Hello dearlings! And Happy New Year! 2016 is shaping up to be a pretty busy one for YoC and I can’t wait to see all your smiling faces.
But if we’re going to feed those faces, we need to raise our prices.
The prices from past years do not reflect a few changes that have happened in the world and at YoC itself, and because of that we ended the year $2,000 in the red for LARP meal service. Which was a bit panic inducing, until we sat down and really looked at the facts and figures.
The prices of eggs and chicken products have gone up quite a bit in the last year because of avian influenza and the unfortunate amount of birds that had to be destroyed during the year (Just one recent example: Here. 😦 ). Since bird flu isn’t going anywhere, and chickens don’t just magically populate, we’re anticipating that chicken products are going to remain higher in price for a while.
The other change is our staff. We’ve got an incredible kitchen staff that do a great job, but in order to keep them around we’ve got to, you know . . . pay them. Since YoC has never really planned for staffing needs before, we had no idea what to expect. Now that we do, with a small price adjustment and some careful planning we should be golden.
We’ve also been cooking more of a variety of foods and more allergy or diet sensitive foods. Gluten free and vegan spring to mind, but we’ve been trying to cook specially for others as well. That does bring our costs up, but it’s something we’d like to continue to do. Cause we love ya’.
What does that really mean for all of you? It means that service will stay the same, the menu type and quality will stay the same, and the price will go up a dollar per meal.
As per usual you can still pay online here, or at the door.
Happy Autumn!!! I know it’s been way too long since my last post,
I’ll insert this crying peep to beg for your forgiveness on my behalf.
but I’ve been trying to get my schedules (blogging, work, larp, life, & laundry) under control. I’m almost there! Before the end of November, my marketing guru and I have a plan to start posting on a new, improved, and more manageable schedule. This post is just a quick hello, even quicker camp update, and menu for the weekend.
Hello! *hugs* How are you? How’s your mum? Have you larped while I’ve been gone? Job going well? Are you eating enough? Getting enough rest? Oh, me either.
Now that the salutations are done, on to the camp news!
Bad news first:
We are incredibly sad to share the news that YoC’s last caretaker Paul Briggs passed away on August 22nd. I wish I had known him better. But he leaves behind a legacy of kindness and music that shall never be forgotten. If you can, please consider helping his family here.
On another less than happy note: We’ve had some animal losses during the hiatus. Musoki has gone missing and there are only three chickens left. We suspect a fisher cat or fox took the chickens. As for Musoki . . . well, we just don’t know. Anyone in the area, please keep an eye out for him. The other animals on site are in good spirits (albeit missing their compatriots) and are enjoying the change in weather. (to figure out what the heck I’m talking about click here: Who’s who ) The chickens are almost completely free range now, and will be until the first frost. And they do love humans, so they will follow you around camp braaa braaa-ing and making other dinosaur noises.
On the happier side of things, the larp season has just rolled into high gear with the month we like to call Larptober. Here’s the games for this month at YoC:
The game for this weekend is Knight Blades find them here. They have CP exchanges with a few local larps including Lione and CRO.
The meal for this weekend is one I’m excited about. Some new recipes and some changes to old ones, make this a rather fun cooking weekend for the staff and me.
Rosemary shallot beef stew, corn chowder, minestrone with tofu (for the vegans/gluten intolerant), homemade bread bowls (not for the gluten intolerant), salad, iced tea and lemonade. Oh yeah. And dessert: Apple cider cupcakes and Maple Bacon Cupcakes.
You heard me. ^_~
Questions, comments, recipes, pictures of your cats? Share them with me! And if you’ve got larp stories, especially but not limited to those that happened at YoC, please share! I’d love to post about the history of YoC, not just it’s present/future!
Greetings and salutations my fellow nerdlings. It is I, Puck, your friendly neighborhood satyr, coming at you with some Larp-A-Palooza info. This is our first time running an event like this and we hope it goes well. In addition to gaming, dancing, and outdoor summer funtimes, we have a few vendors coming to ply their wares and trades.
First off we have some of our favorite sword happy, purveyors of violence coming: Phoenix Swords! They will have a tent and demonstration space set up. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us!
Next of we have the indominatable Mark Richards, Massage therapist (don’t call him a massuese). He will be offering a dollar a minute chair or table massage special. Well worth it, he has magical hands. +1 At least.
