Queensgrace - Rules You Should Know

Hey there Vados! It’s Jonathan here with another Rules Ramble! First a blog post on Crime Scenes from Aesa, and here’s one from me! This week we are going to cover updates for our game this weekend - QUEENSGRACE. 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! Make your mark on the history of the San Saba and determine the future of the Tribes Disparate!

Skills You should Know

During my last Rules Ramble before the event, I’ll try to focus on a few key rules interactions that might be helpful to understand for the game. These are some mechanics that will be integral to the events of the weekend, and I’ll cover some of these again during Opening Announcements.

Keywords

A Keyword is simply a word or words that substitutes for a piece of rules text. Many of the existing keywords are summarized in on the National DR Page, in the Lexicon. Keywords are included on every blueprint, and are a big part of how certain effects and Skills work in the world of Dystopia Rising. When you see a Keyword referenced on a Zone of Mechanics, it will usually be listed in angle brackets, like <Diesel Jocks> or <Gravetouched>.

Keywords are a welcome addition to DR!

If an ability, effect, or Skill specifically targets a Keyword, then anyone or anything with that Keyword is affected.

For instance, a Diesel Jock might be impacted by effects that target the <Nomad> or <Diesel Jock> keywords, but would not be affected by something that targeted the <Townie> keyword.

There are four types of Keywords in DR: Item Types, Company/Organizations, Effects, and Character keywords.

  • Item Type - These are found on blueprints, and are largely used to determine which Augments can go on an item, and how a certain item is used. Some Item Type keywords include Armor, Melee-Standard, Poison-Ingested, or Brew-Injected. These are also linked with the types of item cards rules on p. 168-169 in the Corebook. For example, if an item is listed with a Brew-Ingested keyword, that keyword is a much shorter placeholder for the Brew rules on p. 169. You can find the current complete list of Item Type keywords in the Lexicon.

  • Company/Organizations - These include regional Companies (groups of similar blueprints made by a particular NPC group like Slappi, Toothpiq, or Moulen), but these also include Society Memberships, or NPC Factions like Murder-Inc or the Red-Ledger. In DR:TX, this includes our NPC Factions like the RRC or Tribes Disparate. If you are part of a Society Membership, then you often can use certain types of items that are restricted to that organization, and can benefit from certain buffs that target that group.

  • Effects - These are the true short-hand words to describe common rules found on items. Particular examples of this are keywords like Overpower, Reliable, Dangerous, or Single-Use. Each Effect Keyword summarizes a rule, rather than spelling out how it works every time. These are probably the most complicated Keywords, as you kind of need to know what the rule for that keyword actually does to understand how it works. The current list of these keywords is in the Lexicon, but you can also find DR:TX unique keywords on our Rules & Skills page.

  • Character - One of the most diverse set of Keywords is anything that refers something unique about a character. All characters - both threats and players - will have at least one keyword that define what affects them. Some examples include things like Strain, Lineage, Faith, or Abberant, or even types of Threats like Undead, Raider, or Critter. This can even include certain temporary traits of your character, like Intoxicated, or Gravetouched.

There are several Skills and items that make use of Keywords in a particularly notable way:

  • Bane Damage (like on a Big Hate rifle) will specifically target a Character Keyword. This is probably one of the most common uses of a Keyword you’ll see in the game. You might see something call “Nomad Bane” or “Saltwise Bane”, or even creature types like “Undead Bane” or “Aberrant Bane”.

  • Basic Pyrokinetics can destroy Blueprints, Brews, or Meals during an attack. Because it specifically calls out these three Item Type Keywords, it cannot be used on Gizmos for instance.

  • Proficient Faithful Miracles can heal anyone of the same Faith as the user. When you call out the skill, you might shout “By my Voice, All Hedons Heal 5!”. This targets a Character keyword, since it specifies the Faith that is affected.

  • A character with a basic Warlord’s Faceplate can call “Area of Effect: Upsurge 5 Armor, All <Society> With Masks”. This is an example of the Company/Organization keyword ability, since it only targets members with that appropriate Society Membership.

  • The shield Augment, OOPH Bullet Plates can only be attached to a Shield item with the OOPH keyword. This is a Regional Company that makes OOPH-brand products, like the OOPH Room Trap, OOPH Barrier Shield, and OOPH Tactical Armor. This is an example of a both an Item Type keyword and a Company/Organization keyword in the same instance. Keywords are pretty universal, and sometimes they can function as different types of Keywords depending on how they are used.

  • Many of the new Murder-Inc items have the Wasteland-Only keyword, which means they only function with their abilities while within the Wasteland. Outside of the Wasteland, the item either has no function or simply counts as a Starter weapon. This is a great example of another dual keyword, as this is both an Item Type keyword, and a Character keyword (since it changes in relation to WHERE your character is on site.)

Why does this matter for this weekend? Great question!

During our QUEENSGRACE event, will be introducing a few new Organization keywords in the form of the political alliances and Houses of the Tribes Disparate. If you hear something that effects an entire Society Membership like <Tribes Disparate> or <RRC>, a subfaction like the <Antler Tribe>, or even a philosophy like <Unionists>, this is a new type of keyword. Just like any other Keyword, if you have that particular organization Keyword then the ability or effect will impact you directly.

Veneration

We’ve used this ability a few times during this season. You saw this ability when the Gutmother commanded folks that were infected with Bad Brain to fight for her during the SECOND FOUNDING, and when Grandfather Nichols was controlling the helpless Lovelaces during BLOOD FEAST. Since it keeps coming up, we’ve added it to our list of Local Rules & Skills.

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

This is a potent ability that is used by particular NPC threats. Further RESEARCH will need to be uncovered to understand other ways to prevent or protect against this effect. I’m pretty sure you won’t need to worry about this ability this weekend, though… you can trust an ST when they are smiling, right? Right?

Queensgrace ZoMs

Like Shan mentioned in our blog post on QUEENSGRACE, we will have some unique Face NPCs in play during this weekend. There are fourteen different Regents of the Tribes Disparate, including the outcast Oxkiller Clan. The Regents of the Tribes Disparate will be using two very specific Zone of Mechanics during the weekend I’d like to briefly talk about. Zones of Mechanics will be found on a yellow piece of paper, and will be prominently posted in an area or used by an NPC or Guide during the game. These will outline some unique effects and rules that are temporarily in play.

Queen Jasper (Shan) ready to kick your ass, despite being nearly dead… Do you feel lucky, punk?

The Summit

The first Zone of Mechanics, THE SUMMIT, gives the Regents ways to induct members into the Tribes Disparate by giving them Basic Society Membership (Tribes Disparate), as well as inducting someone into their individual Houses by giving them a new Character Keyword like <Rabbit Family> or <Antler Tribe>. This can give you an easy way to join the Tribes Disparate WITHOUT needing to complete a Work Order.

This ZOM also sets how one of the Regents can garner enough support to become the next King or Queen. Hint, they need one Regent to have at least SEVEN votes behind them, a majority of the Regents, or they have to be able to defeat Queen Jasper in ritual combat, a feat that has never been done so far… (Turns out Shan might run a literal FIGHT CLUB as their day job, so they can be a pretty tough opponent in a fight…)

Tokens of Fealty

At the start of the QUEENSGRACE event, each Regent will have a symbol of their House as their vote during the Summit, but also three smaller Tokens of Fealty. The second Zone of Mechanics, TOKENS OF FEALTY, allows the Regent to choose powerful TRIBAL CHAMPIONS, part bodyguards and part crusading knight. If your character is chosen to be a CHAMPION and receives one of these Tokens, you will gain a number of unique abilities for the weekend, including ways to protect your chosen Regent, ways to buff members of your House in a fight, and even ways to stand firm in the face of terrifying enemies. Additionally, Champions that serve for an entire 12s will earn Proficient Society Membership with the Tribes Disparate. The best type of interview is an on-the-job interview!

I kinda want to be a Tribes Disparate guy now…

These CHAMPIONS will also be able to fight in the name of their Regent, and represent them on the battlefield as a literal champion. This is especially important, since not every Regent is capable of feats of strength like Queen Jasper. Do you think you have what it takes to take on the Holy Mother herself, the Antlered Queen? If your Regent can’t get enough votes behind them, they might need your help to take power by force!

However, these Tokens of Fealty are limited, and the Regents can use them in other ways, like forming an Alliance with other Regents, or even providing themselves with some neat abilities. You’ll have to find out more about the Regent, and what they might be looking for in a future CHAMPION if you want to earn their favor…

That’s it for this week Vados. We have a few short nights until our event QUEENSGRACE, so make sure you get that last-minute craft project started on Thursday night, pack some extra socks, and make sure you dress warmly, cause it’ll be a bit chilly this weekend. See you soon!

Crime Scenes and the Crossroads

In a rare switcheroo, it’s Aesa here, not Jonathan with a blog post for y’all! I want to talk about something that’s near and dear to me and (most of) the characters I play… CRIME!

Your Storytelling team strongly believes that the best stories involve conflict. To that end, we are building a setting that provides several avenues of narrative conflict. These include but are not limited to:

Without challenges to throw themselves against, LCs would not have those crucible moments that define their character, and we frankly would not have a very interesting game! Law & Order falls under the ‘challenging paradigm’ category on that list. For those who enjoy living outside of the law, it gives the lines to color outside of, and for those who wish to define their characters as a force for ‘good’ it’s a soapbox upon which to stand.

Let’s be real, most LCs in Bravado put their grey hats on each morning with gusto…

The Laws of the San Saba give us all the things you expect and a few things that are particularly unique to Bravado. After all, performing CvC actions should come with interesting and convincing deterrents to not do it badly. So what happens when a character inevitably breaks the law?

About a year and a half ago we ran a virtual event called Justicalia where Warden Tabitha St. Mercy of Prudence Penitentiary released 90% of the prison population, retaining only the XXX-wing Lifers. While our prison plot led to compelling backstories, no one wants to spend time at LARP sitting in a jail cell. “Justice”, such as it is, must be mobile and dynamic.

“In matters of Law and Order, the Law Dogs, Hell Hounds and Justices of Sin enact the will of the Board as their Voice and their Vigor, empowered to wield Death and Duty in their name.”
— Laws of the San Saba

Law Dogs, and their lethal counterparts Hellhounds, under the ruddy Boss Wyatt, are charged with hunting down Breachers who violate contracts or break the laws of the San Saba.

Justices of Sin are the other half of the equation, as it is the Justices who are judge, jury, and ofttimes executioner for LCs captured by Law Dogs. Justices of Sin are played by Storytellers and staff only.

What happens when an LC breaks the law?

  • The first thing that should happen is someone should tell your Storytellers.

Yes, that’s right, rat out your friends faster than a Vegasian can sell you a timeshare in the desert!

