LARPing, a quick explanation for those interested

It's been a while, and I have no excuse! Life is a whirlwind of events and things to do, and one of the biggest things I've been doing is LARPing. For those that do not know what that is, feel welcome to this blog where I'll tell you something about the world of Live Action Role Playing

Yup.. seems about right

What is LARP?

Larp is actually an abbreviation of Live action Role Playing. It's where you create your own character with or without statistics and actually go play it out with the help of a story telling team. Not on a table like Dungeons and Dragons, but a real life forest (or whatever setting you play) and you completely immerse yourself not only in your role, but also your story. Those stories are made up by a story teller and can take different changes based on how you handle them.

Whoa, but doesnt that make you kind of geeks?

Why yes, it does make us look kind of geeky or even dumb. But actually it's as normal as those jocks who get over enthousiastic when looking at a football match :) LARPers just choose to take part in a story which is build around their own character. Think of it as a great game where everything you do is directly reflected in your life.

But what do you actually do at those LARP events?

Well, that's where it starts to get interesting. As I mentioned earlier, you actually create a character that you want to play. That means choosing a race, a sort of class, or whatever you like. This is then represented by really dressing up the part, and acting it out. So you could be a blue fluffy rabbit-man healing the wounded or you could go for an elven archer with keen eyes. It all depends on both what you are truly capable of, as well as the world you're playing in.

Do you really dress up? That does sound costly.

True, but isn't any hobby costly? But let's not exagerate. Most of the costumes are simply linnen threads that are given a good look. Next to that, once you start the hobby, you also start your own inventory. Whether it's clothing or apparel, you'll begin to collect bottles, small pieces of clothing and even anything remote. Me myself, I've started thrifting and finding some great props there! Most of the LARPers do start with a simple black base costume and go to events as an 'extra' and work up from there.

An extra? What does that mean?

Most people start their adventure by taking part in a LARP as an extra. This means that you're actually part of the narrative by being give a specific role by the story tellers. Because of this, the threshold is much lower. Having some black clothes and some sturdy shoes is all you need. Clothing and weapons are then provided by the story telling team whom also give you your role or purpose for the duration of the game. It allows you to find out the world and way of playing

Okay, so that's not that hard. But did you just say weapons?

Yes! LARP does include much weapons. Being a fantasy character, in a mystical world, you sometimes need to defend yourself! So there is a big arsenal of available weapons, shields, armour, ... that's needed to go around this world. Those can be bought in specialised stores or even handcrafted. They are mostly foam with a sturdy core and allow you to fight while doing so with soft materials. Once again, here is the principle, once you bought it, you have it for a lifetime if you treat it well.
Having weapons ingame, does mean that there are fights being held. Although most of these fights are very cinematic, they do hurt sometimes. Although that all depends on  your adversaries. Clear agreements should be made before playing to reduce real harm, but accidents are always possible.

So what about the other side? Can you be a part of the story?

This is what we call the players. Those that create their own character, design and craft their own gear and decide what happens in the world they play in.  It's living the world and trying to survive it. Although the story telling team mostly has an idea of what the event will entail, it's up to the players to make it happen. You are presented with a certain situation and must handle appropriately. This could be to help certain villagers with a mission, or even slay a goblin warlord terrorising a town.

Haha! So I could go and be bad-ass and slaughter everyone as well?

Sure! And sometimes a player does try this. Although, do know that PvP (Player versus Player) as we call it, is mostly not that accepted, and others will react on it. Next to that, the story telling team will most likely not allow certain events to destroy an event in a way that is just stupid.

If you feel like I've left out something, or if you've got any other feedback, don't hesitate to comment! Especially if you like it :) If you'd like to read/see more of me and my gaming exploits, be sure to follow me on Facebook, Twitter or follow my story on Snapchat !