GM: Brendan
Players: Travis, Mads, Orion Canning, Sean Nittner, Lucian Smith, Rainbow, Daniel Stoltenberg, Carla Sparks, Meghan Sinoff, Jeremy Tidwell, Harry Lee, Karen Twelves, Amy Sundberg, Miles Gaborit, E.V. Debs, Ross Cowman, and more Go Play friends
System: The Emperor’s Retreat by Jason Morningstar
The Emperor’s Retreat is a peaceful planet far from the Imperial core-a place of rest and reflection for the most powerful family to ever live. We’re all here now to keep vigil, because the Emperor is dying. And, if we’re telling the truth, we’re also here to decide what happens next. Many of us want seamless continuity, but others are here to make a sharp break from tradition. Exactly how sharp remains to be seen…
This is a conversational, strictly-timed sci-fi LARP for 8+ players who represent different factions, grasping for levers of control over events that may reshape their galaxy. If possible, we’ll play outdoors, with lots of room for huddling in groups and making desperate little deals that just might save your cause or your neck… or at least exact some revenge.
We got a full 20 players (every roll filled) and had a great time. We were divided between the Loyalists (who wanted to see the emperor’s line continue), the Pragmatists (led by the Empress, who saw her as the logical next ruler), the Idealists (who wanted to create a republic, or in my case, wanted to burn it all down), and the Outsiders (who didn’t want o get too involved at all).
Every 20 minutes the story progressed and we got closer and closer to a bombardment from space or a new ruler on the throne. Some of my favorite bits
- Espousing a lot of the anarchist philosophy presented in Dispossessed as arguments against any centralization of power. And slowly, bit at a time, being taken seriously.
- Wholesale inventing an atrocity Amy’s character (the High Exarch) had committed against my brother (sentencing him to work in a labor camp where he died, this was based on a character prompt I had “you have freedom and desire and apology. Among the present characters, who needs to apologize to you, and for what?”). I checked in with Amy at the start of play before dropping this on her, but her character understandably had no idea how she, as religious leader, was responsible for this, and start ed a campaign to create a reform of the criminal justice system, which was awesome!
- Facing off against Travis, who put a hit out on me (for threatening to destroy his business along with all other institutions of power and control), and by the end was going to defend me from assassination and wanted me (the anarchist) as second in command so that nobody would dare assassinate our leader.
- Facing off against Ross who called me (rightfully) immature and forced me to narrow my focus to achievable goals.
- After several tete-a-tete meetings in passing with Rainbow (the Empress I was dating) finally sitting down and having a real heart to heart.
- Handing out drugs (hand sanitizer spray) to anyone who wanted it. Yay for creating an in game taboo that was out of game reducing germs!
You really leveled up the emergent story of this game with all the things you brought into it. It was such a treat to have you there!