If you want storyteller generated consequences for your character, please clue us in! Now if you’re trying to grift, thieve, or steal Railroad Conglomerate secrets without getting caught, then carry on with your bad self. But if you want a Law Dog to hunt you down as a Breacher, please tell us so we can work with you to tell that story with the might of our NPCs behind it. Plot can’t execute what plot only reads about in your online fanfiction… or something.

Currently the primary liaison on staff for Crime Scenes is Aesa (that’s me!). The Justices of Sin are part of the Prudence Penitentiary faction under Warden Tabitha St. Mercy (not coincidentally also played by me!). However we have a whole Senate of storytellers who can play Justices of Sin, so your scene isn’t necessarily with Our Lady of Jurisprudence by default.

Once you have the attention of the Storytelling Senate…

  • You get to negotiate your CRIME SCENE!

The Crime Scene - The scene between the Justice of Sin and the LC who committed a crime is a personalized scene that melds the player’s goals and comfort level with the story and consequences brought about through their play. This may involve ‘closed door’ black box narration scenes, or public displays of punishment or atonement also known as The Gauntlet. Completion of a Crime Scene is seen by the San Saba Board as absolving that character’s criminal strikes and all Law Dog Contracts will be nullified for those crimes.

Some players want to have their character publicly hung at the crossroads. Others prefer to have their character’s contract seized by a horrible antagonist faction. Some want to use this plot point to force a change of faith, or another narrative shift for their character. Some folks just don’t do well with crowds and would therefore like to avoid a public scene like the Gauntlet.

We want to work with you, the player, to make this a story we tell together.

  • There will be consequences for breaking the Law, but they can (and should) be fun, and work to forward your narrative goals for your character.

This is not to say that the Justices of Sin are bastions of morality or that the San Saba Board is always going to be judicious in the laws they pass, but we wanted to let you know that no matter which side of the law your LC ends up on, we’re on your side to make sure that experience is still fun.

To sum it up:

  • Law and Order in the play space is meant to deter LC’s from doing things our post-apocalyptic society considers ‘undesirable’ behavior.

  • The world we’re telling our stories within is corrupt and dangerous, so it leads to interesting concepts of what is morally commendable or reprehensible.

  • There should be consequences for LC’s that do terrible things, but…

  • Our goal out of character is to negotiate what those consequences look like in a way that everyone involved will enjoy.

So go on with your bad selves, and we’ll see you at the Crossroads.

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Types of Characters in DR

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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 in 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 blog post will touch on a bit of things concerning Roleplay; particularly the differences between different types of characters in Dystopia Rising. This is important considering we will have some Casted Characters in play during our next event with a bit more agency than usual.

You can read all about these characters and how you will be able to influence them to change the world of DR:TX in a blog post by Shan last week:

Our ticket sales close on FRIDAY! You have a few days left to purchase a ticket online and pre-register, but you’ll still be able to get a ticket at the door!

Types of Tickets

Speaking of tickets, my blog post today actually involves a bit of the ticketing process for our game. Each time you attend a game, you have a few options for choosing a ticket that are outlined on P. 92 of the DR Corebook. Each ticket type essentially allows you to modify the amount of time involved in your CASTING SHIFT.

NOTE: Only 4-hour Casting General Admission tickets are sold at the door. All other types of tickets must be purchased during pre-registration!

The Casting Shift is the time you spend in game helping us portray the antagonists like Zombies and Raiders, or even other Casted Characters like merchants, delvers, or residents of Bravado. Casted Characters are sometimes referred to as NPCs, or Non-Player Characters. This is also sometimes called your “NPC Casting Shift” or “NPC Shift”.

NPC Casting Shifts signups are filled on a first come, first served basis through our Check-In system. Once you have purchased your ticket, please Check-In under the correct Ticket Type. If you are a Guide, please purchase the 4 Hour General Admission Ticket. If you are buying a $0 Casting Only ticket, you will need to spend at least 12 Hours on your Casting Shift to earn XP for your character.

Some casting times have limited availability based on our anticipated needs to run a fun and engaging event. If you want a limited casting time, or the reduced ticket with increased casting time, we strongly recommend picking up a ticket in advance. You can see what tickets are still available on our REGISTRATION page!

As you can see, the Tickets for a game introduce a few terms regarding types of characters that can be confusing, so let’s talk about those in more detail.

Types of characters

There are three types of characters in Dystopia Rising: Leading Characters, Support Characters, and Casted Characters (also sometimes referred to as Extras). Other roleplaying games like D&D often refer to these types of characters as different terms, like PC or NPC. Depending on a person’s experience with games, you might hear these terms used interchangeably, so let’s talk about the differences within each type of character in Dystopia Rising.

For our game, we use some Hollywood terms to refer to our characters, as if we were making a movie or TV show together. Each type of character in our game has a similar example in a production like this. You might have the stars of your favorite show, the supporting actors or recurring guest stars, or even the extras in the background drinking coffee at the café or walking across the street. Collectively, they represent the CAST of that show, but each role has a different focus and impact on the storyline. We often include terms like “scene” to refer to a moment in a game as well.

Like a TV show cast, the main difference between types of characters in Dystopia Rising is their focus and agency. Let’s look at each example:

LC - Leading Characters

The Leading Character (LC) is the primary type of character in our game - played by our players! Other roleplaying games sometimes call this a “PC” or “Player Character”. When a character is in a leading role in a movie or TV show, the focus of our story is on them. We care about their backgrounds, their conversations, and the challenges they face. Since our players are the star of our show, LCs can do pretty much everything in the game, including combat, econ, roleplay, or CvC.

I [pause] am a [pause] leading character..

“These characters are used by standard participants for the majority of their engagement with a game. These are characters that players portray with full agency over the character’s decision-making process within the guidelines of community, shared story, and genre. A player’s ability to have 100% agency over their character shifts to a shared agency once a character engages other participants. This is the nature of shared storytelling, where all involved (staff and participants) share the authority over scenes engaging participants within the framework of genre, safe community and fair play guidelines.” (DR Corebook, p. 16)

An important emphasis here is that while your characters have full agency in most situations, situations involving other characters need to consider SHARED AGENCY. This is generally referring to CvC, but it is also a reminder to make sure that EVERYONE is having fun in a scene, even if it’s just roleplay and not involving combat. You also need to be mindful of our Community Guidelines, and make sure you are following the rules - that’s part of fair play!

One last consideration on agency as a LC — while you have a LOT of ability to impact the world and the characters around you, you must still consider this shared agency responsibility when it comes to the politics of our game. Characters in DR:TX can join one of our major factions, becoming a stake holder in the San Saba Territories (this might be useful next game, if you have Tribes Disparate membership). Once you reach Master Society Membership, you have a bit more influence than most on how the affairs of the faction resolve, and you’ll be involved in more choices that impact your role in the group.

However, this agency will never involve sole leadership in any faction. You can be influential, but you’ll never really be able to fill the shoes of someone like Felicity Redfield. We’ve found that small groups of players in political positions find it challenging to follow their own goals as an LC while ALSO creating engaging content for others. For this reason, we will always retain measures in game that mean staff can inject that drama and story in ways meant to engage with a much larger player base and story. For instance, no LC will be able to be the next King or Queen of the Tribes Disparate, but they CAN be leaders of a House, like the Cervaxi Tribe or the SCAdians. The primary position of leadership will be held instead by a Reoccurring Casted Character (see below).

SC - Support Characters

The Support Characters role is reserved for our Gamerunners and Directors. Shan and Aesa are the primary folks that hold this role in DR:TX, but this could also include members of the DR National Staff or other chapter owners that are visiting too! Like a director in a movie, their primary focus is on the game itself, not the actions of their individual characters. SCs can do most of the same things as an LC, but generally try to avoid things that might provoke a conflict of interest like non-negotiated CvC or being the leader of a crew.

“These characters are overseen by an employee or event owner. While SCs follow all guidelines of standard LC growth and the game rules, the focus and direction of SCs is restricted due to the fact that employees have a greater degree of knowledge and understanding of the world, operations, and story that occur. This greater knowledge and understanding means that the interests of an SC (as a character) will always take second place to the interests of other participants. Support Characters are restricted in what stories or engagements they may have, in order to prevent conflicts of interest and to not allow bleed of character actions to influence and affect a staff member’s station and position as a business owner or employee.” (DR Corebook, p. 17)

At DR:TX, we do try to make sure our Gamerunners have a chance to play from time to time. It’s important for Shan and Aesa to get some time to play their characters, as actually participating in the game is a big part of being able to enjoy themselves and prevent burnout. Luckily, we have a great team of Guides, Admins, and STs that can step in to fill their shoes to give them a much needed break!

Casted Characters (or Extras)

The DR Corebook refers to this last category as Casted Characters, or Extras depending on what part of the book you are reading. It’s a little confusing because both terms are used in the book, but only one is actually defined. But if you see one of these terms they effectively are the same thing. We will also sometimes refer to this type of character as an NPC, or non-player character. This is a bit of a holdover from roleplaying games and video games, but it’s easy to understand and most people can quickly grasp the term once it’s explained.

Any good super hero movie needs the faceless thugs and antagonists in the background of a fight, and our Casted Characters help fill in these roles. During the Casting Shift, our Extras serve a key role in Dystopia Rising by representing monsters like Raiders and Zombies, or other mundane characters as the STs and Guides require. One benefit of this allows us to field living, breathing opponents across the field from you, to really dig into that feeling of surviving the zombie apocalypse. When there are actually 20 zombies surrounding you it tends to thrust you into the moment and help with immersive roleplay.

“This is a character that is represented by a participant during a Casting Shift. A Guide informs participants what sort of persona they will be portraying based on the content the writers produce for the event and helps make sure their time as an Extra is an enjoyable one. These characters have a limited scope of interest, purpose, and history that is defined by the duration of an engagement or a series of engagements written as part of a staff-created plot and story. Extras are portrayed similarly to LCs, however, the interests and focus of the people portraying Extras are driven by story, plot, and enriching the experience of participants actively portraying LCs instead of making decisions based on the agency of the best interests of the character. Extras may reoccur; however, they only do so if dictated by story and plot requirements.” (DR Corebook, p. 14)

The key difference in this role for me is, as a Casted Character or NPC, you are meant to LOSE. Period. The other characters are the heroes of this story. You don’t “win” at an NPC shift when you kill a character, you “win” when folks are having fun. When you are on shift, your goal is to provide a memorable and fun experience for your friends, so that when it comes time for their turn as a NPC they can return the favor and provide that fun in the future.

One of our jobs as STs and staff is also to make sure we have interesting and engaging content on our shifts for the Extras, so that you can also have a bit of fun in the process. We strive in DR:TX to have varied types of mods during the Casting Shift, with options for both roleplay, econ, AND combat. We also strive to provide content for our non-combat players as well while they are on Casting shift. Some players even enjoy the NPC experience so much they sign up for Full Casting Shifts, and they don’t play an LC at all during the game!

Reoccurring Casted Characters (Face NPCS)

One last kind of “hidden” role within the Casted Character category is that of the Reoccurring Casted Character, sometimes known as a “Face” NPC. In our TV show analogy, this is a regular Guest Star or that named background character that stands out a bit more than usual. I think of folks like Nick Fury or Agent Coulson in the Marvel universe, when I talk about Face NPCs. While they still exist to keep the focus on the LCs, our Face NPCs have a bit more agency than a usual Extra. These characters also help establish continuity, as the same person plays them each time they appear and they can react in the play space based on those past experiences better than a random zombie or merchant.

Reoccurring Characters are actually alluded to in the book, in the same section on Extras:

Extras may reoccur; however, they only do so if dictated by story and plot requirements.” (DR Corebook, p. 14)

When a ST or Gamerunners has a particular story in mind, they might reach out to a volunteer for an additional role. The choice of who plays that role is mostly up to the ST, but if you are interested in being considered for one of these roles in the future you can let us know by submitting feedback or sending an email. While we often rely on our Guides and STs to fill these roles, we strive to vary our casting as the story demands. We look for folks with great acting ability, proven experience with the ruleset, and those folks that are an outstanding member of the community that we can trust to help fill this valuable role. This role will often earn additional CAPS for the volunteer time, and we generally work with that player to help them develop a unique costume and look for the role.

Some of the Reoccurring Characters in DR:TX include Faction leaders like Felicity Redfield, Tabitha St. Mercy, Commander Rampart, Mama Rabbit, Gustav Glasseyes, or Boss Wyatt. Each time they enter play, the same “actor” is behind them. Sometimes, this is a Gamerunner or an ST spending time in play outside of their normal shift, but sometimes we rely on the folks outside of the Storytelling Team as well, like in the case of our upcoming game.

In our next event, QUEENSGRACE, we will have a few new faces in our Reoccurring Casted Characters. Shan talked a bit about this concept in our last blog post! These Face NPCs will be in play for large chunks of the game and will be playing the role of the leaders of the Tribes Disparate. These 14 different characters will have a chance of interacting with you over the weekend, and your actions will determine the future leader of the Tribes Disparate. Our Reoccurring Characters have been very, very thoroughly coached on how to behave in the play space, but they will have objectives to achieve, motivations and reasons for their behaviors, and secrets you can uncover.

We are very excited to introduce some of these characters, and we can’t wait to show you more! Our hope is that this enhanced agency will allow these Casted Characters to provide meaningful roleplay opportunities, make them feel like a real character, and a give you a chance to directly impact the future of our story in Bravado.

wrap Up

No matter the role your character or NPC has, one last thing to keep in mind is that you are still in charge of your character actions in game, through a process called Steering. Next time, we will dive a bit more into the concept of Steering, how to apply it in game, and ways you can enhance your roleplay experience. See you next time Vados!

Queensgrace; A New Leader for a New World

Good afternoon, Survivors! This is Shan comin’ atcha with some sweet deets regarding the story we’re telling this upcoming game. In the interest of transparency, here’s where I’m coming from: a sizable amount of the feedback I’ve gotten includes the sentiment “more opportunity for meaningful roleplay, for more people, please” Which I think is great! Hell yeah! Let’s do that! 

So! I’m not asking the STs to cut back on combat, or econ - or any other pillar of play that supports what we do here at DR:TX - so we’ll still have ALL of that. But I’ve asked fourteen very cool homies of ours to play the House Heads of the Tribes Disparate this weekend, and those NPCs are the story scaffold by which our entire weekend’s narrative will unfold. 

Bearing that in mind, I wanted to educate you briefly on what we’re doing for Queensgrace - and lightly allude to some events of the weekend that some might consider spoilers. But, I never want to put you guys on the backfoot, so if you’re okay with that, please read on.



— SPOILER WARNING —


A Future Must be Carved Out 

Among the Thirteen Houses, and the Oxkillers who were banished from the Tribes Disparate following the events of [The Shining City], there is a reluctant incumbent, three emergent philosophies among the twelve other heirs who potentially could take Holy Mother Queen Jasper’s antlered throne, and one who could seize it by sheer military force. 

Those emergent philosophies and the leaders that espouse them are: 

The Incumbent

Reluctant Heir to Holy Mother Queen Jasper

This crisis at the Summit is created largely because the most obvious heir apparent, Prince Shale, younger brother of Queen Jasper and Majordomo to the Antler Tribe, has decided he will not try to replace his sister.  Much to the chagrin of the other Regents, this has created an opportunity to choose a new leader of the Tribes Disparate as there are no clear successor.

Having spent years in power, Jasper’s brother, Prince Shale - cannot decide who to support. He believes his time for ruling has passed, and it must be passed onto the next generation. But, for himself, he cannot decide if he wants to preserve his older sister’s legacy, or destroy it. 

Because of Shale’s choice to currently Abstain from voting and his choice not to place himself as a candidate, the other Tribes have split into three camps that each think they have the best claim to Jasper’s throne and either respect or reject her legacy themselves.

