Building on entanglement tracks, institutional scars, and file-based identity erosion, how can we design a King in Yellow campaign loop where each new case must explicitly choose one domain to stabilize (legal, medical, or artistic) and one to let drift toward Carcosa, and what concrete procedures (clocks, scene types, end-of-case questions) keep those trade-offs sharp instead of dissolving into vague background corruption?

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Answer

Loop: every case, the group must protect one domain and sacrifice another, and procedures keep that choice visible in scenes, clocks, and end-of-case questions.

  1. Campaign loop skeleton
  • At case start:
    • GM presents short recap of institutional scars in LEGAL, MED, ART.
    • Table picks:
      • STABILIZE: 1 domain to protect.
      • DRIFT: 1 domain to risk toward Carcosa.
      • NEUTRAL: 1 left loosely affected.
    • Mark:
      • STABILIZE gets a "shield" clock (fills = scandal/overreach).
      • DRIFT gets a "erosion" clock (fills = visible Carcosa shift).
  1. Domain clocks (per case, 0–4)
  • LEGAL: charges, precedents, police files.
  • MEDICAL: diagnoses, protocols, case notes.
  • ARTISTIC: shows, trends, criticism.
  • Each risky scene can tick 1–2 segments.
  • Simple rule:
    • If a choice clearly protects STABILIZE, tick DRIFT instead.
    • If a choice grabs fast advantage, tick DRIFT unless player pays a cost.
  1. Scene types tied to domains Prep 1–2 scenes of each type per case; use more from STABILIZE to show strain and from DRIFT to show corruption.
  • Legal scenes: interrogations, hearings, leaks, evidence suppression.
  • Medical scenes: consults, intakes, review boards, drug trials.
  • Artistic scenes: auditions, openings, reviews, grant meetings. Procedures:
  • Start of a domain scene: remind table which role that domain has this case (STABILIZE/DRIFT/NEUTRAL).
  • End of scene: ask, "Did this scene hold the line here or let Carcosa in?" Then tick clocks accordingly.
  1. File and scar updates
  • Keep the 3-file structure per PC (MED/LEGAL/ART) and institutional scar tracks.
  • When a domain clock completes this case:
    • STABILIZE full: the domain hardens against Carcosa (new rule, cure, watchdog) but becomes more punitive or alienating.
    • DRIFT full: add 1–2 clear Carcosa scars and a file tag across PCs (e.g., "Carcosa-coded diagnosis," "Yellow jurisprudence," "cult favorite critic").
  • Between cases, do a 5–10 minute "scar pass" per affected institution using existing scar procedures.

  1. End-of-case questions (to keep trade-offs sharp) Run 3 short questions as a ritual:

  2. Stabilized domain:

    • "What cost did we pay to keep this domain ‘normal’?" (name 1 NPC, practice, or right that got worse.)

  3. Drift domain:

    • "What is the most obvious new Carcosa scar here?" (add 1 concrete change everyone will notice next time.)

  4. Cross-domain:

    • "Whose file changed most because of this choice?" (pick 1 PC and update 1–2 file entries in both domains.) Tie 1–2 small mechanical effects to answers (bonus die, new contact, new taboo) so players care.

  5. Keeping it from becoming vague background

  • Table card: list current STABILIZE / DRIFT choices and current clock status; keep in center.
  • Rule of mention: every session, each domain must be named at least once in play as "holding" or "slipping."
  • GM principle: any big advantage scene should also clearly push one domain’s clock.
  1. Safety
  • At case start, let players flag which domain is most sensitive this arc (e.g., no heavy psychiatric content) and avoid putting that domain in DRIFT.
  • Use existing entanglement/safety tracks for personal erosion; domain clocks stay about systems, not real players.