PFAs & PC Teachers

Photo by Shawn Smith

As our chapter grows, we see more and more requests for Professional Focus Achievements (PFAs). In order to accommodate our players, and avoid delays, we’re allowing players to teach other players a PFA. However, we have some important requirements for this:

• The person learning the PFA must still submit an action request. We’ve changed the form so there’s space to request a player to teach you.

• If you say you’re going to find a player teacher, it’s on you to get the lesson done. We won’t find a player teacher for you.

• If you agree to teaching another player a PFA, we expect you to teach the PFA. Do not gate-keep the PFA (i.e. do a lesson and then decide they “didn’t do well enough.”)

• If you submitted the action request and the teacher signs their player number on your sheet, you can expect the PFA to be added (assuming you meet all the requirements, including the 6 month waiting period since your last PFA).

We’re not giving hard and fast rules for PFA lessons, but generally:

• The lessons should be more involved than a conversation: they should include some sort of activity or goal.

• The lesson should include about 60 minutes of roleplay and no less than 30.

• It’s okay to get other player characters involved, but don’t expect any NPC support. 

• You have to have the PFA to teach it.

DRNY and the National Event

Photo by Allana Marie

As the next Dystopia Rising New York game is the same weekend as the next national event, we’ve worked with both the national staff and Southern California chapter to bring special benefits to our players. Specifically, you buy a non-attending ticket to the Descent national event and pre-register for our local game, we’ll have your perks waiting for you:

• We’ll have a festering crystal ready for you on check-in.

• If you purchased full build with your non-attending ticket, we’ll process your non-PFA self-teach. 

• We’ll have access to one print from the national event, and we’ll add them to the packets of players who bought a non-attending ticket. No one is permitted to copy that print until after the event.

To make sure we have your benefits ready for you, please do the following:

• Purchase a non-attending ticket to the Descent national event.

• Purchase a ticket to the next DRNY game.

• Make sure you pre-register for both events in the database.

Policy Updates

Image by Allana Marie

As we continue to improve and refine our events, we have a few policies we want to communicate. These are here to make the game run smoother as well as provide for your safety.

Non-Combatant Status

If you become a non-combatant during an event, you must continue to be a non-combatant for the remainder of the event.

We’ve seen several times where a person is tired, mildly injured, or ill during an event and puts on an orange headband or informs the staff that they can’t engage in combat. First, thank you for letting us know. Your physical health is more important than any game, and we appreciate you knowing your limits. However, as we are responsible for your well-being, we can’t allow you to return to combatant status during the event. If you feel you are able to engage in combat after opting out of it, you must see a Director and request an exception to this policy: please work with us to make a risk acceptance decision that includes us. 

No 2-Hour NPC Tickets

Dystopia Rising New York will no longer offer 2-hour NPC tickets. We will instead increase the number of opt-outs.

When we create NPC shifts, we assume most people will be doing two 2-hour shifts, and do our best to make sure you can put your shifts together. When people buy 2-hour tickets, it usually causes other people to have to split their shifts. Therefore, we will eliminate 2-hour tickets, and increase the number of opt-out tickets by at least half.

Character Sheet Turn In

All players who played a character must turn in their character sheet at the end of the event.

While you might not realize it, there’s a ton of information that gets recorded on your character sheet. For example, you might have used Master Faithful Will to save another character’s infection. We also track Fractures, Infection loss, and sometimes Resolve use. Please make every effort to turn in your character sheet after game so we don’t have to email you questions in the days following. Also, it should go without saying: you must have your character sheet on you when you are playing a character (no exceptions).

NPC Shift Rest & Safety

If you cannot perform your NPC shift, we will work with you to do another shift later during the event, after we make sure your needs are met. 

People get tired, hungry, cold (or hot), and have a lot to deal with at game. We want to make it easier on you while still being fair to all players. If you’re having difficulty performing your NPC shift, talk to the Ops Guide to be reassigned to another shift. We’ll also work with you to make sure we meet your needs for rest, food, or other physical requirements. We have many options but we have to organize them, otherwise, you’ll be sitting in Ops not getting any better, and not being able to perform. We’ll likely identify a new time for you to come in, after which we’ll send you back to take care of your needs, out-of-character. 

If you require additional considerations during your NPC shift, it’s best to email us beforehand so we can work with you, individually, to make a reasonable accommodation. Communication prior to the event can prevent many problems during the event. 

PC and NPC Family Status

Society Membership in an NPC Family can only be signed off by an NPC. PCs can sign off on PC Family Society Membership but must have the level of membership they’re signing off. 

We need to keep track of characters in NPC Families and track their status and relationship with NPCs. We have no problem with players recruiting other players, but the final step has to be talking with a Face NPC associated with the faction. For PC factions, any player can sign off on other player characters joining their family, but we encourage PC families to set additional requirements for membership (i.e. Family Head approval). 

