(Apologies for the delay, was very ill this past week)
"Let's not get off on the wrong foot. I'd tell you my name, but frankly I can't seem to remember it. What's yours? Are you alright in there?"
He brushes aside his hair, which flops back in front of his eye.
"Magnus," he says. "Call me Maggy."
M is for..."Alright, Maggy," you say while you reach into the cluster of wires. It's a right tangle in there like a wild child's hair. "Why are you hiding in a fridge?"
"It's thirteen o'clock," said Maggy. "Yes, I was stupid. But we're both here so that makes us both stupid."
"I don't think that's the right time," you say diplomatically. You're making no progress on the wires. Some connect to the electronics, others connect to the plugs, but you can't understand how they commect. Needless to say you weren't an electrician.
"Nothing is right in this city," he says. The doorbell jingles and Magnus clasps his hands over his mouth. You swear it was a momentary distortion but for a moment it looked like he had teeth in his eyes. You rub your own oculars and focus them on the other screens.
Two policemen with wooden billyclubs are standing in the door, grinning widely as police officers never do. They walk side by side dragging their clubs along the shelves, knocking over produce and adding to the general mess.
They leave one screen and you glance on another. They are standing in front of the fridges, bpuncing their clubs off the palms off their hands like the tick of a clock. The queerest part of the scene reveals itself to you - they both have keys like old tin soldiers stuck in their backs.
Magnus has closed his eyes shut, petrified. He mutters under his breath.
"Nightmare, they're nightmares," he says. "Help me."
A message pops up onto the screen.
this is what will be revealed to you
there are elements you cannot see
you must learn to accept this but do not be afraid to ask
your friends have rules to them
they are ruled by discipline exhaustion madness
when they get into conflict they will rely upon these pools
you can encourage them to abuse them
discipline is simple; it is their will to survive
it is always present and aids a little
but it is small fry compared to the powers of exhaustion and madness
you get three discipline don't waste it
exhaustion is exerting themselves beyond what their sleepless brains can take
exhaustion can be increased by one to make them more likely to succeed
it won't go away though
and if it goes up to six them fall asleep
a fate best avoided
madness is the ability to do anything because they are ill in the head
you can add one to six madness to a roll - the more madness the more likely to succeed
it won't stick like exhaustion it is entirely temporary
however
there is a catch
the more you use one of these pools
- and this includes that exhaustion you increased -
the more likely it is that they will dominate
if discipline dominates, things remain under control
if exhaustion dominates, their resources are taxed; exhaustion is increased by one
if madness dominates they go mad for a while; a response is ticked off
a response is a flight or fight response
you get three boxes representing them, which get ticked off if madness dominates
if you tick all of the responses they snap
lose one discipline
and gain one permanent madness
that'll stain your conflicts like oil
you get three permanent madness...
your friend becomes a living nightmare
this is why you cant trust them
Magnus
Discipline 3
Exhaustion 1
Responses
Flight 0
Flight 0
Fight 0
talents are how your friends use madness and exhaustion in their own peciular way
consider it their powers or skills
Exhaustion Talent: Athletics
Magnus used to exercise a lot to impress people. He did it later as something to do during sleepless nights.
Madness Talent: Mouthes
Magnus can make mouthes grow on inanimate objects. They can talk and bite and tell him everything they know - which amounts to a surprising amount.
Clockwork Cops (Patrol)
A lieutenant made of brass with a big grin and a wind-up key in its back. There's blood all over its billy club.
Pain 2 (this is the nightmares diffculty rating - all you need to know is that this is as easy as you'll get it)
Author
Topic: <sg> Don't Trust Your Friends <sg> (Read 1761 times)