Continuum 2023

I’ve just returned from a wonderful weekend playing games and seeing old friends at Continuum 2023. Continuum is held in Leicester at one of the university halls of residence.

Continuum originally started back in 1992 under a different name: Convulsion. I don’t go to it as often as I might like (it often clashes with family holidays), but this year everything worked out, so I packed up my bags on Friday morning and headed down.

Friday

I arrived at about three, checked in and picked up my keys before dumping everything in my room and heading to the bar to find friends. 

University accommodation - bringing back memories

My room was clean and felt reasonably spacious. It was en-suite and was a significant improvement on the accommodation I remember from my university days, but it wasn’t as plush as a hotel room. (But it was much cheaper, so there’s that.) 

I found the single bed a little uncomfortable. I’m sure my twenty-year-old self wouldn’t have noticed, but I’m pickier about mattresses now that I’m older.

Hillfolk

My first game of the con was Hillfolk (which I discussed here and here). I’ll go into the game in more detail in a later post, but this was the best session of the convention for me by far. The players leaned into the drama, and I had little to do apart from watching them play.

None of the players had played Hillfolk before, but three had backed the Kickstarter. Like me, their copies had sat on the shelf unplayed. I suspect that may change, and I will certainly run it again.

Hillfolk

After Hillfolk, I caught up with more friends at the bar and retired to bed after midnight. 

Saturday

After not enough sleep (it doesn’t matter what time I go to bed, I always wake around 6 am, if not before), I had the traditional Continuum breakfast in the hall canteen. The canteen was great – three cooked meals a day if you wanted it. The food was fine – it wasn’t great (it was university food, after all), but it was filling, there was plenty of it, and it wasn’t too expensive.

I had nothing scheduled for Saturday morning, and none of the games (with free slots) appealed, so I played board games and chatted with friends.

After lunch, I headed over to Shirley House, a large, detached house that I guess the university uses for accommodation and Continuum uses for freeforms. It’s a great venue with several medium-sized rooms so that you can spread out.

Veterans Day

After lunch, I played a low-power superhero in Veterans Day (written by Clare Gardner, Mike Grace, Alex Helm, Martin Jones, Adrian Smith, and Mike Snowden). My power was that I could jam radio signals (and a secret one). My game was okay – I struggled with engaging with the bigger plots. I think that was a combination of poor playing by me and a character that felt a little too much on the periphery. 

Highlights included the crazy alien big plot, planning to bring Christianity to the aliens, and figuring out some of the mysteries in my background.

A few simple things would have improved my game – another character I could trust, a slightly more coherent character sheet, and a couple of characters who suspected me of having a secret superpower.

Party like it’s 1993

Saturday evening saw Mark Galeoti’s Party Like It’s 1993, where I played a low-level crook in 1993 Berlin. The game was set in an East German underground nightclub. Coincidentally, the lights in the venue were faulty and kept going off while the electrician came to fix them. That only added to the nightclubby atmosphere.

I went into the game with some concerns – I knew only four other people (one of whom I didn’t really know and another I didn’t trust). But it seemed that was the same for everyone – nobody seemed to know many others, and everyone was playing their cards close to their chests. But that didn’t matter – everyone was in the same boat and trying to find out as much as they could without giving too much away.

Highlights included organising the darts tournament (it’s interesting how such a simple thing brought me great pleasure), being saved (or stitched up – it was difficult to tell) by Kris, the shonky (but larp-safe) dartboard (for which I blame East Germany), and the surprise reveal at the end (well, it surprised me).

Sunday

Fiasco

I facilitated a five-player game of Fiasco on Sunday, using the Folly and Fortune Regency playset. We had an arranged marriage, a secret engagement and plenty of scandal. It was a lot of fun – but it wasn’t quite as good as Hillfolk on Friday.

Fiasco

Ghosts… It’s not Ibsen

My last game of Continuum was the one I was approaching with trepidation. Ghosts… It’s not Ibsen is written by Fiona Lloyd and based on the Ghosts BBC TV series. In the TV series, the ghosts can normally only speak to other ghosts, and the living can only normally talk to the living. The only exception is the character of Alison, who can see (and hear) the ghosts after a bump on the head.

So how would a freeform work when half of the players can’t interact with the other half? When I picked up my character sheet, it was marked with, “You can’t see or hear anyone wearing a green badge.” Uh oh.

