When I was a kid I loved playing make-believe in the woods nearby our house with my friends. We spent hours building forts up in the trees where we would stash our gathered “resources” (mostly rocks) and weaponry in preparation for battle.
My friends and I used to rendezvous at the fort to go through our plan for the next quest before embarking, each completed quest would make our characters more powerful and our kingdom wealthier, making it possible for us to take on harder challenges.
Larps are intended as games for amusement but bring so much more to the table. Learning how to take on challenges and overcome them as a group while developing yourself and your character throughout events full of intellectual puzzles and strange encounters
This might lead to more personal growth than you think. You’re probably wondering how it all works. Let me explain.
What is Larping?
LARP – Also known as live-action role play, live role play (LRP) and free-form role-playing is a role-playing game where each person portrays their own character throughout an entire game by gearing up fittingly.
The character then develops its own speech and movement mostly by improvisation, almost as if it was a performance on a stage – all of this gives LARP a theatrical feeling.
When people gather to experience the mysticism of LARP it’s usually referred to as “events”. The characters are put in fictional settings and given quests to complete together – all of this without breaking character.
Each event has its own style and/or theme and they vary greatly ranging from historical settings to future worlds full of strange characters.
These gatherings may range from small ones with under a hundred attendants to huge ones attracting thousands of people from all over the world.
Drachenfest and ConQuest Mythodea in Germany estimate about 5-8 thousand people visit their events to adventure into the unknown, leaving the mundane for a couple of days.
The duration of a LARP doesn’t necessarily depend on the size of the event but the bigger ones are usually longer, smaller events may last a couple of hours while the bigger ones can last for days.
The boundaries are next to none when it comes to creating the setting of a LARP. It’s not unlikely to find inspiration for larps in fantasies like Lord of the rings, Game of Thrones, and Star Wars. They have been used repeatedly to create detailed and decorative environments for live-action events.
It is, however, important to follow the theme of the event as a participant – It would indeed look strange to run upon Luke Skywalker in a fictional setting depicting medieval times. It may seem like it shouldn’t play such a major role for someone who doesn’t LARP, but it does. Why?
I can only tell you how it affects me. It hinders me from fully immersing in my character and my surroundings.
If I’m heading to a LARP event I plan on going head first into the event and letting myself get entirely captivated by the feeling the environment gives me. When things are out-of-place that feeling doesn’t really hit as hard as it can.
If everything is set up with finesse and the characters seem to fit the setting it’s easier to get drawn into it. That’s my two cents on the topic.
With that said – I have never attended an event and not enjoyed it.
It’s incredibly fun to do something so unlike the things I usually do while meeting new friends while doing them, eating food I’ve never tried, and doing things I couldn’t even imagine myself doing at home.
It’s a wonderful feeling of freedom shared with other like-minded people. Nevertheless, you risk losing the feeling of freedom when your character is thrown into a cage by said like-minded people. I stood up against the higher ranks and ended up behind bars for an hour. Not worth it.
Let’s go through the actual game, shall we?
Read more: The Beginners Step By Step Guide On How To Start Larping
How does a game of LARP work?
The truth is that it’s hard to say how a game is structured without taking a closer look at that specific event, many aspects of the game may change depending on the event you are attending. There are however some things that tend to be part of the foundation of most LARPs.
Before I go any deeper let me tell you about the different roles that are taken on for an event. This will give you a better understanding of the game itself.
The event could be thought of as a “play” put on for the participants who take on the role of “player characters” – also knowns as ‘PC’. Participants may create these characters themselves. It’s not unusual for a participant to play the same character at several different events.
That’s not always the case though. Last year I attended an event where the Gamemasters came up with the participant’s character. I thought it was a great idea because I had to improvise and deliver all of it on the spot, which I love.
Gamemaster you say? Yes, they are part of the arranging crew and act as referees during the game. Gamemasters or GMs tend to have a lot of different responsibilities before, during, and after an event.
They are highly influential during the early stages of event planning. Gamemasters determine the location, setting, and rules of the event.
Setting up a LARP means tons of logistical work. I found out about this the hard way – my brother took on the role of a gamemaster for a small event two years ago, luckily for him, I decided to visit him right before the event so I figured I could help out a little.
Long story short: My back was aching so much after carrying boxes full of decorations, weapons, blood, make-up, and just about anything you could think of.
Preparing for an event as a gamemaster means you’ve got a lot of stuff to take care of. It’s all worth it though.
Gamemasters are part of a crew but their role during play is mainly to keep the structure of the setting and the fictional environment. The remaining members of the crew sometimes take on the roles of NPCs – Non-player characters. These characters are part of the game but they don’t “play” the game.
What are they though? And what do they do?
Think of them as monsters, townsfolk, guides, or just about anyone who would strengthen the setting of the environment.
Quick recap:
(GM) Gamemasters
Referees who plan, structure, and keep the game moving.
(PCs) Player Characters
The players who attend the game as their own characters. Player characters can develop new skills during the adventure. The NPCs are part of the environment and story while the PCs are the ones who really experience it.
(NPCs) Non-player characters
Unlike PCs, these characters stay the same during the event, they do not grow or learn different skills. If you have a hard time picturing it you could think of it as a character that is part of the plot.
These characters may lead the PCs by giving them clues. (“I heard about a sneaky thief entering the castle… you should check it out”) That’s an example of the guidance PCs can be given by NPCs
These characters are the cornerstone of LARP – Without them and their interactions, there would be no imaginary world to conquest. Now that we have a slight understanding of the three different categories that people are split between it will be easier for us to understand the rest.
Alright. We’ve got the people… We need a setting.
Creating the setting of a LARP
The creation of a LARP takes place months, in some cases even a year before the actual event takes place. Inventing an imaginary world isn’t always as easy as it sounds.
Picking a theme would be the first stage. If you’re planning to create a futuristic setting you need to make it fitting – every little detail. That’s where most of the work lays.
While I don’t have a ton of experience planning big events, I have witnessed the brainstorming phase of much smaller events. This includes coming up with a design for the environment, fighting styles, rules, monsters as well as different races.
That’s not all. The habitants of the world you’ve created need traits, traditions, and wisdom. Their culture might differ from other races’ cultures, a village with a strong fighting culture may develop stronger swordsmen while another village could have artisan craftsmen or agricultural advantages.
Resources are a big part of the game. The in-game economy, technology, and understanding of basic elements like math can change the story entirely.
These components are then combined to create everything within the theatrical setting of LARP.
Let’s take US-based LARP Dystopia Rising as an example:
This LARP takes place over a weekend and is set in a post-apocalyptic world where you, as a participant, will play the role of a survivor in a world full of undead creatures. Your role is to fight for the survival of humanity in a decaying world.
The story is rich and full of adventures, yet there is no script to go by – your character does as he or she would in any situation you face during the game. These decisions then lead to different outcomes, some more dramatic than others.
I’m looking forward to attending a DR event this or next year! To get a better picture of it, visit their Pinterest page.
The characters we talked about earlier are then put into the world we’ve come up with, creating a vivid society – not necessarily a functioning one, but one full of adventures, challenges, relationships, horror, joy, and much more.
I’ve made so many friends at these events. The best part is that I know I’m most likely going to meet them again at upcoming events.
What else is there to cover? Oh, that’s right…. the rules.
Rules of LARP
These also differ extremely depending on which event you’re attending. As you’ve probably understood by now that seems to be the go-to answer to anything regarding LARP. That’s not entirely true but it sure feels like it writing this post.
The rules are often created by gamemasters to keep the game balanced. It tells the players what capabilities their characters have and how they can affect other players and the setting with those capabilities.
The rules also tell the players what they can do during the time between LARP events.
Usage of weapons is also regulated by rules. Some LARPs only allow the use of foam weapons in battle. These can easily simulate hits to other players without doing actual damage to them. But this differs too – some LARPs determine the outcome of a battle by playing rock, paper, scissors while others are extremely hardcore.
The hardcore ones are often Russian LARPs, these call for the use of weapons made of wood, hard plastic, or even metal – they can deal a great amount of damage. If you’ve never witnessed this I recommend you search for “Russian LARP” on Youtube. It’s like the LARP version of Fight Club.
Some LARPs are entirely free of rules, participants are encouraged to use their common sense during these games.
The region of an event can be large thus making it hard for a gamemaster to witness everything that is going on. Players are therefore heavily relied upon to stay true to the rules of the event.
This works most of the time. I may speak for too many when I say this but I feel like people who attend LARPs aren’t doing it as a chance to fight others. I can’t speak on behalf of the Russian larpers though.
Just like anything else, there are unwritten rules in LARP. Some of these are considered common sense but we’re all taught differently so I might as well list them. It might help new players.
These are the don’ts that you’ve probably already figured out.
