The Tale of a Troll's Tail

[madunkieg]

Yes, it's a cliche title, but it's temporary. I'm trying to come up with ideas for Toronto-based RPG designers' contest. The theme is "hidden spaces," and I thought of a troll hiding under a bridge. That led me to Brian Froud's fantastic book of Trolls. I'd like to take a typical villain, and turn it into a hero, or rather a sympathetic individual (because I don't do heroic stories).

Idea 1: The Trolls are opposed by the Fae, who are tricksters with all their glamour. The Fae are thematically facades and obsessed with appearance. Trolls, as unintelligent and ugly as they are, are very wise and deep.

Idea 2: The Trolls bodies become more deformed with each trial they overcome, storing those stories within their misshapenness.

Idea 3: This will likely be a story game, not a RPG. Players will share the Troll character (and maybe the villains, too). I need some way to secretly give each player different aspects of the character, so that they can all push the character around.

Idea 4: I want play to feel ritualistic, like Polaris: Chivalric Tragedy at the Utmost North. Obviously, I don't want to use that action resolution system, but find another way to capture the feeling.

[madunkieg]

A design note: while I'll first make this game on my computer, the final version needs to be handwritten. It should be full of messy sketches, like a field journal. Of course, neither the trolls nor the fae know how to write, but it makes for a curious presentation. I'll scan and upload the final game.

[madunkieg]

The game needs to use natural objects, such as stones, mud, soil, sand, twigs, and maybe even bones. The players should all offer an item (or possibly two) at the start of the game. Ritualized use of these items should then somehow shape the game.

As for resolving situations, whoever is the current storyteller should present a challenge. Each player, possessing a character trait, will describe a possible way to overcome the challenge. The teller chooses one and that player not only has their action occur, they get to describe how the Troll's body changes, and becomes the new storyteller.

I have to figure out whether the Troll's body indicates the trait, or if it should be recorded alongside the physical description. I also need to figure out when in that sequence a player discards their trait and draws a new trait.

[madunkieg]

So, I've got the basic game/ritual rules figured out and ready for playtesting. The only problem is that it uses stones, water and leaves, things not normally found online. I'll try to simulate them all on the Roll20 service, but it will take a while to figure it out.

I also need to establish a rhythm to the tales. I hope to establish that through the setting and the rules, but it means some very creative editing. It also means dedicating some time to the game, and I have too many plans tomorrow to do much then.

[Onix]

Actual stone
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/parts/ha ... me%20Parts

Water
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/parts/pr ... me%20Parts

Hmm, leaves are surprisingly a problem, the closest I can get is…
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/parts/fl ... me%20Parts

Here's a cheaper "stone"
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/parts/st ... me%20Parts

And a cheaper water
https://www.thegamecrafter.com/parts/dr ... me%20Parts

[madunkieg]

Thanks Onix! I'll have to make leaves, but it's good to know resources are out there.

I've started posting illustrations on twitter: Mad Unkie Games or @g_unkie

And yes, I know I need to practice more, but they're not bad for first attempts.

[madunkieg]

I playtested today. Just a two-player game, but I was given a lot to think about, especially in how I introduce the game.

Nordic trolls wander along twisted paths through the twisted forest. They are gentle, yet they are strong. They are patient, yet can turn vicious. They are simple-minded, yet wise due to their age. They engage in rituals and games, seeing no difference between the two.

This ritual tells the tale of a young troll who sets out to see the world. The troll encounter obstacles, makes important choices and faces challenges. Each challenge may physically change the troll, even if only to make hiding easier.

When the ritual ends, the young troll from the tale has grown up and become a part of the world.

[madunkieg]

The game's text so far:

Wandering through Nordic forests are trolls. Young trolls are simple in both body and mind, but, as they live tale after tale, their bodies twist until they blend into the world.

Trolls live for centuries, teaching them the ways of nature, but they are also ill tempered. Being voracious eaters, animals fear them. But watch closely, for their slow movements help them hide among the trees and earth.

Unlike trolls, the little faeries are beautiful, made more so by the glamour they use. Faeries are mischievous creatures. They flit about and dance like leaves in the wind or sparkles on the water. They think trolls are big, slow and easily tricked.

For their part, trolls don’t like faeries, either, for a fae in a troll's hand is a quick snack. Nonetheless, trolls have a sort of earthy magic of their own, one based in the rituals and games they play. One such ritual is listed below:

(once edited, the rules of play will go here)

[madunkieg]

The contest has ended and I've submitted a copy to 1km1kt's archives of free games. Let's see if Rob's still paying attention to that email.