Children of Dunsain

Drastic fantasy drama

by Troels Ken Pedersen
Fastaval 2015
Contents
About the game
Children of Dunsain – introduction........................................................................ 2
Aesthetics...................................................................................................................... 4
Practical advice............................................................................................................. 5
Becoming and Unfolding............................................................................................6
Mechanics for Unfolding: Moves.............................................................................. 8
The role of the game master, and GM moves........................................... 8
Your tricks........................................................................................................ 12
Player moves.....................................................................................................13
Open your mind to the dreams of Dunsain.......................................................... 14
Help or hinder..................................................................................................... 15
Temper moves..................................................................................................16
Motivations and talents...................................................................................18
Becoming in details......................................................................................................22
Unfolding in details..................................................................................................... 26

Handouts and aid sheets

Table of handouts and aid sheets..............................................................................28
Handouts for Becoming............................................................................................. 29
Handouts and aid sheets for Unfolding................................................................... 36
Game master's aid sheets............................................................................................ 41
Character sheets........................................................................................................... 44
Pictures.......................................................................................................................... 57

PRINT THE GAME single sided, in portrait format. The six

pictures on pp. 57-62 like being in colour, but it's not strictly
necessary. The rest can be printed in black and white.

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Children of Dunsain – introduction
Her hair is forest, Her shoulders hills. The goddess Dunsain is the land itself, and the lives of the
people is what She dreams. The game is not about Her, but about a handful of unusual people
who dream the goddess to life. Their forbidden love, their lust for power, their thirst for revenge and
justice is the nerve in Her dreams. They are the children of Dunsain.

Children of Dunsain is fantasy drama for three or four players and a game master,
and takes about four hours to play.
The game is about creating the children as
characters, and the world they live in, and
then playing them to find out who they are.
The game is in two parts, Becoming and
Unfolding. In the first you create the world and
the characters based on some constraints and
exercises, and play them forth. This is play,
not just preparation. In the second you place
them in terrible conflict with one another to
see what they'll do. The plot is what they do,
and success and failure is determined by a
dice mechanic. The game stops when you
have come to know the children.

Children of Dunsain is inspired by the old

(pre Tolkien wave) fantasy short stories of
Lord Dunsany. You could say that it's a bit
like Game of Thrones, but weirder. As a
game, Children of Dunsain aims to create a situation where the players (and the
GM) have power but not much control, both regarding the lives of the player
characters in the fiction, and regarding the creation of setting and story in play, at
the table. Making an exciting experience out of emergent co-creation is an
important goal of the game.

The fuel in the engine of the game is injustice and oppression. Not in order to
wallow in badness, but because injustice and oppression have an ambiguity to them.
One person's resource or justification is another's problem, shame or nightmare.
And injustice ties the player characters' own issues to setting and society. The
characters' own motivations revolve around power, revenge and forbidden love – all
things connected with injustice.

The heart of the game is the struggling, dreaming, passionate, awful and wonderful
characters that the players create and play in the beautiful, bloody, strange land of
Dunsain. Their relations with each other are the meat of the game. Everything in
the game must serve the purpose of helping us understand the land and in
particular Her children. There will be much conflict between the player characters,
but the interesting thing is who they are, not whether they attain their goals. There's
no fixed plot and it's not really very important how things turn out. Understanding
and the joy of creation is the order of the day.
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Thanks to: Anne Vinkel for sparring, Anne (again), Lotte Hansen, Marie
Skouenborg, Rune Drewsen, Morten Kay, Peter Brodersen, Danny Wilson, Lærke
Pedersen, Peter Brichs and Tobias Bindslet for playtesting.

A handful of Danish roleplaying games are ancestors of Dunsain: Anne Vinkel's

The City Melolonthinae took on single-session Apocalypse World-type play, Mads
Kirchhoff's Towards the Stars did interesting things with cooperative and constraint-
based setting creation, and Lærke Pedersen's Verona had characters based on the
four tempers with good room for player interpretation. This game is illustrated with
Sidney Sime's illustrations for Lord Dunsany's wondrous stories. Mechanically,
Children of Dunsain is an adapted and simplified version of D. Vincent Baker's
game Apocalypse World, so thanks to him too.

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Aesthetics
The game has no proper plot, but it has a structure, some themes and not least an
aesthetic. Now "aesthetic" can mean a great many rather hairy things, but what I
mean by it in THIS context is standards for what is to be considered beautiful and
desirable; what sort of an experience we're aiming for here.

It's fantasy. Something with magic and drastic drama in a pre- or non-modern
context. There's really just one very fantastic element in the game, and that's the
notion that the land is a dreaming goddess, and that the player characters can seek
knowledge, blessings and curses by opening their minds to Her – which in practice
means to you, as game master. Apart from Her it's a setting where actions have
consequences and the shit smells. It's a setting where injustice and oppression shape
and twist people's lives, which makes it worthwhile to stand up for yourself and
maybe even for others. Not just because it's beautiful that people fight (and it IS
beautiful in the somewhat violent aesthetic of this game), but because it matters.
Because with oppression and people's attempts to live with it or fight it, there's
something at stake.

Established facts about Dunsain as a setting are to be found on the sheet "What we
know of Dunsain and Her children" (Becoming a). Here are some of the things that
define the game aesthetically and genre-wise:

• Dunsain is the name of the land, and the land is also a dreaming goddess.

• The player characters are "Children of Dunsain", some of the unusual

people who can open their minds to the dreams of the goddess.

• Magic is real but subtle; visions, illusions and curses, not fireballs and
people flying around.

• Swords and spears, not guns and bombs.

• People are human, not orcs and elves

• There are no intelligent monsters. If there are dragons, they're dumb

animals.

Injustice and violence are (as mentioned) important elements of the game. On some
level it's (aesthetically) cool that it's wild and violent, but it's also a core element of
the style of the game that violence and oppression matter beyond pure style. The
same can also be said of sex in Children of Dunsain.

An important element in the aesthetic of the game is the names. The name list is
populated by old French and German names, but jumbled and de-grammatized to
make them usable by both genders, as well as a little strange. Any name in the game
is gender neutral and maybe becomes gendered when attached to a person.

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Practical advice
Children of Dunsain is a game where you as game master have a lot of things to
keep track of. Read the game carefully. If you're already Apocalypse World-savvy,
please don't make too many assumptions. There's a lot of handouts and aid sheets
for the game, which you and the players will need during the game. It will be a lot
easier if you are well organized, about like this:

First, print the game single sided, in portrait format. The six pictures on pp. 57-62
like being printed in colour, but it's not strictly necessary. The rest of the game can
be printed in black and white. Cut out in advance tempers/names (page 46) and
motivations/talents (pp. 55-56). Cut horizontally, not vertically.

Second, you'll need quite a bit of space on the table where you play. There will be a
lot of papers on the table that both you and your players must have access to.

Third, organize all your papers in piles and in the right order, so that you have them
at hand when you need them. Do this during point 1 of Becoming, while the players
are looking at pictures. If possible, lay out your paper piles on a separate table. Lay
out the six pictures on the main table, and prepare the following piles:

• Becoming sheet a-l

• Unfolding sheet a-e

• Character sheets: Tempers/names, character sheets and motivations/talents,

with tempers/names on top.

Also lay out your two GM cheat sheets and your sheet for GM notes in front of
your own seat at the play table.

After entering play, the two maps of Dunsain and Kora, as well as the name list,
should always end up in the middle of the table, where everyone can reach them.

The phase Becoming should take something like 1½ hours, Unfolding 2-2½ hours.

Of other materials you'll need pens or pencils, six-sided dice (two per player is
good, the GM needs none) and clear tape to attach names/tempers and
motivations/talents to the character sheets.

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Becoming and Unfolding
The game has two parts, Becoming and Unfolding. Unfolding resembles traditional
roleplaying most, but both are important and coherent parts of Children of Dunsain.
In Becoming you'll transform the setting and the player characters from sketches into
colourful but necessarily slightly flat portrayals. In Unfolding you'll pound and test the
player characters, and through them the world, and put them in situations where the
choices aren't easy. I this way you'll make them deep and richly textured, as much as
fiction invented in one sitting can be. This, rather than the non-existent plot, or the
question of how it will all end, is the focus of the game. It's quite possible the game
won't end neatly wrapped up, and that's OK.

All this will be explained in concrete instructions in the sections Becoming in

details and Unfolding in details. Here are the ideas behind doing it this way.

One of the first parts of Becoming is the players The Goddess and Religion
agreeing on what injustices they want to have in
play. The game has four categories: Class & If religion is important in the
wealth, religion, racism and gender & sexuality. game, society probably has lots of
They must pick two of the categories to be truly, opinions about Dunsain and Her
terribly unfair, one to be ordinarily tiresome and will. We know that she has no
one to be hardly unfair at all. Thus the players can plan, and can be persuaded to
choose what they want to fight for and over, and curse or bless arbitrarily. Thus
also pick a way for their fantasy to be nice. The religious oppression isn't really
last bit also puts the injustice in perspective. Later about the will of Dunsain, but
on the just category should be visible, as well as about society using the idea of Her
the unjust ones – if there's no racism, there will to justify itself, imposing lots
should be people of all colours around, not just of opinions on Her in the process.
invisibly assumed white folks. And if gender and Religion: It's about people.
sexuality are not a problem, there should be
warrior women and gay couples, as common and unproblematic things. The action
of the game in Unfolding can get a little transgressive, so here at the start of Becoming,
the players have a chance to pick and choose what they do and don't want to play
with. Not everyone likes to play with everything.

