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!

Story Recap: Beyond the Horizon

Good morning! It’s Jonathan here with a STORY RECAP for the recent event, BEYOND THE HORIZON. The goal of these Story Recap posts is to help fill in the blanks for those that might have missed an important mod, been at NPC camp, sleeping, or simply were not able to attend the game. These are major points of continuity that might be important as our season continues, and I hope this will help with the FOMO feels.

Tickets for our next event are on sale TODAY!!! You can buy tickets for our next event, QUEENSGRACE starting right now!

You can also find our other game recaps from this season online here:

• Season 3, Episode 1: THE SECOND FOUNDING (brand new today!)

• Season 3, Episode 2: CARNIVAL MACABRE

• Season 3, Episode 3: BLOOD FEAST

• Season 3, Episode 4: THE LONG NIGHT

So once you’ve been caught up, let’s talk about what happened next…

Beyond the Horizon - the premise

The ambitious merchant culture espoused by the Junkerpunk population, a ragtag group of smugglers, tradesfolk and privateers, has always been a dynamic beat in the overture of the Greater Lonestar. But now, armed with their temporary position on the San Saba Board and the backing of Holy Mother Queen Jasper of the Tribes Disparate, this grinning group of sellswords and sword sellers have decided to strike out and do what New Bravado proved could be done; build a town for themselves. 

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. 

With glory on the horizon for the honest folk of the Muddy Water Accord, all seems well in the wet thaw after the Long Night. But the waves of Lake Bravo stir uneasily as something shifts beneath its surface, and the sound of distant foghorns echo balefully from the direction of The Clutch. Only time will tell what lurks in the deep waters of that ancient wound. 

the future of drywater

• NOTE: We talked a bit about the main mechanic of the weekend in my blog post last week. Unlike previous games that have followed a tried and true (if somewhat linear) formula of a thing occurring and the town working to deal with it, the primary story of this event was designed as a SCAVENGER HUNT, requiring the LCs to complete various Zone of Mechanics around the play space to complete the plot. This was a bit of a change of pace from the regular way we organize our events, so let us know in feedback if you enjoyed it!

The culmination of the Junkerpunks’ dreams come true, the new settlement near our town of Bravado is really honoring the choice the players made during our online event, The Certainty of Tides. During the party in the Clutch, the faction known as the Muddy Water Accord rose to prominence in the Junkerpunks and decided to compete with the RRC on equal terms. Their continued success led to being chosen as a victor of the San Saba Cup Murderball prize to earn a seat on the Board for 3 months. Following a significant victory in the boardroom after the backing of Queen Jasper, the Junkepunks and Admiral Sinker Swim earned to right to fund the Drywater Settlement Package.

Survivors competed to complete tasks across the town, from offering Thoughts & Prayers, building fashion furniture, performing feats of mental gymnastics, breaking up ice around the lake, picking up trash and protecting the local wildlife, or even simple manual labor. For every four tasks completed, you could submit a vote towards which of three possible Drywater Upgrades would be established in the town. The Upgrade that won popular support would bring new resources to the town of Bravado, based on which faction was backed as a secondary support for Drywater.

The three options were:

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.

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.

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 effort 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.

The tasks to support Drywater were quickly picked up by those in the RRC, particuarly as Felicity Redfield was in town to promote the new Redfield Boatel & Spa option. Felicity was a bit ruffled after being literally shipped to town in a box from Requiem, but offered compelling reasons of fairness and equality for the Junkerpunk workers in the new town. In addition, she offered a number of job opportunities exploring the depths of Lake Bravado in a new submersible device called The Blackfish.

Other faces came in town as well, to explain in more detail what their Drywater Upgrade would offer to the town. Commander Rampart of the Grave Council offered a disturbing potential future, with the time being right for another Archon incursion in only 10 more months, exactly one year to the date of the emergence of the Monolith. Since the device that allowed the town to oppose the Archons was destroyed in the fight, the Imix Institute would offer potential new weapons to fight back against an imminent threat from beyond death, including perhaps an answer to the threat of the Gravetouched in town.

Finally, the venerable Queen Jasper, Holy Mother, asked the question of what role the town of Drywater would really play into the future with an offer to reshape her legacy with the weapons and research of the Cali*Co Arsenal. Dubbed the “generational trauma gun” by her opponents, the Arsenal would offer military support to keep the Junkerpunk settlement unthreatened by opponents and allow them true neutrality in a dangerous San Saba political network. The Queen also met with her loyal subjects, including the Cervaxi Tribe, the SCAdians while in town to speak about an upcoming event for the Tribes. Visitors from the north in the shape of the Bloodied Wolves from Verdigrift signed a contract and offered protection to the Queen while she was in town, and listened to her call to arms. Her message was dire, even if she was at peace with the choice…

The city of Drywater clearly needed political support and something to set it apart from the other settlements and to help shape its narrative in the Greater San Saba. So what niche will the new settlement fill?

the winner of the Drywater upgrade is…

In a perhaps too on-the-nose commentary on real world politics, the final winner of the contest was…

The Redfield Boatel & Spa!

Greetings from Slim & the RRC!

The final tally of votes was:

• Redfield Boatel & Spa - 18 votes

• The Cali*Co Arsenal - 13 votes

• Imix Institute - 8 votes

While more total people submitted votes for the Arsenal and the Institute, the financial might of the RRC would not be diminished. Led by prominent RRC figures like Slim Straightedge, the individual Work Orders of the RRC aligned folks counted for far more, with the most number of fully-filled Work Orders submitted in the contest. Those that completed a challenge with the Master Financial Influence skill were even able to offer additional votes, but most of these folks hailed from the RRC. Hopefully, Rampart’s ominous warning of the future won’t come true, but for now Drywater stands to be the next destination spot in the San Saba!

Unfortunately, in our unintended commentary on modern politics only about 20% of the population of Bravado in attendance even cast their support into the challenge! The future of the San Saba was determined by a group of powerful, financially motivated and well-organized individuals instead of a more popular and populous, but apathetic voter base… Seems familiar, for some reason…

With the success of the RRC’s bid to create a new Boatel & Spa in Drywater, the town of Bravado could soon see new items like Brews, Meals, Culinary devices, or even Gizmos being traded with our fair town in the future… and the future is bright indeed thanks to the efforts of the town in dealing with an unfortunate pollution issue…

the sound of drums and The leviathan

A major side complication in the support for Drywater emerged in the terrifying raiders known as Drowned Ones, and a continuing threat to the ecosystem of Bravado.

In addition to the political intrigue of the Drywater Settlement Package and the supporting factions, the Junkerpunks needed more mundane help establishing their new inland settlement of Drywater. Clearing out wildlife, threats and foliage to bring in the bones of their new city, these tasks fall to the Vados willing to work. This work included one particularly LARGE concern..

Following the Long Night, which was horribly cold and unusually long, a significant strain was placed on the local ecosystem. The local Leviathan population, whose life cycle includes the Long Night as part of its gestation process, skyrocketed following an unusually cold winter season. Even the other Bravado critter populations are declining, and new invasive species are moving in. 

The town quickly had to deal with Baby Leviathans, who, while adorable, were still predatory animals despite the amount of Crystal Candy they were fed in an attempt to make them pets. They also encountered larger Juvenile Leviathans, at first confused for adults, until the final appearance of the largest Leviathan anyone has ever seen (we literally had to bring it to site in a truck…), the momma Sea Leviathan, or Chompy for short. The pollution in Lake Bravado had even mutated other species past the Leviathans, like Murder Goat Deer, and even raiders!

This larger population attracted their only real predator - the raider clan called Drowned Ones. A large raiding part of the particularly moist raiders arrived in Bravado intent on hunting two kinds of prey - the new Leviathan spawn AND the survivors of Bravado! These raiders posed a serious threat throughout the weekend, with the terrifying Wavemasters scattering concentrated pockets of defense with the Terror skill, to the Drowned One Fishers using Nail or Fear on opponents before surrounding them.

