Category: LARP (Live Action Role Play)

Educational Value of LARPing

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

Parents may wish to explore the educational and social value of LARPing. Those include but are not limited to:

    • Exercise
    • Playing Outside
    • Friendships
    • Social Skills
    • Communication Skills
    • Problem Solving
    • Negotiation Skills
    • Strategy
    • Creativity
    • Imagination
    • Story Writing
    • World Building
    • Character Creation & Character Development
    • Blogging
    • Costume Design & Costume Construction
    • Prop Design & Prop Construction
    • Mock weapon foamsmithing

Parents may also be interested in the academic research behind the educational and social value of LARPing:

Dragonwood’s Realm of the Silver Elves

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

A visual tour of Dragonwood’s Realm of the Silver Elves

our map of the Realm of the Silver Elves (click image to see full-size)
Faraway Leaf Inn
the north entrance to the Faraway Leaf Inn
Field of Destiny, where our LARP starts (unless we huddle near the Faraway Leaf Inn to seek shelter from Zephyrus and/or Boreas)
a distorted panoramic view of the Field of Destiny
Council Gathering Area
Council Gathering area at the northwest corner of the Field of Destiny
north entrance to the Somber Footbridge to the Mystical Isle, by Shimmering Alley and near the divide between the West Circling Path and the East Circling Path.
Lifeblood Castle, on the Mystical Isle
East Circling Path
East Circling Path, at its start near the Field of Destiny
West Circling Path near its junction with the Somber Footbridge and Shimmering Alley.
Invisible Mill
Invisible Mill, which marks the change from the East Circling Path to the North Circling Path
Vagabond Nest, on the North Circling Path between the Invisible Mill and Werewolf Way
a welcoming doorway to the home of one of the smaller Silver Elves on the North Circling Path, near its junction with Werewolf Way
Werewolf Way’s north entrance from North Circling Path
Werewolf Way at its turn and junction with the Stable Shortcut
Stable Shortcut, south entrance as seen from the Garden Stable
Garden Stable
Garden Stable, as seen from the Stable Shortcut
Werewolf Way, south entrance from Dire Garden
Dire Garden
A distorted panoramic of the Dire Garden
Warhorse Run, east entrance from Dire Garden
Warhorse Run, south entrance from Iron Stables

 

Silverwood Park’s Rules and Guidelines

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

When playing at Silverwood Park, we may go inside the Visitor Center to use the restrooms, take a break from the weather, eat, play tabletop games, talk and hang out, but we do not LARP inside or on the surrounding patio.

Silverwood has granted us a Special Use Permit that allows Nerf and other foam dart blaster play only inside the Dyers Garden (or as we call it, The Dire Garden).

Silverwood also requests:

    • We forgo realistic military and law enforcement costumes.
    • We do not bring our mock weapons inside the Visitor Center.
      • This includes boffers, foam dart blasters, and all other toys that could be perceived as weapons.
      • Mock weapons may be stowed in the Cupholder of Doom LARP gear cart, inside your parent’s car, or underneath a bench outside the Visitor Center.
        • Be sure any gear stowed under a bench does not prevent other park visitors from using that bench as a seat.
    • We do not play inside the Visitor Center or on its patio.
      • Tabletop games are allowed, of course. They mean active play.
    • We remove any masks before entering the Visitor Center.
      • Any other “potentially scary” costume elements should also be removed before entering the Visitor Center.

Be sure to check out the visual tour of Dragonwood’s Realm of the Silver Elves including our annotated map. The group meets on the Field of Destiny (aka Great Lawn). If it’s windy or rainy, the group might huddle in the lee of the Faraway Leaf Inn (Visitor Center) instead (please gather away from the doors — and please do not play on the patio). If the adventurers get too tired or the weather turns too unpleasant, they might go inside the local tavern (aka Silverwood Café) for refreshing beverages, delicious food, and tabletop games.

For more information on Silverwood Park, visit threeriversparks.org/location/silverwood-park.

Lord Maul

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

The main force of chaos in Dragonwood is Lord Maul who is seeking to control the interdimensional portal nexus so that he may use it as the base from which he launches his invasion of the multiverse. Lord Maul seeks wealth and power to ensure his legacy and his infamy and to conquer and control all of the realms of Dragonwood.

Lord Maul sees all uninvited travelers, both intentional and accidental, as threats to his control of his realms and to his larger plan to conquer the multiverse.

Lord Maul himself does not venture from his stronghold. He selects the strongest and most proficient of his minions, recruited from the peoples of his conquered worlds, to lay siege to and destroy any uninvited travelers. This wide-ranging and diverse army means that all adventurers planning to travel to Dragonwood cannot know what awaits them there until the assault begins.

The Realm of Dragonwood

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

Dragonwood is a nexus for interdimensional portals, resulting in a wide range of inhabitants, including dragons (of course), Jedi knights, mercenaries of all sorts, fairies, elves, gnomes, pirates, magicians, Martians and other aliens, demigods, gods, demons, time travelers, and much more. Oh, also the occasional human.

Adventurers are called to Dragonwood for many reasons. Some are forced there by their parents. Others arrive to fight and defeat Lord Maul and win freedom and independence for the multiverse. Still others come seeking to free the deep pure magic of the World Tree, held in captivity by the dreadful Lord Maul’s dark sorcery. And others are just not very good at accurately entering the correct address when using interdimensional portals.

If you perish on a quest in Dragonwood, you will find yourself regenerated at the location of your arrival portal — or the location specified by the day’s Storyteller, or maybe just where you were standing when you died. It all depends.

As an interdimensional portal nexus, Dragonwood is a mishmash of times, places, and worlds. On your travels through Dragonwood, you may encounter a soldier from Earth’s World War II fighting a barbarian from Alpha Centauri armed with weapons from the far future or a Viking longship in the middle of the forest with a Saturn V Command Module crashed into it. Adventurers are thus advised to be prepared for anything.

Adventurers should take note that many Dragonwood portals are one-way — they’ll either let you in or they’ll let you out. Portals also have a nasty habit of shifting about, so don’t expect to arrive where you planned or to find your exit portal where you thought it would be.

There is a creature living in Dragonwood known as the Nexus. If you complete a quest for the Nexus, the Nexus will guide you where you wish to go. The Nexus appears differently to everyone. One hero may see an adorable puppy. Another may see an animated magical potion bottle.

Dragonwood includes the Realm of the Silver Elves, the Realm of the Tony Gnomes, the Realm of the Fire Portals, and more.

Weather Gremlins

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

The “all-weather” LARP will be relocated inside or possibly even canceled for “dangerous weather” — including flooding, hail, thunderstorms, lightning, tornadoes, downbursts, waterspouts, tropical cyclones, blizzards, snowstorms, ice storms, dust storms, wildfires, and extreme heat or extreme cold.

Weather charms and relocation spells are the responsibility of the LARP’s host for that day and should be cast by 9am on the day of a midday Summer LARP and by 10:30am on the day of an afternoon Spring, Fall, or Winter LARP.

Any location change or cancelation should be announced via our Discord server.

On the Complexity of Weather Scrying

If you ever find yourself in strong disagreement about the host’s weather scrying, you should feel free to post a counter offer. Just  say, “We’re going to insert location here instead, does anyone want to join us there?”

If a counter-offer is posted, you should assume the group will split in two.

(So don’t ask, “I’m confused, where is the group going to meet?” Instead, choose which location you prefer and go there. However, it would be a kindness to also say where you are going to give both hosts a sense of who and how many.)

Sharing Public Spaces

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

We LARP at public parks, so other members of the public may also be using the park during our LARP.

When encountering non-LARPers at the park (including parents and non-LARPing siblings and friends) — whether on a field of battle, on a trail, or anywhere else in the park — go out of your way to be both polite and friendly.

