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This thing keeps happening. I’m talking to friends about some game run in a city and Pound of Flesh(PoF) gets brought up. Fantasy, horror, the genre doesn’t matter. Mechanics either. Today I want to dig into what PoF is doing structurally, and why its so compelling.
Cities are alive. They breathe, they expand. They change constantly. As a GM the challenge is how to make the players not just believe that but actually FEEL it. And how to do that without having 400 pages of detailed maps and locations.
So how does PoF do it?
1) Factions
PoF has 3-4 primary factions in an incredibly tense balance when the players show up. Each has enemies, but also incentives to make peace or war depending on how things go. Its a powder keg and the players are fire.
1) Factions
PoF has 3-4 primary factions in an incredibly tense balance when the players show up. Each has enemies, but also incentives to make peace or war depending on how things go. Its a powder keg and the players are fire.
They can’t help but force changes. If the players do nothing the situation will deteriorate. The players will have to survive the hostilities and are bound to accidentally hurt or help someone.
They can be intentional about it too, and even if they’re incredibly weak they can still tip the balance. They have leverage just by acting. Theyll be forced to act to survive if they do nothing. Sooner or later theyll impact the city whether they planned to or not. Thats power.
2) Strong themes
PoF is in many ways about the horror of unchecked capitalism. The first thing players find out when they get on the space station is that oxygen costs money daily. So does storing equipment. So does information and access and…
PoF is in many ways about the horror of unchecked capitalism. The first thing players find out when they get on the space station is that oxygen costs money daily. So does storing equipment. So does information and access and…
One of the factions are terrorist/freedom fighters. And if you do nothing they start bombing random parts of the station. They have good reason. Theyre literally being deprived of oxygen and forced to face some serious horrors for it. They’ve been wronged.
That may not matter when they blow up the NPC you just made friends with.
PoF is a horror module obviously, and deals with mature themes. Not for everyone. But the thing that can and should be emulated is how the themes are built into the structure of the city.
PoF is a horror module obviously, and deals with mature themes. Not for everyone. But the thing that can and should be emulated is how the themes are built into the structure of the city.
They arent just telegraphed via a single NPC who gives you a mission. Theyre shown, experienced, reinforced and then challenged. They pervade. Its not window dressing, and because the players can explore it and engage with it the theme has meaning.
3) Specific locations
PoF details 10(13?) locations with a page each. They are important locations. Lasting locations. They’re locations that people would use as reference for directions. They connect to the factions and the themes of the city.
PoF details 10(13?) locations with a page each. They are important locations. Lasting locations. They’re locations that people would use as reference for directions. They connect to the factions and the themes of the city.
The rest of the station, population 8 million, is undocumented. Those specific detailed locations arent just important, theyre representative. They tell you what the neighborhood is like. They suggest a mood.
For the rest there’s random tables with suggested types of locations and names. How many acupuncturists do you really need? Mahjong clubs? The book provides you with the types of thing you might find because most of the individual stores don’t matter.
Only the ones the PCs need, and only when they need them. And when the GM does need to make something up it has the tools to get going quickly. It has NPC generators too. Events along the way. It generates when needed and when you dont you can forget about it.
4) The whole adventure bit
PoF handles classic adventure hooks in 3 ways. The first is a set of major NPCs. Each is associated with or leads a faction. Each one has jobs they would love the PCs to do, and each one can be found at one of those important locations mentioned.
PoF handles classic adventure hooks in 3 ways. The first is a set of major NPCs. Each is associated with or leads a faction. Each one has jobs they would love the PCs to do, and each one can be found at one of those important locations mentioned.
Best yet, when the PCs go looking for them, you roll to see which location theyre at. They move! They have lives outside the PCs, and the game makes it feel like those lives are completely independent of PC demands while still tying into PC interests. Such a great idea.
The second method is 3 event timelines, each tying into at least 2 factions. As time passes things escalate. Each of those important locations has a small list of changes per timeline and phase of each timeline. Roll tables for events and NPCs are impacted too.
The whole module changes as time passes. It doesnt require lots of reference. If you know what timeline and what phase(theres only 3 each) the rest of the book is designed to make it as easy as possible to show whats going on. Incredibly elegant.
Finally, most of the locations have jobs available. So you always have something for the PCs to engage with. Theres always something to do, and those jobs usually touch on the major themes and flirt with factions. Its all connected. Below is an example with ***SPOILERS***
So all told: The city is alive. It has major themes reinforced by competing factions, events, important locations and PC job opportunities. It provides tools to generate the surrounding content incredibly quickly without overwhelming the GM. It requires almost no prep.
It does all that in less than 50 pages. Some people will want more guidance than me. Some people will want more content. Needs vary. But I cannot stress this enough. The reason PoF works is because the important bits all reinforce each other.
They all provide opportunity and create friction. The content happens to be good too. But the structure is why it sings. And none of that is genre specific. Its real good.
Show some love to @seanmccoy @DonnStroud @LukeGearing and the whole @MothershipRPG team and check it out at the link. Thanks for reading everyone! https://www.tuesdayknightgames.com/a-pound-of-flesh
