**Retreat**

_Welcome to The Perspective 360 Spa & Retreat, where you can relax, reconnect, and rebuild. We have developed a revolutionary new therapeutic technique that will allow you to re-examine, re-experience, and re-imagine your most important relationships. Is something holding you back from happiness? No more! Let go of your cares and spend the evening with us. You’ll emerge with a whole new outlook on life._

Disclaimers

1) Side effects may include dissociative experiences and foreign thoughts and emotions, which may cause varying levels of mental distress.

2) Some memories you experience may not be your own, and not all memories you experience will be entirely historically accurate. Do not be alarmed, this is all part of the therapeutic process.

* * *

Retreat is an emotionally intense amnesia game that focuses on relationships (romantic and otherwise, actual or longed for) and physical intimacy, and how they change under pressure: secrets and revelations, tensions and reconciliations. It is structured around a series of flashback scenes (at times involving playing another character or watching someone else play yours) with predetermined elements and outcomes, interspersed with an unscripted present.

This game uses Ars Amandi, a mechanic involving safe physical touch (of hands and arms only, in this game) to simulate physical intimacy. There will be a pre-game workshop to introduce the players to the mechanic. The game structure is such that most characters will experience intimate moments represented by Ars Amandi with a significant subset of the other players.

Content: This game contains a range of sexualities, estrangements from family or lovers, suicide, and incest between same-generation consenting adults. Since this is a small game, it is impossible to avoid incidental exposure to any of these themes - if your character is not affected directly, their significant other, relative, or best friend will be. Age 18+ only.

This game does \*not\* contain any non-consensual sexual encounters or abusive relationships.

**Ars Amandi Background/resources**

A video introducing Ars Amandi:

https://vimeo.com/88111430

An article introducing Ars Amandi:

http://leavingmundania.com/2011/11/09/intro-to-ars-amandi/

An essay by the method’s creator, discussing the mechanic and its background.

https://www.ropecon.fi/brap/ch17.pdf

Retreat

Welcome to The Perspective 360 Spa & Retreat, where you can relax, reconnect, and rebuild. We have developed a revolutionary new therapeutic technique that will allow you to re-examine, re-experience, and re-imagine your most important relationships. Is something holding you back from happiness? No more! Let go of your cares and spend the evening with us. You’ll emerge with a whole new outlook on life.

Disclaimers

1) Side effects may include dissociative experiences and foreign thoughts and emotions, which may cause varying levels of mental distress.

2) Some memories you experience may not be your own, and not all memories you experience will be entirely historically accurate. Do not be alarmed, this is all part of the therapeutic process.

Retreat is an emotionally intense amnesia game that focuses on relationships (romantic and otherwise, actual or longed for) and physical intimacy, and how they change under pressure: secrets and revelations, tensions and reconciliations. It is structured around a series of flashback scenes (at times involving playing another character or watching someone else play yours) with predetermined elements and outcomes, interspersed with an unscripted present.

This game uses the Ars Amandi, a mechanic involving safe physical touch (of hands and arms only, in this game) to simulate physical intimacy. There will be a pre-game workshop to introduce the players to the mechanic. The game structure is such that most characters will experience intimate moments represented by Ars Amandi with a significant subset of the other players.

Game soundtrack is 100% Depeche Mode.

Ars Amandi Background/resources

A video introducing Ars Amandi:

https://vimeo.com/88111430

An article introducing Ars Amandi:

http://leavingmundania.com/2011/11/09/intro-to-ars-amandi/

An essay by the method’s creator, discussing the mechanic and its background.

https://www.ropecon.fi/brap/ch17.pdf

Physical Contact: This larp does not use the default no-contact physical contact rules. In this larp players will be touching hands and arms with most or all other players, and permission is not required to be negotiated beforehand to touch hands and arms. (“No’s” and withdrawal of consent for that touch must still be respected and followed immediately, both in and out of game). This larp can be played entirely withonly hands/arms contact. Permission for other contact, such as hugging or cuddling, if desired, should still be negotiated. This larp does not allow non-simulated sexual touch or activity.

This larp also involves some reading in game - about a half page at a time, for each of about 10 flashback scenes. The ability to read and absorb about a half page scene prompt in 1-2 minutes or so will be helpful for game flow. GMs are happy to provide large text reading materials if requested in advance.

Content Warnings
Content: This game contains sexual content, being closeted, estrangements from family or lovers, cheating, death/dying, suicide, and incest between consenting same-generation adults. (This game does *not* contain any non-consensual sexual encounters, abusive relationships, or in game homophobia.) This game also includes a flashback to a community theater rehearsal with alternate takes on Christian religious figures.

As this is a small and highly interconnected larp, it is not possible to play this larp without some exposure to all of these themes, and all characters will directly experience or have a relationship partner experience at least one of them.

We will do our best to respect casting preferences, but if there are any of the above topics you would not be comfortable directly experiencing or having a romantic partner experience in game, you may wish to reconsider signing up as it’s unlikely we will be able to offer you a satisfactory casting.