We have Dawn of Dragon Stitchworks coming with a plethora of goods ranging from cloaks and mantles to jewelery and spell packets.
We also have Calli of Callicocrafts carrying her brand of whimsy with crystal lights, dice bags, horns, tails and skirt hikes, to name but a few.
Finally we have Kris McCosh, bringing us handmade goods from homespun wool. Yarns, fingerless gloves, little yarnling critters, costuming, and maybe a few fun surprises. (LEDA: SHEEP?)
That’s all for now folks, hope to see you this weekend at what we hope to be an annual shindig, and as always, be excellent to each other.
This weekend is Fourth of July. And that means that it’s also time for the first annual LARP-A-PALOOZA!!!! *crowd roars
We’ve nailed down the official Saturday schedule of events and now can share them with you! (Friday and Sunday are less regimented and more set up/clean up, socialize, and game as you see fit)
EDIT: Derp. I forgot to add the food competitions because I am full of duh this morning. Friday will be the Best Bite Competition (snacks, dips, or hors d’oeuvres) and Sunday will be Most Magical Muffins (um, it’s a muffin competition). Winners will be decided by YoC staff and win fabulous prizes, that I will decide on this week. ^_~
8-10 am – We’ll be selling breakfast and everyone will be waking up and getting their ducks in a row.
10 am – The LARP Swap begins! Bring your costuming, masks, props, and larp stuff, drop it off and trade it in for new-to-you stuff! We ask that clothing is washed and props/masks are in decent condition. Jenny will be manning this area, so ask her if you have any questions.
– Also the vendors open for sale! Keep an eye out here, for descriptions!
11 am – Capture the Flag! Signup sheets will be available in the tavern for this camp wide, boffer fighting, run around like a crazy person, game of tower defense! Rules will be posted tomorrow.
12 pm – Lunch will be for sale from 12-2 pm. Keep watching this spot for menu and combo deals!
1 pm – From 1-5 pm KB will be running mods. Here’s their pitch:
Join us on a module, just like the ones we run at KB, to experience all the excitement and thrill that LARPing entails. Will you survive and walk away with your head held high and treasures in your sack? Or will your corpse serve as a gri…m warning to all other adventure hardy folks? Or join Joshua on his recently sanctified “Belicose’s Training Grounds”. Here you can safely hone your inner warrior’s natural abilities without the fear of a premature visit to Death.
If you, or whoever you are with at the Larp-a-polooza, have never LARPed before, this is a great chance to get a taste of the role play, boffer combat, and other-worldly immersion LARPing has to offer. If you are a seasoned LARPer, then come on by and see what KB can offer.
We look forward to seeing you on the 4th,
Hazzah!
The Knight Blades Staff
2pm TBA
3pm TBA
4pm – Dinner will be for sale from 4-6 pm. Keep watching this spot for menu and combo deals!
-From 4-7 pm Puck & JT will be running boffer competitions! 1 handed, 2 handed, Sword & Board and a Grand Melee. Prizes TBA
5pm TBA
6pm TBA
7 pm TBA
8 pm At 8 the dance party starts in the mod building! Remember how cool the DJ from New Years was? (this guy: Drahck) Well we’ve got him again and he’s turning the mod building into a wicked cool place to strut your stuff. So. Excite.
9 pm – There will be a bonfire starting at 9, in the large pit by the stage. Because . . . it’s a bonfire. And it’s New England. This is what we do. ^_^ Singing of camp songs and eating of s’mores are encouraged.
10 pm – Capture the Glow. Remember that capture the flag game earlier in the day? Well add to it, darkness, glow sticks, and a little more stealth, and you’ve got the idea. We’re running a night time capture the flag game. (Signups for this will also be in the tavern.) Rules will be posted tomorrow.
All throughout the day there will be an opportunity to play board games in the tavern, play outdoor games . . . outdoors, learn about other LARPs and larpers in the area, eat, drink, socialize, and generally have a great time!
Today’s preview seems like a cruel tease, since they’ve already reached their player cap. BUT they can always use NPC’s, and the info is good for those that made it in, so . . . on with the blog!
This week’s larp preview/review is. . . CAMP HATCHET!
Camp Hatchet is a one shot game taking place from Friday June 26th – Sunday June 28th. The story is something so simple and cool, but one I’ve never run across before. (Disclaimer: I’m sure there has been a larp like this, nothing new under the sun and all, but it’s new to me.)
