I just heard about this My Life with Master and it has been described on Play This Thing blog “as seminal a work in the history of tabletop role-playing games as Frankenstein was for literature.” It a game about playing the henchmen of an evil Master as in Igor or Renfield. Interesting no? Actually it sounds sort of like the inspiration for the computer game Overlord, which is a blast.
Greg Costikyan had a post on his blog about it from 2003 which goes into great critical detail but serves nicely to describe it:
My Life With Master Cover
Each of the players takes the role of a minion, who serves an evil Master. The specific nature of the Master–his needs and wants, the “outsiders” whose respect s/he strives for, the degree to which governed by base lusts or inhumane reason, and the specific style in which the Master attempts to achieve his/her objectives–are arrived at through negotiation between the gamemaster and the players. The specific nature of the Masters – his needs and wants, the “outsiders” whose respect s / he strives for, the degree to which basic lusts governed by reason or inhumane, and the specific style in which the Master attempts to achieve his / her objectives – are arrived at through negotiation between the gamemaster and the players. That sounds quite freeform, but actually, Czege provides a sufficient set of defining characteristics (is the Master a Feeder or a Breeder or a Collector?) that the results of this negotiation should be a reasonably well defined personality, and a well-defined set of goals. That sounds quite freeform, but actually, Czege provides a sufficient set of defining characteristics (the Master is a Feeder or a Breeder or a Collector?) That the results of this negotiation should be a reasonably well defined personality, and a well-defined set of goals.
A Master has only one characteristic: Fear, which represents his ability to enforce his commands on his minions. A Master has only one characteristic: Fear, which represents his ability to enforce his commands on his minions. There is also a global characteristic, not tied to any individual character: Reason, which represents the Townsfolk’s ability to resist the minions–and to respond favorably to minions who make positive overtures. There is also a global characteristic, not tied to any individual character: Reason, which represents the Townsfolk’s ability to resist the minions – and to respond favorably to minions who make positive overtures.
Once the Master is defined, the players each create a character, again with the GM’s participation. Once the Masters is defined, the players each create a character, again with the GM’s participation. Minions have three characteristics: Self-loathing, weariness, and love. Minions have three characteristics: Self-loathing, weariness, and love. Love always begins at zero. Love always begins at zero. The player divides 3 points among the other two–it doesn’t really matter, actually, as both self-loathing and weariness are likely to increase during play. The player 3 points divided among the other two – it does not really matter, actually, as both self-loathing and weariness are likely to increase during play. The player must also devise a “more than human” characteristic, and a “less than human” characteristic. The player must also devise a “more than human” characteristic, and a “less than human” characteristic. Each must have an exception, and each is an obvious method of creating story hooks for play. Each must have an exception, and each is an obvious method of creating story hooks for play.
It sound entertaining and intriguing. Granted it’s been out for about five years now but it’s interesting enough to post about. The game is available in print for about $17.00 or as a PDF for $9.95. You can My Life with Master and several other interesting indie RPGs such as Bacchanal, Nicotine Girls, and Act of Evil from Half Meme Press.