hippogryph issue two: the issue

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The bearer of this document has the express written permission of the Samplepublisher to make copies for personal use. file Copyright 2020 Berin Kinsman. All Rights Reserved. hippogryph issue two and respective trade dress are © and ™ 2020 Berin Kinsman. This is a work of fiction. Any similarity with people or events, past or present, is purely coincidental and unintentional except for any people and events presented in historical context. Cover art by Gustave Courbet. in this issue

3 why do a wrestling issue? If you don’t care about , why are you reading this issue? Well, it’s about unarmed combat, improvised weapons, character development, and storytelling. That’s RPG material right there. 5 characters: wrestler archetypes How to make RPG characters inspired by professional wrestling. Whether you’re using the Hippogryph mechanics or the tabletop roleplaying system of your choice, there’s something for you here. 13 worldbuilding: wrestling promotions Create a setting for your professional wrestling promotion! Stickto the real world and the conventions of kayfabe, or mash-up other genres like fantasy, science fiction, and horror. 18 adventures: running a show Book the card for your wrestling promotion’s shows! Set up feuds, battle for championships, and build ongoing angles! It all culminates in a pay-per-view event where all problems are settled in the ring! 22 rules: wrestling matches Advice on modeling different types of wrestling moves using the system of your choice, or the Hippogryph rules. Includes information on basic types of matches and winning conditions. Sample30 glossary of professional wrestling termsfile A primer for beginners and non-fans, featuring all of the essential terms needed to develop, run, and play a tabletop roleplaying game based on professional wrestling. why do a wrestling issue? Let’s get straight to the elephant in the room: If you don’t give a hoot about professional wrestling, why would you want to buy, let alone read, this issue of Hippogryph? It’s simple. If your interest is in the wargaming- influenced side of tabletop roleplaying, the horse part of the Hippogryph, wrestling is all about fighting. Unarmed combat! Grappling! Improvised weapons! Should your preferences be for storytelling, the eagle half of the beast, wrestling depends heavily on character development, building coherent narratives, and emotional impacts. Useful ideas can be found everywhere, if you’re willing to have an open mind and look for them. I promise not to make inside jokes that only wrestling fans will get, and that all of the content in these pages is applicable to any tabletop roleplaying system or genre. For the essential terms that I must use for flavor and context, there’s a glossary at the end of the issue on page 30. If you’re a smark, I don’t have to go for a cheap pop here. There’s no need to sell the angle. None of the wrestling content is promotion- specific, so you can apply it to running your own version of WWE, AEW, ROH, NJPW, MLW, and so on, or relive the glory days of the original NWA, WCW, or EC-f’n-DUB. Use Hippogryph to book your own cards, or follow the advice given to bring the action into the system of your choice. With that out of the way, let’s talk about why I decided to do a wrestling issue this early into the zine’s run. A safer bet would have been to lean into the well-worn genres of fantasy, science fiction, and horror. Do what’s expected and stick to what’s popular with tabletop roleplaying fans. I’ll get to those things eventually, but one of my guiding principles is to explore genres, settings, and ideas that haven’t already been done to death. There are wrestling RPGs, to be sure, and several excellent ones. Compared to the sheer volume of games in the above-named genres, though, I stand by my statement that wrestling remains under- represented. There’s a deeper connection than just this issue, though. When I was deciding how to write these op/ed piece I had profession wrestling in mind. Wrestlers cut promos so you can get to know their personalities and storylines. I think it’s helpful for you to see a bit of who the person writing this zine is. My decision was to make every editorial a shoot, wrestling-speak for speaking openly, honestly, and out of character. While I’ll probably never drop a pipe bomb (a shocking promo that addresses controversial or taboo subjects head-on) ala CM Punk, I’d do it Samplefor the right reasons. You can call it “editorial tone” or “voice”, file but in my mind these editorials and opinion pieces are shoots. For a while I considered adopting a heel (bad guy) persona for these shoots. Abusive jerks in tabletop roleplaying somehow end up with large

