The Adventure Quest Game

The core game rules of Adventure Quest are explained in the Adventure Quest Game Book. However, purchasing this book is never required to attend a program – participants are informed of their choices and powers by the Quest Leader. In addition, participants get various forms of cheat sheets to look off of to help them remember what they can do (Blue Books, Career Sheets, and their Character Cards are all sufficient for any Quester). Many Questers prefer to own their own game book so that at home they can learn more about Adventure Quest and lead their friends on Quests.

Most of the rules revolve around how the characters in this interactive game succeed or are thwarted by a challenge. We don’t usually use dice, spinners, tokens, or other “board game” devises (unless it’s a part of the quest itself), but rather resolve challenges by an active and theatrical call-and-response description or action, or a quick game of rock-paper-scissors. The safe, foam Swashers™, little beanbags to throw, and our imaginations and theatrics are all the “game pieces” that are needed!

Each Quester creates a fantasy character that inspires him or her, choosing from hundreds of special powers (such as Stealth or Intuition), an infinite amount of races (such as Elf, Goblin, Catlord, Fire Giant, or Monkeroo), and one or more archetypal careers (such as Knight, Wizard, Healer, Jester, Beastmaster, or Shapeshifter).

Here are a few examples of the kinds of characters the kids and adults of Renaissance Adventures have created throughout the years:

Mark likes to play Bipity: a Lucky Coyo Jester, Spy, and Spelljack. Bipity is a rag-tag coyote-person who usually has burrs in his dusty reddish-yellow fur. He can be lazy and silly, and alternates between innocently naïve and mischievously cunning. Some of his favorite powers are Burp of Rudeness, Fart of Disgust, Joke of Laughter, and Bluff. He usually does not carry much except his Leprechaun Waterskin of Everfilling Enchantments (squirting it on someone has diverse and amusing results), and his Dancing Dagger. Despite his tricks, the College of All Magic allows Bipity mostly free roam of the College, and they trust him enough to send him on important missions (perhaps just to keep him out of the way!). It is rumored that Bipity is one of the leaders of the top-secret Duatrix (COOL) Society (Disorganization of the Universal Antagonist Trickster Club of Orania and Outlying Lands).

Aaron likes to play Rude Rick: a Scholarly Camel-Djinni Archmage Magician. Rude Rick is as gullible as he is rude. He always seems to be hiring Questers to recapture his djinni lamp (which contains his 100-story mansion within), but once he has the lamp he easily gets tricked into losing it again. Rude Rick’s favorite powers are Gullibility (usually on himself!), Aura of Teleport (it teleports people away from him if they get too close), and Great Shapeshift (which he uses to change an attacker’s weapon into various forms of delicious foodstuff).

Joaquin likes to play Berto: Wily Azticlan Healer Knight born with the gift (or curse) to feel the emotional pain of every living being. The last living ancestor of the great Azticlan civilization, he is peaceful and Light-filled now, after a lifetime of following a path of Shadow. Berto’s favorite power is Heal, and he wears a unicorn horn around his neck (ask him that story sometime). He is best friends with Kiki, a short, bombastic imp. Where Berto is solemn and calm, Kiki is ecstatic, optimistic, and happy-go-lucky. Though they are so different, the two are the best of friends.