Special Event Mods

Photo by London Belli

If you played in our “Train Job” mod last April, you enjoyed the prototype for our “Special Event” format. A Special Event is a mod with enhanced engagement, where the players participate in a  dramatic event in a controlled environment. Based on the response to the Train Job, we’ll use this format more and more in the future.

So how does a Special Event work?

First, we’ll set up a “mod space” for every Special Event. This is a location that’s a controlled environment that you can’t simply wander into. Generally, these will be in locations other than “Requiem” and take place either in a particular building or away from the main play area. 

Second, you’ll have to sign up. Sign-ups will always be at the post office, and you’ll pick a time slot. You can attend solo or with a group of people, but everyone will work together on the mod. When you show up for your time slot, we’ll only let players who signed-up into the mod. There is never a requirement for a Special Event other than signing up, and it’s on first-come, first-serve basis.

Third, when you sign up for a Special Event, you volunteer to NPC for half the time. These mods use their own NPCs with half the group supporting the other half, and then the two sides switch. You don’t need to bring NPC blacks to a Special Event and we’ll have NPC equipment there for you to use.

Why should you go on a Special Event? Because they’re incredibly intense. By having half the group play NPCs at a time, and investing in a resettable mod space, we can enhance immersion and provide unique challenges that we can’t offer in a sandbox-style mod. The fighting will be more intense, the puzzles more challenging, and the pay-offs more valuable. 

June sees our next Special Event, where the players will explore (and loot) the ruins of the Jones Collective Headquarters. “The Jonestown Run'' will feature not only traps and undead menaces, but the chance to uncover never before seen items and prints from the ruins of your fallen foes. It will run Saturday during the morning and early afternoon, so make sure to pre-register and deconflict your regular NPC shifts ASAP.

Important Logistical Announcements

Photo by London Belli

We’re always fine-tuning how we run and organize Dystopia Rising New York. Before you sign-up for shifts on the database, it’s important to know what options are available… particularly if you take advantage of our Early-Bird tickets. Generally, we want to reward people who sign up early, as it helps us prepare for the event better. We also want to make sure that we’re fair and transparent with how we handle our shifts and clean-ups. Please review this short announcement for information on NPC shifts, Early Clean-Up and Early Set-Up.

NPC Shifts

As more people pre-register, the more our NPC shifts fill and expand. While we’re thrilled to see the game growing, we need to come up with a policy to ensure we have the right number of people on shift, and reward people who sign up early. To accommodate this, we have a form that people who are pre-registered can use to change their shifts.  As new shifts open up, we’ll review these requests to back-fill shifts before we open them up to new check-ins in the database. For example, if we have space on Saturday from 4 to 6 pm, and we have someone checked in who would prefer that shift over working Saturday 10 to midnight, we’ll move that person to the day shift, and open up another spot for Saturday 10 to midnight.The short version - check-in early to get your best pick of NPC shift.

Early Set-Up

Starting in June, we’re offering a new four-hour NPC shift… Early Set-Up. You’ll have to arrive on site by 1 pm and work until 5 pm emptying storage, setting up Ops, and putting up props in the morgue and the Great Hall. This counts as your NPC shift for the game. There are only a limited number of spots, and we do require you to be able to lift up to 50 pounds to take part in this shift: it’s needed for the work required. As always, you can volunteer for Early Set-Up for CAPs and first pick of bunk, but it will only count as your NPC shift you select it in the database.

Early Clean-Up

We’re continuing a policy we developed where if you need Early Clean-Up, you’ll have three options:

• We will post two Early Clean-Up shifts on the database. Typically these will be Saturday evening (about 5 pm) and Sunday morning (10 am). If you request Early Clean-Up, expect to take one of these two options.

• If you do a Day Pass, you’ll have your own Early Clean-Up option at the end of your pass. Just go ahead and select that one; you don’t need to ask permission.

• If you can’t make either of the Early Clean-Up shifts, then we will ask you to do two extra hours of NPC. You can also always volunteer to do the extra two hours of NPC. You’ll be able to choose any shift you like. 

Note: there’s no way in the database to deconflict the Saturday 4 - 6 pm NPC shift and the Saturday Early Clean-Up option. If you select Saturday Early Clean-Up and the Saturday 4 - 6 pm shift, we’ll remove you from the NPC shift and place you on a later shift Saturday night (so don’t do it).

Thanks, and see you in the apocalypse!

May Recap

Photo by London Belli

Come Sunday morning, the air was warm and still, the lake calm, and Requiem was quiet. But the blood that soaked the muddy ground told a story of the war that had raged and ended just a few hours prior, as the survivors dealt with the threat of the Jones Collective once and for all. But victory came with a price, and with Requiem balanced on the razor’s edge, what comes now that Jones is gone?

What Happened

As the survivors of Requiem gathered for the final battle, the call went out that a horde was gathering near the Wilted Rose. For about an hour, the people of the town battled the undead, including a rare zed known as an abattoir of hate - an unstoppable presence who ravaged the combattants, forcing them to consume valuable resources that would be needed later. Elsewhere, townsfolk met with the Stevensons, a family of Landsmen for lived in a different area of the Fold. While talking to them, they learned of the existence of Cyprus Stevenson, a 19-year old woman who, due to the circumstances of her birth, was the only person known to have a natural immunity to Jone’s compulsion ability.