After a more traditional brainstorm of colour for Dunsain it's time for a semi-
meditative "sensuality exercise", where the players close their eyes and imagine the
land and the people, and then answer some questions from the GM to get them to
apply concrete expressions and consequences to the injustices, in a way that doesn't
involve agreeing and negotiating. This exercise is mirrored in the epilogue at the end
of Unfolding.

Then the players divide the four classical tempers between them. Each temper
comes with a name and a temper move (see Mechanics for Unfolding: Moves).
The players should pick a temper unlike their own. Mention that the primary role of
the tempers is to handle problems by playing the temper hard; this is what the
mechanical move does.

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Then the players brainstorm their childhood, and get to know the mechanics by
playing a couple of childhood scenes, and we get to learn more about the characters
and the dreaming goddess that they have in common through yet another sensuality
exercise about their mystical dreams.

After that it's time to choose motivations, but without knowing about the talents
that come with them. When the players have had a moment to integrate motivations
and (in some cases perhaps surprising) talents into their budding player characters,
they must agree on about how old they'll be at the start of Unfolding (they're about
the same age), and give tentative answers to three questions:

• What specifically is it that you desire?

• Why can't you get it, or keep it?

• Who do you love?

Finally you'll help determine the starting situation of Unfolding with provocative
questions for the players and a couple of non-violent scenes, and then you leave
consensus-ish storytelling behind for the rougher play of Unfolding.

In Unfolding you'll play fast-paced drama with violence, sex and fierce words and
actions, all to find out if the easy answers you came up with really hold true. How
far will they go to get things their way? Who do they really love? How do they
handle serious adversity? Because the player characters' motivations and the unstable
situation ensure conflict between the players rather that party style concerted action
against an external enemy, Unfolding might resemble "player versus player", but
winning or not isn't the point. Unfolding ends when you have a good sense of who the
characters are, not necessarily when all loose ends are wrapped up.

Unfolding is played in three parts. In each part, every player must have opportunity to
do something strongly proactive AND to react to what the other players might have
thrown their way. As game master, you must give the players space as well as
challenge them (and help them challenge each other), and make sure that their
action have the consequences that they need. Your goals, constraints and guidelines
are described in the section Mechanics for Unfolding: Moves, and summed up on
one of your cheat sheets (the other one deals with talents). Very briefly, you must
keep the focus on the unfolding of the characters and of Dunsain, keep the heat up
and refrain from blocking the players. If a player character should die during the
two first parts (and this can easily happen), they still have a chance to affect the
game through the handout You're dead – now what?, which gives the rules for
haunting.

At the end of Unfolding, you'll all do the sensuality exercise Epilogue, where you say
goodbye to the characters and to the land.

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Mechanics for Unfolding: Moves
This section describes how you as game master are to handle the actions of the
players in the second part of the game, Unfolding.

Children of Dunsain has a drama system, not a combat system. We deal with
combat mechanically because it can be dramatically interesting. Forget about combat
rounds, hit points and so on, and use the system to drive and handle the drama –
which might or might not involve violence.

Moves, the mechanics of the game

The basis of the mechanics of the game is moves. Moves are both character traits
and ways to do something decisive – and ultimately, you are what you do.

The players must roll dice for their

moves if they want to do something
that it isn't clear that they could just
do. The GM has moves too, though
they are less obvious and don't
involve dice rolls; they are described
below. Both player moves and GM
moves are what happens when
someone says something decisive
which changes the situation in the
game, and which helps us get to
know the characters better. When
someone makes a move, it changes the
situation.

The mechanics are inspired by Vincent Baker's Apocalypse World, but I advise
seasoned Apocalypse World players to read carefully and not assume too much.

The role of the game master, and GM moves

In Children of Dunsain, the relation between players, GM and writer isn't quite like in
most other roleplaying games. First and foremost, there's no plot which I have
written and through which you must lead the players. I've provided constraints, rules
and the means to hit a certain aesthetic, and written some tools and explanations.
The players are to create the setting based on the aesthetic and some of the
constraints, and then to play their characters with a view to exploring them while
continuing to flesh out the setting. As game master you are to help the players and
challenge them, and make the fictional world around them seem dynamic and alive.
8
You are NOT to guard the plot, and you are not to create a story – the story is who
the player characters turn out to be, in their proper context, which is the version of
Dunsain that you and the players create.

Here follows, in bullet point form, how you as game master should play the game.
There's a GM cheat sheet with ends, constraints and important pointers (page 43).

Your ends: These should be the clear and immediate purpose of everything you do
and say as GM. Do nothing that doesn't further these two.

• Find out who the PC's are. This is the primary focus of the game, and
everything else should support it. We already know that they're unusual and
formidable, but how and why, and what are their secret pains?

• Make Dunsain dynamic and believable. That doesn't necessarily mean

realistic in the classical sense. Dunsain is fantastic! Both as land and goddess.

Your constraints: Here are the most important differences from how one
"normally" runs games. These constraints might sound a little harsh, but I promise
that they make it interesting and exciting to run the game.

• Don't block the players. Let their actions have consequences, whether
good or bad. When they make moves, it must cause changes. You are in
charge of handling consequences in the game, and this is your duty.

• Don't plan outcomes. Seriously, don't. The plot is what the players do.
Pushing the players to find out what they'll do (and thus who their characters
are), good. Tweak to bring themes into play at relevant times, fine. Pushing
players towards pre-planned situations in the name of "the good story", no!

• Don't protect your people and places. The actions of the players must
have their full consequences. You're not to protect the status quo more than
the status quo protects itself, and since you can't plan outcomes, you have no
reason to save people and places for later. Be ready to let anyone and
anything come to a terrible end if that is what makes the most sense in
context. You're also not to protect player characters, just give the players a
chance to react.

Your means: When the players fail a dice roll, do something catastrophic or look
expectantly at you, it's time for you to make a move. Your moves are less formalized
than those of the players, and you don't call your moves "moves", just say
something that moves the game along. Below are some guidelines and ideas for
kinds of things you can do, but the central idea is simply this:

Say something that moves the game forward, in a way that is believable
and close to the fiction and the actions of the players, and that
challenges and presses the players.

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The most important thing is that you change the situation or move on, so rolling
again isn't relevant, and that you respect your GM constraints. You don't roll dice
for non-player characters or other things under your control – only the players ever
roll dice. Instead, you have risk of a given outcome, which you name. Risk is a key
word that you use when you want to push the players with your moves. It means
that the players can avoid the stated
outcome by making a move that averts
the risk in a meaningful manner. Also,
if this is what makes sense, you can
simply declare that something happens.
You're not competing with the players
as GM – that's not what you're here
for. You don't have to let yourself be
constrained by game mechanical
fairness, if fairness isn't what best
serves your two main ends.

Both for you and for the players, a few

decisive moves are better than many.
The outcomes are more interesting
than blow-by-blow, and this is NOT a
system that uses "combat rounds".
Also you can say things without it
being a move. Describe to the players,
answer their questions – it doesn't have
to be moves. Moves are for when you
MOVE!

Examples of GM moves
Here are four overall categories of things that you can do with GM moves. Don't
worry about the the exact details of just what category you're doing using for what,
just stick to the central idea of GM moves.

Foreshadow danger. Give warnings of potential future danger or bad things

happening elsewhere. It's a bit soft when you move like this, close to just talking, but
it gives an amazing feeling of both pressure and coherence. Any challenge in the
game seems much more dramatic if it's been foreshadowed. Also, it's convenient
not to be obliged to strike with crushing blows every time you make a move.

Example: Frieder, Placide looks at you and for a moment she looks cunning, as if she's
smelling profit. Then she smiles and hands you the bag. What do you do?

10
Change the conditions. Separate them (could be with cunning scene framing
rather rhan with force), put them together (ditto), capture them (with physical or
social violence).

Example: Korheld, the city guard seizes you, and they are too numerous to resist.
Moments later, the iron door of the jail cell slams behind you.

Threaten and promise. You can offer them an opportunity, if only they're willing
to seize it, hard. Or it can be a danger that they have to deal with. It can be "if you
do that, this happens" (keep your word! if they do that, this happens) or "if you do
that, you run the risk of this happening". Remember that risk is a key word that
means they can avoid the stated consequences by making a move.

Example: Mazaire, there are three of them, they're armed with clubs and they're angry.
If you try to force your way past them, you risk a serious beating. What do you do?

Deal out hard consequences. Wounds, death or abuse, for PC's or for NPC's that
the players care about. Harm is told rather than counted, but that makes it no less
serious. Hard consequences is often what happens when a risk is realized.

Example: Seidel, Thierre beats aside your parry and strikes you to the ground with a
sword pommel to the face. Now that you can't protect him, they fall upon Nathal and stab
him until the screaming stops.

After most moves, ask "what do you do?"

You make your moves when it's time for you as game master to say something
decisive. It's time to frame a scene, and a player isn't doing it, or a player has failed a
dice roll (five or less), or if the scene stops and the players look at you expectantly.

Thus:
• When you frame a scene. Perhaps after having asked a player what they
want to do, and perhaps by promising them an opportunity. Foreshadowing
is good too.

