Caffeinated alien Absurd Encounters

The Other

The Other is that otherworldly feeling, supernatural quality, or pervasive strangeness which is inherently indescribable, and yet unavoidable within Lynchian realities. Some characters witness the Other as a pseudophysical location or conscious being, some merely have a vague sense of its void-like existence, but most barely notice its presence at the edges of everyday life.

Promises

A character can make a Promise to someone (or something) for many different reasons, usually related to a triggered move. Promises should not be taken lightly, as breaking them will quickly complicate the relevant relationship—often with harsh consequences.

Attributes

The primary attributes are scored as +2, +1, +1, +0, -1.

  • Focus: emotional depth and balance, intuition, preparedness, calmness.
  • Grit: power, physical strength and toughness, determination.
  • Presence: persuasiveness, seduction, verbal, social skill.
  • Reason: intellect, knowledge, rationality.
  • Weird: awareness and understanding of the Other.

Secondary attributes include:

  • Stability: a rating between -3 and +3, of current mental health.
  • Trust: a rating between -3 and +3, for each of the other PCs.
  • Conditions: four slots of persistent afflictions.
    • Minor: scrapes, scratches, and injuries that heal in days.
    • Major: wounds that heal in weeks.
    • Severe: serious injuries that heal in months.
    • Critical: emergency injuries that require attention and heal in years, if at all.

If a character suffers a Condition of an already taken severity, the severity is increased. If a character cannot place a Condition in any slot, they fall unconscious.

Common Moves

All characters have the following moves.

Overcome

When you act to overcome a difficult obstacle, describe your approach and roll -1.

On a 10+, you succeed. Describe the immediate outcome.
On a 7–9, you succeed at a cost. The GM will offer you a difficult choice.
On a 6-, the obstacle complicates progress towards your goal. The GM describes the unfortunate outcome.

Reality Check

When...

  • ...you have negative Stability and it's lowered further...
  • ...you witness something shockingly unexpected, disturbing, or surprising...
  • ...someone finds out your Secret and/or you must face consequences of its knowledge...

...roll +Stability.

On a 10+, after a momentary lapse of composure, you come to terms with your current circumstances.
On a 7–9, you feel overwhelmed. Describe your dramatic exit from the scene. Raise your Stability afterwards.
On a 6-, your world is crumbling. You act out wildly as the GM describes. Raise your Stability afterwards.

Make a Promise

When you desire a specific result from someone (or something), and are willing to make an exchange to see it done, name your request. The GM will describe what is required of you in return, and suggest what level of complication will come about if your side of the agreement is not fulfilled.

Get Involved

When you act directly to affect another character's action, describe your involvement, and roll +Trust to help, or roll -Trust to hinder them.

On a 10+, increase or decrease their success level.
On a 7–9, same as above, but you suffer a consequence related to your involvement. Choose one:

  • Lower your Stability.
  • Suffer a Minor Condition.
  • Your involvement causes an unintended side effect.

On a 6-, your action backfires. Alter their success level in the opposite intended direction.

Read Person

When you empathize with someone or observe their demeanor, describe what subjective details you're looking for, and roll +Focus.

On a 10+, you get a good sense of their emotional state. The GM will share subjective insights.
On a 7–9, their emotions are vague or contradictory. The GM will describe surface-level details you pick up on.

Oppose

When you attempt to harm a target or defend yourself physically, describe your approach and weapon (if applicable), then roll +Grit.

On a 10+, you avoid harm, and deal harm equal to your weapon's damage (at least Minor). Describe the outcome.
On a 7–9, you deal harm based on your weapon, but must choose a consequence from below.
On a 6-, your action fails. The GM will choose a consequence.

  • You cause a scene, drawing attention to the conflict.
  • You falter. Lower your Stability.
  • You suffer a Condition based on the opposer's weapon.
  • Your weapon breaks, malfunctions, or is otherwise unusable.

Convince

When you speak with someone to alter their action or change their mind, roll +Presence.

On a 10+, you succeed. Describe their reaction and what they're convinced of doing.
On a 7–9, you succeed, but must Make a Promise to the person in exchange.

Study

When you study a person, place, or thing for objective details, roll +Reason.

On a 10+, ask a question that could be concluded about the subject. The GM will answer honestly.
On a 7–9, ask a question, but the GM will give a half-truth.
On a 6-, the GM will tell you an unfortunate truth about the subject.

Peer into the Void

When you seek an answer using mystical means, describe your inquiry and action, then roll +Weird.

On a 10+, the Other provides a sign. The GM will give you a related but obscure hint.
On a 7–9, the Other peers back, seemingly asking for something in return. Choose something—abstract or real—to Make a Promise in exchange for an equivalently weighted sign.
On a 6-, the Other is averse to your inquiry, making you anxious and uncomfortable. Lower your Stability.


Connection is how a character fits into the community. Choose whether you're a Local or an Outsider:


Your initial Trust in each other character starts at 0. If you know someone better (or worse), you can increase or decrease it by 1 either way to begin.


Attitude describes how a character re-energizes themselves, as a scale of extraversion. Choose a trigger for how you restore (to 0 if negative) or raise (+1 if 0 or higher) Stability:


Perception describes how a character gathers and interprets information. Choose a trigger for how you mark XP:


Judgement describes how a character makes decisions. Choose a trigger for how your Trust in others changes:


During downtime, you can Spend XP in the following ways (as XP cost):

  1. Swap the ratings of two attributes currently adjacently rated (±1).
  2. Choose a different Judgement (how you Trust others).
  3. Choose a different Attitude (trigger to restore Stability).
  4. Purchase (or reselect) a Skill from your Persona; maximum 4.
  5. Choose a different Perception (how you mark XP).
  6. Purchase (or reselect) a Skill from another Persona; maximum 4.
  7. Purchase (or reselect) an Advanced Skill (limit 1).