Invitation to Adventure . . .

You are cordially invited to A Superheroic Death, an action-packed evening of Crime-fighting, Superpowers and Noble Justice.

Join us in an exciting and odd and wonderfully weird performance of the Taiwan Interactive Theatre Society set for 5 December 2015, beginning at 2:30 p.m. in the Phillips residence (once you are cast, feel free to email or call for details if you don't know the location - make sure you have your role cast early so you can prepare your character, costumes, and any props needed). Those who wish to stay after the game for the Post-Game Party Debrief Dinner are very welcome to do so (we typically order pizza or the like). Please plan on bringing snacks or munchies such as chips or popcorn as well as drinks or soda and refreshments and the like to the game as it's really helpful. Please note, we must have a minimum of nine players registered by November 11 for the game to move forward so if you wish to play, it is to your advantage to register early.

NEW PLAYERS WELCOME!

The Taiwan Interactive Theatre Society is the premiere scenario-based theatre-style live action role playing costume game troupe in Taiwan . . . we are always happy to make new friends and welcome new enthusiasts to the hobby so new members are very very welcome! Actually, they are needed . . . big time! So come on in and join us! We're ready, willing, and eager to have some fun! Fun with YOU!

If you are unfamiliar with interactive dramas, they are a hybrid between scenario-based improvisational theatre and live action cosplay role playing game. See the archives at http://www.interactivedramas.info for a lot of background and information.

The scenario for our playing pleasure will be A Superheroic Death, a superheroic mystery whodunit interactive drama freeform live action roleplaying scenario. If you're not sure what "roleplaying mystery whodunit" means, don't worry about it, that's just a way of showing that this is a multi-genre scenario that doesn't fit into one story type . . . suffice it to say that this is NOT really just a simple scenario similar in nature to the scenarios we're already familiar with.

A Superheroic Death . . .

The world is in jeopardy. As usual. And as usual, it’s up to the SuperHeroicJusticeDoomSquad to save the day. The problem is that they are trapped in their secret base, the location of this party, has impenetrable defences (being inside a giant dormant volcano, naturally) and it is locked shut all night

The big red ‘World in Danger!’ light is flashing in the control room, so they really need to get out there and defeat the bad guys, but they don't have the access code to the main computer which controls everything, and it somehow got logged out last night.

Now the Heroes can neither speak to the outside world to find out what crisis is going on this time, nor can they turn off the SuperHeroicSuperiorAlarmSystems alarm and leave the base. The outside door (which is controlled by the main computer) is locked shut until the alarm system can be reset, and it has been specially made to withstand anything.

Our heroes need to find a way to get out of the base in time to save the world before it’s too late!

Once Brian has definite casting information on who will be playing, he will put the publicly available character lists and scenario descriptions on the web page. As usual, this theatre-style live roleplaying event will be held in the Phillips residence (email or call for details if you're not sure of the venue).

The cast list for the scenario is both robust and flexible but there are certain characters who are absolutely essential and others that must be played by male or female players so those places will tend to be cast first on a first-come-first-served basis. We absolutely MUST have at least nine players for the scenario and can accommodate a slew of others if need-be, although we can continue casting new roles as long as there are folks to take them. Minimum: NINE PLAYERS required (honestly, it's a lot more fun with twelve or more players so be sure to encourage as many of YOUR FRIENDS to join the fun and play as well – send folks invites to the Facebook Event page). This scenario was originally designed to accommodate up to 15 Players but if we have more folks register early, we can keep adding (seriously, we can and we would be more than happy to do so).

If the slots fill and you still want to play, we can accommodate additional last minute characters beyond the core fifteen (miscellaneous personages and the like) who can play and fill in atmosphere but whose characters will probably not be quite as fully developed or as deeply involved in the major plots, however, players will still have a great time -- Brian is happy to whip up additional characters for players as long as he has time to do so). Caveat: We need an absolute minimum of nine core characters for the event to proceed (fewer than that just doesn't work as this professionally produced scenario was written to accommodate troupes of nine or more and work in terms of keeping things interesting and busy -- Brian's not up to that kind of uber-hassle as the scenario is written specifically for a comfortable range of nine to as many as fifteen players – although we're obviously more than happy to add more players as needed).

Players will receive character assignments as added and this webpage includes the information on general character type and descriptions of the cast so that folks can begin working on costume or props as they are cast (feel free to be as simple or as complex as you like, but we do ask that participants at least give it a proper go . . . there will be a Best Costume award in addition to the Best Roleplayer award and Best Sleuth award. Keep in mind that this scenario is set in a superhero headquarters in a futuristic setting and focuses on characters involved with superhero identities and the like so you should plan on costumes appropriate to your assigned character type . . . please come prepared to be Your Character rather than as yourself in costume . . . obviously, costume complexity and accuracy is up to you (some folks go very simplistic and others are extremely intricate in their costuming choices). Remember, while effort in costuming is very much appreciated; if personal resources are limited, even something as simple as a hat or shorts over slacks and a bath towel used as a cape can help symbolize your character.

For costumes, think of the X Men meets the Avengers meets Batman meets Superheroic Faux Fashion meets pulp fantasy. Have a LOT of fun with this!

Complete personal character descriptions will be emailed at least a week and a half prior to play.

If you wish to join us, you need to let Brian know A.S.A.P. to reserve a character (actually, he needs to edit and add original bits to the thing so you'd best let him know earlier rather than later to get a "good" character -- that is well-written rather than thrown together at the last minute albeit as this is a superhero group a number of the characters will also actually be morally upstanding individuals in that sense of "good" as well).

If you're going to play and you want a character, please let Brian know ASAP! Regular cast and newcomers, it would be very helpful if you could let the Director know whether you wish to play before November 21 or EARLIER (seriously, an immediate reply now would be greatly appreciated so HIT THAT MAILTO LINK NOW!). The earlier we have casting set, the earlier you can get a passable costume ready and can track down props (some characters have required props they must have). If we do not have a minimum of nine players by Nov. 11, then the game will not move forward.

How Whodunit Games Work . . .

A Superheroic Death is unlike many murder mystery games. Although the game starts with a murder, most of the characters have more important things to do than to investigate it. And the killing may not be over – it is unlikely that everyone will survive the remainder of the evening!

A Superheroic Death is played just like a murder mystery game. You may be trying to solve the murder, but primarily you are (initially at least) concentrating on your own goals and objectives. Unlike most boxed murder mystery games, A Superheroic Death lets you decide how to achieve your goals and thwart your enemies.

On the evening of the game the guests are met by the organizer, the Computer’s back-up system (a 3-D projection created to assist the SuperHeroes when the computer is logged out). They then receive their detailed backgrounds - including dark secrets, objectives, ability cards, stuff, and money. The fun then begins as everyone questions, bribes and blackmails each other. As the evening progresses they may even try to murder one another! Depending on what the players choose to do, there are several different possible endings, but finally everyone finds out how they did, and what secrets everyone else was concealing.

Part of the premise of the scenario is a Murder Mystery Whodunit in which players take on the roles of suspects in a murder (this is not all there is to it as there are also several subplots that you'll be involved in as each character will have his or her own personal goals to accomplish during the scenario run). You will be given character briefings that have information about yourself and others. In the course of the game, you will ask questions of others and be asked questions. Unlike other games of this type, while the "Murderer" may lie, all others DO NOT HAVE TO TELL THE TRUTH either. Yes, it's just like real life in that anyone you speak with could be lying (albeit they will be doing it in character).

During an investigation, a detective must answer three questions in order to catch a murderer:

• MOTIVE - Who had a reason to kill the victim? Does any particular person benefit - for example, financially or romantically - from the victim's death?

• MEANS - Who had access to the murder weapon? Does any particular person have the unique knowledge, skill, or physical ability necessary to use the murder weapon?

• OPPORTUNITY - Who had a chance to kill the victim? Is any particular person unaccounted for (has no alibi) during the time the victim was killed?

Your challenge is to use these three elements to form a hypothesis about the murder, which will result in an accusation. Keep these questions in mind as you pursue your investigation. So, sharpen your Critical Thinking tools and . . . Good Luck!

The nature of the scenario is modular so character assignments will be made on a first-come-first-served approach based upon plot priority. There is an absolute minimum number of characters required for the game to go forward with additional character assignments possible after the minimum has been made (basically, new plots and relationships are threaded in with dynamic changes). If we don't have enough for the minimum, then the performance gets shelved. Do note that additional characters will be slotted in so there is no actual maximum for this scenario. So, get out there and recruit some bodies to play!

Sorry, for this scenario, it is not possible for folks to choose their own characters due to this modular nature. However, the following cast list will give you an idea of the range of characters within the scenario. Casting assignments will begin soon. Descriptions here are one-liners of what sort of person the character appears to be to others, many characters have secret attributes and some may even be very different from who they appear to be . . . at least one is a murderer, possibly more. The descriptions may seem mundane to some, but keep in mind that the scenario is actually quite complex with hidden agenda the order of the day . . . with a very sinister twist.

CHARACTER	BRIEF BIO	PLAYER
Captain Amazing!	He thought this name up himself. The exclamation mark is a compulsory part of the spelling, apparently. Not the brightest of men, but has lots of charisma and is very photogenic, which is probably the most important thing for a superhero, and that’s why he’s the group Leader. Superpower – None as such, but he’s very good at martial arts, and he sometimes manages to dazzle enemies with his whitened teeth.	Michael Cheng
Doctor Robot-Neck	An industrial accident left this qualified doctor with the neck of a robot. He’s the brains behind the group, and more involved with the planning side of the missions than the actual groundwork. He’s Captain Amazing!’s Second-in-Command. Superpower – He can rotate his neck 360 degrees and extend it by up to 3 metres, which allows him to see over things, but isn’t that great for crime-fighting. Hence the largely supportive role he plays in missions.	John Michael Corrigan
Bloody Mary	Likes fighting villains and drinking cocktails. Often at the same time. Always the first to get into a fight and frequently very argumentative, but she’s a good person to have on your side when the going gets tough. A long-standing and respected group member. Superpower – Super Strength.	Gabriella Pan
WhizzoGirl	A very girly superhero who is as photogenic as Captain Amazing! and likewise possibly more interested in being in all the newspapers than in the actual crimefighting aspect of the job. Usually to be seen giving interviews to adoring news crews just after a fight that she did very little in to avoid breaking any nails. A long-standing group member. Superpower – Can fly, so she is often used to help break into secure areas etc.	Viktoria Olofsson
InvisoGirl	A shy and retiring character in large groups, but with a few close friends she is known for her mischievous sense of humour, and takes full advantage of her powers to play practical jokes on them whenever possible. A middle-ranking group member. Superpower – Can make herself invisible.	Elaine Tang
Shaman	Once a librarian, Shaman is possessed by the spirit of a powerful Native American shaman. Very regal and wise, and 100 % accurate with a bow and arrow, so often used to provide covering fire in missions. A middle-ranking group member. Superpower – Has visions of the past and future when drinking special ‘firewater’, and claims to be able to contact the dead.	Andy Chen
Puss-in-Boots	Nobody knows what Puss is doing here, but you don’t question a talking homicidal cat wearing clothes. A recent addition to the group. Superpower – Well apart from the whole talking / standing upright thing, which when you think about it is pretty impressive in itself, Puss has a very sharp set of claws that you really don’t want to have to make a closer acquaintance with…	Lorraine Phillips
S.	A very recent addition to the group, this superhero appears to REALLY like snakes, as evidenced by a snake-themed costume, favoured conversational topics and general reading materials. Superpower – Claims to have a very venomous bite…	Tracy Chien
The Masked Crusader	An old friend of Captain Amazing!, who has recently returned from a much praised five-year-stint fighting crime in South America. Co-founder of the group. Superpower – Energy bolts fired from the hands.	Harry Chang
Ice Queen	A proud and haughty lady who wears a crown and appears to be made almost entirely of ice… hence the imaginative nickname the superheroes have given her. A recent addition to the group. Superpower – She uses her ice-staff to send blasts of ice at people and freeze them in their tracks.	Joy Tsai
The Russian	A very mysterious character who has only recently joined the group, and came with some impressive references from Paris. Nobody knows where the nickname came from, as ‘The Russian’ has a French accent. Superpower – No-one’s found out yet.	Kevin Yang
Miguel	The hired help. A Mexican cleaner who seems to mysteriously keep appearing everywhere when least expected. He has a pretty poor grasp of English but a strong work ethic, and it would be a brave superhero indeed that would dare to risk his wrath by walking muddy footsteps over a freshly mopped floor. Superpower – Do you think he’d be doing this job if he had a superpower?	Krzysztof Zielinski
Acro-Bat	Hmmm, an acrobat dressed as a bat . . . seems pretty clear cut. Student intern. Superpower – Think about it.	Ann Wu
Ginger Rogers	Reporter out to get a big scoop. Superpower – When has a reporter ever had a superpower?	Dimitar Velichkov
Officer Jones	Police Officer investigating the recent spike in crime, homicide detective and so very much more. Superpower – Is sleuthing a superpower?	Han Cheung
P'Tarr N'DRE	Alien emissary to Earth from the mighty Egad Star Empire. Superpower – Alien leader.	Bill Cheng
The New Major Marvelous	Not your average costumened hero, an absolutely marvelous costumed hero. Superpower – Being absolutely marvellous!	Jacky Tang
Snail	Bitten by a radioactive snail, he now has the proportionate speed, strength and abilities of a snail. Superpower – He secretes a sticky substance that captures others and has a hard shell on his back making him impervious to physical attack from behind.	Kevin Lee
Bunny Girl	A newcomer to the superhero scene, Bunny Girl is a studious young woman. Superpower – The cute bunny costume probably is a pretty good indication of her powers. Or not.	Shinnie Chou
The Eradicator	The Eradicator is a young hero in power suit armor. Superpower – Power armor.	April Lu
The Laminator	A chemist whose industrial accident has given her a laminating superpower, she is mild mannered and very helpful and for some reason fifteen-years-old. Superpower – Laminating power is the ability to eject pure Mell-O from her fingers and use it to coat a target. She can then cause the Mell-O to solidify, encasing her target in solid plastic. Bulletproof because the Mell-O in her system protects her from small caliber impacts.	Alice Ko
The Brain	A young man with an extremely gifted brain. Seriously, he's usually able to read a room quicker and faster than even Sherlock Holmes. Superpower – He has the ability to read people. His wonderful deductive abilities allow him to tell things about people they might not even know.	Anthony Wang
Bernard [The Dead Guy]	Bernard was the squad’s manager. He ran the base, coordinated missions, recruited new heroes and organized everything so that all the squad had to do was fight crime and save the world. He was found lying on the sheepskin rug this morning with a blue face but no blood spilt, thank goodness, because that rug was worth a fortune.	Bernard Dedhed
HOST [The Director]	The Computer’s back-up system. A 3-D projection created to assist the SuperHeroes when the computer is logged out.	Brian David Phillips
Even More Awesome Characters T.B.A.	Even more characters may be added as new people join us . . . hurry and register NOW!	T.B.A.

