The Broad Cloth R&D

 

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      Welcome. This is a collaborative roleplay game, and a continuing book you can read, and an immersive show. You can participate a little bit, or a lot, or you can just lurk and listen.   This site is an introduction to the world, and it has information about the R&D process we did in 2022.

The Way It Works

The experience just exists online as text-based roleplay at the moment. Eventually, when we do the full show, you can get involved in many ways.   The Long Game will be multiple 'village hall' Zoom gatherings over several weeks. The characters will meet to talk about the situation on the island. You can join as a character, an observer who chats to the characters, or a quiet observer. During this time, you can also receive a newsletter by email or through the post, and maybe even call one of the characters to catch up.   The Short Game will happen the week before our in-person gathering, where the story will ramp up.   The Waulking Feast will be a live immersive theatre event in which you'll be able to get involved in a number of ways, from playing a character to watching from the sidelines. We plan to have live streaming to let people get involved from afar, and maybe some will be directly connected to someone in the room for their own personal streaming experience.

The World

The world of The Broad Cloth is fictional, inspired by the history of such places as the Outer Hebrides, and by the traditional process of manufacturing broadcloth fabric. The time zone in this world is the same as in the UK, and the main language spoken is English.   You are on Skylark Island. It is part of an archipelago called The Dragon Isles. None are huge, and this one is a smaller of the group, with a population of about 300.   It's big enough to accommodate several large farms, and a fair few crofts and smallholdings. There is one main village, with a large gathering hall called The Festive House used for council meetings and social events.   Most of the inhabitants are connected to a handful of extended families who have lived here for generations - like the Skylark Family - but some are first or second generation and there are also newcomers from time to time, looking to start afresh.   Ever since anyone can remember, the main trade on the island has been the manufacture of a woollen fabric known as broadcloth , similar to tweed. It is woven in patterns of colour, like tartan, but these patterns are unique to individuals.

The Story

The Waulking of Elizabeth Skylark's Broadcloth   You will be invited to a coming-of-age ceremony.   Elizabeth Skylark is the only child of the Chief of the island: Rowan Skylark. Her mother Holly died in childbirth long ago.   The coming-of-age ceremony involves the final preparation of a large swathe of broadcloth, from which the recipient is expected to fashion items of clothing or upholstery throughout their life. Though none would admit it outright, everyone is judged by the community on how they cut their cloth.  

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