Type: LARP (Tavern scene)
Author: Quinn Milton
Date: 1/2009
Teaser: Dear most prominent, pretentious, and preposterously prosperous person,
It is with pleasure that we invite you to a party of most impressive proportions, an invitation presented to only the most prestigiously wealthy lords of His Prince's England. We have prepared only the most perfect platters for you to partake. If you think this alliteration is good, you should try our imported truffles! HAHAHA. But really, each piece is packaged in panther skins so as to preserve its pungent flavor.
So, preferred patron, please join us on the 24th of January for a positively pleasurable evening of paramount personae and proliferation of only the most preeminent teas.
Preregistration (delivered by post in a prior preceding parcel) is a prerequisite for your presence. Preferably reply as soon as possible.
With profoundest pleasure,
The Prestigious Palace of Lord Abarenthy
World Background: None was really provided, but c'mon. It's Victorian Britain at its most preposterous.
Group Background: Again, none given, most of this was established at game by character development with others; I was a member of the aristocracy, basically.
Author's Note: This is just provided to show what kind of game it was: I have for everyone a brief outline for your character for the tavern scene. This is in no way a complete character, so please develop your character and make them shiny and full of life! There will be plenty of time for character development on the 24th as well. If your character is male, please dress with tophats, nice shirts and fancy pants. If your character is female, please wear girly frills and a skirt or dress. The year is 1919, but feel free to dress up in Victorian style because this is essentially a tea party! Costuming will have some items, but if you can bring your own costuming please do!
Character: Alice-Rose Watson: You are the spoiled, bimbo, pretty, dainty, demanding daughter of Beatrice Watson and Carlson Watson. However… you have a grave secret! You secretly like to drink coffee! You absolutely HATE tea with a passion, but cannot confront anyone about this because they would shun you… You secretly take your parents money and buy some under-the-counter coffee from the TOWN. You never thought you would have to go into the TOWN for anything, since you could get your servants to do it. You have to dress up like a common-person. But coffee is worth it!
How Game Went: While I didn't enjoy it as much as I could have at the time... that was partially my fault. First, other considerations were bothering me, second I wasn't as clear on my survey what kind of character I'd like (I put yes for a lot of the archetypes, and even though I put "no" on bratty kid and bimbo wife, I think the "yes" on snooty mcsnooterson and rich aristocrat carried me over to fill a character written that I didn't really like. No-one's fault but mine), and third, I was caught up in my disappointment at the time. IN RETROSPECT however, it was a good time. There was someone playing an animated lamp, so I got it into my character's head that the lamp was following her, and had a good hissy fit about that.
Oh, right, I should talk about the plot. So, not surprisingly enough, as the patriarch of the family (who was NOT GAY with another very well-dressed guy) got up to give a speech... he toppled over, murdered. To say the least, we were all in a tizzy, and good, old-fashioned investigating went on, somewhat hindered by my uppityness and hysterical shrilling about how we could all be next (even if I don't particularly like a character, I will damn well play it well). Eventually there was a hullabaloo about a vampire living in the basement, and he and his servants dashed off with his coffin right as the detective with the permanent five-o-clock shadow (constantly trailed by another dressed the same, with the same drawn-on five-o-clock shadow playing his inner monologue and making it REALLY HARD for the rest of us not to laugh at what we were supposed to not be able to hear) was giving his conclusions.
Basically, it was a hilarious game. I wish I'd been more experienced, but it's still a fun memory, and I think we should have another game like this at some point. I suppose we can't exactly without the Mansion, but we can try.
