Rage, a game for 3

"You've ruined everything. I will hate you forever."

A game for three players, A, B, and C, shifting roles.

Brief definition of a human being for play purposes

"Human being" is a keyword I've found useful in playing several narrativist games. When I say so-and-so is a human being, I mean that they are not a structural literary type (pro- or antagonist), a cardboard cutout, a stereotype, a pawn, a monster, a simple player stand-in, or a political or moral idea given fictional flesh.

Most human beings have all of the following

  •  Name
  • Age
  • Ethnicity
  • Social class
  • Income (or none!)
  • Hometown
  • Current city
  • A job, and previous work experience (or none!)
  • Sexual and romantic relationships (or none!)
  • Friends (or none!)
  • Family (or none!)
  • Hobbies and interests
  • Material resources 

It isn't necessary to fill out every detail, just enough for our current play. You can always add more later.

Scenario creation I

Player A creates the main girl, a human being between the ages of 13 and 19. Say as much as you need to about her.

Player A starts making the enemy. This person or people have done something wrong, sinned, committed an injustice, hurt, destroyed, betrayed. In her words, what did they do to to the main girl? Mark 1 Loss.

Player B finishes making the enemy. The enemy is a human being. What the main girl said about them is true, in part or in total. Think silently about how this person deals with what they have done.

Player A starts making the witness. They knew. In the words of the main girl, what did they know?

Player C finishes making the witness. The witness is a human being. They know, in part or in total, all that the main girl says they know. Think silently about how this person deals with what they know.

Scenario creation II

Exactly the same as before, but switch roles around, so everybody is playing something different.

Play

We take turns playing scenes between scenario I and scenario II. The rules and procedures for each scenario are the same, with only the roles shifted.

For each scene, Player A says when and where the scene is, and player C says what is happening and who is present when the main girl arrives on scene. Player B can interject and add the enemy or its agents or representatives to the scene at any point.

Player A plays the main girl as she pursues revenge. Player B players the enemy and its agents or representatives as necessary. Player C plays everybody else. and plays the main girl as she pursues revenge.

When things are uncertain, ask player C if the main girl could possibly succeed, and what it would cost her to do so.

Whenever the main girl loses something or gives something up, mark an additional 1 Loss.

At any point the main girl can end the scenario prematurely by giving up the chase.

If the main girl does not end the scenario prematurely, at the end, when you want to know what happens, roll 1 die per Loss.

If you get at least one 6, the main girl succeeds, and A says what happens, with additions as necessary from the others. Add up all the 1s; these are additional costs or losses the main girl will incur, now or later.

If you do not get even a single 6, the main girl fails and B says what happens.

Designer notes

Depending on your play group and scenario creation, and what in your game counts as a "Loss", this might be anywhere between a cathartic bloody power-fantasy romp and the gaming experience of being dragged across concrete. Tune the intensity as you please.

This is a sequel or companion piece to my Untitled Vampire Game.

I got the idea for the shifting roles from the game Shock: Social Science Fiction. (No link because I don't know how you're supposed to buy the game nowadays. I got the idea for rolling a pool of dice and looking for a 6 from the game The Pool. 

I was inspired to write this game after a bad day at work, and after listening to the song "Frankie Teardrop" by Suicide. That's a very low quality song, only worth listening to if you like bad music or want a laugh.

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