On top of that, there wasn’t much to my character sheet. I had broken my mother out from her rubbish care home (which had barred me from visiting), and I was on the run – and heading to my sister’s, where she and her husband had come into possession of an enormous old house. But that was it – I didn’t have any traditional freeform goals. I was just “there”.

But it was great.

The GMs staged our entrances, giving me time to meet Petra, explain why I was there, and bring our mother in. I ignored the ghosts (which was fun but not easy, especially when they accused me of being a leper).

About thirty minutes in, one of the other players found a device that let anyone interact with the ghosts – and once we did that, it wasn’t long before we just interacted with them anyway (as that restriction eventually became irritating). The one change I’d make would be to introduce a plot element (maybe a ritual) using the device that makes the ghosts visible until the end of the game.

Highlights included uncovering the history and backstory (there was so much backstory!) and helping the ghosts learn more about themselves and those who left them behind.

So sometimes it’s worth going into a game with low expectations. That way, they can only delight you!

Back to normality

And after Ghosts, it was time for a final cafeteria meal before I headed back north and to home.

Hillfolk playbooks

For Continuum, I’m using the Hillfolk one-shot playbooks designed by Jon Cole. The playbooks are inspired by PbtA games, and consist of:

• The Captain
• The Elder
• The Curate
• The Homemaker
• The Libertus (a freed slave)
• The Warrior
• The Pariah
• The Artisan
• The Chief

A one-page summary of the rules for a one-shot Hillfolk.

(The playbooks are here, towards the bottom of this list of Hillfolk resources.)

Each playbook is a single sheet and consists of a front and back cover, and a double-page spread with everything you need for your character (example dramatic poles, a blank table to fill in relationships and wants with other characters, a summary of the rules and typical petitions, and something unique about each character).

Although they’ve been created for one-shot play, I’m sure they’d be fine for an ongoing game as well. The playbooks have 90% of the information you need – they’re missing the action types used for procedural scenes.

Playbooks seem like an accessible way to play Hillfolk – I think the series pitches would have been stronger (and easier to use) done as playbooks. (There’s also a set of playbooks for Dream Askew on Pelgrane’s Hillfolk Resources page, but I don’t know anything about Dream Askew.)

Once I’ve got my head around Hillfolk, I will create my own playbook set.

But first I want to run it…

Hillfolk: Second impressions

Back in 2012, I backed Robin D Laws’ Hillfolk on Kickstarter. I was excited because it was different, focussing on dramatic play and doing away with all that messy procedural business (like combat and chases). But I’ve only played it once – and I’ve never run it.

I’ve often thought about running more of it, and finally, I’ve offered it at Continuum 2023 at the end of July.

Dying to play

I've been dying to play Hillfolk (or any form of Dramasystem, the core engine that powers Hillfolk) since the Kickstarter. I've been playing and writing freeform larps for nearly 30 years, and Hillfolk promises to bring some of the interrelational parts of freeforms to the tabletop.

So why has it taken me so long to run Hillfolk? Any why do I feel so ambivalent about it?

Well, it might be because I'm unlikely to play a regular game of Hillfolk. I don't have a regular tabletop group big enough for Hillfolk – which suits five or six players (more than I am normally comfortable with). And until now, I’ve not been brave enough to run a one-shot. (My one experience of playing Hillfolk was as a one-shot at Furnace, years ago. It was great – I don’t know why I’ve waited so long to try running it.)

But I think there’s more to my ambivalence than the difficulty of getting it to the table.

How does the game work?

In Hillfolk, the players are the leaders of an Iron-age tribe. Hillfolk emphasises character motivation and the intricate web of relationships within the community. Players create characters with unique desires, goals, and connections to other characters, which drive the storytelling.

During character creation, players establish their roles in the tribe and their relationships with other characters. Hillfolk characters have:

• Desires – what drives the character (power, respect, forgiveness)
• Needs – what the character needs from each other character (their approval, love, forgiveness and so on)
• Dramatic poles – a choice of personal identities your character is torn between (so Han Solo is torn between being a mercenary pirate and supporting his friends in the rebellion)
• Actions – things you’re good at (and things you aren’t)

The game is played in scenes, most of which are dramatic, in which one person (the petitioner) wants something of another (the granter). (So, on the Death Star, Luke petitions Han to help him rescue Princess Leia.) This is roleplayed out – and whoever “loses” the scene (ie, doesn’t get what they want), receives a drama token from the other character. (So, by agreeing to help Luke rescue the princess, Han receives a drama token from Luke.)

Drama tokens can give you bonuses or let you force scenes or get what you want.

Procedural scenes are scenes in which action happens – a raid, a long journey. Hillfolk has a system for that, but it’s slightly fiddly (and probably more complicated than it needs to be).

That’s the core system – there are lots of special cases, which I will probably forget and handwave if I have to.

So all that sounds great! What’s not to love about compelling, dramatic characters clashing with each other? Well, unfortunately, a few things.

Physically meh

I think Pelgrane missed a trick with the physical product. I'm not inspired by it - in fact, I find it offputting for a few reasons:

The font: First, I find Hillfolk almost unreadable. The system section is set in a teeny serif font which I find hard to read (particularly when it's slightly blurred, as my copy is on a few pages). Making Hillfolk hard to read is not making me love it. The series pitches are in a cleaner font - still small, but easier to read.

The cover: Hillfolk has an uninspiring cover. There are lovely images inside the book, but the cover is a muddy brown colour, with two indistinct figures in the centre. It doesn’t scream, "Pick me up and play me!"

Short rules, large book: There's not much to the Dramasystem rules. That's kind of the point, but it seems odd that a set of rules you could comfortably fit into a magazine article now sits in a 240-page A4 hardback book. It's also interesting that the procedural rules are longer than the dramatic rules. I can see why this is, but it seems ironic for a game that's supposed to prioritise drama.

The Hillfolk setting: I'm not excited by the Hillfolk setting. It explains the rules well, and I understand why the game avoids a traditional fantasy RPG setting. But really, wasn’t there a more compelling setting available?

Too many series pitches

But perhaps I might do better with a series pitch? Ah, yes, the series pitches.

Too many series pitches: There are way too many series pitches. Two-thirds of the book consists of series pitches, ranging from gangsters to angels to an ant colony! (And there are even more in the companion.) I will never run them all - and very few feel like a proper game - most of them feel like an excuse to create a setting.

Series pitch length: There are lots of series pitches, and they're all about 2000 words long. I have no confidence that the series pitches were run as Dramasystem games before publication, and I'm not convinced that 2000 words are enough to create a satisfying game.

But I could be doing them a disservice; after all, I haven’t played any yet. (Lindybeige disagrees – here’s his enthusiastic video about Hillfolk and one of the series pitches.)

Campaigns: Hillfolk apparently suits campaigns more than it does one-shot games. Now, as much as I'd like to play a campaign, I'm much more likely to play a one-shot - and I imagine many gamers would like to try Hillfolk as a one-shot before committing to a campaign. Hillfolk does contain advice for one-shots, but as an aside rather than a feature.

A victim of Kickstarter success?

Was Hillfolk a victim of its own Kickstarter success? Here are my thoughts on that:

Stretch rewards: Hillfolk burst through numerous stretch rewards, many of which consisted of new series pitches. (Other stretch rewards included full-colour interiors, hardback books, and so on.)

Series pitches: I’d happily have fewer, more detailed series pitches. Series pitches were an obvious easy stretch goal for Kickstarter, but more isn’t necessarily better.

While Kickstarter was a brilliant marketing and fundraising campaign, I'm not convinced it's helped Hillfolk/Dramasystem in the long run.

Actual play

It was a few years ago that I played in a game of Hillfolk, and I remember enjoying the game (although it lacked an ending, if I remember right). But I haven’t run it yet…

As for running it? I’ll talk about that soon – Continuum is only a couple of weeks away.

Using AI to help write freeforms: Horde characters

 (This is the fifth part of a series, which has ended up longer than I imagined when I started exploring this strange new technology. I think it’s the last. For a while.)

• Part 1: An introduction
• Part 2: Plots
• Part 3: Angst
• Part 4: Hordes

Last time, ChatGPT helped me populate a 17th-century London marketplace full of traders, visitors, criminals and watchmen. I already had enough material to create a horde, but I wondered if I could use ChatGPT to create the character sheets themselves.

To make sure ChatGPT understood what I was asking, I gave it an example:

From the above, write seven characters found in the market (two stall holders, one City Watch, one gang and two visitors) written in the second person, with tasks they need to complete and two relationships (one positive and one negative) with other named characters. For example: “Agnes the Housewife: You are a housewife and you need fresh produce for cooking. Tasks: get bread from Samuel the fishmonger and cheese from Alice the cheese monger. You have an ongoing disagreement with Catherine the baker over the quality of Catherine’s pastry. Your brother-in-law, Simon ensures you are not troubled by the cut-purse gang.” 