However, to harness that ability and turn it into an inoculation would have cost Cyprus her life, draining her of all infection. Ultimately, the town chose not to perform the procedure, costing them a much-needed advantage in the battle to come. The town did manage to raise 500 wagers to buy the support of the Bloodwraiths, and even attempted to parlay with other families. But Jone intercepted a parlay request, and compulsed Zodiac and Ares to attack the town. The Zodiac collective used their strange gravemind abilities to ravage the town in the afternoon, further weakening them prior to Jones’ assault. 

That assault came late on Saturday night. Due to pressure from the town and their allies, Jones had gathered all his forces for one final battle. Disguised as a sanitation worker, he compulsed a large number of townsfolk to gather in the Great Hall, while those who still resisted set up for a last stand in the hospital. Jone’s combined force of compulsed townsfolk and loyal cultists assaulted the tiny shack again and again, but could not break the resistance. Finally, a small group snuck out of the hospital and behind the line, engaging Jones directly. Shortly before midnight, they landed the death blow, and Jones was no more.

But this wasn’t the end of Requiem’s problems. As Jones died, a strange creature with the head of a golden calf emerged, forcing all the faithful to kneel and dragging them into the Gravemind. Earlier, a cult of a pig-faced creature known as Argor swept through the town, looking for people to “cleanse.” Jones is gone, but already strange phenomenons related to faith have popped up. In the delicate balance of Requiem, what did Jones keep in check?

Announcements

• Tickets go on sale Thursday for our June Event, Sacrilegium. Decide the political fate of Requiem, or just loot the ruins of your fallen enemies on our special mod, the Jonestown Run. 

• Character sheets should be updated by Thursday. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@dystopiarisingny.com.

Don’t forget feedback!  We also added a couple of questions so you can give us your thoughts about The Reckoning!

May Announcements

Photo by London Belli

Dystopia Rising New York posts information on our website, on social media, and places them in your packet to reduce discussion during opening announcements. Please review this document for important information prior to play.

New or Updated Information

• We’re releasing our Save the Date for Honor’s Fall later this month… look for the announcement the week of May 16th!

• Two key NPCs you might want to make sure you meet: 

  • Jonathan Stevenson (the Nuclear Family Landsman from last game) will be in Friday night, shortly after game-on.

  • Craig, a neutral party who can help renegotiate the Treaty of the Fold, will be in Saturday between 1 and 3 pm

• There’s new information on the website! Check out the new call, Challenge, on our local mechanics page, or read about Requiem’s newest patron family, the Devils.

• We’re working on accessibility policies to improve our ability to accommodate all our players. This includes describing our policy on med sleep and non-combat characters. If you require an accommodation beyond med sleep or playing a non-combat character, please contact us at info@dystopiarisingny.com, or talk to Ryan before game. 

Recurring Information

• It’s the Reckoning! As a reminder, this is a multi-month plot arc surrounding the death and disappearance of Anton Anastasia and the political efforts of the Jones Collective. May is the final month of the arc and the big climax!

• Our NPC shifts fill early due to our Early-Bird promotion. We only have limited shifts available to individuals who don’t pre-reg. If you have pre-regged, you can fill out this form to request a change if a new shift opens up.

Standard Information

• Dystopia Rising includes stories about violence, torture, drugs and many other difficult things, but there’s one topic we don’t include in stories: sexual assault. It is never appropriate to include the topic of sexual assault in your role-play or stories. If encountered, please inform a guide so that we can take action.

• If you are in the woods and can’t tell if a nearby sound is an animal or not, call out “Are you an animal?” If you hear someone calling that, you must respond “I am not an animal.” If you get no response, make yourself as big as possible and back away slowly.

Support Reproductive Rights

Earlier today, in response to Politico’s report on a draft opinion from the SCOTUS, we posted our support of reproductive rights, and called for donations to Planned Parenthood in a Facebook post. Below is the text from that post. Please click the button below to support Planned Parenthood.

The staff of Dystopia Rising New York wishes to express support for the tremendous number of individuals whose rights to bodily-autonomy are under siege today, and express our unequivocal support for reproductive rights.

Effective immediately, we will give out double CAPs for any donation to Planned Parenthood (2 CAPs per $1 donation). Further, we will match the first $500 in donations submitted.

https://www.weareplannedparenthood.org/

To record your CAPs, please email us your receipt to info@dystopiarisingny.com. We will award CAPs to all individuals from across the network.

The Future Of Requiem Discord Chat

Photo by London Belli

Join us Thursday at 7 pm for our Future of Requiem discord chat, where the staff of Dystopia Rising New York will engage with our players to talk about our plans for the next few months and beyond. This is a steering session, where we explain our thoughts as storytellers, solicit feedback, and engage in conversation about what will happen after the current plotline, and during our premier event in August, Honor’s Fall. 

Rather than the staff talking to you for the entire hour, expect this to be a two-way conversation.  If you’re interested in engaging in the discussion, here’s a couple of things to do to prepare?

• Come up with questions for us, and jot them down so you don’t forget them.

