Revolutionary Dreams (Modified on 8/30/05)
Part 1: Basic information
Domain Name:
Domain of Boston
Domain Number: MA-001-D
Venue: Changeling
Lead Venue
Storyteller: Kevin A. Robbins jr.
Storyteller Contact: madchangelingvst@yahoo.com
Games
Hosted On: 2nd Saturday afternoon of every month (11AM-5PM)
Part 2: Styles of Play
Action (Combat, Challenges, and Adventure): 3
Character Development
(Personal Dilemmas and Choices): 5
Darkness (Death or Corruption of the Character):
4
Drama (Ceremony and Grand Story): 3
Intrigue (Politics and Negotiations):
2
Manners (Social Etiquette and Peer Pressure): 2
Mystery (Enigmas and Investigation):
3
Pace (Speed of Play): 3
Please note that these numbers are subject to change without notification. Such changes will however be based on the opinions of the members of the Boston Changeling VSS.
Part 3: Mood and Theme
Part 4: Description of Venue
Boston had always been an important place for Changelings. Even as a developing industrial city, it sheltered many pockets of glamour. For nearly 400 years it has nurtured various artists, students, politicians and revolutionaries, but dreamers all. Boston was a place of wonder, a city that supported plentiful freeholds and a never ending stream of dreamers.
But during the Accordance War, Boston became a far different place. The revolutionary spirit that had inspired Boston's mortal residents to declare independence almost 200 years prior, still fueled the dreams of her modern changelings. Those commoners swore never to accept the rule of the returning Sidhe, and fought with a passion and determination not seen elsewhere in the war.
Though the Sidhe were quickly victorious through most of North America, the unexpected resistance by the commoners in Manhattan, and the resulting death of their commander, proved nearly disastrous. Determined not to give up so close to victory, they made Boston a second front of their Northeastern campaign, wagering that if they could rout the commoners there, New York would fall soon after. Duke Giona MacLugha was placed in command of the Sidhe knights sent into the heart of Boston itself, with the success of the entire war riding on his back.
The battles that raged across the streets of Boston, and the surrounding countryside and sea were the most brutal of the war, and second only to New York in scope, but lasting far longer. Neither side took prisoners, and both sides employed cold iron from the start. Atrocities committed by noble and commoner alike in those battles will never be forgotten.
For most of the war, the desperate commoners held out, even as they became increasingly isolated. Using guerilla tactics, raids behind the Sidhe lines, and fortifications in Cambridge, they gave ground to MacLugha's knights by mere inches. But the Sidhe fought almost as desperately. For MacLugha, the taking of Boston had became a personal vendetta, and his assaults were relentless. The turning point of the war came with the Sidhe charge against the commoner freehold in Harvard Square. In the face of terrible losses, the charge held and the Sidhe broke through the commoner lines.
As their defenses began to crumble, realization dawned on the commoners that they could not hold, and that Boston would fall. Never for a moment did they consider flight or surrender, but with hearts turned cold after a long and bloody campaign, they began a final tactic to prevent Boston from falling into the hands of their enemies. Ross the Red himself, the leader of the commoner resistance, destroyed the first freehold ahead of the advancing Sidhe knights. Over the next month the Sidhe overran one after another of the commoner positions, only to find burnt and banal freeholds in their wake.
Only later, when the war was ended, did the Sidhe learn the extent of the commoners hatred, over half of Boston's freeholds and places of glamour had been destroyed. The Sidhe cried at the loss, but in Giona MacLugha, something broke.
When the fighting was over, and peace signed, Duke MacLugha remained lord over the few remaining freeholds in Boston. Peace did not come easily to Boston. Commoner attacks continued, their hatred of MacLugha still burning in their souls, but they grew less frequent as the years wore on. Eventually the commoners settled into a state veiled hatred and distrust. For his part, MacLugha ruled with an iron fist, and was especially hard on commoners, most of whom stayed far away from his lands. Even most Sidhe found his rule harsh and avoided his realm.
Into old age, MacLugha maintained his hold on Boston like a death grip, avoiding banality by never leaving his freehold. His mind slipped ever further into bedlam, and madness slowly took him. Dark rumors spread regarding his paranoia and the things that went on in his court. Even other Sidhe began to ponder that this might not be a problem which will resolve itself, while the commoners whispered about the darkness that had enveloped Boston.
