joe in ten persons

8/12/2019 Joe in Ten Persons

1/18


2/18

[Joe in Ten Persons]an entry in the

1KM1KT / Free RPG Blog 24-hour RPG competition

by Daniel Raipinto

a peccable pro!uction"http#//$$$%peccable%com/

&

TopicTen Men 'alle! (oe

)t rtFri!ay* +pril 24th11#4,+Mn!

)atur!ay* +pril 2.th11#+M

Thi0 one i0 or 2 ncy%

3n0pir tion05c! $eb-comic

by Ran!all Munroe"http#//$$$%5c!%com/ &

To Save Her $eb-comicby (ennier Diane Reit6

"http#//$$$%pa0tel!een!er%com/&

Primer by )hane 'arruth 728849

"http#//$$$%primermoie%com/&

:ther5in! Dice"http#//$$$%lumpley%com/archie/14;%html&
http://www.peccable.com/http://www.peccable.com/http://www.peccable.com/http://www.xkcd.com/http://www.pasteldefender.com/http://www.pasteldefender.com/http://www.primermovie.com/http://www.primermovie.com/http://www.lumpley.com/archive/148.htmlhttp://www.lumpley.com/archive/148.htmlhttp://www.peccable.com/http://www.primermovie.com/http://www.xkcd.com/http://www.xkcd.com/http://www.xkcd.com/http://www.pasteldefender.com/http://www.lumpley.com/archive/148.html


3/18

Table of Contents3ntro!uction0 +ll +roun!%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%4:erie$%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%.+ ote :n Gen!er%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%.Einning the Game%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%.uipment%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%.ample0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%.'reating (oe0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Time an! Place%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%Ran!om Eor!0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

?o$ to Buil! a (oe%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%T$o (oe0 Too Many%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%,aming (oe0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%,

'hoo0ing (oe0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%,Player 'haracter (oe0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%,Meet (oe Prime%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%,Deci0ion0 an! Rea0on0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%,

Buil!ing the Boar!%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%;'ontact Bet$een (oe0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%;

Keeton%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%;3nitial 3nluence%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%;(oe PrimeH0 Timeline%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%;

Playing the Game%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%@Roun!0* Turn0* +ction0* an! )cene0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%@3nluence* Ri05* an! Target0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%@The +ction0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%@

'reating )cene0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%18)cene0 'ome From +ction0%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%18

+cting (oe%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%18Target (oe%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%18Keeton%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%18+ ote on Table 'hatter%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%18) 1 Eh Eh ! ? 18


4/18

IntroductionsAll Around

Hi. My name is Joe. I'm pretty normal. Nothing interesting about me, really. I'm [twenty / twelve /thirty-five. I live here in the !ity. I've been here most of my life. "hat else !an I say#I guess the most interesting thing about me is what happene$ a few wee%s ago. I ran into this [guy in!lass / %i$ at the playgroun$ / man on the bus an$ we somehow stru!% up a !onversation. I'm not&uite sure how it happene$.

I'll a$mit I was $istra!te$. ou see, I've been a little obsesse$ lately. I was %in$ of avoi$ing this $e!isionI ha$ to ma%e about [my boyfrien$ / this bully at s!hool / my future !areeran$ I'll a$mit (eeton showe$up at )ust the right time to pull me out of my hea$.

*h $i$ I mention that# He sai$ that was his name.

+nyway, we tal%e$ for a long time. +bout $e!isions, ironi!ally enough. +bout how they !an affe!t you an$everyone aroun$ you. +bout how we seem to !ome to these points in our lives these moments of $e!ision that!an !hange everything for us. hose moments we go ba!% to late at night, an$ won$er how things might havebeen $ifferent.

(eeton as%e$ me a lot of &uestions about things I might have $one $ifferently in my life.

I haven't seen him sin!e. I went home with my hea$ spinning.

he net morning, I %new something ha$ changed. I felt $ifferent, though I've never been able to put it into wor$s.he first time I traveled, though, I un$erstoo$ what (eeton ha$ $one.It was the $ay I met myself. *ne ofmyselves. "hatever the wor$ woul$ be.

I met a Joe that [ha$ never gone to !ollege / lost his mom when he was little / ha$ )oine$ the army , an$ while itwas weir$, we ha$ a ni!e !onversation about the other Joes that might be out there.

