With Halloween fast approaching, we thought we'd give you a proper introduction to Graveyard Shift, one of several mini-rpgs that NUELOW Games has published. Below are tips for getting started, for running a session, and a scenario hook for Graveyard Shift that will launch your players directly into a classic B-movie survival horror scenario.
We are operating under the assumption that you've already gathered players together for a one-shot session, either in celebration of Halloween, or because several key players couldn't make the evening's game.
You do not need grid maps, miniatures, or heavy folders of notes. Just grab:
The Game Booklet: A single copy, or two, of the PDF on a tablet or phone is plenty.
Dice: We recommend gathering at least 10 six-sided dice (d6).
Dice: We recommend gathering at least 10 six-sided dice (d6).
Index Cards or Single Sheets of Paper & Pencils: Instead of full-sized character sheets, player attributes fit entirely on a single index card or a half-sheet of printer paper.
RAPID CHARACTER CREATION
Do not spend the first hour of game night building characters. Have your players sit down and instantly generate their personas based on the minimalist rules.
Do not spend the first hour of game night building characters. Have your players sit down and instantly generate their personas based on the minimalist rules.
Using the guidelines in the rulebook, have each of them them pick an everyday job (e.g., "I'm Bob, the night-shift cemetery groundskeeper"), assign their 3 basic stats, their skill, and their starting piece of equipment. This shouldn't take more than a few minutes, and you're to launch straight into the action of the scenario.
START IN MEDIA RES
NUELOW standalone games thrive on immediate crisis. Do not build up a slow introduction. Start the session right in the middle of the action, like so:
THE HALLOWEEN TORRENTIAL WASH-OUT
The Outbreak Epicenter: The oldest, unmapped section of the cemetery grounds on a steep, muddy hill.
The Setup: A massive autumn storm has battered the town for twelve hours. The ground is completely saturated, causing a localized mudslide that is unearthing old, shallow graves.
The Starting Line: "You are soaked to the bone, riding in the open cab of the site’s rusted utility tractor trying to clear a fallen tree branch blocking the main gates. The headlights flash across the muddy hillside. The earth is shifting, and several rotting, wooden coffins have cracked open. But instead of tumbling down the hill, the figures inside are pulling themselves up out of the mud and locking eyes on your tractor. Where do you run?"
The Setup: A massive autumn storm has battered the town for twelve hours. The ground is completely saturated, causing a localized mudslide that is unearthing old, shallow graves.
The Starting Line: "You are soaked to the bone, riding in the open cab of the site’s rusted utility tractor trying to clear a fallen tree branch blocking the main gates. The headlights flash across the muddy hillside. The earth is shifting, and several rotting, wooden coffins have cracked open. But instead of tumbling down the hill, the figures inside are pulling themselves up out of the mud and locking eyes on your tractor. Where do you run?"
GM REMINDER
In Graveyard Shift, the player characters are ordinary people, not action heroes. Emphasize the environment: the darkness, the pouring rain, the lack of weapons, and the dwindling flashlight batteries. Every choice should feel like a desperate scramble to find a heavy tool, secure a door, or stick together!
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