Long Live the King, the Megagame!

Long Live the King is a live, 4-5 hour gaming experience. Part roleplaying game, part card game, and more intrigue than you can shake a stick at. While an aging King looses his health (and his mind!) the various members of the court jockey for position and power. Will you seek to overthrow the rightful rulers by raising the army as the Baron? Or perhaps you seek to replace the King's Bastard child with your son as the Queen. Maybe you would prefer to seek out laughter as the Jester, or true love (and hopefuly money and status) as the Courtesan. There are many options and Long Live the King has 40 characters for you to choose from, and each is unique!

It would be fair to say that in some ways, Long Live the King is two games, both simultaneous and parallel, and both affecting the other. In one game, the nobles of the court strive to claim the throne after the King dies. In the other, each of the various characters of the court seek to achieve their goals in life. Over the course of the game many of the members of the court may find themselves in service to the nobles and granting their noble extra abilities. Because of the way the two games work, we will be selling two sets of tickets, one for each portion of the game. In addition, because the nobles can have a somewhat larger influence on the court, their tickets cost $5 more. But don't worry! Whether you're playing to claim the throne or to achieve your life's goals we expect that everyone will have a great time! (Not to mention intrigue and diplomacy galore.)

The Cast of Characters

-The Nobles

• The Royal Bastard - The wily bastard son of the King, and, at least at the beginning of the game, the official heir to the throne. While he (or potentially she, since nearly every position in the game can be played by someone of any gender) starts in a position of power, he has many enemies and will need to keep his wits about him to maintain his position.

• The Queen - The second character with a chance at being the King's heir. Or at least the Regent for the King's infant son anyway. Her loathing of the King's bastard son is legendary, especially because that same bastard currently has the King's favor and is the declared heir to the throne! She must bring the Royal Bastard into disfavor with the King before the end of the game, while retaining the Regency for her son - no simple task!

• The Baron - He's the King's strong right arm and is tasked with commanding his army. He plans to use that army seize the kingdom after the King's death! But before he can manage that he must mobilize the army. The good news is that someone keeps stirring up rebellion in the land so you have a pretty good excuse to gather up the troops.

• The Ambassador - Though a stranger in the land, the Ambassador has been given a voice in the King's council. Why, you might ask? Because the King generally wants to know whatever the Ambassador wants - so he can do the opposite!

• The Steward - Tthe King's most trusted adviser. He seeks to ensure the potential heirs to the throne fail to achieve any lasting power. The Royal Bastard has no legitimacy and the Queen is just a gold digger and neither deserve the power of the throne, and if that means the Steward must take the reigns of power for the good of the Kingdom...

• The Archbishop - The Kingdom's spiritual leader schemes to take power from the shadows, leaving a pawn on the throne. If either the Royal Bastard or the Steward take the throne after the death of the King, they'll need to make sure the Archbishop doesn't have too much Status in the Kingdom - or they'll discover that the Archbishop holds the reigns of power.

• The Treasuerer - She who controls the gold, controls the Kingdom. Or so says the Treasurer. With the King loosing his mind and the rest of court scrambling for power the Treasurer has been free to run the Kingdom's coffers as she sees fit. Keeping the Kingdom running well and stable are the goals of the Treasurer, so she seeks to put one of the two potential heirs on the throne. Just so long as her status in the court is high enough to retain control of the Kingdom's coffers.

-The Court

• Abbot - The Abbot's concern is the spiritual well-being of the people. He desires peace, and if given the chance he will petition the King against the marshaling of military force. However, the Abbot also needs to be a savvy salesman: building a better world requires funds and since many seek absolution for their guilt, selling Indulgences is a win-win.

• Assassin - The Assassin has a very particular set of skills, involving mainly the brewing and administering of various kinds of poison. Business is generally good, since everyone from King to peon seems to experience the occasional realization that someone else's time on earth needs to end. Frugal to a fault, however, and not wishing to waste precious ingredients, the Assassin sometimes doesn't make poisons as potent as they were intended to be.

