Velvet Glove - Notebook Edition

velvet
" glove
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T he N otebook Edition
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While you can play Velvet Glove with the book you’re holding,
the N otebook edition isn’t the finished game. This is just a taste
of what the full game will be like, after it gets put up on the lift,
stripped for parts, and reworked to spec. I’m still hard at work
ironing out all the problems and shining up the pieces that work,
but I need your feedback to do the job right. As you try out Velvet
Glove, email me at velvet@magpiegames to tell me what worked
for you, and what didn’t. I really appreciate it.
Velvet Glove is based on another game, Apocalypse World.

The author, D. Vincent Baker, made this—and other games like
Dungeon World, Monsterhearts, and Urban Shadows—possible
by encouraging other designers to use his mechanics and ideas.
Even if you try Velvet Glove and decide it’s not for you, you should
check out Apocalypse World. It’s fun times, and Vincent is a
pretty awesome cat.
This also means that Velvet Glove is written with the assumption
that you are familiar with story games, and Powered by the
Apocalypse games in particular. If this is your first time, though,
you should still give it a go. I don’t have enough room here to
explain everything you might want to know, but don’t let that
stop you! As long as you and your friends are having a funkadelic
time, anything else can be picked up later.
W hat You N eed to Play

In order to play Velvet Glove, you’ll need: 3-5 players, a Master of
Ceremonies (MC), playbooks, dice, pencils and paper, and around
3-4 hours per session.
There’s advice and recommendations in this book that don’t fit on

the playbooks, so you probably want to have it on hand while you
play. All you strictly need, however, is the playbooks. And
w
probably some munchies.
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Velvet glove
Chapter 1:
Girl Gangs in the 70s
T his Ain’ t Your Momma’s 70s
The ‘70s of Velvet Glove is writ large—neon colors dripping across
wet pavement still warm from an illegal drag race, the tense air at
a roller rink right before fight breaks out, frying dough and
powdered sugar wafting across a summer night—but it’s also
isolated warehouses full of graffiti, unused bridges that drip water
and rust into the potholes and sewers, and the girl's bathroom
with flickering lights, filled with the nauseating mix of floral
airspray, pot, and shit.
It’s also the a different era entirely: no cellphones, no internet, and

no debit cards. It means big gas-guzzling muscle cars, smoking
everywhere, and phone books and gas station maps. But some
things never change: teenage mothers struggle to make ends meet,
dealers hustle through the unseen business of buying and selling
drugs, and most women do everything they can to get by in a
world built for men.
T he Big Bad C ity

Velvet Glove takes place in a medium-sized city—think St. Louis
rather than Chicago—and has at least one notable natural feature
like a river or caverns designated during the first session. You’re
concerned with the inner city, not the suburbs, and it has racial
divides in the form of informally segregated neighborhoods. Each
neighborhood is controlled by a gang, either teenagers or adults,
and most cities have a few neutral territories where gangs can
meet up to negotiate, socialize, and fight. There’s more info on
how to set up the city in the MC’s section.
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Teenage Girls
The girls in Velvet Glove range between the ages of 14 to 18 years
old, all from lower class homes. They may have siblings (who
might also be involved in gangs), one or two parents, and possibly
a large extended family. They come from a variety of racial
backgrounds and have had different experiences with authority
than a typical suburban white kid. This may mean a cousin in
prison for a gang directed murder; parents who are recent
immigrants who don’t understand the rules this new society
imposes; an economic fall from grace that landed their family
in a bad neighborhood; or maybe they just never got out at all.
Yet these girls are just as confused about who they want to be as
any teen. They want things outside of the situation they’re in, and
balk at any restriction, even if it’s for their own good. They are
creatures of instinct and impulse, and are learning that violence
may be a solution to problems they face. And other assets can
work in a pinch, as well...
S hagadelic, Baby!
Teenage girls are really into sex. They’re curious about it, scared
of it, tantalized by it—and are just learning the power it gives
them. Some of them have been sexually abused, and some have
had relationships with older men. Some are queer, and some hide
their female form beneath baggy clothes. Some haven’t had sex
yet, but more have than you’d like to think.
Most of them will have already started puberty, and with that
comes the attention of men. Even at 14, girls get catcalled and
propositioned, and are told “if there’s grass on the field, it’s fair
play.” Although they may not be ready for sex, girls are treated as
sexual from a young age, and start having talks with mothers and
sisters over which men to avoid, which relatives not to hug for too
long, what to do if you were followed while walking home from
school. They are aware of sex as something dangerous before
they’re aware of precisely what it is.
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A Magic Pill
Safe sex is a new thing, so there’s a lot of girls having sex without
condoms or birth control pills. They rely on urban legends to try
to avoid pregnancy, like shaking up Cokes and using them as
douches. For some girls, pregnancy is one way out of gang life.
They’re sure they’ll have new problems, but a baby doesn’t sound
like a bad thing, if they choose to have it. Although abortion is
legal, it is not easy to access or cheap, so it’s not really an option
for many lower class women. This means that some of the girls
may have had illegal abortions or they know someone who did.
They may know someone who died from a poorly performed
illegal abortion, or were harmed themselves while obtaining one.
U p Against T he W all, Motherfucker

This was the time of the American Indian Movement and the
Black Panthers, the end of the Vietnam War and American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee. The rise of housing projects as
well as crime altered the face of cities, and demonstrations and
protests continued as the changing laws failed to enact the social
change promised by the idealistic ‘60s. Tensions were made worse
by a rising unemployment rate and the end of the postwar boom
that had sustained the American economy.
Being a teenage girl is hard, but being a teenage girl of color puts
another layer of difficulty on it. Girls of color have to figure out
sex with racial stereotypes, such as African American women
characterized as hypersexual beings barely above animals or
Asian women portrayed as submissive geishas who have
mysterious Oriental methods of pleasing a man. The boys they
like may thrown around racial slurs, and the pressure to smile
and be “one of the good ones” can be overwhelming. Adults and
other teens may disapprove of both friendships and relationships
between persons of different races, and may voice this disapproval
in very ugly ways.
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In Velvet Glove you have the option to be part of a gang
comprised of multiple races or one made of girls of all of the
same race. You can also play a girl of a mixed-race background.
This can introduce some additional racial tension into the game,
as interracial marriages had only been declared legal a few years
before Velvet Glove takes place.
First and Fifteenth

