CvC in the Moment

It’s time for another Rules Ramble with Jonathan! Each week, I’ll introduce a topic in the DR rulebook in a deep dive that focuses on explaining it more detail than the book alone can provide. There are four core pillars of the DR game in my mind: Combat, Roleplay, CvC, and Economy, and today’s series finishes up our delve into the logic behind some of the things involved with CvC, or Character vs. Character behaviors. Our specific topic this week is CvC in the Moment.

In my previous CvC themed posts, we covered an Introduction to CvC and then we covered the pretty dense Theft Rules of Dystopia Rising. Our friends at DR:NY also had an engaging series on CvC you read about HERE. The folks at DR:NY did a really fun series on Consent and CvC that I enjoyed, and I highly recommend reading this before we continue our discussion here.

There are a few core areas in the book on CvC, and we’ve taken a look at each part during this series.

• CvC in the Moment (p. 160) - Rules for spontaneous CvC encounters, and how to use the “C” symbol for conflict. I would consider this “unplanned” CvC.

• Long Term CvC (p. 161) - Suggestions for how to approach CvC that happens over several games or longer, including how to recognize your limits. I consider this “planned” CvC. I’ll cover this in my next installment!

• CvC in the Wastelands (p. 162) - Rules for the WASTELAND, an area where consent to CvC is implied simply by entering. We covered this in Part 1.

• Thick as Thieves (p. 163) - Rules for THEFT in the world of Dystopia Rising, what you can steal, how you do it, and what consequences can look like. We covered this in Part 2.

In addition to the sections in the book on CvC, we also have some other additional resources for the game.

• Wasteland Map - You can find a map of the current Wasteland Zones within the DR:TX game space at Camp Kachina.

• Survival Ethos System (SES) - This is an out of character mechanic for “opting in” to CvC in advance, no matter where you are in the game.

So with all that out of the way, let’s discuss one of my favorite ways to engage in CvC in Dystopia Rising: CvC in the Moment.

cvc in the moment

Starting on page 160 in the DR Corebook, we can find the rules for CvC in the Moment. This is a unique section because it covers a way to effectively “check for consent” before engaging in CvC activities by showing the Conflict Gesture. The key part of this for me is that this can be done ANYWHERE, even outside of the Wasteland.

The next big thing that separates this behavior in the moment from other CvC activities is that is it often UNPLANNED. It is simply a natural escalation of roleplay during a scene, a reaction to something that just happened, or simply a way to respond in-character in a way that you would like to ask permission to explore.

CvC conflict in the moment can be several different behaviors in game. It can be the obvious example of swinging a boffer, using an item, or activating a Skill on someone. But it can also be aggressive roleplay like yelling, insults, or screaming, or it can be more subtle such as economic CvC by undercutting someone’s business or taking action against a competitor, political CvC by taking actions against the town or the laws of that area, or simply other active or passive-aggressive behaviors that are designed to provoke a response immediately.

This is a question: “Do you want to have conflict that does not involve Infection loss or item theft?”

The Conflict Gesture is made by holding your hand in shape of a “C” near your shoulder, like in the picture of me here. This allows you to ask someone else in the game an out of character question: “Do you want to engage in CvC that does not involve Infection loss or item theft?”

You can respond to this question in a few ways:

• You can say “NO”, or simply shake your head. You DO NOT have to consent to CvC in the Moment if you don’t want. If someone gives this response, you should immediately deescalate the situation and adjust the roleplay accordingly.

• If you are a member of the SES System, you call “Registered” in response to this question. In addition to basically saying “YES” to the question, you’ve also said “I’m ok with Infection Loss and theft” in addition to the normal rules. You are simply reminding that person that you are indeed enthusiastically consenting to CvC by being a member of the SES.

  • You can still decline a request for CvC while on the SES, but doing so immediately removes you from the SES list for the rest of the event. You must speak to a guide or a gamerunner to be removed from the list ASAP! This is meant as a tool to help you avoid character conflict when you aren’t ready for it out of character, not as a way to avoid in-game consequences.

• You can say “YES”, or respond in kind with a “C” gesture of your own to confirm your consent. This gives temporary consent to CvC under a specific set of conditions.

If you say “YES” however, you’ve established some limits to what happens next. You’ve agreed to physical conflict, verbal conflict, etc., but ONLY as long as it does not result in:

• Infection Loss

• Item Theft

The other implied part of this agreement that can be quickly abused is that it’s generally between TWO people. Make sure you have the consent of EVERYONE that is going to join in on the fun. Don’t blindside another player with an unfair fight when your friends join in on the pummeling — they might be ok with a one-on-one fight, but not with being ganged up on!

While these are the only two things actually listed in the rules, I think it’s reasonable to assume this also includes any long-term effect that could impact a character, such as FRACTURES or serious long-term consequences like a loss of reputation, loss of a position of authority, or anything similar. You can heal a Mangled limb, or drink a brew to restore Body, but it’s hard to get something back once it’s lost if it’s not a temporary inconvenience.

• Jonathan’s Advice: If it’s not a TEMPORARY consequence, it doesn’t belong in “Conflict in the Moment” cvc.

The most important part of this is that CvC Conflict in the Moment can ONLY occur with enthusiastic consent. If they are not 100% in for that fight, YOU DO NOT START IT. Your job as a player is then to de-escalate, choose a different topic, or simply withdraw from the scene. And that’s perfectly fine. It’s just a question, and it’s always appropriate to be firm in your boundaries and say “NO” if you aren’t completely ok with what happens next. Simply have a friendly conversation and move on!

Bravado cvc best practices

One thing to keep in mind is that CvC in the Moment rules are really a pretty short section of the book. There’s a lot of nuance that should apply to CvC situations that isn’t necessarily directly in the rules. The book suggests to “defer to common sense”, but in case you are like me and that’s not always obvious let’s talk about some best practices for better CvC in the Moment.

Here’s a few of my suggestions for better conflict in the moment:

• While CvC in the Moment does not technically require you to observe the time requirement needed for CvC that involves theft or Infection loss, I think it’s still a good idea to purposefully observe these time requirements — particularly the 4 hour window at the end of the game. Attacking someone before the end of the weekend on Sunday doesn’t really give them a real chance to respond to that event. They might have to get started packing, or even need to wait in that dreaded last-minute Post Office line, or they might simply be more tired that usual after a whole weekend of running around in the woods.

