Once Upon a Nordic Larp...

The official book of Knutepunkt 2017

Edited by Martine Svanevik, Linn Carin Andreassen, Simon Brind,

Elin Nilsen, and Grethe Sofie Bulterud Strand.

Designed by Casey Gollan, Victoria Sobel, and Owen Law.

Cover photograph: Ruslan Gilmanshin,

Section breaks photograph: Bjrn Christian Trrissen

Printed by Rollespilakademiet
Copies: 500

Published by Knutepunkt 2017 in Oslo, Norway.

Financial support from Fritt Ord.

Respective authors 2017. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-87-92507-36-5

knutepunkt.org
Once Upon a Nordic Larp...
Twenty Years of Playing Stories

Being a complex grimoire of received wisdom,

forbidden wisdom, and questionable wisdom;
techniques (both meta- and otherwise); lies, damn
lies, and associated ephemera. It was written by
an eclectic mix of wonderful people from across
the globe and

edited by

Martine Svanevik, Linn Carin Andreassen, Simon

Brind, Elin Nilsen, and Grethe Sofie Bulterud Strand.
Contents
Introduction 6 Beyond Play 109
Martine Svanevik Simo Jrvel and Karete Jacobsen Meland

Response to Simo Jrvel 117

Yesterday and Karete Jacobsen Meland
Grethe Sofie Bulterud Strand
Lets Larp This! 10
Grethe Strand, told by Hanne Grasmo Reply to Grethe Sofie 119
Bulterud Strand
All Our Yesterdays 18 Karete Jacobsen Meland and Simo Jrvel
Charlotte Ashby
Sing in Me, Muse, and Through 121
A Tale of Knutepunkt Theorycrafting 36 Me Tell the Story...
J. Tuomas Harviainen Harry Harrold

Response to J. Tuomas Harviainen 49 Do You Want to Play Ball? 130

Karete Jacobsen Meland Josefin Westborg and Carl Nordblom

Three Roads (of Translation) 53 Designing for Emotions 143

Not Taken Olga Vorobyeva
Tadeu Rodrigues Iuama
Playing the Stories of Others 152
The Classical Roots of Larp 63 Kaisa Kangas
Mike Pohjola
History, Herstory and Theirstory: 161
For Thought
Today Mo Holkar

Hamlet, Vampires and the 79 Body Playground Framework 167

Italian Alps Blaz Branc
Juhana Pettersson
Playing in Love 176
Ludo-narrative Dissonance and 87 Charles Bo Nielsen
Harmony in Larps
Hlne Henry Telling Character Stories 184
Monika Weienfels
Pre-larp Communication 95
Alma Elofsson and Mimmi Lundkvist Making Heroes 201
John Shockley
Keeping Volunteers Alive 103
Agata wistak and Claus Raasted Playing Around the Event 213
Charlotte Ashby
The Workshop Pyramid 105
Maryia Karachun, Yauheni Karachun, Response to Charlotte Ashby 224
Olga Rudak and Nastassia Sinitsyna Matt Pennington
Reply to Matt Pennington 226 Tell Us a Story 313
Charlotte Ashby Ian Andrews

The Absence of 231 Response to Ian Andrews 320

Disabled Bodies in Larp Simon Brind
Shoshana Kessock
Reply to Simon Brind 324
Food for Thought 240 Ian Andrews
Siri Sandquist and Rosalind Gthberg

YouTube and Larp 250 Tomorrow

Mo Mo OBrien
On Ripping O and Selling Out 328
Character-based Design and 255 Eirik Fatland
Narrative Tools in the French
Style Romanesque Larp Larp in the Year 2037 334
Muriel Algayres Christopher Amherst

Loyalty to Character 262 Thinking Outside the Black Box 347

Charles Bo Nielsen Eva Wei & Rosalind Gthberg

Response to Charles B. Nielsen 266 Beyond Playing to Lose 357

Martine Svanevik and Narrativism
Jeppe & Maria Bergmann Hamming
Reply to Martine Svanevik 267
Charles Bo Nielsen An Invitation to Dance 365
Lorenzo Trenti
Moment-based Story Design 269
Ian Thomas Art and Larp 371
Nina Runa Essendrop
Curious Pastimes 275
Emmylou Laird Larp and ITill Death Do Us Part 380
Hanne Grasmo
Will to Live 281
Rob Williams
Index 388
Context, Context, Context 287
Jamie Harper Biographies 392

Larp Tourism 291 Designers Note 399

Claus Raasted Casey Gollan, Victoria Sobel,
and Owen Law
Tensions Between Transmedia 297
Fandom and Live-Action Role-Play Acknowledgements 400
Evan Torner

Meanwhile in the South 304

Andrea Giovannucci,
translation by Wendy Columbo
Introduction
Martine Svanevik

WHEN I SET OUT to write this editorial, means that things we thought wed already
I wanted to talk about the anniversary of debated to death and things wed taken for
Knutepunkt and our choice to look to our granted, suddenly need to be defined and
roots as well as to the future. Now, twenty argued about. But more than this, as well as
years later, we planned to be retrospective; debate we need to create, to play, to write,
introspective even ... to pause, consider, and and to make larps. Now more than ever, we
take stock. But in the last few years, nordic have an opportunity to shape the future, to
larp has become international, perhaps even become that social movement that some
mainstream. Once again, people are debat- argue we already are, to create stories that
ing whether nordic larp is inherently polit- change the world.
ical, artistic, ethical, non-commercial, good Stories are important. They shape us,
or bad. The original question of defining frame our experiences, they help us make
nordic larp has resurfaced (give up, it cant be sense of the world and our lives. By playing
done in any meaningful way). And I realised stories, we catch glimpses of other peoples
that this is not the time to step back and re- lives. We can, for brief moments at least, live
flect: this is the time to step forward and act. their experiences. If done right, this type of
Nordic larp is changing. Were doing experience can foster understanding and
things bigger, bolder, better, but also smaller, connect people across nationalities, class,
weirder and more daring. Were reaching out age, and genders.
across communities and were seeing both Collaborative storytelling is a powerful
how similar we all are but also how funda- drug. Creating something together gives a
mentally dierent. The increasing interest positive feedback loop, a joyous emotional
in, and commercialisation of roleplaying high of communality, creativity and trust.

6
 Were playing games of Yes, and with writers and organisers who are not from the
tens (and sometimes hundreds) of people nordic tradition but who we believe will fur-
at once. Its no wonder that playing togeth- ther the discourse. At the end, the writers set
er can foster a sense of kinship with people out to imagine where were headed with all
youve only known a few days (or, in some this in the future.
cases, merely hours). This elation might be Although weve chosen to split the book
why people keep coming back to larp, and it in three sections: Yesterday, Today and To-
is definitely part of what makes larping such morrow, it is not designed to be read cover
a powerful tool. It can change the world. to cover. You can flip through it, starting in
That is, if we want it to. one spot and skipping to another, but in the
That is why the debate about what nordic end, we hope that youll read every article.
larping can and should do is so important, es- Between articles, we have scattered memo-
pecially in the age of transmedia experiences ries and anecdotes from 20 years of larp ex-
and commercial larping. And that is why it is periences and design as well as short predic-
absolutely paramount that we continue cre- tions for the future. We have also introduced
ating, playing and telling new stories. opinion pieces where responses and ripostes
This book is an entry in the current debate are published back-to-back.
about nordic larp. It looks back to the roots We wanted this years Knutepunkt book
of our movement and the Knutepunkt con- to be something special, and looking at the
ference; it is also a collection of meta-tech- collections of articles, memories, stories and
niques, debates, memories and a discussion predictions gathered in this volume, I believe
of cutting edge larp design. This collection we succeeded. I hope you enjoy it.
also has some articles and opinions from larp

7
Yesterday

The past is a foreign country.

(L.P. Hartley, The Go Between, 1953)

THE STORIES WE TELL and retell from

larpsin photos, Facebook posts, promo
videos, around the campfires, in songs, and
over beersare not the games we played
but our memories of them. Parts of every
experience are forgotten, misremembered
or dierent for you than they are for me.
Your larp was not my larp; your war story is
not the same as mine.
Back in the day is also clouded in wistful
joy. The way we used to do it always has a
sense of nostalgia to it, which can lead us to
believe that yesterday is always better than
tomorrow. Forgetting, of course, that those
who cannot remember the past are doomed
to repeat it.
In this part of the book its okay to look
back. Its good to examine your roots and
to share tall tales and fond memories. This
section celebrates epic mistakes, strong
character moments, memories of our first
larps, the road to Knutepunkt, the story of
the Knutebooks, and the history that made
nordic larp what it is today. This section
does not tell the whole truth, but it tells a
few truths, a hint of truth, a story, if you
will, about how we got where we are today.
LETS LARP THIS !

THE ROADTRIP THAT

SPAWNED KNUTEPUNKT

written by Grethe Strand

told by Hanne Grasmo
 47.
Ung var eg fordom,
eg einsaman fr,
vegvill d eg vart.
Rik eg tottest
nr eg rka einkvar;
mann er manns gaman. (Hvaml)1

IT ALL STARTED with a road trip. In the spring of 1997 three Norwe-
gians, Niels Wisth, Erlend Eidsem Hansen and Hanne Grasmo, rented a
small, cheap car and drove from Oslo to Stockholm. The goal of the trip
was to find a collective called Babylon Five, where the creators behind
the larp Trenne Byar (Grins and Ericsson, et.al, 1994) lived.
For this anniversary edition of the KP book, we want to look back-
wards as well as forwards and Hanne Grasmo wants to give us a personal
account on how the seeds for a Nordic larp conference were first sown.
As one of the founders of Knutepunkt, together with Margrete Raaum,
Erlend Eidsem Hansen and Stle Askerd Johansen, and the author of
the first Norwegian book about larping, (Grasmo, Levende rollespill
LAIV. 1998), we were very excited when a pitch from Hanne about a fast
and fearless roadtrip to Sweden dropped into the Knutebooks digital
mailbox. Therefore, on a dark November night, Hanne and I sat down
at my living room table. The fireplace and Hannes energy were doing
a marvellous job keeping the cold at bay. We had just shared a meal

1 Young was I once, I walked alone,

and bewildered seemed in the way;
then I found me another and rich I thought me,
for man is the joy of man. (The Elder or Poetic Edda, 1908)

11
together, I tucked my six-year-old into bed while Hanne worked on her
other article for the Knutebook. When I came back downstairs, Hanne
started telling her story about the road to the first Knutepunkt. This is
her personal account and subjective memory.
The way I see it, this was the trip that sowed the seed of Knutepunkt
in our minds. We didnt have a specific address, only knew the name of
the collective and the people who lived there, Martin Ericsson, Daniel
Krauklis, and Koe (Christoer Sandberg). We were planning to partic-
ipate in the sci-fi, or more specific steampunk, larp Mineva (cancelled)
and we knew they were having an organiser meeting that weekend. If it
wasnt for the incredible design of the larp compendium of Mineva we,
the alternative larpers from Norway, would probably not have signed up
for the larp. And then there wouldnt have been any surprise visit/trip to
Stockholm and maybe, just maybe, the idea of Knutepunkt wouldnt have
been born.
I drove all day, obviously the other two guys, like most larpers in Nor-
way, didnt have drivers licences. Fortunately, the car was a lot faster than
we had expected, being the cheapest car we could rent. So I paid no atten-
tion to speed limits. The car literally flew over the speed bumps.
What we talked about during the trip? Without a pause, and with just
a quick faraway look like shes staring into the past, she answers: Larp.
Larp, all the time. Larps wed been to or heard about, upcoming larps, larp
ideas. We were all high on larp. The world was larp. Larp was the world
for me. The larp Kybergenesis (Fatland, Rydland and Wisth, 1997) was the
big thing in Norway that year and we were also discussing the larp Moirais
vev (Fatland and Hansen et al., 1997), which involved a lot of rituals. We
wanted to find out how to create strong, real experiences and by that to
break all boundaries and develop ourselves and the world.
We started in the morning and reached Stockholm at about five or
six in the evening. It was still light outside when we arrived. Erlend had
a proper TV camera with him and wanted to document the meeting and
promote the kind of larp the Swedes did to Norwegian larpers. In 1994, a
couple of Norwegians had participated in Trenne Byar, the largest larp in
the Nordic countries so far with 1100 participants. The Norwegians had
just as big larp ideas but mostly made them for 30-50 participants. Hanne
takes one of her very few pauses, and emphasises her next sentence. Back
in the 90s we didnt, and still in 2016 Norwegian larpers dont, think big
enough in sheer numbers or bold ideas. Norwegian larps are 50-60 partic-
ipants at a maximum, once in a decade we go close to a hundred.

12
 The right door appeared and the three travellers were welcomed by
Martins partner Anna Eriksson. The guys werent at home. Fortunately
they were all three gathered, together with more organisers, in the base-
ment planning Mineva.

LETS LARP THIS!

Lets larp this! one of us said.

Hanne grins. So Niels, hes a really good larper, he immediately went
into character as a Norwegian television reporter;
This is Niels Wisth reporting for NRK2 from Stockholm. Today we are
meeting a group of Swedish larp designers to hear what they have to tell
us about their upcoming larp Mineva.
Erlend naturally became the camera operator and started filming
while they walked towards the room. Hanne, who started her larp career
as a journalist who was only to have a short guest appearance as a volva
for three hours and then stayed the whole three days of the larp, took out
her pen and notebook, ready to take notes.
Hanne is agitated while she explains: This was a way for us to get the
upper hand. At the time, we were completely starstruck by their amaz-
ing and megalomaniacal ideas. I knocked on the door, and the second
it opened, Niels stuck out his microphone and started asking questions.
Erlend followed with his camera and I started to write down their names
and age.
They completely took the bait and believed the fiction we created.
Of course the project was fantastic enough to attract the attention of a
large national TV channel from the neighbouring country. They were all
really eager to talk to the camera. The ability to pull o a huge project
like Trenne Byar had already been proven and now the sky was the limit.
A professional designer had even made impressive costumes that were
shown to the camera.
But the larp had to end, we had more important conversations in
mind. We blew our own cover and returned to our personalities of Nor-
wegian larpers. We sat down and talked. It was a heartfelt meeting. To
finally meet someone that took larp as seriously as we did.

2 The Norwegian national broadcasting station.

13
 The larp (Mineva) as promoted and presented in 1996 was never to be,
but still had quite an impact in the Nordic larp community.

A NORDIC GATHERING

As I remember it, the idea that we would collect the larp organisers in the
Nordic region that were like us started growing not long after the meet-
ing in Stockholm. By organisers like us I meant alternative (leftist) people
who wanted to save the world, make important larps, and show that the
medium has all the opportunities it has proven to have today. We had to
come together and learn from each other and share amazing ideas.
The University of Oslo was a stronghold for larpers in Norways capi-
tal. So, naturally, the event took place at Vilhelm Bjerknes hus at the Blin-
dern campus.
We werent that good at inviting people to join the organising crew,
Hanne admits. We needed people with practical skills and good ideas so
we, Erlend and I, got Margo (Margrete Raaum) and Stle (Askerd Johan-
sen) to join us.
Through hectic networking, the organisers of the first Knutepunkt
managed to get people from dierent parts of Norway to the gathering.
Even a group from Trndelag (mid-Norway) came to the first Knutepunkt,
although few of them have ever returned. The Swedish magazine Fa Liv-
ia3 was a glimpse into Swedish larping. Other than that, the Norwegians
didnt know much about what was going on in the other Nordic coun-
tries. By calling his large network of larpers, Erlend managed to get them
to spread the word to Sweden, Denmark and Finland.
Remember, this was before the Internet was a big thing, Hanne ex-
plains. Calling people on their landlines was the best option in 1996.
Between 60 and 100 people attended the first Knutepunkt ever. The
event did not have a set program except a big debate, an open tavern, a
dance class, and meals. The participants were encouraged to contribute
with their take on theory, design, practical work, techniques, debates and
so on. Hanne was head of programme and tried to organise it somehow.

3 Fa Livia is a non-profit association that specialises in publishing

magazines and books about avant-garde larp and role-playing.

14
 A glimpse of the programme for the first ever Knutepunkt conference.
Provided by Hanne Grasmo.

There was a portable board where you could stick notes of paper with
a pin on it. Not very digital! It felt like I was playing Tetris the entire
weekend, trying to fit programme items to the right room and time.
Hanne shakes her head. I didnt have time to talk and participate in all
that was going on. But I sensed a common feeling of now we have found
home. At the end of the first Knutepunkt, a group of Swedes agreed to
take on organising the next event, thus starting the four year cycle be-
tween the Nordic countries.
On Sunday evening, a large group of the participants in Oslo still
wanted more.
Hutchy (Ragnhild Hutchison)s parents had a large villa and we had
a legendary afterparty there! Hannes face lights up. Finally, I had the
chance to talk to everyone about everything, just like I had hoped for
when the idea of Knutepunkt started growing. How to tell stories, what
techniques to use, what have people done before?
We share a smile before I ask Hanne what she thinks about Knutepunkt
twenty years later. Looking back on where it all began, has this confer-
ence become what she thought it would be?

15
 Hanne grows serious. Well, we believed that larp would be great, be-
come art, comment on the world and save it. And that Knutepunkt would
be a way to gather those who believed just that.
We have learned a lot from each other over the years. Together we,
the Nordic larpers, have become greater than we would have been sepa-
rately. But I dont like the way Knutepunkt has turned into a larp festival
for everyone. I remember back in 1997 we talked about not serving any al-
cohol during the two first days of the conference and having one big party
the last evening. Nowadays, theres a bit too much hard partying going on.
There are too many larpers coming from outside the Nordic coun-
tries. In my opinion, Knutepunkt should be a meeting place for larp de-
signers, producers and theorists of nordic larp. If larps are being run at
the event, they should showcase new larp designs. Knutepunkt should
be predominantly Nordic. Non-Nordic participants should be limited to
a few that bring their ideas to the Nordic larpers and bring nordic larp
back to their communities. By all means, go ahead and create a gigantic
larp festival, but then its not Knutepunkt anymore. Id rather have several
small conferences between 150 and 250 participants than 500. And with
a more focused programme and a tight target group. The networks will
grow stronger and better then. Now, Knutepunkt has grown too big. You
have to be pretty confident to get to know new people. Knutepunkt was
meant to be a certain thing, a conference for Nordic larp organisers shar-
ing their ideas and techniques.
And with those last words, the founder of Knutepunkt packs up her
things, leaving me to ponder how far weve come from where it all began.
Today, there are more and more crossroads for people who want to talk to
others who look at larp in a similar way, or have a completely dierent ap-
proach. The roadmap keeps expanding and includes both highways and
dirt roads where you can meet someone who knows the same language
as you, the language of larp. Over the past twenty years, this conference
has grown from a small gathering to something quite dierent. Wheth-
er Knutepunkt should become a world wide intersection, remain a small
crossroad, or fade into a dirt road is ultimately up to you.

16
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Grasmo, Hanne, Levende rollespill LAIV. Oslo, Norway: Gyldendal Fakta. 1998
Heimskringla, verse 47.[date of access 02/01-2017]
http://www.heimskringla.no/wiki/H%C3%A5vam%C3%A5l
The Elder or Poetic Edda [commonly known as Smunds Edda, part I: The
Mythological Poems], Edited and translated by Olive Bray. London, United
Kingdom: The Viking Club, 1908, verse 47, pp. 61-111.
(http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/havamal.html)
(http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/havamal.html#wanderers)

LUDOGRAPHY

Grins, Aigars, Martin Ericsson, Gabriel Walldn, Christian Angerbjrn, Alexander

Gra, Gabriel Sandberg, Joakim Skog and Christopher Sandberg. Trenne Byar. Ett
Glas, Sweden: 1994
Fatland, Eirik, Asbjrn Rydland and Niels Elling Wisth et al., Kybergenesis:Cy-Tech
v2.0. Lier Psychiatric Hospital, Norway: 1997
Fatland, Eirik, Erlend Eidsem Hansen, Lars Wingrd, Karen Winther and Martin Bull-
Gundersen. Moirais vev. Nesodden, Norway: 1997
Olsen, Hans Martin , Thorbjrn Olsen, Are Onstad Svendsen, Synnve Solum, and Jon
Ree Holmy et al., Ravns sommersimulering 96: skygger fra fortiden. Norway: 1996

17
18
All Our Yesterdays
REMINISCES FROM THE
EARLY DAYS OF LARP
by Charlotte Ashby

I am new to larp and, what is ed here are just that. They are early larp makers who had to
more, I have never played com- stories, rather than Histo- trust in their own conviction
puter games or tabletop, so a ries-with-a-capital-H, and frag- that this could work; Most of
great deal of the past two years ments of what could fruitfully all, the echo in many stories of
has been a voyage into unchart- be a much larger project. I am that seminal moment when the
ed territory. What is an NPC? a newcomer and have relied on player finds themselves unex-
What is a hit-point? A game generous suggestions of who to pectedly transported across the
master? approach and still more gener- line between reality and fanta-
I have loved uncovering ous contributions from people sy. When they left behind their
these roots, linguistic and cul- getting pinged out of the blue initial discomfort or self-con-
tural, and the more I uncov- by a stranger asking them for sciousness and stepped into
er the more of the alchemy of tales of the old days. I have in- another world. This is some-
what we do in larp starts to cluded a couple of stories from thing that has not changed and
make sense to me. I am a his- outside the Nordic countries at which continues to fuel our
torian of sorts and so I believe the end, for contrast. passion for larp into the future.
that an understanding of the Of course this collection is My heartfelt thanks to all
past always illuminates the the tip of the iceberg. But even the contributors here, who
present. As larp expands and with this brief survey there are produced their pieces for this
gets more diverse in its play- common features that stand collection at very short no-
er-base and practices, now is out for me: The almost simul- tice. There are more stories to
surely a good time to recall the taneous bubbling up of the de- tell. Anyone who has a story
stories of the much smaller sire to play live among dier- of their first larp they would
communities that coaxed the ent groups in dierent places, like to contribute, please
initial flames into life in the late with no contact between one mail a text or link to Gdoc to
80s and early 90s. another; The enthusiasm (and [email protected].
The reminiscences collect- necessary touch of hubris) of Charlotte Ashby

SUSANNE group when I was fifteen and what I heard, inspiration came
that was the start of my ad- mainly from two sources: the
GRSLUND venturous life as a larper. At role-playing magazine Sinka-
the time we didnt call it larp dus and a scout event called
SWEDEN You have read or even the Swedish word lajv. Luinnaur Quest where they had
Lord of the Rings, havent you? We used the term live and the used fantasy themes.
And played role-playing games? event I just mentioned was the In any case, I did of course
Do you want to join our live first one of its kind in Sollen- say yes, and was the only girl
action role-playing game later tuna and was just called Liv- among the about 35 partici-
this spring? en (The Larp). I dont know pants for Liven. Instructions
I was asked these questions exactly where the organisers were very scarce and as I re-
by a boy in my school theatre got the idea from, but from member all I got was one dou-
 19

Game instructions for Liven 1989. Xeroxed typewritten sheet. Copyright: Daniel Chilla
20

ble-sided page where it said had set up our tarp on a path pork loin and thinking it was
I was going to play an elf and crossing, not very suitable for the best food I had ever had
that I should make myself a a secret elven camp. However, in my life. That night we slept
boer sword and some suit- the sun came up and made us much better and did not freeze
able clothes, bring a couple of feel a bit better. We ate some as much. The morning after,
blankets to sleep under and of the cabbage and raisins the we met the evil side in an epic
then get on a specific bus from organiser had thought should end battle, close to the robber
Stockholm on a Friday evening be suitable food for elves and band camp. I dont remember
on the 12th of May 1989. On then the adventures started. who won and I dont think any-
the bus, I found a few more I cant remember much of the one thought it was important
people who were also going to story, but it was about the good either.
play elves. When we got o the side and the bad and there Instead, we were all eu-
bus, it was raining a bit and it was a sigil that we all wanted. phoric about the experience
was almost dark as it was quite There were two taverns (also afterwards. We had taken our
late in the evening. We walked made with tarps), one for the first baby steps into a magi-
alongside a road into the forest orcs and one for the good peo- cal world and we decided that
of Tyresta (later a national park, ple. Half-way between them, a we needed to go back again,
from 1993) south of Stockholm band of robbers had their camp and soon. We had been about
and after a while we found on a high cli. We met peo- 35 kids around 15 years of age,
one of the two organisers who ple from time to time and had most of us from the school the-
were going to be our group some conversations and did atre group, playing together
leader. He had brought some some fighting. There were no for a magical weekend. I think
food for the group and also a fighting rules so we just went that if our parents had known
tarp that was going to be our on until we were too tired, and how ill-prepared we were for
home. We wandered o into then we relaxed for a bit and this and that no responsible
the pitch black woods trying to started all over again. There adults were around, they prob-
find a place to set up camp. We were no safety rules at all and ably wouldnt have let us do it.
used the first good clearing we I dont think any of the weap- But I am forever thankful that
could find and went to bed. It ons used would pass a securi- they gave us the freedom to
was wet and cold and with just ty check in a modern larp. All discover the magical world of
two regular blankets and noth- swords were also very ugly, larping. The tradition that was
ing to insulate myself from the circular in cross-section, and started that weekend later led
ground, I thought I was going made with camping mattresses to the larp magazine Fa Livia
to freeze to death. That night and duct tape. in 1991, the blockbuster larp
I promised myself many times By the end of Saturday, all Trenne Byar (Three Cities) in
that I was never going to do people on the good side moved 1994 and has been an import-
this again. their camps to the good tavern. ant foundation for the nordic
In the morning, we were We feasted on the food that larp community as we know
woken up by a human whom was stored there and spirits it today. We have come a long
we had promised to escort were high. The good weather way and I am happy to still be
through the woods the day did of course help a lot and I re- part of this magical movement.
before. We realised that we member eating a fried, but cold

Anyone who has a story of their first larp they would like

Got Stories? to contribute, please mail a text or link to Gdoc to

[email protected]
 21

MADS AHOLA was 1992 and the Harreskoven playing clubs from all parts of
campaign was easily the largest the country. And so, we set
DENMARK Disruption is community in the country about printing folders, mail-
a term from economic theory with about 30 regular players at ing them to everyone, putting
whereby a small operator can that time, and it was growing. them in stores and pushing
conquer a market share sim- Rumours were about the them to everyone we knew. We
ply by doing things in a way no land, and a trend was forming hoped to break every known
one has done before, and keep to meet the first Sunday of ev- limit and have a whopping 100
a lead for a short time until the ery month. The phenomenon participants for our game! Still
rest of the market operators grew. And so did we, puny as not knowing what we were do-
catches up. we were. ing. The thing about being 16 is
I was there. Two years later something that you just do shit.
It went so fast. was about to happen, and luck A point about not knowing
The older I get the more would have it that we made it what we were doing: Our plan
surprised I am every time I re- come to pass. We were a hand- at this point was to have me
call these events, how rapidly ful of 16-year-olds with a vision cook for everyone. And I could
they followed one another. A to outdo every larp that anyone make spaghetti. That was it!
parallel development where had done before. We were still And we were aiming for a hun-
larp went from dispersed local new to this, and others had dred participants. Fat chance,
groups of friends to a nation- done new, bold things before. that a 17-year-old kid could
al phenomenon, and me and So how difficult could it be to cook and provide for one hun-
a group of friends went from excel at every single part of the dred people for two days. Little
being 14-year-old n00bs and game? I guess being 16, going did we know that we would
nobodies, to cocky 17-year-old on 17, instills a great deal of receive more than two hun-
masters of the universe. overconfidence in some peo- dred applications in a matter
It began as a rumour. Some- ple. of weeks. An entire American
one had been on a youth TV Last year our friend Frede football team signed up as orcs.
show called ZigZag. Wearing had rented a cabin and organ- We had more than 200 players!
costumes and swords, fighting ised a larp running 24 hours Two hundred players who were
each other in an epic forest lo- for 50 people. But meanwhile going to starve, or go home in
cation. Doing a duel on a nar- Harreskoven showed a steady anger, unless luck was on our
row wooden bridge, defending increase, and now had close to side. So luck it was.
honour in a last stand. Some- a hundred regulars. We sim- It turned out that 3-5 of our
one from Jutland nobody knew ply took everything one step participants, grown men (in
at the time.1 And then one day further. We rented two cabins their early twenties), were will-
a friend named HP showed up instead of one. We wanted 48 ing to spend most of the week-
at our D&D session with pipe hours of larp and most impor- end in the kitchen fixing food
insulation and a wooden pole. tantly we wanted people from for folks. I dont remember us
Someone was playing live all of Denmark. Mikkels dad asking them to do it. It just sort
that weekend in Harreskoven. worked at a place with a Xerox of happened. I still owe them a
The room exploded, books machine. We raided the place debt of gratitude for this. But
and dice were forgotten, and at the weekend and printed we didnt know that ahead of
not twenty minutes later we hundreds of advertisements. time. We had a plan. And it was
were all shopping for supplies HP got us a municipal grant of a plan that really, really sucked
in a local hardware store. It kr. 14.000, and a list of role at the practical level.

1 They turned out to be a group, later known as Einherjerne who began at Vilhelmsborgskoven ved Beder.
22

At some point Kasper Bandmann,

HP decided that we Jakob Marott and
needed a world, and Valdemar Klle at
he set about writing Harreskoven, 1994.
10 gods and a genesis Photograph: Hans
mythology. This was Peter Hartsteen
new, and it was nice.
Written rules were
also unheard of at
the time, and we had
pages of them, with
layout and pictures.
We began mailing the
whole thing to peo-
ple, as well. Why not?
Little did we know that those sheets, burned gruel for break- fantasyland. But with higher
texts would be studied rigor- fast and supper, players rebel- expectations and more peo-
ously in the weeks approach- ling against the idiotic plot, ple organising it got harder
ing the larp, and in years to dozens of weapon standards, and harder. In a word, we still
come. And frankly they were only 2 toilets, and 200 kids pushed the borders of the pos-
not all bad. Today, thousands aged 13-20 alone in the woods sible, but now we were com-
of Danes play in the Nira- for three days. And still it was peting with ourselves. Out-
ham world, and many of the a huge success! Not because it doing the performance of the
rules live on using some of the was good but simply because it last game was requiring an
names and concepts we cooked was. No one had tried anything accelerating amount of work.
up on a whim. like it before. To gather 200+ It got harder to make impres-
I think our advertising nerdy nerds in a forest for the sions. No more slacking. Four
(lacking as it was) made a huge first time will make anything a years after our initial success,
dierence. Mailing a flyer to success. running a larp would require
everyone had some sort of We totally lacked restraint. a full time commitment and a
authority about it back then, We were 16, and had the team of at least a dozen people
because no one had done that strength of total blindness to preparing for months. With
before. Once the word got out, the relation between action this first endeavour, we had
the whole thing simply got out and consequence. We later disrupted everything. Looking
of our hands and escalated on coined said blindness being back, we are still surprised that
from there. And so this Saga Retard Strong! And so, we told we actually pulled it o!
happened. The title was quite everyone: This is what we do, So in my analysis, novelty
clever for a couple of teenagers: this is when, and this is how. was key. Novelty, inspiration
En Saga Fra Evigheden (A Saga Trust us on this one! It is going and guts was all we brought
from Eternity), with the epon- to be awesome! We would nev- to the table, and despite how
ymous Eternity being the er trust ourselves again, but for stupid the whole thing was, it
name of the in-game inn. Here, a few years, everyone else did. made us experts overnight. Ex-
dark robed figures met up with Larp exploded and became perts with no expertise. Such
hardened fighters and happy- an integrated national en- was the poverty of the time.
go-lucky thieves and hobbits. deavor (for nerds). Thousands Back then, in the Age of Eter-
It was unreal. joined, local campaigns grew nity, knowledge was a burden,
Everything went wrong. Ev- bigger, and back home in Harre and vague visions created a
erything you can imagine went skoven we led armies of hun- world that stands today.
wrong! Wet paper character dreds in the quest for our joint
 23

STLE ASKERD gician. He was almost seven ed studying things they had
feet tall and wore a blue robe. learned. Some are actors, his-
JOHANSEN His characters nickname was torians or archaeologists to-
Little Blue. day. And we expanded. In an
NORWAY In the early 90s, It was utterly magical. The eort to learn more about how
larp came to Norway. Almost mood at these first larps was to actually defend a gate from
simultaneously in Trondheim something else. I had tremen- attackers, we looked into what
and Oslo. There is still some dous fun and met lots of nice soldiers actually did. We start-
discussion as to which gather- people, many of whom are still ed admiring the tactics and
ings of people in the forest in my friends today. At the same organisation of the Roman
the late 80s can be considered time, it was a big social push army. After attending a larp as
larps or not, but the big start for me, and it was also scary a group of Roman-inspired sol-
was in the early 90s. as hell. I was happy (and mild- diers, we started a group doing
For me, it started in 1992. ly surprised) to see that there Roman re-enactment. Part of
I was 22. Like many of my were only 50-60 % boys at these the motivation was to attend
friends, I was into AD&D events. I even remember that some big Swedish larp and re-
and fantasy literature.2 Some for a time Ravn accepted only ally kick their ass, but other
friends at the University of girls as new members. things became more import-
Oslo were part of a group For us, like many who look ant. Our group became quite
called Ravn, who made a big back on the early days, it didnt big, and spent many wonderful
fantasy larp every summer. The matter that the castles were summers as special guests at a
participants were around 16- made of orange polyester or Danish iron age park.
24 years old. Many were, like that the city walls was actually Others focused more on
myself, students, with a big only a piece of string. We were other parts of larping. Some
lean towards science and IT. still scared shitless when the thought rituals were cool. Oth-
Others had a background from savage, werewolf-like shad- ers started buying real ar-
the scouting movement. Many ow beasts fought with the mour for their characters. The
had played tabletop role-play- city guard trying to get inside. late 90s is the period where
ing games (RPGs), whilst oth- Many friends still put up a some, jokingly, divide the
ers were friends of friends. glassy stare when you men- Norwegian scene in two: The
For many years, the university tion these beasts. It was most- Womba-Womba-Ritual people
worked like a sort of base. ly about the fun. And it was, with drums on one side and
So I set out larping as a magi- contrary to what many think, the March-March-Soldier types
cians apprentice. I had no idea not only about fantasy. Many with boots on the other.
whatsoever what I was getting larps had historical settings My first experience as an or-
into, or that it would change like Celtic Ireland or Norse Vi- ganiser was in 1998, when we
my life so much. The organ- kings. We were 1920s gangsters made 1944, a small larp about
isers sent me my pre-written and cultists. We were American the German occupation of
character in an envelope in high school kids, settlers in the Norway. It was one of the first
the mail. Not email. It was one Wild West, or post-nuclear sur- larps about the period. It was
page, but was accompanied by vivalists. also, I believe, the first larp to
a 5-6 page leaflet explaining And we had parties. We actually be run more than once,
the setting. I made a costume, drank beer. We met outside at least in the Nordic countries.
I bought food, and set out with of the games and learned The topic was controversial,
my friend, who played the ma- from each other. Some start- and some (non-larping) Swedes

2 Advanced Dungeons and Dragons.

24

used quite strong language to The I-word (immersion) had

describe us, hinting strongly been mentioned. Some want-
that we had dubious political ed magicians to do whatever
motives. they wanted, which is simi-
But was all this nordic larp? lar to the mechanics we today
At the time, we used email see in the College of Wizard-
for organising. I have access ry-style games. Many were in
to many complete discussions favour of this, although some
from the period, and it is pret- still remembered the famous
ty interesting. The first larps Haaksby genocide incident in
had classic elements from RPG 1993, where a magician killed a
gaming rules, like hit points whole village and its 40 or so
and such, but already in the late inhabitants with a single sen-
90s, the arguments were many tence. Not very playable.
and persistent to abandon the And suddenly, in 1997,
old point-based rules and in- someone asked me if I want- From top to bottom: Stles once
stead focus on role-playing ed to help make the first manifest hair. Stle. A blanket.
the fighting. Already then, Knutepunkt. And everything Medieval 1970s boots. From Ravns
many argued for less rules and sort of exploded. summerlarp in 1994.
more freedom for the players. Photograph: Anon.

ELF VESALA got rid of the game board and goals. Our combat and magic
scrounged-up plastic minia- rules were simple, with players
FINLAND I blame Tom tures for my first tabletop game counting their own hit points.
Hanks. draft and desperately tried to But the players did not need a
In 1984, the TV movie Mazes find out more information game master overseeing their
and Monsters (1982) was shown about real role-playing games. actions. They could wander
on Finnish TV. It featured In the spring of 1989 I dis- freely, in the fields and forest,
a group of college students cussed this long-entertained made magical by the perma-
playing a tabletop role-playing vision with my friend Sami nent twilight of the Finnish
game and later experimenting Toivonen, who lived in rural summer night. Although the
with live action role-playing, Renko. Samis courtyard had initial attempt was crude,
which naturally was a gateway a shed that could perhaps be with improvised costumes and
to madness for Hanks charac- converted into a medieval inn, painted plywood weaponry, we
ter. and suitable fields and woods knew that we were onto some-
Back then even tabletop within walking distance. thing.
role-playing was unknown to Our first Synkmets (Mirk- Our first games gradually
me, and before the end cred- wood) game depended heavily expanded the world and its
its were rolling, I had started on a spellbook and some oth- mythology. By 1992 we had
planning a tabletop RPG of er wondrous items lost in the named the world Nordarak,
my own. But I had also made depths of the forest, as well as a with plot elements from the
up my mind: someday I would single NPC monster (the other previous games now put in a
be playing live as well, with or had to leave early) preying on global context. It was time to
without a convenient cavern the four unwary adventurers. put some thought into what
nearby. I knew it would need Character descriptions con- would be the most sensible way
to be done properly, so it had sisted of a few written lines of to develop our games further.
to wait for several years while I background information and The games had been de-
 25

signed to thrill the players. number of players grew and it no clear-cut sides, only char-
The character descriptions had became clear that we could not acters with goals and motiva-
provided basic background and continue on this path, as each tions that would conflict. I was
goal information, but most of new player required a certain horrifiedthere were so many
the excitement came from fac- amount of attention from the things that could go wrong!
ing what the organisers provid- organisers during the game. It The first Nordarak-brand-
ed for the players, be it mon- had become time to break the ed game was our first to fea-
sters to fight, puzzles to solve, rules. ture full character backstories,
or treasures to find. The inten- As there now were too painfully written on a crappy
tion was for the adventurers to many players for us to contin- Amiga text editor and mailed
function as a group. Although ue advancing the plot using to participants as dot matrix
there was nothing to prevent NPCs, I decided to take what printouts. In our first freeform
the groups from splitting up, felt like a terrible risk: let the game, every character descrip-
deep down everyone knew that players proceed on their own, tion spelled out separate goals
this would mean additional guided by what information for the village inn (making con-
trouble for the organisers. The was given to them before the tacts and gathering clues) and
adventurer parties may have game. Instead of the organisers the nearby wilderness (turning
had external and internal rival- providing the adventure, we the accumulated information
ries, but group dynamics were would play a dirty trick on the into action adventure). Players
basic. players and pit them against could move freely in the area,
When the word spread, the each other. There would be returning for drinks when they

Original Map of Nordarak (1993). Artist: Sami Toivonen

26

needed rest or more informa- special eects prepared in ad- powerful mover and shaker, it
tion from other characters. vance, the adventure certainly was our duty to make each of
Despite my doubts, the was exciting, but it was clear the characters interesting cen-
conflicting goals and essential that the linear method was far trepieces of their own stories,
pieces of information distrib- too costly for our resources. We with meaningful choices to
uted between the various char- had indeed chosen the right make.
acters ended up working nice- way. Although we still attempted
ly. It seemed that the players The chosen plot-heavy open to make each game more im-
could be trusted, after all. (In a world approach was further pressive than the one before,
later game we once more pro- defined during the following the importance of staging and
vided a troll-like hiisi warband years, and the blatant cheating props gradually diminished.
for the action-oriented players got even bolder. Our rules were We did use (dulled) steel weap-
to encounter, but after that developed game by game, giv- ons and did have a full-sized
we agreed that even this was ing players more and more op- dragon skull hanging from
not necessary: the organisers tions for customising the game the inn ceiling, but no longer
would be more useful as char- mechanics of their characters. thought it necessary to spend
acters providing local colour, The idea was to give the players the night before the game lug-
such as villagers.) freedom of choice before the ging an iron-reinforced chest
After this initial foray into game, but to keep the game- or dragon egg shells to the oth-
open world gaming, we did one time rules simple, so that no er side of the forest. Perhaps we
additional experiment with the refereeing was required. were getting old, but we had
opposite approach: We had Originally, we had asked the started to replace hernia-in-
only half a dozen players but players what kind of characters ducing props with autono-
double that as NPCs. We had they would like to play, and mous schemers that took care
planned a linear route through tried to provide their wishes as of their own physical exercise.
a wintery nature park with well as we could. As the plots But even that was nothing
some artificial castle ruins and got more complicated, this compared to the ultimate lux-
other landmarks as waypoints. was no longer viable. Instead ury that arrived in the sum-
Along the route there were we compiled a non-spoilery mer of 1993. This was when we
plotted NPC encounters. Af- list of the available characters learned about other Finnish
ter each encounter, the NPCs and let the players wish for larp organisers. Suddenly it
took a shortcut to the next their favourite choices when was possible to play in games
stop to masquerade themselves they enrolled. To our pleasant arranged entirely by somebody
into something else, while the surprise, the wishes tended to else. How lazy can one get?
adventurers wandered along be quite evenly split. Although
a more tortuous route. With not every character could be a

LINE THORUP not really saying no but defi- dont remember if there was a
nitely not saying yes, I had story in the game, but if there
DENMARK I went to my run out of excuses. So, finally, were, I didnt get it. And in any
first larp in 1994. And the thing I thought: Ill just go this one case, it seemed like most peo-
was; I did not want to go! It time. And then Ill tell them ple were there to hit each other
felt like something potentially that it wasnt for me. with huge boer swords, show-
stupid and embarrassing. And So there I was. In the woods, ing o homemade (or more
the 17-year-old me definite- surrounded by orcs and elves likely mum-made) costumes
ly didnt want to do anything and dwarves and warriors, with as orc-slayer or elf-king or
embarrassing. But, my friends my human/thief character, something (there were a lot of
had been pestering me about a blanket-cape, and some slayers and kings in those days).
going, and after a long while of fur-things around my shoes. I So I took my first steps into the
 27

My first long larp

En sommerfest (A
summers feast)
held in 1995. My
character was that
of the princess, and
my plot was to
marry the winner of
the kings tourna-
ment. Photograph:
Daniel Benjamin
Clausen

woods, convinced that I would and absolutely none of them first Knutepunkt. To this day
feel ridiculously stupid and out have I regretted going to. I still dont get how the first
of place. But the further we got But back then, in the mid/ Knutepunkt-crew manage to
into the game, the more I saw late 90s, the larp scene was find us? Did they go through
and experienced, the more I very dierent than it is today. phone-books looking for larp-
began to realise: WOW! Be- We kind of lived in a bubble in like names of organisations,
cause the truth was, that even Denmark, and besides rumours called switchboards, contact-
though I was trying hard to be of a Gathering in England, we ed table-top organisations,
one of the cool kids, I secretly just didnt know if we were the or what? And inevitably, they
read fantasy novels and dreamt only ones in the world larping. didnt find all of us. Far from
of being part of all their epic This was before the Internet, it, as it turned out. See, the 90s
drama and romance. And here mind you. You couldnt just held the perfect conditions for
it was! In real life well, kind go online and google it. To larp to arise, resulting in nu-
of real life, anyways, but good our knowledge, we had more merous but isolated inventions
enough for me. So yeah, larp or less invented this thing, of larp. We now know that the
and me was love at second which meant it had no intrin- Nordic countries alone host-
sight. sic norms, rules, seniors, or ed multiple groups of larpers,
After attending my first larp, authorities. Thus, in the ab- all living in their individu-
I began considering myself sence of authorities, we were al bubbles, all thinking that
a larper. First, in the woods free to define what was good they probably were the only
as human or elf or orc. Later, and bad within larp. And in ones in the world. While some
when the games migrated into those days, good role-playing were tracked down by the
more serious or elaborate set- had to do with showing o. Knutepunkt team, it took years
tings, within the minds of char- Being seen and making it big: before we knew the extent of
acters living tragic, funny, lov- big fighting-scenes, big shout- it. But for those of us who did
ing, hateful, or ambitious lives. ing-scenes, big ego-scenes! get the letter, just like that: our
And though not all games have But, that all changed with bubble burst! And we became
been great, and not all charac- a letter from Norway in 1997, a part of something that later
ters have been interesting, all inviting all interested Dan- would become the nordic larp
games have left an impression ish larpers to come to the scene. A paradigm shift almost
28

as big as discovering the conti- new black. Danish larp, with all Needless to say, the key
nental drift! its high fantasy and going-big people behind the play were
But, with the Nordic larp playing-style, all of a sudden gamers, as well. Together we
continents drifting closer to felt old-fashioned and limited. drove to Helsinki that summer
each other, I also began to see I wanted everything to be full- for the Ropecon role-playing
the side-eects of stepping out on nordic larp-like, and would convention, and there saw an
of our former solitude. Our have none of that Danish stu. ad for a live role-playing game
concepts of good and bad larp- Yes, I know, I was being stuck- organised at one of the few cas-
ing were being challenged, and up and annoying at the time, tles Finland has. Obviously we
while some couldnt wait to looking down on a really great signed up.
embrace the nordic turn, oth- Danish larp-scene! But, I was Finnish larp was still find-
ers felt disregarded and looked 20-years old, and I felt like I ing its form. Back then, there
down on. In other places, their had found the best thing ever were a few pages of rules, me-
playing-style was dierent from once again. chanics, and character sheets
the Danish going-big mental- with hitpoints and skills and
ity. I mean, they presumably experience. But the first hints
had big fighting-scenes, big towards pre-written characters
shouting-scenes and big egos- MIKE POHJOLA and relations and plots were al-
scenes, but they also had this ready in place. So I played a first
thing called immersion. Going FINLAND I went to my first level guard, whose main func-
to my first inter-Nordic larp, I larp at the age of sixteen in tion in the larp was to guard
was for the first time confront- 1995. the castle. A boring standard
ed with a mirror to my Danish In 1994, I was fifteen, and role for a first-time male player.
larp-norm and practises. had been a long time tabletop And I loved it. It was a clear
At Et vintereventyr,3 I re- roleplayer. At the RPG store night when I stood at the foot
membered being completely in Turku I saw an ad from the of the portcullis, hearing the
shocked and intimidated by local youth theatre looking for sounds of elves and goblins,
the seriousness of the other actors in Draiocht, a role-play- knights and fairies all around
Nordic larpers: They played ing theatre play. It was an in- me. And my own voice, in-
all the time. No o-game! Not teractive theatre play where a sulting them any way I could.
even at night or in the solitude group of heroes set out to res- Behind me, the once magnif-
of their groups. And playing cue a princess from the clutch- icent castle. Above me, all the
a character for them meant es of the demon Draiocht. The stars of the Milky Way, shining
playing, even when you were audience could help the heroes as bright as they do over Mid-
alone! Man, I felt like such an make choices and a game mas- dle-Earth. It was a magical ex-
amateur at that larp: Playing ter would roll dice determin- perience.
big when I shouldnt, going ing the results of combat and I immediately oered my
o-game and generally feeling magic. I ended up playing one help in developing the world
like I had been thrown in at the of the heroes, Dizmal of the (and was accepted), signed up
deep end. Still, once that door Shadows, a sort of caricature for any other larps I heard of,
had been opened, there was version of Raistlin.4 An incredi- and started planning my own.
no going back. And for some bly bombastic and horribly dis- Most other players at the larp
of us, immersion became the tressed wizard. were either tabletop gamers,

3 Et Vintereventyr (A Winter fairytale) was held in Norway in 1997, and is commonly recognised as the first
inter-Nordic larp.

4 Raistlin Majere from the Dragonlance series by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.
 29

boer sword enthusiasts or art beginnings. Its an experiential belongings in the Santa Claus
school kids. Everyone shared form of entertainment, expres- style of jute bag hed brought,
a common love of works of sion and perhaps even art, after completely fed up with his
fantasy such as ElfQuest, Lord all. The subjective view is built whining about how the load
of the Rings, and Dragonlance. into the whole shebang, from cut into his back, and doing it
Some were also into Finnish, the ground up. So, heres one for him to get us the hell out of
Viking, or Celtic mythology. of them. there quicker. Of the actual in-
Organising my first larps the The first time I saw anything terplay, what sticks to this day
next winter, I would advertise similar to larp was probably a is forced lines like: Forsooth,
them to school mates and on boer fight staged on a lawn I greeteth thee, traveller, fol-
the Finnish larpers mailing list. outside one of the Spelkongress lowed by silence because there
People would sign up over the tabletop role-playing conven- wasnt actually much to talk
phone, or via email, or in per- tions in Stockholm in the 80s. about. But there was also some
son. I would mail them printed I wasnt terribly impressed. As pretty decent interaction going
and copied material in enve- years went by, rumours started on.
lopes. Wed travel to a forest on flying about gamers dressing Most players were enacting
a bus, play our larp in the snow, up in bed sheet tabards and various tabletop characters of
and take the bus back. hitting each other with duct theirs, but some were showing
The first larp I organised taped sticks, out in their neigh- a fairly solid amateur acting
was with a classmate, and bourhood woods. Me and my background. The gender mix
called Routamets (The Frost- close circle of friends thought was way better than anything
wood). We wanted to innovate the whole thing silly, busy as Id ever seen in tabletop, may-
in the field of larp, so instead of we were with long running be 60/40 male/female, includ-
medieval fantasy, our larp was narrativist tabletop campaigns. ing the organiser team (and Id
Stone Age fantasy. Two hunt- Against my better judgement, soon learn that female organ-
er-gatherer tribes encounter though, an enthusiastic friend isers were a rare thing, regret-
each other and negotiate over eventually managed to talk me tably growing even rarer for
something. into trying the real thing. 3D a decade or so until the trend
The biggest artistic dilemma role-playing, as it was called, turned). There was even a guy
for us organisers was how to because Doom hadnt been re- in his 30s with a real beard.
incorporate boer swords into leased and 1st Person wasnt The game was a slow start
the larp since Stone Age hunt- really a concept yet. for me. I took part in some
ers wouldnt have swords. The I debuted as an Arch Druid hokey ritual and stood on the
solution was elegant: There are in Drottning Nins profetia (The sidelines while some significant
dwarves in the nearby moun- Prophecy of Queen Nin) in piece of narrative was read out
tain and they sell the tribesfolk 1992, in a failed, home dyed to players. This was supposedly
steel swords. That way every- (pink) cotton cape actually an important occasion in the
one can carry a sword and still made out of bed sheetsbe- campaign story but meant lit-
be a Stone Age hunter-gather- cause I was clueless, most of tle to me. I hadnt read all the
er. the committed larpers were al- handouts. Real life prestige,
Frostwood had three sequels ready beyond that stageand a in those days, could be gained
before we moved onto bigger pair of grey suede hippie boots. from writing excessively de-
and better things. Getting good looking shoes tailed sword-and-sorcery fan-
was the real problem. tasy worlds and pushing them
I recall quite a few details onto not very keen participants
Got Stories? from that first game, like enter- in thick copier printed book-
DANIEL KRAUKLIS ing the larping area through a lets. The bigger, the better.
[email protected]
swamp and grumpily carrying Anyway, a hubbub broke out
SWEDEN Larp has many
another players shitload of after the reveal, gameplay grew
30

more intense, and from then didnt dress outrageously, and later, and exploded with the
on the coolest groupmore or for the most part conformed G-punkt forum.6 The medie-
less a mix of tribal Pathfinders to game mythos and refrained val festival in Visby became a
and Jolly Robbersand their from coming as Samurai or natural meeting place, turning
interpretation of things took Picts. Also, you really wished more or less into a rock festival
over. Dusk fell, and sudden- they paid their fees. Organising for the larping generation. In
ly there were orcs among the a larp often meant burning out time, Knutpunkt would also
trees, revealed by pairs of LEDs and going bankrupt. become an important hub, but
glinting evilly in the dark, un- The unassuming larp mag- more for the analytical intelli-
derscored by the occasional azine StrapatS and the more gentsia than for the dirt-un-
grunt and hoot. An epic, epic high brow Fa Livia started der-your-fingernails kind of
moment for a first-timer. Sup- being published at this stage. organiser.
posedly, the orc players had They printed practical tips on Everybody needs to reinvent
poured the juice of canned fer- sewing, debates, and game cal- the wheel. In the coming years
mented herrings all over them- endars. Internet hadnt really it would be fitted with meta
selves to be more authentically broken through yet, although technique spokes, remade into
disgusting, but I cant confirm it could be heard breathing black box metal tracks and with
this as I never got close enough through the door, so those the retro fantasy campaigns of
to tell. Pink cotton is too clearly two mags filled its function. I the 10s be hammered back into
discernible even in moonlight. phased out a little after discov- a more primitive wheel shape
Drottning Nins profetia was ering acting, but would later againrefined and warped and
rather fun, and definitely had return to larp with a more artsy born anew. Not infrequently
its epic moments, but I was view on what could be accom- with an ounce of attitude and
also kind of irritated at what I plished. Others were starting often with a disregard for his-
perceived as things that could to wear cloaks and glued on tory. And that can be a pretty
have been done better, so got plastic elven ears in public. It good thing, a certain measure
to know and pestered the or- was an identification thing. of disrespect for what has come
ganisers until they invited me At around this time, it before. So I raise my glass to
to help put together the next seemed as if larp was growing that.
thing, Sagan om Ariannas brl- exponentially. Maybe we were
lop (The Wedding Saga of just discovering that others
Arianna in 1993). That mood were doing similar things all
of creative annoyance drove over the country, and soon re-
much of what I did in connec- alised it was also happening in
tion with larping. We were a other Nordic countries. New
small group of friends who met contacts, and even news about
up in person to work, most of the big game of the summer
Got Stories?
our players were also friends, for a particular year, spread
or friends of friends. Getting mostly by word of mouth. In- [email protected]
to play wasnt a problem. You ternet started making a dent,
just went to the area. As an but communication was sort
organiser, you were happy if of sporadic until ICQ5 was
participants read the booklets, launched a couple of years

5 An early online chat and messaging service.

6 A discussion forum managed by a group of larp organisers, Galadrim, that became a central debating platform
in the 1990s.
 31

CLAUS RAASTED Claus at Knutepunkt/

Solmukohta 2000.
DENMARK This sword? I Photograph: Mikkel
kind of stole it. Rode
In 1993, I was at my first
larp. It was called Gastars Week-
end VI, took place at a public
school, and had something
like 60 participants. There was
one girl. One. Most of us were
teenagers (I was 13), and we had
horrible costumes, ridiculous
plotlines and a rule set inspired
by Dungeons & Dragons. The
line about the stolen sword
was one I uttered when two
hulking city guardsmaybe 15
or 16 years oldmet me late in
the evening and asked where
Id gotten an illegal weapon
from. It just showed that even
then, I didnt think straight, ing awesome. I still have so the good priest came barging
and that the whole thing was many memories from my first in, and Ill never forget jump-
pretty overwhelming. larp. Memories that I treasure ing out a window at breakneck
In the years to come, I would dearly, even though I know speed in an attempt to survive.
go on to be a regular player at that theyre viewed through I huddled in fear when the
the Gastars Weekend campaign rose-tinted glasses of nostal- knights went on crusade (there
and its spino, DEF42,7 and in gia. But nonetheless, these are was a rule that let them yell
95 Id join the organiser team. episodes that I can recall at the Crusade and then get special
In 99 I took over as chairman pull of a mental trigger. powers for 15 min), and I re-
of the organisation, and in I was part of an evil ritual member the thrill of skulking
2002 I went full time pro larp- (I played a Chaotic Evil Alche- on the rooftops of the school,
er. Today, Im one of the two mist) in our church (a class- being shown the secret weap-
owners of what is (arguably) room filled with student proj- ons cache of the thieves, be-
the largest larp production ects), where we were attacked hind a chimney. I remember
company in the world. But in by the knights. They were the eating vegetarian microwave
the early 90s, that was all in the good guys of the larp. Go fig- pizza with add-on pepperoni,
unimaginable future. ure. Our high priesta gangly because the main organiser
Remember, this was pre-In- 14-year-old with charisma up was vegetarian, and I remem-
ternet, pre-public acceptance, the wazoowas holding a cer- ber hanging out with guys who
pre-anything. In Denmark, emony while standing at the were much older than myself
there were probably a cou- teachers desk and brandishing and being welcomed into this
ple of thousand larpers at the a homemade boer knife. He weird tribe of nerds, gamers,
time, instead of the 100.000+ was going to sacrifice some- adventurers and dreamers.
we have now. But it was fuck- body when the knights and It was a time of physical

7 Dansk Eventyrspils Forening 42 (Danish Adventure Gaming Club 42).

32

mailing lists, pre-event meet- life. Its formed my career, my Writing this during the
ups, rule books copied and way of looking at life and my closing night of a College of
hand-folded, 18-year-olds lead- friendships. Its my passion, Wizardry eventarguably the
ing teenagers, and a young and my hobby and my job. One of most famous larp everseems
growing community. People the reasons my wife loves me is both fitting and proper. And
came from high schools, from because she knows shell never if I could send a message back
gaming circles, from board be the most important thing in time to that 13-year-old kid
game clubs and they came in my lifethats larp. It also who started larping, it would
in droves from the tabletop means that what started as a be simple and heartfelt: Youve
role-playing community. Some strange and bizarre adventure found your place. Never doubt
were geeky in the extreme and back in the early 90s has since that.
some were charismatic and vi- grown to become a sort of life And now Im going to go end
sionary. For a young, impres- missionspreading the gospel, the larp, with a tear in my eye
sionable man-to-be, it was a transforming lives and creating and a smile on my face.
time of formative memories. shared fictions that people can All because of a chance
Im 37 now, and Ive been not only consume, but co-cre- meeting, as they say in Middle
larping for about 23 of my ate and be part of. Earth.

MARGO RAAUM safety-wise. But I do think sive. Itd been years since I had
some of this lack of safety was thought about who were in or
NORWAY My career as a perceived as hardcore. out, but here I was back again.
larper started early and late. The larping style in Nor- Fun fact from the early days
Early because we are here in way in those days were mostly was that they had an affirmative
the very beginning of the 90s, aiming for total immersion, action program for girls. You
and late because I started larp- on 24h for 3 days. We were may think this was some pro-
ing at the ripe age of 26. actually able to immerse fair- gressive thinking, but Im afraid
Most larpers I met were 7-10 ly well with an inn made of I have to disappoint you. The
years younger than me, still in orange nylon, and a bear that program only applied to young
school, and came from the ta- looked like Sprocket from the and interesting girls, and not
bletop gaming scene. I had a muppets, a suspension of dis- older women. In my opinion,
degree, I was the current head belief I sometimes miss today. this was part of a problem that
of the student society, had a lot The organisers, though, would has later been discussed, that
of friends, and did not role play. happily prance around sport- some of these girls were part of
One could have thought that ing t-shirts with meta o-game a smorgasbord. After a few year
my love of playing theatre and slogans throughout the game. there became a larger diversity
dressing up was what pulled But that was their prerogative in organisers, as new groups
me into the larp community, as almighty organisers. emerged. This was good for the
but it was the thought of safe- Ah, the almighty organisers. community and opened up a
ly living a nightmare. Its true. To me this was a new type of much larger range of ideas and
I was absolutely intrigued by role. They would assess the events and kept up my interest
the thought of being terrified costumes, the gear, the living and love for the hobby.
without really being in mortal quarters and the way you acted. I look back at the roles and
danger. I got what I wanted, To me this was a much more the costumes with quite a bit of
especially since the lack of safe- authoritative role than I was love. I was given quite a few evil
ty mechanisms (like cut) led used to dealing with, they were characters, something I loved,
to some, I have realised later, masters of my universe and I but the funny thing is that I
quite questionable situations fell back and became submis- would also tend to be given
 33

the older characters because fliers were important (to the

my age would be closer to the younger crowd: kind of like
characters age. You gotta give a Facebook event printed on
them credit for that thinking: paper). Since there were no
of course you can more easily mobile phones, everything was
think like a 90-year-old when more predictable. We met at a
you are past 25! set place once a month, there
The costumes were best were always a larp around Eas-
eort, which sometimes in- ter and another in the summer,
volved gluing fabric to your and player meetings would be
wellingtons, turning the skirt thoroughly announced. But
inside out to hide the plastic when things went south, they
buttons, or sewing something really did, as you could not call
from some old curtains. The a friend. Lastly, not only were
latter being eco friendly and many not even old enough to
hipster, but since I am a terri- drive, very few had access to
ble seamstress, I looked more cars. This resulted in angry bus
like I had walked through a flea drivers, frustrated parents, and
market wearing glue, and wore some beat up cars that stopped
whatever stuck to me. This low in the middle of nowhere on
key costume regime didnt dis- the way to some larp.
turb the game, and it probably As the crowd grew older, the
matched our acting skills. games were professionalised,
The logistics of organising a and there were revolutionary
larp was not a trivial task. Most thoughts emerging like, for in-
announcements were made at stance, not starving or freezing
the local comic book store (yes, the players to death. And today,
not only the Big Bang Theory even if a larp can be hardcore: Margo in Curtains, early 1994.
people hang out there), and at least you can get a selfie. Photograph: Raaum

IAN ANDREWS The first games I played reasons not to create situations
were set in the (then very popu- that would require systemic
UNITED KINGDOM I lar) White Wolf World of Dark- supportmostly. The conflict
came into the hobby via the nessVampire mostly. The first was all interpersonal but as
freeform games route in the such I clearly remember was a rule there was no pre-play,
late eighties and early nine- Pete Whales Vampire game (set no sharing of background pri-
tiesan unusual route for UK in Canterbury if I recall) from or to the gamepeople hit it
larp. A small group of people GamesFair 1990. cold, played very hard for a few
were generating short, 2-5 hour This prompted me to run hours, then debriefed infor-
chamber games with high lev- an equivalent set of games set mally to each other afterwards.
els of pre-briefing and little or in the Ars Magica background,8 Word of mouth was our
no systemic support, usually which lent itself far more to primary communications and
run in free rooms at UK table- complex politics without dif- advertising tool and mostly,
top conventions such as Gen- ficult-to-phys-rep violence. In once it had broken out of the
Con and GamesFair. my experience, players found convention setting, it spread

8 RPG originally developed by Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein-Hagen, first published in 1987.
34

through tabletop games friend material, plot out narrative LARSON KASPER
networks and via games shops. and background and to gener-
A lot of the ethos of game de- ate the documentation. Bear GERMANY We all had
sign that went into these early in mind, a lot of this was at heard about larpers. Some of
games was informed by table- the dawn of the computer age us even knew someone whose
top sensibilitiesfrom both without access to email, the friend was a larper. These guys
White Wolfs early games de- Internet or anything like it. must be totally crazy! Oliver
sign and from older games still. Mostly we met in person, talk- said with a mouthful of pizza
One of the best games I ever ed, then went away and typed. while sorting his dice to decide
played was a full on weekend Sometimes we rang each other which ones would be suitable
scenario with fifty players set to read out bits of text for sec- for the next round of D&D. We
at a conference in the AD&D ond opinions. The arrival of were a bunch of long-haired,
Greyhawk setting. email and bulletin boards in role-playing nerds in the 1990s
O the back of these so- the late nineties made this pro- and while most of our non-
called freeform games cess a lot easier. role-playing friends though
which bore a not-inconsider- Some of the writing I did we were the freaks, we knew
able resemblance to some of for those early games remains that those larpers were the real
the looser nordic style games some of my best and favour- freaks.
now runninga small com- ite work, but looking back on Then, in 1996, I went to my
munity network built up of them with an honest eye, ir- first larp. I had the company of
people running such games for respective of the value of the four friends and we drove with
each other. At its height in the writing, they were terrible my car packed to its limits to a
late nineties, there were over- game actuation documents. small game in the countryside.
night or weekend games every If we had it to do again, there We had no idea what a larp
few months and every year an would be much better ways of would be like and had com-
event game for up to a hun- doing such things. bined some 1970s frilled shirts
dred or so players, usually run I am an unashamed hard- with leather trousers and velvet
at a youth hostel or site of in- core narrativist gamer, and the vest, added some scarfs, leath-
terest.9 route into the hobby I took is er bands and some of us even
As the games proliferated, largely both a shaping influ- had found a boer weapon in
so it became more and more ence on, and a result of, that. the local role-playing shop. We
common to run a sequence The UK freeform game scene looked like a bunch of hippies
of gamesthree, four or five is still alive and well, and main- or a romantic, kitch gypsy band
games with an arc plot. People taining a quiet, informally-
became invested in the char- -networked profile beneath We werent the only ones
acters they were playing and the thunder of the big fest live with no clue about larp, the
debriefs after the game became games. Indeed, for many play- same went for the organisers.
less and less common as people ers at those big fests, its just a They had also only just heard
held onto their secrets for the chance to run their own, small about larp and while we de-
next game. chamber games with someone cided to participate to find out
People formed collectives else providing the setting and what it is, they decided to just
usually three to six individ- the cast of thousands ... organise a larp. We ended up
ualsto write background in a fantastic outdoor week-

9 The Feast of All Souls, Mortal Wombat Games, 1999; various Ars Magica Tribunals, 1991-98, Machiavelli
Games, and 1999-2004, NWO Games; Untitled Greyhawk Game, Ware Collective, 1998; Untitled Jacobean The-
atre Game, Ambrose Hall, 2002.
 35

VLarpAuf immer und ewig

(Forever and ever), December
2000. Photograph: Ralf Hls

end with scout tents, bonfires, pretty big at this point. There communications, we mostly
scavenger hunts and lovely were already some larp shops knew each other only by our
costumes. We even had an orc in the bigger cities and most character names.
player, whoof coursewas a larps were three to four days It all ended in 2001 when
very nice orc. and many had a hundred par- the first Drachenfest drew more
Everything was new, fantas- ticipants and more. Of course, than one thousand players and
tic and totally awesome. But I there were also rules and regu- after the Lord of the Rings came
think what really got me was lationsit was Germany after out for Christmas, we were
my first short moment of im- all. At least two big rule-sys- drowned in the third wave of
mersion, when me and a friend tems were printed in books German larpers. While some
walked through the forest on competing against each other. of us thought this might be the
the last night. While we were A whole world to discover. end of a small community, I
totally aware that all NPCs In 1999, we organised our think we just felt some growing
were already drunk and singing first larp. Yes, we already had pains, while transforming from
at the bonfire, our characters internet at this point. But a the freaky nerds to something
still expected a bunch of raid- homepage back then was rath- even more beautiful ...
ers in every shadow and behind er a show of how many gifs of
every tree. I was totally sold burning torches one could put
and part of the second wave of on one page than a source of
German larpers. information. And while we ac-
Back home we found the tually invited some people via
Thilo Wagners Larp-Kalen- email, most people were re-
der10 and learned that there cruited via snail mail, at larps,
were games every weekend and with flyers in role-playing
and sometimes you could even shops. It was more import-
choose between several games. ant to include ones character
The larp scene in Germany was name than our real names in

10 Thilo Wagners Larp-Kalender can still be found at www.larp-kalender.de

 A Tale of Knutepunkt
Theorycrafting

J. Tuomas Harviainen

THE STORY OF KNUTEPUNKT is a story of divergences

and maturations. From a network of interests it has grown
into a community of practices, in which people learn from
each other, share experiences, and agree to disagree on best
design decisions. Yet underneath it all, it is also a commu-
nity that has slowly transmuted itself by including certain
themes, while phasing others out.
This chapter explores that change through the discourses
exhibited in the Knutepunkt books. As anyone who has ever
been to the event itself knows, they are not really represen-
tative of actual talks at the conferences. Much more takes
place in hallway discussions, lecture rooms, and room party
talks, and while a lot of it is just free-form chat, those are
where many of the inspirations and insights for the coming
years actually emerge. The books nevertheless present our
corpus of preserved ideas, including many that were first in-
spired by those other talks at the events.
The phases discussed in this chapter were never com-
plete. They are just trends. For example, even after a lot of
academic larp work moved elsewhere, an occasional few

37
have kept appearing in the Knutepunkt books. In a rare
few cases, external research works were even co-opted by
the community back into its corpus, if they were done by a
prominent member of the community. An example of this
is Markus Montolas influential Positive negative experience
in extreme role-playing (2010), later re-printed as part of The
Foundation Stone of Nordic Larp (Saitta, Holm-Andersen and
Back, 2014). Yet I believe these are exceptions to the rule, and
speak as much of the communitys focus on personas as they
do of the included articles high quality.
In many ways, the Knutepunkt community has evolved
in the same way smaller tighter role-playing groups do. As
Leonard and Arango (2013) have thoroughly observed, many
larp communities exemplify Tuckmans (1965) and Wheelans
(1994) model of group development (see also Balzac, 2014). At
the Forming stage, connections are sought, and the work tends
to be unfocused, unless guided by a skilled leader or facilita-
tor. In Storming, individuals are judged by others and conflicts
emergeeven as the group still seeks to work togetherand
can in fact gain strength from its internal conflicts. In Norm-
ing, conflicts have been largely settled, as challenging individ-
uals have either left or been driven out, and the community
has developed norms that govern behaviour and hide disso-
nance. In the final Performing stage, which few groups reach,
members have entered a level where they autonomously work
toward common goals, provide exceptional results, and have
a significant risk of burning out. Groups can and do fluctuate
between the various stages, especially whenever their com-
position changes as members come and go. This is especially
important to Knutepunkt, as its membership changes from
one year to the next, and new movers and shakers occasion-
ally enter the scene.
This chapter explores the transformations and trends in
the scene as I personally, aided by the books, recall them. My
narrative viewpoint is that of an author in each years books,
even as I too have selected what I consider to be the most
influential of the contents of the volumes into new books
published outside Knutepunkt proper, yet within its sphere
of influence.

38
 Shared steps, at first

THE ROOTS OF all of the future stages discussed here

were already present in The Book (Alfsvg, Storr and Han-
sen, 2001), the first of the books, published after four earlier
conferences had taken place. It contained theory specula-
tion, documentation, design, and gender issues. From that
point forward, we have seen a refinement of each of those
topics, but not necessarily in the company of each other.
When one looks at The Book, it is important to realize that
its appearance was in many ways already a late part of the
Forming of the communityby the time it was published,
the community had been constructing its membership and
discourses already for several years, also on the photocopied
pages of the Panclou larp zine.
The next volumes were likewise Forming stage works. As
Larp Grows Up (Gade, Thorup and Sander, 2003) very much
reads like the expanded sibling of The Book. Beyond Role and
Play (Montola and Stenros, 2004) in turn emphasised the an-
alytic side, something which a few years later would spark a
change of style. The plurality in many ways culminated with
Dissecting Larp (Bckman and Hutchison, 2005), which fea-
tured contributions of very varying types, but due to its slop-
py editorial work alienated several aspiring larp academics,
who felt that the quality requirements of their work were
not sufficiently appreciated. At the same time, it contained
some of the most influential larp design works, ones that
keep getting mentioned over a decade later.

39
 Good riddance
or, the exit of academia

AS ITS TITLE suggests, Role, Play, Art (Fritzon and Wrigs-

tad, 2006) went for a lighter style, with an artistic tint to it.
Academic content was still present, but in a more controlled
tone, and the work focused on design. This was intention-
ally fostered by the editors guidance to that direction, as
well as a coinciding event: in March 2006, the Universi-
ty of Tampere organised its Playing Roles seminar, which
not only invited in the more academically inclined Nordic
role-playing scholars, but also launched a new publication
channel, the International Journal of Role-Playing. As a result,
larp academics now had a venue that their home universi-
ties appreciated a lot more than the Knutepunkt books. Yet
some academics still wanted to contribute to the
annual volumes.
To cater for them, and the other audiences, Lifelike (Don-
nis, Gade and Thorup, 2007) organised dierent types of
editorial processes for dierent content. Some parts were
reviewed by academics, as academic texts, while others were
not. One of its articles, Ulrik Lehrskovs My name is Jimbo
the Orc (2007), about the authors encounter with a larper
fixated on his character and its axe, still remains one of the
best examples of larp cultures colliding. Some otherwise
pleased academic authors complained, however, that the
books lack of a descriptive sub-title lessened its potential
impact. Playground Worlds (Montola and Stenros, 2008)
made the content dierence situation even more explicit,

40
segmenting the contents by not only topic but also type,
with reviews for the academic parts included. Probably the
heaviest read in the entire series, even in its less academ-
ic parts, Playground Worlds while being well received also
inspired a counter-reaction: whereas game documenta-
tion had until then been a side part of the books, it rose to
prominence with Larp, the Universe and Everything (Holter,
Fatland and Tmte, 2009)and has never since left that
position. Documentation still shared much space with de-
sign material, though, at that point. Playing Reality (Larsson,
2010), rising from practitioner and activist circles, stretched
the distances even further, by being almost hostile to the
academic format. Rumour has it that the editor even con-
templated the banning of all references in it, but eventually
relented, yet still encouraged people to write in a succinct,
journalistic style.
The final division nevertheless appeared during a year
when the editors actually did their best to cater for an ac-
ademic set of authors, alongside the others: 2011. The ed-
itorial team explicitly invited contributions of many sorts,
probably expanding on the idea of Playground Worlds. As
also resources and not just submissions poured in, however,
they somewhere along the line decided to make three books
instead of one. One would be academic, one on design, and
one a set of provocations, inspired by public talks the years
before. This was not, however, told to the authors, several
of whom would have liked to contribute in more than one
style, had they known of the decision. Suddenly, many peo-
ple were placed in separate categoriesone was either an
academic in Think Larp (Henriksen, Bierlich, Friis Hansen
et al., 2011), a practitioner in Do Larp (Andresen, Nielsen
and Carbonelli et al., 2011) or an embittered, sarcastic prac-
titioner in Talk Larp (Raasted, 2011). A handful received sub
rosa advance warnings, enabling them to slip in a quickly
written provocation in addition to a larger piece in anoth-
er book. In a kind of advance reflection of later norming in
gender-related topics, the academic book was made with
two covers. One of them featured a tank with soap bubbles,
considered too phallic and too militant by some, the other

41
one a blank, supposedly more academic white. In typical
counterculture form, the chief editor was given a white copy
with an actual phallus drawn on it with a markera move
that would in later years probably have sparked a massive
Facebook discussion.
This period marks a kind of Storming, during which peo-
ple argued and even fought quite visibly on what exactly
Knutepunkt was, how culturally inclusive it should be, and
what things like immersion actually were. By 2011, hallway
discussions at the event itself in Denmark showed a new
amicable spirit of agreeing to disagree: a move towards clear
Norming. At the same time, several key figures in the scene
made it quite clear that they felt academic research was
harmful to the community, eectively removing incentives
to contribute further. And finally, the result of the book di-
vision was that now many people skimmed through only the
one book that interested them, whereas before, they would
have at least glanced at the other parts as well. A division
underneath the Norming was beginning to form. This coin-
cided with a second paradigm shift, to which we turn next.

From design
to documentation
and back?

THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, design had been the most

respected part of the Knutepunkt corpus. It was the yard-
stick by which other article types were often judged: does
this contribute to actual practice? As noted above, docu-
mentary pieces had been included here and there already,
with chapters like Koljonens (2004) description of Hamlet
exemplifying the best qualities of what the community had

42
to oer in writing, and special treats like the System Danmarc
video documentary DVD (Opus, 2005) whetting appetites
for more. Cults of personalities were based on those works,
as some games were established as canonic masterpieces
and others forgotten. Yet methodology was still prominently
present in the discourses.
With larp photography increasing, however, the commu-
nity moved from dry descriptions of technique to juicy de-
scriptions of how awesome some larps had been. Depictions
of experiences triumphed over talk of improved design and
writingand they made credibility and funding easier to ac-
quire. In a short time came Larp, the Universe and Everything,
the massive Nordic Larp (Stenros and Montola, 2010), and Do
Larp, accompanied by similar volumes from other larp com-
munities. By 2012, separate documentation books on past
games entered the market, with The Book of Kapo (Raasted,
2012) leading the way, and with States of Play (Pettersson, ed.
2012) carrying the same tune. The normative narrative of the
Knutepunkt community had changed: from we make larps
it had turned into we made these awesome larps, in proper
corporate storytelling style.
Therefore, it was no surprise to see the next year car-
rying the trend: accompanying Crossing Habitual Borders
(Meland and Svela, 2013a), Crossing Physical Borders (Meland
and Svela, 2013b) and Crossing Theoretical Borders (Meland
and Svela, 2013c) was a documentary photo book, Exploring
Borders (Meland and Svela, 2013d), with the other books con-
sisting mostly of light essays on larp. In the wider picture of
Knutepunkt, the three books together do the same for ear-
lier topics as the documentary books do for design: rather
than describe concepts and ideas, they describe the feels,
moods and experiences of those concepts and ideas, ranging
from theory to practices and actual play.
Then, a new watershed appeared, in the form of the two
2014 books that were strangely at odds. While The Cutting
Edge of Nordic Larp (Back, 2014) reintroduced design to the
discussions not only in the contexts of celebrating success
but also as analytic study, The Foundation Stone of Nordic
Larp (Saitta et al., 2014) intentionally left design out, focus-

43
ing on mostly works known as the basis of famous success
stories, with an author list I view as being close to a celebrity
roll call. In essence, the latter presented the community as
it is viewed from the outside, more than it did the founda-
tions upon which the communitys theorycrafting was built,
even as many parts of that too naturally were present. 2015
preserved the point to a great extent, with both a Nordic
Larp Yearbook 2014 (Nielsen and Raasted, 2015b) and The
Knudepunkt 2015 Companion Book (Nielsen and Raasted,
2015a). One detailed the preceding years success stories, the
other provided viewpoints, design essays masquerading as
light academia, and one academic contribution.
Eventually, Larp Realia (Srkijrvi, Loponen and Kangas,
2016) and Larp Politics (Kangas, Loponen and Srkijrvi,
2016) repeated the formula, bringing the book series style
almost back to where it all started. With documentation
now too in the mix, they otherwise approach the first two
books, just with a bit more of an analytic bent. One central
trait of many works in the post-2011 books can nevertheless
be observed here as well: long essays on serious topics, with
very little to ground them to earlier works. These are inter-
mingled as equals with more seriously grounded chapters.
Who says it has become as important as Why should we
believe this argument. And this chapter may well be guilty
of that too.

Discussion

OVER THE YEARS, several Knutepunkt editors mentioned

academias exit with a note of it having in a sense served its
purpose for the community and now thriving elsewhere
(Pettersson, 2012; Meland and Svela, in preface to 2013c).
This echoes other critical discourses from the community,

44
including talk of academics being too removed from actu-
al play, outsiders defining what is important in and about
Knutepunkt and what is not, and designers being so focused
on impressive documentation that they neglect organising a
good game. Parts of this are probably true. It likewise reflects
years when the editors had diverse backgrounds: academics
both appreciating and knowing how to handle academia,
artists being particularly good with artistic pieces, journal-
ists with journalistic contributions, and so forth, with each
group wary of editing submissions outside of their own ar-
eas of expertise. With the nordic scene moving away from
larp academia, North American research is taking over. With
each celebration, we advertise the success, but not the work
done behind the scenes. When we do, it is in the tone of
Norming.
The written, public evolution of the nordic larp scene is a
reflection of the development of the sub-communities that
constitute the most visible scene. Those sub-communities
exist as summaries of local, national, cultural and creative
drives. They often work together, thanks to the Norm-
ing, Performing and communal appreciation of the larger
Knutepunkt community, but also show signs of more isolat-
ed pulls and wears. At the same time, they are subject to the
forces that work outside the community. Examples of this
include normative language policing, the personal profes-
sional interests of past and future editors, and commercial
interests of larp designers. Each of these is good to some ex-
tent, but when they become measuring sticks of Norming or
Storming, rather than guides for Forming or Performing, they
are are a menace to furthering the development of what we
as a community seek to achieve. Diering editorial decisions
and goals give us variety and versatility, but they cannot be
too bound by goals other than those of larp creativity and
innovation.
Do not take my comments the wrong way. The fact of
the matter is that, at least the way I see it, Knutepunkt is
also benefiting from this separation. Larp academics, hav-
ing tried out their proverbial wings in the books, have now
found their way to more prominent channelsor into posi-

45
tions in companies. So while their work no longer reaches
the eyes of as many practitioners, they add to the credibility
of the activity in their own way. The same way, even as doc-
umentation has become celebratory, it is also inspiring, and
it keeps even the celebrities accessible to the larping public.
We have come to realise that larps are too numerous to re-
ally define, so design too is more of a tool than a norm now.
It is, if anything, a brand now, advertising the specific ex-
periences that may end up documented elsewhere later on,
whether those come from a tiny chamber larp or a massive
magic school. Perhaps the community is now reaching the
state where it is actually Performing beyond our wildest ex-
pectations. In its texts at least, that is.
I love each and every one of the Knutepunkt books, even
the ones I criticise and claim to hate. They have been, and
they are, important. What I no longer recognise are the
people around them. Even as many members are busy Per-
forming in what they do, many are doing their best to keep
up the Norming of how they should do it. A clear conflict is
now present, between individual drive and the communitys
needs. Unless something is done, it will lead to the dark side
of Performingburning out, and then dropping out. Hav-
ing contributed to Knutepunkt books every single year they
have been published, I have come to realise that I actually
design and play larps less and less each year. Knutepunkt is
Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing, all at the same
time, because it has grown so massive in both size and influ-
ence. It is a whirlpool I can no longer navigate, and dare no
longer enter, even in writing. Especially if that written form
is increasingly likely to be a normative post on social media
than a chapter in a new book.

46
 Bibliography
Alfsvg, Anethe, Ingrid Storr, Erlend Eidsem Hansen,
Tommy Finsen, Bjrn Rugstad and Helge H. Jensen.
The book. Oslo: Norway, Knutepunkt. 2001
Andresen, Lars, Charles Bo Nielsen, Luisa Carbonelli,
Jesper Heebll-Christensen and Marie Oscilowki. Do
larp: documentary writings from KP2011. Copenhagen,
Denmark: Rollespilsakademiet. 2011
Back, Jon. The cutting edge of Nordic larp. Stockholm,
Sweden: Knutpunkt. 2014
Balzac, Stephen. R. Organizational psychology for
managers. New York, USA: Springer. 2014
Bckmann, Peter and Ragnhild Hutchison. Dissecting
larp. Oslo, Norway: Knutepunkt. 2005
Donnis, Jesper, Morten Gade and Line Thorup. Lifelike.
Copenhagen, Denmark: Knudepunkt. 2007
Fritzon, Thorbirn and Tobias Wrigstad. Role, play
art: collected experiences of role-playing.Stockholm,
Sweden: Freningen Knutpunkt. 2006
Gade, Morten, Line Thorup and Mikkel Sander. As larp
grows up: theory and methods in larp. Frederiksberg,
Denmark: Projektsgruppen KP03. 2003
Henriksen, Thomas Duus, Christian Bierlich, Kasper
Friis and Valdemar Klle. Think larp: academic
writings from KP2011. Copenhagen, Denmark:
Rollespilsakademiet. 2011
Holter, Matthijs, Eirik Fatland and Even Tmte. Larp, the
universe, and everything. Oslo, Norway: Knutepunkt.
2009
Kangas, Kaisa, Mika Loponen and Jukka Srkijrvi, J.,
Larp politics - systems, theory, and gender in action.
Helsinki, Finland: Ropecon. 2016
Koljonen, Johanna. I could a tale unfold whose lightest
word would harrow up thy soul: Lessons from
Hamlet. In Beyond role and play: tools, toys and theory
for Harnessing the Imagination. Edited by Markus
Montola and Jaakko Stenros. Helsinki, Finland:
Ropecon ry. 2004. p. 191-201
Larsson, Elge. Playing reality. Stockholm, Sweden:
Interacting Arts. 2010
Lehrskov, Ulrik. My name is Jimbo the Orc, In Lifelike.
Edited by Jesper Donnis. Morten Gade and Line
Thorup. Copenhagen, Denmark: Projektgruppen
KP07. 2007. p. 159-163
Leonard, Diana.J. and Grayson Arango. The dynamic
life cycle of live action role-play communities, In
Wyrdcon Companion Book 2013. Edited by Sarah
47 Lynne Bowman, 2013. p. 125-136
Meland, Karete Jacobsen and Katrine verlie Svela.
Crossing habitual borders. Oslo: Fantasiforbundet,
2013a
Meland, Karete Jacobsen and Katrine verlie Svela.
Crossing physical borders. Oslo: Fantasiforbundet,
2013b
Meland, Karete Jacobsen and Katrine verlie Svela.
Crossing theoretical border. Oslo: Fantasiforbundet.
2013c
Meland, Karete Jacobsen and Katrine verlie
Svela(Eds.). Exploring borders. Oslo:
Fantasiforbundet. 2013d
Montola, Markus. The positive negative experience in
extreme role-playing. In Proceedings of Experiencing
Games: Games, Play, and Players - First Nordic Digra.
Stockholm, Sweden: 2010
Montola, Markus and Jaakko Stenros. Beyond role
and play: tools, toys and theory for harnessing the
imagination. Helsinki, Finland: Ropecon. 2004
Montola, Markus and Jaakko Stenros. Playground
worlds: creating and evaluating experiences of role-
playing games. Helsinki, Finland: Ropecon. 2008
Nielsen, Charles Bo and Claus Raasted. The Knudepunkt
2015 Companion book. Copenhagen, denmark:
Rollespilsakademiet. 2015a
Nielsen, Charles Bo and Claus Raasted. The Nordic
larp yearbook 2014. Copenhagen, Denmark:
Rollespilsakademiet. 2015b
Opus. Bagom System Danmarc, in System Danmarc
DVD 2.0 EN. Copenhagen, Denmark: Opus. 2005
Pettersson, Juhana. Introduction, In States of play:
Nordic larp around the world. Edited by Juhana
Pettersson. Helsinki, Finland: Pohjoismaisen
roolipelaamisen seura [Society for Nordic Role-
playing]. 2012. p. 7-9
Pettersson, Juhana. States of play: Nordic larp around
the world, Helsinki, Finland: Pohjoismaisen
roolipelaamisen seura [Society for Nordic Role-
playing]. 2012
Raasted, Claus. Talk larp: provocative writings
from KP2011. Copenhagen, Denmark:
Rollespilsakademiet. 2011
Raasted, Claus. The book of Kapo. Copenhagen,
Denmark: Rollespilsakademiet. 2012
Saitta, Eleanor, Marie Holm-Andersen and Jon Back.
The foundation stone of Nordic larp. Stockholm,
Sweden: Knutpunkt. 2014
Srkijrvi, Jukka, Mika Loponen and Kaisa Kangas. Larp
realia - analysis, design, and discussions of Nordic Larp.
Helsinki, Finland: Ropecon. 2016
Stenros, Jaakko and Markus Montola. Nordic larp.
Stockholm, Sweden: Fa Livia. 2010
Tuckman, Bruce.W. Developmental Sequence in Small
Groups, In Psychological Bulletin, Vol. 65, No. 6. 1965.
p. 384-399
Wheelan, Susan A. Group processes: a developmental
perspective. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. 1994
Karete Jacobsen Meland

Response to J. Tuomas Harviainen

I had my first meeting with Knutepunkt in Finland, 2012. I felt both out of place and
very welcome, as I was slowly moving around in the shadows and trying to figure out
what it was all about. A few months later, I was (lovingly) thrown headfirst into the
scene by being asked to be one of the editors of the book in Norway the following
year.
Reading Harviainens article has made me wonder whether Katrine verlie Svela
and I would have managed to take on the massive editorial job at an earlier point in
the story of Knutepunkt. Would we have known enough to make sense of all the
Storming, to be able to account for the choices we made? Im not sure. Perhaps it was
moving towards Norming, or in the words of Harviainen, the increased tendency to
agree to disagree, that made the process of editing the book of 2013 accessible for two
newcomers? (At least, thats what I felt we were at the time.) In addition, having the
possibility to let the writers, to a large degree, express and document their subjective
feels, moods and experiences, felt empowering and possibly made the editorial job
even less daunting.
Because of this, I feel it particularly interesting to read Harviainens discussion
and thoughts on the overwhelming complexity of todays Knutepunkt scene. He
writes about a whirlpool that has reached a point where he finds it impossible to nav-
igate, and even undesirable to enter. Even though I sometimes feel completely over-
whelmed by all the events that are organised, and by all the discussions happening
in myriads of places and forums, I would never rather be without it. But I do find it
frustrating that even though I have never been as involved in the larping community
as I am now, I also feel more lost now than ever. In a way, its like I keep experiencing
being a newcomer over and over again: Each time I turn a new corner, a whole new
world appears. Most of the time, I enjoy itafter all, it keeps me on my toes, satisfies
my curiosity and leads me to meet really incredible people. But it also makes me sad
that I dont think Ill ever get the feeling that I really know this community. How do
you really do that?
I felt like I got to know the community a little bit more when we were working
on the book, and even though I never read the books cover to cover I do at least get a
general overview of whats stirring. And the books have become an important token
of appreciation for me, tooeven though they arent really representative of actual
talks held during the conferences, they used to be almost the only things that were
left when it was over (in addition to the occasional name tag, newly acquired friend-
ships and a growing Knute-plague).
But now, importantly, the hallway discussions, room party talks and larp projects
are being preserved elsewhere, too: On social media, in various (often badly organ-
ised) discussion threads, forum posts, blogs, videos, and photographs. Is social media
killing the Knutepunkt book? In one way, other platforms are taking over to such an

49
extent that contributing to the book and to Knutepunkt, while not really playing or
designing a lot any longer, doesnt give the same comprehensive overview of what
goes on in the community as it used to do. The complexity adds to experiencing dif-
ferent larp scenes as less approachable or accessible, and to the growth of each scene
being more dependent on committed individuals working towards separate goals.
But social media is also yet another creative outlet and place for people to continue
discussing, continuing Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing.
This informal way of meeting up probably enables participation from a lot of
people, both new and old to the scene. But to me, having such a lot of the discourse
online hasnt really lowered the threshold and made it easier to take an active part
in discussions. I can scroll for ages, read and reflect about what others write, but I
almost never reply.
But what it is doing, at least, is giving me the opportunity to say oh yeah, I
remember reading about that somewhere! And this is, in its own way, helping me a
tiny bit towards feeling that Im getting to know the community a little bit better
just like reading the Knutepunkt books was very important to me in the beginning
(as I really saw them as the key to what the trends were, and had been). They have ob-
viously changed their meaning to me, personally, over the last yearand maybe well
end up somewhere where I dont feel like I need the books. Or the books dont need
me. But picturing a Knutepunkt without a book still feels a bit weird. And I do think
its good to get some writings from and on the larp community that is a little bit less
of an echo chamber than my own Facebook feed.
While our steadfast commitment should be guiding our joint Forming and Per-
forming, there may be times where we miss our mark and it becomes (more unde-
sired) a measuring stick for Storming or Norming. Im not sure whether Harviainens
last discussion is an example of the former or the latter. Wouldnt writing this article
also be an attempt to measure or steer the Storming/Norming that is going on? I do
find it peculiar to criticise that a community is starting to take measures and being
aware of not only what we do and that we do dierent things, but also how we are
doing the things we do. I guess we have to figure out how to do just that, too?
I agree that we seem to be Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing all at once,
to such a degree that its hard to keep up on everything that goes on. It can be com-
plicated and feel overwhelming to do it, and we should strive to not make this pro-
cess unwelcoming. I also think that we really are at a place in our Performing where
we run a serious risk of committed members of our communities burning their light
in both ends and subsequently dropping out. Of course we all have our ideas about
what Knutepunkt (and the Knutepunkt books) should be, and I do believe that it
really is important that we are increasingly aware of how we are, and should be, de-
signing, participating in, documenting and talking about larps and our larp scene.

50
 Three
[future of larp] Roads (of Translation) Not Taken
I believe larpsDierent
will become degrees of openness
cooler and cooler in the
of the
future. I will make work (and of the game)
sure of
that with my two best friends
who also larp. Weve grown
up with larp around us Tadeu
and Rodrigues Iuama
Ive always been fascinated
by what you can achieve and
who you can be. I think its
probably going to be quite
similar, but perhaps we could
get better special effects and
larger play areas. ABSTRACT
Fantasy, Victorian era,
sci-fi larps andFrom
all other kinds
the Julio Plazas proposition that, based on the
will probably still be there,
concept of open work of Umberto Eco, categorises the
but we might find new things
relationship author-work-reception in three degrees,
to write about.and
I think that inin cultural events in reception, interac-
the division
the future, larps will
tion andprobably
participation, seen in the research of Kristoer
Haggren, Elge Larsson, Leo Nordwall and Gabriel Wid-
ing, this study plans to compare three works called The
Road Not Taken: a 1916s poem by Robert Frost, a 2008s
larp by Mike Young and a 2014s music piece by Andr
Mestre. Besides that framework, this research uses the
notion of game
be bigger and planned from communication and culture theo-
better.
rist Vilm Flusser, which divides them usbetween
larpers who
open andappreciate a
We will have learned from good fantasy
closed. In open games, the translation process would larp.
be
our mistakes and everything
seen as a modification of the structure of rules Ininthe future, I think
a given
will be ready ongame.
time, long
From this theoretical basis, thelarps willislast
objective longer and be
to draw
before the larpaisrelationship
taking between the open work shorter than
and open now, and some
game.
place. In this context, the poem would stand ofasthem might
receptive work,become well-
But if they
thecontinue
music piece as interactive work known andaseven
and the larp par- turned into
construction andticipatory work. movies. No, I dont know. Im
deforestation, will thereKeywords: Communication;only fourteen but I know that
Narratives;
be room in the forest for this is something I love doing.
Poem; Music; Larp.
fantasy larps? We need the I want to hold on to it and
forest if all types of larps pass it on to my own children
are going to continue. And one day who will pass it on
with everything thats going to theirs. So we will continue
on in our modern world, larping and itll be at least as
its difficult to manage good as now. Just wait and
everything. But theres still see, were going to take the
a while until we lose all the world of larping by storm.
forests so there are probably
a few more good years for [Vilde, age 14]
*translated by the editors

53
 [killed darling]

extent that contributing to the book and to Knutepunkt,For the Star

while notWars
reallylarp Rdor
playing
Mne (Red Moon)
designing a lot any longer, doesnt give the same comprehensive overviewinof1999,
what we
wantedadds
goes on in the community as it used to do. The complexity players to be abledifto play
to experiencing
ferent larp scenes as less approachable or accessible,stormtroopers,
and to the growthbut of each scene
we didnt
being more dependent on committed individuals working towards separate goals.
think it realistic to demand they
But social media is also yet another creative outlet and
hadplaceproperfor people
armour. to continue
So we made
discussing, continuing Forming, Storming
the background
This informal way of meeting up probably enables participation from a lot of
story with a
crash and emergency
people, both new and old to the scene. But to me, having such a lot of the discourse landing
online hasnt really lowered the threshold and madefor the Imperium.
it easier Thatpart
to take an active way we
in discussions. I can scroll for ages, read and reflecthad
aboutan excuse
what otherstowrite,
let the
buttroopers
I
almost never reply. only wear their black coveralls
But what it is doing, at least, is giving me the opportunity to say oh yeah, I
and no plastics.
remember reading about that somewhere! And this is, in its
In practice: ownOneway, group
helpingofmeplayers
a
tiny bit towards feeling that Im getting to know the community a little bit better
designed and vacuum pressed
just like reading the Knutepunkt books was very important to me in the beginning
theirand
(as I really saw them as the key to what the trends were, own.hadSo we They
been). had ~20
have ob
viously changed their meaning to me, personally, over proper stormtroopers
the last yearand maybe at well
the larp
end up somewhere where I dont feel like I need theand books.a bunch
Or the of very
books humbled
dont need
me. But picturing a Knutepunkt without a book still organisers.
feels a bit weird. And I do think
its good to get some writings from and on the larp community that is a little bit[Anders] less
of an echo chamber than my own Facebook feed.

[character moment] [killed darling]

He just needs to save Legendernes Tid VII Grey

someone, anyone, thats is the sun (2004) was a Berlin
what he said. I push Wall inspired larp, which
the little clay heart into his featured a wall in the middle of
pocket. Thank you. But I a low-fantasy city. Sadly, budget
dont want to be saved. cuts meant that Severnajas
Wall went from being walkable
and patrollable to being more
of a Severnajas Fence sort of
thing. It worked on the symbolic
and practical level, but it was
NOT imposing at all.

[Ability/Veronica
The Solution] [Claus]
Three Roads (of Translation) Not Taken
Dierent degrees of openness
of the work (and of the game)
Tadeu Rodrigues Iuama

ABSTRACT

From the Julio Plazas proposition that, based on the

concept of open work of Umberto Eco, categorises the
relationship author-work-reception in three degrees,
and the division in cultural events in reception, interac-
tion and participation, seen in the research of Kristoer
Haggren, Elge Larsson, Leo Nordwall and Gabriel Wid-
ing, this study plans to compare three works called The
Road Not Taken: a 1916s poem by Robert Frost, a 2008s
larp by Mike Young and a 2014s music piece by Andr
Mestre. Besides that framework, this research uses the
notion of game from communication and culture theo-
rist Vilm Flusser, which divides them between open and
closed. In open games, the translation process would be
seen as a modification of the structure of rules in a given
game. From this theoretical basis, the objective is to draw
a relationship between the open work and open game.
In this context, the poem would stand as receptive work,
the music piece as interactive work and the larp as par-
ticipatory work.
Keywords: Communication; Narratives;
Poem; Music; Larp.

53
 levels of decision-making of the piece,
THREE DIFFERENT ROADS
especially those pertaining to performance.
NOT TAKEN: A BRIEF PRESENTATION
Contemplate the multitude of options at
OF THE WORKS
every moment, take the road less traveled.
(Mestre, 2014, p. 2)
In 1916, the US poet Robert Frost (1874-
1963) published a collection of poems called Mestres proposal extends beyond the lit-
Mountain Interval. The opening poem was erary sphere and the musical sphere to the
called The Road Not Taken. In general, the imagery sphere, since the very music score
four stanzas of the poem make up the story escapes from a more orthodox pattern to
of a traveller who finds himself at an impasse merge itself with the poem and the woods
after the initial event in which two roads di- image where (in Frosts poem) the decision
verged in a yellow wood. (Frost, 1916, p. 9) was taken, as seen in Figure 1.
After watching each of the paths, the trav- In order to immerse the instrumentalists
eller chooses one. However, he keeps think- deeper in the experience of playing the roles
ing about the other. The end of the poem of path taken and path that could have been,
perpetuates a puzzling atmosphere, since Mestre suggests the use of live electronics, as
the poem ends complementing the initial pointed out by indicating that the piece:
starting sentence, pointing that two roads
[...] makes use of two electroencephalo-
diverged in a yellow wood, and I - I took the
gram headsets, to be used in real time by
one less traveled by, and that has made all
the performers. These headsets are respon-
the dierence. (p. 9)
sible for measuring and monitoring focus
In 2008, the larp The Road Not Taken was
levels and performative eorts. This data is
created by US game designer Mike Young,
then used to process and trigger recordings
described by him as a game of emotions and
that are constantly being made during the
decision (Young, 2008, p. 3). In his script,
performance. Both performers should be
designed for six to twelve players, each one
microphoned. Each of them, however, can
will be the main character in a scene of
only access the others recordings play-
about ten minutes, where he or she will be
ing the other on the level of the mind. It is
in a moment of critical decision. The other
a poetic metaphor for our constant pursuit
participants represent voices that indicate
of alternatives, of what ifs?, of trying to
dierent views or decisions to the protago-
go beyond our fate of always having to
nist. According to the author,1 the influence
choose one instead of the other. (Mestre,
of Frost occurs since both the poem and the
2014, p. 3)
larp are about decision making, so it seemed
appropriate to give an eponymous title. Thus, we present here (although superficial-
In 2014, the Brazilian composer Andr ly) three dierent works. Two of them, de-
Mestre writes The Road Not Taken, an open spite being made to other artistic platforms
piece for two instrumentalists (Mestre, (music and visual elements in the case of Me-
2014, p. 2). It is clear that Frost inspired more stre, the larps dramatisation in the case of
than merely the title, since: Young), derived from the Frost poem.
[...] The two voices contained in the work
A ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
poetically represent the path taken and
IN TRANSLATION
the path that could have been. One acts
upon the other as a shadow, a memory,
For the scholar Vilm Flusser (1920-1991), a
an anxiety. It is my hope that the spirit
Jewish Czech who spent 32 years of his life
of the poem can also be extended to all

1 Although the relationship with the Frost poem is not made clear in the larp script, it was clarified by Young in
an email conversation on 05.03.2016.

54
 Figure 1 Excerpt from The Road Not Taken music score. Source: Mestre, 2014.

in Brazil, the game is a comprehensive con- tion. In the works cited, understanding that
cept, considered all systems composed of we are dealing with three dierent formats
elements combined according to rules . (literature, music and larp), there is a trans-
(Flusser, 1967 p. 2) Flusser (1967) calls rep- lation process. The common element in all
ertoire the set of game elements, while the of them is the notion raised by taking a road.
set of rules is called structure. Competence Each of the works (or each of the games,
in this case would be all the possible combi- adopting Flussers term) fits the elements to
nations of the repertoire in the structure (p. its structure, thus creating a completely dif-
2), while the universe of the game would be ferent game, yet with elements that refer to
all of such combinations already performed. each other. Thus, from the element taking a
In games where repertoire and structure are road, it allows to relate the polysemy of the
unchangeable, competence and universe poem both the decision-making of perform-
tend to coincide. When this happens, the ers and visual presentation of the musical
game is over. (p. 3) Once defined, Flussers play score as in the creation process of a nar-
relevant terms for this study (repertoire, rative in larp.
structure, competence and universe), it is This position could be supported by a sep-
observed that: arate definition. For the Spanish multimedia
artist Julio Plaza (1938-2003), the translation
The games competences, although
process between the three briefly outlined
specific, given their disposal, tend to inter-
works could be considered an Intersemiotic
penetrate themselves. There is a tendency
translation, a term supported by the Russian
for anthropophagy between games. In
linguist Roman Jakobson (1896-1982), which
spaces of anthropophagic interpenetration
defines it as the interpretation of a sign sys-
of competences there is the possibility of
tem to another (Jakobson apud Plaza, 2003a).
translation, and does not exist outside of
Plaza extends the concept of Jakobson, be-
these spaces. And the translation is always
cause for him the Intersemiotic translation
a modification of structures. (Flusser,
would be an artistic practice, since it is:
1967, p. 5)
[...] a critical and creative practice in the
In this manner, one arrives at one of the fo-
historicity of the means of production and
cal points of this study: the notion of transla-
re-production, such as reading, metacre-

55
 ation, action over event structures, dia- would be the open work advocated by Eco,
logue of signs, synthesis and rewriting of characterised by polysemy, ambiguity, mul-
history. It means, as thought in signs, such tiplicity of readings and wealth of meanings
as traffic of meanings, as transcreation (Plaza, 2003b). The second degree of open-
forms in historicity. (Plaza, 2003a, p. 14) ing, in turn, was unrelated to the ambigui-
ty, which is related by Plaza with a passive
The common point between both hypothet-
participation. Instead, counts with the active
icals is that the translation would refer not
and/or perceptive participation of the view-
only to an adaptation of one language to an-
er, aiming to bridge the gap between creator
other. Because they have dierent rules, they
and viewer, using as tools playful participa-
form dierent games.
tion, randomness and creativity of the viewer
(Plaza, 2003b). Flourishing as a counterpoint
THE (GRADUALLY) OPEN
to the mass culture, this art of participation
WORKS: RECEPTION, INTERACTION
(Plaza, 2003b, p. 14) understand the percep-
AND PARTICIPATION
tion of the spectator as a re-creation of the
work, as opposed to the polysemy of the first
Although not the aim of this study, exhaust-
degree of opening. Finally, the third degree
ing or even encompassing the myriad of pos-
of opening would refer to the interactivity,
sibilities related to the concept of transla-
placed by Plaza as the art related, above all,
tion, the notion presented here allows us to
to contemporary technologies. Here, artists
bring to light the second of its focal points:
were more interested in the processes of ar-
the concept of open work. Coined by Italian
tistic creation and aesthetic exploration than
philosopher and semiologist Umberto Eco
in the production of finished works (Plaza,
(1932-2016), open work refers to the idea of
2003b, p. 17), so that both the artist and the
a text that conveys not only one interpreta-
work only exist for eective participation
tion. In these works, a plurality of meanings
the public (Plaza, 2003b, p. 19). Because of
coexist in one significant. (Eco, 1991, p. 22)
this requirement of a receiver so that there
The concept of Eco concerns the subjec-
is the author and the work, Plaza also gives
tivity of enjoyment, and not the objective
this degree of opening the name of commu-
structure of a work. Thus, while closed (in
nicational art as it allows a creative commu-
the sense of finished) as an author creation,
nication based on the principles of synergy,
Eco points out that:
constructive collaboration, critical and inno-
[...] in the act of reaction to the web vative. (Plaza, 2003b, p. 17)
of stimuli and understanding of their Synthetically, the dierent degrees of
relations, each spectator brings a concrete openness proposed by Plaza could then be
existential situation, a particularly con- called in accordance with the inclusion of
ditioned sensitivity, a determined culture, the viewer in the work on:
tastes, trends, personal biases, so that the
a. First degree of openness: passive
understanding of original form is found in
participation;
an individually designed perspective. (Eco,
1991, p. 40) b. Second degree of openness: active/
perceptive participation;
Plaza (2003b) starts on this definition of
Eco to demonstrate three dierent degrees c. Third degree of openness: interactive
of openness in the work. To Plaza, the fru- participation.
ition of the work would have dierent de-
However, polysemy also aects the very
grees of participation of the spectator, fol-
theoretical concepts that underlie it. This
lowing a designed pathway between passive
is the case of the positioning of Swedish re-
participation, active participation, percep-
searchers Kristoer Haggren, Elge Larsson,
tive participation and interactivity.
Leo Nordwall and Gabriel Widing. Similar to
In this logic, the first degree of opening
Plaza, they divide the arts according to the

56
relation author-work-reception in three dif- interactivity refers to the reciprocal rela-
ferent categories. tionship between the user and an intelligent
The first artistic category would be spec- system (Plaza, 2003b, p. 10), showing the
tative art, assuming that to spectate an position of the author of that interactivity is
event is to subject an individual to a solitary related to issue of technical interfaces with
internal mental process: our senses per- the notion of program (Plaza, 2003b, p. 17),
ceive stimuli, we interpret them and create for the Swedish authors interactivity refers
an experience for ourselves (Haggren et al, to the notion of choice. From this concept,
2009, p . 33). For the authors, the works of the categorisations of both are distinguished
art encompassed by this category would oc- by creating distinct incremental positions.
cupy the space of thinking, had here as the In this respect, this study is based on the
potential experiences that a certain sensory second theory, marked by the apparatus no-
stimulation can bring up at a certain time tion viewed in Flusser (2002; 2007): the ap-
in a certain observer (Haggren et al, 2009, paratus would be the producer of informa-
p. 36), including that spectrum all possible tion, or non-things (as opposed to tools and
thoughts, emotional reactions and associ- machines that perform work or, in Flussers
ations that the subject can connect to the terminology, produce things), always sub-
stimulation of the work (Haggren et al, jected to a program. The person operating
2009, p. 36). the apparatus (or that for it is operated, if
The second category is the interactive we take the servants notion mentioned by
art, which can be described as a perception Flusser) seeks to exhaust the options already
of stimuli driven by choice (Haggren et al, pre-prescribed in the program. In this sense,
2009, p. 39), since the works in this category it points to a connection between the use
gives the observer the possibility to choose of the term interactivity both by Plaza and
which sensory input will be exposed (Hag- by the Swedish authors: interactivity would
gren et al, 2009, p. 40). Here, although the occur for a series of choices resulting from
authors show that the vast majority of works the users relationship with the program.
generate a space of potential thinking, we The participation, however, is part of a more
also have the space of choice, or the range complex level: a deprogramming of the ap-
of all possible stimulus where the viewer can paratus, namely the freedom to incorporate
choose (Haggren et al, 2009, p. 41). noise as part of the repertoire (Flusser, 1967)
The third (and last) category would be of the apparatus. The American media re-
participative art. Participation in this context searcher Henry Jenkins also points to this
is understood as the process by which indi- sense of insubordination to the apparatus as
viduals produce and receive stimuli to and ulterior to the interactivity, under the name
from other subjects in the framework of an of participatory culture (Jenkins, 2009). Ex-
agreement that defines how these exchanges plaining: only a culture that has dominated
will be performed (Haggren et al, 2009, p. the apparatus, as seen in some contemporary
43). Here, the viewers notion breaks down, groups, could insubordinate themselves as
since he becomes a participant, a simultane- the way we see in the Jenkins participatory
ous consumer and producer of stimuli. The culture that deprogram the apparatus moved
rules of stimuli exchanges make up a pillar mainly for entertainment and pleasure.
of the participative art, since they give to this In short, the spectative art is a first degree
agreement a social meaning and, therefore, opening, polysemic, where there is a depen-
communication. It comes as the space of ac- dence of an viewer on a finished work by an
tion, that indicates to participants subsidies author. In interactive art, the third degree
and restrictions to act communicatively. opening restricts the dependence between
(Haggren et al, 2009, p. 46) author and spectator just to one program
The main dierence between these two mediating the process, and no longer to a
theories are in the meaning employed to the work. Finally, participative art, the relation-
word interactivity. While, in Plazas research, ship between the participants (a second de-

57
gree opening in Plaza studies) is given by an the third degree opening, the interaction be-
agreement. tween user and program, seen as changing
the music through the capture of concentra-
OPEN WORK tion and relaxation states of the performer
AND OPEN GAME (hereinafter also receiving the output of the
other performer) by electroencephalogram
Once demonstrated, the three aspects that (EEG).3 On the other hand, the relationship
make up this study (i.e. the aforementioned with the possible choices, based on the music
works of art, the concept of translation, feedback returned to each of the performers,
and the opening of the work), this research suggests a second degree opening.
reaches its central point: the relationship Finally, in Youngs larp, the very percep-
between opening of the game and opening tion of the participants on the few lines
of the work. It is evident that by opening describing each scene and each role is the
the game means the increase or decrease heart of the matter, because it allows them
of the repertoire and/or modification of its to create, in every execution, a completely
structure (Flusser, 1967). The increase or de- dierent work for producing and receiving
crease in the repertoire would occur by the completely distinct stimuli.
transformation of noise in game elements,
and vice versa, understanding noises like el- WHICH ROAD
ements that are not part of the repertoire of TO TAKE FORWARD?
a particular game (Flusser, 1967, p. 4).
In Frosts poem, the original2 of which the Although Mestre never played Youngs larp,
other two works has operated translations, he has been a role-player for several years. To
could be admitted an opening of the first de- which degree would the immersion in a par-
gree, or a spectative art. The possibilities of ticipative art aect the production in other
game openness are limited to the repertoire (and sometimes less opened) artistic struc-
of each spectator, i.e. the set of elements, tures?
in this case the meanings, that he can give Larps have been around for a while: about
to the work. However, the structure of the 20 years as an artistic expression, if you take
game/work remains unchanged. the nordic larp slope; about 40 years if you
In Mestres music piece, the translation, take a common origin with the tabletop
or modification of structure (an openness role-playing games; or even millennia, if
in the game), incorporate dierent elements you take the relationship between larps and
to Frosts poem. The usual scores pentacle Roman Saturnalias, as pointed out by Brian
is replaced by a structure that unfolds in Morton (2007).
the image of a tree, in allusion to the point Eco stays in the metaphor of a wood to
where the roads diverged in the poem. The the narrative. The Italian semiologist, with
two musicians take on the role of the pos- this term, honours the Argentine writer
sible paths, invited to improvise on the Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986), for whom:
suggestions of musical notes that they may
[...] a wood is a garden of diverging roads.
possibly take from such subjective musical
Even when there are not well-defined
notation. The very distinction between the
paths in a wood, everyone can draw their
two demonstrated interactivity concepts
own path, deciding to go to the left or to
here have their place: on one hand there is

2 Despite the use of the term original, it is assumed that even the poem can be considered a possible translation
of Frosts thoughts, memories, perceptions and interpretations.

3 This study highlights the metagame played by Mestre, who incorporates a noise to the electroencephalogram
repertoire, which could be understood, in Flussers terms, as a deprogramming of the device in question.

58
 the right of a particular tree and, in every
found tree, choosing this or that direction.
(Borges apud Eco, 1994, p. 12)
Using this metaphor, the narratives, whether
they be literary, imagistic, musical or ludic,
would be composed of options all the time.
Eco even compares the fruition of a work
to a game, given the relationship between
the author and the spectator, whom he de-
fines as someone who is eager to play (Eco,
1994, p. 16). As pointed out by the Brazilian
communicologist Monica Martinez, human
expressions, even over the millennia and
innovation of techniques, relied on new
interpretations layer overlaps on the same
content. (Martinez, 2015, p. 4)
Thus, passed this literature review, it is
suggested that a possible road to be taken
in the future would be to research, learn
and absorb how a participative art, as is the
case of larps, could contribute (or already
contributes) to the choice of new layers to
overlap the elements contained in dierent
artistic expressions and/or structures.

59
 Mestre, Andr. The Road Not Taken: For two wind
BIBLIOGRAPHY instruments and live electronics. 1 Score. 2014 [date
of access: 03/05-2016] http://static1.squarespace.
Eco, Umberto. Obra aberta [The Open Work]. So com/static/53b9ea11e4b0657eb1ad239a/t/5
Paulo, Brazil: Perspectiva. 1991 621748ae4b058efb0b763aa/1445033098767/
Eco, Umberto. Seis passeios pelos bosques da fico The+Road+Not+Taken+-+Andr%C3%A9+Mestre.
[Six Walks in the Fictional Woods]. So Paulo, pdf
Brazil: Companhia das Letras. 1994 Morton, Brian. Larps and their cousins through
Flusser, Vilm. Jogos [Games]. So Paulo, O Estado the ages. In Lifelike. Edited by Jesper Donnis,
de So Paulo [The state of So Paulo]. 09/12-1967. Morten Gade and Line Thorup. Copenhagen,
Suplemento Literrio. [date of access: 05/10-2015] Denmark: Projektgruppen KP07, 2007. p.
http://www.cisc.org.br/portal/index.php/pt/ 245-259. [date of access: 10/05-2016] http://
biblioteca/viewdownload/15-flusser-vilem/46- nordiclarp.org/w/images/a/af/2007-Lifelike.pdf
jogos.html Plaza, Julio. Traduo intersemitica [Intersemiotic
Flusser, Vilm. Filosofia da caixa preta. [Philosophy of Translation]. So Paulo, Brazil: Perspectiva.
the black box]. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Relume- 2003a
Dumar, 2002 Plaza, Julio. Arte e interatividade: autor-obra recepo
Flusser, Vilm. O mundo codificado [The Coded [Art and interactivity: author-work reception].
Word]. So Paulo, Brazil: Cosac Naify, 2007 Ars, So Paulo. 2003b [date of access: 03/05-2016]
http://www.mac.usp.br/mac/expos/2013/julio_
Frost, Robert. The Road Not Taken. In Mountain plaza/pdfs/arte_e_interatividade.pdf
Interval. By Robert Frost. Rahway, USA: The
Quinn & Boden Company, 1916 [date of
access: 03/05-2016] http://www.gutenberg.org/ LUDOGRAPHY
files/29345/29345-h/29345-h.htm
Young, Mike. The Road Not Taken. Interactivities
Haggren, Kristoer, Elge Larsson, Leo Nordwall and Ink, 2008 [date of access: 03/05-2016] http://
Gabriel Widing. Deltagar Kultur [Participatory www.interactivitiesink.com/larps/download/
Culture]. Gteborg, Sweden: Bokfrlaget trnt.pdf
Korpen, 2009 [date of access: 03/05-2016] http://
download.deltagarkultur.se/Deltagarkultur.pdf
Jenkins, Henry. Cultura da convergncia
[Convergence Culture]. So Paulo, Brazil: Aleph,
2009
Martinez, Monica. Imagens que (nos) devoram:
reflexes sobre tigres, jornalismo cidado e
coberturas jornalsticas. [Devouring Images:
reflections on tigers, citizen journalism and
news coverage]. In: XXIV Encontro Anual da
Comps, 2015 Brazil: Universidades de Braslia e
Catlica de Braslia, 2015 [date of access: 08/01-
2016] http://www.compos.org.br/biblioteca/
monicamartinez_2883.pdf

60
 The Classical Roots of Larp
[character moment]
Mike Pohjola

I took the test. Ikes eyes

were dark, his voice raw.
I crumbled, my feet failing.
It was supposed to be me.
Im the...
He kissed me. Violently.
1. INTRODUCTION

This article is an attempt to solve a 2300-year-old mystery by using tools pro-

vided us by larp, as well as ancient plays, wall mosaics from the ruins of Pom-
peii, contemporary archaeology, anthropology, media studies, and ritual stud-
ies. The mystery is: What was the chorus in the tragedies of classical Greece?
Aristotle could not figure it out, and neither has anyone since. But they were
not larpers.
[Chain,
Most of contemporary Western storytelling from Hollywood films to Rus-
Justepic
sian a Little
novels Lovin]
is based on theories built upon Aristotles Poetics (1902): You
have the audience (spectator, reader), you have the story being told (the pres-
ident saves his family, a poor student wallows in guilt after committing mur-
der) and the medium through which it is told (movie, book) by the creators
(filmmakers, author).
This, it has long been believed, fits in perfectly with what Aristotle wrote
about the tragedies of Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus: You have the peo-
ple on their seats in the amphitheatre (audience), watching a play based on
[character moment] [character moment]
Greek mythology or history (the story), being played by one to three actors
who wear masks (the medium), and the script for all this is written by the poet
(creator).
I laid hisHowever,
head inthere
my lap.is an element in Aristotles description of Attican tragedy
Congratulations on
that he cannot explain, and which we tend to ignore: the chorus.
He said he hoped his becoming prefect,
Aristotle was the first of many theorists who have tried, and failed, to ex-
friends had
plain chorus. TheI chorus cannot be explainedKienan,
thesurvived. she said
within Aristotles thirty
framework
lookedbecause
around and saw minutes before she killed
it supposes the chorus exists for the benefit of the audience. I propose
them lying
that theon is not meant for the audience at herself.
the ground
chorus He didnt
all! By looking know
at the chorus
around a participatory act for the tragic dancers in theher
as us. play,plan, andofthanked
this part Greek sto- her
I didntrytelling
say anything.
begins to make sense. wholeheartedly.

