Saturday 6th July 2024, 11-4.30pm
Old Fire Station, Oxford
£40 for Players (£25 Concession)
We have met our player cap for this run of Unfortunate, but may contact people on the waiting list if spaces become available. You can still join the waiting list by filling out a booking form.
Welcome*
*A word which here means “cultural norms require me to provide greeting, but really I want to encourage you to leave now and never look back.”
If you are looking for a game to brighten your ewening and bring joy and merriment into your lives, I'm sorry to say that this game is not it. This game is a sincerely unpleasant expression ov a series of unfortunate events that led to the ruin of countless lives, an end to friendships forged over decades, and a reb wine stain on a priceless dress.
My name is legally distinct from Lemony Snicket, and it is my solemn duty to present this game as an apt representation of a chain of occurrences too regrettable to record in paper alone.
What is Unfortunate?
Aside from, that is, the simple fact you are here reading these words right now.
Inspired by Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, Unfortunate is a one-day live action roleplaying game in which Players take the roles of characters meeting under the pretence of enjoying a day at the Opera. Most, meaning in fact a large majority, of them are members of a secretive organisation that has recently undergone a Schism about something that’s probably very important if you’re interested in that sort of thing. Others will play Orphans — children of members of this organisation who are swept up into something bigger and more confusing than they ever expected — and even the occasional blundering banker.
Players have the pre-show time before the Opera, the Interval, and the post-show socialising to advance their personal agenda, and that of their side of their Schism, before all hell breaks loose — a phrase which here means “the game ends”.
Characters for Unfortunate are pre-written by the game team based on the interests and preferences of attendees when signing up, designed to maximise the fun and drama of the game. The Game is played in three Acts representing socialisation in and around the Opera, with short out of character downtimes between Acts — during which time passes in the game and plots may be set into motion. Prior to the Game we will host two Workshops to accustom Players to the mechanics and tone of the setting.
Tickets cost £40 (£25 for Concessions) which covers the Game itself, refreshments in the form of canapes and hot drinks (provided by the Damascus Rose Kitchen), and the two workshops.
Logistics
Unfortunate will be taking place on Saturday 6th July 2024 between 11am and 4.30pm at the Old Fire Station, Oxford. We are making use of the Theatre and Studio areas as well as the Green Rooms.
Refreshments in the form of canapes and hot drinks is included in the ticket price and provided by the Damascus Rose Kitchen. Food and drinks beyond this are available from the Old Fire Station Café throughout the day and other nearby establishments.
This venue is a short walk (5 minutes) from Oxford Station. Access by cars to Oxford City Centre is limited — we recommend making use of the Park & Ride services, or parking at the Westgate Shopping Centre. For those for whom this would be a problem, please do contact the venue for further advice. See also https://oldfirestation.org.uk/visit/getting-here/
The Old Fire Station has step-free access and additional facilities detailed at https://oldfirestation.org.uk/visit/access-facilities/. Unlikely Stories will provide written copies of all information, and will ensure all plot elements are step-free. There are no mechanics in Unfortunate that will require physical activity.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to us by emailing contact@unlikelystories.co.uk.
Event Schedule
Having a sense of what is to come is thought by some to reduce nervousness because one is no longer troubled by general unease that something bad could happen.
In actuality, knowing when something bad means instead of nervousness you will experience anxiety.
10am — Crew permitted into venue. Players are welcome to avail themselves of the Café and facilities outside of the theatre itself.
10.30am — Players permitted into the theatre.
11am — Pre-Game Briefing and Workshops
Workshop A — Reacting to Terrible Disguises
Workshop B — Being Awful to Children
11.30am — Act 1: The Pre-Show
1pm — Downtime 1, Out of Character Break
1.30pm — Act 2: The Interval
3pm — Downtime 2, Out of Character Break
3.30pm — Act 3: The Finale
4.30pm — Time Out
Setting, Style and Tone
If you have read this far it would seem that my words alone cannot persuade you to scroll back and up and away. If this is indeed the case, then at least understand further what you are getting yourself in for.
Setting
Much like its source material, the exact time period and locale of Unfortunate is left deliberately ambiguous. Though decidedly 20th Century and western, contradictory references to location and available technology are made throughout A Series Of Unfortunate Events and this game shall be no exception. For example, while there are helicopters, cars, and phones exist, they are simultaneously commonplace alongside typewriters, telegrams, and horse-drawn carriages. Equally, though apparently American in appearance, a number of the locations visited are more likely found in a British or even continental city.
Therefore, the most accurate description that can truly be given of the setting is, to quote its creator, that it “takes place in the city and regions surrounding it, during the week and sometimes on weekends”.