These girls don’t get to put on a floofy dress and go to prom; they
put on slinky outfits and go to house parties. They don’t live in
nice houses in the suburbs; they’re crammed in tiny apartments
with the rest of their extended family. They don’t get part-time
jobs to pay for fashion magazines and new hair treatments; they
get full-time jobs to help their family buy groceries.
When you’re poor, it’s hard not to think about money all the time.
It’s a series of choices: if you buy groceries, will you have enough
to pay the electric bill? If you pay the electric bill, what will you
do when rent is due? For someone below the poverty line, a big
expense—a broken-down car or a busted air conditioner or an
unexpected medical bill—is catastrophic. And poverty also means
not having access to certain things: savings account, healthy food,
doctor visits, dental care, or other necessities. The families of the
girls you’re playing may get housing assistance or food stamps,
patronize food pantries or use housing shelters, even if all of the
adults have one or (more likely) multiple jobs.
Poverty is a good motivation for joining a gang. Being a poor

teenage girl doesn’t give you a lot of power; having a gang at your
back makes your life safer in some ways. It also opens up more
lucrative criminal gigs, like dealing drugs or offering protection,
as well as the resources to make pulling off those gigs easier. The
gang lifestyle of sex and violence can also seem glamorous when
compared to the worn down adults at home who are constantly
worrying when they’re not working.
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Can You Dig It?
If you’re worried about portraying the experience of a teenage
girl of color incorrectly, don’t let that stop you from trying.
There are a ton of books and articles out there you can read
about this time period (if you didn’t live through it), but don’t
stress over getting it perfect. As long as you’re aware of what
you’re doing, you’ll be fine.
And know that I chose teenage girl gangs for a reason, just as I
put in options to play as different races for a reason as well. These
are stories that don’t get told very often, and the blend of budding
sexuality and violence is a potent one, especially when mixed with
the cultural and social powder keg that is this version of the 70s.
Can you dig it?
Your Gang
The gang you’ll be a part of isn’t a satellite of a bigger gang run
by men; it stands on its own. That isn’t to say that you can’t be
part of a bigger organization that exists in several cities or states,
but the girls you will be playing are low-level foot soldiers.
Your gang does not own the entire city; parts of it are dangerous
for you and your crew to venture into. Take a long look at which
gangs you’re friendly with and where their territory is in relation
to yours—that may be very important knowledge.
Taggin’ Turf
You have a known area that is considered your gang’s turf. It
is marked by graffiti, and usually has some natural boundaries
like highways or rivers. It may be the neighborhood populated
by a specific ethnicity, or cross over a few different ones.
This means you can tell when someone from another gang is on
your turf—they don’t fit in, either racially or because you know
them. Keep an eye out, cats. It’s a rough world out there.
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Chapter 2:
" Creating Characters
C hoosing a Playbook
In Velvet Glove, there are several archetypes you can play called
playbooks. Each of these are a collection of abilities, physical
characteristics, and details meant to help you flesh out the
particular teenage girl you are playing. No playbook is better
than the other, and no one set is needed to play the game.
The playbooks included with the N otebook edition are: the
Gearhead, the Maniac, the Newbie, the Radical, the Stoner,
and the Valkyrie.
These playbooks are meant to inspire, not limit you. If there are
details that occur to you, such as how many siblings the Radical
has or why the Newbie was thrown out of her old school and
had to transfer, feel free to add those as well. These playbooks
are meant to be broad strokes, with you filling in the important
missing details. My Maniac would not be the same as your
Maniac, for example. The playbooks are merely tools to help
you build interesting characters that feel at home in fictional
‘70s teenage girl gangland.
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N ame, Age, Look, and Gear
After you’ve chosen your playbook, pick a name from the list. All
of the names are either traditionally female or unisex, and come
from a variety of backgrounds. Your name and race doesn’t have
to match—the story of how an Iranian girl happened to have a
Vietnamese name could be an interesting backstory—but now is
a good time to start thinking about how your girl looks, including
her race. Feel free to consult with the other players before
choosing— you should coordinate if you all want to play a gang
with a specific racial makeup.
Once you have a name, choose your age. All of the girls in Velvet
Glove are between the ages of 14 and 18. This is high school age,
and give some thought as to whether you’re comfortable playing a
14 year old engaging in sex and violence, or if you’d be more okay
with being 17 or 18. It’s fine either way, just keep in mind that
even if you choose to play a 14 year old who doesn’t have sex,
some of the male NPCs may still refer to her in a sexual manner,
or even insist that she should have sex with them.
Next choose the rest of your look, such as whether you read as a
girl, a woman, or somewhere between, and what kind of clothes,
makeup, and hairstyle you wear. You can be an 18 year old who
looks like a girl, or a 15 year old who looks like a woman; every
girl matures differently.
The last thing you should do is to pick your gear. Everyone has
the option of a switchblade as a weapon, but if you think of
something else small and concealable that suits your character
more, that’s fine to carry instead. Just don’t go immediately to
a gun; they were much harder for teenage girls to get a hold of
in the '70s. In addition, carrying one would signal that you’re
ready to do violence on an adult level—and that comes with
adult consequences.
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S tats
Each playbook has four Stats: Brains, Heart, Muscles, and Pussy.
Each time you trigger a Move in Velvet Glove, you will be asked
to roll some dice and add a stat. These numbers reflect how good
you are at different types of actions. During the game, you will
gain xp, which you can use to strengthen those stats or get new
Moves entirely. (I talk more about Moves and how they work over
on page 19.)
** Brains measures not just how booksmart you are, but how
streetsmart you are as well. It allows you to calculate what
advantage you have in a given situation, and how to get out
when you have none.
** Heart measures how well you connect with other people. It

allows you to exercise empathy in order to find out more
about other people, as well as how to maintain your cool in
difficult situations.
** Muscles measures not just the actual brawn on your frame—

it’s also how willing you are to hurt other people physically. It
allows you to be tough when others are giving you lip, and
demonstrate that you’re not to be messed with.
** Pussy measures your overall sex appeal and how well you
manipulate people with your body. It allows you to add a well
timed flash of cleavage to a plea for a favor or a bit of sisterly
authority when a man goes too far.
A stat line is listed on each playbook, and you get a starting

bonus of a +1 to one of these. Keep an eye on the basic moves
as well as your playbook Moves when assigning that +1. For
example, a lot of the Gearhead’s Moves use Heart, so that may
be where you want to up your stats.
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Picking Girl Moves
Start out by choosing two Girl Moves from your playbook. These
Moves allow you to focus in on how you want to play your
character, or what kind of activities you know you’ll want to do.
If you choose that’s the joint and best buds for the Stoner, for
example, you’ll probably end up throwing more parties, while a
Stoner with smoke it up and best buds may spend more time
one-on-one with NPCs.
Some Girl Moves have additional options for you to choose from,
such as the Gearhead’s workspace. Go ahead and choose those
options now, and mull over any ideas you’ve come up with for
your character’s background.
Introductions and Ties

When everyone is done filling out their playbooks, go around and
introduce your character. Keep in mind that you come from a
poor background and belong to the same gang as the other
players, but pretty much everything else is fair game. The MC and
other players might ask you a few questions to help fill in any
blank spaces, but relax, man—you’ll get to know both your
character and everyone else’s better over the course of the session.
After everyone has been introduced, go back around the table and
fill out your ties, which explain the relationships you have with
the other girls in your gang. Fill in each tie with the name of
another character and answer the question with it. This isn’t your
first go-round as a gang together, and the ties help us fill in some
of those stories.
C hoosing a Gang
Finally, choose what gang you are a part of, and what is your
main type of criminal activity. Think about how the gang colors
translate into your own personal style, and what you do to help
the gang with its gigs. I’ve provided some suggestions, but you can
come up with some radical ideas of your own.
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Gangs:
** Black Rose Gang - white dreadlocked anarchists
** The Jezebels - afro girls with untouchable style
** Las Carmelitas - chicas rocking day of the dead face paint
** Purple Yarn Gang - gái hu in all black with purple string ties
** Southside Rollers - retro kittens with roller derby grit
** Alley Cats - suburban outcasts with stompy boots
C riminal Activities:
** Petty theft - liberate belongings from chain stores and rich cats
on the wrong side of town
** Sweet, sweet drugs - sell a custom drug of your choice to those

