Live Action Role play

Our content is not available for redistribution

“L.A.R.P” is very much like interactive theatre - or a Murder Mystery party - in that you take on a role and immerse yourself in a game's world as if you were the character experiencing its events firsthand. LARP goes a step further and flexes all the creative muscles; it asks a lot of its actors.

While you may have some game structure or story beats to pass through as a roleplayer, when you put on that character's head and align your thoughts to theirs, you are living life from their perspective for all the time that you are with them - including that character's fears, pleasures, annoyances, deep insecurities and the purest of their dreams. It's an attempt to live one foot in our world, with one foot in another world, and to do so while maintaining safe boundaries and enough emotional distance to negotiate scenes that might contain difficult or tabboo topics for all the participants involved.

You are the one behind the driver's seat in LARP; you are the one deciding a character's direction, be that positive or traumatic, beautiful or horrific, and you can contribute to game changing stories in this way, living the unwritten and going entirely off script. Given that LARP (when it features these matters) can favour horror, or passion, or intimacy, it is easier for people to lean into those themes knowing that they are only simulating the actions linked to them, that there are mechanics to keep them safe from any real harm - even if their character is having a miserable time of it, or is lost to the throes of vampiric passion.

In LARP you take off your own culture, mindset, norms and values to become somebody else. There are roleplayers who enjoy characters which are very closely aligned with their own interests, so they will pick a character who would opt to do similar things to themselves if they were both dropped into the setting. Meanwhile others prefer taking on a character who is completely different from themselves. They might direct their character to do something in complete opposition to what the roleplayer would do were they faced with the same decisions - even engaging in brutal or horrifying acts. It’s difficult to know what you’ll enjoy as a new LARP participant until you’re in it, sometimes. The mind is a powerful tool and simulations can feel very real; it is easy for emotions to become engaged and carry that roleplayer into a similarly dark - but much safer - place than their character is faced with. As readers of novels we are most engaged when our most beloved characters are faced with trauma and their “dark night of the soul.” With LARP it is no different. Only, we are mouthing our character’s words, moving through their limbs, and offering them breath by which to exist.

Many Types of Roleplay

In some roleplaying games the participants sit together around a table; the players describe their characters’ actions, while the Storyteller describes the world and what happens to the characters, each in their own words. We call these games "tabletop" roleplay games, as a result. 

Some roleplaying games occur online, through a blog or a forum, each player taking turns to write out her characters’ actions, description, and thoughts; "roleplaying" also describes a type of console or computer game in which a player customises a character and plays through a story in a virtual world, by themselves offline or with other people online.

At its heart, roleplaying is a type of interactive storytelling. It’s about being creative, having fun, and often interacting socially. Roleplaying allows us to experience adventures, dilemmas, highs, and lows that we may never experience in our daily lives.

With LARP, instead of sitting at a table describing actions or navigating through a virtual adventure, it is about the physicality of the experience: players wear detailed costumes and decorate the playing area to give their stories visual appeal and a higher degree of immersion; they act out their characters’ choices in real-time, similar to actors in a play; and they react emotionally.

Newblood welcome!

Over the years that I’ve been running darker LARP stories, an interesting observation I’ve made is that the relative experience of the LARPer does not seem to dictate how safely a person will respond to mature topics - or lean in to explore the heavier content with their fellow players. If anything, sometimes it is the newest members of a hobby who follow the rules carefully and throw best into the spirit of the themes, perhaps not wanting to make themselves an enemy of this bizarre new community. Meanwhile some of the more traditional veterans of the industry can be quite problematic.

Giovanni: The Last Supper does not require any LARPing experience. What it does require is dedication on the part of the new player to familiarise themselves with the content of this website. You are welcome to attend if this is your first LARP, but do be very aware of the mature rating for the content it explores.

