Category: LARP (Live Action Role Play)

The wind wailed while the sun fought clouds for its share of the sky. Ace braced himself against the cold breeze and turned to the Demolition Expert. They had been distracted by their tests of their new winter weaponry, but Ace knew that too much time had passed. “Where could the others be,” he asked his trusted companion.

The Expert stomped his feet for warmth and gazed out over the frozen plain. “There!” he cried, sweeping his arm up and pointing to the top of the distant hill. Two figures struggled in the deep snow, making their way towards the frozen encampment. Four more appeared on the other side of the hill. A lone figure followed them. Soon, they were all gathered in the swirling snow.

“We’ve got to get to the North Pole,” exclaimed a bundled warrior. “There’s a laboratory there that we’ve got to reach before sunfall or the world may not survive the night!”

The team quickly assembled their travel gear and set out towards the North Pole, but were confused by evil magic which turned them southwards. After trekking for leagues, they found themselves not at the North Pole, but at the South Pole. Confused and dismayed, they stumbled into a frozen dungeon. While searching for the way out, they were suddenly beset by zombie penguins! Weapons were drawn, blood was spilled, and the warriors vanquished the dreadful flightless beasts.

Wearied from their efforts, they tumbled into a local tavern. Demanding hot cocoa and board games, they immersed themselves in strategy. Feeling refreshed, half the band set out again, only to be stopped by a bombardment of snowballs! Was it the zombie penguins? No. They had been attacked from within by a small but brave knight! Exhausted and bewildered they returned to the inn only to learn that the dreaded North Pole Laboratory had never even existed. It had all been a giant ruse!

Two young warriors stumbled through the biting wind seeking their lost companions. The wind tried to tear them from the bridge, but they clung on for dear life. Find the island deserted and forlorn, they fought their way back over the bridge and into the forest. The paused at the forest lookout for some sparring practice, and then continued on to the shelter of the Dire Garden where they worked on snow runes and battle plans until they heard the shouts of their lost companions. Overjoyed that they were not popsicles, they ran down to the great lawn and then led the expedition back to the Dire Garden to test the snowball launcher of doom. It did not work, unless your enemy happened to be very lightweight and within 3 feet of you. Undiscouraged, the group trooped down the local inn for hot beverages and a new type of battle: table top games. 

Nine. There were nine of them and that perhaps is where the trouble started. The vampires took control of half of the mystical isle. The other inhabitants, both old and new, maintained a shaky hold on the other half. There were intense negotiations regarding the Rules of Warfare and in the heat of the battle, the honorable warriors followed them all.

Then the vampires called for a council, and all nine attended. Before they could begin negotiations, the bloodshed started. It was a slaughter. All the vampires were destroyed within minutes. “We tore right through them,” a weary victor said, “It was kind of scary.”

Ace showed the Red Knight a very nice seat made by elves in a tree. All looked peaceful, but it was deceiving for the defeat of the vampires was not the end of the danger, for the vampires had allies. Allies who mounted an attack against the island’s defenders. Again there were nine. Again the defenders defeated their foes.

But those foes had allies of their own and again the defenders faced danger in battle. Each side had a champion with a dauntingly large sword. The champions began to duel. The ferocity of their attacks was terrifying, but the battle lasted less a minute and then both champions lay dead. Soon all the warriors on both sides were utterly destroyed. Of the nine, not one remained standing on the battlefield.

All sense of cohesion, of group loyalty, of friendship evaporated. It was of a war of all against all. Everyone was attacking everyone, even themselves. A brave warrior shot himself with his own weapon and then lay dead upon the field. His friends wailed and mourned but battled on.

Soon all was lost, all was hopeless, there was no remaining option but to go home and tend to one’s own wounds.

Ace and his two companions awoke to discover that they had crashed landed onto a mystical island. They quickly discovered that their ship was destroyed, and they were stranded. They also discovered that the island’s inhabitants, the Multitude, were trying to protect a tree that guarded a treasure. Of course, they decided to obtain the treasure for themselves. They attacked and soon drove back the tree’s guardians but then discovered that the treasure within was useless to anyone but the Multitude. They were horrified to also realize they had seriously damaged the Guardian Tree, but Ace had a potion that he used to repair the damage.

Soon they found themselves engaged in a massive battle to determine who would rule the island. Ace and his compatriot soon claimed control, but before they could settle in to their new roles as rulers, they were attacked and defeated. The new ruler took control of the island and called herself the Queen of Hearts. She ordered her minions to execute everyone who had opposed her.

