Merely Roleplayers

We establish some connections between the characters, including Vigil’s first canon ship.

Programme notes

This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail.

Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Sunday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount.

Book tickets

Our promo this episode is for Snyder’s Return, a roleplaying game podcast featuring actual play, interviews and guides for gamemasters and players.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead.

Graham: The demon equivalent of an accountant, summoned to Earth in error and now trying to make the best of it. He is destined to bring about the Apocalypse.

Gwynned: a former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile

Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

Bad Dog, Act One of Five: In which local youths are hounded from their usual haunts; their elders rush to investigate; and a romantic trip is interrupted.

Programme notes

This production contains drug use, gross tentacles, and fantasy violence with some injury detail.

Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Sunday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Enter EARLYBIRD at checkout before 24 September for a discount, or book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount.

Book tickets

If you’ve got a scary spoken word piece you’d like to perform at the Scare Slam, you can sign up until 25 September.

Our promo this episode is for Snyder’s Return, a roleplaying game podcast featuring actual play, interviews and guides for gamemasters and players.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Persephone ‘Percy’ Byron: A Victorian monster hunter and half-sister of Ada Lovelace. Percy tried to time travel from 1852 to 1666 to stop the summoning of an apocalyptic demon, but something went wrong, and she landed in present-day Sherrydown instead.

Graham: The demon equivalent of an accountant, summoned to Earth in error and now trying to make the best of it. He is destined to bring about the Apocalypse.

Gwynned: a former shieldmaiden of the triple goddess Morrigan. For the crime of saving a mortal man from the Morrigan’s cruel whim, the goddess exiled Gwyn to live as a duck, overlooked by mortals. Recently freed from the curse, Gwyn is negotiating a new relationship with her mistress.

Jinny Greenteeth: proprietor of the Grove of Oddities, a tacky Sherrydown tourist attraction. In a past life, Jinny was branded a witch after a series of drownings in her Lancashire village.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile

Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine

Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter

SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Dragon and Toast, Mirage, Long Note Two, and Virtutes Instrumenti by Kevin MacLeod; soaring clouds by kangaroovindaloo; and may include others made available to use without attribution.

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

The cast reflect on their favourite moments, what it was like to share the gamemaster responsibility, and some theories and questions about what happened after the story finished.

Programme notes

Tickets are now on sale for Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, at 8:30pm on Saturday 24 October at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Enter EARLYBIRD at checkout before 24 September for a discount, or book Lights Out and the Scare Slam at the same time for a combo discount.

Book tickets

If you’ve got a scary spoken word piece you’d like to perform at the Scare Slam, you can sign up on the Blackshaw website.

September is International Podcast Month. Follow International Podcast Month in your podcast app for new episodes nearly every day, including Dust Wardens, a roleplaying game actual play featuring Matt as a player.

The Researcher is a playbook for galactic 2nd edition, inspired by characters like Lyntel'luroon, Eno Cordova, and Doctor Aphra. Matt wrote it and you can buy it to create and play your own galactic Researcher!

Our promo this episode is for What Am I Rolling?, a twice-monthly roleplaying game one-shot podcast, hosted by gamemaster, Fiona. Every month, Fiona takes a brand new group of players and runs them through a one-shot adventure, testing out a different RPG style or system.

Credits

STARRING:

Matt Boothman as Esko Triff, the Researcher

Josh Yard as Olwyn Callahan XVI, the Diplomat

Strat as Val Waldrin, the Scoundrel

GUEST STARRING:

Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? and The DM’s Book Club as Jodie Schutte, the Ace

AND INTRODUCING:

Marta da Silva as Revan, the Defector

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: galactic (2nd edition), designed by riley rethal

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

The crew of the Mustang Sally make an important discovery on the Trinary Noon. Can they use what they learn to save the galaxy, or will the Mandate prove too relentlessly interminable to overthrow?

Programme notes

Save the date: Lights Out, the first Merely Roleplayers stage show, is at 8:30pm on Saturday 24 October, at the Pleasance Theatre in Islington, London, as part of the London Horror Festival. It’s the second half of a double bill with The Scare Slam at 6:30pm. Tickets aren’t on sale yet but when they are, we’ll post to our Twitter (@MerelyRoleplay) and Matt’s newsletter.

If you’ve got a scary spoken word piece you’d like to perform at the 6th annual Scare Slam, you can sign up on the Blackshaw website.

September is International Podcast Month. Follow International Podcast Month in your podcast app for new episodes nearly every day, including Dust Wardens, a roleplaying game actual play featuring Matt as a player.

