Garrote Couture is a game by Jacqueline Bryk (Itch Page), based off Cthulhu Dark system, which I have 0 familiarity with. Every player is trying to arrive to the fashion show without their outfit being ruined by someone or something, such as bike messengers, other models, or rain.
This game was included in the Itch Bundle for Racial Justice.
- Game setup is every 3d6s, notecards and pencils. Straightforward. Let's see how this goes.
- Right off the bat, you can use existing fashion brands, but why would you when you can also make off your own? The rules accommodate both so I would much rather lean into my own bullshit.
- This is less straight up like, descriptive than I'd like so the rule explanations are going to be my "Best guess" at interpreting them.
- Each turn you describe an action that gets you towards the fashion show from your front step. Calling a taxi, taking the subway, or whatever. It shouldn't get you directly from point A to the catwalk in a single go.
- You roll 1d6 to Do Something. Every number 1-6 is a success, but the higher result, the more grace, panache, and whatever you succeed with. A 1 may mean "Yeah you take the taxi, but it takes you to the wrong place, 3 blocks away" or something like that.
- If it falls within your models oeuvre, you can add a second d6 to the roll.
- If you're willing to risk your ensamble, add the final d6. If this d6 result exceeds your current Couture score (starts at 1, represents how together your outfit is), increase it by 1.
- If your outfit hits a score of 6, it's in shambles, unable to be shown to people, which can be a crushing disappointment, or a major relief, depending on your character.
- Other players can also interject into a scene. If one decides it's more interesting if you fail this scene, they can roll a single d6. If it's higher than your highest die, you fail at the current task: you miss the taxi, someone pours water out of a window in the alley you're cutting through, etc.
- You can counter this though by rolling your Couture die, the one associated with your outfit. If THIS beats their roll, you still succeed, but a part of your outfit is ruined. Risk reward baby.
- You can teamwork with other players too, if you end up at similar points, or travel as a group. Each player rolls and you take the highest result, and that player describes this phase of the trip.
- Game can be played with a GM setting scenes or GMless.
This feels like a game that would be a fun add on to a TTRPG campaign for a one-off, especially if people need to smuggle stuff into a fashion show or some other high society event. It seems really low stress but could be a fun way to spend an afternoon with some friends.
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