Being a role-playing game on the topic of the High-Flying adventures of Beatrice Henrietta Bristol-Smythe, DBE, daring Aviatrix and accomplished Exploratrix, and her Gentleman Companion, who for a Modest Fee, accompanies Beatrice Henrietta Bristol-Smythe, DBE, when the Occasion warrants her an Escort, to give the game's full name, is a clever, short-duration RPG that is, when you come down to it, little more than a humorously starchy bit of pseudo-Victorian writing married to a minimum of system and an amusing setting.
One player is Beatrice Henriette Bristol-Smythe, DBE. The other players begin by applying for the role of Her Companion, filling out a character sheet which Beatrice reviews. She selects one to be Her Companion; her plane only seats two. Other players get to be the Natives.
The game begins with a plane crash. As with The Files, Mr. Freitag, the essential rule is that statements made are true, except in rare cases. They are particularly true when made by Beatrice Henriette Bristol-Smythe, DBE, since she is an Experienced Adventuress; however, she may make Assertions only three times during play. She may, however, respond to Questions from her Gentleman Companion. The Gentleman Companion may make observations, but establishes fact mainly by questioning Beatrice Henriette Bristol-Smythe, DBE. The Natives have control over their own customs, actions, etc., unless contradicted by Beatrice Henriette Bristol-Smythe, DBE, who as an Experienced Adventuress is always right. In the case of a conflict, the Natives must be Mistaken.
This game, in fact, bears a closer resemblance to "acting games," the exercises used by actors to improve their skill at improv, than it does to a traditional tabletop RPG -- but the convergence of these two unrelated genres at the indie RPG extremes is noteworthy, and perhaps something of a trend.
In any event, it's an amusing, and quick, read.