While this may be perplexing, we advise those unfamiliar to peruse some of A Series Of Unfortune Events (either its books, the Netflix series, or the Film) in order to better understand the ambiguously 20th Century western setting.
Style and Tone
If attempting to use simple labels — something that this author would discourage for anything particularly more complex than distinguishing otherwise identical lever-arch files for ease of quick identification — Unfortunate might be described as a dark comedy tragedy gothic PG mystery horror. The astute among you — a word which here means “unconvinced by pretentious jargon” — may notice that to describe something as a dark comedy tragedy gothic PG mystery horror is to say a lot of words without providing much meaning, so please permit some elaboration:
Unfortunate is a humourous and, at points, absurd game but the characters are unaware of this. Wordplay, contrived circumstances, deliberate misunderstanding, and pathetic fallacy are key aspects designed for you, the attendee, to enjoy at the expense of the increasing despair of your character.
Unfortunate is a game in which the inherent unfairness of life is apparent. Bad things have and will happen to virtuous characters, and good things will happen to undeserving ones.
Unfortunate is a game with a central mystery. Characters are part of a shadowy organisation, shrouded in deceit, and at the centres of their own individual webs of lies. Unravelling this tapestry of duplicity is key to playing the game, though no one character is ever expected to have a full understanding of what is going on.
Unfortunate is a game that should still be considered PG. While all players must be over the age of 18 — including those playing children — all threat, language, and themes present will be maintained at a level appropriate for a mild threat film. For example, if a character is poisoned we would expect them to gasp and dramatically announce “I have been poisoned!” before falling over dead, rather than vomiting blood; or if a character is thwarted they might point a finger and announce “You will rue this day!” rather than graphic descriptions of their disembowlment.
Unfortunate is a Player vs Player game, meaning that characters will have goals that are in strict opposition to those of other characters (and in some rare cases, their own). Players should not expect to “win” but rather to have an enjoyable time failing (and to facilitate that experience for others).
Mechanics
While the word “mechanics” might conjure up for you images of oily jumpsuits and the thick scent of exhaust fumes, here we simply mean the methods by which you play the game.
The Game
The Game will take place over three “Acts” of Uptime during which Players will socialise with one another. These represent the pre-show, Interval, and post-show socialisation around the Opera. In Character, ostensibly to preserve the ambience, once an attendee has arrived at the Opera they may not leave until the Opera has concluded (Out Of Character you are, of course, free to leave), meaning that there is plenty of time to kill (a phrase which should not be taken literally except in very fatal dilemmas).
At all times, the Game Team (Refs) will be available to answer questions, resolve Abilities, and assist with the running of the game. It is always acceptable to go out of character to discuss a matter with them, though we ask that this is done to the side to avoid interrupting the immersion of other players. The word of a Ref can be questioned once and then should be taken as final.
Disguises
Anyone who is not a child may disguise themselves completely convincingly with the application of one or more of the following components:
An incredibly unconvincing piece of costume
An incredibly unconvincing fake voice clearly distinct from your “actual” voice
An incredibly unconvincing fake name (written on a piece of paper and slotted in front of your true name in the ID tag)
This disguise is completely convincing to anyone who is not a Child.
For example, Sue Donim might disguise herself and her usual Californian accent by donning elaborately large sunglasses, a summer hat and putting on a Somerset accent, introducing herself as Faye Kinnet.
Challenging a Disguise
Any Adult may challenge someone else’s Disguise by accusing them of being someone else. If the accuser is correct about who they really are, the Disguise must be removed. If the accuser is incorrect about who the accused really is, they may reveal a Secret loudly to the room in order to force them to remove their disguise and reveal their true identity. If the accused was not disguised at all, the accuser faces no more consequences than looking very silly.
If your disguise is removed, you may not apply a new Disguise.
For example, Percy P. Shun becomes suspicious of Faye Kinnet and believes she might be the mysterious Scarlett Clupea. He challenges Faye and accuses her of being Scarlett, but she laughs — of course she is not Ms Culpea! — but Percy in disgrace reveals his Secret, that he in fact was responsible for the Convenient Convenience Store Fire, and in astonishment Scarlett stammers and slips into a Californian accent. The jig is up and she removes her disguise to reveal she was Sue Donim all along.
Children
Children should be seen and not heard, and while their presence is necessary in certain situations, their opinions should be disregarded as uninformed and fanciful. Really, children should stay in places best suited for them, like factory floors with poor safety records, employed in the service industry, or imprisoned in some sort of elaborate trap. It is perfectly acceptable to be an asshole to a Child. Particularly cake-sniffing Orphans.
Since all attendees of Unfortunate will be 18+, Out Of Character Adults will be playing In Character Children. As such, Children will be clearly marked out even if in disguise. Children will not be given romantic plotlines and it is never acceptable to initiate a romantic plot with someone playing a Child. All assholery directed at children should remain within the tone of the game: PG levels of threat.
Children will have abilities that Adults lack — for instance, frustrating perceptiveness about disguises — but of course they couldn’t possibly know what they’re talking about.
For example, the moment that Faye Kinnet walked through the door, Indigo Bourgeoise could tell the sunglasses were as fake as her farmer’s market accent. Nobody would believe her, of course, and Indigo is chastised often for daring to question the esteemed socialite Miss Kinnet.
Characters
Characters for Unfortunate are pre-written by the game team based on the interests and preferences of attendees when signing up, designed to maximise the fun and drama of the game. Each will have an Identity, an Allegiance, and a number of Goals, Secrets, and Abilities.
Identity
Your Identity is a representation of who you truly are. It will tell you your name, a small biography, and any links to relations living or, most likely, dead. It will not, however, tell you anything about how you should act or provide any kind of ethical compass. This can never be forcibly revealed.
Example:
Name: Sue Donim
Biography: Sue Donim is a talented chef and an even more talented chemist. She was previously a private chef to the Bourgeoise family before their untimely demise. Untimely in that it completely ruined her planned rendezvous with Mrs Bourgeoise — her lover — and also that some thief took the opportunity to steal her recipe book. Her brother is Anthony Donim and the two of them have been at odds for years.
Allegiance
If you are a member of a certain Secret Organisation, which of course nobody here is, you will have an allegiance to one side or other of the Schism. As far as possible, you should avoid referring to your side of the Schism by its name. “The Right Side” and “The Wrong Side” are perfectly valid and perfectly clear ways of referring to these. This can never be forcibly revealed.
Example:
Allegiance: You are on the Fire Starting side of the Schism.
Goals
Every Player Character will have a number of Personal Goals and (if they are members of a Secret Organisation) Schism Goals. If you achieve your personal goal then at the end of the evening you can consider the night a success. Whichever side of the Schism achieves more Schism Goals by the end of the evening can consider the night a success.
Example:
Personal Goal #1: Get revenge for the death of Mrs Bourgeoise.
Personal Goal #2: Retrieve your stolen recipe book.
Schism Goal: Nobody from the Wrong Side adopts the Bourgeoise orphans.
Items
You may have an item. Items are likely valuable to someone. Some items may be used like Abilities. Items may be given to other people (or stolen or forcibly viewed, using Abilities).
Example:
Sue Donim’s Recipe Book: This highly coveted Recipe Book contains delicious and deadly recipes alike.
Abilities
Abilities may be used a finite number of times. When you use an Ability, show either a Ref or the person you are using the ability on. Cross off (or otherwise mark) a use of the Ability when you do this. Unless otherwise stated, the target of an Ability will know you have used an ability on them. Abilities are private unless you choose to share them (or are forced to reveal them).
In addition, anyone may engage in a Scuffle, and anyone in the Secret Organisation may write and read Ciphers.
Example:
Fastest Way To The Heart: You are able to utilise any Seasoning (e.g. Salt, Pepper, Paprika) in order to heal a fatal injury that someone may be suffering.
Secrets
Secrets are pieces of information known only to yourself. You will have at least one secret pertaining to another Player Character and at least one secret pertaining to yourself. Some abilities necessitate revealing your secrets to someone else, you should show them the card when this happens. Secrets may also be revealed when challenging a Disguise.
You should otherwise not reveal a secret card to anyone, lest the showing of the card prove the veracity of your claims, a phrase which here means “take the fun out of lying”.
It is encouraged to use your Secrets to inform your roleplaying and choices, but not required.
Example:
Secret: Sue Donim was having an affair with Mrs Bourgeoise.
Scuffles
A scuffle is a polite way of saying “fight”. If a fight kicks off, both parties will play a game of Rock Paper Scissors to determine who is victorious. Any abilities or items that are relevant must be declared at the start of the game.
When a Scuffle has been decided, the victor may take any Item from the loser, viewing all the items they have when they choose. Everyone will be aware that a Scuffle has occurred, and react accordingly (though this will not result in a character being ejected from the Opera).
If, for some reason, a Scuffle proves fatal (for instance, the application of a Vicious Firearm Device), then the injured party will die within 5 minutes, at which point they should see the Refs about playing an NPC for the rest of the evening.
For example, Anthony Donim fights Faye Kinnet for a perceived slight. They play Rock Paper Scissors and Faye Kinnet wins and claims an Item. Anthony shows the Items he has to Faye and Faye selects “Sue Donim’s Recipe Book”.
Ciphers
Anyone who is a member of a Secret Organisation may write a cipher in a code only their side of the Schism may read by writing a note, folding it over and sealing it with the sticker representing their side of the Schism. You may only read ciphered notes marked with your side of the Schism.
For example, Faye Kinnet discovers a note with the Fire Starter emblem on it and so may open it and read it. She replies in kind leaving a note with the Fire Starter emblem on it. Percy P. Shun later discovers the note but as the emblem does not match his side of the Schism he leaves it untouched.
Costume
William Shakespeare once wrote “all the world’s a stage and all the people merely actors”. If this is the case, then imagine how stressed the wardrobe manager is.
Costume for Unfortunate is relatively straightforward in that it is the dress code for an evening at the Opera in the mid-20th Century. This is deliberately open for interpretation and we encourage attendees to have fun stretching the limits of what might be considered “permissible”. After all, does “Black Tie” mean a formal suit or dress, or does it mean “anything so long as you have a black tie”?
The specific character you are playing may prompt specific choices — for example, if your character is a doctor perhaps they always wear a white coat (so people know they are a doctor), or if you are a cake-sniffing orphan then perhaps you are wearing the itchy uniform you were made to wear at an unfortunately neglectful boarding school.
Beyond what is or is not appropriate, the most important aspect of costume to consider is Disguise. Given the importance of knowing who is who (and preventing others from knowing you is you) we expect most if not all characters to begin play in Disguise of some sort. Disguises should be outlandish, unconvincing, and removable such that when your Disguise is shockingly removed it is clear that you are not — and could never have been mistaken for — the person you were pretending to be.
For example, if you are the infamous Doctor Ivan — noted doctor of nothing particularly helpful when you’ve been stabbed with a railway spike — you might disguise yourself as Professor X. Orbitant, a wealth entrepreneur with a monocle, a large fake moustache (because everyone knows Ivan is clean-shaven), and a bowler hat to cover your signature blonde hair.
Policies
Even secret societies of undefined purpose have unbreakable rules. Lines that even someone as ruthless as to attempt multiple arson attacks against wealthy citizenry, or to de-nose a brie, would never attempt to cross.
Unfortunate abides by the standard policies of Unlikely Stories, with the following specifications:
Booking Deadline: 6th May 2024 (after this date, no refunds will be given)
Late Booking Deadline: 6th June 2024 (after this date, numbers will be final)
There is no LARP combat at Unfortunate, it is all simulated using Rock, Paper, Scissors.
All attendees must be over the age of 18. There is no capacity for including children of any age.
Acceptable Themes
While the general guide for Unfortunate is a PG-level of threat and themes, there are some themes we would like to remind players to be particularly sensitive about if they choose to explore them, and some which have no place in this game.
Themes listed here as “Sensitive” may occur during the game, but please use them responsibly and be aware these themes are sensitive. If an attendee tells you you are making them uncomfortable OC then they are by definition correct and you should adjust your behaviour accordingly.
Themes listed as “Restricted” will not occur during the game and you should not make reference to them in play, in back story, or in any other way. Ignoring this rule is a good way to get yourself removed from the game.
Sensitive themes that may occur:
Death
Infectious Disease
Characters masquerading as other genders, with different abilities, or vocally of different nationalities
Disguise is a key aspect of Unfortunate and can take a number of forms. Commenting on aspects that are obviously part of someone’s Disguise is fine (if you are unsure, it is better to check Out Of Character), but discrimination on the basis of these characteristics (IC real or not) is not acceptable.
You should avoid creating a disguise that would OC upset someone. In particular, consideration should be given to Disguises that incorporate protected characteristics that you yourself do not possess.
As above, if an attendee is upset OC by an aspect of your Disguise then you must change it, but it is your responsibility first to avoid upsetting people. We ask you to consider whether your Disguise is appropriate before entering play and to ask a member of staff if you are uncertain.
Threat of violence at a PG level
Characters can and will get hurt, killed, and can threaten violence to one another, but even simulated violence is minimal and should mostly occur off screen.
PG level threat to children
The world of Unfortunate is unkind to children, and being comically cruel to children is encouraged as part of gameplay, but threat of sustained abuse is not. Villainy and threats are one thing, but anything that would be inappropriate to occur in a children’s film is, however, unacceptable.
Restricted Themes (beyond those forbidden at all Unlikely Stories events):
Sexual contact of any kind
Real-world religion
Specific real-world events
Actual persons living or dead from the 20th century onward.
For the avoidance of doubt: using racist stereotypes (as part of a Disguise or in any other way) is wholly unacceptable.