• Ask yourself, “what sort of political situation do I want to see in Requiem?”

• Think about how you feel about some of our key setting pieces, such as Honor’s Fall, the Thirteen Families, and the Treaty of the Fold.

Here’s our loose agenda for the hour:

• 7:00 - Welcome everyone and say hello

• 7:10 - The staff talks about some of the stuff we have planned for the next game

• 7:15 - The staff talks about the next few months and pacing

  • Expect the Jones War to end

  • In June, expect to renegotiate the treaty with input from the NPCs

  • In August, we have Honor’s Fall

• 7:20 - The staff talks about Honor’s Fall and our plans for the premier event

• 7:25 - We ask you about what you want to see at Honor’s Fall

• 7:35 - We ask you about what you want to see in the Treaty of the Fold

• 7:45 - Open period for questions

• 7:55 - Wrap-up

April Recap

Photo by Allana Marie

The war with the Jones Collective hit critical mass during the Reign of Terror, as Requiem endured constant artillery shelling while striking back at the Reverend Jim Jones and his legion of fanatics. Even as the other Families of the Fold maneuver to restore order after the disappearance of Anton Anastasia, the survivors of Requiem prepare for the endgame, struggling to find a way to resist the grasp Jones has over those of Faith. 

What Happened

The gathering picked up where the last left off, with unending shelling by the train-borne artillery that traveled up and down the Oxline. Despite the barrage from Jones and his followers, the Families of Requiem had regained their footing and had managed to mount some resistance. Still, the Fold was suffering, as Jones sought to bring all of the surrounding farms and settlements under his control.  Some families sought to establish basic infrastructure, including Jack Warren’s collective, which commissioned an operation to protect trade throughout the area. Others, including the Boon-Helme and the Volkovs, tried to organize resistance to Jones, but without a central authority or treaty, the violence of the Anarchy continued.

Still, the survivors of Requiem managed to rob Jones of his most destructive weapon: the artillery train he’d commandeered. Over the course of three missions, townsfolk fought one car at a time to the control station of the train, their hands wet with the blood of their enemies. At great cost, and despite a small nuclear explosion that irradiated most of the town, they managed to slay all of the followers on the train, and put an end to the bombardment.  By the late afternoon, Requiem saw its first peace in months.

That peace would not last, however, as the night saw the arrival of Jim Jones himself. Now with a glowing green heart as a result of further mutation, he demonstrated an ability none had seen before: the ability to create “sleeper agents.” The town discovered this after he strolled through Requiem, creating a mass of followers who he left unconscious in the Great Hall, showing he’s still a dire threat to the independence of both Requiem and the Fold. 

Now, as research begins to come together, and the town readies itself for a direct confrontation with Jones and his followers, there’s a feeling that they’re all approaching the endgame. And despite the hope and fear all feel towards the climatic battle of the Requiem, there’s still a lingering question: if we beat Jones, what next? And on that topic… where is Anton Anastasia?

Announcements

• Tickets go on sale Thursday for our May Event, The Reckoning. Don’t miss the conclusion of the war with Jones and the return of Anton Anastasia!

• Character sheets should be updated by Thursday. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@dystopiarisingny.com.

Don’t forget feedback! We also added a couple of questions so you can give us your thoughts about The Reckoning!

April Announcements

Photo by Allana Marie

Dystopia Rising New York posts information on our website, on social media, and places them in your packet to reduce discussion during opening announcements. Please review this document for important information prior to play.

Early-Birds… don’t forget to pack a genre bag for your NPCs clothes, so you can take advantage of our April ZoM: the Bug-Out Bag!

New or Updated Information

• You must always turn in your sheet at the end of game. We put various notes on your sheets, including fractures, infection loss, and society membership. We need to review all sheets after the game to make sure the information gets into the database.

• If you don’t complete your NPC shift, you will not get build for the event. If something comes up and you have to leave early, please let us know at ops so we can work with you towards completing your clean-up and NPC. Please do not leave without letting us know. 

• If you don't want to be photographed you should get an armband. If you want to opt out for a short period of time, you can go OOC and ask the photographer not to include you.  If you do so, please consider leaving the area the photographer is shooting or at least stay out of line of sight. Remember to wear the armband on your right arm (not your head). We have a new, higher visibility armband so we don’t miss it.

Recurring Information

• It’s the Reckoning! As a reminder, this is a multi-month plot arc surrounding the death and disappearance of Anton Anastasia and the political efforts of the Jones Collective. We’re in the penultimate month, so it’s time to make big decisions, potentially setting up a big climax in May!

Standard Information

• Dystopia Rising includes stories about violence, torture, drugs and many other difficult things, but there’s one topic we don’t include in stories: sexual assault. It is never appropriate to include the topic of sexual assault in your role-play or stories. If encountered, please inform a guide so that we can take action.

• If you are in the woods and can’t tell if a nearby sound is an animal or not, call out “Are you an animal?” If you hear someone calling that, you must respond “I am not an animal.” If you get no response, make yourself as big as possible and back away slowly.

Important Local Mechanics

Please review the local mechanics you’re most likely to encounter during play. For a full list, see https://www.dystopiarisingny.com/local-mechanics.