Dangerous situations occur in LARP for one or more participants when someone agrees to a scene they do not genuinely - and enthusiastically - wish to partake in, especially if that scene involves simulated torture, emotional or physical abuse, themes of enslavement, or the dismissal of someone’s agency. (It must be reminded that all of these things are negotiated and simulated, in particular that last one: you as yourself maintain total agency throughout the game; but you might be roleplaying your character having no agency of their own in a scene that you’ve set up). In this game we have some very clear “check-in” rules to instigate certain roleplay, to make it easier to exert your boundaries even if you’re feeling nervous about rejecting roleplay. Anyone can always get cold feet and opt out of literally anything, any scene, any time, with any person. You never have to explain why. No one is ever to ask another participant why they do not want to engage in something, or why they are leaving a scene. This will be reiterated in workshops and in briefings.

You do not need to be a strong roleplayer, or firm in what you know you want to engage with in Giovanni: The Last Supper. You do not need to be a particularly loud or dramatic roleplayer, though it is sometimes helpful if you are. Many of the human roles especially are meant to explore being the victim and target to an undead group’s obsession or interest. Don’t want to scream and sob about how monstrous this auction is, but happy thrashing about as vampire forcibly subjugates you? You’re fine. Can you sob or cry on command? I can’t. That’s incredible. What you do need is to be enthusiastic to try something new - and to be keen to watch out for yourself and the emotional wellbeing of your fellow participants.

Character

A character is the persona you create or pick for the game, through which you will experience the horror, danger, mystery, sadness, and romance of vampires. You physically embody this character, deciding exactly what she says and does, where she goes, and what choices she makes. She begins as an idea from your imagination, but you bring her to life when you play. It’s a little like creating a special mask and shaping it constantly through roleplaying.

Your character can be any age, gender, or ethnicity, and even if you’re creating a vampire character, you’ll make many more interesting choices about who she was when she was mortal, and what she has since become.

Golden Rules of LARP

Be Safe

Always keep your safety and that of others in mind when playing.

No Weapons

It’s easy for things to get out of hand when excitement or tempers are high. No matter how careful you are, or how well-trained, always leave real weapons at home.

Stay Alert and in Control

Live-action roleplaying can be emotionally intensive, and if your judgment is too impaired, you may not be operating rationally. Pay attention to your choices and keep the game fun for everyone.

Personal Responsibility

The World of Darkness is a reflection of the tragedies of our own history, including the bad parts. A character may have to deal with bigotry, violence, and hatred, but a player should never be subjected to those things. Always consider the feelings of your fellow players or observers when dealing with sensitive subjects. Mind’s Eye Theatre: Vampire The Masquerade is an adult game with dark, occasionally even disturbing themes.

Exploring this paradigm comes with a personal responsibility to respect the feelings of others. If such a situation comes up in game, stop roleplay and make sure the other players are comfortable. Respectfully and generically describe your character’s actions, rather than acting them out. Don’t be the person who went too far and hurt another player’s feelings.

Be Polite

Show respect to your fellow players and Storytellers. Occasionally, you will disagree with each other, but communication is key to resolving tension before it gets started.

Remember: It’s Not Real

Immersion is an important part of the LARP experience. Sometimes, it’s hard to separate the player from her character, especially after intensely emotional scenes. Be sure to get to know your fellow players outside of game, so that you don’t make assumptions about them based on their characters’ actions. Take breaks between intense scenes to calm down and talk to people out of character. Also, remember that real life comes first.

Sportsmanship

LARP is a game of storytelling, and failing to achieve a goal can lead to an emotional, dramatic, and inspiring scene that wouldn’t otherwise have happened. Learn how to “lose” in character, and you will be rewarded with some of the most amazing and fun roleplay in the game. Remember that LARP is a collaborative experience. Work with your fellow players, even if you work against their characters, and always be willing to give up some of your character goals so that everyone can have a share of the fun.

Inclusion

Share the spotlight! Look for ways to include other players in plots and scenes, especially those who are shy or new to the hobby. Encouraging others to get involved is an investment that makes the game better for everyone.

Have Fun!

This one’s self-explanatory. If you find yourself feeling like the game’s an obligation — take a break. We have a “Look Down” mechanic to step out of roleplay at any point, you never need to justify to anyone why. We all need time out occasionally!

Final Thoughts

Savor the mood of the vampires and their world. The World of Darkness is grim and brooding, but it is pervaded by an underlying beauty, it is sensual even despite its tragedy, and this disturbing combination makes this game a provocative and immeasurably memorable experience.

Ready to move on? Visit this page: