a game about being alone in company

So there’s been Discourse on tumblr (yes I’m still on tumblr) over a post where someone was making fun of protagonists in old literature who are like oooh iI’m so aloooone but then there are servants in the house. And then a bunch of other people were like you get why it’s not actually appropriate or even satisfying for them to dump all their feelings on their servants, right?

And then I decided to write a really fast two-person GMless one shot about that. It’s very badly based on Belonging Outside Belonging mechanics and here it is.

Consider playing this game with someone you don’t know well.

Belonging Outside Belonging games (which this is a bastardization of) are built on a style/phase of play called “Idle Dreaming,” where the players pass ideas back and forth and speculate about possibilities until an idea for an interesting scene emerges. Do not do this. Or rather, do, but each player is fully in charge of information and ideas about their own character unless a move indicates otherwise. You may ask questions, but never contribute to answering them. If a Player asks a question about their own character, the other Player must reply only with polite silence.

Choose together or roll to randomise:

You are

a disgraced academic

an unwilling expatriate

an impoverished noble

a lovelorn dreamer

a spinster or widower (yes I know they’re not the same)

and their

long-time servant

new hire

local help

favour-for-a-friend hire

came-with-the-house help

You are in an isolated house, and have been for some time.

The house is

old and sagging

new and soulless

filled with bad childhood memories (for one or both of you)

beyond your means

the generosity of friends or family

Choose names. Choose what you call one another.

Each player describes the other’s character. Each of player points out one thing in the description of their own character that is inaccurate.

Each player says whether their character thinks the other character likes them. Do not confirm if they are correct.

The Master has reached such a profound depth of loneliness that they are reaching for the only connection they have, even though they know it won’t help.

The Servant does not lack compassion for a fellow human in pain, but also, this is their boss.

Decide if this has happened before.

Each playbook has a list of moves. Weak moves gain you one token. Strong moves cost two tokens. These can be represented by any small item or a scrap of paper.

The Master can always play an Imposition for free.

The game ends when the first character plays their Ending Move.

MASTER

Play to find out:

If this time you can make an empty connection mean something

Weak moves

Pretend you understand

Find a tenuous point of comparison

Ask a quick favour

Try to relate and fail

Change the subject

Strong moves

Apologise sincerely

Share something that will make the servant see you differently—the servant decides what nature of thing this is

Genuinely relate

Make a change to the household that impacts the servant

Impositions

Tell the story of a recent failure how it made you question your worth

Tell the story of why you came to this house, and why it was your last resort

Ask for advice on what to do about the problem that has brought you here and insist on getting an answer

Reflect on your parents, and ask the servant to reflect on theirs

Tell the story of a time you fell in love and ask the servant to do the same

Ending move (choose one, both cost 10 tokens)

Ask the servant if they would like to leave, and act graciously on their honest response

Ask for a compliment or reassurance

SERVANT

Play to find out:

How far your empathy extends

Weak moves

Make listening noises

Ask if the Master needs anything

Idly tidy up

Prepare tea

Say yes

Strong moves

Say no (gently or forcefully or some other way)

Demand honesty

Highlight your differences

Say something you immediately regret

Ending move (choose one, both cost 10 tokens)

Leave the room

Offer to stay and mean it

Both players share if their character thinks the other character likes them. As before, do not confirm.

The game ends.