The gang has a discussion on structure in TTRPGs. How does structure make a good horror game? How does setting inform players what they can and can’t do? Some examples of story structure in World of Darkness, Invisible Sun, and Dogs in the Vineyard. Then the crew plays a short session of Whispering Vault, Mike Nystul’s 1993 story game inspired by the likes of Hellraiser and Nightbreed. We play it fast and loose but hope we hit in the key elements of play and this intriguing game’s explicit ritualistic structure.

Topics:

1:45 Weird forward games

2:25 Is Mark a god?

3:30 Where is the Weird in WoD, Invisible Sun, and Lovecraft Country

6:50 Where is the horror?

11:25 Setting Expectations as Structure: Implicit vs Explicit Structure

23:15 The Illusory World tropes

36:00 Whispering Vault Actual Play

36:30 Character Creation

48:40 System overview

51:10 The Call (game begins)

57:20 Navigation to the Realm

Of Flesh

60:00 Dismissing the Guardian

67:57 Creating Your Vessel

72:45 Healing the Enigma

115:38 Binding the Unbidden

116:15 Wrapping Up

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