The Final Voyage Of The Mary Celeste
From: Interactivities Ink
Reviewed by: Marc Shayed
The Final Voyage Of The Mary Celeste is a single night Live Action Role-Playing game (LARP) from Interactivities Ink. Using their Rules To Live By system, this adventure full of dark evil doers, friendly ghosts, and the occasional time traveler, is sure to please gamers who are looking for an odd night of supernatural events, backstabbing, intrigue, fighting off sea monsters, and a hodgepodge setting of mixed genre.
From the back of the book:
“It is November 1872. The brigantine Mary Celeste has been at sea for 23 days en route from New York to Genoa with a cargo of 1700 casks of commercial alcohol. It is a cargo the ship’s complement is unfamiliar with. The Mary Celeste lies approximately 500 miles off the island of Santa Maria in the Azores…
A week later, the ship is found, abandoned, its cargo is untouched. The crew is never found. Over the years, many bizarre theories have risen to explain what happened on that fateful night, from aliens, to sea monsters, to time travelers.
But what if they were all true?”
Using the Rules To Live By LARP rules, this is a free form LARP for up to 25 participants. The characters are pre-generated with a set knowledge base, skills, stats, secrets and goals. The “adventure” itself really has no goals, or end game scenario… well other than everyone dying!
Without giving away too many of the details, there are several different character types, ranging from the fairly mundane to the bizarre. An android, an alien, a vampire, succubus, fey princesses, a “fish-man”, ghosts, and a few time travelers all are on board. There are a few normal people as well, and for the most part they have no idea that they are shipmates with otherworldly beings. Prior to the LARP starting, a few events have been put in motion, and there are few more plots afoot, and most end with the doom of the crew of the Mary Celeste. Most players have a goal that is contrary to at least one other player’s goals. Some involve stealing, some involve murder, some involve saving the world… and other end with the destruction of everything. Players (if they take their character to heart) will have a fun time. This event is almost 100% character interaction with each other, although there are a few roles that NPCs or GMs can play. From a monster attach or two, to possible marauders on aboard a dragon ship, to that damned creepy cat!
The idea is to play out the last night of the Mary Celeste’s voyage. Players are left with solving their own problems. Some know how to save everyone (although it may not be apparent), some can save a few crewmembers, and some want to kill all aboard. It is really up to the crew to save their own hides. The clock is ticking… and if they don’t figure it out and work fast they will all be lost.
All of the characters are fairly well fleshed out with goals, knowledge, skills, and equipment. Player will have to read and learn their roles. There is certainly a good enough range in character types to satisfy most LARPers need for individuality and most have something “un-natural” about them whether it is powers, equipment, insanity, or knowledge, so that everyone can have the feeling of being important. And like the “Marin County” LARP, the book provides lists, ideas, and all information needed to run this LARP. The core rules book “Rules To Live By” and “Rules To Live By: Supernatural” are needed to run this game.
From the back of the book):
“The Final Voyage Of The Mary Celeste is a four-hour live action roleplaying game for thirteen to seventeen players and three game masters. It is a great game for a dinner party or as a live roleplaying game for a convention.”
Four hours… four short hours and everyone dies. Sounds like a good time. If you like your games fairly strange, this is a good one for you. It touched on so many genre and ideas that in some cases they blur together to form this whimsical and deadly event where life and death is held in the balance.
So… what does Marc really think?
Good detailed game. The GMs and PCs will have to take care to prepare for this one. It has lots of potential for an early “end game”. Players will have to stay on their toes. Again, this event is similar to those “Host a Murder” party kits with an added touch of the supernatural and just plain freakishness. This could be a night of good mature roleplaying.
Like with “Marin County” this is really a “1-trick pony”. You play the game… and that’s it. You may get other players to play another time, or if the earth is destroyed in the first 20 minutes, then you can give it another try…but I can’t see the same group being motivated to play it again a second time.
The long-and-short of it is…it is a good… although odd… really odd 1-night LARP setting with good characters, for good roleplayers. Its well worth the price.
Above all I suggest you judge for yourselves. Check out Interactivities Ink and The Final Voyage Of The Mary Celeste at their website http://www.interactivitiesink.com …and of course at all of your local game stores!
The Final Voyage Of The Mary Celeste
From: Interactivities Ink
Type of Game: Fantasy/Supernatural 1800’s (at sea) 1-night LARP setting and game
Written by: Jim MacDougal
Additional Material Contributed by: Mike Young
Cover Art by: Lee Moyer
Additional Art by: Edmond “Eddie” Lee
Number of Pages: 104
Retail Price: $ 15.00
Item Number: IAI0004
IBSN: 0970835639
Email: web@interactivitiesink.com
Website: www.interactivitiesink.com
Reviewed by: Marc Shayed
Review Editor
GamingReport.com