The Unionists

Believers in Structure, Society and Specialization

These Houses believe the foundation that Jasper has laid to be strong, worthy, and a firmament which could support an empire. They want to continue to be included on the San Saba Board, and in the decisions that shape the face of the San Saba. These Houses primarily build and support infrastructure, and benefit deeply from having a physical and financial base in Essex. They are the members of the Tribes Disparate who most fundamentally believe in what Jasper has been trying to do for years, and that’s build a place and a future for her people. 

  • Mama Rabbit, Regent of the The Rabbit Family

  • Sky Captain Bliss, Regent of the The Cloudskippers 

  • “Boss” Lucy Frances Debs, Regent of The Local 727

  • Colonel “Sabbath” Jacinto, Regent of The Jacintos Militia

**If a member of the Unionists is chosen to rule, the Tribes Disparate will maintain their position on the San Saba Board by re-signing the contract that legitimizes their presence on it. This option means the Tribes continue to be a Financial Institution in our setting, they continue to be a contracted faction on our buylists, with some changes to reflect the new ruler, and opens the door for greater collaboration with this faction for the peoples of New Bravado. 

The Independents

Those who want to strike out, and to take the bold new world for themselves - in competition rather than collaboration.

These Houses almost unilaterally believe that the entire Tribes Disparate would be better off if they were to leave the San Saba Board and strike out on their own as an independent faction. The Tribes Disparate, in terms of membership, is easily the largest faction in the San Saba and represents nearly fifty percent of the Lonestar population between their thirteen clans. Exhausted by years spent as the military arm of first Bravo, then the Board - the Independents want the latitude to perhaps LEAVE the San Saba and strike out for better, less settled lands. 

  • Captain Marina La’sander, Regent of The Longberths

  • Brother Janus, Regent of The Hermits of Helios 

  • High Architect Lavender, Regent of The Curators 

  • Matriarch Fawn Cervaxi, Regent of The Cervaxi Tribe

**If a member of the Independents is chosen to rule, the Tribe Disparate will leave the San Saba Board and attempt to strike out on their own. Depending on who is elected to rule the Tribes, the Tribes Disparate may continue to be a Financial Institution in our setting, as well as a contractible entity with a buy-list. It is even possible not all 13 Tribes will remain in the faction, as without the support (or threat) of the San Saba Board to keep them in line, it’s likely they will forge a new path alone.

The Disparate

Those who joined the Tribes Disparate under duress, or when the iron fist that ruled them was absolute.

Characterized by their unifying feature, these dissenters are dissatisfied with the Tribes Disparate as Queen Jasper has envisioned, then executed it. Many of these tribes became part of the Disparate Whole during the Hiway War as an act of annexation, or seizure, or show of military strength.  The Disparatists were never loyal to Jasper’s philosophy, only her strength of arm and military might. Now, in the twilight of her life, these Houses’ resentment bubbles up and manifests as strong political positions against the continuation of the Tribes Disparate. Instead, many of these houses want to join up with the Junkerpunks, who they view as more mobile, more driven and the natural enemy to the San Saba political machine.  Others want to form a new and more powerful state in direct competition with the San Saba Board. 

  • The Lightbearer, Regent of The Torchlights

  • Sedan Fourd’or, Regent of The Sweetwater Clan 

  • Malorous Mab, Regent of The Cali*Co Caravan 

  • King Hogon Clarkson, Regent of the SCAdians

**If a member of the Disparatists is chosen to rule, the Tribes Disparate will ultimately be dissolved, its membership thrown briefly into bloody chaos, and the faction itself will be re-wrought in the image of it’s new ruler. This means they will no longer be a contractible entity, no longer possess a buy-list, and become a non-aligned antagonistic faction in the San Saba Wastes. However, it also means there is an open seat on the San Saba Board.  Survivors of this schism may seek membership within the other major factions. Another faction must occupy that seat, be it an extension of existing board power, or a new faction and face entirely. 

The Prodigal Son, The Exile

Lord Hush believes he is the only one fit to rule the peoples of the Disparate Tribes and is willing to do anything it takes to assume the throne himself.

The last clear and present threat to the Tribes Disparate is the leader of the Oxkiller Clan, Lord Hush.  Because he was one of the original signatories of the Tribes, he asserts just as strong of a claim to the antlered throne as any other Regent, save for the fact his clan has been excommunicated by Queen Jasper.  But if technicalities don’t work, he has a massive force of armed and capable killers at his beck and call to settle the issue by force.

During the events of the [Shining City], this technophobic warlord lured a massive force of Stormchaser Raiders into attacking the flying city of Waking Prime in a night of thunderous rebellion.  In the chaos, Lord Hush infiltrated Waking and attempted to kidnap several leaders of the Tribes Disparate to hold ransom until his demands were met.  He was only stopped by timely intervention by visitors from Bravado.  His kin are wanted criminals in the San Saba, but laws have never stopped Lord Hush before.

**Lord Hush is a villain. Period.  If he is allowed to usurp control of the Tribes Disparate, you can expect to deal with the consequences of this choice for quite some time.  Lord Hush represents a complete breakdown in the tenuous alliances of the Tribes Disparate, and a guarantee that they will become an antagonistic faction in the San Saba Wastes, using the vast resources of the former Tribes Disparate to fund their crusade.

Throughout the weekend, Faction Heads from each of the 13 Houses, and the Oxkillers, will be in play.

Two of these Faction Heads are LCs (the Cervaxi and SCAdians), and will be something of a wild card in the Summit as they have more agency than a NPC.  The remaining 11 NPCs have been very very thoroughly coached on how to behave in the playspace. They all possess a single vote towards who is ultimately elected as the leader of the Tribes Disparate - and a robust dossier that describes their motivations, debts, agenda and secrets. 

