The Triptych & Diptych

Triptych (trip-tick) n. A picture or carving on three panels able to fold over the centre; a set of three associated works so placed esp. as a centre piece; a set of three writing tablets hinged or tied together; a set of three artistic works; such used as an altar piece; a treatise in three parts.

Diptych (dip-tick) n. A picture or carving as above, except one of the panels has been nicked.

Each year Pheno invites respected designers to present bespoke single-session games: a set of three more serious games (the Triptych) and a pair of lighter, more humorous games (the Diptych).

These games have tended to be systemless (emphasising characterisation and drama over rules use and tactical simulation), and showcase what we consider the best of Pheno roleplaying: characterisation, genre, entertainment, innovation.

Players and teams can enter each game by itself and the games will be judged separately, but complete teams finishing all three games of the Triptych will also be eligible for the Triptych Perpetual Trophy. Teams finishing both Diptych games will be eligible for the Diptych Perpetual Trophy.

The Triptych

The Triptych games may not be always dark and angsty, but they will be pretty serious in tone. They are for 5 players.

Their Royal Highness Morph presents the following Triptych games .

• The Tower, the Princess, and the Star by Samantha Blanch and Callie Doyle-Scott (1 session, 5 players, systemless)
• Red King, Yellow King by Andrew Smith (1 session, 5 players, systemless)
• On Mighty Wheels by Melody Watson (1 session, 5 players, systemlesss)

The Diptych

The Diptych games are a light brain cleanser after the Triptych. They may be silly, they may not. They are for 5 players.

• Beatrix Potter presents: The Purrge, or, How I learned to stop worrying and eat the flesh of my Oppressors - a modern Socratic dialogue. by Kane Edwards and Graham Schneider (1 session, 5 players, systemless)
• The Swynford Will by Marissa Harris, Carol Boucher and Mark Bruckard (1 session, 4-6 players, systemless)

The Triptych Games

The Tower, the Princess, and the Star

By Samantha Blanch and Callie Doyle-Scott

"It is a fool that mistakes a princess for a weakling, for she carries the tower in her heart, and upon that chthonic root dark and terrible edifices may grow"
'Kill Six Billion Demons' - Abbadon

The Tower appeared out of nowhere, a featureless, stygian spire that bloomed out of the Royal Theatre and pierced the sky. No-one seemed to notice. The city at its feet, your city, carried on as if nothing had happened, and when you asked your parents and teachers and pointed, they stared through it without blinking.

But you've seen it before. Flickers of it, in vivid dreams choked with twisting thorns and the scent of roses, bathed in the light of a blue-white star shining down from a shattered sky. Even now, as the sun sets outside your bedroom window, you can see the same cold light shining down from the Tower's peak.

And as you turn towards sleep and those impossible, technicolour dreams, you swear you can hear a voice calling.

"Come to us, Princess. We need your help."

A game of friendship, dreams and sacrifice for five Heirs Apparent and their hearts' desires

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The Diptych Games

Beatrix Potter presents: The Purrge, or, How I learned to stop worrying and eat the flesh of my Oppressors - a modern Socratic dialogue.

By Kane Edwards and Graham Schneider

(Hopefully the title makes this obvious, but - TW: Cannibalism, Death)

Once upon a time there were five little revolutionaries, and their names were-

Forgive me, I've rather gotten ahead of myself. Let us begin again.

Once upon a time there were millions upon millions of little slaves, good and kind and true creatures, pinned to the cruel wheels of a machine of oppression so far beyond their imagining.

This is the tale of how that machine was dismantled.

Beatrix Potter presents: The Purrge is a tale - from the twisted minds of Graham Schneider and Kane Edwards - of five revolutionary companions struggling to overcome the horrible oppression of their carnivorous overlords. As is trademark of all Kane and Graham games, it will be a monstrous confluence of cultural influences and copyright infringements - for example, The Animals of Farthing Wood, Tooth and Tail, the Kroot of Warhammer 40K, and the French Revolution.

The ruling class has ruled for the entire duration of living memory - as is their natural right. It is the circle of life, the food chain, evolutionary law. It's a cat-eat- mouse world - the predators rule over their prey, using tooth and claw, sword and pistol, propaganda and hate to maintain their dictatorship. But there are whispers, amongst the nests of mice and bouquets of pheasants: What if? What if the circle of life is wrong? What if the food chains of oppression can be cast off?

What if the prey were to eat the predator?

The Purrge is a comedy game, running with a homebrew rules-lite system that will be taught on the day. Players will select from an ensemble of strangely familiar (but scarred) faces, each with their own personal motives and morals, and their own political views. As a disparate group of revolutionaries, you will rise up against your oppressor, defeat them, and then eat their flesh to gain their strengths. Did we mention that the animals in this world were all evolutionary cannibalists? Might've been worthwhile to lead with that - you're all evolutionary cannibalists.

The revolution will be cannibalised.

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