“WHEN YOU STEAL FROM ANOTHER PLAYER OR REMOVE AN INFECTION, YOU MUST HAVE BEEN IN PLAY FOR AT LEAST FOUR HOURS BEFORE THE ACT OF CVC, AND REMAIN IN PLAY FOR FOUR HOURS AFTER THE FACT (P. 163).”

• A single negative comment or a loud noise doesn’t always need a check-in with the other player but you should always be mindful of their boundaries. Not everyone can separate someone yelling at them in character from the real thing. Don’t be afraid of asking for consent for conflict before you start that argument or aggressive roleplay!

• Using the “C” symbol to start a fight is not required in the Wasteland or against a person on the SES System, but it’s never a bad idea to check for consent in the moment. You never know when a person might have changed their mind on how they feel about CvC in that particular moment until you actually ask them!

• Know your own limits — It’s ok to change your mind about conflict. If you are tired, hurt, or just distracted it can make it difficult to really engage with a conflict in a positive manner. Don’t engage in conflict in the moment if you aren’t enthusiastically ready for that fight — remember it takes two to tango and enthusiastic consent includes YOU!

• Consent must be given enthusiastically EVERY time. Just because you’ve previously had an encounter where they responded positively doesn’t mean they are ready in this moment! Don’t assume!

• You can always “thumbs up” or “thumbs down” parts of a scene and ask for a calibration in the moment. If it’s getting to be too much, or you aren’t quite sure if that’s the player crying or the character crying, you can always check to be sure! Let the player tell you with a “thumbs up” if everything is going well so you can continue, or tell you to back off with a “thumbs down” and change the intensity or the activity a bit to a more comfortable level. You can read more about this in the OK Check-In System.

• If a conflict does cross that boundary in the moment, remember you can '“thumbs down” the entire scene, EVEN if you have responded positively to a conflict in the moment request. It’s okay to withdraw your consent at any time!

The neatest part about this CvC in the Moment system is that it is effectively a NEGOTIATION for better CvC conflict. This is a key part of healthy and fun CvC in my mind, so next time we will really explore some examples of long-term CvC and good negotiation techniques.

See you next time Vados!

The Future of Drywater

Hey there Vados! It’s Jonathan here with one last update before the game this weekend - BEYOND THE HORIZON. We are going to talk about some mechanics regarding the new settlement of Drywater that you might see during our upcoming event. During this game, your characters will have the ability to influence the new Junkerpunk port of call by completing tasks for one of three factions. Which faction will you help unlock new items and blueprints to bring to our game?

While advanced ticket sales for the event are closed, you can still get tickets at the door!

The Drywater Settlement Package

The infant settlement of Drywater, just a few hours walk to the West of New Bravado’s extended territory, has begun to erect its first permanent structures and acquire its first permanent citizens. Queen Jasper, the sickly but politically powerful matriarch of the Antler clan, has come to New Bravado to oversee the perilous and brave process of sculpting a homeland from irradiated dirt. With the help of the Longberths, a faction of the Tribes Disparate who have historically butted heads with the smaller merchant faction, the scrap of land will become a dry port of call only rivaled by Waking Prime. 

During this next game, the Junkerpunk faction will achieve a major victory by constructing a new town near Bravado. This port will be a new future for the faction and realize the shared dreams of Admiral Sinker Swim and the Regent of the Tribes Disparate, Holy Mother Queen Jasper. However, any construction project of this magnitude cannot be completed by just one person. It takes a village, so the saying goes..

Luckily, three of the major factions of the San Saba have proposed a plan to help the new settlement: the Tribes Disparate, the Railroad Conglomerate, and the Grave Council. Each has their own motivations and reasons to be involved, but there’s really only enough space for one of them to really succeed. That’s where YOU come in!

drywater work orders

The one thing the factions lack in town is the labor necessary to help their cause. At the start of game, each player will have an option to take a DRYWATER WORK ORDER. This tasklist will give you a way to track your assistance to one of the the three factions. Scattered through our site will be TWENTY different tasks you can complete as part of this Work Order. These tasks will require you to complete Skill Challenges, expend item cards like scrap or herb, or use Mind and Body points towards your task.

• Every FOUR tasks you complete will earn ONE vote towards one of the three factions. Some of these tasks will be easier than others, so even brand new players can participate.

• Most Tasks can be completed ONCE per Twelves. That means you’ll be able to do some tasks more than once, but you’ll have to do multiple Tasks if you want to maximize your votes.

• Each character can cast up to FIVE total votes in your favor. There will be a few other ways to earn votes past the Work Orders, so keep your eyes open for opportunity!

• You can only submit one Drywater Work Order per character. If you want to play that alt, go right ahead — we will have additional Work Order forms at the Post Office.

Once you’ve completed as many tasks as you can, you can submit the finished Work Order to the Post Office to record your vote. You’ll choose one of the THREE unique Drywater Upgrades to put your votes toward, securing that faction’s inclusion into the new settlement.

So what do you get for all this hard work? Your investment in the new settlement of Drywater will help out Bravado in the future in a few specific ways:

Drywater Upgrades

The faction that succeeds in influencing new construction in Drywater will reap the benefits of the new trade routes, resources, and alliances with the Junkerpunks. Each faction has proposed an option for upgrading the town, and each option comes with its own unique benefits.

The Cali*Co-Operative Arsenal

Owned and Operated by the dependable Cali*Co Caravan, the *Co-Operative Arsenal will employ the local Junkerpunk population for the purpose of munitions development and production. Located on the scenic ridge that overlooks Drywater, the Arsenal will develop and produce munitions for the defense of the Greater San Saba and her citizens from the threat of zed, raider, or invading body.  Espoused by the Holy Mother Queen Jasper of the Tribes Disparate, the Arsenal is her final attempt at preserving the San Saba as the homeland of her people and their allies.

• This Drywater Upgrade will provide new regional Weapon, Armor, and Vehicle blueprints for trade with Bravado as the town develops.