• When the players say something that demands a clear reaction from
you. They need you in order to interact with the fiction when there's more at
stake that conversation and colour. Be there for them.

• When a player fails a roll. That is gets a total result of five or less. Make it
felt; what happens should be more than just nothing, the circumstances
should change in such a way that rolling again won't be relevant. If a player
can "spam" a move in a given situation, you're doing something wrong.

11
 • When no player takes clear initiative. And if it doesn't seem like the scene
is over. Consider if the scene might benefit from just being cut to other PC's
elsewhere, but otherwise, make a move to give the players something to react
to.

• When you want to end a scene with a bang. Use a move to make a
cliffhanger. Note that you can also end a scene quietly, and that the players
will often be drastic for you. Do it to be dramatic, not to be annoying.

Your tricks: These are rules of thumb, not the law.

• Address the player characters, not the players. As soon as the player
characters have names, call your players by those names when you address
them inside or about the fiction.

• Be generous. With information, with cooperative NPC's. If the players give

NPC's a good motive to cooperate, let it pay off if it could be believable.

• Make your NPC's people. They're not game pieces, they have hopes and
fears and reasons to do what they do. Sometimes really bad reasons, but
reasons that aren't "what's best for the story". Give them names if it makes
any sense at all. When you think NPC's, consider how they're affected by the
in/justices, and how they take part in them. That gives you an idea of
something to grasp for, if you need something to say about them.

• Ask questions. If you're wondering about some aspect of Dunsain. Not

always, but often, and not always of the obvious player.

• Build upon what the players come up with. Especially if it doesn't fit
neatly and intuitively into the context.

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Player moves
"Moves" work a bit differently for players and GM, but there's a common core:
Making a move is when you say something that seriously changes the situation. The
players' moves are mechanically formalized, or take place if they simply do
something drastic that they would be able to do just like that. GM moves are for
when it's time for the GM to say something decisive that the players have to deal
with. Both players and GM can say lots of good and beautiful things without it
necessarily being moves, but moves are where the game moves.

The players have three formalized moves each.

Open your mind to the dreams of Dunsain, which When players speak
everyone has, temper moves that everyone has a In a sense the players aren't just
slightly different one of, usable as generic problem acting when they make moves,
handling move, and a talent move which comes but also when they speak about
attached to their motivation. Finally it's also a Dunsain and the background.
move if they do and say things which have drastic The standard way for players to
consequences. Open your mind and temper moves speak is by asking the GM about
require dice rolls. Talent moves normally don't, but what's happening in the fiction,
using them might entail risk, which makes it and then saying what their
relevant to use temper moves. The same is true characters do. We could call that
for "ordinary" drastic action. asking. Children of Dunsain also
has the potential for another
All mechanical player moves follow the model kind of player speech, which is
failure on 5 or less on 2d6, weak success or telling. Here, players openly co-
success-but on 6-8 and strong success (almost) create the setting without
without side effects on 9 or better. For open your necessarily involving mechanics.
mind the middle result is already defined in the Rejoice, create with them, use
move, but with temper moves you'll have to define their input! Do put your own
the "but" in the yes-but of the middle result. fingerprints on it, but for
Naturally, you should use the "but" to poke at the Dunsain's sake don't turn it
players to learn who they are. See more details against them and trick and
under GM notes for temper moves. punish them for making things
up. If they use co-creation
It's worth noting that there aren't necessarily aggressively to undermine other
moves for making NPC's do what you want, players in a tiresome way,
though a number of the talents make it easier. address it directly, without
Getting NPC's to do what you want requires manipulation.
believable and relevant rewards, promises or
threats. That in turn can create dangerous
situations that might involve risk and thus moves, but NPC's do what PC's want
them to if the PC's give them something they desire or threaten them with
something they actually fear.

13
Common moves
The player characters have their relationship with Dunsain in common, and their
different tempers work in much the same way. Finally the procedure for helping or
hindering other PC's is also a general rule.

Open your mind to the dreams of Dunsain

Do it for one of the following (the player chooses):

• She grants you knowledge you can put to immediate practical use (to
accomplish something decisive).

• She comforts you and cleanses you of poison, illness or madness.

• She curses one of your enemies with poison, illness or madness. You
choose the enemy, Dunsain shapes the curse.

You open your mind with trance or fierce ritual, she asks you a question – answer it
with complete honesty.

Roll 2d6 if you use mental discipline or a minimal ritual, or 2d6+1 if you use a
fierce ritual and bring a sacrifice of heart's blood or sex in Her honour.

9+: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your
situation.

6-8: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your
situation. Also, you're exhausted and can't call upon the Goddess again until
after you've had a good night't rest.

to 5: It is dangerous for mortals to open up to divine madness.

GM notes for Open your mind: Use the opportunity to ask about their secrets! It
is a critical element of the game, which rewards them for being co-creators through
questions about their secrets – here they can tell you just what parts of the game
interest them the most right now, if you ask cleverly. Refer to your notes for things
to ask about, and allow yourself ot be actively curious – in your capacity of being
Dunsain. Be very generous and a little cruel. This move makes all the player
characters mighty sorcerers and visionaries. Failed rolls can for example be used to
foreshadow with disquieting visions, to capture by locking them temporarily in dreams
(and moving the spotlight to others), to harm by striking them or theirs with curses
or to threaten them with problems (and maybe at the same time make promises to
others) by having them blurt out secrets in their ecstacy.

14
Example of Open your mind: Mazaire has been cursed with oozing boils because
Frieder has called down the wrath of Dunsain.

M: I seek refuge in the stables, close my eyes and open What is the Goddess?
my mind to the dreams of the Goddess to seek The bit about the Goddess,
comfort and healing. (chooses cleansing) her dreams and her children
is of course a metaphor,
M: Rols 2d6 to use trance and gets 8, a middling but in a fantasy game like
result. (If Mazaire had, say, killed a horse to this, it's also literal. The
call upon Dunsain, the same roll would have game at the table and the
given a result of 9, a clear success.) fiction of the game mirror
each other. Withing some
GM: Dunsain comes to you, clad in the night sky, lifts you rules and boundaries, the
up and takes you to her bosom, "What do you fear players have influence over
more than death, my child?" (Asks a question.) the fiction, both in co-
operation and in conflict,
M: Humiliation. I couldn't bear hearing the mocking and so it is for the player
laughter of the mob again. (Answers.) characters too. They're
powerful and able to
GM: You see a vision of the crowd in the market square literally change their
in Kora. They glare angrily towards the palace, situation, but they're also
beggars, traders and fishwives alike. (Tells bound by their society, their
something interesting.) Then the vision is gone, background and their
and the gentle hands of Dunsain wash away your nature, and by each other.
aching boils. "Shh, my child, everything will be And in the end, that's what
alright." Then you wake up, exhausted but cured. the theme of the game is:
(GM confirms the cleansing.) Remember that We're able to shape our
you can't call upon Dunsain again until you've had own situation, but we're
a good night's rest. also bound by our society
and condition, and for
M: Oof! I have no time for sleep, I saddle up and hurry better or worse, we're in it
towards the palace... together.

Help or hinder other player characters. This is not an independent move in

itself, but using a move to back up or sabotage the efforts of another player.

If you do something that will obviously help or hinder another player character in
something they're doing now, you can either give +1 (help) or -2 (hinder). No matter
how many help or hinder, help or hindrance can't in total exceed +1 or -2. If
another player character is trying to do bad things to you, hindering is a great idea.

If you follow up hard on a move just succesfully made by someone else, it counts as
them having helped you.

15
Temper moves
There are four tempers, and they come with character names and a basic
description. Each temper also has a move. Temper moves are used to do things
under pressure, but can't work miracles.

In practice all players pick a temper, preferably one unlike their own. Each can be
chosen by one player. Name and move are not gender specific.

• Phlegmatic. Frieder. When you act or speak, calmly, to bring the chaotic
situation under control, roll 2d6.

• Choleric. Korheld. When you lash out in anger, in word or deed, and use the
fire in your blood to defeat your problems, roll 2d6.

• Melancholy. Mazaire. With a heavy heart, you take drastic action or speak
dramatic words to escape a tight spot – roll 2d6.

• Sanguine. Seidel. When you speak or act, wildly and with singing blood, to
break free of trouble, roll 2d6.

Note that if you want to roll the dice and thus get a chance of success, you must hit
the move's activation condition in the fiction. You can't just name the move and roll.

9+: You get away with it.

6-8: You get out of trouble, mostly. The game master gives you a cost or a
hard choice.

to 5: It goes terribly wrong.

GM notes for temper moves: When you want to press the players, work in the key
word risk and some ugly consequence. This means that it happens if they DON'T
make a move and roll dice (or use their talent strongly). Be aware of two things
regarding temper moves: They MUST hit the move's activation condition to be
allowed to roll, and 6-8 means they have succes BUT that there are ALSO costs.
Middle results need teeth, but not so many that it's no success at all. Do make up
complications which...

• ...make things more interesting in ways that you would like to see, and which
puts the players and their motivations on collision course.

• ...which poke the players' core conflicts and help us discover who they really
are (but again, remember that 6-8 is a success).

16
Here's a couple of things to fall back on that will usually work OK.

• In a social situation, someone gets suspicious but doesn't act on it right now.

