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
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