Tradecraft

A class of students at a secret spy academy comes to its graduation day. Between the students' attempts to pass the final graduation test and other underlying secrets and tensions at the heart of the school, drama, intrigue, and emotional conflict is sure to follow.

Long Description

Game Teaser

Greetings, agent.

Congratulations are in order. Making it through the battery of tests required to get field clearance is an accomplishment all on its own. There’s only one thing left between you and becoming a full participant in our line of work now: graduation.

As you might have learned to expect by now, graduation at the Academy isn’t the peaceful, easy event that it might be elsewhere. Everyone enters the evening as a candidate for graduation, but most years, less than ten percent make it through. Think of it as a test like any other – but a test that will require every last bit of skill and cunning that you’ve developed over the course of your training.

All candidates will be given a task or tasks to complete over the course of graduation. Those who succeed at their tasks while avoiding discovery will graduate, while those who fail, as well as those whose goals are discovered, will not graduate. Some tasks will allow you to cooperate with one or more other candidates, while others might require you to sabotage other candidates. Every year, there is also an additional twist added to make things more interesting. This year will be no different.

We look forward to seeing how you perform in this last test.

LARP Information

Overview

Tradecraft is a LARP about the graduation event of a class of spies-in-training, working for a secret organization dedicated to preventing conflict around the (fictional) world. Characters will have particular goals that they will try to accomplish over the course of the event in order to earn their place as one of the members of this organization. Participants will assume the role of either one of the graduating students or a faculty member working through the events of this graduation event, which may be slightly more than it appears...

Structure

Mechanics: Tradecraft will take place as a single, uninterrupted scene. The GM will be present as a Helper Player Character (HPC), who will have some involvement in guiding game flow but none in influencing character actions or resolving character conflicts. Conflict and plot in this game is resolved through in-character actions, in-character conversation, or the promise of following through on things “off screen” after the game concludes. There are a few minor out of character mechanics to simulate spy work that will also be used. Play Experience: All characters can expect to be playing towards at least one goal during the course of the LARP, but accomplishing these goals will likely not encompass the whole of your game. The rest of the time, you can expect more lighthearted interactions with people who your character has come to know over the course of a few years, as well as some deeper and more meaningful interactions with friends that they’ve made during that time. Some characters may choose to help other characters attempt to accomplish their goals – while others may actively attempt to sabotage others’ efforts and reduce the number of people who graduate. By nature, likely not every goal will be able to be accomplished, and likely not every student will graduate at the end of the LARP. The intent of these goals is to provide a specific game experience, not to serve as the sole source of satisfaction in the LARP. Expect a focused and highly dramatic time with some interludes of lightheartedness, and as with any game, play to lift others’ experiences so that everyone can find a good time regardless of the final outcome.

Details

Timing: Tradecraft is a three-hour game, with half an hour of buffer on either end for pre-game announcements and post-game debrief.
Costuming: Costuming is encouraged but not required. A short blurb about costuming will be sent to participants, but it generally follows modern era clothing standards.
Gender/Pronouns: Players will pick their character’s pronouns and presentation. This game is open to all players and any gender that they may wish to play.