3 ride-or-die followings, so why not me? As I felt was very necessary to write about in Issue One, we have so much of that toxic crap already that it wouldn’t be fun for me to even satirize it. In the same way that it’s become difficult to tell the difference between real headlines and stories in The Onion, I didn’t want people to think anything I said for cheap heat was meant to be serious. There’s also the huge level of inspiration I take from independent wrestling. Mainstream audiences may associate professional wrestling, or “sports entertainment” as they call it, with the WWE. They’ve got crossover stars like Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and shows held in arenas for massive audiences. The WWE has merchandise in Walmart and Target, TV deals on multiple networks, their own streaming service, and tons of production value. The indie guys are wrestling shows in bars, bingo halls, and high school gymnasiums. They might have a t-shirt or poster they’re selling at a folding table after their match. My favorite indie promotion right now is NWA Powerrr. The NWA stands for National Wrestling Alliance, an organization that was founded in 1948. In the 1980s, as the WWE began to take over everything, the NWA began to fade and by the early 2000s were pretty much dead. In 2017 they were bought by William Patrick Corgan, of the band Smashing Pumpkins, and he’s been doing a great job of bringing it back to life. NWA Powerrr has the production value of public access television. It’s filmed in the Georgia Public Broadcasting studio in Atlanta, and new episodes are released on YouTube every Tuesday. There is one set of bleachers where a small but enthusiastic audience of about 100 people sit. There’s are no pyrotechnics. There’s no entrance music. As wrestlers are introduced by the announcer they come out from backstage and get into the ring. This is where the magic happens. Without a lot of production value, they have to rely on talent. There are no scripted promos, so when they speak they need to be charismatic and entertaining. Everyone has to try harder, put their heart and soul into it, and let you see the love they have for what they’re doing. These men and women have to put on a great show every week, and they do. That is the do-it-yourself ethos of punk rock. It’s the “three chords and the truth” of a classic country song. There is a beautiful minimalism to it, a peeling away of the excess to get straight to the bits that matter. If you look at the production value of this zine, and know about the Black SampleBox Manifesto, you’ll understand why this resonates with me fileso deeply.

4 characters: wrestler archetypes Below are some guidelines to help you create professional wrestling- inspired characters. If you’re using the Hippogryph system detailed in Issue One, the tweaks to making characters are included. For those using an open creation system like Fate, or a point-build system, this article will help you determine the types of abilities that are important. When using a Dungeons & Dragons-based system, use this mainly as a set of ideas for character backgrounds, and steer your choices toward suitable abilities. As a quick reminder, the key elements in a Hippogryph stat block are as follows: Name: What the character is called, how the archetype is referred to. Description: Appearance and context in the genre and setting. Purpose: What the character does and how well they do it. Modifiers: Bonuses and penalties to perform specific actions. Story Points: Questions and answers in the character’s background. name Most wrestlers have a real name, which in mostly-outdated kizarny was called their handle. They also have a , an alias they use for their persona. If you’re going to run a game that sticks to kayfabe, then their real name and ring name might be one and the same. Determine your own conventions and how far you’re willing to stretch the suspension of disbelief. For example, doesn’t seem to have kayfabe name other than “the Undertaker”. Given that he’s supposed to be an undead cowboy mortician (when he’s not being a badass biker dude), we all let that slide. Only on rare, out-of-kayfabe occasions does anyone reference his real-life name, Mark Calaway. nicknames A nickname is almost like a catchphrase, in that it gives marks something to chant and paint on signs and promotions something to plaster on merch. They can also be useful in helping to define a persona. Steve Austin is “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, for example, but he’s also the Texas Rattlesnake. Joey Janella is the Bad Boy. is The Man. Nick Aldis is The National Treasure. While a nickname can also help to clarify whether a character is a face or heel, that can be tricky. If the character ever does a turn, it might be difficult to put them over when their nickname conflicts with their Samplenew alignment. Find something that sells their personality andfile gimmick.

