What is a LARP?

[Misha Aogail]

I've mentioned the four letters LARP several times, and a lot of people have been asking me what it is. Well...

A LARP is a Live Action Role-Playing group. This is a bunch of people who go out to campsites (or if the group is well funded, may even have their own private land set up) and roleplay. And I'm not talking PnP type of roleplay. Out here in the wilds, you dress in costume and become your character. For an entire weekend (or week, or month, or however long your local LARP runs per gather) you are another person from another realm. You can pick up trade skills and earn money from making and selling wine, being an armor smith, or even from herding cattle. Baddies of all shapes and sizes, played by people (signified in some way, either by make-up, special tabards, etc.) may pop out at you at any time of the day or night that you and every other townsperson has a chance to fight off or fear being over run by them, and you never know when Plot (aka DMs) will send you on an epic quest.

If there is anything else you'd like to know about it, or to clarify, please feel free to ask.

[Kolfrosta]

Reminds me of my Society for Creative Anacronysm days..... lots of fun in a medieval setting, where you become someone from that time period and you get to fight, brew mead and such, sell handcrafted "period" items, cooking and what not.

I still remember the bruises after a war or fighter practice....and well....one reason you will not find Shari running around the realm in plate armor.....ya just don't run everywhere in that stuff ;D

I did once have a chance to LARP...it was a lot of fun. If anyone has a chance to try it out, it's worth the fun time.

[Misha Aogail]

Yeah... I'm in NC where there's a near-by (near-by meaning within a 50-100 mile radius) NERO (New England Roleplaying Organization), SCA, and SOLAR (Southern Organization of Live Action Roleplaying) chapters. The group I'm in is a small boffer LARP known as TALAN (Triangle Area Live Action Network). April will begin the 3rd official season. And to explain, a boffer LARP is where you go out and battle with weapons made from PVC and pipefoam (aka pool noodles). There are some weapons being introduced that are realistic looking foam-injected or molded latex weapons that are positively beautiful too. Like Kol said, you should try it at least once. It really is a great experience.