Story

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Age of Rebellion

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Howdy Vados!

It’s Jonathan here with another signature DR:TX Rules Ramble, leading up to our March live event GIFTS OF SUFFERING! This is our next ST led over-arc game, led by Andrew Harper. Each week, I’ll discuss in detail an aspect of the upcoming event, compiling the rules and lore into one easy place to read! This week, we are covering some of the major settings changes from last event, as well as some other updates for our March game!

Our photos for this post were taken from previous DR:TX events by Jason Dumas.

Boss Debs and Malorous Mab meet with the Bravado representative, Ace.

The REsults of “The Breaker of Crowns”

During our event last month, we presented several important CHOICES about the fate of the San Saba to the town of Bravado. With all the charm and stubbornness we’ve come to expect from Bravado, our folks stepped up to the challenge and made some big decisions that will have a continuing impact on our setting going forward. There’s a reason the Bravado (and Texas) Motto is “Come and Get It!”.

Let’s get the biggest choice out of the way - the town of Bravado has DECLARED a full REBELLION from the San Saba Board.

We’ll cover what this means in game in a moment, but let’s first discuss how we got to this point.

During this event, we had several prominent NPCs in play that could each be interacted with to influence the decision of the event towards, WAR, PEACE, or REBELLION. Each of these NPCs had an agenda they wanted to achieve, some secrets they had to hide, and some deals that could be struck. We talked about these specific faces in a previous blog post, but here’s a reminder:

  • The Breaker of Crowns - The leader of the Oxkiller Alliance, she has had a significant presence in town over the season so far. She’s attacked folks during the first game as they completed Liquidation Runs into Waking, crashed the Tribe of Seasons meetings, and even fought alongside Boss Debs against the Nightmares. She was the most interested in a chance of REBELLION, but wanted the town to prove their willingness to stand up and speak truth to power. This character was portrayed by Ace Sexton.

  • Ahote, the Restless - The mentor of the Breaker, this Natural One leader appeared for the first time in the live space and kept his cool throughout the Summit. One of the agents of PEACE for the Oxkiller War Party, he was the most interested in hearing what the town had to say about about a path forward, particularly for how they would hold people accountable for crimes committed during the war. The character was portrayed by David Rios.

  • Marcus Remington - The Minister-General for the Star City faction of the Mustang Loyalists, Remington was a divisive figure. The most eager for WAR or REBELLION, Remington was more focused on setting rules of engagement for future conflicts and ignoring the long history of violence the followers of Mustang have committed against the people of old Bravo. He also had a part to play in a serious betrayal, but ultimately wanted to wage war against the Chairman and the crashed city of Waking Prime. This character was portrayed by Ariel Patrick-Munoz.

  • Carina Astora - The “Saltwater Sweetheart”, Carina has been a terror of the Spoiled Coast for quite some time. First appearing during our online Junkerpunk event, THE CERTAINTY OF TIDES, Carina is the leader of the Junkerpunk organization known as the “Clearwater Accord”. A known pirate, terrorist, and general anarchist, she kept to her divisive nature through the event and towards a cause of WAR. This character was portrayed by Kiara Everlen.

  • Lucy “Boss” Debs - The leader of the San Saba Republic, and representative of the Local 727, Boss Debs has been a recurring NPC in our events. She was the titular character of the Summit, hosting her cousins in the Oxkillers in the ancient rituals of her tribes despite the threat of treason against the Board. Boss Debs was a powerful advocate of PEACE, even under the threat of death. This character was portrayed by Barbara Vold.

  • Malorous Mab - One of the only open Final Knights of Essex, Malorous Mab stands as the Spymaster for San Saba Republic, and for the Cali*Co Caravan. Regal and mysterious, the Accensorite always has another scheme in the background, and knows which strings to pull to get her way. Mab has always been an agent of chaos, but always seems to come out on top, whether it be in WAR or PEACE. This character was portrayed by Liz Harvey.

Each of these characters brought information, agendas, and secrets into play, and our characters still made some interesting choices on how to solve the crisis of the Summit.

The Breaker and Ahote consider the town’s offer at the Summit.

The Choice Points

During the game we had several planned CHOICE POINT events that occurred. Each choice had WAR, PEACE, or REBELLION choices that could be made, and up until the final night of the game, the choice for Peace was leading the way. A decisive stand against the forces of the Board at the Dive on Saturday night set the stage for several decisions in quick succession that led to Rebellion.

Choices for Peace

  • The Oxkiller War Party Arrives: One of the first few choices dealt with Friday night was “How does the town treat the Oxkiller ambassadors?”. The town treated the Oxkillers on Friday night with respect, and even went out of their way to help the Oxkiller War Party escape out the back door when Zombies attacked the Depot.

  • Zombie Ambush: Presented with an option to just let the War Party fend for themselves, the town protected their guests. Even with blood scented threats tunneling towards the Oxkillers, the town jumped in the way of the trouble and defended their promise to keep the peace during the Summit.

  • The Rescue Mission: After the disastrous rout at Barogue, the Militia found a way to retrieve their captured commanders from the Prince Undying via a Mortis procedure. Taking a force of Vados into the Nightmare, they rescued not only the captured Militia leaders, but saved an Oxkiller commander as well.

  • The Loyalist Demands: The Oxkiller War Party NPCs each had a series of demands and concerns to address during the Summit. The Mustang Loyalists demanded the right to conquer Waking and came to an uneasy truce with the town. While most of their terms were met and the faction is not at outright war with Bravado, the town still has plenty of reasons to be suspicious of Remington and his Fallow Hope forces.

Choices for War

  • The Summit Negotiations: The Summit arrived on Saturday afternoon, and the town heard the various demands of the Oxkiller representatives. They considered grievances, talked about solutions, but ultimately there was conflict on how exactly to proceed. Some advocated for war, while others advocated for peace, while others still suggested open hostility against the Chairman and the San Saba Board.

  • The Clearwater Demands: The Oxkiller War Party NPCs each had a series of demands and concerns to address during the Summit. The Clearwater pirate queen demanded an exorbitant ransom to pursue peace but was rebuffed at every turn. The town was openly hostile to Carina and refused any demands she made, causing her to leave in an explosive exit as she convinced several dusters to bomb Anyport and destroy the docks at Bravado.

Choices for Rebellion

  • Publicly Defending the Oxkillers: Not only did players publicly defend the Oxkillers, and advocate for a refusal of the Board’s terms of war, the Summit simply proved how many were willing to spit in the eye of the Board. Not only did they defend the Oxkillers against another strange zed attack, but many of the townsfolk even signed a contract with the Breaker agreeing with her terms to defy the Board and the Chairman, Arthur Lovelace.

  • The Foiled Mustang Plot: The Oxkillers were not entirely harmonious, as a secret plan to murder the Breaker was uncovered by the town. Putting one of their own in a disguise as the Breaker, they stopped the assassination and prevented the death of the Oxkiller leader at the hands of her so-called allies. This was one of the major crises that swayed the Breaker towards Rebellion, though she is not yet in a position to truly act against Remington. With her people still in Star City, the Breaker will need time to consider her next steps with the Loyalists.

  • The Oxkiller Demands: The Oxkiller War Party NPCs each had a series of demands and concerns to address during the Summit. The town was able to agree to a series of treaties and contracts with the Breaker and Ahote, promising fair treatment of those accused of war crimes and giving them time and space to negotiate with respect and honor. Both Oxkiller leaders were impressed by the commitment of the town, and have sworn themselves as new allies.

  • The Grave Council Influence: While the true implications of this secret have yet to be leveraged, the town discovered the Reckoner’s influence on the strange zombie behavior in town during the Summit. They disrupted a strange ritual to control the zombie hordes from afar, defeating General Rampart and killing the villainous Board member in an act of open defiance against the Board.

  • The Arrest of Boss Debs: The true moment of Rebellion occurred Saturday night, as the Waking Intelligence Service arrived to arrest Boss Debs for her clear acts of treason. As one, the town told Lawrence Graves and his paid thugs to fuck off, ignoring the orders from the Board to strip Debs of her power and title. With a hoot and holler, the town cheered its first step towards a new age of Rebellion.

With those Choices in mind, let’s cover what happens next…

A Map of the Contested San Saba Territories, as of March. Key: Purple for Rebellion, Pink for the Nightmare, Green for Board, Blue for Clearwaters, Yellow for Loyalists, Orange for Neutral

continuity & Settings Updates

With such a monumental decision for REBELLION comes a bit of an update for our various factions and personalities of the San Saba. Let’s cover the various events that your characters should know about as you enter into our March event, GIFTS OF SUFFERING.

