2024 Season Closer: What To Expect During Our Virtual Event "Prophet Motive"

Our November virtual event is a little different from the other virtual events we’ve put on in recent years. In some ways, it’s multiple games all wrapped into one. This is our own take on a vignette style game — separate plot threads contained to their own modules, ZoMs, and, Discord spaces.

For our last game of 3.0, there were multiple local plots and personal stories in need of a satisfying wrap-up. Our aim for this event was to be responsive to local player requests, and also to give proper endings to stories tied to local mechanics, creatures, resources, and groups that will be changing as we transition to DR: Live system when we return from the holidays for our next online season. Whether you’re a local player with a plot request or a traveler looking for some interesting and engaging storylines, we are sure to have something you’ll enjoy.

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They call it the Overlook Hotel.

They say that even before the Fall it was a pilgrimage site for those who would go on to become the first Telling Visionaries, thought to be a Shining beacon of the Signal’s power and truth, and a place where the veil between the real world and the Scripts wore thin. In the centuries since the long-forgotten apocalypse, the place has stood pristine, as if frozen in time… thanks to the meticulous care of the scores of Nemeses who dwell within. For those who don the guises of evil to forge the best in others, this place is a monastery, a fortress, and a treasured home, and they protect it with all the ferocity of their archons and more.

But this Nemesis fortress is under siege. Years ago, the mainstream Church of Telling Visions broke with the Nemeses and named them heretics in a wasteland-wide political move to distance their faith from the damaging optics of what many saw as sadistic games played by rogues. Now that bad blood has come to a boil: the inquisition force of the TVs — Standards & Practices — is building up to wipe out Nemeses in Lorado once and for all, and their insidious leader Mister Rogers intends to take no prisoners.

Standing against them is the Church of Paradise Lost and their coalition of allies from every corner of the TV Faith — Nemeses, Arcadians, and others have rallied around them for a Holy War to liberate TVs of all genres from the violent censorship of S&P. With both sides gathering allies from across the Wastes for a final, spectacularly gory battle, any Wastelanders’ choice could be the one that tips the balance and decides the final fate of the Telling Visionist faith in Lorado.

Meanwhile, down in the valley

Local weapons manufacturer Northheed Armory is making moves again. After divesting from the medically-focused Machonis Company following their actions leading to a catastrophic Overgrowth Bad Brain outbreak, Northheed is instead pushing forward with unveiling the Infection-sapping Cracked Crystal weaponry that they’re rumored to have had in development since before the thaw. Little is known yet about their mysterious new project, but word among those with an in at the company is that the higher-ups are abuzz with excitement over its potential ramifications, and they are selling it hard as a weapon to usher in and secure control of a new era.

But Northheed’s doings are drawing the attention of more than just the usual wary watchdogs this time: the rumors about this weapon are at the center of vivid dreams and feelings of dread that have been haunting some among the area’s residents and travelers alike. These Prophets foresee doom and destruction should this so-called “Peacemaker” be unveiled… but they also foresee a chance to stop Northheed, if they can reach a mysterious concept they refer to only as The Dream.

within the shadows…

For those among the local Murder Incorporated syndicate, plans are falling into place to eliminate one of the greatest threats the local Organization has faced. Marshal Ephraim Butcher and his posse, The Hangmen, might have been withdrawn from the Barker Meadow area and their investigation into Murder Inc. suspended, but Butcher and his gang still know entirely too much. With intel suggesting Butcher hasn’t passed on the more sensitive details to the larger organization of the Wardens yet, and common sense suggesting that he will as soon as the new Warden taking his place arrives in Barker, the M.I. agents are preparing a sweeping operation to tie up this deadly loose end before it unravels beyond their control.

And within barker meadow itselF

Reality is broken. The dissolution of the All-Faiths Council that once ruled the meadow has broken the spirit of this former so-called faith town. What remains to fill the void? The survivors of Barker Meadow have made their choice after a disastrous faith ritual wounded the Mortis. Now, the townsfolk are dealing with insidious and strangely subtle graven issues, leading many to abandon Barker in fear or hopelessness.

All of this (and more!) awaits you at this month’s Virtual Event, Prophet Motive! Register now by clicking here.

Unholy Passengers and You: A Primer

As we head towards the end of our live season of events, one prominent plot during this upcoming event will focus on faith – the zeal, corruption and true belief that makes up Barker Meadow Reservoir. 

In this blog post, we’ll cover the Unholy Passengers, those long-dreaded parasites of faith, and the mechanics and story around them. First, the lowdown on what the Unholy Passengers are and how they will function mechanically. Second, some interaction points and themes we encourage exploring this game. Finally, attached mechanics to this particular outbreak of Passengers – the Host keyword, the ways a Passenger can be interacted with by calls: Advance, Inflame and Weaponize, the Weaponized Passenger status and two types of Bane to be on the lookout for: Host Bane and Faith Bane. 

So, What exactly are the Unholy Passengers?

The Unholy Passengers are parasites that “eat” away at the bodies, minds and faith of Lineages. They influence, addle and poison their Hosts, often ending in death and, for the faithful, loss of their faith. 

Unholy Passengers have three Stages. All characters will enter into town with a Stage 1 Passenger unless the player expressly opts out either OOG or through mechanics. Each Stage will include an  RP Prompt and mechanics for what happens when your Passenger is Inflamed (agitated by an outside force). Faithful characters will have a base effect that makes Faith abilities painful to use and receive, while Faithless characters will experience a different issue in play with their status as Hosts. 

To be clear, while the RP Prompts can be opted into and out of at any time your character would be under the effect as usual, we do strongly encourage leaning into the RP that comes with being a Host. The mechanical effects of being a Host at different Stages, such as what happens when Inflamed, can not be opted out of without opting out of the entire experience of being Host to a Passenger. 

Unholy Passengers Stage 1 -

If Lineage is Faithful: 

Mechanics: Faith Anomaly skills cost 10 Body Damage and Agony to use or receive. When Inflamed, take 10 Body Damage and Agony 30 seconds.

Role-Play Prompt: Crisis Of Faith 

If Lineage is Faithless: 

Mechanics: When Inflamed, take 10 Body Damage and Agony 30 seconds.

Role-Play Prompt: Yearning for Faith

Stage 2 - 

If Faithful: 

Mechanics: As per Stage 1 but when Inflamed, instead take 20 Body Damage from brain hemorrhaging.

Role-Play Prompt: Corrupted Faith Zealotry (replaces Stage 1 Prompt)

If Faithless: 

Mechanics: When Inflamed, take 20 Body Damage from brain hemorrhaging (this replaces Stage 1’s effect)

Role-Play Prompt: Existential Faith Crisis (replaces Stage 1 Prompt)

Stage 3 - 

If Faithful: 

Mechanics: When Inflamed, take 1 Resolve Damage. If the character reaches 0 Resolve from this damage, they receive 20 Body Damage, Blinding and Stun 5 minutes, then 1 minute later, 10 Murder (Striker’s Coat does not immune, and this replaces the earlier Inflame effect). Reaching 0 Resolve from this damage will remove the Faith from a character and add a note to their sheet that they require a Rite of Reaffirmation to be rebaptized within the next 3 months to that faith. This removal of faith can expressly be opted out of and the note either not added or removed at any time based on a player’s choice. Death by any means purges the body of the Passenger and results in a more intense Mortis scene, during which reaching 0 Resolve will remove Faith as per above.

Role-Play Prompt: As per Stage 2

If Faithless: 

Mechanics: When Inflamed, take 1 Resolve Damage. If the character reaches 0 Resolve from this damage, they receive 20 Body Damage, Blinding and Stun 5 minutes, then 1 minute later, 10 Murder (Striker’s Coat does not immune, and this replaces the earlier Inflame effect). Death by any means purges the body of the Passenger and results in a more intense Mortis scene.

Role-Play Prompt: As per Stage 2

Whew! So the takeaway here is: Watch out for those Inflame calls, and get ready to explore faith in your roleplay as a Host! What’s it all mean though? What sort of stories are the Passengers meant to encourage and where might you take your RP of being a Host? 

Themes of the Passenger Experience

The three themes of the Passenger experience in this writer’s mind are the Give and Take of Faith in Barker, the Search for Meaning inherent in exploring faith, and the Dread of being Host to an increasingly deadly Passenger that threatens body and soul alike. 

In Barker, faith giveth and faith taketh away, as people and whole religions rise and fall with Trials big and small. The Unholy Passengers are yet another test of faith and of the community strength of Barker Meadow – including the strength of the All-Faiths. For the faithful, being Host to a Passenger is a terrible state, one’s faith turned into a weapon against oneself, but also the Hosts will be key for dealing with the outbreak (as we’ll talk more about below) and this is yet another opportunity to prove the strength of your faith in Barker. 

The RP Prompts involved are meant to evoke a winding path through the experience of faith or faithlessness, with a movement from crisis to zealotry for the faithful and a descent into the now very literal crisis that is lacking faith in Barker for the faithless. We encourage you to lean into aspects of your character’s beliefs you’ve been wanting to explore and to take dramatic action based on the RP Prompts!

Finally, being a Host is dangerous and potentially deadly. There will be calls that Inflame and put the Hosts in danger in other ways, and the fear and horror inherent in being affected by something that’s taken worse and worse root in you should be at the front of the mind of those playing Hosts. 

How to Interact With This Plot Other Than Being a Host

There are some ways you can interact with this plot other than suffering from being a Host,  including Research and Removal. 

First, the Passenger outbreak will need to be Researched in order to understand how to deal with it. This Research will be made available during play, and provide a chance for the educated to put their book learning to use. One thing to note ahead of time about the Research: it will require at least one Host involved in the process. While it will be possible to remove the Passengers in town, it would make the overall problem much harder to deal with without Host researchers. 

Second, the All-Faiths have a ritual for removing Passengers that will be made available to town. Of course they do! This ritual requires some heavy faith RP, ritualists, a surgeon and a Sunbloom. The problem with this ritual is no problem for the All-Faiths – it does not work on the faithless. There may be other ways to remove a Passenger discoverable during game, however, with different methods taking variant resources and having their own complications. 

There will be more ways to interact with the Passengers and more for Hosts to do to understand their predicament and importantly, protect themselves against the Passengers within them that will be unlockable through play. 

What Mechanics to Know

You’re going to want a quick mechanical rundown of relevant calls and keywords for the Passenger outbreak this month: Host, Advance, Inflame, Weaponize, Weaponized Passengers and Host and Faith Bane. 

Host: A keyword targeting all who currently have Passengers. 

Advance: A call that impacts Hosts, bringing a Passenger one stage forward, to a maximum of Stage 3. There is no progression beyond Stage 3 and Advance does not impact those without Passengers (there is no advancement from “Stage 0” via this call, unlike some Diseases).

Inflame: Inflame is a call that has different effects at different Stages of hosting a Passenger and can be delivered in a variety of ways, defended through its base defense – a melee-delivered Inflame would be Avoided, a Psionic Inflame countered with Basic Mental Endurance, etc. – as well as specific mechanics to negate Inflames overall. 

Weaponize: Now this is where things get spicy. Weaponize is a call that turns a Passenger into a Weaponized Passenger. Exactly what this means is to be discovered in-game but for transparency, let’s go over the Weaponized Passenger status. 

Weaponized Passenger: A Weaponized Passenger acts as per the Passenger’s base mechanics, but adds the following – 

• The Passenger will Advance every 2 Hours up to a maximum of Stage 3. 

• When about to Advance, make sure to tap a Guide familiar with the plot (Brom or Emily are your best bets) to make the appropriate calls that result from Advancement of a Weaponized Passenger. 

• Dying while under the effects of a Weaponized Passenger is a dramatic event above and beyond the experience of death – make sure to get a Guide as detailed above as well.

Host Bane: This is a Bane that deals double damage to anyone or anything (spoilers: not just Lineages can and will be Hosts to Passengers…) with a Passenger. 

Faith Bane: This one is simple. If you have a Faith, this effect will deal double damage. 

With the rundown of a big threat this weekend complete, we look forward to seeing you at our September event, “Politics and Religion!” If you haven’t grabbed your ticket and checked in on the database yet you can do so here.

"ROOT OF ALL EVIL" Premiere Event Recap

With the Overgrowth agitated and threatening to overrun the town, RANGER pointing fingers at the Financial Institutions, and Machonis Company circling into the area to profit on rumors of a new disease, travelers and locals flooded into Barker for a large trade meet. Find out what exactly went down (or didn't) during our August Premiere Event.

Friday Night

The first night of the trade began with a bang. Botadens Researchers—local Overgrowth scientists and experts—came into town both afflicted with Wildwood Fever and bringing samples for research into this new virulent and fast-acting disease. They didn't leave, however, without first infecting several in their rages.

Meanwhile, the first visit to a Machonis Company site—part of promised audits—revealed worrying information and an Infected Bear-ver that had to be put down. Simultaneously, Marshal Ephraim Butcher continued his hunt for Murder Inc., speaking with several people in town before revealing some organization members and attempting an arrest. 

Butcher later interrogated A. Walker, Sainthood of the Postal Service, who experienced strange and adverse reactions while questioned about Murder Inc., mainly about "The Lockes" and "The Atlas," before dropping dead from a brain hemorrhage. After the town endured psionic fallout from a powerful Aberrant's final death, Walker's zed (a Brilliance Breaker psionic undead) was put down by several Survivors in a harrowing fight—including those close to Walker in life. As the night wore on, folks rescued Deja from the Mortis, and the Mortis Stranger, which had been menacing the town, was dealt with.

Saturday Morning

The financial institutions held a festival Saturday morning that lasted into the early afternoon. Those in attendance had plenty of fun, but several spirited researchers sought to progress their research into Wildwood Fever as the symptoms worsened throughout its victims. Fiona Machonis paid a visit, completing research for pay and pausing Wildwood Fever with injections of her proprietary Purifying Bad Brain. The head of the Rolling Coalition, Pacman, visited the Mayor, warning him against working with RANGER. Making his war and demands for blood publicly known, Pacman and Shift left the town expecting members of RANGER and info sent their way. 

As if that wasn’t enough chaos, a RANGER member assaulted folks gathered at the festival. Once stopped, they implicated Machonis in harvesting a root in the Overgrowth, causing the agitation and Wildwood Fever to spread. Taken out of town and immediately executed by the Rolling Coalition, the RANGER member (one of the Grace Rovers) yielded a cipher key for cracking codes at the Machonis sites.

Saturday Afternoon

Another Machonis audit Saturday afternoon yielded similarly troubling results and a fight with some Infected Boulder Puma. Butcher returned to town hunting for Nicholas, who struck back with murderous intent—only for Tarth to jump in the way of the blows, taking their final death, which reverberated through the town. Tarth emerged as a Broken Angel, fitting for a Sainthood Saint, and was defeated as the mourning Survivors remained.

A third Machonis site audit put pieces together with a fight against Infected Radbits, leading several brave people to meet with Fiona Machonis and attempt diplomacy. As her plans and motives unfurled before them – seeking the Moonwort within the Overgrowth, which she saw as a potential panacea at any cost, and believing the Wildwood Fever to be a solvable problem, Fiona was prepared to take on the town and die if necessary in pursuit of a better world.

Realizing the nature and possible source of her convictions, several agreed to work with her. An experiment occurred, sacrificing a member of town to Wildwood Fever so Fiona could study the effect of the Fever and Physis, her experimental serum, to prevent Infection loss from the Fever. Diving into the resultant Mortis scene, Fiona's past became known—once a Digitarian member of the Nuclear Family, she'd lost her family after her experiments on a Haze Raider ended with the Haze Raider's other half breaching their facility and leaving her as the sole Strain survivor. The genesis of the now-Tainted's ambitions to control others and keep her people, her Valued Host Nuclear Family of Machonis, safe and on top became clear.

Saturday Night

The night still young, a Wildwood Fever casualty, and the Haze Raider-ized version of town member Phoenix pushed several to the brink of death and even to death from Wildwood Fever. Fiona came to town to give those at (raidery) death's door a brief and tenuous pause to their progression towards death. In the middle of a speech about taking control of the situation and the town, Fiona looked shocked as two peculiar Haze Raiders marched Warpaths into town and the town scrambled to their defenses. 

““They’re here for me,” Fiona revealed as the Raiders pushed past the town and sought out the doctor. A pitched battle resulted in the town saving Fiona and earning her trust that the potential cure they’d discovered—a mixture of diluted Blood Sap into the water supply—could work. ”

With her and others' help, the town fought their way through and defended the poisoning of the water supply against Overgrowth and Critters, managing to apply the cure and end the scourge of Wildwood Fever. 

The End of the Gather

In victory, the town spent Sunday unwinding, discussing new laws, fighting Undead and other threats still assaulting Barker, settling back towards some semblance of normal. Some members of the Graces came into town upset at how their misguided family member had been treated at the festival. They negotiated a meeting with the Rolling Coalition with the caveat that the Mayor would not be the mediator. When the gather concluded, despite significant losses, the Barkers and their compatriots had made hard choices and fought tirelessly against the scourge of Wildwood Fever and the machinations of their now-ally Fiona Machonis. 

