It’s time for our game of the year. Tickets go on sale tomorrow for Honor’s Fall. We have a couple of things we want you to know… so read on for more information about August’s game.

Over two hundred survivors descended upon the town of Requiem, as the Families observed their annual tradition of Honor’s Fall. While murder and death cast a shadow on the event, there were also fortunes found in the Hot Zone, revelry at the Bacchanal, and a very special concert. Here’s what you encountered this past weekend.

For the past twelve months, we’ve talked about Honor’s Fall… it’s the climax of the year for Dystopia Rising New York. However, every year, Honor’s Fall changes a little, and it’s important to understand the “rules of the game.” We want to make sure all players, both in- and out-of-character, know what to expect this August.

As we approach The Anarchy, there’s a question about one of Requiem's most controversial decrees: should the faithful be allowed to preach their religion in Requiem and the Fold? Rather than answer that question, we’re presenting arguments for and against.

We’ve talked about Character versus Character (CvC) conflict (several times), but we never really addressed the role-play aspects of in-character rivalries. In a setting like Requiem, our focus on CvC doesn’t mean that we just have to deal with the direct conflict between characters, but the role-play of having another player character as an enemy. How do two players… who we expect to cooperate out-of-character… play bitter enemies? Here’s a few pieces of advice to help you navigate this dilemma.

The problem with leadership in larp is that a good leader in character is very different from a good leader in real life. We all know people who we consider good examples of what a leader should be… perhaps a boss or a mentor, or even a family member. What we don’t do is ask ourselves: would this person’s leadership in the context of a story make the story better. In real life, leaders minimize conflict, unite groups, and make sure their people are healthy and happy. In a dystopian larp setting… those aren’t things we really want.

The town of Requiem and the settlements of the Fold are said to be “balanced on the edge of a razor” (there’s a reason we have one in our logo). We’ve talked before about the Families of Requiem and the Treaty of the Fold, but the setting we design only matters if the players know how to engage with it. Requiem offers a distinct perspective on politics and powers, with a tremendous gulf between what is said and what is done. When playing in Requiem, remember that the setting favors “Realpolitik” versus the “Rule of Law.”