Let’s look at some more 24XX style games, but maybe with a different focus. How about The Midnight Editions? According to the developer ‘The Midnight Editions stems from the thought, “I wonder if I could make Bridgerton or Jane Austen’s work into an FKR game.’ TME will be a series of situations, with one currently available – ‘Society Papers’. The focus here is on a family, and how societal norms and obligations can collide with the relationships between family members. It cites Downton Abbey as an inspiration.
For this one, we will need a family. Single characters will obviously be tricky. How about I make four of them in this post?
Each PC belongs to an Archetype and has a Passion, an Obligation, and a Vice. Skills are not packaged; instead, four skills are advanced, supposedly one for each element. The connection is not pre-determined in the game. There is also no skill list.
Ok, how about we start with the Head of the Family (Archetype), Lord Royce Leander Sutcliffe? Lord Sutcliffe’s Passion is Politics, he just likes the social interplay and strategic mindset of it all. And he likes winning. As for his Obligation? The Sutcliffe family is in a bit of a scandal in their hometown of Doncaster. Lord Sutcliffe’s wife recently absconded with an American! While he would love to nurse his wounds in private, he has to restore the family name, and, of course, his own. Stiff Upper lip, and all that. His Imperfection is that he is rather irascible, and the whole deal with his wife Sophie has made that worse. As a result, he is not always as even-keeled as the situation, his status, and his Obligation demand.
Lord Royce Leander Sutcliffe has Decorum D8 (Head of Family), Politics D8 (Passion), Talk of the Town D8 (Obligation), and Fisticuffs D8 (Impercetion).
Now let us look at Marjorie Danielle Sutcliffe, his daughter. Marjorie isn’t married yet, which is as she wants it to be (Archetype Unmarried Child). You see, her Passion is for women’s rights. A free spirit herself, she does not want to follow the path society demands of her. Her Obligation is to find a suitor, ideally one of higher status, which has become all the more pressing due to current affairs. Finally, her imperfection is one she shares with her father – she is very easily enraged.
Marjorie Danielle Sutcliffe, Smile and Pretend D8 (Unmarried Child), Speak with Passion D8 (Passion), Manipulate D8 (Obligation), and Scream with Passion D8 (Imperfection).
Then there is Chester Royce Sutcliffe, Eldest Child (Archetype). He is married to Zara Sutcliffe, nee Dolloway. His Passion is very simple – it is Mary, the oldest maid of the household. His Obligation is to get an heir, and his Imperfection is that he never really figured out how to play the politics of his class. He and his wife are currently still living with Lord Sutcliffe, a state of affairs that should change soonish. But at the moment the family needs to stick together.
Chester Royce Sutcliffe, Sucking Up D8 (Eldest Child), Sneaking Around D8 (Passion), Doting Husband D8 (Obligation), and Blunt D8 (Imperfection).
And finally, I will create Anna Cecily Sutcliffe, the eight-year-old late-born child (Archetype: Minor) of Lord and Lady Sutcliffe. Her Passion is for making her older siblings laugh at inopportune times. Her Obligation is to learn and fit in. And her Imperfection is incurable curiosity. She sees and hears a lot of things she shouldn’t. Among them is the rumor that Lord Royce might not be her dad.
Anna Cecily Sutcliffe, Adorable D8 (Archetype: Minor), Silly Pranks D8 (Passion), Precocious D8 (Obligation), Far Too Observant D8 (Imperfection).
And that will be the Sutcliffe family.
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