About Storymaster’s Tales and Oliver McNeil
Storymaster’s Tales is a British family role-playing game and interactive theatre series created by games designer, author, performer, Illustrator, fantasy photographer, sword swallower and exaggerator Oliver McNeil.
Designed especially to make role-playing games accessible to everyone, Storymaster’s Tales combines interactive storytelling, distinctly British humour, fantasy folklore adventures, simple RPG rules, illustrated gamebooks, maps, characters and atmospheric soundscapes.
The core Storymaster’s Tales games are designed for ages 8–12, although teenagers, parents, and adult players also enjoy the adventures, as they should; it's brilliant. It's like Doctor Who; it was designed as a kids' show, technically made for younger viewers, yet somehow grown adults end up arguing about it for forty years. It ain’t what it once was… sorry, I digress show. See below for how Tom Baker MBE (Doctor Who) is involved in The Storymaster's Tales.
Storymaster’s Tales also exists beyond the books. Oliver McNeil performs interactive Storymaster’s Tales adventure shows around the UK, where audiences enter the story, create heroes, make decisions and determine what happens next.
What is Storymaster’s Tales?
Storymaster’s Tales is a collection of easy-to-play fantasy role-playing games in which the players become the heroes of an unfolding story.
Unlike many traditional tabletop role-playing games, Storymaster’s Tales is designed to require very little preparation. There are no large rulebooks to learn, and no complicated collection of miniatures, maps or gaming equipment is required.
The emphasis is on storytelling, imagination and making choices.
Players might explore an enchanted forest, descend into a dungeon, encounter witches and goblins, investigate mysteries, battle monsters or decide whether trusting a strange character is a very good or very bad idea.
Different adventures allow Storymaster’s Tales to be played:
-
solo
-
by families
-
with groups of friends
-
in schools and clubs
-
as a guided role-playing game
-
as part of a live interactive performance
The aim is simple:
get people into the adventure quickly and let their imagination do the rest.
What do you want to do?
The choices made by the players can alter encounters, change the direction of the adventure and determine whether their heroes succeed or fail.
Oliver writes and designs the Storymaster’s Tales games as well as adapting many of the adventures for live performance.
His work focuses particularly on introducing children and families to role-playing games without requiring them to learn a complicated gaming system first.
Role-playing games for children but also all ages.
Storymaster’s Tales was created to provide an accessible introduction to RPGs for children.
The core children’s games are particularly suited to approximately 8–12 year olds, although younger children can often participate with an adult and older players regularly enjoy the games too.
The games encourage players to listen, read, imagine, discuss possibilities, solve problems and make decisions together.
For children who love fantasy stories, the difference is that they are no longer simply reading about the hero.
They are the hero.
Storymaster’s Tales can therefore work particularly well for children who enjoy fantasy, adventure, creative storytelling, gamebooks or games such as Dungeons & Dragons but would benefit from a faster and simpler introduction to role-playing.
The Storymaster’s Tales gamebooks
The Storymaster’s Tales fantasy world has grown across a range of adventures, including titles such as:
An adventure through a strange folklore forest filled with magic, witches and mysterious creatures.
A classic fantasy dungeon adventure featuring monsters, treasure, danger and exploration.
An adventure setting filled with strange characters, mysteries and quests.
The range has subsequently expanded into new Quest adventures, additional settings and other Storymaster’s Tales games.
Storymaster’s Tales books have appeared in the Amazon UK role-playing game charts and have been played by families, schools and RPG groups in the UK and overseas.
From gamebook to live theatre
Storymaster’s Tales is unusual because many of the same ideas found in the games are also used in live interactive theatre.
Hosted and performed by Oliver McNeil, the audience does not simply watch the adventure.
They help create it.
Audience members can create characters, make decisions, solve problems, roll giant dice and interact with the strange inhabitants of the Storymaster’s Tales world.
Depending on the adventure, the shows can use masks, puppets, characters, music, sound effects, projected imagery and narrated soundscapes.
The result sits somewhere between:
a fantasy story + a role-playing game + an interactive theatre show.
Live Storymaster’s Tales adventures have been performed at locations and events including Carew Castle, UK Games Expo, Fantasy Forest and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, as well as theatres, festivals, conventions and private events around the UK.
Many Storymaster’s Tales live fantasy shows are suitable for children and adults to enjoy together. Individual performances have their own age recommendations, with some family shows suitable from approximately age six or seven upwards.
Tom Baker and Storymaster’s Tales
Some Storymaster’s Tales Live Show productions feature specially recorded narration by legendary British actor Tom Baker, best known around the world as the Fourth Doctor in Doctor Who.
His distinctive voice has been used as part of the atmospheric narration for selected Storymaster’s Tales adventures and live productions.
This narration is one element of the wider Storymaster’s Tales experience, alongside Oliver McNeil’s live performance, characters, audience interaction, music and sound design.
An award-winning visitor experience
The live Storymaster’s Tales experience in Pembrokeshire has received Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice recognition and consistently strong reviews from visiting families.
Audiences regularly describe the shows as imaginative, immersive and entertaining for children and adults alike.
The Storymaster’s Tales Interactive Quest Theatre is based at The Mariners Inn, Nolton Haven, Pembrokeshire, with additional performances taking place at castles, festivals, conventions and venues around the UK.
Storymaster’s Tales for birthday parties and events
Storymaster’s Tales interactive adventures can also be booked for:
-
children’s birthday parties
-
fantasy and wizard-themed parties
-
family events
-
festivals
-
theatres
-
schools
-
libraries
-
conventions
-
castles and historic venues
-
corporate and private events
Rather than watching a conventional children’s entertainer, the participants become part of a shared fantasy adventure.
Storymaster’s Tales can provide different quests and formats depending upon the age of the group, audience size and venue.
Storymaster’s Tales in schools
Storymaster’s Tales adventures can also be used to introduce children to collaborative storytelling and role-playing in an educational setting.
Players are encouraged to:
-
listen carefully
-
discuss ideas
-
solve problems
-
make decisions
-
communicate with a group
-
read and interpret information
-
use their imagination
-
create characters and stories
Because the rules are deliberately simple, less time is spent explaining a game system and more time can be spent actually telling and participating in the story.
Where is Storymaster’s Tales based?
Storymaster’s Tales is based in Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom.
Oliver McNeil performs regularly in Pembrokeshire while also taking Storymaster’s Tales shows to events, theatres, conventions, festivals and private bookings elsewhere in the UK.
Physical Storymaster’s Tales books and downloadable adventures are also available online.
Frequently asked questions
Who created Storymaster’s Tales?
Storymaster’s Tales was created by British games designer, author and interactive theatre performer Oliver McNeil.
What age is Storymaster’s Tales for?
The core Storymaster’s Tales RPG books are particularly designed for children aged 8–12, but teenagers and adults can play too. Live shows vary by production, with many family performances suitable from approximately six or seven years old through to adults.
Is Storymaster’s Tales like Dungeons & Dragons?
Both involve players creating characters, exploring fantasy worlds and making decisions. Storymaster’s Tales is deliberately simpler and faster to learn, making it particularly suitable as an introduction to role-playing games for children and families.
Do I need to know how to play RPGs?
No. Storymaster’s Tales is specifically designed so that people with little or no previous role-playing experience can start playing quickly.
Can Storymaster’s Tales come to my event?
Yes. Storymaster’s Tales live interactive shows can be booked for birthday parties, festivals, theatres, conventions, schools and other events around the UK.
Where can I buy Storymaster’s Tales?
Storymaster’s Tales books and digital adventures are available through the official Storymaster’s Tales website, with selected physical books also available through online retailers including Amazon.
Discover Storymaster’s Tales
Whether you are looking for a child’s first role-playing game, a fantasy activity for the whole family or an interactive adventure for a birthday party, school, theatre or event, Storymaster’s Tales is built around one simple idea:
You don't just hear the story. You decide what happens next.
Storymaster’s Tales
Created by Oliver McNeil
Pembrokeshire, Wales, United Kingdom.