Further characters assignments will be posted as we get our minimum number of players. Hint, the first nine people get the characters with the most to do. The tenth through fifteenth players will have characters who are integrated into plots. The sixteenth player will have add-on characters who will still be a LOT of fun but are not part of the integrated story (they can still do a lot in the story and have tons of fun). So, the earlier you sign up, the better. Seriously, sign up as early as possible so we can prepare for a great game! The earlier you sign up, the more time you have to think about your costume choices and roleplay persona.

If you have not contacted the Director by emailing brian@briandavidphillips.com with a request for a character assignment, then please do so now! Minimum age for membership in the troupe is eighteen - like many troupes of this type, actual player age range is very very wide from university students to career professionals to retired folks and beyond . . . we are all brought together through our common enjoyment of the activity.

Participants who would like to "switch" characters, may do so . . . but only if the role they wish to switch to has already been cast and the person assigned that role confirms the "trade" and full character descriptions have not yet been mailed. We assign roles in order according to a formula so we cannot randomly assign characters for this scenario. There is a method to the madness. Once full character descriptions are sent to players (probably about one month before the session), no trades will be allowed.

If you have not yet joined the troupe's Facebook group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/taiwaninteractivedrama do it now. Also, be sure to mark yourself as Attending on the scenario event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/1625346774385322 although that alone is not enough, you still need to contact the Director as soon as possible for a character assignment. Remember to Invite Your Friends!

What's Happening?

Welcome to A Superheroic Death!

The world is in jeopardy. As usual. And as usual, it’s up to the SuperHeroicJusticeDoomSquad to save the day. The problem is that they all had a big party last night celebrating something exciting that they can’t quite remember; and this morning, their manager Bernard was found dead on the lovely faux-sheepskin rug in their Lounge.

Their secret base, the location of this party, has impenetrable defences (being inside a giant dormant volcano, naturally) and it was locked shut all night – so they have come to the realization that the killer must have been one of the Squad… or possibly their cleaner, Miguel.

The big red ‘World in Danger!’ light is flashing in the control room, so they really need to get out there and defeat the bad guys, but there’s another problem. Bernard was the only one who had the access code to the main computer which controls everything, and it somehow got logged out last night.

Now the Heroes can neither speak to the outside world to find out what crisis is going on this time, nor can they turn off the SuperHeroicSuperiorAlarmSystems alarm and leave the base. The outside door (which is controlled by the main computer) is locked shut until the alarm system can be reset, and it has been specially made to withstand anything.

Our heroes need to find a way to get out of the base in time to save the world – and find out which of them is a murderer, and why – before it’s too late!

As noted above, in general, costumes can be fairly simple or complex . . . contemporary clothing can easily be adapted to our needs with a bit of this or that stuck onto it . . . be playful and have fun with your character type and costume . . . adding a playful twist here and there and perhaps some makeup fun.

A Superheroic Death is set in the secret base of a group of superheroes. See Marvel and DC Comic books or films such as Batman or X-Men for costume inspiration! Please note, these costume tips are just suggestions – you don’t have to stick to them exactly! General tips for good superhero costumes would be to wear cloaks, tight trousers, leggings or tights (possibly with shorts / a short skirt or even underpants over the top if you’re feeling brave!), long-sleeved tops with logos or pictures on the chest, boots, headbands, long-sleeved or fingerless gloves, or else anything that looks futuristic really! We’ve given a colour suggestion for the uniform of each superhero, so if you could try and work in those colours then that’d be great! While you are encouraged to choose a costume that fits the character, you are NOT limited although themselves scenario does have costume suggestions to help you get started. Be original and have fun.

