Well, that title's pretty straightforward.
For those of you who don't know, Ten Candles is a tragic horror RPG (read: everyone dies) played by candlelight. It's set to play in one 2-3 hour session, plus time for character creation. Can't have your players getting attached, now can we?
The universe is a sunless apocalypse. Ten days ago, the sun went dark. Five days ago, They came. People started disappearing, and Their only weakness is light. Exactly what They are depends on the session, because it can be entirely up to the player on the GM's right.
I recently got the playbook and I've been gearing up to play this system for a year now. Thing is, the playbook directly says not to prepare anything as a GM. Your players are going to derail it anyway, so what's the point? All you should do is prepare a module, something to read when you start the character creation process.
I'm hosting my first session this Saturday, using the "Artemis" module--astronauts! Space! Death! But I'm also going to be hosting a self-designed session, and I wanted to brainstorm. So here we go!
Trapped in Whittier
For your entire life, you have lived in the quiet town of Whittier, Alaska. Having the entire community living under one roof, miles away from civilization, makes for a pretty tight-knit group. But ten days ago, the sun went dark. Most of the town left, hoping to find refuge in Anchorage. Five days ago, They came. The mayor left, promising he'd soon be back with rescue teams. But that was five days ago, the doors are locked, people keep disappearing, and rescue is nowhere in sight.
If that isn't bad enough, the generators are dying. Soon, you'll be trapped in the community's building with no light, and no way out. Your routes out of here, if you make it that far, are the one-lane tunnel to Bear Valley, or by boat. Your time and your power are running out.
Areas of Note: Town Hall, Generator, Library, Neighborhood.
Goal: Get to another area of civilization.
Off Campus
In the first five days, classes continued. After all, the end of the world can't stop you from getting your degree. Many of your classmates and professors fled to be with their families for the end of days, but you've stayed. For whatever reason.
After five days, however, people started disappearing from the corner of your eye. The remaining faculty and students are huddled in the student center and camp in the lounges. The sun has gone dark, classes are cancelled, and the student center generator is running out. You could stay on this campus for as long as you need, as long as you can get the generators from the other buildings and food from the local stores.
Areas of Note: Dining Hall, Grocery Store, Science Building, Dormitories
Goal: Retrieve supplies and get back to the Student Center.
The(ir) Organization
The Organization is the most well-kept secret of our time. Based in a hidden bunker, researchers complete rituals to Ancient Ones, ensuring humanity stays well and alive. But that was before someone messed up, and one of the Ancient Ones died.
That was ten days ago, when the sun went dark. You've been on lockdown since. The generator is malfunctioning, though. And you just got news that They have escaped from the chamber you've been keeping Them in. Luckily, they're trapped in the Bunker. Unluckily, so are you.
Areas of Note: Control Center, Containment Units, Generator, Research Labs
Goal: Fix the generator and get Them back in their unit.
Apocalypse Express
The year is 1933. The sun went dark ten days ago, and the word is that for the past five days, people have been disappearing. The word is that there is sanctuary on the other side of the continent. As such, a lucky select few were chosen to board a train to this hopeful sanctuary. Welcome, one and all, to the Apocalypse Express. Pray, lucky passengers, that there are enough candles to light through the trip.
Areas of Note: Cockpit, Dining Car, Sleeper Cabins, Storage
Goal: Get to the promised sanctuary.
Starship Lancaster
The year is 3933. Ten days ago, every star in the universe went out. Curious, and obviously frightening, but your starship has plenty of light. After all, the Starship Lancaster is the most top-of-the-line cruiseship in the galaxy. But five days ago, in the night, passengers started disappearing.
Lucky for you, you're almost to a solar system. Not only that, but they've been broadcasting promises of sanctuary since you got in range. The generator should hold out, and you've consolidated in a few rooms to make sure of that. You've just got to find sanctuary.
Areas of Note: Lounge, Cockpit, Generator, Kitchen
Goal: Get to the promised sanctuary.
Murder & Madness
Your life as an adventurer in the fantastical land of Faerun hasn't worked out so well. Not since the sun went dark, anyway. Your party didn't take it so seriously at first, even when They came and people started disappearing. More jobs for you, after all. But since then, people you know have started going missing. You've been recently hired to find a little ten year old human boy, but that'll be difficult when a breeze around your candles could mean life or death for the entire group.
Areas of Note: Pub, Boy's House, Inn, Enchanted Forest, Cavern
Goal: Find the boy before They find you.
Olympian End
Apollo has been missing for ten days. And with him, he took the sun. That was bad enough, it made your lives as gods and goddesses more difficult to begin with, but a new danger has been lurking. Other deities are steadily disappearing in this eternal night. With your lives getting steadily more difficult, you have to find Apollo. His light, you know, is the only thing that can save you now.
Areas of Note: Palace, Gates of Olympus, Mortal World
Goal: Fight Them back and find Apollo.
