Assigning strings from Backstories for Arcana-After Years

[grysar]

Now that we’ve gotten Kyon basically through the process, it’s time for the last step of the process, backstories! Monsterhearts Backstories are reminiscent of a late night less than sober game of truth or dare/never I have ever. There’s no big secrets left in After Years, so like in the base games we’ll play this out in open in comments. I’ve listed all the relevant backstory prompts below. If you have more than two, feel free to knock out any you don’t like. Also, feel free to adapt them, so long as you keep the core drivers of conflict and connection.

To help the process, I’ve bolded and underlined any prompts that are specified by others rather than the PC themselves. If you think that your PC, or a major-NPC that you’re willing to portray fits, one of these prompts, say so in comments. As we figure out how they apply we'll fill in the sombodies.

Active version is now on Tarot_Hearts

Haruko

• You wear your heart on your sleeve. Give Kaede, Katie, Kyon, Satoshi, and Taki one String. (Fae)
• You’ve captured Ken’s fancy. Gain 2 Strings on them. (Fae)
• Katie is jealous of a quality you have. (Integrity. Katie still struggles with her sense of right and wrong, and Haruko seems to have no trouble defining and sticking to her convictions.) Discuss with them and decide what it is. You each get a String on one another. (Unicorn)
• Kenta has told you he's in love with you. You couldn't honestly reciprocate and he noticed. You each get a String on one another. (Unicorn)

Kaede

• You have two friends (Katie and Kyon) who you can rely on for monster-slaying support. Take a String on each. (Chosen)
• There’s someone who knows that you’re the Chosen one, and wants you dead. The MC gives them a name and two Strings on you. (Chosen)
• You’ve been watching Satoshi, trying to learn from him what it means to be human. Gain two Strings on him. (Serpentine)
• Your family seeks to controlguide your every move. Nanami, the head of your family gains two Strings on you. (Serpentine)

Katie

• Haruko is jealous of a quality you have - discuss with them and decide what it is (Respect, the form varies; vying for leadership, snarky comments about the Katie love field, or seeking Kyon's attention at the margins. It seems to come naturally to Katie while Haruko hustles with little success). You each get a String on one another. (Unicorn)
• Taki has told you she's in love with you. Gain 2 Strings on them. (Unicorn)
• Kyon reminded you what love was, when you thought that death had stolen it away from you forever. Give him 2 Strings. (Ghoul)
• Did anyone watch you die, or watch you come back to life (Kaede and Satoshi)? If so, you both gain 2 Strings on each other. (Ghoul)

Kyon

• Name three NPCs who are members of your gang. Gain a String on each. (Queen)
• You find someone threatening. Give them a String on you, and take two Strings on them. (Queen)
• Judge each other PC as either “treasure” or “merely currency.” (Wyrm)
• If they're treasure, describe the moment they caught your eye, and give them a String.
• If they're merely currency, take a String on them. They describe something off-putting that you said to them.

Satoshi

• You've been a wallflower all your life, but Katie finally noticed you. Give her a String. (Sasquatch)
• Haruko makes fun of you. What do they say? (Idle flirting, but less than she used to. Also busybody about his love life). They give you a Condition (Prude), and you gain 2 Strings on her. (Sasquatch)

Taki

• You live next to someone; your bedroom windows face. Choose:
  • You watch them through the blinds and they've noticed, each gain 1 String on one another;
  • You leave your blinds up while you change, each gain 2 Strings on one another.(Neighbor)
• You made out with someone a while ago. Gain a String on them and give them 2 Strings on you. (Neighbor)


• The Mortal always declares their backstory last. Declare Katie to be your lover. Give them three Strings on you. Take one String on her. (Mortal)
• You’ve been watching Shizaru, trying to learn from them what it means to be human. Gain two Strings on them. (Serpentine)
• Your family seeks to control your every move. Kyon and Haruko each gain a String on you. (Serpentine)

Lunch break update (2014/02/12): Incorporated Satoshi's picks. Clarified the Katie/Haruko one.
2014/02/14: Incorporated Kaede's picks and Haruko/Katie going the other way.
2014/02/18: Incorporated Taki's picks.

Current count :

Haruko: Katie 2. Ken 2. Taki 1. Kenta 1.
Kaede: Katie 3. Satoshi 2. Kyon 1. Haruko 1.
Katie: Taki 5. Satoshi 3. Haruko 3. Kaede 2.
Kyon: Katie 2. Haruko 2. Taki 1.
Satoshi: Haruko 3. Katie 2.
Taki: Shizaru 2. Katie 1. Haruko 1.

Nanami: Kaede 1.
Kenta: Haruko 1.
Akemi's Hairstylist?: Kaede 2.