Elfen Lied: A Monsterhearts Hack

This hack adapts Monsterhearts 2 to the world of Elfen Lied, a story of Diclonii—mutated humans with invisible telekinetic arms called vectors and a primal urge for violence. The game retains the core mechanics of Monsterhearts but introduces new Skins (the Diclonius and the Runaway), tweaks to the setting, and adjusted moves, principles, and reactions to reflect the anime’s themes of trauma, duality, survival, and a yearning for found family in a hostile world.

Setting: Kamakura, a Hostile Coastal Town

The game is set in Kamakura, a coastal town in Japan where whispers of “horned monsters” fuel paranoia. The main characters are teenagers navigating a tense community, some hiding their Diclonius nature, others entangled in their dangerous lives. Key locations include:

• Kamakura High School: A rigid social hierarchy masks secrets. Cliques form around popularity, fear, or rebellion, and rumors of missing students spread.
• Maple House: A boarding house run by Yuka’s family, a fragile sanctuary where characters share moments of warmth (cooking, chores, rain-soaked confessions), but under scrutiny from suspicious neighbors.
• Diclonius Research Facility: A hidden lab on the outskirts, where scientists hunt and experiment on Diclonii. Its presence looms over the town.
• Kamakura Beach: A place for fleeting moments of peace or violent confrontations, where the ocean hides bloodstains.

The seating chart (pages 70-71) maps the homeroom at Kamakura High, showing who sits near whom and hinting at social tensions (e.g., Yuka’s clique at the front, Lucy/Nyu isolated at the back). The MC should emphasize the constant threat of exposure—Diclonii risk capture by the facility’s agents or betrayal by peers. NPCs include suspicious teachers, nosy locals, Kurama (a conflicted scientist), and shadowy government operatives.

Session Zero and Safety Guidelines

Elfen Lied deals with heavy themes—graphic violence, abuse, trauma, and mental health struggles. To ensure a safe and enjoyable game, use these tailored session zero guidelines (building on pages 74-82):

• Discuss Boundaries: Before play, have each player share:
  • Themes they’re excited to explore (e.g., found family, tragic romance).
  • Themes they want to avoid or fade to black (e.g., specific forms of abuse, gore, child harm).
  • Use the X-Card (page 78) and encourage players to say “Let’s fade to black” for sensitive scenes (page 79).
• Check for Triggers: Explicitly ask about comfort with Elfen Lied’s content (e.g., dismemberment, institutional abuse, suicide). Suggest alternatives like focusing on emotional fallout rather than graphic details.
• Emphasize Found Family: Frame Maple House as a safe space in the fiction, where players can explore tenderness and belonging. Encourage moments of warmth (e.g., via the Hearth Move) to balance the darkness.
• Check-Ins: Pause after intense scenes (page 80) to allow players to decompress. Use questions like, “How’s everyone feeling about that?” or “Need a break?” to gauge comfort.
• Content Warnings: Provide a content warning sheet listing Elfen Lied themes (violence, trauma, abandonment) and ask players to add their own. Revisit boundaries if new themes emerge during play.

New Skin: The Diclonius

The Diclonius embodies the struggle between human emotions and monstrous instincts, feared and hunted by society.

Flavor Text

You’re a paradox, a fragile heart wrapped in invisible blades. Your vectors hum with power, yearning to lash out, but your eyes plead for love, for a place to belong. The world calls you a monster, and sometimes you believe them. But when you look at the ones you love, you see something worth fighting for—even if it means tearing everything else apart.

Identity

• Name: Lucy, Kaede, Nyu, Nana, Mariko, Aiko, Yuka, Kouta, Mayu, Nozomi
• Look: Fragile, haunted, unassuming, feral, bloodstained
• Eyes: Piercing eyes, vacant eyes, tearful eyes, predatory eyes, split-personality eyes
• Origin: Escaped experiment, hidden in plain sight, orphaned by violence, born in secrecy, cursed by mutation

Stats

Choose one set:

• Hot 1, Cold -1, Volatile 2, Dark -1 (passionate but unstable, prone to violence)
• Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile 2, Dark -1 (calculating but volatile, suppressing their nature)

Your Backstory

• Someone knows your true nature and hasn’t betrayed you (yet). They gain 2 Strings on you.
• You’ve hurt someone and regret it. Gain a String on them, and they gain a String on you.