who are down
** Candy man - resell illicit goods that fell off a truck, such as
records, band paraphernalia, designer bags and clothing, and
beauty treatments.
** Protection - extort money from local shopkeepers in return for

keeping violence off their doorstep
Once you decide on the particulars—congratulations, you’re a

teenage girl in a teenage girl gang! You’re ready to play.
♀
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Chapter 3:
Playing the Game
q
Game as Conversation
Roleplaying is telling a story together, with everyone speaking as
their characters, describing the actions they take, and sometimes
telling us how they feel. In order to share the spotlight, everyone
should take turns listening and talking, adding bits that push the
narrative further. The rules in this book will help you structure
the story you tell together.
One way structure helps is when there is uncertainty in the story,

such as when you to try and convince Josy the drug dealer to
front you some extra product by flirting with him. The bit of
mechanics we use to resolve this uncertainty is called a move.
You don’t need to use a move to do everyday things like get ready
for school unless there’s something going on to make it uncertain
in the story as to whether you actually do the thing or not.
Pay close attention to the phrases used in the moves. These

phrases, or triggers, tell you what needs to happen for the move
to happen. You can’t tell a man to cool it by hitting him, just
like you have to beat a specific person up if you call someone out.
Mark is playing Santana, the Stoner, and he wants Mr. Williams,

the shop teacher, to give her keys to the school. Mark tells Sarah,
the MC, that Santana leans over, giving Mr. Williams an eyeful of
underage cleavage. Sarah agrees that Santana is using the goods;
she has Mark roll to see how Mr. Williams reacts.
Once a player’s decisions trigger a move, it's time to roll some dice
to find out what happens.
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Dice
If a Move asks you to roll, you two six-sided dice (2d6) and add
the result together. You should also add whatever stat it has listed;
for example, if it says +brains, add your brains score to the total.
Marissa is playing Harper, the Valkyrie, and is trying to get the

skinny on a rival gang member to see if there’s a chance for the
two gangs to team up and take out a new gang that’s trying to
muscle in on their turf. She rolls 2d6 and gets a 7, then she adds
her Heart of 1, giving her a 8. Both Marissa and the MC look at
the move to figure out what happens next.
There are three kinds of outcomes you are looking for when
rolling the dice:
** a 10+ is a hit
** a 7 to 9 is a mitigated hit
** a 6- is a miss
Sometimes the move will tell you what happens on each of these, or
give you choices to make, but generally you want to roll high. On a
10+, you get most of what you want. On a 7-9, you get what you
want, but something happens that makes the situation interesting
or complicated. On a 6-, things have turned upside down for your
character, and the MC will tell you what happens next.
The MC doesn’t roll dice. They describe what happens and

respond to what your characters do. They also act as referee if
there’s any disagreement on what a move means or does,
especially when it’s between two players, one of whom is using a
move on the other. There are two types of moves: basic moves
and gang moves.
Basic Moves
In order to help you understand the basic moves, I’ve provided an
explanation, expanded on its options and when it triggers.
call someone out

When you call someone out, roll +muscles. On a hit, you prove
how bad you are by messing them up and choose 1. On a 10+,
add 1 rep.
** you force them to book it
** you don’t mark angst
On a 7-9, they choose 1 as well.
** they fight back hard
** they suffer little harm
So you’re hanging with your girls, and some airhead starts running
her mouth about how you ain’t no good. You know that what
comes next is a fight, so you call someone out and get that brawl
started. This is just between two people, so it won’t trigger rumble
with another gang.
On a hit, you beat them up while everyone else watches and you
have to choose to either avoid marking an angst, or force them to
book it. If you choose to make them book it, you have to mark 1
angst (see page 26 for more on angst.) On a 10+, you choose 1
from the list plus gain 1 rep. On a 7-9, they can choose to either
fight back hard or they suffer little harm. If they fight back hard,
you're going to get hurt real bad, and face the consequences of
that move; if they suffer little harm, then no matter the situation,
they don't get hurt real bad.
You can’t make someone else get hurt real bad by calling someone
out unless you escalate the violence in the situation—bring some
brass knuckles to a fist fight, keep punching them even when they're
down, and so on. If you escalate the violence, it means the
consequences of a miss are even higher—things can go way worse
*
when there's a knife or a gun involved, for example.
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get the skinny
When you get the skinny on someone, roll +heart. On a hit,
choose 2. On a 7-9, their player gets to ask 1 of you as well.
** what do they really think of me?
** what is their biggest weakness?
** what secrets are they hiding?
** how could I get them to ___________?
So you want to know more another gang member. You can go

straight to them or their bestie, and if you’re not sure who to ask,
tell the MC. They’ll make sure there’s someone to talk with.
On a hit, you get to choose 2 of the questions from the list, and
the MC or player will answer honestly. On a 7-9, they’ll ask one
of you; you should answer honestly as well.
get the lowdown

When you get the lowdown on a situation, roll +brains. On a hit,
ask 2 from the list below. On a 7-9, ask 1. Take +1 when you act
on the answers.
** which cat is really in charge?
** what’s the best way to peel out in a hurry?
** who here is gunning for me?
** what here is useful or valuable to me?
So something’s going down—maybe Suzanne is acting shifty.

Figuring out if she is really in charge—or if it’s actually the girl
behind her being real quiet—can save you some grief. It’s always
good to have an escape route, and useful or valuable things can
run the gamut from a hidden stash of drugs to a shotgun under
the bar to an unhappy gang member. Tell the MC exactly what
you’re doing to trigger this move.
On a hit, you get to ask 2 questions, and on a 7-9, you get to ask
1. You get to add a +1 to any rolls you make while you’re in this
situation, if you’re reacting based on the MC’s answers.
use the goods
When you use the goods, tell the MC what you want from
someone and roll +pussy. On a 10+, you can get by on promises
alone; clear 1 angst. On a 7-9, they'll only do it if you give them a
taste right now.
So there’s a skeezy man or a hot chick or a hunk that you need

something from—and you’re pretty sure they’ve been checking
you out. All you have to do is use your body to promise a little—
or a lot. Tell the MC exactly what you do with your body to
trigger this move.
On a hit, the person you’re targeting agrees to do you a favor. On

a 10+, clear 1 angst, plus a promise: a future kiss, a future date,
maybe some future shaggin’. It’s on you whether or not you’re
going to keep that promise, although know if you break it, they’re
probably going to react in a bad way. On a 7-9, you’re going to
have to do more than promise; you’re going to have to give them a
little some-some to get them to do what you want.
tell a man to cool it

When you tell a man to cool it, roll +pussy. On a 10+, he’ll leave
you alone—for now. On a 7-9 take +1 forward against him, but
he can choose to get in your face, come on even stronger, or
escalate to violence.
So there’s this dude giving you trouble. Maybe he’s just coming on
strong, maybe he’s mouthing off about what a bitch you are—you
wanna shut this down before it gets worse. Tell the MC what you
say to shrink his ego.
On a hit, the dude knows you don’t like what he’s selling. On a 10+,
he’ll take it elsewhere, although he’ll remember you and the bruising
you gave his ego. On a 7-9, his masculinity has been challenged, so
he’ll insult you, use crude come ons, or get violent. But you get a +1
forward against him, if you feel like taking it further.
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keep on truckin’
When you keep on truckin’ in a bad sitch, tell the MC what you
want to avoid and roll +heart. On a hit, everything’s groovy; clear
1 angst. On a 7-9, you cause collateral damage, lose something
important, or face an ugly choice.
So something’s gone real wrong—maybe you’ve been cornered by

three of the Blue Crows, a rival gang, or maybe you’ve been caught
breaking into Principal Solorzano’s office. This is when you take a
deep breath and rack your brain for a way out of the mess you
made. When you make this move, you’re probably going to be
trying to find some way out of a tight spot before it gets worse.
On a hit, what you were afraid was going to happen—a

beatdown, getting arrested—doesn’t happen. On a hit, you get to
clear 1 angst. On a 7-9, the worst thing you mentioned doesn’t
happen, but the MC will tell you what other challenges you face.
help or interfere
When you help or interfere with someone who’s making a roll,
roll +ties. On a hit, they take +1 (help) or −2 (interfere) now. On a
7–9, you also expose yourself to danger, retribution, or cost.
So you’re watching Diamond, the Radical, act all sweet on Josy

the drug dealer in order to convince him to let your gang use his
pad to ambush another gang. He’s not biting (Diamond’s player
rolls a 6 on her use the goods move), so you slide in with an offer
to really make it worth his while—a threesome.
You can jump in after another player has made a move, provided
you can give a justification in the fiction for exactly how you
weaken or strengthen their efforts. This only works if their roll is
close enough to the edge to make a difference and you have to be
able to do something fictionally. If you can’t think of a way to
help or hinder, then you can’t trigger the move.
get hurt real bad
If you get hurt real bad, roll. Add one for each true statement:
** they weren't really trying to hurt you
** you didn’t get shot or knifed
** your girls were there to bail you out
On a hit, you’ll live. On a 10+, you have a cool scar and the story to
go with it. On a 7-9, you choose one and the assailant chooses one:
** It’s nearly fatal; you’ll die without some kind of medical aid.
** it’s totally disfiguring; this is more than a cool scar; it’s going
to get you attention.
** it’s fucking painful; -1 ongoing until you get some good drugs
or medical help.
On a miss, you’re pretty much done for. The MC will tell you
how you go out.
You’re rumbling with another gang, and someone brought a knife

to a fist party. Or you cross one of the adult gangs, and those
freaks have guns. Getting beat up might cause the MC to tell you
to mark angst, but this is way more serious. You’re bleeding, and
everyone around you looks really scared.
On a hit, you get to live. On a 10+, it was a dramatic moment,

but you’ll be fine. Work out what your new cool scar is with the
MC. On a 7-9, though, you’re not completely in control. Sure, you
can choose it’s fucking painful and hope the Stoner has some
extra drugs, but whoever hurt you gets to pick one too, like
totally disfiguring. Look who’s not pretty anymore.
Keep in mind you’re playing teenagers. Although the Maniac can

choose to have bandages, none of you are medical professionals,
and if you go to the hospital, cops, and parents are going to get
involved. You also have some bad impulse control and worse
common sense, so your characters might decide “medical help”
means anything from blackmailing a vet to pouring 80 proof
vodka over a gunshot wound and hoping for the best.
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Gang Moves
In order to help you understand the gang moves, I’ve provided
an explanation for each move, and expanded on its options and
when it triggers.
The gang pool represents how your gang is stronger together than
each individual girl is alone, and how your emotional ties bolster
you in the face of danger or uncertainty. Your gang pool exists
until you deplete it. You can enter into another rumble while you
still have gang in the pool, and it will stack.
rumble with another gang

When you rumble with another gang, add 2 to the gang pool.
** if someone has stepped up to be in charge, add another gang.
** if everyone has the same goal in the rumble, add another gang.
** if the rumble isn’t on your turf, remove a gang.
** if they outnumber you, remove a gang.
So your gang is face to face with another gang—and it might

only be fists, or switchblades, but someone’s getting carried out
in a stretcher tonight. Gather all your girls up, and go through
the list to find out how much gang you have. You can not trigger
this move without all available gang members, so if someone has
been taken out by injuries or say, kidnapped, you can’t trigger
the move without them. And if someone has stepped up to be
in charge, they’re also the one who will answer when the MC
asks what the goal is.
help out another gang member in a tight spot

When you help out another gang member in a tight spot, say
what you do to help and spend a gang out of the pool to give
them a +1 on their roll, after they've rolled. Multiple gang
members can help at the same time, but each can only spend
one gang out of the pool.
If you have NPC gang members, PCs can spend gang on their
behalf. You also still have to be able to explain how you can help
fictionally; there’s no telepathy among the girls, no matter how
close they are.
do something heavy
When you do something heavy, say what you're after and roll
+gang you’re spending. On a hit, you get it. On a 10+, choose 2.
On a 7-9, choose 1.
** you get away clean
** you leave no evidence
** you get a little extra
** you gain 1 rep
Your gang has an opportunity to do a little crime—maybe you’re

intercepting another gang’s drug shipment, or you heard that fat
cat asshole that runs the local dive bar has been stashing his take
at home instead of taking it to the bank—and it sounds solid.
Trigger this move when you want to do bad.
make someone back down

When you make someone back down without a beatdown, roll
+gang you’re spending. On a hit, you cow them into submission.
On a 10+, choose 2. On a 7-9, choose 1.
** they’ll go along with what you want
** they’ll keep their mouth shut
** they’ll let you take what you want
** they’ll lie to another gang for you
So there’s a shopkeep on another gang’s payroll but he’s on your

turf. That won’t do. Trigger this move when you want to
intimidate someone without having to get so violent they’ll call
the cops. When someone’s outnumbered and faced with credible
threats, even teenage girls are scary as shit.
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Angst, Harm, and Rep
You can get hurt in this game—both mentally as well as physically.
You don’t track harm like in other PbtA games; instead, you track
angst or the emotional harm you feel from doing bad things, and
having bad things done to you. The only time you concern yourself
with harm is if someone hurts your character with a gun or a knife
and you have to refer to the get hurt real bad move (page 23).
Otherwise it’s all in your character’s head.
Angst
When your angst track fills, you’ve reached the end of the road.
Choose 1:
** You pull a crazy or insane stunt, and it lands you in juvie
** You explode at a parent/guardian, and you are sent away
for “help”
** You piss off a bigger gang than yours, and you pay for it with
your life
When a move tells you to clear angst, erase a box you’ve previously
marked. If you don’t have any boxes marked, take +1 forward.
You mark angst when a move or the MC tells you to. You have
moves on your playbook to clear angst, as well as some options
for use the goods or keep on truckin’. You should keep an eye on
your angst track, for once it fills, your girl is done for and you’ll
end up picking a new character to play.
If your track fills, you have three choices of an ending for your girl.
You get to describe the stunt your character pulls, but getting
locked up in juvie means you’ve got other cares. Your parents might
even know you’re in a gang, but you push it too far, and there’s not
much you can do for the gang from within a mental institution or
boarding school. And if you do something really dumb, like get in
the crosshairs of one of the adult gangs, they might use you to send
the message that they’re not playing around.
Rep
Rep is a way of measuring how other gangs view you, and
whether the “normals” have heard of your gang. You can use it to
intimidate people into submission without violence, help out gang
members in a bad spot, or find criminal opportunities.
You gain rep by:

** getting a 10+ when you call someone out
** putting your tag up in another gang’s territory
** beating down someone in another gang in a public fashion
** stealing something important from another gang and
brandishing it in public
** getting in a brawl with the fuzz or other heavy authority figure
When you spend rep (1 for 1), choose 1:

** make another gang back off—for a time
** discover an opportunity to do something heavy
** take over a local shop for a few hours to conduct business
** force another gang to parley in a neutral location
Advancing
When you roll a miss, mark a box on your XP track. When your
track fills, choose 1 of the following:
** take a new Move from your playbook
** take a Move from another playbook
** add +1 to a stat (max +3)
Every time you advance, add a new box to the end of your XP
track—you now require one additional XP to gain another
advancement. So if you are are 5 boxes when you advance, you’ll
clear the track—and then draw in another box. Next time you’ll
have to fill 6 to advance.
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C
☼ y Velvet glove y
L ist of Playbooks
Chapter 4:
The Playbooks C
Below is a list of the available playbooks for the N otebook
edition, along with a description and their high and low stats.
Future editions of Velvet Glove may include more playbooks,
but these six are the core ones you need to play the game.
T he Gearhead, page 43
Clever, resourceful, and empathetic. The Gearhead can hotwire a
car in no time flat, fix up a beater into something that hauls ass,
and talk shop with anyone who’ll listen. She’s a bit of a showoff
when she’s behind the wheel.
High stats: Brains and Heart. Low stat: Pussy.
T he Maniac, page 4 4
Dangerous, protective, and lucky. The Maniac will cut someone
without blinking, lick her own blood off a knife because it gets
her off, and hurt someone just for kicks. She may not be the
biggest bruiser, but don’t get between her and one of her girls.
High stats: Heart and Muscles. Low stat: Pussy.
T he N ewbie, page 45
Eager, naive, and sexy. The Newbie always has her eye out for
something everyone else missed, can talk a man into baring his
heart, and brings the sexytime vibes. She plays dumb when it
benefits her.
High stats: Brains and Pussy. Low stat: Muscles.
*28 notebook edition

y Velvet glove y ☼
[ ☻☺
T he Radical, page 46
Clever, determined, and bold. The Radical doesn’t hesitate to tell
a man he’s crossed the line, loves messing with the patriarchy and
stating her message loud and clear. She is tuned into her instincts
and can size up a situation pretty quick.
High stats: Heart and Pussy. Low stat: Muscles.
T he S toner, page 47
Empathetic, resourceful, and sexy. The Stoner can turn a
gathering into a real party with a phone call, listens like nobody
else, and is a bit of a burn out. She gets a little mystical when she’s
high, but sometimes that pays off.
High stats: Heart and Pussy. Low stat: Brains.
T he V alkyrie, page 48
Clever, resourceful, and responsible. The Valkyrie always has a
plan (or is on the edge of coming up with one), usually has
something useful tucked away, and knows how to make herself
heard. She is a good judge of when a fight is worth it, or when it’s
better to try another day.
High stats: Brains and Heart. Low stat: Muscles.
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♦♀ y y
*
Velvet glove
* Chapter 5:
♦♥♪ •
The Master of Ceremonies
Running Velvet Glove
As the Master of Ceremonies, or MC, your job is to balance the
agendas and principles of the game while also making the
alternate '70s world of Velvet Glove seem real. I have included
some MC Moves to help you figure out the best way to respond
to your player’s actions. You should also check out Apocalypse
World or Urban Shadows for MC advice. And if this is your first
time MCing a PbtA game, take a deep breath and remember to
have fun!
Problematic Content
I don’t use racial or homosexual slurs at my gaming table, and
you should not feel like you have to in order to be “authentic” to
the time period. I do use gendered insults in character, and am
aware that being a woman gives those words a different feeling
than if a man uses them. You also do not have to bring in racial
or gender discrimination if you or your players find that will ruin
your fun, and talk about it before the game to make sure everyone
is on the same page. Sometimes we all just want to play a game to
enjoy ourselves, and that’s great!
☻
y Velvet glove y ♀♦
Agenda
** Make their lives a little too interesting
** Make men central to their activities
** Play to find out what happens
So, what does all that mean, exactly? Agendas are guiding rules—
the high level goals—for the MC to follow as you describe what
happens to your players. Here’s a breakdown for you.
Make their lives a little too interesting

When they’re not in school (and sometimes even then), the girls
of Velvet Glove spend their time pulling off crime, doing drugs,
and looking for the next gig. These girls transgress the boundaries
of acceptable behavior, so the Man is always looking for a way to
punish them. They shouldn’t ever be bored—if they are, they need
a little more interesting added to their lives.
Make men central to their activities

Teenage girls have very little power. Adult men, on the other
hand, walk through the world as if they own it, and teenage boys
pretend they own the world. These men and boys have things to
offer the girls: sex, money, a tiny bit of power, opportunity. They
also want things, like sex the girls may not want, or a different
kind of sex than the girl wants, or to parade the girl around on
their arm like an accessory they have sex with. Sex, basically. Try
as they might, the girls in the gang just can’t get away from men.
Play to find out what happens

The story you’re telling with your players is small and intimate,
with occasional breaks into a bigger narrative. The players are
invested in the girls they’re playing; they will surprise you with
their actions, and you should reward that creativity by using it to
direct the story. Use your moves when it makes senses. They will
tell you what kind of game they’re interested in playing; as long as
that syncs up with your desires, you’re golden.
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♦♀ y Velvet glove y
Principles
** Ground the story in poor, segregated neighborhoods
** Treat gang life honestly, but never forget the world
** Ask provocative questions and build on the answers
** Make the players' characters' choices meaningful
** Fill the character’s lives with the realities of gender
** Address yourself to the girls, not the players
** Be a fan of the player’s characters
** Never let them forget their choices
** Treat all NPCs as potential casualties
** Reward the girls for using sex
Here’s a little expansion on the principles for you; these are like
the minute-by-minute rules you should keep in mind while you
play. These are just a taste to help out; an in-depth explanation of
them will be included in the full version of Velvet Glove. Think of
these as guidelines for what to do or say whenever your players
turn to you.
Ground the story in poor, segregated neighborhoods

Graffiti, boarded up windows, and stripped cars are what you see
here, not nicely manicured lawns or shiny new paint. When your
girls go somewhere beyond their turf in a group, they should feel
like outsiders. It will be noted if they are of a different racial
background than the residents. If your players ignore the turf
boundaries of other gangs, those gangs will plot to do something
about the slight.
Treat gang life honestly, but never forget the world

Gang life is not easy. The girls will get hurt, physically and
emotionally, and will make bad choices that push them further
away from a safe future. Sometimes the dream of getting out
and having a different life will seem impossible, undesirable,
or wrong. Remind them of the safety and hope that lies outside
their experiences.

