I DREAM IN RED
Requiem Dark and You
Here at Dystopia Rising New York we make a big to do about something we call "Requiem Dark." It's kind of a thing that happens to span the breadth of meme to mechanic and everything in between. For those of you we've been lucky enough to share our experience with, you're probably familiar with an oft covered topic at the start of our games but for those of you who have yet to visit allow me to recap.
We have something here we like to call Requiem Dark. Now this isn't regular dark you might be used to. Forestburg Scout Reserve is situated in a unique position of being a valley on top of a hill, surrounded by mountains and because of this it is largely devoid of background light pollution. Mix that all up with dense tree cover, limited lighting, and the fact our games often fall on new moons you have a recipe for some really advanced darkness. We're talking, take a step off the path and disappear dark, heck even large chunks of the main roads are unlit. So please make sure you have a red light with you
The dark holds a special place in Requiem. Some of our wildest creatures and folks only come out at night, waiting for the last rays of light to filter out behind the mountains. Many important secret meetings about the fate of the town have been held with only the dim glow of the moon as witness. Anyone who has been around has a story of running off into the night with the screams of their friends in the distance. People could tell you a story of the time they fought a solid mile over the course of a moonless night while rain and mortars fell from the sky. Not to mention we’ve all wandered into the occasional puddle, tree, or Noct’vir. We have an interesting nightlife here.
In celebration of our special relationship with darkness in Requiem we will be running a special event mechanic called LIGHTS OUT. While this mechanic is active the generators will be shut off at midnight on each night to conserve fuel. This means most standard lighting will be shut off for roleplay purposes. We will be providing some emergency red lighting in key areas but players are highly encouraged to bring their own red lights for atmosphere and safety as well as other low impact lighting to set the mood. (IE. electric tea candles) One of our Early Bird mechanics "Afraid of the Dark" will be making use of these lights to encourage and reward everyone for buying in.
Survival and Safety Tips:
Don't walk alone! The number one cause of "getting got" is the famous idea of "I'll be fine it's not that far" which works great until you hear the other set of footsteps you didn't invite along.
Embrace the darkness. Letting your eyes adjust for a minute or two can make all the difference in the world when you start your trek across town at two in the morning.
Always carry your red flashlight, you never know when you're going to end up in an unfamiliar location and need to suss out a safe path or look for a dropped piece of your kit.
Don't be afraid to ask for a safety move during combat, nobody likes falling on their ass in a field of rocks and tree roots.
Don't look directly at light sources, or shine them up toward faces. Avoiding direct contact helps preserve your night vision and avoid "flash banging" others.
Keep your back to a light source if you need to fight, that puts all the creepy crawlies and assassins at a disadvantage.
The darkness can hide many dangers but it can also hide you from them, wear it like a cloak to shield yourself.
Share your favorite personal tips in the comments!