Tag Archives: fantasy

Onward, to glory!

It’s been a good day today, as I might finally have shaken the cold that’s been plaguing me the last few weeks and owing to circumstances in my favour, I’m going to Drachenfest this year! It’ll be my first big fest LARP, and as a result, the brain’s been ticking over with ideas. Yes, I know I should be writing my Pheno game, but this is how my brain works, OK? Let me get this out of my head and I can get back to what I should be doing.

Now, obviously the first thought is who do I play? The setting’s an open one, with characters coming from all over, not just the one world. Drawn there through portals, they align with a Dragon (AKA faction) and fight for their dragon’s supremacy. There’s 5 dragon camps to choose from and my (not at all accurate impressions) follow:

Shadow: Wizards, edgelords. Black robes bought in bulk.
Green: Survival of the fittest and all that.
Silver: Fancy pants nobility.
Blue: Freedom, new horizons, ignoring laws.
Red: BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!

Shockingly, I’ve gone for Blue. It just appealed the most to me. The portal plot device means that I could potentially bring in characters from other games, and there’s some I’d love to play again. The first two that come to mind are Caleb Burton from Pax Europa, a steampunk LARP based around the first Nobel Prize awards. He was a British explorer with a curiously hands-on method of research, willing to take steps few others would for results. Case in point: other’s in his field would likely embark on a long and complex study attempting to prove combability between human and Martian. Caleb took a more, shall we say, missionary position on the matter, with further investigation in doggy and reverse cowgirl. It was most invigorating, even if his research partners father (The leader of one of the Martian tribes) was less than happy about it, especially as I’d been meaning to visit his daughter, not his son. Accidents happen, what can I say?* So, Caleb doesn’t quite fit the time period of the game, but the idea could be adapted to work.

“Shut up Mr Burton! You were not put upon this Earth to get it.”

The other character I’d love to bring back is Audemar, from Path of the Warden. At first he was a petty thief who sought only coin and debauchery but became a healer and far nobler than he was before, albeit while running a small black market on camp. (Nothing heretical, mostly booze, party drugs and prophylactics) He even found love, popping the question to another trainee in the last moments of game. I’d dearly love to continue his story, which reminds me, I must finish that fic one of these years. It’s an event that seems to have been a one-off, but I still hold a faint hope that the setting will return. Foolish, I know, but the game was a revelation for me, a moment of “Oh, this is what I want in a LARP.” The crew were lovely, the players welcoming and the atmosphere was grand. I still fondly remember the squeals of delight from the crowd when I proposed – several other players had gotten very invested in the IC romance. The main issue with playing him is his lady love Oksana wouldn’t be there, and without her at his side, such an endeavour would be like a broken rapier. Pointless…

“Man walks down the street in a hat like that…“

There has been an idea bouncing around my head though, and it’s been there a long time. It’s curious that I haven’t tried to use it beforehand, as there’s been a few table-top games I could have used it in before this. It’s not exactly a fully fledged idea, but I’m sure I’ve talked about it before. For new readers, I’ll fill in the blanks though. For reasons I can’t quite explain, I want to play an Orc. But not your standard Tolkien/Warhammer Orc, no. I want to play one that knows how to swash his buckle, if you know what I mean,.. I don’t know where the idea came from, but it seems like damn near every Orc you see is a giant barbarian (No bad thing mind you, I’m not Orc shaming) but the idea of playing one who’s more Errol Flynn really appeals to me. Sure, with my age it’s more an Orcish Captain Barbossa, but that’s not exactly a downgrade. So, a ship captain seeking adventure is drawn through a portal, and finds himself in a strange land. What else to do find a crew, then raid, pillage and plunder, all for the glory of the Blue Dragon, minus my fees of course? Also on the wanted list, an alchemist who can make gunpowder. Yes, black powder weapons are usable in setting, with the rules stating cap firing weapons only, no rubber band guns. Now, I wouldn’t say the chance to charge in flintlocks blazing is the entire reason I like this idea, but it certainly helps. (Yes, there’s the little matter of confirming I’m legally allowed to purchase, I need a permit etc, but a chat with my local constabulary should sort that out.)

“Take all you can, give nothing back!”

The other part of this that’s had my brain firing is costume. Shocking, positively shocking… I’ve got a solid amount of base kit, some armour I haven’t worn I can customise (Remove the lacing from the jerkin and replace it with something resembling ship’s rope, etc) and I’ve been meaning to get my pirate boots re-soled. The idea is roughly golden age of piracy (Etsy being riddled by products with AI images has been frustrating my search for a coat, so I might wear my fancy cape instead), but with more colour, and green skin. I know with all certainty I don’t want to wear all black, and I’ve been tempted for a while to buy a rather flamboyant pair of pants and this might pull the trigger on that. They might clash with the skin, but the only skin you’ll see is on my face, so it may not be an issue. From what I’ve seen there doesn’t seem to be any costume requirement around wearing the colour of your Dragon, but I’m aware groups of players have co-ordinated. Whilst I know people going, at this stage I won’t be part of one, so there’s less issue. Also means I’ll be forced out to talk to people, and as draining as that can be, it’s a really fun thing in LARP.

The tricky part is making my face green. I’ve got a forehead prosthetic and some makeup that have been stashed away for years and that’s a start. There’s a larger appliance that could also work, but that would likely require trimming both the prosthetic and my beard somewhat, and I’m hesitant to take that step. I both like my beard and haven’t forgotten that removing it would void the warranty on my marriage, to borrow a line from a friend. The other issue with the balaclava style mask is my giant head, so trying one on first is a must. A friend was selling one a while back, must get in touch and ask. As for the rest of me, clothes and gloves will cover most of it. It’s only the neck that’s visible, and sure, I could paint that, or I could take inspiration from the Imperial Orcs (From the UK LARP Empire) and cover it up, likely with a scarf of some kind. Bonus points for being able to hide a cooling neck wrap under there! Smart!

The last part is expectations and standards. Now, my kit has regularly been complimented, but I’ve seen shots of Orcs from Drachenfest Germany, and they are freaking stunning. It’s the sort of thing that hits my self esteem, and has me wondering should I do something simpler? Logically, I know the answer is ignore them, and do what makes you happy, but that’s anxiety for you.

Anyhow, that’s enough for now. Fingers crossed I’ll be coherent enough to post updates as ideas and kit develop. Fingers crossed I’ll see some of you on the battlefield!

*The person portraying that NPC told me afterwards “Everything you said in that discussion made things worse” and I couldn’t have been prouder.

Picts or it didn’t happen.

How can I wear the harness of toil, and sweat at the daily round?
While in my soul forever the drums of Pictdom sound?
Robert E Howard

It’s been a mixed last few days. Brutal heat, bad sleep and the news that Ravenswood LARP have cancelled their 2026 event. I don’t blame them, the reasons were more than sensible, but I’m still a little sad about it. Still, that’s something to look forward to in 2027, which is nice. Looking at the LARP Calendar has shown mostly battle games, and that’s not dramatic enough for me. At some point I’ll make it to a Concord and continue to foolishly hold out hope that Path of the Warden will return, but there’s precious little else out there that works for me. Still, I’ve managed to find one!

Spurred on by wifely approval and the fact that two of the 3 factions had sold out their ticket allocations, I’m going to Lost Settlers mid next year! The two sold out factions are the Barborillas, inspired by 17th Century Germany and Spain, and the Orthos, who have a British redcoat vibe. Now, I’ll miss the chance to dress flamboyantly, or Sharpely, but the faction I’ve joined (who still have tickets available!) are the Broch’Tir, who are inspired by ancient Celts, Gauls and the Picts. In short, that’s my jam, as the Skindred song goes. The chance to play with black powder weapons (albeit represented by band guns, rather than cap firing weapons) is one I’ll miss, but the chance to get my Celtic barbarian on? OH HELL YES.

Now, it’s still in the early stages. I’ve been excitedly bouncing around character ideas, looking at what kit I have that’s suitable and works for a Victorian winter. There’s also the matter of sticking to the game’s cultural brief, which sadly means modern kilts are out. Though if I’m reading it correctly (and I really hope I am), the old school great kilt is allowable to a certain degree. And at that point dear reader, I may have let out a burst of joy that even BRIAN BLESSED might have considered a bit loud. I’ve not found a suitable tartan or fabric yet, and I’ll need to get cheat pleats installed, but I’ve wanted to own one for years, and this is as good a time as any.

The two main ideas I’m tossing around are as following:
1: Big Game Hunter. Quiet, sneaky bastard, but reliable and a provider for his tribe.
2: Old Warrior. Cheerful, enthusiastic, and desperately ignoring the fact that he’s getting old.
I do have a loose third concept, but it’s more an additional idea. See, the players have been exceptionally well organised and set up a Google Sheet that has character details, and only a couple of them have taken any sort of medical skill, and from past experience at Path of the Warden, a healer is always useful. Now, from what I’ve read of the rules, combat is rather lethal – armour doesn’t add to it for starters, merely cuts down the stages of healing. Yep, none of this healed in seconds by magic nonsense at this game, no. There’s also a solid warning to bring suitable kit for a new character should the worst happen. I’m reminded of a story from a friend who had a character at a Concord event last about 12 hours, but those 12 hours were glorious.

Side note: the threat of death also happens to be something I enjoy in a LARP.

I’m leaning towards the second option, or an unholy combination of the two, mostly owing to wanting to be A: useful and B: social. It’s an important lesson to remember in LARP (along with remembering to eat and wear comfortable shoes), that while the likes of Batman and Wolverine may be fun on the page, playing an anti-social loner can turn out to be not very much fun. I’ve also inquired if any other players in my nation are interested in some IC romance during the event, but it’s early days. There’s plenty of time to sort out romantic entanglements before hand. Besides, I don’t even have a character confirmed yet!

As for inspirational material, it’s no surprise my first thought was Robert E Howard’s tales of Bran Mak Morn, the Last King of the Picts. Despite Bran appearing in few stories compared to Conan or Solomon Kane, Worms of the Earth and Kings of the Night are bona-dife Howard classics. Other reading is some Osprey books on the Picts, and I’m pretty sure I have a couple on the Roman invasion of Britain kicking about. On that note, the films Centurion and The Eagle are due for a re-watch (Or in the latter case, a first one) and I dug out my copies of season 1 and 2 of Britannia. Fingers crossed I make it more than 3 episodes in this time. Still, there’s David Morrisey and Ian McDiarmid chewing the scenery with merry abandon, which helps. There’s also the 2004 King Arthur, the Doctor Who episode The Eaters of Light (written by Rona Munro, who also wrote Survival, the last story to air in the classic series) and the 2007 film The Last Legion which I sold a friend on watching by saying it had Colin Firth in Roman armour. (That’s not a lie to be clear, but I’m not sure it salvages the film itself)

It also means I have the chance to possibly buy a new sword or axe, not to mention taking my long bow into (fake) battle again. It’s been far too long since I’ve shot it. There’s the gorgeous leather cuirass I bought at a medieval fair a couple years back I’ve hardly worn and while it would require taking the Instrument skill (A tough choice, given there’s only 5 skill slots), the temptation to buy the largest blowing horn I can find has noisily reared it’s head again. Sure, I’d likely need to walk a kilometre or two into a nearby National Park to practise with it, but I’d rather spare my neighbours that horror. Still, could be worse – I could be singing.

So yeah. I’m in that early stage of a new game excitement. It feels wonderful to have things in the calendar that aren’t my brain doctor appointments. I’m kicking around ideas for Pheno next year and still have the occasional thought of making another attempt at working on another LARP event. Either way, it’s lovely to have things to look forward to. May you as well.

*sighs*

As frequently, it’s been a while since I’ve written here. Working in retail during the Christmas season doesn’t leave much time and combine that with exhaustion from the heat (Stupid burning hell pit of a country) and a self diagnosed seasonal depression spike have meant I haven’t exactly been in a good frame of mind. I’ll spare you further ruminations and instead apologise to anyone who had the misfortune to interact with me when I’ve not been having a good day.

So, instead the good stuff! My wife and I bought an apartment, more on that later. I bought another LARP sword, though that was mostly to distract from the constant mind shattering terror of the orange one’s return. It’s felt really fucking weird the couple of times I’ve talked to customers in the store about Fair and Balanced, having to really labour the point that it was run in October 2016, when that shit was still funny. I was really looking forward to being able to look at the news without that creeping feeling of dread, that constant background noise of “Oh what the fuck has he done now?” I keep telling myself all I can do is be a good person, help where I can and not snitch. To worry about the things I can change, keep looking to hope and not doom scroll. Election day local time was particularly bad, as it was deathly quiet in the store, which left me time to, you guessed it, doom scroll. sigh

I got to see Hammerfall with my wife, and it was as ridiculous and glorious as I’d hoped for. For starters, neither of us had any hope we’d ever get the chance, but getting to see them was a real bucket list kind of night. For a band who’ve played massive Euro festivals, to see them at the Manning Bar may have seemed like a comedown, but the show was just as over the top, albeit with less pyro. Gods, I adore when bands do the co-ordinated headbanging, it’s so stupid I can’t help but love it. I can’t explain why, but it just makes me so happy. Outside of Hammerfall, I’ve been listening to a lot of versions of The Ecstasy of Gold. That’s mostly as A: it’s fucking brilliant and B: my wife mentioned putting a will together, and my brain (After mostly recovering from running screaming at the merest contemplation of my mortality) set to wanting to make a funeral playlist. I know there’ll be some John Williams and Iron Maiden, but I can’t decide if Brillig’s The Old Captain is the start or end song.

And yes, I am now a home owner. Since that, instances of friends calling me bourgeois scum and/or calling for my execution via madame guillotine have shot up alarmingly. This has meant, since we’re moving to a smaller space, that I’m having to pack and cull things. It’s been, emotional. One shelf has a pile of notebooks* (THEY STAY!) next to a pile of gaming books that I’ll be letting go. So, if there’s something of mine you’ve coveted, this could be your lucky day! The idea is to have some sort of giveaway or set up an “Give me a few bucks if you want, otherwise take it from my house!” event. RPG books, some bits of LARP kit and DVD’s will likely be the first up for the chop.

i got a free month of Amazon Prime and have been binging Vox Machina, which has been a joy. In news that will surprise no-one who knows me, Grog and Scanlan continue to be my favourites, and the character development they’ve gone through has been emotional and hilarious. Grog’s cry of “I GOT A BEARD!” brings joy, as does damn near every time Scanlan sings. Also, I get to continue my game of “I recognise that voice!” When that’s done, the plan is to shift over to the final season of Lower Decks. I’m really gonna miss that show.

Speaking of LARP, I was attempting to distract myself from the heat on Tuesday and had thoughts about a pirate based game again. Mostly pillaging from Hoist the Colours plot wise, the last survivors of a mighty pirate horde wash up on a lost island and have to figure out what to do next. That or, several ships wash up on the same island, but different locations. Each crew has something the other wants (Powder, map fragments, water, etc) and have to decide how to proceed. Shenanigans ensue. Yes, I started listening to Larps and Tarps coverage of Hoist again, but they bring joy and I need that right now.

It’s past 1am and I have plans to people tomorrow. Bedtime now. Take care of each other. Night all.

* I don’t have a notebook problem. There are notebooks I don’t own, so I’m fine.