Openness
transparency vs secrecy
Many of the characters will have secrets. None of these are revealed arbitrarily before the start of the game, although participants are welcome to share secrets as they calibrate with their fellow players. It is a central concept that secrets should inform character actions, but they may simply be used as internal motivation rather than shouted from the rooftops. Participants have control over sharing their secrets. ​​
Scenography
complete illusions vs minimalism
Our aim is to have a 360 degree simulation of the world in which we set our game. Both runs of this game take place in old fashioned cottages, located on the coast of the UK.
Taking place in the unique and historic Gaerrannan Blackhouses- stone cottages with thatched roofs arranged as a small village on the very edge of the surging Atlantic Ocean! Evocative and dramatic, although less physically accessible and requires travel to a remote Scottish island.​
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Taking place in Seahouses Hostel in north Northumberland. The setting is in a small town. This does not have the dramtaic scenery of Run 1, but is set in a homely stone cottage that fits the game perfectly. The venue was chosen to prioritise financial and physical accessibility.
Character Creation
organiser vs player
Our Wise Women characters are pre-written, with established points of history and defined relationships to other characters. An outline of each character is on the character page.
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During the initial sign-up period, participants are asked to rank all of the characters that they would be happy to ​play. When you are offered a space on one of our runs, you will know which character you will be playing before we ask for any payment.
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Once participants have paid their deposit to secure their place, we will work together to fine-tune any details. We are open to suggestions and want to ensure that the characters we end up with are the ones that will bring the most fun for our players.
Runtime Game Mastering
active vs passive
Almost all of our work will be completed by the time the game starts, then it's over to our participants! The characters all have solid motivations and relationships to work with.
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The game has some set elements for which the organisers will take the lead. This includes preparation of meals, playing radio broadcasts, and facilitating the final scene in which some difficult decisions must be made.
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The magic of the game is through divination. Each character has their own way of searching for visions, and are free to enact this however they wish. Everyone is provided with information about what they will 'see' before the game starts, so there is no need to consult with the organisers at the point of performing a divination.
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Both organisers will be available throughout the game as background characters, but will not be actively directing play.
Story Engine
collaborative vs competitive
Our hope is that players embrace a play-to-lift style in order to build the best story for everyone.
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Several characters may have contradicting goals and objectives. This is intended to drive the drama and tension, rather than to be the 'win condition' for our players. Everyone should be willing to 'fail' if it means making the best drama. Equally, those who find their characters 'winning' should make space to ensure that this is not at the cost of enjoyment over those they are 'beating'.
Loyalty to Setting
playability vs plausability
Our setting is a remote rural Scottish island in 1953. In some respects we are going to be very loyal to this setting, and in one important matter we are not!
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We are engaging with themes around 'traditional' gender roles of the 1950s, including a segregation of men's work and women's work. The majority of our characters have lived all their lives in a small village on a remote Scottish island. No electricity, little contact with the outside world, traditional beliefs and teachings.
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On the other hand, our world has magic. Wise Women are able to commune with an unknowable power deep beneath the sea, and are respected by the community as a result of their gifts. Although very few outside the group are aware of their true potential, all of the locals view the Wise Women as high status individuals.​
Bleed
close to home vs differentiation
The world of Wise Women is very different to our own, being set in a remote rural community 70 years in the past. Our game includes segregation of traditional gender roles, which would be unacceptable in our own time. In this setting, few people would have the vocabulary to express their transgender identity or sexuality that differed from the accepted 'normal'.
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There is the possibility of bleed from discussions that include themes of sexism and xenophobia. However, the majority of the characters in the game are women from the local area, and so they are unlikely to be the direct target of any discrimination from other participants. Where characters may be the target of disapproval and censorship, this will be clearly flagged in the character descriptions available prior to sign-up.
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Although we accept sign-ups from participants of any gender identity, all of our characters are female. The single exception to this is the possibility of writing one of our characters as a transgender individual, but this would require careful discussion and sensitive casting. If a character is developed in this way, it will involve exploration of heavy themes including discrimination and misgendering. We will ensure that all participants are happy exploring these themes before going forward.​
Communication Style
physical vs verbal
This is a game centred on social interaction and family relationships. There will be plenty of opportunity to talk, sing, argue, ignore each other, or sit in companionable silence.
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Group singing is a central theme of this game, and can be used to express emotion and conflict or harmony within the group.
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This is a non-combat game.
Representation of Theme
abstraction vs simulation
This game is very much 'what you see is what you get'.
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Our characters are spending the weekend sitting vigil for their men out at sea, cooking and eating together. They sing work songs while they keep themselves busy with mundane tasks such as doing the washing up or some knitting. When the mood seems right they sing an older song, one which allows them to connect to something unknowable.
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The method for magical divination is via internal roleplay. Participants are free to enact this however they wish, and are given information on what they will 'see' before the game begins. In this way we do not need organiser input in the moment of divination.
Meta Techniques
intrusive vs discrete
This game employs the following meta techniques:
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RADIO BROADCASTS
These are used to increase tension. All of our Wise Women will be keen to hear them, and any news they might bring of the fate of their men out at sea.
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MAGICAL DIVINATION
This is a central part of the game. During our pre-game workshops we will give each character 3 envelopes containing visions that they will receive throughout the game. Participants are free to choose to either open them all before the start of the game, or choose an appropriate off-game moment during the game in which to do so. Each envelope will have a rough timing for the occurrence of the vision- for example "you see the following vision at some point between breakfast and lunch on Saturday".
Player Pressure
hardcore vs pretence
There is little hardship in this game. We are playing indoors in a cottage environment, with plumbing and heating. Beds are provided and all toilet facilities are indoors.
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FOOD
An important aspect of our game is the group preparation and consuming of food. This will be appropriate to the setting- a remote Scottish community in the early 1950s. Expect porridge, potatoes, tinned fruit, soups and stews. Although in-game food will be simple, there will always be an off-game area for participants to store and consume their own food or snacks.
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SPACE
Our game is centred on a group of women coming together to sit vigil for their men at sea. As with many family gatherings, a lot of people in one place can sometimes be overwhelming. Add to that your grandmother and aunt are both telling you different instructions for how to chop the carrots... and you might need a small breather. Additionally, in Run 1 we are using the fantastic historical Blackhouses at Gaerrannan, which are somewhat cramped and rustic. We will be setting one cottage aside as an off-game space for anyone who needs to spend a little quiet time alone. ​​In Run 2 we will have one of the downstairs bedrooms as an off-game area.
