Why do you LARP?

[Johanna]

Dear LARP Family,

Why do you LARP? No, really? Why do you LARP?

I’ve had my husband ask me that for three years now. At first it was because Jeremy needed a chaperone. I’ve never been so out of my comfort zone in my life. Dave tells me to go running into tavern to say that there were undead on the road. I couldn’t even come up with a back story or even a name. He says you are Derek Brook’s mom. I said “What is my name?” He thought about it for I think a half a second and says- Johanna. I was terrified. I knew no one and I was NPC which meant that I had very little relationship with the adventurers. I eventually found my niche in the kitchen since hospitality is what I do best.

I now spend countless hours researching recipes, cheapest prices on ingredients, shop for and pack up all the food, launder all the table clothes, sew for my NPC sons, myself, get to LARP and cook, clean and work until 2 am Friday, up at 7 and then to bed at 12:30/1, up at 7 and clean the kitchen, pack up and head home to do more laundry. And no, I’m not on staff. And no this isn’t a pity party. I do it because I love what I do and love the people that I do LARP with. You are family. Why do you do LARP? Really?

Because I meet amazing people who become a second family to me. I make sacrifices as a lot of you do. Some of you drive incredible miles, some of you it is a financial sacrifice, some of you leave behind little ones like me who cry because mommy or daddy isn’t there. It is hard. Why do you do LARP? Really?

I have a confession, I’m still terrified most of the time when I have to do a hook or play a part I don’t really understand. I’m afraid I’ll do it wrong or mess up the plot or something. I raised my “Lady” voice to Gary to quit harassing my help- then turned to Zihr and asked if I did ok. I’ve been doing this for three years. How do you think that new PCs or NPCs feel? Do you remember? I’ve been noticing that it is hard for new NPCs or PCs to enter into some of the groups that have formed or some of the new groups.

You are a community that has landed in foreign lands, new laws, and a place that you are uncomfortable with. It is called change. Change is hard. Change shakes things up and puts you into a newness that can divide or solidify the community and family that we have at SoMN. Plot has to set up a whole new back story and it will take time. It took ten years of campaign for Dave to finish his. I am sure that he had to set up back stories as well. We have had 3 sessions. Can you even barely start a D&D campaign in 3 sessions? Let alone with 5 functional NPCs.

Let’s talk NPCs. They are beat on all day long. They are up at 7:30/8 for you to start plot threads (btw, that is why Chris called lights out at 2- but also I sleep in NPC camp and waking me up will get them waylaid). You are expecting 20 something of you to run multiple mods with 5 people and then get frustrated that they can’t keep up. They do not have the luxury of “sitting this one out”. I know. I was one before tavern. You may have been on the “guest plot” which had 15 NPCs. When I was at Matta, there was typically 6 of us.

I am asking you why do you do LARP? Power? Fun? Heroism? Friends? Community? Mine is community. I keep a safe haven at the Willow and Stream. If you work in the kitchen, it is a place to get paid well, form friendships and help me out as my health deteriorates. But what I see going on in the tavern makes me cry inside when newbies are sitting alone, when old friends quarrel, and when someone can’t find that niche that maybe you need to fulfill a part of the storyline. I heard the archers saved the day on Saturday night. That hasn’t happened in a good long while. They have a niche. You all work as a team. You might need a scholar sometime, or turtles that can move like lightning. Look around you and see where people fit and use their skills and help them hone their skills. Have an open mind and be like Baeleon- give everyone a hand, a shoulder and some encouragement.

Thanks for reading the dissertation on community and including everyone. Remember, they might be as terrified as I am. Give them grace.

Respectfully,

Amy

 

[Johanna]

After reading the above, I realized that I did not craft a sentence correctly (probably because I was exhausted). When I referred to the guest plot of 15, I was not referring to the npcs, but if you were PCing against a guest plot of 15. Please excuse my oversight on how it was worded.
Respectfully,
Amy

 

[Elros]

Dear LARP Family,
How do you think that new PCs or NPCs feel? Do you remember?

I definitely remember my first event as a PC. Driving up to some place in Minnesota I've never been to, not a clue what to be looking for as I try to follow Google maps. Luckily, Dave was pulling out as I was pulling in, told me I was in the right spot, and I was a couple hours early. I go inside and the only people there are Josh and Andrea (Baleon and Gerty) I help them get stuff ready, sweeping, cleaning up odd things. They teach me some of the important parts of the game. Like how to die properly. I also remember my first attempt at a weapon, this flimsy Nerf axe I was gonna try. Luckily they had a sword I could borrow.

The first people I met in-game were some Gryphon Guard members, Rodrick, Valentino, Victor. They kinda helped me out through the event. They told me that one of the NPC characters liked to kidnap elves, and I slowly pulled my hood up over my ears.

I remember my first Friday night fight, going out in the middle of the night, pitch black, walking along while some Boggles were throwing lightning storms all around us, I had no idea what was going on.

It took me a couple events, but eventually the nervous-ness went away, as I got to know more and more people and understood more how the game worked.

I always like to find a new NPC and try and take them on 1v1 in a fight for a while and fight slowly to try and help them get the hang of it without getting overwhelmed by all these different calls from different sources. Just because I remember not having a clue what it was like when I started.

I think I got into larp when I thought it would be cool to play a live action version of D&D. So I did some searching about it, and basically found out about larp. And the closest to me was SOMN. It's just a fun time to get away for a weekend, and "Be all that you can't be!"

 

[Muir]

In all honesty? I play to have fun. If, for some reason, I am not having fun, I step back and consider what I am doing and why. If I can change what I'm doing to have fun instead of not having fun, I do so.

 

[Dragonblade]

that i can understand, tim and jenny (tazoulti and jaminia) first got me started when roy was running things, those first times npcing was both interesting and a good learning experience. it gave me an idea of what to do when i first created my pc, and which way to go with him, though things did change when Dave took over but i think for the better as the rules and the role-playing were more fluid and easier to understand. It wiil be interesting to see how this plot team will take things and which way they will go ?

 

[ALWEASEL]

I started larping because i am a huge D&D Fan and wanted to be a character.
My first larp were the first somn events i believe in 2009. Started with fight practices and npcing the first couple events.
Everyone was so nice about teaching me and training me how to fight.
Thanks to everyone for being so patient with me.
It was a ton of fun. Then a couple years ago i hurt my knee(not at event) and can't really run around or fight like i used to.
So i haven't been to an event in a year or two.
I am thinking of making a new character where i don't really have to fight much but can still help out. Maybe go back to Healer like crow with bow for defense.
Larping is a way to have fun and also meet new people.
I am hoping to come back next year.
Have fun all.