The Current State of Affairs

  • Bravado is in open Rebellion against the Board, based on player decisions in February. The Board has declared Bravado an enemy of the San Saba and declared that they are all traitors under the Wartime Powers of the Charter.  Not every faction is willing to respect this claim entirely, but all are wary of the consequences of dealing with Bravado in an official capacity. The new Rebellion took most of the Board’s active military forces with them, except for the few mercenary and Grave Council units loyal to the Board.  The Board will need some time to respond to the other threats they are facing, and Bravado can exploit that time to prepare. Many of the factions have even sent rebels to join the Bravado resistance as new military units.

  • Bravado is under a blockade and siege by the remaining forces of the Reckoner Legion, led by Reckoner-Commander Grant. The Board has severed telegraph lines, stopped the trains from running into Bravado, and generally cut off the town from outside support until this force can be defeated. Travel into and out of Bravado is extremely difficult, and access to common trade routes is hampered. The ports and access to the waterways at Bravado and Drywater were attacked by the Clearwater Pirates on the way out from the Summit and heavily damaged.  Support from Drywater or the Longberths will require repairs and help from Bravado to fix the damage.

  • The Mustang Loyalists under Marcus Remington are in military control of Waking, but are not necessarily enemies (yet).  The Loyalists are currently working on pacifying the city and any remaining resistance.  The remaining RRC presence is limited to a few refugees that are either fighting back or trying to survive the occupation.  The Loyalists are expecting a counter-offensive from the remaining Board forces, and are preparing for a battle.

  • The Chairman escaped Eureka Tower in his private airship during the occupation of Waking, along with a few of the loyal Pureblood family heads and fled to Essex.  Essex is now occupied by the remaining Board forces and has become the new home of the San Saba Board. The Board controls most rail and water traffic out of Essex, but the city has reached an uneasy cease fire amid martial law.  Most of the actual resistance has either gone underground, or has fled the city with the forces of the Rebellion.

  • Carina Astora has escaped to the Spoiled Coast and is a general nuisance, but she has few interests in returning to Bravado.  The Clearwater Pirates and most of their forces have broken their alliance and taken their resources and troops with them to the south. The Board has declared the Coast a lost cause as they can no longer properly defend it against the Pirates with their remaining forces. The Junkerpunks are now on their own and Sinker Swim has returned home to the Clutch in preparation for the eventual attack.

  • The Law Dogs joined Boss Debs in her rebellion against the Board, following Boss Wyatt’s public defiance of Lawrence Graves and the Waking Intelligence Service.  Most Law Dogs have followed Wyatt, but a few rogue agents still exist in the Board’s employ. While the town is facing anarchy, the Law Dogs have a plan to sign a new Bravado Charter to establish some common sense laws and rules for the town with the help of the Justices of Sin.

  • The Grave Council is in a quiet civil war following the revelations of February about General Rampart.  The Mystagogues and even parts of the Reckoners are frustrated and ready to end Rampart’s hold on the faction, but need assistance to have him removed from power politically.  Cassiopeia, head of the Quiet Path, has presented herself as a voice of reason, and has kept open conflict between the faction from erupting.

Let’s talk about some of the ways these continuity updates will be reflected in game through Rewards & Consequences…

Marcus Remington (left) and Finnegan listen intently during the Summit.

Consequences & Rewards of Your Choices

We clearly have some exciting times ahead of us. Let’s cover some mechanical changes to be aware of as we continue our season.

The Bravado Blockade

  • Uses of Trade Connections or Sailing Buy Lists will be limited during this event until the Blockade is broken. Connection with the greater San Saba is extremely limited as long as the Reckoner army is on the door step and Carina’s sabotage of the docks remains.

  • The Blockade can be broken by defeating the Reckoner armies during the war game phase on Saturday night. The docks at Anyport and Lake Bravo can be repaired via a Zone of Mechanics during this event.

Radiation Penalties are Gone!

  • Research was completed to contain the worst of the Radiation from Waking.  While the city is still deadly, the surroundings are now causing less damage to the environment.  The hard work and countless Crafting Components worked into the soil have returned most of the town back to normal. Well, as least as normal as the wasteland can be.

  • Scrap and Herb are returned to normal expiration dates!

Waking is Occupied by the Loyalists

  • Liquidations Runs into Waking will require more subterfuge to avoid Loyalist attention, while rescuing innocent survivors caught there by the siege.

  • Radiation is still a worry on the outskirts of the Exclusion Zone, but incursions inside the city will require Stealth to avoid Fallow Hope patrols.  The focus of these runs will be more focused on evacuation, infiltration, or sabotage, rather than surviving the radiation.

Morale Boost

  • Every LC in Bravado, once per game, may spend 1 Resolve to declare “Is that all you got?!” and stand back up from Bleed Out with 10 Body, as the fighting spirit of Bravado is stronger than your fear of death.  This effect lasts until the end of the season.

Welcome to the Age of Rebellion, Vados!

Wrap Up

That’s it for today! I’ll be back on Wednesday with our customary “Rules You Should Know” post for Wednesday, covering a few last minute details about the GIFTS OF SUFFERING and what awaits you this weekend. Will you help Brother Agony prove his point, or will you defy his machinations? Will you claim one of the Crowns of Suffering for yourself, or will you help destroy them? What will be your role in this new Rebellion, and the shiny future ahead?

Let’s find out together, as we experience all the gifts the Final Knights have to offer!

See you soon, Vados!

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The Story So Far...

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Howdy Vados!

It’s Heather here with another story update, leading up to our February live event THE BREAKER OF CROWNS!  This is our next game, led by Jonathan Loyd and Heather Halstead.  Each week, we’ll discuss in detail an aspect of the upcoming event, compiling the rules and lore into one easy place to read! This week, we are covering the story so far, leading up to the event.

  • TICKETS FOR OUR FEBRUARY EVENT ARE ON SALE NOW! GET READY for DEADLY POLITICS AND EVEN MORE ZOMBIES!

  • We are hosting a Discord Q+A this FRIDAY, Feb 2nd, at 7pm CST.

    • Join us in the Bravado After Party Discord server to talk about the latest updates on the game, network, and chapter changes. Have questions? Our goal is total transparency, so no question is too small! Feel free to submit them in advance through the provided link or ask them during the live session.

  • If you had a great experience at our last event THE RED DEATH or had some suggestions for how we can improve, we’d love to hear from you!  Did you survive the Nightmares of the Prince Undying?  Did you translate the strange monolith in the crossroads?  Did you meet a lost loved one when the dead returned?  What did you like best?  What memories did you make? How was your NPC shift?  Did another player impress you?

Our photos for this post were taken from previous DR:TX events by our talented Photo Team, by Max Pohlmeier, Lauren Guzaldo, Jason Dumas, Sid Betzina, and Maddeax Khole.

The Story so Far…

To shake off the frost of The Long Night, we wanted to give everyone a recap of this season’s story so we can all go into the next event with a fresh knowledge of How We Got Here. Not every plot point will be summed up in this post, but we’ll get into the broad strokes!

August: The Undying PRINCE

(This was our online game over the summer, and technically our first event of the season!)

Here was the premise we shared for this event:

Lake Bravo boils.  

A lone white Obelisk stands undisturbed in the lake, the beacon that first drew delvers to the ruins underneath Bravado.  A blackened monolith in the Dune Sea, once used as a waypoint through the desert begins to hum.  A tree, formed of flowing stone in the center of Essex, begins to corrode.  Unborn throughout the San Saba wander into the desert, mindlessly following the ‘music of the spheres’, a song unheard by any other strain.  The melody seems to call them all towards the lost city of Barogue.

Amid the new threat of these monuments is the rising tension from the North. War is coming to the San Saba, and the new leader of the Oxkiller Alliance has declared Barogue a “profane monument of hubris that must be destroyed”. The technophobic zealots have moved their forces into the desert to deny the Board and the San Saba Territories a valuable route to the Broken Coast, a rattling saber heralding further conflict.

Legends and folklore still speak of The Prince Undying, the last leader of the lost city of Barogue before its fall, and whisper of his purpose in these strange objects. The Railroad Conglomerate has demanded the phenomenon be investigated, and the potential threat neutralized, before it interferes with forging a bright new future.

Barogue is the answer. 

So the Vados found their way inside the ancient city once again. The Obelisk in question locked away. But that didn’t stop them for long, and soon not only was the Obelisk, known as The Gate of Worlds, reached, but a man, claiming to be The Prince Undying, was awoken. 

Disoriented and confused, Vados and other survivors from around the wastes worked tirelessly to translate his language into something understandable. At the same time, traveling deeper into the mysterious city, encountering not only Resonant Raiders, but strange, new nightmarish threats that, at first, only appeared at the corners of their vision. Moving shadows, quiet malevolent whispers. They soon discovered no one could leave Barogue, and suddenly their mission had a new objective: escape.

Now able to communicate, the Prince voiced his fear for his lost people, and begged the wastelanders to go deeper and retrieve the fragments of his precious crown, to help set the wastelanders, and his people, free. But deeper meant more dangerous. Deeper is where the Nightmares would be unleashed.

Beset by the horrifying figures, but undeterred, The Wastelanders aided the Prince in creating a procedure to implant the Shards of the Red Crown into their bodies to go beyond the veil and into the Realm of Nightmares, a deep, deep layer of the Mortis Amaranthine, to finally escape the sealed city. They twisted their own minds and fragmented reality to fall into the Nightmare, overcoming their darkest fears, and vaulting through The Gate of Worlds opened by the Prince and into the hot sands beneath the Lonestar Skies. The Wastelanders were free, but the Prince Undying was nowhere to be found.

While the focus was on Barogue, the small settlement at Barogue was nearly destroyed by a surprise attack by the BREAKER OF CROWNS, the new leader of the Oxkiller Alliance. After spending the last year preparing, this new enemy attacked the northern corners of the San Saba, claiming the cities of Fort Worthless and Star City as their new home territory, annexing it by force from the Board. The assault was relatively bloodless, with the Oxkillers gaining a new alliance with the forces of Star City, the Mustang Loyalists. This was a clear act of escalation and war, and it was up to the San Saba Board to act next.

September: Beneath The Corpse of Waking

Here was the premise we shared for this event:

The San Saba Board has been bloodied with the fall of Waking.  Never before has the San Saba Board’s power been challenged so successfully as the fall of Waking Prime.  Despite the threat of strange Obelisks and the impending struggle against the dangerous Oxkiller Alliance, the Board is focused instead on containing the crisis that is the barely landed wreck of Waking Prime.

The wreckage of Waking Prime lays burning with fire and radiation on the doorstep of Bravado, leaching into the water, the soil, the Gravemind and the hearts of people who rely on the land for survival. The devastation is immense, and the clean up efforts will need to be just as extensive to restore the land to its previous state.

But beneath the corpse of the once mighty flying city is a brewing problem.  The morgues are churning forth the undead in larger numbers than before, bringing back creatures that have been unseen since the Hiway War alongside the threat of radiation sickness.  Somewhere within the underbelly of the city is the answer to stop the horde of undead, but the radioactive husk of Waking is lethal to even Retrogrades.  

To fix the problem, the Railroad Conglomerate has contracted a series of Liquidation Runs into the corpse of the city for any brave enough to risk the delve.  Brave the deadly radiation, get out alive, and you will be handsomely rewarded.   However, the deadly threat of radiation kills more surely than the claws of a zombie or the cruel ax of a raider.  

A certain and insidious death awaits those runners that tarry too long on their mission, get trapped by the undead, or get lost in the maze-like pathways inside the city.  Stay too long on a liquidation run, and no amount of medical assistance or meals will save you.  If you survive the lethal radiation, you’ll still have to contend with the raiding parties of the Oxkiller Alliance trying to stop any from saving the monument of the Board’s failure.

Can you survive beneath the corpse of Waking?  Can you stem the tide of radiation and undead before it is too late?

During this event, the Railroad Conglomerate contracted a series of Liquidation Runs into the corpse of the city for any brave enough to risk the delve… and delve you did. During a run, the town had to survive deadly radiation to complete a series of tasks in under 10 minutes. Staying too long in the area was certain death, so it took a combination of coordination and speed to succeed.

The citizens of Bravado took the risks and managed to push the boundary line of the Waking Exclusion Zone back from encroaching on their town, and the surrounding area. Throughout the weekend, many Liquidation runs were undertaken, and several Vados died valiantly to mitigate the intense radioactive fallout until the radiation was at least contained, for now. Despite the efforts, the lands still remain contaminated, affecting the scrap and herb pulled from them, causing faster decay.

These runs occured amidst the first contact with the enemy forces of the Oxkiller Alliance, the opposing side of the new war threatening the San Saba, including the town fighting back against the Breaker of Crowns for the first time. This would be a conflict that would only expand to include the whole of the San Saba as the months went on. 

And in light of this attack, a vote was cast for the leader of the new San Saba Militia. Last season, the players voted for a law that would allow the leader of the new military force of the Board to be chosen by popular vote. Despite being up against a very stacked deck, the people of Bravado managed to elect one of their own to lead the combat forces. Hargrave Moss-Iverspiit was elected and a war council formed after a grueling battle of politics.  However, because the town had elected a write-in candidate, the road ahead for the Militia would be difficult and the town would be left to their own devices to fund and organize the war effort.

This event saw farmers wandering into town to drink their last before falling victim to their radiation sickness, yet another assassination of Felicity Redfield during an Investor Luncheon, and hordes of irradiated zed while a new mystery began to loom. An organization known as the Waking Intelligence Service, or more simply, “The Company”, has begun to appear, led by The Chair’s Representative Lawrence Graves. Acting as an investigative force, they claim to be here to assist the Law Dogs, but the alliance seems tenuous at best. The Law Dog Union has recently had a change of structure, no longer contracted directly with The Chair, they now hold a contract with the entire board, and have been granted more internal oversight. The Company arriving right after this proclamation can hardly be a coincidence. 

Daniel Lovelace led the final Widow’s Tea, as the Widows and the Lovelace Family pull back from their involvement with Bravado in the wake of the threats Bravado levied at the Peak back in May that almost led the Quiet Folks entire settlement destroyed by the falling city. Not ones to forget even the smallest slight against them, The Family are now much less inclined to assist and interact with the citizens of Bravado. However, nature abhors a vacuum and in the absence of Clauthia’s information gathering endeavors, the Junkerpunks stepped forward as traders and collectors of information and secrets and the first Punker Drunk was held, a significantly more spirited way for Vado’s to learn and share knowledge.

And, finally, a strange altar is reported in the woods, and those affected by it begin to suffer horrific Nightmares, even in their waking hours. Visions that hint to a Barogian origin, and with The Prince Undying still missing after the events of the month prior, it only begs more questions.

October: Cirque de Dread

Here was the premise we shared for this event:

Times of trial and tragedy have begun to fall upon Bravado, after dealing with the brunt of Waking’s crash landing. Easy livelihood and a unified community have begun to feel increasingly lost, especially with open war with the Oxkiller Alliance erupting across the San Saba…The last thing this town needs is gangs of Thrill Kill raiders in garish clothes showing up, people running away from home or just straight up vanishing, Nemesis sightings, critters rampaging like mad, and best friends killing each other over random trinkets. It's too bad that that’s exactly what’s been happening to towns all over the wasteland. Even worse, all these problems seem to have a common denominator: each town was a stopping point for a flying carnival and none of this weirdness was happening before it arrived. 

But who cares about all of these rumors? Raiders and critters and people vanishing? That happens all the time in the wasteland. You know what doesn’t? The once in a lifetime experience that is almost at our doorstep: Colonel Rictus’ Flying Carnival! The Ringmaster and their carnival are making their grand debut in Bravado! Beneath the Big Top you can find compelling wonders from across the world: Exotic animals! Horrors from around the world! Games (that are definitely not rigged) for the whole family! You won’t be able to pull yourself away from the fun! And what sort of carnival would this be if it didn’t have a grand finale? A dull one, that’s what! 

Colonel Rictus has brought with them the ultimate prize: infection. Those interested need only obtain an entry medallion to earn their place in a grand game of skill (no luck involved) and a chance to extend their lives. How do you enter, you ask? Well, you’re in luck! There are plenty of ways for you to find to get your hands on one of these oddly entrancing Entry Medallions. Play some games, dig into the mysteries swirling around the carnival, or, if you’re very daring - or very desperate - you can put your own infection on the line. Just watch out for jealous folks trying to swipe your well-earned Medallion! Whether you hold one by skill, luck, money, or trouble, when the final curtain rises those eight lucky locals get a shot at the grand prize. And even should you come out with no Medallion, never fear!

There's plenty of compelling thrills for everybody at the carnival!

Colonel Rictus has brought with them the ultimate prize: infection. Those interested need only obtain an entry medallion to earn their place in a grand game of skill to extend their lives. 

This trade meet was one that needed to be survived, more than “solved”. Those who found themselves with the coveted Medallions were compelled to play in the games, and throughout the carnival, It was revealed that Rictus had a more sinister plan. Under the cover of the many, many Nemesis that roamed the area and raiders that he seemed to control, Rictus performed experiments. It seems he had help, but from whom is unclear.

Ultimately, one Vado, Foxy, ended up with new infection, and Rictus’ experiments were the end of him, as his last appearance in the town was after being killed was emerging from the morgue as a horrific monstrosity. But his ‘business partners’, whoever they might be, were never found. 

The war raged outside of Bravado, and the San Saba Militia had their first conflicts with the opposing Oxkiller Alliance. While they enjoyed some successes in defending Prudence Penitentiary and the Sweetwater Camp, they sadly lost the settlement of New Barogue to the Oxiller Alliance during the conflict, dramatically affecting future supply lines.  Several new units were drafted from the populace, including forces from the people of Bravado, and the town established their very own War Table in the middle of the Depot to manage the conflict in the months ahead.

November: Emergence

Here was the premise we shared for this event:

Bloody fissures around the mouth. Extreme fragility. Missing organs.

These were the symptoms of four sailors returning from a leviathan hunt on Lake Bravo. So severe was the internal damage, the sailors were unable to produce coherent sound and died before any medical diagnosis could be reached. Doctors attempting an autopsy before processing developed the same symptoms and succumbed to internal bleeding within 12 hours. Despite no indications of green veins amongst the afflicted, none have returned from the Grave.

Drywater was quick to cordon off the port and quarantine all who had come in contact with the afflicted. But right as it appeared the situation was under control, the Torchlight tribe sent for urgent medical aid as a new grotesque monstrosity began attacking their deepest settlement, spreading a plague of touch. Before anything else could be done, a massive earthquake struck Bravado and a horde of shamblers bearing the same scars and fissures poured from a crack in the Earth. Victims, who have since died of the affliction, reported the Earth bulging just before the quake, as if something was pressing against it from beneath.

The situation grows worse by the hour as more vectors of infection are revealed, more people die without returning, and something stirs in the depths of Lake Bravo. The Board has called an emergency meeting to discuss the disease brewing at the heart of its territory but, while bureaucracy turns with rusted wheels, your saloons fall empty, your friends go missing, and your neighborhoods are locked down, left to fend for themselves. When a touch is deadly, how can you save Bravado?

A threat is building under the surface and if left untreated, Bravado, Drywawter, and the Torchlight Clans will be locked away with the key tossed aside.

The Board enacted an emergency quarantine of the Bravado and Drywater areas, enforced with lethal efficiency by the Reckoners with the help of the Montag Purifiers. Some could get in… but no one could get out without risking lives. Any that attempted to run the blockade were met with lethal force from the Purifiers, or the San Saba Militia forces within the town.

The Militia struggled to communicate with its leadership form behind the quarantine zone, and battles were hard fought. The southern coast was lost to the Oxkiller Alliance as Pirate Captain Carina Astora ambushed San Saba forces in a devastating loss, while the Militia held its own in the North, successfully protecting many of the major settlements and claiming the ruins of Abi’s Lament in a bid to cut off the forces in the Dune Sea.

The affliction was soon discovered to be a parasite, brooding in the body of an injured Leviathan in the boiling lake. Insanely easy to transmit- it only took one touch from an infected. And though it was easy to cure in the beginning stages, later stages were a mystery. Those who died reported being sent to digestion pits once they crawled out of the Mortis, only to be forced to escape yet another horror. As the town raced to find a cure, the Montags and representatives of both the Militia and the Reckoners who lived in Bravado were ordered to contain the threat, especially that posed by the few symbiotic infected, who were somehow compelled to infect as many around them as possible. 

The research, aided by Vados, and Dr. Heavywater, finally uncovered that the parasites were originally Leviathan parasites that had mutated, potentially due to the radiation and exposure to the strange vibrating Monolith. This, combined with the boiling lake, created a perfect storm that allowed the creatures to flourish at an alarming speed. Quickly, teams were dispatched - one to put the Leviathan out of its misery and destroy the breeding grounds, one to deface the Obelisk, and stop its effects on the lake, and another to use massive amounts of alcohol to burn out the rest of the creatures as they tried to create a new nest within the town. Once destroyed, a cure was manufactured from the samples found in the nests and dispersed in the water supply. 

But this was not without its own consequences. Reports of fires and lanterns turning Red at Widows Peak soon followed the desecration of the Obelisk and a crimson mist began to spread slowly across the San Saba, emanating from Barogue. 

December: The Red Death

Here was the premise we shared for this event:

It began in Widow’s Peak, just as the first candles of Winter Lights lit cozy windows. Strange, alien sirens wailed across the Peak, and lantern flames turned red.  Animals began barking at shadows.  And as the lights shifted, the night became deadly.

The Longwalkers, creatures of myth and imprint made reality that haunt the San Saba during the Long Night have changed, transformed into something from our deepest nightmares.  Fleeing Lovelace survivors speak of a terrible malevolence within the once predictable threats.  No longer are they content to haunt the Long Night, but they move from the shadows into a new nightmare made reality.

Now that the ancient Obelisk in Lake Bravo is silent, a new song rises across the San Saba, an echo of the music of the spheres heard months ago.  Changes roll across the Territories, as the red masque of death spreads from the Peak.  The shadows begin to lengthen in Essex, in Waking, and the Clutch, the shadowy figures within marching towards a new destination.

These new monstrous Nightmare Walkers are called by this siren song back to Bravado, to answer the call of their new master, the Prince Undying, the mad architect of Barogue.  His influence spreads across the wastes, warping reality, afflicting zed, creature and raider alike.

And yet the darkness is not only full of terrors. Reports of the long dead rising to bid their loved ones welcome during the Winter Lights spread just as quickly as the crimson mist. But as the truth of the world bends and folds around itself, what is real and what is a symptom of a creeping madness?

The desecrated Obelisk appears bloody red in the center of town. The first obvious sign of the unstable nature of reality as the Red Mist spreads. Nightmares, previously only seen by a few, are now in full view of all. Those who die do not sink, but are dragged away violently by horrible shadows and, it is rumored, cursed to face down the Prince himself in the Mortis and rebel or capitulate to his twisted schemes. Such death included that of Boss Debs, murdered by Nightmares early in the trade, and later dragged to hell by shadows as Vados, and even the Breaker of Crowns, tried in vain to save her.

The yearly Winter Lights celebration is somehow grotesque in the red glow and the night is treacherous as even lowly shamblers are infected with The Nightmare and become singular threats. The long dead began to appear, set on reminding the living of their past mistakes and heartaches. A ghoulish reflection of who they might have been in  life. 

But traditions hold power. Through the use of ceremony, research, and ritual, Bravado slowly uncovers information that the Prince tried to keep hidden when he dragged Bravado into a shallow level of the grave with his Nightmares. Piece by piece,  the survivors uncovered how to reach the knowledge, how to cleanse the Longwalkers, and how to summon a fragment of the legendary Sister Mammon to push back the Prince’s incursion. 

Invoking the power of Mammon and the nine obelisks across the San Saba, the survivors prepared for the largest ritual yet, to cleanse the Obelisk of the Prince’s Influence using fire and their own sins and regrets. And a strange shining trapezohedron brought back from Barogue was placed in the Obelisk, connecting it to the strange Nightmare of the Prince Undying. Candles were lit, prayers were uttered, and when the chaos and terror all settled, the Obelisk of Salvation glowed a strong blue light, burning away the red tinged shadows of the Prince Undying’s Nightmare. 

But the Prince was not wholly robbed of his prize. Once the crisis was averted and the Militia set foot on the battlefield, they successfully defended Essex from a surprise attack that was aided by treasonous Lovelace youth. It is rumored that a telegram signed by someone important in Bravado let the Oxkiller Forces on the train in Widows Peak, but the traitor is still unknown. The Militia pushed the Oxkiller Alliance and their Mustang Loyalist troops away from Waking and Essex in a series of bloody battles, while fleeing from the pirate forces along the Spoiled Coast. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, the Militia found success thanks to their planning and reinforcements, surviving in fights that would have cowed lesser forces.

Despite these successes, it was when they went to retake New Barogue that the Prince enacted his revenge. Expecting Oxkiller forces, the San Saba Militia arrived instead to find their enemies slaughtered, and an army of the Prince’s Nightmares to greet them. A new enemy had joined the War of Antlers, and the loss was staggering. Several units were completely destroyed. with Shennog and Lyra Winthrop, commanders of two such units missing, and presumed dead… for good. 

Wrap up

So that leads us into our next event THE BREAKER OF CROWNS. Jonathan has already written a great blog on the premise of this event, please go give it a read! Next week, we will go over the NPCs of Note that will be out and about as well as Rules You Should Know and other information for the event.

We also hope that you will join us for our Staff Q&A on Friday, February 2nd at 7:00 pm CST. We will be discussing the recent shakeups in the network and answering any questions you might have about what happened and how it’s impacted our local game.

See you soon, Bravado!

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW for the breaker of crowns! Don’t miss out!

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The Dead Return

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Howdy Vados!

