Episode 3: chronicles of darkness basics

In Episode 3 of Modern Mythology, we continue our exploration of horror RPG systems with Chronicles of Darkness, the successor to White Wolf’s World of Darkness and the “new” World of Darkness. While the editions’ lineage may be complex, the system’s core mechanics remain intuitive and accessible.

To demonstrate how it plays, we dive into an Actual Play with a simple yet evocative premise: “Your characters work at a 1990s convenience store.” From character creation to the gradual escalation of tension, the scenario unfolds, transforming the ordinary into something unsettlingly extraordinary. At the end we talk a bit about what we learned and the pros and cons of “traditional" RPGs.

• 5:20 Virtue and vice

• 7:25 Aspirations

• 16:00 Story begins

• 49:35 CoD Breaking Point

• 61:45 Wrap up the game

• 63:00 One Shots

• 64:22 Discussion about cultural appropriation

• 67:00 Where’s the horror?

• 69:00 The Big Lie

• 74:25 Health and recovery

• 76:00 System driving player behavior