Darkest Self

The world has rejected you, and now you reject it. Your vectors lash out without restraint, tearing through anyone who stands in your way. You’ll destroy those who hurt you, and maybe even those you love, to prove you’re more than a monster. You escape your Darkest Self when someone reaches through your pain and reminds you of your humanity, or when you’re subdued by force.

Sex Move

When you have sex with someone, your vectors instinctively protect you, but your heart opens. Gain a String on them, and they gain a String on you. If they’re human, you both mark experience as you confront the divide between your natures.

Diclonius Moves

You get Vectors and choose one more:

• Vectors: Your invisible telekinetic arms can manipulate objects or attack with deadly force. When you use your vectors to Lash Out Physically, add 1 to your roll. On a 10+, you may choose to deal 2 Harm instead of 1. On a 7-9, you still choose one of the usual options, but your vectors leave a trace (blood, destruction) that risks exposing you.
• Split Persona: You have a dual nature (e.g., Lucy/Nyu). When you Keep Your Cool to suppress your violent instincts, add 1 to your roll. On a 10+, you gain a String on someone nearby as they see your softer side. On a 7-9, you suppress your instincts but take the Condition unstable.
• Telekinetic Sense: Your vectors sense nearby threats or emotions. When you Gaze Into the Abyss to learn about someone or something nearby, add 1 to your roll. On a 10+, you gain a String on someone involved in the vision.
• Trauma’s Echo: Your pain fuels your power. When you take Harm, mark experience and take 1 Forward to your next Lash Out Physically or Gaze Into the Abyss roll.

Advancement

• Add +1 to one of your stats.
• Take another Diclonius move.
• Take another Diclonius move.
• Take a move from any Skin.
• Take a move from any Skin.
• You join a Diclonius Sanctuary (a hidden group of Diclonii, like a gang, page 35).

New Skin: The Runaway

The Runaway represents characters like Mayu, who’ve fled abuse or trauma and seek safety in a found family, but carry scars that make trust difficult.

Flavor Text

You ran from a world that broke you, carrying nothing but scars and a stubborn spark of hope. Maple House feels like a home, but you’re always waiting for the other shoe to drop. You’ll cling to these people, this fragile family, even if it means facing their monsters—because you know what it’s like to be alone.

Identity

• Name: Mayu, Nozomi, Emi, Rin, Sora, Taro
• Look: Wary, fragile, patched-together, haunted, hopeful
• Eyes: Tired eyes, guarded eyes, pleading eyes, bright eyes, lost eyes
• Origin: Escaped abuse, runaway from home, abandoned, survivor of violence, drifter

Stats

Choose one set:

• Hot 1, Cold 0, Volatile -1, Dark 1 (charming but guarded, seeking connection)
• Hot 0, Cold 1, Volatile -1, Dark 1 (cautious and introspective, hiding pain)

Your Backstory

• Someone offered you a safe place to stay. Gain 2 Strings on them.
• You’ve seen someone’s darkness and didn’t run. They gain 2 Strings on you.

Darkest Self

You’re done trusting, done hoping. You pack your bags and run, cutting ties with everyone, even those you love. You’ll hide, lie, or fight to stay free, no matter who gets hurt. You escape your Darkest Self when someone finds you and proves they won’t abandon you, or when you’re forced to return.

Sex Move

When you have sex with someone, you feel a fleeting sense of home. Remove one Condition and take 1 Forward to your next roll involving them. If they betray you later, take the Condition heartbroken.

Runaway Moves

You get Survivor’s Instinct and choose one more:

• Survivor’s Instinct: When you Run Away from danger, add 1 to your roll. On a 10+, you may choose to take someone with you to safety. On a 7-9, you still escape, but the MC may choose an additional consequence.
• Patchwork Heart: When you share a vulnerable moment with someone (e.g., confessing a fear or past trauma), gain a String on them. If they support you, both of you mark experience.
• Always Watching: You’re hypervigilant from past trauma. When you Keep Your Cool in a threatening situation, add 1 to your roll. On a 10+, ask an additional question about the threat.
• Scars Tell Stories: When you reveal a physical or emotional scar to someone, roll with Hot. On a 10+, they’re moved and take 1 Forward to help you. On a 7-9, they’re shaken and take the Condition unsettled.

Advancement

• Add +1 to one of your stats.
• Take another Runaway move.
• Take another Runaway move.
• Take a move from any Skin.
• Take a move from any Skin.
• You join a Found Family (a tight-knit group, like a gang, page 35).

Characters and Skins

Lucy/Nyu - The Diclonius

• Stats: Hot -1, Cold 1, Volatile 2, Dark -1
• Look: Split between feral and fragile, piercing/vacant eyes
• Origin: Escaped experiment
• Moves: Vectors, Split Persona
• Backstory:
  • Kouta knows her true nature and hasn’t betrayed her (Kouta gains 2 Strings on Lucy/Nyu).
  • She killed Kouta’s sister, though he’s forgotten (Lucy/Nyu gains 1 String on Kouta; Kouta gains 1 String on Lucy/Nyu).
• Play Style: Lucy embodies the violent, calculating side, while Nyu represents pure vulnerability. Her player should emphasize the tension between these aspects and the fear of losing control around Kouta. Her vectors are a constant threat, and her dual nature makes trust fragile.

Kouta - The Hollow

• Stats: Hot 1, Cold 0, Volatile -1, Dark 1
• Look: Gentle, kind eyes, carries himself like something’s missing
• Origin: Amnesiac
• Moves: Better Than Nothing, Strange Impressions
• Backstory:
  • Lucy/Nyu has taught him about loss and love, filling his emptiness (Kouta gains 2 Strings on Lucy/Nyu).
  • Yuka sees through his vague past, sensing his lack of roots (Yuka gains 2 Strings on Kouta).
• Play Style: Kouta drifts with inexplicable guilt and attraction to dangerous people like Lucy/Nyu. His player should lean into his kindness masking profound emptiness, and his unconscious need to absorb others’ emotions to feel whole.

Yuka - The Queen

• Stats: Hot 0, Cold 1, Volatile 0, Dark 0
• Look: Proper, territorial, always watching
• Origin: Kid next door
• Moves: The Clique, Streaming
• Backstory:
  • Her gang includes Mayu (a runaway, loyal but traumatized), Koji (a classmate who admires Yuka’s control), and Hana (a sharp-tongued friend who fuels Yuka’s jealousy). Yuka gains 1 String on each.
  • She finds Lucy/Nyu threatening, sensing her hold over Kouta (Yuka gains 1 String on Lucy/Nyu; Lucy/Nyu gains 1 String on Yuka).
• Play Style: Yuka maintains order through social control at Maple House. Her player should emphasize her jealousy of Lucy/Nyu, her protective instincts, and her desperation to keep Kouta close.

Nana - The Diclonius

• Stats: Hot 1, Cold -1, Volatile 2, Dark -1
• Look: Childlike, trusting, scarred (missing limbs)
• Origin: Escaped experiment
• Moves: Vectors, Trauma’s Echo
• Backstory:
  • Kurama, a scientist posing as her adoptive father, showed her kindness without betrayal (Kurama gains 2 Strings on Nana).
  • She hurt Mayu during an escape attempt, mistaking her for a threat (Nana gains 1 String on Mayu; Mayu gains 1 String on Nana).
• Play Style: Nana maintains desperate optimism despite her traumatic past. Her player should contrast her innocent demeanor with her violent potential, and her need for approval with growing independence.

Mayu - The Runaway

• Stats: Hot 1, Cold 0, Volatile -1, Dark 1
• Look: Wary, fragile, patched-together, tired eyes
• Origin: Escaped abuse
• Moves: Survivor’s Instinct, Patchwork Heart
• Backstory:
  • Yuka offered her a safe place at Maple House (Mayu gains 2 Strings on Yuka).
  • She saw Nana’s vectors during a chaotic moment and stayed (Nana gains 2 Strings on Mayu).
• Play Style: Mayu is a survivor, clinging to Maple House as a fragile home. Her player should emphasize her wariness, her quiet hope for family, and her fear of betrayal, especially after Nana’s attack.

New Basic Move: The Hearth

Once per session, when you share a quiet moment with someone at Maple House—cooking together, doing laundry, watching the rain—roll with Hot. On a 10+, choose two. On a 7-9, choose one:

• Remove a Condition.
• Share a memory (real or fabricated) that makes you feel like a family.
• Give a String and say what it means to trust them.
• Take +1 Forward to your next roll involving them.
  This move emphasizes the fragile warmth of found family, contrasting Kamakura’s hostility.

Modified Basic Moves

• Lash Out Physically: For Diclonius characters, increase base Harm to 2. Add an option on a 7-9: “You expose your true nature, risking capture or fear.”
• Gaze Into the Abyss: Add a Diclonius-specific outcome: “On a 10+, you may glimpse a traumatic memory tied to your mutation, gaining insight but taking the Condition haunted.”
• Turn Someone On: On a 7-9, add an option: “They’re drawn to you but fear your power, giving you a String but taking the Condition scared.”
• Hide Your Nature: When you conceal your Diclonius traits in a tense situation, roll with Cold. On a 10+, you pass as human. On a 7-9, choose one:
  • You leave a subtle clue (e.g., a cracked wall, a flicker of your vectors).
  • You take the Condition paranoid.
  • Someone gains a String on you, sensing something’s off.

New Conditions

To evoke the soft/sharp duality of Elfen Lied:

• Homesick: Yearning for a lost or imagined home.
• Like a Real Family: Feeling a fragile sense of belonging.
• Too Gentle for This World: Vulnerable to cruelty.
• Almost Safe: Teetering on the edge of security.
• Tired of Running: Exhausted by survival.
• Clinging to Normal: Desperate for mundane stability.
• Wants to Be Held: Craving physical or emotional comfort.

Modified Principles

• Highlight the Duality of Humanity and Monstrosity: Show characters straddling human emotions and monstrous impulses. Make NPCs react with fear, fascination, or pity toward Diclonii.
• Make the World Hostile: Kamakura is a pressure cooker—NPCs are suspicious, authorities watchful, and betrayal looms. Introduce threats like government agents or vigilantes.
• Amplify Trauma’s Consequences: Let characters’ pain ripple outward, creating new conflicts or deepening existing ones.
• Show Tenderness in the Cracks: Allow moments of warmth, softness, and goofy domesticity at Maple House (e.g., cooking, bickering about chores). Remind players how fragile it is.

Modified Reactions

• Reveal a Hunter’s Presence: Introduce a government agent, scientist, or vigilante tracking the Diclonii.
• Force a Monstrous Choice: Make a Diclonius choose between using vectors (risking exposure) or staying hidden (risking harm to loved ones).
• Expose a Traumatic Memory: Bring up a character’s past trauma to push them toward their Darkest Self or a risky decision.
• Ignite a Love Triangle: Highlight romantic tensions (e.g., Yuka’s jealousy, Kouta’s pull toward Lucy/Nyu) to spark conflict.

Starting Mystery/Arc Structure

Mystery: The Missing Diclonius

A Diclonius named Mariko, a young girl with devastating vector power, has escaped the research facility and vanished in Kamakura. Her disappearance sparks a manhunt, with agents scouring the town and locals growing paranoid. The main characters are entangled in the mystery, each with personal stakes:

• Lucy/Nyu: Mariko’s escape reminds Lucy of her own flight from the facility. Does she help Mariko or see her as a threat? Lucy’s player might Gaze Into the Abyss to learn Mariko’s whereabouts, risking a traumatic memory.
• Kouta: His fragmented memories hint at a connection to Mariko (perhaps a shared moment from childhood). His player might use Strange Impressions to adopt a move from another Skin, reflecting his shifting identity.
• Yuka: She fears Mariko’s presence endangers Maple House’s safety. Her player might use The Clique to rally her gang to protect their sanctuary, but risks alienating Mayu.
• Nana: Kurama, her “papa,” tasks her with finding Mariko, promising freedom. Nana’s player might roll Trauma’s Echo to channel her pain into action, but risks exposure.
• Mayu: She saw Mariko hiding near the beach and feels a kinship with her as a fellow runaway. Her player might use Patchwork Heart to bond with Mariko, complicating the group’s dynamics.

Arc Structure (2-5 Sessions)

• Session 1: Discovery and Tension
  The group learns of Mariko’s escape during homeroom, as whispers of “monsters” spread. A government agent, Bando, appears, questioning students. The MC frames scenes at Maple House, where domestic moments (e.g., cooking dinner) are interrupted by news reports of attacks. Use Ignite a Love Triangle to highlight Yuka’s jealousy or Kouta’s pull toward Lucy/Nyu. End with a cliffhanger: Mariko’s vectors are spotted near Maple House.
• Session 2: Choices and Exposure
  The characters decide whether to hide Mariko, turn her in, or confront her. Lucy/Nyu or Nana might roll Hide Your Nature to protect her, risking clues that draw Bando closer. Mayu might use Survivor’s Instinct to flee with Mariko, complicating loyalties. The MC uses Force a Monstrous Choice to push a Diclonius to act violently or stay hidden.
• Session 3: Climax and Consequences
  Mariko’s presence forces a confrontation—perhaps at the beach, where vectors clash. Yuka’s clique might fracture under pressure, and Kouta’s memories resurface, triggering his Darkest Self. The MC uses Expose a Traumatic Memory to deepen the emotional stakes. Resolve the mystery: Is Mariko saved, captured, or killed? The outcome sets up the season’s end.
• Session 4-5 (Optional): Fallout and Resolution
  The group deals with the aftermath—trust broken, Maple House exposed, or Kurama’s betrayal revealed. Use The Hearth to offer moments of healing or Reveal a Hunter’s Presence to introduce a new threat. Season Advances (pages 53-56) allow characters to change Skins (e.g., Kouta becoming a Mortal) or retire to safety.

MC Tools

• Threat Map: Sketch Kamakura with Maple House at the center, surrounded by the school, beach, and facility. Mark NPC threats (Bando, Kurama, suspicious teacher Ms. Sato) and their goals (capture Diclonii, protect secrets, expose monsters). Update the map as Strings shift or Mariko’s actions escalate tensions.
• Strings-as-Clock: When a character gains 5 Strings on another (e.g., Kurama on Nana), trigger a major plot event: betrayal, a hunter’s ambush, or a Darkest Self episode. This mirrors the facility’s control over Diclonii and heightens stakes.

Playing the Hack

• Tone: Blend visceral violence, emotional vulnerability, and tragic romance. Scenes should feel raw, with tenderness (e.g., The Hearth moments) punctuated by brutality.
• Safety: Use the X-Card (page 78) and check in frequently. Discuss boundaries around gore, abuse, and mental health triggers in session zero.
• Seasons: A short campaign (2-5 sessions, page 110) mirrors Elfen Lied’s intense narrative. Season Advances could include escaping Kamakura, confronting the facility, or embracing/rejecting your nature.

Sample First Scene

It’s a rainy afternoon at Kamakura High. The homeroom buzzes with whispers of a curfew after an “animal attack.” Lucy/Nyu, horns hidden under a cap, sits at the back, avoiding eyes. Kouta doodles nearby, lost in thought. Yuka, at the front, glares at Lucy/Nyu while organizing her clique. Nana fidgets, her prosthetics hidden. Mayu clutches her bag, wary.

The MC: The teacher steps out, and Mayu accidentally bumps Nana’s desk, spilling her pencil case. A bloodstained ribbon falls out. Mayu freezes. Nana rolls Hide Your Nature, scoring 8, choosing “Someone gains a String.” Mayu gains a String on Nana, whispering to Yuka. The MC uses Ignite a Love Triangle: Yuka notices Kouta glancing at Lucy/Nyu. She stands, saying, “Nyu, you’re awfully quiet. Hiding something?”

Lucy/Nyu rolls Keep Your Cool with Split Persona, scoring 10, gaining a String on Kouta as Nyu stammers, “I-I just want to be here… with you.” Kouta offers a pencil, taking 1 Forward (Better Than Nothing). Yuka, fuming, rolls Shut Someone Down on Lucy/Nyu, escalating. Mayu, torn, watches Nana, considering Patchwork Heart to connect over their shared pain.

The MC asks, “Lucy/Nyu, how do you react to Yuka’s accusation?” and the scene unfolds, weaving messy emotions and monstrous secrets.

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Elfen Lied: A Monsterhearts Hack is based on Monsterhearts 2 by Avery Alder and inspired by the manga Elfen Lied by Lynn Okamoto.

Monsterhearts 2 is published by Buried Without Ceremony. This hack is created under the Creative Commons license and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the original creators.

Special thanks to the Monsterhearts community for creating a framework that makes these kinds of emotional explorations possible, and to anyone who helped playtest or develop these ideas.

Elfen Lied contains mature themes. Please use safety tools and communicate boundaries when playing.