Pre-Game Briefing: Taleholder Finale

In advance of the climactic battle with The Taleholders at our October event, In the Flesh (tickets and details available here) , we would like to provide information to set expectations and make sure everyone has an awesome time wrapping up this story. In this blog post, we're going to go over what's happening before the fight, during the fight, and how it could all end. 

Importantly and up front, the fight will happen during the 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. NPC shift block, so if you're aching to be involved on either side of the fight, we present this information so you can make an informed decision. 

There will be a significant preparatory phase leading up to the fight, and we encourage you to make the most of it! In addition to various plot items such as the Weapons of Mortis Destruction developed last game and the tools to fight Workers – which will be key in the final fight – there's also a bevy of brews, augments, armaments, and more in the core rules to equip yourself with to better your chances! Hit up those crafters and resource gatherers and get to work to prepare for the fight of a lifetime. It's important to note that we will be reworking the living documents of Worker-fighting tools and mechanics to better accommodate a longer fight, as they were originally designed for a much shorter encounter.

Preparing the Weapons of Mortis Destruction and the Oblivio Mortis – the ritual which the Taleholders' Graverobber Flesher Calonyction uses as his primary tool, plotted to be his undoing by his rival and tenuous ally of the town, Tomas Gleaming Keep – will be key, to have weapons during the fight and to combat Flesher in the Grave. 

Now onto the fight itself!

The fight will have multiple phases across multiple locations, something we have not yet experimented much with at DR:CO on our site at YMCA Camp Santa Maria. Prepare to walk, and to have to move across site to accomplish your objectives. In this fight, through the different stages and their dynamics, your preparation will matter, and tactics will be critical against deadly threats, which will be killing blow active. As the final flourish of a years-long storyline, we're not pulling any punches on this one, but we're also dedicated to making it fun and cinematic, no matter the results in-character. 

Those are the details of the fight we're presenting currently, without spoiling too much, and it's important to talk about the role of this fight in the overall narrative. We've advertised through in-character means and want to be clear out of character that this fight most likely ends in the Gravemind, the multi-stage conflict determining the shape of that scene, of stopping and undoing the Graven work of Flesher. If the survivors of Barker Meadow stumble in their efforts, will they even be able to launch the Oblivio Mortis to counter Flesher, and if they succeed triumphantly, will he meet an even worse fate than in his attempted Oblivio Mortis at the Premiere event, where survivors subverted his efforts and slayed him multiple times? 

We’ll all just have to see at our October event, where This Has All Happened Before, and it's up to our Barkers to make sure this will Never Happen Again. The cycle of the Everliving Wood and Flesher's machinations against Barker and Lorado ends in October, but what that looks like... as the TVs of the Taleholders might say, tune in, intrepid viewers, for a story ending like none other!

Info Gathering Results: The Taleholders’ Finale

At our September event, several intrepid Survivors from Barker Meadow sought information on the Taleholders’ Finale – the final, apocalyptic stage of the Great Work of their Graverobber, Flesher Calonyction. To help you prepare for the Finale and the battle to stop it, we present the Info Gathering results they received.

Pieces Of Information: 

- The Taleholders’ plan to utilize Flesher’s power over the Workers and possibly other creatures, all of which will be going for the kill. This is the Finale after all. 

- Even the preparation required for Flesher’s Integration and the Finale will cause the local Mortis to go haywire, causing unpredictable and dangerous zones and distortions of the local environment.

- The Taleholders have heard about plans to protect the Morgue in Barker Meadow through various mechanisms, and are attempting to work around and through the plans they hear about, because they will need to interact dramatically with a Morgue in Barker Meadow. Whether it is the Morgue across from the Saloon, the Synthetic “Wolf” Morgue, or an “any Morgue will do” scenario – it remains unclear. Protecting or obfuscating the Morgue(s) would help against the Finale.  

- Flesher is brimming with Infection given by Taleholders and others. Whatever form Flesher’s Integration takes, it can and will burn through multiple of his Infection in a protracted conflict. 

Exceptional Success Information: 

- Flesher is likely to attempt to modify a Worker in some way so that the psionic storm around it will not harm Taleholders – at the cost of Taleholders being near it weakening it in some way. 

- Flesher is likely to attempt to deploy at least one Worker that will be able to Spike and heal off of the bleedout of something other than Undead, perhaps a Sin-Eater or something similar.

- The Finale will take place throughout Barker Meadow, rather than at a single location, as it is an overall strike upon the town physically and existentially.

- Flesher created the Synthetic “Wolf” Morgue in town and has utilized the moving nature of the Everliving Wood’s presence in the Overgrowth before. All This Has Happened Before, and all this could be utilized as weaponry again.

- Flesher will need to be defeated fully while inside the Gravemind, he must be vanquished with the battlefield being in his ‘home territory,’ weakening him before he gets there is key.

We will have more details on this climactic conflict to come. Make sure you register for the gather where it all goes down, our October event, IN THE FLESH!

Tickets for the remainder of the season are now on sale!

Our last two events of the season are within three weekends of each other, bookending Halloween! Tickets and food service for “In The Flesh”, our October event, are now on sale!

If you’re ready, purchase an “Autumn All In” ticket and get an special End of Season chit to use at game! This ticket is either a Standard Casting or Maximum Casting ticket for both October and the November “Apocalypse” event, along with 2 Extra XP and meal service for both events!

Ticket prices are going to remain the same for the last two events of the season!

• Dystopia Rising announced in August that prices across the network will be increasing on October 1st, 2023. That announcement also stated that chapters are free to discount from that price increase or delay the increases until a later date. The Colorado chapter is electing to delay our increases until 2024. Stay tuned for more info on that after the 2023 season is finished.

Special offer for October:

• We offering a small number of LIMITED CASTING tickets for this event SPECIFICALLY for players willing to take the single 2-Hour Casting shift on Sunday morning from 10 am to 12 noon. This ticket will be the normal Limited Casting ticket price of $85. No other casting shifts are available for this ticket type.

