My First Fiasco – Scene 1

This is the tale of my first time playing Fiasco, the randomly generated ad-lib Role Playing Game created by Jason Morningstar, and published by Bully Pulpit Games.

This was originally going to be a single post, but it’s going to be so huge that I think this is going to have to be more of a weekly serial. Leave a comment on what day you’d like these to be posted on.

Playset: Tales From Suburbia.

(The playset is the equivalent of the story’s setting. It provides parameters for the dice rolls that determine how the story plays out. This playset is reminiscent of the feel of the white picket fence communities in Edward Scissor Hands, and The Stepford Wives.)

We rolled the dice into the central pile, then divvied them up to create the “Web of Relationships and Details”. I’m not going to get into how this is done. I will only HIGHLY recommend buying this game from your Friendly Local Gaming Store if you don’t already have it.

At the end of this process, our Web of Relationships and Details looked like this:



We roll off and determine that James, playing Julian, gets to start. He decides to control how the scene is resolved, and lets us establish the scene for him. He takes a “positive outcome” die from the pile so the scene will end in his character’s favour. Dan starts rattling off the scene before James can even get his die onto the table:

Joe Saxon, Franz and David’s old partner in-crime, came knocking at the door asking for Franz. Julian, terrified that Franz would be pulled back into a life of crime, invited Joe in and murdered him. It’s been a week and the body is starting to stink through the bag, and Julian has decided to confess to Franz what he’s done, hoping that love will help Franz forgive this one, tiny little murder.

(I launch into a terribly done mock-German accent)

Franz – Honeee! I’m home mein vunder schnitzel! I have zee butter dein asken fur!

Julian – Oh darling, I’m so glad you’re home!

Franz – You look so vurried mein frau mensch, you are shakink!

Julian – I… I have something to confess. But you HAVE to promise me you won’t get angry!

Franz – Mein buttahcuppen, how could I evah be angry mit you! Tell me vaht hasss happened.

Julian – Your old partner. Joe. He came over last week. I was so worried you’d get back into your old life I… I…

Franz – Sent him avay and mitout tellink me he vas here?

Julian – …killed him and put his body in your old leather duffelbag.

Franz – HAHAHAHAA! Haha… ha… aaAA?

Julian – *Deadpan*

Franz – Seriously!?

Julian – *Looks at the floor in shame*

Franz – …

Julian – *looking worried* Honey?

Franz – …

Julian – Baby?

Franz – ZAT vas NOT somezing I saw comink.

Julian – *Exasperated look*

Franz – My guten $2000 leder doofelbaggen you zay?

Julian – Yesss… *Looking worried again*

Franz – I zee.

Julian – …

Franz – …

Julian – *Slightly impatient* Well? Can you get rid of it?

Franz – ME!? (looking at the positive die) But… but… *defeated sigh* I zuppose I can do zees for you mein schveet. I… I veel need to find sommen help.

(End Scene)

To be continued…

Doc