Gilead RPG

Gilead is a dystopian, theocratic society set in the near future, where a totalitarian regime has taken control of the United States and transformed it into a militarized, religious state. The government is based on a strict interpretation of Biblical law, and it enforces a rigid, patriarchal social order. In Gilead, women’s rights are severely restricted, with many roles reduced to domestic labor, childbearing, or servitude. Most notably, fertile women are forced into the role of “Handmaids,” whose sole purpose is reproduction for the ruling elite, as infertility has become widespread due to environmental collapse and disease.

The world of Gilead is marked by oppressive surveillance, harsh punishment for dissent, and the destruction of individual freedoms in the name of maintaining order and purity. The regime is ruled by a council of Commanders, who control all aspects of governance and society, while other classes, such as the Wives, Marthas (domestic helpers), and Eyes (secret police), enforce the system’s rigid hierarchies.

Possible characters include:

Offred (June Osborne) – The protagonist and narrator, a Handmaid in Gilead assigned to Commander Fred Waterford. She remembers her life before Gilead and struggles to survive under the oppressive regime.

Commander Fred Waterford – A high-ranking official in Gilead and Offred’s assigned Commander. He represents the oppressive ruling class.

Serena Joy Waterford – Fred’s wife, formerly a powerful advocate for Gilead’s ideology, now trapped in a life of bitterness and resentment.

Nick Blaine – The Waterfords’ driver and a member of the Eyes (Gilead’s secret police). He becomes romantically involved with Offred.

Aunt Lydia – One of the highest-ranking Aunts in Gilead, responsible for indoctrinating Handmaids into submission. She is a complex figure, both ruthless and pragmatic.

Moira – June’s rebellious best friend from before Gilead. She escapes from the Handmaid system and ends up working at Jezebel’s, a secret brothel for Gilead’s elite.

Luke Bankole – June’s husband from before Gilead, who manages to escape to Canada.

Janine (Ofwarren) – Another Handmaid who is emotionally fragile and struggles with Gilead’s brutal reality.

Rita and Cora – Marthas (household servants) in the Waterford household. Rita is cold and pragmatic, while Cora is slightly kinder.

Handmaids are no longer known by their own name. If their commanders name is Fred they become Offred, if their commanders name is Jack they become Ofjack etc etc.