HALO ‘n’ HORNS

written @ByConnieChang as part of my one page actual play RPG collection

with gratitude to my Patreon Paladins: Brooke Brite, Emily Chang, Jon Johnsick,
Laura Boylan (Champion), and Paul Baranay!

Introduction
HALO ‘n’ HORNS is a one-page comedy RPG about an angel and a devil trying to make a mortal do something, tailor-made for
an actual play environment. This micro RPG is adapted from an improv game I love. Get wacky!

The Cast
In HALO ‘n’ HORNS, there are two GMs and one player:
● GM 1: The Angel
● GM 2: The Devil
● Player: The Mortal the GMs are trying to win over

The GMs
Each GM has a different Objective they want the Mortal to accomplish. The Objectives shouldn’t have anything to do with each
other—in fact, the more removed, the better! The GMs should know each other’s Objectives, so they can interfere with each
other. The Mortal shouldn’t know what the chosen Objectives are, only that they’re Big and Dramatic.

The GMs have free reign to paint the world, introduce NPCs, cut scenes, and deploy any number of classic GM moves to nudge
the mortal toward their objective, and away from their rival’s. A lot of the funny bits come from the GMs fighting each other
through oscillating weather, competing NPCs, shifting terrain, and clashing lore.

GM Tip: advance your Objective through visual and physical storytelling, rather than having random thoughts pop into the
Mortal’s head.

Basically, the GMs can do anything EXCEPT:

1. Violate the Mortal’s player agency by telling the Mortal how they feel, what they do, what they think, or how they look.
2. Play the other GM’s NPCs.
3. Directly contradict what the other GM establishes.

Deploy as many tactics as you can to nudge the Mortal toward completing your Objective. Ping them with an urgent text, crash
their car on their way to work, shove a flyer in their face, start a riot in the city. Start small, then escalate. Anything goes!

Creating Objectives
Roll a d6 to determine each GM’s Objective or choose your own (or ask the audience):

Angel: Make the Mortal 1) donate their life savings to charity, 2) adopt an entire orphanage of orphans, 3) chain themself to a
tree to protest deforestation, 4) upload an apology video for something bad they did, 5) visit their mother in prison, or 6) go
vegan.

Devil: Make the Mortal 1) rob a bank, 2) burn down a church, 3) carjack a cop car and take it for a joy ride, 4) go on a messy
and public bender, 5) hook up with every single one of their exes, or 6) remove the stops signs in their neighborhood.

The Player
The Mortal's Objectives are to have a normal day, and to express strong opinions about the weird, wild, and wacky things
happening to them.

Playing the Game

The game begins with the Mortal setting the scene. They tell the audience what they look like, where they are, and what they’re
doing. Next, the GMs introduce NPCs and add scene details in order to advance their Objective and threaten their rival’s. The
game ends when the Mortal accomplishes an Objective, or when one of the GMs throws in the towel—whichever’s funnier.