• Captain of the Guard - The Kingdom stands on the brink of a precipice as the King's health wanes and the land slowly slides into lawlessness and anarchy. Few there are who stand against the wave of crime and immorality sweeping the King's Court and common people alike, but the Captain of the Guard are one of those proud few. He is charged with keeping order and ensuring that criminals meet their just deserts.

• Cellarer - The Cellarer is in charge of the Royal Cellars and the provisions within. As a humble servant of the King's household she doesn't care much who sits on throne, but in these times of confusion there is little oversight and this provides a few opportunities for enterprising individuals, after all no one will miss a few provisions that go missing, especially not if they are eventually replaced.

• Chamberlain - The Chamberlain is constantly at the King's beck and call, and being near the King nearly all the time, the Chamberlain is privy to many comings and goings within the Court as well as many private conversations. Nobles who earn the Chamberlain's friendship find themselves in possession of a fount of information. However the Chamberlain dreams of greater things and hopes to someday run the King's house.

• Constable - The Constable is the chief sleuth of kingdom, sniffing out clues and trails leading to the scum and villainy at the heart of festering criminal underworld and revolting malcontents. By identifying the key instigators the Constable knows that criminal organizations and rebel movements alike can be toppled, and if they fall as Lucifer fell, they fall in flame.

• Courtesan - The Courtesan is the highest-ended high-end escort in the Kingdom, and in this world of tit for tat she expects a lot of tat for what she has to offer. The Courtesan knows that only love can break the spell of class immobility. She isn't necessarily a gold digger, but she ain't messing with no broke... well you know.

• Executioner - The Execution may have gotten into the wrong line of work; he always knew this would be a dirty job as much as it is a necessary one. However, he didn't realize how messy decapitations should be. Since the demand for his work doesn't show any signs of slowing down he's trying a kinder, gentler, less splattery method of offing undesirables: poison. But it may take more than reduced laundry bills to expunge the stains on the Executioner's weary soul.

• Founding Father - The Founding Father is a scholar of the great republics and democracies of the past and strives to institute Constitutional Monarchy which preserves the King's place as the nation's chief administrator while giving the powers of lawmaking over to representatives of the people. Towards this end the Founding Father tirelessly promotes the ideals of Democracy in the King's Council as well as among the common people.

• Gambler - The Gambler is a nobody who comes from nowhere important, but she believes that a little luck can turn a nobody into a somebody. The Gambler is an expert at games of chance and somehow often seems to come out on top. The thrill of the game is infectious, in fact, and many have a hard time resisting the urge to play when the Gambler offers the chance.

• Grandmaster Thief - While carefully hiding his true identity, the Grandmaster Thief has managed to threaten and cajole his way to the center of a criminal ring that encompasses nearly all the thieves and robbers in town. Whenever a crime is committed the Grandmaster Thief gets his cut. That doesn't mean the Grandmaster Thief is going to let others have all the fun, though; robbery is thrilling game that carries its own rewards, so long as one doesn't get caught.

• Herald - The Herald is authorized by the King to speak his decrees in the public square, and for a fee he is willing to pepper the messages of others into his proclamations as well. As the only form of mass media in the Kingdom the Herald is uniquely situated by virtue of his position to amass perhaps a moderate fortune.

• Informant - The Informant is possibly the most persuasive person in the land, she could have been great in sales, but she finds the brokerage of information to much more interesting and lucrative. She has a way of getting people to open up about even their secret associations, which is particularly valuable information to many in the Court. These turbulent times are money-making opportunity for those clever and persuasive enough to make something of it

• Jailkeeper - The Jailkeeper is the warden in charge of the King's Dungeons and is the sole individual responsible for ensuring that those nere' do wells stay in their proper place. With all the feuds, rivals, and rebellions springing up lately the Jailkeeper has certainly had his work cut out for him. He really isn't getting paid enough for all this, but fortunately there are ways to use his position to his advantage.

• Jester - Unlike many in the kingdom, the Jester has no real ambition beyond fulfilling the calling of her profession: which is to shine a light on all that is ludicrous and absurd within the King's court. Whether regaling crowds with tales of wacky and unlikely events, or roasting one of the local nobles her scathing wit is as sharp as any assassins dagger; and might be a weapon some ambitious flunky may wish to try to use.

• King's Valet - The Valet is the King's personal servant who takes care of his every need, from helping to dress and undress him to singing him lullabies when he can't get to sleep. As a result the King likes the Valet, and any Noble who is close to him might want to use him to influence the King's opinions. However the Valet has plans of his own: after serving the King faithfully for years it is high time he was in charge of the Royal household.

• Nay-Sayer - The so-called Nay-Sayer is the King's most seasoned adviser whose word on matters or state and domestic policy the trusts above all others. Any noble associated with the Nay-Sayer may see their influence with the King expanded. Of course, with things being as shaky as they are the Nay-Sayer also realizes she must look out for herself as well and there are many who would pay dearly for the influence the Nay-Sayer has to offer.

• Paladin - The Paladin is the King's Champion and a member of a holy chivalric Order of the Round Table, pledged to serve God, King and Country. Although the Paladin is the greatest soldier in the land he has sworn to bring peace and advocates against war. He has a reputation as a warrior for justice in society and is trusted by the common people.

• Personal Guard - The Personal Guard is a mercenary who hires himself out as protection against the thieves and brigands that have been growing increasingly troublesome throughout the kingdom. The Personal Guard is strong and well-trained, and it is known that no outlaw may trouble one who has his protection. In these troubled times it seems likely that business should be quite good for the Personal Guard.

• Rake - The Rake is a con-man and jack-of-all-trades capable of assuming nearly any role in the kingdom. The Rake is amassing a fortune for himself by pretending to be various skilled craftsman and passing off his illicit products as if they were the real thing. Fortunately for his duped customers, his knockoffs happen to be of such high quality that they serve just as well as the those made by legitimate tradesmen.

• Royal Accountant - The Royal Accountant ensures that all funds withing the King's household are being distributed properly. It is her job to audit the noble members of the King's council from time to time to check for irregularities. The Royal Accountant has managed to make her way up in society because of her skill with numbers and she hopes to one day hold the keys to the Royal Treasury itself.

• Royal Barrister - The Royal Barrister has been trained in all the laws of the land and appointed to see that justice is done for all of the King's subjects. The Royal Barrister believes strongly in the rule of law and has a strong suspicion that some of those currently being arbitrarily tossed into jail might not have been treated justly. She works tirelessly to secure release for those wrongfully imprisoned, though she seldom works for free, even a lawyer has to make a living after all.

• Royal Chef - The Royal Chef is the most renowned culinary artist in the land, the one who provides gourmet meals sweet cakes to the King and and his court. The Royal Chef has determined that there is money to be made by selling her goods to the public as well. There are those, however, who would like the Royal Chef to add certain extra ingredients to her concoctions.

• Royal Doctor - The Royal Doctor heals the sick and hurt in the King's Court, and has lately had her hands very full with the King's wavering health and the rash of sudden illnesses that have been increasing in frequency as rivalries within the Court become more heated. Fortunately the Doctor is well-trained, and stands to make quite a pretty penny. When poison is somehow seems to be getting into everyone's food and wine it's good to be the one with the antidote.

• Royal Scribe - The Royal Scribe keeps the official records of the Kingdom and serves the King's Court and commoners alike as a notary public. With all of the backroom deals and shady agreements being made lately its more important now than ever to ensure that documents are genuine. Nothing at court is seen as legally binding unless it bears the Royal Scribe's seal. This situation could prove quite beneficial for the scribe's purses.

