Tabletop RPG Night w/ Side Quest Books & Games

Join us for an evening of tabletop role-playing games to beat the winter blues! We have an exciting roster of festive games, so snag a ticket for your adventure of choice, and we'll see you there!

PLEASE NOTE: This is a 21+ event.

GAMES ON OFFER

Last Kiss
4 players

In Last Kiss, you play a senior in high school, with all the pressures that any teenager faces, plus the literal embodiment of entropy and evil lurking in the background watching you struggle before the world ends. Do what you can to control your little piece of reality, and keep a grip on your own identity before it all ends. Includes heavy themes of queer identity, self-awareness and hopelessness. Last Kiss is my latest title from Luck of the Harbor. It's being announced next week, and the crowdfunding campaign is coincidentally supposed to end on December 1st.

Your GM:

Brian A Liberge (she/he) is a game designer from Boston Massachusetts who has worked on such projects as Ace Adventure, Can You Host?, and The Midgard Bestiary. They’ve used their position in the industry to lift others up, hosting panels on game design, queer identity and mental health, as well as being one of the show runners for Games on Demand. They currently serve as the Abbess for the Boston Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence where they run the charity actual play series ‘Dungeons and Drag Nuns’.

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Thieves of the Tome
5 players

In Thieves of the Tome you play as thieves who have stolen magic for the first time in their lives. Played with real books, this game is about the chaotic aftermath of a spell heist and is both funny and mind bending. This is a game about love of books. The game was designed by me, and I also just released the fully illustrated digital edition funded by Kickstarter and expect to have print editions in hand by December 1st.

Your GM:

George Philbrick is a forever GM and game designer living in Somerville. I design games largely with anti authoritarian and anti capitalist theming, and have a love of horror. I am currently in the midst of a 3 year Call of Cthulhu campaign and regularly run games at PAX U and PAX E conventions with Games on Demand.

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Great Louisiana Cook-Off (D&D + Dragon Stew)
6 players

It’s that time again in New Orleans where the best pit masters, elite chefs, and hunters compete for glory. Your crew must hunt down a mythical beast suited for your judges’ tastes and grill that sucker up. Will you make a grill a giant snake, create a delicious slime dessert, or wow them with a plant based appetizer?

Your GM:

I'm Tait (they/them)! I have DM for several months now on a long term campaign and played in several others. I prioritize solid roleplay and story telling over combat. I am open to beginners who need pointers throughout.

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Burning Hearts Forever
6 players

In this Sailor Moon meets Gen V mashup, our Magical Teens are THE social media influencers and demon fighters everyone aspires to become. When a new classmate arrives and throws things out of balance, will the heroes find their footing in time to fight the incoming evil forces? Built on the Powered by the Apocalypse System, this game makes for a GREAT one shot adventure!

Your GM:

Eric (he/they) is a forever GM who runs indie games on his award-winning podcast, The QueerXP. He believes in collaborative storytelling, leaning to the fun of a system, and making sure everyone at the table has a moment to shine.

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The Solstice Sacrifice (Daggerheart)
5 players

As a traveling group of adventurers, you come across a rural village that is about to sacrifice a child coming of age to a nearby cabal of shapeshifters as part of a long-standing tradition. The child's mother privately beseeches the group to help save their child from this fate, but there is a deeper mystery at play here.

Your GM:

Reggie (he/him) is a local GM who has been running games for several years. He primarily plays D&D, but recently has been getting into Daggerheart, as the system matches his focus on collaborative storytelling.

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All's Fair in Love and War(lords) (FIST: Ultra Edition)
5 players

Damien MacArtney is the most fearsome man on earth, with a powerful private militia at his command, covert operatives within every major world power, and connections to organized crime syndicates on every continent. He’s also single and looking for love on this year’s hottest reality TV series! Your mission, as agents of the legendary paranormal mercenary group FIST, is to infiltrate the cast and crew, survive the cutthroat world of televised social drama, and end this villain’s reign of terror for good.

Your GM:

I’m Chris (they/them) a game developer and lifelong TTRPG player turned forever GM. I’m experienced with lengthy PBTA campaigns and indie system one-shots, and I’ve GM’d for those who’ve been playing for as long as I have and those who are picking up a d20 for the first time. Player safety systems are a must for me (X card, lines and veils) as is player empowerment and inclusion; I always make sure everyone gets a chance to determine the direction of the story.

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Warmth in Winter (D&D 2024)
6 players

The cozy town of Winterwelve prepares for their mid-winter celebration of community and love, as the Bickerbelz, resting in a dangerous frozen cave, fills their hearts with discordant Dreadfrost.

The Stone in the town center is decorated every mid-winter by the all - but this year the Dreadfrost has split the people’s decision on the best decorations.

Without the decorated Stone, the crops won’t grow. Will you go after the Bickerbelz and its minions in the cave? Or might you unite the town another way? Can frozen hearts be thawed?

Your GM:

Jim (DMJimJam, he/him) LGBTQ+ ally and storyteller - I’ve been DMing D&D 5e/2024 for nearly ten years, and been a GM longer than that. I DM for the social and creative energy we produce in-game and out - fun and friends are the goals.

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Hometown Holiday
5 players

It's December in Jingleton, USA, and tis the season.... for love!

Embrace your favorite Hallmark/Lifetime/Netflix/etc holiday movie trope as we flirt and/or blunder our way into a happy ending. Will the small town business be saved? Who will the equal-parts bland and hot idiot end up with? Will you be competing for someone's affection or be doing your darndest to help your favorite big-city visitor fall for the aforementioned hot goof? Or are you secretly a winter deity here to make sure everything stays mystically magically perfect?

Your GM:

I'm Jamie (she/her), a ttrpg enthusiast, dice goblin, and Somerville-based theater artist who loves running a game that mixes the silly with the thrill of roleplay. I love introducing the game to newcomers or seeing what hijinks veteran RPers bring to the story. I strive for an inclusive table, with player safety at the forefront and fun as a close second. From me as a GM, expect silly voices, pop culture references, and giving everyone a moment to shine.

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Lovecraft Boat
6 players

You are monsters and have eaten the crew of a cruise ship (except for the clueless temp waiter Steve). Now the passengers have boarded and the ship is on its way. To keep your existence a secret, you need to take over the crew jobs despite having neither the training nor the anatomy for that. Play to find out what happens!

*Please bring something to take notes with and your enthusiasm for co-creating a story! RPG beginners welcome!

Your GM:

I'm Molly (they/she), a lifelong nerd and more recent TTRPG enthusiast. But what I lack in years of experience, I make up for with a full commitment to the bit. I've run games for friends but this would be my first time running in a more professional context! I prioritize making games safe & inclusive for everyone and as goofy as possible - I'll happily prompt you with questions to help you brainstorm your character and our world-building. Let's co-create a blast of a story with the most absurd ideas everyone can think of and see what happens together.

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ABOUT THE EVENT

• Games will get fully underway by 6:30, and will end around 10.
• Materials will be provided for all games.
• Parking around Union Square can be tough. Please take public transport if you're able — the Union Square T stop is less than 10 minutes away, and there are several bus stops near by. If you need to drive, there is paid parking on Somerville Ave until 8pm, at which point it's free. Please visit bowmarketsomerville.com for more transportation and parking info.
• Upstairs at Bow is the second-floor event space at Bow Market in Union Square in Somerville. To get there, walk up the Bow Market driveway, go to the lobby past Rebel Rebel on your right, and go up either the elevator or the stairs. The entrance to Upstairs is to your right.
• Masks are optional, but please let us know and stay home if you're feeling unwell.
• Drinks are available from Nook, the bar associated with Upstairs. (Please do get a drink, alcoholic or otherwise! We have a minimum to meet!) Food from Bow Market vendors can be brought in.

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Host or Publisher Side Quest Books & Games