Returning Player Drive

Photo by Shawn Smith

Bottom line, up front: if you haven’t played Dystopia Rising in while, check out our March Event!

For our March Event, Dystopia Rising New York wants to welcome players who haven’t played Dystopia Rising in over a year. As we’ve talked about before, returning players face unique challenges and don’t often receive the same level of care as other groups (such as new players) might receive. To address this, we’re announcing our Returning Player Drive. 

What’s a Returning Player Drive?

We want to help returning players get back into the groove of Dystopia Rising while enjoying the sort of classic experience they remember. To accomplish this, we’re offering Returning Players the following:

• An out-of-character meet & greet with a Director and other volunteers at 7 pm Friday, prior to the event. We’ll use this time to say hello, answer questions, and help you with any character related concerns. 

• We’ll run a returning player mod at game on. We’ll take you to a remote location where you’ll face “Endless Horde” zombies (lots of shamblers, with some bursters and tanks mixed in). You’ll have the chance to try out your character sheets and guides will be on hand to help you with the rules.

• At the end of the mod, you’ll have a chance to meet an important face NPC and receive some plot information to take into town.

• Because we know many of you have seen most of your equipment expire, we’ll offer some special rewards to all of you. 

What Are These Rewards?

The zombies on the returning player mod will have useful items, mostly brews that can refresh your Mind and injectables, with some cool gizmos mixed in. In addition, each returning player will get a voucher for one master crafted weapon, armor, or shield. To use the voucher, go to the Post Office and they’ll take your voucher and write you a card for the weapon, armor, or shield you choose. 

Who Counts As A Returning Player?

To count as a returning player, you only need to meet two criteria:

• You have to have started playing Dystopia Rising before March 1st, 2022.

• You have to have played no more than one live game of Dystopia Rising since March 1st, 2022 (if you’ve played online events, don’t worry, we’re only looking at live games).

How Can Other Players Participate?

We don’t want to forget about our regular players and consistent travelers. Remember, this is an opportunity to welcome returning players and enjoy their company: we’ll do other drives in the future to thank our regulars. This month, however, we ask for your help making them feel welcome. Here are some opportunities:

• Attend our meet & greet at 7 pm on Friday, and earn 20 CAPs for helping make the returning players feel at home.

• Do an extra hour of NPC work right at Game On and earn double CAPs for the assistance (40 CAPs).

• Read the blog entry and just take steps to be inclusive and supportive.

Tickets are on sale now… if you’re ever going to come back to Dystopia Rising, this is the month to do it.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Gorgers

Photo by Shawn Smith

Our March event, Hunger and Frost, will focus on a starving community known as the Bathory Sempers. The Bathory are one of our local strain variants that you’ll be seeing later this year, and we’ll be talking more about them specifically later this month (you’ve already met at least one other local variant, the Dynasty Yorkers, although you might not have realized it). As the Bathory are Gorgers, who have a Lineage mechanic related to, well, gorging, we thought it would be good to review how Gorgers eat.

Content Warning: Cannibalism

It’s a core part of the Dystopia Rising setting, but we do want to be clear: March will have a content warning for cannibalism. Gorgers eat people. Each one does it a little differently, but you will encounter Gorger cannibalism at Hunger and Frost.

How Gorgers Eat

Gorgers have a Lineage Advantage that allows them to regain body by “consuming the flesh or blood of an incapacitate or dead Target.” The specific rules are found on pages 47 through 50 of Dystopia Rising Evolution: Larp Evolved, but we’ll review them in bullet points below, with clarifications:

• “Gorging” requires 2 minutes of role-play, and the Gorger regains 1 point of Body.

• The Target they’re eating must be of a Lineage or a Raider. They can eat other Gorgers, but they can’t target themselves. 

• The Target must be incapacitated (which typically means tied up, in Bleed Out, or have four mangled limbs) or be dead. If the Target is dead, they cannot have been dead for more than ten minutes.

• Gorging acts as a Killing Blow on Targets in Bleed Out. If they’re not in Bleed Out, it’s extremely painful and the Target loses 5 Body.

• A single corpse can provide for this advantage up to 5 times per Gorger. The maximum time of 10 minutes (before the body sank) would let the Gorger regain 5 Body. Up to 6 Gorgers may use this advantage at a time on the same body. . 

• Gorgers can use their advantage while Stabilized (but not in Bleed Out). 

Important: all Gorgers have the same advantage and can use it on both living and dead bodies. This allows them to regain Body, but it does not necessarily fulfill the needs dictated by their Strain Trait.

Every Strain Has Different Needs

Two of the three Gorger Strains,Full Dead and Semper Mort, need to consume flesh or blood, respectively, in order to survive: they have to feast once per event. To do so, they must use their Lineage Advantage on a living (not dead) creature. Note: player characters don’t automatically die if they fail to eat, they just may lose a Resolve. Not roleplaying your Strain Trait saps a Resolve for any character, we recommend (but don’t require) that Full Dead and Semper Mort who didn’t feed at their last event enter their next DRNY event down one Resolve. 

There is a difference between how Full Dead and Semper must feed. Full Dead are eating flesh… chewing, gnawing and taking out chunks of meat. As such, their Target has to be in Bleed Out or incapacitated, as per the Lineage Advantage.  Semper Morts, as they’re drinking blood, still cause damage and their bite is painful, but may explicitly feed on a willing Target. 

How To Use These Rules At The March Event

You may decide you want to feed a Semper Mort at the next event. Here’s some things to remember as you make your choices, in character.

• Every Semper Mort you meet will have to drink blood during the event. Feeding them can help them… but it doesn’t solve their problems. They’re going to have to eat tomorrow, and the next day, and so on…

• Gorgers can still eat food (Semper Morts are alive and breathing and can consume meals like anyone else). So them drinking for 2 minutes and getting a point of Body back probably doesn’t help them as much as a Bloody ration (the basic Gorger healing meal).

• Basic Gorger meals, by the way, require Dill, which is a named herb currently in-season.

• You can always role-play taking a “sip” from someone without mechanical benefit… note this doesn’t fulfill the Semper Trait, however.

• If a Guide sees a Semper feeding, and Target is not role-playing being in an extreme amount of pain, they will come over and tell you “insufficient role-play.” In such a case, just start the two minute timer again, and role-play being in extreme pain. We’re just trying to drive home the point that this isn’t a pleasant process. 

January Announcements and Schedule

Photo by Shawn Smith.

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

• Pay attention to purple glow sticks. If you see NPCs with purple glow sticks, you do not see them unless you meet one of the following conditions:

• You are currently fractured.

• You have Bad Brain.

• You are part of a specific plot.

If you do not meet these criteria, you should treat any NPCs with purple glow sticks as if they weren’t there: you don’t see them and can’t interact with them.

• If you are participating in the player-driven “Hangover Plot” (see the player-prepared document, here) then you will be able to see NPCs with purple glowsticks from 10 pm Friday until 5 am Saturday. 

• We’ll be handing out Dance Cards for our next event, so that you can plan your dances at the Black & Crimson Masquerade. After the Masquerade, you can turn them in for prizes at the Post Office. If you are a Rank 3 Family Member, you are considered a VIP… people get “points” for dancing with you, but you can’t participate in the contest. Check out opening announcements for full details. 

• Zombie range reduction was updated since our last event! Click here for the full update, however, to summarize:

• Range Reduction (Minor) reduces ranged damage by 5 (to a minimum of 1).

• Ranged Reduction (Major) reduces ranged damage by 10 (to a minimum of 1).

• Bane damage does normal damage, but does not double. 

Recurring Information

• None this month.

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 Local Mechanics.

Challenge

You antagonize your target; who must target you with any attacks. This effect ends if anyone else attacks or does damage to the target, if you leave combat, or if the target cannot see you. This skill does not force a target to engage in combat, it only forces them to target you if they do so. Challenge can’t be used under the effects of Choking Blow, and is countered by spending 5 Mind and using Basic Social Influence.

Compulsion

Delivered by packet or area of effect, cannot be negated by Avoid or Mental Endurance. The target will follow a single command until the task is completed, nullified (i.e defend someone who then dies), the compulsion is broken, or the end of the event. The target must complete the command to the best of their ability. The target is unaware of the specific command until they begin to act upon it, but will remember all actions taken.

Tangled

Countered by Avoid if delivered via a strike or ranged attack, cannot be countered by Balance. The target is Stunned and cannot be moved from their current location, except by the creature or item entangling them. Tangle can be ended by using the Break skill on mechanical cause of Tangled or by Proficient Malicious on the appendage of a creature that delivered the strike.

Unstoppable

Makes the user immune to all skills and items. The threat will respond with “No effect, Unstoppable” to a negated effect. Additionally all damage dealt to the threat is reduced to 1 damage and the threat will periodically respond with “Unstoppable.”

Schedule of Events

Friday (includes early Saturday morning)

10:00 pm - The Hangover (Player Event). Join Lonely Streetz for the aftermath of their party of the year. Camp-wide, but check out their plot document for more details.

10:00 pm and throughout the event - Art Club. Stop by the Great Hall to make art… any sort of creative expression is encouraged. Art supplies will be available starting Friday; if you have art supplies to share, please bring them. 

11:00 pm or later - The Snow Barricade (Plot Event). If we have snow, be ready for a big fight at the snowdrift that forms by the morgue. See Fun In the Snow for more details.

12:00 am - Criminal Meeting (Plot Event). Ask for the location at check-in. Specific times may shift by up to an hour.

1:00 am - Murder, Inc Meeting (Plot Event). Ask for the location at check-in. Specific times may shift by up to an hour. 

Saturday (includes early Sunday morning)

9:00 am - Smugg Mugg Thuggs (Food). Be at the Great Hall for breakfast wraps and coffee. Note: this food requires in-game currency.

11:00 am - Jack Warren’s Dirty Snowperson Contest (Plot Event). Exactly what it sounds like. Jack Warren will offer a prize for whatever he thinks is the dirtiest snowperson. If we get enough snow, it’ll be outside next to the Great Hall. See Fun In the Snow for more details.

11:00 am - Nike’s Tarot, Tea & Therapy (Player Event). Join Nike in the Great Hall for a cup of tea, and maybe get your fortune read, your head fixed, or just get some long needed therapy.

1:00 pm - The Bloodwraith’s Snowball War (Plot Event). A camp-wide test of mettle. Anywhere outside (except plowed roads) is fair game. See Fun In the Snow for more details.

1:00 pm - Brock’s Burgers (Food). Pay (in-game) money, get a burger. Will be on sale in the Great Hall before, during and after the snowball fight. 

2:00 pm - The Gang-Up (Player Event). A Lonely Streetz annual tradition, with activities such as “the Adoration of the Grog” and “the Airing of the Grievances.” In the Great Hall.

5:00 pm - The Black & Crimson Masquerade Ball (Plot Event). Put on your finest clothes, don a mask and be ready to dance at the High Lord Executioner’s exclusive event. See our announcement for full details.

Help Wanted: Director of Marketing

Photo by Shawn Smith

We’re looking for the next Director of Marketing position for Dystopia Rising New York. As Director of Marketing, you’ll be responsible for communication and revenue for the chapter, with a primary focus on driving player attendance. You’ll also handle most communication with the staff, including initial emails and making sure players get responses in a timely manner. Most importantly, you’ll set expectations for play, and help build excitement and hype for our events. To apply, email the current Director of Marketing at ryan@dystopiarisingny.com.

This position works entirely between events and is fully remote. You will have no expectations of NPC or Guide duties during events, although you will be expected to help prepare player envelopes if you are in attendance at events. You’ll have all the privileges of a Director, including a fully-comped event (with full build), advanced membership, Director-level database access, and employee privileges at other games. 

No prior knowledge of marketing is required: you will have a six month apprenticeship where we will teach you all the skills you need to know. The ability to work independently and remotely and meet deadlines is a must. 

Duties Include:

• Preparing marketing materials for social media and posting them a minimum of three times a week.

• Managing a 2-business day response time to emails and responding to messages on other social media platforms.

• Promoting events during personal interactions and representing Dystopia Rising New York in an enthusiastic manner.

• Working with the other directors to determine player expectations and communicating them effectively.

• Working with the other directors to maintain an effective website and up-to-date social media presence.

• Managing ticketing and tracking attendance with our online store and the Dystopia Rising Character Database.

• Developing promotions, including the Early Bird monthly promotion.

• Working with photographers and other content producers to maintain an effective media bank.

Required Qualifications

• Must be able to work independently and remotely, maintain an effective marketing rhythm.

Desired Qualifications

• Knowledge of Wordpress and Squarespace.

• Basic graphic design skills.

• The ability to generate 500 words of content a week for the DRNY blog.

• Expertise in Google Workplace

Compensation

• Fully comped attendance (with full build) to all DRNY events (no NPC or Clean-Up shift)

• Director privileges within the Dystopia Rising network

• Upon completion of your apprenticeship, you’ll receive a commission on all ticket sales from DRNY. 

Other

• Start Date: February 2023 as Assistant Director of Marketing

• If you successfully complete the training, automatic promotion to Director of Marketing in September 2023.

L$HC Band Excerpts!

Photo by Chris Malec.

The Lonely Streetz Hearts Club Band returns to play the High Lord Executioner’s Black & Crimson Masquerade Ball! Check out these short excerpts from their playlist!

(Vocals: Allegra Durante, Guitar: Rob Thompson, Bass: Chris Malec, Drums: Justin Agan)

Start Wearing Purple (excerpt)

Lonely Streets Hearts Club Band

7 Nation Army (excerpt)

Lonely Streets Hearts Club Band

Killing Strangers (excerpt)

Lonely Streets Hearts Club Band

Fun In the Snow

Photo by Allana Marie

January is our first winter game, which means we’re expecting plenty of snow on the ground… which means we’re going to have some snow activities for you all. We wanted to give you plenty of notice in case you wanted to modify your kit to play in the snow, or if you wanted to bring any “props” for the, um, contest (see below).

Special Mechanic: Yellow Snow

Throughout the weekend, you’ll have the opportunity to get special local items called “Yellow Snow.” On a successful attack with a thrown snowball (or a white packet), you can call “Yellow Snow, Agony 5 seconds.” How do you get Yellow Snow? Well, we’re giving away one Yellow Snow card for every 20 white packets you donate to us.

Also, please don’t throw actual yellow snow. That’s gross.

Friday Night - Fight At The Snow Barricade

Every year, the Forestburg Scout Camp plows the road up to the morgue… which means we usually have a huge snow drift. Friday night, count on a big fight down at the Wilted Rose, where we’ll have special enemies coming at you as you defend the drift. Be sure to dress warm, and be prepared to trudge through the snow during this special fight scene.

Saturday AM - Jack Warren’s Dirty Snowperson Contest

Jack Warren loves the snow, and loves snowpeople. Perhaps too much. As such, he’s sponsoring a Dirty Snowperson Contest. You have all morning to get your snowman ready for when Jack Warren comes by the Great Hall; just build your dirty snowperson (or snowpeople). Whoever has the most impressive dirty snowperson, as judged by Jack, gets a prize (which might be Yellow Snow). You’ll want this for what comes next.

Saturday Early Afternoon - The Bloodwraith’s Snowball Fight

Everyone is invited to a test of mettle and resilience as the Bloodwraiths organize a site wide snowball fight. Meet at the Great Hall, but realize that from 1 to 2 pm, anyone not inside or on a plowed road, be ready for the fight to come to you (if you don’t want to be in the snowball fight, don’t stand in an unplowed area). And yes, you can use your Yellow Snow during this fight.

Hopefully we’ll have plenty of snow to play with come January, so come ready to enjoy the fun!

The Black & Crimson Masquerade

Photo by Shawn Smith

This January, Dystopia Rising New York will introduce a new holiday - the High Lord Executioner’s Black & Crimson Masquerade Ball. You might have noticed that Essex, the new High Lord Executioner, has a different style than his predecessor, and for New Year’s, he’s going to showcase his new regime with a Masquerade Party. So what should you expect at the Black & Crimson Ball?

What To Wear

First, bring a costume. There’s only two requirements:

1. Wear some sort of mask (it is a Masquerade, after all).

2. Your costume should have at least some black, and some crimson (hence the name).

Maybe your character dons a black domino mask and tucks a piece of red cloth into their belt. Maybe you create an entirely new persona just for this masquerade. It’s up to you to do as much or as little as you like. 

Entertainment

As a masquerade ball, there will be dancing, which means we’re providing your character with two things: music and (in-game) intoxicants. What does this entail?

• We’ll have live music… we’re getting a certain band back together for this special event. We’ll probably also put together a Black & Crimson playlist for the event… stay tuned for how you can recommend songs for the official mix!

• Drinks & drugs (all sorts of Spirit Walk & Redline) will be available… and we’re introducing a special ZoM for our Early Bird participants to give them a special advantage for playing intoxicated or hallucinating.

• If you’re a Rank 3 Family Member, you’ll have access to our VIP section, where the refreshments are free… and if you have Basic Social Influence, here’s your chance to put it to good use. 

Did We Mention Dancing?

Dancing is a part of masquerade balls, so we’re introducing Dance Cards for you to fill out. We’ll provide you a Dance Card, with a list of songs we’ll play throughout the night. Before and during the Masquerade, you can pencil in your dance partner for specific songs. On these Dance Cards, you’ll get points if you can dance with specific sorts of people (i.e. a Family Head, a traveler from another settlement, or a New Blood). If you fill out your Dance Card completely, you’ll get a special prize from the Post Office.

If you’re a Family Head or a Rank 3 Family Member, we’ll have a different contest for you, with your Dance Card encouraging you to meet new people outside your family. The High Lord Executioner has a special reward for you if you fill out your card completely.

As for dancing… don’t worry about learning steps to waltzes or practicing your two-step: we’re not expecting much more than a “middle school sway” from you, and if you just want to talk privately in a corner because dancing isn’t your thing, that’s cool as well. We’ll have more details on this as the event approaches.

Tickets go on sale Tuesday, November 29th at 8 pm Eastern for our January Event, Howling Winter. Get an Early Bird Ticket to get the full benefits from the Black & Crimson Masquerade!

Upcoming for December & January

Photo by London Belli

As winter falls on the fold, the staff of Dystopia Rising New York gets to take a break. We’re going to to be relatively quiet for the next few weeks, so here’s what to expect:

• We’re going to Bravado! Dystopia Rising Texas has their Premiere event December 9 - 11, and you’ll see a number of Req-ers heading down there. Stay tuned for logistical assistance!

• Our next event is January 27 - 29, 2023… join us for the Black & Crimson Masquerade Ball, as well as a special event mod, “the Recluse’s Den.” Plus, be present for the explosive next act of this year’s meta-arc, “A Wolf In The Fold.”

The Burning

Photo by Shawn Smith

This month, we’ll tell you about the Earning Season, a time for trade, negotiations… and one of Requiem’s most important holidays, the Burning. The Burning is a Volkov holiday, where they release the burden of their most dire secrets and a time for all of the Fold to share in their tradition.

What Is The Burning?

The Volkov Family serves as the secret keepers of Requiem - they provide intelligence to the other families, spy on enemies both internal and abroad, and keep tabs on all activities in the Fold. Some of their secrets they have to keep to themselves, as the consequences of revealing them are too dire. To unburden themselves, once a year they put their most terrible secrets on paper to burn in a fire, releasing them from the weight of that knowledge. When they do, they invite the other Families to join them, burning some of their secrets away as well.

The Burning has two parts. First, there is a carnival, with food and games. Vendors set up shop in the Great Hall, while Seraphis Volkov stays in a tent outside. One-by-one, denizens of the Fold can go inside, asking Seraphis to burn their secrets… effectively asking the Volkovs to forget their past actions, for a price. After the sun goes down, the Volkovs shed their blue robes and masks to walk undisguised through Requiem, moving in a crowd towards the bonfire. There, all assembled burn their secrets on pieces of paper, letting them disappear into the fire.

How To Participate

There’s a few ways players can participate in the Burning.

• You can set up as a vendor in the Great Hall… the theme of the afternoon is food and games (such as cornhole or a row of cans to knock over with a ball). All those who set up a food stand or a game will get a signed wager from the Volkovs, and we’ll give a prize to the best food and best game: a “Confidential Informant” (the Volkov Rank 3 item).

• Also at the carnival, the Volkovs will be selling slips of paper for the bonfire, and players will have an opportunity for a one-on-one scene with Seraphis (and can potentially trade for her to burn some of their secrets).

• Finally, after Sundown, we’ll have the bonfire. If you’re an Early Bird, and take part in the ritual, you’ll be able to use the Early Bird ZoM… if you’re Fractured, the unburdening that comes with the Burning will heal one Fracture. If you’re not Fractured, the spirit of the Earning Season will inspire you, and you can gain one free hour of crafting time. 

• Finally, any character can participate in the Burning, just by wearing Volkov Blue!

The carnival will be from 3 - 5 pm on Saturday, and the bonfire will start around 6 pm. Join us for this special Requiem holiday.

Remember to Rest

While we’ve made plot kits (Red Line) and opt in engagements (“I feel”) embracing the fuck around and find out culture, those are very much choices we want you as a Player to make and embrace for your Character. On the flip side, we also want you as your Character to make some smart choices for you as a Player.

What we are putting out

A prime example for our October game is getting enough rest for the night. We here at DRNY love to give you the late night scenes, combat and holy shit moments. We’ve got the Feast of Flesh and this year we’re doing the opt in “I Feel” cabin scenarios. Both of these really fit the spooky theme everyone has come to love from this season, and we know you all also love the other late night threats, creepy scenes you stumble upon in the woods and everything else our writers and team come up with. All of these things have something in common however, and it’s that these things happen late night, both Friday night and Saturday.

What we need in return

We know we try our best to keep you entertained all weekend, and often during siestas players try to organize their own events, research, faith meetings etc. However, we are asking players to make a conscious effort to try and get some rest during the down time, even if there may be a few things going on. Missing a small mod during the afternoon may be incredibly worth it if it enables you to stay up and get involved with the things they may be waiting all game for. We’ve all been there or seen our friends there, someone stays up late and didnt take a nap, and they are cranky and irritable. Or, we’ve been woken up or we’ve engaged a sleeping player only for them to respond angrily. This can feel bad for the NPC just doing their job, trying to entertain everyone. The woken player also ends up feeling bad. Let’s all make sure we get enough down time and rest this game, so we can enjoy the late night horrors we’ve come to love here at Requiem.

"Ethically" Sourced Flesh and You: A Guide to the Torture Shack

A Guide to the Torture Shack

Every year for the Feast of Flesh we open a special little experience often referred to as "The Torture Shack." What exactly is the shack? Well on an in game level the shack is where Zodiac conducts his yearly harvest of pounds of fresh, living flesh to help save those who end up taking an early trip into the grave. The flesh also has another important use, to pay a tithe to the horrible creatures that come round during the night during the feast hungering for fresh meat. Those without a pound of flesh on their door will  awaken to find themselves beset by terrifying creatures hungering for fresh meat. Just ask those who forgot their pound of flesh last year!

What Should You Expect?

On an out of game level The Torture Shack is an intense and in depth physical and psychological experience where we use sight, sound, touch, and smell to push your character and you to their limits. By touching on as many senses as possible we can create an immersive and engaging experience. You can expect things like scent sprays, surgical implements, strange textures, lighting, fog and more.

Horrifying, But Safe.

Terrified of being tortured? Good that's a healthy response but don't be too scared we use a robust safety system involving consent forms, preparation on topics and experiences, as well as safe words to make sure you have the most fun being tormented as possible. Starting at game on there will be a sign up sheet in the post office for time blocks to visit the torture shacks as consent forms to fill out so we know how best to tailor your experience. Sign up for the slot that you want then fill out your form and you're good to go!

So come on down to the Torture Shack this year, get vivisected by Zodiac or just listen to your friends scream from outside, it's good times either way. Just remember we're going to get our pound of flesh one way or another...

The Feast of Flesh (Copy)

Photo by Allana Marie

‘Feast of Flesh’. More than likely you have heard of it, but if you’re new to Requiem and haven’t had the pleasure yet, we are here to tell you a little about what you can expect from DR:NY’s time honored October tradition.

So What Is It?

A story as old as time. A creature, a monstrosity, hidden by the shadows of the night. It seeks to hunt, it seeks to kill, and people seek to control it by whatever means necessary. Residents of Requiem became weary of watching their friends and family get torn to shreds in the darkest hours of the night, and so, they come to a terrifying conclusion. If the creature will not rest until it consumes the flesh of the living, we will give it what it wants. A sacrifice. Zodiac was more than happy to assist the fine people of Requiem with the task. Every October, townsfolk keen on making sure their friends and family survive the night follow the overgrown trail to Zodiac’s makeshift shack where he assists them in harvesting the most precious resource of the season - a pound of flesh. When placed upon the door the night of the Feast of Flesh, the creature is appeased by the offering of freshly carved meat, and continues on its way rather than consuming the inhabitant of the building.

Zodiac’s ‘Torture Shack’

Players will have an opportunity to sign up for a roleplay experience in which our lovely story and experience designers Tony and Tom guide you through a series of environmental and physical stimuli simulating the ‘torture’ of having flesh removed so that the player has an offering to present. This is an entirely opt-in escape room style experience with horror elements and physical challenges such as mild electrocution. Prior to participation, you’ll have to go through a special safety briefing and sign an extra consent form. CW: body horror, blood/gore, torture

No More Room In Hell

What happens when there has been so much death, so much stress and trauma to the shallow and underdeveloped Gravemind of Requiem? No more room for bodies. During this event, our ‘No More Room In Hell’ mechanic returns. How does it work?

Whenever a lineage’s bleed out ends and results in a death (whether via the standard 5 minute period or cut short due to a killing blow or similar effect) that character lies on the ground dead for 30 seconds instead of the standard 10 minutes. At the end of the 30 second period that character is considered beyond saving for the purpose post death skills and effects (such as Master Faithful Will) and instead rises as an Undead. During check in you will receive a sealed paper with the stats and mechanics for your character’s zombie in the event that they die during the course of the weekend. This paper is to remain sealed until the character has died and the 30 seconds have passed. If you check in with multiple characters, each one will have their own undead mechanics. Once you zombie has been killed, you then sink and head to Ops where you will be given your gravemind scene as per usual.

Early Bird!

Want to have some extra fun? When you sign up for our Early Bird Special, in your envelope at check-in you will find a specialized custom zombie based off of which skill group your character has spent the most build in! Doesn’t that sound like fun?!

New Season, New Laws

Photo by Allana Marie

Since May, players and family heads have engaged with npc’s to negotiate updates to the laws of The Fold. During Honor’s Fall, through actions and reactions, the 13 families were decided upon and a new High Lord Executioner was named. As the new High Lord, Essex Anastasia’s first order of business was to make official the negotiated laws of The Fold. Below you will find just the laws that have been updated, with the new text displayed in bold.

• Public preaching and advertising of preaching is outlawed. So says the High Lord Executioner.

• Theft and destruction of property is fined at the return of or the worth of the property. If it is a Family Member’s property the fine is doubled. So says the High Lord Executioner.

• Lying, willfully or due to willful ignorance, by deceit or omission, to the High Lord Executioner is punishable by death. So says the High Lord Executioner.

You can see the full list of laws of The Fold here

Additionally you can find the updated list of the 13 families along with their descriptions here

CvC And Honor's Fall

Photo by London Belli

The name of our event comes from Honor’s Fall itself, when the High Lord Executioner suspends the Treaty of the Fold and the residents of Requiem settle all the scores from the past year. While we emphasize the Character versus Character (CvC) conflict we’re expecting Saturday night, most conflict during Honor’s Fall is Character versus Enemy (CvE). Still, it’s important to be prepared for how CvC conflict might occur during Honor’s Fall, and understand how we’ll handle important things like Infection loss and “CvC lock.”

How Much CvC Is There?

Sometimes, the risk of CvC is more nerve-wracking than the conflict itself. Most of the CvC fighting we expect is between locals who have “opted in” to violence as part of their political standing in Requiem. If you’re not a high-ranking member of a Requiem family or haven’t offended some of our major NPCs, you’re not likely to encounter more CvC than you would at other events. Here’s some reasons you might expect to encounter CvC:

• You’re a Family head, or other Tier 3 member of a Requiem family.

• You’ve engaged in CvC over the past year in Requiem.

• You initiate it yourself.

With that said, remember that all of Requiem is Wasteland, so you can encounter CvC at any time. While this is always the case at Dystopia Rising New York, other players might be more willing to engage in CvC Saturday night than they normally would. 

CvC Without a Guide

What is more likely to happen is CvC without a guide. With players hunting PC Family Heads, and the possibility of retaliation, it’s possible that CvC might occur spontaneously as enemies encounter each other in the Wasteland. Remember: apart from theft, CvC, including violent CvC, does not require a guide. However, if a guide isn’t present, we want to set expectations for how to engage in CvC.

• First, remember theft… including looting a body… requires a guide. You do not need to hand any item cards over to other player characters without a guide present. 

• Second, if you’re attacked without a guide, play the scene out fairly, and try not to slow down combat with rules questions or clarifications. If they kill you, you’ll end up at ops, and we can talk about it there, but there’s no need to argue with other players without a guide.

• Finally, if you kill someone, and there’s any disagreement over rules that we can’t clearly settle, that person will not lose Infection if there wasn’t a guide. They will still get a Gravemind scene, you will still be CvC locked… the only difference is the Infection loss.

Handling CvC Lock

By the rulebook, in order to initiate CvC that may end in Infection loss or that involves theft, a player needs to have been in-character for four hours, and then remain in character for four hours after the conflict. With a third of our event having an NPC or guide shift during the night of Honor’s Fall, this requirement might exclude many players from engaging in CvC. As such, we’re modifying this rule for the night of Honor’s Fall (sunset on Saturday to sunrise on Sunday). Here’s the modifications:

• If you have an NPC or guide shift during this time, you can engage in CvC 30 minutes after the end of your shift.

• If you have to go on an NPC shift Saturday night, you can still engage in CvC up to 30 minutes beforehand if you register your sleeping space with Ops. You can expect we will send your victims to you in the middle of the night.

• Your directors might be in- and out-of-character all night. They may also be engaging in CvC as part of Honor’s Fall, and so to make sure you have a chance to get even with them (or even go one up), you will be able to find their sleeping spaces registered in Ops.

Body Positivity

Photo by Michael Gugat

Dystopia Rising New York encourages body positivity to all, without exception for gender or other characteristics. In order to promote this, and ensure all players feel safe dressing in the costume of their choice, we have the following announcements:

• At Dystopia Rising New York, we do not have costuming restrictions that vary between individual players. This means any player who chooses to “go topless” may do so without restriction.

• No person should ever make an unwanted comment about another player’s body. This includes (but is not limited to) comments about age, weight, hair, physical ability. If someone makes an unwanted comment, expect at a minimum a written warning to be added to their character sheet. More severe harassment or further instances will result in a suspension or Refusal of Service (ROS). 

• If a person makes an unwanted sexual comment about another person’s body, they can expect a suspension or ROS without a warning. This includes any comment made towards a topless person about their body.

Remember, these consequences are expectations, and will be exercised at the judgment of the staff. Misunderstandings do occur, as do particularly egregious violations, and the staff of DRNY will use these guidelines to meet our primary goal: that all our players feel comfortable at our events, and can dress as they wish without fear of shaming or other forms of harassment. 

Transparency: this policy stems from an incident that occurred at our previous event where unwanted comments were made about an individual while swimming. While we have addressed the matter with the individual(s) involved, we wanted to make a public statement about our values and ensure all individuals know about the consequences of making unwanted comments in regards to another person’s body.

Honor's Fall Announcements

Photo by London Belli

Dystopia Rising New York announcements will be posted on our site, emailed to players, and printed off for you packets.

New or Updated Information

• Mask up! Check out our incentive to wear a mask at Honor’s Fall.

• Med sleep is the back of the Director’s Hovel (first building on the left when you drive in). Do not sleep in the first building to right (the one with the porch) without permission!

• Do not plug anything into the outlets in the Great Hall during the Bacchanal without the explicit permission of a director (not just a guide). Too many plugs will blow a circuit breaker.

• If you need to get cards out of LIT, you may do so Friday, 10 am to 4pm, and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm. Remember, anything you want to use Saturday night must be carded.

• Sign-ups for the Hot Zone will be at the post office… first come, first serve, and please only go to the Hot Zone one time. 

• While the Hot Zone is open, you can go to ops and volunteer for 1 hour of NPC duty. In addition to 10 CAPs/hour, you can count this time as time spent crafting/resource gathering.

Recurring Information

• Fires: keep fires to fire circles, and make sure you always have a fire guard. 

• Unless we have told you specifically that you are an exception, you cannot use the kitchen for anything other than washing dishes. Do not walk through the kitchen to get to the refrigerator or the bathroom, walk outside to the side door to access these areas.

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 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.

Two Additional Announcements

Photo by London Belli

In addition to the announcements we’ll release later today, we have two time-sensitive announcements.

Players Attending Game This Weekend

If you attend a game this weekend, any build expenditures will not appear on your sheets at Honor’s Fall. If this applies to you, please request new sheets when you pick up your character packets at Ops.  

Meal Plan Closing

The meal plan closes today at midnight.