Rules of House of Tortured puppies

System:

• This game is played with 2d6 (2x 6-sided dices with numbers 1-6) based system.

Items need for the game:

• 2x 6-sided dices with numbers 1-6.
• Paper or file for recording the information of PC.
• Some way of keeping track of PC’s failed checks. Paper or file is fine, but three objects that you can move to mark a failed save will do fine as well.

Rules:

• When trying to perform a task the player must do a skill check relative to the task.
• For skill check player throws two 6-sided dices with numbers 1-6.
• The sum of the dices is calculated and to it is added the PC’s modifier of the needed check.
For example: player throws 2 and 5, and the modifier of the skill in question is -1, then the result is 2+5-1=6.
• In order to succeed, the player need to have result higher to the difficulty level. Otherwise, the player fails.
• For every third failed check, PC will receive a condition.
• If PC does not have any removable condition, they will randomly get a removable condition.
• If PC already has a removable condition, then PC gets randomly a permanent condition.
• When PC has received all the permanent conditions game is over and player has lost the game.
• If PC dies the game is over and player has lost the game.

The course of the game

by Nanzku

The puppy has a following set of skills:

1. Barking and Growling (Tasks like letting out alarm, telling things to other puppies, getting attention, or threatening others)
2. Sad puppy eyes (Used when interacting with devils excluding threatening)
3. Sleight (Tasks like hiding, modifying objects, or carrying fragile things)
4. Speed (Tasks like fleeing, chasing, or catching)
5. Strength (Tasks like pulling, pushing, biting hard, or destroying things)
6. Wiggling tail (Used when interacting with other puppies excluding threatening)

• When creating player’s PC, they can use the pre-set “breed” (under construction) or create their own mix.
• When creating their own mix PC has a following set of modifiers placed freely to the skills they want: +3, +2, +1, 0, -1, -2.
• Please note the permanent conditions and make sure that the PC does not have qualities that are similar to these conditions i.e., puppy should have a tail, ears and teeth. If player insist on making a PC with some of these qualities give PC the appropriate permanent conditions.
• The creator of this game is against of breeding dogs with exaggerated traits that compromises health of the dog. Thus, it is advised against of creating a PC with exaggerated traits like flat face, heavily loose skin, bulging eyes, overly short legs and heavy under- or overbite.

Conditions that can affect the puppy’s skill modifiers:

Permanent conditions:

1. Cropping: Sad puppy eyes.
2. Docking: Wiggling tail.
3. Loss of muscle tone: Strength.
4. Obesity: Speed.
5. Removal of vocal cords: Barking and growling.
6. Teeth extraction and overgrown nails: Sleight.

Removable conditions:

1. Anti-Bark-Collar: Barking and growling.
2. Ill-fitting harness/jacket: Speed or Strength
3. Ill-fitting pants: Wiggling tail.
4. Muzzle: Sleight of mouth, also prevents biting.
5. Smelly: Sad puppy eyes.

Getting a condition

• PC will get the condition related to the skill that the failed check was.
For example, PC’s failed check was on barking and growling, and PC already has one temporary condition, then PC receives Removal of vocal cords -condition. If PC did not have temporary condition, then PC receives Anti-Bark-Collar -condition.
• If PC already has the condition, throw d6 to randomly get the condition from the tables until the player receives a new condition.
• After getting the condition throw d6 to get new skill modifier for PC from the equation: (the result/2 – 6) rounded down.
For example, if the result is 3, then the new modifier is: (1,5 – 6) = -4,5 ≈ -4.
• To remove the removable condition player needs to find a tool or NPC to help with it and then succeed the skill check of skill in question with difficulty of 4. If they fail, they need to find either new tool or NPC to help them.
• When receives a condition they will continue from same point unless stated otherwise.
• A devil comes to give PC the condition.
• If the condition is temporary, it is just casted upon PC.
• If the condition is permanent, then there is disorientation and implications of lot of time passed between the moments.

How to play for GM:

• Your job is to help the player to experience the story and experience it yourself too. You are not there to compete against the player.
• First describe the scene to the player.
• Let player to ask clarifications and provide them to the player.
• When player has proposed their course of action, give description that tells the player how difficult the task is.
• If player decides to try the thing after that ask for check of appropriate skill(s).
• Describe the result of the action.

More instructions for GM:

• Be creative and encourage the player to propose solutions.
For example, if player asks if there is a chair in the room, there can be a chair in the room if its plausible, even if there is no mention of a chair in the description of the room.
• Solutions should not be easy however, so if the solution sounds too east add complications.
For example, in case of the chair you can say: “Yes, there is a chair in the room but there is an angry puppy/devil sitting on it.”
• The solution that involves PC’s highest skill should not be always the easiest solution.
• Encourage of player’s creativity and using multiple skills. Describe things so that the player has rough idea how easy or difficult the task is.
For example, if the PC always tries to solve the situation with strength and the player wants to bite their way through the door, you can say: “You smell the door and instead of the wood you smell that the steel.” If the player insists on biting their way through the door place the difficulty high like 14 or 15.

When deciding the difficulty of the task you can use following table to determine the difficulty:

Difficulty	Odds of succeeding with 0 modifier	Description
13-15	0.00	This task is impossible unless PC has positive modifier relative to the difficulty.
12	0.03	This task is extremely difficult to succeed. PC with negative modifier cannot succeed on the task.
11	0.08	This task is very difficult to succeed. PC with -2 or lower modifier cannot succeed on the task.
10	0.17	This task is difficult to succeed. PC with condition cannot succeed on the task.
9	0.28	It takes some luck (or high modifier) to succeed in this task
8	0.42	This task fails bit more often than succeeds.
7	0.58	This task succeeds bit more often than fails.
6	0.72	This task is rather easy to succeed, but it might fail.
5	0.83	This task is easy to succeed. PC with +3 modifier will automatically succeed on the task.
4	0.92	This task is very easy to succeed. PC with +2 or higher modifier will automatically succeed on the task.
3	0.97	This task is extremely easy to succeed. PC with positive modifier will automatically succeed on the task.
2	1.00	To fail this task the PC needs to have negative modifier.

• Failing the check will cause new obstacle to PC’s way if it’s not the third failed check.
• When describing the results of the failing save keep in mind the amount the check failed.
• If the check almost succeeded, then the results are not so bad as if the check failed by lot.
For example: the player tried to persuade a devil to give it a stick. If the player failed only a little the devil does not give the stick to player but starts to play with PC (easy obstacle to go pass). If the player failed a lot the devil gets angry with PC and tries to hit PC with the stick (difficult obstacle to go pass).
• If the solution clearly needs two skills to succeed ask for two skill checks. These checks should be lower in difficulty in general compared to a case where there is only one check needed. Failing one of the two checks should be minor thing than failing both checks, or failing the only check.
For example: Running through a room trying to be unnoticed requires both speed and sleight (difficulties 4 and 6). Whereas sneaking through the room requires just sleight (difficulty 7).

How to play for player:

• Your job is to explore the story that GM is narrates to you. You are not competing against GM.
• First listen GM’s narration of the scene and then ask for clarifications, if needed.
• Descriptions do not involve everything, so you can ask if the scene involves things that are not mentioned.
For example: If the scene described a room, you can ask if there are any windows at the room, even if the description did not include any mention of windows.
• When you are ready tell the GM how you would like to try to solve the situation.
For example: I would like to try to jump on the windowsill and try to if the window is open.
• Listen GM’s description of how challenging the task is and decide if you still want to try the solution or propose another one.
• When you have decided your course of action do the skill check and listen the consequences.