In Frankenstein's Wake
A Game of Science, Experiments, and Obsession
It is the year 1803, and the (in)famous scientist Dr. Victor Frankenstein has disappeared. Frankenstein had, until late, regularly thrilled audiences at underground gatherings with the wonders of what he termed “galvanic animation,” using powerful electrical current to bring a semblance of life to the remains of both animals and men. Yet now his apartments and adjoining laboratory lie burned, and the man himself has not been seen for two fortnights.
You are the disciples of Frankenstein, driven by obsession to plumb the depths of the natural sciences to discover the essence of life and death. With your mentor and chief rival for fame and funding now out of the picture, you have the opportunity to conduct your own experiments. Despite the pleasure you take in your comrades’ company and the gentlemanly respect you have for their intellects, you want to outdo the others and achieve what Frankenstein only promised — take dead flesh and make it live again.
So begin your research, gather your materials, and seek the funding necessary to make your theories real. What and who will you sacrifice in the pursuit of science? Will your achievements bring you glory or a fate much more noisome?
In Frankenstein's Wake is a hybrid story game / board game for an evening of friendly competition and macabre amusement. There is no gamemaster and no need for pre-game preparation.
It was designed as part of the 2007 BibliOdyssey RPG Design Challenge, of which it was one of the winners. It is currently under heavy redevelopment to see how this whole story game/board game hybrid thing is going to shake out. That said, please feel free to download the current version take it for a spin or a read on a stormy night. Any feedback is most welcome. You can find the current version of the game text here, with the accompanying cards here. The earlier version of the game with the pretty character sheets is here.