Ship of Theseus LARP

Praise for the Game

"This was my first experience with this type of game, where the focus lies solely on the thoughts and emotions of characters navigating a transformation together. Metaparadox has crafted something truly unique, enjoyable, and enlightening. I would eagerly revisit this experience in different settings with diverse characters."
- Gwyllgi, Randomless Renaissance

"...it was a really powerful experience, and one I’ve been talking about for weeks since."
- Larry Brenner

About

Ship of Theseus is a philosophical transhumanism-themed support group LARP in the American Freeform style that is easiest to play online, but can be adapted to be played in person. The core concept of the game is that it has become possible to seamlessly transform from a human to a non-biological construct over the course of several weeks by means of nanotechnology. Think for a moment about what that would mean for those who undergo this Process and for the world they live in. 

This is a game intended to provoke conversations about life, death, what makes one human, the existence of a soul, disability and illness, social equity, queerness and queering, immortality, neurodiversity, and whether you’re the same person throughout your whole life, even if you don’t leave your humanity behind.

The game is intended for 4 to 8 players with at least one facilitator, and takes roughly 3-5 hours to play. Players will play people who are going through the Process and attending a support group, while facilitators play the role of therapist and/or scientist. The purpose of the support group in the world of the game is both for characters to process the changes happening to them and for those enacting the Process on them to monitor their progress.

This download includes everything you need to run the game in person or online, aside from a Zoom account and potentially some name tags and stickers and pens.

Setting Info

In this world the (Singh-Gurantz) Process is a relatively novel method that uses nanotechnology to gradually transform a person’s brain and body from a biological to nonbiological post-human construct, with no lapses in the consciousness of the person throughout the process, aside from sleep. While it is fairly new, it is legal to perform and non-threatening to one’s continued existence, though what that means is up to debate. Various changes can happen to the patient’s mind and body over time during the Process. Some changes are guaranteed in those who go through the Process. Some are seemingly random and unpredictable. Some changes are fleeting, while others are permanent. Patients can choose to stop the Process at any time, though stopping late may mean that some changes are not fully reversible.

Other aspects of the setting will be collaboratively developed in a pre-game workshop by players.

Potential Content Warnings

• The scary side of transhumanism
• Existential risk to humanity
• Discussion of inter-group discrimination and hierarchies of power
• Religious and/or spiritual discussion
• Potential for discussion of unhealthy or abusive relationships
• Discussion of ethics and technology
• Cancer or degenerative brain disorders
• Explorations of gender
• Discussions of disability
• Potential body horror
• Presence of a therapist character
• Discussions of death and immortality

Thank You!

If you run this game, I'd love to hear how it went! I also appreciate any feedback or typo hunting!

Thank you to everyone who helped playtest this game!