Here’s their boilerplate on the type of games that this group runs:
Camp Hatchet is a Live Action Role Playing Event, or LARP for short.
…
Part of the Prophecy: Apocalypse series, these games are designed to get you right into the action and keep you on your toes throughout the event. Each Apocalypse game is a one-shot (a single weekend event) that puts the players into a survival, do or die type scenario. Your primary goal is to live through the weekend, but you will have other tasks to accomplish as well.
Here are the whys/hows of the story:
It is an indiscriminate year during the 1980s…. The infamous Camp Hatchettawnee, the site of a grisly murder over a decade ago, has recently reopened and is accepting applicants for camp counselors. You are a teenager who has been accepted and have arrived at camp to receive a week-long counselor training.
However, strange and creepy things begin to happen at the idyllic camp. People go missing. Shadowy figures are seen in the woods. You begin to learn that this camp has a dark and sinister past.
As night falls, the noose tightens, the blood begins to flow, and nobody is safe. Miles away from civilization, the young counselors-to-be must survive long enough to find a means to escape.
I am wicked excited. ^_^
I’ve read in the rulebook that we don’t bring weapons into game. But throughout the day Saturday we learn how to do activities, like real camp councilors would.
(And here comes the conjecture –>) Activities like fishing, archery, first aid, um rifles? And uh . . . crafts? No idea? Aaaaand via those activities we get our weapon and defense skills? And learn where weapons are cached for later in the day/night? But that’s just my speculation, don’t take that as law.
On to the when’s of this story: here’s the tentative schedule of happenings.
Schedule (times are approximate)
Check-in and registration: 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Pre-game meeting (mandatory): 9:30 PM
Movie showing (TBA): 10 PM
Bed time: 12:00am
Breakfast: 9:00 AM – 10:30 AM
Game on: 10:00 AM
Event runs to game conclusion, approximately 2:00 – 3:00 AM Sunday Morning
Post game continental breakfast: 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Sunday morning End of game meeting, epilogue: 10:00 AM
*meals serving requires purchasing the meal plan
I think one of my favorite parts of this larp’s schedule is that Friday night is horror movie night! A totally out of game experience so we can all psyche ourselves out all night until game on the next morning. Brilliant! It’s always good to begin a one shot horror larp with lack of sleep, rubbery legs, and a head full of slashers.
I will post pics on Monday, if I get any good ones!
Now the sad news from our organizers and an option:
But hey, don’t miss out on the mayhem. Sign up to Cast via the form below, we could always use more spirited murderers to help kill all our lovely players. As a reminder, cast members must still purchase the meal plan if they wish to be fed.
My first larping experience was in 7th grade, but I didn’t know it as larping. In our district, two elementary schools from different towns dumped into one junior high. So to make us bond they sent us to Nature’s Classroom for a week before school started. We stayed in cabins and did all the traditional camping stuff but also did ‘school’ stuff too. For our history class we were given historical notes on escaped slaves, each picked a persona, and then we had to make it through the ‘underground railroad’. There were very few rules. If we were somewhere and we heard the ‘slavers’ coming we could lay flat on the ground (face down) and if we didn’t make any noise or move, they couldn’t find us. Other than that, everything was WYSIWIG (another term I didn’t know until about 10 years after this story) One of the councilors was our guide and she lead us into the deep woods, slogged us through the bogs, and snuck us through the cabins, which now looked like turn of the century farm houses on the inside. Sometimes after we’d hide in the cabins to rest and drink water, a ‘slaver’ would come in and ‘search’ the cabin, while the ‘house owner’ tried to distract him. I remember I was hiding behind the couch and he kind of tossed himself onto it while ranting about slaves, trying to make us squeak. I thought my heart was going to explode; but, to my credit, I didn’t make any noise or burst into tears.^_^ At the end of the afternoon they had us make a final push for freedom, I believe it was some town in New England but my memory on that is fuzzy. Our guide said it was too dangerous for her; we’d have to go it alone. We all paused for a few seconds, in shock, and watched her walk away. Then we sized each other up. . . And then 10-15 kids reenacted Lord of the Flies while scrambling through the woods to get to the amphitheater that represented freedom. We pushed each other, we tossed one another to the ‘slaver’s dogs’ (a friendly camp dog named Sydney), and ran as fast as our pre-teen legs could carry us. I, before really knowing I had crappy lungs, lost my breath and couldn’t continue. I chucked myself to the ground and laid flat on my face, wheezing and sniveling in the dirt. The ‘slaver’ that had been chasing me caught up, looked me over for a second, and then nudged me with his boot and whispered “It’s really close, kid, go ahead.” I imagine I was a pretty pathetic sight: a preteen girl wheezing and crying into the leaves, all alone. But in reality I was all alone because as soon as I saw the others and their ‘kill the pig’ swarm, I booked it away from them. I looked up at him all big eyed and said ‘really?’ He nodded and I got up and ran like crazy. He yelled something after me, ‘I’ll get you next time’ or something so the others wouldn’t know I’d gotten a pass. I staggered into the amphitheater and sat down with everyone else for popsicles, all of us looking vaguely spooked and stunned.
Since then I’ve played a bunch of larps, and two other one shot horror/suspense games. I lived through the first horror larp and died of insanity during the second. (Both Cthulhu games at YoC) So my horror larp track record isn’t so great. If we count the Freedom trail, I’ve technically lost more than I’ve won. But really, I find that horror games aren’t about that. It’s about lasting as long as you can. It’s about being so amped up that even when there’s no GM/NPC’s around you’re still terrified and jump every time a leaf falls. It’s about facing death. Then when you do die, laying there letting the adrenaline fade, then getting up and being able to laugh about how you croaked with your friends. It’s the same as watching a scary movie; it’s the safe adrenaline rush. But don’t sneak up on me next week after game . . . I’ll probably scream and jump a foot. ^_^
Wish me luck and hope to see all of you at YoC this weekend!
This babble day, I thought I’d got over what the Accelerant system is, who uses it, what it’s all about and how it works.
I will only be commenting here and there, when I think it’s amusing or pertinent. But mostly I’ll be cribbing (with credit) from the people that know best.
Our first blurb is yanked from: Madrigal’s System Madrigal is run by the creator of Accelerant, Robert Ciccolini.I’d say that’s a pretty authoritative source, eh?
The Accelerant live action system (formerly known as the nTeraction system) is designed to allow a rich set of skills and abilities without an overly complicated rules set. The system is designed to allow a great deal of options in creating and advancing characters, and allows for hidden and secret skills without needing extra rules to deal with those abilities.
With the Accelerant system, we have taken every opportunity to allow the player’s actions to speak for them. Most of the active skills require real interaction from the player. The rules handle the resolution of our staged combat, allow rogues to actually work game locks and disarm game traps, allow mages to throw battle magic and summon spirits, and even encourage musical performance with a set of Troubadour skills. Our staged combat stresses roleplaying, and we use boffer weapons and packets to represent weapons and magical effects.
The Accelerant system is designed to allow the game to flow without holds or stops in the game play. Every facet of the game, from the rules to the plot to the staff characters, is designed to create a tale without interrupting play. We will work hard to stay in game, and we ask that our players do the same.
The main point I enjoy about this rules set, is highlighted in the last paragraph. “. . . game flow without holds or stops in the game play”. Now WYSIWYG is a brutal mistress, and I don’t expect 100% immersion 100% of the time from any larp. But if there is less time that I spend thinking “Oh man, what does that do again?” and more time thinking in an IG way, I really appreciate it. And having a common rules set allows the front of your brain to be in character rather than rifling through a mental rulebook.
While I was thinking in that vein, I staggered across this blog and thought it was pertinent. For an Ohio larper’s review and dissemination of Madrigal’s rule set take a look here: LarpOhio
The author’s name is Tim, but he isn’t credited anywhere on the blog. He does seem to like the system, but doesn’t judge much one way or the other. It seems more like a jumping off point for his readers to discuss how they feel about it, and a bookmark for him to remember he’d like to use this system if he ever runs a larp. Having said that, it’s always nice to see how larpers in other parts of the world think.
Now to switch directions, I’ve pulled this from http://www.accelerantgames.com/ It’s some of the boiler plate for GM’s/Directors/Owners/Potential Buyers:
“The Accelerant game system is a set of simple, time-tested core rules, upon which a game owner can build their live-action roleplaying game.
. . .
Since Accelerant games completely divorce flavor (called traits) from in-game effects, it is simple to create creatures in a fanciful and flavored way. For example, a Fire Elemental can have “5 Damage by Fire” and “Disarm by Fire”, and have a completely different feel than a duelist who can swing “5 Damage” and “Disarm”, though the in-game effects are the same.
