NEW 2021 National Event Updated FAQ!

Gandian Ravenscroft

Knight
Chicago Staff
Marshal
This FAQ is updated with relevant information for the 2021 National Event and supersedes the previous FAQ posted a while back!

Site and General Information

Q: When is the 2021 National Event?

September 3rd to September 6th, 2021 (Friday evening through Monday morning).

Q: Where is the 2021 National Event being held?
The event will take place at Camp Pokanoka:
N 2703rd Rd,
Ottawa, IL 61350


Q: What is the COVID-19 situation for this event?
The staff fully understands that COVID-19 is at the forefront of everyone’s mind for this event, and we are certain that you have a lot of questions pertaining to that:
- “What safety precautions are you taking?"
- "Will there be any sort of vaccination/testing requirement?"
- “What are Illinois's guidelines on gatherings like this?
- “Under what circumstances would you cancel or delay the event again?"

Unfortunately, the exact answers to a lot of these questions are still in flux and will be evolving over the next couple months as the staff closely monitors the situation with the vaccines. Rest assured, we are not going into this recklessly and it is our full intent to implement measures to ensure the health and safety of our players! While exact details are still to be refined in the coming months as things develop, a brief outline of some of our plans are as follows.

We are requiring a 90% vaccination rate of all attendees at the National Event, and part of pre-registration will include proof of vaccination. Non-vaccinated players will be capped at 10% of total attendance, and if you are unvaccinated, you may be put on a “waiting list” to attend until more vaccinated players are registered. Get your vaccines, folks! With the expansion of vaccines available to the public and the amount of time before the event, there should be ample opportunity for our players to get their vaccinations in time, with the unvaccinated 10% comprising only those that are truly unable to receive the vaccine for medical reasons (allergies, immunocompromised, etc.).

Examples of a few additional precautions we have planned for the event include things like providing all players with in-genre masks at Logistics for them to wear if desired, temperature testing, personalized makeup/prop supplies for NPCs, modified rules for touchcasting and other close-range interactions, additional sanitation materials available throughout the event, expansion of available outdoor gathering areas, etc., and we will be keeping a close eye on other gatherings and LARP groups to see what kind of measures they are implementing for the best safety.

Following current Illinois state gathering restrictions on pace to move into its Phase 5, we should have no problem with gathering for this event (we would be able to follow the gathering guidelines and run the event right now if we wanted), and these guidelines are going to be expanding over the next few months before we reach September. At this point, the National Event would only be delayed or canceled in the event that the nation undergoes a severe and widespread mutation of the virus that proves resistant to vaccinations and brings the nation into major lockdown.

Hopefully that helps answer some of your questions pertaining to COVID-19! We will be continuing to monitor the situation over the next few months and will be sure to keep the public updated on any new developments pertaining to the event.

Q: What is the cost of Nationals and how do I pay?
The cost for PCs will be $125. This helps us cover the cost of the site and food for the event. More information about payment can be found over on the pre-registration page for the event: https://alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/2021-national-event-a-story-for-the-ages-registration.42161/ There is NO cost for NPCing! Thank you for helping us fundraise to make that possible! Pre-registration will open on the CMA on June 1, 2020.

Q: What is the best airport to fly into for the event?
Both Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Chicago Midway International Airport are about equidistant from the site, about 1.5 hours away (plus maybe a little more, depending on traffic).

Q: What are the sleeping accommodations of the site?
The majority of sleeping will take place in primitive cabins that host 4-8 people in beds. The cabins do not have electricity, so it may be a good idea to bring a battery-powered light for nighttime. In addition, there is one larger building with 24 beds with electricity that is reserved exclusively for players with medical needs (CPAP machines, etc.). There will be no sleeping space available in the central hub “tavern” building of the event.

Q: Is tenting allowed?
Absolutely! There will be some designated areas on site where you can set up your tent(s) if you would like.

Q: Are there showers on site?
There is a large indoor bath house with showers! Hooray!