It’s Jonathan here with another signature DR:TX Rules Ramble, leading up to our December live event THE RED DEATH! This is our next Premiere Event game, led by Heather Halstead and Jonathan Loyd. Each week, I’ll discuss in detail an aspect of the upcoming event, compiling the rules and lore into one easy place to read! This week, we are covering a way to involve characters from your backstory that died into the story of the RED DEATH, when the dead return to life as nightmares and death hang over Bravado…

Our photos for this post were taken from previous DR:TX events by our talented Photo Team, by Max Pohlmeier, Lauren Guzaldo, and Maddeax Khole.

DR:TX Updates

Let’s cover a few things of note that have happened over the last few weeks:

  • Read our Event Premise and Content Warnings in the first blog post for this event, THE RED DEATH. This covers a lot of the stuff you should know before you buy a ticket, as well as an explanation of the story of the weekend.

  • Grab Bag sales end this week! You have until 3:00 PM on Wednesday, November 22nd to purchase one to get your cool “I’d Rather Be in Bravado” t-shirt plus some other goodies, for only $25. If you are traveling, don’t miss out on a souvenir of your trip to Texas! You only have few hours left when this post goes live to participate!

  • LIT Cashout! For the next couple of weeks, you can purchase a $0 Ticket to have your LIT inventory cashed out and ready for pickup at the December Premier Event. This $0 ticket acts as your place in line, so just snag your ticket, and we’ll ensure your supplies are waiting for you when you check in on Friday, December 8th. This opportunity is only for players with Texas as their home chapter and will be handled first come first served. We will have 30 tickets open for this next event, and additional opportunities for the cash out if you miss out, don’t worry!

  • San Saba Socials are updated! Due to a bank error in your favor, a certain San Saba Social was very, very generous when drunken farming last event. Fortunately for our Post Office workers, this error has been corrected for future events. We’ve also had a few reports of a few of these missing from the computer, so I’ve also made sure that each of the eight San Saba Socials can be posted now with updated versions of the ZOMs ready to print for the Post Office.

  • Radiation Sickness has been updated! Given a recent Errata update on the National website, we’ve updated the rules for instances of Radiation Sickness going forward to follow the National version. I’ve included a link on our Local Diseases page if you want to read up about the new dangers of the Waking Exclusion Zone.

The Dead Return

Throughout the San Saba, as the threat of the Red Death spreads across the wastes, a curious phenomena begins to occur in tandem with the strange nightmarish creatures. Similar to events of the past towns in the Lone Star, with the legends of Boot Hill and trapped memories of the past, where the Prince Undying walks leaves behinds the echoes of the long past dead, returned to walk among the living for a moment more.

During our next event, we have a special opportunity for your dead loved ones to return to the game for a short roleplay event on Saturday. If you have an NPC in your background that died long ago and you’d like to inflict some emotional damage on your character, you are in luck!

We have a few requirements to participate, but they are pretty simple:

The requirements:

  • The NPC should be dead and gone.

  • NPCs only, no former LCs.

  • You may submit multiple characters, but remember that we cannot guarantee every request will show up in play.

  • This role-play is about conflict and guilt, and may not have a happy ending. Be aware that this is potentially intense role-play you are opting into.  This is a chance to cause some emotional damage to your suffer puppets, and we hope you are excited!

  • This is open to traveling players!

In order to properly portray your dead loved ones, we’d like to get as close as we can to your imagination of this character. We’ve put together some questions for you to answer in the application above that will help us coach our NPCs on how to play that character, and I’ve included a few examples from a past character of mine, Doc Creed.

Questions for players with returning loved ones:

  • Do you have anyone in your backstory who is permed that you'd like to see again in the play space?

    • “Doc Creed’s wife Rebecca was lost to a zombie horde many years ago, but he’s always held himself to blame for her death and carries a deep regret for not being there with her in the end.”

  • Describe important details about this character as best you can (name, nicknames, age, relationship, strain, faction, etc).  Keep the details specific, but concise.  We will be limited to our NPCs on shift to represent this person.

    • “Rebecca was a Pure Blood in her early 30s, and they had a single child together named Hope. Rebecca was the mayor’s daughter of a small town called Three Rivers, and they met through their shared faith in the Nuclear Family. She was an important anchor for Creed, and helped him control his Accensorite excesses.”

  • Did they have something recognizable about them we can telegraph with our NPC (a hat, a flower, a certain dress?)  This is a great way for us to help you recognize who that NPC is supposed to be.

    • “Rebecca always wore a flower in her hair, picked from the garden outside. She knew how much Creed liked the garden, and always wore it for him.”

  • Describe their personality, and a few tips for accurately portraying this character.  How would you coach an NPC to play this character?

    • “Rebecca was kind, forgiving, and cared for their daughter while Creed was away, but she maintained and protected her home with a quiet dignity and faith. She was fond of reminding Creed to enjoy the quiet peaceful moments that made life worth living, and helped him stay grounded when his zeal would overtake his common sense.”

  • What conflicts were unresolved with this character? Is there something your LC still feels guilty about involving them?

    • “Doc Creed left his family to help a psion being persecuted by the town escape. He felt that his faith demanded he do the neighborly thing and thought nothing of leaving to help. While he was away, both Rebecca and Hope were lost when a massive stampede of zed leveled his town. He feels he failed his family by leaving them behind, and feels he should have died with them rather than be stuck in this wasteland without them.”

  • Describe your LC's relationship with that character in a short phrase.

    • “Doc Creed loved his wife and daughter dearly, but never spent enough time with them as his medical duties took him far from home to care for the other townsfolk instead of being the father he should have been.”

  • What are things you do NOT want touched on with this NPC?

    • This is a great place to include anything you don’t want to role play with our NPCs. Help us maintain your boundaries!

What will this look like in game?

The Dead Return events will happen throughout the weekend, but will be primarily focused during the day on Saturday. These echoes of dead loved ones will be an important aspect of surviving the Red Death and will be part of the overarc and are designed as short vignettes and mini-events in the game. We expect the normal scene with a dead echo to last about 30 minutes or so.

We also ask for your buy-in and grace, knowing that someone on shift will be playing this NPC, that it might not be exactly the image you have in your head. We will be coaching our NPCs based on your answers to the questions in the survey, and while we will strive to be true to your vision of this NPC, but we will be casting these roles depending on the available NPCs for that shift. The broader the strokes in your specifics on the NPC means that it will be more likely to see that character enter play as one of these dead echoes.

We encourage you to say "yes, and.." to the role play, and lean into the idea that your memory might seem.. not quite right. They may not look exactly like what you imagined, but that’s okay! Play along, and even buy into the strangeness. This is not an exact imprint of that loved one or a someone walking their last dance before returning to the Grave Mind, but rather it is an echo of a memory.. And echoes are never quite the same. These echoes may be CLOSE to what you remember, but something about the whole affair is slightly sinister, or even a bit of a nightmare…

A disclaimer:

We cannot guarantee every dead person will show up in the play space, even if you fill out the application above.

We will strive to fill as many requests as possible for this special event from your character’s backstory, but it’s likely we will miss some folks. Please be patient and kind with our STs and staff members as they attempt to bring this vision to life.

If you are interested in participating in “The Dead Return” fill out this Google form as soon as you can so we can make sure we have a plan for how best to torment you with your lost loved ones.

Wrap Up

We hope that you are ready for the challenge of THE RED DEATH. How can you stop the machinations of the Prince Undying? Can you survive a world where death itself is changed and the night is blanketed in red? Will you escape the Nightmare Walkers or worse? We have some some fun and exciting challenges planned for your characters in the nightmarish zombie apocalypse. But don’t worry, it’s not just all about the RED DEATH, you’ll still need to deal with (nightmare) zombies, (nightmare) Oxkillers, (nightmare) raiders and more!

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW, AND WE HAVE OUR SPECIAL grab bag RUNNING FOR A LIMITED TIMe, until 3pm wednesday, November 22nd

See you next time Vados, when we talk about the Red Death, a mysterious event that takes over the town at night, and more about our other signature mechanics for the event! But for now, let’s take a sneak peek at one of the two new National blueprints released during our upcoming Premiere Event!

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Cirque de Dread

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Howdy Vados!

It’s Jonathan here with another signature DR:TX Rules Ramble, leading up to our October live event CIRQUE DE DREAD! This is our first ST led overarc of the season, led by Matt Hoadley, Ash Sexton, and Luka Drystan. Each week, I’ll discuss in detail an aspect of the upcoming event, compiling the rules and lore into one easy place to read! This week, we are covering the premise of our event, some content warnings, and some notes about our Compulsion and Roleplay Burden mechanics!

Our photos for this post were taken from previous DR:TX events by our talented Photo Team.

Cirque de dread

Here’s the premise for our next event, Cirque de Dread:

Times of trial and tragedy have begun to fall upon Bravado, after dealing with the brunt of Waking’s crash landing. Easy livelihood and a unified community have begun to feel increasingly lost, especially with open war with the Oxkiller Alliance erupting across the San Saba…The last thing this town needs is gangs of Thrill Kill raiders in garish clothes showing up, people running away from home or just straight up vanishing, Nemesis sightings, critters rampaging like mad, and best friends killing each other over random trinkets. It's too bad that that’s exactly what’s been happening to towns all over the wasteland. Even worse, all these problems seem to have a common denominator: each town was a stopping point for a flying carnival and none of this weirdness was happening before it arrived. 

But who cares about all of these rumors? Raiders and critters and people vanishing? That happens all the time in the wasteland. You know what doesn’t? The once in a lifetime experience that is almost at our doorstep: Colonel Rictus’ Flying Carnival! The Ringmaster and their carnival are making their grand debut in Bravado! Beneath the Big Top you can find compelling wonders from across the world: Exotic animals! Horrors from around the world! Games (that are definitely not rigged) for the whole family! You won’t be able to pull yourself away from the fun! And what sort of carnival would this be if it didn’t have a grand finale? A dull one, that’s what! 

Colonel Rictus has brought with them the ultimate prize: infection. Those interested need only obtain an entry medallion to earn their place in a grand game of skill (no luck involved) and a chance to extend their lives. How do you enter, you ask? Well, you’re in luck! There are plenty of ways for you to find to get your hands on one of these oddly entrancing Entry Medallions. Play some games, dig into the mysteries swirling around the carnival, or, if you’re very daring - or very desperate - you can put your own infection on the line. Just watch out for jealous folks trying to swipe your well-earned Medallion! Whether you hold one by skill, luck, money, or trouble, when the final curtain rises those eight lucky locals get a shot at the grand prize. And even should you come out with no Medallion, never fear!

There's plenty of compelling thrills for everybody at the carnival!

Carnivals, clowns, and carnage? Sounds like a bloody good time…

CONTENT WARNINGS

The themes of Dystopia Rising often touch close to our real world in ways we cannot always avoid. The DR:TX team believes that we can still tell these stories about challenging topics, but we also believe we need to be transparent about our intentions and set proper expectations for our content. In our tradition of radical trust, we want to also trust in each player that attends our game to know their own limits and be able to choose to avoid topics and situations that make them uncomfortable.

It’s one reason we take our OK Check-In system so seriously! We understand that these may not be stories you want to participate in, and that’s okay! Remember, you can always use the OK Check-In system to choose to leave a scene, even CVC!

You can always find a list of our Content Warnings on our website, but let’s talk about some of the specific things you might want to be prepared for during this first event of the season.

clowns & scary Carnival themes

  • Psychological Horror, Clowns, Carnival Themes, Creepy Masks, Blood & Gore, Body Horror

We haven’t really had any clown-themed threats for awhile in DR:TX. During our upcoming Halloween event, CIRQUE DE DREAD, we will have a number of enemies that will wear masks, makeup, and carnival style outfits, playing on that deep, primal fear we all have of circus clowns. It’s a popular trope in horror films, in video games, and more, and we are planning to dig into this phobia during this event. These threats will primarily be in the vein of Nemesis, our favorite Telling Visionary heretics, and Thrill Kill Raiders, creepy psionic raiders that wear terrifying masks and act a bit more clever than your usual raider enemies.

Coulrophobia or the fear of clowns is a real phobia, so we want to provide some advanced warning for this event just in case. Many of these specific encounters will be limited to our carnival location by the Totem Pole on the site, so there will be a specific section of the camp you can steer clear of if this is something you want to try to avoid. However, there will be no way to completely remove the risk of encountering one of these creatures, as they will be a big part of the story of the weekend.

There will still be zombies and raiders to run away from in the darkness, scrap to salvage, herb to farm, and blueprints to copy. We hope you will be excited to join us for this story, but we will have many other stories to enjoy in the future if this is a story you don’t want to experience.

Compulsion & Loss of Agency

  • Simulated mind control, loss of agency, psionic compulsion, involuntary CVC

This mechanic will be in play on limited NPC threats portrayed by STs and Gamerunners, but it offers a powerful way to cause a Loss of Control to your character. Many horror stories involve this concept, where you are powerless to stop a monster that is itself a metaphor for the relentless advance of time, death, or war.

This means that if your character is interacts with a key item during this overarc, it could put you into situations where your character is no longer in control of their actions. This is a unique form of mind control that might allow the bad guys to COMPEL you to help them. The bad guys might order you to defend them, hurt your friends, abandon your crew, or do other terrible things that your character might not normally do.

If you were playing in 2.0 or have encountered our new Bone Head Zombies, you may remember similar abilities that turn you into a Body Puppet, and it can be a great challenge and intense scene when one of your friends suddenly turns on you and it’s not just the monster that’s after you in that combat.

Our ultimate goal with CIRQUE DE DREAD is to tell a story about dangerous villains bringing a deadly carnival to town whether you like it or not, recruiting townsfolks to play their twisted games, and generally holding the town hostage unless YOU can stop them from their evil machinations. We hope that you are excited to step right up, and join the show…

Let’s cover a bit more on the Compulsion mechanic…

Compulsion Mechanics

We’ve used these mechanics throughout last season, particularly during our Necrophage event, but in case you missed out here’s a quick summary about how this core mechanic works. As with all of our Local DR:TX Rules, you can find these on our webpage under Local Rules & Skills.

Compulsion

Effect. When an NPC calls “Compulsion, All <KEYWORD>, [Insert Command]”, the affected target must follow the next single command until the task is completed or nullified (such as being compelled to defend someone who then dies). The target must complete the command to the best of their ability. When the target enters Bleed Out, the effect immediately ends. Characters under the effects of Compulsion remember the actions they take, but are not in control of them. This ability is normally resisted by Mental Endurance, but some effects may prevent this resistance.

You can already do similar things to this Skill on zombies and raiders with Telepathy and an item, but this Threat Skill allows them to use a similar ability on YOU. That last line is important, though, because there will be one major effect during this event that will prevent you from resisting this ability. I’ve cover how our ENTRY MEDALLIONS work next week, though.

The primary use of this Compulsion mechanic will be a call you will hear during this event that is also circus themed:

“Compulsion: STEP RIGHT UP and JOIN THE SHOW!”

When you hear this phrase, your character will be compelled to participate in the dangerous and deadly carnival events held by Colonel Rictus's Flying Circus. Proceed to the NPC that made the call, and follow their instructions for the next TEN (10) minutes.

However, you have few ways to avoid this mechanic in game:

  • Resist the call. First, the skill Basic Mental Endurance can resist this effect most of the time, for only 5 Mind. You can avoid some of the terrible commands like “kill and eat your friends”, for instance. However, each time you hear this command, you’ll need to spend Mind points. If this happens multiple times or is used by several enemies, you’ll need to either flee the area, deal with the threats, or make sure you have some spare Mind points.

  • You can make yourself immune to psionics. There’s a few ways to do this. You can use the ability of the Master Steelpaw Shield to resist this effect, but you’ll need Master Shield to use this item. Master Mental Endurance can create a field where psionics may not function, but the NPC or the targets will have to stay in the 10’ bubble you create in order for this to keep working. If they get drug out of the field by a raider, they lose the protection.

  • Use an expendable item. While you can use a Murky Black Byproduct to make it easier to resist the Compulsion effect, there is another item in game that can help you resist this ability if you don’t have the Mental Endurance Skill too, called a Grave-Bell Shard. This San Saba Sundry can be purchased by ANY character for only 1 Brass from the Post Office. You can only buy ONE per event, but you can buy this item even if you don’t have Society Membership.

  • Thumbs down the scene. Lastly, you can always choose to use the OK Check-In System to opt out of a scene entirely by using the “thumbs down” gesture and exiting the area. The COMPULSION mechanic DOES NOT override the OK Check-In system.

Now that we understand a few ways to avoid this effect, let’s cover the last major mechanic for this weekend:

ROLEPLAY BURDENs

This is also a regular local mechanic we’ve used throughout Season 4 and beyond. This is an alternative to a Fracture, and it creates some fun opportunities for engaging roleplay as your character.

roleplay burden

Keyword. A character can have one Roleplay Burden at a time. A Roleplay Burden must be fulfilled once per 12s, or else it will turn into a Fracture.  Roleplay Burdens can be soothed or cured as if they were a Fracture, but does not count as a Fracture for preventing use of certain Skills.  Players can opt-out of a particular RP behavior at any time, but must fulfill any required mechanical cost or effects. Roleplay Burdens expire at the end of an event, unless the player chooses to keep them longer.