Ask provocative questions and build on the answers
Players are one of your best resources for their own trouble. When
Diamond the Radical starts hedging on whether or she thinks her
second cousin, Alejandra, is also in a gang, don’t pull back on
your questions. Ask her “So you’ve had this rivalry with
Alejandra since you were a girl, right? What is it that she does
better than you?” or “This gang of hers, the Blue Crows, how
long have they been edging into your territory?” Ask them about
anything that seems like it could be interesting, and then build
those answers into the fiction.
Make the players' characters' choices meaningful

The girls in Velvet Glove are trying to figure everything out: who
they are, what sex is to them, how far the gang life can take them.
Give the players choices that will affect their characters in
substantial ways: if Santana the Stoner tells the rest of the gang
about the time she kissed Ariana the Newbie, will they blow it off
as a one-time drug thing, or will they listen when she tells them
she has real feelings for Ariana, and she’s not the first girl she’s
crushed on?
Fill the character’s lives with the realities of gender

Teenage girls are constantly being made aware of their gender;
they’re mocked for how they speak and act, derided as shallow,
and treated as sex objects. Men and boys have freedom to do
things they don’t; make sure this awareness is everywhere. When
the girls push against the boundaries of what’s expected of their
gender, someone should be there to push back.
Address yourself to the girls, not the players

Addressing players by their character’s name (as if they are that
girl) will help both you and your players get in the groove. Using
some '70s slang will help too, as will filling in details of NPCs
with '70s specific nicknames and clothing.
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Be a fan of the player’s characters
The characters are some pretty bitchin’ chicks, and seeing what
they can get up to is most of the fun. You’re playing this game
with the players, not against them, so don’t bum them out by
taking what makes them unique or take away a success they
worked for. That doesn’t mean to make their life easy—just give
them consequences that make their life more interesting, instead.
Make them work for riches.
N ever let them forget their choices

Each man they seduce, or boy they shut down, remembers that
interaction the next time they see the girls. Each gang member
they jumped earlier, or gave a bad batch of drugs, will remember.
Each teacher they promised an 10 minute session in the janitor’s
closet? Oh, they remember, no matter how badly the girls wish
they’d forget.
Treat all N PCs as potential casualties

The girls are going to have some NPCs they like a lot, like a
cousin or a customer or a crush, and all of those NPCs are
potentially on the chopping block. Collateral damage is where the
real pain starts in gang life; these girls can take getting hit,
stabbed, or beat down, but kill their baby sister with a stray
bullet? Now you’re telling a story with some weight to it. Don’t
always go for the easy target either; sometimes the fiction will tell
you that a particular person should die now, and that death will
have a ripple effect that can change everything.
Reward the girls for using sex

Pop culture tells these girls they’re sexual creatures, with such
power over men. Give ‘em something nice when they fulfill the role
our society has written for them. Something with strings attached.

MC Moves
Moves are what you use when you need to push the story
forward, someone misses a roll, or there's space in the fiction for
it. There’s also a dial you can use, to fine tune your moves. A soft
move is like a warning, a nudge to let the player know what’s
coming. A hard move is a shove either after that warning—or
without one at all. You can use either as you like, but hard moves
are always appropriate when a player rolls under a 6—or just
does something plain stupid.
** Send in the authorities

** Reveal the presence of a another gang
** Pit two gang members against each other
** Encourage, reject, or challenge their sexuality
** Remind them how little power they have
** Put someone in an uncomfortable spot
** Separate or isolate someone
** Take away one of their possessions
** Turn one of their moves back on them
Describe one of these moves, and then ask your players, "What
do you do now, man?"
Other Gangs and N PCs

During the game, you act as all of the NPCs. Here are some tips
on how to keep track of all these groovy cats.
** Use index cards for lists or for each one, and make a note of
anything distinctive, like a funny verbal tick or their business.
** Give them juice. Each NPC should want something from the
girls, and possibly have something the girls might want.
** Ask the players provocative questions. It’s ok to have players

establish relationships or ties with NPCs you’re just introducing.
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Long Example
The Jezebels are chillin’ at the local roller rink, waiting for Varla,
their Second-in-Command, to show up with their new pot
hookup. Things are a might tense as a rival gang, the Fallen Angels,
has also arrived and is glowering at them from across the rink.
“What’re they doing here?” Marissa, playing Harper the

Valkyrie, asks. “Those Fallen Angel chicks are such heads. They
better not be here after our hookup!”
“Sounds like you’re trying to get the lowdown on a situation,

Harper,” Sarah, the MC, tells her. “Roll plus brains.”
Marissa gets a 7, and chooses her 2 questions. “What’s the best

way to peel out in a hurry? And who here is gunning for me?”
“Well, you can see from here that the fire exit is chained shut,
probably to keep people from sneaking in. So that’s no good. But
you see Ajax is working the counter. He’ll probably let you out
through the employee entrance if you ask right,” Sarah says. “One
of the Fallen Angels looks familiar, Harper. It’s that moofy girl you
saw leaving Tyler’s place.”
“Tyler? My Tyler?” Brendan is playing Ruby the Gearhead.

“Tyler loves me. He wouldn’t shag some grody Fallen Angel.”
Sarah shrugs. “Maybe, but that girl, the one with the belly shirt
and legs-up-to-here is smirking at you. She leans over and
whispers something to the short Korean girl next to her, and all
of the Angels crack up. Now they’re all smirking at you.”
“Oh, screw that,” Brendan looks over his playbook. “My muscle
isn’t very good, but we’ve got 2 in the gang pool, and my girls
have my back. I’m going to call someone out.”
“Great!” Sarah tells him. “What do you say to her?”

“I skate out into the center of the roller rink. I wait until there’s a
pause in the music, and then I tell that no-good stella to bring her
smirk over here, unless she’s chicken.” Brendan rolls for his move.
“Ha! I got a 10. Take that, smirky girl. Ruby doesn’t mess around.”
“Make sure to mark a rep,” Sarah reminds Brendan. “OK, so do

you want her to book it, or do you want to not mark angst?”
“I want her to book it. You said they outnumbered us, right? I want
to even things up,” Brendan marks the changes on his playbook.
“Great. So you go all beat down on smirky girl while the Fallen
Angels watch, and you break her nose. She’s off for the
bathroom, sobbing about how she’s bleeding, and Ruby, you
flinch a little. You remember how bad it hurt when your stepdad
broke yours. But she’s gone, and the Fallen Angels look a little
nervous. They edge back from the rink.”
“Way to go, Ruby!” Marissa laughs. “OK, now that we’ve had
some fun, I want to make sure our escape route is ready in case
we run into problems. I sidle up to Ajax and tell him I’m sorry
my friend got that piece of work’s blood all over his nice floor.”
“Ajax laughs, but doesn’t take his eyes off your cleavage,” Sarah
tells her. “Sounds like you’re all set up to use the goods.”
“That’s just fine,” Marissa says. “I lean in close and ask if we can
use the employee entrance, just in case things get a little hot.” She
rolls her dice, and her face falls.
“A 4? Sounds like trouble, and that’s too low for anyone to help
you out,” Sarah tells her. “Ajax looks past you and freezes, like
he just saw a ghost. He pushes you back and goes back behind
the counter. When you look behind you, here comes Varla—she
looks pissed, and the smirky girl is right beside her, a wad of
paper towels jammed under her nose. I wonder how they know
each other….”
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37
About T hese Girls
Before you start playing Velvet Glove, explain each of the
playbooks and what kind of girl they are. What they choose tells
you a lot about the kind of game they want to plays. Make sure
you give them a chance to shine at the things they want to do;
create NPCs and problems that will showcase what each girl is
good at.
T he Gearhead
The Gearhead has a workshop and a need to fix things or make
them better. She shines when there’s work involving her hands
and oil to be done.
T he Maniac
The Maniac has weapons and a need to put them to use. She is
happiest when there’s bones to break and blood to spill.
T he N ewbie
The Newbie has a lot of questions and a need to be useful. She’s
at her best when there’s work involving seducing or talking.
T he Radical
The Radical has a world to change and men to tell how it is. She's
good when there’s work involving men and their weaknesses.
T he S toner
The Stoner has a pocket full of drugs and a need to see the world
in far out ways. She rocks when there’s work involving socializing
and heavier socializing.
T he V alkyrie
The Valkyrie has a plan and one eye out for her girls. She kills it
when there’s work involving keeping her cool or avoiding an
unnecessary complication.

