Cirque de Pandemonium: a June Precap

The Cirque de Pandemonium is but two weeks away. As always, I, Betsy Bass, have done a little digging (not like the kind you will be doing) and have all the details ready for you ahead of time. I’ve done you all the courtesy of attaching the circus schedule at the end, so don’t put this down until you’ve looked at everything.

Who is running this circus? It’s quite the undertaking to put together such an exquisite troupe of performers, keep them fed and protected from zed, and travel across the wastes with such success that your name becomes a household word. Let me share a little of what I know about the Rungling family. Made up of three siblings, Al, Otto, and Ruby. Al is the man with the dream, Otto is the support system with a smile, and Ruby manages all the acts with a fierce loyalty to her brothers. How did a circus end up becoming their endeavor of choice? That sounds like an interesting conversation to be had with the family.

Of course at a circus you can expect clowns, games, and spectacles on a stage. You are also invited to my gear swap on Saturday at 3pm. “But Betsy,” you may ask, “You’ve simply got to know some of the tea behind the scenes, do you not?” With that I reply, “Oh yes, of course I do. Where shall we begin?”

Rumor has it that the newest batch of clowns included both some fantastic additions to their acts as well as a few ne’er do wells. Emptied bottles have been found in small piles just outside their encampments. Drinking on the job is frowned upon, I am sure. Whispers in the camp have become louder as it’s been longer than usual since that crew has returned. Was circus life too much for them, or has something else happened?

The circus draws in everyone, even poor old man Baudelaire has announced he will be visiting. It’s a shame what happened to his house, overrun by zed, forcing the whole family to evict or face the fallout of the tunnels. One can not blame him for not being so well of mind after all he’s been through. Perhaps a circus is exactly what the old man needs to escape his woes. As long as the sights and smells and sounds don’t overwhelm the old man, there should be peace.

Science. History shows we’ve hosted world wide fairs celebrating the advancements in science. A circus should do no less. The feelings that you feel upon meeting the surgically combined Rover Twins will not impact their pride. If you find medical advancements of interest, perhaps these two can provide sufficient advice on how they achieved ‘rebirth’ through science.

Timing can be so peculiar. Sometimes it works with us, sometimes against us. With their very last breath, a flame whisperer shared with one of my readers that they had a vision of a bloody mound of scrap somewhere not far off. Unfortunately they could not elaborate and don’t seem to be returning to life anytime soon. The opportunity to see for yourselves is here, will you take it?

Lastly I must talk about the vaults. The vaults, buried under the surface where we will soon all gather, contain secrets, stories, and a whole lot of stuff. Before we can discuss what might be there, let me share some of Requiem’s history with you.

The Hartwell family. They were publicly known for their deals within Property Management. Owning property brings in large amounts of money, they need somewhere to store it, they build the vaults. While the vast majority of the public would agree that a career like that would earn you a spot in Requiem’s reputation of thieves, it was no secret what they were doing behind closed doors. Alongside bundles of money, the truth behind what was happening during those living experiments hides behind those vault doors. William Hartwell understood the severity of what he was doing and the connections he had to make. Prior to the family’s fall during the Anastasia reign, Hartwell spent his days creating the most elaborate mazes filled with dead ends, traps, and nobody truly knows what else. And just our luck, the Runglings believe they have a way to open them. Are the riches of all types you’ll find in this vault worth the risk of traversing a maze designed by a paranoid, rich man?

This article was longer than usual, and I thank you to everyone that picks up my papers, mouths frothing at the chance to be the first one in the know. It brings me joy knowing that my deeds don’t go unseen and you, the people of the Fold, get to enter your next gather with confidence.

Political Turmoil Hits Requiem: April Recap

Making waves and it’s not even Honor’s Fall yet. The truth about all these towns and all these laws is that laws are made for two reasons. One is to protect the people. The other is for someone’s benefit. Now who I ask is the one to benefit as Requiem executes their own? A town without laws can’t have any criminals, which would make Requiem simply a town of regular folk, terrifying I know. But can a town that lives by the law create criminals of those seeking to simply survive? This town’s politics are not one for myself, Betsy Bass, to interject with my personal opinions. The rest of the Fold has their eyes on Requiem as they choose to pave a new path, or continue with the one they have already forged.