• In a physically challenging situation, Our Hero gets lightly wounded. This

doesn't mean much right now, but sets the stage for worse outcomes.

Example of a temper move in use:

Korheld (choleric) is bringing the children Renie and Ulrein to safety from the street
riots that Seidel has incited.

GM: Korheld, there's a crowd in terrified flight coming your way down the narrow alley, and you
risk being separated and maybe trampled. What do you do? (Makes a threatening
GM move. Note "risk".)

K: I keep cool and pull us to the side.

GM: That doesn't sound very angry? (Helpfully points out that this doesn't activate
Korheld's choleric move.)

K: Err, I mean, I shout and brandish my knife at the crowd, while pushing the children
behind me. (An acceptable activation.)

GM: Great, roll the dice.

K: Rolls 2d6, gets 7. I seem to succeed in standing against the first rush of the crowd.

GM: (Thinks for a few seconds, which is OK.) Yes, of course, and you draw blood from
several people who are more or less pushed onto your knife. But they are too many to stand
against for long, and then you hear Renie and Ulrein scream behind you as they're about
to get dragged away from you. You can reach out and hold on to one of them, but not both.
What do you do? (This is a "hard choice." A "cost" could have been that
Korheld succeeded in protecting both children, but got hurt in the process.)

K: Argh! I grab ...Ulrein. Then I'll have to ask the Goddess later what happened to Renie.

17
Motivations and talent moves
Everyone picks a motivation. From your motivation you also get your special move,
the thing that makes you quite unusually formidable, that is aside from being able to
open your mind to the dreams of Dunsain (which is pretty badass, too!).

• Wants to keep on ruling Kora. Gives Ruler.

• Wants to seize power over Kora. Gives Tempter.

• Mortally, permanently in love. And in one of the other PC's. Gives

Deadly.

• Terribly, permanently in love. And in one of the other PC's. Gives Fiery
speaker.

• Wants to avenge, free and raise up an oppressed group. Gives Mighty.

• Wants horrible revenge against the one who wronged you. Naturally,
that's one of the other PC's. Gives Fascinating.

The way all the talents work is that in some field, you can do much more than
normal people. That is, you as GM should let the PC's get away with much more in
that area. They can do more than others without it entailing risk, and if they take
risks they can do truly impressive things.

The talents are a bit "askew" on the motivations and the situations they come with.
They are amazingly strong and useful, but they're not necessarily the talent that
would help most with your motivation, and the combinations will often put people
in slightly awkward situations. For example, you get the talent Mighty from the
motivation Wants to avenge, free and raise up an oppressed group, and it
means that you win any fair and open fight. But the motivation will often mean that
you end up in fights that very much aren't fair...

A number of the talents primarily serve to affect NPC's singly, namely Ruler,
Tempter and Fascinating (Ruler and Tempter can also work collectively if the
players thing big). The important thing to remember as game master is that the
advice to be generous with cooperative NPC's applies that much more when these
talents are in play. When they're used, NPC's only struggle if complying would do
complete violence to the very core of their personalities.

18
And now, the individual talents and advice on how to deal with them as GM.

Talent: Ruler
When you play upon the two main injustices of your society, people do as you tell
them. Threaten the oppressed with your power and right to dominate them, or
promise them a bit of protection. Or remind your subjects of their fear of external
or internal enemies. Then, they'll almost always do as you say.

You don't have to like it, but this is how you really get people to obey. If the
situation is very tense, you risk trouble from using your talent.

GM notes on Ruler: This talent gives the ruler an incentive for exploiting
and supporting the status quo. Two things are important to keep in mind,
that the talent doesn't require the player to like being terrible, and that you as
GM must remember to let NPC's respond strongly to the talent, whether it's
used overtly or discreetly. Be extra generous with cooperative NPC's when
this talent is used.

Talent: Tempter
You have an eye for people's hope and greed, and by appealing to greed and hopes
with promises of reward, you can get people to serve you, and to risk a lot for you
(though rarely to throw away their lives for you).

You do have to offer them something that it makes sense for them to desire and
hope for, and if you ask them to betray strong loyalties, you risk them turning on
you.

GM notes on Tempter: This talent is in a way the positive version of Ruler.

On the other hand it's also a talent with which it's easy to lure poor NPC's
way out of their depth, to terrible grief. What you lure them with must make
some sort of sense, but interpret it generously. Perhaps it appeals to a hidden
side of an NPC, even if it doesn't make the most immediate sense? This
talent can lead the player to walk a fine line between liberator and charlatan.

19
Talent: Deadly
Killing is incredibly easy for you. Not in open battle (though you're no weakling),
but in the shadows. A push at the top of the stairs, a little knife in the dense crowd,
a discreet visit to the kitchens.

If you decide to commit murder, cunningly, your chosen victim is in mortal danger.
It might get innocents hurt, it might put you in danger, but if your plan is not
completely foolish, your chosen victim won't be alive for long.

GM notes for Deadly: When this is in play, remember your constraint of

not protecting your places and people! If a player character is the target, it
should always require risk for the murderer, and the victim should have a
chance to hinder, but be generous in supporting the talent by not unduly
hindering access to the victim, and remember: Even if there's risk, and even
with a middling result, the murder should always at least have an
accomplished murder as option in a hard choice, or have some cost other
than the victim not being quite dead. Don't block the murderer from
murdering!

For example: You can go through with the murder BUT if you want to
quite finish him off it'll take another stab, and you'll get caught
standing over the body, knife in hand. Or you can jump out of the
window now, and he's only badly wounded.

Talent: Fiery speaker

You have an amazing talent for inciting a leaderless crowd and getting them to take
drastic action by telling them the truth about something important to them.

It doesn't work if you lie, and you risk the crowd turning on you, but you can rouse
the passion of the crowd to action with fiery words.

GM notes for Fiery speaker: Remember that it only works of you speak the
truth (and a truth which is relevant to the crowd). This move is a little
difficult to bring into play, so be sure to make the angry crowd an extremely
large and heavy club! Here, you must really, really not block the full effect!

That the fiery speaker doesn't necessarily have actual control of the crowd is
an interesting aside. When the wrath of the people is roused, it is not easily
reined in.

20
Talent: Mighty
In open battle, you're unmatched. You win any open fight on equal terms, and have
a good chance even if circumstances are very much against you.

You are not invincible, but you are truly terrifying in battle.

GM notes for Mighty: The mighty warrior is worth something like ten
ordinary warriors in a fight. Excellent, and in the right place perhaps enough
to turn the tide, but remember that many fights aren't fair...

Talent: Fascinating
You're an incredibly beautiful
and fascinating person; for
better or worse someone people
fall in love with. People's habits
regarding partners are no
hindrance for your beauty.

People easily fall in love with

you, but also easily get obsessed
with you. If you think someone
should fall in love with you, you
must either seduce them or
describe your fascinating beauty,
and if it makes sense for them
to fall for you, they do. It
doesn't quite allow you to
exercise mind control, but it's
close – noone is unaffected by
you.

GM noted for Fascinating: Be generous! The fascinating character can

hijack the loyalties of practically anyone, and only truly loyal people can
resist. Costs and complications in connection with infatuation can be things
like jealousy, possessiveness and NPC's taking drastic initiative of their own
accord in what they perceive as the intererests of their beloved. If this talent
is used against player characters and they wish to resist, they can't be forced
to become loyal, but they can suffer risk of temporary loss of control.

21
Becoming in details
This is the concrete guide to the first part of the game. It should take a bit less than
half the available time, 1½-2 hours, and it begins as soon as the players get seated.
Along with this section, you'll also need a lot of aids, here in order of appearance:

a: What we know of Dunsain and Her children

b: In/justice in Dunsain

c: Map of Dunsain

d: Names in Dunsain

e: Sensuality

f: Menu of tempers

(g: Tempers and names, under Character sheets)

(h: Character sheets, under Character sheets)

i: Map of Kora

j: Dreams of the Goddess

k: Menu of motivations

(l: Motivations and talents, under Character sheets)

You'll also need clear tape to fasten the tempers and motivations to the character
sheets. There's a table of all the handouts and aid sheets on page 28.

Questions to keep in mind during character creation

The players have these questions on their sheets. Do poke them with these in mind
during Becoming (and Unfolding too). They're key to the characters.

• What specifically is it that you desire?

• Why can't you get it, or keep it?

• Who do you love?

22
Becoming, step by step
Here's a guide to Becoming for you as game master. For most of the steps there are
also one or more sheets for you to use or hand to the players. Consider this section
the recipe, and the handouts and aid sheets the physical ingredients.

1. Lay out the six pictures on the table as soon as you're together in the
room. They're at the back of the scenario. Ask the players to be quiet and
look at the pictures. Wait a moment, then ask what the pictures make them
feel. Leave the pictures on the table during the rest of the game. Possibly use
the time to organize your own many papers.

2. Introduce the concept, the aesthetic and the given facts, that is Dunsain
and Her children, and that we're in a city (or something) named Kora. Use
the sheet "What we know of Dunsain and Her children (a)". Here, you can
talk a little more freely. Note the names/places of the players for use during
step 5. Tell them about Becoming and Unfolding, and that Becoming is proper
play where they'll both create and roleplay, starting very soon.