T he First Session
Here are a few tips for playing the first session of Velvet Glove,
aside from putting on a little music and setting out some snacks.
Before you start

** Pick and fill out playbooks
** Go around the table and meet the girls
** Make the city together
** Do any start of session moves
Making the city

You make the city together with your players. Tell them that they
live in a medium-sized city. Here are a few questions to get you
started, but feel free to improvise your own.
** What natural feature is your city known for?
** Which neighborhood do you live in? What is it like?
** What neighborhoods are around it?
** Where is your school?
** What’s your favorite class?
** What way do you take to sneak out of school?
** One part of the city is known to be dangerous. What is it?
** What other gangs are nearby?
Make sure to ask leading questions to ensure the answers will add
to the fiction. You want your players to have a part in creating the
city, and asking them to add to the different parts is a great way
to do that.
W rapping up
If you’re playing a one-shot, your game will be over once you
solve the problem presented, such as winning a street race or
getting revenge on another gang. You can tie up loose ends and
give each character a bitchin’ ending by going around the table
and asking each player to do a short epilogue of what their
character does next. Can you dig it?
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39
* The Gearhead
Name (choose 1): Discordia, Banji, Age (between 14 - 18):
*
Zamora, Gulshan, Thao, or Ruby
Look (choose 1 from each line):
Girl, Woman, or Ambiguous
Eclectic clothes, dirty clothes, or functional clothes
No makeup, heavy makeup, or mechanic’s makeup
Long straight hair, ponytails, cornrows, or shaved
Asian or South Asian, Black, Hispanic/Latino, Indigenous, Middle Eastern,
White, ___________ ___________
Gear (choose 2): Switchblade, toolbox, Stats (Add +1 to one stat): Brains +1,
beat up hatchback, portable 8 track Heart +1, Muscles +0, Pussy -1
player, unending pack of smokes
It also has (choose 2): helpful labor
Which of the following describes your with a crush (Donna, Freedom, or
workspace? (choose 1): school’s Tyler), easy access with no oversight,
workshop, family’s garage, friendly shop electronic junk, scrap metal, dangerous
owner, or eccentric neighbor’s basement chemicals, high-end tools, still, or lab
Ties:
You and ___________ don’t like each other, but you have each other’s backs.
What do they do that reminds you of this feud?
___________ has known you since you were tiny. What embarrassing thing
are you praying they don’t let slip?
___________ is pretty in a way you’re not. When do you let her “fix you up”?
Girl Moves (choose 2):

Got a gig: When you go into your workspace and dedicate yourself to making
or repairing a thing, tell the MC what you want. They'll tell you “sure, no
problem, but…” and then tell you 1 to 4 of the following:
** first, you’re going to have to build___________.
** you’re going to need ___________ to help you with it;
** it’s going to cost you a ton of bread;
** the best you’ll be able to do is a crap version, weak and unreliable;
** it’s going to mean exposing yourself (plus other gang members) to serious danger.
Shaggin’ Wagon: When you’re in a car when you use the goods, roll +Heart
instead of +Pussy.
Candy, baby: When you hotwire a ride, roll +heart. On a hit, you’re cruising.
On a 10+, you didn’t scratch a thing; you can return the car without the owner
knowing a thing. On a 7-9, you botched it a little, but at least it runs - for now.
On a miss, it’s a hack job. The MC will tell you how bad you’re in for it now.
Angst Move:
When you show off your greater knowledge of cars to a man, roll +angst. On a hit, clear 1
angst. On a 10+, the dude is so impressed he gives you something useful: information,
tools, etc. On a miss, he smirks and points out a serious mistake you made in your work.
* The Maniac *
Name (choose 1): Antigone, Angel, Age (between 14 - 18):
Ramona, Fairuza, Linh, or Toby
Punk clothes, butch clothes, or practical clothes
No makeup, heavy makeup, or punk makeup
Long straight hair, wedge haircut, braids, or spiked
White, ___________ ___________
Gear (choose 2):Switchblade, chain, Stats (Add +1 to one stat): Brains +0,
brass knuckles, rollerskates, bandages Heart +1, Muscles +1, Pussy -1
(counts as medical help)
Ties:
You hurt ___________ the first time you met. Did you try to make up for that?
___________ and you pulled off an epic job. What went wrong right after?
___________ has seen your softer side. What do you do when they bring it up?

Hard core: When you call someone out, they can’t choose to suffer little harm
on a 7-9. On a miss, you’re not taken out of commission, no matter how badly
they hurt you.
Scary baby: When you use the goods by showing off how wacked out and
sexy dangerous you are, roll +muscles instead of +pussy.
A.F.A.: When you step in to defend one of your sisters against an NPC, roll
+heart. On a hit, you get between them and the attacker. On a 10+, you
redirect the violence to another target. On a 7-9, that violence is directed
towards you. On a miss, you make the situation much, much worse.
Angst:
When you beat down a man who previously hurt you, roll +angst. On a hit,
clear 1 angst. On a 10+, they apologise for their past offences. On a miss, they
turn the tables on you.
* The Newbie *
Name (choose 1): Evie, Makalya, Age (between 14 - 18):
Ariana, Bahar, Hao, or Annabelle
Hippie clothes, witchy clothes, or hard-as-nails clothes
No makeup, natural makeup, or goth makeup
Long straight hair, stack perm, straightened, or leopard print
White, ___________ ___________
Gear (choose 2): Stats (Add +1 to one stat): Brains +1,

Switchblade, spraypaint, snacks, Heart +0, Muscles -1, Pussy +1
polaroid camera, bicycle
Ties:
___________ brought you into the gang. How did they help initiate you?
___________ shows you how to navigate the rules of this world. What do
you know that they don’t?
___________ and you have a side project going on. Where is it likely to bring
trouble?

Such a bunny: When you get the lowdown on a situation by acting dumb, you
can always ask an additional question, even on a miss.
It’s around here somewhere: When you check for something the gang needs in
one of your secret stashes, roll +brains. On a hit, you have something. On a
10+, it’s perfect. On a 7-9, it will do, but it might draw attention or fail at a
bad time. On a miss, you had the thing but someone stole it.
Brick house: Get a +1 to pussy (max +3)
Angst:
When you make a man admit to his real feelings, roll +angst. On a hit, clear 1
angst. On a 10+, he reveals a vulnerability you can use against him later. On a
miss, he gets angry at his own weakness and takes it out on you.
* The Radical
Name (choose 1): Lolly, Diamond, Age (between 14 - 18):
*
Rosalyn, Anh Dao, Shahrzad, or January
Revealing clothes, baggy clothes, or eccentric clothes
No makeup, natural makeup, or heavy makeup
Long straight hair, shag haircut, afro, or mohawk
White, ___________ ___________
Gear (choose 2): Switchblade, Stats (Add +1 to one stat): Brains +0,
motorcycle, thigh holster with three Heart +1, Muscles -1, Pussy +1
custom knives, college ID (fake),
pamphlets & other propaganda
Ties:
You got ___________ out of a bad situation with a man once. Why haven’t
you told the other girls about it?
___________ blew you off to spend time with a boy instead. Who else does
this to you?
___________ helped you out of a tight jam. How do you let her know you
remember you owe her?