Remember, we are also currently offering:

• Temperature-controlled cabins with plenty of bunks, with the options for Opt-in or Opt-out of nighttime raids, as well as to reserve a cabin for members of your group/team

• No eligibility requirements for those requesting medical sleep

• Meal Service provided by our amazing kitchen guides

Buy your tickets and meal service here
October event database checkin
November event database checkin
Site details here

"TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS" - September Event Tickets Now On Sale!

Survivors! Tickets for our September 22nd event are finally on sale!

Based on feedback and experience, we’re going to the following in September (different from some of our previous events):

• Opening Announcements will be at 9 PM on Friday, with Lay On to follow. Guides should be prepared to meet at 8:30 PM for a quick briefing in the room next to the Public Works.

• Friday night dinner will open at 8:00 PM and be available until after opening announcements.

• Lay Off at noon on Sunday!

Special offer for September:

• We offering a small number of LIMITED CASTING tickets for this event SPECIFICALLY for players willing to take the single 2-Hour Casting shift on Sunday morning from 10 am to 12 noon. This ticket will be the normal Limited Casting ticket price of $85. No other casting shifts are available for this ticket type.

Remember, we are also currently offering:

• Temperature-controlled cabins with plenty of bunks, with the options for Opt-in or Opt-out of nighttime raids, as well as to reserve a cabin for members of your group/team

• No eligibility requirements for those requesting medical sleep

• Meal Service provided by our amazing kitchen guides

Buy your tickets and meal service here
September event database checkin
Site details here

Weapon and Combat Safety Guidelines, Updated!

Hey folks! Your safety guide here to provide updated, comprehensive combat safety and weapon construction guidelines. Check out our Google Doc here.

Only a few days until our PREMIERE Event! Get all the details.

August PREMIERE Event: Weather and Environment!

Just a few days until our PREMIERE EVENT begins, and I wanted to keep you apprised of the environment you'll be coming to if you haven't been to the site before, and I'm including a few notes even if you have!

Camp Santa Maria is at 8200 feet above sea level. At that elevation, oxygen levels as a percentage of "air" are reduced from 21% (sea level) to 15.5% (us locals are used to 17.5%, so there's even a decrease for us). This means you might get tired easier, have to rest more frequently during exertion, etc. Take your time when moving around, don't go wild, take breaks. Sit down and breathe deep and slowly if you feel yourself wheezing. Canned oxygen is available at most stores like Wal Mart; we'll have a few cans at Public Works, but it's highly recommended you have your own if you're likely to use a lot.

If you have a collapsible cart, and can bring it, it is highly recommended. There may be a few other carts available for transporting your stuff between your car and your cabin. If you want to purchase a cart to use and then donate afterwards, keep your receipt for a CAPs reward and we will keep it for future use.

Friday: Pool time from 10 am to 12:30 pm, assuming no thunderstorms! Please bring a suit and a good towel if you want to participate, and be prepared to not wear your costuming, makeup and/or prosthetics. There are changing rooms near the pool. If it's been a while since you've swam or aren't usually comfortable swimming, I recommend going to a resale shop like ARC (of which there are many Colorado locations) to pick up something that fits well and covers everything you want to be covered.

As with all of our events, all other water areas (Danger River, Danger Lake, Danger Pond) are off limits—feel free to go by, just don’t go in. The river is higher this year than it has been in a while and is still running very fast, even this late in the year.

Weather forecasts are very typical for this time of year: sunny or partly sunny in the morning, “afternoon showers” usually means a few bouts of light rain lasting 5-15 minutes. While this could be during any time of the day, it’s usually between 3 pm and 7 pm. There could be lightning or wind; in the case of either, make sure your tents (if any) are well-staked down, and be inside a building if there’s lightning rather than inside a tent.

Even with rain, humidity is likely to be low throughout the event. Bring your genre canteens and bottles and remember to fill them anytime you’re near the saloon, as staying hydrated will help with temperature regulation and breathing regardless of the temperature.

It could be cool at night, particularly if there’s wind, so bring another layer just in case. Other things you can do to ensure your comfort throughout the weekend:

• Take a shower

• Change your shirt

• Put on new socks

• Eat something

Want more info? Check out our local expectations and additional tips for visitors.

Apotheosis August Premiere Event: Plot Threads Highlight

We are thrilled to present Dystopia Rising: Colorado's August Premiere event, APOTHEOSIS, taking place on August 17th through the 20th. Here you can get some quick insights into key plots and challenges that both locals and visiting Survivors will face during the event, as well as a quick taste of some themes we’re looking to highlight during the event.

Archons and the Abyss

While this event emphasizes the broader concept of the Abyss over the Archons themselves, their presence will be felt through their impact on the world and in opt-in Grave Dives dealing with the Trapped Archon in Barker’s Grave. For more information on the Trapped Archon and the consequences of the Abyss, such as Distortion, Corruption, and Marks, check out our story highlight on the Trapped Archon here and our combined triple threat of a mechanics highlight here.

The Stitched

Expect to confront a horrifying hybridization of Undead and Raiders known as The Stitched as they emerge alongside the presence of the Abyss in Lorado. These grotesque creations of the Archons will possess potent combinations of Undead and Raider abilities, and are not vulnerable to any form of Bane. How will you prepare to do battle with this new and dangerous enemy? 

The Overgrowth Pinemaw

After confirming the existence of the legendary Overgrowth Pinemaw in a harrowing November trade, the survivors of Lorado have begun to understand more about these deadly threats and their role in the local ecosystem. The rugged frontiersmen of Bear Claw Hunting & Trapping have recently reported telltale signs that a new Pinemaw has become active somewhere in the Barker area - and other evidence that something unknown and more sinister may be happening along with it. Bear Claw will need Tradegoers’ help this month to venture into the Overgrowth, pin down the exact location of the monstrosity, and eliminate it… all while delving deeper into the mystery of why everything about it seems so wrong.

