Welcome - Odyssey The Game

What is the style of the game?

This is a world of legends and larger-than-life characters. The game is designed for players to take on the mantles of heroes rather than skulk in the shadows as villains.

Live roleplaying (LRP) is often discussed as being either Player vs. Player (PvP) where the majority of conflict comes from competition between characters for resources, or Player vs. Monster/Environment (PvM/E) where the game organizers introduce external threats and plots to drive a story forwards. Odyssey intends to draw equally on both of these approaches.

Nations will compete against each other in the Great Game, a means for the mortals of this new age to affect the world of Odyssey. Some will choose to fight in arena combat. Others will duel on the political stage. Yet more will plumb the mysteries of magic. Odyssey also has a dedicated story team that will provide opportunity for adventures, quests and intrigue to those who attend the Annual.

How important is history?

Odyssey takes its inspiration from myth and legend but it does not seek to recreate the ancient world in an “accurate” or “realistic” way. For example, in the world of Odyssey, there is no discrimination between male and female roles and players of either gender may pursue whatever career they choose.

How are different nationalities represented?

All Odyssey nations include people with variable skin, hair and eye colours and facial features. It is not necessary or appropriate to use makeup to alter your skin colour to represent your character’s membership of a different ethnic group or nation.

Themes

Odyssey is a live roleplaying game intended for adults age 16 and above. Your Odyssey character may be exposed to slavery, human sacrifice, racism and prejudice, prostitution, violence, robbery, torture and murder. You should not however make reference to non-consensual sex or sex with minors.

If at any point you are uncomfortable with the roleplaying around you then please withdraw. Use your common sense and ask a referee if you need further help.

Following the rules

The overwhelming majority of our players are mature and sensible people who approach the game with the best intentions. By treating them accordingly, we are able to run the game using a set of rules that assumes that everyone at the game will exercise common sense at all times. As a result, some aspects of the game are presented as expectations rather than rules, so that players can use their common sense to apply them. This book aims to describe the way you should approach the game as well as the rules you must follow.

To support this approach, the most important rule is “do not take the piss”. This is known informally as “Rule 7”. If an action is clearly inappropriate, then it is against the rules of our game, even if it is not made explicit in this book. If you think something described in the rules seems like a mistake or an omission then check it with a referee. Please respect crew and fellow players by playing the game in a way that you would want others to. This reflects both the spirit and the letter of the rules.

Access

Profound Decisions aims to make live roleplaying accessible to all and to ensure everyone is able to enjoy our events.

We know that certain elements of the hobby can present challenges to individuals with specific access requirements and are keen to explore options. We welcome early initial contact, so please get in touch to discuss your particular needs.

Materials

This rulebook is part of a range of material that will help you play the Odyssey game. It assumes that readers are familiar with live roleplaying.

The other documents available are:

• The map, showing the territories of the civilized world
• A costume guide, showing you photographs of how you might equip yourself for the game
• Introduction to live roleplaying, covering the basic concepts for those who have never played any game or one of this style before

Here on the website you can find more information including:

• The Great Game guide, explaining the different components and the role of warleaders, champions, priests and philosophers
• Rules and game frequently asked questions
• Nation and path briefings, giving more information on the different combinations
• Further costume advice
• Safety guidelines