LARP: 8

"In that case--it's time for drinks!" Zoe said.

I laughed. Well, it had been over an hour of this session zero stuff. Zoe headed off to the kitchen, apparently intent on making her own drinks. Soon enough she returned, with beautiful concoctions.

"These are special blue potions," she said. "They will help transport you completely into the fantasy world."

"Oooh what's in them?" Patty asked.

"Rum of course," Zoe said. "Remember, pirate game? Rum, and magic."

"Nice," Patty said, taking a sip. "Mmm, blueberry."

Zoe held up a hand as she sipped though. "Wait, wait, there's a ritual!" Smiling, she sat down, and held up her own drink as she looked around. "I want you all to repeat after me, and take a drink, okay?" She raised the glass. "I really want you all to feel this world entirely, but when I say I really want you to be ready to enter this world, I mean it! So if you choose to continue, then you must say: I consent to enter the magical world of Manumit as the character on my sheet, and I acknowledge Zoe as the master of this world."  

Sandy was quick on the draw. "I consent to enter the magical world of Manumit as the character on my sheet, and I acknowledge Zoe as the master of this world." 

"It is just Rum right?" Malik asked. "There's not like... acid or something?"

"I wouldn't poison you... outside the game," Zoe said. "There's no hallucinogens. As I said, there is rum and magic. This is a magical potion that will transport you into my fantasy world. I want to be absolutely clear on that."

"Oh, okay then," Malik said, smirking--I felt he took the 'magic' bit as a joke. "I consent to enter the magical world of Manumit as the character on my sheet, and I acknowledge Zoe as the master of this world." And he took a sip.

"Really though, no magic mushrooms?" I asked.

Malik laughed. "She said no hallucinogens, I'm assuming that includes mushrooms, right?"

"There's no mushrooms!" Zoe said. "Only MAGIC."

"Why does that not reassure me?" I asked.

"I'll be last to drink," Patty said. "You go first, Seb."

"All right," I said. "Honestly, even if it was hallucinogens, I wouldn't mind. Never tried Damsels and Devils while high before. I consent to enter the magical world of Manumit as the character on my sheet, and I acknowledge Zoe as the master of this world." With that, I took a long drink. The rum wasn't that strong; definitely some curacao. Maybe it was just a daiquiri?

"You still feel okay, Malik?" Patty asked. "I feel like I should wait more."

"It's exactly like what Zoe said," Sandy said. "It's magical, but not a hallucination. But you shouldn't drink it unless you are willing to trust Zoe."

"I mean... I don't distrust Zoe, I'm just still getting to know her," Patty said.

Zoe nodded. "That's okay Patty, you don't have to drink."

"Because you're drugging the guys but not me?" Patty asked.

"Because you can play even if you don't drink," Zoe said. "You should only drink if you want to enter the world."

"Oh come on Patty," I said, closing my eyes in exasperation.

"I'm sorry, I went too fast--I shouldn't have sprung this on you Patty," Zoe said. "Let's just continue. You can all hear the sound of the waves--"

"Fine, fine," Patty said. "I consent to enter the magical world of Manumit as the character on my sheet and--what was the last bit?"

"And I acknowledge Zoe as the master of this world," Sandy said.

"And I acknowledge Zoe as the master of this world," Patty finished, and then took a very small sip--probably no more than a drop.

"Good," Zoe said, smiling broadly. "Welcome aboard, maties. You hear the sound of the waves crashing, you feel the cool wind blowing as it pushes the sails onward. You taste blueberries--two days out from shore, and the water hasn't turned yet, but even so the crew cuts the water with blueberry wine from the Catfolk island."

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to feel the scene Zoe was setting up.

When I opened them again, the room was glowing--rainbows of colors washed over my body. I could still see Sandy, Malik, and Patty--but Zoe was engulfed in foggy shadows.

"Shit!" Patty said. "I should've known there was acid in the drink!"

"No acid," Zoe said--even though I couldn't see her anymore.

Then: a booming voice that seemed to come from everywhere.

"Only magic."