I’ve been asked to outline the first session. The game actually has an outline for the first session, separate from the standard session outline. Here it is:
Keeper - Read the TextKeeper - Gather Play Materials.Keeper - Gather ParticipantsPlayer & Keeper Introductions
We have some advantage in knowing each other, etc.
- CATS (Concept, Aim, Tone, Subject Matter (0:03)
- Safety Tools (0:03)
- Character Creation (0:15) – Name, Style, Cozy Activity, Ability boost, Maven Moves
- Character Introductions and A Cozy Little Place (0:10) – talk about your former partner, any children/pets, former career. Adding objects to your Cozy Little Place.
Break (0:10)- Before We Begin disclaimers (0:02)
- Beginning of Session (0:02) - mark off End of Session questions, Maven Moves with a beginning of session resolution.
- Cozy Vignettes (0:02) - short vignettes from player about Maven enjoying hobbies, helping in the community, working around home.
- Keeper - Present the first Mystery (0:10)
- Investigation (0:90 or until 0:15 before finish time) … end in a cliffhanger if we run out of time.
- Crown Scenes (0:05) – if any remain to be done.
- End of Session Questions (0:02) – Maven status, XP.
- Debrief (0:05) – “Stars and Wishes” or however the Keeper wants to structure it.
- A Final Mid-Credit Scene (0:01)
- Homework Assignments
The Ask before the Game
This was in the original post about the game, but adding it here for convenience.
Think of a later-aged woman, your character, who’s a big fan of reading murder mysteries and, as a projection of same, enjoys going out with her friends and solving real-life murder mysteries using her own intelligence, connections, curiosity, and gumption.
(Yes, woman; that’s the design intent. The creator of the game talks about it on p. 165 of the BB book. If you want to discuss it with me, please feel free.)
Think about her history. Who she’s loved and lost. What was her career, if any? Who’s her family still?
Think about how she presents.
Think about what she’s really good at.
Think about who she is, what she looks like, where she lives, what her relationship to the town is, what her hobbies are.
You really don’t need to do anything more. We’ll walk through the formal character creation in Session 1, which has enough interactive aspects that I’d prefer you not do any of the character sheet filling-out in advance.
(That said, once you are registered in the game, I will open your stub character sheet to you. If you have picture and/or token you want to use, you can add it to your character sheet beforehand; if you want to provide it to me to add in, I am happy to do that, too.)
I also asked, separately, for folk to update the Safety Tools “Lines and Veils” list, if they have any concerns there.