[Kienan, College of
[Mo, Krigshjrta VII] Wizardry 1]

63
 Mestre, Andr. The Road Not Taken: For two wind
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[futureand
instruments oflive
larp]
electronics. 1 Score. 2014 [date
of access: 03/05-2016] http://static1.squarespace.
Eco, Umberto. Obra aberta [The Open Work]. So com/static/53b9ea11e4b0657eb1ad239a/t/5
Paulo, Brazil: Perspectiva. 1991 Larp will grow popoular.
621748ae4b058efb0b763aa/1445033098767/
Eco, Umberto. Seis passeios pelos bosques da fico Some people will
The+Road+Not+Taken+-+Andr%C3%A9+Mestre.
pdf
[Six Walks in the Fictional Woods]. So Paulo, never be able to fully
Brazil: Companhia das Letras. 1994
understand
Morton, Brian. Larps and it,their
butcousins
theythrough
the ages. In Lifelike. Edited by Jesper Donnis,
Flusser, Vilm. Jogos [Games]. So Paulo, O Estado will have to deal with the
Morten Gade and Line Thorup. Copenhagen,
de So Paulo [The state of So Paulo]. 09/12-1967.
Suplemento Literrio. [date of access: 05/10-2015]
fact that
Denmark: a considerable
Projektgruppen KP07, 2007. p.
http://www.cisc.org.br/portal/index.php/pt/ amount
245-259. ofaccess:
[date of respectable,
10/05-2016] http://
biblioteca/viewdownload/15-flusser-vilem/46- nordiclarp.org/w/images/a/af/2007-Lifelike.pdf
non-sociopath, non-
jogos.html Plaza,deranged, self-sustained
Julio. Traduo intersemitica [Intersemiotic
Translation]. So Paulo, Brazil: Perspectiva.
Flusser, Vilm. Filosofia da caixa preta. [Philosophy of grown-ups created a
2003a
the black box]. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Relume-
Dumar, 2002
strong community around
Plaza, Julio. Arte e interatividade: autor-obra recepo
the world to play dress-
[Art and interactivity: author-work reception].
Flusser, Vilm. O mundo codificado [The Coded
Word]. So Paulo, Brazil: Cosac Naify, 2007
up.
Ars, Virtual
So Paulo. 2003breality will 03/05-2016]
[date of access:
act as a springboard to
http://www.mac.usp.br/mac/expos/2013/julio_
Frost, Robert. The Road Not Taken. In Mountain
Interval. By Robert Frost. Rahway, USA: The
larp, as more and more
plaza/pdfs/arte_e_interatividade.pdf

Quinn & Boden Company, 1916 [date of people find the lack of
access: 03/05-2016] http://www.gutenberg.org/ physicalLUDOGRAPHY
contact and
files/29345/29345-h/29345-h.htm
Young, Mike. The Road Not Taken. Interactivities
Haggren, Kristoer, Elge Larsson, Leo Nordwall and Ink, 2008 [date of access: 03/05-2016] http://
Gabriel Widing. Deltagar Kultur [Participatory www.interactivitiesink.com/larps/download/
Culture]. Gteborg, Sweden: Bokfrlaget trnt.pdf
Korpen, 2009 [date of access: 03/05-2016] http://
download.deltagarkultur.se/Deltagarkultur.pdf

human
Jenkins, warmth
Henry. Cultura theyll
da convergncia aboveinteracting with
[Convergence Culture]. So Paulo, Brazil: Aleph,
experience
2009
in virtual a machine wont be fun,
worlds unsatisfactory. yet). Permanent larp
Martinez, Monica. Imagens que (nos) devoram:
Augmented reality
reflexes sobre tigres, jornalismo cidado e
sites, like Bicolline, will
will play
coberturas a major
jornalsticas. role Images:
[Devouring grow in numbers and
in blockbuster
reflections larps,
on tigers, citizen journalism and settings, allowing people
news coverage].
while In: XXIV
it will Encontro Anual da
be carefully
Comps, 2015 Brazil: Universidades de Braslia e
to relocate their real life
rationed
Catlica in 2015
de Braslia, smaller
[date of access: 08/01- in the fictional world they
productionstherell
2016] be
http://www.compos.org.br/biblioteca/ prefere. Does it sound
a debate on whether or
monicamartinez_2883.pdf unreal? Too good to be
not augmented reality true? Then listen to the
adds value to the larp last, most unbeliveable
itself: does it make a larp predciction of them all:
more realistic, or does larp organisers will get
it make it more fake? paid for their work, and
Some pioneers will try they will make a LOT of
to use remote-control money!
drones as a NPCs in their
larp, with poor results
(see VR unsatisfaction [Seby, 26 years]

60
 The Classical Roots of Larp
Mike Pohjola

1. INTRODUCTION

This article is an attempt to solve a 2300-year-old mystery by using tools pro-

vided us by larp, as well as ancient plays, wall mosaics from the ruins of Pom-
peii, contemporary archaeology, anthropology, media studies, and ritual stud-
ies. The mystery is: What was the chorus in the tragedies of classical Greece?
Aristotle could not figure it out, and neither has anyone since. But they were
not larpers.
Most of contemporary Western storytelling from Hollywood films to Rus-
sian epic novels is based on theories built upon Aristotles Poetics (1902): You
have the audience (spectator, reader), you have the story being told (the pres-
ident saves his family, a poor student wallows in guilt after committing mur-
der) and the medium through which it is told (movie, book) by the creators
(filmmakers, author).
This, it has long been believed, fits in perfectly with what Aristotle wrote
about the tragedies of Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus: You have the peo-
ple on their seats in the amphitheatre (audience), watching a play based on
Greek mythology or history (the story), being played by one to three actors
who wear masks (the medium), and the script for all this is written by the poet
(creator).
However, there is an element in Aristotles description of Attican tragedy
that he cannot explain, and which we tend to ignore: the chorus.
Aristotle was the first of many theorists who have tried, and failed, to ex-
plain the chorus. The chorus cannot be explained within Aristotles framework
because it supposes the chorus exists for the benefit of the audience. I propose
that the chorus is not meant for the audience at all! By looking at the chorus
as a participatory act for the tragic dancers in the play, this part of Greek sto-
rytelling begins to make sense.

63
 2. Tragedy was very much a new form of art,
THEORIES ON THE CHORUS much like cinema is today. If one imagines
trying to analyse the black-and-white silent
Attican tragedy from 500-300 BC consisted films of Chaplin or Eisenstein based on only
of one to three actors and a chorus of up to having seen 3D 48fps full colour surround
fifty men. The actors would wear masks, play sound remakes of them, one can perhaps
dierent characters, and recite dialogue and grasp at the difficulty Aristotle must have
monologues written by the poet, who was had making exact analyses of the plays of
the writer-director-composer of the tragedy. Aeschylus.
The members of the chorus, also called This is what Aristotle writes about the
the tragic dancers, would also wear masks, chorus in Poetics, translated by Samuel Hen-
and play a group of some sort, such as the ry Butcher in 1902:
elders or the women. Sometimes the cho-
The Chorus too should be regarded as one
rus could also have dialogue with one or
of the actors; it should be an integral part
more characters.
of the whole, and share in the action, in the
Attica was the area around Athens, so
manner not of Euripides but of Sophocles.
Attican tragedy basically means tragedies
performed in Athens. Tragedies typically Poetics, Part XVIII.
premiered at the religious City Dionysia fes- Butcher translation
tival as part of the games. Awards were given
Albert Weiner (1980) has discussed this
for the group with the best play. After that
chapter. Weiner points out that not all of
the poet, actors, props, masks, the set, and
Sophocles choruses are dramatic, either, or
the chorus would be packed on carts to go
in any way take the plot forward, using Oedi-
on tour playing their tragedies all around the
pus Rex as an example. He points out:
ancient world. They were musicians on tour,
or larpers setting up events in strange lands. Either Aristotle is dead wrong when, refer-
During the two hundred years of Attican ring to [Oedipus Rex] as the model trage-
tragedy, the chorus as well as tragedy as a dy, he suggests that the chorus should be
whole went through drastic changes, and an- regarded as one of the actors (as is clearly
alysing anything at the end of that era might the case with Aeschyluss tragedies) or our
not provide great insight into how things interpretation/translation of the Poetics
were at the beginning of it. is wrong. Our test of the dramatic-ness of
The function of the chorus may have [Oedipus Rex] has shown it to be a total
ranged from a frenzied ritual to a narrator, failure.
from musical song-and-dance troupe to an
actor. We will review some theories to gain If Aristotle did not mean that the tragic cho-
an understanding of what scholars have said rus should be regarded as a collective char-
about the chorus. acter what did he mean? Perhaps the first
clue that a reinterpretation of this point is
2.1. necessary is the very fact that he has said
Aristotle on the chorus so little about the chorus. It would seem
Poetics is a transcription of Aristotles lec- that because the choruss lines in even the
tures on writing tragedies, probably put least choric tragedies comprise such a large
together by one of his students around 335 portion of the total lines (not less than 2/5),
BC. These would probably have been fairly that Aristotle would have devoted at least
recent lectures, within the last few decades. a proportionate space to it in the poetics.
However, the tragedies Aristotle uses as his
Weiner, Albert (1980):
examples all premiered 70-164 years before
The Function of the Tragic Greek Chorus
the publication of Poetics, and 22-115 before
he was born, so Aristotle had no first hand Even if Weiner was right in explaining
experience of them at the time. Aristotle, this does not really help us get to

64
what Aristotle might have thought the cho- Horaces time, at least according to him, was
rus was. Except in the sense that it was or 100 % related to the way the audience saw it.
was not a part of the story, and it should be Like Aristotle, Horace also frowns upon
designed with care to assist in winning the extra stage numbers where the chorus is
dramatic competition. used during interludes for singing songs un-
But let us now look at other attempts at related to the plot. (However, these may well
explaining the chorus. (One of the key texts have served a function for the chorus if not
would have been a prose treatise on the cho- for the audience.)
rus by Sophocles himself, but unfortunately It seems that during Horaces time, the
that has been lost in time.) chorus was less like the chorus of Greek trag-
edy, and more like a song and dance group of
2.2. contemporary musical theatre.
No singing unless it advances plot
In 19 BC, the Roman poet Horace wrote a 2.3.
long poem Ars Poetica about writing drama. The ideal spectator
He gives much advice on style, originality, August Wilhelm von Schlegel (1767-1845) was
tradition, and many other things, but also on a German Romanticist poet and philosopher
chorus. who wrote about his views on the Chorus:
Whatever [the chorus] might be and do
The Chorus should play an actors
in each particular piece, it represented in
part, energetically,
general, first the common mind of the na-
And not sing between the acts unless
tion, and then the general sympathy of all
it advances,
mankind. In a word, the Chorus is the ide-
And is also closely related to the plot.
al spectator. It mitigates the impression of
It should favour the good, and give
a heart-rending or moving story, while it
friendly advice,
conveys to the actual spectator a lyrical and
Guide those who are angered, encourage
musical expression of his own emotions,
those fearful
and elevates him to the region of contem-
Of sinning: praise the humble tables food,
plation.
sound laws
And justice, and peace with her August Wilhelm von Schlegel:
wide-open gates: Course of Lectures on Dramatic Art and
It should hide secrets, and pray and Literature, pp. 69-71.
entreat the gods
Von Schlegel chose a perspective opposite
That the proud lose their luck, and the
to that of Horace, while staying within the
wretched regain it.
performer-audience paradigm: the chorus is
Horace: Ars Poetica (19 BC) not an actor but is the ideal spectator, a rep-
Translated by A. S. Kline (2005) resentative of the audience on the stage.
Horace wrote in a time of a revival of
2.4.
classic Greek tragedy in Rome, centuries
The spectator without a play
after even Aristotle, and after centuries of
Before becoming well known as a nihilist
Roman remakes and adaptations of Greek
philosopher, Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900)
plays where the chorus was removed. But in
was a philologist who wrote about Greek
Horaces time, the Chorus was brought back.
theatre.
However, where Aristotle wrote about
Nietzsche refutes Schlegels concept:
the chorus in ambiguity, Horace is dead sure
that the function of the chorus is to sing This view, combined with the historical tra-
songs, make commentary on the plot, and dition that originally the tragedy consisted
help the audience pass judgement on the entirely of the chorus, reveals itself for what
characters. So the function of the chorus by it is, a crude and unscholarly, although

65
 dazzling, claim. 3.
... RITUAL DRAMA
For we had always thought that the proper
spectator, whoever he might be, must al- One thing we do know about Greek tragedy
ways remain conscious that he has a work with some certainty, is that it arose out of
of art in front of him, not an empirical real- rituals. This is agreed upon by historians, is
ity; whereas, the tragic chorus of the Greeks evident in many plays, is shown in surviving
is required to recognize the shapes on the ancient visual art, is proven by archaeology,
stage as living, existing people. The cho- and is also mentioned by Aristotle:
rus of Oceanids really believes that they see
Tragedyas also Comedywas at first
the Titan Prometheus in front of them and
mere improvisation. The one originated
consider themselves every bit as real as the
with the authors of the Dithyramb [hymns
god of the scene. And was that supposed to
sung and danced in honor of Dionysus], the
be the highest and purest type of spectator,
other with those of the phallic songs, which
a person who, like the Oceanids, considers
are still in use in many of our cities.
Prometheus vitally alive and real? Would
it be a mark of the ideal spectator to run Aristotle:
up onto the stage and free the god from his Poetics, Part IV
torment?
If tragedy sprung from ritual, then what
...
were those rituals like?
[This] saying of Schlegels indicates to us
According to performance scholar Rich-
that the completely ideal spectator lets the
ard Schechner, one cannot always tell per-
scenic world work on him, not aesthetically
formance and ritual apart, and in prehistoric
at all, but vitally and empirically.
times they may well have been one and the
Friedrich Nietzsche (1872): same:
The Birth of Tragedy, Chapter VII
Evidence indicates that people were per-
I find it interesting that in refuting von forming in caves at least 40,000 years ago.
Schlegel, Nietzsche comes so close to my What kinds of performances? The words
own understanding, yet fails to take the fi- dance, theatre, and music, or their
nal step. Yes, the chorus (like the actors) does linguistic equivalents, are not universal, but
pretend to believe everything on stage is the behaviors are. Of course, such behaviors
true. Yes, they are a part of the action, and vary from place to place, culture to culture,
the world presented on stage. Yes, for them and epoch to epoch. But surviving cave
it is, in a way, real. art and prehistoric artifacts indicate that
From the perspective of the audience, it rhythmic movement (dancing), beating of
serves no point. But for the tragic dancers bone-to-bone drums and flute sounds (mu-
of the chorus, the experience is incredibly sic), wearing masks and/or costumes while
powerful. impersonating other humans, animals, or
supernaturals (theatre) were going on. No
What sort of artistic style would there be
one knows if these paleolithic performers
which one might derive from the idea of the
were acting out stories, representing past
spectator, for which one might consider the
events, experiences, memories, dreams, or
spectator in himself the essential form?
fantasies.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1872):
Schechner, Richard:
The Birth of Tragedy, Chapter VII
Performance Studies:
What sort of artistic style, indeed? One An Introduction, p. 221
based on participation, not observation. Per-
Schechners point that all performances
haps participation was out of vogue in Ni-
are indeed to some degree both ritual and
etzsches time, but it is very much alive now.
entertainment is useful for one following

66
the development of Attican tragedy, as I shall (2004), the pharaoh did pretty much the
later show. kind of job a megalomaniac larp organiser
would do with a few thousand slaves and un-
3.1. limited resources, instead of a guy with a van
Abydos Passion Play and a loan from the local role-playing guild.
There is a historical genre directly between
We have no real way of knowing exactly
ritual and drama, appropriately called ritual
how pre-scripted these ritual plays were.
drama. Understanding it is key to under-
Our scant sources hint that they were set
standing the origins of Attican tragedy.
[...] with a scripted core cast at the centre
Perhaps the best and certainly the oldest
of a violently ecstatic crowd.
surviving description of a ritual drama is
from Egypt. The so called Abydos Passion Ericsson, Martin (2004):
Play (existing from ca. 2500-550 BC) was con- Play to Love
temporary to Dionysian dithyrambs, which
Ericsson arrives very close to what I be-
gave birth to Attican tragedy, and also in the
lieve the early Attican tragedies were: A
same cultural sphere, making the exchange
scripted core cast of one to three actors at
of ideas and practices possible.
the centre of a violently ecstatic chorus.
The Abydos Passion Play was a part of the
It is not unthinkable that the early tragic
cult of Osiris, which has many similarities
dances in worships of Dionysus would have
with the cult of Dionysus, to such an extent
been poor mans versions of these grand cel-
that the two gods are sometimes considered
ebrations of Osiris. Nevertheless, this type
the same. Both gods were part human, were
of ritual drama would certainly have been
crucified, had a virgin birth, died and were
familiar to Greeks.
resurrected. These characteristics obvious-
ly also fit the figure of Jesus Christ, whose
worship would emerge many centuries later.
4.
(Freke and Gandy, 2000)
DITHYRAMBS AND
One of the key surviving descriptions of
DIONYSIAC RITUALS
the Abydos Passion Play comes from Greek
historian Herodotus, a contemporary of
If dithyrambs arose out of rituals or ritual
Sophocles and Euripides:
dramas, then how did they dier from other
The few then who have been left about the rituals or ritual dramas? What, in fact, were
image, draw a wain with four wheels, which dithyrambs? We know they were connected
bears the shrine and the image that is with- to at least the cult of Dionysus, and likely to
in the shrine, and the other priests standing other cults, as well.
in the gateway try to prevent it from enter- The Romans called Dionysus Bacchus,
ing, and the men who are under a vow come and celebrations of the god Bacchanalia.
to the assistance of the god and strike them, This word is still used to describe crazy par-
while the others defend themselves. Then ties similar to the ones that were thrown by
there comes to be a hard fight with staves, the Dionysus followers of old, consisting of
and they break one anothers heads, and I sex and wine and loud music, such as dith-
am of opinion that many even die of the yrambs.
wounds they receive; the Egyptians however Attendees were typically dressed in pur-
told me that no one died. ple robes or skins of goats, foxes, fawns or
leopards, wearing crowns of laurels on their
Herodotus (440 BC):
heads. Masks were used to summon dierent
Histories
persona. Ritual objects carried also included
Swedish larp designer Martin Ericsson staves, scourges, bowls, and drinking cups.
has written about the Abydos Passion Play Nevertheless, these were not only festivals
in comparison with larp. According to him of the body, far from it. Wine and sex also

67
served as means for getting closer to god. cymbals were also used in to accompany the
If one compares these religious festivals dithyramb to make the dancing even wilder.
to contemporary rock festivals, an attendant There is no indication that this was a perfor-
might enjoy sex and intoxicants at both, but mative dance like the ballet, as an audience is
at Dionysiac rituals there would also be a never mentioned. Since it was a religious rit-
more spiritual element. Becoming one with ual, it was quite probably more of an experi-
your god, seeing your favorite artist, experi- ential dance such as bashing your head at the
encing symbolic death and rebirth, singing moshpit of a heavy metal concert, or raving
along to well known songs among hundreds into a trance at a techno party, or waltzing
of other celebrants, having an epiphany. with your loved one at a seaside restaurant.
A major part of Dionysiac rituals were
the Dithyrambs. They were ecstatic narra- 4.1
tive songs with a special rhythm, danced to Public participation
by large groups of celebrants called a cho- The key dierence between singing and
rus or a tragic dance, which means goat dancing to dithyrambs and Attican tragedy
dance. The chorus consisted of fifty men or is that one is more of a private ritual and the
boys dancing in a circle sometimes dressed other more of a public spectacle. That is to
as or wearing the masks of satyrs. Typically say, tragedy had an audience.
each dithyramb had a story related to the As Richard Schechner pointed out, there
life, death or rebirth of Dionysus or some is no clear division between ritual and per-
other hero or god. Typically they were ac- formance. Similarly there is no clear division
companied by a flute known as the aulos. between being in a member of the ritual au-
dience or being a ritual participant. And yet
they are dierent.
Nevertheless, we know that at least the
initiation rituals of Dionysus worship hap-
pened in secret, so clearly not all of it was
meant for an audience to observe, but only
for the initiates to participate in. There were
also Dionysian rituals that were meant for
the public, such as a procession through the
polis streets carrying phalloiactual or rep-
resentative goat penises.
We also know that Attican tragedy was
performed at amphitheatres, so clearly it
had at least many components that were
meant for an audience to observe. Possibly
in the beginning, tragedies had more partic-
ipatory elements, and later on evolved into
being more performances and less rituals,
also meaning more friendly for a passive au-
dience, and involving less participation.
Greek legends tell of the musician Arion
who invented dithyramb as a literary com-
position for chorus around 600 BC. Having
(Roman mosaic from the tablinum Casa del Poeta
pre-written songs opened up the possibility
tragico in Pompeii. See end of article for
of giving repeat performances of a similar
full description.)
nature, and created a new role: the poet! In
this case, the poet would write the lyrics and
It is not impossible to think that some-
the music, conduct and direct the chorus, be
times trumpets, drums, bullroarers and
their producer and manager, and play the

68
aulos or the lyre. ing an actor that also speaks to the audience.
Soon after this, big religious festivals re- Aeschylus, the next big innovator, first
ally became a thing in Greece. They had al- competed with his tragedies in 499 BC. He
ready had the Olympic Games every fourth was active for almost fifty years, and made
year, but between 582-573 BC they were many great inventions, which Aristotle de-
complemented by three other such events, scribes thus: Aeschylus first introduced a
making Games an annual thing. Games in- second actor; he diminished the importance
cluded athletic competitions, but also ritu- of the Chorus, and assigned the leading part
al dramas (comparable to those at Abydos), to the dialogue. (Poetics, Part IV.)
giant banquets, and cultural competitions What does this mean for the chorus? Ac-
such as singing hymns, playing instruments, cording to Aristotle, their importance was
painting, and eventually singing dithyrambs. diminished. But On Poetics was written over
Comparison with the annual Knutepunkt a hundred years after these events, so it is
larp conferences, also rotating between four possible Aristotle did not fully capture the
dierent places, are tempting. meaning of the second actor for the chorus.
Dithyramb competitions were introduced Certainly they would have had less to do, if
into the Athens Games sometime between they stand around while Dionysus and the
561-534 BC. At a dithyramb competition, King of Thebes are having a long conversa-
each tribe would enter two groups of danc- tion. No dancing or singing is necessary or
ers (choruses), one of men and one of boys. even welcome. From the perspective of the
Each chorus would be led by a coryphaeus, audience, the chorus might sometimes seem
serving a role similar to Arion above. The even superfluous, like watching a Disney
choruses would dance and sing in ecstasy, movie: Why is the story constantly inter-
and be observed by an audience and a jury. rupted by singing?
The winner would receive a goat as a prize. But from the point of view of the chorus,
How intoxicated or enthusiastic the chorus things can seem quite dierent. They are
or their leaderor the audiencewas, we do still participating in a festival in honour of
not know. the god Dionysus, they have a distinct role
This was a period of rapid cultural evo- in the story and have a presence in most
lution, and the jury might naturally reward scenes even if they dont actively do any-
external performance over participatory im- thing. They do, however, play characters
mersion, since they could only observe the that are at the centre of the action, perhaps
former. interacting which each other in a subdued
way, commenting on the action of the main
4.2 characters, and definitely experiencing it all
From dithyrambs as if they were there, because they were. For
to tragedy them, the King of Thebes is not Aeschylus
Having a tragic chorus dance in front of an wearing a mask he made last night, he is the
audience is not a theatre play. It is similar to King of Thebes!
putting larp on stage and hoping people get The final innovation described in On
it. But a hundred years later it had evolved Poetics came from the poet Sophocles, who
into theatre. started about thirty years after Aeschylus,
According to legend, a poet named Thes- and still over a hundred years before Aristo-
pis introduced an actor with a prologue and tle. Sophocles raised the number of actors
pre-written monologues, and gave the actor to three, and added scene-painting, credits
several masks so he could play several char- Aristotle in Poetics, Part IV.
acters. From a larp perspective this would be According to Aristotle, Sophocles Oe-
similar to having the Game Master put on a dipus Rex was the highest achievement in
funny hat and play supporting characters to tragedy, and it is, indeed, still performed
take the action forward. From a theatre per- today.
spective this would be similar to finally hav- Some twenty years after that highest

69
achievement, the golden age of tragedy and degree both ritual and entertainment,
of Athens came to an end. Sophocles and Eu- (Schechner, 2002) and all experiences are to
ripides both died around 406 BC, Aeschylus some degree both passive and participatory
having passed away fifty years earlier. The (see above), it is impossible to find a specif-
gradual decline of the chorus was in prog- ic point in time when ritual dithyrambs for
ress, and soon it would disappear altogether participants turned into artistic tragedies for
from contemporary tragedies. And after this, spectators. Even trying to find such a point
Aristotle wrote On Poetics. becomes meaningless.
And thus, over two thousand years ago, We do not know at which point tragedy
participation mutated into performance and became a spectator sport, but since Thespis
spectatorship. added an actor and a prologue in the latter
half of the sixth century BC, it is clear that
5. the tragic dances were already performed for
CONCLUSIONS the audience at that point.
My proposition is that around 550-500 BC
Let us return to Nietzsches question from the experience for the people in the chorus
the beginning: What sort of artistic style (the tragic dancers) was that of a participa-
would there be which one might derive tory ritual, and the experience for the peo-
from the idea of the spectator, for which one ple in the seats of amphitheatre was that of
might consider the spectator in himself the a passive audience observing a combination
essential form? I suggested any participato- between ritual and entertainment. But in
ry art might fulfill that demand. Nietzsche 335 BC (when On Poetics was published) the
would perhaps not have been satisfied with experience for the people in the chorus was
this answer: closer to that of actors performing a play,
and the experience for the audience was very
The spectator without a play is
similar to passive audiences of theatre and
a contradictory idea.
film entertainment today.
Friedrich Nietzsche (1872): This would mean that at some point
The Birth of Tragedy, Chapter VII during those two hundred years, there was a
shift in tradition.
A participant in a larp could easily be
considered a spectator without a play, and
5.1
the whole medium of larp an artistic style
What does it feel like to
derived from the idea of the spectator in
participate in a ritual?
himself. Indeed, the term first person audi-
ence has become commonplace in describ-
Based on my two decades of work in the field
ing the feeling of being immersed in the sto-
of participatory art, it is not fruitful to ob-
ry and the character, and seeing everything,
serve participation from the outside. It is not
as if you are really there.
meant to look interesting. It is meant to feel
Grotowski used these words to describe
interesting. Therefore, to understand rituals,
his attempts at participatory theatre: In the
a participatory experience, we must ask what
ritual, the montage takes place in the minds
it feels like to take part in one.
of the doers. (Osinski, Herron and Filip-
owicz, 1991) That is another way of saying Play gives people a chance to temporarily
first person audience. experience the taboo, the excessive, and the
Similarly, perhaps a tragic dancer in a risky. You may never be Oedipus or Cleop-
chorus could be a first person audience for atra, but you can perform them in play.
the events of the tragedy. Ritual and play lead people into a second
If all performances are indeed to some reality, separate from ordinary life. This re

70
 ality is one where people can become selves changed over time from a participatory ritu-
other than their daily selves. al to a performance meant for the audience,
and Aristotle may have been instrumental in
Schechner, Richard:
hastening this transformation.
Performance Studies:
Nevertheless, even today, performance
An Introduction. p. 52
and especially performing shares attributes
Schechners friend, anthropologist Victor with ritual. Only analysing chorus from the
Turner also wrote a lot about rituals, based perspective of the audience or the jury, as Ar-
on extensive fieldwork among tribal societ- istotle does, automatically leaves out a major
ies. He says rituals are characterised by lib- part of the importance of the chorus.
eration of human capacities of cognition, The chorus had aspects of first person au-
aect, volition, creativity, etc., from the nor- dience and participation, which are shared
mative constraints (Turner, 2004). more by ritual than by theatre.
Individuals participating in a ritual are no Today those aspects live on in participa-
longer bound by their everyday identities, tory media, including transmedia, larps, im-
their social statuses, their families, their sex, provisation, multiplayer digital games and
age, caste or class. They absorb a new lim- dance battles. To better understand and de-
inal identity for the duration of the ritual, velop these recent and emerging media, it is
and relate to each other through that iden- useful to look at what has been done before.
tity. The new role can be celebrant, man, Similarly, the practice of these contempo-
woman, god, bull, ancestor, or any- rary ritual dramas provides unique insight
thing else. But the other participants have a to the chorus 2500 years ago, such that was
similar role, and only see each other through not available to earlier researchers.
that role. In The Ritual Process (1995), Turner The chorus lives on, and the roots of larp
defines communitas as an unmediated re- go beyond history.
lationship between historical, idiosyncratic,
concrete individuals.
As one of the most developed contempo-
rary participatory art forms, the practice of
larps shows what participation and liminoid
experiences can feel like. But they also pro-
vide another useful perspective on rituals.
Larps allow the participant to experience
personalities, lives, cultures and events from
dozens of perspectives, and even participate
in rituals while pretending to believe they
are true. Experimenting with and experi-
encing dierent sorts of rituals provides one
with some tools for understanding actual rit-
uals, as well.

5.2
Mystery solved
The chorus served many functions. The
function may have been dierent for the
tragic dancers in the chorus, for the audi-
ence, for the poet, for the actors, and for the
jury of the dramatic competitions. It clearly

71
 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Aeschylus. The Persians. In The Tragedies of Osinski, Zbigniew, Ann Herron and Halina
Aeschylus. Translated by Robert Potter. Norwich, Filipowicz. Grotowski Blazes the Trails. 1991. p.
United Kingdom: (472 BC), 1777 391-392, http://www.jstor.org/stable/1146113
Aristotle. Poetics. Translated by Samuel Henry Schechner, Richard. Performance Studies: An
Butcher. New York, USA: Macmillan and Co. (335 Introduction. London,United Kingdom:
BC). 1902 Routledge. 2002
Ericsson, Martin. Play to Love Reading Victor Schlegel, August Wilhelm von. Course of Lectures on
Turners Liminal to Liminoid, in Play, Flow, and Dramatic Art and Literature. United Kingdom:
Ritual; An Essay in Comparative Symbology. In Baldwin, Cradock and Joy. 1815. p. 69-71
Beyond Role and Play. Edited by Markus Montola
Sophocles. Oedipus Rex. (429 BC).
and Jaakko Stenros. Helsinki, Finland: Ropecon
ry., 2004. p. 15-27 Turner, Victor. The Ritual Process. Structure and
Anti-Structure. New Jersey, USA: Transaction
Freke, Timothy and Peter Gandy. The Jesus Mysteries:
Publishers. 1995
Was the Original Jesus a Pagan God?. 2000
Turner, Victor. Liminal to Liminoid, in Play, Flow,
Herodotus. Histories, English translation by T
and Ritual. An Essay in Comparative Symbology.
Holland. London, United Kingdom: Penguin
Champaigne, USA: Human Kinetics Publishers.
Classics. 2013
2004. p. 44-45
Horace. Ars Poetica. English translation by A. S.
Unknown: Roman mosaic from the tablinum Casa
Kline (Poetry in Translation): 2005 http://
del Poeta tragico in Pompeii.
www.poetryintranslation.com/PITBR/Latin/
HoraceArsPoetica.htm Weiner, Albert. The Function of the Tragic Greek
Chorus. In Theatre Journal. Vol. 32, no. 2.
Nietzsche, Friedrich. The Birth of Tragedy: Out of
Baltimore, USA: The Johns Hopkins University
the Spirit of Music. London, United Kingdom:
Press. 06/1980. P. 205-212
Penguin Classics. 1993

This article is based on the authors Masters Thesis titled Chorus Novus: Or Looking for Participation
in Classical Greece. The full thesis can be found at https://aaltodoc.aalto.fi/handle/123456789/18089

72
Roman mosaic from the tablinum Casa del Poeta tragico in Pompeii with an aulos player wearing a wreath of laurels,
in front of him a box of masks, to his left two men wearing goat skins, on the right a youth helping another man get
dressed in a purple robe, and next to him another man wearing a purple robe, sitting an older man holding a mask,
perhaps giving it out. Interpreted as Theatrical scene with flute player and actors wearing goat skin costumes or
Actors backstage getting ready for a performance or A poet giving directions from a theatrical scene. Why the aulos
player would be necessary for any of these is unclear, but he was very necessary for Dionysian rites. For a proper Diony-
sian ritual, plenty of women would have been present, but dithyrambs were often sung and danced by only men. In my
interpretation the men in the mosaic are getting ready to sing and dance dithyrambs.

73
Today

People think that stories are shaped by

people. In fact, its the other way around.
(Terry Pratchett, Witches Abroad, 1991)

Larping is an ephemeral experience. No

game is repeatable. You can play the same
larp over and over, but each run tells its own
story. The participants are dierent, the
characters interpreted in new ways. You can
document plots, meta techniques, individual
experiences, you can capture a moment of
sorrow or joy in print or on camera, but you
cannot replicate it. Each moment in time is
unique, each story lived only once. Thats
what makes them so powerful.
One of the joys of nordic larp is the fact
that its hard (some would say impossible)
to define. Unlike what the string of mani-
festos published at the end of the last cen-
tury would have you believe, there are no
strict rules and no clear right or wrong way
to make a game.1 Today, someone trying to
come up with a definition of nordic larp
cannot even lean on geography, since nordic
larps are written, played and performed far
outside Scandinavia.
Our genre, whatever it is, is growing,
changing, and gaining popularity all over
the world. Its a multifaceted collection of
cutting edge meta techniques, new forms of
storytelling, and large and small games of ev-
ery kind. With that in mind, perhaps trying
to define nordic larp is the wrong avenue to
take anyway?
In this section you will find a collection
of articles dealing with the types of stories
were telling today. Techniques we use to
create compelling characters, scenes and
settings. Discussions about the use of pre-
game and on inclusivity. What you will not
find, however, is a comprehensive list of all
the things happening, simply because there
is just too much of everything.
And how wonderful is that?

1 Some would even argue that larps arent games,

but lets leave that for another day, shall we?
 Hamlet, Vampires and the Italian Alps
[killed darling]
Juhana Pettersson
For the game Odyssey, which
Whatwas setit in
does thetomythical
mean experience a story in crowned King, Claudius. We all know how
ancient world, I had hoped
a larp? the story ends: In a bloodbath in the castle
for both
When anabout
we talk elephant
larp, weand
use the word Elsinore as one sordid plot after another
mounted archers. Both larp has a
story in a very confusing way. The yields its rotten fruit.
story.
of The
thesecharacters have stories. Yet larp is
were seriously Inside Hamlet (Ericsson, Pedersen and
an improvisatory medium
considered, budgeted, whereandthings hap- Koljonen, 2015) is a larp based on the classic
pen much as they do in life, and stories are play. Its an updated version of one of the
approved.
often merely narratives imposed afterwards, best-known early larps in the Nordic tradi-
stitched together from a selectively chosen tion from 2000, Hamlet[inifrn] (Krauklis
In the ofend,
collection thebrutalised
events effort of the
into an arc of and Ericsson et al.). Inside Hamlets connec-
set piecethe spectaclehas
sorts. tion to story is straightforward and obvious.
beenis sacrificed
Larp the art of theinexperience.
place of In this The larp is based on a story. In terms of game
player agency and play.
essay, I want to chart through personal larp mechanics, its events are fated to happen.1
experiences how story fits
The crew required to clean into all this.up
Im a The story will play out during the game. In-
story sceptic when it comes to larp. I dont dividual scenes from the play are integrated
60 minutes of elephant crap
believe that stories are an automatic or inte- into the larp, where for a few moments most
are better allocated to other
gral part of the larp experience. Yet we make players gather to watch as a few central fig-
up parts
stories of
in the game.
larp as we do in life and so it ures do their lines. These are key scenes like
makes sense to explore how that can happen. the funeral of Ophelia or the murder of Po-
Do you experience the story as part of lonius.
your moment to moment play? Is there some
kind of a story-ness that you can feel while
playing? Do you construct the story after-
ward? How do you mesh the personal story
[future of larp]
of what happened in your game with the sto-
ry of the larp as understood by the organisers
The number of people I think larping will be a bit
or formed in discussion with allable
the players
tothe
after firefact?
a larp safe
These are bow
some from
of the ques-
easier to promote, as society
horseback
tions was smaller,
Ive been thinking of when Ivebut
tried to takes some time to get used
understand
safety issues meant it fell experi-
how story ties into the to newer pastime activities
encebyofthe
larp.wayside. and even if larp isnt
mainstream by 2037, it likely
THE STORY OF INSIDE HAMLET
[Simon] becomes moretheaccepted
In the larp Black Friday, story was disseminated
andnumerous
through thus easier to recruit
small details, like lettersnew
found at
William Shakespeares play Hamlet is one of
thepeople into.
site. Photograph: Martina Ryssel
the best-known, classic stories of world liter-
ature. The Prince of Denmark wrestles with That, or perfect VR
Inside Hamlet is
technology a very(connects
arises straightforward,
doubt and uncertainty over his fathers death
simple example of a larp with a central story.
and the culpability of his uncle, the newly into your brain perfectly, not
Because of the fate-play mechanic, the game
this goggle stuff we have
today) and many larpers
migrate to VR games. I dont
1 Fate-play is a larp term encompassing diverse mechanics that are all about determining the fate of a charac-
ter in advance, whether in terms of a single act or something morethink thats Normally
comprehensive. likely toa player
happen would have
by 2037,
total agency to decide what the character does, but in Inside Hamlet, though,
for example, if ever.
the player of Polonius knows
that their character will be killed by Hamlet in a staged scene and seeks to make that[Brage,
scene happen.22 years]

79
 [killed darling]
I particularly remember taking
out the combat/conflict/rules
system from a vampire larp
(this was the late 90s.) We ran
one evening of the ongoing
campaign as a social event
and I wanted players to do
more roleplay and freeform.

Sadly, it turned into a huge

conflict of cultures and
several players refused to turn
up at all because they felt that
they would have to be untrue
to their characters to avoid
using the rules.
[Anders]

[epic fail] [epic fail]

In a vampire campaign, We ran an urban fantasy
what would be the ultimate larp with several locations
punishment for an unfaithful in Stavanger city. Of course
servant? Burn the vampire we informed the authorities
alive, of course. Hard to make beforehand to avoid any
it look realistic, you think? misunderstandings, but after
Not really. All you need is a a civilian spotted one of our
willing subject, a fleece vest players heading out from our
drenched in paraffin, and a base wielding an airsoft pistol,
torch. Did we have safety the police raided our larp site.
measures? Yes. We made Luckily, no one were present:
the player sign a waiver of we were all off blowing up a
liability relieving us of any car on the other side of town.
responsibility. And we lit him
up on a pier by a lake. [Hallgeir]
He did not burn as well as we
had hoped, but no one was
hurt.
[Katrin]
 Hamlet, Vampires and the Italian Alps
Juhana Pettersson

What does it mean to experience a story in crowned King, Claudius. We all know how
a larp? the story ends: In a bloodbath in the castle
When we talk about larp, we use the word Elsinore as one sordid plot after another
story in a very confusing way. The larp has a yields its rotten fruit.
story. The characters have stories. Yet larp is Inside Hamlet (Ericsson, Pedersen and
an improvisatory medium where things hap- Koljonen, 2015) is a larp based on the classic
pen much as they do in life, and stories are play. Its an updated version of one of the
often merely narratives imposed afterwards, best-known early larps in the Nordic tradi-
stitched together from a selectively chosen tion from 2000, Hamlet[inifrn] (Krauklis
collection of events brutalised into an arc of and Ericsson et al.). Inside Hamlets connec-
sorts. tion to story is straightforward and obvious.
Larp is the art of the experience. In this The larp is based on a story. In terms of game
essay, I want to chart through personal larp mechanics, its events are fated to happen.1
experiences how story fits into all this. Im a The story will play out during the game. In-
story sceptic when it comes to larp. I dont dividual scenes from the play are integrated
believe that stories are an automatic or inte- into the larp, where for a few moments most
gral part of the larp experience. Yet we make players gather to watch as a few central fig-
up stories in larp as we do in life and so it ures do their lines. These are key scenes like
makes sense to explore how that can happen. the funeral of Ophelia or the murder of Po-
Do you experience the story as part of lonius.
your moment to moment play? Is there some
kind of a story-ness that you can feel while
playing? Do you construct the story after-
ward? How do you mesh the personal story
of what happened in your game with the sto-
ry of the larp as understood by the organisers
or formed in discussion with all the players
after the fact? These are some of the ques-
tions Ive been thinking of when Ive tried to
understand how story ties into the experi-
ence of larp.

THE STORY OF INSIDE HAMLET

In the larp Black Friday, the story was disseminated
through numerous small details, like letters found at
William Shakespeares play Hamlet is one of
the site. Photograph: Martina Ryssel
the best-known, classic stories of world liter-
ature. The Prince of Denmark wrestles with
Inside Hamlet is a very straightforward,
doubt and uncertainty over his fathers death
simple example of a larp with a central story.
and the culpability of his uncle, the newly
Because of the fate-play mechanic, the game

1 Fate-play is a larp term encompassing diverse mechanics that are all about determining the fate of a charac-
ter in advance, whether in terms of a single act or something more comprehensive. Normally a player would have
total agency to decide what the character does, but in Inside Hamlet, for example, the player of Polonius knows
that their character will be killed by Hamlet in a staged scene and seeks to make that scene happen.

79
Black Fridays secret-based design drove participants to uncover the backstory. Photograph: Martina Ryssel

will always produce that story. if it comes from an organiser.

Yet here we come to an interesting ques- For me personally, Inside Hamlet was a
tion. Where is the substance of the larp lo- great example of this dichotomy. My larp
cated? Larp is not recorded, its not played experience was not really narrative at all. I
for an audience. Larp exists in the minds of played a fire-and-brimstone priest whose
the participants. The totality of the larp is character description precluded any sort
the totality of the individual experience of all of personal growth or trajectory. I was in a
who were there. This fact is hard to square number of cool scenes, but the experience
with the idea of a single story of a larp. The didnt add up to anything that would make
story. In a sense, nobody experiences that sense as a personal story. I was a stock char-
story, since every single participant is busy acter facilitating situations that required a
experiencing their own game. priest, whatever they might be. Once I had
As a side note, this issue is often illus- done enough of that, I died.
trated through the way organisers and par- I dont mean this as a criticism of the game.
ticipants experience and talk about a game. I had fun at Inside Hamlet, and the substance
Because organisers often dont directly ex- of my game came from other things: Scenes,
perience their own larps, their analysis can interactions, reflections, random moments,
privilege the pre-created, central story of a intentional and unintentional comedy. I
larp while disregarding the reality of actu- merely want to use it as an example of how
al, individual participant experiences. This a larp can have a strong aesthetic veneer of
means that theres also a practical reason to story, yet still fail to produce individual char-
always be suspicious of any overarching sto- acter stories for actual participants. The larp
ry of a larp you hear after the fact, especially might have had a central story, but for me

80
that story was just a backdrop; it didnt de- published for the role-playing game, and
fine my experience. the larps version that came together as a
result of player actions. These results took
THE STORY OF CONVENTION OF the shape not of a story resolving itself but
THORNS rather a political process. While you can ar-
gue that Convention of Thorns had a story the
Convention of Thorns (Raasted et al., 2016) same as any other larp, it wasnt central to
is a historical larp based on the role-playing the games core experience..
game Vampire: the Masquerade. (Rein-Hagen My character at Convention of Thorns was
et al. 2011) Convention is an important event the host, Father Samuel. He started as a na-
in the games fictional history, a meeting ive man who wanted to have peace in the
where the future factions of the Camarilla, world of vampires. He looked up to all these
the Sabbat and the Anarchs2 coalesced. In the important people and believed in their sin-
discussion around the larp, the event was of- cerity when they talked about how we must
ten described as a vampire United Nations. all come together.
As a larp, Convention of Thorns had scope During the larp, Father Samuel slowly
and historical grandeur, but its primary started to understand that all these vampires
framework was definitely not as a story. were actually selfish liars who valued their
Here Ill pause for a moment to consider short-term goals more than the common
what it means to see a larp in story terms. good. (Naivet was one of Father Samuels
Ive started to suspect that when we talk characteristics, remember.) He became de-
about story in larp, were not really talking spondent, and then radicalised. He lost hope
about a rigorously defined theoretical con- in the high and the mighty of vampire soci-
cept. Rather, were talking about an aesthet- ety, the vampires who would form the Ca-
ic idea. Stories are not about the concept of marilla. He wanted to know what the other
story but rather the appearance, the surface side had to say, and went to ask. Before long,
mythology of story and storytelling. This he was in a vaulderie ritual conducted by the
also means that we can experience a story in future Sabbat Archbishop Moncada.3 These
many ways. I can have the emotional experi- vampires were the only ones who didnt
ence of having been in a story that has those seem to lie. They had community.
all-important story qualities without really In short, Father Samuel had a very clean
going through what that story is. Whether personal story arc. I experienced a story of
the story is satisfying is an emotional or an hope, betrayal and joining the monsters
aesthetic question, not an analytical ques- for moral reasons. It didnt happen sponta-
tion. neously: I was aware of what I was doing,
Back to Convention of Thorns. In its mar- and purposefully directed my game towards
keting, it was not framed in terms of this a satisfying story arc. The ingredients and
aesthetic idea of story, and certainly not to ideas for that story came mostly from actual
the extent that Inside Hamlet was. It was a in-game events, and I experienced the satis-
meeting, a convention where things would fying nature of the aesthetic storyness of
be decided. There was an official version my game while it was happening.
of what happened, as set out in the books In this sense, the experience was the op-

2 In the world of Vampire: the Masquerade, the Camarilla is a global organisation of vampires ruled by the
eldest and attempting to blend in with humanity. The Anarchs are young vampires who rebel against this system
in the name of freedom. The Sabbat is a mix of a paramilitary organisation and a blood cult seeking to end the
rule of semi-mythical vampire progenitors called the Antediluvians.

3 A significant figure in the lore of the game Vampire: the Masquerade. An ideologue of the vampire sect Sabbat.
Moncada and other Sabbat members represent the more depraved side of the games various vampire societies.

81
posite of Inside Hamlet. In Convention of she was well, and after she got sick, to get her
Thorns, the overall game wasnt really built cured. In the end, our family was doomed.
around story aesthetics, but my personal Our journey ended when we were killed in a
game benefited from them greatly. nerve gas attack. As it was happening, it felt
like the sort of environmental stories built
THE STORY OF BLACK FRIDAY into games like Fallout 4. You see two skel-
etons on the ground, a few items scattered
Unlike Inside Hamlet and Convention of around them, and you can piece together
Thorns, the Italian larp Black Friday (Aman- how those people died. We were those peo-
tini and Busti et al., 2014 & 2016) was not ple. Clean but a little too simple.
transparent. Transparency in a larp means Where Black Friday really gets interesting
that you know about the secrets of the oth- in terms of story is the wider narrative ma-
er characters and the general progression of terial present in the larp. The game was set
the games events in advance. Players have no in the settlement of Liberty Town, in an area
secrets from each other. Black Friday was the inhabited first by Native Americans, then
opposite: Pretty much everything was a se- hippies and finally the miners. The history
cret. Going in, I knew my starting position. I and the back story of the games events could
was a union activist and a chief engineer in a be gleaned from a hundred sources, from
small mining town in Wyoming, U.S. (In re- characters, from letters you found, from
ality the game was played in the Italian Alps, advertisements on milk cartons, from FBI
in the town of Lusernetta.) The first night, documents, from softcore pictures pinned
wed be having a company party. to toilet walls. The complexity of the games
history and the attention to detail in the
physical production were amazing. They cre-
ated the feeling that there was always more
to learn and understand, and that nothing
was as simple as it first appeared. This infor-
mation was always immediately actionable,
since succeeding in their goals the characters
depended in large part on their understand-
ing of the situation.
At one point in the game, I sat with an-
other player in one of the cabins for three
hours putting together what I called The
Story and he the movie Im making. Every
Many scenes in Black Friday were about characters
time someone came in the door, we heard
trying to piece together information. Photograph:
more details that added interesting com-
Martina Ryssel
plexity to the narrative we built. The Story
was an explanation of what was happening
What would happen after that, I had no
and why. It started a thousand years ago and
idea of, but obviously I suspected that the
ended up in the present.
peaceful life of the towns inhabitants would
Later in the game, I told The Story to
be shattered in some way. In the beginning,
many people, often in an attempt to con-
in terms of story, I had no idea what would
vince them to do what I wanted them to do.
happen. Due to the aggressive secrecy, possi-
In one scene, I was talking with people from
ble story-related experiences could only start
a corrupt chemicals company. I wanted to
to form during the game and afterwards.
impress upon them the danger of the situ-
I had a character arc, but it wasnt partic-
ation, so I said: Right now, theres a thing
ularly satisfying. I became defined as a fam-
out there we call the Story. It explains whats
ily man. I had a wife who expected a child. I
happening, and it has good guys and bad
spent much of my time trying to make sure
guys. You are the bad guys, and youre in a

82
town full of guns. I used The Story to con- what would logically happen. This created
vince people, but I also used the very idea of a strong sense of depth in the larp, but this
The Story to make my point. collective fiction broke down in the end and
This was also relevant because credibility became a set of individual experiences. For
and trust were the key issues determining if example, from the perspective of the FBI
we survived or not. For example, the chem- players, they attempted to escape to save the
icals company had many of the things we community. From my perspective, as some-
needed, but they were also widely distrust- one witnessing them drive away, they were a
ed, hampering cooperation. In a choice that bunch of cowards fleeing the scene. Any in-
I really appreciated, only surprisingly few formation that would tell me otherwise was
among the characters were really truly sinis- beyond the scope of my game experience.
ter. Most were decent folks trying to survive. It comes back to the question of what is
Nevertheless, in this environment of dis- true in a larp and who gets to decide. Larp
trust, stories and narratives had great power is fiction, so if I believe something for the
to shape the behaviour of people, sometimes duration of the game, isnt that as true as
beneficially and sometimes detrimentally. something the organisers put into the game?
During the game, I essentially fact-checked Does the fiction of the game have a reality,
many times: When people said that the Cen- and is that reality more real than my reality
ter for Disease Control4 did something, for as an individual player? This question in turn
example, I went and checked if that was true, directly aects the stories that the game con-
and then attempted to revise the stories cir- sists of. Can an organiser tell a participant
culating based on what I found. that what they experienced in the game was
The larp also had an overarching story not true?
in the sense of what are the events of the Normally in these discussions Im 100%
game itself. An epidemic spreads in a tiny on the side of individual player experience.
mining community. Officials get called in. If it wasnt part of the player experience, it
After a failure to save everyone, President wasnt in the game, and thats that, no matter
Obama orders the army to kill the inhabi- what the organisers might imagine. Yet Black
tants. Enough people manage to escape that Friday presents a compelling case to the
the infection spreads to the rest of the world, contrary, simply on the strength of its sim-
creating a mass pandemic. This story was ulation. The key here is that the simulation
less compelling than the organic story ma- was also narratively relevant and satisfying.
terial found during the game, since the ev- The Monitor Celestra (Summanen and Walch
erybody dies ending meant that so much of et al., 2013) is another game that attempted
the games events felt irrelevant. What did it a deep simulation of a definite environment,
matter what my character did, since he got but in that case, the world illusion was narra-
killed in an essentially random way in terms tively thin. In Black Friday, I can accept some
of his narrative? privileging of the story instead of my sto-
However, it also illustrates something in- ry because the story is so rich, and unlike
teresting about the nature of stories in larp. in Inside Hamlet, wasnt reduced to a back-
The way I explained it above was based on drop.
my experience. I had a meaningless nerve
gas death. Yet for other characters, like those STORY AESTHETICS
who escaped, the experience of the ending
and thus the story of the larp was dierent. What do we mean when we talk about story
Black Friday was very definitely a simulation in larp? This essay was originally supposed
where organiser decisions were based on to have been based on interviews. I wanted

4 The game featured teams from the U.S. Army, Center for Disease Control and the FBI.

83
to ask people how they experienced story ously and consider it from the micro-level of
in larps on the moment-to-moment level of moment-to-moment play, not as a grandiose
larp action. Doing that, I noticed that while marketing idea.
we have broad theoretical ideas about story Story as an aesthetic idea has to become
and larp, the concepts we have for talking a tool that enables the player to make a good
about the experience of story are weak. Be- game for themselves and for others instead
cause of this, I chose to write about my own of a lie that gets plastered over a rich field of
experiences instead, and attempt to map out separate and contradictory experiences.
some kind of a territory for how the story
aects the actual gameplay of a larp as it is
happening.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Rein-Hagen, Mark et al. Vampire: the Masquerade,

White Wolf, 1st edition 1991, 2nd edition 1992,
revised edition 1998, 20th anniversary edition
2011

LUDOGRAPHY

Amantini, Aladino, Arianna Busti et al. Black Friday,.

Turin. Italy: Terre Spezzate, Chaos League and
Cronosfera et al. 2014 & 2016
The story design in Black Friday embraced
asymmetric experience design, where dierent Ericsson, Martin, Bjarke Pedersen and Johanna
characters had wildly dierent access to informa- Koljonen. Inside Hamlet. Copenhagen, Denmark:
tion. Photograph: Martina Ryssel Odyss. 2015
Kraukalis, Daniel, Martin Ericsson, Holger
A question beyond the scope of this es- Jacobsson and Mattias Gullbandsson. Hamlet
say is how the story of a larp develops after [Inifrn]. Organised by Elsa Helin and Samantha
the larp is over. Ive often found that this is Bonnevier. 2000
where the greatest brutalities of how larp is Raasted, Claus et al., Convention of Thorns. Poland:
discussed happen, with a monolithic view of White Wolf Publishing and Dziobak Larp
a game supplanting the richness of individu- Studios. 2016
al voices, the organiser views overriding ac- Summanen, Henrik and Thomas Walch et al., The
tual player experiences. The story of the larp Monitor Celestra. Sweden: Alternatliv HB, Bardo
as told by the organisers is what they decid- and Berttelsefrmjandet 2013
ed it was even before it was played, and the
players cant aect this post-game narrative
even when they were the ones who were ac-
tually there.
To me, Black Friday points the way for-
ward if we want to engage with story as a
larp device further. Instead of a crude, broad
story idea, we need tools to facilitate indi-
vidual players creating personal and unique
story experiences for themselves. We need
to find ways to make story rich and action-
able, relevant to the totality of the game. If
we decide to do story, we need to take it seri-

84
 Ludo-narrative Dissonance
[killed darling]
and Harmony in Larps
Using lots of reindeer blood Hlne Henry
at a larp instead of, or in
combination OUT with,
OF TUNEfake gameplay, but denies the player that freedom
blood to create that physical of choice through its narration, creating a
instinctual reaction
Ludo-narrative dissonance you getlike
seems to a breach in the players adhesion to the overall
the smell
pompous term of
butblood.
actuallyWe were
defines a simple game history.
also planning to rot some
concept that appears when gameplay (ludo Other examples of such dissonance are
from ludis, game) and narration
meat to use at some places (narra- abundant in video games. For instance, in
tive) diverge or oppose: the story created by the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot, a hero next
for an even more pungent
players actions contradicts the story tailored door young man or woman is presented in
smell.
by the narration. the intro cinematics as immature and frag-
For this article, the definition of game- ile and then transformed in the early stages
Skipped
play in larps due to the
includes the cancelling
system of rules, of the game into a killing machine, almost
of the larp.
techniques But technical
and meta you alsosetup which without transition. Another typical example
need
allows a venue
players where
to express you arein the
themselves appears in Batman Arkham City, when Bat-
larp-specific fictional universe,
sure you can clean away thusthe
to build man is poisoned and encouraged to rush to
and expand their story through
blood in a sanitary way, and common find the antidote; actually, the player has all
tools. The term narrative refers to the con- the time in the world to fulfill as many side
make sure that vegan players
text in which the game takes place (histor- quests as he wants. As soon as he explores
ical period, genre), displayed themes, game the city, the game mechanics actually en-
masters intentions (what experience they courage him to do so in order to increase his
want the player to have), tone, etc. In larps, skills, negating the feeling of emergency put
the narrative is set up primarily through in place by the narration.
character sheets, player tips and guidelines The ludo-narrative dissonance goes be-
(describing the universe, social conventions, [character
yond moment]
a simple bug, continuity error or occa-
background),
etc. dontscripted
have to events,
come etc.into
The mar- sional incoherence. When it emerges, its the
riage of gameplay and narrative creates the whole system that is at fault, where the story
contact with the real blood. The morning after the
story. promised to the player is contradicted by the
We were considering filling wedding he took me to my
story that he lives, which is precisely what
thePRELUDE
sink in aIN
bathroom
VIDEO GAMESwith wefathers tent.
wish to avoid As I folded his
in larp.
blood, and then use even jacket I heard him unbuckle
more
Clint fake1 blood
Hocking, on the
the creative director at Lu- his belt. And I was so
COUNTERPOINT INhappy
LARP
bathroom floor.
casArts and Ubisoft, first used the term lu- that he would hit me.
do-narrative dissonance in 2007 when dis- Like for video games, I believe ludo-narra-
cussing an issue related to the video game tive dissonance is not only a useful analytical
Bioshock (2K Games, 2007). The term be- tool, but also a key challenge for larp story-
came an instant success and a practical tool telling. Whether a larp is gamist, simulation-
of analysis for video games. ist or narrativist (or any other category if one
To summarize Hockings original argu- does not adhere to these) does not say any-
ment, there is a conflict between the ludic thing about its quality. However, if the rules
contract and the narrative contract
[Elin]in Bio- are[Hilda
not consistent
Sindristwith the announced in-
shock. The game enhances the theme of tention, then the organiser is exposed to the
personal interest vs. generosity through the
Brudpris]
likely disappointment of the players. Imag-

1 http://www.clicknothing.typepad.com/click_nothing/2007/10/ludonarrative-d.html

87
to ask people how they experienced story
in larps on the moment-to-moment level of
larp action. Doing that, I noticed that while
we have broad theoretical ideas about story [epic fail]
and larp, the concepts we have for talking
about the experience of story are weak. Be-
cause of this, I chose to write about my own
experiences instead, and attempt to map out My most epic fail ever was
some kind of a territory for how the story to fall head over heels in
aects the actual gameplay of a larp as it is
happening.
love with my in-game love
interest.

[Anonymous]

The story design in Black Friday embraced

[future of larp] [killed darling]

Players will have more In the original draft of my

lives and there will be more Fastaval scenario The
games to go to. Additionally Intrepid Seven, co-written
she thinks it will be harder with Jacqueline Bryk, the
for her because she will have other 250 colonists were
to obey the combat rules dead and the seven player
(as a child at the system she characters were the only
plays she doesnt have to). survivors. That turned out to
be a disaster, because its IN
FACT hard to explore your
[Isabella, 7 years]
new seven-way marriage
and kinky sex play when
youre trying to mourn for
your dead comrades and
deal with their remains.
[Evan]
 Ludo-narrative Dissonance
and Harmony in Larps
Hlne Henry

OUT OF TUNE gameplay, but denies the player that freedom

of choice through its narration, creating a
Ludo-narrative dissonance seems like a breach in the players adhesion to the overall
pompous term but actually defines a simple game history.
concept that appears when gameplay (ludo Other examples of such dissonance are
from ludis, game) and narration (narra- abundant in video games. For instance, in
tive) diverge or oppose: the story created by the 2013 Tomb Raider reboot, a hero next
players actions contradicts the story tailored door young man or woman is presented in
by the narration. the intro cinematics as immature and frag-
For this article, the definition of game- ile and then transformed in the early stages
play in larps includes the system of rules, of the game into a killing machine, almost
techniques and meta technical setup which without transition. Another typical example
allows players to express themselves in the appears in Batman Arkham City, when Bat-
larp-specific fictional universe, thus to build man is poisoned and encouraged to rush to
and expand their story through common find the antidote; actually, the player has all
tools. The term narrative refers to the con- the time in the world to fulfill as many side
text in which the game takes place (histor- quests as he wants. As soon as he explores
ical period, genre), displayed themes, game the city, the game mechanics actually en-
masters intentions (what experience they courage him to do so in order to increase his
want the player to have), tone, etc. In larps, skills, negating the feeling of emergency put
the narrative is set up primarily through in place by the narration.
character sheets, player tips and guidelines The ludo-narrative dissonance goes be-
(describing the universe, social conventions, yond a simple bug, continuity error or occa-
background), scripted events, etc. The mar- sional incoherence. When it emerges, its the
riage of gameplay and narrative creates the whole system that is at fault, where the story
story. promised to the player is contradicted by the
story that he lives, which is precisely what
PRELUDE IN VIDEO GAMES we wish to avoid in larp.

Clint Hocking,1 the creative director at Lu- COUNTERPOINT IN LARP

casArts and Ubisoft, first used the term lu-
do-narrative dissonance in 2007 when dis- Like for video games, I believe ludo-narra-
cussing an issue related to the video game tive dissonance is not only a useful analytical
Bioshock (2K Games, 2007). The term be- tool, but also a key challenge for larp story-
came an instant success and a practical tool telling. Whether a larp is gamist, simulation-
of analysis for video games. ist or narrativist (or any other category if one
To summarize Hockings original argu- does not adhere to these) does not say any-
ment, there is a conflict between the ludic thing about its quality. However, if the rules
contract and the narrative contract in Bio- are not consistent with the announced in-
shock. The game enhances the theme of tention, then the organiser is exposed to the
personal interest vs. generosity through the likely disappointment of the players. Imag-

1 http://www.clicknothing.typepad.com/click_nothing/2007/10/ludonarrative-d.html

87
ine a larp centred around introspection or the games story. Even though combat, sex
character relationships, but whose prepara- or healing rules cover basic subjects (from
tion material instead focuses on encyclope- a simulationist point of view), this is not a
dic rules that detail every aspect of the exter- reason why they should appear by default
nal world; or a larp promising to explore the in a game system. Every rule should meet a
daily life of 16th century Venetian merchants, need. One way to avoid passive dissonance
without designing an in-game economy or and strictly focus on relevant rules may be
rules of exchange. to suggest to players other means of resolv-
Although other classifications are possi- ing situations that might occur, more in line
ble, Id like to distinguish the most frequent- with the game themes. Organisers should
ly encountered dissonances into two catego- also clearly communicate what will not take
ries: passive and active. place during the game because it is not part
of the scope. For instance, in Prima la Mu-
Passive dissonances are related to unnec- sica or LAgonie du Pote (The Poets Agony,
essary rules. Sometimes these are rooted in 2016), there are no rules to simulate sex. In
the desire to present a comprehensive over- operas or 17th theatre plays, protagonists do
view of the world or the designers work, not sleep with each other, so the same rule
which leads to an encyclopedic system. Oth- applies to these larps set up in the same con-
er times, they are a result of the designers text, period. However, the theme of being in
anxiety to cover all possible avenues of play love is central, thus other means consistent
and not limit players freedom or immersion. with the setting are suggested to express
It is even specified sometimes that some it like sighs, looks, and gentle touching of
rules are detailed just in case, even if it is hands.
not advisable to use them.
Active dissonances are caused by rules con-
Players observations tend to show2 that
flicting with the intentions of the game. The
the more our memory is cluttered by the
experience they oer to the player is dier-
need to take charge or remember the rules of
ent from what the larp promises. As a conse-
a game, the less space it can devote to emo-
quence, the story experienced by the player
tional impact and empathy. Consequently, a
is dierent or even in contradiction with the
game that would favour an abundant, com-
narration of the game. This situation can
plex or counterintuitive system of rules di-
take many forms, among which:
minishes the quality of players immersion.
This argument alone should lead designers A discrepancy between the intention
to promptly and ruthlessly suppress any rule of the game, and the type of rules set
not actively reinforcing the game themes up by the game design: games antic-
(safety rules not included, obviously). ipated as fun and light but burdened
Not forgetting a more insidious eect: with heavy or complex rulebooks, or
some players, intuitively familiar with the games without rules or with minimal
famous trope of Chekhovs gun,3 may be rules, where players objectives require
tempted to think that if the rule exists, it is simulationist mechanisms. This last
to serve a purpose. It would be a shame to case can make players and designers
unintentionally encourage players to use a think that rules are necessary in a
rule that doesnt serve the intention of your larp, when the actual problem is that
game, or worse, which lessens the impact of its not possible to achieve the game

2 https://youtu.be/rP7kIHRF62A

3 Chekhovs gun is the name of a famous trope, based on the following quote: If in the first act you have hung
a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise dont put it there. From Gurlyands
Reminiscences of A. P. Chekhov, in Teatr i iskusstvo 1904, No. 28, 11 July, p. 521.

88
 objectives with the tools provided. promises players the opportunity to
explore interpersonal relationships,
Poorly chosen rules, inconsistent with
the importance of family ties, and the
the narration, and ultimately harmful
experience of group life. To fully focus
to the game. Ars Amandi for instance,
rules on combat or survival would be
is a sex simulation rule requiring
consistent with the setting, but would
touching ones partners arm that
be inadequate to convey the theme.
allows a wide variation of interpre-
Dissonance is then avoided but har-
tations. Nevertheless, it should not
mony is not fully achieved.
be systematically used as a default
sex simulation rule: in games where Active harmony: when the rules,
sexual intercourse is not an important whether chosen among existing ones
stake, other rules that dont involve or created, are always selected specif-
physical contact may be as relevant, ically to support the whole story by
and less intrusive for the player. incorporating themes into players ac-
tions. By this means, the focus of the
Rules are marvellous tools to support,
rules and their tone and treatment are
structure, and build a story. Just as it would
in line with the fictional framework.
be unthinkable to reuse character sheets
Again using the post-apocalyptic game
from one game to another (except in the
example, it may translate to rules set-
case of a very innovative concept), it would
ting up group rituals for instance.
seem at best neglectful, at worst counterpro-
ductive, not to design specifically tailored In an eort towards active harmony,
rules for each larp in order to define the many games have brilliantly set up such
games own identity. The assumed ambition rules, through the choice of their subject
by most larpsto propose original, varied, matter (which rules to focus upon, such as
strong, and inspiring experiencesrequires sex-play or inter-generational dynamics) or
designers to pay attention to the consistency the choice of their treatment (the mechanics
of all tools used to reach the Holy Grail of by which this focus is handled). Lets take a
ludo-narrative harmony. look at some examples:
The first path to ludo-narrative harmony
FROM DISSONANCE is to choose rules that address a specific top-
TO HARMONY ic, to frame the specific larp narration setting
and themes. It ranges from designing rules
Following the above thoughts, a term has about quodpot for a Harry Potter universi-
naturally emerged to greet the eort of pre- ty larp (Salem-Never forget, 2012), where the
ventingand indeed actively counteract- championship is not only competitive but
ingthe dissonance: ludo-narrative harmo- part of the narrative; or duelling rules in a
ny. western larp to create smooth scenes (Hell
on Wheels, Appl and Dulka et al.,. 2015); to
Passive and active harmony more unexpected ones, like rules that allow
In the same way that passive and active disso- players to forget or blur serious events as a
nances can be categorised, it seems relevant means of reinforcing the desired dreamlike
to distinguish passive and active harmony: atmosphere in an oneiric larp (La Sirena
Varada, 2015); or a rule that channels mad-
Passive harmony: when the rules are
ness through a necklace that enhances cha-
consistent with the premise of the
risma and lowers a characters inhibitions,
game, without necessarily supporting
imbuing the game with psychological horror
the theme. Consider for instance a
(Pan, 2014).
post-apocalyptic game where every-
Once the designers have chosen the sub-
one is accustomed to the rigours of
jects of the rules, its time to design them
survival since childhood, but that
in a relevant way that reflects the narration

89
specific to the larp. Sex simulation rules are a The same attention to consistency can
good illustration for that kind of choice. The also be advantageously applied to explain
needs unique to each of the following games the game intentions or overall design. In
has led designers to address this topic, but Vivre Vite [Live Fast] (Allermoz, 2014), a game
each set of rules has been executed dierent- about young punks in the 80s, rules are of-
ly, echoing the identity of the larp: fered to simulate headbutts or ass grabs, in
order to enhance a violent, vulgar and sexist
In Les Liaisons Dangereuses [Dangerous
atmosphere. Aside from these rules, though,
Liaisons](2014), where love is seen as
the playing intentions are all consistent with
a tool of power and competition, a
the subject, either in the writing (some para-
tarot deck is provided in each room
graph titles for instance: Ill punch you, Ill
to calculate the sexual performance
stab you, Im on drugs Ill f... you) or the
of each character and determine the
numerous incentives to break generic larp-
winner, with consequences ranging
ing codes, including those regarding con-
from change in reputation to pillow
flicts (lets prioritise shouting over discrete
talk; and even the ultimate disgrace
quarrels) or physical fighting (in that cul-
for both characters, the birth of true
ture, opponents may finish o a fight either
love.
with a few insults or by grabbing a beer to-
In Les Canotiers de Santeuil [The gether, depending on the case).
Santeuil Boating Party](2014), where In the same vein, the rules for Dirty Little
love is a floating dream in a light Secrets (Algayres, 2013) provide several dra-
and leisurely atmosphere, there is no matic elements based on tropes from the
crude simulation, no undressing, and soap opera genredramatic monologues,
(almost) no contact, but a system of slamming doors, looks toward the camera
ribbons to lovingly tie each others creating an innovative experience where
wrists before counting clouds together ludo and narrative merge seamlessly.
to climb to seventh heaven.
Arabesques
In Les Fleurs de Mai[Flowers of May](Al-
Pre-game workshops could also be regard-
gayres, 2014), where love is designed as
ed as tools of ludo-narrative dissonance or
a tool of power and enslavement in a
harmony, as well as other kinds of rules; for
brothel, each player is required to use
example, the many and varied workshops
a range of various and subtle interpre-
for Mad about the Boy (Raaum, Edland and
tations of Ars Amandi.
Lindahl, 2010)- especially the one collectively
In Just a Little Lovin(Edland and Gras- building the world through examining how
mo, 2013) where homosexual advances the disappearance of all men would impact
are at the heart of unbridled evenings, each characters daily life. Similarly, the meta
bowls of feathers are available in technique of using safewords may enable
some scenes: to give a pink feather to greater harmony, even if it does not create it.
someone is a smooth way to suggest In our violent post-apocalyptic world exam-
directing the scene towards sex. If the ple, safewords would allow to safely and fully
player ignores the feather, the scene experience the rigour or cruelty, designed as
then moves elsewhere. If black feath- pillars of a society fighting to survive.
ers had not also been used to invite to Another interesting reflection: once
black box scenes, this meta technique aware of the ludo-narrative harmony mech-
could even have been integrated as anism, one could imagine playing with it,
an intradiegetic mechanic to further in order to create what Id call constructive
strengthen harmonythe feather dissonances: dissonances that at first dont
would then have been considered a appear to be part of the story, but in the end
usual code of these kind of evenings benefit the game, as described in the first
and well-known by the characters. musical definition of dissonance:

90
 Despite the fact that words like unpleas- understanding, and enhancing the emotion-
ant and grating are often used to explain al impact of unexpected events and psycho-
the sound of dissonance, all music with logical turnarounds.
a harmonic or tonal basiseven music
perceived as generally harmoniousin- THE BREAKTHROUGH,
corporates some degree of dissonance. The A PERFECT TUNE?
buildup and release of tension (dissonance
and resolution), which can occur on every To go further, I would like to introduce a no-
level from the subtle to the crass, is partial- tion sometimes called breakthrough in the
ly responsible for what listeners perceive field of video games. I do not, however, use
as beauty, emotion, and expressiveness in it in the overall sense of breakthrough that
music.4 marks the era or the history of the game,
but in a more restricted sense, a technical or
Game designers can use players uncon-
design innovation at the heart of the game,
scious desire for resolution as a (compre-
defining its specific identity and allowing
hensive and benevolent) manipulation tool,
forin the most successful casesa new
to push them towards playing in a certain
way to play. This concept provides an inter-
way, creating a home for some unexpressed
esting construction and analysis framework
expectations that will be resolved in-game,
to apply to larps.
or to induce the tone of game without an-
nouncing it.
Crystallisation of storytelling
Such use may be dangerous, exposing
It is possible to create a breakthrough that
the organiser to the risk of poor commu-
does not lead to ludo-narrative harmony
nication and the player to disappointment,
for example, in the case of a gameplay inno-
but tempting to lovers of non-transparent
vation that isnt related to the games theme.
games.
But when given its full potential, the break-
Why not imagine, for instance, apparent-
through is the innovation that amplifies and
ly ill-designed rules (rules too simulationist
gives an unexpected echo to the narration.
or insufficient, detailed topics unfit with the
It is the one rule that will often be the most
announced themes) ultimately justified by
memorable and regularly cited when trying
the unexpected change of direction along
to describe t he gameand therefore a good
the way, with the introduction of new issues
way to help define and dierentiate one larp
that finally justify the original rules (it was
from another.
all a dream, your character wakes up in an-
For example, the massive medieval fanta-
other world/lives in a dierent one than they
sy larp Lgendes dHybore [Legends of Hybo-
thought they were living in, etc). Or also, the
riaOpus 1] (2015) oers an innovative sys-
use of certain preparatory workshops in or-
tem of instances, derived from video games.
der to create an artificial intimacy on a me-
Instances scattered throughout the site were
ta-level, which can resurface during some
accessible to players during some quests,
unexpected internal changes to the game
with the objective of recreating the kind of
and impact characters actions; for instance,
epic pulp scenes that groups of adventur-
characters supposed to hate each other who
ers had been told about in their character
are teamed up during the Ars Amandi work-
sheets. For instance, the dungeon of thieves,
shop, seemingly as a joke, but discover in-
a succession of rooms filled with physical
game that they are attracted to each other.
and mental puzzles to decipher in order to
In this case, the dissonance allows designers
access the following room was an exciting
to avoid foreshadowing in character sheets,
adventure in which each player could refine
suppressing the consequent risks of players

4 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consonance_and_dissonance

91
and affirm their role within the group. born out of the desire to remove the bodi-
The breakthrough is a particularly valu- ly dimension from a larping experience, in
able way to direct the players attention to order to facilitate immersion and identi-
the theme at the heart of the game. In all fication with the character rather than the
larpseven the most detailed and carefully player, as well as to encourage listening, con-
designedimmersion is an illusion. Only fession and dialogue, which are the essence
the agreement of the players, who willing- of the intended experience.
ly suspend disbelief during the duration of
the game, allows what is commonlyalbeit Creating languages beyond words
imperfectlycalled immersion. To do so, Many larps already include breakthroughs,
the players tweak their sensory perception. although they have not necessarily been
They mentally erase what doesnt align with identified as such. The following examples
the proposed narration (other players ap- provide players new ways to express their
pearances, boer weapons or other anach- characters, through songs, dance and music:
ronisms), and instead focus on elements in
LEt 36 [Summer 36] (Artaud and
tune with the story that they want to ex-
Frnot, 2012): In order to recreate the
perience, which ideally matches the narra-
bucolic, romantic and festive atmo-
tion oered to them. More than aesthetics
sphere, designers invite players to sing
or the story of a game, what best enhances
as a way of expressing their state of
this objective are the rules which provide the
mind at key moments of their choice.
framework for action and drive the story for-
To achieve this, a song book with cus-
ward. The breakthrough is a meaningful way
tomised songs of the relevant period is
to help them focus their attention towards
provided in addition to each character
what enriches their game experience, and
sheet. They become a powerful means
away from what contradicts it.
to channel emotions, relevant both
Tant dEspace [So much space] (Duvned,
as a way of expressing the concerns
2014) is a game for two players based on
and hopes of the era, and for rein-
the themes of melancholy, nostalgia, and a
forcing, through communal choirs,
known non-dramatic ending. Participants
the characters sense of belonging to
can play in a real bar, which reinforces on
a group. The songs can also reveal
multiple levels the intention of the game.
dilemmas and intimate revelations,
First of all, thanks to the familiarity of the
either through force or subtlety. This
setting, it utilises known references such as
tool could be transposed and fully ex-
the selection of drinks and the presence of
ploited in a musical larp, for example,
other customers as a way of strengthening
where ludo and narrative would then
the bleed-in inspired by the game design.
be perfectly tuned. In any case, singing
Playing in a real, open world also encour-
is a specific gameplay technique to
ages the interruption of reality through its
personify characters.
unpredictability (rose vendors interrupting,
the dynamics of background music, serv- Les Noces de Cendre [The Wedding of
er downtime, closing time that forces the Ashes] (Gresset and Abbey, 2012): In
game to end). These hazards do not break this game, players are invited to ex-
immersion, but rather reinforce it, immedi- press their characters moods through
ately merging with the story and oering a tango. The rules emphasise the di-
dierent experience for each session. In this verse palette of emotions that can be
sense, one could even qualify it as a systemic communicated, as well as the univer-
feature. sality of the language (everyone can
The larp Comme le Houx [Like the hol- dance and convey an intention while
ly-tree] (Henry,2015) explores quite anoth- dancing: love, friendship, passion,
er path, as the game consists entirely of a hate, ) thus providing an additional
phone call between two friends. This idea is tool shared by all players.

92
 Prima la Musica (2016): This game, everyone to work tightly together. In video
typical of the French romanesque games, this kind of collaboration is an excep-
genre, revolves around the world of tion. Worse over, video game designers are
opera and oers the players a game not necessarily trained to take the story into
mechanism called the Theatre of consideration while developing the game
Emotions: a clearly defined theatrical design. Fortunately, narrative designers
space in which the player can play a and producers, who translate the story into
scene, sing, mime, or dance with the gameplay, are more and more frequently
accompaniment of famous arias in the part of the development teams. But the fact
background, selected from a catalog that writers are not always included in the
available before the game so the play- video game development team from the start
ers can familiarise themselves with the of the project increases the chances that nar-
music. It punctuates players stories ration and gameplay are treated as parallel
by enhancing key scenes that they strands rather than as two sides of the same
choose, at their discretion, to disclose coin. On the contrary, larp designers usually
to the other players (open curtain) or keep a clear overview of the experience they
play in private (closed curtain). It is want the players to live, and can more easily
a clever mechanism to enhance the harmonise their design and story, since they
atmosphere and intimately connect control everything.
the opera to the game, allowing the Also, contrary to video games, last-min-
players to interpret scenes worthy of a ute gameplay changes in larp do not usually
real opera. have cost implications, which makes it easier
to align ludic and narrative elements and to
Make no mistake: I am not claiming that
address any divergences, right up to the very
every game should have a breakthrough or
end.
should create an innovative rule. Innovation
Finally, and most importantly, larps are
only makes sense if it adds to the game nar-
ahead of video games when it comes to
ration. Thats why it can be an interesting
avoiding ludo-narrative dissonance, because
question to ask when creating a game, and
larps are by essence a collaborative form of
the answer will depend on the nature of the
storytelling. One of the most exciting and
larp.
difficult challenges that video games are try-
ing to overcome today is at the heart of most
THE SOUND OF MUSIC
larps: providing players with tools that allow
them to take an active role in the creation of
It seems obvious that when creating rules,
the story and to build and tell powerful, non
one should keep in mind their relevance to
generic-stories within the framework of the
the game. Yet the persistence of ludo-narra-
game.
tive dissonance in larp suggests that it may
In conclusion, here are some questions
be not that simple, as it requires from larp
that can help game designers interrogate the
designers both a clear vision of what they
ludo-narrative harmonics of their game de-
want the players to experience, and what the
sign:
rules and mechanics will engender.
Still, larps have by nature many advantag- What experience do I want the player
es, especially compared to video games, and to have? Which eras, themes or ques-
these advantages should be utilised as much tions will they explore? Therefore,
as possible: what kind of actions would logically
First, the team composition and the happen during the game?
workflow pipeline: in a larp team, designers
As a consequence, which topics
often conceive all aspects of the game, in-
require rules in order to frame, guide
cluding the rules and story. Even when that
and strengthen this exploration? For
is not the case, the team is small enough for
instance, if the game is categorised

93
 Algayres, Muriel. Dirty Little Secrets. France:
as gamist, it should include rules for Association Rle. 2013
defining the winner of various kinds
Allermoz, Isabelle and Olivier Allermoz. Vivre Vite
of conflicts; if simulationist, it should [Live Fast]. France: Association Clepsydre. 2014
introduce rules reflecting the atmo-
Appl, Filip, Tom Dulka and Jan Zeman et al.,. Hell
sphere and detailing societal injunc- on Wheels. Humpolec, Czech Republic: Potkani
tions and codes; if its a campaign, and LARPard. 2013, 2014 & 2016 http://howlarp.
it needs to provide rules for the play cz/about
happening between events. Artaud, Olivier, Marie-Claire and Olivier Frnot.
LEt 36 [Summer 36]. Castle Cernay, France:
Conversely, what kinds of rules do not
Association Rle. 2012
fit into this framework? Does each
Barnab, Frdric. LAgonie du Pote [The Poets
rule support the narration? If not, is it
Agony] France: Association Rle. 2011 http://
useless and therefore dispensable? agoniedupoete.fr/
Once the rules have been defined: Crystal Dynamics. Tomb Raider, Redwood City, USA:
what kind of execution best reflects Square Enix. 2013
the themes of the game? Do relevant Canotiers de Santeuil, Les [The Santeuil Boating
rules already exist to support the Party] France: Les Francs Papillons, Beaulieu and
Association Les Amis de Miss Rachel. 2014.
intended theme? If the answer is no,
they need to be created. Duvned, Sbastien. Tant dEspace [So much space].
France: Association eXperience. 2014 http://
What is the focus of the game, the es- www.murder-party.org/tant-despace/
sence of the experience? Which specif- Edland, Tor Kjetil and Hanne Grasmo. Just a Little
ic game mechanics should I create to Lovin. Denmark: Rollespilsfabrikken. 2013 http://
enhance it? What about preparatory just-a-little-lovin.blogspot.fr/
workshops or rules dealing with unex- Gresset, Veronique, Raphaelle Gresset and
pected topics or treatment? A specific Vauluisant Abbey. Les Noces de Cendre [The
structure (linear, ellipse, cutting into Wedding of Ashes]. France: Association Rle. 2012
http://agoniedupoete.fr/NocesDeCendre/
action with gradation of intensity)? A
specific medium? etc. Henry, Hlne. Comme le Houx [Like the holly-tree]
France: Association eXperience. 2015 http://
Would constructive dissonance be a www.murder-party.org/comme-le-houx/
meaningful way to create a specific Lgendes dHybore [Legends of Hyboria]. Chteau
feeling or tool for my larp? de Guise, France: Association Eve Oniris. 2015
http://www.eveoniris.com/
These are only some leads to help explore Liaisons Dangereuses, Les [Dangerous Liaisons].
new paths towards a meaningful and consis- Castle Carsix, France: Association Les Masques
tent larping experience, without any claim to de Danat for organization, Don Quixote for
absolute truth or completeness. Employing creation. 2014
these concepts of ludo-narrative harmony Prima la Musica ou LOpra Terrible [Prima la Musica
and breakthrough may help drive the ex- or the Opera Terrible]. Castle Montbraye, France:
pressive power of the game, and ultimately, Primoot Team and Association Urbicande
improve the players experience. Libre. 2016
Raaum, Margrethe, Tor Kjetil Edland and Trine Lise
Lindahl. Mad About the Boy, Norway: 2010
Rocksteady Studios Batman: Arkham City, London,
United Kingdom: Warner Bros. 2011
LUDOGRAPHY SalemNever Forget. France: the Very Disturbed
Team and Association Le Chaudron pench: 2012
2K Games. Bioshock, Novato, USA: Take-Two Sirena Varada, La. Granada, Spain: Somnia. 2015
Interactive. 2007 http://somnia-larp.wix.com/lasirenavarada
Algayres, Muriel. Les Fleurs de Mai [Flowers of May] Udby, Linda and Bjarke Pedersen. Pan. Organised by
France: Association Rle. 2014 Nathan Hook and Nina Teerilahti. Finland: 2014

94
95 95

Pre-larp Communication
or, how to make sure no one dies from peanut allergy
Alma Elofsson and Mimmi Lundkvist

INTRODUCTION obviously be expanded to en- 1. HOW TO

tire articles of their own and COMMUNICATE WITHIN
This is an article about com- we make no claim of having THE ORGANISER GROUP
munication. Its not, however, said everything there is to say
an article about what you, as on either matter. However, we
an organiser, need to commu- do believe that they are tightly Agreeing on a vision by using
nicate to your players. That connected, and that they there- the Mixing Desk of Larp
topic has been covered from fore deserve to be discussed In our experience, the most im-
many points of view by for as three aspects of the same portant thing when it comes to
example Johanna Koljonen thingpre-larp communica- communication between the
(2016a), Karin Edman (2012) tionrather than three dier- organisers is to make sure all
and Massi Hannula (2015). This ent topics. the members of the organiser
article is instead about how to If youre only going to read team share the same vision for
communicate all that relevant parts of this articleread part the larp.
information youve managed 3. Part 1 and 2 will probably feel
Example: You have all
to come up with, both amongst familiar to anyone who has or-
agreed to make a quite
organisers, and between the ganised larps before, while we
historically correct larp in
organisers and the players, dare to say that part 3 proba-
the empire era. The set-
focusing on the timespan be- bly will feel new and fresh in
ting will be a ball for rich
tween coming up with the idea the eyes of many beholders.
people. But what will the
for a larp and actually running For clarity, we are going to
experience be? Will it be
the larp. The article will be in use examples in the text. Most
about love, friendship and
three parts, stated below. of them will be from our own
marriage in a Jane Austen
experiencesand in those cas-
How to communicate inspired fashion, or will it
es, they will be from our most
within the organiser be all about class inequal-
recent production Lindngen
group ities and institutionalised
International Boarding School
oppression of womenor
How to communicate (Elofsson and Lundkvist, 2016)
perhaps the horrible sides
information to your (or from its previous Swed-
of slavery?
participants ish runs, then called Lindn-
gens Riksinternat(Elofsson, It doesnt have to be as clear
Communication be-
Lundkvist and Rogvall, 2013 & as this example. When we or-
tween organisers and
2014)).1 Other examples will be ganised Lindngens Riksinter-
participants
made up to make a point. nat, we had to be sure everyone
All of these three parts could in the organiser team agreed

1 Lindngen, in both its international and its Swedish version, is a larp about bullying and traditions in an
upper-class boarding school.
96

IIlustration on how you can use the Mixing Desk of Larp to agree on a vision.

on which parts of the bullying of the Mixing Desk, and sandbox within the very
structures and school life we then pasted it into Paint, strict frames, and could
would like to emphasise to get putting some colourful move on to the next slider.
the larp to the point we want- blobs where each of us
The goal here is that within
ed. This important work needs believed the sliders for
the organiser team you should
to be done thoroughly and it Lindngen were supposed
be in so much agreement on
needs to be done before the to be. When comparing,
what youre doing, that when
larp is released.2 After having we discovered that we had
a participant asks a question
some discussions on this mat- placed some sliders quite
about the experience or vision,
ter, but still feeling we werent dierently and got pret-
it shouldnt really matter which
really sure everyone in the or- ty nervous. Were our vi-
organiser answers it. In the
ganiser team agreed on the sions really that dierent?
ideal case, you shouldnt even
design, we decided to use the Some discussions later we
need to have a discussion first.
Mixing Desk of Larp (Andresen relaxed. We had made dif-
and Nielsen, 2013) as a tool for ferent interpretations of
2. HOW TO
communication.3 It turned out the word sandboxAlma
COMMUNICATE
to be very useful for comparing meaning we would be
INFORMATION TO
your vision for the larp with steering the participants a
YOUR PARTICIPANTS
the other organisers visions, lot through having quite
even though that perhaps isnt few accepted story lines,
its primary usage. and Mimmi saying they
Finding important
were free to improvise a
Example: Before one or- information
lot within the setting. We
ganiser meeting, all three The first and most important
agreed that we actually
of us had prepared a point to make here is this: It has
meant the same thing and
screenshot of the picture to be easy for your participants
defined it as being quite

2 Otherwise you may end up answering questions in a misleading way. And what if you realise halfway through
that you and your co-organisers are not organising the same larp?

3 The Mixing Desk of Larp is, basically, a mapping of the design choices you make as an organiser, visualised as
dierent faders on a mixing desk, like transparencysecrecy or storiesaction.
 97

to find the information they These are very important has a suit jacket, the larp
need. We wont go into detail pieces of information, and the looks really awesome,
about what information that consequences of missing them and without them, not so
would be,4 but focus on how could in fact damage the larp. much. We decided to in-
to deliver that information. Do After identifying these scraps clude the suit jacket not
you have a webpage? Make sure of easily missed information, only in the packing list at
all info the participants need your job is to make sure every- the webpage, but also in at
is available on your webpage. one knows it anyway. Our way least three emails and two
Do you have a facebook group? of doing this is spamming. Facebook posts. After that
Make sure all important points we posted a challenge in
Example: For Lindngen,
from discussions there actual- the Facebook group where
all participants need to
ly end up somewhere. Like on we asked the participants
bring suit jackets, since
the webpage for example. Or to do a suit jacket selfie.
theyre a part of the school
in the info-text of the facebook 93 out of 93 participants
uniform. When everyone
group.

Spamming important
information
Heres a hard fact: Only a hand-
ful of your participants will
read your entire webpage. Take
a moment and let this sink in.5
This is why you, after identi-
fying what your participants
need to know, also need to
identify the pieces of import-
ant information they will prob-
ably missor at least wont
know they need to know.
Information such as time,
place, participation fee and
other practical information
does usually not go into in this
category, since those are pieces
of information all participants
know they will need to look for.
Instead, this could be informa-
tion like: the workshop is ac-
tually mandatory, or: theres
a participant who will die from
allergy if you bring peanuts. Suit jacket selfie. Printscreen: Alma Elofsson

4 Massi Hannula makes a very good list of this in her Nordic Larp talk. See also Johanna Koljonens blog series
Basics of Opt-In Opt-Out Design, especially part 3.

5 Its okay if you slightly break inside. Its still true, and you can do very little to change that fact. Even if you
repeatedly state how important it is that everyone reads everything on the webpage, youll get at least some per-
centage relying on secondhand information from their friends, or on them being friends with you.
98

(for all the three runs of ing act. Too much enthusiasm selfies with our charac-
the larp) brought their suit will freak your participants out. ters names attached.8
jackets to the larp. Too little will have them quit (Trying to build player
the larp. Youll probably find enthusiasm and for them
In this aspect, treating your
the middle ground. Here are to engage in play prepa-
participants as infants might
some (paraphrased) posts we rations. 1 month before
actually be good idea. They will
ourselves have made with this the larp)
notice that this is what youre
in mind, according to a struc-
doing, however, and if you do
ture we believe works and can A random post about one
it with too many things they
be adapted to almost any larp: of the things you need
will stop listening altogether.
to spam (Whenever you
Choose the information you Merry Christmas! Were
need to. See above about
want to spam carefully, because working a lot with writ-
spamming info).
you only get approximately one ing characters right now.
to three pieces of information Have you watched the This structure works for us
you can do this with. movie Evil yet? Its one but is in no way holy, and your
of the key inspirations posts can be about anything
Keep your larp alive! for the larp. (Low-key related to the larp. Just make
Larpers enthusiasm is a fick- enthusiasm, putting no sure you do them, otherwise
le and unstable little creature pressure on our players. 5 your participants might believe
which must be nurtured to sur- months before the game) youre not enthusiastic about
vive. If your participants dont your larp. This is particularly
do this themselves, thats your How is your planning important if your participants
job. Too many larps have died going? Weve now up- dont keep the Facebook group
because the Facebook group dated the webpage with active on their own.
was dead. A good way to keep some details about what
the enthusiasm going is basi- you need to pack for the 3. COMMUNICATION
cally just reminding the larpers larp. (link).6 You will for BETWEEN ORGANISERS
that the larp is happening and example need to bring AND PARTICIPANTS
reminding them youre enthu- a suit jacket that will be
siastic enough (even when you the school uniform.7
feel like dying inside due to 20 (Reminding participants The pedestal
hours extra work every week- theyve planned to go to of larp Organising
end). In our experience, the a larp and will need to fix Lastly, and most importantly,
easiest way to do this is by mak- stu. 3 months before the communication between or-
ing sure the facebook group is game) ganisers and participants is not
kept activesomething which a one way street. Your partici-
is especially important the last Hey! I will never learn pants will also need to commu-
two months leading up to the your character names be- nicate with you. They might
larp. Too much input before fore the larp if we dont have questions, a need to be
that might just stress some par- find a good way to do it acknowledged, worries about
ticipants out. This is a balanc- here. I suggest we all post something in your game de-

6 This link might make them visit your webpage one more time. What if they would catch some more info?

7 We have occasionally waited some months to drop this list on purpose, just to be able to make one of these
posts about it.

8 This also made the participants think more about what their characters would be wearing.
 99

sign, or a suggestion on how to ing with the cool and popular often worth risking this, since
make your larp better. It is your people, or you might have end- enabling good and clear com-
responsibility to make sure ed up there with no real recol- munication makes for good
they can do thatthat they lection of what you even did to larps. The easiest tool for low-
know where to reach you, for deserve it. Of course this hap- ering the barrier between you
one, and (and this is something pensand should happen!to and your participants is to be
we want to emphasise) that you larp organisers as well as other physically accessible as much
try to make yourself approach- types of art creators, cred where as humanly possible, wheth-
able to your participants. This cred is due. However, as a larp er it is joining an enthusiastic
is especially true when and if organiser, your own status and tips for gear-post in the larps
you are organising a larp which how that influences your abil- Facebook group, or welcom-
demands at least a certain lev- ity to communicate with your ingly chit-chatting with partic-
el of trust and familiarity be- participants is something you ipants before that weeks vam-
tween your participants, either should take into consideration pire chapter in your local town.
because it covers heavy themes, to avoid misunderstandings Even in these situations, which
your participants are new to which could potentially be very are informal for the partici-
larp, or both. We believe that damaging to your larp. Do I be- pant, you are formally in your
the most common problem on lieve that everyone in my par- role as organiser, and you are
this communication two-way- ticipant group is comfortable helping setting the tone you
street between participant and enough with me to come to want your participants to use
organiser is that the organiser me with any matter they might and the associations you want
often is put on a pedestalei- have? Am I perceived as an ap- your participants to get.
ther by themselves, or by par- proachable organiser?9
Example: Lindngen is
ticipantsand therefore is
perceived as quite a serious
seen as unapproachable. Accessibility and
and heavy larp and many
This is not anything new approachability
players are afraid not to
nor something reserved for We therefore suggest you do
be cool or hardcore
larp organisers. Quite oversim- anything you can to lower any
enough to participate. We
plified, the journey usually goes barriers there might be be-
balance this during the
something like: by doing cool tween you and your players be-
workshop by not being un-
stu, people will perceive you fore your larp starts. Before go-
necessarily strict and for-
as cool. If you do enough cool ing furtheryes, we are aware
mal. We laugh, encourage
stu, you get to know cool, that climbing down from the
the players to interact in a
popular people, exchange cool, pedestal of Larp Organising
playful way and we engage
popular ideas, and then do means playing down your own
in their silliness slightly
even more cool, popular stu status, and that it might de-
more than we would usu-
and suddenly youre standing crease your chances of getting
ally do. This attitude cre-
on a pedestal, that you either in with the cool crowd, even
ates an open environment
might have helped build your- though we believe this is slowly
where players feel safe
self through focused network- changing.10 We argue that it is

9 Massi Hannula talked about organising for your larpers in her Nordic Larp Talk on communication 2015.
We would like to expand this to organising for all your larpersthe ones youve never met before, the ones who
are new to your crowd or new to larping, as well asyesthe ones you might not personally see eye to eye with.

10 Were not saying, though, that anyone in the cool crowd (which, of course, is not a static crowd of people
but often diers based on context, country and over time) are lousy at participant communication. Just to be
clear.
100

enough to make mistakes. allowsresist that temptation. proachable. Also, this prin-
Youre still the organiser even if ciple doesnt end when your
We do recognise that the
your participants have lunch. larp does. Using other peoples
balance between an easy-going
Simply put, it is easier to com- knowledge and experience is
tone between yourself and your
municate with you if you show expected of you, and mention-
participants and joking your
youre there for your partici- ing larps that inspired your
larp away might be difficult,
pants. larp on your website, or men-
especially if you know most
tioning from where or who you
of your participants. One way
Being humble, or credit take parts of your workshop
to hopefully avoid this prob-
where credit is due can be a welcome courtesy,
lem is to make sure you speak
If youre organising a larp, but not really something youd
to all (or at least as many as
chances are youre brilliant at a be lynched for not doing. Not
possible) of your participants,
lot of things. Chances are also acknowledging your players
taking extra care to meet the
that youre probably not bril- ideas while presenting them as
participants you dont know.
liant at everythingand that your own, however, might cre-
If your larp design allows for
your participants might have ate toxicity among your partic-
it, meaning youre meeting
great ideas you wouldnt have ipants and animosity towards
your participants a while be-
thought of yourself. The add- you, if youre unlucky.
fore your game starts (for ex-
ed bonus of you showing that
ample on a workshop)have
youre open to questions and FINAL WORDS
lunch with the participants
worries from your participants
you dont know!11 Mingle when
is that they probably will come Much has been said about what
your participants have a work-
to you with ideas as well. When to communicate to your partic-
shop break, or in case theres
they do, and you think its a ipants. This article has instead
no workshop, small-talk before
bad ideaput it down gently; attempted to discuss the how.
your larp starts, and make sure
maybe it doesnt quite fit your To summarise, we believe the
your own planning allows for
larps vision. When they do and how can be divided into three
this. These informal situations
you think its a good ideagive partshow to make sure the
are when youll get the most
them credit! The ways of do- members of the organiser
relevant questions and com-
ing that best will dier based group are communicating the
ments,12 allowing you to identi-
on the idea and how youre or- same thing to their partici-
fy possible misunderstandings
ganising your larp. Maybe you pants, how to make sure your
more participants than just
can mention it in the Facebook participants have every piece
that one might have. As your
group, on the webpage, or by of information they need.13
friends probably already feel
initiating a round of applause and how to make sure you can
comfortable with coming to
for the person who thought communicate with your partic-
you with their issues, this is ex-
of it when all participants are ipants, and your participants
tra relevant for players youve
gathered. If you make sure to can and want to communicate
not (or barely) met. It can be
give cred to your participants, with you. Regarding the last
tempting to spend all your time
others will think of you as section, we do recognise that it
with your friends when youre
moreyou guessed itap- is a bit controversial, especially
all o-game and the schedule

11 Or another meal. Were not picky.

12 As well as some questions you just cant believe someone still has to ask because youve written the answer
to that literally everywhere.

13 Or at least the ones they and the larp really cant live without.
 101

since much of what currently is merely that its not optimal to to counter that through con-
written is about organiser care take your own break from or- scious actions to make sure all
(see for example Lizzie Stark ganising the workshop at the their players are comfortable
2014 and 2016 or Johanna Kol- same time as your players have with talking to them. Our firm
jonen 2016b)which could be their break from workshop- belief is that good communi-
argued to be the exact opposite ping, and so on.14 What we do cation makes for betterand
of the constant participant fo- intend is to recognise the fact easier!larp organising. And
cus we are proposing. We do that organisers gain social sta- as an added bonus, you get to
not intend it to be. We are not tus from organising larps, and have fun with your participants
trying to say never take a break, that organisers might have on their terms.

14 Something which is naturally easier if you are several organisers who can take turns taking breaks from the
organising work!

BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Andresen, Martin E. and Martin Nielsen. The Mixing Elofsson, Alma, Mimmi Lundkvist, Emil Rogvall.
Desk of Larp. In Crossing Physical Borders. Edited by Lindngens Riksinternat. Malmkping, Sweden: 2013
Karete J. Meland and Katrine . Svela. Oslo, Norway: & 2014.
Knutepunkt. 2013. p. 71-79
Elofsson, Alma; Lundkvist, Mimmi. Lindngen
Edman, Karin. Alla lajv br ha en innehllsfrteckning. International Boarding School. Malmkping, Sweden:
Published 21/06-2012. http://wonderkarin.blogspot. 2016
se/2012/07/alla-lajv-bor-ha-en-innehallsfoteckning.
html
Hannula, Massi. Communication: Remember the Larper.
Copenhagen, Denmark: Nordic Larp Talks. 2015
https://nordiclarptalks.org/communication-
remember-the-larper-massi-hannula/
Koljonen, Johanna. Basics of Opt-In Opt-Out Design
Pt. 3: What They Need to Know at Signup. In
Participation Safety. Published 05/06-2016. https://
participationsafety.wordpress.com/2016/07/05/
basics-of-opt-in-opt-out-design-pt-3-managing-basic-
expectations/
Koljonen, Johanna. Basics of Opt-In Opt-Out Design Pt.
4: Rage Quitting As A Measure of Your Expectation
Management Skills, In Participation Safety. Published
01/09-2016 https://participationsafety.wordpress.
com/2016/09/01/basics-of-opt-in-opt-out-design-pt-
4-rage-quitting-as-a-measure-of-your-expectation-
management-skills/
Stark, Lizzie. Toward A Larp Organisers Bill of Rights,
from Leaving Mundania. Published 05/02-2016. http://
leavingmundania.com/2016/02/05/a-larp-organizers-
bill-of-rights/
Stark, Lizzie. Organiser Fatigue: Larps canary in the coal
mine, In Leaving Mundania. Published 02/01-2014.
http://leavingmundania.com/2014/01/02/organizer-
fatigue-larps-canary-coal-mine/
102

Keeping Volunteers Alive

Agata wistak and Claus Raasted

Organising larps is a multi-disciplinary exercise then youll have an easier time managing them.
at best. At its worst, you need a witchs cauldron Each of them comes equipped with a number of
of dierent skillsets, and being negligent in one status bars that you need to be aware of. They
area can mean that no matter how much you have to be fed, housed and instructed, if youre
shine elsewhere, you still have a failed larp on to get anything useful out of themno matter
your hands. A large part of my larp work consists if theyre at your larp to play the hostile orc army
of managing somewhat large (25+) teams of peo- appearing out of nowhere, helping with getting
ple, most of them volunteers. Doing that for big the location ready, or doing cleanup.
larp productions like College of Wizardry (Niel- It doesnt matter much whether you call them
sen, Dembinski and Raasted et al., 2014) and helpers, minions, team members or something
Convention of Thorns (Raasted, et al., 2016) has else. It matters how you treat them, though. To
given me some insights that may come in handy aid you in your larp organising, Ive compiled
for others. a list of tips, structured into three chapters.
And while I use these strategies when working
PRETEND ITS A VIDEO GAME with larpers, its just as easy to apply this sort of
checklist elsewhere.
If you think of your helpers/volunteers/team as And with all that in place, lets jump right in!
being human versions of The Sims characters,

HEALTH POINTS

Health Points represent the physical side of things. If this was a video game, these would be the dif-
ferent status bars that could be boosted using physical remedies. If your helpers are low on health
points, its very hard to make them do anything (at all).

Water. It may seem like a simple thing, also frozen my ass o during late Autumn
but if your helpers dont have easy access larps in non-heated castles. You need to
to water, they will suer. If youre using an make sure that either you or your helpers
outdoor location, its extra critical. are taking care of making the temperature
bearable.
Food. People need to eat. Food should be
plentiful, nutritious and if possible ac- Toilets. What goes in must come out, and
count for dietary needs and wishes. Both access to sanitation is vital. One toilet for
meals and snacks are important. 50 helpers is not good, and if youre feeding
them well, its even worse!
Accommodation. Without a place to sleep,
its hard to be a hero. Taking care of this Physical safety. To work, we need to be
can be tricky, since you have to deal with safeand to feel safe. If youre doing some-
things like snoring, privacy and the general thing in an environment thats less than
psychological makeup of your helpers. friendly to humans, its even more import-
ant. Enthusiasts will often take risks to
Temperature. Ive worked on a film proj-
make things work. Do your best to make
ect in Abu Dhabi, and I nearly melted. Ive
sure that they dont have to!
 103

MANA POINTS

Mana Points represent the mental state of your helpers. This is slightly harder to quantify, but none-
theless very important. Its the things that make your well-fed, well-rested work crew put in that
extra eort that is necessary to make an event run smoothly.

Vision. The how begins with the why is a for resting? Opportunity to hang out with
popular phrase. Its also at least somewhat others during free time? Knowing how
true. Helpers who know whats going on things work when youre not working is
and why its important are more likely to important.
actually make that vision come true.
Solidarity. Most of us know that some
Motivation. There are many dierent ways tasks require heavy lifting while others
to motivate people, and Ill not go into de- require less obvious forms of labour. Even
tails here, but if you dont manage to moti- so, it can feel very demotivating to see
vate your helpers, theyll slowly degenerate someone watching cat videos on YouTube,
into slow, unhappy shades of themselves. while youre putting the finishing touches
Okay, not that bad, but still bad. on a prop, regardless of whether or not the
other person has worked hard earlier. Pro-
Morale. Akin to motivation, but dierent viding a good feeling of solidarity in the
from it, morale matters when things get workforce is a key component to creating
tough. When something goes wrong, and team spirit.
you need to ask people to stay an hour ex-
tra to dig a ditch or clean toilets, morale is Emotional safety. If were stressed and
critical. Its the dierence between Okay, overloadedor even feeling unsafe and
if I absolutely must and Yes, lets do it! unwelcome, were not concentrating on
the task at hand. Everyone in your team
Free time. This is something that I find is should feel included and accepted, and
often undervalued in projects: the clear creating a culture that supports this is very
communication of when theres free time, importantespecially when working with
and how it can be used. Are there spaces diverse teams of strangers.

EQUIPMENT

Last, but definitely not least, comes the hardware; the things you need to make your highly motivated
and cared for helpers actually do the work theyre here for. Inadequate hardware is the most common
mistake Ive come across, and is not just about tools, but also related things.

Workspace. Once youve gotten someone its certainly easier if you have the proper
who can build a dragon, they need a place equipment at hand. This can be small
to build it in, or its not going to happen. things like scissors and pens, or it can be
Having appropriate amounts of space for expensive power tools or technical equip-
the work that needs to be done is a neces- ment. Often, its possible to come up with
sary component to making things happen. ad hoc solutions but having the right tools
is preferable.
Tools. It may be possible to build a wood-
en house without hammers and nails, but Working gear. If youre working on a
104

construction site, hard hats are often Physical safety. This is not only about
mandatory. If its pitch black, lights are the more obvious aspects of safety, but
pretty much a must. This seems self-ev- also about the more tricky ones. Asking
ident, but is a place where Ive seen too if theres a first aid kit is simple. Remem-
many failures. bering that women need lights in toilet
spaces because periods are a thing should
Transportation. Perhaps one of the most be simple, but has proven not to be.
overlooked factors when doing projects in
locations that are o the beaten path (and Emotional safety. Is there a sanctuary to
yes, castles in Poland fit this category). retreat to if you need one? Are there peo-
Just telling people to show up on location ple you can trust who can help you deal
doesnt work that well if your location with trouble? Larps are often as high-in-
isnt easily reachable. Transport solutions tensity behind the scenes as on stage, and
take time, and often need to be custom- its valuable to know if someone is there
ised. to make sure that your mental health is
taken into consideration.

FINAL WORDS

This article could easily have been longer, more detailed or more focused on explaining the whys and
the hows. Having been a helper at many larps, and being a helper coordinator for larps as part of my
professional life, I will be grateful if you can provide everything on this checklist. Time, money and
reality often get in the way for that, but its a worthy goal, I think. The reason I have chosen to go
the video game route is that Ive discovered two things while working with helpers (and as a helper
myself):
People are not resources. People have resources, but forgetting to treat them like individual
people is not only morally problematic, but also bad for your project.
People still have similar needs, and once you learn how to think systemically about some
of those needs (as you do with The Sims characters) you get better at managing your helper
teams.
In the end, larps come alive because of the players, but the work done before, during and after larps
by organisers and their helpers make the play experience possible in the first place. If handled right,
being a helper for a larp can be a very fulfilling experience.

So lets do our best to get the basics right!

LUDOGRAPHY

Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus Raasted et al. College of Wizardry. Poland:
Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(DK), 2014-

Raasted, Claus et al., Convention of Thorns. Poland: White Wolf Publishing and Dziobak Larp
Studios, 2016
The Workshop Pyramid
Maryia Karachun, Yauheni Karachun, Olga Rudak and Nastassia Sinitsyna

As a group of larp designers based in Belarus writing for both newcomers

and experienced participants who are looking for immersion, we can-
not underestimate the importance of making them comfortable before
run-time starts. The idea behind this article was to create a relatively
universal structure that will help larp organisers arrange workshops and
pre-larp exercises so that they will compliment the run-time in the most
efficient way.
Since we work with chamber and black box larps that require no prior prepa-
ration from the participants, the structure of workshops we offer is mostly
applicable to this type of larp, but might also be useful for others.
Our primary target audience for our larps are participants with
very little or no larp experience. Our main aim is to make them
comfortable enough to show up again next time. Because of
that, we cannot deny the importance of workshops. People
who come to participate for the first time and still dont know
exactly how a larp works will be carefully guided through a
number of exercises to feel comfortable enough to open up
and participate. At the same time, we like to design dra-
matic and immersive larps for more experienced larpers
who also benefit from workshops in order to relax and
prepare for a powerful, emotional experience.
Having come to understand the importance
of pre-larp workshops both for people who are
completely new to larp and still have a very
vague idea of what they will go through and
experienced larpers who expect to get a good
immersion into a character, weve come up
with the idea of the necessity of structur-
ing them.
We would like to introduce a con-
cept similar to Maslows hierarchy of
needs, which is a popular motiva-
tional theory in psychology pro-

Above: The workshop pyramid. Illustration: Olga Rudak

105
posed by Abraham Maslow in his paper A The- Its also crucial to present the story and clar-
ory of Human Motivation in 1943. According to ify which techniques will be used in the larp
the theory, some needs take precedence over at the very beginning. That way players get to
others, and needs of a higher level can only be build up familiarity with whats ahead, and have
desired after basic needs are fulfilled. the option to leave without losing face or ruin-
As in Maslows hierarchy, the structure of ing larp dynamics. Players should feel at ease
all workshops should start with basic exer- to be open to self-exposure, as almost any larp
cises that establish mutual trust among play- presupposes.
ers and larp designers, gradually piling up to Once the fundamental needs are met, larp
creating characters. Forming relations and, directors can move on to the next level of the
consequently, developing a common story. pyramid and introduce character creation exer-
Maslows hierarchy of needs is often portrayed cises. To gain better results, organisers need to
in the shape of a pyramid with the largest level make sure that everyone feels comfortable play-
of basic needs at the bottom and secondary or ing with other people in the group. To minimise
higher needs at the top. Similarly, we can visu- tension, especially if we are talking about new-
alise the structure of the workshop as a pyra- comers, icebreakers or team-building exercises
mid with three levels. can be used. They will let players get to know
The most fundamental part of the work- each other and feel more relaxed. However, keep
shop pyramid1 is creating mutual trust be- in mind that icebreakers and exercises should
tween players and larp directors. We see it
as a vital element of the whole process of of the larp. Of course, with a group of friends
workshopping as it keeps a larp going. With- or people who know each other relatively well,
out trust, even well-thought scenarios can be icebreakers and team-building exercises can be
jeopardised, especially when players personal skipped.
boundaries are crossed. Distrust in an organ- The next important feature of the middle lev-
isers persona or their competence can lead to el exercises is to give players a chance to con-
players unwillingness to take risks or their in- nect to each other, particularly if they are going
ability to plunge in. to play together quite closely. A good way of do-
Directors should be well-prepared and con- ing so could be to introduce a physical exercise
fident to be able to win players trust. It goes where players get to test their personal bound-
without saying that larp organisers set the aries. Such exercises can also be used at later
mood. Their behaviour and their way of com- stages of character creation, when players are
municating is of importance: friendly attitude, already divided into groups.
careful and thorough explanation of the rules,
and reputation make all the dierence. Its character creation players have to be given room
important to take some extra time to explain to discuss, speculate, experiment or just get
the concept of the larp for newcomers as they used to each other. Players get a chance to better
would need certain introductions. Organisers understand their characters and relate to them.
should know what they are doing and why,
so that they can guide their players through playing with others and be able to create intimate
workshop, eventually achieving the anticipat- stories. This is the most time-consuming part of
ed results or atmosphere. the workshop, but if a larp is based on characters

1 For the rest of this article, the term workshop pyramid will refer to the visual structure shown above.

106
and their relations, as in the larp Have You Come enrich the plot.
Here to Play Jesus?2 (Karachun and Karachun By now we have covered all the three lev-
et al., 2013), its crucial to plan enough time for els of the pyramid and talked about what can
that. Being a four hour larp, the workshop part be achieved and gained throughout each level.
takes up to two hours in Have You Come Here to Yet one should not consider using an exercise
Play Jesus? as players spend quite a lot of time just because there should be something on this
developing characters. or that level. Every exercise that is used should
The top of the pyramid is story-creation. have a particular purpose and serve a common
This part of the workshop is built on the previ-
ous twoa good, coherent story is always the larp. Its crucial to structure all the exercises in
result of mutual trust between players and larp continuity with everything else that follows.
directors along with thoroughly developed char- -
acters. This set of exercises is needed to create ence of all the pre-larp activities.4 To achieve
a story that each and every player will be part this, a larp director would need to act within the
of and will eventually lead to an understanding mood of the larp to encourage the atmosphere.
which presupposes that all players are aware of We can take Helianthus land as an example.
the larp framework and their own roles within Helianthus is actually a latin word that stands
the larp. -
There are different tools and exercises that
larp designers tend to use depending on the type The larp is a combination of farce and satire by
of a larp. Flashbacks and genre, and quite a lot of absurd things happen
probably proved to be the most effective in our during both workshops and run-time. When we
larps, as players get to playtest certain ideas run the larp we try to be super energetic and hap-
and shape a storyline before the actual run-time py from the very beginning to transfer the mood
starts. Scenes can be both suggested by larp di- to the players as well as make them feel at ease.
rectors or players themselves. For this purpose, we have adapted the warm-up
We can take an example from the larp He- game of (Munthe-Kaas
lianthus land3 (Karachun and Karachun et al., sun-
2015), which explores the dynamics of a cult and . The essence is the same, but
life within it. This larp takes place in the imag-
inary country Helianthus where participants helianthini as well as they are introduced to their
play helianthini, who are the resident citizens main enemiesthe crows.
of the country. We introduced a pre-larp play- Of course, it goes without saying that work-
test where during the workshop players have to shop exercises can serve multiple purposes. In
rehearse a typical day in the life of the helianthi- one of the exercises for Have You Come Here
ni. It adds to the story as players establish group to Play Jesus? the players are asked to sit in
dynamics or make unconscious choices that pairs, back to back, while the larp directors are

2 A black box larp that portrays a controversial phenomenon of euthanasia in the modern world, where
the characters face the unbearable choice of determining whether or not to end the life of a paralysed family
member.