And this is what ChatGPT came up with.

Thomas the Tailor: You are a skilled tailor running your own stall in the market. Tasks: You need high-quality fabrics from Rebecca the Merchant and threads from Margaret the Apothecary. You have a positive relationship with Benjamin the Cobbler, often collaborating on custom shoes and clothing designs. However, you constantly clash with Samuel the Fishmonger over space allocation in the market.

(I’m not sure Margaret the Apothecary is the right person to get threads from, but that’s easily changed. I like the idea of Thomas and Samuel bickering over who gets the best space.)

Margaret the Apothecary: You are an experienced herbalist and apothecary in the market. Tasks: You need fresh herbs from local farmers and gatherers. Isabella, a member of Malcolm's cut-purse gang, occasionally seeks your remedies for minor ailments but secretly feeds information about your business to the City Watch.

Constable Agnes Marshall: You are a diligent member of the City Watch patrolling the market. Tasks: Your duty is to maintain order and ensure the safety of the market-goers. You have a positive relationship with Captain Edmund Hawthorne, who trusts your judgment and relies on your observational skills. However, you often clash with Constable Marcus Reynolds, who can be easily swayed and has been caught accepting bribes.

(I hoped the watch-person would have relationships with someone in the market, not just other members of the watch. But I could do that myself – or ask ChatGPT for more detail.)

Malcolm the Slick (Gang Leader): You are the leader of the cut-purse gang operating in the market. Tasks: Your main objective is to coordinate thefts and avoid detection by the City Watch. You have a positive relationship with Lydia, a member of your gang who acts as a snitch, providing you with inside information about the City Watch's activities. However, you have a negative relationship with Rebecca the Merchant, as she suspects your gang's involvement in the disappearance of some of her valuable items.

(I’m not sure ChatGPT really understands what is meant by snitch here…)

Frederick the Bookworm (Visitor): You are a passionate book collector visiting the market. Tasks: Your goal is to search for rare manuscripts and scrolls. You have a positive relationship with Amelia, a distraction artist in Malcolm's gang, who occasionally assists you in finding hidden bookshops and negotiating prices. However, you have a negative relationship with Catherine the Baker, as she questions the authenticity of some books you acquire and doubts your knowledge of historical manuscripts.

(This is probably the weakest of ChatGPT’s suggestions – but easy to amend. Catherine the Baker suddenly is much more literate than I had expected!)

Olivia the Brewer (Visitor): You are a brewer visiting the market to source ingredients. Tasks: You need to acquire high-quality barley from Matthew the Farmer and hops from a specialized supplier. You have a positive relationship with Simon, a member of Malcolm's gang who occasionally supplies you with unique herbs for experimental brews. However, you have a negative relationship with Margaret the Apothecary, as you disagree on the medicinal benefits of alcohol and brewing techniques.

Following up

I wanted more connections between the characters themselves, so I asked ChatGPT for information on some of the characters it mentioned. I was interested to see if it would remember the relationships.

Now please do the same for Rebecca the Merchant, Margaret the Apothecary, Benjamin the Cobbler, Samuel the Fishmonger, Simon, and Amelia

(Note how I didn’t need to completely rephrase the question – I just asked it to “do the same”.)

Rebecca the Merchant: You are a reputable merchant selling a variety of goods in the market. Tasks: You need to restock on rare items from traveling traders and acquire new inventory from local artisans. You have a positive relationship with Thomas the Tailor, as you often collaborate on creating unique outfits for special events. However, you have a negative relationship with Malcolm the Slick, suspecting his gang's involvement in the theft of some valuable items from your stall.

(Yes – the relationship with Malcolm is the same. And a new one with Thomas, which wasn’t mentioned earlier.)

Margaret the Apothecary: You are an experienced herbalist and apothecary in the market. Tasks: You need to gather fresh herbs and restock your inventory of medicinal remedies. You have a positive relationship with Frederick the Bookworm, as he often seeks your expertise in identifying rare plants and their medicinal properties. However, you have a negative relationship with Olivia the Brewer, as you have differing opinions about the medicinal benefits of alcohol and brewing techniques.

(ChatGPT remembered the conflict between Margaret and Olivia about the medicinal benefits of alcohol from an earlier answer. I can just picture them arguing – I even know who I’d like to play them!)

Benjamin the Cobbler: You are a skilled cobbler running your own stall in the market. Tasks: You need to acquire high-quality leather from local traders and restock your supplies of shoe accessories. You have a positive relationship with Thomas the Tailor, often collaborating on custom shoes and clothing designs. However, you have a negative relationship with Samuel the Fishmonger, as you constantly clash over space allocation in the market.

(A new entry into the argument for who gets the best space in the market! Perhaps I should have asked ChatGPT who decides?)

Samuel the Fishmonger: You are a fishmonger with a bustling stall in the market. Tasks: You need to restock on fresh fish from local fishermen and maintain the cleanliness of your stall. You have a positive relationship with Catherine the Baker, as you often exchange goods and recipes for meals. However, you have a negative relationship with Benjamin the Cobbler, as you frequently argue over space allocation in the market.

(ChatGPT has forgotten that Samuel’s relationship with Catherine is not only positive, but they share forbidden love and are having a secret affair.)

Simon: You are a visitor to the market and the brother-in-law of Agnes the Housewife. Tasks: You assist Agnes in navigating the market and ensure her safety, keeping an eye out for any suspicious activities. You have a positive relationship with Agnes the Housewife, always looking out for her and ensuring she is not troubled by the cut-purse gang. However, you have a negative relationship with Lydia, a snitch within Malcolm's gang, as you suspect her involvement in criminal activities.

(Not ChatGPT’s finest entry – too fixated on Agnes and seems to have become confused about whether or not Simon is in the gang. That may have been my fault for including Simon in my example.)

Amelia: You are a distraction artist and a member of Malcolm's cut-purse gang. Tasks: You play a crucial role in diverting attention during thefts and ensuring the success of your gang's operations. You have a positive relationship with Frederick the Bookworm, occasionally assisting him in finding hidden bookshops and negotiating prices. However, you have a negative relationship with Rebecca the Merchant, as she suspects your gang's involvement in the disappearance of some valuable items from her stall.

And after all that, I decided I wanted to know more about Lydia.

And lydia?

I’m amazed at how well ChatGPT understood my request:

Lydia: You are a member of Malcolm's cut-purse gang and also a snitch. Tasks: You provide information to the City Watch or other rival criminal factions about the gang's activities, plans, and identities. You have a positive relationship with Captain Edmund Hawthorne, who values the  information you provide and occasionally grants you favors or protection in return. However, you have a negative relationship with Amelia, a distraction artist in Malcolm's gang, as she suspects your loyalty and involvement in betraying the gang's secrets.

Overall

Overall, I’m impressed. I’m sure that I could give these character snippets to my players and they would happily play the marketplace horde. I might reformat them to make them a little easier to read – but at Peaky I might not even do that.

I’m disappointed that ChatGPT didn’t remember the secret affairs, it invented – but it’s probably a big ask to get it perfect first time.

I also think it’s easy to be greedy with ChatGPT and ask it for a lot at once. I might have done better to ask it in smaller chunks, and just drill down when I needed to.

It wasn’t always brilliant, but for a first draft created in about ten minutes (if that), it’s superb.

Appendix: A cast list

I thought a list of characters for the market would be helpful – after all, many of the characters will know each other. So:

For the characters created, please create a cast list giving their names  and publicly known information

• Thomas the Tailor: A skilled tailor known for his craftsmanship and unique clothing designs.
• Margaret the Apothecary: An experienced herbalist and apothecary, renowned for her knowledge of medicinal remedies.
• Benjamin the Cobbler: A talented cobbler recognized for his expertise in crafting quality shoes.
• Samuel the Fishmonger: A fishmonger known for providing fresh and high-quality seafood to the market customers.
• Simon: Brother-in-law of Agnes the Housewife, often seen accompanying her and ensuring her safety in the market.
• Amelia: A talented distraction artist, skilled in diverting attention during the cut-purse gang's operations.
• Rebecca the Merchant: A reputable merchant with a diverse range of goods for sale, known for her fair dealings and quality products.
• Frederick the Bookworm: A passionate book collector and seeker of rare manuscripts, known for his extensive knowledge in the field.
• Olivia the Brewer: A brewer known for her experimental brews and unique flavors in her crafted beverages.
• Agnes Marshall: A diligent and observant member of the City Watch, recognized for her dedication to maintaining order and safety in the market.
• Malcolm the Slick: The charismatic leader of the cut-purse gang, notorious for orchestrating thefts and operating covertly in the market.
• Lydia: A member of Malcolm's cut-purse gang who secretly acts as a snitch, providing information to the City Watch or rival criminal factions.

That’s a great first start. It’s not perfect: I wouldn’t list the criminals that way (they could be street urchins or businessmen), and I’m certain that it’s not public knowledge that Lydia is a snitch. (And in which field is Thomas known for his extensive knowledge?) But those are easy corrections to make.

Using AI to help write freeforms: Hordes

This is the fourth in my series of using ChatGPT to help write freeform larps. I didn’t think I was going to write another one, but then I started thinking about horde games…

(See here for part 1, part 2 and part 3.)

Horde games

Horde games feature lots of small characters and a few permanent characters. Some players play the permanent characters, while everyone else plays multiple small characters, usually one at a time.

I’m not a huge fan of horde games, as they can be very intense and very silly. But I did enjoy Across the City, the horde game I played at Peaky 2023. (Here’s my review.)

One thing I like horde games to do is to make them self-contained – rather than need to interact with the permanent characters.

So this idea for a horde game is based on one scene from Across the City. I’m setting my game in seventeenth-century London, and I need a horde to populate the marketplace and make it feel like a living place. Let’s see what ChatGPT can suggest.

First prompt

Give me ten characters that you might encounter in a marketplace in seventeenth century London, with their name, occupation, what they are doing in the market and what they need from other people in the market

And ChatGPT dutifully provided me with a tailor, a herbalist, a fishmonger, a baker, a blacksmith, an apothecary, a cooper, a cheese monger, a wine merchant and a merchant. Some examples:

• Elizabeth the Herbalist - Occupation: Herbalist - She is selling various medicinal herbs, potions, and remedies. She needs fresh herbs, roots, and plants from local farmers and gatherers in the market.
• Alice the Cheese Monger - Occupation: Cheese Monger - She is selling a variety of cheeses from different regions. She needs fresh milk from local farmers and dairymen in the market.
• Henry the Wine Merchant - Occupation: Wine Merchant - He is offering a selection of wines from around the world. He needs barrels, corks, and high-quality grapes from cooperages and vineyards in the market.

Unfortunately, ChatGPT didn’t make them completely self-referential. So although Alice the cheesemonger needs milk from the dairyman, it didn’t give me a dairyman as a character. (Although I can do that – or I could have asked ChatGPT again.)

Second prompt

Now give me six customers, along with what they need and where they can get it from.

I need to work on this list, because it wasn’t great – a housewife, a cobbler, a housemaid, a bookworm, a brewer and a farmer.

• Agnes the Housewife - Needs: Fresh produce for cooking - She can get vegetables, fruits, and herbs from local farmers and greengrocers in the market.
• Olivia the Brewer - Needs: Barley and hops for brewing - She can source malted barley, hops, and other brewing ingredients from grain merchants or specialized brewing suppliers in the market.
• Matthew the Farmer - Needs: Tools and equipment for farming - He can acquire tools such as plows, scythes, and animal harnesses from blacksmiths, toolmakers, or agricultural supply vendors in the market.

Again, ChatGPT didn’t refer to the previous characters, which I was hoping it would do. I should have been specific. But rather than amend my prompt, I kept going.

Third prompt

Six people (stallholders and customers) don't get on. Why not, and what do they do?

ChatGPT gave me six conflicts (so actually twelve people who didn’t get on). My favourites:

Margaret the Apothecary and Olivia the Brewer clash due to their differing beliefs about the use of herbal remedies. Margaret believes in the power of natural herbs and traditional medicine, while Olivia thinks that modern brewing techniques and alcohol have their own medicinal benefits. They engage in heated debates, each trying to convince customers of the superiority of their methods.

Catherine the Baker and Agnes the Housewife have an ongoing disagreement over the quality of ingredients used in baking. Agnes believes that Catherine's bread and pastries are subpar and lack the freshness and flavor she expects. She often voices her dissatisfaction, which puts Catherine on the defensive and sparks arguments about the quality of Agnes' home cooking.

Fourth prompt

So who’s being naughty?

Which three couples are having a secret affair?

As well as Thomas & Margaret and Rebecca and Frederick, ChatGPT gave me:

Catherine the Baker and Samuel the Fishmonger are also engaged in a secret affair. Their forbidden love blossomed over shared lunches and whispered conversations in the bustling marketplace. Catherine, intrigued by Samuel's rugged charm and culinary knowledge, often sneaks out of her bakery to meet him near his fish stall, hidden from prying eyes.

(I later asked why Catherine and Samuel’s love was forbidden – it’s due to a long-standing feud between their families. So Romeo and Juliet, then.)

Fifth prompt

And what about criminals?

A gang of cut-purses operates in the market. Who is their leader? Who are the gang members?

I didn’t specify numbers, but ChatGPT gave me a gang leader (Malcolm the Slick) and his five accomplices: Isabella the thief, Simon the lookout, Amelia the distraction artist, Tobias the fence and Lucas the muscle. For example:

The leader of the cut-purse gang in the market is Malcolm the Slick. He is a charismatic and cunning individual who has mastered the art of pickpocketing and orchestrating thefts in the bustling marketplace.

The gang members of Malcolm's cut-purse gang include:

• Isabella the nimble-fingered thief - She is known for her exceptional dexterity and sleight of hand, able to steal valuable items from unsuspecting victims effortlessly.
• Amelia the distraction artist - Amelia excels in creating diversions to distract victims while her fellow gang members swiftly pick their pockets. She uses her wit, charm, and theatrical skills to draw attention away from the theft in progress.
• (And Simon, Tobias and Lucas.)

Sixth prompt

Who keeps the peace in the market? What is the punishment if the thieves are caught?

This was a bad question – ChatGPT summarised who maintained the peace (City Watch or Constables) and some example punishments (public floggings, branding, imprisonment.) That wasn’t what I was looking for, so, I asked again.

Seventh prompt

Give me three City Watch members who might be found in the market. Who are their contacts, and how do people know whether they are trustworthy (or not)?

Along with Captain Edmund Hawthorne and Constable Agnes Marshall, we have:

Sergeant Thomas Bennett - Sergeant Bennett is known for his no-nonsense attitude and his keen sense of order. He ensures that the City Watch patrols are organized and effectively cover the market area. His contacts include fellow City Watch members, market stallholders, and local tavern owners who provide information about criminal activities within the market. People gauge Sergeant Bennett's trustworthiness based on his consistent enforcement of the law, his direct communication style, and his reputation for swift action against troublemakers. While some might find him stern, they appreciate his commitment to maintaining order and deterring criminal behavior.

Eighth prompt

Who in the City Watch can be bribed? And why?

While the majority of the City Watch members strive to uphold the law with integrity, there may be a few corrupt individuals who can be bribed. In this case, two members of the City Watch who can be bribed are:

Constable Marcus Reynolds - Constable Reynolds is known to have a weak moral compass and a tendency to prioritize personal gain over upholding justice. He can be bribed because he has succumbed to the allure of financial incentives and favors offered by local criminals or individuals seeking to bend the law in their favor. Due to his greed and lack of principles, Constable Reynolds can be easily swayed to turn a blind eye to illegal activities or provide privileged information to those who offer him bribes.

(And Inspector Lydia Hartman, who has become disillusioned with the system.)

It is important to note that these instances of corruption are exceptions within the City Watch and do not represent the overall integrity of the organization. Most City Watch members are dedicated to their duty and maintain a high level of professionalism and integrity in upholding the law.

I enjoyed seeing ChatGPT stressing that the majority of the City Watch upholds the law with integrity and professionalism. It almost went overboard in telling me that.

Ninth prompt

Who in Malcolm's gang is a snitch?

Within Malcolm's cut-purse gang, there is a snitch named Lydia. Lydia is a member of the gang who secretly provides information to the City Watch or other rival criminal factions. She has betrayed her fellow gang members by sharing details about their plans, hideouts, and identities.

Lydia's motives for being a snitch may vary. She might be seeking personal gain, attempting to secure a deal or favor with the authorities, or simply trying to save herself from potential consequences if the gang were to be caught. Regardless of her reasons, Lydia's actions have put the entire gang at risk, making it challenging for them to operate covertly and undermining the trust and cohesion within their ranks. The gang members, including Malcolm, remain unaware of Lydia's betrayal, as she operates discreetly, posing a significant threat to their illicit activities.

That was the full response, which was fine, but I should have rephrased as I really wanted ChatGPT to name one of the existing members of Malcolm’s gang, not create a new one.

Next time

I am enjoying this immensely. I already have a long list of characters to populate my marketplace, and I could quickly create a simple horde of characters going about their daily business just from that.

But can I go further than that? Can I use GPTs to write the characters themselves? That’s next time’s challenge.