Goth Prom A One-Shot RPG About Love and Dread by Robert Denton III For three to six players with two to three hours to kill.

What You Need: Second Half: Roll a D8 and combine the result with the first half to get your character’s identity. 1. - Pencils and a stack of Index cards, at least three per player. Ideal, TBH. You’re nosferatu, the living dead. Tell us what that means. 2. Witch - A handful of eight-sided dice (d8), some , some white. You are a witch. You have magic powers. Tell us what that means. 3. Banshee - An egg timer or other time-keeping device. You’re an otherworldly keener of the unseelie. Tell us what that means. 4. Dullahan A playlist of goth rock, EBM, dreadwave, post-punk, or other suitable music. - You have a spinal sword and your head comes off. Lucky you. 5. Disaster Area - You are a walking disaster area. Tell us what that means. One dreadful slow-dance song you all hate. 6. Who Is Part Bat - Not a vampire. Part bat. You decide which parts. Game Overview: 7. - The jocks of the underworld. You’re a lycanthrope. Tell us what this means. You and your friends are going to… *sigh*… prom. Ugh. But you’ve decided to make the most 8. Teen Detective - Nothing gets by you, you sly devil. Tell us what this means. of it. After all, your crush will be there, and this might be your only chance to let them know how Examples: you really feel. Thing is, you’re not like the other kids, and tonight is a bad luck night… Lydia rolls a 6, then a 3. Based on the chart, her character is a “Gothability Banshee.” She decides that means she is a gothic folk-rock signer who dresses like she’s attending a 1950’s Make Characters: funeral and can raise the dead with her haunting voice. Give each player an index card to write down their character information. To make characters, Draven rolls a 1, then a 7. Based on the chart, his character is a “Normie Werewolf.” He follow these spooooooky steps: decides that means he’s the High School’s star quarterback but secretly becomes a werewolf First, each player rolls a d8 twice, consulting the results on the chart below. Write your on full moons, Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” style. results down, one after the other. This determines your character’s identity and hook. Going off the resulting prompt, tell us what this means about your character. Next, each player secretly rolls a d8 to determine their terrible secret. Write this on the back of the index card, where no one can see it. Don’t tell anyone your result. First Half: Roll a D8 and write down the result. 1. Normie - You’re a normie. Basic model. You decide what that means. Terrible Secret 2. Preppy - You’re about as far from goth as it gets. What are you even doing here? 1-2. Poser - You’re faking either half of your identity, or the whole thing. 3. 80’s Era Goth - You look like a vintage character, and you act like one too. 3. The Football Mascot - Sometimes you willingly put on a dumb animal costume and 4. Lolita Goth - You look like one of those horror animes. I bet that outfit cost a fortune. lead cheers in front of everyone’s parents. Worse, you actually kind of like it. - 5. - Didn’t I see you in The Matrix? You’re into hacking and KMFDM. 4. Secretly Into Reel Big Fish Seriously? Like I… It’s like I don’t even know you… - 6. Gothabilly - It’s like Johnny Cash hooked up with Siouxsie and the Banshees. 5. Possessed This isn’t actually your real body. You’re a spirit possessing this person. - 7. Hot Topic Goth - You bought your subculture wholesale and T-VO’ed Invader Zim. 6. You’re Moving Soon Your entire family is moving across the world tomorrow. - 8. Visigoth - You sacked Rome in 410AD. What are all these lights? I’m scared. 7. Good At Sports Unforgivable. 8. Scout Troop Leader - You’re molding the next generation into responsible well-adjusted people. You monster. ©2019 by Gallant Knight Games. All rights 1 reserved. Gallant Knight Games, Ogden UTSample 84404 file Third, on the back of the card, each player writes down their “Heartshudders.” These are You can play the entire game while sitting at a table together, or you can explore the space and three things that, if they occur during the game, will win the character’s Affection. These act out together. However you must portray your character as best you can during the game. should be general and not too specific, like “Someone stands up for me,” or “Someone Dance Cards and Affection complements my look,” or “Someone reassures and comforts me,” or “Someone slaps me in my bitch mouth.” You know, whatever suits the character. Keep these secret on the same While they are at Prom, characters are cursed to grow their affections for one-another, until side of the index card as your terrible secret. they actually care about someone else, who becomes their light on the horizon, their spark in the darkness, the Morticia to their Gomez. Next, name your character and write down a few details about them on the front of your card. Then briefly tell us about them. What do they look like, what are their interests, and Affection represents how attached you are to any of the other characters throughout Prom. what’s their deal? Take no more than two minutes per player. These are the empty boxes beneath each character’s name. At the end of each , players will choose the character they grow fonder with and check one empty box corresponding Finally, on the back of the card, write down your secret crush. Choose one of the other with that character on their Dance Card. A checked box represents one point of Affection. player’s characters to be who your character secretly has a crush on. You can choose someone No Affection is rewarded after Act 3. you think would be compatible with the character, or you can choose someone that is terrible for them. It doesn’t matter. Do not reveal your choice to anyone. Players may also write notes next to each character’s name to help them keep track of their thoughts about that character. Prepare Yourselves: In Act 4: Confessions, characters will confess their feelings for the character with the most Affection on their dance card. You are warned. After making characters, each player makes their Dance Card. Simply write down the names of each other player’s character on the card, leaving some space beside each one to make Heartshudders notes. Under each character name, draw a number of empty boxes, checkmark-style. This is During any of the first five scenes, if someone triggers one of your character’s Heartshudders, your character’s “affection” rating for them. automatically give that character a point of Affection, then cross off that Heartshudder. Then, underline the name of your character’s secret crush, and check one of their empty boxes. Heartshudders can only be triggered once per game; any time after the first no longer counts. Players should keep their Dance Cards secret from the others. You’re Testing Me Then, determine who is your date: Each player rolls a d8. Players who rolled a matching Each player may, once per Act, force a player to make a “Test” to succeed at whatever their number, their characters are going to Prom together. If you want, you can both explain how character is currently doing. To Test, the player rolls a single d8. that happened. • If the result is a six or higher, they pass the Test. Not only do they succeed at whatever they • If three or more players rolled the same number, decide if you’re all going as each- are doing, they do it spectacularly; they describe how they accomplish their goal with flair other’s dates. If not, roll again. The two players with the highest rolled numbers are and aplomb, and most importantly, like it was no big deal at all. They then choose up to two each-other’s dates to the prom. Roll off until you figure this out. other characters in-scene with them, who must give that character one point of Affection. • If you didn’t roll a matching number with anyone, your character goes to the prom • If the result is a five or less, they fail. Oh boy do they fail. The player describes how they fail, then alone. Prom dates are for conformist sheep anyways. sets up a scene in which they react to the failure; other characters may role-play this scene out with Finally, put on some gothic music and dim the lights. Prom is about to begin! them. The failing player then decides if they are embarrassed or angry (see below). Other players This is gonna suuuuuuuck! may decide to give that character a point of Affection if they wish, but should do so in secret. Players may make themselves Test if they wish, but that’s your one time per Act. You cannot Playing the Game: compel anyone to Test after Act 4. Goth Prom is divided into seven segments, or “Acts,” which players act out using their characters. Test Bonuses and Penalties: Each scene is timed (because we all have so little time…), and when time is up, you wrap up and If anything about your character’s identity would help them accomplish whatever they are proceed to the next scene. Each scene gives players a prompt and explains how to proceed in the Testing for, they get +1 to the roll’s result before determining success or failure. scene. Eventually, players get to the sixth scene, in which they will vote for the Goth Prom King and Queen (Or King and King, or Queen and Queen, as suitable for the game). The final scene is If anything about your character’s identity would hinder them in whatever they are Testing the Afterparty, where we discover who won and why everyone is the loser. for, they get -1 to the roll’s result before determining success or failure.

2 ©2019 by Gallant Knight Games. All rights Sample filereserved. Gallant Knight Games, Ogden UT 84404