3 A larp based on the works of George Orwell, specifically Animal Farm and 1984.

4 Everything leading up to the actual run-time; from the moment the players enter the venue till the larp
starts.

107
reading out character questions. This establishes set to the whole process of workshopping. We
a situation where there is a physical connection suggested in this article, one of the ways to orga-
between players at the moment when they start nise pre-larp workshop based on the workshop
thinking about their characters. This exercise
thus gives a basis for creating a character as should be intertwined. Every step further should
well as forms trustworthy relationships between be building on the previous one; as even good
players.
This is the basic structure of pre-larp work- is no basis of trust between the players and or-
shop as we see it, yet there are some exceptions, ganisers.
- Judging from our own experience we would
ample, one might need exercises aimed at learn- always emphasise that a thorough workshop
ing a particular meta technique or trying out structure is a key to success. It helps a larp di-
and brake. That is very important to do especial- rector create a more effective way of preparing
ly with inexperienced players, as to make sure participants for the run-time and gives players
that they know the safety features and other op- of any larping background an opportunity to im-
portunities they can invoke in the larp. merse into the larp in order to have a powerful
To sum up, we have strong grounds to believe experience.
that the sequence of exercises is an important as-

BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Wikipedia, Maslows hierarchy of needs, [date of Karachun, Maryia, Yauheni Karachun, Olga Rudak
access: 23/10-2016] https://en.wikipedia.org/ and Nastassia Sinitsyna, Have you come here to play
wiki/Maslow%27s_hierarchy_of_needs. Jesus?, 2013.
Penguins and flamingos, In The workshop handbook, Karachun, Maryiaa, Yauheni Karachun, Olga Rudak
Edited by Peter Munthe-Kaas, Morgan Jarl, Frida and Nastassia Sinitsyna. Helianthus land. 2015.
Karlsson Lindgren and Susanne Vejdemo. [date of
access: 23/10-2016] https://workshophandbook.
wordpress.com/2012/02/18/penguins-and-
flamingos/.

108
Beyond Play
Functions and design of debriefs
Simo Jrvel and Karete Jacobsen Meland

In larp design, everything surrounding the actual larp can be altered and
designed to fit what you want your players to experience. Of course,
unexpected things will happen the minute your players touch your de-
signbut, either way, larp design includes so much more than the actual
runtime (Koljonen, 2016). Everything that goes on in addition to the run-
time of your larp, from the moment you announce that it will happen,
can be referred to as the paralarp. It includes, but is not limited to the
sign-up, briefing and workshop, debriefing, post-larp parties, reviews and
legacies. If we divide the paralarp into what happens before the runtime,
and what happens after, you could say that we have two gates of fiction
through which our players enter, and exit, the fictional framework of the
larp. Those gates can be designed to shape players experiences into de-
sired directions.
All larps have dierent social rules between players, compared to or-
dinary life outside them. Those alternate ruleswhere it is allowed to
yell at each other, flirt or lieare what makes larping possible. In larp, we
follow one set of social rules while pretending to follow another one. This
dynamic has been called the magic circle, frame or an alibi. To larp, we
need to first step through the gate into the magic circle where dierent
social rules and meaning structures apply, and then we need to step out
again.
Stepping out of a magic circle involves dierent needs and actions
for dierent people, and it will happen anyway, even if you dont design
a structured debrief.1 But, this process is also a designable surface, and
through this article we want to present an outline for how to view de-
briefing in terms of its dierent possible functions.

What is structured debriefing?

Structured debriefing is about facilitating the transition back to a normal
frame of reference after the larp experience, and giving the players tools
they can utilise in processing their own experiences. Designing and fa-
cilitating that process is an essential safety feature. A properly designed
debriefing gives a clear signal to the players that their organisers have

1 Read more about what people do themselves, in Eirik Fatlands blogpost on

landing, (2013).

109
 thought about the post-processing, that they are positively concerned
about their players well-being, and that they are indeed handling their
responsibility and not leaving the players to their own devices. However,
structured larp debriefing is not professional health care. If such aid is
needed, it should be acquired elsewhere.
At the same time, debriefing is not just about safety. It is also about
community building, sharing and forming collective narratives, and de-
signing the reinterpretation of the larp experience and designing how it
will be remembered. In addition, players are often not aware of what they
actually need. It is especially difficult in post-larp confusion, when the
tired, disoriented and stressed players go through all the emotions and
struggle with reorienting to the world outside the larp. In such moments,
it is often good to have a structure to follow, or someone to tell you what
to do next, or at least present a few alternatives from which to choose.

Why do we need debriefing?

When the larp ends, we all have dierent needs. In a structured debrief
it is impossible to cater to everyones unique needs; it is always a com-
promise that aims to cover the most important aspects and kickstart the
whole after processing. Not every debriefing technique works for every-
body, and there are also some who dont need any sort of debriefing, or
even feel worse if forced to debrief before they are ready for it. Also, not
all larps necessarily need heavy debriefing, but this should still be a con-
scious design choice.
We have individual needs, relational needs, and collective needs. We
might need to talk about our strong experiences, might need to share,
might want to share. But, we also need to be aware that it will not nec-
essarily make you feel better. We might also want to check on our fellow
players if they are okay, how did go for them, or if they need something.
Its also perfectly natural to compare your experiences to others to see
how did it go, are you the only one or are we all in the same boat.
Debriefing is also needed because our poor brains are confused after
the larp.2 For our brains, everything was 100% real. Sure, it was fiction or

2 There are dierent parts in the brain, some evolutionarily older and some
more recent. The newer parts, cortex and especially our frontal lobes, are the parts
that can handle complex social relations, and (importantly!) interpret and contex-
tualise the emotional signals coming from the more primitive parts of the brain
(Chayer and Freedman, 2001). This means that your evolutionary younger brain
receives information from your older brain, information that it tries to make sense
of, and modify in order to fit socially acceptable norms and to stay in line with
your identity: Who you are and who you want to be. In essence, when larping, the
brain has many conflicting processes going on at the same time! Going through
these processes can at times be very confusing.

110
fantasy that needs to be interpreted dierently from our everyday lives,
but it still was completely real; that person really did yell at you, you did
really experience tragic loss when that person said goodbye, and you re-
ally were blatantly flirting with that other person. We say it is our char-
acters who did that, and our characters who felt all those emotions, and
that is a crucial alibi for the whole art form of larping, but to our brains it
is all real, all the time. In a way, there is no bleed. Or, there are no charac-
ter emotions that would bleed, they are all player emotions, just framed
dierently. All the actions and all the emotions were really yours, not your
characters.

The dierent functions of debriefing

Often debriefing is approached from the angle of individual debriefing
exercises, and they naturally are the practical side of the matter, but all
those dierent exercises exemplify certain broader functions debriefing
can have, and most importantly they manifest the culture where larp ex-
periences are thoroughly and responsibly designed from the start to be-
ginning.
While there are numerous functions a larp debrief can have, we believe
they can be divided into four main categories: (1) Reframing the Fiction,
(2) Emotional Support, (3) Community Management, and (4) Collective
Narrative. An appropriate emphasis on each function is needed depend-
ing on the larp, its design, and the type and intensity of experiences it
evokes. Every function is primarily focused either on the individual or
at the collective level and they have varying impact on both. Also, how
they should be applied depends on the time frame; immediately after the
larp other forms of debriefing are in order than two weeks after the larp,
for example. The functions are often overlapping; the same phenomena
can require both Reframing and Emotional Support for example, likewise,
the practical debriefing exercises invariably fulfill several functions at the
same time.

1. Reframing the Fiction

Reframing is about recontextualising our experiences during the larp af-
ter it has ended. This is something that inevitably happens, but a well
designed debrief enhances it and guides it to the right direction. When
a larp begins, we are transported into an alternate frame of interpreta-
tion where some of the social conventions and meaning structures are
no longer valid, but are replaced by those of the fiction. This is the alibi,
the magic circle, that enables the larp. Afterwards, however, we need to
return to the social context outside the larp. That returning includes both
deroling, stepping down from our character roles, and the recontextual-
isation of the whole experience that just took place, and the elements of
the fiction that was just enacted.

111
 Deroling is transitioning from the character in the fiction to the player
in real life, outside that fiction. The personality, social relations, power
structures, personal history, agendas and motivations of the character
are all left behindsometimes gladly, sometimes grievingly, sometimes
quickly, sometimes very slowly. The aim is that after the larp, the players
see each other as performers backstage: aware that it was roles everybody
was performing just moments ago, the fictive situation is behind us now,
and the social structures and conventions are getting back to normal.
On the other hand, we do not necessarily want to return to normal
completely; in many occasions, we want to take something with us, to feel
that the larp was a transformative experience after which we see and feel
things dierently. The most classic example here is probably the romances
that started from character relations. Sometimes they are a nuisance and
a well thought-out debrief sessions helps contextualising those feelings,
but then again occasionally they are feelings that are most welcome, and
even then a certain contextualisation of them is in order. A proper derol-
ing is necessary in all larps, but particularly essential in larps with highly
asymmetrical power positions, betrayal of trust, social exclusion and de-
humanisation. Those elements could very strongly aect our views on
those players outside the larp also, unless they are properly reframed.
Besides personal roles, there are other elements in the larp fiction that
needs normalisation and recontextualisation. Many larps want to say
something, have a political message, or have players go through a process
of experiencing something in such a profound manner that the experi-
ence will leave a permanent impact on the players. Hopefully a positive
one. Facilitating that process where players recontextualise those experi-
ences and helps shedding those that are unwanted, is also what debrief-
ing is about. Supporting that process might make the message of the larp
clearer.

2. Emotional Support
Many larps aim for an emotionally intensive player experience, and it
would be inconsiderate to leave players without emotional support. This
might sound like a heavy task, but we want to emphasise that part of that
support is simply providing a time and space for the players to share and
talk about their experiences and emotions felt during the larp and now
after the larp. That process hugely benefits from an atmosphere where
fellow players are also actively and empathically listening, and not just
waiting for their own turn to say something about themselves. Debriefing
is a good tool for establishing certain play-related, cultural and social ele-
ments that you want to be in place after your larp, and in your community
of players as a whole. Most of it is of course good to establish already be-
fore the larp while workshopping, but debriefing is still an important tool
in continuing the process.
Besides unloading the emotional burden of a heavy experience, the

112
aim of Emotional Support is to normalise the experience. It is not un-
common for players to feel alone with their feelings, uncertain whether
anyone else feels the same way, or possibly even embarrassed or feeling
guilty of the subjective experiences they have had during to larp, or are
still feeling. The whole range of typical post-larp negative feelings (with
many dierent names such as post-low, post-larp depression, etc.) are like
this, we are often not aware where they come from, and sometimes feel
like we should not be feeling that way. Normalising those feelings in de-
briefing helps in post-processing of the experience.
Similarly, infatuations that happened during the larp, lingering feel-
ings that are hard to reframe, larp goggles of all sorts, are eects that hap-
pen to manyif not most players, and knowing where they come from,
how to handle them and starting that process properly and to the desired
direction can be accomplished with debriefing. A lot of processing will
take place a long time after the larp and structured debriefing, but sup-
port systems can be designed and implemented that help the players in
their processing even though time has passed.

3. Community Management
Larping is a collaborative and collective art form, and we are a communi-
ty. For each larp we create a smaller community and those selected people
are in it for the duration of the larp. Any single larp has a playing culture
of its own. It might resemble any other larp very closely, but it can also
be quite unique. The culture within the community starts to form before
that larp, and some parts of it will live for a long time after the larp. It can
also be designed.
Debriefing can have a significant impact on how the players feel imme-
diately after and some time after the larp. Some aspects of the larp experi-
ence are better left behind, whereas carrying other parts with you can be
beneficial. Especially the feelings of communal sharingthat something
amazing was created together and the loving closeness and acceptance
are elements that most players want to hang on, even if their characters,
roles, their worldviews, and the power structures involved are left behind.
Sharing an intense experience in a larp can create tight bonds and close-
ness even between players who were complete strangers initially.
Fundamental to cultivating the positive elements of a shared experi-
ence, is how players treat each other after the larp. Even if the mental
mode when playing is often very self-centred, when the larp is over, the
attention could be directed more to fellow players. Asking how their larp
went, how they are feeling, listening, empathising, and at the proper mo-
ment, sharing your own feelings to others, helps creating an atmosphere
that reinforces the collectivity and positive mood. By sharing and actively
listening to others when they are sharing, everyones personal experienc-
es are validated by others and accepted as a part of the collective experi-
ence. Then, even though there might be only one player who feels sad or

113
 angry, no one has to feel they are alone with their experience, or wonder
if there is something wrong with them when they did not experience the
larp the same way as others evidently did. It also reinforces the positive
aspects of communality. Players chronically receive too little feedback on
their playing performance. Giving positive feedback to other players is
an efficient method for emphasising the positive aspects of the collective
experience and steering the general post-larp atmosphere towards collec-
tive feel good.
Structured debriefs can have parts that aim to start these collective
processes and guide them to the right direction. Initialising the desired
social behaviour patterns and tones in a structured debrief helps play-
ers to uphold them throughout the social interactions after the larp. In a
sense, debriefing can act as a workshop for post-larp social interactions,
by having a structured interaction where players are instructed to talk
about their own experiences, ask about other players experiences, listen-
ing and giving feedback. This is commonly most efficient in group sizes
small enough, and depending on the amount of players, the player pool
needs to be split in smaller groups and/or to be facilitated to ensure that
everybody has the time and space to share their own feelings and get feed-
back, not just to loudest and most extroverted players.
Another important aspect of this, is that you as a designer to a certain
degree actively can steer (or manipulate?) your players stories after a larp.
If you want your players to feel like rockstars after a larp, you can con-
sciously design and use your debrief to shape their stories about the larp
after it has finished.

4. Collective Narrative
Collective Narrative is about communicating and sharing the fiction
among players. No two players experience a larp the same way or have
the same character stories. That is the beauty of larp as an art form, but
it also might leave a very shattered picture of what happened during the
larp. To contextualise their experience, and to just plainly satisfy their
curiosity, the players might need to have some sort of holistic picture of
the larp, a narrative what happened and what the larp was about. Sharing
individual stories and experiences among players helps merging the var-
ious perspectives to a more unified narrative. This sharing helps players
in putting their own individual stories to a perspective, and that supports
emotional processing and provides a better chance for a feeling of closure.
Sharing the fictional stories and merging players experiences generates
and reinforces the feeling that players shared something and they are in
the same boatthat the larp was a shared experience.
A merged experience makes it easier to contextualise each individual
experience and ponder the more deeper questions, wider implications,
and lessons that the larp experience elicited. Heavy emotional, political,
or personal themes require extended processing afterwards, and without

114
merged experiences and a shared narrative, the player is left alone with
her emotional work instead of having a meaningful shared experience to
support her.
Sharing and merging usually takes time, especially the more detailed
aspects, and rarely theres not that much time available in a structured
debriefing. But like always with debriefing, the point is to start the process
properly and give good basis for it. For Collective Narrative, that means
figuring out what aspects of the fiction and individual subjective experi-
ences need to be shared soon after the larp so that a sense of shared expe-
rience is created or enforced among players and if there are some specific
themes that need it so that after processing is supported.
Note that a complete merging is not possible nor needed; all larps are
ultimately so complex that most of it will not ever be shared. Some level
of merging is needed so that it feels whole and complete. Some players
might not want to pull apart their experience, or show it to anyoneso
there will be gaps in-between the narratives. But this is ok, and there is
no need to fill them all, and your players will be perfectly well left with
creating their own interpretations of their (and others) actions and ex-
periences.
An important note on this matter is needed, however, if you are creat-
ing and running a larp with an educational agenda. In an educational larp,
filling in the gaps and drawing parallels between the players experiences
and the specific learning goals, is the whole engine behind actually learn-
ing something from having larped. Ideally, you would want to steer your
players in very pre-defined directions.

How to design a debrief for your larp?

If you have decided that you need some sort of structured debrief after
your larp, remember to bear in mind what kinds of experiences you are
designing for. What do you want your players to go through when they
larp, and what needs might they have when your larp is over? Be aware of
the dierent levels where needs may occur (on an individual level, rela-
tional and collective levels), and what you, as a designer, can do to assist
your players. Of course the responsibility is not 100% yours alone, and
there is no way to know accurately what all your players will need, as we
are all dierent and respond in our own ways. We are allowed to make
mistakes, but if we know most of the steps we took along the way, we
might make the process of going back and editing our design easier for us.
As previously mentioned, you should think of the dierent functions
you want your debrief to serve. They are not exclusive in any way, as quite
a lot community building and management will happen when you pro-
vide your players with space for emotional support. But, remember it as a
rough check-list too, when you design both your paralarp and the actual
runtime of your larp. We see it as the larpwrights designing the base levels
of the debrief, and in some instances it might be necessary to give your

115
 players a way to signal that they would like further (or less) support, other
exercises, and so on.
Also, consider your method, and what you can do to enable everyone
to actively participate in your debrief. What skills or qualities is required
of the person(s) running the debrief? What could be the pros and cons of
you running your own debrief, if you only spent hours preparing, organ-
ising and running your larp? And are there any of the exercises that can
be done by the players themselves, without any active involvement from
you (or any other organiser)? In other instances, you might even want to
bring in a dedicated person for doing emotional support-debriefing for
players who played aggressor characters, or players who were exposed to
especially difficult scenes or behaviours. Think about what atmosphere
you create for your players: by sitting down or standing, by using a loud or
a soft voice, by answering questions only at the end, and by having players
talk to each other in pairs, groups, or doing introspection.

Lets make a debriefing toolkit!

Talking about, designing and running debriefs is really exciting, and if you
think so too, please grab hold of usand lets do some cool stu together!
We have a goal to make a debriefing toolkit,3 for all to share and take part
in, where we can write down examples and ideas of debriefing exercises,
maybe even create a Mixing Desk of Debriefing? Like a co-creative melt-
ing pot of resources, with larpers and larp designers from dierent larp
cultures and communities sharing their ideas and practices.

Bibliography
Chayer, Cline and Morris Freedman. Frontal lobe functions. Current Neurology and
Science Reports 1, 6. 2001
Fatland, Eirik. Landing after an intense larp. The Larpwright, 2013 [date of access:
15/10-2016 http://larpwright.efatland.com/?p=497
Koljonen, Johanna. . What I think about when I think about larp design, Part I: The
total larp, Safety in LarpUnderstanding Participation and Designing for Trust. 2016
[date of access 15/10-2016] https://participationsafety.wordpress.com/2016/05/19/
what-i-talk-about-when-i-talk-about-larp-design-part-i-the-total-larp/
Munthe-Kaas Peter, Morgan Jarl, Frida Karlsson Lindgren and Susanne Vejdemo.
The workshop handbook [date of access: 23/10-2016] https://workshophandbook.
wordpress.com/

3 A bit like the Workshop Handbook (Munthe-Kaas and Jarl et al).

116
Grethe Sofie Bulterud Strand

Response to Simo Jrvel

and Karete Jacobsen Meland
Dont come here and tell me what to feel and how my
feelings should be expressed!

In my opinion, Simo Jrvel and Karete Jacobsen Meland are taking the matter of
debriefing larps a bit too seriously and are underestimating the capability of players
to take care of their own emotions and needs. In their article, they also fall into the
trap of thinking that players can easily be steered to or enforced into telling the right
story for the larp, according to the larp designers truth. After all, its not real, its
just larp.
On the other hand, their article on functions and design of debriefs are lacking
some quite important points that should be covered in a structured debrief.
A proper deroling is necessary in all larps, writes Jrvel and Jacobsen Meland.
I disagree. Deroling doesnt have to be proper at all. When the larp has ended, the
players understand that the magic circle has been broken. A player can take o their
hat, remove their goggles, loosen a braid or simply smile to show themselves and the
group that they are out-of-character.
What I do agree on, is that organisers should as a minimum provide some time
and a space for the players after the larp. Especially space and free time to hang out.
A lot of the functions of a debrief can be taken care of in an informal setting. By put-
ting too much on the program during the debrief, organisers risk taking too much
responsibility for the emotional state of the players.
The participants are still grown-ups, even if they have spent the last few days
playing. And they know who they would want to talk to or if they want some alone
time. The process of debriefing as described by Jrvel and Jacobsen Meland also risk
being tailored to one type of actions and reactions. Namely to players that are talk-
ative, fond of sharing emotions and love group hugs. Too much of a steered debrief
can alienate the players who didnt experience strong emotions or disagreed with the
organisers message.
People are dierent and have dierent needs. Its totally OK to back out of a
group hug.

EMOTIONAL SUPPORT FOR MONSTERS AND ORGANISERS

An important participant group in larps that Jrvela and Jacobsen Meland do not
address in their article, is players and NPCs taking on the characters of aggressors/
guards/villains/monsters. They can have specific needs in a debrief and tend to be
forgotten. The most mentioned is the need to be seen as themselves and not at all
117
the evil character they played. Thus reinforcing their alibi, and being forgiven by the
players for their actions during the larp. On the other hand, aggressors can experi-
ence to be pushed beyond their personal limits by players escalating a scene. They
may then have a need to reinstate their personal borders/limits and feel respected.
And lastly something that is rarely mentioned: Its quite possible to act evil and enjoy
it, feeling high on the power rush. This is in conflict with the expected norm of being
apologetic about their characters actions during the larp.
Another just as important group are the organisers of the larp. The needs of the
organisers might need to be taken care of at the same time as the players are sup-
posed to debrief. Exhausted, overtired, emotional, hungry and with a heavy workload
waiting before you can leave. Many a larp organiser has been there. The current, very
public critique culture in social media1 can be quite ruthless to exhausted organisers.
There are few, if any, known cases of mental health issues caused by larping alone for
the common participant. However, thats not the case for organisers.
Larps do seem to trigger mental health situations, primarily depression and
exhaustion problems, IN LARP ORGANISERS because of physical and economic
stress. (Koljonen, 2016)
If you cant take care of yourself and your own needs, how can you then be able to
take care of the players needs? Organisers need to plan ahead and ask for help from
their participants and also lower the expectations of how much they should serve on
a silver platter and take responsibility for.

ENHANCING THE LARP EXPERIENCE

Id like to credit Karete and Simo for their work of structuring the functions of de-
briefing, and thereby making it possible to have more interesting discussions on
the topic. Id be happy to contribute to a debriefing toolkit with things Ive learned
in the larping world. As long as we can agree to stop using the word post-larp
depression. Depression is a medical diagnosis that is far more serious than most
post-larp feelings.
But what Im most interested in are discussions in how a debrief specifically de-
signed as a part of larp, not just the players needs, could enhance and deepen the
larp experience.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Koljonen, Johanna. Safety and Calibration in Larp. Ruta, Lithuania: Larpwriter Summer School.
Lecture. 2016. [date of access: 11/12-2016] http://larpschool.blogspot.no/p/resources.html

1 On the other hand, this can also lead to criticism being left to closed fora but that is a topic
for a dierent time.

118
Karete Jacobsen Meland and Simo Jrvel

Reply to Grethe Sofie Bulterud Strand

Its probably not useful to pinpoint all the places where we agree with Grethe Sofie
Bulterud Strands comment on our article, because there are so many of them! But
we do feel the need to explain ourselves and clarify some aspects of it.
The importance of specialised debriefing of (monsters and) organisers should
never be underestimated. This was not the intended focus of our article, as we
wanted it to be a general introduction to a discussion of the possible functions of
a debrief, but of course we want to emphasise the importance of organisers not
forgetting about themselves. (Part of this is also whether the best solution always is
that the organisers themselves should be responsible for debriefing the players, or
not.) Enabling yourself and other co-organisers to have your own time and space to
blow o steam, process immediate thoughts and emotions about the larp, celebrate
that you just pulled o a (probably) time-consuming event together is part of letting
yourself be more capable of taking part in all that could happen after the larp has
ended. One should always discuss ways to empower the players to take care of them-
selves, in order to avoid organisers taking too much responsibility for the players
emotional state. Organiser debriefing deserves several articles of its own, and should
be discussed at length to avoid unnecessary and exhausting physical, economical and
emotional stress.
Strand puts a heavy emphasis on the players emotional safety, i.e the (possible)
emotional impact the larp may have on the players, and how and when to express it
when the larp has ended. We realise this might be a prevailing perspective through
which our text will be read, and that it might come through as us saying that all larps
are so emotionally rough that they need to be debriefed properly to ensure safety.
Emotional Support is of our proposed functions of debriefing. Whereas it might
dominate the reading, we would like a stronger focus on how we also are responsible
for, and play a vital part in, shaping our communities (Community Management).
This is true both for being designers and players, and in the way(s) co-players play
important parts in each others debriefing experiences.1
Every player need to derole, in the sense of leaving the character and the fiction
behind, and return to the everyday life outside the fiction. We do believe that most
players are more than capable of doing this themselves, and as Grethe Strand writes:
(...) the players understand that the magic circle is broken. A player can take o their
hat, remove their goggles, loosen a braid or simply smile to show themselves and the
group that they are out-of-character. We believe that in a lot of cases, these things
could be exactly what is needed to reframe the fiction, or to start the process of re-

1 As players, we become co-designers of the experiences for other players, and through being
available for the rest of the player group, we help sharing stories and build communities.

119
framing it. This could be proper (sufficient) deroling for many players! And that
is good.
Yes, we would like to take the matter of debriefing players seriouslybut we are
not looking to create new, more complex models; or creating uncertainty about
how to debrief. We dont believe that we are underestimating player capabilities,
but rather want to shine light on the responsibilities, and possibilities, you have as
an organiser (and co-player), to create safe sharing spaces for your participants (and
co-players). Our goal is to take a closer look at the debriefs that already exist, what
functions the debriefing might serve, and try to work towards a comprehensive
framework that may be used when designing debriefs in the future. The comments
made by Strand are important, because it also tells us that we view debriefing dif-
ferentlyand it further emphasises that not all four functions need to be weighed
equally at all times, and not every function is relevant for all larps.
We try to refrain from using clinical terminology, and we completely agree with
Strand on that matter. We know that quite a lot of players are used to the term post-
larp depression, and although it is both misleading and incorrect, we used it as part
of a common frame of reference.2
Avoiding debriefs that enable only one type of actions and reactions. Players
come in all shapes, sizes and preferences, and not only talkative players, fond of
emotional sharing and group hugs, should benefit from debriefing. We would love to
discuss in what ways debriefing processes risk being tailored to only one kind of ac-
tions/reactions; and what methods we can use to avoid this. We also need to contin-
ue discussing methods to avoid this. We should strive to avoid alienating players who
feel that their experiences are not like other players or the organisers views, and to
avoid that those who speak first (or are in the majority) set the tone and invalidate
other comments. We believe that facilitation of debriefs is key to enabling people to
speak of their experiences, and to validate dierent and contradictory thoughts
and emotions.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Lilienfield, S.O. Psychological Treatments That Cause Harm.

In Perspectives on Psychological Science 2, 1. 2007

Raphael, Beverly, Leonore Meldrum and A.C McFarlane. Does Debriefing

after Psychological Trauma Work?. In British Medical Journal. 1995. p. 310.

2 Another interesting discussion is whether we should come up with another term than de-
briefing, as it might be confused with psychological debriefing methods after severe trauma,
such as Mitchells Critical Incidence Stress Debriefing, that generally fails to provide clear, pos-
itive results, and even shows possibilities of harmful long-term eects (see for instance Lilien-
field, 2007; Raphael, Meldrum and McFarlane, 1995). To clarify: What larpers do when debriefing
larps, is not the same as trauma debriefing.

120
 Sunset over the arena on Atlantis. Photographer: Charlie Moss www.larpimages.com

Sing in Me, Muse,

and Through Me Tell the Story...
Harry Harrold

In the UK, there is a long tradition of fest The background to the game held that Alexan-
games. Larp games of this sort are designed ders conquests had been the wars of a deicide,
for hundreds of players in a continuing cam- and at his last battle gods had been brought
paign, with the majority of significant inter- to combat. After their victory, the gods struck
actions expected to be between player charac- a deal with the Fates to restrict future mortal
ter and player character, rather than between combat to an arena on Atlantis, brought back
player character and non-player character. from the waves for the purpose.
Odyssey was a fest game set in a time of
Each year, the heroes of the civilized lands
classical myth. Its finale was in August 2016,
would fight: territory and wealth the reward
after a run of thirteen events, each for hun-
for heroic deeds. To each of these Annu-
dreds of players, over seven years. It started
als, the gods would call the best and the
with a welcome:
brightest: priests, warleaders, champions
Alexander of Macedon, he whom you called and philosophers. In arena combat, in quest,
Great, is dead. ... He will be remembered in deeper understanding of the magics of
as one who challenged the gods and failed. the world, and in the presence of the gods
His armies, his leadership and his skill at themselves would be born the legends of the
war were not enough even when com- Age of Heroes.
bined with stolen magic and alliances with
The arena was to solve the central tension of
hidden powers.
121
the system in game design terms: we wished I dreamt I was an Egyptian cultist, or a mad
to encourage player vs player conflict and Roman cannibal. Perhaps it was a Carthag-
also deliver impactful story arcs for our player inian ghost, memories lost to time. I was an
characters. We wished conflict to be meaning- Ushabti, called to the arena to fight. I think
ful; every fight in the arena had some concrete I was a husk, called to guard a fleece, and I
advantage on conquest, and many also had was the Persian wraith who abhorred the
deep significance to the wider story. Character light. Was I the man the Souk killed? Did I
death, and specifically unexpected character guard a false god, or two or more? Did I die
death was, we felt, necessary to the drama of worshipping the Aten, as clouds rolled over
such stories, but would have most impact if it the sky? Was I a maenad, drunk on gore, or a
happened rarely. As it was, the genre of clas- shepherd, helping the cyclops guard his flock?
sical myth meant that some characters could You should know: you killed me. And I loved
return from the dead, and it took some time every minute of it.
before we managed the balance of peril and
Anonymised crew members submission
survival to our satisfaction.
The arena was one of a triptych of obvious-
The game was about the battle between na-
ly available levers player characters had to af-
tions, gods and monsters. It was not a game of
fect the world: the others being the magic the
authentic history: player characters came from
game named philosophy, and carefully man-
five and later seven nations: Carthage, Egypt,
aged meetings with the gods. Access to phi-
Greece, Persia, and Rome at game-start, with
losophy and the gods were restricted by player
Hellas Phoenicia and the Platonic Republic of
choice of path2; only priests could meet their
Humanity emerging in play. As we said at the
gods, and only philosophers enter the place
start of the game, History has been used just
where the raw material of magic was most
as much as Homer and Harryhausen to create
available, just as only champions and war lead-
the world of Odyssey, and we recommend that
ers could enter the arena to fight. This restric-
players take the same broad approach to find
tion was intended to encourage interaction
the most fun in the game.
and therefore roleplay: no one character could
By the end of the campaign, nations were
do everything they might need to, so they had
being subsumed by nations, gods were dying
to negotiate to achieve their goals, and the rare
at the hands of player characters, and player
opportunities for a character to do what oth-
characters were taking the mantle of monster
ers of their kind could not were prized.
themselves, some to the point of ascension to
These player-accessible levers were also
their own divinity, some choosing to lay their
part of the armoury of the story team, who ad-
monstrousness down to return to a mortal
ditionally spun dozens of narrative strands per
existence. At the last event, nearly 400 plot
event though non-player characters and or-
threads helped 300 players to bring their indi-
ganiser-delivered quests. A key experience of
vidual narratives within the world of Odyssey
Odyssey as a crew member was the ever-chang-
to a conclusion.
ing dance of roles which would start the game
This paper uses 48 short stories of charac-
as a schedule, and end only recognisable as
ters from the game to draw assumptions as to
characters narratives of the event distilled
the themes and design choices players found
from the bare ingredients of plot. This submis-
engaging. In addition, it attempts some con-
sion records that experience.
clusions about how we tell stories about our

122
characters. Players and crew submitted these success of design choices, the resonance of
stories as 100-word drabbles,1 with some as- themes, and the collaborative eort of larp.
sociated metadata to put the narrative in some Its more difficult to read failure out of sto-
context. ries: we received feedback from players that il-
The core of the questionnaire was six lustrated when they felt our choices had been
questions. the wrong choices, or implemented poorly.
LikeI would imagineany larp organiser we
What is your memory?
have a store of decisions we should have made
What was your characters name at dierently at the time, or would make dier-
the time? ently now. It is more difficult to surface issues
like those through the medium of stories sub-
How would you describe them?
mitted by players about their characters.
What nation was your character part
of at the time?
Can you link your memory to a
particular event?
Why did you choose that memory?

NAME, NATION
AND EVENT
People who responded to the call for stories
submitted 48 in total, on behalf of 33 player
characters. The stories featured characters
from all 7 of the cultures which appeared in
the gameCarthage, Egypt, Greece, Hellas
Phoenicia, Persia, Rome, and the Platonic Re-
public of Humanity. Only one event inspired Word cloud illustration showing most common
not a single story, even though the stories were words used in responses to the call for stories.
recorded between event 12 and the present. Illustration: Harry Harrold
The stories in their raw form can be found at
https://larpx.com/2016/10/09/odyssey-sto-
ries-guest-post-by-many-hands/ STORIES FROM
GAME DESIGN
WHAT IS Success in terms of our game design choices
YOUR MEMORY? would be stories inspired by the levers of the
The form asked for the words a player would game world: the arena, the magics of philoso-
want their character to have in the epic of the phy and meetings with the gods.
age in a paragraph, a drabble, 100 words or The stories players have submitted suggest-
so. It said that submissions might be a mo- ed foam sword combat did succeed in inspir-
ment in the players characters story, or per- ing emotional investment in our events. This
haps a story about someone else. The stories story of the arena indicates it helped tell the
we tell about our characters can illustrate the kinds of stories we intended it to inspire:

1 A drabble is a short work of fiction of around one hundred words in length.

123
 We form up, those few heroes hurriedly I find it difficult to conceive of two stories
gathered facing o against the legions of the that might better indicate the dierence be-
accursed iksander. I stand there Lion have tween Rome and Carthage in the setting and
taken a city by myself the previous day, Ro- the roleplay of the players. That honour, that
mans and Persians stand by my side united by trickery.
a common cause. King Minos announce out Often, such stories were played out on quest
our names and deeds before the overflowing as much as in the main field. Our quests were
stands and we are loved by those of faith from designed to be leaner moments to remem-
all across the middle sea. It does not matter if ber, rather than padded 10-encounter lin-
we lose we were there when no one else would ears. Short-sharp-fun. It is a tribute to how
stand against the heretics! well these worked that the most renowned
warband of the Age chose to finish their time
Kaveh, of Persia.
at Odyssey on quest, rather than in the arena.
King Minos in that story is a non-player I cant imagine a story that better illustrates
character, part of a team who ran the arena how arena, quest, and magic knitted togeth-
and aimed to help people use it to tell precisely er than this; a tragedy worthy of the setting
those kinds of stories; short, sharp moments emerging because mechanics used by various
of meaningful battle. Our intent was that the players for various reasons collided with one
arena should become a place of role-playing as characters story to tragic end.
much as a place of combat, and indeed that the
Whats this sword you need?
two would be as indistinguishable as possible.
This pair of stories, from a Carthaginian and The wedding sword of Alexander, the sword
the one after from a Roman, indicates that we he got before he got married.
had moments of success.
If I get it, can I get married? To you?
First Annual, facing o alone against the
Um... Yes. Get the sword. Retake Corinth.
(10?) Romans of House Praxis in the Arena
Defend Athens. Then we will marry.
for a Territory battle. Convincing the Roman
Commander to face me in 1-1 combat. When I go on the quest, my only quest since I swore
defeated he refused to let his men beat the never to kill. We get the sword.
crap out of me and took the defeat with good
I join the Lakodaemons, to fight to retake
grace (`course as a Carthaginian I cheated
Corinth. We succeed.
and had an artifact weapon). Without which,
as he was the far better swordsman and I I fight in the Battle for Athens, skirmishing
would have lost. behind the line. We win.
Marathak Du`rane of Carthage. We are united, briefly, in joy as she rushes
into the Arena and my arms after Athens
One warleader and four champions enter the stands. Then she needs to go back to Corinth.
arena, and see that there are A Lot of Car- She will return, she promises.
thaginians lining up. The warleader walks
But the World Forge breaks, Corinth
forwards and suggest we fight five, then five,
vanishes, and so does she. Blood of Hellas
etc... They are not willing to deal. We spread
Phoenicia, born Senef of Egypt. Desperately
out, and as they charge, we strike our shields
seeking a place in the world, something to fill
in defiance.
the void of emptiness after his resurrection.
Ridea, gobby priest of Mercury Found it in the companionship of Hellas
(champion at the time of this incident) Phoenicia, and wanted to secure that with a
marriage. But it all went wrong...

124
That last story is the one that comes closest increased their impact by making the expe-
to mentioning the specific activity of manip- rience easier to control. Lighting, sound ef-
ulating the World Forge, a mechanism and fects, physical eects were all used in a tightly
mechanic inherent to the practise of magic in controlled environment. The reason for the
the game. Although magic is mentioned, and choice of this story, Exclusive god-audiences
the eects and choices made by those who are always a bit special, indicates this was a
practised it are mentioned, the mechanism is successful design choice.
not. Thats an indication that it wasnt entirely
I came before Athena; all the Hellas Phoe-
successful, a weak piece of design.
nician priests had failed to attend, but re-
The stories of magic come from the role-
shaped by Jupiter I could stand before her and
play of those who used it, rather than from the
not perish. I tried to convince her to come to
mechanism itself. An example would be this,
Rome. She suggested I was making a bid at
indicating that the use of magic also gave rise
courtship; I mentioned that I had just seen
of stories inspired by memorable moments.
the Titan of Love. There is no love in Hellas
Sikander2 stops speaking, and before the Phoenicia, she told me, and more than ever
minoans move on, I step forwards, almost I pitied the gods. Amafinius, Roman priest
as in a dream. Knife. Palm. A sudden blos- and patriot, with wisdom born of bitter expe-
soming of pain. The words come tumbling rience and terrible error.
forth, in one great release of the boy I was,
Meeting the gods was an opportunity to be
dreaming of wizardry, and a birth of the
awed which players bought into.
man I must become.
I AM LYSANDROS OF SIKANDERGUL, STORIES FROM
CHIEF PHILOSOPHER TO PLATOS RE- CAMPAIGN THEMES
PUBLIC OF HUMANITY, WHO SHEARED Success in terms of our themes would be sto-
THE GOLDEN RAM. I CLAIM NOW MY ries submitted of the battle between nations,
ONE WISH. I WISH FOR THE PIVOT OF gods and monsters.
THE WORLD RESTORED, WHOLE AND The stories of Carthaginian and Roman
NEW, AS IT WAS IN THE START OF ALL play in the arena cited above speak to the ef-
THINGS! fectiveness of the theme of conflict of nations
in generating narrative.
...and like that it is done. Why am I not
Gods were central to the theme of the
weeping?
gametheir nature, their personalities, and
Lysandros the Student, roles as inspirers of action and seemingly un-
an orphan of Sikandergul, conquerable antagonists taken straight from
become Philosopher to Sikander himself, classical myth. A favourite quote from the sys-
of the Platonic Republic of Humanity tem came from a Greek; Ares is a c***. That
story from Amafinius, shows that for all the
The design of Odysseys god audiences
frustration the gods gave rise to, they did their
worked better than that of the World Forge.
job in the campaign.
Audiences were strictly rationed and access
The following two stories illustrate the ten-
gatedquite literally for the characters in-
sion between monster and mortal, a tension
volved, as they had to travel to see a god at a
we aimed to explore:
particular time, to an o-field location. This

2 Another name for Alexander.

125
 Taking the difficult decision to give up my Romans pack out the Minoan senate room,
immortality and NHru abilities, because I some bent over the huge table, faces expectant
wanted to pass onto the fields of Reeds with in the low candle light. Alexas skin is charged.
my friends when I died and because Egypts One way or another, this is the moment. The
Gods didnt approve of my transformation. climax of everything she has worked towards
But we still had need of the power of an for years. She seeks out the faces of her allies,
NHru in the arena. Thankfully a certain her family, her friends. Senator Priscus reads
fish containing Osiris phallus appeared on the senate proclamation. The results of the
a quest with the ability to restore life among motion that she and Ticus put to the senate
other things. hours earlier. The gamble. Let it be known
that the people and the Senate of Rome sup-
Nassor, of Egypt.
port the appointment of Craigus Tempus Ba-
various to the position of Dictator. Finally,
My touch brings pain to the flesh of others,
it is done.
their flinch from me a reminder of what I am
now. Ifreet. Fire-borne. I am no longer mortal Marcella Alexa Praxis,
flesh and blood. Yet as I let my hand trail in High Priest of Mars, Triumvir of Rome
the flames of the camp fire, I feel the echo of
A fittingly final example of such is this,
a touch that does not flinch from me. Passion
from the player who towards the end of the
ignites as the flames dance along my fingers.
campaign took on the challenge of portraying
In a beautiful irony I shiver in anticipation of
as a player character the central personality of
feeling Her touch again, my wife, Queen of
the background: Alexander of Macedon. For
the Ifreet. Adara
me, this story resonates because it clearly de-
But I also remember why I have done this. I fines a motivation, and that motivation could
remember for whom. I remember every person have been taken straight from classical myth.
who has reached for me regardless of the pain
Once there was a man named Hephaestion.
I cause. I remember my husband and love,
He was brave, and clever, and bright as
Asim.
the sun.
Yes, I am lost to Fire, but they are worth it.
I loved him. He was too good for me. I was
Ziba Nasrin, of Persia. a thug with a spear. He was a scholar and a
poet who dreamed of a better world.
STORIES FROM I was betrayed. I ran mad. I did terrible
COLLABORATIVE NARRATIVE things. I died.
Success as a larp, defined as a collaborative ef-
He sacrificed everything to restore me.
fort between organisers and players to produce
compelling narratives, would be stories that He believed that humanity could be better.
emerged from neither theme nor mechanics, That we could rise above our fate and forge a
but from setting and story. new destiny.
This, from Rome, shows how an arc inher-
He believed in freedom. He died for it.
ent in the setting came to end at the final event
of the campaign. That tension in Roman his- Now he is gone. I must finish
tory; a republic rejecting monarchy, and then his work.
falling into rule by one, was played out in our
Alexander of Macedon
game also.

126
 HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE The stories we tell are often those when
YOUR CHARACTER? a character changes, or is defined in some
Respondents described their characters other way.
in terms of how they looked, in terms of Eight are concerned with groups
their profession, their nation, and how they either bands of characters, or nations. This
thought. Two thirds of all submissions includ- from Rome:
ed the one of the specific terms used in the
We enter the arena, and I deliberately step
rules for professions. This usage formed the
forward, distancing myself from what will
core of a short character description, rather
come. It is only afterwards that I hear the
than its totality, but it seems to indicate the
clamour, What have you done? and The
rules shaped peoples perception of their char-
Ducks have murdered Gaius. I take a deep
acters. Three examples of Romans illustrate
breath, arrange my features into shock,
this: Gobby priest of Mercury (champion at
What has happened Septimus? Of what am
the time of this incident), Utterly devoted
I accused?
priest of Rome, or a Roman priest and patri-
ot, with wisdom born of bitter experience and Q. Servilia Poppaea, a Roman senator,
terrible error. champion, tribune, politician at
Rules aect how people tell their charac- Event 9Dweller of the Deeps
ters stories.
This from Egypt, at a point where Egypt
were at our lowest ebb and marks when we
WHY DID YOU CHOOSE
started to turn it around. exemplifies the
THAT MEMORY?
crossover between the personal and the na-
In the interests of keeping the questionnaire
tional story.
short, only one question was posed regarding
motivation for selection, and that only asked Sutekh demanded that Egypt should obtain
for a free-text answer: Why did you choose The Black Sarcophagus. It was held by a na-
that memory? I think, however, that it is pos- tion three times our size and many felt the
sible to draw some themes out of the submis- request was impossible. Morale was low and
sions. we were on the verge of giving up, or pleading
Seventeen of the stories are described as with Sutekh for a reprieve. Then we suddenly
character-defining in some wayeither ex- snapped and decided to make the eort, no
plicitly using some variant of the word defin- matter how impossible it seemed. It was a de-
ing, or using some other form of words. This fining moment for our small nation that we
example gives It was the night that changed would always fight to win and to obey our
the character utterly and led to his death as gods, never mind the odds.
the reason for choosing the story:
Ramses, Keeper of the Goats, of Egypt,
Everything felt more real since I drank from at Event 3Claws of the Tide King
the cup, I felt flooded with wonder and long-
The stories we tell are are often about how
ing for everything new and forbidden, the
our character is part of a wider narrative, built
thrill of Dionysuss stroke on my face, the
around groups of characters.
sweet taste of the champions flesh as it slaked
Many of the stories people have chosen to
a hunger like Id never known, the sweet smell
tell speak of emotion, but four identifiably
of his blood flooding my nostrils, the music of
and specifically centre on this aspect. This one
his screams as we ate feasted on his still living
notes the physical aspect of the experience: ...
flesh
I felt genuine fear and heartbreak, a sign of the
Theokratos, of Greece, level of immersion that this campaign has given
an up to this point reserved me and oh my god has it been emotional.
and aloof priest of Poseidon
127
 The cold and damp wooden slats of the are- The strongest stories we tell are
na pressed hard against my back as a God about emotions experienced, as much as
who I didnt believe in or care aboutother they are about the character or player.
than the fact they had decided to eat one of
my Godsstared me down and laughed as I Four give a reason related to the impact a mo-
begged for my life. The guilt that came from ment had on the player. Two of these reasons
being the only Persians to come back from are worth quoting directly. The first of these I
that without a curse or time limit. think marks a moment in a players experience
of larp as a past-time through a design choice
Laleh, Daughter Of Artaxes, of Persia.
to maximise immersion wherever possible:
It is, of course, particularly pleasing to terrify
The memory of that event still eects me to
your players and their characters if youre aim-
this day and it was the first time I had been
ing at fear, and the player who submitted this
properly immersed so much so that I cried
story did so with the comment Waking to hear
and couldnt stop myself from feeling that
the Sirens drag an unfortunate to his doom was
way.
one of the most terrifying moments I never saw at
an event. I hid under my blanket. While there She looked down at the body, the goddess
was an out-of-character sleeping area, one of laying beside her, blood mixed with quint.3
the design choices of Odyssey was to impose a She hadnt expected her to die, the huntress
24-hr live experience on players who chose to who had struck the killing blow to her Father,
sleep in the game field. It is fair to say that this Anu, now she was as weak and scared as any
imposed a duty of sleeplessness on some of human. Adrinna had took her dagger as she
the organising crew that wed not necessarily told her priests she didnt want to be wasted
choose again, when sleep deprivation worked and they devoured her body, the heart ripped
as a means of immersing the players in the out and the blood bottled. Every piece of her
world, it worked extraordinarily well. in use, as she wished. She felt numb as she
walked out of the map room and in a daze
I lay sleepless on my bed that evening, the
walked to the Blades tent, dripping in her
booming voice of Melqart still echoing in my
goddess blood and then she sank to her knees
thoughts.
I must have dosed for I awoke to dark- and yelled a cry so primal and guttural and
ness outside and a despairing wail in the held onto the the quint that was her goddess.
middle distance.
Adrinna of The Blades, of Persia.
Dont go with them Tribune! a wavering
The second, speaks to a design choice im-
Roman voice called from a small distance o.
plemented and recognised; that our players
A faint snatch of music, high voices singing a
should have the opportunity to feel like he-
haunting, alluring, receding harmony. Dont
roes:
listen Tribune! Block your ears! The eerie
singing slowly faded to nothing. Tribune! It was the time Odyssey made me feel most
Sobbing. Silence. like a big kick ass hero. Id done a lot of
non-physical being awesome stu (because
Adonibaal of Tyre of Carthage
odc made everyone feel awesome) but this
was a chance where I was allowed to feel

3 Quint is a slang term for Quintessence, the fuel of magic in the Odyssey world which might in other
games be called mana. It was available through many sources; notably, and as here, the blood of gods.

128
 awesome for my physical skills (as limited as featured in plot.
they were). In the case of Odyssey, the arena was a
wooden structure 25 metres by 14 metres and
It is midnight and I have been challenged to
5 meters tall in the middle of the game field,
pass a test to rise up the ranks within the cult
where player characters fought every half
of Mithras. Im wearing armour and carrying
hour during the hours of daylight, every event.
a shield that i can only lift due to philoso-
Youd expect some stories about it. However,
phy. My friends are not allowed to watch me,
as an organiser, its gratifying to read stories
they are not high enough within the cult. Im
of those themes and choices emerge alongside
armed only with a dagger. It is a Minotaur
those generated more from interactions based
of course, it strikes me down again and again
on players characterisation.
but, eventually, I beat it. Only a handful of
My reason for playing and running larp
minoans and the high ranking Mater saw it.
events is to generate stories to share after-
I cant think of another game where Id have
wards: to froth, to use the UK term. Sum-
the chance to feel like such a big damn hero.
ming the reasons given for submissions up in
Hester Vidius, a word cloud, theres a sentence fragment that
Utterly devoted priest of Rome stands out: one character defining moment.
I think any of the Odyssey team would be hap-
The stories we tell can be about ourselves
py with that as the output of the campaign:
as much as they are about our characters.
stories with character defining moments.
FINAL THOUGHTS
As I had expected, some of the stories that
players submitted were of events I observed
and remember, and some had become part of
the fabric of the campaign as it ran. Many were
new, and of more a private or internal nature.
What I had not expected was themes
and design choices to shine quite so clearly
through the stories that were submitted. That
led me to categorise the stories and use that
categorisation to consider where wed been
successful and where wed not. My measure of
success was simple. If a theme turned up in a
storythen its resonated in a players expe-
Word cloud illustration showing most common
rience and thats a success. If a design choice,
words used to describe the reasons given for
a mechanic perhaps, showed upthen it had
submitting a story. Illustration: Harry Harrold
worked. This is hardly academic rigour, but I
think theres something to using a more so-
phisticated implementation of the approach in
LUDOGRAPHY
genuinely evaluating the success and failures
of writers and organisers choices. One refine- Ian Andrews, Simon White, Harry Harrold and Matt
ment would be for an organiser to come up Pennington, Odyssey. United Kingdom: Profound
with the list of categories, but for a third party Decisions. 20102016
to do the categorisation. It is a little circular:
you might expect the majority of the event
plot to concern the campaign themes, and for
most stories to be about what was most often

129
 Do You Want to Play Ball?
How to be a good team player (in a
single-team player vs. player game)
Josefin Westborg and Carl Nordblom

IN NORDIC LARP and the culture of playing to lose we have seen that
a common thought is that all you have to do is be true to your character
and a story will automatically emerge from that. This is a huge lie and
we need to stop telling it. Creating a collaboratory story takes work and
its not something that just happens. Its a skill that can be learned, and
in this article we want to focus on this skill. What is it? How do we learn
to read the gameplay and see what the story needs? How do we avoid
some of the traps of drama? All this is about taking responsibility for the
story. A shared and collaborative responsibility. There are loads of advice
for organisers on how to use meta techniques, write characters or guide
participants in a certain direction, but there are fewer talks and texts on
how to make the best of a larp as a participant. We want to encourage
players to practice seeing game patterns and to actively create story
content. With this article we want to encourage a deeper discussion and
development of tools and terms for such skills.
Larp is a participatory culture where you cant be fed an experience;
you have to contribute to it yourself. Have you ever been to a game that
felt a bit strange or unbalanced and things didnt really work the first
day? Then the next day a lot of it just worked like magic? Chances are
that one or more players (and perhaps organisers) had a crisis meeting
about how to fix these problems. What did they see and do? They proba-
bly analysed the plot distribution and flow. We want to give you tools for
this, and with some practice you can do it too.
The things we will discuss here, some players have already autom-
atised, and maybe never even thought about. It is useful to reflect on
these, not just for the sake of our own experience, but also for beginner
larpers who want to understand our strange way of interacting in larps.
If we have words for it we can describe it and then teach it.

130
So what is a story?
Thats a huge question, but a very basic definition of a story is that it is
establishing and breaking routines. Most stories start with a protagonist
heading away from everyday routine. This is Sam. Every day Sam takes
the bike to work. But on this day
The same also goes for larp. If you notice a new routine it could be a
good idea to give it some time to sink in and then to break it or redirect
it to create new directions. For example, if you realise that the quarrel
between the angry neighbours is drawing out and the routine passive
aggressive war starts to feel a bit drained, maybe its time to introduce
an external threat that will make the neighbours unite and work against
the park management instead. If everything is coming along nicely, some
new gossip about a secret past might stir things up a bit. Break routines
and redirect stories. Dont let a stable normality settle too much. If your
larp isnt explicitly a feel good larp then you can always introduce drama
or problems if things become too simple and jolly.
This of course has its problems too. When you zoom in on a routine
you will find smaller routines inside. You might not notice if a majority
of the players are exploring several routines and story elements inside
one routine. At which point introducing a new dramatic plot might just
annoy and disturb others. Also if you never let new routines establish a
new normality, introducing new ones will just create chaos. It is desir-
able to let every new routine slowly influence the story and raise the
jeopardy or tension so its not just a series of short independent hap-
penings but a dynamic arc of events that all tie into the same themes.
One recurring example is the village larp where manure suddenly hits
the windmill and changes everything, but as there was no time to form
an already established normality beforehand, no one knows how to act
when their world is turned upside down. On a scale from minor kerfuf-
fle to the ending of the worldhow are we to react to this? And when
we speak about before, what do we say?
Of course this can also be the larp where everyone plays a special
snowflake and therefore no one supports a norm. That again will de-
crease the value of reactions given, which lowers the resolution of play.

131
 Player preferences
Dierent players like dierent things in a larp. That is what makes it
hard to find and create something that everyone enjoys. We believe that
the skill of understanding and contributing to the shared experience is
valuable no matter what kind of larper you are or what your preferred
style of play is. The Three way model (Bckman, 2003) is one way to
categorise dierent types of playing styles. When we look at the TWM,
we see that all three described player styles can gain from knowing about
and recognising interaction patterns better. The three play styles defined
in the TWM are as follows:

Dramatist (or narrativist) is the style which values how well the in-game
action creates a satisfying storyline. Dierent kinds of stories may be viewed as
satisfying, depending on individual tastes, varying from fanciful pulp action
to believable character drama. It is the end result of the story that is import-
ant.Its hard to play a meaningful story on your own and with a better
understanding of patterns in play you can contribute to a story that touches
more players.

If you cant grasp what the overall story arc of the larp is about, or fail to
connect with the other players genre of playing style, you might end up
out of sync. You might be perceived as overly dramatic and headed in the
wrong direction, or experience that others dont latch on to your play or
play you down.

Gamist is the style which values solving a plot, or setting one up if you are
an organiser. The challenges may be tactical combat, intellectual mysteries,
politics, or anything else. The players will try to solve the problems they are
presented with, and in turn the organisers will make these challenges fair and
solvable to the players.

Learn to read the game and the system and it will be easier to achieve
what you want. See the potential in things you find and make it more
valuable than it was when you found it.
If you cant see the game patterns or keep too much information to
yourself you wont get very much information back. You can also come
across as boring and selfish.

Immersionist is the style which values living the roles life, feeling what the
role would feel. Immersionists insist on resolving in-game events based solely
on gameworld considerations. Thus, a fully immersionist player will not fudge
rules to save its roles neck or the plot, or even change details of background
story irrelevant in the setting to suite the play. An immersionist organiser will
try to make the plots and setting such that they are believable to the players.

132
A normal logical character isnt necessarily very fun to play or to play
with. You might be perceived as uptight and passive in that your char-
acters logical behaviour doesnt provide much play for others. If youre
really unlucky you can even end up with every player having their own
interpretation of their own character, and though they play it as believ-
able as they can, no one is prepared to give and take. This makes the larp
dull, even if everyone acted their part. By being able to read the game
you can make the most of the character youre portraying and really
convey the characters feelings.
Playing a believable character does not automatically equal an enter-
taining experience. A real person is often passive, afraid of change and
spends a majority of their time on tedious everyday stu like eating,
going to the toilet, paying bills and waiting for the bus. Normal people
(goes for orcs as well) arent creating play in themselves.w Its hardly
ever enough to just reenact people. You have to steer a little to be fun
for yourself and for your co-players. It will potentially be very tedious if
you just play your character. Thats why if you have an awareness about
how to play your character with a dramatic bonus and can invest more
momentum in your acting, magic might happen. Instead of just catching
balls that are passed to you and then putting them down on the floor,
you pass them on in an entirely new direction while you tackle another
person and blame a third for it. Drama!
We will look at some of the more obvious game distributing roles as
well as some with less obvious influence on the game. Lets start with a
couple of examples:
You have found an awesome artefact. What do you do with it now?
Would you keep it to yourself? Hide it? Sell it? What would be more
interesting for you and for others?
Or lets say you are a high status student at a boarding school. All
the students are revealing secrets about each other to you for their own
gain. What do you do with all the information youve collected? Who
do you tell? What can you gain personally (in character) from it? Should
you punish someone? Or have someone else do it? What would create
more interaction and play? And not least, how will you get time to play
for yourself and not just listen to a lot of gossip and making decisions
revolving around others?

133
Drama as a team sport
Here we want to show some examples of the ways we mean interaction can happen. We will
use two dierent examples for each bullet point to show what we mean. There are of course
loads of dierent ways to do this, but the examples are there to make it clearer. And of course,
this requires that you can identify the opportunity or ball. Seeing a ball is you becoming
aware of someone elses plot point, in-game need or other information in the game connected
to either another players story or to the main arc. This will also help you avoid some of the
traps of the drama like dropping the ball as explained below.

Catching a ball Go to the junior that did the trash talk

To see another players initiative and choose and tell them they need to make more
to act on it. of an eort to behave. Tell the high sta-
tus junior that the mentioned student
You walk past a person holding a magic
is sucking up and is trying too hard in a
stone whos saying out loud that the dru-
non-desirable way.
ids need the stone but he himself is too
busy to take it there. You take the stone.
Picking up a placed, dropped or idle ball
(You play a senior) A low status junior
To find information or an opportunity and
steps in front of you with their back to-
bring that into the game, or to pick up a play-
wards you and trash talks a senior. You
ers initiative that no one else saw.
confront the person.
You find a piece of a ritual description
that seems to be connected to the druids
Passing on a ball
ritual. You take the description.
To create a new step in the story and to in-
volve one more player or just pass the plot/ You notice a beer hidden in a sopho-
information/task along to someone else. mores bed. During the next break you
For example by spreading knowledge about, find the owner and mention that its not
solving or further complicating parts of your good to drink too much.
plot.
Give the stone to the druids/give the Passing on several balls
stone to someone else with the same in- To have many or even too many plots and to
structions/give the stone to the druids pass them along to several players.
enemies.
You hand the stone and the ritual de-
You go to a high status junior and give scription to dierent people/you send
that person the task of punishing the low people to find the ingredients mentioned
status junior that trash talked. in the description/you tear the descrip-
tion into smaller pieces.
Multiplying a ball As chairman of the students council you
The same as passing on a ball but you involve have gotten three dierent complaints to
more than one other player. deal with. You delegate them to three dif-
ferent juniors and put a senior on moni-
Give the stone to another person and tell
toring them.
the druids that you saw someone with
the stone they want.

134
Creating a new ball Promise to appear with the magic stone
To create and introduce a new plot based on at the ritual at one oclock. Hang out at
nothing or very little. the tavern and get caught up in some-
thing else.
You overhear a conversation about the
old village Mayor and start an election O-game before the larp you tell the ju-
for a new one. nior player that you will be their bully
through the larp. When the larp begins
Take a juniors cellphone and send a
you find a story arc about love and leave
(fake?) love confession to their higher
the junior alone the entire larp.
status roommate from it.

Smashing a ball in the face

Placing a ball
When you draw someone into a story/scene
To place plot content physically or in a con-
without giving them any possibility of opting
text rather than aiming it at a specific player.
out.
Hide a ritual description at the larp site.
You have found the stone and want the
Host a class where you tell the students druids to do something cool with it. You
to comment on each other in specific ar- decide to barge in shouting that you
eas that you have decided. For example found the stone but you feel its power
whats your relationship to alcohol? fading and they need to use it at once.
When you arrive the druids are execut-
ing a ritual to help three other players
The idle ball
that are part of the scene. You go ahead
To stop or kill a plot by not sharing informa-
with your plan anyway because you think
tion or artefacts that are relevant for others
it will be cool and dont stop to reflect
but you dont really use them yourself either.
about it.
You might feel like you are using them by just
keeping them and that it might create fun in- You think that one of the juniors is too
ternal denial play for you, but in reality it just much of a goodie two-shoes so during
stops the overall story from moving on. the morning line-up you ask what they
were doing crying alone with a positive
Keep the magic stone during the whole
showing pregnancy test.
larp and never tell anyone that you have
it even if they would ask.
A red ball and a green ball
You find another students diary and take
Here, colours represent storytelling patterns
it and never tell anyone about it or its se-
(well come back to this later). A setting con-
crets.
tains several themes to explore and people
usually have dierent preferences. A larp set
Dropping a ball in a factory can contain stories about tight
Not that o from The idle ball but with the friendship, worker unions, having fun while
dierence that it is more active. You have producing stu, forbidden romances, salary
said that you will bring the story onwards negotiations and so on. In a game like this,
but dont. It might be outspoken in the game balls are being passed around like crazy. A
or that youve o-game promised someone gray ball about unions, a red ball about ro-
to do something or help with their story and mance, a purple one about getting a better
when the moment shows, you dont. contract etc. We often like to larp with play-

135
ers that throw balls in the same colours as again. They would then try to figure out
ourselves, but we can still get good plot ex- in what direction you want them to pass
change from playing with others too, espe- on the ball and then toss it that way.
cially in shorter interactions. It becomes eas-
They, on the other hand, play the story
ier if you can see what colour another player
about The geek that became cool which
is aiming for, based on that, you can then
is a completely dierent story, lets say a
choose to pass the ball onwards in a suitable
green ball. But by signalling that this is
direction. If you assume that everyone pre-
their story by, for example, stepping on
fers the same colour/storytelling pattern it
some old friends and referring to the new
becomes a lot trickier.
popular friend, they can give you a chance
Example: You are playing the school larp to tie onto that colour too.
mentioned in the earlier examples. You
show someone a text message about your You could either just pass along your respec-
partner cheating on you. They interpret tive ball or you can intertwine your stories
it as though youre playing a story about by making the other player ratting for the
unfaithfulness, which for the sake of the cool gang about your cheating partner. This
metaphor, is a red ball. Their idea is that would lower the cheating partner character,
youd like to go in one of the three fol- give energy to your story where you can get
lowing directions: Break up and be dev- back at your partner and also lift the oth-
astated, get relieved and use the situation er players geek character socially before
to break up and trash talk the person or you split up and continue your respective
make a big emotional outplay and then paths again.
solve the problem and get back together

Play distribution and responsibilities

in the hierarchy
Most characters can distribute play, but it can take many dierent shapes
and has varying expectations depending on what you try and portray.
It can for example be hard to create and throw group balls (group play
initiatives) by yourself. You might require an in-game mandate (by ac-
quiring status, group consensus or other means of backing) to reach out
with larger play initiatives. This also means that as a low status character
you are more dependent on other players passing you balls. Without it
you might spend a lot of time waiting while lacking agency. To create
play from below you often need to put yourself in slightly unpleasant
situations and take space in the story (not necessarily in a physical way).
This is one of the reasons it might be a bad idea to cast a beginner larper
as a low status character.
The other side of the spectrum is about receiving a lot of balls that
you need to handle. This is actually what playing high status is about.
You get a responsibility of passing on balls and to create new balls for
others. To be played up as cool is often less of a problem than one might
think but making sure all players with low status characters arent bored
is trickier, which in turn is why it might be a bad idea to cast beginners
in high status positions. Even if it isnt a single persons duty to make

136
sure that balls reach all the way down, you still want to create a trickle
down eect and not a trickle up one, which happens a lot.
To create play no matter what status level you are playing is also
about seeing what balls you own, and to that extent, what obliga-
tions you have, both before and during the larp. Some of these can
be pre-written into your character and some you might have created
yourself.
If you are to play the bully that means you have responsibility to bully
other characters. Or if you decided before the larp with another player
that you are going to bully them the same applies. You cant just leave
the bullied character and do nothing. Then you drop the ball and it
might have huge eects on the other players game. You can then either
bully them yourself (take the ball), delegate this task to someone else
(passing it along) or talk to the player to renegotiate the relation.

Tools
Here we will share some tools that we think could be useful as a player
for learning to read and create game play. And to take responsibility for
the shared story. A lot of the tools are things you do before and after the
larp rather than during. That is because its very hard in the middle of a
larp to have time to stop and think about things. We have found that the
more you think about it before and after, the easier it becomes to do it
subconsciously during the larp, and the more you can internalise it, the
more you can focus on just enjoying the ride.

Reflection
A first step of learning this is by observing a larp you just visited and
analyse a few of the scenes you remember. Preferably some scenes that
you thought were extra good or some that didnt work for you at all.
What happened during the scene?
What could have been the best possible version of the scene? Were
you looking for a specific feeling or result?
What worked well?
What did not work well?
How could the problem have been resolved? Could you or another
player have done something dierently? Could you have helped
the other player make a better choice? Could the scene be designed
in another way?
It is so much easier to see solutions for problems after they have
passed, but similar things will most certainly happen again, in
slightly dierent shapes, so its good to have given it some thought
and be better prepared next time.

137
 Cultural context
Larping is just one way of experiencing stories. Other media use the
same stories larp does, so there are loads of things one can learn from
watching movies or reading books as well. We think that just as sto-
ry traditions varies between dierent parts of the world, so does our
understanding of reading the game play. We can all have dierent
connotations to the same themes. This is also something to bare in mind
when larping in another country. Our world constantly becomes more
globalised and a lot of the references to storytelling and narratives are
getting widely spread while others inevitably lose ground.
Many stories are the same, but in dierent costumes and set dress-
ings. Sometimes we even talk about how there are only a certain
number of stories to tell, and that the same ones are just being told
over and over again. Try to recognise storytelling patterns in books
and movies.
Try to guess where a story is headed while watching a movie.
Come up with several possible outcomes and compare the alterna-
tives to the actual outcome.
Guess what scenes can occur or what will happen to the overall
arc during a larp before it is run, and then study that up against
the outcome, or even host the game yourself. Was your hypothesis
correct? Why? Why not?

Visible aordances
Think of what a characters costume and appearance is saying about who
they are.
The relevance of costume is depending on the type of larp youre
attending. The larger the event the more articulate you have to be. Its
hard to memorise a hundred characters without distinguishable features
but if your appearance screams loner that oers shady trade deals or
philosophic father of five looking for a business partner you are more
likely to get play on the themes you are interested in. A clearer or more
stereotype costume is a clearer invitation for others to initiate interac-
tions with you. Alternatively you can deviate so much that you dont
fit into any compartment which can repel players but sometimes make
them curious too. This often leads to uncertainty, especially if many
players do it, but as most things it can be a design choice as well.
Study the context of the larp. If everyone plays non mainstream
characters it wont be low status to be alternative. Rather the the other
way around.
Example: Youre going to play an upper class character and chose to
play them so high in status, they can break norms and therefor you

138
 take on a completely alternative look. The result is that you dont get
as much play, since the other upper class characters might read your
appearance (costume) as lower class, and you dont focus very much on
the actual lower class characters yourself since your character wants to
be atop of the pyramid. You are signalling that you want to play with
an orange ball, that might be read as I want to be accepted as alter-
native while you actually want to get passed a red ball about being
lonely in the top of the hierarchy. You could of course prepare with
prearranged relations but they will still be limited to those players as
most of the others will play you down, since they believe that is what
you want.
Or you play a high status character, but as a player you are a bit quiet
so when stu happens in front of you, you dont react. This can result in
you losing status when another player oers an opportunity for raising
or maintaining your status and you dont seize the opportunity. You
dont catch the ball and you dont throw a new one so its a bit like youre
standing outside the sports field and the other players dont know if
youre in the game or not.
If you know what type of play you prefer in a game and want to invite
others to play with those themes you can do this in several ways. Visual
ways to do this is through body language and aesthetic details, but it
requires the co-player to recognise the references and have focus enough
to spot them. For example it can be that you dont sit down at the dinner
table until everyone is present when playing upper-class or wearing a pin
with an indie band on it when playing a teenager.
To use small gestures might still give of a certain feeling what you
want to project, that most players can pick up on even if they dont
realise it or actively recognise them. If you like to play with more subtle
signals, you attract players with the same o-game references as you that
therefore are able to read your signals. This might make you play with
the same kind of players on most larps since you share a way to com-
municate through these references. This can of course also be a design
choice youve made.

Actual aordanceswhat interactions do you oer?

Be aware of what obligations you have before and during a larp, and
how that leads to expectations of your character. Lets say you have been
casted as a priest. Thats a role that comes with a few preconceptions.
You might be expected to have certain moral beliefs, know a few rituals,
receive confessions (depending on what branch) and probably host a
simple service, wedding or funeral. You might want to prepare a bit for
that. If you come to the larp and just play with your family about non
church matters, other players might get disappointed, especially if a lot
of plots circle around guilt, belief and faith.

139
 What can you as a player oer other characters in form of interaction?

What do you think is fun doing at this particular larp? What themes do
you want to highlight? If you want to play on oppression you might angle
the priest towards a lot of public shaming and judging. If you want to
play around despair you might play a lot around confession and useless
advice while not really caring for others wellbeing. If you enjoy spread-
ing plot gossip you might play a nice caring priest while writing down all
confessions and accidentally leave them around. If you like to play violent
oppression scenes and shout then maybe you shouldnt squeeze that into
the portrayal of the priest but instead play a military character. Then of
course the main themes of the larp may decide a lot and you can contrib-
ute to that in how you design your character.

So why is all this important?

To a great extent its important to create and spread agency as well as re-
sponsibility amongst all players. It makes for a better game for everyone
and will unburden some of the people who often take charge or a larger
game responsibility, which can sometimes be frustrating and mentally
exhausting. It takes a certain amount of work to make the game flow
naturally. Some players find it more fun than others to take responsibili-
ty for that, but if more people see what can be done and how they could
aect the game, then it will be less work for everyone involved.

Bibliography
Bckman, Petter. The Three Way Model; Revision of the Threefold Model. In As
Larp Grows Up Edited by Line Thorup, Mikkel Sander and Morten Gade. 2003. p.
12-16 https://archive.org/details/2003AsLarpGrowsUpTheoryAndMethodsInLarp

140
 Designing for Emotions
An[character
overview moment]
of tools common in Russian larp design
Olga Vorobyeva
After all the daily rituals, the
wild boar family gathers in
INTRODUCTION
their three-walled wooden emotions and characters emotions.
Larpshelter, huddle uppowerful
is an unbelievably together tool for Therefore I will now introduce two concepts
to stay
emotions. Forwarm, and sing
many larpers, their
feeling emotions about relations between the players and
family
is one of thelullaby: Now,
main reasons we
of participating in characters state.
thissleep.
hobby. Sometimes the feelings appear Imagine that you act out a characters
through characters or players interaction, emotions without actually feeling them, but
sometimes they are generated by larp de- gradually you get more and more immersed,
sign. In the following article[Lyng,
I will introduce until you finally feel that emotion as a player.
a systematisation of the main tools used by This eect I call induction.
KoiKoi]
Russian larp organisers for provoking target Another situation concerns the phenom-
emotions, both for players and their charac- enon M. Montola calls indirect bleed (2010)
ters. and dealing with it: if a player feels strong
It is well known that characters and play- emotions that are dierent from those of the
ers emotions do not necessarily coincide. character and this disturbs her from further
For instance, steering1 and indirect bleed playing, she might try to introduce these
(when the players emotions do not coincide feelings into the diegesis in some way. I call
with the characters) are important exam- this coping strategy transposition.
ples of such discrepancy. But the entire sys- To make the system clearer let me show
tem is more complicated than just players a diagram:

[character moment]
Player feels something; [character moment]
character does not Character Player

Fight me!actFucking
Player fight
out characters The demon laughed at her.
me!emotions without feeling Character I dont wantPlayer
you girl! But...
them
As the crowd chanted and Ill let you keep him as long
screamed, I didnt make a as you are not happy. And on
sound. I just hurt
Induction: Month until
characters the day you are, I will rip him
my friend
emotionswent down,
induce similarthen Character away and allPlayer
your power or
ones in
stepped ontheher.
player money wont matter.

Transposition: player
ascribes her non-diegetic
Character Player
emotions to the character
[Laura West / [F. Rafalko
Story College of Wizardry 8]
The Solution]
1 A players conscious management of the characters behaviour.

143
 [killed
What can you as a player oer other darling]
characters in form of interaction?

What do you think is fun doing atWe this cut the armoured
particular larp? What themes do
personnel
you want to highlight? If you want to carrieryou
play on oppression from
might angle
the priest towards a lot of public our larpand
shaming Skymningsland
judging. If you want to
play around despair you might play ina2010
lot around confession and useless
for mechanical
advice while not really caring for others wellbeing. If you enjoy spread-
issues (engine-trouble). At
ing plot gossip you might play a nice caring priest while writing down all
Hinterland last year we cut
confessions and accidentally leave them around. If you like to play violent
back you
oppression scenes and shout then maybe on shouldnt
the starvation for into
squeeze that
perceived safety reasons
the portrayal of the priest but instead play a military character. Then (we
of
could probably push it a bit
course the main themes of the larp may decide a lot and you can contrib-
ute to that in how you design your further).
character. At Mare Incognitum
2014 we had to cut the plastic
moving tentacles from the
So why is all this important?
design, it just didnt look as
cool and
To a great extent its important to create as we thought
spread it well
agency as would.
as re-
sponsibility amongst all players. It makes for a better game
Ah. And on Skymningslandfor everyone
and will unburden some of the people who often take charge or a larger
we also didnt blow up and
game responsibility, which can sometimes be frustrating and mentally
exhausting. It takes a certain amount of work to make the game flow
naturally. Some players find it more fun than others to take responsibili-
ty for that, but if more people see what can be done and how they could
aect the game, then it will be less work for everyone involved.

[character Bibliography
moment] flip a car, as we wanted in
Bckman, Petter. The Three Way Model; Revision of the Threefold Model. In As
Larp Grows Up Edited by Line Thorup,the initial
Mikkel Sander design.
and MortenWe
Gade.just
2003. p.
My friend and I kept vigil for
12-16 couldnt get away with
https://archive.org/details/2003AsLarpGrowsUpTheoryAndMethodsInLarp

his brother in the woods. In doing that in that larp

the darkness, the glowing from a safety perspective.
red eyes of the creatures We had the logistics for it
that had killed him were all though.
around.
[Olle]
[Dorian,
Broadsword]

140
 Designing for Emotions
An overview of tools common in Russian larp design
Olga Vorobyeva

INTRODUCTION
emotions and characters emotions.
Larp is an unbelievably powerful tool for Therefore I will now introduce two concepts
emotions. For many larpers, feeling emotions about relations between the players and
is one of the main reasons of participating in characters state.
this hobby. Sometimes the feelings appear Imagine that you act out a characters
through characters or players interaction, emotions without actually feeling them, but
sometimes they are generated by larp de- gradually you get more and more immersed,
sign. In the following article I will introduce until you finally feel that emotion as a player.
a systematisation of the main tools used by This eect I call induction.
Russian larp organisers for provoking target Another situation concerns the phenom-
emotions, both for players and their charac- enon M. Montola calls indirect bleed (2010)
ters. and dealing with it: if a player feels strong
It is well known that characters and play- emotions that are dierent from those of the
ers emotions do not necessarily coincide. character and this disturbs her from further
For instance, steering1 and indirect bleed playing, she might try to introduce these
(when the players emotions do not coincide feelings into the diegesis in some way. I call
with the characters) are important exam- this coping strategy transposition.
ples of such discrepancy. But the entire sys- To make the system clearer let me show
tem is more complicated than just players a diagram:

Player feels something;

character does not Character Player

Player act out characters

emotions without feeling Character Player
them

Induction: characters
emotions induce similar Character Player
ones in the player

Transposition: player
ascribes her non-diegetic
Character Player
emotions to the character

1 A players conscious management of the characters behaviour.

143
 Consequently, the four main types treme, which includes difficult conditions
of tools for emotion design might be for players. One of the main tools for im-
divided into: mersing players into a special state of con-
sciousness within such larps is the so-called
Tools for emotional transposition:
hunger engine, when players are allowed
provoking emotion directly in the
to eat only the food they get diegetically.
player in order to influence the char-
Besides from that, there are other types of
acter.
limitations: extreme larp may also in-
Tools for players awareness: inform- clude deprivation of sleep, limited drinking
ing the player about the characters water, uncomfortable conditions (cold, hu-
feelings to give the player some clues midity, sleeping outside without tents etc.).
for performance. If the player is Although such influence is physical, it defi-
immersed enough, she might start nitely causes an emotional response in play-
feeling them too. ers.
It is noticeable that in Russian extreme
Tools for characters/players: in-game
larps, players do not have a legitimate op-
situations which influence the charac-
portunity to improve their conditions. To
ters emotions, but also might concern
compare, in European larps there might be a
the player
special safe zone, where a player is allowed
Tools for players without direct con- to eat, sleep in more comfortable conditions,
nection with characters. or take a break from in-game tension, some-
times even for the entire night.2 In Russia a
In the following I will focus on each type
player has the right to leave the in-game area
of tool.1 Many of the tools described below
only in case of emergency if she really can-
have been used for a long time in other types
not continue playing. Even the spatial design
of media. They may not be perceived as tools
supports this idea: there is no special safe
for making people feel particular emotions;
zone, and dealing with problems takes place
but they are.
only in organisers o-game location, where
the presence of a player is normally prohib-
1: EMOTION TRANSPOSITION
ited. Therefore, you should have a really se-
rious reason to move o the playground. In
Tools of this type always deal with players
Nordic tradition the safe zones provides
bodies, their unconditional reactions, and
extreme larp participants with a choice
usually concern pushing the players out of
whether or not, and how much, to suer
their comfort zone. The last aspect might be
during the game. Russian larps of this type
due to the fact that it is much more difficult
imply that signing up automatically means
to provoke calmness, excitement, love, than
that the players accept to live through ev-
anxiety, helplessness, or aggression.
erything that might happen. There is no le-
gitimate place for a break, and problems are
Physical conditions
solved individually and post factum. It is im-
Let me start with the most illustrating point.
possible to come to the organisers location
There is a type of Russian larp called ex-
just to rest, and it seems to be perceived as

1 I mostly consider larps held by organisers from Moscow and St. Petersburg; very rarely I use data from Si-
berian larp traditions. Data is collected via participant observation, searching Internet larp blogs and forums
and from transcript of a seminar Dark horror in larps held within larpwriter convention Oriental Express
(Yekaterinburg, 2015).

2 Speaking about European extreme larps I mostly base my opinion on my experience from Blue Flame, a
Nordic-inspired Spanish larp (2016).

144
breaking implicit larp conventions, as some ror is an invisible one. Say, there is a legend
players will be in a dierent state of comfort about a terrible and powerful Reaper, and if
than the organisers designed for. something dark glimpses nearby, it is scary.
To withdraw from playing is legitimate But later you see that it is just Kate with a
only in cases of socially accepted impossi- reaping hookand all horror is over (Dark
bility to continue playing, like when a play- horror).
er feels discomfort which is not planned as Obviously, spatial design is used not
game experience (e.g. sustain a trauma or only to provoke horror. It can create any
inability to control her emotional state). strange place, magical, unearthly, and not
necessarily frightening. For instance, the
Environment design creative group Ostranna (Moscow) focuses
A frequent tool to stimulate a certain emo- on electronics for larp locations. They have
tional eect is environmental designthe created and promoted dierent devices, such
complex of venue, props, costumes, music as colour-changing crystals, flowers lit by a
and tricks. All these instruments are used wand, LED navigation for forests, speaking
for the same purposes in cinema or theatre. portraits and many other things.
Usually their aim is to increase suspense.
Many Russian larps are held in the woods, Music and sound
and a forest at night is strange enough in it- Music is a strong tool which is applicable not
self. Adding some scary details, such as glim- only for producing negative emotions, un-
mering lights, frightening music or murmur, like many other instruments. Music in larps
or dark figures on the edge of a lighted space, is widely spread: it is broadcasted via devices
inevitably aects players, even if they realise as well as performed by the players (see de-
how it works. tails about using music in larps in (Fedoseev
It seems to be an uncontrollable reaction, Kurguzova 2012)). Dierent eects might be
as such fear might be felt not only by players reached by sombre, solemn, marching music,
(who normally worry about their characters singing together or other musical phenom-
lives), but even by NPCs and organisers who ena. Here I want to focus on the so-called
have created this world and rule it: You have music engine developed for the larp Ticket
been sitting and working in the organisers to Atlantis (2014).4
location all day long and suddenly think: The idea of the innovation was the fol-
lets see how they are doing. The fortress was lowing: Before the larp each player collected
already captured by the enemy. I was walk- music that would tune them into particular
ing at night. They put infernal green lights emotions (the list of necessary emotions was
everywhere, an enormous bulk is moving provided by the organisers). It was important
towards you from the darkness, and scary that the music should correspond more with
music is playing. I could not make myself the players rather than the characters emo-
approach, I went back. I was scared. I knew tions. Just before the larp each player got a
that it were my own NPCs inside, but I was special device on a bracelet developed by the
just scared.3 creative group Ostranna, containing their
It is well known that the unperceivable individually chosen tracks. During the play
scares more than the visible. Therefore it is time this device played the tracks in an or-
crucial to create suspense, to enable play- der unknown to the players, accompanying
ers to construct their own horror in their them all the time they were awake. It was
minds using available clues: The worst hor- intended that the music would automati-

3 This and some other quotes are taken from the transcript of a seminar Dark horror in larps held at the larp-
writer convention Oriental Express (2015).

4 See details in Vechorek and Zakharov 2015.

145
cally stimulate the player to feel a certain the same person with a reaping hook
emotion attached to it, and organisers used is chasing me. () he lost me long ago, I
this eect strategically: dierent larping lo- run and think: Ill reach that pole and my
cations evoked dierent feelings in dierent game will be finished. So I approach this
characters (boredom, calmness, nostalgia, pole and suddenly I see that this person
interest, etc.). Other characters could also continues to chase me! I keep running, I
serve as sources of specific emotions. In leave the playground, but he still follows
other words, the bracelet was programmed me there. I realize that I will never get out
to switch tracks according to a special algo- of this horror: I might reach the highway,
rithm. There were also some events which hitchhike a car to the city, but this night-
were to provoke panic, during which players mare will follow me. It will never end. And
heard a scream of horror followed by their obviously I feel a limitless panic, and I keep
individual track of panic. running (Dark horror)
Individual approach was an obvious ad-
Also, waiting for such situations in itself
vantage of this system. The same music
provokes a feeling of fear and danger. For
might cause dierent emotions in dierent
this purpose, waiting can be combined with
people according to their individual experi-
environmental design:
ence, and here emotional triggers were high-
ly customised. The disadvantages were that when we were making larps about the
players reported difficulty with continually Middle Ages, we prohibited electricity, so
having to listen to music and had difficulty players had to use candles. It means five
remembering the link between each track meters of visibility, shivering light and fear,
and the emotion attached to it, as there were because you dont know where you will be
dozens of tracks. Therefore, players often attacked (Dark horror)
remembered only the general idea or type
Such triggers are used both directly and in
of emotion, but could easily take interest
complex with additional circumstances: for
track for joy or anxiety for melancholy:
instance, a sudden attack distracts a player
Firstly, I could not memorise all the tracks.
in a moment of necessary concentration; an
Secondly, I almost dropped out of play be-
object that seemed harmless turns out to be
cause of overload of music, and a headache
aggressive; a character must make important
sent me into a corner.5 But, all in all, it was
decisions while being physically disturbed
an interesting experiment of using electron-
etc.
ics in provoking customised emotions.
Unusual bodily behaviour
Psychophysical triggers
These are related in some way to psycho-
Sudden attacks, chases and other eects,
physical triggers, but it is not put upon the
often used in Disneyland-style interactive
player from the outside, the player herself
dungeons for tourists, can provoke certain
performs it consciously. Such tools are not
uncontrolled reactions, like fear or panic.
normally aimed to provoke emotions, they
These tools are often combined with envi-
have other goals (competition, aesthetics,
ronmental design for reaching target eect.
etc.), but according emotional states may ac-
It is notable that players consider those neg-
company such behaviour.
ative emotions positively, at least post fac-
In Russian larps the main type of this be-
tum.
haviour is combat. In this tradition it always
It is crucial that those emotions are felt
involves the players body, which automati-
primarily by the player, and indirectly by the
cally means that the player is unable to stay
character:
passionless while immersed in combat. It

5 Authors database.

146
makes no dierence whether it involves mel see, a (seeing) person feels much more help-
weapons (made of textolite or latex), guns less, and autosuggestion increases as people
(air-soft or laser-tag), or even magic wands tend to project horrors and barriers that are
with their system of symbolic movements: impossible to demonstrate directly. This tool
the player is made to move intensively, use is regularly used for simulating dungeons
dexterity, accuracy and speed of reaction, and other dangerous places, or qualitative
and this inevitably aects her breath, heart change of the charactere.g. Afterdeath (see
rate and finally emotional state. Taking into details about this elaborated technique in
account that Russian tradition does not im- Fedoseev, and Trubetskaya (2013)), turning
ply negotiation about the outcome of the into another being etc.
combat in advance and that a character can The most picturesque example of this tool
die at any moment, fighters also feel a wish is a system, Abyss, developed by larp organ-
to win and anxiety for the characters life iser Xing. The principle is as follows: a player
and health. Moreover, combat in larps rare- comes to a special location (dwarf dungeon,
ly occur out of thin air: normally they are a alchemical cauldron, borders of the world)
result of an escalation of emotional activity. and gets non-transparent glasses at the en-
Therefore players are already emotionally trance. Then the player walks (or sometimes
prepared by the point a fight begins. It is cru- crawls) in a labyrinth holding a strained
cial to note that in Russian larp a characters rope, with distracting triggers around her.
fighting skills highly depend on that of the NPCs might disturb or frighten the player
player. It means that combat interaction al- with sudden shouts and bangs, provoking
most always take place more on a metagame her to let go of the rope; the player might
level than on the diegetic one, which might encounter useful hidden objects or harmful
cause dropping out-of-character. traps, etc. If she succeeds in the labyrinth the
Another important type of body be- character gets a reward; in case of failure, she
haviour is dance. Historical dancing is wide- takes some damage (losing a limb, ability or
spread in the Russian larp community, and something of value), or dies.
actively used as an in-game skill. Fantasy and Thus, the Abyss enables reproducing
historical larps eagerly introduce balls, danc- any kind of liminal space without large costs,
ing nights and similar events to the scenario. because organisers do not have to make a
In 20th century-based larps discos also take 360-degree illusion. The task of visualisation
place, which enables everyone to participate shifts to the players, while organisers use
no matter their dancing skills. It is crucial that other tools to make the players act accord-
dances, unlike combat, represent themselves ing to their own visualisations. The players
and therefore allow for staying in character in immerse into the target emotional state due
a more stable way, as there is no necessity to to the loss of sight, the necessity of multiple
communicate on metagame level. choices with lacking information, fear for
There are other types of unusual bodily the health or life of the character, and the ex-
behaviour, such as marching, singing in a perience of liminality. Other types of depri-
choir etc., which also influence players emo- vation besides the sight might be bondage,
tions powerfully through physical percep- physical pressure, losing of equilibrium etc.
tion. Often larp provides a players first phys-
ical experience of unity, brotherhood and Alcohol
support while chanting, marching, singing Alcohol is another tool for introducing a
together etc., as many people have no con- player into the necessary state of conscious-
text in their everyday life to experience this. ness. Attitudes towards alcohol dier from
larp to larp, from limited allowance to total
Deprivations prohibition. Here I do not consider players
Deprivation of sight especially, is used for own initiative in consuming alcohol, but
immersing players into a special state of focus on the consumption permitted by the
consciousness. Without the possibility to rules.

147
 Normally alcohol is consumed in situa- cine, a card is found on some strange object,
tions where its replacement with non-alco- etc., the player unsticks the first stripe of
holic simulation might seem hypocrisy, as tape, where she finds instructions of what is
in diegetic bars, official events etc. Dieget- happening to the character (that the player
ic consuming of real alcohol pursues two should perform), and the conditions for un-
metagame goals: it should catalyse in-game sticking the next stripe of tape.
interaction and help the player to get rid of Initially, this technique enabled play on
communicational barriers, providing her experimental medicine (so the tool is also
with an alibi to commit possible inappro- called medicine-on-the-cards), where the
priate, sudden or hooligan diegetic actions doctor does not receive information about
from which shyness prevented the player be- symptoms verbally but has to read out the
fore. There might also be rules like if you get symptoms from the patients performance.
a shot, share a secret with your drinking bud- At the same time it allows for systematic
dies, which enhances the narrative, or if you results: you cannot persuade a gamemaster
drink, act as if you are much more drunk than that you are right, you just get a diegetical-
you actually are, which helps with perfor- ly objective eect. It also makes the results
mance. Obviously, if a player does not drink reproducible, so that doctors can customise
alcohol, no one forces her: everything can be medicines.
simulated through the induction principle. This technique is mostly used for physi-
cal states, but sometimes emotional eects
2: PLAYERS AWARENESS are added: you feel friendship to all people
around you and want to hug someone, you
In addition to techniques that focus on the are extremely angry and can hit anyone you
characters emotions through those of the dislike etc. Thus, instructions oer clues
player, there are also a number of tools to for performance, but allows for realising the
inform the player about the thoughts or feel- instructions according to the circumstances
ings of the character in a particular moment. and the players wish.
This is normally not considered as organisers
forcing the narrative, but might cause indig- Audio technologies.
nation if there is strong divergence between A kind of evolution of Askolds cards were
actual and prescribed reaction. Such tech- voice instructions in headphones developed
niques can be perceived as breaking the link for the larp Ticket to Atlantis (2014; see de-
between the player and her character, since tails in Vechorek and Zakharov 2015): in
the player does not react directly in charac- some particular situations the player was to
ter, but has to produce a performance possi- press a certain button to get an instruction.
bly dierent from her actual feelings. On the It is notable that these instructions some-
other hand, induction is possible when the times turned into the first type of tool (an
player, acting out the characters state, im- audio equivalent of the laminated card): if
merses in it herself. the character had drug addiction, a special
track for heroin addiction started to replay
Askolds cards a few hours after taking a dose, and played
This tool is nowadays the most widespread until the character took the next dose. Ob-
technique of this sort in Russian larps. This viously, a replayed track irritated both the
tool was invented in mid 2000s by Moscow character and the player.
larp organisers Askold and Vlad to reduce Another type of informing technique very
metagame presence of gamemasters among similar to tabletop RPG principles are audi-
the players. The idea of the technique is that odrugs developed for Saint Summer, a larp
a player has a film-laminated card covered about a hippies camp in The United States
with non-transparent sticky tape. In partic- in the 60s (2014; see details in Shovman and
ular circumstances, such as the character be- Shovman 2015). When a character takes LSD,
ing wounded, consuming an in-game medi- she starts to have hallucinations, while her

148
player gets a Walkman with a special track Examples of emotional states pro-
that contains descriptions of visions and ac- grammed by the potions are tranquility,
tions of the character with sounds and music bravery, senselessness, excitement, joy and
as a background. These instructions are sim- many others. Participants even tended to
ilar to those given by a dungeon master as declare that the composition of drinks it-
performatives: you see this and that, you self helped them to immerse into the target
suspect the person you see for this and that, state. Thus, the wormwood extract in Sip of
you start doing this and that right now etc. hope, which is drunk in troubles, symbolis-
But the dierence is that the player-charac- es the gravity of diegetic situation, while tea
ter actually performs what she is told to by with sweet condensed milk and a spoon of
the inner voice. Thus, the characters be- spirit (Conciliation balm) inevitably brings
haviour becomes absurd and unpredictable you to calmness. I will not research wheth-
for the people around her, while the player er those drinks really influenced the players
enjoys literally following the instructions state directly, but such declarations are in
and adjusting them to the current situa- themselves remarkable. However, many po-
tion. Verbal instructions are much more tions included small quantities of alcohol, so
efficient in this case compared to Askolds there might be some disinhibition eect.
cards, providing the player with continuous In the larp Black sun based on Latin Ameri-
instructions without elaborate metagame cas magic realism, each character had to love
actions. It is also notable that such cases someone. There were dierent approach-
deal with representation of the characters es for men and women: Female characters
altered states of consciousness directly, and could choose a person corresponding to their
not through the players emotions. ideals (dierent for each woman), while male
characters could not choose. Each character
Markers of state had a colour prescribed by larpwriters, and
Sometimes game masters use diegetic ob- the first woman with a flower of this colour
jects with the goal of informing the play- in her hair, became his sweetheart. As a re-
er that her characters emotional state has sult, this rule often caused emotion induc-
changed. Here I will focus on two illustrative tion: a player slowly started feeling sympathy
cases: potions in Hogwarts Seasons campaign towards a randomly appointed girl, even if
(Bocharova et al. 2005-2011) and in-love he had not planned to play with her before
flowers in Black sun (Semenov, Chernikova and had no feelings towards her.
and Jatsurenko, 2015).
Potions in the Harry Potter-based cam- 3: TOOLS FOR CHARACTERS/PLAYERS
paign Hogwarts Seasons were embedded into
an extensive system of magic and mostly These types of tools involve the players mind
aimed to change the characters emotional rather than physical perception. This means
state. The majority of potions were drinks that they do not work automatically, but only
prepared according to special recipes, and a in case of sincere suspension of disbelief and
recipient could realise the eect by the taste immersion. The influence is addressed to the
and start acting in an appropriate way. The characters, while the players may feel these
eect is obvious if the potion is taken by its emotions via induction. These techniques
maker, but if the drink is poured into some- are mostly applicable to immersionists and
ones cup, the recipient often need a metag- partly to narrativists (although there are very
ame explanation of what she had just drunk. few of them in the Russian larp community).
It seems that in such moments the potion Within a gamist approach, a player might be
stops being a marker (as you need further skeptical, and that neutralises the target ef-
explanations), but for the players here, the fect.
narrative fact of taking the potion is much Actually, everything happening to the
more important than the players ability to character in the game world, both during the
recognise the taste. larp and before it, can be considered this type

149
of tool: development of love or relative inter- and unexplainable things happened, and
actions, conflicts, achievements and failures players tried to ignore them, perceiving them
etc. All those events and processes are hard- as metagame mismatches. But in Afterdeath
ly subjected to organisers or to the players the players of dead characters found out that
themselves, because the most powerful force the game world is actually Afterdeath itself.
in Russian larps is chance, accident. So here Players realised this in a room covered with
I will just put out some simple organisers obituaries, looking at the dates: all charac-
tools to provoke quite obvious emotions in ters were dead before the larp started.
players, like suspense and horror. A rather positive kind of awakening took
During a discussion dedicated to horror place in larp The Way (Good Gryffindors,
in larps, larpwriters mentioned the following 2012). The larp was declared to represent
plot devices causing sufficient psychological an abstract prehistoric tribe, which moved
pressure on the players: along the forest to look for a better place,
performed rituals, spoke to evil spirits, hunt-
The enemy in our home scenario: evil
ed to get food etc. In the final scene the peo-
NPCs terrorise the characters
ple were welcomed by an elf: the larp was
A hidden spy or traitor causes para- actually about Awakening of Mortal Men in
noia Tolkiens world. This device was obvious-
ly addressed to players, as their characters
The same spy or traitor fears to be
knew nothing about Tolkien.
discovered
Another interesting tool involving players
Waiting for a terrible event (assault, and ignoring characters is a so-called hidden
execution, public punishment) NPCan NPC which pretends to be a regu-
lar player. Sure, this tool has many functions,
Fear of losing something important
but one of the core targets is to neutralise the
to the character (health, life, beloved
indierence which players often feel towards
ones etc.)
NPCs, and make the participants empathise
Uncertainty, especially combined with with the hidden NPC as if they were players
helplessness characters. From the diegetic (and narrativist)
point of view it makes no dierence whether
you communicate with a player or an NPC, as
Tools for players
the diegetic situation should not depend on
the metagame status of participants. But in
Finally, there is a special class of tools, which
the Russian larp community, interaction with
are totally excluded from diegesis, but ad-
NPCs is considered emotionally flawed, so
dressed to players only. It might seem that
organisers sometimes try to overcome this
there is no use for them in larps, but through
eect.
them organisers can make their ideas reach
the players, if the ideas are broader than the SUMMARY
game world. The most interesting example
of such tools is sudden awakening. Normally To sum up, there are many aspects in larp
it happens by the end of a larp, as continu- which provoke characters and/or players
ing play from the characters perspective af- emotions. A players emotions do not nec-
ter a total shift of point of view is hard. Such essarily coincide with those of the character,
awakening may concern the cultural context but they might influence each other. We can
of players (which is absent for characters) or divide larp design emotion provoking tools
just being a paradoxical fact in the core of into those which influence the players emo-
game world. tions and those which influence the char-
For example, the larp Ticket to Atlantis acters ones. Taking into account their pos-
(2014) depicted a small American town inof sible mutual interactions, the entire system
the late 1970s. During the larp some strange includes four types of tools for emotional

150
management. In Russian larps the tools used player might not immerse sufficiently. Play-
are the following: er-influencing tools are successful in bring-
ing players into a necessary state of emotions
1. Influencing the player in order to influence and almost guarantee catharsis, but are usu-
the character (transposition): ally difficult in design and highly dependent
on players cultural context and secrecy from
Physical limitations and deprivations
the organisers side, as they are based on
Environmental design, as in cinema or
non-transparency. Thus, each larp designer
theatre
should decide on the tools and how to use
Psychophysical triggers, as in a fun fair
them in each particular larp.
Unusual bodily behaviour, such as
combat, dance, marching, singing
BIBLIOGRAPHY
together etc.
Consuming small quantities of alcohol Belokon, O. Psychological opportunities of larp in
adaptation to non-standard situations. Specialist
2. Informing players about their characters thesis, Yekaterinburg, RUS: 2005 (in Russian).
feelings: Fedoseev Alexey and Daria Kurguzova. Songs and
Larps. In States of Play: Nordic larp around the
Metagame cards with instructions
world. Edited by Juhana Petersson. Solmukohta:
Audio instructions in headphones 2012.
Diegetic objects having additional
Fedoseev, Alexey and Diana Trubetskaya. Life after
metagame functions to mark a charac- death. In Crossing physical borders. Edited by
ters state (such as potions in Harry Karete Jacobsen Meland and Katrine verland
Potter game world) Svela Oslo: Fantasiforbundet. 2013

3. Influencing characters and possibly involv- Montola, Markus. The Positive Negative Experience
in Extreme Role-Playing. In Nordic DiGRA 2010
ing the player emotionally (induction):
conference. Stockholm, Sweden: 16-17/08-2010.
narrative tools to influence the plot Shovman, Olga and Shovman, Mark. Saint
and circumstances of the characters SummerA 60 tale of music and hope. In The
lives Nordic larp Yearbook 2014. Edited by Charles
Bo Nielsen and Claus Raasted. Copehagen,
4. Influencing the player without influencing Denmark: Rollespilakademiet, 2015.
the character: Vechorek, Nadezhda and Vasily Zakharov. Ticket to
AtlantisFear, Live, Death, Life In The Nordic
Sudden awakening: crucial shift of larp Yearbook 2014., Edited by Charles Bo Nielsen
the perspective or understanding of and Claus Raasted. Copehagen,Denmark:
the game world, Rollespilakademiet, 2015.
Hidden NPC: an organisers aide
pretending to be a player in order to
LUDOGRAPHY
avoid players indierence.
Bocharova, Larisa et al. Hogwarts Seasons,
Each type of tool has its advantages and [campaign]. Organised by Larisa Lora
limitations. Transposition tools work auto- Bocharova & Co, 2005-2011
matically and consequently can guarantee Letters of the East Watch, organising group: Vanity
the eect, but normally they cause a very Fair, 2015
limited spectrum of emotions, and abusing Semenov, Alexey, Polina Chernikova and Alexander
them might turn a larp into a Disneyland. Jatsurenko. Black Sun. Organised by Alexey
Informing tools are eective for meta-man- McDu Semenov, Polina Lilian Chernikova,
agement of narrative, but might cause rejec- Alexander Jatsurenko, 2015
tion among the players who tend to immerse Shovman, Olga and Mark Shovman. Saint Summer.
into the character, and abuse might result in Organised by Olga Shaggy Shovman & Co, 2014
a feeling of a theatre play instead of a larp. Vechorek, Nadezhda and Vasily Zakharov. Ticket to
Induction tools do not require metagaming, Atlantis. Organised by Nadezhda Vechorek &Co,
but they do not work automatically, so a 2014
The Way, organising group: Good Gryffindors, 2012

151
Playing the treats the spreading of HIV in the New York
gay community in the 1980s. Various runs of

Stories of
the game gave many players an idea on what
it is to be HIV positive and raised conscious-
ness about queer issues. Killed in the Name

Others of Honor (Samad, Kharroub and Samamreh,

2013), organised by three Palestinian women,
was set in a matriarchal culture where young
Kaisa Kangas men could face a honour killing if they didnt
adhere to the sexual mores of the communi-
Larps that treat social issues often aim to cre- ty. In the Palestinian-Finnish larp Halat hisar
ate empathy for real people who live in cir- (AbdulKarim, Arouri and Kangas et al., 2013 &
cumstances dierent from ours by putting 2016), we created an alternative reality where
us in their shoes. One example is provided by Finland lived under an apartheid regime and
games where players from privileged back- occupation similar to real world Palestine (see
grounds take on the roles of characters from e.g. Kangas, 2014a and Pettersson, 2014a).
a marginalised group, or experience situations While Killed in the Name of Honor reversed
where they are in a marginalised position. gender roles, Halat hisar turned geopolitical
In the Norwegian larp Europa (Fatland and power relations upside down. In the game
Tanke et al., 2001), the Nordic countries mir- world, Northern Europe was a conflict zone
rored the former Socialist Federal Republic of full of dictatorships, and Arab countries were
Yugoslavia, and Nordic players spent a week as rich and influential. Finnish players became
asylum seekers in a reception centre in a ficti- oppressed people living under occupation, and
tious Balkan country. Another Norwegian larp, Palestinians portrayed privileged foreigners.
Just a Little Lovin (Edland and Grasmo, 2011), Such a role reversal is in a sense a form of cul-

152 Above: 2013 run of Halat Hisar. Photograph: Tuomas Puikkonen

tural exchange, and it makes for illuminating hisar in both runs of the game.
post-game reflections, which I will discuss in
more detail later.
However, the stories we live in larp are fil-
Contextualisation
tered through our real-life selves. In the end, Games where people from privileged groups
our unconscious reactions and interpretations play those who are in a marginalised posi-
of events are based on real-life experience. We tion rightfully raise concerns of being dis-
have been socialised to certain roles and po- respectful. One concern is that such games,
sitions of which we are not even fully aware. especially if emotionally strong, could create a
Therefore its difficult to consciously set false sense of sharing the experience of mar-
them aside. ginalised people. One way to avoid this is to
A good example is Mad About the Boy, properly contextualise the game. When the
(Edland, Raaum and Lindahl, 2010) a game de- contextualisation happens in dialogue with
signed for women. It is set in a post-apocalyp- the group whose stories are played out in the
tic world where a mysterious disease has killed game, it can spark fruitful reflection.
all men. The characters belong to three-wom- The German organisation Waldritter e.v.
an family units hoping to get selected into a runs refugee-themed educational larps with
government-run artificial insemination pro- the aim of preventing racism and creating a
gram. The applicants go through the last stage culture of acceptance. The games end with a
of the process at a secret forest location where moderated discussion. A Syrian refugee took
three government officials, a politician, a phy- part in one game, sharing his personal story of
sician, and a psychologist, observe and evalu- the journey to Germany (Steinbach, 2016). In
ate their behaviour. the debrief of the 2015 Denmark run of Just a
In 2015, a Swedish team made a male ver- Little Lovin, HIV, AIDS, and cancer, important
sion of the game, Its a Mans World (Gissn, topics of the game, were contextualised. Each
2015). It preserved most of the original scenario run of the game has had queer participants,
while switching the genders. Thus, there were, and the 2015 Denmark run also had a cancer
for example, artificial wombs instead of an in- survivor.
semination program. The game became com- Mohamad Rabah designed the debrief for
pletely dierent from the original. According the 2016 run of Halat hisar to include dialogue
to Sandqvist (2016), male players found the between international and Palestinian partici-
basic setting uninteresting: a situation where pants. First, the players went through exercis-
you are under surveillance and the only way es that aimed to detach them from the game
to succeed is to be as perfect as possible. The experience, such as guided meditation and the
female players of Mad About the Boy, howev- like. After that, there was a facilitated discus-
er, found it easier to relate to such a situation sion in small groups with a Palestinian in each
because they had real-life experiences of being group. The Finnish and international players
under pressure in a patriarchal society. could ask the Palestinians about their real life
Although larp is an excellent vehicle for experiences and thus put the game events into
creating strong emotions, it cannot replicate context. We had a rule that you could ask any-
other peoples experiences. Halat hisar doesnt thing but the discussion would stay in the de-
teach a Nordic person how it really feels to live brief groupyou would not share its contents
under occupation. However, role reversal can with outsiders.
shed light on unexplored aspects of ourselves, Several participants found this eye open-
power structures and our roles in them. In this ing. A Finnish journalist who participated in
article, I discuss this based on my experience the 2016 run wrote in the newspaper Helsingin
of having been one of the organisers of Halat Sanomat:

153
 When the game ended, there was a debrief- While this can build empathy for Palestin-
ing. As one part of it we were divided into ians, it also makes Palestinians into objects in-
small groups, each of which had a Palestin- stead of subjectsothers, rather than us. We
ian player as a part of the group. We could begin to expect that someone who is part of
ask them about the game and the reality of us tells the Palestinian story, as if Palestinians
Palestine. couldnt do it themselves. This aects our at-
titudes toward Palestinians, and makes us less
I was naive and thought that the game, as
interested in their personal experiences. One
most fiction, was built on exaggerated re-
of the goals of Halat hisar is to break this illu-
al-life events.
sion by bringing Palestinians and internation-
The truth in Palestine, however, is worse than als to play together. After all, in the minds of
the game. In the protests at Birzeit Univer- larpers, others dont larp.
sity have seen much more than one student However, based on post-game reflections
casualty. and feedback, Palestinian players themselves
also received new insights from the game. In
The worst thing was the realisation that after
the role reversal of Halat hisar, Palestinians
the larp the Palestinian players had to return
play characters from the rich and democratic
to their everyday lives, where the game and
Arab League (compared to the EU in the game
its happenings were a reality.
materials)journalists, activists, human right
I cannot claim that Id understand what they workers, etc. Because the game events are close
had to go through. But when I read the news to home, some Palestinian players have found
about Palestinians suering, the human trag- it hard to stay in character (Musleh, 2015).
edy behind them seems a bit more real. On the other hand, portraying foreign jour-
nalists and other internationals allows them
(Ahlroth, 2016)
to channel their own experiences into useful
Another Finnish player said that Halat hisar game material (Pettersson 2014b, Hamouri
didnt allow her to understand how it feels to 2015). Some Palestinian players have also seen
be oppressed, but it did make her realise what their own situation in a new light through the
it means to be privileged. A Finn can choose game. One of them described his experience
whether to take part in the struggle against in the 2013 run:
the occupation of Palestine, but a Palestinian
Sometimes when youre living in a unique
cannot. The larp caused her to reflect on how
situation, you stop perceiving things that are
privilege can be problematic even when com-
happening around you and to you as abnor-
bined with good intentions. She said this mo-
mal, you become part of a social blend that
tivated her to use her privilege to make space
is neither natural nor normal. But when you
for others instead of taking it for herself.
step outside and watch your life as a third
party, that is when youre shocked by the
The Normal and the Abnormal reality that you have been part of most of
your life.
In international mainstream media, stories
about Palestinians are often told from the (aoud Pettersson, 2014b)
point of view of foreign journalists or Israe-
Oppression is not just about laws and prac-
lis. Even when the coverage is sympathetic to
tices nor the physical violence used to enforce
Palestinians, it does not often let Palestinians
them, but also about everyday social dynamics.
narrate their own stories, portraying Palestin-
There are the roles of the oppressed and the
ians only as victims, as if that was the sum of
oppressors andcertainly in the case of Pales-
their existence.
tinevarious outsider roles. In this hierarchy,

154
those who are oppressed have less power and To the Finnish player, this kind of appro-
privileges. When you have lived your whole priation wasnt a routine part of life. She in-
life in a situation of oppression, things like stinctively recognised its abnormality and felt
restrictions of movement, humiliating check- entitled to stand up against it. However, its
point searches and condescending behaviour not unusual for internationals visiting Pales-
from foreigners may feel normal. tine to put themselves in the centre and con-
In the game, the privileged background centrate on how painful it is for them to see
of Finnish players created a social environ- what is happening without considering how
ment with dynamics dierent from those Palestinians perceive their statements.
of real-world Palestine. After all, a feeling of
normalcy is hard to establish in larps, and no
amount of workshopping can equal a lifetime
A Militarised Society
of socialisation. To Finnish players, the game Like any cultural exchange, a larp where you
events are unexpected and shocking, and switch places with others makes you see your-
their in-game behaviour occasionally reflects self, your own culture and your own society in
this. For example, a player could be induced a dierent way. To me as an organiser of Halat
to radically change their characters opinions hisar, one of the illuminating things has been
after encountering violence by soldiers, even the military action in the game.
though it would be routine for the character. Before the game, some of the Palestinian
In a sense, the players react in a normal way to participants were worried that the soldiers
abnormal situations. wouldnt be portrayed realistically enough.
The fact that Finnish characters sometimes After all, our soldier extras were Finns who
behave dierently than the Palestinian play- dont live every day under military occupation.
ers would do provides fruitful material for the Moreover, our extras had never been to Pal-
post-game discussion. A Palestinian player estine to witness the behaviour of Israeli sol-
from the 2013 run even found the experience diers. Before the first run of Halat hisar, I was
empowering: also a bit concerned about this.
However, you dont learn to act like a sol-
For example before this larp, I would have
dier by watching soldiers, but through prac-
not cut any conversation or expressed any
tice. In the end, portraying a soldier comes
anger in my real life while discussing the
down to things like posture, movement, and
Palestinian-Israeli conflict with a foreign-
certain kind of efficiency. Military training has
er, even if I felt insulted. In the larp I was
the same basics everywhere. In Finland, there
playing a role of a foreigner and by default
is no shortage of people who have undergone
I was insulting a Finnish student by trying
it.
to own her suering when discussing the
Most of our soldier extras came from a
Finnish-Uralian conflict. The character I
group of soft air military simulation enthusi-
was talking to in that moment screamed at
asts. They did not have previous larp experi-
me and cut the conversation. In reflecting
ence but all of them had completed military
on this incident in my real life, I always have
service, and some had been on UN peacekeep-
the choice to continue speaking with some
ing missions. If anything, they were some-
annoying foreigner, but I have never chosen
times too professional, considering that most
not to speak with them. This incident made
Israeli soldiers serving on the Occupied West
me re-think about a space of choice in decid-
Bank are teenage conscripts. We also had a
ing with whom to discuss this Palestinian-
few experienced larpers playing soldiers to add
Israeli conflict with from the people I meet in
some of the petty oppression and humiliation
my life.
emblematic of military occupation.
(Hamouri, 2015) In both runs, the extras surprised the play-

155
ers by how soldier-like they were. This made have kept using violence. For comparison, the
me reflect on what a militarized society we ANC (African National Congress) never aban-
Finns live in. In Finland, military service is doned the principle of violent resistance, not
mandatory for men, and voluntary for wom- even during the negotiations to end apartheid
en.1 As of 2013, almost 80 percent of Finnish in South Africa. It is also difficult to imagine
males of at least 30 years of age had completed such a statement from the Finnish govern-
the military service. (Purokuru, 2013) ment. But why should arguments for non-vi-
Palestinians, on the other hand, dont have olence be more outlandish in Finland, living
this systemic military training of half the pop- in peace, than in Palestine, which is under
ulation. Armed resistance to the occupation daily attacks?
is secretive and selective in nature, not some-
thing everybody is expected to participate in.
Thus, it probably doesnt occur to the Pales-
Cultural Exchange
tinian participants that acting like a soldier I have previously toyed with the idea of larp
comes naturally to many Finns. as experimental anthropology (Kangas, 2014b;
This also reflects dierent attitudes in our 2015). A game that reverses the roles of play-
societies about the idea of using violence to ers from two dierent cultural or social cate-
resist a hostile army. In Finland, its taken for gories can also be seen as a playful attempt to
granted that enemy soldiers crossing onto study culture. In a sense, it is a form of cultur-
Finnish soil will be shot and killed. A person al exchange. This aspect is heightened when
who questions this idea is not taken seriously the game has a contextualising debrief where
in the political mainstream. Even when peo- participants from the two groups share their
ple advocate reducing military expenses or re- experiences.
moving the mandatory service, they dont pro- Culture is often narrowly thought of as
mote non-violence in the face of an invasion. something connected to a geographical
In Palestine, the relation between violent area, as in the statement, culture is dierent
and non-violent resistance to military occu- in Palestine and Finland. Usually, language
pation is a major topic of debate. For exam- plays an important role, too; for example, En-
ple, Mahmoud Abbas, the acting president of glish-speaking countries seem like a connect-
the Palestinian Authority, has repeatedly con- ed cultural area, and language minorities with-
demned all violent resistance, even though the in a country are perceived as having their own
armed wing of Fatah, his party, practices it. In culture. However, there are cultural spheres
addition, the leader of the Palestinian National inside a country or a language area, and they
Initiative party, Mustafa Barghouti, who won are sometimes determined by social positions.
19 percent of the vote in the 2005 presidential For example, we can speak of male culture or
election, actively promotes non-violent resis- working class culture. These cultures frequent-
tance. (Rassbach, 2012) ly extend over the borders of national culture
Moreover, the PLO (Palestine Liberation and connect people more strongly than it
Organization), the official representative of doeswe may feel that we have more in com-
the Palestinian people, renounced violence mon with people who share our educational
when signing the Oslo Accords in the early background than with people who speak the
1990s, although various Palestinian groups same language.

1 It is possible for men to do a community service instead for reasons of conscience. However, a complete
refusal will lead to a prison sentence of about six months. Nevertheless, it is relatively easy to get exempt on
the grounds of physical or mental health.

