One of my favorite games is Before the Storm by Joanna Piancastelli, a one-shot rpg from the Seven Wonders collection. In it the group plays out the story of the last night of a fantasy company, as they rest before the final battle. It’s a game about relationships, disagreements, secrets, coming to terms with the past and more. It works both as a tabletop game and a LARP.
As of this writing, Avengers: Endgame is back in the theaters. Last night I found myself thinking about the bits I liked most from it and Infinity War. I liked the action sequences, but I also dug the moments of character interaction, especially as they came to terms with the scope of the fight (and eventually their loss). It reminded me of the best part of the X-Men's "Dark Phoenix" saga from the comics. In the final issue, before they go to fight the Shi’ar Imperial Guard we see our heroes coming to terms with the stakes of the battle.
As of this writing, Avengers: Endgame is back in the theaters. Last night I found myself thinking about the bits I liked most from it and Infinity War. I liked the action sequences, but I also dug the moments of character interaction, especially as they came to terms with the scope of the fight (and eventually their loss). It reminded me of the best part of the X-Men's "Dark Phoenix" saga from the comics. In the final issue, before they go to fight the Shi’ar Imperial Guard we see our heroes coming to terms with the stakes of the battle.
Before the Storm feels like a natural way to play out these stories—and it doesn’t require much of a reskin. Rather than a fantasy citadel, our team of superheroes is about to make a final stand against a world-shattering enemy. Our team has recovered The Object, something the enemy wants and that we hope to use against them. Our heroes have bunkered down in a base filled with allies and civilians, awaiting tomorrow’s attack.
You don’t have to change any of Before the Storm’s basic rules, but below you’ll find new selections for character creation, setting building, and choices for the final battle. This reskin requires a copy of Before the Storm.
CHARACTER CREATION
I’m a…
1. Masked vigilante
2. Master of technology
3. Mutant
4. Sorcerer
5. Master of physical combat
6. Invulnerable Tank
7. Alien
8. Allied villain
9. Beast held in check
10. Bearer of power not my own
Face Card: other or choose
Additional suggestions: manifestation of the power cosmic, dedicated scientist, team leader, legendary detective, hunter of mysteries.
Many know me as...
1. Former sidekick
2. Reformed assassin
3. Unreliable trickster
4. Paragon of virtue
5. Arrogant mastermind
6. Wisecracking protector
7. Bold and Inspiring leader
8. The Best at What I Do
9. Young and naive
10. Dark Avenger
Face Card: other or choose
Additional suggestions: brainwashed solider, fallen so-called-god, artificial person, out of my depth, last of a legacy, political manipulator, maternal figure.
You don’t have to change any of Before the Storm’s basic rules, but below you’ll find new selections for character creation, setting building, and choices for the final battle. This reskin requires a copy of Before the Storm.
CHARACTER CREATION
I’m a…
1. Masked vigilante
2. Master of technology
3. Mutant
4. Sorcerer
5. Master of physical combat
6. Invulnerable Tank
7. Alien
8. Allied villain
9. Beast held in check
10. Bearer of power not my own
Face Card: other or choose
Additional suggestions: manifestation of the power cosmic, dedicated scientist, team leader, legendary detective, hunter of mysteries.
Many know me as...
1. Former sidekick
2. Reformed assassin
3. Unreliable trickster
4. Paragon of virtue
5. Arrogant mastermind
6. Wisecracking protector
7. Bold and Inspiring leader
8. The Best at What I Do
9. Young and naive
10. Dark Avenger
Face Card: other or choose
Additional suggestions: brainwashed solider, fallen so-called-god, artificial person, out of my depth, last of a legacy, political manipulator, maternal figure.
I am passionate about...
1. Morality
2. Patriotism
3. Social Justice
4. Home
5. Faith
6. Destiny
7. Equality
8. Order
9. Unity
10. Science
Face Card: other or choose
I value...
1. Family
2. Money
3. Love
4. Loyalty
5. Identity
6. Heroism
7. Knowledge
8. Justice
9. Fame
10. Honesty
Face Card: other or choose
1. Morality
2. Patriotism
3. Social Justice
4. Home
5. Faith
6. Destiny
7. Equality
8. Order
9. Unity
10. Science
Face Card: other or choose
I value...
1. Family
2. Money
3. Love
4. Loyalty
5. Identity
6. Heroism
7. Knowledge
8. Justice
9. Fame
10. Honesty
Face Card: other or choose
SETTING CREATION
What is the name of our enemy? __________________
What is our base called? ____________________
The enemy fights with...
What is the name of our enemy? __________________
What is our base called? ____________________
The enemy fights with...
- Seemingly limitless regeneration
- Alien super science which seems like magic
- Mind-controlled former comrades
- A hive mind which constantly adapts
- Illusions and mental subversion
- No one
- A former hero
- An immortal conqueror
- The eater of worlds
- Villainous counterparts from another dimension
- Shattered an alien armada of allies sent to aid us
- Decimated populations with viral weapons
- Destroyed the world’s capitols
- Forced several major nations to submit to their will
- Taken control of the weather and other natural forces
- Military forces have slowed their advance
- Potent technologies have hidden it
- A team of fallen supers sacrificed themselves to gain us time
- It exists outside of normal space
- They have been toying with us
- A mysterious box crafted by a race of lost techno-gods
- A gate projector leading to a cosmic prison
- An ancient spell from a forbidden tome
- A gem which controls one of the fundamental forces of the universe
- A multidimensional computer made sentient
- Our team’s last great adventure together
- The first time our rag-tag bunch had come together
- The reason our team put aside their differences and reunited
- An unwilling task forced on us by a celestial power
- Something only a handful walked away from
THE ENDGAME
Mark 1 box per face card drawn.
3 players: mark two boxes for the first face card.
5 players: ignore the first face card.
6 players: ignore the first two face cards
For the full backlog of Age of Ravens posts on Blogger see here.
Mark 1 box per face card drawn.
3 players: mark two boxes for the first face card.
5 players: ignore the first face card.
6 players: ignore the first two face cards
- The Enemy masses outside in numbers that dwarf our own, and our allies begin to panic
- The Enemy breaks through our outer defenses and flood through
- The Enemy targets the Object and we lose something precious in the fight to defend it
- The Enemy triumphs and destroys the first defenders, cutting us down and forcing us to pull back to regroup
- The Enemy traps us and friends fall in the chaos of battle
- The Enemy drives us back into heart of the base, butchering civilians sheltering there
- The Enemy overruns us and seizes control of the last of our defense measures
- The Enemy smashes through and throw us into a chaotic scramble for survival
- The Enemy carves through our scattered troops in a devastating slaughter
- The Enemy seizes the object and unleashes it against us
For the full backlog of Age of Ravens posts on Blogger see here.
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