AUGUST 13, 2024
by Keaira
<aside> đ This is my contribution to Autocratikâs event happening during the month of August aimed to talk more about the hobby of table top roleplaying games.
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While going through the prompts during last two weeks, I keep returning to some memorable games that Iâd played, some thanks to great GMs that I had pleasure to play with. And there it was, answer to todayâs prompt - my favourite evocative environments to play in - historical cities of Paris and Venice, though I will only talk about the first one today.
I admit, it does sound like a cliché and originality might not be what I am aiming for when talking about Paris (and by extension Venice) as a background for roleplaying games. But I would argue - it has everything an adventure/drama/horror game needs right there, along the Seine riverbank with view of Eiffel tower in every room. There is history and character oozing from every corner, in big variety of interesting points in history. You can get lost in the catacombs lined by bones under Paris, while chasing the villain, get the portrait of the missing person you seek done by the street artists on Montmartre hill, have a conspirators meeting with fellow cats at PÚre Lachaise Cemetery, listen to organ music sitting in pews of Notre Dame. Or you can throw yourself into the turmoil of early revolution and march with Camille Desmoulins towards Bastille. The smell of fresh croissant and coffee in a Boulangerie after you successfully stole the famous diamond necklace from Louvre.
Some games like Yellow King RPG set in 1890 (RPGaDAY 2024: RPG with well supported campaigns (Day 12)) use this to the fullest. There are dramatic storytelling games that are specifically set in revolutionary Paris like Red Carnations on a Black Grave by Aviatrix (1871 during Paris Commune) or a Fear Itself scenario - that I hope to run soon - A Phantom of Bastille by Rick Dakan set during the most chaotic time of the 1789 revolution. But the possibilities are unlimited - I experienced political (and otherwise) end of the emperor of secret cat society of Paris in the catacombs of 1910 followed by vicious political campaign amongst the cat population for the next leader. I was stealing art from Louvre as agent of S.W.I.N.G. in 1960s. And I am trying to become relevant and famous climbing the ranks of Parisian society in En Garde of 17th century.
âParis nâest pas une ville, câest un monde.â
Paris is not a city, itâs a world.