The Redfield Boatel and Spa

This sumptuous lounge and resort will be just one stop down the Oxline from New Bravado and attract personages of affluence from across the Greater Wastes. Local Junkerpunks will make up the staff of the Boatel and Spa and be provided with a living wage, ongoing benefits, and housing. Located on the river, the Boatel and Spa will technically be a mobile living environment permanently docked at Drywater. The kitchens at the Redfield will produce highbrow brews and confections beyond anything the San Saba has seen so far, and are personally endorsed by Felicity Redfield, CEO of the Railroad Conglomerate.

• This Drywater Upgrade will provide new regional Brew, Meal, Gizmos, and Culinary blueprints for trade with Bravado as the town develops.

The Imix Institute

The closest GraveTech research facility is located in the Dead Marches, many miles to the distant south, beyond even the Blastlands.  To be placed in the middle of town as a multi-story cathedralex, the Imix Institute would employ and educate the local Junkerpunk population as researchers and volunteers in the ongoing effor to understand and benefit from the Mortis Amaranthine and the Grave Minds that lurk within it.  This project is endorsed by the leaders of the Grave Council, Takheeta Firstborn and Commander Rampart.  Research from this facility would likely produce compelling advances in Grave and Psi- technologies.

• This Drywater Upgrade will provide new regional Gravetech, Psionic, and Faith-related blueprints for trade with Bravado as the town develops.

Which faction are you going to put your support behind to help the new town of Drywater? How will you shape the future of the San Saba? Let’s find out this weekend, BEYOND THE HORIZON!

Girl Scout Cookies Update!

Hello friends! Quick add-on from Aesa!

We have two wonderful Girl Scout troops coming out this weekend to sell cookies on site, and, great news, you can now PRE-ORDER those cookies for pick up on either Friday or Sunday! Order using the links below. Select the Girl Delivery option and in the notes put ‘pick up at Camp Kachina’.

Troop 8226 Friday 4:30pm Pre-Order Cookie Pickup Link

Troop 21003 Sunday 11:00am Pre-Order Cookie Pickup Link

This will streamline the process and help ensure both troops have enough of each cookie on hand. Each troop will also have extras for those wanting to pay cash or waiting until they are there.

Let’s help support our site and our girls!

Reminder about Site Times

Re-posting these reminders from a few weeks back about when folks can be on site and where to stay.

COMING ON SITE

Unless you have special permission from staff or are part of our designated Setup Crew for that weekend, the time when you can come onto the site from the parking lot is 3pm on Friday. This applies to Guides as well. At 4pm players who pre-registered can pick up their character sheets and check-in at the Post Office. At 5pm players who did not pre-register can check-in. Read the full Weekend Itinerary here.

DRIVING ON SITE

Likewise, you can only drive on site if you have explicit staff permission. Everyone else needs to park in the parking lot and use a cart to bring their items on to and off of site.

MEDICAL AND NEW PLAYER SLEEPING ACCOMMODATIONS

Wigwam Cabin is our primary Med Sleep location. Wikiup is our primary New Player cabin. Last game we were overcrowded in these spaces. We do not want to have to start restricting who can sleep there further, or requiring medical notes, so please consider sleeping elsewhere if you are not a new player or require medical sleep accommodations.

Kiva is climate controlled and open to anyone. There are also many open-air cabins available in Hopi and Zuni, the platform tents in Tewa, and tent-space is available for those who want to bring their own tent. Some people choose to stay in hotels and air bnb’s off-site as well. If you just would like a Med Sleep note on your character sheet to sleep in a different location without interruption, we can accommodate that. Please email info@dystopiarisingtx.com.

Map of Camp Kachina

See you tomorrow!

Beyond the Horizon - Rules You Should Know

Hey there Vados! It’s Jonathan here with another Rules Ramble! This week we are going to cover updates for our game this weekend - BEYOND THE HORIZON. We are going to talk about some rules you should be aware of before game, and things you might see during our upcoming event. As always, the purpose of these Rules Rambles is to cover a topic in the DR rulebook or something that might show up in game in more detail than the book or ZOMs alone can provide.

While advanced ticket sales for the event are closed, you can still get tickets at the door!

Skills You should Know

You can read more about updated Rules and Skills not in the rulebook at the DR Lexicon on the national website. These are Skills not in the DR Corebook, but they are found on threats and items within the game. It’s important to understand how these might impact you during the event.

Let’s talk about two particular Skills you’ll see this weekend, including one from the Lexicon:

FEAR

Here’s the rules from the DR Corebook, p. 103

“Fear is a mechanical effect that prevents a Target from attacking the source of the Fear. Fear is broken if the Target is attacked by a foe, attacked by other non-Fear mechanics with the aim of harming the Target, or forced to attack by another effect that comes after the use of Fear. Fear does not make you leave the battlefield, but it does prevent you from crossing the line from verbal and secondary support to engaging combatant. While under the effects of Fear, you can still attack others on the battlefield who were not the source of Fear.”

Fear is a Corebook Skill, but one that can be a bit confusing. This effect can be a quick way to remove a powerful enemy from a fight by making sure they can’t attack you. When you are outnumbered, it’s a great way to buy yourself some time until you can dispatch another enemy. This effect is found on a few items in play, but it’s largely called by monsters at the moment.

As long as you don’t attack that target or hit them with a Skill, they are effectively “crowd controlled” like in a video game. Crowd control (commonly shortened to CC) is a blanket term used in some video games to describe abilities that remove or diminish the control a target unit has over aspects of itself. But, ANY source of damage breaks the Fear effect — even if that damage comes from an ally!

However, unlike other true CC effects like Nail or Stun, the effects of Fear can also be worked around simply by attacking a different target. It doesn’t take you out of the fight like those other skills, so if you are careful you can mitigate the enemies use of Fear by moving to a different part of the fight. However, when that creature is the only Target you can attack, it’s a pretty effective way of keeping a dangerous foe at bay while you catch your breath or drink a brew.

Additionally, the Sailing list has a large amount of items that offer a measure of protection from Fear effects, including Grog, the Crew’s Raiding Flag, the Crew’s Cabin Flag, and the Keg o’ Grog. Some crafted items can also protect against Fear, such as the Glitter Gulch Dartgun, the Trophy Room, and the Freeiron Guard shield.