Compulsion

This rare and powerful ability causes a target to follow a single command until the task is completed, nullified (such as being compelled to defend someone who then dies), game ends, the compulsion is broken. The target must complete the command to the best of their ability. When affected by Compulsion, a target is unaware of the specific command until they begin to act upon it. Characters under the effects of Compulsion remember the actions they take, but are not in control of them. Further research is required to identify ways to end or prevent Compulsion.

Tangled

Countered by Avoid if delivered via a strike or ranged attack. The target can not use skills or items, can not move or in any way defend themselves but may speak. Tangled effect can be removed by another character using the break skill on mechanical cause of Tangled or by Proficient Malicious on the appendage of a creature delivering the Tangled mechanic.

Unstoppable

Makes threat immune to negative and/or movement-impairing effects (Ex: Knockback, Stun, Blinding, Mangle, Fear, Terror, Nail, etc.) The threat will respond with “No effect, Unstoppable” to a negated ability. Additionally all damage dealt to the Threat is reduced to 1 damage and the Threat will periodically respond with “Reduced, Unstoppable.” When the Threat receives burst damage, they will become staggered for a few seconds.

Family Items - Now online!

Photo by Allana Marie.

We’ve updated our webpage to include all items from the Family trade lists. Check them out here.

Remember, you can join any of the Families of Requiem in character gain access to their basic trade list item. Learn more about their mechanics here.

Field Report: The Reverend Jones

The following is an in-character report on the Reverend Jimmy Jones, compiled by the Gravetech Draven Phtysicus during the last event, and distributed between gatherings.

Field Report: The Reverend Jimmy Jones -

Controlling the Faithful

Written by: The GraveTech Draven Physicus

Experimentation and Methodology

Tools used

Individuals were able to come together and develop several tools used to aid in the observation of the effect the reverend Jones has on the faithful .

• Three-stage filtration system

• Blood and spinal fluid were put through three filters (infectious material, radioactive metal mesh, and an electromagnet) 

• Centrifuge (remaining fluids were separated out)

• Microscope

• All base components were compared against those of control subjects. 

Experimentation

Blood and Spinal fluid were collected from the following. 

• Subject A: NoA who had been compelled at a previous trade. 

• Subject B: NoA who had never been compelled.

• Subject C: Yorker who was compelled at this trade.

• Subject D: Yorker who had never been compelled. 

Samples were taken and compared to their uncompelled counterpart to observe any differences or existence of foreign substances. In addition, the two samples from compelled individuals were compared to determine a time frame for metabolization of foreign substances. 

Findings

Using this methodology, we were able to learn several key aspects of the compulsions. 

1. The compulsions are the result of a grave robber procedure

2. The ability is biological in nature, not psionic. 

3. The target of the compulsion is inflicted by the foreign substance, which attacks their DNA/infection much like radiation. 

4. The foreign substance remains in the host for up to a month, however after a few days the presence is so diluted they would need to be exposed again. 

5. We can test blood samples to determine if an individual has been exposed to this foreign substance. 

6. Activation can be done through touch or audio triggers (can be activated over audio equipment).

Notes

Physical Information

The Reverend appears to be a Remnant who to the best of our knowledge has been the subject of many different Grave Robber procedures. While many are confirmed to have been performed by Zodiac, other procedures still await confirmation.  One such procedure is at the focal point of this research. The ability to control the faithful is the result of a grave robber procedure, likely performed by Zodiac. 

Psychic Capabilities

Thanks to recent research performed by many individuals in the town of Requiem we have been able to conclude that the ability to control the faithful does not originate from a Psionic ability. As such one would not be able to find themselves resistant to it in much the same manners as one might resist the healing arts of someone trained in the ways of biogenetics. 

Strengths

The lack of psionic manifestation makes the trick of Reverend Jones very difficult to resist, allowing him to take control of any who possess faith or those biologically ingrained with faith.  

Weakness

Currently two weaknesses to this procedure are known. If an individual is faithless or has been inoculated, they are able to resist the compulsion. The inoculation method seems to be a well-kept secret seeing as the town itself has not been inoculated. 

Method of Infection

The compulsion can be inflicted in two different ways, either direct physical contact with Jones or via auditory stimulus. That latter of these two means it can be inflicted on a subject via audio recording or over a radio broadcast. However, it would appear that covering one’s ears to attempt to drown out the sound does not work. The infliction itself functions much like radiation, focusing on the DNA/infection of the individual and attacking it, warping it to its will. Currently short of deafening oneself and avoiding physical contact no other methods have been found besides the before-mentioned Inoculation or being faithless. 

Recommendations

A blood sample of the Reverend Jones has been acquired to aid in further research and development of a weapon that can be used against him. Paths for potential solution is using the blood to either create a more readily available inoculation, or a weapon to undo the procedure done to the Reverend Jones. The identity of the individual who possesses the blood sample is being kept a secret to avoid backlash from the Reverend Jones. 