The executed rebels soon reanimated as zombies, but they were quickly defeated. After that, all the rebels who had not yet been executed escaped from jail and were chased by some knights.

Suddenly, there was a shout from the Mothers of the Realm and the brave adventures found themselves torn asunder and transported away from the mystical isle and forced to study under the tutelage of the Great Mothers.

It was a sunny day in the village outside the Fields of Fatality. The dragon-phoenix-human cross Ace was enjoying a meal with his good friend the Shapeshifter when they were approached by the proprietor Mincarnom offering to sell dragon treats and magic potions.

Mincarnom reported that he had overheard from Mr. Normal that Balrog the Demon was possessing people to add to his demon army, but Mincarnom had a cure that only a shapeshifter could wield. Also, the cure was a bit nasty, as you first had to kill the possessed person and then reanimate them, demon-free, using the magic potion.

Staff Sergeant Aiden, always interested in a battle opportunity, walked over with the Paladin to see if their services would be needed. Of course, they were.

The group of adventures recruited Mr. Normal for his extensive information on demonic activity in the area and set out towards the Soaring Summit. They had not gone far before they were joined by Lydia the Dark Elf and master of the art of being dragon borne and  Janis the explorer archeologist. They were followed by Lam the documentarian.

Unfortunately, distracted by his filmmaking, Lam was quickly possessed by the demon. Every weapon had the reverse effect on him. He drank his own poison, and it healed him. Fortunately, the demon grew annoyed and perhaps bored by the relentless attempts to drive him forth and de-possessed Lam in order find a more reliable host. Lam then immediately collapsed from the poison. Thankfully he was healed by Mincarnom who reversed the polarity on his weapon and set it to poison gas and shot him with it.

Ace and Staff Sergeant Aiden decided to patrol the village perimeter to ensure it was secure. They set out to do so, but were soon missed by the Shapeshifter and Paladin, who set out in search of them. When the four of them returned, the discovered that Mincarnom had found a space ship and was going to lead an expedition to find valuable resources on alien worlds.

They arrived on an alien world and headed down a path to try to find some resources worth selling. They were disappointed, so they returned to their ship and headed back to Central Terra.

When they returned, they learned that the Confederacy of Dragons was attacking the village. The Confederacy meets once a year and all dragon rivalries are set aside so that the dragons may band together against their common foes, which turned out to be the merry band of adventures, for no particular reason but that they were not pure-blood dragons. A double-headed dragon with a remarkably long spiky and poisonous tongue descended upon them, nearly wiping out the entire band. Staff Sergeant Aiden was able to cut off the dangerous tongue but he died moments later. The dragons then left believing that all were defeated.

Then Ace regenerated and grabbed the healing potions and revived most everyone else. Lam and Staff Sergeant Aiden remained dead or so it seemed. Sadly, it turns out they were actually petrified zombies, and the entire band was zombified while trying to revive them.

The group of zombie shuffled off to find brains.

A great storm was called up by the face of darkness himself: the Evil Overlord. The storm drove such strong winds into the village that it destroyed all the shops including the Black Hoof Tavern, Zaroth’s Magic Emporium, Derek’s Diamond Dealing, and Shady Deals. Lacking the materials necessary to rebuild such unusually magically powerful shops, the human-phoenix-dragon amalgam Ace, the magician and proprietor Zaroth, and a very small but brave knight set out to visit the distant lands of Omoc to obtain the Unbreakable Binding of the Duck.

Along the way, they crossed the Fields of Fatality which lie before the Obliteration Orchards where they were attacked by 1006 of the undead. They battled skillfully but were overwhelmed by sheer numbers. Just when they were about to give up hope of ever seeing their beloved Dragonwood again, the infamous snake-hybrid mercenary Rokh appeared on the scene. Fortunately, Zaroth is a skilled proprietor and thus his pockets are full of dragon scales, the common currency of all realms. He was able to quickly secure the services of Rokh.

Still the soulless undead came, arising from the ground about their feet. As they were being thoroughly trounced, an enraged orc charged onto the scene, scattering undead body parts hither and yon throughout the Fields of Fatality. Yes, it was Eowok, Destroyer of Zombies. Though not particularly fond of human-phoenix-dragon amalgams, magicians, knights, or snake-hybrids, Eowok’s displeasure with the undead was so great that he vigorously fought by their sides, efficiently dispatching zombies with such gusto that they were soon defeated.

