Some of my favourites:

• BATMAN: Wealthy man assaults the mentally ill.
• GHOSTBUSTERS: Unemployed college professors destroy hotel with nuclear weapons.
• ROBIN HOOD: Disgruntled veteran protests taxes.

Oh and check out the music video:

Skills

• Dodge Blow
• Strike Mighty Blow
• Drive Cart
• Animal Care
• Ride
• Street Fighting
• Reading and Writing
• Disarm
• Strike Blow to Stun
• Excellent Vision
• Luck
• Lightening Reflexs (+10 I)

Gear

• Cross-Bow
• Spear (+10 I)
• Shield (+10 Parry, +1 T)
• Sword
• Sleaved Mail (+1 T)
• Mailed Coaf

The premise is that the GM plays the master of a mansion of some kind, and the PCs are all his maids. It’s a wacky comedy game that can at times get disturbing if you let it.

Though I do like the PCs…

Tsunee Hatakeyama (16), a normal girl with glasses and freckles who was never sure why she was there in the first place.

Harane Oka (22), a violent, mature woman who was there to wreak some kind of revenge on the aliens through the governor’s son.

Hiroko Koyami (21), a relatively normal maid sent by the government to infiltrate the mansion.

Melinda Parks (15), a psychopath with a giant katana that she used for just about everything.

Lilly Marlow (139/looks 16), a vampire girl with a whip who wants revenge, but mostly just wants to cause trouble.

So does it sound like our type of game?

In practice, the game was sort of an anime/maid fetish version of Toon; it has lots of random tables, characters can’t die (they get Stress Explosions though), and things are generally random. One of the more brilliant things is that characters can spend points to invoke a Random Event, which is why during the game a fire broke out in the kitchen, Princess Anastasia showed up through a breach in the space-time continuum, and Lily found an arcane tome that opened up a gate to the Netherworld.

The setting was low fantasy, European-inspired alternative medieval world. Here magic was rare but also evil. There was a culture of duellists or blade slingers and there were schools and orders that trained men. The Schools were secular in nature; however the Orders had divine patrons. The form of government was the typical Monarchy.

Peter won the bid for the first scene and so it began, 10 years previous, in the burning ruins of one of the militant schools, the Swift Blade. Byron, a master swordsman, driven by visions and with a path chosen by the Wounded God, and a gang of mooks face off against the single remaining swordsman of the school, who was badly wounded. (Note: this last remaining swordsman became later known only as the Lone Swordsman, he never was given a name explicitly.) Byron demanded to know where the child was but the Lone Swordsman refused to tell and so Byron told the mooks to finish him. The Lone Swordsman would not go down without a fight and he managed to kill all the mooks and with a moment flash, scarred Byron before jumping off the cliff and out of sight. Byron swore an oath to have his revenge.

In the shadows, a mother clutched her child and disappeared into the night.

10 years later, Byron is training his most promising student Julian, young and handsome. Julian questions Byron’s never-ending vendetta as no evidence of the child or the Lone Swordsman has been recovered. Byron is now head swordsman of the order of the Wounded God. Byron passes off his student’s questions, trusting that it is just youthful questing. Their training is interrupted by the arrival of the Mistress, a woman of wealth and beauty, but to those that can see, she has the marks of magic. She brings rumours that the child and the Lone Swordsman are in the city. Byron orders the guards to search the city.

In a small pub backroom, the Lone Swordsman relaxes by the fire with the child who has now grown into the young Emily. She is sick of the prophecy that she is meant to fulfil. She is never told what it is. However a large crow enters the room (it is the Mistress in animal form). Guards enter the pub, led by Julian. The Lone Swordsman tells Emily to flee while he’ll hold off the guards. The crow follows Emily as she jumps out the wind.

There, Mistress takes human form. She tries to grab Emily but is burned by a magical aura and is instantly aged ten years. She flees in terror. Emily witness’ her teacher, the Lone Swordsman, being led away by the guards and Julian. Despite her fear she has pangs of passion for the young Julian. Emily takes what she knows and secretly follows them.

In a dungeon, deep in the Order of the Wounded God’s house, the Lone Swordsman is chained up. Byron spars words with him and we learn that Byron is the Lone Swordsman’s brother! The Lone Swordsman challenges his brother to a final duel. But the battle is swift and Byron defeats and kills his brother. Emily had hidden herself among the guards and apon seeing her teacher killed rushes forward. She glows with some bright light and it seems to stun everyone. Julian is instantly taken by Emily’s beauty. Byron rushes forward to kill Emily but Julian stands forward to defend her. The Mistress enters. The prophecy is revealed, Emily is destined to kill the Wounded God. Mistress throws herself on Emily’s mercy and the three prepare to take down Byron but then Byron is transformed, he becomes a living avatar of the Wounded God. The fight ensues but Byron is defeated. The Mistress cries for she had loved Byron, but the marks of magic burn her and she erupts in flames and is reduced to ashes.

So ended this tale.

Archery 5*
-> Flaming Arrows 1
Martial Arts 4*
-> Multiple Opponents 1
Endurance 1* (3xp)
Performance 1* (1xp)
Resistance 1* (1xp)
Lore 1
Medicine 3*
Occult 1
Athletics 3* (1xp)
Awareness 3 (1xp)
Dodge 1
Stealth 1
Ride 1
Sail 3*
Socialize 1
Bureacracy (1xp)
Crafts (1xp)
Investigation (1xp)
Melee (1xp)
Presence (1xp)

Willpower 5
Comp 2; Temp 3; Conv 2; Valr 2
Limit Break: Ascetic Drive

Permanent Essence 3 -> 4
Personal Essence 14
Peripheral Essence 35
Committed Essence 4

-0 [ ]
-1 [ ][ ][ ][ ]
-2 [ ][ ]
-4 [ ]
x [ ]

Artifact 2; Orichalcum Short Powerbow
Manse 3; Stone of Aquatic Prowess
Familar 3; “Monkey”; 5 extra essence
Contacts 1

Orichalcum Short Powerbow; Seven-Section Staff

Fiery Arrow Technique; Wise Arrow; Trace of Unhesitating Speed; Graceful Crane Stance; Monkey Leap Technique; Ox-Body Technique; Body-Mending Meditation; Essence-Gathering Temper; Mantis Form; Iron-Arm Block; Leaping Mantis Technique; Sensory Acuity Prana Charm; Grievious Injury Recovery Method; Touch of Blissful Release; Wound-Mending Technique;

Freebies spent on Essence 3; Martial Arts 4; Contacts 1; Mantis Form charm

Lower Realm

XP Unspent: 8xp
Athletics 3; Sensory Acuity Prana Charm; Grievious Injury Recovery Method; Awarness 3; Archery 4; Touch of Blissful Release; Wound-Mending Technique; Essence 4; Archery 5

Riptal lived in a monastery since he was five years old. During adolescence he discovered he was a Solar but he kept it quiet and continued his study in the monastery with the other monks. He started to contemplate the nature of being a Solars and started to develop his philosophy of the Great Prank.

But his life was utterly changed when a group of Dragon-Blood stopped by on their way to the Emerald Isle. They had a captured Solar with them and they had fun torturing and humiliating him. Riptal was shocked that his fellow monks just stood by. So he killed the Dragon-Blood. The other monks were shocked and demanded an explanation, however they weren’t receptive to his musings on the Great Prank. They threatened him and he only laughed before falling on them and slaughtering them. He burned the monastery and the bodies.

After that, well he went off seeking adventure, hoping to further understand the mysteries of the Solar.

* Who was the captured solar? Originally I thought this might be another one of the PCs, but it could be someone who became his mentor or some NPC.

* The monastery was originally a manse and once the monks were killed, Riptal turned the site back to it’s original purpose. The Shortbow could be some treasure kept in the monastery or the solar who was killed.

* The death of the Dragon Bloodied would not have gone unnoticed. Riptal is probaly hunted so Riptal tries to keep a low profile. However he doesn’t know who or how close these hunters would be.

+ In terms of goals, he is seeking adventure away from the monastery life and also to uncover and understand the mysteries of Solars.

# I don’t know how you want to bring my character into the group. Originally I had envisioned that Riptal sitting on a rock miles from the burnted monastery when he sees a ship comes and asks for work. Or that he is swimming miles from the coast (thanks to “Stone of Aquatic Prowess”) when he “bumps” into a ship…

Leaping Mantis Technique; 3m; Instant; Reflexive
Add Martial Arts to Leaps Distance & to Initiative, when leaping. Must be used at the beginning of the turn. Once use(!).

Fiery Arrow Technique; 2m; Instant; Supplementary
Adds Archer’s Essence to Damage.

Wise Arrow; 1m/die; Instant; Supplementary
Per Mote (up to pool total), adds one die to Dex + Archery pool.

Trace of Unhesitating Speed; Instant; Extra Actions
Two attacks = 4 motes, Three attacks = 10 motes (4 +6), Four attacks = 18 motes (4 + 6 + 8).

Graceful Crane Stance; 3m; One Scene; Reflexive
Near perfect balance

Monkey Leap Technique; 1m; One Turn; Reflexive
Leap Strength x10 vertically, or Strength x2 horizontally.

Body-Mending Meditation; 10m; One Day; Reflexive
Character heals 10 times as fast.

Essence-Gathering Temper; 1m; Instant; Reflexive
For every die of damage taken, before soak, user rolls one die. For each success, User gains one mote of Essence. Gain no more Essence than Stamina.

Mantis Form; 6m; One Scene; Simple
Add Martial Arts to Initiative, both Soaks, and may parry lethal soaks unarmed. Can use Cascading Parry (same as fall dodge). Martial Arms Unarmed attack do lethal. Incompatible with Armor.

Iron-Arm Block; 3m; Instant; Reflexive
Add Martial Arts to single parry, whether unarmed or armed. May parry Lethal attacks when unarmed.

Sensory Acuity Prana; 5m; One Scene; Simple
Heightened all senses. Adds Essence to Character’s Awareness pools.

Grievous Injury Recovery Method; 10m; One Day; Simple
Heal other. Roll Strength + Endurance, + Essence in automatic successes = wounds healed.

Touch of Blissful Release; 5m; Six hours; Simple
Easy suffering, narcotic effect, -3 to effected character’s pools of memory or concentration.

Wounding-Mending Care Technique; 10m; One Day; Simple
Heal other. Roll Intelligence + Medicine, + Essence in auto successes = wounds healed.

The memory has been burned from me. When my eyes were pulled out, my spine melted, my hands bound and my desire fried, Lord Drake took my soul. He took it and swallowed it and at the same time, he let me know. He gave me images, but I do not see them. I feel them. They course through my mind like a psychic drip into the veins of my consciousness. I cannot ignore them. It is as if I am there. So I write and I describe them. If I do not, they burn the delicate sensitive skin of my brain and all that is left of me. And so I am compelled to document what I feel.

When the Nobles of Kobe choose me, they did not know what was to happen to me. They picked me randomly and gave me up to their Dark Master and Lord, Drake of pain and lies. I was a humble servant, a devoted subject to the Lords as I had been all my life…

But then the lies were shattered. I was forced to remember Kobe before… and I still remember Kobe after. Two sets of memories, full of holes where I should have been, two parallel worlds, both equal, both true, both lies.

I remember the newspapers and the TV coverage of the murders in excruciating detail. There were one hundred gruesome deaths over one hundred days. The victims were tortured and then torn apart and left on display on major roads and other public areas for the morning commuters to find. I can name them all. I have lived through each murder. Why do I remember this? And then the day of fire, the sky darkened, earthquakes cracked the land, people screamed in horror, buildings became dust and no one came to save us. Did I have a family? What happened to them? Christ, Lord Drake, who were they? I remember how the people were twisted and transformed. The past was changed as if it was a play-thing, putty to be sculpted, Kobe was ripped out of history and a great tower was raised by the hands of the sick god high into the monstrous sky and three mortals were made Nobilis and invited into the realm of gods. They do not know the cost of their EnNoblement. They do not know the horror and the lives taken in their names. Kobe was taken out of the world, made separate.

I watched as Lord Drake made the Nobilis of Kobe, poured his blood into their dead vessels, their bodies and saw their minds transformed into Nobles of Reality. It is the most beautiful and the most grotesque sight I have ever seen. Divine light and dirty human excrement, delight and joy that burns and horror and tears that comfort… he erased their short term memory so that they couldn’t remember their transformation.

In this new Kobe, we lived as if it was always this way. The tower twisted and turned in ways that now make me wretch in disorientation because I know it is not natural. I remember the highest garden with no walls so that it looked like it was a green hill in a sea of white clouds. Lord Drake would appear here. I remember the parks that clung to walls, houses that hung from impossible ledges, and lifts and corridors that defied logic. Yet for a time, this was the natural order for me, I knew the ways of the place. But I can’t remember what I use to do, who I knew…

Lord Drake created three Nobilis. He took a European photographer, ripped him apart and drove his soul deep into the cities of the world. Louis Bucket became the Power of Urbanisation in that moment though he still does not know what that means.

Then he took a cat, as a sick joke, and gave it the estate of Endurance. The creature, Mr. Snuggles, was transformed and stands tall equal with humans.

Then the Enigma. Already his image is vanishing from the world but I hold onto it, refusing to let him go. An ambitious man, driven by secrets and power, he happened on a device created by Drake. The black humour of Drake is evident in the device’s function, for it initiated the transformation of Kobe, though Matthew Ballard believed it would reveal the secrets of the universe. In a way it did, I guess. Secrets that burned a city and took my soul. Finance and Secrets were the estates given to Matthew. But he is changing right now. He is becoming and so he rewrites the past. His becoming…

Lord Drake told them nothing and gave them a quest. Create an Anchor and Prove their worth. Easy and impossible both at once.

Ballard, the Engima, sought out an old (or rather young) employee of his. A hacker/programmer that went by the handle “Spoon”. Did Ballard love this man? As a son or as a lover? But a thing of non-existent wires, tubes of data, Infomatix, the Power of the Internet had already claimed him. A deal was brokered and codes were exchanged. Ballard sought out his old master, head of the Broken Seal. I watched Ballard enjoy how his old master squirmed. Hate comes easy to their kind. He tried to power-grab an African president only to be shooed away by the Cammora.

Mr. Snuggles sought out a cat-torturer, Robert, a young confused boy. Snuggles cruelly played with him. Snuggles is fulfilling his role as easy as Lord Drake laughs at humanity. Baset, Power of Cats, filled Robert’s house with cats and slaughtered his parents in revenge for his acts as mortals. Baset dragged Snuggles into her lair and showed him “the mirror”: images of the Spirit World poured through me as Snuggles saw and I witnessed things that were more unreal than the twisted world of the Nobilis. Baset showed him her cages of humans half turned into cats and degraded into domestic pets. She gave him a girl as if it was trinket.

Matthew Ballard found his ex-lover, Deseire in New York. She was haunted by half-memories of him and the disaster of Kobe. My heart felt for her but only for a moment. She half-remembered while it burned right through my soul. He took her to Kobe, showed her his new world. And Matthew started to prepare the tower-city, to improve it.

Mr. Snuggles and Ballard decided to translate the Voynix Manuscript as proof of their new status. But this was the seed of Ballard’s change. Even now his Nobilis brothers do not know what happens to him. He is changing. His is becoming the Enigma…

• Physical counters must be used to track Miracle Point spending during the game. — Miracle Points replace dice in Nobilis so it gives a feel to the game. Also it’s hard to track player’s spending if people track only on paper.