The Wolves are Running
a fictional fantasy freeform interactive drama live action role-playing scenario

LARP concept by
Jessica Tiffin

Designed by
Philip Anastasiadis, Eckhard Gartz, Jessica Tiffin

An upcoming scenario for our playing pleasure will be Jessica Tiffin's interactive drama "The Wolves are Running". This scenario, directed by Lee Campbell and set within the fictitious lands of  Lutania during what amounts to the beginning of a civil rebellion, during a time that Holly Inquisitors and Church Soldiers ride across the lands in search of those that have entered into a pact with devil to do his evil bidding. Throw in a few of the tyrant king's secret police, an elder half-brother of the king, and large packs of wild wolves ravaging the kingdom, and you have the stage set for intrigue, suspicion, betrayal, murder, treachery, and even the supernatural!

The performance date is currently set for July 18th, and will be held in the Phillips Family residence (email or call for details if you don't know where it is). Starting time will be at 1:00 p.m.  Please try to be on time, as late comers will hold up the game, and those that arrive early may interfere with the Philips' "family time" before the start of the game.

The year is 421 - that is, 421 years since the founding of the Wulfsberg dynasty of Lutania, marked by the ascension to the throne of Randolph I.  It has been a harsh winter, and the country suffers not only under the winter storms and depradations of starving wolves, but from the heavy taxes imposed by Otto I, currently king of Lutania.

Otto was crowned some seven years ago, in 414, after much controversy.  His half-brother, Prince Casimir, the elder son of their father, Randolph VI, is now in hiding after an unsuccessful bid for the throne.  Otto persuaded both Church and nobles of his superior claim to the crown, on the grounds of the heresy charges brought against Casimir’s mother, Queen Alexia, in 389, shortly before Casimir’s birth.  The death of Queen Alexia in childbirth that same year served only to prove to the Church the truth of the heresy claims, since her death was obviously a judgement from God.  The beraved King lost little time in replacing his unfortunate wife; Otto is the only child of Randolph VI’s second wife, Queen Leonora, whom he married in 391.

Otto is not a benevolent ruler.  Under his iron hand, the peasants and merchants are cruelly taxed, while the nobility grow fat vying for favour in the court.  In the seven years since Otto’s coronation, a resistance movement has gathered momentum in the land, determined to overthrow Otto’s wolfish rule and reinstate the wronged Prince Casimir.  Otto’s Secret Police, for all their fearsome reputation, have not managed to stamp out the largely peasant resistance, and the countryside mutters ominously as taxes are raised and the King’s soldiers ride out.

And with the winter comes a new threat - along with the starving wolves in the forest, fearful reports of werewolves abound, supernatural horrors who may change shape from wolf to man and, not content with killing sheep, seek human flesh.  The Inquisition daily rants more furiously against these monsters, and the Inquisitors, armed with sacred silver and holy water, sniff around the villages.

It is a time of fear and secrecy, of desperate plans and secret plots.  The Resistance and the Secret Police are the words on every lip; the Inquisition looms always in the background, alert for heresy and sorcery.  The little village of Thistlewood, isolated amid its thick forests, is no exception.  While the carelessness of the village’s mayoress, Lady Hannah Grenville, has reduced the crippling effect of taxes, it is well known that her overlord, the Conte de Guisard, is a trusted councillor and close friend of King Otto.  Furthermore, there have been reports of werewolves in the area, prompting the arrival of an Inquisitor, Monsignor de Montescire, from the capital, Aurona.  And, while none dare speak of it openly, it is well known that the Resistance are active in the village, meeting secretly in forest glades and lonely barns, made desperate by the winter and the taxes...

There is a set social structure in Lutania which has for time immemorial reflected the power structures of the Kingdom. The distance between a noble and a peasant is immense, and almost impossible to bridge. Barring overwhelming evidence, a noble’s word is always taken over that of a gentle, and a gentle’s word is always taken over that of a peasant.

The exception to this is the clergy, who have separate structures. While a lowly village priest is to a certain extent subservient to a noble, any noble with a complaint against that priest must be prepared to face the Church. While it is not impossible for a village to be on good terms with their liege lord, and while some nobles like to mix with their people, the majority of nobles tend to be distant figures, a source of awe and respect if they deign to appear. This repect is justified for the power of a ruling Lord is not to be trifled with.

The village of  Mildenhall serves as a constant reminder of this power. Their Lord,  Edgar de Harcourt, was out hunting in  the forests near Mildenhall, when he was killed by a poacher. Otto ordered the village raized to the ground, and all able-bodied men executed. The women and children were driven away and left to starve.

The Holy Church of Lutania is the country’s only recognised religion - there are no competing faiths.  The priesthood is celibate, its highest authority the Hierarch, who rules from his palace in Aurona.  The Church may be assumed to be basically similar to the Catholic church, although there are some differences - ask a DM if you’re unsure.

The Inquisition is effectively the police arm of the Church, dedicated to eradicating ungodliness in all its manifestations - most particularly evils such as werewolves, witchcraft and demon worship, not to mention heresy.  While an efficient body, it is largely fair in its investigations - its use of torture is limited and usually a last resort.  Witches, demonists and werewolves are burned at the stake, probably the Inquisition’s most brutal manifestation.

Lutania’s most major recent heresy centres around the infallibility of the priesthood - the heretics argue that priests are men, and therefore may guide and advise but not dictate on moral issues.  The Church, of course, insists that the priest is the representative of God and the Church, and may not be questioned.  Heretics are not burned, but imprisoned indefinitely under conditions of extreme discomfort until they have seen the error of their ways.

The Church is very wealthy.  It has traditionally been strongly associated with the kings of Lutania, who rule by grace of God, obviously.  More importantly, the Wulfsberg dynasty was founded, 400 years ago, after a civil war in which the Church heavily supported Randolph I.  Otto’s ascension to the throne met with some small resistance from the Church, who argued that Queen Alexia’s heresy had never been proved; but this was a faint protest, and it’s generally understood that it’s been worth the Church’s while to accept that Otto is the king, and support him accordingly.

Click on the member's name to open a new window so you can see their picture and read their bios.  With so many members now, it is easy to forget everyone's name.  Any members that have not yet written their bio and sent it in to Brian should now do so ASAP so the others will know who you are.  We have been thinking of doing this for a while now to save people from flipping back and forth between the pages, and hope that you like it.

Anyone wishing to take part in "The Wolves are Running", is out of luck.  As of today, Wednesday, July 14th, the casting has been cut off.  I need the next few days to finish preparing for the game, and to make last minute adjustments to the characters.  Anyone that wants to bring a friend to this game, be sure to let them know that the casting has closed, but they are more than welcome to E-mail Brian and sign up for the next adventure!

General d’Alyre - A nobleman recently imprisoned for an attempt on de Guisard’s life - he was a supporter of Casimir.
Bruno - The innkeeper’s son, recently arrested, together with his father, by de Guisard, on charges of Resistance involvement.
Celia - The daughter of Cuthbert’s housekeeper, and Cuthbert’s ward
Gervase - The miller, the richest man in the village, although he’s getting old now and his son, Jerome, mostly runs the mill
Byron Grenville, deceased - Hannah’s younger brother, died tragically a few years ago - he was serving as de Guisard’s page at the time, and mistakenly drank poisoned wine meant for de Guisard.
Lucas - The innkeeper - recently arrested, together with his son Bruno, by de Guisard, on charges of Resistance involvement.
Mathew, deceased - Gregor’s son, killed earlier this summer
Dr. Theodore Selwyn, deceased - A reclusive intellectual who used to live in the village.
Gilbert de Sainte-Claire, deceased - Father of Isabelle de Guisard.
 
 

King Otto I of Lutania. - The King!  You’d address him as "your Majesty" or "Sire"
Prince Casimir - The King's exiled older half-brother.  You’d address him as "Highness"
Queen Leonora - Otto’s mother - addressed as "Madam"
"Otto’s Hound" - Head of the Red Wolves, the Secret Police
 
 
 

Interactive Dramas or Live Action Role-Playing Games (LARPs) are difficult to describe. They combine elements of table-top role-playing (e.g. Dungeons and Dragons) and improvisational theatre. The closest thing you'll find to an Interactive Drama is a professional staged murder weekend (the main differences are that Interactive Dramas are not as slickly produced, cost much less, and have a greater range of themes).

You are a Player. The person you are pretending to be is your Character. You have a Character Sheet which tells who your Character is, and what your Character wants (your Goals). You achieve your Goals by talking to the other Characters - sharing secrets, telling lies, making alliances, betraying your friends, etc. The bulk of what you'll do during an Interactive Drama can be achieved just by talking to people (and sometimes by eavesdropping on someone else's conversation). There are other things you can do fairly easily as well. For instance, hiding in the closet is accomplished by opening the closet door, stepping inside, and closing the closet door.

Some things you may want to do, however, are a little more complicated. If you want to steal somebody' s pants, or blow up the ship, or something else you shouldn't actually do, then you have to talk to the Interactive Dramatist or Director.

THE INTERACTIVE DRAMATIST: The Interactive Dramatist or "Director" runs the game. He is your referee. The Director is outside the game, so you should act as if he's not there. The Director doesn't have a Character so your Character can't talk to him. However, the Director must be obeyed. His powers are almost absolute - only chance and fate can overrule the Director. If the Director whispers in your ear "You have just fallen unconscious," then lie down on the floor with your eyes shut. If the Director shouts "you hear a crash coming from the vault!" then everyone should act as if they hear a crash (and perhaps run to the hatches to investigate).  If the Director bolds up a sign reading "You don't see anything" then act as if nothing is happening.  If the Director tells you to "take off your clothes and stand on your head," he is abusing his power and you should ask him to reconsider (unless, of course, that's something you really want to do anyway).

DIRECTORS with PLAYERS: Ignore a player who is talking to the Director. Don't bother them, and don't eavesdrop! If a Director and a player are going somewhere, ignore that as well. The Director is moving the Character (e.g. the Character wanted to leap from the yardarm. It isn't a good idea to actually do this and we don't actually have a real yardarm handy, so the player walks with the Director to a spot under where we imagine the yardarm hangs.)

WHISTLES: If the Director needs everyone's attention suddenly, he can blow his whistle. When you hear a whistle you must immediately freeze until the Director tells you to resume play. A good Director should be able to avoid getting on your nerves with his damn whistle, so don't worry.

Non-PLAYER CHARACTERS: Sometimes a new Character enters the game, but it is a part too small to give to a Player. This is a Non-Player Character (NPC) and the Director handles this part. If a character catches a mermaid or if angels descend from heaven, or if pirates storm the ship, then someone has to play the mermaid, or the angels, or the pirates. The Director temporarily enters the game as the required NPC. This is the only time your Character can interact with the Director. Treat NPC's just like other Characters (Note: this is a rare opportunity to kill a Director, but don't do that unless your Character has a good reason to kill the NPC).

Keep the Director Informed: If you are planning something sneaky (such as an ambush) try to tell the Director in advance. There are things you don't know (and the Director does) that may affect the outcome of your action.

ITEM CARDS:These are cards you get with your character packet at the beginning of the scenario event, and they represent unusual things your character owns. Item cards are written in as little detail as possible and only tell you what you would know if you found the item lying on the floor (further detail is available if you examine a found item, which you do by asking the Director about it). Details about your items are given in your character sheet.

Feel free to bring or borrow props for your items but only for items your character has. Don't bring a gun if you don't have an item card listed on your character sheet for a gun; you weren't given that item card because the Director doesn't want you to have a gun. Also, to make sure to keep your item cards with your props. A prop gun without an item card is just a prop gun and can't harm a soul.

Item cards move around just like real objects; they can be exchanged, stolen, lost, hidden, found, and sometimes destroyed.

SPECIAL ABILITY CARDS: These cards represent a Character's special abilities and they allow players to do things without having to go through a Director. If a player presents you with a Special Ability Card then read the card and obey the instructions. If the card says "Show me all your item cards," then hand your cards to the player with the Special Ability Card. If the card says "You are unconscious", then lie down on the floor with your eyes shut. Remember, your Character doesn't know what is happening; pretend to be unaware that your items have been examined, act confused about mysteriously fainting. Play along. Above all else, forget which Player showed you the card. Some cards cancel each other out, or result in a tie. A Special Ability Card with a red border beats a regular Special Ability Card. If a Special Ability Card says, "Take off your clothes and give me the tightest hug and the deepest kiss you've ever given anyone", then you're probably either playing in the wrong scenario or someone is cheating. If in doubt you may discreetly ask the Director for a ruling.

REAL TIME, SPACE, and STUFF: Real Time means if something takes you 10 seconds to accomplish you must spend 10 seconds pretending to do it. If something takes 10 minutes, spend 10 minutes of game time doing it. Real Space is a similar concept. If you left something in the forecastle you have to walk back to the forecastle to get it (or at least to the part of the gaming area we pretend is the forecastle). If you want to get the bazooka you have stashed in the hold, you have to go down there. Real Stuff is an exception to the rule about needing item cards for everything. If you need a fork, you may find one in the kitchen. This saves the Director the trouble of writing up a card for everything. If there's something in the area that you can't use in the game, the Director will tell you in advance. If you find an item that would be out of place, it probably doesn't belong there. Ask the Director to make sure. Of course you never know what that digital watch is until you ask.

COMBAT: Even among the best of friends there is an occasional falling out. To administer combat, the Director has worked out a bunch of numbers to simulate skills. hopefully with some degree of precision. This is not your problem. The section of your character sheet marked "Physical Statistics" should give you an idea of how you'll do in a fight, which is all you should realistically know. If combat occurs, get the Director. Tell the Director what you are doing and act out your actions, and the Director will determine whether it worked or not.

IN and OUT of CHARACTER: Since you are here with your friends, it is natural to want to drop character and talk to them. Unfortunately while you are doing this, someone else's Character may need to speak to your Character. In General, it's a good idea to stay in Character. You'll probably find you enjoy the game more that way. On the other hand, try to be tolerant if someone steps out of the game on you. As an addendum to this, you will find your experience to be all the more positive the better your costume and props are.

THE IMPOSSIBLE: Extra Sensory Perception, the occult, weird science are all things we understand to be impossible in the real world. This is not the real world. As similar as it may seem to the reality the designer reserves the right to include the impossible in this game. Do not expect it, especially if this is something your Character Sheet says you don't believe in. But it is only fair to warn you that the impossible cannot be ruled out. (A further warning: the above paragraph could just be misdirection.)

HONOR: Though it is possible that one or more of the characters are not ethical, it is imperative that all players be honourable and fair. Never look at someone else's character sheets, or attempt to twist the rules. This interactive event has no winners or losers. Cheaters will be defenestrated.

RULES of the EVENT: This edition of The Wolves are Running is being presented by your host, Brian Phillips. All players must abide by any "house rules" set by the host of your event.

COSTUMES, MAKE-UP and PROPS: This is a costume event. So, try to dress and equip your character as closely as possible to the description in your character sheet. Some folks may have more trouble than others. While we won't eject you from the venue if you can't find a ski mask or a suit fitting the manager of the bank or the like, you'll certainly feel more into it the closer you can manage. So, please do try to at least make at least a rudimentary effort at costume, make-up, props, and effects material. It doesn't have to be Hollywood or grand theatre . . . heck, paper masks and coloured construction paper with aluminium foil is acceptable . . . just give it a go and let's have some fun!