For those of you that find yourselves out of the loop with why I would be bringing up politics at this time, let me fill you in. This previous gather in Requiem a group of poachers marched in and demanded an audience. They claim to have been murdered by the people of Requiem, naming two names. The accused shared their story as an act of self defense. As per the law, the family heads came together to make a decision, ultimately choosing to execute the offenders. This is something that did not sit well with everybody in the town and talks of change have begun.

Another run in with the law, this time in Requiem’s favor, appeared in the form of a botched break in. It seems as though a group broke into a local medical facility and caused quite a bit of a stir, leaving at least one person dead. Descriptions were given, people were questioned, and everyone in Requiem walked free that evening.

Do you know what’s more interesting than laws and politics? Squirrels! Something about those creatures just isn’t right.

The Tarrarian Tunnels were excavated. As one may imagine, it wasn’t a clean and clear excavation. I would say only partially under control. The morbid discoveries will have to be worded lightly for my paper. When one is trapped inside of a cave, food is very limited. When food is very limited and you’ve got a pack of hungry Lascarians, I’ll let your imagination do the rest.

At what point are the things we own more important than our own lives? What is the cost of sentimental value? The town of Requiem aided old man Baudelaire at his rather reluctant escape from his home. Once the horde has passed, it should be safe to return home, so why all the fuss? I guess looting could be one fear, but I would assume everything of importance would have been brought with.

And that, dear members of The Fold, is what transpired most recently at Requiem.

Did I miss something? Was something incorrect? Do you have your own juicy gossip that is yet to be shared? Write a letter to Betsy Bass and your findings can be published too!

Times are Changing: April Pre-Cap

Fresh off the press, the Fold’s newest of news has arrived. What signs of change have I seen? What horrors have I heard? What words came with a cost? From what I can only describe as Ashen Showers around Requiem, to our local ne’er do wells turning a new leaf, it’s hard to predict if this next gather will be one to revel in the spring, or one to prepare for things to get worse.

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Those curious rings of ash scattered around the Fold have grown in numbers rather quickly. It’s as though the ash is falling from the sky with how many have been reported. It would behoove you all to take care of this matter sooner rather than later.

How does one handle a growing colony of bats that carry little regard of the damages caused by their faith? How do you close the cauldron lid and let them cook, metaphorically speaking of course. Ponder as we may, I have confidence that the people of Requiem will pull together to handle this problem one way or another.

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Oh dear Requiem, how news of where you’ve been travels so quickly. The Hallows Breath Research Coalition has been poking their noses around with more questions of the tunnels you visited. I had assumed we’ve long abandoned the old Tarrarian Tunnels, but I have been proven wrong. It is good to know there are people out there with a genuine curiosity of our modern history.

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Photos by Wren Tello

Now let us take a look at the Lotus Society. A relatively new family, but their impact and efforts have expanded to astounding levels in such short time. Sinclair and his sister Sophia have taken the time to acknowledge the Northern settlements that aided Requiem in their efforts for fresh water. After a journey up, a thank you, and perhaps a little reward, the Vox’s relationship with those settlements continues to gain strength.

For those seeking to BE one of those relationships, it does appear as though the Lotus Society is in search of new connections to expand upon their current connections. If you are experienced any of the following, this may be your opportunity:

• Firearms

• Explosives and Traps

• Transcription

• Economics and Trade

• Preservation

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Photos by Emily DeRoma

Snow melts, people change, and Da Hood has dumped their name. Or so it seems. It’s easy to ambush people on the streets and call yourself a fighter, but after Da Hood’s defeat in an attempt at war, it looks like Da Hood may be no more. Those that passed through the Mortis have not been accounted for as of yet, but those that avoided the fight have abandoned the name. If you are one of the people referenced here, my advice to you is: Repent and Reform. If you were looking for an opportunity out, now is the time. Turn your lives around. Give back to those you hurt. Prove to the people of the Fold that you can be trusted.