CHARACTER	COSTUME SUGGESTION
Captain Amazing!	Red and Blue Uniform
Doctor Robot-Neck	Grey and Black Uniform. Has the neck of a robot, so wear something silver around the neck.
Bloody Mary	Red and Black Uniform.
WhizzoGirl	Pink and White Uniform – very girly style.
Shaman	Brown and Orange Uniform, Native American style.
InvisoGirl	Blue and White Uniform.
Puss-in-Boots	Boots and a Cape… Oh, and lots of fur. Ears or Face-paint or tail if you want!
Miguel	Overalls or an Apron, with a cap and glasses. Usually carries a mop too.
S.	A snakeskin/snake-themed green and brown uniform. Could have a ‘pet’ toy snake (or snakes) round the neck/arms too.
The Masked Crusader	Green and Black Uniform, with a mask.
Ice Queen	Completely White Uniform with a Crown.
The Russian	Completely Black Uniform. Preferably a long mysterious cloak.
Acro-Bat	Black Uniform, gymnast’s outfit or dancer’s leotards. Preferably a cloak.
Ginger Roberts	Professional attire that a journalist might wear.
Officer Jones	Police officer’s uniform or detective outfit, do not forget your gun and badge (fake, that is).
P'Tarr N'DRE	Something that gives an alien uniform feel, antennae and/or pointed ears - silver jumpsuit type things.
The New Major Marvelous	Tights, skin tight tights, colorful, think Rainbow colors and lots of tinsel and sequin, marvelous attire.
Snail	Have fun with this! Spandex or lycra or the like with a shell and antenae and more.
Bunny Girl	The clue is in the name! Costume should have a bunny feel to it. At the very least, bunny ears and bunny tail. What sort of bunny costume, is up to you.
The Eradicator	Be creative! Power Armor.
The Laminator	Costume should be something with a laminating or plastic molding theme.
The Brain	You're called The Brain so your costume should reflect how incredibly gifted and intelligent you are. Have fun!
H.O.S.T.	Holographic construct self-selection.
T.B.A.	Even more characters may be added as new people join us . . . hurry and register NOW!

Obviously, you can feel free to adapt your costume as you see fit in terms of items you can get readily as long as it captures the mood of the character.

Those who might feel weird walking the streets of Taipei in their costumes should feel welcome to bring their outfits in unmarked brown paper bags and change at the venue prior to the start of game play.

Once more, if you're not on this list of players/characters and you would still like to join the game, please email the Director (that's me, Brian David Phillips) at brian@briandavidphillips.com (the sooner, the better so I can write the character into the plots). Feel free to consult the troupe web page at http://www.interactivedramas.info/taiwan.htm for more information and future updates.

Tips for Playing . . .

Forget who, when and where you are – and join a team of superheroes in their secret headquarters inside an active volcano for an afternoon of double-dealing, intrigue, mysterious powers and even murder!

In A Superheroic Death you and the other guests will take on the roles of superheroes at their secret hideout headquarters. You might be a superhero yourself. Or maybe you will be an investigating police officer. Or maybe you will be a supervillain in disguise! You will be provided with background details for your character explaining who they are and why they are at the superhero headquarters. You will also be given information on other players and goals for you to achieve.

How do I play?

Playing A Superheroic Death is a little like starring in your own movie – although how your movie ends depends entirely on you and the other guests. There is no predetermined script – how you decide to tackle your goals is entirely up to you.

The most important skill in A Superheroic Death is the ability to hold a conversation. You will need to talk to the other players to find out who they are and whether they will help or oppose you. Some of the characters you may know a little about already, but some will be unknown to you.

Information is the key to achieving your objectives in A Superheroic Death, so you should aim to talk to everyone. You may need to reveal information known only to you in order to get information from another player, of course.

You will also have a number of abilities that give you an advantage against other characters in certain situations. The other players also have abilities that they may use against you!

Rules and the HOST

A Superheroic Death has a few simple rules, but the HOST (the director) usually oversees these. The HOST is neutral, and is there to ensure that A Superheroic Death runs smoothly and that everyone has a good time. If you have any questions about A Superheroic Death, you should first consult the HOST.

Although "A Superheroic Death" is designed to run for approximately four hours, it is up to the Director to gauge if this is enough time for the players (are they still running around talking to other players?) or if it is dragging on a little too long. This will vary from one group to the next.

The original scenario by was written for a particular number of characters. Some of our scenarios are larger than others and require more than a few directors. However, most of our scenarios do not require so many directors and one is typical.

Interactive Dramas or Live Action Role-Playing Games (LARPs) are difficult to describe. They combine elements of table-top roleplaying (e.g. Dungeons and Dragons) and improvisational theatre. The closest thing you'll find to an Interactive Drama is a professional staged murder weekend (the main differences are that Interactive Dramas are not as slickly produced, cost much less, and have a greater range of themes).

