THE SHAB-AL-HIRI ROACH

[kenjib]

[BrennaLaRosa]

[jmstar]

Thanks for the kind words!

I found a crusty old 19th century Sumerian lexicon, and those are sort of slapped-together translations. While I'm sure it isn't coherent Sumerian, I adore the gloomy, authoritarian tone and think it fits perfectly.

There's other kick-ass stuff I WISH I could put in...

AÞDU GA, the spittle of sorcery
KILULLA, the place of murder
NÍÑUL, that which is fit for the cult

There's a whole other game just in this language.

[PlotDevice]

*round of applause*

Is it online? Care to post a link?

Evan

[matthijs]

Hey, you could easily start a cult with the stuff you've got. That would probably make you a bit more money than RPG design. I'd love to see those cards in print!

[BrennaLaRosa]

Yeah, cults...*cough, cough, L.RonHubbard, cough, cough*

[jmstar]

My original source:



I did a lot of weeding ... if you want my shorter list, which is about 400 words, it is here:

[PlotDevice]

many thanks. Much cool, many much

[jmstar]

So, opportunity cards. I've established Reputation as a currency but I don't yet know what the in-game effect of this is. Maybe you can trade it in to buy more/bigger dice? Also, I'm ten cards short, but I think those will be add-a-roach, remove-a-roach cards maybe.

OPPORTUNITY CARD LIST

LETTER OF REPRIMAND
Lose a point of Reputation

BREAK DOWN
Lose two points of Reputation

BARGAIN
You may trade points of your own Reputation for the support by other player characters in a conflict, if any are so inclined.

PLEAD
Remove the support from an NPC of your choice in a single conflict.

BOOT-LICK
Gain the support of the NPC of your choice in a single conflict.

RECEIVE ACADEMIC APPOINTMENT
Gain two points of Reputation

RECEIVE UNIVERSITY AWARD
Gain a point of Reputation

EARN TENURE
If you are an assistant Professor, you have been tenured and are now a full professor. If you are already a full Professor, gain a point of Reputation.

DEBATE
Initiate a conflict with another player character. The winner gains two Reputation and the loser loses two Reputation.

IMPRESS
Increase the size of your die in one conflict involving power, privelege, knowledge, or status by one step – from D6 to D8, etc.

SWAGGER
Increase the size of your die in one conflict involving something other than power, privelege, knowledge, or status by one step – from D6 to D8, etc.

PRAISE
Surrender a point of Reputation to another player character.

SACRIFICE
Surrender two points of Reputation to another player character.

SABOTAGE
Cause another player character to lose one point of Reputation.

RUIN
Cause another player character to lose two points of Reputation.

SLANDER
Tear down another’s scholarship in a review. Reduce the size of their die in one conflict involving power, privelege, knowledge, or status to D4. .

HARASS
Reduce another player character’s die in one conflict involving something other than power, privelege, knowledge, or status to D4. Ouch!

INTIMIDATE
Choose an individual or group that is supporting an opponent in a conflict, and add them to your side.

EXPOSE
Publicize indiscretions and prevent someone from using an Enthusiasm in a single conflict.

CHEAT
Take two points of Reputation from another player character.

UNCOVER
Take a point of Reputation from another player character.

SHOVING MATCH
Choose another player character. You both lose a point of Reputation.

PUBLIC SCANDAL
You are unable to use any Enthusiasms during this scene.

CHAMP
Any Enthusiasm you employ adds a D12 rather than your normal die size during this scene.

INFLUENZA
Your die size decreases to D4 for every conflict during this scene.

DECORUM
Choose another player character. You both gain a point of Reputation.

GENIUS
Your die size increases to D10 for every conflict during this scene.

JOURNAL ARTICLE
Gain a point of Reputation.

WAR OF WORDS
Initiate a conflict with another player character. The winner gains one Reputation and the loser loses one Reputation.

PROSTITUTE
Turn Reputation into D12’s on a one-for-one basis.

[jmstar]

More stuff ...

SEQUENCE OF PLAY
The game takes place over the course of the fall semester in 1919. Play hinges around six Events, each of which will feature scenes framed by each of the player characters. Before each Event, players draw cards that will guide their actions – either the implacable commands of the Roach or prompts for social maneuvering within the hothouse of campus politics.

Three recurring NPCs will be present at each Event. Players can frame others into their scenes as desired, but they will have to deal with the named NPCs in some way - they are likely to become involved in conflicts on either side.