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Of all the horrors in the wastes, nothing can make you shake your head in disappointment the way these poachers are. A wasteful bunch of animal hating-folk, these poachers take the furs and the skins and abandon the rest. The world holds a very delicate balance of creatures, and that status quo is about to be interrupted. Every living being holds its purpose and when one disappears, chaos will follow. Most likely is this the doing of the Bloodhounds, and they too will suffer the consequences of their over hunting.

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We must be thankful for the fact the poachers don’t seem to play well with others as they most likely will not be going for a family position. With less than half a year until the big event, it looks as though there may be new contenders on the horizon. If Da Hood manages a successful rebrand like I’ve suggested, perhaps they could use their charisma for good. They were able to convince people to fund their efforts in the past, so I wouldn’t count them out. Another family by the unfortunate name of the Baudelaires has been spotted around the Fold. Survival is not something they seem to thrive at, but have shown to make it out of some sticky situations in the past. I do wonder how they always find themselves in such a pickle.

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With that, my wonderful people of the Fold, I hope you found this information to be of use for your next visit to Requiem. Until next time, I’ll be gathering more news and beginning my search for the perfect circus. There’s no such thing as too soon to prepare for something as exciting as the circus.

The Good, The Bad, Requiem - March Recap

Requiem was quite busy this trade, it’s best you grab yourself a cup of hot brown, find a seat, and get to reading. By the time you’re reading this, I’ll already be collecting articles for the next edition. News moves so quickly around here.

First, I must compliment the town’s local nighttime criminals. You’ve kept quiet! Which is rather unfortunate for myself as I have no further insights on what you may be up to.

Photos by Emily DeRoma

In several memorable moments, family heads and their high ranking members stood alongside the town and managed to overcome rocky past relationships.

The family heads of the Lotus Society, Stevensons, and Lucianos and high ranking members of Lonely Streetz were seen working alongside the Saintbane Sentinels in removing the threat of Da Hood. In a battle of forces, Requiem showed the rag tag group of rebels that no one could tell them what to do.

Some new Volkovs were spotted aiding the battle for fresh water. It’s unclear if they’re new or they’ve been part of the family all along. Perhaps my own mother has been a Volkov and that’s where I get my love of gossip and learning the truth from. This, readers of the Fold, is something I must investigate off paper.

Speaking of mysteries, there’s been something described as a dark ooze, or a blob moving across Requiem. It would be naive to believe there is no root to this problem. Anyone with information is requested to come forward to myself, Betsy Bass. Your anonymity is guaranteed.

This brings me to my next point, The Chorus, which many of you know as the Bat People, were caught in the act of not only mass sacrifice, but teasing the Mortis with infection it couldn’t keep. I suppose when you don’t stay very long, it doesn’t matter to you what effects you cause. Faith has become flipped upside down, those with faith often feeling lost and those without faith feeling that urge to be a part of something new. All we can do is hope it doesn’t get worse until The Chorus has been spoken to.

Procedures in the Mortis continue, despite growing concerns and symptoms. Saving your friend may sound heroic in the moment, but how many times can we continue to deny the Mortis of what is natural? We may not know who is voluntarily going down there, but we can all feel it worsen every time it happens.

Then there are times we do know, and I ask the question, if you are not withholding infection and you learn valuable information, does it make it alright to poke and prod at the Mortis? Both closure and some rather disturbing information came about for Abigail Stevenson and those that accompanied the newly appointed family head. To the Stevensons, I wish you prosperity under Abigail’s leadership.

Something that would put a smile on the Stevenson’s face is the new Critter Conservation sight set up on the outskirts of Requiem. While not created by the family, I’m sure they can appreciate others love of agriculture. Again, I applaud Requiem for their activism towards animal welfare. By choosing to care for these animals, a lot can be learned about them, their habits, and if ever needed, their weaknesses. I do wonder who is footing the bill with creatures like the Oni Kuma living there.

Did anyone else stumble across a circus ticket? It’s as though a caravan drove through scattering them across the wind. Where there’s a circus, there’s performances, and where there’s performances, there’s the newspaper. This is your chance to meet Betsy Bass live, in person. You won’t want to miss this.

A Glimpse at What’s to Come: Upcoming in March

Last time you read my newsletter, I was recapping most of what you already knew. Now let me be the one to cleanse your fears and bring about a wave of comfort knowing you are well prepared to survive and thrive in the Fold.

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As you can recall, in my first edition I noted that Requiem isn’t quiet. Unfortunately for those that do respect the rules of the shadows, some spoilers have slipped through. I knew a guy who knew a guy that got a little too comfortable once. Didn’t think consequences applied. Well my dear Requiem, they do apply to every citizen. If you choose to break the law, which I would not advise to do so, at least try to not make it so public.

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Violence on the streets has escalated. With dozens of self proclaimed vigilantes joining together, one can only assume a war is brewing. “Down with Honor’s Fall!” “Purifier for the People!” Da Hood is nothing new to the area, but their aggression has reached new heights as the roads become almost un-navigable to smaller caravans. When is the last time they even bothered to sit down and talk about their problems with anyone but themselves? Communication could bring and end to so many of our problems.

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Looking to become a young, successful entrepreneur? Now is the time. Buyers are buying and sellers are… almost non-existent in the resource game. Da Hood being of no help, many people simply don’t have a bit of unbroken scrap to their name. People amongst the fold are rationing out whatever they can scrounge up, choosing to invest in practical survival needs instead of indulging in their Greed for new toys. You’d best develop a business plan quick with your gather’s and builders before their loyalty wanders elsewhere.

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Before moving on to our final topic, I must not neglect to share with the Fold the announcement of a new water purifier. It looks as though Requiem will be host to fresh water, and everything that comes with it. Given a month or two, this little fresh water hub is bound to be a hot spot for passer-byes.

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The rumor mill moves quickly when there are questions that go unanswered for too long. Where is the Vox of Requiem? One trip through the Motris during what mostly was a lovely gala, and still no reappearance. Some have said he’s fled the area from fear, he’s been demoted and is too embarrassed to show his face, or even that he reunited with a love from a past life through the power of the Mortis. Alas, we must not entertain these silly little rumors. To indulge in such gossip is to lose credibility. Thus begs the question, where is he?

Photo by Wren Tello

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With those last words of wisdom for today, I leave you now with the knowledge needed to go forth and make your own decisions, as good or bad as they may be. By the next time you hear from me, this paper of mine will have a legitimate title. One fitting for the writings of the Fold’s boldest and bravest, Betsy Bass.

A Deadly Recap of the Filigree Gala by Betsy Bass - Jan 2026

Betsy Bass here, local reporter of all things in and around Requiem. Some people call me the gossip girl. How do I learn everything I do? A little bit of curiosity, a little bit of money, and a lot a bit of talking to people. Also, Requiem isn’t very quiet. Now, let’s get down to business.

The Filigree Gala was a wonderful success. The catered food was delicious, the dancing was divine, and drama was to die for. In the case of Vox of Requiem Sinclair, it was quite literally to die for. As the lights went dark for but a moment, Sinclair’s body remained on the floor without a killer in sight. Through due diligence, the town discovered the culprit. It turns out you can’t always trust your business associates as Karn of the Lamp Lighters was outed as the killer.

The Stevensons have appointed their new Father. Following a vigil for Victor, Abigail has been announced as his successor. Taking care of all those ‘children’ is busy work, and Abigail has proved her dedication to the family’s survival. Though even the most devoted still have questions. A journal entry allegedly from Abigail has also made its way into my hands:

“I am a child of this family. I drink the water Father & Charlie work hard to keep clean. I tend to the fields with Minerva to keep the family fed. I hear Father’s voice in the evenings, telling us the old stories of before the fall. I pray to the Founders with Luke so that their guidance never leave us, and I am content. Yet, sometimes a quiet question threads through my prayer- Who is my mother? who is my father? are they like me? -Why does my heart beat a little faster when I hear the distant echo of a lullaby I never learned? I try not to think about it much. Father is all we need hes always there to help us- always watching.”