You are a Player. The person you are pretending to be is your Character. You have a Character Sheet which tells who your Character is, and what your Character wants (your Goals). You achieve your Goals by talking to the other Characters - sharing secrets, telling lies, making alliances, betraying your friends, etc. The bulk of what you'll do during an Interactive Drama can be achieved just by talking to people (and sometimes by eavesdropping on someone else's conversation). There are other things you can do fairly easily as well. For instance, hiding in the closet is accomplished by opening the closet door, stepping inside, and closing the closet door.

Some things you may want to do, however, are a little more complicated. If you want to steal somebody' s pants, or blow up the ship, or something else you shouldn't actually do, then you have to talk to the Interactive Dramatist or Director.

The Interactive Dramatist: The Interactive Dramatist or "Director" runs the game. He is your referee. The Director is outside the game, so you should act as if he's not there. The Director doesn't have a Character so your Character can't talk to him. However, the Director must be obeyed. His powers are almost absolute - only chance and fate can overrule the Director. If the Director whispers in your ear "You have just fallen unconscious," then lie down on the floor with your eyes shut. If the Director shouts "you hear a crash coming from the hold!" then everyone should act as if they hear a crash (and perhaps run to the hatches to investigate). If the Director bolds up a sign reading "You don't see anything" then act as if nothing is happening. If the Director tells you to "take off your clothes and stand on your head," he is probably just making a really bad joke or he is abusing his power and you should ask him to reconsider (unless, of course, that's something you really want to do anyway).

Directors with Players: Ignore a player who is talking to the Director. Don't bother them, and don't eavesdrop! If a Director and a player are going somewhere, ignore that as well. The Director is moving the Character (e.g. the Character wanted to leap from the yardarm. It isn't a good idea to actually do this and we don't actually have a real yardarm handy, so the player walks with the Director to a spot under where we imagine the yardarm hangs.)

Whistles: If the Director needs everyone's attention suddenly, he can blow his whistle or give a shout. When you hear a whistle or the Director shouting instructions you must immediately freeze until the Director tells you to resume play. A good Director should be able to avoid getting on your nerves with his damn whistle, so don't worry.

Non-Player Characters: Sometimes a new Character enters the game, but it is a part too small to give to a Player. This is a Non-Player Character (NPC) and the Director handles this part. If a character catches a mermaid or if angels descend from heaven, or if pirates storm the ship, then someone has to play the mermaid, or the angels, or the pirates. The Director temporarily enters the game as the required NPC. This is the only time your Character can interact with the Director. Treat NPC's just like other Characters (Note: this is a rare opportunity to kill a Director, but don't do that unless your Character has a good reason to kill the NPC).

Keep the Director Informed: If you are planning something sneaky (such as an ambush) try to tell the Director in advance. There are things you don't know (and the Director does) that may affect the outcome of your action.

Item Cards: These are cards you may get with your character packet at the beginning of the scenario event, and they represent unusual things your character owns. Item cards are written in as little detail as possible and only tell you what you would know if you found the item lying on the floor (further detail is available if you examine a found item, which you do by asking the Director about it). Details about your items are given in your character sheet.

Feel free to bring or borrow props for your items but only for items your character has. Don't bring a gun if you don't have an item card listed on your character sheet for a gun; you weren't given that item card because the Director doesn't want you to have a gun. Also, to make sure to keep your item cards with your props. A prop gun without an item card is just a prop gun and can't harm a soul.

Item cards move around just like real objects; they can be exchanged, stolen, lost, hidden, found, and sometimes destroyed.

Special Ability Cards: These cards represent a Character's special abilities and they allow players to do things without having to go through a Director. If a player presents you with a Special Ability Card then read the card and obey the instructions. If the card says "Show me all your item cards," then hand your cards to the player with the Special Ability Card. If the card says "You are unconscious", then lie down on the floor with your eyes shut. Remember, your Character doesn't know what is happening; pretend to be unaware that your items have been examined, act confused about mysteriously fainting. Play along. Above all else, forget which Player showed you the card. Some cards cancel each other out, or result in a tie. A Special Ability Card with a red border beats a regular Special Ability Card. If a Special Ability Card says, "Take off your clothes and give me the tightest hug and the deepest kiss you've ever given anyone", then you're probably either playing in the wrong scenario or someone is cheating. If in doubt you may discreetly ask the Director for a ruling.

Real Time, Space, and Stuff: Real Time means if something takes you 10 seconds to accomplish you must spend 10 seconds pretending to do it. If something takes 10 minutes, spend 10 minutes of game time doing it. Real Space is a similar concept. If you left something in the forecastle you have to walk back to the forecastle to get it (or at least to the part of the gaming area we pretend is the forecastle). If you want to get the bazooka you have stashed in the hold, you have to go down there. Real Stuff is an exception to the rule about needing item cards for everything. If you need a fork, you may find one in the kitchen. This saves the Director the trouble of writing up a card for everything. If there's something in the area that you can't use in the game, the Director will tell you in advance. If you find an item that would be out of place, it probably doesn't belong there. Ask the Director to make sure. Of course you never know what that digital watch is until you ask.