With rumblings of strange faith activity in Barker kicking up and elections around the bend, who is to say what the future will bring for Barker Meadow and its residents?

The Root of All Evil: Here's What to Expect This Weekend

Our Premiere Event is fast approaching and we’d like to provide a rundown of what to expect. In this blog, you’ll find some of the story that’s set up for the event, the major plots and themes players will get to engage with, relevant local mechanics, and details on the Wildwood Fever that much of the weekend’s narrative revolves around.

The Story So Far

The Overgrowth has been surging and encroaching on Barker since the winter. Key to the weekend’s action is that something has agitated the Overgrowth, sending massive amounts of dangerous flora and fauna into town – as well as threatening to overtake the town itself!

Meanwhile, R.A.N.G.E.R. – an extremist environmental activist group concerned with preserving and propagating the Overgrowth and all its creatures – has caused problems for the industrial ambitions of the Financial Institutions of Lorado. As Barker has tried to navigate these conflicts, others have been less diplomatic, and now the Rolling Coalition has declared outright war on the “ecoterrorists” after a violent dispute. 

Finally, the Machonis Company, a health-tech “startup” (whatever that means) run by maverick medical pioneer Fiona Machonis, has moved into town. Though she soured local opinion in her first visit to a Barker trade, Fiona proved instrumental in defeating the fatal contagion of Tunnel Hunger last month. With opinion divided, the Machonis Company has made its intention to remain in Barker clear. 

Major Weekend Plots and Themes: 

• Major Themes

• Environmental Destruction and Exploitation

• Spread of Disease and Fear 

• Resistance and Rebellion, Control and Manipulation, Unity and Division 

Major Plots

Major plots this weekend will focus around the Overgrowth and how to deal with its dangers, with our Survivors unraveling what’s going on and making complex choices while they fight for their lives. Expect a good deal of action and pitched combat this weekend. Finally, though not in-character knowledge: there’s a disease afoot, and dealing with it will also mean the inevitable intervention of the profiteer Machonis Company. You’ll have to do research and find ways of mitigating, treating, and hopefully curing the disease at your disposal. 

Local Mechanics of Note

Although we have a variety of local custom mechanics and encourage you to read our website to learn more (please note our website is under revisions and not all the below mechanics are posted yet) we’d like to highlight a few key ones for this event.

Invasive: This means an effect is exceptionally powerful – often psionics – and comparable to Overpower. To resist an Invasive effect costs double, e.g. “Area of Effect Invasive Agony” would still be countered by Basic Mental Endurance, but it would cost 10MP at base instead of 5MP.

Inflict (variant Threat Mechanic for this event): 

• If an attack with the Inflict carrier hits your Body (i.e. bypasses or exceeds your armor), you contract Stage 1 of the declared Disease. 

• If you already have a Stage of the declared Disease, this call will NOT advance your Stage. 

Pheromone: A tag for other mechanics, Pheromone indicates that the call can be resisted by the Basic ability of the Helscape Deathmask.

Role-Play Prompts: Role-Play Prompts are meant to give actions or guidance for RPing your character during their duration. Characters should attempt to complete the Prompt or to role-play struggling against the Prompt and fighting it off in some clear depiction of internal strife. Prompts are an Opt-In mechanic and can be opted out of at any time. 

Bad Brain Prints: The Machonis Company are bringing some of their innovations to market, most notably the Cutting Edge Injection and the Razor Syringe. Cutting Edge is a potent combat enhancer for using Proficient Combat Skills – especially for similarly Bad Brained individuals who want to push to the limit. Razor prevents the progression of Bad Brain due to the passage of time and allowing tapping into “Raider Rage” but with some drawbacks. We strongly encourage you to seek out these prints in-game. 

Cracked Psionic Crystal: A local resource usually available on the Master Criminal and Northheed Favor buylists, at start of game it will not be available via Buylists due to plot happenings.

Blood Sap: A local resource available on the Master Trade and Bear Claw Favor buylists. This one might come in handy – especially given its historical links to the Overgrowth. 

Hunting Buylist: A buylist that uses Hunting produced goods and Meaty Bits as well as the skill Hunting to buy from it. Several items on the buylist will help fight Critters and Overgrowth this event.

Psionic as a Tag: Some threats or other mechanics may tag on “Psionic” to a typically non-Psionic call, meaning the effect interacts with mechanics involving Aberrancy as normal (such as being shut down by Master Mental Endurance) – and as a carrier tag – that if it directly would harm or impact your character, Basic Mental Endurance is a viable defense unless indicated otherwise by a Guide. 

Psionic: Stealth: A caveat about Psionic-tagged Basic Stealth, however! This skill in particular is augmented by the Psionic tag, bypassing requirements for cover, darkness, etc. – just don’t whisper while you walk! Interacting with the environment and Awareness still cause this skill to drop as normal. Because this is not a direct impact on your character, Basic Mental Endurance does not reveal a threat using Psionic: Stealth. 

Damage Cap: Possessed by fearsome threats, mostly local Undead, this allows any damage above a certain number to be reduced by the threat to that number. Bane is reduced to the Cap and then doubles. For example, an Undead with Damage Cap 5 would take 5 Damage from a 20 Damage strike, but 10 Damage from a 20 Undead Bane strike.

Local Diseases: Several diseases floated around as of last trade, but the most important is Purifying Bad Brain, a Bad Brain variant invented by the Machonis Company that can halt the progression of other diseases. 

Wildwood Fever

Finally, let's talk about Wildwood Fever, this weekend’s star Disease. It’s a virulent, deadly contagion from the Overgrowth that can cause delirium, rage and obsession. Any Bad Brain-specific calls that you may hear throughout the weekend will affect you as well while you are afflicted with Wildwood Fever.

For example, if a Haze Raider calls “Advance One (1) Rank of Bad Brain,” and you have Wildwood Fever you would advance in Wildwood Fever, otherwise you would interact with regular Bad Brain. Please refer to this document for a spoiler-light writeup of the Fever as well as information about specific RP prompts for each stage. Be sure to check-in with fellow players before engaging in CvC while under the effects of Wildwood Fever, as you would with Bad Brain. Remember, at the end of the day, these are your real life pals!

While you can Opt-Out of Wildwood Fever at your discretion, we encourage you to lean into getting and having Wildwood Fever. It will be a blast. A surge, if you will. Of pheromones.

Hopefully this will help prepare you for this weekend in Barker as you face down the Overgrowth, Wildwood Fever and more. Dive into conflict, make tough decisions, and try to survive. The Root of All Evil awaits – see you in the fray!

August Premiere Event!

Survivors! We’re excited to announce that tickets for our August Premiere Event, THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, will go on sale today at 2 PM MDT! Read below to get the details and look for a discount code!

This year we have some exciting mid-game events and some slight differences from previous Premiere events. A few building changes:

• Ops (NPC Camp) will be in the second longhouse, which is west of the main area (north of the lake). Just follow the road past the the first longhouse, past the Donor House, keep going, it’ll be on the left.

• Crafting areas will be in the first longhouse (the one surrounded by the glamping tents, within sight of the Miners’ Row cabins and the Dining Hall.

• Staff and Medical sleep will be in the cabins of Miners’ Row and/or the Counselors Break Cabin; people who need CPAPs or other devices should organize to accommodate as few cabins as possible.

All players can arrive on site at 5 PM on Friday, August 9th, to claim bunks and help set up. You can drive up and unload your car at your bunk; please park once you’re unloaded in the designated parking lot (to be announced). Be prepared: this site is at 8800 feet! You may need extra blankets and warm clothes for nighttime, and extra clothes in case the weather is inclement.

Opening Announcements will be at 9 PM on Friday, with lay on to follow.

Saturday from 10 AM to 3 PM we will start our festival in the Meadow! It’s in a part of the camp we haven’t used before, in the area north of the road north of the archery range. There is a permanent pavilion there where lunch on Saturday will be served. If you would like to perform music, host sermons, set up a merchant booth, host pit fights, or something else, come along and enjoy the festivities as there is plenty of space for all.

On Sunday, our game will lay off at 7 PM instead of noon! At 3 PM you will have several options to choose from:

• Visit the Ops cabin for playtest mods using DR: Live rules!

• Visit the Arts and Crafts cabin for OOC decompression and hangout (if weather prevents this, we will find another space).

• Engage in gathering, crafting, and roleplay in the rest of the space IC.

Then, at 7 PM, meet us in the Dining Hall for Closing Announcements, On-Site Afters (Dinner), and OOC hangout.

All attendees will be able to spend Sunday night at the camp to get one last sleep and breakfast before their journey home on Monday. If you need to leave prior to layoff on Sunday, you may, though people will have to pack out and cart or carry their items to their vehicles. Check in with Public Works to get your cleanup shift and turn in your character sheet before you leave.

Players who are spending the night will have the opportunity to finish cleanup and pack out/load vehicles on Monday morning after breakfast. We would like to be off site at noon.

Read here for the full details and a map.

PREMIERE EVENT DETAILS

As with other 3-night premiere events, your checked in characters will get +1 additional XP. You also have the option to purchase up to 5 additional extra XP; those who buy all 5 will get one free Self-Teach of a non-Achievement skill per character, provided they have the XP and the prerequisites for it. Players with Advanced Memberships also get one additional character swap.

DISCOUNTED STANDARD TICKET

While our other tickets are priced at the normal prices as the rest of the network, our Standard Casting Ticket is $75 instead of $85. For those that wish to support the chapter further, we also offer the normal price for the Standard Ticket in what we call the High Altitude ticket, and you’ll get a bonus….

CHITS!

Every attendee will receive a unique event chit for one of their characters to keep or to use. Players who purchase the High Altitude Ticket (the Standard Casting ticket at the normal $85 price) will get a second event chit.

PRE-REG DISCOUNT CODE!

Pay for your ticket online before end-of-day on Wednesday, August 7th and use the discount code AUGUST2024 to receive $15 off your ticket! This discount is available for all weekend-long and one-day tickets only, and not eligible for discounts on extra XP or food. Don’t forget it when you get your ticket, as we won’t be able apply it retroactively. In fact, why not get your ticket now? See below….

HERE ARE THE LINKS

Get your tickets now.

Don’t forget to check in and get your NPC shift.

Be prepared: this site is at 8800 feet!

Volunteer/Outreach Opportunities - Reminder!

Survivors! We have a couple of great opportunities coming up for bringing Dystopia Rising in front of folks in Denver and northern Colorado! Rewards will be offered to all players who participate. See below for the signups.

Camp Tumbleson Lake Work Weekend

Sign up here to do some cleanup work at our site! Meals are provided and overnight camping is available (bring a tent and cot or mattress). The next work weekend is June 29th and 30th.

Denver FanExpo 2024

Join us for any number of the long four day holiday weekend at Denver Fan Expo! This convention in downtown Denver is from July 4th through July 7th, and is dedicated to comics, cosplay, costumes, cartoons, movie and television stars. We’ll be running fight demos in the community area, zombifying participants and engaging potential new players!

Disguises Community Flea Market

Join us in Lakewood at one of the Denver area’s biggest and oldest costume shops! We’ll be out for a day on July 27th with Alliance LARP Colorado offering up information and demonstrating LARP boffer combat!

Local Custom Mechanic: Lights Out

As part of our two-part June and July plot, we'll be running a custom mechanic called Lights Out. Here's how it works:

A guide will enter a building and call “By This Zone: Lights Out.” All characters not immune to blinding will be under the effects of Blinding and Stun until the guide specifies otherwise, calling “Lights Up.” All players affected by Lights Out will be asked to cover their eyes until tapped by a guide or NPC.

Any character that is not blinded does not have to cover their eyes during this time, and does not take the effects of the Stun. They are considered to have needed cover for Stealth, and can move to intercept NPCs as long as the NPC is not under the effects of Basic Enhanced Movement or Stealth.

If an NPC is intercepted, play will briefly pause while the combat is moved to an open space. Any players that are needed to be moved for safety will be informed by the guide. Once a combat space is cleared, play will resume.

Why would something kill the lights to a building? To snatch helpless victims, of course!

There will be times during our June and July events where NPCs may attempt to abduct your character. If you wish to opt out of being kidnapped, inform a Logistics Guide to receive an opt-out wristband.

If your character is abducted, your kidnapper will attempt to take you to a certain checkpoint. If you are rescued or use the Larceny skill to slip your binds before this checkpoint, you're free! Otherwise, you and the NPC will go back to Ops, where you will be presented with 3 options:

1. If you have Basic Larceny and the mind to do so, but chose not to slip your binds while being taken, you may escape and return to town without drawing enemy attention.

2. If you don’t have Larceny and are OK with your kidnapped character being "offscreen" until one of the rescue missions run the next day, you may NPC for CAPs or play a different character during this time.

3. If you don't have Larceny and don’t want to be offscreen until the next morning, a guide will spin up an escape scenario for you, and you can find out how you managed to escape and what state you find yourself in as you make your way back to town.

We hope to create a tense game with a sense of danger lurking in the dark. Will you find a way to hold back the darkness?

Save the Dates! Our June Event, a camp Work Weekend, FanExpo 2024, Premiere Event!

Survivors! We have some exciting dates coming up very soon. Check ‘em out!

June Live Event

Tickets for our next LIVE event at Camp Tumbleson Lake on June 21st go on sale at noon on Friday, June 7th! Check out our tickets page to get yours then, and make sure to check-in and get your Casting shift!

For June (and likely beyond), we’re offering a special incentive for anyone who wants to tent-camp, stay in a RV, or set up a cot or inflatable mattress in the first (unpowered) Longhouse: opt-out status and special items from the Public Works! Choose “Tent Camping” when you sign up for a ticket to choose this; unfortunately there will be a limited number of bunks and floor space in Miners’ Row while camp staff is staying on site, so we want to encourage people to set up elsewhere.

We’ve been told that bunks will be available in the Longhouses for the July event and beyond, and the Longhouses will have power in 2025.

Summer Site Arrival Time

For the June, July and August events, you can arrive at site at 5 pm or later on Friday.

Camp Tumbleson Lake Work Weekend

On the weekend of June 29th and 30th, YMCA will be having a Camp Work Weekend, with an overnight camping opportunity for those that want to stay up there! Here’s the link to sign up for specific projects on each day.. We’ll have special rewards (chits and item cards) for all Dystopia Rising players who contribute.

FanExpo 2024

Dystopia Rising Colorado will be at Denver FanExpo 2024! This is an incredible chance to reach out to the greater Colorado nerd culture community and connect a TON of new people with our game.

We're super excited to make it happen, but none of this can happen without you! We are looking for a team of volunteers to help us set up/tear down, market, and staff the booth in full costume. With a hefty 10’ by 40’ space in the community zone that we are sharing with Alliance LARP Colorado, we will have ample room for activities, and a tremendous need for your smiling faces to come and make it all happen. From an all-day boffer ring, to guided roleplay activities, and our classic Survivor Dress-up and Zombie Makeup Station, we are going big this year and want everyone to be a part of the team!

Interested in volunteering? We will be providing compensation for all attendees in the form of CAPs, plus a special Chit for volunteers who show up on Thursday or Friday! A complimentary exhibitor badge will also be provided for the duration of your shift, with chances to explore the event floor throughout your time. We want everyone to have fun with it! If you can only attend a limited number of days, please prioritize Thursday and Friday as these will be the tougher days to staff up for with work and life schedules getting in the way..

So, what are you waiting for? Join our community for four exciting days of fandom, community, and excitement at Denver’s largest pop-culture event! Ready to join the fray? Fill out the form here.

August Premiere Event

A quick update about this event: we’ll be going from Friday night (August 9th, 2024) through Monday morning (August 12th, 2024) in a three night event. Stay tuned as we flesh out more of the details of our special annual Premiere event.

The Wardens' Brewing Conflict with Murder Incorporated: A Primer

There is an underlying plot element starting to heat up that aims to put some PCs and the Wardens in direct conflict with Murder Incorporated. Here’s how we will address the way this plot, involvement in it, and opt outs will work at Dystopia Rising: Colorado, as this conflict has the potential to generate bleed for players. The information in this post regarding Murder Inc. should be considered Out Of Game information, should not be taken as In Game knowledge, and is provided solely to give OOG context and background to those looking to get involved in this plot line.

Who are the wardens?

The Wardens are a group of law enforcement who work at the behest of the Financial Institutions to keep a certain minimum threshold of order in Lorado. The Marshal (the head Warden of an area) of Barker Meadow is bounty hunter Ephraim Butcher and his posse, the Hangmen, who have set their sights on Murder Incorporated, a mysterious group that they believe to be a threat to the safety of the Greater Wastes.

What is Murder Incorporated?

Murder Incorporated is a secret network of ritualistic assassins engaged in a sweeping conspiracy in service of what they see as the “Greater Good” of the Wasteland. Its existence is largely unknown in the wastes: if mentioned at all, it is in whispers and rumors. (If you know, you know, but for the most part, especially if you do not have Criminal Influence, you won’t know until someone tells you.) The local MI Families are established groups with their own resources that could be valuable allies, but are also under suspicion in Butcher’s hunt.

