- You're connected quite literally, by ten feet of chain, shackled to an ankle each.
- You're revolted by them, but somehow they're the only thing keeping your shit together.
- You're old friends, but always take credit for their accomplishments.
- You both know damning secrets about each other. Like, really bad.
- You stole their Wand of Self-Pleasure after finding them asleep with it in an alley.
- You both ripped off a crime boss in The City and owe them way more coin than you'd be able to earn in a lifetime of honest work.
- You discovered you both collect something gross, and have only confided in each other since.
- You were both somewhat accomplished adventurers, until the incident. One of you lost their shield-hand, the other half their face.
- You really look up to them. They always overlook you. Seriously, you're way shorter than them. But, figuratively, too.
- You're positive they covet your pig (loyal, obedient, and loving).
- They look very much like the face on a bounty poster you found. The others don't see the resemblance.
- You grew close in the trenches of The War. Very close. Whether you can even stand each other now is another question.
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Akira Kurosawa's The Hidden Fortress. The duo on the right were inspiration for R2D2 and C3PO. |
Conceptual Status: Warning - Untested but Play-Ready
Commentary
I have vague intentions of running some fast, loose, funnel-style OSRish one-shots at local pub game nights. The system would be pretty rules-light, and character creation would be dead-simple and lightning fast to get into the gameplay ASAP. These would probably be on cards, along with two other character aspect cards, randomly selected.
I want these and the other related character aspects to...
- Not be as boring as most PC relationship tables ("18: Siblings.")
- Give the players something to grab on to RP-wise, when everything else is also random and they're plopped into a weird situation with little context
- Give the players reason to interact among themselves in the absence of external pressure to do so, because this is where a big chunk of the fun of one-shots always seems to arise
- Encourage a wee bit of PVP, or at least dramatic irony, which are likewise generally good in a one-shot
- Naturally generate "leading questions" without forcing them
- Establish an appropriately grotty tone and aesthetic for the flavor of modules I want to run, and that your characters are not Heroes
- Let it be clear that they're free to lean-in to the Murderhobo instinct
Related Resources
Somewhat inspired by:- Murder Snackers, a bonkers AP podcast. The sound direction is incredible, if cacophonous.
- Last Gasp Grimoire's aesthetic
- Bonds from Dungeon World, etc.
Do you know any other really good, flavorful tables for PC relationships?
I encourage you to comment below, rather than elsewhere.
Long live the Blogosphere!
Ooh, new podcast rec.
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