3. Agree on the injustice. This is both about getting at what the players
positively want to play with, and what they really don't want to deal with.
Generally not-wanting should trump wanting, though you can promise that
whatever is dealt with will be dealt with seriously. Use the aid sheet
"In/justice in Dunsain (b)". The injustices will shape the rest of the game, but they're
NOT necessarily tasks to be solved, and it's important that you say this. Keep the
discussion reasonably brief – don't overthink this to death. Remember, for
the rest of the game, to bring the two injustices AND the one good thing
into play.

4. Brainstorm flavour. Climate, and very generally. Return to "What we know

of Dunsain and Her children (a)". Ask the players to sketch a map of
Dunsain (on the sheet "Map of Dunsain (c)"). Also lay out "Names in
Dunsain (d)".

5. Sensuality. Now the time of preparation is over, and actual play begins. Ask
the players to close their eyes and dream along, and answer with eyes closed.
We start producing fiction about the setting through questions from the
game master to the players. Use questions that are sensual and concrete but
tie into the chosen injustices. See the sheet "Sensuality (e)".

23
6. Distribute tempers/names. They are character cores to be rounded out
with motivations and talents. Lay out the menu of tempers (f). Ask people to
choose a temper which is clearly unlike their own. When they've agreed on a
distribution, give the players their tempers and names (g), and ask them to
tape the tempers/names to the character sheets (h). From now on, call the
players by character names. Also tell them that the duty of the players in the game
is first and foremost to explore their characters and the situation, without worrying too
much about plot and storytelling.

7. Brainstorm their childhood, as fairly terse and playful cooperative

storytelling, rather than as negotiated agreement. That means, let the player
agree on the most basic things, and then ask them to start telling about
things from their childhood. Take things that one player says and use it to
build questions for the others. Ask the players to sketch a map of Kora (on
the sheet "Map of Kora (i)"), and take lots of notes yourself. Ask more
questions about dress, food habits and manners, as well as the physical
surroundings, to bring in/justice back into view. Also note a relevant NPC or
two, though it's fine that the players focus on each other.

8. Play a couple of situations from childhood and adolescence to

demonstrate the moves mechanic via the tempers and get a little meat on the
relations. Try to look for both loyalty and rivalry that you can draw on later.
Take care to demonstrate strong success/weak success/failure, the risk key
word and help/hinder. It's OK that the scenes take a little time – it's the first
time we meet the children of Dunsain face to face, and that's important.
Also do make sure that ways the the dice fall are decisive in shaping the lives
of the characters going forward.

9. Dreams of the Goddess. This is another sensuality exercise to put some

meat on what it means to be the children of Dunsain, and to teach the
players to use the move open your mind to the dreams of Dunsain. Use the sheet
"Dreams of the Goddess (j)".

10. Distribute motivations based on the menu of motivations (k). Then hand
out the chosen motivations with talents attached (l). The players should
choose based on motivations, NOT talents. Let people tape them onto their
character sheets and reflect on what motivations and talents mean for their
characters. Do mention that the talents are fixed, not something for the
players to make up on the fly – unlike so much else in the game. Make sure
that motivations and talents are public at the table.

24
 11. From childhood to adulthood. How old are they? Anything from 20-50 is
possible, and the players should agree on this. Then let the players make
choices about their characters' lives, rather than agree on everything with
each other – but it's OK for them to be inspired by each other, as long as it
doesn't devolve into

12. negotiations. Use the three motivation questions, and get a concrete idea
about who loves and/or hates who (you don't have to assume
heterosexuality). End up with asking the players to openly give brief answers
to the three questions.

◦ What specifically is it that you desire?

◦ Why can't you get it, or keep it?

◦ Who do you love?

13. Determine the situation at the start of Unfolding by asking provocative

questions to prepare the shift from mostly collaborative storytelling to
something resembling hard player on player conflict. Your notes should give
you a lot to work with. It might be a good idea to ask if someone has been
out travelling, and is just returning from war, trade, exile or the like.
Together, create an unstable and explosive situation.

Examples of questions:

• "What threat to your power do you fear the most right now?"

• "Who in Kora do you think you can trust after all this time?"

• "What rumours have you heard in the market recently?"

14. They meet each other. Play two or three short scenes where they meet each
other in everyday situations or after a long time apart. Here it is a rule that
nothing drastic can happen. No violence, no using moves – so don't frame scenes
that would tend to explode in violence. The purpose is to get their relations
up and running in the present, so we're sure to see them together without
them stabbing each other from the word "go". Everyone must see play
together with one or two other player characters.

And now you should be ready for Unfolding. Remind the players that their duties in the
game are primarily to explore their characters and the situation of their characters, without
worrying about plot and storytelling.

25
Unfolding in details
In Unfolding you must challenge the players, and they must challenge each other, to
find out who their characters really are. The motivations of the player characters
function as individual premises, statements so strong that they're really questions
(and remember "Why can't you get it, or keep it?"). As game master, let your actions
in Unfolding be guided by your ends, constraints and principles for making moves,
as described in the chapter on moves.

Make oppression visible

Run Unfolding in three parts. Start off each part by
briefly summarizing the situation and laying out You have two strong injustices;
the guidelines for this part for the players, based make them significant in every-
on your GM aid sheet for the part (Unfolding a, b day life and in people's motives.
and c). This way, the players have an idea of where Not that people should whine
in the game they are, and don't get surprised by unceasingly, but it should be
the game suddenly ending. The details are outlined visible that people's lives are
below, but run it from the aid sheets. shaped by the oppression
whether they suffer under it or
benefit from it. And the non-
In each part, make sure that all players have injustice? If sexuality and gender
opportunity to take strong initiative beyond mere are free, there should be gay
reaction to what you and the other players do to couples and people both in and
them. Keep an eye on who has had a clear outside the stereotypical pursuits
opportunity to act, and find fitting moments to of their gender. If there's no
cut to those who have only reacted thus far, or not racism, there should be people of
appeared at all. The part is done when everyone different origins, not just a
has had a chance to make a significant move. If a homogenous mass.
player character dies during part 1 or 2, give the
player the handout "You're dead – now what?"
(Unfolding d) to help them haunt. This way they sort of stay in the game, and also
do try to send more of your general setting questions their way.

1. Part 1. Start and instruct as the sheet Unfolding part 1 says. First, get a fairly
aggressive player to open their mind to the Goddess. Let events unfold, and don't
drive the players too hard at each other with your scene framing.

2. Part 2. Start and instruct as the sheet Unfolding part 2 says. Push them
harder at each other now, and use NPC's and scene framing to put a little
pressure on alliances that might have been made.

3. Part 3. Start and instruct as the sheet Unfolding part 3 says. If one of them
has had it a little too easy so far, possibly apply pressure, but hopefully they'll
do it of their own accord. And remember that the story doesn't need to end
neatly.

26
 4. Epilogue. End the game with a last, third sensuality exercise, and ask the
players to reflect, quietly, on who the children of Dunsain turned out to be,
and on what they leave behind. Use the aid sheet Epilogue.

And that's it, really. Talk about the game as you clear away the papers and pack up.
If there have been intense and transgressive moments, you can do a proper
debriefing. The very brief version of what that is, is that everyone in turn say how
they feel about themselves and the game, with no arguing or interrupting allowed,
before having a more free discussion about the game.

27
Table of handouts and aid sheets
Becoming (in the order in which you'll need them)
a: What we know of Dunsain and Her children.....................................................29
b: In/justice in Dunsain..............................................................................................30
c: Map of Dunsain...................................................................................................... 31
d: Names in Dunsain...................................................................................................32
e: Sensuality................................................................................................................... 33
f: Menu of tempers......................................................................................................34
g: Tempers and names, under Character sheets.............................................. 46
h: Character sheets 1-4, under Character sheets............................................. 47
i: Map of Kora............................................................................................................. 35
j: Dreams of the Goddess.......................................................................................... 36
k: Menu of motivations.............................................................................................. 37
l: Motivations and talents, under Character sheets......................................... 55

Unfolding
a: Part 1.......................................................................................................................... 38
b: Part 2......................................................................................................................... 39
c: Part 3.......................................................................................................................... 40
d: You're dead – now what?....................................................................................... 41
e: Epilogue.................................................................................................................... 42

Game master's aid sheets

a: GM's cheat sheet, ends and means....................................................................... 43
b: GM's cheat sheet, motivations and talents.......................................................... 44
c: Spilleders noter i spil............................................................................................... 45

Character sheets
Tempers and names (Becoming g)............................................................................ 46
Character sheets 1-4 (Becoming h)........................................................................... 47
Motivations and talents (Becoming l)....................................................................... 55

Pictures – Six pictures by Sidney Sime............................................................. 57

28
What we know of Dunsain and Her children
– Becoming a
Some things are fixed, and based on those you must determine at least some of the
things that we don't know. You don't have to determine everything about all things.

• Dunsain is the name of the land, and the land is also a dreaming goddess.

• The player characters are "Children of Dunsain", some of the unusual

people who can open their minds to the dreams of the goddess.

• Magic is real but subtle; visions, illusions and curses, not fireballs and
people flying around.

• Swords and spears, not guns and bombs.

• People are human, not orcs and elves

• There are no intelligent monsters. If there are dragons, they're dumb

animals.

• You come from Kora. Kora is a busy trading city, or a sparsely populated
city of ruins, or a mighty fortress, or a tent camp that springs into existence
when the tribes meet every four years, or a fleet of ships, or something else.
But Kora is an important hub, which is your home and place of origin.

