Some pics from Story Game Sunday. We played Kagematsu, and it was a lot of fun.
Thanks to everyone who came out: Jessica Scott Aaron Scott Steve Mains and Russell Benner.
Some pics from Story Game Sunday. We played Kagematsu, and it was a lot of fun.
Some pics from Story Game Sunday. We played Kagematsu, and it was a lot of fun.
Just to expand a little bit, since I didn’t have time when I did the original post…Kagematsu was really cool! It was exactly as I imagined it would be, which is to say it is a story that, at first, gently simmers, and then reaches a boil right before it ends.
The set-up is that one player (usually a woman) plays Kagematsu, a wandering samurai-type character who has come upon a village in some kind of trouble. The other players (usually men) play women in the village who are trying to convince Kagematsu to help the village while also earning his love and favor. The scenes start out with the women trying to earn small affections from Kagematsu – a stolen glance, or a compliment – but then move on to more serious interactions, such as getting Kagematsu to tell a secret or sleep with them. Ultimately, the women are trying to secure a promise from Kagematsu to help them vanquish whatever is menacing the village.
I really enjoyed it a lot. It’s one of those games where the rules are designed to tell a very specific kind of story each time you play (similar to My Life With Master). That focused, highly-tailored gameplay may not be the best for repeated plays, but it ensures a very consistent outcome, which I appreciate.
Just to expand a little bit, since I didn’t have time when I did the original post…Kagematsu was really cool! It was exactly as I imagined it would be, which is to say it is a story that, at first, gently simmers, and then reaches a boil right before it ends.
The set-up is that one player (usually a woman) plays Kagematsu, a wandering samurai-type character who has come upon a village in some kind of trouble. The other players (usually men) play women in the village who are trying to convince Kagematsu to help the village while also earning his love and favor. The scenes start out with the women trying to earn small affections from Kagematsu – a stolen glance, or a compliment – but then move on to more serious interactions, such as getting Kagematsu to tell a secret or sleep with them. Ultimately, the women are trying to secure a promise from Kagematsu to help them vanquish whatever is menacing the village.
I really enjoyed it a lot. It’s one of those games where the rules are designed to tell a very specific kind of story each time you play (similar to My Life With Master). That focused, highly-tailored gameplay may not be the best for repeated plays, but it ensures a very consistent outcome, which I appreciate.
Sometimes I feel like we end up talking a lot more about the games that have issues than we do the ones that go really well. Just wanted to chime in to say I thought this game was awesome, and that I too felt it went pretty much exactly as I hoped it would. And also that I laughed way more than I thought I would.
This could become a go-to game for me to break out with people that have the perception that rpgs are basically all elves and magic.
Sometimes I feel like we end up talking a lot more about the games that have issues than we do the ones that go really well. Just wanted to chime in to say I thought this game was awesome, and that I too felt it went pretty much exactly as I hoped it would. And also that I laughed way more than I thought I would.
This could become a go-to game for me to break out with people that have the perception that rpgs are basically all elves and magic.
The classic Japanese setting totally embraces the romantic visions of a Kurosawa film — however you can use the game’s framework to create a tale in the American Old West, a gonzo anime, or even a remote space colony – as long as there is a stranger who rolls into town/space port/high school and be woo’ed into saving them from “The Threat”. There were many laugh out loud moments — especially when the roll to win affection from Kagematsu failed. My favorite botch was Aaron Scott -playing the Cooper’s daughter who “accidentally” exposed herself at the hot spring – hoping to make a lasting impression. The rest of the game, even though he had seen her naked, Kagematsu was like, “…And you are?” Jason Cordova’s wicked manipulative prostitute was very successful at wooing Kagematsu – but when it came down to the climatic moment to get “THE PROMISE” to save the village from the Mountain Witch — she had to resort to nearly every blackmail technique previously earned!! It was quite funny to watch the couple go from “post coital bliss” — to badgering, nudity, bribery, threats of violence and nearly a confession of pregnancy?! Steve Mains — played a lovely young widow and likely would have won the love of Kagematsu — but the Mountain Witch and her plucky son often interrupted the blossoming romance. Russell Benner played a Bunraku – Shadow Puppetter. While the dice failed to bring love — they did trigger some creepy possessed puppets!!! In the end the women played by Steve and Russell willingly sacrificed themselves to help defeat the danger. After the defeat of the Mountain Witch Aaron’s sweet little Cooper’s Daughter decided to become a prostitute – hoping to find a husband.. The Orphan Son of Steve’s character was taken in by Kagematsu — and he left with his “Love” (The Prostitute – played by Jason) to Edo — where she lived out her desires – and Kagematsu was willfully ignorant of her lasciviousness.
The classic Japanese setting totally embraces the romantic visions of a Kurosawa film — however you can use the game’s framework to create a tale in the American Old West, a gonzo anime, or even a remote space colony – as long as there is a stranger who rolls into town/space port/high school and be woo’ed into saving them from “The Threat”. There were many laugh out loud moments — especially when the roll to win affection from Kagematsu failed. My favorite botch was Aaron Scott -playing the Cooper’s daughter who “accidentally” exposed herself at the hot spring – hoping to make a lasting impression. The rest of the game, even though he had seen her naked, Kagematsu was like, “…And you are?” Jason Cordova’s wicked manipulative prostitute was very successful at wooing Kagematsu – but when it came down to the climatic moment to get “THE PROMISE” to save the village from the Mountain Witch — she had to resort to nearly every blackmail technique previously earned!! It was quite funny to watch the couple go from “post coital bliss” — to badgering, nudity, bribery, threats of violence and nearly a confession of pregnancy?! Steve Mains — played a lovely young widow and likely would have won the love of Kagematsu — but the Mountain Witch and her plucky son often interrupted the blossoming romance. Russell Benner played a Bunraku – Shadow Puppetter. While the dice failed to bring love — they did trigger some creepy possessed puppets!!! In the end the women played by Steve and Russell willingly sacrificed themselves to help defeat the danger. After the defeat of the Mountain Witch Aaron’s sweet little Cooper’s Daughter decided to become a prostitute – hoping to find a husband.. The Orphan Son of Steve’s character was taken in by Kagematsu — and he left with his “Love” (The Prostitute – played by Jason) to Edo — where she lived out her desires – and Kagematsu was willfully ignorant of her lasciviousness.
Jessica Scott Great write-up!
Jessica Scott Great write-up!