The Roleplay Workshop

The Roleplay Workshop is more than just a program for kids. It is made up of the work and imagination of all its participants. See what others have done and what you can do to be a part of our family.

What is Role Playing?

Role playing is a form of game that takes its participants into an interactive story. Each player takes on the role of a character in the story, who interacts with the other players and the imaginary world around them. This world is moderated by one participant, called the game master (GM). The GM is responsible for creating the story and other characters that the players will interact with, as well as making sure all the players follow the rules of the game.

The game itself has certain rules and conventions that allow its participants to play the game fairly and equally. Unlike a "traditional" game, such as a board game or card game, the players have more freedom in determining their course of action. Much of the game is played "in head", where the players use their imagination to visualize most of the play. In many cases a game board and pieces are used to represent different characters and show the action of the game, but the game still requires a good imagination. There are many other role playing games out on the market today. Once you learn about Abantey, you might want to try some of these.

What is Abantey?

Abantey is both the game and the imaginary world that The Roleplay Workshop uses for its programs. Set on a fictional world created by powerful beings, the players become characters of one of a variety of unique races that populate Abantey. They are either of the Marked or Rogue Cultures and must act according to the rules of that culture.

The People of Abantey

The Creators of Abantey have each made people in their own image who follow the Ways of each creator. There are seven races, but only five, the Baluuds, Feeshans, Plajets, Sakeet and Wa'la are commonly known on Abantey. The other two, the Ta'as and Gnihton have been punished by the Creators and are banned from exploring most of Abantey.

Who are the Creators?

The Creators are seven mystical beings who traveled to Abantey long ago. They brought with them many secrets from their distant homes and created Abantey and its people. They take an active interest in their world and its people, and make sure that they follow the ways that they have set forth for their people.

The Ways of Abantey

Each of the Creators has established a set of Ways that his or her people must follow. The people that follow the Ways of their Creator are known as "Marked". The Ways define how a person should act, dress and behave. Each culture has their own set of Ways. To see what they are, look on the page of each race.

Many years ago a Ta'as wizard broke free of the Creators and formed the Rogue culture. Rogues are free of the influences of the Creators and follow whatever desires and motivations they want. Rogues look physically identical to Marked people of the same race, only they lack a Creator Mark and do not dress or act according to the strictures of the Ways.

There are large areas of Abantey that are controlled by the Rogues, and the Creators cannot see into or influence events in those areas. Rogues will occasionally travel into the Marked territories of Abantey, but they must be careful.

Creator Marks

The Creators Mark each of their followers with a magical tattoo unique to each Creator. These tattoos, called Creator Marks, allow each Creator to see and hear everything their followers see. These marks are blocked in the Rogue controlled areas of Abantey, but continue to record what Marked people see and hear, and will transfer the information to the Creators once the Marked person leaves the Rogue lands.

The Secret of Abantey

The entire world of Abantey is governed by a universal secret. This secret dictates the laws of magic, the Creators and many other things on Abantey. Discovering the nature of the Secret and how it relates to the characters is one of the main goals of the game at The Roleplay Workshop. In time, you will learn more about how and why things work, and someday may learn The Secret of Abantey.

Supplies You Need

To play the game of Abantey, you will need to bring some supplies:

You should bring a pencil or two, scratch paper and some dice. It is also recommended that you bring a small notebook to keep track of your character and his or her adventures.

Students should also bring food and drinks. For all day sessions students should bring a lunch and a few low-sugar snacks. For after school or short-day sessions, a snack or two is plenty.

The program requires special dice. These dice come in many shapes, ranging from four to twenty (or more!) sides. These can be found at almost any game or hobby store, including Dr Comics & Mr Games.

Don't worry if you don't have all the right supplies or dice. We have plenty to share. Bring what you can and we will provide you with whatever else you need.

You will also need to bring a good imagination, good listening skills and a willingness to work with others. Those are the tools that make this a successful program!