Feminine intuition: when you tell a man to cool it, on a 7-9 he can’t choose to
escalate to violence. On a miss, you get in a final word, no matter what happens.
Rise Up: When you stick it to the Man, roll +heart. On a hit, you cause
trouble for an authority figure. On a 10+, you cause your choice of collateral
damage, loss of something important, or a hard choice for the Man. On a 7-9,
things go bad for the Man, but they know you’re the troublemaker. On a miss,
you’re exposed and vulnerable. Mark 1 angst.
Pussy Power!: Get a +1 to pussy (max +3)
Angst Move:
When you lecture a man about the patriarchy, roll +angst. On a hit, clear 1
angst. On a 10+, he accepts your truth and is moved to action. On a miss,
he’ll spread rumors that discredit your commitment to the cause.
* The Stoner
Name (choose 1): Liberty, Jordan, Age (between 14 - 18):
*
Santana, Roksana, Tuyet, or Mae
Glam clothes, tomboy clothes, or casual clothes
No makeup, glam makeup, or weird makeup
Long straight hair, feathered haircut, natural, or messy
White, ___________ ___________
Gear (choose 2): Switchblade, bong Stats (Add +1 to one stat): Brains -1,
(wizard or skull), 2 doses of a drug, Heart +1, Muscles +0, Pussy +1
skateboard, lighter (for tricks)
Ties:
___________ has taken care of you when you had a little too much fun.
What annoying thing does she do afterward?
You kissed ___________ once. How long are you going to keep that a secret
from the other girls?
___________ can party almost as hard as you, but she has a meaner edge.
What do you do when she gets out of hand?

Head change: When you smoke it up, roll +heart. On a hit, the MC will tell you
something new and interesting about the current situation, and might ask you a
question or two; answer them. On a 10+, the MC will give you good detail. On
a 7–9, the MC will give you an impression. If you already know all there is to
know, the MC will tell you that. On a miss, be prepared for a bad trip.
Best buds: When you get the skinny on someone by packing a bowl with
them, you get to ask an additional question, even on a miss.
That’s the joint: When you set up a party, you know the cat to call; name
them and roll +pussy. On a hit, they show up with quality product, take +1
ongoing on any moves you make during the party. On a 7-9, the party is
rockin’, but it will either get out of hand, attract unwanted attention, or get
busted eventually. On a miss, they’re out of goods and your party is a bust.
Mark 1 angst.
Angst Move:
When you indulge in your vices at a bad time with a man, roll +angst. On a
hit, clear 1 angst. On a 10+, a golden opportunity to delve deeper presents
itself. On a miss, the drugs are harder than you thought, and you wake up
next to the wrong person.
* The Valkyrie
Name (choose 1): Hannah, Zula, Age (between 14 - 18):
*
Carmela, Trinh, Anahita, or Harper
Bookish clothes, metal clothes, or camouflaged clothes
No makeup, heavy makeup, or metal makeup
Long straight hair, gypsy haircut, afro, or short spikes
White, ___________ ___________
Gear (choose 2): Switchblade, bicycle, Stats (Add +1 to one stat): Brains +1,
safe crash space, hookup for alcohol, Heart +1, Muscles -1, Pussy +0
birth control pills
Ties:
___________ is too impulsive. What are you worried they will do?
___________ got in a bad sitch she didn’t even understand. How did you get
through to her?
You took ___________ for an abortion. How did their mom find out anyway?

Girl Scout: When you keep on truckin’, you never lose something important
on a 7-9. On a miss, you can’t be separated from your girls.
Got your back: When you’re trying to get your gang out of a fight you should
avoid, take +1 ongoing to get yourself and the rest of your gang to safety.
Hairy eyeball: Get a +1 to brains (max +3)
Angst:
When you push aside a man in order to make your voice heard, roll +angst.
On a hit, clear 1 angst. On a 10+, he’ll hush anyone who tries to quiet you.
On a miss, he’ll put you back in your place.
y Velvet glove y
Mediography
Movies
Death Proof
Faster Pussycat, Kill! Kill!
Foxy Brown
Grease
Switchblade Sisters
The Outsiders
The Warriors
Music
Bad Girls by Donna Summer
Free Your Mind...And Your Ass Will Follow by Funkadelic
Jazz by Queen
L.A. Woman by The Doors
Loaded by The Velvet Underground
Never Mind the Bollocks, Here's the Sex Pistols by Sex Pistols
Paranoid by Black Sabbath
Raw Power by Iggy & the Stooges
What’s Going On by Marvin Gaye
Ziggy Stardust by David Bowie
Zines
Frontier #2 by Helen Jo
Ugly Girl Gang by Tuesday Bassen

Velvet Glove - Notebook Edition

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velvet

Velvet Glove is based on another game, Apocalypse World.

W hat You N eed to Play

There’s advice and recommendations in this book that don’t fit on

It’s also the a different era entirely: no cellphones, no internet, and

T he Big Bad C ity

U p Against T he W all, Motherfucker

First and Fifteenth

Poverty is a good motivation for joining a gang. Being a poor

** Heart measures how well you connect with other people. It

** Muscles measures not just the actual brawn on your frame—

A stat line is listed on each playbook, and you get a starting

Introductions and Ties

** The Jezebels - afro girls with untouchable style

** Las Carmelitas - chicas rocking day of the dead face paint

** Southside Rollers - retro kittens with roller derby grit

** Alley Cats - suburban outcasts with stompy boots

** Sweet, sweet drugs - sell a custom drug of your choice to those

** Protection - extort money from local shopkeepers in return for

Once you decide on the particulars—congratulations, you’re a

One way structure helps is when there is uncertainty in the story,

Pay close attention to the phrases used in the moves. These

Mark is playing Santana, the Stoner, and he wants Mr. Williams,

Marissa is playing Harper, the Valkyrie, and is trying to get the

The MC doesn’t roll dice. They describe what happens and

call someone out

So you want to know more another gang member. You can go

get the lowdown

So something’s going down—maybe Suzanne is acting shifty.

So there’s a skeezy man or a hot chick or a hunk that you need

On a hit, the person you’re targeting agrees to do you a favor. On

tell a man to cool it

So something’s gone real wrong—maybe you’ve been cornered by

On a hit, what you were afraid was going to happen—a

So you’re watching Diamond, the Radical, act all sweet on Josy

You’re rumbling with another gang, and someone brought a knife

On a hit, you get to live. On a 10+, it was a dramatic moment,

Keep in mind you’re playing teenagers. Although the Maniac can

rumble with another gang

So your gang is face to face with another gang—and it might

help out another gang member in a tight spot

Your gang has an opportunity to do a little crime—maybe you’re

make someone back down

So there’s a shopkeep on another gang’s payroll but he’s on your

You gain rep by:

When you spend rep (1 for 1), choose 1:

*28 notebook edition

Make their lives a little too interesting

Make men central to their activities

Play to find out what happens

Ground the story in poor, segregated neighborhoods

Treat gang life honestly, but never forget the world

*32 notebook edition

Make the players' characters' choices meaningful

Fill the character’s lives with the realities of gender

Address yourself to the girls, not the players

N ever let them forget their choices

Treat all N PCs as potential casualties

Reward the girls for using sex

*34 notebook edition