Following the two trial runs; the first at Shaftesbury Hall which became briefly a Vermont Mining Camp, and the second in Tewkesbury, where a very authentic Druidic revival led to scenes of horror, chaos and fudge-cake eating zombies (cheers Rajiv!) I have finally got round to planning the campaign; set in Gloucestershire in 1926, the game will run over the course of one year real time, and will follow the researches of the Cotswold Society of Naturalists and Antiquarians (CSNA) as they delve into the past, examine the regions fauna, record folklore, preserve ancient hedgerows and engage in learned debate. This fictional society will prove the springboard for an epic year long adventure.
What do I need?
The CSNA are very much gentlemen and gentlewomen amateurs; they poke about in the fringes of academia, and publish their findings in an irregular Proceedings. Players should be willing to meet the requirements expected of the society; if your character is a botanist, carry a small guide to wild flowers; if you are a vicar, carry a prayerbook and bible, and no matter who you are, you almost certainly own a pullover or cardigan (extremely fashionable!), a hat (essential) and possibly a bicycle. If you don’t own a bike be aware you may need to borrow one from time to time to participate in certain jaunts, though bus and trains will also be used and it is possible that wealthy members might be willing to place their motor cars at the disposal of the society.
(Keepers Note - It is also entirely possible that other modes of conveyance, such as ships and hot air baloons, will be used before the end of the campaign.) You will be responsible for outfitting your character; you may well wish to begin with what you have to hand, but if the campaign develops well and you feel so inclined please feel free to purchase additional props.
One rule; Your character might possess a firearm, but the firearm should be bright orange or luminous green, or is some way made unrealistic so as to not inadvertantly alarm members of the public who choose to hide in hedges or peer through curtains. These people exist!
Small props such as wedding rings, handbags, powder puffs, brooches, etc, etc, can add a great deal to a character. The Keeper can provide fashion advice for the twenties as well as useful advice on what technology was available.
Players are encouraged to carry mobile phones, modern asthma inhalers etc, for real life emergencies, providing they are out of sight!
Players should make an effort to find a decent costume; but fun is more important and if your shoes cripple you, well trainers it is! We are telling a story, solving mysteries and playing a game, not making a costume drama.
Who is playing? Membership of the CSNA is by election; potential members are admitted only on a vote on a blackball system; one veto and you are refused admission. The original members are all elected by me as Keeper for the Campaign; the blackball system only comes in to effect after that point.
The CSNA has a Chair, Secretary and Treasurer, which are elected by ballot in the first meeting.
Any player may be excluded from a scenario at any time without reason by the Keeper; participation in a scenario being strictly by invitation only. Players may be permanently excluded from the campaign for any behaviour which annoys other players; including but not exclusively profanity, physical contact, reckless endangerment (in real life, not the game), ungentlemanly or caddish behaviour, alcoholism, depravity or beastliness. In short, bounders and adventuresses need not apply.
Participation in the campaign will require your character to be willing to be absent from approximately one in three adventures; you will be expected to take part in these adventures as a Non-Player Character. This is a strict rule; for every two adventures you play you must NPC in one; (not necessarily the next - you may choose a convenient and congenial opening!) The two Cthulhu games we have already run count towards this, so if you NPC’d then you are probably due to play, but if you played twice, then you are due to NPC.
A final point; all players are asked to sign a disclaimer, the game is a private party; the host can not be legally responsible for damage or injury howsoever sustained. Anyone who knows me will know that I will be very careful to ensure sensible safety precautions apply!
You will each create one member of the CSNA, or a friend or spouse thereof. The game will progress in a real time = game time ratio; characters are encouraged to develop in between scenarios, become betrothed, embittered or caught up in election fever, suffer maladies or have problems finding servants. Between each session you will be asked to think up a few new developments in your characters story. The keeper will issue brief summaries of Cotswold news for the relevant periods in 1926/27, so you can find something to talk about, in a Campaign Bulletin, The Cotswold Free Press and Gazette.
One of the advantages of campaign play is that you can get really involved with your character; but if that character is lost, then you will have to start again. However a decent period of mourning is allowed; you must NPC twice before generating a new investigator! This is to discourage reckless play; it also means that if too many characters get eaten on a dark and stormy night the heroic work of the CSNA is more difficult until they can be replaced.
Each player must generate a character for the game with the Keeper; it is entirely up to you what occupation you choose, but all names, equipment, characters, etc, etc are at the discretion of the Keeper. Comic stereotypes and silly names are to be avoided; costume drama rather than spoof ‘5 go mad in Glos’ is the aim! Your character should be a minor masterpiece, a three dimensional rounded individual, with quirks, foibles and a personality of their own, not you in a funny costume. You are not however restricted to your own gender; feel free to cross-dress, providing you are willing to do this in public, in say Cinderford or Calais!
Initially I am hoping to locate about nine adventerous souls, but anything up to thirty is eventually possible. If you are interested in becoming a member please let me know asap by e-mail , so we can design characters.
How much will it cost?
As little or much as you choose; adventures will be in the range £1 (to pay the keeper for his time and writing it!; a one evening adventure in Cheltenham or environs) to £100 (a 72 hour return trip to Esbjerg, Denmark, in character on a cruise-ship, by arrangement with Danish Seaways, an afternoon of adventuring 2000’ over Cheltenham in a hot air baloon or a weekend jaunt exploring the mysteries of the Isle of Wight, the cost including ferry and train fares plus accomodation.) Most adventures will cost significantly less than a tenner, with the average being about £2-3. Adventures can be tailored to the players requirements, and the costs will be advertised well in advance so you can decide if you want to play or not. You are always free to opt out of an adventure.
The major difference between this and previous adventures is that we want to be able to buy the NPC’s a beer and give the Keeper a little something for his efforts; an honorarium but welcome! Shaftesbury cost £1 a player, the Tewkesbury Beltaine game cost £2.(Well actually they cost a lot more - CJ made a significant loss...) This gives a very rough guide; decent props may easily raise the price significantly as can train or bus travel. (In the former case we had a free venue; in the latter free venue and a free minibus for transport- thanks due to Ian and Di, Little John and the Student's Union Hockey Club).
The Keeper is happy to put the work in; he not unsurprisingly asks the players to acknowledge his efforts and expenses. If you can’t afford it, we can always run a cheaper adventure next time. The players can discuss reasonable budget proposals for adventures at the monthly meeting of the CSNA (see below) or at the pub!
Keepers and NPC’s
The NPC’s will as far as possible help outfit themselves in collaboration with each other; any unusual expenses in props being budgeted into the adventure cost to the players. NPC’s will be given very opportunity to develop their own ideas and angles on the plot, and will be richly rewarded by a can of cheap beer at the end of the evening!
The Plot!
It is the Keeper’s duty to create a plot which will intrigue and interest the players, drive the story, and allow NPC’s from one episode to fully participate and understand their role without actually revealing to them information valuable in later episodes, when they are playing investigators! The plot loosely revolves around ancient history, a dark mystery and a sinister secret; which doesn’t reveal much...
CSNA members are welcome to develop and present their own ideas for adventures, and to offer to act as referees.
Timing
The adventures will run irregularly, as time and other commitments permit, but not more than once a fortnight and not less than once a month. There will be a monthly meeting (in character) of all CSNA members which will take place in a member’s house, a pub, hotel or even at a picnic, and will often serve as the introduction for the adventure. CSNA members will also be placed on an e-mail list which will be low volume (1-2 posts per week) but which will provide useful details. Non web using members can have a paper copy.
In conclusion...
I welcome any ideas, suggestions or donations! Please let me know if you are interested in the game... I plan to set the first adventure towards the beginning of November 1999.
Cheers CJ
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Last Updated 1st September 1999; 22:48