Combat: Even among the best of friends there is an occasional falling out. If combat occurs, follow the specific rules for this scenario as outlined below. You should remember to "roleplay" the attle beyond just comparing numbers on your character sheets. If you need specific help, get the Director. Tell the Director what you are doing and act out your actions, and the Director will determine whether it worked or not.

Combat is going to be very simple. It will be based on Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Basically, any time you wish to have combat with another player, just let that person know you are attacking and the two of you "stage" a combat. The attacker calls out an attacking move and the defender then calls out a defense followed by an attack. The attacker then calls out a counter defense and another defense and the defender calls a final attack and defense. Then, a game of RPS (Rock-Paper-Scissors) is played. That tells you who wins. The players then act out the moves they have called in very slow motion with the last two moves dropped or acted upon depending upon the outcome.

Please act out all combats in this way. Get into it but stay slow for safety's sake.

When someone has "lost" a combat, that person must "play dead" for the next five minutes, doing nothing but lying dead on the floor. Of course, if someone takes your "stuff" there's nothing you can do about it (you may only take game-item-props not personal things). You may not read an "unconscious" player's character sheets or ability cards either nor may you take them (they don't actually exist in game terms). If you wish to move an "unconscious" player, you may not drag the person, ask him or her to get up and walk to wherever you want to throw the body. You must never touch another player, conscious or unconscious, without that person's explicit permission to do so. Everything in a scenario is based upon informed consent. So, "no" always means "no" - in character or out. Touching another person in an inappropriate place can get you booted immediately from the game (or worse). Read the Troupe House Rules, know them, understand them, and abide by them at all times.

Normally, characters in most games would not kill one another within unless specifically directed by the scenario rules so if you wish to violate ethics to that degree you need to consult with the Director on method (and he will probably veto most folks taking that course of action without very very very good reasoning).

There are no rules for group combat for this scenario as superheroes don't roll that way - even when fighting groups, they tend to pair off individually for combat. Nope, it doesn't seem realistic but it's our little slice of comic book reality. Hint, if you don't think you can beat that big baddie one on one then find another way to defeat your enemy other than combat.

Disclaimer: This information on combat is not here to suggest that fighting is the best way to solve your problems. Of course we all believe that using discussion and persuasion is a much more constructive method for reaching your goals. Sure, we'll go with that.

IN and OUT of CHARACTER: Since you are here with your friends, it is natural to want to drop character and talk to them. Unfortunately while you are doing this, someone else's Character may need to speak to your Character. In General, it's a good idea to stay in Character. You'll probably find you enjoy the game more that way. On the other hand, try to be tolerant if someone steps out of the game on you. As an addendum to this, you will find your experience to be all the more positive the better your costume and props are.

The Impossible: Supernatural Manifestations, Extra Sensory Perception, the occult, weird science are all things we understand to be impossible in the real world. This is not the real world. As similar as it may seem to the reality the designer reserves the right to include the impossible in this game. Do not expect it, especially if this is something your Character Sheet says you don't believe in. But it is only fair to warn you that the impossible cannot be ruled out. (A further warning: the above paragraph could just be misdirection.)

Honor: Though it is possible that one or more of the characters are not ethical, it is imperative that all players be honorable and fair. Never look at someone else's character sheets, or attempt to twist the rules. This interactive event has no winners or losers. Cheaters will be dealt with rather harshly.

Rules of the Event: This edition of the scenario is being presented by your host. All players must abide by any "house rules" set by the host of your event.

More on Costumes, Make-Up, and Props: This is a costume event. So, dress and equip your character as closely as possible to the description in your character sheet. Some folks may have more trouble than others. While we won't eject you from the venue if you can't find a pair of kilt, robe, cloak, or the like, you'll certainly feel more into it the closer you can manage. So, please do try to at least make at least a rudimentary effort at costume, make-up, props, and effects material. Please do look at the various sites appropriate to your clan in the web resources section for ideas as well as the illustrations throughout this introductory web page. Your final costume should be based upon what your character's clan as well as his or her goals, ambitions, or personality characteristics. It doesn't have to be Hollywood or grand theatre . . . heck, paper masks and colored construction paper with aluminum foil is acceptable . . . just give it a go and let's have some fun.

Photographs: During the scenario run of A Superheroic Death players are welcome to take photographs for their personal scrapbooks as long as such picture taking doesn't get in the way of actually playing the piece. In any case the Director will take photos for the web gallery. Please do try to help us make certain we have at least one or two good shots of each player, especially those in full costume.

Disclaimer: The examples used above are for purposes of demonstration only. They are not meant to imply that lies, thievery, murder, mayhem, explosions, pirates or mermaids will be included in this scenario.