/in!e then, I've met a lot of me, as I've learne$ how to wan$er through time an$ possibility. 0ut there's one Joe inparti!ular I've be!ome...well, I guess I've be!ome obsesse$ with him. I 1 well, I guess we !all him Joe 2rime./ee I'm not the only one who's obsesse$ with this Joe. here's this[gee%y twelve-year-ol$ %i$ / ol$-sa$-man-me /

that I've seen aroun$ an$ he seems intereste$ in Joe 2rime too I've gone up an$ $own


5/18

Overview(oe in Ten Per0on0 i0 a role-playing game o choice0*con0euence0 an! being your o$n $or0t enemy% 3tH0 !e0igne!

to be playe! in a 0ingle 0e00ion or I . player0 runningany$here rom t$o to three hour0%

3n (iTP* each player $ill ta5e on the role o one o ten er0ion0o a man calle! (oe% The0e er0ion0 all come rom !ierenttime0 an! po00ibilitie0% :ne might be (oe $hen he $a0 12year0 ol!* !ealing $ith a 0chool bully% +nother might be a 28-0omething college 0tu!ent $ith a lecherou0 boyrien!%

(oe i0 a pretty ob0e00ie per0on* 0o itH0 un0urpri0ing that all o

hi0 ariant0 are a0 $ell% ach o them i0 ob0e00e! $ith aparticular !eci0ion that he ha0 to ma5e* but ha0 aoi!e!ma5ing thu0 ar%

+ll o the (oe0 in the game hae come into contact $ith aper0on they 5no$ only a0 Keeton% From one innocuou0coner0ation* they hae each gaine! the ability to meet otherpo00ible (oe0 an! inluence them an! their !eci0ion0%Jn0urpri0ingly* ater gaining thi0 ability* mo0t o the (oe0

choo0e to $an!er through time an! 0pace i0iting an!$atching other er0ion0 o them0ele0 rather than !ealing $iththe !eci0ion they $ere aoi!ing in the ir0t place%

The (oe0 embo!ie! by the player0 are !ierent* though%TheyHe all become 0tuc5* iate! on one* 0peciic ariant thattheyHe oun! in their trael0% TheyHe !ubbe! him (oe Prime%L

(oe Prime i0 Au0t li5e eery other (oe# heH0 ob0e00ie an! heH0aoi!ing an important !eci0ion% Jnli5e the player-character0*

ho$eer* (oe Prime ha0 not met Keeton%(oe PrimeH0 !eci0ion ha0 become incre!ibly important to the0tuc5 (oe0% They each $ant hi0 !ilemma to be re0ole! in a!ierent $ay* or !ierent rea0on0% Maybe hi0 problem

Winningthe GaeJnli5e many RPG0* there i0 a $ay to $in (oe in Ten Per0on0%3n act* the game contain0 t$o mutually-eclu0ie goal0%

During the cour0e o the game* player0 gain an! moeinluence to5en0 rom (oe to (oe* repre0enting their pull $ith aparticular ariant% +t the en! o the game#

1% The player $ith the mo0t inluence on (oe Primenarrate0 the re0olution o hi0 !eci0ion* thu0 getting$hat they $ant%

2% Player0 $ho hae their inluence !e0troye! by otherplayer0 moe that inluence to Keeton% The player

$ith the mo0t inluence on Keeton at the en! o thegame narrate0 the epilogue* in $hich thi0 my0teriou00trangerH0 rea0on0 or interering $ith (oeH0 lie arereeale!%

)ince player0 only gain inluence $ith Keeton by lo0ing it $ithone o the (oe0* it i0 etremely unli5ely that any one player $ill$in both goal0* though it i0 po00ible%

!"ui#ent+ll youHll nee! to play are the0e rule0* a print-out o the car!0oun! in the +ppen!i* three -0i!e! !ice* pen0 or pencil0*0crap paper* an! a 0et o uniue to5en0 or each player%'oin0 o ariou0 5in!0 $ill $or5 ine or to5en0* $ith eachplayer ta5ing a particular type# pennie0 or one0* nic5el0 oranother* !ime0 or a thir!%

!$a#lesT h l ! t ! th Hll b ll i


6/18

Creating Joes

ime an$ 2la!e(oe in Ten Per0on0can be playe! in a ariety o 0etting0 an!genre0* though the !eault i0 the $orl! a0 $e 5no$ it in the210tcentury% Beore you begin the game* you a0 player0 $illnee! to an0$er the ollo$ing ue0tion0#

