Merely Roleplayers

Merely Roleplayers

By Foggy OutlinePerforming Arts
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Merely Roleplayers episodes

  • Heartbeats, a microgame

    It’s time to push the boundaries of modern medicine, and maybe to make out with a bitter rival in the on-call room!

    Coming next on 2 April – Event Planning in Zero G, a microgame

    Programme notes

    This episode contains medical situations, medical malpractice, gross medical mouth noises, drug misuse, gun violence, and bawdy British humour of the knickers-down variety.

    Credits

    FACILITATOR: Josh Yard

    STARRING:

    Josh Yard as Dr Artery Hartwell and Penny

    Natalie Winter as Dr Miranda Anderson and Steph O’Scope

    Strat as Dr Henry Mole and Chris Wandsworth

    Ellie Pitkin as Dr Cynthia Cutting and Marjorie Hartwell

    Matt Boothman as Dr Achilles Miles and Jonathan Blackhead

    ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Heartbeats by Keith Baker and Jenn Ellis, published in The Ultimate Micro-RPG Book, edited by James D’Amato

    MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst, inspired by Horse Elevator

    SEASON PLANNED BY: Strat

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    Find us

    On Instagram @merelyroleplayers

    On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    55 min
  • Fan Fic Mish Mash, Act 2 (live at Dragonmeet 2023)

    The staff and customers pool their talents to rid the Coffee Shop Hey, You! of the rowdy Suits.

    Coming next on 26 March – Heartbeats, a microgame

    Programme notes

    Interstitial, 2nd edition is on Kickstarter

    Credits

    COMPERE: Matt Boothman

    STARRING:

    Alexander Pankhurst as Morgana Le Fay

    Natalie Winter as Jemima Puddle-Duck

    Strat as Tom Thumb

    ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Interstitial: Our Hearts Intertwined by Riley Hopkins

    MUSIC: In The Dark – Flashes by Bix Beiderbeck, performed by Jess Stacy, provided by the Open Music Archive

    RECORDED AND ENGINEERED BY: Kristian Mitchell-Dolby

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    COMMISSIONED BY: Mira Manga and Fiona KT Howat for the Dragonmeet Podcast Zone 2023

    Find us

    On Instagram

    On Tumblr

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    47 min
  • Fan Fic Mish Mash, Act 1 (live at Dragonmeet 2023)

    Some badly behaved new customers are ruining the vibe at the Coffee Shop Hey, You!

    Coming next on 19 March – Fan Fic Mish Mash, Act 2 (live at Dragonmeet 2023)

    Programme notes

    Interstitial, 2nd edition is on Kickstarter

    Book to play Spindlewheel or The Hunted with Matt at Airecon on 15 and 16 March

    Catch up on the two-part game of Heart: The City Beneath that Matt ran for Actual Play UK

    Credits

    COMPERE: Matt Boothman

    STARRING:

    Alexander Pankhurst as Morgana Le Fay

    Natalie Winter as Jemima Puddle-Duck

    Strat as Tom Thumb

    ROLEPLAYING GAME SYSTEM: Interstitial: Our Hearts Intertwined by Riley Hopkins

    MUSIC: In The Dark – Flashes by Bix Beiderbeck, performed by Jess Stacy, provided by the Open Music Archive

    RECORDED AND ENGINEERED BY: Kristian Mitchell-Dolby

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    COMMISSIONED BY: Mira Manga and Fiona KT Howat for the Dragonmeet Podcast Zone 2023

    Find us

    On Instagram

    On Tumblr

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    43 min
  • Deep breaths (Vigil Backstage)

    And relax. The cast calm down and look back on Vigil: Fear Itself. Whose fears came to pass, and what’s left to be afraid of for next time?

    Coming next on 27 February – Vigil: Fear Itself, Act 5

    Programme notes

    This production contains fantasy violence, gun violence, strong language, family tragedy and malicious fearmongering.

    If you enjoyed this production, throw us a rose emoji! We’re @merelyroleplayers on Instagram and Tumblr.

    Luvvie alert! We simply must introduce you to What Am I Rolling?, a twice-monthly RPG 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 game style or system.

    Dramatis personae and other definitions

    Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown.

    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.

    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.

    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:

    Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged

    Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

    Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

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

    MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

    SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    Find us

    On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

    On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    40 min
  • Vigil: Fear Itself, Act 5

    Act Five of Five: Fire. Smoke. Shadow. No one walks through that and returns unchanged. Same goes for getting what you’ve always wanted.

    Coming next on 5 March – Deep breaths (Vigil Backstage)

    Programme notes

    This production contains fantasy violence, gun violence, strong language, family tragedy and malicious fearmongering.

    If you enjoyed this production, throw us a rose emoji! We’re @merelyroleplayers on Instagram and Tumblr.

    Going to Airecon ‘24? You could play Spindlewheel or The Hunted with Matt. Only a few spaces left for each game!

    Part 1 of Heart: The City Beneath is available to watch on Twitch. Matt’s the GM and the players descending into the depths of their twisted desires are Maddy and Zack from Realms of Peril & Glory, Dan from Brit Twits, and Fiona from What Am I Rolling? Tune in to @actualplayuk on Twitch at 8pm GMT on Friday 8 March for part 2.

