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First up, the following video is not in fact LARPing. Well, not as I just experienced it....




Indeed, my weekend away in the woods, with a Rubber Mace coated in Latex, could not have been more different.

My mate Thom and I arrived onsite Thursday morning, the day before the game kicked off. We made good use of this time sussing out who was who, what was what, and of course the most important bit, exactly where the Tavern is. Tents pitched, introductions made, characters created, we proceeded to nose around the Trading Tents (people who make a living from selling LARPing gear, not in-character Trade) then, with our newly procured bits and bobs, to the Tavern to drink. A lot, whilst awaiting the arrival of the others in our little group to arrive. Thoroughly pissed, and having met up with the relevant people, we nicked off back to camp at a fairly decent stagger.

So Friday rolls around. The In-character camp has expanded somewhat, and the Out area is massive. Brekkie is had at a food van, accompanied around 11 a.m. with yet another trip to the Tavern whilst waiting for our first 'Time In'. We were told it would be 5. It was called at 7. So we began out LARPing experience once again, completely pissed.

And the weekend proceeded in much the same way. In-Character, we turned out to make pretty good spies, as not only does nobody suspect a NooB, but no one feels even in the least bit threatened by a One-Hit-Squishy wandering around relatively aimlessly. We managed to amass a fair old amount of info for our Faction, but my favourite bit of wisdom is just exactly how incredibly thick Gate Guard can be. Seriously. These guys are stupendously dim, and give up the juiciest information with hardly any questioning.

But aside from the gaming aspect, I was camping. Camping I love. My parents have always been heavily involved in Scouting, and I was camping more or less directly from birth. The people you meet there are fantastic fun. They are happy to explain things to NooBs, and to point out that though they may get very aggresive in character (I was told to Feth off out my Tent at one point) it is purely in character. Hurrah! We received invites over the course of the weekend to visit other Factions encampents and always received a good welcome, either well roleplayed, or free food (the Aggabooshka do an excellent Curry!) on offer.

I highly reccomend at least trying it. The people are friendly, the gaming is incredibly good fun. And even got to see some combat when I went monstering. I have to say Monstering is one of the best bits. The Refs collect volunteers, you get kitted out, and for a couple of hours you are a totally disposable beasty of some sort allowed to Tonk, Job, and Beat Up the Factions with relative impunity. During my first fight, I wound up fighting with a Spear, and Tonked at least 6 people, which was good for a laugh. I think next year I will volunteer for more and more Monstering, as they rarely have enough volunteers, and being a non-com character, it allows me to get my violence related jollies!

Tonk and job?

Tonking is to get a palpable hit on someone, and eventually drop them. This comes from the sound of the foam-latex weapons connecting with the target. Though it is more of a 'paff' if you hit foam-latex armour.

To job someone, means you have killed the character. Once reduced to zero hit points on the chest or head, you are unconscious, and lie on the ground. You begin your death count (count up to 120 seconds). If you are not healed in this time, or at least had the process started, then your character is dead, and it's off to the God Tent to get yourself a new one. At this point, you have been 'jobbed'. Our Faction Leader got well and truly jobbed on Friday night. Sadly I missed it, as I was in the Tavern!

Glad you got to go despite your bashed up cab, MDG!

Friends to the rescue on that one!

And it's just as well. Turns out I can be incredibly sneaky and underhand when needs be. I play an Alchemist, and didn't get to meet many people prior to the massive pagga* that killed our Faction Leader. He was killed by two other Factions who objected to his rather frank admission at having dealt and treated with the Undead. As such, Thom and I decided that to avoid a good old fashioned jobbing on our first night, we'd pass ourselves off as independants.

This gave me access to the other camps, where people have amazingly loose tongues. Much info was passed back to our Faction in this manner. And even better, I've offered my services to said other Factions at the other events, giving me more or less permanent carte blanche to wander around. Even, and indeed especially, when they have no Alchemists with them. Meaning should I feel an opportunity has arisen, I can pinch all their alchemical wares in-character, and take it to our camp! Naturally I can expect a good shoeing for that one when they catch me up!

*For make benefit of many foreign devils who claim to speak English, a 'Pagga' is a free-for-all fight involving interesting levels of relatively mindless violence.

I spent my weekend watching these guys (along with some Romans, ACW, Greeks and Medievalists) who are 9,000 times* more awesome than LARPers.


* Tested on a genuine Awesome-meter

Haha! Fooled you!

Thom is a re-enactor with Westkentenghast. Or something. Not sure on the spelling. He knows Saxon battle commands and everything, and finds the 'no thrusting' rule most frustrating!

You're not allowed to thrust due to safety concerns about the weapons carbon fibre core punching through the foam and impaling the opponent for real. This has happened!

Does this thing have a website of some sort? Sounds interesting.

Certainly young sir

Am now awaiting the listings for next years events so I can plan my attendance and budget accordingly! Took £200 with me this year, and ran out on Sunday afternoon....

Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:Certainly young sir

I thank you sir Mad Doc. I'm intrigued. No all I need to do is see if there is one near me... budget permitting of course.

Frpm what I hear, US LARPng is sadly closer to the video in my first post....just bits of foam wrapped in insulation or gaffa tape, as opposed to carved, sealed and latexed.

But hey, definitely try it! Check first to see if your nearest one has a 'Monstering' Equivalent, as I highly reccomend this for your first year's combat experience. You are highly likely to suck more than you think in HTH, and to lose a character which you are growing attached to due to this sucks!

I saw a LARP once. It was supposed to be Vampire: The Masquerade, but it turned into Twilight and I averted my eyes.

I've always wanted to LARP Dark Heresy though. Critical hits might be an issue, however.

Curious Pastimes generally run mixed combat/politics events, which is why it has such wide appeal.

Right now I'm up to around my hips in politics, being a sneaky sneakpants Spy for my faction, and I get the feeling I am only going to get deeper and deeper as my character progresses!

Done propely, with continuing characters I fail to see how anyone can not enjoy themselves, as long as they are into RPG in general.

sounds good fun. i would be interested but its defintely something i wouldnt just go along and do. i dont know anyone who does it...

Aye those gaffa tape weapons make me cringe, mine are all full cored latexed swords, and actually look like what they are supposed to be.

Not heard of Curious Pastimes before, sounds very similar to Lorien Trust, who although I haven't Larp'd with in about 10-11years, would have just held the Gathering over bank holiday weekend.

I can appreciate the beer tent as well Mad Doc, in fact one of the factions (well at least in period I attended 94-98) 'The Bears' (faction based on the Scottish clans) where well known for spending the entire weekend in there.

The Tavern was fantastic! £2.50 a pint, Smoking allowed and best of all? Very good Mead, £7.50 a bottle. Hic!

And being a Spy, I've become one of the first players to have a Tavern related P.O. Box.

Seriously looking forward to the next event!