The town had a choice to deal with the exploding population of Leviathans emerging from Lake Bravado, while dealing with a constant assault of raiders:

The adored creations of Harlow Ulmer from a work-in-progress photo — Baby Leviathans! Also, their cat!

• They could simply KILL the Leviathan, and exterminate its spawn by destroying any Leviathan eggs they found on the way. This would be a permanent solution to the problem, but would involve destroying a massive mutated beasty with giant guns provided by Professor Heavywater and the Junkerpunks. However, the town would probably have to prepare for the consequences of killing a large animal like a Leviathan for an already strained Morgue system, as well as a potential ZOMBIE LEVIATHAN.

• They could also try to SAVE the Leviathan, and preserve any Leviathan eggs that were found for a future, more controlled release into the waters of Lake Bravado. While this would be a more challenging task, using giant Tranquilizer Pills shoved physically into the maw of the giant beast, it would have less impact to the ecosystem overall. Unfortunately, as any vet tech can tell you, trying to medicate a dangerous animal is easier said than done..

Perhaps unsurprisingly, the town chose to try to SAVE the Leviathan population of Lake Bravado. Spending most of the day on Saturday developing a Tranquilizer for the Leviathan, Pogo and the Darwins of Bravado led the charge to develop a cure. In a final fight on Saturday night, the town faced off against the raiding parties of the Drowned Ones in an attempt to deliver a medicated payload to the momma Leviathan. With the Wavemasters dragging the fallen towards the waiting Dark Water and the Leviathan, it became quite deadly to fall to the blows of the massive tentacled arms of the Leviathan or the waiting spears of the Drowned Ones.

After a prolonged fight against the Drowned One Raiders, people literally being spit out of the giant maw of the Leviathan after a bit of “tummy time”, and the unstoppable tentacles wearing down the defenses of the townsfolk, the Leviathan finally fell into a tranquilizer-induced sleep. With the ability to treat the wounds of the beast, deal with the mutating effects of pollution by applying poultices to the wounds, the Leviathan eggs were able to be safely extracted from the stomach of the creature and placed into the care of Professor Heavywater and the Junkerpunks. While a few of the eggs ended up in unscrupulous hands of the black market, the Junkerpunks are now in control of a way to limit the damage to the ecosystem by the town of Drywater.

other threads “On the horizon”

There were several other minor events of note:

• Takheeta Firstborn, leader of the Grave Council, was on hand to oversee the penance for the deaths of the Lovelace family during the BLOOD FEAST event. Saturday night, she and several of the grave heads of Bravado were crucial in developing a new Morgue for Drywater. The addition of a new Mortis across the lake really brings some questions to mind: what does it mean to make something new in a dead world? To forge new imprints and new systems when nothing has been “new” for millennia? Is it brave and hopeful? Or is it shortsighted, and stupid? With the antagonism increasing between Takheeta and Commander Rampart, this will surely be another spark in the fire.

• Don Chevlin, explorer extraordinare, and agent of the Ark Society, was in town to offer Delves and strange new technologies in exchange for your Arks. While a threat of a watery grave was possible, several intrepid adventurers braved the depths of the lake and the tunnels beneath Bravado in search of fortune and glory…

• An explosive (sic) birthday party occurred in Kiva, with a bomb-filled cake being delivered to Turbo Six, the Mountain That Rides on his birthday… (Look, I’m writing this so it’s important to me!) It was an attempt at death by chocolate! What fiend could have tried to take down the leader of the Road Royals?

• During a Masquerade ball hosted by the always stylish Candy Hearts, there were more than a few masked individuals prowling about. It was virtually impossible to tell who was really in attendance during the ball, and the General Store was filled with music, dancing, and masks. In fact, it seemed like the entire second floor was reserved for a VIP event for those with the proper headgear…

Wrap up and Teasers

It was an eventful weekend, with the introduction of some new props sure to return by popular demand, new Raiders, a number of interesting ZOMs to complete across the camp, as well as a change of pace for the main theme of the event changing from our usual cadence. We had a blast telling this story for you, so let us know what you thought with our Feedback Form!