TERROR

Here’s the rules from the Lexicon:

“Countered by Basic Mental Endurance. Often delivered as an area or Line of Sight effect, those affected by Terror are overcome by an urge to flee from the source of it. For at least 30 seconds (default; some uses may specify a different duration in the call) they must attempt to flee from the presence of the source of Terror, regardless of (IG) safety. If they cannot for some reason escape, they will cower as best as possible. The target may still defend themselves, but fleeing will always be a priority when possible. Effects and items that give immunity to Fear do not give immunity to Terror unless noted otherwise.”

Terror is effectively an advanced form of Fear effects. Our older players may remember this ability from the 2.0 days. Once this effect is called, you can’t do almost anything else but run in terror from the user of the skill. If you can’t get away, you have to cower in fear, but you can still defend yourself. The sole counter to this skill is Mental Endurance, the same Skill that wards off psionic effects. If you can steel your nerves, you can avoid the leg-shaking fear that makes you want to flee in terror.

There are a few items from the Master Sailing list that can protect you from these effects, but there aren’t many items that make you resistant to Terror otherwise. This is a different mechanic from the Fear effect in the rulebook (p. 103), so items like the Crew’s Raiding Flag that make you immune to Fear do NOT work against Terror effects. Better find that Master-tier Sailing Crew with a Crew’s Cabin Flag and hope you have the same Crew Tattoo!

Next, let’s talk about two new effects for the next game:

gravetouched

Here’s the rules from our Local Rules & Skills page:

• Keyword. A character with this trait is vulnerable to skills, abilities, and items that specifically target the Gravetouched keyword. This is a condition that afflicts characters that are suffering from a temporary, but painful closeness to the Grave Mind. It is known to be spread to those with repeated and acute exposures to the Mortis Amaranthine. This condition has no known cure at this time.

A few of you out there may already have this marked on your sheet (you know who you are). And let’s be fair, a few more of you will probably have this keyword after this weekend. You know what you did (or will do).

dark water

Lastly, let’s talk about a unique Zone of Mechanics, called “DARK WATER”. This location will be clearly communicated by BLUE LIGHTS in an area marked as water. If you’re unsure, ask the guide present what area the boundaries cover.

• Once you are in DARK WATER, you are DROWNING. The DROWNING effect immediately drops you to 0 Body, regardless of what you had left, and you immediately enter Bleed Out.

• There will be several abilities and items that impact your ability to survive DARK WATER. This includes Sailing, Enhanced Movement, the Saltwise strain, the Full Dead strain, and the Helscape Deathmask. These effects will be clearly communicated on the ZOM when you encounter it in game, so I’ll save the specific spoilers.

• This has the potential to be a VERY deadly mechanic. It’s probably better to avoid the deep water if you don’t know how to swim!

DR:TX Threat Skills

We’re still in the process of updating our DR:TX webpage, but I’ve been hard at work collecting various rules, skill calls, and such that you might see on unique threats while at a DR:TX game. You can find more out at our Local Threat Skills page. I’ve included a few of the relevant bits here for this weekend’s game:

DROWNED ONES

The strange raiders known as Drowned Ones are a menace of the Spoiled Coast and the river ways connecting to the gulf, and are known to raid inland. We first encountered these creepy raiders during our Junkerpunk themed online event, The Certainty of Tides. Local sailors tell stories that you can hear the beat of drums and the sounds of horns before an attack occurs, if you are lucky enough to get a warning! Raiding crews of Drowned Ones consist of several varieties, from the Drowned One Grunts to the spear wielding Fishers, and the terrifying leaders known as Wavemasters.

Seems like they’ve been getting feisty lately, and you might run into a few of these waterlogged freaks this weekend. Let’s cover a few of the weird rules and skills you might see on a Drowned One.

• Natural Armor: Drowned Ones do not wear “armor” in the traditional sense, but their skin and flesh have become waterlogged and hardened over their time at sea. They are highly resistant to damage from this natural armor, and can slough off blows like someone wearing plates of heavy metal. Drowned Ones have Armor points but are not required to wear physical armor.

• Raider Drum Beat: The Wavemasters carry large drums to announce an impending raid on their targets. The raider must spend 30 seconds of active RP banging a drum followed by the call: “By the Sound of my Voice, All Raiders Upsurge 10 Armor”.

• Spearing Strike: The Drowned One Fisher can call “Nail, cannot move for 1 minute!”. Countered by Avoid, but breaks on entering Bleed Out. The Target cannot use Enhanced Movement or be the target of someone else’s use of the skill. You cannot move from one spot or be moved for any reason, but can still pivot on one leg. (You can find the rules for Nail on the DR Lexicon)

• Wave of Terror: The Wavemasters can strike an imposing figure on the battlefield and few can stay in one place when faced by their battle cries. Call “AOE, Lineages run in Terror for 30 seconds!”. Countered by Mental Endurance.

• Creeping Dread: Drowned Ones are a ferocious enemy and strike Fear in the bravest of opponents. The Drowned One can call “AOE, Fear, 1 minute - cannot attack me!”.

[redacted]

There might be some other unique threats in play this weekend, but we’ll keep the remaining spoilers to a minimum. Once the game is over, we will cover a few of their mechanics for the future, and I’ll add them officially to the Local Threat Skills page. Rest assured, it’ll be pretty obvious when they show up, so let’s look at a particular set of Skills to look out for and the last place the new DROWNING mechanic can show up.

• Retaliate: [REDACTED] may not Avoid or Defend. Instead, any time a Skill or spike damage call is made on the [REDACTED] it may declare this skill as a reaction. This attack inflicts it’s normal melee damage on up to 5 targets within 5 paces. The [REDACTED] can perform this response once every 10 seconds, or every other flurry. Call “Retaliate [x]” and point to the targets in range. This attack may be Avoided, and counts as a Scattershot effect for purposes that avoid AOE damage.

• Stunning Strike: Call “10 damage, STUN!”. The [REDACTED] can use OVERPOWER once per strike attempt if this strike is Avoided. The Stun effect may be ignored with Balance, but you still take the damage unless Avoided.

• Dark Water Strike: On a successful strike, the [REDACTED] can call “Dark Water Strike! Inflict DROWNING!!!”. This may be Avoided, and has no effect on the Saltwise or Full Dead strain. This cannot be combined with Scattershot. DROWNING immediately drops you to 0 Body, regardless of what you had left, and you immediately enter Bleed Out.

See you this weekend Vados, BEYOND THE HORIZON!!!

Murder Inc.

Howdy Vados! It’s Jonathan here with a special update for our next game, BEYOND THE HORIZON! Today, since I have time to write in the middle of an ice storm, we are going to discuss how we are going to be implementing the new Murder Inc. faction into our local game. This is a bit of a spoiler warning for things you might find out in game, and this is a bit of a longer post.

First, credit to where it’s due: The Murder Inc. concept was re-released as a support doc by the DR Connecticut staff. This article today assumes some passing familiarity with the concepts included in their Murder Inc. Support Doc, and you can see the license we use this with on our Accreditations Page. I’d recommend reading this doc first, so you’ll better understand the variations I describe below, but I’ll attempt to explain it in broad strokes. We also incorporated several ideas here from Tom Kelly and our friends at DR:NY in how they added Murder Inc. into their game.

Full Transparency Mode

The stuff we are going to talk about today is a secret IN GAME. While you might know bits or legends about the faction or even have a complete understanding of their backstory out of game, this stuff is a secret kept to only the members of the organization. Consider this a SPOILER WARNING, but our goal here is to clearly telegraph how you can join Murder Inc, who is involved, and what their rules and rituals will look like. Our hope is that by being transparent, we will allow you to be prepared to “opt in” to this style of CvC play.

If you don’t want to know about Murder Inc., STOP reading here! This info will be linked on our website, so you’ll be able to find it later if you want.

The history of Murder Inc. in DR:TX

First, some history. It’s time for a bit of backstory:

In the last days of 2.0, the STs and Gamerunners ran a series of games that detailed the events of the Hiway War, a devastating conflict between the collected factions of the Lone Star and a villainous Full Dead known as Hiway Rob. The war was set to reshape the landscape of the Lone Star in preparation for our transition to new ownership with Shan and Aesa, but also to prepare for the new 3.0 edition. Our plans were to erase all traces of the past and go into the new world with a blank, fresh slate for our stories in 3.0.

However, during those last games we allowed players to contribute in-game resources like scrap, Brass, and herb and complete a series of mods to “save” a faction that they cared particularly about. Our promise was to include those factions in some new form in our 3.0 setting, though we made sure to explain that it would not necessarily be an exact copy of the old faction, but something new to account for the changes in our setting.

Several factions were saved by player action, including the Antler Tribe, Cervaxi Tribe, the Buccs, the SCAdians, the Road Royals, the Spider Haus of Red Star, and the Imix Tribe of Unborn. You can still find elements of these survivors today, in player-led factions like the Road Royals, and in NPC-led factions like the Tribes Disparate, the Grave Council, and the Junkerpunks.

However, one faction was saved during the Hiway War that we don’t talk about: the Guild.

The symbol of Murder Incorporated

In 2.0, the Guild was the larger network of assassins, criminals, and murderers across the settlements of the Wastes and was joined by learning a skill known as Guild Member. The original Murder Inc. faction was detailed in a DR 2.0 tabletop sourcebook called Diaries of the Rum Coast and was a subfaction within the larger Guild network. The Guild Member skill worked similarly to the Criminal Influence skill in 3.0, allowing you to attend shadowy meetings in the dark. In old Bravo, the Guild was heavily tied to the machinations of Judge Parker, Hiway Rob, and several other villains of the past, and the lines between Murder Inc. and the Guild were often a little murky.

In game, Murder Inc. only claimed a dozen or so members across the network, so it was more of a secret society than a criminal gang. They were both groups of shadowy assassins, seeking to eliminate serious threats by carefully removing targets, but the Guild was filled with corruption from within and powerful figures calling the shots to eliminate their own enemies, and not targets that were a greater threat to the wastes. Murder Inc. claimed to stand above the corruption, but was eventually taken down by their enemies and their own corruption during a national event at the end of 2.0.

Fast forward to the present, after the three-year time skip between 2.0 and 3.0, and we are ready to talk about what happened next. After the events of the recent Dead Waters online national event run by DR:CT, the faction known as Murder Inc. has made a return to the wastelands, but they’ve been present in the San Saba for a while…

The Widows of the Lone Star

From our first posts about the Widows, we’ve always been a bit coy and playful about their connections to the Guild. We even literally spelled it out for you in the description of the faction on our website. Spoiler - the bolded letters at the start of the sentences spell out “GUILD”. This is also one of our primary CvC factions within DR:TX, and serves as a vehicle for CvC related plot and activities within our game.

While the Widows are part of the larger Lovelace Family, the Widows serve a more specific purpose — preventing the horrors of the Hiway War from ever happening again, through any means necessary. Sure, the public face of the Lonestar Widows and Children’s Fund deals with charity, orphanages, and community service and they do some very good work in the San Saba Territories. But within their ranks are also the talented assassins of The Veiled, who hide their identity when they act in the name of the Widows to eliminate a threat to the wastes. It’s one reason that the Widows have declined a position on the San Saba Board, as they want the ability to act as they see fit without the burden of politics.

Clauthia Lovelace

The Widows are led by three figures - the Widows of the Lonestar, subtly echoing the tales of the Three Fates of old mythology — Clauthia Lovelace, Mx. Lackey, and Atrophy Lovelace. Each represents a philosophy or way they approach the goals of the faction in their roles as Spinner, Measurer, and Cutter, and each was widowed by the atrocities of the Hiway War and represents a different way of dealing with their own grief and loss.

So naturally, the Widows represent the single best way to include the new Murder Inc. items and support material into our game. In fact, they’ve basically been doing this already in our game for the last year because of their history with the former Guild!

At the next game, interested players will have a new opportunity to join the subfaction within the ranks of the Widows of the Lone Star, known as the Veiled.

Joining Murder INc. is NOT a requirement of joining or participating with the Widows of the lonestar faction.