156
 In a sense, everybody played their own cul- Bibliography
ture in Halat hisar. Although the political sit-
uation of Finland was modelled on Palestine, Ahlroth, Jussi. Two days and one night under
Finns didnt try to replicate for example, the occupationHalat hisar was a game about political
violence. Translated by Ville-Eemeli Miettinen.
ways family relations work in Palestine. The
Helsingin Sanomat, Aug 20, 2016 [date of access
culture in occupied Finland was based on real 19/09-2016] https://docs.google.com/document/
life Finnish culture, and Palestinian players d/1X3_PaDZnAgngCkeRqzSB3c02Ll2UQEARE
created the culture of the rich and democratic R9x_Kt4w7U/edit [No longer available]
Arab world. And yet, there were changes. The [The Finnish original: date of access 09/09-2016]
geopolitical power relations were altered; the http://www.hs.fi/kulttuuri/a1471579548971
roles of the global north and south switched.
Arab characters were privileged, and under the Hamouri, Majd. Experiencing life from a new angle.
In Birth of Larp in the Arab World. Edited by Ane
occupation, Finns were deprived of their basic
Marie Anderson, Riham Kharroub, Hilda Levin and
human rights. Mohamad Rabah. Rollespilsakademiet. 2015
One interesting aspect of the game was the
interaction between characters from these Kangas, Kaisa. Bringing the Occupation Home. In
two worlds. It was sometimes dierent from The Cutting Edge of Nordic LarpKnutbook 2014.
real-life communication between Palestinians Edited by Jon Back. Denmark. 2014a
and foreigners. This is no surprise, since the
roles were reversed, and we unconsciously re- Kangas, Kaisa: Experimental Anthropolohy at
KoiKoi, Veitsen alla, 2014b [date of access
act based on the socio-cultural positions that
09/09-2016] https://veitsenalla.wordpress.
we have grown used to. com/2014/07/13/experimental-anthropology-at-
Reflecting on this after the game can make koikoi/
us question our social roles and positions. It
raises the question of to what extent our cul- Kangas, Kaisa. Experimental Anthropology, Nordic
tural and social patterns are determined by Larp Talks. 2015 https://www.youtube.com/
power politics. How would they change if we watch?v=sCj93m9u3Xs
were put into a more or less fortunate position
in the world than the one we are in right now? Musleh, Loai. When I was a soldier. In Birth of Larp
in the Arab World. Edited by Ane Marie Anderson,
Killed in the Name of Honor did the same exper-
Riham Kharroub, Hilda Levin and Mohamad
iment by reversing gender roles. It would also Rabah. Rollespilsakademiet. 2015
be interesting to reverse class hierarchies this
way in larp. Pettersson, Juhana. Larp for Change. In The Cutting
In my Nordic Larp Talk on experimental an- Edge of Nordic LarpKnutbook 2014. Edited by Jon
thropology (Kangas, 2015), I argued that larp Back, Denmark: 2014a
cant really teach us how it is to live in e.g. a
hunter-gatherer society, but it can give us valu- Pettersson, Juhana. Interview: Zeid Khalil, a
able perspectives into our own culture. Similar- Palestinian participant. In Life Under Occupation: a
documentation book for the larp Halat Hisar. Edited
ly, playing the stories of others doesnt make us
by Juhana Pettersson. Finland: Pohjoismaisen
feel the same way they do or give us the same roolipelaamisen seura [Society for Nordic Role-
experiences they have had. However, togeth- playing] 2014b. p. 13 [date of access 09/09-2016]
er with a proper post-game contextualisation,
doing so can help us understand their situa- http://nordicrpg.fi/life_under_occupation.pdf
tion better, and build solidarity. At the same
time, playing out the stories of others can re-
veal something about ourselves and make us
see our social environments and positions in a
new light.

157
Purokuru, Pontus. Suomi liukuu kohti valikoivaa
asevelvollisuutta [Finland slides towards selective
Ludography
military service]. Kansan Uutiset, July 13,
2013 [date of access 09/09-2016] http://www. AbdulKarim, Fatima, Faris Arouri, Kaisa Kangas, Riad
kansanuutiset.fi/artikkeli/3023748-suomi-liukuu- Mustafa, Juhana Pettersson, Maria Pettersson,
kohti-valikoivaa-asevelvollisuutta Mohamad Rabah, Halat hisar. Parkano, Finland:
Pohjoismaisen roolipelaamisen seura (Society for
Nordic Role-playing) 2013
Rassbach, Elsa: An Interview With Dr. Mustafa
Barghouti. Counterpunch, 18/04-2012 [date of
access 01/06 -2017] Edland, Tor Kjetil and Hanne Grasmo. Just a Little
Lovin. Lunde Leirsted, Norway: 2011 and 2015
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/04/18/an-
interview-with-dr-mustafa-barghouti/ Edland, Tor Kjetil, Margrete Raaum and Trine Lise
Lindahl. Mad About the Boy. Norway: 2010
Sandqvist, Siri. Mad About the Boy and Its a
Mans World, In Larp RealiaAnalysis, Design, Fatland, Eirik, Irene Tanke et al. Europa. Lunde
and Discussion of Nordic Larp. Edited by Jukka Leirsted, Norway: 2001
Srkijrvi, Mika Loponen and Kaisa Kangas.
Solmohta 2016, ropecon ry: 2016. Gissn, Elin, Johan Nylin, Siri Sandquist and Staan
Fladvad. Its a Mans World. Vsters, Sweden: 2015
Steinbach, D: Refugees Are Welcome, In Larp
PoliticsSystems, Theory, and Gender in Action. Samad, Urieb, Riham Kharroub and Bisan Samamreh.
Edited by Kaisa Kangas, Mika Loponen and Jka Killed in the Name of Honor, Ramallah, Palestine:
Srkilrvi. Solmukohta 2016, ropecon ry: 2016. 2013

Palestinian players Bisan Samareh, wearing a beanie, and Riham Kharroub,front left, 2013.
Photograph: Tuomas Puikkonen https://www.flickr.com/photos/darkismus/

158
History, Herstory and Theirstory: for Thought
[character moment]
Representation of gender and class
As his handin larpsmywith a historical setting
touched
knee under the table, I
froze. Affection ment that Mo Holkar
he had lost control. The
next thing touching me
would be the
WHY LARP belt.HISTORY?
WITH school of larp design. For example, the
1970s Berlin of Heroes (Holkar, 2016)
Human history as a setting for larp goes studies attitudes towards the demon-
[Eda
back to the earliest daysUlfs,
of theBrudpris
formeven ised Other; and how similarities, once
to before larp wasinternational run]
identified as a special exposed, may resonate more strongly
kind of activity in its own right, in the com- than dierences. The distance of the
mittee games and fictionalised simulations setting helps to make clear the signifi-
that preceded the larp that we know today. cance of the themes in our own world.
And theres no denying the emotion-
What makes history so appealing?
al power and resonance of larping
The richness, range, and depth of the historical eventsperhaps those in
real historical tapestry is such as to which ones own ancestors, or na-
make it inexhaustibly appealing as a tional predecessors, might have been
source of larp material. From Ancient involved.
Egypt (Queen of Denial, Barnard and
But a larp design that draws upon history
Holkar, 2014) to medieval Britain (The
has, perhaps, first to consider the limitations
lists of Avalon, Barnard, Jones and
and biases of our societal defaults of histori-
Jones, 2011) to the Industrial Revo- [future of larp]
cal understanding and analysis.
[character
lution (Railwaysmoment]
and Respectability,
Barnard and Dall et al., 2007) to the I THE
already see a WITH
PROBLEM tendencyHISTORY of
Korean War (M*A*S*H: Brothers in growing diversity at larps,
My own
Arms, Barnard lifeand
felt
Dallfragile,
et al. 2013),
Weespecially
must recognise in that
age.our
I was 8 of
knowledge
when
theres I was standing
something for everyone. in And
months
history pregnant
is filtered at Viktors
by the (necessarily limited)
front of
provided the
you mirror,
avoid staring
exoticisation and
first larp, and he has
information that we have about it. We may
into the
respect eyes of
the people a sickthe whole
involved,
have access to written accounts from the
spectrum attended 7 larps altogether,
personisat available
her lastto you.
party. period: but who wrote them, and why? We
mostly historical fantasy. It is
Familiarity to participants is another may have artefacts, structures, and other
advantage: they may already be famil-
amazing to see, now that our
physical remains: but who has interpreted
iar with the[Beatrice,
chosen historical closest
them larp-community
to us? What assumptions didhas those
Justmilieu;
a reached a certain age and
or, if not, they can easily make them- interpreters make?
Little Lovin] stage of life, that larpers
selves familiar by using readily-avail- To generalise: surviving historicalalso
able reference materials. Compare the embrace the atmosphere
texts were largely written by educated of
difficulty of communicating familiarity andkids in the game, and make
wealthy men. And these texts, and
with a fictional setting whose details non-textual
them a historical
natural remains,
part ofhave
thealso
are only available in the minds of the until recently largely been discussed by
story. My son has been a
designers. educated and wealthy men. Even if the
werewolf
author baby,source
of your direct a zombie
is not in that
Historical settings lend themselves growth, an orc prince andwere
category, you have to ask: who then
readily to parallels and lessons related a baby. He adds something,
that authors sources?and to what extent
to life today, for the more instructive

161
 he isnt just a thing we have
Purokuru, Pontus. Suomi liukuu kohti valikoivaa to bring in order to come.
Ludography
asevelvollisuutta [Finland slides towards selective
military service]. Kansan Uutiset, July 13, Those of us that started as
2013 [date of access 09/09-2016] http://www. teens
AbdulKarim, and
Fatima, are
Faris now
Arouri, grownups
Kaisa Kangas, Riad
Mustafa, Juhana Pettersson, Maria Pettersson,
kansanuutiset.fi/artikkeli/3023748-suomi-liukuu- wont stop larping, and we
Mohamad Rabah, Halat hisar. Parkano, Finland:
kohti-valikoivaa-asevelvollisuutta
alreadyroolipelaamisen
Pohjoismaisen see 2nd and seuraeven
(Society for
Rassbach, Elsa: An Interview With Dr. Mustafa 3rd
Nordic gen larpers,
Role-playing) 2013 so in the
Barghouti. Counterpunch, 18/04-2012 [date of future I think we will have a
Edland, Tor Kjetil and Hanne Grasmo. Just a Little
access 01/06 -2017] more natural sense of age
Lovin. Lunde Leirsted, Norway: 2011 and 2015
http://www.counterpunch.org/2012/04/18/an-
diversion in character, and
interview-with-dr-mustafa-barghouti/ notKjetil,
Edland, Tor have to pretend
Margrete Raaum andthatTrine Lise
one 20-year-old is 402010
Lindahl. Mad About the Boy. Norway: and
Sandqvist, Siri. Mad About the Boy and Its a another is 15.
Fatland, Eirik, Irene Tanke et al. Europa. Lunde
Mans World, In Larp RealiaAnalysis, Design,
and Discussion of Nordic Larp. Edited by Jukka Leirsted, Norway: 2001
Srkijrvi, Mika Loponen and Kaisa Kangas. We are also amazed at how
Solmohta 2016, ropecon ry: 2016. larps
Gissn, Elin, (and
Johan Nylin,larpers) give
Siri Sandquist and Staan
Fladvad. Its a Mans World. Vsters, Sweden: 2015
something to our 2-year-old.
Steinbach, D: Refugees Are Welcome, In Larp
PoliticsSystems, Theory, and Gender in Action.
AfterRiham
Samad, Urieb, 3 days in the
Kharroub forest,
and Bisan Samamreh.
Edited by Kaisa Kangas, Mika Loponen and Jka Killedplaying
in the Namewith witches,
of Honor, Ramallah, fauns,
Palestine:
Srkilrvi. Solmukohta 2016, ropecon ry: 2016. 2013 orcs and humans, his speech

and motor skills had reached of Viktors generation will

a whole other level that sorely need that!
surprised the kindergarten
teachers! He is comfortable In Norway, however, there
around strangers, and he is is little ethnic diversity in
daring, but careful in playing larp. We are mostly ethnic
in real natural surroundings, Norwegians, and every now
and we are convinced larp and then some Swedes,
has helped with that. We and thats it. I would love
really hope that larp in the more people to come to
future can be used more Norway and larp, and of
towards teaching children course I would love to see
to be safe and secure in Norwegians of different
themselves, and in their ethnic backgrounds discover
surrounding people and our wonderful hobby.
enviroment. In the very
diverse larp-community,
Palestinian players Bisan Samareh, wearing a beanie, and Riham Kharroub,front left, 2013.
acceptance and respect
Photograph: Tuomasis [Viktor, 2.5
Puikkonen https://www.flickr.com/photos/darkismus/
a given, and I think children years, and
mom Kristine]
158
History, Herstory and Theirstory: For Thought
Representation of gender and class
in larps with a historical setting
Mo Holkar

WHY LARP WITH HISTORY? school of larp design. For example, the
1970s Berlin of Heroes (Holkar, 2016)
Human history as a setting for larp goes studies attitudes towards the demon-
back to the earliest days of the formeven ised Other; and how similarities, once
to before larp was identified as a special exposed, may resonate more strongly
kind of activity in its own right, in the com- than dierences. The distance of the
mittee games and fictionalised simulations setting helps to make clear the signifi-
that preceded the larp that we know today. cance of the themes in our own world.
And theres no denying the emotion-
What makes history so appealing?
al power and resonance of larping
The richness, range, and depth of the historical eventsperhaps those in
real historical tapestry is such as to which ones own ancestors, or na-
make it inexhaustibly appealing as a tional predecessors, might have been
source of larp material. From Ancient involved.
Egypt (Queen of Denial, Barnard and
But a larp design that draws upon history
Holkar, 2014) to medieval Britain (The
has, perhaps, first to consider the limitations
lists of Avalon, Barnard, Jones and
and biases of our societal defaults of histori-
Jones, 2011) to the Industrial Revo-
cal understanding and analysis.
lution (Railways and Respectability,
Barnard and Dall et al., 2007) to the
THE PROBLEM WITH HISTORY
Korean War (M*A*S*H: Brothers in
Arms, Barnard and Dall et al. 2013),
We must recognise that our knowledge of
theres something for everyone. And
history is filtered by the (necessarily limited)
provided you avoid exoticisation and
information that we have about it. We may
respect the people involved, the whole
have access to written accounts from the
spectrum is available to you.
period: but who wrote them, and why? We
Familiarity to participants is another may have artefacts, structures, and other
advantage: they may already be famil- physical remains: but who has interpreted
iar with the chosen historical milieu; them to us? What assumptions did those
or, if not, they can easily make them- interpreters make?
selves familiar by using readily-avail- To generalise: surviving historical
able reference materials. Compare the texts were largely written by educated
difficulty of communicating familiarity and wealthy men. And these texts, and
with a fictional setting whose details non-textual historical remains, have also
are only available in the minds of the until recently largely been discussed by
designers. educated and wealthy men. Even if the
author of your direct source is not in that
Historical settings lend themselves
category, you have to ask: who then were
readily to parallels and lessons related
that authors sources?and to what extent
to life today, for the more instructive

161
did they question them? So for example And it seeks to demonstrate how historical
Georgette Heyer wrote a feminised take on changes that we traditionally ascribe to
the British Regency period (Heyer, 1935), in great men are often more the product of
which women have a greater focus than in inexorable social forces rising from below.
historical accounts of the period. But she In A Peoples History of the United States,
restricted her scope to the same narrow Howard Zinn (1980) says: The history of
upper section of society that had been any country, presented as the history of a
depicted by Jane Austen; and she restricted family, conceals fierce conflicts of interest
her research largely to the use of materials (sometimes exploding, most often repressed)
left by educated and wealthy men and to the between conquerors and conquered, masters
study of decor and costume, rather than to and slaves, capitalists and workers, domina-
establishing what might have been going on tors and dominated in race and sex. And in
in the world outside those stately imagined such a world of conflict, a world of victims
drawing-rooms. Whether, as an educated and executioners, it is the job of thinking
and wealthy woman herself, Heyer had any people, as Albert Camus suggested, not to be
interest in the lives of the poor and under- on the side of the executioners.
privileged of that period, we do not know: In larp, even more than in history, positive
but she certainly didnt write about them. If portrayals of characters are importantbe-
you draw your larp-design inspiration from cause they must be playable. Endowing your
historical fiction rather than directly from female and poor characters with aordanc-
history, you run the risk of inadvertently be- es that may not have been demonstrated in
ing on the wrong end of a filter of this type. the traditional historical record is going to
make them more interesting to play, as well
OTHER HISTORIES as serving the political end of representation.
For sure, larp the executioners, theyll be in-
The study of womens history, and peoples teresting to play: but the victims dont have
history (ordinary people, as distinct from to be just oppression-fodder.
those in power), gives new and fascinating A straightforward example of this kind of
perspectives on familiar historical settings. other history in larp is Winson Green Prison
Other history is of its nature a kind (Sandquist and Gthberg, 2016). It portrays
of revisionismit asserts that tradition- the women who fought for the equal right
al historical accounts are partial and/or to vote, and the men who loved thempeo-
incomplete. Womens history draws attention ple who at the time were weak, oppressed
to the roles of women throughout history; and despised by society, but who have been
it studies the lives and works of individual vindicated by history. Their struggles are
women, and groups of women, of note moving and aecting, but we know that they
and otherwise; it examines the eects of were in the right and that their descendants
historical events on women; and so on. It will see them as heroes. This makes for a
necessarily questions the privileged values good playable mix of struggle and satisfac-
assigned by traditional history to the lives tion.
and activities of men. It may also identify
situations where womens actual contribu- HISTORICAL RESPONSIBILITY
tions have been neglected or belittled, at the IN LARP
time or subsequently.
In the same way, peoples history, also When looking at and working with historical
known as history from below, looks at his- events and settings via the medium of larp,
torical events and developments from the designers may feel that they owe a respon-
point of view of ordinary people rather than sibility to the people of those times to rep-
leaders. It proactively focuses on the lives resent them fairly: to not skew or downplay
of the poor, the dispossessed, and those the depictions of those who have been ne-
who in general have no access to power. glected or diminished by traditional histori-

162
cal accounts. This is not always easy: but its a looking at the war experiences of women; as
worthwhile use of time. As well as helping to aviators, refugees, internees, partisans, driv-
make your design more responsible and un- ers, or factory workers. It ably demonstrates
derstanding, it will also help to make it more the range and variety of play experience that
interesting and original. There have been can be generated from examining a straight-
countless historical larps in which powerful forward other-historical premise.
people take key decisions while lesser folk fill
in the background around them: how much
fresher and more entertaining to find stories
in which women, or ordinary common peo-
ple can take focus. For example, Dulce et de-
corum est (Rider Hill, 2012) depicts a noble
family and their influential friends, engaging
in political discussion around a dinner table
in an English country house in the runup to
World War IIa solid and well-proven style
of larp setting. Meanwhile Love Letter (Curd,
Gammans, McCormick and Perry, 2015) ex-
A revolutionary woman in Beyond the Barricades.
amines the lives of a group of ordinary En-
Photo: Eva Wei
glish village dwellers as the same war impacts
upon themthe eects on those who fight,
and those who are left behindcaused by THE MYTH OF AUTHENTICITY
the decisions of remote politicians to whom
the larp makes no direct reference. Both are One argument sometimes given for the dom-
successful designs in their own terms, but inance of wealthy males in historical larps is
one is doing something much more unusual that this exercise of privilege is authentic for
than the other. the period being depicted, and that to show
St Croix (Stamnestr and Voje, 2015) opens otherwise would be a falsity.
the question of how a power disparity be- Quite apart from the question of whether
tween charactersin this case, slaves and the facts about the period upon which this
slave-ownerscan generate good play for view is based are correct or not (as discussed
both parties. Slaves have authority over very earlier, the filter over historical materials is
little, not even their own bodies: how do you a highly selective one), it can be argued that
empower those players in the larp?what the whole notion of authenticity is specious.
aordances do they have available? Brudpris Its impossible to larp the 16th century
(Linder and Dahlberg, 2015) partly answered from the point of view of the 21st century:
this question by giving its oppressed female all you can ever do is larp an approach to the
characters an unhistorical sexual domi- 16th century, which emerges from the con-
nanceso those players were able to com- text in which youre designing.
pensate, during sexual encounters, for lack Our contemporary view of the 16th cen-
of agency in other areas of play. tury is very dierent from that of historians
Beyond the Barricades (Wei and Gthberg, of fifty years ago; and in fifty years time it
2015) brings vividly to life the Parisian revo- will be dierent again. And as an artistic cre-
lution of 1832: the sides are clear, but ones ator rather than a simulator, a larp design-
relationship to the people alongside whom er will draw out themes and messages that
one stands might not beespecially when resonate particularly strongly with their own
unity starts to break down. This design al- contemporary audience. Just as performanc-
lows for a nuanced approach to social class, es of the play Hamlet take on new directions
and to the development of trust. and resonances depending on the political
War Birds (Turkington and Eriksen et al., and social currents of the time when theyre
2016) is a collection of six freeforms and larps being performed, so too do runs of the larp

163
 Characters in the 2015 run of Just a Little Lovin, celebrating their otherness. Photograph: Arvid Bjrklund

Inside Hamlet (Krauklis and Ericsson et al., than to the actual history of the period. And
2000; Ericsson et al., 2015). a larp set at the 17th-century court of Lou-
Deliberate inauthenticityfor example, is XIV is almost certain to be drawing more
giving women more prominent and high- heavily on the (19th-century) Musketeers
er-status rolesshould not be seen as a be- novels of Alexandre Dumas than on docu-
trayal of historical truth. Rather, it can allow ments of the period.
a designer to re-contextualise history more This is no bad thingresonance with
eectively for their audience. For example, your intended players is more likely to be
Oss imellom (Hatlestrand and Edland, 2015) found within media with which theyre fa-
includes working-class homosexuals in a miliarbut its another filter to be aware of.
middle-class-based organisation that histor- Reading Dumas, one would think that all
ically would have excluded them, so as better warrior men are strong and masculine, while
to present the variety of homosexual experi- women are weak, passive, or conniving, but
ence in 1950s Norway. To skew your design we know, from the existence of historical fig-
in this way, against the power balance of the ures such as La Maupin, Philippe of Orleans,
traditional historical message, is to raise up and the Chevalier dEon, that the 17th-cen-
living underprivileged people against those tury French court was a much more gender-
dead people who have been privileged by the queer world than the 19th-century novelist
conventional narrative. was happy to admit, and the cowboys of the
real Old West were often black, and some-
MEDIA AND MESSAGE times women. By looking into history as
well as your entertainment-media sources,
It may be that actually, designing larp di- you can broaden your representation with-
rectly from the historical record is not your out moving too far away from the material
approach. Rather, you might be designing to with which your players are familiar. And
convey the flavour of media works (books, you should be honest with yourself, and
films) set in that period. A larp set in the Old with your players, about whether your game
West is perhaps more likely to be responding is aiming primarily to be history-based or
to a particular sub genre of Western movie fiction-based.

164
TECHNIQUES FOR REPRESENTATION Dont be afraid of inauthenticityif you
feel you need to, you should deliber-
Look beneath the surfaceseek out ately adjust the historical truths to
other histories as well as mainstream better make the range of stories that
ones. By now, womens and peoples you seek. Its larp; not re-enactment.
history are well enough established
Check inif you are yourself wealthy
that a wide range of historical periods
and/or educated and/or male, make
have been covered by these approach-
sure that youre not inadvertently car-
es.
rying your own societys tacit assump-
Look at the sourcestake in actual tions into the design. Involve people
history, as well as media depictions of from other groups in your work
the period. You may find that the way build more balanced perspectives by
the history has been portrayed on the working together.
page or on screen is quite dierent
from modern historians understand-
ing of it.
THE ENDS OF HISTORY
Ask the logical questionsif women
arent mentioned in the orthodox A historical setting for a larp can be a won-
account, why might that be? Where derful thing, but it can also be a painful and
were they, and what were they doing? betraying thing. You can make sure that
What place did poorer people have in youre giving your design ideas, and the play
the economy? aspirations of your larpers, the maximum op-
portunity to express themselves by engag-
Turn the familiar face of history
ing with history critically, by putting in the
aroundfor example, war histories of-
exploratory work around it, and by looking
ten focus on men who are away fight-
for stories that havent been told.
ing, or on the portrayal of the victors
When it all comes together just right,
as uncontested heroes. How about
you can be sure that your larp design and its
those family members who stayed at
enaction will earn their own places in the
home?what can you find out about
history of the artform. Take a look at Just a
them, that could make for interesting
Little Lovin (Edland and Grasmo, 2011)the
larp?1 How about the experiences of
story of an assortment of people with little in
those who were defeated?
common apart from their relentless other-
Turn over stoneswhy are some ing by the media and those in power, finding
periods of history frequently visited community together, turning suering into
by larp, and others neglected? Whose loverespectfully told, solidly researched,
stories are still out there, waiting for and thoroughly contextualised. A larp like
a larp designer to pick them up and this brings its history to raging, pounding
reflect them as something wonderful? lifeand makes its messages speak to our
hearts and to our minds.
Challenge your own assumptions
however well you think you know the
period, you may without realising it be
stuck in a skewed account given by a
partial historian or fiction writer. Find
another source, and see if it backs up
or counters your belief.

1 Heroes of the Hearth (Jackson, 2015) is a tabletop RPG that looks at this situation.

165
 Edland, Tor Kjetil and Hanne Grasmo. Just a Little
BIBLIOGRAPHY Lovin. Lunde Leirsted, Norway: 2011

Heyer, G., Regency Buck, London: William Ericsson, Martin, Bjarke Pedersen and Johanna
Heinemann. 1935 Koljonen. Inside Hamlet. Copenhagen,Denmark:
Odyss. 2015
Jackson, Stiainin. Heroes of the Hearth, London:
Pelgrane Press. 2015 Hatlestrand, Jeanita. and Tor Kjetil Edland. Oss
imellom. Oslo, Norway: 2015
Zinn, Howard. A Peoples History of the United States,
New York: Harper & Row. 1980 Holkar, Mo.V., Heroes. Organised by Mo V. Holkar.
2016
Krauklis, Daniel, Martin Ericsson, Holger Jacobsson,
LUDOGRAPHY Mattias Gullbandsson, Carl Heath and Anders
Wendin. Hamlet Inifrn. Organised by Elsa Helin
Barnard, Nickey, Philippa Dall, Jerry Elsmore, and Samantha Bonnevier. 2000
Steve Hatherley, Sue Lee, Tony Mitton, Donald
Oddy, Andrew J. Smith, Mike Snowden and Julie Linder, Anna-Karin and Carolina Dahlberg. Brudpris.
Winnard. Railways and Respectability. Organised Norway: Organised by Tor Kjetil Edland and
by Sue Lee, Alison Rider Hill, Andrew J. Smith Trine Lise Lindahl. 2015
and Jane Winter. 2007
Rider Hill, Alison ., Dulce et decorum est, Organised
Barnard, Nickey, Philippa Dall, Tony Mitton, Alison by Alison Rider Hill and Karim Kronfli. 2012
Rider Hill and Natalie Spindler. M*A*S*H:
Sandquist, Siri. and Rosalind Gthberg. Winson
Brothers in Arms, Organised by Nickey Barnard,
Green Prison. 2016
Nick Curd and Alison Rider Hill. 2013
Turkington, Moyra, Ann Kristine Eriksen, Kira
Barnard, Nickey and Holkar, Mo V., Queen of Denial.
Magrann, Shoshana Kessock and Wendy
Organised by Nickey Barnard and Mo V. Holkar.
Gorman. War Birds. Unruly Designs, In press.
2014
2016
Barnard, Nickey, Helen Jones and Martin Jones. The
Stamnestr, Anne Marie and Adrian Angelico Voje.
Lists of Avalon. 2011
St Croix. Noresund, Norway: 2015
Curd, Nick, Roger Gammans, Elyssia McCormick
Wei, Eva and rosalind Gthberg. Beyond the
and Richard Perry. Love Letter. Organised by
Barricades. Sweden: 2015
Roger Gammans and Su Jolly. 2015

(Thanks to Liz Lovegrove and Becky

Annison for their help and ideas during
the writing of this article.)

166
Body Playground Framework
Physicalising play, gamifying physicality
Blaz Branc

Introduction: accepted my invitation to create a playful

journey of movement, dance and role-play
a personal account for those who would otherwise never attend a
Ive never considered myself a dancer. Even to- dancing workshop.
day when I hear a dance teacher say: OK, lets
impro dance now, I get nervous thinking But What is Body Playground
I am not a dancer. And then I do dance and
I usually enjoy it. Psychologically speaking,
framework?
the voice saying Im not a dancer is the same Before we dive into the story, I wish to attempt
voice that claims but I am a creative person. a definition of what the framework is and
It is funny how ideas we have about ourselves what it does.
define us and thus limit us. Body Playground is a framework for gam-
At Fio training1 our impro dance teacher ifying physicality and at the same time, a
Goran Bogdanovski chooses a dierent tactic: framework for physicalising games.
he tells us were going to play a game. Five min- The result is a role-playing game, played
utes later it would be obvious to an innocent out purely physically, with bodies only.
bystander that in the studio there are people Within the realm of physical expression the
dancing. But in my mind, Im not dancing per mind is not needed for its creative/analytic ca-
se. Its not an activity that would require me to pacities. What is needed is not the mind at all,
be a dancer. Its just playing. but its parent: consciousness.
This article is a rather personal account Ill go a step further: something is being ex-
that would have you believe its a story about pressed through the body, yet I know that it
one guy who discovered he enjoys dancing. would be a limited perspective to say that it is
And its true. In a grander scheme, the person- me that is being displayed.
al story serves as a departure point, an insight Contemporary dance artist and teacher Mi-
into why and how this discovery led me into chael Klien led a Social choreography dance
creating a fully physical larp, Isabelle, for the seminar in Ljubljana back in 2013. In the intro-
purpose of demonstrating larp to a group of duction to his Parliament game, he gave us a
movement and dance teachers, a group who few rules. One of them was: dont be creative.

1 http://www.ficobalet.org/

167
 You can imagine how I immediately felt peace. I enjoyed all those years of we will
compromised. Why not creative? Ive always make you smarter and more successful intel-
been considered a creative person, especially lectual workshops. But returning home after
by myself. So, taking the creative away from the grab-a-partner and make-a-nice-circle
the person, what is left? The person, exactly. physical workshops, something was resolved,
The aim of Parliament was to actually remove restored, appreciated. Peaceful, for no partic-
even the person. Now what is left? The body. ular reason; a peace that is not achieved by
Here is the departure point for beauty. It is not strenuous discipline, but one that just is.
true that only the body remains. Awareness is This was the biggest breakthrough mo-
still here. Therefore inspiration, spontaneity, ment in my professional path both as an edu-
impulses, intimacy, warmth and love are free cator and as a game and gamification designer.
to shine through and with the body at any What joy I would miss out on if I insisted on
time. No person there to judge or limit them. my not a dancer identification. And what a
No person there (Branc, 2015a) to expect them blessing for accidentally dropping in to those
to shine brighter or in a more unique fashion. early workshops!
Simply put: a dance is for dancers, while
a game is for anyone who feels like playing.
What is so wonderful about
There is universality both in play and in game.
the whole physicality thing?
I was starting to realise that anything could
In my experience, physicality and especially
be designed as a game, thus inviting people
physical play is the source of happiness and

168 Above: Body Playground Poster Created by: Janes Molicnik

to play without imposing a barrier of their with a dominant coworker/boss. Basically the
pre-existing identification (e.g. a non-dancer). question is how to handle the alpha in a peace-
If this proved to be true, anything could be en- ful way while not submitting.
joyed by anyone. All it would take is openness The answer is you cannot handle an al-
to play. And a game designer, surely. pha with your intellect alone. Unless youre
Yoda, you need to tackle the communica-
tion from the ground up, starting on a phys-
How physical games turn
ical level. You gotta use hands to handle.
to super-powers
Actually, you need to dance with the alpha
After discovering contact improvisation
first and reason with them later. First you
(Branc, 2013) back in 2013, I have started to
build trust on an animalistic level, using the
use physical games in my serious work with
body. Then you recognise it, articulate it and
(mostly business) professionals. Yup, bring-
gain understanding. The alpha, once they feel
ing the joy of physicality into workshops and
understood, will discuss things very rationally
training aimed at developing mental super
and eectively.
powers :) Im talking about sales, conflict reso-
I discovered that fifteen minutes of physi-
lution, team leadership, creativity and innova-
cal games connect participants more than four
tion. Later, I was using physical games in the
hours of talking, since talking usually means
warm-up phase of running a larp too.
feeding ourselves each others personalities.
Sometimes participants ask me how one
With physical games, theres not much
might tackle a difficult customer or a conflict

169
room and appreciation for personality, really. The team was: Goran Bogdanovski (Fico
Theres just human beings in contact, playing Balet, SI), Sandra Anais (Dance Ecology, SI),
for the love of playing, naturally setting them- Christian Peter2 (Triko Teatar/HR), Jasper
selves (more) open and thus, more free. What Dzuki Jelen (The100Hands,3 NL) and Mojra
bigger super power can there be than that? Vogelnik Skerlj (The100Hands, NL). With five
Working on the level of the body is not less movement professionals and one game de-
advanced stu. It is more deep. Most in the signer (me), the journey began.
moment and true. And people tend to respond
powerfully to the true.
The process
Moment of epiphany
No concept
One Sunday morning after New Years of
Following the initial idea, I wanted to make
2015, a picture flashed in my minds eye. I saw
a compilation of existing physical games and
a group of regular people who attend a days
design a simple journey. The team found my
workshop where they only get to play the best
idea good but ultimately over-simplistic. They
of workshop games. You know the games I
had a need for a concept. Something deep and
mean: theyre called icebreakers and ener-
profound, really.
gisers. What they have in common is they are
usually physical, simple and often played out Blaz: No, no. Nothing artsy. Lets just put
without speaking. The picture I saw filled me the best games together, make a smart order
with joy. so we dont exhaust people before lunch, and
I needed to only gather a group of physi- play!
cal teachers and make a compilation of games
Team: But Blaz, whats the point in doing
they use either as energisers or as an exercise
that?
to teach a concept in a game-like way.
When I say physical I mean various meth- Blaz: To play!
ods of movement: contemporary dance, con-
Team: And that would be enough? We have
tact improvisation, embodied archetypes, cir-
to at least have some story, no?
cus pedagogy, and martial arts.
Blaz: Please, no. Lets, for once, create some-
thing simple. No big idea. Just a compilation
of games and a full-day playful journey.
Team: Yes, but what kind of games, really?
Blaz Well... I guess they would mainly fall
into one of the two categories: Fun or Deep.
Team: What is deep?
Blaz: Well... you know... em...
Team: You see, we need a concept. Some-
thing meaningful.

2 Youll find more of his work here: http://www.trikocirkusteatar.com/

3 Contact and work here: https://the100hands.com/

170 Above: Photograph by Blaz Branc

I enjoyed arguing the idea of no idea. Usual- basic game elements we would be using were:
ly, in my business life, I develop concepts and game-world, context, roles (individual or col-
just generally work to give things meaning and lective), rules, game master and mechanics.
purpose. This time, I enjoyed advocating the The team realised we would need not just
lets not complicate things and felt devilish one afternoon, but a few days together, to real-
good about myself. ly design something special. In the meantime,
Ive learned that when someone says lets I have accepted the demand for a concept and
not complicate things it really means I dont gave in: yes, lets make something extraordi-
have the energy to make this project meaning- nary.
ful for all stakeholders. Which is, again, a pity. End of May 2015, we organised a co-teach-
ing design camp. We took four full days to de-
Processlean development sign the playful journey, now officially being
(towards a concept) called Body Playground.
I realised I would not be able to keep them on- We were a machine, developing games out
board if I stuck to the idea of no idea. So I pro- of existing routines. We were happy; some
posed we develop the project in the fashion of games worked like a charm. The support team
lean development: build something small fast, were also our test bunnies, playtesting stu
test it, learn, remake. Repeat. immediately after it was created.
We agreed everybody would prepare about What the team felt was we lacked a general
45 minutes of material: either games (such as story to embrace our games as one meaning-
energisers) or exercises that could be turned ful unit. And the story would also need a main
into physical games. The feedback was that the event, a climax. We had plenty of material to
instructions were not clear. What is a game? build up, to deepen, to cool down. But to what
What is an exercise with a potential to become end?
a game? After a failed attempt to introduce my
latest invention, The Three Kingdoms, as the
Jammin central game and the all-embracing-story, we
The team gathered in Ljubljana in February were quite devastated. To make things worse,
2015. Everybody ran their material. At the end we were brave enough to schedule a public,
of the jam, we wrote all the materials on a commercial run the day after we would return
white-board and looked at it through dierent from Rovinj. There was no escaping: we need-
lenses: fun vs. deep, energising versus relaxing, ed to finish our design.
short versus (too) long. The teammates who played Isabelle insisted
Three weeks later we met at Medika cen- we run it again, this time with Jasper, Mojra
tre in Zagreb. In the meantime, we all made and me playing, while Kiki would act as the
a new list of materials we wanted to run. I in- game master (storyteller). I kept refusing. It
troduced Isabelle and Isabelle, the silent LARP worked so fantastically great at its playtest
(Branc, 2016 and Branc, 2015b), got its first I didnt want to ruin the memory of it. But
playtest. A hit if ever I wrote one! In the de- then, what is one leader against his team? So
brief, they wouldnt stop talking, trying to we played Isabelle again. This time, the larp
understand what happened and what is this exploded with emotion. Bleed-out lasted for
animal, the larp. Sandra exclaimed: Of course days.
we cant stop discussing. This larp thingits It was decided. Isabelle was our focal point,
so psychological! the meaning, the climax.
We continued to invent and playtest mate- Its high time you met Isabelle.
rial. The 3rd Jam was about game design theo-
ry. I held a little lecture. We decided the most

171
Isabelle, a larp with no words Larp bio

Genre: romantic drama

About
Time net (game run + character coaching),
Isabelle is a black box larp for five players that
excluding brief and debrief): 60 minutes
uses no language, no mime and no sound (ex-
cept for naturally and spontaneously occur- Time gross (including brief, debrief and
ring bodily sounds). Characters communicate warm-up workshop): 150 minutes+
solely with their body positions, bodily move-
Players: 5-25 (5 individual roles, up to 20
ment, physical interaction and shining in-
collective roles)
tent to convey their needs and wants.
Game master: 1
Story
Game mastering work-load: Easy (requires
competences in facilitating movement/dance
exercises)
Playing style: silent, physical, light, playful,
meditative
Supported languages: English, Slovene
Costumes: none required
Props: none required
Music: Gerardo FrisinaMovement, Yael
NaimEndless Song of Happiness, Laren
PZBlack Lady, Gotan ProjectCit Tango,
Interstellar O.S.T.Cornfield Chase

The playful journeys design:

Body Playground framework

Designoverall
Our playful journey revolved around this
Photograph Isabelle Bryber
structure:
The story revolves around a young woman 1. Brief and introduction to playful,
named Isabelle. Her Father, a powerful man silent physicality
in a traditional society, decides it is time she
2. Meeting the Storyteller (with eyes
married. He chooses two men for her and
closed)
gives her the choice to choose one to become
her husband. Isabelles Mother will make sure 3. Storytellers memoriesthe vignettes
Isabelle makes the right choice even if she has
4. Enter the present: Isabelle larp
to influence her own husband, the patriarch.
The Sage sees the event revolving around en- 5. Debrief
gagement as Isabelles final lesson.

172
1. Players understand what theyre getting Designvignettes (memories)
themselves into. No speaking, no acting,
Each vignette (a memory in Storytellers jar-
no telegraphing.
gon) is either a contextualised game based
2. Enter the journey. With eyes closed, upon a physical exercise, a physicalised table-
players imagine being in the home of top game, a mixture thereof, or an original
Storyteller, the main game master and game created during the jams.
host. On a side note: only the game
master is allowed to speak. An example a vignette:
3. The Storyteller is an old friend of the
The red and blue spies
Family of Isabelle. He tells stories, his
favourite memories (the vignettes) Memory owner (by character): Marcus
about The Family to his visitors (the
Context: Naval Academy training
players). After explaining the basics
of each memory, a magical moment Game master as character: The Drill
happens and players find themselves instructor
inside the memory, actively taking part
Players as collective character: Stu-
in it, instead of just hearing about it.
dents
Each memory belongs to one of the
characters of Isabelles family. A game Duration: 15 minutes (first play is for
master acts as that character, while the learning the rules)
players also become characters from the
Plot: The Drill instructor is leading
memory, having a collective role (e.g.
a class on International Espionage.
students at the Academy for Alchemy
Students take the roles of either Red
and Spiritual sciences). After a memory
or Blue spies. Red spies hug when they
is experienced, the game master invites
meet. Blue spies shake hands. If a Red
the players to relax, sit down and close
and Blue spy meet, upon realising their
their eyes. Storyteller takes over, makes
greeting gestures are not compatible,
some concluding remarks about the
they do a butt bump.
particular memory and begins to share
a new memory. See all vignettes in the Aim: Players have eight game rounds of
chapter Acknowledgements. greeting to discover the Double Agent.
The Double Agent always returns the
4. After about four hours of playing out
type of greeting gesture that is oered
the memories from Isabelles family, the
to him/her. If the players dont recog-
Storyteller invites the players to come
nize the Double Agent before the end
and see what is happening in Isabelles
of eigth game round, the Agent sets o
home now.
a bomb, all agents die, and the world
Players playing the Isabelle larp thus peace summit fails.
play out the actual event, instead of
Twist: Of course, all roles are assigned
hearing about it.
with eyes closed, thus preventing play-
5. Out-of-character routines. Overall ers knowing their identities.
debrief and feedback from players. The
Author: Blaz Branc
game master explains the design and
theory behind the experience (such as
bleed-out.)

173
Conclusions Epilogue
A year has since passed. I have being using After the 2nd run of the Playful journey:
some vignettes in my training courses and For me, working with Robert and running the
workshops, as ice-breakers and energisers, al- project for the 2nd time, speaks volumes:
beit stripping them of context.
Body Playground: Isabelle is rerunnable.
What I learned generally in game design is:
if a mechanic can be redesigned into a physi- It could potentially be run by anyone
cal mechanic, do it. Physicality connects and experienced in facilitating physical exer-
speaks to body and mind, is free of language cises and role-playing games.
barriers; its a highway to the solar plexus and
It is flexible in its modular design:
the heart, therefor making it a powerful agent
vignettes can easily be added, removed,
of player experience.
modified.
In April 2016 I was contacted by Robert
Hnn, a yoga teacher. He explained he was fin- Spreading the experience: a contribution
ishing teaching a class of teacher candidates, to the nordic larp scene:
a master class. He was planning a weekend To my knowledge, Body Playground: Isa-
retreat that would be spent in silence. Having belle, first run publicly in May 2015, is a double
seen my work with larp, he was interested to innovation. It has achieved two things:
run a larp for his students. Body Playground:
gamification (larpification) of physical
Isabelle seemed like a perfect match.
methods, exercises and routines.
But I was self-conscious: how do I run the
journey without my team? Surely I was not physicalisation of classical pen and
competent to run all those vignettes. Im no paper and similar games.
dancing teacher.
To my knowledge, a somewhat similar larp
Robert promised his support and suggested
had been created before. In Fair Verona, de-
we run it together.
scribed in detail by Lizzie Stark in her book
I re-examined the vignettes. I excluded the
Leaving Mundania (Stark, 2012), used tango as
ones that I felt were the most difficult to facil-
means of communication, instead of players
itate and added some new ones.
using language. Later, the Czech larping com-
Robert took over Energetica, the warm-up
munity created Dance Macabre. Surely, other
vignette. In this vignette players experience
silent, movement-based larps exist out there,
Sages memory (Isabelles teacher) of the old
White Death for example. Ironically, I havent
days at the Academy. Sage remembers Pro-
played any of the three.
fessor Chi and his famous morning warm-up
Considering my professional involve-
routine. Disguised in the memory is Roberts
ment, I hope for two futures to happen:
movement exercise called Evolution. Players
are being led through the exercises. They begin I hope the nordic larp community will
by moving as a bacteria, fish, they move out of benefit from Body Playgrounds work on
the ocean and onto solid ground, become rep- physicalising play.
tiles and finally humans, moving every time as
I hope facilitators and teachers in gen-
the particular species.
eral will come to learn the benefits of
And so, in May 2016, twenty more souls
gamification (larpification, really).
have taken a part in the Playful journey. Ac-
cording to players feedback, the journey was Most of all, I hope to see the Body Play-
beautiful, something that no one had experi- ground framework used by other dance/move-
enced before. ment, and larp professionals.

174
Bibliography
Branc, Blaz. Rejection, a Clash of Personalities. Baltazar
Marketing. Transcript. 2015a http://www.baltazar.
si/blog/knudepunkt-talk-rejection-a-clash-of-
personalities
Branc, Blaz. Community Body / skupnostno telo: How
to start subtle and grow slow. Baltazar Marketing.
Blogpost. 01/07-2013 http://www.baltazar.si/blog/
community-body-skupnostno-telo
Blaz Branc. Isabelle, a LARP with no words. Baltazar
Marketing. Blogpost. 15/05-2016 http://www.
baltazar.si/blog/isabelle-a-larp-with-no-words
Branc, Blaz. Body Playground Framework. 2016 http://
sandraanaisvidim.wixsite.com/dance-ecology/
body-playground-framework
Stark, Lizzie. Leaving Mundania: Inside the
Transformative World of Live Action Role-Playing
Games. Chicago, USA: Chicago Review Press. 2012

Ludography
Branc, Blaz. Isabelle. Zagreb, Croatia: 2015b

Bruun, Jasper and Tue Beck Olling. In Fair Verona.

Stockholm, Sweden: 2012

Bryan, Mikuls, Kateina Bryanov, Kateina

Holendov, Monika Kadakov et al., Dance
Macabre. Praha, Czech Republic. 2012

Essendrop, Nina Runa and Simon Steen Hansen.

White Death. Copenhagen, Denmark: 2012

175
Playing in But first, a few definitions:
Character: The given or created fictional

Love
person that the player plays out during
the larp.

Player: The player is the real person

Charles Bo Nielsen
playing the larp. If I write player I am
talking about the person playing the
Illustrations by Karoline Cleo Lrke Hatting
character.
First a little intro:
Out-of-character: Clarifying happen-
ings between the players and not the
At the end of July 2016 at the Danish Larp
character.
Organiser Summer School, Jeppe and Maria
Bergmann Hamming and I agreed to do a
Bleed: Bleed is a term used for real life
talk at the Danish KP-light event called
emotions being mixed the fictional
Forum16. The talk was about playing in love,
emotions of the character. For example,
us sharing our insights and experiences from
playing in love might spark emotions for
playing romance and intimate relations in
the player out-of-character.
larp.
Creating/distributing play: The concept
This in turn inspired me to write an article
of being considerate of other players ex-
about this topic for this years KP book.
perience and creating hooks, action and
It has since then become quite a topic of
stories for them to play along, including
controversy and interest. I have taken a lot
people in your play or simply supporting
of inspiration from Karin Edman and Oliver
their story.
Nglebks blog posts (2016 & 2016) on the
topic and from Jeppe and Maria Bergmann
Outing Secrets: For other players to
Hamming.1
react to a secret, they need a way to find
out. Outing secrets is about leaving clues
What is love?! for your characters secrets or exposing
the secrets of other characters. This
Love and romance can be a great engine for often creates play.
play in larps. Youve always got something to
do, and always have something to talk about. Opting out: Saying no, choosing to avoid
By getting better at using love relations to play. Having the option to leave. This is
distribute and create play I believe you will important to feel comfortable and safe.
find it easier to avoid the love relations get-
ting awkward and out-of-character. Opting in: Saying yes, choosing to
engage in play. Having the option to take

1 Personal Communication.

176
 part. This is important to feel included now have about a month to prepare with
and clarifying to others you approve of said player and involve others in the drama.
their play. Use that time. It doesnt have to be 24/7,
but engage in conversation with your future
Meta technique: A mechanic to commu- partner in crime and figure out expectations.
nicate information between the players,
which isnt clear to the characters. Exam- First things first, Facebook is a great tool to
ple: Inner monologue is a meta tech- find love and to talk about it. You likely got
nique where a player explains what their a name of the player to play a relation with,
character is thinking to the surrounding find them on Facebook and just write super
players, giving them out-of-character casually: Hey are you X? If so let us talk
information they can use in play. about our relation for larp Y. Please avoid
starting an in-game conversation with your
Telegraphing: Telegraphing play is long lost partner or something confusing
putting CAPITAL letters on your com- like that. Be straight to the point and short.
munication, making it clear for other Give the other player a chance to read and
players to take notice. It can be done by ready themselves for the conversation.
changing the tone of your voice or in
other ways emphasising information to Once you have established contact, con-
a co-player. firmed that this is the right person, and they
also know you are playing a love relation
With this out of the way, let us get directly
together, here is a few things to talk about:
into the good stu. Playing in love! Endless
fiction and movies have been dedicated to
EXPECTATIONS:
the topic and it is a great tool for drama. For-
First of all, how do you feel about this larp
bidden love, secret love, family love, dying
and what do you expect from the larp and
love, insane love or everyday cozy love. Love
your relation? How much time do you both
can be the main theme of the larp or it can
want to put into the relation? Is it more of
be the main theme of your experience or just
a side quest for your plot or is it the main
a small part of your play, either way practise
focus of your larp experience? Make sure
makes perfect.
both parties know what the other person ex-
pects and try and find some middle ground
And remember, love is never rational. It is
if possible.
chaotic, self-serving and irrational. It is the
perfect alibi for going above and beyond.
AMBITIONS:
What are your ambitions? How far do you
You should try it out!
want to take the relation? Should it be a
rollercoaster of emotions taking you from
Pre-love crying, to love declarations, to jealousy, to
crying and back again? Or is it a more casual
Imagine that you are going to a larp in a happy functional partnership? Or do you
month and have been told you are to play wish to be a powerplay couple, trying to
the lover of another players character. You dominate the larp together?

177
BOUNDARIES/LIMITS, PHYSICAL AND It can really help making a relation more
PSYCHOLOGICAL: convincing if you had some casual conversa-
So where are the limits? Do you have some tion before the larp.
out-of-character restrictions from a real life
partner? Do you have some bad experiences Now you have covered the first part of
you generally want to avoid recreating? How preparation, which is the communication.
do you feel about kissing? Is there a common Next step is building up your relation and
sex meta technique you both know and are how your romance is going to play out.
comfortable with?
Romance in larp has a basic formula:
My recommendation is to be clear about Romance = dream + resistance
what you are comfortable with.
You should agree on some common themes
Example: I feel okay with hugging and that keep your characters together. Dreams
holding hands and maybe an occasional kiss about the future, the wedding, the kids, the
on the cheek. trip to Las Vegas; whatever floats your boat
and fits with the setting of the larp. This
Having discussed some concrete things to gives a topic for conversation and something
do during the larp gives your partner more else to talk about, other than how beautiful
confidence than a list of no-nos. It takes a your eyes are in the moonlight.2
lot of courage to even talk about. Again if
you want to explain no-nos be very clear: No Dreams dont have to be a royal wedding in
kissing, no slapping the ass, no touching in- a castle, they can also be about getting some
timate areas. But also state what is okay: If time o work or a weekend away from the
it makes sense in the scene, it is okay to slap kids and daily responsibilities.
me on the ass. Most importantly, be honest
and do not let yourself get carried away with Now you have your dreams! Time to add a
getting the most hardcore experience. Never splash of resistance.
forget consent can change over time. What
might feel comfortable at one point might Love is not just about the two of you (or
not feel comfortable later on. more if you are a poly partnership). There
should also be someone out there trying to
Check up on each other, telegraph your play stop you (or at least question your relation-
if you are upping it a notch, so your new play ship). Is it the parents not agreeing on your
date can more easily opt out if so desired. choice of companion or a rich factory owner
who has put his eyes upon one of you?
CASUAL TALK TO CREATE TRUST AND
UNDERSTANDING: Resistance can also be internal. For this
Once youve gone over the most necessary Jeppe Bergmann Hamming has invented the
points it is important to keep up a conversa- Bungee Method: Imagine your relation
tion or at least let the other person know if is like a bungee cord. As it stretches out, it
you do not have time to talk before the larp. jumps back in together and then as it gets

2 Which is also a part of romance, but cannot keep love play going.

178
too close, it shoots out again. Get reasons glasses, wine?) Is there any of this stu you
why you would get back together and rea- can borrow from someone?
sons to break up.
At the larp Khypris year 0, Jeppe and Maria
Playing in love is a like a dance, it is vivid, Bergmann Hamming brought a wedding-
living and spontaneous. in-a-box so they could marry someone in
their group during the larp. You can also
Romance should be tense, it should be a bring props for other players or just in
struggle, it should be all over the place and case. Generally, play works well if you bring
unexpected. props that enable more possibilities.

When you have established reasons to not You are now at location, and you have some
get too far away or too close together, you time before the briefing/workshop. Check
can work with timing and the starting of the out the location. Are there some good spots
larp. you can meet up during the larp? Just having
some locations to meet up at is a great idea,
Have the parents, siblings or the evil duke and makes the romance logistics much
that one is forced to marry come between easier.
you. That way you have fun with more
people.
The perfect spot will get you
How do you meet each other during the caught!
larp? Often, this can be a bit immersion
breaking if one of you thought you hadnt The perfect spot is usually one that is easy
seen each other in years and the other to find and easy to be seen from since you
expects you just saw each other last week. would create the most play if there is a pos-
What happens the first time you meet each sibility of being caught. This is also some-
other during pla (if you have time to play thing you can do for other players. If you
it out before the larp this is highly recom- know someone who is playing in love, you
mended, then you can adjust it). can help them out as your character finding
them the perfect spot (possibly also someone
Or do your characters not know each other to expose them). Again the more people you
before the larp? Is it a random meeting / can involve, the more play you create.
love at first sight? Whatever the reason, it
is really important to get it right. Even if you do not get caught, having the
possibility gives the scene a nice tense edge
to it and gives a perfect excuse for an opt
Wedding in a box out in the sense that if it feels uncomfort-
able as a player, you can always leave be-
cause your character is too scared of getting
Now, some last things before the larp starts:
caught.
Did you bring any equipment for the love
play? Papers to write poems on? Pre-made Do what you do best
poems? Rings for proposing? Picnic equip-
ment (blanket, cheese, sausage, basket, Do what you are good at, or at least what

179
you feel comfortable pretending to be good compliment. It doesnt need to be a great
at. Be it poetry, singing, dancing or giving compliment, and while some people would
well timed compliments. It might not always avoid compliments about peoples physical
fit with the character, but it is good to have appearance to get to close to the character,
something your love relation can be fascinat- I would say focus on giving them a compli-
ed by. If you do not feel good at anything, try ment and something you find appealing
something and make it funny and awkward about the character, physical or not.
instead. Or steal! Steal other peoples works
of art. At a contemporary larp, play some ro-
mantic music on a stereo; if more old school,
Go for the eyes, Boo!
recite a classic love poem.
You can almost always compliment peoples
eyes. Just look into them deeply and say I
It is not important to be romantic but to
really like the color of your eyes. Innocent,
seem romantic, so co-players can act upon
yet elegant and it shows recognition to
your relationship.
know someones eye colour. Do not be afraid
of again being a bit over the top, to make
Cold-canvas / starting from it clear that it is play. Play them attractive,
scratch if you are in love with someone, logic has
nothing to do with it and you will find their
worst scars to be their biggest feature.
This brings us to playing in love with no
time to prep or communicate before the larp
with your love relation(s). Fear not, there is A little creativity goes a long
still much you can do to make it a more safe way
and enjoyable ride.
Avoid spamming the same compliments all
You arrive at a larp and either it would fit well
the time unless you want to be comically
with your character to find love, or you have
cheesey for a comedic larp.
been given a relation when you show up
with a romantic attachment.
When the other player agrees to the love re-
lation and plays back, it is important to show
Clarity and giving confidence is important.
your appreciation. In the beginning a love
The first step is making the invitation for
relation can be very fragile and needs a lot
play. Make it clear through your play that
of attention to grow. Validate your co-player
you are interested in a romantic relation.
decision of playing this relation.
Tell the other players character that you
really like them, bring flowers, oversell the
Now a good tip: once you have initiated your
situation. Be over the top. While this might
love relation, make sure to have a way out
not always be the best tip in the real world,
preferably through another person. Have a
it is really useful at a larp. You are likely not
common friend in the larp who you can go
having too much time to play out the rela-
to if you want to opt out from the relation.
tion, so you need to kickstart your love!
This could both be an ogame contact or
an in-game contact. But it is a lot easier to
Clichs are great! Give your partner a

180
say no to someone else. And co-players are all there is to it. Talk about it. Include people.
usually just happy about being included in It could also be your characters greatest
your love play. rival. Perhaps you could end up spilling the
beans about you having a weak spot for
Once you have established the connection, someone else; maybe even for your rivals
you can take it more slowly. There is no need own lover. Get them invested in this relation
to rush the romance, figure out if your date as well.
seems busy or have the time for love.
Tell your lovers best friend how you actually
Now it is time to include others in the fun! feel and that it might not be working out or
something else to give them something to
talk about as well.
Including others
Pacing is important though. As soon as you
Like any good relation in a larp, including
start including people, you can expect them
more players is always a hit. With love it is
to start acting upon and suddenly notic-
even more important. I have already given
ing you sneaking o with your secret lover
you some ideas for creating resistance and
as they will then likely expose you or get
have others help be the opt out bridge be-
someone else to do it. So if you tell it early
tween you.
in a long larp, where you want the relation
to last a long time, either approach them
Including others can be done in myriad of
out-of-character or telegraph to them when
ways: leaving clues about your hidden love
a good moment would be to start messing
aair, using others to deliver messages of
with your relation. Worst case you will get
love, just having someone to play you up, be
exposed a bit early, and you will just have to
the trio with the last friend always telling
improvise. Again this is what larp is all about;
you: Could you stop it for a moment? I am
why have secrets in larp if they are not to be
still in the room?!
exposed?
Players usually respond well to invitations to
your love play as an outside force of good or Intimacy and sex
bad. You can either invite them actively or
just create space for people to step into. Now intimacy and sex is always interesting
yet challenging topics to talk about. Larp
Creating space is again about being visible culture is alpha and omega; how physical
with your love play, so potential co-players and direct are people where you are from? If
can step into it and mess it up or help it not at all, then for sure respect this culture
along. Active invitations can both be done and tone down your intimacy level. If youve
pre-larp but also during the larp. Maybe you had no chance to talk o-game with your
need your friends opinion about this lover of love partner, take it slow and never do some-
yours, or ask them indirect questions about thing they didnt see coming. Whether it be
what they would do in your situation? Lead- slapping them in the face or grabbing their
ing, maybe, to a reveal of you actually being ass. Only do it if you had agreed upon it be-
in love or are planning to break up and just forehand or you make it really clear for them
want a second opinion. to get an out: If you keep doing like that I
am gonna hit you, I swear!? with a raised
I have had some of my most memorable hand is usually a good indication for your
scenes in larp with people who wanted to intentions. Telegraphing your actions for
tell me about their love relation and include your co-player allows them to read and react
me just in telling about it. And that is really in a clear and informed way. Saying I just

181
wish someone would hold my hands! would or being intimate. While when you initiate a
be the more inviting way to initiation some love relation, you should be confident, now
soft intimacy and is often just as powerful as when you are getting to the final stage, you
actually grabbing someones hands. can start showing doubt as your character.
Is this really the right thing to do? Is it the
As a general rule of thumb I would always right time? Is it the right one? Give both
go for safe over intense and actually just parties reasons to opt out, so that the player
pressing someones hand while biting your can play opting out if they get too uncom-
lip in front of them can be a powerful way fortable.
of conveying desire without ever doing any-
thing for real. We came here to larp, not to Whether you use Ars Armandi, real sex or
have sex. It is a larp not a swinger club. neck massage, think about how to include
other players in what just happened. Maybe
That being said, sex is obviously an option, even break out-of-character to just talk
but I would refer to the intentions of the about it. Check in if the other player is okay?
larp and the pointers given by the organ- If they have a good idea where to go from
isers. If they say you are only allowed to use now? Chances are both of you had gone a
a specific meta tool, please respect this and bit out-of-character already to make sure
leave the actual sex for after the larp. the sex went in a smart way, so breaking
character after to just ask about ideas to do
But do know that so much can be created calibration is almost always a great idea.
from so very little. A popular form of show-
ing intimacy in the nordic larp scene is Ars Again, include others. Roughen your hair
Armandi, and while it has its flaws (it usually and your clothes so others can see some-
suers from being inefficiently introduced thing has changed, maybe change your
before the larp and not always designed well attitude a bit, let people expose you. If you
into the setting) it is still a super powerful play a Catholic, find a priest and confess
tool to do something quite safe. I will not your sins.3
talk more about it but just recommend you
to look it up: Ars Amandi. If you always think of how to move forward
with your characters and your larp, chances
Desire is about using the senses to create are you also get a better landing with what
strong experiences: a soft touch, a rough happened emotionally. It becomes easier to
grab or a long lasting eye to eye connection distinguish that this was your character all
with burning passion. Focus on all the stu along.
surrounding the actual act of sex and play
with that. Love is never rational, so take irrational
actions and justify them to yourself after-
At a contemporary larp, you can also play wards. Do something you think your char-
around with the whole talk about the acter would never do and then afterwards
condom and safe sex. Again, remember you rationalise why you did it. This happens all
are here to play out a story between two the time in the real world.
characters, not necessarily to have wild ani-
mal sex. You are real people and real people Things like breaking up out of the blue,
are easily insecure in the act of having sex matching the low status character with the

3 I have this tried once and it is a lot of fun. We were also a bit loud so more people could hear what had
happened and could then respond to it.

182
high status lover can create the most mem- Forbidden love can be many things. It can
orable experiences. It does not have to make also be you against the world, or more likely
sense in the moment, but it is really a silver the rest of the characters in the larp. Are
plate of action for everyone around you. you exploring love between strict religious
There is obviously no reason to overdo it, groups, love between siblings or paedophilia
unless your are playing a Taylor Swift larp. it is even more important to communicate
with your co-players (not just your lover)
how to play it out in a meaningful and re-
Forbidden Love spectful way. How well does it fit in with the
rest of the larp?
PLAYING ABUSIVE RELATIONSHIPS...
I will always recommend giving it twists
and many possible outs, have other play to
Larp can be used as a tool to work with
engage in as well, so it is not all about this
our own past, or understand the struggles
struggle of getting accepted, staying hidden
of others. Love relations that are abusive
or figuring out your identities, even though
or broken can be very interesting to
this could absolutely be the sole topic be-
play around with and both give strong
tween a few players for an entire larp.
experiences and great insight.
With that I will say thank you so much for
So it is a bit of a broad topic. Like with
reading. I hope you got something out of
most of this article I have tried to go with a
it and I raised your interest in playing in
general approach so it can both help you in
love. Let me know how it goes, I always love
your Battlestar Galactica AIhuman love
a good larp love story! And remember the
relation, your cheesy Shakespeare in Love
love that feels real can also hurt for real, so
larp and your black box cry-fest. So I will
take care of yourself and make sure you have
keep the scope a bit broad still and hope it is
some time to recover after an intense larp
still useful. This means I might tread a little
with intense relations. Ending it all o with
carelessly over some subjects, for that I must
a favourite film quote:
apologise.
The sweet just aint as sweet, without the
You can play difficult relations out in dif- sour. Vanilla Sky (2001)
ferent ways, fitting with what you and your
co-players want to experience. Is it tragi-
comic-over-the-top brother and sister rela-
Bibliography
tionship or a deep serious abusive relation? Edman, Karin. Do you want to date my character:
Again, expectation management is key. It is About sexual in game relationships at larps. In
WonderKarin. 20/08-2016 http://wonderkarin.
extremely important to agree on you want
blogspot.dk/2016/08/do-you-want-to-date-my-
to play out such a relation and rather aim character-about.html
low for both to play it comfortably, than play
past each other. Nglebk, Oliver The 4 Cs of larping love. In
Olivers tegninger om rollespil. 18/08-2016 https://
There are a bunch of things to consider: Do hjernespil.wordpress.com/2016/08/18/the-4-cs-
you want to challenge gender stereotypes of-larping-love/
or enforce them? As I see it, it is a very valid
approach to want to experience a classic Crowe, Cameron. Vanilla Sky. US: Paramount
Pictures. 2001
abusive relationship with a man hitting a
woman, but you should do it as a conscious
choice and consider the alternative, what
would it do if it was the other way around?

183
 Telling
Character Stories
Monika Weienfels

Introduction
There are many ways to tell a character story. Nordic larp design often
implies that characters are written by the larpwright(s). Relationships and
turning points in character stories are set up from the start, often being
part of the overall design of the larp. With authorship comes a certain
degree of ownership and control over the character for the larpwright.
The player who receives such a character, continues telling a story that
someone else started and owns.
German larp design mostly leaves it to the players to bring characters
they created completely on their own. Characters belong to the player
alone. The story belongs to the player and every larp (and every piece of
downtime in ongoing campaigns) is another piece in an ongoing tale,
which the player influences as she sees fit. Those characters live when-
ever and wherever the player decides and often collect years of relations,
experiences and tales at numerous events.
This article will explore the eects and implications of a self-written,
player-owned character on dierent levels: How do larpwrights, organ-
isers and game masters incorporate this kind of character into a game?
What is the influence on design choices? As a counterweight to the Ger-
man concept, the article will look into the character creation at College
of Wizardry(Nielsen, Dembinski and Raasted et al., 2014-).1 Originating
from a nordic tradition of pre-written characters, the rerunning larp now
faces an increasing amount of characters that are player-written. It will
become apparent why both plot-driven and character-driven larps can
incorporate self-written characters and how this can enhance the indi-
vidual players experience.

1 College of Wizardry is a weekend larp, depicting the school life at a college for
witches and wizards in an alternate version of our current reality.

184
1. The German concept:
Bring your own character!

1.1. Terminology
Talking about the German concept of larp characters does not imply
that there is only one way all characters are made. The German larp scene
includes a growing variety of playing-styles. This article will, however, fo-
cus on the most common way of character handling that is typically as-
signed to German larp. From here on, I will work with the following defi-
nition of the German concept: A player comes up with a character idea
independently from any larp. She developes a background story and traits
based on the initial idea, as well as a costume and possibly even props.
The character may or may not be attached to the backstory or world-set-
ting of any larp ever played. Anything from using pen & paper inspired
backgrounds, references to settings from novels and movies, to free float-
ing ideas is possible. There is no corrective or norm to follow. The only
limit that has to be taken into account is the genre of the larp the charac-
ter is supposed to belong to. As most German larps can still be summed
up as based in a fantasy setting in the broadest sense, that will be the
reference frame for this article.2 The newly created character may take
part in campaigns such as ConQuest3 (Guess et al., 2016) and Drachenfest
(Schlump and Wolter et al., 2016) and may attend any other smaller larps

2 Considering plot, the roots in pen & paper show again: The setting of most
larps is fantasy, ranging from low fantasy (most characters would be thieves,
rogues, healers or knights, plots are about politics, justice and fighting the evil) to
high fantasy (characters such as elves and other fantastic races get involved, plots
are about demons, rituals, otherworldly menaces and evil witches and wizards,
etc).

3 Commonly known as ConQuest of Mythodea, mostly referred to as Mytho-

dea in the international scene.

185
 of dierent campaigns, or events that are not associated with a campaign
at all. There are no restrictions: any event can be attended with the same
character, even if the dierent games do not refer to the same setting. The
same character can be played in dierent campaigns.
The word campaign is not used consistently in German larp. The
biggest ongoing campaign is ConQuest of Mythodea, with three annual
events, of which two add to the main plot.4 But campaign is also used
to describe a loose assemblage of larp settings. Among various, one is well
established in Germany: The so-called Mittellande Kampagne. (Deutscher
Liverollenspiel-Verband, [date unknown]) This campaign works as a gi-
ant sandbox. Depicting a fantasy world, it contains various fictional coun-
tries, that vary in politics, population, and subgenres. Over the course of
years, many larp organisers have established plotlines that tell the story
of a freely scalable part of the fictional continent and uncounted one shot
larps have been played in this setting. Other campaigns exist under this
definition, but are less frequently played upon. (Larp Wiki, 2106) In this
article, the term campaign refers to events like ConQuest of Mythodea
and, to add another European example, Empire in the UK.
Nevertheless, the very structure of the Mittelande Kampagne reflects
the German approach to characters and their stories: It creates an envi-
ronment, in which players have a huge variety of options on which larp to
play next with one character and thus determining how the story contin-
ues, while the setting remains vaguely consistent as a bonus to the consis-
tency of the character story.

1.2. Roots of the German concept

In contrast to Eirik Fatlands assertion that nordic larp has its roots in
psychodrama (Fatland, 2016), larp in Germany emerged quite firmly from
the pen & paper gaming tradition. Presumably the first German larp-like
events took place in the late 1980s. The first event which is acknowledged
to meet the definition of a larp in Germany and was directed at a public
audience took place in 1991 under the name Dracon 1. (Neupert, 2002)
Coming from a gaming tradition, early German larps were heavily reg-
ulated by rule systems, which defined what a character could do with a
certain amount of experience. As the active larp scene developed simulta-
neously in dierent parts of the country, a number of rules systems were

4 ConQuest being the main event. Jenseits der Siegel serves as a prequel to this.
Chroniken von Mythodea is set in the same world-setting and loosely tied to the
plot of the main event.

186
published, none of which achieved a leading position across Germany.5
What they had in common was a game-like structure: Skills were bought
with experience points, which were gained by attending a larp. The aim
was to translate pen & paper rules to a playable and practical framework
for larp. Even the conversion between dierent rulesets was regulated,6
enabling players to attend more events with the same character. Attend-
ing many larps was, save few exceptions, the only way to get to play a pow-
erful, capable character. As previously stated, this collection of experience
points could extend over campaigns and stand alone events alike. The
amount of experience points that a character would receive after a larp
depended on the duration of the event: One day at the larp was rewarded
with a fixed amount of points. The skills and power had to be earned over
actual years. Personal and systematic progress of the character went hand
in hand.
Today, the strict obedience to rule systems is broadly abandoned. Al-
though many events still officially follow a rule system, the rules have less
influence on the actual game, which mostly shifts to a variation of WYSI-
WYG, called you are able to do, what you are able to depict.7

1.3.Practical: Implications, influence on design, problems and

solutions

1.3.1. Prerequisites: Players versus NPCs

From the first events up until now, German larp has developed many
forms of organisation and structure. Again, to make the case more clear,
I will refer to the best known and widest spread structure, which is also
typically connected to the fantasy setting. The larp is run by organisers
and a rather big amount of non-player characters (NPCs), aiming at a 1:2
ratio between players and NPCs. The NPC roles vary in quality and im-
portance, but altogether, they drive the plot.
Because the characters dont come along with a backstory that is in-
herently connected to the plot, they cannot be used to trigger events. This
task falls completely to the NPCs as tools of the organisers, creating cir-
cumstances that push events forward. Characters and players alike start

5 Prominent rule systems were among others: DragonSys, Phoenix-Carta, Sil-

bermond, Thats live. As German larp develops away from the gamist approach of
the early days, WYSIWYG rules now mark a majority of the games held. (Bolle,
2010)

6 Most larp organisers oering a set of house rules on how to convert your
character from one system to another.

7 Du kannst, was du darstellen kannst, commonly referred to as DKWDDK.

187
 the larp with very little knowledge about the plot. Their task is to engage
in play with NPCs, who carry information about the current in-game
situation and try to manipulate the characters for their own advantage,
give them mysteries to solve or help them in doing so. They can depict
conflicting parties, which try to pull the players characters to either side.
In general, NPCs are used to make the setting of the larp come to life.
Dramatic escalation or factors such as time pressure to solve a plot are
communicated in-game through NPCs. Depending on the game design-
ers choice, NPCs can help move the plot forwards when it is at risk of
being derailed by the players.
1.3.2. Challenges for organisers and game designers
Along with this concept of character creation and ownership come a lot
of challenges and implications for every party involved in a larp. Game
designers and organisers certainly face the most of them. How can you
create a plot, not knowing who will be there to take part in it? There are
basically two ways to solve this challenge: One is to adjust the game as far
as possible to the characters, which is mostly done for smaller events with
up to 50 participants on the player side (e.g. VerushkouSi vis Pacem, Bad
Monkeys Crew, 2016). The second option is to let the characters adjust to
the game, which has proven to be a good strategy for larger events, like
ConQuest and Drachenfest.
1.3.3. Know your players
To gather information about the characters that will take part in the larp,
many organisers combine the signup with the option to send in informa-
tion about the background and special skills of the characters. This serves
the purpose of identifying significant gaps between the planned plot and
the set of people to solve it. Organisers get the chance to adjust their plans
according to their audience and create personalized, small scenes for each
player. This may be an individual in-game arrival to the site, during which
players meet an NPC that in some way refers to their characters back-
ground. It may also be a dream or vision scene during the game that picks
up on personal plot hooks which the players gave to the organisers at
sign up, intertwining the characters story and the story of the larp. Less
frequently, organisers design (side)-plots especially for the characters that
have been announced to the game.
Another influence of gaming tradition can be found in the charac-
ter check-in and check-out. This used to be a standard procedure at
German larps but has been dropped by many organisers over the course
of years. During check-in, organisers go through the written character
sheet and check if skills and experience points match and list up the items
that a character brings to a larp. The check-out awards the character with
new experience points and documents the new status on owned in-game
items. The thorough, written documentation of the character makes it
easier to switch between campaigns and settings.

188
 Although all these tactics give designers an idea of which characters
are at their games and gives them the opportunity to a certain extent to
tailor plot to groups, working with player-written characters does have
the eect of disconnecting larp designers from their players.
1.3.4. Beat them with mass
If an event surmounts a certain size, it becomes undoable to adjust plot
personally for each player. The challenge is met by oering a main plot
for a certain set of characters, assuming that a fitting constellation will
show up and/or that players will steer their characters towards the plot.
Additionally, these events oer smaller side-plots. Those are designed
for character types that will most likely not become involved in the main
course of action and focus more on character game rather than following
the more epic setup of the main plot. For example, a main plot could be
reconstruct an ancient magic machine to ward o a powerful demon
while a side-plot about find out who stole the midwifes healing herbs
happens. In events that reach a capacity of 1.000 and more players, again
like ConQuest and Drachenfest, a part of the larp turns itself into a sand-
box.

1.4. German character concepts: An epic journey

The process of writing characters is surprisingly badly structured and
supported in Germany. Knowledge about how to create an interesting
and functional character is not spread across players and most larp or-
ganisers dont proactively support character creation for their players. It is
assumed that players attend the larp with characters that are ready to be
played. The responsibility for the playability of a character lies completely
with the player.
For creation, most players deduct from pen & paper experience. For
example, they work with sets of questions that a player may answer about
their character, determining background and traits, incorporating topics
such as religious beliefs, biggest dreams and fears, turning points in life
and so on.8
This process of creation leads to a set of recurring stereotypes9 and a
huge amount of character stories that are very similar to begin with. The
lack of originality in character stories leads to the common conception
that telling another player your character background story is considered

8 Such as the sourcebook of the German pen & paper system Das Schwarze
Auge, widely known in the German larp community. (Rmer, 2007, p. 294)

9 My parents were killed by Orcs has turned into a running gag in the German
larp community. Additionally, many character stories are set up according to the
archetype of the Hero Quests.

189
 bad style both in-game and o-game. This does however not apply to tell-
ing the stories that make the character an original person, based on larps
that have been played. The sharing of war stories around a campfire is
an inherent part of German fantasy larp which is valued by many players
as a part of what makes the spirit of a good game. The unoriginal starting
point is kindly disregarded for the sake of stories that are truly unique
because they were actually played out.
The focus of character creation is not on making up a deep, highly
dense and well designed character, but more about generating a starting
point from which the player can immerse into the larp straight away, let-
ting the course of events and the relationships that develop shape who
the character is. This aspect of actually co-creating a character during the
game is not unlike the process of creating character relations that takes
place before a College of Wizardry run.

1.5. Eects on player and playing style

Owning and playing a character in the long run also has various eects
on the player side. These cover a broader range of categories. Starting on
a practical level, one may assume that players planning on playing the
same character across several events are more willing to put eort and
money into costume and props. It can be argued that the longer a charac-
ter is played, the higher the identification between player and character
becomes.
The longer a character story is being told, the more chances arise to
form the picture of a natural person, including bad decisions, traumatic
experiences, successes, romances, friendships and so on. Characters that
have been played over years can grow to be a part of their player. They go
through a development that may resemble the actual personal develop-
ment of their player. War stories that a character experienced are told
both in-game and o-game.
Consequently, the death of a character is a highly important event to
most players that is thoroughly planned to make it a memorable moment
that is worth it. Players steer their character towards not dying on most
of the larps they attend: They are less prone to take lethal risks to not
end the story ahead of time, so for example, they may engage in physical
conflict, but not without regard to their own safety. In this, the element
of literally having leveled up a character with experience points over years
certainly plays a part.

190
2. College of Wizardry
A sandbox for your character

The College of Wizardry larps oer another perspective on how character

stories can be told and fitted into the design of a game. There are two
parallel developments to be observed with CoW: First, the opening of the
initial setup from mandatory pre-written characters to opt-in pre-written
characters and secondly, players extending the stories of their pre-written
characters beyond the larp. Both developments are supported by the CoW
game design.

2.1. Nordic concept: Pre-written characters

Locating CoW larps as a middle ground requires a look at the nordic end
of the scale. Just as for the German concept, there is no such thing as
the nordic larp. The applied approach to nordic concept in this arti-
cle will follow the idea of what is commonly perceived as nordic in the
German larp community: Many nordic larps tell a standalone story not
situated in a campaign. Characters are often pre-written by the game de-
signers, including at least a basic setup for relations and personal charac-
ter goals during the game. The characters are usually connected in a way
that allow a low ratio of NPCs to players. 10
In this setting, the game designers have a lot more potential influence
on how the story of the larp will unfold. By retaining control of the char-
acters, they can insert breaking points and levels of escalation beforehand
by anchoring characters in relations and background stories. Its possible
to create a more coherent design, reflecting themes and moods in dier-
ent elements such as plot, set design, props, and characters. The designers
access and influence all layers of the game (Stenros 2014). The player takes
part in someone elses narrative, in which the character plays a fixed part.

10 Of course, the defining aspects of a nordic larp extend these parameters by

far and it can be argued if there is a thing such as the nordic larp.

191
 Opposed to that, the German concept means that a player continues to
tell their own, independent character story in the framework that the larp
provides.
The more detailed the relations between characters are predesigned
and the more their actions and goals during the larp are predetermined,
the better drama and escalation can be anticipated and again be incorpo-
rated in the overall design. Games which follow this form are consequent-
ly much more character- than plot focused.
It can be argued that a pre-written character story, including connec-
tions to others, produces a higher level of drama at a larp than a self-writ-
ten, unconnected character would experience. The fact that the nordic
narrative is often more carefully crafted does not necessarily mean that
it turns out as planned. Relationships and storylines that develop on the
spur of the moment during a larp can be just as powerful as predeter-
mined developments.

2.2. Practical: Creating a College of Wizardry

2.2.1. Design and balancing of a sandbox

College of Wizardry is designed as a sandbox larp. Handing out charac-
ters that are only roughly sketched out, is a very dierent approach than
predetermining every connection and in fact, the whole game is set up
to give the players the biggest possible amount of freedom both in their
playing style and with the topics they want to play on.
The larp will not fail because a certain character is played dierently
than it is written; it will just mean that dierent stories are created. This is
important. Your character is your own. (Raasted, Nielsen and Dembinski
et al., 2014, p. 19)
CoW follows a number of design choices that enable both self-written
and pre-written characters and even allow the combination of the two
concepts in one larp. Similar to the plot driven German larp that has been
discussed so far, the key element for CoW is to give the players broad free-
dom in choosing the focus of their game.
How a certain run of CoW turns out very much depends on how much
players indulge into the co-creating aspect of the design. The larp oers
both the space and time for dierent playing styles to coexist. No matter
how many demon summonings go on in the dungeon, the college dra-
ma can still be gossiped about in the common rooms (Nielsen, 2016). Al-
though the focus of character stories shifts from run to run, the overall

192
framework that ties the larp together will still work.11
In a plot driven German concept larp, a lot of how well the larp goes
depends on balancing the dierent kinds of characters. That can be done
by announcing the larp to be mainly aimed at a specific group (rogues and
thieves etc.) or adjusting the plot to the characters that actually attend, as
described earlier. The individuals have a high impact on the game. Op-
posed to that, the structure of CoW is focused on groups and collectives.
The College has to work as a whole and the Houses have to work as in-
groups for their members. (Jankovic Sumar, 2016)
This is achieved by a few, but eective fixed balancing factors at CoW:
The large majority of players play students. Special roles such as head-
master, teachers, janitor and prefects are assigned by the organisers.12 To
make the collectives and groups at CoW work, players have to stick to the
Houses and years their characters are assigned to. Whereas the design can
take an excess of rich snotty students, evil characters or any other kind of
personal alignment, it could not handle one missing House or a school
in which no Juniors exist, because the game dynamic evolves around the
interaction of Houses on a vertical and years of students on a horizon-
tal layer. The design of CoW as a college eventually unites all individual
characters due to the fact that they are all students in the first place. And
in this, they are all the same and part of the same collective. (Jankovic
Sumar, 2016)
2.2.2. Character creation

After three runs, CoW went through a thorough redesign, removing all
Harry Potter references and setting up a whole new background for the
larp. What remained was the choice to hand out pre-written characters,
which left vast options for individual interpretation and design by the
players. (Again: Your character is your own. Raasted, Nielsen and Dem-
binki et al., 2014) Laid out as an international larp from the very start,
CoW had to incorporate a broad culture of players. Openly created char-
acters enabled various interpretations and playing styles. (Nielsen, 2016)
The pre-written characters for CoW have never been balanced on a
scale of royals and rebels, werewolves and hunters or other factions repre-
sented in the student body. Starting with a very diverse team of character
writers and trusting the self balancing power of large groups as well as the
natural inclination of players to aim for dierent styles, the organisers of
CoW did not actively adjust characters to balance the game for the first

11 Events that are fixed in time and place, such as lessons, school gatherings, and
the Saturday night ball etc.

12 This may seem to be understood, but would not necessarily be in a German

larp, where there is no given limit to how many kings and queens of made up
realms may show up to an event.

193
 five runs. (Nielsen, 2016)
Relationships to other characters were suggested on an abstract level
which fitted the character. For example, a bookworm would be suggested
to find study partners, a dashing duellist would be proposed to assem-
ble a group of fans. The characters were written action-focused, giving
agencies for all kinds of play (Nielsen, 2016). Accordingly, suggestions for
things to do at the larp were listed as inspirations to enhance the playing
experience.
The option to bring a self-written character was not proactively adver-
tised, but was allowed by the organisers on personal request. For the very
first run, organisers put a lot of eort into developing characters together
with the players, which turned out to be impossible to uphold with the
increasing feedback they received from outside the player community as
the popularity of CoW grew. (Nielsen, 2016)
One element of design, however, was written into the characters in
order to set the tone for the larp. CoW was designed to be fun experience
but also a serious larp, so most characters came with a darker tone and
atmosphere. (Nielsen, 2016)
For run 10, which is upcoming by the time this piece is written, the
option to bring a self-written character has been incorporated into the
signup form. A 50/50 division between pre- and self-written characters
is expected for that run (CoW 10, Casting Document, 2016). Many players
whove previously played with pre-written characters now opt to return
with characters theyve created on their own (CoW 5, Casting Document,
2016). It can be argued that this degree of opening up the sandbox even
further is possible because of two factors: the mood of CoW has been suc-
cessfully established and settled in numerous runs. And a huge part of
players keep returning, carrying on this spirit both through their own de-
piction of their characters and actively helping newcomers and first time
larpers to adjust to the setting (Nielsen, 2016). Foremost, this means to
pass on the idea of creating an action-focused character and encouraging
the creation of character relations.
The combination of both the design focus on collectives rather than
individuals and the strong player community enable CoW larps to not
only incorporate self-written characters, but merge them with a set of
pre-written ones.
2.2.3. Telling CoW character storiesextending the game
The organisers choice to hand over creative ownership of the characters
to the players worked well for a large group of participants. As the runs
proceeded, an increasing amount of online pre-game took place. Events
leading up to the larps were played out in Facebook groups and chats and

194
collaborative fiction. The social online platform Czochabook13 served
as a tool for characters to stay in touch and forward their plots (Mertz,
2016). After several games, unofficial spin os were held,14 continuing to
tell character stories.
For example, for a group of around 28 people, a story arc developed
that started with pre-game before CoW5, extending to the spin o larp
To hell and back after CoW5 had taken place, and ongoing text based
role-playing up to CoW8, which was set up as a sequel to CoW5 and CoW6
(Jankovic Sumar, 2016). On the final event, most of the character stories
of that specific group were led to some kind of resolution. The overall
feeling was that they had now been told to a point at which the players
could find closure.
This dynamic developed due to the fact, that in the course of intense
prebleed (Svanevik and Brind, 2016), bleed and immersion, the members
of this group created not only an individual character story each, but a
complex network of social connections that shifted and grew throughout
the process.
This development was heavily favoured by the action-focused design
of the characters in the first place. Starting from pre-written characters,
the intensity of the experience lead the players to embracing their charac-
ters as their own creations and they tasked themselves with telling their
stories in the best (most dramatic, immersive and intense) way possible.
Whilst this development in general resembles the German concept in so
far as that the storylines evolved over a number of events, there are sig-
nificant dierences. A CoW character cannot be played outside the CoW
setting and it is not possible to bring a character from any other larp cam-
paign into the game. Instead of just attending more larps with one char-
acter, the players of CoW created events, plots and life for their characters
outside the hands of the organisers.

13 Czochabook; an in-game socialmedia platform in which players sign up

in-character. The platform mirrors a Facebook-style format and is thus immedi-
ately familiar and accessible to most players who choose to engage. Ashby, Char-
lotte: Playing around the Event: The College of Wizardry pre-game and postgame,
in this book

14 The Debauchery Party, 2015 To hell and back, 2016, CoW5: A Midwinter
Nights Dream, 2016.

195
 3. Conclusion

At first sight, the dierence between the German concept of character

creation and storytelling on the one side, and the nordic-inspired ap-
proach of College of Wizardry seem to bear a lot of dierences. Having tak-
en a closer look, it has become apparent that both concepts enable players
to take control over their characters stories and the option to play them
longer, either moving one character from larp to larp, or extending the
story of one larp with pre-games, spinos and sequels. Both mechanics
create high identification between player and character and thus intense
immersion during the game.
Both a self-written German character and a pre-written CoW character
start as sketches that are designed to allow an action-focused, immediate
start into a larp, where they can grow and develop during the game and in
interaction with other characters. A part of that process is put before the
game for CoW, where players create relations before the game, online and
in workshops. As both design and player community favour the incorpo-
ration of self-written characters, CoW has successfully opened up to this
character concept.
In essence, the German concept and College of Wizardry prove that
there are (at least) two core strategies to design larps for self-written
characters: One is to adjust the larp to the characters, focusing plots on
their backgrounds and skills and giving the characters a strong guidance
towards a determined goal. The second one is to do much the opposite:
Let the individual characters play freely in a sandbox, where they will be
re-collected regularly in various collectives that frame the experience.
Giving players freedom to run their own characters and play them over
timethrough pre-game or several eventshas a chance to make them
identify more strongly with their characters and immerse more deeply,
even if the character only started out as a list of traits or two paragraphs
on a character sheet. The war stories they tell are real, in a sense, not just
written as background story. As they play the same character again and
again (on Czochabook, in co-creative fiction or across events) they experi-
ence, grow, learn, and create stories that are much deeper than what you
may find at a stand-alone event with no pre-game.

196
Bibliography
Bolle, Jrg. Larp Statistik Deutschland. 2010 [date of access 30/10-2016] http://www.
section31.de/fantasy/statistik2010/
College of Wizardry 10. Casting Document. 01/11-2016
College of Wizardry 5. Casting Document. 28/10-2015
LARP-Wiki e.V., LARP Wiki. [date of access 01/11-2016] http://www.larpwiki.de/
LarpKampagnen
Neupert, Sikko. Live-Rollenspielein touristischer Freizeittrend?. Diploma Thesis.
Germany: Munich: 2002 [date of access 30/10-2016] http://www.grin.com/de/e-
book/32726/live-rollenspiel-ein-touristischer-freizeittrend
Raasted, Claus, Charles Bo Nielsen and Dracan Dembinski. College of Wizardry
Design Document. 2014 [date of access 01/11-2016] http://www.rollespilsfabrikken.
dk/cow/dd/designdocument.pdf
Rmer, Thomas. Wege der Helden. Ulisses Spiele: 2007
Stenros, Jaakko. What Does Nordic Larp Mean? In The cutting edge of nordic larp
Knutbook 2014. Edited by Jon Back. Denmark: 2014
Svanevik, Martine and Simon Brind. Prebleed is totally a thing. In: Larp Realia
Analysis, Design, and Discussion of Nordic Larp. Edited by Jukka Srkijrvi, Mika
Loponen and Kaisa Kangas. Solmukohta 2016, ropecon ry: 2016

Personal Communication
Fatland, Eirik. A New History of Live Role-playing. Talk. Solmukohta: 11/03-2016
Jankovic Sumar, Edin. email interview. [held 16/10-2016]
Nielsen, Charles Bo. email interview. [held 17-Oct-2016]

Ludography
Bad Monkeys Crew, Verushkou 2Si vis Pacem. Strange Land e.V. 2016 [date of access
01/11-2016] http://www.strange-land.de/index.php?option=com_content
&view=article&id=225&Itemid=99.html
Deutscher Liverollenspiel-Verband e.V., Mittellande Kampagne. [date of access 25/10-
2016] http://www.mittellande.de/

197
 Geu, Fabian et. al., ConQuest of Mythodea. Germany: Live Adventure Event Gmbh.
2016 [date of access 30/10-2016] http://www.live-adventure.de/ConQuest/start.php
Geu, Fabian et. al., Jenseits der Siegel. Germany: Live Adventure Event Gmbh. 2016
Geu, Fabian et. al., Chroniken von Mythodea. Germany: Live Adventure Event Gmbh.
2016 [date of accessed 30/10-2016] http://kampagnenspiel.live-adventure.de/
StartSeite
Mertz, Thomas. Kin. 2016 [date of access 25/10-16] http://getkin.org/
Moisand, Alexis, Alissa Murray, Sarah Verbisky and Ben Books Schwartz. CoW5: A
Midwinter Nights Dream. 2016
Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus Raasted et al. College of Wizardry.
Poland: Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(), 2014-
Pennington, Matt et al., Empire. United Kingdom: Profound Decisions. 2016 [date of
access 01/11-2016] http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire?3
Schlump, Fabian, Sandra Wolter et. al., Drachenfest. Germany: Wyvern e.K.. 2016 [date
of access 30/10-2016]. http://www.drachenfest.info/df/index.php
Skjnsfjell, Aina, Martine Svanevik, Ingrid Storr and Charlotte Ashby. To Hell and
back. Oslo, Norway: Valkyrie Larp. 2016
Skjnsfjell, Aina and Charlotte Ashby. CoW 3 Mini Spino: Two Parties. Copenhagen:
Denmark: Valkyrie Larp. 2015

198
 Making Heroes
Character building and the quest
[killed darling]
for narrative excellence
College of Wizardry 2
was supposed to have the
students arriving from John Shockley
vacation by boat(s) in the
Itdark,
begins lit
with a character,
only usually, and
by lanterns. and players. Instead, it is more satisfying all
once he stands up on his
In the end, we decided notfeet and begins around to allow the narrative to develop on
to move, all I can do is trot along behind its own, with a guiding hand applied by the
to spend the enormous
him with a paper and pencil trying to keep writers to ensure a consistent and fulfilling
upamounts
long enoughof to time (and
put down what he says experience for the players.
andsome
does. money) that it would Given that narrative is an organic thing,
have required, though we grown out of player experience of the game,
William Faulkner
were tempted. We kept Author in and that the character is the lens through
the second castle for the which the player experiences the game, it
Narrative, that is the
Werewolf encounter. story of a game, is the makes sense, as a writer interested in nar-
most lasting legacy of our eorts as game rative, to examine how the generation and
writers and organisers.1 The[Claus]
tales our play- development of that character might be
ers tell of the games we run, their characters pitched to influence the overall game nar-
places within those games and the constit- rative. It is this examination that I intend
uent events outlast and reflect the experi- to begin in this article. My experience is
ences that we oer. Reputations, businesses primarily in UK larp, and so it is from that
and vast gaming empires2 are built on the angle I will approach things, but I hope that
narrative that our games leave behind, and it the concepts and principles are interesting
is clear that the success of future endeavours for those readers whose backgrounds are in
is built on the remnants of our past glories. other traditions.
But narrative is rarely imposed. Player For the purposes of this article, I shall
[character
experience moment]
and perspective informs those oer[character
the followingmoment]
two assumptions, from
stories told about our games. As much as a which I will work. Firstly, that any larp must
writer may wish to take control of the nar- contain some element of character. That
rative and railroad3 their players, the nature character might be a skewed version of one-
He was roped into a duel I would have said yes,
of larp is such that its narrative is an uncon- self, but it must exist in order for the activity
for the soul of house Faust
trolled thing. To struggle against this nature
she said, if you had asked
to be defined as role-playing. Secondly, that
is to by the house
generate ghost.
frustration He writers
for both me to the
the character willball; but now
generate a storyit that
is its
realised he had to lose, to too late.
heal the house. Hed never I turned away so she
lost before. would not see the look in
1 I shall use the terms plot, story and narrative as separate words with individual meanings as defined by Simon
my eyes.
Brind in his talk at LDC2016 (Brind: Player agency on an epic scale. Talk at Larp designers conference 2016). Plot
is the larp writers plan[Xenocratus
for what is going to happen throughout the course of the game. Story is what is actually
[M. Troxler, College of
happening as the game is being played out as experienced by the players, and Narrative is how it is described
afterwards.
Foxglove, Wizardry 3]
College of
2 Wizardry
One can dream, can one not? 2]
3 Railroading is the act of responding to unexpected player action by altering the plot levers to ensure that the
event gets back on track, pushing the players into the writer-driven pre-determined outcomes At this point the
game may as well be an unscripted play.

201
 Geu, Fabian et. al., ConQuest of Mythodea. Germany: Live Adventure Event Gmbh.
2016 [date of access 30/10-2016] http://www.live-adventure.de/ConQuest/start.php
Geu, Fabian et. al., Jenseits der Siegel. Germany: Live Adventure Event Gmbh. 2016
Geu, Fabian et. al., Chroniken von Mythodea. Germany: Live Adventure Event Gmbh.
2016 [date of accessed 30/10-2016] http://kampagnenspiel.live-adventure.de/
StartSeite
Mertz, Thomas. Kin. 2016 [date of access 25/10-16] http://getkin.org/
Moisand, Alexis, Alissa Murray, Sarah Verbisky and Ben Books Schwartz. CoW5: A
Midwinter Nights Dream. 2016
Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus Raasted et al. College of Wizardry.
Poland: Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(), 2014-
Pennington, Matt et al., Empire. United Kingdom: Profound Decisions. 2016 [date of
access 01/11-2016] http://www.profounddecisions.co.uk/empire?3
Schlump, Fabian, Sandra Wolter et. al., Drachenfest. Germany: Wyvern e.K.. 2016 [date
of access 30/10-2016]. http://www.drachenfest.info/df/index.php
Skjnsfjell, Aina, Martine Svanevik, Ingrid Storr and Charlotte Ashby. To Hell and
back. Oslo, Norway: Valkyrie Larp. 2016
Skjnsfjell, Aina and Charlotte Ashby. CoW 3 Mini Spino: Two Parties. Copenhagen:
Denmark: Valkyrie Larp. 2015

[future of larp] [killed darling]

I think we will become Secrets and plotlines,
much more focused on too many to count. While
who has friends offgame, my style of game tend to
since we move to less have a lot of backstory,
rules. I also believe that a pre-existing plotlines and
certain quality of character character interaction,
building will be lost, since at some point I need
more focus is played on to cut the less relevant
costuming and locations. storylines to avoid plot
overdose (which is a
fine line to walk). So
everything that is not
absolutely necessary to
the backstorys cohesion
or that doesnt contribute
significantly to character
building goes away.
[Christopher, 20 years] [Muriel]
198
 Making Heroes
Character building and the quest
for narrative excellence
John Shockley

It begins with a character, usually, and and players. Instead, it is more satisfying all
once he stands up on his feet and begins around to allow the narrative to develop on
to move, all I can do is trot along behind its own, with a guiding hand applied by the
him with a paper and pencil trying to keep writers to ensure a consistent and fulfilling
up long enough to put down what he says experience for the players.
and does. Given that narrative is an organic thing,
grown out of player experience of the game,
William Faulkner
and that the character is the lens through
Author
which the player experiences the game, it
Narrative, that is the story of a game, is the makes sense, as a writer interested in nar-
most lasting legacy of our eorts as game rative, to examine how the generation and
writers and organisers.1 The tales our play- development of that character might be
ers tell of the games we run, their characters pitched to influence the overall game nar-
places within those games and the constit- rative. It is this examination that I intend
uent events outlast and reflect the experi- to begin in this article. My experience is
ences that we oer. Reputations, businesses primarily in UK larp, and so it is from that
and vast gaming empires2 are built on the angle I will approach things, but I hope that
narrative that our games leave behind, and it the concepts and principles are interesting
is clear that the success of future endeavours for those readers whose backgrounds are in
is built on the remnants of our past glories. other traditions.
But narrative is rarely imposed. Player For the purposes of this article, I shall
experience and perspective informs those oer the following two assumptions, from
stories told about our games. As much as a which I will work. Firstly, that any larp must
writer may wish to take control of the nar- contain some element of character. That
rative and railroad3 their players, the nature character might be a skewed version of one-
of larp is such that its narrative is an uncon- self, but it must exist in order for the activity
trolled thing. To struggle against this nature to be defined as role-playing. Secondly, that
is to generate frustration for both writers the character will generate a story that its

1 I shall use the terms plot, story and narrative as separate words with individual meanings as defined by Simon
Brind in his talk at LDC2016 (Brind: Player agency on an epic scale. Talk at Larp designers conference 2016). Plot
is the larp writers plan for what is going to happen throughout the course of the game. Story is what is actually
happening as the game is being played out as experienced by the players, and Narrative is how it is described
afterwards.

2 One can dream, can one not?

3 Railroading is the act of responding to unexpected player action by altering the plot levers to ensure that the
event gets back on track, pushing the players into the writer-driven pre-determined outcomes At this point the
game may as well be an unscripted play.

201
player experiences, and that when grouped others dictate that new characters may only
together those character stories will strong- be generated with the retirement or death
ly influence a narrative representative of of an existing character. This latter is often
its game. driven by the administrative burden of keep-
There are many functions of character in ing character records for thousands of play-
larp, many ways in which the role that a play- ers, combined with the desire to keep a level
er occupies serves to drive forward the game. playing field across the game.
At its most basic, the temporary occupation Pre-play in UK larp is rare. Whilst there
of a character is the heart of our hobby, and will be conversations between players ahead
it is impossible to roleplay without a role to of the game itself, these are often frowned
play. The characters that we play are what upon or derided as metagaming,4 or occur
frame our own personal experience of the only in subsets of players who are members
game, that colour our perception of it, and of an in-game community. Character con-
that play a starring role in our war stories. tact between games in campaign systems
They are the lynchpin of our larp experienc- is sometimes dealt with through the use of
es. Some of the functions of larp character sanctioned events, games set in the cam-
design are to ground the character within the paign world run by dierent people to the
rules defining its capabilities; act as a means overall campaign, but with some (varying de-
to divide players into in-game subsets (na- gree of) oversight from the main campaign
tionality, race, class); or to give the character organisers and writers. For one-o games,
a place in the broader world and setting. Not there is often no character pre- or post-play
all of those functions are directly related to at all. Consequently, very few UK larps con-
narrative, but it is upon the narrative driv- sider pre-play when selecting their character
ers of character creation and how that influ- generation systems.
ences the dierent frameworks for character It is, of course, impossible to accurately
generation that this article will focus. categorise character generation. UK larp is
Within UK larp, characters are generally a broad church, and many games will use
player and game specific. There is much less more than one of the categories I will talk
of a culture of re-runs of events, with reus- about here, often with the player themselves
able characters than in other larp traditions. determining which of the methods is em-
Usually, a character will be generated by or ployed. A player in a game with open char-
for the specific player, often with regard to acter design, might take it upon themselves
their personal taste in the game, and then to submit their character to the organisers
only played by that player. The character in an attempt to turn their personal experi-
will be tied to the game in question, or to the ence towards more of a hybrid design pro-
campaign. There is none of the portability of cess. Equally, there may be some negotiation
characters that one might see in the German around character detail in a pre-generated
larp tradition, where it is not uncommon system enabling the player to tweak their ex-
for a character to travel between games and perience without loss of the plot purpose of
campaigns (Weienfels, 2017) It is also fairly the character.
rare to get pre-written characters designed For the purpose of this article, I am going
to be played by dierent people at repeated to define three broad categories of charac-
runs of a game. There is a split across games ter creation, and look at the role that each
around character numbers per player, where plays in defining the way the narrative of its
some games permit a player many dierent game develops.
characters resident within the campaign and

4 The deliberate use of o-game or out-of-character opportunity to influence the in-game or in-character
situation. This is regarded variously as inevitable or blatant cheating (or both).

202
 OPEN CHARACTER DESIGN needs to be open to any character present
at the game.
In an open character design system, the In terms of the game writer, there is little
player is presented with a game world de- burden on them from an open character cre-
signed by the organisers, a defined charac- ation system. Once the system is set up, with
ter generation rules system and then left whatever method of allowing the player to
to their own devices. There may be skills access it (written, online, etc), it requires very
to pick from a list and a form to fill out to little interaction from the writers. Since plot
enable the character rules detail to be insert- is character agnostic, there is no need for the
ed into a database; but there is no submis- writers to know or care about the characters
sion of character background, no direct plot attending the game.
writer engagement with the characters at
creation, and no expectation that the game CHARACTER PRE-GENERATION
writers will even be aware of that characters
personal story. Of course the game experi- At the opposite end of the scale is a style of
ence will be coloured by the character, and character generation that relies upon the
background points may become integral to games writers to generate and publish the
the developing story, relevant to others and characters to the players. Background and
inform the overall narrative; but the plot will past events are recorded, and often insight
pay no pre-written regard to the characters into the characters thoughts, desires and
involved. Player agency is purely by character goals are oered. Relationships with other
action, the game cares nothing for the char- characters are predetermined and some-
acter until it takes action. times a list of aims and objectives are set
This style of character creation is quite out for the player. Unlike some of the block-
traditional, with larps that grew out of ta- buster nordic larps, where players are en-
bletop games focussing primarily on a tra- couraged to amend, alter or discard aspects
ditional linear adventure style of game, and of their character brief, in the UK this style
thus character generation being an exercise comes with an expectation of fidelity on
in the definition of character stats. In this the part of its players. Player agency is again
instance the background of the character is purely by character action, they have no con-
largely irrelevant to the mechanics of play, as trol over the state in which their character
opposed to the statistics which are relevant starts the game.
due to the rule-heavy nature of the charac- Character pre-generation is seen by many
ters interaction. So, if the primary purpose as the domain of a dierent discipline of
of the game is to provide a series of physi- role-playing, that of the freeform,5 but as
cal and mental challenges for the players with all larp the lines are extremely blurred.
and their characters to win through, then it There are certainly games that are regarded
matters little what the status of that charac- as larp that have used full character pre-gen-
ters parents might be, except to the player eration to provide the players with their
himself. It is also common in very large- characters. For large, complicated games
scale fest games, where players are num- the briefs can become weighty, sometimes
bered in the high hundreds or thousands, several pages long and occasionally very
and by necessity the organiser-sourced plot many pages long.

5 If you put a dozen UK larpers in a room and asked them to define the dierences between a larp game and a
freeform you would leave with a dozen dierent answers. Largely they are the same thing. If you had to define a
dierence it would probably be the amount of rules and mechanics involved, with freeform games having much
less mechanical burden.

203
 The burden upon the writers using such a be aware that not all players wish to involve
character creation method can be extensive. themselves in the process to a large extent,
Depending upon the tightness of scripting, and time and enthusiasm constraints may
the volume of information to be presented cause players to fail to engage in the process.
and the number of players, writing all the Despite it often being the player who fails to
characters for a game can constitute an en- engage with the organiser, it can then lead
deavour of epic proportions. When one con- to a perceived fairness imbalance in terms
siders the importance of tight and accurate of organiser attention, and a consequent as-
continuity between characters in order to sumption of inherent game unfairness.8
ensure that both sections of a relationship Obviously there is a sliding scale of eort
understand the nature of their bonds; the required on the part of the writers for a game
importance of great editorial control also that chooses a hybrid system. As a minimum,
becomes paramount. This method of char- they must be prepared to weave character
acter creation carries with it a high burden of backgrounds into their plot writing, drawing
eort on the part of game writers.6 upon the core elements of player writing. In
more intricate cases, there can be levels of
HYBRID CHARACTER DESIGN commitment equal to those of a pre-gener-
ated character system, with as much writing
Character generation systems that either eort put into meshing player generated or
do not care about the characters history or collaboratively generated background and
that present the character as a finished arti- story into the plot.
cle have been found by many players to be
unsatisfying. So hybrid character generation CHARACTER DESIGN AND
styles have become fashionable. Sometimes NARRATIVE OPPORTUNITY
this can be as simple as oering an open style
of character design with the ability to submit Each of the character design methodologies
supporting history to the game authorities comes with its own benefits, drawbacks and
for plot data-mining; or to oer a pre-gen- opportunities when looking at the overall
erated character with deliberate gaps left in narrative of the game. Character generation
it for the player to personalise. Other games is often the first encounter that the player
use a truly collaborative approach to the gen- will have with the game, and thus it has a
eration of characters, with a back and forth profound eect upon the players expecta-
between the player and the organiser in iter- tions of the game.9 There is opportunity to
ative development of concept and brief. be had here as well, however, as a well-de-
This is a fairly common method in small- signed immersive character design process
er UK games,7 and is spreading slowly to can reinforce themes and generate excite-
larger games. The level of collaboration is, ment for the game to come, as well as dic-
of course, scalable and it is necessary to tai- tating the view from which the player expe-
lor the organiser/player contact to factor in riences the game.
available resources. It is also important to Open character design can, at first glance,

6 The largest number of characters I have experienced written in this way for a single game numbered in the
low hundreds.

7 Those with less than 100 players.

8 Skewed game balance in competitive games is injurious to the feeling that your participation is valued, and
unfairness (or the perception of it) is a common criticism of UK larp games.

9 Your author has had one experience where he was faced with such an impenetrable and confusing system of
character creation that he actually cancelled his ticket for the larp in question.

204
seem to be a narrative dead end. After all, character background in order to generate
there is no organiser or plot interaction with that role, some players will not do so, focus-
the character, and so the character is large- sing solely on what the character can do and
ly irrelevant to the narrative. But in reality not at all on its place in the world. They can
it can serve to open the game and its narra- also, in some older systems that have been
tive up to more participants. If no one can through multiple revisions and additions,
legitimately claim to be the Queen by virtue become sufficiently arcane that it is hard
of their character background, then it is left for new players to decipher and thus they
to role-playing and chutzpah on the part of become o putting.
the player to land the throne. Making char- The quest for balance, and through it
acter background irrelevant to the game in fairness, is a core design principle for many
the field, means that players are free to sim- UK larps, and often pushes the larger scale
ply turn up and play, with no requirement games towards an open style of character
to even have thought about their character. design.10 If there is an opportunity for a per-
Whilst this may seem, on the surface, an ception of imbalance in a game with player
obstacle to narrative development, it forces vs player conflict, then it will be taken and
the action into the playing time, where it used to berate the game organisers. This, of
is witnessed and interacted with by many course, in turn colours the narrative of the
more than if it were a background action. game. I have heard players discount the en-
When the game is a campaign game, played joyable sections of games that they played
out over many events spanning months or more than a decade ago because of their
years, encouraging all action to occur during perception of a fairness imbalance. The last-
the game is beneficial to building a narrative ing narrative from that game was that it fa-
shared across the whole of the games player voured the writers friends, and not any of
base, as there is no risk of significant action the grand storytelling that it also managed.
happening o-screen.
Generally speaking, as an organiser Im
There is a danger that, when character ac-
just not very interested in someones char-
tion defines narrative, the overall game can
acter background [... what makes a charac-
seem cliquey and dominated by a select few
ter interesting and engaging is the choices
players with the charisma and will to place
they make while playingnot the back-
themselves into the forefront of that narra-
ground of who they are. [....] experiences
tive. Those players who have less confidence
that are written on paper are just that
or who arrive at the campaign late can feel
theyre just writing. What counts is what
as though the key positions in the game (and
happens livewhat happens in the game
thus the narrative) are all spoken for, and
while people are playing. Thats *real*ev-
that power blocs are entrenched and not
erything else is an illusion.
open for challenge. Their ability to aect the
narrative is diminished, or appears as such, Matt Pennington
and they disengage from the game. Director, Profound Decisions.11
Open character creation systems do also
Character pre-generation oers easier to un-
run the risk of leaving the character isolat-
derstand benefits for game narrative. Having
ed from the world in which it sits. Where
complete control over character motiva-
there is no real need to engage with the

10 Despite this apparent desire for balance, UK larps rarely represent hard skills as points based picks; so if
your side has more people skilled at combat with larp weapons, or more people with unusually large quantities
of charm and charisma, then you have an advantage over rival groups.

11 Profound Decisions run the Empire campaign larp series, fest-level fantasy games set in an incredibly de-
tailed world. These games attract some 1500 participants per game and run 4 times per year.

205
tions, goals and relationships allows a much characters run the risk of exposing that ten-
tighter direction to be applied to the game sion more starkly than other forms of char-
levers. Whilst it is still not possible (or indeed acter creation, as if too detailed they can lead
desirable) to definitively map out the path the characters down a predetermined path.
that the narrative will take, tightly scripted When handled correctly they can allow for
characters give the writers a better starting some of the most intricate and delicate of
point from which to ponder the directions plot weaves that produce a realistic and sat-
it might take. isfying experience for all. The other danger
With a narrower range of likely directions with this form is that it can lead to a fear on
for characters to go, more time can be spent the part of the player that they somehow
on linking individual characters to plot arcs need to do their character justice and a in
and thus providing more personalised plot extremis that fear can cause a state of char-
engagement for the players. The purpose of acter paralysis, where rather than get their
a pre-generated character is not to railroad character wrong they do nothing.
the player into certain actions, but instead to
For a game where the overarching nar-
provide focus to enable the player to get the
rative was the primary design consider-
most out of the time invested in the game.
ation, structured characters with specific
Obviously, this style of character genera-
predefined goals were one of the primary
tion requires more buy in from the player
tools we used to build the world, maintain
and careful writing on the part of the games
consistency and coherence, and ensure we
writers to avoid any feeling of pre-scripted
had an overall sequence of events that hung
play. It is easy for a scene that has been set
together from any angle.
up by sections in several characters briefs to
On the one hand, the degree of control
become an exercise in merely playing out the
over the narrative that we exercised by writ-
writers intentions, rather than a true scene
ing those characters was considerable[...]
with full player agency.
On the other hand, one of our cardinal
Player engagement with the game can be
rules was once were in play, the player
very intense when this method of character
rules. If players went o-piste with their
creation is used. Receiving a finely crafted
characters during a game we respected the
and well written character brief, with clear
decisions they made and incorporated them
plot hooks and intriguing relationships can
moving forward. So in that sense, the play-
be a special moment for some players. For
ers did really have more freedom than it ap-
those people, the character reveal serves to
peared to begin with.
build excitement and draw them into their
characters story and thus the game narrative Ian Andrews
from a time ahead of the game. Having time Speaking about the New World
to understand and own the character gives Order series of games12
these players a deep affinity for it which can
Hybrid systems seem to oer the best of all
translate to a very satisfying experience.
worlds. The combination of writer interac-
There is a tension in all story-driven larp
tion and player freedom is an attractive one,
games between the plot as designed and
with the opportunity to blend plot hooks
written by the games organisers and the de-
and direction with agency for the player. It is
sire for player agency and the ability to move
possible for this style of character generation
that plot into new directions to generate a
to result in a character that fulfils the plot
new narrative for the game. Pre-generated
requirements of the larp writers and aords

12 NWO, or New World Order were a series of extremely influential games in the late 90s and early 2000s that
were set in the Ars Magica world, and featured very long pre-written character briefs. The irony of the word
brief was not lost on the writers.

206
the freedom to the player to place their own the player. We give them a loose frame-
identity upon that character. workdefined by IC13 documents, letters,
However, there are many pitfalls to a sys- passports, diaries. photographs etc.and
tem that tries to be all things to all people. then allow the player to fill in those gaps for
Defining the limits of customisation to your themselves. What they thought or felt about
players can be hard. Many players may not a particular event, or person, for example.
wish to engage in the iterative processes in How they spent the year between Diary
place, and it will be harder to oer these Entry #1 and Diary Entry #2. So there is
players the same level of detail as those that considerable space for the player to bring
are invested in the character creation pro- their own thoughts, feelings, behaviour and
cess. Accusations of imbalance are probable, history to the character.
as players will often perceive their rivals as
Ian Thomas
having a relationship with the game organ-
Writer and Organiser
isers that benefits their rival and disadvan-
Crooked House Games
tages them. The idea of benefits for friends,
cliques and unfair advantage can easily ruin
We were both very reluctant to present
trust in the game writers. With the UKs fo-
players with a pile of notes to read through.
cus upon creating conflict between charac-
Having played games which felt more like
ters as a source of story, as well as the on-
an exam for which you hadnt revised, or for
going nature of campaign games and their
an interview where you hadnt adequately
consequent buy-in and investment from
prepared, we didnt want the players to feel
players, perception of bias is a major threat
they had to sit down and swot up on de-
to the creation of a satisfying narrative.
tails of their characters. The presentation of
In a system that encourages player and
documents which were open to interpreta-
organiser collaboration in character gener-
tion about how the character felt about the
ation, there is also a very real danger that
event, or even if they cared about it at all
some players, who have a good understand-
allowed them to improvise.
ing of the game style, can come to create
characters that fit well with the plot. This Rachel Thomas
can lead to certain players constantly grand- Writer and Organiser
standing, whilst others who are less good at Crooked House Games
fitting their characters to the plot style, find
themselves relegated to support roles.
CHOICES
Im not sure youd class the system we use
as collaborative in the way that the term is As with any creative medium, there is no cor-
usually used i.e. I generally understand the rect way to approach things when it comes
usage of collaborative to be work with the to character creation styles for memorable
player to develop the character up front narrative. Furthermore, as with many open
and thats not really what we do. Sure, we character creation systems, it is often the
ask the player for a very basic idea if they purpose of those systems to get out of the
have one, but most people leave it to us. We way of the narrative. To divorce the whole
do pitch an expanded concept back to the pre-game persona from the equation, allow-
player just to check that its okay with them, ing only in-game actions to drive the overall
but we dont workpre-gameon deeper narrative.
details with the player themselves. When used correctly, however, charac-
Where Id say we are extremely collab- ter creation can provide a gateway into the
orative is in the way we dont directly brief game that helps the players to get a feel for

13 IC or In Character, is roughly synonymous with In Game.

207
the game, provides them with the tools that other.
they need to feel comfortable slipping into
Matt Pennington
the mind of the character, whilst allowing
on Empire LRPs character creation
them the freedom to truly personalise their
system
experience as they wish. Facilitating the
player story should form the minimum bar If your intent is to tightly bind characters
to clear in terms of the character creation to one another, to provide the player with
system. If your character creation system complicated relationships with a coherent
gets in the way of the player being able to tell theme, or to set up intricate multi-player
the story that they hope or expect to be able plots, then character pre-generation might
to tell, then it is a fundamentally bad piece suit. It most suits a heavily themed game
of design. where the writers have a situation, game
To determine which style of character feel or philosophy that they wish to explore.
creation will serve your narrative inten- It will inevitably add a large word count to
tions best, you must understand how you your game preparation and care must be
wish that narrative to develop. If you want a taken to avoid swamping the player with in-
broad and open narrative that focuses upon formation, scripting too tightly or failing to
the in-the-field actions of the characters, account for player choice and action. It is all
where inclusivity is less important than the too easy to let writer expectation flourish at
demonstrable eects of decisive action; then the cost of player agency, leading to railroad-
an open character character creation sys- ing when things go awry.
tem may serve your game best. The risk that
Did we have an end in mind when we set
some players may feel cut adrift, left out or
o? Only in the broadest terms, insofar as
unable to impact the game needs manage-
we wanted the in-game organisation (the
ment, lest their contribution to the overall
Order of Hermes) to face an existential
game narrative is negative.
threat in real terms. We set up a dozen or so
I think the key element that were trying to possible sources for that existential threat
create with Empire is to build a persistent over the first two games embedded in the
worldone which self-generates interac- attitudes, goals and aims of characters and
tion through overlapping and opposing their perception of as-yet-unplayed charac-
character ambitions that arise organically ters in the background, then let the players
from the individual motivations that peo- actions evolve which of those threats be-
ple make. came the primary, how it evolved and what
The narrative goal for Empire? My goal it meant.
was for something to happensomething One of our biggest protagonists wasnt
cool, something exciting, something dra- played in person until the final game, but
matic, something just anything. I dont featured extensively in character sheets for
care what it isI dont care *what* hap- the first four. His sheet for the final game
pensI just care that something happens. was shaped not just by what we had written
Im not a story writerwhat I try to do of him, but on how players had reacted to
is create a fertile environment which will that in game over the first four games.
cause stories to happen basically Im a
Ian Andrews
glorified muck spreader.
speaking on New World Order narrative
So yeah thats what the character
generation system in Empire is designed to If you wish your narrative to be responsive
doto spread muck. To fertilize the ground to player action, but also oer a somewhat
by providing mechanisms that allow for guided experience, then a hybrid system will
eective competition within the world most likely suit. It allows the player input
thereby incentivising people to compete into their character, and through that char-
and by doing so create good stories for each acter into the plot; whilst still oering the

208
writers a chance to send the game in a cer- only, can be to miss an opportunity to help
tain direction. Its flexibility is also its draw- build game narrative.
back; diering player expectations (espe-
cially around fairness), potentially very high LEARNING LESSONS
levels of work and record keeping, and the
need for very clear communication between UK larp has traditionally been quite isola-
players and writers. tionist in terms of the wider world. It was
rare to see UK larp writers and players at
Narratively, we were attempting to create a
events outside the UK, or for them to par-
series of characters who had stories, secrets
ticipate in information and idea exchange
and problems which mirrored the themes of
with their worldwide fellows. This situation
our game in a way which intertwined those
is changing, and more and more UK players
characters with both our overall narrative
are taking steps outside their own traditions
and with each other.
and into games and events in Europe and be-
GRYM was an experiment in overcom-
yond.
ing a standard trope of horror gamesin
At the same time, there is an academic
most games, a reason for the haunting is
approach to larp becoming more prevalent
discovered, and a puzzle is solved or a rit-
amongst the UK larp community. Larp the-
ual is performed to cure the haunt. We
ory is becoming a topic of conversation, and
wanted to focus on the emotional drama
sites like larp.guide are moving to oer con-
rather than reducing the ghosts to what is
tent around larp theory online. With the in-
eectively button-pushing or box-ticking.
flux of new ideas, many larp writers are look-
Therefore one of our side goals was to give
ing at how they can improve their games and
characters secrets or problems that echoed
what lessons can be learned from outside the
the situations which had led to individual
UK scene.
ghosts haunting the manorthat is, each
character was aligned in some way with a I guess Id like to see more LRPs that build
ghost, without knowing it. If the character on the idea that who you were before the
succeeded in resolving their own crisis, that game started is not a critical thing the
ghost would be laid to rest. organiser needs to know about. Id like to
Given that each crisisand each see more games where my character back-
ghostwas also aligned with our major ground is important to meto give me a
themes, the resulting thematic resonance grounding in who I am and how Im going
resulted in players feeling they were in tune to respondbut its not important for the
with the event, which Id count as an unex- organiser in terms of what is going to hap-
pected success. pen in the game we play.
Ian Thomas Matt Pennington
speaking on God Rest Ye Merry (2015)
I have not played an event with such an
A character generation system that is well
open character creation system before and I
thought through and appropriate to the
found it a very strange experience. The idea
game for which it is designed can become a
of setting up all my secrets as open secrets
part of the overall game narrative. In some
and asking who else wanted to be part of
cases, the character creation system flavours
my character arc seemed very weird.
the game, or can even, in the case of Dream
Park style games14 (Niven and Barnes, 2010) Rachel Thomas
be an in-game part of the event. To relegate speaking on Fairweather
character creation to a mechanistic process Manor character creation.