This plot line will see these two forces, and player characters on both sides, brought into direct and bloody conflict with potentially lethal consequences.

how plot engagement and optING out will work

You may — before engaging with this plot — choose to completely opt out of it, no questions asked. Please notify an Operations lead of your intent to do so. Your character's name will be kept out of any information trading, and should it come to light that you are part of MI, will be ignored by the Wardens.  You MAY NOT engage with this plot in any way if you choose to opt out — with the exception of being able to attend other MI events where this might be discussed such as general MI meetings and activities. If you decide you wish to join the plot at a later time, you must inform Sorin.

While engaging with this plot, you are considered to have consented to involvement and consequences that come from this — up to and including character death.  If you decide, after engaging in the plot, that you would like to deescalate and disengage, you must speak to Sorin in order to do so. If you are triggered by an action occurring in the moment, please take care of yourself and leave situations that may be harmful to your OOC mental health, then seek out Sorin at the earliest possible opportunity.

There are four ways that the Wardens could find out about a character’s criminal involvements:

1. The character was seen out of disguise by an enemy while participating in a Criminal or Murder Inc. module.

2. The character was brought in for questioning and forced to reveal their criminal involvements while under interrogation.

3. The character’s name was willingly given by another PC — this is a CvC action and should be negotiated between involved parties beforehand.

4. The character’s name was unwillingly given by another PC under the effects of an interrogation. Note: This is not a CvC action, as the player providing the information would not have had any control over what information they provide.

May Event Updates, and More!

Hey Survivors! We apologize for the quick pivots here, but with all new things (like a new campsite) we often times have to make adjustments. We’ve been able to do it before (March 2020, August 2021), and we can do it again. So please read this fully as there are major things to consider.

Bunks, or Lack Thereof

Unfortunately, it was discovered during the YMCA Camp Tumbleson Lake work day that the bunks were structurally unsound and will not be available to be slept in — they have been removed from the cabins. New bunks have been ordered but they are currently scheduled for a mid-June delivery.

This means there will be a very limited number of beds available on site, and likely not in the cabins. So, we are asking all players to bring cots or inflatable mattresses for this event. Bring any number of either to the game for others to use as well and we’ll give you 20 CAPs for each one you bring, even for the one you sleep on.

If you buy one before the next event (Memorial Day weekend is coming up, might be a good time to go to REI or Wal Mart for a cot or an Intex), keep your receipt and we’ll give you 1-for-$1 in CAPs as well, and you still keep the cot or mattress.

If you can bring for more than just yourself, or if you need one, please fill out this form.

May 2024 Meal Service Now Available

Now that we know what the state of the kitchen will be, you can order meal service! If you got a Cancelled Event Reconciliation ticket and bought meal service for the canceled event in November 2023, you don’t have to do anything; we’ll carry forward that purchase to this coming event.

August 2024 Event Date Change

Due to a discovered conflict with YMCA, we have to change the date of our August event from 8/15-8/18 to 8/9-8/11. This will still be our premiere event weekend. We are looking at the possibility of going through Monday on 8/12, so stay tuned for updates and don’t get your plane tickets quite yet.

October 2024 Event Date Acquired

We have an October 2024 event! It will be 10/4 - 10/6 at Camp Tumbleson Lake.

Thank you for your dexterity and patience!

Important updates and our first live-in-person event of 2024!

Survivors!

Join us at YMCA Camp Tumbleson Lake in Ward, Colorado on May 31st, 2024 for our first live-in-person event of the season! Tickets are on sale now, but please scroll through here FIRST for some very important updates:

New Site!

As previously announced, we are going to be at Camp Tumbleson Lake this year. YMCA of Northern Colorado recently purchased this 100+ year-old campsite from the Boy Scouts of Colorado and are currently in the process of making renovations and new construction, so availability of amenities will fluctuate as the season progresses. In June and July it will be used for day-camp, but the plan is that it will be used for overnight camp in 2025, so they will be adding tent pads and renovating existing buildings to accommodate larger volumes of campers and volunteers.

Want to check out the site? Join us for the Work Day and get XP!

If you want a hands-on preview of the site, you should join us for the Epic Day of Service volunteer day on May 18th. You’ll get to meet up with players and other volunteers, and in doing so earn 10 XP, thanks a special offer from the Dystopia Rising Network! Get all the information from our previous blog post about it.

Kitchen being renovated

While the campsite has a sufficiently-sized dining hall, its kitchen was old and too small to handle overnight camping attendees, so it’s undergoing renovations and refurbishing with new equipment. Since we don’t currently know the state of the kitchen, we will be delaying food service sales until closer to the event, when we’ll either have access to the new kitchen or choose a more rustic option.

You might need a new COVID-19 vaccine

CDC has updated their guidance and vaccinations prior to September of 2023 are no longer sufficient for protection against the current strains of COVID-19. This was made very apparent when several of our players tested positive after the October 2023 event! For the safety of all, we have updated our COVID-19 policy and you can see those updates on our local expectations page.

Price changes

On October 1st, 2023, the Dystopia Rising Network changed prices of tickets across all chapters. The current nationwide price structure is as follow:

• No Casting: $120 (was $105)

• Minimum Casting (2 hours NPC): $105 (was $85)

• Standard Casting (4 hours NPC): $85 (was $65)

• Maximum Casting (6 hours NPC): $45 (no change)

• 10-Hour Play (2 hours NPC): $35 (no change)

• New Players: first event free (was $35)

• Extra XP: $15 for 1, $30 for 2 (no change)

• Non-Attending/Buyback for local players: as Standard Casting

But wait! We’re going to make a few changes here

We have analyzed our business model, past attendance, site costs and have come up with some amendments to Network Pricing to start the 2024 season, some which may be familiar to our players.

• If you pre-register for a Standard Casting ticket via this website, you will have three options:

  • Get a pre-registration discount of $10 - that’s right, it’ll only be $75 instead of $85 for the standard ticket.

  • Oh what the heck: if you pre-register and choose the Pay at Door option for the Standard ticket, we’ll give you the $75 price as well! We accept cash and cards with a chip or tap function at the door.

  • Support our chapter a little more with the full-price High Altitude Ticket! It’s the Standard Casting option at the normal DR Network price of $85 and we’ll give you an unique, personalized Event Chit as well! Check out our past blog post about Event Chits, under “Dishes Network Update”, for details about Event Chits!

• We will have a limited number of Max Casting tickets, as this ticket actually costs us money to offer (e.g. it does not generate enough revenue to cover the site and royalty costs). However, we will continue to have an unlimited number of Casting Champion tickets (Max Casting plus 2 Extra XP) for $75, the same price as before.

• We will presently not be offering the No Casting or Casting Only options, but we will have a limited number of Sunday Minimum Casting tickets for $105 each. For this one, you will do the Sunday morning casting shift, after breakfast and before lay-off/closing announcements.

• Our Star Line program will continue to be available! This will be at the Network-standard $85 price for a donated Standard Ticket, and we will continue to offer 1-for-$1 on CAPs and a special Chit for all benefactors as well.

• Note that Buybacks for prior events are sold at the Standard Casting price for when they were originally offered. So Buybacks of live events for 2019-2023 will still only be $65, and Buybacks of events going forward will be $85.

Wait! Not so fast!

Before you buy your ticket, you may want to double check your emails because if you’re a local player, it’s highly likely you purchased a ticket for the November 2023 which ended up getting cancelled due to site complications. If that’s the case, you’re going to want to see the Cancelled Event Reconciliation option. We will honor any tickets that were sold for that event for the upcoming events, or you can pick a different option, but please use that ticket to get registered or make a decision about the ticket you’re still due.

Phew! That was a lot

You can get your tickets on this website now. Also make sure to check on the Dystopia Rising Database to register your ticket and secure your Casting shift. And join us on our Discord to chat with members and get hyped for the first live-in-person DR:CO event of 2024!

Want some XP? Join us for the Camp Tumbleson Lake Workday!

Survivors!

We have an incredible opportunity for ALL members of the Dystopia Rising network. On May 18th, 2024, YMCA of Northern Colorado in conjunction with Rotary Club is hosting a work day at YMCANOCO’s newest campsite, Camp Tumbleson Lake, just outside of Ward, Colorado. This is the site that we and other local LARPs are looking to use in 2024.

On this day alone, DR:CO will be able to give….not CAPs, but 10 XP to everyone who shows up to work! Normal expectations about Basic vs. Advanced Memberships apply to this award.

This will be a cleanup and preparation day with a variety of manual tasks needed, starting PROMPTLY at 9 am and going until 4 pm. Lunch will be provided. Dress for a mess, bring sunscreen, and show up on time!