You can join the Widows without joining Murder Inc. but it is a way of deepening your connection with the secret rituals of the Widows. If you have the Widows Society Membership on your sheet right now, you can also easily gain the Society Membership for Murder Inc. but it is not required. There will still be a number of ways to interact with the faction or attend the Widow’s Tea on Saturday afternoons, all without necessarily being a shadowy assassin or embracing CvC.

Murder Inc. and the rules

Now that the history lesson is out of the way, let’s discuss how you join, and how we will use these concepts in our local game. Let’s talk briefly about where we will differ from the source material, and our implementation. Again, the basic write up of the Murder Inc. faction is found on the DR: CT website, found here.

• We will NOT be using the listed “families” in the Murder Inc. Support Doc. Instead, our “families” will be existing NPCs and NPC factions within the DR:TX game. The first known “families” in DR:TX are the Lovelace Family and The Veiled.

• Players cannot teach another character the Society Membership skill, at this time. You may only be inducted into the organization by an NPC sponsor in DR:TX after passing a test or personal plot request.

• This is a separate organization from our other CvC Faction, the Red Ledger. You can be a member of both factions, but you may find your loyalties occasionally tested…

• The Widows of the Lonestar will NOT be the only way to interact with Murder Inc.

  • There will be additional NPC sponsors, “families”, and more in the future, as the faction grows in influence and scope. There are already members in other existing factions you can learn about in game if you are diligent, but it is a secret society after all!

  • If you want to join Murder Inc., but don’t want to be a part of the Widows, submit an Personal Plot Request so we can include your ideas into a different NPC sponsor to the faction.

• We will be looking at choosing PLAYERS to be our Blade of Shepherd’s Chosen, a group of the Sainthood of Ashes faith that serves as a check on the conscience of those that would eliminate a threat during the rite of the Honor Hunt. If you are interested in this role and have a character interested in Murder Inc. with this faith, let us know at info@dystopiarisingtx.com.

Joining Murder Inc.

Let’s talk about some specific requirements for joining the faction. These traditions, steps of joining, and play expectations of this group will be listed on our website as well.

• The rules for Society Membership are found on page 106 in the DR Corebook.

• You must have at least Basic Criminal Influence to join Murder Inc. The only way to find out about an secretive organization of assassins is to already be a criminal!

• You must have Proficient Stealth to join Murder Inc. OR the ability to be disguised by a friendly ally using the appropriate item effects.

• Joining this faction will be considered to be opting-in to CvC in DR:TX, and you will be required to join the SES System at the start of each game.

• Members of Murder Inc. must wear a physical MASK during official meetings of the faction. Failure to do so could result in violence directed at your character by other characters or NPCs. In game, this will be represented by the Many Faced Mask item card.

• Trying to attend a meeting of Murder Inc. without being a member is a dangerous and character deadly prospect — you have been warned!

• Performing the Murder Dive procedure without the blessing of the Widows will have potential ramifications — you have been warned!

• If you have both Proficient Widows Society Membership AND Murder Inc Society Membership, you are considered to be a member of The Veiled, a subfaction of the Widows of the Lonestar.

How to join during the February event

To join the faction of Murder Inc. at our February event, you will have a few options:

• If you already have the Proficient or Master Widows Society Membership or you have the Inner Circle PFA, you will be able to simply chose a subfaction (see below) to join during our February event. The Widows are the first faction to formerly induct members into Murder Inc., and have already vetted a chosen few into the ranks of the organization.

  • We will write this on your sheet during Widow’s Tea on Saturday afternoon of game at 1:00 p.m. This will happen in the Meadows, near the Farming Roleplay Zone.

• If you attended the Dead Waters online national event, you likely already have this Society Membership on your sheet. You are not required to join the Widows, but instead represent a free agent inducted in the Sunken Saints. Congrats!

• Lastly, if neither of the above apply, you will still be allowed to join the faction by completing a SKILL TASK during the event. This will require you to complete a challenge to craft or buy a suitable Many Faced Mask item card, so you will need an appropriate phys rep for this item. While we encourage you to provide your own mask, we will have a few extras available in Ops you can borrow if yours does not arrive in time. The blueprint for this item will be made available as part of this task, so don’t worry!

Now, if you join the faction of Murder Inc, you have a choice ahead of you…

The Subfactions of Murder Inc.

Murder Inc. is separated into three subfactions. Each subfaction espouses a preferred method or philosophy of how they approach their goal of eliminating threats to the wastes, and you must select one of these subfactions of Murder Inc. when you gain the skill. This will look like “Society Membership: Murder Inc (Adherents of Betrayal)” on your sheet in the Notes section.

• The Adherents of Betrayal — The known NPC of this faction is Clauthia Lovelace, played by Aesa Garcia. One of the more prominently known members of the trio of Widows, Clauthia maintains a network of spies and informants throughout the Lone Star. She traditionally meets for afternoon tea on the weekends, and engages in the idle gossip and rumors that make up her trade. Their members wear a bauta mask when performing the tasks of Murder Inc.

  • Clauthia will be able induct willing characters into a subfaction that specializes in dealing with targets that cannot be easily assassinated, but must instead be dismantled and destroyed through subtle manipulation and economic influence. With their influence and power, Adherents take down these titans of industry -- taking all that they have before killing them in the night. If you are craving a political faction that works on a larger scope to influence the San Saba, this is a perfect philosophy for you.

• The Silent Knell — The known NPC of this faction is Mx. Lackey, played by Sadie Hawkins. However, Lackey has been known to appear in different disguises and are periodically seen played by other Guides or STs. One of the most obvious agents of the Widows, this member of the Veiled is normally assigned to handing out tasks and missions to others of criminal intent. Always dressed sharply, they play the role of the servant in public but operate with much more independence outside the sight of the other Widows. Their members wear a featureless blank mask when performing the tasks of Murder Inc.

  • Mx. Lackey is a master of disguise and inducts members into a subfaction that prides itself on secretive assassinations and making their kills appear to be accidents. These assassins, spies, and informants normally take out delicate targets -- ones that have amassed too much power and would become martyrs if their deaths were known to not be accidents. Disguises, poisons, and more subtle tools of misdirection are their specialty and they abide by a code of secrecy even more strict than the other elements of Murder Inc. If you are craving a chance to be a disguised secret agent or stealthy assassin, this is the philosophy for you!