PHOTOS: During the scenario run of The Wolves are Running players are welcome to take photographs for their personal scrapbooks as long as such picture taking doesn't get in the way of actually playing the piece. In any case the Director will take photos for the web gallery.

DISCLAIMER: The examples used above are for purposes of demonstration only. They are not meant to imply that lies, thievery, murder, mayhem, explosions, pirates or mermaids will be included in this scenario.

In the game, there is a very strong chance that some players may find their characters involved in a combat situation - either with another character, one of the wolves, or even up against a werewolf or a mutant bunny rabbit with huge fangs and pointy ears.  This section will try to explain ahead of time how such combat will work.

When you arrive sharply at 1:00pm on the day of the game, the Director will give you your "Character Pack".  Included in the pack is a pink card to be used with combat.  The card lists your Base Attack (your base chance of hitting something), Weapon Bonus (what weapons you know how to use), and Damage Bonus (perhaps due to strength or skill or something else).  It will also indicate what your Dodge (chance of avoiding being hit), Perception (how much you notice what is happening around you), and Hits (the amount of damage you can take before you die) are for your character.

Combat is carried out by the attacker rolling 1d6 and adding their Weapon Bonus.  If the modified number is then larger than the defending character's Dodge score added to their roll of 1d6, they have hit - otherwise they have missed.  Though this may appear to be very complicated, it is not.  Basically, you roll the dice and add your bonuses.  The other person does the same.  Whom ever has the higher total wins, and either hits, or dodges the attack.

Let's say that "Brian the Big" learned that "Lorraine the Little" was a spy and attacked her.  He has used a sword before, but is not very good with it.  He has no bonus to hit her, but because he has some experience with it, he does not have a penalty.  If you use a weapon that you are not familiar with, you will have a -2 penalty on your roll to hit anything.  Brian rolls a 4 and adds his Base Attack of 3 for a total of 7.  Lorraine, seeing Brian draw his sword tries to avoid being hit.  She has a Dodge of 4 and adds her roll of 2 for a total of 6.  Brian's total is more than Lorraine's total, so Brian has hit her.  A sword does 2 damage (these numbers are on the white Item Card for each weapon) and Brian has +1 for being so big and strong and manly, so he does a total of 3 damage to Lorraine; killing her.

That's right - just like in real life, if you get into a fight with someone wielding a large sword, you will likely die.  Combat is very dangerous and is intended to be a last resort.  Always try to find another way out of a fight, but if you have to, be sure to have friends nearby to help you out.  If you are reduced to 0 Hits, you should fall unconscious on the ground until the director tells you otherwise.  Damage caused without weapons is not permanent, and will return at the rate of 1 Hit every 10 minutes.  Characters should keep track of this on a piece of scrap paper themselves - the Director has enough to keep track of.

Now, let's say that "Michael the Medium" was passing by when Brian attacked.  If the combat was not obvious (happened in a secluded place or another room) then the Director would roll 1d6 to see if Michael noticed it happen.  If the roll is Michael's Perception or more (i.e. 3-6), then he saw what happened.  Let's say he did see the murder.  Because Michael does not know that Lorraine was a spy, he thinks that Brian must be the spy and attacks Brian!

Michael draws his knife and stabs at Brian.  He rolls a 4 and adds his Base Attack (+2), as well as his Weapon Bonus for his knife (+1) which he is skilled in using, for a total of 7.  Brian rolls his Perception to see if he notices Michael attack him from behind and rolls a 3; he does not notice, and is surprised.  Michael gains a +2 to his attack for surprise, bringing him up to a total of 9.  Brian did not notice the attack until the last minute so can not roll, and only has a Dodge of 2, so Michael stabs him.  A knife does 1 point of damage, but because he surprised Brian this is doubled for a total of 2 points.  Brian now has 6 Hits left, and the fight would now continue.

If you have any questions on this system, please e-mail Lee Campbell before the game, or ask him when he speaks to you the day of the game.