This is one of the playbooks that has been giving me the most trouble. I was inspired to create this playbook after looking at the Slave playbook in Simon C's excellent
World of Conan hack - a character that's not truly their own, a playbook that really strongly breaks the standard balance of player character and throws it right into uncomfortable territory. I also knew I wanted a socialite character that could dominate social engagements, so I created the Consort.
The main issue I have with the playbook is that it's fictionally very limited - unlike Simon C's Slave playbook, who could fulfill any kind of slave role, this playbook only really fulfills the role of the unwilling bride or concubine. It doesn't entirely address a wide range of other consort archetypes that exist in the fiction.
I still really like the idea of a playbook that breaks up the standard balance of play with a move like
kept beauty, and the Consort playbook as it stands seems to be a perfectly reasonable and playable concept, though some of the moves likely need tweaking / replacement. I'd love to hear your thoughts, especially if you have any experience with the Slave playbook or anything like it.
INTRODUCING
The
CONSORT
Even in an age of darkness, there is still beauty and grace amongst the bleakness of the black void. It is rare, though, and that rare grace attracts attention like a dead horse attracts flies. People want to hold that beauty, to capture it as their very own, to touch and squeeze it until it gives their own ugly lives a sort of grace by reflection.
CREATING YOUR CONSORT
To create your consort, select origins, name, look, stats, moves, gear, History, and influence.
ORIGINS
Homeworld: Hive world, feudal world, paradise world, or death world
Born to be: Aristocrat, dynast, companion, priestess, slave, or geisha
Misfortunes: Shiplorn, orphaned, kidnapped, bankrupt, or scandal
Sold for: Money, favours, payment of debts, discretion, or alliance
Motivations: Fortune, ambition, faith, liberty, pride, or legacy
LOOKS
Man, woman, androgynous, transgressing
Luxury wear, exotic wear, aristocrat wear, savage wear, or xenos wear
Alluring face, irresistible face, divine face, veiled face, or sharp face
Mysterious eyes, moody eyes, fascinating eyes, stormy eyes, or bewitching eyes
Dainty body, lush body, petite body, statuesque body, or exquisite body
STATS
Choose one set:
Bold -1 Adroit +1 Hard 0 Charm +2 Beyond +1
Bold -1 Adroit +2 Hard -1 Charm +2 Beyond 0
Bold 0 Adroit +1 Hard +1 Charm +2 Beyond -1
Bold +1 Adroit -1 Hard 0 Charm +2 Beyond +1
Bold -1 Adroit 0 Hard -1 Charm +2 Beyond +2
MOVES
You get kept beauty:
Kept Beauty
Designate one character as your master. Whenever your master prevents you from doing something you want to do, or forces you to do something you don’t, they mark experience.
And choose two more consort moves:
Perfect Companion
Whenever you accompany your master on a social engagement, roll +Charm. On a 10+, hold 3; on a 7-9, hold 1. Spend your hold to:
Give your master +1 forward.
Ask a single question from the read a person list of any individual at the engagement.
Embarrass a social rival by inducing a humiliating gaffe on their part.
Cause someone to freeze or forget their place.
Occupy full attention of the room, giving your master or his allies the chance to act.
Irresistible Appeal
When you offer sex, it always counts as leverage while manipulating, and take +1 forward.
Whispered Threats
When you whisper a threat in someone’s ear, it counts as brandishing threat but you roll +Charm instead of +Hard. If they don’t give in, you take +1 forward to carry out your threats or inflict +1 harm if harm is what you intend.
Subtle Art of Flattery
Whenever you flatter someone with words of praise, roll +Charm. If they’re an NPC; on a 10+, hold 2; on a 7-9, hold 1. Spend your hold to:
Distract them from one important detail.
Inspire them to work harder.
Have them perform a small favour for you.
If they’re a PC; on a 10+, they take +1 forward; on a 7-9, they add +1 to their History with you.
Poisonous Touch
If you have time and intimacy with someone, you can kill them with subtle poisons. Roll +Charm. On a 10+, you’re not implicated in their death; on a 7-9, either suspicions fall on you or the poisons don’t have full effect and they linger in near-death. On a miss, they’re alive, angry, and kicking.
Poise and Charm
Add +1 Charm. (+3 Charm)
Hypnotic Beauty
When you have time and solitude with someone who is not your master, they become fixated on you. Roll +Beyond. On a 10+, hold 2. On a 7-9, hold 1. On a miss, they hold 2 over you on the same terms. They can spend your hold 1-for-1 by:
Sharing a secret with you
Acting as your eyes and ears
Protecting you from danger
Giving you something you want
For PCs, you can spend your hold on them to:
Distract them with the thought of you; whatever they’re doing, they’re also defying danger.
Inspire themselves with the thought of you; they take +1 forward.
At the start of every session, you hold 1 on your master under the same terms.
CONSORT SPECIAL
When you have sex with someone who isn’t your master, you both mark experience. If your master finds out, they take -1ongoing until they prove that they own you again.
GEAR
You get:
1 subtle weapon
A enormous wardrobe of clothing, jewelry, finery, and accessories worth 2-profit, including at your option fashion worth 1-armour
Subtle weapons:
Vibro-knife (2-harm intimate concealed)
Dart pistol (1-harm close concealed)
Pulser (1-harm close autofire)
Hidden daggers (1-harm hand/close infinite)
Poison ring (1-harm ap poison intimate concealed)
HISTORY
On your turn:
Tell your master History -1. He can never truly know you.
Tell everyone else History =0.
On other’s turns:
Whatever number your master tells you, ignore it and write History +3.
One of the other characters wants you - you can sense it. Whatever number they tell you, write it +1.
Everyone else, write down whatever number they tell you.
INFLUENCE
You walk amongst the great peers of the Imperium, but you’re not truly one of them. You don’t start with any Influence.
ADVANCEMENT
Take +1 Bold
Take +1 Adroit
Take +1 Beyond
Take +1 Hard
Get a new consort move
Get a new consort move
Acquire a retinue of attendants and guards and pack alpha
Acquire a network and spymaster
Get a move from another career
Get a move from another career