When the Taiwan Interactive Theatre Society hosts an interactive drama performance, there is usually a post-session get-together pizza party. This section of the information page is appropriate to those performances, not classroom activities.

Usually, according to the Time Table for this scenario, pretty much everything should end pretty much somewhere between 6:15-6:30 p.m. as that's when the voting should occur. Play may continue for some time after that, but it's unlikely due to some other plots which will come to a head about the same time (trust me, I know this stuff).

So, once things have come to their final conclusion, we'll then have a nice time socializing. This is a great chance for folks to get to know one another outside of a game. We can have the X-Box and/or Video machines running for those who want them and others can socialize around the house. Of course, this depends upon how many folks stay and the nature of the debrief and socializing and the like.

We rarely have time to talk to folks out-of-character when playing our regular interactive dramas so this is a nice chance to do just that. Hopefully, assuming schedules and the like permit we can make it another tradition to spend some time together after scenarios out-of-character just to enjoy one another's real characters.

Since many folks won't have time to make anything or the like between the session and the party, we can just pick some stuff up or order pizza – however, do bring plenty of beverages and snacks for the main game and a bit extra for the after-party to help out. As long as everyone contributes a little bit of something, we should be okay.

Those of you who are married or who have significant others or children who do not play regularly are welcome to have them come for this part of the day. We'd love to meet them.

Please do stay for at least part of the post-session briefing and wind down. We so rarely get a chance to sit down and just be ourselves . . . usually, we're too busy being someone else at these things. Whether you're staying or not to hang out, please do remember the help clean up the mess house rule. We love hosting these events but only if we can have some help getting the house back into some semblance of order afterwards. Lately, we've had too many sessions where folks hit the door as soon as the main event is over and we get left with a home that looks like a bomb hit it.

Here are some places on the web you can use for A Superheroic Death inspiration for characters, costumes, props, and other ideas. Many of the sites are for costumes or similar resources.

• Where to Get a Costume in Taiwan
  
• The Costume Page
  
• Milieux
  

  Superhero Costumes

  • Homemade Superhero Costumes
    
  • How to Make a Superhero Costume
    
  • Make Your Own Superhero Costume Ideas
    
  • Make Your Own Superhero Costumes
    
  • Superhero Costumes
    
  • Cat Woman Costumes
    
  • Wonder Woman Costumes
    
  • Teen Costumes
    

  Youtube Costume and Makeup Tutorials

  • Madeyewlook
    
  • Kid's Superhero Cosume
    
  • Effortless Superhero DIY Halloween Costume
    
  • Easy Superhero Cape
    
  • 30 Last Minute DIY Halloween Costume Ideas
    
  • How to Make a Batman Costume
    
  • How to Make a Supergirl Costume
    
  • Easy Catwoman
    

If you know of other worthwhile costume shops, resources, or the like that other players might find helpful, please post the link to the troupe’s Facebook Group group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/taiwaninteractivedrama. Seriously, share, share, share!

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If you haven't read the Troupe Rules, do so now. You are required to abide by the rules whether you know them or not. Rules violations may lead to "booting" and exclusion from this or any other future session.

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Certain briefing and promotional material from the original scenarios, as they appeara in Morgana Cowling's The Freeform Book and Freeform Games' A Heroic Death, has been reprinted here with permission from the authors. In order to produce this particular performance of A Superheroic Death with the Taiwan Interactive Theatre Society at this time, we have found it necessary to make certain modifications to the scenario. These modifications are in no way intended as infringements upon the rights of the author or the integrity of the piece. They were made within the confines of fair use for performance much as theatrical companies may find it necessary to cut or modify a play in order to suit the needs of their troupes or a traditional role playing club may need to adapt an RPG module to fit the campaign. Our "cutting" is neither available nor intended for distribution. Those wishing to produce this scenario should acquire a legitimate copy of the original scenario.

Disclaimer This interactive drama freeform roleplaying scenario is a work of fiction, intended for recreational purposes only. While many (most, all) of the deities described herein are those of living religions, no disrespect is intended to believers in those faiths. This is a playful take on the mythic elements of multiversal constructs and in no way reflect any disrespect toward the actual divine entities portrayed herein, whether or not they actually exist or are merely fictional constructs of ancient man's need to explain that which he does not comprehend.

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If you are interested in more scenarios of this type and have not yet joined the troupe's Facebook troupe at https://www.facebook.com/groups/taiwaninteractivedrama feel free to do so now.

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More information to come as we have a better idea of who will be playing and as Brian makes it up.

Huzzah!
Welcome to a
very special super duper super heroic
Whodunit Mystery Costume Roleplay Party!

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台灣互動式戲劇學會
Taiwan Interactive Theatre Society
實境RPG (角色扮演遊戲真人版)

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