    Interstitial, the roleplaying game we used for our Dragonmeet 2023 live show, is crowdfunding a new and improved second edition. Act out crossover fanfic with your friends around the table.

    Luvvie alert! We simply must introduce you to What Am I Rolling?, a twice-monthly RPG 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 game style or system.

    Dramatis personae and other definitions

    Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown.

    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.

    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.

    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:

    Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged

    Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

    Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

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

    MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

    SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

    SFX AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC INCLUDES: Long Note Two by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0);  and may include others made available to use without attribution.

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    Find us

    On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

    On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    53 min
  • Vicious cuts (Vigil Backstage)

    Fear cuts deep. Let’s take a break from that and drink of the deep well of clips we cut from this production.

    Coming next on 27 February – Vigil: Fear Itself, Act 5

    Programme notes

    This production contains fantasy violence, gun violence, strong language, family tragedy and malicious fearmongering.

    Luvvie alert! We simply must introduce you to Of Dice and Them, where Jack, Ralph, Lou, Tove and Bambi they laugh in each other's faces and try to get through a session where no one beefs it. Contains frustrated swearing, light-hearted DM bullying, and far too much owl-based combat.

    Dramatis personae and other definitions

    Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown.

    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.

    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.

    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:

    Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged

    Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

    Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

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

    MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

    SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    Find us

    On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

    On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    18 min
  • Vigil: Fear Itself, Act 4

    Act Four of Five: Cameron and Jess get their first taste of Fairyland. The mortals and Graham all get their targets in sight.

    Coming next on 20 February – Vicious cuts (Vigil Backstage)

    Programme notes

    This production contains fantasy violence, gun violence, strong language, family tragedy and malicious fearmongering.

    Luvvie alert! We simply must introduce you to Of Dice and Them, where Jack, Ralph, Lou, Tove and Bambi they laugh in each other's faces and try to get through a session where no one beefs it. Contains frustrated swearing, light-hearted DM bullying, and far too much owl-based combat.

    Dramatis personae and other definitions

    Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown.

    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.

    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.

    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:

    Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged

    Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

    Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

    with additional voices by Natalie Winter

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

    MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

    SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    Find us

    On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

    On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    49 min
  • Vigil: Fear Itself, Act 3

    Act Three of Five: The Conductor warns Cam and Jess about the perils awaiting in Fairyland. As if the journey aboard the ghost train wasn’t perilous enough.

    Coming next on 13 February – Vigil: Fear Itself, Act 4

    Programme notes

    This production contains fantasy violence, gun violence, strong language, family tragedy and malicious fearmongering.

    Luvvie alert! We simply must introduce you to Billowing Hilltop: Dungeons and Dragons played by ancient British idiots. Expect some silly voices, rules mongering and a lot of laughs plus the occasional terrible song.

    Dramatis personae and other definitions

    Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown.

    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.

    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.

    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:

    Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged

    Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

    Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

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

    MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

    SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    Find us

    On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

    On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    53 min
  • Dear Graham & co (Vigil Backstage)

    Persephone Byron is gone from this time, but her words to her friends remain.

    Coming next on 30 January – Vigil: Fear Itself, Act 3

    Programme notes

    This production contains fantasy violence, gun violence, strong language, family tragedy and malicious fearmongering.

    Luvvie alert! We simply must introduce you to Deck of Many Aces, an actual play Dungeons & Dragons podcast made by actual asexuals and aromantics! Follow four heroes as they adventure through a fantasy world on the cusp of a technological revolution, augmented by magic. Each character's fate is tied to one of the 22 cards in the Deck of Many Things, a D&D magical object based on a tarot deck.

    Dramatis personae and other definitions

    Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown.

    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.

    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.

    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:

    Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged

    Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

    Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

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

    MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

    SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    Find us

    On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

    On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    7 min
  • Vigil: Fear Itself, Act 2

    Act Two of Five: Cameron takes charge of the itinerary, as the trio leaves town to neutralise the threat to Kit and Jess.

    Coming next on 23 January – Dear Graham & co (Vigil Backstage)

    Programme notes

    This production contains fantasy violence, gun violence, strong language, family tragedy and malicious fearmongering.

    Luvvie alert! We simply must introduce you to Deck of Many Aces, an actual play Dungeons & Dragons podcast made by actual asexuals and aromantics! Follow four heroes as they adventure through a fantasy world on the cusp of a technological revolution, augmented by magic. Each character's fate is tied to one of the 22 cards in the Deck of Many Things, a D&D magical object based on a tarot deck.

    Dramatis personae and other definitions

    Cameron Jarvis: An intense young man, obsessed with monster hunting since his parents and sister were killed by ghouls while camping outside Sherrydown.

    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.

    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.

    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:

    Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged

    Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky

    Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned

    with Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile

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

    MUSIC BY: Alexander Pankhurst

    SOUND DESIGN BY: Matt Boothman

    EDITED AND PRODUCED BY: Matt Boothman

    Find us

    On Instagram @MerelyRoleplayers

    On Tumblr @merelyroleplayers

    www.MerelyRoleplayers.com

    52 min

About Merely Roleplayers

From the publisher's feed

Where theatrical people play roleplaying games. Each season our players part-improvise a story in a new genre, with roleplaying game rules providing surprising twists and turns. Jump in at the start…