“Conclave 1492” by Vaniver

Conclave 1492 is a 40-person negotiation exercise set during the papal election of 1492, the most complex, high-stakes political event of the Renaissance. Play an ambitious cardinal, a mighty king, a daring queen, or a lowly Vatican functionary. You'll arrive with allies, rivals, secrets, and leverage, but so will everyone else. Over four afternoons, you'll scheme, bargain, cross, double-cross, and occasionally pray for salvation. And halfway through, one of you will be crowned Pope. If you aspire to be the next Borgia, Medici, or Ferdinand of Aragon — or if you aspire to defeat them — this is your training ground. Negotiate the future of the world. We're running this at Summer Camp, which is happening at Lighthaven immediately after Less Online, June 8th to 11th. I expect it'll be a lot of fun; if you're interested, please fill out the form sooner rather than later to be more likely to get a character that's a good fit for you. --- First published: May 20th, 2026 Source: https://www.lesswrong.com/posts/j3pqC9xqwppinMEfE/conclave-1492 --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO.