Custom Modules

This article covers all the custom modules used in Hitchhiker 1.

Examples used follow two players: Alice and Bob.

The Warden is called the Warden.

Custom Panic and Death Tables

Panic and Death Tables substantially deviate from the normal Mothership rules, and are kept secret from the player.

They can be uncovered via Scrying the Warden’s Dice.

Losing Control

In this campaign, it is expected for players to lose control of their characters relatively frequently.

When this happens, the whole table will be notified immediately, even if losing control happens off-screen.

Losing control of a character does not mean they died or went insane.

Unknown Conditions

Unknown Conditions are an extension of normal Mothership Conditions, in that the details of the Condition are not known to both the player and the player character.

An Unknown Condition can be revealed with equipment and expertise.

Point System

Players will have access to an additional, rather non-descript meta-resource called “Points.”

Points are scored by players in the following ways:

When the player sells the usage rights of a personal backstory element to the Warden
When the player opts in to doing something that might be obviously detrimental to their character but drives the plot forward

Points are spent in the following ways:

To influence a character in the Warden’s control to do an action that can fully resolve in a single scene
To reveal useful information about a Warden’s dice roll
To suppress an urge

Selling Backstory to the Warden

Players are encouraged to develop their characters in meaningful ways for the benefit of both the table’s entertainment, and to give the Warden source material.

When the Warden intends to use an element of a character’s backstory directly in the campaign as a plot-relevant fixture, the Warden will make the player an offer for usage rights.

However, the Warden can only make an offer to the player if the player explicitly illustrates or monologues it during session play.

All players who are involved in developing the backstory elements will be given Points.

Explicitly, this includes players who facilitated the scene.

“I sit next to Bob and ask him. What’d you find out about yourself, then?” Alice says.

“I come from a long line of tea-makers,” Bob says to Alice.

“Oh really? Is it a special tea?” Alice says.

“Sort of. Psychoactive tea utilizing a steeping method in zero-gravity,” Bob says.

“Say what? I wanna try some,” Alice says.

“How about it, Warden? Do I have some on me?” Bob says.

“I’ll buy usage rights to the psychoactive tea for 2 Points to Bob, and 1 Point to Alice,” the Warden says. “Is that a deal?”

“Uh, yeah. How’re you going to use that?” Bob asks

“Sick!” Alice says, happily marking it down.

“Not at liberty to say,” the Warden says. “If you’d like to get some of this tea, you’ll need some ingredients. You know Samra’s the one to talk to.”

“Oh, Samra? The lady growing the plants?” Alice says.

“Oh boy. Not sure where this is going but I don’t trust it,” Bob says.

Earning Points for Plot-Driving Actions

If a player comes across a scene that is obviously dangerous, the player can also factor in the opportunity to earn Points in their decision-making.

Points will be rewarded by actions that meet both of the following criteria:

The action has the obvious potential to be detrimental
The action will reveal important information, develop a character, drive the plot forward, or showcase something that the Warden has in store

Earning Points via opt-in should not be a surprise. The player may always inquire with the Warden if a certain course of action would obtain Points.

“You can hear the creature thumping about around the corner of the hallway,” The Warden says. “Alice is still unconscious.”

“God damn it, I never should’ve told her about the tea,” Bob says.

“I don’t regret a thing,” Alice says.

“Well, I think I’m just going to feel guilty about this whole thing if you die. I’m going to stuff her in the locker and run down the hallway to distract him.”

“No! Why? Is Bob a simp?” Alice exclaims. “No, don’t do it! She’s not worth it, Bob!”

“I can’t hear you, you’re unconscious!” Bob says.

“Alright, I’ll give you two Points. You are obviously risking your life to develop Bob, and I might get a chance to show how this creature eats people.”

“Ick,” Alice says. “Don’t let it get you! I want to drink more tea!”

“What do I roll?” Bob says.

Cosmic Influence

If a player has lost control of their character, they will be able to influence characters in the Warden’s control by spending Points.

First, the player outlines what they would like the target character to do.

Next, the Warden will appraise it. If the Warden believes that the action breaks verisimilitude, the Warden will veto the action.

The Warden will generally veto any actions that:

Are significantly out-of-character
Are impossible
Break immersion
Violate content restrictions of the table
Are too complex

If the influenced action directly restricts another player, the player will need to consent to the negative effects before the action can take effect.

Lastly, the Warden will name a price in Points.

The player may decide against the action if it is too expensive.

If an action relies on chance, rather than the target character deliberately doing it, the Warden will roll to determine the outcome.

“I’m running like hell,” Bob says.

“You just manage to avoid its lunge,” the Warden says.

“I’m going to scream at the other Marine. Run! Fuckin’ run!” Bob says.

“The Marine shines her flashlight and realizes what’s chasing you, and turns heel to follow your advice.”

“Hold on! I don’t have control of Alice! I’m going to do a Cosmic Influence!” Alice yells.

“Got it. What’s your plan?” the Warden says.

“Wait, Alice, don’t do it. She might have a wife and kids,” Bob says.

“She’s got no wife and kids because she’s also a simp!” Alice crows. “I have her drop to one knee and start firing at the monster to save Bob!”

“Alright. That’ll be 3 Points,” the Warden says.

“Eesh, expensive. Fine,” Alice says.

“The Marine slides behind cover, turns around, and starts peppering the creature with holes,” the Warden says.

“Fuck yeah!” Alice cheers.

“I’m gonna keep running. She knows what she’s doing,” Bob says.

“With the Marine’s covering fire, you are guaranteed to escape. Do you look behind you?” the Warden says.

“Dammit, you’re offering me Points, huh? Nah, I’ll pass. We can see the monster eat someone later,” Bob says.

“Fair enough. However, as you keep sprinting, you hear a scream, followed by a crunch, followed by more screaming, now laced fully with agony. The screams subside into gurgling. There’s a wet thud.”

“Oh God, I feel bad,” Alice says.

“Not looking made that worse, I think,” Bob remarks.

Scrying Warden Dice

The Warden rolls all dice publicly.

At any point, players may spend 1 Point to figure out 1 useful piece of information about the dice roll.

The Warden chooses what to present to the players.

Information examples include:

The text of the table cell that was rolled
The NPC that this involves
Information such as Stats about an NPC this roll involves
A description of the roll’s purpose

This information should not be cryptic, and it should be clear why this information is useful.

If the Warden describes that a player character has the urge to do something against the player’s will, the player may spend 1 Point and take 1d4 Stress to suppress the urge without needing to roll a Save.

This ability can suppress urges from Panics, but this will cause an Unknown Condition to be inflicted.

The Unknown Condition is likely worse than the Panic that was suppressed, but it’s negative effects are delayed.

“You remain hidden from the creature, but the smell wafting up from it is giving you the urge to puke,” the Warden says.

“That’s an urge, right? I can suppress it?” Alice says.

“Yes,” the Warden says.

“I spend my last Point to suppress my nausea,” Alice says.

“You keep it down and manage to avoid detection,” the Warden says.

“I think we made it,” Bob says.

“Don’t jinx it!” Alice says.

Keyboard shortcuts