It began in the dark and rain, it ended with a literal bang. The people of the Fold started on the outskirts of Requiem and fought inch by bloody inch until they had reclaimed their town. But while the Nostra army lies defeated, their leader, Lupa, still has cards she has yet to play, and with Honor’s Fall looming, her story is far from over.
What Happened
The army of volunteers, both from the Fold and beyond, assembled at an abandoned cabin a mile from the town proper, with a makeshift camp set up for them. It wasn’t much, but from this location, they prepared to push back against the Nostra forces. Their enemies, however, knew they were coming and immediately started harrying the ragtag army. Striking from the darkness, they skirmished against the townsfolk, inflicting casualties and causing chaos until the Families organized a counterassault. For the rest of the night, they would push into the darkness, fighting for every step forward, until they finally reach their campsites. Late at night, the Zodiac Collective used an experimental treatment to clear the Wilted Rose, with the assistance of four individuals who gave their lives for that final push. As the sun rose and the forces of Requiem rested, they could see their town again.
Saturday saw the fiercest of fighting. It began at the Waterfront, where the Nostra held several people hostage. This small force leveraged the fact they had a captive Family member to negotiate with, stalling for reinforcements that never came. The people of Requiem attacked the small squad, but not without a cost, as the Nostra managed to claim the life of a high-ranking Anastasia member during the hostage negotiations. Now the townsfolk had a beachhead they could use to push into the rest of the town, and at noon, the violent work began. For over an hour, they fought across the bridge and then door to door, as the Nostra made them pay for every structure they regained. Still, the will of Requiem was too great and the Nostra fell back for a last stand at the Great Hall. After a few hours of quiet and an intense thunderstorm, the forces of the 13 Families made their final push across the field, into the booby-trapped Great Hall, and succeeded in wiping out the Nostra as a fighting force.
Their leader, however, was not ready to admit defeat. Lupa Nostra had planted bombs all over Requiem and vowed to kill every person there if the leaders of the 13 Families did not meet to negotiate. Looking for a “seat at the table,” she traded the control console of the bombs for the right to participate in Honor’s Fall. Unfortunately, the control console was not a simple device, and some of the most learned people in town worked into the night to disarm the bombs and everyone. Despite explosions that rocked the surrounding area and even damaged the Great Hall, they were able to save the town at the last moment, finally allowing the people of Requiem some rest.
But is this the end of the Nostra? While the war is won, the fallout is sure to continue, with some families terribly depleted, and others about to capitalize on their counterparts' misfortune. With Honor’s Fall looming, was Requiem retaken just so that the 13 Families can destroy it again?
Out-Of-Game Notes
We had 151 people on site for Dogs of War, with 162 check-ins, making this the largest post-pandemic game across the network, with the exception of National Events and last year’s Honor Fall. You defeated countless enemies and suffered 32 deaths as you fought over a mile into town and engaged in two extended battles. The night ended with a triumph of research as you defuse the “ticker box” and won the war. Congrats!
Many of you were involved in side missions to alter the course of the war and were extremely successful in avoiding tactical and strategic complications (political complications we’ll discuss tomorrow). There were 21 Requisition Requests that you could accomplish; you discovered 11 of them and accomplished 10 of them (including 9 of 14 tactical objectives). Some of the things you accomplished:
You avoided the Nostra having any special melee or ranged weapons, or special shields.
You disabled the Nostra automatic firearms, artillery, and chemical weapons.
You gained a tactical advantage with respawn points and access to all doors of the Great Hall.
You avoided the worst of the post-battle fall-out with the assassins.
You ended the Post Office Levy.
Some things you might have noticed during the final battle that you didn’t prevent:
The “Killing Zone” call during the final battle.
The Trained Survivors respawned at their “Veteran stats” throughout the engagement.
There was no timed delay between Nostra respawns.
You all did an excellent job at winning the war! However, many of the Families suffered significant losses during the fighting, and you’ll likely see those consequences at Honor’s Fall. Does “No Room In Hell” mean anything to you?
Announcements
Tickets go on sale Thursday for our game of the year, Honor’s Fall. How will the war change the future of Requiem?
Remember, Honor’s Fall starts with the Bacchanal, so we’ll have an all-call for food and prop vendors next week! We’re also working on lining up your entertainment for Friday night.
Character sheets should be updated by Friday. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@dystopiarisingny.com.
Don’t forget feedback! We also added a couple of questions so you can give us your thoughts about Dogs of War!