Local authorities are led to suspect that a leader of one of the seven cults into which the city's shadowy underworld is divided has begun to pursue a mystical experiment that could have a disruptive outcome of monumental peril. You have been engaged as an agent provocative, applying your proven attractive wiles and familiarity with occult appetites to play upon the cultists' sensual extravagances in an attempt to discover the culprit and defuse the situation.

Terms: "Cult"= One of 7 Boss hexes and its 6 surrounding Site hexes. "Toss 2c"= toss 2 pennies & count Heads (0..2). "Toss 3c"= toss 2c with 1 dime & add +3 if dime shows Heads (0..5). "Random Cult"= Toss 3c & ref bracketed numbers in Cults. Excludes player occupied Cult - if central Cult unoccupied, it uses occupied Cult's number. "Random Site"= In random Cult, toss 3c & impose on 6 Site hexes around Boss same pattern as of numbered Cults.

Prepare: Note player's starting arsenal of 3 Advances & 3 Defenses randomly from first 8 on both Modifiers Table axes by tossing a dime, nickel & penny together 6 times and ref "I,V,X" marks: skip to next on repeats (so can be 9th, etc.). Place player nickel in any edge hex of map.

Play: To begin turn 1, automatically note initials of random Site in first 0) entry of Experiments Track, and tick Aim flag for that Cult's Boss on Suspects Roster. Player loses if the final Experiment is performed; but wins by identifying & dissuading the culprit Boss, or by learning and occupying the Site for the final Experiment.

				Turn Sequence
Toss 2c for Experiment occurence (skip turn after placing).
 If occur, toss 3c twice for random Cult Site & mark Track.
Until Halted or Retreated: { Choose Move, or Halt & use
 Captivation/Cooperation Advance vs Boss/Site's Defense.
If Moved, toss 2c for Reaction.
 If bad, Retreat & pick Defense vs Boss/Site's Advance. }

Experiments: At start of turn, toss 2c & ref Track. If toss equals number at last filled Site entry, the next Experiment occurs: note initials of random Site in next entry of Track. Don't flag a Suspect as on turn 1 (see Captivation). Don't toss on turn following placement (so first toss is on turn 3 & if 0 results the 1) entry is filled). Retoss for a repeated Site. When the player Halts in an Experiment Site, mark a check beside its Track entry number, then toss 2c & if the result equals any checked Track entry number, the player learns the location for the final Experiment: note random Site in X) entry of Track. After toss, player may still try Cooperation as usual. Entering an already checked Site doesn't allow for further investigation. The player wins by Halting in known final Experiment Site, before that occurs by toss.

Move & Halt: A player may choose to Halt in a hex to investigate an Experiment or use Cooperation or Captivation (qv), ending the turn; or may choose to Move to an adjacent hex. After Moving to the new hex, the player must toss 2c & ref the Reaction chart to avoid Retreat. If failed, toss 2c again for Retreat direction: 1= back to prior hex, 0= to hex clockwise of prior hex by tried hex, 2= to hex counterclockwise (ie. as per [0..2] from map center); then the player must pick a Defense versus an Advance by the Boss or Site Retreated to (see below), which ends the turn. If there's no hex in the Retreat direction, return to prior hex. If Reaction succeeds, the player may choose to Halt as above, or continue Moving until Halted or Retreated.

Cooperation: In a Site hex, a player may use Cooperation if Halted, and must resist Cooperation if Retreated. To use, select one of the player's Advances, crossref with the Site's Defense and apply the Modifier to a 3c toss. On a result more than [2] Unharmed, the player may "pick up" the Site's Defense (add it to the player's arsenal - it remains in the Site too), and add 0 to all Reaction listings for the player's first Move on the next turn. To resist in a Retreat, select & crossref a Defense with the Site's Advance & toss 3c. On a result less than [2] Unharmed, the player may pick up the Site's Advance, but on a result more than [2] the player may not try to move to a hex outside that Cult on the next turn.

Captivation: In a Boss hex, a player may use Captivation if Halted, and must resist Captivation if Retreated. The process is as in Cooperation above, but the Boss selects its Advance or Defense by tossing 3c for a random Site in its Cult, after the player has made a selection. Then the Modifier is applied to a toss of 2x2c: toss 2 pennies twice & count Heads (0..4). If Retreated to a Boss hex, on a result more than [2] Quickening of Pulses the player must lose a turn (only the Experiment toss will be made). When the player Halts in a Boss hex for the first time (if Retreated, must choose to remain on next turn), toss 2c. On a result of 0, no one in the Boss's cadre of higherups seems consensually susceptible to the player's Advances: mark an 'X' in the Ask flag by that Boss on the Suspects Roster. Otherwise put a checkmark there and in either case toss for a random Cult & tick its Aim flag (J'accuse). When a Cult has two ticks in its Aim flag, that Boss has been identified as the culprit. If the player uses Captivation vs a Boss with an Ask checkmark, on a result of [5+] Kiss of Death the Boss is Enthralled. Any turn the player may Move; or Halt in the hex, select an Advance and repeat the use with a +1 to each successive toss until a result is less than [0] Thrill of Interest, or no greater than the previous turn's: then the player would be displaced to a random Site of that Cult ending the turn (no Retreat toss). The player may have only one Enthralled Boss at a time (the last to be Enthralled). The player may Move into any hex of an Enthralled Boss's Cult without tossing for Retreat. The player may choose to have an Enthralled Boss use Captivation versus a Boss with an 'X' in its Ask flag in whose hex the player is Halted: the Enthralled Boss selecting its Advance first and following the same process. The player wins if the known culprit Boss is Enthralled by the player or an Enthralled Boss.