The primary way you’ll encounter this mechanic during CIRQUE DE DREAD is through the mysterious ENTRY MEDALLIONS. We’ll cover these items in more detail in a later blog post, but they inflict a particular Roleplay Burden. Once you’ve collected one of these items, you’ll be compelled to keep it secret and keep it safe. It’s not an effect that can be resisted as long as you have one of these items. These medallions will be a physical 3D printed item in the play space and will have a few other rules associated with them, but you’ll generally want to hang onto the medallion. If your friends try to remove it, or it gets taken by another player by force, you’ll end up with a Fracture (DR Corebook, p. 180).

survival vs problem solving

One of the horror themes of this upcoming event is the persistent danger in the dark and the cruel threats of Colonel Rictus’ Flying Circus. Like the movies and shows that inspired it, like Something Wicked This Way Comes or American Horror Story, the story of the deadly carnival is a common trope in horror tales and even the iconic slasher flick. But that brings up our last important aspect of the weekend to consider when purchasing a ticket — the issue of Survival versus Problem Solving.

Often in a DR plot for a weekend, there’s some problem to solve, a puzzle to uncover, or something that can be actively fixed. You might be completing Liquidation Runs, finding a way to save or doom a flying city, or even figure out a way to fix the water filtration system in town. Each of these things involves a different level of player agency than the story this weekend.

The story of the creepy carnival and the Thrill Kill raiders that follow in its wake is instead one of SURVIVAL. This is a threat that is meant to be endured, not solved. Bad Brain disease and raiders are as much a part of the world of Dystopia Rising as zombies, and it’s not a problem that’s going away any time soon. You need to survive this threat, not fix it.

During CIRQUE DE DREAD, the threats of the weekend will be an ever present danger in the world, from strange new zed, to masked Dolly Raiders, to the Nemesis stalking the woods during “sweeps week”. Each of these threats will be killing indiscriminately in their twisted ideas of terror and faith, and when the Thrill Kill raiders don their masks as the first leaves of fall begin to settle in, we hope you will be ready. We’ve explored this concept of Survival year after year during our October events, particularly with the story of the Indulgence over the last few seasons, but with the massacre at Killhouse last year by Doc Nichols it’s time for a new story.

While we hope that every character will survive the weekend’s terrors, it’s by no means guaranteed. How will your character survive the terrors of Colonel Rictus’ Flying Circus? Will you be able to hide from the Nemesis in the dark? Can you survive the insidious threat of the Thrill Kill Raiders?

Let’s find out together.

Regardless of the outcome, we can’t wait for you to step right up, and join the show….

Wrap up

That’s it for today Vados! Tickets went on sale on Monday for our October event, and I hope you’ll come join us for a scary good time. Our next event takes place on Friday the 13th (I’m sure that won’t be relevant), and it takes place during a Lunar Eclipse. Where else can you have fun killing zombies in the woods with your friends?

Make sure you get your tickets early and save yourself time at the door!

See you next week, Vados!

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The Oxkiller Alliance

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Howdy Vados!

It’s Jonathan here with another signature DR:TX Rules Ramble, leading up to our September live event BENEATH THE CORPSE OF WAKING! Each week, I’ll discuss in detail an aspect of the upcoming event, compiling the rules and lore into one easy place to read! This week, we are covering the OXKILLER ALLIANCE, a new type of Threat you’ll face this season.

  • We will have new limited-time Stickers available as a pre-registration reward for September! Buy your ticket early and earn some cool swag! Last chance for this bonus ends on Friday!

Let’s get started!

Who is the Oxkiller alliance?

In addition to the telegram above, here’s the information we’ve shared so far:

Far to the north, on the edges of the San Saba Territories that border the lands of the Sequoia Wastes, lies the new home to the displaced peoples of the OXKILLER ALLIANCE. While the two settlements of Star City and Fort Worthless are prominent parts of the territory, they have not been relevant to the success of the San Saba since before the Hiway War. Now, what resources remain go to fuel the war engines of the Oxkillers as they pursue a war against the San Saba Board and the peoples of the Lone Star.

However, no matter the tactical value of the provinces, the primary offense to the San Saba Board has been the blockade of the mighty Oxline running north into the Verdigrift Gardens and the Overgrowth of the Undying. Trade has slowed to a halt through the new Oxkiller Territory, as roving bands of tribesmen claim tribute and tax from any travel through their region. The affront to the power of the San Saba Board has not gone unnoticed, and a war is brewing in the Lone Star.

The Oxkiller Alliance is comprised of the former Antler Tribe and Oxkiller Tribe, two martial Natural One and Tainted clans that followed the former Tribes Disparate two years ago. With the death of Queen Jasper, and the formation of the new San Saba Republic, the Oxkillers abandoned their former allies in disgust at the changes they saw as weak.

Rumors suggest the former leaders of the Oxkiller Alliance, Prince Shale and Lord Hush, died in a power struggle last year. Now, a new figure has emerged from the warring tribes to unite them with a singular purpose and passion — the Breaker of Crowns. Under her guidance, the Oxkiller Alliance has become a new and present danger to any that live in the Lone Star.

The War of Antlers is coming to the San Saba…

The war with the Oxkiller Alliance has been brewing for quite some time, so let’s take a bit of look back at who and what they are, and how we reached this point.

the History of the Alliance

While this is a NEW faction for our story in Season 5, the core of the group has been in play since the start of 3.0.

Back at the beginning, the San Saba Republic was known as the Tribes Disparate. Thirteen houses made up the Tribes and the two mightiest of their number were the Oxkillers and the Antler Tribe. Before her final death during our QUEENSGRACE event, the leader of the Tribes Disparate was Holy Mother Queen Jaspar, of the Antler Tribe.

The Antler Tribe was one of the largest tribes, survivors of the Hiway War thanks to the intervention of the players during the final days of 2.0. Led by Queen Jaspar, the bearer of the Antlered Crown, the Antler Tribe consisted mostly of Natural Ones, Tainted, and a few Landsmen, but overwhelming followed the faith of the Tribes of Seasons. They were fiercely loyal, deadly fighters, and powerful allies against the undead and raider threats of the wastes. However, the Queen’s brother, Prince Shale, was jealous of his sister’s rule and had sought to undermine her power for years since the Hiway War began.

While the Antler Tribe was the family of Queen Jaspar herself, the Oxkiller Tribe had been set up as an antagonistic faction from the very beginning. Led by the mysterious “Path of Rust”, who later became known as “Lord Hush", the Oxkillers were a thorn in the side of the queen. This Natural One chieftain rarely spoke at all in the war councils composed mostly of loud Devoted, Tainted, and Landsmen fighters, but nonetheless he was understood to be ruthless throatslitter in battle and his whispers were what guided the House's bloodthirst.

While their military might was impressive and nearly the equal of the Antlers, their fundamental disdain for technology was a problem for the newly connected San Saba. The Oxkillers were zealots and technophobes, trusting in nature and their belief in the old ways to protect their tribe versus repeating the mistakes of the oldcesters by relying on technology.

Chief among the sins of the San Saba, in the eyes of the Oxkillers, was the creation of the OXLINE. The massive locomotive was responsible for spreading clouds of oily smoke in its wake, disrupting the natural terrain with railroad tracks, and scaring off the wildlife with the titanic sound of its passage. They had tried to stop the formation of the rail at first, but after a failed attack on Dr. Sung, the creator of the Ox, they decided their new goal was to the end the threat of the OX once and for all.

This created an issue for the Queen, with a number of her own people rebelling against the law and order within the wastes. When we first started the story of the San Saba at the beginning of 3.0, the Oxkillers were already a problem for the Tribes Disparate. A number of mods were run with the Oxkillers attacking the Ox, in defiance of the Queen’s order, and they were generally an antagonist for the first few seasons.

FUN FACT — the very FIRST Gauntlet we ever held in Bravado included a member of the Oxkiller Tribe that was accused of “vulgar property damage”.

This antagonism continued, and the Oxkillers were to be a big part of our March 2019 event before the pandemic shut everything down. Instead, the Oxkillers committed their next bit of treason during our online season, during the event THE SHINING CITY.

This event was set on Waking Prime, the new capital of the San Saba, during the Wastes Faire. Players dealt with exploring this space for the first time, and had to deal with an encroaching stormfront. This event was pivotal for a number of factions, including the Junkerpunks and the RRC, but the event culminated in an attack on Waking by the dangerous raider clan known as STORMCHASERS.