A NOTE FROM YOUR TEAM:  The mechanics of the Pinemaw have been overhauled and refined since its debut; in-character, the monster will not be considered to have changed, but we hope those who remember the grueling fights of the first run will find this new version to be a better balanced and more fun experience. Read more about it here.

Local Threats

Barker Meadow is home to various horrors like the Faith-hunting Profane Wolves and the Grave-distorted foxes known as Sin-Eaters, which drag mauled strains to the Morgue to confess their sins to the Mortis. Additionally, the recent appearance of terrifying Grave Antibody Undead adds to the tension in Barker. With escalating regional events, these threats may behave in new and unpredictable ways, calling for the investigation of the destabilization in the region and the defense of Barker.

The Taleholders and the Truce

The Taleholders, a cunning sect of Telling Visions and Tribes of Seasons determined to control the narrative of Lorado, have been a constant antagonist to Barker residents. With their Graverobber, Flesher Calonyction, plotting an apocalyptic Great Work, they now offer a truce and assistance to combat the Archonic intrusion that poses an existential threat to all sides equally. Rumors of Flesher’s unholy powers have long abounded: control over the formidable Undead known as the Workers; the world-shaking Grave procedure known as the Oblivio Mortis. With the chance to wield the weapons of their enemy against a far greater foe, will locals and travelers alike make bedfellows of the Taleholders? 

Overall, come into your weekend expecting to deal with themes of Cosmic Horror and holding on to humanity in a time of catastrophe: in a world under siege, what deals with devils might your survivor make to stop the end of their world?

Follow our blog and social media for updates and insights into the event. Tickets for APOTHEOSIS are available here.

See you there, Survivor!

A New Tree for 2023: Updates to the Overgrowth Pinemaw

With the resurgence of last November’s apex Overgrowth threat right around the corner, we want to tell you all about some of the changes we’ve made to refine and balance the Pinemaw into the challenge we always dreamed it to be: it will still pose a deadly threat, but our hope is that these changes will bring it from being just a hard fight to a hard and fun fight!

The Pinemaw WILL still require the feeding of a special Herbicide to harm it. The Print for this Herbicide will be seeded several times throughout the coming event and will be used for further Pinemaw encounters in the future.

The Pinemaw WILL NOT require a count of Root NPCs to be killed to knock it into Bleed Out. Instead, the puppeteer inside the Trunk will have a Body tally, and players will be able to attack the monster directly with Ranged Attacks and Strikes to the puppeteer’s arms, shoulders, and torso. Attacks to the exterior of the puppet will have No Effect - beat the player, not the prop!

Pinemaw Roots WILL still be present, but they have been very heavily nerfed to better serve a role as small harassers of PCs attempting to engage the Trunk.

The Pinemaw WILL still have a mix of Pheromone and Psionic calls. We have refined them, however, to be distinct in their functions, and more heavily favor Psionics. Pheromone calls are, as before, resisted using the Proficient ability of the Helscape Deathmask, while Psionic calls are resisted with Mental Endurance as normal. If an AoE or BMV call does not possess either of those carriers, it follows other resistance and counter rules as normal!

These changes are OOC knowledge related to what is fundamentally a mechanics patch; in-character, survivors are not intended to take this as a cue that the Pinemaw has mutated, evolved, or changed in any way.

Thanks for reading! Good luck out there, Survivor, and happy hunting!

Abyssal Marks and You: A Primer

As we get closer to our Premiere Event “APOTHEOSIS” on August 17th to 20th, we are opening an early opt-in form for one of the unique mechanics of the weekend: Abyssal Marks.

Abyssal Marks are an optional mechanic meant to appeal to fans of psychological horror and lovecraftian madness. They represent a sliver of alien thought and intent getting into a character, burrowing deep into their Imprint.

Abyssal Marks function similarly to the DR:CO local mechanic Fixations, detailed on our page here. Like Fixations, Abyssal Marks are a Status Effect that cause your character to interact differently with elements of the weekend’s game and plot! 

How does this Mechanic work, you may ask?

For opting into the mechanic with the Early Opt-In Form, you will receive a resin necklace that will represent an “Abyssal Mark” when you collect your character sheet from the Public Works. You will receive a set of prompts or tasks, goals to complete before the end of game.  

For example:

• Confess a fear to someone once per 12s to quiet the growing screams in your mind.

• Embed infectious material into your open wounds Saturday at 3 p.m. to grasp a terrifying moment of lucidity.

• Perform a rite of faith at an Abyssal Distortion Zone once every two hours to feel closer to something vast and malevolent.

While some of these prompts may be unobtrusive, others will likely make you a target or in a position to enact CvC. Because of this, we request that players observe all CvC rules and make sure to check in and ask for consent before enacting atrocities to your fellow players.

If you are having difficulties with this kind of role-play or just plain old not having fun, you may opt-out of Abyssal Marks at any time by going to Ops to inform them and putting away your Abyssal Mark (you can still keep the physical mark as a souvenir).

We appreciate you partaking in this experience with us! Be sure to get your ticket (and checkin) to our upcoming event here.

August PREMIERE Event Tickets On Sale! Pre-Reg Incentives!

Something malign is reshaping reality, and the devils our survivors know may be their only chance against the devils they don’t. Facing oblivion, what will our survivors do, and what will they give to live another day?

All tickets and food service are on sale NOW for our THREE NIGHT PREMIERE EVENT, “Apotheosis”, starting on Thursday, August 17th at YMCA Camp Santa Maria! Important links are below….But first!

As this is a THREE NIGHT Premiere Event, all tickets will receive 1 extra XP above the normal for your character progression, and those with Advanced Memberships get an additional character switch (a total of three switches) for the weekend!

Additionally, all players will have the option to purchase up to FIVE extra XP instead of the normal two. Those that do will receive a free “Self Teach” of any skill for each of their registered characters, assuming those characters meet the XP expenditure and pre-requisite skills needed (excluding Achievements).

