Introductions

[Aisling]

Hello! My name is Meghan and I'm up over in the New England corner of the world. I started playing Alliance in 2002 as a dedicated stick jock NPC up at the CT chapter. When I started jumping into the PC side of the game, my primary PC is a human named Aisling started jumping around from place to place; she is a straight up spear-short sword rogue, which has been and probably will always be my absolute favorite combat style in this game. My secondary is a Hobling healer from Crossroads named Sadie. Aside from them, I've got a crazy elf celestial templar and a baby dark elf fighter on the books. I jump around the East Coast and get in games whenever we are able.

After NPC'ing CT for years, I jumped into running the game as GM of Crossroads while it was up in NY. Loved being backstage and making the world turn. I'm currently GM of Deadlands in NH.

Running around as sneaky kobolds in CT had me hooked from Day 1. Since then, I've met some amazing people, many of whom I consider to be some of my closest and dearest friends, including some dude I married who's pretty swell. Love this game. Can't ever imagine not having it or these wonderful people around.

 

[cymryc]

Hi my name is Cymryc and I live in Oregon. I started playing tabletop RPGs when I was 10 and have been in love with fantasy stories ever since.

I first started LARPing in 1995 when I found a game called LARC (Live Action Roleplaying Club) that was a nero-knockoff game. The couple who ran this game came to Oregon from Georgia where they had been playing NERO. I found NERO Alliance Oregon in 1999. Most of us who play Oregon also play Seattle, so I spent a lot of time between the two chapters. When the then owner of the Oregon game closed the chapter I got together with a group of people and we spend about the next year putting together a proposal to get a new chapter opened up. I became an owner in 2005. In 2009 I started playing Devia, a local game that felt a lot like Civilization the LARP. Sadly it only lasted 3 games. After that in 2010 I moved on to Shadow Accord, another local LARP. In 2013 I started playing Amtgard to fight during the slow times and found I really liked it. I have been an active member of Alliance the whole time.

I love LARPing so much that I have traveled a lot. In 2004 I made my first journey away. I went to HQ at the old site in Tannersville. I have since Traveled to TC for there week long event that they held in 2007. I have been to Chicago once and have been to SF several time. I have gone to 2 National events. There are still several other chapters that I want to attend and make new friends at.

My hook was the enjoyment I got from gaming and interacting with people. The fantastic community of people is what keeps me coming back. I have friends that I have watched grow up, get married, and have kids.

My story of its a small world: This year I went to an Amtgard event known as Keep on the Borderlands, iIt is in Illinois. While there I started talking with a guy that I had never met before. Ends up that we both play Alliance LARP. His name is Kyle Shaub. We talked about the people we both know from game and it turns out that the first game I traveled for back in May of 2004, that Ducal Tournament was Kyle's first Alliance game.

 

[Jon no]

Most folks know me as Jonno

I've lived several places but currently live in the SF Bay.

I have only ever played one character: Nikos Sonus of the Sonus Clan of Gypsies. I began as a Rogue then switched to Adept when that class first came out, went Templar for a while and now am back to Adept. What it usually comes down to is how many points I'm willing to pay to be able to throw gas globes, 'cause sometimes you've just got to buy the mod.

My first event was Thanksgiving 1996, NERO SF, Twilight Vale, Camp Cutter. I learned 2 important skills that event: Run like ya stole something(usually I had), and fall down BEFORE you're actually dead(a trick which was disallowed in later rules editions). I've found that no matter what other cool skills and abilities I've picked up over the years those two have always been the most useful.

Since that event I've participated in every incarnation of the SF Alliance. I was staff for Garrenshaw and the beginnings of Parna as well as spending over a year on staff of Seattle's Gianeria campaign. After a several year hiatus I'm back as Plot staff for ASF Brimm's Watch and get my PC fix at ASF Maelstrom.

My LARP hook happened at a completely different game and it was those people who then brought me to my first NERO game. More recently my "it's good to be back moment" was the look on a Squire's face when I referred to his Knight as "Kitten" and was hugged instead of defenestrated.

 

[ThatOneElf]

Hi everybody! My name is John, but most people call me Perkins.

I currently reside in Richmond, Virginia with my fantastically nerdy, LARPing girlfriend.

My current primary is a High Elf of Imladar at HQ, Altohtaro Armand. Since I transferred into Alliance from stick jock world of Dagorhir, he's a fighter.
My current alt is a Wild Elf of the Red Backs at G'burg, Geo'tuer. Weaponless celestial scholar, and a blast to play! Scrolls for days! ^_^

The end of this month will mark two seasons of playtime, and I've been learning about the game for about three years now. My first event as an NPC was Gettysburg in March 2015, first time PCing was the HQ Opener in April 2015.
I'm currently working behind the scenes to help get the Alliance C'ville Chapter back on its feet (I prepped and ran 90% of their first event last year).

My LARP hook happened at HQ's opener last year.
I had just returned from a privy run and was standing near a long table of nobles and representatives, including one of the ranking nobles of Imladar. Just as my dwarf traveling companion is returning from the privy (OOG: Luke Goldsmith, the person who got me into Alliance!), a 'representative' from our enemy the Thessi rifts into the tavern. Sensing that they can't be up to any good, I tell Valim to toss me my other sword. HE THEN THROWS THE SWORD OVER THE TABLE OF DIGNITARIES. I, to my oog amazement, actually catch the darn thing. A few moments later, 20-something Thessi NPCs rift into the tavern and the glorious sound of scraping chairs heralds one of the most crazy fights I've ever been in. After that intensive fight, I'm pretty sure I'm hooked for life.

 

[Laa]

Hi everyone!

I'm Laa (or sometimes Laura). I'm presently from Atlanta, GA, but before then I lived in Boston, MA. Before that I lived in Brooklyn, NY. Before that, Savannah, GA. And I started out in Worcester, MA.

I played a wee fighter elf named Anja at Deadlands and a fancy pants biata rogue/alchemist named Mischa at 9 Towers. This past Larp season was intense, to say the least, and I am presently somewhat between characters, so to speak.

I've been playing as a PC for just about 2 seasons now, starting up at Deadlands in spring of 2014. I spent three games NPCing the year before after some excellent people finally convinced me to try it out. I didn't really enjoy being an NPC at first, and almost didn't come back until one of those excellent people finally sold me on trying out a PC. I liked that much, much better. (And I now love fence hopping and am a better NPC for it, go figure!) Since I've started, I've played 14 events at 5 different chapters, which I suppose isn't bad for a baby larper?

I've had little 'zomg' moments along the way. I had one NPCing at around 1 in the morning that had me rolling in the dirt with 2 other NPCs, bawling and begging for our lives, and a moment PCing during my first season at Deadlands where I wanted to murder the bad guy so much I forgot for a moment that it was my friend under the mask. But what really finally sold me on larp as something I wanted to dedicate my free time to for maybe ever was playing Mischa at 9 Towers. Something about the world and the characters in that game just sunk in and clicked the way a favorite fantasy novel does, and I fell hopelessly and irreparably in love. So much so that I travel to PA from Atlanta just to play that game with some of my favorite people in the entire world because I couldn't bear missing another game even though I had moved away.

Seriously though, I have met some of the best people I know through this game.
<3

 

[KyleSchmelz]

I'm Kyle. I mostly grew up in Texas, went to college in Indiana, and more recently moved up to Minnesota. I started larping when I was 19 around Halloween 2007, played a few different NERO chapters for about 3.5 years and then started Alliance in 2011 after my wife and I moved up to Minnesota. I've had a great time playing at SoMN (aside from a couple mod days, I have yet to miss a game since I started there) and in 2012 I went out to NPC my first Chicago game. I joined Chicago's plot team at the end of 2012 and recently stepped down after about 2.5 years, though I still have one or two loose ends to wrap up.

I had two characters in NERO (one was a boring Human, the other was a weaponless Chimpkin Celestial Scholar in a stylin' tophat) and I currently play two characters in Alliance. Briar is a Dryad Fighter who likes to get himself into bad situations in Gaden (SoMN) and GRONK is a High Ogre Celestial Templar that recently moved to Wayside (Chicago). I enjoy playing both, but GRONK is a lot more fun and I get to show off my armor when I play him. I've been making chainmail and scalemail stuff almost as long as I've been larping - why I chose a Dryad as my first Alliance character is beyond me. I'm considering starting a guitar-wielding MWE Rogue for SoMN's banquet event at the end of the year.

I think my favorite moment from NERO was one event when some creatures invaded the tavern... I don't remember what they were, but by the time they left, everyone but me was dead. I was playing dead in the corner, waited for them all to leave, and used what little healing I had to get everyone else back up. I felt like a freaking hero that day.
I think my biggest hook moment, though, happened at my first Alliance event. I was NPCing for SoMN and I didn't really know any of the story except there were some vampires or something. We go out at one point and one of the PCs, the Sheriff of the town, is standing alongside one of the vampires ranting and shouting about how nobody in that town appreciates him, nobody has ever gone out of their way to help him in spite of all he's done for them, nobody there cares about anything beyond making money, etc, and he just walks off with the vampire. Holy crap. I've never seen this sort of RP at a game before and I am blown away. Then I find out later he actually staged the whole thing to ingratiate himself with the vampires and learn their secrets... I knew I was coming back. It was fantastic.

 

[kalindra]

I'm Carly.

I started larping at NERO Indiana in college circa 2009, where at my first event (which was in January and freezing) I tried to waylay the head of the Rogues' Guild on a bet; got paid 10 gold to assassinate a guy; learned to cuddle my weapons when I sleep (because my friend Hornbad Weinberg the Dwarf said kobolds would rift into the barracks at night); was racist against Dwarves (mainly because the aforementioned friend also said all Elves were racist jerks); and spent 2 hours of my 4-hour NPC shift tied to a pole in the 8-inch-deep snow because the PCs took forever to rescue me.

I started playing Alliance when my now-husband Kyle and I moved to Minnesota, where I started as a 14-year-old slightly crazy purple Spore who has abandonment issues on account of that Briar guy getting himself killed all the time.

When I first started playing I didn't really get into RP or plot or anything like that, and was just there to hit things. The first time I felt legitimately terrified of something IG was at NERO Indy, where the big bad was the head of the Earth Guild being possessed by a creature called "The Face of Substance," whose bodyguard was a possessed owlbear with an innate 8-column. That guy and his stupid jerk owlbear came within an inch of wiping the town on several occasions.

Nowadays I PC at SoMN and plot at Chicago, where I've been known to write actual books that get dropped IG and subsequently lost (but luckily, eventually recovered).

 

[Chulainn Stoneclaw]

Hello, My name is Frank, and I am the Iron Ginger of Crossroads. I was born and raised in West Philly, (You can start the song now.) but spent most of my life out in Chester County PA. I have two characters I currently play and one in the books. My main is Hiwa Chulainn Steelclaw a Gorbe. My first Alt is Captain Hogrim Earthblade of Nine Towers Legion. He is a Visok-saman or High Ogre, and my other Alt is a Sea Elf from the Alliance Gettysburg Chapter named Asim of the Barquene. I can't remeber when I first started playing. But I do remember my first event as an NPC. It was at the first event Miles Lizak wrote, I had a great time. I have alot of great memories from larping. But the thing I love the most, is the wonderful people I meet. I have never been apart of a group that so supports the people with in it and the so welcoming to the people that want to come try it.

The one moment that sticks out for me that was a great larping moment was the very first Husk wave battle at Crossroads. Donna told you about how we hung up the glasses in the woods. The field that we did this at was completely dark, no lights no even from the sky. The PCs set themselves up in the center of the field and start to cast a ritual. As the first few word were said we switched on all of glasses. When told later the PCs wondered where the heck we got all of the extra NPCs, it was amazing.

 

[Simon]

My name is Joe Siegel, originally from the Boston MA neck of the woods, until I got sent to Maryland by Uncle Sam.

I I only have one Player Character, but he is kind of newish, having debuted on stage in 2004. My start with Alliance goes back to NERO days, pre-dating and encounter with John Finnegan in Monster Camp of ground Zero telling me about this new chapter to be called Ashbury...so my total time with this Hobby is well over the 20 year mark.

I think the first time I thought this was all amazing was at the beginning of an old MA event pre-Ashbury....I was all alone at level 1-2, when a large wave of Lizard men and Saurians interrupted the opening ceremonies from the lake. I take cover in the woods, since I knew no one, only to hear the Brood coming down the hill. The sheer scale and free flowing nature of the events.

My favorite Alliance moment. That is hard. My brain still puts all the old NERO stuff on the same shelf, and it's crowded. My favorite alliance moments have been those few times when I have been able to run a module which made a players weekend.

 

[OrcFighterFTW]

Hello! I am Peter. I was born, raised, educated, and now work in the Twin Cities (Minneapolis-St. Paul and surrounding suburbs) of Minnesota. I was introduced to LARPing by a classmate who played NERO West in California and started an unofficial LARPing club at our college in 2007. The initial rule set of our club was heavily based on the old NERO Alliance rules, but we made liberal changes to various rules (especially armor) to accommodate for being a bunch of low income college kids. As an actor/comedian, nerd, athlete, and outdoors-man, LARPing was a unique hobby that fulfilled multiple interests in one fell swoop and I was sold from the first mention of it.

When the Southern Minnesota chapter opened in 2008, a bunch of us from the college club went to a winter mod day to try "the real thing." At that one day event, I was immediately impressed by the amount of time and effort players put into their individual costuming, make up, weapons, and everything else in the high quality that I've now come to appreciate Alliance for, even if I haven't always lived up to that standard myself (mostly for out of game money reasons). Even in the cold of Minnesota February, these players were completely dedicated to the game and that made an everlasting impression on me.

Fast forward two years to my graduation and leaving the "unofficial" LARP club behind, I reconnected with the Southern Minnesota chapter and started PCing my Barbarian gambler Cho Ko Nu in July 2010, who I still play to this day. I have done half PC, half NPC in my five years with Alliance LARP, although I have only made it to a handful of games in the last couple years due to some health issues. I am a Rules Marshal for SoMN and usually help with Armor and Weapons checks before game. Also because I PC, I rarely Marshal rituals or "rogue-ing" (stealing from) in-game areas in fairness to other PCs who may want to keep certain actions between themselves and the Plot team. Instead, I serve as a reliable in-game resource and contact point for new players to ask any questions. My PC frequently stays in the Tavern, so it helps to be easily accessible there. In the past, I have served as a New Player Marshal and the New Player Marshal Coordinator for the SoMN chapter and wrote about half of the content in the FAQ section of the SoMN website. I also served as a National Board Moderator or "Paladin" for a couple years. Unfortunately, due to my frequent inability over the last couple years to make it to events, I have given up all staff positions, but still come out to PC whenever I'm able.

The majority of friends I have made in the last decade have been LARPers. I love this community and the people who make it all the amazing fun that it can be. I look forward to the debut of my Human Earth Scholar and many more years of LARPing to come!

 

[Egor]

Hi I'm Jeremy or that one guy with the fabulous hat.

I'm a northwestern person born in Washinton raised in Oregon and now living once again in Washington. I like the rain and fresh air.

I have had three characters that I have played. First was a human rogue now retired named Drethel, then came my Pirate scout Hawks and now I play a pacafistic Romani named Vavarick. By Far he has been my most enjoyable character so far.

My first event was November of 2003 I went with a friend named Paul who convinced me to try it. (Just once won't get you addicted right?) So off we went to a then Nero Alliance Seattle weekend event.

So my whole first game was pretty epic: It was freezing cold, I knew one person there and reality in game was split onto three planes of existence. There was an epic spider cave mod, lots of good fights and mystery and the "Powerful Paisley Pants" mod kept me up until 4am Sunday. It was all awesome.

 

[norman b]

Who are you? I am Norman Berg. I am Head of Logistics of Oregon and recently added to Plot.

Where are you from? I am originally from Granite Falls in WA but have moved to Portland.

What do you play? I am one of the Original Three Raccoonkin in Alliance Seattle. I now am part of the 11 Raccoonkin Felony

How long have you been playing? I started in February 2011. Cymryc enticed us to come out and try Alliance. I have been larping for 11 years now (October) since I was 16.

What was your hook (what made you go, ZOMG LARP IS AMAZING) ? My first event was Alliance Seattle's DARKNESS fight. It was a big black dragon made by Matt O. It was amazing. That really had me wanting to come back.

But my Hook into larping was my first event ever. I was 16. I had only played D&D. I made a friend of mine come out with me to try out this thing called larping. I had a blast (he only went once). It was high fantasy and a very simple system. There were maybe 15-20 players max. I really enjoyed larping and have continued since then.

 

[RavenSis]

Hi, my name is Kate.

I'm from all over New England, though mostly an eastern Mass kind-of gal.

I've been playing for 15 1/2 years. I started in NH (then Syraandor). I've played in Syraandor/Deadlands, been staff in Caldaria (twice), been staff for Crossroads, played in Ashbury and Moria. I'm currently a chapterless plot maven.

I have a few PCs: Alyssa Darksnow, Amani healer extraordinaire; Carolina Maria Brasa de Cortez, sassy Laerthan Roma Scout; Ehetere Nasreen, Crossroads Dark Elf Templar; and Agatha Handebern, Artisan from Caldaria. My first PC, Ankarah, permed in 2001, and I let my Rabbit Wylderkin Fidget die in 2011 to make room for my DE. Over the years, I've played a lot of Plot Characters, some epic baddies (Atrox sends her love!) and a whole bunch of grey-hatted folks (Dame Lydia's legend will outlive me, I swear).

My "hook" for larping was Gary Marvel (I'd known him for years) - who asked me if I knew how to get to Claremont, NH (I did), and asked if I'd like to lend use of my van and driving to go do something cool. We picked up a few folks, packed our rennaissance faire gear and he explained the rules on the way up - and thus, the GOTEC and my larp career was born. (It's also why most of us were human!)

Larp is this magical sweet spot of humanity: it's this amazing fishbowl in which we encounter things which challenge us, inspire us, and infuriate us, all while getting to be active outdoors and spend time with our friends and family. It's the place where you meet people who change your life for the better, and you develop strong, lasting bonds with your fellow nerds.

So there we go, me in a 5ish paragraph nutshell.

 

[Durnic]

Greetings! My name is Rick and I am originally from a tiny ski town in the Sierra Nevada mountains called Truckee. As a wee lad I spent a lot of time running around in the woods pretending to be a soldier or a knight. It was a simple thing to move into D&D and console RPGs after that.

This thread got me to thinking about how exactly I started LARPing and I have to say that it is my girlfriend's (now wife) fault. I was sitting at her place watching the Darkon documentary when she said something to the effect of, "I can see you doing something like that". I figured hell, why not? Maybe there's something like that in Portland. I did some quick Google searches and found Alliance Oregon. My first event was just over three years ago and I have been bouncing between the Oregon and Seattle chapters since, usually as a PC.

Right now I am playing a grizzled veteran of a Mystic Wood Elf named Durnic Daeron. He was a character concept I came up with on the way back from a game I NPC'd at after my first PC, Cael, perm'd out at 10%. Durnic and Cael are very different and I am having a great time getting to know him the more I play him.

As I can't half-*** a single thing in my life, I quickly ended up on Oregon's staff where I function as the New Player Representative, helping get new players into this game we all love.

What is my one hook moment? That's a good question, because I already have a lot of great stories and I've only been playing three years. If I had to pick just one story it would probably be at a Seattle event where a dozen or so of us lowbies discovered we were alone and were attacked by a recurring necromancer character (we all called him Bony Tony, I don't remember his name. Whoops. Maybe @Nate knows since he was NPCing him.) and a huge horde of undead! A lot of the others wanted to turn and run but my character said something to the effect of "hell with that, if I'm going to die, I'm dying on my feet!" I rushed in and we not only ended up rallying and winning, we ended up defeating Bony Tony entirely. I am not even sure that Plot expected us to be able to finish that fight off, but we did!

From a PC standpoint that would be when I grabbed some other fledgling players, with no "escort" and went off looking for trouble. We found it in the form of lizards that crippled limbs. We limped, drug and barely hobbled out of that cave. We feared for our lives, we fought like crazy, we were sure one of us would die... and it was AWESOME.

Oh hey, I was on that mod; withered right next to you the whole time. I think between all of the PCs on that mod we had a total of four working limbs.

 

[strago]

Hello there fellow players!

My name is James St. Martin, though I'm sure at least a handful of you (those who go to Deadlands) know me as Strago. I am not as active a member as I would like these days, but have been an on and off player for quite a few years. I grew up in southern NH, and quite close to the Deadlands site - it's always been no more than a 15-minute drive away. I have only played at two games - Deadlands and another game no longer going on in Unity. As for how long I've been playing, it has been off and on for a good 10-15 years, and seeing as I'm 30, I can safely say almost half my life has been spent as a player, even if the events stop for the winter

I also want anyone and everyone to know that online I'll probably seem uncharacteristically friendly compared to how I am in person - awkward, and usually a bit distant; I try to be friendly, and those that know me certainly would agree that I'm a nice person once you get to know me, but it's still a rough battle trying to get to know people, doubly difficult because of my social anxiety. Chatting online helps break through the social barrier for me; I really enjoy having friends that share a common hobby, so if you do feel like getting to know me, please do strike up a conversation, and I'd gladly try to get to know you! Oh...and yeah, last pretty important bit of info...I also own and run a business selling gear for Larp - weapons, props, etc., and I'm really glad to always get you anything you might need, so please do get in touch with me should you ever want/need something you wouldn't be able to craft on your own, and I'd be happy to help as best as I can

I saw the last topic as a suggestion for introduction was what got me into LARP - back when I was in my teens - maybe 15 or 16, can't remember, my older cousin got in touch with me and told me about this place that is "sort of like video games in the real world" - of course, being the gamer I was, I wanted to see just what my cousin was talking about, and I had her take me along for an event. That's literally what got me hooked on the entire concept from the moment I set foot on site, seeing people lined up for logistics in various degrees of makeup and costuming, and even though I NPC'd the event and was playing as various monsters, it was just so amazing to me...it felt like stepping foot into a whole new world! I can definitively say the particular moment that got me hooked was one of the first encounters I participated in - I was in a group along with my cousin playing as wolves. We snuck to just the outside of the tavern (there was a woodline close by). It was quiet, and I remember only one or two players out in the field along with one right near the front of the tavern. We all came out of the woods snarling and growling at whoever it was at the front of the tavern. Even in my recollection of the memory it still feels surreal - it was like a true medieval town was just alerted to the presence of danger once that person realized just what we were - I saw a town of adventurers and heroes assemble before my very eyes to face it...that's the moment for me I knew I'd be hooked for sure on this awesome game! ...and that said, I just convinced myself that I need to go rob a bank to pre-pay for the next 30 years of events...*totally not going to, but...if I ever won the lottery.... *

 

[Nate]

Hello All,

My name is Nate Bainbridge and I am the NPC Guildmaster for Alliance Seattle. I've been larping since I was 15 or so years old. Started with a couple local games around my neighborhood (G.O.A., VtM Red Square, etc.), but got introduced to Alliance (formerly NERO at the time) when I was 18 years old from a couple of good friends. My first event was Oct 2002, The Fear Monger.

I play a Biata Rogue by the name Dante D. Vaik, member of House Zodiac. I've been playing him since I started and *knock on wood* I've been lucky enough never to take a trip to the circle yet. I also have a High Ogre Dual Caster on the books but haven't played him yet.

My hook moment came my first event when my PC and his travel companions were throwing a shindig to lift the spirits & inspire hope in the people around us... Then the Fear Monger showed up and dropped our ward. We either jumped out the windows or hid in another small ward on one of the bunks. I'd never ran, fought, or had that much of a rush before. Not only that, but I was blown away by how awesome the community of the game was.

Larp for me has never been a disappointment. Either being able to work out my aggression safely with other folks looking to do the same (yay combat!), RP'ing things I wouldn't normally do as a challenge to myself or just to hang out with a wonderful group of people I regard as close friends or family. Even after 13 years, it still amazes me as the first day I stepped onto the field.

Cheers,

 

[Jovunn]

Hey, y'all. My name is Kris.

Born in Tennesee and did the vast majority (read: 99%) of my growing up and becoming a person in and around Philadelphia, PA. Coincidentally, that is where I met Maggie (Cozy!), who dragged me to my first Alliance game in 2010, after months of my being less than encouraging about her taking up what I thought was the low rung on the nerd ladder as a hobby.
My God, I was wrong. Mea culpa, friends. Mea culpa. One event and I was all in.

I've been playing the game for a little over five years now. My first primary PC was a barbarian fighter at HQ, who in four years would lose a family, find a family, achieve knighthood, get married to a pretty cool dwarf baron, and become the walking embodiment of death before sacrificing her last life. Jovunn was a wild ride, and through her and through playing her I gained an amazing chosen family OOG - one of whom I guess I'm kind of marrying on Halloween. Weird.
Now, my primary PC is a polite-but-grumpy cannibal elf from Gettysburg who is maybe not so much a nice person, but is the greatest RP challenge I've ever taken on; my secondary is, well, a (way more brütal, super black metal) barbarian fighter to replace my barbarian fighter. The dichotomy is a fun one.
In my time playing the game, I've worn the plot hat on and off for two chapters and served as the customer service maven for the Gettysburg chapter for... two? three? years. There were some years.

It's hard for me to pinpoint a single hook moment, but I think it might have to be my very first event. I didn't know anyone, and I wasn't sure how well-immersed I was going to get having only put about... an hour's worth of prep into my character and her backstory.
Lo and behold, Tom Haswell as then-just-a-knight Ulthoc pulls me aside and asks my character what her deal was, having found out a tribeless Vansir wandered into town. And we were off, having a really fantastic series of completely IG, strong-style RP conversations that ultimately set my character on her life's path. There was no bloodshed, no combat, no nothing other than solid RP and the investment of another player in me and my experience. I was hooked, and to this day I try to always remember that moment when a brand new player comes to game. I hope I can be half the ambassador of good sportsmanship and community Tom was that day, and strive to be that to the best of my ability at and away from game.

I REALLY LIKE YOU ALL OK.

 

[Sita]

Howdee ^.^ My name is Christine, and I'm from Oregon - specifically the mid-Willamette Valley where I still reside. I play an incredibly naive, crunchy, Earth Scholar and Archer, Thorn Dryad named Amory. So far, she's the only character I've played in Alliance.

Looking at my character card... wow... I've been playing Alliance for right about three years, and before that I tested the waters with a couple characters in a local Vampire LARP. Gotta say, I enjoy Alliance a lot more!

It's hard to say what my specifically my hook was. There have been some absolutely brilliant moments, but honestly, I think it's been the Alliance game and the community itself. Playing in Oregon and at the Seattle 4-day has let me explore Amory as a character in some pretty harsh stories, and getting to meet all the people that make up those stories either as PC's, NPC's, or Plot has been a joy. Hopefully, I'll be playing Amory for a while, but even if she kicks it next game {still shocked she hasn't yet} I look forward to continuing to play in the world of Alliance for as many years as I can. ^.^

 

[Gandian Ravenscroft]

Hey y'all, I'm Alexander! If you've ever looked at pictures from SoMN, I'm the tall one with the long blonde ponytail!

I'm from just outside Saint Paul, MN, so I got involved in the SoMN chapter in July 2009 after stumbling upon the website online. Since then, I have made every SoMN event except for a single Faire event, plus around 75% of the Chicago games since 2010. Come May 2011, I became the SoMN Logistics guy, then joined up on the SoMN Plot team and started NPCing full-time in November 2012, then became the SoMN General Manager in April 2013, then became the SoMN Head of Plot at the beginning of the 2014 season. Needless to say, I wear a lot of staff hats in SoMN, and there's a half-true joke in SoMN that "Alexander never sits down."

I'm renowned at events I attend for my reasonably remarkable ability to recall seemingly trivial details from past events (quite apart from remembering important plot details and encounters, one of my favorite "games" is to have someone show me a magic item and ask me what it does, when it expires, and what event or even specific mod it was dropped on), as well as for sleeping on/under tables or wherever else I decide is a reasonably suitable place to collapse. The Chicago event last weekend was the first weekend in 3ish years that I actually brought bedding to an event and people were so proud of me!

I started my LARP career playing Gandian, my strong-emotion-driven Celestial Templar Elf, until he sort of reached his natural conclusion story-wise in mid-2013. Since then, I've been playing my lovable Dryad Rogue, Silp, in Chicago and have had a blast playing a simpler character. I played my tiny Biata healer, Sarvenius, for a single half-day mod event, but I don't know when/if he'll come back. In my non-LARP life, I make leather masks as a small business hobby as I search for base-level advertising work. I spend a huge chunk of my ample free time working on crafts, a lot of which gets funneled into LARP chapter use at some point.

As far as what my hook was, I can't really narrow anything specific down. The moment I got involved, met the amazing folks that comprise the SoMN and Chicago communities, and felt the immersion at each event, I was firmly hooked. Good people, good story, good times.

 

[Alkalin3]

Hi. I'm Chris. I started in 98 (I was 12, or 13, that's why my character has a dumb name) before the split. Moved over when kzoo did. I played a lot in the late 90s and early 2000's. Play with some regularity in the mid 2000's, and started help run South Michigan in 2010/2011. I did that with 2 of my super close friends. Recently we've added a few more people to the plot team to help avoid burnout.
I've got a few pcs but, I play my original pretty regularly. I try to make Traverse City and Chicago events.

Friends have always kept me coming to the game. Most of my adult friends are either from college or larping. Once I started meeting cool people and developing relationships with them, that hooked me. I actually enjoy running plot a lot. Probably much more then I do pcing. So I've done that a bunch.