However, before the city could defend against the Raider threat, the Oxkillers appeared in the skies around Waking, led by Lord Hush, and they crippled one of the airships at the head of the defense of the airship city. Lord Hush’s plan was revealed, as he was the one to lure the deadly sky Raiders to the city itself. In the chaos that followed, Lord Hush led a small strike team of Oxkillers into Eureka Tower to attempt to kill the Chair and the entire San Saba Board. The Oxkiller champion successfully killed the leaders of the Hackard family during his raid, but was stopped short of assassinating the Chair and was repelled by the efforts of the players during the final act of the event.

For this ultimate act of betrayal to the Tribes and the new government of the San Saba, the Oxkillers were banished from the faction and declared enemies of the Lone Star.

Queen Jaspar, portrayed by Shan Lind

Queensgrace - the Fall of the Queen

In Season 3, we returned to Bravado and explored the next crisis to the Tribes Disparate. In March that year, we hosted the tradition known as Queensgrace within our humble town. You can find a full write-up of the event HERE.

During this event, the thirteen Tribes were called to Bravado to choose a new leader, as the ailing Queen Jaspar was near her end and sought a successor. As a surprise guest of the Queen, the Oxkillers returned. According to the tribal tradition, they still had a vote to cast for the new ruler, and Lord Hush came to attempt to claim the Antlered Crown for himself. Lord Hush wanted a strong ruler for the Tribes, and reminded the players of the history of bloodshed and war that had led the faction to victory during the Hiway War.

On the first night of the ritual, he challenged the Queen to hand-to-hand combat. It was an unfair match up against the sickly ruler, but the Queen accepted the challenge. Before Lord Hush could strike her down, an assassin’s bullet interrupted the ritual combat, denying him the crown at the last moment. After the brutal murder her zed was sealed within the Gravemind to prevent the Oxkiller leader from claiming the crown, and it set into motion politics that would determine the fate of the faction.

At the end of Queensgrace, a new trio of leaders was chosen for the faction rather than a single ruler, led by Queen Debs of the Local 727. In disgust at the choice he saw as weak, Lord Hush left the assembly in anger, taking with him the might of the Antler Tribe, led by Jaspar’s brother Prince Shale, and the Fallow Hope soldiers of House JaCintos. Though the Jacintos were later convinced to return, the Antler Tribe and the Oxkillers fled to the north, creating a formidable army of rebels that would need to be dealt with in the future.

Prince Shale, portrayed by Josh Jones

a new leader for the alliance

While there were rumors in the background during Season 4, it wasn’t until the Fall of Waking that the conflict with the Oxkillers became something the San Saba needed to worry about. Last season, during our May event, we even held a vote on forming a new San Saba Militia, sponsored by Queen Debs as an answer to the imminent threat of Lord Hush and the Oxkillers.

During most of Season 4, the Oxkillers and Antlers were caught in a power struggle and too busy with their own messes to do much else. Prince Shale, a weakling that had survived with the help of spies, cunning, and poison, was unwilling to share the leadership of the new army with his rival, Lord Hush. Prince Shale had previously attempted to poison his sister, but the Natural One was unable to find easy access to the leader of the Oxkillers. Valuing only raw might and combat prowess, Lord Hush was at work building a new army of killers to pursue his revenge against Queen Debs and the San Saba.

Lord Hush, portrayed by Sam Mars

In a move borne of desparation, Shale challenged Lord Hush to single combat. Despite his frail stature, the Natural One Antler chieftain was a talented chemist, and carried a deadly poison with him into the challenge. Lord Hush was only nicked by the blade, but it was enough to weaken the Oxkiller. Before he could succumb to the deadly poison, he cleaved Prince Shale into two with a final stroke of his weapon. Both died during the challenge, and the Alliance was left without a leader.

Sometime over the summer, a new figure emerged at the head of the newfound Oxkiller Alliance — the BREAKER OF CROWNS. Little is known about the new warlord of the faction, but she is known to be intelligent, deadly, and bound to the same goal as her predecessor — the death of Queen Debs and the destruction of the San Saba. She was known as one of the right hand killers of Lord Hush, equally deadly and full of the same righteousness and disdain for technology.

In a lightning-quick assault during the Burning Season, she formed the new Oxkiller Territories, claiming the cities of Fort Worthless and Star City in the north to her cause. In an overt challenge to the Board after the fall of their mighty capital, this new Oxkiller Alliance will not be easily stopped. Now they threaten passage to the north by Oxline, have the resources to supply and feed their armies, and the zeal to pursue a new war in the San Saba - the War of Antlers.

The Breaker of Crowns aims to break the Antlered Crown of the San Saba Republic, to deal with the sins of the Oxline, and to stop the relentless expansion of the San Saba Board’s mission to unite the wastes with technology. Will you be ready when she sets her gaze on Bravado?

The Oxkiller Alliance, today

So, what does this all mean for your characters during our September event?

The war is just starting to heat up, but the Oxkillers are clearly a threat that needs to be addressed. With the corpse of Waking Prime in your backyard, Bravado is suddenly ground zero for their attacks on the San Saba Board.

New Laws

First, the Oxkiller Alliance has been declared enemies of the San Saba, and that means the laws no longer apply to their members. You can freely attack, kill, devour, or steal from any Oxkillers you run across, and the Law Dogs won’t track you down for violating the laws. There will be some open bounties on Oxkiller members, and it’s generally a bad idea to get caught aiding them. After all, if you aid the Oxkillers, you become the next person guilty of treason!

New Threats & Threat Skills

The Oxkiller Alliance will be represented in game by a new series of Threats in DR:TX. The most dangerous thing about these foes is their intelligence. They are survivors, much like your characters, and they can use tactics, set an ambush, open doors, and generally react to your actions to stop them better than a common zombie or raider. The Oxkillers are true believers and merciless killers, and will stop at nothing until they achieve their goal.

There will be four classes of Oxkillers you’ll face during our Season 5 events:

  • Oxkiller Thugs - These dangerous foes will be deadly warriors of the Landsmen tribes, but they rely more on their numbers to be a danger. These Thugs will be the most common enemy you’ll face during the war.

  • Oxkiller Assassins - The ruthlessness of the Breaker of Crowns and the Oxkillers includes the ability to disrupt their foe with tactical, murderous attacks from within your ranks. Assassins will be stealthy and dangerous foes, capable of flanking and dispatching lone targets with ease.

  • Oxkiller Zealots - The faith of the Tribe of Seasons runs deep in the Alliance, particularly that of the Crow Eaters. Capable of healing their allies and using the power of Faith as a weapon, the Zealots will be an insidious force multiplier in a fight with the Oxkiller Alliance.

  • Oxkiller Commanders - The pinnacle of the Oxkiller threat will be the deadly Commanders. Capable of buffing their allies, bolstering the line, and just being a deadly, capable fighter overall, the Commanders will be the brains of the Oxkiller attacks on Bravado.

As if Radioactive Zombies weren’t a big enough risk in September, now you’ll have to deal with rogue soldiers of the Oxkiller Alliance. Better make sure you have an injectable on hand!

A new defense for bravado

The San Saba Militia has been formed over the summer, funded by a new addition to the Charter in May, but it remains leaderless. Thanks to some clever actions by some of our players, folks amended the law that was to be passed to require the leader be elected by a popular vote. Over this season, you’ll get to help the Militia develop new tools, new defenses, and recruit new allies to aid during the War, but first you’ll need to decide who will lead the defense.

In September, you’ll be able to cast your vote for a new leader to lead the Militia against the Oxkiller Alliance, provided you have Society Membership with a local faction. Here’s the current favorites, but you’ll be able to learn more in game, as well as how your own characters could be elected:

  • Tabitha St. Mercy - The former Warden of Killhouse is a powerful figure in her own right, with the fortress-prison of Killhouse being a valuable training ground for new soldiers, alongside her Fallow Hope allies.

  • Reckoner-General Rampart - A veteran of the Hiway War, the leader of the Grave Council is a natural fit for leading other soldiers into battle. A powerful psion, adding the powerful wealth of the Grave Tax would be vital assistance during the war.

  • Queen Lucy “Boss” Debs - The leader of the San Saba Republic was behind the creation of the Militia, and many of her people make up the ranks of the new force. She has the power of the people behind her, but some question her resolve in facing off against former allies.

This is the first step of the new war against the Oxkiller Alliance. As the conflict heats up, rest assured that these enemies of Bravado will have a role left to play in the story of Season 5.

Wrap Up

That’s it for today, Vados! Next week, we will cover our Rules You Should Know before the event, covering a bit more about our LIQUIDATION RUNS. Can you survive the radioactive dangers of Waking to save Bravado? We will see during our journey BENEATH THE CORPSE OF WAKING!!!

Tickets are on sale online till Friday, but you can still buy them at the door!

See you soon Vados!

The Regents of Queensgrace