For those of you who don't know, Ten Candles is a tragic horror RPG (read: everyone dies) played by candlelight. It's set to play in one 2-3 hour session, plus time for character creation. Can't have your players getting attached, now can we?
The universe is a sunless apocalypse. Ten days ago, the sun went dark. Five days ago, They came. People started disappearing, and Their only weakness is light. Exactly what They are depends on the session, because it can be entirely up to the player on the GM's right.
I recently got the playbook and I've been gearing up to play this system for a year now. Thing is, the playbook directly says not to prepare anything as a GM. Your players are going to derail it anyway, so what's the point? All you should do is prepare a module, something to read when you start the character creation process.
I'm hosting my first session this Saturday, using the "Artemis" module--astronauts! Space! Death! But I'm also going to be hosting a self-designed session, and I wanted to brainstorm. So here we go!
Trapped in Whittier
For your entire life, you have lived in the quiet town of Whittier, Alaska. Having the entire community living under one roof, miles away from civilization, makes for a pretty tight-knit group. But ten days ago, the sun went dark. Most of the town left, hoping to find refuge in Anchorage. Five days ago, They came. The mayor left, promising he'd soon be back with rescue teams. But that was five days ago, the doors are locked, people keep disappearing, and rescue is nowhere in sight.
If that isn't bad enough, the generators are dying. Soon, you'll be trapped in the community's building with no light, and no way out. Your routes out of here, if you make it that far, are the one-lane tunnel to Bear Valley, or by boat. Your time and your power are running out.
Areas of Note: Town Hall, Generator, Library, Neighborhood.
Goal: Get to another area of civilization.
Off Campus
In the first five days, classes continued. After all, the end of the world can't stop you from getting your degree. Many of your classmates and professors fled to be with their families for the end of days, but you've stayed. For whatever reason.
After five days, however, people started disappearing from the corner of your eye. The remaining faculty and students are huddled in the student center and camp in the lounges. The sun has gone dark, classes are cancelled, and the student center generator is running out. You could stay on this campus for as long as you need, as long as you can get the generators from the other buildings and food from the local stores.
Areas of Note: Dining Hall, Grocery Store, Science Building, Dormitories
Goal: Retrieve supplies and get back to the Student Center.
The(ir) Organization
The Organization is the most well-kept secret of our time. Based in a hidden bunker, researchers complete rituals to Ancient Ones, ensuring humanity stays well and alive. But that was before someone messed up, and one of the Ancient Ones died.
That was ten days ago, when the sun went dark. You've been on lockdown since. The generator is malfunctioning, though. And you just got news that They have escaped from the chamber you've been keeping Them in. Luckily, they're trapped in the Bunker. Unluckily, so are you.
Areas of Note: Control Center, Containment Units, Generator, Research Labs
Goal: Fix the generator and get Them back in their unit.
Apocalypse Express
The year is 1933. The sun went dark ten days ago, and the word is that for the past five days, people have been disappearing. The word is that there is sanctuary on the other side of the continent. As such, a lucky select few were chosen to board a train to this hopeful sanctuary. Welcome, one and all, to the Apocalypse Express. Pray, lucky passengers, that there are enough candles to light through the trip.
Areas of Note: Cockpit, Dining Car, Sleeper Cabins, Storage
Goal: Get to the promised sanctuary.
Starship Lancaster
The year is 3933. Ten days ago, every star in the universe went out. Curious, and obviously frightening, but your starship has plenty of light. After all, the Starship Lancaster is the most top-of-the-line cruiseship in the galaxy. But five days ago, in the night, passengers started disappearing.
Lucky for you, you're almost to a solar system. Not only that, but they've been broadcasting promises of sanctuary since you got in range. The generator should hold out, and you've consolidated in a few rooms to make sure of that. You've just got to find sanctuary.
Areas of Note: Lounge, Cockpit, Generator, Kitchen
Goal: Get to the promised sanctuary.
Murder & Madness
Your life as an adventurer in the fantastical land of Faerun hasn't worked out so well. Not since the sun went dark, anyway. Your party didn't take it so seriously at first, even when They came and people started disappearing. More jobs for you, after all. But since then, people you know have started going missing. You've been recently hired to find a little ten year old human boy, but that'll be difficult when a breeze around your candles could mean life or death for the entire group.
Areas of Note: Pub, Boy's House, Inn, Enchanted Forest, Cavern
Goal: Find the boy before They find you.
Olympian End
Apollo has been missing for ten days. And with him, he took the sun. That was bad enough, it made your lives as gods and goddesses more difficult to begin with, but a new danger has been lurking. Other deities are steadily disappearing in this eternal night. With your lives getting steadily more difficult, you have to find Apollo. His light, you know, is the only thing that can save you now.
Areas of Note: Palace, Gates of Olympus, Mortal World
Goal: Fight Them back and find Apollo.
Awesome scenarios! One I was thinking on was coming up a little flat so I took to the internet for inspiration and found yours and they got me on the right track.
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