Merely Roleplayers
A podcast where theatrical people play roleplaying games
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Past Productions
Main House productions
In the Main House, we tell ongoing stories spanning multiple productions. Each production tells a complete story, but they share a setting, characters, and ongoing plots.
Vigil
Sherrydown, Brackshire: a picturesque English market town with a failing high street, a struggling council, and a no-doubt rich history that no one remembers. The Department of Omissions did its job keeping Sherrydown's wards strong and its fae community appeased. But the Department hasn't fared well under austerity. Now Sherrydown has to fend for itself. Power to the people...?
Roleplaying game system: Monster of the Week by Michael Sands.
Vigil: Playtime
The arrival of an unexpected traveller and a bloody disappearance at the local primary school spell trouble for the residents of the sleepy town of Sherrydown.
Players: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile; Alex Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned; Vikki Weston as Renko, the Flake; Dave as Mick, the Mundane. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains bloody violence.
Vigil: Cold Snap
Two members of the fae court have been brutally murdered. On the other side of the forest something ancient, cold and malevolent awakes.
Players: Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged; Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger; Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine; Strat as Brier, the Monstrous. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains fantasy violence.
Vigil: Tourist Trap
When Sherrydown residents fall foul of a series of strange anomalies with their personal data, an unlikely team of concerned citizens assembles to investigate.
Players: Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky; Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed; Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert; Chris MacLennan as Edward Kincaid, the Professional. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains mild body horror, fantasy violence - including gun violence - and abusive relationship dynamics.
Vigil: Bad Dog
A supernatural guardian and a corporate land grab leave the people of Sherrydown with less and less common ground.
Players: Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine; Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned; Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger; Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains drug use and fantasy violence with some injury detail.
Vigil: Quarry
When a seemingly random assortment of Sherrydown citizens are drenched in indelible blood, it’s a race against time to avert whatever fate it marks them for.
Players: Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged; Helen Stratton as Melody, the Constructed; Strat as Brier, the Monstrous; Vikki Weston as Renko, the Flake. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains blood, gore, and references to childhood trauma.
Vigil: All Aboard
The unmistakable shriek of a steam train whistle wakes half of Sherrydown at the witching hour. But Sherrydown Station shut down way back in the sixties…
Players: Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky; Chris Buxey as Calistarius Softbinding, the Expert; Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine; and Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains persistent peril; exploitative relationships, including manipulation and coercion; sibling tragedy; mind control, loss of memory and self; and violence, including blood and gun violence.
Vigil: The Great Fire
Percy Byron travelled through time to vanquish a demon of annihilating flame. That battle couldn’t smoulder in the background forever. In time, everything burns.
Players: Ellie Pitkin as Persephone Byron, the Exile; Dave as Mick Mason, the Mundane; Strat as Brier, the Monstrous; and Chris MacLennan as Ed Kincaid, the Professional. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains violence (including gun violence), possession, and death by fire.
Vigil: Chief/Exec
And lo, on the eve of the mayoral election, a messenger did appear to the good folk of Sherrydown.
Players: Natalie Winter as Gwynned, the Divine; Vikki as Renko, the Flake; Josh Yard as Jinny Greenteeth, the Spellslinger; and Marta da Silva as Harper, the Searcher. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains fantasy violence, drug use, sex references and authoritarian coercion.
Vigil: Fear Itself
Cameron’s hunting ghouls. A spirit out beyond the mortal realm is hunting Jess and Kit. Jess and Cam are safer together … but their enemies are stronger together, too.
Players: Chris Starkey as Cameron Jarvis, the Wronged; Ellen Gould as Jess Butterworth, the Spooky; and Alexander Pankhurst as Graham, the Summoned. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains fantasy violence, gun violence, strong language, family tragedy and malicious fearmongering.
Studio productions
Between Main House productions, we head to the Studio, where we experiment with different formats, different roleplaying game systems, and different genres of story.
Dr Magnethands
A sozzled superhero story in 2 acts
At midnight, Dr Magnethands will crash her radioactive rocket castle into the World Health Organisation, and only the Zookeepers’ Alliance can stop her.
Roleplaying game system: Dr Magnethands by Grant Howitt.
Players: Ellie, Nat, Vikki, Dave, Alex, Chris S, Helen, and Strat. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains gross bodily humour, mild fantasy violence, and alcohol.
Codename Mosaic: Ghost Recall
A spy-fi/corporate satire in 2 acts
Good news: the nefarious agents of the Consultancy have been defeated once again, and someone’s getting a promotion! Bad news: the mission wasn’t strictly by the book, and the Service needs someone to blame…
Roleplaying game system: Mission: Accomplished! by Jeff Stormer.
Players: Ellie Pitkin as Agent Pigeon; Vikki Weston as Agent Anvil; Strat as Agent Tanktop; Helen Stratton as Agent Banks; Matt Boothman as Agent Cassette.
Contains office backstabbing and reported violence, including gun violence.
The First Nova
A star fantasy in 3 acts
The wreck of the legendary starship Trinary Noon could unlock the hidden history of the galaxy, turning the tide against the oppressive ruling Mandate. But a ragtag crew of rebels just led the Mandate right to it…
Roleplaying game system: galactic (2nd edition) by riley rethal
Players: Strat as Val Waldrin; Josh Yard as His Excellency Olwyn Callahan XVI; Matt Boothman as Versi Esko Triff; guest starring Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? as Jodie Schutte; and introducing Marta da Silva as Revan.
Contains fantasy violence, and brainwashing in one character’s past.
The Lost Andromeda Ward Christmas Special
A festive paranormal hospital melodrama in 2 acts
Everyone thought it was an urban legend, but Nat’s uncle found the original recordings of the lost Christmas special of famously cancelled BBC Radio 4 drama The Andromeda Ward in a car boot sale, so we thought we’d let you hear them.
Roleplaying game system: The Andromeda Ward by Chloe Mashiter and illustrated by Gerald MacDermott, supplemented by the Script Change consent and safety toolbox by Beau Jágr Sheldon.
Players: Helen Stratton as Hetty Braithwaite, playing Jemima Jones; Chris MacLennan as Judd Talisker, playing Rhys Haplock, Radiologist; Ellen Gould as Avril Sterling-Bow, playing Nancy Kent; Strat as Riff Redgrave, playing Bret Buckingham; Marta da Silva as Arizona Muse aka Dante, playing S. D. Nymm; Matt Boothman as Julian Smurmbley and as Ron Barnes, director.
Contains comic body horror, including mistreatment of human remains.
Monumental Exit
A geriatric rock-n-roll caper in 3 acts
After 67 years, Bilbo Biltong’s quitting the band. Somewhere out there is a star worthy of stepping into his well worn shoes - but where?
Roleplaying game system: Fiasco Classic by Bully Pulpit Games and Jason Morningstar.
Players: Josh Yard as Bilbo Biltong; Natalie Winter as Sue Sherpa; Alexander Pankhurst as Mike Sherpa; Matt Boothman as Gregg Nevin.
Contains lewd and possibly blasphemous imagery, drug use, fire, and death.
Falling Cadence
A soft-boiled noir mystery in 3 acts
Baby-faced private investigator Cadence’s first case threatens to tangle her in a deadly web of intrigue and corruption.
Roleplaying game system: Fate.
Players: Vikki Weston as Cadence Fairchild, PI; Ellie Pitkin as Camilla ‘Cam’ Parnell; Alexander Pankhurst as Reginald ‘Skinsy’ Skinner; Helen Stratton as Stella Sylvester.
Contains violence, intimidation by police, and offscreen murder.
The Queen’s Dead
A downfall in 3 acts
One year before the Dawn prophesied to end the reign of death, the Lich Queen’s dread courtiers make plans to prevent it – even though it might mean working together.
Roleplaying game system: Court of the Lich Queen (beta) by Ursidice.
Players: Naomi Clarke representing the Draugr Earldom; Fiona Howat representing the Skeletal Duchy; Matt Boothman representing the Wraithlight Dominion.
Contains political infighting, blood & guts, death & doom.
The Office Party
A team building exercise in 5 acts
Four Bureautopians embark on their first quest: to enhance their personal development with team building exercises in a faraway land.
Roleplaying game system: Quest by The Adventure Guild.
Guide: Josh Yard.
Players: Natalie Winter as Bess, the Invoker; Chris Starkey as Neville Flounder, the Spy; Strat as Jerome Picklepants, the Wizard; and Dave as Josh, the Magician.
Contains fantasy violence and themes of colonialist exploitation.
The Feed
A slow burn horror mystery
The new set of Big Brother housemates have no idea what they’re in for. Our first video series - find it on Youtube, not on the podcast feed.
Roleplaying game system: Unreal by Josh Fox.
Players: Matt Boothman as Malcolm, Ellen Gould as Jake, and Josh Yard as Henry.
Contains violence and unsettling horror.
The Feed 2
A slow burn horror mystery
New housemates. New house. Maybe this time it won’t be, you know … wrong. Not on the podcast feed or Youtube this time - find this series on our Instagram!
Roleplaying game system: Unreal by Josh Fox.
Players: Matt Boothman as Melvin, Alexander Pankhurst as Richard, Fiona Howat of What Am I Rolling? as Jean, Quinn Majeski of Monster Hour as Sterling Vandervibe, Adam Powell of Snyder’s Return as Ethan, and Chloe Mashiter as Camilla.
Contains unsettling horror.
The Blackshaw Saga
Our first ten productions, plus The Dropped Stitches (which aired between productions), come together to form the Blackshaw Saga. In these productions, unlike in most actual play podcasts, we played versions of our real selves, dropped Quantum Leap-style into a range of genres and settings.
Each production in the Blackshaw Saga tells a complete story, but recurring characters and plots weave them all together into a single reality-bending, universe-spanning epic.
“...one of those long-running campaign ideas so many GMs have but never manage to follow through on. The payoff was incredibly satisfying!”
“...rarely have I seen something done with such audacity, skill and love.”
Ariadne
A ghost story in 4 acts
Something's not right at the West End's Ariadne Theatre. For a start, why does no other company want the space? And why does everyone suddenly feel like they're being watched?
Roleplaying game system: Simple World by Avery Alder, customised by Matt Boothman.
Players: Ellie, Vikki, Alex, and Strat. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains infrequent mild violence.
Five Stage a Rescue
A cosy seaside mystery in 5 acts
A young stagehand is missing. The company (and Ellie's cat, Tilly) give chase, but in a theatre built in a natural cave system, there's no telling where young Alfie might be - or what he might have discovered...
Roleplaying game system: Simple World by Avery Alder, customised by Matt Boothman.
Players: Ellie, Vikki, Chris S, and David. Compered by Matt Boothman.
Contains child endangerment.
A Town Called Amnesty
A Western in 5 acts
Four undercover deputies ride into a town that's on no map. The outlaw they seek is here, but so is a whole mess of trouble not one of them asked for.
Roleplaying game system: Simple World by Avery Alder, customised by Matt Boothman.
Players: Ellie, Alex, Strat, and Helen. Compered by Matt.
Contains graphic violence, including gun violence, and death.
Let’s Get Gideon
A heist caper in 3 acts
Gideon Gilchrist fancies himself a patron of the arts, which is good, because Blackshaw need some cash, and they're artists. Con artists, that is.
Roleplaying game system: Custom (Powered by the Apocalypse, by Matt Boothman after D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker).
Players: Ellie, David, Josh, and Chris B. Compered by Matt.
Contains frequent references to blood, and one scene involving needles.
Codename: Mosaic
A spy-fi thriller in 5 acts
Agents in all the world's intelligence services are turning on their colleagues for no reason. A four-person sleeper cell is activated to hunt down the individual pulling the strings.
Roleplaying game system: Custom (Powered by the Apocalypse, by Matt Boothman after D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker).
Players: Ellie, Vikki, Strat, and Chris M (guesting from The Space Jam Continuum). Compered by Matt.
Contains bloody violence, including gun violence.
Parallax
An epic space adventure in 3 parts: Parallax Core, Parallax Converging, & Parallax Inverted
The Simulation predicts what's best for the galaxy - but our heroes were never all that predictable.
Roleplaying game system: Impulse Drive by Adrian Thoen.
Players: Ellie, David, Vikki, Alex, Strat, Chris S, and Matt. Compered by Matt and Chris M (guesting from The Space Jam Continuum).
Contains mild fantasy violence and discussion of past trauma.
Upstaged!
A talent contest in 4 acts
A nationwide televised theatre contest is the company’s only chance to save their theatre - and keep drama alive for the local schoolkids.
Roleplaying game system: Custom (Powered by the Apocalypse, by Matt Boothman after D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker).
Players: Ellie, Nat, Ellen, and Strat. Compered by Matt.
Contains emotional manipulation, bordering on gaslighting.
The Cloudskipper’s Captain
A swashbuckling tale in 5 acts
The good ship Cloudskipper sails the sky-seas, laden with precious lightning. But as the junior crew soon finds out, that’s not the most valuable cargo aboard…
Roleplaying game system: Custom (Powered by the Apocalypse, by Strat after D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker).
Players: Ellie, Starkey, Alex and Nat. Compered by Strat.
Contains bloody violence, threats of torture, exploitation of a character with impaired mental functioning.
Prospero & Viola
A story of two shipwrecks in 10 acts
The cruise ship Prospero founders in stormy seas. Four castaways wash up on a remote island. A year later, the Viola follows, hoping to learn what happened.
Roleplaying game system: Custom (Powered by the Apocalypse, by Matt Boothman after D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker).
Players: Strat, Starkey, Nat and Josh (Prospero), Ellen, Vikki, Alex and Dave (Viola). Compered by Matt.
Contains hunting, swarming insects, drowning threat.
The Dropped Stitches
A portal fantasy in 6 parts
This is the story of two ordinary people who decided to be extraordinary.
Roleplaying game system: All Outta Bubblegum by Jeffrey Grant and Michael Sullivan
Players: Ellie as Nia and Vikki as Marlowe. Compered by Matt.
Déjà Vu
A franchise blockbuster finale in 12 acts
Life’s a game… games end. The world’s a stage… stages crumble. We’re all merely roleplayers. What can mere roleplayers do?
Roleplaying game system: Custom (Powered by the Apocalypse, by Matt Boothman after D. Vincent Baker and Meguey Baker).
Players: Ellie Pitkin, Alex Pankhurst, Josh Yard and Dave; Chris Starkey, Chris Buxey and Chris; Helen Stratton, Ellen Gould, Natalie Winter and Strat.
Contains mild fantasy violence.