Contagion Storytelling Advices

[wyrdhamster]

Could not find proper topic for those kind questions - so I started one. Here is my, opening problem -

If I make PC infected with Contagion, should I say to player that his character has new Condition Contagion Carrier or Contagion-Touched? Or just to let it be a secret for some time?

The PC is does not know she is sick until some symptoms show up, does it? What do you think about it?

[Malus]

I'm sorry, you're making a PC for someone else?

[wyrdhamster]

No, I run as ST Werewolf game that is becoming more Werewolf-Contagion game - as backdrop of our Werewolf game was already about fighting supernatural disease. It's just now it's have nice mechanics of this 'supernatural disease' is the Contagion. The player in question just do not know his PC is gotten infected - yet.

... or rather was in moment of post writing. Now he, as Viking Uratha, was trying to drink alter wine in church - and got sudden Wasu-Im, as he was having previous Trigger 'Human Blood'. For this PC that was earlier infected with Contagion, alter wine become real 'Blood of Christ' - and lead to Kuruth.

[Malus]

I've no idea what you're asking about, or what you're saying.

[Deinos]

He's asking whether players should know if they get Contagion conditions. I'd say... maybe? I'd make there be some way to tell.

[wyrdhamster]

Yeah, should PCs know if they are Contagion Touched. I alluded by two sessions to Uratha player by making him susceptible to Kuruth Triggers that he should not have - but the full revelation was then PC could not see his reflection in the water! ( It's Stage 1 of my Iconoclasm Contagion. ) De facto, by end of second session, I moved PC from Contagion Touched to Infected 1 Condition.

BTW, to see how Contagion is spreading on PCs and NPCs I use Stamina + Resolve - <number of days of interaction > roll from Night Horrors: Shunned By The Moon, Geryo chapter. It get's nice results - one PC infected by sick Totem of enemy Pack in their confrontation, now after two session infected by PCs pack friendly NPC. And Contagion is starting to spread...

[Malus]

Ok, if you're handling out conditions, you have to give them to the player.

[wyrdhamster]

Ok, if you're handling out conditions, you have to give them to the player.

Why, really? Some effect of Conditions can be hidden by the story and/or narration. Like Swooned for a scene - ST just described you like really attracted to particular NPC. Or Deprived can be described by ST by great hunger for things. You do not need granting direct Conditions on first session ( maybe? ) of the Condition life for the character. Where status become much more permanent, it surely should be shown.

[Satchel]

As somebody who has given a custom Condition to a player before they knew entirely what it meant: You still ought to give them at least a partially obscured version of the Condition card so they know what the thing is incentivizing.

[Malus]

Like Satchel said: if I don't have the text of the condition, I dunno how to act on it. You can narrate whatever the eff you want, if you don't gimme the condition, I'm not gonna act on your descriptions of what is my character.