Monday 28 November 2022

Building My Hunter Setting

I'm really excited to run Hunter. I've got a few of my aerial friends interested now. I'm hoping we'll find an evening we're all free so we can play. I'm figuring to start early next year.

Here's an issue I have though, and a reason I've struggled with Hunter in the past: having played various of the WoD supernatural creatures, I have great sympathy with them that means it's hard for me to make them the bad guys. Especially werewolves. I really loved playing Werewolf.

My setting is my take on Aberrheidol, a dark version of my uni town and used in various games run by my friends from there. My version has a few places from my home town as well, the library I grew up with, the pub/club where I had one of my first jobs (and that was a significant place in the Buffy game I played in that was my very first exposure to TTRPG's), and probably the climbing centre that holds our aerial circus school. I might attach it to the swimming pool; I'm not likely to put it on campus.

I don't know what sort of characters I'll have among my players. I'm going to give them support and freedom; I'm excited about it. Also, my usual GM has agreed to show up occasionally. I will run it by him, but I'd like him to play an experienced Hunter who can sometimes drag them along when he needs backup, or something like that.

Among the major NPC's, I've a few ideas. I need to read the book in a bit more depth, though. 

For antagonists, I think they'll start with a degree of ghostbusting before we move onto more fearsome foes. I've been listening to The Witch Farm (and other Danny Robins ghostly podcasts), and this is giving me lots of inspiration.

I'd like some kind of metaplot/end game/bigger bad so that maybe they need to befriend or at least work with supernatural creatures from time to time, but I don't know what that could be yet, so maybe we'll just run monster of the week for a while until I have a better idea.

Wish me (and them!) luck!

5 comments:

  1. Monster of the week works for a while, also adds to the players and characters not knowing what is vital and what is not.

    A few questions as some one who has played in a few hunter games, and also run a few:
    1) Are you letting the players pick creeds or picking them based on their reactions?
    2) How active will the PTB be, if you are having them at all?
    3) I've tended not to have the other WoD creature be the bad guys persay - yes wrong and so forth - but had them as individuals, who react to what the characters do. Had a lot of fun with some werewolves in my last game (especially as they where also fighting the big bad of the campaign).

    Any way happy to chat more about ideas if you want.

    oh and enjoy

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    1. 1) the one time I played Hunter, my GM picked based on my reactions. I think I'm going to let them choose, but provide guidance from their reactions - they're new to roleplay so might not want to just pick, but I want them to feel in control of their character
      2) I'm not sure, but I'm leaning towards light touch to begin with but as the group develops that may change
      3) yeah, very much. I'm intending to create characters with reasons behind their actions and let the group deal however the group feel best. But I am drilling into them the idea that Hunters are the light against the darkness, defending humanity against all supernatural threats etc so I'm expecting them to see any supernatural as a threat, an antagonist - at least to begin with

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    2. 1) Thought I'd been in two hunter games with you... memory is going.

      Any way as said happy to chat more via e-mail, and also would be interested to hear updates of how this is going.

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  2. If you ever want to talk Hunter through, you know where I am. I love this game and have read a lot of the supporting books.

    My favourite is open ended - no need to cast monster as a villain, just present what they are/what they do, and wait for a response.

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    1. That's my intent, but I am drilling into them that Hunters view the world in a very black and white way, that humanity is Good and needs protecting from the Evil of supernatural creatures. That's the vibe I want for the start of the game, at least...

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