A big design goal behind Elysian Revel is that you, as a player, are empowered to make the world of the event your own. We don’t want Elysian Revel to happen *at* you, we want you to be such an integral part of it that no one could imagine it without you.
Have you ever experienced a piece of art – a novel, a painting, a song – that resonated with you so deeply, it felt like it was created just for you? It speaks to you so personally that when you try to describe it to someone else, you feel like you’re explaining it badly? I often say that the reason that Live Action Role-Playing is my favorite artform because it’s the only one where the audience and the authors are the same people. You are co-creating with all the other players. Your co-players are surprising you, lifting you, and you are lifting them back; when it works, you’re left with an incredible experience similar to a piece of media that speaks to you so directly, you’re at a loss how to explain it.
Elysian Revel is a game about people who looked at the world and imagined more for themselves and those around them. It’s about people who found themselves and each other in the most unexpected ways. We want *you* to have the experience of bringing someone to life and experience finding that person while they are finding themselves. We could have pre-written characters, but what we’re truly interested is in *your* interests. What do you care about? What parts of history excite you? What you discover about your character as you explore is going to be far more fascinating than anything we could write. This may seem daunting, but at its core, it’s a simple process: all you need to have are a costume and a basic idea.
We start with the Archetype. Whether you choose to be a Dreamer, an Artist, a Hedonist or a Hustler, the archetype is there to give you a core need. It’s not just a prompt to give you a goal at the event, but a reason for you to say yes to everything happening around you.
Then we add on the Savvy Workshops. These workshops will not only teach you about the 1920s, but the context, the how and why that accompany the what. It’s not important that you remember everything from every workshop; they’re meant to be a buffet of knowledge, fun facts and stories from the game’s real world setting. They will give you the verbs you’ll need to try to achieve your goals.
What do we mean by “verbs”? These are *actions* for you to take at the Revel, things you can do with other players. Are you recruiting accomplices for your bootlegging operation? Are you exploring the party for artistic inspiration? Are you taking someone’s hand and dancing the night away? Are you trying to convince important people to support your political ideals? These are all actions for you to take that give you reasons to interact with other players and help build each other’s stories.
These workshops will give you the opportunity to not only create ties with players at the game, but ties to the greater 1920s world for you to lift the stories of those around you. These ties aren’t things you have to lock down, but improvise with each other in the moment! If you’re a bootlegger, maybe one of your clients is a rich investor, and you’d be willing to introduce them to your criminal network – *if* they help you find someone with a boat! The trick here is to not make it too easy for each other. Rather than an immediate yes, you can respond to the invitation with an obstacle: you or someone else needs to be wooed, blackmailed, persuaded, or tricked, especially before the midnight toast!
By the time the Revel begins, you’ll have a plethora of tools for you to build your story. You’ll encounter fellow players that end up lifting your story, and you’ll end up lifting theirs! And, if you’re ever feeling lost, our facilitators are here to help you find your verbs and point you towards other players!