Lord of the Rings Fanatics Plaza

Hi all, are there any LARP fans here, or go to these events?

Btw if you dunno what LARP is, read this. In short, its RPing with lots of others.
https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is ... rp-2018-10

I came to know about these just last week, and these look so awesome. Sadly there are none in India but I'd love to attend one in USA or Canada. There are lots of them in Germany but there's that language barrier.

I am past if Steinbach Larping Society in canada I also was a beta tester for fractured empire which was great but folded when the creator of the system got a job writing for I think it was wizards it's been a while.

I have some stories from Larping lol. But with me moving sadly Larping is not going to happen anymore unless I create a larpsite on my new acreage...

Which is sad because my larp gear is pretty high end (actual leather armor and pants and boots. My accessories were amazing and I was given a strong the group lot to build a witches hut for my character... Which I had a ton of supplies for so hopefully they'll get used for the as not bringing em with me.

Sil wrote: ↑Tue Dec 01, 2020 10:31 am @Allacan ob Burzum

came here to do just that! :P

(Huggles @Sil and @Winddancer)

Before lockdown, I used to LARP regularly at least once a month with Forever’s Destiny in the North-West of the UK and had done for three years.

They’re an amazing community and very quickly became like a second family to me, and I socialise with them all regularly (online now of course, but pre-pandemic it was house parties, Christmas and birthday parties, pub nights, meeting up to hang out/go for food, board game and D&D nights - you name it!)

The club itself has been running in one iteration or another for 30+ years (I think it might actually be older than me) so it benefits from having a lot of experienced LARPers who’ve been around since the early days of UK LARP, but also gets new players in fairly regularly and keeps stories fresh and inclusive. It also has a decent amount of LARP kit and lends weapons and things out to new players who come with nothing, so there are no barriers to trying it out.

I love them, and LARPing is great. It combines so many things like the outdoors and exercise, creativity and performance roleplay, dressing up and cosplay-esque stuff, fantasy and sci-fi realms, even martial arts and body combat in some. There are so many different styles of LARP, from combat heavy dungeon crawls to open-game roleplay heavy games, that I’m sure with a bit of searching and some travel you are bound to find something you love. And because of the diversity, you don’t actually have to be ‘good’ at any of the things above to still enjoy yourself.

And the community is so creative and inclusive; from the crafters, leather workers and armoured to the players and monster, referees and stewards, everyone just wants to have a fun time and in my experience I have never met anyone who ‘ruins the fun’.

Most people I know who delayed trying out LARP did so because they were worried it would be too hierarchical, and they were nervous about not having impressive enough gear or enough in-world knowledge. But the truth is that - just like plaza - you can still come along as a newbie and enjoy yourself. Most LARPs are fantasy based but forgiving of new kit challenges, and at players will ‘equip you’ with any kit you need, and my experience is that there is a lot less ‘accuracy-policing’ than you would get with re-enactment.

Definitely try it out if you get the chance, and remember, not every LARP suits every person. There are lots of flavours to the palette.

@Allacan ob Burzum definitely gonna try em someday! :)

Do the clubs take subscriptions or membership fees?

Most of the ones where I played had 'per game' fees for people playing PCs (Player Characters) With people volunteering to play NPCs/badguys etc getting to play for free (but earning XP to spend where they want or boons or whatever they want to call them)

For mine it depended on the game major games were $5 each for players for 'private' games which maxed out at 5 players plus the main character for specific issues (like say a level 30 character wants to find a specific mentor they'd need a private game) which the players would have to pay $10 each. Which helps cover new builds for buildings or costumes, NPC costume supplies, food and drink for weekend events (We have those at least twice a year) Others may have a yearly subscription but ours were game by game always.

A lot of places also have a first game is free so that you can try it first without having to pay. Not sure if that holds true in Europe I have never been to an event (aside from major ones that are weekend long events that are just massive and tend to be $15 to cover camping and parking fees as well as the game) that charges for a first attendance.

And Alla is super right not every Larp suits everyone there are vampire, modern fantasy, high fantasy, dice based high fantasy (where you could roll dice OR actively RP to allow for people with mobility and age handicaps to play without massive disadvantage),Boffer only weapons, Calimacil foam realistic weapon versions, purely talk/discussion based RPs (we have a vvampire one that I legit call Board Room Role Playing because they sit around a table and talk about what their characters are going to do) which while I've been invited many times I know is NOT something I would enjoy)

I play Curious pastimes in the UK. I know a few people who have been to the big ones in Germany like Drakenguard and the language barrier wasn't an issue but as those events are so big its definitely advised to go with a group.