There are many games using the core Accelerant rule system, exploring a wide variety of themes and genres – explore the websites through the icons to the right to get a feel for the types of games the system supports – these include:
Aftermath, Madrigal, Aralis 2, Mirror Mirror, Ascendant, Numina Larp, Brittanis, Occam’s Razor, Clockwork Skies, Shadows of Amun, Cottington Woods, The Isles, Invictis, The Shattered Realms, Zombies: Aftershock!” and others.
Those others, of course, include Lione Rampant: Crusades. Which is happening this weekend at YoC. I’m just sayin’. Here’s a link to their rules, to see how they handle the Accelerant system.READEN ZEE BOOK
Finally here’s a view from an interesting source that I didn’t expect. This is TV Tropes write up on Accelerant larps:
LARP: Accelerant
The Accelerant system is a LARP (Live Action Role-Play) system that functions as a set of core rules for guiding the interactions between characters in several New England-based LARP games. Formerly known as the nTeraction system, it is developed and owned by Robert Ciccolini.
While games that run using the Accelerant rules can vary widely in genre, theme, and “combat vs. roleplaying” ratio, they all share some basic characteristics. These include the use of boffer weapons and birdseed-filled packets as the means by which combat is resolved, and the general rule that one hit from a weapon or arrow (represented by a boffer weapon or packet, respectively) deals one point of damage in game terms, unless the attacker declares otherwise when they make the attack.
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Another feature of Accelerant games is that most of them participate in a Character Point exchange with other Accelerant games, meaning one can play a game as an NPC to earn Character Points and then apply those points to one of their Player Characters.
The general philosophy of the Accelerant rules system is that characters should be able to do as much as possible “in-game” without breaking character or interrupting the general flow of the game. No dice, cards, or rock-paper-scissors methods are part of the core rule system. The game employs a system of effects and traits defined by a common vocabulary which makes it easy to resolve otherwise difficult or confusing actions without breaking the flow of the game.
Are there really larps that use “dice, cards, or rock paper scissors” any longer??? I know that V:tM does . . . but other than that, I’ve never used any of those devices for combat resolution during a larp. It sounds like something that would be cumbersome and would wrench you right out of the immersion. Or it might not, if you’re used to it? Maybe that’ll be my next babble day topic. ^_~
Well I’m off for today, tender lumplings. I hope you have a delightful end of your week, and that wherever you’re larping this weekend, you have an awesome time!
WARNING: Author is biased!!!! I love this game. I love the GM’s. I love my character. I love the world. I love my rolling crew (. . . well . . . in that ‘I’m hugging you, but I’m hitting you’ kinda way). I love the NPC’s. I love the other PC’s. (even the ones my character hates . . . I’m so sorry!!!) *babble babble love fest here* So all attempts at unbiased reviewing have just been gleefully chucked out the window. I’msorryI’mnotsorry.
Ahem. I shall now attempt to control my excited hyperbole. Attempt.
All the info about Lione Rampant here! That handy link takes you to the website. That is where you get the rule book, find the forums, and get all the contact info for the awesome-sauce GM’s. Your first game is absolutely free, which is a great way to see the lay of the land. Also Lione is now accelerant, so it’s very easy to get right into playing.
This iteration of Lione just started last year. We’re on the third game of this season and it’s been a pretty brilliant one thus far. Here’s the setting blurb for this campaign:
In ages past, there were monsters, wizards, and champions of the gods. They were fairy tales in this era of industry, technology, and progress. We knew the difference between fantasy and science. But just five years ago, we discovered the myths held more truth than we realized. In the year 3909, the world became radically altered.
The modern age ended as we knew it, and magic returned to the world. As technology failed and science gave way to mysticism, civilization was on the brink of collapse. The gods, once thought to be nothing but stories, have begun to speak once again and a sinister evil rises from the nightmares of the past.
With that setting, the character possibilities are huge! Want to play a post apoc orc or a tree hugger squirrel person? You’ve got it. How about a Goth Elf? Rock on. Or maybe even a human in medieval fantasy gear? Absolutely. There’s amalkin (animal human hybrids) elves, dwarves, humans, magic users, steampunks, and a ton more! This setting has really sparked my creativity. For the first time in a billion larp years, I’ve been playing around with making characters, and seeing different RP possibilities in the combinations. Although, I would like this character to last as long as possible, because rituals are terrifying but fun. And my plot line roxxors. Oops. I’m doing that fangirl thing again. O_O
On to the story for this weekend:
The Day of Disjunction
As the high holy days of the Wylds and Faya occur, an ancient rite of spiritual bonding is revisited to fight a common foe. The new alliance with the lizardmen to the north has gained knowledge about the unholy places in the wilderness as well as the secrets of travelling the planes. The forces of Grumach, though, will not be idle, as their defeat at the hands of the people of Stoneheim has left a bitter taste in their undead mouths. And what of the bug-people, and their mysterious pylon that still rests in our field? And the Soulless? Has the defeat of the Toy Golem sent them scurrying away, or was he just the most recent in a litany of villainous monsters?
And just in case you’d like to get more of a feel for current events: Newsletter Archive
Not really in the mood for PCing? How about scripting/NPCing? Toss some black clothes in a bag and join the fun! You’ll get a chance to interact with really great PC’s and NPC’s, and almost all of the YoC staff (we PC) (REAPERS!!!) (ahem) and a great group of directors. ALSO you have a chance to win a $25 gift card from the NPC drawing at the end of the weekend. And if that’s not enough motivation: Lione has CP exchanges with a verisimilitude of games so there’s a good chance that by helping them out you’re earning points for your favorite game! Want more info? Here’s the spot for NPC’s to register: NPC site And if you’d like to connect with the directors it’s here: Lione Rampant: Contacts Do it, you won’t do it!
Friday is gong to be partly cloudy with highs near 79 and lows in the 50s.
Saturday mostly sunny and gorgeous with temperature highs of 78 and lows of 58.
Sunday has a chance of rain with highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s. Looks like a good weekend to bring some extra socks & light summer garb.
Please remember bug spray and sun screen. The mosquitos are like 747’s and the ticks are very very active. The chickens are doing their best, but there are only 5 of them! On the bird note, there are two mated pairs of swallows on site. One has nested in the front of the house (by the parking lot) and the other is nesting in the barn. Swallows are incredible bug eaters, so we’re glad to see them nesting here. BUT, a word of caution: The males have been swooping at people, trying to protect their nests. They haven’t actually hit anyone, but it’s a bit unnerving. Unless they actually become an issue we won’t move the nests, which would be stressful (and potentially harmful) for everyone involved.
That’s all for now! Can’t wait to see you all on Friday!!!
It could be about larp gear, armor accessories, props, makeup and techniques, prosthetics, game theory, interviews from LARPers (GM’s, NPC’s, Owners, PC’s etc etc), or news and views from YoC! Sometimes, it’ll be me babbling about the chickens, or some new plant that is blooming on site, or even some of the attempts we’re making at being a more ecologically friendly site.
So basically, anything that falls out of my head related to LARPing or the Commons. ^_^
Today my babble will be: an interview! The victim . . . er . . . lucky winner of this interview is Rourkie, plot team/staff member of Isles. You may remember the Isles is happening this weekend at YoC. *hint hiiiiiinnnnnt CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO!!!!!!^_^ Ahem. Without further disruptions, ladies and germs, the interview:
Lookin’ at you, kid.
Name or most commonly used larp pseudonym: Rourkie
Age (geologic eras accepted): Close enough to 32 to count -_^
How long have you been larping: 10 years
First game: The Isles, as a player character
Current Game(s): Plot Team/Staff for the Isles, recently converted Player Character to NPC in Cottington Woods, NPC and Plot Liason for Draconis, Player Character for Lione
What’s your favorite part about the sport? Honestly? Getting dressed up and being someone else. It’s like a living novel, and everyone has a story to tell, all at once.
And on that note, there’s quite a debate about it being a sport. I say that if golf is, larping is. Thoughts?: Oh, it’s a LOT more of a sport than golf. Combine running, fencing, hiking, and bobsledding (yes, bobsledding!) into one Mega-Sport and you have LARPing. I’ve played golf – wasn’t sore at the end of the day. After a weekend of LARPing, you’re sore all over, but it’s a good sore.
Favorite character you’ve played and why? /Favorite moment or memory of all your years of larping? Probably my PC Stryker from Lione. He’s so morally ambiguous! Seriously, though, he’s the last Rock Star on Earth. It helps me get in touch with my narcissistic side, which doesn’t always get much time to shine through in real life. Also, being able to get the town to sing along to Wonderwall just by playing a few chords still remains one of my favorite LARPing moments.
The movie version of Stryker
Who would play that character in the film of the larp? Robert Pattinson, hands down. He’s got the look, the accent… the attitude. Not everyone can be a Rock Star, you know.
What do you think is the most essential part of a character? (costume, makeup, back story, accent . . . ?) Backstory is essential for your character. The more you give your GMs to work with, the more enriching your experience will be. And the more you know about your character going in, the easier it is to play. Now that having been said, characters can surprise you. I generally end up writing half my backstory after the first event, because your character often has different plans than his/her player might have realized.
Why do giraffes have such long necks? To get to the best leaves, of course.
Who is your larp hero? The person that exemplifies all the positives of the sport for you? Andy French is my LARP hero. He got me into the sport, he’s been around the LARP community forever and has been able to shape it for years now. He’s resourceful, responsive, and congenial, whether he’s playing a character or staffing. Really, what it comes down to is he’s not afraid to put his creativity to use, and isn’t afraid to help others do the same.
What is your biggest larping pet peeve? Probably extended out-of-character conversations. There’s nothing worse than having a discussion about your favorite video game when you’re in a medieval LARP. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love Meta-conversation in LARP. It skirts the line of breaking game, but it gives people a chance to “revert to themselves” and take a break from playing their characters. I also don’t mind if you have anachronistic ($50 word!) conversations quietly away from everyone else, but if your character doesn’t know what you might be talking about, then keep the conversation private and away from other players.
How long have you been a GM at Isles? I’ve GMed the Isles for about 5 years now, 6 if you include pre-planning for our current campaign.
How you feel about the Isles coming to and end? It’s definitely bittersweet. I’ve been involved with this game for the last third of my life. I’m happy to resolve story lines, but sad to see the game ending.
What’s your next big project (larp related or not)? Related to the last point, we talked about maybe doing an Isles 3 at some point, but we want to give players (and staff, I’d imagine!) a break from the world for a little bit. I’m sure we’ll re-entertain the thought in a couple of years. Other than that, it’s hard to say. I’m just starting to help Draconis get off the ground, and I haven’t been able to make as many events this year as I’d like. It’ll be nice to have more time to work with them.
How much longer do you think you’ll keep larping/gming/npcing? For as long as I’m living. It’s a good outlet for my creative impulses, and I really love helping put on a good time for others.
What’s worse at a larp: being cold and tired or having wet socks and no clean dry ones? Wet socks, no contest. Being cold and tired is a part of LARP, it makes you feel like you’ve accomplished something, even if you’re exhausted. Wet socks just cause blisters and grossness, and is usually a result of cold weather anyway, so yeah. Always pack extra, extra socks. (Like, twice as many as you need) Oh, and extra shoes/boots too.
Bonus round: What three famous people (alive or not) would you love to larp with and why? Oh man, that’s a tough question . . .
– Simon Pegg and his crew seem like they’d be amazing to LARP with. Their movies are pretty much LARPs in and of themselves.
– David Tenant seems like he’d get super excited about doing really dumb things as players.
Well that’s all for me this week. Stay tuned next Tuesday for the preview of next weekend’s larp! Have a great weekend, and remember the words of wisdom from Rourkie: “Always pack extra, extra socks.”
(Please forgive my derp-i-corn. I am no artist. And no, I don’t know how he’s going to use that spoon . . . or why . . . )
(But until I get one of you fancy artist types to trump me, this will be the picture for menu day!)
If you’re going to be on site this weekend there’s a few things you should do: hydrate, change your socks, listen to the GM’s; and of course eat!
Here’s the menu for this weekend and some factoids and tidbits about it.
Saturday – 9am Breakfast
Omelets & eggs to order – Please see below for the specialty omelet menu.
Biscuits & Gravy – We are contractually obligated to serve them at Isles ^_^
Waffles
Bacon
Oatmeal
Bagels & Toast
Fresh Fruit
Coffee, Tea, Juice
Specialty Omelets
Harley Quinn: Cream cheese, honey, & strawberries – I know, it sounds weird. But it’s really good. It comes out something like a strawberry crepe.
The Lazy Hero: Sausage gravy, bacon, onions, & cheese. – This was the most ordered omelet at Covenant last weekend!
Monte Cristo: Turkey, ham, swiss, & a drizzle of maple syrup. – Puck’s favorite diner food in omelet form
Carnivore: All the meats and American cheese.
Veggiesaurus: All the veggies and American cheese
Omnivore: All the veggies, all the meats, and American cheese.
The Mouse: All the cheeses (cheddar, American, & Swiss)
Slow Poke Rodriguez: The Mouse, but with hot sauce, onions, olives, tomatoes, and a dollop of sour cream.
‘On fire’: Any of the above with jalapenos and pepper jack cheese.
1 pm Lunch: TBD (Since Isles is the only larp that requests lunch, this always throws me for a loop. I promise I’ll have something planned by Friday!)
6pm Dinner
Chicken Enchilada Casserole – a new recipe I’m trying out for the second time. It’s a semi traditional chicken enchilada filing mixture topped with cornbread. It cooks up something like chicken and dumplings, but with a Mexican flair. Covenant gave it rave reviews; I hope Isles likes it too! Unfortunately, because of the corn bread, this is not gluten free.
Vegetarian/Vegan – Mexican tofu – It’s tofu in a taco inspired Mexican sauce. It’s great over rice! This is gluten free.
Rice
Green Beans
Garden Salad
Cheesy Garlic Bread – a YoC classic. Fresh bread coated in garlic butter and cheddar cheese. Crisped to perfection, it’s a great side to clean your plate with. ^_^
Iced Tea & Lemonade
Chocolate Cream Ice Box Cake – Another relatively new recipe for YoC, one adapted from my maternal Grandmother’s recipe collection. Layers of a sweet whipped cream cheese mixture and chocolate mousse turn everyday graham crackers into moist cake when let sit in the fridge overnight. I make it, and I don’t really understand how it works. (I mean, I know the science, but there’s a bit of other wizardry there) But it does work. And it’s amazing. Cool to refresh you at the end of a long day, but sweet and dense enough to satisfy most sweet tooth . . . um . . . teeth?
Sunday – A note about Sunday, it’s always listed as below, with just the ‘cold’ items, but we generally serve omelets, bacon, etc. until it’s all gone.
Breakfast
Cereal
Oatmeal
Bagels
Toast
Fresh Fruit
Juice
Coffee
Tea
Snacks and Drinks are located in the refrigerator, which is tucked into the corner by the main doors. This is an honor bar, so please place your payment in the box on top of the fridge. We generally only stock the items below, but sometimes there will be fresh baked goods, random snacks, and assorted goodies. If you’d like to see something in there, just ask!
Deli Sandwiches $3, Candy $1, Soda $1, Monster Rehab $2, Ramen $1, Bottled Water $1, Tea $1
If you’ve never heard of the Isles, here’s the idea:
“Purgatory Station is a multi-genre LARP where the inhabitants of infinite worlds come together in a tale of political intrigue, frontier adventure, and high fantasy. Your character can be virtually anything and anyone you can imagine. Come rub elbows with wizards, cyborgs, vampires, and more.”
It is run by a group of intensely creative people with high production value, tons of plot, and stellar crafting mechanics.
And now the bit that you’ve all been waiting for, the plot teaser for this weekend!
As the summer festival of Vestalia approaches, so does the army of the insect-like Hive. The alien Galeesh and the proud warrior clan of the Vannegar stand ready to aid the people of Purgatory Station against their common foe, but will even their aid be enough? Will the path ahead lead to victory or defeat? It’s time for the final stand against an enemy that the Empire of Hardestaan has fought for centuries
Sounds epic!
Here’s what this weekend looks like weather wise:
Friday will be partly cloudy with temps reaching a high of 82 and low of 61, Saturday will be partly cloudy with a high of 77 and low of 61 (with a chance of thunderstorms that afternoon), and Sunday will be mostly cloudy and humid and have a high of 80 and low of 61.
So check those tents for loose seams and gather up your summer costumes! And please please please bring bug spray and sunscreen! They mosquitos and ticks are very much represented this year. The sciencey types blame the type of winter we had . . . I’m betting it had more to do with last year’s Cthulhu ‘game’. ^_^ But either way, they’re relentless.
Of course if you don’t want to play, they could always use NPC’s. (Is there really a larp that can’t?) So pack your blacks and c’mon down. Need more motivation? They have CP exchanges with several other larps. If you’re curious about which ones; drop them a line or ask when you sign in.
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Ye Olde Commons 