Mort Q5. Mort: The Convention One-Shot

BurnAfterRunning

You're running at an RPG convention. You've pitched, in a moment of madness, a 3-hour session based on the novel. What system do you use? What's your plot structure or notes? Who are your pregens?

Apocryphal

This is a great question. I need to think about it a bit.

The system would certainly be something like what I described in another answer, where people could quote lines of notable text. For plot structure, I can't see myself repeating the plot of Mort - I'd go Mort-adjacent. Maybe a sequel, or perhaps a 'previously undiscovered' chapter of the book between other events.

I'd probably make the characters first, as that would help jumpstart the plot.

So, Pregens? Mort is a possibility, though by no means a guarantee. Let's keep him in the back pocket. Other characters might be:

• A pair of gravediggers who are somehow embroiled in a spot of trouble: Doug (who's in charge of excavating) and Pat (who mostly fills them back in.) I see these guys as sort of reverse-detectorists (if you've seen the TV show) who put things in the ground and hang out at pub quiz nights.
• Margarit and Melindia, the flower arrangers. Margarit is named after Anaphalis margaritacea - Pearly Everlasting - which might be Margarit's stage name in her side-line burlesque act. Melindia was a consort of Hades in greek myth. She keeps bees for her hobby. These are the other two members of the quiz team.

And maybe the scenario begins or ends with a quiz night... a quiz night that Death happens to be attending in an effort to have 'fun'....

RichardAbbott

Love it!