Love Letters!
One of my favorite mechanics from Apocalypse World is the Love Letter. I thought it could be interesting to use Love Letters to cover the time characters have spent while Lost from overindulging. I tested a couple of methods in the campaign I’m GMing and found a way that clicked. After you ask the player what their character is doing during downtime you can craft the Love Letter, modeled after this example:
Dear Lucas,
I hope you’ve been having a good break! Brixx probably hasn’t. Please make a Fortune roll based on how you’re questioning your friend-of-a-friend and choose options from the following list based on your effect level (1-3 choose one, 4-5 choose two, 6 choose three, crit all five). If you don’t like your result you can make Resistance rolls 1-for-1 to give yourself more options:
-Brixx gives you a solid lead. Take +1d to the next roll. (Resolve)
-Brixx is so scared of you that you don’t need to add him as a Rival. (Resolve)
-Brixx doesn’t get any hits in during the “chat,” avoid level 1 harm: Bruised. (Prowess)
-The Thorns don’t take 2 heat based on your very public kidnapping of this poor man. (Insight)
-You’re able to take care of things quickly: tell us how The Thorns avoid Reprisals from the Seaside Dockers. (Resolve)
I’m sure that went just fine! Now, it’s time for you to continue your detective work. How do you go about searching for Lucille? Go ahead and make a second Fortune roll based on your gumshoe-ing and choose some more options using the mechanics outlined above. If you get help from your grandfather take +1d:
-You find your sister. Do you have a heart-to-heart or a fist-to-fist? (Resolve)
-You get ahold of the Spirit Warden’s case file and get a clue about the ghost. (Resolve)
-The Thorns don’t take -1 status with the Wardens due to your meddling. (Insight)
-You escape an encounter with the Sparkwrights unscathed, avoid level 3 harm: Zapped. (Prowess)
-Scott doesn’t get to put two ticks in the “Not A Snitch” clock. Sedna will be very unhappy if that one fills (you can choose to not take this option even if you crit). (Insight)
Oh wow, isn’t it great that you’re a happy family now!? How are you feeling? Has anything you’ve learned during your break changed your thoughts on the path you’re going down, or are you doubling down? How do you feel about your sister and the death of your parents at this point? In retrospect, do you think you handled the Ulf situation maturely?
Love,
Your GM
This letter led to some of the most memorable and intense scenes we’ve had in our campaign. It’s not a requirement to be a sarcastic jerk in your letter, the Brogans are definitely not a happy family now.
In summary:
-Ask what the character is doing for while they are Lost (or between two “Seasons” or any other abstracted periods outside of normal Downtime)
-Write a relevant and interesting Love Letter with at least one list with five options.
-The player rolls Fortune based on the Action the character is taking.
-The player chooses options from the list based on how well they rolled on Fortune; they may make Resistance rolls to select additional options from the list.
-Remember, as always, to be a fan of the PCs, to let everything flow from the fiction, and to hold on lightly.