The Bold and the Brazen

Games can be sexy. We all know this. Adrenaline gets pumping, inhibitions lower, unknown talents are revealed, and on the right kind of game night, things get hot fast. Table Top Role-Playing is even worse/better. Pretending to be on adventures living out fantasies, being the kinds of people you’ve always desired. Ask any group who regularly plays whether they’re rolling for Pathfinder, Vampire the Masquerade, or even Dungeons and Dragons; things can get hot. But these games, for understandable reasons, discourage player-and-player romance because this is designed to be a fun activity for everyone and their friends.

We didn’t have that problem. Here the tension is the point. So here we have the five “Commands” we used to keep Tavern of Conquests spicy.

1st Command: This is a Foreplay Game.

The difference between sex and foreplay games might initially seem subtle, but it’s a necessary distinction. While we did come up with lots of ideas for the former (stay tuned for future releases), the interest of the trio was helping guide players who might not be used to this alternate form of Roleplaying. Instead of focusing on paddles or positions, we focused on erotic details, teasing gameplay, and building a scenario leading to an entirely different bedroom activity. If we did our job right, partners won’t need our help in coming up with additional material.

2nd Command: Foreplay Builds

The key word here is the play in foreplay. We knew that players of all sorts of comfort levels would be picking up this product. So not only do these beautiful human beings have to learn a new set of rules, but they gradually become more and more excited about the game ending. Fortunately, this kind of seductive back-and-forth invites gradual acceleration. In the so-called real world, we’d start with teasing before moving on to touching, kissing, biting, or whatever else drives you wild. So we knew for the game to be successful, it would have to escalate. Therefore the “Heat” system was born.

• Bold- flirtatious, inviting, maybe a tad scandalous, but nothing explicit.
• Bawdy- Here, we see very explicit material, vivid descriptions, and sexual encounters, but the player is just watching the fun. It’s not their time yet.
• Brazen- hot, heavy, and designed to lead the players into a session of their own.

A perfect little journey. Now we also know that sometimes we wanna get past the fore and into the play, so the game is designed to be about 45 minutes… with exit ramps should players get impatient.

Command 3: There is no Losing in Foreplay

There is a concept in Game Master circles (and everywhere else) called Failing Forward. Basically, it breaks down like this. In many TTRPGs (or Tabletop Roleplaying Games for those learning the lingo), players are asked to defeat great monsters, leap over large canyons, or do some other fantastical feat. Now this means in a game of dice (which most of these are) the players will often roll short. So instead of simply saying, “oops, you fall down to your death… tough break, better luck next time.” we can say, “Ouch, you fall into a cave breaking your ankle. Inside the cave is a precious jewel.” This way, the low dice roll doesn’t end the game, consequences are maintained, and the plot is moved along.

But in Tavern of Conquest, we aren’t trying to slay the wicked witch… we’re trying to impress her. Flirtation can go back and forth, but sexual tension should continue to build, and abrupt “failures” may interrupt the flow. Bad for foreplay. So there is no losing in Tavern of Conquest. Sure, a player might need to be “punished,” but all actions drive the enhancement of the “plot.”

Command 4: Heroes are Awesome

In order to better understand this design mandate, I looked to the great poet Bonnie Tyler and her immortal words-

I need a hero
I’m holding out for at hero till the end of the night
He’s gotta be strong
And he’s gotta be fast
And he’s gotta be fresh from the fight

Bonnie Tyler…. I just said tha-

We wanted to give the impression of a kick-ass, romance cover, action hero, lord-if-they-were-real-I’d-commit-all-sorts-of-crimes-to just-Ummmm, kind of character. So not only did we develop a player-weighted system out of ten (cause we’re classy) but designed the game around three essential qualities.

• Slick- Yes, you should know better, but these characters have a way of making you make dumb decisions.
• Strong- Some folks are attractive because of their kindness and intelligence, while others… are really hot and can throw you over their shoulder!
• Savvy- It sucks when they know everything… including how to make you beg for more.

Command 5: Variety is the Spice of Life… and Roleplay

We knew if this was going to be a game that people played more than once, it couldn’t be the same experience each time. Fortunately, we were helped by the medium. TTRPGs, by nature, encourage new characters, and ways of handling problems and circumstances. But we also knew a highlight would be the delightful erotic text written by our very own L.J. Longo. So we did two things. First, we designed rules which could be flexible, Descriptions might be read as written, or players could bridge between actions and the “result.” Second, we plotted and wrote thirty “Roving Conquests,” which would appear throughout the game. Also, we gave each of our quests multiple endings, so while players might return repeatedly journey would not be repetitive.

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