Gifts of Suffering

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 the premise of our event, some content warnings, and some teasers about our upcoming event!

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

The Premise

Oh? You received a helpful offer from a friendly traveler…

”Already your suffering is legendary.  You choose to live in a place where a 4th of the year to stride under the open sky is to burn where you stand.  Your own so-called marvels brought on a drought that threatened to turn your vibrant home into a sandy forsaken waste.  And then, not yet finished, you landed a flying city on your own heads rather than divert it somewhere, anywhere else.

So I had to come and see it for myself.  And the stories do not do it justice.  To call the impact of that monument of poorly understood technology and hubris into Bravado a landing is an embellishment worthy of the tallest tale.  You shall be living with that damage for seasons.  Especially since you went and started a war rather than take the time to clean up your mess.  

But do not look to me for help.  For this is Hell and we are Damned.  Suffering is the only certainty.  So I, Brother Agony, have seen the heights of suffering you have already ascended and bring gifts to push you even farther.  Gifts of suffering for all, and for those strong enough to hold onto it, gifts of power.  Power to wield in your hasty rebellion against the Board.  Power to defy the Prince Undying.  One of course for those who see true.  But Brother Agony is generous in his gifts, and brought enough for those who follow their delusions of the false truths also.  If you truly wish to grasp the power I have offered, then you shall bring suffering in your wake and whatever false truth you cling to is irrelevant.

And should you seek to ignore the truth it is of no consequence.  The Relics are crafted from potent psionic crystals.  I don’t know the exact extent of how or what their presence will agitate the mortis to send forth.  But I expect it will start with hordes of the undead.  And the damned shall fight the dead as is the lot of all in Hell.

Yes you may attempt to undo my gifts.  But to see true is to take and hold power in any form it takes.  And even if you cling to false truths, figuring out how to destroy the Relics shall take time, pain, and of course suffering.  As all roads lead to suffering.  The question is not if.  It is only a question of how you will suffer.

Suffer Well, Bravado…”

Inspiration & Tropes

This season in Bravado we have focused on bringing some new elements of Survival Horror to the forefront of the story. In our tradition of Radical Trust, we want to share some of the inspirational bits of media and movie magic that we feel help capture the themes and feelings of our upcoming event. If you are looking for a movie to inspire your role play for this event, here’s a list of our favorites to get ready for GIFTS OF SUFFERING:

  • Lord of the Rings

  • Diablo (Video Game)

  • Talk to Me

For this event, the common theme is the danger of using “artifacts of doom”, as well as the trope of “people are the real monsters”. When Brother Agony comes to Bravado, his gifts offer power to those that are willing to take it, in the tradition of the Final Knight faith. While these items have some attractive powers, they also encourage others to do something about you keeping them for long. While zombies and raiders can be scary, the real danger in the wasteland is other survivors.

While their power is real, the true potential of each gift is only unlocked through causing strife and conflict. With the scarce resources of the Gifts of Suffering, will you be able to hold onto the power once you’ve taken it, or will someone take it from you?

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 important to watch for descriptions, situations, or events that you might want to avoid. You may find new limits that are unknown to you because the matter never came up. We encourage you to take the necessary steps for your own emotional safety. We want you to be comfortable with the types of horror in our events so you can enjoy the thrill of the zombie apocalypse and the nightmare creatures we introduce into the game space.

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 February event.

Overall, this next event focuses heavily on the themes of FAITH and CONFLICT. These can be some serious themes, so let’s talk about some content warnings of note for GIFTS OF SUFFERING:

CVC, Character versus Character behaviors, conflict and hostility

  • Each of the relics of suffering will require CONFLICT with other player characters. In order to unlock the awesome power of these crowns, you’ll need to purposefully choose actions that bring you into conflict with other players.

  • These items will require you to purposefully volunteer for CVC involvement, similar to the SES List. While controlling one of these items you will effectively “flag” yourself for CVC conflict.

Religious conflict, religious-related death, corruption, and abuses of power (only in-game faiths - not real faiths)

  • Each of the relics brought to the player’s control by Brother Agony will be perverted icons of their respective faiths. These items will require you to subvert the expectations for those faiths, often acting in a heretical or conflicting manner to your faith.

  • This means that you can expect to see faith vs faith interactions, particularly between those of the faiths that are being exploited by the relics.

Intense emotional situations, where characters may be pushed to their emotional limits.

  • The lure of a powerful item that can offer you an advantage in the wasteland is likely to push you into situations where you need to embrace the paranoia and prepare for folks to betray you. This could be a stressful play style for the weekend, and could push you to your limits.

