A good friend of mine described what LARP (Live-Action Role-Playing) is
with absolute clarity some weeks ago. She related it to Improvizational
Theatre, where there is no set script, no rigid path for characters to
follow, and not necessarially any audience; everyone can join in. In this
page I will do my utmost to describe what LARPing is, why we do it, and
hopefully along the way dispell some rumors you may have heard.
So what is it?
LARP (Live-Action Role-Playing, as stated above), is the umbrella term
used to describe most diceless role-playing-games (RPGs). You may have
heard of
Dungeons & Dragons (produced by
Wizards of the Coast),
or
Legend of the Five Rings (produced by
AEG),
White Wolf's own
Vampire: the Masquerade, or a multitude of other games, and may
have even played in a few! All of these, and more beyond count, are RPGs,
where a group of friends come together and essentially write their own
fantasy (or sci-fi, or historic fiction, or ... et cetera) stories and
epics. Not write as in find an editor and get published, but to create a
communal story. LARP is not much different; in fact, by those guidelines,
there is no difference at all; a group of friends coming together to have
fun and interact in a fantastic environment, each portraying their
personal character. Whereas most RPGs use dice to determine the outcome of
a given action, LARP doesn't always facilitate a handy rolling surface and
so relies on "Ro-Sham-Bo," or more commonly known as
"Rock-Papper-Scissors." Think of LARP as a much more interactive version
of your favorite RPG.
Why do we play?
Why do people do any kind of theatre? Why do people play these fantasy
games with friends or online week in and week out? Why do some people like
red socks over blue ones? Okay, maybe that last one doesn't have too much
relevance, but it all comes down to personal choice; ask 50 "gamers" why
they do something and you're likely to get 63 differing responses. Some do
it because they feel a deeper sense of community in a live-action setting,
while others miss the opportunity to act and talk in a manner that may not
be their own. Most often, though, the answer is "it's fun!" And why
shouldn't it be; meeting up with your friends, practice some political
manuvering, make goofs that turn into inside jokes, engage in a little
healthy competition, and all without worry or concern!
Wait, I heard that you ...
Okay, I'll answer this one first off. No, we do not believe we are
vampires! I get that question via email all the time, so stop sending it
already. We don't run around en masse subverting people into a "cult" or
anything of the like. We don't forcefully drink others' blood. We aren't
related to succubi or incubi, and we don't worship demons. We don't have
problems confusing reality with imagination, nor have problems integrating
ourselves into the rest of society, nor with having a good time outside of
game. We are firemen, accountants, students, parents, security guards,
siblings, nurses, and mature adults all. Above most other things, though,
we're nice people.
