Apocalypse World: Burned Over (Thursday nights in August)

Nobody remembers how or why. Maybe nobody ever knew. The oldest living survivors have childhood memories of it: cities burning, society in chaos then collapse, families set to panicked flight, the weird nights when the smouldering sky made midnight into a blood-colored half-day. Now the world is not what it once was. Look around you: evidently, certainly, not what it was. But also close your eyes, open your brain: Something is wrong. At the limits of perception, something howling, everpresent, full of hate and terror. From this, the world’s psychic maelstrom, none of us have true shelter. Welcome to Apocalypse World.

This is a three-session series of Apocalypse World: Burned Over, by Vincent and Meguey Baker. The game will run Thursday nights in August, skipping 8/18, at 8:00 PM EDT (UTC -4) You must sign up for each individual session. Attendance at all three sessions is strongly encouraged, but not required.

Apocalypse World is the game that started the whole “Powered by the Apocalypse” design movement. In this game, the PCs are trying their best to scratch out an existence in a weird world decades after the world we (the players) know has collapsed. Burned Over is the Bakers’ latest revision of of AW 2e, designed for all-ages play: The sex moves are gone, the inherent level of violence is cranked back a notch or two, and things are a bit more streamlined and smoothed out.

  • Concept: The PCs are survivors scratching out an existence in a weird post-apocalyptic world that we’ll design together.
  • Aim: To tell a compelling story about the hardscrabble survivors living in the post-collapse.
  • Tone: A gritty survival story with elements of sci-fi and horror, but with the hope for a better future never quite out of mind.
  • Subject Matter: Scarcity, apocalyptic landscapes, environmental hazards, competition for resources, potential enemies around every rock.

System: This is a “Powered by the Apocalypse” game that goes back pretty far to the roots of PbtA design—it’s the Bakers’ third revision of the original PbtA RPG!

Prior Experience: None required. All rules will be taught at the table. This is the first time the GM will be running this game.

Technology: We will play using Zoom for videoconferencing, a shared Character Keeper on Google Sheets, and an online dice roller. While the GM would prefer that players be on video, it is absolutely not a requirement: An audio connection is all that’s needed.

Recording: If all players agree, I would like to record this session. With the enthusiastic consent of the players, I would like to make the session available for public viewing on my YouTube channel.

Safety Practices: We will be using a layered approach to safety, including Open Door, Lines & Veils, and the X-Card. We will review safety practices at the start of the game. This game follows the Gauntlet Community Code of Conduct.

Session One
Session Two
Session Three