Ah, Abigail. You wear your devotion like armor, but even armor has cracks. If your blood hums with secrets, sweetie, don’t blame me for the questions that follow. And don’t bother asking me about that lullaby. I’m just your friendly neighborhood reporter!

Word has gone around that a few members of Requiem have been engaging in rather illegal activities. Let it be a reminder that Bedlam Bands are in fact banned in the town by the families. Even those that take joy in the shadier parts of Requiem must uphold the laws. It is recommended that you let your family heads know when you see or hear of these activities.

To finish it off, members of the town dove into the Mortis to discover the mysteries of a younger Requiem. What secrets did they discover? What will the information be used for? Don’t ask me, I’m not a Volkov!

Thank you for taking the time to tune in and keep up to date on all the things you need to know.

That Just Happened: A November Recap

Photo by Dystopia Rising New York

2025 has come to a close, and with that we wanted to keep you all up to date with the most recent happenings in Requiem. Because oh boy, did a lot just happen.

Politics:

• A Lotus Society Vault was raided! And important blueprints for a water purifier were stolen(and later recovered) along with some of Sinclair’s personal notes

• The Saintbane Sentinels were declared an enemy of Requiem

Faith:

• More of these Mysterious Bat winged NOAs continue to show up and interact with the townsfolk

Family:

• The Burning was celebrated as usual by the Volkovs with little to no issue

• Victor Stevenson and his daughter Abigail Stevenson were kidnapped by the Saintbane Sentinels and sadly only Abigail was saved leaving her to succeed her Father’s Family

Town:

• The RFL (Requiem Fighting League) was attacked on Sunday with two of its precious fighters valiantly losing their lives in the fight

November Charity Drive

Photos by Jessii Bonczkowski/TTP

At Dystopia Rising New York, we value our community. Every month we leave our campsite cleaner than we found it. We host community days to give back to our campsite for allowing us to play there. Now it’s time to expand beyond our campsite.

Join us for our November Charity Drive!

We will be working with Action Towards Independence to donate supplies to help others feel the impact our community can make when we come together. We selected this charity because not only does it directly impact the people in the same county we come to every month, but it’s directly tied to our campsite. Our wonderful camp director George, has a lovely wife Gillian, who works directly with this organization.

Through Action Towards Independence, we will be helping: Veterans, Seniors, Adults with disabilities, people experiencing homelessness, people in recovery, children with autism and other disabilities. They are primarily based out of Sullivan and Orange county, but with their sister agencies they work with they help in 45 counties in the state.

What to donate:

At the moment there is a high need for Hygiene Products. Buying smaller sizes in bulk can assist more families at once, something to keep in mind while shopping. All supplies should be donated at our November 7-9 event. These items include-

Laundry soap, dish soap, cleaning products(general and bathroom), cleaning sponges, bar and gel body soap, shampoo(for textured and non-textured hair), toothbrushes, toothpaste, denture cleaning tablets, q-tips(or equivalent cheaper brand), wash clothes, dish towels, bath towels, deodorant, loofahs, nail clippers, disposable razors, shaving cream, dental floss, combs, hair brushes.

As a Thank You for donating:

• You will receive 1 cap for every $1 spent, up to 100 caps

  • Please share your receipt with us so we can add your caps

• If you are a part of the Street Team, this will count as one of your first official Street Team events! Be sure to log it on the page!

2025-2026 Theme: Play

Photo by Jessii Bonczkowski TTP

You may have heard, the new theme we’ll be focusing on for our new season is Play. Everything that happens in game will remain as is, but for us, the real people, we’ll be focusing on Play.

What exactly is Play in the context of DRNY?

Play is a lot of things. It’s community, it’s connection, it’s escape, it can be almost anything you want it to be. At Dystopia Rising New York, we’re a group of people from all different walks of life that have come together for the same reason, to play. As kids, many of us played dress up or ‘brewed potions’ in the woods, and now as adults we get to do it all again. Some of the themes of Play we’ll be focusing on can be broken down into 3 main ideas: Community, Escapism, and Creating your own you.