5 description Most promotions announce a wrestler as “weighing in at (however many) pounds” and “hailing from (city, state, country)”, before saying their name. The other element that wrestling statistics tend to focus on is height, because there was a time when big guys dominated the business. You should attend to the standard player character details, like their hair, their eyes, and their overall build. For a wrestling character, there are a few other things that need to be fleshed out. ring gear There are two possible types of ring gear. The first is what the character wears as they approach the ring. The second is what they wear inside the ring to wrestle. “Hulk” Hogan, for example comes down wearing a t-shirt (his own merch), but he dramatically tears it off prior to the match. comes out in ornate robes with feathers and sequins and embroidery, but when he takes it off to wrestle he’s just wearing standard trunks and boots. While most wrestlers have variations, mainly different colors, their basic outfit remains that same. card placement Wrestlers are often divided up according to when they perform in the show. Low-carders are the opening acts, presumably the newer and less experienced wrestlers. Mid-carders are up-and-comers with more skills. Main Eventers are the stars of the show, the ones that the fans have come out to see. In reality, popularity doesn’t always have to do with skill. Talented performers might languish at the bottom of the card for any number of reasons. Main eventers could be at the top of the card because they’re related to the promotion’s owner. People can move up and down the card as they gain and lose popularity, or based on how prominent their current storyline is in the overall scheme of things. For tabletop roleplaying, though, we can stick to the conceit that it has to do with the character’s abilities. Low-carders are starting and low- level characters, main eventers are whatever you define high-level characters to be, and mid-carders include everyone in between. See Modifiers, below, for how to model this using the Hippogryph system. division Most promotions sort wrestlers into categories for purposes of title qualification and an illusion of fairness. There is a men’s division and women’s division, with separate championships for each. Many have Sampleweight classes to distinguish heavyweights from cruiserweights.fileA wrestler might be a singles competitor, or be in the division with a partner. For your game you can make up any sort of categories you choose based on the genre and setting. There could be distinctions

6 where magic is allowed, and one where it isn’t. You can have separate title tracks for cybernetics, types of superpowers, or alien species. With an increased awareness of kayfabe and most promotions being open about in-ring action and storylines being a work, divisions have become less important. When you know it’s rehearsed, a little guy going up against a giant can still be entertaining, but it won’t feel unfair. Many indies have intergender (male versus female) matches for the same reasons. On January 12, 2020, Tessa Blanchard won the Impact Heavyweight Championship of the World by defeating Sami Callihan, making her the first woman to hold that title. Anything is possible. role Not all of the characters in a wrestling show are wrestlers. Most are nonetheless trained to take bumps, because storylines tend to involve a level of violence. Even wrestlers themselves will sometimes have specific roles, both in storylines and within the promotion. A few, like the referee, are essential. The rest are mostly optional, to be included as it suits the needs of your promotion and the type of show that you want to put on. There are other behind-the-scenes character types that I haven’t listed here. While it’s possible that bookers, roadies, and camera operators might play some part in a non-kayfabe game, I’m sticking to the most likely character types to appear in a strictly kayfabe campaign. Commissioner: An authority figure responsible for making matches and enforcing the rules. This is usually a non-player character role, and can be an easy gamemaster-insert character. No match is considered “official” unless it has been sanctioned by the commissioner. Thisis especially important in tournaments and title matches. Not every promotion has a commissioner, and some only use the role occasionally as a respective storyline requires it. As with wrestlers, a commissioner can be a face or a heel although many do remain fair and impartial. Enforcer: The big guy in a faction or stable charged with beating up the group’s enemies. They usually stand behind the mouthpiece and look intimidating. Not every group has an enforcer, but nearly every heel stable does. Interviewer: A person backstage who talks to wrestlers, usually before or after a match. This is a non-player character role. Stickinga microphone in a character’s face allows the wrestler to cut a promo, with the assumption that the audience at the venue as well as possible home viewers can see it. Jobber: Euphemistically called enhancement talent, this is a wrestler Samplewhose role is to “do the job” and convincingly lose a match file in order to put their opponent over. This is a non-player character role, unless you want low-card player characters to begin as jobbers. If a mid-carder or