- Don’t break character – Unless it’s an emergency or an agreement, don’t break character. It takes away the feeling of the game. It’s like hearing a phone calling in the audience during a play. Put it on silent or turn it off.
- Bring your own logistics – If you’re attending a longer event you’ll need camping gear to house yourself. Try to pack everything you can to sustain yourself. People will help if needed.
- Don’t be a douche – Don’t be the person that hits others really hard, harasses others, or cheats in any other way.
- Keep your hands to yourself – While fighting might call for the need for physical contact there are still limits. Not everyone likes being touched. Go easy on the touching if it isn’t needed.
That’s pretty much it. If you’re attending an event you should read up on the rules before going there. Make sure your gear is appropriate for that campaign.
Different styles of LARP
Categorizing LARPs can be tricky. My friend Michael took the time (about a minute or two) to explain how he separates LARPs to make them easier to categorize.
He looks at three things:
- The resolution system – How do they solve a conflict?
- The style – Is it a theatrical LARP, a battle game, or a roleplaying kind?
- Genre – What’s the genre of the LARP? Is it historical, sci-fi, or fantasy? The list of genres is long, take into consideration that every genre you can think of probably has a couple of subgenres to accompany it.
To give you some kind of clarity we’ll have to take a look at the different resolution systems.
Player versus player? Some games allow combat between players using boffer weapons and in some cases heavier wooden or metal weapons, these systems are called PvP and often mean every man for himself.
Some games are entirely free of PvP called PvE (Player versus environment), in these games, the participants collaborate to conquer the challenges they face.
Combat in PvE is often representational and solved by doing small tasks that challenge any of your senses, think of them as mini-games.
There’s a balanced style too, called light PvP. Players have the option to battle each other if both parties decide to do so.
I’ve found the light PvP version to be fun while less dramatic when it comes to battle.
Running into a potential enemy and asking for permission to fight takes away the edge I guess. All jokes aside it’s a really good introduction to the PvP system of LARP.
We’ve only touched the outer layer of LARP variations. But LARPs aren’t only split up by combat systems. They can also be categorized by “style”. This can give you an idea of what kind of LARP it is. I’ll go through three popular ones that most people are familiar with.
We’ll break them down one by one – not entirely though, there’s so much to write about all of these but I’ll dig deeper in another article, you’re probably having a hard time processing all of this information as it is.
Just know that there’s more to discover.
The Theatrical LARP Game
The theatrical aspect of LARP offers a lot of roleplaying with less actual battle. There’s no combat in Theatrical Games of LARP, at least not in the way you would picture it. Participants gather around a storyteller who describes a situation, players must then make a decision based on the information they have acquired from the teller to move onward with the story.
The outcome of the situation is determined by rolling a dice, drawing a card, or playing rock, paper, scissors. However, these are just examples. You can use any mini-game to solve situations.
The games are shorter in duration and usually last for a couple of hours.
If you find yourself more excited by the lore than the battle, theatrical LARP might be something for you. To use small games as a representation of battles and their outcome instead of actually fighting is a deal breaker for some. I liked it but I wouldn’t give up battles for it.
What I did find really amusing was the way the story was (or rather wasn’t) scripted fully. We were given basic background information about our characters, and a situation to start from, and was then asked to set a goal we hoped to achieve. The rest was up to us.
Keep in mind that this was my experience. Your event might look different but theatrical larps are generally more about the story than live combat.
That’s one out of three.
The Battle Game
Battle gaming has its roots in Washington D.C and has spread like wildfire ever since it started back in 1977. While some say “Battle Gaming” and LARP aren’t the same, I think a person who finds interest in LARP will find that sweet amusement in Battle Games too.
Primarily, Battle Gaming was heavily focused on the battles but has now grown to involve a lot of non-combat activities like crafting, poetry, cooking, dancing and singing to empower the culture within the game.
The first Battle Game LARP to emerge on the scene 40 years ago, known as Dragohrir, has evolved from combat and little roleplay to a much richer culture of battle gaming that involves something for everyone to enjoy.
The battles themselves are fought with foam weapons across big battlefields that can cover acres of grassland. Battles often start with a face of between the opposing factions while they await a start signal. The battle goes on until a winner is crowned.
There’s usually no magic in battle gaming but a wide variety of foam weapons including axes, spears, pikes, javelins, swords, hammers and daggers are used to strike enemies.
Participants are trusted with the responsibility to acknowledge if they get struck or killed in battle, to dishonor it is ‘cheating’.
Not every battle game is structured this way. The type/mode of a battle game will define the way it’s played. Here’s a list of a couple of ’em
- Kill Your Killer – Everyone who is killed by you will respawn once you get killed. Players stop spawning once there are only 4 players left. Last player standing wins.
- Capture The Flag – Each team has a base where they keep and guard their flag. You are supposed to bring their flag back to your base without losing your own flag. The team who holds both flags in their base wins. Players respawn in base.
- Death Match – The winning team emerges when all players in the opposing team have been killed.
- Hunger Games – Weaponry is gathered in the center of the battlefield. Players then move from their spawn to retrieve the weapons, getting there early gives you an advantage. Last man standing wins.
- Regicide – Each team crowns a king that they are to protect from the other teams’ attacks. Losing your king means losing the game.
The Role-playing LARP
While all LARPs are role-played, some focus heavily on the characters and their situation. Attendants either immerse in their own character created by themselves or embrace the character they are given at the event.
Intricate details about a conflict will be given to the participants of the game, they are then to solve that conflict while acting out the story and their characters.
Every character has its own skills and abilities but the group shares the same goal. Working as a group they must complete the task they have been given while staying in character throughout the game.
Players are rewarded with coins, treasures or enchanted items when they solve puzzles or defeat monsters (who are played by NPCs) on their way to the final goal, along with all these shiny things players can also earn experience points that they can use to buy better abilities.
Experience points are usually given to players who survive an event and are therefore used to develop your character for future events. (Again, this is not always the case… You’re probably tired of hearing that. Sorry)
Once the final objective is completed the game is over.
An example of a LARP like this is NERO, a north-American organization with over 30 chapters, all playing under the same rules.
Popular Genres of LARP
You probably know what kind of movies or music you like and if something new comes along you’ll want to know what genre it belongs to because your past experiences in that genre have been good.
This leads to you being more enthusiastic when approaching it and increases the likelihood of you having a good time. The same principle can be applied to picking and creating larps.
Some of us just love doing new things though, that’s great. New genres of LARP are discovered all the time making it easier to attract an even bigger audience.
I’ll tell you about the LARP genres I know of.
These games are often played in a futuristic setting with extremely developed robots, means of transportation between planets, teleports, and spacecraft.
Imagine a scenario where humanity and artificial intelligence have become one, sharing the objective of taking full control of our universe and removing anyone who comes in the way of that.
Sci-fi events are often played with nerf-guns.
Think of Star Wars for example. Think of your favorite fantasy book, movie, or story and make a LARP out of it – it would most likely fall in this category. High fantasy LARPs can include the ability to use magic and interact with supernatural beings with holy powers.
One player might have the ability to cast healing magic to restore a wounded player’s health or hurl balls of fire toward an enemy dealing magic damage.
Live-action role-playing within this genre often includes a bunch of playable races.
Lord of the Rings is a great example of literature in this genre. Low fantasy games put less emphasis on the supernatural parts of the game and, in most cases, follow a story that could happen in the real world.
Opposite to high fantasy, the number of different races in a low fantasy is few, often only humans. If there are gods they are usually in the form of historical gods that we have grown familiar with.
There might be magic and monsters but they are certainly rarities in this genre. Anything that’s rational and down to earth belongs here.
A great example of a low fantasy would be Game Of Thrones. The world and its population have been put through the horrors of Doomsday, leaving only a lucky or rather unlucky few to fight for the survival of our species.
Games often focus on survival in a world with few resources, many unknown dangers, and small hopes of rebuilding the world as it once was.
A wide array of weapons including steel bars, guns, and swords may appear in a post-apocalyptic larp. Horror and Post-apocalyptic games both focus on survival.
Horror games may include zombies, monsters, vampires, or other scary creatures. Participants must stay alive in a world where every monster seems to have an urge for manslaughter.
These games can be set in any time period.
If you love horror movies and find the stimulus from scary things appealing you’ll like Horror LARPs. I can’t deal with these, I get anxious to the point of exhaustion just knowing that something might scare me.
Creating a scary atmosphere is key for a successful LARP within this genre. Arrangers often use sound, light, darkness, colors and of course, monsters to get that incredibly scary setting.
Live action in this genre will be set in a certain historical era. It could be the Spanish inquisition, world war two, or the rise of the Mongolian kingdom.
Items, armor, and weapons will include things that man could create or find during that era. If it did not exist during that period of time, it won’t appear in the LARP, most likely. Steampunk focuses on societies that thrive on the power of steam. Steampunk games can lean toward the horror genre.
There are no boundaries when it comes to time and place. Items and gear often come from a time other than the one they exist in right now, a phenomenon known as “anachronism”. Victorian-era settings are commonly used in steampunk.
How to start larping
If you’ve never tried LARP before you’re probably wondering what kind of event you should attend as a first-timer. I went with my brothers so I didn’t really have much choice. They brought me to a small event and I got thrown into the role of an NPC.
For first-timers, I would recommend a shorter event. It can be exhausting to adapt for an entire weekend, think of it like your first day doing something new – your brain is just smashed to pieces after taking in so much information. Start small.
Going as an NPC was great. I would advise all first-timers to go as NPCs because you really get a feeling of it without spending big dollars on a costume. While at the event you will find so much inspiration for your upcoming character if you haven’t already.
If you have the opportunity to borrow a costume and really want to go as a PC, do it. I seriously doubt you won’t enjoy yourself no matter what role you go as, either way, you have to prepare for the event. Here’s an article on how to start larping without breaking your bank.
Preparing a friend for a LARP is like preparing a younger sibling for his first day of school. I’ll leave you with this information, hoping you can make the best of it. You probably will.
Be Cheap
For a first-time larper, there’s no need to spend large amounts of dollaroos. Go easy on the costume and focus on having fun, if you enjoy the larping culture you can focus on pimping your character for upcoming events. Using a cloak or a tabard is a cheap way to look less cheap.
Don’t be afraid to break your shell
If you’ve got stage fright – don’t worry. There’s no judgment. Do your best and the rest will come. Remember that other players are feeling the same thing, especially newcomers.
People feel insecure at first, there’s no denying that. Accept it and good things will come. It might be easier for you to overcome stage fright if you consider the fact that you’re acting out a character – you’re not yourself. Use this persona to develop the skills you wish to improve.
Asking is better than wondering
Don’t be afraid to contact gamemasters if you’ve got questions. They are used to getting tons of questions pre-event, it’s their work as arrangers. Anything you wonder – ask it.
If you’ve got questions during the LARP don’t be afraid to ask those either. People are very understanding and fond of making the event a blast for newcomers – be sure to show that you’re going out of character when asking a question.
Gather them nerds
If you have friends that are interested, try bringing them. If you don’t – use Reddit to find people around you who might be interested in LARPing. It’s not as scary to attend your first larp if you have company.
Where to turn to find an event
How do I find LARPs? I’ll show you a couple of ways!
The most popular one might be Google. Start by searching for LARP + your location on Google. You might get some traction there. Keep in mind that the events that appear on Google usually are the bigger ones, small LARP groups tend to market their events through Facebook communities and forums.
Local game stores tend to know of LARPs. Try to find a store that sells tabletop RPGs, Warhammer figures, or anything remotely close to LARP, pick up the phone and call them to see if they know of local LARP groups.
Another way to find LARP groups is through Facebook. There are big communities with members from all over the world and smaller ones that host local events, start by posting in the bigger groups and they might provide the guidance you need to find an event or group close to you.
The r/LARP subreddit is full of useful information and helpful people. Look for posts that might answer your question or create your own asking for help. The LARP subreddit is just a goldmine of information.
Using these 4 methods you should successfully find an event to attend or a group to roleplay with.
If you’re looking for a big event and don’t mind boarding a plane to get there you’ll have options, lots of them.
Big US-based LARPs
- Nero
- Belegarth
- Mind’s Eye Society
- Dagohir
- Darkon
- Amtgard
- Last Hope
- Dargarth
- Bicolline – Canada
Big EU-based LARPs
- Conquest of Mythodea – Germany
- Drachenfest – Germany
- Hraj Larp – Czech Republic
- AVATAR – Belgium
- Chroniques de Kandorya – France
- Hardkon – Poland
- New Age – Poland
- Empire – UK
- Odyssey – UK
- Project Lazarus – Sweden
I’m sure there are a ton of small events taking place near you on a monthly basis. Find people who are active in the LARP communities. They will most likely be glad to help a newcomer.
Preparing and packing for a LARP
Packing for a LARP can turn the calmest introvert to the dark side. If you’re going to a small one-day event you’ll probably get by even if you forget something, during weekend events you really want to make sure you’ve got all your necessities with you.
This means everything from camping gear to spell scrolls. We’ll take a closer look at what you’ll need to bring to a LARP.
If you’re going as a PC make sure to bring your costume and everything you’ll need to decorate it (makeup, scars, jewelry, accessories, gear, and weaponry). Make sure your weapons fit the rules of the event. You’ll most likely have someone from the arranging crew go through your gear to safety check it.
If you’re going as an NPC you’re going to have a much easier time packing, especially if it’s a one-day event. NPCs are usually dressed in plain black t-shirts and pants (Make sure your clothes don’t have any graphic designs, few orcs wear designer clothes). You can get these for next to nothing. Well-dressed NPCs will make the experience stronger for PCs and are usually greatly appreciated.
In my fourth time playing an NPC I was contacted by the developing team. They asked me to play a specific role at the event, I agreed to it and started searching for a fitting costume. It turned out one of my old Halloween costumes was spot on.
If you happen to have your own custom NPC-outfit make sure to ask the GMs if its ok to bring it instead of plain black clothes. If it’s a good one they’ll be super glad you brought it.
You don’t have to bring your own clothes as an NPC but most LARPs are on a tight budget and have a limited amount of clothes for NPCs. Don’t take my word for this as it might be different where you live.
All your questions should be answered by the gamemasters.
Lastly, If you’re going as an NPC there’s a chance you’ll be assigned some kind of night shift – colder nights call for more clothing. Bring black clothing suited to the weather.
Besides clothing, you’ll need money. LARPs usually charge a small fee to cover their expenses. ’tis but a scratch considering all the value you’ll get. In some cases arrangers will even provide food for the participants – if they don’t, make sure you bring your own food.
It might not seem like it but LARP is great exercise, walking through all kinds of terrain wearing your armor, marching through forests and climbing hills takes its toll. I always pack something to bring my energy levels back up between my meals.
- Raisins
- Rice Crispy Treats
- Fruit
- Protein bars
- Gatorade
- Sandwiches
- Anything packed with carbohydrates to get that energy boost. Preferably slower carbs that keep your blood levels stable throughout the day.
Water. I can’t stress this enough – bring water in bulk. You’ll be outside for hours doing exhausting quests wearing layers and layers of fabric. If you’re like me, you’ll sweat a lot. If you don’t drink enough water you’re going to have a bad time. It’s the easiest way to make sure you feel great throughout the entire game.
Great bonus: You’ll have an easier time handling the sweet inebriation if you plan to drink booze during your LARP.
I’m always wearing a drink holder. Mine is made of leather so it looks really great. I bought this one on Amazon.
Don’t feel like I’ve covered everything? I haven’t. That’s why I’ve written a 50-plus-item-list of things you should bring to a LARP.
What kind of people LARP?
What kind of people will I meet at a LARP? This question was asked by a friend of mine right before we left my house to attend his first LARP ever. I’ve been asked this question a lot of times after that.
I was taught that larpers could be put in three different boxes when asked “What do you like about LARP?”
- The Immersionist – People who like to become their player character. To adapt and transform into another character seems to be the fascination of an immersionist.
- The Dramatist – People who like the story of the game.
- The Gamist – People who like to overcome the challenges that they face during an event.
But that only tells us what they like about LARP. Who are they?
Men and women aging from young teenagers to retired fantasy-loving grandparents will attend LARPs. They often have an interest in the supernatural, theatrical or imaginative. I’ve found people who LARP to be very creative and artistic, showing this by writing, singing, creating, or improvising.
Most of the people I’ve met at LARPs seem to enjoy other games too, some enjoy online RPGs and others have developed their love for LARP while playing board games.
We share a love for the art of role-playing and all of the ways it helps us express ourselves. I’ve experienced introverts who would call themselves ‘shy’ break out of their bubble for the first time ever at LARPs because they felt accepted by the people around them.
To meet people who respect and share your hobby is a feeling of freedom that makes it easier to put your guard down. At least that’s what I’ve been told by those who say that these events have helped them socially.
I’ve met actors who play the game to further improve their acting skills, strengthen their character, and learn how to improvise. Some people attend the events just for the fights or the chance to wear an awesome costume.
Last year my character was in a group with a doctor, a chef, and a stripper. Do you think I was expecting that? Not really.
Anyone can attend, you will meet an army of new friends who, just like you, are there for the event and then go back to their own reality. Keeping in touch and meeting up at upcoming events is an easy task when you’re out of character and can use Snapchat or Facebook.
Good luck attending your first event. I hope this guide has helped you. Cheers.