Player Resources
According to the Boston Globe, Live Action Role Playing (LARP) “blends elements of the legend of Robin Hood, classical fantasy fiction such as Lord of the Rings, improvisational theatre, the epic of King Arthur, tabletop games like Dungeons and Dragons, a Renaissance fair and maybe a little psychodrama.” It’s all of these and more. Alliance LARP seeks to create the thrill and excitement of a living fantasy world for their community of players in a large network of fully immersive gaming and storytelling events.
Originally formed in 1989 under the name NERO Alliance, the organization changed its name to Alliance LARP in 2007. Since then, Alliance has the honor of being the oldest and one of the largest live action fantasy medieval games in the Americas!
Alliance runs games in multiple locations with a variety of amazing plots and memorable characters. With Alliance LARP, players are able to create a character, who can then travel "through the mists" and play in games in any participating chapter. Even at a new location, your character's skills and abilities will travel with you, allowing for convenient opportunities to play, wherever you happen to be.
The ruleset which governs each game at Alliance remains standard at all locations, meaning that a player from Pennsylvania and another player in California can still play together without any issues.
When you come to a weekend event, you will come to a private site that is usually decorated in a medieval fantasy aesthetic. Most chapters will assign you a bed in a cabin, but some use tents. The typical game begins on Friday night. From that point on until the game ends at the end of the weekend, there is no stopping for anything short of an emergency. The expreience is fully immersive, meaning all participants will be acting in character, and adventuring will be going on around you at all times, and sometimes something as simple as traveling from your cabin to the tavern can be a matter of (in-game) life or death.
Typical events revolve around plot events written by dedicated teams and staffed by non-player-character (NPC) volunteers, and players are also free to interact with other players, forming allies, enemies, factions, and more. You may fight in sprawling epic battles, participate in quests (aka "modules/mods"), participate in political schemes, barter and trade with others, sing and dance in the local tavern, uncover the deep lore of each world you discover, and more.
No! There are a variety of event lengths, lasting anywhere from one to five days. There is also the option to only attend a certain number of days in a given event, to accommodate those with hectic schedules.
There are many Alliance chapters across the continental United States, so there should always be a place for you to play. Events happen frequently, so check out our list of active chapter locations and event schedule to find an upcoming game near you.
Alliance chapter's plots are typically continuous and ever-changing, due partly to the actions of the imaginative players. It is open ended and runs from event to event, so if a plot thread isn’t resolved by the end of the event, it will often be picked up at the start of the next one. There is always something new and exciting to do: fearsome monsters lurking to fight, mysteries to solve, battles to plan, and friends to make.
This is a role-playing game. Although there are battles, it is not a war game. Plots are intricate and logical. The “bad guys” have personalities and are not always merely cliched villains. Expect to have your morals and perceptions challenged by the plots.
Most importantly, your character will be an active participant in the story! What your character does and says can affect the outcome of the game tremendously, so the more you participate, the more exciting your experience will be.
Absolutely! Using approved padded weapons, you will test your swashbuckling skills against the mightiest in the land. Each type of weapon is assigned a number representing the amount of damage it can inflict. In addition, each player can earn experience or coin to buy skills and items to increase this number. In terms of damage you can sustain, you will have a certain number of points based on your skills and the type of armor worn. As you attack, you will call out the amount you inflict, and as you are struck, you subtract the amount your enemy deals from your defense. When you reach zero, you are considered unconscious, and you’d better hope there is someone nearby to help you heal.
Alliance events place a high priority on the safety of its players and staff. Every chapter is insured, and the vast majority of games have one or more medical marshals on site, as well as accommodations for those with special medical needs. For any specific safety concerns, please contact the staff of your local chapter.
You bet! We represent magical spells (and other ranged attacks/abilities) with small beanbags (“packets”) which filled with birdseed. To cast a spell, you say a short phrase (such as “I evoke a 15 Flame Bolt!”) and throw the packet at your target. If you say the words correctly and hit your target, the spell works. Magic can also be used to create magical items and perform other unique abilities. Depending on what type of character you are playing, you are limited in how many spells you can cast each day, so use them wisely.
We don’t — you do. You “buy” your own skills with Experience Points that you earn at an event. These skills allow you to improve your character’s abilities. Because each player picks skills based on his or her own needs and goals, no two characters are alike. Skills include magical spellcasting, alchemy, item creation, armorsmithing, trap disarming, and many weapon skills.
You are automatically given a set number of experience points for each event you attend based on your current skill level and the length of the event. Unlike other similar games, we do not believe that experience should only be given out for beating up monsters. In the spirit of inclusivity to all physical abilities and playstyles, we think that the bard in the tavern contributes just as much to the game as the fighters and therefore we reward all players equally.
The Alliance LARP rulebook does have costuming requirements. All player costumes need to be in-genre, and most visually modern era clothing is not allowed. As a fantasy genre game, the better your costume, the more immersion you will contribute and the more fun you will have. However, your costume does not need to be prohibitively expensive, and other players are typically happy to offer helpful advice on getting started. Dark colored sweat suits are a good start, covered by a tabard or armor.
The world of Fortannis is filled with many types of playable character types, including elves! Check out our playable in-game races and class types to learn about all their unique capabilities, and take our short personality quiz to get ideas on character types to try!
Nonplayer characters (NPCs) are players who are given roles, such as monsters, as directed by the game's Plot Team and often attend for free or reduced cost. Brand new players are encouraged to “NPC” their first event, as it is a great way to try many different characters and styles of combat, learn the rules quickly, receive mentoring and training, earn special rewards, and get a good feel for what kind of character they might eventually like to create. Some players prefer to NPC and choose to play that role long term.
Although religion played a large role in actual medieval life and in much of fantasy fiction, we do not wish to offend anyone’s beliefs. Therefore, there is no religion in an Alliance game. There are no fantasy gods or demons, and players are not allowed to create their own.
Each chapter is different, based on their expenses (renting a site can be expensive). Many have a once-yearly membership fee, and a weekend event fee, which often includes lodging and food, can run anywhere from around $60-$130.
All Alliance chapters have age restrictions, however, that can vary by location.
Most chapters allow players over 16 years of age to play, although others require all participants to be over the age of 18. Some chapters allow for underage players (known as "pages") to participate, utilizing special rules and restrictions, as long as they are supervised by a parent or guardian. Please check with your local chapter for more information.
Absolutely, Alliance LARP is always looking for more chapters to join the network. However, we want you to run the absolute best game you possibly can, and thus in order to start an official chapter, you must meet certain requirements. Please check out this page for more information about how to get started.
Visit our official forums, where you can post your questions in the “New Player” section. Additionally, if you have chapter-specific questions, most chapters have additional contact information and additional community social media. Players from all over the Alliance community will be more than happy to help you there.