This event may pose challenges or limitations for people who use mobility aids, given the nature of the work; we trust you to use your judgment on that

To take part in this incredible opportunity to give back to the community, and hang out with some other LARPers, please register for this event in advance.

Additional event information

Additional site information

DR:CO Virtual Public Works update and one more virtual event added

Hey Survivors! First of all, we have added another virtual event to our calendar for April 26th-April 28th, 2024. Get your tickets for March and April now!

Second, we want to provide an additional update for how we’re doing Public Works. Basically, we’re doing it the same way we did in March — you can review the details here — but we’re adding an additional option called Efficient Producers.

If you are electing to be an Efficient Producer, instead of using your 6 or 8 hours of gathering and/or crafting for this event, you may pick from ONE of many extra-efficient options for one of your checked-in characters (and only that one character). That character must meet the requirements listed; the blueprints are available in the Town Library, and there are absolutely no substitutions allowed. This may be combined with your “no-time” skills (e.g. Trailblazing, Trade Connections).

All of the options available under Efficient Producers consume more time than the 6 or 8 hour options.

In order to engage with crafting and econ this weekend, make a copy of the Public Works template and share your completed spreadsheet to drco.logistics@gmail.com any time before 12 PM Mountain Time on Sunday (the end of the event). Item cards will be mailed out the following week.

"WYCKED WONDERLAND" Event Recap

We recently wrapped up our first trade of the 2024 season, and we’re gearing up for our March event (tickets on sale here). Whether you missed our virtual event and want a quick rundown or you’d like to relive the tales you were part of, keep reading for a blow-by-blow recap of WYCKED WONDERLAND.

Travelers and locals, brought together by a desperate plea from the Hopeless Dreamers (minders of the Grave in Barker) and All-Faiths, ventured into the Necropolis of Barker Meadow Reservoir. They sought to rescue the town from its deathly state brought about by the Weapons of Mortis Destruction made of Cracked Psionic Crystal used in defeating the terrifying Graverobber Flesher Calonyction before the winter swept over Lorado, and to return Barker to its former glory. 

Upon arriving, they found the Necropolis, a warped Cracked Crystal-laden place of Mortis influence and unreality, permeating through almost all of Barker. They became aware of perils in the Necropolis, such as the psionic brain-inflaming disease Grave Brain and how quickly they would sink as the Necropolis hungered for them, among other dangers. Several among their ranks were deemed “Prophets,” harried by strange dreams and visions involving and from the Workers. Survivors got quick to work tackling issues head-on. 

A group confronted the Young and Doomed apocalypse cult of KQC prominent in the town, specifically a splinter group under the radical Pyre’s influence. They rescued a hostage from the splinter group’s ritual attempt to summon the powerful faith Undead, the Broken Angels (which the Necropolis was preventing from emerging), amid an attack by Profane Wolves targeting the KQC. With the looming threat of the Broken Angel apocalypse on their mind, they went back to town to report their findings — as many studiously did throughout the trade.

Another group faced the Angler in a harrowing encounter, needing to escape back to town from Barker’s signature nighttime threat. The Angler followed them into town later that night and was put down by a different group of Survivors, who fought tooth and nail to destroy the awful monstrosity of an Undead.

Meanwhile, the Hopeless Dreamers led an expedition deep into the Necropolis, uncovering secrets at the cost of most everyone on the expedition suffering from Death Sick – the disease discovered in Barker last year where one’s own Infection rejects and fears the Mortis – and needing to pull back and return to town with the knowledge they’d gained. The night took a somber turn as a traveler from Leeds named Weston made a fatal stand against a Worker on the Prominent Path — the first death of the trade — haunted in the Grave by the visions that the Prophets like him were experiencing. 

A significant event unfolded in the morning as Ashe became a TV Saint. Throughout the morning, a nest of Magpies was explored. This led to the recovery of stolen items and revealed plainly the Necropolis's bizarre habit of ejecting warped scrap objects, a distorted echo of their original forms.

As the sun rose higher on Saturday, the efforts to rejuvenate the Necropolis gained momentum. The Survivors made significant strides in exploring the Necropolis, rehabilitating the land and clearing out Cracked Crystal Clusters that spread across the Necropolis as blight. As well, they pulled recreated Cracked Crystal Shells being spat out by the distorted recreation of the LUMP of Flesher’s final graven form, and communed with said LUMP to understand more about the Mortis in Barker and the Necropolis. The discovery of the Shard of Blessed Oblivion, a potential weapon against the Heart made out of those Shells, a WMD against the Necropolis made from a WMD that made the Necropolis, sparked a glimmer of hope. 

A medical-combat team showcased their prowess by managing a surge of Death Sick patients, a zed horde, and a Charnel Carrion aptly. The day also saw Ex-Taleholders Nightjar and Aleph leading a dive into the agonized LUMP. Participants endured a harrowing loss of self, experiencing a retelling of Taleholder brainwashing in the Mortis. Yet, through willpower, they managed to survive this black-bagging of the soul, retain a fragment of their identity, and break the cycle of the Videbit scenes, quelling the LUMP and setting it up for future destruction.

The latter part of the afternoon was marked by Murder Inc.'s delve into the Grave, where they manipulated memories both critical and dangerous to the Organization and the Wastes at large. The serial killer The Ghost, who had plagued Barker Meadow for years, was found and captured. The Ghost turned out to be suffering multiple fractures, and was captured and left in the care of the 7x7s, to possibly one day either rehabilitate back into society and/or pay for her crimes. 

The full communion with the LUMP and the debate over the creation of the Shard of Oblivion – hey kids, wanna make a WMD? – were prominent in the day's events. As the day continued, the Prophets sought to complete the Work by walking the Prominent Path and sharing their dreams to piece together meaning from their differences and overlaps, while others purified the All-Faiths artifacts distorted by the Heart that was once the ruins of their Chapel, among many strides. The day culminated in a dramatic confrontation with a Worker, who, after imparting agonizing visions upon the Prophets, claimed the life of Doc Lazarus as he attempted an intense telepathic maneuver on it, disappearing with him into the Mortis.

The evening was the climax of dealing with the Necropolis. A group engaged in a battle against Necropolis Grave mass tumors, clearing them out with skill in the hallucinatory winter horrorland of the Necropolis. Tackling matters on several fronts, with the help of several technosavants and gearheads, a group took 3 powerful rides to run over and kill hordes of zed, burning down the cabins in the process and leaving lines of scorched earth that would continue to smolder long as they left. Others went to stab the Heart – with the Heart weakened by previous events including a ritual where many gave up their faith to purify the artifacts inside and a Shard of Blessed Oblivion was thrust into its core. Inside, the Survivors faced zed and Sin-Augur, while others dove into the Heart itself, uncovering a tragic scene from a failed All-Faiths ritual that they needed to blaspheme, recreate the tragedy of, and finish out by executing the Mortis visions of the dying All-Faiths members. Their escape left the Heart in its former state of rubble and ruins, the consequences of their use of the Shard as-yet-unknown. Finally, Leslie Stareyes of the Fisken Cosmia Darwins guided Spade Heartman and allies into the Mortis Amaranthine to mend the issues within. Their journey through the overlapping memories of the deceased restored the Mortis. Together, this caused the Necropolis to begin to pull back and dissipate.

The night brought a chapter in the story of the Prophets to a close as a group, primarily composed of Prophets, was drawn to a nearly completed Cairn. Pushing themselves to the limit, risking mind and Infection, they gained visions which pieced together the fragmented dreams of the Prophets, restoring the lost memory of the Prominent Path to the Workers. They assisted in the completion of the Cairn, which unleashed a profound vision that brought fear to all who experienced it, signaling the completion of A Work, if not The Work.

Finally, Sunday began with a concerted effort to cleanse the Necropolis of remaining zed, led by Shift and Tracks of the Rail Crew Lorado DJs, including fighting off a Sin-Augur in the process with a group of able combatants. The day's defining moment came as the LUMP was finally laid to rest. Covered in Blood Sap and set aflame, it was vanquished through a work of faithful will by Tenacity, closing a dark chapter in Lorado's history with a vow: All This Has Happened Before, All This Will Never Happen Again.

As the Necropolis receded, the travelers and locals departed, having succeeded in conquering death, or at least its Necropolis hold over Barker Meadow, and with the threat of the Broken Angels looming large in the mind of those who know the history of the town. 

What’s in store for next time, you ask? Well, you’ll just have to find out at our upcoming virtual event on Discord March 29th-31st, APOCALYPSE. And if you haven’t filled out your EVENT FEEDBACK SURVEY, please do so!