We also want to announce our pre-registration incentives! As with all premiere events, the number of pre-registrations in the database as of August 3rd (two weeks) prior to the event will determine how much National-sponsored currency and resources (such as Festering Crystals and Absolute Bonafide Currency) we can give out. But on top of that, we have some additional rewards we will offer for the total number of pre-registrations that are complete by the evening of Sunday, August 6th:

Read more about the Dishes Network, for which Chits are also eligible (or hold onto it as a souvenir!)

Get your tickets here, even if you intend to pay at the door.

And don’t forget to register on the database.

Read more about the Trapped Archon, updates to Logistics and the Donor Ticket program, the delay to the Mayoral Race, and the special mechanics around Abyssal Distortion. And if you want to opt-in to special mechanics around Abyssal Marks, fill out this form.

"Apotheosis" August Premiere Event: Story Highlight - The Trapped Archon

Something malign dwells beneath, and it corrupts. Like a trapped animal, an Archon, an Outsider, thrashes against the walls of its cage in the Grave of Barker Meadow, trade hub of the Lorado region. While some view it as an enemy to be defeated or an opportunity for research and discovery, the other two Archons nearby perceive it as a captive in a cosmic conflict beyond comprehension. These two are determined to liberate their comrade, even if it means tearing Lorado apart.

For transparency, we present information about our August Premiere event, APOTHEOSIS, well in advance. This allows players to prepare and helps cultivate excitement for the event. Although characters in Lorado will not fully understand the Archonic presence until closer to the event, we offer you as a player a glimpse into some upcoming content. In this post, we focus on the Trapped Archon.

The setup for this narrative is that Archons took a long time to arrive in Lorado. The ubiquitous psionic background static of particular Overgrowth blanketing the region - the Pines and the Long Grass - created a sort of barrier layer that repels Archons’ ability to try to surface and Abyssally Rift into the region.

A crack in this foundation appeared with the detonation of the ancient bioweapon under Fort Pennrose (a.k.a. Dedstop II) and the polluting of the surrounding area with potent Morticide, a toxic dust that could drift on the air and seep into the soil, killing and dissolving Infection in living things and impacting the Mortis Amaranthine there. The center of the Pennrose QZ is isolated enough and altered enough now that Outsiders have the ability to surface there. This change in circumstance has led a trio of Archons to initiate an effort to invade the region.

Their first attempt to breach relied on a brute force attempt to penetrate the Overgrowth’s barrier layer, with a disastrous outcome: the Archons managed to force one of their trio far enough into the psionic miasma that it “closed” behind them, creating a bubble of sorts that the trapped Archon cannot escape; the two others aren’t powerful enough without the third to reach that far again and rescue their companion, so are putting other machinations in play to try to achieve this goal.

What does that mean for you? Imagine having a prized, caged tiger in your living room, and imagine that more are coming for it. The key to this part of our event narrative is that you will have choices and narrative agency of what to do with the Trapped Archon. The Trapped Archon will be accessible via Grave Dives, at tremendous risk to the mind, body, and very existence of Survivors who in-character brave their way into its ‘bubble’ and meant to provide engaging experiences for players who wish to opt-in to the Archon plot and its cosmic horror. Meanwhile, the two Archons who remain outside are working on other strategies to try to reach the trapped Archon, and the trapped Archon itself is causing issues, some ramifications of which are detailed in our blog post about the mechanics Abyssal Distortion, Corruption, and Marks here. 

What would you do if you were in the position of being able to intervene in this battle and attempted rescue mission, in the position of being able to go and meet the force of an Archon in an environment unlike one it is usually encountered in, to interact with it in unexpected ways?

During the August event, we aim to especially encourage creativity and strong narrative initiative. We aim to reward players who lead the charge in shaping the event's narrative in their desired manner, as well as those who choose not to engage with the Trapped Archon plot.

With that said, we’ll be providing more details on this and other plot elements, mechanics and logistics of the event in the coming days and weeks, and look forward to sharing more with you soon. 

In the weeks ahead, expect more information about this and other plot elements, mechanics, logistics, and further content previews. Meanwhile, tickets for July's POWDER KEG event are currently on sale.

Join us at both events for a thrilling experience in Dystopia Rising: Colorado!

Logistics Updates for July 2023 and beyond!

Hey Survivors! We have a few updates going forwards for DR:CO logistics. Read below for new info about Waivers, Weapon Safety Checks, Star Line Passes, and an additional opportunity built into our Dishes Network incentive.

New Waivers

As we have just renewed our liability insurance, all attendees will need to sign a new waiver at or after the July event, even if they just filled one out at the June event. Players under 18 will need to have their guardian/relative signing those waivers as well. Don’t worry about printing anything out: we will have plenty of waivers available at Public Works before you get your character sheets.

Weapon Safety Checks

Hey everyone, here's an announcement from Aidan, our Safety Guide, for weapons checks starting at our July event:

1. All weapons must be checked by a weapons safety guide. It doesn't matter if you have been playing with them for years already, if it doesn't have a tag written in the past few months, it needs to be checked. This includes traveling players and senior players/guides.

2. All weapons (carded or not) must be tagged and labeled with the month and year they were checked. After a year, they need to be rechecked for damages.

3. There will be a set weapons check location and starting time. For the July 2023 event, it will be in the Saloon (dining hall) from 7-8pm.

4. If you are arriving late or otherwise can't make the weapon check time, you can either find a weapons guide (you can be directed to one by the post office) to check your weapon once you arrive or you can use NPC camp weapons until yours have been checked.

Dishes Network Update

In addition to the Dishes Tokens, LCs and SCs may now use Chits at the exact same exchange rate. Chits are painted, flattened bottle caps with their player number on the front, a reference to how they received the Chit, and a code on the back.

Players may have received Chits in the past, and could receive Chits in the future, for:

• Participating in a Virtual Event (during the pandemic) and purchasing a Goodie Bag

• Participating in a Voting Incentive

• Purchasing a Star Line Pass or Reserved Cabin (some of these have not been created or distributed, but will be)

• Other incentives as decided by the owners

Like Dishes Tokens, Chits can be traded between characters, but since they were given to the player they can be exchanged between a player’s own characters. Also like Dishes Tokens, they may be sold or traded, but cannot be stolen without consent.

Unlike the Dishes Tokens, Chits will be returned to their players at the end of a season or the beginning of the next season to be reused. DR:CO has kept a record of all Chits that have been created and distributed, as well as those that are still to be distributed.

Chits may have other exchange opportunities in the future as well, as was done in the past (e.g. certain Chits were redeemed for skirmisher units in the Pure Blood War in 2021).

Star Line Pass (Donated Tickets) Update

We have been so fortunate to receive so many donated tickets from generous players, which has allowed many of our players to attend when they wouldn’t otherwise be able to. As thanks for the continuing support of this program (and continuing this program), we will be rewarding CAPs at $1 -> 1 CAP rate for every purchase of a Star Line Pass or a Reserved Cabin…which honestly, we should have done from the inception of the program, so we’ll be applying it retroactively all the way to May 2020 when we started.

In addition, each donated ticket earns the benefactor a special numbered Chit. This was the intent of the program from the beginning as well, but executive dysfunction has caused a lag on these, and so far only 25% of the chits have been handed out to their recipients. We will be rectifying this shortly! The Chits may be used as described in the previous update.

We look forward to seeing you at the next event! Get all the checkin details here.

Memetic Fixations: Need to Know

Our July event, POWDER KEG, introduces a new threat to Lorado: Memetic Fixations. These are more potent and easily spread versions of the original Fixations that have plagued the residents of Barker Meadow. Memetic Fixations are intense, destructive, and maladaptive intrusive thoughts that characters must confront throughout the event. Their effects will be more specific, brutal, and swiftly resolved than before. Possible vectors now will include the terrifying potential of it spreading through discussions with the Fixated about the individual's mental state or the phenomenon itself, sprawling out through Lorado as a virulent idea.

Designed for characters who enjoy medical, psychological, and resource-based gameplay, Memetic Fixations will be a pervasive threat beginning with a module on Friday night in-game. They are not a "coming-into-town" mechanic for the purpose of mechanical interactions.

Fixations follow a Prompt and Resolution format. To be considered Fixated for mechanical purposes, you must have an active Prompt. Roleplay of being Fixated should convey being plagued by intrusive thoughts and desires, but giving in to fulfilling Fixations is a combined in-character and out-of-character choice.

The physical Fixation Prompts can be picked up at a location that will be central in the playspace and may be drawn if desired to swap out or when receiving redundant pulls from available Fixations, when receiving Fixations in the course of play.

Note that detection and treatment of Fixations is challenging since they are not Fractures or Diseases and do not respond to traditional methods known in the Wastes.

Players will need to discover methods to detect, treat, and eliminate the threat of Memetic Fixations throughout the weekend. Players can opt their characters out of Memetic Fixations during play or start with immunity if they wish. We are also offering an option to begin the weekend with an experimental inoculation having been applied to your character by shadowy forces, an opportunity we’ll be providing more details on in the coming days. What could go wrong with that, right?

Join us at our event by purchasing tickets on sale HERE.

P.S. Contact Emily B. on Discord if you have the [LATENT] tag on your character or believe you should. No reason, just checking!

The Premiere Event and the Mayoral Race: An Update

As we approach the July game, the mayoral race is in full swing. As such, we would like to dispel any potential confusion regarding the mayoral election before it has a chance to pop up.

In game, characters believe that the election will go off as planned in August, but the election itself will be moved to our September Event: Taking Care of Business.

Why are we doing this?
After a lot of discussion, the story team decided that it would be best to not hold the election over our August Premiere Event: Apotheosis, as we anticipate an influx of travelers that game, and do not want that to somehow sway the vote in a manner that could be frustrating to local players.

So should my character stop campaigning for a month?
Keep campaigning! In character, there is no reason to suspect the election will be pushed. The in-game state of emergency that will cause the election to be pushed back will not be recognized until the August event.

I have opinions about this!
We want to hear them! Our post-game feedback forms are a great place to give feedback about decisions made by the story and guide teams. You can also submit feedback using the Contact Us, Event Feedback, or Rules Call Feedback forms, all of which are located under the Contact Us section of our website at any time. Your feedback helps us to create the game you want to play, and lets us know when we're on the right track.

Don't You Want to Be Wanted?

With the inauguration of The Wardens, lawbreakers all across Lorado are seeing their golden age of chaos drawing to an end. But formidable though they are, there are only so many Wardens to go around, and far too many slick lowlifes and dastardly outlaws dot the Western Wastes for the most tenacious law dogs to attend to them all; thus, the honored tradition of cash bounties returns - and the target: you!

Bounty Hunting mechanics in Lorado are intended to provide a dynamic experience that’s one part Where’s Waldo, one part pseudo-CvC that allows you to take on your friends’ characters not as a mindless zombie or berserk Raider but as a crafty and determined Strain of your own design who will do whatever it takes to get the best of the PCs. You’re encouraged to play your Bounty NPCs as if they were player characters: fight to win, and use every trick in your arsenal to survive. Whether you’re a face in the lineup of a bandit gang or working as a guard for a merchant coming into town, it’ll be up to the PCs to spot you, figure out how to take you down, and test their wits and skills against yours in the name of collecting that sweet, sweet payday. And best of all, this all happens during the course of your regular NPC shift!

To create your Bounty NPC, go to NPC Camp and create a unique, distinctive Strain outfit from the costume items there. (Bringing your own is also acceptable!) Pay special attention to the head and shoulders, as your NPC should be recognizable in play from the sketch on their Bounty Poster! Once your look is complete, a Guide on shift will take your picture in front of a plain background. Then, you’ll fill out a Bounty Registry sheet in Ops with some additional information:

• Your Name and Player Number

• Bounty’s Name and Strain

• If you don’t want to come up with a name, you can be assigned one.

• Bounty’s Payout and Crimes

• Roll a D6, reroll if you get a 1. Your result is your number of Crimes, and multiplies by 10 to determine your Payout as well as your Body and Mind.

• Your Crimes determine what Skills your Bounty has:

• Assault:  +10 Body, Take Down, Break

• Grifting:  +10 Mind, Basic Mental Endurance, Proficient Social Influence

• Evading Arrest:  Basic Enhanced Movement, Balance, Proficient Awareness

• Burglary:  Proficient Larceny, Basic Stealth, Proficient Criminal Influence

• Armed Robbery:  Break, Choking Blow, Proficient Combat Tactics

• Kidnapping:  Blinding, Master Unarmed, Basic Malicious

• Murder:  Master Malicious, Bounty is Killing Blow Active

• Assassination:  Piercing Strike, Master Criminal Influence, carry 2 Glass Stilettos

• Malicious Witchcraft:  Proficient Telekinetics, Proficient Telepathy, Basic Pyrokinetics

• Arson:  Master Pyrokinetics

• ALL Bounties have Avoid and all Master Weapon Skills (not Unarmed)

• Wanted Status

• Dead or Alive? Or only one of the two?

• Bounty’s Signature Item / Proof Of Kill

• This is a Local Plot Item card unique to your Bounty NPC, to be looted if your Bounty is killed; this is delivered to the Post Office for payment. It CAN be a visible item on the costume, but doesn’t have to be. If you’re only Wanted Alive, you won’t need this.

We will then use your picture and other information to create a Bounty Poster, which will be posted up on site and in the Public Works Bounty Ledger. 

You’ll receive a copy of the stat block and the reference pictures of your Bounty NPC costume, as well as your choice of one of the four Ace Card Local Items to bring into play on your PC.

Starting the following event, once per event, you can play your Bounty NPC in place of an unnamed Strain character on an eligible mod! Mods that can support Bounty NPCs will be marked as such, and the Ops Lead will notify the NPCs when prepping a mod of this type to go out. If your Bounty NPC returns from a mod without being killed or captured, depending on actions you may have taken in play, your Payout might go up!

Bounties are always equipped with Strain Loot cards for any one Proficient Armor, one Master Weapon, one St. John’s Tincture, and may consider any one Augment of their choice to be equipped to their weapon. You will also go out with your Signature Item card.

The Wastes are your oyster, outlaw - give ‘em hell.

Powder Keg Pre-Game Briefing: Encountering The Workers

In the months leading up to our July event, POWDER KEG, we have been foreshadowing an encounter with The Workers, the formidable defense system of the Grave. Previously found only in the Everliving Wood, players will now have a chance to confront them during the 2pm to 6pm Casting shift (being more specific about the time might ruin some of the surprises around how it will occur). Before diving into the crucial mechanics of this battle, let's briefly review what we know about The Workers in-character.

The Workers are powerful protectors of the Mortis – ancient entities compared to the most horrific Undead that have plagued the Greater Wastes. A compilation of in-character information about The Workers has been made available here.

Now for the mechanics! Please note that these are living documents and may be subject to change. Let us know if you see anything that doesn’t seem to work as intended or that you have questions about!

First, be aware of NULL status. Workers are surrounded by a constant psionic barrier and immune to most effects. If your character would not be able to be affected by Anomaly effects (Master Mental Endurance fields or the Master Shield ability of the Forged Steelpaw Shield being the best ways to accomplish this), you must call "NULL" when interacting with a Worker at the end of your interaction (such as an attack for damage) to signal to the portrayer of the Worker(s) to take the effect. You can gain or lose NULL status through various plot interactions as well.

We've released two blueprints and two Zones of Mechanics (ZoMs) specifically designed for combating The Workers, as well as the schematics for the now-infamous Inverted Cairn project driven by characters in-game over the last months. Access to these blueprints will be available in-game, but summaries are provided here for transparency.

The Spike Severer is an augment for a Melee Small weapon intended to disable The Workers' ability to regenerate Body when Undead around it fall into bleedout. Here are its core mechanics:

• Spend 5 Mind for "End Worker Spike" on the next attempted strike against an Undead

• After a successful strike, the user suffers Blinding

The Everliving Weapon is an augment for any melee weapon type with these core mechanics:

• Spend 5 Mind and 5 Body for NULL modifier on next 3 attempted strikes with augmented weapon

• After 3 strikes or 1 minute (whichever comes first), the user's bleedout timer is reduced to 30 seconds for 5 minutes

• Weapon cannot deal damage to non-Worker targets

Additionally, two ZoMs were unlocked by character actions: the Bloody Poison Condenser and the Inception Of A Weapon. These will be accessible in the Culinary Crafting Area and the Library, respectively.

Finally, the Inverted Cairns Schematics can be found here and will reside at the Library as well but can be moved in-game for constructing the actual Cairns.

That covers the mechanics for this highly anticipated showdown with The Workers! We're excited to see how it unfolds at POWDER KEG. Get your tickets (and be sure to check-in on the database) here.

"POWDER KEG" - July event tickets now on sale!

With the very nature and natural order of Barker Meadow in danger, our survivors must hold the line against grave attacks on their home. Now learning the dark history surrounding them, our survivors must find a way to deal with the past and present that threaten to destroy them. Can they find a way to defend their home and move forward through the destruction?

Special offer for July ONLY:

• We offering a small number of LIMITED CASTING tickets for this event SPECIFICALLY for players willing to take the single 2-Hour Casting shift on Sunday morning from 9 am to 11 am. This ticket will be the normal Limited Casting ticket price of $85.

As we did for our June event, we have a slightly modified schedule for July.

• People can arrive on site at 3 PM to help set up, and get bunks at 4 PM

• Opening announcements at 9 PM

• Lay off at 11 AM on Sunday, as we have to be off site by 1 PM as the site is actively being used as a camp during the summer.

Remember, we are also currently offering:

• Temperature-controlled cabins with plenty of bunks, with the options for Opt-in or Opt-out of nighttime raids, as well as to reserve a cabin for members of your group/team

• No eligibility requirements for those requesting medical sleep

• Extra CAPs for above-and-beyond normal casting requirements

• Meal Service provided by our amazing kitchen guides

Interested in helping out or contributing to a bigger part of our game in 2023? Apply to be a guide or writer, we’re certain we can find a place for you that will match your talents with our needs.

Buy your tickets and meal service here
July event database checkin
Site details here

"BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE" Event Recap

Our June event, BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE, saw Barker Meadow weather terrible storms of events in the wake of the revelations they’d uncovered the months before. The following is a Story Recap for anyone who would like to catch up, look back, or fill in their understanding of the story of the event. 

WEEKEND HIGHLIGHTS: 

• The Taleholders and their Graverobber Flesher Calonyction set their home, the Everliving Wood, on fire, forcing many town residents into a "Near-Grave" within the Gravemind to deal with the trauma and devastation caused by a Blood Sap Bear and a Grave version of Flesher along with a Worker. To aid Barker Meadow, other citizens who avoided this fate eliminated additional threats and fought Taleholders.

• Upon reaching safety, survivors spent the weekend attempting to make sense of the incidents that had transpired, researching incoming Workers, and devising methods to combat them through Research Projects and rituals. Their efforts produced several prints, information, and schematics for the Inverted Cairn - a ritual object that weaponizes the Workers' own 'faith' against them.

• A Taleholder Jigsaw Nemesis, seeming to be off-script, menaced the town, at one point using the Pinbacks of the Wood as a toy in their schemes. One of the Pinbacks was saved by intrepid Barkers who also put to rest the Undead of Useless Eyes, the fallen Pinback leader.

• Unknown factors destabilized the Morgue, prompting regular assistance to restore it; however, by trade's end, it was still unclear what had happened. A Sin-Eater with strange effects of Crystal Heart Corrupted may have been connected to this event.

• The “Taint Team” of Tainted in town destabilized their own Infection, regressing or changing to something else, what they had or would have been if they were not Tainted. Dolly’s advancement into a Free Radical came hand in hand with saving them from succumbing to incurable Bad Brain.

• Cassiopeia Woodworm, Speaker of Spring, came by to change the Season to Summer, a ritual later undertaken by the townspeople. Along the way, she revealed her tragic past as a Dark Sky Natural One, a tribe decimated by the Children of Constantine, who had weaponized the Profane Wolves to destroy them. This act caused the All-Faiths to concoct the lie of The Trials in order to point the Wolves at feeding targets through the year and bind the town together.

• Saturday morning, several sailors broke up a snarl in the waterway that was blocking travel.

• Hutch was broken out of prison, held by the Jaunts, for the Archive Heist the month before and openly selling Hype. Going on the lam, the anarchist face of the 7x7s Red Star surely isn’t done rabble-rousing yet.

• Grace clan Rovers shot Red Rain Rockets into town in an attempt to derail a Jaunt caravan as the Rover War between the two groups reached a fevered pitch. Sold to them by their allies The Taleholders, the town apprehended the Graces and seeks to bring them to justice, but a resolution to the feud remains elusive.

• The Profane Wolves were synced after Fraying to attack different faiths by the Nuclear Family’s attempt to have a speedy Trial. Mayor Cassady Jaunt was briefly baptized Nuclear Family to help end the phenomena, and the town had to make hard decisions to protect the community on what to do with the Wolves.

• The Ghost, a local serial killer, claimed another victim. The corpse and crime scene were investigated, producing some leads.

• A trip to the Wolf Morgue, a Synthetic Morgue created originally by Flesher, the birthplace of the Sin-Eaters and Profane Wolves both, led to the discovery of many things still not yet fully understood and an intense battle with Wolves protecting their Morgue. Something terrible seemed to be ready to return from the dead to haunt the town, according to those who entered the Morgue itself.

• Ephraim Butcher of the Wardens, Lorado’s law keeping force, solicited ideas on what to do about POWs from the recent Von Lobo and Masterson conflicts from the Barkers.

• Owen Grace, speaker of Winter who had not been seen in many months, came to town with a fractured, recently killed Cassiopeia to get Cassiopeia fixed, agreeing to give up his seat on the All-Faiths Council to Upptopp, giving the newer settlers of Barker a representative on the Council. Cassiopeia’s mind was treated, but her killer remains at-large.

• Near the end of trade, the Barker Demoniac, the first host of an Unholy Passenger, faith-destroying Mortis parasites, came to town warning of their return and soliciting assistance in their gory, deathly research towards defeating the Passengers.

With terrible threats from the past re-emerging and the town literally burning down around them, the Barkers survived another trade, leaving the town in a precarious state for our July event, POWDER KEG. We hope you had a great time and will join us in July. Continue the conversation on our social media channels in the interim, and we’ll have more details on our July event soon!

"Apotheosis" August Premiere Event: Mechanics Highlight

Dystopia Rising: Colorado is excited to introduce our August Premiere event: Apotheosis. We're set to unveil some innovative game mechanics for our coming game. To pave the way for your planning and maintain transparency, we share a high-level overview of three main mechanics: Abyssal Distortion, Corruption, and Marks.

Each mechanic interacts uniquely with differing play styles and we can't wait to see how they cater to a wide range of experiences. Let's delve into each.

Abyssal Distortion is a spatially located and represented mechanic in the gameworld symbolizing an abnormal liminal space in the game world warped by the Abyss, abode of the Archons, that demands your character's intervention. This mechanic immerses players into areas twisted by unseen forces, altering how characters perceive and interact within the game. The air of uncanny mystery will appeal to enthusiasts of intellectual puzzles, unique mechanics and unusual props, offering an opportunity to claw back the everyday from the intrusive and warping horror present in the gameworld.

Abyssal Corruption, on the other hand, targets enthusiasts of medical role-play and uncanny body horror. It centers around themes like contamination, irreversible damage and death, stirred by foreign contagions and threats that require thoughtful intervention to resolve. Players have the choice whether or not to engage with this mechanic. Relish in terrifying body transformations, research and treatment if you opt-in.

Last comes Abyssal Marks - another completely optional mechanic that immerses players into psychological horror by introducing fragmented, alien character thoughts linked to the Abyss for you to roleplay. You may decide to bring your character into game bearing a Mark which can cause unique mechanical interactions during play as well as role-play prompts and their consequences that you’ll work through over the weekend. The experience for Marked characters is akin to DR:CO’s Fixations; these characters may also be potential targets throughout the weekend event but beginning as Marked is not required for plot participation. As a reward for opting in? A unique souvenir representing the ordeal you can take home post-game! Who doesn’t like horror and swag?

Stay tuned for more interesting tidbits on Apotheosis as we near the big day! We eagerly await the shared experience of weaving thrilling stories at this unique event. Meanwhile, join the discussion on Discord, Facebook, and Instagram! Prepare yourself for horrors the likes of which DR:CO has never seen before at this event and the stories we’ll get to tell together at Apotheosis.

"BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE" - Pregame Post!

We are thrilled to present our June event, "BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE!" Get ready for an action-packed weekend with a glimpse into the highlights, scheduled activities, and ongoing engagements below.

This weekend follows the shocking revelations from last month that have sent shockwaves through Barker Meadow, revealing the history of the Profane Wolves, All-Faiths, Children of Constantine, Dark Sky Natural Ones, and more. The Archive Heist has triggered a massive social and cultural response, while some strive to conceal or downplay its impact on the town's atmosphere. How will you react as things fall apart around you? What else can be unveiled about the town's history, such as the Synthetic Morgue linked to the Profane Wolves and the town's past relationship with the Taleholders and their sinister leader, Graverobber Flesher Calonyction? And how will your characters handle these new revelations?

Kicking off with a major highlight: the opening scene. We've prepared a special "coming into town" module for this game. To avoid this module, Trailblazing and the Nomad Lineage ability can still be utilized; however, we recommend joining the main module as we have some exciting plans in store! For those skipping that module, there will be two alternative options available. Additionally, new players are welcome and encouraged to participate in one of these alternative modules for an introduction to Barker Meadow Reservoir.

The opening scene commences shortly after our opening announcements. Instead of our usual soft lay-on, we'll have a brief intermission for out-of-game discussions and preparations as our fearless Guides set up the scene at the Amphitheater for the primary module. For more information on your options during the opening scene, please refer to the infographic here: 

Let's delve into the main highlights of the weekend.

First, you'll get to immerse yourself in the town's history and explore the outcomes of the significant narrative choices made last month concerning Barker Meadow. I invite you this month to ponder over your character's life here, their emotions regarding their residence, and what changes they might wish to bring to the town, as actions now will have an impact down the line. Additionally, reflect on what your character knows or believes about Barker Meadow, and what secrets they might want to uncover or share with others. Numerous details were revealed during the last gathering - will the Barkers step up to not only piece together the information but also devise a plan based on it?

Second, the Taleholders' presence is increasingly felt in our story and within the Barker Meadow area. Invited by the Graces, select members have become citizens and established an outpost, which was engulfed in a suspicious fire that nearly damaged the All-Faiths Chapel and caused harm to the town. The Taleholders have been bringing Cracked Crystal and Blood Sap trade through town while skillfully masking their perpetual scheming. Growing bolder, they have turned their focus to Barker Meadow after the Wood's Finale as the setting of their Tale.

Third, the Nuclear Family faces a Trial by the Profane Wolves; their faith is under attack as they are challenged by these baneful creatures. They have performed rituals to expedite their Trial, pushing the Wolves into a chaotic state referred to as "Frayed Wolves" by locals. In this state, they attack various faiths indiscriminately – even within their pack – while exhibiting unusual behavior as their typical hunting cycle goes haywire. Mayor Cassady Jaunt, who also leads the All-Faiths, went through the Morgue last month due to The Ghost – a notorious serial killer haunting Barker Meadow. He will be in town at 4:30pm on Saturday to conduct an All-Faiths ritual aimed at setting things right, aiming at collaborating with the Nuclear Family and the entire town to realign the Trials.

Next, we'd like to make you aware of major scheduled events this weekend. 

An important rite of this time of year is the changeover of the Seasons and the Spring Speaker, Cassiopeia, will be in town Friday night to mark the turning of Spring to Summer. Uncovered documents say that Cassiopeia is one of the Dark Sky Natural Ones, who were thought to be wiped out by the Children Of Constantine – radical Fallows – years ago. She surely knows important information about the history of the town, but will she be willing to share it, what with the dark past of Barker Meadow bubbling to the surface?

Our Master Sailing Action Request module will take place around 10am Saturday: Sailors have been working with the Park Service to deal with a wrecked ship in the waterway, snarled with hostile plants, where the rotting cargo is attracting problems. The snarl is blocking the waterway and impacting travel along the river. Ready for some of Lorado's unique sailing action up in the mountains? 

As mentioned, the All-Faiths will be looking to end the Nuclear Family Trial at 4:30pm, so prepare for the ritual, which will definitely involve fighting some Profane Wolves! What's a Trial change-over without a good Wolf fight? 

Speaking of Profane Wolves, at 10pm Saturday will be our Master Hunting Action Request module, which is to hunt the Profane Wolves dwelling at their Synthetic Morgue, also known by denizens of Barker as the Wolf Morgue, created by Flesher Calonyction, the birthplace of the Sin-Eaters and Profane Wolves both. What might be discovered there? 

Finally, we have a special sign-up module on Sunday. The Doc Ottoman's Collective is gathering a group to survey the Quarantine Zone that used to be Dedstop. This is a Threat Level: Midnight mod, with potential infection loss, disease and Morticide tags. You can sign up here!

Beyond specific events, some things take place over the weekend or at the pace that characters work on them. This month, our weekend engagements include researching The Workers and how to fight this incoming threat, Information Gathering about Grave Matters (as well as a certain Family Audit for those 'in the know'), and finally building the Inverted Cairns that characters have cooked up as a plan against The Workers.

We can't wait to see you at the event, thanks for reading and get your tickets here!: