Game Book 2007
Slot 1 - Friday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Slot 2 - Friday, 7:00 p.m. to midnight
Slot 3 - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Slot 4 - Saturday, 7:00 p.m. to midnight
Slot 5 - Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Slot 1 - Friday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Afraid
GM: Michael Curry
Number of Players: 2-4
Game Type: Other Diced, Indie
Game URI:
Character Generation: Pre-gens
This is a session of Vincent Baker's Afraid, a horror variant of his acclaimed Dogs in the Vineyard rules. If you've avoided DitV because of qualms about the setting, this may be a good chance for you to get some idea of what all the fuss is about.
Rules will be taught, and if you already know how to play Dogs they'll seem pretty familiar. Since the game is under development, the rules as written are still pretty sketchy (especially if you don't know DitV), but you can see what there is here. There are also some actual play reports linked to here to give you some idea of how the game plays.
Le Cygne - Under a Broken Moon
GMs: Ginger Stampley and Michael Croft
Number of Players: 4-8
Game Type: Other Diceless, Amber, Series
Game URI: http://www.whiterose.org/twiki/bin/view/Cons/UnderaBrokenMoon
Character Generation: Pregenerated
Le Cygne, canny veteran trader on the double-dozen seas, caught in a black rain, was tossed far from the trade lanes. Having lost her Captain-Owner and marooned her first mate (for shooting at the rest of the crew), the remaining few sail on, hoping to find a clue to bring them safely back to Amber.
After nearly losing the ship to the fleet of the man with the Horn, the crew is relieved to sail into what appears to be a peaceful tropical harbor. But when night falls, the full moon is jagged and broken and strange fires appear in the jungle. Where has Le Cygne landed this time, and what will it cost her to leave?
The Dogs of War
GM: Brenda McCartney
Number of Players: 3-6
Game Type: Other Diceless, Amber
Game URI:
Character Generation: Characters will be pregenerated and distributed at game start.
The battle is over and the forces of Amber took the day. This time. However, the once-peaceful Vale of Garnath is burnt and twisted and Eric, King of Amber, lies dead. As a victorious Amber licks her wounds, a new threat looms; a threat of attack more insidious than the first and one that has the potential to rock majestic Mount Kolvir to its very core. The forces at work are subversive and invisible to all but those who have a knack for sniffing out danger:
The Spy Dogs.
This time, it will be no walk in the park.
This game is an Amberized adventure featuring the characters from the as-yet-unpublished series “Spy Dogs”, written by young author Natasha McCartney. The author, aged 13, will serve as co-GM for this game, so it will be rated strictly PG. Come join us for a romping good time.
The Eternal City
GM: Brian Dewhirst
Number of Players: 3-6
Game Type: Other Diceless, Other Diced, Amber, Non-Amber, Indie
Game URI: http://users.wpi.edu/~dewhirst/The_Eternal_City.html
Character Generation: Contact the GM at dewhirst AT wpi DOT edu at least one week before TBR with a list of top-three preferred elder Amberites (children of Oberon). Please also state your experience with Continuum and History. ("none" and "Mel Brooks" are acceptable answers)
Continuum is a realistic time-traveling role playing game. It uses both diced and diceless resolution. Amber (ADRPG) is a fantasy/sci-fi game of the Machiavellian family which is the realest thing in the universe, possessed of cosmic power to change reality around themselves.
Familiarity with Continuum is not assumed, or required.
The plot itself centers around a family which has rebelled from the Council Courts. Players portray the children of the patriarch, Oberon. From their city, Amber, deep in the Sagittarian Era (c. ~17,000 BC) they thumb their noses at "The Swarm."
For additional details, see the game URI above.
Slot 2 - Friday, 7:00 p.m. to midnight
Nine Rednecks in Amber
GM: Karen Alfrey
Number of Players: 3-8
Game Type: Other Diceless, Amber
Game URI: http://www.spatzel.net/alfrey/amber/nine_rednecks_game.html
Character Generation: Pregens
Dad - mayor of Amber County and a right bastard, God rest his soul - done gone and died without leaving a will. It's up to you and your good-fer-nothin' brothers and sisters (legitimate and otherwise) to figure out what to do with what he left behind: the homestead, the hundred-acre tobacco farm... heck, damn near all of Amber County. (Not to mention crazy Grandpa Derkin - but the less said about THAT, the better.) As you all gather together for the first time in decades, will you fall to the same old bickerin'? Or can you put your differences behind you for the good of farm and family?
Players portray Amber elders recast as drinkin', spittin', cussin' good ol' boys and gals in a real-world setting. Characterizations are based on the descriptions found at the game website. The game will be system-light and low-powered: these Elders may be a little quicker and smarter than those around them, but in Amber County, that ain't sayin' much. Action will be driven by PC-PC interactions, with role-playing emphasized.
This game was previously run at ACUS 2007.
The Children of Amber in...The Machinations of Duke Icarium!
GM: Paul Weimer
Number of Players: 4-6
Game Type: Other Diced, Amber, Indie
Game URI: http://www.all-roads-lead.net/jvstin/tcoa/
Character Generation: To be created communally in email prior to the con with the GM and other players.
Your cousin Princess Asteria, daughter of Flora, is having a 100th birthday party out in shadow, and she has invited you to visit her art-deco world of zeppelins and high adventure to celebrate.
However,things are not as they seem, as their hostess and themselves are put in danger by the minions of a mysterious antagonist!
Can the Children of Amber stop the machinations of Duke Icarium before his dark purposes are fulfilled?
TCOA will use a variation on the Fate System as seen in the Evil Hat Productions game "Spirit of the Century". See the website for more details.
The Jackal Within
GM: Charles Little
Number of Players: 4-6
Game Type: Amber Diceless RPG, Non-Amber
Game URI: http://wiki.gamera.cc/index.php?n=TheJackalWithin.HomePage
Character Generation: Characters are to be generated/approved before the con based on rules on the website. The GM needs the characters as soon as possible as there will be pre-game setup done by e-mail.
You awake in a room, your brethren from the Imperial Elite Guard around you, waking from the same blow that brought you low- a frantic attempt by a traitor among your number to cover his tracks. But as you recover, you realize that you have no memory of who the traitor is- and neither does any of your brethren.
Assumption Day, the celebration of the Empire's creation, is only a few days away, and on that day, the traitor plans the assassination of his charge- to slay the Emperor. What will you do? Who can you trust? Are you a faithful bodyguard as you appear- or are you party to an assassination plot that will shake the kingdom to its core?
The Wedding Feast of King Laoganus
GM: Jack Gulick
Number of Players: 4-6
Game Type: Other Diced, Non-Amber, Indie
Game URI:
Character Generation: Agon (http://www.agon-rpg.com/) rules will be used, and will be taught.
Hear, O Warriors!
Laoganus, weary of his youthful wanderings, has returned to his royal birthright. All are invited to the feast, where he will claim his bride and his crown.
The mightiest, cleverest, and quickest of the age will sit at his high table, as his most honored guests.
Who is the greatest hero of the age?
Slot 3 - Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Above Us the Waves
GM: Mel Mason
Number of Players: 3-8
Game Type: Amber Diceless RPG, Amber
Game URI: http://wiki.gamera.cc/index.php?n=AboveUsTheWaves.HomePage
Character Generation: BYOC - Your character should be submitted to the GM well in advance of the game (preferably at least two weeks). Rules for character generation (which follow the rules devised for Time Under Chaos) can be found on the web-site.
Characters are very much Youngers; Patternfall was fifty years ago, and you may well have been born since then.
You will have a more famous, popular, wittier (or in some way shinier) sibling. There's no need to assign points, but you should say who your sibling is - and for what they are famed.
Random, King of Amber, has summoned you to his rooms. When you get there, you find a bunch of your cousins. Younger cousins: brothers and sisters of the better known offspring of the Elders. The shy, the troublemakers, the just plain geeky. Looking around, you start to feel a sinking feeling. Random classes you with this bunch?
Random is nervous, jittery. You haven't seen him like this since ... well, ever, probably. He's fiddling with a pair of drum sticks (a hard trick to pull off), and when he realises what he's doing, he puts them down, but periodically uses his fingers to beat out rhythms. And he either looks over your heads or down at the papers on the table.
By now your heart has descended to your boots and started tunnelling out through the soles.
The thing is this, Random eventually explains. There's some sort of trouble in Rebma. He doesn't have a handle on it ... relations between Amber and Rebma have been a little ... sticky. Random wants you to visit, to find out what's wrong and - if you can - to make sure that - even if it's not put right - it's not going to be a Problem for Amber. Oh, and if you get into trouble, he knows nothing about this - ok?
And whatever you do, Don't Tell Martin.
Fortune's Fool: The Jewel of San-chak
GM: Michael Curry
Number of Players: 2-5
Game Type: Other Diced, Indie, Series
Game URI:
Character Generation: Pre-gens
Fortune's Fool is the most feared airship in the skies of the Empire of Uskadi. Preying on the merchant zeppelins that transport goods and passengers from city to city, she and her crew of swashbuckling rogues have managed to outfly, outwit and outfight the airships of the Imperial Air Navy that have been sent to stop them.
In this episode, the crew of Fortune's Few learns that sometimes treasure is more trouble than it's worth, especially if the previous owners won't stay dead.
This is the second in a series of swashbuckling pirate zeppelin games, each chronicling the adventures of the airship Fortune's Fool. This time around it will most likely be run using a setting-tweaked version of Evil Hat's Spirit of the Century, though that's not guaranteed.
StoryCards
GM: Carl Klutzke
Number of Players: 1-6
Game Type: Other Diced, Non-Amber, Indie
Game URI: http://storycardsrpg.com/
Character Generation: Created onsite: see description.
It's not just roleplaying, it's improvisational interactive storytelling! First, we'll invent an adventure environment together, tailored to the group's mood and tastes. Next, you will use a special deck of cards to create a detailed character--complete with history and personality--while the GM crafts the adventure. Then we put them together for a unique and memorable experience. Throughout the process we use special cards to enhance our creativity. StoryCards provides the inspiration, you provide the imagination.
Tales of the Regency: The Invasion of Time
GM: Paul Weimer
Number of Players: 4-7
Game Type: Amber Diceless RPG
Game URI: http://www.all-roads-lead.net/jvstin/totr/
Character Generation: 150 point characters submitted in advance, see website for generation details. Previous players and their characters are very welcome, but no prior experience with the series is necessary for play.
Part of the classic "Tales of the Regency" series run at ACUS and TBR.
A new problem faces the Regent, one that seems to threaten the entire Golden Circle. Mysterious monoliths, with destructive force, begin to appear out of nowhere in various locations with inscriptions claiming conquest and subsequent suzerainty over lands by someone or something named "Kuin".
With these giant markers of future victory appearing closer and closer to Amber, can the Amberites solve the secret and stop the Invasion of Time?
Slot 4 - Saturday, 7:00 p.m. to midnight
Equalizer III: The Courts of Kashfa
GMs: Michael Croft and Ginger Stampley
Number of Players: 4-8
Game Type: Amber Diceless RPG, Amber, Series
Game URI: http://www.whiterose.org/twiki/bin/view/Cons/CourtsofKashfa
Character Generation: Before Con based on 120 points. Players must have e-mail access. Returning players may re-use their characters from previous games.
Our character generation rules for this game can be found on these two pages:
http://www.whiterose.org/twiki/bin/view/Cons/EqualizerCharGen
http://www.whiterose.org/twiki/bin/view/Cons/AmberCharGenRules.
Since your uncle Gerard became Regent, you and your cousins have faced the Amberite mercenary Dalt twice: once in Begma and once in Eregnor. Now rumor places him among the legendary horsemen of Kashfa, advising Prince Zalim, erstwhile claimant to the throne of Eregnor. Meanwhile, your old friend Count Orlowski of Begma seeks the return of his niece's child, whom you believe to be Dalt's.
Both of them want revenge, and the third time may be the charm.
Can you stop Dalt? Can you foil the machinations of Orlowski? And can you find out who the mysterious redheaded man is, and whether he's friend or foe?
Nine Princes in High School
GM: Jack Gulick
Number of Players: 6-8
Game Type: Other Diced, Amber, Series
Game URI:
Character Generation: Returning Players Welcome, and have first claim on their characters, naturally. New Players will be helped in creating TFOS versions of familiar Amber characters or new students from their own imagination.
Will complete disorder continue its reign in the halls of Amber High?
Could the return of Principal Oberon improve the situation or just make it worse?
Is there actually something alive in the back of the Science Lab, there in the deep, dark shadows from which no student has ever returned?
Will this game ever show the slightest hint of a real plot or continuity between episodes?
These and other questions will likely be completely ignored as Amber crosses paths with Teenagers From Outer Space.
Ticket to Ride the Royal Way
GM: Deb Atwood
Number of Players: 1-10
Game Type: Other Diced
Game URI:
Character Generation: No characters required.
Come relax with an evening of Amber-themed (redesigned) board games. The award winning game Ticket to Ride has been redesigned with an Amber-themed board. Other games will be available as well (Amber-themed Castle, Amber-themed Once Upon a Time).
Slot 5 - Sunday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
In Madness' Shadow
GMs: Charles Little and Mel Mason
Number of Players: 4-8
Game Type: Other Diceless, Non-Amber
Game URI: http://wiki.gamera.cc/index.php?n=InMadnessShadow.HomePage
Character Generation: Bring Your Own (or tell the GMs WELL in advance if you want a Pre-Gen)
A Convention Game set in the world of Galactic Renaissance
The Janus system is an interstellar trading hub, through which millions of Solaris pass through on their way to their final destination. Around its two suns, 7 planets revolve, only two of which are populated. These planets could nominally claim ownership of the system’s wormhole, but both were pre-stellar civilizations when the Empire found them, and still remain for the most part true to their primitive roots, and were more than happy to sell rights to a resource they didn’t use to the government that promised to leave them alone in return. Later, they realized their mistake, but it was too late- each planet blames the other for losing out on what could have been a major windfall for planetary affairs. But they have become resigned to the fact that the little business they get from the nominal space station that monitors traffic through the system. This agreement has been maintained for hundreds of years.
Unfortunately, this halcyon agreement did not take into account Janus-3- or rather, one of the satellites of Janus-3. A planetary surveyor at the end of his rope found that this insignificant satellite contained a rich vein of the raw form of the drug Necro- one of the most insidious recreational drugs throughout the known worlds. This was a major economic discovery, and something of this scope was hard to keep silent. Nominally, rights to the asteroid belong to the inhabitants of the two planets of the Janus system. However that has not stopped an influx of prospectors with Necro-fever. The two planets of the system, wary of being taken advantage of once again are in arms against these prospectors- and each other. In the midst of this situation, the millions of Solaris of business that pass through this system are being delayed, and in some cases waylaid, creating disruption in trade throughout the sector.
Of all of the factors- this last is the reason that the Empire has become involved.
A summit of the leadership of the two planets and the Empire is to take place three days hence to diffuse the situation in the system before it degenerates into war. The attention of the Empire is focused on this sector- strains on trade are becoming such that the woes of this sector are affecting the Empire as a whole. The PCs are attached to the Imperial Service as diplomats, dignitaries, legal counsel, or bodyguards. They can also be Galactic journalists covering the incident, for the ramifications of success- or failure- will affect the whole Empire.
Can this hastily arranged conference between three different cultures end in victory for all? Or is the sector doomed to a catastrophic war?
Nine Princes In Spaaace
GM: Carolyn Lachance
Number of Players: 3-6
Game Type: Other Diced, Amber, Indie
Game URI: http://www.gweep.net/~hyacinth/9pis
Character Generation: Pregen, with player input
You, the intrepid crew of the SPSS Unicorn, defend the Earth from danger as elite officers of Star Patrol, and look great doing it. At game start, the Unicorn is cruising through the black of the Outer System, somewhere between Saturn and Uranus, and it's been a week since Captain Oberon left to "negotiate" with the lovely and treacherous Queen Arachnia of the Spider People. It's getting to be about time to go after him--but your sensors are picking up something out at the edge of the System that could be trouble. Readings are faint and uncertain at this distance, but it looks like it could be a ship out of the Draconis Cluster, home of the Imperium...and nothing good ever came from the Imperium.
Players will take on the role of an Elder of their choice...if that Elder were an heroic member of Star Patrol, a Doc Smith-style space navy that runs on science, square chins, and derring-do. Depending on the mood of the players, the flavor of the game will either be Republic serial earnestness or slapstick comedy, but either way, expect lighthearted fun.
The game will run using Fate 2.0, which is available for free download at the Fate site (http://www.faterpg.com). Familiarity with the rules would be helpful, but the system is simple enough that it is not necessary.
Only Children: Your Own Worst EnemyGM: J.P. Brannan
Number of Players: 4-6
Game Type: Amber Diceless RPG, Amber
Game URI:
Character Generation: Players should create 250-point mostly-loyal grandchildren of Oberon who lack siblings. Choice of living Amber parent awarded on a fist-come, first-served basis. Players who submit characters to the GM before the convention will receive a 50-point bonus on the characters they wind up playing.
A post-patternfall Amber game using standard ADRPG rules (but don't waste time on demons).
Disclosure/Caveats: This is experimental. Players will not actually play the characters they create. The GM will collect character sheets and then hand out character sheets at the start of the game.
Riddles in the Attic
GM: Bridgette Ruggles
Number of Players: 2-5
Game Type: Amber Diceless RPG, Non-Amber
Game URI:
Character Generation: Set in 1942, WWII England, PC’s are the grandchildren (or even great grandchildren) of Fiona, Bleys, Gerard or Flora, aged 5 – 13 yrs. Based on 80pts, create a future, Amber version of yourself. No Pattern, Logrus or Artifacts but characters submitted before the Con will get a bonus item in game.
Your family is less than ordinary. Your parents, your aunts and uncles are all among the beautiful people. Well-to-do, dashing, daring, long lived and quick witted. Nobility even, though so far from Her Majesty’s throne that it’s not worth counting the line ahead of you. Of course, Great Uncle Bleys says, you don’t want that one anyhow. But it is no time for silly, cryptic jokes. The world has descended into war again and this time the trouble has crossed the sea and planes pound the cities. Father is off to war and Mother has decided that you are going to Grandma Fiona’s. A holiday in the country, she calls it, but lovely as Grandma might still be, she is a bitter old woman, made so, they say, when her daughter Tabitha vanished from a locked and secure house. Coincidentally, that was also when the family fortunes soured a bit…. along with the whole of the world’s it seems.
A generation later the mystery has never been solved and the family has scattered, venturing into the modern cities and leaving the old manor, its memories, and its secrets, to gather dust.