As a last teaser, I’ll leave you with this final event that happened during the game:

• On Sunday morning, a group of OX KILLERS attacked the Depot, but they were stopped before they could burn it down. This outcast tribe of technophobic barbarians was ejected from the Tribes Disparate during our online event called The Shining City. What does their reappearance mean for the upcoming SUMMIT OF THE TRIBES DISPARATE being called during our next event? With the health of Queen Jasper quickly declining, a new leader of the Tribes Disparate must be chosen to replace the dying Queen, but their enemies and rivals are circling…

Tickets are on sale NOW for our next event, QUEENSGRACE! We’ll have more about the impending struggles of the SUMMIT and what it means for the TRIBES DISPARATE in the future! See you soon, Vados!

Story Recap: The Second Founding

Hey there Vados! This is a bit late, but I started by season Story Recap posts after our second game during Season 3, so I missed this one. I’m gonna cover the major events of note from this game that might be useful to know about as we progress through the season. It’s been a bit, so I’ll try to keep this brief on the major salient points.

As a note, this season directly follows up on the stories that we introduced during the shortened Season 1 (cut short in March by the pandemic), and the online Season 2 we ran that have been documented in our Lonestar Skies archive, found HERE.

The Second Founding - the premise

In the last year, the San Saba Territories have expanded to include hundreds of miles of new land. During that time new groups and philosophies have taken root in the gritty soil between the Dune Sea and The Spoiled Coast, fundamentally changing the face of the Lonestar. The sleepy scrap of dirt that was once Bravado has fallen into disrepair in the year since Felicity Redfield left following the Fountainhead Incident in Essex, and only due to the revelations in Barogue (pronounced “Buh-row-guh” :p) has she returned.

After returning from the Lost City, Felicity asserted her mineral rights over the city of New Bravado and sought to reclaim it from the raiders, ranchers and roughshods who had taken up residence there. In order to entice new Survivors to Bravado, the RRC leader offered tenement rights to any companionship, company or crew willing to help her settlement. The will of the San Saba and its Laws, must be brought to the untamed wastes through sweat and blood after all. However, a threat of Bad Brain had sprung up amongst the common folk and was beginning to become a problem…

New Laws, New Order

One of the major events that occurred during the online season was the official forming of the San Saba Board, a unification of the many factions of the area that banded together to enforce a system of law and order in the Territory. Their collective economic, military, and political will has placed them in a position to encourage the citizens of the area to comply.

During this event, we introduced several new faces and figures in the leadership of the territories. We also combined several factions into one, with the Conglomerate and the Railroad Commission uniting in one massive faction known as the Railroad Conglomerate (still conveniently using the RRC abbreviation so they could save on stationary and uniform costs).

The San Saba Board has offered some measure of stability in the chaotic wastes, and claims as its members several major factions from our Dramatis Personae:

• The Chair

  • Holds the power of Veto

• The Railroad Conglomerate, or RRC

  • 2 seats; Felicity Redfield, CEO, Dr. Janus Stewart, COO, aka “The Scientist”

• The Tribes Disparate

  • 1 seat; The Speaker for the Tribes, Holy Mother Queen Jasper

• The Grave Council

  • 1 seat, Takheeta Firstborn

• The Warden of Prudence Penitentiary

  • 1 seat; Warden Tabitha St. Mercy

• The Law Dogs

  • 0 seats; Boss Wyatt is the liaison between the Board and the Law Dog Union

The Board has established several functional laws in the San Saba:

• “The spilling of Blood and Bone is the prerogative of the Wastes. But to steal the Infection of the Body, or the Work of the Hands is forbidden.”

• “Brass and Contracts are our Sacred Currency. Thems that break a Contract are a Breacher and are subject to the Gauntlet. Anyone not holding a Contract is a Vagrant and has no voice in Company Affairs.”

• “None shall interfere with the Delivery of the Post. Nor the Collection of the Grave Tax.”

Additionally, the return to live events also gave our Survivors a chance to explore the curious choice of the mysterious Chairman in exercising his rare right VETO to prevent the rambunctious Junkerpunks from joining the alliances of the San Saba. The Junkerpunks have set themselves opposed to the RRC and will likely need your help in the future…

a Bloody return

Things do not stay the same when you leave them alone, they are subject to the forces of the universe regardless of the Survivor’s participation. In the year since any civilized person trod the scrap of dirt that is New Bravado, the disease known as Bad Brain had ravaged the agricultural population and produced a crop of Grave Head Raiders that submit to a monstrous Raider Queen known as the GUTMOTHER. The survivors had no choice but to eradicate the threat, save what farmers they can, and attempt to begin all over again. 

The Gutmother; a Raider Queen which is a form of mutated leader of Raiders that rarely emerges, was at the head of a massive clan of Grave Head Raiders. These Raiders use crude chemical bombs to control and herd hordes of zombies. The Gutmother staked her claim in Bravado despite the Burning Season and rival clans pressing against her borders. If the RRC and the Survivors were to seek to settle her lands, they would have to eradicate the clan entirely and seize it themselves.

Unfortunately for the Vados, the Raider Queen possessed a unique ability to return from the Grave, seemingly, infinitely. Her great Herd of undead, whispered by some to be the infantile third Stampede, churned under her undying eye and only by locking her wholly in the Mortis, body and all, could the Vados hope to quiet the Gutmother long enough to find a way to kill her and scatter her troops to the four corners of the San Saba.

a prison of flesh, bone, and psionic will

After surviving several assaults on the town, the Grave Council, through their agent Commander Rampart came up with a plan to stop the Raider Queen. With the help of the townsfolk, they were able to construct a pocket within the Mortis Amaranthine that could could contain the Gutmother as a makeshift prison. If it worked, it could suspend the Gutmother’s endless recycling through the Gravemind. With a titanic expenditure of psionic crystals, resolve, and even the pickled head of the Gutmother from one of her deaths, the town was ready to lay their trap.

Rampart provided several Barougian Seals, psionic devices recovered from the Lost City, inscribed with the phrase “IMPRINT IS MATTER, MATTER IS IMPRINT”. This phrase, found in the writings of the Undying Prince, spoke to a truth of the world. The Grave Mind operates by returning your IMPRINT to the world as MATTER, so it could be inferred that MATTER could also be returned back to an IMPRINT. The Ritual of Imprisonment, designed by the Mystagogues of the Grave Council, would require killing the Gutmother over and over until her imprint could be locked into the ground for good.

During the terrible battle at the Maw, Rampart used a strange psionic device, a crystalline matrix imbued with limitless power, to lead the ritual. While the soldiers of the town dealt with the Grave Head Raiders throwing themselves at the shield wall protecting the ritual, a brave few struck out to take down the Gutmother in the midst of the fighting. Each time she fell, they would drag her screaming, bleeding form to the center of the ritual circle again and again. Each killing blow on the Raider Queen served to settle her imprint one step further into the ritual prison.

After THIRTEEN waves, the Gutmother weakly tried to fight back as the final killing blow sealed her into a psionic prison of flesh, bone, and psionic will. While not truly dead or alive, the Gutmother was sealed away to prevent the endless cycle of regeneration from continuing. However, shortly after the fight, the strange crystalline matrix was discovered to be missing, taken by an unknown foe in the chaos following the battle.

Hopefully, the strange seals holding the prison of the Gutmother will survive, lest a terrible Raider Queen be loosed on Bravado and the San Saba once more…

That’s it for this recap. Sorry that this is a bit less specific information than my later Story Recaps, but it was like 6 months ago so that’s basically forever… 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!!!