The Researcher is a playbook for galactic 2nd edition, inspired by characters like Lyntel'luroon, Eno Cordova, and Doctor Aphra. Matt wrote it and you can buy it to create and play your own galactic Researcher!

Our promo this episode is for Realms of Peril & Glory. Journey through hilarious galaxies, adventure-filled worlds and mysterious continents! Experience thrilling tales weaved at the table using a variety of roleplaying game systems, by a rotating panel of Game Masters and Players! www.lightandtragic.com/Merely

Credits

STARRING:

Matt Boothman as Esko Triff, the Researcher

Josh Yard as Olwyn Callahan XVI, the Diplomat

Strat as Val Waldrin, the Scoundrel

GUEST STARRING:

Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? and The DM’s Book Club as Jodie Schutte, the Ace

AND INTRODUCING:

Marta da Silva as Revan, the Defector

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: galactic (2nd edition), designed by riley rethal

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

Our cast describe the people their characters have relationships with, choose the desires for each of the game’s four pillars, and finally do a little idle dreaming to set the scenario for this season’s story.

Programme notes

The Researcher is a playbook for galactic 2nd edition, inspired by characters like Lyntel'luroon, Eno Cordova, and Doctor Aphra. Matt wrote it and you can buy it to create and play your own galactic Researcher!

Our promo this episode is for Realms of Peril & Glory. Journey through hilarious galaxies, adventure-filled worlds and mysterious continents! Experience thrilling tales weaved at the table using a variety of roleplaying game systems, by a rotating panel of Game Masters and Players!

Credits

STARRING:

Matt Boothman as Esko Triff, the Researcher

Josh Yard as Olwyn Callahan XVI, the Diplomat

Strat as Val Waldrin, the Scoundrel

GUEST STARRING:

Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? and The DM’s Book Club as Jodie Schutte, the Ace

AND INTRODUCING:

Marta da Silva as Revan, the Defector

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: galactic (2nd edition), designed by riley rethal

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

As Mandate troopers descend on the crew of the Mustang Sally, Revan and Val attempt to neutralise the threat while the others begin to unlock the mysteries of the ominous Trinary Noon.

Programme notes

The Researcher is a playbook for galactic 2nd edition, inspired by characters like Lyntel'luroon, Eno Cordova, and Doctor Aphra. Matt wrote it and you can buy it to create and play your own galactic Researcher!

Our promo this episode is for Realms of Peril & Glory. Journey through hilarious galaxies, adventure-filled worlds and mysterious continents! Experience thrilling tales weaved at the table using a variety of roleplaying game systems, by a rotating panel of Game Masters and Players! www.lightandtragic.com/Merely

Credits

STARRING:

Matt Boothman as Esko Triff, the Researcher

Josh Yard as Olwyn Callahan XVI, the Diplomat

Strat as Val Waldrin, the Scoundrel

GUEST STARRING:

Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? and The DM’s Book Club as Jodie Schutte, the Ace

AND INTRODUCING:

Marta da Silva as Revan, the Defector

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: galactic (2nd edition), designed by riley rethal

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

Our cast introduces the space characters they’ve created, which playbooks they’ll be using, and how the characters are connected.

Programme notes

The Researcher is a playbook for galactic 2nd edition, inspired by characters like Lyntel'luroon, Eno Cordova, and Doctor Aphra. Matt wrote it and you can buy it to create and play your own galactic Researcher!

Our promo this episode is for The Prestige, a film podcast hosted by a filmmaker and a film academic, diving deep into a single film each episode.

Credits

STARRING:

Matt Boothman as Esko Triff, the Researcher

Josh Yard as Olwyn Callahan XVI, the Diplomat

Strat as Val Waldrin, the Scoundrel

GUEST STARRING:

Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? and The DM’s Book Club as Jodie Schutte, the Ace

AND INTRODUCING:

Marta da Silva as Revan, the Defector

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: galactic (2nd edition), designed by riley rethal

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

The crew of the Mustang Sally attempt to put their damaged ship back together after an encounter with the Mandate, when they stumble upon an ominous space-shipwreck that just has to be explored.

Programme notes

A few of the Merely Roleplayers cast are joining Sabotage the DM on Twitch for a Total Party Knockout! See them take on impossible odds live today (Tuesday 10 August) at 7pm UTC+1, or check back later for the replay.

Natalie Winter’s production company Ragged Foils presents Jam Tart/Lemon Kurd, a double bill of monologues featuring women celebrating new life, love, and learning to see the world differently in their later years. Watch on demand as part of the Camden Fringe Digital Festival until 29 August.