Having vanquished their fiendish foes, the friends (for they were now all friends as fighting foes forges friendships firmly) were resting upon the Fields of Fatality when over the hill came FBI Agent Grinnan, back from the future and in the company of a black elf, a Plutonian princess, and Luna of the Moon. Delighted to see their old and new friends, the group traveled back to the village, forgetting all about the Unbreakable Binding of the Duck. Realizing their mistake, they set out again across the Fields of Fatality.

Unfortunately, the group accidentally set off an ancient portal with strange writings. Rokh recognized the script but all he could decipher was something about death and barbecue sauce. Realizing the danger, the group ran, and the portal exploded behind them into a fiery ball of death, destruction and barbecue sauce.

The only safe haven was the Diamond Temple, but first they had to cross the Bridge of Bravery. While the others struggled across, Ace flew down to the bottom of the Temple and climbed inside from a secondary entrance in the lower depths. There he climbed up to the lookout post where he rejoined his friends.

Grinnan revealed that his research into paranormal sword fighting is just a cover story. In truth, he is seeking a Time Thief. Someone has been bringing technology from the future into the past where it is improved upon. This causes the original technology in the future to become even more advanced. The Time Thief then brings the more advanced technology back and restarts the process of accelerated development. Grinnan believes one of the paranormal swordfighters is the Time Thief, but the adventurers themselves have their own theory: they believe it is a future Grinnan who is the Thief himself.

Eowok the Orc noticed some zombies were wandering around outside the Temple. Luna and the Black Elf went to investigate. Sadly, they returned shortly as ZOMBIES! The remaining heroes quickly scattered. Ace climbed to the top of the Temple, because zombies can’t climb. Boy, was he wrong about that. It did not take long before he had been turned into a zombie himself and had also lost a shoe. The loss of the shoe was, of course, due to the Zombie Code of Conduct which requires that at least one article of clothing be lost. The clever Rokh shot Zombie Ace with one of his poison dart, killing him, so that Ace’s phoenix abilities could regenerate him. Unfortunately, Ace was quickly recaptured and turned again into a zombie. He lost the other shoe. Soon, the entire troop was zombified. All would have been lost had they not been inside the Diamond Temple for the Temple Dogs will not tolerate the undead and the curse was soon lifted.

Zaroth decided to cheer everyone up and repay the kindness of the Temple Dogs by hosting a talent show. And that is where our story ends because Ace fell asleep in the audience and has no idea what happened during the show.

Guest scribe!

A strange knight by the name of Mr. C appeared in the Mississippi Park clearing. Expecting to find a group of fellow travelers, he instead discovered the gathering place empty. After exploring the abandoned structures with his loyal servant Cecil, he began to fear the place was under the dreaded curse of “Miscommunication and Mayhem” evidenced by the echoes of possible connections missed. Feeling that dark magic may be at work and sensing the “Mists of Boredom” advancing, the explorers retreated from the area to plan their next adventure. Indeed, shortly after they left, rumors were heard of a second traveler experiencing the same curse. Hoping for a future, curse free meet up, Mr. C and Cecil returned to their home castle to prepare for the next adventure.

A Silver Elf from the Silver Woods received an unexpected visit from his friend, the Black Elf from the Black Woods. They were both excellent sword fighters, and the Black Elf had come to recruit his friend for a quest to the mystical Silver Isle. Also on this quest was Electra, the shapeshifting daughter of Martin the Martian, who was joined by a cat-human hybrid with retracting claws and a weakness for red laser dots as well as a lunar princess from the year 3500 — the same year as that meddlesome FBI Agent, Grinnan, who had returned to the present day for further research into the paranormal. Also joining the quest was Gronk the Gnome, Ace the human-dragon-phoenix cross, and a very small but powerful and dangerous knight.

Just as a very large troll attacked, a strange and mysterious being who could almost be described as an angel appeared. Those who chose to follow this angelic creature fled to the west while the rest fled to the east. The separated bands began to quarrel over trifles, and soon they met in battle. Grinnan and Gronk were both killed in the fighting and were reduced to the status of ghosts that haunted the mystical isle.

The war raged on until the mysterious being was suddenly called home. Once he had exited the battlefield, the remaining adventurers could not recall why they were quarreling, so they packed up their belongings and trudged back to their own homes.

It started off like any other day. Ace, Lydia, The Nameless, thief and rogue Theo Grim, Leo the Barkeep, Leahcim, The Solider, and The Elf gathered upon the grassy knoll to make their plans to seek out a magic portal to their forest hideaway.

They set out upon the path, accompanied by the pirate Vanessa Lockwood, daughter of Captain Hook and granddaughter (on her mother’s side) of Blackbeard, who was walking through the forest listening to mystical music. As the group neared the Spine of the World, the music became a scream and an iron snake crept up upon them and the group was torn apart in the ensuing confusion. Some fled past the Spine into the forests of Dragonwood while others turned back and sought out the portal beneath the Spine. After passing through the mystical portal, they were soon reunited with their comrades at the safety of their forest hideaway and took solace at the Black Hoof Tavern.

Grinan, an FBI agent from the future, had followed the adventurers into the forest, investigating reports of forest-based sword fighting that needed to be documented. His observations soon revealed that the sword fighters were paranormal with powers he hadn’t seen in anyone else before. He continued to spy as more study was needed.

Among those being studied was The Titan and his terrifying Earthshatter! The gates of Tartarus weaken every thousand years and are especially weak every million years, and so The Titan had managed to sneak out and had decided to join the adventurers on their quest.

Unaware of Grinan’s observation, Leo the Barkeep, was attending, as usual, at the Black Hoof Tavern, when it became apparent that The Nameless had been possessed by an evil spirit who quickly used his powers to seal the gateway into the forest hideaway and trap his former companions within their hidden sanctuary.

But then, a heat wisp took hold of The Nameless, confusing his mind and driving him from the forest where he wandered the paths unknowing and unseeing. Fortunately, this released the demon’s trap on the forest hideaway, and his friends and fellow heroes, frightened for his safety, quickly assembled a rescue party and headed out to find him, leaving The Titan and Leo the Barkeep behind in case he returned.

Three meddlesome travelers then broke into the sanctuary and captured The Titan and Leo. They were marching them back to Mortal’s End when the iron snake screamed again. In the confusion, The Titan and Leo escaped down Mud Hill, separating at the fork in the road to confuse their pursuers. Now alone in the woods, Leo foraged on, searching for The Nameless, unaware that The Titan and his captors were searching frantically for him back at Mud Hill. Leo eventually bumped into the Wise Woman of the Woods who accompanied him back to the Hopping Horse and his companions.

In the meantime, The Nameless had been found sitting quietly in the shade near Pigpimples Institute of Magic and Mayhem, now free of all demonic possession. Before the heroes could relax, Ace’s grimoire shrieked in alarm, alerting them to the plight of Leo. Before they had a chance to organize a new search party, the grimoire shrieked again, announcing that the Wise Woman of the Woods had recovered Leo and was bringing him to the grassy knoll.  

The weary band then went to the Hopping Horse for a refreshing meal and then they held another tournament upon the Field of Reckoning where many limbs were severed and many heads rolled.

The adventures undertook the rebuilding of their forest hideaway in Upper Dragonwood. An army of orcs had ransacked this hidden sanctuary, smashing the fortress with their gnarly clubs as well as ripping up the trees along the forest road to the hideaway.

Orcs are inherently evil and destructive and need no more reason than that to attack, but in this case there was another reason: The Black Hand had commanded them to attack and destroy the adventurers’ home because The Black Hand was seeking the valuable Cache of Geon for its gold and other treasures. Thankfully, despite the destruction, the Cache of Geon was found to be safe in its hidden alcove. Will The Black Hand return? Stay tuned for future LARPs!

On a brighter note, the Black Hoof Tavern opened during the re-build.

Exhausted by their labors, the adventurers retired for refreshments to the Hopping Horse in Middle Dragonwood. There, a very nosy person asked a lot of questions.

Feeling revived by the good food and the good company, the adventurers held a tournament in the Field of Reckoning, conveniently located just outside of the Hopping Horse. Sir Bradley dominated the tournament and won handily. Several contestants were seriously wounded, including 1 severed finger, 12 severed legs, 4 severed arms, and 2 rolling heads.

The Council of Adventurers has agreed to a revised rule regarding weaponry: All edges for weapons used in battle must now be made of foam. Thrown weapons must have all exposed edges and surfaces covered in foam. Nerf long-range weapons are allowed, except for Nerf Rival. Warriors are reminded to pay attention to avoiding the illegal targets, including heads. All warriors are asked to check their weapons for rough spots before battle. Non-foam weapons may be used as costuming but not for battles.