THE EVENTS, IN ORDER
Convocation
Reverend Gaylord Talley, Chaplain
Dean of Students Manley Wakefield-Nutter
Most Popular co-ed, Regina Sutton

Chancellor’s wine and cheese social
Chancellor Arthur Steuben Ferguson
Professor Emeritus John Acton Gerard-Bompus
President of the Board of Trustees Gordon White

Faculty Senate Meeting
Chair of the Faculty Senate Campbell Stoudenmeyer
Professor Emeritus John Acton Gerard-Bompus
The young radical, assistant Professor L. Scott Collins

Homecoming football game
Football quarterback Bantam Whaley
Chancellor Arthur Steuben Ferguson
Dean of Students Manley Wakefield-Nutter

Thanksgiving faculty retreat
Chair of the Faculty Senate Campbell Stoudenmeyer
The young radical, assistant Professor L. Scott Collins
Reverend Gaylord Talley, Chaplain

The Founder’s Day Halloween Ball
President of the Board of Trustees Gordon White
Football quarterback Bantam Whaley
Most Popular co-ed, Regina Sutton

SCENES
Each player must, in turn, frame a scene involving his character in relation to the Event at hand. It need not be directly connected, but it must take place around the time of the Event at a minimum. When it is your turn to frame a scene, you may select other players to take the roles of NPCs and player characters that you wish to participate. Any player who wishes may introduce their character into your scene as well.

Each scene should end with a conflict of some sort. Both sides will rally their troops and roll whatever dice they can muster.

If your side wins in the conflict ending your scene, you gain a point of Reputation.

BECOMING A SLAVE TO THE ROACH
It is easy to let the Roach climb into your throat and take over your life. All you have to do is ask it. Seriously - if, at the beginning of any Event, you wish to have the Roach occupy your brain, simply declare that you are Roach-bound, and it is so. From that point on, you must obey Commands, and you enjoy a powerful extra D12 in every conflict. You may be forced to do some foolish, blood-curdling things, but you will kick some ass in the process.

It is also possible to become an unwilling host. There are ten cards that have a Roach symbol on them - if you draw one of these cards at the beginning of an Event, and you are Roach-free, the greasy little monster has crawled inside you in the night.

Getting rid of the Roach requires a sacrifice. If you are Roach-bound and draw a card with a Roach symbol on it, you can abandon an Enthusiasm to break free.

RESOLVING CONFLICTS
To win an interpersonal conflict, you must end the conflict with a number higher than your opponent.

In conflicts involving power, knowledge, status, and privilege, die size ascends with rank. Thus, townsfolk and students roll D4, Assistant Professors and University staff roll D6, Full Professors roll D8, and luminaries (Professors Emeriti, the Chancellor) roll D10.

In conflicts involving anything else, die size descends with rank. Thus, mundanes roll D10, assistant Professors roll D8, full Professors roll D6, and luminaries roll D4.

EXTRA DICE
In conflicts that directly relate to an Expertise or Enthusiasm, you get to roll an extra die of the appropriate size. It is possible to have multiple dice (if more than one Enthusiasm comes into play, for example).

The Roach always contributes a D12 to the person it is possessing. Action card Commands, when acted upon, can contribute a second D12. The Roach is pretty bad-ass.

TAKING SIDES
Player characters, named NPCs, and organized groups (such as a fraternity, housekeepers, or the campus newspaper) can and should join conflicts, contributing their die to the cause. Any player can suggest groups that might join a conflict.

OPPORTUNITIES AND COMMANDS
Fear the Roach, but also fear the faculty. At the beginning of each scene, every player must draw an Action card. Each Action card has both a Command and an Opportunity on it. If your character is currently possessed by the Roach, you must ignore the Opportunity and carry out the Command (see The Roach Compels You, below). If you are not possessed by the Roach, you are free to act on the Opportunity part of the card. Doing so will have tangible benefits, but there will also be risks. It is entirely optional.

When you draw a card and are Roach-ridden, designate another player whose character will be the focus of that card. Do this openly before you know the content of the card – the Roach may sometimes compel you to ally yourself with someone and sometimes, destroy them. Opportunity cards can involve the other character you designate as well - and your choice is either to act on it (possibly harming an ally or friend) or letting it go (and not gaining a benefit). You only get to choose who the card will impact, and only before you know if that impact will be beneficial or harmful.

THE ROACH COMPELS YOU
Pity the wretch possessed by the Roach.

There are 40 Action cards, and each has some Command the Roach requires you to obey once it has crawled into your head. It might be helpful, it might be ruinous, or it might merely be humiliating. You must at least attempt to accomplish what the Roach desires.

Commands are not always straightforward. How, for example, does one bow down to a master that resides in ones sinus cavity? This is for you to decide. You’ll want to carry out the letter of the Roach’s bidding but perhaps not the spirit – for example, if you have to fight someone, perhaps you can arrange to fight him with sharp words rather than, say, butcher knives.

Obeying the will of the Roach as dictated by the Command card, even obliquely, adds a D12 to your effort in that conflict. This is in addition to the D12 you receive for being a slave to the Roach in the first place.

RESISTING THE ROACH
Once possessed, you can resist the Roach and ignore a Command, but it will cost you. There are two ways to resist.

You can sacrifice an Enthusiasm. This should have a noteworthy effect on your demeanor and attitude – you have lost a little bit of what makes you human.

You can also get roaring drunk on the wine freely available at every campus function. Getting drunk in a scene allows you to resist the Roach’s commands, but costs a point of Reputation and lowers your personal die by one size for the entire scene.

If you resist the Roach, you can act on the Opportunity if you like.