells like Genevieve.

He decided to come clean and confessed to Elsa that he was a werewolf.

Peter: It's not my fault -- I was born that way.

Elsa: I actually feel better about this. (bends a bar) So, what are we going to do about dead Jimmy? This is not good.

Peter: There's something else I should tell you, too.

I presume that this was about Jimmy smelling like Genevieve.

As we cut to Mika, we were reminded that the dance was at the American Legion Hall where the Masons met. Deputy O'Hara would be chaperoning the dance.

He talked with Mika while they waited for Brynn to join them on the porch. I don't remember the entire conversation, but I know Mika said, "Yes, sir," a lot. The deputy asked if Mika thought he were good enough for Brynn. Mika promptly replied that he wasn't. I forget whether he said that he didn't think anyone was or that, nevertheless, Brynn wanted him to go to the dance with him.

Whatever Mika said, between that and the bag with his dancing shoes, Deputy O'Hara concluded that Mika was a bit weird. I know it's not necessarily weird to wait until getting to a dance to put on dance shoes. It was Mika's affect, awkward and earnest, very much the poor boy from the wrong side of the tracks with a bag for his good shoes.

Brynn joined Mika and the deputy.

Deputy O'Hara: I'm watching you, Missy!

Brynn (happily): Promise?

Deputy O'Hara: Yes!

Brynn: I love you, Daddy.

On their way to the dance, Mika presented the brooch. Brynn recognized it for what it was, even if none of the players, including the GM, knew exactly what it did. Trembling, she asked if Mika wanted her to wear it.

Mika: Oh yes.

Brynn (all but fighting back tears as she accepts the inevitable): Then you'll have to pin it on me.

Mika did. The brooch pricked his finger.

That was my idea, and folks liked it, noting that blooding the brooch had obviously primed it. We still hadn't decided what it did.

Brynn: I didn't know you would bring me a gift. I don't have one for you.

Mika (thinking quickly for a change): You're dancing with me -- that's a gift!

Brynn: I _like_ you, Mika. (after they've walked in silence for some time) Never date Jenny.

She meant Genevieve, of course. Once he understood that, Mika promised.

And we cut to the dance. I think this was the point where we got the free advance, though I seem to have decided on mine somewhat later.

Elsa and Peter were, of course, precisely on time.

Elsa (looking around): Nobody here. What is _wrong_ with this country?

My notes say:

Girls---Boys
Chaperones' Job

The chaperones were Deputy Patrick O'Hara and Sarah Blakely, the sheriff's wife. Sheriff Blakely was at his office, greeting his ulcer. Poor, poor sheriff.

Peter was presentable, as he had an older brother who had a suit.

Elsa was wearing a white dress with ribbons.

Elsa's Player: And a stake taped to her back. Like all girls do.

Elsa: Why is nobody forming into a reel yet?

My notes say something about Genevieve pretending she'd been dumped by Jimmy, and clean shoes. I don't know if the shoes in question were Mika's or someone else's.

Brynn was dressed as woman who's always wanted a girl but could never have one until two years ago dresses a girl.

Elsa: Why you look like--

Peter: Cotton candy on a stick.

Brynn: You say the sweetest things.

Mika: Do you want to dance?

Brynn: I would like to dance.

Elsa: Mika -- after, we should dance.

Mika (whispering to Brynn as they dance): Am I supposed to do that?

Brynn: You're allowed to dance with her -- just not Gen.

Genevieve was dressed in black, with a rose in her hair. She was complaining that Jimmy had dumped her.

Elsa (not in response to that): I dumped schnapps in the punch.

My notes say "7", which I'm guessing is what the player got on a roll to Manipulate NPCs. The NPC students swarmed the punch, drawn there by Elsa's words like flies to honey.

Elsa (I think): I've been drinking liquor since I was twelve years old.

Genevieve (I think): That explains so much!

This was clearly an attempt to Shut Someone Down. I think it was Genevieve's player who rolled, getting a total of 7. This meant each girl either gave the other a condition or lost a string on her.

Elsa's Condition: Embarrassed Genevieve's Condition: Slut Shamed

Elsa: It's the strangest thing, but I thought you were going to the dance with handsome Jimmy. So, where is he, Genevieve? Where is Jimmy?

<BOOM>

That was Jimmy throwing the door open. He was still wearing the bloody clothes he'd died in.

Genevieve: Sh*t! (trying to cover) Hi, Jimmy.

Jimmy: Later.

This was not a threat, but an attempt to Turn her On. The player got a total of 12.

Elsa was shocked enough to say something in her native German.

Jimmy: Ellie, you know I don't speak Polish.

