Re: [DL] You have to pay to play

[Kevin L Stoner <stone1kl@cmich.edu>]

--- J T <jtsmailinglists@yahoo.com> wrote:
> 
> > 
> > So, any ideas for a suitably creepy entrance fee to
> > a demonic poker 
> > game. 
> > 
> 
> All it takes to get inside is a piece of your soul.  
> "It's only collateral, so don't you fret none.  I
> reckon you can think of it as an ante.  You can always
> win it back inside.  'Corse ifn you don't, well then I
> guess you might owe some favors.  But we can talk
> about the details later.  Theres a game to be played."
> 
> Have them write out a gamblers IOU and sign it in
> blood.
> 
> You can (if you like) give them a lower spirit die
> type (until they win thier soul back somehow).  Or
> simply give them a penalty to spirit rolls.  Or just
> mess w/ thier heads - and have no game effects per se.
>  Just have a demon come a calling evry now and then.
> 
> "You can't say NO to ME BOY.  I got a mighty big chunk
> of your mortal SOUL here."  -Hold out clenched fist. 
> Light streams from between the curled fingers. 
> Squeezes fist and the PC get cold all over.  Leans in
> real close. -  "I reckon you owe me big time."

As an alternative, don't give the posse any indication as to 
what the
entrance fee is or that there even *IS* one.  When they 
arrive at the
saloon, they see a long line of misshapen demons in evening 
wear
(tuxes, gowns, etc.).  The doorman (a huge, Etriggan-esque 
demon) takes
their coats and wraps (from the er... "ladies"...) along with 
a trinket
from each.  Baubles really for the most part though with some 
jewelry
and finer things from some of the better dressed demons.  

Let the posse sweat as the line grows shorter in front of 
them and
longer behind as they begin to realize that they don't have 
anything
like the trinkets and baubles being passed over to the 
doorman.  Then,
when they get to the front of the line, the demon smiles 
broadly
showing far more teeth than any mouth should have, takes the 
gambler's
coat and ushers them in with, "Oh I see you've brought extra. 
 It never
pays to show off you know..."

What was the entrance fee?  Pure souls.  The posses.  They're 
now part
of the pot.  

-Bryce "stealing plots shamelessly for YEARS" Perry

-- I really like Bryces idea A LOT, I think this has the best 
feel for the type of game you are going for. I have but one 
exception, I think you take years from them to represent the 
soul Ante. Take 5 or 10 years, just enough for them to notice 
it happening. As for harrowed, take a point of dominion from 
them again representing a small ante. After adding this to 
JT's orginal plot I have two words to describe it... STOLEN 
PLOT(as in by me).

Marshal Kevin "Shameless" Stoner