  • The conflict inherent to the gifts of suffering is going to provoke intense emotional roleplay, as your actions will often bring you into conflict with another character’s core belief.

Character vs Character Conflict

This next event is going to delve into one of the four pillars of DR, character versus character conflict, or CVC. If you get involved with this over-arc plot, you’ll need to be one of the folks gunning for the relics given by Brother Agony. While there will definitely be some roleplay and research about these mysterious gifts, the biggest part of this plot is going to be the challenge of holding onto one of the relics long enough to empower it.

The more powerful the item becomes, the more likely you are to attract the attention of others that are jealous of your newfound boon of power. They might want to do something to protect the town by using the relic to empower the strange monolith in town. They may just want to make sure that YOU can’t use the item to continue making a mockery of their faith. Regardless of the motivation, these items are going to create a lot of fun and interesting situations for CVC interactions.

With that in mind, I’ve covered a bunch of helpful tips and tricks for better CVC in Dystopia Rising. Here’s some helpful links to read up on before the March event:

We will cover some specifics of how these new unique items will work in a future blog post, but we expect that these items will create some interesting opportunities to lean into this avenue of play. We hope that you will take a plunge into this challenging and rewarding style of game, and really dig into the possibilities that the Gifts of Suffering offer.

Wrap Up

Tickets are on sale as of Monday, February 12th for our next event, and we are so excited to tell a story of zombies and faith, and to continue our season. We had some BIG events happen last game, so that will likely add to the conflict and story of the weekend! We hope that you will join us at Camp Bluebonnet Shores, and make the most of the weekend to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Will you attempt to claim one of the Gifts of Suffering? Are you strong enough to leverage the power you can gain by unlocking the relics of Brother Agony? Will you try to destroy these gifts, or use them to protect your town? Will you take a relic from another, and spill blood in the name of your personal path to power? With the San Saba Board breathing down on the town, can you deny any weapon or tool that will help you achieve your goals?

Not interested in claiming one of the relics? That’s okay too! There’s still going to be plenty of zombies and a bunch of follow up plots from our explosive mid season opener. Last month, the town of Bravado declared itself in REBELLION against the forces of the San Saba, and that’s sure to create some drama as the season continues.

Let’s find out together, when the GIFTS OF SUFFERING arrive in Bravado!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!

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Rules You Should Know - February

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It’s Jonathan here with another signature DR:TX Rules Ramble, leading up to our February live event THE BREAKER OF CROWNS! This is our next event, 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 some last-minute Rules You Should Know, featuring some Threat Skills that might be useful to prepare for as the Summit begins…

  • TICKET SALES ARE CLOSED ONLINE, BUT YOU CAN STILL GET A TICKET AT THE GATE!

  • We’ve updated our New Player Corner with a lot of great resources for new and returning players alike. This is a great place to start if this is your first game in awhile!

  • We’ve updated the SES Buy List, and we’ve allowed it to use your San Saba Society Memberships instead of requiring involvement with the Red Ledger. Check out what your Marks can earn you if you sign up for the Survival Ethos System last month!

  • You might have missed it, but we updated our Local CAPS list last season. There are some brand new shiny rewards if you bought some items from our Wish List, or if you help our game with extra NPC shifts or spend time as a Guide. Check it out!

  • Did you attend The Great Revival National Event? Unfortunately, the 42 shiny new faith blueprints from this event have not been added to our shared drive yet by the Network Support team. This means that for now, you won’t be able to make copies of these blueprints until we receive these files from the event game runners. If you’ve received your mail package of item cards from that event early, you can craft the items and perform the benedictions as normal, just not duplication of the prints. We will update you at the game if this changes before then!

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

CHOICE POINTS & the Summit

The outcome of THE BREAKER OF CROWNS will not be decided by a vote alone, or by choosing a new leader of the Tribes, or even killing a certain big bad. Instead, YOUR actions will matter over the course of the event. Several CHOICE POINTS will be presented to the town throughout the event, and how you react to these in-game situations will determine how the resolution of this game will end.

Your actions as a player will determine if the Oxkillers decide to pursue a peace treaty, or if the War is doomed to continue into the months ahead, or some unknown third choice is selected... Heather and I have prepared multiple endings based on how these flash points resolve, and you will get to have a direct impact on if the War of Antlers continues or the Oxkillers instead head towards peace. Pay close attention to the story of the Summit, and you will have multiple opportunities to sway the opinions of either the San Saba forces or the Oxkillers.

  • There are at least EIGHT difference CHOICE POINTS to make over the weekend, and depending on your actions during the game there could be more. One decision alone won’t be enough to sway the opinions of the Summit.

  • We will telegraph when one of these events occur by using a clear OOC sign that reads CHOICE POINT. It should be clear to those involved that a choice is being made or can be made, but we won’t always detail exactly how to pursue that choice. Whether your choice will push the various personalities towards peace or war will depend on the choices you make!

  • Some CHOICE POINTS will be decided by role play behaviors alone. Not every Choice Point will be spelled out on a Zone of Mechanics or exactly detailed on a print out. Instead, how you react to certain events or roleplay from the NPCs will determine which direction you sway the choice towards war or peace.

  • Some CHOICE POINTS will be decided by mechanics, usually detailed on a Zone of Mechanics sheet of yellow paper. There will still be a few ways for you to mechanically interact with the plot if heavy roleplay isn’t your style, particularly for those with Society Memberships in the various San Saba factions.

  • Each of the NPCs has a series of agendas, secrets, and leverage they want to use to pursue their goals. If you can discover where each representative stands, you’ll be better prepared to push the Summit towards a path of your choosing. These NPCs will also have item cards, Brass, supply bags, and can be looted, killed, or protected.

  • Your decisions over the weekend will determine the final Battles in the War of Antlers plot that occur on Sunday at the war table, so be prepared for the shifting battlegrounds based on your actions during the event itself!

When is the actual Summit of Tribes?

Great question! While our Choice Points will begin on Friday night, the main affair is scheduled during the Siesta on Saturday, at 3:00 pm, in the Depot. The delegates of both factions will be present to hear arguments for or against peace, in the tradition of the ancient Tribes, so everyone can have a say. It’s up to you what secrets or leverage you might use against one of the representatives, or what alliances and promises you might make to sway them towards your desired outcome.

The Honored Guests

There will be several new NPCs in town that represent the leaders in attendance for the Summit of Tribes. According to the tradition of the Antler Tribes, each of the Houses of the Republic is given an invitation to attend. However, you might notice that the invitation above doesn’t technically exclude enemies of the San Saba. Just remember the new Wartime Powers of the Charter keeps the Oxkillers from enjoying the protections of the law against murder, theft, and worse, and has a few other fun complications.

You’ll see a few of these characters as early as Friday night, but here’s an idea of who to expect.

The Oxkiller War Party will consist of a few new characters that you might have seen on a War Report if you’ve been paying attention to the War of Antlers mini-game on Sundays.

  • The Breaker of Crowns, Leader of the Oxkiller Alliance

  • Carina Astora, the Saltwater Sweetheart, Leader of the Clearwater Rebels

  • Marcus Remington, Minister-General of Star City, Leader of the Mustang Loyalists

  • Ahote the Restless, Oxkiller Mentor

The San Saba Republic will have two major representatives to expect during the Summit. While the third member of the Troika remains on the front lines to defend against betrayal, two of the leaders of the faction will be in attendance.

  • Boss Debs, Queen of the San Saba Republic

  • Malorous Mab, Spymaster of the San Saba Republic

THREAT SKILLS OF NOTE

There’s one last thing to be concerned about during the Summit. Zombies are a key part of Dystopia Rising, and this weekend a few of our classics gain a dangerous new ability. This new threat skill will see play during the February Event:

Blood Scent

  • The [REDACTED] will point at a Target and call “Line of Sight, Downsurge: Blood Scent!”.  This ability may not be Avoided or Resisted.  

  • This Downsurge replaces any Downsurge currently on the Target, and lasts for one hour.

  • All nearby Undead will swarm and try to kill that target, channeling the anger of the horde.  If a character goes into Bleed Out from the attacks of the swarming horde, any member of the horde can call a Killing Blow instead of the Cannibalize skill on the Blood Scented character. Ouch!

This skill means that even a normal Shambler can suddenly become DEADLY. Make sure you have some friends close by, because you won’t have the normal Cannibalize window to rescue them before they die!

Wrap UP

That’s it for this week Vados! We have a great event planned for you and we can’t wait for y’all to decide the next steps for the people of the San Saba as we begin the last half of the season. We hope that you are ready for the challenge of THE BREAKER OF CROWNS. Will you choose a path of peace, or do you want to make the Oxkillers pay by continuing the war? Can you survive the deadly politics of the Summit and risk treason to make your point? We have some some fun and exciting challenges planned for your characters in the nightmarish zombie apocalypse.

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!

It's Just Like Being At Opening/Closing Announcements!

refresher course:

It’s everyone's first game!

We had a really nice winter break, but now it’s time to get back into the swing of things. So sit back, hold tight, and prepare to hear opening annoucements like you have never heard them before!

Today we’re going to talk about best practices for being a player in our game and a valued member of our community. I’m Amber, the Logistics Director and I’m here to get you set up to fulfill those pesky social contracts that come with playing a Zombie Larp in the woods with your pals.

keeping each other Healthy

We’re all survivors here, both in Bravado and the real world. The first social contract is to take care of yourself!

DR (larp, in general) takes a toll on your body and your mental health. Generally, you are exerting more physical energy, sleeping less, eating less, and drinking less just by the nature of the game. However, that means you have to take extra measures to ensure you are doing these things.

Drink water!

This seems obvious. But make sure you are trying to drink water even when you’re not thirsty. If it very hot or humid, you’ll need to replenish your fluids just as much as you do when it’s cold outside. Coldness makes us less thirsty, but it saps your hydration just as fast!

Consume calories!

Make sure that you are eating food! Eating meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner is often not a reasonable expectation for a larp. Try to snack through out the day; good examples of snacks are jerky, meat and cheese trays, nuts, and hard boiled eggs!

DR:TX believes in traditional southern comfort, if you are hungry— someone will feed you! Just ask around before taking someone’s food from the fridge or kitchen area. Someone will give you food, and if you can’t find a snack; there are salty and sweet snacks in the medical room behind the post office.

sleep time!

It’s normal for sleep hours to be lacking at a larp, and that’s understandable; so we won’t try and tell you how to manage your sleep schedule/hygiene. However, if you feel tired— sit down. Don’t go on an away combat mod. Take a nap. You’re sleeping less, make sure that you’re making up with that with physical activities that you choose to engage in.

in sickness or in health!

No one wants to get sick when they come to larp! We share very close space together, and it’s almost impossible not to share germs. But we can mitigate some of the health risks by following these best practici’s.

  • Don’t Come To Game If You Feel Sick/Leave If You Start To Feel Sick- This is the most effective way to prevent the spread of illness which is simply not exposing others. If you have already paid for a ticket and cannot make it due to illness and the cost is a concern for you, we can talk about a refund or transferring that ticket to the next event. We want you to be well and to keep everyone else well too!

  • Stay Up To Date On Flu/Covid Vaccines- You can find out more information here from the World Heath Organization about how vaccines help your immune system and others. While we no long require proof of having a Covid vaccine or a negative test before attending, we do recommend following WHO and CDC recommendations for vacciations. DR:TX will be holding a vaccine drive to encourage people to participate in yearly vaccines. Email us proof of that you received your flu and/or Covid booster and we’ll give you 50 Caps!

  • Practice Good Hygiene- Make sure you are washing your hands with soap and water frequently. Here are some fun songs to sing while washing your head for the recommended time and also a list of when you should be washing your hands!

  • Don’t Share Food or Drink- I know this one is the hardest. We’re all friends and we’re all thirsty (HA!)! It’s easy to take a sip or water or hot brown when your friend offers it, but try not to! If you do, try to only share drinks with people in your intimate circle.

  • Cover Your Mouth When You Cough/Sneeze- Into your elbow! And if you cough into your hands, wash them as soon as possible.

  • Make Your Needs Known- If you have a medical condition that could be triggered by larp activity and you need someone to know how to respond in case of emergency please make sure the admin team knows about it. You can put this information in the form when you buy a ticket, or you can just find Amber/Ren at game and let us know what to look for!

  • Take Responsibility- Many of us take store bought brain chemicals to help us out! Make sure you are keeping up with those meds and make sure you know the side effects of those meds, because many of them can be exasperated by larping activities!

  • Know Your Body- Only you can respond to the way your body is feeling. Knowing when to take a break is really on you! So listen to your bodies needs, I assure you; it will communicate!

Sock sock shoe shoe

Recently there was a debate on the proper way to put on your shoes. Are you a put your socks on first and then your shoes? Or a put one sock on and then a shoe and then repeat the process? Let us know in the comments of this post on FB and we’ll give you 10 CAPS!

In all seriousness, feet maintenance is important for larp.

  • Wear Comfy Shoes- Make sure your shoes are comfy enough to wear for long periods of time! You can add insoles to help with this, but no one is going to be happy if their feet hurt!

  • Wear Safe Shoes- There are a lot of rocks on our site that have the nefarious intention to murder you. I promise you’ll trip at least twice during an event, and when you do; you want good shoes that support your ankles. Most of our players use some kind of hiking or military boot!

  • Break Your Shoes In- Make sure you have broke your shoes in before you wear them to a weekend long even. Breaking in a new pair of boots for the first time at a larp event is not a good time, I speak from experience.

  • CHANGE YOUR SOCKS!- No seriously, this is one of the most useful pieces of advice veterans give new players. No one wants trench foot, and sweat socks are the recipe for that. Also a fresh pair of socks is just a tiny source of dopamine and we’re here for those happy brain chemicals.

keeping each other safe

There are certain procedures that we have for DR:TX to respond to medical/safety emergencies. Some of them are best practices from emergency response directives and some of the are requirements for our site. We’re going to go over them so you know exactly what you need to do if there is an emergency.

safety hold!

The first thing that you will hear if there is an emergency is someone will yell, “SAFETY HOLD.” If you hear this all game play stops, and staff or guides will respond appropriately. If there is no staff present then a responsible player should follow these steps.

emergency response:

  • Is someone unconscious and unresponsive - their eyes are closed; they do not respond to verbal commands or their name?

  • Can someone not move without overwhelming pain?

  • Is someone not breathing?

  • Is there no pulse?

  • Is there bleeding that does not stop with application of pressure?

  • Are they having a severe allergic reaction and are rapidly progressing?

  • Have they been bitten by a venomous creature, like a snake, that can progress quickly?

IF THE ANSWER TO ANY OF THESE IS YES; DIAL 911 IMMEDIATELY AND FOLLOW THE DISPATCHEERS INSTRUCTIONS.


Then contact Amber or Jonathan by whatever means possible. Do not leave the person alone by themselves to contact Amber or Jonathan.

non-emergency response

Guides know how to respond to non-emergency safety/medical needs. If there is not a staff member present, send a responsible player to find a guide or admin staff immediately. There are also staff members that have certain certifications that might respond to handle specific emergencies.

While waiting for a staff member to come and take over, here are some of the things that you can do to address the situation:

  • Transport the person to Logistics or Med Room - The person should be transported to Logistics or the Med Room in Kiva for further attention. If the person cannot walk unassisted, it is best to radio/call/send for trained personnel. If none are available, simply accept volunteers to help support the injured individual.  While in the Logistics/Med Room, the person can be kept warm and be allowed to take any time needed to calm down. Basic first aid care can be applied according to need and knowledge

  • Do not accept an entire crowd - at maximum 4-6 people are needed to carry a person who cannot walk at all. More likely, one or two helpers are sufficient. Ask anyone that is not needed to leave once the player is safe and secure. 

  • Never let a player walk anywhere alone.

  • Notify Jonathan and Amber

  • Continue to assess the situation - If further medical attention is required, the staff at Logistics can coordinate to arrange for transport to the nearest urgent care clinic or emergency department, as appropriate.

mental health emergency!

If there are no staff present when a mental health emergency occurs:

  • Call a Safety Hold- Move the person away from the crowd or have a guide/responsible play to move the crowd to another area of the camp to continue.

  • Sometimes it is difficult for someone in distress to articulate what is wrong. Be gentle and ask them if they would like to leave the scene. If they are non-verbal ask yes or no questions and ask them to shake their heads yes or no. Explain that you are only asking questions to assess the crisis and determine if you need more assistance or if space and quiet is sufficient.

  • Take the person to a safe and private place, if they are willing to go, and send someone for a trained guide or staff person if possible (Amber and Barbara are both trained in mental health first aid). 

  • Do not crowd them, but ensure that they are not alone. You may want to also have another person with you, to fetch assistance as needed and to ensure that there is a witness to anything that happens if the person is very upset.

  • If they cannot be calmed, then provide a way for them to be safely escorted off site, or contact Emergency Services. If they have someone they trust who can stay with them, facilitate that.

  • Alert Amber and Jonathan as soon as possible. 


WEATHER OR ON-SITE EMERGENCIES

  • It is up to Jonathan and Amber to determine if a game needs to be canceled for safety reasons. This may include inclement weather or a local threat in the area. Every attempt should be made to contact the players as early as possible before the game about this decision. 

  • n the event that a game needs to be canceled mid-event, players should assemble at Logistics. At that location, game staff will be able to check off what players are accounted for against the game check-in lists. 

  • Assembling at a fallback location will also allow game staff to reassess the situation in a safe environment.

  • In the event of a Tornado threat, players should seek shelter in interior, windowless rooms where possible.

Fire Emergencies

  • In the event of fire, there is a fire extinguisher in all buildings with a fireplace. Each outside of a building should have a bucket of water or sand next to it as well.

  • If it can be contained with water or fire extinguisher, do so and contact Amber or Jonathan.

  •  If the fire cannot be contained, call 911.

  • Staff should station themselves at the road entrance and every major road/trail junction to guide emergency responders to the site.

Do not engage in or encourage heroics - It is better to lose possessions than to have injuries.

clean up, Clean up! everybody do your share!

Camp Clean up is a social contract that we all participate in. We have a great relationship with the Girl Scout camp and it’s our mission to leave the location cleaner than when we arrived. To do this, we’ve created a procedure in which everyone shares that responsibility and I’m going to go over it here.

After closing announcements you will all depart and clean up the space in which you were sleeping. The space in which you are sleeping doesn’t just mean your bed or your cabin, it means the area in which you are sleeping. Each sleep space has an area that you are also responsible for cleaning. The sleeping areas are grouped like this, if you sleep in one of these spaces you should help your friends clean these areas as quickly as possible (this includes tenting in these areas):

  • The General Story/Kiva

  • Dusthouse/Wikiup/Depot

  • Dogrun/Wigwam

  • The Dive/Hopi

  • Tent City/Tiwa

A guide will be assigned to each of these places to ensure that they are clean. These are the things that they will be looking for:

  • Free of trash, take the trash bags to the dumpster

  • Remove personal items and load them in your vehicle in the parking lot

  • Sweep Open Air Cabins

  • Sweep and Mop Temp Controlled Buildings (Kiva, Depot, Dusthouse, Wigwam)

  • Prop Mattresses up against the beds in open air cabins, the mattresses should be on the inside of the bed so they do not collect rain water.

Once your sleeping area is done, the guide assigned to your space will sign off on your sheet. Together with everyone who slept in the same area, you you will come to the front steps of Kiva/General Store where there will be an Amber or designated look alike to give you your camp cleanup and take your sheets.

The camp cleanup will be a designated path in which you and your pals will walk with a trash bag and make sure that we have picked up all props and trash. We’ll switch up these cleaning paths as much as we possibly can so that one area doesn’t get the same path every game. Once you have done your camp area walkthrough you are free to leave. If you stayed off site or were car camping; you will be responsible for meeting with our Truck/Setting’s team to help them with special clean ups. They can be found to the left of the bell after closing announcements. They will tell you what they need assistance with.

If you signed up for a Special Clean Up Shift on the database, you should also check in with the Truck/Settings team to get your instructions. These individuals should pack their things quickly and load them up and then pack up their assigned area so it can be loaded on the truck. New players should not sign up for this cleaning shift because it requires knowledge of the site and props. If you are a new player and you sleep off site or in your car make sure the Truck/Settings know that you are new so they can assign you to help with appropriate tasks.

the end

We go over this in every opening/closing announcements, but we do it very breifly. It is our hope that longer explanations will help us all remember to take care of ourselves and help others along the way.

See you soon for spooks, my pals!

,

Breaker of Crowns

,

Howdy Vados!

It’s Jonathan here with another signature DR:TX Rules Ramble, leading up to our February live event THE BREAKER OF CROWNS! 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 the premise of our event, some content warnings, and some teasers about our upcoming event!

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 Premise

Here’s the story of our next event:

A lull in the fighting of the War of Antlers has allowed both sides to take a measure of their losses, the toll of the bloody conflict stretching across the San Saba.  With the mounting death tolls, Queen Lucy “Boss” Debs has had enough with the killing of kin and bloodshed, and has called upon the ancient traditions of her Tribe to demand an unauthorized parlay with the BREAKER OF CROWNS. Despite the threat of treason, Queen Debs has decided to call once more the ancient Summit of the Tribes, in hopes of fostering a peace with the Oxkilller Alliance.   

For the Breaker of Crowns, the war has grown larger and her allies more numerous, but so too has the number of concessions she’s made to grow her forces. Promises to the MUSTANG LOYALISTS, the ancient enemies of Bravado from Star City, her kin in the Antler Tribe and Oxkillers, and the newfound allegiances within the traitorous youth of the Lovelace Family make the prospect of a temporary ceasefire seem like a moment of respite, despite the risk of entering enemy territory.

But in the shadows, shrouded from the hope of peace, lurks a hidden threat.

After the terrifying return of the Prince Undying and a strangely quiet Long Night, the forests around Bravado stir once more with the dead.  Hordes of shamblers, boneheads, lost boys, tanks, and worse throw themselves into the fray, as if pursuing some hidden agenda, a strange malevolent intelligence behind their ceaseless attacks.  Some have even spoken of strange hordes of the dead with a driving, unknowable purpose.

Can a lasting peace be achieved even while the dead are at the gates, an eerie reminder of the Stampedes of the Hiway War? Can two disparate and war-torn factions come to peace despite the violence that has been committed in the name of winning?  Will the Board even be willing to stop the fighting as the tide has now turned in their favor? Will the dead intervene in peace talks, and renew the call to war once more?

Sounds like tension that can be cut with a knife!