14 In which the character is an in-game construct.

209
 One of the things that I took away from
my experiments with Nordic and European
larp is the collaborative initial approach
and the workshopping elements. UK larp
in the maincertainly the fest larp part of
itcomes at character generation the same
way it comes at most thingscompetitive-
ly. I think theres a lot to be said for the idea
of engaging in some structured engagement
and workshopping about characters and
the game contract ahead of play starting.
Ian Andrews.
There has been little innovation in charac-
ter generation techniques over the last two
decades, with most of them making small
iterative changes. Whilst for some games,
their choice of character system fits with
and serves, their themes and narrative goals,
elsewhere it is often overlooked in favour
of more visible and important sections of
game narrative. Like the breadth of charac-
ter creation systems in UK larp, there is a
breadth of opinion on whether this is some-
thing worthy of change or not.

BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Brind, Simon. Player agency on an epic scale. Andrews, Ian, et al., New World Order. United
Larp Design Conference. Talk. Wroclaw, Kingdom: Machiavelli Games and NWO Games.
Poland. 2016 https://www.youtube.com/ 1993-2006
watch?v=pmswcGq2dXM
Boruta, Szymon, Charles Bo Nielsen and Claus
Niven, Larry, and Steven Barnes. Dream Park. New Raasted et. al., Fairweather Manor, Mozna,
York, USA: Tor. 2010 Poland: Dziobak Studios, Rollespilsfabrikken(DK)
and Liveform(PL). 2015
Thomas, Inge, M. (ed.), Conversations with William
Faulkner, Mississippi, USA: University Press of Pennington, Matt et al., Empire. United Kingdom:
Mississippi. 1999 Profound Decisions, 2013-
Weienfels, Monika. Telling Character Stories. In Thomas, Ian and Rachel Thomas et al. God Rest Ye
Once Upon a Nordic Larp .... 20 years of playing Merry. United Kingdom: Crooked House. 2015
stories, Edited by Martine Svanevik, Linn Carin
Andreassen, Simon Brind, Elin Nilsen, and
Grethe Sofie Bulterud Strand, Oslo, Norway:
Knutepunkt. 2017

210
 Playing Around the Event
[character moment]
Expansive pre-game at College of Wizardry
He killed a man. I will
never talk to him again,
Shane said. Nothing Charlotte Ashby
Brooke said could
bridge the gap that had
appeared between her
two best
College friends.(Nielsen and Dembinski et al. 2014) is a four-day larp in a Polish
of Wizardry
castle where around 135 participants play at being students and sta at a magical col-
lege. It is set in the present day where the magical world exists alongside the Mun-
dane, reflecting its origins as a game set in the Harry Potter universe. It is a sandbox
design, within which many dierent strands of player-led play flourish. There is a
containing perimeter of game architecture: houses, years, paths, a timetable of daily
[Brooke Nolton,
events (classes) and College
landmark events (sorting, ball etc). Within that perimeter, howev-
ofer,Wizardry
players are 1]free to invent pretty much anything they wish. It is also a very popular
game. The appeal of the College of Wizardry format is demonstrated by the on-going
success of the game since 2014, with CoW 11 and 12 in the pipeline, and a strong in-
ternational player base of both new and returning players. Enthusiasm for the game
remains undented by the shift away from the Harry Potter universe between CoW3
and CoW4.
In this article I focus not on the game itself but on play around the event. Facilitat-
ed by the game design and game team and driven by the players themselves, the game
is taken beyond the game-as-event format, stretching its parameters and blurring its
boundaries. This should not come as a surprise. It has been observed that the players
of games are essentially playful and therefore inclined to tinker with any format or
text they are presented with (MacCallum-Stewart, 2014). In a related manner, con-
[character
sumption of moment]
other media is increasingly moving from the [future
passiveof
to larp]
the active (Jen-
kins, 2014). Larp, as an intrinsically participatory medium, is therefore a natural site
for new, emergent forms of play. (Pearce, 2009)
I will
Thenot stand world
expanding in your of polymedia socialising is alsoWecentral
will get more
to the development
way,
I am and hers. and Miller, 2013). As moreprofessional
not in(Madianou
considering organisers
and more dimensions of our
Just
real promise me one online, digital media is increasingly
lives are experienced who earn money
not simply making
an arena for
the documenting
thing, okay? Promise, of life, but a site where it is lived. Itlarps
is therefore
or havenatural
it asthat larp
a side
should
that you move
willinto
notthis territory as a potential new fieldjob.
forget of play
Theto age
augmentspan andiscom-
plement live play, just as our digital lives augment our (analog) life.
what we had. Because it growing, so we will get a
Alongside an exploration of the nature of this emergent form of expansive pre-
sure was a good thing.
game play, I am also interested in considering its impact, largeranddiversity than ever
potential impact, on
player experience. There is, after all, a dierence between before.
a game you go to for a des-
ignated number of days and a game that potentially follows you around for months
on end, pinging from your device and popping up on your screen. I use the term
pre-game, rather than pre-game, as a noun to signal that while it happens before the
game it Zamos,
[Ashley is also a form of game on its own account. It is my
College contention
[Eskil, that pre-game,
42 years]
as presented here, has the potential to blur boundaries between game and not game
of Wizardry 5]
and, in terms of player experience, between one reality and another.

213
 One of the things that I took away from
my experiments with Nordic and European
larp is the collaborative initial approach [character moment]
and the workshopping elements. UK larp
in the maincertainly the fest larp part of
itcomes at character generation the same
way it comes at most thingscompetitive-
ly. I think theres a lot to be said for the idea
Nick is gone! He is
of engaging in some structured engagement dead! You have to
and workshopping about characters and accept that, MC!
the game contract ahead of play starting. Richard Jaeger shouted
Ian Andrews.
at her. And she knew
that he was right.
There has been little innovation in charac-
ter generation techniques over the last two
decades, with most of them making small
iterative changes. Whilst for some games,
their choice of character system fits with
[Marie-Claire Baston,
and serves, their themes and narrative goals, College of Wizardry 7]
elsewhere it is often overlooked in favour
of more visible and important sections of
game narrative. Like the breadth of charac-
ter creation systems in UK larp, there is a
breadth of opinion on whether this is some-
thing worthy of change or not.

[character moment] [future of larp]

I have to go. I love you,

BIBLIOGRAPHY MaybeLUDOGRAPHY
we have more
goodbye! machines to help us to
Brind, Simon. Player agency on an epic scale. Andrews, Ian, et al., New World Order. United
As he ran into the
Larp Design Conference. Talk. Wroclaw,
make the larps a little
Kingdom: Machiavelli Games and NWO Games.
night
Poland. 2016to die, my heart
https://www.youtube.com/ more reality-like.
1993-2006
shattered and I realised
watch?v=pmswcGq2dXM
Berner, Anders Gredal, Claus Raasted and Agata
thatand
Niven, Larry, I loved him back.
Steven Barnes. Dream Park. New wistak et. al., Fairweather Manor, Mozna,
York, USA: Tor. 2010 Poland: Dziobak Studios, Rollespilsfabrikken(DK)
and Liveform(PL). 2015
Thomas, Inge, M. (ed.), Conversations with William
Faulkner, Mississippi, USA: University Press of Pennington, Matt et al., Empire. United Kingdom:
Mississippi. 1999 Profound
[Elin,Decisions,
15 years] 2013-
[Irene Heartray,
College
Weienfels, Monika.of Wizardry
Telling Character3]
Stories. In Thomas, Ian and Rachel Thomas et al. God Rest Ye
Once Upon a Nordic Larp .... 20 years of playing Merry. United Kingdom: Crooked House. 2015
stories, Edited by Martine Svanevik, Linn Carin
Andreassen, Simon Brind, Elin Nilsen, and
Grethe Sofie Bulterud Strand, Oslo, Norway:
Knutepunkt. 2017

210
 Playing Around the Event
Expansive pre-game at College of Wizardry
Charlotte Ashby

College of Wizardry (Nielsen and Dembinski et al. 2014) is a four-day larp in a Polish
castle where around 135 participants play at being students and sta at a magical col-
lege. It is set in the present day where the magical world exists alongside the Mun-
dane, reflecting its origins as a game set in the Harry Potter universe. It is a sandbox
design, within which many dierent strands of player-led play flourish. There is a
containing perimeter of game architecture: houses, years, paths, a timetable of daily
events (classes) and landmark events (sorting, ball etc). Within that perimeter, howev-
er, players are free to invent pretty much anything they wish. It is also a very popular
game. The appeal of the College of Wizardry format is demonstrated by the on-going
success of the game since 2014, with CoW 11 and 12 in the pipeline, and a strong in-
ternational player base of both new and returning players. Enthusiasm for the game
remains undented by the shift away from the Harry Potter universe between CoW3
and CoW4.
In this article I focus not on the game itself but on play around the event. Facilitat-
ed by the game design and game team and driven by the players themselves, the game
is taken beyond the game-as-event format, stretching its parameters and blurring its
boundaries. This should not come as a surprise. It has been observed that the players
of games are essentially playful and therefore inclined to tinker with any format or
text they are presented with (MacCallum-Stewart, 2014). In a related manner, con-
sumption of other media is increasingly moving from the passive to the active (Jen-
kins, 2014). Larp, as an intrinsically participatory medium, is therefore a natural site
for new, emergent forms of play. (Pearce, 2009)
The expanding world of polymedia socialising is also central to the development
I am considering (Madianou and Miller, 2013). As more and more dimensions of our
real lives are experienced online, digital media is increasingly not simply an arena for
the documenting of life, but a site where it is lived. It is therefore natural that larp
should move into this territory as a potential new field of play to augment and com-
plement live play, just as our digital lives augment our (analog) life.
Alongside an exploration of the nature of this emergent form of expansive pre-
game play, I am also interested in considering its impact, and potential impact, on
player experience. There is, after all, a dierence between a game you go to for a des-
ignated number of days and a game that potentially follows you around for months
on end, pinging from your device and popping up on your screen. I use the term
pre-game, rather than pre-game, as a noun to signal that while it happens before the
game it is also a form of game on its own account. It is my contention that pre-game,
as presented here, has the potential to blur boundaries between game and not game
and, in terms of player experience, between one reality and another.

213
 PRE-GAME IN THE rameters of the game itself as an event. Some
CROSS-PLATFORM SANDBOX of what I am discussing overlaps with the
general field of pre-game preparation, char-
The primary message delivered to players at- acter creation and the formation of charac-
tending CoW is that your characters are your ter relationships prior to a game. Some of it
characters (CoW documentation, 2015). If might be compared to the practice of writing
anything doesnt work for youbarring as- fanfiction about beloved characters, to as-
signed house, path or yearyou can change sert ownership of these characters and their
it. If it isnt working in play, you can change it stories (McClellan, 2013). However, what I
(Raasted, 2015). Characters can also be writ- am particularly interested in are the points
ten in their entirety by players themselves when well-established practices of charac-
and group dynamics of family and friends ter development and backstory blur into
across the school and among the sta may be the realm of a category-stretching pre-game
invented, creating networks of players who across a range of digital platforms.
wish to co-create story. Players are therefore As some characters roll from event to
substantially free to create the game they event, particularly with the provision of Mid-
wish to attend, both in advance and at the term Madness sequel games by the College of
larp. The College of Wizardry design allows Wizardry,1 various forms of play within the
for many dierent sub-games to flourish same game-world may extend over many
alongside one another: gods and monsters months. This has been augmented by a num-
in the dungeon, cheerleader tryouts in the ber of player-devised spin-o games, where
courtyard, all whilst someone else is getting characters and plot threads from the main
stood up at the heart-ache end of the bridge. games are played forward. What pre-game
This sort of player-led invention is active- and spin-o games share is the generation of
ly supported by College of Wizardry. In the player-led play outside of the game-as-event
months in advance of the game all players format, entirely unregulated or monitored
have access to the innovative in-game social by the game team. Based on the sandbox
network, Czochabook, developed by Thom- premise, due to the extended time involved
as Mertz and his team for College of Wiz- pre-, post- and between events, the walls of
ardry (Mertz, 2016). This provides a forum the sandbox are pushed further and further
for online role-playing in the run-up to the for players who partake, creating a funda-
game event and for a short wind-down pe- mentally dierent experience of the game.
riod afterwards. In addition, players are giv- This high-intensity, prolonged pre-game has
en access to a network of Facebook groups the potential to transform player experience,
in the months before the game, some set up creating something even experienced players
by the game team and some that are player are unfamiliar with.
initiatives. These groups map onto the years, It is not my contention that the College
paths, clubs, societies, blood status heri- of Wizardry is unique in generating rich pre-
tage and really anything anyone can think game, postgame and inter-game play. How-
of through which an individual character ever the conjunction of permissive game de-
might construct their identity and relation- sign and the expansion of available channels
ship network. of digital communication has, I would argue,
This permissive, anything goes game created a novel context in which the main
design has its advantages and disadvantages, game event itself has the potential to form
but this is not the focus of the current arti- only a portion of the experience and narra-
cle. My core discussion is the development tive content of each game for those players
of a variety of forms of play outside the pa- who partake in the expanded version.

1 To date CoW2, 7 and 8 have been sequels.

214
 It is not unusual for players of all sorts of characters. This was formalised for CoW9/10
games to develop backstory for their charac- onwards, where the opportunity to bring
ters. The amount of character preparation your own character is explicitly oered at
expected before an event and the form that signup.2 Both pre-written and player-de-
it takes is culturally highly variable. The Nor- vised characters then intersect with the CoW
dic Larp Wiki Rulebook gives only passing Facebook groups, as players can join the ap-
consideration for activity undertaken prior propriate groups for house, year, any clubs
to arrival at the larp: they are affiliated to and so on. Players can
set up their own groups for subcommunities
A vital part of Nordic Larp is the attitude
they have devised, which are indexed in the
which you come into it with.
overall game group. These groups and the
If you have a character in advance, you
dedicated Looking for Relations group set
should costume for this character. Unless
up for each game, alongside Facebooks Mes-
otherwise specified, you do not need period
senger function, are used by players to intro-
materials, but the costume should look
duce characters to one another and pursue
convincing. (Stark et.al. 2012)
character relations.
Costume preparation is certainly a rich Czochabook is an in-game socialmedia
field for the development of character iden- platform in which players sign up in-char-
tity and this entry reflects the high value acter. The platform mirrors a Facebook-style
placed on costume as a contribution to larp format and is thus immediately familiar
experience in the Nordic countries. It does and accessible to most players who choose
not, however, encompass the range of pre- to engage. It allows for the uploading of an
paratory activities players may engage in. in-character profile picture, the creation
Character sheets often include elements of of posts in the form of texts and/or imag-
backstory, though this can also vary massive- es, commenting on posts, the formation of
ly across dierent larp cultures from a couple groups and private messaging. The modern
of paragraphs to tens of pages. It is not un- phenomenon of living online is thus trans-
common for the generation of a backstory, posed into the virtual world of College of
in the form of pieces of fiction, to be devel- Wizardry.
oped individually or collaboratively as part of
Czochabook [Kin] is one of the things that
game preparation. It is regarded by many a
makes CoW more alive. Its completely opt-
valuable part of making that character come
in and you can play the larp without it just
alive. The creation of such backstory is not
fine, but for those who choose to join the
usually regarded as play, with the distinc-
madness that is Czochabook [Kin], it adds
tion being that the creator is not in charac-
a whole extra layer to the experience.
ter at the time, rather they are meditating
creatively on the nature of that character. Claus Raasted, Main Organiser, College
(Pearce, 2016, p.458-9) of Wizardry (Mertz, 2016)
College of Wizardry provide players with
Usage of Czochabook has increased nota-
two-page-long character sheets, contain-
bly since its launch in 2015.
ing factual details, some character back-
ground and some suggestions for developing To date Kin has been used to post more
the character. From CoW4 onwards, play- than 5890 updates, with more than 76576
er participation in the task of non-Potter comments. Users across installations have
world-building for College of Wizardry in- sent more than 32565 private messages and
cluded the opportunity to create their own doled out more than 47554 Likes. (Mertz,

2 For more discussion of player-generated characters at College of Wizardry see Monika Weienfels, Telling
character stories in this volume.

215
 2016) used simply as a preparation tool for pro-
file-building and relationship-building. This
As content builds up over time within
overlaps with a performative aspect, in that
each self-contained, game-specific iteration
characters are previewed to other players
of Czochabook, a new virtual community
in pre-game prior to their full realisation
comes into being, with running jokes and
in-game. It also should be stated that not all
a realistic patina of close friends surround-
players avail themselves of these opportuni-
ed by a wider body of acquaintances. These
ties to the same extent or, indeed, at all. As
communities are not designed by the game
indicated above, the game team stress that
team. Players with pre-written characters
such preparation is not a requirement of the
have been provided with foundational and
game. However, statistics relating to usage
peripheral information on character sheets
of Czochabook demonstrate that a signifi-
and everyone has access to a framework of
cant volume of character/player interaction
world lore and trivia in the design document
takes place prior to the game-as-event being
and accompanying texts. (Raasted et al.,
run. For those players who have lived with
2014, Raasted 2015a, 2015b, 2015c) Though, as
their characters and their characters friends
mentioned, a high proportion of these texts
and enemies for months and have multiple
since CoW4 have been generated by players,
threads of plot already running, the game
rather than game team as such.
itself is undeniably a dierent experience.
The virtual community of the pre-game,
The degree to which this experience can
therefore, develops as an emergent process
be meshed with players stepping into their
negotiated between players. It is shaped by
characters shoes for the first time, on the
player familiarity with the functional tropes
day, is debatable.
of social media: from following ones friends
As the study by Martine Svanevik and
and commenting on one anothers posts to
Simon Brind on CoW5 demonstrated, for a
relationship status drama, vaguebooking
number of players engagement with pre-
and the ensuing flurry of private messag-
play can be intense (Svanevik and Brind,
es and comments of concern. This trans-
2016). Alongside, in-game public and private
position of social media practices to bring
Czochabook interactions, private messaging
fictional characters to life has already been
and video hangouts across various platforms
observed in the realm of fanfiction. (Looka-
are used, fiction is written individually and
doo and Dickenson, 2015) The dierence
collaboratively, commonly using GoogleD-
between fans staking a claim to a favourite
ocs, and online roleplay events are hosted
character, role-playing as them, tweeting as
in player-developed virtual games on Face-
them, creating fictional blogs etc., is the sub-
book. What is notable is not that players are
ordinate relationship to the source media.
developing backstory and relations, but the
However engaged the fans are and however
volume of interactions taking place and the
receptive the show-runners or actors are, the
weaving back and forth of these dierent fic-
fans dont control the show. In larp they do
tional interactions, the complexity of which
and the game is explicitly a vehicle for that
starts to share parallels with live play.
practice, particularly in the hands of the Col-
lege of Wizardry team who facilitate rather
CASE STUDY:
than master the game.
PANDEMONIUM BALL
What might have remained individual
character backstory thus enter the public
As a case study, the Pandemonium Ball was
game-world, as references to family and
a virtual game event that took place in the
characters homelife make their way into
pre-game of CoW5. It was hosted by a play-
posts, comments and private messages.
er (Player B/ Lilith Emilia von Ravensberg)
Whether activities on Czochabook consti-
and took the form within the pre-game fic-
tute play is a matter of interpretation.
tion of an annual ball hosted by the charac-
Doubtless, for some players Czochabook is
ters aunt. The event was hosted in a private

216
Facebook group, but was a public event, in experience as Czochabook. O-game Face-
that it was promoted o-game on the overall book identities are revealed alongside the re-
player group for CoW5, with all players invit- ferred-to character names. The convention
ed to participate if they wished. Forty-nine of tagging the players of other characters
players joined the group, with Claus Raasted was used to notify them of beats in the nar-
and Agata wistak from the game team also rative relevant to their character.
added as non-playing members. This collective fiction was semi-public, in
The group functioned as a semi-public that events performed in the virtual spaces of
pre-game opportunity, with a liminal in- the Pandemonium Ball group were deemed
game/o-game character. O-game posts to have been viewable and/or overhear-able
within the Pandemonium Ball Facebook by anyone else at the ball. Private conver-
group gave instructions on the fictional sations, the content of whispers and scenes
event, framing it for players. Further posts taking place that players and/or characters
within the group organised activities geo- explicitly did not want to be public knowl-
graphically (the balcony, the library, the edge were simultaneously created in written
forest etc.) and by event-points (opening fictions or private messages. In addition,
dance, dinner etc.), creating spaces for vir- Czochabook was used alongside Facebook
tual play/collective fiction building to take before the ball for discussion of invitations
place. Events were constructed by means of and dates and after the ball to roleplay the
comments to the relevant posts presenting exchange of gossip and allusions to events
the action of characters in the form of third that had taken place either within the Pan-
person narration: demonium Ball Facebook group or the sur-
rounding private fictions.
[Thread within The Dance post in the
The ball was deemed to have taken place
Pandemonium Ball group]
on the evening of the 28th September 2015,
Player A3 and the majority of narrative contributions
As the strains of the Dance Macabre fade, on and o the group were made between
Mac marches through the remaining spec- the official opening of play on the 25th and
tres up to Emmanuel (Tag: Player C) and the 30th September 2015. Gossip regarding
Lilith (Tag: Player B). Nice spooks, Peb, the event on Czochabook therefore did not
she says. Lilith? she holds out her hand. take o until after the 28th, though this was
only informally observed. The division of
Player D
the Pandemonium Ball group into dierent
Clarissa, whos been watching the dance,
spaces and dierent event-points within the
clinging to the arm of the same young wiz-
fictional evening allowed players to contrib-
ard from her first dance as though being
ute to comment threads of narrative, arriv-
frightened, is now ignoring him, watching
ing at the ball, first dance etc., out of over-
Mac and Emilia with anticipation in her
all sequence. A large group of players could
eyes.
therefore play together without all being
Player B online at the same time, though synchro-
Lilith looks at Mac with a raised eyebrow. nous play did also occur.
She then looks back at Emmanuel and Example of cross-platform pre-game in-
sighs. Sorry, sweetheart. Ive got some teraction:
duties. Then just nodding at Mac to show
[Private Messenger conversation co-creat-
her that she will take the dance.
ing the roleplay or fiction of conversation
As this sample indicates, Facebook did whilst dancing]
not provide the same in-character roleplay

3 The author.

217
 Player A ignorant of. Her amusement performed in
Mac freezes, breaking the dance and the quote above is thus visible to Player A,
forcing the other dancing couples to flow though its import is not yet understood.
around them. She turns to face Lilith. You The significance of each interaction en-
ever loved any of em? acted on Facebook had the potential to rip-
ple onwards in fictionalised conversations
Player B
between friends recounting what they had
There is something indefinite on her face.
seen or done, either on Czochabook or alter-
Not exactly a smirk. You really want to
nate platforms. The result was a richly artic-
know it? Well the answer is no. I never
ulated virtual memory with shades of focus
loved any of my exes. Shes avoiding Macs
for individual players from the intensely sig-
gaze now, looking somewhere above her
nificant and personal to the vague recollec-
shoulder.
tion of having seen X talking to Y at some
[Extract from Facebook comment thread, point. In the example above, Mac will later
conveying the interaction devised above. be able to infer that Clarissa knew about
Posted to the First Dance in the Pande- Liliths relationship before she did and that
monium Ball Facebook group] will inflect the relationship of these charac-
ters without any overt pre-game negotiation
Player B
necessary between Players A and D.
At one point during their conversation
The virtual reality of the pre-game overall
there is almost something like a laugh
was heightened by the use of images, mu-
coming from Lilith, then a rather amused
sic and descriptive text conveying details
look which makes Mac flush red. Lilith
of the sensory environment. Photographs
turns her around during their dance, to
of players in costume, props and locations
break the eye contact, before whispering
were shared on Czochabook, simulating an
something into her ear from behind her.
Instagram-like visual documentation of the
Player A characters lives. Shared fictions included
Whatever she says causes Mac to freeze, descriptions of sensory experiences of the
breaking the dance and forcing the other characters involved. The Pandemonium Ball
dancing couples to flow around them. She group included players sharing descriptions
turns to face Lilith and asks a question. and photographs of environments and cos-
An indecipherable look flashes over Liliths tumes as well as videos of music playing for
face, but she answers easily enough. At her dierent dances. All this contributed to the
reply Mac grins broadly for the first time potential for a high level of sensory evoca-
that evening. tion associated with the character memories
formed in pre-game.
The fiction is negotiated between the
Though this collective narrative creation
players in advance and a virtual performance
took place primarily in the form of third-per-
of it is placed in the semi-public forum of the
son fiction writing, the complexity of it sur-
Facebook group to simulate what could have
passed the simple authoring of a character
been apparent to an observer at the event.
backstory by a long way. In recollection, fic-
Within the Pandemonium Ball group
tional events were given a patina similar to
hundreds of such fragmentary interactions
true memories in that each characters agen-
were created and collected over a fictional
cy extended only to their own actions and
evening and a real-time play cycle of around
they were confounded, surprised, amused
a week. Each individual interaction had the
etc. by the actions of the characters around
potential to be meaningful (or not) to any
them. The scale of the virtual event meant
other player observing it in the group. Play-
that, even if certain interactions were care-
er D and her character know that Player Bs
fully negotiated o-game, the tapestry of ca-
character is conducting an illicit relationship
sual and serious exchanges and the glimpses
that the character of Player A is completely
of other characters engaged in fragments of

218
their own stories only partially legible to you lation of real memories.
exploded the linearity of fiction. The same I have earlier referred to the transfor-
could be said of pre-game play on Czocha- mative eect of this form of extended pre-
book, where episodes from collaborative fic- game. What I mean by this is its potential to
tions and private messaging of play, both on enhance access to immersive play, to shift it
and o Czochabook, played in and out of the from the pretend toward the real. I should
public realm of statuses and comments. say first that is not my intention to patholo-
gise this sort of play or imply that it is in any
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF way a form of delusional behaviour. At the
EXTENDED PRE-GAME PLAY same time, memory studies have shown that
repeated imagining and recounting of events
This pre-game play/collective narrative as- can, with relative ease, generate false memo-
semblage breaks the traditional boundaries ries of things that never happened (Hyman
of fiction and online role-playing, sharing and Pentland, 1996; Spanos, Burgess and
with live play its multiple points of focus Burgess, 1999). My suggestion, and indeed
and chaotic nonlinearity. Though the char- my experience as a player, is that a character
acter memories developed in pre-game are whose past and relationships are constituted
fragmented across these dierent platforms in this way has a reality more easily accessed
and dierent writerly modes (first person, than other short-forms or private forms of
third person, out-of-character negotiations) imagining because of the patination these
it is known that the way memories form is memories provide within and, crucially, be-
similarly fragmented. Of the two central tween individuals.
categories used in memory studies, seman- Before I go on, I also want to state that I
tic (factual) and episodic (autobiographical) am not suggesting pre-game is the only or
memory, episodic memory, our memory best route to experiences of immersion. It is
bank of experiences and feelings, is the realm possible that players of long-running cam-
in which we collect our pasts and locate our- paign games, for example, have the potential
selves. (Shaw, 2016) to experience something very similar as their
Extended pre-game is characterised by character and relations evolve over time.
multiple tiers of relationships, from close Time is a factor, whether it is the intensity
friends and lovers to casual acquaintances. A of days of play, play over months or years. As
broad array of characters people each char- Mike Pohjola says:
acters (and players) memoryscape, again
The longer the player pretends to believe,
approaching a complexity and verisimilitude
the more she starts to really believe. The
associated with live action play. Crucially
more she pretends to remember, the more
also, it is the intention from the start that
she starts to really remember. The more she
this activity will ultimately manifest in face-
pretends to believe to remember, the more
to-face larping and that all the boasts made,
she starts to really believe to remember,
favours owed, slights given will, potentially
and really remember to believe, and really
at least, have to be paid for. It is therefore
remember and really believe. And she
distinct from the creation of fiction, in that
pretends to forget she is just pretending.
it is haunted by the specter of the real, play-
(Pohjola, 2004. p.84)
ers will have to, to the best of their ability,
sustain the fiction into the larp. It is also dis- What is distinctive to the pre-game I de-
tinct from the eorts of the method actor, in scribe, as opposed to campaign play, is its
that the reality created is not purely internal. concentration in the months immediately
It is not wrestled out of the real memories leading up to the game and its ability to syn-
and imagination of the individual through thesies for a new game the rich lifeworld of
eorts of reflection and projection, but col- a campaign character. Similarly distinctive
lectively generated through narrative forms is its virtual character, which is nevertheless
that much more closely mirror the accumu- able to replicate the real formation of mem-

219
ories over time, and its collective, relational weeks or months time. It is participated in
quality in which the self of the character is with a view to creating reality for the char-
realised through the accumulation of ac- acters, but in conscious acknowledgement
tions, reactions and responses to and along- that this is not the game. The game-as-event
side other players. is still to come. It is also, it must be said, a
This allows for a form of immersive play whole lot of creative fun, collectively realis-
that moves from representation to being. ing, layer upon layer, a life and world for a
The term I find useful here is methesis, as group of characters.
opposed to memesis. This term originates in Metamemory is our awareness and
studies of religious ritual and the realisation, knowledge of the functioning of our own
usually collective, of the non-real, transcen- memory. It is also metamemory that gener-
dental or divine. ally allows us to distinguish between things
we have imagined, things we have observed
The ceremonies are however still intensely
and things we have actually participated in
sympathetic and cooperative; they are as
(Shaw, 2016, loc. 475). Pre-game can there-
the Greeks would say, rather methektic
fore be understood as metamethectic. It is
than mimetic, the expression, the utterance
not the game, it is understood as existing at
of a common nature participated in, rather
a remove from the game that will be and yet
than the imitation of alien characteristics.
it feels like game. It is not immersive, in that
The Emu man still feels he is an Emu; the
it is carried out substantially in the form of
feathers he puts on, the gait he emulates,
third person narration, and makes frequent
are his own, not anothers. (Harrison,
use of o-game strategy discussions between
1912, p.125)
players. However, it requires and produces
When characters that have the kind of in-depth familiarity with the character and
rich past lives and connections created in other characters and it generates real, aec-
extended pre-game, such as described above, tive emotional responses within that pre-
their coming together in larp can result in game space. It is the conscious generation of
play that is methectic, as opposed to repre- a reality in the process of becoming.
sentational (Rapti, 2013). It can be experi- Pre-game has the potential to enhance
enced as a collective and generative creation play, particularly for players looking for a
of a known, though hitherto non-existing, rich and immersive game experience. Of
reality. It is a familiar world peopled by fa- course, not all players want to play like this
miliar individuals, even though they may in the first place. And, of those that do, there
have never been seen in the flesh before. may be some who are able to step o the
The aboriginal Emu man is not delusion- bus, don an item of character clothing and
al, neither is he pretending: his is an Emu. become an Emu without the foundation of
The player who has imagined the feelings any pre-game at all. For many, though, this
of their character for months, communicat- threshold is more rigid. The experience of
ed these feelings to others, experienced and playing a character who has grown into be-
then recalls the interactions they have had ing, not simply through your own creative
with other characters is similarly not pre- eorts, but through the collective, sympa-
tending when they become that character in thetic, reflective activity of fellow players,
game. They and their community, created on is the experience of getting a helping hand
Czochabook and across platforms, become across that threshold. A collective and tran-
something close to real in the methectic scendental experience of shifting, without
space of the larp. exertion, from one reality to another. Some-
Pre-game is a corollary to this phenome- thing like this once might have been provid-
non but is also essentially distinct from it be- ed by religious practices, but it is no longer
cause of the meta awareness that everything a common part of many peoples everyday
set in motion there is intended as a contribu- reality (Wagner, 2012). This is not to say such
tion to the game itself to be played in a few an experience is guaranteed by pre-game or

220
that it will persist through every moment of failure to address the pre-agreed elephant-
the larp. But just as with the practice of med- in-the-room puts a particular strain on play-
itation it becomes easier over time to send ers. Resolutions that are being saved for live
the mind into a meditative state, the months play can only ever be partially approached in
of pre-game create a mental groove it takes pre-game or must be immediately undone by
less eort to find and sustain. The less eort a new misunderstanding.
it takes the less it feels like pretending. This has the potential to trap characters,
But this depth is not without potential and thus their players, in pseudo-unhealthy
cost. As Svanevik and Brinds survey sug- patterns of compulsive behaviour that un-
gested, extended pre-game had an eect on intentionally mirror avoidance-coping be-
players at CoW5, with all those players re- haviours (Einstein, 2007, p.215-224). The
porting 40+ hours of pre-game (25 out of 51 artificial lack of resolution in the course of
respondents) also self-identifying as having events and relationships that are otherwise
experienced a form of pre-bleed (Svanevik conceived with great depth and verisimili-
and Brind, 2016, p.111). Bleed is a phenomena tude has the potential to disturb and distress.
more usually associated with the immersive Svanevik and Brind autoethnographically
intensity of play (Montola, 2010). As they position their own character relationship
also point out, pre-bleed is not just a man- within this paradigm. Their o-game strate-
ifestation of immersion but coloured by the gy was to save reconciliation of their char-
particular nature of pre-game, which is the acters fractured romance to the game itself,
withholding of narrative resolution. but living through a couple of months of
However closely pre-game activities ap- pre-game in which there could be no resolu-
proach the experience of live play, they are tion and no moving on for these characters
conditioned by the knowledge that the took its toll.
game-as-event is still to come. Relation- While this adds an interesting level of
ships are developed and plots set up with a verisimilitude to characters intentionally
desire to enrich the character in advance of created as dysfunctional, the uncomfortable
the game. Unlike the author of fiction, the side-eects of pre-bleed could potentially be
pre-game player controls only their indi- alleviated by greater awareness of the phe-
vidual character, not the characters around nomenon of resolution-avoidant play and its
them, and so they are at the mercy of events. potential impact. Though playing forward
Unlike online role-playing, interactions are the pre-game as if it were legitimate game in
frequently not permitted to roll out too far an of itself has the potential pitfall of leaving
towards their conclusion because to do so the larp with nothing left to play, it also has
risks robbing the game itself of drama. The the potential to develop complex multi-lay-
newly-evolved extended pre-game of the ered characters and relationships who have,
College of Wizardry is not exactly larp, on- in a very real sense, a history and a poten-
line role-playing, fanfiction or collaborative tial future. Though Svanevik and Brind kept
authorship in any of the traditional senses, their characters apart by main force through
largely because of this game-but-not-the- the pre-game, once the game started they
game quality. were, despite their best intentions, recon-
This form of extended, high-intensity ciled within hours. This was not, despite
pre-game puts unexpected strain on the usu- their fears, anti-climactic and they ended up
al mode of negotiating character relations playing through, not division and final joyful
prior to a larp: lets be best friends, my reconciliation, but rather the shaky first days
character hates yours, maybe they like each after the happy ending. And it proved argu-
other, etc. Prolonged pre-game, that-is-not- ably more interesting to explore what hap-
game, may strive to sustain the original po- pens the day after riding o into the sunset,
tential of these relations: that the characters when the sun comes up again and you have
might break up, reconcile, fall out etc. Thus to make it work.
every interaction, crisis, confrontation, and Similarly the romance-that-never-was

221
between Mac and Lilith, touched on above, further potential challenge for players. That
was transformed by extended pre-game is the development of a richness of plotlines
from a simple agreement between players to and relations that cannot possibly be resolved
play a will-they-wont-they attraction into in a couple of days of play. This in turn sets
something quite dierent. The scale and up something of a potential investment:re-
intensity of the CoW5 pre-game myself and turn crisis. Plotlines and relations have been
Player B participated in made it increasing- invested in and the player has struggled with
ly clear that the answer to will-they-wont- the emotional toll of not resolving outstand-
they in the emerging fiction was a resound- ing issues prior to the game. The partici-
ing no. The decision I took to withhold this pation in the event itself is thus preloaded
realisation from my character resulted in an with fateful significance. Where resolution
interesting dynamic where what might, in remains elusive in-game or characters who
the absence of pre-game, have been a simple have been heavily invested in are simply
romantic attraction played through as an in- missed too much, players may recourse to
creasingly morbid and compulsive one-sided live-action spino events. Participation in
attachment. This added depth and complex- spinos or/and in addition to attendance at
ity to the character and emotional charge sequel games may be emotionally necessary
for me and for other players who were in for players who still require closure. Though
the position of recognising the destructive experienced larpers will be familiar with the
tone of the relationship. This came with a lesson that there will always be threads left
cost, similar to that described by Svanevik undone after a game, this becomes harder
and Brind, of as I experienced the pre-bleed to be reconciled to when the pre-investment
of repeatedly returning to the experience of has been so great.
rejection my character was in denial about. Clearly, however challenging some of the
My avoidance, as a player, of realisation and repercussions are, many are coming back
resolution played out through the character for more. Extended pre-game, such as that
as self-destructive avoidant behaviour, was a aorded by the College of Wizardry, oers
stresser both in and out-of-character. players a novel-yet-familiar space for the cre-
For players of pre-game it is important to ation of play of great depth and psychological
be aware that the avoidance of resolution in intensity. Can a sandbox be too big? Possibly
particular may be at the root of uncomfort- for some players and certainly the optional
able feelings of pre-bleed. This knowledge quality of participation in pre-game has the
allows informed choices to be made about potential to create disjunction between ar-
how to continue play: to power through dent pregamers and those who show up with
the discomfort, to play forward and explore a dierent approach to character and game.
the next stage in what is no longer a one-act Ultimately though, it is natural for larp to
drama or to step back from pre-game alto- replicate and colonise the online realities of
gether. Alongside the phenomenon of pre- contemporary life, particularly for games set
bleed, pre-game can have other pitfalls. As in the present. And it is also to be expected
an emergent, experimental arena of play no for the divisions between the two, virtu-
one knows how to do it properly. Negative al game and live action, to blur as the tools
side-eects may include the creation of a readily at hand for a rich online life multi-
character whose reality you fail to live up to ply. Pre-game is a new and powerful field of
in the game or whose potential, which you emergent play. It is particularly valuable for
have invested heavily in, remaining some- international games as it oers solutions to
how ultimately unrealised. If pre-game is the challenges of playing with total strangers
participated in by only a subgroup of players and a forum for ironing out potential cul-
they risk arriving at the game with a game of ture clashes. It creates a transitional space
their own that does not mesh with the dom- for players new to larp to grow familiar with
inant game culture. other players and the games culture of play.
The result of extended pre-game has a It oers more game for your money, even if

222
 Pohjola, Mike. Autonomous identities: Immersion
that game is not entirely like live play. It is a as a tool for exploring, empowering and
vibrant form of collective imagining that can emancipating identities In Beyond Role and Play,
ease and augment access to immersive play. Edited by Markus Montola and Jaakko Stenros.
Helsinki: Ropecon ry., 2004 pp. 8196.
Of course it is happening inside your
head, Harry, but why on earth should that Raasted, Claus. Start-of-game address to players at
mean that it is not real? (Rowling, 2007) CoW3 [16/04-2015] and CoW5 [19-Nov-2015]
Raasted, Claus, Charles Bo Nielsen, and Dracan
Dembinski. 2014. College of Wizardry
BIBLIOGRAPHY Design Document., [19/12-2015] http://www.
CoW Documentation, Your Character Not Ours, 2015, rollespilsfabrikken.dk/cow/dd/designdocument.
mailed to players of CoW3 [31/01-2015] pdf

Einstein, Danielle A. Innovations and Advances in Raasted, Claus et.al. Czocha College of Witchcraft and
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy. Bowen Hills, Qld: Wizardry Student Handbook. Rollespilsakademiet,
Australian Academic Press, 2007. 2015(a).

Harrison, Jane. Themis: A Study of the Social Origins . Witchardry Compendium. Rollespilsakademiet,
of Greek Religion. Cambridge: Cambridge 2015(b).
University Press, 1912
. The Von Schlichtwald Grand Bestary.
Hyman Jr, I. E., and Pentland, J. The role of mental Rollespilsakademiet, 2015(c).
imagery in the creation of false childhood
Rapti, Vassiliki. Ludics in Surrealist Theatre and
memories, Journal of Memory and Language, 35
Beyond, Farnam & New York: Ashgate Publishing
no.2 (1996) pp.10117.
Group, 2013.
Jenkins, Henry. Textual poachers: television fans and
Rowling, J. K., Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,
participatory culture, New York: Routledge, 2013.
New York, NY: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007.
Lookadoo, Kathryn L., and Ted M. Dickinson.
Shaw, Julia. The Memory Illusion: Remembering,
Twitter as a Performance Space for Twin Peaks
Forgetting, and the Science of False Memory,
Fan Fiction. In Television, Social Media, and Fan
London: Random House Books, 2016.
Culture. Edited by Alison F. Slade et al. Lanham,
Maryland: Lexington Books, 2015, pp.337-351. Spanos, N. P., Burgess, C. A., Burgess, M. F., Samuels,
C., and Blois, W. O. Creating false memories
Madianou, Mirca, and Daniel Miller. Polymedia:
of infancy with hypnotic and non-hypnotic
Towards a new theory of digital media in
procedures, Applied Cognitive Psychology, 13
interpersonal communication. International
no.3 (1999) pp.20118.
Journal of Cultural Studies 16, no. 2 (2013): 169-
187. Stark, Lizzie, et.al. The Nordic Larp Rulebook,
Nordic Larp Wiki, 2012. [date of access 14/11-
MacCallum-Stewart, Esther. Online games, Social
2016] https://nordiclarp.org/wiki/The_Nordic_
Narratives, London: Routledge, 2014.
Larp_Rulebook
McClellan, Ann. A case of identity: Role playing,
Svanevik, Martine and Simon Brind. Pre-bleed is
social media and BBC Sherlock. The Journal of
totally a thing. In Larp Realia: Analysis, Design,
Fandom Studies 1, no. 2 (2013): 139-157.
and Discussions of Nordic Larp. Edited by Jukka
Mertz, Thomas, Kin. website, 2016. [date of access Srkijrvi, Mika Loponen, and Kaisa Kangas.
25/10-2016] http://getkin.org/ Solmukohta: Ropecon Ry, 2016. pp. 108-119.

Montola, Markus. The positive negative Wagner, Rachel. Godwired: Religion, Ritual, and
experience in extreme role-playing. (2010) In Virtual Reality. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2012.
The Foundation Stone of Nordic Larp. Edited by
Eleanor Saitta, Marie Holm-Andersen and Jon LUDOGRAPHY
Back. Denmark: Knutpunkt, 2014. pp.153-167
Pearce, Celia. Communities of play emergent Nielsen, Charles, Dracan Dembinski and Claus
cultures in multiplayer games and virtual worlds, Raasted et al. College of Wizardry
Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2009. Poland: Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(DK),
Pearce, Celia. Role-Play, Improvisation, and 2014
Emergent Authorship. The Oxford Handbook of
Critical Improvisation Studies 2 (2016): 445-468

223
Matt Pennington

Response to Charlotte Ashby

I enjoyed reading the article on the pre-game construction of methetic memories us-
ing polymediaor as we call itonline role-playing. The first thing that struck me
was the underlying implication that this phenomena was newthe author is explicit
that this isnt groundbreakingbut still tries to imply that the evolution of facebook
coupled with an open-game approach has born new fruit.
To that I think I would reply polymediamy ass. Its the internetpure and sim-
ple. Despite the best attempts of Mark Zuckerberg to pretend that the internet began
with Facebookit has actually been around just a little longer than that. Over twenty
years ago I was engaged in lengthy online role-playing sessions in a MUD (Multi User
Dungeon) that had been constructed purely to extend the live-role-playing opportu-
nities of a popular national game. Participants created their own locations, and the
system presented you and your words as your character as you moved about. Online
role-playing is contemporaneous with the birth of the internet, there is nothing new
about any of this.
The experiences I describe above might have predated the invention of CSS, but
Im not convinced they were significantly dierentlet alone radically dierentto
any of the interactions described by the author. Facebook is prettybut the under-
lying experiencethe exchange of text, the odd picture and an emoticonis not
substantially dierent to that presented by the countless internet forums it devoured.
Facebook is an evolution, not a revolution. I havent seen Czochabook, but since Im
confident that Raastad et al have not created some extraordinary new app then I can
be pretty certain its just a dedicated social media server. The internet is an amazing
thing... but its still just the internetand its been around a while now.
Increasing bandwidth does present a new media opportunity that wasnt there
two decades ago. There werent many video applications in the days when we had to
access the internet with a 47K modem. Google hang-outs presents opportunities to
create online role-playing experiences that are strikingly more visual than those al-
lowed for using text. But its clear from the article that this approach is the exception.
I can see lots of potential challenges in exploiting video streams for online role-play-
ingand I was disappointed that there wasnt more time given over to discussion of
that. Ill be happy to accept the phrase polymedia at the point where the range of
media commonly employed includes more than just variations of text on a screen
alongside the odd picture.
The impact of the online role-playing on the game itself is questionable. Over
the last two decades Ive spent thousands of hours iterating through dierent
mechanisms to create rich motivation-generating pre-game experiences. Our latest
iteration... was to bin it all o as a dead end. We proactively discourage online
role-playingwe discourage the creation of shared narratives and shared character
development. We do that because wed rather people just did all that at the event
when theyre doing the live part of live role-playing.

224
 Now we have the luxury on an ongoing campaign of eventsI accept that if you
are running one-o events then online role-playing before the game can clearly help
to enrich the characters and make them feel more real. But at the point where youre
spending hours in online interactionsin carefully arranged set piecesthe obvious
question is why dont you just run another live role-playing event? The author didnt
convince me that that would be significantly more work outside of the fairly unusual
set-up of a pan-European game.
I have yet to find anything in shared narratives or online role-playing that comes
close to creating the sense of connection that you experience when your are phys-
ically live role-playing. Theres a reason we took this routemoving away from the
tables and the dice that our hobby started with. That is because the live experience
is unique. I dont want to type a description of what my character doesnot even
to generate backstoryI want to just do itI want to live it. The author was clear
that they enjoyed the online role-playing associated with his game and believed it
added to their gamebut they didnt say or describe anything that seemed novel and
nothing that convinced me that it would approach the experience I would get from
the live element.
I was pleased she took time to look at the potential downsides. We dont actively
discourage online role-playing for no reason! The idea of proactively avoiding reso-
lution, of avoiding anything that would advance the narrativeis not well embedded
in the players who play our games. And the riskvery clearlyis that the conflicts
are resolved, that the narrative does advance. When that happens, my experience
is that it is to the detriment of the event itselfalthough it can be hard to see that
because it is hard to notice the absence of things. I would have liked to have read
more about how this kind of pre-game role-playing workswhat steps people take to
ensure they dont resolve the plots.
The other potential downside is in the dierentiation that grows between those
whose investment is limited to the event and those who take a full role in the pre-
game online role-playing. The author touches on the risksthat those who dont
have the time or the inclination end up frozen out of the gamebut brushes over
them too quickly. I was in no way persuaded by the evidence that because lots of peo-
ple go and there are lots of online interactions that means it is fine for CoW games.
Ive been the player in games, constantly pushing for more hours to roleplay, more
opportunities to interact, heedless of the impact that that is having on other players.
The CoW organisers have chosen to encourage online role-playing before and af-
ter their events. What I would expect to happen is for their audience to self-select for
the kind of people who find that adds to their game. There is no right or wrong way
to run a larpbut the popularity of a game with its own player-base only proves that
larpers are smart enough to pick games they enjoy. It isnt sufficient to prove that any
individual element of the approach is intrinsically more valuable than the alternative.
In simple terms, some people like it, some people dont. If you do it then youll get
the players who like that sort of thing.
Ultimately though I think the weakness of the pre-game experience lies in the way
it deepens character backgrounds and enriches individual stories. This critique is of
course a question of taste but what I love about live role-playing is the pure sponta-
neity of it, life is not a narrative, it is a non-linear equation. The best games are not

225
those that are planned but those that try to recreate the experience of being alive in a
world in which we are leaves adrift on the hurricanes caused by butterfly wings.
Crucially the live element of live role-playing revolves around what we do in the
gamenot who we are before we got there. The irony of the CoW games as a subject
for this issue is that Harry Potter provides the perfect example of this failing. Potter
is an appalling characterthe over-used trope of The Chosen One. Hes important
because he has a rich back story filled with crucial plot twists just waiting to be re-
solved. Frankly the entire series would have been a lot more enjoyable if the Slyther-
ins had ganked Harry Potter on his way to the toilet halfway through book one.

Charlotte Ashby

Reply to Matt Pennington

Id like to start by agreeing completely with Matt Pennington on a couple of points.
Firstly on the observation that there is no one right or wrong way to larp. Players
gravitate towards the games that satisfy them and that is undoubtedly a good thing.
Secondly, I wholeheartedly agree with the point he eloquently made at the end of
his contribution: The best games are not those that are planned but those that try
to recreate the experience of being alive in a world in which we are leaves adrift on
the hurricanes caused by butterfly wings. The pre-game I describe has never been
intended as a substitute for the immediacy and impact of live play. Nor is it simply a
226
planning tool for setting up the events that will take place in game.
I have tried to convey how I see pre-game working to augment this being alive
in the game, which is to ease the character into life in the months leading up to the
game. So that, come the game, the paths to that character within your mind (their
core values, their loves, their pet peeves) are beaten smooth and worn with practice.
And with this practice the slip into that others way of being is rendered magically
eortless. This is not to arrive at the live game with a recipe of known ingredients
to stu into a game-shaped receptacle, but to be able to respond in a way that feels
authentic to whatever the game throws at you. You just dont know the way the char-
acter thinks, before you tcome up with it.
My contention in the article, that this pre-game represented something new,
needs elucidating. It is, indeed, online role-playing and predominantly text-based.
Where I see the distinction is not in the various media used, but in how it is useda
distinction that is primarily experiential. Character fictions have been written collec-
tively before and elaborate text-based worlds have been played through by multiple
participants. What is more recent is how thoroughly the internet permeates our
lives and how readily we incorporate virtual interactions into our lived experience.
Perhaps I should have said cross-platform or multi-device role-playing rather than
polymediabut it is too late now.
To tie this and the previous point together, the dierence is that our role-playing
is no longer bounded by the time we can spend sitting in front of our PCs and this

227
has, in my experience, a pretty big impact. To slip back and forth between your char-
acters lifeworld and your own, on and o throughout the day, day after day, until the
artifice of the step evaporates. To have a flaming row, frantically typed on your phone
on the bus, with another character and arrive at the office in bleedy temper. To have
the warm, slightly smug, feeling that comes from having a post your character made
on Czochabook responded to by a gratifying number of friends, who are increas-
ingly no more and no less real than all your Facebook friends. To walk down the
street with a dopey grin on your face because youve just received a romantic private
message from your fictional crush. To weep in front of your computer, far too late at
night, because what has been said cannot be unsaid.1 This background chatter and
creative labour in the weeks up to the game is a simulation of lifeat least as many
of us live it nowand a form of play that, I argue, enhances the experience of being
alive in the live game.
It means you catch sight of a familiar face in-game and feel an unprompted flash
of warmth from the history you share as friends, or of wrath from a (brief) shared
history of antagonism. The methesis I alluded to in my article is the alternate reality
that comparatively swiftly starts to coalesce in intense pre-game and comes into
full being in the live game itself. It is based, I believe, on the collective generation of
shared memories. It is not just an accumulation of individual backgrounds and in-
dividual stories, but the co-generation of a community of once-fictional people who
have woven a complex enough tissue of interactions together that, face-to-face for
the first time, a collective psycho-social reality, a new world is born. This is the magic
of larp, for which pre-game serves as a tool of enhancement, not the sole route.
In many ways pre-game of this nature simulates the experience of bringing
well-worn characters to campaign games. For many that experience of stepping into
another soul and another world is well-met by campaign larping. But for others long
running campaigns are not an option or not attractive in the same way. Just as there
are those who cannot spend an hour or so during their working day surreptitiously
role-playing a long and heartfelt conversation with their fictional best friend,2 there
are those who cannot make larp trips that many times a year and whose larp buddies
are flung all over the world. There is also an undeniable charm to playing a new game
with a new character, but with the depth and fidelity of characters who have played
alongside one another before and this is what this more elaborate pre-game
architecture oers.
To return to the points raised at the beginning, this is not an approach to play that
will suit everyone. There is no such thing. Some will love it, some will not see the
point, some will see it as a potentially destructive dilution of the alchemy of play-on-
the-field. I love it and I see it as a powerful tool to not just pre-create but pre-inhabit
a character and that characters lifeworld, so that when the chance to play face-to-
face arises they can be truly alive with as little prompting from me as possible.

1 I readily acknowledge that some people will be coming up in hives at the mere thought of the
unholy, bleedy mess of real life and fiction this represents and this response is entirely legitimate.

2 Not that anyone I know has actually done this as we are all exemplary employees.

228
 The Absence of
Disabled Bodies in Larp
[character moment]
Shoshana Kessock

The He firstistime
right, Cectpa. But
I remember encountering of thought in the larp community, the issue
someone
I dont whowant
was disabled
to sleepin a larp was of disability visibility seemed to remain one
during my long-ago
alone. In thedays
box.of In the Change-
playing of the last unexplored countries.
ling: the Dreaming. My fellow players and For a long time I was a larper standing
dark. I dont want to die.
I were waiting for the game to begin and a outside of the issue, looking in. Then the is-
new player arrived wearing dark glasses and sue became far more personal. At the time of
carrying a white cane. We were waiting out- the writing of this article, Ive been larping
side the game space at the top of a staircase for eleven years. In that time Ive gone from
and were jostling one another quite a lot, so I an able-bodied young woman with an invisi-
became concerned by the persons proximity ble disability2 to a woman using a wheelchair
to the edge of the stairs. I stood up from a to get around. This evolution has given me
bench and asked the person quietly if theyd a dierent perception, perhaps, than most
[Svetlana
like to Volkov,
sit down. The stairs are very close be- and opened my eyes to the pitfalls one can
hindCollege
you, I said. The new player
of Wizardry 5] looked at stumble into when designing larps: name-
me, puzzled. I can see that, they said. When ly the exclusion of the disabled due to lack
I blinked at them in surprise, the players face of consideration for accommodation. As a
lit up and they lifted their glasses to wink heavily physical-based activity game and art
at me. The costume works! they said. At form, larp requires players to inhabit their
least Im believable. Gotta play up that flaw character roles with their bodies, experienc-
if I want the points. The player in question ing the game space through their five senses
wasnt disabled at all. To quote the old say- and interacting with the environment and
ing, they just played one on TV. Or in this other players with their own bodies as their
case, in a larp. characters avatar. Larps can be challenging
It would be years before I larped with to [character
players physically and psychologically
moment]
someone who was visually impaired and based on the creators design, even for those
became acutely aware of the difficulties who are able-bodied. Imagine then the chal-
they faced when interacting with larps due lenge presented to those who are disabled if
to their disability. Yet in those years, I met the game is designed with only able-bodied
people with various physical and psycholog- Three
players students,
in mind as theirsame
prime customers
ical dierences who encountered challenges and House,
patrons. stuck in a
when larping due to a lack of accommoda- Ifteachers
those who lounge closet
are dierently abled are not
tion for their disabilities. I was also acutely takenafter curfew. If found,the very first
into consideration during
aware that, much like other forms of enter- stages of a larps
theyd losecreation,
the housedesigners may in-
tainment, larp was a rather ableist1 space, advertently set up obstacles which block dis-
erasing disabled players by creating obsta-
cup and be expelled. No
abled players from engaging with the game.
cles for inclusion that kept them out. While sounds. Ill
Furthermore, Nogomoves. Time
so far as to posit another
conversations about inclusivity in regards to passes.
argument: byThe
not door
takingopens.
disabled players
many forms of identity rose to the forefront into account and allowing them to be under-

[Mattias Deveny,
1 Ableism: discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities. Ableism characterises persons as
defined by their disabilities and as inferior to the non-disabled. College of Wizardry 5]

2 Bipolar disorder.

231
 [killed darling]
has, in my experience, a pretty big impact. To slip back and forth between your char-
acters lifeworld and your own, on and o throughoutMotherlandthe day, day after day, until
(2008) had the
artifice of the step evaporates. To have a flaming row, frantically typed on your phone
a scene, where all the
on the bus, with another character and arrive at the office in bleedy temper. To have
the warm, slightly smug, feeling that comes from having recruits would
a post your climb
character made
on Czochabook responded to by a gratifying number of friends, who areto
rickety ladders the
increas-
ingly no more and no less real than all your Facebook 15m roofToofwalk
friends. a huge,
down the old
street with a dopey grin on your face because youve just building.
received After oneprivate
a romantic of
message from your fictional crush. To weep in front ofour yourplayers
computer, nearly
far too broke
late at
night, because what has been said cannot be unsaid.1 This her background
back when chatter
fallingand
creative labour in the weeks up to the game is a simulation of lifeat least as many
during an Indiana Jones
of us live it nowand a form of play that, I argue, enhances the experience of being
alive in the live game.
style training exercise
It means you catch sight of a familiar face in-game involving hanging from
and feel an unprompted flash
a (moving!)
of warmth from the history you share as friends, or of wrath from a (brief) giantshared
metal
history of antagonism. The methesis I alluded to in my hook,
articlewe
is thedecided
alternatethat
reality
that comparatively swiftly starts to coalesce in intenseitpre-game
wouldnt make
and comes the
into
full being in the live game itself. It is based, I believe, on the collective
players generation of
feel safe.
shared memories. It is not just an accumulation of individual backgrounds and in-
dividual stories, but the co-generation of a community of once-fictional people [Claus]who
have woven a complex enough tissue of interactions together that, face-to-face for
the first time, a collective psycho-social reality, a new world is born. This is the magic
of larp, for which pre-game serves as a tool of enhancement, not the sole route.
In many ways pre-game of this nature simulates the experience of bringing
well-worn characters to campaign games. For many that experience of stepping into
another soul and another world is well-met by campaign larping. But for others long
running campaigns
[character moment]are not an option or not attractive in the same way. Just as there
are those who cannot spend an hour or so during their working day surreptitiously
role-playing a long and heartfelt conversation with their Vaterland (2009)
fictional best friend,which
2
there
are those who cannot make larp trips that many timeswas a yearthe
andsequel,
whose larpwasbuddiesan
Running
are flung allhowling underThere is also an undeniable
over the world. charm to playing
everyone dies aifnew
yougame
the
withfull moon
a new for the
character, but with the depth and fidelity of characters
dont havewho an have
escapeplayed
alongside
first timeone another
in her tenbefore and this is what this more elaborate pre-game
architecture oers.
route -larp. One of
years as a werewolf.
To return to the points raised at the beginning, thisthe is notplanned
an approachescape
to play that
Finally feeling the routes was
will suit everyone. There is no such thing. Some will love it, some will not a helicopter.
see the
freedom
point, some andwillthe
see itsafety Sadly,
as a potentially destructive dilution it couldnt
of the alchemy of land
play-on-
ofthe-field.
the pack.I love it and I see it as a powerful tool to not because of practical
just pre-create but pre-inhabit
a character and that characters lifeworld, so that when issues, so it
the chance to had to go.
play face-to-
face arises they can be truly alive with as little prompting So from me as
did the possible.
ferry and
the 4-hour scene there.
The speedboat and
[Thea, College
1 I readily of that some people will be coming upunderground
acknowledge in hives at the merefort stayed
thought of the
Wizardry 8]mess of real life and fiction this represents andin,
unholy, bleedy thisthough.
response is entirely legitimate.

2 Not that anyone I know has actually done this as we are all exemplary employees.
[Claus]
228
 The Absence of
Disabled Bodies in Larp
Shoshana Kessock

The first time I remember encountering of thought in the larp community, the issue
someone who was disabled in a larp was of disability visibility seemed to remain one
during my long-ago days of playing Change- of the last unexplored countries.
ling: the Dreaming. My fellow players and For a long time I was a larper standing
I were waiting for the game to begin and a outside of the issue, looking in. Then the is-
new player arrived wearing dark glasses and sue became far more personal. At the time of
carrying a white cane. We were waiting out- the writing of this article, Ive been larping
side the game space at the top of a staircase for eleven years. In that time Ive gone from
and were jostling one another quite a lot, so I an able-bodied young woman with an invisi-
became concerned by the persons proximity ble disability2 to a woman using a wheelchair
to the edge of the stairs. I stood up from a to get around. This evolution has given me
bench and asked the person quietly if theyd a dierent perception, perhaps, than most
like to sit down. The stairs are very close be- and opened my eyes to the pitfalls one can
hind you, I said. The new player looked at stumble into when designing larps: name-
me, puzzled. I can see that, they said. When ly the exclusion of the disabled due to lack
I blinked at them in surprise, the players face of consideration for accommodation. As a
lit up and they lifted their glasses to wink heavily physical-based activity game and art
at me. The costume works! they said. At form, larp requires players to inhabit their
least Im believable. Gotta play up that flaw character roles with their bodies, experienc-
if I want the points. The player in question ing the game space through their five senses
wasnt disabled at all. To quote the old say- and interacting with the environment and
ing, they just played one on TV. Or in this other players with their own bodies as their
case, in a larp. characters avatar. Larps can be challenging
It would be years before I larped with to players physically and psychologically
someone who was visually impaired and based on the creators design, even for those
became acutely aware of the difficulties who are able-bodied. Imagine then the chal-
they faced when interacting with larps due lenge presented to those who are disabled if
to their disability. Yet in those years, I met the game is designed with only able-bodied
people with various physical and psycholog- players in mind as their prime customers
ical dierences who encountered challenges and patrons.
when larping due to a lack of accommoda- If those who are dierently abled are not
tion for their disabilities. I was also acutely taken into consideration during the very first
aware that, much like other forms of enter- stages of a larps creation, designers may in-
tainment, larp was a rather ableist1 space, advertently set up obstacles which block dis-
erasing disabled players by creating obsta- abled players from engaging with the game.
cles for inclusion that kept them out. While Furthermore, Ill go so far as to posit another
conversations about inclusivity in regards to argument: by not taking disabled players
many forms of identity rose to the forefront into account and allowing them to be under-

1 Ableism: discrimination and social prejudice against people with disabilities. Ableism characterises persons as
defined by their disabilities and as inferior to the non-disabled.

2 Bipolar disorder.

231
represented or misrepresented through play, will be designing towards an ever-moving
then the game in question and whatever nar- target. The paradigms may need to shift
rative it crafts becomes inherently ableist. when a new player with specific accommo-
dation needs wants to participate in their
games. However, the very first step in head-
ing towards more accessibility in games is to
start by acknowledging one base truth: larps
THE DESIGN CHALLENGE are not just made for the able-bodied. Just
because the design challenge is difficult does
Larp design is a complex and ever-shifting not mean it should not be tackled. If a game
ludic space, requiring consideration of many wants to truly call itself inclusive and wel-
dierent factors. Designers engage in discus- come all kinds of players, disability inclusion
sions of narrative construction, community must be part of the discussion right along-
building, environmental design, sociologi- side discussions about the participation of all
cal and psychological interaction and game genders, sexualities, races, religions, classes,
design when producing any larp, whether etc. To be truly intersectional and inclusive,
theyre aware theyre doing so or not. Larp ableism cannot be forgotten as a potential
design is a hybrid discipline, one part im- venue for discrimination through design.
provisational acting, one part theatre pro- Thankfully, larp designers have the op-
duction, one part playwriting, and one part portunity when creating new larps to ap-
game design. Yet at its very heart, larp is an proach each game as a blank slate, utilising
attempt to bring to life imagined worlds that mindfulness about inclusivity to create
with characters being physically inhabited spaces capable of accommodating disability
by the players. needs. They only need to choose to do so
No matter the complexity of the physical from the beginning.
design, from the stripped-down aesthetics of
black box theatre games to the blockbuster
nordic games set in castles or the combat-in-
tensive live boer games set out in forests
THE CORNERSTONES OF DISABILITY:
around the world, there is one basic design
CONSIDERATE DESIGN
principle of larps: players move and interact
with the game space with their own bod-
There are many areas a designer ought to
ies. And in that single conceit, designers are
consider from the beginning if they wish
presented with an obstacle in how to allow
their games to be more accessible. They in-
people of dierent abilities to interact with
clude:
the physical aspects of their game. How
they tackle that challenge then determines a. The role of the disabled in the games
whether or not their game is accessible to a world building and narrative
wider range of players.
b. The question of how disabled and
Its important at this juncture to address
abled characters will be played, by
and acknowledge the difficulty of this par-
whom, and how they are portrayed
ticular design challenge. The term disabled
is very broad and encompasses a myriad c. Physical design of your game space
of people whose physical or psychologi- and its availability for accessibility
cal states put them outside of what society and/or disability accommodation
considers the healthy, able-bodied norm.
d. Consideration for equal treatment
Therefore, speaking about making accom-
out-of-character within your player
modation for those who are dierently abled
community.
in a larp means acknowledging that a creator

232
 While this is by no means an exhaustive B) How disabled and abled
list of considerations, I believe they cover a characters will be played, by whom
range of basic areas a designer might con- and how they are portrayed
sider to broaden those able to access their
games. Lets break them down and look at As mentioned in the story at the very begin-
their unique challenges. ning of this article, able-bodied players may
opt to play disabled characters in a game.
A) The role of the disabled in the games Some larps even incentivise such play by of-
world building and narrative fering mechanical advantages for including
a disability in the character. One example
While this might seem like a simple idea, it is of this is White Wolfs games like Vampire:
often difficult to recognise where narratives the Masquerade (Rein-Hagen, 1991), whose
skew towards ableism, perhaps even with- system allows disabilities, both physical and
out meaning to do so. For example, most psychological, to be taken as flaws on a char-
post-apocalyptic narratives make it clear acter sheet. Ostensibly this design choice
that those who are disabled would have a was meant to motivate people to create more
difficult time surviving in a world without nuanced and interesting characters for the
basic social services and modern technology. game by representing a world inhabited not
Those narratives can default to erasing dis- only by able-bodied people and monsters but
abled persons without much of a thought in also the disabled. Most of the time, however,
pursuit of authenticity to genre. That same I saw it used as a cheap and easy way to gain
argument is often used when representing additional points to buy up mechanically
those with disabilities in historical games, or advantageous things on a characters sheet,
medieval fantasy games, as the idea of some- since for every point of flaws you took, you
one with disabilities succeeding, thriving, or received freebie points to spend elsewhere.
even achieving positions of power challenges This process of mechanising a disability in
the idea that games set in historical periods exchange for positive rewards elsewhere pro-
must be (needlessly) appropriate to every vides a problematic view of being rewarded
inch of perceived historical correctness. for taking on the burden of playing some-
Games which choose to marginalise the one disabled, labelling a disability a flaw with
roles the disabled have in the visible narra- all its associated negative connotations.
tive then set the tone for how those charac- Similarly, by including disabilities as a
ters who are dierently abled will be treated, mechanical flaw or as an in-character eect
and can even translate into how players who gained during play, there is a greater chance
are dierently abled feel welcome within a a player may be presented with a disability
space. Additionally, erasing disabled char- theyll try to or be required to play without
acters due to magical cures such as bio- understanding the best way to do so. Games
technology, advanced medical science, and that use mental illness as part of their pu-
sorcery in a games narrative also signals that nitive mechanics will afflict players with
your setting assumes everyone who is dis- insanity such as in the Cthulhu Live (Mc-
abled should be cured, signalling a need to Laughlin, 1997) system, or else give people a
erase disabled stories from that setting and Derangement as the results of play such as
your game. Examples of such settings are in the Dystopia Rising (Pucci, 2009-) system,
cyberpunk futures where technology can without giving them much context or prepa-
cure disabilities, magical settings like College ration for role-playing what amounts to a
of Wizardry (Nielsen, Dembinski and Raast- psychological disability. Without time to re-
ed et al., 2014-) and New World Magischola search and understand the illness theyre be-
(Brown and Morrow et al., 2016) where mag- ing asked to portray, players may default to
ic can cure nearly every ailment or injury. naturally oensive and harmful stereotypes,
making the play space a hostile place for

233
people who actually have those disabilities. the murky dungeon.
The opposite side of this question includes Even games that try their hardest to
whether or not disabled players will be able provide accommodation can end up fall-
to play non-disabled characters. In games ing short, such as in the case of the 2016
which rely on more what you see is what New World Magischola games in the Unit-
you get or 360 degree immersion play, or- ed States. While the game was hosted by a
ganisers often require players to do whatever presumably ADA3 accessible campus in the
it is their character would do, including all University of Richmond, the game locations
physical activities. Allowing disabled players were scattered so far across the campus it-
to play non-disabled characters, essentially self that those who were disabled found it
asking others to ignore their adaptive devic- difficult to interact with game events going
es during play, is a form of making accom- on at far flung locations, especially at night.
modation during a larp, bending the rules of Other games which are designed for gruel-
the full immersion for the sake of making all ling conditions as part of the experience,
roles in the game accessible. like the Swedish Hinterlands (Nyman, Utbult
and Stormark et al., 2105), are additionally
C) Physical design of your game space problematic in that they present physical
and its availability for accessibility and/or challenges meant to test even the hardiest
disability accommodation of able bodied players and therefore exclude
disabled players almost by design, in favour
This aspect of designing towards inclusiv- of supporting the taxing gameplay part of
ity involves the design of the actual space the experience. This important obstacle to
and materials to make a game accessible for accessibility ought to be weighed against a
all, and it is perhaps one of the most diffi- locations appropriateness for play, if the de-
cult and controversial topics when dealing signers want to see their game available for
with disability advocacy in larp. Unless you all comers to play.
are talking about black box or theatre style
games, larps rely heavily on environmental D) The consideration for equal
design or utilising already created appropri- treatment out-of-character within
ate venues to host their games so as to cre- your player community
ate immersion for players. However, often
when seeking out genre, theme or mood This last element is less of a physical de-
appropriate venues, designers dont realise sign challenge or game mechanic design
or even ignore the fundamental accessibili- question, but rather requires game creators
ty issues a venue might have. When choos- to take a closer look at how those who are
ing the beautiful Czocha Castle as the set- dierently abled are considered within the
ting for the blockbuster College of Wizardry community. Its no secret that the disabled
games, the organisers discovered a glorious face discrimination from the general world.
location full of secret passages, lush forests, Even well-intentioned people can express
and amazing rooms ready to become class- demeaning and belittling treatment of the
rooms in a magical school. What the castle disabled, unsure of how to engage with their
did not have, however, was basic disability dierences and needs for accommodation
access, a fact which did not escape me upon despite the best of intentions. The disabled
my attendance. This limited my interac- are often seen as less capable or even worthy
tions with the game, keeping me from at- of doing things people take for granted, such
tending classes held in the perilously high as opening up businesses, holding positions
astronomy tower or down in the steps into of leadership, or even having stable relation-

3 Physical accomodations and accessibility as described in the Americans with Disability Act of 1990.

234
ships and raising children. to discussing accessibility in games, Ive of-
When a player who is dierently abled is ten heard people simply shrug and say not
part of a larp community, an organiser must every game is for every person. They say
consider whether that player is facing sim- not everyone likes every game, or is suited
ilar discriminatory treatment from fellow to every game, and therefore those disabled
players. While it is not an organisers job players who cannot be included due to lack
necessarily to police their community, the of accommodation can simply go to another
tacit social contract of a larp as a communal game or seek another role in the game if that
storytelling experience requires players to will allow for better accessibility. This argu-
feel welcome and heard so they can parti- ment contests that this problem happens
cipate wholeheartedly in safety and trust. even to able-bodied people who must choose
Should a player be treated dierently based based on their tastes what games to attend.
on their disability, the responsibility falls on This is a false dichotomy.
the organisers to address the situation, as Able bodied larpers who choose either
would be the case with any instances of dis- to attend or not attend a game based on its
crimination aecting their community. content or any other myriad of factors are
These cornerstones of thoughtful acces- not physically barred from doing so. They
sibility design are best deployed from the be- are not kept out by virtue of a space not be-
ginning of a games creation, as the accom- ing capable of physically allowing them en-
modations they may require become more trance. The important word to factor in here
difficult when trying to retroactively fit them is choice. Those players are choosing not to
in after the entire game has been put togeth- go to a game based on their tastes and pref-
er. Indeed, tackling accessibility issues only erences, opting out because they have an
after discovering a disabled player wants to option at all. If a game is not physically ac-
attend requires far more work as a design- cessible to disabled players for one reason or
er must scramble to find a way to shoe- another, designers have taken away a players
horn those accommodations into a space agency to opt in or out and instead set up ob-
that might not have that capability. While stacles to act as gatekeepers that bar players
the intention to find accommodation lat- from even making that choice.
er is noble, it is often not the most efficient Its that distinction that created the need
and may end with frustrated designers and for laws around the world protecting the
players both, should the attempts towards rights of disabled people to interact with so-
accommodation after-the-fact fail. Design- ciety on all levels in an equal matter to those
ers should also be mindful to check back to who are able bodied. Ability-based discrim-
these design considerations throughout the ination has been a historically contentious
process and even during gameplay to make topic, as those who are disabled either visibly
sure they are still in place and functional. or invisibly have fought for recognition as
equal members of society all over the world.
In the United States for example, the Ameri-
cans with Disabilities Act (ADA, 1990), which
expanded on the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to
THE FALSE DICHOTOMY include anti-discrimination protections for
OF GOING ELSEWHERE the disabled, was not put into place until
1990. The ADA as it is known not only pro-
Considering accessibility accommodations tects the disabled against discrimination but
as an afterthought also often ends up with requires employers to provide reasonable
designers simply acknowledging their de- accommodations to employees with disabil-
sign cannot support those with disabilities, ities, and imposes requirements on public
leading to my least favourite theory regard- accommodations. This included provisions
ing the including of disabled persons in larp: that businesses and public spaces would be
the separate yet equal argument. In response required to make their facilities and events

235
accessible to those with disabilities. and be a part of their chosen community,
The ADA later provided the inspiration and should be freely allowed to, given all
for countries around the world to adopt other things being equal between them and
similar protections. Since 2000, 181 coun- an able-bodied player. The disabled person
tries have signed disability protections into should not have to find another game, shuf-
law, while in 2006 the Convention on the fled along, because considerations havent
Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD, been made to keep a space from being dis-
2006) was adopted by the United Nations criminatory. As the laws of so many coun-
and ratified by 157 countries, oering ad- tries point out, the need to consider accom-
ditional protections for 650 million people modation falls on the shoulders of designers
with disabilities worldwide (Shapiro, 2015). and organisers, not the disabled person. And
By requiring businesses, venues, and loca- if only the designers had done so at the be-
tions to create accommodations for those ginning, perhaps those uncomfortable and
who are disabled by law, the governments of potentially discriminatory conversations
those countries with equal rights laws recog- might not have had to happen at all.
nise that physical design of spaces and events
can be discriminatory if they arent accessi- A TWO-WAY CONVERSATION
ble and require organisers to take that into
consideration by law. Of course, it seems easy to say all of this on
Yet certain activities have remained segre- paper. I acknowledge as of the writing of this
gated, especially recreational activities which article that figuring out the ways to balance
require physical activity such as sports, aesthetic and artistic choices in larps and
dance, and theatre. The separate-yet-equal accessibility is a difficult design problem.
idea has remained the cornerstone of this Nor is there anyone out to impose man-
segregation, allowing for the creation of dates that each game must be accessible in
dance companies, sports events, and theatre all ways, barring what is required by law in
troupes for example made up of only dis- the larps home country. And while it might
abled persons participating and competing be an intriguing mental exercise to go down
with and against one another. The notion the freedom of creation versus inclusivity
goes that if an activity is based on physical accommodation mode of thinking, that con-
interaction as the primary mode of engage- versation has been tread in regards to inter-
ment, and a disabled person is dierently sectional inclusivity ad nauseum. It is an
equipped to engage with that activity, rather understood right of creators to make artis-
than providing accommodation, a separate tic choices for their games, and should they
space should be provided for them to inter- choose not to build towards inclusivity, that
act. While the concept of larps only for the is their right. However, when a game design-
disabled may intrigue from an artistic per- er chooses to consider accessibility for the
spective, if only to see what might be created dierently abled, especially from the begin-
by people with those unique life experiences, ning, they are signalling to their player base
it cannot be the hallmark of the entire larp that they consider their space a welcoming
world. To say that maybe this game just isnt one for people of all kinds, even if it makes
for you to a potential disabled player when them a little more work to design around
facing the need for accommodation is based obstacles. Designing towards accessibility is
on the same principle and passes the buck a signpost that a larp creator considers the
away from that designers game to some health and well-being of their players as im-
other, theoretical game out there which may portant as well, and can create a deeper bond
better have access. of trust between organisers and players in
In short, not for you as a response is an regards to game safety.
excuse and misses the point entirely. The The final piece to the design challenge
player in question doesnt want to go some- regarding accessibility, however, is commu-
where else. They want to attend that game nication. As mentioned above, though the

236
term disabled indicates the need for accom- needs of their disabled players, seeking out
modation to assist the individual with ac- resources from articles, organisations, or
cessing a space or event, each disabled per- even disability advocates within the gaming
sons needs might be specialised. Not every community can help to create better dia-
wheelchair user needs the same level of logues going forward.
accommodation, nor do all those with spe- While individual conversations on the lo-
cific psychological needs require the same cal larp level are the bedrock on which change
response. While designers may create spaces will come, communication in regards to ac-
for accommodation in the game, it is often cessibility needs to be fostered on an even
necessary for those who are disabled to speak larger scale. Conversations regarding how
up and request additional accommodation to create better games, better mechanics,
or else adjustments to what is in place to suit and better communities are sweeping across
their specific needs. While it can be difficult the larp world, spread by the Internet and
to self-advocate for ones needs, it is imper- fantastic convention and conference spaces.
ative to have a process in place before or at One of those conversations going forward in
a larp for these conversations to take place. terms of inclusivity in gaming communities
Should someone feel uncomfortable stating must include further discussion of accessi-
their need for accommodation, an advocate bility for the disabled. Our communities are
such as a friend or fellow larper might be a in a period of sharing for the betterment of
good ally to seek out to help communicate all, learning from one another in an age of
with the organisers. This process can be as what larp designer and creator Josh Harri-
simple as organisers making it overtly clear son has coined fourth wave larp design. It is
they are open to having these discussions, imperative for our communities to continue
or for a larger game to have a particular sta these conversations so better tools and best
member acting as accessibility liaison. Each practices discovered by individual games can
process can be tailored to the size, length be shared, improved upon, and reshaped
and scope of the game in question, but all through communal iteration.
serve to make the process of creating these Its towards that spirit of communal it-
accommodations smoother and less conten- eration that I put forth the challenge to de-
tious. signers to come up with new mechanics for
One other note to bear in mind when players with disabilities to use, new ideas
considering disability conversations is the for interaction in our games outside of the
notion of trust and belief. It is important able-bodied norms. New mechanics, such
when an organiser is approached by some- as the Avatar mechanic brainstormed by
one asking for accommodation to show that myself and Lizzie Stark (2014), in which a
they not only hear the person, but that they player with mobility issues may have a sur-
believe them. Since many disabilities, such as rogate step in during play to perform physi-
chronic illness, injury, or mental illness, are cal actions that player cannot, is an example
largely invisible disabilities, they are often of how two designers coming together can
questioned by people who cannot see an as- create a new mechanic for the game design
sistive device as evidence of a disability. Re- toolbox. Collaboration will be the means by
frains like you dont look sick or cant you which more of these ideas become about in
just deal with it? are typical. Requiring a dis- the future.
abled person to present evidence of their dis- Additionally, iterating on already estab-
ability to receive accommodation is difficult lished norms will expand and improve in-
and often embarrassing for the disabled per- stitutions already in place. To that end, I am
son. For communication and trust to be fos- suggesting an amendment to the Mixing Desk
tered in a healthy environment, the disabled of Larp (Andresen, Nielsen and Stenros et al.,
person must feel the organiser is receptive 2016), that oh-so useful tool spread from the
to their issues. Should an organiser feel they Larpwriter Summer school and now used to
dont have the perspective to understand the create games across the world. While there

237
are thirteen slots for faders, used to plan indicating how important accessibility truly
and illustrate the various decisions made is for the larp world at large.
during the planning process of a larp, the And make no mistake, it is an important
last one is left blank and marked Your Fad- part of the future of inclusivity in the larp
er Here. This space is left for designers to world. Without considering accessibility for
include their own fader, something not cov- dierently abled larpers, our community ne-
ered among the twelve other ingredients the glects a fundamental demographic and shuts
Mixing Desk suggests goes into designing a out a plethora of voices who could contrib-
larp. While it would be convenient to say ac- ute to making our storytelling communi-
cessibility is a good option for including into ties even brighter. When a dierently abled
the Your Fader Here spot, I would suggest person cannot even attend an event, we lose
something even stronger. For a game to truly vital voices whose presence could enhance
tackle accessibility and make it as much of a and innovate, add and amplify the able-bod-
priority for larps as the other ingredients so ied community. All that is needed to make
important to design, a fourteenth fader slot sure their voices can add to the collective ar-
marked Accessibility should go up on the tistic space is consideration for their needs at
Mixing Desk alongside that write-in catego- the forefront of design by the (mostly) able-
ry. This would signal a tacit shift in thinking, bodied constituency of larp creators. Acces-
enshrining the idea that accessibility is not sibility in design cannot be an afterthought
and should not be a sometimes consider- but should live alongside questions of theme
ation if designers wish to see our commu- and player motivation as a reminder that
nity tackle ableism in our design spaces. By larp is and should remain a space equally
adjusting this already understood and widely available for all as we go forward into design-
used mechanic, we as a community would be ing the games of our future.

238
 BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Andresen, Martin Eckho, Martin Nielsen and Brown, Maury Elizabeth and Benjamin A. Morrow,
Jaakko Stenros. The Mixing Desk Of Larp: New World Magiscola. USA: Learn Larp. 2016
History and Current State of Design Theory. https://magischola.com/
Analogue Game Studies. Published 13/11-2016
Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus
http://analoggamestudies.org/2016/11/the-
Raasted et al. College of Wizardry. Poland:
mixing-desk-of-larp-history-and-current-state-
Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(DK). 2014-
of-a-design-theory/
Nyman, Olle, Sebastian Utbult, Erik Stormark et
McLaughlin, Robert Mac. Cthulhu Live. Michigan,
al., Hinterlands- The Will To Survive. Sweden:
USA: Chaosium Inc. 1997
Berttelsefrmjandet. 2015- http://beratta.org/
Nyman, Olle, Utbolt, Sebastian. Hinterlands- The hinterland/
Will To Survive. NordicLarp.org. 22/10-2016.
https://nordiclarp.org/2016/09/06/hinterland-
will-survive-2/.
Pucci, Michael. Dystopia Rising LARP Survivors Guide
2.0. USA: Dystopia Rising LLC. 2009-2016
Rein-Hagen, Mark. Vampire: The Masquerade. Stone
Mountain,USA: White Wolf Publishing. 1991
Shapiro, Joseph. The Americans With Disabilities Act
At 25: How A Law To Protect Disabled Americans
Became Imitated Around The World. 2015 [date of
access 06/01-2017] http://www.npr.org/sections/
goatsandsoda/2015/07/24/425607389/how-a-law-
to-protect-disabled-americans-became-imitated-
around-the-world
Stark, Lizzie. A Wheelchair Ramp For Larp.
In Leaving Mundania. 29/09-2014 [date of
access 06/01-2017] http://leavingmundania.
com/2014/09/29/wheelchair-ramp-larp/
The United States: Department of Justice Civil
Rights Division. The Americans With Disabilities
Act of 1990 And Revised ADA Regulations
Implementing Title II and Title III. USA: 1990
https://www.ada.gov/2010_regs.htm
United Nations. Convention of the Rights of Disabled
Persons. New York, USA: Division For Social
Policy and Development Disability. 2006 [date
of access 29/10-2016] https://www.un.org/
development/desa/disabilities/convention-on-
the-rights-of-persons-with-disabilities.html

239
 Food for Thought
Narrative through food at larps
Siri Sandquist and Rosalind Gthberg

Food is an essential part of any culture. Taste and smell may be some of our more ab-
stract senses but they have the power to bring us closer to memories and common
experiences than many of the other senses. Anyone who pretends to be an intellectual
knows about Marcel Proust and his Madeleine biscuit; how the taste of the madeleine
brought forth memories of the protagonists childhood with crystal clear vividity. It
is our belief that food has this power. Food is very strongly culturally bound. What is
deemed edible or taboo is strongly rooted in us, and often it does not matter that we
intellectually know that something is safe or even tasty. If our culture has taught us
that dog meat or insects are taboo we will have a very hard time bringing ourselves to
try them. Simply put, food is a strong carrier of both memories and common culture.

240 Above: Presentation makes perfect. Photo: John Bergstrm

Eating food is also often a social ritual. The plated. If you understand this you can start to
really play around with the food to create the
time during the day when we gather to-
feeling you yourself envisioned as a organiser
gether, and share our experiences with and larpwriter. We will now present some case
studies of how we have used the food itself
each other. In all these ways food and eat-
to enhance a narrative and in some instances
ing are excellent tools to carry a narrative. even created narrative with it. We have made
jello to make a larp about American gods feel
To enhance an experience of being in an
more American and we have made hundreds
alien or dierent culture, or even literally of fluy little cakes to give a mad hatter feeling
to a mental ward in fable- inspired fairy tale
to act as plot-tools. Still it is our experience
larps. Food is a way to involve another sense
that a lot of larp designers forget about into a full body larp experience and we want
to tell you a little about the way we have done
the power food can hold over the partic-
that in the past.
ipants experience. Below, we will share
Beyond the BarricadesLiterally putting
our experiences as both organisers and
the narrative in the food
kitchen helpers/volunteers. We hope that
Beyond the Barricades (Gthberg and Wei, 2015)
our experience and creativity both will was a larp inspired by Les Misrables, it took
place during the French Revolution of 1832.
bring food to the forefront when it comes
The players portrayed the revolutionaries on
to narrative tools but also inspire more the barricade and all either deserted the cause
or died heroically in the ending scene. The
larp-designers to use the kitchen sta and
wish was to create a feeling of constant pres-
the food as narrative tools. If they do it is sure from the outside, both from other barri-
cades to stay strong and from the military to
our belief that they deeply will enhance
give up. We also wanted to serve very simple
the larp experience for their participants. food, something that made the characters, all
from dierent socio-economical classes con-
trast each other. Some saw it as luxury dinner,
The food other as basically inedible garbage. The meals
We are very emotional about what we eat. were very simple, a french onion soup without
This is natural since we quite literally would the garnish or quite literally lentils and garlic.
die if we did not eat. Getting food when we are It was carried in beyond the barricades by the
really hungry is among the most pleasurable kitchen sta in buckets and served together
experiences in the world. Likewise the disap- with loafs of bread. However, in some of the
pointment of realising you cannot get food breads letters from another barricade were
when you are really hungry can be devastat- hidden. This created hilarious discussions be-
ing. There are very clear cultural connections tween the NPC players, organisers and kitchen
to food. What is supposed to taste good, and sta regarding how to pace the NPCs dramat-
what is expensive. Even if we try to pretend ic curve alongside the dramatic curve served
that champagne and caviar are really cheap in a to the players in the breads, making sure that
certain larp culture the larpers will have a hard the NPCs portraying revolutionaries from the
time accepting this as truth. Likewise, presen- same barricade as the letter inside the breads
tation means a lot for the eating experience. followed the same narrative curve as the let-
Texture, colours, the way it is presented and ters we served up for lunch or dinner. It also

241
helped giving a feeling of a meaningful sur- Made in HessbrandStarvation and disgust
rounding outside the barricade and created
Made in Hessbrand (Zeta, Johnsson, Modin
some nice scenes when the bad news of the
and Isaksson) ran in 2015 and was a part of the
other barricade falling under the military at-
long going fantasy campaign, Warheart. The
tacks were delivered in a bread during the last
setting was far away from the war in question.
day. The kitchen sta also used the food to
Deep in the countryside of Hessbrand, a coun-
guilt the players characters into doubting their
try visually and culturally inspired by Ireland
commitment to the revolution. By blaming
in the 14th century. The story was something
the revolutionaries for cutting o supply lines
along social revolt and miserable failure. The
resulting in less profits for the poor workers
players portrayed Hessbrnnian workers and
that made the food for them, and the further
a manufacture for buttons or supervisors
the larp went bringing in more and more mea-
from an occupation-force. During the larp the
ger supplies the food became a symbol for the
players made a revolt, barricaded themselves
fruitlessness of the revolution. This was possi-
in and finally got completely massacred by
ble to do since there was extra food available
arriving soldiers. The feeling the organisers
in the o-game area, and we also served up a
wanted to communicate was one of pover-
feast on the evening after the larp ended.
ty, sickness, working too much in the factory
and oppression. We tried to make that happen
through the food serving, but in the same time
we wanted to serve tasty food so that people
could eat their full. We started of presenting
ourselves and the food to the players before
game start. We played disgusting and filthy
characters. Everyone had probably seen me
sneeze in the pots. We asked them to actively
play down the food as weird looking and dis-
gusting. The food served was Fishys mush
which was named after the colour they had,
green and yellow. They were served together
with honey glazed fried cabbage, bread, hum-
mus, and fried bacon. The compliments were
tasty and therefore made it possible for players
who have a hard time to stomach the mush
on account of them looking almost inedible
to still get a decent meal. The green mush was
green lentils cooked in garlic and olive oil until
it turned into a porridge and the yellow mush
was simply mashed potatoes with a mushroom
sauce mixed into it which gave it a greyish co-
lour and lumpy texture.
This meant that the food was very tasty
even if it looked horrible. This together with
The kitchen crew at Made in Hessbrand, Siiri
the player actively joking about how disgust-
Sandquist, John Bergstrm and Elin Holm as dirty
ing the mushes were and the kitchen sta por-
lying and thieving Fishy, Goatbeard and Fug.
trayal of thieving lying entrepreneurs happy to
Photograph: Eva Wei
make money out of others misery helped cre-
ate a feeling of the food as a horrible thing you

242
did not want to touch with a ten foot pole, but gave the players a feeling of being under con-
the only nutrition to get within walking dis- stant supervision and moderation from the
tance. It increased the players feeling of being people upstairs. The Asian flavours helped
abused by a system and the feeling of pover- create a feeling for the culture that larp was
ty. In the same time the actual food was really portraying and if you could not stomach the
tasty and filling. seaweed lentil stew and felt you needed some-
thing else to eat the players could go to the o
game area where there was plenty of fruits,
Last WillThe taste of something dierent sandwiches, chocolate and hugs. This made it
possible to serve food that was a bit strange in
Last Will (Stenler, Strand and Gamero,2014)
flavour because if the players could not stom-
was a larp set in a dystopian future when Chi-
ach it there was a backup solution.
nese culture had grown in importance togeth-
er with American. This created a vision of the
future where a lot of texts were written in Chi-
Tre Kronor, Lindngen and the luxury of
nese and Chinese culture was present in name
the upper class
culture and such. Last Will was a larp about
modern day slavery and the loss of democratic Just as it is hard for players to really immerse
rights, set in a dystopian future Sweden, in a themselves in an experience of poverty and
gladiator stall. The players portrayed slaves of hunger if the food oered is a cornucopia of
free workers (who lived under slavelike condi- delights, playing on themes of luxury and rich-
tions). They were not allowed to leave the gym ness will also be enhanced and helped by the
where they lived on plastic mats behind plas- right food. More than that, food can work as
tic sheet walls. Their whole life circled around a nice divider between rich and poor at larps
making sure the fighters were good enough where dierent economic classes mingles. Tre
to survive the gladiator-style fights. Food was Kronor (Linder, Wnngren and Ahlbom, 2012)
served from upstairs quite literally as both was a small one night event. The setting a high
the in-game administration and the o game status upper class masonry associations year-
organisers were sitting up the stairs from the ly banquet. During the larp the kitchen sta
playing area. The organisers had a clear vision were players as well, but we paid less than
of what they wanted the food to say. It was those playing upper class. A professional cook
suppose to speak industry, impersonal, calcu- planned and executed lavish multiple course
lated nutrition and Asian. This was very well dinners for the upstairs crowd that the sta
achieved. The food was simple lentil stews heated and served during the larp. The down-
with potatoes and other root vegetables. Add- stairs sta got simple soup and cheap alcohol.
ed in was also seaweed which gave the food an This created a nice division between player
unpleasant slimy texture and a slightly Asian groups, a feeling of entitlement in the upper
flavour. It was served in vacuum packed bags class characters and a feeling of oppression for
of plastic, the food weighed by me and the the downstairs crowd. The kitchen, dressed up
other helpers to make sure it was more or less in uniform clothing helped to create an atmo-
the exact amount of an adults daily intake or sphere where any wish or demand was upheld.
calories, supervised by the cooking organisers. Another larp where the players portrayed
It was then frozen and thawed in water baths the upper class was Lindngen boarding school
before served at the venue. Together with your (Elofsson and Lundkvist, 2013). In this section
allotted plastic bag you would get seaweed I want to concentrate on the food and how it
crackers and some of the characters even got acted to help create a feeling of luxury for the
vitamins to moderate their health. These players. Sometimes you might not have the
vitamins and the calculated sizes of the food possibility to get a real chef to make the food,

243
but there is a lot you can do to play around never planned but happens in the moment.
with the feeling of more luxurious food for Some might even argue that this is the basic
the participants even as a volunteer with no strength of larp as a medium. We are as larp-
formal training. We will talk more about the ers hyper-aware of any possible storyline and
dierent way we choose to portray Lindngen we tend to try and make sense of the random.
below but there is still some interesting points During Lindngen 3 this happened to great ef-
to be made about the food itself on the dier- fect in the many twists and turns of the fluy
ent runs. During Lindngen 1(2013) we opted muffin plot. It isas are so many of these larp
for classical dishes from swedish schools but storiestoo long and too personal to be of a
in a fancier setting. Green pea soup with white broader interest in its entirety but we will try
wine instead of the traditional brown pea to give you the boiled down version here, to
soup. Salad served in pretty containers, and explain how you can create play with food at
homemade bread (cheap and luxurious) gave larps.
a feeling of more upper class establishment. One player (who portrayed a very stern and
During Lindngen 2(2014) the kitchen chose scary teacher) asks the organisers one morn-
to be even more upscale, with a lot of energy ing for some fluy muffins. He was going to
going into making food from scratch which make a psychological experiment. The organ-
made it possible to serve food that usually isers were a bit confused but asked the kitchen
is quite expensive even if it did not cost that sta to make some fluy muffins. The thought
much since it was made from cheap ingredi- of a very stern and sadistic teacher playing
ents such as gnocchi and stued peppers. For around with six fluy muffins generated a lot
Lindngen 3 (2016) the homemade croissants of laughter in the kitchen. The kitchen obvi-
were a hit that gave a quite ordinary breakfast ously made sure to have the windows open
spread a more fancy tone, together with the and to talk about this very loudly to spread
attention to details such as cheese roses and the rumours about the fluy muffins and their
whipped butter. longing to spit in them. By the time the muf-
fins reached the teacher who ordered them,
the rumour that the kitchen spat in them was
already in motion, and therefore by larp magic
became true. The kitchen totally DID spit in
them.
The psychological experiment is done and
create an interesting scene for the players and
that could have been the end of the fluy muf-
fins. However there were five muffins left so
the teacher served them to the five students
with the highest status in the third year. They
were of course terrified to accept such gifts
from their horrible teacher, but decided af-
The sta at the larp Tre Kronor, looking proper and
ter much anguish that to eat them was better
proud photograph: Anna-Karin Linder
than to not eat them. However one of them
was so curious about what these muffins ac-
The Fluy Muffin PlotWhen tually meant that he sends a younger student
you cook up larp magic to find out about the muffins (since speaking
directly to the kitchen was forbidden.) The
Sometimes just the presence of the most
student who was sent to find out the truth
mundane normal thing will create game for
misunderstands him though and just ends up
a large group of players. These stories are

244
ordering more muffins. Since the kitchen was needs some kind of kitchen crew. These are
well staed it had the time to bake new fluy often volunteers, or even organisers, who have
muffins and serve them. Through the inner a huge responsibility to make sure everyone is
working of status fall and reputation this last fed (preferably food that is sufficient in nutri-
serving of the fluy muffins resulted in the fall tion and quantity and on time ) and who be-
from grace of some students, the rise of others cause of that often spends most of their time
and some scenes of oppression. All very wel- o game without being a real part of the larp
come at a larp about pennalism and boarding and the story. We would like to propose dier-
schools. ent ways to use the kitchen as a play area and
the kitchen crew as proper characters. People
who are responsible for feeding the rest of the
larp (as well as with other kinds of practical
o game duties) should of course never get
involved in the game to an extent where it in-
terferes with those responsibilities but theres
still plenty of room to create characters that
contributes to the setting and fills an in-game
purpose without interfering with the actual
cooking.

LindngenOne larp, three dierent

kitchens
One larp that has already been mentioned in
this article is Lindngen, a larp about an up-
per class boarding school revolving around
The original fluy muffins, photograph: Elvira themes such as bullying, peer pressure, social
Fallsdalen status and the never ending upholding of a
system that keeps hurting the people within it.
At the same larp we also let some students Its been run three times and one or both of us
make a hat out of cheese that they used to bul- have been a part of the kitchen crew each time.
ly another student. And on earlier Lindngen Whats particularly interesting about this larp
frozen peas, spinach and at a memorable oc- is that the way the kitchen was used as a play
casion frozen scones has soothed black eyes resource and the role it filled in the game var-
of students. The importance of this story is ied a lot between the dierent runs.
to show how much you can do with food and For the first run, we were aiming to create
kitchen sta to create game and dynamic. The a contrast between the upper class students
so called Fluy Muffin Plot ended up being and teachers of the school and ourselves, as
one of the most retold narratives in the debrief well as oering a safe space for those charac-
group, and would never have happened had ters (and players) who suered the most from
not the organisers planned for a big enough the bullying. The kitchen sta were portrayed
kitchen crew that a person could be spared to as working/lower class who sold home made
make the muffins in the first place. booze and listened to loud socialistic punk
music. Being in the bottom when it came to
The kitchen status and influence also created the opportu-
nity to actually question what was going on in
All larps that provides food for their players
the school. The kitchen itself became a place

245
The kitchen sta at the second run were more clean cut, and more a part of the structure, upholding the system
as well as the plates of food. Here Rune Nordborg is ready to serve the kitchen stas meal.
Photograph: John Bergstrm

where all the outsiders, the ones who didnt to hide from oppression it was now a place to
want to play along with the system and those be even more oppressed. In a similar way the
who it aected the hardest, could come to kitchen during this run amplified the need of
breath or hide out for a moment. Within the upholding a surface. They would be very pro-
kitchen walls, no one could hurt them and to fessional towards the player until they were
its sta they could reveal how they really felt sent to kitchen duty when the facade would
about the school. In the end the kitchen sta be lowered and the player now forced to mop
also worked as a reminder on how status is the kitchen floor had an opportunity to hear
the only thing that matters within the system conversations between people who came from
when their attempts to actually make a dier- a dierent social background and had a dier-
ence and create some justice miserably failed. ent view of the world. This suppressed form
The kitchen in the second run was rather of dislike towards the school and its traditions
another tool to uphold the system than a con- worked well in giving the players a feeling of
trast to it. Not only was the food fancier, the another world outside of the school, but a
kitchen sta themselves had a much more pol- world that was judging, dierent and impossi-
ished and professional approach with more of ble to be a part of.
a personal distance (at least officially) towards For the third run, the role of the kitchen
the students. The kitchen also played a role in was pretty much set by the players themselves.
the actual bullying through the use of kitchen During the pre-game workshop they decided
duty as a penalty for students that misbehaved. that one of the unofficial school rules would
While the kitchen in the first run was a place be no personal socialising with the kitchen

246
sta and even though this rule wasnt up- household sta.
held at all times it contributed to an us and The household did not only provide the
them-division between the kitchen and rest food but also other chores like tidying up the
of the school. This was even more established sleeping quarters, making beds and assisting
through for example a scene where the ca- in magical rituals. The kitchen was not only
reer counselor used a member of the kitchen a place where the food was prepared but also
sta as an example of bad character before the place to go to if you needed to get blood,
a group of students. The kitchen sta was in salt or plastic covers for said rituals. The sta
many ways more looked down upon than in itself were portrayed as emotionless, ageless
the previous runs but still filled the purpose and it was uncertain even to ourselves if they
of being the harmless adults, the ones you can even were human. We spent a lot of time stone
turn to when one of the games has gotten out faced staring out the kitchen window, sweep-
of hand and someone is actually hurt without ing the same spot of the floor over and over
risking getting in trouble for it. again, making beds extremely neatly, folding
the players clothes and reorganising their per-
sonal belongings when they werent looking,
wiping blood of the floor without showing any
sort of emotion and so on. We even listened
to the same song on repeat in the kitchen
throughout the whole larp. For the players
this created a feeling of having walked straight
into a horror movie. The knowledge that the
household always saw you became very pow-
erful, and the players experienced a feeling of
loss of personal space when their belongings
would be reorganised as soon as they turned
their head. The almost mechanical move-
One of the covens juniors played by Hannah
ments of the household, paired with the same
Merkelbach poses from a safe distance in front of
song going on repeat really made you doubt
household member Elvira Fallsdalen.
if they were real people. It became very eec-
Photograph: Eren Granstrm
tively a way of entering into a magical circle
of belief as the characters tried to accustom
themselves to a new reality where magic was
CovenIncreasing the creepiness real and dangerous.

Coven (Hggstrm and Falk, 2015) was a larp

inspired by the show American horror story:
Coven and centred around a small coven of
witches with the task of both educating peo-
ple with magical powers as well as hiding them
from witch hunters. The larp started with a
group of teenagers who had just learned about
their powers and the whole existence of the
witch community arriving to the coven, their
new home. The feeling of the coven was sup-
posed to be eerie, freakish and unpredictable The fear of the household even made its way to the
for those who were new to it and one element text message larping. Photograph: Oliver Nglebk
that was used to create this was, of course, the

247
 The dos and donts of kitchen work at larps
We have during our unofficial career as kitchen volunteers gathered some overall valuable les-
sons that make life easier for everyone, participants as well as organisers, that are listed below.
We hope that these tricks of the trade will help others, organisers and kitchen volunteers alike to
make their work easier.

Three things you never should do: Three things you should always do!
Poison your players. With this we
1
Appreciate your kitchen sta. Do not
mean, do not serve food that the player underestimating the importance of good
in question is allergic too. Make sure to kitchen sta. They will be able to help
clearly mark allergy-friendly food, or you create the right ambience and make
serve it separately for the larper in ques- sure organisers and players are well fed.
tion. Most modern settings will allow to All they want is some cred and maybe
mark the food clearly with a name sign some chocolate, energy drinks or other
using the players in game name. poisons of their choice. Make sure to
thank them after the larp and give them
Not having enough food to feed every-
a small token of appreciation and they
one. This means that during starvation
will be happy to go the extra mile for
larps there should be access to food o
you.
game that has not gone bad or is dis-
gusting but good, preferably warm, food, Clearly communicate to the players
ready to help players through a taxing how much food will be served, what
time. If this is not going to be available, kind of special diet you will provide
clearly communicate this to the play- for/not provide for and so on. Its never
ers in advance and make sure there is okay to let the players discover they
a convenient way for them to stash o wont have enough to eat after they have
game food for themselves if they need paid a full participation fee and arrived
sufficient nutrition to handle the larp. to the larp (you can of course serve any
food you like but tell the players about
Under sta your kitchen. It creates an-
it). This means be clear if there will be
guish, pain, stress and bad role-playing
dietary options available, if there will
on behalf of the sta. Mistakes happen
be o game food in cases where the
more easily when the kitchen sta have
scenario doesnt leave room for a lot of
not had sufficient sleep. Better to have
food etc.
space in the budget for a person too
many than to have too few in the volun- Work with the players special diets
teer group. That way you can have some instead of against it. Look at the players
designated to do the actual cooking, needs before setting the menu and try
one to do last minute shopping (which to make sure as many as possible will be
will happen) and some more focused able to eat as many meals as possible. A
on creating the right atmosphere and lot of vegetarians? Make all food vegetar-
role-playing if you want the kitchen to ian! Gluten allergies? Serve rice instead
actually enhance your game. of pasta. If you make the food vegan it
will also work for lactose and milk pro-
tein allergies. This will most likely save
you not only time but also money.

1 (We have all done it, but try your best and never do the same mistake twice. Like Siri did.)

248
Conclusion Linder, Anna-Karin, Oscar Wnngren and Hampus
Ahlblom. Tre Kronor 3, Sweden: 2013
We hope this advice will be helpful in your - Cooking and serving by Siri Sandquist, Rosalind
future culinary endeavours. We truly believe Gthberg, Frida Karlsson Lindgren, Elsa Broman,
food is an essential part of any larp experience. Lukas Renklingt, Nicolas Lennman, Johannes
If we allow it to be. Let texture, flavours and Harg, Elin Gissn, Carl Norblom, Malva Tyllstrm
presentation play towards the atmosphere of and Severin Gottsn
the larp, and make sure to sta your kitchen Melkersson Lundkvist, Mimmi, Erik Holst and Teresa
with enough people so that they will have time Axner. Organise safely. Sweden: 2015
to help you create the feeling and game play - Cooked and served by Rosalind Gthberg and Lukas
that truly supports the story you want to tell. Renklint
Bon Appetite! Renklint, Lukas, Rosalind Gthberg, Elvira Fallsdalen
and Eva Wei. Once upon a time 1 Sweden: 2014.
Ludography - Cooked and served by Rosalind Gthberg and
Elofsson, Alma and Mimmi Melkersson Lundkvist. organisers
Lindngens Riksinternat 1. Sweden: 2013. Renklint, Lukas, Rosalind Gthberg, Elvira Fallsdalen
- Cooking and serving by Siri Sandquist, Rosalind and Eva Wei. Once upon a time 2 Sweden: 2015.
Gthberg, Samuel Sjstrm, Hugo Sandelin, Elsa - Cooked and served by Rosalind Gthberg and
Broman and Anneli Friedner organisers
Elofsson, Alma and Mimmi Melkersson Lundkvist. Reinklint, Lukas, Elvira Fallsdalen, Rosalind Gthberg
Lindngens Riksinternat 2. Sweden: 2014. and Eva Wei. Sigridsdotter 1. Sweden: 2015
- Cooked and served by Siri Sandquist, John - Cooked and served by Rosalind Gthberg and Siri
Bergstrm, Rune Nordborg, Mojje Mrtensson, Sandquist
Calle Wickstrm
Renklint, Lukas, Elvira Fallsdalen, Rosalind Gthberg
Elofsson, Alma and Mimmi Melkersson Lundkvist. and Eva Wei. Sigridsdotter 2. Sweden: 2016
Lindngens Riksinternat 3. Sweden: 2016.Cooked
and served by Rosalind Gthberg, Lukas Renklint, - Cooked and served by Rosalind Gthberg and Siri
Elvira Fallsdalen, Erland Nylund, Emil Rogvall Sandquist

Gthberg, Rosalind and Eva Wei. Beyond the Sandquist, Siri, Erland Nylund, Linnea Bjrklund and
Barricades. Sweden: 2016 Thor Forsell. Dusk of Gods. Sweden: 2015

- Cooked and served by Siri Sandquist and Lukas - Cooked and served by Siri Sandquist and Thor
Renklint Forsell

Hggstrm, Mia and Sofie Falk. Coven 1. Sweden: 2015 Sandquist, Siri, Staan Fladvad, Johan Nylin and Elin
Gissn. Its a mans world. Sweden: 2015
- Cooked and served by Rosalind Gthberg, Sara
Gerendas, Hannah Merkelbach, Elli Garperian - Cooked and served by Siri Sandquist and Fredrik
Nilsson
Hggstrm, Mia and Sofie Falk. Coven 2. Sweden: 2015
Stenler, Sofia, Annica Strand and Frida Gamero. Last
- Cooked and served by Rosalind Gthberg, Sara Will. Sweden: 2014
Gerendas, Elvira Fallsdalen, Carl Nordblom
- Cooked and served by organisers and Siri Sandquist
Linder, Anna-Karin, Oscar Wnngren and Hampus and Frida Karlsson Lindgren
Ahlblom.Tre Kronor 2, Sweden: 2012
Zeta,Sara, Ola Johnsson, Hanna Modin and Josefine
- Cooking and serving by Siri Sandquist, Frida Karlsson Isaksson. Made in Hessbrand. Sweden: 2014
Lindgren, Nicolas Lennman, Jonathan Dahlander,
Severin Gottsn, Johannes Harg, Carolina Lindahl - Cooked and served by Siri Sandquist, John Bergstrm
och Theo Axnr and Elin Holm

249
YouTube and Larp
Mo Mo OBrien

A WARNING: This might be a bit more ca- was videos of lighting bolt packet throwers
sual than the other essays in this book. From and fake looking fight scenes. They went on
start to finish, my whole journey of success, I a marathon to show me how stupid I was
have been in way over my head. I have been going to look, and then we continued to
surrounded by intelligent, capable people roll dice and describe fighting magic orcs.
that know exactly what they are doing. If you
would like to hear from them, check out liter- My name is Mo Mo OBrien, and if theres one
ally any of the other pages. If you would like thing you need to know about me its that I
to hear my rambling about how I accidental- dont care what people think, so despite the
ly became a pseudo YouTube celebrity, keep mockery from my tabletop group, I went larp-
reading and enjoy the ride. ing anyway. It was everything I knew it would
My dungeons and dragons group made be, and so much more. I instantly knew this
fun of me for going larping. I remember be- was going to take over my entire life. I went
ing so excited and talking to them all about to more events, and uploaded more pictures
the character I was making, and the game to my social media, and more people started
I had found, and how much fun I was going asking me questions.
to have, and they went to YouTube. I be- I had recently started a YouTube channel,
gan larping in an age when larp on YouTube and I thought Id answer all the questions in a

250
video. I called the video Basics of larp and it many things, there is always something some-
covered everything from the definition of larp, one will like about it; costume designing, prop
to the dierent genres, to what you needed to designing, writing, acting, combat. There are
start playing. That was the video that began it styles of larp that incorporate more sport,
all. My channel now has over 70,000 subscrib- more tears, more competition, more costume
ers, that video now has almost 400,000 views, showcasing, more set dressing. Theres a as-
the comments are flooded with requests for pect and style of larp for everyone, so make
more larp videos, and I can no longer go to sure everyone knows that. Which means....
any larp without at least one person coming
up to me and telling me they were there be-
cause of me. My YouTube channel has even 2. Learn how
taken me to places like panelling at San Diego to tell a larp story
comic con and being in a popular candy com-
mercial. Since then, larping YouTube chan-
My friend Jamie who runs my main larp cam-
nels have been exponentially growing, and
paign once gave me a very long, slightly drunk,
are still growing. So, I thought Id give people
speech on how to tell a larp story to non-larp-
some tips for larp YouTube Channels!
ers. First of all: non-larpers do not care about
mechanics, skills, or rules. Not at first anyway.
When people ask what was the last book you
1. Speak to non-larpers read?, their first question will usually always
be What was it about?, not whether it fit into
You dont have to tell larpers why larp is awe- the 3 act structure or took a more experimen-
some. They already know. If you see someone tal approach. Do not tell non-larpers that you
with a t-shirt for a band you like, you dont have a level 4 fire spell that allows you to hit a
walk over to them and try and convince them monster with 30 health for 10 flame damage.
why that band is awesome. Theyre already Say I hit a monster with a fireball. One of
wearing the shirt. If a larper sees ANYTHING those stories sounds WAY more exciting than
larp related, good chance is theyre probably the other. Sell your larp adventures for the
going to like it regardless of content. Dont adventures you had, not the numbers it gave
limit your audience. Any video where I talk your character sheet. When youre larping, the
about larp, I always explain what it is as fast emotions are real, so tell the story as if you
and as simply as I can within the first 20 sec- were ACTUALLY THERE because thats what
onds. How I describe it is an adult game of larp feels like. Not everyone likes numbers or
make believe. That seems to cover any genre behind the scenes information, but everyone
of larp, no matter how experimental, and ev- loves a good story.
eryone can picture it since everyone knows
what make believe is. Then I proceed to talk
about it as if im explaining it to a group of
3. Sell yourself
veteran larpers, and noobies.1 People are all
This is not as skeezy as it sounds. What i mean
secretly narcissistic and love seeing them-
by this is just find all the best parts about your-
selves in things. So, try to make videos that
self, and showcase them. YouTubers com-
non-larpers could see themselves in. In every
pared to a lot of other celebrities is thwe are
video I never assume the viewer knows what
a far more personal art medium. We do ques-
larp is, and then explain it in a way that could
tion and answers where viewers can learn all
appeal to everyone. Larp is so broad and so

1 Slang on newbies, for beginners or people without any pre existing knowledge and experience.

251
about us, vlogs2 where they can spend the day but your words, consider a blank wall behind
with us, and its a lot less glitz and glamour you. Talking about costuming? Maybe display
than other beings of well known status. Peo- some of your pieces behind you. Want people
ple watch a video for the content, but they to have a glimpse of your personality? Show
stick around and subscribe for the youtuber. your whole bedroom. Let your background
This doesnt mean invent a new personality. tell a story.
This means find the parts of your personality
people like, and electrify them. That goes for
your characters as well. 5. Get that larp footage
To expand on this idea, you should check
out another YouTuber thats NOT a larper, Just talking to a camera is fine, but when you
but pretty close: Miranda Sings. Miranda is cut to something else, it makes sure the audi-
a fictional character with a YouTube chan- ence is paying attention, because it gives them
nel, created by comedian and singer Colleen some new to look at. Also it saves you the time
Ballinger. In 2008 Colleen started uploading and eort of trying to do your awesome larp
purposefully bad song covers to YouTube as a justice. You can just show your audience so
joke, and Miranda has gained over 7 million they dont have to imagine it.
subscribers since. As she developed the char- One of the biggest rules in visual storytell-
acter of Miranda she says she just read her ing: show, dont tell.
YouTube comments, took note of what view- Hide your camera, stay out of game for a
ers found weird or obnoxious, and started to while, ask for filming privileges in exchange
do it even more. Take note of what aspects of for some pictures of the event, ask the organ-
your characters and yourself your viewers like, iser if they can make the camera cannon in the
and do it more. game.
Even if its just pictures someone else took,
ask them if you may use the pictures.
4. Make it look nice
Sit in front of a lit window or bright light 6. Be picky
source. Make sure any fans, or air condition-
ers, or any other machinery making noise is Larp is really hard to translate to video be-
turned o. Make sure your camera isnt mak- cause, a lot of the times its not a specta-
ing you look too orange or too blue (you can tor sport. Its meant to be experienced, not
change this by adjusting your lighting. Natu- watched for entertainment. So, try and pick
ral light gives o a blue tint, unnatural gives the footage that portrays what larp FEELS
o an orange.) Make sure your background like, not looks like. Add some music or sound
looks tidy and nice. eects to fight scenes, so it doesnt just sound
For a while, I thought none of this really like latex hitting latex matched with grunting.
mattered...until I went back and watched my Pick those intense scenes with dramatic light-
old videos. All these technical things are like ing. Remember to market to non-larpers. Peo-
the bass line of a song. You dont notice when ple dont want to see a larp, they want to feel
its there, but OH BOY do you notice when its it. Choose the footage, and edit it accordingly,
not. So make sure youre well lit, your sound is that portrays how that moment felt when you
good, and your shot is set up nice. Which also were in it.
means, pay attention to your background. If When you larp, a lot of the emotions and
you want people to pay attention to nothing adrenaline is real, but this is a little harder to

2 Video blogs.

252
translate to film. When you watch a movie, a water, a gun, bullets, cookies, and other items
scene could have a completely dierent feel or designed to kill each other. There was an also
intensity based on the cinematography, the an exit to the shelter with a 30% chance of
editing, the music, the lighting. Picture a shot survival in the wasteland. This was apparently
of a few kids splashing in the water. Now pic- fun for the players, and they wished it was a
ture it with happy, upbeat, ukulele music. Its little longer. For the sake of a youtube video
a fun day at the beach! Viewers are content, though, it was the perfect length. Because it
and calm, and are reminded of carefree sum- was such a short amount of time, it was high
mer days. Now, picture the exact same shot, energy, panicked, and 5 minutes of intensity.
but with the jaws theme song underneath. There was no time for spaced out improvised
Not a carefree beach day anymore is it? Foot- beautiful dialogue. It worked better, because
age provides what the larp looks like, but what it was messy and all over the place, like the
you do with it determines how your viewers real situation would have been if it was filmed
feel about it. for an audience. I also held it in my own home
I tried to put together all of these things so I set up my filming lights, I got to set the
into one of my videos which I called Lock scene the way I wanted, all with filming this in
Stock & Barrel: a five minute larp. I was dared mind. Like it was an improvised movie.
by another YouTube channel to create a larp But the biggest tip I can give, not just to
that would last 5 minutes, and film it. So I cre- larp YouTubers, but all YouTubers in gener-
ated a simple life or death scenario; 6 people al: Just do it! Dont worry about messing up,
locked in a post apocalyptic shelter that was or having the right equipment, or not being
running out of air, and the maximum inhabi- ready. We all had to start somewhere. Watch
tant capacity would drop by 1 every 1 minute. the videos you make, figure out what you
Meaning, in order to survive, one person had liked, and what you didnt, and adjust accord-
to be eliminated or evacuated every minute. ingly. Just figure it out as you go along. Fall
They were given items like: booze, poison, into your place. So get going!

As an addendum to this piece, Simon Brind conducted a brief interview with Mo Mo OBrien;
edited highlights are included here:
Simon Brind: Would you tell us a little more about the design for the five minute larp?
Do the people have characters? Did you pre-write them or did the players do it? Was there a set?
Mo Mo OBrien: It was very light rules, basically if they wanted to do anything physi-
cally, they just asked out loud and I told them if it went ok. They had characters they decided
on themselves. Formed their own relationships and backstories. All the knowledge they were
given was they had been in this bunker for almost a year. We made up the characters on the
spot in a workshop before the game. The set, was my living room, with a spotlight in the mid-
dle. You can watch the whole thing here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgQFuLhe-ks
SB: Are there ways that larp could become a spectator sport? or a spectator event? Would it
still be larp?
OB: If larp was a spectator sport, it would be called improv theatre. If all the mechanics and
techniques were designed to entertain an audience and not the player, it would be an episode
of whose line is it anyway. Even if there was an audience to an actual larp event, by my defini-
tion, it would become improv theatre. Though Im sure theres 40 essays out there by people
much smarter than me with dierent theories about it.

253
 Mo Mo OBrien: A youtuber or whatever.
Photographer: Carol OBrien

SB: How else could YouTube be used in larp? Could one be played out using YouTube
videos and responses do you think? Or as a part of a game?
OB: What I would love to see is YouTube being used as a tool in larp. We have all this new
technology that I feel could be utilised better. I recently did a game called As we know it that
took place entirely, on my own, sitting in a closet, and all the interactions were over text. It
was a game about isolation and through technology, perfect isolation was able to be achieved.
Theres so much people can do with video, I think it could be used in larp a lot more.
SB: Can you tell the story of a larp in video? Could the 5 minute experiment scale up to 30
minutes, 3 hours or even 3 days?
OB: Could I tell the story of a 3 day larp in a 10 minute video? Absolutely. Especially when it
comes to internet media, it is typically more likely to hold someones attention. Its important
to find the right balance between rambling, and cutting it short. Say what you NEED to say.
Sometimes you need to cut what you WANT to say, which is the most heartbreaking thing
about good editing. Take notes before you film. It helps you formulate your thoughts, keeps
you from forgetting anything, and will help eliminate nonsense and rambling.
SB: Nordic larps have done a great job of documenting their games and they are producing
some great promotional videos3 too. But what else would you like to see from game organisers?
How could they improve?
OB: Blockbuster nordic larps are EASILY the simplest kind of larp to film, because it is so
close to improvised theatre. They usually have the best costumes, props, sets, and scenes
since its more about characters, than character sheets. Since its typically more aesthetically
pleasing than a lot of boer larps, its easier to share, and easier to relate to, because you have
to worry less about portraying how the experience feels, because it looks so nice from the
outside. So I think what the western larp media needs, is to focus on what the western larp
community HAS. Focus more on the competitive and self improving nature of western sport
style larps, and learn how to translate that feeling of adrenaline and action to film.

3 Promotional videos for Fairweather Manor, Black Friday and the like.

254
Character-based Design
and Narrative Tools in
the French Style
Romanesque Larp
Muriel Algayres

We like to engage in larp through compelling the players agenda. All of these approaches are
and vivid characters. However, the available tools that can be calibrated according to each
tools to create them are many and diverse: designers purposes.
whether we go with short or detailed char- France has in the past fifteen years enjoyed
acters, give them a lot of background or just the development of its specific, character-
create a short frame for the players to develop, based, drama-oriented larp scene called the
whether we leave the control of the story to romanesque genre. With a heavy emphasis
the larpwright or give more leeway towards on character development and personal re-

Above: Emotions and conflicts fueled by the culture shock in Harem Son Saat. Photograph: Joram Epis 255
lationships, this type of game has garnered a 2. A huge impact of the past which ex-
huge, devoted following. Though it has been plains the details in the character. The
but recently documented (Choupaut, 2013; backstory gets a significant importance
Algayres, 2016a), the romanesque scene has in building the potential for narra-
steadily evolved through almost two decades tion and the characters psyche. Some
and developed some specific traits regarding elements might be kept secret, to be
game design. discovered for dramatic impact.
This article will endeavour to present the
3. An environment built as a microcosm.
romanesque style larp in relation to other sim-
The diversity of characters serves as
ilar larp styles in Europe, and establish some
a means to establish the workings of
tools we use to create characters and narration
society in the specific time and context
in this type of larps. The objectives are to ex-
of the game, which is why the roman-
pand both the knowledge about larp produc-
esque usually love historically inspired
tion in Europe and the narrators toolbox to
settings.
create characters.
4. The use of narrative archetypes. Ro-
manesque larps often draw inspiration
from literary classics and embrace the
romanesque genres common tropes as
What is the French style a means to drive narration.
romanesque genre? 5. The dominance of tragedy, with
character-based narrative integrating
An overview of the genre
a lot of human drama, conflicts and
The romanesque term started being applied to character dilemma. This is not an
games in 2010, by Frdric Barnab for lAgonie absolute, though, some games advocate
du Pote (2010). However, that game was the a lighter atmosphere or tragedy-comedy
last iteration of a long series of games coined as mix, such as Rves dAbsinthe (Algayres
emotional or dramatic, which was almost and Dauthie, 2011), or Prima La Musica
as old as the practice of larp in the country. In (Primoot, 2016).
its primary sense, romanesque means which
6. Tightly-knit narrative arcs, which are
belongs to the realm of a novel, a descriptive
meant to reach their climax during
for dramatic events or actions. Therefore, it is
the game, with characters living out
used to describe games that are constructed as
an exceptional destiny or a defining
rich, narrative experiences, with pre-written
moment of their lives over the course of
characters whose rich backstory and psychol-
the game.
ogy are the driving forces of the larp.
Since then, the term has been appropriat- 7. A focus on the characters emotions and
ed to qualify many games following the same on each participants identification with
general features. While these features might their character, in the same manner as
still be debated, we have focused on the fol- a reader identifies with a character in a
lowing traits (Algayres, 2016a): work of fiction. Bleed may occur as a re-
sult of identification with the character.
1. Focus on the character. Character cre-
The generally recognised strength of these
ation is mostly in the hands of the or-
larps is that they provide a very rich, detailed
ganisers, and they will be very detailed,
frame, with complex characters thoroughly
with a lot of intertwining backstory and
inserted in their context and network of rela-
built-in information.

256
 A tragic family reunion, a classic trope in romanesque larp from Absinthe, set in 1920s Germany.
Photograph: Joram Epis

tionships. However, as a significant part of the worked well together, since a historical larp
world, character-building and control of the can have a more interesting and challenging
story remains in the hands of the organisers. gameplay because of the richly faceted so-
This type of larp places greater limitations on cial situations history brings with it (Salo-
players agenda and freedom (in character se- monsen, 2003, p. 94). Game designers from
lection and creation especially). This is usual- all over Europe have had the opportunity to
ly a design choice that creators justify by that exploit the richness of history all the while
they are using it to enrich the overall story and retaining the creative licence to twist accu-
narrative, to create more closely connected racy for practical or dramatic purposes, and
characters and potential for tight narratives well quote some significant, but by no means
and complex story arcs. exhaustive, examples.
In Finland, historically-inspired larps are
a part of the scene, with Viking history, the
The historically inspired larp Victorian era, and Finnish history around the
time of independence featured as time periods
in France and in Europe of interest. Finland, like France and for similar
While the term romanesque has been coined reasons, has had a tradition of long, very de-
to describe a very specific sub-genre of French tailed characters, as the absence of workshops
larp culture, we can observe games with simi- made it necessary to include a lot of informa-
lar intent in several other European countries. tion about the characters psyche and environ-
It is also interesting to see that we can find ment in written form.
similar traits in the games in the historically An interesting example is provided by the
inspired genre. History and larp have always Czech larp Skoro Rassvet (Haladov, Platir et

257
al., 2013).1 Skoro Rassvet is a game set in 19th Italy, under the banner of the collective Terre
century Russia, heavily influenced by Russian Spezzate, has made several contributions to
literature and especially Tolstoy. The game is the historically inspired genre. I Ribelli della
played in a day, with a half day of workshops, montagna [Rebels on the Mountain] (Capone
and the action takes place during a family and Biffi, 2015) was a rich, vivid rendition of
gathering for a formal dinner. In its approach the last months of World War Two which
and objectives, this game would certainly have got unprecedented media attention, support
been dubbed romanesque in France. The char- from A.N.P.I.Associazione Nazionale Parti-
acter design, however, diered sensibly. The giani Italiani [National Association of Italian
written material was relatively short by his- Partisans], and praise for its thoughtful and
torical larp standards (less than half a dozen sensitive rendition of the conflict. Chiave di
pages), and most of the character development Volta [Keystone] (Tireabasso and Villa Avoga-
was done during the workshops, essentially dro, 2015), is a lush dramatisation of the 19th
through social codes and rituals, and role-play- century centred around the theme of power,
ing scenes from the past (Hampejs, 2015). the possibility to play both masters and ser-
Other examples from the obviously rich vants in a complicated power play, and a huge
Czech scene include Salon Moravia (Bondy and production value. Both of these productions
Bondyov et al., 2104), set in a brothel during have cleverly integrated design elements and
World War II, De la Bte (Peta and Wagner et techniques from nordic larp (safety mechan-
al., 2013), a superproduction set in 18th century ics, workshops etc.) while retaining their own
France, and Legion (Peta and Wagner, 2015), unique style, resulting in extremely well-
which combines historical inspiration and crafted larps.
hardcore larp in its depiction of a 1915 retreat- And of course, the blockbuster larp also
ing military unit. ventured into the historical drama setting
Norway also has a significant historical with Fairweather Manor (Boruta, Raasted and
larp scene, which used to be dubbed stocking Nielsen et al., 2015), a larp set in Edwardian
larps (Stark, 2013). Norwegian historical larps England and inspired by the hit TV-show
were presented at the French convention Les Downton Abbey. While the brute force design
GNiales with great interest (Hansen, 2014). proved partially unfit to cover the complexity
They appeared as very rich, deeply layered of a multi-layered society (including diversity
productions, with high requirements for his- of age, rank and function), the game was ef-
torical and costume accuracy which put them fective in carrying over a lot of content and
close to historical reenactment, and, in keep- player-generated interactions. The first itera-
ing with nordic larp, bigger creative agenda for tion of the larp warranted an unofficial spin-
the players where the building of interactions o, a second run and a sequel over the course
and narrative arcs were concerned. Kjrlighet of the following year.
uten strmper [Love without Stockings] (Voje Back in France, the most recent larps of the
and Stamnestr et al., 2004) can be mentioned romanesque genre have shown a clear ambi-
as an example of the historical drama inspira- tion to expand on the genre and make it evolve
tion. The game, set during a wedding in 1771, for the better through the inclusion of those
presents its objective as a mix of intrigue, per- nordic style techniques whose use has become
sonal and societal drama, integrating signi- widespread in recent years (workshops, black
ficant amounts of conflict and romance. box), keener focus on directing themes, and
The rapidly blooming progressive scene in more refined work on the societal frame. Pri-

1 Whose international runs were organised in Denmark through the organisation Solhverv.

258
ma la Musica (Primoot, 2016) is a larp about of disbelief. Lets use an example. You might
the French opera scene of the 19th century, us- hear French players harp about the switched
ing opera-inspired dramatics and music both at birth plot, used as an ironic commentary
diegetically and non-diegetically through an on romanesque clichs, though, to my know-
open, black box system. Still Water Runs Deep ledge, it has rarely been used in the scene, ex-
(Ruhja, 2014) is a Jane Austen/Dickensian in- cept in the prohibition-game era Chicago. Il-
spired larp with a sharp focus on class hier- legitimate children and foundlings, however,
archies and gender stereotypes, which was are definitely a staple of the genre, but this
also played as a cross-gender experience, with is fitting to historical periods when children
participants praising the insight it gave them born out of wedlock had no status in society.
of the opposite genders constraints and prob- Classic or archetypal plotlines or characters
lematics. Finally, Harem Son Saat (Algayres, can be true to period, but also resonate with
2016b) was the first international game of the an audience of participants which has usual-
genre, using English as a main language,2 built ly grown up learning and enjoying these sto-
around the themes of oppression, gender seg- ries. It has been argued that larp itself can be
regation and culture shock. viewed as an incarnation of the monomyth,
Therefore, while romanesque is solidly a each participants experience echoing the tra-
French term, character-driven literary and his- ditional heros journey. (Hook, 2010, p.34)
torically inspired larps have by no means been So how do we go about practicing the clev-
limited to a single geographic area. The rich er use of archetypes? In a romanesque set-
potential of history and its dramatisation has ting, we consider all characters protagonists.
been widely exploited and feels still rich with Therefore, well use archetypes to define them
great potential. through several angles:

The inner nature of the character: the

Character design patriarch, the overbearing matron, the
hotheaded, the cynic, the ingnue, the
and narrations in the rebel. This is very basic and can turn
romanesque genre clich if the character is limited to the
inner archetype.
Archetypes in the romanesque genre
Their contrast in relation to others (also
Romanesque larps are character-centred called foil). This is particularly frequent
games, with a significant part of the game in pairs or trios of characters, such as
design being devoted to the conception of siblings, close friends, etc. Youll have
the characters, all of them organiser-created. the optimist to the realist, the extrovert
While length and composition of characters to the introvert, the by-the-rules per-
tend to vary from one larpwright to another, a sonality against the rebellious type, etc.
couple of techniques can be pinpointed. Foils are really useful because, through
The first one is what Id like to call the smart simple characterisation, they create a
use of archetypes. This is a very thin line to lot of potential for conflict between the
tread, as any overused archetype can become characters.
a clich and damage the necessary suspension

2 Which stood for Turkish in the 1913 Ottoman background, while French was in-game a diplomatic sec-
ond language.

259
 Their position within a network of In a typical design, both of these approach-
relationships and in relation to others. es, as well as the archetypes at play, are han-
Each character is the participants pro- dled simultaneously, as the character (and the
tagonist, but can be anothers sibling, a network of characters) is constructed bit by
thirds best friend, the romantic interest bit. The final criteria is to analyse if the char-
of a fourth, the antagonist to a fifth and acters are playable, interesting, and enjoyable.
so on. The objective of this type of design is to
provide the participant with potential for a
If we just use any archetype, a character
rich story and interactions. Some games tend
stands a sure chance to become clich, because
to follow a more streamlined route, and have
its archetype will be instantly identifiable, and
even been criticised for railroading the char-
its characterisation weak. This is where sev-
acters arc too much. However, most of these
eral archetypes used in conjunction with the
games definitely have a clear narrativist ap-
others become useful: the character becomes
proach, only limited to what is coherent with
more layered, therefore more human. How-
the characters context and psyche. For some
ever, the archetypes at work can still have
time periods in history, these elements of
a universal meaning to participants, which
context and the social pressure can really be
makes them particularly eective.
played as antagonists of their own.

The dual approach in character design Conclusion

Another element of character design typical to With more than ten years of established ex-
the romanesque genre is what we call the dual istence and a very rich history of diverse and
approach. While it is by no means limited to celebrated games, the French style roman-
the romanesque, it has also become typical of esque scene is certainly a prime example of
some of the games. The dual approach in char- a national scene which strives through its
acter design is a combination of the following own specific identity, all the while getting
elements: enriched through contact with other genres
and countries.
The initial approach: the characters
motif or raison dtre, their reason for
being present. This can be accom-
plished through family ties, a function
or specific job, a plot-related motif. This
must answer the questions: why are
they here? Why should they care? Why
will they stay?
The final approach: what will the
characters potential arc be? What will
be their greatest moment? It can be
a reveal (hence the predominance of
secrets in some larps), an epiphany, a
staged grand scene, a necessary evolu-
tion, but an element (or several) which
will make the characters journey (and
the participants experience) significant
and meaningful.

260
Bibliography Ludography
Algayres, Muriel, Le GN Romanesque, Electro-GN. Algayres, Muriel and Abbaye dAuthie. Rves dAbsinthe
2016a [date of access 29/08-2016] http://www. [Dreams of Absinth]. Ouroux, France: Association
electro-gn.com/10332-le-gn-romanesque Rle. 2011
Barnab, Frdric. De direntes approches de la Algayres, Muriel. Harem Son Saat. Chteau de Cernay,
conception dun scenario [Dierent approaches France: Association Rle. 2016b http://www.asso-
of larp scenario building], first published 2004, role.fr/haremlarp-en/
to be republished 2017 https://www.electro-gn.
Barnab, Frederick. LAgonie du Pote [The Poets
com/10932-approches-de-la-conception-dun-
Agony]. Joyeuse Castle, France: Association Rle.
scenario
2010 http://agoniedupoete.fr/
Choupaut, Vincent. The Frenchstyle Romanesque
Bondy, Radim, Veronika Bondyov, Jan Fiala, Blanka
Larp, In Electro-larp. 2013 [date of access 29/08-
Hanzlov, Sra Komasov, Aneka Mller. Salon
2016] http://www.electro-larp.com/275-the-
Moravia. Brno, Czech Republic. 2014 http://www.
frenchstyle-romanesque-larp
pojd.name/salon/
Hampejs, Tom. Skoro RassvetVodka, tears and
Boruta, Szymon, Charles Bo Nielsen and Claus
Dostoyevsky. In The Nordic Larp Yearbook 2014.
Raasted et. al., Fairweather Manor. Mozna, Poland:
Edited by Charles Bo Nielsen and Claus Raasted.
Dziobak Studios, Rollespilsfabrikken(DK) and
Copenhagen, Denmark: Rollespilsakademiet. 2015
Liveform(PL). 2015 http://www.fmlarp.com/
Hook, Nathan. Larp of a Thousand Faces. In Playing
Capone, Andrea and Elio Biffi. I Ribelli della montagna
Reality. Edited by Elge Larson. Stockholm, Sweden:
[Rebels on the mountain]. Villaggio delle Stelle,
Interacting Arts. 2010
Italy: Terre Spezzate. 2015 http://www.grv.it/sette-
Salomonsen, Xenia. The use of History in larp. In As principati/item/424-home-ribelli.html
Larp grows upTheory and Methods in Larp. Edited
Haladov, Markta, Petr Platil, Martin Buchtk, Sarah
by Morten Gade, Line Thorup and Mikkel Sander.
Komasov, Jaromr Vybhal, Tom Hampejs.
Fredericksberg, Denmark: Projektgruppen KP03.
Skoro Rassvet [Breaking Dawn]. Translated by Jeppe
2003
Bergmann Hamming, Maria Bergmann Hamming.
Stark, Lizzie, Larp culture in Norway, In Leaving Odense, Danmark: Association Solhverv. 2103
Mundania: Inside the World of Larp. 2013 [date http://rassvet.cz/
of access 15/09-2016] http://leavingmundania.
Peta, Adam and David Frantiek Wagner et al. De
com/2013/04/25/larp-culture-in-norway/
la Bte. Vale Castle, Czech Republic. 2013 www.
Tirabasso, Chiara. Chiave Di Volta: The Devil is delabete.cz
in the detail. In The Nordic Larp Yearbook 2015.
Peta, Adam and David Frantiek Wagner et al.
Edited by Charles Bo Nielsen, Claus Raasted
Legion : Siberian Story. Hvoany, Czech Republic:
and Erik Sonne Georg. Copenhagen, Denmark:
Association Rolling. 2015 http://legion.rolling.cz/
Rollespilsakademiet. 2016
Primoot Team. Prima la Musica ou LOpra Terrible
[Prima la Musica or the Opera Terrible]. Montbraye
Personal Communication Castle, France: Association Urbicande Libre.
Erlend Eidsem Hansen. Days of deeds, Nights of Myth 2016
The Design tricks of Historic Larps in Norway, Les Ruhja Team. Still Water runs deep. Paris, France:
GNiales. Paris, France: Conference. 2014. Association Rle. 2014
Tirabasso, Chiara and Daniele Cristina Villa Avogadro.
Chiave di Volta [Keystone], Biella, Italy: Terre
Spezzate. 2015 http://www.grv.it/chiave
Voje, Adrian Angelico and Anne Marie Stamnestr et
al. Kjrlighet uten strmper [Love without stockings].
Kleve grd, Norway. 2004 http://www.rollespill.no/
rokokko/

261
262

LOYALTY TO CHARACTER
Ask not what you can do for your character, ask
what your character can do for you?
Charles Bo Nielsen

The problem shop-created characters to get isers envisaged, but to make

the player involved at an early the characters your own and
I have worked with character
stage in and allow designers through that create the most
creation for many years and
and players to collaborate to amount of game.
making characters fit both the
create a shared vision of the
larp and the players at the same You are not an actor
character and that solves many
time has always been a strug-
problems. I think an easier Larp is not acting, there is not a
gle. The player of the charac-
solution is a change in player tightly written script you have
ter might change, new ideas
mentality. With both College of to read out aloud where every
for relations pop up down the
Wizardry (Nielsen, Dembinski part of your characters journey
road, how the player under-
and Raasted, 2014-) and Fair- is dependent on you staying
stands the character might be
weather Manor (Boruta, Raast- entirely true to your character.
completely dierent than what
ed and Nielsen et al., 2015) we Larps are (mostly) dynamic and
you had thought. The larp is
tried to communicate that flexible, stories and actions are
most likely going to develop in
characters were meant to serve (mostly) improvised. For your
a direction you were not able
as inspiration for the players, character to always function in
to predict, because that is what
not a chain around their necks. this exercise of mass improvi-
larps do. They do not follow a
We told players explicitly that sation, your character needs to
script, they adapt, they bend,
they were free to change what be flexible as well.
twist and turn. Some smaller,
needed to be changed so the
heavily scripted larps, might We wrote the
character could fit the expe-
have a certain amount of con- character for you!
rience they as players sought
trol over the characters and
from the larp. Obviously while Now, when I advise you to only
players, but the bigger the larp,
still being mindful of others stick to the character for as
the less you can predict or con-
and communicating with their long as it works, it is not be-
trol the course of the action. So
co-players. But the idea to take cause I want you to disregard
instead of insisting to try and
a character sheet and change as the tireless work of character
keep tabs on everything, work
much of it as you want is alien writers, but because the de-
with the character as a starting
to many larpers and it requires signers wrote the character
point, not a script for a charac-
a shift in both player mentality, for you to have a good experi-
ter you need to play out like in
and in larp design. In this arti- ence. Be aware of when it stops
a theatre. It is your character
cle, Ive outlined my thoughts working, when you start crying
and your experience that mat-
on how you as a player should not due to: talking about your
ters.
approach your characters, not sisters suicide while peeling
Some larps introduce work-
to tell the story the organ- potatoes in the mud1 but be-

1 (Thank you Karolina and Stina) Knudepunkt TV video: A journey in to Swedish larping: https://www.you-
tube.com/watch?v=TyrLndFJBfs
 263

cause you as a player feel stuck. thing they do: they do stu. Of- be mindful of your co-players,
You have very likely been there ten it takes a while before they never use spontaneous love as
yourself; the character just did realise why they did it. This is an excuse to stalk someone you
not make sense, either for you a perfect excuse to change di- as a player like out-of-charac-
or with the direction that the rections for your character at a ter. Use it to start new interac-
larp had taken your character. larp. Use it. tion and if you feel stuck with
Realise and adapt. no direction for your character.
Contradictions are
When I sat in the organiser
interesting I suddenly remember all about
room of CoW and Fairweath-
this trauma from my past?
er Manor, I met players crying You see it all the time in real
their eyes out because they life, and in fiction. When Remember your 1-10 pages of
didnt know what to do, they someone contradicts their own character is not a full life story.
were simply unable to act out beliefs or actions, it can make People who have written dia-
their character and have a good for interesting storytelling. So ries as teenagers has hundreds
experience at the same time. whenever you ask yourself: of pages of dribble and if you
This is a moment to CUT, What would my character read it all, there would still be
BRAKE, and STOP. Take a do?, also ask: What would more teenage angst to go. May-
deep breath and sit down, and my character never do? Then be there was something that
ask yourself: What do I as a ask yourself as a player, what wasnt mentioned in your char-
player want to experience at would be the most interesting acter? Like in real life, you also
this larp, why did I come here story? The protective knight suddenly remember something
in the first place? When you that lost his temper and beat from your past, that gets trig-
have figured that out, try figur- up the beggar on the street, the gered. This could also happen
ing out how to get there. thief that returned the stolen to your character. Be creative
My advice is always to con- goods, the doctor who ended and dont panic, there is almost
sider this before going to a larp. up killing his patient, the en- always a way to get a back into
Spend time acknowledging emies who suddenly became a larp and mold a poor experi-
why you want to play a spe- best friends? Sometimes play- ence into a great experience. I
cific larp and a specific type of ing against stereotypes can have dozens of boring or just
character, to adapt your expec- provide better stories and more poor larp experiences, where
tations to when you meet the intense experiences than play- I went out-of-character and
larp. If you do not know what ing a character as written. went for a walk to reconsider
you want, then try something my options, sometimes asking
Just like
you would find enjoyable in real life friends at the larp for
falling in love
other larpsbeing it eating help. If they are your friends,
cakes or drowning people in Think of it as falling in love. they would prefer you tell them
a lake (Im not here to judge). Sometimes we just do stupid of your struggles, than just try
Do it. Just do it. After you have shit for love. That is your moti- and brush it o, even if you
done it as your character, try vation. Now ask yourself, what interrupt five minutes of their
and rationalise why: I just did or who is it that your charac- weekend larp. Who knows,
this, what the fuck just hap- ter loves? Then do that stupid maybe they are also confused
pened?. This also happens in unthinkable thing to get closer and together you can solve
the real world, sometimes we to it. My character do not fall each others lackluster experi-
just do something stupid we in love, well maybe you just ence.
never wanted to do, and then did anyway? Or maybe you did
Sharing is caring
afterwards we try to rationalise something stupid to protect
it. It works perfectly fine in real someone? Love is the perfect This brings us to yet another
life, so it can in larp too. Real illogical explanation for lots of approach. Instead of think-
people dont consider every- potential play. Again, obviously ing about what you as a player
264

want, think about what you above and if youre in doubt, game and ask, and then agree
could do to enhance the expe- always come and ask the or- on a way to reboot the scene
rience of others. If someone ganisers, they might not know and do it.
else looks bored, try to play everything, but they could have
Kickstarting immersion
with them. It might so happen a good idea on how you could
that they then do the same for adapt your character. There are many techniques you
you when you get bored. May- can use to kickstart immersion,
Going out-of-character
be someone is trying to keep most of which are inspired by
a secret? Expose it to every- There is a lot of debate about methods from theatre and may
one, see what happens. Maybe whether or not it is okay to require a bit of practice. At
someone else wants to be beat- leave character. In the 90s, Fairweather Manor, playing the
en or wants to win, let them, it was clearly considered the role of the butler required the
others will mimic your collabo- biggest achievement to stay in playerDaniel Sundstrm
rative play. Look outwards and character as long as human- to go into the o-game room
become a playmaker for others. ly possible. Today, things are to get updates about the pro-
The best stories are created to- changing, while immersion gramme for the larp. Each time
gether and sometimes you can is still an important goal, we Sundstrm entered, he would
get a great experience yourself want to be more aware about do a specific modern hand ges-
by delivering one for someone consent and opting in / opting ture (Going out-of-character)
else. Maybe you can deliver out. For you to be able to play and when stepping back into
someones poems or collect with informed consent and be the larp he would stand up
their taxes, maybe someone is able to opt out, you need to on straight and take a deep breath
sitting with to much to do and some level to feel comfortable as if he was about to jump into
you can lift part of that burden. with stepping out-of-character a swimming pool (Going into
You might break ranks a bit or and asking your co-players is character.) What he did was
upset norms in the setting, but this okay? as well as saying: giving physical signals to his
if someone is struggling with NO! (or Yellow Penguin, if body, when going from o- to
their position anyway, their ex- that is the agreed safeword). in-game. I recommend you
perience might already suck, so Nordic larps often have safe- find a distinct physical trait for
breaking a bit of the immersion words as a default, and creating your character, which you stop
of hierarchy is often the lesser comfortable o-game aware- doing if you go out-of-charac-
of two evils. ness can be done in dierent ter and restart doing as you try
ways, which I am not going to to immerse yourself. It can be
Reinventing the wheel
go into in this article. What I a specific voice, a way to fold
I am not trying to reinvent can say is that when it works, your hands, a tipping with your
the wheel, steering was a term it is usually quite easy to fall fingers, favouring one legyou
introduced a few years ago at back into character, surpris- see it in movies all the time,
Knudepunkt. I strongly recom- ingly easy in fact, at least in my the really immersive character
mend you read: The art of steer- experience, whenever someone have these physical traits that
ing by Markus Montola, Elea- takes you o-game. We always completely changes the actor.
nor Saitta and Jaakko Stenros think that immersion is slowly The Actor Daniel Day-Lewis
(2015). What I advocate is to ac- being built up. I would argue is famous for the way he chang-
tively steer your character. Take it can be kickstarted. Think of es his physicality. If you watch
charge of your experience. It is when you watch a powerful a few of his movies in a row,
even more important today, movie, some movies take you you will notice that he almost
where you have likely gone to right into the action with a sin- always changes his jaw position
a larp in a foreign country that gle chord or one camera shot. when he acts to helps with ac-
cost a fortune. Try one or more I have experienced the same in cents and changing his facial
of the techniques I suggested larp. If you have doubts, go o- structure. Im not saying you
 265

need to be an Oscar level per- Lastly, music. If you are run- pressured into slapping anoth-
former to larp, but let yourself ning a black box larp I strong- er character. It was a powerful
be inspired by it. ly recommend using music scene, but the player doing the
Generally what you want is or lights to signal immersion. slapping was only giving fake
very clear physical behaviour Just like in a movie, using our slaps as the crowd shouted:
transformation and have some senses can trigger us to get into Hit harder, hit harder. I
odd physical action while go- character, out-of-character, could see the group pressure
ing out-of-character, making it or evoke emotional responses bleeding over from the char-
clear for your mind and body, which are often a great distrac- acter to the player as well. For-
that you are leaving the magic tion from o-game thoughts. tunately, the player stood firm
circle. This is also why black box larps and did not escalate, but after
Another approach is set- can be so powerful in just one the scene ended I realised that
ting a scene. Every player in- hour of play. It can get as in- I should have said cut, stopped
volved should agree, o-game, tense in one hour as a week- the scene and let us find a way
on who starts the conversa- end in a castle. Because just to play up the intensity of the
tion and then you jump in. like a castle evokes emotional fake beating rather than play-
It is best to pick a scene that responses by having the smell, ing it down.
is powerful and can get your the feel and the look righta We make these realisations
adrenaline going, like a fight, well designed black box larp when it comes to scenes being
running or going onto stage to can play with your senses to too violent or intimate, and we
perform. Demanding immedi- empower immersion. agree to change them without
ate action from your charac- blinking. We should give our
We can negotiate violence,
ter turns the focus away from characters the same courtesy. If
why not characters?
your o-game self, you focus something isnt working, go o
on the task instead of your At the Swedish border school and agree with your co-players
own thoughts. Basically, you larp about bullying, Lindngen or organisers how to improve
want to distract your mind, it (Elofsson and Lundkvist, 2016), it. Worst case, you ruin one
is a bit like trying to fall asleep, my biggest regret was the scene good scene but you save an en-
if you think too much about I did not cut. It was a scene tire larp experience.
it, it only becomes harder. where one character was group

BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Montola, Markus, Eleanor Saitta and Jaakko Stenros, Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus
The Art of SteeringBringing the Player and the Raasted et al. College of Wizardry. Poland:
Character Back Together. In The Knudepunkt 2015 Liveform(PL) and Rollespilsfabrikken(DK). 2014-
Companion Book. Edited by Charles Bo Nielsen
Boruta, Szymon, Charles Bo Nielsen and Claus Raasted
and Claus Raasted,. Copenhagen, Denmark:
et. al., Fairweather Manor. Mozna, Poland: Dziobak
Rollespilsakademiet. 2015
Studios, Rollespilsfabrikken(DK) and Liveform(PL).
2015
Elofsson, Alma and Mimmi Lundkvist. Lindngen
International Boarding School. Organised by Alma
Elofsson and Mimmi Lundkvist. Malmkping,
Sweden: 2016
Martine Svanevik

Response to Charles B. Nielsen

I agree with many of the suggestions Charles B. Nielsen makes in Loyalty to Character.
It is true that larps do not follow a script, that even if you write a character for a cer-
tain player, that player may pull out at the last minute. What sounds like fun play for
a character writer may not be fun for the person playing the part, and any game may
take an unexpected turn. As a larp designer, it is therefore tempting to go down Niel-
sens route, to say: your character is your own, make of it what you will. But does this
approach make for a better larp? Or a better experience for the players?
From a designers perspective, this open approach to character writing seems to
work best for loosely designed, sandbox style games. When you have a specific story
in mind, with a set of characters and relations, every player cannot change as much
of their character as they want. Take a murder mystery, for example. In order for the
drama to be intense, each character must have a connection to the victim and a reason
to want them dead. The players may not know who the victim will be before the game
starts, so if you allow each of them to change whichever part of their character they
want, the mystery may fall to pieces on day one.
There is beauty in a carefully crafted plot where snippets from a character descrip-
tion comes into play during a game, where each character plays a small part in a larger
story. Although most larps do notand arguably should notrun on rails, there is a
particular joy in being surprised at a twist in a story you did not know you were an
integral part of. Giving players complete control over the characters requires game
designers to either craft plots that are independent from characterswhich is a great
loss, if you ask meor to design games that are played with open cards so that ev-
ery player knows the ramifications of any change they make. This second approach
removes the opportunity to surprise players by in-game turns of events. By releas-
ing control of character creation, the designers leave it to players to build their own
stories, plots and relation networks to a much larger degree than in a more tightly
designed game. This will naturally favour those players who enjoy and are adept at
building and sustaining such networks and who enjoy building their own stories, rath-
er than reacting dynamically to unexpected events.
In addition, it is a known truth that left to our own devices, players have a tendency
to repeat the same tropes. A player with a penchant for drama will almost always end
up bleeding, broken and crying alone in the dark. A player who loves experiencing
the rise to power might turn even a mild-mannered romantic into a power-hungry,
machiavellian mastermind. Im not saying that this doesnt happen when players are
asked to play parts as written, or even that changing characters is a bad thing, but com-
plete freedom means that theres no external push to try something new. Larping of-
fers such opportunities to try on new roles and experiences, but sometimes you need
to be oered a part you did not know you would enjoy playing in order to experience

266
it. If you always get to build your character, you might subconsciously end up playing
the same game over and over.
Im not against character steering. Sometimes it is necessary to step out of a game
and change direction. The shortfalls in Nielsens approach is that it limits the types of
stories game designers can tell, and that it removes the external push for players to try
something new. In Nielsens games, I suspect many of the players will end up telling
the same story over and over and, more importantly, that the stories they tell will be
player-written and player-controlled.
Nielsen is right when he writes that the idea to take a character sheet and change
as much of it as you want is alien to many larpers and it requires a shift in both player
mentality, and in larp design. I am just not sure if this shift is the right choice for every
player and every game. Any larp designer wanting to employ Nielsens character design
needs to be aware of the knock on limitations in terms of the game they can write, and
any player going to such a game needs to be aware that by owning their characters
past, they also need to own that characters future.

Charles Bo Nielsen

Reply to Martine Svanevik

First thing I will address is the point of freedom for a murder mystery larp.
First of all I would look at the design and see how I could work around it. I would
argue it is to fragile a larp design if it can fall about from characters making change.
The best mystery larp I ever played was Sankt Elisabeth, which was a haunted hos-
pital, where we had to explore the rooms for clues and hints. The main antagonist of
the larp was revealed through the larp and not through the background story of the
characters. The stu you shouldnt change was the actual clues in the hospital. The
characters all had relations to people who had died at the haunted hospital, but these
relations was build up through play with NPC ghosts of former patients. The true bril-
liance came from the design being so steady, I and another player was 45 minutes late
to the larp and got a shorter briefing and got introduced later to the larp, but it didnt
eect the experience that much, because we still got to explore through the hospital
to find clues and meet up old patients.
Had we had super tightly written characters, with a near scripts like part of story
bits we needed to reveal from our backstory to the other characters, all sorts of things
could have gone wrong and often does in horror/psychological thriller larps.
267
 Long answer short: Challenge yourself as a designer and work around it. Make a
horror larp, not horror movie.
Martine Svanevik points out there are two solutions if there are not carefully craft-
ed character plots. Either independent plots with no direct ties to characters or a
transparent design, so everyone can share and follow the changes they do. I had a great
conversation about the claiming that transparent design leaves no room for surprise in
the larp with a Russian larp designer Di Villiers about this at GNiales. It is all about get-
ting that aha! momentwhich for Svanevik and Di Villiers is when a intricate string
of neatly folded surprises are revealed. But the aha! moment also happens in a very
open transparent larp. In a open design larp you put out lots of ideas and plan with
your co-players, when suddenly you create the great larp moments, you only put out
as dreams, not by a well planned and playout script, but by everyone coming together
and playing each other up to reach those strong immersive moments we all play larp
for. The payo for feeling that you as a player achieved greatness is just as rewarding if
not more as getting it served on a silver platter.
Reacting dynamically to unexpected events I would say is quite an romanticisa-
tion of railroaded larps. While I will acknowledge that it is a goal that is often achieved,
I also often end up in a situation where it feels to be constructed or that I can see it
coming before it happens. With a more natural story developed through play during
the larp, you actually have no idea where the larp will take you. But with a railroaded
experienceand especially if you know the creatorsyou start to realise the patterns,
even more so if you are also a designer yourself.
Then Svanevik brings up: players have a tendency to repeat the same tropes. This
I believe to be a very valid critique. Because it is very true that with little external
control, we will end up falling back to default ideas and positions, pursue the story
we think we want, rather than the story someone else might have in store for us. So if
you design your larp with much player freedom in mind or you play a larp like this, be
aware of the tropes and challenge yourself to rethink your ideas and not go with the
first and the best thing that pops into mind. And as organisers help player creativity
along, through workshops, preparing for the larp, teach them something new about
society, culture or play styles, so they get new impressions they can get inspired by.
As a larp designer you should help your players see the potential of your larp and
together go beyond and above, what would be possible if only one part did all the
creative work.

LUDOGRAPHY

Kaoskompaniet., Sankt Elisabeth. Kaoskompaniet. Denmark: 2013

268
269 269

Moment-based Story Design

Ian Thomas

I believe it was the late er to socialise, out come the gether in pubs, or on forums, or
Rosalind Russell who gave war stories; tales of things that at book clubs. A need to share
this wisdom to a young happened at events to them, or the things that really aected
actor: Do you know what to their friends, or at another them, that etched those experi-
makes a movie work? event that they heard about ences into their minds.
Moments. Give the audience once. That bit when the de- Its only in recent years that
half a dozen moments they mon appeared And then, Ive come to the realisation that
can remember, and theyll my God, I was running from such froth2 is my primary mea-
leave the theater happy. I that thing, Ive never been so sure of a successful game. But
think she was right. And if scared The look on her face in starting to analyse the phe-
youre lucky enough to write when she realised the truth! nomenon, I realise that its how
a movie with half a dozen Most of those stories have our team at Crooked House3
moments, make damn sure been provoked by moments of has always approached shap-
they belong to the star. intense experience, of intense ing stories. We write larps by
(William Goldman, Adven- emotion: fear, shock, hilarity, coming up with moments that
tures in the Screen Trade, love, freezing cold weather, we hope the players will talk
1983) sleep deprivation, utter dis- about afterwards, and weve
belief. These people have been been doing that for years. Its
put through the mill, and these something we evolved entirely
WAR STORIES
stories are the resulting mo- accidentally, with no in-depth
ments that stood out to them, analysis of what we were doing.
Why are we in this business of
memories that will live on in
creating stories for people to
their heads forever, stories BACKGROUND
play? What do we, as creators,
they want to share. And so
get out of the experience of
they share them. Many become Historically, the core of our
running games? Why do we
iconic, and are passed on sec- team has been very focused
do it? I get a kick out of know-
ond or third hand. on set-piece moments. This is
ing that the players have gone
This isnt solely restricted because we have people who
through intense emotional
to larp, of courseits the sort work in set design, stunts,
experiences. How do I know
of conversation that happens pyrotechnics and props for
whether weve achieved that?
when film-lovers get togeth- films; we do our best to make
I use a simple measure. I listen
er to discuss the bit where best use of those talents. The
to what I call war stories.1
Hulk punched Thor! or when art & stunt department always
Its something thats obvious
Bruce Willis realises the truth! have gags they want to try, no
in hindsight. Every time you
These stories bind people to- matter the genre.
get a bunch of larpers togeth-

1 My brother, who works in TV and film, reminds me that these are known in TV as watercooler moments i.e.
where, in the workplace, people will cluster around a watercooler discussing last nights episode.

2 Used in UK larp circles to mean excessive outpourings of excited conversation about an event youve played,
an event youre going to, a game system, or really anything about larp at all. An umbrella is advised.

3 A long-running UK larp organisation that runs high-budget one-o events with lots of special eects.
270

The scene. Grym Photography

And weve always tackled THE WRITING PROCESS deepest secret or we could do
games as an exercise in genre. that trick with a Ouija board
When we ran a gore-based hor- So we get together with a rough and magnets.
ror event, we did our best to idea of theme and setting, and Then, through brainstorm-
push the boundaries of taste a long list of experiences wed ing sessions, we identify a
and decency and to cover a like the players to have. These few key moments and solidify
whole range of tropes that play- could be set piece stunts, gags, them, making them the tent-
ers would recognise, but would or special eects; atmospherics poles of our game timeline.
have never encountered before where we generate a certain With our tent-pole mo-
in larp. Similarly, on running mood; small interpersonal mo- ments in place, the shape of
a pulp action-adventure, we ments; several hours of contin- our event starts to emerge, as
made certain to pack it full of uous unrelenting horror. They do the themes, and the story
red lines drawn across maps, could be ideas for rules. They itself. This is the stage at which
tombs half-buried in sand, ri- could also be material for pre- we may reject ideas from our
diculous accents, and traps in- event, to set the scene. At this list outright, as we find they
volving lots of creepy-crawlies. point many of the ideas will be dont suit the story or the
We write and run one-o only partially formed. For ex- theme or the mood. Eventually
events. We knew our pulp ad- ample, our list might include well have a firmed up set of key
venture was probably going to have to deal with a confined experiences and a rough idea of
be the last one wed ever run, space, there should be a mo- when they might happen.
so we packed it full of as much ment where all the lights go If we were creating a story
pulp as we could find, as we out, a scene where the antag- for a book or a filmand weve
wouldnt get another chance. onist lays bare every characters used this system for thatthen
 271

the story would be essentially not be taken at all. And, hon- turn them o.
linear. One key moment would estly, we cheat. In some cases Theres something about
play out after another, and the we make the players believe this room. When you came in,
viewer would have no options theyve made their own time- you noticed the wedding pic-
to change that, no choices to line choices, but weve secretly tures of the young couple, and
make. Our tent-pole moments railroaded them. I give an ex- the photos of their baby daugh-
would always happen in the ample of that later on in this ter. You know its a daughter,
same order. article. because the crib is still here,
With larp, we could run our Well do several brainstorm- beside the bed; the name
games in that way, but theres ing passes filling in the blanks. Gwendolyn hangs on a wood-
a danger of railroading the Normally I go away and write en plaque at the end of it. You
playersmaking them feel as if a treatment of the flow of the turned the photos face down,
their actions have no eect on game as if it were a story, be- because you realised who they
the story, as if its being told to cause this irons out inconsis- were; the young couple who
them rather than as if theyre tencies and brings up all sorts died here years ago. Youve read
part of creating it. of issues we havent thought the newspaper reports, and
Our games are somewhere ofit also shoots down ideas heard the family stories. Youve
between linear and totally free. that we thought seemed amaz- found letters: receipts, bills, fi-
We are certain of several fixed ing at 3am. nal demands.
moments that will happen no And then well simply re- And youve heard things.
matter what, and we know peat, talking through the game A baby crying, although you
roughly when theyll happen, again and again, picking apart couldnt find the source. A man
but we leave a lot of space for each moment and polishing and a woman arguing, muffled,
flexibility with other moments it untilhopefullyit shines, through the wall; something
and the order in which they making sure the story is con- about money. And, twice now,
might play out. This is criti- sistent, making sure our sup- a gunshot, somewhere outside
cal not only for the dramatic porting cast fit in where they through the corridor. Youve
flow of the storyfor exam- should, and layering theme never found where it came
ple, during these few hours and mood into everything we from although there was
the players shouldnt be over- can. When were done, some of blood on the bathroom floor.
ly stressed or challenged, but the things weve come up with And now, tonight, you hear
right here we need a climax will be concrete set-piece-like the gunshot again. And the
but is also critical for the art moments. Others will be ongo- baby starts crying outside your
department, so they know in ing opportunities for players to door. A girl screams. And the
what order they need to get generate moments themselves. door flies open. There stands
sets built or rebuilt and stunts Both are equally important, the young mother, dressed in
and eects rigged. We have a and Ill give examples of the de- black, the baby bundled under
rough idea of the window of sign of each. her arm. Shes in tears, make-
time in which a particular mo- up running. In her right hand
ment can be experienced. A MOMENT DESIGN she brandishes a revolver. She
Note that theres no guaran- EXAMPLE: THE JUMP runs into your room and turns
tee a moment will happen. We around, frantically warning
give the players the opportuni- Its 3am. You havent slept away her pursuers. Except
ty to take part in a particular for two days now. There are there arent any pursuers; the
scene, gag or event at specific strange things happening in doorway is emptybut she
points. All were doing is pro- this mansion. Youre upstairs can clearly see them. She runs
viding opportunity. Those op- in your bedroom, in bed with to the window, still waving the
portunities may not be taken your partner, but the lights are gun; opens the window; and
in the way we expect, or may on; youre both too scared to throws the baby out.
272

At this point, you, the play- one died. And that the players we would give her a revolver.
erbecause you are a play- would see this as if it were a The scene would start out in
er, and this is a moment in a visionit would be a haunt- the corridor, with the sound of
live-action game that youve ing. To make it extra-scary, we a revolver firing and a scream.
been taking part in for the would have them seeing it late Now, as the girl ran into the
last few days, having taken on at night. room, she would be brandish-
the role of a 1950s character The first concern came from ing the revolver, accidentally
might realise something. If the stunt team. The window waving it towards the play-
youve got enough detachment Kiera would be jumping from erswho she, being a ghost,
from the terror of the moment, was a bedroom window, and couldnt see. This acts as a psy-
if you can draw yourself back, we expected two players to chological barrier to anyone
you can think Ah. I get it. I be in bed asleep. What was to wanting to get involved; a gun
understand whats going on. stop the players leaping out of being waved in their face.
The babys clearly not real. its bed and interrupting the stunt, An interesting facet of our
all fine. Its just a play, a scene, ruining the gag? We came to barriersthe crib and the gun
a trick. I dont need to panic. the conclusion that wed put and, in fact, the mood weve
At which point the young a barrier between the bed and engendered up to this point
woman jumps out of the win- the window, and settled on a is that weve almost certainly
dow. babys crib, since there was one shut down the players desire
When youve recovered in a nearby room. We would fix or ability to stop the girl jump-
yourself enough to get to the it to the floor. ing but, crucially, they think
window and look out, theres This immediately led to its their own choice. They
nothing below; no baby, no story. The woman who had will think theyre unable to act
woman, nothing at all. died had a baby. So who was through their own fear, rather
We started this one with a she, and what happened to the than through our railroading
simple request from our stunt baby? or design.
team. We want someone to Someone came up with the So there was the basis of
jump out of a first floor win- genius idea that Kiera should the stunt. On top of that, we
dow and disappear. And we come in, distraught, with the built up and layered storythe
dont want the players to know baby under her arma dummy, room was filled with memen-
how we did it. obviouslyand should throw tos from the young couples
This was for our event God the baby out of the window marriage; elsewhere in the
Rest Ye Merry (Thomas and first. Not only would it add to house you could find evidence
Thomas et al., 2015), a Christ- the horror, it would mean there of the husbands debts and ex-
mas ghost story set in the would be a moment where the cessive gambling habit; news-
1950s. The house, a rambling players thought that the ba- paper clippings reported their
old mansion set on Dartmoor, by-throwing was the whole deaths; family stories told of
was perfect for our needs, and gag, and, internally, theyd re- the tragedy; a wooden plaque
on our site visit we scoped out laxjust as Kiera jumped. on the crib named the baby
the perfect window. Wait, said the stunt team. Gwendolyn. And sometimes,
So, from a writing perspec- If theres a baby involved now, if you listened carefully, you
tive, we knew that our stunt- theyll work extra-hard to in- could hear a couple arguing,
woman Kiera Gould would be terrupt the stunt. Can we in- muffled, through the wall.
the one who jumped. And it troduce some other barrier? From a very basic moment
made perfect sense that, for a Sowhy was the girl dis- idea, we now had a chunk of
ghost story, the disappearance traught? Well, we decided, story, a very visceral moment,
would be due to ghostly go- shed just shot her husband, that was wound into the fabric
ings-on. It follows, then, that and now, filled with regret, was of the house and the event and
this must have been how some- going to commit suicide. So which fitted our themes. We
 273

knew roughly when it would that was supposed to represent something like:
happenaround 3am Saturday French would be prefixed with
Customer: How much is
night. the keywords Zut alors! Any
this statuette? It looks jolly
Oh yes. The girl vanished sentence that was supposed to
ancient
completely, as did the baby, represent German would be
when you looked out the win- prefixed with Achtung! Ef- Spy: Eendi: How much
dow. Despite the long drop be- fendi! for Arabic. And so on. for this?
low. How did we do that? Well Terribly stereotypical, but pulp
My salesman: Eendi:
leave that to your imagination. is stereotypical, and we were
I dont know, my uncles
erring on the side of comedy.
mother in laws family
A MOMENT DESIGN Adding to that, we came up
makes them by the dozen,
EXAMPLE: PULP with a very simple system of
how much will the idiot
LANGUAGES written languages. Anything
pay? Tell him its tenth
in red would be Arabic; green
dynasty Ill cut you in.
Now something from the oth- would be German; blue French
er end of the spectruma rule and so forth. Spy: He says its very valu-
specifically introduced to allow This was introduced as a able. Tenth dynasty.
the players to spontaneously rule to our players. The key rea-
Customer: I say, marvel-
generate their own memorable son for including this was very
lous
moments. simpleto allow them to cre-
For our 1930s pulp action ate moments where the players You see where its going. The
adventure Captain Dick Brit- OOC entirely understood what customers player knowing
ton and the Voice of the Seraph was going on, but, for come- exactly what I was saying,
(Thomas and Thomas et al., dy purposes, their characters and the simple delight of
2006), wed decided that mul- would not. I call this sort of three people performing
tiple languages would be a fun technique Seeding Opportuni- their little hearts out to an
feature of the game, as we had typroviding fertile ground audience ofoh, I dunno,
an international cast of charac- for moments to happen in. maybe half a dozen at the
ters. However, very few of the This would only work in this time? It carried on for a
players involved spoke multiple style of game. For a deeply seri- while in the same vein. Ive
languages. How could we deal ous game based on secrets and lost count of the number of
with this? lies, the OOC/IC divide simply times Ive told that story.
Well, we could adopt ridic- wouldnt work. But for our pur-
(Harry Harrold, The Hole
ulous accents. So if you spoke, poses, it worked brilliantly.
In My Tooth, 2016)
say, with a French accent, it Here Ill cite an anecdote
would be assumed you were from one of our cast, Harry Pay close attention to that
speaking French. But if we did Harrold: last line. Ive lost count of the
this, it meant that we wouldnt number of times Ive told that
So when my bazaar
be fitting into the pulp stereo- story. Weve achieved our out-
salesman started a line
type; in pulp, Germans need to comethe desire to create a
with Eendithe En-
sound stereotypically German, war story that players would
glish-speaking customer
Americans need to sound ste- tell and retell.
couldnt understand a word,
reotypically American and so So, with our Jump stunt,
but the spy who was posing
on when speaking English. we were introducing a specific
as a translator could, and
So we dreamed up a very moment. With this language
the conversation went
simple system. Any sentence rule, we were introducing the
274 274

possibility for the players to fade away, leaving the bits that BIBLIOGRAPHY
create their own moments.4 excited them.
Weve found the mix of these Sure, the quality of your Goldman, William, Adventures in the
techniques extremely success- whole piece will be vastly im- Screen Trade. Warner Books. 1983
ful. proved by good joining-of-the-
dots, but to turn it on its head,
OTHER MEDIA if you dont have those memo- LUDOGRAPHY
rable moments, you have noth-
Ive talked solely about larp ing. Ive lost count of the num- Harrold, Harry, The Hole In My
here. But since we started ber of movies Ive seen or books Tooth. LarpX. 07/05-2016
https://larpx.com/2016/05/07/
working this way, Ive applied Ive read that I cant recall any-
the-hole-in-my-tooth/
these techniques successfully thing about a couple of months
to writing films, books, and in later. But people in pubs still Thomas, Ian and Rachel Thomas
particular to computer games. talk about the time we had a et al. God Rest Ye Merry. United
Each medium has its own rules WW1 tank, ten years later.5 Kingdom: Crooked House. 2015
and styles, and by doing this
you dont need to eschew stan- Thomas, Ian and Rachel Thomas,
dard dramatic structurebut, Thomas, Brewis and Macmillan;
in the same way as with larp, Captain Dick Britton and the Voice
of the Seraph. United Kingdom:
thinking about what your au-
Crooked House. 2006
dience will take away is a great
starting point for building your
story.
Ghosting. Grym Photography

CONCLUSION

Its my contentionand expe-

riencethat if you work this
way, if you concentrate on the
highs and lows, on provoking
war stories, youll have a mem-
orable game.
It almost doesnt matter
what goes between those mo-
ments, so long as it makes
some sort of sense. Honestly.
I know that sounds crazy, but
most people have terribly fuzzy
memories and the bits they
didnt enjoy or found bland

4 Okay, okay. Some moments we helped them create. For example, the minefield with a large signin green
reading Achtung! Mines! Which came into its own when it was crossed by a small group of players who could
read it perfectly well, but none of their characters knew German...

5 We didnt. It was two sides of a tank faked up out of plywood + paint with a couple of pilots inside and some
carefully positioned pyrotechnics, so that when a pu of smoke came out of the barrel, a piece of the ground
exploded. But we still hear about that game where they had a real tank.
Curious Pastimes
Designing and developing narrative for a large
player group in an enduring live role-playing
campaign game.
Emmylou Laird

A game is a (designed or emerging) system of rules, goals and opposition,

which has as its primary purpose to allow people to engage with it for
paratelic reasons, while agreeing that the actions performed are re-
signified.
(Waern, 2012)
Live role-playing is about playing a character, developing said character
through interaction and experience, and through this experience build-
ing up a story where each players character is the protagonist in their
own narrative. Shared interactions, experiences and moments of drama-
tic tension bring richness to the lives of characters and their players.
I remember watching a television programme on the BBC called Blue
Peter1 when I was quite, quite little; the presenters visited and played
Treasure Trap2 at Peckforton Castle in April 1983. At the time it was the
most compelling thing Id ever seen, grown-up people dressing up to tell
stories and play games just like I did. Watching the footage now is still just
as charming.
If Treasure Trap was the first, today there are a vast variety of live
role-playing activities, from small and intimate scenarios to large festi-
val games with hundreds or thousands of participants. Curious Pastimes is
one such festival or fest system; beginning in August 1996, the game has
just celebrated its 20th year of telling stories. Throughout that time the
main game has run across three to six events per year, not to mention a
large number of player organised events. Featuring recurring characters,
interplay between plots, and repercussions from previous actions many
years before, some players have attended every event for two decades!
The game takes place within a loose pseudo-medieval/fantasy setting
and the gameplay is focused around the interactions between the player

1 A magazine style television programme that a lot of British children watched

in the 1980s.

2 Widely considered to be the first live role-playing game in Britain.

275
characters and the world, including large-scale strength, thus providing development for a
battles and skirmishes using latex weapons, character through the actions of playing the
solving problems, and saving the world on a game.
regular basis. Events typically involve between The part of the sta team that focuses on
400 and 900 participants belonging to a num- the narrative of the game (and that is by no
ber of factions3 and groups with distinctive means the only team, lots of the worthy and
themes and ideals. necessary functions are outside of the game
Telling stories at a game of this size re- itself) is organised into several distinct but
quires several things; players who are willing equally valuable areas:
to enter the magic circle of the world and its
Permanent NPCs who facilitate skill use
inhabitants; coherent and appropriate rules
and character development as well as
to govern the world eectively and make sure
having information about the plot and
that there is consistency and parity for all par-
the world and very definite opinions on
ticipants; and most importantly, a commit-
whats going on in it.
ted and kick-ass sta team who ensures the
safety, security and enjoyment of the partici- Faction based permanent NPCs who
pants, writes and runs the complex and inter- write plots and stories focused on their
connected narratives that allow opportunities own intricate and established faction
to be heroes (and villains!), and administrates identities and backgrounds while also
character progression and development. fulfilling the roles of in-character lead-
At Curious Pastimes, players initially choose ers, participating in the game alongside
from a set amount of skill points to design the the players, needing to be rescued or
type of character they wish to play. A large convinced of the right course of action,
part of the game is the development of said involving characters in the story, glori-
characters via their interaction with the world ously battling and sometimes providing
and the story they make within it. This char- the bittersweet experiences of losing a
acter progression occurs via extra skills gained commander.
through experience, e.g. the ability to use a
A game team made up of referees, a
particular weapon, and also through learning
monster crew and the head of plot who
and experimentation, e.g. inventing or creat-
writes plot about world events and runs
ing a potion to counter a particular adversary.
sweeping story arcs referring to decades
This advancement allows individual charac-
of history and maintaining consistent,
ters to shape their own narrative and destiny,
complex, interlinked plot that is adapt-
evolving their role within their own story. The
able to the actions of the game players.
opportunity for individual choice about per-
sonal character advancement allows a player
to be fully immersed in the game. The plot of
the game provides further development, e.g.
characters may be cursed in a particular way
such as being required to destroy unnatural
beings or blessed with abilities such as im-
munity to mind eects or being able to resist
being knocked over or gaining extra physical

3 Nations or principalities usually resident in one territory/area of the game world.

276
 Besides this amazing team of hardworking submitted for approval, a plot owner
individuals, one of the other key strengths of also submits any number of encoun-
the narrative at Curious Pastimes is the robust, ters for their plot for a particular event
practiced and considered process for develop- detailing the particular occurrences,
ing and delivering plot at a game: character names, statistics and relevant
answers to queries relating to eects
1. Plot ideas are written as documents
such as those of character skills or
including a plot arc for several events
abilities.
detailing the aims and objectives of
protagonists and antagonists and any 4. Approved plot is amalgamated onto a
particular relevant items or non-player timetable for each event, detailing who
characters. will play a particular non-player charac-
ter or monster group and when. At Cu-
2. Prior to each event, a plot meeting is
rious Pastimes, players volunteer some of
held (attended by any interested mem-
their game time to play adversaries for
bers of game sta) where new plots are
the other players, groups of monsters
presented and current plots are updat-
or non-player characters, so a timetable
ed. There is usually some debate.
according to factions is also compiled at
3. Plot is then submitted for approval to this time.
the head of plot and the game directors,
5. At an event, the head of plot assigns en-
it is also sometimes referred to a specific
counters according to the timetable and
group who make recommendations
manages feedback for these to be deliv-
about the cosmology of the game world.
ered back to the individual plot owners
At the same time as plot documents are
during or after the event as required.

Above: Cermony in action. Photographer: Oliver Facey

277
 The whole procedure above is carried out spells, might interact with a particular
for several plotlines for each faction (there are item or phenomenon.
8) and also any number of world plotlines, so
Players interact with the world as well
there is quite a lot going on at any one time!
as its denizens and the recent intro-
In amongst this myriad of plot and encoun-
duction noted above of written infor-
ters, it is important not to forget what is argu-
mation at the point of encountering an
ably the most important aspect of the game;
obstacle or artefact with relation to any
the characters of its players and their place
abilities and eects has aorded players
within the world. Providing agency to make
the choice to develop their own ideas/
decisions and mistakes, to shape the world
conclusions without the need to get a
and to aect outcomes is probably the primary
referee.
concern of the whole game team. A number of
strategies to promote agency (defined here as Another recent development in the game
actions or interventions causing eect) are in has been to move towards a plot driven cam-
place, e.g.: paign referring to the capture of territories.
The players have made decisions in-character
A resolved and fully discoverable cos-
based on information gleaned through inves-
mology to allow characters to learn the
tigation and interactions about where they
way the world works and thus develop
would like to go for future events, even bet-
strategies or plans within a consistent
ter than just delivering real choice for charac-
set of rules.
ters to aect the shape of the game, this has
Ensuring the aims and objectives of also driven significant conflict based roleplay
all plot related characters and adver- around making those choices.
saries are realised or at least seriously All of the processes and strategies consid-
considered ahead of time, allowing the ered above contribute to an immersive world
empowerment of plot writers and those for player characters, real choice is encour-
playing non-player characters to re- aged, and via careful and meticulous planning
spond to situations and reveal pertinent and elegant deployment of rules, these choices
information or take in character actions are consistent and aord a sense of realism to
as needed. This is in large part due to the game, allowing characters to be the nar-
the plot approval process detailed above rators of their own individual diegetic experi-
that helps to provide a more seamless ence. Everyone has the opportunity to be the
delivery and a more immersive state of protagonist in their own story.
play. It should be noted that non-player
characters do not have fixed reactions
or outcomes, rather that in the fleshing Bibliography
out described they are able to respond Waern, Annika. Framing Games. DiGRA Nordic 2012
to situations with consideration to Conference: Local and GlobalGames in Culture
their personality, thus facilitating a and Society. Tampere, Finland. 06/06-2012
more realistic and believable outcome.
Karlsson, Petter. British 80s fantasy on prime time!
Decisions and reactions are included in in Playground Role-playing Magazine. 13/01-
feedback to plot owners, and a plot be- 2012 https://playgroundrole-playingmagazine.
comes richer for this freedom available wordpress.com/2012/01/13/british-larp-from-the-
to non-player characters. 80s-in/

Practical solutions such as providing

information at the location of an object Ludography
or objective so players can discover how
their characters skills and abilities, e.g. Curious Pastimes Ltd., Curious Pastimes. United
Kingdom: Curious Pastimes Ltd. 1996-2016

278
 Will to Live
[killed darling] Rob Williams

At Kapo we had a plan

to build
SETTINGa bigTHE
Justice
SCENE ative eect on your character until cured.
figure with a broken (Forsaken game guide, 2015)
scale.
Forsaken I think
(Dabill and itWilliams,
got cut2015-) is a
becausewhich
larp campaign we rantellsout of of every-
the tale
MECHANICS TO AID IN
day people
time. striving
Oh, and to Kapo
survivewas
and grow in
STORYTELLING
the face of a modern day Biblical apocalypse.
originally designed for
It is set in the United Kingdom. Characters
250 players,
find themselves butfrom
moving when
place to place,
During the game design and writing process
we didnt sell that many we looked at games wed attended over the
always hunted by the corpses of humanity
years such as Treasure Trap (Durham Univer-
now tickets
possessedwe andrealised
animated that
by some out-
sity, 1983-), Lorien Trust, Maelstrom (Penning-
side the game
sinister could
force. The actually
game is intended
ton et al., 20042012), Shadow Wars (2006-),
benefit
to explore from
their not having
relationships between the
Odyssey (Pennington et al., 20102016) and
characters
that as they battle
many on against the odds.
players. Project Ragnorok (Reid and Edwards et al.,
ToWecreate this feeling
ended of constant threat
with 107. 2013-2015) Alongside this we did some re-
and dread, the game relies on elements of
search on other existing games and concepts
traditional UK larp such as a dedicated vio-
[Juliane]
lence mechanic and death count.1 These are
using Nordic models such as College of Wiz-
ardry (Nielsen and Dembinski et al.2014) Just
then blended with some mechanics we have
a Little Lovin (Edland and Grasmo, 2011) etc.
modified specifically for Forsaken.
and World Went Dark2 (Walker and Bruce,
In this article the will to live mechanic will
2015) to broaden our scope. This research
be discussed in some detail including the in-
primarily consisted of reading player guides,
tention behind its use.
reviews and discussing the events with peo-
The strength of the human spirit can ple who had attended them. In many in-
[future
carry of larp]
you through almost any situation, stances [character
there seemedmoment]
to be two drastic con-
for each of your characters loved ones, trasting ideas presented to us:
best friends or family who is safe and alive Zero to low mechanics, where they often
I think
your it will
character bea single
receives just like
will to live are onlyIm fine.
present to Iregulate
waited for encoun-
violent
point.
it is now just on a largerdeath
If your character passes their ters. For
more tears to fall butgames from
example in some of the
count then they can use one of these points the Nordic tradition where the player was
scale. there was nothing left
to prevent their death. Once used the responsible for how their characters are af-
point cannot be used again until the next
inside me. What a fool
fected by the environment.
event or by some other in-game method of At Idthebeen
othertoextreme
think Ithere
couldare very
restoring it. thoroughsave anyone.
and/or complexI did this
rules where al-
In almost all cases your character wont
most allto of
myself.
the actions a player can take to
aect the game world are regulated. In the
pull through unscathed and will suer
UK this covers the traditional system of hit
from some sort of trauma which has a neg-
points (how many times a character can be

1 The death count is eectively the time it takes for a character to die from their injuries, in this instance it
is 300 seconds, which is very standard for UK games. During this time a character is incapacitated but can call
out for help or in agony, crawl to help and stagger slowly. If struck again a character will fall unconscious, dying
silently in the dirt.
[Laura West /Story,
[Alf, 14 years] The Solution]
2 Which was in development at this stage.

281
 The whole procedure above is carried out or objective so players can
[character discover how
moment]
for several plotlines for each faction (there are their characters skills and abilities, e.g.
8) and also any number of world plotlines, so spells, might interact with a particular
there is quite a lot going on at any one time! item or phenomenon.
In amongst this myriad of plot and encoun- Why is the medic
Players interact with the world as well
ters, it is important not to forget what is argu- bleeding?
as its denizens and the recent intro-
ably the most important aspect of the game; Contrary
duction noted above ofto popular
written infor-
the characters of its players and their place
mation atbelief usofmedics
the point are an
encountering
within the world. Providing agency to make not invincible, our to any
obstacle or artefact with relation
decisions and mistakes, to shape the world
and to aect outcomes is probably the primary
skills
abilities and dont
eects protectplayers
has aorded us
concern of the whole game team. A number of
the choice from bullets.
to develop their own ideas/
conclusions without the need to get a
strategies to promote agency (defined here as
referee.
actions or interventions causing eect) are in
place, e.g.: Another recent [Yegoro.
development Nexus
in the game
6international
has been to move towards a plot driven cam-
A resolved and fully discoverable cos-
paign referring to run]
the capture of territories.
mology to allow characters to learn the
The players have made decisions in-character
way the world works and thus develop
based on information gleaned through inves-
strategies or plans within a consistent
tigation and interactions about where they
set of rules.
would like to go for future events, even bet-
Ensuring the aims and objectives of ter than just delivering real choice for charac-
all plot related characters and adver- ters to aect the shape of the game, this has
saries are realised or at least seriously also driven significant conflict based roleplay
considered ahead of time, allowing the around making those choices.
empowerment of plot writers and those All of the processes and strategies consid-
playing non-player characters to re- ered above contribute to an immersive world
spond to situations and reveal pertinent for player characters, real choice is encour-
[killed darling]
information or take in character actions aged, and via careful and meticulous planning
as needed. This is in large part due to and elegant deployment of rules, these choices
the plot approval process detailed above are consistent and aord a sense of realism to
Monologue
that ruleawhen
helps to provide more seamless one is probably
the game, allowing the
characters to be last
the nar-
tending
delivery andto wounds.
a more I love
immersive state of one
rators of their ownI can save,
individual that experi-
diegetic
play.
the concept, but players player
It should be noted that non- ence. Everyone
kind hasofthe opportunity to be the
thing.
characters do not have fixed reactions protagonist in their own story.
tended to forget to use I like this idea because
or outcomes, rather that in the fleshing
it, and
out in the
described end
they the to respond
are able
it makes the scene
need for a streamlined
to situations with consideration to Bibliography important and adds an
design
their madethus
personality, mefacilitating
drop a opportunity for player-
Waern, Annika. Framing Games. DiGRA Nordic 2012
it. The
more ideaand
realistic was to have
believable outcome. Conference:level
Local drama. A bit like
and GlobalGames in Culture
the medic
Decisions and wounded
and reactions are included in sex
and Society. in Just
Tampere, a 06/06-2012
Finland. Little
feedback
make a monologueand
to plot owners, a plot be- Lovin, maybe?
when Karlsson, Petter. British 80s fantasy onBut
prime time!
comes
tending to the wound. available
richer for this freedom alas
in Playground well never
Role-playing Magazine.know.
13/01-
to non-player characters.
I dont want to die 2012 https://playgroundrole-playingmagazine.
wordpress.com/2012/01/13/british-larp-from-the-
blahblahblah
Practical andasIm
solutions such providing
80s-in/
information
running out of meds,ofthis
at the location an object [JC]

278
 Will to Live
Rob Williams

SETTING THE SCENE ative eect on your character until cured.

(Forsaken game guide, 2015)
Forsaken (Dabill and Williams, 2015-) is a
larp campaign which tells the tale of every-
MECHANICS TO AID IN
day people striving to survive and grow in
STORYTELLING
the face of a modern day Biblical apocalypse.
It is set in the United Kingdom. Characters
During the game design and writing process
find themselves moving from place to place,
we looked at games wed attended over the
always hunted by the corpses of humanity
years such as Treasure Trap (Durham Univer-
now possessed and animated by some out-
sity, 1983-), Lorien Trust, Maelstrom (Penning-
side sinister force. The game is intended
ton et al., 20042012), Shadow Wars (2006-),
to explore their relationships between the
Odyssey (Pennington et al., 20102016) and
characters as they battle on against the odds.
Project Ragnorok (Reid and Edwards et al.,
To create this feeling of constant threat
2013-2015) Alongside this we did some re-
and dread, the game relies on elements of
search on other existing games and concepts
traditional UK larp such as a dedicated vio-
using Nordic models such as College of Wiz-
lence mechanic and death count.1 These are
ardry (Nielsen and Dembinski et al.2014) Just
then blended with some mechanics we have
a Little Lovin (Edland and Grasmo, 2011) etc.
modified specifically for Forsaken.
and World Went Dark2 (Walker and Bruce,
In this article the will to live mechanic will
2015) to broaden our scope. This research
be discussed in some detail including the in-
primarily consisted of reading player guides,
tention behind its use.
reviews and discussing the events with peo-
The strength of the human spirit can ple who had attended them. In many in-
carry you through almost any situation, stances there seemed to be two drastic con-
for each of your characters loved ones, trasting ideas presented to us:
best friends or family who is safe and alive Zero to low mechanics, where they often
your character receives a single will to live are only present to regulate violent encoun-
point. If your character passes their death ters. For example in some of the games from
count then they can use one of these points the Nordic tradition where the player was
to prevent their death. Once used the responsible for how their characters are af-
point cannot be used again until the next fected by the environment.
event or by some other in-game method of At the other extreme there are very
restoring it. thorough and/or complex rules where al-
most all of the actions a player can take to
In almost all cases your character wont
aect the game world are regulated. In the
pull through unscathed and will suer
UK this covers the traditional system of hit
from some sort of trauma which has a neg-
points (how many times a character can be

1 The death count is eectively the time it takes for a character to die from their injuries, in this instance it
is 300 seconds, which is very standard for UK games. During this time a character is incapacitated but can call
out for help or in agony, crawl to help and stagger slowly. If struck again a character will fall unconscious, dying
silently in the dirt.

2 Which was in development at this stage.

281
struck before dying) and use of calls to iden- us to tailor the injuries and problems found
tify specific kinds of damage such as strike in the will to live instructions. They can be
down.3 The world we had written was one of relatively minor inconveniencessuch as
sorrow and hardship as everyday charac- bruising, aches and painsor more complex
ters struggled during a modern day biblical problems which can result in characters re-
apocalypse. Our focus was on the characters quiring major surgery to repair a punctured
relationships with each other, rather than lung.
the end of the world. Thus any mechanics Will to live requires players to think fast,
written into the game needed to support the come up with a plan and roleplay a suitable
story of humanitys final days. We wanted solution often under stressful conditions,
characters to experience feelings of fear and whilst a player counts down to character
apprehension. death.
As the characters would be in constant During character creation all players must
danger, without aid readily availableall identify one or two other characters being
resources, including food and medical sup- played at the event who their character cares
plies in the game are scarce by designthis about for one reason or another. For each
meant characters dying during the game had character identified the player is given a will
become a matter of when and not if. to live laminate.
Our concern was that players would This can be used as long as the charac-
quickly become desensitised to character ter named on the laminate lives; this adds
death. It would quickly have made building another layer of concern for the player as it
relationships futile and less rewarding for creates a bond between the players as well
them if characters died every hour. Realising as the characters. So the mechanic requires
this was, in a way, a breakthrough moment a certain level of cooperation for long term
in the design of the will to live mechanic. character survival. It is intended that this
Players would need a support mechanism to bleed between out-of-character and in char-
tell their story of survival against the odds, acter will generate more intense emotions
within the setting. It needed to be a form of and feelings when either are in danger.
collaboration between how we as writers saw
character survival, but with enough room for A PLAYERS PERSPECTIVE ON A SCENE
players to put their own twist on it. FROM EVENT ONE
In the event that a character is about to
In their tattered bloodstained clothes, the
pass their death count then they can tear
faithful characters had gathered in the dwin-
open a suitable Will to Live laminate they
dling light. The campfire roared and the
have on their person. Once torn open the
sceptical amongst the group watched from a
character is no longer dying however will
safe distance. In this new age where the dead
suer from some form of trauma eect
stalked the living, faith has power and now
which should be roleplayed at all times
they had to unleash it to save their friend.
until cured. This laminate will have a de-
In this instance, a character had attempt-
scription of any injury or problem suered
ed to perform a kind of magical rite, this rite
along with an optimal method of curing
caused her soul to become tainted. Her body
it.
slowly freezing from this taint, the others
(Forsaken game guide, 2015) feared for her life and decided to use their
faith to drive the taint from her soul before it
Knowing who all the characters are, what
would be too late.
expertise they have and what equipment or
Together they combined their collective
supplies will be available at an event, allows

3 Denotes a blow knocking a character o their feet.

282
 Above: a will-to-live laminate. Below: The Ritual in action. Photographer: Rob Williams

faith and common belief in the goodness of The opening of this will to live laminate
humanity and the power of God. Louder and was my first interaction with the game
louder they prayed and chanted until some- mechanic, I appreciated that the cause for
thing snapped within them. They risked their it was my fault. Reading and processing
own souls, and the sacrifice had been made. the instructions led to a moment of panic,
The taint was removed and their friend was and then thinking about how best to play
saved, but a backlash surged through the the eects being described.
charactersthis would kill them instantly.
The character perspective became one of
One by one we (the organisers) subtly
mortality and impending death, not being
asked the players involved to open their will
sure at the time why it had happened.
to live instruction laminates.
From an out-of-character perspective I
was aware that the skills required to save
me were not necessarily present within
the camp, this forced Alex and Jon to find
alternatives creating a huge boost to the
game experience.4

Considering the roleplay produced in this

instance for multiple parties (myself, Alex
and Jon initially then the many others who
took an active part in the surgery) it was

4 In this case, the other players mentioned realised they did not have the skills to save their friend. In despera-
tion, they connected a handheld radio to a nearby metal flag pole to boost its signal. Once in place, they radioed
out on the plot frequency asking for help. This allows us as a plot team to collaborate via radio, after a very quick
reactive planning meeting, a character with surgical knowledge miles away replied. Sat hidden in a bush out of
player view, we were able to give step by step instructions on saving the characters life.

283
 some of the hardest, and most immersive support for players with varying levels of larp
role play that Ive been involved in ever. experience. They arent complex and, rather
Being told by the game organisers that my than breaking immersion, they help draw
character would be fine was a relief and players deeper into our imaginary world.
playing out the initial recovery was easy as Will it work for every game? Probably not,
I was genuinely exhausted. each designer and writer needs to consider
the style, themes, stories and emotions they
want their game to produce.
A WRITERS PERSPECTIVE

The mechanic has generated an ongoing

number of unexpected collaborative scenes
that have brought the harsh realities of the
LUDOGRAPHY
game world to life. These little laminated in-
structions have provided a starting point for Callum Walker and Russell Bruce. World Went Dark.
micro stories which players can expand on United Kingdom: 2015-
and collaborate together.
Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus
These short scenessuch as the impro-
Raasted et al. College of Wizardry. Poland:
vised surgery scene described abovehave Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(DK). 2014-
added dramatic and intense moments for
both players and organisers. Legends have Durham University Treasure Trap, Treasure Trap,
United Kingdom:Durham University Treasure
been born in game, such as the helicopter pi-
Trap. 1983-
lot shot with a shotgun and who should have
died in front of his friends. His will to live Dabill, Helen and Robert Williams, Forsaken. United
laminate instruction was a close shave which Kingdom: Broken Dreams. 2015-
read After a brief period of unconsciousness Reid, Jude, Chris Edwards, Dan Waldron, Laura
you come around with minor scratches and Waldron and Grayson Angus. Project Ragnarok.
bruising. United Kingdom:Shadow Factories. 2013-2015
Unknown to us he had a Ritz cracker box Lorien Trust, The Gathering. United Kingdom:
under his jacket with the character roster Lorien Trust. 1991-
written on it and used to make sure every- Pennington, Matt et al. Maelstrom. United Kingdom:
one was accounted for each night. Away Profound Decisions. 2004-2012
from the other players, he poked small holes
Pennington, Matt, Simon White and Harry Harold
and dents in the box to represent the slowed
et al. Odyssey. United Kingdom: Profound
pellets which would have killed him under Decisions. 2010-2016
normal circumstance. He still has that crack-
er box, and as far as we know it is still worn Shadow Wars. Shadow Wars. United Kingdom: False
Utopia. 2006-
under his jacket.
The unique text found in each laminate Tor Kjetil Edland and Hanne Grasmo. Just a Little
provides a level of support for the players Lovin. Lunde Leirsted, Norway: 2011
to draw other characters into their story.
Whether they choose to witness, help or
BIBLIOGRAPHY
hinder their fellow survivor each player and
character will walk away with stories to re- Dabill, Helen and Robert Williams. Forsaken game
cant and wisdom to pass on. guide. (2015) [date of access 6/12-2016] http://
In the UK there has been a steady shift rob8153.wixsite.com/forsakenlrp/rules
away from laminated instructions in many
parts of the community who consider them
to be overly complex or immersion breaking,
but for us they have had the advantage that
they have created a point of reference and

284
 Context,
[character moment]Context, Context
Narrative design in larp as context authorship
Lying crying on a hard Jamie Harper
floor, blood seeping
from a wound, fearing
death, but even greater
Once is
upon
thea time,
fear WHEN the left
of being earth was flat, Anton Chekhov. In the same way that Stan-
there was a land WHERE everything was islavskian given circumstances analysis en-
all alone. A hand in
dark; a land inhabited by someone WHO.... ables us to mine the text of the play for con-
yours.
This typical opening sentence of a fairy- textual details of place, time and character,
tale illustrates something fundamental to a system analysis approach, laying out a pic-
99% of all stories. They start o with a place, ture of the environment of a large estate in
at a particular point of time and feature provincial Russia, the active entities within
characters who drive
[Milena the dramatic action.
Sedlkov, this environment (including family mem-
In his pioneering work on acting for bers, friends, servants and creditors), the at-
Legion: A Siberian
theatre, Konstantin Stanislavsky identified tributes of these entities, and their internal
Story]
these three components of context as being relations, would yield very similar results.
fundamental in approaching a dramatic sce- Although there are clear commonalities
nario: Where is the action happening? When between given circumstances analysis in dra-
is it happening? Who are the characters ma and system analysis as a basis for game
involved? By asking these three basic ques- design, it could be argued that the similar-
tions, the actor or player could discover the ities end there, and that our understanding
given circumstances or the essential con- of games and drama must subsequently di-
textual details of the scenario in question, verge, since games have uncertain emergent
in preparation for taking action within the narratives whereas dramas like Chekhovs
dramatic story world (Stanislavsky, 1936). play have pre-authored stories that are lin-
[character moment] ear, with fixed outcomes. I want to argue,
Despite the fact that Stanislavsky was
seeking to apply given circumstances analy- however, that fictional narratives, whether
sis as preparation for acting in theatre, there they are narratives of game play or drama,
are striking similarities between this process are always fundamentally composed from
I love her. She loves me.
and the process of system analysis which is the substance of the contexts which the
But importance
of central we hurt eachto theother.
work of many game designer or dramatic author have pro-
game This is the
designers. laststudies
Game time Ill
theorists Ka- vided.
ever
tie Salen andkiss
Ericher.
Zimmerman borrow from In the field of game studies, theorist and
social scientist Stephen Littlejohn to define designer Jesper Juul has compellingly ar-
a system as a set of interrelated parts that gued that although we experience games
combine to form a complex whole and iden- as play narratives (or a story that unfolds as
tify four core aspects of a system: the com- we play) the game narrative could not occur
ponent entities, the attributes of these com- without the designed system of rules and
ponent entities, the relationships between aordances given to the players as the con-
them and the environment in which they are text for action within the magic circle (Juul,
located (Salen and Zimmerman, 2003). 2005). In the study of drama, the argument
[Dawn,scenarios,
Dramatic Just a Little
like games, can be for context as the fundament of narrative is
Lovin]
analysed as systems. Let us imagine, for ex- harder to make. To a large extent, this might
ample, that we want to conduct a system be attributed to the fact that we carry a his-
analysis of The Cherry Orchard (1978) by tory of storytelling, from Greek civilisation
Stanislavskys contemporary, the playwright onwards, that is overwhelmingly linear and

287
 some of the hardest, and most immersive support for players with varying levels of larp
role play that Ive been involved in ever. experience. They arent complex and, rather
Being told by the game organisers that my
[character moment]
than breaking immersion, they help draw
character would be fine was a relief and players deeper into our imaginary world.
playing out the initial recovery was easy as Will it work for every game? Probably not,
I was genuinely exhausted. each designer and writer
The doctor needs to consider
discarded
the style, themes, stories and emotions they
rationalism forever as
want their game to produce.
A WRITERS PERSPECTIVE the trench-coated gas-
masked ghost floated
The mechanic has generated an ongoing through the acrid fog
number of unexpected collaborative scenes
that have brought the harsh realities of the
down the corridor
game world to life. These little laminated in- towards him.
LUDOGRAPHY
structions have provided a starting point for Callum Walker and Russell Bruce. World Went Dark.
micro stories which players can expand on United Kingdom: 2015-
and collaborate together.
Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus
These short scenessuch as the impro-
Raasted et al. College of Wizardry. Poland:
vised surgery scene described abovehave Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(DK). 2014-
added dramatic and intense moments for
both players and organisers. Legends have [Dr.
Durham Vincent
University Fairchild,
Treasure Trap, Treasure Trap,
United Kingdom:Durham University Treasure
been born in game, such as the helicopter pi- God Rest Ye Merry]
Trap. 1983-
lot shot with a shotgun and who should have
died in front of his friends. His will to live Dabill, Helen and Robert Williams, Forsaken. United
laminate instruction was a close shave which Kingdom: Broken Dreams. 2015-
read After a brief period of unconsciousness Reid, Jude, Chris Edwards, Dan Waldron, Laura
you come around with minor scratches and Waldron and Grayson Angus. Project Ragnarok.
bruising. United Kingdom:Shadow Factories. 2013-2015
Unknown to us he had a Ritz cracker box Lorien Trust, The Gathering. United Kingdom:
under his jacket with the character roster Lorien Trust. 1991-
written on it and used to make sure every- [future ofal.larp]
[character moment]
one was accounted for each night. Away
Pennington, Matt et Maelstrom. United Kingdom:
Profound Decisions. 2004-2012
from the other players, he poked small holes
Pennington, Matt, Simon White and Harry Harold
and dents in the box to represent the slowed
et al. Odyssey. United Kingdom: Profound
pelletsHe
which would
called mehave
upkilled him under
in front I think
Decisions. it will have a
2010-2016
normal circumstance. He still has that crack-
of the whole school. I Shadowlot more
Wars. technology
Shadow Wars. United Kingdom: False
er box, and as far as we know it is still worn
knew there could be
under his jacket. involved
Utopia. 2006- in it and more
Theonly
uniqueone reason,
text found intoeach laminate energy
Tor Kjetil put
Edland and intoGrasmo.
Hanne the Just a Little
ridicule me. But heforwas
provides a level of support the players settings and stories.
Lovin. Lunde Leirsted, Norway: 2011
to drawa professor and Iinto
other characters hadtheir
no story.
Whetherchoice.
they choose to witness, help or
BIBLIOGRAPHY
hinder their fellow survivor each player and
character will walk away with stories to re- Dabill, Helen and Robert Williams. Forsaken game
cant and wisdom to pass on. guide. (2015) [date of access 6/12-2016] http://
In the UK there has been a steady shift rob8153.wixsite.com/forsakenlrp/rules
away from laminated instructions in many
parts of the community
[Ebba, Lindangen who consider them [Andreas, 24 years]
to be overly complex or immersion breaking,
International Boarding
but for us they have had the advantage that
School]
they have created a point of reference and

284
 Context, Context, Context
Narrative design in larp as context authorship
Jamie Harper

Once upon a time, WHEN the earth was flat, Anton Chekhov. In the same way that Stan-
there was a land WHERE everything was islavskian given circumstances analysis en-
dark; a land inhabited by someone WHO.... ables us to mine the text of the play for con-
This typical opening sentence of a fairy- textual details of place, time and character,
tale illustrates something fundamental to a system analysis approach, laying out a pic-
99% of all stories. They start o with a place, ture of the environment of a large estate in
at a particular point of time and feature provincial Russia, the active entities within
characters who drive the dramatic action. this environment (including family mem-
In his pioneering work on acting for bers, friends, servants and creditors), the at-
theatre, Konstantin Stanislavsky identified tributes of these entities, and their internal
these three components of context as being relations, would yield very similar results.
fundamental in approaching a dramatic sce- Although there are clear commonalities
nario: Where is the action happening? When between given circumstances analysis in dra-
is it happening? Who are the characters ma and system analysis as a basis for game
involved? By asking these three basic ques- design, it could be argued that the similar-
tions, the actor or player could discover the ities end there, and that our understanding
given circumstances or the essential con- of games and drama must subsequently di-
textual details of the scenario in question, verge, since games have uncertain emergent
in preparation for taking action within the narratives whereas dramas like Chekhovs
dramatic story world (Stanislavsky, 1936). play have pre-authored stories that are lin-
Despite the fact that Stanislavsky was ear, with fixed outcomes. I want to argue,
seeking to apply given circumstances analy- however, that fictional narratives, whether
sis as preparation for acting in theatre, there they are narratives of game play or drama,
are striking similarities between this process are always fundamentally composed from
and the process of system analysis which is the substance of the contexts which the
of central importance to the work of many game designer or dramatic author have pro-
game designers. Game studies theorists Ka- vided.
tie Salen and Eric Zimmerman borrow from In the field of game studies, theorist and
social scientist Stephen Littlejohn to define designer Jesper Juul has compellingly ar-
a system as a set of interrelated parts that gued that although we experience games
combine to form a complex whole and iden- as play narratives (or a story that unfolds as
tify four core aspects of a system: the com- we play) the game narrative could not occur
ponent entities, the attributes of these com- without the designed system of rules and
ponent entities, the relationships between aordances given to the players as the con-
them and the environment in which they are text for action within the magic circle (Juul,
located (Salen and Zimmerman, 2003). 2005). In the study of drama, the argument
Dramatic scenarios, like games, can be for context as the fundament of narrative is
analysed as systems. Let us imagine, for ex- harder to make. To a large extent, this might
ample, that we want to conduct a system be attributed to the fact that we carry a his-
analysis of The Cherry Orchard (1978) by tory of storytelling, from Greek civilisation
Stanislavskys contemporary, the playwright onwards, that is overwhelmingly linear and

287
concerned with pre-determined narrative onist, arguably, larp designers remain quite
outcomes that are controlled by the singular linear in their approach to narrative design.
voice of the author. Most typically, they will employ an Act struc-
In Theatre of the Oppressed, a seminal book ture with a series of predetermined events
on the liberating potential of participatory that reframe each new stage of play, provid-
drama, the theatre practitioner Augusto Boal ing a new set of contextual circumstances
delivers a blistering analysis of how commu- that alter the way in which the characters
nal storytelling was eectively corralled by will take action within the drama.
the development of theatrical performance For example, in Brudpris (Dahlberg and
in ancient Greece. He begins by describing Linder, 2013.), the highly acclaimed larp
how a group of working Athenians, freed about a repressive patriarchal society, several
from the constraints of the working day, rites of passage, such as becoming a man or
would gather together in a flexible social getting married, provide useful contextual
gathering space and lift a collective, impro- changes to re-shape what characters feel en-
vised song in the open air. Then, a figure of abled to do. After becoming a man, a male
authority came to control and organise this character might feel able to physically disci-
song in the shape of a chorus whose words pline his younger sister, for instance. Simi-
and deeds would be homogenised and fixed. larly, after getting married, the social status
Next, one actor, Thespis, stepped out of line of a male character is substantially boosted,
and spoke out of turn, giving rise to the role depending on the extent to which he has
of the protagonist or the player of the first taken on the burden of a troublesome wife,
part. Ironically, though, despite the fact that which will usually earn him considerable re-
the protagonist was originally a revolution- spect from other men.
ary figure of protest and dissent, over time, Clearly, these events create interesting
thinkers such as Aristotle have brought the new contexts for play, but arguably the nar-
protagonist under control, shaping stories rative design of the larp remains linear in the
with a singular focus on the inevitable fate of sense that the story of how this society pro-
this single character (Boal, 1979). gresses will invariably proceed as planned,
In his Poetics, Aristotle sets out an ideology with boys becoming men, girls becoming
of storytelling which is explicitly oppressive women, marriages occurring and new chil-
because it establishes the notion of fate, in dren being born. This fatalistic social de-
which pre-determined outcomes in the life terminism is fundamental to the design of
of a tragically flawed protagonist are played Brudpris; the patriarchal culture at the heart
out in order to warn spectators against the of the larp is not meant to change. But, in
dangers of transgressive action (Boal, 1979). the event that a designer is creating a larp
Participatory dramatists such as Boal have that oers space for radical societal change,
reacted to the coercive vision of rhetorical it is likely to be desirable for a broader, more
storytelling advocated by Aristotle, creating non-linear palette of potential narrative
scenarios in which participants can break events to be created and selectively enacted,
out of oppressive contexts and achieve di- depending on which way the wind is blow-
vergent narrative outcomes. Whereas Boals ing, politically. So rather than thinking of a
practice was typically concerned with play- design that presents a quantitatively fixed
ing short, self-contained scenarios and inter- linear sequence of events with qualitative
rogating the life possibilities for protagonist flexibility in how these events are enacted, I
figures within these scenarios (Boal, 1979), would like to propose a concept of narrative
the nordic larp tradition has created larger design for larp that sits in more of a circu-
social structures in which many players can lar shape with a range of possible narrative
collaboratively forge broad pluralities of sto- events at dierent points of the compass,
ry outcomes for multiple characters. enabling the direction of narrative travel
Although nordic larp has largely broken to move, metaphorically speaking, to the
free of the restrictive focus on the protag- North, South, East or West in response to

288
the state of play. an authored sequence of events, but from an
To provide an example, my larp, The Low- authored palette of systemic game states that
land Clearances (Harper and Hay, 2016), a can be selectively triggered by the facilitator
piece about industrial development in 19th (or game-master) in response to the com-
century London employed a systemic frame bined actions of players, driving the enact-
in the form of six pre-authored narrative ment of new events in the personal stories
events which could be triggered in response of individual characters. In other words, new
to variations of the game state. If characters systemic states (or given circumstances) with
chose to prioritise economic development, new rules, provide new aordances and new
a railway would be built. If characters chose forms of human capital for players to deploy
to prioritise public health, a sewerage system on behalf of their characters, leading to new
would be introduced. Both of these events, narratives that continue to be open-ended
if enacted, would subsequently alter the narratives of emergence, not narrowly de-
contextual circumstances of play with ben- fined narratives of progression.
efits for some characters and costs for oth- The central idea of this article, that nar-
ers, creating new states of play in the lives rative design in larp is about creating con-
of each individual character, according to texts that enable rich and complex stories
the imaginative response of players to new to emerge (rather than planning linear se-
contextual circumstances. Essentially, this quences of events) applies equally to the par-
design enabled the combination of emergent ticipants of the larp as well as the designers.
player-driven micro-narratives, alongside With an increasing emphasis on player-led
the development of a flexible macro-narra- narrative co-creation, many larp designs
tive of urban transformation, prepared by oer transitional o-game spaces or meta
the designers. techniques through which players can imag-
As I have previously mentioned, ludol- ine new contexts for play, calibrate these
ogist Jesper Juul gives a useful description contexts with fellow players and re-enter a
of the balance between considering games re-contextualised story world. In Just a Lit-
as systems and games as narratives of play. tle Lovin (Edland and Grasmo, 2011), the re-
Juul oers the distinction between games of nowned larp about the first years of the AIDS
emergence which typically focus on systems epidemic in the New York gay scene, the nar-
as the substance of play, with a vast space rative structure of year-long story world in-
of possibility owing to the myriad possible tervals in the breaks between Acts, and the
game states that could emerge from the practical provision of generous amounts of
combination of simple rules, as opposed to o-game time to create the imagined story
games of progression, which tend to be more of interim periods between one 4th of July
focused on the delivery of a fictional narra- and the next, provides a strong example of
tive, with units of pre-authored story being how collaborative, co-creative context au-
enacted as the player completes a highly thorship can work if the players choose to
controlled series of tasks that the designer avail themselves of the opportunities oered.
requires them to fulfil in order for the story I would argue, however, that the efficacy
to be told (Juul, 2005). of this participant co-authorship depends
Juul is clearly presenting a rhetorical ar- on whether players place their focus on de-
gument that system based games of emer- signing and calibrating narrative contexts or
gence are richer and more complex than narrative outcomes. If players negotiate out-
story based games of progression that oer comes for their characters, necessarily they
a limited space of possible action for players. will bring the play back into Aristotelian lin-
What he fails to sufficiently recognise, how- earity of pre-ordained sequences of events,
ever, is that it is arguably possible to combine with the coercive consequence that other
systemic emergence with fictional narrative players will be required to dutifully facilitate
progression. My argument is that narrative a desired outcome for another player rather
progression can be delivered, not through than maintaining a focus on their outcomes

289
that their character desires. By contrast, if At a certain point, perhaps the characters
players negotiate shared and detailed under- in this story stop and look around, and agree
standings of new contexts in each Act and that the stars are telling them something:
enter new phases of play without fixed ideas that maybe the earth isnt flat...
about story outcomes, they will remain free ...and this ought to be enough of a new
to pursue the needs of their characters and context to begin new threads of story that
generate open-ended emergent narratives. could go in almost any direction. North,
Once upon a time, when the earth was South, East....
flat, there was a land where everything was Once upon a time, when the earth was
dark, a land inhabited by someone who round, there was a land with only a little
wanted to live as much as anyone else... light, inhabited by someone who wanted to
...and this ought to be enough of a context live as much as anyone else...
to begin a story that could travel in any di- ...and so it continues...
rection: North, South, East or West.

BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Aristotle. Poetics. London, United Kingdom: Penguin Edland, Tor Kjetil and Hanne Grasmo. Just a Little
Classics. 1996 Lovin. Lunde Leirsted, Norway: 2011
Boal, Augusto. Theatre of the Oppressed. London Dahlberg, Carolina and Anna-Karin Linder. Brudpris.
United Kingdom: Pluto Press. 1979 Sweden: 2013
Chekhov, Anton. The Cherry Orchard. London, Harper, Jamie and Duncan Hay. The Lowland
United Kingdom: Methuen. 1978 Clearances. London, United Kingdom: 2016
Juul, Jesper. Half-Real: Video Games Between Real
Rules and Fictional Worlds. Cambridge, USA: MIT
Press. 2005
Salen, Katie and Eric Zimmerman. Rules of Play:
Game Design Fundamentals. Cambridge, USA:
MIT Press. 2003
Stanislavsky, Konstantin. An Actor Prepares. New
York, USA: Theatre Art Books. 1936

290
291

LARP TOURISM
A look into the future
Claus Raasted

WHERE ARE WE GOING? know about, have forgotten or havent counted,

but which still belong on the list.
We all struggle with that question on a personal Another thing that all of these larps have in
level, but I think its safe to say that many people common is that they are examples of larp tour-
in the (now much more than just Nordic) nordic ism; larps designed as a tourist experience, with
larp scene(s) have wondered about what the next participants travelling to the host country, play-
years will bring. Were currently living in some- ing the larp, and then travelling back. NWM is
thing of a Golden Age for international nordic a bit of an exception to this rule, as the player
inspired larps. base was overwhelmingly (but not completely)
Impressive larps have been made for many American, but since the United States is such a
years, but blockbuster larps are a rather recent big country, the tourist angle is still the same
phenomenon. The term was coined by Markus just domestic, instead of international.
Montola and Eirik Fatland in their KP2015 arti-
cle (The blockbuster formula, 2015) about Mon- LARP TOURISM IS ON THE RISE
itor Celestra (Summanen and Walch et al., 2013)
and College of Wizardry (Nielsen, Dembinski and Were going to see more of this. As we grow old-
Raasted et al., 2014-) and since then, quite a few er, gain access to more resources (both monetary,
larps have started to call themselves blockbust- social and cultural), were going to be willing to
er larps. go farther and spend more on the experiences
While not following the strict design formula that matter to us. Larp is still 99% local, but the
laid out by Fatland and Montola, theres a clear growth of an international community of trav-
trend at work here. The so-called blockbuster elling larpers is definitely happening. More and
(almost) all have a high production value, min- more are jumping on planes and choosing larps
imal simulation rules, excellent documentation that are far from home, but close to the heart.
and are aimed at an international audience. This trend is going to continue. Most of us
privileged Westerners have several (or many!)
THE BLOCKBUSTERS ARE HERE TO STAY tourist experiences under our belt by the time
we reach adulthood, and the mental step that
What started out with Monitor Celestra and Col- is required to include larp tourism along with
lege of Wizardry, has since been joined by Black destination tourism, event tourism, etc. is not
Friday (Amantini and Busti et al., 2014 & 2016), large at all. Most of us have travelled for skiing
Convention of Thorns (Raasted et al., 2016), Last vacations, camping trips, city visits, or suchlike.
Voyage of the Demeter (Deutch, 2016), Fairweath- Now were travelling for larps. And we like it.
er Manor (Boruta, Raasted and Nielsen et al.,
2015), Hell on Wheels (Appl, Dulka and Zeman et A NEW FORM OF GATEWAY DRUG
al., 2013), Inside Hamlet (Ericsson, Pedersen and
Koljonen, 2015), Legion (Peta and Wagner et al., One thing that most of the new breedthe
2015), New World Magischola (NWM) (Brown blockbustershave been good at, is appealing to
and Morrow, 2016), and The Witcher School(Maj, a non-larp audience. Because theyre spectacular
Siolo and Kaleta et al., 2013-). Besides these, looking, well-documented productions, its easy
there are without a doubt some that I dont for the casual outsider to see videos and photos
292

and go Wow a lot of talks later, she took the leap and travelled
Larps are ephemeral; once theyre done, to Fairweather Manor 3, where she played an Irish
theyre gone. But the pictures and videos remain, lady.
and while theres a whole can of worms waiting Before she left on the bus, she told me that
behind the statement Good-looking larps are she now understood why this was what Id cho-
easier to sell, its pretty clear that people who sen to do with my life. It wasnt that she is now
see a video from Hell on Wheels or The Witcher a die-hard larperand I dont think she ever will
School have a tendency to be pretty damn im- bebut that one glimpse into the larping world
pressed. meant that she now had a completely dierent
For most, that just translates into polite (but insight into what larp is and why it can be so
often real) interest, but for some, its exactly powerful. Would I ever have gotten her to play
whats needed to get them to sign up for their in one of the school-based fantasy larps I organ-
first larp experience. For this reason, if nothing ised in the 90s? Never. But a trip to a glorious
else, the blockbuster larps are good for our com- manor and a time jump to England in 1917? With
munities, because they are excellent at bring- pleasure.
ing in first-timers. The Witcher School has some
impressive numbers on how many people not WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
only come back to a 2nd or 3rd experience, but
also how many who go on to try out other larps. Not everyone wants to produce larps for an in-
80%, according to Bartek Ziolo from the Witcher ternational audience. Not all larps should be
School crew (Ziolo, 2016). Truly staggering! (comparatively) expensive and visually spectacu-
lar. Theres nothing wrong with doing things the
AMBASSADORS TO THE WORLD way theyve always been done, and Im not trying
to make the case that international blockbuster
Another thing the blockbusters and their o- larps are inherently better or more worthy
spring are good at, is providing stunning docu- than local larp campaigns. However, I think that
mentation. Great photos and professional qual- we should applaud the pioneers who keep push-
ity videos not only make for good marketing for ing the boundaries for whats possible.
these larps, they also make for good marketing Some of this is of course my personal agenda
for larp in general. If were going to rid ourselves speakingorganising big, international larps, is
of the outdated Lightning Bolt image, then not only something Im passionate about, it also
showing o some of the wild stu were doing helps pay my bills. But its also because I genu-
is a good way to do it. Of course, the goal is to inely believe that these projects (whether my
have a nuanced understanding of what larp is, name is on them on not) help spread larp to a
but baby steps are still steps. general population that doesnt even know that
And it works. As a personal anecdote, my it wants this. So whether you as a larper have any
mother played her first larp in 2016. For many interest in these larps or not, I advise you to sup-
years, shes been aware of what I do and has port their existence.
supported it, but never understood the appeal. Because the blockbuster larps are not only
Then, in early 2016, she saw the 20 min Fair- here to stay. Theyre here to grow our hobby.
weather Manor documentary on YouTube, and
was captivated. Suddenly, she saw a larp that she
could (maybe!) see herself in. Some nudging and
 293

BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Fatland, Eirik and Markus Montola. The Blockbuster Amantini, Aladino, Arianna Busti et al. Black Friday.
FormulaBrute Force Design in The Monitor Turin, Italy: Terre Spezzate Cronosfera, Chaos League
Celestra and College of Wizardry. In The Knutepunkt et al. 2014 and 2016
2015 Companion Book. Edited by Charles Bo Nielsen
Appl, Filip, Tom Dulka and Jan Zeman et al., Hell on
and Claus Raasted. Copenhagen, Denmark:
Wheels, Humpolec, Czech Republic: Potkani and
Rollespilsakademiet. 2015 https://nordiclarp.org/w/
LARPard, . 2013, 2014 and 2015 (International run)
images/2/27/Kp2015companionbook.pdf
http://howlarp.cz/
Ziolo, Bartek. Designing a blockbuster larp for non Boruta, Szymon, Charles Bo Nielsen and Claus Raasted
larpersCase study of The Witcher School. Larp Design et. al., Fairweather Manor. Mozna, Poland: Dziobak
Conference. Talk. Wroclaw, Poland. 2016. Studios, Rollespilsfabrikken(DK) and Liveform(PL).
2015 http://www.fmlarp.com/
Brown, Maury Elizabeth and Benjamin A. Morrow, New
World Magiscola. USA: Learn Larp. 2016 https://
magischola.com/
Deutsch, Stefan et al.,.Last Voyage of the Demeter.
Germany: Operation Brainfuck. 2015
Ericsson, Martin, Bjarke Pedersen and Johanna Koljonen.
Inside Hamlet. Copenhagen,Denmark: Odyss. 2015
Maj, Krzysztof, Bartek Zioo, and Zofia Urszula Kaleta et
al., The Witcher School. Mozna, Poland: 5 ywiow
Agencja artystyczno-eventowa [5 Elements Agency...].
2015- http://www.5zywiolow.com/witcherschool/
Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus
Raasted et al. College of Wizardry. Poland:
Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(DK), 2014-
Peta, Adam and David Frantiek Wagner et al. Legion :
Siberian Story. Hvoany, Czech Republic: Association
Rolling. 2015 http://legion.rolling.cz/
Raasted, Claus et al., Convention of Thorns. Poland: White
Wolf Publishing and Dziobak Larp Studios. 2016
Summanen, Henrik and Thomas Walch et al.,The
Monitor Celestra. Sweden: Alternatliv, Bardo and
Berttelsefrmjandet. 2013 http://www.alternaliv.se/
en/previous#the-monitor-celestra
 Tensions Between Transmedia Fandom
and Live-Action Role-Play
Evan Torner

Larp is a medium that helps us co-create intricate shared fictions

through subjective understandings of the story world around
us. Meanwhile, large story franchises the Marvel Universe,
the Potterverse, the Star Wars Expanded Universe, etc. both
steadily add content to their story universes and also canonise
(and copyright) this content. Larping in a franchise or adjacent
to a franchise means that players can rapidly build competence
and familiarity with the material. Yet franchises encourage fans
to establish canons and traditions that occasionally contradict
the flexibility of the larp medium. This essay addresses tensions
related to larps that aspire to create larger story universes and/
or draw on the fandom related to larger franchises. I argue that
larp organisers and designers must attend to how their events
interact with fandom behaviours, especially the impulse to 1)
canonise specific practices, characters, and[character
[killed darling] events, and 2)moment]
man-
ufacture second-order knowledge and products related to the
game. Both fan practices, while in many cases beneficial to the
larp, have the potential to unintentionally supplant designer
principles and goals. It will be helpful for us to figure out how
We wanted to our
wieldfirst
this larp
Edwins world fell away
double-edged sword of mass culture for larps in
to end withtheeveryone
future. as he helped the woman
passing through a he loved sacrifice her
burning gate to another ability to ever love
world. With actual fire. in exchange for the
Turns out our budget knowledge she was his
only covered a small twin sister.
bang and a flash of
smoke.

[Martine] [Edwin Dashwood,

College of Wizardry 7]

297
 [character moment]

From afar, I watch them

on the bridge in the
lamplight. Watch as he
breaks her heart on my
command. Am I a bad
person? ... No. Fuck that
half-blood.

[Auror Caitlin ODoherty,

College of Wizardry 1]

[character moment] [character moment]

Finneas McQuillen Two dementors, one

hugged her, after he had wand? What are you
beaten her rather unfairly going to do now, little
at the Dueling Club boy?
tournament and erased *pulls out second wand*
his memories of her fears Amateur Hour is over.
and secretsas well as
the memory of the spell
that could reveal them.

[Michele Renaut, College [M. Troxler, College of

of Wizardry 6] Wizardry 3]
Tensions Between Transmedia Fandom
and Live-Action Role-Play
Evan Torner

Larp is a medium that helps us co-create intricate shared fictions

through subjective understandings of the story world around
us. Meanwhile, large story franchises the Marvel Universe,
the Potterverse, the Star Wars Expanded Universe, etc. both
steadily add content to their story universes and also canonise
(and copyright) this content. Larping in a franchise or adjacent
to a franchise means that players can rapidly build competence
and familiarity with the material. Yet franchises encourage fans
to establish canons and traditions that occasionally contradict
the flexibility of the larp medium. This essay addresses tensions
related to larps that aspire to create larger story universes and/
or draw on the fandom related to larger franchises. I argue that
larp organisers and designers must attend to how their events
interact with fandom behaviours, especially the impulse to 1)
canonise specific practices, characters, and events, and 2) man-
ufacture second-order knowledge and products related to the
game. Both fan practices, while in many cases beneficial to the
larp, have the potential to unintentionally supplant designer
principles and goals. It will be helpful for us to figure out how
to wield this double-edged sword of mass culture for larps in
the future.

297
 TRANSMEDIA AND FRANCHISES this fictional universe and consume related
products. Much as we would like to dismiss
In our current socio-historical moment, transmedia as purely cynical, however, the
immersive story worlds connected to bil- fan practices of promotion and consump-
lion-dollar global franchises such as the Pot- tion cultivated by the business model (and
terverse let us live and breathe the fiction transmedias ease of accessibility) aect our
thanks to those dollars purchasing ubiquity storytelling practices in fundamental ways.
and high-quality design. By ubiquity, I mean Arran Gare (2016) has argued recently
that it becomes hard to avoid knowing at that most of our societal rewards now stem
least something about a particular franchise, from a dematerialised economy, and that
given that the material is everywhere and be- our habitus, our whole way of life, encour-
ing discussed by a critical mass of people. By ages us to divorce ourselves from reality as
high-quality design, I mean that the money much as possible. Fans spend huge portions
involved has given the universe an undeni- of their lives laboring on behalf of immer-
able look that becomes part and parcel to sive story worlds, largely uncompensated for
its brand and aordances. Design has re-as- their eorts (De Kosnik, 2013). Fans write fan
serted its authority in the corporate world fiction (fanfic) about their favourite char-
(Rhodes, 2015), as franchises abide by the acters, much of which is readable for free
truism that Harry Potter isnt the same with- on http://archiveofourown.org or Tumblr.
out robes and wands or Star Wars isnt the They crowdsource and maintain Wikis and
same without lightsabers and Death Stars. story bibles that are then referenced by the
Merchandising then ensures such objects producers of the content, who are in turn
can be purchased on the open market. These pressured to keep continuity with previous
franchises engage us precisely because they facts in the story worlds. Pierre Lvy ob-
catch our attention, provide an easily acces- serves that this circuit formed between
sible basis of the premise (i.e., Harry Potter is authors, readers, spectators, producers,
about wizards trying to get through school creators and interpreters blurs the distinc-
while also investigating Voldemorts poten- tion between them all, as they each work to
tial return), and can be found everywhere. support the others (Lvy, quoted in Jenkins,
The last point would deem them transme- 2006, 95). In the end, genre fiction and trans-
dia. media story worlds guide us to a pleasurable
Transmedia, or the instantiation and divorce from reality: they give us clear char-
narration of events in a story world across acters to follow, a language to communicate,
multiple media platforms, pervade todays and a pre-established set of expectations
globalised society. Coined by Henry Jenkins about the world that give us easy entry into
in his widely cited book Convergence Culture a complex fictional world. When transmedia
(2006), transmedia describes a climate of spreads to larp as a platform, however, the
media production in which franchises seed complexity of that world, its correspond-
fan participation: The circulation of media ing fandom, and the practices that fandom
contentacross dierent media systems, engenders all strain against the possibilities
competing media economies, and nation- that larp aords.
al bordersdepends heavily on consum- Larp is above all an ephemeral medium,
ers active participation (Jenkins 3). These heavily reliant on the narrative and social
consumers, or fans, are prompted to seek emergence that happens when you get ac-
more information about and connect the tual humans together in a space (Montola,
dots between the content of a G.I. Joe mov- 2012). The first-person audience (Sandberg,
ie, a G.I. Joe comic book, and a G.I. Joe action 2004) of the form ensures that each player
figure. The business model is simple: get a experience within a larp is radically subjec-
niche audience to emotionally invest in your tive, may not correspond with agreed-upon
content on at least one platform, and then facts about the world, and is not readily
support these devoted fans as they promote reproducible. Yet we also have within us the

298
impulse to make larp a canonical medium, ingstar (2016) recently argue it costs player
i.e. one that builds worlds with their own energy and cognitive load to keep the fiction
intricate history and weight. Although the in focus. Players need their working memo-
360 illusion so popular in larp theory is but ry to fictionalize, they write. Structure plot
a myth a complete environment alone so that each person only has 4-5 things to
does not generate better role-playing (Kol- keep track of (19). The same could be said
jonen, 2007) the guiding principle that of a story world. If I need to know o the
one should larp in a well-conceived, deep- top of my head that engineers are categor-
ly structured aesthetic world is endemic to ically unable to revive the ships computer,
most larp cultures. or even the name of that one CoW House
We have a couple of practices that we with the unspeakable drinks (Sendivogius),
regularly use to establish world facts in then I am often committing working mem-
our ephemeral medium. We articulate them ory to internalise that information. If a fact
in large PDFs and books, writing dozens or about a game is recorded on some Facebook
even hundreds of pages of text normally thread or some fan Wiki and I cannot readily
not readily available during role-play that access it in character, there is a question as
we hope some people have committed to to whether or not that ephemera will even
memory. We create visual media, physical exist in the duration of the larp. Transmedia
artefacts, fictional maps, acoustic environ- from major franchises actually help us se-
ments anything to give players a foothold cure more fiction in our brains, as we have
on what the fictional world would look, feel, engaged with that story universe before
and sound like. We also form small groups on and have more of its nuances stored in our
social media and strategise. In Inside Hamlet long-term memory. Yet much of that read-
(Ericsson, Pedersen and Koljonen, 2015), for ily-available fiction vanishes when creating
example, I was given the character of Colo- even a re-skinned version of a franchise: new
nel Perdue, commander of the Stormguard. words must be remembered, new fictional
Given that we wanted to make them seem events attended to, and new casts of char-
real, we had a 4-person Facebook group in acters with their own personalities met and
which we co-created fictional aspects of the judged. If a larper has to keep a story bible
Stormguard that were to come up during in their head as they try to navigate to find
play, including our own insignia patches and food in a place unfamiliar to the player while
musical anthem. These aspects formed part also navigating their complex relationship
of what Moyra Turkington calls our sock- with a half-hydra, chances are that the story
et (Turkington, 2006), or the place where universe information will be forgotten.
people plug themselves into a game and give
and take their focus and energy to and from. THE CASE OF THE WIZARDRY-VERSE
We invested, and received returns on that in- AND THE MAGIMUNDI
vestment. We gladly invented this ephemera
to secure our character immersion and help In 2014, the wildly successful Polish-Danish
others with theirs, but we also did not expect blockbuster larp College of Wizardry (Nielsen,
for this material to survive the run: it was for Dembinski and Raasted et al., 2014) took
the Stormguards use in Run 1, and we let the the larp community by storm with its high
Stormguard in Run 2 come up with its own concept and low bar for entry: players get to
material. We assumed that none of our own play wizards in a Harry Potter-esque school
world building should impose any further on for several days in Czocha Castle, co-creat-
other runs as a matter of etiquette, that our ing immersive fiction as they compete for
fictional facts would remain an artefact of the coveted House Cup. The -esque suffix
our play, rather than as aspects of the game in Harry Potter-esque is important. The or-
that future players must attend to. ganisers had to attend to Warner Brothers
The act of attending to anything in a request to separate their story universe from
larp is not neutral. As J Li and Jason Morn- that of the famous wizard school series due

299
to copyright following the first 3 runs (CoW1- one as a player wishes to have an OTP-type
3). The transition from the Potterverse to the experience in a larp. At the end of CoW and
College of Wizardry-verse for CoW4 and on NWM, there is a dance that involves charac-
(or, for that matter, the Magimundi for the ters showing up in pairs or groups. Players
American adaptation New World Magischola who privately reported expecting something
(NWM, Brown and Morrow, 2016) proved a resembling a OTP experience were often
model lesson in filing the serial numbers o sorely disappointed that the relationship did
of a well-known franchise. Muggles be- not go the way they (as a player) had imag-
came mundanes, Hogwarts was wiped o ined it, and were unable to fateplay1 or play
the map, and suddenly necromancy took on to lose2 as a means of controlling the situa-
an increasingly central role as a story device. tion. Larps promise living out ones fantasies,
On the one hand, a player from CoW1 but the expectations that come with those
in the fan-expanded Potterverse reported fantasies must be managed around the nat-
that having all the names, creatures, places, ural emergence within the game. Fandom
and events already established in the world does not necessarily prepare us for this.
as canon [made] it possible to play almost Another example from CoW and NWM
without preparation and without having involved canonisation. During a pre-game
to remember background text, if only you video call with NPCs from a previous run
knew your HP. On the other hand, players who would participate in my run of NWM,
of the post-Potterverse CoW and NWM runs I mentioned in passing that I might be able
remarked how much space had been estab- to step in and do some music at the dance,
lished for them. Peter Svensson writes that in keeping with organiser expectations for
the emphasis on diversity and acceptance us to use the aordances of the playspace.
is something where NWM [and CoW] shone. One former NPC was shocked: But... but...
Im a gay man. The Harry Potter books could DJ Dizzywands! they stammered, thinking
only hint at the existence of people like me. it inconceivable that anyone but the desig-
But NWM firmly established that this is a nated NPC whom they enjoyed from a pre-
world where I exist. Where people like me vious run could possibly help run the dance.
are and have been part of the historical re- Although DJ Dizzywands played by Aus-
cord. The framing of our fictional lives mat- tin Shepard in a smashing wizards cloak
ters. Content and expectations around the did not exist in any of the game materials, he
immersive story world let players know what had become canonised as part of the NWM
is and isnt possible to see happen during experience. The same could be said of the
play. canonisation of Derek Herrera as Chancel-
Nevertheless, fan culture also sets expec- lor Fortinbras in the latter 3 runs of NWM in
tations, with CoW and NWM taking centre 2016. Herrera, who had done the costumes
stage as larps adapted from the proposi- for NWM, had been serving as registrar in
tions of the larger Potterverse. One fandom Run 1, but then stepped up to the chancel-
expectation example is the concept of the lor role for the latter 3 runs. In doing so, he
OTP (One True Pairing), a term from fanfic became iconic and immortalised in many
meaning ones emotional commitment to 2 pieces of fan art, memes, and in-jokes that
franchise characters being destined to be to- secured that player as the classic chancellor,
gether. In Harry Potter, for example, popular despite this role serving primarily a function-
OTPs include Sirius Black and Prof. Snape, ary role in the larp. The NPC players across
Harry and Hermione, and so forth. This is runs had unintentionally become fans of
fine in fanfic, but becomes an issue when the game and were patrolling decisions not

1 http://fate.laiv.org/fate/en_fate_ef.htm

2 https://nordiclarp.org/wiki/Playing_to_Lose

300
made explicit by the designers. larpers had to negotiate their own nation-
Finally, both CoW and NWM are explor- al myths and the fact that deep, immersive
ing the marketing of merchandise, as one story universes ultimately came from some-
does with a franchise: control of ones prod- where, while also being cautious against the
uct across platforms creates multiple finan- exclusionary idea that these folk legends are
cial outlets for fans to show their support. superior to others. The larp embraced spec-
The problem arises when the making and ificity over ubiquity, and emergent qualities
marketing of merchandise confuses rele- of these narratives rather than relying on
vant information about the game with fan- fandom and franchise familiarity to drive
dom. A NWM player lamented to me about play. Eliot Wieslanders Mellan himmel och
the constant upselling of the game through hav (2002) and the Danish team behind To-
products such as T-shirts, wands, and sup- tem (Schnnemann Andreasen and Thure
plemental world materials, such that one et al., 2007) both heavily relied on work-
of their friends dropped out of the game shops and co-present co-creation3 to formu-
when the game became no longer apparent late ways to make science-fiction stories and
amidst a marketing machine. Second-order stories of indigenous societies respectively
products, such as fan art or homemade mer- neither clich nor too abstract for the play-
chandise, suddenly fall into the gray area of ers to grasp.
having to be endorsed or not by the larp, One can also turn to rules and regulation
and can help further canonisation of specific as part of the design. The common practice
aspects of the game that may or may not re- of using social media groups to structure
motely resemble someone elses first-person in-game relations can also prompt play-
audience experience. While larp is a means er-characters to start play via post and even
of expression and a catalyst for other forms prompt the organisers to moderate or inter-
of expression, expressing oneself through vene such play. Having a clear policy about
material means about a larp also has trans- pre-game play and the in-game larp conse-
media fan assumptions underlying it. quences allows organisers to not have to
attend to every piece of fanfic or what-if
RESPONSES TO TRANSMEDIA scenario created by the players. Establishing
that no single player has rights over a specif-
Larp communities have been responding to ic character in the fiction is also important:
franchises for decades, and in various ways these characters are roles, not canonical fig-
inventing interesting strategies to the dilem- ures, unless designed that way. Merchandise
mas around fandom. To escape the tyranni- should above all serve play or memories of
cal ubiquity of J.R.R. Tolkien-esque fantasy play, and memes and merchandise that point
worlds, for example, Mike Pohjola created to specific moments in-game should gener-
what he calls folk fantasy to re-localise ally have the run title (NWM2, CoW4, Inside
and re-nationalise globalised transmedia Hamlet Run 2, etc.) somehow associated with
products. Could we retell our own myths it, so as not to create the impression that this
and say something relevant to our time? is an eternal moment of the classic version
he asks (Pohjola p. 51). Tll Kirjokannen of the game. Better still, organisers can con-
alla (2011) was a larp derived from specifi- nect multiple images of the same character
cally Finnish folk legends, which ultimately or comparable situation across multiple
served as a means of reinvigorating a local runs, so as to engage with the dynamic of
storytelling culture. In this capacity, nei- cosplay, in which one celebrates the labor of
ther overt, garish nationalism nor fandom performance across multiple dierent repre-
serves as a proper response to the material: sentations of emergence (Scott, 2015). Such

3 i.e., players actually in the space working through their characters, rather than on social media

301
strategies assist prospective players in imag- of their fellow players. They understand the
ining themselves into their roles, rather than intent and spirit of a component, and use it
championing and canonising the ephemeral for emergent play as it develops. A good fan,
acts of the past players. however, also speculates and chooses favour-
ites from among the various fictional options
CONCLUSION available. A good larper, at least for the time
being, leaves much up to chance encounters
Although franchise story worlds function in play, leading sometimes to bittersweet re-
through ubiquity and high-quality design, sults after months of preparation. Pre-play-
most larps do not. Our internal fictions, ing as the good fan can sabotage the good
however cool, largely dissipate beyond war larper; the vast storyworld overhead becom-
stories and actual-play reports. Few know ing instead a ballast as pre-game role-playing
our larp worlds, and fewer still keep track of and the established canon of previous runs
all their details. This is fine, for it removes take on more importance than an individual
the pressure to establish anything weve done run itself. Moreover, seeing certain players
beyond the ephemerality of play. However, as the only ones able to inhabit the classic
as we lay down track in our story worlds, we versions of characters inhibits the emer-
should be mindful of our impulses to canon- gent properties of a larps design in favour
ise the configuration and results of our play of establishing a rarefied high court of key
across multiple runs of a game not designat- larpers and their social politics. Merchan-
ed a campaign. Canonisation creates more dising of franchise-related materials pulls in
laws, facts, and general overhead for other much-needed revenue, but also puts fetish
players to deal with later on, and it serves objects at the centre of organiser attention,
to cheapen future experiences by according the proverbial act of selling the T-shirt per-
social capital only to those who played the haps overtaking the event itself.
classic earlier runs. Especially in a climate Now: much of this argumentation could
in which Kickstarters and global simultane- constitute my overly precious attempt to
ous ticket release dates determine who gets preserve some particular larp aesthetic in
into which larps, the players who had the the face of imminent commercialisation,
benefit of a fast Internet connection should such as through Disneys impending licensed
not get to pre-determine storyworld aspects Star Wars larp attractions or expansions of
of the game for other runs beyond what the the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Uni-
organisers and designers have already es- versal Studios, but I find the corporation
tablished. Each larp run in a non-campaign cooptation of the larp artform much less a
larp benefits from its reset switch. Further- threat than the colonisation of our minds by
more, fan-created ephemera about the game fandom. Larp is a medium through which
can comment on it and its world, but should we can say anything we want, provided ne-
not be confused with the material of the larp gotiation with the design, the organisers,
itself, which remains yet-to-be-determined. and ones co-players. We must therefore be
As larp moves into becoming a platform agentic and proactive with respect to our
for well-worn fan properties albeit re-in- designs, adopting Bjarke Pedersens (2016)
vented without the burden of their original ethos that not only is design everything, but
franchise we must now figure out the that what we call tradition is its opposite.
contradictory balance between being a good When we unintentionally encourage players
fan and a good larper. A good fan knows the to use fandom interests to patrol other play-
story world inside and out, perhaps contrib- ers, then that is, indeed, the fandom tradi-
uting their own small portion of it in keeping tion sneaking into our larp design. Whatever
with the general spirit of the fiction. A good Jedi Knights or their analogues happen to do
larper knows that the rules, design, objects, or be in our larps, they must follow the de-
and setting of a larp are but playthings for sign of the larp first and the dictates of the
their imagination and the co-creative space franchise second. Whatever strict adapta-

302
tion one wants to make of the Doctor Who play with each other, let us know that our
universe, the larp should include the points impulses to create fan Wikis, fanfic, specu-
of departure in its initial write-up, lest com- lation about what characters will and wont
peting fandoms overtake the preparation do, fan-favourite actors and portrayals, and
and implementation of the game. Whatev- second-order merchandise have an overall
er character you thought you played well eect on the larp in question and larp cul-
in one run of the larp, the next person will ture in general. Worldbuilding is an act we
have an entirely dierent interpretation and can undertake together, but let us recognise
that will be perfectly fine. As we calibrate our our fellow players first before the franchise.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
De Kosnik, Abigail. Fandom as Free Labor. In Pedersen, Bjarke. Game Design Tools for Intense
Digital Labor. Edited by Trebor Scholz. New Experiences. Living Games Conference.
York,USA: Routledge. 2013. p. 98-111. May 19-22. 2016 https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=gYAZupokjEw
Gare, Arran. Beyond Modernism and Postmodernism:
The Grand Narrative of the Age of Re- Pohjola, Mike. Folk Fantasy: Escaping
Embodiments. Edited by Ruth Thomas-Pellicer, Tolkien. In States of Play. Edited by Juhana
Vito De Lucia and Sian Sullivan. New York,USA: Petersson. Helsinki, Finland: Pohjoismaisen
Routledge. 2016. p. 27-46 roolipelaamisen seura. 2012. 48-53
Jenkins, Henry. Convergence Culture: Where Old and Rhodes, Margaret. Take It From An Expert: Design Is
New Media Collide. New York,USA: New York More Important Than Ever. WIRED. 17/03-2015
University Press. 2006 https://www.wired.com/2015/03/take-expert-
design-important-ever/
Koljonen, Johanna. Eye-Witness to the Illusion: An
Essay on the Impossibility of 360 Role- Playing. Sandberg, Christopher. Genesi. Larp Art, Basic
In Lifelike. Edited by Jesper Donnis, Line Thorup, Theories. In Beyond Role and Play: Tools, Toys
and Morten Gade. Copenhagen,Denmark: and Theory for Harnessing the Imagination. Edited
Projektgruppen KP07. 175-187 by Markus Montola and Jaakko Stenros. Helsinki,
Finland: Ropecon. 2004. p. 264-288
Montola, Markus. On the Edge of the Magic Circle.
Ph.D. Dissertation. Tampere, Finland: University Scott, Suzanne. Cosplay is Serious Business. In
of Tampere. 2012 Gendering Material Fan Labor on Heroes of
Cosplay. Cinema Journal 54.3 (Spring 2015):
Morningstar, Jason and J Li. Pattern Language for
146-155.
Larp Design. 2016 http://www.larppatterns.org/
Turkington, Moyra. Covering the Bases.
Sin Aesthetics. 13/11-2006 http://games.
spaceanddeath.com/sin_aesthetics/34

LUDOGRAPHY
Bjrk, Katarina and Eliot Wieslander. Mellan himmel Pohjola, Mike, et al., Tll Kirjokannen alla.
och hav. Denmark. 2003 Helsinki, Finland: 2011
Brown, Maury Elizabeth, and Benjamin A. Morrow. Schnnemann Andreasen, Peter, Kristoer Thure,
New World Magischola. USA: Learn Larp. 2016 Mathias Kromann, Peter Munthe-Kaas and
Rasmus Hgdall. Totem. Denmark: 2007
Ericsson, Martin, Bjarke Pedersen and Johanna
Koljonen. Inside Hamlet. Copenhagen, Denmark:
Odyss. 2015
Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus
Raasted et al., College of Wizardry. Poland:
Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(DK). 2014-

303
Meanwhile in the South
Andrea Giovannucci
Translation by Wendy Columbo

Despite being deeply rooted in the minds of nent principles of the Nordic style.
players and organisers across the world, nor- So why the need to set new paradigms and
dic larp as a concept has never had a clear and definitions? Why is it that some gaming asso-
definite formulation. In his talk What does ciations dont recognise themselves in nordic
Nordic Larp Mean? (Stenros, 2014). Jaakko larp and feel the urge to rethink some basic
Stenros has pointed out dierent and in some issues? As an example, the authors of the Con-
measure conflicting definitions by which a tent Larp Manifesto firmly detach themselves
larp is commonly considered Nordic, while from the Nordic tradition:
Stephan Deutsch has revealed the difficulty of
While the final form of individual content
finding a single definition for the genre in his
larps can resemble that of some works of the
article There Is No Nordic LarpAnd Yet We All
Nordic scene, the design principles used to
Know What It Means (Deutch, 2016). Whether
achieve that form are based on a dierent
such indeterminacy played a positive or neg-
ideological and cultural framework. We
ative role is unimportant since nordic larp has
therefore do not want to be seen as a part of
become such a popular reference point for
the Nordic larp movement, although we fully
players to the extent that its almost impossi-
respect it and see it as an interesting form
ble to trace back all the routes through which
and a valid source of inspiration. (Appl and
it propagated throughout central and south-
Buchtik et al., [date unknown])
ern Europe. Whats unassailable is that such
an original approach to larp has been largely Larp is a cultural product, conceived, de-
recognised and has opened up new spaces of signed and realised as a significant container
debate about the identity and resources of and content. Because of its very nature a live
similar methods. action role-playing game, like other human
activities, is profoundly influenced by cultur-
al variables depending not only on a specific
historical and social context but also on the
The Manifestos personal education of its writers.
The recent attention to the theoretical aspects A brief survey on the history of the arts
of modern larp has promoted the publication clarifies how relevant is the cultural climate
of various manifestos whose importance was in which authors are formed and operate. Just
timely recognised by Tuomas Harviainen in imagine: Picasso, Basquiat, Rivera, Fellini,
his article The Manifesto Manifesto (Harviain- Dickens. Its no dierent for larp writers. Each
en, 2010). Beside signalling a renovated interest artistic project derives from a specific cultural
in the question of possible approaches to larp, environment.
these declarations of intent express years of What is recently emerging across Europe
experience in game designing: in some cases are sheer attempts to make official something
the outcome is a sort of syncretic blend of nor- which has been there for years in thoughts
dic larp echoes and original features, in oth- and actions but not in words; as a matter of
er its about completely dierent approaches fact most of the authors who drafted and pro-
which openly oppose some of the most promi- moted the new manifestos have years of game

304
 Photo of a group called The Seekers from the larp 1630 by Chaos League. Photograph: D. Bergonzi

designing expertise and extensive larp writing gaming situations. Sometimes the keynote is
baggage to communicate and share. This is the continuity as in the Post-progressive Larping
main dierence with historical avant-garde Manifesto which blossomed directly from the
movements whose acts were often culturally debate and exchange generated by nordic larp
antagonistic and planned to shock: performances:
We see content larp as a historically sepa-
rate and relatively coherent movement. The We, the undersigned larp writers, witnessing
individual works that belong in this category and actively taking part in the development
are primarily inspired by other, preceding of larps, see how much they owe to progres-
content larps and only secondarily by other sive larping. Not rejecting the legacy of the
impulses. (Appl and Buchtik et al., [date Nordic larp scene, with its valuable methods
unknown]) and solutions, we also see its shortcom-
ings.(Bartczak and Dembinski et al., [date
Nordic larp expressed maturity and ana-
unknown])
lytical ability since its inception. These same
qualities are now beginning to emerge in other

305
 New Atlantis - The Migration. Photographer: D. Bergonzi

Southern Way This manifesto concerns Larp and how to

play, it intercepts trends and evolutions.
Southern Way, the manifesto published by
It is the result of many years of work and
Chaos League in 2016 stresses the uniqueness
creativity: it is our proposal to the Larp
and originality of non-nordic larps, thus open-
scene. Rather than a closed story, a party
ing up new spaces for debate in the attempt to
or an ideology, it is a platform, a develop-
establish a common theoretical background.
ing consciousness. It is freely derived from
Chaos Leagues memorandum acknowledges
the New Italian Epic Manifesto (Wu Ming
larps designed and played in central and south-
1, 2008) because we identify ourselves in
ern Europe which, although dierent in some
some of its key orientations and believe
ways, share some common core elements.
that Larps are a form of art in all eects.
The Nordic style was fundamentally Its not about theory, its about praxis,
important in the development of the Larp. program, and vision. Anyone who shares
We have established parallel paths, yet our its principles, anyone who wishes to orga-
origins, both geographic and cultural, dis- nise Larps according to this Manifesto is
tinguish us. A Dionysian spirit has always welcome, we will be fellow travellers. It is
animated us. Our travelling companions time to write new shared, conscious and
are: madness, fire, and passion; the cor- profound narratives. (Chaos League, 2016)
poreal, the non-functional and non-reg-
Southern Way / New Italian Larp was born out
ulated, the invasiveness, the politically
of the idea of comparing the larp with other
incorrect. We have no superiority to show
narrative forms and its original intent derives
o, that is simply the way we are. And
directly from the informal art movement New
thus we want to encounter the world.

306
Italian Epic by Wu Ming Foundation. In 2008, 2. In Playing We Trust
in a speech held at McGill University in Mon- We firmly believe that there should be
tral, Canada, Wu Ming 1 proposed the defi- an unbiased and mutual trust between
nition to describe a body of literary works organisers and players. We ask players
(commonly called nebula in Italy as to indi- to rely completely on the organisers
cate unidentified narrative objects) which care without prejudice or diffidence,
tell stories in dierent narrative forms despite even when their actions require secrecy
having a common feelingthe same cultural or mystery. We dont look for contracts
referenceat the base. to sign but for ever evolving relation-
The lectures given in Canada and in the ships. Theres only one shared interest:
U.S.1 later came to be included in an essay the success of the game, nothing else.
entitled New Italian Epic. Memorandum 1993-
2008: narrative, oblique gaze, return to the future 3. No Customers Allowed
where he actually gives a more clear definition Larp is not cinema, neither is it theatre.
of the term. The authors of some of the most It is not a show you can watch sitting
influential literary works of recent years rec- comfortably on your chair. No one will
ognise themselves in the New Italian Epic as a entertain you, theres no passive audi-
profound and vibrant cultural project. Among ence, only co-authors. Dont look for
them we find: the Wu Ming Foundation (Q, the drive outside of you, dont wait for
Altai, Manituana, 54) Valerio Evangelisti (The something to happen, be the very stone
Eymerich Series), and Roberto Saviano (Go- which starts the avalanche. The logic
morrah). I pay so I demand has no place here;
Chaos Leagues manifesto Southern Way here were all equal partners, no ones a
shares and supports some of the basic prin- client. The more you give to the game,
ciples of the New Italian Epic aptly adapted to the more the game will give back to you.
the specific narrative form of the larp, and for Larp isnt and mustnt be a gala dinner.
this it was recently endorsed by Wu Ming 1.
Here follow some of its essential points: 4. Dont Keep Cool and Dry
We want to create unidentified playing
objects, put the accent on the hy-
1. Play Unsafely
bridisation and experimentation of
Reality is potentially dangerous, thats
genres and narrative techniques. Larp
why we spend our lives developing
is an expanding galaxy. Not only do we
routines and building fortresses, habits,
believe that Larp can tackle any subject,
univocal mindsets. Larps can test these
but we also believe it can do so with
self-imposed boundaries, can carry out
the most diverse means. We want to
an attack on our comfort zones. They
hybridise with literature, music, theatre,
represent acts of negotiation because
visual arts and the new media. We want
they address and question our short-
to harness the allegorical power of nar-
comings; they besiege our strongholds.
ratives, without obligations and without
We dont play to seek confirmations but
honouring any orthodoxy.
to come out in the open. Experience the
abyss, the diversity. Stand on the edge.
5. Just Play
Be what we are (not).
Playing doesnt mean winning, playing

1 Wu Ming 1 also toured some North American colleges such as the MIT, Cambridge and Massachussetts.

307
 doesnt mean losing. Playing means a creative gesture that will impact the
playing. As children we know well the things that surround us.
implication of this word but in a world Larp is a voluntary and collective act,
where everything revolves around pro- alternative to the industry of mass-en-
ductivity it is difficult to keep the mem- tertainment. The player is a vibrant and
ory alive. We have nothing to produce, co-acting individual, energy that wants
nothing to prove, no one to please or to to play a part in the project.
account for. We only want to play.
c. Choosing to tell stories with a rich
6. Playing as Art allegorical value
Larp is a form of art. It has to do with It is the duty of those who organise
existence and is ontologically connected the game to select and design stories
with the human race. Larp is the Apol- that have rich and deep implications.
lonian and Dionysian, is a mask and The meaning of Larp is found in the
vertigo, heterotopia, situated utopia. Its reciprocal relationship between form
here and now, an unmediated else- and content, and these aspects need to
where. Larping puts everyone in front be constantly renewed. Stories have a
of their emotions, in front of the act of structural value, they are what makes
creation, in front of the experience of us human. Choosing the right stories
the self and of the Other. We believe means orientating towards the present,
in Larp as a vanguard, as an antagonist pointing ones weapons at a target,
form of experiences, as a spontaneous choosing a battlefield. The need to nar-
and collective artistic expression. This rate generates the Larp, not the other
doesnt mean that all Larps are art. way round.
As Organiser I commit myself to: Southern Way Manifesto especially pin-
points what the majority of larps not inspired
a. Respecting the ethics of narration
by the Nordic style deem crucial: namely, the
Telling stories is a powerful act which
focus on the story.
requires great responsibility. We know
the value of stories and the necessary 5) A content larp oers a prepared, dramati-
eort to live them. We know many have cally strong story. Both the larps overarching
come before us and others will follow, story and the individual characters stories
we consciously want to contribute have pre-scripted arches, twists and key
to the undertaking. We are ethically themes in a content larp. The form prefers
committed not to abuse the trust play- this pre-designed and interconnected struc-
ers put in us and not to use narration ture to open improvisation or a pure simula-
dishonestly. tion of a life in a dierent reality. (Appl and
Buchtik et al., [date unknown])
b. Preserving the political awareness of
A group of Spanish larpwriters, La mirada
playing
del Gorgone, write in their blog:
It is the duty of those who organise the
game to be conscious of the power in Some years ago, some Spanish people began
decision making, and to interact with to participate and read about nordic Larps.
people profoundly. To be aware that The richness theyve brought with them-
choosing to play in our society has a selves has changed a lot the Spanish larp
precise political value. Playing can be scene. Some organisations, as Gorgona,
an antagonistic act. Its about choosing have incorporated some of the characteristic

308
 features of them. But for me, its not only Alexandre Dumas, Robert Louis Stevenson or
copying the style or the safe rules but to Walter Scott. It often means also that there
create a whole range of new styles, enriched are romantic stories between the characters.
by our own larp scene tradition. One of these (Choupaut, 2013)
traits is the strong narrative content and the
A feature which also seems to unite most
rich stories provided by the larp writers. It is
of the above-mentioned larping traditions is
not an exclusive thing about our larps, but
some scepticism about political correctness
also in other southern traditions as French. 2
and overall compliance with comfort zones.
(Machancoses, 2016)
Non-nordic larps tend to be more invasive
Although much attention is given to char- both from a physical and a psychological point
acters personal issues and background, French of view: for example the use of safewords is
romanesque larpwriters too appraise the im- rarely applied, or the idea of comfort zones
portance of the main story as a framework. and protected game experience is seldom
supported in favour, instead, of what point one
Romanesque means that the events or the
of Southern Way describes as the Play Unsafe-
characters are wonderful as in a novel,
ly game mode. Briefly, we are talking about
especially novels with incredible stories,
concepts of invasiveness, unrestrained cor-
wonders and adventures, like the novels of
poreality, recklessly uninhibited and orgiastic

2 Like romanesque larp; which Gorgona larps has a lot in common with and Italy, as Southern Way

The Legend of Parsifal - The Knights dorm. Photographer: A. Buccella

309
spirit, tendency to overthrowing rules and so- forever. Characters were created together with
cial conventions (gender, political identity and the organisers thanks to a specific toolbox
so forth) which make the most of these larps. through whichdepending on the options
As Roger Caillois put it, Southern Way styles selectedfeatures and background were de-
have incorporated the ilinx, the Dionysian, into fined. In the first part of the game characters
their ludic traditions. (Caillois, 1961) communicated with each other through a ful-
Nietzsche uses the two contradictory cate- ly working web radio station while broadcast-
gories of Apollonian and Dionysian in one of ed news informed about the world situation.
his most famous works Die Geburt der aus dem This communication lasted until the complete
Tragdie Geiste der Musik [The Birth of Trag- shutdown of all technological resources that
edy from The Spirit of Music](1872) in which marked the end of the civilization as we know
he speaks about the art form closest to larp: it.
the theatre. This phase lasted about two weeks: players
According to the German philosopher, the became reporters of the end of the world, and
Apollonian spirit represents order and harmo- by communicating with the rest of the web
ny of form, while the Dionysian is formless eu- community, by sharing personal stories and
phoria and enthusiastic excitement: from their by bonding with each other, all contributed
encounter the extraordinary vitality of Greek in the creation of the overall setting. This part
tragedy was born. In the tragedies of Aeschylus of shared narrative was free and open to all:
and Sophocles the enthusiastic acceptance of indeed, almost two hundred players partici-
life expressed through creative euphoria and pated online. After the shutdown, the online
sensual passion (Dionysian element) and the game ended and the actual on-site live game
attempt to solve and overcome chaos through began. Based on a final real-world water crisis
clear and harmonic forms (Apollonian ele- and on the relationship between man and nat-
ment) miraculously combine in undisturbed ural resources, New Atlantis tells an intimate
balance. Yet, Nietzsche believed that such story, one of dramatic desperation and human
miracle was short-lived: indeed, as early as hope. A 360 degrees illusion inspired by the
Socrates, in Greek culture the Apollonian atti- atmospheres of the novel The Road (McCar-
tudethe desire to represent the tragic reality thy, 2006) and by the post-apocalyptic genre
of life with its sorrows, absurdities and non- in general. Its the story of a community ris-
sense as an ordered, rational, and meaningful ing from its ashes which tries to resist and stay
aairprevailed. united in a dangerous and hostile world.
Play unsafely: Based on the concept
AtlantisA southern way larp of total immersion, New Atlantis will
Southern Way style larps played so far are have no interruptions so to oer a
many and diverse, all organised by several true WYSIWYG3 experience.The game
groups and gaming societies across Europe: approach aims at sheer realism, with-
what stories do they tell, then? And what are out written regulation or safe words,
their narrative techniques? A well known case therefore players will be guided only
study is New Atlantis (Chaos League, 2013) to by their natural sensitivity and by the
which I gave my contribution as organiser. flow of narrative. The shortage of water
In it, 80 players interpreted survivors of a se- and food will be the main trigger of the
rious water crises which changed the world game: players will have to toil to over-

3 What You See Is What You Get

310
 come difficulties and fulfil basic needs. an important heritage is made available for
Although the game deals with very everyone willing to take part in an intercultur-
intense themes and present hard-core al dialogue among larp designers and players
situations, it can be essentially played by who wish to enrich their personal experience
anyone as long as theyre willing to push by experimenting with new larping forms. Af-
themselves beyond their limits. Only so ter all the Apollonian and the Dionysian need
we can build together a story that leaves constant balancing to complete each other, to
a mark. develop a truly eective debate, and to create
exceptional works to make us dream.
No customers allowed: New Atlantis is
specifically designed for proactive play-
ers who enjoy playing with others, who
feed and nurture the game at any time.
So interact with the other players, live
your story. React to stimuli but above all
create new ones.

Just Play: New Atlantis is neither a play

to win nor a play to lose larp. All you
have to do is play honestly. Live your
character and be truthful to yourself.
Let your emotions be your compass, just
follow them without thinking about
the outside world, put them into play
with the other players. Become your
character.

Playing as an art: In New Atlantis we

explore issues which will aect the
way we see the world. The power of
the game will give us a chance to think
upon some central topics: What makes
us human? What does it mean to live in
a community? How fragile is our world?
Our ecosystem?
In conclusion, gaming cultures close to the
Southern Way approach are recently coming
out through the publication of manifestos
which symbolise the need for self-determina-
tion and the will to separate themselves from
the nordic larp tradition, while still recognis-
ing its authority and historical preeminence.
The emergence of such dierent approaches
and styles may be a great occasion for the in-
ternational larp scene above all because they
represent decades of original and specific larp
design experience. Through each manifesto

311
Bibliography Harviainen, J. Toumas. The Manifesto Manifesto.
In Playing RealityArticles on Live Action Role
Appl, Filip, Kamil Buchtik, Martin Buchtik and Pavel, Playing. Edited by Elge Larson. Knutpunkt. 2010,
Gotthard et al., The Content Manifesto. [Date p. 243 https://Nordiclarp.org/w/images/9/97/2010-
Unknown] http://manifest.larpy.cz/en/ Playing.Reality.pdf

Bartczak, Kamil, Dominik Dembinski, Stefan Deutsch, Machancoses, Mirella. Narrative in Larp: the role of
Zofia Urszula Kaleta et al. Post-progressive larping the organisers. La mirada de Gorgona. 26/09-
manifesto. [Date Unknown] http://www.argos.edu. 2016 https://lamiradadegorgona.wordpress.
pl/en/miscellanea/178-manifest-larpingu-post- com/2016/09/26/narrative-in-larp-the-role-of-the-
progresywnego organisers/

Caillois,Roger. Man, play and Games [Les Jeux et les McCarthy, Cormac. The Road. New York, USA: Alfred
hommes: le masque et le vertige] Orginally published A. Knopf Publishing. 2006
1958. Illinois, USA: Univercity of Illinois Press. 1961
Nietzsche, Friedrich. Die Geburt der aus dem Tragdie
Chaos League. The Chaos League Website: The art of Geiste der Musik [The Birth of Tragedy from the Spirit
Larp since 1992. http://chaosleague.org/site/en/ of Music] Leipzieg, Germany: 1872

Chaos League. An introduction to Southern Way / New Wikipedia. New Italian Epic.[date of access 06/01-2016]
Italian Larp. 2016 http://chaosleague.org/site/en/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Italian_Epic
southern-way-new-italian-larp-2/
Choupaut, Vincent, The frenchstyle romanesque larp, Ludography
Blog post, 17/9-2013 http://www.electro-larp.
com/275-the-frenchstyle-romanesque-larp Chaos League, New Atlantis, Italy: Chaos League. 2014

Deutch, Stefan. There Is No Nordic LarpAnd Yet

We All Know What It Means. 25/4-2016 https://
Nordiclarp.org/2016/04/25/no-Nordic-larp-yet-
know-means/
Stenros, Jaakko. What does Nordic Larp Mean?.
In The Foundation Stone of Nordic Larp. Edited
by Eleanor Saitta, Marie Holm-Andersen and Jon
Back. Denmark: Knutpunkt 2014, 2014 https://
Nordiclarp.org/w/images/8/80/2014_The_
Foundation_Stone_of_Nordic_Larp.pdf p. 25

312
Tell Us a Story
Ian Andrews

Stories are at the beating heart of human nature.

Our lives and cultures are shaped to greater or
lesser degree by the myths that run through our
histories and shared spaces; the stories we are
told as children, mould us in ways that are often
subtle and unrecognised.
Our group identities and our understanding of what it is to be a pro-
tagonist, to be a villain, to undergo a trial, to go on Campbells heros
journeythese are all to some degree defined by our tales, our legends,
our sagas both ancient and modern. Shakespeare, the Eddas, Beowulf, the
Mabinogion and the Matter of Britain, The Odyssey, Iliad and Aeneid, the
Epic of Gilgamesh, the Mahabharata and the Ramayana, the Sagasthe
list goes on and on. These are the fuel that fires our cultural and narrative
imaginations.
Our ancient myth cycles arent the only things that qualify either;
theres plenty of Campbell in Star Wars, and modern storytelling from
Lord of the Rings, through Babylon 5 to Lost, The Wire, Game of Thrones and
Breaking Bad fill exactly the same space. Flickering image, ancient manu-
script, treasured book or storyteller demanding attention with a barked
Hwt!its all the same root.
For many of us, the journey into larp as a pursuit was driven by a fasci-
nation with these stories; with a desire to enact them, to recreate them or
to tell them anew, one step sideways.
But as larp has evolved and changed into the experience it is now, so
it has explored new, often very personal, ways of telling stories. Some-
times these stories are individual, dark travelogues through the human
soul that never exist anywhere but inside the head of the person expe-
riencing them; sometimes they are public, huge events with high stakes
and dramatic consequences. Most, in truth, exist somewhere between
the extremes. But whether we recognise them as such or not, each vector
through the body of a narrative is, in and of itself, a story.
The value of a story in larp terms isnt measured by scope or size, but in
how much it matters to those who experience it. It is about the journey,
not necessarily the destination.
The concept of telling a storyan experience outside our own lives
is to me inherent in larp. But then, as many people will tell you with an
indulgent roll of their eyes, I am an unashamed evangelical narrativist and

313
 I view larp primarily through that lens.
Your mileage, of course, may vary. But even if you disagree with that as
a starting point, indulge me a little and
...let me tell you a story.

Whats the Dierence

between Story and Narrative?
Recent event television like Westworld (Nolan and Joy, 2016) and the end
of Odyssey LRP (Pennington and White et al., 20102016) in the UK have
prompted me to do a lot of thinking about the place of story and narrative
structure in environments like live games, larps and thematically similar
experiences like Secret Cinema or Punchdrunks Drowned Man or Masque
of the Red Death.
There is a trend in the UK to treat story-driven as a negative in large
larps; to perceive it as a straitjacket or somehow inherently opposed to
player agency. Simon Brind will no doubt have a lot more to say on the
topic of combat narratology elsewhere, but for me running a story room
live to the principles of combat narratology and the supremacy of player
agency provided one of the most challenging, and rewarding, experienc-
es in thirty-plus years of larp organising. One of the things we did with
Odyssey LRP was to try and square that circleto create a series of events
with an onion mystery box plot but still be prepared to adapt on the fly
based on player agencyto be prepared to bend, shatter and rebuild the
specific story based on the actions our players took on the field while still
keeping true to the overall drive of the narrative.
Sounds bonkers when written down plainly like that, doesnt it?
Youll note I made a specific choice of words therelocal story, ver-
sus overarching narrative. I think there is a dierence between the two;
stories are personal, they belong to a player or group of players and are
largely controlled by those players. They interact with the larpwith the
background, the mechanics, the overarching game environmentbut are
not per se defined by it.
Narrative, on the other hand, is the world story.
There are many kinds of narrative; there is the monolithic kind where
everything at the end must be the same as it is at the beginning; a back-
ground typified by older large scale fest larps in the UK, or by serialised
television such as early Star Trek. No matter what happens during the
event/episode, a giant reset button usually returns everything to more or
less the right place before the end. There is the arc, where there is a world
journey from A to F stopping at various letters in between, but the order
may not be specified, and the participants in the narrative may have scope
to change it. And there is the sandboxa popular model in current UK
festswhere an environment is set in motion which, if not poked, prod-
ded or interacted with, will continue in steady state.
There are many other combinations, hybrids and variations on these

314
themesmodern RPG videogame design speaks extensively to this point,
and I would recommend anyone to pursue the writing on this topic of
Alexis Kennedy,1 formerly of Failbetter Games, or of Ian Thomas2 of Fric-
tional Games (who in the clip linked below rightly puts the boot into one
of my earlier projects for associated sins).
With promenade theatre,3 the participants story is minimally inter-
active; they are observers and very occasional participants in a series of
interconnected tableaux. Their freedom to explore the vast environment
and to string together their own experience of the multiple interlocking
narrative threads and cycles, though, makes each participants journey a
unique story; nobody ever sees the same thing the same way twice. Felix
Barrett, Punchdrunks Artistic Director, has a lot of interesting stu to say
about design and narrative.4
Most larps5 will, inherently, have a narrative of some formor the ab-
sence of an overt narrative will in and of itself become a narrative. Fol-
lowing on from that, most larps which have a narrative will, inherently,
create stories from the path a given participant takes through the narra-
tive, bringing their own biases, attitudes, decision-making and collisions
to the mixture.
For me this is the core of the participant experience of larp storytell-
ingthe personal journey, informed by the world and complicated by the
other participants and forces at play.

Tyrants and Facilitators

In any kind of larp environment where the narrative is not purely me-
chanical, someone behind the scenes has to make decisions about the di-
rection it takes, and how it responds to the paths and actions participants
take through it (even if that decision is not to react).
The temptations inherent in this role are manifold. Its very easy to
impose the correct story outcomes on a narrative when you are con-

1 http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-06-18-spoiler-alert-game-endings-
are-harder-than-you-think

2 https://youtu.be/P3XsdapJUos

3 Such as Punchdrunk or Secret Cinema

4 https://youtu.be/6ktpes0qMZ0

5 BROAD GENERALISATION WARNING! I speak here of my own experience

which largely involves the UK larp and freeform game scene and some of the more
popular games on the continent. There are always exceptions to any rule and I
have heard of conceptual larps where there is no narrative to the experience. I still
think participating in such an experience would give you one hell of a story to tell,
though

315
 trolling the larp environment. Equally its very possible to make bad de-
cisions, fuelled by not enough sleep and too much coee, that start cas-
cades of unintended consequences many of which may be injurious to the
experience of the participants. Its easy to be a Robert Ford, stretching the
Westworld analogy, and view a narrative as a world entirely at the whim of
the petty and vengeful god we have become.
In my experience, this makes for a bad larp experience for those on the
receiving end of the megalomania6 and seldom ends well for anyoneUK
larp has been prone to this kind of thing for a long time and it is, I think,
where the idea that story-led game = bad comes from in the UK.
Narrative, and indeed story, doesnt have to be balanced or aectable
to be engaging, as long as it obeys the rules of the narrative world. For
some, the slow build of a long battle against initially insurmountable odds
is where its at; others find the patience and delicate maneuvering such re-
quires tedious. And some still revel in competing against the unconquer-
able; the entire ethos of the Call of Cthulhu tabletop role-playing game is
small victories snatched against the oncoming darkness.
Some of our best narrative at Odyssey revolved around the conflicts be-
tween mortals and godlike powers, where traditional larp solutions were
ineective and unavailable; some of them took twelve events to fully re-
solve but were all the better for their pacing.
This is a judgement call; sometimes the speed of evolution of an arc
narrative needs to be judged against the personalities and play styles of
the participants and amended as appropriate; or at the very least, the
initial communications about the larp need to make its style and nature
clear enough for those unlikely to enjoy it to make an informed decision.
Some stories are tragedies and some participants come to larps looking
for the destructive and tragic in their stories. Not everyone wants to be
a hero, and some people just want to watch the world burn. Some peo-
ple seek mysteries and revelations; some high action four-colour heroics,
some just want a dark corner to sob in and a good reason to do so.
All of these are equally valid, no matter if you as the narrative manager
cant see their purpose or trajectorythat doesnt matter. Its the players
journey through the narrative, not yours.
A flexible narrative should be able to accommodate, manage and facil-
itate all of these story outcomesideally by using each participants story
as a tool to influence another participants storywithout it looking like
theres been any intervention behind the scenes at all.
Ideally, anyone managing narrative in the back office should endeav-

6 It stands to be clarified that I am not suggesting that all game organisers are
egomaniacs (though based on the evidence, nobody is likely to successfully sue...)
but that with great power comes great responsibility, temptation can be a power-
ful thing, the road to hell is paved with good intentions, and while power corrupts,
absolute power is of course completely safe in my hands

316
our to have systems of communication in place that allow them to react
to participant activity in or close to real timespies, cameras, word of
mouth reports from crewthere are many available tools. But equally,
there need to be a set of hard rules in place limiting the way that the nar-
rative can react; the world needs rules of engagement and the narrative
team above all others must be bound by those rules of engagement. The
metaphysics of your narrative must be consistent and must bind you as a
storyteller as much as they bind participants characters. And beyond the
on-game metaphysics, you should endeavour to have metagame princi-
ples that are just as solid.
While such principles will vary from situation to situation, we found
a few that stayed constant all the way through Odyssey: Just because its
funny doesnt make it good story, Always first ask how does this make
good game on the field, If a briefed NPC is set a task or role, can the task
or role be better placed in player hands? and Always ask how can the
players aect or disrupt this thread?
Like Gromit in The Wrong Trousers, your role is to frantically lay con-
sistent railway track in front of the careening storyline that both fits the
landscape and the whim of the participant, and to do it so fast and seam-
lessly that nobody notices it wasnt there all the time.
And to do that while not breaking the rules of the world, while re-
specting competing or conflicting stories and the agency of the players
involved in them, while staying true insofar as you can to the overall arc
of the narrative, and all the while keeping in mind the goal is to make a
great experience for all involved.
So no pressure then.
Facilitate, dont impose, and always respect the decisions a participant
makes, even ifespecially ifit screws up your lovely storytelling.

Win By Losing, and Know

An Ending When You See One
Endings are the hardest thing to do right. Sometimes, in larps, survival is
a goal in and of itself and one of the key achievements that getting to the
end of a game can bring. But stories is, they have a beginning, a middle
and an end, whereas a narrative may not necessarily conform to the same
rules.
I am a firm believer that in any experience of playing a character one
should follow that self-same story trajectory. There comes a point in the
experience of playing a character where the story comes to a natural end,
be it dramatic, elegiac, tragic, triumphal or whatever else may bring the
tale to a close.
For me, embracing the end of a story is the most important part of
it, even if it means saying goodbye to a character or situation that I have
really enjoyed playing. Our ends define us as much as, if not more than,
our deeds.

317
 This ties into, and in some ways is an evolution of, the concept of play-
to-lose or win by losing; UK larp can sometimes be a very zero-sum game,
where one side triumphs over another in a conflict driven by game me-
chanics or simulationist forces. Or, indeed, by narrative. The win-by-los-
ing ethos more common in European games has not taken hold as strong-
ly in the UK fest larp scene, though there are strong shoots of it emerging.
This is not to say that you should deliberately avoid the opportunity
for a happy ending or a heroic victory if the circumstances permityou
should absolutely drive for that if you can. But it shouldnt be the only
possible option on the table for a successful story experience.
By approaching such situations with a mind to embodying a trope or
creating a great story arc for yourself (and those around you), the narra-
tive, the stories that touch it, the experiences of the people participat-
ingall of these things are elevated.
Thinking back over the last few years of larp and especially the last year
of Odyssey, the things I remember, the war stories I take away, are those
about deaths and endings, about the impact the end of one persons story
had on dozens of others, about the occasions that people threw them-
selves in the way of the fate intended for another and took the metaphor-
ical bullet.
Equally, Im aware of others who, having for one reason or another
missed or declined their own moment of perfect exit, found themselves
just coasting on, not finding a way back into the foreground or the narra-
tive, and becoming once-famous spectators.
As with all such things, there are exceptions; people who manage to
reinvent their stories twice or three times, or who manage to transition
from being protagonists of their own stories to active but not primary
participants in those of others. But these are rare.
In real terms, the story doesnt endits just that a participant no lon-
ger actively experiences it. The impact carries on, and feeds, alters and
nurtures other stories, other paths through the narrative. My sense of
satisfaction from watching the impact that a characters end has on those
who remain is often the definitive moment of the experience. There is
more than one way to change a world, and sometimes the most powerful
levers of all are those you set in motion with the end of your own personal
story.

Tell Your Story

At the end of Odyssey, in the dying hours of the last game, the spectators
in the Arena took to a new chantTell Your Story, over and over. It
struck me then wed succeeded in our goal: people had built their own
legends about the characters they played, had defined their own stories
and arcs through the narrative and had created a shared experience that
would stand in years to come when people told their war stories around
a fire or over a drink.
The key there is wed helped people tell their own stories; not imposed

318
one on them. Wed let people choose their own paths, and tried as best we
could to facilitate them. Odyssey, to paraphrase Harry Harrolds infamous
mission statement, had become an engine for players to create their own
myths and legends, rather than just retelling ours.
This story ends here. Odyssey is over, and our grand experiment with
combat narratology and live responsive narrative was largely, I think, a
success.
The next story? Well, these things take time, and this has been a long
project that has eaten a decade of hard work. But stories have to be told.
Theres always a new adventure just around the corner if you are bold
enough to walk out of your front door.
For now, enjoy the narrative of this book, and perhaps, make your own
story of it...

Bibliography
Nolan, Jonathan and Lisa Joy. Westworld. New York, USA: HBO, 2016

Ludography
Amantini, Aladino, Arianna Busti et al., Black Friday. Turin. Italy: Terre Spezzate,
Cronosfera and Chaos League et al., 2014 & 2016
Andrews, Ian, et al., New World Order. United Kingdom: Machiavelli Games and NWO
Games. 1993-2006
Pennington, Matt, Simon White, Harry Harold et al. Odyssey. United Kingdom:
Profound Decisions. 20102016

319
Simon Brind

Response to Ian Andrews

Stories have been told for longer than we have been telling them in larps, whether you
think that was 1981, 1914, 1578, in Classical Greece, or people from prehistory using
cave paintings as a meta technique.
I approach playing larp from a slightly dierent angle to Ian; Im an immersionist
with narrativist tendencies, and a bleed junkie. But when it comes to writing and run-
ning larps weve ended up in much the same place via a mixture of happenstance and
evangelism and arguments. We still disagree fundamentally about the definitions of
story and narrative; this makes our arguments all the more complicated to follow. For
clarity, here are my arbitrary definitions about the dierence between Plot, Story, and
Narrative.
Plot: the larp writers plan for what is going to happen in the larp
Story: what is actually happening during game time
Narrative: events that have taken place and are being described after the fact
Combat Narratology is the process of shaping Story under pressure. The idea is to
let individual players have agency to aect the plot and change the story in real time.
In order to be able to do this eectively, I think there are five steps you need to follow:

1) STOP WORLD BUILDING

The novelist and critic Mike Harrison has quite a lot to say about world building. He
argues that it numbs the readers ability to fulfil their part of the bargain, because it
believes that it has to do everything around here if anything is going to get done
You can scrap most of the world building and replace it with metaphysics (see be-
low.) World building is self-indulgent.1 It takes a vast amount of eort to produce con-
tent that only a very few people will ever read and no one will remember; by taking
away the opportunity for players to co-create your game world you are reducing their
ability to interact with it.
Stephen King said something similar about character creation: The most import-
ant things to remember about back story are that (a) everyone has a history and (b)
most of it isnt very interesting.
You dont actually need to know the details of the worldonly the rules by which
it operatesand then you apply the same rules to the players and the plot writers, and
you apply it evenly, and you apply it consistently.

1 I love world building, by the way, I am guilty of persistent and wilful nerdism.

320
 2) KNOW YOUR METAPHYSICS

The metaphysics is the inherent logic of the game world you create.
In order to allow player agency, as a writer/organiser you need to understand that
logic, cause and eect need to make sense.
Now really the dierence between world building and metaphysics is the level of
detail involved and the visibility of that detail.
For example:
In the UK larp Odyssey2 it was set in the ancient worldwe had magic, we also had
the gods of various nations. There were published rules for players to cast magic, sure,
but we took the time to define what the gods were, how they came about, their limits,
and how their magic and the magic of players worked together. We understood the
true nature of the game universe. We did not publish this information. Players actually
discovered and inferred a lot of it for themselves during the run of the game.
As writers of plot, the metaphysics is useful because it shapes how the story works.
It gave Odyssey limits to divine powers and that drove a narrative consistency; things
didnt happen arbitrarily; they made logical sense. Based on the feedback received af-
ter the games, when players tried something and it failed, their assumptions tended
to be in-game (What did we do wrong?) rather than out of game (the organisers
railroaded this plot.)
This applies to fantasy games, it applies to dystopian or science fiction settings, it
applies to horror games, it applies to games set in the real world if they contain ele-
ments of magic or the supernatural.

3) DESIGN YOUR PLOT WITHOUT A CRITICAL PATH

When the players do something unexpected, which I have heard described before as
when something goes wrong, it is really very easy to put the plot back on track rail-
roading, the story is not difficult. We are outside of the game, we can think of half a
dozen reasons why a particular set of actions would not work, or why they would work
in a way that had no material impact. You can do it in a way that players dont even
notice, if you want to.
There is nothing wrong with giving your players the illusion of agency if that is
what you want to do. But it takes eort. It is like telling lies. Once you do it, you have
to keep on doing it or you will be found out.
Letting go is a design choice. If your game is loaded with set pieces like elephants,
or explosions, or anything that is eectively a cut scene, or which relies on events that
must run at certain times in order to further other parts of the plot, then you risk
blowing budget, or losing parts of the game. If you plan to let go, then dont write a
game on rails.

4) TELL THE PLAYERS HOW TO GET THEIR ACTIONS SEEN

2 Odyssey ran for thirteen events over a six year period for 300-500 players, it has just finished.

321
It is all very well deciding to allow players to have agency to aect your plot, but you
cant assume that they will know how to interact with your o-game mechanics. It
might be common knowledge that a player can meander up to the NPC bunker to tell
them something, or you might have referees walking around. But do not assume that
your players know your way of operating.3
With The Washing of Three Tides, a game from 2001 that broke all of the rules of
UK fest larp, we inserted characters into the game whose job it was to report back to
us what the players wanted to do without them knowing. So when a group of players
set o to explore the ruined castle the organisers had enough notice to prepare sce-
nography and cast. But the players were unaware that we knew what they were doing.
At no point did any of them have to go o-game, and as far as they were concerned,
wherever they went, whatever they did, the game was waiting for them.
For larger games I am not certain this approach scales up, so you need to find and
publish an alternative mechanism for ensuring that player action is seen and acknowl-
edged. Whether that is as simple as telling you we want to do X or having watching
NPCs in the game who report back, make sure your players know HOW to have their
actions noticed and then you can act upon them. This is the key to making agency
work at scale; sometimes you dont need to know that they have done the thing, but
when you do need to know you really need to know.
Of course reported action is unreliable. Larpersplayers or NPCShave an
in-character view of what is going on or what they think is going on, which means
anything you are told or anything you think they are planning, is wrong. This is okay. I
think this is probably the most important thing I am going to state here. Chaos, Con-
fusion, and Mayhem are your friends; they bring conflict and change. And conflict and
change are at the heart of the very best stories.

5) ENSURE EVERYONE HAS EQUAL AGENCY

Let your players and NPCs play by the same rules. By which I mean give them equal
agency to aect the plot and equal agency to play the game. Make no distinction be-
tween them in play. Sometimes I have heard NPCs say I would have done X if I had
been a player, No. No! Everybody plays.
There are some players who will take a particular joy in messing with your plot. Id
not go so far as to define a new addition to the GNS4 model, but these villains do
seem to derive their pleasure from playing the sorts of characters who will mess with
your plot. This is not a deliberately destructive on their part; it is just an extreme form
of creativity. Rememberequal agencyif they do something totally o the wall, but

3 It took me three College of Wizardry games before I properly worked out how to get stu to
happen.

4 http://www.indie-rpgs.com/articles/1/

322
it makes metaphysical sense, then go with it. It will make story, it will make game.5
What we learned from thisfrom a design point of viewis that you might want
to review your plot with a villains hat on. For any piece of plot, magical item, tech-
nological puzzle, or whatever, wed ask ourselves What would a villain do with this?
The intention here is not to close loopholes or to shut down player agency, but to start
looking at the plot from dierent angles, for a writer to think like a player.

COMBAT NARRATOLOGY

It is 1am on the second night of a story-driven larp. You are a writer and organiser. You
will have had very little sleep; you have skipped a meal or two; you may be de-hydrat-
ed, or even half-crazy around the edges. Basically you are in Bat Country. At this point
someone will come running into the NPC Bunker to deliver a message that begins
Youll never believe what the players have done?!
This is the moment when combat narratology kicks in. You need to construct a
response to the player action. You will be writing a new story in real time. Something
that might have taken you months to construct is broken and now you have minutes
to come up with something new.
This is the bit I love the best. Constructing a plot under pressure. You need to un-
derstand how stories work. The best way to learn how to do this is to read a lot, to
watch a lot of films, to write a lot, and then to trust your instincts.
The process is the same as for the initial plot designfollow the metaphysics, be
consistent, enable agency

TRUST THE STORY

Because stories seem to seek the path of least resistance towards an ending; it is in
their nature. Player agency enables this, and the resulting narratives can be both beau-
tiful and spectacular.

BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Harrison, M. John. Very Afraid. 2007 [date of Brind, Simon and Robin Jones. The Washing
access: 14/12-2016] http://web.archive.org/ of Three Tides. London,United Kingdom:
web/20080410181840/http://uzwi.wordpress. Earthworkds. 2001
com/2007/01/27/very-afraid/
Pennington, Matt, Simon White, Harry Harold
King, Stephen, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft,
et al. Odyssey, United Kingdom: Profound
London,UK: Hodder Papebacks. 2001
Decisions, 20102016

5 At Odyssey we threw away two events worth of plot for one of our nations when a particu-
larly prolific villain wrote the name of the ruler of the nation into the book of the names of the
dead on a quest to the underworld. Wed not expected them to do that, but it was brilliant, so
we went with it.

323
Ian Andrews

Reply to Simon Brind

We dont really disagree on anything, so much as we have slightly diering perspec-
tives, so I will keep this brief
I love arguing semantics better than almost anything in the whole world, but for
the moment I am just going to agree to disagree on our definitions; Simons lexicon is
oriented toward his theories on narratology and thats what he discusses in his com-
ments so in that context they are more relevant than mine.
Setting our definitions aside for a moment though, this is a succinct and clear de-
scription (more succinct than mine, but then I have always been notably wordy) of
what we tried to do with combat narratology at Odyssey (Pennington and White et al.,
2010-2016), and there are a few key points in here I want to emphasise or qualify fur-
ther.
I am ambivalent about Simons opposition to worldbuildingI can certainly see his
argument but I dont think its as black-and-white as he suggests. A degree of world-
building can inform the players and support the development of the overarching
metaphysics. But like mustard, too much can drown everything else and just leave you
with a thick, inedible sandwich that makes your eyes water.
Thousands of pages of intricate backstory are not a good game actuation device.
A few well-placed documents, clearly written and stued full of intriguing hooks for
participants to hang their dreams and hopes onthats dierent.
As with everything else, a little restraint and a less-is-more approach here can in my
view be better than either an absolutist avoidance or a tsunami of data.
I cannot underscore enough the absence of a critical path being vital to being able
to create a responsive and living narrative. I have nothing to add to this point save
three thick black underlines and five exclamation marks.
Simons point around explaining how players get their actions seen speaks, for
me, to a broader point around being open and honest about what you are trying to
achieve. Some mechanics and metaphysics should be shrouded in mystery to be ex-
plored through the medium of the experience, and some, most explicitly, should not.
For me how to interact with the larps levers is something that should be upfront and
explicit, not just for the good of the storytelling process but for the quality of overall
experience of the participants. Not every larp is for everyoneand thats OK.
Lastly though, the point Simon makes which sings to me most is about equal agen-
cy. Equality of agency is vital, but it is not the same as fair or level playing field or
game balance or any of those concepts. The agency provided to some characters in
the narrative may appear to be more overt given power dynamics, but there are many
ways of managing this; Black Friday (Amanti and Busti et al., 2014 & 2016) excelled at
this specific balancing act between its various player factions while appearing to do
exactly the opposite.

324
 To provide every single participant with an equal chance to shift the narrative (my
definition), to tell their own story (my definition) with as little constraint as possible
within the explicitly cited framework of the larpthats a laudable goal, but a bloody
difficult one to pull o on any large scale.
Our final event crew t-shirts for Odyssey1 carried a simple motto across the shoul-
ders and its one that I try to write to.
Never trust the storyteller. Always trust the story.
Its good advice. I wouldnt trust us either.

LUDOGRAPHY

Amantini, Aladino, Arianna Busti et al. Black Friday. (International Runs) Turin, Italy: Terre Spezzate
Cronosfera, Chaos League et al. 2014 and 2016
Pennington, Matt, Simon White, Harry Harold et al. Odyssey. United Kingdom: Profound Decisions,
20102016

1 Red shirts, of course, for few had died so frequently in the service of exposition as we

325
Tomorrow

Ive seen things you people

wouldnt believe...
Roy Batty (Blade Runner)

When we wrote the call for papers, we asked

for possible futures, new ideas, and wild-eyed
dreaming. We wanted the Tomorrow section
to look beyond the cutting edge of larping
today, into what the future might bring. But
as it turns out, seeing past what were already
doing is really difficult, and few managed to
hand something in that truly imagined what
larping could become in the future. But may-
be thats okay? As Hanne Grasmo writes in
her articleLarp and ITill Death Do Us
PartFor this anniversary Knutebook, I
wanted to look into the future of larp. What
will it be like to larp, for my comrades and I,
lets say in twenty, thirty years? Then I real-
ized: In the future, I am dead.
Perhaps the reason why we cannot pic-
ture what the future of larping looks like is
because the future doesnt belong to us? Per-
haps instead of writing about what it could
be, or thinking about what we might do, we
should make the best games we can right
now, and hope it inspires the next genera-
tion of larpers to do something truly mag-
nificent, far beyond what we could imagine.

All those moments will be lost in time, like

tears in rain. Time to die. (ibid)
 On Ripping O and
Selling Out
Eirik Fatland

SOMETIMES, BABIES GET thrown out with the bathwater, and no

one notices.
That is, until someone comes along who remembers that there had
in fact been a baby, and a beautiful one at that, and writes a rant about
baby-murderers.
Which is what you are about to read.
What baby-murdering? Well, consider the nordic larps that we have
celebrated at Knutepunkt for the last couple of years. Amongst them
we find:
A Battlestar Galactica rip-o in a Swedish Naval destroyer (The
Monitor Celestra, 2013)
Harry Potter rip-os at a castle in Poland (College of Wizardry,
2014-)
Downton Abbey rip-os at a castle in Poland (Fairweather Manor,
2015-)
A re-run of a re-design of a rip-o of the worlds most popular
theatre play, at a castle (Inside Hamlet, 2015)
The fact that a 90s American Anne Rice rip-o was obtained by
Swedes (Vampire: the Masquerade, 1991-)
Rip-os of that rip-o being run in Helsinki, New Orleans, and
Berlin (End of the Line, 2016)
And also at a castle in Poland. (Convention of Thorns, 2016)
Was it always like this? Nope. Just take a look at the 25 larps docu-
mented in the book Nordic Larp (Montola and Stenros, 2010). Not only are
most of those larps unique, impossible to market with the formula X as
a larp or based on popular thing Y. Few even have a recognisable genre.
This is the baby I am talking about: originality.
Its not just that originalityobviouslyis no longer valued as much
as it was. Its that the notion of ripping o some popular literary or cine-
matic work in order to sell a larp hasin a short span of timecome to
be seen as good practice. After all, you might say: by tapping into existing

328
fandoms it brings new people to larp, and spreads the ways of nordic larp
to a wider world. It earns us mentions in global (i.e. Anglo-American) me-
dia, and opens doors in Hollywood and Silicon Valley. Maybe, you say,
we shouldnt be so snooty, or so amateurish, as to think that our own
ideas and stories would be preferable to those of franchises enjoyed by
hundreds of millions of real, ordinary people across the planet. Besides,
you might point out, collapsing these very dierent things (tricky adapta-
tions, derivative works, simple fan fictions) into the single word rip-o
is hardly accurate.
Maybe you say such things. In which case, Id have to answer that:
a. You are absolutely, 100 %, correct and;
b. Fuck you.

Originality matters
Originality matters because it is hard. To create a larp out of ideas that are
entirely your own, or those of your community, requires more skill and
thought and fine-tuning than to adapt some already famous franchise.
Even if all other things were equal, we should hold the original work in
higher regard than we hold the adaptation. If we dont, then big brand
adaptations will out-compete the original works. Which is a thing that ac-
tually, by some measures, is already happening. And where will that leave
us in the long run?
Originality also matters because it forces honesty. It draws from and
reveals the personalities of its creators; makes visible their ideas about
life, morality, how people work. That makes uslarpwrights, play design-
ersvulnerable. If we design a fiction where women players have much
less agency than male players, we cant say Tolkien made me do it. If we
make a larp that systematically turns player communities into cesspools
of interpersonal conflict and distrust (Yes, Minds Eye Theatre, Im looking
at you) we cant shrug it o as well, the tabletop version doesnt do that.
Which brings us to values. Theyre everywhere. Hidden in the stories we
tell, the things we do. Transmitted from generation to generation largely
by storytelling and example. Star Wars teaches us that there are good guys
and bad guys, that its OK to massacre millions of bad guysotherwise
theyll use their weapons of mass destructionand that if a woman says
no she actually means yes, at least if you are Han Solo. Harry Pot-
ter teaches us some of the same, but also that your inherent goodness or
badness is largely a matter of genetic inheritance: born a Malfoy, always a
Malfoy. Entertainingyes. But morally shallow, ignorant of how humans
actually work.
But arent these just standard storytelling tropes? Sure, in Hollywood
storytelling, the storytelling of the Anglo-American entertainment indus-

329
 try. Which is not the same as, you know, actual storytelling.

Do stories matter?
Larps dont tell storiesplayers do. But larps are filled to the brim with
the basic elements of story: character, motivation, conflict, allusion, ten-
sion, transition. The designer never provides all of these elements. Once
you start improvising, you do what you do in real life: you fill out the
blanks with bits and pieces of behaviour from your own memories. Not
just what you have experienced first-hand, but also from the stories you
have consumed. Its bloody obvious, once you start looking. And once
we begin looking at improvisation through this lensobserving where
our ideas and behaviours come from, and realising how often they come
from the fiction we have consumedwe begin grasping the impact
of storytelling.
Stories give us options and models for how to behave, thereby shaping
our behaviour, thereby shaping the flow of history. Stories are also where
we, as a society, go to think. Many of our most powerful stories (Oedipus
Rex, A Dolls House, Heart of Darkness, Trainspotting) highlight the con-
tradictions of their era and society, constructing situations where those
values just dont add up, pushing us to resolve those contradictions.
For society to be able to progress we must have new and novel
thoughts, hence new and novel stories, and we must have many dierent
ones so that they can collide and combine and dissolve into new realisa-
tions. Which is how creativity works. That applies doubly to larp, where
this mixing and merging occurs in real-time. And it is pretty much the
exact opposite of the risk-averse mindset of Hollywood cinema or Young
Adult publishing: constantly polishing antiquated formulas in order to
improve shareholder value.
The trouble with with rip-os isnt just their lack of originality and au-
thenticity, but also which properties larp designers choose to rip o, and
the way that such fan productions tend to reinforce the power of those
properties. Big brand storytelling is advertising that you pay to watch. The
Disney Corporation (which includes Pixar, Lucasfilm and Marvel), War-
ner Brothers (Harry Potter), and the other vampire squids of culture make
most of their cash not from storytelling but from owning the rights to the
stories that they have shoved down our throats. Merchandise, amusement
parks, spin-os, tie-ins, transmedia. In their wake, we find sweatshops,
draconic copyright regimes, and generations of children trained to be-
lieve that happiness and companionship are things you get by purchasing
the right brands. Dolls and action figures, SUVs and the autumn fashion.
We are a species of 7 billion individuals, speaking 1200 dierent lan-
guages, organised into some 160 dierent states, with a recorded history
of ten thousand years and a canon of millions of myths and stories em-
bodying alternative perspectives on what it means to be human, what it
entails to do good. And this whole diversity of thought and creativity is
right now being exterminated by a handful of Anglo-American corpora-

330
tions with their armies of marketers and lawyers. As thoroughly as we are
destroying the biosphere, one species at the time, we are destroying the
languages and mythologies and storytelling traditions of our own species.
In this context there is no nuance, no middle ground, and no way for a
larp designer to avoid picking sides: You either strengthen the corporate
hegemony by retelling their stories, or you resist it by telling stories of
your own.

We used to be cool
Now, if you dont get this, if this kind of analysis seems alien to you, you
wont get nordic larp. Not really. Because this is where we came from. The
Oslo larp scene, for example, kicked o in 1989 with the usual heyI
wonder if you could do Dungeons & Dragons live? But immediately after
that, the founding mothers and fathers of the tradition started localising:
That isnt a pouch, the old Norwegian word is taske. Ditch the orcs,
we have this folklore creature called vetter, lets use them instead. And
whats up with all those rules and tablesdo we actually need them? Lets
try without. Hey! It worked! And by the way, I drew this map of an imag-
inary world full of the stu we think is cool, as opposed to the stu they
think is cool across the Atlantic. Also, Vikings. Can we set our next larp
there instead of in Greyhawk or Middle-Earth? And how do we get plot
to work with 80 players? Should we ask Gary Gygax? Nah. Better figure it
out for ourselves.
Because thats what you did, back when radical cultural analysis was
alive and kicking in the Scandinavian mainstream. You made things your
own, and you made your own things. And so there was nordic larp.
The Knutepunkt tradition, focused on thought and theory and experi-
ment and originality, is often described as an opposite of the traditional
larp of the forest and the fantasy. But it isnt. Its a continuation. Whether
in medieval cloaks or black turtlenecks, Scandinavian larpers preferred to
do things their own way. The exact same people, attitudes, way of work-
ing, that established the Nordic fantasy traditions also brought us the ex-
periment, the arthaus larp, modern live role-playing. This transition is so
seamless, and the transmission of ideas back and forth between main-
stream and arthaus is so continuous, that even todayand especially in
the traditions of the Norwegian and Swedish heartlandsthe distinction
doesnt always make a whole lot of sense.
Still, the larps made in the Knutepunkt tradition lacked one ingredient
that the mainstream fantasy traditions had: popularity. Especially in the
first decade of the Knutepunkt network, we had a well-deserved reputa-
tion for elitism and obscurantism. I suppose one couldnt expect much
else of a group of people barely out of their teens, convinced that we were
onto something so revolutionary that no adult or mere roleplayer could

331
 possibly understand it. Even as people grew wiser and humbler, though,
our authentic creative voices continued to tend towards misery, produc-
ing larps that probed deeper and deeper into the darkness of the world
and the human condition. Difficult themes and niche works are of course
healthy parts of any creative movement, but they do not sustain it. By
the late 00s, our numbers were dwindling. So when The Monitor Celestra
and College Of Wizardry arrived, they were welcomed with open arms, in-
cluding by mea notorious author of the obscure and miserable. Finally
something to energise the network. Something big. Something popular!
But this is where the baby got washed out with the bathwater. Yes, any
larp movement that wants to survive must be able to produce works that
people actually want to play. But ripping o works that have already been
made popular by the Anglo-American industry is only one, cheap, way to
achieve that. For examples of larps that are both authentic and popular,
we need look no further than the broad fantasy larp traditions: tens of
thousands of people every year portraying characters and cultures of their
own making.

Now where?
Thankfully, the rip-os I mentioned initially are only about half of the
larps and events celebrated and discussed in recent years. The other half
are events that are decidedly original: the multiple reruns of queer and
documentarian Just a Little Loving, the multi-city environmentalist zom-
bie saga Baltic Warriors(2015), truly innovative Before we Wake(2015), clever
dissections of gender and power in Brudpris(2013), Lindngens Riksinter-
nat(2013 & 2014), Suragett(2014), Its a Mans World(2015), the hedonism
of Pan(2013) and Baphomet(2015), and the realism of Halat hisar(2013), to
mention just a few examples. And then theres the black box larping scene
which has recently come into its own, supported by at least five recurring
festivals in the Nordic-Baltic region, sustaining brilliant new artists and
works and ways of doing larp. The original tradition of inter-nordic larp
design is, for the time being, alive and well.
But I wouldnt be ranting like this if I didnt think we were facing an
actual challenge. That challenge is not that rip-os existdont get me
wrong: we can co-exist, and learn interesting things from them, its just as
the rip-o larps have learned a lot from the nordic discourse of thought-
ful and original works. Nothe threat isnt the existence of rip-os, but
that their cult is dominating the conversation in the very same rooms
that were once built to host a fragile network of larpers who cared about
thoughtful originality. Its time to take those rooms back.
I no longer attend derivative works. This rant will be the last time I
reference them in writing.
Because. Originality. Fucking. Matters.

332
Ludography

Abdul Karim, Fatima, Faris Arouri, Kaisa Kangas, Riad Mustafa, Juhana Pettersson,
Maria Pettersson, Mohamad Rabah. Halat hisar. Parkano, Finland: Pohjoismaisen
roolipelaamisen seura (Society for Nordic Role-playing). 2013
Boruta, Szymon, Charles Bo Nielsen and Claus Raasted et al., Fairweather Manor.
Mozna, Poland: Dziobak Studios, Rollespilsfabrikken(DK) and Liveform(PL). 2015
Edland, Tor Kjetil and Hanne Grasmo. Just a Little Lovin. Lunde Leirsted, Norway: 2011
Elofsson, Alma, Mimmi Lundkvist and Emil Rogvall. Lindngens Riksinternat. Sweden:
2013 & 2014
Ericsson, Martin, Bjarke Pedersen and Johanna Koljonen. Inside Hamlet. Copenhagen,
Denmark: Odyss. 2015
Essendrop, Nina Runa, Kristoer Thure, Jesper Heebll Arbjrn, Sanne Harder,
Mathias Kromann Rode, Kirstine Hedda Fich, and Peter Schnnemann Andreasen.
Before We Wake. Copenhagen,Denmark: 2015
Gissn, Elin, Johan Nylin, Siri Sandquist and Staan Fladvad. Its A Mans World.
Sweden: 2015
Linder, Anna-Karin and Carolina Dahlberg. Brudpris. Sweden: 2013
Nielsen, Charles Bo, Dracan Dembinski and Claus Raasted et al., College of Wizardry.
Poland: Liveform(PL) and Rollespillsfabrikken(DK), 2014
Pedersen, Bjarke, Juhana Pettersson, and Martin Elricsson. End of the Line. Helsinki,
Finland: Odyss and White Wolf Publishing AB. 2016
Pohjola, Mike, Sarita Sharma, Harmke Heezen and Juhana Petterson. Baltic Warriors.
Tallinn, St Petersburg, Sopot, Kiel, Copenhagen, Stockholm and Helsinki. 2015
Raasted, Claus et al., Convention of Thorns. Poland: White Wolf Publishing and
Dziobak Larp Studios. 2016
Rein-Hagen, Mark et al, Vampire : The Masquerade. USA: White Wolf Publishing. 1991
Rein-Hagen, Mark et al, Minds Eye Theatre. USA: White Wolf Publishing. 1993
Summanen, Henrik and Thomas Walch et al.,The Monitor Celestra. Sweden:
Alternatliv, Bardo and Berttelsefrmjandet. 2013 http://www.alternaliv.se/en/
previous#the-monitor-celestra
Udby, Linda and Bjarke Pedersen. Pan. Sjlland, Denmark: 2013
Udby, Linda and Bjarke Pedersen, Baphomet. Rdby,Denmark: 2015
Vejdemo, Susanne, Daniel Armyr, Siri Sandquist and Cecilia Billskog, Suragett.
Sweden: 2014

333
 LARP
IN THE YEAR 2037
Christopher Amherst

IN 2017, WE live in a world where our mobile phones have

more processing power at our fingertips than the first elec-
tronic general-purpose computer (ENIAC) did in a building
70 years ago. A world where an Oculus virtual reality head-
set costs $599.00 and a trip to Mars via SpaceX is possible
by 2026 (Allen, 2014).

On this 20th anniversary of Knutepunkt, what possible

futures await larp in the year 2037?
With this essay, I will theorise on a few what ifs 20
years from now, such as:
Safety Workshop for Non-Terran Environments
Debriefing from Virtual Reality Larps
Edularp for Artificial Intelligence
Storytelling Trends in 2037
Other Futures?

334
 Safety Workshop
for non-Terran environments

Welcome!
For those of you who attended Dziobak-Shendis Chroni-
cles of Barsoom,1 this workshop will be very familiar.
For those of you joining us from Dystopia Rising: Phobos,2
this workshop will be a new experience.
Before we begin, let me emphasise the following larp on
Mars rule: Self Care Still Comes First!
Unlike larps on Earth, we face a number of unique
challenges here on Mars. We dont always know how the
low gravity, distance from Earth, or the habitat atmosphere
will aect you physically or emotionally. Puy face-bird leg-
syndrome (Wikipedia, 2016a), space motion sickness (Wiki-

1 Dziobak-Shendi Larp Studios, Chronicles of Barsoom, 04/09-

2036. Authors Note: This was one of the most anticipated block-
buster larps in 2036. In spite of some critics saying Its no College of
Wizardry, it sold out within 120 seconds, proving that players will
go to Mars to play a story set on Mars.

2 Eschaton Media, Dystopia Rising: Phobos, 06/10-2035.

Eschaton Media, Dystopia Rising: The Moon, 01/02-2036.
Authors Note: Dystopia Risings Phobos is the latest chapter of the
highly successful Dystopia Rising larp network. This chapter fol-
lows the successful launch of Dystopia Rising: The Moon. An annual
event called Dont Fear the Reavers for the two chapters has been
suggested.

335
pedia, 2016b), or the Red Planet blues are not uncommon
(Lee, 2013). So, at all times during our time together, please
remember to take care of your needs first and maintain
clear communication with your Safety Buddy.3
Speaking of safety buddy, for all activities in the habi-
tat, we are required to review the standard habitat safety
protocol:
Before you participate in any activity in the habitat, you
are required to designate a fellow participant as a safety
buddy.
Outside of our habitat, Mars atmosphere is 95 % CO2,
the air pressure is equal to breathing at an altitude of 38
kilometers (3x higher than the typical cruising altitude of a
commercial airliner) and the average surface temperature is
negative 60 C (Sharp, 2012).
In the event of sandstorms, meteor showers, or a breach
in habitat containment, alarms will activate in the habitat.
Depending on the location, severity, and imminence of the
event, you and your safety buddy will be:
a. directed to the central hub or closest shelter (via
lighted paths).
b. directed to the nearest emergency exosuits and evac-
uate to the closest available rover.
c. directed to the nearest emergency exosuits and shel-
ter in place within this module.

3 Authors Note: Inspired by NASAs Space Flight Safety post-

ers featuring a cartoon beagle named Snoopy. The Mars Con-
sortium developed a space flight awareness orientation video
called Your Safety BuddySnoopys Guide to Mars featuring
Snoopy and Woodstock encountering various hazards on Mars.

For the original inspiration, ask your personal avatar to pull the fol-
lowing citation:
NASA, Silver Snoopy Award, 2016-02-01, https://www.nasa.gov/
directorates/heo/sfa/aac/silver-snoopy-award

336
Let me emphasise this, at all times:
1. Know where your safety buddy is located.
2. Know where your nearest exit is located.
3. Know where the closest emergency exosuit is located.
Please take 60 seconds to locate these and then well
move onto our ice-breaker Hot Potato on Mars!

Debriefing from Virtual Reality Larps

When we talk about debriefing from a larp, we consider the

notion of returning back to the real world or readjusting to
reality. Setting aside the debate about whether participat-
ing in a larp through the use of virtual reality technology
via full body haptic feedback or cranial stimulation is still
a larp, how do we readjust our concept of debriefing when
returning to the real world is quite literal?
A sample debrief for fully immersive virtual reality larp
experiences may include the following:
As we continue de-roleing, we will continue the return
process through an optional guided meditation designed to
resync your mind and body to your physical surroundings.
To facilitate this return, we will restore your senses to
the real world, one at a timestarting with sight, then
touch, and finishing with sound. As part of your pre-work-
shop activities to this larp, you were asked to create a
theme-fitting mealthat meal will finish the self-guided
part of our debrief by reconnecting you to smell and taste.
For sight, we will start by switching o the visual inputs. At
any time between now and the end of this meditation, you
are welcome to disconnect. We will begin the meditation in
30 seconds.

Lets begin

337
 Please sit or lay down in a comfortable position. We
will start with the sense of sight.

Close your eyes for 30 seconds.

30 seconds pass.
Remove your goggles/visor/headset.

Take your hands and rub them together until they

feel warm.

Place your palms over just your eyes, completely

covering them.

Focus on the darkness for 5 minutes.

5 minutes pass.
Take your hands away from your eyes.

Slowly open your eyes.

Let your eyes find an object far away from you.

Look at that object for 30 seconds, observe its shape

and colour.
30 seconds pass.
Good. You are now beginning to be reconnected to
your sight. As you go about your day, pay attention
to the brightness, darkness, and colours around you.
Focus on how you see the world.

Now, please take a couple of minutes to find a com-

fortable place to stand or sit. We will move on to the
sense of touch.
2 minutes pass.
We will be switching o the haptic inputs
and feedback.

338
 Look at and examine your hands and arms.

If you are wearing a full body haptic, use this time to

slowly remove the gloves and sleeves from your hands
and arms.
3 minutes pass.
Take your right hand and massage your left hand for
30 seconds.
30 seconds pass.
Take your left hand and massage your right hand for
30 seconds.
30 seconds pass
Take both of your hands and massage your forearms
for 30 seconds.
30 seconds pass.
Look at your hands as you do the massage and focus
on that physical feeling for 2 minutes.
2 minutes pass.
Look at and examine your torso and legs.

If you are wearing a full body haptic, use this time to

finish taking o the haptic suit.
3 minutes pass.
What is the temperature of the room you are in? Is it
warm? Is it cool? Focus on that feeling of hot or cold
for 2 minutes.
2 minutes pass.
Take both of your hands and massage your legs from
your toes to your hips, start with your left and then
your right.

Look at your legs as you do the massage and focus on

339
 that physical feeling for 4 minutes.
4 minutes pass
Good. You are now beginning to be reconnected to
your sense of touch. As you go about your day, pay
attention to the temperature, the moving air, and
how the world feels around you.

Now, please activate the interval alarm programming

with text messages and find a comfortable place to lay
down. We will end with the sense of sound.
2 minutes pass
We will switching o the audio inputs. Please look at
text messages for instruction starting now.

Pause your breathing and remove your headset.

Exhale. For 2 minutes, Listen to the silence around you,

your breathing, and your heartbeat.
2 minutes pass
For 2 minutes, Listen to the surrounding sounds of where
you live, focus on the sounds that remind you of home.
2 minutes pass
For 2 minutes, whisper and repeat the following phrase:
My name is [your name]. This is my voice, this is my
body, and this is my home.
2 minutes pass
For 1 minute, speak and repeat the following phrase:
My name is [your name]. This is my voice, this is my
body, and this is my home.
60 seconds pass
For 1 minute, shout and repeat the following phrase:
My name is [your name]. This is my voice, this is my
body, and this is my home.

340
60 seconds pass
Good. You are now beginning to be reconnected to your
sense of sound. As you go about your day, pay attention
to the volume, timbre, and tone of the world around you.

This ends our meditationremember to have your post-

game meal, hydrate, and check in with your de-roleing
partner or debriefing buddy.

Edularp for Artificial Intelligence

Human beings are estimated to have on average 86 billion

neurons (Randerson, 2012)the brain comprises a majority
of those nerve cells. Our brain at its most basic level is just
processing information from various sources and execut-
ing operations based on that information. Some of those
operations are baked into our biological hardware, others
are notwe learn them through passive or active learning,
occasionally receiving positive or negative feedback.
For artificial intelligences, there are a number of similar
frameworks for learning. One style is Reinforcement learn-
ing (Sutton and Barto, 2005), where the automated agent
learns to optimise their actions to yield the greatest reward
for a given situation. Another is supervised learning, where
the agent learns through an external supervisor (usually a
person) by way of examples.
More recent trends include using game theory to
encourage individualised automated agents to collaborate
toward overarching system or societal goals (Future of Life,
2016) (instead of individual optimisation).

341
 How does edularp fit in?

The benefit of edularp (Balzer and Kurz, 2015) is, in general,

learning through experience or play within an environment
where new approaches can be tried without real world
sanctions. This type of learning is most beneficial to the
types of artificial intelligence, such as automated custom-
er support / knowledge agents that already learn through
supervised learning methodologies.
So, imagine a virtual classroom in the year 2037 -
The scenario: A devastating earthquake has created a
humanitarian crisis in a neighbouring country.
The audience20 virtual agents from dierent sectors,
organisations, and agencies.
The non-player characters: 4060 human actors, por-
traying a range of refugees in need of assistance.

Scenario start
News Broadcast: An earthquake measuring 8.0 on the
Richter scale has devastated the port city of Simulacra,
located near the borders of Norway and Sweden.

Scenario instructions
4. Activate the access stations for the virtual agents.
5. Cue 5 Norwegian NPCs to the triage area.
6. Wait for the virtual agents to adapt, cue 10 Swedish
NPCs to the triage area.
7. As the agents start to adapt, cue the following:
News Broadcast: Following the earthquake, we are
getting reports of a radiation leak at a nuclear reactor
close to the epicentre. In light of this information,
authorities have expanded the evacuation zone.

342
8. Cue 10 Danish NPCs, 5 English NPCs, 10 Norwegian
NPCs, 10 Swedish NPCs, and 10 Finnish NPCs to the
triage area.
9. As virtual agents start identifying collaborative strat-
egies to translate, aggregate, and share information
across systemscue a Radiation Alarm in the triage
facility.

Scenario finish
With the radiation alarm, give the virtual agents 15 min-
utes to implement a strategy and framework to triaging
refugees, identifying their own resource needs, protecting
their systems in light of potential radiation, and providing
collaborative assistance to the diverse needs of the refugee
NPCs.
Regardless of whether the framework is fully developed
or implementedend the scenario after those 15 minutes
have concluded and ask the virtual agents to meet in the
virtual conference room for a debriefing and review session.

STORYTELLING TRENDS IN 2037

So, what are the latest storytelling trends in 2037?

Innovation in Space: With larpwrights working
with microgravity environments, larps are taking
advantage of multi-axial spaces to tell stories such as
Dantes Divine Comedy (in upper, middle, and lower
staged spaces) or explore literally what a character is
thinking versus what a character is saying.
Larps within larps: With access to virtual environ-
ments and real world locales, larpwrights are explor-
ing expansive storyverses taking place in one space
and intersecting another. Some larps are piggyback-
ing on notion of personal avatars to create aord-
ances between the virtual world and the real world.

343
 Location, Location, Location: Old school sci-fi
blockbusters are now the new nostalgia. With the
success of Chronicles of Barsoom, larpwrights are
planting stakes in the ground for stories based on
Dune or Flash Gordon, integrating the gamification
into space tourism. Rumours are flying about wheth-
er the next Dziobak-Shendi Studios production may
involve lightsabers, starfighters, and droids. Will
they break the box and run the first interplanetary
blockbuster larp?

Other futures?
Returning back to 2017what other trends could we see in
the near future that may impact 2037?
Larp goes globalLarp as a storytelling medium is
crossing borders, cultures, and languages. Expect to
see blockbuster larps, larp design conferences, and
international larp festivals in the Arab world, Africa,
East Asia, and Oceania.
Larp goes politicalWith the increased idea that
story is perception, larp has the potential to become a
greater tool for prototyping political systems, political
organisations, and political change. Larp has always
told stories about alternate realities and the societies
that form within them, would it be surprising to see
those tools cross into reality?
Larp goes personalWeve talked about the benefits
of bleed in and bleed out, the transformational qual-
ities of larp in the personal lives of players, and the
therapeutical value of role-playing. So what happens
when we reduce the idea of larp down to a single per-
son? Could larp be a new tool in a therapists toolkit?
Could larp innovate couples counselling where each
partner learns something of value by role-playing the
other person?

344
 In 2016, my hope is that in 20 years, we can truly talk
about an international or global larp scene and storytelling
within the live and virtual space as a powerful tool for
change and commentary.
That as a community, we collaborate on overcoming and
dismantling the systemic and structural obstacles to par-
ticipating in the medium, both to players and organisers,
regardless of whether they are on Earth or travelling the
stars. That we grow and encourage our local and regional
communities by fostering and mentoring the future story-
tellers, both young and old, human and artificial.

345
 Bibliography

Allen, Karma. Elon Musk Promises SpaceX Will stay the Course for
Mars. CNBC: 17/06-2014. [date of access 14/12-2016] http://www.
nbcnews.com/science/space/elon-musk-promises-spacex-will-stay-
course-mars-n133971
Balzer, Myriel and Julia Kurz. Learning by PlayingLarp As a Teaching
Method, 04/03-2015 [date of access 03/10-2016] https://nordiclarp.
org/2015/03/04/learning-by-playing-larp-as-a-teaching-method/
Dalstl, Elin. Self Care Still Comes First. Published 17/08-2016
[2036 version: Dahlstl, Elin. Self Care Still Comes First; What Worked,
What Didnt, and Whats NextA Reflection on the last 20 years.
17/08-2036] https://nordiclarp.org/2036/08/17/self-care-still-
comes-first/ [Editors note: link unavailable until the year 2036]
Lee, Jane J., Psychological Challenges of a Manned Mission to
Mars. 27/02-2013 [date of access 03/10-2016] http://news.
nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/02/130227-manned-mission-
mars-psychology-space-science/
Sharp, Tim. Mars Atmosphere: Composition, Climate, & Weather. 03/08-
2012 [date of access 14/12-2016] http://www.space.com/16903-mars-
atmosphere-climate-weather.html
Randerson, James. How many neurons make a human brain? Billions
fewer than we thought. 28/02-2012. https://www.theguardian.com/
science/blog/2012/feb/28/how-many-neurons-human-brain
Sutton, Richard and Andrew G. Barto. Reinforcement Learning: An
Introduction. 04/01-2005. https://webdocs.cs.ualberta.ca/~sutton/
book/ebook/node7.html
Future of Life. Keeping AI Well Behaved: How Do We Engineer An
Artificial System That Has Values?. 28/09-2016 [date of access 14/12-
2016] http://futurism.com/keeping-ai-well-behaved-how-do-we-
engineer-a-system-that-has-values/
Wikipedia. Eect of spaceflight on the human bodyFluid Redistribution.
2016a [date of access 03/10-2016] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Eect_of_spaceflight_on_the_human_body#Fluid_redistribution
Wikipedia. Eect of spaceflight on the human bodyMotion Sickness.
2016b. [date of access 03/10-2016] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Eect_of_spaceflight_on_the_human_body#Motion_sickness

346
Thinking Outside the Black Box
How to transform a black box scenario into a 360 experience
Eva Wei & Rosalind Gthberg

The nordic larp scene has, for a long time, new styles and formats out of their comfort
been very isolationist when it comes to get- zone. In order to further integrate the many
ting to know other than the larp style one got dierent larp styles, we started the Beyond the
introduced to when one started larping. The Barricades-project as an experiment to tell a
frivolous sandbox larpers have no idea what a single storythe story of some young student
meta technique is, and the abstract chamber revolutionaries in the June rebellion in Paris
larpers frown upon the thought of sewing 1832in several larp formats.
their own costumes. The social realistic larp-
ers could not stand the thought of respawns Background
during a game, and the vampire larpers could
Translating the same story from one format
not care less about what their hand gestures
to another is not a new phenomenon. The
are called in some academic larp article. Late-
cultural sector has practiced this art for ages,
ly, thanks to the increasing communication
converting for example books into movies and
between proponents of dierent larp styles,
graphic novels into musicals. Not only is this a
the larp formats have begun to integrate with
very lucrative business model, since every new
each other. Larpers have started to explore

Above: From the 360 run of Beyond the Barricades. Photo: Eva Wei. 347
format tend to attract a new group of fans, but gently done ones homework, it is possible to
it is also a way to tell a story so that its message use some of these expectations to intensify
reaches as many as possible. As with all cultur- the larp experience and to predict the larpers
al works, some of the transformations have reactions to some of the events, should these
been more successful than others. One can be compatible with your vision. More impor-
never be sure that every story fits every media tantly, one should make sure that the elements
format, but many stories fit surprisingly well of the larp which are not compatible with the
in several. Clearly, the format transformation larpers expectations are clearly conveyed to
is a phenomenon that is here to stay. them in an early stage of the game. For ex-
It was not a coincidence that we chose the ample, we did not want our players to burst
story of the June rebellion for this project. First into song during the game, which was bound
of all, it is an exciting historical event with a to happen since most of our participants have
relatable story. In a larp community more po- seen and enjoyed the musical version of Les
litical than ever, many larpers can relate to Misrables (Schnberg et al, 1980). Therefore,
these political hotheads and their dreams of we made sure that we reiterated this several
creating a better future, making the event a times during the workshop, thus minimising
great foundation for creating a good story, the possibility of this actually happening in
Furthermore, this story has been told in game.
several media formats already. Victor Hugo
published his fictional novel Les Misrables
(Hugo, 1982) about this occurrence as early as
Planning
in 1862. It is now considered one of the most Our intention with the Beyond the Barricades-
successful novels of the 19th century. This project was never just to settle with a black
novel has spawned numerous adaptations in box game. We wanted to spread the story of
several cultural formats, including adaptations the June rebellion, making it reach as many
for the stage, television, film and last but may- players as possible, as well as to challenge our-
be most famous, a musical adaption with the selves as larp designers. Therefore, we took on
same name as the novel, written by Schnberg the challenge of creating one larp in several
et al in 1980. While researching the history as formats.
well as the fiction, we realised that this was a First and foremost, the brainstorming ses-
moving story no matter what format it was sions looked somewhat dierent than when
told in. We also realised that this story moved planning an ordinary larp. All ideas were saved
us in dierent ways depending on in what for- and sorted into dierent categories. Some
mat we experienced it. As one probably would ideas that would not work for a black box larp
have guessed, there were benefits and draw- could easily fit into for example a 360 larp,
backs with all of these formats. and vice versa. A 360 larp is a larp format
A natural consequence with translating a where the fictional illusion is 360 degrees, i.e.
historical event that has already been told in all around you, in order to make the physical
several media formats into a larp is that our experience as complete as possible. In one way,
participants already have their own vision of one could say that several larps were planned
the story. They will have their preconceptions simultaneously.
and expectations and will most probably com- Out of pure logistic reasons, we decided to
pare the larp with the book, the movie, the start out with the black box version. Since the
musical or whatever adaptation they might planning processes for the dierent formats
have read or watched. As a larp designer, it were parallel, we could easily snatch some
is very important to try to foresee as many of ideas from the other iterations and put into
these expectations as possible. If one has dili- our black box game. Therefore, the black box

348
 props not stated as mandatory are just option-
al add-ons in order for us to play around with
our scenario, as well as to enhance the experi-
ence of the current player group.
This also worked both ways. When it was
time to organise the 360 larp, we decided to
pick some of our favourite meta techniques
from the black box game, kick them up a notch
and throw them into the 360 version. One ex-
ample is the meta technique we call the ghosts
of the fallen friends, which works as follows: If
one of the characters died or left the game, the
player of that character got the opportunity to
put on a ribbon and go back into the game as a
variety of the shadowing meta technique with
an specific feeling or agenda to convey. In the
black box version, we equipped every role with
an equivalent ghost agenda, which either could
be something the character truly believed in
(e.g. idealism) or a feeling that the character
left behind once it was gone (e.g. despair). In
the 360-version, we amped up the visuals of
the ghost technique and simply made the play-
ers play their own characters who after their
deaths come back to haunt their living friends.
The remaining living characters perceived the
ghosts as thoughts in their minds or memories
Ghost of the fallen friends technique. Photo: Eva Wei.
of their fallen friends, but could not actually
see them. The players were also free to interact
game ended up with a lot of influences from
with the ghosts on a meta level, but diegetical-
the 360 version as well as from the (not yet re-
ly, the ghosts could neither be seen nor heard
alised) musical version of the larp. For a black
by the characters.
box larp, Beyond the Barricades was littered
Some of the techniques worked just as well
with techniques that are mostly reserved for
in both formats. For example, we used the
other larp formats. As we had already started
same prologue and epilogue, had the same
to gather props and items for the 360 game,
colour scheme (red, white and blue) to set the
we decided to include these in the black box
tone of the game and the same injury escala-
version. Some of our NPC players also agreed
tion for both the black box and the 360-larp.
to join in to add further flavour to the game
and for the final scene in one game, we even
recruited twenty-something convention goers Transforming a well known
to act as NPCs to spice up the ending. These
props and helpers gave us an interesting fla-
story into a larp
vour to the game, but are not mandatory in Beyond the barricades did not only go through
order to run the game. If someone would like the transformation from one larp format to
to set up a stripped down black box version of another. As mentioned above, the story has
the larp, we have provided a list in the script already been transformed from a historical
where all the mandatory props are stated. The event into a book, from book into movie and

349
not to mention a musical. In the making of the ry would end in the same way the revolution
larp, we had to take all of these factors into ac- did. That meant that we had a fixed ending
count. which the players had no possibility to change.
Within this framework, however, they had the
power to play out their own personal story as
From a historical event
they saw fit. Furthermore, they had the free-
In order to translate a historical event into a dom to do whatever they wanted as long as it
larp, some considerations have to be made. did not interfere with the general rules of the
Unless historical accuracy is one of the key game during the larp, and in both formats they
elements (it was not for us) you need to decide, were encouraged to invent random factual
and thoroughly communicate to the players, snippets as they went along without the fear
in what ways the game will stay true to history. of being historically inaccurate. We also decid-
You also have to consider which alternations ed not to set a high standard when it came to
you as an organiser want to make and what the costume and equipment for the 360 version.
players will have the artistic freedom to make Anything 1800-ish was good enough for us.
up themselves. For us, the historical facts were This made it possible for the theatrical larp-
used to frame the game. The background was er to focus on forming relationships without
built on the actual events that took place in feeling bad for ruining the aesthetics, whereas
Paris in June 1832 and we decided that the sto-

350 As with every revolution, not everyone is left standing. Photo: Eva Wei.
those who wanted to sew an entire 1830s at- between conflict and common ground to cre-
tire were free to do so. ate a playable group dynamic.
Creating playable and dynamic characters
for the 360 larp was indeed one of our tough-
From fiction est challenges in the transformation process. A
few of our characters were more or less taken
The fact that the story of the June rebellion
straight out of the original story, but most of
has been told to millions of people through
them we made up from scratch. To facilitate
the dierent versions of Les Misrables was also
the transformation process, we started out
something we could not ignore. Many of those
with writing eleven core groups. A core group
who wanted to play the game did so because
is basicly a group consisting of 3-5 characters
they already had a close relation to the story.
with a strong, but not necessarily positive,
They were not alone in their love for the fic-
connection to each other. Each core group
tional adaptations. Our love of the musical
had a distinct theme, a direction to play to-
was our main source of inspiration for creat-
wards and some relationships to some of the
ing the game in the first place.
other core groups. Then we created characters
Here too, there were a lot of aspects we
belonging to these core groups, which more
needed to reflect upon. First of all, the story
or less fit into the groups stereotype. Every
had to be compressed into and focused on the
character in the core group had pre-written
parts that we were interested in telling, i.e.
relationships with all the other characters in
what happened behind the barricades from
the core group. We also added some relation-
the moment the revolutionaries started the
ships outside of the core group in order to tie
rebellion, until it all ended with the uprising
the whole ensemble closer together into an
being crushed by the national guard. The rest
unit. This way, we created a web of relation-
of the story of Les Misrables (Hugo, 1862 and
ships full of conflicts, but yet maintained the
Schnberg et al, 1980) was in some ways used
fundament of friendship, alliance and a strive
as an inspiration, but nothing the larp re-
towards a common goal which was the key to
volved around. One thing we did keep was the
success for our larp.
overall narrative and the dramatic curve. The
We took advantage of some of the iconic
larp pretty much follows parts of the book and
visuals from the dierent adaptations to make
the musical to the letter and its three acts were
the story relatable. Even in the black box game,
from the beginning inspired by three musical
which otherwise tends to use props quite
numbers. In time, these musical numbers de-
sparsely, we used old looking pistols, flags in
veloped into the three themes of idealism,
red, white and blue and all players got to wear
doubt and hard choices, which became the
a french cockade during the game. These
main themes the three acts evolve around in
props were very helpful in order to make the
its final formats.
players understand our vision and get into the
Furthermore, we had to make sure that
right mood. The props also served as an inspi-
we had enough interesting characters. Going
ration to the players in order to come up with
from a few main figures portrayed in the origi-
something to do during the slower parts of the
nal versions to 10 player characters in the black
game.
box version, and later 40 in the 360larp, was
Something else a lot of people associate
a challenge. The characters had to be equally
Les Miserables (Schnberg et al, 1980) with is
important with equal amounts of complexity
of course the music, an aspect that we im-
and their own narratives. We needed to rad-
plemented dierently in the two versions. In
icalise them a bit and make them less passive
the black box game we had background mu-
for them to work as larp characters. We also
sic playing all throughout the game, changing
needed to make sure that there was a balance

351
with the mood of every act. For the 360 larp, as the 360 larp.
we wanted the players to actually be able to Initially, it is only natural that a 24 hours
sing, (but to avoid songs from the musical) so 360 larp with forty participants requires a
we had songs specifically written for the larp massive amount of logistics compared to a 1,5
that we used as much as we could. The songs hours long black box game for ten players. To
and the lyrics were sent out to the players be- start out small had a great advantage in regards
fore the game so that they could listen to them to trying out a concept. Several larp designers
beforehand. We also had a singing workshop have done this before us in dierent iterations.
before the game, as well as helpers who knew Recent examples of this is the black box larp
the songs who walked around the larp singing Heder och olika stt att jvlas1 (Elofsson and
and humming them in order to fully incorpo- Melkersson Lundkvist, 2013) which was an in-
rate them into play. dependent pre-larp to the 360 larp Lindngens
Riksinternat [Lindngen boarding school](Elofs-
son and Melkersson Lundkvist, 2013) and the
Transition from one larp type to another black box larp Debt and deliverance (Gamero,
Stenler and Strand, 2014), which was set in the
When transforming a story from one format
same dystopian future as the 360 larp Last Will
to another, you need to consider which parts
(Gamero, Stenler and Strand, 2014). Since we
from the original format that will work for
wanted to focus on trying out the story, it felt
the new one and which parts that will need
natural to start out with the black box version
to change. The same goes for the transitions
to minimise the amount of logistical eort. It
between larp types. What game elements can
is way easier to find ten friends to try out your
be kept? What will work with some changes?
concept for some hours than to construct an
Is there something that will not work at all
entire scenography and convince forty-some-
and are what new elements need to be intro-
thing friends to join you in a makeshift village
duced? It is also important to remember that
far away from civilisation.
it will never be the same game. Some things
Furthermore, dierent formats creates dif-
will work better than others and some things
ferent demands. Some of the design elements
will not work at all. Dierent players will also
which we kept more or less exactly as they
have dierent opinions about the versions, in
were in the black box version turned out very
accordance to their own personal preferences.
dierent when introduced to another context.
People who have played the game in several
One of the most obvious dierences was
formats will compare them to each other, just
of course the visual aspect. The black box ver-
as they would compare a book and a movie
sion is built to be played at festivals where the
telling the same story. This type of compari-
players are not expected to wear any particu-
son is in itself a very interesting analysis of not
lar costumes. The room looks nothing like the
just the actual game, but also the dierent larp
place where we imagine the story to take place
forms in general.
and props were used sparsely. The 360 version
was, as the term itself implies, more visual. We
Advantages and disadvantages had a location with a number of small, wood-
There are many advantages and disadvantag- en houses and narrow alleys that we built a
es with dierent larp formats. In this section, barricade around. A lot of work was put into
we will describe the ones that we encountered props and there were costume requirements
while organising our black box scenario as well for the players. Our goal was simply to create

1 English: Honour and dierent ways to fuck people up.

352
an environment that, with some imagination, the participants, had the possibility to expand
could resemble what it might have looked like and deepen some parts of the game. One such
in Paris 1832. Even though the 360 larp defi- example was the characters that we now could
nitely had the advantage of being more visual- transform from short, stereotypical roles with
ly immersive, it also presented us with a whole a few relationships into much more complex
new sets of challenges. The black box version and living characters. The new characters did
of the barricade, which consisted of a few ta- not only get a more developed background
bles and chairs, would not be enough in a 360 and personality, they also got a core group and
environment. We had to build not one, but a social context to belong to and at least five
two barricades big enough to cut o the area pre-written relationships.
in a sufficient way, realistic enough to work It was interesting to see how some of the
with the visual standards we set up for our- game techniques evolved when the players got
selves, and stable enough to actually be able to more time to play around with them. One ex-
climb on and fight around. ample was the technique called the ghost of the
The fighting scenes were another thing we fallen friends, which was mentioned above. In
had to develop a lot. In the black box they were the black box scenario, these have always been
played out with a few guns and sometimes played as traditional shadows. When put into
some latex makeshift weapons (like stones a 360 environment however, they turned into
and cudgels). However, when the player group a much more complex ghost character. They
expanded and the fights were supposed to be went beyond the whisper stu into the other
longer and more realistic, some changes need- players ears-thing and created actual scenes
ed to be made. Luckily, we were blessed with of their own; singing, crying, running through
a squad of amazing NPC:s and helpers who the whole play area while loudly laughing and
pulled all stops and filled the place with smoke even re-enacting their own death scenes.
grenades, custom made rifles, and even a can- Another example was the letters we pro-
non for the big finale. vided in both the black box scenario as well as
One of our greatest challenges was to tell in the 360 game. In the black box game, the
the same story in 24 hours as we had told in 1,5 letters was a minor thing we threw in to cre-
hours. Although the black box larp contained ate a sense of an outside world and to provide
time jumps, which meant that the dramatic some extra motivation. We wrote a few letters
curve of both games was the same, there were that were delivered to some of the characters
still a lot more hours of larping that needed to halfway through the game. In these, their fam-
be filled with interesting things for the larpers ilies informed them of how the revolution
to do and play on. The intensity of a black box happening inside the barricades aected the
scenario is not only a huge advantage in our outside world. For the 360 game we let the
particular case, but with the short larp format players write letters of their own and send
overall. It was a lot of hard work to transfer them out from the barricades, letters which
the games intensity to a longer game. We did an organiser, helper or an NPC responded to
our best to infuse the characters with relation- and sent back in. This was supposed to be a
ships, political and personal goals, conflicts, small feature, a way to give the characters sto-
dreams and fears. On top of that, we provided ry some more spice and depth. This however,
a group of NPC:s on set oering everything grew more than we had expected. All done and
from moral decreasing speeches to outright said, around 150 letters had been sent back and
attacks. Despite our eorts, the 360 game still forth. The organisers and the helpers had to
had some downtime for many of the players. spend a huge amount of time writing these,
However, longer play time was not only a but it also turned out to be a very practical way
disadvantage. It also meant that we, as well as

353
to get some insight into where the dierent Lend, borrow and steal shamelessly. Boer
characters were in their stories. will work just as well in a black box as it does
in a forest and hand gestures used for vampir-
Conclusions ic disciplines could easily be modified into a
supernatural meta technique made specifical-
There are a lot of conclusions that can be
ly for your game. Why limit yourself to only
made from our experience with transforming
borrow from other larp styles? We used light
a larp from one format to another. We will, in
and sound inspired by stage performances and
this section, present some tips, which can be
some workshops used in the world of improv
applied to any larp designing process, but was
as well. Think outside the box and you will be
specifically useful during our work in larp for-
greatly rewarded.
mat transformation.
Start small. If you have an idea in mind
which you would like to realise in several larp
formats, start with the one which requires
the least eort. We decided to start out with Bibliography
a black box scenario before doing a 360 game, Hugo, Victor. Les Misrables. Penguin books Ltd: 1862
but in the end, it is all about what you are com-
fortable with. An option could be to test out
dierent aspects of the game in dierent con-
texts. Why not try out the story you want to
Ludography
tell with your tabletop role playing group and Gthberg, Rosalind and Wei, Eva. Beyond the
some meta techniques with your local improv barricades. Sweden: 2015 & 2016
class before setting up a black box game? The
Schnberg, Claude-Michel, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc
more time you get to try out your ideas, the
Natel, Herbert Kretzmer and James Fenton. Les
better will your games become, so the more Misrables. Musical. Paris, France: 1980
you try, the better.
Never kill your darlings. A design choice Elofsson, Alma and Mimmi Melkersson Lundkvist.
that might not fit your current larp format Heder eller olika stt att jvlas. Sweden: 2016
could bring great benefits to another. Write all
your ideas down and return to them from time Elofsson, Alma and Mimmi Melkersson Lundkvist.
to time, especially at the beginning of a new Lindngens Riksinternat. Sweden: 2013-2016
project. Sooner or later they could probably be
used to improve another incarnation of your Gamero, Frida, Sofia Stenler and Annica Strand. Debt
and deliverance. Sweden: 2014
game.
Trust your players. Your players are an in-
Gamero, Frida, Sofia Stenler and Annica Strand. Last
finite source of inspiration. They will take Will. Sweden: 2014 & 2015
your story, your techniques and your ideas and
twist them in the most unimaginable ways and
directions. Some of them will be great, and
others less so. Create a game where the play-
ers have the opportunity to play with the tools
that you have provided. Watch them closely as
they play around with the tools you have giv-
en them. If they do something great, incorpo-
rate it in your game. If not, maybe they will do
something else that will work in another larp
format?

354
 Beyond Playing to Lose and Narrativism
[character moment]
Playing for aesthetics
The starry night was cold
and the mens low singingJeppe & Maria Bergmann Hamming
rose from the tent. Her
choice was made: She
Introduction
would buy free the slave stated here would also be appropriate to lay
down on freeform games, black box games
Infrom the community,
the larp Jarl. At anywecost.
often discuss
and other similar genres. It might be less the
what kind of experiences we are looking for
case for more traditional tabletop role-play-
in a game. We talk about ideals of behaviour
ing games, which are not the main subject of
during larp as a way of aligning how we de-
this paper, but feel free to lay down the same
sign our scenarios and play our games. We
thoughts on these games if it provides you
talk about whether we are trying to tell a
with meaningful insight.
story, playing a game that can be won, and
[Avawe
whether Hennel, Zeit
are playing der in a con-
characters GNS-Theory
sistent and
Legenden] immersive way, as described
The GNS-theory has been described and dis-
in the Three way model over 10 years ago
cussed at length already, so here we will just
(Bckman 2003; Kim 2008).
give a brief outline of it based on Bckman
We have in the nordic larp scene also been
2003, Kim 2008, since it plays a part in the
operating within the concept of playing to
discussion of this article. GNS is based on
lose, where the ideal for the participant in
the Three way/Threefold model, with some
larp games is to seek better drama by playing
slight variations, and it seeks to describe how
to lose as in opposition to playing to win.
players interact within larps or other RPGs
In this article, we propose an alternative
by the use of the following ideal ways of in-
way to view the experience of larping, both
teracting with the game.
as[character
a designer and participant. We propose
moment]
that we should seek not to design for either Gamism is expressed by competition
of the three GNS-principles1 within a playing among participants and not just their
to lose idiom, but instead we should seek to characters. Where the real people
Battlestar
design and playPegasus
for authentichadaesthetic expe- behind the characters seek to win or
arrived,
riences. we were about make the others lose.
toInevacuate.
the article, Iwesent
willthe
argue that larps
Simulationism is expressed by the
civilians to
contribution their
as an death:
art form is to be found in
players being greatly concerned with
Please
this approach.wait in thelarp
We believe Mess,
can contribute
the internal logic and experiential
inwe
enriching us with truly
will evacuate yougreat experiences
consistency of the exploration of their
and take a unique position in the domain of
shortly. roles. We also call this immersion.
art and entertainment, if we move beyond
the GNS-way of approaching larp. Narrativism is expressed by the cre-
ation, via role-playing, of a story with
Larp
a recognisable theme. The players see
This article discusses live action role-play- themselves as co-authors and focus
ing (larp) as understood as games where the on the overall story above the goals of
[Specialist Roger
participants physically act out actions of one their character or the consistency of
Eddison,
or more Projekt
characters Exodus]
that they play. Everything the character.

1 Gamism, Simulationism or Narrativism. See further down for definition.

357
to get some insight into where the dierent [character
Lend, borrow and stealmoment]
shamelessly. Boer
characters were in their stories. will work just as well in a black box as it does
in a forest and hand gestures used for vampir-
Conclusions ic disciplines could easily be modified into a
supernaturalI screamed through
meta technique made specifical-
There are a lot of conclusions that can be
ly for yourclosed lips,limit
game. Why theyourself
smell ofto only
made from our experience with transforming
a larp from one format to another. We will, in
borrow from myother
ownlarpblood driving
styles? We used light
and sound adrenaline
inspired by stage performances and
through
this section, present some tips, which can be
some workshops used in the
my veins. Too late, worldIof improv
applied to any larp designing process, but was
as well. Think outside the box and you will be
specifically useful during our work in larp for- realised my mistake;
greatly rewarded.
mat transformation. this girl could really kill
Start small. If you have an idea in mind me.
which you would like to realise in several larp
formats, start with the one which requires
the least eort. We decided to start out with Bibliography
a black box scenario before doing a 360 game, Hugo, Victor. Les Misrables. Penguin books Ltd: 1862
but in the end, it is all about what you are com-
fortable with. An option could be to test out
dierent aspects of the game in dierent con-
texts. Why not try out the story you want to
Ludography
[Ksenia Volkov, College of
tell with your tabletop role playing group and Wizardry
Gthberg, Rosalind 5] Beyond the
and Wei, Eva.
some meta techniques with your local improv barricades. Sweden: 2015 & 2016
class before setting up a black box game? The
Schnberg, Claude-Michel, Alain Boublil, Jean-Marc
more time you get to try out your ideas, the
Natel, Herbert Kretzmer and James Fenton. Les
better will your games become, so the more Misrables. Musical. Paris, France: 1980
you try, the better.
Never kill your darlings. A design choice Elofsson, Alma and Mimmi Melkersson Lundkvist.
that [character
might not fitmoment]
your current larp format Heder eller[character moment]
olika stt att jvlas. Sweden: 2016
could bring great benefits to another. Write all
your ideas down and return to them from time Elofsson, Alma and Mimmi Melkersson Lundkvist.
to time, especially at the beginning of a new Lindngens Riksinternat. Sweden: 2013-2016
Id Sooner
project. left toorfind
laterher
they could probably be Am I going crazy? Is
usedcaptured, executed,
to improve another incarnation of your he?
Gamero, Frida, SofiaHe doesnt
Stenler MEAN
and Annica Strand. Debt
and deliverance. Sweden: 2014
to be violent, hes a
game.dead. They took me
Trust
back your players. Your
in chains andplayers are an in- good guy. I look out
Gamero, Frida, Sofia Stenler and Annica Strand. Last
finite source of inspiration. They will take
tears. Said I was a of the
Will. Sweden: 2014 &window.
2015 On a
your story, your techniques and your ideas and tiny pyre in the snow
twisttraitor, deserved
them in the to die, ways and
most unimaginable
neverSomereborn. Likewill
her.be great, and I glimpse my slowly
directions. of them
others less so. Create a game where the play-
burning shoes. Now
ers have the opportunity to play with the tools she cannot walk away.
that you have provided. Watch them closely as
they play around with the tools you have giv-
en them. If they do something great, incorpo-
rate it in your game. If not, maybe they will do
something else that will work in another larp
format? [Celeste, Krigshjrta V] [Frida/Annabel, PAN]

354
 Beyond Playing to Lose and Narrativism
Playing for aesthetics
Jeppe & Maria Bergmann Hamming

Introduction stated here would also be appropriate to lay

down on freeform games, black box games
In the larp community, we often discuss
and other similar genres. It might be less the
what kind of experiences we are looking for
case for more traditional tabletop role-play-
in a game. We talk about ideals of behaviour
ing games, which are not the main subject of
during larp as a way of aligning how we de-
this paper, but feel free to lay down the same
sign our scenarios and play our games. We
thoughts on these games if it provides you
talk about whether we are trying to tell a
with meaningful insight.
story, playing a game that can be won, and
whether we are playing characters in a con- GNS-Theory
sistent and immersive way, as described
The GNS-theory has been described and dis-
in the Three way model over 10 years ago
cussed at length already, so here we will just
(Bckman 2003; Kim 2008).
give a brief outline of it based on Bckman
We have in the nordic larp scene also been
2003, Kim 2008, since it plays a part in the
operating within the concept of playing to
discussion of this article. GNS is based on
lose, where the ideal for the participant in
the Three way/Threefold model, with some
larp games is to seek better drama by playing
slight variations, and it seeks to describe how
to lose as in opposition to playing to win.
players interact within larps or other RPGs
In this article, we propose an alternative
by the use of the following ideal ways of in-
way to view the experience of larping, both
teracting with the game.
as a designer and participant. We propose
that we should seek not to design for either Gamism is expressed by competition
of the three GNS-principles1 within a playing among participants and not just their
to lose idiom, but instead we should seek to characters. Where the real people
design and play for authentic aesthetic expe- behind the characters seek to win or
riences. make the others lose.
In the article, we will argue that larps
Simulationism is expressed by the
contribution as an art form is to be found in
players being greatly concerned with
this approach. We believe larp can contribute
the internal logic and experiential
in enriching us with truly great experiences
consistency of the exploration of their
and take a unique position in the domain of
roles. We also call this immersion.
art and entertainment, if we move beyond
the GNS-way of approaching larp. Narrativism is expressed by the cre-
ation, via role-playing, of a story with
Larp
a recognisable theme. The players see
This article discusses live action role-play- themselves as co-authors and focus
ing (larp) as understood as games where the on the overall story above the goals of
participants physically act out actions of one their character or the consistency of
or more characters that they play. Everything the character.

1 Gamism, Simulationism or Narrativism. See further down for definition.

357
 This does not mean that a person or a ring to whether the experience, concept or
game has to be 100 % gamist, but that par- thing at hand is in fact the true original, and
ticipants could follow strategies that have iconicity to whether it looks like what it tries
a weight towards one of these three direc- to give an authentic experience of being.
tions. Likewise, the game could be designed So something indexical authentic, like an
to underline one of these ways of playing. In original document, could be iconically not
reality, we often see some participants hav- authentic, if time has changed it so much
ing a focus on immersing in their characters, that it does not any longer look like the doc-
while others are focusing on the overall nar- ument would originally have looked.
rative. Benjamins concept of authenticity could
be seen as indexicality, but in the context of
Playing to lose
art the question is not so much whether it
The playing to lose idiom is a part of what is the historical original experience, concept
we usually call the nordic larp tradition, or thing, but rather whether it is something
where the ideal is to seek to play for the best that is not only a work of art, but is also
dramatic solution in favour of winning the unique in time and space.
game. It could be seen as a narrativist ap- Now, one could ask why it is even rele-
proach and statement against a gamistic vant to discuss whether something is unique
playstyle. in time and space when it comes to art and
larp. To understand this, we need to look at
Art, authenticity and aesthetics
why Benjamin discusses the question of au-
The German cultural critic Walter Benjamin thenticity at all.
presented in 1936 in a famous essay called In the 30s we saw the real power of mass
The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Re- communication for the first time, the proto
production (Benjamin 1968) how we could example is the propaganda of the German
see the role of art in a time of mass media Nazi regime, but it was with radio and tele-
and mass communication. vision mass communication really moved in
Benjamin argued that art had shifted and on politics, art, consumptionin all parts of
changed with the modern times and mod- our lives we were met with mass communi-
ern ways of producing and reproducing art, cation. And if we skip forward to modern
and we therefore needed to revisit how we days, it is truer than ever. We watch the same
understand art and the role of art. He states movies all over the world, we read the same
that the techniques of reproduction (as for books, we listen to the same music. Unsur-
example music is reproduced in recordings, prisingly, the issue of the consequences of
movies are reproduced on film, images are this remain, and we find the same question
reproduced through printing) and the con- of the impact of this hypermediated reality
cept of authenticity is central in understand- in the works of Baudrillard (1994)we as
ing what was happening to art. As Benjamin humans end up finding ourselves in a world
wrote: of signs referring other signs but losing their
connection to what they signify, what is ac-
Even the most perfect reproduction of
tually real.
a work of art is lacking in one element:
In Negative Dialectis (Adorno 1973) Ador-
its presence in time and space, its unique
no works with the problem of subjectivism
existence at the place where it happens to
and objectivism. The problem is that science,
be. (Benjamin 1968)
artactually all knowledge productionhas
The understanding of authenticity in this fallen in the trap of either idealism or pos-
context is somewhat dierent from what we itivism. That we either concern ourselves
usually understand by the term authentic. As only with the concepts of things, with the
Grayson and Martinec (2004) argues, we will language and metaphysicsyou could call
normally understand authenticity as either this the hyperreal aspect of knowledge to
indexicality or iconicity. Indexicality refer- use Baudrillards termsor we concern our-

358
selves only with what we believe to be the world around us. Adorno, Horkheimer and
objective state of things. Philosophy since Benjamin are really saying that we need art
Hegel had believed that it was possible to that creates authentic aesthetic experiences
synthesise these two aspects, with the con- that do what the wonderful tree in bloom
tinuing improvement of our knowledge and doesstops us from being caught up in our
understanding of the world. concepts, seeing trees as only manifestations
Adorno argues that the subjective and of a concept, and instead see that this trees
objective can never fully be the same. The splendour can never truly be identified. The
objective world is made up of instances of concept of tree is non-identical to the real-
events, people and things that are unique ity of this specific tree. Through authentic
in space and time, but the concepts of our aesthetic experiences we can challenge the
subjective understanding of the world seek subjective and achieve a dierent kind of ex-
to understand them through abstract and perience.
general terms. Therefore, we will always And this is exactly the role of art in the
have a discrepancy between the two and we view of Adorno, Horkheimer and Benjamin.
should seek to see and acknowledge these That art can instead on one hand utilise aes-
dierences, since they are sources of a bet- thetics, concepts and symbols that reference
ter understanding of the world. We should meaning from our subjective understanding
let the objective world set itself through and of the world, and at the same time situate it-
break our subjective understandings of the self uniquely in time and space. This causes
worldshattering some of the hyperreal. the concepts to be juxtaposed with objective
And towards this goal, aesthetics have instances of reality, that will give an expe-
a central role. In Dialectic of Enlightenment rience of negative dialectics, moving our
(1972) Adorno and Horkheimer argue that understanding of the objective and the sub-
the history of mankind is also the history jective. And this is what we in the scope of
of how we have tried to dominate nature, this article understand as authentic aesthetic
or the objective world, through the use of experiences.
concepts. We try to create identity between
Aesthetics and GNS-theory
our subjective concepts about the world and
the actual world. This causes an alienation So how do authentic aesthetic experiences
within the modern human, that we have dif- relate to larp and to GNS-theory? We believe
ficulties relating to this world, and we end up that larp holds a unique potential in this
believing that we are in control of things that area and that unlocking this potential is best
we do not really control. done by not thinking in GNS-terms, but in
Adorno and Horkheimer give us an ex- terms of aesthetics instead.
ample of a beautiful tree in bloom, and The unique potential of larp in regards
how when we see this tree it is something to authentic experiences is that the larp ex-
unique and beautiful in time and space. But perience truly is an event that is unique in
as we signify it by calling it a tree, or a tree both space and time. We all probably had the
in bloom, or no matter how many words we experience of going to a concert with an art-
use, we reduce it from its full unique splen- ist whose music we listened to for years and
dour to something that is not the same, but getting a much bigger experience at the con-
we insist that it is. cert. This arises from a set of circumstances
When art is only reproduction it invol- like:
untarily upholds an identity of the concepts
The rituals around the concert
with something that it is not. We end up
consuming art that is but references to ref- The preparations we do that build
erences, as described by Baudrillard, and anticipation
thus we do not get experiences that show us
The exact songs the artist chooses to
the shortcomings of our concepts and lan-
perform
guage and redefines how we understand the

359
 How the artist performs on the day tenth time, or Hell on Wheels that has run six
times, or the many freeform games from for
Who we are at the concert with
example Fastaval that are played perhaps fif-
If something special happens, like teen times during the convention and played
a guest appearance or something again and again at other conventions. And
random still if you brought all the players from all the
runs together, they would have had unique
All these things build this event up to be
experiences. Even when we make games con-
something unique in time and space and not
tain historical characters or historical events
just a record you could put on any other day.
that we know of, they will be something dif-
The cinema has a lot less chance of be-
ferent every time, giving new experiences,
ing something truly memorable. The movie
but at the same time working with a lot of
might be, but unless the movie experience
the same concepts as the other runs of the
is tied to somebody special you went there
game. In this way, the ideas we have around
with, we will wager that you cant place great
some concept, whether it is romantic love as
cinema movie experiences nearly as well as
in Romeo and Juliet or it is the events that
you can place and remember your great con-
unfolded unleashing the First World War or
cert experiences.
something entirely dierent, we as partici-
Theatre has some of the same qualities as
pants have our own unique experience.
the cinema, but when you go watch a play, it
When we discuss our experience with
will be actors you might not know, and they
others we discover the dierences and the
might do something special that evening, or
similaritiesforcing us to think about our
perhaps alter the scenography of the play to
experiences. It is exactly here we find larps
reinterpret the play and give it relevance in
true contribution as art. Larp has the poten-
the current historical context.
tial of creating aesthetic experiences that
When going to a concert or in the theatre,
are unique in time and space. And to do this
the music or the lines might also be deliv-
again and again. With all the same tools that
ered in such a special and beautiful way that
theatre, music or literature has at hand, but
they will forever imprint themselves in your
with an added potential for these unique ex-
mind. We think most people have had these
periences where the stories and characters
experiences, where the aesthetics of the ex-
take you places you had not imagined when
perience are so breathtaking that you cannot
the game started. Of course literature, the-
identify the event with what you expected.
atre, cinema, sculptural art and all the other
It is not just another run of Hamlet. You
arts produce unique experiences. In, for ex-
saw the exact play where the great mono-
ample, your specific reading of a book, you
logue was delivered in a way that you could
have your own unique experience and in-
not keep yourself from crying. This happens
terpretation but this still has a lot less levels
with movies as well, that you have very beau-
of freedom than a larp has when it comes to
tiful experiences, but the ephemeral expe-
making the fiction and the participant come
riences, where you see something and then
together and form an experience.
it is forever gone, has the basis of forming
On the other hand, larp does not in any
much greater impact.
way have the same possibility of ensuring
In larp, we have the perfect frame for set-
that the sound of the music is just precisely
ting these kind of experiences. Every larp is
right, or the wording of a line is delivered in
by design new every time. Dierent stories
just the right way. This is the nature of larp,
will form, dierent things will be said, char-
that it gives freedom to produce something
acters will be interpreted dierently making
truly unique but at the same time if too
each run of a larp a set of unique experi-
much freedom is given it might ruin the aes-
ences. Even when we rerun larps, as is done
thetics of the experiences by the story or the
with for example College of Wizardry that, as
characters not coming together in a mean-
this is written, is running for the ninth and
ingful way.

360
 And what we are really trying to do when a much greater scene than we had been able
we operate within a GNS-theory paradigm to think up before the game.
is to use these three ways of understanding
Designing and playing for aesthetics
what is happening during a larp to navigate
Or how we do larp magic
our experiences. We propose that instead
of thinking in terms of winning, immersing These authentic aesthetic experiences are
in the character, or getting the overall story what we sometimes have called larp mag-
right, that we aim towards creating authen- ic. The moment when something magical-
tic aesthetic scenes. If we focus too hard on ly happens that makes perfect sense in the
the narrative, we tend to reproduce our ideas game but we never thought up front would
of how the story should go. We are falling in happen. When two unlikely characters fall
the trap of idealism, as Adorno would put it. in love, or the husband turns up at just the
The narrativist approach would have a ten- right moment to find the infidel couple, or it
dency to recreate the stereotypical stories turns out that you can be saved from a terri-
we know from movies and books and in that ble predicament and nobody knew, not even
way lose connection with the authentic part your saviour, that this was in fact possible,
of the situation. On the other hand, immers- but all of a sudden all the right people came
ing in the character might work in exactly together.
the same way, where we get lost in our idea All of us who have experienced these mo-
of how the character would act instead of ments know that they are really what we
seizing the possibilities that the meeting be- breathe and long for. It is these moments
tween character and narrative gives us. The that we end up talking about afterwards,
writings on steering in The Knudepunkt 2015 where we feel that something unique hap-
Companion Book (Nielsen and Raasted, 2015) pened that we could not have played out
has pointed out the 100 % immersive experi- with a manuscript or read in a book.
ence isnt really a practical reality. Here we will outline some simple guide-
In regards to gamism we should not think lines we use for creating these experiences
in terms of whether it is right or wrong to both as designers and participants:
win or lose, but instead in terms of what
1. Larp needs degrees of freedom
could create a great scene. Actually, the ga-
mist parts of RPG has created very good 2. Larp needs the excitement of the
tools for creating exactly what we are trying unknown
to motivate for in this article. The great thing
3. Larp needs beauty
about dice in RPG-games is in fact the pos-
sibility of introducing something random, 4. Larpers need to breathe and dive
that pushes the story in new direction and
creates epic moments of high and low. This Larp needs degrees of freedom
is why we remember those moments where
We hold the following as our central design
the die came out as a twenty, and something
idiom: We believe that larp lives o of free-
epic happened, or as a one and something
dom for the participants and for the story to
surprisingly bad happened. Certainly, the
move and shift. Without freedom, we do not
dice often get in the way of creating the great
get the authentic experiences, we just get a
scenes, when the super villain dies to early or
reproduction of ideas. You can suocate a
a character that is supposed to appear com-
larp or a larper, and therefore we believe that
petent keeps on failing in everything. Which
you should never tie both story and charac-
is why we should of course not copy it direct-
ters down. When we do this, we move into
ly from classical RPG to freeform or larp, but
the land of theatre, and in reality larpers
only be inspired in what it can do for us to
are typically not great actors but great co-
have moments of something random, where
creators. When playing, we as larpers should
something we did not plan happened and it
strive to not decide up front what should
turned the entire story around and made for

361
happen in detail and we should not discuss jects in detail here and you might not use all
scenes in such great detail that we kill them. these eects in your larp, but a larp should
If we insist on remaining true to characters be a beautiful experience and it should pro-
or a story we have decided up front, we rob vide the frame for letting wonderful scenes
ourselves of authentic experiences. emerge.
A part of this is also removing the ugly.
Larp needs the excitement of the unknown
Ugly is not only things that disturb the fic-
Following the above line of argument, the tional setting but also o-game negotiation.
great authentic scenes often come from When playing long larps, we should take time
having participants who do not know each to make sure that everybody is on the same
other upfront meet each other. We have dif- page as described below, but we should strive
ferent ideas of beautiful stories, and we have never to negotiate scenes during the larp.
dierent ways of enacting them, and when Our experience is that as soon as we start
bringing participants who do not know each discussing what would be good scenes to do
other together, we introduce a tension that next, we kill the larp. This happens because
has the potential of taking the stories and we move away from the land of seizing the
characters to new places. This should be larp magic and instead try to convince oth-
moderated by clear communication about ers from a subjective point of view. It ends up
expectations, and is in our experience best causing some to feel that they are not heard,
with a mixture of people who know each and that the scene will just be a dull theatre
other up front and people who do not know scene since we already have decided every-
each other. Also we believe that we should thing. Well-designed larps provide ways of
not hold back from concerns about whether very quick negotiation, if any.
what we are doing in a larp perfectly fits the
Larpers need to breathe and dive
characters and the narrative up until now.
As in real life, our characters can do things To actually make beautiful scenes happen,
that might not make sense or that we cant we believe that it is very beneficial for both
defend consistently, but it ends up creating larp and larpers, especially in games of more
a beautiful scene and we can always figure than just a few hours, to breathe and dive. By
out later why it made sense. Real life tends to this we mean that instead of trying to decide
work in the same way. up front what should happen in the full story
unfolding over several days, or try to get so
Larp needs beauty
much into character that we can uphold it
Beauty is quite an extensive subject, and for days, we should instead set out to aim for
the question of aesthetics in larp has been some scenes we think could be interesting.
discussed in detail by for example Stenros We might have talked about them up front,
(2013). What we aim for here is that we dont or come up with the idea on our own. Then
only want to create random and unique we try to immerse into these scenes, dive
scenes, we want to create memorable scenes as far down as we can, feel and act on what
that surprise us and show us that humans makes sense and what could be fun, and
and stories can unfold in surprising ways. At then resurface and breathe. Consider where
the same time, we want the experience to be it would be great to go and if we can set the
somewhat consistent. This is not an excuse next great scenes up on our own, then dive
to not design the details of the experience, as back in and live them out. We aim for mo-
when we go to a concert, we need the atmo- ments or perhaps even hours of immersion,
sphere, the mood, the visuals and the music then briefly think about where the narrative
played to come together. This connects to is going and what opportunities have arisen
everything from scenography over music, in the game, seize them and see where they
costumes, the language we use, how we play, take us. By not deciding too much up front,
and how we make the story come together we leave space for the game to take us plac-
in the end. We will not cover all these sub- es we couldnt imagine, and by steering and

362
forcing ourselves to reflect, we make sure often are present on a multitude of commu-
that we dont get lost in the characters or the nication channels and bombarded by a thou-
story but focus on creating great moments sand dierent messages. We want larp to be
instead. the tool to make us more present than ever
This approach is from our point of view in the now.
radically dierent from narrativism, immer-
sion, and playing to lose. It is about playing BIBLIOGRAPHY
for the great scenes and seizing the mo-
ments. Adorno, Theodor W., Negative Dialectics. Abingdon,
Playing to lose can in fact be very hurtful United Kingdom: Routledge. 1973
for the game, since first of all we should, as Adorno, Theodor W. and Max Horkheimer. Dialectic
we have argued, not decide our story arc up of Enlightenment. New York, USA: Herder &
front but let it have room to live. When too Herder. 1972
many strive to lose we end up hurting the Back, Jon. The Cutting Edge of Nordic Larp.
game, just as we can hurt the game if we in- Copenhagen, Denmark: Toptryk Grafisk. 2014
sist on winning. But it is definitely okay for
Baudrillard, Jean. Simulacra and Simulation.
your character to win, if that is what ended Michigan,USA: University of Michigan Press.
up making sense as the game played out. We 1994
know that the playing to lose term has been
Benjamin, Walter. The Work of Art in the Age of
important towards moving the larp commu-
Mechanical Reproduction, In Illuminations.
nity in direction of focusing not only on our Edited by Hannah Arendt. London, United
own experience but now we believe time has Kingdom: Fontana. 1968
come to focus on doing great moments in-
Bckman, Peter. The Three Way Model : Revision
stead of losing. of the Threefold Model. In When Larp Grows
Larp as emancipatory art UpTheory and Methods in Larp. Edited by
Morten Gade, Line Thorup and Mikkel Sander.
This article has hopefully shown a theoret- Frederiksberg, Denmark: Projektgruppen KP03.
ical fundament and normative vision for 2003
where we want to take larp, and where it in Edwards, Jon. GNS and Other Matters of Role-playing
some cases already is. We believe that larp Theory. The Forge. 2001 [date of access 27/11-
has an emancipatory potential as art. Eman- 2016] http://www.indie-rpgs.com/articles/1/
cipatory in the sense that it can potentially Grayson, Kent and Radan Martinec. Consumer
create the frames for making the subjective Perceptions of Iconicity and Indexicality and
and objective challenge each other, it makes Their Influence on Assessments of Authentic
great and unique experiences possible. And Market Oerings. In Journal of Consume
these experiences can challenge the way Research. 2004
we understand ourselves, history and the Kim, John. The threeford model FAQ. 2008 [date of
motivations of others. This article has pro- access 13/11-2016] http://www.darkshire.net/
vided some tools for designing for this and jhkim/rpg/theory/threefold/faq_larp.html
participating in these experiences. We hope Nielsen, Charles Bo and Claus . The Knudepunkt
that this will inspire you to either create the 2015 Companion Book. Copenhagen, Denmark:
frame for authentic aesthetic experiences for Rollespilsakademiet. 2015
your participants or to create them yourself
Stenros, Jaakko. Aesthetics of Action. 2013 [date
as a participant. We also believe that in this of access 13/11-2016] https://jaakkostenros.
time of more mass media production than wordpress.com/2013/10/28/aesthetics-of-action/
ever, that we as larp artists can create ex-
Stenros, Jaakko. Playfulness, Play and Games.
periences that make people reconnect with Tampere, Finland: Tampere University Press.
something authentic. This is not just a mis- 2015
sion to create great experiences for ourselves
and others, but also helping us and others be
present in the now in a world where we very

363
 An Invitation to Dance
Lorenzo Trenti

Dancing on the a war without quarter between franchises

Marvel Cinematic Universe versus DC, Star
edge of mainstream Wars versus Star Trek, Harry Potter versus
When I was a kid in the 80s, several of the The Hobbit, just to name a few. Many of these
hobbies and interests I shared with friends franchises come from comics or genre fiction
of mine were, to say the least, delicate mat- adaptations. As for role-playing games, table-
ters. Being into tabletop role-playing games top games are definitely played by a niche,
was considered, by some, an unsocial activity: while more and more spend a lot of time on
there was something strange if you gathered MMORPGS and computer games.
with other teens and told stories together. As What about larp? The hobby grows in num-
in the US and other nations, in Italywhere bers and its receiving more and more public
I liveRPGs had their share of critiques and awareness. Positive public awareness, I mean.
libels, even from detractors who barely knew All around the world, its common to find
what they were talking about. RPGs were sup- blockbuster larps made with high production
posed to turn away young people from reality values and professionally organised.
and even encourage suicides.1 And ... I wasnt ready. Looking in retrospect,
Comics were successful in sales but not re- I just wasnt ready for all of that. Suddenly, all
ally considered part of a cultural system. Fan- the hobbies of my childhood have become
tasy and sci-fi were read a lot, but by a niche of mainstream.
readers, and equally ignored by the majority. Mainstream is, of course, a slippery word
Larps came later, but were similar to tabletop that can have many meanings. In this context
role-playing games in public awareness: the it sums the fact that larp is no longer some-
fact that at the weekends you dress as a bare- thing mysterious that you always need to ex-
ly acceptable replica of an elf, and go into the plain when it pops into a conversation. The
woods to fight your friends with foam swords, average person already knows, more or less,
was not something youd tell anyone on a first what youre talking about. Probably he or she
date. Youd probably want to reveal your hob- has never taken part in a live action role-play-
bies to your love interest only when you were ing game, but surely has a friend or a colleague
sure they wouldnt think you were nuts. whos into this sort of thing. And, most im-
Thirty years later, things have changed portantly, the average person thinks that larp
considerably. The movie industry is home to sounds a bit bizarre but surely cool.

1 See www.gdr2.org. Authors own directory. In Italian.

364
 Of course, Im generalising. But still, I attract players, youre basically bound to the
wasnt ready to be cool. weak version. If you dont, the consequence
could be that a team of lawyers will be sent
Dancing on to your door by a big corporation to sue you
for copyright infringement. Luckily, compa-
someone elses soil nies can copyright only names, characters and
One of the things that strikes me most about brands, andat least til todaythey cant
the time were living in is the fact that the in- cover moods or atmospheres. Its easy to play
dustry is more and more taking possession of in a copyrighted setting with just the serial
our fictional worlds. Today, if you are a com- numbers scratched o. If youre clever, its just
pany and you have a propertybe it Game of a matter of subliminal allusions that you need
Thrones or The Hunger Gamesyou need to to send to your players.
look at it as a means to make money, and lots Even if you dont plan to design a larp in a
of it. These fictional franchises, from a capi- fictional franchise, our collective imagination
talistic point of view, must become the source is shaped by what we read, watch and experi-
of multimillionaire income, and to reach this ence. You can describe your medical larp in
goal they have to spread everywhere, occu- the style of Greys anatomy and expect play-
pying the largest part of space in our minds, ers to behave in some way, and this way will
hearts, language and daily routine. Characters be very dierent than what youd get in a larp
and stories must be recognisable and appear that portrays itself as a surreal comedy like
in movies, books, comics, costumes, posters, Scrubs.
t-shirts, toys, coee mugs, keychains and, of Is this dependence good? Is it bad? It is
course, games. somewhat inescapable, and so it must be han-
This colonisation aects our collective dled with care and, most important, aware-
imagination and has consequences on the ness. Its a fact that we put together our tales
larps we play and write. When you want to or- starting from other stories. We manipulate
ganise a larp, its easier if you describe it as an the existent, disassembling and reassembling
event set in a specific fictional world. If that characters and situations, and this is not
world is famous enough, you wont need a lot something new that we do thanks to wikisit
of time to explain the worlds premises, its dates back to the first stories in human history
mood and its social rules to the players. Its a told around a campfire. So its good as long as
useful shortcut that lets you skip this part and we use other stories as bricks; its not if with
concentrate on other elements of the game. those bricks are used to build not a trampoline
You can stick to the weak version of the for our own creativity but a prison.
statement: this larp is inspired by the novels Another important aspect is that now, mil-
of J. K. Rowling; if youll take part in the game lennia later, theres something dierent. The
youll have the chance to experience situations importance of a tale, or a character, is not de-
very similar to those of her characters. Or the termined by its capacity of being meaningful
hard one: this is a larp in the magical world to a community of people. The persistence of
of Harry Potter and well play characters taken a story may come directly from some market-
from the book. ing department, which has the duty to create
Of course, if you aim at a little larp played characters and situations that can be sold and
by just you and your friends, both versions monetised. A superhero might get a new cos-
work exquisitely well. However, if youre plan- tume, not because of a turning point in his
ning to organise a blockbuster larp with high personal story as chosen by a comic writer, but
production values and to publicly market it to because the merchandising needs a more var-

365
ied oer of plastic action figures. be said about lighting and special eects, apps
The industrialisation of storytelling is very for smartphones, and so on.
similar to the industrialisation of food pro- We can, and will, have technological ad-
duction. The latter is a good thing if it allows vancements in larps, but thats the how we
more people to have a decent meal every day will play them, that wont alter why larps are
and raise children; it is not good if it makes fun and engaging. We play larps because they
unhealthy food, creates false needs and bad allow us to live stories and situations in a 1:1
habits, and loses sight of its purpose for com- scale, on a greater resolution than the most
mercial reasons. advanced screen. Larps put us in contact with
In the context of larps, we are faced with other people on a physical, mental and social
very similar choices. We can delve into the level. Larps let us make experiences that inter-
funny side of the entertainment industry, and twine with real life and real emotions.
get ideas to make our own original, nourish- As of today, theres something that larp can
ing events; or we can just passively adhere to give us and we couldnt find anywhere else: its
stories that other chose for us, and become no proximity. In a world where travels and media
more than a passive audience. Im not imply- have virtually deleted (or strongly weakened)
ing that a larp set in a franchised world is in- the concept of distance, we still stick to play-
herently bad while one in an original setting is ing with real people, real bodies, and in real
inherently good, though. Im just pointing out situations. In doing that, we are re-appropriat-
that its time to resist massification. The risk ing human contact. It is authentic and maybe
of transforming our own games into an oblivi- a bit unexpected.
ous tool for someone elses marketing is always In the past times we invented trains, cars,
present. Especially now that larps and games planes and motorways that let us cover great
are becoming mainstream and recognisable, distances in a very short time. But still humans
now that they are cool, we should always be feel the need to walk to places, go trekking in
aware of whats at stake. We must consider the woods, experience the joy of reaching the
that we, as a community of designers, have a top of a mountain with their own eort and
collective responsibility to make meaningful fatigue. And, guess what? Walking is also more
larps for our society. healthy, and makes us feel good on multiple
levels. Science says that if you dont make
regular physical exercise, you risk a lot of
Dancing in proximity serious illnesses.
Its the same with larps. We have to keep
If you think about it, larp is a strange new me-
in mind that we are making our own enter-
dia made with old techniques. It doesnt rely
tainment. Thats an important part of life,
on technological advancements and it could
for us and for all the people in our proximity,
have been played in ancient times. In fact,
and we cant just let big companies have full
we have historical evidence that something
control over it. Playing larps is a creative act
similar to larp was indeed played centuries
of resistance.
ago (Stark, 2012).
Being able to write character sheets and
contact players with the aid of modern tech-
But resistance against what?
nology is of course useful, and you can employ In the last years, the concept of gamification
with great profit new materials to make foam is getting more and more relevant in a lot of
weapons that are both realistic and completely dierent contexts (economy, politics, etc.).
safe. None of those things are, however, strict- Gamification is often defined as using game
ly mandatory to have a larp, and the same can elements outside of a game environment.

366
(Detering, 2012) The concept is starting to Playing as an act of creative resistance,
have its critical analysis, and the most surpris- playing in the same logic of a gift made to oth-
ing thing that is being said about it, particular- ers around us, makes the world less centred on
ly from a gamers point of view, is that gamifi- money transactions and more on people. That
cation isnt always a good thing. being said, as larps are becoming mainstream
The risk here is not that were putting and recognisable, theyre also more and more
fun into boring things like jobs, but that a possible source of income for someone. And
were trying to overly optimise processes thats a good thing: if a lot of people get paid
and by doing that we spoil them of their for producing good larps, there will be more
authentical feeling. good larps around. Maybe theres also room
This is how Matteo Bittanti, famed italian for a larp to become part of a transmedial
researcher, argues about this topic. propertya media between other media, like
a franchised event.
Gamification promises autonomy, emanci-
The line here isnt merely between profes-
pation, fun and full self-fulfillment by way
sional organisations that make money with
of playful activities, but still reduces the
larps and no-profit, little amateurish larps. Its
individual to a mere vector of the dominant
what we will make of our own games. Are we
ideology Jane McGonigal asserts that
going to design games that are still meaning-
game deletes every distinction between work
ful? Please note, Im not talking about blatant
and free time, redeeming the individual
civic themes. It doesnt necessarily have to
and making him autonomous, creative and
be a larp about refugees or the condition of
participatory. But in reality this heavily-bu-
minorities: a good classical fantasy larp can
reaucratised machinery tends to accentuate
equally tell us something about humans. Just
the subordinate condition of the subject,
keep in mind all the important things that we
enslaving him to a technocratic system. A
can give each other with this hobby, and lets
possible antidote to the neo-bureaucratisa-
go on together shaping the brightest future
tion of daily life is spontaneous playing.
for larp.
Not gamification, but its opposite: a playful
Just keep dancing.
activity, free from rules, prizes and competi-
tion (Bittanti, 2016) Sposi, amici, al ballo! al gioco!
Alle mine date foco!
Whats the type of playing we have in mind?
(Spouses and sweethearts, to dancing
What are the games (larps and not only larps)
and playing!
that can achieve authenticity?
And lets have some fireworks!)
The logic behind playing [] is very similar Le nozze di Figaro, Act IV, Scene 12.
to that of a gift. As in the gift, in playing
theres a detour from the logic of mercantile
equivalence [] Playing doesnt happen
outside of the realm of commodities []
It can work only as internal detour to the
same, irreversible process of commodification
[] It establishes a dierent potentiality of
meaning by using the same materials and
the same energies fielded by the commodifi-
cation process [] Like the gift, playing gives
birth to somethingsomething unexpected,
a free addition. (Carmagnola, 2006)

367
 Bibliography

Bittanti, Matteo and Emanuela Zilio. Oltre il gioco. Critica della ludicizzazione urbana.
Milano, Italia: Unicopli. 2016

Carmagnola, Fulvio, Il consumo delle immagini. Estetica e beni simbolici nella fiction
economy. Milano,Italia: Bruno Mondadori. 2006

Detering, Sebastian. From Game Design Elements to Gamefulness: Defining

Gamification, Gamification Research Network, Last modified april 23th, 2012,
http://gamification-research.org/2012/04/defining-gamification/

Stark, Lizzie, Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-
Playing Games, Chicago,US: Chicago Review Press, 2012

368
 Art and Larp art, installations and so on. This definition
is connected to art history and a specific art
Nina Runa
[character Essendrop
moment] community. Another definition of art in-
cludes a much broader range of disciplines
such as traditional theatre, movies, street art
INTRODUCTION and many other practices that share a goal of
You are my favourite entertaining or creating meaningful experi-
I amapprentice. Go survive
writing this article because I have, for ences transcending everyday life.
some years, experimented
the Grass Trials. You with pieces that in The meaning of the term art is continu-
dierent ways combine art and larp. I have ously being discussed. Today, there is no clear
have no choice anyway.
been exploring this through my own work, definition of what qualifies as art (Svendsen,
but especially by collaborating with artists 2003, p. 20). What is important today might
and being a helper or player in their pieces. no longer be the question What is art? but
It is an amazing field to work in with lots of What is good art? (Svendsen, p. 95)
experiences to explore. This article is about Not all art is good art. Framing something
the possibilities and challenges I see in com- as art is not a way of elevating it, it is a way of
bining art and larp. I want to provide some getting it interpreted in a specific way. Con-
relevant thoughts, theories and to share text matters for how we perceive our experi-
experiences usable for others who want to ences. Placing your work within an art con-
work [Maike, Witcher
with art and larp. School, text probably wont add value or importance,
I am
1stbasing this article3rd
plot thread, partly on my own
act] but it is a way to frame your creation and to
experience and collaborations with art- communicate your intentions. It is the dif-
ists, partly on conversations with generous ference between painting a wall blue because
artist friends and partly on art theory and it is a nice colour and painting it blue with an
the knowledge I got from studying theatre, artistic intention, or the dierence between
dance and performance at university. framing your actions as theatre or as histor-
I will start this article of with some art ical reenactment. It says something about
theory, focusing on the qualities in art which, why you do as you do and how spectators
for me, makes art meaningful to experience. should perceive your work.
This leads up to a part about the dierences My best definition of art so far is that it is
and[character moment]
similarities between larp and art. Then I a matter of context and intention. If you in-
will give some examples and thoughts on the tent to make art, this is what you will make.
dierent ways to combine larp and art. Final- Whether it is good art or not is an entirely
ly I will share some experiences concerning dierent matter and if no one besides you
Her last words to the
larp presented as art, and the dierent ways recognise your creation as being art, it might
one who
to including an left her in
audience tolarp.
die not matter what you call it.
alone; to her brother: Creating good or meaningful experiences
I really dont
WHAThateIS ART you, through art is a matter of skill for the artist
you know. She pulls the and of the personal preferences for the indi-
Art can be perceived
trigger. BAM. Itsas a over.
broad term cover- vidual spectator. And if you work within a
ing a wide range of human activities which more established art world, contextualising
have to do with creative and aesthetic man- your work in relation to past and present
ifestations. The term is connected to a long artworks and artistic practises, is also part of
history of art with changing definitions and the parameters on which your work will be
characteristics dierentiating it from other interpreted.
fields such as science or philosophy.
[Sod
Some (Soot),
think of art asSunshine
fine arts, which tra- The art world
ditionally only
Facility] included paintings, sculpting, While it might be fair to say that art is for
architecture and maybe music, but now is everyone and we each are entitled to our
broadly the kind of art that is shown at gal- own definitions, art is also a profession and
leries, including live art, performance, video an institution. The art world is the people

371
 [future of larp]
Bibliography
[future of larp]
I think larp will split more
Bittanti, Matteo and Emanuela Zilio. Oltre il gioco. Critica della ludicizzazione urbana.
Milano, Italia: Unicopli. 2016 into
I thinktwo directions.
larp will split Onemore
of art,
into twofocused moreOne
directions.
Carmagnola, Fulvio, Il consumo delle immagini.on artistic expression
ofEstetica
economy. Milano,Italia: Bruno Mondadori. 2006
art, e beni simbolici
focused nella fiction
more
of
onthe author
artistic than the
expression
Detering, Sebastian. From Game Design Elements
players
of the experienceand
author
to Gamefulness: than the
Defining
the other being aprilexact
players experienceand
Gamification, Gamification Research Network, Last modified 23th, 2012,
opposite. Commercial
http://gamification-research.org/2012/04/defining-gamification/
the other being exact
product
opposite. toCommercial
complement
Stark, Lizzie, Leaving Mundania: Inside the Transformative World of Live Action Role-
Playing Games, Chicago,US: Chicago Review computer
product games,
Press, 2012to complement
augmented/virtual
computer games, reality
games and your generic
augmented/virtual reality
events. So instead
games and your generic of
renting a Tesla
events. So instead of for a two
hour
renting drive, or arranging
a Tesla for a two
hour drive, or arranging

[character moment] a cave diving experience,

[character moment] you willdiving
a cave go to experience,
a larp. These
Its time to leave. My job is will become more
you will go to a larp.shallow,
These
done. God, I wantMy to be focused on replayability,
will become more shallow,
Its time to leave. jobone
is of low barrier
them! An activist. They
done. God, I want to be one ofcant focused on of entrance
replayability,
know. My activist.
world is They
a different (money), profitability
low barrier of entrance and
them! An cant scalability. The larp as we
one. Im not an artist. Maria, I
know. My world is a different (money), profitability and
was know/knew it between
scalability. The larp as we
one. thinking,
Im not anwe needMaria,
artist. a pressI
1990-2010 (lets say) will
contact. OK. Play it cool
was thinking, we need a press know/knew it between
now... But I...Play
OK.it cool disappear completely.
1990-2010 (lets say) will
contact. OK.
now... But I... OK. disappear completely.

[Maria Rank ,
The Artists]
[Maria Rank , [Petr, 34 years]
The Artists] [Petr, 34 years]

368
Petr, 34 years
Petr, 34 years
 Art and Larp art, installations and so on. This definition
is connected to art history and a specific art
Nina Runa Essendrop community. Another definition of art in-
cludes a much broader range of disciplines
such as traditional theatre, movies, street art
INTRODUCTION and many other practices that share a goal of
entertaining or creating meaningful experi-
I am writing this article because I have, for ences transcending everyday life.
some years, experimented with pieces that in The meaning of the term art is continu-
dierent ways combine art and larp. I have ously being discussed. Today, there is no clear
been exploring this through my own work, definition of what qualifies as art (Svendsen,
but especially by collaborating with artists 2003, p. 20). What is important today might
and being a helper or player in their pieces. no longer be the question What is art? but
It is an amazing field to work in with lots of What is good art? (Svendsen, p. 95)
experiences to explore. This article is about Not all art is good art. Framing something
the possibilities and challenges I see in com- as art is not a way of elevating it, it is a way of
bining art and larp. I want to provide some getting it interpreted in a specific way. Con-
relevant thoughts, theories and to share text matters for how we perceive our experi-
experiences usable for others who want to ences. Placing your work within an art con-
work with art and larp. text probably wont add value or importance,
I am basing this article partly on my own but it is a way to frame your creation and to
experience and collaborations with art- communicate your intentions. It is the dif-
ists, partly on conversations with generous ference between painting a wall blue because
artist friends and partly on art theory and it is a nice colour and painting it blue with an
the knowledge I got from studying theatre, artistic intention, or the dierence between
dance and performance at university. framing your actions as theatre or as histor-
I will start this article of with some art ical reenactment. It says something about
theory, focusing on the qualities in art which, why you do as you do and how spectators
for me, makes art meaningful to experience. should perceive your work.
This leads up to a part about the dierences My best definition of art so far is that it is
and similarities between larp and art. Then I a matter of context and intention. If you in-
will give some examples and thoughts on the tent to make art, this is what you will make.
dierent ways to combine larp and art. Final- Whether it is good art or not is an entirely
ly I will share some experiences concerning dierent matter and if no one besides you
larp presented as art, and the dierent ways recognise your creation as being art, it might
to including an audience in larp. not matter what you call it.
Creating good or meaningful experiences
WHAT IS ART through art is a matter of skill for the artist
and of the personal preferences for the indi-
Art can be perceived as a broad term cover- vidual spectator. And if you work within a
ing a wide range of human activities which more established art world, contextualising
have to do with creative and aesthetic man- your work in relation to past and present
ifestations. The term is connected to a long artworks and artistic practises, is also part of
history of art with changing definitions and the parameters on which your work will be
characteristics dierentiating it from other interpreted.
fields such as science or philosophy.
Some think of art as fine arts, which tra- The art world
ditionally only included paintings, sculpting, While it might be fair to say that art is for
architecture and maybe music, but now is everyone and we each are entitled to our
broadly the kind of art that is shown at gal- own definitions, art is also a profession and
leries, including live art, performance, video an institution. The art world is the people

371
and institutions who work with art. There experiences and interprets it (Bourriaud,
are professional artists within dierent dis- 2002, p. 20). This definition emphasises both
ciplines, more or less highly skilled at their the skill/work of the artist and the experi-
trait. These artists, together with curators, ence of the audience. If you go into a gallery
critics and collectors, have a big say in de- and see an art piece consisting of a white ta-
fining contemporary art, because they are ble with a black dot, it is fair to wonder what
the ones creating, financing and exhibiting the artist is trying to say with this piece of
the art pieces. The art world can validate art. What is the intention? Why does the ta-
something as being art, but more important- ble have the form and the colour it has? Why
ly, there are a lot of people there, who have is there a dot? You might reach a conclusion
knowledge of and a sensibility towards art which is meaningful to you and you may or
and aesthetics. The art world hasthrough a may not have the interpretation that the art-
long art historydeveloped tools and terms ist intended. Or you might just take in the
for working with and understanding their experience of the table with the dot, feeling
field of practice. which emotions it creates in you or which
associations you get from it. But whether
Art disciplines you get the intention or not, knowing that
Some disciplines such as painting, theatre, someone has created the table and the dot as
music, dance and sculpting are often associ- a piece of art will add an extra dimension to
ated with art. Each of these disciplines have the perception of the table.
their own ways of creating an artistic output,
Being sensitive towards a media.
although the dierent art disciplines often
overlap in contemporary art. I think it is with art as with most other fields,
Not everything created within these dis- that skillfulness comes from knowing and
ciplines are necessarily art. You can make a being sensitive towards the media you work
drawing to show someone the way, and you with. The skill required to make good art
seldom judge childrens paintings by the varies in dierent art disciplines. A skillful
same criteria as paintings seen in a gallery. painter might have a good sense of colours,
Dance can definitely be art, but you can also brush strokes, texture of painting and how
dance for social reasons. to meaningfully combine dierent shapes. A
Some of the art disciplines within which good choreographer might be sensitive to-
artists have used playable larps as art-pieces wards the combination of rhythm, timing,
are: performance, participatory theatre, in- spacial relations and bodily expressions. And
stallation, film and dance. an artist working with conceptual art might
be sensitive towards the framing, placing
Art characteristics and naming of everyday objects to get a spe-
There are some specific qualities in art, cific point across.
which dierentiate art from everyday life and
Art as a way to explore dierent aspects of
from other kinds of ideas, actions or objects.
human experience
When framing something as art, the artist
changes the way this something is perceived.
The common point between all the things
Framing something as art places it within a
that we include within the umbrella term
specific sphere, where it gets interpreted as
of works of art lies in their ability to pro-
art and attributed with the kind of qualities
duce a sense of human existence (and point
we associate with art (Svendsen, p. 95). In
to possible trajectories) within this chaos
the following, I will highlight some qualities
called reality (Bourriaud, p. 53).
which I find important or meaningful in art.
Art can be perceived as a way to explore dif-
Artist intention meeting audience experience.
ferent aspects of our human existence. It
Art can be defined as the intention and cre- can suggest new ways of thinking about or
ation of the artist meeting the audience who experiencing objects, situations or abstract

372
themes. Almost all art pieces have some- tions between words, colours, tone, rhythm,
thing they want to communicate. It can be intensity or other elements which influences
everything from new ways of interacting, us in other ways than logical arguments. Art
new insight in our own feelings or reactions, for me is the meaningful connection of felt
new ways to build societies, new experienc- and sensed qualities. It is a way to explore the
es, or known experiences framed in a new human experience, using other and more in-
way. Art can broaden our horizons in a lot tuitive tools than rational thought and logic.
of ways. It can reach beyond the things we
normally take for granted, make everyday ART AND LARP
objects beautiful, or make us rethink the way
we use our bodies or senses or perceive other It is easy to argue why larp can be seen as an
people. art form. Larp has a lot in common with art
disciplines such as theatre and performance.
Interstice, other rules than everyday life
So much so, that they can be hard to distin-
Art is usually seen as something which dif- guish. Just like art, larp is an excellent tool
fers from real life and this makes it a good for exploring dierent aspects of our human
context for exploring ideas or experiences condition. Larp and art also have in common
which falls outside our normal way of per- that they work as social interstices, provid-
ceiving or experiencing ourselves, others and ing an alibi to behave or perceive in dierent
the world around us. Curator and art theo- ways than in what we call reality. But in my
rist Nicolas Bourriaud describes this parallel experiences, the design priorities, the pur-
space created by art as an interstice (p. 16). pose and the parameters on which to judge
The interstice is creating an alibi to act or larp and art often diers. An amazingly de-
think dierently, because it is somewhat se- signed larp might be a meaningless or irrel-
cluded from everyday life and we can there- evant art piece, which is fair, because most
fore believe that what happens there wont larps are not designed to make good art, they
influence our normal reality. are designed to provide good larping experi-
Art is not judged on the premises of truth- ences. I think larp can make excellent art, if
fully portraying reality and that gives a huge this is what you design for. Most larps defi-
freedom to work created in the domain of nitely have artistic qualities, but to meaning-
art. You can paint a picture of a tree and ex- fully be called art, they should be recognised
aggerate specific qualities to give the picture and interpreted as art, and this is not what
the mood, theme or expression you wish, most larps aim for.
without being untrue to how the tree really The larping community is in the privi-
looks, because art can freely use images or leged position of being an independent me-
associations to make its points. dia. We can keep on developing the media in
all kinds of directions and we can combine
Bodily, intuitive meaningfulness
it with all sort of fields; art, politics, educa-
tion, therapy or self-actualisation. Labelling
Most people turn to art not just because
all larp as art would take away some of this
of its entertainment value, but precisely be-
freedom and it would make it harder to dis-
cause it is meaningful and because it helps
cuss the use of art in larp, the use of larp in
us understand our human condition.
art, and the possibility to create pieces that
(Johnson, 2007, p. 208)
are simultaneously larp and art.
Good art for me is most of all, meaningful.
This does not necessarily mean that it makes Art in larp:
logical sense, but that it touches something As a larp designer there is a lot of inspi-
in the audience, enables them to reflect or ration to get from dierent art fields. I have
to see things dierently. Art often operates used a lot of exercises, theories and tools
on another level than logic, it uses sensory from physical theatre and dance, but I believe
tools, associations and the intuitive connec- that any art discipline could provide inspira-

373
tion. It is not only the concrete tools from felt rather than explainable and logically un-
dierent art disciplines that can be used in derstood. The audience gets the point not by
larp design. The qualities or strategies in art having it explained to them, but by experi-
creation can also be utilised. encing the art piece.
A quality in art that I find very inspiring I think this way of designing can be very
is the intuitive meaningfulness that art can exciting to use in larp. A larp consists of a lot
create, which is brought on by the combi- of elements, and combining these to create
nation of dierent, more or less abstract intuitive connections that enable the partic-
sensory elements. A good painting is not ipants to interpret them together as a mean-
only good because of the motive but also ingful whole, can create good larping experi-
because of the way the motive is brought ences. As can a larp that focusses on sensory
forth. This includes the colours, the brush elements or bodily meaning.
strokes, the style, the angle, the shapes, the
size, the framing, the name and the associ- Larp in art:
ations, moods or feelings that these togeth- Larp has many things to oer in the context
er evoke in the spectator. And it is the same of art.
in other art disciplines. The dierent parts Larp can create a framework that allows
of the art piece should not only be thought the participant to explore what it is like to
through and well delivered, they should also be someone else, to create new societies or
be combined with an artistic sensitivity, to feel, think or perceive in new ways, by ac-
making a meaningful whole of the dierent tually living through these experiences. Larp
parts. How these elements are combined is can create living worlds and embody situa-
not necessarily a logical process, the sense tions, exploring all kinds of themes in an
that they make together can be intuitive and experienced (not just intellectually under-

Photo from the exhibition Invisible Objects. Interviews with larpers in character as
members as a fictional subculture is running in loop. Photographer: Tomas Sjkovgaard / Kristoer rum

374
stood) way. The larp community has devel- ating both an art-piece and a larp, and that
oped tools for designing experiences, inter- the design of these might demand dierent
actions and co-created stories and we have skills or strategies. Even when the audience
developed a terminology to talk about our is playing the larp, you are creating some-
design strategies and the larping experience. thing which should work on the premises of
Larps can be run as art-pieces, but larps both art and larp, because the audience will
can also provide tools for generating mate- probably expect to experience art and might
rial for art-pieces. An example is Danish art- not even know what a larping experience is.
ist Kristoer rum who in 2016 conducted One of the difficulties of working in be-
a larp workshop to develop a fictional sub- tween larp and art, is that it can be hard to
culture for the show Invisible Objects. The describe these experiences. Larping with an
workshop drew on both the larpers expe- audience is still new to most larpers, and
riences as members of a real-life larp sub- participating in or watching larp is new for
culture, the conventions of which allows its most non-larpers.
members to act outside of the norms of soci-
ety and their in-game ability to collabora- AUDIENCES IN LARP
tively improvise and build alternative world
views. The end result was a semi-documen- There are dierent ways to include an audi-
tary film where participants in the workshop ence in a larp. The audience can spectate (as
were interviewed in character as part of the in traditional theatre and dance), they can
fictional subculture. The workshop did not influence the larp (as is sometimes the case
result in a larp, but rather an artwork that in participatory theatre or performance) or
was created using tools and strategies in- they can play the larp, as larpers normally
spired by larp. do. The design strategies and what you have
to pay attention to diers depending on the
Larp as art: way the audience is involved. In the follow-
Larp as art means pieces that are playable ing, I will describe some of my experiences
larps presented in the context of art and per- working with audiences in larp, both as a de-
ceived as an art-piece. The people experienc- signer, a spectator/audience member and as
ing a finished artwork are often called audi- a larper larping with an audience.
ence or spectators. In this article, I will use
the term audience for the people who are Audience as spectators:
meant to experience the larp as an art-piece. I find that larp can be very watchable.
The audience can be the ones playing the Watching a larp has dierent qualities than
larp, but they can also get the experience by watching for example theatre or dance. It is
spectating or interacting with a larp which the joy of seeing larpers immersed in their
is played by larpers focusing on their own experiences, performing intense and honest
larping experience. Experiencing art and larp actions, which may or may not make sense
can be closely related, but it can also be very to me as a spectator, but which are obviously
dierent, and it often comes with dierent meaningful for the larpers. The knowledge
expectations. that they are larping for themselves, being
Placing the larp within an art-frame in- true in the situation, and not performing
stead of a larp frame changes something for me, makes it feel like I am with them in
about the perception of the piece. The art- a private moment and it makes me invest in
like experiences gets highlighted. It can be their situation even though I might not fully
awesome (both as a larper and as a designer) understand what is going on.
to have an audience, either influencing or One of the challenges in designing larp
spectating. with a spectating audience is to create a
When creating pieces which are intended situation where the larpers dont perform
to simultaneously be perceived as larp and even though they are being watched. A way
art, you should be aware that you are cre- to do this, is to help the larper embrace the

375
presence of the audience. In my experience, simultaneously by two cameras, which al-
larping with an audience can be very enjoy- lowed the action to be watched from two
able and add something to the larping expe- angles all the time. The film was first live
rience. streamed as part of the opening days of the
It can be nice to be seen, especially when nearby Nordic Biennial of Contemporary
larping. As larpers we have the alibi of the Art in Moss (Norway) and afterward a slight-
character and can always immerse or dig ly edited version was continuously shown at
deeper into the situation if the outside pres- the exhibition.
ence becomes too much. We dont have the One of the great things about the larp was
obligation to constantly be aware of the au- that the player-urge to perform was dealt
dience. In a well designed piece, the audience with inside the larp. The therapy session in-
is not judging our larping on the premise of volved a focus on presence and authenticity.
acting, the audience is with us through our The AI would call people out for performing
experience, following us and thereby vali- or not being real, making it an integrated
dating our actions and experiences, because part of the fiction. The abstract setting, the
even our lonely moments are shared with focus on honesty and emotions, and the fact
someone else. that the artist/designer was playing the role
Knowing that our actions are being per- as the AI and thereby could influence the
ceived as part of an art-piece and will prob- pace, actions, intensity and interactions go-
ably be interpreted as extra meaningful ing on, was part of creating the aesthetics he
because they are seen in the context of the wanted from the larping, as well as an in-
whole piece, changes something about the tense and interesting play for us as larpers.
larping experience. Also, being part of an art
piece provides an alibi. There is an artistic
vision that we are all part of and the respon-
sibility for this vision is on the artist, not
(normally) on the larpers. We can immerse
and feel, not just for our own sake, but for
the sake of the piece.
All larps are not necessarily watchable.
Most larps are not meant to be. Designing
a watchable larp requires that the audience
is presented with the situation of the larp so Photo from Ziegarnik Eect. The larp is being
they know what to look for and/or that the filmed simultaneously by two cameras. On the right:
larp is design in a way which lets the larpers a character touching the AI. On the left: a character
act, move, react and interact in a way which imitating the AI. Photographer: Brody Condon.
fits an aesthetic vision. The intuitive combi-
nation of abstract elements, which is found
in art, is a possible design strategy when de- Audience participating:
signing watchable larps. It can be eectful to Another way of including an audience in larp,
let the spectators themselves combine the is to give them the full larping experience by
movement of the individual and grouped letting them play the larp themselves.
larpers with the light, music and other ele- Larping is quite dierent from spectating
ments in the larp. or just interacting with a piece. It requires
An example of a larp designed for a spec- opting into and preferably contributing to
tating audience is The Zeigarnik Eect by art- the fiction or situation. When an audience
ist Brody Condon (2015). The larp was basi- is used as spectatorship or low levels of par-
cally a therapy session in an abstract reality, ticipation, the larping experience needs to
conducted by a weird Alien Intelligence (AI) be presented to them in a way which either
in the shape of a sculpture. We were eight lets them understand the value of these ex-
players, playing for two days, getting filmed periences or allows them to keep some of

376
the elements they normally enjoy, such as an riences helps us to live up to audience ex-
aesthetic experience or a meaningful vision pectations. In order to provide the theatre
being conveyed. It also helps to have the ex- audience with a larping experience, we are
perience presented to them in a way which designing a larp in a theatre frame providing
is close enough to what they are used to, to a guided larping experience with focus on
allow them to feel safe when engaging in the sensory elements and coherent and interest-
larping experience. ing aesthetics.
To have a strong aesthetic focus, a vision
and an artistic framing in the larp design, is
an inspirational challenge.
Having your larp interpreted as an art-
piece is exciting, because it enforces and al-
lows you to think about and design the larp
in dierent ways than when designing for
a larp context. Audiences are more used to
being handed an experience than to co-cre-
ate it like we do in larp. The artists inten-
tion is generally more present in art than in
larp, and the responsibility for the audience
experience weighs more heavily on the artist
than on the designer designing for larpers.
This because an audience cant be expected
to know how to create their own play, they
need clearer instructions or less responsi-
bility. But it is very satisfying to present au-
diences with experiences they were not ex-
pecting or even thought were possible.
An example of a larp played by an audi-
ence is The Eighth Palace, which I am cur-
rently working on together with artist Csar
Photo from a test run of Eighth Palace in New
Alvarez. The piece is more or less designed as
York. Blindfolded audience members are gently being
a larp, but framed as a participatory theatre
led into the space where they begin their journey as
piece. The audience plays Beings Who Have
Beings Who Have Yet to Emerge.
Yet to Emerge. They are guided through
Photographer: Csar Alvarez
dierent stages, slowly getting their senses
awakened and learning how to talk, interact
Audience interacting:
and understand themselves. The larp is run
Larp seems to me an obvious media for au-
by actors from a script. It has been tested a
dience interaction, because the audience can
number of times with a partly non-larping
actually influence the actions and experienc-
audience, latest in a theatre in New York.
es of the larpers in meaningful ways without
The non-larping participants have had re-
the audience themselves fully entering into
sponses ranging from mind blown to not
the fiction. A larp seldom has a planned out-
getting it, at all. In a theatre context, the lev-
come. The actions are improvised within a
el of participation required to larp and the
frame and influenced by elements from in-
immersive experience this opens for, is new.
side and outside of the fiction, such as light,
Using theatre elements such as actors and
sound, instructions or meta techniques. The
a script makes it easier to collaborate with
audience interactions can be one of these
the theatre world and to be understood by
elements in the larp design, influencing the
theatre audiences. Csar is a musician and
larpers experiences in more or less essential
playwright and his artistic sensibility and
ways.
knowledge of how to create good art expe-

377
 One of the interesting challenges in de- run three times in dierent iterations. The
signing for an audience interacting with the players play lost souls who live in separate,
larp without actually playing it, is to let the made up worlds and can only see each other
audience participate on their own terms, or interact under special circumstances. The
maintaining the possibility for spectator- audience gets 3-4 specific ways of interacting
ship while at the same time being allowed with the players, like writing messages for
a meaningful function in the larp. It is im- them, interacting through objects, or show-
portant that the audience knows how and on ing themselves to the players without being
which premises to interact and that they can able to talk or touch. When the audience is
withdraw without ruining the larp. The au- not actively choosing to interact, they are in-
dience needs clear instructions so they have visible to the characters and can spectate.
the alibi to interact without being afraid of
doing anything wrong.
The possible spectatorship requires a
framing of the larp which gives the audience
enough information to understand or inter-
pret the larpers actions in a meaningful way.
And the aesthetic dimension should be pri-
oritised to create a coherent experience for
the audience as well as the larpers.
Another challenge in audience partici-
patory larp is that the interactions should
be meaningful for the larpers as well as for
Photo from The Fragile Life of Souls Gone Missing
the audience, otherwise it destroys the larp-
at The Storytelling Festival in Oslo. An audience
ing experience. The audiences interactions
member is interacting with a lost soul through a
could be part of the fiction or have specific
paper umbrella. Photographer: Li Xin
functions in the larp and should preferably
add something positive to the larping expe-
rience.
CONCLUSION
Interacting with an audience is not nec-
essarily something every larper would like,
Whether something is larp or art is mostly a
which is completely fair. But when it works,
matter of the intention of the piece, and the
these experiences can have a lot of good
frame in which it is presented.
qualities for the larping experience. For in-
It is useful to be aware of the dierences
stance, with a spectating audience comes the
between larp and art if you want to create
joy of being seen and followed. It is a great
a larp which is presented in an art context.
joy when you as a larping larper encoun-
When creating larp as art you are simulta-
ter an audience member who is genuinely
neously designing for two dierent contexts
touched. It can be really awkward to inter-
and potentially two dierent experiences.
act with an audience, but it can also be very
Larp and art generally has dierent tradi-
beautiful to experience.
tions, approaches and priorities when cre-
There is something interesting in the
ating their work and they have dierent pa-
interaction between larpers and audience
rameters for how to interpret and judge it.
members, because it can be created in a way
Having the knowledge of and sensitivity to-
that is beneficial for both parts and because
wards both fields, either by own experience
it can make the reality of the audience meet
or good collaborators, is a huge advantage.
the larping fiction or frame.
And it is exactly because larp and art in some
An example of audience participatory larp
ways work on dierent premises, that they
is The Fragile Life of Souls Gone Missing (2015),
have a lot to oer each other and can create
a larp I originally designed for the Copenha-
meaningful experiences when combined.
gen Culture Night, and which has since been

378
 I think that larps can meaningfully be ble, but which still aect the way we think
combined with all kinds of artistic disci- about and perceive our work. I hope that as
plines, and be presented in an art-context, we keep exploring how to combine larp and
for an audience, in ways that create exciting art and as larp as art pieces becomes more
experiences for larpers as well as for an audi- common, we will develop a stronger sensitiv-
ence. But to do this well, you have to design ity, new tools and a language to explain and
for it. discuss these experiences, both within the
Developing the skills to combine larp and larp community and within the art world.
art takes time (as acquiring new skills always Thank you to all the people who
does). There is a lot of underlying assump- have helped me with this article. I really
tions within both a larp and an art commu- appreciate it!
nity, which might not be immediately visi-

BIBLIOGRAPHY LUDOGRAPHY

Bourriaud, Nicolas. Relational Aesthetics. Paris, Alvarez, Csar and Nina Runa Essendrop, The Eighth
France: Les presses du rel. 2002 Palace. New York, USA: 2016

Johnson, Mark. The Meaning of the Body. Chicago, Condon, Brody. The Zeigarnik Eect. Moss, Norway:
USA: The University of Chicago Press. 2007 Alibier. 2015

Svendsen, Lars Fr. H.: KunstEn begrebsafvikling. Essendrop, Nina Runa, The fragile Life of Souls Gone
Aarhus, Denmark: Klim. 2003 Missing. Copenhagen, Denmark. 2015

379
 Larp and I
Till Death Do Us Part

Hanne Grasmo

What kind of stories do we tell when we are afraid to die? With

this question on her mind, Hanne Grasmo peeks decades
into the future of larp, where she gets to see a glimpse of her
own life, and death.

I HAVE LARPED half my life. I have tried to quit several

times, but I am still drawn back to the mysteries, to the emo-
tions, to the creations of stories and alternate lives. At last I
have settled the thought that I will probably larp for the rest
of my life.
For this anniversary Knutebook, I wanted to look into the
future of larp. What will it be like to larp, for my comrades
and I, lets say in twenty, thirty years? Then I realised: In the
future, I am dead.
In my own larp creations I have been obsessed with death
and dying. Just a Little Lovin ((JaLL) Edland and Grasmo,
2011) was, for me, a lot more about the fear of death, than
about sex, friendship and the 80s. Thats why I wrote it,
thats why I played it. The reason: Im scared (to death) by
the thought of my own exit from life.
Now, death plays a part in most larps. We kill the mon-
sters, slaughter our enemies and assassinate kings. You can
meet your own destiny as well, die and get a new character
(or sometimes not). Even funerals have been a huge part of
my nordic larp experience over the last 25 years.
One of the best funeral scenes I have played was in Ha-
remet (Dalen, Edland and Wiese-Hansen, 1998), a 1001-night
Arabic low-fantasy larp outside Bergen. When someone
died, everyone, friend or enemy, had to gather around the

380
newly filled grave to tell stories about the one who passed
away. Not just stories, but more important, we had to say all
the bad thoughts we ever had about that person, the more
gruesome the better. If you hid even a flicker of hate, that
might be the reason that person would haunt you. I, as a
young hot wife in the Harem, shouted out all my hatred of
the bitchy First Wife laying there, so still in her open grave.
As the player struggled to keep a straight face at the litany of
harsh words, she eased out of her character.
For us, then, this was a game, something we played. Not
a story about death to make you meet your fear of The Final
Stop. Not like the time I died in the 80s (JaLL, 2015), when
the lid of the coffin snapped my world away and Hank the
Janitor met the total darkness while my friend Skyplayed
by my daughter Tyracried his heart out.

STORIES ABOUT GROWING OLD, INTO DEATH

Its not just me. In the future, were all dead. Do we reflect
this in our stories?
I know there have been old people dying in our games, of
disease, of aging and natural passing. But what stories do we
tell to meet the fear of our own death?
Old & Wise (Bosch, 2014) lets you to take a glimpse into
the future that awaits us all ... being old. A larp about los-
ing control over your bodily functions and your surround-
ings. In this larp you will play an elderly person living in an
elderly home. While drinking coee, talking and playing
games, time slips through your fingers. Thats the way this
Dutch chamber larp is presented to the player. Its about the
fear of losing your world, bit by bit. In the game Dementia
(Sandquist, 2014) which takes place during a day at a home
for elderly, a whole life span can take place. The game asks
who we are when our memories leave us. In the game Fallen
Stars (Nielsen, Herning and Mller et al., 2010) it is the world
around us that loses its memory: As an old artifact from a
flea market you will at the end of the game be forgotten.
Maybe this game showcases our biggest fear for our fu-
ture: that of losing our identity. We do not fear Death in it-

381
self, Hell is cancelled, but we fear losing our stories.
Most of the games about getting old, sick and dying are
black box larps or short scenarios. I suppose thats because
we really do not want to dig too deep into that kind of emo-
tion? Another short game about an old folks home is Ddens
gang p Aved (Pedersen, 2014) where death turns the pen-
sioners into slow-moving zombies. In my experience, we
often tend to play the old characters in our games with hu-
mor and distanceor with zombies. In the future, I guess
more of us will play them with deadly seriousness. Let me
tell you why:
Before I started writing this essay there wasnt a single
soul I knew in the nordic larp community who had died of
old age. But now he is dead, the first one of us, the grand old
man with the hat, Elge Larsson. Bless his memory.
He died of cancer. I think of one larp meta technique
which might express my visions of this way to wither away,
disappearing. The homosexual man dying in the black box
tragedy Om sanningen skal fram1 had to lay still at the floor
surrounded by friends, nurses, family, or just meta-players.
We all pushed the patient to the floor with both hands. He
is sick, crying for help, doesnt want to die, cant move. One
by one, slowly, slowly, ever so slowly, we release the pressure,
removing our hands. When the last hand is lifted, the one on
the top of his head, he dies.
The designers who wrote all the larps I have mentioned
are still young, and the majority of the players were too
young to feel the breath of death behind their back. I know
of only a handful of active nordic larpers over the age of 60.
So why write about death? Is it because it makes the stories
dramatic or poetic, or do they feel, like me, that death is such
a harsh part of life, so we just have to play our fears away? In
the future, I, and all my larp friends, will be pensioners. Will
it still work to use larp as escapism? Or will we use larp to
process the reality of not living any more?

1 Roughly translated to If the truth have to come out.

382
 TO KEEP DEATH AT BAY

I guess senior larping will be the first step towards the end
of my larp career. Today, larping can be about fleeing from
stress of work and relationships. In the future, I will need
larp more and more to forget how quickly my train is rush-
ing towards the final stop.
As we, the pioneer organisers, grow grey (at least be-
neath our rainbow-coloured mohawks,) it might be harder
for us to design and produce game ourselves. I pray that the
younger generations will feel the duty and pleasure to orga-
nise honorary games for us, the old larpers. In this way you
can contribute to keep my death at bay.
Can we do even more with larp than to shut out the real-
ity of the Grim Reaper? I hope that we can make games that
help us deal with the fear. My goal in life has always been to
die sated. But I am afraid Ill never reach a point where I can
say that Im ready to let go.
I tried out my thoughts about the afterlife at the larp Lim-
bo (Edland, 2006), a game in which every player had died and
were oered tickets to the next worldsbe it reincarnation,
heaven, or the endless void. I saw this game as an opportu-
nity to conquer my fear of being dead. Each player got to
decide what the characters moment of death had been. I
decided that Id caught my sister in bed with my boyfriend,
and had shot my sisterwho I loved more than anything on
this earthin the heart, my boyfriend between the legs and
myself in the head. Before the game started, I had prepared
to choose to pass on, but when the one and only ticket back
to life was oered, I didnt hesitate for a second, even if the
life I would wake up to was the worst imaginable.
I think I need more training, through larp, to let go, to
leave it all behind. I want to immerse myself in the act of
dying, to experience my own happy, divine and sad funerals.

LOTTERY OF DEATH

In the end, are we all children, playing out the things we are
afraid of? Or are we, like the Freemasons who place each

383
new member in a pitch black coffin, inventing rites and rit-
uals to get a taste of our own death and possible rebirth? Is
the key to appreciating life the knowledge that it is going to
end? My father was a Freemason, and his words have rung in
my ears since the age of twelve: Memento Mori, remember
your death.
Our intention with JaLL (2011) was to interrogate and
explore our innate fear of death. In the meta hour between
acts, we designed our techniques specifically to increase ten-
sion and make the players frightened of what might happen.
Spoiler alert: If you havent played the game, but intend on
playing it, do not read the next three paragraphs.
What is more triggering than a sudden death? We wanted
to keep who died unpredictable, so we added the Lottery.
Everyone had to put at least one ticket in the Hat of the An-
gels. The more partners you had been with, the more tick-
ets you put in the hat. Ten names were drawn, ten shivering
people had to stand up and follow the angels into an un-
known ritual of fear. One by one, to the sound of a funeral
dirge, they passed five coffins with open lids. A funeral pro-
gram was placed on each pillow. In the loving memory of
And a name. If you saw your name on the pillow, you had
to lie down and wait for the funeral directors to arrive with
the lids.
The last time I played JaLL (2015) it was my name on the
pillow. I lay there, sti with fear in my coffin, acutely aware
of the rise and fall of my chest as I watched the bright sum-
mer sky above. I knew we wouldnt all die, only the ones
whose lids were closed. The second it turned pitch black I re-
fused to understand. Could it really be true? Was Hankmy
character and buddy for four yearsdead? Then the tears,
then the peaceful silence, then the funeral procession. I felt
the silence and emptiness, and I remember thinking so this
was dying? Not so bad after all. Then I heard my real life
daughters character begin to sob and the sound reminded
me of my own very real fear of the end.
But lucky for me, I got to experience the enormous relief
of opening my eyes on the same bright day. I got to watch the
birds, the sky, the wind in the trees. Larp over, I am alive!!!

384
 DEAD BY LARP

I imagine that in the close future there will be larp funer-

als, designed by the one who is dead. Then you can be laid
to rest as an Egyptian Priestess from year 2000 b.c, or like
a mafia boss. Do you think this is farfetched, that death is
something we should respect too much to play with? There
was actually a suggestion last year of making a funeral gath-
ering (gravl) for Elge Larsson, so he could experience his
own funeral before he passed. These days, people are making
destination weddings with a taste of larp and fantasy. Why
not go all the way? Make your funeral a larp.2
Maybe I should start now, so that I can be prepared? To
ease my pain, my fear of death, come play with me on the
day I die! The nurse can call my old larp friends for a pop-
up-larp. I can die a Queen, or a King, in an old fashioned his-
torical game, but most likely, when I am going to die, maybe
20-30 years from now, we would probably mix larp with AR
(augmented reality). AR and other kinds of virtual reality
would be awesome for old and sick people, since movement
is troublesome. It will be more advanced and immersionist
and 360 than nowadays tabletops, for sure.
I will give you the Last Scene: from the hospice, hours be-
fore I pass. I envision my sortie will be in retro future, play-
ing Star Wars GO with with Eirik Fatland, Elin Nilsen and
Claus Raasted (yes, I chose some old larper friends, I guess
many of you know). The nurse has messaged them to gather
for The Grasmo Finale.
I am of course the hero, Han Solo. With my eyes I move
my character around the room, while laying motionless
in bed. The nurses and doctors are set to look like storm-
troopers, but they dont know they are playing with us. Two
soldiers in my room now, I use my gunner to keep them at
bay. They are disrupting my meaningful conversation with

2 The Danes and Americans would maybe also find opportunities

to sell it to rich Arabs.

385
R2D2 (Claus Raasted) about how we will construct a brand
new world at a distant planet, a place for year-round larping.
R2D2 makes his sweet mechanical sounds, and manages
to mute the soldiers, but they are still annoyingly close, and
when I shoot them down, there is continuously two new
ones appearing. But here comes C3P0 to rescue (played by
Eirik Fatland), crashing through the glass door. I finally kick
one of the soldiers out through the open door when, sud-
denly, a dark figure emerges: Darth Vader (Elin Nilsen), just
two metres away. With one cut of his laser sword, he takes
o C3POs head. He turns to me. My heads next, my heart
beats frantically. But he doesnt kill me, not yet.
Darth Vader kneels by my bed, takes his helmet o, and
I recognize the player; I see Elins compassionate eyes, filled
with tears: You will be missed, Hanne. Thank you for play-
ing along, all these years, and the last thing I see before all
play is gone forever, is Darth Vader killing Han Solome.

LUDOGRAPHY

Bosch, Jantine van den., Old & Wise. Netherlands: 2014

http://societyofplay.subcultures.nl/real-life-game-old-wise/
Dalen, Fabe, Tor Kjetil Edland and Jannicke Wiese-Hansen. Haremet.
Norway: 1998
Edland, Tor Kjetil and Hanne Grasmo. Just a Little Lovin. Lunde
Leirsted, Norway: 2011
Edland, Tor Kjetil. Limbo. Norway: 2006
Nielsen, Martin, Vilde Herning, Magnar Grnvik Mller et al., Fallen
Stars Norway: 2010
Olbert, Tore and Jimmi Eriksson-Werf. Om sanningen skall fram.
Sweden: 2012
Pedersen, Troels Ken. Ddens gang p Aved. [last played at Vikingcon:
2014] http://alexandria.dk/data?scenarie=4046
Sandquist, Siri. Dementia. Sweden: 2014

386
 LETS LARP THIS!
the roadtrip that spawned Knutepunkt

written by Grethe Strand

told by Hanne Grasmo

and

LARP AND I
Til Death Do Us Part
Hanne Grasmo

For this anniversary Knutebook, I wanted to look

into the future of larp. What will it be like to larp,
for my comrades and I, lets say in twenty, thirty years?
Then I realized: In the future, I am dead.
Hanne Grasmo
Index

A Chorus 6371, 288 Emergent narrative 213, 216,

Collective Narrative 111, 114, 115 222223, 287, 289290, 301,
Adorno, Theodor W. 358359, 361, Combat narratology 314, 319, 324, 302
363 393 Emotions 93, 143, 255
Agency 206, 208, 314, 321, 323 Cooking 21, 243, 245, 248, 397 Fear 31, 127128, 145147, 150, 206,
Alcohol 16, 135, 147149, 151, 243 Czech larp 174 247, 269, 272, 282, 285, 350,
Alibi 109, 111, 118, 148, 177 Czochabook 195, 196, 214220, 224, 380381, 383385, 396
American larp 291, 300 228 Love 27, 29, 32, 46, 51, 86, 88, 90,
Aristotle 6372, 288, 290 92, 95, 117, 120, 125126,
Ars Armandi. SeeMeta techniques D 135136, 144, 149, 150, 160,
Askolds cards 148149 165, 168, 170, 176183, 212,
Austen, Jane 95, 162, 259 Dance 15, 6465, 6668, 71, 73, 225, 228, 251, 254, 256, 263,
9293, 122, 126, 147, 151, 269, 280, 285, 295, 323, 324,
B 167170, 172, 174175, 179, 351, 360361, 364, 392
217218, 236237, 300301, Emu, Methektic 220
Baudrillard, Jean 358359, 363 371373, 375, 393 Ericsson, Martin 1112, 17, 67, 72,
Belarusian larp 105 Death of a character 83, 122, 127, 79, 84, 164, 166, 299, 303, 333
Benjamin, Walter 358359, 363 190, 202, 281, 318, 349, 353, Extreme larp 144. See alsoRussian
Black box 90, 105, 107, 232, 234, 258, 385386 larp
259, 265, 347 Debriefing 110, 112, 113, 116, 120
Bleed 92, 111, 143, 173, 195, 221223, Deroling 111112, 117, 119120 F
282, 320 Deutsch, Stephan 304, 312
Blockbuster larp 203, 232, 234, 258, Diegesis Facebook 9799, 177, 194, 195,
299 Diegetic 143, 147150, 278 214218, 224, 228, 299
Boal, Augusto 288, 290 Non-diegetic 143 Fate-play 79
Boer 20, 26, 29, 31, 34, 92, 232, 254 Disability and larp 231, 239 Fatland, Eirik 12, 17, 41, 47, 116, 158,
Boundaries. SeeLimits Disney 146, 151, 330 186, 291, 293, 328, 385, 386,
Brind, Simon 197, 201, 210, 216, 253, Dramatist 132 394
314, 320, 324 Du kannst, was du darstellen kannst Fa Livia 14, 20, 30, 48
187 Fest larp 121, 183, 203, 205, 210, 275,
C Dumas, Alexandre 164, 309 314, 318, 322
Dungeons & Dragons 23, 34, 250, 331 Food 102, 240241, 243
Campaign larp 94, 121122, 125127, Dziobak Larp Studios 84, 104, 210, Freeform 25, 33, 34
129, 149, 151, 186, 186187, 261, 265, 333336, 344, 397 French larp 93, 164, 241, 255, 256,
191, 195, 202, 205, 207, 219, 257260, 273, 309, 393
225, 228, 242, 251, 275, 278, E Froth 129, 269. See alsoWar stories
281, 302
Camus, Albert 162 Eco, Umberto 53, 56, 5859
Chaos League 84, 305307, 312, 325, Edland, Tor Kjetil 90, 94, 158, 164, G
394 165, 281, 284, 289290, 333,
Character creation 106, 108, 184, 380, 383, 386 Game-world 171, 214, 216
188190, 196, 202210, 214, Edman, Karin 95, 101, 176, 183 Gender 29, 39, 41, 47, 152, 157, 161,
258, 260, 262, 266267, 282, Edularp 342 183, 259, 310, 332
320
Chekhov, Anton 88, 287, 290

388
Genre 67, 75, 87, 90, 93, 107, 122, J CoW. SeeLarp: College of Wiz-
132, 164, 185, 233234, 251, ardry
255259, 269270, 298, 304, Jakobson, Roman 55 CoW 3 Mini Spino: Two Parties
310, 328, 364, 393 Jrvel, Simo 109, 117, 119 198
German larp 34, 184187, 189, 191, Johansen, Stle Askerd 11, 14, 23 Curious Pastimes 275278, 396
192193, 202 Juul, Jesper 287, 289290 Debt and deliverance 354
GNS Model De la Bte 258, 261
Gamist 87, 94, 132, 149, 187, 358, K Dementia , 381
361 Dirty Little Secrets 90, 94
Narrativist 29, 34, 87, 132, 150, Knutebooks 8, 12, 37, 327, 380 Ddens gang p Aved 382, 386
260, 313, 320, 358, 361, Knutepunkt 67, 8, 1112, 14, 24, 27, Drachenfest 185, 198
392393 3031, 3638, 40, 4250, 69, Dracon 1 186
Simulationist 8788, 91, 94, 318 101, 210, 293, 328, 331, 334, Draiocht 28
Gthberg, Rosalind 5, 162163, 166, 393395, 398 Drottning Nins profetia 2930
240241, 249250, 347, 354, Koljonen, Johanna 42, 47, 79, 84, Dulce et decorum est 163, 166
394 9596, 101, 109, 116, 118, 166, Dystopia Rising 335
Grasmo, Hanne 11, 15, 17, 90, 94, 299, 303, 333 Empire 186, 198, 205, 208, 210
158, 165166, 281, 284, Krauklis, Daniel 12, 29, 79, 164, 166 End of the Line 328, 333
289290, 327, 333, 380, En Saga Fra Evigheden 22
385386, 394 L Et vintereventyr 28
Europa 152, 158, 394, 396
H Lammies 282284. See alsoAskolds Fairweather Manor 254, 261265,
cards 291292
Hannula, Massi 9596, 99, 101 Larp Fallen Stars 381, 386
Hansen, Erland Eidsem 1112, 17, 39, 1630 305 Forsaken 281282, 284, 398
41, 47, 258, 261, 380, 386 1944 23 Gastars Weekend 31
Harry Potter 89, 149, 151, 193, 213, As we know it 254 God Rest Ye Merry 209
226, 298, 299, 302, 328330, Baltic Warriors 332333 Halat hisar 152155, 157158, 332,
364365 Baphomet 332333 333, 395, 396
Harviainen, J. Tuomas 36, 37, 4950, Before we Wake 332 Hamlet[inifrn] 79
304, 312, 395 Beyond the Barricades 163, 166, Haremet 380, 386
Heyer, Georgette 162, 166 241, 249, 347348, 397 Harem Son Saat 255, 259, 261, 393
Hocking, Clint 87 Black Friday 7980, 8284, 254, Harreskoven 21
Homer 122 291, 319, 324325 Have You Come Here to Play
Horror 89, 150, 209, 247, 267, 268, Black sun 149 Jesus? 107108
270, 272, 321 Brudpris 163, 166, 288, 290, 332, Heder eller olika stt att jvlas 354
Hugo, Victor 348, 351, 354 333 Helianthus land 107108
Hutchison, Ragnhild 15, 39, 47 Captain Dick Britton and the Hell on Wheels 89, 94, 291292,
Voice of the Seraph 273274 360
I Chiave di Volta 258, 261 Hogwarts Seasons 149, 151
College of Wizardry 24, 32, 102, In fair Verona 174
Immersion 24, 28, 32, 35, 42, 58, 104, 184, 190197, 213216, Inside Hamlet 7984, 164, 166,
69, 88, 92, 105, 127128, 221223, 234, 239, 262, 265, 291, 299, 301, 303, 328, 333
149, 179, 195196, 219, 221, 281, 284, 291292, 299, 300, I Ribelli della montagna 258, 261
234238, 299, 310, 357, 362, 303, 328, 333, 335, 360 Isabelle 94, 167, 171175
363 Comme le Houx 92, 94 Its a Mans World 153, 158, 332, 397
Immersionist 132 ConQuest 185189 JaLL. SeeLarp: Just a Little Lovin
Indirect bleed. SeeBleed Convention of Thorns 8182, 84, Just a Little Lovin 90, 94, 152153,
Intimacy 91, 168, 181, 182 102, 104, 291, 328, 333, 397 158, 164166, 281, 284,
Italian larp 82, 304, 306, 312, 394 Coven 247, 249 289290, 333, 386, 394

389
Killed in the Name of Honor 152, Sagan om Ariannas brllop 30 Magic circle 109, 111, 117, 119, 265,
157158 Saint Summer 148, 151 276, 287
Kjrlighet uten strmper 258, 261 Salem-Never forget 89 Maslow, Abraham 105106, 108
Kybergenesis 12, 17 Salon Moravia 258, 261 Mazes and Monsters 24
LAgonie du Pote 88, 94, 261 Sankt Elisabeth 267 Meland, Karete Jacobsen 101, 109,
La Sirena Varada 89 Shadow Wars 281, 284 117, 119, 151
Last Will 243, 249, 352, 354, 397 Skoro Rassvet 257, 258, 261 Metagame 147151, 202, 317
Lgendes dHybore 91, 94 St Croix 163 Metamemory 220
Legion 258, 261, 285, 291 Still Water Runs Deep 259 Metamethectic 220
Les Canotiers de Santeuil 90 Suragett 332333 Metaphysics 317, 320321, 323324,
Les Fleurs de Mai 90, 94 Synkmets 24 358
Les Liaisons Dangereuses 90 Tant dEspace 92, 94 Meta techniques 74, 75, 90, 108, 130,
Les Noces de Cendre 92, 94 The Eighth Palace, 377 177178, 320, 349, 354
LEt 36 92, 94 The Fragile Life of Souls Gone Ars Amandi 8991, 182
Limbo 383, 386 Missing 378 Flashback 107
Lindngen International Boarding The Hole In My Tooth 273274 Flashforward 107
School. SeeLarp: Lindn- The Lists of Avalon 166 Sex simulation 88, 90, 178, 182
gens Riksinternat The Lowland Clearances Violence simulation 90
Lindngens Riksinternat 95, 101, 289290, 395 Mixing Desk of Larp 9596, 101, 237
243, 249, 332333, 352, 354, The Monitor Celestra 328, 332, 333 Monster 81, 117, 119, 122, 125126,
396 The Road Not Taken 5354, 60 214, 233, 251, 276277
Liven 18 The Way 150 Montola, Markus 3839, 143, 151,
Lorien Trust 281, 284, 394, 397 The Witcher School 291292 221, 223, 264265, 291292,
Love Letter 163 The Zeigarnik Eect 376, 379 298, 303
Luinnaur Quest 18 To hell and back 195 Music 5355, 5859, 6668, 9193,
Mad about the Boy 90 Totem 301, 303 127128, 145146, 149, 151,
Maelstrom 281, 284, 394 Treasure Trap 275, 281, 284 172, 180, 218, 245, 252253,
M*A*S*H: Brothers in Arms 161, Tre Kronor 243244, 249, 397 259, 265, 300, 307, 312, 351,
166 Trenne Byar 1213, 20 358361, 362, 371372, 376
Mellan himmel och hav 301, 303 Vampire: the Masquerade 328
Midterm Madness 214 Vivre Vite 90, 94 N
Mineva 1214 War Birds 163, 166
Mittellande Kampagne 186, 197 Washing of Three Tides 322323 Narrative 111, 114115, 201, 240, 255,
Moirais vev 12, 17 White death 174 287, 303, 312, 314, 316, 320
New Atlantis 310312, 394 Winson Green Prison 162, 166 Narrativism 87, 132, 150, 260, 313,
New World Magischola 233234, World of Darkness 33 320
291, 300301 World Went Dark 281, 284 Negotiation 147, 202, 218, 302, 307
NWO 206, 208, 210, 319 Larsson, Elge 41, 47, 53, 56, 60, 382, Nietzsche, Friedrich 65, 66, 70, 72,
Odyssey 121124, 128129, 281, 385 310, 312
284, 313314, 316319, 321 LGBTQ 90, 152153, 164, 289, 300, Non-player character. SeeNPC
Old & Wise 381, 386 332, 382 NPC 18, 2426, 150151, 187188,
Om sanningen skal fram 382 Limits 12, 34, 118, 178, 207, 267, 311, 241, 267, 300, 317, 322323,
Oss imellom 164, 166 321 349, 353, 353354
Pan 89, 94, 332333 Ludic 59, 87, 93, 232, 310
Prima la Musica 88, 9394, 256, Ludo-narrative 87
258, 261 O
Project Ragnarok 284 M
Queen of Denial 161, 166 Online roleplaying 214, 224225, 227
Railways and Respectability 161, Magic 121, 122, 124125, 130, 133134, Orwell, George 107
166 135, 147, 149, 189, 228, 233, Ostranna 145
Rves dAbsinthe 256, 261 244, 247, 250, 321

390
P Railroading plot 201, 206, 268, 271, Svanevik, Martine 195, 197, 198, 210,
321 266268
Palestinian larp 152157 Ravensberg, Lilith Emilia von 216
Paralarp 109, 115 Rituals 12, 23, 66, 6869, 70, 71 T
Participation design 56 Role-playing 14, 18, 2324, 2729,
Participatory culture 130, 223 32, 3435, 38, 40, 4748, 58, Terre Spezzate 84, 258, 261, 319, 325
Pedersen, Bjarke 79, 84, 94, 166, 67, 81, 124, 167, 174, 195, 201, The Mixing Desk of Larp 9596, 237
299, 302303, 333, 382, 386 203204, 214, 216, 219, 221, Three way model 132
Performance 22, 6671 223228, 233, 248, 258, 275, Toilets 22, 82, 102103, 133, 226
Player characters 122123, 129, 187, 299, 302, 304, 316, 331, 344, Tolstoy, Leo 258
275, 277278 357, 364, 394398 Tragedy, Attican 63, 64, 6769
Playing to lose 130, 357 Romanesque 93, 255261, 309, 312, Transmedia 71, 297, 298, 299300
Play Style Models 393 Tropes 90, 216, 256, 266, 268, 270,
GNS Model. SeeGNS Model Russian larp 143144, 147, 149150, 329
Three Way Model. SeeThree way 268. See alsoExtreme larp
model U
Plot 22, 2427, 34, 6465, 79, 107, S
122, 129136, 140, 150151, UK larp 33, 201202, 209210, 269,
177, 184189, 192193, Safety 20, 32, 88, 90, 101104, 108, 281, 315316, 318, 321
201208, 214, 216, 226, 241, 109, 116, 118, 144, 235, 236,
244, 259260, 266, 276, 299, 245, 258, 264, 307, 309310 V
314, 320323, 331 Emotional 119
Plot distribution 130 Safeword 108, 155, 263265, 310 Video games 87, 91, 93, 397
Pohjola, Mike 219, 223, 301, 303 Saitta, Eleanor 38, 43, 48, 223, Virtual reality 334, 337, 370, 385
Post-larp 109110, 113114, 118, 120 264265, 312
Potter. Harry 89, 149, 151, 193, 213, Salen, Katie 287, 290 W
223, 226, 298, 299, 300, 302, Sandberg, Christopher 12, 17, 298,
328330, 364365 303 Waldritter e.v 153
Pregame. SeePre-play Sandbox 96, 186, 189, 191192, 194, War stories 190, 196, 202, 269, 274,
Pre-play 202, 213214, 220, 222 196, 213214, 214, 222, 266, 302, 318
Psychodrama 186 314, 347, 396 Westworld 314, 316, 319
Punchdrunk 314315 Sandquist, Siri 158, 162, 166, 240, White Wolf 33
242, 249250, 333, 381, 397 Wisth, Niels Elling 1113, 17
Q Secret Cinema 314315 Workshops 9091, 94, 105106, 168,
Sex 8890, 162, 178, 182183. See 169, 174, 196, 258259, 268,
Queer. SeeLGBTQ alsoIntimacy 301, 354, 393, 396397
Quest 87, 91, 121, 122, 124, 126, 177, Sleep deprivation 128, 269 World building 22, 24, 303, 320
201, 205 Slovenian larp 167
Spatial design 144145 Y
R Stanislavsky, Konstantin 287, 290
Stark, Lizzie 101, 174, 215, 223, YouTube 250, 251, 254255, 396
Raasted, Claus 31, 41, 4344, 48, 81, 237238, 258, 261
84, 102, 104, 151, 197, 198, Stenros, Jaakko 3940, 43, 4748, Z
210, 214217, 223, 239, 261, 72, 191, 197, 223, 237238,
265, 284, 291292, 299, 303, 264265, 303304, 312, 328, Zimmerman, Eric 287, 290
333335, 361, 363, 385, 386, 362, 363
397 Stories 6, 81, 123, 125126, 152, 184,
Raaum, Margrete 11, 14, 3233, 90, 210, 269, 308, 313, 320, 330,
94, 158 381
Race 162, 202 Story-driven larp 206, 323

391
Biographies
Editors
Martine Svanevik is a fiction, larp, and games to exclaim I must stop and tie my shoelaces, other-
writer. Her work has featured in both AAA games wise I will fall and die.
and indie productions, short story anthologies, As a writer, he believes in the primacy of player
Knutebooks, and other academic publications. Shes agency. He is a combat narratologist, a poet, and a
been playing and making larps since 1999. madman.
She claims to have been a good Marxist once. He lives in London, England.
The only proof of this is a little known method Contact: [email protected]
for creating larps collectively, where each creates
according to their ability and plays according to Elin Nilsen is an Oslo based larp designer and
their needs. larper. Her imagination works better while asleep,
She lives in Oslo, Norway, owns her own house, and she posts way too much about her dreams on
a car, and has recently pushed out a baby; despite Facebook. She is more interested in people and
this she remains a non-conformist and a rebel. relations than in theory, and her wasted education
Contact: [email protected] in the history of religions resulted in her manically
loving India.
Linn Carin Stenvig Andreassen is in her daily life a In 1998, she attended her first larp, so scared that
librarian, teaching information literacy. Despite her she didnt say a word for the full three days. Fortu-
profession, she hasnt read books for joy in years, so nately, she didnt give up and is now an established
when shes not editing books no one will read, she larp and freeform designer who also organises con-
plays computer games, enjoys comics, and crushes ferences, writes articles for books and the web, does
people at boardgames. character work for other peoples larps and was one
Starting her larp career with classic fantasy in of the editors of Larps from the Factory (2013).
the early 00s, more interested in costumes than She used to be part of the travelling circus of
in emotions, she recently returned after an 8 year nordic larpers, but these days shes simply too broke.
break. Once back, she found herself in love with the Nobody knows that her middle name is Kristine.
free-spirited soul of black box larp. Though having Until now.
created no official larp of her own (yet), she has
organised quite a few others to be played over the Grethe Sofie Bulterud Strand is easily spotted in a
last three years, under the organiser-group Blackbox crowd by her loud laugh. She prefers shorter larps in
Deichman. dark rooms and weekend larps in scout cabins less
Living in Oslo, Norway, she is always available than a 40 minute drive from her home. Her larping
to talk about larp, feminism, politics and Star Wars adventures started in a low fantasy larp in 2003.
pick up lines. Except for when shes not. Rituals in a cave, polyester, and a solar eclipse during
Contact: [email protected] the larp got her hooked.
She prefers creating larps in teams and has been
Simon Brind is a soulless curmudgeon of the high- fortunate enough to work on a wide range of larps
est order, who hates fun. He is a PhD candidate at dealing with everything from political negotiations,
the Digital Cultures Research Centre, UWE, UK. He pirate adventures, cold war, the death penalty to
is researching moments of narrative crisis in partici- a six year old girls birthday party. Being a teacher
patory fiction. He has been playing and writing larps at the Larpwriter Summer School for three years
since 1985. has taught her a lot more about the art of larping
As a player, he is an immersionist with narrativist and she loves being completely owned by former
tendencies and a bleed junkie. He once played a larp students.
with a happy ending and is still struggling to come Silence, clean air, and a starry sky convinced her
to terms with the experience. to live just outside Oslo, Norway.
His best friend maintains that he best summed Contact: [email protected]
himself up during a phone call when he interrupted

392
Writers
Muriel Algayres is a historian, teacher and game airlines, Atlantic group, Belupo, etc.
designer from France. Shes been involved in larp Blaz leads a double professional life: one of
creation for twelve years, mostly as a front person marketer and one of business consultant and
for the French style romanesque genre, and as a educator of adults. He focuses on start-up programs,
creator of educational games. Her latest game as of innovative product development, product commu-
2016, Harem Son Saat, was the first international nication and soft skills needed to assemble and run
larp played in France. She professes a great interest a great team.
for larp theory, and building bridges between cul- In recent years, Blaz has been using gamification
tures. She also loves singing and dancing. and game design in his work as a practitioner and
Contact: [email protected] trainer. A few recent projects:
https://www.facebook.com/murielasolo From inspiration to innovation, a fully gamified
business conference on innovation (Ljubljana, Slo-
Christopher Amherst is a player and larpwright venia), recognised as an innovation by the Slovenian
from Rochester, NY by way of Massachusetts, forum of Innovation 2014 (worlds first fully gamified
DC, and Minnesota. His adaptation of the Russian educational business event); Dust over Assling city,
freeform The Prison was presented at the Game Play a stakeholder management LARP, with Ziga Novak
2015 festival at the Brick Theatre. He has written (Ljubljana, Slovenia); 7 samurai, a fully gamified
and organised scenarios at Intercon, Wyrdcon, assessment center, run as a LARP, with Ziga Novak
Consequences (UK), Dreamation/Dexcon, and Contact: www.baltazar.si
Knutepunkt.
Contact: [email protected] Alma Elofsson is a Swedish larp designer, organiser
http://cmamherst.com/ and larper who has larped since 2008 and discovered
Nordic game design in 2010. She is a self-taught
Ian Andrews is a Scots expat of indeterminate age. game designer since 2009, which initially resulted in
He has been involved with organising UK larps of both more and less successful fantasy larps.
various shapes and sizes since the late 1980s. He is Today, Elofsson prefers to create serious larps,
not sorry, and he would do it again too. with her most recent production being Lindngen
He is an unashamed narrativist, a proponent of International (2016) together with Mimmi Lundkvist.
combat narratology, and is currently working on the Her productions often include focus on workshops,
structure of his next big larp for 2018. He runs larps, communication, and the meta technique shadows.
chamber games and experiences under the Carcosa As a complement to heavier weekend productions,
Freelance banner. she writes short, silly freeform scenarios. As a player,
He lives in Yorkshire (which he describes as like she loves games in historical settings and a fair
Scotland but warmer) with his husband Tony and game design towards all participants regardless of
two small hairless cats, Ozymandias and Nefertari. character.
Blog: http://in.carcosa.co.uk/ Elofsson lives in Gothenburg and studies HR.

Charlotte Ashby is a writer and lecturer based in Nina Runa Essendrop is a Danish larp designer with
London. She has been larping since 2015 when a a masters degree in theatre, dance and performance
Norwegian friend promised her wizards and crying studies. She has a strong focus on movement, senso-
alone in the dark. She has not been disappointed. ry experiences and the meaning of physical action.
Nina is an active player in the Nordic Larp
Blaz Branc entrepreneur, sociologist with speciali- community. She has designed and produced black
sation in human resources management, trainer and box larps, freeform games, large scale larps and larp
lecturer. Hes worked with domestic and interna- festivals and she has collaborated with artists in both
tional organisations like Porsche, Hewlett-Packard, Europe and New York.
Samsung, Toshiba, KD Funds, Si.mobil, Austrian Contact: [email protected]

393
Eirik Fatland is one of the old farts who have but retained the methodology of larp.
influenced and been influenced by the inter-nordic When not doing larps, Jeppe works in the
larp conversation since its beginning in 1997. He is intersection between media, advertisement and IT
known as a designer of dark, ambitious larps with as Head of Analysis and Dialogue Marketing in one
political themes (Europa, Inside:Outside, and Panop- of Denmarks largest advertising agencies, Nrgrd
tiCorp), strongly narrative and occasionally comedic Mikkelsen.
larps (Moiras Vev, Marcellos Kjeller, What Happened Jeppe has, together with his wife Maria Berg-
at Lanzarote), and as a theorist and educator of larp mann Hamming, written freeform scenarios that
design. He is in possession of a Norwegian passport have been played in Denmark, Norway, Sweden,
and a Master of Arts degree from the University of Lithuania, Germany, England, Czech Republic, USA,
Art and Design Helsinki. France, Italy and Belarus.

Andrea Giovannucci is an actor, writer and game Maria Bergmann Hamming (b. 1978) is a Danish
designer, one of the founding members of Chaos larper and scenario writer. She has studied religion
League, and one of the authors of the Southern Way and Danish language and is an elementary school
/ New Italian Larp manifesto. A researcher on games teacher.
and experienced player, he graduated with honours Maria has been larping since 1996 and has organ-
with a thesis on the history of larp in Italy and re- ised several larp scenarios, campaigns, conventions
ceived a PhD in History with a thesis on games and and written several freeform games. Maria has a
society in the nineteenth century. He has written background in the world of theatre and has her
and published profusely and has held many confer- focus on how to make larping a dramatic experience.
ences on larp. He is currently a research fellow at the She has worked with education and larping for
University Alma Mater Studiorum of Bologna and many years. Both as a teacher at evening school
one of the organisers of Play Larp (an international for young people, teaching them how to produce
Larp festival in Modena, Italy). He is the author both characters and gear for larping and organising
of larps such as: New Atlantis, 1630, The Legend of larps for young people. She has also worked at a
Percival, Everyone has a Secret and many more. community centre using roleplaying as the primary
pedagogical tool.
Rosalind Gthberg is a Swedish larpwright and a Maria has, together with her husband Jeppe
political science student with a solid theatre back- Bergmann Hamming, written freeform scenarios
ground. She annually performs and produces plays that have been played in Denmark, Norway, Sweden,
with her own theatre society. She loves mixing larp Lithuania, Germany, England, Czech Republic, USA,
and theatre, creating aesthetic, emotional larps with France, Italy and Belarus.
a strong story to tell.
Harry Harold is a product manager and user-expe-
Hanne Grasmo, (b. 1966), sociologist, pedagogue, rience designer for Neontribe, a web development
theatre instructor, and ritual maker. Wrote company.
Laivlevende rollespill (1998, Gyldendal), founded He is also a larper. He plays, designs and runs live
Knutepunkt (1997), designed Sosialfemokratiet (1999), action roleplaying games. Hes been involved with
AmerikA (2001), Just a Little Lovin (2011), Kink & games by Profound Decisions for 12 years. He wrote
Coee (2013), and ArtLarpArt (2016). for their game, Empire, helped design Odyssey and
helped to run their game Maelstrom. Before that, he
Jeppe Bergmann Hamming (b. 1984) is a Danish so- helped run the Viper faction for the Lorien Trust for
ciologist, larper and scenario writer. As a sociologist, 8 years, which involved running smaller larps for the
he has worked mainly with critical theory, organisa- faction under the banner of Earthworks Manchester
tional theory and statistical methodology. and Stab in the Back. Way back in the day he helped
He has been larping since 1998 and has organised run a linear system called Overkill, which ran from
big fantasy games, roleplaying conventions and around 1983 to 1995.
written several larps. Over the years, Jeppe has He blogs about larp at www.larpx.com
moved from the larp scene into chamber larping,

394
Jamie Harper is a theatre director and drama
researcher based in London. He is a previous winner Simo Jrvel is a cognitive scientist specialising in
of the JMK Directors Award, the National Theatre emotions and psychophysiological games research.
Cohen Bursary, and is also a recipient of a Win- He has also miscellaneous academic forays into neu-
ston Churchill Trust Travelling Fellowship, which roeconomics, meditation in virtual environments,
enabled him to research the intersection of drama and stress under extreme conditions. In addition
and games at the University of Miami. He was a to 30 years of role-playing and 20 years of larping,
participant in the 2015 Larpwriter Summer School he has also organised larp campaigns Neonhmr,
and the January 2016 Larporatory and has designed Tonnin stiflat, and OnnenTehdas in recent years.
and organised several larps including The Lowland In his free time, when he is not playing punk blues,
Clearances, at Camden Peoples Theatre, London, he is on a mission to combine theoretical academic
in January 2016, Washing Machine at Blackbox CPH thinking and practical larp design.
in September 2016, and Alibi (in collaboration with
Mark Durkan) at Project Arts Centre in Dublin in Kaisa Kangas has been making larps for more than
December 2016. He is also currently undertaking a 20 years. She was one of the main organisers and fic-
practice-based PhD project on the merger of games tion lead for the first run of the Palestinian Finnish
and drama at Newcastle University. larp Halat hisar in 2013 and the main organiser of
the second run in 2016. She has also been involved
J. Tuomas Harviainen is a Finnish game studies, in designing and running educational larps at the
information, and business sciences researcher who University of Arts Helsinki. She is an editor of the
occasionally still designs larps. He has contributed 2016 Solmubooks Larp Politics and Larp Realia.
to the Knutepunkt books every year. He does not get She holds a B.A. in Japanese Studies and a Ph.D. in
to attend larps as often as he would like these days. mathematical logic.

Hlne Henry is a video game producer at Ubisoft. Maryia Karachun is a Belarusian larp designer
She has also worked as an editor, author and pas- and organiser. She was a participant at Larpwriter
sionate participant on tabletop roleplaying games, Summer School (LWSS) 2013 and was a speaker and
wargames and larps for more than 15 years. One rule facilitator at LWSS 2015, 2016. She has also been a
to link them all: collaborative storytelling. Based on part of the speakers and facilitators team at Larpo-
those experiences and insights, she works at casting ratory since 2015. Maria is one of the organisers of
bridges between these fields to keep exploring new Minsk Larp Festival. As her day job, she works as a
ways of building, living and sharing stories. university teacher in Minsk, Belarus.

Mo Holkar is a UK-based larp designer, organiser, Yauheni Karachun is a Belarusian larp designer and
and writer about larp. He is an editor at https:// organiser. He has been part of a team of speakers
nordiclarp.org, and an organiser of design group and facilitators at Larpwriter Summer School 2015,
The Game Kitchen and larp festival The Smoke. His 2016 and Larporatory 2015, 2016. Yauheni is also one
recent chamber larp design and co-design credits of the organisers of Minsk Larp Festival. Current-
include Its Just a Stage, The Baby Club, The Life of ly he is working as a university teacher in Minsk,
Mermaids, Heroes, Real Men, and These Are the Days Belarus.
of Our Lives.
He blogs about games at http://blog.ukg.co.uk Shoshana Kessock is a writer and game designer,
co-founder of Phoenix Outlaw Productions and sta
Tadeu Rodrigues Iuama is a Master in Communi- writer for the 7th Sea tabletop roleplaying line by
cation and Culture by the eponymous Program at John Wick Presents. She is the author of games like
the University of Sorocaba, Brazil, with a PROSUP/ Dangers Untold, SERVICE, Keeping The Candles Lit,
CAPES scholarship. Member of the NAMI (Mediatic For Here Our Sister Lies, The Last Ten Minutes, Blood
Narratives) Research Group, also at University of on the Trail, No Exit, and Welcome To ReaperCon,
Sorocaba. as well as contributing writer on several larp and
Contact: [email protected]. tabletop RPG products. When she isnt writing, pub-

395
lishing and organising games, she writes academic focus in larp design is co-creation, which is well
papers, fiction, comics, screenplays, and a fiction described in a comment from his latest larp, Space
podcast, and speaks publicly about inclusivity in Explorers, stating: We showed up for the larp, and
game spaces. She hails from Jersey City, NJ. got tricked into making a larp for him, but it was
Contact: www.shoshanakessock.com really fun.
@ShoshanaKessock.
Carl Nordblom is a postman by day and designer by
Emmylou Laird makes games and costumes. She is a night. He came for the historic crafts but has more
director of Curious Pastimes Ltd., one of the largest or less traded his handmade iron for the will to make
live games companies in the UK, as well as working people cry and feel. Carl has studied Participatory
with Mandala LRP, and on several independent Storytelling at Stockholm Academy of Dramatic Arts
projects. She also loves to play as many games as and worked for Lajvverkstaden with several projects.
possible. She is a freelance costume and props When he doesnt larp he shares long meandering
designer and maker, and runs a costume and textiles conversations on life, what it is to be human and
pathway of an art foundation course. how to imitate it.
Contact: www.emmylouvalentine.co.uk
Mo Mo (Morgan) OBrien is a Canadian larper
Mimmi Lundkvist is a Swedish larper and game and YouTube personality. Making videos about the
designer mostly known for the larp Lindngens basics of larp, games shes both played and created,
Riksinternat/Lindngen International, which is a tutorials, and more, shes gained a following of over
larp about bullying in a fictional Swedish boarding 70,000 subscribers and over 5 million views on her
school. She has tried most larp genres and loves channel. Her YouTube adventures have taken her
everything from fantasy war larps to abstract black across the world, and landed her cameos in web se-
box scenarios. Outside the larp scene, she works as ries, guesting on other channels, and even featured
a mathematics teacher and loves excel sheets and in a popular candy commercial.
statistics, so when organising, the administrative
parts often land on her table. Matt Pennington has been running larps for
twenty yearsthe last fourteen of them as a full
Karete Jacobsen Meland is currently doing her time professional. He specialises in large campaign
internship as a clinical psychologist in Oslo, as well games built to allow thousands of players to play
as finishing her thesis on physical touch in therapy. together at the event, in a sandbox environment,
She has been larping for the past ten years, and has and designed to exploit the opportunities that those
slowly gotten more involved with also creating larps kind of massively populated events create. He lives
and organising larp festivals and conferences with his partnerthe patron saint of non-larping
and now she also works part-time with Alibier, girlfriendsand a seven-year-old daughter who
developing and running workshops and educational thinks its normal for her dad to own five hundred
larps. In 2016, she was a speaker at the Larpwriter orc masks. Like all live roleplaying organisers, he is
Summer School and the Larporatory in Lithuania, constantly frustrated by having to run the game he
giving lectures about debriefing and paralarp-design. wanted to play.
Shes really fond of the brain, talking about human
emotions, and of our fear of being abandoned. Juhana Pettersson is a Finnish larp and game
designer. His best known larps are Luminescence,
Charles Bo Nielsen has a BA in Sociology and works Halat hisar and End of the Line. He has published two
with volunteers in his job at Caf Retro, using his roleplaying games, Valley of Eternity and Tsernobyl,
skills from larp organising and playing larp in his ev- rakastettuni and his first novel is Sokerisamurai.
eryday work. He is co-founder of Fairweather Manor Contact: www.juhanapettersson.com
and College of Wizardry, but stepped down from the
team to focus on other projects and work. He loves Mike Pohjola is a Finnish novelist, transmedia
teaching about larp and spreading the nordic larp developer, game designer and entrepreneur. He has
gospel. He is an on-call-hero for Black Box Horsens, founded two media companies that together have
shadow general for Fastaval, technician for Blackbox won an International Emmy Award, two Interactive
CPH and always ready for new challenges. His main Rockies, and a Prix Europa. He has graduated as a

396
Master of Arts in Screenwriting from Aalto Universi- nothing; He is still as full of surprise and delight at
ty, where his masters thesis dealt with participatory the antics of his fellow larpers as he ever was. He
storytelling in Classical Greece. He is also the de- has, clearly, never let that get in the way of endless
signer and author of Age of the Tempesta tabletop pontificating about the hobby, and is known to hold
roleplaying game aimed at kids and beginners. forth about it at the slightest provocation. Outside
Pohjola is a frequent speaker at media, fantasy, of gaming, he is busy raising a new larper, writing
anime, and roleplaying conferences around the unfinished fiction and hooning around the UK in
world including Poland, France, United States, various fast cars (although not all at the same time).
Norway, Germany, and Italy. His topics include
participation, transmedia, the roots of postmodern Nastassia Sinitsyna is a Belarusian larp organiser
storytelling in prehistoric rituals, using games to and larp designer. She participated in the Larpwriter
change the world, and almost driving his wife insane Summer School in 2013 and was a facilitator in 2015
with a birthday game that turned into a human and 2016. She has also been a part of the team that
experiment. organises the Minsk Larp Festival and Minsk Larp
Marathon. When not organising or writing larps,
Claus Raasted (b. 1979) has a business card that says she works as a teacher of English and Korean.
Larp Guru and is only moderately ashamed of
it. He is best known for his work on international Agata wistak is a feminist, leader, and larp organis-
blockbuster larps like College of Wizardry, Fair- er. By day, she works as a volunteer coordinator, fa-
weather Manor and Convention of Thorns, but has cilitating blockbuster events like College of Wizardry
been an active part of the nordic larp scene since and the Larp Design Conference at Polish castles. She
the early 00s. He is one of the leaders of the larp focuses on building co-creative communities, where
documentation wave, and has over 20 books on larp everyone can participate and learn how to make
to his name. These days, he splits his time between larps by doing. By night, she dresses up as Super-Dz-
working on larps in Polish castles, spreading the iobak and tries to spread this knowledge. She runs
larp-as-tourism gospel, and trying to bring larp to workshops and lectures devoted to the practical side
Abu Dhabi. He also has a past in reality TV, but these of organising (logistics, coordination, prototyping),
days, who hasnt? designs games, and strives to do as much globetrot-
ting larping as she can.
Olga Rudak is a Belarusian larp designer and an
active member of the local larp community. She has Ian Thomas is a video games writer, designer and
been part of a team of speakers at the Larpwriter coder. Hes worked in interactive television, edu-
Summer School since 2015. Olga is also one of the cation, puppet-making, publishing, and the games
organisers of the Minsk Larp Festival. Currently, she industry, where hes helped bring to life recent titles
is working at the Minsk International Film Festival such as Frictional Games SOMA, The Bunker, and
and is teaching Swedish at the Swedish Center in a wide variety of others, from LittleBigPlanet to
Minsk. the LEGO games. Hes written Napoleonic zombie
movies, childrens books about Cthulhu, interactive
Siri Sandquist is a larp designer and kitchen volun- fiction, and card games. Most of his time is spent
teer who started cooking for larger groups as a stu- running Talespinners, a story-for-games company
dent. Her first experience organising a larp kitchen that helps games studios with narrative.
was Lindngen in 2013 (a larp about mob mentality, Ian started larping in 1990, was one of the found-
tradition and penalism in a modern-day boarding ers of the long-running Cuckoos Nest system in
school) where she met Rosalind and it was kitchen Glasgow, helped run a faction for the Lorien Trust,
magic at first glance. She has since then cooked food led one of the writing teams for Profound Decisions
at: Lindngen 2, Lindngen 3, Tre Kronor 2, Tre Kronor Empire, and with his friends and partner has run
3, Made in Hessbrand, Dusk of Gods, Its a Mans World, a number of ridiculously high-production-value
Last Will, Sigridsdotter 1, Sigridsdotter 2, and Beyond events under the banner of Crooked House.
the Barricades.
Evan Torner (Ph.D. University of Massachusetts
John Shockley: Decades of playing, crewing, writing Amherst) is an Assistant Professor of German
and running larps have taught John that he knows Studies at the University of Cincinnati. Though his

397
primary research focus is on East German cinema fascinated by telling, understanding and unravel-
and science fiction, Torner has maintained an active ling stories. She spends her professional life online,
presence in the role-playing game scene as a player, where content and technology (and therefore struc-
designer, and researcher. He co-edited Immer- ture) are inherently connected. Not so much unlike
sive Gameplay: Essays on Participatory Media and larp design, the author assumes.
Role-Playing with William J. White, and is currently She has published several articles in the German
an editor for Analog Game Studies. He co-founded larp-magazine LarpZeit, co-coordinates a 100 people
the Golden Cobra contest, and has written numer- strong larp group, and is currently part of a team
ous freeform larp scenarios. designing her first weekend larp.
Contact: [email protected]
Lorenzo Trenti (b. 1977) is a journalist, gamer and
game author. He works in communication and Josefin Westborg is a larper and designer who has
media in Italy. He is one of the founders of the larped since 2001. With a background in game
Flying Circus manifesto (www.flyingcircus.it). He has design and pedagogy, Josefin is one of the founders
written, organised and studied RPGs and larps as a of LajvVerkstaden, a company that works with larp
form of contemporary storytelling. as a cultural form and an educational tool. When
not working full time with edularp, she loves to
Olga Vorobyeva is a Ph.D. student at the European play board games and go to larps with a high bleed
University in St. Petersburg, Russia. She is one of the potential.
few academic researchers of larp in Russia as well
as the co-editor of the bilingual Russian-English Rob Williams is currently working towards estab-
anthology Nordic-Russian Larp Dialog (2015). She lishing an events and larp organisation in the UK
was the Russian producer of the international larp with his partner Helen Dabill. He started playing
project Baltic Warriors, and organiser of the first at the age of 16 and has since written and helped
academic larp conference in Russia, Social Studies run several games before launching the first Broken
of Live-Action Role-Playing Games, St. Petersburg, Dreams project Forsaken in 2015. He currently re-
2016. sides in London, England between travelling all over
Olga defended her masters thesis on frame the UK for his day job.
switching in Russian larps in 2014. Her current Ph.D. Contact: [email protected]
work focuses on larpers bodies and embodiment as
well as their characters. Olga presents the results of
her research at role-playing conventions in Russian
and abroad (e.g. Knutepunkt), and writes and trans-
lates articles about larp.

Eva Wei is a Swedish larpwright, lawyer and lecturer.

She is mostly known for her close-knitted larps
about current subjects and her work for equality.
When not larping, she practices historical European
martial arts, plays escape rooms and has an great
interest in disc jockeying.

Monika Weienfels lives and works in Cologne,

Germany. She looks back on 30 years on earth,
of which the last 7 have been dedicated to larp in
various genres, forms and communities. To her
deep regret, only the last of these years have been
enriched with international larp experiences. She
works fiercely on catching up.
Coming from an academic background with a
degree in German literature and being blessed with
an ever overactive imagination, she has always been

398
Designers Note

Casey Gollan, Victoria Sobel, and Owen Law, designers of this book, are artists based in New York.

399
Acknowledgements
Lots of people have given freely of their time to make this book happen.
Alongside the writers, photographers, illustrators, and designers, wed like
to acknowledge the contributions of the following people:

Claus Raasted - for finding the printers.

Charlotte Ashby - for stepping in and gathering stories

of first larps for the Yesterday section.

Charlotte Ashby, Juliet Brind, Ole Peder Giver, Chris-

ter Gulbrandsen, Frida Sofie Jansen, Trine Lise Lindahl,
Charles Bo Nielsen, Emil Rogvall, Aina D. Skjnsfjell,
Jrn Slemdal, Lizzie Stark and Frederik Magnus
Johansen Vestre - for providing much needed proof-
reading assistance.

Azora - for being born slightly late, thus allowing her

mom to respond to all first drafts, and for occasionally
letting her mom sleep in the days before the deadline.

Everyone who shared strong character moments, epic

fails, killed darlings, and visions for the future.

The writers, organisers, designers and players of larps

around the world that we have played, written about,
and will talk about for years to come.

Twenty years of nordic larp, nordic larpers, and every-

one who has cried, alone, in the dark for the sake of
entertainment or enlightenment.

Thank you all!

This book is published in co-operation with

Nordiske laivdager and Knutepunkt 2017.
Its publication was rendered possible by the
generous financial support of Fritt Ord.

400