Baron Giona MacLugha was pronounced dead not long ago, though no explanation, funeral, or body ever appeared. Summer found war with the Nunnehi brewing, but staved off in the end. Fall saw the sputtering of the balefires. And the false spring saw the death of a Queen.
Even in Boston, winter comes. The balefire that was the center of Boston's changelings went out, and with it's disappearance and the lack of glamour, hard choices await the changelings of Massachusetts. The death of Queen Mab and the failure of the Constitutional Monarchy of Apples were the beginning of the turning point for Boston.
Then came the White Hag.
A Formorian from the depths of the Dreaming, the Calleach Beurh held Boston for a time, and once even defeated a grand army raised to thwart her actions.
But in the End, Boston Prevailed, and cast her down.
The Balefire at the Old State House is relit, and another at Fort Independence besides. Yet the chill of Winter lingers on the lands. The Kingdom reforms, with King Asterlan upon the throne, yet dark forces move against him even now.
The question remains:
Where do you stand?
Part 5: Storytelling Mechanics
Proxies:
In general,
proxies are discouraged from play at games. A proxy form, available on our website,
must be submitted for all proxies into Boston. Also, the ST may require additional
answers to questions posed before allowing a proxy.
Additionally, any and all characters in proxies to Boston are subject to ST audit to ensure that fairness is maintained.
Experience award guidelines:
Game: 2 to 3 XP if you attend
most of it. Less or none will be awarded if the ST feels you weren't at the game
long enough for their idea of a functioning player. Exceptions for exceptional
circumstances.
** Game Write-up: 1XP: This is a fairly detailed account of
your character's evening, from your character's point of view. It doesn't need
to be done in the first person, but it must include enough information on the
character's thoughts, reactions, etc, that the ST feels its worthy of XP.
**
Monthly Chronicle: 1XP: This is what your character is doing during the month.
How she spends her weekdays, does she hold a job, etc. This does not have to be
done in 1st or third, or narrative at all. It just needs to include enough for
the ST to get a good sense of your activities over the month.
** "SubLARP":
1XP: this is for a detailed write-up of an interaction with another character
or characters that you felt added to the story. This includes things like IRC
play, Emails, hanging out ICly with another character (NOT on a game day), etc.
Pretty much any one interaction that you can write up.
** Exceptional XP: 1XP:
This is a catchall for something that made the ST really want to reward you. Be
it RP, or Costume, or feeding the entire populous game with Pizza. whatever.
Experience point expenditures:
Every XP expenditure requires, by the book, a minimum of 1 week to "kick in" after you've spent the XP. Limitations on frequency of purchases are: you may only gain 1 level of a particular influence per month. You can also only gain one Willpower or Glamour a month. That's the minimum. The ST will be adjusting that base depending on how good or bad your justifications for acquiring an item is. If it's good, the ST will give the week. If it's bad, (and if the ST approves it at all) it can be significantly longer than that.
Gaining backgrounds (title, trods, treasures, chimera, companions, etc) through on-line roleplaying requires the approval of the VST before they are initiated. Also, if some method of logging such activities is possible, it is to be used and the logs sent to the VST.
Miscellaneous:
During game, objects and characters
(if actual props and or NPCs are used) of purely chimerical nature will be marked
by a piece of green cloth or a green card (which will be supplied by the STs).
At the start of game, various characters may be supplied with sealed envelopes, of one of two types. The first type of envelope are marked "Information, Open Immediately", and will contain information that the character arrives at game with. These should be opened as soon as they are received, and that character may use that information from that time forward.
The second type of envelope will be marked "Contingency, DO NOT OPEN UNTIL…" with a specific condition, such as a time, particular event, or meeting a specific character. This envelope should NOT be opened until the stated criteria is met. At that time, open and read the contents. These envelopes may contain information or instructions, if so, follow the instructions immediately, unless directed otherwise. If the condition never occurs, you should return the envelope to the ST, unopened, at the end of the game.
Boston uses the Jester system for bunks. However, you
are encouraged to come up with "signature" bunks. These are things that
only your character would do, that qualify as bunks. (i.e. dancing out the pattern
to a DDR song or spontaneously hugging people around you.) "Signature"
Bunks should be written on your character sheet, or otherwise recorded as such.