The Breaker of Crowns, portrayed by Ace

Inspiration & Tropes

This season in Bravado we have focused on bringing some new elements of Survival Horror to the forefront of the story. In our tradition of Radical Trust, we want to share some of the inspirational bits of media and movie magic that we feel help capture the themes and feelings of our upcoming event. If you are looking for a movie to inspire your role play for this event, here’s a list of our favorites to get ready for THE BREAKER OF CROWNS:

  • The Outpost

  • Blood Creek

  • 10 Cloverfield Lane

  • Frankenstein’s Army

  • Dead Snow

The themes that inspired this event is the age-old adage of “the enemy of my enemy is my friend”. Despite the real consequences of the ongoing war between the San Saba and the Oxkiller Alliance, there is a new and returned threat that could threaten to overwhelm both sides. In such stressful times, it’s easy to find an unlikely ally in a former enemy, as you both struggle to survive.

Bringing two deadly enemies into the same place at the same time is sure to spark emotions and conflict. Even though it might be in the best interest of both sides to cooperate, even in the times of crisis can find folks taking actions that are strictly selfish and personal. With such big personalities involved in the deadly politics of trying to settle a conflict between two warring factions, it will be no surprise to some if the conflict turns violent.

Let’s talk a bit more about what to expect in February…

Ready for “negotiations”…

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 important to watch for descriptions, situations, or events that you might want to avoid. You may find new limits that are unknown to you because the matter never came up. We encourage you to take the necessary steps for your own emotional safety. We want you to be comfortable with the types of horror in our events so you can enjoy the thrill of the zombie apocalypse and the nightmare creatures we introduce into the game space.

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 February event.

War and War-time stories, particularly involving conflict against enemy forces.

  • The backdrop of the February event is a tense negotiation between two warring factions, the San Saba Republic, and the Oxkiller Alliance. The War of Antlers has stretched over the past season and the fighting has really just begun. While much of this has happened “off-camera” during our Sunday war table mechanics, this represents one of the first times the war has entered play into our actual game besides skirmishes.

  • There will be discussions of crimes committed during the war, including bombardment, capture of prisoners, attacks on civilians, and the various attacks that have occurred in the world perpetuated by figures on both sides of the war. While each side has a reason to seek out a potential end to the war, they also have legitimate grievances that must be settled lest conflict erupt in the future.

  • The Oxkiller Alliance is a dangerous enemy for the San Saba, and the figures involved in the Summit will be deadly and powerful members of the enemy forces, including the Breaker of Crowns and her loyal champions. These are the same enemies that killed LCs during the September event, and have been responsible for a number of violent attacks on Bravado. During this event, you’ll have an opportunity to hear their side of the conflict and it could lend to some uncomfortable truths and realizations of the impact of your character’s actions.

Institutional corruption and abuses of power, incarceration.

  • The ever-tightening grip of the San Saba Board continues to inform the decisions to pursue war. For the Board, they see the threat of the Oxkillers as a challenge to their power, and something that must be met with the threat of violence. They cannot easily stand down from the armed conflict without being convinced of the need for peace.

  • Certain events will challenge player’s opinion of those in power, and particularly those that enforce the laws of Bravado. The Law Dog Union and the Justices of Sin continue to struggle to apply an uneven sense of justice in the zombie apocalypse, especially with the punishment of those beloved by the town and certain crews.

Intense emotional situations, where characters may be pushed to their emotional limits.

  • The conflict between the Oxkillers and the San Saba will likely include arguments, yelling, and heated roleplay as the various NPCs and LCs alike will be involved in the fray. This could include CVC conflict, and will likely involve insults, yelling, accusations, and other strong forms of verbal conflict. If you attend the Summit (which will happen during the Saturday Siesta), you should expect some intense emotional situations and arguments. You will be able to avoid this in-game event if you like, and we will have plenty of zombies and raiders to deal with later.

Let’s cover some of the specific major ingredients of the next event and what to expect in game!

DYNAMIC PLOT & LASTING CONSEQUENCES

We have a few things to prepare for as the Summit of the Tribes is set to start. This game, you’ll see a focus on the basic themes of Dystopia Rising — zombies, and the threat of other survivors. While zed are the cause of a number of deaths across the wasteland, far greater crimes are committed by those that share the wastelands with you.

One of the key themes of the February event will be the concept of DYNAMIC PLOT.

The outcome of THE BREAKER OF CROWNS will not be decided by a vote, or by choosing a new leader of the Tribes, or even killing a certain big bad. Instead, YOUR actions will matter over the course of the event. Several CHOICE POINTS will be presented to the town throughout the event, and how you react to these in-game situations will determine how the resolution of this game will end.

Your actions as a player will determine if the Oxkillers decide to pursue a peace treaty, or if the War is doomed to continue into the months ahead. Heather and I have prepared multiple endings based on how these flash points resolve, and you will get to have a direct impact on if the War of Antlers continues or heads towards peace. Pay close attention to the story of the Summit, and you will have multiple opportunities to sway the opinions of either the San Saba forces or the Oxkillers.

  • We will telegraph when one of these events occur by using a clear OOC sign that reads CHOICE POINT. It should be clear to those involved that a choice is being made. Whether your choice will push the various personalities towards peace or war will depend on the choice you make!

  • Not every CHOICE POINT will be decided by roleplay behaviors alone. There will be a few ways for you to mechanically interact with the plot if heavy roleplay isn’t your style, particularly for those with Society Memberships in the various San Saba factions.

  • Your decisions will determine the final Battles in the War of Antlers plot that occur on Sunday at the war table, so be prepared for the shifting battlegrounds based on your actions during the event itself!

You can expect zombies and the usual Dystopia Rising experience during our next event, but the ultimate ending of the weekend is up to you!

DEADLY ZOMBIES

After a long Winter break, it’s nice to return to the familiar and the expected. Our February event will focus on low-complexity overarc stories that are more about the characters involved than some special mechanic. As such, most of the enemies for this event will be the run-of-the-mill Shamblers, Tanks, Bursters, and more. After all, Dystopia Rising is set in a ZOMBIE apocalypse. What story would it be without zombies?

Our goal for February is to keep the nights dark and full of terror, and allow our various STs to feature elements of their own plots and underarcs during the day. While the Summit called by Queen Debs will be happening during the afternoon, you can expect to see a few other stories emerging, and maybe even a few sneak peeks of conflicts to come as the season continues, all set to the threat of being eaten and devoured alive by the zombies hordes that besiege our tiny town.

The threat of being devoured and ripped to pieces by Zombies will be even more prevalent during this. During certain [REDACTED] events and calls, you’ll find even the common Shambler suddenly a vicious killer. While we normally reserve “killing blow active” threats for specific situations, during the February event even the lowly Shambler can suddenly become killing blow active, capable of ending your character’s life with a Killing Blow call instead of the usual Cannibalize call. Yikes!

That means if you get caught alone by the zombie horde, you might not be able to rely on your friends arriving in time to save you from the devouring maws of the undead, or hearing that slow count of “Cannibalize 1, Cannibalize 2…”! Make sure you have an injectable handy, or get ready to run in the face of the deadly zombies during THE BREAKER OF CROWNS!

Solomon isn’t really a zombie, but you get the point.

DEADLY POLITICS

During THE BREAKER OF CROWNS, you will get to meet several different new characters over the weekend. While some of these faces may be familiar to you, like Boss Debs or the Breaker of Crowns, others will be new to this weekend. You’ll have a chance to roleplay with these characters, make promises, alliances, and uncover secrets by using your skill or simply engage them with good old fashioned murder and blades in the dark.

Each of the key NPCs from the weekend will have a character sheet, Body, Mind, and other items they can use. They can be interacted with, attacked, robbed, and will be able to react with their own mechanics. They have Infection scores just like a player, and will be able to come back from death, so make sure you are confident in your abilities to not be remembered should you try for a quick and dirty crime.

But most importantly, you can talk with them, hear their side of events, and watch for cues on how to influence their behaviors. These characters will have goals and agendas (and even a few secrets) for the Summit, but they can be convinced of your cause provided you appeal to their own motivations. As part of the dynamic plot, the NPCs will be available in play for long periods, so if you’d like to be involved simply join in the conversation! Listen to the things they like, dislike, and what their goals are for the Summit, and you will be able to make the decisions that matter during the CHOICE POINTS.

Your ability to influence these key figures will be important to helping the San Saba pursue a future of either PEACE or WAR!

WRAP UP

Tickets are on sale as of Monday, January 15th for our next event, and we are so excited to tell a story of zombies and politics, and to progress the metaplot of the season forward. We hope that you will join us at Camp Bluebonnet Shores, and make the most of the weekend to survive the zombie apocalypse.

Will you pick a side in the conflict? Are you tired of the San Saba Board and think maybe the Breaker of Crowns has started to make a lot of sense? Are you worried about the threat of the Prince Undying and need to make a deal with a sworn enemy for the greater good? Are you simply out for revenge against that Oxkiller that killed your family? Will you be devoured by a horde of zombies before your friends can save you?

Let’s find out together, when the BREAKER OF CROWNS arrives in Bravado!

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE!