Episode 5: structure, & whispering vault

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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