• Seer - The Seer makes a living telling fortunes and selling good luck charms, most people seem to think she's either crazy or a fraud, but the crazy thing is, those who listen to her often find her predictions actually do come true and her good luck charms actually work. In these uncertain times people will resort to unconventional methods to for some kind of safeguard. Someone with a little foresight could do well for themselves.

• Servant - The Servant is the seemingly nameless functionary who serves the every need and whim of the King and his Household. The upside of this thankless job is that she is privy to a lot of interesting conversations due to the fact that the high and lofty nobles tend not to notice her. The Servant doesn't have much, but perhaps the upheavals in the realm could hold opportunities for even so-called worthless peons.

• Spy - The Spy is one of the sliest and slipperiest players of the cloak and dagger game in the Court, and that is saying something. The Spy does an excellent job gathering potentially useful information for whomever happens to be paying him. However, the Spy dreams of greater things: of working as an ambassador to the neighboring kingdom and making sure to find out if they do pose a threat.

• Troubadour - The Troubadour is the Queen's favored minstrel, the best poet and performer in the land, who regularly soothes the King when his ill health or the stress of state affairs has been too much to bear. Many seek to be immortalized in the Troubadour's sonnets, whether to boost their reputation or out of a pure love of art. With demand this high the Troubadour is poised to find out exactly why there's no business like show business.

• Vintner - The Vintner has always been a popular member of the court, because he who brings the wine is everyone's friend. Lately his sales of wine have increased quite a bit and it seems like the perfect time to raise his prices in order to amass a small fortune.

• Whipping Boy - It seems like every time something goes wrong, it's the Whipping Boy's fault. Even when it was something that didn't involve him people blame him, and unfortunately the King just goes with it and metes out punishment accordingly. Perhaps some sweets or wine may drown out his sorrow.

• Court Gossip - The Court Gossip seems to know everything unseemly that the court gets up to. His lurid tales, true or not, often amuse or horrify - depending on if they concern you or not. The King often takes the Gossip's word as gospel though, so watch out when he starts telling those tales! He hopes to throw the best dinner parties and will need to gather the means to do so.

The game itself will last about 4 hours, but there's some extra time to account for registration and any unforseen delays. We will have bottled water available for any who want some. No food is provided at this event, however you are welcome to bring food/drinks if you wish. (Please refrain from bringing alcohol.) Everything you will need to play the game will be provided.

FAQs

You're out of tickets already!

Sign up for the waiting list. If we get enough people on it we'll run a second game after the first one!

I'm a Man/Woman, which roles can I take on?

Any of them! Almost every role can be played by someone of any gender. You can either change the gender of the character or just pretend to be a different gender. Either option works fine. (Except for the Queen, we can't really turn the Queen into a man, but you're welcome to pretend to be woman if you're not one - it's just a game after all!) Organizer's note - As a man, I've actually played as the Queen before and it's a really fun role. You just have to suspend your disbelief for the duration of the game. -Bart

Can I choose which character I play?

When you purchase your ticket, the type of ticket you choose will determine if you're a noble or a member of the court. In addition you'll be able to tell us your top 3 choices for character to play and which character you would very much prefer not to play. We can't guarantee you'll get the character you want (if everyone decides that they want to be the Jester, for example), but we'll try our best.

Can I wear a costume?

Absolutely! It's not required or anything, but dressing up for your role can be a lot of fun for everyone!

Can I have a weapon as part of my costume?

No. You will be asked to leave any weapons behind in your car. Please, please do not bring them.

Do I have to roleplay my character?

While it is possible to play the game without roleplaying the character, it will be far more fun for both you and everyone else if you do. That being said, you will not be penalized for not roleplaying your character, but you will still need to be mindful of some specifc rules about showing deference to characters with higher status than yourself.

Do I have to bring my printed ticket to the event?

Nope.

Can I buy more than one ticket?

Yes, but keep in mind that there aren't really teams, so you may be in direct or indirect conflict with others you bought tickets together with.

What is the refund policy?

Up to 30 days before the event, we will be happy to issue you a full refund. After that all sales are final.