C Is For Clubs
The Man’s running dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and from nearly all walks of life. Consequently, those who oppose the Man must tread carefully. Even that well-attired foxy lady who knows all the right moves could be an informer. The Boogie Knights of the Round Table and their allies need safe places to meet, to sing, and to get down; therefore, clubs.
We’ve already glimpsed the interior of the Avalon. Dozens of other clubs can be visited, even if some of them are hard to find. The Lady du Lac operates the Avalon in the public eye because she has the intelligence and wealth to stay at least one step ahead of the Man’s agents. (It’s a dangerous game, to be sure, but it does help deflect scrutiny from smaller, less secure venues.)
Keep in mind, the clubs aren’t always night clubs. A club is not a building; it’s the people. Some clubs boast hundreds of members whereas others could fit at a table for six in a dimly-lit, smoky cafe hosting an underground poetry slam. Clubs meet in private residences, cafeterias, church basements, and secluded cabins.
There is, however, one place clubs don’t meet, and that’s on the Internet. In the world The Boogie Knights of the Round Table (BKotRT), the Internet doesn’t exist for the general public. The Man early on feared that the Internet would grow too large, too chaotic to control, and the Man is about control. From our perspective, technology has frozen in BKotRT‘s world at level roughly comparable to the early 1980s. That’s the way the Man likes it, and so far tech-rebels haven’t made significant in-roads against the Man’s stifling will.
In the game, clubs provide information, fun, and safety, assuming, of course, the club hasn’t been infiltrated by the Man. Larger, more influential clubs also act much like government agencies, negotiating and coordinating resistance activities with other clubs. These joint efforts are some of the most dangerous times for clubs. Arthur and Lance, for example, faced several assassination attempts as they traveled from city to city, challenging other club leaders to battles of poetry, song, and dance in order to eventually forge the Peace of Genres.
So, should the heroes attend that upcoming Battle of the Bands? Certainly, and maybe they’ll even emerge victorious, but the heroes shouldn’t let down their guard. The Man’s agents will be in the audience, cheering and taking notes.