7 main eventer gets used as a jobber, they’re probably being punished by the commissioner in kayfabe, or the promotion out of kayfabe. Manager: A character that accompanies a wrestler to the ring and often speaks for them. They compensate for wrestlers who have questionable mic skills, including foreigners with heavy accents ora limited grasp of English. Managers are also used to interfere with matches, commonly by distracting the referee so their client can get away with some illegal move. Mouthpiece: The character in a stable who does all of the talking for the group. In tabletop roleplaying this can be a player character acting as the “party leader”, rather than allowing an NPC manager to speak for the wrestlers. Referee: The in-ring official that enforces the rules of the match and declares the winner. A referee counts pinfalls, handles count-outs, and issues disqualifications They can also stop matches when wrestlers are injured. These are non-player characters, and another easy gamemaster- insert character. Valet: Interchangeable with a manager, usually but not always an attractive woman. They are often inactive or retired wrestlers, ableto engage in some action or direct interference if needed. A valet speaks and creates distractions, often by attacking their client’s opponent when the referee isn’t looking. I’ve left out the role of commentators because it’s difficult, if not impossible, to make that concept work in tabletop roleplaying. Players and the gamemaster will be describing character actions. Having another character providing color commentary is redundant. If you’re playing a game like Matt Wilson’s outstanding Primetime Adventures, which has an audience mechanic, you might be able to find a way, but even then it would require some jiggery-pokery. gimmick A gimmick is the high-concept persona adopted by the wrestler. It’s a theme or motif, an easy-to-grasp set of traits, behaviors, and even costumes based on archetypes or (unfortunately) stereotypes. A person who’s never seen the character before should be able to watch them for a few minutes and promptly pick up on the type of person they’re supposed to be. While a character can change their gimmick from time to time, it’s difficult to do successfully. Once you find a gimmick that works, it’s best to stick to it. The types of gimmicks that a wrestler might have are Sampleboundless, but the most common categories are listed below: file Comedy: The character is meant to be funny. They might be a satire of another wrestler or some public figure, but those are limited gimmicks and don’t age well. Their persona or fighting style could be humorous.

8 They can still wrestle, but the gimmick is entertainment-forward rather than ability-focused. Ethnicity: At best, the character proudly embodies the most admirable qualities of their cultural heritage. At worst, they’re a horrible and degrading stereotype. Wrestling history is littered with unfortunate examples the latter. Tread carefully. Masked: The character wears some sort of mask. This comes from the Mexican lucha libre tradition, but it could be any sort of mask that helps to convey the gimmick and establishes the persona. The caveat is that the character needs to be credibly able to wrestle in it. Impaired vision tends to ruin the suspension of disbelief somehow. Monster: Any wrestler that is excessively large and intimidating is considered to be a monster. They might suffer from gigantism, but that’s not necessary to qualify. Monsters tend to not have normal proportions, being overly muscular, exceedingly heavy, or both. Musician: This gimmick works best when characters are actual musicians or singers. Over the decades several rock stars, country stars, and rappers have graced the ring. Many incorporate their songs into their performances. Nationality: Some characters are meant to be the embodiment of their country of origin. Like ethnicity, this type of gimmick has been used for both good and ill. It often depends on who the United States is having trouble with at the moment. Profession: Many gimmicks have been built around real-life professions. Sometimes the wrestler comes from that background, but other times it’s entirely made up. Any job can be turned into wrestling gimmick if you try hard enough. Self-Absorbed: A character using this gimmick is egocentric and absolutely in love with themselves. They never shut up about how great they are, how attractive they are, and how much other people tell them they’re wonderful. Sports Origin: This gimmick works for wrestlers that started out in another sport. There have been a lot of former boxers, mixed martial arts fighters, and football players in the ring over the decades, but nearly any sport can be hyped up into a workable gimmick. Superhero: This character is meant to be a superhero. Most of the time this doesn’t extend much beyond their ring gear and perhaps their finishing move, but storylines can be developed to sell the gimmick. Supernatural: The wrestler has some sort of supernatural powers. Their in-ring abilities are attributed to magical forces, demonic pacts, and Sampleother dark fantasy tropes. Most of these characters are meantfile to be scary, but some notable wrestlers are so popular that they’re considered to be tweeners and anti-heroes rather than full-on heels.

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