ONESHOT | Ballad Hunters

In this one-shot actual play of 'Ballad Hunters' by Tristan Zimmerman, a group of four amateur folklorists—Jean Ingram, a wealthy widow secretly funding revolutionary causes; Rosie Grace, a self-taught cowherder with prophetic intuition; Kempy K, a former criminal turned government agent; and Frederick Hobbs, a haunted veteran of the Peninsular War—investigate a supernatural ballad coming to life in 1813 Scotland. The group is drawn to the Bass Rock, where a folk song about Bonnie Prince Charlie’s flight after Culloden begins manifesting in reality. As the lyrics take hold, the lighthouse commissioners they meet begin transforming into islands, while a woman named Blanche Fleur, a Luddite who escaped hanging, hides in a cave, her body slowly becoming translucent and sprouting eyes. The party must navigate class tensions, moral dilemmas, and the ballad’s tragic narrative, ultimately deciding whether to disrupt the story or fulfill it. Through clever use of their compass verses, roleplaying, and a gumshoe-style investigative approach, they confront a monstrous version of Mrs. Masery—transformed by Jean’s compass into a demon—before using the ballad’s own imagery to create a happy ending: Blanche and Janet are restored and welcomed as noble ladies of the Bass Rock. The episode blends dark folklore, social commentary, and heartfelt character arcs, culminating in a triumphant, emotionally resonant resolution.