in the Shadow of Greatness

Game Dream 18 :: Mockery

Game Dream 18: Mock Review
Do a mock review of a game that doesn't exist, but you think really ought to. Readers are encouraged to let the author of the review know if this game exists in another form somewhere.

Mockery is a new rpg about a group of odd Characters living in various places which span an infinite range of cultures and story genres. Your particular campaign might be about one genre or one culture, but the structure of the game accomodates anything from whimsical history to far-flung fantasy.

A few minutes to set up and you're on your way... or... you can take the "history" path to Character creation and build a story that explains a bit of how your Character sees themself and the worlds of Mockery.

In this game, Characters are Mockeries. They are somewhat malleable familiars that are mock versions of the living beings around them. They refer to their absent creators as the Determinants. They might work still for their creator, or be independant of them, but they are all strangely endowed with a Caring for the real people who know nothing of the Mockeries among them.

Living beings are not traditionally accepting of Mockeries. Except for the infrequent and very mysterious offscreen agenda of the Determinants, the Players are on their own in an elaborate Charade which is huge in scope. Still, the Caring Charade is not what the game is about.

The game may be run as a series of 'one-shots' which string together to suggest the Caring Charade. Or a campaign may involve regular linear sessions which develop relationships.

Mockeries oppose a group which may surface in your game, called Pretenders. The Pretenders are as mysteriously defined as the Determinants of the Mockeries. Pretenders seem supernatural and predatory, while Mockeries seem to be guardians of the less capable Living. Yet there are certain indications that Mockeries have 'gone over' to the Pretender side in the past for the promise of a 'true life'.

Characters are immediately very competant in all attributes that a Living Person might have— so they are strong, sturdy, clever, and good at dealing with sudden trouble. At character creation, the Player will name five additional attributes that will exceed Living designs. They may name these as additions to the competant things the Living do (the 4 Living attributes), or they may name something the Living are not competant at, such as Magic. These are Other attributes.

When they do this last, they acquire an Uneasy Trait which makes it more difficult to hide their Otherness.

They may also name specific Miracles instead of a broad Other attribute like Magic. Miracles are twice the strength of Other attributes (or very competant.) A specific miracle might be Never-Bound or Not-Seen. Miracles are subject to Uneasy Traits as well.

Players are allowed to Startle themselves by giving a blank attribute to the GM for Character discovery in-game. This usually means that at some point of dire need, the play group has a hidden trump to pull on the bad guys. In the design notes section, it is even pointed out that Characters with amnesia can give all five attribute choices to the GM with approval.

That's it.

How does it play out? A troupe game of very competant PCs with unheard of skills and possibly bizarre abilities? Abilities that must be hidden from the very people you are helping, lest you end up in a sanitorium or lynched? It can be a wild ride.

There are no dice rolls for conflict. PCs describe their actions, usually competant, and deal with consequence. When competant opposition arrives, it helps to team up, but these PCs can do solo adventures too. Dice are used for situations and environ, such as weather or visibility.

In the 'suggestions for advanced play' section, you will find these additional topics which further advance the complex interactions of the Caring Charade:

• Code Duello
  
• Code Uneasy
  
• Code Miraculous
  
• Breaking the Caring Bond
  
• Famous Pretenders
  
• Famous Mockeries
  
• Famous Living
  
• Death after Unlife
  
• Every Thousand Years
  

Some of the game elements might ask too much of a novice GM and would demand much narrative contribution from the Players. The 'hidden Determinants' is one element that can either be beefed up or ignored to simplify the game. One might question it being included in the game at all, but it does add another axis of complexity.

The Character History path is a nice element. Write a paragraph about your PC before the game starts. Some of the attributes might be sprinkled through this as descriptives, but your History draft can also get tweaks by exchanging ideas with the other Players. Previous adventures shared, or possible romances, or past arguments about the philosophy of Living and Unliving.

For those Players who enjoy Narrative rpg in a loose style, Mockery might just fool you in the right way.