Also, Our Heroes are about the same age.

What we don't know about Dunsain and Her children

Everything else.

• Hot or cold, lush or barren?

• Glittering spires or fur tents? Creaking wooden ships or overgrown temples?

• How do people look? How do politics look? How do wealth and poverty
look?

• What does it mean in practice, that you're Children of Dunsain?

When you have determined justice and injustice, start there and half-finish the land
based on that. Work out the basics.

29
In/justice in Dunsain – Becoming b
In TWO ways, Dunsain is a terribly unfair place, in ONE way normally unfair, and
in ONE way hardly unfair at all. You decide how, and just what that means.
Discuss, cross out the two statements in each category that aren't true, and decide
what the last one means in practice.

Powerful and unusual people (like the Children of Dunsain) can to some degree get
away with flouting the norms of society. That doesn't mean that the norms don't
exist.

Class/Wealth
• Slave economy and/or caste society.
• Ordinary class society with beggars in the streets.
• Equitable social distribution of resources.

Religion
• Heretics must burn, and the impious be punished for their sins.
• Deviants from proper religion and morality are tolerated. Often, so too is
violence and discrimination against them.
• Let all find comfort and blessing however they can and will.

Racism
• The others look like people – but we know better.
• Neighbouring tribes and those folks from up north are strange and suspect.
• Different tribes and peoples are alike in the ways that matter.

Gender/sexuality
• Deviations from the norm are crimes to be harshly punished.
• For the most part, deviations from the norms are tolerared but despised.
• People do what they can that makes them happy.

In the categories racism and gender/sexuality, it can make sense to reverse the
familiar direction of normal or gross injustive, so we get fantasies of amazon
societies where the black oppress the white and straight guys are hunted for sport.
But you don't have to (and it can easily get tiresome).

30
Map of Dunsain
– Becoming c, draw as you please

31
Names in Dunsain – Becoming d
All these names can apply to men as well as women. Underline as you use them. And very,
very seriously:

Use these names and no others.

Adel Benaiz Constanz

Dietheld Evelin Frieder

Ginevel Heldreid Isoré

Jacinth Korheld Leonwin

Mazaire Nathal Ortheld

Placide Quinter Renie

Seidel Thierre Ulrein

Valhaut Wolfreid Xerny

Yanic Zharin

Place names in Dunsain

Use the names below, or use words, as in "Summer Grove" or "The Great Ox Road".

Axern Ban-Elair Kora

Nairm Tuel Valfriede

32
Sensuality – Becoming e
Explain that the point of the exercise is exploring the land Dunsain more sensually
and closely. Ask them to sit back in their chairs, close their eyes and relax. You'll ask
them to imagine some things and to answer som questions, briefly and still with
their eyes closed. Possibly pick questions from the list before you start talking.
Begin like this:
Her hair is forest, Her shoulders hills. The goddess Dunsain is the land itself, and the
lives of the people is what She dreams. The game is not about her, but about a handful
of unusual people who dream the goddess to life. Their forbidden love, their lust for
power, their thirst for revenge and justice is the nerve in Her dreams. They are the
children of Dunsain.

See [something mentioned during the brainstorm, like snow-covered mountains].

Hear [something else you've talked about, like the crashing of the waves].
Feel the smell of [some third thing, like the campfires at nightfall].
Ask one player one of the questions from the list below, preferably something
that engages with one of your injustives in an interesting way.
Ask a second player one of the questions.
Ask a third player one of the questions.
Ask a fourth player one of the questions, if there are four players.
Finally, say "See the land, feel Dunsain." Then wait about ten seconds before
you ask them to open their eyes.

Here are questions to ask:

• How are the rich women of Kora dressed?

• How do the foreign merchants look?

• How are the mercenaries from out west equipped?

• What do common people of Kora eat for dinner?

• Where do the slaves come from, and how do they look?

• How do fine folk travel?

33
Menu of tempers – Becoming f
For players to choose from. Only one player per temper, and one temper per
player. It's best to choose a temper different from what you yourself are like.

* Phlegmatic
Under pressure: You act or speak, calmly, to bring the
chaotic situation under control. Cool, not uncaring.

* Choleric
Under pressure: You lash out in anger, in word or deed,
and use the fire in your blood to defeat your problems.
Fierce, not foolish.

* Melancholy
Under pressure: With a heavy heart, you take drastic
action or speak dramatic words to escape a tight spot.
Dramatic, not mopey.

* Sanguine
Under pressure: You speak or act wildly, blood singing,
to break free of trouble. Wild, not silly.

34
 Map of Kora
– Becoming i, draw as you please

35
Dreams of the Goddess – Becoming j
This is the second sensuality exercise. Here we get to know both Dunsain and
Her children better. They've all dreamt of Her since they were little children,
and they've all, when it really mattered, been able to find hidden secrets and
call down curses by asking Dunsain in dreams. It's not without dangers and
costs, though...

• First, she must be described. Her appearance is neither unchanging

nor without recognizable features. Ask the players to close their eyes
and think of the dreams they dreamt of the Goddess when they were
very young. They must keep their eyes closed for the whole exercise.

• Ask them to dream a place. Ask each player, going round the table, to
say something about the place. ("In the woods", "by a lake", "the sun is
shining".)

• Then say that Dunsain comes into view, in a manner fitting the
landscape. Ask each player to say one thing about how she looks. Then
add one detail of your own.

• Next, ask them to take turns telling about a dream of the Goddess
that they had as children, and about what they were trying to
accomplish (learn a secret, call down a curse, cleanse themselves). Work
from the move, but roll no dice and assume success. Use the occasion
to build characters and fiction! Start with a player who seems
reasonably comfortable with speaking and making up things.

• They must keep their eyes closed, all of them.

• Finish by saying, see Her. Feel Her presence.

Now they can open their eyes.

36
Menu of motivations – Becoming k
For players to choose from. Only one player per motivation, and one
motivation per player.

* Wants to keep on ruling Kora

– that means you already do, but not securely

* Wants to seize power over Kora

– and you're in position to make an attempt

* Mortally, permanently in love

– with one of the other Children of Dunsain, naturally

* Terribly, permanently in love

– with one of the other Children of Dunsain, naturally

* Wants to free the oppressed

– whatever that means in your version of Dunsain

* Wants horrible revenge

– on one of the other Children of Dunsain.
Death is too gentle a fate!

37
Unfolding part 1 – Unfolding a
Game master: This is the time to draw the lines and launch the intrigues. Play based on
the guidelines in the section Mechanics for Unfolding: Moves. Continue until everyone has had
a good opportunity to take significant initiative.

Sum up the situation in Kora for the players, based on the scenes you played at the
end of Becoming.

Now instruct the players for this part of the game: This is part 1 of 3 of Unfolding.
You're free to do as you will to pursue your agendas and explore your characters and their
situation. You don't have to get drastic right now, but you're very much allowed to. It's
both OK to set everything on fire and to go more subtly about it. The point isn't to win,
but to explore a conflict-filled situation.

As they play, follow these instructions yourself:

• To begin with: Choose a fairly aggressive player (not just player character),
preferably one with an aggressive motivation. Ask that player to get things going
by opening their mind to the dreams of Dunsain. Use your own goddess question to fan
the flames from the start – there will be time enough for doubt and regret later,
right now just throw on more fuel. This shoudn't count as that player's
opportunity to take initiative in part 1.

• Along the way: Use NPC's to challenge the players and to bring the injustices into
play. Follow up on the ideas of the players and build on them, and be generous.
Don't force them to fight each other, but let them if they want to. Remember to
make the not-injust element in the game visible.

• Should someone be killed in part 1 or 2: If they've had a chance to defend

themselves or otherwise react, it's OK, even though it's early in the game. Give the
player of the first dead character the handout You're dead – now what?
(Unfolding d), so that player still has a leg in the game, and address more of your
curiosity questions to that player. If more people die, the game shouldn't be
flooded with ghosts; instead give them a scene with the first dead character, before
the second one disappears into the bosom of the Goddess.

• End part 1 by asking the players some questions about everyday life in Kora,
ordinary details from the lives of ordinary people, preferably details that lightly
touch upon the injustices ("where do the beggars sleep?", "how does it smell in the
evening meal-time in the quarter of the Westerners?"). This gives a little breathing
space in the game.

Say that you're rounding off part 1 now, and if it makes sense, push the time forward. Let
the night pass, and maybe the next day, so the game doesn't feel like constant running
around.

38
Unfolding part 2 – Unfolding b
Game master: If open strife has yet to break out, apply more pressure. If obvious
alliances have formed between players, look for cracks and incompatible interests. Play
based on the guidelines in the section Mechanics for Unfolding: Moves. Continue with part 2
until everyone has had a good opportunity to take strong initiative.

Sum up the situation in Kora for the players, based on what happened in part 1.

Now instruct the players for this part of the game: This is part 2 of 3 of Unfolding.
It's time now to let loose and press yourselves and each other, and to see where your
motivations take you, regarding who you and what you love and desire. Do as you like, as
long as it makes sense in the game..

As they play, follow these instructions yourself:

• To begin with: Give the initiative and spotlight to a player who was in a weak
position at the end of part 1. If noone is in a clearly weak position, start with
something that arouses your curiosity and that of the Goddess.

• Along the way: If they aren't already locked in strife, push them with NPC's who
point out that the situation is unstable, or with scene framing that confronts them
with their disagreements and the consequences of each other's actions and
background.

• Find an opportunity to have a reasonably likable NPC state how one of the two
really ugly injustives is in fact fair. Hatred and oppression are a lot less scary if
they're just for monsters. If you don't manage to work it in, that's OK. This is nice
but not strictly necessary.

• Should someone be killed in part 1 or 2: Give the player of the first dead
character the handout You're dead – now what? (Unfolding d), so that player still
has a leg in the game, and address more of your curiosity questions to that player.
If more people die, the game shouldn't be flooded with ghosts; instead give them
a scene with the first dead character, before the second one disappears into the
bosom of the Goddess.

• End part 2 by asking the players some questions which indirectly touch upon the
consequences of the actions of the players, or the potential consequences of their
plans ("what do you think Wolfreid's daughter is doing right now?", "what are the
slaves talking about in the kitchens right now?").

Say that you're rounding off part 2, and if it makes sense, push time forward, but don't
force it at any cost. Let the night pass, and maybe the next day, so the game doesn't feel
like constant running, screaming and dying – if it makes sense.

39
Unfolding part 3 – Unfolding c
Game master: Part 3 is the time to get those characters who aren't already out of their
depth right out there. Rounding off the story nicely should NOT be your first priority.
Play based on the guidelines in the section Mechanics for Unfolding: Moves. Continue with
part 3 until everyone has had a good opportunity to take strong initiative.

Sum up the situation in Kora for the players, based on what happened in part 2.

Now instruct the players for this part of the game: This is part 3 of 3 of Unfolding.
We're approaching the end of the game, so it's time to do what you can to push yourself
and the others. Don't worry about wrapping up your personal stories or finding out how
it all ends – that's less important.

As they play, follow these instructions yourself:

• To begin with: Frame a scene or let an eager player take the initiative, whatever
you think will best serve the purpose of finding out who the characters are.

• Along the way: Follow your ends and constraints, hard. Loose ends are NOT
important.

• If someone dies now they're just dead. They'll have a chance to shine a little in
the epilogue.

• End part 3 when it makes sense to you and everyone has had a chance, whether
that means that you reach some conclusion or that everything is just smoke and
bloody chaos. Say that the game ends now, and go to the epilogue (with the sheet
Epilogue, unfolding e).

It should be fairly intuitive if you just let the notion of the plot go. Don't let them get
away with just hating, keep some focus on who they love, if noting else throught the
questions that Dunsain asks. Without love, it doesn't matter.

40
You're dead – now what? – Unfolding d
Your life is over, but not yet quite gone. As one of the Children of Dunsain, you
live on in Her dreams for a little while yet, before she forgets you and you go the
way of the candle's flame. Meanwhile, you can to two things, each of them once.

You can Open your mind to the dreams of Dunsain, with 2d6
You live in her dreams, so it's kind of obvious. By calling down a curse,
you can affect the world of the living, and you can learn secrets that
you can use with the other ability.

You can appear before a mortal

In a lucid and clearly remembered dream, or as a hallucination. You can
talk to the living person, but you can't touch each other.

Once each. Use them well. When you've used them both you're really gone.

41
Epilogue – Unfolding e
This is the third and last sensuality exercise. Ask your players to close their
eyes.

1) First, ask them to sense a couple of concrete details from Kora,

preferably things that have been mentioned in play. For example "see
the red tiles on the roofs of Kora. Smell the fried fish that the street
vendors sell", or whatever you've had in play.

2) See [living player character], where they are right now. [Briefly
describe where they are right now, based on where we left them.] Feel
[her/him]! Remember [her/him]! [Go through all living player
characters]

3) [Do the same with the corpses of dead characters, describing them
where they are.] Think of [dead player characters in a really memorable
scene]!

4) Zoom out from Kora and Dunsain with sensual details through three
statements, from close up and then out in bird's eye perspective. Again
draw on things that have seen play.

5) See Her, see Dunsain!

Wait five to ten seconds, then ask them to open their eyes and say thank you
for the game.

42
GM's cheat sheet, ends and means– GM a

Your ends:
¤ Find out who the PC's really are
¤ Make Dunsain living and believable
Do nothing that doesn't serve these ends.

Your constraints:
Don't block the players. That also means don't plan
outcomes, and don't protect places and people.

Moves: When you or a player makes a move, the

game MUST MOVE. Something has to change.

Remember risk when you need to press the players.

When they open their minds to the Goddess,

ask questions.

43
GM's cheat sheet, motivations and talents – GM b
Draw lines, cross out irrelevant boxes, note content

Wants to keep on ruling Kora

– ruler, can threaten with injustices
Frieder (phlegmatic)
– calm, temperate, affable
Wants to seize power over Kora
– tempter, can lure with greed and hope

Korheld (choleric)
– aggressive, direct, angry Mortally, permanently in love
– deadly, can murder sneakily

Mazaire (melancholy) Terribly, permanently in love

– reflective, dramatic, sad – fiery speaker, can incite the crowd

Wants to free the oppressed

Seidel (sanguine) – mighty, can win any fair fight
– impulsive, sociable, wild

Wants horrible revenge

– fascinating, people fall in love

44
GM's notes in play – GM c
NPC's have names, they're people.

What would you like to know about the player characters?

• What specifically is it that you desire?
• Why can't they have it, or keep it?
• Who do they love?
And who are they, really?

45
Tempers and names – Becoming g/character sheets

Frieder Phlegmatic
When you act or speak, calmly, to bring the
Your temper is phlegmatic. You're mild, affable, chaotic situation under control, roll 2d6.
intuitive and maybe a little lazy. What you
desire, you desire strongly, but you pursue 9+: You get away with it.
your goals in a sensible manner. You're calm, 6-8: You get out of trouble, mostly.
maybe even cool, and you like your affairs The game master gives you a cost or a
well-ordered. That coolness is the core of hard choice.
who you are.
to 5: It goes terribly wrong.
You choose your gender quite freely.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Choleric
Korheld
When you lash out in anger, in word or deed,
Your temper is choleric. You're ambitious, and use the fire in your blood to defeat your
direct, violent and angry. You're no fool, and problems, roll 2d6.
your anger isn't ineffectual – it's a source of
strength for you to attain your goals with, for 9+: You get away with it.
yourself and for those that you love. That fire 6-8: You get out of trouble, mostly.
in your belly is the core of who you are. The game master gives you a cost or a
You choose your gender quite freely. hard choice..
to 5: It goes terribly wrong.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mazaire Melancholy
With a heavy heart, you take drastic action or
Your temper is melancholy. You're a deep and speak dramatic words to escape a tight spot –
strong thinker, but also self-centered, roll 2d6.
depressive and self-destructive. Your
emotions and visions are grand and dramatic, 9+: You get away with it.
and even you do not fully understand your 6-8: You get out of trouble, mostly.
pain and longing. That darkness in your breast The game master gives you a cost or a
is the core of who you are. hard choice.
You choose your gender quite freely. to 5: It goes terribly wrong.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sanguine
Seidel
When you speak or act, wildly and with
Your temper is sanguine. You're energetic, singing blood, to break free of trouble, roll
sociable, charismatic and entertaining, but also 2d6.
wild and irresponsible. If others mistake your
impulsive nature for stupidity, though, they 9+: You get away with it.
make a bad mistake. You're well prepared to 6-8: You get out of trouble, mostly.
improvise. Your singing, rushing blood is the The game master gives you a cost or a
core of who you are. hard choice.
You choose your gender quite freely. to 5: It goes terribly wrong.

46
1

Name, temper and temper move here

You choose your gender quite freely

Open your mind to the dreams of Dunsain

Do it for one of the following (you choose):
• She grants you knowledge that you can put to immediate practical use (to
accomplish something decisive).
• She comforts you and cleanses you of poison, illness or madness.
• She curses one of your enemies with poison, illness or madness. You choose the
enemy, Dunsain shapes the curse.
You open your mind with trance or fierce ritual, she asks you a question – answer it with
complete honesty.
Roll 2d6 if you use mental discipline or a minimal ritual, or 2d6+1 if you use a fierce ritual and
bring a sacrifice of heart's blood or sex in Her honour.
9+: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your situation.
6-8: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your situation.
Also, you're exhausted and cannot call upon the Goddess again until after you've had a
good night's rest.
to 5: It is dangerous for mortals to open up to divine madness.

Motivation and talent here

Any temper can be combined with any motivation

The motivation is your hook, not your eternal duty

47
 Your notes about who you are, and why

What specifically is it that you desire?

Why can't you get it, or keep it?

Who do you love?

Moves: Drama system, not combat system

Make your move IN THE FICTION. If the outcome is in doubt, the game master will
ask you to roll dice.
Combat is treated like any other dramatic conflict; with few rolls – or none.
Consequences are what is told. You have no hit points. You're "just" hurt or killed.
If you want someone to do something for you, give them a reason.

Help or hinder other player characters

If you do something that will obviously help or hinder another player character in
something they're doing now, you can either give +1 (help) or -2 (hinder). No matter how
many help or hinder, help or hindrance can't in total exceed +1 or -2. If another player
character is trying to do bad things to you, hindering is a great idea.
If you follow up hard on a move just succesfully made by someone else, it counts as them
having helped you.

48
2

Name, temper and temper move here

You choose your gender quite freely

Åben dit sind for Dunsains drømme

Do it for one of the following (you choose):
• She grants you knowledge that you can put to immediate practical use (to
accomplish something decisive).
• She comforts you and cleanses you of poison, illness or madness.
• She curses one of your enemies with poison, illness or madness. You choose the
enemy, Dunsain shapes the curse.
You open your mind with trance or fierce ritual, she asks you a question – answer it with
complete honesty.
Roll 2d6 if you use mental discipline or a minimal ritual, or 2d6+1 if you use a fierce ritual and
bring a sacrifice of heart's blood or sex in Her honour.
9+: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your situation.
6-8: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your situation.
Also, you're exhausted and cannot call upon the Goddess again until after you've had a
good night's rest.
to 5: It is dangerous for mortals to open up to divine madness.

Motivation and talent here

Any temper can be combined with any motivation

The motivation is your hook, not your eternal duty

49
 Your notes about who you are, and why

What specifically is it that you desire?

Why can't you get it, or keep it?

Who do you love?

Moves: Drama system, not combat system

Make your move IN THE FICTION. If the outcome is in doubt, the game master will
ask you to roll dice.
Combat is treated like any other dramatic conflict; with few rolls – or none.
Consequences are what is told. You have no hit points. You're "just" hurt or killed.
If you want someone to do something for you, give them a reason.

Help or hinder other player characters

If you do something that will obviously help or hinder another player character in
something they're doing now, you can either give +1 (help) or -2 (hinder). No matter how
many help or hinder, help or hindrance can't in total exceed +1 or -2. If another player
character is trying to do bad things to you, hindering is a great idea.
If you follow up hard on a move just succesfully made by someone else, it counts as them
having helped you.

50
3

Name, temper and temper move here

You choose your gender quite freely

Åben dit sind for Dunsains drømme

Do it for one of the following (you choose):
• She grants you knowledge that you can put to immediate practical use (to
accomplish something decisive).
• She comforts you and cleanses you of poison, illness or madness.
• She curses one of your enemies with poison, illness or madness. You choose the
enemy, Dunsain shapes the curse.
You open your mind with trance or fierce ritual, she asks you a question – answer it with
complete honesty.
Roll 2d6 if you use mental discipline or a minimal ritual, or 2d6+1 if you use a fierce ritual and
bring a sacrifice of heart's blood or sex in Her honour.
9+: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your situation.
6-8: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your situation.
Also, you're exhausted and cannot call upon the Goddess again until after you've had a
good night's rest.
to 5: It is dangerous for mortals to open up to divine madness.

Motivation and talent here

Any temper can be combined with any motivation

The motivation is your hook, not your eternal duty

51
 Your notes about who you are, and why

What specifically is it that you desire?

Why can't you get it, or keep it?

Who do you love?

Moves: Drama system, not combat system

Make your move IN THE FICTION. If the outcome is in doubt, the game master will
ask you to roll dice.
Combat is treated like any other dramatic conflict; with few rolls – or none.
Consequences are what is told. You have no hit points. You're "just" hurt or killed.
If you want someone to do something for you, give them a reason.

Help or hinder other player characters

If you do something that will obviously help or hinder another player character in
something they're doing now, you can either give +1 (help) or -2 (hinder). No matter how
many help or hinder, help or hindrance can't in total exceed +1 or -2. If another player
character is trying to do bad things to you, hindering is a great idea.
If you follow up hard on a move just succesfully made by someone else, it counts as them
having helped you.

52
4

Name, temper and temper move here

You choose your gender quite freely

Åben dit sind for Dunsains drømme

Do it for one of the following (you choose):
• She grants you knowledge that you can put to immediate practical use (to
accomplish something decisive).
• She comforts you and cleanses you of poison, illness or madness.
• She curses one of your enemies with poison, illness or madness. You choose the
enemy, Dunsain shapes the curse.
You open your mind with trance or fierce ritual, she asks you a question – answer it with
complete honesty.
Roll 2d6 if you use mental discipline or a minimal ritual, or 2d6+1 if you use a fierce ritual and
bring a sacrifice of heart's blood or sex in Her honour.
9+: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your situation.
6-8: Dunsain grants your request, and tells you something interesting about your situation.
Also, you're exhausted and cannot call upon the Goddess again until after you've had a
good night's rest.
to 5: It is dangerous for mortals to open up to divine madness.

Motivation and talent here

Any temper can be combined with any motivation

The motivation is your hook, not your eternal duty

53
 Your notes about who you are, and why

What specifically is it that you desire?

Why can't you get it, or keep it?

Who do you love?

Moves: Drama system, not combat system

Make your move IN THE FICTION. If the outcome is in doubt, the game master will
ask you to roll dice.
Combat is treated like any other dramatic conflict; with few rolls – or none.
Consequences are what is told. You have no hit points. You're "just" hurt or killed.
If you want someone to do something for you, give them a reason.

Help or hinder other player characters

If you do something that will obviously help or hinder another player character in
something they're doing now, you can either give +1 (help) or -2 (hinder). No matter how
many help or hinder, help or hindrance can't in total exceed +1 or -2. If another player
character is trying to do bad things to you, hindering is a great idea.
If you follow up hard on a move just succesfully made by someone else, it counts as them
having helped you.

54
Motivations and talents I – Becoming l/character sheets
Wants to keep ruling Kora Talent: Ruler
The power is in your grip, whatever that When you play upon the two main injustices
means. Others want to take it away from you, of your society, people do as you tell them.
you want to keep it. What do you want to do Threaten the oppressed with your power and
with the power? How far are you willing to right to dominate them, or promise them a bit
go? of protection. Or remind your subjects of
• What specifically is it that you desire? their fear of external or internal enemies.
Then, they'll almost always do as you say.
• Why can't you get it, or keep it?
• Who do you love? You don't have to like it, but this is how you
really get people to obey. If the situation is
very tense, you risk trouble from using your
talent.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wants to seize power over Kora Talent: Tempter

You should be in charge of Kora and the You have an eye for people's hope and greed,
people. It is your right, your duty and your and by appealing to greed and hopes with
destiny. What do you want to do with the promises of reward, you can get people to
power? How far are you willing to go? serve you, and to risk a lot for you (though
• What specifically is it that you desire? rarely to throw away their lives for you).

• Why can't you get it, or keep it?

You do have to offer them something that it
• Who do you love? makes sense for them to desire and hope for,
and if you ask them to betray strong loyalties,
you risk them turning on you.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mortally, permanently in love Talent: Deadly

You have tried to forget your love, but in vain. Killing is incredibly easy for you. Not in open
It is your destiny, and now you are firmly battle (though you're no weakling), but in the
determined to win your beloved's heart or die shadows. A push at the top of the stairs, a
trying. Your beloved is one of the other little knife in the dense crowd, a discreet visit
player characters. Your love need not to the kitchens.
conform to social conventions of acceptable
love. If you decide to commit murder, cunningly,
• What specifically is it that you desire? your chosen victim is in mortal danger. It
might get innocents hurt, it might put you in
• Why can't you get it, or keep it?
danger, but if your plan is not completely
• Who do you love? foolish, your chosen victim won't be alive for
long.

55
Motivations and talents II – Becoming l/character sheets
Terribly, permanently in love Talent: Fiery speaker
You have tried to forget your love, but in vain. You have an amazing talent for inciting a
It is your destiny, and now you are firmly leaderless crowd and getting them to take
determined to win your beloved's heart or die drastic action by telling them the truth about
trying. Your beloved is one of the other something important to them.
player characters. Your love need not
conform to social conventions of acceptable It doesn't work if you lie, and you risk the
love. crowd turning on you, but you can rouse the
• What specifically is it that you desire? passion of the crowd to action with fiery
words.
• Why can't you get it, or keep it?
• Who do you love?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wants to free the oppressed Talent: Mighty

You heart beats for the unfairly treated, and In open battle, you're unmatched. You win
now, enough is enough. After years in exile, any open fight on equal terms, and have a
you return now to avenge, free and raise up an good chance even if circumstances are very
oppressed group. Based on the determination much against you.
of injustice there must be at least two; choose
one. You are not invincible, but you are truly
• What specifically is it that you desire? terrifying in battle.
• Why can't you get it, or keep it?
• Who do you love?

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wants horrible revenge Talent: Fascinating

Someone has horribly wronged you. How? You're an incredibly beautiful and fascinating
Your heart knows no ease until your person, for better or worse someone people
tormentor is destroyed. Not dead, but broken. fall in love with. People's habits re. partners
Death is too merciful a fate. And the one who are no hindrance for your beauty.
wronged you is one of the other player
characters. People easily fall in love with you, but also
• What specifically is it that you desire? easily get obsessed with you. If you think
someone should fall in love with you, you
• Why can't you get it, or keep it? must either seduce them or describe your
• Who do you love? fascinating beauty, and if it makes sense for
them to fall for you, they do. It doesn't quite
allow you to exercise mind control, but it's
close – noone is unaffected by you.

56
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59
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62
Her hair is forest, Her shoulders hills.
The goddess Dunsain is the land itself,
and the lives of the people is what She
dreams. The game is not about Her,
but about a handful of unusual people
who dream the goddess to life. Their
forbidden love, their lust for power,
their thirst for revenge and justice is the
nerve in Her dreams. They are the
children of Dunsain.