A Primer on the Barker Meadow Necropolis

As our February virtual event quickly approaches, we wanted to put together this little guide to let you know what you're heading into. Before the Wycked White settled in at the end of last season, Barker Meadow warped into a Necropolis - a place where the Grave holds powerful sway. Much (but not all!) of the weekend’s content will focus on interacting with, understanding and fixing the distorted Necropolis. Let’s talk about how we got here, where things are now and how the Necropolis might be dealt with.

How Did We Get Here?

Back before the early arrival of the Wycked White, the Barkers used Cracked Psionic Crystal Weapons of Mortis Destruction to defeat Flesher Calonyction. The ancient Graverobber had used strange Grave science to convert himself into a mass of Infection with the intent to overtake the local Gravemind. These weapon - the Cracked Crystal Projectile Shell and Cracked Crystal Coating - were understood to have terrible effects on the surrounding land. 

The Cracked Crystal Projectile Shell works by draining off Infectious mass and energy when it impacts a target, which then causes a backlash when that mass and energy interacts with the psionic crystals inside the shell. This causes necrosystemic and ecological damage where the shells land, weakening the bacterial biosphere that forms a barrier between the Mortis Amaranthine and the world “topside” while pulling the Mortis layer closer to the surface.

The Cracked Crystal Coating sinks into the soil and stimulates the growth of Cracked Crystal clusters. Since these clusters are typically an immune response meant to strengthen damaged or weakened Morgues, these clusters forming outside of conditions they are typically found in caused distorted Grave phenomena as they absorbed and concentrated Infectious material.

Where Are We Now?

This Necropolis is a region of unchecked Mortis expansion and growth, like a damaged organ replicating cancerous cells and spreading them to areas far beyond where they are meant to be. The Barker Meadow Reservoir Necropolis blurs the line that Strains understand to exist between the Mortis Amaranthine and the world they live in. Masses of Infection cause high concentrations of DMT - leading to psycho-reactant landscapes - while memories churned from deep in the Mortis spur it to fabricate corrupted structures and artifacts to recreate the past.

Although the freezing temperatures of the Wycked White have slowed the spread of decay, the winter will not hold forever. If allowed to continue in this manner after the thaw, this Necropolis will continue to build on itself. The end result will be the creation of a localized necrosphere deep in the Overgrowth. 

So, How Do We Stop This?

The Necropolis must be pushed back - both physically and psychologically in the minds of the people that live here. This will require the excavation and removal of the Cracked Crystal clusters, as well as the treatment of the land to repair the biosphere. The Mortis layer will then have to somehow be pushed back and repaired, while the tumorous Grave masses will need to be surgically, radioactively or chemically removed to prevent the Mortis from resurfacing. Finally, something must be done to lay the Necropolis to rest in the minds of Barker Meadow Reservoir - something to convince the entire town to accept the paradigm that the Necropolis is no more. What that is exactly? Well…

Continue the conversation on our main Facebook group, our private Facebook hype group, in our Discord server, and on Instagram. And we’ll see you in the “Wycked Wonderland” that is the Necropolis in Barker Meadow Reservoir.

DR:CO 2024 Virtual Event Public Works/Econ Update

With the network changes to how LIT usage works that went into effect on January 1, 2024, we wanted to be transparent about how we will be handling gathering, crafting and other econ skills during our upcoming virtual events at Dystopia Rising: Colorado. Our goal is to bring our virtual Public Works in-line with other online events happening across the network given the eventual elimination of LIT, and to give players – that’s you! – more opportunities to focus on using their characters’ mind and abilities within our modules and content during the event.

This policy will be in effect for the February 2024 virtual event and is subject to change before the March 2024 virtual event (so be sure to check back for any such updates!).

A spreadsheet template will be provided for players to fill out and submit. This will provide our logistics team with a clear list to write out your cards. This form can be filled out by any players who are attending our event, and can be submitted up until the end of the event.

Our next event is February 23-25 and will be held over Discord.

Here are some Frequently Asked Questions, plus how to grab your Econ Form: 

How Many Hours of Crafting are Available to Me?

You will be allotted six (6) hours of crafting and gathering, with no mind spent. This limit is per player and not per character. If any gathering or crafting requires a Resolve expenditure, this will be expended for that character for the event.

SPECIAL BONUS: You may gain access to two (2) additional crafting/gathering hours, if (and only if) the entirety of the eight (8) hours spent – including any “no-time” requirement skills – does not require any interaction with LIT on the Public Works. This includes expending items in LIT, going negative, or anything that subtracts from LIT (including turning in cards later).

Here are some examples to provide you with a better understanding:

Ex: [Character] just wants to farm up Basic Herb. Since they are not removing anything from LIT or expending items from cards to get that herb, they get two bonus hours and receive 48 Basic Herb.

Ex: [Character] spends six hours farming up Basic Herb. They want to make some brews, so they use the Shortest Path and two bonus hours to make 12 Uncle Todd’s Serums. They will receive 12 Basic Herb and 12 Uncle Todd’s Serum as a result.

Ex: [Character] wants to make Uncle Todd’s, but their Basic Herb is on cards or in LIT. With the Shortest Path they may make a total of 36 Uncle Todd’s Serum over the six hours they receive, but do not get any bonus time.

Ex: [Character 1] spends two hours farming Basic Herb and one hour making 6 Uncle Todd’s Serum. They will receive the 6 Uncle Todd’s Serum after the event. They then switch to [Character 2] and that character does the same thing. They would get 2 bonus hours that they can use to farm up 12 more Basic Herb, for either character.

Ex: Same as above, except [Character 2] spends their three hours making Uncle Todd’s from Basic Herb that they have in LIT or on Cards. Character 1 gets 6 Uncle Todd’s Serums and Character 2 spends 36 Basic Herb to get 18 Uncle Todd’s Serums, but no bonus hours are rewarded.

Will There Be Any Crafting Stations Available?

Yes. Your characters will have access to the following:

• Shortest Path Distillation Kit

• Paradigm Print Workshop

• Grinding Mill (which will expend your character’s Resolve, per the item’s mechanic)

• Forged Mechanical Crafting Area

No other items that reduce time or increase output will be permitted.

I’d Like to Trade Items Between My Character and Another Player’s Character. Can I Do It Through the Public Works During a Virtual Event?

No. Trading between characters will not be managed by the Public Works at this time – not even if you bribe our Public Works overlord with a free cruise. Any trading you would like to plan with others, we ask that you please coordinate with them on how you will exchange those items since we can no longer enter trades in LIT and our team is unable to facilitate card/item trades.

If it is something that is coming from your LIT, you may denote that you are cashing that out for the purpose of facilitating a trade on your own time, but keep in mind that will affect your two-hour crafting bonus.

Where Can I Log My Crafting?

We are using a spreadsheet template that you will be able to log your crafting hours. Crafting/Gathering logs include: Salvaging, Foraging, Agriculture, Artisan, Culinary, Hunting, Print Copying (Education).

Each character that is checked in for the event can also check in the “no-time” requirement skills. These skills include: Proficient/Master Financial, Sailing, Trade Connections, Trailblazing, Criminal Influence.

Please note that due to the “free mind” component of this mechanic, Vehicles, Gizmos, or Augments which enhance, change or add to the output (including the GOAT Cycle) will not be used or honored. Vouchers, Caravan Maps, Trade Papers, Dock Worker Contracts and CAPs expenditures will be honored as per usual.

You may pull items from your LIT/go into the negative, which represents expending physical cards that you will need to reconcile (e.g. turn in or mark off) with the Public Works/logistics personnel at your local chapter.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You will need to save a copy of the form, update the document title to include your name and player number. Email/share access with our Logistics Director (drco.logistics@gmail.com) as an Editor no later than the end of the event.

We can’t wait to see you at our Virtual Event, WYCKED WONDERLAND, on February 23-25. Be sure to grab your tickets here and don’t forget to complete your checkin. For additional questions and updates, you can find us on our Discord server, Instagram, our main Facebook group and our private Facebook hype group!

2024 Virtual Events!

Hey folks, it's time to shake off the dust and get ready for the 2024! I know there's been a lot of stuff going on in the network, and we've been working diligently behind the scenes to make the right decisions and get things ready. We still need to get confirmations from our sites for the live events, but we are ready to go and announce our two virtual events for the winter season!

This winter, Barker Meadow Reservoir in the Big Rock Mountains of Lorado has been inundated by snow, ice, and more than anything, encompassed by death. As winter loomed, its residents unleashed weaponry that turned Barker into a Necropolis to save their town from apocalyptic threat. With Barker turned into a wicked winter Mortis horror, can wastelanders rescue the town from its graven fate?

Our virtual events will be on February 23rd - February 25th and March 29th - March 31st. Tickets for both events are now on sale. The event will be held on Discord. Make sure to check in on the database before your event as well (February and March respectively).

'In the Flesh' Event Recap

We hope you enjoyed our October event, In The Flesh! For those of you who missed it, want to get caught up, or have a better perspective on the big picture, here's a rundown of important story beats that occurred over the weekend. These will have you better filled in ahead of our season closer November event, Apocalypse – which takes place in just two weeks.

Friday Night

The preparations for combatting the attempted Integration of Flesher Calonyction – Graverobber of the ever-dangerous Taleholders – into the local Mortis began. From seasoned Wasteland vets to our bluebirds, the town mobilized in garnering the resources needed – including a massive amount of Cracked Psionic Crystal – through every possible avenue. As they did so, bluebirds in the town encountered horrifying signs of the Broken Angels, a terrible faith Undead. For those newer to the area, this threat shaped Barker Meadow into what it is today.

Through hedonistic rituals, Mortis-damaging Cracked Crystal mining out of the Morgue and Helscape mine, and more, the rush was on to get the resources to prepare the Weapons of Mortis Destruction that would be key against Flesher's attempt. In the context of this, several Survivors went on an Infectus Mortis, slaying a sacred beast of ego and screams in the Gravemind to gain back pieces of themselves. Following that, a group embarked on a Videbit Mortis to gain intel on Flesher – the preparations for which had killed the doctor, Ashe Danvers, who had performed them alone. 

In the Videbit, they discovered Flesher's original name – Calonyction Sprucewood, later "Flesher", the "humble butcher" – and Hawk was left behind in the process, trapped in a recreation of the cage that had held Flesher in the Gravemind for a decade by Graverobber Tomas.

Saturday Morning

Tomas came into town and required new faces to help put together piece by piece his great Grave working, the Oblivio Mortis, meant to stop Flesher. Through strange ritual, Tomas prepared for oblivion with the town. 

Nearing lunch, Owen Grace returned with Cassady Jaunt on his heels. Missing and absent at best for months, Owen's whereabouts had been heavily wondered about. The reveal that the Fixation menaces of Barker known as the Hobbes collective used Owen as a "backup" for their thought bending, ended with death – including townsfolk, Cassady, and the permanent death of Owen (who arose as a Devout Dead, which was a precursor to the Broken Angels). Whiskey, experimented on by the Hobbes, was turned against the town and the lingering effects are unclear. 

Saturday Afternoon

With preparation at a fever pitch, the Taleholders struck. A sprawling battle throughout Barker Meadow combatting Taleholders, Workers, Sin-Eaters, and more, commenced, deploying Weapons of Mortis Destruction to shell the Grave monstrosity that Flesher had become and to fight the Workers. Finally, the Grave node Flesher was becoming was shelled into the ground and attempted to breach the Mortis. 

Tomas' Oblivio Mortis found himself and a group of daring Barkers fighting to complete his original Oblivio Mortis to destroy the Taleholders, with a twist: This time, he had help. Denying and attacking Flesher at every turn, using his name and fears to protect Tomas, the Oblivio Mortis was successful and Tomas fed his last, poisoned Infection to the Flesher-node, destroying it and permanently killing Flesher and himself in the process. Flesher's zed assaulted the town shortly after – a Broken Angel of the Seasons – wreaking havoc before being put down.

Saturday Night

That was only the beginning. The Big Bad Wolf, a Nemesis looking to teach important lessons, came into town that evening. The town's response was... complicated and mixed against the Profane Wolf-controlling Big Bad. Did they pass the test, and what does this mean for them going forward?

Before the night was out, the Ghost's haunt and home was discovered, and diaries found giving the story of the killer who had menaced Barker for so long. Would the Barkers be able to catch them now, armed with their tale? 

What’s Next?

With the Taleholders defeated, and the Broken Angels descending upon Barker Meadow, what does the future hold as the Wicked White – and our next event, Apocalypse – approaches? We hope to see you in two weeks to find out together!

APOCALYPSE! Tickets for our Season Closer are now on sale!

A season of revelations and destruction concludes with the possible end of Barker Meadow. Our survivors have learned much in their time in town, will it be enough to save them from the horrors that are to come? Or will the town be lost forever to the darkness at the heart of their home?

Tickets for our season closer/November event, “Apocalypse”, are now on sale!

If you already purchased a “Autumn All In” ticket, make sure to check in on the database! See the link below.

Special Note about Lay Off on Sunday:

• Due to Daylight Savings ending on Sunday, November 5th, and the weather expectations, we’re going to lay off (end game and have closing announcements) at 11 AM on Sunday instead of noon. The last Casting Shift will be from 9 am to 11 am. This will give all of us (locals, anyway) enough time to get home while there’s still daylight out.

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

• Dystopia Rising announced in August that prices across the network increased 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 November:

• 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. 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
November event database checkin
Site details here

Last-Minute Details You Should Know Going Into This Weekend's Event

With our October event, In The Flesh (tickets and details found here), barreling down on us like the apocalyptic plans of the Taleholders, all of us at Dystopia Rising: Colorado wanted to make some quick announcements. These will encompass the final fight with the Taleholders and, given we've told you there will be a Worker(s) on the field, the status of some of the tools we've seeded for fighting those horrible Grave monstrosities!

To be upfront: you should start preparing in-character for the fight as soon as game is on. After all, we've announced here that the fight will be in the 2 p.m. to 6 p. m. Casting Shift block. Start out the gate prepping and strategizing for the fight for the best chance to triumph in the final hours! We're looking to provide plenty of opportunities for varied playstyles and build levels in getting ready for and executing the fight itself, so don’t hesitate to get involved and see where you can help out and contribute.

But first, to get your attention we’re giving a peek at some of the new content for this final fight that was developed in-game last event! This Weapon of Mortis Destruction came from the minds and effort of the people of Barker Meadow, and it's a doozy! What have these careless hands wrought, and what might happen if it fell into the wrong hands?

With the Weapons of Mortis Destruction – the one pictured above and a terrifying Cracked Crystal Coating meant to be delivered on a blade – available to be produced for the fight, you'll still have to deal with the sticky situation of Workers being allied with the Taleholders. The last time the town fought one, they made it flee using the Inverted Cairn, and in a protracted fight like the one lined up for this month, we recognize that some mechanics need to change around fighting the Workers. 

An important change is being made: We're replacing Imbued Crystal Fragments often used for anti-Worker tools with Cracked Crystal in all things going forward, as we behind the scenes made a decision that you all had enough local resources to account for already. If you see Imbued Fragment in a print, nope, you see the equivalent in (more in some cases) Cracked Crystals!

We recognize that this means potentially needing a LOT of Cracked Crystals to make All The Things to save the day, so we remind you that certain factions (namely Northheed and the Taleholders, but also other shadowy forces) have loads of the infection-eating psionic crystal, and encourage you to get creative and see what we can Yes And or No But in your efforts to gather enough to triumph.

There will be opportunities to gather Cracked Crystal in-game, and we’d like to remind you that it’s available off the Northheed Minor Favor buylist, that you can spend 50 CAPs to get a Minor Favor item like a Cracked Crystal, and oh yes, certain Masters of Criminal activity can purchase it as one of their buylist options as well. Get scheming to get those awful rocks!

So here's the details, as much as we can release currently and without spoiling too much of the surprise: 

• The Inverted Cairn Schematics have been updated to be simpler, less expensive and less punishing to the user.

• The Inception of a Weapon Zone of Mechanics, that necrokinetic ritual to harm Workers, has been updated to use Cracked Crystal instead of Imbued Fragment, but is otherwise unchanged. Read those glyphs and channel Grave knowledge to combat the Workers! 

• The Bloody Poison Condenser to make Worker Bane applied poison has been updated to be less resource and time-intensive and more effective. 

• For our local Worker-focused prints, the Everliving Weapon and Spike Severer updates are upcoming. We're looking to make the Everliving Weapon less mind-intensive and the Spike Severer will receive minor updates.

• The Blinding of the 3rd Eye Mental Endurance/Mind Killer ritual will be back in a new form, updates are incoming. Last time it was brought in by S&P and used up in the fight, what will it look like this time?

The ZoMs will be updated in-place in-play at the Library, they are all living documents subject to change up through game. For the prints, we'll announce a process for getting those swapped out on any significant change. Keep in mind that we’re always open to feedback to improve your experience and the game in general, these mechanics included, don’t hesitate to reach out with feedback on these in the lead-up to the game or after you’ve experienced them.

We look forward to seeing you in-game this weekend, and wish you the best of luck in your fight against the Taleholders and their ages-long machinations!