Highrollers Games

Prelude

Table of Contents

Section 1: Introduction(s)

Every good character has a story, and every good story has an introduction.The game sessions and side games are where the story (and ending) of your character is told. But the Prelude is the introduction of the Highroller. The goal of a Prelude is to flesh out a character to make them more developed before they begin participating in games.

During character creation, hopefully you’ve gotten an idea of who your character is. By design, many of the Backgrounds, Flaws, and Merits that characters may choose from at creation are designed to help you come up with a narrative background. Your Prelude is the perfect time to explore how a highroller came by their various traits.

Preludes are conducted between 2 participating players: the player of the Highroller and a Storyteller. Together they will play through the entire life of the Highroller up until they first meet the Harbingers, as well as the Highroller initial recruitment into the games. This is done through a rapid fire montage of the Highroller’s life. This is not meant to be long, just a few snippets of roleplaying to help you get into character.

The culmination of the Prelude is the recruitment of the Highroller into the games by the Storyteller. Here, the Storyteller’s Harbaginer will recruit the Highroller into the House Games.

Quirks of the Prelude

Preludes play quite differently then most game sessions. Firstly there is no dice rolling done in a Prelude. The Prelude is not meant to be a full on Session, but a quick montage to help flesh out a character. Its purpose for the player is to get them accustomed to playing their character and have a better idea of who they are. The Prelude is also heavily reliant on cooperation between both players, even more so than normal play. The Prelude is also much more reliant on improv, particularly on the part of the Storyteller.

Section 2: Role of the Player

As a player, your job is to gain a better understanding of your character. In order for the system to work, it is necessary for you to cooperate with the Storyteller. The goal of the Prelude is to help you Roleplay your character. Think of this as the “Pilot” in your character’s TV series.

When beginning the Prelude, go over your character sheet with the story teller. Explain the Concept of your character and the direction you want their story to head in. Give them an overview of any narrative background you have come up with. Explain your reasoning in Backgrounds, Flaws, and Merits choice.

The purpose of this is twofold. Firstly it allows the storyteller to check your work of character creation. If you have made an error in character creation (such as taking incompatible traits) this is where it is amended. There’s no wrong way to build a character, but if you have a build that seems doomed from the start (unintentionally) the Storyteller may give you advice to change it.

The second purpose is the help the Storyteller Facilitate your Prelude. By having a better understanding of your Character, the they are able to better improve your prelude.

When roleplaying the Prelude okay if your character is hesitant or even against to the situations they are in. You will have less agency than normal. However keep in mind that the Prelude is not where the story of your character is told. In order for the games to happen, your character must become a Highroller. Collaborate with the Storyteller. Afterall, the Prelude is for your sake, not theirs.

Section 3: Role of the Storyteller

As the storyteller, you have the job to facilitate the montage sequence of the Highroller life. It can help to view your role as that of a therapist. Your goal is to explore the events that shaped the Highroller life so that the Player can better play them. This will require a hearty amount of Improv on your part. Don’t be afraid to take a heavy handed approach so that no one scene in the montage drags for too long.

“It’s your Sophomore year of college. The time on the clock reads 10:53 pm. You’ve been working a double and your body is aching to be done. Luckily for you, the restaurant closes in just a few minutes and you can close up and go home. A feeling a dread comes over you as hear the bell on the door chime. From behind the order counter you see seven teens walk in. What do you do?”

Before beginning the Prelude, discuss the backstory and concept of the Highroller with the player. Its from their answers that you will prepare the rapid fire montage you will play with the Highroller. Additionally, go over their character sheet, and offer suggestions to any mistakes that they may have made.

Walk through the scenes and let the Highroller React naturally. The goal is not to tell a complete story but to help the player flesh out how their character would behave. Don’t be afraid to take a heavy hand. give the player lots of decisions to make very quickly. Once the scene begins losing momentum, move on.

Questions and Answers

An easy way to begin a scene is with a question about the character and go from there. These are meant to serve as a springboard into the scene. Don’t linger on any one scene for too long. In using the question and answer format, use the information from the character sheet to help improvise the scene. When using this method, ask one or two questions from each category and then move on. These aren’t the only questions you can ask, but should give you a good idea of the sort of answers you’re looking for.

Question Categories and Examples

What was your childhood like?

How old are you? Were you a happy child? Were your parents present? What was your education like? Did you have a hometown? What was your household like? Did you have any aspirations as a teenager? Did you go to college? If so what did you major in? What was your first job?

What kind of person are you?

How do you earn a living? What is your social life like? What are your vices? Are you close with your family? Do you obey the law? How do you earn income? If you died tomorrow would anyone miss you? What’s your day to day routine? How’s your love life? How did you come into your current living situation?

Concept Questions

What is the world you live in like? What are the fears that keep you up at night? How do you use your talents? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What are some of your governing beliefs? Do you feel restricted in any way?What is it you crave to have in life? If you could have all the power to change the world, how would you change it?

Section 4: The Setup

FYI this section is largely to guide Storytellers

The Contract should be the last scene in the montage. How it occurs is at the discretion of the storyteller. You should try and tailor the Contract to the Highroller. This could be Mundane or Supernature it is up to you. The point is, something different is occuring to the character that leads to a once in a lifetime opportunity. As the Storyteller, have fun with it!

There is much more to running the initial contact and recruitment of a Highroller. This has been covered in another page. For more information on playing a Harbinger during the Contract Click Here.

Example Prompts

Mundane Prompts

You’re at work, and open your inbox. At the top is an email for an interview to a job you never applied for; you feel compelled to accept…You come home to find a stranger in your living room. They greet you by name and invite you to sit down… You’re minding your business at a bar when a stranger sits next to you. As they do, the room quietly empties… You wake up and jolt out of bed. As you do, you realize that this isn’t the place you fell asleep last night. You hear a door creek open…

Supernatural Prompts

You’re on a relaxing stroll through the park. Children playing, people jogging, birds flying. You blink, and everything is frozen in place; except for a single person walking your way… As you open the door your favorite cafe you realize that this isn’t it. As the door closes behind you, it dawns on you’re somewhere entirely different… Something is strange about this phone call. You’re glad to hear from your childhood friend, it’s been awhile since you talked. But something’s not quite right. Then it hits you, they died a few years ago…

Section 5: The Job Offer

FYI This section is largely to guide Highrollers

The culmination of the prelude is the Contract, when the player’s character actually becomes a Highroller. This scene not a montage snippet, and should be played as a full roleplay scene. This is the scene in which the Harbinger finally approaches the character and offers them the opportunity to play in the House Games.

The flow of this scene is fairly simple. Somehow, the Character is approached by the Harbinger, (who seems to know an awful lot about you!). They offer you a side job: The House Games. Once a month, you can go on a job. If you succeed, you’ll get rewards beyond imagination.

As the player don’t be afraid to initially turn down the offer. You’re character is being offered something that is too good to be true (because honestly for most it is). However as you do this keep in mind that in order for the Game to happen, you must ultimately accept their job offer.

Section 6: Conclusion

From here you should have everything you need to begin playing House Games! Hopefully the Prelude has helped you flesh out your character and given you a better idea of who you are playing.

If you are looking to flesh out your character even more from here, see Homework for more things. It should be stressed that the “Homework” sheets are entirely optional.