Slow down (if you are moving fast). Move to the side (if you are on a trail). Say “Hi!” Smile and wave. Especially, stop any mock combat!

If you spot a non-LARPer entering or coming near an ongoing mock battle, shout “Hold!” Wait until the non-LARPer is well out of the way before shouting “On Guard! … … Lay On!” and resuming mock combat.

Mediation

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

While disagreements seem to arise most often during mock combat, anyone can request a Mediator at any time.

If tensions start to run high and you can’t resolve your disagreement on your own, using your scrying bowl to locate the nearest neutral party and ask for help talking things through.

    • A mediator can be any other member of the LARP.
    • A mediator should listen to all sides.
    • A mediator should not take sides.
    • A mediator’s goal is to help find or forge a mutually acceptable agreement.

Remember that ensuring Diversity, Inclusivity, and Getting Along With Others is everyone’s Responsibility.

Both mediators and those involved in the disagreement should allow each other to speak uninterrupted and to listen to what the other people are saying. The mediator may use anything handy as a “talking stick” or “speakers staff” if necessary. (The mediator may also impose a time limit on uninterrupted speech if needed.)

Questions that a mediator can ask:

    • What happened?
      Invite those involved to share their perspectives on the nature of the disagreement.
    • What happened before that?
      Encourage those involved to consider possible causes of the disagreement.
    • How did you feel when that happened?
      Guide those involved to consider the emotional impact of events.
    • How do you think the other person(s) felt when that happened?
      Invite those involved to consider how others feel about the events. 
    • Do you know why that happened?
      Encourage those involved to appreciate the point of view of others.
    • Can you find out why it happened?
      Guide those involved to seek facts and discover underlying problems.
    • What could you do or say to prevent this from happening again?
      Invite those involved to think of solutions.
    • What might happen if you do that?
      Encourage those involved to consider the possible consequences of proposed solutions.
    • Can you think of something different to do?
      Guide those involved to think of alternative solutions.

Melee Referee

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

Melee or pell-mell refers to disorganized battles fought at close range with little central control once it starts.

A Melee Referee should be elected prior to melee combat.

    • The Melee Referee does not battle.
    • The Melee Referee observes combat.
    • The Melee Referee stops a duel if there is a problem.
    • All mock combatants must obey the Melee Referee without argument or delay — no matter how convinced you might be that the Melee Referee made an error. 

Even within a melee battle, mock combat should generally be duels (one-on-one combat) to avoid injuries and misunderstandings.

While they may be no central control once a melee begins, all mock warriors are expected to remain in control of themselves during mock melee combat.

Going Berserk

The Dragonwood LARP is on hiatus as of March 2019.

It may happen that in the midst of mock combat, you will find yourself losing control. With the noise, the excitement, and the chaos or with an unexpectedly painful blow or a dishonorable surprise attack from behind, what began as a game between friends may begin to transform into something that feels very real. You start swinging faster and harder. You are going berserk, blind with battle rage. You have become a danger to your cohorts.

If you feel yourself going berserk, shout “Berserker!,” stick your weapon straight up in the air like a proud warrior, and walk away to a safe spot to relax and get a sense of yourself again. This is the honorable and valiant thing to do. You can jump back into mock combat as soon as you have your wits about you again.

Someone who has gone berserk may be too overwhelmed to shout “Berserker!” but holding your weapon over your head is the universal symbol for “I’m out!”

If you are engaged in mock combat with someone who appears to be going berserk, shout “Berserker!” and withdraw as calmly and quickly as you can. If you need help disengaging, you may shout “Hold!” for going berserk is a potentially dangerous situation.

Be aware that going berserk is highly contagious!  If someone abruptly withdraws from battle, do not follow! Allow them to walk away and cool down. Maybe you need to go cool down yourself?

Do not abuse the “Berserker!” warning. If you are merely losing the battle, the honorable thing to do is to lose as dramatically as you can manage.