Mystic realms

Mystic Realms® has two types of participants. For each event three quarters of the participants become what is called a player character. These characters have freedom to explore and interact with the in-game world. The remaining quarter of participants become the writers, directors and actors who are collectively referred to as cast members. Their task is to bring the in-game world to life for the player characters. Participants who play one event will generally be a cast member at a future event so every gets a chance to play.

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Player Characters

Each realm has numerous player character archetypes that can be portrayed by player participants. Characters are created by choosing various skills appropriate for the archetype. The available archetypes and the skills they may learn are detailed in the source book for each realm. Players usually divide themselves into adventuring teams. These teams are composed of 5-10 player characters of different archetypes. By joining the efforts of several character archetypes, the group is better balanced to face challenging situations.

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Players and Cast

In small games there may only be ten player participants. Six or seven participants will create player characters. While the remaining participants will assume the role of the cast. Larger clubs will often have over a hundred players, numerous adventure teams and a large cast of a few dozen who run multiple adventures at once. Regardless of the size of the game, the cast and crew will be responsible for creating the adventures on which the player characters will go.

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Adventuring

Adventuring is an important game concept in Mystic Realms® and provides a basis for much player interaction. Adventures are usually built around a common theme and are always written to be consistent with the world in which they are played. Most adventures start by an individual approaching an adventure team and asking for some form of aid. Plot lines for adventures range from the simple (“My wife has been kidnapped’” or “My child is lost in the woods.”) to the complex (“We need your team to infiltrate the enemy stronghold and secretly steal their attack plans.” or “I need a representative of your town to negotiate a peace treaty.”) Adventures are only limited by the skill of the writers and the cast members who bring them to life. The best adventures combine role-playing, with a good mix of combat, puzzle solving and physical challenges.

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Cast and Crew

The cast and crew are those persons who participate in a Mystic Realms® event in ways other than a player character. Their primary purpose is to serve the player characters by bringing to life the world in which the game is played. Since Mystic Realms® LIVE!™ does not use game masters to describe the world to the players, the cast creates the world by their in-game actions. The cast is usually thought of in these five capacities: producers, writers, directors, actors, and crew. 

The producer is the head of the cast at the event. He coordinates with the writers before the event to ensure that all activities are consistent with the rules and the history of the world in which the game is played. At events the producer is in charge of the cast. He assigns cast members to roles and sets the tone for the event. The writers create and plan the adventures for the players. The directors direct the actors in completing the adventures written by the writers. The actors are the majority of the cast of Mystic Realms. They play the many roles needed to bring the world of Mystic Realms® to life. They become the allies, adversaries, monsters, and villains with which the characters interact during play. The crew is responsible for working with other cast members to ensure the costumes are organized and the play areas are properly prepared to resemble the setting called for in each scene.