        Advances	        Defenses
Aesthetic Flattery	Assured Selfsufficiency
Artful Moodiness	Broadminded Tolerance
Attentive Patience	Clinical Detachment
Coy Request	Curbing of Imagination
Feigning Helplessness	Diversion of Attentions
Fetching Smile	Embarrassed Circumspection
Intimidating Forwardness	Exacting Scrutiny
Impulsive Touch	Formal Courtesy
Leveling Association	Frigid Regard
Lurid Scene	Idealized Comparison
Prideful Bearing	Liberal Condescension
Rueful Pout	Mellow Humor
Solicitous Concern	Mature Remonstrance
Token Meekness	Revolting Honesty
Upbeat Encouragement	Suitable Modesty
Vogue Posing	Twinge of Conscience

Developed for playtesting at Archon 32, 03 Oct 2008.
Visit www.playhob.com for more hobby adventure gaming.

	"What will you do?"
	"I'll try to get on their good side."

	Losing Heart is a solitaire game. All you'll need to play it is the game map and charts on the reverse, a pencil and scratch paper for records, and four coins: a dime, a nickel and two pennies. The map is composed of seven Cult superhexes, each consisting of a Cult Boss hex surrounded by six Cult Site hexes. The nickel serves as the player's location marker on the map. Random results are determined by tossing coins in combination.
	In play, two types of coin tosses will be called for: a two coin ("2c") toss, and a three coin ("3c") toss. A 2c toss is made with the two pennies, counting the number of Heads that come up, giving a result of 0, 1 or 2. A 3c toss is made with the dime in addition to the two pennies, and if the dime comes up Tails the Heads of the pennies are just counted as before, but if the dime comes up Heads +3 is added to the number of Heads of the pennies giving a range of results of 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5. When directed to toss for a random Cult superhex, toss 3c and use the bracketed numbers below the Cult Boss names. A randomly determined Cult will never be the one occupied by the player. If the player is not in the central Cult superhex, the central Cult is temporarily assigned the number of the superhex occupied by the player. When directed to toss for a random Cult Site within a superhex, toss 3c and follow the same layout pattern of hexes around the Boss hex as with the numbered superhexes around the central superhex. 

	Prepare to play by randomly assigning the player's starting arsenal of Affectations. These will be 3 Advances and 3 Defenses determined by rolling 1 penny, 1 nickel and 1 dime in combination six times.
Referring to the Table of Modifiers, use the "I, V, X" divisions indicated along the top row and left column to select among the first eight of each listed, though taking the next listed available Advance or Defense if a result is repeated.
	Start the game by choosing any hex on the outer edge of any Cult superhex of the superduperhex map to place the nickel in. Then randomly determine the Cult and Site where the first Experiment was detected and note that Site on the first entry of the Experiments Site Track; also checking the Aim flag of that Cult's Boss as the initial suspect on the Suspects Roster.
	Play proceeds by the Turn Sequence following. The player loses if and when the last of 5 Experiments is performed. The player prevents this and wins by identifying and dissuading the culprit Boss, or by learning and occupying the Site for the final Experiment.

(Site) Cooperation toss= 2c twice: as 0..4 Heads
(Boss) Captivation toss= 3c: as 0..5 value

Affectations
Advances:

Artful Moodiness
Eye-catching Passage
Admiring Compliments
Lurid Scene
Coy Request/ Imploring Look
Rueful Pout
Vogue Posing
Fetching Smile [rather than just a "cuteness" quotient, is indicative of special notice/ singling out, or beckoning gestures (use of a fan or the eyes)]
Measure of Kindness/ Solicitous Concern
Lively Banter/ Smalltalk
Intimidating Forwardness
Upbeat Encouragement
Attentive Patience
Lost Helplessness
Leveling Association
Aesthetic Flattery
Act of Contrition/ Meekness / Token Submissiveness
Flaunting Accoutrements
Impulsive Touch / Inordinate Nearness/ Exciting Closeness
Regal Bearing / Prideful/ Independent Manner
Feigning Disinterest
Effusive Thanks/ Appreciation

Playful, Winning, Subtle, Flashing, (Ful)-some, Vivid, Confusing _

Defenses:

Twinge of Conscience
Frigid Regard
Rupture/ Withdrawal of Sympathy (-ies)
Remembrance of Misuse
Assured (Self-) Sufficiency
Disinclination to Amusement
Idealized Comparison
Clinical Detachment
Broadminded Tolerance
Mellow Humor
Diversion of Attention(s)
Searching Objectivity
Exacting Scrutiny
Recollection/ Recalling of Advice
Inner Voice/ Warning Signals
Distracting Mannerisms
Revolting Honesty
Formal Courtesy
Mature Remonstrance
Suitable Modesty
Liberal Condescension
Curbing of Imagination
Embarrassed Circumspection

Melancholy, Spurning _ Rebuff, Barrier

Autumnmists Club
Aberrant Usage
Bazaar Bates
Branch Librarian
Bete's Off
Baron Waste
Charnel Den
Carlot Fervor
Condo Luxe
Cask Masters
Dogsbreath Inn
Darkraven Mag
Divan Rathskeller
Drive-thru U.
Feral Excess
Frat Hold
Ghost Office
Hostel Fandom
Harpy Landing
Heterosis Manors
Healthnut Viewery
KURN AM
Lacklead Geas
Maggots Ghoul
Monster Mall
Nex Cafe
Paydirt Loams
Puck Rink
Runestone Cowboys
Rugs Gallery
Roofless Pavilion
Sic Transit
Sterling Founders
Skullery Maze
*Starmaker Machinery
Troupe Adore
Thirdhand Outlet
Tailgate Stakes
Valdemart Stares
Wonton Jade
Werehouse Row
Zencircle Mission
Zombie's Who

Developed for playtesting at Archon 32 3/10/08.
Visit www.playhob.com for more hobby adventure gaming.