• The Watch of the Bone Chapel — The known NPC of this faction is Atrophy, played by Shan Lind. While all of the Widows understand what it means to be invisible in society, Atrophy has perfected the role of shadow. Atrophy trains new recruits to the Veiled and determines most assignments that require an assassin, even if the target is already dead and within the Grave Mind. No traitor to the Widows has escaped the wrath of Atrophy and tales of her deeds are ghost stories told to new recruits. Their members wear a plague doctor mask when performing the tasks of Murder Inc.

  • Atrophy is a Graverobber and master of the Murder Dive, and inducts members into a subfaction that deals with undead threats and challenges to the natural order of the Mortis Amaranthine. Their group focuses on eliminating some of the worst threats in the wasteland -- those who have learned all that they could about the Grave Mind and have used their knowledge to the detriment of society. This includes wayward Graverobbers, Grave Attuned, and even Techno Savants who have discovered ways to manipulate the grave that could spell disaster for others. If you want to embrace the life of the “gravehead” and fight powerful undead monstrosities and their masters, this is the philosophy for you!

The Traditions of Murder Inc.

There are a number of common traditions of this faction in the DR:TX game.

• The Rite of the Mask — This is a tradition of the Widows, and requires the prospective member of the Veiled to construct their own calling card - a signature mask that will hide their identity while working on the tasks of the faction. Traditionally, this mask can include a black veil that can conceal your identify or one of the more specific masks favored by the subfactions. Members of Murder Inc. must always were a mask while on mission, and failure to conceal your identity can be a transgression worthy of death.

  • This rite will require you to complete a challenge to craft or buy a suitable Many Faced Mask item card, so you will need an appropriate phys rep for this item. The use of a blueprint for this item will be traditionally made available as part of this task.

• The Blooding — When new members are brought into the fold, there are a series of initiation rites that they have to undergo. While the Lovelace Family has their own rites, there is one universal one that everyone must undergo: being blooded.  Becoming blooded involves participating in a kill with the rest of the “concerned citizens”. This is an opportunity for the family to teach the new member how a kill is normally done, and also allow them to show the family what they’re capable of. Normally, the new member either does the first or final strike on a target. For families that focus on gathering information or creating dossiers, being blooded can mean something different. Instead of doing the actual kill, a new member instead prepares enough information for others so that a successful strike can be carried out.

• The Honor Hunt — Honor Hunts are saved for the worst that humanity has to offer, and task the members of Murder Inc. with assassinating a priority target. Honor Hunts are called by one of the leaders of a family within the San Saba and are voted on by the collected members of Murder Inc. The person that calls the hunt will make their case for why that target must die, as well as provide the intel and research that is available. Each member is expected to work together to complete the Honor Hunt within three months. If they fail, it’s viewed as a slight on them and their family and other members of Murder Inc. in the area may look down on them. A vote must pass a majority before a Honor Hunt is called, and can be vetoed by the Blade of the Shepherd’s Chosen.

  • At the formation of Murder Inc. in the Sunken Saints, it was also decided that the “one and done” rule for both targets and Honor Hunts should be instituted. Whenever a person is hunted, they are killed once and then are not hunted again – as long as they learn their lesson. A target may not be chosen twice without significant provocation.

    Note: The “one and done” helps when players engage in CvC so that it’s not a continuous back-and-forth until someone loses their character. Keep in mind that with casted characters, this matters less – though the DR:TX staff finds it important to be transparent with players of our future plans for that casted character, or if we know other players that want to engage with that casted character.

• Voting in the Faction — Following an example of our friends in DR:NY, and the Murder Inc. faction there, when the faction decides to declare an Honor Hunt, you will be able to VOTE for or against that hunt using your levels of Criminal Influence:

  • Basic Criminal Influence gets one vote

  • Proficient Criminal Influence gets two votes

  • Master Criminal Influence gets three votes

  • The Inner Circle PFA will add one vote you can cast. For example, a character with both Inner Circle and Master Criminal Influence will get four total votes.

• The Blade of the Shepherd’s Chosen — For families that hold to the old traditions of Murder Inc., they have a member who is also part of the Blades of Shepherd’s Chosen. This Sainthood-only group is responsible for determining whether an Honor Hunt is warranted or not. For these families, an Honor Hunt is proposed by leadership. Then, the Blade researches the individual and determines whether or not the Honor Hunt should be officially called. If the Blade decides that the Honor Hunt isn’t warranted, then they can veto the hunt. Having a Blade of Shepherd’s Chosen often helps families keep on the right path, and puts a check on leadership that has become too corrupt.

  • In DR:TX, this role will normally be held by a player. However, the ST staff reserves the right to step in as the Widows to influence a vote or stop a Honor Hunt.

• Forever Sharpening the Blade - The Traditions of Murder Inc. are unique to each chapter but they are not set in stone. The nature of the society and their focus on avoiding the corruption of the past means that this can and will change over the course of play. When a new rule or tradition is introduced, it must pass a vote of all members of the faction and can be vetoed by a member of the Shepherd’s Chosen similarly to a Honor Hunt. When a major change occurs in this manner, it will be recorded on our website for the future.

Wrap UP

Whew! That was a lot! Thank you for sticking with me through a complicated subject. This information will be included on our website soon, so you can refer back to these materials at your convenience. We want this faction to be a tool to embrace CvC play in Dystopia Rising, but we are eager to let you decide how this faction evolves and influences the landscape of the San Saba in the future. Let us know what you think!

New Lexicon, FAQ, and Item Updates!

Hey there Vados! It’s Jonathan here with another Rules Ramble! This week we are taking a bit of a brief interlude from the discussion on CVC to talk about some recent changes in the network. As always, the purpose of these Rules Rambles is to cover a topic in the DR rulebook or something that might show up in game in more detail than the book alone can provide.

We also have a few days left to get tickets for our February event, BEYOND THE HORIZON, and we just announced the return of The Ark Society and the first chance at the unique currency known as an Ark since that National event two years ago! Tickets are available HERE!

So a few weeks ago, DR National released a couple of great new resources that I’d like to highlight and discuss in this Rules Ramble. There’s been some significant changes to the way a few Skills work, so I want to make sure everyone is on the same page before the next event. We also had some new items released during the Dead Waters online event that change the landscape a bit.

Errata & FAQ

Errata & FAQ — Dystopia Rising (dystopiarisinglarp.com)

The DR Rulebook, much like many gaming publications, has some flaws and mistakes in it. Companies often can’t or won’t reprint a book once it’s been released for final printing, so we need to rely on Errata and FAQ docs to fill in the gaps for mistakes in the book. A few of these are listed on the National page here, and it’s a short list so it’s an easy read. This will be a useful page that will be updated as new rules interactions bring light to some things in the book that need to be more clear.

A lot of these changes seem minor but are actually pretty important for avoiding some weird rules interactions. I’ve covered some of these in previous blog posts, but the errata on Resolve and Fractures are particularly important to cover.

• Fractures - These do not heal after a game and persist on your character sheet if not healed. The ONLY way to remove a Fracture is via the Proficient Social Influence or Master Necrokinetics Skills. This isn’t really an errata, but simply one line that was confusing that was fixed in a later update. However, since you might have read this in a previous edition, it creates a lot of confusion. Our very own Aesa covered this topic in a blog post back in September, found HERE.

• Resolve - Once you hit Resolve ZERO, you can no longer use the following:

  • items that cost or lose a Resolve (this includes INJECTABLE BREWS like Red Mist!),

  • Skills that cost Resolve (like most Master Psionic skills or Master Stealth)

  • anything that interacts with any local mechanics that needs Resolve, like on a Zone of Mechanics or Local Plot Cards (sorry, no Leviathan Salts for you!).

  • Make sure to save that last point of Resolve for an emergency!

Lexicon

Lexicon — Dystopia Rising (dystopiarisinglarp.com)

We’ve had something of a Lexicon on the Texas webpage with our Rules & Skills page for a bit. This is simply a list of common abilities, keywords, and skills that don’t really exist in the DR Corebook, but that you might see in play. A few of these are some common sense updates, like the inclusion of the Stabilized condition (weirdly, this was referred to in the Corebook, but never actually listed as a keyword). But a few of these are brand new Skills and keywords like Downsurge and Nail that have not seen before. I’d highly recommend checking it out, but I’ll cover a few of these interactions in later blog posts.

The bigger win here is that we finally have a PUBLIC listing of common THREAT SKILLS. These are abilities you will see on zed, raiders, or other monsters that we send out to try to kill you in game. Previously, these were only available to the Guides and STs but now we have a public location for the stuff you might want to look out for. This is a really neat resource, and I’m super glad it was added.

We are in the process of updating our webpage to account for these new changes, so stay tuned for an updated DR: Texas Lexicon that covers the stuff that’s not on the National page and only in play in our local game. I’ll definitely cover this in a future blog post.

New BLUeprints?!

Three weeks ago, the criminal-focused online event Dead Waters was ran by the folks at DR: Connecticut and released several new items into play. These new Blueprints are circulating now, so there’s a few new items to be aware of in the world.

• There are TEN new Blueprints available in play. You can look up the details on these prints by searching their name on the DR Character Database. These prints require some combination of Criminal Influence and Murder Inc. Society Membership to craft and use, and they incorporate the new WASTELAND-ONLY keyword. These could also become contraband at some point in the future, as many of these items are CVC focused and could attract the attention of the Law Dogs…

  • The Many Faced Mask (Gizmo)

  • Miss Anthrope’s Blade (Florentine Weapon)

  • That Cursed Pitchfork (Gizmo)

  • Little Drop of Poison (Poison Brew)

  • Al Buquerue’s Left Turn (Exotic Weapon)

  • Brain Shudder Blade (Small Weapon)

  • The Big Hate (2-Handed Firearm)

  • The Hunter’s Secret (Gizmo)

  • Murder Dive (Procedure)

  • Living Autopsy (Procedure)

• Festering Crystal (New National Scrap) - This is a new, uniquely numbered item that can only be obtained from National events or Premiere events in small quantities. These are an expendable resource used on many of the new Murder Inc. prints (particularly the procedures) and there won’t be a lot of opportunity to get one until next season for our local players. Luckily, almost all of the new prints that use these Crystals only need the Crystal to fuel the PFA ability. This means the items will still be usable even if you don’t have a Festering Crystal.

• WASTELAND-ONLY (New Keyword) - This is a new condition for an item card that makes it only function while WITHIN the Wasteland. When a weapon with the Wasteland-Only tag is used outside of the Wasteland, it functions as a Starter Weapon (base damage) instead. However, a Gizmo with this tag has NO function at all outside the Wasteland. Remember, the boundaries of our Wasteland area in Bravado is outlined HERE.

New Society Membership?!

The Dead Waters event also introduced a new Society Membership in the form of MURDER INC., as well as three sub factions of that group - the Adherents of Betrayal, the Silent Knell, and the Watch of the Bone Chapel. We will have some more details very soon about how we will implement this into our local game, but it may have something to do with a certain tea time at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday if you are interested in joining right away…

Functionally, this Society Membership functions per the rulebook, on page 106. The applicable part of those rules are here:

• “Society Membership requires being recorded on a character sheet by an existing member after completing listed membership requirements to be an official member of the group. Societies outlined by a Society Membership are specific to each branch (local game) and are not part of any canon group or organization.”

For those that played the game in 2.0, Murder Inc. isn’t a new thing but rather a reincarnation of a former group in Dystopia Rising. This organization was a secretive group of assassins that worked to remove the largest threats in the Wastelands — through MURDER. You can find some of the outdated 2.0 information about Murder Inc. in the old tabletop materials available on DriveThruRPG.

This new incarnation is less formally structured as a National organization and set up more by each chapter. There are some more materials on the current history of this organization available on the DR: Connecticut webpage here, but our final Society Membership will likely divert from the examples within.

Wrap Up

That’s it for this week! Next week I’ll cover a few of the game-specific rules you should be aware of before our February Event, and then I’ll probably return to my discussion of CVC in Dystopia Rising. See you next time Vados!