Q: What meals are included with my event fee?
It is our plan to include breakfast, lunch, and dinner on both Saturday and Sunday of the event, as well as some light snacks available at other times of the day. There will be no formal meal provided on Friday evening or Monday morning. Our wonderful kitchen staff will try to accommodate most food restrictions/allergies based on information received in player registrations, and if we are unable to accommodate for it for whatever reason, we will contact you and work with you to find a solution. There may be some slight changes as we approach the event, but the current menu planned for the event can be found here: https://alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/nationals-2020-menu.41175/.

Q: Will I be able to use the kitchen and/or refrigerators for personal use during the event?
The kitchens and refrigerators will NOT be available for public use. If you have a medical need for such a thing, please email nationals2020@chicagoalliancelarp.com and we will work with you to find a solution.

Q: As a traveler will there be any help available to me? Loaner gear, etc.?
We will have a “Travel Committee” with several volunteers providing loaner reps of armor and weapons to those who request aid. These same folks will help out by receiving shipments from out-of-town travelers as needed. We will also have limited ability to host travelers who have travel plans not sync up perfectly, AND we will have a couple volunteers acting as shuttles between the airport and site. There will be more information posted about this soon, so stay tuned for an update!

Logistics and Magic Items

Q: How do I pre-register for Nationals?

Information on registering for the event can be found at the following page: https://alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/2021-national-event-a-story-for-the-ages-registration.42161/. Pre-registration will open on the CMA on June 1, 2020.

Q: What is the cut off for pre-registration for Nationals?
The pre-registration deadline will be August 20th (which is 2 weeks before the event itself). The sooner you get your registration in, the better, since it gives the Plot Team more time to prepare for who exactly will be attending!

Q: What magic items are allowed for Nationals?
Players may bring unlimited Restricted magic items with standard effects. Players may bring up to 20 standard ritual effects on any combination of LCO items. For the purpose of counting LCO ritual effects, the following rituals will not be counted: Permanent Duration, Spirit Link, Spirit Lock, and Preserve Duration. Artifact Items of any kind will not travel to the National Event.

Q: How will True Empowerments on magic items work for Nationals?
Additional effects from True Empowerments will only function in the chapter that they originated in and will NOT function at the National Event. Please note that this includes True Empowerments from the Chicago chapter (since the event is technically a National Event and not a Chicago event, even if it is hosted in Chicago). True Empowerments from a past National/Regional event also will not function at the current National Event. If a character casts a True Empowered ritual at the National Event, it will generate an extra effect for the remainder of the event, but will not generate any effects lasting longer than 5 days that can be used in another chapter.

Q: I have a Transform and/or other unique ability in my home chapter. Is that allowed for Nationals?
Transforms and other nonstandard plot powers of any kind will only function in the chapter that they originated in and will NOT function at the National Event. You may roleplay these as appropriate to your character if you would like, but any plot or mechanical traits/benefits/disadvantages/abilities will NOT travel to this event and cannot be used. (For example: If your character is a lycanthrope, you might choose to still roleplay being uncomfortable touching silver items during the event if you want, but you do not have any actual plot/rules traits that you might have from being a lycanthrope in your home chapter, etc.)

Q: Are workshops allowed at Nationals?
Unfortunately, since the National Event is happening in a unique in-game location, regular workshops cannot be used unless you buy one specifically for that location (and understand that it will most likely be lost after the event). However, if you have a workshop enhanced with the Workplace of Convenience “Mist-Touched” ritual effect, it can be used for the National Event!

Q: Can I use my chapter's Goblin Stamps for Nationals?
Goblin stamps from any chapter may be used for production items per the standard policies, but must be spent during pre-registration. Following the event, Goblin Stamps from any chapter may be used to blanket the National Event.

Q: Is there an age restriction?
All players must be at least 14 years of age and have a waiver signed by a guardian/parent if under 18. If under 16, a player must have a guardian/parent present for the duration of the event.

Q: Are Pages allowed? What rules do they follow for this event?
Absolutely! The exact Page rules for the event are being finalized and will be posted soon. Stay tuned for an update!

Ritual Casting Restrictions

Q: What rituals can I cast at Nationals?

All Ritual Scrolls and Catalysts from any Alliance chapter will be allowed to be cast at the National Event with the following notes:
- No LCO scrolls from any chapter may travel to or be cast at the National Event.
- Ritual scrolls from multiple chapters may be cast within a “batch”.
- For catalyst-required castings, the correct catalyst must accompany the scroll, and both scroll and catalyst must come from the same chapter.
- Permanent Duration scrolls from any chapter do not travel to and cannot be cast at a National Event. Preserve Duration scrolls may be cast as usual.
- Boost Duration scrolls from any chapter cannot be cast at a National Event.

Q: How will the Copy Formal Scroll ritual work at the National Event?
The resulting scroll will be of the chapter which issued the Copy Formal Scroll ritual. The created scroll will not be available at the National Event and will not be taken out of Treasure Policy for the chapter who must issue the scroll. The National Event logistics team will inform any chapters that need to issue such scrolls after the event.

Volunteers and Donations

Q: Can I donate to Nationals? Are there any Dragon Stamp rewards for donating?

Absolutely! Information on the Cash Drive for this event can be found here: https://alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/nationals-2021-cash-drive.41994/
More information on non-cash donations for this event can be found on the following page: https://alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/2020-national-event-donations.41064/

Q: What are the rewards for NPCing?
The base reward for NPCing is 50 Dragon Stamps. There may be additional Goblin Stamp rewards from participating chapters as well, and we will update this posting to include that information once it is finalized.

Plot Information

Q: Who is the Head of Plot for Nationals? How can I contact the Plot Team?

The Head of Plot is Alexander Thompson (Gandian Ravenscroft on the forums), with Ryan Benike (Darkcrescent on the forums) as Assistant Head of Plot. You can reach out to the Plot Team at nationals2020@chicagoalliancelarp.com.

Q: Will there be any in-game plot information posted about the event beforehand?
Absolutely! Keep an eye out on the in-game forum located here: https://alliancelarp.com/forum/forums/fortannis.11/, or check out this thread for a summary of the posted teasers: https://alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/national-event-hooks-teasers.41330/. Some live-action plot hooks have also been provided by the National Plot Team to chapters that they can deliver to their local players in-game if they so choose (and we hope that they do it!). Furthermore, the Plot Team will be including an in-game research opportunity for players to investigate before the event (similar to In-Between Game Actions, Downtimes, or whatever your local chapter refers to them as), granting you a bit of extra information about the setting and situation before the event. More information on that will come as the event draws closer, so stay tuned!

Q: Does the National Event take place in the in-game setting of the usual Chicago chapter campaign?
It does not. In fact, this event takes place within a unique section of Fortannis and does not take place in any pre-existing chapter location. More information about the location of the event is given through the aforementioned plot hooks on the forums!

Q: Does the Plot Team need to know anything about my character?
We would love to learn a bit about you before the event! We encourage all players that plan to attend to fill out this brief questionnaire, which will help us tailor the event to the individual players: https://alliancelarp.com/forum/threads/2021-alliance-national-event-character-questionnaire.41960/
 
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Is Amtrak also a possibility? Will shuttles be possible from Napperville or Princeton station? (Assuming we’re willing to hang out and wait a few hours there.)
 
Is Amtrak also a possibility? Will shuttles be possible from Napperville or Princeton station? (Assuming we’re willing to hang out and wait a few hours there.)
Yes it is. We will be posting about rides in the next couple week, once we get volunteers for that.
-Daphne
Nationals Logistics Team
 
Is the transportation coordination still forthcoming, or should folks start reaching out individually to find rides?
 
We have many volunteers, and seem to have a decent supply of loaner gear. But due to work schedules being unforgiving and or making it hard to commit this soon our transportation pool is smaller than expected. I would encourage anyone who needs a ride to post on this thread AND reach out individually as able as well. When we get to the week of if you still have not found a ride-we will take a new stab at coordinating rides, ect as needed.

Sorry work in progress on this front.
 
Question: for the purposes of warding, do the cabins have one door or two? Last I was there, there seemed to be a house rule that it was one door, and the back door was out of game, but I want to make sure that holds for Nationals.
 
Question: for the purposes of warding, do the cabins have one door or two? Last I was there, there seemed to be a house rule that it was one door, and the back door was out of game, but I want to make sure that holds for Nationals.
If you ever want a ward with 2 entrances/exits you have to have two people cast a ward at the same time. The other way would be if there was rooms in the cabin and it would have to go outer ward first then in her ward.
 
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