Violent Delights
A chess-based rpg about Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.
What is Violent Delights?
Violent Delights is a chess-based rpg about Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet.
Violent Delights
In chess, the kings may never kiss. Has this game always been about forbidden love?
Violent Delights depicts the Capulet’s masquerade, in which the two protagonists first meet. The chess board represents the Capulet’s great chamber, and the players act as a cast of characters, who correspond to chess pieces.
- The white pieces are the hosts of the masque. Their protagonist (King) is Juliet.
- The black pieces are the guests of the masque. Their protagonist (King) is Romeo.
How to play
To play, move your chess pieces as you would for a normal chess game and narrate the action.
When you capture a piece, remove it from the board. At this time, say whether you might want to play a Firebrands-style mini-game with these characters. A servant spills wine on Paris? Play “A Party Foul.”
Your characters' movements lead to one of two possible endings:
- Romeo and Juliet will meet in adjacent squares to kiss, beginning their tragic story.
- The other characters intervene, preventing Romeo or Juliet from their innocent love.
The ending is a climax of attacks, blocked paths, and forced moves. It is also full of delightful dissonance. You will be torn between playing chess — trapping the king — and Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet — making the kings kiss.
It is a violent collision between Verona’s social order and your lover’s desires.
Violent Delights is a game of romance, conflict, gender, and defying or upholding the social order. It is a game in which we dress up two kings as Romeo and Juliet and make them kiss. It’s a game in which Tybalt (a queen) pursues Romeo (a king), and there is nothing erotic about it, I swear.
Contributors
Violent Delights features art by Izzy Peters and developmental editing by Furt the Goblin. It includes public domain art by John Austen from The Adventures of Harlequin (192). Permission from Meguey and D. Vincent Baker was granted to use the Firebrands framework and mini-games.
FAQ
What's in the book?
The book is approximately 70 pages with rules, procedures, a list of characters, and a playbook of 11 mini-games. The book also comes with a preface and "deliberations" — a series of discussions questions that can be used for reflection or classroom activities.
How long does it take to play Violent Delights?
On average, it takes 2-2.5 hours to play a game. It depends largely on how much you want to relish in the mini-games.
Can Violent Delights be played online?
Violent Delights can be played online with a chess simulator or in-person with a chess board. For online play, I recommend ChessOnlineFree.