I want you to manipulate these NPCs. I want you to do research to figure out damning things about these identities, their scurrilous past and their tenuous futures. I want you to take advantage of those House’s precarious position and the vacuum of power that defines this weekend’s sense of urgency. I want you to appeal to their worst or better natures in pursuit of your OWN agenda. 

More than anything, this weekend, I want YOU to tell ME what happens.

Because Above all:

A Leader Must Be Chosen

Every House Head that leads their tribe under Holy Mother Queen Jasper, has a nuanced, unique and consequential take on where the tribes need to go from here. From gentle democracies to arguably facist states and everything in between.

From among them, a leader must be chosen, or the Tribes themselves will dissolve into their constituent parts and the worst among them will make meals of the rest. A leader is required, but it is largely up to the wheeling and dealing enacted by YOU and your peerage, brave Survivors, that defines the future of the Tribes Disparate and - in a very immediate way - of the San Saba Wastes. 

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Long Term CvC

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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 post is our last delve for now into the logic behind some of the things involved with CvC, or Character vs. Character behaviors. Our specific topic this week is Long-term CvC.

In my previous CvC themed posts, we covered an Introduction to CvC and then we covered the pretty dense Theft Rules of Dystopia Rising. Last time, we covered the rules for Conflict in the Moment. Our friends at DR:NY also had a great series on CvC you read about HERE. I highly recommend reading this before we continue our discussion here.

We also still have tickets for our next event QUEENSGRACE open! Make sure you can attend our next event — it’s going to be monumental for our setting!

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.

  • 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 let’s cover what happens when you want to PLAN conflict with another character..

LONGTERM CVC

The Long Term CvC section in the DR Corebook is only 4 paragraphs long, so I don’t have much here to work with as we explain this section. However, I have some good advice and lessons I’ve learned in my years in DR to share with you. Hopefully, what this looks like in practice that may be helpful to you in your own CvC negotiations.

The book outlines a few steps in these paragraphs on p. 161 (emphasis mine):

  • Have a conversation with the other person BEFORE you escalate into conflict

  • Check if they are okay with that conflict in advance!

  • Define what sorts of conflict you are comfortable with, and what CvC means to you

  • If they are NOT okay with conflict, deescalate the situation, find an alternative path, or plan to avoid situations or people where conflict would occur.

The big takeaway from the book for me is that Long Term CvC is PLANNED CvC, where as Conflict in the Moment tends to be UNPLANNED. Long Term conflict is something you think about in advance and communicate with the other players on BEFORE it happens, while the more short term conflicts can often be a reaction to an event of some kind in game and need that communication on the spot instead.

The need for communication here is so very important. At first glance, it might seem like a good idea to want to initiate a CvC fight in game without talking to that person first because you want the attack to be a surprise. You don’t want to give them an edge in the fight if they know it’s coming, after all! This kind of mindset is really common for new players, players from other games like Vampire or Nero, or even veteran folks that might remember an earlier time of CvC in the DR 2.0 world. However, not only is that idea against the spirit of the rules, it’s a recipe for a bad time.

This style of conflict misses a BIG component of the CvC rules above because it lacks that element of communication. The only person or group that really enjoys this kind of surprise attack is the aggressor, in my opinion. When you don’t communicate your intentions in advance and set a social contract for the conflict you want to see in the world, it’ll be much harder for the other person to respond positively to the conflict. If you really want to see that ambush style event happen, TELL the other party about that! You don’t have to plan out every swing in a fight if you want to keep it organic, but you DO have to talk about it first.

  • JONATHAN’S ADVICE: WHILE IT MIGHT SEEM A LITTLE COUNTERINTUITIVE, YOU CAN STILL HAVE ROLEPLAY THAT INVOLVES SURPRISES, TRAPS, AND AMBUSHES EVEN IF THE OTHER PLAYER KNOWS ABOUT IT IN ADVANCE.

Seeing a trailer for a movie, reading a synopsis of a show, or reading a cover of a book doesn’t necessarily spoil the content for me, but I can’t guarantee that another person will feel that same way. If we don’t talk about it first, it will just lead to resentment and anger because our social boundaries were crossed — all because we didn’t communicate them first! When expectations aren’t communicated and met, resentment and anger grow.

“If you can’t talk about CvC with someone without the potential for real-world drama, then the pairing of you two for CvC probably won’t work out.” (p. 161)

Lastly, sometimes people just shouldn’t CvC with each other. There are many reasons why a person would want to avoid CvC with a particular person, both in game and out of game. CvC is both a privilege AND a responsibility in DR. It’s not just about one player’s fun, but about BOTH player’s fun! Your focus in CvC should consider the benefit of the story versus the potential for real-world conflict. If it’s not going to be fun for everyone, it’s better to walk away and find a different story than potentially create a conflict that will hurt someone in real life.

Why should you consider Long Term cvc?

So, you’ve reached a decision that you still want to pursue long-term CvC and you’ve found a willing partner in crime to help you tell a great story. Great!

Long Term CvC can provide real consequence and a great story because it’s now an opponent with access to the same skills, same equipment, and same abilities that you have across the field. They might have friends to back them up, or a powerful political position. They might have more XP on their character than you, or better equipment. And when a fight has bigger stakes, you can have bigger stories. The main advantage of long term CvC is that it provides a way to push your character towards meaningful conflict.

A meaningful conflict applies pressure to a character to act, because if they refuse to take action, that story ends.

Meaningful conflict is conflict that reveals something about your character. A rival character is in play for much longer than that quick NPC encounter in game, so the possibilities to continue that story are endless. That fight doesn’t have to end with character death. With the Infection, even dying is temporary and that rival could come back for revenge and bring friends with them! CvC can present an engaging challenge but it can be a wider variety of scenarios than you might think.

CvC can really include ANY action that undermines the safety, stability, or security of another character or group, and it can take other forms than just combat. It might be an attack on another character directly with a boffer, sure. But it could also be a series of heated arguments about faith around the Depot, a price war between your crews as you try to sell some of your hard earned scrap and herb, or it could be a bragging contest between two master thieves trying to steal something more noticeable or important to that person when they aren’t looking, all while leaving a calling card to taunt them with their skill.

The most important part of Long Term CvC for me is to really decide what those stakes are in advance, and what you want that conflict to look like. It starts with an out-of-character CvC negotiation, so let’s look at some ideas of things to consider in this conversation.

CVC NEGOTIATION IN PRACTICE

The book is very lacking on actual examples of what kind of things you should discuss in a CvC negotiation, so I’ve built a list of some of the best practices I’ve seen over the years. Here are some boundaries you should look out for in a CvC negotiation, but I’ve probably missed a few to be fair. I’ve grouped these into two main categories — things that cause a change to your character sheet, and some of the common situations to consider for CvC.

possible Changes to your Character:

  • How do you feel about short term effects like entering Bleed Out, or being Mangled?

  • What about roleplay affects like being affected by a Hallucinogen or Intoxicant?

  • How do you feel about poisons (particularly ones that can be secretly put into your food or drinks) being used in a conflict?

  • What about long term effects like being inflicted with a Disease or story effect?

  • How do you feel about Infection loss as a potential consequence?

  • What about more than one Infection loss, or repeated deaths?

  • What about permanent character death?

  • What about items or effects that interact with your Grave Mind scene like Necrokinetics or Death Brews?

  • How do you feel about losing items to theft like weapons, blueprints, or Brass? Is there a limit that you’d like to set on what is fair game?

  • How do you feel about Larceny attempts to pickpocket you?

  • How do you feel about gaining Fractures as part of the conflict?

Situations to watch out for:

  • Do you want to arrange a Guide to observe the conflict in advance?

    • THIS IS SUPER IMPORTANT! It’s okay to ask for a Guide to observe a scene — it’s still CvC after all. If you cannot agree on this very basic situation, then maybe you shouldn’t consider CvC with that person. Long Term CvC ultimately requires trust between both sides!

  • How much do you want to plan out the actual conflict scene in advance? Do you want to heavily script the encounter in game, or keep it in the moment?

  • How do you feel about yelling, screaming, insults and other aggressive roleplay?

  • How you feel about physical touch or boffer combat?

  • Are surprise attacks okay? What about nighttime raids of your cabin?

  • What about conflict during another scene or module? Is engaging you while you are fighting zed or raiders, or negotiating with that Face NPC going to be okay?

  • Do you want to sign up for the SES System?

  • Who is going to be involved in the conflict?

    • If it’s a violent conflict, it’s especially important to consider allies or a crew into the conversation too. Nothing can make a person change their mind about CvC like feeling overwhelmed or ganged up on!

  • Are there any areas of the site that are off limits for conflict?

  • How do you feel about indirect CvC against your character, like a whisper campaign to ruin your reputation or economic sanctions like convincing crews not work with you?

  • If someone makes your favorite crafting area or cabin dangerous, how do you feel about that?

  • Are there any times of day or night you don’t want to consider CvC conflict?

  • Can you set up a safety system like a safe word to handle changes in the moment? What if you were ready for a conflict but something has changed? How will you communicate that change?

It’s also important to consider what happens AFTER the conflict. Say everything goes swimmingly with the scene, and it’s really rewarding for you and your CvC partner. What about onlookers that decide to jump in to help? What will your crew think about someone else starting conflict with one of their friends? How will you handle Law Dogs chasing you down for murder? One of the quickest ways a CvC encounter can spiral out of control is failing to account for ALL of the people impacted by the scene, not just the immediate actors.

Follow up AFter the CVC conflict:

  • How will you handle spillover, impacting other characters in the game? Are there any limits you need to consider first?

  • Does your crew know about the CvC Negotiation, or are they already involved? What about outside contacts like friends or members of your faith?

  • How will you handle other characters being involved that you didn’t expect?

  • How do you feel about social ramifications or consequences for the encounter?

    • Remember that theft and murder are breaches of the Law of the San Saba, even if you agree to the CvC encounter first or are in the Wasteland. These types of actions can earn the attention of the Law Dogs!

  • What do you consider a Conflict of Interest?

  • Is there any character or player that you don’t want to include in CvC?

I’ve attempted to cover a lot of the situations to watch out for in CvC, but I’m sure I missed something. This is not meant as a replacement for simply having a conversation with your CvC partner. You are going to make mistakes, but if you can be honest about your feelings and communicate with the other players it will go a long way to avoiding hurt feelings or bleed.

Remember: CvC is both a privilege AND a responsibility in DR. It’s not just about one player’s fun, but about EVERY player’s fun!

Next time, we’ll cover some of the things to look forward to during our next event, QUEENSGRACE. What does the SUMMIT mean for your character, and what should you expect? See you then Vados!