Someone asked, "You ever see Dracula?" I don't know whom or whether it was in or out of character. This is followed by something I transcribed as "You know GM's really into that (?name? movie?)". I am wondering if Elsa asked the question of Jimmy, and if my notes actually had him replying, "You know, Gen's really into that movie."

Peter decided to Lash Out Physically against Genevieve. The player got a 12. Peter started to wolf out and dealt 2 harm to Genevieve.

Jimmy: Get the hell off my girlfriend!

He Lashed Out Physically at Peter. Alas, I think the player got a 4.

My notes say: "String -- Animal -- he's attacking a woman". I wonder if "String" was supposed to be "Condition", as that would be an appropriate condition for Peter. And, I think Jimmy accidentally hit Genevieve.

Elsa grabbed Jimmy.

Elsa: Why don't you have a seat?

This was Elsa Lashing Out Physically. I believe the player got an 11, dealing 1 harm to Jimmy. Someone, I am guessing Jimmy's player, had to roll to Hold Steady. Jimmy did not manage to Hold Steady.

Someone (possibly the GM): So, okay, James? Your heart rate is 0/0.

Elsa: Peter -- You're letting the animal win.

This approach allowed her to use the Condition Animal. The player had 11 anyway, but this made the total 12.

Elsa: Remember who hurt Jimmy!

Somewhere in here, Brynn told Mika to empty the punch bowl over Peter's head to cool him down. Mika tried to do this, but Elsa interrupted, breaking the punch bowl.

Mika also blocked her way to something or someone, likely Genevieve, for some reason. Elsa told him to move, and when he didn't, she threw him across the room.

Notes to self:

• Volatile only works if you can hit.
• If you have to roll Cold, remember that this is NOT the Infernal's strong point.
• You have to roll Cold to Hold Steady, like if someone got a 10 or higher Lashing Out Physically by, say, throwing you across the room and then chose to make you need to Hold Steady before you can retaliate in the same scene.

Meanwhile, Genevieve and Jimmy were talking, possibly in private.

Genevieve: I can't believe you hit me!

Jimmy: I'm so sorry! I was trying to hit him! I would never hurt you.

Jimmy understood that he hadn't been the best boyfriend, but now that he knew what was going on, that would change.

Jimmy: It's going to be so much better from here on out.

He didn't understand why Peter attacked Genevieve.

Jimmy: What did you do to piss him off?

Genevieve: I don't know.

She tried to break the news of Jimmy's condition to him,

Genevieve: Sweetie, honeybunch, you've a vampire. We'll talk later.

Someone noted that for Brynn, the bright side of the confusion was that Jimmy's resurrection gave her so much more time to make her move.

And she joined Jimmy and Genevieve for a private Fae-Vampire-Mortal threesome.

Brynn: Yes, promise kept.

But, this didn't mean she forgot about Mika.

Brynn: Jimmy, you can never harm Mika, okay?

Jimmy: Why would I want to hurt Mika?

Brynn: Promise me you'll never hurt Mika.

Jimmy promised.

At this point, the GM spent some time with threesome's players, as he had to adjudicate first all their Sex Moves getting triggered and then, because the Mortal's Sex Move is to trigger his partners' Darkest Self Moves, the Darkest Self Moves went off. This took some time.

I'm not entirely sure what happened. Jimmy may have died again as Genevieve drank from him, but he got better. I'm fairly sure Genevieve wound up dead, though I'm not sure how. Jimmy carried Genevieve to his place. And, dead Genevieve woke up. I gather Jimmy was surprised.

Genevieve: You need to get used to this, Jimmy.

Meanwhile, I think Mika danced with Elsa, as he was trying to thread his way through a very confusing social situation, and she'd told him to dance with her, and Brynn, nowhere to be seen, had assured him that this was permitted. Mika probably danced with several girls, dancing quite well, thanks to Old Joe's shoes.

Mika said something that indicated he'd been listening in on Elsa's conversations.

Elsa: Mika -- you have big ears.

Mika: But I don't _understand_ anything.

Elsa: Yes.

She and Mika went into a private room with Peter, to talk. Mika learned about Elsa's situation and Peter's, and tried to convince them to talk to his "uncle", Old Joe, who could help.

They wanted more information, and rolled to turn him on, which wasn't hard. Mika told them about how he'd died during the war and how Old Joe had helped him come back from the dead.

Peter didn't want to control his state. He grinned and said he liked being a wolf. Mika noted that Old Joe could help him always be a wolf.

Elsa told Mika he was an idiot and that no one does anything for nothing, which Mika wasn't denying. She did, however, get the condition Tempted.

But, at that point, she decided she wanted to have sex with Peter. She was going to try to kill Genevieve and might die in the attempt.

Elsa: I don't want to die a virgin.

Her player rolled to Turn Peter On and got an 8.

The two had sex, which meant that their Sex Moves triggered. Peter now had a Spirit Connection with her, which meant the player got a bonus on all rolls to defend her. Elsa's player needed to decide whether she was disgusted by Peter or herself. Rereading the text, I think it is also permissible for the player to decide that the Chosen is not disgusted by either, but I think the player picked Elsa being disgusted by herself.

Elsa's Inner Voice: He's an animal, but I'm kind of an animal.

Having sex with Peter also meant that Elsa could get rid of her Tempted condition.

Mika, meanwhile, looked at these two having sex, confirmed that they wanted him to go, closed the door behind him, and piled up some furniture in front of it to keep them from being interrupted, and went to look for Brynn.

He found her. She had no idea that Genevieve had come back to life.

On the walk home, Mika told Brynn what he had learned about Elsa and Peter. Brynn confirmed that Mika hadn't promised them not to tell her. Mika also knew that Elsa and Peter had agreed on a showdown with Genevieve and Jimmy at the Observatory.

Brynn (sadly): Oh, I don't think I need to worry about it right now. My best friend and I just had a fight.

But before that went anywhere, Elsa, still in the “I am going to die so fuck it all mood”, decided she and Peter should break in to Deputy O'Hara's house and beat him up or kill him or something.

The deputy, as you'll recall, adopted Brynn. So, Mika and Brynn were going to the same place.

Elsa told Brynn to take a long walk around the block. Brynn, understandably refused.

Elsa threw something into or through the door of the O'Hara house. Mika grabbed Elsa and actually dealt 1 harm to her. I forgot to use Unknowable, the Volatile move I took, but no big deal.

Elsa was actually delighted and made a speech loosely based in Superman's tissue paper speech (though the PC didn't know that) saying that she didn't have to hold back. And, she threw Mika through the second story window of the O'Hara home.

Brynn: Elsa.

Peter (to Elsa): Let it go.

Brynn: I don't even speak German, and I got an A.

Brynn was trying to turn Elsa on, but the player got a 4.

Brynn's Player: It's been a rough night.

Elsa: Brynn, you're embarrassing yourself.

Elsa's player got a 7 to Shut Brynn Down.

My notes say of Brynn's condition "Demoralized -- Embarrassed".

Brynn looked at Elsa, tears in her eyes.

Brynn: Elsa, when Mika told me your secret, I thought you wouldn't hurt _innocent_ people.

Elsa: Mika isn't innocent.

Brynn: But my father is.

Elsa: I didn't throw him through your father.

I don't know if Brynn's words had any effect on Elsa, but she and Peter did leave. And given the time left in the session, we decided that Deputy O'Hara wasn't home. The deputy, we'd earlier established, had been a chaperone at the dance AND had promised he'd be keeping an eye on Brynn the whole time. He'd broken that promise.

OOC, that was good. It meant Brynn didn't care as much about him. We were in "wrap it up by midnight, but don't skip important stuff" mode, and we'd found a way to make that minor threat unimportant.

Inside the house, a battered Mika picked himself up, surveyed the mess made when Elsa threw him through the window, and asked Brynn if he should clean stuff up.

Brynn: No, my father will clean up. He likes doing that.

Mika asked if he should brush her hair, and she agreed.

I said that Mika was Gazing Into the Abyss as he brushed her hair and looked into her mirror. This is the "GM, give me some cool information" move. I got a total of 8 and decided that I wanted the visions to be lucid and detailed. The trade off was that they'd leave Mika with the Condition Drained. He also had the Condition Frightened. I'm not sure where he picked that up, but I think that came earlier.

So, at this point, we decided that he learned what Brynn was, or at least that she was old, and possibly something of her connection to Genevieve. He learned about her and promises, and about how she extracted promises from other people. And, he learned what the brooch did.

So, what did it do? It had been primed with Mika's blood, then fed a lot of energy in the sexy violent three-way sex. It was a danger to Brynn somehow. We decided that Old Joe had had to make promises to Brynn in the past. The brooch was eating those promises -- and not just them, but all the promises made to Brynn. My notes say we called the brooch the antimatter of promises.

And, we decided, if Brynn didn't have any promises by midnight, she'd be sucked back through the veil to Faerie.

And Mika now knew all this.

The GM was pushing things on, which meant that I didn't push to draw the scene out which meant that I didn't rush any decision for Mika like I otherwise might have done, which I think worked out well.

Meanwhile, Jimmy and Genevieve were talking, and Jimmy was trying to convince her that everything was great.

Jimmy: I die -- but I come back -- and you get fed!

Jimmy (not sure to whom or whether this was OOC): I _love_ her.

Someone, OOC: Apparently, you need to be dead to have sex.

Apparently. I never managed to get Mika laid, and I assure you, it was not from want of trying.

Meanwhile, Jimmy's player decided that it was time for him to Gaze Into the Abyss and rolled a 12. Jimmy wanted to know: What am I?

The answer was that Jimmy was close to becoming a full vampire, but wasn't one yet. He hadn't drunk from Genevieve. Jimmy saw Genevieve getting turned in a vision.

Now, Peter and Elsa were going to the Observatory for a showdown with Genevieve and Jimmy. Brynn believed that Genevieve was dead, so she told Mika that she had to go to the Observatory to tell Peter and Elsa this. Mika went with her as an escort.

At this point, I decided that for my advance, I'd take the remaining Bargains for the Infernal, a nice handful of things that, like the Dark Side of the Force, were good for quick, easy power, but at a hidden (or not so hidden) cost.

Naturally, Elsa and Peter were at the Observatory first. It was not yet midnight, but it was getting close.

As Mika and Brynn approached the Observatory, Mika said they needed a white flag. Brynn reminded him that he had a handkerchief, so he used that. And they got in unharmed, and Brynn delivered her message.

Elsa: Peter, is she telling the truth?

Brynn believed that she was.

Peter may have been his Darkest Self; I'm not sure. Regardless, his player and the GM worked out that Peter would probably consider Brynn to be an obstacle between him and what he wanted. So, he attacked her.

He dealt her Harm. If the player took the move Primal Dominance, he also got a String on Brynn. My notes indicate that she might have gotten a String on him, which would indicate that the player rolled in the 7-9 range. My notes also say, "Spend to do additional harm". If so, that means Peter dealt two harm to Brynn.

Then, Genevieve and Jimmy came in. At that point, Peter and Elsa ignored Brynn and Mika, so Mika started tending to Brynn's wounds and largely ignored the fight. I mean, yes, he was vaguely ready to fight if someone attacked him or attacked Brynn again or if Brynn told him to hit someone, but this wasn't his fight. And, he was pretty disgusted with Elsa and Peter.

Elsa: We have a saying about this in the old country. It's called Die F*cking B*tch!

Either Jimmy or Genevieve: We just wanted to go to a school dance.

I think Jimmy had the shotgun, but I'm not sure. Certainly, it was fired, and the blast hit Peter.

Someone: You've hit the turned on bear.

My notes say "2-)4", so I don't think things went so well for someone.

Brynn: You'd never hurt me like that, would you?

Me: I look at the brooch and I don't answer.

Mika: What's your home like? Your real home?

Brynn: This _is_ my real home.

Mika: I understand.

He'd had some vague kind of hope, I think, that maybe Brynn's "real home" was a nice place, and maybe she liked it.

Meanwhile, Elsa killed Genevieve. Jimmy dropped to his knees and cradled her. Peter was on top of Jimmy, attacking him.

Jimmy (crying): Peter -- what the hell? We were always friends! Why are you doing this?

And the player rolled to Turn Peter On, getting a 10.

Peter pounced on Jimmy and started licking his face like a dog, licking the tears away, no longer attacking.

Elsa looked around. Genevieve was dead. Yay, win, mission accomplished. Sure, the player knew Genevieve would be back, but Elsa didn't.

Okay, what else? Peter and Jimmy were clearly having a moment. Okay, whatever. She didn't have to kill Jimmy. Peter was her friend even if he was a werewolf. What else?

Elsa: Mika, you're okay in my book. Brynn --

Mika: She doesn't have much time.

Elsa: Oh, well, all right, then.

She considered that a win, mentally ticking off the Brynn box on her score pad, I think. One fewer problem, you know?

Mika (to Brynn, as the clock strikes midnight): I have obligations that I have to keep. I know you know about that. (Clock finishes striking. As Brynn is drawn back through the veil, just after midnight) But I promise you this -- I'll wait for you to come back.

The relationship between Brynn and Mika was horribly functional in a weird way, but Mika's take was that he owed Old Joe everything.

I am not sure who, if anyone, said: So Jimmy -- we have to talk.

We closed with:

Next week on Loveland...

Genevieve:

Genevieve's lusty eyes snap open. She walks through the woods in heels. She is alive and angry.

Elsa:

Elsa (talking with a bunch of Genevieve's old girlfriends about Genevieve): Yeah, she had to go home--

Genevieve walked in.

Elsa (clearly not expecting this): I didn't know you were back. We should schedule some girl time.

Genevieve's player said that she got the feeling that Elsa and Genevieve probably spent the entire season killing each other and coming back from the dead.

Peter:

Peter was with his shirt off on top of Jimmy. He made to kiss Jimmy.

Brynn:

Beyond the vale, there was a horned throne. Brynn was on one knee before the figure on the throne, the Hunter. She was in her Fae glamour as she should appear.

Brynn: But I _promise_!

Mika:

I had two things for this. The first was Mika returning the brooch to Old Joe.

Old Joe: You understand now?

Mika either simply replied in the affirmative or made some eloquently awkward statement of general disgust with his schoolmates which I failed to record. And, Old Joe had a job for him.

Mika entered the malt shop. Billy was behind the counter. No one else was there.

Mika: I'm tired of kids. I want an _adult_ relationship.

Everyone OOC: Poor Billy!

I pointed out that we didn't know how Billy would react to this, but they all seemed convinced that Billy would totally say yes.

Jimmy:

Jimmy came into the police station.

Jimmy: Officer O'Hara, is it legal for Elsa Jackson to have some really old German weapons?

And one more from Elsa's player:

A stranger in town thanked someone for showing him where the pay phone was. He made a call.

Stranger (in German): I think we found her.

And there we ended.

I said we needed two more hours. Someone else said we needed two more seasons.

I was still buzzing about the game a few days later, and noted Mika's take on the PCs:

Brynn: It's complicated. But, he understands where she's coming from. He has no idea she tried to protect him. He has no idea about the threesome -- but, hey, she never promised him not to.

Elsa: He doesn't like her. Yes, Old Joe charges. Who doesn't? Meanwhile, she's laying into people who don't seem to have done any harm, claiming she has no choice in being what she is. Mika thinks she's a hypocrite or an idiot or a bully or some combination.

Peter: Okay, Peter attacked Brynn, which isn't cool, but Brynn didn't tell Mika to do anything about that. And Peter's reason for not making a deal with Joe is he _likes_ what he is. Mika can respect that. [Later addendum: And envy it. And, this being Monsterhearts, lust after it.] But, then again, what he is is this guy who, like Elsa, crosses lines and breaks rules -- he and Brynn had a white flag! And trying to attack Brynn's father (or whatever Mika thinks they were doing) is just mean.

Genevieve: He promised not to date her. He isn't sure what he thinks about her. She's Brynn's best friend, but there was a fight, and Brynn thought she was dead and she wasn't.

Jimmy: You know, he doesn't have anything against Jimmy. His main interaction was Jimmy telling him to ask Brynn to the dance.

The friend I typed a whirlwind version of the above to asked, "What made the game so chewy?"

It was a combination of a few things:

As with all *World games and Monsterhearts in particular, the relationships are key. We had a good web of relationships, and we worked on making them ever more tangled.

Jeff is an excellent GM. He paid attention to the relationships, the moves we took, and so on.

During town creation, he kept asking, "So, what does [your PC] need there to be?"

He explained, iirc, that if you're playing, fr'ex, the werewolf, taking a move that requires moonlight, it's the GM's job to make sure that there are plenty of scenes set at night when the moon is shining, just as if you take the move about being uncontainable, it's the GM's job to make sure someone tries to imprison your PC so that you can use that move. Sure, sometimes, the GM can’t cover all bases, but in that case, as with Elsa’s unusable move, you let the player swap out the move for a different one.

He noted that there was a Whole Lot of Volatile on the table. LOTS of Volatile, which meant fighting. Looking at this, he realized that the PCs needed to be roaming the town, not the schoolhouse.

He had us define what each string someone had on someone else meant, which is what one should do, but this sometimes does not happen.

He said, more than once, "I don't have do anything." Now, this wasn't true, but it was true that he needed to keep a fairly light hand on the reins as we cheerful galloped towards chaos and destruction.

And he dealt with an issue in convention runs of *World games: the experience system. After gaining 5 xp, one gets a character advance, and some people are a lot better at gaining xp that others, some situations make for easier xp, and so on. So, he told us that in addition to whatever else we earned, everyone would get an advance about halfway through.

We also had a really good group. Everyone brought their A game.

I wouldn't call this a high trust session, but it was at least moderate trust. We all knew what we were doing. And, it certainly didn't hurt that I'd gamed with everyone at that table before.

By the time we'd created the PCs, their relationships, who had strings on whom -- all defined, e.g., we all knew what each string meant -- and what the town looked like, including details like, oh, Brynn's foster father the deputy being out to get Elsa (believing he saw her kill a person, not a monster), and so on. Even before we did the first scene, everything was popping.