Our promo this episode is for The Prestige, a film podcast hosted by a filmmaker and a film academic, diving deep into a single film each episode.

Credits

STARRING:

Matt Boothman as Esko Triff, the Researcher

Josh Yard as Olwyn Callahan XVI, the Diplomat

Strat as Val Waldrin, the Scoundrel

GUEST STARRING:

Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? and The DM’s Book Club as Jodie Schutte, the Ace

AND INTRODUCING:

Marta da Silva as Revan, the Defector

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: galactic (2nd edition), designed by riley rethal

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

Matt and the players look back at Vigil: Tourist Trap.

Programme notes

This production contains mild body horror, fantasy violence - including gun violence - and abusive relationship dynamics.

Our promo this episode is for The Secret of St Kilda, an audio drama by Haggis and Dragons Productions. Follow Lockie, a charismatic con man who escapes to St Kilda with the promise that this time he’ll change his ways. Unfortunately the island and its unusual inhabitants have other ideas. He seeks redemption and they seek a saviour, but you know what they say - no change without sacrifice.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: a twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Melody: the owner of Melodies, the cosy cafe and vinyl shop on Market Street. Melody is an ageless patchwork person animated by music, who fled her creator ages ago and has owned a music shop on this spot ever since.

Calistarius Softbinding: a local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Ed Kincaid: a once promising, now disgraced MI5 agent assigned to investigate the more … esoteric threats reported to the national security hotline.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Chris MacLennan as Ed Kincaid, the Professional

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

A tacky souvenir shop is wrecking the high street - literally. Not everyone will still be standing after this fight.

Programme notes

This production contains mild body horror, fantasy violence - including gun violence - and abusive relationship dynamics.

Stay tuned to Merely Roleplayers for The First Nova, a star fantasy in three acts, opening in the Studio on 10 August.

The First Nova features a guest appearance by Fiona Howat from the What Am I Rolling? podcast. We were guests on What Am I Rolling? in 2020, playing Sleepaway. In case you missed it, here’s the first episode.

If you’ve enjoyed Vigil: Tourist Trap, tell a friend, or leave us a rating and review on Podchaser or Apple Podcasts.

Sherrydown is twinned with Waterdeep, city of splendours, home of the Great Game, the Neverember Enigma! Sherrydown Town Council unfortunately does not recommend that townsfolk take part in the Great Game themselves. As a safe alternative, why not support our town’s favourite contestants, the Waterdeep Mallrats? Cheer them on every Monday at 19:00 UTC+1 on twitch.tv/sabotagetheDM.

Dramatis personae and other definitions

Jess Butterworth: a twenty-something shift worker, Sherrydown born and bred. While working the tarot tent at Amazement Park, she was approached by Kit, a being claiming to be her spirit guide.

Melody: the owner of Melodies, the cosy cafe and vinyl shop on Market Street. Melody is an ageless patchwork person animated by music, who fled her creator ages ago and has owned a music shop on this spot ever since.

Calistarius Softbinding: a local horror writer with a cult following, who sponsored the construction of a whole new wing of Sherrydown’s library. Calistarius Softbinding is a nom de plume.

Ed Kincaid: a once promising, now disgraced MI5 agent assigned to investigate the more … esoteric threats reported to the national security hotline.

Department of Omissions (DO, DoOm): The UK government department tasked with preventing harm to citizens from supernatural phenomena. Severely defunded under Tory austerity policies and currently prioritising major urban population centres.

Sherrydown, Brackshire: A historic English market town. One of the first towns to lose its DoOm office.

Omission effect: The rejection of certain beings and phenomena by long-term memory. Can be suppressed by concentration, mnemonic techniques, hypnosis, trauma, or the light of the full moon.

Credits

COMPERE: Matt Boothman

STARRING:

Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed

Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert

Chris MacLennan as Ed Kincaid, the Professional

ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Monster of the Week, designed by Michael Sands

MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

SOUND DESIGN BY: Natalie Winter

SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Sings in the Fields by Rafael Krux; car alarm, distant by Jonathan Shaw; Somethin’s Up Downtown and Go! by Brian Holtz; Jazzy Comping 1 by Agnese Valmaggia; Velocity by Lilo Sound; Backbay Lounge, Onion Capers and Wizardtorium by Kevin MacLeod; Alexis by Luca Fraula; and may include others made available to use without attribution.

EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

Find us

On Twitter @MerelyRoleplay

On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

On Facebook at Merely Roleplayers

www.MerelyRoleplayers.com