LARP, or The Shameless Plugging

LARP or LRP (Live Action Roleplay or just Live Roleplaying), as many of you are now no doubt aware, is a major hobby of mine (though apart from in 2008 I only get to go to one event a year), and has been some of the best fun I've ever had coupled with meeting some folks that have become good mates or just great people to hang out with at events (either in or out of character).

As such, I thought I'd post a thread and see if anyone else is interested, or has any questions about it, even if you're not interested, it's all cool, baby.

LARP is similar to cosplay, but the character should be completely self-made, much like if you were doing D&D or similar. Now, I'm only familiar with the Lorien Trust system (arguably the most known and popular system in the UK, despite several dubious choices in terms of organisation and the annual increases in ticket prices), but is probably the best one for newbies.

It can also be expensive in terms of buying weapons and armour and even trinkety props and the likes, and possibly travel to and from events; costs me £60 to get from Scarborough (my hometown) to Derby (where main events are held), as I'm usually updating my railcard at the time...

So yeah, any questions guys? Anyone actually interested?

Its something i've always been interested in... but i wouldn't know where to start with it... haha

I should have posted some linkages really

Lorien Trust's main site Which also provides links to some traders and the different Faction websites.

Darkblade IMO one of the best traders there, as their leatherwork is brilliant and they provide a good range of little side props and such. My advice is to wait till a main event to get weapons and armour if necessary as then you can test them for weight and fit etc, but that doesn't necessarily apply to props and gewgaws and such.

LARP Inn This is more of a compilation website, listing items from other traders. Oddly enough, they provide some things cheaper than the originators, and some things are twice as expensive (example: the Orc short sword on there is £70, I got it at the last Gathering from the makers for £35).

Having A LARP Naff website, but they do some good stuff. They tend to have more at events than on the site.

LRP Store These guys have some good stuff, but I've not seen them at events, but I've heard good things about their stock.

Character Kit These are the guys I got the Orc sword from. They're stuff's decent for a trader having such a small stall.

Artyfakes Trader run by players (who have played Necromongers from Chronicles of Riddick as well as demented cannibal clowns) who make some funky little items and do so with a bit of flare and originality.

Also: The LT website provides a free to download rulebook (a bit wordy, but fairly easy to take in) and players are patient and positive about new players (gotta start somewhere) and always happy to help if they get confused, as are the referees and marshalls.

Sounds intresting tbh, i'd deffo look into it, but doubt i'd have enough annual leave per year to go to one fo these as well as all my con's hehe

Well, the four main events are all Friday-Monday jobs, it costs extra to stay the thursday night, but does mean you can get a decent camping spot, that said, the last Gathering had bags of room left in our camp :/

Sanctioned events, which are events mostly during 'off-season' (September - April/May) run by factions, groups or guilds rather than the main body of the LT (and thus tend to be somewhat cheaper and come with the option of sleeping in a dorm room, as scout camps are used, and a pre-selected menu of meals) are only Fridays-Sundays.

what sorta stuff do you do at these events? i mean is there like a storyline sorta thing you follow? (sorry for my noobness)

Ah well i work shifts so i'd still need to take the time off for weekend stuff, hence why cons have taken all my leave
Same question as Jeff really, what kind of stuff do you do?

The LT have a main plot team who write the plots that affect all players in the 10 factions (which are Lions, Wolves, Bears, Tarantulas, Vipers, Jackals, Griffons, Dragons, Unicorns and Harts), the factions each have a plot team who write the subplots (at main events) and the plotlines that govern sanctioned events (such as the Spring and Winter Parliaments), some groups within factions have a plot writer or team for themselves, but that's usually only the bigger groups (in the case of the Lions, this would be groups like the Rag Rafhn Fianna, or Raggers, Hydra and Prince Bishop's Men). The Guilds (Militia, Scouts, Alchemists, Healers, Mages, Incantors, Archers, Armourers and Bards) also have their own plots, usually undertaken by their members.

When you're new, the big plots can be a little 'whut?' but it's best to just go with the flow of everyone else and do what people tell you to do. I myself am about a year behind on plots as I've no real idea of what's happened since last Gathering, other than the Lions have lost their most powerful artifact to one of their greatest enemies, who is using it against them.

Well, you know my take on it, I will take part, as soon as I have the money to do so. For that, will also have to get a new job, as I have just handed my notice in today. But tanrasiel will weild an axe in the lions name, hopefully by next gathering

okay now i am totally up for this!!! it sounds like amazing fun!!! my exact kind of idea of fun!!! i loved doing this sort of stuff in drama, i'd be totally into character haha!

That's cool. Best thing to do is to look through the LT rulebook (should be version 3) then you'll get the ideas of character building (choosing character skills etc) and race etc.

The current plan for me, Quicksilver and at least one other person (numbers are vaguer than vague at the moment) is to make something called The Pack (possibly The Pack of Cernunnos or something like that), and have a bunch of beastkin (plus Thorg, the orc heel sparky, or healer to normal people) working as a hunting/skirmishing group.

I'll definately have a look into it, character development is fun! ^^

I find the rules to anal ( hur hur hur). No this, no that, can't be this race, have to be a human/elf/generic fantasy race. Its all very systematic, theres no 'roleplay' just form filling out.

Actuually, from what I've seen, the Trust is actually very openminded about how you create your characters and what you do with them. My own character is a lion beastkin, though I've been told about weres, canibal clowns, badgerfolk, and time travelers to name but a few. The rules just make sure you're not running about the place wanging people with a stick and ruining it for everyone else

Quicksilver wrote:

Actuually, from what I've seen, the Trust is actually very openminded about how you create your characters and what you do with them. My own character is a lion beastkin, though I've been told about weres, canibal clowns, badgerfolk, and time travelers to name but a few. The rules just make sure you're not running about the place wanging people with a stick and ruining it for everyone else

hmmm sounds sorta interesting, I'll look later

I read all the rules... my brain hurts...i think i need to read them again... i know i want to be an elf though... always have been obsessed with them haha

Jeff the Ninja Fox wrote:

I read all the rules... my brain hurts...i think i need to read them again... i know i want to be an elf though... always have been obsessed with them haha

Lol "I dont understand....I want to be an Elf!!" bless you Jeff. *huggles*

Yay i get huggles haha ^^ i'm a bit ditsy at times, but i really am having brain hurt over the rules... hmmm what kind of elf do i want to be... sea or wood...

You can be pretty much any elf you want to be, my current group have a sea elf amongst our number, and supposedly an afrit, but I've yet to meet him... The rules can be a little murky at times, I'm still cementing a few in my head even now.

As for anal rules and 'you can't be this race', you can be more 'exotic' creatures, but they involve special requirements made in character (such as becoming a vampire or werecreature, and even if you wanted to be a proper warlock or paladin) or just a special request made of the LT, but in terms of the normal races, you're not restricted, and truthfully the character is what you make of them. My character is a fey who was originally a void/demonically-warped human due to being bound to his Ancestor (the equivalent of deities) and became a fey after entering a blood bond with his new leader, who is a true fey. The 'anal' part of the rules is just to make sure the combat and magic systems work and place no restrictions whatsoever on what you can attempt to do or say IC.

Yeah, i think its really confusing for me cus i don't play games in general so its all alien to me! But i think i want to be a ... sea... elf... totally indecisive haha
i don't get the whole character points thing either... i know i want to carry a sword... (very slowly developing character haha)

I kinda hate the huuuuge backstorys. I get setting the scene but its like everything has a back story to tell.

Plus I don't think anthro-car would fit in...

You don't have to have a huge backstory, but the more information you can give to plot teams means they can get you involved in the plot even more. As for the world, it has been going for about 20 years, but people are usually okay to make it simple for new players when they attend.

Jeff, you have 16 points to spend and each skill has a certain amount of points you need to take it. Just using a sword (medium weapon use if the sword is less than 42" long) is free to all characters, same as small weapons use, literacy, numeracy and map reading, it's entirely up to each player whether or not they have these skills.

*nods* awesome... i must decide what sorta things i want... i think i want more magic-y things... may look at how much character points spellcasting stuff is...

Magic comes under three categories (though you can purchase other types through occupational skill points, or OSPs), which are Spellcasting (users are called Mages), Incatation (Incantors are people who venerate and channel the energy granted by an Ancestor, kind of like a priest) and Healing (Healers channel the energy of the Plane of Life to cure wounds and purge poisons).

Each form of magic comes as either Level 1 costing 4 points and granting you 4 spell cards per day, and level 2, costing 8 points and granting 8 cards per day. Level 1 spells cost 1 card, level 2 spells cost 2 cards. There are other skills called Power (ranks 1-4) which each grant an extra 4 cards per day per rank (so Power 1 = 4 cards, Power 2 = 8 cards, etc). You can't have two magic skills at Level 2, but you can have different levels (i.e. Healing 2 and Incant 1).

High magic (available in all three categories) grants you access to Level 3 spells and can be purchased with OSPs, but is costly.

There is a fourth type of magic called Ritual Magic, although this works differently to other magics, and is heavier on the roleplay, Rituals being big performance pieces intended to bring about a large magical effect. Anyone can partake in a ritual to raise its value as a performance, but only those with Ritual Magic (1/2/3 all available as character skills) or Contribute to Ritual (CS costing 1 point) can add to the power level of the Ritual. Some rituals can happen outside of a Ritual Circle, but these are called Rites and are often much less based on power or performance and usually to perform a minor task. Some spells require the Ritual Magic skill to be cast (such as Transport).

Ugh, so many words, sorry, hope they help though

*nods* that did help! i've also been talking to my friend about it and she really wants to join in, but she is a forum-phobe haha i'm trying to get her on here but you might have two noobs joining your ranks haha.

I'm interested in the ritual magic... and perhaps healing...hmm i need to think about this in more detail really... i know i want to be sea elf though ^_^ thats one step closer.