1% #n what year was Joe orn$By placing the beginning o (oeH0 lie in a particular!eca!e* youHll be ma5ing an important !eci0ion aboutthe gameH0 0etting% + game in $hich (oe $a0 born in

the early 1@,80* an! came o age in the 1@;80 $illbe ery !ierent rom a game in $hich (oe $a0 bornin the 1@280%

Deci!e a0 a group $hat perio! o hi0tory youHrecomortable or intere0te! in 0etting (oeH0 lie in%

De ult n0$er#1@;8% (oe turn0 . in 1@;.* 18 in1@@8* 28 in 2888 an! 8 in 2818% Thi0 0houl!

hopeully be a perio! that eeryone playing i0 amiliar$ith* $hile 0till giing you the a0-yet-un5no$n utureto play aroun! $ith in the year0 ater (oe turn0 8%

2% %here has Joe lived most o& his li&e$The !eci0ion0 (oe ma5e0 throughout hi0 lie might0en! him to the our corner0 o the $orl!* but mo0t othe (oe0 hae probably lie! in the 0ame area 7at the

ery lea0t* the 0ame country9 mo0t o either lie0%Ehile $here (oe lie0 i0 le00 important than $hen* itcan hae a !einite eect%

)i ( i T P i ll b ibili

proper noun0% J0e ocean in0tea! o Paciic* or city in0tea! oe$ Nor5%

Ta5e your $or!0 an! ol! each o them 0o that it i0 no longerrea!able rom the out0i!e% Ta5e all the $or!0 an! orm a pilein the center o the table* then 0hule them aroun!%

ow to 0uil$ a Joeach player 0houl! ta5e one o the (oe car!0 rom the+ppen!i an! one o the $or!0 at ran!om% ach (oe car!ha0 our element0 to ill in% +t thi0 point* youHll be illing in their0t t$o#

My ob0e00ion i0%%%My !eci0ion i0%%%


7/18

wo Joes oo Manyery player $ill ma5e at lea0t t$o (oe0% 3n the ca0e o a -player game* youHll be let $ith one (oe let oer* in a 4-playergame* youHll be let $ith t$o%

ither gie the remaining (oe0 to $hicheer player0 are eelingparticularly creatie* or brea5 o into group0 o t$o% :neplayer ill0 in the ob0e00ion* an! the other ill0 the !eci0ion%Finally* !eci!e on (oeH0 age bet$een the t$o o you%

Naming Joes?ae each player ta5e a (oe that they haenHt create! an!

rea! hi0 !e0cription to the other0% Di0cu00 that (oeH0 !einingeature an! u0e that to ill in the +K+ 7+l0o Kno$n +09 iel!%From then on* you can either reer to that (oe by hi0 number*or hi0 nic5name%

Choosing Joes

2layer 5hara!ter JoesBy the time youHre !one naming (oe0* you 0houl! be amiliar$ith all o them% Nou no$ nee! to pic5 the (oe $ho0e roleyouH! li5e to play !uring the game%

Remember that $hicheer (oe you choo0e $ill be 0tuc5% ?eH0neer gotten to the point o haing to !eal $ith hi0 !eci0ion%3n0tea!* heH0 ta5en the opportunity aor!e! to him by Keetonto $an!er an! $atch other er0ion0 o him0el% entually* he

Meet Joe 2rimeet* youHll nee! to !eci!e $hich o the remaining (oe0 yourcharacter ha0 became ob0e00e! $ith% Mo0t li5ely* there i00ome connection or re0onance thatH0 le! your character to that

point* though it coul! be that heH0 0imply intere0te! becau0e aparticular (oe i0 0o !ierent rom him0el%

+ll pl yer0 mu0t en! up $ith the 0 me (oe Prime% The gamethen become0 about manipulating thi0 (oe into ma5ing thecorrectL !eci0ion%

Ta5e a piece o 0crap paper an! $rite your ir0t choice or (oePrime* a0 $ell a0 an alternate%

eryone then reeal0 their choice0% 3 one (oe 0ho$0 up oneeryoneH0 li0t* youHe oun! your Prime% 3 not* 0ee i oneparticular (oe 0ho$0 up more than any other% Thi0 i0 a 0trongconten!er% Tal5 it oer $ith tho0e player0 $ho !i!nHt choo0ehim an! 0ee i theyHll agree to ma5ing him (oe Prime%

3 it 0eem0 li5e no agreement can be reache!* then 0imply0hule the remaining (oe0 an! choo0e one at ran!om%

6e!isions an$ 4easons:nce all o the player0 hae cho0en their (oe Prime* you eachnee! to igure out $hat !eci0ion your character $ant0 Prime toma5e% (oe PrimeH0 0ituation coul! come out 0eeral !ierent

$ay0* an! itH0 up to you to !eci!e the outcome your character!e0ire0%

3 youHre haing trouble* thin5 about your character in term0 ohi0 ob0e00ion an! !eci0ion Gien the 0ituation heH0 leaing

%hile namin! Joes, Devin reads Andrea's Joe 45 "ard.A&ter tal(in! it out with the other players, he de"ides toname him 'Paladin Joe'. He writes this in the A;A spa"e.

Andrea is apparently not the only one interested in PaladinJoe's de"ision. He mana!es to show up as &irst "hoi"e &oroth hersel& and Bill and as an alternate &or Carol. Devina!rees to ma(e him Joe Prime.


8/18

%uilding the %oard+ 'ommunity o (oe0o$ itH0 time to 0et up the game boar!% The boar! i0 ma!eup o the relation0hip0 among0t all o the (oe0 not !irectlycontrolle! by the player0* inclu!ing (oe Prime%

J0ing thi0 boar!* player0 $ill attempt to inluence other (oe0into pu0hing (oe Prime to$ar!0 their !e0ire! !eci0ion%

Fir0t* place (oe Prime at the center o the play area% +roun!hi0 car!* place all the other non-player (oe0 in age or!er*0tarting $ith the younge0t% Ehen youHre !one* the el!e0t an!

younge0t (oe0 0houl! be be0i!e each other%

Initial Influen!e+t the 0tart o the game* each playerH0 (oe ha0 built up aninitial amount o goo!-$ill $ith one o the (oe0 on the boar!*other than (oe Prime him0el% Thi0 inluence i0 repre0ente! byinluence to5en0% ach playerH0 to5en0 0houl! be uniue%'oin0 o arying !enomination0 ma5e goo! to5en0%

)tarting $ith the player $ith the younge0t (oe an! procee!ingcloc5$i0e* each player choo0e0 a (oe on the boar! $ith $hichhi0 character alrea!y ha0 inluence an! place0 inluenceto5en0 on that car!% +ll to5en0 mu0t be place! on the 0amecharacter%

+ player may choo0e to hae inluence $ith a (oe that alrea!yha0 inluence to5en0* i he or 0he choo0e0%

Andrea has the se"ond?oldest Joe amon!st the players, andis sittin! on Devin's le&t. Devin has the the youn!est Joe.

A&ter Devin "hooses Joe 4@, she pla"es < to(ens on Joe4). Bill sits to Andrea's le&t and !oes next. A&ter he andCarol have !one, the oard loo(s li(e this/


9/18

Pla&ing the Gae

4oun$s, urns, +!tions, an$ !enes(oe in Ten Per0on0i0 playe! in a 0erie0 o roun!0% ach roun!i0 ma!e up o a 0erie0 o turn0* one per player% ach roun!begin0 $ith the player $ho0e (oe i0 the younge0t an! procee!0cloc5$i0e aroun! the table%

:n hi0 or her turn* a player may ta5e one o three ction0# 3ncre 0e their inluence $ith a (oe% Moe their inluence rom one (oe to another% De0troy the inluence o another player%

:nce an action ha0 been cho0en* a 0cene i0 playe! out $ithplayer0 ta5ing on the role0 o the (oe0 inole!% There0olution o the 0cene !etermine0 $hether the attempte!action $a0 a 0ucce00 or a ailure%

Influen!e, 4is%, an$ argets:nce a player ha0 cho0en hi0 action* he mu0t !etermine$hich (oe he i0 aecting an! ho$ much inluence he $i0he0 tori05on the action% +ll action0 reuire a ri05 o inluence%he +!tions3ncre 0e# The player i0 attempting to get another (oe to 0eething0 hi0 $ay% ?e can !o thi0 by !irectly tal5ing to the (oe inue0tion an! conincing him o the rightne00 o hi0 cau0e* or

7more li5ely9 by ta5ing !irect action in the targete! (oeH0 time-line 0uch that hi0 philo0ophy i0 orce! into a !ierent !irection%

The ri05inole! in an 3ncrea0e action i0 a number oinluence to5en0 alrea!y on the (oe* up to a maimum o

Moe# The player i0 attempting to eten! hi0 inluence romone (oe to another by haing a (oe he alrea!y ha0 inluence$ith act on hi0 behal% Thi0 i0 the only $ y to pl ce inluenceto5en0 on (oe Prime%The ri05inole! in a Moe action i0 a number o inluenceto5en0 on the (oe ta5ing action on your behal* up to amaimum o three%

3 the action i0 0ucce00ul* the player may moe the ri05e!to5en0 to any (oe !A centto the acting (oe 7)ee 'ontactBet$een (oe0L9% 3 the action il0* the to5en0 are moe! tothe Keeton car!%

3n the 0cene0 !rien by a Moe action* you $ill play a (oeother than the one you control* acting on behal o the (oe

you are playing% Thi0 i0 the only $ay you can gain acce00 to(oe PrimeH0 time-line%

De0troy# The player i0 attempting to remoe another playerH0inluence oer a particular (oe* either by acting !irectly orthrough a proy%

The ri05 inole! in a De0troy action i0 a number o inluenceto5en0 on the 0ame (oe a0 the inluence being targete!* up toa maimum o three% Both you n! your opponent mu0t h einluence on the 0 me (oe to perorm De0troy ction%3 the action i0 0ucce00ul* the player moe0 an opponentH0inluence eual to the amount he ri05e! rom the (oe car! tothe Keeton car!% 3 the action il0* hi0 ri05e! to5en0 aremoe! to the Keeton car! in0tea!%

3n the 0cene0!rien by a De0troy action* youHll be in the role oyour0el playing tug-o-$ar $ith another player oer a (oeH0aection0 or u0ing a (oe on the boar! to 0abotage the eort0

o another player to inluence (oe PrimeH0 lie%

#t's Andrea's turn and she's attemptin! a 9ove a"tion. Shehas three in&luen"e on Joe 4) and she'd li(e to try movin!


10/18

Creating 'cenes

!enes 5ome 7rom +!tionsEhen a player !eclare0 an action on their turn* he or 0he i00etting up the contet o the 0cene% Ehat i0 thi0 particular (oetrying to accompli0h an! ho$ $ill he go about it

ach 0cene inole0 t$o (oe0# the cting(oe an! the t rget(oe* $ith the ormer attempting to 0omeho$ inluence orchange the later% + thir! igure* that o Keeton* control0 tho0ea0pect0 o the 0cene not connecte! to either (oe%

+!ting JoeThe acting (oe i0 al$ay0 playe! by the current player% 3n the0cene that ollo$0* they $ill either be playing the part o theiro$n (oe 7in the ca0e o any 3ncrea0e action0* or on Moementor De0troy action0 targeting non-Prime (oe09* or a (oe theyHeinluence! preiou0ly 7!uring Moement action0 or De0troyaction0 targeting (oe Prime9%

arget JoeThe (oe $ho i0 targete! by the action i0 playe! by the playerto the acting playerH0 right% That player $ill be in charge oplaying out that (oeH0 attitu!e an! action0 lea!ing up to theacting (oeH0 attempt* a0 $ell a0 narrating hi0 re0pon0e%

(eetonThe player to the let o the acting player play0 the role oKeeton* $ho0e re0pon0ibilitie0 are 0imilar to that o the GM inother RPG0% ?e or 0he r me0the 0cene* giing the initial

h h h l ll h ! 5

tep :9 7raming the !eneet* the Keeton player 0et0 the 0cene# $hen an! $here i0 thetarget $hen the actie (oe ma5e0 hi0 moe Ehat i0 theenironment li5e EhatH0 going on

Be 0ure to m r5 ny pertinent inorm tion on (oe PrimeH0timeline* i he i0 the ctionH0 t rget%

tep ;9 2laying the s!eneThe target (oe 7playe! by the player to the acting (oeH0 right9

0tart0 the 0cene* !eclaring hi0 action0 an! attitu!e0%To help you pl y the role o the cting or t rget (oe* loo5clo0ely t your (oeH0 c r!% Remember hi0 ob0e00ion n! the

Andrea "ontinues her 9ove a"tion. Sin"e she's movin!to(ens &rom Joe 4) to Joe Prime, she'll e playin! 4) inthe &ollowin! s"ene.

Andrea has + years o& Joe's li&e to wor( with, &rom the time

he was orn until he made his de"ision re!ardin! hisrother. o one else has ta(en an a"tion a!ainst Joe Primethis !ame, so his time?line is wide open/ no one hasestalished anythin! previously.

Andrea de"lares that Joe 4) 3a twit"hy !un?nut6 willattempt to atta"( Joe Prime when he's , ut then ultimately&ail and reveal that he's simply a"tin! out o& desperation.She hopes that will allow Joe Prime to &eel some empathy&or 9i"hael upon dis"overin! his "rimes ei!ht years later.

Bill sits to Andrea's le&t, and so is the ;eeton &or this a"tion.He de"lares that Joe 4) de"ides to mu! Joe Prime oneni!ht when he's returnin! to his dorm with his roommate;evin a&ter a drun(en evenin! at a lo"al &rat. He writesdown 0/ Joe in "olle!e1 on Joe Prime's timeline.


11/18

(esolving 'cenes

wo 6angersThere are t$o !anger0 $heneer one (oe interere0 $ith thelie o another#

the cting (oe may 0uer harm the t rget (oe may 0uer harm

?arm re0ult0 rom the 0trangene00 o (oe interacting $ithhim0el% ?e 0ee0 0ome o the $or0t an! the be0t heH0 capableo embo!ie! in another er0ion o him0el% en i he !oe0nHt

recogni6e the other ha0 him0el 7a0 i0 oten the ca0e9* the0trangene00 o it can 0ha5e the oun!ation0 o a (oeH0 0en0e o0el%

Ehether the acting (oe ail0 or 0uccee!0 in hi0 originalintention !etermine0 $hether the playerH0 original action0uccee!0 or ail0% :ten the player $ill be ace! $ith a choiceo either 0uccee!ing at a co0t* or ailing $hile 5eeping him0elan! the target 0ae%

4olling the 6i!eTo re0ole a 0cene* the acting player roll0 three 0i-0i!e! !ice%ach !ie mu0t be a00igne! to either a !anger or the acting(oeH0 original intent%

Thin5 o it a0 three 0lot0 the !ice are place! in# one or theacting (oeH0 0aety* another or the target (oeH0 0aety* an! a

thir! or the original action that 0et o the 0cene# the 3ncrea0e*Moe* or De0troy%

Roll0 o 1*2* or are ilure0% +ny !anger a00igne! a ailureimme!iately occur0* an! that (oe i0 h rme!% 3 a ailure i0

uffering arm3 the acting player a00ign0 a ailure to either the actor or thetarget* that (oe 0uer0 harm% 3mme!iately cro00 out one o theletter0 that ma5e up that (oeH0 name on hi0 car!% The label o

that letter li0t0 hi0 current 0tate%

'ro00ing out (leae0 a (oe $orrie!* but 0t ble% ?i0interaction0 $ith him0el hae let him un0ure o $ho he reallyi0 an! $here he belong0%

'ro00ing out :leae0 a (oe 0h 5en* but able to go on%'ontinually cro00ing path0 $ith him0el ha0 0truc5 him at theery core o hi0 being%

'ro00ing out mean0 that (oe i0 bro5enan! imme!iatelyremoe! rom the game% ?i0 car! i0 remoe! rom the centralboar! an! place! be0i!e the Keeton car!%

Ehen a (oe 0uer0 harm* it ten!0 to ma5e hol!ing inluenceoer him har!er a0 een he i0nHt certain $here hi0 loyaltie0 lie%Eheneer (oe i0 h rme!* one to5en belonging to e chpl yer i0 remoe! rom hi0 c r! n! pl ce! on Keeton%

0rea%ing Joes3 (oe Prime i0 eer bro5en* the g me imme!i tely en!0% Theplayer currently ahea! in inluence !oe0 not get to narrate (oePrimeH0 !eci0ion% 3n0tea!* play imme!iately procee!0 to theKeeton epilogue 7)ee The pilogueL9%

3 (oe pl ye! by pl yer i0 eer bro5en* th t pl yer m yimme!i tely choo0e ny (oe rom the centr l bo r! other th n(oe Prime 0 hi0 ne$ ch r cter% The original (oe he playe! i0place! be0i!e Keeton an! i0 out o the game% +ny inluencecurrently on the ne$ (oe i0 moe! to Keeton%

Brea5ing a (oe an! remoing him rom the boar! imme!iatelychange0 the connection0 bet$een the remaining (oe0 The


12/18


13/18

!nding the Gae

3n$game 5on$itionsThe game en!0 imme!iately $hen one o t$o con!ition0occur0#

(oe Prime i0 bro5en%

+ll o the other (oe0 on the central boar! are eitherbro5en or hae been remoe! rom the boar! tobecome player character0%

:ther$i0e* play continue0 until a maAority o player0 agree to

en! the game% Player0 then play one l 0t complete roun!ter the current one* giing each player one la0t chance toincrea0e* moe* an! !e0troy inluence to5en0%

Narrating Joe 2rime's 6e!ision+t the en! o the game* the player $ith the mo0t inluenceto5en0 on (oe Prime $in0% ?i0 (oe ha0 manage! to conince

(oe Prime o the rightne00 o hi0 ie$* or 0imply change!PrimeH0 lie to the point that no other !eci0ion i0 iable%

3 t$o or more player0 are tie! or the mo0t to5en0* hae themeach roll a !ie a0 a tie-brea5er* $ith the highe0t roll $inning%

The $inning player may no$ narrate (oe PrimeH0 moment o!eci0ion an! it0 imme!iate repercu00ion0% Be 0ure to u0e thetimeline a0 a gui!e% ?o$ !i! the change0 an! eent0 in (oeH0lie lea! him to choo0e the outcome you $ante!

+0 al$ay0* other player0 may chime in $ith their i!ea0 an!opinion0%

3 the g me en!e! by bre 5ing (oe Prime* be 0ure to narrateKeetonH0 ob0eration0 on thi0 act into the epilogue%)ome$here along the line* one or more o the player0 !eci!e!he $a0 epen!able%

3 youHre haing trouble coming up $ith a motie or KeetonH0

action0* here are 0ome po00ible i!ea0#

:ne po00ible (oe 0ome$here an! 0ome$hen create!Keeton% The eent0 $hich ma5e up the gamerepre0ent KeetonH0 elaborate reenge on hi0 creator%

+ll o the (oe0 a0 a $hole 7an! their combine!ob0e00ion09 repre0ent a po$erul orce or change inthe unier0e% Perhap0 too po$erul% Keeton ha0turne! their attention to one another in an attempt to

5eep thing0 un!er control%

Beore Keeton* eery (oe eery$here $a0 0tuc5 in hi0ob0e00ion* unable to ta5e any 0ort o action regar!ingit% +ll that pent-up in!eci0ion $a0 gumming up theunier0al $or50% Keeton Au0t gae the $hole thing a0$it* 0harp 5ic5 to get thing0 moing again%

he 0ro%en JoesThe remaining player0 may narrate their bro5en (oeH0 reaction0to KeetonH0 reelation0% Do they un!er0tan! $hat theyHe Au0teperience! Ehat $ill happen to them no$

he 2layer's JoesPlayer0 may narrate a brie en! or their o$n character* i theychoo0e% The author preer0 leaing that part o the 0tory

unini0he!* ho$eer% 3n thi0 $ay* the player0 neer truly 5no$i their characterH0 eperience0 allo$e! them to moe on intheir o$n lie0 or i they remaine! 0tuc5* para0itically moingrom one ariantH0 ob0e00ion to another in an attempt to aoi!


14/18

Author)s Notes

o "hat "as hat +ll +bout#(oe in Ten Per0on0 i0 a $eir! game%3Hll a!mit that right o the bat%

The central conceit o ten er0ion0 o the 0ame man runningaroun! in time an! 0pace 0abotaging him0el arrie! ully-orme! in my brain a0 0oon a0 3 0a$ my cho0en topic in theli0t% erything ater $a0 Au0t a matter o !ealing $ithmechanic0%

3He been a an o >incent Ba5erH0 :ther5in! DiceL mechanicor a$hile* an! 3 5ne$ that i 3 $rote another 0hort-orm RPG*3H! hae to try my han! at a ariant er0ion o it% 3t en!e! upbeing a perect it or (iTP* orcing player0 to choo0e theircharacterH0 prioritie0 in eery 0cene% 3ronic that the (oe0 are 0oba! $ith !eci0ion-ma5ing* huh

The art 0tyleL o the game i0 a re0ult o nece00ity# 3 canHt !ra$a 0traight line $ith a ruler% )tic5 igure0 in 3n50cape are about

the limit o my i0ual arti0try% Fin!ing an 5c!-0tyle ont $a0Au0t the icing on the ca5e%

The eperience o creating (iTP$a0 li5e mo0t o my !e0ign0 inthat it elt li5e 0culpting% My initial !e0ign0 are al$ay0 toocomplicate!* een $hen 3 aim or a 0imple one 7a0 $a0 theca0e $ith (iTP9% 3neitably* mo0t o the $or5 inole0 remoingtho0e part0 o the !e0ign that arenHt really nece00ary* !onHtpromote the central premi0e* or are Au0t !o$nright not un%

Ehat 3 en!e! up $ith 7an! 3Hm not 0ure itH0 $here 3 0tarte!9 i0an eerci0e in group character-creation% The (oe0 areultimately Au0t acet0 o one guy# one-!imen0ional ob0e00iepo00ibilitie0% 3tH0 only $hen youHe ini0he! the game an!K l 5 b 5 ! i h il h

:< ours of Ma$nessThe actual proce00 o $riting $a0 airly linear% 3 literally $rotethe game 0traight through rom beginning to en!* $an!eringbac5 eery once in a $hile in an attempt to both e!it my copy

an! clear my hea!%

3 too5 brea50 a0 3 $ent* ta5ing a big one or !inner aroun!;#88pm on Fri!ay an! then $or5e! 0traight through tomi!night* $hen my brain 0tarte! lea5ing out o my ear0%

3 0lept until about .#88am* $hen 3 a$o5e $ith !imlyremembere! !ream0 o multiple er0ion0 o my0el beinginole! in an alternate er0ion o Eorl! Ear 33 $here tal5inganimal0 !i! mo0t o the ighting echoing in my hea!% )ee

$here 3 get my i!ea0

3Hm $riting thi0 at ;#88am on )atur!ay% The coerH0 ini0he!an! all thatH0 let i0 the +ppen!i o (oe an! reerence car!0%Eith a little luc5* 3 0houl! hae 0omething pre0entable $henmy time run0 out%

3 3 !onHt all a0leep ir0t%

Than*sTo eil* a0 al$ay0* or putting up $ith my ariou0 in0anitie0%Nou $ant to $rite a game in 24 hour0 ?ae unL

To Rob incent Ba5er* or haing 0o many ri!iculou0ly goo! i!ea0een he canHt u0e them all%


15/18

+My Obsession is...

My Decision is...

I'm aKa... My AGE is...

,My Obsession is...

My Decision is...


-My Obsession is...

My Decision is...


.My Obsession is...

My Decision is...



16/18

/My Obsession is...

My Decision is...


0My Obsession is...

My Decision is...


1My Obsession is...

My Decision is...


2My Obsession is...

My Decision is...



17/18

3My Obsession is...

My Decision is...


.4My Obsession is...

My Decision is...


5eetonPl ce thi0 c r! 0ep r te rom the other0 t the 0t rt o pl y%

Eheneer a player lo0e0 to5en0 through a aile! action*

a harme! or bro5en (oe* or an opponentH0 De0troy action* place them here%

+t the en! o the game* the player $ith the mo0t to5en0 on the

Keeton car! narrate0 the gameH0 epilogue%

Eheneer a (oe i0 bro5en* place hi0 car! be0i!e thi0 one%

ActionsReerence ' r!

De0troyTarget any (oe on the

boar! on $hich both youan! your opponent haeinluence to5en0%

Ri05 up to o yourinluence to5en0 to !e0troyan eual number o your

opponent0%

Nou may act a0 either your(oe or any a!Aacent (oe

on $hich you haeinluence to5en0%

MoeTarget any (oe on the

boar! either acting a0your o$n (oe ora (oe you hae

inluence to5en0 on%

Ri05 up to inluenceto5en0 on the acting (oeto attempt to moe tho0eto5en0 to the target (oe%

Thi0 i0 the only $ y topl ce to5en0 on(oe Prime%

3ncre 0eTarget any (oe on

the boar! other than(oe Prime

(oe Prime c nnotbe t rgete! byn incre 0e ction%Ri05 up to inluence

to5en0 alrea!y on that (oeto attempt to a!! aneual amount o ne$

inluence to5en0%


18/18

joe in ten persons

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