Community:

When we play together, we connect and build community together. For one weekend, dozens if not hundreds of us come together. We laugh together, share food together, and we fight together. By allowing ourselves to just have fun and embrace joy together, we can build support networks and meet lifelong friends. Expanding beyond our community, our team plans to support a holiday charity bringing toys for kids to also embrace play. More information on that to come.

Escapism:

Life as an adult can be hard, it can be monotonous, and it can even be scary. We dream of taking a vacation and getting away from it all. For one weekend, you can do that. Disconnect from technology and the world and take one weekend to focus on having fun. While we’re out playing our minds are distracted and we are free to leave everything behind, if even just for a short time. At the end of it all, we pack our bags and continue on with our lives, but we still hold the memories we’ve created together. Just imagine that, one weekend outside with your friends uninterrupted by the world.

Creating your own you:

One of the beautiful parts of larp is the ability to build your own identity. It’s a chance for you to embrace being someone else. From what we wear, to who we talk with, to what level of responsibility we hold, all of that is in our control. We can laugh, we can be cringe, we can express ourselves in ways that bring us joy. As long as we can acknowledge the player behind the character, we are free to be what we want.

I want you to take time at your next event to let loose and enjoy yourself. Have fun, spread the joy, and embrace playing the game.

We’ll see you in Requiem!

CvC: A Storytelling Component

Photos by Wren Tello & Allana Marie

Dystopia Rising New York is a Character-Versus-Character Oriented Game, The Majority of Requiem is Wasteland. What does this mean? That there is another level of roleplay incorporated into the experience. Wasteland areas allow for CvC to be conducted without a guide.(Though we always recommend you find one anyways). Today we’re going to talk about how CvC can work together with Storytelling.

CvC is a Collaboration

At the end of the day CvC is conducted between two or more players, this means your character and another player’s character will be in conflict together and there’s a few things you should keep in mind for the best kind of experience.

1. You are both people. You have feelings and emotions and regardless of the conclusion of your CvC you should be aiming for everyone involved to feel good about the experience.

2. You do better together than working apart. Communication with each other can foster a mutual understanding with what each of you wants from the situation, try to find a common ground so everyone can have a positive takeaway.

3. People are going to make mistakes, skill calls are going to go wrong, people are going to miscount body or skill caps, especially in the heat of the moment. Give people a bit of grace.

There is a Human Being on both sides of the conflict

While our characters are here to experience hardships and overcome challenges(or fail to), there are still people behind the characters. Remember that we’re all here to experience a fun game and tell amazing stories. While quickly and efficiently defeating your enemy is a sure fire win to end the conflict it doesn’t always tell a good story nor does it leave everyone involved feeling satisfied. 

Try to steer towards things that give everyone involved a sense that they got an experience that was enjoyable. Let your defeated enemy monologue for a few minutes before killing them, take time to cry on the corpse of your traitorous best friend, let someone survive to come back for revenge. Give people the chance to roleplay with you and you will see your stories explode with more opportunity. 

There is such a thing as too much. If you kill another character maybe don’t also take everything they own, and vice versa. It’s a much better time when you make an impact. Instead of killing them and taking all of their stuff, take something important and leave a note encouraging them to come take it back.

The Game is Better When We’re all Enjoying it

Remember that this is a game first and foremost, we’re here to play and enjoy this hobby we all love. CvC can cause our emotions to run high and in the heat of the moment we can make mistakes. Try to be understanding with people when the wrong skill calls are made or an item is used incorrectly. Live is still in it’s first year and is still evolving as a system. Have patience with one another.

LARP is and always will be a collaborative storytelling experience. If we’re all making sure everyone is having a good time and boosting each other's game experience up then everyone has a better time at game. Just reaching out and getting the people around you involved in the things you do throughout the weekend can change someone’s whole experience. From teaching them how to find their voice or just coming along for the ride to needing an ally to take on your greatest rivals at honor’s fall.