Credit

Sample Donations

Haldis, Gramercy, Laska, Tutex (sample provided by Ridley)

Donations

Sjung, Salt, Joel 

Building Equipment

Haldis, Gramercy, Valerie

Performing research

Amanita

The Train Job

In case you haven’t heard, Requiem was shelled at our last event by train-born artillery, as the Jones Collective declared war on the fold. The firepower of the train struck every hour on the hour, ensuring that our local doctors would have plenty of work. Next month, it’s time to do something about it, which can be summed up in two words:

Train job.

Some backstory: the Oxline is a railroad that runs north to south across the wastes, from Requiem to Bravado. Near Requiem, the Fallow Hopes have a mobile outpost, hauled by a locomotive, with enough artillery to level most of the Fold. Using his powers of compulsion, Jones and his followers stole the train, and now have brought all its firepower to bear in his war against Requiem. At our April gathering, you’ll have a chance to board the train, fight your way through, and take out the artillery that's been shelling you. 

In order to give everyone who wants to do the job a chance, it’ll take multiple missions to fully disable the artillery. Which means we’ll need plenty of NPCs Saturday morning to run the modules. To make this happen, we’re asking for your help. Anyone who wants to do the train job Saturday morning can do so, but they also have to do an NPC shift on the train either before or after. 

How will this work? If you want to do the train job, just grab some NPC gear and show up for the mod (you’ll find out more Friday night). When you do, you’ll be split into two groups. One group will put on NPC blacks and try to murder their friends while portraying fanatical members of the Jones Collective.  Then, once that mission is done, they’ll gear up as their player characters, and the first group will NPC for them. 

This lets us do high-octane action and put you through a nasty gauntlet as you fight from car to car, while still having other threats go on at the campsite. We’re using a special location for the train that has yet to see a combat mod, and we promise high risk, high reward to anyone who dares to ride the train. 

And, of course, if you just want to volunteer to NPC and kill your friends during this mission, we can accommodate that as well. Remember, tickets for our next event, Reign of Terror, are on sale now, with Early Bird still available. See you in Requiem!

March Recap - The Anarchy

Photo by London Belli

Locals and visitors alike got to experience The Anarchy, and realize how bad the situation is in  Requiem. We learned what happens when the alliances of the Fold tumble off the razor’s edge, and one rival gains an advantage over the other. In this case, it wasn’t just the chaos that followed the death and disappearance of Anton Anastasia, but the emergence of the Reverend Jimmy Jones as the would-be dictator. 

What Happened

At the start of the gathering, survivors arrived to find four of the Family heads either dead or recovering from a trip through the gravemind: Keres Molon, Polaris Boon-Helm and Zodiac all hanged dead in the Great Hall, while Ridley of Lonely Streetz nursed a post-mortem fracture in the Wilted Rose. It was another example of the chaos afflicting the Fold: no one knows who did it, but most assumed it was the Separatists - traitors and defectors from the Families who have plunged the Fold into open violence.

This chaos was the most common threat, both directly and indirectly. Rival factions roamed the streets of Requiem, pursuing their own bloody ends. This included Ezra of the Molon Collective, seeking out practicing and prospective grave robbers, as well as opportunists rigging houses with booby traps. The tunnels below Requiem were used and abused, collapsing fatally at least once.  With all the Families under siege, no guards were posted to keep out the raiders, and the town suffered from attacks throughout the weekend.  However, some would-be families, such as the Blood Wraiths, see the opportunity the Anarchy presents, and have been offering assistance to the town in exchange for a seat at the table.

The person responsible for the Anarchy, of course, was the Reverend Jimmy Jones, who showed up to negotiate for some or all of the power of the High Lord Executioner. His request was denied in a bloody fashion, and then some individuals cleared out the Great Hall to perform some sort of activity involving the corpse.  Unphased, Jones returned to assert control more directly, and when no quarter was given by either side, he disappeared. Soon after, the artillery shelling from the Oxline, every hour on the hour, started… Requiem was now at war with Jones - beginning the Reign of Terror.

Announcements

• Tickets go on sale Thursday for our April Event, Reign of Terror.  Look out for our Early Bird perks!

• Character sheets should be updated by Thursday. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@dystopiarisingny.com.

Don’t forget feedback! We also added a couple of questions so you can give us your thoughts about the Reckoning!

The Anarchy Sneak Preview

Photo by Allana Marie.

What does March have in store for you? Read on…

Be Careful What You Wish For

The High Lord Executioner is nowhere to be found, and in his absence, the Fold has descended into the Anarchy. The Patron Families have seen traitors and insurrections in their midst as the social order breaks down. All the while, the man behind Anton’s assassination, the Reverend Jimmy Jones, is calling for an end to what he started. Will he be the next High Lord Executioner?

This game, you’ll see the effects of Anton Anastasia’s assassination firsthand. Not only will you likely see Jimmy Jones again, you’ll have to deal with splinter factions from the Patron families, who have descended into violence. 

You Never Know What You Have

When our bellies were full and our homes warm, we hated the lot of them: the Warrens, the Volkov, the Molon. Now, as they pull back to defend themselves during the Anarchy, we realize what they meant to the fold. Without trade, or protection or even food in some places, what are the common people of the Fold to do?

As the Patron Families fall back to their strongholds or fight amongst themselves, they’ve stopped providing the vital services they’ve been supplying all along. Without the Boonhelm on the borders, raiders push towards Requiem. As the Molon retreat to their hermitages, travelers find no refuge in the wastes. As the powerful play their political games, it’s the common folk who suffer. 

A Matter of Faith

I saw a baptism the other day, out in public… and now I remember why we had this problem. Before they were done another faith had descended on them - with Anton gone, all the religious nuts have free reign to pursue old vendettas.

The faithful have come out of hiding, and they’re not behaving well. After years of practicing their religions underground, it seems the most zealous are eager to settle old scores. Even with all the chaos, it’s clear religious tensions are quickly brewing during the Anarchy. 

Opportunity & Opportunists

Of course we’re a family? Who’s to say otherwise? Anton? He’s gone. Listen, support us, and we’ll take care of you. And if you don’t… well, I’m sure there are other people who want our help.

Without anyone to enforce the Treaty of the Fold, there’s no law… but there’s also opportunity. A number of Ward Families and independent groups have always been on the fringes of Requiem politics, and now it’s their chance. They’re sure to stop by to make a deal… but at what cost?

What Comes Next?

As the Anarchy reaches its peak, the people of the Fold look out for leadership. Who will step forward and determine what comes next?

Local Rules Update

Photo by London Belli. Pictured: Tony Lagomarsino

We’ve updated our Local Mechanics for March! Here’s some of the calls you can expect to hear during the event.

Tangled

Countered by Avoid if delivered via a strike or ranged attack. The target can not use skills or items, can not move or in any way defend themselves but may speak. Tangled effect can be removed by another character using the Break skill on mechanical cause of Tangled or by Proficient Malicious on the appendage of a creature delivering the Tangled mechanic. 

Unstoppable

Makes the threat immune to negative and/or movement-impairing effects (Ex: Knockback, Stun, Blinding, Mangle, Fear, Terror, Nail, etc.) The threat will respond with “No effect, Unstoppable” to a negated ability. Additionally all damage dealt to the Threat is reduced to 1 damage and the Threat will periodically respond with “Reduced, Unstoppable.” When the Threat receives burst damage, they will become staggered for a few seconds.

Compulsion

This rare and powerful ability causes a target to follow a single command until the task is completed, nullified (such as being compelled to defend someone who then dies), game ends, or the compulsion is broken. The target must complete the command to the best of their ability. When affected by Compulsion, a target is unaware of the specific command until they begin to act upon it. Characters under the effects of Compulsion remember the actions they take, but are not in control of them. Further research is required to identify ways to end or prevent Compulsion. 

Become a Guide

Photo by Michael Gugat

As Dystopia Rising New York continues to grow, we also need to grow our staff. As such, we’re announcing our 2022 Guide Drive, were we’re recruiting up to 23 new guides.  These include:

• Up to 7 Coordinator Guides  to help manage the post-office.

• Up to 7 Rules Guides to bring our mods to the players and help make rules calls in the field.

• Up to 6 Settings Guides to make sure our NPCs go out in appropriate costume and make-up.

• Up to 2 Ops Guides to help manage operations and run Gravemind scenes.

Due to the high need for Coordinator and Rules Guides, we will not accept applications for Ops Guides until we reach minimum requirements for those positions. We’re not currently accepting storyteller applications.

To learn more about what Guides do, visit our website.  You can apply by filling out our application here.

The Reckoning - Introduction & Expectations

Photo by London Belli

This past weekend, players in Dystopia Rising New York (DRNY)’s January event witnessed the beginning of a major plot arc we’re calling The Reckoning.  It started with the assassination of Anton Anastasia and could lead to major changes for the setting of Requiem and the Fold. At the start of this arc, we want to offer our players some out-of-character expectations, as well as the chance to provide feedback about their excitement, their goals, and their concerns in regards to this arc. We’ll go over three of our expectations, and then explain the best way to offer feedback.

You’re Not Going To Settle This Quickly

This is a plot arc that should last well into the Spring. It could go longer, it could be shorter - a lot of it depends on your actions as players. However, this isn’t a problem you should expect to wrap up quickly in one game. You have agency as players to decide your character’s actions; we have agency as storytellers to tell you about the consequences. As you respond to these consequences with more actions, we’ll respond in kind, creating a feedback loop that will work itself out over the course of a few months. But don’t expect to walk into the game in March, kill a few characters, make a new treaty, and call it done. Those actions will elicit responses.  Which brings us to our next expectation…

Player Characters Are The Central Thing, But Not The Only Thing

This is a larp about your player characters, collectively. You have a central place in the story, and you’re a persistent element of the setting: Essex Anastasia might only be out for an hour or so, but you all are always there. So you’ll have a lot of say in what happens over the course of this plot arc. However, you’re not the only group that has a say in what happens. You should expect opposition from NPCs, that they’ll say “no” to you, and that they probably will try to kill you at some point. This is us representing the conflict for the heart of Requiem, not us telling you that you shouldn’t try a particular course of action. Don’t mistake “this is going to be hard, and the storytellers will present opposition,” with “don’t do this thing.” Expect that whatever you want to do, some NPC faction will try to stop you. However, also remember…

You Have Freedom, But We Still Have Boundaries

This is a plot arc, not a setting reset. There are key elements to our setting that if we changed, it wouldn’t be DRNY anymore. This is a larp about a town founded by criminals, outcasts and the dregs of society - expect that whatever happens, there’s still going to be a strong underworld influence on this town. Similarly, the Families of Requiem are extremely morally ambiguous: don’t expect the majority of the families to be PC driven and definitely not “good guys.” Finally, expect us to push hard to keep certain key motifs - Honor’s Fall, the Treaty of the Fold, the “razor’s edge” political situation - in the setting. These are important tools to your storytellers; just like you wouldn’t be comfortable if we took away key pieces of your character’s equipment without justification, it would be hard for us to run DRNY without these setting pieces.

We Want Your Input

We want your opinions! You’re invested in the Requiem setting, so we want to know what you want and expect. Since this is more of a conversation, we encourage you to discuss this on our Discord server; however, if you prefer, you can also email us at info@dystopiarisingny.com. 

When you talk to us, we’re interested in three things in particular:

• What you’re hoping will happen over the course of the Reckoning - what changes you’d like to see in the setting, what NPC you’d like to see more of, etc.

• What you’re excited to experience - we’re presenting an ongoing political conflict… what kind of scenes do you expect to have?

• What you’re worried about - whether is CvC, drastic changes to the setting, or just political role-play in general, we want to know what hesitations you have about the Reckoning.

So please, keep our three expectations in mind, and let us know what you think about the Reckoning!

So That Just Happened (January Recap)

Photo by Allana Marie

Despite the freezing temperatures and winter weather warnings, Dystopia Rising New York had its largest event since its return last August. That Which Was Taken was about the loss of things you may have never even known you had, such as  peace balanced on the razor’s edge"  For those of you who missed the event, here’s a recap of what happened, as well as some important announcements.

What Happened

The event began with concerns about the Gravemind. Since the morgue sink last October, Requiem has seen at least one tank heart every gathering, as well as multiple other pallor mortis procedures and uses of master necrokinetics. The result? The agitated and disruptive Gravemind began to spew tremendous amounts of powerful undead forth. These included multiple Mortis Champions (armored zed who can take enormous amounts of damage), Abattoirs of Hate (bloodied undead covered in weapons), Noct Virs (shadowy zed with the abilities of a talented assassin) and the unraveled, who can entangle their prey with their tendril arms. Throughout the gathering, these undead surged into populated areas to deadly effect.

Meanwhile, the fallout of the events at the Sunken City reverberated throughout Requiem. While the High Lord Executioner, Anton Anastasia, had suffered a death at the affair, his mission to redeem himself in the eyes of his former “employers” had worked - Requiem had reconciled with the organization known as Murder Inc. However, even as the agents met in disguise at secret locations, those who were displeased with his decision took action against him and other members of the Fold. Not only did assassins roam Requiem at night, but they emboldened the High Lord Executioner’s enemies against him.

One of these enemies, Jimmy Jones of the Jones “Secular” Collective, took direct action. With his ability to control Ascensorites and those with faith powers, he directed several individuals to assassinate Anton Anastasia. They succeeded, and the town discovered that the High Lord Executioner’s death was the tipping point to send Requiem falling off the razor’s edge. Shortly after his last breath, the siren that signaled the start of Honor’s Fall wailed throughout the town, and chaos followed shortly after.

Some families immediately launched attacks on others, or in the case of the Anastasia Family, turned to fighting amongst themselves. Other families fractured, breaking down into murderous mobs. As they did, the people of Requiem tried to cobble together a way to either enforce the Treaty of the Fold in Anton’s absence, or even replace the treaty, along with Anton, all together. By daybreak, the violence had reached a tenuous pause, with little certainty of anything other than the anarchy was sure to continue. 

Announcements

• The big news, of course, is that our next game will be in March, not February. Learn more about our decision in this announcement.

• As a reminder, if you want to be tagged in social media, please fill out our Social Media Form… this is our list of who’s who on the internet, as well as permission to tag you. 

• Character sheets should be updated. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@dystopiarisingny.com.

We’re expecting March to be our biggest game to date! We still have the Early Bird sale going, so pick up your tickets today!

No Event In February - Next Game March 11 - 13

Photo by Michael Gugat

As announced at the end of our January Event, Dystopia Rising New York has decided that our next event - The Anarchy - will be in March, not February. We had an amazing experience and succeeded despite challenges including weather, lack of water, and the pandemic. However, with a two week turn-around until our next scheduled event, we’ve decided not to hold an event in February.

Our primary reasons for this decision are staffing issues and a lack of turn-around time for logistics feedback. When we originally planned our season, we gave ourselves time to adjust our logistics for lessons learned over the winter, but we knew February would be our most pressing month. In addition, two of our senior staff members had family obligations and won’t be at our February event.  In combination, these two issues would have made a February event a significant challenge.

We’re committed to delivering dystopian events of the highest caliber, and rather than press our luck in February, we decided to give ourselves a six-week turnaround and set ourselves up for March. What does this mean for you, the players?

• There won’t be a February event. By the time you read this, the events on Facebook and the website should be updated

• If you bought a ticket for February already, you have two choices: we can simply apply your ticket to March, or we can give you a full refund. Check your email for more.

• We’ll continue the Early-Bird sale through February 11. 

Thank you all for understanding our decision, and we can wait to see you in March!

Dystopia Rising New York January Preview

We’ve packed our next Event, That Which Was Taken, with all sorts of antagonists and special events for you, including fallout from the Dead Waters National Event and several unique zed. Saturday night, we have a particular surprise in response to player actions that we’re sure will have consequences for a long, long time. Check out what we have planned for January…

Scheduled Events

Friday

• 9:30 pm - Opening announcements

• 10:00 pm - Game on / New Player Mod

Saturday

• Midnight - Tank Heart Surgery - Players who have submitted an action request can participate in a tank heart surgery

• 4:30 pm - Molon Ritual: The Hallowing -  A Requiem Holiday from the Molon Family.

• 7:00 pm - Videbit - A player-initiated ritual delving into the history of Requiem

Featured Events

• We have a mystery beginning this month, with an opportunity to opt-in to special scenes. By wearing a particular cord available at ops, players may opt in to physical role-play that includes, but is not limited to, loss of control, interrogation, torture, physical restraints, emotionally intense scenes, kidnapping.

• We have a special plot: there’s a bounty hunt for the unique and rare zed we’re introducing.  If you find a weird zed, role-play dissecting it (no specific time, just make the role-play cool).  Then go to Ops with info.

• We’ll have a sequence of events brought about by the actions of players, both at previous games and at the National event. All we’re saying is “be careful what you wish for.”

Announcements

• Remember, we have a lot of faces new to Requiem, and we’ll be taking photos. You can opt out of photos by putting on a gray wristband (so we know who doesn’t want their pictures taken).  If you don’t put on a gray wristband, you might see your picture used on the website or social media. Please see (and sign!) the photo waiver for more.

• We have new local mechanics! Please see our website for details.

• You might see some “trap doors” on the floor.  Please don’t touch them until game on.  Once game on happens… well, find out. And before you ask: these trap doors can’t be blocked or locked.

Murder, Crime & the Red Ledger

Photo by London Belli.

Dystopia Rising New York (DRNY) has always focused on the sketchy side of the wastes, with Requiem being home to thieves, assassins, and all manner of criminals. As we’ve incorporated national plotlines into our setting, it’s grown rich with layers of detail and possibilities for conflict. However, it can also confuse players… so here’s a quick guide to how crime works in Requiem.

The Survivor Ethos System (SES)

Before anything else, the Survival Ethos System (SES) is an out-of-character list of players who have opted into no-limit Character versus Character (CvC) conflict. It interacts with the Red Ledger, as well as Murder Inc. locally, but it is not a society membership in and of itself. You can sign up for the SES at operations.

Crime (Criminal Influence)

Criminal Influence is a skill any character can learn; it is not a society membership. As part of your skill use, you will be invited to a Criminal meeting where you might encounter plots, as well as have the opportunity to buy equipment “fenced” from other characters. Different levels of Criminal Influence (Basic, Proficient, Master, and the PFA, Inner Circle) may have their own meetings, but usually they’ll all occur at once.

In Requiem, crime-related meetings will generally be run by Essex (an NPC member of the Anastasia family). There will be little or no CvC, and missions will focus on theft, smuggling and other “for-profit” criminal activity.

Murder Inc.

Murder Inc. is a wide-ranging organization, reintroduced through the Dead Waters national event and described broadly in a document from Dystopia Rising Connecticut. It is a society membership, and to join, you need to have an existing member initiate you into the society. In Requiem, Murder Inc. focuses on politics, and almost always involves CvC. While you don’t don’t lose your society membership in a Murder Inc. faction if you’re not on the SES, all Murder Inc. modules (including organized meetings with NPCs) will require you to be on the SES.

Murder Inc. has always been an integral part of the Requiem setting, and we will continue to define how the organization functions locally. Much of the behind-the-scenes political power rests in this organization, and it was never entirely dormant. If you wish to participate in Murder Inc. in Requiem, remember these key points:

• Murder Inc. in Requiem is always a CvC activity. 

• Participation in Murder Inc. will often include some extra effort. For example, it’s very important to the local setting that characters use disguises. While staff will provide mechanics to reduce barriers to entry, players will be expected to respect the customs and courtesies of Murder Inc. in Requiem.

• Many of these customs and courtesies will be developed by local Murder Inc. members at game; so if you’re a member, be ready for some important discussions in January.

The Red Ledger

The Red Ledger includes a wide variety of talents, ranging from assassins to bounty hunters to just bad-ass fighters. It is a society membership, however, it functions a bit differently from other society memberships. If you’re on the SES, you decide if you’re part of the Red Ledger (as opposed to being invited by another member). Further, if you opt out of the SES, then you automatically opt-out of the Red Ledger (although you can rejoin the next game if you rejoin the SES). 

In Requiem, there generally won’t be a Red Ledger meeting, but rather do work as it arises. As Requiem lacks law enforcement, a large number of Red Ledger tasks involve CvC or CvE when someone crosses one of the Families. They also do tasks like mercenary work and bounty hunting - if it’s violent but not necessarily secretive, think Red Ledger.